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| [O] Clean slate; (Open for anyone to join) Introduction of Thaeden Kridel to the land of Imythess... | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Wed Jun 4, 2014 3:01 pm (498 Views) | |
| Thaeden Kridellen | Wed Jun 4, 2014 3:01 pm Post #1 |
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The sun sat at its apex in the clear sky, spreading a scorching heat throughout the desolate but somehow beautiful plains below. The earth lay dormant; parched from what seemed like a decade of unrelenting assault from the heavens above. Violent heatwaves emanated from all around, rising from a vast field of nothingness, save the few remaining green blades of grass swaying in the gentle breeze; surviving soldiers of a terribly one-sided battle with nature. The soldiers made no groans of pain, cries for help. All was silent. Not even the wind dared utter a sound. A single man lay collapsed on what vaguely resembled a road. His horse gently nuzzling the side of his face; concerned for her friend. The man stared blankly out toward the distance, struggling to keep his eyelids agape. A field of black nothingness was slowly overcoming his vision, when he felt a sharp thud at his side and winced in agony. The caring strokes of his horse ally had turned to a desperate bout of loving violence. With the help of his friend, the man had dug deep and found a new determination. He felt sick. He had almost let his dire situation overcome him; overcome his humanity. It would be one thing to kill himself with this aimless journey, but another to let his friend die aiding him. Suddenly and violently breaking the silence of the world around him, he used all of his strength to push against the earth below, and bring himself to his knees. The horse let out a majestic and triumphant call to the sky. It was a celebration, symbolizing the unbreakable bond she had with her rider. With her help, the man had found his will to go on. Now back on his feet, the man reached for his waterskin. With a quick shake, he determined that there were still a few drops left. He looked toward his ally, she was malnourished, her body trembling. What a strong creature, he thought to himself, refusing to give up when her master had fallen. He uncorked the waterskin and thrust it gently toward his steed. Their eyes locked for a few moments, and he nodded toward her. She accepted his gift with gratitude, and he stroked her mane gently with the dry, cracked palm of his hand. Throwing the waterskin to the ground to save weight, he and his steed journeyed on. He dare not mount the horse, for fear she would collapse under him. They walked side-by-side, into the distance. How did he get them into this situation? He could hardly remember his life before this moment. He had visions of a faraway land, a family, a purpose. All gone. Why had he left? Where was he headed? How long had he been walking for? He was slowly losing grasp of his past, and this frightened him more than anything. From the corner of his eye he spotted the hilt of his blade. A tool which had helped him win countless battles. That much he remembered, but the site of it raised more questions than it answered. Where did it come from? Was it a gift? Spoils of war? The fabric bounding the hilt flew loose. With his left hand he began to unravel the fabric. The horse looked down, concerned. Noticing, he raised his right hand to pat his friend on the side, gently. The metal underneath the fabric was covered in engraved runes, symbols he did not recognize. There was something eerie about it. A phenomenon he could not quite put his finger on. As he reached his right hand down to grip the hilt, a sharp pain stabbed at his mind, as though coming from inside his very being. He recoiled, and could not help but let out a shrill cry. He fell to his knees, once again... Everything went black... |
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| Thaeden Kridellen | Mon Jun 9, 2014 8:17 pm Post #2 |
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The man awoke in the dead of night, staring up into a clear, starry sky. He was shrouded in a comforting warmth, a natural blanket formed from a brightly flickering log fire to his left. The inferno hissed and cracked violently, but it was a peaceful sound, nonetheless. A dull, throbbing pain emanated from his sword hand, presumably from where he had grasped it's bare hilt. His mind was overcome with visions of past encounters, though they seemed alien to him. Was he remembering his own past, or the experiences of another being? He pondered this as he continued to stare into the night sky above. He lifted his arm skyward, the palm of his hand toward him. He apathetically lifted a brow as he studied the aftermath of whatever phenomenon had occurred to him before. His palm was covered in black burn marks, which he quickly recognized as reflections of the runic markings on his sword's hilt. Dwarven? He thought to himself. When did I learn to read Dwarven?... He scanned the area around him for his sword, but to no avail. The thought quickly came to his mind that he had no idea who had lit the fire, or where he was. It didn't take his long to come to the conclusion that he wasn't in any immediate danger; whoever had brought him here would surely have killed him already if they had malicious intent. He felt comforted slightly by this thought, but decided to keep his wits about him regardless. He slowly got to his feet, avoiding putting too much pressure on his wounded hand. As soon as he got to his feet, a realization hit him like a battering ram. Ebony! Where is ebony?! Just then, he heard the soothing voice of a stranger come from behind him, and he lowered his stance slightly, ready to defend himself. "Your horse is fine, there is no need to worry..." |
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| Draudiga | Tue Jun 10, 2014 3:10 pm Post #3 |
