Entry 25: Ravensfield burns

by Hayley Thomas

Dear diary,

Throughout the day and into the night, the villagers evacuated Ravensfield. With our defenses meticulously set up, we managed to get a good night’s rest, knowing the battle ahead would test our limits. Not trusting the twisted sense of honor of General Rayl, we posted guards, but the night passed without incident.

In the morning, we took our positions on and around the large barn, the heart of our web of traps, like spiders awaiting their prey. I sent Fiachna out to scout ahead, knowing his sharp eyes would alert us to the army's approach. The hours dragged on, filled with the nervous pacing of my companions, until Fiachna finally returned. The army was near—an ominous horde of undead kobolds, draconic constructs, drakes, and all manner of foul spawn.

They halted a short distance from the village, a palpable tension hanging in the air. Then, from the clouds, General Rayl descended on his wyvern, a menacing silhouette against the morning sky. He landed with an arrogant grace, his eyes scanning the village before settling on us.

"I'm impressed you stayed to face me and my army," he called out, his voice carrying over the tense silence. "I will grant you the opportunity to fight me first, alone."

For a moment, it seemed like an honorable offer—a chance to decide the fate of Ravensfield in a single, decisive battle. But Rayl’s twisted smirk shattered that illusion. “Even if you defeat me,” he continued, “my army will attack anyway.”

Anger surged through me. Rayl’s words confirmed what I already knew: there was no honor in him, only cruelty and deceit. He had sent monsters to kill villagers before even knowing we were here. He intended to destroy Ravensfield regardless of the outcome of our fight.

Seeing no point in furthering talks, Gael fired the first shot. I’m not one for describing long, elaborate fights, so I’ll sum it up like this: the battle went smoother than expected. Rayl, overconfident in his ability to defeat some new, upcoming knights, underestimated the resilience of the De la Roost twins, the excellent archery of Gael, Dadroz, and Feyris, and the power of Luke’s and my spells.

Rayl’s initial smirk of arrogance quickly turned to frustration as he realized he had misjudged us. Liliana and Alistan, the De la Roost twins, fought with a synchronized precision that left Rayl struggling to keep up. Gael’s arrows found their mark with deadly accuracy, each shot weakening Rayl’s defenses. Dadroz and Feyris moved with fluid grace, their attacks relentless and precise. Luke’s spells rained down, a flurry of arcane energy that left Rayl’s wyvern reeling.

In the end, it was a coordinated effort that brought Rayl down. Gael’s arrows weakened his wyvern, and a powerful fireblast from Luke delivered the final blow, sending Ray crashing to the ground. I moved in to stabilize him, my magic knitting his wounds just enough to keep him alive. We tied him up and moved him to the barn, a valuable prisoner for the knights of Keralon to interrogate.

With Rayl down, the blast of a horn echoed from the sky, and the enemy army began their march on Ravensfield. It is with some pride that I can say my idea to turn Ravensfield into a deathtrap worked wonderfully. As they advanced, they started torching houses, but with all the flammable material we had spread, and linked buildings together, they were caught off guard by how fast the fire spread. Combined with some thorny spells to further damage and hamper their advance, the army soon retreated, after taking substantial casualties without a single blow being exchanged.

There was a fleeting moment of triumph as the army turned around, but it was quickly crushed as we spotted a small group of drakes sneaking between the buildings from the south. The fires closed in around us, and we faced these new adversaries, realizing this could end badly. The drakes were fast and fierce, their scales glinting ominously in the firelight.

The battle was intense. The drakes moved with predatory grace, their claws slashing and tails whipping through the air. Our spells and arrows flew, but the creatures were relentless. Amid the chaos, Luke bore the brunt of the drakes’ fury. Despite his plethora of fate-twisting magic, he took the heaviest blows and was knocked out, his body crumpling to the ground.

As the fires closed in and we were nearly cut off, I knew we had to act quickly. Summoning every ounce of my willpower, I forced my mind onto their leader. The drake’s eyes glazed over, and with a command, I sent him flying to the east.

