1st Cylus, 718
Ryder sat in the darkness, waiting patiently with the men beside him. It was his first mission with Al'Angryl so far, aside from small doses of training alongside the other mercenaries. But that wasn't what made him nervous. What made him nervous was who was here, watching, involved in the raid. Noth, the same creature that had recruited him, was here as well. Although he wasn't directly with Ryder's group, he was still going to be seeing what Ryder could do, and Ryder had set an expectation after their first encounter.
Trying to ignore the biting cold, Ryder watched patiently from behind a tree. It was a simple caravan raid, like the one that had been done on him. He could only pray that the people were as under-prepared as he had been that day. This time, however, he was ready for anything. He had his longsword with him at his side, and he was prepared to take out whatever stood in his way. He had a group of men with him, including the men he'd been in the tavern with much earlier that day, and they were counting on him just as he was counting on them.
After what felt like Arcs, the caravan finally came in to view. Ryder gripped his sword tight as the man in charge gestured, keeping his hand up to show them not to move. He watched with careful eyes, leaving Ryder and the others to patiently wait for his orders, all watching the caravan. From what Ryder could see, the guards on it were a lot better equipped than he had been. Some were much better equipped than Ryder had been. His eyes immediately fell to the caravan, however, which looked to be bustling with resources.
Without hesitation, the man gestured, slowly moving closer to the caravan. All of the mercenaries followed behind, moving steadily towards the caravan through the trees. It was dark, meaning that it was hard to see anything other than the light of the torches around the caravan and the faint light that the stars and moon provided for them. It also meant, however, that the men were shrouded. It was near impossible to see them in this light - or so they thought.
Ryder stopped when given the quiet command, leaning against a tree for cover. He glanced over to Will from earlier that day and gave him a reassuring nod, the nerves clear on his face. Ryder had shown to that man that he could fight, same with the others that had seen it. Now, however, he had to prove it for real. Training was nothing compared to this, and he had to show these men that he meant business. He wouldn't let his new friends down.
As the men started moving again, everything was silent, the footsteps muffled by the deep snow. The silence, however, didn't last. All of the man jolted back as the leader of the group screamed in pain, the whistling of an arrow all that was heard before it planted itself in his chest. All of the men from the caravan looked, spotting Ryder and the others. Everyone stood up in a panic.
"Use the trees for cover, push forward!" Ryder shouted, ducking behind a tree and drawing his longsword. Others in the group followed his example, taking to the trees and looking to him to lead. This was his chance, to show he had what it took to lead, to be in charge of this group that was depending on him. He wouldn't let them down. More important - he wouldn't let himself down.
"Now!" he shouted, as an arrow planted in the tree beside him, not hitting anyone as he started to charge, keeping behind a tree at all times. Ryder hoped the others were following, but didn't look back to check. Behind them, however, all the men followed.
Ryder sat in the darkness, waiting patiently with the men beside him. It was his first mission with Al'Angryl so far, aside from small doses of training alongside the other mercenaries. But that wasn't what made him nervous. What made him nervous was who was here, watching, involved in the raid. Noth, the same creature that had recruited him, was here as well. Although he wasn't directly with Ryder's group, he was still going to be seeing what Ryder could do, and Ryder had set an expectation after their first encounter.
Trying to ignore the biting cold, Ryder watched patiently from behind a tree. It was a simple caravan raid, like the one that had been done on him. He could only pray that the people were as under-prepared as he had been that day. This time, however, he was ready for anything. He had his longsword with him at his side, and he was prepared to take out whatever stood in his way. He had a group of men with him, including the men he'd been in the tavern with much earlier that day, and they were counting on him just as he was counting on them.
After what felt like Arcs, the caravan finally came in to view. Ryder gripped his sword tight as the man in charge gestured, keeping his hand up to show them not to move. He watched with careful eyes, leaving Ryder and the others to patiently wait for his orders, all watching the caravan. From what Ryder could see, the guards on it were a lot better equipped than he had been. Some were much better equipped than Ryder had been. His eyes immediately fell to the caravan, however, which looked to be bustling with resources.
Without hesitation, the man gestured, slowly moving closer to the caravan. All of the mercenaries followed behind, moving steadily towards the caravan through the trees. It was dark, meaning that it was hard to see anything other than the light of the torches around the caravan and the faint light that the stars and moon provided for them. It also meant, however, that the men were shrouded. It was near impossible to see them in this light - or so they thought.
Ryder stopped when given the quiet command, leaning against a tree for cover. He glanced over to Will from earlier that day and gave him a reassuring nod, the nerves clear on his face. Ryder had shown to that man that he could fight, same with the others that had seen it. Now, however, he had to prove it for real. Training was nothing compared to this, and he had to show these men that he meant business. He wouldn't let his new friends down.
As the men started moving again, everything was silent, the footsteps muffled by the deep snow. The silence, however, didn't last. All of the man jolted back as the leader of the group screamed in pain, the whistling of an arrow all that was heard before it planted itself in his chest. All of the men from the caravan looked, spotting Ryder and the others. Everyone stood up in a panic.
"Use the trees for cover, push forward!" Ryder shouted, ducking behind a tree and drawing his longsword. Others in the group followed his example, taking to the trees and looking to him to lead. This was his chance, to show he had what it took to lead, to be in charge of this group that was depending on him. He wouldn't let them down. More important - he wouldn't let himself down.
"Now!" he shouted, as an arrow planted in the tree beside him, not hitting anyone as he started to charge, keeping behind a tree at all times. Ryder hoped the others were following, but didn't look back to check. Behind them, however, all the men followed.