Azae - A World At War - Chapter 1A: Blood On My Hands, Dirt On My Boots

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"You want me to do what?" Dariela choked on her water, spitting it out. She watched it fall down to the sand, evaporating immediately. It was always hot in the desert. She wiped her mouth as she glared daggers at her masked client.


"I need the wedding bracelet of the wife of the general of the Kingdom of Indoria." He repeated calmly. His voice showed no signs of rush. He watched her carefully through his mask. It was a little after noon, and they were in the outskirts of Falcon Haven. There were many ruined constructions there, broken down by time and frequent sandstorms. No one went there as much as Dariela. It's too far and often not worth the travel. Dariela was sitting down on the sand, by the shade of a lone wall while the masked man stood tall, facing her. Unmoving and unflinching, despite the heat of the sun and the sand in the wind.


"What kind of creep asks for a wedding bracelet?" She let out a chuckle after a while and put her water container back in her satchel. "You're kidding right?"


"No." He said. "I'm absolutely serious."


"But that's General Gethario El-Wazzi." Dariela cocked an eyebrow at him. She sighed and massaged her temples. The masked man stayed silent, watching Dariela. She thought of how strange all this was. A masked client, asking for a scroll, then gave her vague descriptions before sending her out to get it. Not to mention, how the man just FOUND her out of the blue. That never happens.


"I cant. It's not worth it." She decided and looked up to see him. It was too risky.


"What if I can promise you that you'd never go hungry ever again? You wont have to worry about your mother. You wont have a single care in life, because all you need will be provided and more." He paused for a while and approached her. He kneeled on the ground so his face is at the same level with hers. "What if you can have all this… but only if you do as I say."


Dariela stared at him blankly. Doubting his words, but at the same time, wanting them. She opened her mouth to speak but quickly shut it. She found no words to say.


"I'm going take your silence as a yes." She heard a smile in his voice. "You know where to go, you know what to do. How you do your task is your decision to make."


"Y-yes." She said.


"That's a good girl." The man stood up and turned around, facing the capitol. "I'll find you."


Oh boy, two gigs in one day, what a time to be alive! She felt herself grin lightly. Desperately trying to ignore how strange the man was, and how strange he talked. Dariela took a stroll in the city, like it was an ordinary afternoon. She watched the people being busy with their everyday lives, she saw the lifestyles of Indoria change as she got nearer and nearer to the center of the capital. She hated it. She hated how fate plays with lives. She hated how fate gets to decide how you're born, when you're born, where you're born… no. Stop it Dariela, you're better than this. Afternoon came and the streets were busier than ever. It was the best time to disappear. Dariela stole some cloth and began filling sand in them. She stole some rope too and tied it together with the cloth. Quickly, she hung it on an alleyway, setting a trap blocks away from the General's house.


"I probably wont use you… but eh. I'm sure you'd come in handy sometime." She pat the cloth filled with sand and avoided the trigger of the trap. She drew a big noticeable red circle around the trigger of the trap, to make sure that no one would step on it accidentally. "Things'd make sense later." She shrugged to herself. Evening soon came as She watched the General's house. She watched the lights and the shadows they made. Soon, the General left the house, heading to the tavern nearby. Dariela waited until the lights in his house went off. "Show time." She wrapped the red scarf she has around her face, showing only her eyes. She circled the house, looking for an opening. She ended up opening a window and jumping into the first floor. It was dark and quiet.
 
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Location: Pompoe, Libertia.


DRAMATIS PERSONAE;


Tsaruu Rari, Council Member, mid-50s


Desdian, Guard


Arsya, Kitchen-hand


Tag: @Darkfeather21



On fours the foundations were set

Sight, hearing, words

Rise and fall, pain and pleasure

We study

On twos the pillars were formed

Strength, speed, endurance

Gains and loss, honour and treachery

We practice

And on threes the roof were placed

Experience, wisdom, purpose

Peace and war, life and death

We impart

Cycles of men,

Anonymous poet.

* * * * *
​


“He is here!” said a voice from the shadow above.


“Are you certain?” asked the heavily armoured horseback man, steadying his stallion by the tree, without looking up.


“...” a silent reply.


“How'd you know it's him?” he demanded assurance.


“It's easy when you know what to look for!” came the assured answer.


“How long 'til it starts?” he asked, not entirely convinced.


“Under a couple of hours, most likely!”


“Heh! The fool likes to rush into things, eh? He should have taken more time surveying the place!” the man smirked, almost smugly.


“Tch! You know nothing of how our kind operates!”


“I still think...—”


“Enough chatter! Arouse the men and have them in position!”


“...Aye!” he complied, reluctantly.



* * * * *

​


The wheels of the carriage finally came to a halt. Dirt no longer flying from the stallions' hooves. The exotic creatures then whinnied, emitting clouds of vapour from their flaring nostrils. Exhausted. But this was normal. Even the hardworking stable-boy was accustomed to receiving weary horses. Especially at this late hour. Most of Pompoe's visitors were always eager to set foot into the city. Too eager perhaps for one who might leave lighter than they'd arrived. That's also if, they're lucky enough to even leave at all. For Pompoe is a gaming city. And games mostly comes with bets. And people adored betting! And that leads some to...


With a scrawny hand, the stable-boy rubbed an eye while reaching for the reins with his other. He yawned and looked up to the hooded figure seated up front. A pouch of coins came flying his way. The boy caught it and was wide awake as soon as he did, clearly satisfied with the weight in his hand. He flashed a row of chipped, black teeth before burying the pouch into his shirt.


“I'll take good care of both your horses and wares, sir!”


“I... know... you... would, ...lad!”


The boy watched impatiently as the old man struggled to get off from the carriage. Looking to the back, he noticed most of the passengers have already exited the vehicle. Get a move on already, he wanted to say, but out of respect — mostly for the pouch of coins he'd received rather than for the elderly — he decided to remain quiet. As soon as the veteran rider had both feet grounded, he patted the side of a stallion's neck and led them towards the stable, ready to free the leathers and steel off of them.


“Hey, laddy!” a man called.


“Yes, sir?” the boy spun his head around.


“Where did the old man, went?”


“He was... —” right there not too long ago, the boy thought, scratching his head.



* * * * *

​


Arsya nodded off for a moment while she was still on her feet. She almost dropped the silver tray from her hands when she woke with a start. Wiping the corners of her lips with her sleeve, she nervously shifted her eyes left and right, hoping neither one of the men had noticed her. But to her chagrin, one of the guards did. Her gaze fell instantly to the floor, coyly.


Why must it always be around the good-looking one?


“Drink!” barked the only man sitting at the head of the table as he slammed the chalice in demand.


The girl hurried forward. She placed the tray down and poured the man more ale. She tried to ignore the oily and food-covered thick digits, wrapped around the cup, especially at the layer of dark soot under each fingernails. The sight never fail in leaving a disgusting aftertaste inside her mouth. Every time.


“Next time..—” Tsaruu Rari started before slurping at the ale greedily, tore a chunk of meat from the drumstick in the other hand and munched through it as he resumed, “dunwaytfurmeto..—” more munching, “asfurit.. Juspor!” the bulky man turned his head towards Arsya, flap of meat under his small chin swayed from side to side as he did. “Yugutme?” he asked, thick and juicy swollen lips smacking against one another, spattering bits and pieces of food all over.


“Ye-ye-yes, Sir!” she said wincing, trying not to appear as disgusted as she'd felt.


“Hmm!” the man nodded as his tiny beady eyes studied the female servant.


“Can-can-can I get you anything else, Sir?” Arsya asked.


“No! Aibesretaryer!” the man raised both his dirty chubby hands inches from his chest as if in surrender, then rocked slightly forward and side to side in an attempt to get out of the custom-built massive chair.


For as long as she'd been working in the mansion, she'd still not grasp what the man was truly saying with all those food in his mouth. But she understood the man's gesture. And that final one meant he had enough. At least for a few more hours. Arsya waited until the man left before she began clearing the table. She sighed to herself at the mess she'd to clean up. She'll need to make a couple of trips to and fro the kitchen.


It's like cleaning up after a pig's sty...


On her second trip back, the kitchen was all of a sudden dark. Arsya had to slow down her pace and squint her eyes for them to adjust as she walked down the corridor. She muttered under her breathe, cursing at both the wind and the fat rodents, blaming both of them for putting out the only light source inside that room. Guilty or not, she didn't care. Plates and pots clanked as she set the tray on the table, then gasped and jumped at the clattering chalice that'd fallen off the edge. Another curse escaped her lips. Feeling her way towards the drawer of a cabinet, she retrieved the flint stones. With her foot as feelers, she made her way towards the candle holder in the corner of the kitchen.


Once, twice and on the third try, as sparks flew, the candle was finally lit. Arsya smirked, impressed by herself. She took a moment to admire the kitchen's interior where light flickered. However, her triumphant celebration was brief. The candle suddenly roared ablaze. The girl gasped at the flame and backpedaled a couple of steps. She watched in horror as the element began creeping down the stand to then crawl across the floor.


Panicked, she reached for the bucket of what she assumed was filled with water, and threw its contents at the flame. Her hope was crushed when her action actually worsen the condition. The bucket must have instead contain something flammable as the flame spread wider, growing, almost as if alive. Arsya covered her mouth. Eyes widened with fear. Stumped for a couple of heartbeats before she finally made a dash out the door, oblivious to the fact that someone have clearly meddled with both causes.



* * * * *

​


He took it a step at a time, literally, using only his sense of hearing to gauge the distance between him and the master. Why did the man insisted on staying in the master bedroom located in the second storey of the mansion, given his physical condition, was anyone's guess. Perhaps it was pride. Perhaps, its something to do with status. Either way, Desdian have long stopped asking himself that. His opinion didn't matter.


Glancing over his shoulder as soon as he'd reached the top, he waited for the man to catch up. Looks were exchanged between him and the next man beside him. They almost rolled their eyes as the huffing and panting sounded. He looked back at the rest of the men, half a dozen more, eight guards in total, all armed and tasked with safeguarding the Council member. Apparently, the wealthy fat bastard who'd no sense of self awareness, had lots of opinions that mattered.


Desdian shook his head slightly, dismissively, with a smile. He then turned and lead the team towards the council man's chamber. Marching in step with the others except for the one in particular, they stride for the door through the quiet and dark hallway.


Dark? It ain't suppose to be dark here!


He frowned, kept his gaze fixed at the doorway and tried to recall if they'd intentionally kept it that way on their way down earlier. His gaze fell to the floor, brows furrowed as he went through his thoughts. Before he realised it, he was already standing in front of the door. His hand reached for the handle, turning it down. But as he was about to push it open, a cry for help came from below. Desdian released the handle, leaving the door to Tsaruu Rari's chamber slightly ajar as everyone turned to face the staircase.


“Well? Don't just stand there! Go see what the commotion is all about?”


“Immediately, my lord!”


Desdian gestured with his head for one of the men to go see what was happening. They could hear the servants and maids running and screaming. Water were being demanded. Fire was being exclaimed. Arsya, Desdian thought; it must have been the clumsy girl's doing again.


“Go see how bad..—” Desdian wasn't able to finish his order when all of a sudden, the head of the guard — who just broke rank to see what was happening — rolled down the front of his body. “Swords!” he barked, while he pulled Tsaruu Rari towards the chamber, motioning for the man to get behind him.


The fire wasn't caused by one's clumsiness... It was a distraction!


The door to the chamber burst open as the frightened council member scurried inside. Desdian and three others followed after him while the remaining three engaged their mysterious assailant. Their eyes widened as a shadowy figure leapt and bounced off the wall of the narrow hallway, spinning, ducking and weaving under every swing they'd thrown his way while spinning their own web of flashes and strikes. The distinct rattling of chains suddenly sent shivers down the men's spine. One after another, their comrade fell.



* * * * *

​


The guard in the front swung his blade horizontally towards Vyran's midsection. He rolled under the singing steel as it sliced the air. His Graku — sickle — then sunk into the foot of the second guard. The unexpected man yelled as Vyran got back up on his feet, turning his body towards the first while delivering a rising strike with the other sickle, cutting the man's front vertically before the blade buried under the jaw, it's tip exiting through the mouth. Vyran then spun on his heel and sent the still yelling guard behind him flying across the room with a kick to the side of the head.


All in a fluid motion. Swift and deadly.


The first guard crumpled to the floor, his lower jaw ripped from the body to hang bloodily over the assassin's weapon. Fountain of blood sprayed from the man's throat. Whereas the second man flew over the bed, spearing through the pillars to the silken canopy atop of it, to then crash into the bottom of a wardrobe on the other side of the room, with the sickle still stuck on a foot.


Vyran then dashed for the third guard, leaping over the sword going towards his knees. He kicked at the wall nearest to him in midair, altering his own trajectory and made his way behind the third while at the same time, wrapping the loose chain — where its sickle was stuck in the other guard's foot — around the third man's neck. Vyran pulled his hand down while pressing his back against the now struggling strangled man. He looked up just in time to tilt his head sideways, avoiding the blade from the final guard.


His hood gave way, splitting from the clean cut, revealing the assailant's skeleton mask for them to see. Vyran's target stumbled backwards, tripping over himself to then crash into the bedside table. His guard, momentarily distracted, glanced back.


A huge mistake!


Tsaruu Rari trembled as Desdian's head fell to his lap. “WAIT! Wait, please, wait!” the councilman croaked, pleading. “I-I-I'll pay you double! Double of whatever they're offering you! J-j-just spare me! Please! I got gold!” he slapped the head away, kicking the body as he negotiated.


Vyran scooped Desdian's sword with his foot, flinging the blade up into the air before he caught it and threw the weapon across the room. The sword then pierced through the chest of the remaining guard who was groaning at the pain in his foot. Now, finally silenced at the finishing blow. Then, he finished his job, planting his other sickle into the skull of his target right after dropping the body pressed against his back. Tsaruu Rari's mouth fell agape, his eyes rolled slightly up and his body stilled.


Retrieving his other Graku, it was time to make his exit. Vyran headed for the window. But before he could leap through, a flash of steel forced him to raise his forearm in defence. The bolt got deflected by the chains wrapped around his forearm. He frowned and peered out the window. More bolts rained through, dotting themselves along the window sill as well as at the ceiling.


He turned and made for the door. Planning to go towards the opposite wing of the mansion. However, troops of heavily armoured man blocked his path. They came pouring into the hallway from the staircase. With shields out in front of them, and spear jutting, there was no way he could leap over them. They were also packed tightly together. Disciplined. Determined. Trained.


And Vyran got a gut feeling, they were also well-informed..


“DROP YOUR WEAPONS AND GET DOWN ON YOUR KNEES!” their in-charge commanded.


Vyran had no other choice but to comply.


“Apprehend him!” the man ordered. “Try anything foolish and it'll be the end of you, Var'Qo Zaat!” he then turned to another man, “See to the bodies!”


Soon, Vyran was in shackles. Kneeling but still with his masked-face held high.


They knew we are coming!


They were expecting us!


Our exits were covered!


They knew!


Treachery!


Betrayal!


We got back-stabbed!


But who else would know?


The Orders?


No!


Can't be!


Why would they?


But if they knew, why come now? Why come right after the job is done?


Politics!


We are their scapegoat!


They need someone to blame!


The Orders!


They'll deny it! They'll deny having any part in this!


We are caught!


Not good!


Getting caught is as good as dead!
 
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Location: Pompoe, Libertia.


DRAMATIS PERSONAE;


Grandpa Romas, blind beggar, thief contact


Everett Nor, guard


Tag: @Lord Zanicus


Shasashi strolled through the city market, watching as merchants started setting up their stalls and wares. Gaming city this may be, people still needed a central place to buy things. Stores were great and all, but this... Outdoor markets were something almost every city she'd been to had. A near constant of all societies.


As were beggars.


"Grandpa Romas," she greeted the old T'Odis man sitting on a carpet with a small bowl in front of him. It already had a few coins in it, though she suspected those were placed there by Romas himself. No one ever wanted to be the first to donate, so it was a good idea to start the ball yourself.


Despite his age, the elderly man was still obviously quite capable, save for his blindness. He was a very large, muscular man, with a few obvious scars from his days spent as a mercenary. His skin and hair betrayed his heritage, though his blue eyes were clouded, leaving them milky white, with only a faint tinge of the original color.


"Hello, my child," the elderly man nodded as she sat next to him. He perked up as he head a few coins hit the bowl. "I presume you have questions for me."


"I was wondering what your keen ears might have overheard," she murmured, dropping her head to mimic his position. "A city like this, there must be much wealth to... Redistribute."


"Indeed there is, my child. Indeed there is," Romas replied, shifting his position ever so slightly. "A councilman by the name of Tsaruu Rari holds a great deal of wealth that could be redistributed."


"Tsaruu Rari," Shasashi nodded. That was a name she'd heard spoken by others in this city. A fairly important man, constantly guarded. Would be a fair test of her abilities.


"I've also hear rumor that an assassin has been hired, possibly by rivals on the council," the T'Odis man continued. "Meaning the security at the mansion will be in chaos."


Shasashi grinned. Even better. No one would notice someone as small as herself slipping in and making off with a bit of coin. She might even be able to do so multiple times, depending on how careful she was.


"My thanks, Grandpa Romas," Shasashi thanked the old beggar, dropping a few more coins into his bowl. Romas smiled and gestured his thanks as she walked away quickly.


~~~~~


The sun was just peeking over the horizon as Shasashi slipped over the wall around the Councilman's mansion. She quickly moved through the gardens, avoided guards as they patrolled the area. Clearly the assassination attempted hadn't started yet. Or the assassin was more the type who slipped in and out unnoticed. Less of a statement killer. More serious.


Rather annoying and usually kind of full of themselves for it.


Making sure there were no guards nearby, Shasashi quickly scaled the side of the mansion, clambering quickly up some ivy-covered lattice work. Normally a bad idea, as lattice was notoriously fragile. She, however, was a very small woman, and so the wood was able to hold her negligible weight.


The window to the second floor at the top was open, letting the morning breeze blow in and sweep the stuffy night air from the building. The perfect entrance for a thief like herself. People really needed to learn how to close these.


As she thought this, a maid turned the corner of the hall, carrying a large load of sheets. They were clearly obstructing her vision, allowing Shasashi a moment's grace to slip through a door directly across from the window.


Unfortunately, that turned out to be a linen closet, that the maid opened moments later. Shasashi immediately lashed out, striking the maid in the temple with the butt of her dagger. She immediately crumpled to the floor, with a sick crack as her head struck the ground. Shasashi quickly lifted and shoved the possibly-dead maid into the closet, along with the sheets, and latched the door shut, before moving on.


The house was eerily silent, save for the occasional guard patrolling the hallways. According to the information she'd picked up on her way here, this was expected, as the master bedroom was on the other side of the house. Most of the guards would be clustered around that area, most likely.


So Shasashi made her way towards the other side of the floor, looting rooms as she passed, amassing quite a haul of coins, jewelry, and a few small weapons, all packed away in a burlap sack she'd carried with her into the mansion. A bit stereotypical, yes. But effective.


As she neared the master bedroom, she heard a commotion ahead. Sounded like fighting. So the assassin was the showy type, it seemed. Good. A bit of chaos meant no one would be looking for little old her. She approached the corner of the hallway and peered around, watching the assassin fight through numerous guards while chasing his quarry. Unfortunately, his quarry escaped into the master bedroom, meaning the guards would go there.


Growling in disappointment, Shasashi turned back to go the other way, only to see the butt of a sword flying towards her-


~~~~


"Secure her," the captain called over his shoulder, rushing past. "She's probably involved in what's going on ahead."


Everett quickly pulled his shackles and bound the wrists of the small Nomasdae woman. Or at least, he tried to. The shackles proved too large for her small wrists and hands, quickly slipping over her hands and falling off.


Sighing, Everett looked around for something else that could be used, and eventually settled on tying her wrists together with his own belt, before peeking in the sack she'd been carrying with her. It was filled with gold and jewelry. Huh. Nothing but a common thief, it appeared. Still. Orders were orders.


Looking around the hallway, Everett reached in and pocketed a necklace with an emerald gem when no one was looking at him. The Councilman probably had more jewelry than he knew what to do with. Surely no one would miss one necklace. And Heide would love it.
 
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A collab post with @Dirk Diggler


Ta-ta-tak. Ta-ta-tak. Ta-ta-tak. Ta-ta-tak.


Maerwynn hunched over on the horse and clung onto the stranger's -who was now her rescuer- back, trying her hardest not to fall off. She had rarely, if ever, rode a horse before and their grand escape was what she considered to be an ideal introduction. It was completely different from riding her Yiptiks - they had long fur, perfect for grabbing. However with the horses, Maerwynn had to grip on with her thighs as hard as she could. Still, as they made their way away from the gate Maerwynn was grateful for the beast's speed. They had only been riding for around ten minutes but already the memories of caravan massacre were fading away in her mind as they got further and further from the gate.


Vanse couldn't stop. Not yet at least. There was no way of knowing if they were right on their tail or not. The constant thumping of the horses feet against the cold hard ground was the only thing he could focus himself on. The girl he saved just earlier clung to him tightly, and he could tell every gallop was causing her great pain. But somehow, she managed to speak,


"Thank you."


He could hardly hear her. He didn't bother responding. It was hardly the time for such pleasantries.


Maerwynn stewed silently and tried to preoccupy herself from the riding pains. She couldn't remember the last time she had let anyone besides her father help her. And who was this man, exactly? If this had been back at home... Maerwynn could already hear her father scolding her for trusting strangers. Did she now owe a debt to him?


"But it's not like I had a choice."


"For-not-leaving-me."


Each of her words were punctuated with a jump as they traversed through a particularly rough patch of tundra.


Vanse began to remember why he helped this girl in the first place. It was his fault she was hurt and all those merchants were dead.


No, it was the Horde.


The words almost seemed to echo from his subconscious.


Maerwynn took in a sharp intake of breath as jolting pains shot through her chest. At this point, all she wanted to do was to stop and take in the full extent of her injuries. The stranger didn't seem like he was going to stop anytime soon however and Maerwynn was not going to be the reason why their pursuers would catch up to them.


Suddenly, a sharp pain in his shoulder quickly made Vanse aware of his own injuries. He had been almost numb to all of it up to this point, but it hit him all at once.


"Fuck," she muttered. "Mmmph."


Although she knew the necessities of getting away from their attackers, she couldn't help but wish for a break. The constant up-and-down motion of the horse didn't help her ribs at all. On top of all that, she hadn't slept in quite a long time. The adrenaline from earlier was now slowly ebbing away and in its place came a smothering drowsiness. She yawned (or tried to, without letting out another yelp) and shook her head, trying to regain her energy.


Ta-ta-tak. Ta-ta-tak. Ta-ta-tak. Ta-ta-tak.


The twilight was giving way to the sun now. Maerwynn noted sleepily how the light made the stranger's hair shine even brighter.


"Like the snow."


She looked up to the sky and watched the moon dip down and relinquish its hold over to the morning sun. Somehow, someway, a twinge of nostalgia accompanied the sight. It was as if the events of the past week were a dream - and she wished she would wake up.


"Good-bye, Moon."


Vanse looked at the sun and wondered how long it had been since he last slept, but they still had hours ahead of them. They continued southeast towards Kein.


Now that it was morning, Maerwynn felt a little bit more alert (although she still hadn't had a blink of sleep since last afternoon). Now she could focus more on her surroundings and on her new companion. He was a strange man yet vaguely familiar to her. For starters, he towered over Maerwynn even when they were both sitting down. Of course, other men often stood taller than her to begin with but never had it been quite like this. She felt like a child in his presence, height-wise anyway.


