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Fantasy A Nation In Havoc (2.0)

Violet spun around with her blade at the ready, her eyes narrowed as she scanned the area around her. When no threat was clear she relaxed and put her hands on her hips. "Well, 'Kruzzik Kro Lo, symbol of the downtrodden, rallying point for the oppressed. God of Goblin Kind.' Your name certainly is a mouthful. I'd say it's a pleasure to meet you buuuut it's really not..." she pointed down the hall "Kinda in the middle of something..."
 
Am invisible smirk grew upon the gray elf’s hidden face. “Well don’t let me hold you up. None of it’s really mine anyway, take what you can. Although... I was wondering what you plan to do with what ever you find. Sell it? Keep it as a trophy? Oh, and could you not kill the guards? I liked Grashik. He was funny. They won’t stop you. It’s not theirs either.”
 
"The Imperial City...?" Raimi thought for a moment. Her knowledge of geography and countries of the world did not extend much further than the Red Mountains. "Oh! Calcia, right. Where all those Makerists say their pope is. Why would you want to go there? Did you have a sudden religious epiphany? That's pretty understandable, y'know, after what you went through yesterday." She asked this of Nia tentatively, a little embarrassed knowing she probably sounded ignorant.

Duke of Doge Duke of Doge TheCountryWarrior TheCountryWarrior The_Omega_Effect The_Omega_Effect augmentedspartan augmentedspartan Randomfella Randomfella

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Meanwhile...

Lingard Port Town, Askary

Silas Blackthorne, supreme commander of the Askary Republican Army and Senator of the Republic's Military Affairs, grumbled irritably as he emerged from the tavern in which he'd stayed the night before. He passed out on a bar stool in the middle of a binge and, in addition to the headache he was sporting from the prior night's 'festivities', his back and neck hurt from the awkward position in which he'd slept. The tavern's patroness didn't dare wake him, even after the other patrons left and she closed up shop. She knew who he was and she wasn't stupid enough to risk angering someone as important as a senator, especially not one with as notorious a reputation as Silas's. The stories the common folk told about him ranged from him being a distinguished hero, a mad, despotic war criminal, a drunken sot with too much money and influence for his own good, or some combination of the three. He took a swig from his canteen, a little hair of the dog that bit him to help ease him through this morning's coming trial, and made for the harbor where he told his lieutenant to meet him before he left his men in their tents at sundown the night before.

As expected, he found his lieutenant, a grizzled man a few years older than Silas who'd seen his share of combat named Skinner, waiting near a docked warship, greeting him with a dignified salute. “Sir!” he said with a look that was half-respect and half-condemnation, “You're late! The men were boarded an hour ago, as you commanded. We're ready to begin the operation.” Ever the dutiful soldier, this one, Silas thought ruefully. He took another swig from his canteen. “Very good, lieutenant. Have the lookouts spotted our target yet?”

“Yes, sir! We've sighted the pirate armada approaching in the far distance. They appear to have more ships than we anticipated, sir. Ten sturdy, goblin-made pirate ships to the paltry five warships the Coast Guard saw fit to lend us, the cheap bastards. Some of the newer recruits think we should retreat in the face of this threat.” The lieutenant did not seem to share this sentiment; he'd been with Silas long enough to know the odds were not as lopsided as they seemed.

“I see,” said Silas, unconcerned. “The goblins are growing bolder. They don't usually try to raid in such numbers, and in broad daylight instead of under the cover of night? What could they be thinking, I wonder? Well, no matter. You know the drill, Skinner. Let's ship out and meet them,” he said as he walked up the gangplank.

Yesterday morning, Silas was in Republic City when he received intelligence via carrier pigeon from an Askarian watchtower near the Southern sea a few miles inside Fenwood's border. It said that a ragtag bunch of goblins were making their way from the Goblin sea into Askary waters. Given their trajectory, it was presumed that their destination was Lingard, one of two major port towns on Askary's southern coast. They were in greater numbers than usual, the intelligence said, but goblins trying to raid the coast was not uncommon. He could've simply sent a message to the coast guard telling them to prepare and they likely would've handled it without any issue, but Silas was scheduled to attend a Council hearing that day about some new law the old farts wanted to pass followed by one of those interminably boring budget meetings and this was a perfect excuse to skip the tedium of it all. Besides, he reasoned with himself, it had been a while since he'd gotten to let loose on the battlefield; it would be a nice way to relieve some stress. He gathered a small force consisting of mostly new recruits along with a few of his most seasoned seamen and promptly left the city to deal with the impending threat, leading to the present.

In moments, five warships were moving slowly away from Lingard's harbor out toward the sea, Silas's ship in the lead. Before long, they were out of sight of land and, not long after that, Silas caught his first glimpse of the pirates who dared to raid in Askary waters. They were fairly large ships, and well-made, but built primarily for stealth and speed rather than a prolonged fight; but for their numbers, they were no match for the military warships he and his men piloted. He would've liked more of them, but the top officers of the Coast Guard were notoriously stingy with their ships, especially when it came to lending them to other divisions of the army, even one led by their general.

Silas took another drink from his canteen in anticipation and bellowed his orders. “All ships, engage! Our goal is to board the ships and rout the pirates with minimal damage to their vessels.” No point in wasting the ships just because they were made by pirates, after all; ten good ships would be welcome additions to the navy's armada. “Archers, aim for the pirates, but do not use fire arrows. Move out!”

Some of the greener recruits balked; how were they supposed to take twice their number without damaging the enemy ships? It was lunacy! With a withering glare from Skinner, however, they jumped to action and carried out Silas's commands. Roars and battle cries could be heard from the goblins on their ships and soon they were flying full speed ahead toward Silas's men. The pirates had no such compunctions about damaging Askary's ships; they let loose fire arrows in hopes of burning their enemies' meager fleet. The newer men began to shout warnings, eyes as wide as dinner plates at the oncoming barrage of flaming arrows that they thought to be their doom. Lieutenant Skinner yawned.

Silas concentrated and channeled his magic without moving. At once, two things happened. First, it began to rain. The waves were calm, the sky clear, the sun bright, but still, water fell from the sky in a torrential downpour as if they were in the middle of a typhoon. Most of the arrows lost their blaze mid-flight; many lost their trajectory as a result of the sudden rush of water and fell short of the ships, landing in the water accompanied by a long series of splashing sounds. The arrows that made it to the ships smacked harmlessly against the deck or the hull. Then, as suddenly as it began, the rain stopped.

The second thing Silas did was invisible to the naked eye; he began to generate electricity in the air in such a way as to create an unnaturally powerful magnetic field. It was not enough to repel the second volley of arrows altogether, but it was enough to manipulate their flight paths ever so slightly so they went just a little farther to the right or left of where they were supposed to. The move was so discreet that a casual observer might simply think the goblin archers just had terrible aim; in truth, Silas was forcing their arrows to veer off in unintended directions so subtly that it was difficult to detect unless you knew to look for it.

The recruits watched, dumbfounded, as the barrage of flaming arrows were extinguished and then missed by a wide margin. “What are you idiots doing?!” shouted Skinner impatiently. “Don't just stare. Engage! Go!” The goblins continued to fire volleys of fire arrows, but years of practice enabled Silas to easily defend the ships with his magic so they could approach the goblins unimpeded. It hardly took him any effort at all once he got into it. His mind was already wandering to which bar he would hit first when he got back to Republic City.

The Askarian ships approached steadily, archers firing at the pirates, Silas dropping his magnetic field so their arrows could reach the pirates but re-creating it whenever the goblins tried to fire back. Eventually, his five ships began to get boarding planks across enemy vessels and, one by one, the goblin pirate ships were invaded. The five goblin ships that were not boarded tried to harass the Askarian ships or board them in return, but Silas summoned massive bolts of lightning to keep the ships at bay. He did not hit them as he didn't want to damage the ships themselves, but simply fired the bolts between the ships and their intended targets to prevent them from approaching. At the sight of the bolts, Silas could hear goblins shouting “Thunder's Fist! The fist is here! We're doomed! Retreat!”

Before even an hour had passed, the five ships Silas's men boarded were routed and conquered. Silas's fleet went from five to ten in virtually the blink of an eye and three of the remaining five goblin ships were fleeing back toward the Goblin Sea. The crews of the two ships that remained were both braver and stupider than their fleeing companions. Rather than run, they started rushing right at Silas's ship at ramming speed, knowing it meant their deaths, but hoping to at least take the Thunder's Fist down with them. Silas sighed in exasperation. His ships could not get out of the way in time. His men began to scream to abandon ship before they got rammed. He had no choice but to sink the offending vessels before they could do any damage. He raised his arms straight out in front of him and the air around his hands began to spit and crackle with the electrical energy he was channeling.

The bolts that had to this point missed the enemy ships in hopes of capturing them now came thundering down with an otherworldly fury, hitting the pirates directly. Two massive bolts, one to each ship, was all it took. The mast of one snapped cleanly in half, collapsing in a burning heap onto the deck. The goblins who were not killed by the bolt or by the collapse of the burning mast and sails began to jump desperately from the flaming wreckage into the water in hopes of swimming to safety. The other ship had it worse; the entire ship broke in half down the middle from the force of the lightning's impact and both halves sank slowly to the bottom of the sea. Silas's men cheered uproariously at the sight, shouting “Thunder's Fist!” or “General Blackthorne!” or “Askary!” Some of them shouted the president's name, which left a sour pit in Silas's stomach that only another shot of whiskey could fix. They were in such good spirits, Silas mused, you wouldn't even know that half of them had been pissing their breeches, calling to abandon ship, just a few minutes earlier.

“Well,” said Silas to Skinner as they watched the burning remains of the last two pirate ships sink into the water, “so much for subtlety, I guess.”

“Aye, sir,” the gruff lieutenant replied. Despite his soldiers' good cheer, Silas himself was a bit disappointed. He'd hoped to take all ten ships; instead, he had to destroy two and three had escaped. Oh, well. It's not like those cheapskates in the Coast Guard had anything to complain about; they were getting five brand new, barely used vessels. “Alright, men. We're done here. Back to Lingard Harbor.”

Silas planned to tell Skinner to start the men back to Republic City without him so he could stop back in at the tavern before he started back himself. His plans for a nice, early afternoon binge were shattered, unfortunately, when a horseman wearing the finery of one of the president's messengers all but accosted Silas nearly as soon as he stepped off the ship. “Urgent missive from the Council, sir! Your presence is required immediately for an emergency session! You are to return to Republic City with all haste!”

“Oh, please,” Silas replied. “Those idiots can figure out the budget without me. Tell them I'll be there tomorrow.”

“It's not the budget, m'lord. It's Dalania. We've received reports that the city has been conquered by an army of goblins and orcs. An emergency Council has been convened by order of the president to decide what we should do about it. Your presence as the army's general is mandatory.”

Silas's eyes widened in shock. He had been around a long time and seen quite a lot. At this point in his life, he didn't think there was much that could surprise him so severely anymore, but this news certainly did, to say the least. “I'm sorry, did you just say an army of goblins and orcs conquered Dalania? That isn't possible.”

“It's true, m'lord. We got birds from the castle saying they were under attack, sent yesterday afternoon. Then we got missives from both Manzar and Rolandas from last night confirming that Dalania had fallen in a coup led by the court wizard.”

“The royal family?” Silas asked, bewildered.

“All dead, m'lord, or so the messages said.”

Silas brought his canteen to his lips only to find it empty. Well, shit, he thought. No time to get any more whiskey. He had to get to that council meeting before the governors did something stupid with his army. “Skinner,” he called, “bring me the fastest horse we brought with us. I'm going ahead. Take your time and rest the men as necessary before you follow.” Skinner saluted and did as asked. The men cheered his name as he rode away, still high on the euphoria of their victory, oblivious to the shit pile the council had just dropped in Silas's lap. He rode as fast as he dared back to Republic City, lamenting his lack of liquor every step of the way.
 
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Violet looked down at the body now identified as Grashik and nudged it with her boot. "Actually" she held up a finger and put on a snobby accent "I was planning on melting every piece of valuable metal into a suit of armor and using the gems to decorate my home." She walked backward down the hall with her arms outstretched. "Now if you excuse me weird, disembodied voice of Kruzzik Kro Lo, symbol of the downtrodden, rallying point for the oppressed. God of Goblin Kind." Her hands went to her side and she spins on her heel "Imma leave."

He chuckled. “Certainly, wouldn’t want to keep you from such a worthy goal. But what then? Do you have some goal to work towards? Wouldn’t you rather focus on something greater?”

"Nope." She replied, short and simple.

Kruzzik begged to differ. He knew the intentions of every thief who believed themselves worth their salt. The immeasurable riches of the most secure place in Okigira. “How about the Calcian Vault?”

That caught her attention, and she stopped in her tracks. "That's... on the to do list, yes.”

An invisible grin crawled along his face. He had her attention now. “Do you believe you’ll be able to do it? I’ll warn you, they’ve beefed up security since Cal Marian the Shadow attempted to break in last fall. Surely you’ve heard of him, world renowned thief, well known around the continent and all that fancy jazz? And do you know what Calcians do to those who wrong them? I mean look at the orcs, they’re living in a wasteland.”

"What's your point ghost boy?" She seemed impatient. That was fine.
“Well my point is, I’ve got an in. And, while you could do it quite well on your own, imagine a mission with 100% chance of success and taking everything, no exceptions. Legendary artifacts, the most fine jewels, more gold than a cities population will ever see. Wouldn’t that be interesting?”

"What's the catch?" she questioned, rightfully so.

Which means she was intelligent as well as combat ready. “Smart girl. Thankfully I don’t require your soul, I’ve learned that’s a bit of a turn off to most, but I do need some help with a thing I’m working on. It’s perfectly within your skill set I assure you. Tell me, are you aware of what’s happening here?”

"Not a clue." she responded. This seemed odd to Kruzzik, considering it had been a day since the Shattering, and she showed up during what could still be referred as a time of crisis. She was either lying or foolhardy.

