"I can walk." The half orc nodded her head to Tavah, then smiling gratefully to the priest, Ebirc. As she struggled to get to her feet she showed a brief smile at Elise, sighing faintly. "I think I'd appreciate that, at least later." She began to move towards the inn, wanting to get some rest and not hesitant to show it.<br/><br/>"The group I rode with hired me a few days ago." She began, speaking seriously. "They paid most of it in advance, but I was supposed to escort them a while longer. They spoke of having arranged supplies and accomodations along the road. This was the point they were supposed to come to. Imagine my surprise on finding there was tension at the place they claimed would be safe? Yet I found no signs of malice among you on first glance. I am surprised I found it among the ones that paid me." She spoke seriously, watching the ones indoors as she sat down near the fireplace, looking at the stones and the ashes scattered there.<br/><br/><hr/><br/>The burial did not take too long, there was a fair bit of soft ground near the inn, once off the hard-packed sand and soil that surrounded the front of the place and the road. The more wooded area held a fair share of soft ground where roots did not reach, allowing for a quick, grim burial of the ones that fought.<br/><br/>Their pockets revealed a small map showing the location of the Academy, and the surrounding lands, including villages and settlements scattered about. There was a set of green marks upon it, old traveler's inns or places in those villages, while others were marked with clear red, and someone have left a cut in the middle of the academy on the map, as if driving a knife through the map just there.<br/><br/>Beyond that, they held a fair bit of gold, combined total of three thousand and two hundred gold pieces (3,200 gp) to them, as well as a set of bows, arrows and shortswords, none of them magical nor master craftsmanship. Yet the leader that had fallen carried a now ruined leather armor, broken when the man died, with odd 'blood wards' marked upon it. Whoever made the outfit made it damn sure that it would rather be ruined than survive to serve another master. The man's bastard blade itself was enchanted, though to what extent was hard to tell at least right away.<br/><br/>Their weapon were washed by the rain, but the horses branding was permanent. Other than the horses belonging to the half-orc Taika and the leader's horse, the others had markings of the Realm's military but it had been ruined and another brand marked upon them, one that did not appear to be one that the Realm would assign. There was no sign of a branding given to horses that left the service of the military, so it was safe to say at the least they were stolen.<br/><br/>In the leader's pockets were three vials of red liquid, while the four riders each had some crushed paste that had a foul smell, wrapped together into a leather pouch, kept safe from the rain.<br/><br/>In the pocket of the man that had finally died by Tha'ael's bow in the forest lay a single crumbled note, soaked and the ink partially running, but still readable.<em>"You and yours will answer the one carrying the Signet ring. Your assignment is to obey orders, and burn the settlements he informs you to burn. You will find many resting places along the way, but as you spread, he will inform you further. Your task is to follow orders. The one with the signet has arranged a guide for you on your way. She must be eliminated once the task is done. Succeed, and your previous crimes will be erased. -In His Name"</em><br/><br/><hr/><hr/><br/>The evening's shadows became darker, and the sound of rain was all that the night brought with it. The long shadows reached far, but within the inn there was shelter. The old fireplace would serve to warm them if they so chose, the beds upstairs proving to be, if not fancy, then at least welcoming for weary travelers. There was a fair share of wine and ale to be had, to make the evening a little lighter, to let them rest and recover for the coming day.<br/><br/>The long rainy night would slowly begin to turn to a clouded dawn, the rain coming to an end before the light would once more shine upon the lands amidst the few breaks from the cloud coverage. The rain had washed away much of the blood from last night, yet some remained to show the signs of battle from before.<br/><br/>The road ahead would lead them to the ruins of the fortress once they set forth, and there they would meet their task with whatever true challenges lay awaiting.