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Two days? No, less... Draudiga knelt down by the nearest corpse, eying its wounds. The man had died of a sword to the gut, a decidedly unpleasant way to go about it. The skin of his stomach had been violently torn open, freeing his intestines to roll out like long, bloody worms. Both of his hands were clenched around his own guts as if he had tried to shovel them back into his body before his inevitable demise. The stale scent of old blood mixed with the unpleasant tang of urine and excrement, filling her nose with the unmistakable odor of a battlefield. She wiped her thumb across his bloody tunic, rubbing her fingers together. Blood isn't completely dry yet... They died today. "These men haven't been dead long." The comment from her partner mirrored her own thoughts. Draudiga grunted assent and rose to her feet, turning to face the young man. When she had met Simmon he'd been a teenager, but after more than a year in the Crimson Company he'd grown, filling out his one-slender frame with wiry muscle. A massive greatbow was slung across his back, arrows as thick around as his thumb filling the quiver at his hip. He toed one of the corpses with a small grimace, rolling the woman onto her back to reveal the mess of her throat. Her neck had been cut open with such ferocity that the spine was visible, a sliver of white surrounded by dark red gore. "No tribal markings that I can see. Raiders?" "Does it matter? Dead is dead." Draudiga rose up, casting her eye over the road. Bodies were scattered over the expanse like discarded dolls, limbs all askew. So much blood had been spilt that the soil was saturated, turning it into red-brown mud that squelched underneath her heels. The Sulerian picked her way over to the archer, carefully stepping over and around the corpses. "Ben needs to know." Her partner nodded, wrinkling his nose in distaste. "Lead the way," he said. Draudiga shook her head. "Just you," she replied. "A girl will follow survivor. Look for answers." Simmon frowned. "Survivor? You sure?" The mercenary nodded and led him over to the outskirts of the massacre. She kicked at a disturbed patch of earth where a body had once laid, then nodded to a bloody footprint a few feet away. It was impossible to tell if the missing warrior had been wounded or was simply covered in someone else's blood. "A horse, too." The archer stared at the tracks, nodding slowly and pursing his lips. After a few moments of silence he turned an annoyed glare toward the dark-skinned woman. "Dammit, Drau, you know how much I hate reporting to Ben on my own. You'd better not get into trouble this time." A wide grin spread across her face, silver eyes glittering with amusement. No promises." The sun set not long after she parted ways with Simmon, leaving the sniper to find his way back to headquarters and share what they'd found with the top brass. The Crimson Company didn't actively police the Plains, but they sent out regular patrols to keep track of any dangerous developments in the surrounding area. The diminishing sunlight made it difficult to follow the trail, and it wasn't long after dusk that she lost track of it entirely. If it wasn't for the fire, she would have been completely out of luck. Draudiga crept towards the flames as quietly as she knew how, fingers clenched around the hilts of her punch-daggers. She sidled closer at a glacial pace, eyes narrowed and focused on the flickering, crackling flames. There was a hazy shape on the opposite side of the bonfire, impossible to make out thanks to the loss of her night vision. She crouched down to observe, hoping that the glare of the flames would keep her hidden until she had a better understanding of the situation. |
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| Thaeden Kridellen | Tue Jun 10, 2014 11:42 pm Post #4 |
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"Where is she?" The man asked bluntly, a hint of violent worry in his voice, despite the assertion of his acquaintance. "There's a small alcove in the hills, not far from here. I thought it would be safer to tie them there. If any predators are nearby they should be attracted to the fire, and to us." came a soft reply. The figure walked slowly into the fire's light, revealing a young woman of strong posture. She was well armed, clad in a well-fitted suit of battle-worn splintmail. A short, subtly curved sword rested either side of her hips, each with its own uniquely embroidered leather scabbard. She held an elegant plumed helmet under her left arm, the face-plate of which had become disjointed and dented heavily on one side.The swelling, evident around her right eye and cheek, reflected the damage on her helmet, but not her otherwise slender facial features. The pulsating light of the campfire bounced elegantly from her golden-blonde hair, which was tied at the top, forming a long ponytail that reached down the the center of her spine. She was covered from head to toe in scratches, deeper cuts, dried mud and smeared blood stains. This was no simple traveler, The man stood face-to-face with a seasoned warrior. One which had clearly seen heavy combat quite recently. He could not help but recoil slightly at the sight of her, taking a few moments to appreciate her unwavering beauty. She let out an amused sigh. Apparently it was a few moments too many... He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, she beckoned him toward her with a quick swipe of her free hand. "Come, I'll take you to her. She seemed awfully distressed at your condition when I brought you both here." She dropped the helmet to the floor with a soft clunk, and turned away from the fire, into the darkness beyond. The man hesitated, she was still an unknown; but he forced himself to drop guard and follow closely behind her. "Where is my blade?" He asked the warrior. "I left it with the horses; don't worry, it's hidden well. You'll