So he went with a non-committal answer. “Bit of a change in management, and those afflicted aren’t happy. Particularly Nia Davion, who’s currently grouped up with her allies outside of town. I can get you into The Vault, on the condition that you follow them and learn all you can.”

"I'm going to need some kind of collateral or insurance you won't double cross me.” She seemed understandably skeptical.

“I can pay in all the jewels of a castle. Why would I double cross you? How in hell would I ever hire you again? See that’s your assurance, you’re no good to me dead, during or after the mission. Repeat business is no good of you kill the ones on your payroll.”

"So......... Your just going to give me this mission? For free? Without even knowing who I am or what I can do?"

“Do you doubt your abilities?”

"I doubt your judgment"
He laughed. “Well I suppose if you won’t take the job, I’ll have to see you out without your loot.”


She paused. "Weren't you doing that... anyway? You aren't actually stopping me, just being an edgy voice form the 324th dimension or some shit like that."


“Oh please there are not that many dimensions. Oh well. I’m not always this transparent with people.” He laughed at himself. “I kid.” Just ahead of her the shadows seem to coalesce into a form, the form of a tall grey skinned elf with ornate clothing and red eyes. He smirks at her. “Better?”

She looked at him with a judgmental eye. "I thought you'd be taller." He chuckles and bid his form to increase in height. “Like that?”

Violet grumbled. "Damn Mages..."

“I prefer the term, ‘Naturally Gifted With The Powers That Be’ but that’s besides the point. Will you take the job?”

"Sure. Why not." Short, sweet, to the point, and incredibly foolhardy. Just as suspected.

“Excellent! They’re outside the city. Feel free to take what you can from the treasury.”

"Well. Okay then, is it unlocked? Never mind that doesn't matter." She said with a wave of her hand before skipping down the hall to the treasury. Literally, skipping.

Kruzzik chuckled and evaporated again, still following her. This was going to be fun.
 
Decius broke away the head of the fish and then removed the spine of it. He then proceeded to eat the fish. It was not what he would normally have to eat, with him needing more to properly function. He was not quite sure how he did not even feel like eating what he was given. It had been a whole day since he had anything to eat. It was almost as if he could sustain himself without the need of food or water, using purely the energy he gains from killing living creatures. He did eat the fish anyways, considering that not doing so would not seem ordinary. Decius was also not quite ready to tell anybody about Sel'Zor. "Psst. Don't freak out. We don't want you gathering any more attention that you already have." The voice ringed in his ears. Decius lifted his head while chewing the fish. "You see that elf over there? The one that your party accepted without a second thought or doubt of any kind." Decius then thought to himself. "The magician?" "Yes. The magician." Decius found out that he could communicate with Sel'Zor without having to speak physically. It was almost as if he could talk to him telepathically. Almost, as Sel'Zor was literally inside his head. "Every living thing around us, has its own level of soul power. You see, a cockroach may have similar soul power to...say a dog. But the amount of soul power will be much greater with the dog than the cockroach. This doesn't apply to plants by the way. Only things with blood...That orc you just killed back there had a soul value that was high relative to a normal human. And the more soul power we harvest, the stronger we become. Magic, is something that powers up the soul as well. A magician powerful enough could have a soul thousands of times more powerful than a human." "So the soul of the elf here is...worth more than a normal human?" "Precisely. I am able to detect the worth of souls around you, allowing me to prioritize targets for you. And out of everyone here, he is target number one. For us anyways." "I won't simply murder him to sate your thirst and gain what little power his soul might offer." "One soul might translate to little power. But a thousand means a great deal. And to count to a thousand you must start at one. Now I am not saying you have to chop his head off right here. Just look for an excuse to do so. With the rest of the group trusting him it might be a little difficult. Remember that he just joined your group and could have somewhat malicious intentions." Decius stopped looking at the elf, continuing to eat his fish. He was not quite convinced by Sel'Zor. But it was something to keep in mind. "I'll tag along with you guys for the time being I suppose." He said, responding to the question of what he planned to do.
 
"Religious epiphany? No, nothing like that... Calcia is just the largest Empire, with the largest army, and the deepest historical archive, albeit a tad bias. If I want any chance of kicking Kruzik off my throne, I'll need as much help as possible. Might as well start at the top." she explained.

The young heir went quiet for a moment, looking down at her feet as her brow furrowed in concentration. She leaned back a bit and crossed her legs "Why..." she asks as she folded her hands on her lap "Why are all of you doing this? I mean, obviously, you all want some kind of reward if or when we succeed. I know that much. That's why anyone does anything; All in the name of Gold, power, and in some cases God. By the looks of you all, with the exception of Armandio who has military service for Dalania. I sincerely doubt you are just doing this because you're patriotic."

"I'm not completely stupid, Father raised me better, I can be..." she paused looking for the right word "mature when the need arises." she leaned forward and made eye contact with each individual person. "So what do you want?"
 
Armandio thought for a second. “Well it started off because I didn’t want to die. Now it’s mostly because what am I going to do? Leave? In the big wide scary world where ‘nature’ is everywhere? No thanks. I’ll stay with competent people who aren’t bad at combat. So what I’m saying is: I stay because I am very nice and super handsome and very skilled and massively charming and sometimes that’s a good thing to have on a quest. So you’re welcome!” He crosses his arms and looks down his nose at his allies haughtily, with a smug grin.

Gavin looks around at the others. “I’m just here because I don’t have anywhere else to go. I-I can leave if you want me too. I haven’t been much help recently, what with the bandits and all. But I do know a lot about the world. I’ve been a few places and dug into their history. Not... sure if that’s helpful or not.”
 
"Oh. Huh..." said Rae to Nia's explanation of Calcia. She didnt know they had such a big army. Good to know, she supposed. Maybe she'd get to see the place for herself one day, if she ever got to travel. "Interesting. I guess that makes sense then," she mumbled to no one in particular as she took another bite of fish.

Her attention was brought back to the princess when Nia asked her question.
Raimi snorted a laugh in response. "You been hanging out too long with the little fire mage. That annoying cynicism of hers is rubbin' off on ya."

As she listened to Armandio's answer, she rolled her eyes. "You're hopeless, city boy. 'Lucky' my foot!" She responded with a good natured smirk.

When Gavin answered she reached out and gave his shoulder a reassuring pat. "Way I heard it from the princess, you really gave that mage lady last night what for with some magic of your own. Hardly useless if you ask me, Gav. Huh, y'know what? I guess that means we have two mages on our team now! You really oughta have a chat with Jenny over there. She can make things explode!" Rae said, blissfully unaware of her mistaken assumption.

She gave the question a bit of serious thought before finally answering it herself. "I don't want nothin'. I didn't do anything any other decent human being in the same position wouldn't have done, faced with a person in need. That's how it is for us farmers. We don't ask questions. We see someone who needs helpin' and we help 'em."

Talking about the farm, how her parents raised her, made Rae think again about her family, which in turn made her remember her father's prone form in the stall last night, her mother's hanging body, her siblings' voices shouting across the barn, asking her why she left them to die alone, why she did nothing to help them when they needed it.

She spoke again in a smaller voice, somewhat haunted by the memory of her nightmare. "Maybe just promise us when you get your throne back, you'll make sure something like this doesn't happen again. My whole family might be dead and the thought of it hurts more than I can even describe. Just...make sure no one else has to feel the same way. And of course," she continued, her voice filling with righteous anger and her eyes with furious resolve as she finished, "make sure that son of a bitch wizard pays for what he did to both my family and yours."

Duke of Doge Duke of Doge TheCountryWarrior TheCountryWarrior augmentedspartan augmentedspartan The_Omega_Effect The_Omega_Effect Randomfella Randomfella
 
Nia listened to what the what Rae had to say. She seemed to be the only one doing it out of the kindness of her heart. Plus they both hated Kruziks guts. Nia got up from where she was sitting and moved to sit next to Rae. "Hey, I know exactly how you feel. Rae." she flashed the other girl a soft smile "Once I get back in power I'm probably going to triple your farmland area. Maybe put a statue up of your family in a memorial? Because they sure did raise you right." Nia gave the girl a quick hug. "Thanks for doing what you've done." The Red-head then moved over to Armandio "aaaand you Mr 'super handsome-very skilled and massively charming. I'm pretty sure I can do those things at least partially well!" she took off her hood and made her best cute face with a bright smile to boot. It's like the girl was radiating happiness and purity. " I'm super cute, moderately skilled, I think, and charming kinda!" well... at least she tried...
(her best cute face with a bright smile to boot )
 
“That's nice of you, Princess, but I don't think all that is really necessary. The thought is enough.” Raimi's father and brother worked from before dawn to past dusk just by themselves to maintain what farmland they already had; she couldn't imagine how they'd handle three times that. They'd have to hire a bunch of workers to help them for sure. And statues? She couldn't even imagine an extravagance like that. Besides all that, Rae felt a little guilty about Nia's praise because, while it was true that she did what she could to help the girl partially out of a sense that it was the right thing to do, a lot of the help she'd given her so far was also simply a matter of circumstance. She hadn't gone out of that arena looking for the princess, after all; she'd merely happened to choose the same cellar to hide in that she did, and only after threatening to burn her alive and bury her under the ruins of the building if she didn't help Rae and the others. The fact that they'd traveled together this far was as much a coincidence as it was a product of Raimi's own good will.

After Nia's response to the answers to her question, conversation died down as everyone finished their meals. The mood was a bit more subdued as time went on. Armandio seemed content, and Nia seemed downright perky now that her doubts had been addressed. The others just seemed distracted, especially Decius; but for the occasional stolen glance at Gavin, the big knight was mostly staring into space and muttering disconsolately to himself, as if he were a million miles away, completely unaware of the conversation going on around him. What was he thinking about, Raimi wondered? He seemed to want to be left alone, so she didn't bother to ask.

The silence extended even after the meal had concluded. They all agreed that it was time to move on, but beyond that everyone worked in silence, each absorbed in his or her own private concerns, to put out the fire and gather his or her things. Rae herself didn't have much besides the remaining clothes in her sack, her knife, her money pouch with ten gold still inside, and her quiver and arrows. She noted with dismay that she had less than half the arrows that she had come to town with. She could make more herself, but that would take time, and they wouldn't be as good as the ones she came to town with, which her father had bought for her shortly before she left home. Usually she could make her supply of arrows last quite a long time by retrieving them after each use, but she had lost quite a few in the arena yesterday and she didn't have a chance to retrieve the ones she used in the shootout at the bandit camp last night before she fled for her life. Would there be time to head back and see if she could salvage some of them, she wondered? It was right along the way, after all. Only a quick detour. Did it even matter, though? It wasn't like she had a bow to shoot them with, and even if she did, her wounded side and shoulder ensured she was in no shape to use it.

She weighed the pros and cons of going back to the clearing for her arrows as she and the others finished packing up the cart and attempting to remove any traces that they had been there. They covered the fire pit with snow and debris as best they could to conceal that they slept there from the hunters that Kruziik was sure to send after them once he realized Nia was no longer in the city. Before long, Decius was pulling the cart again and they were walking slowly but surely down the road leading away from the capital city. If they moved quickly enough, Rae hoped, they might be able to reach the town of Windrip by nightfall and forego the need to stay in The Flashy Barman at all. There was sure to be a nicer inn to stay at once they got there.

Eventually, Rae decided it was worth trying to retrieve the arrows; they were elven made, not easily replaced, and even if she couldn't use them now, she would eventually. As with her fishing trip with Nia before, she was apprehensive about leaving the group by herself after last night's scuffle. Her first thought was to approach Decius about accompanying her, but he was still in a black mood for whatever reason. None of the good humor he had when she met him the day before seemed to be present today. She didn't really know what his problem was this morning, but she was in no mood to deal with his ill temper. She decided to ask Armandio to accompany her instead, as he was capable enough in his own right if there was trouble and seemed probably the least prickly member of their group at the moment. She approached him after they'd walked down the road a little ways.

“Say, City Boy. I've got a favor to ask you. You got a few minutes to take a little walk?”

Armandio had been following the cart (and Decihorse) along, not talking much as he glanced around. The Princess was a high value target for anybody with nefarious thoughts, including the Murder Wizard, bandits, and probably some nobleman's assassin, so he had been keeping watch when she walked up to him. He smiled as he replied. "Sure thing Country Girl. Lead the way."

“Great! Thanks, I appreciate it,” she replied genuinely. “I just want to go back to the clearing from last night and see if I can find my arrows. It isn't far from here. It won't take but a few minutes.”
The two informed the others of where they were going before slipping into the woods off the side of the road.

As they walked, Rae used her good arm to hold her quiver up to show Armandio. “Between yesterday and today, I'm near out. I had 'round 30 when I got here and now look. These things aren't exactly easy to come by, y'know, 'specially not ones these nice. Made by the elves down in Fenwood, y'know? They know their stuff when it comes to archery.”

He chuckled. "So I hear. Made by the Elves huh? How'd you come across them? Bought? Traded? Stolen? Yeah that sounds right, you look shifty." He mock glared at her with a good natured suspicious eye, right eyebrow arching upward.

She rolled her eyes. “You have no business calling anybody else 'shifty,' Mr. Always-Dressed-in-Black-Hoods. I'll have you know my father traded for these arrows legitimately in a tiny village near the Fenwood border. Our farm's not more than a day away in good weather and we do some business down there every once in a while. Just 'cause you steal all your stuff doesn't mean the rest of us do. That's called 'projection,' city slicker. You should really work on that.”

He smiled still, looking at her with mock indignation. "I'm not projecting, I'm just observing. Also how dare you insult my hood. I'm very fond of black. Everyone looks good in black. Me especially." He declared with a smug grin, his arms folded across his chest. "Also it makes it harder to see me do shifty things, but that's besides the point."

