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Hermit Omega Vice Captain
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 Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 11:17 pm
A Prelude to Tragedy......
Rill followed his father through the trees and snow. The air around them freezing despite the mass of furs he wore. They made their climb up Mount Feirn, a negative feeling clawed his soul. It had been decreed that nobody should go up there. After all the people had come back so ashen faced and scared. Not knowing exactly what happened. Many of the men dug out their rusty unused swords and were going to go up the mountain to investigate. Due to the nature of what they learned from the victims of what happened, it was decided that swords wouldn’t help and that people should stay away from Feirn.
Rill’s dad wouldn’t stand for it. Rill’s sister Arianae was one of the first to go missing. Now that there was a lead, his father refused to back down. He took up an old rapier that was passed down for generations, and gave Rill an axe. Now they climbed. Rill asked his father what it would accomplish, his father just grunted and kept moving.
They came to a clearing and his father held a hand up for Rill to stop moving. There was thing moving ahead. Something in the shadows of the trees. His father drew the thin blade, holding it awkwardly in one hand, not knowing how to properly wield such a weapon. They crept forward, as silent as they could be. Neither of them were very good in the wilderness. His father was a tailor, Rill was his apprentice. Yet it seems they caught the shadowy shape at unawares.
Rill’s father made a sudden dash and there was a yelp of surprise.
“Wait Mister Obretsin! It’s me Hulin!”
Rill’s father stopped with the rapier raised high above his head, looking at the farmer who stood cowering before him. Hulin was shaking with adrenaline and surprise. He wasn’t dressed warm enough for the conditions of the mountain, and was armed with only a small knife. Rill’s father laughed suddenly. A deep rumble. Then lowered the sword.
“What are you doing up here Hulin? The decision was for everyone to stay away.” Asked Rill’s father.
Hulin nodded. “Yes. But curiosity got the better of me. I couldn’t resist investigating for myself. “
Rill’s father nodded grimly. “I am here to find my daughter.”
Hulin glanced around to the trees. “Your not the only one. I have ran into several others tonight. Everyone who has lost family is up here looking around. Then there are people with the same curiosity as myself. We all want to know what happened up here. We all want to happen to our friends family and neighbors.”
“Lets move on then,” Said Rill’s Father.
As they moved onward, more people slowly began to join the group. All making their way to the summit. Cold, equipped with weapons of poor condition, not knowing exactly what they were doing. Rill tried several times to get everyone turned back, but they just ignored him. They reached the summit.
There was a common feeling of reverence. There was no sound. Just snow softly falling to the ground. The group stood in silence. Unsure of how to proceed. There was nothing. Only the snow, and the silence.
Rill’s sighed in relief. There was nothing. No danger, everything was fine.
Until there was a flash. The world seemed to disappear beneath them all. Rill screamed as his body was blown away in fire. A freezing claw gripped his soul. Voices whispered in his ears. He was broken, twisted, bleeding.
Every moment in the universe is not only dying, but being reborn, Thus you are already dead. Your soul is not only immortal. But has a purpose. You Rill, must do what I say. Your body is mine, your soul is immortal. Follow us in this life, be rewarded in the next. Feel my sway, let me fill you with power.
Rill screamed in defiance. Screamed for freedom,
You are defying me? Then you are not worthy.
There was a shriek, and the essence known as Rill was eradicated from existence….
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Posted: Sun May 01, 2011 12:41 pm
She sat in the corner, her back to everyone else. She was curled in on herself, slouching forward with her elbows on her knees and her hands clasped loosely together, her head hanging as if she was again a baby, unable to support the weight of her own head. Her shoulders shook; she was not crying, just trembling uncontrollably. Her chest still felt tight, and her stomach continued to churn. It tumbled so violently that she had to stand up, and rush from the room, knocking over her chair in the process. Some tiny part of her noticed that she passed the second mercenary on her way out. Throwing open the door, she emerged into the fresh air outdoors and fell against the wall, taking deep gulps of fresh air to calm her stomach, which threatened to reject her latest meal as the memory of what had transpired assaulted her again.
It had been just the usual search party. Aliana was tagging along this particular time, assuming it would be mostly the same as all the others. Her elder brother was among those who had gone missing, and while she knew it was unlikely they would find anything, she wasn’t quite ready to give up yet. She liked this particular party, though. It was her first time going out to search with a party led by the mercenaries who had recently wandered into town. They probably were not as interesting as she gave them credit for, but anybody just showing up around here was uncommon, so every stranger was something of an anomaly. Furthermore, she was in the same group as Kristalia, whom she respected and admired. It was bound to be an adventure of some sort—but she far from expected what happened.
They were up on the mountain when it struck. Light, light everywhere, bright light, blinding light, searing her eyes like a hundred suns. Then she fell. The ground disintegrated from beneath her feet, the world around her evaporated like a drop of water on a hot rock in summer. She fell forever, fell for eternity. She could feel the millennia flash by as she fell through the very essence of time, could hear every voice in the world throughout time ringing in her ears, cries of pain, sweet whispers of lovers, lovely choruses of girls singing, the battle cries of millions of warriors. Then it all suddenly stopped, like she had just hit the water. Outside noises disappeared, and the newfound silence clogged her ears.
This new silent world was completely white and contained absolutely nothing—not even air, though Aliana found breathing was unnecessary in this realm. She simply floated in nothingness, and for a moment, it was actually relaxing. Then he appeared: A handsome but slightly aged man, probably in his mid-forties, dressed in beautiful, shining armor. But something was wrong with him, something just not right…he had two enormous wings of the purest, whitest feathers. Aliana just stared in shock, until he drew his sword. She stepped back, her feet now on a solid surface, but at the same time she was still floating. Her completely white surroundings started turning dark as the weapon slid from its sheath, and it was completely black by the time the sword was completely exposed. Then the man with a slightly suspicious look on his face, plunged the sword into his heart, causing his body to explode into a large flurry of white feathers. From each feather sprouted a mysterious white bird with black eyes that cried tears of blood. They all stared at Aliana.