have to forgive me for being cautious, I wasn't sure how you would react when you awoke. You could have been hostile..." She replied, keeping her gaze to the front. A clever decision. I don't even know myself, these days, he thought with morbid intent. "Good plan...", he muttered. She looked over her shoulder and shot him a questioning gaze. He could make out a hint of a smile. "I mean, it was good judgement on your part. I certainly don't plan on attacking my savior!" he exclaimed defensively, realizing how his previous comment might have been misinterpreted. She returned her eyes to the front. "Sure," she chuckled, "I think I might be in trouble if you did, assuming you spend as much time fighting as you do constructing your sentences!" He let out a short, nervous burst of laughter, and they continued on in silence. Five minutes passed before he began to make out a faint silhouette, resembling a jagged rock formation in the near distance. He heard a subtle rustling of dry grass echoing from under the stone, followed by a short, excited whinny which he recognized immediately as coming from his beloved horse companion. Quickening his pace, he moved in strides forward, extending his arms around the beast and touching his face to hers as he approached. "Thank the Maker you're safe!" he exclaimed. She let out a subtle but clearly audible snort in appreciation. He turned to the woman with a smile; "What is your name? he inquired, "I haven't thanked you for helping us...". She returned his smile and raised a brow toward him. "You may call me Lilith. It took you long enough, I was beginning to think I should have left you face down in the dirt!" she teased. "And what should I call you?" To his shock he had to think about it for a while. Eventually, he replied: "Thaeden. My name is Thaeden. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Lilith bowed her head in response. "The pleasure is all mine, Thaeden. I could use some company, after what I've been through today." She reached behind a rotting log that lay resting against the rock incline, revealing Thaeden's sword, and tossed it toward him. He caught it with one hand and went about fastening its harness to his person. "Come, mount up; we're in danger as long as we stay here. There are more than just wild animals roaming the plains tonight. I don't know where you were headed, but there is a village not far from here; my home. I insist that you stick with me until then, and in the morning you can continue on your own way, if you wish." Lilith said with an air of authority. Thaeden didn't argue, and instead gently mounted his steed. My journey? Where was I headed?... What is wrong with me?! "We can speak more on the way, if you please," she offered. Thaeden responded with a nod and a genuine smile. The two and their horses headed to the east, Thaeden following slightly behind Lilith. They left the fire burning in the distance. Thaeden peered behind him, watching as the inferno disappeared into the distance, leaving behind a faint glow on the horizon. He turned back to Lilith, who had her eyes set to the front, her expression disturbingly empty. Thaeden remembered noticing how clearly battle-worn she had looked under the light of the fire, and pondered for a moment on whether he should ask. He didn't. Not just yet. |
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| Draudiga | Wed Jun 11, 2014 9:04 pm Post #5 |
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Draudiga hunkered down in a crouch a ways away from the fire, hoping the darkness would hide her from whoever had lit it. If she focused she could just barely hear the murmur of conversation. Two survivors? She frowned slightly, trying to remember if the tracks indicated more than one person had passed that way. She couldn't quite remember, and even if they had, tracking was not one of her strong suits. If it hadn't been for the bloody footprints she probably wouldn't have noticed the trail at all. The mercenary settled in to eavesdrop on the exchanged words. They were speaking just loudly enough that she could make out the majority of the words, although crackling pops from the fire interrupted them from time to time. Still, she was able to get the gist of the conversation. The woman speaker had rescued the man from the road, which suggested that he was the one she'd been following initially. They quickly moved away from the flames, disappearing into the darkness. Draudiga rose and followed after them, stalking them with the predatory grace of a big cat. She tapped into her preternatural senses as she moved, opening her mind to the sensory information provided by her elemental ancestry. The wind sang to her, allowing her to feel the disturbances in the air as they walked across the grasslands. At the same time she felt the very electricity pulsing in their nervous system, outlining their bodies as if they were glowing from within. They stopped again near a rocky outcropping, where the woman returned her companions's horse and blade. Draudiga pursed her lips thoughtfully. If they were both mounted, she would have no easy way of keeping up with the duo, especially on the road. It would be best to reveal herself now, before they could get too far. She waiting until the pair had led their horses onto the path before calling out in a raised voice. "Ho there! Travelers!" Her words held a moderate gravelly accent, giving each syllable a rough undertone. "There was quite a mess on the roads back there! Is everyone alright?" She stopped around a dozen feet pack from the riders, watching both of them without focusing her eyes on either one of them specifically. Her legs were slightly spread, arms held relaxed at her sides so that her palms were near the handles of her kataras. |
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| Thaeden Kridellen | Thu Jun 12, 2014 7:23 pm Post #6 |
