We lit a pyre today. A solemn occasion if ever there was one. Normally when one of our kind perish in battle, whether it be in the field or facing off against horrors that dwell beyond the veil you can be sure we go willingly. This time... this time it is a great deal more ignoble. A tragic waste of life.
Our previous dawn had seemed so much more promising. Waking after having liberated a town from a vengeful curse. Needing no praise, no reward, no coin, just the prospect of being able to return home after so long on the road.
We’d made it no more than a third of the way on our journey home. The roads had become victim to cut throats and brigands. This land was never short a few scum to lighten you of your load, whether it be your coin pouch or your life.
The sun had dropped beneath the horizon when we heard a commotion farther down the road. Ardilion, always a cautious fellow, was the first to perceive the shouting, the arguing, the pleading. He moved to the edge of the road and beckoned for us to do the same.
“We have no time for such tactics!” Ystrielle said as she ran ahead.
“Foolish girl!” Ardilion said in a hushed voice, to no avail, “Get back here!”
I looked to Ardilion, “What are we to do?”
He readied his bow, “Move quickly. Stick to the trees and shadows.”
As we hastened to catch up with Ystrielle, we drew close enough to view the scene in its entirety. Ystrielle had her blade drawn, it dripped with blood. One brigand lay dead and Ystrielle stood between a girl in tattered clothing and another masked cur.
I breathed a sigh of relief, “Looks like Ystrielle has righted one more of the worlds wrongs-”
Ardilion gestured for me to be quiet, “Something’s not right…”
He scanned the tree line and came to his conclusion too late, “Fight! Now!”
He dashed out the tree line and trusting my mentor followed as fast as my reactions would allow.
Ystrielle stood before the highway man in front of her, “Last chance; flee or- d-die…?!”
Her words faltered, as she struggled to find the breath, she became painfully aware of a sensation in her chest which was warm and wet. She looked down to see her tunic saturated in her blood. She turned to the sound of a gleeful cackle, “Oh dearie, little elfy has come unstuck…”
Confusion took her face as she dropped to her knees.
Ardilion, arrow already knocked, drew back and fired as the girl in tattered clothes, grabbed Ystrielle’s hair and pulled her head back.
The arrow pierced straight through her head before she could drag her blade across Ystrielle’s throat.
“Elf bastards!” The remaining thief yelled as he pulled out a small crossbow. He fired as best he could in the low light and missed Ardilion by a wide margin, he stepped forward and in an act of pure maliciousness sunk his blade into Ystrielle’s torso. She slumped to the floor.
Before Ardilion could ready another shot I fired my bow, shook by the immediacy of the situation I aimed for center of mass but hit him in the thigh. The brigand stumbled back.
We closed in, I stood over the remaining thief, drew my sword and ended his miserable existence, “Needs must.”
I turned rapidly back to Ardilion who now had Ystrielle in his arms, magic was no use now.
The journey home would be one of sorrow and duty to tradition.
We returned Ystrielle’s body to her family and performed all the usual rites.
We lit a pyre today. Now we will journey together no more.
Go with Celanil’s blessing Ystrielle.