The Tales of Agganoth

[DarinValore]

[fieldbox="Westhollow The Raven's Cry, green, solid"]
"Agreed," Darin nodded at Wymond. Whatever was going on in this town, it was none of their business at the moment. The Raven's Cry seemed to be their next step, so without another word or distraction, Darin led the group through the streets. Luckily for them, it seemed that the streets were the first things cleared. Piles of rubble sat on the edges against the buildings waiting for the carts to come to carry them away.

The closer they drew to the Raven's Cry, the harder it was to identify ruined structure from rundown buildings, which ones had been damaged in the disaster versus which ones were surrendering to years of poor maintenance. Sober, working people gave way to stumbling drunks. Carnal sounds arose from alleys making Darin uneasy. He cleared his throat and let out a breath he did not know he was holding when the Raven's Cry finally came into view, "There," he pointed, "We can tie off the horse, get ourselves rooms, and then we can start your search, Catriona."

A tide of laughter burst through the door of the Raven's Cry as they swung open. A big, burly man stepped out with a second, shorter, lanky man in tow, "C'mon, Telly, don't wanna keep 'em waitin'," he stumbled, "We gots a schedule ta keep," he slapped Telly's back just as he synced his steps with the burly man. The blow sent Telly stumbling forward. He caught himself on the post where the horses were tide off.

With a drunken chuckle, Telly cleared the post but his lack of balance caused him to stumble toward Catriona.

"Hey," Darin hollered.

Telly stepped back with his hands up and a chuckle that only lasted a moment before his eyes landed on Catriona, "Sorry miss-" he paused, "Hey, Ordy," he called out to the bigger man, "Come 'ere."

Ordy stumbled over, "What is it, ya oof?"

"Look at 'er," Telly replied.

"Ah," Ordy replied after a quick study leaning forward allowing the candlelight to expose the tattoo on his neck, "bring's back good memories."

"That's enough," Darin said as he took a step toward them. His grip tightened on his dagger stilled tucked in his belt to hide the shaking. Killing with a bow was far easier for him.

"Don't get your pants in a bunch," Telly took a step back pulling Ordy with him, "We was just leavin'."

"Ya," Ordy scanned the four standing before him, "Just leavin'. Got people waitin' on us."
[/fieldbox]

 

[Elle Joyner]

As she tied Taura to the post outside of the door, a wariness came to her actions that suggested she was none-too-eager to leave her horse or cart outside such a volatile establishment. There was no question in her mind that this particular part of town was where she would find her answers, but it lacked a certain appeal, even for someone who had spent the last several days following a rather unsavory man about.

Looping Taura's reins a second time, she glanced up when the door to the tavern swung open and a figure, shoved by his friend, staggered all too close to where she stood. As Darin took up a place of defense, Catriona frowned in disapproval at the brash behavior of the two men, slate eyes dancing between the pair only briefly, before they landed on the tattoo on the larger man's neck.

In her mind, she could see him... sitting at the bar in the tavern, pooling his forth ale down the front of his jerkin, bulbous fingers itching at the mark at the edge of his hairline, black ink, distinct, even in the wan light of the fireplace. She had sat in the corner until he'd gone up to his room, and waited until he'd stumbled down the following morning. Then she had followed him into the heart of Norcrest... Lost him, in the chaos of the explosion, when Ardryan had come to her aid... Lost him, and lost hope.

Until that moment.

Her breath hitched and her skin lost its color as she recoiled backwards, gripping the post beside her. She bit her cheek to force the rage back, her eyes stinging, filling, watching until they departed on their drunken way. When they had finally gone, she let out an exhalation and her knees nearly buckled as she caught herself on the post again, "It's them..." She whispered, voice hot with disdain, "That mark on his neck... I know it. It's them!"

---

TAGS || @Jays, @DarinValore, @Ultra Paradox

 

[Jays]

Ardryan's knuckles were bone white, his grip on his spear suffocatingly tight. He couldn't drag his eyes away from the people on the platform, farmers in rags, strangers that he had never seen before in his life, yet their anguish stoked a fire of fury within him that turned his vision red.

This was what he fought to protect? This was what thousands of good men, much better than any he saw in front of him right then, sacrificed their lives for? Ignorance and stupidity? Their cruelty and petty evil were not what angered him, rather it was the devaluing of an ideal that while he himself did not believe in, men he respected the most, men he would gladly die for did. It was the suggestion that they had bled and suffered to preserve something that held more semblance to the very enemy they were being protected from than their home.