She looked at him flatly as she stepped carefully over rocks, fallen tree branches, and deep snow drifts. “Anyone ever told you you're a little too full of yourself? 'Cause you definitely are. Just sayin'.” She studied the man beside her critically for a moment and realized she really didn't know that much about him besides that he mentioned he was from Askary and that he lived with his grandfather in Dalania until the mess yesterday. “So, what's your story, anyway? How'd you wind up all the way out in a backwoods, hick-infested pig sty like Dalania from a sophisticated place like Askary?” She assumed it was sophisticated, anyway. She heard as much from all the richly dressed merchants who came to the Dalanian capital from over there telling stories of industrial cities, elegant mansions, and rich, stately politicians from ancient, powerful families. Those same merchants were always looking down their noses at everything around them, sneering and wincing as if their rural surroundings were beneath them, a curse they had to endure. Arrogant asses. She'd never met an Askarian merchant she could stand being around for more than five minutes before she wanted to punch someone in the face as hard as she could.

His face grew somber and he looked down, a wry laugh escaping his lips. "Sophisticated? For the rich guys perhaps. I'd take Dalania over Askary most days. Significantly less crime, less powerful families ruling more than the actual government. Does it have more machinery, technology? Sure. But the majority of it lacks common human decency. The good ones are eager to leave, and the bad ones are happy to see them go. But yeah, i was born there. I lived okay enough, had some family take to care of me. For a while anyway. My Father died from some sickness we never figured out, my uncle was killed in some machine accident, and the rest of my family all kinda scattered to the wind." His eyes stayed down, a small smile still on his lips. But his eyes picked up as he continued. "I picked up a sword and decided to try my hand at mercenary work. And let me tell you i was phenomanal. In my opinion anyway. And my many adventures led to a favor with the President's daughter. She wanted some dirt on someone and i was willing to deliver. She was a bit vague on the payment, but one doesn't refuse the "King of Askary's" daughter. So long story short the payment was quite enjoyble and someone ratted on us. I got exiled and i came to live in Dalania with my grandfather, by request of his cat." He kept looking forward as they walked, still looking around the area, on watch.

Rae followed most of that story but the last part. She frowned in confusion. “Why would you be exiled just for accepting payment? And his...cat? His cat told you to come here?”

He chuckled. "Um..... the payment was sex and yes, my grandfather sent a messenger cat."

Now, while he was correct about the rather "enjoyable" payment as he put it, the circumstances were a bit different. The President's daughter was quite interested in the underworld and stories of its dealings. After hearing about Armandio's exploits she grew a bit of an infatuation with him. The first chance she got, she summoned him to her and informed him about a job she had for him. But the purpose of this job was in fact just a way to acheive her actual goal: his body in her bed. Armandio was not told of the payment he would recieve, only being told that it would be "enjoyable", which he thought was a weird way to word it, but rewards are rewards right? Long story short, he was surprised when the Pres. daughter revealed her true intentions, but pleasantly so. Yes they were told on by some unimportant person and Armandio had to escape via Cat Mail. He didn't clarify on this, because quite simply he forgot to mention that he didn't know that the payment was going to be sex. And so, ading to the theory that ignorance is bliss, he kept walking, no change to his behavior as he quite casually spoke, and no thought to how his blunt and crudely spoken words could possibly be misinterpreted.

Raimi knew none of this. Her face turned beat red at Armandio's candid answer. Inwardly, she cursed herself as a prudish fool for having needed the man's "payment" plainly spelled out for her. She had not thought cheerful, optimistic Armandio to be capable of something like accepting sex for job payment and the revelation changed her perception of him. He was not just the young teenage boy, carefree and innocent, that he often acted like; he was a grown man with all the appetites that usually accompanied grown men. She tried to think of something to say in response and came up with nothing except a half-hearted “oh.” She looked away from him, embarrassed, and they walked on a little further in awkward silence. Luckily, they were saved from this when they arrived at their destination not long after.

The bandit camp was much as Raimi remembered it from the night before. The remains of the fire from the night previous as well as bundles of firewood stood in the center of the clearing. Gavin's cage stood at one end next to the tree she'd used for cover and on the opposite side was a pile of toppled crates. Arrows were riddled all over the place, her own concentrated near the crates. Some were snapped in two or the heads broken off from impact, she could see at a glance, but many were either still in tact or easily repairable.

“Um,” she said in Armandio's direction, shuffling her feet nervously, still unable to look him directly in the eye, “I'm going to go over there,” she said gesturing to the crates. “Could you pick up the arrows by the tree? They're not my arrows, but I can still use them. Better than letting them go to waste just sitting around here.” She ran hastily over to the crates and tried to put their earlier conversation out of her mind by focusing on finding and collecting as many arrows as she could.

He nodded and did as he was commanded with a, "Yes Boss." He looked back at her after picking up the loot. He looked confused as she seemed... off. Nervous. And much redder than a moment ago. Pain? Breathing troubles? He didn't know. "Are you okay? Still feeling your wounds?"

She stumbled back to Armandio with her quiver just a bit fuller than it had been. “Uh. Yeah, that's it. Yup. They hurt. Ha ha...ha.” She let her forced laugh trail off and took a look at the arrows Armandio had in his hand. The arrowheads were different from her own. Hers were designed for hunting, easy to take out of an animal after a kill. The elf woman's arrowheads had nasty barbs carved into them; if they got stuck in you, they'd be very difficult to take out without opening a wound further or causing massive internal damage to whatever they hit. They were designed specifically not just to kill people, but to cause as much pain and suffering in the process as possible. She frowned at the thought of carrying something like that, but took the arrows anyway and put them in her quiver. Beggars couldn't be choosers.

“It's still not as much as I had yesterday, but it's a lot better than nothing. C'mon. Let's head thataway. We should be able to meet back up with the others a little further down the road.

He stared at her a moment. "You know you need to work on your lying skills. Did i say something wrong? I can be blunt. That's city folk for you, we all hate each other and don't give a damn what we say sometimes. Was it the Cat? Nather can surprise people, she's very stealthy."

Raimi's embarrassment quickly gave way to anger. Why couldn't he just drop it? “Lying? Are you saying I'm lying about my wounds? They actually really hurt! Don't be such an insensitive jerk, you perverted dog,” she said with a raised voice. Seeing the hurt look blossom on his face at her sudden outburst, she stopped herself from saying anything more. She took a deep breath to center herself before continuing in a calmer and quieter tone. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. It's not the cat, or you. I'm just...a little on edge after last night. Being back here, it makes me think of what that woman almost did to me,” she partially lied. “Let's just...head back, okay? Before the others start to worry.” She moved ahead before Armandio could question her again.

He stared, eyes wide. "Uh, sure Boss. Meant no offense. I-I'm sorry." He looks down as they walk, in part confusion and... something. Shame? Disappointment? He wasn't sure, but he followed her at a respectable distance, not entirely willing to look at her directly. He still pondered what he had said that had set her off, besides the lying about wounds part. That one was poor judgment on his part. He resigned himself with a degree of sorrow that he may have messed up whatever friendship might have existed between them. He was quiet and subdued the rest of the way back to the others.

Thankfully, Armandio didn't bring it up again and the two settled into what Rae thought of as a comfortable silence as they made their way back. It wasn't long before they caught up with the rest of the group. “We're back!” she called cheerfully, betraying none of her earlier uneasiness with her companion. “And with more arrows! Now I just need another bow,” she said jokingly.

The rest of the day was nothing but walking, walking, and more walking, with some occasional conversation to better get to know one another and keep themselves entertained as they went. They kept a good pace and made excellent time. As Rae had hoped, they were well past the Flashy Barman by the time the sun went down, though they did stop there briefly when Armandio ran in hastily saying he really needed to use the bathroom. Rae rolled her eyes and she and the others waited outside; they were in the middle of nowhere, she thought. He could've just picked a bush if he really had to go that bad. City folk just had no common sense. Or maybe that was just Armandio, she reflected. Either way, he wasn't gone long and they were on their way again after just a few minutes. By the time the moons were shining brightly in the sky, the group had made it all the way to Windrip, a tiny trading village just a little way off the main road. Usually this town was lively and crowded, filled to the brim with traders and travelers of all varieties on their way in to or out of the capital city, but tonight it was so dark and quiet and so many buildings were ruined by falling rocks from the eruption that Rae might have thought it an abandoned ghost town. Everyone must have fled, she figured, after what happened in the capital yesterday. She certainly couldn't blame them.

The good news about all the fleeing townsfolk was that all the inns that hadn't been crushed had plenty of open rooms. They found a cheap place with a stable inside of which Decius placed the cart for safety. Raimi was amazed; he had carried that heavy thing all day with not a single complaint. Even a large horse would've been tired after that, but he seemed fine. His strength and endurance were superhuman. That, or he was just really good at hiding his fatigue. Even if he wasn't exhausted, though, now that they were in town, they couldn't just let him keep carrying the damn thing like a common pack animal. Rae resolved to use some of the extra money she made in Dalania to buy an actual horse before they left tomorrow.

Raimi, Decius, and Armandio split the cost of the inn among the three of them, as they were the only three who had any cash on them at the time they fled the city. Well, Ambrose might've had some too, but no one was brave enough to ask him to chip in. The group ate their fill while Ambrose plotted the group's next moves with shy Gavin, of all people. Grumpy, mean Ambrose was being pleasantly chatty (for him, anyway) and meek, insecure Gavin was coming up with bold plots to fool their enemies; what was the world coming to, Rae wondered bemusedly. She listened to their scheming carefully, only adding to the conversation when addressed, before, finally, exhausted, Raimi retreated to the room she shared with Nia and Jenny. Gavin, Armandio, Decius, and Ambrose had gotten a larger room for themselves. They weren't the best beds they'd ever slept in, but after roughing it in the wild the night before, most of the group had no room to complain. Nia seemed especially pleased to be sleeping indoors, though Raimi was personally so tired after traveling all day with her painful injuries that she didn't care where she slept. She passed out as soon as her head hit the pillow with no clue what the others were getting up to that night in town.

The next morning, Raimi awoke first. She quickly changed her wounds' dressings as Ambrose had instructed her to do with the wrappings he'd given her and readied herself for another long day on the road. If they left early enough, she figured they could be at the fork in the road that led to Askary or Fenwood by midday. Raimi hoped to make it back to the farm by tomorrow night. She said a silent prayer to whatever gods were listening for the safety of her family before rousing Gavin and Nia from slumber so they could enact the scheme he and Ambrose had cooked up the night before. Raimi handed Nia her own green cloak, quiver, knife, and a gold piece and had the princess recite the plan word for word to make sure the innocent girl could pull off the deception convincingly. Then she told Gavin where to find a place to buy horses—a stable with the chattiest, most gossip-prone salesman she knew of--and sent the two of them on their way. Once they were gone, Raimi went to the common room of the inn and waited. One by one, the others woke. She told them Nia and Gavin had stepped out and everyone seemed to know what that meant without any further explanation. They sat and waited with her. They had eggs and bacon from the innkeep's kitchen for breakfast, a meager meal that seemed a luxurious feast after the sparse grub they made do with on the way to Windrip.

They waited for a good two hours before the pair returned with a sturdy-looking chestnut colored horse to pull the cart. When asked if they had any success with their other task, Nia smiled cryptically as she returned Raimi's cloak, knife, and quiver and Gavin gave a simple thumbs up. The boy seemed more confident now, Rae noted with optimism. Perhaps he was starting to get his strength back after his ordeal. She smiled back at the pair in return. The group said their farewells to the innkeeper and his staff, loaded the cart onto the horse, and they were back on the road before mid-morning.

The first half of the day was much like the day before: walking at a sure, steady pace, making light conversation to pass the time, and generally becoming more comfortable with one another. It was a bittersweet feeling, making friends out of people she had met purely by chance in a time of great peril. She didn't know how, but somehow, Raimi had really become quite fond of the little gang they'd formed. It made what came next that much harder. Eventually, the time to say goodbye that Rae knew had been coming arrived. She and the others arrived at the fork in the road. To the West were the Red Mountains, Askary, and Calcia. To the East, her farm and her family. She had gone as far she could with them, but now it was time to go her own way.

“Well, friends. This is it. I have to head home now. Hopefully that stunt we pulled in Windrip will buy you guys a bit of time. You folks can keep the horse and cart. I'll just take these,” she said, taking the sack with Aurora's clothing in it out of the cart. Without meaning to, Raimi found tears welling up in her eyes as she addressed each member of the group in farewell. This was going to be harder than she thought it would be.

She approached Decius first. Strong, reliable Decius, always ready for a fight. They met because, what felt like ages ago now, he'd wrecked the inn she was staying at and robbed her of her breakfast. Then he saved her life. More than once. “I'm gonna miss you, Bear. Don't get too far in over your head, big guy. I want to see you again, when this is all over, y'hear that? And...” she lowered her voice and looked him squarely in the eye “...I don't know what you're going through, Bear, but I'm not stupid. I can see something's been bothering you the last couple days. Whatever it is, I hope you get through it.” She paused a moment. “No, I know you'll get through it. You're a bear and bears are survivors. Don't be afraid to lean on the others, though, okay? With what we all went through together, they're your friends now, and I'm sure they're worried about you just like I am.” She said one more heartfelt farewell and shook his hand before moving on.

Next was sweet, innocent Nia, probably the only person in the group who truly understood the pain Raimi felt at the thought of losing her family. “Your highness,” Raimi said with the best approximation of a courtly bow that she could muster. It wasn't pretty. Then she abandoned the pretense and hugged the girl, her friend, fiercely. “Nia. Take care of yourself, okay? When you get back home and take your country back from that madman, I'll visit you in the castle. And you can come to the farm, anytime. I still need to make an outdoorswoman out of you, after all. Don't you dare be a stranger.”

Then there was cool, confident Armandio, who was at times infuriatingly dense, but had always been earnest and straightforward and unerringly loyal. She was still admittedly reeling from the truth about his past with the Askarian president's daughter that he'd revealed yesterday, but the shock had faded somewhat with time and she'd begun to come to terms with it. “I'll see you again, City Slicker. Make sure you do your job and keep the princess safe, 'kay? And, sorry about...y'know, yesterday. What I said. You're a good person, Armandio, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I'll see you again someday, and that's a promise.” She gave him a sad smile and a quick hug and went to say her next farewell.

