|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Elnara Aldrich Vice Captain
|
 Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 11:37 pm
In the Seconds World, if one did not have much to do, there was always the choice of an outing. Besides, when the weather was good most of time it was always perfect for an outing. So it was no surprise that some of them decided to take one ... at the base of a mountain.
Actually the base of the mountain was Lin's idea, since she wanted to see if there was a good path up so she could try climbing up on a later date. It looked high enough to be a good training ground, something she was asking Toshiro about as she and Miyu were setting the blanket for their meal.
Am I the only person who's somewhat worried that there might be things living up there?" Toshiro inquired in his usual cynical self.
Lin blinked like she didn't understand that, of course there were creatures but none of them deemed dangerous, "Toshiro, if the Goddesses can create a world without major bad weather, they can create a world with creatures that aren't out to kill us."
She stretched a bit as she let Miyu prepare everything for their day out. Besides she wanted to explore a bit and was eager to do so.
"This isn't Arda," Lin murmured, "There are no moor cats, no wolves ... as far as I know... no slavers and so far no bad Seconds. Some very egoistic and stupid Seconds," she added the last bit in an annoyed mutter, "But no bad ones."
Not far away, bow in hand, a black figure was moving forward swiftly, silently, moving close to the ground, his shape hidden and distorted by the long black robes that he was wearing. He was entirely shrouded in black, including the hood that covered his head and came down almost over his glowing, ice blue eyes.
There was an arrow in his bow, nocked and ready to shoot at an instant's notice. He was hunting a deer he had seen only a moment previous, following it down the mountain; but suddenly he stopped in his tracks, his long black hair blowing slightly in the wind, and listened.
He heard voices.
He scowled, the scars at the corners of his mouth twisting. More intruders.
He moved forward silently, keeping out of sight, to see who it might be.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 11:39 pm
"Still.... I mean, no one's come here before right?" Toshiro pointed out as Miyu skittered about to get everything, "I do you know there's not something dangerous living here? After all technically as Seconds capable of using magic, we're dangerous beings."
He raised a brow and crossed his arm over his chest as he pointed that out. He was quite well aware of the damage any one of them could inflict. (Well ... maybe not him, he still needed Miyu for support).
"Only you would think that," Lin muttered, "If there were dangerous non-Seconds, we wouldn't have been born so small as a first generation, and unless there's a Second we don't know about. There aren't any that'll attack without a good reason, or attack at all for that matter."
She shook her head at Toshiro for a moment before rummaging around for the water pitcher. Taking it out, she gave the go ahead to Miyu.
"I'll just go and see if there's a place to get water, water around here is the best so.... I'll be back in a moment," she walked off further up a bit, where she had heard... that there was some sort of stream.
"Hurry back!" Miyu called out, "Or some of the things we made will get cold... and they taste better warm!"
The man scowled, his scowl all that was visible about him besides some of the scars that crossed his chin and neck. Definitely voices. Peering around a tree, he spotted three children ... or rather, two children and one teen.
Dammit. Why? Why were so many people coming out to this area all of a sudden? Why couldn't they all just stay out of his territory?
Well, he had seen now what he wanted to see, and, no longer caring whether they knew about his presence or not, he returned his arrow to the quiver on his back, took his bow in hand, and walked out from behind the tree, back in the direction of his mountain.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Elnara Aldrich Vice Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Elnara Aldrich Vice Captain
|
Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 11:39 pm
Ironically it was Miyu who had spotted the man first, and normally she would have been so nervous or frightened of a new figure that she would be hiding behind Toshiro. The thing was.... the person looked a lot like Yami-san, in fact he did look like Yami-san since she didn't see his eyes.
"Yami-san?" Miyu murmured running off into the direction where the mysterious man was going after him.
"Hey! Miyu! We need to stay here for Lin!" Toshiro shouted but only ended up running after her leaving the picnic area abandoned as he hurried after the curious skittering little half angel.
Corrah's eyes grew more intense as he heard one of the children - no, two of them now - chasing after him. Why would no one leave him in peace? All he wanted was to be alone in his mountain. Why could he not have that?
Well, if they got lost in here they could very well be eaten by the mountain lions he so often fought. Then he would be alone again.
With this thought in mind, he continued on at the same pace as before, acting as if he was completely oblivious to their presence and their calls.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 11:41 pm
She could see him now! Or rather see his back, which was nothing more than a black cloak that he wore around him. Which was exactly what Yami-san wore, and Miyu's eyes lit up, because she thought Yami-san only stayed in that other world and she would have never imagined him being here, but it looked like him. He had weapons, which Yami-san did, he was very tall, which Yami-san was....
"Yami-san!" she called out with glee trying to increase her speed to catch up with him.
