Tarvanna

[Rokku Hizori]

Lon moved quickly, in what seemed to be only one motion, and caught the girl before she hit the floor. In truth, he had expected such, but now he had to talk to her father, and likely her brother as well. He doubted he would be able to take her without bringing the other two as well. "Well...that is what it is. The truth is that your daughter is a direct decedent of the Haragiri, and you and your son the descendents of Tarvannan nobles that fled with them. I assume they are half brother and sister, and that her mother had the same hair and eyes?" He asked Ent.

 

[Osuka]

F it wasn't for Asoviel- who had revealed himself to be Lon - Ent wouldn't have made it in time to catch the girl. Lunar corps? General of the Lunar Corps? He knew it! The man carried himself better than any weary hunter would have and he was much more well mannered. But he wouldn't have pegged him so specifically.


Then it sank in and his heart dropped into his stomach. He was going to take his little princess from him, and reflexively he began to shake his head.


"No," he said firmly. "No. No one can take my girl from me. No way. No how. I can't lose my little girl, General Emat..."


Around that time, it was Connell who had returned, arms full of wood and mouth open, about to apologize before he saw the scene. Only.. Things had played differently in his head. Ent was distressed and that Asoviel man was holding his sister up. Did he knock her out? Immediately he dropped the wood and drew his sickle, murder in his eye as he pointed the weapon at him.


"I dunno what you're doing, stranger," he growled, the threat of death laden in his voice. "But you best put my sister down and leave, or I'll gut you where you stand..."


The sickle shook in his hand, though his resolve was clear. He had never killed a man before, but he would for his sister, no matter if it were the gods themselves who had hold of her.


"Put the sickle down, boy," Ent said, his voice low and cautious. "You aren't aware of the situation at hand, and I'd rather you or General Emat not have to come to blows..."


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[Rokku Hizori]

Well, the boy certainly had the mettle to become a noble, that much was certain. Lon gently laid the girl down on the furs atop the floor, and then set his eyes on Ent. "You misunderstand. You and her brother would be coming as well. You would be the new royal family of Tarvanna, with Naomi as queen." He said, and saw the boy still holding the sickle threateningly. If he had his bow, Draki be damned, he could have shot the sickle without harming the boy easily enough, but without it, he would have to pursue a more diplomatic route. "Listen to your father. I am not here to bring any harm to any of you, merely give you all the opportunity of a lifetime..." He said, eying all the people around him cautiously. He did not want to fight, but he would if he must, though it wouldn't be good for moral to bring the royal family back in chains or unconscious...

 

[Osuka]

Connell's mind twisted in ways they shouldn't have been able to. What was he trying to get at? Did the man think he was a fool? Was his father Ent really so dense? The man was just as likely to take them all out once they were outside the village, come back, steal their things, then leave in the cover of night as he was to offer them an opportunity that could've been endless. What more could they want other than what was within these walls? And what of Naomi? He couldn't possibly allow himself to fall for such a trick.


But... What if he was being honest?


"..What opportunity could you possibly offer?" He asked, his eyes darting to Naomi before snapping back to Lon, his sickle lowering just slightly. "We've no need for anything outside these walls. We have food, shelter, a warm hearth, and us."


Ent remained silent. It was apparent that only talk would do, and his order to the boy had done nothing. So, with the façade of mindlessness, he allowed himself to drift towards Lon rather than to stand by. Perhaps it would do well as an action rather than speaking to show where his alliance stood? That and he had to be closer to his daughter. Though he knew Lon was of the Lunar Corps, it gave him no satisfaction to be anywhere away from one of the two things he has left in the world.

 

[Rokku Hizori]

They were simple folk. Lon had not anticipated running into the problem of them not being greedy enough, and it Tarvanna it was indeed rare to have as much as these three did. Still, he could offer them so much more. "Yes, I'm sure you do have enough, but that is rare in this kingdom." Lon began, hoping to appeal to their generosity. "I am offering you the chance of a lifetime. You have the opportunity to help people, to make Tarvanna a better place to live. You could leave so much more for your children and grandchildren than what you have." Lon looked at the bit before him, angry, scared, protective. None of these were cruel or unwarrented, and Lon could understand the mindset. He sighed, and reached to unlatch his sword and scabbard, and then tossed it on the ground in front of him. "Better? "

 

[Osuka]

Rare? Their village was doing okay if he said so himself, and they were too isolated to really know what went on outside these walls. Outside their village. So what was the point in Tarvanna as a whole when he only worried about those in his home? He shook his head when Lon tossed his weapon aside and put away his own, sighing as he did so. Still, he kept on guard. What was the man getting at?