Slowly, painfully deliberate, Ardryan loosened his death grip on the spear shaft one finger at a time. Fury bled out of him in the space between a few breathes, leaving behind disappointment. For a unbearably prolonged moment, he had wanted to lash out, to strike down those in front of him and punish them for their casual malevolence. That moment, however, ended quickly. These men were not to blame, they were merely the product of a society he had never realized had always been rotten. He might have very well been one of them had life chosen for him a different path. The echoing disillusionment and regret he found in himself was startling. Ardryan had never been an idealist. Perhaps Lorraine had gotten to him, after all.

He was quiet for a long time afterwards, barely hearing the conversation between his companions and the bustling, half-panicked crowd around them. Darin's shout finally broke him out of his memories, and he glanced up to see men stumbling past them. Something seemed familiar about these two. Ah, yes.

"I recognize it as well." said Ardryan quietly, his head turned away but his eyes tracking the two's feet. "We can follow them, now. Jump them when they pass somewhere quiet, or at where they're staying. Two I can take, if they don't know I'm there. More and I'd need Darin." Already, a battle plan was being formed in his mind, scenarios conjured and tested. His feet shifted toward the direction of the two thugs, ready to stride off. The rage he felt minutes before returned, whispering to him the prospect of violence.

---

@Elle Joyner @DarinValore @Ultra Paradox

 

[Reina]

Sindri | Alana | Rayela​

Rayela flew by the shops and houses, hair slapping against her face, wings carrying her farther away from the pursuers who called out her name, demanding she stop, that he couldn't do anything along and threatening that she wasn't going anywhere. Her breath staggered as she stumbled across the dirt road. Rayela could not concentrate on the voices enough to recognize it was Sindri and Alana. She could only flee. The agonizing pain of the glass burrowing itself into the heel of her foot stopped her from moving forward. She tried to take another step and collapsed onto a patch of grass nearby, heart pounding like a gong, left foot searing with a sting like a thousand wasps. Rayela shivered as she heard their footsteps closing in on her. She closed her eyes and braced herself for a scimitar or dagger to come at her neck.

Sindri held back as the woman requested. Rayela seemed to be in a panic, and after his chasing her through the streets in full view of everyone else who was out he wasn't too far off. Better to let her take the lead while he unscrambled his mind. Something had made her panic. Was it the realisation of what was going on? Just as his mind unclouded, the other woman referred to him as someone who knew where they should go and the intense pounding ring around his head returned. He sighed, trying to organise his thoughts. "Erm, well, I'm going to be honest with you… I don't. The only thing that could save us from this is if the Oracle is returned and I have no idea where she is."

Rayela was surprised when she did not feel the sharp blade of a sword slice across her neck. She lifted her head to the woman who was sticking her hand out to help her up. Sindri's familiar voice entered the atmosphere and she breathed a sigh of relief, but did not yield to her friend's words. "I can't go back. He's going to kill me, Alana. The Tumaran is in the inn. He spared me a glance and I knew right away that my husband had sent him to kill me because I ran away."

Alana wasn't sure how to respond. The man from the inn had no idea where to go and Rayela was running from a husband intent on killing her. Her emerald eyes glanced from one to the other but refused to lower her hand. She didn't know what was the next step but getting Rayela out of the square was a good enough start. She gestured for Rayela to take her hand again. "You can't stay here, Rayela. You've hurt yourself again and if your husband has truly sent men to find you then you are a much easier target now than you were at the inn. We aren't going to let anyone take you." Her eyes moved over to the man now, "Right? We'll make a plan...together. We have to go somewhere." Alana wasn't sure if she should trust him or not but with the events of the day prior, did she have any other choice?

Sindri nodded. "Nobody should be alone right now. What can you do? You can't run on that foot anymore. Your best option now is to let Jacobus treat it, while we plan out what to do."

Goosebumps crawled on her skin as she considered what might happen. This world was filled with dangerous men. Sindri was right though. She had injured herself again amidst running away. It would be a fool's wish to not get another injury treated and raise the risk of getting caught by her husband. Her breath shook as she gingerly took a hold of Alana's hand.

"You must promise to protect me. I can't defend myself."

Sindri smiled slightly. "I'm no knight in shining armor...but if you need it I shall."