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"So, Thaeden; I guess you aren't from around these parts. Your attire suggests you belong to none of the local clans. I travel to Kellen regularly for work, but I have never seen you around. 'Tis quite a large town, so I suppose that would not be so strange, but if you were from around here I would assume you would be much more prepared for travelling the plains. To be honest, I'm surprised you were still breathing when I found you; the plains are a dangerous place for a lone traveler," spoke Lilith to Thaeden, before asking, "Where is it you hail from?" Thaeden stared at the burnt rune markings on his hand, frowning. He thought about Lilith's question for a short while. A barrage of memories flashed through his mind, often making little sense to him. "I... I remember a tall tower in the center of large lake. There was a castle town situated on it's southern shoreline... There were mountains visible on the northern horizon..." He stopped to think a while longer. "I left, on a journey... I think there were others... Two, maybe three..." His head was pounding with an aching force, as though he was fighting a fierce battle in his own mind. Lilith raised a brow and smirked. "Amnesia, huh? A little cliche..." she said. Thaeden seemed confused at her response. "Sorry, I mean no offence. It's just... I've come across quite a few travelers here in Imythess with similar tales. It's quite a strange coincidence, really..." Thaeden let out a forced chuckle, not any less confused, and now feeling a little insignificant. He looked up at her and asked: "Well, I have a question for you too. What were you doing out here before you found me? Forgive me for prying but you look like you've been fighting a war!" Lilith visibly recoiled at his question, any hint of amusement in her face instantly vanished. "I... We... Were hired to oversee a..." She began before being cut off by a female voice approaching from the distance. "Ho there! Travelers! There was quite a mess on the roads back there! Is everyone alright?" The voice asked. Lilith became tense all over, there was a hint of fear in her eyes now. Thaeden, not so shocked, calmly turned around to face the origin of the sound. Mess? I hope she isn't talking about me! he thought to himself. His own thought made him laugh, silently. Lilith reared her horse to face their follower. Hand on hilt, she shouted her reply. "Who goes there? Be you friend, or foe?!" |
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| Draudiga | Fri Jun 13, 2014 3:56 pm Post #7 |
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Draudiga fought the impulse to chuckle at the greeting. She had never understood the point of asking a stranger if they were friend or foe; regardless of their true motive, they would almost always answer 'friend.' It was an easy way to gain enough trust to make a preemptive strike. The sellsword did not draw her weapons, but neither did she take her hands away from their hilts. "A girl is called Draudiga San, of the Crimson Company. We found the remains of a battle not far back. The Company does not like dead bodies so close to home." She was close enough now that she could make out some details about the pair. It was enough that she could make out the female's battered appearance. If I had to guess, you look like someone who's been in a fight to the death... Draudiga smiled slightly, grey eyes flickering back and forth between the two of them. Fighting mounted foes on foot was tough, but not impossible. If necessary, she would cripple the beasts first to force them to face her on even footing. "A girl is following survivor to find out what happened. Do either of you know anything?" Although she was facing the man as she said this, her eyes kept sliding over to the woman. She definitely looked uncomfortable. Draudiga was ready to spring into action as soon as she made a move to draw her blade. Adrenaline pumped through her veins in preparation for combat, her breath coming a little faster and her shoulders tensing. Give me an excuse... I dare you. |
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| Thaeden Kridellen | Sun Jun 15, 2014 8:37 pm Post #8 |
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Now what?... Thaeden thought as he switched his gaze between Draudiga and Lilith. He was ready for a fight, he craved one, even. It felt so long since lightweaver had tasted blood. Lightweaver? My sword... There is a reason for that name... Lilith seemed to ease up a little at Draudiga's reply, she released grip of her swords. "Crimson company. That is a relief. I was worried it was another of them". She dismounted her horse with a thud and cautiously approached the mercenary. Stopping a fair distance away so as not to arouse too much suspicion. "The caravan that a group of mercenaries and I were hired to protect was attacked earlier on today whilst we were on our way to Kellen," she began to explain, "They were looking for someone and suspected that we might be covering their mark's tracks when we expressed our ignorance to the matter. They attacked, four warriors and two magic users." Lilith maintained a strong demeanor whilst telling her story, but Thaeden suspected this was harder for her than it appeared. "They were experienced. Before we even realized we were under attack it was just me and two of the mercenaries remaining. We managed to hold our ground for a short while, but I must have been knocked unconscious. I remember waking up to the sight you described. I saw the bodies of the two mages and the caravan crew, the mages were recognizable only from the cloaks they wore; the rest were nowhere to be seen." She took a moment to catch her breath, gagging slightly at the thought of the mages dead bodies. Thaeden was taken aback. Why had she not told him? "Is that when you found me?" He inquired. Lilith looked up at him on his horse, with a sincere expression. She simply said, "Yes," before turning back to Draudiga. "I found this man unconscious on the road not far from the battle. I was on my way back to Winseer village to explain what had happened, and decided to bring him with me so that he did not fall victim to a similar fate as my previous allies." Lilith stopped, and looked to Draudiga for a response. Well, it's always nice to know when you're in danger of being murdered, I suppose. |