Not to mention his snow-white hair, of which Maerwynn had already taken much note of. Could he have been an old man? She hadn't gotten a real close look at his face and who knew - maybe there were some special anti-aging herbs she hadn't heard of before. Maerwynn frowned as she recollected memories of the fight yesterday. No. Old men could not move like he had. Old men could not fight like he had, kill like he had.


It was then Maerwynn remembered the odd visitors that had sometimes come to her homestead, seeking to buy one of their Yiptiks.


"But not for food... but for pets."


Pet.


The concept seemed strange to her - how could anyone let an animal inside the house? Share a bed with one? It was wrong. Home was for man. The great outdoors were for beasts.


Still, the only thing stranger than pets were the giants that lived among them. What had her father called them?


"T-t... T-Odis."


"That's right... we used to trade with them at times."


She still remembered the first time she had seen the T'Odis people up close. Giants, she had called them. Her father had called them ghosts, on account of their deathly pale complexion. There had even been some of their kind in the bandit groups that often harassed their ranch for protection money (which her father had always tried to pay). How could she have forgotten?


"I must've been hit harder than I thought."


Ta-ta-tak. Ta-ta-tak. Ta-ta-tak. Ta-ta-tak.


It was late afternoon when the duo finally stopped for a break. The hinterlands had faded into yellow tough grass a few hours ago and the mountains were nowhere as big as they had been before. With their lead it seemed alright to let their pursuers catch up a bit while they ate and napped. At least, that was what Maerwynn had in mind. She didn't know about the T'Odis man but she was only human. And that meant not being able to ride for days on end, attackers be damned.


"Ugh!"


Maerwynn hit the ground and felt the air get pushed out of her lungs. Riding on horseback, it seemed, was not good for her legs. Locked up and stiff at the joints, she tried to catch her breath and ignore the fire in her ribs at the same moment.


Vanse jumped down and quickly, but carefully, helped her back up. There was no way they could continue much longer. Surveying the surrounding area he spotted smoke in the distance.


“You see smoke in sky?” He finally spoke. “There is village near by. We can rest there, and maybe let doctor help you. Can you make it?”


"I'll be alright."


Maerwynn began hobbling towards the village. Though the horse would undoubtedly get them there faster, she had had enough of riding for the day. Her inner thighs felt rubbed raw and she gingerly touched them to make sure they weren't bleeding. Her fingers came back dry but she was certain that she'd have bruises once she looked further.


The man had spoken of finding a village doctor but Maerwynn wasn't so certain. For starters, she had no money on her. She didn't know how it was like down South but up North, there was no such thing as free services. Secondly, she had never really gone to a doctor before.


She relived her past injuries as the village came closer and closer. There was the time when she had accidentally poured scalding water on her foot. Had she visited a doctor then? No - her father had buried her foot in the snow before wrapping it up in a clean linen bandage. It had healed fine. Then there was the time when one of the Yiptiks had gone feral and had nearly bit off her hand. Again, Maerwynn had been treated at home with very basic procedures. She had been fine then and she was sure that she was going to be fine now.


All Maerwynn wanted was some food to fill her stomach. The feeling that it was eating itself had passed hours ago and now all she felt was a dull, throbbing ache. Bile threatened to rise in the back of her throat even though she had nothing to throw up. Memories of past eaten dishes flitted through her mind, each one tastier than the other. Chunks of meat in snow-melted pot. Roasted roots which took hours to find underneath the snow. Pine needle tea in their cracked kettle. Even the lichen she had eaten in times of desperation seemed good to her now.


But those days were behind her now. As the village guard began to hail them over, Maerwynn began to take account of her inventory. She had lost her beloved snow-shoes in the crash. Her broken crossbow hung limply around her shoulders while the three bolts she had scavenged lay in her pocket with her knife. Her borrowed blowing-horn also was strung around her neck. Meanwhile, her companion had with him his steel sword and the horse. She wasn't sure if he had any money on his person but as it stood, Maerwynn was sure that they did not pose a threat to the village at hand.


"Ho! Who goes there?" the guards-men shouted.


Maerwynn glanced back at her companion before she wet her lips. In a hoarse voice, she called out,"Rikara the shepherdess and her... friend. We were attacked by bandits on the road. Can you help us?"


 
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Queen Gayana Dasa of Roadalia, General Leonard Roadalia, & Miranda
​



 
​


“Not who she says-“


“NOT FIT!”


“Goddess..”


“FIXIT! FIXIT! FIXIT!”


“Wasn’t suppose to be you-“


“None of it’s real.”


“Your father tried the bes-“


“NOT GOOD ENOUGH! FIXIT!”


“Real?”


“FUCKING BITCH!”


“She’s not-“


“Save them from sin”


“SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!”


“It’s in the back, it’s in the back, it’s in the back”


“Who she says-“


“They don’t trust you, nobody trusts you..”


“You know what you want to do to them.”


“She’s not-“


“FUCK!” YOU DUMB CU-“


“How could she know it all?”


“IF THE SIN IS PUNISHED THEN ONLY THE TRULY RIGHTEOUS WILL BE REBORN! SCRIPTURE 110”


“She is-“


The voices ceased once Gayana felt the delicate touch of Miranda’s hand on her shoulder, as they always did. The slight weight of visionary’s fingers brought her back to reality. The middle aged half Kildran; half Nomasdae ruler opened her closed and concentrated eyes and gave an attempted smile up at her younger, more beautiful counterpart.

shadowar___kishery_by_thefirstangel-d65dsi6.jpg



Miranda stood behind and to her side in the majestic throne room. Sunlight shone through the stain glass windows that depicted holy scenes from the Book of Azae.


The castle itself was no castle, but an old cathedral converted to living quarters for the ruler of the nation, done so by a predecessor of Gayana’s long ago to be closer to the Goddess Azae. The throne room itself used to be the bedchambers for either the head cleric or Head Priest Gayana could not remember which. Although she did believe it was quite too large and lavish for somewhere to sleep. Perhaps even too much for a throne room.


The Queen sat in her stone throne, cushioned with the finest feathers and softest cotton in Zeldwa. Balanced on her adorned armrest was glass of water that she shakily took a sip of. Her body was aged, but still showed the firmness from her years as a Holy Knight. She was to have her first meeting in weeks, finally feeling strong enough and up to the task with her confidant Miranda by her side. General Leonard would be arriving at any moment. He had never kept her waiting in the years prior to Miranda’s arrival, and she did not expect him to do so now.


As if on cue, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed through the corridors of the cathedral castle, indicating a heavy bodied presence getting closer. General Leonard entered from one of the side hall entrances with a brisk pace, and stopped right before his majesty and the infamous Miranda.


“For the Goddess.” Leonard almost growled while placing his palm across his heart in the usual religious salute for the country. He was already having trouble hiding his anger at being in Miranda’s company.


“For the Goddess.” The two women responded almost in unison. Against the stonewalls in the back of the throne room shadows danced, but Queen Gayana ignored them.


“You wished to see me, your grace?” Leonard got right to business. It had been nearly a year since he had last stood before the Queen. He used to be one of her most trusted advisers, even during her times of mental trouble. But Miranda’s arrival in Ashah had changed all that. It had changed everything. He didn’t care about exchanging pleasantries; especially not in front of the woman he referred to as some kind of “witch”. Queen Gayana had other plans.


“Leonard, it has been too long.” She paused and stared at him with an affection showing in her eyes. She seemed joyed, yet sad at the same time.


“Yes, well…” Leonard attempted to keep his composure. Perhaps he did have a bit too much to drink earlier. “It has been by no intention of mine.” Though he tried to hide it, his feelings showed through the inflection in his words.
 


Interrupting the awkward reunion, Miranda spoke “The Queen needs more men and women in Roadalia’s Holy Army, this is why-“


“Yes Leonard,” The Queen interjected. “The time has come to conscript soldiers into the service of the Goddess. We need more bodies to man the wall.”


“I don’t understand. Almost the entire standing army is currently watching the wall and has been this entire year, per your orders, your grace.” Leonard looked both annoyed and confused at this request. He stood there with his perfect posture, trying to understand why he was being asked this.


“This is what the Goddess Azae has shown the Queen. She needs her people to defend the holy land that is Roadalia. No expenses can be made. The truly devout will know it is a great honor to be asked to serve both the Goddess and the holy Queen." Miranda spoke with such prose. Where did she come from? Who was she?


“I’m sorry, do you speak for the Queen as well as fill her head with nonsense?” Leonard could hold his tongue no more. He finally broke his gaze with the Queen and let his glassy blue eyes fall on Miranda despite how unsettled that made him feel.


“Such insolence!” Miranda retorted, almost mockingly.


“Miranda, please.” The Queen interrupted, still showing some sign of backbone that Leonard remembered her for having. She continued on to him, “Leonard I know it has been too long…” Gayana trailed off. The voices came roaring back in an inharmonious symphony.


“REBELLIOUS! TRAITOROUS!”


“Can smell the wine from here-“


“This is what-“


“None of them love you.”


“You get.”


“SHUT UP!”


“I HAVE SPOKEN TO AZAE. I HAVE SEEN MY PAST LI-“


“Why is-“


“You have been chosen”


“None of them love you. None of them love-”


“They all must die to escape-”


“It like this?”


“Why did she pick me? The others were better”


“UNFIT! UNFIT!”


“If father could-“


“Blood”


“Azae isn’t real. None of it’s real.”


“AND THE HOLY WALK WITH HER HAND IN HAND TO BE REBORN AGAIN ANEW FIRST VERSE, BOOK OF COUSWA!”


Gayana tried to hide it. She had gotten good at it over the years. Ignoring them despite the shouting and echoing, somehow managing to get her own words out.


“Please Leonard, thirty-five thousand men is not enough. You must believe us when we tell you that we must prepare for the future. You must believe me.” She pleading with these last words. In this brief moment, she desperately needed one of her loved ones approval.


Leonard did his best not to frown, although he was never good at hiding his emotion on his face. Both his own men, and Janer told him almost on the daily. He could finally see just how bad his beloved leader had gotten. The bags in her eyes, and the slight twitch in her face showed she was just barely holding it together. And there stood the dreaded Miranda by her side. Although her lips were straight and tight, Leonard could swear he could see a glimmer of a smile in her eye.


“And how am I to go about this ‘conscription’?” Leonard questioned.


“The first born male of every family of at least sixteen years of age shall be sent to the major cities and the capital to enlist.” Miranda answered for the Queen yet again. Gayana had her eyes closed once more, appearing to be willing something away.


“Ah, just like the Vendel Decree in Kildra. Are we to be like the heathen Kildrans now, my grace?” Leonard was beginning to raise his voice. “Gayana, it’s been a year since I’ve seen you. You call me to the castle out of the blue and you ask me to start forcing children into our army and give me no explanation?” Leonard stared again at Miranda. “Can we please speak alone, without her?”


“Watch your familiarity, General!” Miranda sternly barked.


“You watch your mouth, you damn witch. I have known the Queen since you were probably suckling at your mother’s teat!” Leonard could not control his rage at the situation any more. The silent and helmeted guards along the stonewalls noticeably tensed up.


“Leonard! You are speaking to the holy visionary!” Gayana finally broke from her haze and shouted.


“What is this holy visionary nonsense? If you are the ‘Prophet’ then why is she the one who receives these so called visions? Why are you, the Queen, following her commands?” Leonard seemed proud of his assertion. Gayana turned to Miranda seemingly for an answer.


“The Goddess bestows the visions to me, but it is up to the holy Queen to interpret them and lead the chosen people to salvation. The Goddess led me here so I could tell her my visions. She is the true prophet. I command nothing.”


“You demand a lot for someone who commands nothing. This all sounds like horse shit!” Whatever calm demeanor the General was able to keep over himself was washed away with those words. Perhaps he did have a bit too much to drink. His blood was rushing now as the pace of his heart quickened.


Miranda looked right into the eyes of Leonard and in almost a half whisper said words that only made sense to him,


“Boy watch your tongue, or mother will cut it out!” For the first time in the meeting, Miranda truly smiled. Gayana looked over at Miranda with a bit of confusion on her face.


“What did you…?” Leonard looked stunned. His eyes widened and his mouth became agape, He trailed off and if one could get a closer look, they would see him beginning to slightly tremble. The words echoed over and over again inside of his head, but they slowly changed into a voice he hadn't heard for years while they repeated. He tried to gather himself and continued on to the Queen.


“Yes, your grace. I will begin plans immediately.” The change in his tone was very obvious. With that said he gave one more glare at Miranda, more to psych himself up for the future then to intimidate her. She didn’t seem the type that could be. Then he turned his heel quickly and marched from the throne room, his heavy steps echoing against the walls. When the steps were finally no more. And the sound of the main entrance could be heard opening, Miranda spoke out again to Gayana,


“His devotion worries me, your majesty."


Gayana stood, ready to have her nap, and hoped the voices found their slumber as well. To her side shadows only she could see danced wildly against the walls and religious paintings. There was no candle burning for it was daytime. "Leonard's ancestors fought and created this land. He has always been a trusted friend and confidant. He is just angry at the distance I have had to put between myself and my subjects." She spoke a bit too loudly, probably trying to yell over the cacophony in her head.


"The time may come, your majesty, when the Goddess will test your faith, and that of those closest to you. It is then you will know who your true friends are." For some reason Gayana immediately felt the need to see Renaria. But Miranda had told her they must spend these times apart while many in the nation are being tested for their true mettle, possibly even Renaria herself.
 
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Seraphina & Thera

The sun has set, the time for the meeting is approaching. Thera has spent her entire day looking for the Red Swan tavern, which she finds hidden in a cramped alley south of the castle. Now all she need to make sure that she arrived there safely, without being followed. So she pretended to be exhausted after walking around the town for a whole day, ate dinner and go to sleep early. She locked the room's door and turned off the lantern as soon as she dressed for tonight's meeting. She decided to wear nothing but her breastplate, a black cloak to hide her identity and the hood to cover her face. And then, her trusted hook sword clipped to the belt around her waist.

As soon as the dark cloud covered the moon, Thera opened the window of her room and climbed out of the wall. She carefully grabbing the frame of her window as she stood on the stool, closing the window with her feet before glancing back. Then Thera jumped to a tree located next to her window. When Thera grabbed one of the branches- a loud crack could be hear, but the branch held on. Thera sighed in relief, as she dropped herself down to the ground and quickly fled out of the area into the town.

~~~

Tonight's the night. Silent and motionless, Dark yet Dimly illuminated by a soft glow of a lantern that briskly disappeared. Seraphina stayed behind a bush crouched the same way she was 2 hours ago. Waiting for something to occur, Waiting for her next move. It wasn't long after until the natural glimmer of the moon was covered by cloud and her prey made her escape.

She watched Thera jump on a tree to cause a loud crack. while Thera sighed in relief, she did as well. Sif needed her to make sure the meeting occur. If not the others would be suspicious. She was dressed in peasant clothing with her hair rolled up in a bun,covered in a little too much makeup than her liking. She thought it would be best than to roam around in her clacking armor.She made sure that Thera continued her route to the Tavern before following in a safe distance.

~~~

Passing the guards on patrol was easy, they are too busy chatting about woman and card games. The soldiers are becoming too lax, too soft, and too relaxed as they are trained and grew up in such a peaceful time. Thera pitied them, they are like lambs that are released in an open field and had to defend against the wolves on their own.

She waited until the time is perfect, when the soldiers are looking away, before rushing out of the gate and hopped into the darkest alley she saw. The main road is too risky. She continues her journey.

~~~

She watched Thera pass by the guards when they weren't looking as softly snickered to herself, observing the knight as she jumped into the darkest alley. Sera figured she wouldn't need to go through all that trouble. She looked like a lady of the night might as well act like one.

She walked towards the guards with a flirtatious smile and which caused the men to silence themselves and watch her go pass. She felt violated by their long stares but didn't say a word. She creeped into the alleyway thankful that Thera chose to take the darkest path, making it easier for her to lurk in the shadows. She knew it wouldn't be long til they arrived.

~~~

Something, or someone, is following her. She could sense her presence, following her closely like her own shadow. Is it the spy? The Queen's? Or Kira's? She needed to lose them, or if she can't do that- silence them and throw their body to the gutter. She saw a junction in front of her, so she speeds up and took a sharp turn to the left, then took a right, running as fast and as quiet as she could before taking another sharp turn to the right and leaned against the wall- quietly hiding in the shadow.

~~~

Sera paused as Thera began to sped up and take a sharp turn. 'She knows', Sera thought. Sera decided it was best to not be seen by Thera. She wanted to make sure that everyone was Oblivious to her knowledge. She walked to the right, presuming that she could rejoin Thera when she arrived at the Tavern.

She made her way to the Tavern alone with her own thoughts. A few minutes passed until she arrived at her final destination. The Tavern looked cramped behind the alley. It was well hidden by trees which was perfect for her to skulk. She peeked inside to see captain Janer already seated at a table. Though she covered herself in a cloak, it was easy to identify her by her frame. In Seraphina's opinion, cloaks did nothing but make you look suspicious.

Sera decided to hide herself among the various plants that grew over the years and her only way to see inside the abandon Tavern to be a small window. She waited patiently for the other military personnel to begin their conspiracy.

~~~

The presence is gone. Seems like she managed to shake off whoever was tailing her, thought Thera is not so sure. She's a fighter, all she know is to fight and not to deceive. She walked out of her hiding and hastily find her way to the tavern. Abandoned and cramped, many people passed thinking that it's just another run down building in the city.

She knocked on the door, and walked inside the tavern.
​
 
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Mhisri found solace every time she found a library. The people weren't bad - in fact, most people didn't seem to mind her at all - but people were dynamic. They were impulsive, unpredictable, explosive. Books did what they were expected, and they presented her with glorious facts, lyrical stanzas, rules. She could feed her hunger for knowledge here, and escape the erratic real world for a little while. She could breathe in ink and dust and breathe out love and perfection. Breathe in, breathe out...


This library was no different than all the rest, in that she was the only one there, other than the bookkeeper. The old man had looked startled, then pleased as she walked in and buried herself in a dusty, lamp-lit corner, just like all the others had. "That's a good one there!" they had all thought as they watched her, occasionally directing her to some section or another. She would return to each library for days, picking over the shelves, delight in her eyes and lips and fingers as she found a brightly colored tome she hadn't yet read, or an old favorite she couldn't get enough of. She would be sad to leave, not knowing how long it would be until she found another. She would be sad to leave this one. She had found a collection of letters between Parshumians and their loved ones in T'Odis during the war, and it brought a smile to her lips. It made her think of her grandfather, and the home she wished they had.


Mhisri sat for a long time reading, learning, wishing. "The Art of Basketweaving" by Raevena Lark - not her most exciting read, but it killed a few hours. She'd paid for her last night in the loft of Mawdry's Tavern, and was on her way to the next town, and hopefully the next library. She'd have to keep close to lakes and rivers so she could pay her way with her fishing, since most people loved the flesh and she sold relatively cheaply. She didn't need much by way of money, and could catch twice as much as anyone else, so she did well. It was a relatively easy living, and relatively quiet. Just the way she liked it.


This night wasn't all that quiet though. In the distance, from where she had come, was a sound like rolling thunder and a taste like fear. If a storm was coming, she would need to find shelter soon. Or maybe she could stay in her cozy corner here in the library and wait it out. The bookkeeper didn't seem to have anywhere else to be anytime soon. He brought her a steaming mug of something sweet.


"Here, dear. It feels like it's going to be a cold night."


"Thank you" she replied. "It smells like honey and Kenunyha."


"Yes, my dear. It'll warm you up."


"Kenunyha is often used as an anxiolytic."


"Yes, well, it tastes pretty good going down, regardless."


"Thank you." she said again, and he walked back to his table. He had a cup for himself waiting there.


An anxiolytic. She didn't know why, but it seemed appropriate tonight. The storm seemed to get closer. It looked like she would be staying here for a while.
 
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I fell into a burnin' ring of fire

