#earthrunes

"Seize the thief who stole the throne that I deigned to make my own!" A voice calls, and suddenly Coradel is yanked from Samson and lands to the ground yards away . a gorgeous figure she's seen before charges her, clipping her with lance . This is no Thallian. He is a true sidhe, beautiful, and yet...oh Dreaming, it's Swainworth ! The very baron she bested! "Do you have any idea what you cost me? A barony with access to the trods of Firnost? the Court would have had been able to move armies and few care!"

(team sparrow) More explosions and shots, but whoever is doing it..oh , there she is. Sparrow sees Tiffany? Yes, Thane Tiffany. She's not wearing her usual Thane garb. Some military fatigues and body armor "Where's my damsel? I was told he'd be here!"

She takes the hit with a roll, and stands, a flick to send the bow away, then another to bring her sword to hand. "Of COURSE I realize, you dolt! You think I did this without some inkling of what it meant! You remain an utter fool." If he makes another pass, she swings at him with her sword.

There's a pulse of Glamour nearby.

Behind him a slender figure, not a sluagh but something unnaturally like it, chants... casting spells to boost the Baron of Leanhaun

"Don't you be a damsel, Tiffany!" A laugh from on high, and then she's diving once more - shield arm guarding, sword leading. Stick'm with the pointy end!

Coradel makes a quick hushing gesture at the sluagh with her free hand, and calls out, "SAY NO MORE." (Dictum 3 sux)

(Sparrow's trio) Another grenade "ANd that's the last of my squeeky toys. You have no idea how hard it will be to explain tmy boss what I did on a yule break if this goes south"

The new arrival draws his blade and swings his shield into place, as he assesses the battlefield.

He spits on the bare blade, infusing it with his own Glamour, and charges the Leanhaun.

waves are now closing in mass with the hold, trying to get to the trod

Coradel's aware of the distant booming sounds, but she can't pay attention to them...she strikes at Swainworth as he passes again. "Coward! Fight me afoot, and without the help of your pets!"

Coradel 's spell works, but she is lanced through the leg by the Baron of the Harp "Stupid Fiona whore. You actually think I will play by YOUR rules? The only sin is losing, my dear girl, and I don't intend to make that sin again"

She tries to grab the lance even as it hits, to yank him off-balance.

The holds's gates are being banged and hammered , slammed and scoured. Walls are being climbed.

She sinks another blade home in a torso, planting her good leg against the beast's shoulder to push back into the air and yank the rapier free.

And whole groups of thallian scream as they turn into Pincushions, and Thistlesnort's howl is almost intimidating!

The Baron finds his mount dropping out from underneath him, a victim of several cuts and stab wounds.

The Baron of Leanhaun does not see the blur that levels the field, and Coradel flips him to the ground easily!

She can't see what caused the scream, but it makes her smile...but not as much as the Baron's horse suddenly falling! Again, she can't afford to wonder...she charges him while he's still tangled in the saddle.

Another figure is already there, lifting a golden blade above his dark head.

Bachdion is slicing and stabbing at others, trying to keep aid from reaching the baron of Leanhaun

(Sparrow trio) "Yeah, well, all I know is.." an arrow sinks in the back of Tiffany even as Sparrow cripples her current foe. Thick, deep, and it goes in. Up to the feathers and through even the body armor "m...message for you sir?" She falls from her billboard sniper tower.

Sparrow redirects, going to catch the falling pooka rather than strike another thallain. "No, no, no...."

Coradel yells, "You get one chance...surrender, order your allies to surrender or retreat. Do it now!"

She is aware of the other figure, but dimly, peripherally, as she holds her blade at Swainworth's throat.

Sparrow catches the pooka from hitting the ground, dizzily bleeding, the pooka mutters, "You know, Damsel, I really like you but I'm not sure about having kids...there are littering laws."

The other figure sees this, and backs off, slowly lowering the blade.

"Oh very well, I shall indeed submit myself..." the Leanhaun smirks "To your death." Yet he doesn't raise his blade, why is he smiling?

He glances around.

Looking for... what's off, what's wrong.

"I'm sure we could get an exception. Vali needs a good girl." She checks the wound, but makes a softly flustered sound. "I can't heal..."

Then launches himself at the BaronESS and knocks her to the ground, covering her with his body.

"What?" She gets tackled and starts to fight back, but cannot get her blade to the right angle.

A shot rings out, blood sprays along August's back as his features are now revealed! The bullet passes through after cutting it's furrow, through the back, did it miss the spine? it must have, for the mortal bullet of cold iron digs deep deep into the gut of Bachdion

He grunts, gritting his teeth in pain, and goes boneless for a moment.

She stares up. "August? AUGUST!"

"They no take candle" the pooka says dizilly and points. No longer are the Shadowcourt warriors striving for the bale. They're heading straight for the Trod! All their forces forcused on escape. And it would seem the Baron Swainworth agrees, rolling since he's free of a blade to his throat and seeks to escape

He meets her eyes for a dull, painful moment, then rolls off her and staggers to his feet.

He casts around, assesses the situation, and runs (as best he can) for the Trods.

Coradel's on her feet a moment later, and following him, calling out, "The TRODS! Defend the TRODS!" She has not seen Bachdion yet.

"I'll be back soon..." Adrenaline is a hell of a drug - her wounded leg screams, but she manages to stagger on it, pushing through pain to defend. "May the sun burn my skin...."

Swainsworth has lost his horse, but somehow makes good speed for an armored coward

August swings his blade, a complicated pattern, and charges forward faster than he should be able to go.

A flick-flick and she's armed with bow again. Shse stops and takes aim at the coward's running form.

It is hard to say who downs Swainsworth first... Coradel's arrow, or August's slicing strike. Fast as he is, he can outrun neither.

August swings, makes contact, and keeps going over/past the body and towards the Trod.

The siege engines, some of them are on fire...dead goblins nearby show who i the likely arsonist.

And the Liam is ahead to the trods. And he realizes that it is one thing to stand against a seige, but this is now a battle where he is the barrier. He, a thane, and a growling basselope SNARLING as it protects it's wounded mistress

August takes his stance, shield up, and readies to defend the trod. He'll stay as close to Leonora as he can to do so.