Overture

[Tanstin]

"Alright now! Lets see who's foolish enough ta tussle with an old man?" said Willie as he tied the thorny coil of rope into a thick lasso.

"I aint lettin no hooligans mess with me or my friends ere', am I right?....friends?-wait What in the world!?.? He quickly pivoted to see the rather griddy bearded fellow become under attack by the foreign stranger-lady. "Dont worry friend, I gotcha!"

"Heeyah!" He threw back the lasso over his shoulder while aiming for his target and let the crook of the rope fly over the lady who he thought had harrassed Teran and began to assault his friends.

 

[Eternalfire61]

Teran looked at the group as they began to fight. He was not a man of war, this wasn't even his mission. Why did Jonathan have to die?

* * * * * *
"You must be Teran Arklar." The guard looked up from cleaning his sword and looked at the young scribe as he approached. "I'm here to see the King, he has requested that I take note of the upcoming trial." Teran had only just started as a scribe to be able to pay for his schooling, even though it was a pain he enjoyed it. "I'm Jonathan O'Daniel," the young man stuck out his hand toward Teran. "I am Teran Arklar," he said as he shook Jonathan's hand. "The king will see you shortly..."

* * * * * *

For a moment Teran's heart skipped a beat. He had never taken the lead before, it was always Jonathan. When Biltmore asked them to do this mission it was to be simple. Sadly, the last group perished to what ever had attacked them. Teran held his sword firmly and walked toward the group fighting. "You two stop at once!" Teran's voice echoed through the forest, his voice was not the same old tone it once was, but it now was commanding and had power. If the forest had mouths it would have given a response, but instead a greater evil would respond...

Priv heard the voice. "Looks like we will see blood today. CHARGE!" The Ghennian troops moved into formation and then charged. Their foot steps sounded like drums beating against the ground....

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[Sans]

So Rorian and Naomi had gotten into their hiding places rather safely. Naomi in particular was irritated because she had left a freshly cooked doe and that she was more hungry than before. Furthermore, hiding was most certainly not her style. She was quiet and didn't say a word as she remained hidden and she listened closely to the laughter. How far away could they be she would not know? Naomi found her thoughts wandering back to the group and she was rather happy to have left them. There was nothing more irritating than standing around like a sitting duck. Naomi licked her teeth. They were sharp as usual and she was eager to rip someone's throat out.

She drew her bow and strung it. She was ready to let an arrow fly the moment she saw hostile activity or the moment she saw someone preparing to take a bite of her freshly cooked meal.

Rorian had climbed up a tree and watched from above. The group looked like they were about to get into it and someone else was far ahead of them. The new woman and Wolf seemed to be at each other's throats. It wasn't really a surprise. Rorian sighed. Could things just get moving? He was seriously tired of this group already. He was surrounded by beautiful women, but none of which were 'normal' by any means. This trip was becoming more than he had bargained for.

 

[Akuma]

Alexander stood still as he heard Teran's voice booming through the forest, it made him smirk. But at that, the men in front of him began charging forward full speed, The sound of drums filling his head as if battle music filled in. He grabbed his dagger, and yanked it out of its sheathe and threw it forth to the rushing men. It missed the leader who just dodged it but it hit the man to his left right in the neck, the man stopped for a moment most likely to pull the blade from his neck and to continue on. But by the the large swooshing and metal sliding noise could be heard as Alexander pulled his long blade from its sheathe on his back, He grappled the blade tightly and released a war cry himself. And charged forward towards the group of men with his blade at his side. Bringing his sword upwards to cut the leader from the hip to the shoulder but it was a clash between the leader and Alexander at that point, The blades colliding together. Alexander then noticed he had two blade and the second one was diving right towards him, Alexander simply lept back from the hard collision and looked at the group who now was still charging forward at him. The first guard to the left of the leader charged Alexander with no hesitation and was swinging wildly at him but in a manor as a training technique. Alexander blocked the blade which tried to come down on him and kicked the man in the chest with his heavy boot taking him off the ground and putting the man on his ass. " BRING IT! " he just had to hold off until his team came to take on the rest. He slammed his sword down, on the man who was on the ground and was forcing him to the floor with the blade as the man tried to block the larger blade with his sword but Alexander was to strong and forced him almost to cut his own neck, but another man charged and Alexander had to back off and take some more steps back from the group as the continued to make there way towards him. The adrenaline rushing through Alexander's body making him think he would be able to take the all down but his mind kept him in check knowing not to do anything stupid. " just you guys wait...your in for a surprise " he spoke to the group who is attacking him.