And then it hit him.


Still, it was a secret his father had said to keep. It wouldn't help anything if the man thought that Connell was a normal child. But, with the man stuck in their walls and outnumbered, what was the point in keeping secrets? If he attempted to do anything, Ent and himself had a fair chance of cutting him down, if by fair he meant slim, apparently, but he was nonetheless not one to be too worried considering numbers. There was only so much one man could do. So what harm could be done?


"I don't worry myself with women and children," he said, hinting so subtly that he hoped the man missed it. "I don't worry about riches and others, but what I do worry about is what you loom over now."


Ent nearly choked. What the hell was the boy thinking? Was he so foolish as to divulge information to a man that Connell apparently didn't trust all too well? Considering he had drawn a sickle at the man, one would think that he wouldn't give any personal information at all, and it was far too late for him to say anything that could've triggered a thought in the man's mind. If Lon were dumb, there'd be a much greater chance, but it wouldn't be likely that one so slow would be in the Lunar Corps. So all he could do was sigh and shake his head while pinching the bridge of his nose.


Then it was Naomi's turn as she began to stir at Lon's feet, sitting up slowly as she pressed her palm to her forehead as if nursing a headache, only this time she was merely dizzy. What happened? Why was she on the floor? Naomi's eyes flicked around her to see Connell near the door, her father near her, and... Oh gods, it was Asoviel - no, Lon. Lon Emat of the Lunar Corps, and everything fell into place. She was quick to notice the sword laying far from Lon's reach, and guessed that he disarmed himself to stave off Connell's protective streak, and with Connell now having no weapon in-hand, she had supposed it worked.


The painful reminder was looming right above her. She had a duty.


"We'll go.." She said, her voice still laden with sleepiness from her recent black-out. "We'll go with you if we must."


"Like hell!" Barked Connell, but he was quickly quieted by the large hand of his father as he raised his hand.


"Connell, we'll go." He said in his deep, thick-accented tone. "If Naomi decided, and you really are as protective as you say, then we'll go. But I have to know, General," now his voice became stern. Not so stern as if to threaten the man, but stern enough to demand an answer. "Why hadn't you been honest? What was your plan if you had continued? Kidnapping?"

 

[Rokku Hizori]

The entire situation held a multitude of problems. An overprotective and possibly dimwitted brother seemed only willing to complicate things further, trying to add more reasons not to go with that speech, he assumed, and Lon doubted that Ent would be any more likely to be swayed by riches, power or armies. Now, though, the girl was stirring, and when she finally came to, her words were music to his ears. Then Connell spoke. It took a great deal of willpower not to slam his own head against the wall, but God be praised Ent had the final word, and he conceded to his daughter. The questions that followed, however, were ones that deserved answering. Lon sighed, and walked over to pick up his sword, attaching it back to his belt. "As I said, there are multiple claimants to the throne, none of whom wanted your daughter found. In addition to that, your daughter's existence was but a rumor. And. .. In truth we were hoping for more than one Haragiri, or at least one that was older, and I needed to find them all first. The only other heir is a babe barely out of the womb. As for how far I was willing to go...I don't know. I am glad I don't have to see. "

 

[Osuka]

With an outstretched hand, Ent pulled the little Naomi to her feet so she could dust herself off as he listened. Naomi and a child were the only two real heirs to the throne, and giving it to a mere babe would be most unfair to the child. That much responsibility once it took the throne at a young age would be too much, and given Naomi's stance on the matter, he was forced to go. He wouldn't stop his child, but he'd be damned if he couldn't protect her. That's what fathers were for, weren't they? Then was the question of Connell - he was still burning with the need to fight and he could feel it. The boy was always hot-headed, mostly due to having to protect Naomi since she was just a little girl. She was frail, and the other kids when they were younger found her an easy target. Gods be praised he had a sturdy son who could hold his own and then some. But it was always a double edged sword.


