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Ben Medinets / story2p

Chapter 16: Tommy’s Rescue

The group had travelled only barely a 100 yards in the dense forest. It soon became apparent that the forest was too thick to ride horses in, so all of them dismounted their horses and making their travels in the woods that much slower.

Despite an unusually tended dirt path that they travelled on, the forest itself remained quite unkempt and uncared for with a massive overgrowth containing much twisting branches and a lot of dead underbrush.

It was once a controlled growth forest of the Empire in its glory days, but since then the Empire had focused its attention elsewhere, and let the forest grow unhindered. Add to the fact that the peasants were afraid to venture there because most of them feared that the forest was haunted and that it had a mind of its own.

The group managed to cope with being in the forest despite their reservatons. They could still see a set of fresh tracks, despite the limited amount of sun protruding through the thick branches above their heads. As they treaded down the path, the heard some rustling in the brush just off the path. This caused the group to stop abruptly and take a defensive stance.

For a few moments they stood there, expecting the worst. It turned out the source of the noise was a pair of mischievious squirrels tussling in the thick underbrush. The squirrels took notice of the party, until the group resumed their walk on the forested path. A little while later they heard another rustling in the brush followed by a screech. The group again was startled, but realized it was only an owl hunting its prey.

There was a third rustling of the brush, and this time it was there undoing, despite the rustling being no louder than the first two times. After the faint rustling, there was deathly silence. A few moments later, a twig was snapped, and the party realized that it was too late to react to this new threat.

“Don’t move, we have you well covered. If you move we will kill you, since we have already killed already to less co-opertive men.” The voice was firm and low, but not at all deep and definitely not masculine.

The group had stepped into a trap, which was set by a group of unfriendly rangers. The rangers had their arrows pointed to the group, and they meant business. The soldiers in the group were frozen in fear, and even Soren was a little afraid, not daring to move. The only one not scared at all was the GREEN MAGE, Princess Sara.

“Come out and show yourselves, fearless rangers. You may have us ambushed, looks can be deceiving. You may be able to kill some of us, but no matter how deadly accurate you are, you cannot kill us all and be completely sucessful...” the GREEN MAGE said.

“Tree Branch, is that really you? Its been so long since you’ve been to this neck of the woods, “said the female who seemed to be in charge.

“Rustling Leaves? I knew that voice sounded familiar. Its been ages since I had last visited. I’ve been too busy with MAGIC GUILD business,” the GREEN MAGE answered.

“You mean business associated with Papa’s Magic rock?” said the voice coming out in the open.

“The one and the same,” replied the GREEN MAGE again, “I don’t know if it is a blessing or a curse, but the experiences it has brought have certainly have been interesting.” Then the two of them hugged.

The head ranger was no other than Sara’s younger (step-)sister while she was staying in the forest with the peasant family. Despite not being their true child, Sara was given their greatest possession, the GREEN MAGIC CRYSTAL.

“While you were busy with that rock, sis, I was hoaning up on my ranger skills and on my archery craft. Just recently, my fellow rangers and I had to drive off some brigands from the woods. Anyways, what brings you into the woods now, and why do you travel with these outsiders?” the ranger asked.

“Leafy. I am here with these outsiders on GUILD business. One of my fellow GUILD members was kidnapped and these men are here to help rescue him. Besides, what brigands?” Sara replied.

“These brigands,” said the ranger as she pointed to 3 dead bodies on the ground, all bearing the emblem of the “Black Falcon”. All the weapons had been stripped, and all 3 had been shot through the heart with only one or two arrows. “The rest of them managed to escape, but we did manage to capture the prisoner they were holding and put him under our protection.”

So the group of rangers led Sara and the others to their camp. However, all of them except Sara had to be blind-folded. Once they reached the encampment, the blind-folds were removed, and they saw Tommy was now safe and sound. Everyone, including Soren were extremely happy that Tommy was relatively unharmed and now safe in the rangers’ hands.

“This one will be a tough one to let go.” the ranger said after Soren and Sara had finished their welcoming embrace with Tommy. “I had to personally nurse his wounds with my own hands,” she said this with much regret and was almost to the point of tears.

“It has been surprisingly refreshing in you tender care, Willow. But I suppose my rest is now over, and I will have to return to civilization with my fellow comrads,” Tommy said to the ranger.

“Yes. Your rest is now over, but I think you dropped this lad.” Soren said, as he handed back the BLUE CRYSTAL to its rightful owner, Tommy.

“I’m glad it was you that found it, Soren,” Tommy replied, graciously accepting the CRYSTAL from Soren.

“Just take better care of it next time,” chuckled Soren in response.

Before the group left, the rangers cooked up a meal for them before they left. The rangers trapped a pair of rabbits, and they made quite a delicious rabbit stew with some wild carrots and some berries and mushrooms.

While they were eating, Tommy began to tell his tale:

“I was resting at the GUILD HALL. The Imperial soldiers were on guard. I thought things would be safe with them on guard, and it being daytime. I guess it was the perfect time to attack though, with Benny and you Soren leaving for that Engagement party in Wembly. I soon realized that it was my uncle and a few of his loyal soldiers. They had taken the Imperials by surprise, and as I woke up, I found myself already in chains. The guards who searched my, found my CRYSTAL, but didn’t think it was that important so they gave it back to me.

I was put on horseback, and we flew off in the direction of Castle Buckingham. We went north, through the forest. I guess they made it through the first time, somehow, I guess. We hadn’t travelled too far into the forest, when the rangers ambushed us. It didn’t take too long for them to just abandon me, and run away. The rangers killed a few of them, but my uncle and the rest of them were able to get away. The rangers decided I was harmless, and took very good care of me.”

Leafy (Willow the Ranger) began to blush rather embarassingly. “Yes it was very good care I put you under. But I didn’t know, however, you were somehow linked to my older step-sister. At least now I can keep track of you. You will return Tommy?”

Tommy now also blushed as he replied, “but of course.”

The group finished thier dinner. It was a time the BLUE MAGE and the Willow the head ranger were now dreading, parting. Soren thanked her for her hospitality and the rangers for being unusually welcoming. Tommy and Willow embraced and had tears in their eyes as they said goodbye to one another. Soren said it was time to go. The entire group had to be blind-folded, except Tommy and Sara so the rangers camp could remain as secret as possible. The rangers led them safetly out of the forest.

Once out of the forest, the blindfolds were removed, and the rangers vanished back into the woods, while the group headed back for the guild. They had found Tommy, and now it was time to address some pressing issues when they arrived back at the GUILD HALL.

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