Cranky, old Ambrose, the so-called “corpse holder,” the man who insulted Raimi and anyone else in earshot at every opportunity, sold dead bodies for his own amusement and seemed to have no thought for anyone but himself. For all that, though, she would not be alive if he had not first gotten her safely out of the city and then saved her from a slow and certain demise. “I think I've got you figured out, old timer,” she said. “You act all mean and curmudgeonly, but you're actually a sweet old grandpa.” She said this somewhat honestly, but it was also partially just to annoy him and it worked, for he was clearly about to let loose a long string of curse words at her, many of which she'd probably never heard before, but she cut him off with a hug. “Good luck in Askary. I won't ask you not to get involved in anything underhanded because I know you wouldn't listen, but just try not to fall too far down the rabbit hole. Too much criminal activity isn't good for a man your age.” Before he could retort, she was on to the next person.

She said her final farewell to Jenny the Fire Mage. This was, in some ways, the hardest goodbye, and certainly the one she looked forward to least. Raimi had never made any secret of the fact that she didn't really like the cocky, paranoid little engineer and, from her own perspective, it seemed to her that Jenny didn't particularly like her either. Despite that, Raimi had always tried to remain cordial with her, trying to avoid a fight for the sake of the group's survival. She tried her best to stay polite and let none of the bad feelings from when they'd first met slip. "Well, little'un, stay safe. I know we didn't meet on the best of terms, but I would never wish any harm on you. You've got a lot of talent and I respect that. I just hope when the time comes and the going gets rough, you use that talent the right way. Use that explosive magic of yours to keep the princess--and the rest of our friends--safe from harm." She nodded and put out her hand for Jenny to shake, an offer for a truce between them, a little olive branch for Rae's perceived uneasiness between them. That done, she was prepared at last to part.

Her final farewells completed, Rae approached Gavin. “You ready? We should get going. I want to get as far as we can before sundown. We'll camp out tonight under the moons and stars. I'm still injured, so we're gonna have to work together to get through this." She smiled at him. "But hey, that's no problem for you, is it, tough guy? I'd say I'm in good hands as long as you're around. Shall we go?”

The two started walking down the Eastern fork toward southern Dalania. Before the others were out of sight, she turned again and waved. “This isn't goodbye!” she yelled to them. “We'll meet again! I'm sure of it!” And with that, she turned again and walked with Gavin toward whatever lay ahead of them.

TheCountryWarrior TheCountryWarrior Duke of Doge Duke of Doge The_Omega_Effect The_Omega_Effect augmentedspartan augmentedspartan Randomfella Randomfella
 
Jenny would be lying if she said her dreams were fine and dandy, but instead said nothing of it. How many years had it been since she had returned home? To her true home, not a city of humans having to watch her back every second of the day. The foolish human girl continually yammering on about her family didn't exactly help, as the excruciating pain grew in Jen's core. Thankfully her wounds were mostly treated by the old kook after he was finished with Raimi, but at least they were still a useful excuse for the all too real pain of longing she was feeling once again.

The whole trip she wanted to liven the mood, but simply could not, words themselves could hardly escape, and though some of them had proven more than worthy of it, her trust in them was still less than full. Most of her time was spent scavenging any extra herbs she could spot along the way, the huntress could gather well enough, but her cooking wasn't exactly desirable. Most of the time Jenny insisted on handling the food, surely these outsiders would eventually learn what good cuisine was, though they didn't seem to eager to stop seven times a day, forcing the poor halfling to have to eat as they moved.

As they gathered in the morning, the discussion on the Calcian Empire caught the small girl's attention. "and a great distaste for magic in general... Orcs too." She added to Nia's explanation. No doubt the royal girl would have learnt much about the other nations growing up, but some things were more easily examined up close, just eavesdropping in on their soldiers was enough to learn what they were taught. "Probably why they leave us alone. A magically potent halfling is a rare sight indeed, though there are a few..." She continued to no one in particular, before looking up toward the girl as she began to ask why they had joined her. A small half-smile developed cheekily on the halfling's face, only seeming to grow as the others spoke up. "Right..." She added, seeming to choose her words careful, though she couldn't help a giggling tone from following. "I don't know about any of you being handsome, but we all need to get back at Kruzik, get the rightful air back on the throne..." Jenny continued, using her hands expressively, before looking up as her tone changed slightly into one with a tad more obvious cheek to it. "Of course, once that heir notices my prowess, that other humans overlook, she might choose to hand out some sort of title... If she deems it." Her eyes were now uncontrollably opened wide, beaming at Nia, before looking away slightly as to finish, now turned wide grin receding to a modest smile.

The journey continued, as did more upbeat demands from the halfling insisting they eat to 'keep their strength'. The pains in her stomach continuing as she had more than enough time to dwell on her homeland, though she continued to refuse to admit it was anything more than trivial pains.
This idea of splitting wasn't exactly ideal to Jenny, not with the substantial numbers surely looking out for them, and even the idea of losing those attempting to make a diversion was now looking grim to her. Why was that? They were just outsiders after all? At least she could once again sleep on a nice bed, that was one thing these humans had on her people, they really invested a lot into the simple comforts. She only hoped the small human wouldn't make any more sudden outbursts in the night.

As they arrived to the crossroads, all Jenny could think of was the idea of travelling toward Askery. One time she swore to herself she would not return there, despite only being there a short time during her travel toward Dalania, but if the recent past proved anything, it was that the humans didn't exactly listen to reason. Regardless, in the end they were headed toward the empire... Toward home. Her mind drifted shortly toward an excuse she could make to go there, but her focus was soon cut short by the leaving party.

A hand appeared before her, after it had been done hugging the few she was to travel with. The halfling kept her arms crossed, looking sternly up at the huntress. She still disagreed with her plan, yet it was what they were to do regardless. "You are a fool." She simply stated grimly to whatever dismay may follow. Before anyone could respond however, Jenny's arms unfolded, her body falling toward the short human, gripping her waist in a sincere embrace. "A brave fool. Come back alive and I might have something for you." She noted in a soft, silent voice, slowly beginning to release her grip, her hand moving to her side nervously, shaking all the while. This act went against all she considered in her head, she almost second guessed herself as she procured a sack from her belt. "But for now..." She stammered, almost slipping on her own words as she placed it in the girl's hands. "Light the top, and loose it toward wherever you've gotten in over your head." She stated firmly, but still with some concern as she closed Raimi's hands over it. The risk of giving something like this away was obvious, yet the idea of losing this small group was now far worse.
As soon as her hands came back to approach her sides however, a quick clenched fist approached Raimi's thigh, lightly jabbing the girl. "And don't call me litttle!" She boomed up toward her, voice strong, a wide smile following as she drew the same hand along the bottom of her eyes, not eager to show any moisture escaping them.

TheCountryWarrior TheCountryWarrior Duke of Doge Duke of Doge The_Omega_Effect The_Omega_Effect augmentedspartan augmentedspartan MagicPenguin MagicPenguin
 
Esen looked around as she absentmindedly tapped her fingers rhythmically on the table. The place wasn't exactly packed, but due to its size, there were quite a few people. The tables that were occupied had several people around them each, with the loud conversations and laughs mixing together to form a cacophony of meaningless sound. She realized, without much surprise, that aside from her there were only elves in the establishment. Not that she had anything against elves, in fact, the problem was the opposite. Some elves weren't particularly fond of Calcian people, and with this many elves bunched together, one of them was likely to give her shit about it, nevermind the fact that she was from Askary. Now she could avoid tempting fate and leave the type of establishment that was infamous for housing loud and violent people, as to not end up in another bar fight. But on the other hand, food. Congratulating her stomach brain for formulating such a compelling argument, she decided to stay and looked around for any waitress. Not finding any, she noticed that people were standing up and walking towards the bar to either order or pick up their food and drinks. 'Oh, so it's one of those places.'

"Looks like we gotta go to the bar to order," Esen said, looking at Lilian and taking a swig from her mug. At least she wouldn't have to deal with any employee bitching about her bringing a drink from outside. "What do you want?'"

"I'm not sure, what are the option?"

"No clue."

"Oh, then I'll have whatever you'll have."

Esen stood up saying 'gotcha' and went towards the bar, looking for an opening to get the bartender's attention. Finding a spot between a group talking and an elf drinking by himself, she waited patiently as the man behind the counter moved to and from the kitchen, carrying plates and mugs to his waiting customers. She tried to get his attention a couple of times, but it seemed he either didn't notice her or was too busy at the moment. Her stomach rumbling with impatience, she drummed her thumb and pinkie finger in the table, trying to get the bartender's attention whenever he ducked out of the kitchen; she wasn't successful. The man next to her seemed to notice her for the first time, most likely due to his now empty mug, and gave her a once over with a sour look, which she noticed but ignored.

"We don't like your kind here," he growled, instinctively going for another sip of his drink and scowling when he remembered it was empty. Probably for the best, seeing as this wasn't close to his first drink.

"What, blondes?" she replied without turning her head, her sarcasm on point.

He scowled again, this time directed at her. "Funny one, this church licker." She didn't know if that last part was slurred or some regional insult, but either way she got the message.

"Wrong nation. Points for trying, though." This time she did turn around to look at him. She knew where this was headed.

With a frown, he stood up and loomed over her. It almost worked, seeing as elves were generally taller than humans. Sadly, compared to her he was scrawny. He was probably strong for an elf, but by human standards he was barely average. Not that it stopped him any, both due to his semi-drunk state and his generally cocky personality. "Don't play stupid with me," he said, slurring the last couple words. "If you don't leave, I'll take you out."

She gave him an exaggerated one over. "Sorry, you're not my type. I prefer men with more muscles in their body and less stupid in their head." She could see him tense at the insult and ready up a hit. Skinny or not, she liked fists away from her face, so she didn't give him time to finish his unnecessary wind-up. Leaning back, away from any stray fist, she drove her boot hard up against his crotch, generating a pitiful howl of pain from the elf. Before he could fall on the ground in agony, she grabbed the side of his head with one hand and slammed it against the counter. This time she let him crumble to the floor, where he went into a semi-fetal position and quietly groaned in misery.

Looking around, she noticed that most of the conversations had died off, and that a lot of eyes were on her. She failed to notice the fist flying towards her as she turned around, hitting her right in the jaw. The strike wasn't enough to break her jaw, nor to much more than make her take a step back, but it still hurt. The two elves that had been talking on her left had stopped their chat and were now looking at her with murder in their eyes and fists raised. "Calcian piece of trash," said the one who had punched her, before throwing another hit at her, this one lacking any instability derived from alcohol. He wasn't too fast, though, and she managed to catch the fist in her hand, which she drove down making the elf stumble towards her as she stood to her full height and smashed the top of her head onto his nose. She didn't have enough time to follow up on her attack before someone got an arm around her neck from behind, trying, and failing, to lift her from her feet. She drove her weight down and grabbed her assailant by the shoulders, bending forward at her waist and bringing him over her shoulder to smash him back-first in front of her. Not giving him even a fraction of a second to stand up, she smashed his face with her foot, producing a wet crunch and a flow of blood from his broken nose.

The friend of her second victim ignored the finer art of punching and simply threw himself at her. Skinny or not, a body was still heavy, and the force of the leap sent both of them sprawling onto the floor, with Esen stuck under her attacker. Covering her face with her arms against his flurry of punches, she bent her knee against his spine, hard, causing him to bend backwards from the pain. Taking the opportunity, she grabbed both his ears and brought him down as she mover her head up, connecting her forehead to his nose, repeatedly. When she was satisfied with the amount of damage done, she threw him to the side and tried to stand up, before a knee smashed into the side of her head, sending her towards the counter, which she hit head first, painfully so.

Esen's head swam with pain, and she couldn't do anything as two strong arms grabbed and lifted her to face her attacker. She had enough time to see the scarred face of the woman before she threw her at the closest table. She ended on the floor behind it as it collapsed under her weight and the force of the throw. Thankfully, whoever had been sitting there had the foresight to stand away before she connected, otherwise they would have probably ended in a tangle of bodies, which might have softened the fall all things considered. Rolling into a standing position, she faced her attacker. Unlike the other elves, this one had some muscles in her, and where the others had the stance and posture of drunks or amateur fighters, the woman here carried herself as someone with experience and training. This was confirmed further once she unsheathed her knife. Where novices tried to compensate their lack of fighting prowess with flashy or gaudy looking weapons, competent fighters were happy enough with bland looking knife, and this knife was as bland as unsalted bread.

Esen now realized it hadn't been a good idea to leave her weapons and gear back in her room at the inn she was staying. She had also taken off her leather armor and wore some more comfortable clothing which, unlike the armor, didn't do much against pointy sticks. Deciding that she didn't want to do the sharp dance against someone who looked more and more like a trained soldier, she gave her the equivalent of a fighting middle finger and used magic. Flicking her arm in her direction, the elf was suddenly thrown off her feet by an invisible force and landed on a table, sending them both flying against a second table. Was it a dirty trick? Absolutely, but it did mean that the elf was both away from her and so was the knife, which had flown off to an identified location in the tavern. She hadn't heard any shouts of pain, so it hadn't impaled anyone by accident. She saw sudden movement from the corner of her eye, and instinct took over as she dodged to her side as something was thrown her way. Said something had been a chair, which had sailed past her and hit an innocent bystander. That was the moment everything went to shit.

The combination of alcohol, bad tempers, and finally an offender that wasn't her, threw every single drunk elf in the area into overdrive as the friends of the chair's victim retaliated against the offender, which in turn caused everyone else to join in the fight. Either using this as an excuse to hit whoever they didn't like, or to defend themselves or their buddies, whatever the reason, people just jumped the opportunity of drunken violence. Bad side of town indeed. Esen had noticed that Lilian had had the common sense to leave the place as soon as the fighting had turned out of control, so at least she didn't have to worry about her getting hurt in the chaos. She did, however, have to worry about herself as she saw the woman she had thrown away with magic run at her with a stool in hand. Stool that swiftly and painfully hit her in the stomach, knocking the air out of her lungs and sending her sprawling onto the ground. She was mostly ignored by the people around her as they stepped on her without realizing it, which didn't matter either way because getting stepped on hurt whether it was intentional or not. Not being able to locate any specific aggressor, for they were many and didn't stick in a specific spot, she sent an unaimed shock of force around her. It wasn't strong enough to send them flying through the air, but it did scatter them far away from her and sent threw onto the ground.