She turned and ran. The birds all shrieked and flew after her. They were faster than she was, and caught up quickly, pecking and clawing at her skin, leaving cuts and gashes that bled profusely as she futilely tried to escape. Soon she became aware of the fact that she was running through an enormous cave, and the exit was in front of her. She launched herself through that exit, which threw her off a cliff into a bottomless pit. Glancing back as she fell, none of the bird emerged from the cave. Then, before she knew it, she was falling backwards through the world of light, back through the time she had fallen through before. Again, the light burned her eyes and ate at her flesh, and again the voices filled her head. She emerged from the sky, falling headfirst toward the spot where she had stood before the world had vanished. She could see the group on the mountain, minus herself. And it seemed there was someone else, she could have sworn there was, but perhaps it was a trick of her eyes. Everything went dark a second later.
Then Aliana hit the ground with a solid thump. Her eyes snapped open and she sat up sharply, inspecting her body for the injuries she had suffered from the birds, but she found nothing. As the others awoke, she said nothing, just following them back down to the village and to the community center. It was odd to walk again after so much falling, and the resulting vertigo was just beginning to subside as the air cooled the sweat that had been building up on her forehead. She sighed as her stomach finally calmed and sweet relief swept over her. It seemed she just needed some fresh air. She made her way back inside, feeling much better, and emerged back into the room just as the mercenary named Darius stated his opinion on what happened. She didn’t particularly care for the idea that her brother was dead, but when Darius said it the way he did, it seemed unlikely anything else had happened. She gave a resigned sigh and went back to the corner, setting her chair upright before moving toward the center of the room to sit in a different chair.
“That certainly isn’t what I want to hear, but perhaps you’re right,” she admitted. Grundus, a blacksmith, asked for something for his hands. He wasn’t that old, but perhaps he was suffering an early development of arthritis. Aliana’s father’s aunt had encountered the problems at about the same age. Aliana pitied Grundus, this could put an end to his career. She thought about going to look for something for him, but she happened to be a little busy accepting the fact that her brother, whom she had so admired, was probably dead.
"Perhaps they experienced the same thing we did and were just afraid to come home? Is it possible they're in another town or even camping in the wilderness, scared to come back?" It was worth a try.
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Posted: Mon May 02, 2011 9:15 pm
Grundus lifted his head and walked over to Aliana "Are you okay?" he asked putting his rough hand on her shoulder in a kind gesture. "They will come home, and if they don't we must pray that they find good lives in the place that they are at." Grundus tried to not be specific when reassuring the young woman, he made sure his words could be taken two ways.
"Blasted, what are we supposed to do, just sit here?" He asked sitting next to the brunette girl.
His eyes sagged now, his face sad and weak. "Eh, Darius, What now? Do we just go home, tell our families that nothing happened and to just go back to sleep? Do we kick up our feet and lean back in our chairs and wait for more development? Eh, or do we go back up there? Find out what the *Bleep* happened up there?" Grundus was tiring him self out.
"In any event that comes I want every horse shoe, blade, scythe, hoes even, I'll fix 'em up and make them nicer, use able. It'll cost you very little." He said to the whole room. He worried for every broken, tired, sleeping body that had gone to the mountain with him.
The image of Grundus' sleeping wife came to his mind, she lay covered by a large fur comforter, a small but visible bump that was her stomach protruded like a wadded up pillow under the brown fur. His hands pained again, as he leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. The hair on the back on his neck stood up like the ears of a loyal dog hearing a strange noise. What now?
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Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 2:08 am
Talia watched as Darius took a good mouthful of the sweet milk, the small smile never leaving her lips as she spoke. "Darius...Hmmm" She said his name as if it were a new thing,one she was trying out for the first time.
"Your name,it has character to it." She was going to continue talking when she noticed Darius went Stiff, and his eyes wide.
She could also see a mixture of emotions cross his face, the most recognizable fear and pain.
She wanted to touch him make sure he was alright, but something took her over.
She was afraid, whatever took over her made her afraid that if she touched him, she would be brought back to that vision. She wasn't sure what made her think this, but she believed it. So instead she watched him waving her hand in front of his face a bit, her eyes full of worry, she whispered his name fear leaving a trace in her voice."Darius..."
She couldn't wait anymore, although it had only been a few moments she shifted and was going to touch his forehead, but felt steps behind her, she turned to watch the other merc approach them and from the corner of her eye saw as Darius regain control over whatever was troubling him. "Ragnvald...right?" She talked a bit shaken,but her smile returned to her lips.
She played with the ends of her unruly hair, Thinking of what to say to Darius, If she should ask him or not about what happened.
But then the man opened his mouth and let out what sounded like the words of an irritated and scared man.
Talia controlled herself as she wanted to yell at him for being insensitive, but instead she kept quiet, She watched as aliana ran to the door to gasp for air. She felt bad for the girl and wished to hug her.
To Talia, Aliana always seemed Frail, but the silver haired woman knew better.
And as for Grundus she closed her eyes, remembering how her father and mother used to make her bring him fish and meals when they were lucky and caught a huge load.
She let these things soak in with their answers to were the people were and she frowned.
"Well...." She shifted uncomfortably and looked into Darius eyes. "I don't wish to believe the people are dead...I would vote for Alianas voice of reason...But that to me seems too illogical for people of this town." She smiled and took the skin sack from Darius hand taking a drink as she walked towards Grundus, giving him the sack.
"Have a drink...it will help ya "
She then turned and walked to a table neer Darius and his companion and sat on it crossing her legs and flipping her hair.
"I have no reasonable explanation...They could very much be dead,alive,hiding,taken hostage...i could go on."
Her smile faltered as she thought these possibilities but she never let it fade. "But until i see their corpses i will just leave them in missing"
She scratched her head and looked around the room to her companions her voice unsure and somewhat afraid. "Now the real question should be..what happened to us..I know...i know that what happened was...Insane, and i also know we are all scared...but i cant just sit here forever thinking if their ever coming back."
