Shouts and yells filled the air, as the 5 got out, the soldiers were already getting attacked by archers from above.
"Get down!" A soldier shouted while on one knee, holding his shield in front of him.
The others followed suit, grabbing their shields they began moving with it in front of them, in just a few seconds arrows slammed into the thick and large protection, but none of them pierced through.
The team stopped after getting to the shield wall cover, away from any possible attacks. Horses were kept inside the cave as a smaller force stayed with them.
'That healing should help me with this. Hopefully my aim is still good' Cadin took out his bow, with an arrow he moved out of cover and began firing back at the soldiers, no longer concealed by any form of cover as he slowly moved back and forth losing arrows towards the enemy in the branches.
Whistling consumed his ears as more and more arrowtips began slamming into him or missing, stabbing the earth.
Cadin's arms became more and more stressed with each draw of an arrow as more started burying into his body, piercing his skin or getting caught by the armor, but he kept fighting unhindered.
Soldiers soon started moving away from cover as well, joining Cadin in fighting back as more archers fell from the sky, screaming before crashing hard onto the dirt. But more continued appearing, running out of the dense leaves of tree branches of different heights. From his position Cadin struggled to fire up to the higher branches while they effortlessly rain down arrows at them. Soldiers fell, wounded with a few killed the remaining ones hid behind cover once more, but Cadin continued fighting. Nearly a dozen arrows were embedded in his chest and his arms.
As the fight raged on, a single loud yell from the forest silenced everyone, ceasing their fighting and looking around in confusion.
Suddenly, shouts of rage roared out from everywhere, jumping out of the branches, warriors clad in leather and metal began attacking the terrified archers as they began to retreat. Soon many started jumping from branch to branch with ease, taking out as many as possible. The enemy Cadin was fighting soon began running in a broken retreat, more bodies fell to the ground with stab and slash wounds on their unarmored bodies. Arrows scattered on the floor near their bodies.
In minutes, the ground in front of them was littered with corpses of the enemy, arrows no longer fell from the sky. Looking back to the top, Cadin's eyes met with one of the soldiers, their mouths covered with black cloth and their faces obscured by a hood.
Staring at each other in deep silence, one of the soldiers began descending down, climbing and jumping from branch to branch before landing on the ground. The soldier walked past corpses, approaching Cadin with unarmed hands and a sheathed sword on the waist.
"I wish to speak to your leader, if you are willing to speak." A thick but muffled man's voice spoke out to Cadin's men.
He began ripping out the arrowtips,interested in speaking to the man.
Tearing out the final arrow stuck to his body, Cadin moved aside the shield wall, in full view of the soldier and his allies. He met the soldier with his sword sheathed and bow rested on his back, pulling back the hood on his head.
"So, you are the rumored warrior we heard of from those plain dwellers?" The man began to speak.
"Rumored?"
"Yes, one with white hair and wielding a dark sword. Almost sounded like a fable I would hear from the elders. But it seems it rings true." The man replied, the soldiers on the branches continued staring down at the two, quiet and unarmed but vigilant.
"I suppose that is me, yes. Who are you?"
"Braddock, Braddock of the Limuna tribe. We have heard your tales as the plan dwellers entered this forest, allying themselves to the other tribes. Coincidentally, one of those tribes is an enemy of both of us. I propose that instead of fighting one another, we form a pact and alliance."
"What are your terms then?" The man thought for a second.
"We have learned from them that you have conquered more and more land, a few passed through here. Shaken and wounded, seemingly having escaped your hands. You conquer lands. And seem to spare those who no longer resist. So I wish for an alliance. My terms are that you will not attack us in any matter, and perhaps even coexist with us if you do settle in this forest. Since our enemies are similar, if we can subjugate them. Then we can split their land. We provide you support in the form of location and targets. And you provide the sword that shall hit them, our army is stretched too thin and our camp is smaller than theirs." He extended out his hand.
"Do we have a deal?"
"Why should we trust you?"
"I was expecting that response.. We can bring you to our leaders, There you may speak further with them, they do not simply exit their comforts to speak with any common soldier, especially with the high risk of death if not careful. Furthermore if we wanted you dead then we would simply wait for those archers to kill all of you before attacking."
'He makes a fair point, maybe there is a great opportunity in this. A new ally.'
"Very well." Cadin extended his own hand, shaking with the soldier's, concluding their diplomacy.
"Then it is settled. To show you our further trust in you, we may escort your soldiers safely out of the camp and meet our leaders on rather neutral grounds where little may interfere.." The soldier finished talking, he turned around, raising his hand and forming different gestures to the archers above.
Responding to the set of hand gestures, they began jumping from the branches, moving closer to the soldiers.
"The leaders shall meet us nearby on a rarely taken path. You may keep a few of your men if you still feel uncomfortable though."
"I agree to the terms, I shall speak with my men first." Cadin returned to his side, moving past the small opening of the shield wall before stopping in front of Joken.