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| Draudiga | Mon Jun 16, 2014 8:33 pm Post #9 |
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Draudiga listened to the explanation attentively, keeping her eyes trained on a point half-way between the pair of them so that she would immediately know if either of them made a move. The woman's story wasn't exactly surprising. The Debon Plains were plagued by bandits year-round thanks to its role as a trading hub for the rest of Imythess. Most of the roads that stretched between the nation states crossed the Plains for at least a short distance, which meant that a well-trained band of raiders could turn a hefty profit by preying on the popular routes. The Crimson Company had its headquarters here for much the same reason; it wasn't uncommon for a caravan to stop and hire guards solely for their trip through the area. "A girl is sorry for your loss." The Sulerian finally removed her hands from her weapons, although she did not completely relax. She would not be taken off-guard, and in truth she was almost as deadly with her bare hands as she was with a blade. "Winseer is not far. A girl shall accompany you. If there are more bandits, you are ripe targets." Although they might not possess the wealth of even a minor merchant, good horses could be re-sold for a pile of gold at any village near here. If the same thieves saw the two of them, alone and injured, they wouldn't hesitate before descending on them and finishing the job. She paused and glanced at Lilith, frowning slightly. "If you do not object, that is. A girl simply wishes to guarantee your safety." Not to mention, if they got ambushed again Draudiga wanted to be there for the fight. Her heart rate was still accelerated from expecting combat; it would be a letdown to return to headquarters now without any release for that anticipation. |
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| Thaeden Kridellen | Tue Jun 17, 2014 6:06 pm Post #10 |
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Thaeden considered Draudiga's offer. According to Lilith, this group of bandits were looking for someone. He wandered if it could have been Draudiga they were after, or even himself. He thought it a strange coincidence that this would all happen so close to were he had been the day before, though his amnesia made it tough to know anything for sure. Despite what Lilith had said about the assailants, part of him wanted to meet them, in the hope that they were after him and he could get some answers... "Very well, I would be happy to have you accompany us, if my companion has no objections?" She turned to Thaeden, who simply replied with a nod of agreement. "Splendid! Though I should warn you that these were no mere bandits. They had a clear objective, and their attire did not appear to be that of a simple band of criminals." A faint light illuminated the horizon, signalling that daylight would soon follow. Thaeden remained silent as Lilith mounted her horse, and the group of three set off to the village of Winseer. |
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| Draudiga | Thu Jun 19, 2014 9:08 pm Post #11 |
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Draudiga nodded to the pair and they got on the road. Although the horses were moving at a slow pace, their long legs meant she still had to jog to keep near them. The Sulerian didn't mind and barely seemed out of breath from the constant exertion. She kept alert the entire time, grey eyes scanning the horizon as the sun began to rise and paint the plains in soft, pastel colors. It was quite pretty, but she had no time to waste on sightseeing. Lilith's information about the ambush was worrisome to say the least. If the raiders weren't after wealth or supplies, the attack made no sense. She didn't like it when things didn't make sense. It would be so much simpler if everyone simply fought with honor, but that virtue was in short supply in Imythess. The rising sun also fully illuminate the battered appearance of the woman. The Sulerian clucked her tongue in sympathy. Riding with such injuries had to be agonizing, but the warrior accepted the pain in stoic silence. It looked as if she was lucky to survive the fighting the day before. Draudiga wondered if the woman knew more than she was sharing. It was possible that she had not been on the side of the caravan, but rather fought with the aggressors and had been left behind due to her wounds. She made a mental note to keep an eye on the woman even as she continued to scan their environment, alert for any threats. The sun was just halfway over the skyline when she noticed a spot of darkness behind them on the road. She used one hand to shade her eyes, squinting against the glare of the dawn. "People behind us." From this distance it was impossible to tell how many people were in the dark clot; it could range from one person on foot to a dozen horsed warriors. She grimaced and glanced at her companions. The woman didn't look as if she'd live through another heated battle, and although the man owned a blade she had no way of knowing if he was actually any good with it. In a fight, they would probably be more of a hindrance than a fight. "Either pick up pace or choose a place to make a stand. They could be friendly, but why take chances." They were still probably an hour out from Winseer, and she wasn't sure if they would make it all the way to the village before being overtaken. If you want to run, go. A girl will catch up," she said, a crooked smile crossing across her face.
