Ch II: Team Simon: Cat C: Over the River and Through the W

[MKJoshA]

See the previous tales:

Wyndor's Saga Chapter 1

Part 1: A Tragic Beginning

Part 2: A Rude Awakening

Part 2.1: Liam's Shop

Part 2.2: Upward Trek

Part 2.3: Misty Fight

Part 2.4: Arrow Training

Part 2.5: Weapon Training

Part 2.6: Wind-up and Shoot

Part 2.7: Stingy Trainer

Part 3 Intro: An Evil Plot

Part 3: A Timely Friend

Part 4: For Whom the Bells Toll

Part 5: Small Help

Part 6: The Map Maker

Part 7: An Excuse for Dialogue

Mile after mile Wyndor continued to woe Lady Valanice. While it had been some time since the three brothers had been together, Natolyth and Chalin were not surprised by his behavior. While Wyndor did not ignore Chalin, it was Natolyth who got him up to speed with what had happened since the ice-dragon accident. Wyndor’s words were mostly spent on Valanice.

“Did it hurt?” asked Wydnor.

“Did what hurt?” responded Valanice.

“Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?” grinned Wyndor.

“You’re company is more pleasant when you are less foolish” answered Valanice, but Wyndor noticed that she couldn’t stop from smiling.

“I hate to interrupt you two love birds,” piped Chalin, “But how much longer did you say we have until we reach your home, Valanice?”

“We should be there by late afternoon” answered Valanice.

“I only ask because we have not met many travelers today and the reports I heard at that last village, of Drow movement, make me very nervous” explained Chalin. “While in Kaliphlin I never meet any Drow, but I heard plenty of tales from travelers about the horrors they’ve wreaked throughout Nocturnus. And things have to be pretty bad for reports like those to make it out of Nocturnus.”

“I know these are more dangerous times than most for Avalonia,” started Valanice, “But I suspect that your worries are unfounded. Most of these smaller villages thrive on rumors. Anything from Drow attacks, to plagues, to vampire dukes will keep the local’s conversation occupied for days. And besides, we are traveling through Lesser Burrium, one of the best guarded lands in Avalonia.”

“With all the talking you and Wyndor have done,” started Natolyth, “shall I quiz him to see if he can spout off facts like that?”

“Why Natolyth!” inserted Wyndor, “I shall not have to spout off anything, I will simply recite from my perfect memory of everything Lady Valanice has said about her fair country. We are currently traveling through Lesser Burrium on our way to Woodward which is near the Darkwood Forest next to the Western Grasslands. Woodward is currently ruled by Lord Faustus but we are going to visit Valanice’s uncle who is the Duke of Beleriand.”

“You have been listening,” Valanice said, “at least mostly.”

“My lady,” implored Wyndor, “you have had my full attention this entire time. Whatever could I have missed?”

“Well,” started Valanice, “my Uncle, the Earl of Beleriand, might take offense at you calling him by the wrong title.”

“Ah!” cried Wyndor, “Duke, Earl, Lord, High All-Powerful Master; all these titles seem so unnecessary!” In Mitgardia either you are the mayor of the town or you’re not; and either you have authority or you don’t. Though, being mayor and having authority don’t always go hand-in-hand so I guess we do have some of our own complications” Wyndor ended sheepishly.

All of a sudden they heard the sound of pounding footsteps and the swish of cloaks to their left. As they turned to look, their horses spooked and threw all four of them to the ground. The pounding and swishing grew louder as Wyndor started to lift himself off the ground. Looking around he saw everyone moving and said, “Is everyone ok?”

“I think we are, but I don’t think we will be, look!” shouted Natolyth.

He pointed at the group of cloaked figures running through the forest at them. A dark figure with white hair could be seen directing the attackers from the rear. Three assailants leaped over the stream and engaged the travelers in battle.

“I told you something didn’t feel right!” shouted Chalin, “I was trained for battles remember? The air always feels different right before an attack!” He was shouting to be heard over the clanging of steel on steel, but other than that noise the battle was fairly quiet. The Drow assailants were attacking without making a sound themselves.

“I’ll remember to apologize after we get out of this alive!” answered Valanice as she blocked a blow meant for Wyndor’s head. She found it eerie to be fighting such silent attackers. She had never met a Drow before, let alone fought one, and found the experience to be one she never wanted to repeat. Battles were meant to involve battle-cries and grunts she had learned while watching her Uncle’s men train at the barracks. Even training with her Uncle, who was a lot more sophisticated than the average soldier, involved more noise than these Drow emitted.

Natolyth did not find the Drow’s silence unnerving as he had come in contact with many of them while he was brainwashed. In fact, as he shot some thunderbolts at one of the Drow, he thought he could learn a thing or two from their fighting style.

Wyndor swung his sword at a Drow wielding two wicked looking blades but was blocked, as every one of his blows had been. “These Drow are very powerful, how are we ever going to get out of this?” Wyndor wondered to himself. His next thought jumped into his mind like a lightning bolt and had many of the same effects, “I’m in love with Valanice!”

