Black riders

3rd November 5000

At dawn the company rode away from the dogs, presenting an unusual sight for those who could have seen them: three horses taking five adventurers on their back. They formed a strange group led by a Telchos and closed by a dwarf riding like a man.
The sound of some insects awaking with the sun was abruptly stopped by a:
- WHOOOOOO.....
- Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
- Tsssssssssssss!

This last one was almost inaudible by the already far away companions.
Griselda sixth sense made her turn her horse around. “Gustavius, jump ! I’m going to get Mulchanor’s horse back”
Gustavius came down the horse with as much trouble he had to climb and found Mulchanor unconscious on the hard stone. He had lost his two front teeth, rewarding him with a new smile which he surely won't use when he sees his backpack lying on the desert’s ground, all its content broken, scattered and lost for future archaeologists to find. As if to make the situation worse, Gustavius found a smashed keg nearby. All the powder was lost. Not as easy to retrieve as the bullets the desert took from him. Gustavius breathed of relief when he found Mulchanor's gun miraculously intact. At least I have good news for him he thought. I'll keep it charged in case those dogs get on us. And extra shoot will be welcome.
Without time to look for neither the bullets nor the teeth, they went on riding again, fleeing possible enemies chasing them. Erleothir horse listened to his master and led them to a path it seemed to recognize. After some hours they decided they were in a safe enough place in the middle of nowhere, where the mountains could be seen closer, and they could take a nap. A night riding without stop had broken them, except Griselda who was in her element, not even presuming of her newly acquired temporary leadership. They all relied on her to find civilization again.
- Do we have food? Inquired a very talkative Griselda.
- Not so much I'm afraid... Said Erleothir.
- Is Mulchanor still in coma? Asked Gustavius
- Seems to be. Said Alast
- I'll go hunting said Griselda
- I'll go with you answered Alast.
Too happy to have a break both Knight and the dwarves stayed building a resemblance of a camp. Erleothir and Gustavius were almost finished while Mulchanor was still breathing loudly, not giving any hope of helping them. Griselda came back with an undisclosed broken and bloody animal. As they couldn’t use fire, for fear to be detected by their enemies, only the Telchos dared eating the raw meat. The rest of the group dined with roots Alast hunted down.
Griselda couldn't help to smile at him, the fierce root slayer.
When the sun was at its highest, they knew it was time to go, they would not allow their captors to get on them. Surely they won't stop so easily.
Erleothir managed to sense problem coming and searched for possible elements ahead. He found a strange cloud coming at them, against the wind. Griselda hawk eyes recognized men at arms. Silently they turn their horses toward a more southern position. They escaped and managed to spend a quiet night. Mulchanor was still not showing any sign of life.
Another day riding left them bored but aware, those incidents since they were saved by Dark Raven left marks on their bodies remembering them that the desert is treacherous and full of surprises. After those warning they weren't surprised to discover not one, but two clouds of smoke coming at them: one from the North, another from the South.
- Damn, what should we do now? We can't go back! Said Erleothir
- How many are they? Asked Gustavius
Promptly Griselda shouted, as if she wanted to wake Mulchanor up.
- Nine come from the North, black riders, I can't see weapons nor face... Fifteen from the South. Let's build a fake camp here and we'll try to go by the middle!
This time they didn't lose any arguing and cooperated as one body. Leaving a fire and some things behind they pushed the poor horses harder. After twenty minutes they all, in vain, searched for signals that their plan worked.
- It didn't work! We have to face them one group after the other if we want to survive. Let's take the nine riders first! Commanded Erleothir.
Choosing the lesser of the two bad, they charged at their enemy. Griselda received a bow and arrows from Gustavius and happily got it ready, she couldn’t wait to be in range to shot the arrows and get rid of those bandits. The quicker they'll get there more time they'll have to get to a defensive position against the bigger group. Mulchanor wasn't waking, five hundred meters till the clash. Let’s hope the aren't carrying long range weapons. Four hundred meters… Four against nine: what are the odds in their favour? Three hundred meters. A quick look back, the second group hadn't realized they were engaged in a collision course with the first one. There is no chance they are not together. The more time they'll lose, the more time we can get ready, if we manage to stay alive. Two hundred meters, soon we'll see if they have ranged weapons. One hundred meters, nothing, they have none. They want to be sure they can have us, those are no mere bandits.
- Stop the horse! I need to get down and find a good shooting position! shouted Gustavius
- All right! Said Alast, I'll get their attention, watch my back Master dwarf!
Riding again, lighter this time, Alast planned on using his pirate skills hoping for some bull eyes accurate gun shots in between.
Griselda broke on her left, taking two black riders following her and a still knocked out Mulchanor. Two to one was not bad. Erleothir aimed for the center, he would be the Spear Head. Three riders were expecting the clash. Alast was not so lucky however and was being targeted by four of them.
