Fantasy The Ebony Guard: Champions of Namira

[Chao5Th3ory]

Varick stood along the rest of them with his arms crossed and head bowed slightly until sighing irritably and spoke. "Someone hurry up and decided what to do with him, the longer we stay here the higher the chances of more of them coming along, so we need to get moving", then he decided to start walking along the path where the cart had gone long ago.

 

[Lain.Laurent]

Sarvi watched the two vampires have their chat, admittedly she agreed with some of the views expressed by Alisha. They didn't know how many more travelers they had attacked and possibly killed on this road but this was Norven's choice and she wasn't about to force what she thought upon them. Instead she looked at the blooded bodies that littered the road, she strolled away from the group over to the nearest one and searched for anything of value. Once it was clear that he possessed nothing of use she placed her hand under the arms of the bandit and started to heave the remains off the road in to the nearby field.


The mess from their victory was not a pleasant sight for any wanderers or travelers using the road in the morning. The sun had completely set and the surrounding area was pitch black. Her main thought was to quickly clear up and then find a clearing for them to set up camp for the night and reward themselves with a good hearty meal.


She watched Varick striding over to the cart and called over to him "Hey I could use some help if you ain't busy!"

 

[Effervescent]

Valdemire held his stare on Alisha and plucked the rag from her grasp as soon as he found she was finished. He paid no mind to Varick, nor did he intend to contribute to what would be done with the bandit. He saw no need to keep a hostage or question something so beneath them. They had a bigger task to deal with, and one which the bandit would know nothing about.


"How long ago were you bitten?" he asked Alisha as he tucked the rag into a pocket. His frustration smoothed to neutrality now that she had calmed and admitted her flaw. It was, to him, a sign of intelligence and the possibility of teaching.

 

[Harbinger]

" I was bitten three months ago and when my family and friends found out, they didn't want to have me around I have been an outcast ever since. Then I found guy that had taught to deal with what I became and helped me reach the city through the swamp. I settled down with him and have been living there since. I heard about the guardians so I left and came here and that's my story."

 

[Chao5Th3ory]

Upon hearing Sarvi call out to him he stopped next to the cart and looked over to her, "I already know what you are asking and i say leave the bodies there, after all their deaths were their own fault so it's not our problem"

 

[Lain.Laurent]

Sarvi was in the process of looting a small money bag from another one of the dead bandits but quickly glared up at Varick standing by the cart "Hey! We killed them and that makes it our responsibility to clean up after ourselves! Would you like it if your dead body was just left sprawled over the road?!"


She picked up the recently looted bandit and proceeded to drag his body over to the field with the intent of placing it beside his fallen comrade however upon reaching the field she lost her footing. Sarvi quickly clung to the dead body in order to try and stop herself from falling but her efforts had been in vain, the pair of them disappeared from sight having fallen in to a ditch hidden within the long grass.


Soaking wet and wiping mud out of her eyes she found herself trapped under the huge bandits body "Great..."

 

[Chao5Th3ory]

Varick stood there watching as she had disappeared from sight where she fell and shook his head while sighing. "And that is why i said to leave them there".

 

[Dreesirk]

None of the others seemed to pleased with the idea of keeping this one bandit alive, the vampire girl especially - and for a moment, Norven entertained the idea of ending him here and saving everyone the trouble - but the code he chose to follow in life demanded he spare any life he could. That, and like the vampire girl said, he might have some information they could use.


Norven hoisted the bandit up to Nobleflame's saddle, placing him belly down onto it; there wasn't much of a chance of him escaping like this. "Let's hope we don't hit any bumpy ground, eh?" Norven chuckled to the bandit, who continued to look to the ground defeated. Norven lead Nobleflame back to the wagon, where he tied the horse to the side opposite of the one already tied there, and went to Sarvi's aid.


"Need some help there?" Norven asked as he held out his gauntleted hand to aid Sarvi.

 

[Lain.Laurent]

Sarvi had been atempting to push the body off her and was about to scream for help when she noticed Norven poking his head over the ditch looking at her sprawled in the mud and water with the body of a huge heavy bandit pinning her down. She instantly stopped and looked up at him going bright red and quickly pushed her ginger fringe out of her eyes accidentally adding a thick layer of mud in to her hair.


