She heard the screams as soon as the first lumberjack died. She and Goapa were given the southern end of the forest to wet down with natural oils. This would help to spread the flames quickly as the Noldarian Priests controlled the fires from blazing across the whole forest. A road had been decided upon and she had been one of the deciding factors in allowing the village warriors better access through the foliage where many an ambush awaited. With the help of a young svirfnebli, Ralgor, they were able to convince the Smiths to help with the fire that they would use to raze the forest and create a road. Goapa had managed to convince the lumberjacks to lend their axes, though the village was in quite a debt for this. Perhaps ale…

Dropping her vat of oil Nerylana donned her drums and rushed towards gates of the Thalos Ruins. She managed to climb atop a pile of rubble but could see nothing from this vantage. Too much smoke had begun to drift up from the forest and obscure vision. She had to warn the lumberjacks and village of danger. Lifting the leg bone of a wizard she issued an alarm.

BOOM! BOOM!

That would gain their attention.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

She shouted loudly, “To Arms!”

She quickly stepped down from the rubble and marched towards the forest to lend whatever aid she could. Her hair swung across her face, clinging to her cheeks as perspiration set in. Just as she reached the gates a crash came from the foliage directly in front of her. She stumbled back and tripped, grazing her fingers against loose rock.

Two trees were opened up by massive hands. A giant figure came crashing through the forest like a raging boar. He charged over the bardess, trampling her before she could get a chance to bring up her blade.

Turning back around the giant hefted his axe and cleaved downwards.

Nerylana rolled, quickly enough to avoid the blow. She managed to twist herself onto her back and place her hands by her shoulders. With a flick of her wrists she was back on her feet her voice rising to meet the challenge…

She sang, a song so convincing that it would make the most hardened man weep. Her voice rose softly and fell slowly. She managed to parry another swipe of the giant’s axe and continued to sing twisting the words so that they could pluck at the giant’s heart. His eyes began to dim and tears welled beneath his lashes.

--
Suilvanum had heard the song before, as a youth. It made his eyes water and his heart weep at the same time keeping him from seeing properly. The bardess was to the right so he lunged and missed completely. No she is to the left, or is that her further ahead? He could not tell where she stood, the song having an affect that left him unable to properly gauge his enemy. He missed again, connected with a blade and missed once more.

--
There was a motion to Nerylana’s side. A small figure darted back towards the rubble and was gone in the shadows. The screams from the forest were growing more frantic. There were no more sounds of prayer. Lumberjacks were yelling at one another, trying to rally their own. She had to react quickly. Ducking another swipe of the axe Nerylana sang again, this time a song of anger. She made herself become cold. Returning her thoughts to the way the village was betrayed by the wizards of old she managed to change her chords with the tone of her song, cold and hard became her voice then it boomed with rage! Anger filled her lungs and windpipe, spilling forth as she screamed the words of hatred at the giant before her.

--
Suilvanum became frustrated at this point. He never had this much difficulty fighting his prey. He chopped again and again, missing his mark. He stepped back from the battle and wiped at his eyes with a massive forearm just as the bardess changed the tune of her song. His fingers became numb and an ice-cold sensation fell across him as he lunged once more at the bardess. Just as he cleaved into her shield his hands lost grip of his axe, sweat rolling over his body. Pain arched up his legs and buckled his knees. For the first time Suilvanum knew fear. The bardess was screaming at him now, but he could only sense the overwhelming pain that crawled across his body. It consumed him, like the flames consuming the forest. He retreated, darting back towards the gates. Just as he rounded a corner something pierced into his side.

Rounding quickly, Suilvanum saw a winged figure dart back towards the shadows. He looked down to see blood seeping from a gash in his side. His strength ebbing, the giant rushed back towards the forest, hoping to reach the rest of the pack in time.

--
Nerylana gave chase. Her strides covered less ground than the giant’s but with Goapa trailing him they might overcome the figure. Her song managed to keep him believing he was thrashing in pain, which would also slow him down. Goapa was not far ahead, fluttering from tree to tree. The giant came to a clearing, falling against the stones of a rock basin that formed the base of a waterfall. Nerylana slowed and took measure of her enemy behind a large oak. There was stench to this place; one of death and the iron taste of blood lingered in the air. Glancing through the clearing she saw the carnage. The carcass of a burnt bear lay in the clearing. Dead men were strewn across the opening hacked and butchered in unspeakable ways. Nerylana froze quickly and shallowed her breathing. Goapa however rushed forward as the giant crumpled beside the waterfall. Disappearing momentarily the thief reappeared in a bundled heap above the ground.

She should have recognized the silence. It was the silence that came from every attack. One that she would always remember.

Again the attack was swift and brutal. There was a loud “Thud” and Goapa crashed to the ground, entangled in a vine net. The thief began hacking at the vines that encumbered its small frame and still there was silence.

It was almost instantaneous…
Goapa’s back arched, numb fingers involuntarily dropped the dagger. Like a roaring bear another giant rushed into the clearing, hacking at the leg of the thief, then disappearing in the forest. There were the pronounced syllables of magic coming from somewhere behind another tree. Something cracked loudly, a rib, breaking through the feathered chest of the thief and staining the avian's torso with crimson. There was the sound of more mystical syllables and the air filled with static. Goapa fell, heavily breathing and straining to gain some semblance of composure. A feral snarl and a young felar in auburn attire leapt from a branch above the fallen thief, embedding an axe into the arial's thigh. There were screams but Nerylana only saw the butchering of her companion. The air continued to fill with static as the sound of mystical chanting continued to rise and fall. She had to do something. Rushing into the clearing Nerylana defiantly challenged the felar standing over Goapa. There was silence, a small hiss escaped the lips of the ranger and all activity ceased but for the chanting. She could sense the other figures watching her, measuring her. There was a rustle of movement to her right.

Now!

She lunged, plunging the hilt of her blade into the face of the felar. There was a roar and another giant with bark-like skin barreled into her. She twisted and rolled upon impact.

Make them all face you.

An arrow flew past her shoulder from the fallen log at the edge of the clearing. She made a note of it. Goapa struggled to regain footing within the snare, blood flowing from the avian's wounds. The bardess saw the wizard now, a small gnome standing beneath the cascading waterfall. The water flowed all around him, yet did not touch his frame. Nerylana struck, dancing from side to side as more figures stepped into the clearing. There was a loud popping sound as the air behind her shimmered and a gnome appeared from nowhere.

She sang, out of desperation and even out of fear. She sang, her throat bleeding from the intensity. There was no melody to the song, only the jagged strain of chorded anguish. Piercing the mind of her enemies she sang of fear. Words of darkness and of being alone…of the threat of death and the fear of natural calamities. She sang of abandonment and of wickedness…and an illusion was created as fear etched the faces of her foes. The giant stumbled back, hacking at the air while stumbling into a nearby tree. The felar clawed at his face and eyes, rolling on the ground in vain. The wizard ducked the air mispronouncing syllables of magic as fear caused him to tremble and choke on his words.

The air crackled with intensity, the static having built up beyond control. Nerylana turned in time to hear a deafening crackling and see bolts of lightning streak down through the clearing. The ground heaved and trees exploded into flames. A bolt of lightning threw her to the side, singing her clothing. She regained her feet in time to see another bolt strike the kneeling figure of Goapa, blasting a hole in the chest of the arial. There was nothing she could do. Nerylana turned back toward the valley and fled as the howls of her pursuers followed after her.