Sevante took one look behind him as his face turned ugly real quick.
"Where's Willow!"" He frantically shouted, and the faces of all the combatants went straight to panic.
They didn't know where the kid was.
We don't know where the kid is!
Panik!
If the fight wasn't hectic before, it sure was now.
The priority of the battle had changed, going from a capture mission to an all out battle, now no longer concerned with trying to capture the kid and bypass the guards, but rather kill the guards, and rush to find the child first.
And the knights had no reason to hold back, with Sevante now truly joining the battle, no longer forced to stay by the shelter.
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The elderly elf's face changed into an indiscernible expression. "So, you moved the child before we arrived. Clever." He stated, while watching the A-rank, looking for any reaction.
Tiel clearly looked like he couldn't care less. "I hardly think that's your major concern." he said, indicating to the other adventurers. "Your team's in poor condition to do anything."
He was right. Half the fighting force was already downed, and the other half weren't faring great either.
"I'll have to admit, I underestimated you. Had we known you were stronger than we guessed, we probably could've talked something out."
They had ranked him perhaps on the lower end of A rankers, and thus had ignored him when considering the number of elves needed for this mission. Although they had considered the possibility that the carriage would use this location as their way to drive them off, but they had believed they had brought the appropriate number to deal with the guards and even the A-ranker.
They were wrong.
They should've attempted to placate the A-ranker and coerce/convince him to deny the carriage entry.
Tiel's face twisted in disgust. "Politics. There's a reason I retired to a rural border town like this you know.
Dirty schemes like these always disgusted me. No matter what race, nobles are always ready to throw innocent people into the fire."
The elderly elf grimaced as his thoughts changed. No, chances are negotiation would've been impossible, considering the guild master's attitude. The stubborn ones are the ones that rarely bent to negotiation.
As it was, this mission was a failure.
He'd heard the shout of surprise earlier.
Could it be an attempt to misdirect them?
Possibly.
However, they had miscalculated several factors, and the plan was already a failure, a carriage falling off the cliff.
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Bluff or not, this was their last chance to complete the mission.
The elderly elf sets off 2 different flares, each with their own meaning.
The blue flare is an indication to flee in multiple directions in the hope of at least one of them escaping or to direct the foe's attention to multiple directions.
The black flare is to kill the objective, in the situation where the objective cannot be secured.
With both sent out, the message is clear:
Spread out and kill the objective.
The remaining B ranks turn tail and flee, intent upon clearing the mission.
The C ranks cannot respond, since they've all been killed or captured.
A failure. Hopefully they know what to do.
The elder stays, hopefully to distract the A-rank.
"You're not going to try to escape?" asked Tiel, as he watches the remaining B ranks flee.
The elderly elf chuckles. "I'm already old; I may as well stay behind to fend you off while the youth escape."
Tiel snorted disdainfully. "I'd find that honorable if it weren't for the fact that I know what you're really going for. Whatever, I'll just kill you and move on." He said, as he brandishes his blade.
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While Sevante and Lenore fight the B-rank soldiers, two flares go off, and the group of elves immediately turn tail and retreat rather untactfully.
Sevante curses. "Dammit they're going after Willow!"
"Where is she anyway!? You were supposed to keep an eye on her Sevante!"
"I was! she was just here a few moments ago! I mean, why would she just teleport here out of nowhere, there's no reason to leave ri-"
He stops as he recalls one weird turtle on a tree.
"She's just a child." Lenore says panicked" Of course she would get distracted at the worst time. Oh mistress of the forest! Do you know where the turtle is!" she asked Sevante.
"No clue," he admitted. "I've only seen that turtle at that tree some distance away from here."
"Then what are you waiting for!? Lets go!"
They start running immediately, with their foes already on a head start.
Clearly, the enemy had no clue where the turtle is, or even to look for a turtle. They were unaware of the situation regarding the child, with the group clearly splitting up to find the child.
True, they had a guess as to where the child was, but would that be enough to even the odds?
What could a D-rank monster do against a group of B rank warriors?
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As I look upon the battle raging in the village, and the child snuggling onto my tree, I sigh.
Once they find out their objective is not in town, they'll either try to flee and regroup, or try something desperate.
I wasn't an amazing general by any means, but this was clearly meant to be a quick grab and run or grab and kill.
With every moment that ideal situation for them disappears, and desperate people are dangerous.
I can only hope the people there are capable enough to finish them off, but I certainly won't wait for them.
Ore is encourage to wrap around and hold the child as we move down the tree, so that I can set up.
I cannot run, but I can distract.
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Whoosh
An arrow flies, breaking through a wall of ironwood, rushing over, preparing any number of weapons to kill the child.
The scout had seemingly discovered this wooden fort, created by life magic.
The child.
His orders were clear, to eliminate the child, since escape was unlikely.
And now, to confirm the kill
As he walks over, standing above the rubble, a rustling goes off.
click
Did he hear something?
The soldier tenses up, knocking his arrow once more, only loosening up when a horned rabbit bounces by.
Ah.
Right.
How could there be anything that threatened him as a B-rank warrior? They were in a low level forest, where horned rabbits and the like were around.
Assuring himself, he doesn't notice it.
beep
beep
Ignorance is a poor thing.
beep
beep
beep beep beep beep beep beep beep
Not only does he find no confirmation of the kill, he finds a huge gaping hole going straight into a hill.
He curses. A horned rabbit den.
And he doesn't notice...
BOOM!
...The trap he walked into.
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[If you ask me, that's a total waste of skill points]
[...Actually, I take that back.]
[For someone like you, it's just crazy enough to work.]