Meanwhile it left poor Toshiro confused as hell, he knew... he just knew this couldn't be Aragost. Aragost was back in his world.. too much time would have passed if he was here and he was needed at the Ranch. Further more, hell it was the Seconds World there was some sort of rule about other worldly visitors.
There was something about the girl's tone that nagged at the man's mind. Desperation? Maybe. Happiness? He couldn't see why that would be the case. Only one person had ever been happy to see him, and only after being with him for months. He couldn't place it - not that he had much experience with people in general, let alone little girls.
Finally he whirled around, his cowl lifting slightly so that several strands of his long black hair fell in front of his face, and his cold blue eyes shone out of the shadows of his hood.
"What?" he snapped, half scowling, half expressionless. "Why are you following me? Why have you intruded into my home?"
He glared at the two children, the intensity of his stare growing with each passing moment.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Elnara Aldrich Vice Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Elnara Aldrich Vice Captain
|
Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 11:43 pm
Miyu stopped dead on her tracks, that bright sunny smile faded from her face. This was not her Yami-san... not at all... even with those endless black eyes (from the only time she saw them) they were kind... he was kind. This man before her with cold blue ones was not kind at all. A strange and ironic statement seeing as at least he had eyes compared to Aragost. Her wide eyes began to tear up, and suddenly she screamed.
"AAAIIIIEEEE!"
In a move that was all Miyu she skittered back the way she came running right into Toshiro, which in turn knocked him over landing him on his back. He had no clue what hit him only that Miyu was clinging to him crying and saying something about where her Yami-san was.
Sound traveled, and so it did to the stream that Lin was at. Her head shot up, she had never heard Miyu scream that loudly before. She bit her tongue to stop the stream of swear words that threatened to come out of her mouth as she dropped the pitcher and ran towards the sound. Out of all the days for Toshiro to possibly be right for once.
The man dropped his bow to the ground and put his hands to his ears, the corners of his mouth turning down in a fierce and angry scowl.
"Damn you girl, shut the hell up! That hurts!" he roared, taking one menacing step closer to the children. "What the hell is your problem? You come into my home, chase after me, and when I ask you why you start screaming?"
He lowered his hands and reached for the long blade that hung at his waist.
"Get out of my territory!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 11:44 pm
She could see the two, she could see his hand reaching in for something. It looked like a weapon, and all the running in the world wasn't going to get her there fast enough. Lin grind her teeth, who attacked kids anyhow? Muttering her spell under her breath, she erupted into butterflies closing the distance between herself in the trio. Landing, barely on her feet between her family and this strange man.
The cold blade slipped into her hand as she materialized, but she made one mistake. She hesitated for a fraction of a second, because the man before her looked and reminded her an eerily lot of Aragost. Just minus the eyes and the fact he was yelling and swearing (bad points in her book) at the kids.
Toshiro hugged and covered Miyu protectively from the older man, it looked like he was going to hurt them. Honestly he was the one who scared her! Who wouldn't scream (well except him and Lin) after being yelled like that?
Corrah's fiery blue eyes snapped to the teen's as she appeared so suddenly in front of him, her arrival preluded by a shimmering of butterflies. He paid no mind to her manner of arrival however, but only the fact that she had, in fact, arrived.
"What do you want?" he snarled through clenched teeth, scars twisting around his muscles, his eyes growing more intense by the moment. His knuckles whitened as he tightened his grip on his sword, drawing it slowly and holding it between himself and the newly arrived girl. He looked down at her and seemed to grow taller in comparison to her short stature, and he took one step towards her menacingly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Elnara Aldrich Vice Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Elnara Aldrich Vice Captain
|
Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 11:44 pm
He was tall... which was sort of a duh moment for her seeing as she was short to begin with, but she couldn't help but look up. It took a long of will power to fight down the lump in her throat. She could see why now Miyu screamed as she did... he.. while reminding her of Aragost was... scarier. He was an adult, which meant he probably had far more experience than she did.
Well that just sucked.
"I want to know why you were going to draw your weapon on my niece and brother," Lin replied pointedly trying to sound braver than she felt.
She wasn't stupid and despite what some thought, she had a good sense of self preservation. There was no way she was going to be able to take him in a fight.
Corrah didn't even pause, but continued to advance, towering over her in a manner that was more than just physical - he was good at being scary, and he was doing his best at the moment to be just plain terrifying.
"And I," he hissed, his eyes narrowing in rage, "would like to know ... why ... they were chasing me ... and yelling at me ... when I did nothing to them ... and why the three of you are in my territory in the first place!"
