Chapter 3 -- Village by the Sea

[Kalína Dalá'isyrás]

@ Mana

It was not long after her departure did one of the guards notice her absense and it caused a great uproar amongst the men. Yelling and shouting could be heard for miles as they argued about whose fault it was that she escaped and who was going to face Atreyk when he returned and found her missing.

The children blinked and all backed away except the smallest. He refused to move and bowed his head humbly. "I...'ave see black horse...yet men lead it elsewhere. To find men, must go back where you came."

"...Life is a story that is waiting to be written. It is up to us to make it exciting and unforgettable..."

[Shan Gutarus]

((I know this is what you've wanted with this charrie, KDor, so I'll give you a fight))

Geoff knew something was up when that all too familiar sound of blade on scabbard rung in his ears. He turned, planted his feet, flicked his wrists and sent out a shrill whistle all with one move, three throwing knives seeming to materialize in his left hand. Geoff had turned simply in the nick of time, catching the flying wolf as Ash came at him. His left hand came up, the middle blade pointed outward with the two others coming in at a slightly lower and different angle, and the bandit snapped his wrist up to block the blow of the large canine's snapping jaws. At that same moment, three more blades appeared at the ready in his right hand. Geoff pulled this arm back as he steadied his left, ready to bring them forth as a bunker.

Several shouts erupted from around the corner. Three men charged down the hall, shouting of a break in the House. They yelled when the men spotted the slumped, bloodied body of the doorman, pulling their blades from their sheaths. The three stood at the ready in the hall, watching narrow eyed and stoic faced as their superior took on the wolf.

Obvlivious to the chaos that was erupting in Atreyk's sector of the city, Shanvorin lead Minsyth along the skim of the town. His eyes sidled over to the direction of the town, but the shingar dismissed the presence of the others of nothing of particular interest. Moving along, the wild cat's eyes locked on what he was truly looking for. A cottage, probably that of a local fisherman, was sitting quite comfortably off from the side of the rest of the populas. Pleased with the outcome of his prediction, Shan nodded to himself with his great head and urged forward, eager to find him and Minsyth a decent meal.

[KDor Saduk]

((OOC: Yea, it was kinda obvious , but my Character, K`Dor hates bandits with a passion. They nearly took his eye when he was on one of his many travels. Thanks though Shan, I hope this adds a little excitment in the story and doesn't effect anything too much. If not, lets have us some fun  ))



Put’mari and Veir’dro sunk deeply into the door man’s flesh, causing blood to spray on impact. An almost sadistic smile formed on K`Dor’s features, he hadn’t fought in sometime now and knowing he had just killed a man pleased him greatly. A tiny bit of blood splattered up on the mighty warriors face, slowly it dribbled down his cheeks and over his mouth. As the blood touched his lips, K`Dor licked the blood from them as he turned his sights up to Geoff…

        Ash was in mid flight as Geoff made some rather quick movements to not only alert more bandits, but also was able to let three blades go, aimed directly at Ash. She had no time or way to move at this point, one of the tiny daggers struck Ash right in her chest, thought it didn’t effect her none. The other two daggers luckily missed her, as Ash set her sights on Geoff’s left forearm.

        K`Dor knew he had to act quickly, he saw that Geoff had another three daggers in his right hand. He charged in, with Put’mari pointed towards Geoff and Vier‘dro lifted upwards ready to strick down its next victim. His black and gold cloak flutterd in the air behind him as K`Dor let out a demonic holler, “RAAAAAAAAH!” he was now only a few feet away from Geoff and It was only a matter of time before K`Dor would go into an all out rage...

"My swords and wolf are my only companions... I can't rely on anything else..."

K`Dor Saduk

Edited by: KDor Saduk at: 11/7/04 23:15

[Manalkar Melor]

She nodded without a  word and added a piece of silver to the coins before pressing it into the little boys hand. Turning away from the group she ran back down the alleyway as fast as she dared without risk of slipping or running into someone hidden in the shadows. Hands at her side clenched into a fist and relaxed continuously, always near the daggers hidden by the sash wrapped around her hips. At one sound, a shout from somewhere close behind she reflexively lunged for her blades and jerked to a stop, but no one came out to challenge her.    

Taking a breath she moved forward again, a bit slower and in a slight crouch as she rounded one corner and then another until she was thoroughly lost. “Next time I shall remember my route. “ Mana whispered to herself as she stepped around a small puddle that looked suspiciously like blood.    

Only when she was about ready to risk being seen by scaling the side of a building for a better vantage did she hear a chorus of yelling. A grin broke over her face when she spotted Deorheort standing patiently in an intersecting alley, too close to the ruckus to approach safely. She whistled and the horse turned his head and snorted but didn’t move to join her. Muttering a curse under her breath she drew one of her slender daggers and skittered along the wall opposite of the open doorway to her mount.      