"Uh... Yes, thank you.. for the help I mean! I think Varick might have a point, it might be easier to leave them"

 

[Dreesirk]

"It probably is," Norven responded, slightly embarrassed at Sarvi's misfortune. "We'll notify the guard at the next town or village we come by about the bodies." Norven tried to move the large bandit lying over Sarvi and only managed to slide it half off her before he too slipped and fell into the mud. After realizing his misfortune, he let out a hearty laugh. "Just my luck," he said, pushing the bandit off of himself and Sarvi and crawling out of the ditch.


"We should find somewhere to stop for the night. It feels as if my stomach is conspiring with the rest of my guts to revolt!" Again, he laughed.

 

[Lain.Laurent]

Sarvi laughed as Norven fell in to the mud too but was extremely grateful that the pair together could finally move the body off them. They climbed out of the ditch both smothered in mud, Sarvi being the more concerned one seeing it was all down the back of her clothes and in her hair. They all needed a place to clean up, eat and rest. She marched past the unhelpful Varick and got back in to the drivers seat and looked over her shoulder at the debate that was still taking place down the road between the two vamps while Cas and Abelard had seemed to of disappeared


Standing up she shouted over to them "Come on guys lets go! Lets find a place to eat and sleep!"

 

[Dreesirk]

Norven wiped some of the mud away from his face and followed Sarvi back to the wagon. Since the bandit was saddled on a currently unhappy Nobleflame, and the wagon didn't seem to have enough room for a fully armored man, Norven chose to just walk beside. Unleashing Nobleflame's bridle and wrapping around his own hand, Norven rolled his shoulders and waited for everyone to begin heading out.

 

[Chao5Th3ory]

As Varick saw Sarvi and Norven make their way towards he wagon began leaning against it, arms crossed and head bowed as if he was in deep thought. "Why would they need all of us just to take down one beast?, something isn't right about this and i intend to find out what".

 

[Effervescent]

Valdemire eyed Alisha thoughtfully, his expression like stone. There wasn't much to be said further on the subject, at least not to him. He knew she was young and lack of control was typical of the newly turned.


"Any bodies you have bitten should have their heads removed," he told her calmly as he made his way back to his horse. He then raised his voice to carry out to the others. "As a matter of fact, all the bodies should be burned." He knew his suggestion would fall on deaf ears. He did not care.

 

[Thewarsword]

Abelard began to lift the bodies of his fallen into a hole. After checking their pulses he threw the valueables in before the bodies.


He arranged the scarf to hide his face, and the cloak hid away the intricate tattoos.


He whistled and his horse had came to him. He got upon it and returned to the fellows. Before he started judging the quality of character they had, he remembered the difficulty it took to fend off two men with 2 swords each. Abelard's comrades swept in like ocean waves and cleared the danger away...


He could see them coming into view and they were either moving or preparing to. He would not sleep this night, and had training, prayer, and mourning to conduct.


He came to the captive. His cloaked head loomed near the ear of the foe next to him. After whispering a few things he watched the color drain from his face.


"Norven, you did right in capturing him. I wish I had the time to spare my own foes, but our brothers and sisters needed us. They are all we have now as ebony guard, even with their lack of honor or morals they will be there for us. Also, I do not think he will cause us trouble", said abelard pointing to the captive.


The shadow turned away from Norven and sought after the cart.


" Elf, are you OK?"


"Sarvi? Were you hurt?"


The demeanor and mentorship taking place between the vampires told him what he needed to know.


He looked around for Varick, but decided to wait for a reply from the two before sharing his words with the assassin.

 

[Lain.Laurent]

Sarvi smiled as their convoy moved onward down the road this time searching for a place they could camp for the night, the majority of the group needed rest now after that chaotic first evening on the road and she hoped the rest of the journey would be much more peaceful though she highly doubted it. She leaned back in the seat thinking what to cook, it was clear she was going to be the one to do it being the only female in the group that ate human food. Her thoughts turned to Ren but she clearly preferred to travel on the outskirts and only stayed vaguely in range, it had been a while now since she last saw her. When fetching the rope she had taken note of a few dead rabbits, a basket of vegetables, some glass bottles of water and a nice warm stew came to mind. She chuckled to herself as she pondered whether to make Varick skin the rabbits for her, make him do some work for a change that didn't involve waving his over sized daggers around. Stew was also on her mind because those dead rabbits won't stay fresh for long.