She Shifted uncomfortably in the table. Her rip of emotions on her face as she stared at the two mercenary men in from of her.
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Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 11:58 pm
Ragni gave a long sigh and closed his eyes, pushing his chair up on two legs to balance himself. The young swordsman rubbed a slim callused hand over his face.
“I think it was all bad my dear friend. We have a tight bond in my opinion Darius,” Ragnvald stayed balancing the chair as he turned his dark eyes to gaze on Darius, “We have fought back to back and sword to sword Darius... And we both know something as simple as taken or killed is not what happened. I am not sure what I saw. But whatever it was it felt like looking in the mirror and seeing what others see when on the battlefield. Maybe the fresh blood of a new recruit coming upon me who has been trained and bred for the conditions on a battlefield. There is evil and good in what we saw though...”
Slowly he let the chair clack back down on all fours and stood quickly.
Looking back Ragni flashed his all to present boyish grin, “Anyways off of the grim events I am heading to get a drink and maybe to mess with a few serving wenches before the night grows to dark. Meet me there later Darius.”
Ragni walked down the short hall and grabbed his raggedy cloak and traveling pack. Laying a callused scarred hand on the door to give it a push and stepping out into the dimming evening. After a minute of standing outside the door Ragnvald took a deep breath and started off toward the inn, eyes still distant as the wolf with the bloody maul kept flashing in his mind.
Is that what all those young boys see before my sword flashes before their eyes or when my daggers peels their throats apart to make a gateway open for their life blood...
Ragnvald made his way through the darkening streets, but it seemed odd not having to look over his shoulder continuously; or taking obscured paths to loose a tail. Orsin Vear seemed like a perfect place to grow old and raise a family. Ragnvald could only laugh at the notion as he pictured a hoe in his hand over a sword.
Finally the mercenary made it to the inn and passed the fogged window that was turning a grayish black in the upper corners from smoke.
Pushing the door open the Ragnvald moved to the bar, setting his pack and cloak in front of his barstool and then placing a foot on either side of the chair in the rungs. After a moment Ragni took the inn back in to his mind, slowly looking around to the sagging ceiling above the rafters where the smoke seemed to dance around large carved wood and moisture seemed to become trapped. After a moment he spun around on his stool to look out at the common room of the inn. It seemed to be a slower night than usual. No entertainment on the raised dais near the hearth where the fire was nearly just glowing embers. Ragnvald knew the missing people was a large hit on most of the villagers, but he never thought the innkeep would let his inn come to this. After further inspection he saw the only patrons were a handful of tired farmers barely able to sit up straight at their table, either from the drink or from exhaustion.
The mercenary turned back to the bar and waved at his usual girl who only gave a brief nervous smile.
Ragni paused at the look and sighed. It seemed like flirting was not on the things to do anymore. Now that he had seen her he noticed that the farmers were not tired but talking privately and looking his way.
Maybe they think it was all Darius and my fault for the peoples disappearances. This is a small town and visitors welcomes run out quickly, and some times with a rope and tree.
The young girl made it his way. She was not beautiful but she had that ruggedness that pretty whores lack, something like her body saying she knows what you want and more.
Ragnvald could only smile as he watched her gracefully walk over with tray in hand with a tumbler of whiskey and a mug of hard apple cider that was hopefully freshly made today.
“How are you this evening Ragni? Head feeling better after this morning's round?”
Ragni let out a heartfelt laugh, feeling his eyes crinkle at the corners as the true blue laugh came. “Oh yes, not as bad. Not to say it couldn't get better though, how about you Jesi?”
The young dark haired girl gave a shy giggle which made the swordsman melt in his boots. “Well Master Ragni all is well, just a darker mood than usual with the... Well you know why. Any luck this evening? You all are back sooner than usual.”
“Eh,” Ragni gave a half hearted shrug, “the weather was taking a turn for the worse. Darius decided it was a good idea to turn back, and I just thought he was right. No point in losing more people than we already have. Think about all the ones who vanish after going up there on their own...”
Ragni took the tumbler of whiskey. from the tray and took it quick and with a smack of his lips. Slamming the tumbler upside down on the tray, making Jesi's almost drop the tray. After a minute of letting the bitter whiskey settle in his mouth did he take a swig from the cold mug of hard cider which was partially spilled on the tray from the whiskey tumbler being slammed down.
“But in the end it is of little matter to me. I thank you folks for being so kind and helping Darius and myself out. I just don't give a damn. I am just as scared as anyone. Because whatever is taking these people is no thing. Or at least nothing I can slay with fist, fire, or steel. And as it goes my father has always told me, 'Boy, believe none of what ya hear and only half of what you see...'”
Ragnvald took another sip of his drink before setting it on the bar in front of him.
“I am sorry...” Ragnvald slumped down on the stool with a crumbling resolve, dark eyes going distant as the dark wolf returned over and over with bloody maul and lips curving into something similar to a smile.
Jesi sighed and rubbed the young swordsman back motherly. “It isn't your fault Ragni, nor is it Darius'. We chose to help you and well,” Jesi gave a light laugh, “Darius quipped to help us and you grudgingly agreed after a tumble in the glasses and sheets with me. All the villagers understand. We are all scared and Darius and you seem to be are last resort for a fighting cha-”
“Enough of this girl, shut your mouth! You are nothing but a whore!” The table the farmers sat at erupted upward. Every man taking a stand with knives or old rusty swords in hand.
It seemed everyone had a sword now since the disappearances.
“We are tired of sitting here listening to you every night suck this whore soldier's c**k. All of us here at Orsin Vear are men ten times over to him...” The man seemed to turn read with anger.
He was not a old man, maybe in his late thirties with light brown hair and a red beard. He was one of the more aggressive people in Orsin Vear, Ragni knew that already from watching the man attack anyone who thought or acted different.