The soldier/guard/fighter elf, whatever she was, had quickly recovered from her fall and was coming her way. Still on the ground, Esen didn't bother standing up as she motioned with her hand again, pushing the elf's feet from under her, before she did a forward motion with her arm and sent her tumbling away from her, toppling other elves on the process and burying her in bodies. Rolling into a sitting position, she took a second to collect her breath and decided that this was a good time as any to leave the place. Pushing, punching, and taking punches, she forced her way towards the exit, where she found her favorite soldier elf blocking her way out. Good God she was adamant, and she tried for a second to remember if they had crossed paths in the past before deciding that she didn't care at the moment. She flicked her hand up and sent her flying up, where she hit the ceiling before falling into the ground with the same force. Not giving her any time to stand, Esen moved her arm behind her and sent the fallen woman sliding into the chaos that was the fight behind her. Content with that, she rushed out of the bar and tried to look as innocent as possible as she quickly walked away from the tavern into the nicer part of town. She almost got it, if it weren't for the fact that any exposed skin had enough bruises in it to make her look like a walking plum.

Her body ached, her limbs burned when moving, and she didn't like the way her stomach hurt. All in all, though, a pretty entertaining day so far.
 
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Following Nia's questioning of her friends' motives, she reflected on their answers while they broke camp. These thoughts would follow her as they made the journey to Windrip; her cheery mood seemed to follow her as well. From the outside, it would appear as if the girl was back into the state of mind she had while in her castle. This couldn't be farther from the truth in reality. Nia was simply keeping up appearances and trying to keep up her groups morale. This was simply part of who she was. Nia always had a tendency to cover up her true feelings, even in the castle, given enough alone time the girl often falls into a reserved and serious mindset. Nevertheless, her surface personality takes front and center during times like these. She was hopeful that her upbeat and bright attitude would be like a light in the dark for her friends.

Once the group paid for their stay at the inn, Nia could be seen hiding away in her cloak. These types of places were just... they're just the worst. Stories told by guards in the castle gave Nia an odd perception of these inns. Nothing but people of ill intent, drunks, thieves, and all manner of scoundrel frequent these places, not princesses. When the time came for sleep the heir was incredibly grateful to get actual beds. Finally able to sleep relatively comfortably and privately would no doubt do wonders for the pampered young girl. She dressed in light sleepwear before finally getting a goods night rest.

At least that was the plan.

A screech cut through the dark peace of sleep, the sound of a massive rock cutting through the sky. Nia looked around as the world came into focus, and her eyes immediately set upon the Grey Elf. Standing over the body of her father. He smiled down at her with an unapologetic smirk pointed in her direction. All seems stopped. Frozen in time. Those she called her friends stood in the arena where the world shattered for the young girl, all in various forms of combat. A massive volcanic boulder sat suspended in the sky, the flames frozen mid-flicker. The panicking crowd, the robed entities, the sky itself, the very particles floating in the air, all frozen. All except Kruziik. He smiled at her, his voice cutting through the frozen air. "Well... this is an interesting predicament you find yourself in young heir. You find yourself alone in the company of strangers. You may think of them as friends, but can they truly be your friends? They can't understand what you feel. No one can. And in that, you are alone. You've not only lost your father, you've lost your people, your lands and, think about this one, you've lost the tree your mother is buried under. Imagine! What will we do with the tree? Burn it for fun? Dig up her body and display her next to her husband, together in death as they were in life? Heheh. That's one for the storybooks. What will you do?' He tilts his head, curious, "Can you do something?"

The scene abruptly continued, the rock smashing into the Temple, it's familiar tolling bell forever silenced. The arena erupts into action around her, shouts and yelps and screams as mothers watch as their children are butchered in front of them, fathers see the life leave their families eys, and children cry over the bodies of their parents. All seems so lost, all seems so painful, all seems so hateful, life is over, everything is over, it's all over, Nia falls to her knees, feeling a rush of pain spike from her head, similar to a pounding headache. With each thump, her vision blackens, till the arena and all the screams fade into a peaceful blackness.

But peace is shattered as another voice, familiar yet so strange, cuts through the dark. "Nia?" The voice sounds neither male, nor female. Not Elvish, Human, Dwarvish, or anything familiar. Instead, it sounds like all of the above. A legion of voices calling to her. It calls again. "Nia? Speak to us, Nia. Please. We've been calling to you for some time. Please, Speak to us."

"H-hello? w-w-who are you?" She was obviously very shaken after what Kruzik said.

"We are the Sword. The Blade of your Father, Now the Blade of The Heir. That's you. We are here to help. You have seen the Ancient Horror. Kruziik Kro Lo, the Ancient Spirit of Chaos. Ancient is a loose term, however. He is not a god as he believes. Which means you can kill him. You'd like to kill him wouldn't you?'

"well duh. Bastard ruined my life!"

"Good. Your sword is the key to victory. You are unaware of its true power. We will teach you. The magic of the sword is like this: With every life you take, you will grow stronger, darker, a terror to your enemies. But, with every life you spare, you shall gain powerful magic of healing. So the choice is yours. Will you grow your power, tearing through the bodies of your enemies and leaving them in your wake? Or will you be a beacon of light in the darkness? We shall not judge. We only wish for vengeance, for you and for us. How you achieve victory is up to you alone."

Nia's eyes opened and she sat up. Her eyes glanced around the room and she got out of bed to cross the room. She grabbed a journal and wrote down everything she saw.

Gavin was in a dream of his own. Colors flowed around him like air made visible. A voice called to him, soft, gentle. It reminded him of his mother. "Gavin.... Gavin..." He called back, his voice feeling very small. But the voice spoke before he could finish the voice said, "Grow, feel the fire in your soul. Feel Nature's Wrath burn." And he awoke and set upon his book in earnest, writing down what little he saw.


Some hours later

Nia took the opportunity before they arrived at the stable to double check the plan. "So... I'm just supposed to show off the fact that I'm me, and they say where I'm going?"

Gavin thought back to their plan and nodded. "Indeed. But make it seem like it was an accident."

"well. We could do it on purpose and get free horses... all in the name of the kingdom of course. Desperate times and all that." She smiled innocently.

Gavin chuckled lightly and shook his head. "No, we stick to the plan. Though some spending money would be nice. You could play the royalty card and make the others agree with you, but I think we should stick with the other's plan. The elder one seems to know his way around this subterfuge." Gavin looks around nervously, then looks back at her with a nervous smile.

Nia let out a somewhat annoyed sigh. "okay..." she agreed to the plan and walked along with Gavin. "I hope my horse isn't too... wild..." she commented as the approached the stables.

“I’m sure it’ll be fine.” He opens the door for her, looking inside for signs of evil, before realizing he isn’t qualified to recognize signs of evil.
Nia smiles at him as she enters. She pauses to look around and gives a wave to the stable-master once she spots him.

The stable-master glances over and waves. “Hellooooo!” He greets flamboyantly. “Can I help you?” Gavin speaks up. “Yes hello, we were looking to purchase... nine horses? Is that right?” He looks over at Nia, questioningly.

"Yeah. Nine horses." She confirms his question with a bright smile.

“That’s wonderful! I have just that many available! How convenient! That’ll be... hmm... about 900 gold. I’m sorry for that astronomical price, but horses are expensive.” Gavin shakes his head. “That’s fine, um... pay the man Ni-.... um... friend.”

"ok.... uhhh." Nia takes off her hood to remove her earrings, pure gold with pieces of diamond on the end. "I don't have that much on me, will this work?"

The stable-master looks them over with a gleam in his eyes. But then he notices something else. “Your hair... you had to move your hood to take off the earrings... that hair!”

“Not only incredibly fashionable and so striking but also a symbol of royalty! Oh, maker, I may faint!”

Nia quickly puts her hood back on. "Quiet! Just get the horses..."

“Oh, undercover! Yes I understand now!” He lowers his voice to an excited hush. “Are you eloping, is he your slave, labor slave or sex slave, did he kidnap you, are you okay, hows the family, he looks like he’d be a good sex slave, but what do I know, are you single, why do you need those horses, is there truly a god in this world, I’ll get those horses.” He giggles and walks out to the horses. “Meet me outside!”

Gavin nods at him and smiles, waiting for him to leave before turning to Nia. “Good work using the earrings to show off your hair! It looked just like an accident.”

Nia was silently blushing. "Well, th-that was a thing..."

“That guys was... “something else” I suppose is the polite way to say a tad odd. Let’s meet him outside.” Gavin opens the door for Nia

Nia heads through the door and looks at the horses the man has assembled. "I get the first pick!"

Gavin chuckles. “Of course, that’s part of the perks of being royalty.” The Stablemaster giggles again, whispering loudly. “Yes my princess! You get the best horse in the House! Heeheehee!”

Nia approached one of the horses "Hello there-" she looked under the horse to check "Miss horse. Want me as your rider?" she asked her giving the animal a pat on the side. The horse was sturdy, muscular, yet seemed to have a calm attitude. With mostly white hair and five black spots, Nia decided to name her "Domino. Yeah, that's good. "

Gavin smiled at Nia and looked around that the other horses. He picked the simplest horse, a smaller one, just brown all over. He patted the horse. “Hello average Joe. That’s what I’ll call you.” The Stablemaster whacked Gavin’s hand with a riding crop as he patted the horse. “No! You don’t get a horse Sex Slave! You are nothing compared to the,” stage whisper, “Princess!”

The Stablemaster looked over at Nia and stood at attention. “I kept him from touching your herd your Majesty!

"Okay...." Nia said awkwardly. "Let's bring these back to our group Gavin."

Gavin looks between Nia and the Stablemaster before sighing and walking next to the horse. "Sure N-" He flinched as the Stablemaster rose his crop again, and corrected himself. "Yes, Mistress..."

Nia smiles. "I can get used to this..."

Gavin groans quietly. "Spirits help me." The Stablemaster bows. "Please Princess, go with the best wishes of this humble servant!" He holds out his riding crop to her. "You can use this to keep your slave in line! Free of charge! It is a gift from me, a small and humble peon!"

Nia swipes the riding crop "Sweet!" she points off in the distance with it. "To Fenwood we go!"

The Stablemaster keeps bowing as if confronted by a goddess. Gavin pulls the horses along, muttering under his breath. And Nia hears a voice, the same voice from her dream, the one that claimed to be her sword. "Tell me something. Look to the boy. Look to your riding crop. You have all the power here. How does that feel? "

"uh..." she gave Gavin a poke with the rod. "Onwards my... prisoner with a job" 'not too bad...'

Gavin glares back at her before moving out of her reach. The voice chuckles. "And soon you will surpass Kruziik in power. Imagine how that will feel."

Nia looked at her feet as she walked, deep in thought. She put the riding crop into her belt and played with her cloak as she did so.

-skip to departure-

Nia stood off to the side of the group as Raimi was saying her goodbyes. Nia wasn't sure what to say to her. Rae was the closest friend she'd ever had. Quite possibly the first real friend she'd had. And yet here they were, at a crossroad of fate. Their goals were similar yet must take different paths to reach them. Nia hugged the other girl tight and close, not wanting her to go. She didn't bother to hide her tears, letting them flow freely down her cheeks. She sniffed "That bow was terrible." she said with a quick, quiet laugh. She looked up at the Huntress. "yeah... I'll be sure to do that." She removed her arms from the girl and put them into the folds of her cloak "it'll be difficult to become an outdoorsy girl without a good teacher though. But I'll try." She softly, with a scratchy voice from all the pent of emotion. She smiled as bittersweet feeling rose in her heart while she watched the rest of her group say their own goodbyes. Nia felt butterflies in her stomach, she felt like she could vomit. This girl was important. She was a real friend, someone Nia cared for greatly, and she was leaving.

Nia looked on as Rae gradually increased in distance. She let out a shaky breath.
"please come back..."

A few moments passed and the girl composed herself, mounting Domino as she looked around at the ones who would be joining her. She looked up to the sky, then leveled her gaze to the road into Askary. "Okay. Let's go. There's a Nation in Havoc we need to save."

ROLL CREDITS

TheCountryWarrior TheCountryWarrior augmentedspartan augmentedspartan Randomfella Randomfella The_Omega_Effect The_Omega_Effect MagicPenguin MagicPenguin
 
Raimi and Gavin marched silently for a time down the road. Rae studied the tiny spherical object with a string coming out of the top that Jenny handed her before they parted, tossing it up and down in one hand musingly. She was not only considering the nature of the strange object itself, which was mysterious enough, but also the person who gave it to her. She had not expected Jenny to hug her the way she did; given the halfling's generally acerbic attitude, her typical nasty comments, and the less-than-friendly terms on which they'd met, Rae had kind of just accepted that they'd never really be friends. But Jenny had not only given her a somewhat affectionate, if somewhat rude, goodbye, she'd sent her off with this strange, no doubt magical, ball. The unexpected warmth of Jenny's farewell made Raimi feel more than a little guilty she'd tried so hard to keep the girl at arm's length throughout their journey. She probably deserved the pinch she'd received that still left the back of her thigh feeling sore.

She tried asking Gavin what he thought the ball was. He examined it carefully, but said that he'd seen no magical artifact like it before. What it did was as much a mystery to him as to her. Curiouser and curiouser, she thought. Whatever it was, she hoped she'd never find herself in so dire a situation as to have to light the string on fire and throw it as the halfling had instructed her.

She placed the object in her belt pouch next to the one that held her purse and tried to put it out of her mind for a while. She spoke to Gavin as they walked, trading stories about herself and her family for stories about his past. She also tried to ask him about magic, since it was a topic she knew next to nothing about. He tried to explain it to her, how some people could make pacts to gain magic and some were born with it and about how there were different types like fire and thunder and earth. She tried as best she could to follow the man's detailed explanations. She was particularly interested in pact magic since Gavin's explanation seemed to mean that anyone, even she, could use any type of magic if she made a pact. When she asked if she could use magic that way, Gavin nodded reluctantly, but cautioned her against doing it with uncharacteristic vehemence without saying exactly why and then averted his gaze from her as if he were very uncomfortable discussing the subject and wanted to talk about something else. She had always daydreamed as a kid about using magic like in the stories and was a little disappointed by that reaction, but decided to drop the topic of magical pacts, much to Gavin's apparent relief. For now, at least. By the time the sun was descending in the sky and they decided to set up camp, Rae felt she had at least a slightly better understanding of how magic worked.

