The yard settles beneath drifting ash. The flame wall is gone, the road beyond it empty, and only the narrow breach remains open behind Elianor, Celia, and Maurice.
Celia Graves
Hold still. It is a scrape, but the tremor beneath it is not.
Celia rinses the rough mark across Elianor’s palm with a little water, then watches the fingers carefully. A faint shiver passes through them and fades as the last divine heat leaves the air.
Celia Graves
Sustained power leaves a debt in the flesh. Not damage yet, but your body is warning you where the boundary lies.
At the breach, Maurice tests the loosened stone, then gathers abandoned spears and shields into a rough stack. He keeps glancing toward the road where the Baron’s riders vanished.
Maurice Headsman
The tollhouse is no refuge now. The breach can be watched, the road can be used, and whoever owns this ground will come looking for it.
Behind the wagons, the narrow passage lies dark and undisturbed. The ash-skinned crawler has not returned, while Celia finishes binding the scrape and Maurice waits beside the open breach for Elianor’s answer.
“I saw "with the undead army defeated I thought my patron would have taken my flame gift away from me." then I say "we must return and inform the Duchess of what happened."”
SUCCESS (Fair Oratory, rolled +1)
Elianor Vale
I thought Aureth would have taken the flame from me when the undead army fell.
Celia finishes binding Elianor’s palm. Maurice gathers the last usable supplies, and together they leave the ruined tollhouse through the breach, carrying proof of what happened.
Elianor Vale
We must return and inform the Duchess of what happened.
Celia Graves
Yes. The source is destroyed, the army is broken, and the Baron’s officers have seen us hold this ground. The Duchess must hear it from us.
Maurice Headsman
Then we travel hard and speak plainly. The road is dangerous, but it is open enough for three determined travelers.
They depart before dusk. By the following day, the Duchess receives them in her hall, where Elianor gives her account of the buried source, the broken army, and the surviving threat.
the Duchess
You have done what my forces could not. I will record the source destroyed and the Baron’s army defeated, but the living officers remain a danger. You shall have my authority to investigate them.
Learn the surviving officers' plans