He shifted his grip on his sword, keeping his eyes trained on Lin's, wary of any movements she might make with the blade in her hand.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 11:45 pm
Lin forced herself not to slouch, not to flinch and sure as hell her pride was not telling her knees buckle. If she could talk to Aragost when he was scary mode, she sure as hell could talk to this guy without breaking down. Only... this guy was coming closer and would be inches from her face and ... ha ... the irony she thought of being told as a child that Aragost should be avoided... at least Aragost's temper was always in check, even if he was being annoyed.
She glanced at the children; Miyu was crying something about Yami-san and Toshiro was trying his best not to glare at the man. Lin's eyes quickly went back at the advancing man, it made sense and she resisted the urge to roll her eyes.
"First of all... it's not like we knew this was your territory," Lin stated trying to look up at him and not look away, "Second, I bet just by looking at you, Miyu thought you were Aragost. Simple mistake from the back view I'm sure, and can you blame her for screaming?" Lin looked at him with the best glare she could muster, "You scared her."
Okay, to be fair, everything scared Miyu to a degree until she was use to it. That was beside the point; you don't draw a weapon on a kid.
Again, Corrah showed no emotion but anger - and indeed, he felt none but anger. He didn't care that he had scared the girl, he didn't care that they didn't know that this was his territory, and he sure as hell didn't care that she had thought he was someone else.
"I gave her every opportunity to leave peacefully," he growled, an actual real growl growing in the back of his throat and escaping with his words, "and every opportunity to stay here in peace. I do not care who she thought I was ... in not responding to the name it should have been obvious that I was not he."
He reached out with his free hand and gripped the teen's hand, the one that held the blade, and dug his fingers into her pressure points to force her fingers to open, inflicting only as much pain as was necessary.
"Now," he said in a low tone laced with menace, "I would like ..."
He shook Lin's wrist to make her drop her blade.
"... to be left alone. Forever."
He lowered his face so that it was mere inches from hers, so close that she would be able to see inside the shadows of his cowl, see the criss-cross of scars that was his face.
"Is ... that ... understood?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
Elnara Aldrich Vice Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Elnara Aldrich Vice Captain
|
Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 11:46 pm
It was quick and in hindsight she shouldn't have let him get so close to her in the first place. Then again Lin had reasoned somewhere in the back of the mind that he wouldn't do anything if he was just upset at the way the children were acting. Obviously he needed some social skills, he was kind of the person she never wanted to be in the end. She gasped in pain as she felt the knife slip from her hand, she just hoped he wasn't as violent as he was making himself out to be otherwise she was going to be in a lot of trouble.
She was afraid, she had every reason to be afraid as her heart pounded in her ears. She was too vulnerable the way she was, and even though she had been in pain, it was mainly from landing on the floor or being hit. Not like this, and not having someone with an iron grip on her. Yet, within that was also her own anger, because to her he was being incredibly unfair and vindictive nearly to a bunch of kids.
Lin looked at his face, refusing to look away; after all between Halmir and Aragost she could handle this. Dear Goddesses ... what a messed up childhood she's had in a way.
"Right... not kid friendly, not people friendly," Lin grounded out, "I get it."
For several long moments, Corrah just stared into Lin's eyes as if testing what he saw there, testing her will, to see if she would look away or lower her gaze ... but she just kept staring right back at him in a manner that he couldn't help but approve of.
And then he chuckled - but not a chuckle of amusement, though it might sound like one ... no ... this was a low laugh of triumph filled with malice and promise.
"You should be more careful, little girl," he taunted her, his eyes flashing dangerously as he released her wrist. "There are those who would cut your eyes out for staring like that."
He moved his sword towards her as if he were about to do what he had just threatened - but instead he simply sheathed his sword at his side. Never taking his eyes from Lin's face, he held his arms loosely at his sides and faced off against her once more.
"Now," he said in a soft yet menacing tone, "get. Out. And never come back."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 11:47 pm
The laugh sent a chill down her spine and Lin couldn't help but wonder what was going on in that man's head. He sounded like he would, and at this point it wouldn't surprise her if he did. Was this the first 'bad' Second? If he was bad, she would be dead, she was certain, but she had never met another Second like him. This was more something she expected from well... her father. Actually no... her father didn't give her the creeps, scratch that.
Squatting to get her knife, Lin backed up slowly as she put it away. Not willing to get into a second confrontation with him, then with care turned around to scoop Miyu up. The poor girl was still sobbing, she had after all heard the whole exchange, and probably thought Lin was going to get herself killed. Taking Toshiro by the hand, she quickly led the two back to their picnic site, perhaps it was wiser to have a picnic somewhere else...
Corrah watched as the teen gathered up the children, glaring and smiling wickedly as she brought them off to somewhere else. He didn't move a muscle until they were safely out of sight, and then he turned on his heel, pulled his cowl lower over his eyes, and started back up the mountainside.
Well, for once he would have an interesting story to tell over dinner.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Elnara Aldrich Vice Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