Manalkar Melór fá Miés'efér'óh
To dream is to dare to question the facts of life ~ Me

[Aitostalon]

Talon was surprised that this woman had talked to him, a white knight.   "I respectfully decline the offer to sit down, my companion outside is standing and I choose to stand just as my dear friend does. He can not enter because he is far too large and it is improper for him to enter any building short of a stable. I am called Talon." With that Talon returned to being silent, he stood, near the door, his eyes sweeping the room, and occassionally out to where Phoenix stood.  This elderly woman didn't realize Talon had already lived probably close to 5 times as long as she has. "As Paladia said, I have only joined them shortly before coming to town, and shall remain as long as I am needed."[/font] Talon then fell silent once again.

Edited by: Aitostalon at: 11/14/04 22:01

[Paladia Entonei]

Geoff's eyes narrowed as the huge man charged in. There was no chance of him challenging KDor with strength, but he figured that he was quicker than the brute. Geoff's legs seemed to go limp as his knees appeared to buckle from beneath him. He dropped to the ground in a crouch, supporting himself with bent legs and his left hand, the three throwing daggers up and ready. Coming in quickly behind him three men came in hooting, weilding sharp swords with practiced skill.

Geoff let fly his daggers towards KDor's gut as he dove to the side just as Ash came in. He came to an abrupt halt when he reached the wall of the hall and stood quickly. It was then the three others went in for KDor, blades flashing and eyes glimmering with loathing.

Some shouting sounded from outside. Another bandit, one that had been patrolling about nearby whom had heard Geoff's whistle of distress, came tearing around the bend only to spot Mana about to take off with her steed.