Connell, with the judgement, was furious. Why the hell did his sister of all people have to take responsibility for an entire kingdom?! Why not let the kid do it?! She'd be in harm's way. People would want to assassinate her - people stronger and faster than him. More experienced than him. People from more distant areas that he had no idea about. So why the hell put HER in harm's way?! He could feel his blood boiling. A kind of instinctive, primal rage that was filling him from his core and radiating out. He knew his father could see what was going on with him, but he didn't care. The old man would have to deal because there'd be no way in the Gods' creation would he allow anyone to stop him.


"Why is it Naomi..?" He asked, gritting his teeth as his fists shook. It felt like there was a fire spreading over him as his eyes slit into two dangerously thin lines. "Why the hell would you want to put her in danger?!"


And with that, the line was crossed. Connell quickly ripped his Sickle from its place, ripping the scabbard as he did before slinging it forward with all of his might. The sickle whistled through the air as it spun like a hearth-lit crescent of death directed directly towards Lon. Gods willing it would miss, but Naomi had already seen it coming before Ent could even bark an order. She had read books before on shields and deflection and other types of defensive magick that could aid one in protecting herself, but how to possibly sling a shield, she had no idea other than actually creating one and physically throwing it.


But she had to try.


She only had a second to act, and the time was closing with every millisecond she wasted, so she did the only thing she could do. Naomi let out a high pitched roar as she raised her hand, then threw it forward as if she were to throw a rock or a ball, but instead came forth a surge of blue energy that, as it moved, blured in front of Lon, forcing to Sickle to deflect and slam into the wooden beam behind Lon, bending the blade to the point it was useless... and kept going straight into an Altar of the Gods that her father worshipped. The clay figures and materials smashed into pieces when the energy dissipated against the stone wall, sending clay shrapnel flinging just a few feet from their decorative table which held them before Naomi felt herself grow weary and force her body to bow. Her breath came slightly labored and her hands rested hard against her knees as she looked over at Connell, who was as shocked, silent, and still as their father.


"You..." came Ent's voice. "I only gave you a book..."

 

[Rokku Hizori]

Now, everyone was silent as death, and Lon frowned and took in each of their faces. None of them looked particularly happy, but Connell looked the worst among them. He was on the verge of shaking now, and likely about to lose his temper. Again. The boy was beginning to pluck the last strings of Lon's nerves, not that that was particularly difficult. He began to shout at Lon, asking several stupid questions that Lon would have loved to smack him for, and then he threw the sickle. The damn sickle. The rusted piece of scrap metal that likely wouldn't even cut down wheat. Lon moved quickly into a stand to deflect, pulling out an arrow with the tip reinforced by his index finger, ready to knock the blade aside, but then the shield came. From Naomi. This adventure was full of all sorts of surprises.


Lon looked at Naomi. Seeing the exhaustion in her face, he could tell that was possibly he first spell. "Rafiel's Grace. It's a fairly simple defensive spell." He said, and then walked toward the girl who now huddled on the floor. "It is blue magic, and it uses your own energy. You'll be fine in a few minutes. Eat, drink, and then we go. The more time we stay outside Imperia, the worse it is for you. I am not the only one looking for you, but I am the only one that wants to keep you alive. Ontario's men are coming whether you came or didn't."

 

[Osuka]

What was it he called it? Wasn't that the name of a Christian Arch-angel or something? Her brow raised for a moment while she took in Lon again. He had an arrow out as if he were going to use it before he approached her. Then panic sunk in at his last words and she reflexively shook her head. She couldn't just leave if another group was going to be here. There was something she could have done. Warn the guards? It was all she could think to do, in all truth, and she began to feel helpless. Wasn't there anything else? With a slight groan and another shake of her head, she righted herself before looking Lon straight in the eye, forcing herself to stand tall.


"No," she said defiantly. "If others are coming here, and they plan on being unfriendly, then we have to do something, don't we? What about the children and the rest of the innocent ones who will be directly in their path? What about the fact it would be immoral to leave behind those who need help?"


