Chapter 4 -- Salvaging Nepris

[Paladia Entonei]

The man's grim face was set with determination as he came boring down on Terra. As their blades clashed together, the steel scraping together with a ring, music to the ears of the battle-weary, his muscles bulged. The swordsman was not expecting such power behind the blow, particularily from the woman. Still, he was larger than her and used the curve of his scimitar to his advantage. The swordsman winked at Terra and jerked the blade slightly to the side, using her own momentum to send Terra off behind him. Expecting a retalliation from a woman he no longer would underestimate, the man spun immediately and lashed out in a wide, erratic arc.

~~~

Dominic's neck muscles pulsed as he grasped the other man, roughly the same size as the sailor if not larger, around the neck and pulled him down to the ground. The other brute grunted in protest, wrapping an arm around Dom's thick torso. Locked in the grapple, there was little either could do. But that was the least of the sailor's problems. The smaller man, saw his opportunity and ran, jumping high even for somebody of his tiny build. Still, the momentum brought him barelling down on Dominic's shoulders, knocking him off balance and onto his back. Though the spur of the moment move brought the little man under Dom, it gave the larger thug a chance to roll out of the hold. A big-toothed grin on his face, a foot lashed out and caught Dominic square in his stomach, winding the fiery-bearded merchant.

Dom let out his lungs worth of air and felt the little man's arms attempt to wrap around his biceps in a lock. "Moron," he sputtered, coughing to regain his breath. Dominic twisted violently, flexing as he rolled over onto his chest. The blonde let out a little cry as he slipped off the sailor's back, striking out wildly with the dagger. Missing by a fore, Dom took his chance and kicked out with his heel, landing the young man in the face and knocking him out cold and bloody.

The larger man barelled in on the sailor, blood splattered on his face from a very broken nose, and grabbed him by the shoulders, forcing him back. Dominic, backstepping towards the side of the cottage, grabbed the man's face in his right hand, pushing his head back, and his shirt collar in the other. Suddenly, as they rounded the corner, Dom's heel clipped at a log. The pile at the side of the house! And behind that...

The sailor's grip on the bigger man's shirt tightened and Dom clenched his teeth. Praying he had his distances right in his head, the bearded man yanked at his opponent and twisted him around just as he tripped over more logs. The two large fighters fell and crashed with an explosion of dust and splinters into the cellar door and came thundering down the short steps into the basement where Isaraldor, Radirez and the twitchy swordsman waited.

~~~

Paladia caught her breath as Dominic was taken down, seeing the actions easily with her sharp elven sight, even from the cover of the trees. She shuffled forward, stringing an arrow, but another sound that was not her own alerted her. Her brows furrowing in concern, trained enough to know that this situation was not one to let her guard down. Pally let her focus tighten to a pinprick, absorbing every sound, every movement around her, into her psyche. "I'm not alone," she thought, drawing up her bow as if to take a bead on one of the fighters by the cottage. Suddenly, the brush to her right rustled as Zerigron moved from his cover, and Paladia's warrior instincts took effect. Her legs, once in kneel, spread from under her and flattened the elf to the ground on her stomach. The fall took her breath momentarily, but did not distract her from her purpose.

Pally rolled to the right and brought her, and her readied bow, up. She let fly, the arrow going for the man's chest.

[Herald the Bombastic]

As the small treat was plucked from his mouth, a disheartened look grew over Herald's face. The elderly gentleman looked like an injured puppy, longingly staring at the spice-cake in the woman's hand.

"Excuse me, sir, but I would suspect a man of your... agreeable... age to behave with a little more civility. You can have one with our tea, now if you would be so kind as to lay the cups and saucers out. They're in the cabinet," the woman said, very matter-of-factly. Humph! He was a guest and she was treating him like this? How dare she! Herald began to speak up, but then she continued before he could speak, "And while you're at it, son, be gracious enough to lay out the napkins as well. Second drawer on the right." Son?! Why, he hadn't been called that in forty some-odd years...

Herald was so stunned by being called "son" he forgot to speak out against these injustices that were being thrust upon him, and before he knew it the woman was gone. Seeing no other recourse, Herald proceeded to grudgingly lay out the cups and saucers... and napkins.

When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him.
-- Jonathan Swift

[Terra Artemos]

Terra's blade meets that of the swordsman, and Terra lets her arms exsorb the force like a spring. The swordsman winks at her, and atempts to jerk his blade to the side and throw her of balance at the same moment as Terra used the energy stored in her arms to push off and and spin behind him. Terra notes the swordsmans wide eratic arch, her movements however are steady, measured and perscice as she brings her own blade around deflecting her opponents blade, and without missing a step spins around driving the pummel of her sword towards his ribs.

