Halcon had rode for a long time without stopping, avoiding the main roads and instead, making use of the lesser known roads that had been kept in place by an ancient kingdom long ago. These roads were made by the Shenzuhai Imperium more than a thousand years ago and have been forgotten by most map makers of the kingdoms.  The woods whistled by quietly in brown and green streaks as he made his way towards the Fulan Bridge that connected the lowland hills where the Elven ambassador would be traveling.<br/><br/>The nature of the message stone bothered him and it would take too long to break the elvish code in time so he considered it a wild card. If he survived he would know it’s contents and if he did not, then he figured someone would eventually decipher it.  Halcon kept up his pace as he also knew that Tanyl  would soon be hot on his trail.  The looming bridge was rising closer but before he would come upon the entrance, there were shapes of humanoid figures waiting rather brazenly by it, the forms of blades could be picked out easily in their grasps with a bulkier hooded individual at the forefront of the small group.<br/><br/>Halcon stopped his horse within several feet of the unknown individuals and got off his horse while never leaving their sight.<br/><br/>“ I don’t suppose you fine fellows happen to be a traveling minstrel band — I’ve been riding a while and would love to be entertained,” he then said to break the silence with the supposed leader simply twitching his head to the right and left to signal those around him to slowly make their way towards Halcon.<br/><br/><i>The rest however was as swift as their fates had clashed. </i><br/><br/>The rush was more or less a mediocre display of the untrained and in most cases, by their movements and candor, suggested basic regimental training.  It was also apparent that these were human and therefore most likely either low grade assassins or highwaymen.  The first that attempted to strike in a surprisingly well made low slash missed and when he had lunged forward, Halcon parried around and gutted him as he went past with entrails spraying from his razor sharp short sword.  The gurgling assailant crashed  to the ground whereupon in that same movement, Halcon’s blade came up, blocked the next attack , and while he took  him off balance,  drove his sword into the mid torso region, and allowed him to also fall.  The final act was more less finesse than one would have thought,  as he boldly may his way forward only to have been disabled by a flung dagger that found his lower left knee cap and another equally precise knife that pierced his left rib cage.<br/><br/><br/>Halcon swiped his forehead with a free sleeve  from the sweat that had beaded around his brow  and slowly calmed down from the adrenaline rush as he approached the withering attacker who laid there shivering from the lodged projectiles.<br/><br/>“ Before you die — who are you?” Halcon asked.<br/><br/>“ I knew this was going to be a dead man’s mission…,” the other replied in a raspy voice, “ … I’ll say nothing you shadowy bastard… assassins be damned!,”  with what ever energy the unknown man had in him, he drew one of the daggers lodged into his body and jammed it into his throat.  The attacker wheezed silently after he began to convulse and gasp for air until he slumped forward in silence.<br/><br/><br/><br/>Halcon had quickly frisked the body only to come up with nothing, whoever he was, he had chosen to be unknown to the end which suggested he was an agent of some kind. In the end who they were didn’t matter at that point because the events of the planned execution were already in motion and to deduce anything beyond his current situation was pointless. Fulan bridge would be crossed and from there, Stag’s Leap pass was just about 20 or so miles due east where the ambassadors caravan would certainly be making its way towards the Road connecting the kingdom of Triskeleem.<br/><br/><br/><div style="text-align: center">*  *  *<br/>
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<i>Upon Early Morning...  </i><br/>​</div><br/>Halcon had calculated the paces from the main road to his high perch in a well hidden ledge that gave ample room for a good archer position as well as cover if he needed it.  The traps were already set with a set of trees that were rigged to fall once the first set of horses would trip the attached rope strung across the road and covered in leaves.  The ambassadors carriage was being pulled by a team of four horses, accompanied by a small troop of six Elven dragoons and two accompanying drivers on top, both cloaked but most likely battle mages as Ambassadors always traveled with a mixed group for protection.  Halcon had already masked his location with a camouflage spell, making it appear that his ledge was nothing more than a piece of the terrain wall until he he would break it with his chosen attack.<br/><br/>He imagined at some point that  Tanyl would appear… and with that though, he had a deep remorse which served a mixture of bitterness and resolve.<br/><br/><i>“ If these were different times my lady… what future could we have had?”  He asked… </i><br/><br/><i>Enough of those thought</i>s!  he had said to himself, for the moment of execution was arriving and all thoughts were being trained upon the task at hand.<br/><br/>“ Pray to the gods that I am swift and accurate,”  he then quoted, readying his special combination arrow that would strike the two drivers first as he heard the steady trot of the caravan horses.