Deca.n.u.s Caelistis stood up and threw his 4-fulm pilum, spearing the kobold in the chest, pinning it to the ground, and ending its pitiful life

"Shameless tras.h.!.+" He spat, "Good work, Zehr. Seems you're good for something."

Justus hastily scanned the forest before seeing to the blonde woman, "Gia, are you alright?"

With still-shaking hands, she grabbed her helmet from the wagon floor and securely buckled it onto her head, "Y-yes, somehow."

Rena ratcheted back her crossbow string, arming it with one of her enchanted bolts. She sighed at Gianna, "I wish Zehr would pull on my hair..."

Tycon was anxious. They were quickly running out of time, "Deca.n.u.s Caelistis."

"Y-yeah? What is it?"

The man still had no idea.

Tycon frowned. He did not know how to properly communicate the gravity of the situation, "We will come under a ma.s.sive attack, shortly. I advise that our tent group immediately retreat into the eastern forest."

Caelistis snorted in laughter, "Listen, Munifex. I know your pride's hurt because there are kobolds in the forest and no one's taking you seriously. I get it. But anything that's out there--"

Tycon's senses sharpened as he heard another thunk of a crossbow release. He dropped his weight down to a knee as he witnessed a quarrel lodge into the Deca.n.u.s' right cheek.

He turned and yelled, "RHODOKS, GET DOWN!!"

Justus turned to look at him, "Zehr, what are you--"

Thrice-d.a.m.ned fool! Tycon yanked the red-haired swordsman's front leg out from under him, dropping the boy onto his back in a clumsy metal crash.

Scores of crossbow bolts began to fire from the west, bolts striking hard against the side of the wagon, with some piercing completely through.

Gianna and the veterans in their tent group ducked down and turned their s.h.i.+elds towards the attack.

All around them, men and women of the Rhodok adventuring company were screaming, cursing. The horses attached to the wagon neighed their last as they collapsed, bleeding before the barrage of bolts.

"By the Flame! By the Flame! It's happening! I don't wanna get raaaaaped!!" Rena grabbed the dazed and fallen Justus and shook the boy relentlessly.

Tycon, taking cover behind Gianna's s.h.i.+eld, glared at the archer, "Munifex Rena, that is *not* going to happen."

The brunette's eyes sparkled, "Are you gonna save me, Zehr?"

Tycon narrowed his eyes to thin slits at the archer... "Yes."

He decided to agree. He hoped it would end the woman's babbling.

Tycon laid on his back and c.o.c.ked back both legs. Channeling mana through his Iron-Rank physique, he smashed his heels against the eastern side of the wagon, tearing the wooden board off of its nails.

He unsheathed his short sword and sprang out of the wagon, onto the side of the trail. With two manpowered slashes, he broke the high wheels, though his cheap iron sword shattered in the process. The side of the wagon collapsed, spilling the tent group into slightly better cover from the crossbow fire.

Justus managed to get to his feet beside Tycon, "Munifex Zehr, I don't understand! It sounds like they have hundreds of crossbows! HOW can they have crossbows??!"

"No, it makes sense," Gianna shook her head. She winced at the sound of another horse's rattling neigh... "What better weapon to arm themselves to null their size disadvantage than Tyrion crossbows?"

"Munifex Justus.... I do not know why the Iredar wield crossbows." Tycon grit his teeth, "I advise you to accept that they do and we react accordingly-- 'lest you wish to reject my advice like the fellow lying behind me."

Justus looked past Tycon at the unmoving Deca.n.u.s. He gulped but nodded in obedience.

Caelistis had fallen to their side when Tycon broke the wheels. Flipping him over onto his back, Gianna let out a shriek seeing the man's rolled-back eyes and pink froth on his mouth. He had been peppered with crossbows on his arm, his side, and even in his neck.

"Requesciat in pacem," Tycon whispered an old Tyrion prayer and shut the dead man's eyes.

Tycon's gaze hardened as he looted Caelistis' tower s.h.i.+eld and military-issue sword. He examined the man's visored helmet. The fool died while his visor was opened-- it could have potentially saved him from the initial bolt that dropped him.

Tycon took the helmet.

Caelistis' judgment concerning the integrity of Tycon's helmet was correct. The Deca.n.u.s' modified helm covered his eyes and cheeks-- it would provide him far better defense than his cheap one.

"What's the plan now, Munifex Zehr?" A grey bearded veteran asked. He glanced at the helmet Tycon was putting on, "Or should I address you as Deca.n.u.s?"

"Congratulations on your promotion, Deca.n.u.s Zehr," Gianna tilted her head and gave a weak smile.

"A battlefield promotion is not something to celebrate," Tycon said grimly as he tightened the helmet's buckle.

Tycon appreciated that his opinion had become far more important. The whole Iredar debacle could have been avoided had it been important earlier, but hypothetical a.n.a.lysis was largely useless with their current situation.

"We retreat into the eastern forest, s.h.i.+elds on our backs. The foliage will protect us somewhat from their crossbows."

"On our backs? That's not military doctrine," the veteran frowned.

"Let's set up a s.h.i.+eld wall," Justus offered.

Tycon shook his head, "There are traps in the eastern forest."

A deep-voiced veteran grit his teeth in anger, "By the Flame, how can they have traps too..."

Tycon grimaced, "We have a better chance avoiding them if we scatter. s.h.i.+elds on our backs, run into the forest at an angle. By the end of this you'll have prayed your fill to the Flame."

Grey Beard chuckled derisively, "--or we'll be talking to Her directly, I reckon."

A veteran archer crept closer, "Hey, Deca.n.u.s. How about we split our tent group. The old folks can set up our moving target and you can take Gianna and the fish into the forest."

The older soldiers mumbled in agreement.

It was Tycon's turn to scoff, "You b.a.s.t.a.r.ds are trying to die in glory?"

Justus clenched his fist, "Zehr, let me go with them. With my cla.s.s, I can--"

"Sod that." Tycon interrupted, "In case you've forgotten, this is a chance ambush, not our guild's last b.l.o.o.d.y stand. We retreat into the forest. We regroup. The cohort will survive. The cohort *must* survive."

Grey Beard nodded slowly... "Alright, we're with you, Deca.n.u.s."

Gianna smiled, "My s.h.i.+eld is yours to command."

"My body is yours, to have and to hold," Rena offered.

"Flame, protect us," Justus nodded gravely.