I went down, down, down

And the flames went higher

And it burns, burns, burns

The ring of fire, the ring of fire

~~~
​


"With me boysh!" yelled Silas, who had kind of sobered up. He was leading five other men with the purpose of hunting down whatever had attacked Grayson. Silas carried a large spring powered harpoon that he was fond of. A battle-axe hung at his waste. Three other sailors carried crossbows and had nets strapped to their backs. Nef was in the back, holding an ornate longsword that had once belonged to the ex-quartermaster. All the weapons were primarily used for battling sea monsters, but they worked just as well on most creatures. The five remaining crew were left to their own devices. One man had stayed at camp.


"Melander guide me! It really is a monster. Oh Azae! It’s going to eat that guy!" One of the men with a crossbow began to panic. The group stopped in awe as they watched the soon to be snack grab the beasts tongue.


"Woah!" Even Nef was shocked when the giant threw the man, effectively ripping out its own tongue.


"UUOOOOOOHHHH!" Crimson sparks exploded from Garnerge's mouth as he screamed.


"Now'sh da chance!" Silas's high energy made him an effective leader in a fight. "Zweal, Goro, Gregory! Flank that thing while I distract." The drunken Roadalian advanced towards the beast. "Hey, fuck face! You want some of this?" Silas held the harpoon at waist level and made some pelvic thrusts in Garnerge's direction.


"Blou splink blou gah bousst blee." The words were unintelligible through the black globules of bile pouring from the beast’s mouth.


"Thought ya'd like dat!" With a twang and a zing the harpoon buried itself in the monster's chest. Garnerge roared again, this time louder. A net flew out of the darkness, attached to three crossbow bolts, and snarled itself around Garnerge's left arm and head. The giant attempted to face the new attackers but Silas yanked the line attached to the harpoon, keeping the beast attention on him. "That's right! Come to papa. Come get so- Oh SHIT!"




​


Several buildings in Jakka's Crossing had been reduced to rubble by the sizable beast that was Garnerge. Large wooden splinters, some the size of whole planks, riddled both of his knuckles. The beast had used his fists like two tremendous war-hammers, smashing the old wooden buildings as if they were made of mere parchment. He had ripped men, women, and children apart with his bare hands, shoving their limbs and entrails into his ferocious chops. The night had turned into one of those horror stories that soldiers whisper to one another during wartime.


Several small fires were burning around the village now, possibly caused by knocked over torches, or caused purposely by Garnerge himself.


He had tossed his first opponent on this puny rock far into the night’s sky, which had now welcomed a terrifying morning. His second opponent gave a bit more of a fight while cutting him down and ripping his tongue out of his putrid, gaping mouth. Garnerge could feel a terrible itching and burning sensation as his tongue slowly grew back within his jaws. But this opponent too proved to be only good for one round, now defeated and groaning in the grass.


"Hey, fuck face! You want some of this?" screamed another tiny challenger. Garnerge turned his massive frame to face the calling taunt. The minute little man had some type of large and pointed weapon in his hands, while gyrating his hips in Garnerge’s direction in a heckling way.


"Blou splink blou gah bousst blee." Garnerge made an attempt to respond to the curious creature, but his tongue had not yet grown back and globs of coagulated blood flew from his purplish lips.


In a split-second the pointed end of the man’s weapon shot from his grasp and lunged itself deep into the chest cavity of Garnerge, creating a devastating wound. He roared out in a horrifyingly inhuman manner. Some type of trap net mechanism shot from the projectile and wrapped around his left arm and head.


Despite his cries of pain, Garnerge was ecstatic. If his master had deemed it fit to grant him a body with anatomical correctness, his attackers would have seen just how ecstatic. They were fighting desperately for their lives, and there was nothing Garnerge enjoyed more then feasting on the flesh of those who fought back.


"Thought ya'd like dat!" His attacker shouted at him. Garnerge could sense others with the intent of combat moving on his left. The man made a feeble attempt at pulling the gigantic Garnerge towards him. It was a pathetic game of tug-of-war that he had no chances of winning with the beast-man.


"That's right! Come to papa. Come get so- Oh SHIT!" The man’s last words were shouted while flying through the air. Garnerge had tired of his unintelligible mocking, and with a quick and effortless pull of his left hand he both tore the net with ease and pulled his opponent hurdling towards him.





Pinch me

Pinch me

Cause I’m still...Asleep…

Please God, tell me

That I'm still asleep
 




​


During the run back to Jakka’s Crossing, Ziek had managed to hook his uninjured left arm around Izem’s chest and swung his body onto the man’s back, allowing him to ride in a piggyback carrying style. Izem was bewildered, angered, and protested the entire time, but Ziek fought for his more comfortable position regardless. The awkwardness of wrapping his legs tightly around his carrier’s waist bothered him not. As they moved through the jungle, he even began slapping the rear end of his ride in jest while giving hearty “Hyahs” into his ear. He was impressed with how Izem handled all of this, for Ziek was not a small man.


But despite the comical façade, Ziek felt a pang of dread deep within the pits of his stomach as they moved closer and closer to the scent of burning corpses. What choice did he have in the matter now? And when they finally broke through the mass of trees into the small clearing of Jakka’s Crossing, his eyes widened in horror. He now knew why he felt the way he did.


Almost as if a key had entered some kind of lock in his mind, the memories of the night before came flooding back to him. The storm cloud, the dark orb that descended from it, and the beast-man that formed from that. His attempted escape up the enormous corl, and the monstrosity’s ability to rip the massive tree from its roots and toss it like a pebble. It was all real.


The entire village was on fire. Every small wooden shack and home was ablaze. Screams of terror and pain filled the morning. Buckets of blood stained the luscious grasses and bushes of each destroyed building. The smell of rusted iron filled the air. There were several piles of bodies collected spots around town. Some were on fire themselves, the smoke from their carcasses lifting off into the jungle. In a hellish display, corpses were skewered onto trees and placed over the sizable fires, many also seemingly made from bodies.


Ziek had seen traumatic battlefields in his days, but this trumped anything his mind’s eye could conjure.


Standing amongst the chaos, every detail of his nightmarish appearance now visible with sun in th


e sky, was the behemoth whose name Ziek could now remember –


“Garnerge.”


His inhumanely muscled back was turned to Ziek, Adam, and the rest of the pirates. At their moment of entry into this macabre scene, Garnerge was swatting a man out of the air as if he were some kind of insect, sending him crashing and rolling into the dirt. Ziek, with his right arm still in the sling and his left hand clutching Izem’s neck and shoulder just a bit too tightly, shakily spoke,


“Turn around… Run the other way, NOW!”


He had only uttered the last word just a decibel above a whisper, but Garnerge cocked and turned his head around as if hearing it acutely. His yellow almost glowing irises and slit-like pupils met and locked directly with Ziek's gaze. Garnerge slowly smiled from ear-to-ear.


“Holy Azae…” This time it was Adam who spoke, the shock clear in his voice as he took in the ghastly view.


"R..run...run..run...RUN!” A voice called out from their right, behind some bushes.


“See? Even the plants are telling us to hightail it out of here!” Ziek pleaded with Izem. A bearded and burly Kildran man, who had looked like he had seen better days, burst through the brush and limped towards them at a hurried but slow-moving pace. He was covered in dirt and small cuts, and blood dripped from both of his fists, collecting in a trail behind him. It appeared he was holding something tightly in his right grip.


Somewhere further back in town, a woman’s voice cried out, audibly crystal clear as many of the other screams had died out by then, “My Child! Oh holy Azae, why did you take my daughter from me!?”


“It’s a person, and they look hurt.” Izem answered, apparently still not noticing the goliath whose attention was now fully on them.


"Look around, dirt-skin. Everyone is fuckin' hurt! There’s a person walking around over there without his fuckin’ arm! Let's get outta here!" Ziek was now shaking Izem by his shoulder and neck somewhat violently to get his attention and show that he meant business.


“Izem! Take a look at that man! Rat! Mosi! Let’s cut this ugly bastard down! I can see Nef and the others on the other side of ‘im!” Adam barked the orders at his crew. Ziek’s demands of retreating would not be taken seriously. Adam drew a long dagger from its sheath at his waist and cautiously made his way forward with Mosi and Rat by his side, each pulling their own short blades.


”Fuck this” Ziek had tried to warn them, and with his warning now ignored, he decided to ditch his clueless ride. Without even a moment to think it through, Ziek released the grip of his legs around Izem’s waist and attempted to put all of his weight on his injured right foot. Flashes of light burst inside of his head as blinding pain sent him crashing into the dirt floor. His tailbone now hurt as well.


“Oh no, pick me back up! I’ve made a mistake!” But Izem, now free from his literal burden, jogged forward to meet with the other injured man, who was now beginning to collapse onto his knees. Izem reached the Kildran warrior and was able to get his arm around his shoulder and helped him back up to his feet. A slab of some kind of meat was still clenched tightly in the warrior’s right hand. It slapped Izem in his puffy cheek as Kael swung his arm around Izem’s neck. Izem looked at the bloody slab with confusion and revulsion. A black mark of goo was left on his face.


“Come, let’s get you to safety.” Izem assured his new companion. He helped the man limp back towards the trees and forest that the group had came from and away from the fiery chaos of the town clearing. As they got towards Ziek, he reached out to them,


“Yeah, me too.” Izem continued past Ziek, ignoring him. “Wait! Hey! Don’t leave me!” Ziek started to crawl through the dirt and grass, on just his uninjured left elbow and two knees, after the two men.
 
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A collab post with @DirkDiggler


"Rikara the shepherdess and her... friend. We were attacked by bandits on the road. Can you help us?"


Vanse stared silently at Maerwynn, slightly surprised. The two guards that called them over just turn to each other and then back at them.


“No not really,” One shrugged. “There's an inn down the road if you got gold.” His eyes looked the girl up and down and grew lecherous. “Maybe you could earn some in the whore house next door. I would definitely come visit you later.”


He reached a hand up to touch her face, but Vanse quickly snatched his wrist and twisted. The guard cried out and fell to a knee, his companion jumped and aimed his spear at the T'odis warrior. He let go and the lech began rubbing his arm.


“We should fucking kill you for that!” He stood up and turned to Maerwynn, “You, take your ice giant and fuck off.” She carefully put a hand on Vanse's shoulder to gesture him away and they began walking toward the inn.


“You know pretty boy ice giant might get you some gold in the whore house to!”


“Tsk, gresl lumurhass. (Honorless, trash.)” Vanse muttered.


They found the inn fairly easily. A simple little tavern called the Blue Bellied Bull. It was a rickety old building that almost reminded Vanse of the caravan. Hung above the front door was an old sign with a crudely drawn sleeping bovine. He walked up the short wooden steps to the door and placed a hand on it. He turned his head slightly to Maerwynn.


“I will buy you room to rest. However long you need until healed.” He looked back to the door and noticed a small dried up blood stain on his knuckle.


Another horde will come for me....


His hand balled into a fist.


Us... Too many people have seen her. She has no idea how much danger I've put her in...


No, I cant just leave her. Not until I know she'll be safe. If a horde is tracking me, they'll definitely find her.


And they'll torture her endlessly for information.


He pushed the door open and they walked inside.


The inn was a lively little place. It was a little bubble of debauchery in the relatively silent town and both drink and coin exchanged hands faster than sand running through fingers. Maerwynn took an apprehensive look inside and took it all in. South of T'Odis had not been what she had expected so far. Though she had had many experience with men, the books she had read had described men of valor and charisma - not regular town drunks. Maerwynn chided herself internally for being so foolish as to believing the tales but she still felt a little miffed.


She hobbled over to the innkeeper -a stout old man with greasy-looking whiskers- before holding her hand up to indicate a room for two.


He looked suspiciously upon her dirty face and matted hair before setting aside his broom and extending a hand.


"Coin?"


Maerwynn bit her lip before looking expectantly at her companion. Normally, she didn't take up strangers on their charity -her father had taught her to be wary of the giving- but right now, she wanted privacy to get a hold of herself. Still, she forced herself to look away as the stranger reached for his pouch - it was easier to forget when the actual amount was a mystery.


"Top floor. Third left." Satisfied with the money he had earned, the innkeeper returned to his former duty of sweeping the dirty floor. Gold, it seemed, helped to blind the eyes of suspicion and gag the voice of curiosity.


She huffed as she eased herself up the stairs. Each step was creakier than the last; she was glad to reach the top without her foot breaking through the wood.


Vanse watched her struggle as she slowly made her way up. Following only after she got to the top. Too much weight, especially his, would easily collapse the weak structure. When he got to the top himself, the low ceiling forced him to almost hunch over.


She counted out the doors as she passed, making sure to enter the right room.


It was cramped for two and furnished only with a small bed, a cracked mirror and a rickety table. The grimy window cast clouds of dust on the outside world, though small circles of clean glass had been rubbed prior to her visit. The mattress was made of straw which poked through the ratty blanket which laid folded surprisingly neatly on top. For all the room was lacking, Maerwynn was glad to see it at least had a door.


Vanse took a few steps in and sat himself on the floor against the wall across from the bed. His elbows rested on his knees.


Maerwynn took off her heavy fur coat and placed it on the table. She had no doubt that the deeper South she would go, the less she would miss it. Her broken crossbow and blowing-horn lay abandoned on the floor. Maerwynn strode on over to the roughly body-length mirror before pulling up her linen shirt mid-way.


The swordsman's face turned red. He wondered if she somehow forgotten he was there. It wasn't until she lifted the cloth to her ribs did he see why she was so quick to examine herself.


An ugly splash of green and purple marred her pale skin and what seemed to be a knob of bone stuck out on her side. When she mustered up enough courage to touch the lump, a flash of pain made her hiss slightly in pain.


"What am I going to do about that?" Maerwynn mumbled to herself before pulling her shirt back down.


Nothing, but rest. Vanse thought to himself. The advice seeming to obvious to say out loud.


If she were bleeding internally she wouldn't have made it this far. He realized, the thought actually managed to relax him a bit.


She'd never healed a broken bone like that before but she had an inkling that tea and sleep wasn't going to cut it. As of right now, however, Maerwynn felt that it was manageable so long as she didn't move around so much.


With some effort, she sat down on the bed and turned silent. She didn't feel awkward with a stranger in the room, far from it. After all, she'd talked with no-one but strangers (save for her Father) up in the North.


"What's your name?"


He paused for a moment. Should he tell her? The less she knew the better, but she was already in too deep. Simply being seen with him has surely damned her.


The swordsman took a deep breathe before he spoke. Since it was too late to hide anything, the least he could do was tell her his name.


“Vanse D'Enishora, emb iuor mena?” The T'Odis just flowed naturally from his mouth. He coughed realizing his mistake, and spoke again. “And your name?”


She knew that he hadn't bought her Rikara alias. To be completely honest, Maerwynn wasn't sure if the village guards had been convinced either - after all, a large sword was an effective deterrent. But did all that justify revealing her name to Vanse? Her mind was made up when the T'Odis man spoke up first, making himself vulnerable. If he had trusted her enough to reveal his name, then Maerwynn would return the favour.


Cautiously, she spoke out.


"I'm Maerwynn."


Her surname would have to stay out of the picture for now. Even with the limited contact she'd had with the outside world, Maerwynn knew that T'Iiosha was not a common name for a Kildran like herself. Too many irregularities would bring up questions - nay, it was far better for him to think of her as just another peasant trying to make it in the harsh world.


Silence filled the room once more. It wasn't the uncomfortable kind where one could cut the tension with a knife nor was it the kind where the two parties were in perfect sync, trading their words without speech. It was just silence and Maerwynn took the time to find the words to ask her next question.


"What was that back there?" She blurted out clumsily, truly at a loss for what she had seen. Never had she seen black clouds, blue lightning, or the attackers that had viciously cut short their caravan ride. All she knew -or suspected- was that Vanse was at the heart of all the misfortunes that had happened.
 
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Renaria Velouse Successor to the Roadalian Throne

Renaria made her way through the halls of the Cathedral doing as much as she was able to as a Successor to the Roadalia throne. At least, everything she was able to help the Queen that Miranda hadn't already been privy to. Mostly it was meeting with High Court Officials to sign off wavers on ownership of lands, stamps and approvals of Marriages, interstate goods transfers, documents on people requesting entry into Roadalia for various reasons, mostly for business that was either approved or deigned with a flick of her wrist and a feather quill in hand. Or a sealed red stamp plastered with the Queen's seal.


The most mundane of tasks where left for Renaria and had been increasing so since the Queen's health had been failing. It was only really with The General, Janer of the Holy Knights, Renaria and Miranda that the Queen even saw to these days, and only for the most pressing of matters. Even evening meal times with the Queen were a thing of the past. And despite the woman not ever holding the same kind of adoration that The Queen seemed to hold for Renaria, the Hunter couldn't help but feel slightly saddened over this. The Queendom was awfully large after all, and a woman signing off endless piles of paperwork was both boring and lonely.


She glanced out of the window with a heavy sigh as it was near to midday, a man in a hurried voice expressing his absolute DIRE need to bring a caravan of Carpets and rugs at a discount price and as much as she tried to keep her normal stone lackluster expression she couldn't help but close her eyes for a second as a soft sigh escaped and she flicked her wrist. "Yes. That is fine. The Goddess bless thee in your endeavor." Even as she sent him off another fidgeting woman ran in not a moment afterward screaming about some trouble of her neighbor stealing her crops for the winter. Renaria let her fingertips run over her temple and eyebrow before letting them slip over her eyes to shut them for a moment. 'Maybe I should ask the General for more of that...Wine he was offering this morning. Lord knows how anyone gets by in this place without an absence of some sin...' She waved a hand. "Half half, Azae watch over you." The woman, of course protested but was lead away by some Military men. Here another council member attempted to enter but she stood up slowly from her room and silently approached him. "Forgive me Sir for I must see to this pressing issue another time.." And leaving the man with cloth clutched in his hands still, she walked straight past him and back down the lonely echoing halls.


Her feet took her around the entire Cathedral, to the Church to find some solace. While is was as boring and quiet as the rest of the Capital, here at least she would not be followed by democrats or spies even. Alone to imagine a life not cramped in a room filled with stuffy men and women. A life how she had always wished, running through the Forests to catch game, to hunt deer and bears. A life she dearly missed. Her footsteps without a thought reaching her before The Queen's very own study. She stood there for some time simply before the huge, closed in door with a hand half outstretched. Waiting. Not sure what for, a sign perhaps? Confirmation she could see the Queen herself? But what if-


As if to her thoughts the door swung wide and none other then Miranda herself was there, standing before her. The hunter slowly let her hand drop as her piercing gaze held the woman. "The Queen is busy." Miranda had stated in a cold tone. And Renaria peered at her with the same intense gaze the other woman was giving her. You could almost feel the tension with a knife in the air. Not a flick of a movement between the two, and the same piercing, expressionless stare. Like Predators, eyeing off a wounded Prey. After an unmeasured amount of time, The Hunter finally let her eyes slip closed and turned on her heel without a single word. She knew even had she asked to pass a message, it would never be received. Her footsteps echoing against the huge Cathedral halls if she were to make a sound. Which she never did.
 
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Rufus and Lilly Nevarron Estate - Kildra

Lilly let her long delicate fingers run through the Kildran Noble's hair, letting him use her shoulder to cry onto. She wasn't sure exactly why the man was crying, it didn't make much sense really other then he had mentioned he liked men rather then women. And once his tears had stopped and his body had gone oddly limp, she gently placed his head onto the pillow and tucked in the thick fur blanket up to his neck and slipped slowly out from under the sheets. Quickly grasping her heavy cloak from earlier, she hooked a clasp to keep it shut before taking a seat beside the fire and the bed as she slipped a tiny piece of fabric and a long pointed needle, with string already threaded. With deft little fingers the girl continued on the pattern she had been slowly working on the past couple of months, only half complete, but it looked like some sort of strange furry creature running through a snow covered landscape. A memory from when she was 10, back in T'Odis. Though her blue eyes would shift occasionally to glance to the Noble's son as he was faced away from her, still sleeping.


The Kildran Noble didn't enjoy the night, it wasn't his fault, it wasn't the fault of the young slave. No, it was the fault of his father, the cruel homophobic Lord of the Nevarron. His grandpa had always been nice to the people in their estate, he went many times alone on a journey to have contact with the people. Since a young age, Lord Nevarrus was sure his father did the wrong thing, a Lord must been hard and not have too much contact with the people. Rufus admired his grandpa, the stories he told the young boy were always amazing. Rufus wanted to follow his grandfather and be a good Lord for the people.


Rufus had awaken but kept his eyes shut, noticing that the girl was away but still in the room. She was probably sitting by the fire place as that was the other comfortable place in this room other then the bed around this time. It was early in the morning and the higher ranked people in the castle were still asleep. However, there was already a lot of activity in the kitchen. The workers there needed to prepare the breakfast for each Noble. Lilly continued threading her pattern when gently she started a soft humming noise, again a song her Mother would sing to her every night she tucked her into sleep. It was evident even in the soft tone she was using the girl was a very good singer. Her voice like a running river, soothing and melting worries. As she hummed to herself her eyes moved towards the door where two young chamber ladies entered silently, much as she had in the middle of the night and draped a soft regal blue gown the Lord had picked for her onto a nearby chair. He was forever dressing her up like a trophy in expensive gowns and jewellery like that might somehow excuse his disgusting behavior at night. As her eyes flowed over the two girls she realized they were not much younger then she was. She flashed them a warm if not haunted smile, thankful their days were filled with only clothing, estate maintenance, cooking and cleaning. A blessing of a life all because their hair was not Snow white as hers was.


So busy was she looking as the girls she missed a needle stroke and pricked her finger, letting out a sharp cry as she dropped the fabric to the ground, clutching her bleeding finger. "Sum uv e B'Arok.... hyggha tyrh khosi... (Son of a B'Arok... little girl clumsy...)" she hissed the words quite clearly a curse by the simple tone she used. Normally was the Noble not awake when the chamber ladies entered the room. However, he was awake now but didn't move. He knew the girls would be scared if a Noble woke up while they were in the room. Rufus had heard many stories of Nobles who wanted to take these girls in the morning. Rufus instead listened to the humming voice of Lilly. It was soothing and he enjoyed it.


~~Meanwhile the letter had arrived at the castle of Sef. The boyfriend of Rufus was confused; he felt anger, but also happiness. He and Rufus would become fathers, however, Rufus didn't speak to him personally about it, which made Sef angry. ~~ Rufus hoped deeply Sef would agree with his deeds, they were about to become fathers if everything was alright. The noble secretly wanted that his father dead when the child was there, otherwise Rufus and Sef would need to go into hiding. The people in the estate would support Rufus and Sef when they needed to, they would have a normal life then, together. But Lilly, she probably wanted to go back to her homeland somewhere in the north. Rufus could take her with him and bring her to her homeland if she wanted. Otherwise, she could stay with them both. When Rufus heard the sharp cry, it was time for him to 'wake up'. The noble raised and sat on his bed, the muscles of his chest showing. He looked at the three girls in his room, any other lord would have enjoyed it, but Rufus felt a little bit awkward with all these females.


"Good morning ladies," the male spoke with his soft voice, a little too soft for an adult. Lilly plopped her finger into her mouth to suckle gently as the wound healed itself, though she heard a stiffened gasp of the two Chamber-lady girls as they spotted that Rufus has arose from his bed. Lilly's gaze fell to them with a lifted eyebrow, wondering why they were suddenly blushing like teenage girls and backing slowly away before with a squeal they both ran from the room. It was only as they bolted did Lilly hear Rufus as he spoke, turning her vision back to see for herself he was awake. Blinking quite a few times the girl withdrew her finger from her mouth and hastily leaned down to grasp the picture she had been cross-stitching, shoving it back into a deep pocket of her cloak. She offered a weirdly formal nod, her sapphire blue eyes averting him completely like she was reverting back to the normal Kildran Noble customs she had been brought up on: don't speak, don't make eye contact, as little noise as possible. And thus she quickly grasped the pile of clothing the Chamber ladies had left for him, placing it to the corner of his bed, then hurrying herself to scoop up her blue dress and walking to duck behind a covered screen to change. She had done fairly well to put the dress mostly on but with the Chamber girls now disappeared it was almost impossible to do the last lacing of the corset back. So, meekly, almost shyly, she peeked a head out with a swirl of her long snow white hair and coughed softly into her hand to gain his attention. Once he was looking at her, she stepped out, using one hand to keep the dress held up around her chest, before spinning on the spot and showing her exposed back with a soft pleading look.


"Would... Noble dress please?" She asked with chin and head still lowered. The noble sighed, he knew the girls would leave the room as soon as he made any sign of being awake. He did understand however, they expected a lord who wanted some early morning 'fun time'. He was irritated by Lilly as she didn't look to him as she spoke, which she could have done. "Girl," he pointed at himself "Me, Rufus" he moved his finger towards the T'Odis girl "You?" his voice sounded very stupid, over articulating so the girl would hopefully understand him. He continued to speak normally, "I can dress myself." He said obviously misinterpreting her request to help HER into her dress and not himself. The totally naked noble stepped out his bed and looked at the pile of clothes. He slid on his pants and took a very loose fitting shirt from the pile. While pulling the shirt over his head he walked towards the desk and looked at the map from the day before. He wanted to know where the girl came from. Some signs at the map were written in the T'Odis language. Lilly blinked a fraction as she remained standing there with corset lacing of her back still half undone. His slow sounded words finally seemed to make sense as she nodded slowly. "Ru...fus... Noble RuFus....please help Me..." she whispered gently as she gestured to the back of her half undone lace-back dress, impossible to tighten by herself. If he could not she would have to track down a scurrying maid as she did. When he pointed at her, asking her name, she simply shrugged not remembering it after the horrors she had subjected to. She pointed to canvas on the wall with a single white Lilly on it. "....Lilly!" The Noble smiled as he looked at the white Lilly. "It's beautiful.." as he began to walk towards her.


"I will help you, Lilly." The Kildran said with his soft and caring voice, trying to comfort Lilly as much as possible. He stood behind her back and fixed her dress so it would be right. "There you go," he smiled at her. "I would like you to show something." As he took her hand and moved over to the table, pointing at one chair while standing near it. "Sit, please," as he smiled again at her. Rufus pointed at the map, especially at the place near T'Odis. The noble first pointed at the Nevarron Castle "Me, I live here." Then he gestured at her. "You?" He knew she came from T'Odis, but it was a big land. Lilly watched him smile and walk towards her, despite that she still winced out of reflex, blue eyes shutting down tightly. Waiting for a grope or grab though she received neither but his soft fingers against her back, tightening the corset lace with deft fingers. As he took her hand gently she couldn't help but blush a fraction, this gentle approach was so foreign to girl.


She sat down before the huge map as he half leaned over her, pointing to where they where. She took a soft sigh and shrugged, she was taken at 12years old she didn't remember. Though she pointed in the more North East part. "Mountains...big mountains." Rufus smiled at the words, but sighed also a little "Everywhere are big mountains there." He walked to his bed and finished clothing himself, in his normal black. He peered over to Lilly and through the window. It was still early "Lilly, should we get outside to walk?" Rufus said already heading to the door. He needed some fresh air, maybe a little trip on a horse or some walking through the forest. The Noble walked via the tower towards the gate and looked behind him seeing if Lilly followed. Lilly couldn't help but feel slightly bad as the Noble sighed, like it was somehow her fault that she couldn't remember where she had come from exactly. Her family had been very large, and the wilderness covered in Snow and surrounded by mountains didn't leave any huge landmarks for her to remember. She had never even be taught any tracking, not being a younger sister to older and much more trained boys. Lilly only just heard the Noble as he talked to her, hearing the word "walk" and assuming the rest by the fact he was already at the door. So hastily she pushed the chair out from the desk and gave a quickened step to catch up.


She followed effortlessly and silently behind and to the right of him, one hand deftly keeping her blue dress aloft with the soft drum of her boots echoing gently. And when he peered behind his shoulder to her, she had to stop every fiber of her being to stare straight back to him with those beautiful sapphire eyes. It was just so different...this past day, was so different. So unexpected. She wasn't sure how to react and could already feel her heart pounding within her chest in a half panic. The strange looks from the other Baking ladies and Soldiers and Stable Boys, all staring at her as she kept up a hurried pace behind Rufus. What were they thinking? Whispering? Did they even know who she was? She spent so much time alone in a room till Rufus's Father would summon her, usually in the dead of night. Maybe they really didn't know who she was? The noble smiled as he saw Lilly. "Do you know how to ride a horse?" Rufus expected a no. The male had decided that he wanted to go on a little horse ride. The day was early and he wanted to be at the next village when the bakery opened. There was a delicious bakery there. Rufus kept it secret from everyone, because otherwise it would be always very busy there. Again without waiting for an answer, Rufus walked to the stables and prepared his favorite horse 'NightStorm' a beautiful black stallion. It took some time to prepare the horse as he needed to get the equipment from all over the stable As Rufus expected Lilly only shook her head as in no. She had only every ridden in a carriage to and fro. Carriages were more discrete after all and it wouldn't pay for anyone knowing about a T'Odis girl traveling been Kildran's Nobles. Though she had been fascinated with these Horses. They were always so sleek, and strong looking with little fur compared to those creatures that dwell in her homeland. So she simply stood in the doorway to the Stable watching Rufus potter around and put some leather on the creature, a riding suit it seemed. Where they going somewhere then?


Her face still contorted cutely in confusion. What if his Father found out? Surely he would not allow her to leave the Estate, especially not to his son whom she was well aware took a displeasure in. The noble took a saddle for two people. NightStorm was ready. "Come Lilly." He didn't care what his father would think, or do. He wanted to show Lilly the lands, and the delicious food. Lilly stepped forward the second Rufus beckoned her and stood beside him with that same questioning look over her face. She didn't even know how to get on the horse and it showed on her face. Finally her lips opened and she finally said something in a very soft tone. "Scared I..." She tried to explain to him, pointing to the creatures back. It seemed much taller now she was beside it, and she was getting more and more uncomfortable, visibly worried now. Rufus tried to comfort the little girl "Don't worry, he is not to be feared." The noble took the young female and placed her on top of the horse. Quickly after placing her on top, the Noble also sat down on the horse. He sat behind her and wrapped his hands around her "Don't be scared." He started to lead the horse out the stable towards the woods Lilly could hear the tone in Rufus's voice more then she could understand the words. Still she couldn't help but half squeal out as he lifted her up and placed her on the creatures back. She was taller now, the height only making her tense up further and clench her eyes half in terror. She felt like she was going to be sick! The arms around her relaxing but only just, eyelids refusing to open even for a second. But the soft sway of the beast underneath her was soothing and soon enough her eyes slowly peeked out to peer to the woods.