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| Thaeden Kridellen | Sun Jun 22, 2014 7:39 pm Post #12 |
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Thaeden looked over his shoulder at his pursuers, they were approaching rapidly. It was possible that they were running themselves. However, based on Lilith's earlier description of the forces that were prowling the plains, he figured it was far more likely that anyone not prepared for a fight would be mowed down quickly and efficiently before they had any chance of escaping. Thaeden had no doubt that Draudiga was a highly capable fighter; everything from her equipment to her attitude suggested she was not only well trained, but incredibly disciplined. However, he knew that even the best of warriors had their match, and doubted that she would have an easy time against a group on horseback with mages on their side. He had no intent of letting her fight alone. "There is a defensible spot closer to town, not far from here," Lilith announced. Judging by the expression on her face, Thaeden figured that she had similar thoughts to himself. She wanted to fight. "If we must fight, we should do so there." Thaeden nodded his agreement and gestured to Draudiga to join him on his horse. He could see a glint of suspicion in her eyes, underneath her smirking expression which he deduced was born of blood-lust. She reluctantly grasped Thaeden's hand and swiftly jumped up behind him on the steed. "Let us get to it, then!" Thaeden ordered, as he sped his mount into a sprint with a loud HYAH! Lilith lead the horses off of the dirt road toward a rocky outcrop that was visible in the distance. Defending here would be much more efficient than defending in an open field. Being flanked here would be a feat, should there be more assailants attempting to sneak around them. The horses slid to a stop at the foot of a small mound of stones, and the group dismounted. So long as they kept their backs to this wall, they would be safe from an attack from behind; or at least they would hear it coming. Thaeden looked to Lilith, "Are you sure you can fight in your condition?" he asked, a hint of mocking concern in his voice. "Do not worry about me. I may be wounded, but this time I am prepared." She replied, before turning to Thaeden with a smirk. "Should I not be asking you that question?" "Well, now is as good a time as any to find out!" Thaeden chuckled in response. He drew his sword and flicked it around his wrist twice before catching the hilt in the palm of his hand. "I might be a terrible fighter, but I can at least look stylish when I'm being cut down!" he joked. In reality, he had no doubts about his skill with a blade; he had forgotten a lot, but not that much. He preferred to fight with a shield, but he was well practiced in a variety of styles. The pursuers approached rapidly. There was now little doubt in Thaeden's mind that these people were chasing him and his companions. Why else would they turn from the beaten path to confront them? Six of them, two in robes...They must be mages, and that means they must have backup; Lilith said that the mages that attacked her caravan were killed. There could be more of them.. He relayed his thoughts to the other two, receiving nods of agreement in response. The group of pursuers stopped a fair distance away, before approaching on foot. An interesting tactic... Thaeden thought. "That's them, Lilith muttered softly, drawing her blades, "Keep your wits about you." The assailants marched closer, in an arrowhead formation. The two mages held the rear, whilst two well armoured warriors were positioned to the front and either side of them. They came to a halt five meters from Thaeden and his companions. One of the robed men took a step forward. "Three days we have spent searching these plains. Three long days, and here you are." The man looked directly into Thaeden's eyes. Thaeden was both shocked and relieved to hear that they were looking for him after all. He also noted Lilith and Draudiga's apparent shock as he saw them shoot suspicious glares at him simultaneously in his peripheral vision. Ah... He thought to himself. It seemed he was at risk of losing their trust. "What are you talking about, exactly?" he asked the robed man. The man laughed maniacally in response. "Did you believe that the sudden arrival in Imythess of one such as yourself would not attract any attention?" the man chuckled. Thaeden had no idea what he was talking about. "Well, we shan't waste anymore of your time, or ours. Our leader would like to see you promptly." He gestured to the four warriors. "Take care of these women, chop chop!" Without further notice, the warriors charged at Thaeden's party, two towards Lilith and two towards Draudiga. Thaeden stepped up and took a defensive stance, ready to engage whoever was unfortunate enough to reach them first. "Oh no, that won't be necessary. We wouldn't want our prize getting damaged!" Said the robed man, with a psychotic grin on his face. Before Thaeden could retort, he felt himself being forced to the ground, as though the gravitational pull of the earth beneath him had become unbearable strong. The two mages were focused on him, weaving a powerful magical presence around his body. "Please do not struggle, Thaeden, or this will be much harder on all of us. Or do, it would certainly be much more entertaining!" Thaeden pushed against the downward force as best he could, despite the man's request. Lilith had both of her swords drawn, beautifully crafted scimitars curved to a sharp point at the tip. Her stance was low to the ground, but relaxed. Her blades touched the ground as she let them hang loosely in her grip. It was an unusual stance. She noted Thaeden's predicament, he was now lying flat on the ground, pushing upwards with his fists, a tight grip around his longsword. She could not let him distract her, or she might suffer a similar fate. If she wanted to save him, she would need to fight her way toward the mages that held him down. Between her and them there were two hulking men, rapidly gaining ground on her; she would have to deal with them first. The first man was upon her, a gigantic greataxe honed in on her from above. Rather than attempt to block, she stepped swiftly to the left, raising the sword in her right but maintaining her loose grip so that the blade followed in an upward motion. The blade slid across the chest of the man, failing to penetrate his steel armour, but slicing clean through is sword belt, causing it to drop to the ground. She continued to dance around the man allowing her attacking sword to rise up behind her until, at the peak of her turn, she held it high above her head. She promptly tightened her grip on the skyward sword, and