She turned her head at the call from Abelard and gave a beaming smile "Yes I am fine, I was wondering where you had gotten too but then admittedly we were all rather busy"


It wasn't too long however til Sarvi spotted a clearing by the road side that looked perfected, it had an odd circular clearing of bushes that would protect them from the wind. She pulled on the reins haulting the Palomino and the cart to a stop. "Hey you lot I think we should camp here for the night, don't you guys agree?..... I will make you all din din for us to eat" she announced in an over the top cheerful voice as if they needed more convincing.

 

[Effervescent]

Valdemire sneered at the sound of 'din din.' Baby talk was demeaning either to whom it was directed to or to the person who spoke the words. As he dismounted his horse, he tethered him to a tree and began his search for water in solitude. The chorus of crickets and occasional croak of a frog indicated some water close by, and he listened for a trickle or rush.


Eventually he came across a modest creek, it's bank sloping low where the water had carved through the earth. Valdemire dipped his pale hands into the cool water before removing pieces of his armor. One by one he dipped the pieces to soak, leaving him in only his shirt and pants. It was possible the blood had stayed too long to be completely removed from the fabric. He turned his head somewhat to keep an ear to the sound of the camp.

 

[Dreesirk]

Norven was glad to hear that a place to rest the night had been found, and ecstatic at the mention of dinner.


"Are you hungry, friend?" Norven turned his head and asked to the bandit still stuck on Nobleflame. The bandit meekly nodded his head, the motion almost undetectable. "Good!" Norven beamed at the bandit, and for a moment, the man seemed to perk up and smile slightly, "Because you won't be receiving any!" The smile disappeared, causing Norven to laugh as he had been the entire day now. "Of course," Norven began after the laughing fit came to a close, "you might could earn a few bites if you'd be willing to tell us whatever you know." The bandit seemed unsure about the proposition. Norven smiled and continued, "Just think about it, friend. You have all night, after all." Norven slapped the bandit on the back and went back to focusing on camp.


"Now then, can anyone start a fire?"

 

[Thewarsword]

"Sarvi, what is this din din? How can i help you prepare it? Monks must cook, alot.


Perhaps we should also consider posting guards? If everyone is asleep who will point out the bandits lying in wait for us?"


He was not sure why but he felt warm underneath his cloak and scarf, and he wondered if this strange feeling was what caused Sarvi to turn that pinkish color, or if this was the look on Norven's face earlier. Confused, the monk felt concerned for the elf and Varick, where had that one vampire gone? He suddenly felt unsettled.


His mind would not focus, and he began to mediate. Listening to the world around him. Later, while they slept he would train, and exercise, and clean/repair his tunic. It had been awhile since he took time to keep his "weapons" in shape, he thought of his gnarled forearms, and his battered shins. These instruments of protection were not being sharpened, and guessing by the way the bandits fought earlier he was worried.


As he heard Norven ask about a fire his body reacted with prompt from the mind. He got fire wood out of the cart, and kindling from the woods, and snapped his fingers to cause the sparks, and the fire.


"A little spirit here of there won't hurt , and it will ease me into it."-Abelard thought to himself.

 

[Harbinger]

"I'll stay up and keep watch Abelard, I haven't been able to get a good nights rest for at least 10 months, I like the silence anyways, gives me a time to reflect and enjoy the night. Now if you excuse me I'll will be back in a few minutes." Alisha grabbed some clothing from her bag to replace her current blood stained clothing. She walked away from the camp and yelled out because she knew that Valdemire was out here somewhere " Valddemire if you are out here, don't attack me, it's Alisha. She came up to a medium sized creek. She bent down to wipe the blood off her clothing, most of itcame off but there was some of it that wws dried on there. So Alisha took off her armor and top shirt and replaced it with a new fresh one. Seeing that no one esle was around, Alisha began tonsing an old song that her new lover had taught her when she first came to the walled city and was sad over the loss of her original family.