'I am grey. All but those like me see only darkness and light, they do not see the grey between them. In this greyness I dwell. I would not wish this fate on any other.'

[Isaraldor Glamthail]

When Radirez bolted down the stairs, Isa knew he needed a plan, so he started formulating one. That was hard to do since fear was starting to flow through him. He could start to feel his hair standing on end. However, moments later some people came crashing through the wooden basement hatch. That brought hope. Knowing he couldn't fight at the moment, he came up with escape plan 1A and 1B. These plans had the same opening move, but different endings. The beginning was hide, and wait for an opening. He couldn't help but wonder if he should stay where he is though.

sig made by gararion

Can you withstand my eternal onslaught of wind and water?
Isaraldor Glamthail-Santharia

Edited by: isaraldor glamthail at: 7/4/05 5:24

[Warrior Kaelan]

Entering, Kaelan watches with amusement as the elderly man sets the table. Quite the distressing work for an aged hero, he surmises. Then again, being a former soldier, he himself has never tried much housework, so it could be a lot more complex than it appears.

Why do you ask?

[Erián'melór]

Erian relaxed in his room as he prepared to go to sleep. His two shamshirs rested lightly against the closed door, the sound of them falling would awaken him should anyone try to enter. He had made enough gold tonight in the main room of the tavern to last him for a few days. His songs often brought him such income as he solemnly sang of the woes that afflicted his soul. He was almost afraid to close his eyes, for every night he dreamed the same horrible nightmare. Each time it would be different, yet he knew it was still the same nightmare of the night that his wife died. He almost lost his life that very night, and he often wished that the branch would not have broken and thus saved him from being hanged. His hand caressed his neck as he felt the scar where the rope had dug into his flesh. That scar was miniscule compared to the scars that he carried within him. Despite his fear of his dreams, he was soon fast asleep...

A dagger rested in his hand as he pressed it against the trembling throat of a beautiful woman. He held her crimson locks in his hand, and he delighted in her screams as her husband tried to save her. The blade nicked her neck and a slow trickle of blood began to flow towards her breasts. With a perverted grin, he licked off the blood as her husband was forced to watch. With a shock, Erian recognized the husband as himself! It was his wife that he held, and it was her screams that corrupted the silence of the night. He looked at himself, only to realize that he was dressed as a common bandit.

This cannot be!, he thought, I did not kill my wife!

With every bit of willpower that he possessed, he tried to put down the dagger. His hands no longer obeyed the commands of his mind, and he could not stop himself. The blade slit her throat, and he was surprised to hear himself laughing as his other self silently wept. The blood on his hands was her blood, and he could never forgive himself for that night. Her lifeless corpse collapsed to the ground, and Erian knelt beside her body as his tears mixed with her warm blood on the fertile soil of her garden...

Erian Melor~I await the eternal slumber.
~Elf Age Calculator
~Measures Converter

Edited by: Erian Melor at: 7/4/05 18:00

[Thaedras]

It had been a long time since Thaedras had been to Nepris. He was in town now, getting repairs in an area that wasn’t very familiar with his ship. A merchant seeking revenge had ambushed his ship. Two ships came out of nowhere and attacked The Maiden as it was in battle with a small caravel. The Maiden barely escaped. Thaedras decided to repair her in Nepris, where he could lie low for a while. This also gave him the chance to have a long delayed visit to his friend Dominic.

After asking around, Thaedras was told to find Dominic at a woman named Rose’s house. Once he arrived, he was given directions to the cottage of an elderly woman named Pellegra, which was where he was coming up to now. He murmured to Lia, who was perched on his shoulder,

It has been a long time since we have seen Dom, hasn’t it, Lia?

The Haloen bird, smarter than one would think, gave a small chirp in response. Lia ruffled her feathers, making her golden-red body shimmer like fire.

Suddenly, the cabin came into view, as well as a few really beat up looking men, all extremely quiet, sitting in front of the cabin. Thaedras strode up to the cabin, but stopped a few yards off. There was a very large cat sitting in the doorway. Through the doorway, Thaedras could see people milling about inside, apparently getting read to eat or some such thing. Thaedras assumed then that the cat was at least docile, and strolled up to the house. He knocked on the open door.

Greetings. I am Thaedras Ju’Rayle, Thaedras pauses to bow to the elderly woman, I am looking for my friend Dominic, is he here?

The wind in my Hair, The spray of the ocean in my face.
I love Life at sea.