She asked Gavin to make up a fire in a little clearing a small ways off the main road. While he did that, she went down to a little stream and did some fishing. She came back about an hour later with three small trout and the two spent their time in occupied silence skinning and gutting and cooking their catch. Rae went to sleep that night with a pleasantly full tummy, though her dreams were just as disturbed as ever. The closer she got to the farm, the more anxious she got and the more anxious she got, the scarier her nightmares became. She awoke sweaty with a shout well before dawn, unable to remember the specifics of her nightmare except for how terrified it made her. She took a small walk around the camp to clear her head and laid down again, but her thoughts raced in anxious circles in her skull and she could not get back to sleep. When the sky began to turn gray with the first light of dawn, she gave up and went back down to the stream to catch a few more fish for breakfast. By the time she'd cooked the fish, the sun was well above the horizon and Gavin still had not woken. Rae envied how well he seemed to be able to sleep after her restless night, but she guessed that it must be only natural that his body still wanted extra rest to recover from his ordeal two or three days earlier. She ended up waking him to eat so they could get a move on. She was very eager to start toward the farm.

Raimi tried to hide her nervousness behind a chipper attitude during the first part of their march that morning, trying to make more conversation with Gavin about their pasts. She told him stories about her family and asked about his own. Gavin seemed like he was in a pretty good mood today, so she tried to bring up the topic of magical pacts again, hoping he'd be more forthcoming about how to use one to gain powers. His positive vibe evaporated like dew in the morning sun the second she mentioned it, though, and she got no more information about it than she had the day before. He gave her another stern warning not to even think about making such a pact. He also made it very clear, in no uncertain terms, that she was not to ask him about pacts again. It became a great deal harder to make friendly banter after that. After a few moments of awkward silence Gavin tried to gracefully change the subject in a calm tone, but all he got from Raimi in return were short, cold replies and hurt expressions. She was sulky that he'd lectured her and annoyed that he wouldn't tell her more about pacts. What could be so bad about them that he'd berate her just for asking? He got the message after a few failed attempts at conversation and seemed content just to remain a silently supportive presence at her side. He was often deep in thought and, every so often, he would send a concerned or irritated glance in her direction when he didn't think she'd notice. Rae couldn't tell if he was still angry at her for asking about the pacts or worried about her or some combination of both. Either way, it just made her more annoyed at him. Despite her annoyance, he remained pleasant and sympathetic in her time of need, a perfect gentleman. She was deeply appreciative that he was there for her, frightened as she was of what lay ahead, but his manners and poise made it seem as if he'd forgotten about the discussion of pacts entirely and that managed to perturb her even more. As they got closer to home, though, they started to notice smoking farmhouses dotting the landscape and pastures marred by fallen rocks and dead animals and she forgot all about their argument as they took it all in. All she could think of then was whether her farm was in a similar state to the ones they saw as they passed by. She was assualted by mental images of her family, their bodies lying dead in the stables, their accusing glares fixed on her in condemnation. By mid-afternoon, her anxiety reached its peak and she moved as quickly down the dirt road as her injuries would allow her. She got so nervous at one point that she started all but jogging without realizing it and Gavin had to put a hand on her shoulder and calm her down so she didn't re-open her wounds in her haste.

The weather was still cold, as typical for Dalania, but the closer and closer they got to the farm, the less and less snow they saw. Southern Dalania still had a colder climate, but one much more amenable to farming, which was part of why goods from the farms around these parts were so highly valued in the capital city, where snowfall was much more common and crop growing and animal pasturing much more difficult. Finally, when the sun was nearly gone beyond the horizon, they came upon a modest house surrounded by pastures, pig pens, a chicken house, and a barn, much the same as all those they'd seen in the last few hours. Rae said nothing as she surveyed her home. Fences and fields alike lay in various states of destruction, some crushed by rocks, some showing the marks of claws and axes and other signs of goblin raids. The roof of the barn was partially caved in by the debris from the volcanic eruption. The pigs and chickens, every single one, lay dead and rotting in their respective pens, killed by fallen rocks, earthquakes, or starvation. She noted absently that there were far fewer animals here than what her family actually owned, as if many of them had simply disappeared in the chaos. She couldn't force her brain to work through what that might mean. She was too distracted by the pitiful ruins of what was once her home.

“Raimi...” Gavin began to say sympathetically after taking in the senseless destruction all around him. She didn't hear him. She ran up to her house in the center of the farm as fast as she could. The front door was half off of its hinges, barely still within its frame. She slammed it open without even thinking about how it could have gotten that way and barged inside. Gavin was running behind her trying to catch up to her mad dash, shouting something about being careful because the goblins might still be inside, but she still could not hear him through the numbness that she felt all throughout her body. Inside the farmhouse, she found furniture overturned and walls caved in, holes in the roof and the stairway to the bedrooms on the upper level completely destroyed. Rae searched frantically for any sign of life, but the more destruction she took in, the more certain she was that she should be looking for corpses instead. She found the remains of a partially eaten meal sitting on the table in the dining room, flies buzzing all around it. The sight made Raimi recall her nightmare two nights ago, a rotten meal covered in maggots left at a table from which everyone had disappeared. Rae felt as though a lump of ice were settling in the pit of her stomach as she followed that thought to its natural conclusion. She burst past and nearly bowled over Gavin, who'd caught up to her at some point and was examining the house, and ran back out the front door and on to the barn as fast as she could, heedless of the boulders and broken fences and dead cows that lay between her and it. If one part of her dream had come true in the dining room, did that mean she would find her family dead in the stables?

When she walked into the barn, she had to wait a few seconds for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. They were the longest few seconds of her entire life, filled with the scent of blood and horse shit and the sound of nothing but the furious rush of blood pounding rhythmically in her ears. She braced herself to see corpses in the stalls and was almost perplexed when she was able to see inside them well enough to realize they were empty. She inspected every stall and found them all empty except for one, where a brown horse lay dead on the ground, head crushed by a boulder through the ceiling in a manner so similar to her horse in the Lazy Fox's stables that Rae thought it almost a mockery, a cruel joke from whatever faceless god ruled this horrible world. Relief and grief and worry warred within her until her legs could support her weight no longer and she fell to her knees taking fast, deep breaths as if she'd run a mile and her lungs could not get enough air to replenish her body. It was then that she noticed Gavin had come up behind her without her even noticing, though he did not say a word. She thought about everything she'd seen so far on the farm and the lack of any sign of life at all and came to the only conclusion she could: her family was dead. Gone. They had to be. All this death and destruction left no room for hope of anything else. Tears came in a torrent and all the sadness and despair she'd been holding back so the others wouldn't see since that fateful day in the arena came rushing at her once more. She didn't try to hide it this time. There was no point anymore. There was no point to anything at all. Her whole body wracked with violent sobs and the sound of her wails reverberated off the walls. At some point she found herself hugging Gavin's legs as tightly as she'd ever embraced everything. She didn't know when she'd done that. He didn't say anything. She continued to cry and tried to find words for him.

“They're gone,” she said between sobs. “They're dead. All of them. My family. Everything I had in this world. How can I keep going? There's nothing left for me now. What am I gonna do? Oh, what am I gonna do?” She didn't really expect Gavin to have an answer; the words just poured out of her without any forethought. As she said the words, however, her thoughts turned unbidden to the small spherical artifact Jenny had given her; if she lit the string on fire and didn't throw it as Jenny instructed her, what would happen? Would it destroy her? Could she escape this pain? See her family again in the afterlife? The dark, desperate thought only made her despair more complete and her sobs became all the stronger. She clutched at Gavin's legs even more tightly, as if she were a drowning woman in a strong current and he were a steady rock. Raimi continued to cry out her sorrows and her despairs to him and Gavin simply stood there and said nothing.

TheCountryWarrior TheCountryWarrior
 
Gavin looked down at her with sympathy, his face solemn, gathering his thoughts. After a moment, he sat down with her and hugged her, rocking her gently as he spoke in the most calm and comforting voice he could muster. “I don’t believe they’re dead. While you were looking around in an understandable panic I looked a bit deeper behind you, and I’m positive that they at least left here alive. First, the horses. There’s room for six horses here, and only one is deceased. I don’t claim to be an expert on goblins but I’ve studied them before. They dislike horses, preferring their own steeds, meaning that they wouldn’t take them. The horses bodies are not here, meaning they were taken by someone. A simple raiding party can’t take one horse, much less five. They were ridden out by someone.

“Second, in the house, the chairs around the dinner table were toppled over and the meal left uneaten, indicating they left quickly. The fact that there is no blood means they were not killed there. Upstairs, there was a hidden compartment for weapons under the floorboards, empty of its contents except a bow and a quiver of arrows. I hypothesize that your family left that for you in case you returned here. Further on, was an open drawer with a false bottom, empty as well. Most likely the emergency stash. Goblins in a quick raid take the surface stuff in their frenzy. They don’t look deeper.”

Gavin pushes her away slightly, and looks her square in the eyes. “Your family is alive. I believe it, with my heart, and the added evidence. You said your family trades with the elves, they may have gone there. Raimi. They are not dead. So, the current game plan is: Head to our original destination, Fenwood, not only complete our mission but also find your family, and maybe eat a full meal at some point.”

He helps her up to a standing position, and walks with her as she heads towards the house. She retrieved the bow and quiver of arrows from upstairs and returns to him. Her posture, her face, the tears still in her eyes, all the signs of a broken-heart. But he knew what he saw, deep in her eyes, the inner war between hope and a fear of daring to hope. He gave the best comforting smile he could, while his own heart ached for her, and the most horrible scenarios played out in his worried mind. “It’s getting late,” he said finally, “if it’s alright with you we should stay for the night. I’ll keep watch here, you find a bed and rest.” She nodded, heading up the stairs slowly to her bed. Gavin took a chair and stood it upright facing towards the mostly closed door. He looked over his books with a small flame he conjured in his hand for light, but no matter how hard he concentrated on his books he could still hear her crying upstairs, sniffling as sleep eluded her as much as it did him.

The night passed, with minimal sleep gained between the two of them. She came down the stairs, and he saw in her eyes that hope was gaining ground, though still tempered by a sliver of despair. Gavin understood. The most grievous of emotional wounds do not heal quickly. She smiled a small smile at him to show she was ready, her bows slung around her back and her quiver full of arrows. With a nod to each other they set off, heading past the broken doorway, past the broken stables, coops, dead animals, past this thoughtlessly destroyed home. At the edge of the property she stopped, and looked back for a moment. Gavin kept his hand on her shoulder, and she let out one small sigh as she turned back to him, and they continued onward.

She seemed more chipper than the night before, listening to his tales of mythical continents and ancient stories of hero’s and villains, random facts of flora and fauna and ghost stories of magic and mortality. He told all his tales with earnest, and with practiced ease, answering her many questions as accurately as possible. She was most interested in the stories of magic, the power it holds, and the theories of where it comes from, all of which he answered with guarded precision.

They traveled for the length of the day, pausing around the lunch hour for Raimi to impress him once again with enough to feed them, cooked it with the help of her survival techniques, and they ate. Gavin was glad to see she had regained her will to fight, to live, to survive. That cheered him up considerably, and they continued on at a brisk jolly-er pace. Soon they found themselves gazing upon the Forest of Fenwood, it’s tall trees casting a shadow upon the ground at their feet. They stepped past this threshold and Gavin smiled, happy to be home again. They were now in Fenwood Forest, home of the elves, a place of magic, and for now a sanctuary.

MagicPenguin MagicPenguin
 
Violet had just been hired by the person she was trying to steal from. An odd turn of events to be sure, but nothing she couldn't handle. The most interesting part of this was her target. The girl had killed many in her time, but never royalty. Violet always thought that regicide was out of her pay grade. But this? It's a princess isolated on the road away from her personal guard. It'd be a walk in the park to take her down. Granted Violet had to find her first, but the girl had bright red hair. That would make things a bit easier. The assassin had loaded up her equipment; Two sai, a crossbow, 30 bolts, 12 shurikens, various poisons and alchemical concoctions, and other tools that served a wide variety of uses. Her horse was a jet black mustang, her steed was capable of going long distances and great speed.

After a few days of almost completely unremarkable traveling, save for an abandoned camp with a few dead bodies surrounding a cage. Violet arrived at the small town of Windrip. She immediately made a beeline into the town's inn. She asked the innkeeper if they'd seen any travelers of note. When they asked why she informed them that she was a friend and that they had been separated on the road a few days back. Luckily, the stable mater overheard this and rather proudly announced that the princess of Dalania had been through and that she was heading into Fenwood. The other patrons told the stablemaster to be quiet already. It was clear no one believed him. Violet bought a bottle of whiskey while she was there, thanked the stablemaster for the information and promptly rode out of town. It was possible that this was a bait, it was also possible that they would think she would think its bait and go elsewhere. Regardless, it was the only lead she had, so she would follow up on it.
 
In the Flashy Barman, with five or so minutes to spare.

Armandio walked into the Barman, and set his eyes upon the rough clientele. Thuggish men and women sat at tables, while the shiftiest individual sat in the corner booth. Armandio was glad Raimi knew of a much safer bar, because he realized now that the people here would give their own brothers in exchange for some cash. He wandered to the bar and sat on an almost disintegrating stool, and leaned forward towards the bartender. Behind the bar stood a female Human with brown eyes and blond hair, and a glare plastered on her face as soon as he approached her. “Been some time Armie,” she said coldly. Armandio sighed a heavy sigh. “I know. But I’ll only take a moment of your time.” She scoffed and rubbed a cloth over a mug, not looking at him anymore. “Heard that before. What do you want from me?”