 

[Wordsmith]

Kaida did not let up on her wild assault. Eyes filled with mad rage, she attacked with untamed intention. Pure fury filled her blade, but mere anger would not be enough to slay the veteran. Wolf stayed in the same hip-guard the whole time, only adjusting his footwork to match the insane dance Kaida was creating.

After merely 'eating' Kaida's slashes, Wolf decided to make a serious attempt to strike, "HUUUUH~" he grunted. Swinging the longsword clock-wise around his head, Wolf threw a cut designed to miss. He was attempting to set up a fatal blow.

The warrior's plans were suddenly put to a halt when Kaida was restrainted by Willie's lasso. Totally focused on the duel, Wolf was astonished by the interruption. Backpeddling a couple paces, he remained in a combative stance. Looking around, the swordsman began to calm slightly. Teran yelled at them to stop immediately. Wolf choose not to react to either of the old men, but wait to see what Kaida would do.

"Wait--" Wolf laughed in a deep gutural tone, for he suddenly began to piece together his memory of Kaida Ouchi. Before he could dig deeper into his mind, the Gehenians attacked, "We will finish this later Ouchi..."

Sprinting back to his warhorse, Wolf mounted up...

 

[AAB]

Isabel turned her horse as the Ghennian troops moved in. She knew the advantage to being on horseback and attacking the enemy from above. But Pax seemed skittish. With dismay, Isabel realized the animal was not trained for combat. Pax stepped back when Isabel wanted him to move forward.

Wolf was fighting the stranger and Isabel was not stopping them. Alexander was near the front and had valiantly taken on two opponents. Reluctantly, Isabel realized she would have a better chance of success on foot than on Pax, and dismounted. The animal immediately left her side. Isabel hoped finding him after the battle would not be a problem.

Somehow the old man had broken up the fight. But Isabel had no time to think on it before the enemy was upon them. Tasks sped through her head as she moved forward. Protect the boy? Not here. The doctor? The leader? The leader was nearer.

Isabel took a few steps to reach Teran's side, then spread her arms to appear even larger and raised her naked sword "I am here," she called in defiance, "Come at me, oh godless cowards." The paladin quickly slipped her helmet over her face as two soldiers accepted her challenge. The leader ignored her, seeing her as the diversion she was.

Isabel set her feet apart and bent her legs. She brought her sword up to parry the first attack at eye level. Her left arm intercepted the second soldier's swing. There was a small shield built into the armor over Isabel's left arm, unnoticeable until it was raised.

 

[White]

The Lasso cought Kaida offguard. It was so much of a suprise for her that she fell backwards onto her butt.
The Madness that showed on her face was gone.

"You two stop at once!", confused she looked towards the man that was weeping before.

"Wait--", said the familiar man who stood infront of her with his blade drawn. Just now she remembered what was happening. He was challenging her... but everything after that is blank. She could not remember the fight. She quickly turned the blade in her hand to cut the rope of the Lasso and then to remove it from her body.

Some Ghenians began their attack, probably those fools that laughed before.
"We will finish this later Ouchi..." She looked at the familiar face dazzled, then stood up. "I dont think they will care weither or not I am part of this or not."

She remembered the lessons the Mayor gave her back there in her youth.
"Discipline starts at the core of the soul. It's intricacies and complexities marvel us, yet it is boring."
She giggled and smiled a bit at what the Elder said. Her face turned into one that shows happyness.
"Who would have thought that I would be here now elder?"

She held Ouchi with both hands, lining it next to her head with her nose, both, her face and the blade pointing towards the attacker.



(Karrens post incoming)

 

[White]

Karren, still with her eyes closed and leaning at the tree, heard Teran yelling.
She wondered what was going on and who got on each others throats.

Purity rested beside her, Aegis still above her in the tree.

She heard people running, somebody fighting. She sighted.
Barely entered the forst and fighting already started.

"Guess it is time for us to intervene..."
She grabbed purity. Aegis landed on her shoulder.
Just when she was about to turn towards the fighting she could perceive a black silouhette walking up to her.
She turned to the silouhette, now more able to perceive the figure. It was a person.

She looked coldly at this stranger.
The moon reflected steel. A knife was coming her way and it grazed the right side of her waist. Aegis jumped at this person, picking onto the head. Karren moved quickly close in while this stranger was under attack by the Raven. Annoyed she moved Purity onto a sideway angle and sliced through this Strangers body. Blood flew at her clothes, tainting them red, while blood and gore tainted the ground.
Only now she could see that this was a man.
Aegis found herself on Karrens shoulder once more, her pecker coloured red.


