A piercing boom split the evening sky. As Sorin's horse reared in response, he leaned forward to reassure it. "That didn't sound like normal thunder," Sorin commented in a confused tone. From a few yards away, Alyss stood up in her stirrups to survey the surrounding landscape. "There's smoke coming from the forests to the east," she called. Barda immediately swung his horse around towards the smoke. "We need to make sure no one is hurt!" With that exclamation, Barda spurred his horse, galloping to the east. Alyss rolled her eyes. "We have to follow him, or else he'll get himself hurt," Sorin said with a slight smirk. So, turning to the east, Sorin and Alyss followed Barda towards the smoke in the distance. "We're probably just riding into a forest fire. I doubt anything's going on."
A few leagues away, Dakoda found himself fighting for his life. Unarmed, surrounded by flames, and exhausted, he knew that he was in trouble. The man in front of him swung his longsword horizontally at Dakoda's neck. Dakoda stumbled backwards, narrowly avoiding the quivering blade. He knew that he needed to end this fight quickly, or else it would surely be ended for him. Dakoda crouched low to the ground and waited for his opponent to make a move. The man in armor glared at Dakoda. Without warning, the man thrust forward, aiming the point of his sword directly towards Dakoda's chest. Dakoda leaped forward, eyes glinting with determination.
Sorin, Alyss, and Barda crashed through the burning forest. "I hear yelling up ahead," Barda had to shout to be heard above the roaring flames. The trio suddenly burst through the trees into a clearing wreathed with flames. The scene before them was unexpected, but unmistakably dire. An older man in full plate armor (save for a helm) with a steel longsword seemed to be locked in combat with a younger man in what seemed to be simply tattered rags. The younger man was unarmed, but seemingly unharmed. Contrarily, the man in armor was clearly winded. Both men were standing in the middle of the clearing, completely focused on one another. As the three adventurers looked on, the combatants leaped toward each other. The young man jumped above his opponent's low sweep, and swung a kick at the armored man's head. The armored man fell to one knee, seemingly stunned by the kick. The younger man stepped forward to finish the fight. Unfortunately, the armored man was not as stunned as he appeared, and as the young man approached, the longsword sliced through the air, whistling, arcing towards the young man.
Dakoda knew the older man was over exaggerating his stumble. The man's hand had continued to firmly grasp the hilt of his sword, despite his feigned reeling. Thus, when the strike came, Dakoda was prepared. He stepped under the swing and gripped older man's wrist. Pivoting on his heel, Dakoda launched the other man over his shoulder, slamming him into the ground. Dakoda quickly moved forward and, in one swift motion, he punched the man directly in the jaw. He was knocked unconscious immediately. Victorious, Dakoda stood up. He was panting, both from the fight and the building smoke from the surrounding fire. Dakoda was dazed, but he began to stumble towards the edge of the clearing. He didn't make it.
Sorin rushed forward to assist the young man who had just collapsed to the ground. "Thanks," the young man coughed. "We need to get you out of here," Sorin said quickly. "Barda, help me out here! Grab the one in armor." Barda stepped forward and easily lifted the older man onto his shoulder. "Okay, we've got this one on the horse, now let's go!," Alyss yelled. Barda jogged towards them, hoisting the man onto his horse"Let's go!" Sorin shouted, leaping nimbly atop his horse. The group turned and galloped away, the forest burning wildly around them.
