Perditions Tale, Chapter 15: "Escape from Alba"
 

The Aethenian army poured into Alba, killing all who stood in their way. A commanding voice barked out orders. The army was securing itself into Alba, any survivors they would either kill, or capture. A large portion of the army was sent to go take care of the country side.
Escape into the sewers was now the only chance for survival.

-Meanwhile-

Cesia and the others had just crossed the border into Avionan territory. The tall mountain leading to Aviona, the country in the sky, loomed in front of the group. It was still aways away, but they were getting closer. Children were getting tired and crying to their mothers, who were doing their best to calm the children while trying to stay calm themselves, when they knew a loved one was still back, fighting in Alba.

"ON YOUR FEET SOLDIER! We can rest when we've sealed the tunnel behind us." Gin commanded. He was sealing outside access to certain tunnels to prevent Aethenian troops to follow. "I hope the others can get in front of me before I seal the way behind." He mutters under his breath as he attacks a keystone in the arch supporting part of the sewer. The ceiling collapses and Gin and his squad escape further into the filth.

Ark wheeled his horse. His company had hauled out of there, and was now up on a hilltop. They had a new problem. Whoever the commander was, he was smart enough to set pikes on the front row, making sure that any charge from the company ended with them being skewered on the pikes.

But, then they hadn't counted on how well prepared the company was. The remaning 150 or so survivors all pulled out their bows, and fired. The closest chunk of the front row fell, but they were quickly replaced. Those people fell as well.

Ark glanced across the battlefield and saw the flood running into the city, taking it as another nice morsel for Cid. They (Ark and his company) were slowly being forced from the capital, and the small chance they had of escaping was narrowly dissapearing.

Ark sighed, and inwardly wanted to cry. "We can't win. We've lost, and our chances of even survival are almost gone." He looked at them. "We have two options. Retreat and start hazing their camps, or go for an all out fight to the death." They decided for razing, and they galloped away.

The army was dwindling when the first arrow hit. It punched through the mail and leather, grinding into his left shoulder. "AMBUSH!" He flicked out a throwing dagger and caught the person who'd shot him in the face. Then he drew his sword, and brought it down. They all charged into their ambushers.

"Things don't sound too good up there...maybe we should just head back huh? Try to save anybody we can?" Jude said to Tama, who was pressing on despite the very large and booming noises rattling the 'water' they were trudging in.

OOC: On a side note, no one try to help Ark. I ran this thing by CJ already.

IC: Ark wheeled his horse, and cut down his foe. They'd cleaned up the ambush with very few casualties.

Ark dropped off his horse and walked over to a soldier that was still alive. The man spat at Ark, and said, "You filth! Killing our king, and now expecting me to beg for mercy?"

Ark shrugged. "Actually, it really wouldn't have mattered. I was going to kill you anyways."

"What" The man's voice quavered. "You've already mangled my legs, what more do you want to do? I know things, I'm too valuable to kill."

"No room for prisoners. Welcome to war mate." And then he cut his throat. He looked at his company. They were tiring, the horses needed watering, and they weren't in good condition.

"We find a stream, and camp for one night. Then we ride for Aviona, but take pot-shots at any stray troops. And I want to thank you all for sticking with me this far." Ark mounted his horse, and they rode away from the massacre.

Thid is making his way closer to the city's outer wall when he hears screams from around the corner. Cautiously he peers around the corner and is shocked by what he sees. A group of about 15 enemy soldiers are slaughtering the city's remaining citizens. Since the fire had forced most citizens into the street to fight it, the soldiers were having no trouble finding prey.

Thid stained as the soldiers converged on a group of civilians which were backed up against a wall. there were a few men there willing to fight the soldiers, but unarmed and untrained, they would pose little resistance.

Thid looked down at the bundle under his arm. Well, if they've started killing the citizenry then my plan probably wont work, and these things are useless. *sigh* I'd best pull out of here, but how.... Thid looked back up toward the civilians. Well, it's more likely that they know a back way out of this place, and i certainly have a surpluses of "special" arrows, so what the hell. I just hope those guys have some initiative.

Thid placed the bundle on the ground and pulled a quiver of arrows from it. After the quiver had been pulled onto his back, Thid stood fully around the corner, drew a silver etched arrow, and let fly at the center of the soldier's formation.

There was a hollow thud as the arrow struck true, at first Thid thought that he had another dud arrow, but it was only delayed for a few seconds as the arrow exploded, taking the soldiers to either side of the soldier with him and shocking the other soldiers. Thid didn't wait for them to recover from their shock and let fly another arrow, with the same results as the first one. By this time the soldiers had recovered from the shock of this new opponent's weapon and they turned to face Thid. Similarly, the citizens had also realized that the odds were beginning to turn in their favor, and thus several of the larger ones took up the weapons dropped by the dead soldiers and began to fight.

A few minutes of intense fighting and several arrows later Thid confronts the citizens.

"We have to get out of here. I don't know how, but I’m hoping you do."

One of the men responded, "We're way ahead of you, the sewers under the city can lead us out of the city safely."

Thid nodded, "Give me one second." He then ran back to the corner where he had dropped his bundle of arrows, took them up once more, and ran back to the man whom Thid had began to recognize as their leader. "Ok, lead the way."

[OOC] Ok, from this point I’m pretty much in the sewers. If no one posts that they’ve run into my and my posse then I’ll assume I made it out of the city without further incident. [OOC]

"THID!!! CLEAR THE TUNNEL!!!" Gin shouted. His men were preparing to collapse another branch of the sewer when a group of Albans and Thid appeared in the weakened sewer.

"THID!!! CLEAR THE TUNNEL!!!"

"Wha?" Thid looks up and sees cracked and crumbling key stones. "Oh SHIT! Everybody run faster!"

Thid and the group of Alban refugees kick it into high gear as they dash through the sewers toward Gin.

"Well," says Thid to Gin, "It's nice that you waited for us. Need any help? Or should i just wait outside the sewer entrance for everybody?"

"Head out if you want, but I figure we need to only collapse two more tunnels to slow them enough to not catch up to us."

Thid nods and heads out with the rest of the refugees.
Boy, i wonder where everyone else is?