"Hey you!" he cried out in rage, pulling a scimitar from his belt and not slowing down. The man couldn't care less who Mana was or what she was doing, but the bandit was going in for the kill.

~~~~

"Kids...kids I say!" exclaimed Rose, "I suppose there's not much I can be doing about it. Stand if you will. Now then...tell me, girl, how you came across my dear Nyari here..."

And so Paladia told her. She explained to Rose how they had happened across the poor girl being picked on by raiders and how the slowly forming party and herself took it upon themselves to return Nyari home.

"I see," Rose said at length once Pally was done, tapping her steaming, untouched cup of tea with an arthritic finger appearing to be in thought. "These raiders did they...they had gotten to a caravan?" Paladia nodded slowly, slightly on edge from the tone in the old woman's voice. "Nyari...why dont you go outside and find your Gram some Kell. Make a nice little arrangement, will you dear?"

"Yes Gram," came the girls voice from behind a curtain and she emerged, dressed anew with her hair tied up with a pretty baby blue ribbon. She made her way by and as she passed the door, looked up once again to the black bow on the door. "Gram, do you want me to take this down? I'm not missing no more so nobody need not worry now!"

A pause overcame Rose for a moment until she nodded her head. "No child...I'll take care of that later." With that, Nyari skipped off to a garden plot several peds from the cottage.

"Those raiders," Rose took up again once Nyari was going through the garden on her knees. The old woman's voice was ominous and full of pain and dread. "That caravan. I knew the men on it. My son was one of them. A tradesman he is."

Paladia's heart skipped a beat. "Ma'am, with all due respect, I'm sure your son is well. We had chased off those raiders and I figure that they didn't have chance to go back after..."

"He's dead, lass."

The elfmaid sighed and bowed her head. "I'm sorry to hear that. Your son is...Nyari's father?" Rose nodded. "And her mother?"

"Dead I'm afraid. Flu last winter. All that child's got is me and her uncle, dear. And he's always off. I'll not be around forever and..." Rose sighed and stood, making her way to the stove on creaking boards with creaking joints.

Paladia was hit with a wave of memories. The procession just out of the mountains. It was..."By the gods," she whispered, sitting back her chair.

[Aitostalon]

Talon listened quietly and tentively to the tale, and to what the old woman had to say. It is true she won't be around much longer, but the question looms where is this uncle that is supposed to be the man of the house? Talon  watched as the young girl ran past, he smiled softly behind his veil as she passed, before his eyes turning back to Paladia and the old woman named Rose. Talon saw a change in Paladia, he knew a little of her tribe, and that the males were met to be emotionless hunters, but why had Paladia not show much emotion until now. Talon walked forward placing a hand on her shoulder and leaned down and said quietly "Is all well m'lady?" as his eyes surveyed the room.

[KDor Saduk]

K`Dor ignored the daggers that were thrown at him, little did Geoff know, he had a thick metal plate covering his stomach. All his vital areas were covered, but not much else was… The daggers bounced off the metal and fell to the floor. K`Dor didn’t lose a step, he charged right into the bandits that were blocking him from getting to Geoff. He swung Veir’dro downward at the man who stood directly in front of him. His eye’s filled with fire, and his muscles bulged as K`Dor went into a rage. “RAAAAAAAAH!” another demonic holler escaped from K`Dor’s lips, he was now out of control…

        Ash landed on her feet, and growled at the three bandits that stood in front of her masters’ way. She bared her sharp, yellow stained teeth and waited to see what happened. She didn’t want to get in the way, she knew her master has lost all control now and would stop at nothing to kill all the bandits that stood in his way…

"My swords and wolf are my only companions... I can't rely on anything else..."

K`Dor Saduk

[Manalkar Melor]

She turned abruptly at the shout, the free hand which had been rubbing her mounts black neck soothingly whipping to her second knife in a heartbeat. With a  blade in either hand she leapt past her  nervous horse to intercept the man charging down the alley for her, the heavy cloak billowing behind her as she moved with bounding steps. Mana darted into reach of the scimitar, one dagger making a sweeping horizonal cut in an attempt to throw the mans blade out wide as she plunged her second dagger in a downward slash at his chest and threw her weight behind it. If he was so rushed to attack her then hopefully he would make some foolish blunder, they usually did.      

Manalkar Melór fá Miés'efér'óh
To dream is to dare to question the facts of life ~ Me

[Paladia Entonei]

Paladia looked up from her tea to find Talon standing  near her, a comforting sight she had to admit, and nodded. "All's well, thank you. Simply the realization of mortality as I've never thought to see it, I suppose," the elf murmured, sipping quietly on her tea.

"Aye," Rose spoke suddenly and unexpectadly, "Mortality is a cruel thing. To steal the lives of those so young, like my dear Matthew, yet to give power to enslave to those unworthy by imprisoning the public by their own yokes of fear. Aye...mortality. I curse it but embrace it. My son's life may have ended, yes, but those responsible have already abandoned the world worth living when they struck the innocent down." The old woman fell silent, the true lines of age that dragged on her face becoming so much more evident in the latening morning.

"My other son, I call him," she began up again, speaking now of Nyari's uncle, "for he was the brother of my daughter in law. He was close with Matthew, though he is merchant of the seas and leaves often as he does tomorrow night. You will meet him, I'm sure, if you stay here for the feast. A farewell to both men, I presume."

Paladia listened with interest, welcoming the near presence of Talon despite her short time in knowing him. Without even knowing it, Pally was becoming more and more accustomed to meeting new people and tolerating, even accepting, them. Her tea came to an abrupt end and the elf looked down at the small black leaves that smattered along the bottom and one side of the mug. Looking up, Pally saw that Rose's hand was outreached with those dark, wise eyes on the cup.

The elf handed it to the old woman and Rose gazed into it, her eyes closing slowly at length and then opening with a grim set to her features. "You've a troubled present, child," she murmured, Rose's voice somewhat darker that Pally remembered it, "And it's not much for letting up. And a dark companion is both but neither, confused and desperate with no voice nor friend. You help him, unknowning, but harm him for your own good." Rose set the cup down, a troubled set to her brows.