Ent shook his head. "No, Naomi," he said, his voice stern as he walked to the other end of the room, picking up what looked like a large sledgehammer and yet another, newer, Sickle, tossing it to his son while giving him a death glare. "We leave now. The guards will do what they can, and they'll evacuate-"


"But father!" She began, but she was cut off. This time, by Connell.


"We're going, Naomi," he said with a grunt. "I don't give a damn about the rest of them. You and Father. That's it. I'm sure the General here would be more than happy to make you go regardless.." And with that, Connell strapped the sickle's sheath and itself onto his left side, quickly striding towards the ladder to the basement and disappearing.


There was no reasoning with the two! She wanted to scream. She wanted to rip her hair out and then grow roots in defiance, but if she could, she was sure the roots would've been cut and she'd be slung over someone's shoulder. So with a defeated huff, she raked her fingers through her hair before scooping up her winter wear and fur cloak and stomping towards the door.


"Well, if there's nothing we can do, I'll make sure the guards know!" She said with a huff before yanking the door open, letting in a frigid blast of cold that chilled her to her bones in nearly an instant.

 

[Rokku Hizori]

Lon quickly returned the arrow to its quiver, and then looked over at the girl and her family as they prepared to leave. They gather weapons, but no food water of other supplies. God I hope Connell's going to get those things.He thought absently, and then watched as Naomi worried over the fate of the village. "No, you misunderstand..." Lon began, but then groaned inwardly as the girl defiantly left to go warn the guard, apparently. At least she has a queen's spirit. Lon beckoned for Ent to follow him, and he quickly caught up to the girl. "They've been following me, Naomi. They aren't coming to conquer, they're coming to assassinate. The village is no threat to them. They intend to kill you, and only you. And the baby heir, but either way, your towns are safe, we, on the other hand, are not."

 

[Osuka]

Within the frigid air, the girl turned, eyes wide as she had heard Lon out. Her shock wasn't due to her own safety, but the guarantee of the safety of others, and the shock could almost be akin to relief. Her long breath had come out as a large billow of crystalizing steam that had brought her hand to her chest. The others were safe, and if he was right, then perhaps they'd skip over her town entirely. But a thought occurred to her that scared her once more.


"But..." she started, her brow creasing as she frowned, eyes pleading for some sort of viable answer. "What if they make examples to force answers..?"


Without a beat skipped, Connell had come back, now outside with them and accompanied by their father, who carried two large packs that didn't seem to bother them with the weight they burdened whatsoever. Within their packs were three sleeping rolls, medical inventory, maps, and food enough to last them at least a week. Both were covered in the old leather armour that their ancestors have had before, but they were starting to peel and tear at places. They weren't imposing, but they were as ready as they could be. Ent's sledgehammer, a feather in his two hands, was massive and gleamed in the night candle lights which were set within the village, and Connell's Sickle, sheathed in black, was a message of death itself. In Connell's free hand, however, was another bag which carried within it snow white robes accompanied by a hood, thick and free-flowing.


"Throw this on, Naomi," came Connell's voice as he tossed her the bag. It landed in her outstretched hands with an exhale as she staggered to keep balance. "We were keeping it for the holidays, but you need it now more than ever, I suppose. A gift from both of us."


When Naomi opened the bag and had watched the robe spill forth into her arms, being that the bag was almost too small to fit the bulky robe, she beamed and quickly began to don it, pulling the hood over her head so that the only thing exposed was her lips... and it fit perfectly. The sash around her waist kept the robe snug and closed tight so she no longer felt the cold, and it was wonderful. Under the hood, her lips pulled in a wide, white smile that showed her sparkling rows of enamel.


"Don't start thanking us yet," Ent said in his deep accent as he pointed to the gates. "We need to get to where we're going first, and I don't want any thank-yous I might not hear later."


He had a point and Naomi know it. She knew he was aware she was thankful, and he didn't need any verbal confirmation. Her smile and her joy was enough, and that'd carry him through to what they had to do. For now, he was just thankful she wouldn't freeze to death like she seemed to want to these past couple winters.

