>>6276125“Shields!” You shout, hoping that the folk behind you are as quick-witted as you, for you can spare them not even a glance. You raise both hands as you rise to connect the disorderly particles of magic in the air in a solid wall to encircle the carriage. You grit your teeth as you force as much power into your spell as you can. Whatever gun is being used inside that carriage is of otherworldly origin and far more powerful than the weapons of your world. If this spell fails, you’re dead.
Thunder cracks from the carriage’s interior, though even louder than the fire of the musket is the crack of glass that flows through the air as your shield shatters. Yet, your pained cry as the spell you put all your focus into is obliterated is hidden by the louder explosion. A blinding light fills the void past your squeezed eyelids as you feel splinters inject themselves into your flesh. Then you feel the rain fall. It is hot, sticky, and a disconcerted shade of red. But past the rain and the smoke, you see the front half of the carriage has been blown away, driver, horses, and all.
Inside the carriage, you see Lord Bloodgrave try to help his catatonic Lady as Percival looks on, a mix of rage and horror contorting his face into an ugly grimace. You do not get a good look at him for long, as another figure steps out of the smoke and in front of his Lord. A figure covered head-to-toe in strange clothes and metals, his head covered by a black mask with two beady red goggles that look past your eyes and into your soul. The tip of the rifle in his hand releases a wispy cloud of smoke into the air that collides with the fumes from the burning carriage. Next to the Strangetech-covered man are two more normal knightly figures, most likely handpicked guards by the Bloodgraves themselves. Unfortunately, the supplier of the Strangers' arms was not strapped for resources, for they wield rifles, though of a different (hopefully less explosive) make.
As you look upon the masked face of the intimidating figure, no words, taunts, or demands are exchanged. They are not needed for the both of you know the stance of a fellow warrior. You get but a moment of reprieve as the two of you stare into the other's eyes before “Charge!” breaks the smoldering silence. Clarice’s voice, you can feel the presence of the adventurers moving through the mana-saturated air, even if your head does not move to see them. While your quick thinking drained you of much strength due to how intensive your shield needed to be, it saved the lives of these adventurers. For now, at least.
Yet, as you feel Marie and Alyssa move up to flank you, a mirror to the Stranger’s own knights, you see the rifles in their hands rise. You need to act, NOW!
>Join the charge, it’s much harder to shoot someone within inches of you>Fall back and use your own Strangetech rifle, you’ll be more useful dividing their attention>[Write-in] 