Before the party knew it, they were surrounded on all ends. The twelve guards to the sides and rear, and the Baron to the front.
Aden unsheathed his blade, "Distract the guards! I'll take the Baron." He ordered while charging towards his foe.
The others followed his command: Barb picked up a chair, Talon pulled down his mask, Wilhelm formed a magic missile, Stevie anxiously opened his spellbook, and Le'Hennessy smashed a bottle into a makeshift blade.
"You know lad." The Baron slashed towards Aden, missing. "I do feel some guilt for this, but you lot broke the law." He slashed again, crushing Aden's shoulder.
"Agh!" Aden grunted, retaliating with a slash of his own. Dark crimson squirted from the Baron's chest as he barely made contact. This desperate strike left his defenses wide open.
"Heh. Sorry lad." The Baron boasted, bringing his armblade through Aden's chest. Blood poured from the wound and onto the hardwood floors, turning the brown into red.
Meanwhile, the rest of the party faced off against their attackers. Le'Hennessy stabbed into a guard's stomach while Barb smashed heads. Wilhelm and Talon found their synergy, Wilhelm distracted guards with magical projectiles as Talon stayed in the shadows, picking them off one by one. Stevie hid under a table, desperately trying to cast a spell.
Barb choke slammed a guard through the large table, barely missing Stevie. Talon, Wilhelm, and Le'Hennessy finished the rest by killing or incapacitating them shortly after. Cheering at their unexpected victory, their heads turned to Aden.
The mood drastically flipped seeing their dead comrade. Before they could react, the Baron charged at them. Barb took to the front line to ward him off, Talon ducked into the shadows, Stevie scrambled towards the door, Le'Hennessy smashed another bottle, and Wilhelm charged another magic missile.
On the other side of the room. Black, almost demonic tendrils emerged from Aden's wounds, pulling him back together. His eyes opened but instead of their normal deep blue, they shone a bright red.
Back with the party, the Baron batted Barb away, sending her flying into a stack of ale barrels. On impact she was knocked unconscious along with Talon, who was hiding amongst the barrels. Without missing a beat he punched down on Le'Hennessy, bringing him unconscious as well. Then, he spun back around, connecting an elbow into the side of Wilhelm's head, bringing him down with the rest.
The only one who remained was Stevie, back against the door. He desperately flipped through his spell book until he found a spell he liked, Power Word Kill. Every ounce of bravery he had rose up in that moment.
He removed his glasses and shouted, "Die!". Nothing happened.
The Baron got closer with every moment, raising up his arm blade. Stevie flinched, preparing himself for what was to come.
"I've always hated you and your useless grandpa!" The Baron shouted, swinging down.
Stevie curled up on the ground, hoping the Baron would somehow miss.
The sound of clashing steel echoed through the manor. A man who looked like a red-eyed shadow stood between Stevie and the Baron. In an instant the shadow sliced into the Baron with its dark blade. It then slashed towards the Baron, he attempted to block it with his arm blade in a last ditch attempt at survival.
With no success, the shadow cut through his arm blade and into his torso. The Baron was turned into two halves, oozing blood into a puddle on the floor. The Baron was dead.
Stevie looked in horror at his savior. Immediately after the Baron fell, the Shadow evaporated, revealing Aden to be the creature. He dropped to the ground, unconscious.
Without wasting any time Stevie ran out the door, screaming for help.
When Aden awoke, almost twelve hours had passed. He had no visible injuries, but he was completely exhausted. On his bedside was a sleeping Stevie, the poor boy had never left his side.
When Aden walked out of the room, he realized he was back in the Silver Stagg Tavern. It was packed, people were drinking and seemingly celebrating the Baron's death.
"Aden!" Sam shouted, running an ale over to him.
"What happened?" He replied.
"You guys did it! You freed up!" Samuel exclaimed while giving Aden a cheers with his glass. "Come on, join in on the celebration!"
The next two days were spent drinking, eating, and celebrating to their heart's desire. The party, Stevie, Sam, Samuel, and Le'Hennessy would all remember this day for the rest of their lives.
Auronhold, Western Providence Capital.
"What do you mean the Baron of West Branch is dead?" A large, orca type whaleman asked the messenger boy.
"He's dead sir! A group of outcasts came into the fort and brutally slayed him.
The whaleman rubbed his snout, "Conquest sure isn't going to like this."