~~~~


@Savagai
 
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~~~Garnerge ~~~

~~~& The Pirates~~~
​


The T’Odis pirate named Nef held his long sword in front of him, trying his best not to shake with fear. He recalled the stories his grandfather told him as a boy of his days lost in the Dark Seas. He told him stories of finding an island of giants and washing up on their shores. His father would tell young Nef that his grandfather was a senile old fool. But now there Nef stood, just over seven feet himself, and this man beast easily had a couple of feet on the T’Odis and possibly hundreds of pounds with its rippling muscular body. The creature that stuffed human limbs into its gullet was not like anything he had ever seen before. And he had seen some extraordinary things in his time with Adam and the others. He now knew in that exact moment that otherworldly abominations could exist.


Nef gathered himself, realizing the monstrosity was eyeing him from just a few feet away, with what appeared to be a grin plastered on its hideous face. The fires in Jakka’s crossing were becoming tremendous blazes roaring around the few survivors with large clouds of black smoke billowing into the sky. He could feel the heat as the sweat dripped down his forehead. Silas was lying some yards where Nef could still see him. His back was turned to him. Nef hoped his companion was still breathing. He held his trusty sword in position, and charged Garnerge with everything he had moving in his legs. Moving closer with each passing step, he watched as his oversized intended target stayed motionless, waiting for Nef’s arrival.


“Now boys! While Nef has the monster distracted!” A voice shouted from a top of one of the few building left in the village that was not destroyed. It came from Zweal, one of the other pirates. Him, Goro and Gregory had scaled one of the nicer and bigger buildings in Jakka’s Crossing to get better vantage points with their crossbows while Silas distracted Garnerge. They had hopped over a railing and gotten onto the second floor balcony. With Goro and Gregory kneeling on each of Zweal’s sides, they shot in unison. The sounds of their drawstrings were almost indistinguishable from each other. The bolts flew from their weapons.


Garnerge did not move, or even turn his head to the sound of Zweal’s voice. Instead, he lifted his left arm in a lazily fashion, allowing two of the bolts to sink into his forearm. The third bolt was from Zweal’s crossbow and was more accurate. It found its way into Garnerge’s cheek, knocking out several of his sharp, wolfish teeth. He plucked it from his face as if it was nothing but a thorn. At this time, Nef had finally made his way to the beast. Summoning the strength of his T’Odis blood, he raised his long sword up high above his head and went for a downward killing blow to the sternum of Garnerge, but the blade would not find his chest.


Garnerge reached quickly with his massive right hand and used his palm to block the blow. The blade of the ornate sword went between his middle and ring finger and dug deep into hand, almost separating it into two halves. Before Nef could pull his sword back and go for another more devastating blow, Garnerge wrapped his gargantuan finger around the weapon as his darkly colored blood oozed from his open palm onto the blade. Acting as if there were no resistance from the other end, Garnerge violently yanked the sword from Nef’s grips.


Nef was mortified, but not deterred. He quickly reached for the dagger he usually kept sheathed on his chest, but he was not quick enough. Garnerge reached out with his left hand, the two crossbow bolts still sticking out of his forearm, and engulfed Nef’s entire head within his fist. The T’Odis pirate tried to scream out, but his cries were instantly muffled out by Garnerge’s palm.


“Fire again!” Zweal called out in desperation. Goro and Gregory had already reloaded and aimed. They pulled their triggers in unison yet again. All three bolts hit Garnerge in the left side of his throat, usually a killing blow, but he again made no reaction to them.


“Nef! Rat! Mosi! Hurry the fuck up! He’s going to-“ Adam began racing ahead of Mosi and Rat to try to get to Nef in time, but stopped dead in his tracks and cut himself off when Garnerge flexed his arm.


Nef’s squirming body became limp in a split second. Blood, chunks of flesh, and brain matter, almost impossible to tell which was what, oozed out between Garnerge’s fingers. His colossal shoulders started to heave up and down. He was chuckling.


“He’s killed Nef!” Adam turned to his two men as he tried to keep his composure. He needed to stay a leader if they were to kill this thing. They had someone to avenge now. “Are you ready?” Mosi and Rat, although visibly shaken, both agreed.


Silas came to consciousness while face down in the earth. He lifted himself up and spit blood and dirt from his mouth. Something wasn’t right. The front of his face burned worse then the nether regions of a Libertian whore. He had never felt a pain like this before, and to make things more curious, there was something invading the vision of his right eye. Bringing himself to a seating position, he brought his hand up and touched what he thought was something stuck to his face. The pain surged to levels he did not think was possible. What he thought was something stuck to his cheek under his eye was in fact his nose, knocked all the way to the right and severely broken.


“Come on you fucks, aim for his damn face! Fire!” Zweal, Goro, and Gregory sent another volley of bolts at Garnerge. Perhaps spurred by Zweal’s words, all three shots found some connection with Garnerge’s head. One hit him in the jaw while the other two found themselves in close proximity on his upper brow. This time Garnerge did turn his attention to the bowmen. He dropped Nef’s headless body, temporarily abandoning his plan to lick his palm clean. He crouched down and bent his mammoth knees into a squat position and in an amazing display, launched himself high into the air in a forward and diagonal direction, towards the building the three men were occupying. His gigantic frame somehow flew through the wind with grace. Zweal and his two allies watched on with obvious looks of fear. Zweal tried to call out to them.


“He’s coming right for us! Jump down n-“ Garnerge came crashing into building like a comet. Debris flew in all directions and the sound of wood cracking echoed out as he disappeared into the hole he created in the balcony and sidewall of the building. The three men who once stood in the now destroyed part of the balcony were gone, nowhere to be seen.


“Son of a…” Silas spoke to himself and trailed off. His nose was destroyed. He would show this demon the meaning of the ancient King Amollus’ Laws of Kildra. Eye for an eye. Limb for a limb.


“Nose for a nose, you fucker!” Silas shouted as he rose to his feet. His harpoon was now gone to an unknown spot. He pulled the battle-axe that hung at his waist and began sprinting towards the building that Garnerge had just crashed into, with a bit of a limp from his previous failed attack.
 
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Dariela walked around the dark and silent house. Everybody in the household seems to be already tucked in bed, with the exception of the general getting himself drunk in the tavern. The house was big. It was obvious that he had a good, if not extravagant, lifestyle. She seemed to have landed herself in the kitchen.


"Wouldn't hurt to get a few things for myself." She shrugged as she took an apple from a bowl. She bit into it and started walking slowly, looking at everything. The furniture was nothing like she's ever seen. The walls were decorated with priceless art and beautiful decor. Even the scent of the house was different. She walked around some more. This is like a field trip. I'm sure they won’t mind. She smiled to herself.


She found herself in the living room, there; she saw a rug of fur, good enough to sleep in. She saw elegant seats for their guests, more art, and weaponry out in display. Swords, axes, daggers, bows and arrows, and other things unknown to her eyes. She marveled at them. I could use a good sword. She thought as her hand traveled to the hilt of her own dagger. Though I have to admit, fighting around with a kebab stick does sound like a lot more fun. She giggled then put a hand over her mouth. Keep quiet, Dari. You don't wanna die yet, right?She scolded herself as she finished off her apple in two giant bites. She chewed quickly and forced it down her throat. She threw away the core of the apple on the ground, not caring at all. She looked behind her and saw the trail of sand she already left behind. She smirked at her trademark. Sandstorm. She thought of her silly nickname before diverting her attention back to the sword. She sighed lightly and bid goodbye to it. She let her finger trail at its edge. Needless to say, it cut her and she bled.


"You idiot." She hissed as she put the bleeding finger in her mouth.


Annoyed by her own actions, she marched herself up the stairs. She didn't even bother to look at the other intriguing things that met her along the way.


Dariela walked through the second floor quietly. She had her finger still in her mouth. Which one… hmm. Whatever. She opened a door and entered it slowly. The door creaked and she cringed. Oh dear.


Penelopi awoke to the sounds of her bedroom door slowly creaking open while her sister, Teroshi, stayed fast asleep in the bed beside her. The twins had insisted on continuing to share a room despite the many chambers in the manor. One of her small hands reached up to rub her tired eyes as she questioned the possible intruder,


"Father, is that you...?"


WHAT DO I DO WHAT DO I DO?! She screamed in her head. Panicking, she made sure she didn't step out of the shadow. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT HE SOUNDS LIKE, DARIELA YOU IDIOT! She let out a drunken-like grunt. She deepened her voice and prayed for strength from Anahit that it would work.


Teroshi stirred in her bed while Penelopi got up into a sitting position and struggled to get a glimpse of who was in the shadows of her doorway. She heard what sounded like her father's grunt, the kind he made after a long night at the tavern.


"Faahtherr..." Penelopi trailed off in her sleepily state. "Mother said you are not to come in our room anymore after you've been drinking." She said the last word with disgust. "We need to sleep."


Dariela closed the door a bit. She made sure her figure was hidden in the shadows. She let out another grunt… a happier one, as she closed the door. She had enough of that. Dariela, you almost killed yourself.


As Dariela shut the bedroom door to the twins' sleeping chambers, another door abruptly slammed shut further down the end of the hall. Standing underneath the lit hall torch was a tall Nomasdae woman. Her shoulders were broad for a woman, and the definition of her body was evident even in her nightgown. Her dark hair was braided and tied back by some sort of ornate jewelry piece. Her eyes were narrow and beautiful despite the wrinkles that had begun to form under them, and her nose had a golden ring pierced through one of the nostrils. The look on her face was one of fury, but a contained one. This woman was Marashaa El-Wazzi, the wife of General Gethario and one of the fiercest female pit-fighters in the history of Indoria.

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[SIZE=10.5pt]"You have broken into the wrong home, you little street-rat whore!" She hissed. Clenched in her right hand was a curved dagger with a dark colored blade and golden hilt. "And you have tracked sand all over my rugs!" The containment in the fury was now gone as Marashaa charged full-force at the young intruder. Dariela stared at the woman with wide eyes and a smug grin.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]"Well lady, we live in the desert. In case you haven't noticed, there's damned sand everywhere." [/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]She watched her charge and Dari sighed. Ah this is it, Dariela, you're going to die. She took out her own dagger, but tried to dodge Marashaa instead of blocking. She knew she didn't stand a chance agaisnt the skilled fighter. So she jumped away from the angry wife, desperate to avoid her dagger. She was lucky that Marashaa was sleeping just moments before. Her reflexes and aim were not as on point as they normally would have been in her half-awake state. She reached Dariela with her speedy charge and hacked wildly at her head and mid-section. The young thief showed a surprising agility with her dodging of the strikes. One of Marashaa's deadly attacks had too much effort in its swing and the freshly sharpened blade found itself lunged deep into the wooden door of the twins' bedroom as Dariela ducked under the blow.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]"GEEZ, THAT ALMOST HIT ME!" She hissed and flinched farther away. Her heart was beating fast and her breathing was heavier. Her eyes lingered to the dagger then back to the general's wife. Why am I here again? Oh right… the band. [/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]"Rude." She tsked. She still had her own dagger in hand but made no attempt to strike the angry lady.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]Marashaa glowered at Dariela with fire in her eyes.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]"Do you think this is some kind of game, young one? You break into my home and disturb my children!? I will open your throat with my bare hands![/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]" The enraged warrior mother let go of the trapped dagger and spun on her left heel in a full circle while extending her right leg in a spinning acrobatic kick at Dariela's torso.[/SIZE] [SIZE=10.5pt]She managed to get distracted, and Dariela moved too slowly. She moved back, but Marashaa's foot got her abdomen and she stumbled. She hit the wall and regained her balance there. Damn it, get your head in the game. She scolded herself as she put her hand on her stomach. It hurt. Dariela's eyes looked at the warrior's wrists, looking for the wedding band.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]Marashaa was a lifelong trained combatant so she knew where her opponent's gaze fell. She was acutely awake now, the adrenaline coursing through her veins. If she had the moment to think, she would have been impressed with how well Dariela took one of her kicks.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]"Is this what you are risking your life for, girl? This piece of metal?"[/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt] Marashaa asked while holding up her wrist and exposing her flawless and expensive looking wedding bracelet wrapped around her wrist and forearm. "Like I said, you have made a mistake. You have entered the wrong home." Marashaa calmed herself and slightly bent her knees, getting into a proper hand-to-hand fighting stance. "You either leave here with what you came for, or not at all." The Nomasdae mother smiled, her maternal rage now replaced a warrior's excitement for potential combat. Her hands were raised in front of her, part of her stance, and with a motion of her fingers, she gestured to the late night intruder to "bring it".[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]Fighting a general's wife. A [/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]warrior wife. What could go wrong? Dariela sighed and almost groaned. Knowing she can't win against the she scanned the area at the corner of her eyes. She saw a table with unknown things. Those look expensive. She backed away slowly, her eyes never leaving the warrior. Her hands grabbed what they could and threw it at the angry lady.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]Marashaa grabbed her prized vases from the air with nimble ease, tossing them gently onto her carpeted hall floor and saving them from destruction. She sighed with anger at the young thief's annoying way of handling the confrontation. "Come girl, fight for what you came for!" Seeing that her opponent had backed into the hall corner just above the stairs, the large woman ducked a further bit down and with a sprinting leap forward, threw a hard and fast right jab at Dariela's cheek.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]Dariela's eyes widened as she dodged left, instictively trying to grab the hand that tried to punch her. She forgot that she was holding a dagger and it cut Marashaa's wrist. Oh dear gross. Oh wait no, this is good. She grabbed the wedding band and used the blood as a lubricant to slide it off. She jumped from the second floor to the first, with her dagger on her hand, and the band in the other.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]Bad idea. [/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]Marashaa yanked her arm back when she felt the blade slice into her wrist. This effectively helped the bracelet slip off of her wrist and into Dariela's grasp.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]"You little bitch!" She grabbed at her wound and quickly applied pressure. Off in the twins' bedroom a voice called out,[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]"Mother, is that you?"[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]"Penelopi! Teroshi! Stay in your chambers!" Marashaa called back. She watched the agile teenager jump over the railing of the hall to drop onto the first floor with her wedding bracelet from Gethario in hand. She would not let the thief get away so easily and followed suit with a lunge of her own to the level below.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]Dariela landed butt first.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]"Ow!" She hissed. I am not sitting down for a while. She got up and had her hands on her hip as she limped away, only to see the Warrior Wife jump too.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]"Lady, just give up, I'm tired!" She hissed as she sheathed her dagger and ran back out the window from where she came.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]With a heavy but graceful landing, several items fell off a wall shelf from the impact of Marashaa's bulky body hitting the wooden floor. She crouched her knees and braced herself for the landing. The sound of feet moving away from her quickly was right by her side.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]Marashaa eyed and predicted the small girl's attempted jump out of the wind. She would not let her get away so easily. She moved quickly and chased after the thief, her longer strides gaining on Dariela in a just a few steps. Before Dariela could make a full jump out of the window, Marashaa grabbed her by the waist band of her pants while she was in the air, and yanked back with every fiber of her being, effectively throwing Dariela back into her home and crashing into a wooden table.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]Dariela groaned as she crashed on the table. She had her hands on her pants and she pulled them up.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]"If you wanted to see me naked, you could have just said, you pervert[/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]!" She said as she quickly got up her feet.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]Well there goes that way out. [/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]She moved away from the angry lady, calculating her steps. She eyed the rest of the house, but stayed alert, watching the warrior. Ah I could always use the front door. After all, it'd be locked from the inside. She ran to the door.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]Marashaa watched the wiry intruder gather herself up from the no[/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]w in pieces end table. She wasn't sure if the young girl was mocking or jesting with her accusation, but she did not care either way.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]"The only thing I will take from your body is your skin!" Marashaa raged. Dariela's eyes darted back and forth, looking for another escape. Marashaa watched her line of sight connect with the front entrance. With an impressive burst of speed, Dariela sprinted to the door in a beeline.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]Instead of chasing after her again, Marashaa turned to the wall beside her, and with her wrist still bleeding, grabbed one of Gethario's many beautifully crafted curved swords that he kept on display. There were many weapons on display in the El-Wazzi home such as long swords and battle-axes that Gethario had purchased or gained one way or the other over the years. She had quite a choice of sharpened tools, but the curved sword best fitted her purpose. With an unhinge from its hooks, it was in her bloody grasp, smearing red on the flawless hilt. The front door was now swinging open in Dariela's hands. Marashaa had one last chance to stop her. She aimed, and then with a flick of her wrist and hard swing of her arm, she threw the sword much like a dagger. It flipped through the air, cutting it with a slight sound, as it moved with great speed at Dariela's head. But her aim was off. It had just missed the escaping home invader's head by a few inches to a half a foot. The razor sharp blade of the curved sword hit the door and sunk into the wood with tremendous force, enough to slam it back closed out of Dariela's clutches.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]"HOLY FUCK YOU ALMOST KILLED ME, CRAZY BITCH!" Dariela was knocked back and she leaned on the door for support. Her heart was beating and her eyes were crazed. She eyed the curved sword and let out something that resembled a cry. [/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]"DAMN!" She panted and stared at the crazy warrior lady. She shook her head but opened the door again to get out.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]Marashaa watched as her failure allowed the foul-mouthed burglar to open the door made of corl wood and slip out of the entrance. She could not let this happen. She could hear Gethario now. His voice mocking her in her head.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]"The fierce Marashaa, undefeated in the pits of Braylic and Falcon's Haven. And she let's a little girl sneak into our home with our children and take her wedding bracelet? Directly from her arm, no less?"[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]No, she would not let his drunken ass have that satisfaction. She would give chase with everything she had. And when she caught the street-rat, she would smash her skull against the closest stonewall for all in the night to see. She began pumping her long muscular legs and raced out the entrance of her home right on the tail of Dariela.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]I'm dead i'm dead i'm dead i'm dead i'm dead i'm dead i'm dead i'm dead. [/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]Dari chanted in her head. She had a limp on her hip and running was excruciating. She didn't dare look behind her but knew the angry woman was right there following her and gaining on her.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]Where do I go, I can't lose her, I can't shake her off! [/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]She groaned to herself. Oh oh the trap. She grinned and turned hard left, going back to the trap.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]Marashaa eyed the little thief dart left into an alleyway. She was gaining on her. Continuing her long strides, she made it to the mouth of the alley and ran down it herself. She only made it a few steps into the darkness of the alley when she felt her foot step on something. Before she could check just what it was, a mound of sand smacked her in the face, entering her nostrils, mouth and eyes. Her eyes burned with a terrible fury as she chocked back mouthfuls of sand. Marashaa stopped in her tracks, coughing and hacking up the foreign debris.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]"Waah *Hack* err! I nee wah err! Halp" She cried out to no one in particular as she fell on rear. Hoping someone in the alley would have the decency to help her. Someone handed her some kind of gourd, she could not see whom due to her temporary blindness. She poured the contents into her eyes, face, and open mouth only to have another kind of burning sensation replace the previous one.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]"What kind of Idiot!? This is liquor!" She heard a burst of group laughter as her vision came to and saw it was a group of men leaving a tavern. She spit the contents and wiped the burning liquid from her face as she got to her feet. What happened? She looked up and down and found a trap mechanism was placed in the alleyway. Marashaa whipped her head around, looking for the thief, but she was nowhere to be seen. Marashaa let out a frustrated and furious cry into the night.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]Dariela didn't stop running despite the pain. At least, she didn't stop until she heard the angry lady's screams. She slowed down to a steady jog. People were staring at her; she looked down. Her breathing was heavy and she decided to stop. She walked to an alleyway and leaned on the wall, panting heavily. She raised her right hand and stared at the wedding band. It had dried blood on the inside. [/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]"All that for you." She chuckled and let herself slide down to sit. She had her head down.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]"Well, that could have gone better." She heard a familiar voice and looked to the shadows to see the masked man lurking[/SIZE]
 
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Mhisri was dreaming. They were not of the pleasant sort, however, but of strange contorted figures and unrecognizable sounds. She found herself trying to listen, trying to see. After all, she had read that dreams were just a collection of thoughts, ideas, memories, and external stimuli manifesting themselves during the various restful periods of the brain. She was a heavy sleeper too; her dreams were often vivid. Though she couldn't help but think that this particular dream was more subject to the 'external stimuli' bit. She listened more closely: the unrecognizable sounds became haunting, hollow screams. The contorted figures grew thin and began to become bathed in a dull light. The screams grew louder.


The librarian was shaking her. Mhisri opened her eyes fully and turned her head to face him. Had she stayed too long? Was the library closing? He didn't look angry or tired though. In fact he looked absolutely terrified.


"My dear, you must go, something is coming and it leaves death in its wake!"


"What? What did you say?"


"Go, NOW!"


Mhisri was fully awake now, the reality of her dream weighing in on her. The screams were real, and they were coming from outside, not very far away. The abundance of books lining every crevasse of the library walls had provided a thick, papery insulation that muffled many sounds, including those of terror. Mhisri jumped to her feet, a pile of books falling noisily to the ground, and ran to the nearest window. The librarian protested and begged her to leave again.


"Where will you go?" she asked him as she wiped the dusty glass with her sleeve, peering outside. Fires were blazing, and people were dead in the streets. How could so many people die in such a short time?


"There is a vault - all libraries have them for the more important literary specimens. There is no time for you to leave; you must-"


"There are vaults? In all libraries?" Mhisri asked, distracted. How did she not know about this?


"My dear, we must go, NOW!"


"Go to the vault, and I will meet you there. There are likely people out there who are hurt and need medical assistance, which I can provide. I've read all the books by Wheedin."


"But there are 206..." the librarian muttered, half to himself. He quickly regained his consciousness of the severity of the moment, however, and urged her to reconsider. "There is no hope for them, my dear!"


"There is always hope." Mhisri replied, picking up the book on basketweaving and the mug that held her tea, now only the thick lump of kenunyha leaves.


After a brief moment of recognized defeat, the librarian wished her luck, and headed to the back, making his way down a small set of stairs to the vault, which Mhisri heard open, close, and then seal with a heavy click. It was only a moment later that a fierce crashing sound and its physical counterpart destroyed the roof of the library.


The heavy wooden planks of the roof structure came crashing down with an alarming sound that filled every corner of the library, assaulting Mhisri’s ears and causing her to lose her balance. According to “The Art of Peaceful Combat and Self-Defense” by Bradyn Bhonse, a counterbalance could be achieved with a calculated backwards movement of the left leg, and Mhisri was able to remain standing. The force of the blast caused a rumble to erupt throughout the entire building, however, and the immense bookcase behind her tipped with alarming speed, and, gravity taking its hold, fell heavily upon her, knocking her to the ground in a shower of books and trinkets and bruises. Stunned and in pain, she lay under a small mountain of the shelf’s spilled contents as a figure emerged from the rubble.