From afar Gustavius was already aiming to a rider, his first shot misfire and ended up dying on sand. Meanwhile the missed enemy, helped with three more foes, was surrounding Alast. Erleothir was already battling on two fronts, letting his horse smashing one enemy while his sword swung for a deadly blow which finished its short life on a diminished shield. Griselda soon gave up the idea of using the bow in fight. The first two arrows missed and she was now too close to make a relevant use of the weapon, she thus switched to her spear. However, hindered by the bow on her back, she failed to avoid an enemy blade which deeply slashed into her right arm. Getting overrun, she used her Telchos skills against her opponent and efficiently incapacitated him, for the moment. Her efforts were turned into nothing. She simply wasn’t as agile with her left arm and a dagger than with her right hand holding a spear. It started as bad as it would end for her.
Alast tried to fight back as much as he could, avoiding as many coups as possible, bleeding from all sides but fighting like a lion, a whirlwind on his horse. He missed some cuts but each hitting blow was a prelude to sudden death. Another shot was fired. Mulchanor's gun hit one more time, but not its target: it exploded right on Gustavius face, bruising him, almost broking his nose. The gun's cannon flew right over his surprised face.
- Arggggggggg! Not now! Cursed Gustavius, sweeping the powder left over his face. Grumbling and throwing Mulchanor's useless weapon, he grabbed his own gun, hoping for better luck.
Erleothir’s horse was hurting the enemy, but no sound was heard. In between hacks and slashes, one of the attackers fell dead, pouring blood over his running horse. Griselda's arm was showing her bones, as the last cut was deep and accurate. Luckily no major artery was cut. Enraged and mad about her lack of efficiency she used one deadly technique to save herself. But once more, the wind was the only one hurt. A grin could be seen under the enemies’ hoods for they knew she was getting tired. One short slash was avoided by her dexterity, but she couldn't avoid the deeper cut in her left leg which almost cut her knee off. Painfully she stood on her horse fighting for her life. As the opponent was still bent on her, trying to get his sword off the flesh, she slashed his neck with her dagger and jumped off her horse to finish him off, forgetting the fight was far from over.
Alast, was managing to deal with his four adversaries, using his horse as a cover, making the enemy wait for his turn before giving him the "coup de grace". But he fought more for his life than for money. Relentlessly he turned around offering both his back and weapons alternatively to his enemies. One, then a second fell motionless on the already hot sand.
-Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Griselda stung her last enemy down. Unconsciously she fought protecting Mulchanor body. Another shot was heard. Alast wouldn’t have to turn any more, only one was left. Erleothir finished his enemies off and then went to the rescue of the wounded Telchos. He gave her a Laumpsur potion that she sipped avidly. Soon, the last black rider turned into desert food, as Alast and Gustavius unceremoniously finished him.
No time to feel relieve though, they looked back and already could see new enemies, a fresh troop, coming at them. Fifteen more enemies. Riding fast. They would be there in less than fifteen minutes.
No time was left to waste.
- We need to flee now! Screamed Erleothir.
Alast was the fastest to get ready, helping Gustavius to get on his horse, Mulchanor still layed unconscious on Griselda’s horse, covered in blood from the riders and Griselda, badly hurt after her fight. The potion did help and restore some of her endurance, but she was still wounded and diminished by the merciless riders strikes. Riding away from the fresh troops arriving, the tired horses and wounded heroes couldn't match the riders fresh mounts and hardiness. They would now be on them at any minute. The first scouts were already on their flanks, pressing them into a thinner and easier to control group. If this end up in a fight, it would be a very short one. Four more riders were on their tail, almost able to catch them. The company’s mounts were quickly tiring. Two more bandits were closing, soon after, it was ten herding them. Eleven, the horses were slowing down, giving up after those hard days, fourteen riders, hope started to fade in their hearts, fifteen. Time was up. Surrounded, the light of steel blades reflects met their looks. When all seemed to be lost, two straight bolts marked the beginning of the last journey for two of the mysterious stalkers. This unexpected bolt of hope reanimated their will to survive. Whoever was in front of them, it was a better option than now.
The unknown pursuers closed onto them, trying to grab them, Mulchanor almost fell once more, but Griselda pressed her body against him and the horse, getting the dwarf far from the enemies grasp. She stroke one rider on her left, shattering her spear in his horse flank. More arrows fell. Horses and men fell together, several of them won't stand anymore. Alast slashed one enemy, leaving his horse with with a dead weight on till he felt, leaving the animal free in the wild. Five new riders came fast toward them, getting the black riders attention. Encouraged by those bold moves, Gustavius tried to strike one Rider on his left, but he forgot he was shorter than his grands Companions. He managed to stay on the horse grabbing a stone on the floor to imediately throw it to the rider at his right.
- CATCH! The dwarf said.
The rider left in sword rolling in the sand, grasping the stone efficiently. The incoming new friends were clad in green, the colour of hope. The combat was from there fast and almost simple. Those were not mere soldiers. Without any words they gave the deads’ horses to our heroes. Those green riders surely won the company gratitude today. No words were spoken till they all reached the cover of the mountains. Right under the now clear moon, around a fire underneath the cover of a distorted rock, four riders left their company. One stayed behind, saluting his leaving friends with a revered short bow.
Sitting nearby the fire, the all waited, questions burning their lips, but they got one before they were allowed to ask their own.
- So my friends, let me see your injuries, I think I can help.