“Valanice!” shouted Wyndor as he blocked a blow, “I love you!”

“Wyndor!” shouted back Valanice, “I love you too!”

Wyndor was in rare form now spinning, ducking, and slashing with more grace than he ever had before. He disarmed one opponent and sent another one sprawling who had been attacking Chalin and then asked, “Will you marry me?”

Time seemed to stand still as Valanice turned to Wyndor and said, “Yes.”

After a few more zaps and parries, all of the Drow turned and ran off into the forest. Chalin looked around and found no sign of the leader on the other side of the stream. “I guess they decided we were more trouble than we were worth” he said.

“Nay, my dear brother, it was love that saved the day” responded Wyndor as he and Valanice gazed into each other’s eyes.

“Well lover boy, think what you want, but I think we need to get to Beleriand and warn the Earl” retorted Chalin.

“It’s going to be a lot longer of a journey now” said Natolyth. “Our horses have run off and I don’t think they have any intentions of returning.”

With a long walk ahead of them they set off towards what they hoped would be safety.

[HammerBro]

Wonderful job on the landscaping!

[Kai NRG]

Those are some really nice trees there! Great work!

[Scaevola]

Great job, I love the weeping willow and the hill it sits atop. A little more foliage and an increase in the complexity of the other trees would be nice, but the scene still looks really good

[Hammerhand]

Cool scene! Nice to see some drow getting whipped in a fight. And the axe Valanice is wielding is quite impressive! My only suggestion would be to try to round the corners of the weeping willow, so it's a little less square. But other than that, great scenery!

[Lord Vladivus]

Nice trees and landscaping!

[Gunman]

Really lovely landscaping there mate... Nice trees!

[MKJoshA]

Wonderful job on the landscaping!

Those are some really nice trees there! Great work!

Great job, I love the weeping willow and the hill it sits atop. A little more foliage and an increase in the complexity of the other trees would be nice, but the scene still looks really good

Nice trees and landscaping!

Really lovely landscaping there mate... Nice trees!

Glad you all like the trees! I've been working on perfecting my tree making abilities and still have a long way to go. Part of it is my shortage of Lego foliage. I've been building up my collection at the PAB wall, but almost every tree piece I own so far was used in this build

Cool scene! Nice to see some drow getting whipped in a fight. And the axe Valanice is wielding is quite impressive! My only suggestion would be to try to round the corners of the weeping willow, so it's a little less square. But other than that, great scenery!

I was less than pleased with the square shape as well, but I lack the tree pieces to round it out more. I tried to make up for it with pictures that hid the squareness of it, but obviously I couldn't hid it completely . I'm glad you like the axe, I do too!

[de Gothia]

Looking really good! Some nice action and I love that axe!!!

[soccerkid6]

I like the numerous trees and the slight hill on the side with the Drow Good battle posing too

[MKJoshA]

Looking really good! Some nice action and I love that axe!!!

Yes, everyone seems to love the axe . That makes me quite happy

I like the numerous trees and the slight hill on the side with the Drow Good battle posing too

I was really happy with the hill myself. Some ebay auctions and PAB trips means I finally had enough bricks and plates to pull it off.

[Rogue Angel]

I agree that the hill on the drow side really adds to the character of this build, as well as the "weeping willow". I really like what you've done with it, and that you have done a little rounding at the top. I think if you doubled the size of this tree, you could get more rounding along the top and corners, and it would really look superb. I like the variety of trees and the river running down the middle. There is also good work on the path that the Avalonians are traveling on.

Great job!

[Maxim I]

Nice landscape!! Especially the trees are very nicely done :)

[Gabe]

Some good landscaping in here, the ground on the side of the river with the big trees has a rather attractive slope to it, and the willow tree with it's flowing foliage is nice too. You could improve it further still by rounding out the foliage on the willow and adding a small kink, rocky outcrop or waterfall to the river. (it looks a little too straight at the moment, more like a channel than a natural river) The fight action is good too, and the story is very engaging!

[MKJoshA]

I agree that the hill on the drow side really adds to the character of this build, as well as the "weeping willow". I really like what you've done with it, and that you have done a little rounding at the top. I think if you doubled the size of this tree, you could get more rounding along the top and corners, and it would really look superb. I like the variety of trees and the river running down the middle. There is also good work on the path that the Avalonians are traveling on.

Great job!

Some good landscaping in here, the ground on the side of the river with the big trees has a rather attractive slope to it, and the willow tree with it's flowing foliage is nice too. You could improve it further still by rounding out the foliage on the willow and adding a small kink, rocky outcrop or waterfall to the river. (it looks a little too straight at the moment, more like a channel than a natural river) The fight action is good too, and the story is very engaging!

I wish I could have made the tree bigger, but this build used every single "leaf" piece I have. I'm glad you like it overall though!

Nice landscape!! Especially the trees are very nicely done :)

Thank you!