Alana wrapped her fingers tightly around Rayela's hand and pulled her onto her feet. "Good. For a second there I thought I would have to have this man toss you over his shoulder and drag you back to the inn." She smiled at Rayela but she was only half joking on the thought. She held tightly to Rayela's forearm so she could use Alana as a crutch to take the weight off her foot. "Luckily we aren't too far from the inn." Alana returned her attention to the man beside them as they began to walk carefully back. "Perhaps you can check on who this Tumaran is when we get back? It would help Rayela to know if the Tumaran was actually sent by her husband."

Sindri frowned. "I know of one Tumaran at the inn...though I hope he's not here to kill her. He seemed a decent sort, helped an unconscious man to safety after the incident. I'll ask Jacobus if there's any others." He turned to face the woman who had run with him. "Sindri Hermod, Skald of Eldrassir."

Alana nodded her head and returned Sindri's greeting. "Alana Mcale. Thank you for agreeing to help us."

He shook his head. "No need. As a very wise man said to me once, we must do what we can at times like these."

Rayela leaned against Alana a bit as the three headed back to the inn. "Who was the Tumaran you saw, Sindri? Did he have long brown hair that was pulled back and dark brown eyes?"

He frowned. "Yes...that was him. You've seen him before?"

"I haven't. But I know my husband. He wouldn't let me go so easily. He's an excellent tracker and would take any help he could get."

Alana raised a brow as she looked towards Rayela. "You're not even certain the man was sent by your husband? Rayela, have you considered the fact that perhaps he was not sent by your husband at all? Perhaps he's just a Tumaran who happened to be in Norcrest just like the rest of us?" She couldn't help but shake her head slightly. "There is only one way to know for sure." Alana turned her attention to Sindri, "You're just going to have to find out."

The inn wasn't too far. With Rayela cutting her foot on the glass, she hadn't run off to great of a distance. The inn came into view quickly and Alana could feel Rayela tense up beside her. She wasn't sure if Rayela had reason to or not but she knew paralyzing fear, knew it all too well and she didn't want Rayela to continue to feel that way. Sindri seemed strong enough. If the Tumaran had in fact come for Rayela, Sindri could stop him which was why he entered inside first.

Sindri led the way into the inn, seeing Atum and Shireen seated at the table within. Alana and Rayela followed behind but remained by the door. If the Tumaran was there for Rayela, Alana was going to have to make a run for it and with Rayela hurt, they were going to need all the time they could get. Sindri headed over to the table. "Hey, Atum. Can I have a word?"

@SkittlesAndSpike @Greenie @RJS @Kat @La Reina

 

[Ultra Paradox]

Wymond watched as the men eyed Catriona. Their eyes had far deeper and more sinister intentions than what was portrayed on the surface. Wymond furrowed his brow, putting his hand on the hilt of the sword and tapping it twice as a fair warning. He quickly threw his free hand out in front of Darin when he saw him reaching for the hilt and shook his head, "Let em be Darin," He whispered, "This isn't the right time or place to be fighting."

He watched the behemoth of a man with the neck tattoo declare that he had somewhere to be, not wanting to waste time on the group. Yet Wymond kept an eye on him as he left their vicinity. His fingers slowly unraveled from the hilt of his sword and he shifted his bag of things so that it fit just right upon his shoulders. He looked at Catriona as she got really close to them, confidently declaring their identity. "Those were the men?" Wymond could still see them as they turned the corner at the end of the decrepit block. This part of the neighborhood was certainly under-financed, and extremely abused by the township or even the king himself.

The cobblestone road was a mess, potholes could be seen every couple of steps making it hard for any carriage to come through. Since their arrival he hasn't seen one guard patrol through this section, there's a bunch of little kids in rags running around, and mischievous groups of men hanging about on every other block. Wymond was still analyzing their surroundings when Ardryan proposed the idea. Wymond shook his head, "No, we mustn't do anything, at least not yet."

He shifted his eyes over to one of those gangs of men, who kept glancing this way, over by the carriage and at them. "We're in unknown parts Ardryan, we don't know who is our 'friend' and we certainly have no idea who is our foe. It could be seen the same way from their end as well, but chances are they have more friends than foes around these parts."

He cleared his throat and looked away from the group of men off in the distance to avoid any suspicion, "I would say we keep a close eye on them, but yet again we wouldn't know how many eyes are on us. Let's stay here for now, and tonight when they hang those deemed guilty for the explosions, we'll find them shrouded in guise of the night. Time is the least of our worries, we have found our targets, so now we must move when ready and not in haste."

