-‡- The bells banging was pursued across the earthen landscape beneath them. The true cause of it would not be known till they arrived, and by the time they did, it had ceased in it's clamour of alarm due to the bandits having dealt with it's source. They though, came upon the village from the skies, in broad daylight, it was unquestionable that they would be noticed if anyone glanced into the skies. Thus why they preferred to work during the still distant darkness of night.
Orders and tactics were practiced often enough outside of combat, and were known amongst his kind as they swept down towards the city from high above. The archers came down first, sweeping through the area at a height that crossbows could not reach. Yet from above, arrows could be shot straight downwards, and the velocity would only intensify with the aid of gravity in descent. Thus, the bandits wielding crossbows were the first to be targeted and killed off. The avriels not wielding a bow had taken moments, outside of the village, to acquire fallen trees large enough to carry, or large enough rocks that could be lifted up. These natural objects were dropped into the mass of gathered bandits from above at a safe enough height. Scattering the armed men below as they seemed to be interested in one man in particular at that point. Was loot being gathered there?
Coroth himself took up aim again as one of the bandits was targeted. His breath was drawn in so he could aim, and hold the arrow between eye and edged point as his wings were drawn upwards and outwards to allow him to pause mid-air. If even for a few moments of drifting upon their expanded hold of feathers that acted like sails to the air. Just enough of a moment was taken to assure his target, and an arrow was loosed from his bow. The whirl of the thin shaft was listened to as it whistled through the air. The shot missed, it thudded into thatch and got buried in the mess of hay as the bowman below ran off between the buildings.
He took aim at another, sending a magnet of sensations to the spark within him. Knowing that if he didn't do his part to take out the enemy below, then they would be pickings in the skies to take out when they discovered how to do so. Though one or two remained in the open below, unskilled with their bows, nor bearing the strength to truly use one with enough purpose to reach the winged menaces loitering above. The spark was drawn upon, the whisperings at his ears suddenly bursting with life and words that were whispered as the friend it was becoming to him. Aid was sought from the elemental, and another shot was targeted as he had before it was loosed. And aid sought in sending it on it's course.
His arrows were off, still unskilled himself. Even with the arguable aid of magi which was still an issue for him to acquire and obtain with the ease he wanted. Thus another arrow was lost, thudding into the ground near the feet of an assailant below. Other bandits were already taking cover or retreating beneath the fall of rocks, big branches and arrows alike. One of them was noticed bludgeoned and maimed from one length of a tree that had fell upon him. Leaving him unconscious if not dead beneath its' impact. Another was further off, with his head bloodied and caved in from the landing of a large enough rock upon his head moments ago. Still there were others, one had his back pulverized at the shoulder where another rock had fallen upon him from above, leaving him fallen over a crate that he'd broken and the contents they had been looking to take for loot had spilled out of it at its sides where boards had broken beneath his fall.
Coroth though, had many arrows, the bowmen below succumbed to arrows of his kin who were more skilled than he, some of them falling with shrieks of pain and hollerings at their inability to do anything but run. So it was, as they began to run, some of them were killed in other ways. As the skies became deaf to the sound of arrows and bolts being sent skywards, the warriors from the skies began to descend to sweep through the streets. Skewering some with spear, or plowing them over with the face of their shields to knock them off of their feet. Easy to pick up later to turn into captives.
It was then that some of the men of the village poured out of their homes, ones that had been boarded up from inside and barricaded to keep them from being looted. Though burning had become an option that had not been taken up yet, nor would the chance be taken as they were now under attack.
Yet amongst the bandits below, there was something else attacking them, one seemingly attired like the others. Yet, he was more savage, and used no weapons at all. It was such a man that seemed already bloodied, and was attacking his own. Whisperings from the air told him that it was of a darker magic, an aim was taken up whilst the currents of air seemed to still between him and the bandits below. Another target was picked who was running for one of the crossbows of a dead comrade. In the next moment, after careful aim was taken, he loosed the arrow. No current was seen sending it in another direction, and in another breath, it bit well into the chest of the bandit, sending him knocked backwards and off of his feet as it twisted him about and left him barely alive then after.
Then, the woman leading the avriels booned forth with her voice. Pointing at one avriel, then another who were wielding nets, then pointed at select men on the ground below who seemed built enough to be competitive in the grounds of the arena. Coroth could hear her sending her commands to begin capturing a handful of the bandits below. Whilst they were scattered and their numbers still dropping one after the other from the skies above. The others could be killed, or run off as far as they were concerned as the select few began to be chosen.
=‡=