Mhisri thought the figure to be only a large man, but the blurred outline of the rising creature kept growing, her unease becoming heavier and more caustic, until it stood nearly the height of two men, and almost as thick. As her vision sharpened and her awareness returned, Mhisri noticed a thick, black substance around the monster's mouth and several crossbow bolts stuck in his arms. He seemed to be interested in the ground around him, peering at the rubble with tiny, blooded eyes. He soon deserted any semblance of carefulness and plunged his hand into the closest pile of rubble, flinging the massive debris toward the back of the building. Smaller pieces fell on top of Mhisri's spine-bound camouflage, pressing the dulled corners of the books deeper into her skin. She didn't dare make a sound. She knew she didn't have the strength to fight this abomination. But she might have the wits to escape.


The monster had found what he was looking for. From the mound of rubble that he had assaulted with his fist he produced a body, which had flown with the wreckage to the back of the library, or what was left of it. The hulking beast walked to it, in only two or three massive steps, and picked it up. The body was limp, clearly lifeless. Mhisri had not seen it before, and wondered if it had been a result of the crash that had brought the monster inside. She didn't have room in her thoughts to wonder long, however, because the monster immediately placed the body in its mouth and, with a sickening CRUNCH had removed the torso from the rest of the limbs, one leg remaining between the creatures lips while the other leg and both arms fell to the floor. He chewed only enough to make Mhisri immediately sick to her stomach before swallowing and breaking loose another section of rubble on the floor. Perhaps there were more bodies, Mhisri thought. How long until he searches her section of the wreckage?


Mhisri needed to get out, hopefully while he was distracted with his body search. The mug she was carrying was shattered on the floor beside her head, close enough for her to push the lump of tea leaves into her mouth without moving many books. For the anxiety, she thought. Now for the escape. Her head was mostly covered, but there were a few gaps from which she could see out. Too much rubble lay heaped up on the floor and edges of the walls; the door would be inaccessible and the windows took too much time to open. The back way only led to the vault, and Mhisri didn't want to endanger the hiding librarian. It looked like her only means of escape was through the gaping hole in the ceiling.


Mhisri calculated the vertical distance to the roof and the difference between that and the height of the bookshelves that were still standing. Luckily the hole was massive and more than one bookshelf was in the ideal vicinity. Her 142 pounds of weight and the right angle would allow for the ability to cross that difference, though not without some effort. The standing shelves were only standing precariously, and she would have approximately 2.6 seconds before her added weight would tip the balance and begin a quick descent. The chair she had sat upon earlier and a minor distraction would be necessary to make it up and out before the monster could reach her, which would be about 3.1 seconds, according to his earlier jaunt to the back of the library and allowing for more speed which would likely be incurred by his discovery at finding something still alive and kicking in the rubble.


Another crash and shower of debris. The monster had found another body. This time he pulled the appendages from their sockets and chewed them one by one, seeming to savor this body a little more than the last. Putrid fluid ran down his chin. Now was her chance.


Grabbing hold of a mid-sized book, Mhisri pressed lightly against her paper cage, gauging the area of the heaviest weight. Finding it to be the space that weighed down between her shoulder blades, she pressed hard against it to make her emergence quicker. Books fell to the floor with a sound surprisingly softer than she had expected. It did not matter - the beast turned his head to see, a red and meaty arm dangling from between his teeth. But she was already on the move. Running to the chair, she jumped, her full weight pressed downward, and sprang up against the adjacent wall, kicking against it and launching herself in the opposite direction, landing about 2/3 up the height of the nearest bookcase, an action which propelled her higher than her own leverage would have managed. She clutched the shelf desperately as she heard the hulking mass at the other end of the room give a frightening chuckle and begin his chase. Just a split second more...


She threw down the book she had picked up, aiming for the unstable leg of a nearby shelf, which took the hit hard and began to tip in her favor. She continued to scramble up her own shelf toward the roof, her weight bringing it down as she suspected, before leaping one final time toward the splintered edge of an exposed support beam. The shelf that had been hit by her book fell now, right on schedule, as the beast reached the target of its heavy wooden structure. He caught it easily, however, and pushed it aside as if it were a bedsheet. But the distraction proved effective in that the second shelf, the one which Mhisri had climbed upon to the roof, now fell as well, its corner landing hard upon his massive foot. He didn't even flinch.


"Was that supposed to cause me pain, human? You will be very disappointed to know that I didn't feel it at all!"


I only wanted you to be hindered, Mhisri thought, as she swung her body to a solid section of the roof, lifting herself with her legs. And I have managed to do that, at least.


Mhisri ran - a grove of large trees was huddled at the edge of the library, and with enough speed and the right degree of force, just like she had read in "The Basic Law of Velocity" by Hugo L'Ironn, she just...might...make it...


The beast burst from the ground below, creating a new jagged hole in the roof, right behind Mhisri as she ran. She had no time to calculate her jump, but was rather thrown from the edge of the crumbling roof, her destination coming toward her much faster than she had anticipated. She hit the trunk of a tree with alarming force, shattering her collarbone and a couple ribs, thoroughly knocking the wind out of her. She managed to hold on to the large branch below her, and continued to hold on tight, the strain on her broken bones causing tears to form in her eyes. She looked up between sweaty wisps of hair.


Where was the beast?
 
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Berk found himself drawn to the south, to the deserts of Zeldwa; he did not know if this pull was drawing him exactly towards what he sought or if his mind was tricking him to go there. He knew his father was from these lands and in the back of his mind he suspected that was the only reason he was drawn to this desert. He had followed the stem of the Rey Ho River until the green slowly transitioned to sand, crossing the border and heading straight for Falcon Haven. He figured the busiest place might be a good place to start; after all, he had lived the past few years mostly as a lone wanderer and despite dreading the crowds and the people there, it might be his best bet.


He was now already several days past the Libertia / Indoria border, the sand between his boots and feet was an unfamiliar feeling. He didn't like it, he would continue to make the occasional stop, which was becoming a monotonous cycle. "Blasted sand...!" Berk whispered to himself, as he sat down, removed his shoes, and watched the sand slowly trickle out of his shoes when he tilted them. He grabbed his map and compass, his fingers tracing the map where a drop of sweat trickled down his brow onto the map, beads of sweat covering his face as he verified his path was correct. Berk's face turned to the sun, the heat was not letting up; he removed his sash from around his waist and tied it around his neck and head, but not before wiping the sweat off his face. He was close to Falcon Haven, 'Maybe I'll get there without much trouble' he thought to himself.


He looked around, the scenery was quite different from what he was used to. The only resemblance to the forests he was accustomed to were the large rocky cliffs. Towering high, he thought they almost looked like giant tree stumps, sparsely spaced like the remains of trees in a baron wasteland that once was a beautiful forest. They weren't trees, however, and this wasn't the live, green forest; they were rocks, and this place hadn't a hint of life... 'On second thought...' Berk thought to himself, as he could see a moving shadow in the distance. Berk's eyes narrow as he tries to identify the cause of the shadow, his hand immediately reaching for his bow, which remained still on his back until he decided he actually needed it. His wandering thoughts now completely set aside, his demeanor changing to that of a survivor and hunter. Steps silent. Approaching the creature.


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Berk was now close enough to make out the shape of this creature. It had mundane colors, brown and tan, as boring as the desert she walked but not any less dangerous looking. The creature yawned, or opened its mouth, it was irrelevant as Berk was confident it was a potentially hostile and aggressive creature. Its razor sharp teeth were overshadowed by two large and highly noticeable fangs. He continued to examine it, taking notice of the tail and eyes; his mind now fixed on survival. 'Take it out before it takes you out...' he thought, wielding his bow with his left hand as his right hand drops down. He runs his fingers through the feathers of his arrows before gripping one tightly and aiming it down the sight of his bow. His breathing now completely controlled to allow for an accurate shot before firing. Woosh, the arrow darts forward, piercing the air as it speeds towards the target. Direct hit! The arrow penetrates the creature where its short neck would be, if it even had a neck. The slight grin of pride and accomplishment quickly dissipating as the creature only staggers momentarily before regaining its footing; its eyes darting in Berk's direction.


A cloud of dust begins to rise from the ground as the creature violently jabs at the ground with its arms. The dust settles. The creature now gone, 'Where could it be...' he wonders with eyes scanning the horizon for any movement. 'It was gone...' a sigh of relief quickly turned into an initial panic as Berk felt his feet part the ground, his balance and footing completely thrown off as he felt his body sweep up and backwards through the air. He was normally good at regaining his balance, but the force and surprise of this attack caught him off guard. His grip on his bow failing, he could hear the creature below him but did not see it spring up and knock him into the air; the corner of his eye catching a glimpse of his bow as it hits the ground only moments before him. The air would have been knocked right out of him, but luckily he had been controlling his breathing and kept the air in his lungs at a minimum. The surprise and shock quickly dissipating as he regains his composure, only to hear strong and heavy footsteps charging towards him. His hands dart to his back, each reaching for a hilt before gripping tightly and swiping forward towards where he assumed the beast would be. He leans forward, gaining vision of the abomination as it charged him, his left hand stabbing the first dagger straight forward as the creature leaped to clamp its jaws around his neck. The force from the charging beast and the stab allows the sword to penetrate deep into the flesh of the beast's mouth before the tip exits, the metal reflecting the sun and momentarily flashes into Berk's eyes. He knew the blade had pierced through the creature, but when his eyes readjusted from the glare he noticed that one of the fangs had found its way into his left forearm. Berk knew he had to finish this quickly before he was finished, he looked for another opening to strike with his right arm as his left was stuck for now with the fang and his own dagger holding his arm in place. He noticed a wound where his arrow had struck, the arrow was gone, lost to the sands when the creature burrowed; but its purpose was true. He reared his right arm back, and swung it in an arc, stabbing the creature straight through the wound that was caused by the arrow. With the initial wound softening the creature's natural armor, the dagger easily pierced the flesh, only stopping when the hilt pressed against its skin. Darkness overcame Berk as his eyes heavily shut, collapsing into the sand. The last sound he heard was a large thud as his fingers slipped from his daggers.


Berk finally woke up, more calmly than he should have been after that fight. It was starting to get dark, but there was still plenty of light. 'What a crazy...' he started to think to himself before looking to his side, the slain beast bleeding out into the sand. It wasn't a dream, and after regaining full consciousness he felt a jolt of pain surge through his left arm. He felt weak, and immediately realized the creature must have released some sort of venom when it pierced him with its fang. He did not know the danger, but he wasn't going to take any chances; he had to get to Falcon Haven immediately. He weakly gets up, pulling the daggers from the slain beast and sheathing them before walking as quickly as possible to gather his bow. Luckily he didn't have to chance any of his arrows around. He got his bearings together and began walking as quickly as possible towards the city while wrapping his forearm tightly with his sash. The blood getting lost in the similarly colored fabric as he tied the wound to stop the bleeding. He knew it was too late to cut blood flow to his arm so he just covered the wound. His untimely nap, caused by the unknown and foreign venom entering his blood stream, made it so that he couldn't cut the blood flow in time.


After what seemed like hours, he could spot a large city in the distance...Falcon Haven. He continued on, his eyes a bit hazy and his body dehydrated. Time was distorted but he found himself walking through the alleyways of the city. "Where am...I?" he whispers to himself, aware that he was in Falcon Haven, but not sure where exactly he was or where he should go to seek help. He takes the last few gulps of water from his canteen before trying to speak as clearly and audibly as possible. "Help... Poison..." he repeated to anyone walking by, hoping someone would know what to do.
 
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Man could rise to any height, but there was an animal level beneath which he could not fall
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T.E Lawrence, Seven pillars of wisdom
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​


Arcsidian, the self-claimed man of erudition did not concur that night to the tepid banquet of vindication, rather excused himself to his library after the superfluity of excuses he made to the seven captains disgusted him. The jubilation of his men, immersed in reprobation has set the appropriate mood for the book he was reading. A crimson book, embellished with delicate golden strings disseminated over the cover. This chaotic ubiquity of golden string at the top emerged into order, which formed the title, "The master merit". The enigmatic nature of the book vindicated the author’s intentions in justifying slavery through improvisation and metaphysical reasoning. "A total rhetoric." Arcsidian thought. He did not concur to the dictum, but he was confident that his own, provided limpid judgment which contributed greatly to the fruition of his business propriety.


Samir, one of arcsidian's men knocked on the door and entered upon receiving permission. "m'lord the captain's are leaving, one of them left you this note." and hands the letter to arcsidian. The letter mentioned the Lord Nevarron's intentions of purchasing a female slave with diaphanous details. "Samir, have the slave girl we purchased last month prepared in decent clothing, see that she's embellished and ship her of." Samir leaves. Arcsidian returns to the book but underneath, he's replaying the day he purchased the slave girl Lilly @Zuka in the secret auction held here in Kildra a month ago.


The young female was but a child, a teenage girl. This one was terrified to her deepest cores. "I have little use for a kitten. I don't usually play with them. I might feed you to my dogs, or worst." Arcsidian was talking about his men. The girl let out a very damp scream, an act of fear lubricated by more fear.


For a while now, a peaceful sleep’s been a rare commodity for Arcsidian and tonight was no different. Dreams full of repugnance and conversations with odd individuals. Starting with impertinence, war, and then, tranquility and nothingness. Mass destruction. Even His adroitness of brain could not comprehend. A sudden shock and arcsidian jumped up looking for his dagger like a child for his mother, neglecting the figure that caused it. "M'lord! We’ve been attacked! Redmight's legions sir!" This is the voice of Samir. Arcsidian couldn't believe his ears


 "Those treacherous bastards just had dinner with us. I told Václav to watch their moves!"


"I think his excused, his body was found in a ditch!"


Redmight's assassin took advantage of the feast to hide all over his compound. More than half of his men are dead. How superficial he felt. Maybe he didn't comprehend the disaster in his circumference or he just didn't care. In the past he had always been critical of his own feelings and their authenticity.


The sound of men screaming and fighting outside the library, in amazing propriety, reminded him of one of those conversations he had with someone in his dreams. There were no fighting in his dream conversations, although, the smell of smoke, and the grindings of metals against each other, in all their repugnance with a normal conversation, in superficiality were no different.


Samir and arcsidian rushed towards the book columns. Arcsidian found what he was looking for. His escape. In the row of books about “ubiquity” a book leads to escape. It leads to a labyrinth of tunnels in amazing propriety with his book collections. He always thought of his library and their order of placement and propriety of subjects as a maze. He always thought that this library signify and symbolize his own mind! And he built that maze below his compound with the same proportions. As a result of this no one could find his way out of it but he himself. Samir and arcsidian stepped inside the maze for the intentions of survival. Soon they’ll end up in another for different intentions!
 
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And so, the morning would dawn with her first match. The coliseum was soaked with its guests, lining all around the walls of the battle floor as no seats were available. For who would miss the very first match of the day? The day was early, the sun barely reaching its quarter mark in the sky, which fortunately didn't cause the blinding gaze it generally would produce. This would surely let the beginning match go on with much focus and all the actions witnessed. And today, today news was spread, of a very unlikely pair of contestants, one moreso than the other. With the silencing of the citizens with the guards surrounding the arena, the spokesperson rose from his seat, throwing his arms up enthusiastically as he began to speak to the crowd.


"Welcome, blessed people of Lorn!! Today, let this morning begin with the utmost entertainment! For a match has been prepared for you, one of true might and honor: That of Fisticuffs!!" The crowd cheered violently, and for a while, as any morning should start with a good clean match which tested might. The delirious crowd was deafening, making the spokesperson reach for his ears as he waved the voices down, a quick reaction, more or less, which caused them to be quiet. With that, the male in robes quickly cleared his throat in a manner of quickness so he may continue. "And so! We have for you a special battle in mind! Urthok, from Kildra, the bear!!" Once more, a mighty cheer came as the far out cage door opened up, and walking forth was a brute of a man.

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The male looked around, a mighty grin upon his face. "Standing at a height of an impressive six feet and fourty seven centimeters, I give you Urthok, the Ferocious!!" With that, the cheers continued, the male roaring as he leapt into the air, fist pumping with a mighty chuckle, roaring as he leaned forward, flexing his muscles mightily towards the crowd to boost his own morale. 


However, within the other cage, eyes stared intently at such a figure. The vision viewed a tiny man, hopping around, his visage checkered by the cage. But he saw what he needed to. The man was muscular, yes. He imagined that he was the strongest in this arena so far. And all of this arena would agree. That is, until the next from T'Odis crawled out of his own hole and presented himself. For now, his heavy huffing was enough to disturb the guards behind him, who looked to one another with unsureness if this man was even stable enough to walk out there by himself, without instantly attacking such a morsel as this other man.


The hands of the spokesperson patted the air in front of him rapidly, though it took much from him to go on for an entire three minutes as the crowd eventually calmed, the contestant standing there with pumped muscles and a victorious grin already placed upon his face. The spokesperson chanted out the next sentence with the utmost respect and presentation, for even he knew already who would win this match. "But today, Urthok's might shall be contested!! The great yetti from T'Ordis has awoken from his slaughtering slumber to gift us with his presence this morning!!!" At this point, cheers were already growing among the crowd. "The titan of the arctic, the great fist of the cold!!! I Give you, VERTUK, THE RAM!!"


And the cage would open, where the vision Vertuk had was now pure. The male on the other side continued to pound at his own chest, waving forward whoever was within the shadows, the arrogant grin upon his face gaining more cheer. However, a mighty roar echoed out of the shadows, making the other pause for a moment with a frown of confusion. The roar was mighty, powerful, rumbling through the tunnel and silencing all with haste. Heavy steps were heard, crushing into the floor beneath him as eventually, a mighty, large hand grasped upon the top of the tunnel's roof. Peering through, a helmet stared straight to the warrior. The height alone sent a chill down the other's spine, but he gave a nervous chuckle and spun around, waving his arms mightily as cheering grew once more, only weakly. Gasps were heard, as the contestant grew silent, turning around to see the beast fully visible in the light of the day.

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The beast cared for no applause, his arms gripped mightily as he stared down to the contestant, looking around them, staring to all of the crowd before he took a mighty stomp forward, throwing his arms behind him as from behind his helm a deafening roar bellowed once more, his hands flexed and fingers spread apart, already ready to grapple. Cheer uproared for a moment, and grew silent as the spokesperson shouted out one last line before the action started. "Let the match, BEGIN!"


With that, the monstrous Vertuk did not hesitate to begin slowly marching towards Urthok, who was shyly beginning to march towards the other himself. His fists balled now, roaring as his fists were launched into the center part of Vertuk's chest, going at him for a while, at least fifteen punches. Vertuk stood there, witnessing this being's "Strength" as while he was being pounded upon, he flexed wildly, lifting up his left arm as he slid his gauntlet off with his other hand. Flexing his hand for a moment, he looked down to Urthok, who stared up to him with a mix of fear and getting ready to prepare for the Ram's blow. 


And a blow he would suffer. A blow that no preparation could've stopped.


The mighty Vertuk roared with a beastly spirit burning within, a sudden flailing of his left fist upwards, connecting with Urthok's center chest and launching him into the air, sending him back a good seven feet. The contestant was winded, doing his best to get up with wide eyes as the crowd roared in amazement, praise, and excitement. By the time Vertuk was towering over Urthok, all the being could've done was raise an arm up to push against Vertuk's lower thigh, as if that would halt him. The Ram lifted Urthok then, clutching onto his right collar bone and his waist buckle, raising him with ease over his head, turning around, and hurling him with a stomp forward, roaring again as he witnessed the bear rolling along the ground.


Vertuk continued to march forward, slowly gaining speed until suddenly a thundering sprint was engaged. Urthok rose, with enough adrenaline to turn around, eyes lit aflame with horror of what he witnessed. The seven foot beast crashed into the contestant, lifting him up and continuing to breath heavily and sprint, aiming straight for the wall. Suddenly, panic and screams would be filling the crowd as the spokesperson rose from his seat once more, a panic in his eyes as he shouted, "STOP! Stop!!!"


The only word that Vertuk comprehended in the past half hour of this day. Halting suddenly, only a foot away from the wall, The beast lifted Urthok high into the air, twisting his hips and dropping Urthok into the ground with a mighty slam. A cheer of praise came once more, as well as thank for not injuring the bear as badly as he was about to. The beast stood here, looking down to his contestant who looked to him in fear, wheezing as he rolled to his side and just gave up right there and then. The beast's muscles rippled with that, tossing off his other gauntlet for a moment before looking to the crowd, flexing his arms mightily as he began pounding on his chest like an ape, the crowd giving a truly deafening response.


The uproar was the second most enjoyable thing Vertuk acquired today, other than the chance to pummel this "Bear". The thought of this other outlander thinking his strength was worth more made the Ram wish to spit, and he would've, if he wasn't wearing his helm. Looking down to Urthok, he noticed his cage was opened, as well as a few medical carriers sprinting out to make sure his contestant was alright. With that, the beast marched his way slowly back into the hole he crawled out of, ending the fight. And yet, the cheering went on, for not many witnessed a giant such as Vertuk in their lives, let alone a single match upon an arena. Ducking under the ceiling, he grabbed onto it once more before letting go as his foot entered the shadow once more.
 
"Damn... This thing is warm" Solana sighed from within the large suit of metal armour, decorated with a couple unique and well-worn Decorations, it was masking her entire body, making her appear much more like a man than a woman. She despised the suit but had to wear it otherwise one of her father's men would most likely spot her and bring her back to him, the leader of the guards of lorn. It didn't help that there were countless foods being prepared in nearby stalls, primarily meats and spices from what she could smell, it made her want to choke from the strength of the ingredients. She chinked onward toward the yells and roars coming from the arena, her long and extremely heavy sword tucked into a sheath by her side and a large, even heavier shield strapped to her back. She felt like a pig being roasted over a fire! "Oh come on, you got this far... Just get to the arena and find a way away from this place or you'll never get to go anywhere" she reminded herself in a pitiable attempt at motivation.


It was the second day of the annual "arena week" as she liked to call it, the merchants and cooks were definitely making the most of it as people from all over crowded towards the place, it would be next to impossible for her to be found in the armour given the amount knights wishing to participate in it. Rumour had it that the monarch was going to appear this year, she would be lucky to even catch a glimpse of the lady, but that wasn't her objective. Her feet seemed to be moving of their own accord as she wandered further towards the arena while her mind was busy pondering different thoughts.


After several minutes of walking, she arrived before the arena itself, a monster of a building and a wonder of modern architecture. She had seen it before, but never actually gone into the stadium, her father had always told her that it was for grown-ups only and that she should stay in the house a study with her tutor. Her body was giddy with excitement as she stepped through the entrance along with countless others before recoiling at the sheer roars of appeasement coming from the crowds. Solana struggled her way into the stadium and found herself a small seat, coming in just as a giant of a man walked back into some sort of cage as a team of medics went and checked up on the second male that seemed to be groaning in pain. "..." The young woman's mouth was hanging wide open under her mask at the sheer astonishment of the sight.