He walked up to the doors then turned to face Catriona, "Yet the decision isn't mine, it is only yours. You lead, and I follow."

 

[Spekkun]

Atum had been discussing the information that he and Shireen had received from the drunk when Sindri approached him. He turned his head, giving a small nod of acknowledgment as he greeted the man. "Hello, of course." It was curious, what did he wish to talk about? Perhaps it was about the kind old man. "What do you wish to speak about?" He stood, turning to face Sindri and give him his complete and undivided attention.

The Eldarissan's face seemed troubled, eyebrows furrowed. "Why did you come to Norcrest, Atum?"

The question caused a small frown to creep its way onto Atum's face. The nature of the question was fair, if not a bit curious. It seemingly came from nowhere. "Why do you ask?" He countered, but then shook his head, shaking his frown along with it. He had nothing to hide, so he may as well answer."I came here for fresh start, to get back on my feet. When I heard the King would be giving a speech, I figured I may as well come and listen. My trip is two parts business, one part pleasure."

Sindri seemed hesitant, but pressed on with his questioning. "What form does that business take?"

Atum raised an eyebrow. Now this was even more curious. "I am only looking to make some coin and start a living."Now he felt it was his turn to ask Sindri something. "I have to ask, why all the questions?"

He sighed heavily, shaking his head. "I'm trying to work out why someone in this inn was so terrified of you that they ran in a blind panic the moment they saw you. Why they continued to run even with a shard of glass buried in their foot." He paused, seemingly searching for words. "Ah, fuck it, there's no good way to ask this. Are you here to kill a woman, or to drag her back to her husband in Tumar?"

Shireen couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the rather blunt question. Her eyes shifted away from the two at the table to the women standing by the doorway, in particular the one with the bleeding foot. "Seems a rather harsh question, that."

The frown from before graced Atum's face once again. He found the question far more than just a little upsetting. "Sindri, have I done something to warrant such a question? Is my character that questionable?" He could recall doing nothing even remotely worthy of this line of questioning. The two men hardly knew each other, but he supposed that was why he was being asked. The frown ever increasing, and threatening to turn into a scowl, he spoke again, short and quick. "No. I am not. I have better things to do with my time, Sindri."

The tension on Sindri's face seemed to melt away. "I'm sorry for asking...but given what happened earlier I had to be sure. I'm sorry if I caused you any offence." He turned back to the women."Rayela, I don't know where you got that idea from, but he's not here to kill you or take you away. Now, please stay in one place for long enough for Jacobus to get that glass out?"

 

[Elle Joyner]

She had been so afraid that she was wrong. That she had only seen what she wanted to see... that she was so desperate for success that she had forced it to happen.

So when Ardryn confirmed that the mark was familiar, Rion felt a powerful twinge of vindication... a short lived twinge that swiftly translated into irritation at Wymond's insistence they wait. They had come so far, and when all had seemed lost, she had found her lead again and he wanted to let them walk away? To wait and hope that they could pick up the trail... that the drunk men could be so easily located a second time, and potentially sober? She had seen the size of the marked men, and despite present company, she had no doubt he would be a fearsome opponent once the alcohol burned out of his system.

"No..." She breathed as she straightened fully upright, "No... I have already lost one lead. I cannot lose another!"

"It's not about whether or not you will lose another lead, Catriona. It's about making sure you live long enough to do what you need to do," Darin stated as he shifted his weight. He had settled on following Wymond into the Raven's Cry, but Catriona seemed to have a different plan. Despite his words, he could see the determination in her eyes, "Let me do it, then," he suggested, "I'm a hunter by trade. Tracking two drunk men through the streets will be easier than hunting any beast in the forest. I can do it without being noticed and when night falls, I can take you to them. It's less risky than four of us suspiciously following them."

With a sharp breath, Catriona's eyes shifted in the direction the men had gone, an uneasiness in her expression. The idea of leaving it in someone else's hands was more than uncomfortable… She was terrified by the notion, but there was a confidence in his tone that was perhaps the encouragement she needed, "You won't lose them? I cannot start over again, Darin…"

"I won't," he returned confidently, "Stay with Wymond and Ardryan. They'll ensure your safety," he hoped he was right. They were four strangers drawn together. In truth, he knew nothing of any of them, "I will return and lead you to them," he promised.