"Wha..." Paladia sputtered, not understanding at first but the elf had her wits about her at the time. "You! You're a soothsayer. The type the stories speak of. You..."

"I am whatever people call me, child," Rose said, standing and taking the cups to a wash basin on the counter.

"Then your son's death. His murder. You forsaw it and--"

Pally's voice was stolen by the soft rustle and thud at the doorstop. A sprig of wildflowers, arranged in colors of red and orange, lay in the doorjam with her mouth gaping and eyes wide with disbeleiving horror. "No.." she murmured over and over, her head shaking and hands trembling. Before anybody could catch her, Nyari dashed from the cottage and ran down a path. All the while, Rose did not move from the kitchen counter, but stood there washing mechanically.

[Shan Gutarus]

The guard that so unfortnately found himself in the path of K'Dor quickly regretted it. His blade mechanically came up to block, his left hand going to the flat of the blade to support the parry, but the bandit was quick to regret it when he saw the swift and powerful blow that was soon to overcome him. With the strike of the two metals, a pain that burned him to the core shot through the man's arms, trembled down his spine and electrified each vertibrae and finally shot to his knees which trembled under the pressure astounded him. His mouth part open in a weak attempt at a scream, the guard's legs buckled under the weight of the blow and he crumpled backward, his blade flying from his grasp.

The two that flanked him paid little attention to their fallen and more than likely crippled, if not doomed, comrad. They lunged in on either side with trained swiftness at K'Dor, their doubled edged swords going in for the behemoth's sides just below his underarms where most armor was weak if even present. They moved in sync, arms outstretched with taut muscles as the blades gleamed in the mid-morning sun that streamed through the still open doorway.

A shadow moved across that light as Geoff went for the dead doorguard and unhooked a large crossbow from the wall where he had once stood. The weapon was cocked and aimed in a flash, the bead brought up and steadied on K'Dor's subtly injured wolf. Not pausing, Geoff's finger twitched at the bolt, nearing a fore in length, shot forth at Ash.

The man that Mana challenged was no novice or lowly guard. He was par with Geoff in standing though several years his senior with a good deal of bulk to his advantage. His scimitar came in with a steady hand and with Mana's deflect, blade scraped curved blade and hilt met hilt. Spotting a glimmer from her other hand, the bandit spun on his feet and wrenched his own deadly blade from the lock in a smooth movement.

"Back down, elf wench, and me and the lads may treat you," he sneered, circling the dark elf at just more than an arm's length distance.

[Manalkar Melor]

"You and your boys? That’s an amusing thought. “Mana shot back at the man with a smirk, flexing her wrists and falling into a defensive crouch. She watched him closely as he circled her, moving lightly on the balls of her feet. Without warning she leapt at him again, feigning right then shifting her weight to the left and swung one of her knives at his shoulder. Intentionally missing him she ended up behind the man and kicked viciously at his knees.      

[Shan Gutarus]

The guard hadn't anticipated such speed from the dark elf and realized his error only as the man felt his knees being forced from under him and his knees colliding with the ground. On impact, he rolled swiftly onto his back and lashed out in a wide arc with his scimitar and then brought it back across again, hoping to make some time for himself to find his next move.

[Mimi Dorgren]

Mimi was sitting in her favourite tree. Pinn had left to play with his silly boat and with Heina and Anila she had had  a quarrel which had ended again with the girl teasing her for not having a father anymore. They always did, when they wanted something Mimi didn‘t want to give them. This time it was the last cookie she had got from Ilbeth yesterday and which she didn‘t want to share with Heina and Anila. So these both repeated themselves saying Oh well, with no father you don‘t have a san to buy you a cooky, so keep it, poor girl.. and went away.

Mimi‘s eyes were full of tears, but she did not allow herself to cry until she sat already in the morning safely on this tree on the highest branch which supported her weight  It was a fabulous place, she could nearly look over half of Nepris. And what was even better, she could easily see the road coming from the Crazy Woman Pass and watch who was coming and going. Not that there was too much traffic, not in the morning. But sometimes even a dwarf came down from the mountains.

This time she didn‘t have to wait long to see travellers which caught her eyes and were of great interest. A little group of people came down the path, a horse with two persons sitting on it, and a man leading it.
When they came nearer, Mimi could see better how they looked like and to her surprise, her friend Nyari was sitting in front of a strange woman, and the beautiful horse (even she not used to horses could see that!) was led by an similar strange looking man. Coming nearer and passing right under her on the road, she could see, that the two foreigners had pointed ears. She nearly fell from the tree, but her trained reflexes prevented her from crashing on the road. She observed where to they were aiming, it was the direction of Nyari's house, or better that of her grandmother Rose.  Nyari was often away from Nepris, travelling with her father. But were was he now?

Mimi slipped down the tree and followed the party, trying to hide, for she was unsure about Nyari‘s companions. All entered the house of Rose, but Nyari came out soon and started picking flowers for a bucket. Mimi wanted to run over to her, but this man stood in the door and looked outside to his horse, so Mimi stayed hidden behind a heap of logs nearby. From there she  could see, that it didn‘t take Nyari long to pick the flowers and to go back to the house - but she didn‘t enter, but stood without movement under the door before throwing the flowers down and running away. Mimi was stunned. What had happened, why was Nyari running away?

Mimi forgot the horse, the strange man , jumped up and run after Nyari , calling her:

„Nyari, Nyari!!! Wait!“

[Manalkar Melor]

She narrowly avoided the scimitar as she reversed her direction to come in at the man again. The blade slipped past her chest and at first she had been afraid he had landed a glancing blow and flinched. With one knife held back defensively Mana thought to make up for her momentary hesitation, bringing her second blade in a sharp stab at the mans stomach. She was already preparing to shift to one side to avoid a counter, doubting her luck that she would land a serious hit, any hit really.      

Manalkar Melór fá Miés'efér'óh
To dream is to dare to question the facts of life ~ Me

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