Suddenly, she didn't feel very well at all. It all seemed to be a little much for her, the suit, the heat, the weight, the cheering, the smells and even the taste, it wall made her feel rather queasy. she shoved past the people next to her as she ran off from her seat until she suddenly fell over something and landed on something soft. She ran her hand through the substance, she felt too dizzy to even look at what she was currently on. she sat up for a moment and suddenly had the extreme urge to pull off her mask. She listened to her mind and pulled it off, her long blonde hair spilling out of the helmet as she leaned against a wooden pole and gasped for air. It was only then that she realised just where she was.


She had fallen into the arena pit. "oh god..." she mumbled before she just couldn't handle it any more and ended up throwing up on the small patch of sand she had landed on and emptied the contents of her stomach onto the soft ground.


@Aithen the Kindled (also @ anyone else in the arena)
 

A collaboration post with:
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@Zukaas Roadalian Successor to the throne Renaria Velouse
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 @Edinas Roadalian Head Priestess Azria Rohodege
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@too much ideaas Holy Knight Thera
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@Robyn Banks as Holy Knight Seraphina Aeritheos
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@King Ad Rock as Captain of the Holy Knights Janer Courtine, General Leonard Roadalia, Holy Knight Arturia Vanguard, and Holy Knight Amber Genevieve
​






[SIZE=12pt]Leonard stood with his back against the tavern door so no one could enter. A small lantern in the middle of the unkempt wooden floor dimly lighted the abandoned establishment. The floor had an old and faded red stain near the bar counter, possibly blood. Cobwebs were in every dark corner. Tattered curtains still hung in the windows blowing in the wind, but giving them a bit of privacy. The place had the musty smell of old alcohol, more then likely soaked into the wooden floors and tabletops. Many were turned over or broken, but one still stood in near perfect condition save for the dust, with Captain Janer sitting at it.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]She had a stern and concentrated look on her face for she was halfway through an argument with her secret lover. The moon shown brightly in the Roadalian sky outside the building. Nothing could be heard but crickets chirping their songs.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]“Because what you are suggesting… It is not only treasonous, but it is insane” Leonard barked. His own eyes were closed as well in agitation. He had his well-toned arms crossed over his chest. He had stripped of his official armor earlier in the day and was now clad in a dark gray shirt, the darkest top he owned, and a loose fitting pair of black slacks. A brown cloak adorned his shoulders, complete with a heavy hood that was currently down. He dressed to blend in with the night. Janer had playfully mocked him on his entrance, saying he read too many books. She was still fully dressed in Holy Knight armor.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]“And what are our options Leonard? Hm?” Janer countered. She had taken off her gauntlets and had her bare hands over her brow. “If what you say is-“[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]“I’m not sure what I heard.” Leonard interrupted.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]“Oh, now you do not know? I need you to have a spine Leonard. The country needs you to have one.” Leonard did not answer, but only let a look of hurt wash over his face. He opened his mouth to say more, but was cut off by the soft sound of knocking on the door behind him. With the look of hurt instantly gone, Leonard locked eyes with a serious looking Janer before turning to open the door.[/SIZE]



[SIZE=12pt]The door swung open and Thera is greeted by a man she did not expect to meet here. Her eyes go wide as she laid them on General Leonard, one who could very well be the second most important person in the kingdom. What is a man as important and as influential as he is doing here?[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]She did not ask, she knew she'd find out about it soon. She walked inside the tavern, closing the door behind her and waited like the good soldier she was.[/SIZE]



[SIZE=12pt]General Leonard allowed Thera into the tavern. She waited by the door without a word, her soldier's posture near perfect with her spine straightened. Many In Roadalia found the Parshumian to be an oddity and another one of the Queen's pet projects, but Leonard knew she was cunning, fierce, and above all, loyal. It was, after all, his idea for her to be at the meeting. Janer had actually protested at first, but Leonard insisted and assured her she could be trusted. The Captain countered with a sneering "So you know my women better then me now?"[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]"Do not worry Thera, we shall be alright. Many in the area actually believe this place to be haunted,” Leonard mocked. "It's usually avoided by the locals."[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]"It is why we chose this location." Said Janer from her seat at the only table. "Come Thera, sit." It sounded more like a command then a request. She motioned to the empty bench seat beside her.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]Thera wanted to refuse. It doesn't feel right, sitting and drinking with her superiors and people whom she respected. But seeing the expression on her face and listening to the tone of her voice, Thera gave in. She approached the table and sat next to her.[/SIZE]



[SIZE=12pt]Renaria had spent her whole day dodging officials, duty men, military personal, and praying. Admittedly the pray was more to pray for forgiveness for using the solitude to collect her thoughts rather then actually praying for salvation. Nighttime soon approached and wordlessly Renara dressed herself in something akin to a regular citizen's plain dress which rested at her shins, though she still wore her travel leather boots. Her bow slung over her shoulder hidden under the huge cloak she wore and quiver tucked on a belt at her hips. She pondered leaving it behind but thought against it.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]Her silent footsteps leading to the run down building. She rapped three times in much the same manner as she had at the Generals office, and once the door swung wide Renaria cloaked figure may have given off a threatening appearance. [/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]Would have, if the woman didn't raise her face just enough to have her piercing gaze rest on The General with what looked like the tinest of a coy smile gracing her lips. Voice so quiet it may have been a soft breeze blowing through. [/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]"...You should stand guard at run down Taverns more often...the role suits you..." She held his gaze as she stepped inside and past him before that same smile faded almost instantly as she stood before Thera and Janer. [/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]"Janer...Thera.... It is good to see you. Or, at least, it would be if the circumstances were not so dire." [/SIZE]



 

[SIZE=12pt]A familiar rhythmic knock came on the tavern door. Leonard cautiously opened it again to find Renaria, clothed in a similar cloak as his own. He now felt less silly then he did when Janer made her remarks earlier. She smiled and looked deep into his eyes as she walked inside and opened her mouth to speak,[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]"...You should stand guard at run down Taverns more often...the role suits you..." There was a hint of flirtation in her voice.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]"Err I, um... Yes! I mean err.. Thank you? Um.." Leonard was visibly flustered. He cleared his throat twice. Janer let out a short, loud, and unabashed laugh. For just a split moment, Leonard shot daggers at his lover. "Yes, well I would not be here if I did not have to be." He realized that Renaria was still standing and waiting by the entrance. He quickly rushed over to one of the chairs that were turned over in the corner of the tavern and brought it upright. With a furious patting of his hand, he wiped away the large amounts of accumulated dust on its seat. The clouds flew up into his face and made him cough a few times. Janer just shook her head from her seat.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]"Please have a seat." Said Leonard.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]Renaria noticed immediately that The General chose to wear a similar outfit to what she was, and had she been capable of more facial expressions she might have made a chuckle and a grin. But instead only the very corner of her mouth turned up and a bemused look stayed in her eyes. The guy looking so flustered after such simple words entertained her to no end, and she watched as he hurriedly upturned a chair and brushed the dust off. [/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]"Thank you kind Sir..." Even imitating a cute little curtsy holding the very corner of her dress, which looked only more amusing from the completely straight face. Often times her sarcasm or humor completely going over others head. In a way being here with this group, and not alone in a large dining hall felt oddly like her normal home and she found herself missing it suddenly as she took her seat with a completely straight back. Renaria heard the sharp tone in Janer's voice and her piercing eyes stayed onto her. She didn't like not knowing the situation, especially considering she was Successor to the Throne, but that was only natural with the Queen refusing to see her these days. [/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]Renaria turned to Captain Janer and Thera, "Janer...Thera.... It is good to see you. Or, at least, it would be if the circumstances were not so dire." [/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]"Dire doesn't begin to describe what had been going on." Janer retorted with the slightest bit of anger noticeable in her voice.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]"Maybe we should wait for the others before we begin Janer." As if on cue a thunderous knocking almost burst the tavern door open. The sudden noise made Leonard almost jump out of his skin.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]"HELLOOO! WE'RE HeRE FOooOR THE SEeeCRET MEEeeTING!" A booming voice slurred through the door. It was instantly followed by another, more restrained voice,[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]"Shut up, you imbecile!" Without hesitation Leonard swung open the door, revealing two more Holy Knights of Azae, both dressed in their Holy Knight formal wear. An obviously drunken Amber Genevieve was being held up by a struggling Arturia Vanguard. "General, I apologize, but do you think you could help me out here?" Asked Arturia. Amber Genevieve was no small woman. The red headed Kildran was almost as tall as Leonard and possibly just as built, and was draped over the shoulders of the much smaller Arturia. Leonard instinctively went to remove Arturia's physical burden, but stopped the moment Janer stood to her feet and shouted,[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]"Amber Genevieve! Are you drunk!?"[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]Amber took her oversized hand and slapped it over Arturia's face, the look of surprise evident in it, and using the leverage from pushing it, brought herself into a stance on her own weight. She sloppily brought her fist to her chest in a salute while wobbling on her feet.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]"Completely out of mind, Captain!" And with that answer, Amber burst out in dribbled laughing. Leonard was watching this still by the doorway and couldn't help but think to himself,[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]"And she was worried about Thera."[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]Arturia walked over by the still giggling Amber while rubbing her own cheek. "I apologize for Amber. We have had..." Arturia paused. "We have had a rough couple of weeks. What we did in Little Town..." Her voice trailed off and choked up at the end. She looked to the floor with a look of dismay. Janer stomped over to the two with intended fury. Amber cut her laughing and looked undoubtedly afraid now. Arturia stood at attention and tried to hide her grief.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]"Rough couple of weeks!? We have all had a rough couple of weeks Arturia!" Janer was bending down, her face in Arturia's. She then turned her hips and brought her face up to try to meet Amber's, only getting to her chin. " And Amber, I don't give a horse's ass if you want to drink, but to show up to this meeting like this..." Amber was still wobbling and trying to look away. She did not want to make eye contact with her superior.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]During all of this, Leonard had made his way to the old bar and was now kneeling behind the counter. His blonde hair became visible as his head popped back up. In his hands was now a corked bottle of clear liquid. He placed it on the counter top with a heavy thud, likely on purpose to accent what he was about to say.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]"Janer, ease up on them. We will all need a drink with what we are about to discuss."[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]"Aaalriiight General! You're not ashh boring ashh they say!" Amber yelled out while throwing her fist in the air. Arturia shook her head in embarrassment.[/SIZE]



[SIZE=12pt]It was hilarious for Thera, watching one of the lieutenants beyond drunk while the other is clearly embarrassed by her friend's. The entire situation reminded her of her days back on board the pirate ship, except the situation is clearly different and Janer is clearly not happy with this. Little Town, they said. The public executions shook them this much?[/SIZE]



[SIZE=12pt]Renaria slowly turned her head towards the door as the commotion of the two knights rolled in, staying silent though her expression looked vague. Truly this was different from any meeting she had had in the past, and she couldn't imagine ANY of the normal officials walking in like this. Her gaze turning then as The General put some clear liquid on the bench and even she was smart enough to realize it was Ethanol based. [/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]"Oh deary me..." The woman breathed. [/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]It was going to be that kind of meeting then was it? Eye's narrowing down a fraction in distaste. [/SIZE]



[SIZE=12pt]Leonard produced several perfectly clean glasses from the same spot that he had gotten the liquor. It was evident that he had left these here earlier in the day, before the meeting. Amber eagerly made her way over to the bar, away from the brooding Janer, while Arturia reluctantly followed her. Leonard smiled grimly at the pair and began to gingerly pour small amounts into each glass. He spoke while doing so,[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]“Feel free to decline the offer, but I think a strong drink will help us with what we are about to speak about.” The moonlight shone through the fluttering tattered rags in the window and glinted off of his glass as he lifted it to his lips and took it all back in one quick gulp. Janer had followed the two Holy Knights over to the bar and was not done with her questioning.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]“Speaking of which, just where were you two before this? You have your formal dresses on?”[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]Amber took her glass from Leonard’s hand hastily and swung her head back and swigged it back as fast he. He was impressed. Arturia was sniffing hers with a scowl, getting ready to take a tiny sip. Pouring two more glasses, Leonard gestured to Thera and Renaria,[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]“Thera? Renaria?” He held the glasses out with one hand.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]Renaria remained seated as she kept her gaze on the two new comers, though her eyes fell and held more so on Amber then the other girl. Really she couldn't imagine a single person ever acting that indecently and roaringly drunk, just how was she supposed to function in on anything. What if someone attacked her? Renaria remained silent though her thoughts raged.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]When the General reached out a hand with two glasses, she glanced up to his face curiously. She was torn for a very long time then with a very long drawn sigh, even letting her eyelids close completely down in an aspirated manner, she grasped a cup, and slammed it down, to everyone's shock probably, in much the same manner as Janer, Leonard and Amber had already done. Cup resting upside down against the tabletop.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]Of course having only been aquanted with this 'alcohol' today, Renaria's eyes went massive and she almost instantly regretted it. She was still as a statue but her face was paled significantly like she felt any sudden movements might make her stomach turn.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]And people drunk this stuff on a daily basis?...[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]Renaria watched Amber thud herself next to Thera making the whole table shake by extension and watching her newly emptied cup suddenly leap up into the air of its own free will. She snatched it straight out of the air rather expertly considering, before placing it solidly against the table once more. Though the whole episode left her wide-eyed and the reddness in her cheeks to enflame much faster then earlier in the day. The substance decidedly stronger then the Wine Leonard had given her earlier.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]Her slightly softened gaze turning to the new guest now.[/SIZE]



[SIZE=12pt]“Wewerre at Lieutenant General Abraham Tomney’s.” Amber swooned through her slurring speech. She dramatically put her hand to her forehead, feigning fainting.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]“He was having another one of his parties.”[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]“Tch, that Abraham. He acts like he is the most holy person in the capital, yet is probably one of the most lecherous men I have ever had the displeasure of working with.” Leonard interrupted, speaking to no one in particular. He was swirling around another small amount that he had poured himself. The disdain was clear in his face. The alcohol was hitting quick and his inhibitions were falling fast.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]“Yes, well, I normally would not attend such affair but-“ Arturia was cut off by Amber.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]“But I insishisited upon it! Afterrwhat we-we’ve went frough we desherved a little feshtivities. He had a wine fountain! How doya do that!?” Amber was about take another glass that Leonard had but Janer snatched it from her clutches.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]“No more for her. She has had enough.” Janer said plainly while drinking the entire contents of the glass she took from Amber.[/SIZE]
 


[SIZE=12pt]“Awww, Captainss! I’m fine!” Amber pouted. She held out both of her oversized mittens of hands in a pleading motion.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]“I said enough.” Janer’s voice was sharp and final.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]“Yes, Captain.” Amber said in a defeated tone. She slowly shuffled and made her way to the seat that Captain Janer previously occupied and flopped down hard next to Thera. She turned to her and gave her a big drunken grin. Her heavy arm came swinging around Thera’s shoulder in an embrace. “Hellloooo my wittle shweet pea! How’veya been!?”[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]"Sweet little pea?" Thera chuckled. The girl reeks of cheap alcohol. "You sure are drunk, Amber. At what could be the worst possible time ever." [/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]To be precise, at the worst possible time in her military career. Amber was lucky this was a secret meeting, where everything was kept off the record. Thera let Amber put her arm around her shoulder and sat well into Thera's personal space. She amused her and Thera was planning to bait her more into saying something stupid. Thera could not wait to see her reaction tomorrow when she tells Amber everything she said and done tonight, but she doubted that she'll even remember attending the meeting. [/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]“We should finish our drinks b-before our last guest arrives. We wouldn’t want them to see us like-“ Leonard was cut off while finishing another glass by an utterance from the tavern doorway.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]“It is too late General. I am here.”[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]Leonard quickly put his glass down and backed away from the bar table. The rest of the party turned their heads toward the source of the voice, the surprise evident in their faces. The High Priestess of Roadalia, Azria Rohodege, stood in the doorway, a picture of elegance and piety, but with discernment and valor evident in her eyes. Her soft and delicate frame did not fill the doorway, but she possessed a great presence, as if she were a giant in all actuality. Everyone in the room lowered their glasses to the table, looking a bit abashed and uncomfortable. Azria was familiar with those looks. [/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]Thera’s face turned cold the moment she saw the High Priestess. Taking her glass with her, Thera stood up and took a few steps back. Her face looked stiff and sweaty, almost funny since she never showed this kind of expression and emotion before. Thera took a glance around the room, as if trying to tell them, "I am not supposed to be in here and I don't even think I am supposed to hear what you are going to talk about right now."[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]Leonard hurriedly turned to the High Priestess Azria and gave her the traditional Roadalian salute accompanied by a deep bow, as was the custom in Roadalia when greeting the holy figure. Almost in unison, Janer gave her own salute and bow as well. While in her bent position, Janer tilted her head and glared at her three Holy Knights, hoping they would follow suit. [/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]Amber, who had let go of Thera when she stood up herself, jumped clumsily and drunkenly to her feet. She gave her own sloppy greeting as best as she could while Arturia did the same, but much more gracefully. Azria scanned the room, returning the simple greeting before she spoke: [/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]  [/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]"No need for formalities; we have a grave subject to discuss, and I believe our time is of the essence. Please, General, if you don't mind, I would very much like a glass of whatever you have there. It will indeed prove helpful, in some ways." [/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]Renaria's gaze slowly turned as she heard a voice from the doorway, her expression decidedly softer then the one she normally bore. However that expression almost instantly fell to her usual cold one as she realized just who had entered the room. She pushed her chair out as she slowly came to a stand, putting a fraction more weight onto the arm on the table as she did for no reason whatsoever and definitely not because of the strong liquor she had consumed recently. [/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]  [/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]Once standing she crossed an arm across her chest as she dipped her head slightly, more a formal response one might give an equal then a subordinate. Though she did so with such grace it held the same level respect as anything more exuberant. When she slowly straightened once more the Priestess called for less formalities and Renaria brushed down the front of her tunic dress before she slowly sat back down on her seat. Though a momentary frown appeared on her face as she realized she had thudded down on her bottom harder then expected because of the alcohol. [/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]  [/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]"I think it is about time we started this discussion, is it not?" [/SIZE]



 

 [SIZE=12pt]Seraphina eyes widened in amusement for what she saw. So many wolves in sheep clothing. High officers that took their lives for granted, lives that she would be happy to take away. When Renaria entered seraphina felt the urge to roll her eyes in exasperation. She always thought of Renaria as a traitor but now she had proof. To believe that the Queen broke a law for her. However it was pleasing to see her in her appropriate attire, if only she stayed that way.  [/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]  [/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]She took a moment to realize how banal the scenario is. People plotting over drinks in a bar, trying to perform small talk though the room was obviously filled with discomfort. Boring in her opinion. Amber made her entrance with a loud bang. That imbecile, a behemoth with the maturity of a child. Wait, that was inaccurate, there were youths that proved to be more responsible.  She never liked her presence, in honesty she didn’t like anyone. They were far beneath her and acted the part effectively. They were too sensitive or too sympathetic, things that should've never left their homes.   [/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]  [/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]The mystery guest peered into the room not too long after and everyone seemed stunned but her.  It made sense, ever since the queen named herself a prophet controversy arose. Maybe the priestess was worried about her head rolling down the hill for her traditional beliefs. Though her death was inevitable at this point either way.  Alas the meeting had the potential of becoming amusing.  Sera adjusted her posture in between the bushes, prepping her ears for what she may apprehend.  [/SIZE]



There is no going out from this, isn't it? They invited her in and she walked in, all people ranked above her conspiring against the Queen. If she walked out that door, she will probably end as a body in a ditch. If she stayed, she's a traitor. No longer the Queen's soldier, no longer the Queen's sword and shield. A backstabber, a traitor. The kind of person she despise the most.


Oh Father, Thera took a deep breathe in.  I'll decide after the meeting.


The worried expression on her face disappeared, Thera straightened her back positioned herself next to the still-drunk Amber as if trying to apologize for standing up so suddenly (While in truth she hopes that it woke her up, so she can stop acting so stupid and silly).


The party is over, now it's time to get serious.
 
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[SIZE=10.5pt]Poison... that word echoes in Berk's mind as his vision gets slightly blurry. His body feeling weaker with every passing moment, he could feel his fingers desperately trying to hold on to his canteen despite it being empty. A soft thud emanates from the ground as his canteen slips from his grasp, his body following shortly after as his knees give out. His hands barely mustering enough strength to break the fall, palms hitting the ground and clutching the sand beneath them as he looks up, hoping to find some sort of assistance.[/SIZE]


Tartae.jpg​