For a moment, she seemed to war with a decision, studying the man before her with extreme prejudice. It was only with a moment, but it might've stretched on the remainder of the evening if it weren't for his sincerity… She had nearly died in Norcrest, because she had underestimated the man she was pursuing, and because of her own foolishness, Ardryan had to interfere and the man wound up dead.

She could not afford to make the same mistake, twice…

"Please…" She started, with a note of vulnerability, "...and be careful."

With a nod, he glanced to the two other men. He hoped he was right about them, "And you as well," he told her before he dismissed himself and headed after his prey.

---

TAGS || Collab with @DarinValore, @Ultra Paradox, @Jays

 

[Wishlist]

Isha'a shuffled in her seat as she played with her breakfast. The inn's dining area had since cleared out of most of its patrons. Save a few who hadn't already looked to get out of the city, the inn was surprisingly empty. Isha'a pulled her plate closer nipping gingerly at the remaining bits of bread and cold eggs. In truth, Isha'a was relieved. Normally, the crowds of people didn't bother her, but the air of the city seemed much more—heavy. Between the antics of the patrons and the speculation about the room, there was plenty of cause.

She looked to a nearby table to see the two women who had saved her the day before speaking with someone she didn't recognize. It was hard for her to tell from where she was sitting, but it seemed like something had happened since the small group had returned to the inn. As the man with them left to speak with one of the others in the room, Isha'a slowly began to walk over to the group. Quietly, she set her plate onto an empty spot on the table and looked for a place to sit. She avoided eye contact with the both Alana and Rayela as she began to poke at her food again. A sense of unease settled about her; it was one such feeling that she just couldn't seem to shake.

Peering around the corner into the bar proper, Isha'a made sure to keep herself out of sight of the town guards. Her mind lingered on the possibilities. She had recently made her way out of her room to see yet another commotion brewing up. Who knows what these guards would want in the half-empty inn? Shrinking back, she pressed herself against the wall and listened in. Her eyes widened as the captain and her entourage made their way through the bar.

"The King has asked us to see if we might be of any assistance to the people of Norcrest—"

'I shouldn't be here-' she thought to herself.​

The inn was quiet enough this morning and things seemed to be under control, Isha's reasoned. Yet, there was no time for speculation. The sight of the captain marching towards her, if only in her general direction, quickly sent Isha'a looking for a place to hide. She nearly fled back up the stairs towards her room if it weren't for the drunk that seemed to draw as much attention from the captain as it did her ire. There were a few tense moments in the room as the drunk continued to ramble. But eventually, the guards left with everyone luckily no worse off than they had entered. After a bit of a pause, the inn returned to the usual low din of the morning.

Relieved, Isha'a carefully snuck back into the bar proper. The patrons about for breakfast seemed to be more concerned with their own conversations to notice her slip over to an empty table. She looked over the bar with sort of wistful look on her features absent-mindedly twirling her hair in her hands. Fading further and further away from the scenes unfolding before her, Isha'a didn't even notice how her gaze settled on the food on the nearby tables.

"You doin' alright there, miss?"
​

Jumping a bit in her seat, Isha'a had not yet even turned to greet the new voice before a plate of breakfast clattered onto the table in front of her. In their surprise, she could only stare at the bread and sort of gawk as their mind failed to form a proper response. A silence settled between them as Isha'a awkwardly crossed an arm across her chest. The innkeeper let out a chuckle, if only to ease the tensions, and took a seat next to Isha'a.

"Heh, don' worry about the food. You seem like you could use a break. -And I've already been giving out free food—don' see why this would be a problem."

Isha'a put on her best smile, "Oh, yes thank you, sir—" she responded automatically, "I very much so appreciate it.

Loosening up now, the innkeeper offered a honest smile back, "It's nothin', lass. In fact, it's the least I could do."​

Turning to her plate of food, Isha'a picked up her fork starting to poke at her eggs. Her stomach grumbled, almost impatiently, as she started to carefully nibble on her breakfast. The innkeeper patiently waited a while content with silence as Isha'a started to more eagerly take to her food.

"Now, I don' plan to ask more 'bout your reasonin' for being in the city. If I could be honest, it's really none of my concern. Just take care of yourself, lass," he said as he glanced over to meet the gaze of a few others across the room.