“Sit down you dirty pig ********, no need to get all riled up. I will leave you all to your deaths if that is what you wan-”
Ragnvald was cut off.
“Screw you boy lover, all of us have wives and families unlike you and your vagrant friend who kill people for a living. We are glad you have no feelings for the likes of us pig ********, but I for one am tired of you taking advantage of the other town folk.”
Jesi scowled and tossed the empty tumbler at the angry farmer and his friends, but missed all of them to only have the tumbler smack the floor and shatter.
“Shut up Wendel, you know nothing about these men!” Jesi moved up to get in the man's face, both their faces matching the shade of a ripe strawberry.
Wendel's face went dark and in a instant his hand was raised and poised to strike Jesi in the face, but he was to slow this time.
Ragnvald Jeste Daussier was no foreigner to a bar brawl and he was always the first to jump in. If you weren't at a bar or tavern to ********, fight, gamble, or talk about war stories then you were in one for the wrong reason.
His hand darted forth like a striking wolf and caught the farmer's wrist in a death hold. He could only grin as he saw Wendel's face losing all its bluster and fear took over as Ragni spun on his left foot to sweep out with his right and take Wendel down.
As they landed Ragni found his way on top with his right knee in the small of the other man's back with his right hand pinned in a awkward position behind his back.
Taking a quick look about Ragni assessed that the other farmers all moved back to the wall, not sure what to do just yet. Armed they were and mean for sure they were still not used to seeing someone fight who was trained to go for the kill.
“Apologize to Jesi now Wendel and then I will release you.”
The farmer scowled and gave out half gasped howls and yells. Eyes darting back and forth like a animal about to be killed by a back of wolves.
“Say it!” Ragni pressed his arm higher up until it seemed to give a low straining sound, at this the man went perfectly still, not sure what to do.
Wendel glanced up to Jesi, “I am sorry Jesi, you were right and I had no place to speak...”
Ragnvald chuckled and let the man go, slowly standing and stepping back to stand a little in front of Jesi.
“Now get gone Wendel and don't come back for a few days or I will hurt you in a way where it will not heal and you will find yourself in a hole out in the woods.”
Ragnvald watched the man scamper and scrabble to his feet and out the door. Then glanced over at the other men, only four others who had replaced their weapons to sheath or belt. “You want something? Or are you going to go back to drinking?”
At that he tossed a few bronze coins to their table so they could have a few drinks on himself.
“Are you alright Jesi?” Ragni walked back to his seat and mug of warming cider.
The young woman seemed to be in stunned silence as she stayed standing where Wendel had almost struck her. “Ragnvald, you didn't have to go so far, he was just drunk?!” At that the young woman took off to the back.
“Alright you are welcome... but now I have no one to get me more whiskey...” At that the young soldier for hire laid his head on the bar and closed his eyes, not sure what else he could do. Then the dark dire wolf showed itself again in all its terror and glory, sitting and waiting for him to make a move. The beast's bloody maul seeming to grin all the more.
Maybe it is me, am I just an animal. How much worse can this get...
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Posted: Wed May 04, 2011 1:10 am
Darius nodded to Ragni and watched him leave, then frowned. It seemed that since he was the outsider these people were latching onto him for answers. He didn't think that it was a bad thing, he could understand the logic behind it. Yet at the same time he was feeling pressure pushing in all around him. He closed his eyes for a second, and took a deep breath. Visions were not something that he was familiar with, but dealing with high pressure situations were. When standing on the battlefield, one did not have the time to ask people to wait for you to catch your breath, or gather your thoughts. Good decisions had to be made at a moments notice, or the lives of countless of your own people could be lost. Pressure was nothing. He didn't need time to get his head on straight he realized. He would just put on the mask he wore. The leader. The symbol of strength.
He looked around the room with clear eyes. The splitting pain in his head subsiding into memory. The blacksmith wanted to know what they were all supposed to do now. The pretty younger women had argued for a more positive spectrum, but it seemed unlikely in Darius's opinion. Kristalia wanted an explanation for what happened to all of them.
"What happened to us, is not something that I think any of us will be able to explain tonight. We will have to go elsewhere in order to seek information On it. I will not go back onto that mountain. I will go and search the cities for tomes of knowledge on anything that might explain it. If I do find any leads, I will return. It could simply be some form of mass delusion. I have seen it used in more controlled situations, in the darkness of Burkescht, headhunters use controlled substances on their enemies to make them loose their minds and hallucinate. I have not actually fallen under their spell, so I don't know if they are related. But it might be a lead.
Anyways, it does not matter. Nothing will be solved with the knowledge we currently have. There is nothing we can do tonight. Go home, sleep. Until the necessary information is found, there is nothing we can do about it. Go home to your loved ones. Band together, as we all have the visions in common, it connects us all. If any of you have any issues, do not keep it to yourself. We all need to help each-other. This just feels like a mistake of higher powers. We saw things I am not sure we were supposed to.
Go home. I am going to go get myself drunk and pass out. Anyone who wants to join, I wouldn't turn you down."
He rose, strapping his two-hander and shield to his back, and his one-hander to his hip. He extended his arms back, stretching his upper back until his spine cracked, then rolled his head slowly around, popping his neck bones. He ran his fingers through his thick brown hair. Whores-tits I am out of the loop, that wasn't motivational. To many years in service, not enough in living for myself. To hell with it. They can do whatever they want. He thought, a smile rising on his face. Remembering the cold grip of a man who he had just run through with his blade. The man was in pain, but he still had the determination to pass on wisdom before he died. The man knew that all these wars were pointless. There were no worthy sides. He coughed blood onto Darius's hands, and garggled through what was filling his organs. " Live boy, don't be a vacant face on in a nameless war, staring into the fields of death. Get out of here. Live for you." Darius was young when he heard it, yet the message struck something deep within him. Resonating through his body. He realized that he was more than just another faceless soldier. He realized the barbarism behind the idea of the faceless soldier. It was a hard life, killing to live, and regretting the loss of every form that fell to a swing of his blade. He wouldn't not let himself die though, and knew that life was not as simple as simply saying you don't want to fight anymore, because somebody would always try and start something.