 

[Rokku Hizori]

"They won't. More than likely, they'll see us leave." Lon said, looking around the village. There were a few sentries from earlier, but other than them there were no new faces. Likely, Merat's men would wait for Lon to leave, letting him do the real work while they followed and reported success to their master. The Red Arrows were good enough at combat, but their tracking and stealth skills were lacking compared to the Lunar Corp. "Merat Ontario is more than content to let this village remain the way it's been, as long as he's king and can send a few tax collectors to it." He added, but was unsure what constituted a 'few' in any Ontario's mind.


The two men returned, thankfully with supplies and armor that had clearly seen better days. The two wouldn't be dead weight, at least, but they were in as much danger as Naomi, more or less. The moment was touching, but they needed to get on the move and make to the main army as soon as possible. "We will be heading southeast. We will meet with the small camp that holds the men I came with, and we will then meet with the main garrison in Centralia. From there, we make for Imperia. The faster we get there, the faster we get to be safe behind the walls." He said, and then began to move toward the gate.

 

[Osuka]

Without missing a step, Naomi, Connell, and Ent began to follow, gaining strange stares and questioning looks from the guards. The face was familiar, but the apparel he wore now was different. Much different, but they couldn't quite put a finger on who they thought they were. Either way, they were well enough considering the guards made no attempt to question them as they left. If it was a hunt, then they knew the newcomer would be in well enough hands with Ent and Connell, but we're clueless as to why Naomi was to accompany them.


"How long before we reach camp, General?" Naomi asked as she looked over her shoulder to look back at the gates just one more time. It felt wrong that they were leaving. Home was behind them and she had no idea what was up ahead. There was no education in the areas surrounding the village, so she was practically oblivious considering she had never left. Always behind the tall walls and the armor of the Guard.


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[Rokku Hizori]

"With luck and God's Grace, we'll be there a few hours after sunrise. Now that you're with me we cannot be still by ourselves." Lon said, and took note of the surroundings. The forest was still barren, dark, and devoid of much sound, but Lon heard the distant cries of wolves and the crack of a twig or branch. The Red Arrows were following them, and had likely never stopped, and more than likely an ambush or two would be attempted, and might be successful, depending on their skill.


The longer they were in the woods alone, the more dangerous their path would become. Lon's combat skills were well above that of any member of the Red Arrows, but a silent arrow would kill him just as easily as anyone else. Lon eyed the trees, for what little good it did, and carried on, and several minutes later he raised his hand. "We're nearly there...but I think they decided to risk something this close to the camp, though why I can't be sure. Be on guard."

 

[Osuka]

Barren forests, dark areas, and danger were three things she wasn't a fan of whatsoever, and Naomi couldn't help but to feel the fear slowly creeping into her mind. What was there? Wolves? Bears? People? It was too dark to tell much at all, and she felt herself creeping closer to her father's side out of instinct. Her shoulders hunched and her fingers curled towards her chest which shook from the fear aforementioned. Naomi was in no way trained or even mentally disciplined to stand against anyone, and having deflected the sickle earlier was a feat that had most definitely been far above her discipline. If it was "Blue Magick" as he called it before, a name she hadn't really known, then it was likely she would suffer for using it more if she would try after still not eating.


Stupid!!! She thought to herself, wanting to plant her palm firmly to her forehead. Stupid, stupid, stupid! You should've eaten like Lon suggested!


Her thoughts were cut quickly as she heard the General speak, which sunk her deeper into the pit of fear that she had been attempting to avoid. Enemies? Here? Gods be, she could die already and they had just started. Home seemed so much better, and even dying in the home sounded like a better death than in the middle of nowhere out in the cold.


"D-dad..?" She whispered as she looked up towards the burly man.


He didn't say anything in response, but gently squeezed her shoulder after switching to a one-handed grip on the sledgehammer, the bulk of the weight resting upon his own shoulder. He'd be damned if someone hurt his little girl.


Connell seemed to pick up on the idea instantly and allowed himself to draw the Sickle, his grip loose but steady as it slid silently from it's sheath. Naomi may not have been ready, and his father more likely to be, but he was damn sure as ever ready to do what he must. For now, all he could do was keep quiet, armed, and ready while they followed the General to Camp.