Standing up, he turned to attend to some of the other patrons in the bar. "Seems like there's someone else who needs some attention. Don't hesitate to ask if you need anythin'."​

Isha'a nodded back giving a spoon-filled, muffled 'mhmm—' through the food in her mouth. Chuckling, the innkeeper gave a wave before they left to attend to the rest of the commotions in the room. It was there again that Isha'a found themselves on her own. The innkeeper's words bubbled up in her mind and she looked across the room over to some familiar faces—

 

[junebug]

Fingers played with the hem of her dirtied dress as she observed Sindri and the Tumaran. She held her breath as Sindri pulled back from the conversation and made his way over to her, the bearer of well, good and bad news. He wasn't after her, but now, she had to deal with the uneasiness and suspicion she felt around him. Rayela could not rid herself of the lingering paranoia. Perhaps she had mistaken the man for someone else. She didn't know how.

"Fine," she mumbled, her cheeks burning with embarrassment and guilt. She'd been positive it was him. Her hopes were crushed. Rayela limped over to a nearby table as Jacobus approached her with a sewing kit in hand and some medical tools. Obviously, he'd been aware of what'd happened. She sighed, ready for any kind of scolding he might do.

"Well, look at ye lass. Gon' and hurt ye foot." He shook his head and Rayela knew he was disappointed. He'd given her clear instruction last night to rest well and not be active. Her actions had made the consequences worse than what they could've been. Her bandage had loosened and she felt particularly woozy from running. She leaned against the back of the chair, staring at her blood on the towel Jacobus had laid across his lap as he examined her foot.

"Elana! Sweep that blood up!" he called out and lifted her leg a bit. "Ye got somethin' lodged in there quite a bit. What were ye doin'?"

Rayela sank back into the wooden chair. "I was running and I stepped on something sharp."

"And ye kept on it too. Probably glass considerin' what happened recently."

She grimaced and fidgeted with her dress. Glass. Just her luck.

"How will you get it out?"

"Forceps, lass. This requires immediate attention. Lay down on the table please."

Rayela did as asked and Jacobus beckoned Sindri and Alana over. "Hold her down. This is gonna hurt and if she moves around a lot, there's gonna be a higher chance of the glass bein' stuck deeper and harder for me to get out."

Rayela's heart pounded in her chest. She didn't like the idea of being touched, much less the idea of being held down against her will.

"I'm sorry lass. Please try to stay still as best ya can."

He turned around to grab a pair of forceps and gauze. Rayela stared up at the ceiling, frightened, wondering if she could really stay still like he wanted. She could not voice her fears though and waited silently for the next step, hoping that this would all be over soon.

The procedure had been considerably difficult, though nothing Jacobus was new to. Once Rayela's foot was bandaged, Jacobus instructed Sindri and Alana to keep an eye on her and make sure she didn't run off again or put pressure on her foot. He redid her head bandage and sent her off to her friends. Rayela nervously played with her hair as she moved to sit down at another empty table. Her screams echoed in her mind and the temporary agony she'd been in had felt like a year.

"At least it's over now, at least it's over now," she told herself.

TAGS: @RJS @La Reina

 

[Ultra Paradox]

"Yeah," Wymond nodded in agreeance to Darin following after the two. He was hunter, and hunters can track just about anything with even the slightest clue. After spending the last two days with Darin by his side, Wymond received the notion that he was reliable man. He stayed calm during stressful situations like the explosion in Norcrest, honorable enough to stay by Wymond's side even as he buried his daughter, and helpful willing to work alongside Catriona. "Be very careful though Darin, I have a bad feeling about the people around here and the guards don't seem to care about what happens. Come back here as soon as you find out where they're staying. If you're not back by nine tonight, we'll come out to find you."

He watched the blonde man walk away, towards where he last saw the two suspicious looking men and then he turned back to face the other two. "I think he's got this," Wymond smiled at Catriona, to at least ease her nerves, yet he couldn't help but feel a little anxious himself. "Well, let's go on then, I need a drink."

He stepped into Raven's Cry, and it was bustling with a huge number of people sitting at tables, some of them the remnants of the blast from Norcrest talking about their experience. Others from here, sharing their own events. Talks of end times were becoming a common thing in the room, since no one was able to have a solid night of rest and these strange set of scary explosions were causing massive amounts of deaths throughout towns. Wymond looked about at the crowd, and despite the dangerous vicinity, he truly felt safe in here. Behind the double door there were two large men standing guard at the door, and the bartender was serving drinks with a few assistants going around and setting drinks on the table of guests.

