Do not use if printed seal is broken or missing.
-Escape
"Speak the words as I have spoke them to you." Nuke began, mud entrenching his leather boots into the dank forest. "Though these be brigands and knaves alike, there be no reason to treat them as any but peers."
"Nonsense," the knight beside him asserted. "If these be the reputed rogues we've heard tale of, our only recourse must accompany flames and pillaging, as is our way."
"If ye be brigands yourselves, 'tis a reasonable assertion." Nuke replied evenly. "Be that as it may, the land may end worse for the wear. Waste not such efforts on cutting, the mods back us for a reason."
"Easy speech for a holding lord," spat a man from the middle of the ranks. "Unlike you pansies, knights errant have no work in peacetime."
"Short-sighted," Nuke replied. "In all times, there is work. The question being not whether 'tis present, but rather be the people willing. Steady hands with swords often make steady craftsmen. Not the easiest trade to learn, but one worth the investment."
The man snorted. "Permission to cut the pansy from his idiocy, Captain?"
Kargathia sighed, "Stay your tongue, Roberts. There's enough trouble come the moonrise. Needn't borrow any more."
"As the captain wishes."
"As he does, indeed." Karg said, turning. "Nuke, preparations shall be done soon. Any news from the auxiliary?"
"None by messenger. 'Tis straightforward work. Contain the perimeter until mods arrive, stay your blades unless necessary."
"Aye, sir." The captain stood from his crouch, addressing the ranks. "Gents! To arms!"
The men snapped to attention, rising as a squadron, and began to file out of the treeline on silent feet. Daylight had waned enough to make the dark armor only scarcely visible in the scarcely visible starlight. Ambient light from the camp cast dancing shadows on the hauberks and drawn blades. Nuke, though a lord, had little experience in the field, and feared for every highlight and shadow the armor gave away.
It wasn't until the squadron, and Karg, had completely cleared the forest and started establishing the perimeter that the counter-attack began. A deep, distant voice bellowed "Loose!" in the distance, and the thrum of synchronized bows washed out from the horizon.
The senior officers of the squad burst into action. "Shields up, lads!" The thundering of boots crashed into the Earth as the forty-odd man battalion huddled under shields. Less than seconds later, fire-hot arrows began hammering into the ground. The sound was thunderous in the stillness of the evening. "Flames!" Karg called out from within the roar of arrows. "Defensive positions! We hold the perimeter!"
Men began openly sprinting to positions, bowmen and fencers drawing arms and beginning combat in earnest. Though the bandit camp had gotten the surprise attack, once the men were in position, the combat became violently one-sided. Swords were met by two or three shields at a time, and the men had co-ordination and experience. The bandits, though some quite skilled, simply didn't have the numbers to make up for the hailstorm of reports coming down the line. The battle was going to be short-lived, either way.
Nuke had arrived at the final defensive position, thick war hammer in his primary hand. A few stragglers were attempting to spill out, but he pushed them back with the gnarled handle. Karg held the position beside Nuke's, horse heading off anyone attempting to charge past Nuke and the aged war hammer.
From behind, the sound of otherworldly voices rose into the evening. Karg sidestepped, clearing the road. Beside him, Nuke did the same. Nuke reporting to the leading mod, "Perimeter is secure, it's yours from here."
The well-armored woman nodded, grappling her weapon comfortably. She wore a wicked, battle-ready grin. "Well enough. Mods, to arms!" The assorted men and women behind her kicked their horses into gallops, steeds powering into the bandit camp. From inside, a metallic voice screamed "Swing the hammer!" Brief cracks of thunder and lightning crackled from inside the camp. Streams of scarlet and white seemed to explode from inside the tents around the camp, with the occasional body of a bandit landing bodily, and bonelessly, at the edges of camp.
The mods made short work of everything, all told, leaving nothing but shadows of the bandits within the camp. Miraculously, the rest of the camp rested as it stood, otherwise undamaged. The woman addressed the remainders of the camp. "As always, thank you for your cooperation. And remember, don't engage the bandits. Reports do more than swords." She paused briefly to turn to Nuke. "Thanks for the reports, Nuke."
"Not a problem," Nuke replied, nodding to the mod. "Give the others my regards."
"Certainly," she replied, still grinning. "Mods, there's more work to be had."
"Always," said one of the younger mods, her blond hair drifting in the wind as she rode. "Work, work, work."
The evening settled into dawn, with the sun rising over the valley. "Job done well enough," Karg said into the morning light. "Time to head back to the estate Nuke?"
"Of course." Nuke replied, setting course for his land.
"Think some got through?"
"Some always do," Nuke said honestly, sliding his hammer into place on his back. "We'll get them next time."
