Fleuryn

[Esthalia]

"She expects me to accept him without question…" She scoffed, crossing her arms defensively and closing her eyes. "He's just a bumbling idiot!" Ellelunia's body was half shrouded in shadow, a large apple tree to her side providing her some escape from the strong sunshine. The lithe Sahrian leaned forward, placing her hands next to one another on the bench for support. She was letting her legs dangle, enjoying the suspended in air feeling it gave her. Her mind was racing, it throbbed and she felt like she might get sick. As much as she didn't want anything to do with the druid who abruptly came into her life, she was curious and it scared her. Not once has she ever been interested in a male druid.Her sisters were druids, and some women from town were druids, but Ellelunia never held a good record with males. Perhaps that was Kollidan's plan all along.

She remembered it so freshly: [spoili]The sky was changing with the coming of nightfall; deep orange clouds sped past Ellelunia and the man who had been a beast just moments before. Both of them were facing up in the gritty sand; unconscious. When Ellelunia's eyes flashed open, her hands went to her face instinctively, running over her features nervously. She leaned upwards, propping herself on her elbows. She looked down at her feet and wiggled her toes, looking over her damp sand encrusted dress with disappointment. The druid she had just mistook for a bear grunted and rolled to his side, his long black hair sticking to his sweat drenched face. The tide was coming closer, running over the man's strong muscular legs. His skin was a deep tan which in the diminishing sunlight glowed bronze. Ellelunia took her time standing, her eyes not taken off him. Her knees shook and buckled inward causing her to weave for a moment. After gaining her balance she began inching herself closer to the sleeping druid.

"Dammit" she cursed loudly. Ellelunia looked over his wounds, a couple of them still bleeding heavily. She was agitated,grinding her teeth together as she positioned some moist seaweed over the open wounds. Her eyes watched him cautiously in case he woke up. She knew all too well how strong druids were and how destructive they could be when angered of confused. As she applied one of the last bandages, Ellelunia watched as his eyes began to tighten and his face twisted up into a snarl. Jumping quickly over to safety, she ran her slender fingers through her hair, watching him turn his head from side to side. From what she could tell the guy was all alone,unless he was abandoned. By looking at him Ellelunia couldn't think of a woman who would want to leave his body behind. His dark black hair matched her own and his skin seemed soft compared to the other druids Ellelunia had met; not that the people she met were to use as comparison for good standards. She shook her head, blushing to herself. She felt anxious to leave, not seeing any reason to linger. When she turned to flee, a voice broke the evening silence.

"Thank you…" The grateful sentence was cut short by a groan of pain. Ellelunia turned; surprised to see he was attempting to stand.

"What are you doing?"She couldn't help but snicker watching the large man uneasy on his feet. She hadn't noticed before but this druid was much bigger than she remembered theirkind being. His head seemed to grace the clouds as she watched him stand straight, cringing and wiping the sand off his bare torso. Her eyes were stuck on him, not able to look away as he ran them through his hair, removing more annoying sand.<o:p></o:p>

"Are you alright? You look really red…" His voice startled Ellelunia and she crossed her arms over her chest, pushing her hip out as she swiveled on her back foot.<o:p></o:p>

"I'm fine; shouldn't you be more concerned with yourself? Grygus knows you got your ass kicked. Honestly, he's probably ashamed…" She scoffed and thought of the God of war,laughing at his lack of battle prowess. He stood speechless for a moment then took a slow step toward her, reaching his hand behind his head to scratch nervously at his neck.<o:p></o:p>

"I guess…" Helooked up at the newly fallen darkness around them, the sun fading behind thevast ocean to their side.<o:p></o:p>

"What are you doing out here at this time of night?" His question made Ellelunia's stomach flip, a disgusted expression creeping over her. She turned her face to him and raised her eyebrow. <o:p></o:p>

"How does that matter to you druid? Be lucky I saved your life and didn't abandon you…" Her words stung the wind like angry insects.<o:p></o:p>
His eyes narrowed but he remained calm,surprising Ellelunia again. This Sahrian was going against everything that she knew about them. Not only did it interest her, it enraged her. Ellelunia began twisting her extraordinary black hair in-between her long slender fingers.<o:p></o:p>

"I…" The druid was struggling with his words, which Ellelunia didn't take as an insult or shock. She knew he was busy looking at her; her skin was probably glowing in the darkness; like it always had. <o:p></o:p>
"Forgive me if I've angered you, I had no intention…" When Ellelunia looked into his eyes to comment on the words that his deep honey rich voice had slowly spread over her ears; she was taken back that he was staring back. He wasn't looking at her skin; he was set on her eyes as if staring past her.<o:p></o:p>


"Ugh! What the hell?" His eyes were torn from Ellelunia's focusing on the side of his arm; he used his other arm to try and reach the painful spot, but groaned when he couldn't reach. <o:p></o:p>
Ellelunia watched from the distance, clicking her tongue gently against the roof of her mouth. A breeze sent a shiver down her spine, goose bumps covering her white skin. The druid looked up at her, his eyes almost black in the darkness of the night. The uncomfortable stance he was taking made Ellelunia uneasy but she stepped closer and closer.<o:p></o:p>

"Turn around"She demanded, still gripping the broken shell. His eyes widened and when Ellelunia was in close enough range, she realized that his eyes were brown,like the massive trunk of the trees she lived among. He had to look down at her due to her petite stature and Ellelunia grumbled under her breath at his gifted height. She was supposed to be taller, like the other women of her race, but she fell only a couple inches below average. When the man didn't move quickly enough, she lost her temper, throwing her hands in the air.<o:p></o:p>

"Do you want me to help or not druid?" She let out an aggravated snort and crossed her hands over her chest. The druid must not have been hurting that bad because he took a good look at Ellelunia body as her damp silk dress clung to her every curve.When she caught on she didn't hesitate to smack him on the injured arm.<o:p></o:p>

"Don't look at me like that druid. Not if you know what good for you!" She clenched her teeth and hissed her warning. His eyes faced front and he knelt down to give her full access to the wound.<o:p></o:p>
She inserted the shell into the long deep tear shaped gash on the back of his arm. The sharp gasp he withdrew made her smirk and she stopped her movements. "You're going to make me mess up..."

He bit down on his lip, which Ellelunia couldn't help but notice. His handsomeness caught her off guard causing her to become sloth-like, slowly reaching her index finger across his skin. He shivered and she shook her head, convincing herself this was not the time for her imagination to run wild. Ellelunia inserted her finger into the wound, feeling around the sharp object that was embedded within his flesh. He jumped, grunting and calling out in pain.<o:p></o:p>

"What are you doing to me!?" He breathed hard and attempted to twist himself around to face her. She quickly placed her other hand on his good shoulder and snapped at him.<o:p></o:p>

"Don't you dare move- you hear me?" She hissed through her teeth and when she got a good hold on the knife like object, she pulled it out fast.<o:p></o:p>
The druid's head went back in a gasp of pain, sand flying up over their heads when his reflexes shot his arms upward. When he seemed calm, Ellelunia moved on to patching up the bleeding wound with more seaweed scraps.<o:p></o:p>

The moon was high in the deep purple sky, casting a soft light over them both. Their black hair held what looked to be blue halos, bouncing gently rays of moonlight back into the sky. Ellelunia stood up, her long trained legs stretching easily. She walked to his front, holding out her palm to him; her mouth open slightly in disbelief. In her hand was the tooth of a Razor Snap fish. The Razor Snap was only found in the depths of the ocean in large deadly groups. Ellelunia was not only curious but amazed that he managed to survive. The fact that the Razor Snap could not live in shallow water sealed Ellelunia's assumptions. She held the tooth out to him to take, the pure white of the enamel sparkling under the gentle touch of night. He looked up, but completely missed the tooth, looking over Ellelunia as she stood on the stunning beach scene.

Her hair waved on the wind, mixing with the deep purple sky. Finally noticing her white skin,the druid couldn't help but stare. With most of the pain gone, he was now realizing what was going on. He blinked and rubbed at his eyes, reassuring himself that Ellelunia wasn't a beautiful vision that Fleuryn, the Goddess of creation, presented to him before death. Reaching out, he grabbed her hand gently. When she pulled back and took a defensive stance, he blinked his eyes and leaned back on his muscular hands.<o:p></o:p>

"I'm not dead…" he started, leaning back with a heavy sigh followed by a sharp gasp and a wince as he support himself on the palms of his hands. "Thanks to you..." he said, his eyes wandering."What is your name, miss, so I can thank you properly?"She turned her chin and looked out to the calm ocean that watched them closely.

"My name is none of your business, though I am puzzled you don't know of me, especially being what you are." She cast a finger in the air, pointing at the man's broad shoulders and face. He grumbled, drawing his legs up and draping his arms around his knees to sit as comfortably as he could, for the moment.

"What do you mean, 'what you are'?" he askedcuriously, cocking only one eyebrow this time. Ellelunia watched his eyes andnarrowed her own, glaring at him with as much disinterest as she could managedespite her deep curiosity in the druid sitting but a couple feet from her.<o:p></o:p>

"You're a druid, what else!" She spat the words thick with malice. "Men ofyour kind don't have the best reputation with me; we'll put it that way"She smiled her normal seductive grin, making sure he saw it. A slight smirkdrew across his face, quickly softening his hard features. His eyes werefocused on hers the majority of the time, although once or twice he simply couldn'thelp himself and allowed them to dance across her just like the reflection oflight from the water was doing.<o:p></o:p>

"Surly I am not a representative of my kindas a whole..." he said quietly, one eyebrow still cocked. <o:p></o:p>

"You may not be a representation, but I have known many druids, none of which have swayed my opinion in the least..." Her voice trailed out as she raised her hand slowly to her neck, feeling the spot where the druid had punctured her skin years before. Though she had no physical proof of the viciousness, she remembered the feel of his fangs on her flesh all too clearly. She closed her eyes and shivered, wrapping her free hand around her own ribs. He broke eye contact for a moment, pretending to look off into the distance. The druid lurched forward and stood up on one slow, but fluid motion, wincing only slightly before extending a large hand in Ellelunia's direction.

"My name is Eralion..." Ellelunia laughed to herself as he looked away from her sultry display. She kept her vision narrowed on his body, watching the way his muscles twitched and pulled as he shifted his weight in the sand.

"I have no need for your name..."

Eralion's mouth twisted a bit as his other eyebrow rose when he looked towards his dangling hand; with a slight smirk and a slow nod he drew his hand back to his side,using the moment she had closed her eyes to let his own eyes wander over her again. He turned slowly and faced away from her, putting both hands on the rock formation steady himself as he bent one way and then the other, perhaps trying to loosen his muscles up after having been attacked. Ellelunia could hear a grunt or two, and saw that there were several other scars and wounds that marred the druids back.

"Perhaps in time then..." he started, his movements stopping for a moment as hestood up straight, his head turning back ever so slightly.
This man not only looked different, but he was acting far too humble to be a druid. She cursed within her mind at the comment she had made about him, thinking of what Morial had told her in the past. <o:p></o:p>
'Kollidan knows our best fate…' the kind woman would have said. She let her bright blue eyes cut through the darkness of the night and over his bronze skin.<o:p></o:p>

"Who's to say there will be a next time?" Ellelunia twisted on her heals, keeping her eyes on him from over her shoulder. Her voice was smooth and alluring; she couldn't help but try and draw him in.<o:p></o:p>
Eralion's head lowered when she questioned what he considered fate. He turned around, perhaps too quickly because it caused him to drop to one knee with a stifled grunt.<o:p></o:p>

" I've got to remember I'm hurt" he said quietly, mostly to himself. He raised his head slowly and managed a strangely shy, awkward smile in Ellelunia's direction.<o:p></o:p>

"I don't know what brought you this far out here, but again; you have my thanks. He said quietly, using his knee to push himself back into a standing position.<o:p></o:p>

"Kollidan has me in your debt."<o:p></o:p>

"You owe me nothing; don't bring the gods into this…" Ellelunia rolled her eyes dramatically and watched him stumble, wondering if the Razor Snap tooth carried any venom. If he was poisoned, it would take a while for it to affect him. From in the distance came a familiar call, which forced Ellelunia's head to turn; hair fanning out with the force of her twist. Ellelunia sighed and looked at the druid,knowing there was no way to hide him from Morial's sights. The elderly woman was close enough to see that someone else was with Ellelunia, when she realized it was a man; she picked up her speed. The last time she had stumbled upon Ellelunia and a man, she had to cover her eyes and turn her back.