His boots clumped on the wood as he made his exit from the room. He raised a hand, putting up a finger in the symbol of luck and goodness. Then made his way out into the snow. The night was darkening, the air was crisp and biting. It felt good on his tanned flesh. The cold awakening his senses. It was a silent night. A blessing, as anyone paying attention can hear people coming. He liked silent nights. They were advantageous to defensive positions.
Darius was making his way towards the bar. I hope they don't think that I am abandoning them by leaving them to their own devices. It doesn't matter I suppose. I will do what I will, they can do what they will. Everyone leaves just fine.
"That b*****d friend of your's has a big mouth Mercenary." a slurred voice croaked out from before him.
"Do not talk about him like that," replied Darius.
He recognized the scarlet cheeks of the brown haired, red bearded man. He didn't care enough to learn his name, but knew he was a troublemaker.
"I can say whatever I want outsider. That cocksucker is digging both of you into more trouble than you can handle."
"You are drunk farmer, go home." Said Darius, the smile wiping off his face. <******** you," He cried, " Your friend caught me at a bad time, but I won't take s**t from you. I don't care how big you are, I'll knock you out!"
There was a wave of energy that suddenly shone from the man. Black flame burst forth from his mouth. A hole opened on his forehead, feces spilling out of it, covering his face. The shriek of dying animals filled Darius's head.
"What the hell are you looking at you b*****d?!" Screamed the drunk, taking a bold step forward.
A wave of negative emotion washed over Darius. He was suddenly more furious as he had ever been. He was presented with a form of pure undefined negativity, not evil, but trouble nevertheless. He gritted his teeth and curled his massive hand into a fist. The man suddenly stepped back when he saw the fury building up in the Mercenaries face.
"Hey man, I'm sorry, I'm drunk," sputtered the red-bearded man.
A growl rose from Darius and his fist connected with the man's face. There was a crack as the man's nose shattered, blood spurting in a rush from his nostrils. He cried out as Darius's other fist came around and connected hard with his temple. The man's hands shot up to try and defend him, but the blow knocked him off his feet, he slipped on the snow and his face collided with the white, freezing cushion. Darius lifted the man's head by his hair and hissed through his teeth.
"You shut your mouth you inbred sack of s**t. Choose your battles wisely, you will live longer. Don't ******** with a man who kills for a living. You will not win. Go crawl into your wife's rancid womb and weep."
He let the man go, who scrambled to his feet and shuffled off into the darkness. Darius scratched his head, not knowing exactly what came over him. He felt the man should have learned his lesson, a voice inside him saying if he didn't then Darius would cut out his liver. He laughed. He didn't have time to waste with people who lived to make life harder. Life was hard enough. Especially with these hallucinations. This madness.
He walked to the bar and opened the door. There was a split second of semi-quiet as people looked his way, they were quick to return to conversation when they saw the man's noseblood coagulated on his fist. He looked at the cute barmaid that he knew his friend had had relations with. She was a cute girl, most assuredly knowledgeable in the arts of sending one to the "higher plain."
He walked over to Ragni and sat down.
"Give me plain grain alcohol, strong and nasty. In a big glass please Jesi." He plopped down a handful of Gold, "And get my friend here another of whatever he is drinking.
He waited for her to return and took a big mouthful from the tankard filled with clear liquid. Flame burned all throughout his body as the near pure ethanol flowed down into his stomach. A warm embrace promising momentary solace and a shitty wakeup. He didn't care, he expected to get drunk again in the morning, stay ahead of the hangover.
He didn't look over to his friend. Just spoke
"I ran into your buddy outside Ragni. Goofy man picking fights with the wrong people. I'm astounded by the simple-mindedness you can find in the world. I decided to cut the little meeting at the community building short. Leaving those people to their own devices for now."
He took another big drink. A bubble rose in his chest, but he forced it back down, worried that he would burp flame with how harsh the alcohol is.
"I need to get laid...." he muttered, not really to Ragnvald, but loud enough to be heard by the people around him. He hadn't slept with any of them. In fact it had been months since he had last lain with a women. Waking up feeling soft flesh. He didn't want a whore. What was a man to do?
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Hermit Omega Vice Captain
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Posted: Thu May 05, 2011 1:19 am
Kristalia watched as Ragnvald said goodbye to Darius and went off to the inn. She noted he had a very charming smile.
As soon as the Merck left,she turned and payed attention to Darius, nodding to his words, She voiced hers softly.
"You are right i guess..." She watched as the Merck got up and strapped his weapons to his back and hip,this reminded Talia of the killer he was.And instead of making her uncomfortable or disgusted, it had a different effect on her. She could feel the emotion envy rise up in her. Oh how she envied him, how she wished to have his smarts, how she wanted to know how to fight. Maybe then she could actually do something for the villagers lost. Her heart tightened as she thought of her father who had gone on the first expedition, She quickly shook her head ignoring the urge to cry and watched as Darius left.
She had barely registered that he was heading to the inn."hm-mm...." She looked around and thought aimlessly about heading to her house, but she couldn't. She would not let her emotions get the best of her,so instead she turned to Grundus touching the mans cheek and shoulder."Ol'man...Go home..your wife will need you and you her, i am heading out as well" She then turned to the girl, "Aliana...I am leaving,going towards the inn...You can follow if you wish." She turned to Grundus and back to her,a grin on her face. "If your not tagging along,you could help Grundus..." She touched the girls cheek,her grin turning into a smile. "If anything happens...please tell me...THAT GOES FOR YOU TOO OL'MAN" She giggled and ran outside, making her way through town, towards the inn.
"I wonder if their really in there..." For a moment the thought of them leaving left her scared. "They wouldn't do that...would they?" She shrugged not knowing the answer to her question and opened the door letting a small bell clink as it opened and closed.
