Attack the Fortifications at the Dig Site

The guild waited at least an hour to confirm their observations of the hasty fortifications being made at Oriana's dig site. Four towers, at least 20 Orcs and 30 Goblins. Some were using the uncovered ruins to build hasty shelters, while others began to build flaming pyres. Although they had no idea of how many more were inside, Cesar looked to the rest of the guild, minus the captured Janissa.

"I say now is a good time as any to hit those Orcs defending the dig site." Cesar looked to Deraxle, who nodded, and moved to an open spot to shift into his dragon form.

Quickly, the rest of the guild hopped on, drawing their ranged weapons--with Cesar drawing out his crossbow, Trini grabbing her Amazon longbow, Cat grabbing his own crossbow, and Sakura grabbing her wand, ready to cast some spells, if needed. With a dragon's roar, Deraxle took off, that roar alone bringing most of the Goblins at the dig site into sheer terror. It wasn't long before Deraxle swooped in, firing the first salvo of fiery breaths at the towers, setting them on fire almost immediately. The rest of the guild took their shots at any of the Orcs and Goblins that were trying to fight back with their own crossbows, and javelins.

"Any shelters in the ruins are expendable, as there's nothing there for the archaeologists to retrieve." Cat told Deraxle, who nodded, as he swooped in for a second run, using the next fiery salvo to torch the shelters, and any Orcs and Goblins trying to hide there. By now, they could see more Orcs and Goblins pouring out of the underground ruin, including a few warlocks that were starting to prepare their own spells, starting with some fireballs, or bolts of lightning. Deraxle saw those lightning bolts coming, and dodged them, then did the same with the incoming fireballs, before firing back with a third breath, sending most of them scurrying for cover, and torching those that couldn't dodge in time. With a fourth run, Deraxle aimed for the entrance, this time, moving in to land nearby, and fired another salvo at the home, torching as many at the entrance as he could.

In the meantime, the rest of the guild hopped off, drawing out their melee weapons, and engaged any stragglers outside, providing cover for Deraxle to shift back into his humanoid form. A few of the Goblins that tried to engage the Neko Shamaness ended up either eating an offensive Oriental spell, or ate the cold steel of her long dagger in her ambidexterous off-hand. Slowly, they went in, with Cat leading the way, to spot for any traps--both Ancient Elven, and new ones set by the Orcs and Goblins. All the while, they fought their way towards where Oriana and Professor Bartfast had been working. There, they fought hard to take down all but one Orc--the officer in charge of the defense. Trini disarmed him first, then kicked him hard in the nuts, sending him howling in pain, before she took a hold of him, using her feet to pin his knees down on the floor.

"You think you Briarwolves can beat Warchief Benzera & Matron Mother Indira by yourself? Think again, losers!" The officer spat right at Cesar's feet. "Yeah, we got the intel that you bloody idiots would come to the aid of Deirdre, but as you can see, we've managed to grab whatever that Oriana Brimblewood was trying to uncover. You want to know why the Ancient Elves had this underground lair? It was once a Dwarven settlement, and they were Geomancers! Once Indira knows how to master Geomancy, she's going to make ALL of Deirdre crumble! Then she's going to raise Pythorias right up to the surface! It's going to be glorious! Once she forms the first ever Dark Elf surface city, she's going to claim Deirdre as her new empire!"

"Where is Janissa?" Cesar drew out his dagger from his boot, and pressed the tip lightly at the Orc's throat. "Where have they taken her, Orianna, and all the other women?"

"Haha...don't even think about trying to rescue your precious High Elf, Human!" The Orc laughed. "First, they're going right into Dubrovny to be seeded, then into Pythorias, to be sacrificed before the glory of their spider goddess, Taras! 5 against 50,000 of us in Dubrovny, and 100,000 Pythorian Dark Elves?! Leave this place, while you still can! You and all of Deirdre are doomed before the might of Dubrovny & Pythroias!"

With that, Cesar slit the Orc's throat, and Trini stomped his head to the ground, before she went through the dead Orc's belongings, looking for anything that could be used as intelligence. Cat & Deraxle, meanwhile, went through the stone markings on the walls, and Sakura took a peek at the new opening, where the Ancient Elven chest was uncovered.

"I'm afraid the Orc is right." Deraxle looked to Cesar. "These markings show the history of the Geomancer Dwarves, using their magic to uncover precious metals and gems. Then the Ancient Elves came, and took over in a heated battle."

"It gets better." Trini handed the parchments she found in the Orc officer's pouch, and handed it to Cesar. "Whatever the Orc was saying, it looks like that is their motive."

Cesar took a look it, and then nodded. "Then we don't have much time, before Janissa and Orianna are taken underground."

"What if they're taken into somewhere heavily fortified?" Sakura looked to Cesar. "We don't know what kind of defenses they have, or how many we're going to face just to get to Janissa."

"We have to try. Even if we can't save Deirdre, the least we can do is get Janissa and Orianna back." Cesar looked to the rest of the guild. "We track them down, distract them, and try to get those two out of there. Or we can find the likely pathway that they'll take to Pythorias, and ambush the convoy, and get them back that way."

(What the note read.)

"I'm placing you in charge of the defenses here. Given that one of our newest captives is none other than the High Elf Ranger, Janissa Lyssandra, it is very likely that the rest of the Briarwolves Guild will be out to find her, and uncover our motive for the latest attempt to take the Human Kingdom of Deirdre. You must drive them back, or at least hold them off long enough, for our Dark Elven allies to get the captives and the tools of the Ancient Elves and Dwarves to Pythorias. Thanks to that stupid Wood Elf, Orianna Brimblewood, we now have the means to finally take what is rightfully ours. Soon, our dreams of having fertile farmlands and a place to consolidate Dubrovny's place in the world will be fulfilled! We will help the Dark Elves finally gain a foothold on the surface, then help them carve out their new empire!

GLORY TO GROM (THE ORC GOD) & TARAS (THE DARK ELVEN GODDESS)!"

-- Your warchief,
Benzera Warsong