brought it slashing downward with full force, twisting her body as she did so, at the back of the man's leg. The blow landed at the back of the man's knee, between the two plates of armour that guarded his calf and thigh. Here, he was vulnerable. The blade cut deep through tendons and muscle, leaving a clean, linear smear of red gore on its polished metal surface as it slipped out of the other side of his leg. His calf was still attached, but barely. Her victim let out no cry of pain, but she hoped her cut was enough to keep him distracted long enough for her to deal with his ally. Lilith was now low to the ground at the bottom of her swing, facing the second man, who was already upon her. Thaeden roared with pain and determination as he continued to push against the force that held him down. He had managed to get to his knees, but it felt like his legs would soon crumble under the pressure. The robed figures both laughed psychotically at his attempts, increasing the force to counter his efforts. It seemed he could do nothing to escape his fate. He stared with gritted teeth at the ground he was so desperately pushing against, when his sword caught his eye. He noticed the hilt glowing. It was emanating a faint blue light, as though it was reacting to the magical force around it. Lightweaver... he thought aloud. He focused all of his attention on the sword. In doing so the pain he felt before seemed to fade slowly, though he was clearly still putting up a tough fight against it. As he focused, the blue light began to engulf him. It spread around the blade of the sword, and worked its way up his arm and around his body. Thaeden could feel himself ebbing with mana. He remembered. He was a mage, himself. He still did not remember where he had came from or why he was here, but he now remembered what he was capable of. Now feeling the flow of mana through his being, he began to focus vast quantities of it into Lightweaver. Using this power, he was able to fuel the struggle against his enemy's power. Slowly, he rose to his feet. The two hooded figures continued to laugh at his efforts, and increased their own efforts to keep him down. All the while they were hissing: "Yes! Yes! Fight it!" Now on his feet, Thaeden let out a roar of anger. As sudden as the sound left his mouth, all of the mana he had focused within his blade surged outward toward the two cackling fiends. They were instantly knocked five feet backwards by the blast and landed on their backs in front of him; they lay there, laughing harder than ever. Thaeden stood in a fighting stance, blade held high and pointing toward his grounded enemies. It was a stance better suited for a sword and shield. He still had a faint glow around him, but it was not half as significant as it was before the blast. He was noticeably fatigued from his exertion, breathing heavily. "Get up and fight, cowards!" Thaeden ordered.
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| Draudiga | Tue Jul 1, 2014 5:22 pm Post #13 |
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The mercenary took Thaeden's hand, swinging up onto the horse behind him. "Good," she said, "It is always better to fight than run." She rode twisted around, keeping an eye on their pursuers as Lilith led them to a defensible position. They probably could have managed to make it all the way to the village, but her superiors wouldn't be very happy with Draudiga if she led a group of bandits into a peaceful town. The Crimson Company had a good relationship with the various cities and nomadic tribes on the Plains, and any member that jeopardized the peace would undoubtedly be punished. She slid off of the horse as soon as they reached the rocky bluff, unsheathing her blades. The pair of kataras were completely identical, a foot and a half of golden metal honed to a razor's edge, the handles wrapped with leather strips that had long ago molded into the shape of her tightened fist. As their enemies approached the sky began to darken, clouds appearing from nowhere and growing at an alarming pace. A shadow spread across the plains as the sun was blotted out, centered on the Sulerian. A brisk wind picked up, making the long strands of grass undulate and sway in hypnotic patterns. The low rumble of thunder filled her ears, as reassuring as a parent's voice. Ever since discovering her elemental ancestry, Draudiga did not fight alone. The weather was her ally, the wind and lightning and rain at her beck and call. There were only six enemies in the following group, and their impure intentions were revealed when they pulled off of the road and followed the three of them to the outcropping of stone. Four of them were decked out in steel plate armor and carried well-worn weapons, while the two int he rear had the robes and cocky attitude of magicians. Draudiga ground her teeth together, silver eyes narrowing in suspicion and annoyance. I hate magicians. She didn't pay very much attention to what was being said, instead reading the body language of their foes with her eyes. The warriors dismounted quickly, splitting in half and focusing their attention on Draudiga and Lilith. Only two? The Sulerian bared her teeth in an expression that was half sneer and half grin. This is barely worth my time. The first enemy came at her quickly, holding a broadsword in both hands. He swept the weapon in massive horizontal sweeps, clearly intending to finish this quickly by cutting her in half. his companion stuck close behind, a shield strapped to one arm and a long spear held in the other so that he could support his ally if Draudiga somehow got too close for the long blade. It was a clever position, one that suggested the two were not only experienced warriors but used to fighting in close formation. The Sulerian ducked and wove out of the way of the broadsword, moving with the speed and grace of a dancer. The edge of the sword came within inches of her skin on every pass, but never close enough to snag her clothing or kiss her skin. She reached out to the wind, summoning a burst of air that struck the spearman on the right side of his face. The man immediately swung in that direction, instinctively stabbing out with his polearm. Draudiga moved forward during the momentary distraction, catching a descending blow from the broadsword on her crossed daggers. Her opponent grinned and bore down on the blade with all of his weight in an attempt to force her to the ground from his greater mass. The smile faded when she pushed back with a disproportionate amount of strength, forcing him to stumble a step back. Her heel slammed into his breastpiece a moment later, sending him falling to the ground in a clatter of steel plate. Draudiga pounced on the spearman just as he realized the brush of wind had been a feint. He whipped the haft of the weapon around to try and clock her on the temple, but the Sulerian caught the pole with her left-hand blade and stopped it in its tracks. He snarled and slammed the shield forward at her face. Draudiga darted to one side, releasing her hold on the spear and dodging the bull rush at the same time. the sudden absence of an opposing force made him stumble, and that was when she struck. Both kataras stabbed at the man with surgical precision, one slipping into the chink in his armor underneath his right armpit and the other hamstringing his support leg. The man flopped to the ground with an agonized shout, but he still had the wherewithal to twist onto his back and try to knock her feet out from under her with the spear. Draudiga danced back, hopping over the haft of the polearm with an exultant laugh. "You're next," she warned his companion, who was just now rising to his feet using the broadsword as a cane. |
