https://jbrown67.deviantart.com/art/Fantasy-City-722552486

Mind racing with dark thoughts, you swiftly guide Lorna and Gorrack into a nearby alleyway and out of the packed city streets. The incessant tolling of the bells above crashing down on top of you, while Honor Blades pound across the streets in full plate armor. The minotaurs seemingly gathering a large host by the gates no doubt in preparation for the coming battle.

Palms covered in a thin layer of sweat, you gaze about the deserted alleyway, unable to believe how quickly things have turned, Ice eye's warning flashing through the back of your mind, begging you to save his people. But all you can think about right now are the thousands of glowing campfires you saw out in the swamps, reminding you of what was awaiting you out there. And no matter how you try to reason your decision, this was simply not your fight.

Facing your companions, you whisper loudly enough for them to hear. "We must leave the City and quickly."

The hard planes of Gorrack's face stiffen with a dark scowl at the thought of fleeing battle, while Lorna brushes her fingers lightly through her honey brown hair. Her lips pursued thoughtfully as though digesting your words. "And how do you propose we do that? The Honor Blades guard all the gates and I doubt very much they would risk the safety of the city to open them up for us."

For a moment you consider your options trying to come up with a solution to your problem, when you hear a deafening crack that seems to come from every direction. The pavement beneath your feet breaking apart into tiny fragments as the familiar noxious stench of the swamp envelops you. Roots burst up from out of the ground and thick heavy vines shoot up the sides of buildings, their limbs emerging out of the land to rise up high into the air like frail fingers seeking the sun. The very ground trembling as the stone pavement is quickly replaced with muck, mud and dirt. And if that was not enough, swamp trees the size of towers erupted in the middle of the streets, tearing houses asunder and darkening the ground overhead with their size.

Hurriedly backing away from the destruction, you spin around and sprint back towards the marketplace, followed by the sound of loud cracks as more trees explode out of the pavement. Gorrack and Lorna not far behind you as you make a mad dash towards the only place that seems relatively calm, a grove of trees that surrounds a statue of Ice Eye's. The place undoubtedly guarded by enchantments.

Entering the grove, you feel a wave of peace wash over you, healing your wounds and flooding you with fresh strength. Ice Eye's steely blue gaze staring down at you with both sadness and regret. Filling you with a sudden wave of guilt that makes you feel uncomfortable.(+20 Health Points to each character.)

Angered by this inexplicable feeling of remorse, you turn away from the statue and watch the unfolding carnage, wondering if you should have least tried to help the Honor Blades, when your jaw drops open in shock.

Trolls in thick bark like armor pour out from the gaping holes in the stone pavements to assault the fleeing minotaurs with war clubs, axes and swords. The creatures tearing through the city streets like blood crazed fiends, howling their warcries.

Blood pumping furiously through your veins, you search for a way out of the city, all the while trying to appear inconspicuous, when a group of trolls commanded by a large bulky warrior with piercing red eyes, catches sight of your party and directs his warriors against you. The creatures let loose a cry so full of rage and hate as they charge towards you, their eyes filled with malevolence.

(Click here if you wish to search for a way out of the city.)

Spoiler: Spoiler

Refusing to be pinned down in one spot, you draw your blade and race northward through the tangle of trees and vines that block your path. Gorrack guarding the rear, while you plunge ahead to hack down the few trolls that attempt to obstruct your path. Your blade sweeping back and forth to carve a bloody path forward, scraping yourself on the tree branches and vines that hinder your way.(- 40 Health Points)

Breaking free into open space, you press on towards the gates, when you hear the distinctive clang of metal on metal, battle cries and howls of pain.

Pausing for a moment to catch your breath, you try to think on what to do next,but soon realise your best chance of survival would be to link up with what had to be the Honor Blades, before attempting to slip away.

Decision made, you put your head down and jog towards the sounds of battle and come upon a strangely surreal scene of carnage and mayhem. Hundreds of minotaurs in makeshift armor covered in rust, standing side by side fighting a whole host of trolls that have surrounded them on all sides. The inhabitants of the city forming a tight knit circle to guard a large group of terrified children in their center, none of them older than ten summers old.

At the head of the small force is a grey furred warrior wearing chainmail armor almost as old as he was, wielding a badly dented great sword. The single warrior doing his best to rally the people and keep them in tight formation as they struggled to break free of the encirclement against the growing tide of trolls that thronged around them, their numbers dwindling with each passing second.

Senses heightened, you search for a way out and see the gate a few miles behind the lines of the minotaurs, where a dozen or so Honor Blades are attempting to hold the gates allowing a trickle of people through to the other side. (Both groups look like they will not last much longer. It's time to decide their fate.)

1. Help evacuate the citizens of Tarriel to safety?

2. Help the Honor Blades defend the gates?

3. Use the time given to you by the people and the Honor Blades to escape the city?

(Click here if you wish to make a stand.)

Spoiler: Spoiler

Refusing to back down from the challenge, you draw your blade and ready yourself to meet the first wave of trolls. The gap between you and them dwindling rapidly at their approach.

Teeth clenched, mouth dry of all saliva, you let out a hiss of anger and prepare to swing your blade, when you feel a wash of heat upon the back of your neck as a ball of fire blazes past you, blasting back the creatures. Lorna's lips quickly moving into another incantation as more trolls swarm out of the ground to surround you, attacking you from all directions. Your bladework barely able to keep them in check as you frantically parry a deluge of attacks. (- 90 Health Points.)

Blood flowing from dozens of wounds, you feel a wave of panic begin to set in at the never ending stream of trolls gathering before you, making you think it might not have been such a great idea to stay here. Battering aside a bullish troll with flaring nostrils and wide shoulders, you try to take a step back to ease some of the pressure off of you and see how your companions are doing, when a huge troll bulldozes into you, knocking you off balance to crash hard into ground.

Dazed, you roll on the ground to avoid the troll's next attack, when another blast of fire streams out of Lorna's fingers, driving the creatures back, burning more than a few into ash.

Head pounding like a hammer on an anvil, you try to get back up. Gorrack rushing to your side to offer his shoulder, while Lorna let's loose a volley of arrows to keep the trolls at bay. "We must leave. We cannot stay here", she cries out.

Grunting in agreement, you stumble forward alongside Gorrack, until at last you feel able to pull away from the orc and run by yourself.

Together you race northward through the tangle of trees and vines that block your path. Gorrack guarding the rear, while you plunge ahead to hack down the few trolls that attempt to obstruct your path. Your blade sweeping back and forth to carve a bloody path forward, scraping yourself on the tree branches and vines that hinder your way. (-90 Health Points)

(Since your attempt to defeat the trolls has failed you will need to click on the above choice to continue the story.)