Trade of the day - the legacy of Verm's house!

The caravan moved its way across the desolate plains, with dust swirling in the faint breeze over the cracked earth. Riding at the head of it was Verm, the commander of House of Dragons, sitting upright and scanning the horizon. It wasn't just any convoy, but one carrying the treasures of a fallen empire-the last remnants of his once mighty house. Behind him, his wagons were weighed down with ancient relics, treasure and food that was left from the years of conflict and depletion. The road was fraught with danger, yet even with Verm's highly trained men, he knew that many might not survive moving across the desolated plains.

Before them were the Maw of Shadows, a dark scar across the landscape, a treacherous pass through the Mountains in which more than bandits lurked. Whispers spoke of unseen terrors within the cliffs, but Verm feared another kind of predator altogether. His instincts, sharpened over years of battle experience, told him they were being watched. His scouts reported nothing, but Verm felt it, that unmistakable weight of impending danger.

The wind shifted, now carrying the faintest sound of movement too subtle for any but the most seasoned to make out. Verm's hand tightened on the reins. He had heard whispers of those who hunted, not for survival, but for power and reputation, that ruled over the shadows and caravans like his were uninspiring prey. There was XJP from KAC, who was brutal and insidious in his methods, making sure that under his ambush no kill escaped, there was the silent strategist, LadyTy, of OBV, who was known for her beauty, but don’t let looks deceive you! Kleinaber on the other hand is from RRH, who enjoyed the carnage of a fight as much as its spoils.

They were out there and Verm could feel it. He'd never seen their faces, but their legends were enough to ring chills down any commander's spine. As the caravan entered deeper into the narrow pass, with cliffs rising precariously on either side, the air grew heavier. The road funneled them into a perfect spot for an ambush. Verm's hand tightened over his sword hilt as he glanced back at the men. Once feared across the realms, the House of Dragons was now a shadow of what it had been as their numbers thinned and their strength diminished. Yet even diminished, they were all that stood between the caravan and annihilation.

A low rumble from the cliffs was the initial sign of attack. Rocks were dislodged from upwards that crashed behind the last wagon, cutting off any retreat. The path back was sealed. He didn't need to give any orders. His men were already moving, shields up, weapons at the ready, a wall of protection around the wagons. Verm's gaze swept the cliffs, searching. For an instant, there was nothing-except the unnatural quiet of the pass, the wind teasing us.. Then, like darker stains breaking off from the rock, they materialized.It was XJP who struck first. Arrows rained from the cliff faces with deadly precision, finding the chinks in his guards' armor. Men fell before they could raise their shields. Verm's heart was racing, yet he kept steady, yelling orders to close up their defense. But the attack went unrelenting-the arrows kept flying in, pinning them down, forcing them to hold their position.

Then came the army of LadyTy, slipping off the shadows at the foot of the cliffs. Her soldiers fought expertly, garnering every weakness in Verm's line. She had studied them, matched their times and tactics. Verm saw it in how they moved-no hesitation, no wasted effort. His men fought well but were outmaneuvered-cut down by enemies they could not touch.

Next across the pass was Kleinaber. Lofty and greater still with his huge hammer that cracked earth with every stroke, he was first into battle, men surging forward like a wave against a shore. There was a booming of steel upon steel as the remainder of Verm's men clashed in combat, tumbling into utter chaos. Kleinaber cut through them with some sort of terrifying strength, his hammer punching through shields and armor like paper.Verm fought in the eye of the storm with a ferocity that descended from his house's legacy. His sword clashed against Kleinaber's hammer, each blow sending shockwaves through his arm. He could feel his defenses collapse, however. XJP's archers continued their barrage and slipped gaps allowed LadyTy's forces through, and Kleinaber was unstoppable, driving his men forward with sheer brute force.

The carriages were surrounded, loaded with treasures that were the pride of House of Dragons. Verm's heart sank as he saw the soldiers of LadyTy nearing the final wagon, that one carrying most valued of all relics, the reason they had come. Verm knew what was to be done. Outnumbered and outmatched, they couldn't hold the line forever. With a shout, he called his remaining forces, signaling a desperate last stand. His men gathered, battered but not broken, into a tight circle around the last wagon-not for protection, but for something else. With a final, defiant cry, Verm gave the word. His men heaved and the wagon went over, its side crashing to the earth. Out spilled the relics, shimmering in the dying light, a treasure beyond measure. Then, torches flared and they set it afire. Then, of course, came the roaring flames, consuming the treasures, the wealth-the very legacy-of the House of Dragons. Before that, bloody but unbowed, stood Verm. The archers of XJP stopped, their prize out of reach now. The forces of LadyTy wavered-unsure what to do next. Even Kleinaber paused, watching as the flames devoured what they had fought to claim. There would be no treasure for them, no spoils of war.

XJP gave a signal to retreat as he was on a cliff overlooking the scenario. Always calculating, LadyTy made no delay in ordering her forces to fall back, her eyes landed on Verm in one quick glance. Kleinaber growled with frustration and smashed his hammer into the ground one last time before he followed his allies into the shadows. The battle was done. The caravan was ruined, treasures of House of Dragons lost to flames. Yet Verm and a few of his remaining men stood proud. There had been no victory, yet neither had any enemies won. Amidst the embers of his greatest defeat, Verm saw a path forward. His house would not be rebuilt upon gold or relics but upon the strength of those who had survived. The Maw of Shadows would remember this day, and hence Verm, for upon their challenge, he had flown against the legends that cut across the land and remained whole.