She ignored the pain in her side and begun searching through this mans remains, hoping she would find anything that explains what this is about.

 

[Tanstin]

He waited until the rest of his group went off to engage the enemy before walking up towards the lady. The expression on his face was neither menacing nor sly, but simply relaxed as if he had simply pushed the hand of an eager child away from a candy stand while smiling. He saw that she had been cutting the rope but he cared not to hasten. By the time she had done away the ropes he had managed to amble to a good few feet from her; well within conversation distance.

"I'm sorry about that, I am sure you are a great beauty from wherever ye hail from, but why'd you do it? It almost seemed like you were seeing something that wasn't there."

Normally, this would be more fitting if a more regal and contemplating elder was in the place of Willie, and if he was more better equipped to defend himself from an armed warrior, but he paid no heed at the moment, especially to the fight going on some distance away.

He leaned on his walking stick, waiting for a response, his face drawing a blank.

 

[UltimaCircuit]

Priv spit to the side before leaning his head to the left and right, cracking the bones within. The leader of the Gehennian scouts slowly backed up, eyeing the various fights closely before seeing one man cowering in the back, unsure of what to do. A grin came upon the warrior's as he ignored the taunt of well armored man before him. The captain's hand reached to his side, grabbing a brass whistle off of his waist. He then put it to his lips and blew, and the Gehennian soldiers instinctively stopped their fighting. As they all turned to look at him, he rose a fist into the air. Afterwords he swiped his hand to the side before letting out a laugh.

"Alright, time to stop messing around you bunch of pussies! I want their blood on the ground... NOW!"

Cheers rang throughout the forest as the soldiers retaliated once more. Two of the scouts clad in leather armor ran straight at Alexander. As soon as they came upon him, one slashed in a horizontal motion while the other threw a dagger at his head.

"You think that you can handle us... try this!"

One warrior clad in steel armor charged head on at Wolf, a war hammer raised into the air. Sounds of heavy and deep breathing came from behind the helmet, as if the being clad in armor was not even human at all.

"I shall eat your flesh!"

The soldiers that were sparring were Isabel continued their assault, purposefully clashing their blades against their shield in an attempt to batter her against the ground.

"We shall crush you under our foot. FOR GEHEN!"

While the fighting ensued Umbra watched from atop a branch. He looked around at the various fights before hearing the sound of a brush shaking. The rogue quickly looked below to see a small bit of silver hair. A sly grin came upon his face as he hung on the branch upside down like a bat.

"I just can't seem to stay away, hmm?"

And while all the fighting ensued Priv came up from the shroud of shadows, stabbing Perseus in the back. His glove came over his mouth in order to muffle the scream.​

 

[White]

Karren searched through this mans remains, first she looked for bags, any belongings this man could have had that she could use. She found a bag of currency on this mans belt and took it, tying the small bag to the strong her sheathe was tied to.
She moved her hands upwards to the mans chest, putting her hands in every pocket.

On this mans left chest pocket she found what she was looking for, a letter. A letter that was partially soaked with blood, yet the emblem on the letter remained visible.

"The East...", she thought just as she heard an odd sound of movement on a branch above her. Aegis did not jump for an attack, she trusted Aegis and did not react for an attack.

"I just can't seem to stay away, hmm?"
Spoke a voice that she recognized to be Umbras.

"Just as expected" she said, not showing weakness or that she has been wounded. "Hmm..." she stood up and turned around to face umbra. His cape was hanging downwards now, too.
"I need to cut a part of your cape.", she stood there without motion, looking into umbras eyes, coldly. Expecting an answer.



(Kaida's post incoming)

 

[White]

(Karren's post above)

"I am sorry elder, but I do not, in all honesty, remember what happened between the challenge and until your rope got me."
She kept her attention to the battle ahead while answering the old man. Her face showed that she was focused on watching the battle, keeping an eye on every participant on the field.
"Forgive me for not showing the appropriate respect elder, but I must make sure that those attackers will not come too close to us.", she looked briefly over to the old man and gave a small and reassuring smile before returning her attention to the battle ahead.

She noticed that somebody is missing... the attackers leader... whoever he was.