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| Thaeden Kridellen | Tue Aug 5, 2014 8:45 pm Post #14 |
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Thaeden peered around him upon realising the lack of threat that the two mages now posed. His hope was that he hadn't distracted either of them with his performance; such a distraction might have proven fatal if those marauders were as tough as they looked. Draudiga hadn't so much as noticed. She was far too engaged in the heat of her combat with the two warriors. A fountain of blood rushed from a wound in the back of one of their legs, but still he got to his feet. Thaeden wasn't sure what was more disturbing, the look on Draudiga's face, or the unwavering constitution of the men. To the other side of him, he spotted Lilith dancing around her two foes; it was both elegant and brutal. In the brief amount of time that he looked toward her, she shot him several glances. The expression on her face gave nothing away, it was one of confidence and concentration. Perhaps she was concerned for him, but she was clearly a much more disciplined warrior than he had initially thought; or perhaps she expected this to happen. Thaeden was still a little confused at his circumstances. Eager to see the end of this encounter, Thaeden set his gaze front and centre, toward the two mages who still lay laughing hysterically on the ground. He lunged lightweaver into the ground so it stood upright, and strolled purposefully in the direction of his targets. To his surprise, as he got closer, the two man appeared silent and still. Their necks had been severed and blood was spouting from the wounds, that were at least two inches deep. He could have sworn they were alive just moments ago. I long, serrated dagger rolled from the hand of the man on the left as he choked on his final breath. Suicide... thought Thaeden, shocked and frustrated. He had hoped to question them. They clearly knew him from somewhere, and seemed to be the only people around who might be able to give him answers. Perhaps there was something on their bodies that might lead him up the right path?... |
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| Draudiga | Fri Aug 8, 2014 4:22 pm Post #15 |
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The armor-clad man approached more carefully now that he lacked his comrade's support, striking with a precision and speed that his earlier attacks had lacked. Draudiga met him blow for blow, no longer bothering to dodge. Despite her smaller stature and shorter blades, she had no trouble matching his strength. Ever since she was a child the Sulerian had lived and fought in the great arenas of her homeland, against more foes than she could remember, usually more than one at a time. A single, shaken opponent barely posed any threat to her. Perhaps her foe sensed that he was not being taken seriously, for her roared and upped the tempo of his attacks, the broadsword in a flurry of blows. Draudiga responded in kind, pressing the attack with a wide grin. Their weapons connected time and time again, beating out the furious rhythm of a life-or-death battle. After several seconds she ducked and rolled underneath another swipe, raising to her feet by his left side. She dropped her right-handed katara, wrapping the fingers of that hand around his elbow and forcing his arm up. With a quick, efficient thrust she stabbed her remaining blade through the joint underneath his armpit, severing the leather straps and plunging up into his heart. She twisted the blade once to be certain of the kill before yanking it out and spinning away. The warrior fell without a sound, the sword dropping out of loose fingers. Draudiga briefly bowed her head to the corpse, recognition for a worthy foe, before turning to his companion. The man still gripped his spear with white knuckles. He had abandoned any attempt to crawl closer and was instead huddled on the ground, watching her closely and clearly intending to skewer her if she got closer. The mercenary smiled and snapped her arm forward, throwing the blood-smeared blade straight at his face. He yelped and instinctively jerked his weapon in front of him, easily deflecting the katara. However, she hadn't expected it to land home. Draudiga was inside his reach in a moment, both hands firmly gripping the spear just below the head. She placed one foot on his shoulder and pulled with all of her strength, tearing the polearm out of his grasp. The force spun him around on the ground, which must have been agony with his injured leg, but to his credit the man did not scream out in pain or hesitate. One hand went to his waist, snatching the hilt of a dagger and pulling the short blade in a blur. Draudiga skipped past his first thrust, slamming done on his wrist with her right foot. Not only did she pin his arm, but there was the crackle of snapping bone as she ground her heel into his gauntlet. The dagger fell out of nerveless fingers, and the warrior finally succumbed to the pain and howled. "You fought well," she granted, picking up her kataras and absentmindedly wiping them clean on the grass. "However, you fate was sealed when Draudiga San was chosen as your opponent." She spared a glance at her companions. Thaeden was standing over the two magicians, both with throats slit. She was slightly surprised that he had managed to kill the two of them without assistance. Lilith was still dealing with her own pair of bodyguards. Draudiga considered going to assist her, but wasn't sure if the warrior woman needed or wanted her help. "You finished?" She didn't bother finishing off the crippled, groaning man. He was no longer a threat, and she had some question to ask him before he bled out. |
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2:37 PM Jul 11