She took in the room and the people, She saw the elder men drinking and watching intently with fear the two men at the bar, She then turned to study their backs,and she shook her head.
"They look like ruffians..." She giggled softly knowing she was judging,something she never did with such liberty.
After a few seconds she walked towards the bar,sitting on a stool next to Darius,
"Hey...guess i decided to join you" She saw the drinks on the men's hands and she wrinkled her nose. "That smells really strong..." She shifted uncomfortably for a bit and looked at Jess behind the bar. "Hey Jess!...Haven't seen you in a while,My fishies have missed you ya know!" A grin spread on her face and Talia ordered some juice with a mix of fruits and no alcohol.
She smiled as Jess brought it too her and she turned to Ragni and Darius,a smile on her face yet no words came out of her for a bit.She had followed them but never thought of what to talk about, "So...How did you two meet?" for the sake of conversation she spoke the first question to pop in her head.
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Posted: Thu May 05, 2011 9:27 pm
Grundus grunted in agreement to Kristalia's comment. "I will go home." he stood up and cleared his throat, "I'm going home now, and if you have any weapons that need fix'n I'll be glad to take them now!" he exclaimed, a few men handed him swords and a sickle.
"I bid you good-night." he said walking out into the cold air. His whiskers ruffled in the slight breeze. The walk to his home was short, he lived in the middle of the town because how else would a blacksmith work? He needs customers doesn't he?
He quietly opened the door to his home, hoping not to wake his wife. but there she was waiting for him in a rocking chair in on the north wall of the home, it was angled so that she could read a book or knit while she was watching the door.
"Grundus, my Darling!" She let her knitting drop to the floor as she stood and grabbed her husband's waist. her hands could not touch around his shoulders, and her head came to Grundus' collar bone. "I was Worried that you would be dead, like the others."
Grundus put his hand on her bulging stomach and kissed her head. "Even if I did die, I would ask our god to give me back to you, for this one." he referred to the unborn child.
"Grundus, what happened?" Jornida asked listening to her husband's heartbeat.
"I-I...I'm sorry... But I'm not sure..."
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Posted: Thu May 05, 2011 10:22 pm
The swordsman kept his head down and turned away from Darius. Not sure what exactly to say to the man and feeling to down after everything had happened; lost on a mountain in a blizzard, found by townsfolk, and on top of everything there were the visions everyone was having.
Damn wolf seems to never be far, Ragnvald's mood only seemed to darken.
After a moment of silent pouting the young man sat up straight and looked over to Darius, seeing drops of blood pattered across his face and knuckles, a dark smile fell across the swordsman face.
“Seems you did meet dear Wendel... Just don't let Jesi know. He made a little fuss in here and I took him down after he tried to hit her. She hasn't given me a smile since. Not that it has been a long period of time, by i like to be a little melodramatic at times.” Ragnvald could only look down ashamed at his hands as he retold the tale.
If it was one thing the man abhorred to it was apologizing or admitting that he was wrong.
He stretched back, popping his back and neck slowly, trying not to strain to much. Looking back to Darius. They were not the closest friends but Ragni could not help but feel a bond with the other mercenary. Not many people lived long in their trade and it was nice to meet someone around his own age who had been sucked into the tidal wave of a war.
His mouth cracked into a large smile as he heard the clink and clatter of coins on the sticky bar and heard Darius order drinks. Ragni kept his eyes down and away, not wanting to meet Jesi, even if she was ignoring him.
“Thanks for the drink.” Ragni caught the tumbler of whiskey and the new glass of strong cider. Eyes searching the tumbler filled with a light golden elixir, but there were no answers within the drink made for a devil. But damn if it didn't burn just right and make a man think about what was wrong with himself... Ragni for one enjoyed the taste until about the third tumbler.
Ragnvald Daussier poured the liquid into his mouth and gulped it down in another single swallow, adding the empty tumbler on top of his already flipped one. Giving a slight jitter to his body as the aftertaste filled his mouth.
“Darius how the hell do you drink that? I find it appalling that you would let that slip past your gullet and into your belly and out your little shrimp d**k... I see why no women will lay with you without the proper persuasion...” Ragni gave a friendly chuckle and slid a golden coin into his hand and flipped it to land in front of Darius on the bar. At that he patted his friend on the back.
Ragni went back to listlessly thinking about everything but nothing, it seemed like it was all a horrible dream that was just not going away. “I am glad to have you here with me Darius and for being kind enough to help these folk... I wouldn't have done it I don't think.”
He swirled his cider around in his mug and gave a empathetic look. Ever since childhood Ragni had despised people who were allowed to be raised by fit people who gave half a s**t about their kids. If his parents and older brother weren't out in some dive or getting high in some new camp they were usually scheming. It seemed he was always alone, left to his own accord to roam about and fend for himself. In a world filled with drugs there was never food around to be had. Even if there had been Ragnvald would have rather starved then take food from others or help from his sad excuse for a father and mother.
He snapped out of his thoughts as he heard Kristalia coming to join them.
“Well good of you to join us... Umm, what was your name again darling?” Ragnvald smiled and glanced over to her, but as soon as he did so he saw Jesi and went right back to staring at the bar and his cider.
After she came again and left he looked back up again to the young woman. “So you don't want some whiskey... mead or other? Just juice?”
For some reason Ragni could not help but laugh. “Oh Sarah you are an interesting girly. Most young girls would be getting drunk and lifting skirts before the twelfth bell. But you... just juice and maybe some milk.”
“I guess there is no laying with anyone until the cities Darius.” Ragni glanced back at the large man.
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Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 2:41 am
There seemed to be a dull buzzing in Lucrezia's head as she sat at a table, far away from the others. She rubbed her temples with her fingers and closed her eyes. This all seemed like it was just a terrible dream, or a mean--spirited joke.
Lucrezia had joined the search party, not that she felt she'd be particularly helpful, but she had been lonely. Her husband had died not so long ago, and the house had been tensely quiet; if Lucrezia had to spend another moment in the place, she would have gone mad.