 

[Tanstin]

He pondered hard on the words she spoke. The ordinary man would see that she was simply lying, though Willie was not. He was a well traveled one, though not fully right in the head, he still retained the wisdom of that of an wise man
"If ye truly dont mind miss, then could you tell me why you came here..What redemption do ye suppose to find in these weary lands? Whatever you seek, surely must have some sort of connection back to your home, unless you seek a new life; a new concept altogether."

Now that he thought about it, the other lady who had only made a passing appearance in the mead hall of Biltmore and on the road before vanishing came as a possible reason, but he was far too old to make clueless conjectures just yet. He gazed out into the fight, the clang of steel echoing into the distance. Fighting was all too familiar to Willie.

"These trails are dusty and uncertain, but they share my tale. In days, I may pass a meadow, lose a few things. In other days, I may traverse a desert, and gain a few things, but every trail or hillock can be chosen. So why DID you travel here?"

Speaking like this reminded him of his youth, vague recollections of scholarship, thirst for knowledge and comprehension, but abandoning it in favor of adventure and freedom. Whatever past he had, he could not fully tell himself. At this point he seemed ready to bust out his pipe and a pinch of tobacco.

 

[Wordsmith]

Wolf examined the scene in soberly. Alexander took on the intial contact of the charge, holding his ground solidly. Isabel also held fast, peeling off two soldiers with much ease. Already there was an enemey in the veteran's vicinity.

"HUUH!!" Wolf grunted with a clenched jaw. He kicked his warhorse forward into battle speed to deal with the nightmarish looking warrior. He could see the figure's movements in the moon light, but hardly any other detail could be distinguished in the darkness. The trail's hard packed ground was relatively flat terrain, though a tree strange branch grew across the path.

True Flight was a solid warhorse, but Wolf would take no chances in the crucial exchange. Giving a hand signal to the horse, he reminded it to leap the branch. Bringing his blade as far back as his right arm could go, the veteran tried to time a diagnal slash in tune with the horse's stride.

"HUUYAAAAAH!!!!" Using the tactical advantage of the True Flight's kinetic energy, Wolf aimed to finish it all with one heavy blow.

 

[AAB]

The soldier on Isabel's left made a quick thrust. Isabel stepped right and swung down to deflect it. The man on her right swung for her neck, but Isabel twisted and the blow landed on her armored shoulder. The soldier to her left swung again, and she blocked it with her small shield.

Out of the corner of her eye, Isabel saw Wolf join the fight to her right. Her eyes swept the battlefield. The old man and the Eastern woman did not fight. She would fight Isabel's allies but not her enemies? That was suspicious. Perhaps the men were right about her-

Isabel parried another swing from the attacker on her right. Teran was still near her, those missing were still missing, she didn't see the doctor either-

Isabel stepped toward her left attacker as he took his next swing. The point of his sword passed her, the blade near the hilt contacting with her breastplate. Isabel turned her back to her second assailant and twisted her own sword up to disable the first's sword-arm.

 

[Eternalfire61]

The trees sat silent as the battle continued to escalate. Priv had taken one of theirs, and he would do so to many more. With heavy breaths, he charged forth toward the horse riding Wolf. In a succession of moves, he slammed into True Flight at full force. The buildup up energy knocked Wolf off of the horse and into one of the trees. True Flight neighed in pain as it fell to the ground. In a fit of rage, Priv stabbed the horse and then headed toward the stunned Wolf.

Wolf coughed as his vision slowly came together. His restored sight only showed the large blade coming toward him. For a moment everything slowed down. He could hear the screams of his fellow mercenaries and the enemy. Priv's sword pierced Wolf's chest which made him exhale. Blood began to pour from his chest as Priv left the sword in his chest to try to finish off the rest of the warriors. "I'll fucking coming for you, you fucking bastard." Wolf sat his head up against the tree and let nature do it's work.

Teran swung his sword in a rather awkward way. He wasn't the cream of the crop when it came to fighting. Each strike was easily blocked by the deft scout. "This is boring old man! How about you go back 'ome and grab yer cane!" Teran brushed the insult off of his shoulder and continued to slash and stab.

Alexander had joined the group in battle, and was dodging between trees to help. His eyes darted to see who he would take on, but his gaze reached Teran's small duel. "I'll help the old man first." Swiftly, he ran toward the pair and then slashed at the Gehennian scout. The cocky scout was about to remove the arms from Teran's body, but it was stopped by Alexander's sword entering his head. Teran nodded to Alexander, they both ran toward Isabel to be able to assist her in her battle.

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