 

[Lain.Laurent]

Sarvi managed to find a cooking pot and gathered up the ingredients from the cart while passing most the of blankets to Norven to hand out while he was entertaining their tied up dinner guest. She placed the cooking pot in to the flames and filled it up with bottles of water before pulling out her dagger from her boot and started to chop up the vegetables. Upon Abelard asking how he could help she tossed him the rabbits "You wouldn't know how to skin these would you, it's something I have never been good at" She chuckled.


She rolled out her blanket next to the cooking pot in order to know when it was boiling to throw in her freshly chopped vegetables and meat in to the pot to cook, either way dinner was going to be a while. After the fight and the way they all helped each other out Sarvi hoped that the group had bonded a little better and that a good hearty meal and some drink would lift everyone's spirits. She thought she would keep the bottles of ale right at the far back a secret for now...

 

[Thewarsword]

Abelard gently caught the rabbit. He pressed his gauntlet in a certain way, and blades came out of one side. He began to gently use the blades jutting out of his forearm to separate skin from meat.


"It can be surprising how well you can get used to a new skill. I practiced arctic survival many times over at the monastery. The test to prove your skills, and to move on to the next phase is surviving on your own in a winter. If you come back alive you pass the test, it ok if you cheat, your lack of spirit will get you killed eventually in my home. So those of us who listen to our masters do not cheat"


After finishing the rabbits, he put away his blades, and approached Varick, he lowered the hood so Varick could see his eyes.


"Assassin, you are my brother in arms, you owe me nothing" Abelard took a bow, and before walking off put his hood back on. He sat back down where he had been for the rabbit skinning.


"Norven, I have always wanted to learn about the stars, did you ever get educated about them?"

 

[Dreesirk]

As Sarvi searched the wagon for food, she found and tossed several blankets over to Norven, each individually wrapped in two leather belts.

Spoiler

Norven tossed one over to Abelard, who was busy skinning a rabbit, and set the rest down around the fire for everyone else to sit on and enjoy the meal. "Oof, I almost forgot!" Norven exclaimed as he began to sit down. Heading back toward Nobleflame, Norven pulled the bandit down off the saddle and carried him over by the fire, setting the bandit down between Ableard and himself. Facing the wagon, he smiled and patted one of the bedrolls, inviting the elf in the wagon and the masked figure over to come and join them.


"Norven, I have always wanted to learn about the stars, did you ever get educated about them?" Abelard asked as he was skinning a rabbit.


"Some," Norven replied, glancing up into the sky, "but not as much as any of the court astronomers probably know. As children, my cousins and siblings and I would run out into the practice fields at night and lie around gazing up. Occasionally, our grandfather or some other elder would happen by and tell us tales of great warriors of a time long since gone, but immortalized in the stars." A smile crossed over Norven's face and his eyes glazed over in nostalgia.


"Perhaps we can exchange tales later tonight. For now, it's time for merriment; we're Ebony Guards and there's food cooking!"

 

[Chao5Th3ory]

At that question Varick let out a huff, "Maybe ask the bandit, he might know something", before deciding to join the group near the fire, setting himself down on one knee. He then proceeded to take off his mask, although his hood still covered is face, and started inspecting it noticing the blood covering the mask, "And i just cleaned this recently too". He then set the mask down on the ground to his right and sighed."This is going to be a long night..."

 

[Lain.Laurent]

Sarvi who had been resting her head against her blanket looked up while Varick removed his mask bolted upright and leaned forward eagerly trying to get a glimpse of his face but however became slightly annoyed that no matter in which direction she leaned his face was still in the shadows regardless and instead rest her head back down against the blanket giving Varick a pouty face.


When the water began to boil she sat upright sliding chunks of meat and the chopped up vegetables in to the pot and stirred them with a large wooden spoon that had come with the cooking pot in order to make sure the food didn't stick to the bottom. "Well I honestly can't say I know anything when it comes to the stars, my mother always told me if you wished on a falling one it came true... that is pretty much the extent of my knowledge"