Just as everything was going smoothly, it happened.  Fomorians- many of them- emerged from the shadows with malicious intent.  They looked similar to the ones that the knights had killed previously, probably their kin.  The townspeople fled at the sight of the horrid creatures within the walls.  It was actually happening, Redwater Point was under attack.

According to the standards of chivalry set by Sorcha the old king she was supposedly reincarnated from, it was his duty to protect the townspeople and strike down the attackers.  However, Redwater Point also had a special significance to him- long ago, it was under his family's protection.  With his family gone, that weighty responsibility was now his.

Just as he drew his weapon and prepared to fight, a hooded stranger leapt from the rooftops and slew several of the Fomorians in quick succession with phantom weapons.  When the new arrival's hood fell back, Ethelred recognized the youthful features of an elf upon him.  The man challenged Ethelred to show what he could do.  Normally he would've assumed this to be a challenge to a fight, but in light of the current situation, the context was no doubt to assist him in putting down the Fomorians.

Ethelred nodded, and took up a position between the Fomorians and the fleeing civilians- he was not going to give any of the a chance to run off after the locals.  He let loose a whistle to call his horse.  It had been a challenge to learn how to do it without being able to hold anything to his mouth, but it should suffice at this distance.

[i][color=6ecff6]I hope that branch I tied it too wasn't too strong.[/color][/i]

Ethelred stomped his foot down, channeling his ice powers to freeze the ground in front of him.  All around him frost formed on the ground, plants, and stone.

[color=6ecff6]"I am Etheling Ethelred Edmundson, last of my line, and Redwater Point is under my family's protection!"[/color] he bellowed to the Fomorians in front of him.  [color=6ecff6]"If you seek to lay a hand on the good people of this town, you will first have to go through me!"[/color]  Normally he would have used his more modern title- Sir Ethelred the Frozen Knight of Airedale- but Redwater Point held a very special significance to him.

Four of the Fomorians charged.  Ethelred bashed the first one aside with his shield, causing it to lose footing on the icy ground and fall on its back.  The second found itself impaled on Ethelred's lance, thrust with such force that it pushed through and shallowly stabbed a Fomorian behind, causing it to to slip and fall on the ice.  The fourth, a many-headed quadruped, leapt at the knight and sunk all three of its heads' teeth into Ethelred's weapon arm.

The Frozen Knight maintained his footing as if the ice was not even there, and once again evoked his powers of freezing.  Frost formed on the unyielding beast's heads as they froze solid, causing the body to go limp as the heads expired.  The impaled Fomorian suffered a similar effect, frost creeping out from the plugged hole in its chest as its torso froze solid.  At this point the fourth of the attackers was still struggling to its feet due to the gaping chest wound, but the first had managed to get back on its feet and attacked Ethelred, charging right into his raised shield with its dagger held high, intent on reaching over the crystalline bulwark to stab the knight behind it.

The dagger deflected off of Ethelred's crystalline gorget, and as the beast tried to reach another strike, it realized with horror that its chest had frozen to the shield which it had foolishly pressed itself against.  It ceased its attacks and desperately tried to pull itself loose in vain before going limp as its torso froze completely.

With the three of them killed, Ethelred approached the fourth, which was now finally getting back on its feet despite its wound.  Almost effortlessly he slid the dead Fomorians off of his weapons and armor, the ice that had fervently gripped them moments ago now yielding.  Just as the Fomorian gave out a defiant cry and raised its weapon, Ethelred's horse, having heard his call and broken free of its post, came from behind and headbutted it with its horns, sending the creature flying right onto his lance.

Ethelred freed the enemy from his lance and climbed atop the horse, only then acknowledging the elf.

[color=6ecff6]"I'm going to make sure the people are safe.  Thanks for your help, stranger,"[/color]  With that, he galloped in the direction where the people had fled, determined to protect them.

[@Cu Chulainn]