Armandio nodded, leaning closer and whispering his words hoping to keep the others present from hearing. “What’s happening in Askary? I have a group heading there and I need to know the level of danger.” Her movements came to a sudden halt, and she locked eyes with him. After a moment she sighed. “I’m fairly certain none but the president and his daughter remember that specific detail, but try to stay low okay? Silas is still doing magic shit, and the Babbadanios are still the most prevalent illegal group. Not much has changed really. Stay low and you should be fine.” Armandio nodded and smiled a sad smile. “Thank you Carla.” Without a word he slides over five gold and nods. “That’s what I owe you. Glad I could pay you back.” He stood up and walked out of the bar, forcing out the memories that surfaced. He had his mission, and he always accomplished his missions.


Much later, at the crossroads.

Armandio couldn’t get a word in edgewise, as Raimi hugged him and apologized for her words then immediately moved on. He still blamed himself for hurting the odd sort of friendship between them, but her words brought hope back to him. She had promised to see him again. Armandio smiled at this, glad for this reconciliation. He knew he’d have to be around for her to keep her promise of course, and so he made an unspoken promise to her in his mind, to stay alive to see her again someday. He looked at the kid she had pulled from the jaws of death and stared at him sternly. “You better take care of her.” Gavin wasn’t intimidated, looking at Armandio with a grim look of understanding. Armandio waved lightly to Raimi as she left with a sad smile upon his face, and turned back to the others after they left. “And onward we go.” They started onwards to their next stop: the Red Mountains, home of the Dwarves.
 
Once the group had left the fork in the road, the travel towards the Red Mountains was uneventful and soon enough the group found themselves at The Dwarves border wall. A massive construction of smooth stone 50 feet tall which barred entry through the narrow valley they were current;y in. "So... without outing myself as royalty. I don't know how we can get in. Considering their homeland just blew up I'm guessing they won't be happy with newcomers." Nia's soft voice spoke up from underneath her hood.

TheCountryWarrior TheCountryWarrior augmentedspartan augmentedspartan Randomfella Randomfella The_Omega_Effect The_Omega_Effect MagicPenguin MagicPenguin
 
Decius tried to give a proper farewell to Raimi as she splintered from the group. But all that came out was a faint smile. It seemed to be the beginning of the end for Decius. For his mind anyways. The axe. The demon. The..spirit. Whatever it is. The craving for blood that it cursed him with was getting worse and worse over time. He was afraid that although they would meet again, his mind would be eroded beyond the point of no return. Sel'Zor tried to manipulate him to kill others with the false promise of power. With this not working, it tried a more different approach. Decius' own mind was slowly being turned against him as Sel'Zor kept torturing him by warping his mind to the best of its ability. He was very resilient. But he would crack under the immense pressure put on him eventually.

Decius wanted to make sure that he remained in the real world, with him not wanting his thoughts to wander back into his mind. It did not matter anymore who was in the group with him. Just that he had somewhere to go. A destination or a goal. Something to focus on. Decius tried to keep his mind occupied by trying to concentrate on even the simplest and the most monotonous tasks.
Right. Left. Right. Left. Right. Left.
Pull cart. Pay for room.
He started to wear his cape like a cowl instead, using it to cover as much of himself as possible without attracting too much attention. He was silent for the rest of the trip, saying only mere phrases and answers consisting of a few words. He tended to hang towards the back end of the group, carrying whatever needs to be carried and not interacting with the others much at all.

They finally arrived at their destination. The city of Dwarves. "Finally...Some actual souls to reap. Unlike those rabbits and the other animals you thought I'd be sated with." Decius ignored it however, wanting to contribute to the discussion at hand. "Disguises." He said in a low, gravelly voice. Attempting to sound clearer, he cleared his throat and tried to elaborate. "We could use disguises...like we've already done before." Getting the sentence out was difficult. But not as difficult at resisting the many temptations and impulses put into his head.
 
What time Jenny didn't spend thinking about home, she spent working on a new invention. Mostly it was planning, though she did what work she could in the cart. She longed for a workshop where she could meld her ideas into reality, almost as much as she longed to return to Vilnius. Soon they would arrive to the home of the dwarves, Jenny could hardly hide her excitement, she hadn't been inside the mountains themselves before, though the idea of the potentially active volcano was still fresh in her mind.

As Decius spoke up, Jenny's ears perked, an idea coming to mind. "That's right! Disguises! I'll be a travelling engineer, and merchant, here to sell them some goods to help clear out some of those surely collapsed tunnels, and you lot can be my personal guard!" Jenny leapt up slightly, pointing toward Decius, before looking back at Nia. "See, the big human has the right idea. Cover most of your faces, makes you look more like mercs'." She nodded at her own idea, excitement fresh in her tone, in truth she simply anticipated the great forges and workshops of the dwarves of legend. Jenny was so pleased with her own plan she almost forgot how strange it would be to meet a travelling halfling, let alone one in her line of work.

TheCountryWarrior TheCountryWarrior The_Omega_Effect The_Omega_Effect Duke of Doge Duke of Doge
 
After three days of hard travel, finally Raimi and Gavin stood before the entrance to the border town of Malania-Frederick, a small trading settlement that survived by doing business mostly with the farmers of Southern Dalania and the port cities of Manzaner and Rotandus. Behind them stood the open fields, rolling hills, and dirt roads of the Dalanian countryside; ahead of them, beyond the village, lay the thick, dark forests of Fenwood, with trees thicker and taller than any Dalania had to offer and canopies so thick with leaves to block out the sun that it almost seemed to permanently be night on the forest ground beneath them. Once they stepped inside that gate, Raimi reflected, Dalania would be completely behind them. They would officially be inside the wild country of Fenwood.

"Well, we made it," Rae said to Gavin anxiously. If her family had in fact come to Fenwood as Gavin theorized, they would have come here. Around the pair, travelers with horses and merchants with carts proceeded along the same road connecting Dalania and Fenwood that they had travelled. Normally, the road would have had traffic moving in both directions; now, the entire crowd was headed out of Dalania and into Fenwood with virtually no one travelling in the opposite direction. With the hood of her cloak pulled up against the day's chill and butterflies in her stomach, she led Gavin down to the main gate, where two elven guards, one a grizzled, middle-aged man and the other a youngster who appeared no older than Raimi, stood in a welcoming pose, though alert and vigilant for possible trouble all the same.

"Welcome, travelers, to the town of Malania-Frederick! Be welcome, be welcome!" one called in greeting to the huge crowd slowly moving toward the gate while the other ushered members of the crowd in one and two at a time. This town had always had guards posted at the gates and around the town's perimeter, but, growing up, Rae had never actually heard of them being needed for protection. This town was extremely peaceful and very welcoming to strangers of any race. The people were happy and healthy, always polite and willing to chat with strangers and there was rarely any trouble here that she had heard of. She wondered if they would remain so open and welcoming for much longer, though, what with all these refugees fleeing Dalania en masse after Kruziik's conquest.

She stepped closer to the guards, removing her hood and revealing her face as she did. One of the guards, the younger one shouting greetings, did not see her at first in the crowd, but when he noticed her approach and saw her face, his eyes shot wide open and he nearly choked on his "be welcomes."

"Raimi! Raimi Charlotte, is that you?!"

"It's me, Robin." Robin was a young attractive Elven man with chin length, soft blonde hair, blue eyes she could drown in, strong, pointed ears, and an abundance of height and muscle. Rae had gotten to know him well growing up. When she was 12 and he was one of the only boys near her own age she knew besides her siblings, she sometimes fantasized she would one day marry the good-looking elf. Of course, it was just the youthful fancy of a girl barely into adulthood. Still, she mused with color in her cheeks, he WAS very nice to look at. Despite her sadness and anxiety, some mischievous part of her brain wished that Armandio were here so she could compare the two side by side.

"When Alfred Charlotte came through and told us you had been in the captial, we all thought...well, we all thought you were..."

Raimi's heart nearly stopped beating in her chest. Her father. Her father had been through here. He was here. He was HERE.

"Robin, where are they?! Where's my Ma and Pa? Are my brothers and sisters with them?! Tell me where they are, now, please!"

"Woah, easy there, Rae. They're all here. All of them. They came in about four days ago when all the trouble started in Dalania. A little beat up, sure, some broken bones, but alive and well."

"Where?!"

"The usual place."

Without any further prompting, she grabbed Gavin roughly by the arm and all but dragged him through the thick crowd of listless Dalanian refugees. Some of them eyed her sharply as she skipped them in the line and the older soldier admitting folks into town one party at a time moved to stop her, but Robin put up a hand and shook his head at the man. With an uncertain look on his face, he relented, grudgingly, and Rae and Gavin were able to barrel through the gate ahead of everyone else without so much as giving him their names.

The town itself was fairly small compared to most Dalanian villages she knew of. The homes were built of wood and were mostly quite small; some Dalanians, used to larger homes of stone and brick, referred to them as 'huts,' though the elves who lived in them didn't seem to mind. There were a few exceptions; one was the Village Warden's manor, which was also made of wood, but it stood head and shoulders above all the other buildings. It served as both the Warden's residence and the administrative center of the village, so it had to be a bit bigger. The other exceptions were the few inns and taverns that dotted the village every couple of streets; they were built in the Dalanian style, out of stone, mostly there to accommodate the frequent travelers from the village's neighbor to the East. They were two stories as well, though not nearly so large as the Warden's manor.

Rae dragged Gavin as fast as she could make him move down dirt roads and in between houses. Every so often, familiar faces would call out to her in shock and relief. She nodded to them in passing, but that was as much politeness as she could find in herself just that moment. The pair ran, plowing headlong through crowds of town regulars and displaced refugees, until they found a modest, two-story inn called "The Rose's Thorn." This was not the most expensive inn in the city, but it was comfortable and homey and her father was old friends with the owner, so this is where the Charlottes always stayed when they were in town. She didn't slow down even a little as she barged through the door, causing it to slam hard on the wall inside it. Whatever revelry and small talk that had been going on was silenced by the loud bang of the door on the wall. Rae studied each face blinking up in startlement at her carefully. After one pass over the room, she failed to find any of the faces she was looking for and, not willing to give up, started looking again. The innkeeper was walking over and probably about to say something to her about standing in the doorway and blocking the only point of entrance, but she didn't get the chance.

"Raimi!"

Her heart leaped. The voice came from somewhere off to her right at a table near the window. There, with dumbfounded looks and open-mouthed gapes were six faces she was convinced only one day ago that she would never see again. Before her mind knew what to do, her legs were already propelling her toward them.

"Momma! Poppa!"

The six figures leaped up from their table at the same time that Rae came toward them and they all met somewhere in the middle. She was grasped first by her father, Alfred Charlotte, the strongest, most stable man Raimi had ever known, the man who protected her from the monster under her bed when she was just a sprout. "Oh, Raimi, Raimi," he said. "I was so afraid, girl. I can't believe you're here. I had hope, but it's been so many days, I was beginning to think the worst..." Her mother quickly closed the distance next and embraced her on the other side. She got out one strangled shout of "My little girl!" After that, it seemed she was trying to speak again, but she was bawling and couldn't get her words out anymore. At seeing her try, Rae's eyes started to tear up as well.

"I know, Poppa. I saw the farm. I thought the same thing about you. I...I was so afraid. I was sure I was going to die. It was awful..." The tears were coming in earnest now.

Her siblings came up behind her. Big, solid Brom, her oldest brother. Pretty, dainty Aurora, her older sister who, despite all her hardships, still somehow looked fresh as a daisy with long, soft blonde hair and an elegant riding dress. Her younger sister Emma, thin, plain-faced, and homely, but with a heart as bright and beautful as the shiniest gold. Little Sam, excitable and rambunctious; he had his arm in a sling just like Raimi did, but rather than pain him, he seemed to take pride in it. All her siblings tried to speak to her at once and their questions and comments came out a confused jumble as a result.

"Raimi, what happened to your arm? Let me have a look at that later, I have some salve in my saddlepacks..."
"How did you survive, Sis? We heard the captial completely exploded! No survivors, they said...!"
"I fought off a goblin, Rae! You shoulda seen me, I was so cool. We should compare battle wounds later, okay?"
"Sister, you look awful. Tonight I will brush your hair and wash your clothes like when we were both just little girls..."

"Brom, Emm, Sam, Rory...I'm fine, everyone. I'm so glad you're all okay. When I thought you were all gone, I was so, so lonely. I thought the world would never be bright again." Tears were streaming down her cheeks in a torrential downpour as she embraced each of them.

"And just who is this?" His voice was cold as her father shot a hard, aggressive look over at Gavin, who had settled nearby to watch the reunion at a small distance. "Someone you know, Rae?"

"Be nice, Pa. This is Gavin. I met him after the mess in the city. He was the one who convinced me to come look for you guys here in Fenwood after I saw the farm. If he hadn't been there, I'm not sure what...not sure what I would have done," she said through her tears and cracking voice.

Poppa's hard look faded at that. "I see. Well, m'boy, seems I owe you a drink or three for looking after my girl."

Her mother had finally collected herself and spoke up. "Dear boy, you're thin as a reed. You look positively famished. Come now, sit and eat. I won't take no for an answer. All of you, now, back to the table."

"Talia! Drinks for all of us over here! And some more of that chicken too! We're celebrating."

The innkeeper looked over at her father's words and nodded with a smile before retreating into the kitchen to retrieve their meals and drinks. The other patrons, who'd been watching in silence before, went back to their business, figuring the show was over now. The Charlottes crammed themselves into the small booth in which they'd been sitting when she and Gavin arrived. It was cramped and Rae felt squished in between big Brom and little Sam, but somehow, despite the mild discomfort, she couldn't seem to feel anything but elated to be so close to them all again. Gavin probably couldn't say the same, she thought with amusement as she watched him shift uncomfortably between pretty Aurora and plain Emma on the other side of the table. Her mother was telling him to eat more and her father was trying to push more ale on him with a good-natured smile on his face.

The rest of the night was a blur. They all swapped stories, ate, drank, and Raimi laughed more in one night than she thought she had in all the days of the last week combined.

