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It was a very hectic night. Nothing had quite gone as planned, and now Kirk was being hunted by the Veritas, out in force. They had noticed him and organized search parties to fan out from their mountain hold. Clearly out numbered and overwhelmed, he made for the Twin Peak road crawling through thickets of tall grass, and skimming the fence line of the nearby farm. The storming footfall was closing in, and moving towards the grass. He knew he had to get off the road.
The barn was the only obvious escape, and he knew it was only a matter of time until it was too searched, but he had to try. At least there, he could regain his composure and make an escape perhaps. There was only one problem, the barn was already occupied. Of course, he didn't know that when he vaulted through the second story hatch off of the hay bales below. Quite unassuming, and as equally shocked to see him, as he was to see her, there stood the gracious, and kind, Libby Holowell. Young, and pretty, Kirk immediately set to trying to ease her mind about his presence. Everyone knew that the Veritas was very demanding, and quite unappreciative of the farmers surrounding their mountain. It was his only angle and he played it.
Kirk explained to her, that he was being hunted by the Veritas, and whatever her own convictions, she agreed to help hide him, from them, and her father, Retrand. Libby showed him to a secret place that her father had made, a false wall in the loft, where he could wait until the Veritas had left. It meant sure death if he were caught, both by Libby's father, and the Veritas, and together the two hid. Hours passed, and the two grew closer than they probably should have, neither seeming to really mind. The next morning, as the sun light crept into the barn, the two parted ways, and Kirk made for the city. It would be the last time he saw her alive.
All too soon, war was raging, and the farmlands Libby called home became a battleground. Vampires, orc hoards, the unrelenting pressure of the Veritas to produce. By the time the Holowell farm had fallen, Kirk was far too committed to the greater fight for Sundren, fighting alongside the Legion to defend what they could. Still, his thoughts returned to Libby often. He had hoped that she had been evacuated with her family, but he wasn't overly optimistic about that chance. A lot of good people had died, countless people.
Every now and then, even today, he returns to the farm, and more specifically the barn. Grasping at old memories of a sweet lass maybe, wondering would could have been. These thoughts not too often disturbed, were broken however, as footsteps and yells came from outside. The paladin, and a dwarf in tow. Looking for Libby's father, what could they possibly want. Luckily for him, the paladin hasn't figured out who Kirk is yet, sold as a woodsman, a stealth, that he calls Strider. Set to following the two, as they searched the farm, he only wanted to observe. He wasn't going to let them claim the barn, or the homestead. In Kirk's mind, dead or alive, this was the Holowell farm. It was with shock however, as a veteran stepped forward, questioning the two.
That voice... it was familiar. Could it be, had he survived? It was Retrand. If he survived, maybe Libby was well too. Emerging from the shadows, surprising the veteran, the dwarf, and the paladin, Kirk confronted the man. It was indeed him, Retrand, Libby's father. The news was not what he had hoped for however. Libby was gone, the man, now broken, his farm and homestead falling to pieces. The little of life he had left, was clearly shallow. Kirk, lacking the ability or will to comfort the man, only took solace in his memories of young Libby. The fancy words, he left to the paladin.
Assisting in what he could with the paladin's task.... Kirk remained mostly silent that night, until he could slink off unseen. The addition of Libby to his list of those he would miss, was too much for him to take any real interest in anything else today. She had saved his life. There was no question about that. Even though he believed at the time going back for her would have put her at more danger, he wishes now, he had saved her.
The barn was the only obvious escape, and he knew it was only a matter of time until it was too searched, but he had to try. At least there, he could regain his composure and make an escape perhaps. There was only one problem, the barn was already occupied. Of course, he didn't know that when he vaulted through the second story hatch off of the hay bales below. Quite unassuming, and as equally shocked to see him, as he was to see her, there stood the gracious, and kind, Libby Holowell. Young, and pretty, Kirk immediately set to trying to ease her mind about his presence. Everyone knew that the Veritas was very demanding, and quite unappreciative of the farmers surrounding their mountain. It was his only angle and he played it.
Kirk explained to her, that he was being hunted by the Veritas, and whatever her own convictions, she agreed to help hide him, from them, and her father, Retrand. Libby showed him to a secret place that her father had made, a false wall in the loft, where he could wait until the Veritas had left. It meant sure death if he were caught, both by Libby's father, and the Veritas, and together the two hid. Hours passed, and the two grew closer than they probably should have, neither seeming to really mind. The next morning, as the sun light crept into the barn, the two parted ways, and Kirk made for the city. It would be the last time he saw her alive.
All too soon, war was raging, and the farmlands Libby called home became a battleground. Vampires, orc hoards, the unrelenting pressure of the Veritas to produce. By the time the Holowell farm had fallen, Kirk was far too committed to the greater fight for Sundren, fighting alongside the Legion to defend what they could. Still, his thoughts returned to Libby often. He had hoped that she had been evacuated with her family, but he wasn't overly optimistic about that chance. A lot of good people had died, countless people.
Every now and then, even today, he returns to the farm, and more specifically the barn. Grasping at old memories of a sweet lass maybe, wondering would could have been. These thoughts not too often disturbed, were broken however, as footsteps and yells came from outside. The paladin, and a dwarf in tow. Looking for Libby's father, what could they possibly want. Luckily for him, the paladin hasn't figured out who Kirk is yet, sold as a woodsman, a stealth, that he calls Strider. Set to following the two, as they searched the farm, he only wanted to observe. He wasn't going to let them claim the barn, or the homestead. In Kirk's mind, dead or alive, this was the Holowell farm. It was with shock however, as a veteran stepped forward, questioning the two.
That voice... it was familiar. Could it be, had he survived? It was Retrand. If he survived, maybe Libby was well too. Emerging from the shadows, surprising the veteran, the dwarf, and the paladin, Kirk confronted the man. It was indeed him, Retrand, Libby's father. The news was not what he had hoped for however. Libby was gone, the man, now broken, his farm and homestead falling to pieces. The little of life he had left, was clearly shallow. Kirk, lacking the ability or will to comfort the man, only took solace in his memories of young Libby. The fancy words, he left to the paladin.
Assisting in what he could with the paladin's task.... Kirk remained mostly silent that night, until he could slink off unseen. The addition of Libby to his list of those he would miss, was too much for him to take any real interest in anything else today. She had saved his life. There was no question about that. Even though he believed at the time going back for her would have put her at more danger, he wishes now, he had saved her.