I drew my bow (Patreon)

and aimed hesitantly at various targets:  Edessa weaving fell magicks with her staff, Theronmyathus brandishing his sword and screaming orders, Avogadro glaring right at me and seething, SALV Sweetcheeks standing alone in a wide circle as he recklessly twirled his morning-star, MacBrock jumping up in the way and bellowing about food ..

But no matter who I pointed my arrow at, I could not bring myself to release the bowstring and commit to the shot!

With a sigh I eased the string forward and lowered my bow.  I clearly was not cut out for battle.  Everything was different when the targets were living elves, not lowfolk or hay bales.  I couldn't bring myself to do it.

An arrow suddenly whizzed past my head, slicing off a few hairs and lightly grazing my ear.

The next thing I knew, I was looking out over a field of noxiously swirling green fog.  I could see nothing through the cloud, but hideous sounds of frenzied melee - the clanging of weapons and yells of combatants - wafted up from within.

"Well done, Sire," a tiny voice commented from somewhere nearby.  "Great Auk, that stuff is effective.  Thou hadst best stay up here til the smoke clears."

"YOU UNSEELIE BASTARD!!" Edessa shrieked at me from a small hillock near the city walls.  She was standing inside a dome of magickal force being maintained (I assumed) by Hoofmaiden Esmerelda.  Theronmyathus knelt beside her, sweating with pain from an arrow in his elbow.

"You've murdered them all!" Edessa continued.  "I knew you were desperate to seize the throne, but I never thought you'd stoop to this!  Very well, Albric Tor is yours.  But I am still Queen of Faerie, and by royal authority I curse and condemn you, Adler Young, for the crime you have committed this day, you shall never leave this place!  I sentence you to confinement within the boundaries of Albric Tor!"

And with that, the three of them suddenly pooked away.

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