 

[Rokku Hizori]

The first tiny slivers of sunlight were beginning to pierce the forest. They were close, more or less, and so far Merat's men hadn't made a move. For a moment, Lon thought he may have been mistaken, but it quickly dissipated. The woods were silent as death, and perhaps as cold, but as far as Lon could tell the would-be assailants hadn't tried to get any closer. Then, Lon saw it. A thin black strand between two trees, right where Naomi had just stepped.


Lon did not even have time to curse. Once the line broke, it disappeared into the air, and then shot out black runic designs out in every direction, perhaps ten feet in each direction. It was a binding spell, trapping them within the small circle it had created until the Black Mage channeling it was killed or silenced. He couldn't hear the chant now, but Lon knew it was somewhere, and he knew the assassins were as well, but the arrows he expected did not come. "Keep your eyes and ears open. If you hear a cryptic language, tell me. We're stuck here until we kill whoever set this trap." Lon wondered whether Tarvanna kept Black Mages as slaves as well as the mages of the other classes, but he did not know. If that was the case, and some mage somewhere was being forced to chant to keep a trap laid in waiting, they would likely not be free of it until a Red Arrow found them. And then...Lon didn't want to think about what would happen then.

 

[Osuka]

She felt it, and oh did it have a presence. Soon as the runes flared out from the string into her view, she could feel the air prickle and the hairs stand on her neck before the pop came, as if the pressure was suddenly released. Ent and Connell had no clue, but as they attempted to continue walking, her arms lashed out to snatch at their hands tight, making them both stop in surprise before they had heard Lon's words.


Trapped like rats, and unless Lon had a grand plan, they were all unfit to do anything ranged, unless Connell wanted to throw a Hail Freyr carnival throw with the hopes of striking a target other than a tree. So what could they do?


Connell had already begun to follow instruction, though, his breath deathly quiet, his body motionless.


"Can't we just bash through the blasted thing?" Came Ent's voice, obviously disgruntled with the lack of space the four of them were easily taking up.


"Hush, father!" Was connell's reply as he held up his hand. He'd pay for the consequence later, if he lived through it. "If we want Naomi out alive, be-"


And then his voice went quiet. Northeast. His hand flung up, sickle ready to be thrown as he pointed with his other hand towards the direction he had heard the whisper.


"There!" He whispered with a heavy growl. "Thirty feet! Behind the oak!"


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[Rokku Hizori]

"Barish chaki alur. Barish chaki alur. Barish chaki alur..." The mage chanted, sword at his throat. He wore elaborately embroidered robes, depicting silver moon with vines wrapping around. It was a mage of The House of Fadris, a minor house, one that had little hope of becoming the next ruling family, but it had tried none the less. That was why their Lord's head was on a pike outside Merat's palace, after the battle that had lasted less that half a day. At any rate, now the mages of Fadris were under the dominion of The House of Ontario,more or less.


The captain of the small regiment of the Red Arrows walked forward, and made himself known to the ones in the circle. "Hello, Lady Haragiri, General Emat. I am Captain Dra, and you may now consider yourselves my prisoners. Cooperate, and you live. Well, everyone but the general here lives." He said, smiling sickly at Lon. Lon returned the gaze with a small bow, and a look that was intended to kill the man, if it had been able to. "Oh come, now, you didn't expect Merat to let his most annoying thorn to live did you?" Dra added. Lon could have ended the man, were the circumstances a bit different, but all he had at the moment were words. "No, I had expected all our heads to decorate his estate. Set down this barrier and we'll see who's head stays."

 

[Osuka]

Naomi could feel her heart hit her stomach and simultaneously turn to bile, as though it were going to come up. It was almost like they had all too suddenly appeared and they were surrounding the little group. The only one close to the shield had been the man speaking to them, so automatically her first frantic thought was destroyed.


Before she could think, though, Connell had started his infernal barking and slamming of his sickle against the shield, now turned to Dra. "Let me out of this infernal cage and I'll show you what for, you sniveling, dirty, stupid weasel!!"


Ent could only roll his eyes as Naomi kept a tight grip upon her father, doing his best to drown the boy out with his own thoughts.