Her husband, Elgar, had not died heroically, nor had he died tragically; he died drunk. He took a fall down the stairs after another late night of carousing and she found him the next morning, lying in his own blood. Lucrezia was sad enough, it's always sad when someone dies, but she had not married for love, she married a man her father owed money to. Elgar had been known to lend money to those who couldn't possibly pay it back as quickly as he would like, and he had noticed Lucrezia had become a lovely woman, with her glossy black hair, blue eyes, and voluptuous figure. Lucrezia had noticed this too, and had hoped to marry the neighbor's son, but her father gave her to Elgar instead.
This bitter memories only made her headache worse, but they kept coming unbidden. She had joined the search party to break the loneliness and instead found more trouble than it was worth. She had kept to herself during the search, she didn't trust people enough to speak with them, but their presence was comforting nonetheless. She was just beginning to feel good when it happened. A flash of light, and then a deep sorrow seemed to engulf her. She suddenly felt her surrounded by shadows,they were faint and brilliant all at the same time and she could have fallen in love with all of them. All this time, she had felt herself rising through the air and then it stopped.
A lovely man, with stern eyes and a mouth so erotic Lucrezia thought her heart would break at the sight of them walked towards her. He pulled out a sword and laid it at her feet; Lucrezia wanted to touch him but he faded away and her throat constricted at the loss of him. A black dove flew down and landed on the sword, looking at her with more intelligence than it should have. Before Lucrezia could fully comprehend all of this, the bird and the sword merged together and a beautiful woman grew from it. The woman looked like her, but she was great and terrible and Lucrezia fell to her knees at the sight of her. The woman lifted Lucrezia's head and stared deep into her eyes, so far that Lucrezia thought she had fallen into the depths of the woman's eyes. Suddenly, the woman yanked her back and opened her mouth so wide, her jaw seemed to unhinge; the black dove flew out with sword, knocking Lucrezia over with it's great, beating wings.
As Lucrezia fell, the shadows returned and fell over her; and suddenly she awoke on the ground. Lucrezia sat up, feeling more alert than she ever had but her head suddenly began to throb and she crumpled a little. When the others had come to, she followed them, feeling more withdrawn than ever.
Now Lucrezia sat apart, and the desire for a drink was strong; despite the fact that drunkeness had caused her great pain in the past.
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Hermit Omega Vice Captain
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Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 9:01 pm
Darius snorted as he took another swig of the burning alcohol.
“Sometimes my little shrimp d**k needs to piss fire, makes it feel like a man. Your in no room to talk, cider, you b***h.”
He glanced around the room, his movement feeling fluid and relaxed. The drink was strong, despite his size it was already going to his head. The headache that had been splitting his skull was now just a dull phantom of pain. He noticed the women in the room, and could help but remark.
“Have you noticed how many attractive women are in this small town? A breeding ground for sex appeal. If only they weren’t protected by ignorant inbreds…”
His glance fell to the dried blood on his hand, he didn’t know exactly what had come over him. Such fury, it overcame him fast. Sure, idiocy usually bugged him, but he never let it spur him into action. He did think that the man needed to be taught a lesson, openly attempting to start a fight. He didn’t think that it was right to break his nose and taunt him after it. That lowered Darius to the man’s level. He didn’t want to be on the level of a drunk conceited farmer. He sighed.
“I’m proud to have your blade at my side as well Ragni. I am too kind sometimes, your honesty can get me out of trouble. No more if this heartfelt crap. I’m here to get drunk. I’m leaving this place tomorrow. I need to get some answers, or find something to take my mind off what happened. Simple as that.”
He saw Kristalia enter and come over to them. He decided to look away. His mind was still stuck on women. He normally wasn’t too concerned with such things, only with the shock of the visions, and the near death in the snow. The warm soft touch of a women was good for soothing the spirits, to say the least. Drinking, whoring, if he could get both those down, all he would need is the adrenaline and bloodlust of the slaughter, the high that could only come from the chance of death, and the taking of life. He was even toying with the idea of going into the jungle, and hanging out with the headhunters, taking their shaman powders. Quiet speculation, not really sure that he wanted to go through the trouble of dealing with the savages, with their filed teeth and their crazy blood-sports.
He saw that there was another girl who was in the search party at the Inn. She was beautiful, her body full and womanly, her pale face glowed softly. He saw soft blue waves emanating from her. His heart started racing, this was another vision. Another. They have been being triggered only with people who were on the mountain with him. The drunkenness seemed to dampen it a little bit. The waves reached him, he felt a sudden sadness. Despair, not just a momentary sadness, but a dark beast within her, something that she bears, a beast of burden wearing the mantle of pain. Her face burned into his mind. He tried to look away, but couldn’t. He didn’t want her to see him staring at her. There was a sound, singing, a high chorus of voices, the waves of light started radiating faster, He bit his lip and tore his gaze away, the emotions drained out of him almost instantaneously, and the drunkenness washed over him almost double strength.
“b***h,” he muttered involuntarily.
Then it struck him that the girl might think that that was directed at her and shook his head. He didn’t know what to say and decided to just ignore it. He was intoxicated, hallucinating, and itching for sin. He spun back towards Ragni and Kristalia. Pointed a finger at Kristalia after taking a big swig of the grain alcohol, emptying the glass.
“Drink girl, life is short. Me and Ragni met in battle. We have not always fought on the same side. The first time I encountered the whoreson me and some gentlemen were charged with the slaughter of men who were behind on their security payment, had to burn down a brothel. We succeeded, most of us didn’t live though, men were getting ready to burn everything down, when a half clad demon of a man leapt out and with speed and grace dispatched of several of us, to the cheers of a sweaty whore. Then one of the honorless bastards I was with threw down a torch and set the place ablaze. Most people got out in time, except the people still in the act. My friend here has a certain sympathy for women, especially the ones who put out. There were other times when we fought together, and against each other. Battles that didn’t have to be fought to the last man. The strength of being a merc is we are not bound by honor to die for a cause we don’t believe in. Sure, we try hard, but we aren’t stupid.”
