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 Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2016 8:46 pm
”Woo!” Ruelash exclaimed, his eyes wide and wild as he dodged Votzhem's attacks and countered with a few slashes of his own. He liked it when other people kept him on his toes – so often, they didn't, and that was just annoying.
Here, he didn't have enough chance to really use his swords as he would have liked. No flurry of blows for him. But this strategy did just fine. He dodged and wove and wore Votzhem down – a death by a thousand cuts, as it were. It had worked for Ruelash a lot.
He'd have to watch out where he dodged, of course – there was a cliff behind him. It wouldn't do to fall off it during a dodge...
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Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2016 8:47 pm
Votzhem kept up the attack.
Yes... Keep up the attack, keep him on his feet, keep him moving. He's sure to misstep... He thought to himself, feeling more vicious by the moment.
He's rubbing off on me! he thought, with a note of disgust. Ferocity was Ruelash's thing, not his. But this was what he was feeling – ferocity, energy, a glee in battle. This was not him! This was This man's terrible influence!
It would be better if he was dead! He thought angrily, barely feeling the pain of Ruelash's sword attacks, Better for me!
Ruelash was leaping for him in midair, and Votzhem saw an opportunity. He took it. He summoned up a wind spell, pulling deep into his mind to find his magic and releasing it as a sudden stiff gust of wind. It caught Ruelash full on, sending him flying... off of the edge of the cliff.
Better for everyone!
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Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2016 8:48 pm
Ruelash was having a lot of fun... and then he was suspended over roiling white nothingness.
”Aaauuugh!”
He flailed, his swords falling from his hands as he reached for the ledge. His hands slipped on the stone, and he flailed again and his hand connected with Votzhem's outstretched hand. He gripped him tight and his shoulder jolted as he fell and... was caught. His hand screamed with pain as his weight came down upon it, but he held on – oh he held on – for dear life.
This was how Veshki had gone – one long fall down into a ravine. Ruelash remembered very well how his face had simply fallen away, how his body had broken against the crags and crystals.
”Gya!” he yelped, as he tried to find proper purchase in Votzhem's grasp and struggled to lift himself to safety.
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Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2016 8:49 pm
Votzhem had caught him purely on instinct, and now he had him. Ruelash dangled above certain doom. He was helpless. At his mercy.
I could let go and it would all be over! he thought, his mind rabid with possibilities. He could let go. Ruelash could die. All would be well.
Except...
Ruelash was blood, family by both blood and by the strange ties of kinship that bound Votzhem to Sezarra and Sauron's brood. He was family, and that meant something even outside of the tribe of Aisha.
Votzhem hesitated. He just needed to let go - He had a choice. He needed to make his choice, right now, or forever hold his piece. He grit his teeth for a moment... and then pulled his cousin up. ”You got it? Come on.” he said, dragging Ruelash back onto solid ground.
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Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2016 8:50 pm
Ruelash felt himself slipping, and he keened in terror. This was what it was like for Veshki, wasn't it, watching the face of salvation slip away? He'd never thought of it like that, and right now he wished he wasn't. ”No! No, damn it!” he snarled, trying to grab the ledge with his other hand, ”N-!”
And then, just like that, he was pulled up. He spilled out onto the ledge, curling up in a shivering ball for a moment as he recovered.
”Thanks.” he managed, a word he was not really used to. But it seemed to apply here.
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Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2016 8:51 pm
”Of course.” said Votzhem, studying him. So. This was his choice, was it? To save a man who had caused so much ill to him and his?
He's family. Family is family. He thought to himself, oddly pleased.
”That was a good spar.” he commented, smiling slightly.
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Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2016 8:52 pm
”Yeah...” Ruelash took a deep breath, ”Yeah.” His heart was pounding. He was scared – so damn scared. Rain began to patter onto the stone and dew his hair, and it brought him back to his senses. He stood up shakily and moved back to the shelter. And then he noticed what he was missing.
”Augh! My blades!” he snarled, ”I dropped 'em!”
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Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2016 8:53 pm
”Sorry about that.” Votzhem said, ducking under the shelter with him. A dark shape materialized from the sudden fog that surrounded them – Seri, bringing them a dead moracker. A suitable meal. ”We'll look for them later... or buy new ones.” He said, relaxing, ”Again, I'm sorry. You can use one of mine, if you wish.”
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Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2016 8:54 pm
Ruelash grunted. His swords were lost forever in that drop. Better them than him, though the loss still hurt. ”I guess.” He said. He supposed he could trade for some nice ones. Or kill for them. Whatever worked.
”Nah. It's fine.” he said, lying down on one of the furs, ”They're your swords.”
He turned away from Votzhem, not realizing that he was turning his back to a man who had just tried to kill him.
And he never would.
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