..an then it hit her. Connell's sickle was rebounding from the shield with every blow he threw at it, causing his arm to wrench backwards before he could continue his fruitless assault. So... What if she joined him? She wouldn't have to use that much energy and she could keep a continuous spray upon the shield. She doubted she could break the shield with her low level magick, but what if she could catch someone's eye with it?


They were all screwed anyway, so what was the point of sitting around? At least the Gods would see she wasn't going to simply roll over. They favored attempts over cowardice anyway, so just maybe...


She didn't continue the tought. Her hand opened and a swirling ball of energy collected in it before she hurled it towards the shield, and just as she had imagined, it rebounded once off the shield in front f her, then again further up an behind before streaking out into the open air seventy feet above them -just enough to clear the trees before it popped, spraying sparks in every which way.


"You blasted apes!!" She screamed, snarling in her high pich soprano as loud as she could before she slung yet another with a snarl. "How about I have you explode from the inside out so you can get my robe pretty with the spray of your blood and guts?!"


Even Ent, in all of his years, had to look at her with a slight tinge of disbelief and fear, oblivious to what she was really up to.


Again and again, slurs an spells slung from her, each one ringing and ricocheting into the air above them. "Maybe I'll gut you with my own two hands instead so I can tear your bowels out and leave it for the wolves to eat!! Or maybe I could wring your neck like a towel and let Connell chop you up into bits, you stupid coward!!"


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[Osuka]

Naomi could feel her heart hit her stomach and simultaneously turn to bile, as though it were going to come up. It was almost like they had all too suddenly appeared and they were surrounding the little group. The only one close to the shield had been the man speaking to them, so automatically her first frantic thought was destroyed.


Before she could think, though, Connell had started his infernal barking and slamming of his sickle against the shield, now turned to Dra. "Let me out of this infernal cage and I'll show you what for, you sniveling, dirty, stupid weasel!!"


Ent could only roll his eyes as Naomi kept a tight grip upon her father, doing his best to drown the boy out with his own thoughts.


..an then it hit her. Connell's sickle was rebounding from the shield with every blow he threw at it, causing his arm to wrench backwards before he could continue his fruitless assault. So... What if she joined him? She wouldn't have to use that much energy and she could keep a continuous spray upon the shield. She doubted she could break the shield with her low level magick, but what if she could catch someone's eye with it?


They were all screwed anyway, so what was the point of sitting around? At least the Gods would see she wasn't going to simply roll over. They favored attempts over cowardice anyway, so just maybe...


She didn't continue the tought. Her hand opened and a swirling ball of energy collected in it before she hurled it towards the shield, and just as she had imagined, it rebounded once off the shield in front f her, then again further up an behind before streaking out into the open air seventy feet above them -just enough to clear the trees before it popped, spraying sparks in every which way.


"You blasted apes!!" She screamed, snarling in her high pich soprano as loud as she could before she slung yet another with a snarl. "How about I have you explode from the inside out so you can get my robe pretty with the spray of your blood and guts?!"


Even Ent, in all of his years, had to look at her with a slight tinge of disbelief and fear, oblivious to what she was really up to.


Again and again, slurs an spells slung from her, each one ringing and ricocheting into the air above them. "Maybe I'll gut you with my own two hands instead so I can tear your bowels out and leave it for the wolves to eat!! Or maybe I could wring your neck like a towel and let Connell chop you up into bits, you stupid coward!!"


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[Rokku Hizori]

Lon would have given anything to punch the man square in the face, but he knew better than to try. He remained smug, and eyed the three like a hound eyed a roast. The bastard had probably just gotten himself an estate the size of a small country for this feat. Lon tried to formulate a plan, through with Connel's frantic yelling and futile attacks it was hard to concentrate. When Naomi decided to start playing with magic, and shouting a number of violent remarks, the task became even more difficult. "Christ in heaven would the two of you plug it!" He shouted, and then saw the flashes of light sailing into the sky, surely within range of the camp, or at the very least some of its scouts. Lon turned back as he heard Dra laugh, and thanked God for the man's lack of foresight, and waited for the chance to charge through the barrier and tackle the bastard. "I see her majesty has some fire inside! Excellent! Lord Merat would want nothing less for a bride!"

