Breaking The Barrier

OOC (I have had to deal with the worst type of life related problems recently, sorry it took so long for me to get to writing this post. Better late than never?)

- -The Bramble Wood,
Very Near Jocelynn's Inn,
Early Morning, 1 DSTR- -


He was too late. Far too late.

The...thing, the ghoul, whatever it was, turned to intercept Kel, moving with superhuman speed and agility. The poor soldier hadn't even realized what had happened by the time he collapsed from blood loss, going limp in the ghoul's arms, only for whatever was left of the life within him to be sipped up like mead.

Before they had time to even process what had just happened, a bolt of lightning fired past them, forcing them to take cover for fear that the next bolt wouldn't miss. This reminded Ponce of his previous notion that there was a second attacker. A mage. Ponce had seen them in the circuses, but never up close, especially not in the midst of combat.

"Why does stuff like this always have to happen..." Wren muttered, twinges of panic audible in his voice.

"What do we do?" Toldir asked, reflecting Wren's panic.

"We're soldiers, and we're under attack, so we fight."

Ponce exhaled, spinning his blade in his left hand.

"What about that thing?"

"We move fast, hit hard, overwhelm it. Hopefully the mage keeps his distance. Now enough blabbering, I want a 1-2 formation, Toldir, you take point. Let's move."

The three stood, as they did Toldir shook off the camping gear he was packing in order to increase his mobility. They stepped out of the bushes, swords ready as they faced the ghoul. But before either of them could move toward each other, a large barrier appeared between the two parties, likely the mage's doing. It was a dark murky grey that obscured almost all vision of the other side.

"A barrier." Ponce muttered. He had actually seen something quite similar to it one day at the circus. It was used like a makeshift curtain, and then smashed like glass once it was no longer useful.

"Maybe we can break it." Ponce said aloud, though he hadn't really meant to.

"How would you know? I've never seen anything like this in my life." Wren asked in a rather accusatory tone.

"I've been around. In your words, stop blabbering."

Ponce swung his blade at the barrier, and heard a crack in return.

"Te lo dije! I told you! Stop asking questions and swing!"

With that, the other two began to attack along with Ponce. A single attack from each of them caused the barrier to shatter, but much to Ponce's horror, they had bought their assailants just enough time to prepare and attack again, and unfortunately, the sudden disappearance of the barrier left the three of them standing out in the open and very vulnerable. Gods, did Ponce hated being vulnerable.