Entry 25: Ravensfield burns

Dear diary,
 
Throughout the day and into the night, the villagers evacuated Ravensfield. With our defenses meticulously set up, we managed to get a good night’s rest, knowing the battle ahead would test our limits. Not trusting the twisted sense of honor of General Rayl, we posted guards, but the night passed without incident.
 
In the morning, we took our positions on and around the large barn, the heart of our web of traps, like spiders awaiting their prey. I sent Fiachna out to scout ahead, knowing his sharp eyes would alert us to the army's approach. The hours dragged on, filled with the nervous pacing of my companions, until Fiachna finally returned. The army was near—an ominous horde of undead kobolds, draconic constructs, drakes, and all manner of foul spawn.
 
They halted a short distance from the village, a palpable tension hanging in the air. Then, from the clouds, General Rayl descended on his wyvern, a menacing silhouette against the morning sky. He landed with an arrogant grace, his eyes scanning the village before settling on us.
 
"I'm impressed you stayed to face me and my army," he called out, his voice carrying over the tense silence. "I will grant you the opportunity to fight me first, alone."
 
For a moment, it seemed like an honorable offer—a chance to decide the fate of Ravensfield in a single, decisive battle. But Rayl’s twisted smirk shattered that illusion. “Even if you defeat me,” he continued, “my army will attack anyway.”
 
Anger surged through me. Rayl’s words confirmed what I already knew: there was no honor in him, only cruelty and deceit. He had sent monsters to kill villagers before even knowing we were here. He intended to destroy Ravensfield regardless of the outcome of our fight.
 
Seeing no point in furthering talks, Gael fired the first shot. I’m not one for describing long, elaborate fights, so I’ll sum it up like this: the battle went smoother than expected. Rayl, overconfident in his ability to defeat some new, upcoming knights, underestimated the resilience of the De la Roost twins, the excellent archery of Gael, Dadroz, and Feyris, and the power of Luke’s and my spells.
 
Rayl’s initial smirk of arrogance quickly turned to frustration as he realized he had misjudged us. Liliana and Alistan, the De la Roost twins, fought with a synchronized precision that left Rayl struggling to keep up. Gael’s arrows found their mark with deadly accuracy, each shot weakening Rayl’s defenses. Dadroz and Feyris moved with fluid grace, their attacks relentless and precise. Luke’s spells rained down, a flurry of arcane energy that left Rayl’s wyvern reeling.
 
In the end, it was a coordinated effort that brought Rayl down. Gael’s arrows weakened his wyvern, and a powerful fireblast from Luke delivered the final blow, sending Ray crashing to the ground. I moved in to stabilize him, my magic knitting his wounds just enough to keep him alive. We tied him up and moved him to the barn, a valuable prisoner for the knights of Keralon to interrogate.
 
With Rayl down, the blast of a horn echoed from the sky, and the enemy army began their march on Ravensfield. It is with some pride that I can say my idea to turn Ravensfield into a deathtrap worked wonderfully. As they advanced, they started torching houses, but with all the flammable material we had spread, and linked buildings together, they were caught off guard by how fast the fire spread. Combined with some thorny spells to further damage and hamper their advance, the army soon retreated, after taking substantial casualties without a single blow being exchanged.
 
There was a fleeting moment of triumph as the army turned around, but it was quickly crushed as we spotted a small group of drakes sneaking between the buildings from the south. The fires closed in around us, and we faced these new adversaries, realizing this could end badly. The drakes were fast and fierce, their scales glinting ominously in the firelight.
 
The battle was intense. The drakes moved with predatory grace, their claws slashing and tails whipping through the air. Our spells and arrows flew, but the creatures were relentless. Amid the chaos, Luke bore the brunt of the drakes’ fury. Despite his plethora of fate-twisting magic, he took the heaviest blows and was knocked out, his body crumpling to the ground.
 
As the fires closed in and we were nearly cut off, I knew we had to act quickly. Summoning every ounce of my willpower, I forced my mind onto their leader. The drake’s eyes glazed over, and with a command, I sent him flying to the east.
 
Alistan summoned Thorin back and pulled me onto the horse's back, allowing us to make a daring escape through the flames. Gael, determined and swift, hoisted Luke onto his feet and retreated with him through the burning barn. The rest of our group had already fled, seeking safety beyond the inferno. In our rush, none of us thought to drag the captured Rayl along, and I fear he suffered a terrible fate amidst the chaos.
 
And here we stand now, watching my steading go up in flames. The once vibrant Ravensfield is now a roaring inferno, the fire devouring everything we had built. It weighs heavy on my heart, each crackling ember a reminder of what we’ve lost. Yet, amid the devastation, a spark of hope remains. I am confident that Ravensfield will be rebuilt, stronger and more resilient than before.
 
As we gather, soot-streaked and weary, we draw strength from one another. We have faced the worst and emerged on the other side. Ravensfield will rise from the ashes, just as we have. And while the path ahead is uncertain, our resolve is unwavering. Together, we will rebuild. Together, we will continue to fight.
 
17th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree