Azimuth Reborn

P

PoetLore

Guest
Lorelle of Azimuth sat astride her charger as they entered the Jade Forest. They had traveled the far north edge of the Plains of Moran to avoid the bandits that lurked in the tall grasses of the plains. Her trusted companions, Jarek of Zen, Bowen of Darven and Reiken of Lingerloft kept a watchful eye as they moved into the forest. The men realized the possibility of being beset by thieves, or marauders one they entered the thicker part of the Forest, but their path could not be avoided.

Jarek was riding a largest warhorse they could find, and he still seemed a bit too large for it. His towering eight and a half measures dwarfed the huge beast, but it was able to carry him. In stark contrast to the giant, was his friend and companion Bowen, a dwarf whose small size did not translate to his personality or confidence. The last Knight, was a golden high elf from the far continent, who had taken to personally guarding the future queen while the others kept a watch for bandits.

Lorelle had seen a vision of an area where a ragtag group of people were hiding from her usurper, Nikolai of Bracken. Luckily he could no longer retreat to Bracken since Xavier was now sitting that throne as was his right. She had waited a long time to return to her kingdom to free her people from the iron grip of Nikolai's cruelty. Far too long in her own estimation, but she knew the vision did not lie. Painfully and bitterly she knew.

Her dark purple cape hung down her back and the hood covered the riot of red unmanageable curls that fell down her back unbound at the moment. She work light armor beneath and leather britches and thigh high boots. She rode with ease and control, and the sword at her side was not there as an ornament, but was a weapon she could use with precision and speed, and deadly force if necessary. She had not ceased to train in the long absence from Azimuth, and Nikolai would find her much more difficult to defeat now. She looked forward to watching the life drain from his eyes.

When darkness descended Reiken called a halt to their procession, "We must make camp, to continue on in this darkness is no longer wise. I will take the first watch." Saying as much he sank his gleaming sword into the earth after dismounting and spoke, "Guard us well." The sword began to glow with a soft blue light and the group then began to set up their camp. Lorelle was the only one who had a tent to sleep in, at the insistence of the men. The built a small fire and Reiken returned quickly with two rabbits and a boar for them to eat. "Good hunting here at least."

Jarek huffed, "Did you get some food for the others?" he asked looking at the small amount of meat being dropped at his feet.

Bowen slapped the giant's calf, "It would not hurt you to drop a bit of weight. Your horse will thank you for the sacrifice."

Lorelle shook her head, "Thank you Reiken. This is plenty for all of us."

They ate and spoke of their course on the morrow before Lorelle turned in for the night. She was not at all tired, but she knew none of them would sleep if she did not at least go into the tent. She settled herself into the blanket bag and closed her eyes. Her thoughts were of a nature that they would not allow her to be restful. Her people were suffering, had been suffering for four long years, she felt guilty sleeping when they were in such a state. It was her time now, she could not wait for the time to come when all would be right in Azimuth once more.
 
The woods were home to thieves and marauders, but none were more legendary than the man known as Talion. He was known as the Jade Shadow, the man who could rob you blind before you even realized your things were gone. The man who could duel a man to the ground for his gold. He was spoken of in both fear and awe among those who had ever had to pass through the Jade Woods.

Personally, he found all that talk utter nonsense. Funny, really.

Talion was just a man who had nothing, and thus had to subsist by taking what he needed from others. And yes, perhaps he WAS quite good at it. Expert duelist with a blade and more than capable with a bow, Talion had more than one way to relieve a man of his belongings. Personally, he preferred to do it as stealthily as possible. The true thief was one who could walk away without ever having been detected. That was where he had gotten his nickname, the Jade Shadow.

He was lying in the trees, calmly eating a chunk of cheese. It was the last food he had in his possession. Few travelers braved the Jade Woods anymore since he had claimed it as his own 'hunting grounds', so to speak. The inn nearby often would be quite kind to him, and he had developed quite the rapport with the innkeeper, but without money, he couldn't exactly partake of its wares. He sighed as he polished off his meager meal. "I need me a job soon, or the Jade Shadow's gonna be done for." He muttered the obvious to himself as he spied upon the nature around him.

The thief's garb was simple. Black hood over dark pants, and a mask to make sure as little of him was seen as possible. His blade hung in a simple black leather sheath on his belt, and his bow, normally on his back, sat in his lap so as not to damage it as he leaned against the tree's trunk. Neither were very well made or very beautiful to look at, but they got the job done, so he couldn't complain.

Something else he couldn't complain about soon arrived. The sound of carefree voices could be heard, travelers through his neck of the woods. Talion shifted his position slightly, and through the canopy he spied three men, all guarding a woman of what appeared to be some status. Looked like he had hit the jackpot! Talion smirked to himself as he eyed the group below him. "And who says prayers can't be answered." Rather than drop to the ground, he followed silently in the trees, the lightest rustle of leaves the only indicator of his presence. It could very easily have been a squirrel to anyone beneath him.

The group was stopping to camp, so Talion did as well, setting up his little outpost in the treetops to spy upon his targets. One of them sunk his blade into the earth, and it began glowing a mysterious blue. Not good. He had precious little experience with magic, given its rarity, but something told him being around that sword would not end well. On the other hand...magical artifacts were worth a fortune. The people he was preying on must be quite wealthy. Talion pulled his leather gloves further down his hands. This was probably going to be a difficult mission, but if he could pinch just one magical object, he'd never need to thieve in his life ever again.

There would be a time when one of them would slip, surely. The elf had said he would be on guard, but perhaps one of the others could be convinced to part with their valuables as they slept. He just needed to find the right opportunity...
 
Reiken, being an elf did not require much if any sleep. his kind tended to meditate in a semi alert state, but even that was not required on a daily basis. he knew his sword would alert him if anyone came into the circle of their actual camp, but he still kept watch in case an animal on the prowl would think them an easy meal. And alarm would not be much help if one of them were in the jaws of a big cat. His ears twitched now and then at the faint rustling of leaves, but he dismissed that as small woodland creatures of no consequence.

Lorelle eventually did succumb to sleep but not for long. The mists swirled in her mind as a foggy image came into view. She could not see the figure's face but it was a large man towering over many others speaking loud and strong. "The Queen has forgotten us, we cannot wait for her to remember her people. We must act!" The voices of the others rose in agreement, but a single voice spoke over the crowd. "The queen will return, when she can safely do so. Leaving was not her doing, she was carried away unconscious. I saw it." The larger man shrugged, "Four years is a long time to recover from an injury. How do you even know she survived? perhaps we have waited in vain." The other voice was silent then and the mist cleared and she woke with a start.

Her eyes misted with tears. She had sent supplies and help secretly, while she had been forced to tend to other matters with Evergreen and her family. She had endured the deaths of Malcus, and Darius...and now it would seem, she was to endure the loss of her people's trust. She could in no way blame them for their thoughts. She blamed herself far more than they did. their suffering and abuse were due entirely to her absence and lack of protection. Still, all she could do was return and prove her ability to protect and reclaim their kingdom and hope to earn back their trust and respect.

Daylight came and she emerged from her tent. She offered Reiken a tender smile, "Nothing amiss, I see."

Reiken shook his head and reached for the sword that he's sunk into the ground, "A few leaves rustling here and there, nothing out of the ordinary. No one knows of our movements. We should be safe until we reach the group we are seeking, Highness."

"I don't deserve that title anymore, Reiken." she said with a sigh, "Until I earn it back, I will just be Lorelle."

Jarek sat up hearing that, "There is no way any of us will be able to refer to you in any other way. You are the rightful Queen of Azimuth."

Bowen sat up and was scratching everywhere, "I hope these are nae flea bites..."

Lorelle reached into the pouch at her side and pulled out a potion and made her way to Bowen.

Bowen shook his head, "Save the healing...I can endure a bit of itching." he reached for his axe, "I will get the firewood...you all tend to the camp and something to eat eh?" He had a beautiful sword like Reiken's but he preferred his axe and hammer. At the moment the axe was his weapon of choice as he trudged scratching here and there into the trees. He got a good distance away and then turned back to make sure none of them could see and began rubbing his back against a tree trunk. "Damned bugs..."
 
The night had been long. That damned elf had been awake the entire time, forcing Talion to reconsider his point of attack. It was clear he would not do well in a matchup with all four at once, especially the giant. No, perhaps he would need to wait for a better opportunity to strike. He would not let a chance like this slip through his fingers.

Morning had come and the sounds of voices roused Talion from a quiet dozing off. Instantly alert, he eyed the group beneath him. While he could not directly hear the conversation, it seemed to be mostly just the group checking in. That elf was annoying him. He was too watchful, too on guard. Someone else would need to be his first target.

As it was, that opportunity he had been waiting for presented itself before him. The dwarf, who Talion had pegged to be the weakest of the group, had wandered off. Perhaps not weakest overall, but he was certain he could outduel anyone who chose an axe as their primary weapon. Though the axe looked fairly mundane, the blade he also wielded was more than intriguing. He got a sense of power from it as well; perhaps each of these travelers carried a magical sword. Now was the perfect time to live up to his name.

He stealthily followed through the treetops, watching the dwarf move out of eyesight of the others. Perfect. He began scratching his back for reasons unknown, his guard clearly dropped. He was unaware of the unfortunate situation that was about to occur. Talion sighed. "Time to get to work." He pulled his mask up, obscuring most of his face, and pulled his black hood over his head. He drew his blade silently, then leapt into action.

He dropped down from the tree the dwarf was scratching himself on, landing a mere foot in front of his target. In a single, fluid motion, he held his rusty sword to the dwarf's throat, his eyes betraying no emotion. "If you want to return to your group, you will drop your weapons now. All of them. Make a noise and I make sure you never do again." It was simple procedure. Threaten the victim's life, wait until he relinquished his possessions, then grab the stuff and disappear into the trees. The formula had been flawless thus far, and he saw no reason for his success not to continue.
 
Lorelle shook her head at Bowen as he wandered off but put the bottle back in the bag at her side. "He is too stubborn for his own good."

Jarek nodded, "Agreed but it's not likely to change either."

Reiken nodded, "Unfortunately not. But it does present us with issues from time to time, perhaps we can approach it from that vantage point and make a bit of headway."

Lorelle put a hand to Reiken's shoulder, "He need not change to suit us. He has proven his worth time and again. I was speaking of his preference to suffer instead of allowing me to use Alexa's healing potions."

"Ahh. Shall I find us some quail for breakfast?" Reiken asked.

Lorelle smiled, "that sounds delightful, thank you."

Jarek was busy packing up the makeshift camp, Lorelle's tent and other items.'

Meanwhile, Bowen was just looking at the man who was now standing in front of him. The thickness of his beard gave him the boldness to made a quick movement to swing his axe around and try to plant the reverse hammer end of it in the man's groin. he wasn't about to drop his weapons. Thht was for chumps and victims not a Knight of the Seven Lights.
 
Talion's eyes were quick to spy the incoming defense against his offensive. He sighed. Why did the bold ones always resort to combat? He hated having to fight others. It was pointless, noisy, and might alert others. And yet, he also had no intent of killing this dwarf if he could get away with it. Murder was a crime he despised the thought of committing. Regardless, if he dared alert his teammates, there may be little choice.

The matter of the attack needed to be dealt with first. Rather than withdraw his blade to noisily parry the attack, Talion spun away from his blade arm, dodging the strike but keeping the blade firm against the dwarf's throat. Well. Certainly not as secure as it was before, but the threat was still present. "You are a fool. I do not wish to harm you. Relinquish your weapons and valuables and you might yet live."

All a bluff, for the most part. Talion just wanted this to end as nonviolently as possible. He had a feeling that would not be an option very shortly, however; if the dwarf escaped, surely he would alert his elf and giant partners of his presence. A man more suited for the woods than he, and a man much more powerful than he...that combination would surely hunt him down. Engaging in combat would likely prove fatal if the dwarf did not comply soon.
 
Bowen was surprised by the man's quick reflexes. "But he glared at him. "You'll get none of mine," he said firmly and reached up with his free hand and grabbed hold of the blade at his throat. one thing about dwarf hands, they were tough as stone from the work in the caves. He might get cut, but he wouldn't feel it.

Their whole group had been away from the jade Forest for four years now, so this man's reputation would not have reached them, nor the need to be cautious of him specifically. Still Reiken was an overly careful man. He set out into the trees to find the Queen some quail for breakfast. He moved unfortunately in the opposite direction to Bowen, or he might have prevented what was happening.

Jarek was making a lot of noise gathering up the campsite, and masking any possibility of them hearing any words, or scuffle that might occur between Bowen and Talion. Things seemed to be working in favor of the thief, and against the hero.
 
It was a sad fact that this is what it would come to. "Very well. I do not intend to leave empty handed." Gripping onto the blade was obnoxious, to the point where he found himself unable to go for the easy kill. With a sigh, he pulled the blade out from the grip of the dwarf, undoubtedly slicing his hand up and cutting a deep wound into it. It was a good start, but he'd need a lot more if he planned on emerging victorious. Talion had an idea, but he'd need to set it up first.

The dwarf's range was far outclassed by his own, so all he needed to do was keep his vitals out of the swing of his foe. Easy to do when you stood over your foe by a good couple feet. Talion opened the combat with aimed strikes at the dwarf's arms, seeking to immobilize and incapacitate him rather than go for the kill. Perhaps he could reason with his victim yet.

Regardless, he wondered when the others might worry about the dwarf and go searching for him. It likely would not be long, so he would have to make this short and sweet. His mind was not entirely focused on the battle at hand, though he doubted the dwarf would prove to be too challenging a scuffle. Probably a few basic strikes would end the match; he had heard nothing of the identities of these people, and figured they were just travelers who had selected their path poorly.
 
Bowen felt the cut to his hand but ignored it. He swung the axe with as much force as possible and kept getting stabbed in the weirdest places, all over his arms. This was strange strategy to say the least, but he was not about to allow his possessions to fall into the hands of this villain. "You are brave to think you can best a Knight of the Seven Lights," he spat at the larger, younger man. Maybe hearing who he was would get the man to back off.

Bowen sadly though was beginning to feel poorly, and it was no doubt the doing of the bites he'd suffered. He had come to find he was allergic to many of the insects that roamed the continent here. What he did not know, was that he had chosen to make his bed very near the nest of a deadly spider, and that it was not fleas at all that had bitten him. He was in mid swing when the first pain sliced through him, dropping him to his knees in reaction. He was shocked to have fallen and even more shocked when he fell the rest of the way to the ground. He was having trouble breathing and could no longer move at all. Less than a minute later he was staring lifeless through open eyes as his last breath left his body.

Talion would witness this, naturally. If he chose to rifle through all of Bowen's possessions he would find more than he had originally supposed. Bowen carried a dimension pocket, in an ordinary looking pouch at his sdie. Placing your hand into the pouch would give access to his many treasures, A large amount of provisions, including food, money, maps, as well as dwarven ale. The enchanted sword, named Zephyr, which had the power of the wind imbued within it. His great axe which had runic jewels upon it with an eversharp enchantment and a heavy dwarven hammer with similar jewels that held an unbreakable charm.

Lorelle was sitting on a fallen log penning a letter to her sister Janelle at Evergreen, to let them know of their progress and whereabouts. She tied it to her Eage's leg and pet down the sleek golden feathers of its back, "Fly true Galkin," she said with a soft smile as the bird took off to deliver the message.

Jarek finished packing up the camp when Reiken returned with the breakfast feast of quail. "You are a handy fellow to have along Reiken."

Reiken nodded, "I do try to make myself useful."

Lorelle smiled, "You are all useful." She looked toward where Bowen had disappeared into the trees, "I wonder what's keeping Bowen?"
 
The name fell upon deaf ears during the fight. Knight of the Seven Lights? Talion had heard little of the political situation of the world, having been a loner and deep within the woods for the last several years. The few snippets of information that he picked up from the innkeeper were largely unhelpful, and beyond that he rarely spoke to others. Needless to say, it was clear Talion was intent on collecting his prize.

But then something curious happened. Out of nowhere, the dwarf fell, seemingly of his own volition. He watched the life spill from the shorter man quietly, cleaning the blood from his blade as slowly, the dwarf became no more. Talion shrugged. While perhaps he ought to feel unhappy for the dwarf, he was also relieved that his death was not on his hands, and more relieved that the fight had gone on in relative silence.

Now for the spoils. It originally seemed little was on his target, and Talion was about to growl in frustration when he found the pouch. What mysterious enchantments it had....just from fishing in it he produced such artifacts as a weighty warhammer, plenty of gold, and the beautiful sword he had seen before. Just the pouch alone would have solved all his monetary troubles for life, but now he could simply keep it and flog most of the rest to retire in complete peace.

Talion happily collected the pouch and tied it to his own belt after placing the axe within in. He would figure out what he would keep and what he would sell once he returned to his base. For now, though, he had to get his bearings. He did not come out of the fight unscathed, as he realized there was an open gash on his leg. Attempting to jump to the nearest tree caused him to wince in pain, finding he could do little more than walk upon it. Talion groaned. It appeared he would have to return to base on foot.

He bandaged his leg with the materials in his own pouch before setting off, cautious not to run into the rest of the group. No doubt they'd be furious if they knew their friend had died sort of to his hand.
 
Jarek looked up when Lorelle spoke, "That is curious," he said, "Maybe he's having trouble with those bites he was scratching, like that time in the desert."

Reiken nodded, "We should go find him in case he is in need of medical attention."

Lorelle nodded, "Agreed. We barely got the potion to him on time before, perhaps his reactions grow worse with each event?"

The group followed the wide path Bowen tended to leave when he traveled, never one to be stealthy as he moved. He'd gone a fair way into the forest which was a bit unusual, but then Jarek saw him lying on the ground. "He is there...."

Lorelle followed his pointed finger and gasped seeing Bowen face down on the ground. She raced to his side and turned him over, seeing a few cuts, but nothing fatal. Those could not be the problem. She felt for a pulse, nothing.

Jarek was ripping at the dwarf's clothing and that's when eh saw all the bites. they were huge angry welts that seemed to be pulsating.

Reiken frowned and moved Lorelle away from Bowen. "I have seen this before." he said somberly, "He is dead. And we must be away from him. Those are tunnel spiders. They burrow into flesh and their bite contains a poison that dissolves everything it touches except the damned spiders themselves. We must burn him."

Jarek frowned, "We need to get his sword and pouch then..."

Lorelle frowned, "Where is his sword?" she asked as she stood and moved away from him. and looked around in the bushes and nearby for the sword and his other items.

Reiken frowned, "Look..his hand and arms have stab wounds. It would seem he was beset upon, and though they did not kill him. they did take his possessions."

Jarek sighed, "This would be a good time to have Larkin with us." he noted as he pulled his sword from its sheath and used it to create a deep pit beneath Bowen, effectively lowering his body ten feet into the ground. "Should contain any fire we start." he said as a sheen of sweat formed on his brow.

Reiken piled dry twigs and leaves on top of Bowen and then folded his hands together, "Safely transport our friend to the other side," he said as he threw a match into the pit and watched the flames engulf the wood and kindling and finally the body. The hiss of the spiders attempting to flee their host could be heard as well, but they were brief hisses.

A single tear ran down Lorelle's cheek as she watched silently. "We need to find the sword. It cannot fall into Nikolai's hands."

Jarek nodded, "Agreed. Even if the one who has it does not know its power, he could sell it to someone who does."

Reiken. If there was a battle here, even a brief one perhaps Bowen landed a blow. Look for a blood trail."

Lorelle did see a puddle of blood, not far from where Bowen's body had lain. But it did not travel from that spot. "It would seem they bandaged themselves."

"Well that is highly annoying," Jarek said with a frown.

Reiken was crouched down and looking at the area, "We can follow. They travel this direction."
 
Walking on the forest floor was much slower than leaping from tree to tree. As it was, it was also more annoying, and much more importantly, much easier to track him. That damn elf ran through his mind yet another time. Being injured made the prospect of fights all the more harrowing as well. Things weren't looking good; he wasn't sure if death or capture would be worse for the thief with years of counts against him. Not that many could be refuted, of course...but the Jade Shadow's name carried a lot of weight in the area.

His base stood a few hundred yards off the main path, a treehouse of sorts built high up in the canopy where he did all his business. It was surrounded by countless tripwires to alert him to the possibility of another's presence; each one was connected to a trap, most of them nets, a few to pits. Talion tried to be as nonlethal as possible, and would often rob blind the foolish ones who dared amble aimlessly into his home.

Only Talion knew the proper sequence to get into his home without triggering any traps. He carefully weaved through the tripwires, wincing as he had to contort himself a couple times on his injured leg. That'd probably take a few days to heal before he could be stalking the woods again...not that it mattered. Once he found a good buyer for the things he had pilfered today, he could merely buy himself a manor and retire from the thankless job of thief.

He wanted to be certain he would be safe from the rest of the dwarf's compatriots before he got to counting his loot. He reached within the curious infinite pouch and produced the sword once again, musing to himself. It was certainly an upgrade to his old rusty blade, and it looked as though it fit his sheath quite well. Even the grip suited him; it was as though the sword was made specifically for him. Of course, that was nonsense. Regardless, if this was his final job, it would assuredly be useful for defense. He took it in his lead hand as he stared out the hole that he called a window, scanning for possible threats. His other hand casually played with his bowstring, ready to take it up in both hands should he need to fire.
 
The three followed, but not until Bowen was covered over and given a proper burial. It was only fitting and proper for one who had fought so valiantly to win Bracken back to it's rightful King. Not to mention doing his part to see the three young princesses safely away from Azimuth castle and to the safety of Evergreen.

Reiken though, was a very well seasoned tracker. They followed carefully and at times slowly, so as not to err from the true path of the thief. As always Lorelle was in the middle of the group, with Jarek bringing up the rear. They were silent as they moved not wanting to alert the one or ones they were pursuing.

About half way to the treetop hideout of Talion, Lorelle felt the mists of her mind envelop her. She stopped and dropped to her knees as the vision exploded in her mind. She saw Bowen's sword being sheathed and her mother's soft voice echoing in her mind. 'The sword has claimed a new owner...do not attempt to take it from them.' Her vision moved like a bird flying through the forest and up to the house high in the trees before it left her.

Reiken was crouched before her when she came to herself. "Your visions have returned?"

Lorelle nodded, "They have never left me, Reiken. I have merely become better at hiding them since they usually come at night now. He is in a house in the tree high above, waiting."

Reiken lifted a brow, "Waiting?"

Lorelle nodded, "He seems to be. He has the sword, but it has claimed him as its owner. We cannot take it from him. Mother warns against it." She furrowed her brows a bit and stood to her feet, teetering a second before righting herself. The visions sometimes left her a bit dizzy, but this was a shorter one than normal so she expected the effect to pass quickly.

Jarek wrapped his fingers around her arm to steady her, "Careful Highness."

Lorelle smiled, "I am well Jarek. I am puzzled though. perhaps we require the sword to succeed in our quest. Why else would it choose another?"

Reiken was silent for a bit, "You could be right, Highness. We have always needed every weapon Queen Antoinelle ever provided us. I cannot believe this will be any different. However, a thief? Surely you cannot be suggesting we employ a thief?"

Lorelle rested her gloved hand on Reiken's forearm, "Perhaps I can offer him the proper inducement. Perhaps he wishes to leave that life behind? No one despises a thief who steals to feed himself. We must take care, though. He is watching for us."

Reiken nodded and continued to follow the trail, and then he noticed it began to moved erratically and oddly. He stopped. "He is either being overcome by his injuries or he avoids traps of some kind."

Lorelle looked up into the trees and saw the house from her vision. "Perhaps it would be best to attempt conversation." She nodded to them both and then spoke, and her voice was clear and full of strength as she called, "Possessor of the Sword of the Knight of the Seven Lights. I, Queen Lorelle of Azimuth, wish to speak with you. I give you my word no harm will come to you."
 
They were taking care not to make much of a bother, but Talion could see them regardless from his vantage point in the trees. They approached the treehouse in silence, but seemed to stop mere inches from the first of his tripwires. Talion scowled; what tracker did they have that they could pick up on the near invisible strings? How vexing. They might prove to be a challenge to his stronghold should they choose to attack. Not that many of his traps would have an effect on the giant.

They conversed among themselves for a moment, then the female of the group called out to him specifically. So they knew he was there as well? There was no point in hiding, then. Talion was ever cautious as he sheathed his new blade and carefully nocked his bow, drawing a bead on his target as he stuck his head out of his 'window'. He'd shoot the elf first if it came down to a fight. Defeating the man with the best ranged capability would keep him off his injured leg the longest.

"I don't care who you are. If you have come to take your friend's belongings, you will leave without yours." Talion's voice called out through the trees, the light flutter of a bird's wings the only activity in the forest during the tense encounter. "I am the Jade Shadow, and I rule these woods. Your friend's death was not to my hands, but I have laid claim to his things regardless. Begone or you will meet the same fate." Talion's voice held strong as he attempted to intimidate his foes.

Internally, however, he was quaking. No doubt the three of them would be competent enough to outwit his traps if they had managed to avoid clumsily stepping into one so far. And the giant would easily outclass him in combat, especially with him injured so. It was a bad situation, one he only prayed he might be able to bluff his way out of. One thing came to mind, though...that Knight of the Seven Lights title again. What did it mean? And why was this woman claiming herself a queen, anyways? He did not know if anyone ruled the area nearby anymore, but no queen would go traveling with only three guards. That would be foolish....as the dwarf's death had proven.
 
Jarek took a step closer in a threatening gesture, but Lorelle's gloved hand gently applied to his hand stopped him. Reiken, used to Lorelle's manner and ability did nothing but stand at her side stoically. He did indeed have a bow, and he could have very easily threaded that little hole with more than one arrow had he a desire to do so, but he was not prone to violence until it was necessary, unlike his large friend.

Lorelle called up to him again, "I do not recall requesting his items back." She said simply. "I asked to speak with you. We can continue in this vein, shouting, or you can either come to us, or allow me to come to you."

Reiken shook his head at that, "Highness, no...we have no idea who this is. We ahve been out of the area for years. He could be a ruthless killer."

Lorelle shook her head, "Reiken, "It he were a ruthless killer, he could have been firing at us from above this entire time to better his odds. NO, I will be safe in any event. Do not worry."
 
Didn't want his belongings back? That brought pause to Talion. If they did not harbor a desire for revenge and to retrieve his valuables, then what in the world did they want? The options of face to face conversation set him on edge; it could be a trap to lower his guard before one of them lops his head off.

"If you wish to speak, you will do so from there." His voice carried from the trees. "I did not become the man I am today by trusting strangers whom I have just robbed." He spoke honestly as he set his bow down. It seemed for the time being he would not need to attack, at the very least. Should he see the elf raise his bow, he would strike back, surely, but for now things seemed to be at a tense cordiality.

"If it is not his wealth you seek, then why do you seek me out? I have nothing for you." He was still utterly confused by the situation here. Someone claiming to be a queen with some 'knights' around her, not demanding the return of stolen goods. There was something afoot, but he could not place his finger on what.
 
Jarek growled low in his throat, "Insolent..ungrateful..."

Reiken huffed only slightly at Jarek's reaction to the man's words. They had been gone for many years. It was entirely possible that some people no longer knew who the true ruler of this land was. His mind milled that thought around for a bit, thinking it might be wise at some future point to speak to Lorelle about it. It also saddened him to hear that people had forgotten her, especially considering everything she had been through over those years away.

Lorelle however, was not at all deterred by the man's words. She believed firmly in the power of communication and understanding. "Very well then," She said and lifted her head and her voice back to him, "The sword you carry now. It has claimed you as its owner." She was quiet for a moment as if searching for words. Lorelle was a very careful woman. If she was not certain of her ability to convey her thoughts, she did not speak. It was infuriating to some people, but those who knew her well were accustomed to it and simply allowed her the time to think. "I do not know if you have much experience with magic. My mother imbued the swords of the Seven Lights for specific purposes. They were magically attached to men who knew their power and the cost of wielding them. Bowen of Darven was given the sword you carry, and it has power, but to use it will cost you. I feel honor bound to inform you of this cost, lest you bring harm to yourself."

She was quiet again for a bit and then looked up at the house, "Also, The men who carry the swords, were meant to protect and aid the throne of Azimuth. I would like to hire you to continue with us in our quest to expel the Usurper Nikolai from my kingdom and restore Azimuth to the prosperity she once enjoyed."

Jarek growled again, "Bad idea..."
 