At some point, when the sun was dropping over the horizon, an elf in the Malania-Frederick guard uniform approached the table and interrupted their little party. "Ahem. A quick word, Alfred? Warden Byers heard of Miss Raimi's arrival and sent me right away to send his warmest regards and congratulations. He is busy tonight and could not come himself, but he requests, at her earliest convenience, that Miss Raimi visit him at his residence so he can express his elation in person that she survived the city's fall."

Raimi shot her Pa a puzzled look. He returned the look with a similarly puzzled shrug. The warden had never shown any particular interest in her before, except that one time he bet her she couldn't hunt a white fawn and she rubbed his arrogant nose in it. After that, he couldn't even look at her without turning bright red and seemed to go out of his way to never be around when she was in town. Why would he want to meet her all of a sudden after all that? She didn't really want to see him, to be honest. She finally found her loved ones and she never wanted to leave her family's side again if she could help it. But she knew she had to meet him if he'd gone to the trouble of asking after her personally. One didn't turn down a personal invitation from a Fenwood village's warden.

"Um. I'd be honored to accept his invitation," she said with only a small hint of reluctance in her voice. "But can we do it in the morning?"

"Of course," said the guard. "The warden will be overjoyed to hear you'll attend him first thing tomorrow. Please, accept again our sincerest congratulations on your reunion, Raimi. Your family has always been good to us in this town and we could not be happier to see you all alive and well."

With that, he made his way back to the door.

"Ever since we got to town," Aurora said, "Warden Byers has been asking after you, Raimi. He came personally the first night we arrived to see if you were here. It is...a little odd, I must say, for him to show such interest in you."

"He got very nervous when we told him we weren't sure you survived," her mother said. Her voice cracked and tears streamed anew on the last few words.

"It's clear he wants something from you, but he hasn't told us what," Brom continued.

"I'm not sure I like it after the way he always used to do his best to ignore you after you won that bet," her father concluded. "But I suppose you have to at least talk to the man. Don't let him bully you into anything, y'hear? We just got you back. We won't be letting you go so easy again."

"I know," Raimi said, amused at how closely her Poppa's words had echoed her own thoughts.

The subject was dropped and the conversation returned to what had happened in the city and on the farm. The eight of them ate and drank into the late hours of the night before retiring to their rooms. Her pa reserved another private room just for Gavin, one of the nicest the place still had, and Rae stayed in the single room the rest of them had reserved just for the Charlotte family. Her father sat by the fireplace smoking his pipe with a contented look on his face. Her mother sat opposite him with her sewing needle and began to knit while she hummed quietly in that soft, easy tone Rae remembered so well from her childhood. Aurora mended her clothes and brushed her hair as she promised and Rae brushed Emma's at the same time while Emma told her excitedly about a new recipe she'd been working on. Brom saw to her arm, checking and redressing it as deftly as any doctor could. Rae told Sam stories about knights and monsters, the ones she knew he loved, and he fell asleep listening to them before he could tell her how he'd broken his arm. For the first time in days, Raimi didn't give a single thought to what happened in Dalania or what would come tomorrow; she was too happy in the present to mind the past or future. Cramped and uncomfortable as it was, all seven of them fell asleep in the same bed, clinging to one another, taking comfort in the presence of their reunited family. Over the course of the night, Rae had been awoken at least ten times by someone's knee in her gut or elbow in her back.

She had never been happier.

TheCountryWarrior TheCountryWarrior augmentedspartan augmentedspartan
 
Gavin was surprised he had made it through the night. Not because the night was bad, but because it was now he truly realized that he was bad at large amounts of people in the same few square feet of space. He couldn’t be happier that Raimi was with her family, finally reunited with those she believed she had lost. And by the spirits they were amazing people! They showed him such unnecessary kindness, giving him this room, a place at the meal they had shared, and more ale than he’d ever had. Which is, any.

And now he was really feeling his first night drinking, the room that he was sure was much nicer than he deserved spinning slightly. His addled mind recognized a bed, and his mind pushed his slightly unwilling legs to flop into the bed. The night was still all a blur right then, a joy filled blur of reunion and family. And what a family! They all came together like he never thought possible, so loving. His father has never hugged him, cried over him, shared a drink with him. But Raimi’s Father had shown such kindness to him, a convenient stranger. Gavin didn’t feel like he deserved it. But as soon as one thought drifted into his mind, another did: the odd taste of the ale, how pretty Aurora looked in the firelight, how much love the whole family shared with each other. And eventually he felt himself drifting into sleep.

But sleep had no solace for him, his mind fraught with worry. They couldn’t stay forever could he? What about the horrors that she had seen, that he had only heard of? That Mage was still at large, with more power than any story Gavin had ever memorized since the tales of dragons from his childhood. As his worried mind played scenario after scenario in his head, his brain played the simulations before him, each containing horror and destruction.

And then, suddenly and without warning, he heard a creaking in his dreams, the trees were... speaking to him. But he knew not what they said. They stopped just as quickly as they had started, and the blackness of sleep pulled him to nothingness.
 
"Ok." The princess said, taking a moment to think about their plan. "As long as we're claiming we can help the dwarves rebuild they should let us in. Gods willing... " She let out a heavy breath and pulled up her hood, and creating a makeshift mask of cloth which covered the lower half of her face. "Jenny, this is all on you. You can do the talking. Just don't mess it up." Nia told her before moving towards the back of the group. Figuring that she'd be the most recognizable staying in the back was a good plan.
TheCountryWarrior TheCountryWarrior augmentedspartan augmentedspartan Randomfella Randomfella The_Omega_Effect The_Omega_Effect MagicPenguin MagicPenguin
 
"Of course, Princess!" Jenny stood at attention almost mockingly, placing a hand to her forehead in a manner that would make any true soldier vomit from the shear lack of form in it. She put on a serious expression for a short while, before letting a slight grin slip. "From now on, you will all refer to me by 'Ms Steamwhistle', understood?" Her tone, while clearly attempting to be proper and commanding, couldn't help but allow some of her clearly held amusement of the situation escape. "They're going to need to think I'm important... Not that I'm not, after all telling them I'm the greatest engineer in the land wouldn't exactly be lying, but I'll have to hide my modesty for this one." Jen grinned, a coy tone filling her voice, before she climbed on the front of the cart. "The Red Mountains await!" She commanded, letting out a short chuckle during her final word, shouting happily into the air while attempting to compose a commanding composure.

Valley to The Red Mountains - Some hours later
Jenny had been chatting freely on the way up, between which attempting to think of a proper plan of action. During the later portions of which, she had been trying to explain the 'upgrades' she could apply to Decius's axe, her attention placed upon the massive man. "Imagine it! Shooting fire! Never had some sneaky goblin jump back out of the swing? 'Fffffrah!', crisped vermin, no snea..."

Jenny's attention was cut off by the sight of a large, broken down gate, charred where the rock had not simply melted off. Behind it, not much further up the mountain tunnel pass, broken down homes and structures barely stood, with even more completely collapsed. Dwarves within were consumed by their work, their attempts to rebuild. The destruction was clear, nothing went untouched by the vicious eruption, graves lined the tunnel exteriors, crosses made of twig, many not even dug, but simply symbolic. There were simply too many lost, and far too much to do.

At the gate stood two burly figures, each clad in chain-mail, with standard Dwarven helmets. To their sides hatchets rested within their holsters, hairy hands resting atop their heads, ready to draw the weapons at a moments notice. The Dwarf to the groups left sported a long, unkempt ginger beard which covered most of his face; To their right, a short, shaggy black bearded Dwarf stood, glaring toward each of them.
"Aye, that's far enough lassy." One of them muffled through his ginger beard, sticking his free hand out as it to motion for them to stop. A short, almost audible, gulp went down Jenny's throat, her eyes fixated on the destruction all around. Through all of their hardship, the men and women of the mountain continued to work, heads down. "Uh, g- greetings! My na-" Jen began to speak up, her high pitch voice almost echoing through the tunnel, attracting some strange views from the Dwarves closely within; Moving herself from the cart, before the Dwarf spoke up once more to interrupt her. "Ah don't much care for yah name." He noted crudely, looking toward the others standing with Jenny. "Do nay know what kind of sick joke ye human's are havin' bringing yah young 'round 'ere, but I ain't amused. Can ya nay see the danger in-" The burly figure had started to continue, his voice coarse, almost dry, like he hadn't had a drink in days. He began to walk toward Decius, staring up toward the large man, before the small halfling placed herself in his way.

"I'm not some greedy human!" Jenny barked up toward the man, who for a short moment almost seemed shocked at the sudden outburst, before letting out a short grunt. "Ah, I see what ye tryin' to do. Not enough meat on ye to be a dwarf though." He noted, a displeased expression on his face, before placing a hand on the halfling's shoulder and pushing her sideways toward the ground, her body causing a short *thud* as dust from the soil raised outward. "Now, ye best be on ya way, before ye be unable to walk out." He grimaced, a stern expression staring down the humans. It was clear from his tone that he was offended, the Dwarf not far behind him raising the hatchet from his side in anticipation, menacingly glaring toward them.

Pushing herself back up, Jenny walked back toward the figure. "I'm a halfling, you fool!" Her yell echoed once more throughout the tunnel, attracting even more attention from bystanders nearby. As she did so, the halfling forcefully pointed a finger toward her ears, their pointed edges giving away her nature. "See!?" She questioned moodily, awaiting his response.
The dwarf stared intently for a moment, almost as if he was trying to size the girl up. "Ayye... So ye be..." He paused, clearly confused by seeing someone of her race so far from Vilnius, with a caravan of humans nonetheless. "And what's a halflin' doin' here?" He wondered out loud, bringing his free hand to rub his unkempt beard, though by the stance of his body he was still ready to act.

"That's what I've been trying!..." Jenny began, before pausing, letting out a long sigh as she brushed the dirt from her coat. "Jenny Steamwhistle, at your service. I could see the smoke even from home, and unlike some of my Kin, I thought there could be some way to help." She noted as sincerely as she could, a slight shiver to her voice, but her composure remained strong.
"From the kindness of ye own heart ay? Haha! Sorry short stack, but we ain't lookin' to trade for sprouts and herbs." The Dwarf noted, before turning back toward the gate.
"What about explosives?" Jenny asked, a calmness to her voice, a grin stretching across her face. The Dwarf stopped, turning back with rage on his face.
"Afta' what happened to our home, ye dear try to sell that kind'a magic here!?" He roared toward her, clenching the hilt of his axe tightly.
Jenny placed a hand in the air to the others behind her, motioning for them to calm down, before drawing a small pouch from her side.
"I'm no mage, just the greatest engineer in all of Okigira." She smiled, a coy tinge to her tone, as she lit the end of the bag, before slightly chucking it to the side.
"A few ingredients, mixed with years of research and dedication, and you get..." As she finished, the light ran down the fuse, until... *bang*. A small explosion occurred, dust scattering into the air. "Halfling made explosions." She noted boastfully, looking back toward the group, before returning her sight to the Dwarf.

The Dwarf stood still for almost a minute, staring down at the disturbed earth, before looking back at Jenny. "Ye sure you're a halflin'? Then again, never seen a haflin' mage either." He brushed his beard once more as Jenny simply nodded with a smile toward him. Finally, the burly Dwarf walked over toward the back of the cart, pushing anyone in his way out of it, before looking into the back. "Ayye...?" He wondered out loud while gazing upon the contraptions, before moving back over toward the gate with a grunt. "Ay, fine, ye can come in. Jus' know this, jus' 'cous ya are let in, dun' me ye are welcome." The Dwarf sternly looked toward them, before moving out of the way. "Watch ye'self 'ere, any Dwarf's twice the fighter than these humans ye' have on ya tail. Best get to the main level quick." He noted, watching intently as they passed. The other Dwarf, who had been silent thus far, stared toward Nia as she passed, an eyebrow raised in suspicion. He did nothing, however, until they had moved passed the gate, spitting toward the ground behind them. "Pathetic, ye'd think the 'greatest engineer' would have more sense than hirin' such a weakling." He spoke up to the other dwarf, though he could easily be heard by the group. "Aye, they ain't like Dwarven women, that's for sure." He replied, shaking his head slightly.

As they finally moved further away, Jenny striding ahead in an attempt to make it appear like she owned the lot of them, the halfling finally turned around. Beads of sweat were rushing down her face as she awkwardly smiled back toward the others, as if all of the anxiety from her conversation had hit her at once, her facial expression seeming to freeze up slightly. "That... Was close." She muttered, keeping her breath held in, it was almost as if she were about to burst as they reached a more secluded clearing in the mountain. "Honestly, I had no idea what I was doing." Jenny slightly chuckled, breathing in through her teeth. "I think I'm ganna need a paper bag for the next one." Her body rocked slightly, still smiling up toward the others, mind racing and she tried to think of their next step.

Duke of Doge Duke of Doge The_Omega_Effect The_Omega_Effect TheCountryWarrior TheCountryWarrior augmentedspartan augmentedspartan
 
Whatever the reason was, Decius was finding it easier to actually use his mind now. Had the demon given up on corrupting hi-"No." Well, looks like he was still in there. Why did you stop? Thought Decius, trying to communicate with it. "I will ease up on the mental pressure for now. A few people, like that farmer girl, have already noticed that something was going on with you. Having you stumble across like a mindless fool will just make my presence more obvious, especially to those with more attuned magical senses. So...enjoy the "peace" of mind. Whatever peace you can have with me here anyways..." A wave of relief hit Decius. Now he could...do exactly what he was doing before...great.

The group approached the Dwarven guards, with Decius eyeing them. Their hands rested on their hatchets, showing that they were not afraid to use force. But that did not mean much to Decius as he could simply smash their skulls in. But doing that would lead to his group being caught and executed by what's left of the city. He simply tried his best to look intimidating, allowing the halfling to speak. After the exchange of a few words and an explosion, they were let into the city. He looked the Dwarven guard in the eye as he was entering the city, with him then continuing onwards into the city. The halfling moved in front of them, looking completely exhausted. "You did well...what is the plan now?" He said while adjusting his cloak.
 
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