- Thaedras

Edited by: Thaedras at: 7/6/05 4:36

[Paladia Entonei]

Pellegra nodded with approval as Herald set to work, and motioned for the others, as they entered, to take a seat. She herded them around the table, leaving a spot for herself at the head, and setting the large platter of spice-cakes in the center. "One each," she said with a stern but sweet, motherly tone, "And maybe one later after we talk."

As the woman was pooring tea, there came a knock at the door and she looked up to see Thaedras standing at the doorway behind Shan with a colorful bird on his shoulder.

"Greetings. I am Thaedras Ju’Rayle. I am looking for my friend Dominic, is he here?"

Pellegra looked him up and down with a scrutinous eye and nodded with understanding. "You sailors, always moving. Always restless. No no, he's not here. But-- In! Come in, young man, or you'll be seeing mermaids in this sun," she said, setting the tea pot down on the hardwood table and scuffling about. She dragged a small upholstered bench from under the stairs and set it on the corner of the table. A tea set appeared in her hands after shuffling around in the cabinet and laid it out for the captain.

"Sit now. I'm Pellegra, though I reckon you already knew that. The boys will introduce themselves I'm sure," the old woman said, wiping her brow with a little embroidered hankercheif from her apron and sitting down.

~~~

The swordsman clenched his teeth angrilly as his blow was deflected and moved to strike her down, just as a great pain errupted in his ribs. He let out a breath and could feel one or two of the bones cracking from the blow. Pausing, he reversed his grip on the scimitar with a flick of the wrist, and drove it on where he expected Terra to be.

[Darien Gulath]

Zerigron:

The poisonous arrow had missed it’s target sparing Paladia’s live. Her quick reflex and glance of Zerigron had caused her to escape death by only a few hebs. Zerigron quickly drew another arrow from his back ready to redeem his mistake however he was shaken with stupidity when he felt the sharp stinging pain in his chest only a moment afterwards. Paladia’s arrow had caught him and his eyes widened. He dropped himself down out of the line of fire but by his own confusion he collapsed against a nearby tree. He slowly ducked down on his heel resting with his shoulder against the tree. He had dropped his arrow and grasped his bleeding wound. He looked with a blurry sight trough the forest trying to spot his opponent. He had never been overpowered by a better archer. He could hit a bird in the eye from over 50 peds distance… How could this have happened?
He managed to pull himself together and knew that he was just immobilized; There could only be one way of winning this one on one war; And that was by fighting back. And since agile dodging was out of the question he had to hit his target fast. He picked his arrow from the floor and spun it on his bow. His hands where shaking from the painful wound but he managed to fired it off quite accurate onto the woman’s possible position. Even tough his vision blurred it was his raw instinct of survival that had taken over. And he drew arrow after arrow firing it onto his enemy’s position,… And with every shot the horrifying pain in his chest returned. It would only be a matter of seconds before he past out, From blood loss or pain. However he knew his fate was sealed once the woman could manage to get a good shot at him.

Six arrows where fired before he stopped to take a breath. He hadn’t the energy to continue the fight. All he could hope for was that one of his arrows had found it’s way towards the target. He collapsed on his back and watched the sky and the leaves of the tree’s. A peaceful sight.

Radirez:

He quickly watched up as the basement door collapsed into hundreds of wood splinters. 2 big guys crashed in and dropped onto the floor. One he recognised but the other not. One enemy and another ally. He lifted up his sword and stood there ready to make his strike. But how could he perform an accurate hit when the 2 men kept on wrestling? Radirez his attention was only focussed on the 2 men that had made their spectacular explosion inside the lower basement.
However the twitchy swordsmen didn’t forget about his previous objective. Even though he was stunned for a moment by the event he almost immediately recovered to spot a figure in the shadows…  He slowly walked over towards Isaraldor, not caring for the events that happened behind him… He lifted his sword from behind his back to perform a bone cutting swing upon the elf’s head. You are dead, Mage! He yelled.
A predictable move with plenty of time to dodge, But a powerful one; However he could somehow smell the fear of the person in front of him and he thought that the elf was very likely frozen from fear for him and his skull cracking blade.
The sword came down with thundering move.

Darién:

Darién slowly padded upstairs and picked the right room. Wild fantasy’s spurred trough his head and he couldn’t wait to grab and dominate the woman. Smash her down upon the bed and….

He softly padded inside not aware of what Illix was doing.

[Illix]

As Darien walked into the room Illix kicked the door shut behind him and smashed the vase into the back of his head. He staggered a bit as the vase shattered over his skull leaving him stunned. Illix grabbed him by the shoulders and turuned him around, kneeing him hard in the groin, twice. Darien, now doubled over in pain and confusion, felt a hard knock on his forehead as Illix raised her knee to hammer it into Dar's head, knocking him to the ground. She then reached down and grabbed the dagger from Darien's belt and pressed it against his neck. "Now, Darien "dear". I want you to tell me what you did with that mage..."

