| abstract | - 27th-29th August 1829 The Bandits had begun their assault on Bowerstone most of the attack was focused on the Old Town "Whats the latest?" Elvira asked as Major Adams walked beside her "The walls are holding out but food stocks are starting to run low with no produce arriving from Oakfiled or Driffield." Elvira looked out across the city from the window of Lucien's study "I just hope we can end this before the King and Queen get back. The royal carriage sped along Bowerstone Road. "Nearly there your majesties, I can see Bowerstone Castle from here." Many travelling tradesman or woman were always glad to see the castle after a long day walking the road from Rookridge. "Nearly home my sweet." Sparrow said to Elizabeth "I know, can't wait." She said. "I wonder why Hannah didn't come to the wedding?" Sparrow looked out of the window. "She was probably busy." He said. "Whoa... Whoa girl easy... easy." The driver said, getting down from the carriage and walked up to two men standing in the middle of the road. "Sparrow." Theresa said "You three have to get out of that carriage and get away from Bowerstone as fast as you can." Sparrow had a puzzled look on his face. "Why, what's wrong?" There was an awkward silence "Bandits are attacking Bowerstone." Sparrow went white. "Sparrow are you alright?" Walter asked the King. "Bandits are attacking Bowerstone." Walter and Elizabeth looked at Sparrow "Hold on to me, I will take us to safety." Without saying a word Walter and Elizabeth grabbed his arm. Sparrow pulled out the guild seal from inside his cloak. "Chamber of Fate." and in a flash the three occupants were now standing in the ruined chamber. "Welcome, Elizabeth to the Chamber of Fate." Elizabeth looked around in amazement. While Walter and Sparrow talked, Elizabeth walked around looking at the pictures on the wall. "Sparrow, go to the top of Hero Hill." "Excuse me Walter I have to do somthing." Sparrow left while Walter had walked over to Elizabeth. Sparrow emerged from the cullis gate at the top of Hero Hill. His dog's collar was hanging from a wooden post. Sparrow remembered the night his loyal dog, Whisper, jumped into the path of the speeding bullet. Loud bangs could be heard from the west "Bowerstone." Sparrow said as smoke rose over the trees. Sparrow was unaware that someone was standing behind him "Amazing isn't it?" Sparrow turned around to face the person "What's amazing?" The person walked towards Sparrow "That I have done exactly the same thing that my brother did." Sparrow stood there. "You did this?" "Yes I did." she replied. "And what do you mean the same as my brother." "Well Jack and a group of bandits destroyed Oakvale, and I have done the same to Bowerstone." A sinister smile crossed her face "Jack of Blades destroyed Oakvale." and then it dawned on Sparrow who this person really was. "Then that makes you the-." "The Queen of Blades." She said with a twisted smile on her face. Elvira was in the castle gardens. Major Adams was running towards her "What's wrong?" she said "The bandits have breached the Old Town gate and there are reports that they are burning buildings." Elvira looked at him. "Evacuate as much as you can of the other districts to Bower Lake." "Yes miss." Major Adams nodded and ran off towards the city market. Within the market the guards began the evacuation of the city. "KILL EVERYONE." Shouted a bandit running down Old Town road and soon many more followed "RUN TO BOWER LAKE." Major Adams shouted to the crowd of people. "Men prepare to fight." and an all out battle began within the Market. "Looks like your city is on fire." Sparrow turned and looked at the smoke rising over the trees. Turning back to face the Queen he felt a extreamly powerful Force Push spell hit him in the chest. Before he knew it, he was lying atop the rubble of the Old Tomb, the entrance to the Guild Caves. "My, that hurt." He said. Getting up he looked around for the Queen of Blades and seen her standing across the lake. "DON'T WORRY HERO. I'M NOT AFTER YOU. LIKE THE BLIND SEER, I CAN SEE THE FUTURE AND YOUR CHILDREN ARE MY TARGET." She shouted, as she walked away. Sparrow swam across the lake as fast as he could but by the time he reached the shore she was gone. Sparrow emerged from the water and sat on the shoreline looking at the smoke rising. He turned his head to the left and seen the evacuees of Bowerstone arriving. The people walked towards the Gypsy Camp, where they were given food and drink. "Sparrow." Elizabeth said as she sat down beside her husband. "Bowerstone is gone." He said to her. "We will rebuild." She said as they both looked at each other "Come on let's go and tend to the evacuees." Elvira and Victor were running down towards the Market. Bodies of those who died either by fire or a bandit's sword lay in random places "Come on Elvira, you don't have to see this." Victor said as the passed the huddled bodies of a woman and her child. "I commited some atrocities in my life but this is the worst thing I have ever seen." Elvira said as they passed the Cow & Corset Inn. The entire Market Square was littered with bodies of both the Albion Guard and Bandits "Help Me.... Someone please help me." came a voice from under some bodies, Victor and Elvira began to pull the dead bodies away until they found the source of the voice "It was one of the guards." "Major Adams betrayed us." No sooner had the words left his lips than a bullet hit him in the head. Elvira and Victor looked around for the source of the bullet "You traitorous bastard." Elvira said when she seen Major Adams walk towards the two of them "Why did you do this?" Major Adams continued to walk towards them "Because I was only following orders." Victor looked at Elvira "And who gave you them orders." Major Adams smiled "That's for me to know and you to never find out." and he drew his gun and aimed at Elvira. Major Adams pulled the trigger and the bullet sped straight towards Elvira. Victor put himself between Elvira and the bullet and fell to the floor. A second bullet hit Elvira who fell beside her husband. Major Adams fled the burning city. Elvira got up and pulled the bullet out of the wound and proceded to do the same with Victor but he stopped her. "No Elvira let me go at least you wont see me grow old and frail while you remain youthful." Tears began to roll down Elviras cheeks. "I'll never love anybody else, you know that." "I do, go find the King and tell him about Major Adams." And Victor breathed his last. Elvira kissed him and left running across the Bower Bridge and out the main gate not looking back just as the gunpowder store room under the market exploded. The people in the gypsy camp screamed as loud explosions rocked the area as the gunpowder in Bowerstone blew up "How much barrels were under the Market?" Walter asked Sparrow "Around 25 to 30 barrels." Just as Sparrow and Walter walked towards the gates of the camp a large bell landed on the wooden bridge causing it to collapse "EVERYONE GET TO COVER." Sparrow shouted as more masonary and debris rained down on the area.
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