Along the Road: The Storm
You and Rolf (random battle brother) stand beside each other looking ahead at the black clouds. Every few moments a flash of light would spark through the haze.
“Storm’s a brewin’, Cap.” Rolf says, “It won’t be long ‘for it’s on us.”
You look above at the overcast sky and feel the cool wind picking up and blowing through your hair. You can smell rain on the breeze. “Tell the men to search for cover. I don’t want to set up camp in the open.”
“No need, sir. There’s a rocky bluff just over there. Chances are we’ll find some cave to stow away in long enough for this squall to pass.”
“Very well, let’s get up there quick. I don’t want to be caught outside when the lightning starts falling, and it looks like it’s getting dark too. The sun must be as eager to escape this storm as we are.”
Search for a cave. (CTC: click to continue)
You and your men find a small but, thankfully, dry cave to hide in. The entrance was short and narrow, and you had to squat low or get on your knees to crawl in. Luckily, it got wider at the back to accommodate all the men, even if it never got higher than your waist. Your brothers didn’t care though, they just laid themselves down one beside the other and started falling asleep after a long march.
Sleep through the storm. (End event)
Or
Stay up and watch the storm. (Click to continue)
You crawl back to the mouth of the cave overlooking the forest and hills. Leaning against the earthen wall, you relax and watch the show. The wind came first, whipping through the tops of the pines and bending them so much you wandered how they didn’t snap in two. Then, all at once, the rain fell in sheets and battered the muddy ground. It got dark as night fell, but just as you were about to retire, the first bolt of lightning struck, illuminating the world for a few brief moments. The thunder roared and raged like an angry giant. It was nature’s great and terrible display, like a violent cavalcade. There was another flash of lightning, and far in the distance you think you see a group of travelers caught in the storm. Before you could tell for sure, the light faded and the earth was black again. Whoever they were, men, orcs, or worse, you don’t envy them. The storm rages on for some time, but as it subsides and the drops of rain become heavy and fat, you find yourself thinking back on your journey. The face of every man you’ve lost flashes before your eyes like lightning, and like the lightning, their images fade away. You could hear their voices of laughter and their cries of battle singing through the air like the rolling thunder. But soon, all was silent, the only sound being the drops of rain plopping on the plant leaves outside. Is this the life you always wanted? Lost in your thoughts, you look up to see the rising sun. It was dawn, and there was not a cloud in the sky.
.