Seven Lights this, Seven Lights that. He honestly was not sure if this woman was speaking nonsense, but her manner displayed complete confidence. Either she were buying into the lie to an absurd degree, or there were some level of truth. Her words confirmed that the blade itself had some magical property, though he knew not what it could do, or what this so-called 'cost' was. It was obvious he had stolen something quite powerful if she was going out of her way to warn him.

A few words she said made him perk up a bit. Hire? As in...work? Talion had not found a steady job in years, not since he had relegated himself to these woods seven or eight years ago, when he was still a boy. She wished to hire him, eh? It could very well be a trap to lure him out, but her words made him believe this woman was not capable of dishonesty. Talion stood up, wincing as he put weight on his injured leg, and moved over to the other widow, where a zipline was waiting. It was a hassle to haul back up, but the zipline was the easiest and safest way to get out of his home without triggering his traps.

He grabbed onto the handle and flew down the path he had created for his transport, landing more heavily than usual about ten meters from where the group stood. He came down hard on his leg, and though he did not voice his pain, the harsh look in his eye made it clear he probably should not be doing anything quite so acrobatic for a while.

"You speak of honest work, something I have not had since I was a boy." Talion removed his mask, allowing the three to look upon his face. "I will accept any work I can find. However, my payment is very specific; I want amnesty for my crimes. I am not a killer, merely a thief. I only defend myself when rogues decide attacking me is the wiser option than giving up their valuables. Your dwarf friend was no different, though I merely aimed to incapacitate him before he...had a premature end." Talion's voice was somewhat sorrowful. Meaningless death was always the hardest type. Though he spoke freely, his newly acquired blade was at the ready in case anyone decided to take the opportunity to finish a wounded thief. He kept on his back leg, trying his best to keep weight off the gashed one. Even his bandage was fairly soaked in his blood.
 
Lorelle waited patiently for him to decide how to respond to her offer, and her words. This was not a world imbued with magic, so her words to most people would seem the ridiculous rantings of a lunatic. She watched him use a wire of some kind to avoid his own traps and she lifted a brow at the cleverness of it. His landing and the look in his eyes had her offering a commiserating wince in response to the heavy thud at the end of the ride.

"I do indeed speak of honest work, though I will not deceive you, it will be dangerous work." She considered his words, "I had not realized things had become this bad in Azimuth. Once our quest in complete, and Nikolai is dead at the end of my blade, I will reclaim my rightful place upon the throne of Azimuth, and you will be pardoned in full. I will put it in written form if you need the additional assurance, but My word is my bond. I lie not."

Reiken nodded, "You need not fear. What the queen promises she always performs."

Jarek was still glowering down at him with his arms crossed over his chest. His sword, much larger than the others sheathed on his right side.

Lorelle reached into the pouch at her side and pulled out the potion. "If you are accepting my offer of employment. I need to tend your wound. We cannot move slower than we currently are. We have no extra mount, but I will obtain one at the earliest convenience. Will you allow me to tend your leg?"
 
Talion regarded the giant with caution. "It would appear not everyone is quite onboard with this plan of yours." No, it seemed evident the larger being wanted to pound him into the dirt the instant he made a wrong move. Was this over the dwarf? "Look." He turned to speak fully to the giant. "I was doing everything I could to keep him alive. I refused to make a killing move, I gave him multiple opportunities to cease combat. Hell, perhaps if he had given up his belongings, he would have made it back to camp in time for you to notice his condition. I would not have stopped him. He is at least partially to blame for his demise." It was not an apology, but he was not entirely at fault. Funny, a thief explaining his own innocence in murder.

He mulled over the proposition in his head. "No matter where I go, I will be a hunted man, both for my acquired valuables and for my head on a pike. Pardon is the one thing that will set me free on this world. So I suppose I will accept the offer...either the pardon will set me free, or death will." Talion chuckled lightly at the prospect of death. It was something he had expected to deal with long before now, whether by a more skilled robbery victim than he or by blundering into one of his own traps. Yes, he had built them well, but he wasn't that athletic or intelligent, at least in his mind.

As for his leg...."You needn't worry too badly. As long as I don't have to be jumping all over the place, I am confident in my ability to continue injured." Still, she seemed insistent. "Though if it would ease your own concerns, knock yourself out." Talion shrugged to himself. If she really wanted to tend to his wound, then a free treatment was free, and he absolutely adored free things.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back