The cavalry lead by commander Tate arrived at their destination, discovering the bodies strewn about a stones throw distance from a fire pit. The blood since dried colored the area a dark red, corpses of carnosaurs with their throats ripped open and a couple of their riders with a new bowl for a face. The corpses of the vencars had similar gashes on their throats and covering their bodies.
??? 1: Commander, look is the sun rising?
When Tate turned around to see what the man had spoken of he could see a column of light rising high into the sky. Tate had taken a deep breath and let out a sigh. The blazing glow was too dim to be the sun, nor was it time for the sun to come up. As if to answer his suspicion two more columns of light came.
Tate: They set fire to the plains, of all the thirty-six hours to pick they choose now?
As Tate took a look around himself he could see the anxeity painted on their faces. To quell such anxiety even if for a moment he could only have spoken the truth.
Tate: There is no point in worrying about it. The plains are full of dry grass, the fires will spread quickly and potentially catch us in the blaze if we tried returning now. The only thing we can do now is mush onwards and hope for the safety of the rest.
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--At the caravan--
A butler rushed through people as fast as he could to a white carriage with red trims, bursting through he took a deep breath before looking up, than away from what he saw.
What the man saw was Aireal (air-e-al) spit roasted by Drago (dra-go) and Midnight's tail. There was an awkward silence before Drago spoke.
Drago: Nethan (ne-than), at least shut the door.
Nethan: *closing the door* Aw, yes, my apologies.
A few minutes later Drago walked out in brown pants and a plain white shirt.
Drago: What is it?
Nethan had merely pointed towards the plains in the distance. Drago looked to where he pointed and saw a pillar of stars, to his eyes attuned to the night the pillars of fire were blinding. As if he was looking straight at the sun in the sky. Drago was forced to look away in pain as his eyes slowly adjusted to the new light he was facing, thoughts racing into his mind about what had occurred before reaching a conclusion he didn't want.
Drago: Fetch me Henry and the other two, NOW!
As Drago, Henry, and the two other commanders convened in a large tent the fire quickly approached; it's glow growing ever brighter with each passing minute.
Drago: Has anyone reported sighting the enemy yet?
Henry: Not on my end.
??? 2 & ??? 3: Nor on ours.
Henry: Perhaps they are waiting for the fore to reach us and force us to try and put it out.
??? 2: But we could just retreat into the forest.
??? 3, Henry, and Drago fell into silence as a realization hit them, if they wanted to escape the fire they would need to go into the forest.
Drago: Prepare the men to charge the forest, if we wait worse case scenario is the fire kills us all or they attack as we put it out. Best case scenario? We hold them off, put out the fire, and still lose a great deal of people in the process. Nethan, have the remaining carnosaurs fled?
Nethan, standing in a corner upon hearing his name called fixed his posture before speaking.
Nethan: Sire, they are disturbed but have not tried running just yet.
Drago: Good, get them ready, we will levy a makeshift cavalry force to chase them once we route the filth from the trees. Wait, before you leave get the hunters as well and the mana guns.
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The men at arms of the caravan, their protectors gathered onto the side facing the forest. The Welrin (well-rin) and Felia (fee-lia) at the front with the remaining human soldiers and mercenaries in the rear. Drago was ontop of his mount, a carnosaur with a dark grey scaley hide.
Drago was in his armor ready for combat but at the rear with the makeshift cavalry; makeshift to the extent they didn't even have saddles, rather they had to hold onto the necks and horns of the beast they rode. The octeodermis bumps that covered the bodies of the beast caused a fair amount of discomfort that showed on their faces.
Drago had a one handed mace at the ready on his side and a strange weapon that had the appearance of a flintlock pistol. However, it had a ball full of holes off to the side with a tube feeding into the barrel. Markings along the barrel and all over the ball further distinguished it from a ordinary flintlock. About thirty more Felia men had similar devices mimicking a flintlock rifle just in front of Drago.
The wagons were slowly pushed and repositioned out of the way to make room for the army.
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The bandits watched the caravan, sharpening wood into long spears and hardening them in the fire pit nearby. Sitting atop of a hill in the forest, when they heard the *thump*, *thump* thumping of beast approaching, when they turned around they saw their boss and the rest atop of their vencar, lizard beast that stood as tall as a horse and resembled a komodo dragon.
Movement from the caravan regained everyone's attention, the wagons were pushed out of the way as the new void was filled by men, approximately a hundred-fifty.
Boss: Are they in position?
??? 4: Yes, they will draw them onto the slope without a doubt.
Boss: Good, let us get into our own positions than.