[SIZE=10.5pt]Tartae Moyamba was [/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]late.[/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt] The young Nomasdae boy of about fifteen years old was hurrying down a main street as fast as he could in the capital of Indoria, Falcon's Haven. The hot Indorian sun scorched down on his dark skin as he sped and jostled along past the busy people of the city. In his hands were a large bundle of scrolls, and large books almost too much for him to carry. Several of them were just barely in his grasp. He had just acquired them from the nearby library and was now racing to get them to his master, Rasuli Ul-Nanak.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt] [/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]Rasuli demanded that Tartae return with the correct scroll within a certain amount of time. This left the poor Tartae perplexed. There was not near enough time to peer through the text and recognize which scroll contained the information that was needed, and the library only allowed one to borrow three items at a time. Tartae sat in the library with a large pile of scrolls in front of him as large beads of sweat began to form on his forehead. He could physically feel the time leaving him and the wrath of Rasuli. On top of this, Rasuli requested a book that he refused to write the name of down. Now Tartae had two extremely large texts with similar titles in front of him under all of the scrolls.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt] [/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]Tartae nervously brought the mass of informative texts on ingredients and Tral-el physiology to the front desk of the library. The skinny yet stern looking librarian frowned from behind his glasses at the pile of papers. Tartae tried and tried to reason and plead with the un-breaking man, but soon realized that he would not only not budge, but that Tartae was wasting precious time. With a deep breath for courage, Tartae dove with arms wide open and grabbed all the scrolls and books from the desk and fled for the front door. The librarian was shouting on his heels. On his way out, Tartae turned his head and shouted behind him,[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt] [/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]“My apologies! I will return them! I Promise! My name is Tartae!”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Now here he was, almost floating down the streets, when he struck a large protuberance on the ground sending him and his scrolls flying into the hard stone ground. Tartae’s arms instinctively flew out to protect his face but his chest and torso took most of the hard landing, knocking the wind from his lungs. While Tartae caught his breath and stared at the now unraveled scrolls in the dirty streets, he heard the object that he tripped over call out for help.[/SIZE]



[SIZE=10.5pt]Call out for help?[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt] [/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]Lying on the side of the road, apparently directly in Tartae’s path and out of his sight, was a light skinned man. Tartae scrambled to his feet and hurried over to the injured man. He appeared to be another warrior, common in the capital of Indoria, but was uncommon was his skin color. There were no light skinned warriors in Falcon’s Haven. The only Kildrans that Tartae had ever seen were merchants passing through the city. And Tartae had never seen a T’Odis before as he had only heard stories.

The man appeared to be barely conscious. His eyes were closed and he was reaching out with his right hand. Tartae cautiously got closer to the injured stranger and instantly recognized his affliction from the symptoms. The Tral-el bite was hidden underneath a red sash on his forearm, but the few drops of blood dripping down onto the ground were clearly visible. Tartae knew the man could live, but he did not have much time.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt] [/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]“Do not worry my friend, I will help!”[/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt] Tartae tried to sound confident, but eyeing the man he realized he was going to have trouble lifting him to his feet by himself. It was then that Tartae saw two oncoming fair sized men just yards from them. As they approached, he called out to them,[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]“Please, my friends! Could you help me carry this poor injured soul to my master’s? He has been bitte-“[/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt] Tartae was cut off by the two Nomasdae warriors.

“Carry that pale skin? I don’t fuckin’ think so.” Said one of them without stopping. “What in Anahit’s sword is he anyway? At best he’s a half-breed. Let the poison take ‘em kid. “ And with that said, the two continued on past Tartae and his new dying companion.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]“Thank you for your compassion friends!”[/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt] Tartae shouted defiantly at them as they walked further away. One of them raised his arm without turning to lazily wave off his sarcastic taunt. Tartae turned to the man and grabbed his arm. [/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]“Alright friend, we can do this. But I am going to need your help.”[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]Berk could hear the footsteps of the two Nomasdae fade into the distance. He started to lose hope that anyone would help him but then he heard the voice of the young boy still nearby. [/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]“Alright…”[/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt] [/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]he replied weakly. Mustering up whatever strength he could, he shakily gets up and places his arm around the boy’s shoulder.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]Berk clutches his left forearm against his chest as they begin their slow walk down the road, the pain still surging through his arm, his vision still blurry and his body still weak from dehydration. Each step becoming more difficult than the previous one; he wonders when they will arrive at… ‘Where are we going anyway…?’ he wonders to himself. But he was too exhausted to try to figure out where they were headed so he just continues along, hoping that his days on this world weren’t over.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt] [/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]He had never felt this close to death; fear beginning to overcome him. Berk wondered if it was a mistake to come here, his dimmed senses still overloaded by this foreign environment as his eyes darted from left to right, instinctively watching out for any potential danger. His eyes catching a glimpse of a shiny reflection from the alley to the side; although the alley was dark, some light had found its way in and reflected off of an object he could not identify.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]Holding the object was a darker skinned, young woman, sitting down with her back leaning against the alley wall. A masked figure, lurking in the shadows could barely be seen adjacent to her. Berk eyed the two individuals tentatively as they seemed to be trying to avoid attention, they seemed suspicious to him. While close enough to hear their voices as they spoke, he was too fatigued to make out any of their words. He continued to hope that they would ignore him and the young boy, as he didn’t need any more trouble. The feeling of uneasiness strengthens momentarily as the masked figure looked directly at him. However, the shadowy figure did not react any further than the initial glance and the young woman seemed to not even notice; or perhaps she just didn’t care enough to look over.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt] [/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]Slowly, they walked past the alleyway and he lost sight of them; he breathes a short sigh of relief as they continued on. The young boy, however, stopped only a few moments afterwards as they reached a small 2-story home, [/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]"We're here!"[/SIZE] [SIZE=10.5pt]the boy said[/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]. Berk leans against the wall as he hears the clanking of keys, too tired to look up he waits to hear the sound of the door unlock and creak open before entering.[/SIZE]



[SIZE=10.5pt]Joint Post: @Rengar @King Ad Rock[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10.5pt]Mentioned: @CharmyPie[/SIZE]
 
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| Aloysius Amon-Apophis|
​


          |"You don't fear a man for his ability to kill you, but his intense abnormal desire to do so"|          
​


                                                                                    
​


|| Leader of Empty Ouroboros | Sole Master of The Wyrm's Intent | War-Poet of Anahit || 
​


/monthly_2016_09/57cbe8bb69efe_AloysiusKybros.thumb.jpg.b2510098de883303a8f55592e09b584d.jpg


|| Location: Iorn, Kildra. Fisticuffs Tournament Grounds ||
​


 
​


 || [|"A Snake That Speaks? Beware For That One Pours Venom Not In the Blood, But The Soul." |] ||   It held the sparse hint smell of dried blood, the smell of damp and dirtied iron. Familiar. No.  Such a word is held in for times of passing meetings. Where the sight of a plump merchant checking on the wares he fenced in from his cohorts. A beggar-thief coming in contact with the loot of a man from the middle class. A poor man taking a bit more feed for himself than his starving children without their knowing. 


   No this smell. This cruor that danced on the dusted air, that stood out against the putrid odors of sweating flesh and saliva spewed forth from a crowd going mad with enjoying the merriment of watching a battle. That slightly intoxicating aroma tantalized the hairs inside the nose of a man named Aloysius.  It wasn't familiarity. It  emanated a sense of unparalleled hearth.


     Home. Consistency. Truth. Unending and Perpetual Action. It was the smell of a person's fear, hate, rage, and malice. It spoke more words than ever needed. Men battling were the calling siren to those who walk such horrid paths like Aloysius, A man who inspired others to rip the very life out of their fellow men in war. A preacher, a man of guidance, a poet which wove words of inspiration and battle-lust. Why would he not be infatuated with the idea that the kingdoms seek peace (in some form), but allow such "disgusting" and "abhorrent" behavior?  Laughable. Pitiable. A laudable false resolution, but one that he had hope for the sparks of war and bloodlust to take hold in the hearts of men. One that he hoped, perhaps even knew, that would over take them once more in a war. 


   So blessed with the chance of battling was he, so blessed with the chance that he could show what made his very soul. Willing to face true and unbridled strife. The intensity of the fire of his being all formed into a singular and whole idea.  The Killing Intent.  As he listened to the crowd cheer his entrance. The sunlight flared as he stepped out from the shadowy enclosure--he began to remember what took him here.... 


***
​




      Aloysius had found this tournament not long ago. However his interest was not peaked. He expect the city's drunkards and men bearing a slight bit of muscle mass. He cared very little for the thought, for this presumption of what myriad of fools would slam taut and fleshy knuckle that was nary of the scars and hardening of a true warrior. 


  It was his flock that pestered and neighed at him about the event. The sporting event where one is allowed to destroy another in the ring of battle. Horrifying in retrospect, if one were of sane mind. If one were of the side of empathy and civility. Aloysius was stoic and perhaps rightly annoyed towards the constant nagging of his men to take part. Of course they desired to see him fight. To learn. To educate themselves. To hold reverence for a true follower of Anahit. It was with the words he spoke, apathy-laden signatures in his voice. 


    "...A bother. An annoyance."  He stapled his men's egging their leader on as nothing more than these chiding remarks. They were not worth much, and their daring attempt was more of an insult to him than a olive branch of student to master.  Children with the scars and armor of men, that's what they were worth, but they will learn.  They humored the outwardly stalwart man with at least some sort of reverence. It was with the words of who would be there that peaked his interest. A Monk from Parshum. One that move so much like he did. One that defeated men so easily. A serene and calm  man that struck with an empty palm.   A man that was said to eliminated an entire band of bandit without much as a scratch. Rumors merely, but rumors were hints of what was true--or at least a theory.  It was even this small morsel of information, whether truth or false, that interested him. 


   "Anahit has blessed me today."   An ornery slice rose across his flesh, from ear to ear it etched into his face. Bearing teeth pale white, fangs prepared. So ready. So impatient and giddy . A smile, not of a man. But of a snake. Of an abhorrent beast. One that had learned of a rival coming into the fray....


***
​


[@Trust]
​


    As he entered the field of battle, he witnessed a falling shadow. A person adorned in armor so ragged and cumbersome it cause some laughter from the crowd. A buffoon in their eyes. In Aloysius' however? Just a bit daft--but nothing warranting laughter. Not a scoff. A snicker. Nor a roll of the eyes. Only a stare. One that soon released pervading emptiness that hissed in the air. As if a void has opened, ripped open by such open and flagrant insidious intent to which the air whirl towards his form--one that cast a shadow above the fallen knight.  The stare reflected a composure that sought even devour the foolish knave that forgot the rule of gravity, and soon hoped it would soon forget the law of the wild.                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Not a far-cry from the devouring gaze he once easily bore in the mention of a fighter from Parshum, but it was much less in its need. As the war-poet of Anahit looked upon the armored messed that fell beside him, he could not help but lean forward and kneel. Placing a firm--constricting--palm upon their shoulder.


     "....To watch from here? Wise choice. Wise choice indeed, Daft Knave. You smell it too? Aspiring souls seeking utter destruction and to test their 'mettle'--perhaps you are like me. Couldn't stand to watch. A scent that beckoned us so easily, so seductively. It shall tempt me no longer dear Daft Knave."  He mocked that fallen Solana with such ease and such familiarity.  "Or is it that you scared? Hmph! No matter. Please watch and I'll give you reason to do so." A stern voice came forth as it ended his 'deliberation' with Solana. Perhaps pre-battle jitters or highs. Perhaps he desired to share a thought--or Perhaps a fine bit of bullying before the maiming of a man of honor before them. Ambiguity was not kind here. He desired her to realize that. 


  "We have mysterious challenger! One that only gave a single name! How interesting! Introducing the contender under the name: Wrym!"  The crowd cheered, while some laughed at the eccentricity of such terms. A fighter without a name. A criminal? A fool with a hope to lose without shame? However some knew who he was. A name that was not kind to utter and did not need to be uttered in the presence of good men and good women.  Aloysius Amon-Apophis. No honor in a name like that. Would be considered a depraved cult leader and sadist if not for his actions and participation in War of Royalty granting him some sort of respect amongst his peers. Whatever "peers" bands of soldiers for hire may be. No matter if they became vassal lords or the high-life nobility they "earned" in the swathes of young men they cut down for a bit of coin.  Aloysius cared little for coin, though. A man who enjoys war. Enjoys the strife and the conflict. A man that wrote poetry towards it like some star-crossed lover. How can that man hold even a small bit of reverence in the way he enjoys war. A man that manipulates young men into battle, spread religious teachings to destroy one's foe.  


   He looked to the crowd, silent as he came in--stoic and uncaring for it all. All this spectacle and glamour. What was the purpose of this? What was to be gained by become enthralled in the person and not the exchange of blows the would proceed?  As he peered with eyes so narrowed and voracious. Alas he found the jewel of this city to which he came to greet like a friend from so long ago. The curvature of his mouth appeared and then quickly faded as he awaited for his opponent to step forth....The Monk from Parshum. 


 
​






                                        
​


||Theme:  [| Abandoned By God |] | Voice: Micheal McConnochie | Quote: @Trust    ||
​


                                        
​
 

A collaboration post with
​


@Edin as Mhisri Mhorinn
​


@King Ad Rock as Ziek Sidane & The Pirates (R.I.P.)
​


Location: Jakka’s Crossing, Libertia
​


Date: Month 6, Day 15
​


Time: 8th hour of the Morning (8 A.M.)
​


 
​




Ziek crawled as fast as he could after Izem and the Kildran he was helping. They made their way to just outside the clearing of town and through the trees. A panting Izem placed his companion against the trunk of a tree. He was struggling with carrying the heavyset warrior. Ziek came behind them, digging through the grass and panting himself. He was still just using his left arm and knee to get around, while dragging his injured right leg behind him.


“I can’t… believe… you left me…. After all… that we’ve been through.” Ziek jested as he found his own tree trunk to prop himself up. He barely got the sarcastic words out between pants of breath. From where Ziek was sitting, he now had an open view of the majority of the village. It was a hellish visual with body parts strewn about the grass and large fires burning almost every structure. The smoke was collecting in a thick cloud above the village in the bright sunny sky. Nearby cities would be aware that something was going on soon if they were not already. It appeared there was no one left alive.


There was one building still in tact about ten yards to the right of the group just outside the trees where the village clearing began. Ziek could hear crashing within its walls. Izem ignored Ziek and looked the man over. While doing this he tried to keep him conscious by talking to him. “What is your name?”


“…Kael…” He coughed out. His middle finger on his left hand was missing and the wound was bleeding profusely, already collecting blood on the dirt beside him. Izem tore a small bit from his pants and tied it tightly around his hand trying to stop the bleeding.


“I need you to hold on to th…” Izem trailed off when he looked at the Kael’s right hand. Clutched tightly in his grasp was a chunk of meat that seemed to Izem to be some kind of gigantic tongue. At the wound point of where it would have been disconnected from whatever it came from was uncharacteristically dark and dried blood. Izem attempted to hold back his gagging. It twitched and Kael jerked in sudden surprise.


“What the fuck is that?” Ziek questioned, now also aware of it due to its movement.


“I think you can let that go now my friend.” Izem said while moving to take the tongue from his hand. Kael yanked his hand back, refusing to give up his souvenir. It seemed he was somewhat out of it, possibly from the pain of internal wounds. Izem shook his head as if to say, “Fine, keep it.” He stood from his kneeling position by Kael and turned to Ziek to address him directly for the first time since meeting him.


“I must go help my comrades.”


“Listen, guy. I think your friends are done for. We should be all working on gettin’ as-“


“You may be right. They may all be dead. But I must go check.” Izem interrupted Ziek while turning back to the burning Jakka’s Crossing.

“Come on! You saw that thing! You’re gonna-“ But before Ziek could finish his thought, Izem ran full pace into the village clearing.


“Die…” Ziek said the last word to himself for Izem was gone and Kael was lolling his head around, in and out of consciousness. “I guess it’s just me and you now, huh?” Ziek asked Kael, not expecting an answer. It was at that moment that the sound of bursting and breaking wood came from the building beside them. Something hit the top of the tree that Ziek was leaning against causing its trunk to vibrate, and before Ziek could react to the very close sound of Garnerge’s roar, a body was on top of him.




The branch Mhisri clung to did not hold and she fell, though the drop was not a long one. As she braced herself for a solid collision, she was surprised when her body landed on something else. It wasn't soft, but it wasn't the ground, and it somewhat lessened the impact. Searing pain ripped through her shoulder and chest and she cried out in pain, struggling to sit up in order to take the pressure off her broken bones. The mass underneath her shifted and groaned, and Mhisri jumped, startled by the movement.


Ziek almost caught the mass of female body directly in his lap. The weight knocked the wind out of him with a quick “Whew!” The woman’s back crashed into Ziek’s right shoulder, still in a sling, and her rear end landed in his uninjured left hand. The pain shot through his arm yet again, but Ziek grimaced and bared it. Realizing who and what was in his hand, he gave a few gentle squeezes and said playfully but breathlessly,


“Oh squishy, thank you, but you need to get off of me.”


The woman was immediately recognizable as being Parshumian, but her hair and eyes were the first things that stuck out in Ziek’s mind when she looked up at him from his lap. Her hair seemed white like a T’Odis, but had waves of purple in it. He had seen people use dyes from the jungle to permanently change their hair color before, but this was more unique. Her eyes were also a piercing crystal blue. Ziek felt like they were gazing into his soul. He had never seen anyone like her before and for a moment he was frozen.


"Hey, I'm trying." she replied, wincing. "Give me a moment; I just fell out of a tree."


"Kael, I think our luck might be turning. Beautiful women are falling out of trees."


"Speaking of that, the odds of me falling out of a tree and having someone underneath to break my fall were about 28,466,159,013 to 1. Your timing was impeccable." She sat herself up, attempting to pull herself onto her feet.


Ziek stared at her in disbelief. “Uh… What!? You hit your head?”


"Mostly my clavicle, sternum, and thoracic region, actually. My head appears to be just fine, albeit slightly concerned at my being groped in such an inappropriate situation as this."


Mhisri stood, clutching one hand to her rib cage, the other against the trunk of the tree to keep her steady. It was hard to breathe. She noticed another man slumped on the ground against the trunk of the tree, an unsettling amount of blood flowing from his hand. She bent over to get a better look, ignoring the pain in her chest, and inspected the wound. His finger was completely gone. It would need to be stitched or cauterized.


A commotion caused her to pull her attention from the bleeding man and look toward the center of Jakka's Crossing. There was the monster, surrounded by a few men who still stood. Could they take him on? Could she help in any way? She could help this man, and maybe the other, who had broken her fall. She needed to get back into the library. She turned to tell the first man to watch over the other while she went back inside the building, but a rumbling sound interrupted her. The walls of the library began to crumble.




"Gigantic beast men that come from the sky and eat people? Probably the end of times? I can see no more appropriate time as this." Ziek joked while squeezing the air.


Ziek watched the walls of the library come crashing down under their own weight in an explosive display. A cloud of dirt and dust kicked up into the air surrounding them.


"Hope no one was in there." He said in a tone that hinted that he really did not care either way.


"That thing came from the sky?" Mhisri asked, an eyebrow raised in unabashed skepticism. "That seems highly unlikely, as he is not of the winged variety, and is far too heavy for any alternatives." She watched him continue his squeezing motion as she spoke. "You are stroking the air." she said to him. "Is fondling women a reflex of yours?"


“When they look like you, and it may be my last moments on Azae, then yes, absolutely.” Ziek said matter of factly.




As Garnerge exploded through the roof of the library, he could see that his destructive exit had caused the creature he was chasing to be propelled off of it and into the forest trees. He used his massive hands to pull his gargantuan frame from the wreckage. Pieces of broken wood, dust, and debris slid off of his head and long shoulders while he rose. With each thunderous step, the wood below his feet crumpled and the building shook. He slowly approached where he could smell the small creature in the canopy. With a deep breath in through his putrid nostrils he could determine that it was a female. Females of any species always had such sweeter meat.


Before Garnerge could leap from the rooftop and into the leaves of the corls right next to the library that the woman disappeared into, a harpoon pierced cleanly through his right shin. The harpoon was attached to a rope that instantly pulled, tugging Garnerge’s leg back. He turned his neck and head, still covered in crossbow bolts, to find the source of the shot.

About twenty yards from the west side of the library, in the middle of the village was Adam, Rat, and Mosi. Mosi had found Silas’s spring loaded harpoon launcher lying in the dirt. He had pulled on the rope and found the harpoon, covered in bits of the beast’s flesh and reloaded it. Now all three men were pulling with their lives on the rope, trying to bring Garnerge off of his feet.

Garnerge mockingly chuckled in their direction. The harpoon had passed all the way through his shin and was pushed up against the back of his calf. With their combined strength, they were succeeding in pulling him closer and closer to the edge. His right leg was raised in the air while left leg dragged and broke wood under his weight. Deciding to give them what they wanted, Garnerge leaped from the rooftop of the library and landed on the ground two stories below in a cloud of dirt.


Adam turned to his two companions and gave them a short speech in an attempt to boost their confidence.


“This beast has killed Nef, Zweal, Goro Gregory, and Silas. We can’t let it get away with that.” Adam was shaking, not with fear, but with another feeling altogether. One that didn’t make sense in this time and place. Adam was shaking with rage. “We are goin’ to rip this fucking thing’s head off and mount it to the front of the ship, do ya hear me?”


“But-“ Rat began to protest, the fear evident on his face.


“I SAID ‘do ya hear me?’” Adam restated the question.  His teeth were gritted in obvious anger. Sweat dripped down his forehead to his cheek. Rat and Mosi had never seen him like this before.

“Aye, Cap’n!” the two pirates said in unison. They held their short swords up, on the ready.  Mosi looked over Adam’s shoulder, who had slightly turned his back to the beast. Garnerge was now slowly making his way over to the group of men. In an almost epic display, had the monstrosity itself not caused it, the walls of the library began to crumble under their own weight behind him. The building came down almost in an instant, sending clouds of debris following Garnerge as he slowly moved towards them.


“He’s comin for us!” Rat yelled while pointing his sword in the behemoth’s direction. Adam quickly turned to find Garnerge picking up speed and closing the distance between them at an alarming rate.


“I guess he doesn’t feel like wastin’ any time! Ne’er do I!” With that said, Adam began the charge at the oncoming murderous creature with no hesitation.  Pausing only for a slight moment to exchange glances that said more then they ever could with words, Mosi and Rat followed suit. As the three pirates got closer to the beast, Rat and Mosi widened the gap between them to try to flank Garnerge’s sides. With just a few yards between the opposing parties, the two men swiftly slid to their knees with the gained momentum from running behind them, and slashed away at his legs. The blades of their short swords sunk deep into the bulging muscles of Garnerge’s calves.


Mosi was able to make it by untouched, while Rat met a much different fate. Garnerge grabbed the pirate by his torso with his colossal hand as if he were nothing but a child’s doll, and tossed him like a living pebble high into the Libertian sky. Mosi watched in horror as his friend flipped around in the air, gaining so much propulsion that he disappeared over the Swazi Forest, his screams fading out in the distance.


“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

Mosi did not have much time to even comprehend Rat’s terrifying death when a swinging backhand from Garnerge’s left fist struck him with the force of a boulder and sent him soaring off his knees and into the air himself. He hit the grass with a sickening limpness as his limbs flailed around like loose chunks of meat.


At the same time that Garnerge was making quick work of Mosi, Adam, who had ran in a straight line, had reached his target with a leap into the air with his sword drawn and pointed at the middle of Garnerge’s hulking chest. The tip of the blade pushed through the skin despite the strong resistance. Adam tried to put his entire leap into the thrust in an attempt to break through the sternum. The sword struck Garnerge’s bone and stopped suddenly. Adam yanked on the sword in an effort to pull it back and strike again but it was firmly stuck in Garnerge’s chest.