"You know this woman?" Eralion's eyes were cautious,and he had taken a few steps away from the oncoming woman.<o:p></o:p>

"Her name is Morial, just bow and say hello when she comes near." Ellelunia's voice was empty of emotion though she waved contently toMorial. <o:p></o:p>

"She will do everything in her power to take you back to town with us, so just be a good druid and say no, got it?" Ellelunia had a fake smile plastered as best she could on her face, running a hand through her long ink river hair.

"Well Ellelunia, he's a bit tall for you, don't you think?" Morial laughed adeep matriarch-like laugh and smiled at him. Elleluniablushed crimson, gawking at Morial.

"It's not like that at all! The idiot almost died, I just bandaged his wounds!" She held up the Razor Snap tooth, and scoffed. "He somehow got deep enough in the water to run into these!" Ellelunia realized she sounded like a tattling child and crossed her arms over her chest, grumbling under her breath. Eralion bit his lip for a split second as he heard what Morial had to say and stood several feet away from the trio, blushing ever so slightly when he realized he was still the topic of conversation, wrinkling his nose a bit when Ellelunia quickly washed away the possibility that they had been some kind of friends.After listening to the woman for a moment more, Eralion's ears perked up a bit at the mention of Ellelunia's name; a sly smirk spread across his face as he nodded a 'thank you' towards Morial.

"Ellelunia,thank you for your aid then" It irritated her to hear her name come from his mouth;cheeks still full of fresh blood that pulsed so loud she could have sworn Morial could hear it. The face she was giving her pushed her to believe it even more. The elderly woman stepped past Ellelunia, making her way slowly to Eralion, looking him up and down.

"You're a druid right? I can tell by the way she resents you…" Morial winked, her wrinkled face glowing with honesty. She pointed a crooked finger toward Ellelunia, who had refused to turn toward them.<o:p></o:p>
Eralion's eyes watched Ellelunia closely, a slight smile on his face as he saw her reaction to both his, and Morial's words. As the older woman stepped closer to him, Eralion stood up straight, watching her with his big, dark eyes, blinking slowly but not looking away; trusting her as he had been instructed to.

"Child, please,let me see to your wounds. Ellelunia did a fine job patching you up, but-ya-need real bandages; not seaweed" Oddly enough, excitement was the predominant emotion surging through the air as Morial smiled and attempted to tug him along.<o:p></o:p>

"Ma'am…"he began, allowing himself to be pulled forward a bit, glancing up and catching Ellelunia's gaze.<o:p></o:p>

"I don't think that is a good idea…He could be a madman for all we know!" Ellelunia held her arms directed out toward the sky as if pleading. "We don't have room anyway!" [/spoili]

Despite all her pleading, there was not swaying Morial, Eralion took up permanent residence at the Silver Top tavern with them in the small village of SomberCall. As she recalled the event, she walked back to town heading to the stables to prepare for the journey to Void Fog, where her sister had instructed her to go.

Eralion tilted his head up as he looked into the trees that surrounded the town; the tall ridge of forest looked impenetrable from the ground. He searched for Ellelunia, squinting in the afternoon sun. She sat by stables to the side of the tavern, the smell of hay bales wafting in the air.

"Morial gave me this letter for you. It seemed urgent..." Eralion's cheeks flushed crimson, his eyes washing over Ellelunia in her blue silken dress. The silver braiding wrapped around her breasts perfectly and his height advantage gave him the view of a lifetime. Eralion smiled, taking the letter out of his belt and holding it out in Ellelunia's direction. She reached out quickly and snatched the paper from his hand, tearing into it with her sharpened Sahrian canines. She pulled out a piece of parchment and that was equally as long as the envelope that held it. Her eyes darted off every cursive letter, flowing with the melody of the text. Ellelunia's trimmed brows arched, a sigh coming from deep in her chest.
"My sister…" Ellelunia's lips parted slightly, her sweet breath passing through onto the thick parchment. Her hips swayed as she stood in place, her fit body tensing and relaxing as she continued to read. Eralion had been watching Ellelunia read, although he found himself gazing over her whole body while she was distracted by reading.

"So you have a sister?" He said slowly "I hope everything is well…"

"Everything is fine" Ellelunia nodded but a look of aggravation crossed her face. "My sister wants me to meet her at her home in Void Fog. The letter says they looking for volunteers to run an errand. It gives no description of the errand, but my sister wants me to lead... at least it seems."

"Is that a bad thing?" Eralion turned his head, his ponytail falling over his shoulder slightly. He wasn't sure how to feel about the news. "Are you alright Ellelunia?" He said gingerly as he approached her from the side, watching her as she stared emotionless at the horses.

"You don't seem happy…Do you want to talk about it?" He took a seat next to her, having to place his hand behind the back of the bench to fit properly. Eralions heart beat faster as he felt her body next to his. He knew it was a long shot to ask her to talk about it, and by the way she started laughing, his thoughts were confirmed. His eyes traveled up her arm to her shoulders and neck as a flirtatious smile spread across his face.

"I'm sorry, what did you say? Talk about it? With you?" Ellelunia jokingly pretended to clean her ears. She laughed out loud, throwing her head back in a dramatic display. Her cheeks were red from laughing as she tried to catch her breath, locking her eyes with Eralion's. Ellelunia pursed her lips as she stood and collected some apples from the tree, joining Eralion next to her newly acquired horse.

"This is going to sound crazy, but let me come with you" a strange longing reflected in his eyes as he spoke. He couldn't go back home, and he couldn't let Ellelunia go alone, what if something happened to her? He wouldn't be able to forgive himself if he could have protected her. Ellelunia turned her body away from him to watch the sun as it burst through the branches of the apple tree. The branches swayed in the wind, making a dazzling display as the sun danced over the ground.

"Do you know what I did for that horse?" Her tone was cold; vacant.

"This horse?" Eralion patted the stallion and raised his eyebrow curiously, not sure if he really wanted to know the answer. "What?"

"I killed a man for this horse" Eralion cringed with her honesty. He shook his head as if casting the thought out of his mind. He reached out and gently grabbed the back of her forearm. Ellelunia whipped around to meet his eyes with her own, her hair shinning as it wrapped around her shoulder and neck. She was stern, but there was a softness to her face that Eralion couldn't ignore.

"Let me help…"

Ellelunia laughed but didn't reject him. She simply pulled out of his grasp and started walking back to the tavern. She could tolerate the druid for now, but only because the distance would be easier traveled with an extra source of strength. Also, her sister was looking for recruits and the druid would fit right in. She called over her shoulder to him, a small amount of uncertainty in her voice.

"Don't get in my way and follow my orders; got it?"

MAP

<o:p></o:p>

<o:p></o:p>

 

[Z'Greel]

Not many venture into the depths of the forests around VoidFog, as it is known for its hostility. The ground can prove itself to be little more than a thin layer of grass, making anyone who steps on it fall into the water. And what you thought was only a log drifting in the grass can prove itself to be a alligator. The little bugs and animals can seem a bit annoying at most, yet almost all of them carry a disease of some sort.
And yet, here, in the middle of this unforgiving land, there is a small cabin. Crooked and obviously not built by someone doing such things for a living, there lives what some of the children of VoidFog and Voss call "The Swamp-monster!" They are but children though. Most of the adults are not afraid of him, yet often use the stories of him to scare obedience into their children. Occasionally, "The Swamp-monster" even helps the parents scare their children.
Yet most of the time, Zhre'Czh Joz'Ly simply wants to be left alone in his home. The Lizardkin has made his little home there, just for that reason. That, and because he can leave it there for days, if not months without having to fear anyone trespassing on and stealing his property.
But its mostly the peace and quiet that made him settle there.

 

[Warenai hana]

Luna walked along an old path following Lucas. She was a couple of paces behind him and she looks around at the endless open fields leading to a town that was supposedly very rich and would be easy swiping as long as they could keep away from the guards. She would have liked to stay in the small village they were leaving because they had gotten a small little house there that was very nice. She would miss the warm bed seeing as this was a two day journey, and they would be camping in one of the open fields.l It wasn't her choice though, she just followed what Lucas said. She like to follow him because he was the only person she really trusted and he always did what was best for them, unless it required them to go their separate ways, he would never do that to her... at least she hoped he wouldn't. He treated her like a sister and always watched out for her though she had deeper feelings than that, she would never tell him though, because she didn't want to lose him. They were more like sister and brother anyways... it put less pressure on them.

Luna watched what she could see of Lucas's face. He didn't look happy, maybe a little angry... he might have been thinking of his father, or maybe his mother again. He thought she didn't understand the feeling though she did. Her whole likes she has had an empty spot in her, the spot that her parents should have filled, she longed to meet one of them and sometimes it kept her up. She never knew them and that was the problem she knew she could connect to him on, the empty feeling, the void in one's very being when losing something that should never have been lost.

Luna ran up to him and said "Lucas, whats bothering you." She sounded compassionate, and this time she really was unlike most of the men she would scam. "Lucas, if you want to talk I am here for you." She said. She didn't like seeing him upset. It made her upset as well.

((Hope you don't mind me god modding your character a bit in the beginning. If you don't like what I posted I could always change it to something else. Just did it for a first post.))

 

[Rufiya]

Stefan was in the hull of the creaky old ship of his. He was writing an entry in his log whenever his first mate came in. The first mate was dirty lizardman who was a hopeless drunk. His name was Kylth. Stefan gave him a slight glance but resumed writing.

"Hey Cap'n. We're approaching a good'ol village. And from the look of it theres a plenty of nice lasses walking around." Kylth spoke, chuckling manically at the last part. He then took a swig of his booze bottle that he held loosely in his scaled hands and waited the rely of The Saharian Pirate. Stefan got up from his wooden chair and gave a piercing glare with his red eyes.

"When my Father was the Captain of the Anolaf, we did not rape. We only plunder Kylth. Now Go upstairs and make preparations for our landing. But before we do land, I will announce something the crew." Stefan spoke to him in a voice drenched with authority.

Kylth frowned and began his way up the stairs. But he didn't leave silently.

Stefan's elven ears caught his slight murmuring. Anger swept through him, he drew his golden flintlock and as Kylth took another swig Stefan with his sharp-eyes shot the booze bottle right as it had touched Kylth's lips. Not stopping there, Stefan walked towards him and shoved him against the wall.

"You speak ill of my parents or me and I'll kill you." Stefan threatened, his face so close the the drunkard lizardman that he could smell the alcohol on his breath. He released Kylth of his grip and made his way up into the upper deck. The ocean's scent filled his ears and he calmed himself. He passed through his crew until he reached the upper platform where the wheel was. He signaled for their attention.

"We ride into a human port today! Take what you want, Money, Blood. But only these things. We must uphold the jurisdiction of my father!" Stefan proclaimed confidently, he took his flintlock and pointed them into the sky, shooting three shots to signify the the words in their title, The Bloody Blade.

Cheers rung throughout the ship. But Stefan could tell not everyone was cheering, it was a bit quieter than usual, he looked around his crew trying to see the faces of each and everyone one of them. He discarded the thought as the city was approaching. They landed and the city was in chaos already. Fires were beginning all around and everyone who tried to run ended up getting murdered. Stefan was looting some of the murdered bodies when a man with a blade approached him. He had rugged red hair and Stefan could tell he was capable of battle.

"You pirates sicken me." The man spoke drawing his blade and pointing at Stefan.

"And you think killing me will save this little town?" Stefan remarked with a smirk, he drew his schimitar from its sheath and charged at the man, he slashed furiously and repeatedly, the man guarded the first few attacks but Stefan's intense speed was too much and he fell back already having multiple wounds on his chest. The man seemed to have some energy left but before he could get up, Stefan pulled out his Flintlock and shot him right between the eyes. Stefan shook his head.

"What a disappointment" Stefan thought as he got down on one knee to search the man. In one of the coat pockets he found a letter from some Druid. Stefan slipped it into his own pocket and left. He decided to go back to the ship considering who everything seemed plundered, not knowing that the letter he just stole would change his path so drastically.

He was in the captain's office while they were docked at the decimated town when Kylth came up to him. Stefan glanced at him once again but this time Kylth's blade was drawn and he glared at the Saharian with such hatred. Stefan stood up quietly.

"What are you doing Kylth?" Stefan questioned, his rough hands feeling for the handle of his Schimitar.

"Tis called a mutiny Saharian." Kylth replied curtly. Not waiting for an answer, Kylth charged at Stefan with a loud roar. Stefan barely managed to dodge the heavy blade the lizardman wielded. If this was a full-out scale rebellion, Stefan knew he could not handle all of the pirates that were aboard this ship, he had no choice but to escape. Stefan swung a large kick into Kylth's cheek, managing to knock the lizard out before he grabbed his log and his flintlock ammo before he charged up towards the deck.

His fears were true, by the time he had reached the deck everyone had their weapons drawn. Stefan had no choice but the cut through them. He charged quickly at a group of them, slashing with his blade and shooting with his gun, he managed to kill the five of them without getting too hurt. Stefan bolted off into burnt city, running as fast as he could, with many pirates following. When he turned around to see if they were catching up, he saw the shot of a flintlock and he barely managed to twist his body enough for the shot not to kill him, instead it scraped his skin leaving a large bloody mark on his left cheek. Even after the minor set back Stefan continued to run until he managed to lose his pursuers in a forest.

He laid himself against a large tree and sunk to his feet, his breath were tough and ragged and he cringed as he felt the bloody scrape on his face. He thought quietly, what was he to do now? That's when he remembered the letter in his jacket.

 

[GeekOut]

Cien swung her battleaxe in a wide arc, sheering through the training figures she had set up. Her arms ached. She had been in the practice yard for hours, a punishment of sorts, but one she had given herself. If she could not handle inanimate enemies, then she would be of no use in true battle. Gritting her teeth, she lifted her weapon again, severing a straw head from a post. Her breath was heavy, and her flanks were damp with sweat. She tossed her head, throwing her red hair back from her face, and finally surveying the damage she had wrought. Not a single training figure was left un-maimed. Satisfied for the moment, she slung her weapon over her shoulder and trotted back to her apartments.

The cool air was a balm to her. She carefully set the battleaxe in its rightful place on the wall, then wiped at her forehead. At least straw didn't leave blood spatters. She folded her legs, neatly tucking them beneath her as she settled to the floor. She closed her eyes and focused on the air that flowed in and out of her lungs. She reached for a cloth to dry her coat, but her fingers met with paper. Confused, she opened her eyes to see a letter.

Smooth parchment was decorated with fine writing. The text called her to Voidfog, a journey that would take at least a day's gallop if she didn't stop and the gods favored her. But she could not refuse the Burning Druid's summons. Without anymore hesitation, she began gathering the things she would need for the long way.

 

[Nikk]

It was a sunny day outside. Lucas can hear the birds singing, the small bugs making noices, the sun shining on his face and the gentle breeze blowing in the only naked part of his body, his face. But that didnt calm him down at all. His eyesbrows were toghtened and his lips were formed in a frown, he definatly wasnt happy. He was thinking again of his parents, mostly his mother, this kept him alway so sad, as he couldnt forgive himself, for not being able to help her... But the sad memorys were ruinned, his father as coming in any thought he think of, and that made him angry as hell. He still cant forget how his father treeted him after his mother past away. They were always fighting, always arguing for something, his father was always unsatisfied, he always wanted more. Lucas was just tired of him and he left him with money that will be enough for the rest of his life...

That was a few years ago. He hadnt seen him in such a long time, he has no idea if his father was alive, not that he cared... Lucas thought that he didnt cared for his father, he wanted to be like this, he hated the man, but his heart said otherwise... Shaking his head he looked at Luna as she came closer... Luna, they knew each other for such a long time, the only person that he cares for in his life, the only person that knows him so well was Luna... "Im fine Luna" He said and his lips formed a unnoticable smile and he turned his face to look at the road again.

Lucas knew Luna had a lot of sadness in her life, just like Lucas, and sometimes he feels bad for not being more cociable with her, for not showing her how much she meant for him, he just wasnt good at showing his emotiones... Lucas took a deep breath, trying not to think of his parents... Looking up at the sky he noticed the sun was dissapearing, in an hour maybe less the night will fall, they had to make camp. They were traveling to a very rich city and the journy was 2 days long, they had to take a break and make camp in a little while. "The sun is seting down, we have to make camp soon" He said to Luna without looking at her, and trying to avoide eye contact right now, he didnt want her to see the look in his eyes, it showed how vaulnarable he was right now.

 

[Warenai hana]

Luna looked up at the horizon as the sun started to set. She loved to see the sun hiding behind the uncharted lands, hiding behind the large mountains that kept them away. She started to zone out with the beauty of the sun set but Lucas brought her back to reality, "The sun is setting down, we have to make camp soon." She shook her head and continued to follow him, now scanning the surroundings to see if there was a tree that they could get some wood from, but it was barren where they stood. "I don't think we will have a fire tonight." She said knowing they only had enough wood to make a fire last an hour.

She sighed as she stopped at some semi flat land, most of the area was rolling hills but the land they were on right then was good enough to pitch a tent. "Umm... This is good right?" She never was sure of herself when it came to setting up camps. Lucas normally could find really good spots that Luna had overlooked. She turned and looked at him, for the first time she noticed he was avoiding eye contact. She would ask him why later because right now they had something more important to do.

She looked through her bag, a couple coins that she got from a man along the way, one days ration of food, the poles for their small two people tent, a pan, and her knife. Lucas carried most of their equipment, mainly including the tent tart, and the wood, but he had much more with him.

 

[Nikk]

Lucas saw Luna turning to look at him and he turned his head to the side, making it lok like he was looking at the field trying to find where to make camp. Wich he was doing, but that wasnt the main reason. Walking closer to Luna without looking at her beautiful face he walked past her to see the spot that she chose. It was a good one, but it was close to the road, they can be spotted and have their things robed. They had to go further were the taller grass was, he could see it in the near distance. "No. We should make the camp as far as possible from the road. We can get spotted from bandits and thiefs" He said. There are not many peoples traveling at night, but nothing stops them from being careful. "Do you see the tall grass in the distance, thats where we will set up the camp" He said pointing with a finger at where they should make the camp "Come on" He said and started walking forward.

In a minute or two he stopped. Turning around he looked at the road seeing that they were far, but also close to the road, its safer here. He could feel the taller grass reaching to his hips, its a small cover, but still a cover for them. The other problem is they had a small amount of wood, it will only be enough for an hour if they set up a fire, they can use the grass here, but it if they do, the fire will only stay for maybe and hour more, and that is not enough. Well they had to work with what they had.

Lucas removed the dark brown robe from his body and placed it on the ground. He squat down and placed the bag on the ground that was previously on his back, he then stood up again and took the dagger that was in his scabbard and then he started cutting the grass with it. He was only going to cut a small are so that they could place the tent and to have enough space for fire there.

 

[Jericho]

-The little human ran up to Gladius just before he entered the arena to battle ,weaponsmithing had taken a downward toll and he needed to survive just like anyone else what better way than to fight for gold he was not one to break his back and work for the humans that had tried to domesticate his kind ,he smiled remembering the last that tried.Now their bodies had been impaled and arranged like a fence by now their remains would have been devoured by vultures and the like.

Setting the trident against the wall he read the note requesting his presence.It was a few days run from here .He patted the satchell at his side and looked at where the human used to be.Confused he looked around not seeing him anywhere. Rolling the parchment up he almost headed back but behind him the gates had locked. Drawing a breath he cinched the armor and grabbed the trident and walked into the arena.
Where he faced another Centaur,he knew this day would come and he felt pity for the other .Gladiuse's head cocked and he felt a tear run down his cheek this one had been enslaved for so long he had no mind of his own anymore.
He could tell just by the way the other had his armor clasped and locked.
Gladius wanted to know his name but figured he had lost that long ago.

The trumpets blared and the chains on his opponent were released his opponent came at him with a large mace and at full gallop. As his opponent swung the mace above his head and struck at Gladius he easily sidestepped the blow and watched as the other had ran past and turned around. Then back at him.
Gladius looked through the iron mask his opponent wore and felt sorrow just as the mace Grazed his rump. "very well" he turned around and waited when the other gladiator rushed Gladius dropped his front legs and braced himself with the rears Ramming the Trident into the underbelly of his opponent lifting him in the air and throwing him over.
He stood up as the other hit the ground and got up his blood spilling every where under him and rushed barely swinging the mace.

Gladius reared up and threw the trident with perfect aim through the eye-holes of the iron mask such force that his opponents neck snapped backwards and the tines stuck through the iron.The foe fell forward rolling to his side..He looked around at the crowd and wondered what animals they were.
He felt shame as of the moment he was no different than them. Pulling the trident from the fallen he carried it in his right hand back towards the gates where he would leave this place behind after collecting his winnings and set off to meet with the sender of the letter..-

 

[Z'Greel]

Zhre'Czh was about to start making himself some dinner, when he noticed he was lacking many of the ingredients for what he was planning to make. Sighing deeply, he put on his robe, grabbing his staff with his one hand and a basket in the other, before heading out the door. He didn't have a lock on it, and even if he had, he wouldn't have bothered using it as nobody ever came this deep into the swamp.

A basket is easily filled with mushrooms, small animals and a few plants if you know where these things tend to grow or usually lives. Though it would have gone a lot quicker, had it not been for a small alligator attacking him. Even if one is used to living in a swamp together with all its dangers, some of them takes one by surprise anyway. Not that he care much, as it livened up the daily routine a bit.

A strong smell was coming from the blue Lizardkin's cottage, spreading to the surrounding area. Most of the animals knew to stay far away, especially if he was cooking, or they could suddenly end up as part of the meal. As he cooked, he wondered where he should go for his next trip. Learning new things meant he had to go to new places, after all. Going to VoidFog just to hear if there was anything new or exiting happening really wasn't educational enough. For a moment, he imagined that some random person would come through the swamp, looking for someone to help them on some big quest. Then he laughed at his own imagination. Something like that would never happen, and he knew it.

 

[Warenai hana]

As they walked to the place Lucas picked out she was nervous about the tall grass. She knew animals would hide in them, and only bigger ones would go near the path. She didn't protest though, it was safer than sleeping right next to the path. As they walked into the grass she watched the ground not wanting to get bitten by anything, she may know how to kill but she was not very brave, mainly when it came to unseen danger. When Lucas started to cut the grass she quickly went to the opening and took off her bag as well.

Luna started to unpack the equipment they had taken. She put the tarp and the poles for the tent off to the side for Lucas to set up then walked around to look for some rocks to set a ring around the fire. It didn't take to long for her to find enough for the small fire they would make. She placed the wood in the center of the rocks and smiled. "Lucas the fire is ready to be started." She called over her shoulder as she started to unpack their food and the pan. She was good at cooking, she learned it from her dad who had cooked for the king and lived, which was a big deal considering the king was one of the pickiest men in the whole kingdom. After setting up what little food they had she looked around trying to see if she could help with anything else. 'Lucas will make the tent, fire, and he already cut the grass... nothing left to do now.'

She stood up happy that her work was complete and started to walk back to the path. She was going to try and get some money from a traveler that she had seen walking their way earlier. It would be easy, he looks gullible. She did not hear the horse riding up to her however.

 

[Jericho]

-Gladius-
He had Traveled south for a day at a leisurely canter stopping occasionally to graze or hunt which ever proved to be the most prosperous.He had always wanted to venture to Voidfog in his travels he had never passed by there.
all he knew was the forest around it was more like a swamp this kept in mind he mad sure to cinch his leather leggings.
He stayed over a night in Norwood where he stopped in the local tavern .The people were use to seeing centaurs but not one like him.

He favored the horse more than the man his neck looked like a gnarled root system of a great oak tree.His Flesh appeared as tanned leather overworked and remolded.His arms The size of branches the weapons by no means could be handled buy those of a smaller stature.

Intimidating in all manner of the word .The dual colored eyes one brown and the other hazel seemed to mesh perfectly with what could be considered hair was like a mohawk Black as coal and flowed from the center of his head down to the horse half.
His scars decorated him like medals worn to show rank carving to different parts of his body like a collection of creeks and rivers.

Finding his way to the back of the tavern where other centaurs gathered he summoned himself a hand maiden in had been a while since he had a good bath he chuckled the humans had their uses.

a brief night and he headed south towards the city again having gathered information on the animals that dwelled there and its inhabitants only one of notable consideration after a bit of persuasion he had managed to secure himself a guide through the swamplands. -

 

[Esthalia]

"It's kind of you to help your sister, Ellelunia..."


"Much worse things could happen..." She shrugged her shoulders to look to Eralion and sigh. "I'm not doing it for her as much as I'm doing it against the Rebels. If they get past the defenses, then they can hurt people...People like Morial. I guess you can say that's why I do it..."


"For peace, then..." Eralion said in a stern tone as he suppressed the memories that played through his mind each time he thought of the raives.
Eralion kept pace with Ellelunia the whole time, as much as he didn't mind walking behind her, he liked walking next to her more. When a thin gap in some trees caused Eralion to duck to one side, his shoulder gently bumped into Ellelunias as he quickly turned to the side to allow them more room to pass through, twisting his mouth a bit as his face flushed.


"Sorry..." he said quietly with a smirk. Ellelunia made no noise, she just kept her eyes forward her mind seeming to be flooded with thoughts. Every so often Eralion cast a look down toward the small leather satchel that had carried the herbs, he opened it and tore off a small piece of dried meat, letting the pouch flap fall back down and popped the jerky in his mouth.


"Why is it your sister who decides who to call on?" Ellelunia sighed and streched her arms over her head, listening to him speak with a mouthful.


"My sister is a very prestigious leader, believe it or not. Unlike me, she has found her purpose in life and does a pretty damn good job…" She hopped over a fallen tree trunk and waited for chewing shifter. "And please, if your going to use my name so much, just call me Ellelu…"


"Finding purpose is something we all seek, I believe..." he said quietly as he continued walking next to her, having to duck every so often to avoid branches. He chuckled a bit as he watched her step over the branch before doing so himself, turning to the side to hide a pleased smile when he heard her request to call her by Ellelu. He hadn't up until this point, unsure of how the woman would have taken the informality. "Perhaps you will find your purpose on one of these journeys then, Ellelu." Eralion said, glancing down towards her and shrugging a bit as if to say 'maybe...'


"Perhaps I'll find mine."Ellelunia rolled her eyes. "Right now my only purpose is to follow orders, after that...I have nothing." Ellelunia kept her eyes forward seeing a small tan line that represented the dirt road. They would need to follow that road until they reached the swamp, then it was a bit more complicated.
Straightening up, Eralion adjusted the strap that she had pulled on, situation his pack evenly against the small of his back once more so that the weight of his things was evenly distributed and easier to carry. As they walked down the dirt path, the footprints that Eralion left trailing behind him would have hardly been recognizable as belonging to such a large man. He had learned that if he didn't want to be followed, he had to take measures to avoid the signs of a traveller.


Every so often Eralion looked down towards Ellelunias eyes, trying to judge which direction they were headed, tilting his head down towards her andlooking up every so often to make sure he didn't run into any low branches. The path was lit brightly and the slow pace of their walking made Ellelunia wish she still had the Sahrian stead she had stolen from the helpless man when she first went into town. The weight of the coin in her bag reminded her of how much she had sold the stolen property for.


The travelling had taken them into the uncomfortable darkness that was night around the secluded town of VoidFog. Considering how close they were, the course to the swamp was a direct one. The withered dirt path had led them right to a rickety bridge that crossed over a small soupy stream, thick with moss and whatever organisms found the moisture of Void Fog appealing. Eralion seemed to go oddly silent as they kept travelling, until finally the hike through the dense forest seemed to be too much for the large man. Ellelunia took the silence and reveled in it, enjoying the lack of sound adding to the ambiance of the swamp.


"It might be best for us to camp out here for the night, don't you think?" The shifter spoke calmly, pointing ahead at what looked to be an abandoned shack sitting in the distance. "that looks like the perfect place." The Sahrian woman smiled inwardly and turned their direction towards the beaten home, sniffing the air as she approached.


"We're not alone"

MAP

 

[Z'Greel]

Zhre'Czh was imagining all the different things that could happen to spice up his life, as he was adding some spice to his soup. He tasted it, to make sure he had added enough, but there was something odd about the taste. He tasted it again, and it still tasted odd. That was when he realized it. It wasn't the soup. It was the air. Something, or someone was nearby, and he could smell them.

His tongue flicked out a few times, as he tried to recognize the smell, but it was nobody he knew. It smelled like soft-skins. He quickly grabbed his dagger and stood next to the window towards where the smell came from. He peeked around the corner, trying to see who was approaching his home. Some man and woman, and indeed, both were soft-skins. The man seemed to be big, yet didn't strike him as a dangerous fellow. Or, at least not the kind that'd attack anyone for no reason.

He wondered for a moment what to do, before he decided to try the diplomatic approach. The blue Lizardkin sheathed his dagger inside his robes, before casually stepping out into the doorway and acted surprised to see them. "Well, look at that! Soft-skins! And what brings these soft-skins to my part of the swamp?" He asked, almost cheerfully. If he seemed hospitable they were less likely to attack him after all.

 

[Warenai hana]

Luna looked to the side seeing a man riding on a horse with his spear pointed at her. She screamed and closed her eyes not able to react in time, fortunate for her Lucas had seen the man coming and was able to push her out of the way just as the spear was about to hit her.

She was confused when she hit the ground instead of ending up with a spear through her chest. Lucas got off her and she stood up seeing the horseman turning around for another strike. She drew her dagger and held it at the ready.

Her heart was pumping fast now, her adrenaline was being pumped throughout her body. Her grip on the dagger tightened meaning she didn't plan on throwing it, but was aiming for a stab. She was on her toes which kept her focused as she listened to the steady gallop. It was only her, the horse, the rider and the spear now. Everything else faded away.

Just as the spear almost hit her she jerked to the side watching it wiz by, then she grabbed onto the stabbed of the saddle and swung herself onto its back landing with her knife threw mans heart creating an almost instant and almost painless death. She didn't like to hurt people, she would feel bad if she did, so secretly she would cover her dagger with strong pain killers. The man dropped to the side and the horse rode on.

 

[Nikk]

Lucas was still cuting the tall grass with his dagger, he was doing it quickly and wasnt looking at Luna which surely wanted to know what was bothering him right now, he didnt want to talk right now, only be alone, but that was impossible with Luna around here... Sometimes he wishes that he was alone in his journy, but then he quickly realizes how much he cares for Luna and how upset he will be if she leaves him.

Looking over his shoulder he heard Luna speaking. He heard that she was ready unpacking their stuff... Ok he was ready with cuting the grass, now he needed to start the fire and to make the tent. He let a smirk grow on his face as he thought how he usually did almost everything around here... Well the manly work of course, he wouldnt let Luna do what Lucas is suppoused to do... Lucas turned around and walked to where the woods were, but before he could start the fire he noticed that Luna was walking back to the road again, he couldnt really see her anymore, so he decided to go and check what she was doing.

Lucas started following Luna's path. He could see the smashed grass that she was stepping on and he followed the path... But once he reached the main road he saw a man on a horse, holding a spear in his hand and was aiming it at Luna... His heart skipped a bit and his swallowed hard when he heard Luna's voice screaming... He quickly dashed forward, he was so quick that he managed to push Luna off the path of the spear in only a secound. Lucas landed on top of her and he looked at her beautiful eyes with worry in his... He qickly stood up on his feet and then stepped a few steps backwards seeing that Luna was ready to kill the man... Lucas wasnt really a guy that kills people, he only steals without anybody noticing him and thats what he is good at, and Luna is the one that usually kills, he isnt fond of her metods, but thats what she does and he cant argue with that... And then in a minute latter the man was dead, he died from Luna's sharp dagger, as he expected.

But the horse was still running... "Luna stop the horse" He shouted to her as she was on top of the horse.

 

[Jericho]

-Gladius-
His guide had finally showed up.
The human was relatively small compared to those of his species.Looking with disdain"Your what i paid for?" .with an elegant bow"Thadeus Leon at your service",to void fog eh?"
Gladius nodded yes.
When the little man bowed the Za watched the bow almost made the man look taller."Where are your weapons?"

Thadeus looked back at the za" weapons? i have no need for them" his hands lifted and fingers wriggled." Besides that Gladius you are a walking weapon" pausing briefly.your exploits in the arena have not escaped my ears" he bowed again and his cloak had changed color with an elegant flourish "You see sir being hired as your guide is also beneficial to me. I am but a bard, Usually I hire an entourage to take me through the swamps"crossing his arms"Really is a stroke of luck for me,I am to perform in VoidFog and this time i am being paid to go there.by you a gladiator"

at least he would be entertaned on the journey"First thing i want to do is visit the swamp monster all the townsfolk tell stories of. " just a novelty
Are you ready Thadeus?" the Za made his final adjustments,Tightened his bowstring,counting his quivers everything in easy reach. The trident strapped to his back and the throwing axe clipped to the leather belt at his side. .
Thadeus made his way into the woods and the za close behind him...

 

[Warenai hana]

Luna panicked on top of the horse. She didn't know how to stop it because whenever hey had one Lucas would control it. After a slit second she tried twisting the rains only to turn the horse around. They were riding strait to Lucas now. "What do I do." She shouted with fear marking her face as the horse had started to gain speed. She tried kicking it which only made the horse run faster. She let go of the rains and held onto the horses neck as it gallop strait at Lucas.

He had tried to shout something to her but it was drowned out by the sound of the horses hooves hitting the ground. Her heart was beating faster now, her eyes closed, arms straining to hold onto the horse as her body is tossed around on top of it. She was about to cry, this was nothing like it was when she would ride with Lucas. This horse was out of control and fear had struck her heart. "Help!" She cried as the horse was almost on top of Lucas. A couple of tears started to flow down her cheeks and looked like small crystals as the light hit them behind her. She was shaking now, though by the way she was bouncing on the unsteady horse no one would be able to tell and all she could do was hang on for dear life and hope Lucas could magically stop everything.

 

[Nikk]

Lucas saw what was going on. Luna was panicking which was unusual for her, well not really, but not in a situation like this. Yes Lucas always controls the horse when they have one, but he had thouhgt that she at least knows the basic stuff, how to stop it, how to make it run faster and things like that... Hmm. He cant kill the horse, it will be usefull, so he will have to stop it then.

Lucas saw the horse coming his direction and it was so fast that it almost hit him, but he was fast enough spin his body quickly, the was barely going to hit him, but then he grabbed to Luna's shirt and jumped from the ground landing behind her, he was so quick that Luna probably didnt even felt when he grabbed on to her shirt for support... Lucas pressed his chest against Luna's back and grabbed the rains with his hands in front of Luna... Then he pulled the rains with as much streanght as he had and the horse finally stoped imidiatly... Lucas sighed and let go of the rains and let his arms fall to his sides as he looked at Luna with anger n his eyes "Luna what was that. How many times have we been on a horse and you still have no idea how to ride on" He sighed again andrubbed his eyes with his fingers "Go and check if the man was carrying something pricefull" He said calmly and kind of disapointed at Luna. But he was doing all of this just to protect her.

 

[Warenai hana]

She felt something pressing against her back. She looked behind her to see Lucas reaching for the rains and stopping the horse. It was so sudden that she would have fallen over the horse had it not been for her holding onto its neck so tightly. Lucas was angry with her now, she could see it almost like it was flowing off him. She looked away not wanting to see him like that but his voice stung her. 'Luna what was that. How many times have we been on a horse and you still have no idea how to ride one?' She wanted to cry but held it back "I'm sorry." was all she managed to say. He didn't sound as mad this time, more disappointed than anything 'Go and check if the man was carrying something pricefull.' "O-ok." She said jumping off the horse and running to the man.

She took his bag, which was nice in itself so she figured she would keep it, then going through it she found a couple of court warrants of arrest, and an important looking envelope from the Burning Druid. She through out the rest of the stuff, some pictures and old pieces of paper that didn't have any value, perhaps old letters he had received from friends at one point. She found a sack of silver coins strapped to his belt and she took that too, other than that he had nothing of use.

She handed the bag to Lucas with her head down, "It has a letter in it and some warrants." She said waiting for him to take it. She didn't want to see his face afraid it would full of anger or disappointment... perhaps both. Little did she know the man had a warrant for her in the stack he carried with him.