Alistan summoned Thorin back and pulled me onto the horse's back, allowing us to make a daring escape through the flames. Gael, determined and swift, hoisted Luke onto his feet and retreated with him through the burning barn. The rest of our group had already fled, seeking safety beyond the inferno. In our rush, none of us thought to drag the captured Rayl along, and I fear he suffered a terrible fate amidst the chaos.

And here we stand now, watching my steading go up in flames. The once vibrant Ravensfield is now a roaring inferno, the fire devouring everything we had built. It weighs heavy on my heart, each crackling ember a reminder of what we’ve lost. Yet, amid the devastation, a spark of hope remains. I am confident that Ravensfield will be rebuilt, stronger and more resilient than before.

As we gather, soot-streaked and weary, we draw strength from one another. We have faced the worst and emerged on the other side. Ravensfield will rise from the ashes, just as we have. And while the path ahead is uncertain, our resolve is unwavering. Together, we will rebuild. Together, we will continue to fight.

17th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

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Entry one: The trials

Entry two: The bramble

Entry 3: Rosebloom

Entry 4: Hearts and Dreams

Entry 5: of ghosts and wolves

Entry 6: Hillfield and Deals with Fae

Entry 7: mysteries and pastries

Entry 8: The scarecrow ruse
6th of Lug, 121 Year of the Tree

Entry 9: A betrayal of satyrs
7th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Entry 10: The fate of twins
8th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Entry 11: Cursed twins
10th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Entry 12: Loss and despair
11th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Hayley's rules to being a Witch

Entry 13: the price of safety
12th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Entry 14: A golden cage and fiery tower
13th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Entry 15: A trial by fire
14th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Entry 16: Keralon
15th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Letter to Luke 1

Letter to Luke 2

Letter to Luke 3

Letter to Luke 4

Letter to Luke 5

Letter to Luke 6

Entry 17: I shall wear midnight
1st of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 18: peace in our time
2nd of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 19: Caern Fussil falls
3rd of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 20: I see fire
4th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 21: Cultists twarted
10th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 22: Ravensfield
14th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 23: The Hollow Hill Horror
15th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 24: Burn your village
16th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 25: Ravensfield burns
17th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 26: There will be blood!
21st of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 27: A happy reunion
22nd of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 28: The embassy ball
23rd of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 29: The fate of Robert Talespinner
24th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 30: A royal summons
28th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 31: of Dogville and Geese
29th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 32: A boggle named Pim
30th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 33: A deal broken
1st of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 34: The cost of doing what is right
2nd of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 35: A dish best served cold
9th of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

entry 36: Cornu returns?
10th of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 37: A letter from Amarra
11th of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 38: The case of the (not) missing villagers
14th of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 39: A curse broken
15th of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 40: Into the Lorewood
18th of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 41: Cabin in the Woods
19th of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 42: Myrdin and Anaya
20th of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 43: Into the Immerglade
21st of Aran, 127 Era of the Tree

Entry 44: A tale as old as time
22nd of Aran, 127 Era of the Tree

Entry 45: The truth
23rd of Aran, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 46: Luke's Ordeal
24th of Aran, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 47: The festival
26th of Aran, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 48: Trouble at the Cathedral
2nd of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 49: Quinn's court
4th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 50: onwards to Latebra Velora
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Entry 51: Where is my cow?
6th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 52: Here be dragons
7th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 53: Dragon hoard with a side of scarabs
8th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 54: Leave the basilisks alone
9th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 55: Return to Ravensfield
10th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 56: The needs of the many...
11th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 57: Dreams of Sister Willow
12th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 58: wetlands be wet
13th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 59: Baron Perenolde
14th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 60: Talebra Velora and the lady Morenthene
15th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 61: Cypria
16th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 62: Dragon takes Knight
17th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 63: Return to Talebra Velora
18th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 64: Your presence is “requested”
19th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 65: I stand alone
20th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 66: A day of normalcy
21th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 67: Into the Neverhold
22nd of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 68: The Warg King

Entry 69: Chased by birds

Entry 25: Ravensfield burns

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