 

[Osuka]

That had set both Naomi's and Connell's blood to boil. Now their efforts had redoubled, Naomi stepping out of Ent's reach to continue her slinging with more vigor and Connell bashing away with twice the strength, forcing the shield to ripple as more and more of the spells Naomi slung sailed into the air at twice the speed.


"Oh if I had the chance I'd slit that pig's throat!!" She quickly barked, one of the spells aimed at Dra's face. "I'd send him an you straight to Erebos's clutches so you could be feasted on by the Returned for an eternity!!"


Ent couldn't let this continue, but with now two hot-headed children, there wasn't much at all that he could do aside from shout, which was exactly what he did.


"Gods be!!" He bellowed as loud as he could, snagging Naomi's arm to restrain her. "Your god Heloid would be disappointed in you, Naomi! Listen to you!"


At this point, with her fear and rage having sent her into a frenzy, she couldn't help but snap at him. "And Keranos had better damn well know why I'm so furious!" She snapped back, her teeth gritting. "He and Mogis both! Even your gods would be ashamed f your idling! Would you rather die than to at least try?!"


Ent's face had gone gravely red with fury, and even Connell had to stop. Still, the man remained silent and he, hiding the fact, understood all too well at that point. She knew from the beginning what she was doing, ad he knew he had to let her.


"Then be content with bein tired and slain, you stupid child..." And with that, he let her go.


"Not that I could now that you stopped me.." She replied quietly, holding onto her father's armpit to keep standing. She was tired. Dangerously so. The countless spells she had slung forward had drained her and, having calculated her tiredness, only had enough left for a shield before she would run dry and be unable to move. "Forgive me Father, and General Emat..."


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[Rokku Hizori]

Dra laughed as the two children frantically beat at the barrier, knowing full well that it would be completely useless. Lon scanned the woods, looking for any sign of his people in the snow, but nothing came. "Now that you're all worn out, be quiet will you? I'd like to bask in my accomplishment." He said, laughing again and signaling behind him. Two more men came from behind the trees, and stood next to him, bows ready to loose arrows the second the barrier dissipated. Lon tapped into his limited magic, though he knew nothing of barriers or protective spells, but he would be ready to fight nonetheless. He drew his saber in a quick motion, and took deep pleasure in Dra's slight flinch, but gave no sign of it. "Let this barrier down, and I swear you won't live to see any rewards." Lon said, ready and able to knock aside the two arrows he could see, but likely not the dozens he could not. Then, his heart surged when an arrowhead punched through the left archer's breastplate, and he fell over with a choking sound.


Dra spun around, his own sword being drawn as he did, only to be met with two arrows in his stomach and one in his arm. "Gah...sh-shoot! F...fight to your last!" He managed to get out, and then fell to his knee, the life slowly seeping out of him. The sounds of battle erupted, metal clanging on metal and the shouts of men and women. The line of battle was just ahead, though it was ragged, and getting closer by the second. The barrier quickly flickered out of existence, and Lon smiled savagely and darted forward, swinging his sword in a slash that took off Dra's head as he surged forward.

 

[Osuka]

Connell was the first of the three to breach. He had said something in a tongue she didn't understand - something the same as his father as he bolted forward in nothing less of a flash toward the right soldier. The man had only enough time to reposition his bow before Connell's sickle slashed downward, breaking the bow before he sent a left hook towards him, knocking the man off balance.


Ent was next, and he as well had let out a furious shout in the same tongue before he used both hands to swing the hammer down hard at the man Connell had punched, sending a loud crack through the air as it crashed down behind the man's neck, sprawling the soldier lifeless to the ground.


Naomi could only take in the carnage for a small amount of time before she began to panic. She had to arm herself and the only things around were corpses.. And weapons attached to them. "Iroas give me strength.." She muttered before darting towards one f the dead bodies and pulling a dagger from the soldier who was shot before the shield dropped.


Already she found a use for it, however, when one of the Red Arrows darted to snag her. She let out a scream before she thrusted the dagger forward towards the man's neck, and it sunk in only halfway as flesh gave way, blood spraying from the wound and coating her robes as she pulled the knife away and began to back up, watching the man writhe an grip his neck before his life drained away. She could see it in his lifeless eyes; the fear he had felt before he passed away forever engraved in her mind.


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