Here I go, playing the Hero again...

[Erián'melór]

Erian was jarred awake by a loud noise in the next room. Every sense was alert as he peered through the darkness, wary of any hidden foes. His shamshirs still rested lightly against the door, so he knew no one had entered since his arrival. The Elf quickly put on his blood splattered violet robe and armed himself with his two swords. He gingerly stepped out into the hallway and proceeded into the next room. The sight that was before his eyes had to be among the strangest scenes of his entire life.

A semi-nude woman stood over a man as he laid flat on his back. Her hand held a dagger that she pressed against his trembling throat.

"Now, Darien "dear". I want you to tell me what you did with that mage..."

Erian stepped into the room with his blades ready, prepared to defend the woman should she need his help. No man should have the right to touch a woman if she did not desire him.

"Lady, you seem to have the matter well in hand. My blades are at your service, should you have need of them."

Erian Melor~The spark of life rests upon the edge of a knife.
~Elf Age Calculator
~Measures Converter

[Darien Gulath]

Stunned by the attack he awakened and he glanced up right into the woman’s eyes. But instead of showing any sign of fear (which he didn’t processed) He smiled and his eyes sparkled. “Had the woman just brought him down?, This was certainly amusing”. But his amusement disappeared when Darién could feel his headache rise up and felt his stomach turning upside down from the kicks received in his groin. Now she was laying there on top of him with a knife to his throat… Was this her idea of foreplay, Darién knew he had made a worthy catch and became only more excited on getting the woman to do what he intended to do in the first place. Only now he might just beat her up a little, Because this woman seemed to prefer violence… Darién started coughing and he tried to suppress it. "Now, Darien "dear". I want you to tell me what you did with that mage..." The woman asked and at the same time threatened Darién…  
The Mage!? He had accidently slipped a few phrases about his prisoner when he was touching the woman’s but on their way towards the inn…
And Darién spoke still coughing; Uuugh… * Cough * You might want to… * Cough * * Cough * … Want to get out of the way… * Cough* Because the inside of my stomach is coming up.
And Darién tried to surpress his vomit from sliding trough his throat all over them both; He wouldn’t want them to get that messy when they where starting their little “fling”. And he gently pushed the woman aside to crawl on his hands and knees to release “it”.
Darién also noticed a thin line of blood dripping on the floor flowing from the back of his head. He had no breath, A headache and a severe pain in the groin. He also noticed another figure standing in the doorway, But he had to concentrate him on other things first before he could get a good visual on the entire situation. He was quite sure that the prostitute wouldn’t have gotten her knife from his throat yet…

[Illix]

Illix was startled when someone burst into the room and for a moment took her attention away from Darien. Luckily darien had to expel some rather nasty bodily fluids or she'd have surely been killed. She looked this newcomer over and upon hearing that his blades were at her service she knew he wasn't in league with this man vomiting on the floor.

She gave this newcomer a friendly glance of appreciation before she kicked Darien in the ribs and pressed his (hers at the moment) dagger against his throat again and once again demanded "what do you know about the mage?"

Here I go, playing the Hero again...

[Darien Gulath]

Darién wasn’t even recovered from the first attack when he received yet another in the ribs. He rolled over and found the sting of his own knife softly pushing his throat.

"what do you know about the mage?"

He needed the woman to back off. He would not be left alone until he gave the information she demanded. And if this woman was just like him;.. Willing to go towards death upon receiving the desired information the best thing he could do was give in right away. She would probably die anyway if she went there to face Areytuk’s minions. He; Himself would stand not one chance against 2 of them( Erian and Illix) when he was pinned down on the floor so he talked;

You mean that weak elf? Bolthor found him and took him back as a prisoner towards the old Woodcutters house… He is probably dead already. Go to the edge of town and forest a few hundred peds from the river;… There you will find what you search.

He spit the sentance's out with few drops of blood. He seemed to have bit himself on the lip when he received the kick in his ribs but even though he already felt himself better then a moment before; No longer carrying the overload of alcahol in his stomach.

However dizziness and a thundering headache made him “black out” a few second later. No longer a threat and a vulnerable target at the moment; Lying next to a puddle of vomit and some blood that was here and there scattered over the ground.

[Illix]

Illix watched the man pass out on the floor and checked to make sure he wasn't playing possum. She then took his sheath from his belt and sheathed her new weapon. She then turned to the newcomer. "So, what's your story? You just like to barge into rooms and offer to help out any old mercenary, or am I special because I'm a woman?"

Here I go, playing the Hero again...

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