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Posted: Sat May 07, 2011 12:22 pm
Aliana watched the mercenaries leave, saying nothing. The others began to file out one by one. When Kristalia approached her, then touched her cheek, she smiled just slightly, feeling flattered. She didn't want to read too much into it, but perhaps this was the opportunity to get a little closer and possibly even become friends with the young woman she admired. She nodded silently at Kristalia's request and watched her go. Soon after Grundus left.
"Well..." she muttered to herself. "I suppose I should go as well..." She took her time walking out of the building, and when she stepped outside into the cold air, she shivered. She hated the cold, had always had a low tolerance for it. But the fresh air was welcome, and as it rushed into her lungs, her body felt cleansed.
As she began to walk slowly in the direction of her home (it was more like sauntering really), she looked up at the sky. The stars hadn't all yet appeared, but they still filled the sky. Sometimes she wished nothing more than to be able to float up into the night sky and perch on the moon and sleep among the lovely stars. It was a daydream she'd been having as long as she could remember. Since she was young, she would take walks at night and just stare up at the sky, wishing and hoping for something...well, something magical to happen. Something like angels whisking her away to live in the beautiful sky, or a runaway prince to ride into Orsin Vear and protect the village from a ferocious dragon...you know, fairy tale stuff. She knew it was unreasonable and would never happen, but it never hurt anyone to dream a little. She could even somewhat appreciate the near-traumatizing hallucinations on the mountain for what they were; that is, something a little more interesting than monotonous (granted peaceful) life in a small town. The fact that she could think about the occurrence from earlier without being too horribly unsettled put her in a better mood, and she continued at her slow pace down the road, taking her time, content and dreamy.
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Posted: Sat May 07, 2011 1:40 pm
Lucrezia leaned back in her seat and sighed "I guess it can't hurt," she muttered. She stood and made her way over to the bar "Give me something strong," she said in a low voice to the bartender, she didn't have much experience with alcohol personally but tonight seemed like a good night to get some. Lucrezia was given a large mug of ale and she took a large gulp, she managed to stifle a cough as it burned her throat and drank some more, soon the glass was drained and she felt a pleasant warmth course through her body.
Lucrezia didn't need to worry about gossip, or disapproval. She was a widow, she was supposed to be miserable, and she was no longer a maiden waiting for marriage so she had a certain freedom; it was the one good thing that came out of her marriage to Elgar.
As she looked around the room, Lucrezia spotted a group in the corner. They had been part of the search party, she had noticed the man looking at her earlier but hadn't openly acknowledged it, sometimes she was too lost in her own thoughts. She felt a pull towards them, it was something Lucrezia hadn't felt before, a desire to be near people; but she did now, as though she was supposed to stay close to people that she had no reasonable connection too. Lucrezia wondered if they had experienced what she did, and what did it all mean?
Lucrezia jerked her head a little, as if to shake off those thoughts. Yet they persisted, and she gave in. She pulled herself away from the bar, and smoothed her blue wool gown. She walked towards them slowly, as though she could run away at any second "May I join you?" she asked, not sure of how they would react; she didn't have much experience socially.
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Posted: Sun May 08, 2011 2:30 am
Nox sat in a dark corner of the inn not wanting to go home just to watch his sister die a little more each day it killed him inside also like slowly driving a blade into his chest. The boy, no older than fifteen, had been at the inn since the party had returned from the mountain he'll never forget what transpired at the summit.
It had begun like any other search party he would imagine people with weapons and such looking around a snowy mountain for the missing people, his mother and father both being among those who had dissapeared. Yet when the group reached the summit he saw a bright flash of light then it all went black.
He was falling headfirst for what seemed like an eternity then he hit a pool of completely black liquid and sank to the bottom. Nox looked around wondering why he could still breath and began walking; then suddenly a woman in a black veil and an onxy dress seemingly made from shadows appeared before the boy and reached her arms elbo deep into his chest. Nox could do nothing about it so he let her continue. The woman pulled out a large blue and black scythe and slashed Nox diagnally across his torso and black blood spilt from the wound. It poured out like shadows then the woman said "Stand boy and accept my gift the gift of the dark mistress."
Nox did all he could to stand, but the pain was too immense and the blood poured over him in a never ending riptide of black life slipping away with each drop leaving his body. "Very well then boy." said the woman in black as she picked him up with the unsharpened part of the scythe and pressed her hand into the cut along his torso and dissipated into dust that poured into Nox. Just after this Nox felt himself shrivel then explode into shadows, and finally wake up near the others.
He returned to town with them, but went to the inn to avoid convorsation and sat at a table looking at his favorite pair of gauntlets sitting on the table in front of him the polished steel gently gleaming in the low light and the leather fingerless gloves that was a part of them. He ran a finger along the thick knuckle, the strike point he used most, and it's slightly worn smothed metal.
Nox wondered what he was thinking joining the expidition. How could a fifteen-year-old kid who just became a black belt in muay thai have helped two powerful mercs like those that led the group. Nox was a fighter, but not yet a warrior he still knew nothing of life-or-death battles.
Now the boy just sat at the table; his emrald green eyes peering through his thick black hair at the people from the expidition sitting at the bar, drinking what he assumed, was their own twisted visions away. He saw the man, Rangvald was his name, get into a fight with Wendel earlier, but wasn't concerned enough or supid enough to intervene with a trained soldier fight; besides Wendel was an a** that needed a beating every once in a while to set him straight. Now he simply looke upon the four of them; wonder what they felt and then he noticed it a faint aura about each of them Rangvald's was crimson red, the color of blood, Darius's a burning fire red of anger, Lucrezia's a black sorrow, and Talia's a soft yellow wonderment. What was this? Why can he see this? Nox pulled up his black tattered hood to escape the chill he had received from seeing the auras and just sat there watching, waiting, and wondering what to do next.
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