More mocking guffaws game from Garnerge’s monstrous vocal cords as he raised his blood-covered fist to bring down on Adam’s head. Adam gave up on his struggle with the sword when he released the hilt to his weapon and without wasting time, dove into a barrel roll through the opening of Garnerge’s legs.


There was no time to think for the pirate captain. The roll was almost flawlessly executed, and with an exploding jump, he was instantly upon his feet in a run from Garnerge.  He had no plan. He had no weapon. His entire crew was dead. Yet there was still this nagging feeling in the back of his mind, cutting through his more serious and sudden thoughts. It was a voice that was telling him to go back and fight the unstoppable creature. An unexplainable rage burned deep within his chest and mind. But it was not this voice that caused him to stop dead in his tracks and turn around, but another more familiar one coming from behind him,


“SOMEBODY HELP ME! CAPTAIN!! HELP ME!!”


 


The dirt kicked up from Adam’s hasty skid to a halt. The voice was Izem’s, who Adam had forgotten he had left with the Tral-el hunter. But now there he was, inside the clutches of Garnerge. Had he attacked the beast while Adam was running away like a coward? He did not know. Izem was shouting, screaming furiously, and begging Azae for his life.


 


“AZAE! PLEEEASE! NO!NO!NO! OH GOD!”


Both of Garnerge’s gargantuan hands were wrapped tightly around Izem’s entire body with only his head and shoulders visible at the top and his feet dangling from the bottom. Garnerge was looking at Adam’s long time friend as if he was a child with some kind of treat, licking his lips in anticipation.


 


“ADAM!! HELP ME BROTH-“

What came next that silenced Izem was the most gruesome sight that Adam had ever witnessed. Garnerge opened his mouth in an unbelievably wide manner, and in a split second, brought his teeth down on Izem’s face. He did not take the pirate’s head in one chomp, instead taking the entire front portion of Izem’s face in a single clean bite, ripping it off as if were a mask to be detached. The last bit of skin stuck to the throat and eventually stretched and ripped like an undercooked piece of bacon. Fresh crimson blood sprayed forth from the skinned, writhing mug of Izem and covered the forehead and eyes of an ecstatic looking Garnerge with a red mist.


It was clear from the body convulsions and gurgling sounds coming from where Izem’s mouth once was that it was a not a quick death. Garnerge slurped his latest victim’s face skin with a frightful grin. Adam was frozen where he was while watching this, not being able to get his mind to take control over his muscles and continue to flee. The naked giant that had taken the lives of the brothers that Adam had held dear. 


 


Blood mixed with saliva seeped from the corners of Garnerge’s mouth as he chewed. With a swallow, he was ready for his next, more filling bite. He brought his massive jaws down with a repugnant “click” of his jagged teeth on the neck of the still wheezing Izem, taking the pirate’s whole head now into his mouth and decapitating him. Garnerge chewed the mass in his cheeks with stomach churning crunches of Izem’s skull with each maneuvering of his jaw.


 


Adam watched on, his gaze never breaking and his feet never moving. Smoke filled the air as most the fires burned all around them. Not a cry or scream could be heard in the village anymore as they had all died out. The only noise left was the roar of the fires and Garnerge’s loud chewing. Then, in a trance like state, Adam called out to the still feasting Garnerge,


“What are you…?”


 


Garnerge looked up from his bloodied meal after tearing into Izem’s chest cavity with a look of interest. Unidentifiable organs hung from the sides of his mouth. Instead of swallowing his mouthful, he spit the disgusting contents onto the Libertian earth so that he could answer the pitiful creature,


 


“I am the one who has come to rid this rock of its festering life.” Garnerge’s words were unexplainably more articulate and understandable now.  “I am the one who has come to bring a slow and painful death to each and every one of you delicious bags of flesh.”

Adam let his muscles succumb, dropped his weight, and fell to his knees in defeat. The beast did not give him a direct answer, but it was satisfactory either way. Garnerge was curiously eyeing the captain. After a moment, he tossed what was left of Izem’s corpse to the ground and made a slow stroll over to Adam. As Garnerge approached him, stopping a mere two feet from him, Adam’s eyes slowly closed. He could feel Garnerge’s hot breath from his nostrils. He tilted his head back slightly and his mouth opened to let out a whisper of two names:

“Maria… Chassi...” They would not get the life he had promised them.

Adam awaited his fate. To join his brothers in death. But all he heard and felt was Garnerge’s chuckle yet again, stomping, and the ground shaking beneath him.


 


He waited.


 


And waited.


 


And nothing.


 


Adam finally opened his eyes after what seemed like an eternity. His head darted back and forth, desperately scanning what was left of the village.


 


The beast was gone.




Silas had watched Garnerge fly into the last intact building in Jakka’s Crossing like some kind of comet. He hobbled on his injured legs after him as fast he could with his battle-axe still drawn. The blood was now gushing from the open wound in his face where his nose once was. It was pooling into his mouth and in the back of his throat in alarming amounts, but it bothered him not.


In normal circumstances, Silas would have turned tail and fled after regaining consciousness, but a baffling rage was burning deep inside him. An urge to gain revenge on this inhuman garbage that destroyed his face and disfigured him for life that was too primal to ignore.


It took him a bit with his limp to get to the newly created entrance to the building with the destroyed wall. Silas struggled but successfully climbed over the wreckage and knocked over wall to get inside. Once inside, he discovered the building was a pretty elaborate library. The insides of which were now destroyed. Most of the tall shelves were knocked over or broken in half completely. Books and papers covered the floor to the point it was barely visible.


What Silas didn’t notice was that several of the supporting beams for the building were also taken out.


Above Silas, on the second floor, came the commotion. He laid his eyes directly on Garnerge just as the beast was exploding through the ceiling of the library.  Silas took a deep breath in and bellowed out to the beast in a frenzied manner,


“HEY YOU STUPID, UGLY BASTARD! COME DOWN HERE AND GET ME! LET’S FINI-”

Garnerge either did not hear Silas’ taunts or did not care, for he continued his ascent to the roof through the newly created hole he just bashed in.

“Aye, you fuckin’ coward…” Silas trailed to himself. The stairs to the second floor were also brought to pieces on Garnerge’s initial entrance to the building, although it looked like Silas could use several bookshelves knocked into each other to climb onto the second floor.

While gingerly making his climb up the shelves, hoping not to dislodge anything and send the whole thing crashing down, Silas continued to grumble to himself,


“I’m goin’ tah cut off his nose an wear it roun’ my fuckin’ neck, I am… Giant fucker will remember the day he me-“


Before Silas could finish the thought the piercing sound of wood cracking and breaking under weight cut through his ears.  It was in this very last moment that he realized what was happening.


“Fuck…”


The walls and roof of the library came crashing down.
 
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Date: 6/15/369


Time: 6:00 AM


Location: Nevos


The wooden sign banged against the old battered cart. The wind carrying it in all sorts of directions. The word "Closed" painted onto the plank with a fine artistic lettering. The owner of the cart, Uma Drefa, stepped out of the small shack he calls home. Each step causing the floor to creak and cry. He walks over to the counter and stares at the letter opener like he does each morning. He picks it up, the cold silver causing his hands to tense up, and places the tip on his chest. He does this every morning and, like every morning, Uma puts the letter opener back onto the wooden table of his rundown shack. He couldn't end it today. He has had something on his mind for a couple of weeks now. He couldn't end it not feeding his curious mind. About two and a half weeks ago he had heard a rumor of a slave with bright beautiful blue eyes and snow white hair. One of Uma's noble customers asked him if he would be interested. Uma declined and explained that he didn't believe in such behavior. Buying and selling slaves was never Uma's style. As days went by Uma noticed he couldn't get this girl off of his mind. Was it because she was a T'Odis? Was it because he didn't know how old she was? Was it just an excuse to go off and break his daily routine? Regardless of the reason, she glued herself to the front of Uma's mind. He began questioning some of his noble customers, attempting to figure out her present location. One day, Uma asked a plump man in usual noble garb where he could find a slave looking like Uma. The man chuckled and told him that one was just bought at the Nevvarron Estate. This was two days ago. After putting the letter opener down this morning Uma made the decision to go looking for the girl. The trip wouldn't take long at all, especially on horseback. 


Uma went to the stables close by and rented a horse. After the beast was saddled up and ready, Uma made his way towards the estate. As Uma got further and further away from his home, a dark feeling in his hard began to lift. He felt alive, free, and reborn. Seeing the new scenery and the familiar scenery made him almost want to sprint there himself. The daydreaming and taking in all of the scenery made the trip feel like minuets when in reality it took a few hours. Uma arrived at the estate. It was just like any other estate that a noble family had. Decorative, fancy, and full of workers. The difference was that this one was huge. One of the largest Uma had ever seen. He tied the horse in the stables right outside the front gate. He walked up to the first person he saw, a woman carrying a basket of apples. He offered to help the woman since she seemed to be struggling with the monstrous basket. She declined at first but after some pestering the woman agreed. Uma placed the bottom of the basket onto his shoulder and used his arm to hold it up. His useless arm staying at his side in it's usual spot. Uma talked to the woman on the way and asked her if she had seen the T'Odis slave girl. The mention of slaves made the woman tense up. She denied any slave activity there. Uma persisted.


"Madam, I am not the guard. I am only searching for the girl. I-" Uma stopped. He had once again realized he didn't have a reason for seeing the girl. He didn't know why he just needed to. "I-I want to take her home."


The woman looked at Uma with concern in her eyes. "If I told you, he would have my head" she whispered. Uma could make the assumption that the woman meant the head of the estate. 


Uma looked back at the woman with a serious face. "I will make sure he doesn't know we even met. I promise you that." The sternest in his voice solidifying Uma's promise to the woman. 


The woman looked around and whispered into Uma's ear, "The son was seen taking the girl to the stables. He loves riding, but no one knows where he goes. Not even his father. That's all I know, I'm sorry." The woman grabbed the apples from Uma, put her head down,  and walked back onto her normal path.


Uma walked back to the stables and began searching for horse tracks other that his own. After a bit of searching he managed to find some promising ones. Uma mounted his steed and began his search, following the tracks. The tracks led to a small wooden house. A sign swung from brand new ropes above the building. "Bakery" was painted on the oak sign. Uma could make out two figures inside. The bakery was small and almost hidden. The lack of customers suggested that it was a local hidden gem. A horse was tied to the fence around the edge of the bakery. A saddle for two laid on it's back. Uma made his way towards the bakery. He placed his hand onto the doorknob and froze. What was he going to say? What was she going to say? Nothing? Should he just leave? No, he needed to know. Needed to scratch the mental itch that had been plaguing him for two and a half weeks. He opened the door and the bell above it rang. The owner behind the counter had said something but Uma wasn't paying any attention. When he saw her it shot a unfamiliar feeling into his heart. He could see his father in her eyes, his homeland in her hair, and his younger self in her face. He stood there stunned, frozen, and unable to say a word.


Mentioned: Zuka, Savagai 
 
Last edited by a moderator:

[COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 205)]Lilly and Rufus[/COLOR]
​


[COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 205)]Kildran Nervos Estate[/COLOR]
​


[COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 205)]Midday[/COLOR]
​






The Horse continued a slow walk for now. The rider didn't want to scare the T'Odis girl by trotting faster. Rufus kept one arm around Lilly and the other at the bridle. They ventured further into the woods near his father's estate. [COLOR= rgb(255, 0, 0)] "This is not like your home is it?"[/COLOR] Rufus knew the girl would understand him barely, but he continued to talk [COLOR= rgb(255, 0, 0)]"I love the woods, here did Sef and I met a few years ago when I was riding here. We talked so much that day. A month later we had our first date here, it was amazing."[/COLOR]


Lilly's blue eyes floated over the tree's of the Forest as they entered, momentary widening in amazement. There were tree's in her homeland but they were almost always blanketed in a heavy snow except for a few times a year that one might call 'Spring'. It was so colorful here! As he started to speak, she found even if she could not understand his every words alone were reassuring and had none of the hard-set tone she was so used to from these Nobles. She relaxed down a little more against his frame even as her eyes drifted up and over her shoulder to him. [COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 205)]"Sef?"[/COLOR] She inquired softly, putting a hand on her chin in thought. [COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 205)]"Other-?"[/COLOR] She said trying to piece the conversation together and wondering if that was the other man he had spoken of either in the night with his confession.


After a few minutes they arrived at a small cottage. A old horse stood next to it. Rufus climbed off of the horse and helped Lilly to get off of it as well. Rufus walked into the small cottage. Rufus had bought this house nearly ten years ago. Here he hid his normal clothing. As he changed, he also prepared some tea. When Rufus wanted to be alone, he came here to be by himself and away from the stress of the Estate and his father.


As they came to a small cottage and Rufus helped slid the girl to her feet, and once they entered he was almost immediately changing again. The girl, not even sure why now, completely turned away to stare out of the window like it was somehow not her place despite having been more then acquainted with that same body hours earlier. It seemed like the more time she was spending with this Noble's son the more shy and coy the girl was getting. Maybe it was just reflecting from his own gentle nature. Once he was re-clothed the girl wandered to sit at the table and waited patiently for him to make some tea. She would have made it herself but didn't want to interrupt what he had already started.


Now it was quiet she found her fingers already slipping into the hidden pocket into her cloak to slip out the same fabric from earlier and a needle with thread to slowly continue her cross-stitch of the winter landscape with a dashing furry creature. And like with always she started a soft low hum in a soothing, lullaby voice.


The tea was ready and Rufus took two glasses and filled them. He walked over to Lilly and sat down across from her. He placed one glass in front of her while saying[COLOR= rgb(255, 0, 0)] "Here, drink. " [/COLOR]The Noble took small sips from his drink.


Meanwhile Nevarrus was furious. His son was away with his slave girl, his favorite! The Lord Noble wanted some time alone with the snow-haired slave so he went to his sons chambers to find nobody there!


After they finished their drinks, Lilly and Rufus continued their journey. They went through some small villages, the river and the forest. Finally, just after noon, they arrived at Rufus favorite bakery in the whole Kingdom. Rufus helped Lilly off his horse with ease as he kept a hand on her back and gently ushered her inside. He pulled out a seat for her at a table somewhere to the back.[COLOR= rgb(178, 34, 34)] [/COLOR][COLOR= rgb(255, 0, 0)]"Wait here..."[/COLOR][COLOR= rgb(178, 34, 34)] [/COLOR]He said as he went to the counter and bought an assortment of pastries just for the two.


Lilly sat patiently as Rufus told her to. She wondered what the Noble was clutching as he offered her the pastry and she ate it with a confused expression that turned into wonder. It was delicious! [COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 205)]"Has...been fun."[/COLOR] She whispered with a warm smile but that soon faded. [COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 205)]"Rufus's father....will be angry..."[/COLOR] lowering her hands with the pastry half eaten into her lap. Wincing even now as she already knew the horrible night she would encounter simply because of that fact.


Rufus looked up to the girl [COLOR= rgb(255, 0, 0)]"Indeed!"[/COLOR] He smiled [COLOR= rgb(255, 0, 0)]"It has been great."[/COLOR] As the girl continued, Rufus became a little worried. His father was furious, he knew it. [COLOR= rgb(255, 0, 0)]"Don't worry Lilly, tonight you will sleep in my room, but you don't have to sleep with me. [/COLOR]" He tried to comfort her so she wouldn't get the wrong ideas. Letting her stay with his father would be very dangerous.


Lilly looked genuinely surprised as the Noble offered her to sleep in his room, which wasn't really surprising in itself but then continued on to say she didn't have to sleep with him? Her mouth opened wide, as if to say something but only gaped as a fish out of water. She shook her head then. [COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 205)]"Rufus's Father would allow it not!"[/COLOR] She said in a fluster, [COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 205)]"Rufus can not go against his Father![/COLOR]" Glancing down to her lap. "[COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 205)]...not for Lilly!....not worth it...."[/COLOR] curling her arms around herself, clinging to her own biceps as she looked to her legs in a shy fashion.


[COLOR= rgb(255, 0, 0)]"No Lilly.."[/COLOR] he found he really did care for the Girl, and he refused to let people do anything cruel to her anymore. [COLOR= rgb(255, 0, 0)]"You don't have to sleep with anyone anymore if you do not wish to."[/COLOR] He didn't care what his father would think or do, he was planning on leaving anyway. [COLOR= rgb(255, 0, 0)]"I don't care what my father thinks or does, from now on, I protect you."[/COLOR]


She couldn't understand it. Why this man so desperately wanted to sleep with her earlier and now, didn't want to? She couldn't understand it... understand him. What had changed? [COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 205)]"But...earlier when we... when you... why not now? Why protect Lilly? Not worth it... just white haired slave... no worth..."[/COLOR] grasping at a long trail of her hair to show him, tears welling in the corners of her eyes. She had been made to feel worthless since she was 12, why protect her and not use her? With tears still in the corners of her sapphire blue eyes she blinked momentarily as she heard a bell and still clutching at a lock of her white hair, she turned slightly to see what the noise was.


In much the same manner as the man who was standing at the door, Lilly was frozen. Her eyes where still glossy like she had dirt stuck in them. The timing almost looking like she were simply holding out her hair as if to say, it's white see? In all her years she had never even seen another T'Odis man, not in Kildran. Shipped from here to their in carriages, between old Kildran men for a price. It was almost like if there were T'Odis people in Kildra they purposefully kept her away, like it might let slip just what she was and what they bought her for.


He reminded her of her Father back home, of her Older Brothers and Uncles. She found her body leap up with such force the chair was knocked from behind her and crashed against the ground. She turned and ran to him but then skidded just before him, words falling like a tsunami from her mouth as she spoke to him in their nature language, her hands reaching out as if to clasp at his shirt but stopped just before. Instead they clasped one another to tuck against her chest. "Iuo, T'Odis nem? vrun Plyga hemb? (You, T'Odis man? From White land?)" Her eyes burning now as tears looking like they would seep from the very corners of her eyes and a droplet or two almost escaped. She looked so young, and now as she stood before him she looked utterly terrified. Like the years of pulling inside her shell were starting to shatter just simply by being near someone that was not from Kildra. "[COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 205)]Su humt... symsa Y lefa daam T'Odis... saam T'Odis wauwha! Su jumt! (So long... since I have been T'Odis... seen T'Odis people! So long!)[/COLOR]"  Her voice unlike the clunky dialect she sounded in the few words in Kildran, her lips slipping into a much more beautiful and almost sing-song tone now she was using her normal language.


@Savagai @Deathchart
 

Garrus Corsolus
​


Iorn - Tournament Arena
​


Month 6, Day 15
​


9:00am
​




The air was sweet and warm and loud - very loud. The Tournament of Iorn was the most well-known of its kind, and people came from every pinpoint on the compass rose to either participate or observe, and it was evident in the pure vibration of human presence that filled the dawning atmosphere. Garrus came to the tournament every year, both as participant and observer. For four years he had been tracking down information on the whereabouts of Prince Unger and one of the best places to do this was the tournament. Since escaping his family’s imprisonment, he had learned that many of those who had dutifully fought side by side with Unger at his last stand had either pledged their allegiance to the mendacious queen at his defeat or had been stripped of their lands, titles, and possessions and forced to live like outcasts as a result of their unwavering fealty. The tournament was the perfect place for a slighted noble to seek a small semblance of revenge without being imprisoned, and also a place for defectors to attempt to prove themselves in front of their new royal puppet master. By signing up as a combatant for the tournament every year, Garrus could scope out the other contenders and glean any desired information as necessary. He could also let off a little of his own steam in the process, which was always a good thing. So far, however, his efforts had proved slight, and only a few frightened traitors even had any insignificant information to give.


But Garrus didn't intend to give up. Four years of work with nothing to show for it didn't break his spirit, as his spirit had already been broken. He had nothing left to live for except the possibility of locating his friend and making amends for his fatal absence before succumbing to the sweet arms of death and Marit. The woman he’d lost but not forgotten, loved but never cherished. He could not love again, and he didn't try. He spent much of his time with women, yes, because women were pleasant company, and there was never a shortage of willing companions for a disheveled yet handsome returning tournament contender who knew his fair share of honeyed words. But it was always the same, and nobody else ever could be.


Garrus stood in the busy market square that spilled like ale outside the arena walls. He had a bit of free time to watch, listen… and flirt.


Clarissa

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Delatura

hJbgbS8Ca6saRwHWNOHdD4Zeb67I7ui6WnWJjYSNSiN9ztAin5w-lyD-Zw1fvQcuxmTFvvDS1ZHqk5WHEWcOqPH3Z03pAya61KPKvJ1nWpoUitfsyIwUvAND41HPZ7oW5pPwCJFZ



Lucia

e_roQiqq9wcaLRWe_0WqlqyiddImfgQgGVm4iJTsHuvO6ZvpUy_eqQQqBPlCgsfpY4ah5AnTUq3PBTmEPuykrtMA9QwX-e886egk20sLL8aW4mOTEb7UVbCUHVeKzsy40GK2o0il



A group of young noblewomen stood near the east entrance of the arena, chatting emphatically with each other before the opening remarks. Garrus began walking over to them, catching the eye of the quieter one in the group, whose eyes widened a little in surprise, but made no other visual signs of recognition. In fact, she turned her face away from him as he approached.


“Garrus!” one of the women shouted. The others turned to face him. Well, all but the one.


“Ladies.” Garrus returned. “And how are you this fine, jubilant morning?” He placed his hands on the shoulders of the two nearest women, drawing them closer.


“This morning is too overcast for my tastes, Garrus.” said Clarissa, the most talkative and also the most frivolous. “It is better to have the sun in all its glory shine upon us, don’t you think?”


“My dears,” Garrus continued. “Your unmatched beauty has stopped the poor sun’s own scorching heart. You must give him a moment to catch up.”


The girls giggled, except for Lucia, the quiet one, who rolled her eyes and removed Garrus’ arm from her shoulders. “What an ape.”


“Lucy, you mistake my admiration for extravagance. I assure you- ”


“I never mistake anything that comes out of your mouth, Mr. Corsolus. I just know to undress it and I will have something closer to the truth.”


Garrus feigned looking hurt, while another woman giggled something about undressing. He decided to leave it alone for now.


“Any interesting characters today, my lovely little birds?”


“Nothing much different than the usual.” said a petite brunette, Delatura. “Though there is one man in particular that fits the ‘sniveling, haughty, and fearful’ description you always ask for.”


“Is there now? Well tell me, fair Delatura; do you know where I may find this pitiful cur?”


Delatura was eager to reply. “He appears to be participating in the fisticuffs tournament today. I noticed him making his way into the contestants’ waiting area not long before you arrived.”


This was good news. He didn’t expect to come upon any opportunities this early in the games. Ah, the girls never failed him.


“As usual, ladies, I thank you for your assistance. I hope you enjoy this year's festivities.” He kissed Clarissa on the cheek, tugging on the hair of the unimpressible Lucy, who rolled her eyes again. Garrus made as if to leave.


“Say, Garrus?” asked Clarissa.


“Yes, my dear?”


“Why are you always looking for these kinds of fighters, year after year? You know, the ‘snively, snobby, scared type’?”


“‘Sniveling, haughty, and fearful,’ dear Rissa. There is a big difference between such words.” He took her hand with a lavish flourish, bowing his head toward the ground. She giggled, and he stood up again. “I do it for you, dear Rissa, and the well-being of all beautiful young women who must walk the same streets as these most detestable of men. I do it to thwart them! To humiliate them in such a stately and public gathering as this, where they may, by my hand, be shamed into more acceptable behavior.” He finished his bluff with a wink and a smile, as he finished most everything else in life.


Lucia raised an eyebrow in subtle suspicion and exasperation. Garrus needed to watch his step with her, as usual. She was sharper than the others, and not as easily conquered by his garish facade. The only one worthy of his attentions, really. Infamous as they were.


Delatura spoke again. “Well, as usual, there are plenty of men who fit that description, Garrus, so we would be honored to have you fighting on our behalf.” She offered her own hand to Garrus, which he took, much in the same manner as previously.


“Don’t forget about the others, foolish girl.” Lucia muttered as she decided she’d had enough of the conversation and took a step away from the group.


“What others?” Delatura asked, irritated to have had her swooning interrupted.


“The ones you were so concerned with warning Mr. Corsolus about just last night.” She kept walking.


“Oh, yes!” Delatura gasped. “There are some absolute fiends in the tournament this year! I saw them yesterday, one who nearly killed his opponent, and many who have yet to fight. They say one is a giant, even by T’Odis standards! Do be careful, Garrus. I shall faint if anything happens to you!” Clarissa, not to be outdone, joined in with her own concerned looks and pleading expressions.


“My dears.” Garrus replied. “Would I do it any other way?”



“Ha!” he heard Lucia softly scoff in the distance.
 
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