B4 Chapter 420: Recap, pt. 1

After Ro had rushed ahead to warn Bronwyn and his team that the danger had passed, it took them nearly three quarters of an hour to reunite.

While classers could move extremely fast with a growing volume of stats, most people’s comfortable walking pace didn’t actually increase all that much. At least consciously — a Silver’s forced march was a quick thing.

With the low rolling hills and the scattering of copses of trees that dotted the frontier, lush growth concealed the advance of Ro and the Silvers until Kaius caught sight of a group of five cresting a small rise.

Ro was at their front, waving madly — the other four behind her were new to him.

Walking in a clear formation, at their front was the tallest woman Kaius had ever seen — taller even than Ianmus by at least a stride. She was as muscular as an ox, broad of shoulder, and strong of arm. For all that, it would have been a stretch to call her masculine — her high cheekbones, graceful jaw, and well-tended thick brown hair cut quite the striking figure with her stature. Dressed in thick, heavy plate that masked the lines of her figure, with a massive greatshield strung across her back, she was clearly the defensive anchor of Bronwyn’s group.

Giant’s blood — it had to be. They were one of the rarer races, but that bloodline often bred true. Or, at least, true enough that their prodigious height and strength remained through multiple generations.

Beside her was a man that, in any other situation, would most likely have been called tall.

Next to his vanguard, he seemed almost petite with his smaller kite shield on his back and a bastard sword belted at his hip. His armour looked expensive, and was clearly inscribed — artfully wrought light plate that encased him fully in defensive layers of metal. With his wavy blonde locks and strong jaw, he almost looked like he’d been plucked straight from a ballad.

Bronwyn himself, Kaius assumed.

Behind Bronwyn and the giant vanguard trailed their backline — two men. One, he assumed, was their ranger, judging by the chain-backed leathers and the massive windlass crossbow he held at a low ready. The other was likely their mage.

Unlike Ianmus, he did not wear robes; instead, he wore leathers, and an inscribed breastplate. In his hand was a staff made of woven steel threads that positively glowed to Kaius’s mana sight — solid evidence of a spellcaster.

It was odd to see a mage in armour, he admitted, but he supposed he was evidence enough that not all mages needed to stick to enchanted layers of cloth.

“Fifty copper says the pretty one’s Bronwyn,” Kenva hedged, elbowing Ianmus in the side.

After Ro had left, they’d fallen into close formation, automatically assuming their standard positions.

Ianmus scoffed and shook his head. “That’d be a ridiculous bet, considering that we know he’s a frontliner — and that he’s a he.”

Porkchop chuffed, shaking his head, while Rieker and Arc cracked slight smiles at Ianmus’s joke.

When the Silvers arrived, Kaius straightened his back as he noticed the team giving him and his companions appraising looks. Their confusion at Kaius and his team’s state of good health was clear. He assumed Ro had played mum about the realities of their clash with Old Yon.

This close, Kaius could tell the team had pushed themselves hard — trail-worn and dusty, hair clumping with sweat.

Kaius nodded his head to the man. “You must be Bronwyn. I appreciate you coming for the assist, even if it didn’t end up being needed.”

“It’s more than fine, any one of us would do it for another in the Guild.” Bronwyn replied in a smooth timbre, before he swept his hand across his teammates, “ This is Yanira, my vanguard; Dross, our ranger, and Julis, our mage.”

Bronwyn paused, his eyes settling on Kenva. “I heard there were three of you, but I count four.”

“Oh, they just picked me up on the way,” Kenva said with a wink. “Thought it’d be fun to tag along.”

Kaius laughed. “That’s Kenva, our newest addition — she ended up caught in the same web we did . This is Ianmus, our mage—,” he nodded to the half-elf before slapping his hand onto Porkchop’s shoulder. “And this is Porkchop, greater beast, my oath-brother and bonded companion.”

Yanira frowned, looking up slightly to meet Porkchop’s eyes. “They said you were big. I didn’t know they meant big-big. Hard to tell with this lot.”

Porkchop let out a throaty, gravelly laugh, almost percussive in its depth. “That is a sentiment I understand.”

Smiling at the lot of them, Rieker stepped forward and clasped Bronwyn by the hand. “It’s good to have you here. I’d like to apologise for wasting your time. Yours too, Arc. I know none of you will be bothered, considering the urgency of the situation, but it’s still a testament to your character that none of you have been anything other than gracious.”

“This one implores you to think nothing of it,” Arc replied gravely, bowing his horned head.

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“This one had plans to enjoy the hospitality of Deadacre for a while longer anyway. The mystery of these vanished beasts — the threat is grave, and potentially far reaching. I would rather be prepared, and help solve the problem before it spills over to Grandbrook.”

“Of course. I’m happy to host you — though we’ll likely have to inform Governor Hanrick of your continued presence. No doubt that man will be more than pleased.”

“Politics. This one more than understands.”

Kaius caught the mage staring at him — all of his team, really. The man’s eyes narrowed, confusion and curiosity mingling. Kaius gave him a smile, but before he could ask what was on his mind, Bronwyn spoke.

“I assume, given the lack of haste and the general healthiness of your team here, you made it in time? What of the ambushes? Old Yon and his disreputable ilk? Were there any difficulties?”

Ro had an impish grin on her face, before she let out a barrel-chested laugh. “Made it in time? My boy, they were all dead when we arrived.”

Bronwyn froze in shock, as did Yanira and Dross. Julis, however, only narrowed his eyes further.