Chapter 4: Escape from Vinebridge

Sharon froze within her bag.

“You, stop there! Can’t you hear me?”

A guard on patrol was walking up behind the line of disguised skeletons. They kept walking, per their orders.

“Halt! I say stop! All castle staff are to return to the castle per the Tollmaster’s orders!”

The guard angrily grabbed hold of the burlap sack containing Sharon and pulled on it.

Bjorn had great strength but this was now a change in parameters for the skeletons orders. They weren’t entirely mindless automatons, just very loyal soldiers. With the last skeleton in their group now stopped as their mistress was in danger, all turned around to help.

“Wait a second…”

The ruse was lost, as with the focus on them now, it was clear that these so called cooks were the fugitives all along. They grabbed the bag which with their joint forces pulled it loose from the man.

“GUARDS! GUARDS! THEY’RE HERE!” he yelled out, pulling out his sword for he incoming battle.

The skeletons were getting ready to leave, now choosing to increase the pace but they were soon surrounded by other guards who came running at the call. Halberds were pointed towards them as they processed what was happening. The skeletons did have their weapons with them, but they were hidden within the creates they were carrying, and picking them out would trigger an immediate attack.

“Where have you hidden the girl?! Is she still at the castle?!”

Sharon for her part was panicking within the bag. They haven’t realized that she was in the bag still being held by Bjorn, but that would surely change.

Then a familiar voice rang out.

“Hey, what’s going on?”

Everyone but the skeletons turned towards the voice. Sharon remembered it well, with its almost dog like enthusiasm. Guinefort has appeared, dressed the same and carrying a large backpack with supplies.

“Stay out of this citizen, these are fugitives!” warned the captain of the guard.

“Oh, no no no, you guys have it all wrong! I thought they were monsters too but this little girl Sharon explained it all to me!”

Guinefort walked towards the group with such brazen confidence that the guards just let him pass them towards the skeletons, and the skeletons didn’t perceive any threat from him so they left him alone.

“See? This nice one here treated my leg after it was hurt,” Guinefort said as he put an arm around Galen. “They wouldn’t hurt anyone innocent!”

“You are now under arrest as an accessory to a criminal! You’ll all be coming with us!”

The guards took a step closer, shrinking the ring around the skeletal servants.

“Woah, I’m sure there’s some mistake!”

Guinefort pulls out his sword smoothly, holding it up defensively, unwittingly standing in front of Sharon as she’s in the bag, defending her.

“Put down your halberds and I’m sure we can work this out.”

“Oh for crying out loud! FULL FORCE ATTACK! TOWARDS THE FOREST!”

Everyone’s attention went towards the screaming bag being held by a skeleton, who seconds later did as they were told.

Sharon’s scream worked to surprise the guards and Guinefort, as they were taken aback by the sudden push towards the edge of the town, pushing down the guards in their way and keeping the others at bay with their swords pulled out.

Guinefort ran after them.

“Sharon! What’s going on? I thought it was just a misunderstanding!”

The Acheron girl popped her head out of the bag, facing Guinefort as all but her ran for dear life.

“I haven’t the foggiest! Tollmaster Malvein tried to drug me and then he imprisoned me and my servants!”

“What!? I mean, he knew you and your family have skeletons right?”

“He’s well aware. I just need to speak to my father and I’ll-”

Other guards have appeared ahead of them, blocking the street. The ones behind them were gaining and more from the castle were approaching now.

“Any ideas little girl?” asked Guinefort as they were soon reaching the guard barricade up ahead.

Sharon grimaced, brows furrowed before she yelled out:

“Achilles! Split through barricade and cover our escape!”

A skeleton pulled out a wide double edged sword and a wooden shield from the crate he was carrying and tossed the crate towards the barricade before speeding up ahead of the rest of the group.

The guards stepped away as the crate crashed quickly turning towards the oncoming wraith warrior as it swung it’s sword, striking down two guards at once. The attack took the other seven guards by surprise which allowed him to do a thrust into another before swinging around and striking a fourth with his shield.

This opened up a clear path for the rest of the ensemble as they rushed past. The remaining guards on the edge tried to follow them but were struck down by Achilles who pulled loose his arm carrying his sword and swung that arm with his other to strike one of the guards he couldn’t otherwise reach. He then reattached it and spun around from his spine in order to hit several men at once before stopping.

Said skeleton then turned around and faced the approaching guards. They slowed down as they approached, intimidated by the boney battler and his otherworldly combat abilities as well as the sight of their defeated comrades at its feet.

“Well come one men, take him down! Run past him!”

As Sharon disappeared into the woods with the rest of her remaining skeletons and Guinefort, she spotted Achilles keeping the troops at bay, using every skill it had and every feature its skeleton body allowed as tens and tens of them were knocked out, incapacitated and some even killed. Those that tried to run or sneak past him were punished, and by the time skeleton warrior was finally subdued, the fugitives had disappeared and their trace lost.