Chapter 2: Red Ambuscade
Military action
A week passes with mundane duties in Black's Company. At the end of the week, the party takes part in an ambush on the rebels' supply drop.
Over the course of the week leading up to the ambush on the rebel supply drop, Corporal Asenath's team goes about their duties and prepares. Sergeant Rathgul assigns them to light guard duty on the mayoral island in town for the night shift. He also deposits a strangely deformed young woman named Ursula in their midst, adding her to their team of misfits.
Sergeant Rathgul has an argument with Lieutenant Cobb, and confesses to Sofia afterwards that the officer was trying to give away their right to conduct the ambush to one of his more favored squads. Rathgul managed to keep the assignment for them, however.
Asenath's team tries to warm to Ursula, but she proves aloof and reserved in her opinions of them. They procure her some studded leather armor from the local tanner, realizing it is the same man who shielded his son from them the night of the first successful raid. He gives them a fair price to leave his shop, trying to keep his son out of sight.
While the rest of the team is away, Lupe finds himself cornered by the very drunks he angered in the bar monday night. They attempt to attack him and beat him senseless, but using his psychic powers, he tricks their leader and quickly moves out into the open where they are reluctant to chase him.
Over the dinners that Lurch serves each night, the team overhears various rumors about a patrol or two found dead in the woods, bodies cold and with a single, precise arrow wound to the heart in each. It is assumed that they are rebels getting bolder.
Ursula and Jazelle spend some time playing poker in town and make off fairly well in their winnings. Ursula also tracks down some rebel sympathizer leads in town independently, but has little luck. While doing so, both women notice the eyes of the Kingsmen they saw in the bar on them.
The rebel and sympathizer prisoners from the night raid are turned over to the Inquisitor knights.
Amon continues his mentoring of several young mercenaries, two of which show some promise and also loyalty to him as a teacher.
While hunting in the Shetwood, Lurch and Amon notice the elven huntress that Lupe had previously encountered, Kalina, shadowing them from a distance. She vanishes before Amon could hail her, however.
The morning of the ambush, Amon has a nightmare in which Sekhmet comes to him, but can't seem to communicate her wishes. Frustrated, she leaves him alone.
That night, Sergeant Rathgul orders up his squad for the midnight ambush on the Red Letter supply drop. Having procured firearms for the two teams participating, they move out.
Shortly after midnight, the two teams split up to form an L ambush pattern against the clearing where the rebels are meeting around the supplies. They manage to successfully sneak up on the rebels and Corporal Asenath's team opens fire first with the sergeant, eliminating nearly half the enemy in one salvo before they can take cover behind the supply wagon. Amon and Lurch rush forward and begin cutting down the rebels before they can become too entrenched, Rathgul darting forward on the right flank. Also on the right flank, unbeknownst to the rebels, the second team opens fire and compromises the enemy position totally. The rebels score few hits before they few remaining are forced to flea into the night, killing the corporal and a mercenary from Rathgul's second team in the process.
Giving chase, Amon, Lurch, Ursula and Rathgul are able to kill the four rebels that fled, taking their leader hostage and dragging him back to the clearing where the rest of the mercenaries are waiting. They proceed to search the bodies and the scene. In doing so, Lupe and Amon notice a dark shape taking form behind one of the other mercenaries. Reacting quickly, Amon snatches up a rifle and fires at it while Lupe unleashes his psychic powers. The creature reels but does not dissipate. At the same time, more of them come flitting out of the trees to attack the survivors of the ambush.