Wymond walked over to the counter and sat on a stool, "One glass of your finest ale please,"

"Coming right up," The Bartender nodded and before he ran off Wymond would stop him.

"How much?"

"Everyone's first glass is on the house," He smiled and went off.

Wymond sighed, and placed his forehead over both his arms, resting on the counter. He was tapped on the shoulders and when he looked up noticed a beautiful girl that sat besides him. She smiled at him and giggled, "Your first time in this town?"

He didn't notice the scar on her forehead until he took a second look at her. She was about his age, he can tell, but yet she could have passed on for someone who was far younger. "Oh?" He laughed and looked down at his hands, "My first time in the last fifteen or so years, yeah."

She placed a finger on her lip and cocked her eyebrow with a sly smile, "You don't happen to be Wymond right? Boy you sure got old."

Wymond's eyes widened. He remembered that scar. This was Hagrid's mother. She hasn't changed since he last saw her way back when. "Mary?"

"Wymond?"

"Woah!" Wymond sat up straight, "It's been so long. How have you been?"

"Good, good. Hagrid has a family now, and he's even married. A change man he says, but I think he still runs with..." She looked around and then leaned in a bit,"Your old gang."

Wymond shifted to look at Catriona and Ardryan, hoping they didn't hear her. He quickly became serious motioning himself even closer so that no one could overhear anything,"I told you not to mention that part of my life anymore the last time I saw you."

She giggled and shook her head, "Oh stop it Wymond, you get old and you suddenly think you can tell an old lady what to do." She moved back a bit, "Go see him, he hasn't moved."

"Sir," The bartender called and Wymond shot up, "Your nose...it's bleeding."

"Huh?" Wymond wiped his nose with his hand and watched as it stained his finger, "The hell?"

"Here's your drink," He placed the glass down, "Want a napkin?"

"Yes please," Wymond nodded and took a swig from his drink and turned to look at Mary, "As I was-" He blinked twice and looked around. "M-Mary?"

She vanished, just like that. Something was wrong. Even worse, something must've been wrong with him.

 

[DarinValore]

[fieldbox="The Raven's Cry, gold, solid"]

The Raven's Cry was bustling with life. Laughter, song, and dance filled the room despite the decrepit state of the recovering town and the midday hours. The bar was lined with patrons sitting on stools ordering drink after drink, making themselves easy marks for the women who weaved effortlessly between them picking their pockets or leading them off for other tasks that would lead to the same ends. Almost every table was filled with obnoxious laughter and crude humor as the barmaids delivered drink and food. Still, there were some things that stood out among the ruckus.

In the far corner of the room sat a lone young woman. Her body rocked with silent sobs, her eyes red. An invisible bubble of grief pushed away patrons who found themselves trying their best to avoid her foul mood. What bothered her, no one knew because none felt the need to seek her out and investigate. So alone she sat, her drink untouched and her heart overflowing with sorrow.

At the opposite side of the room sat a group of seven. Their tattoos separated them from the other patrons who took a wide berth to ensure they did not disturb the rambunctious posse. Any young woman, barmaid or patron, who wondered too close found themselves quickly ensnared by wondering hands while the men's eyes looked on daring any man to try and stop them. They did as they wished without consequence knowing that none could oppose them.

In the center of the room sat a man dirty as though he had been working among the rubble all morning long. Surrounding him sat men and women sharing the same apparel. His tools leaned against the table and a fleeting smile graced his lips as conversation carried on. Something weighed heavy on his heart evidenced by the way his eyes seemed to dart away and stare off at times, but it seemed as though he did not wish to share it with the others at the table. Perhaps it was better to keep it to himself, or maybe he just needed someone to express interest in his heart ache.

All manner of conversation filled the room. It almost seemed as though this section of the town did not share the same gloom that poured freely from the pores of the remaining townfolk. Perhaps the Raven's Cry just served as a sanctuary for those who felt the weight of reality once more when they stepped outside its doors.
[/fieldbox]

 

[Elle Joyner]

Stepping into the tavern, Rion's eyes scanned through the crowd, colored with a certain venom. She had agreed to let Darin follow the others, but it had been a reluctant acquiescence, and irritation itched at her as she watched Wymond disappear into the throng of people.

In the corner she could see a woman, sobbing in silence, given as wide a berth, as the other patrons dared not disturb her... And for a moment, Rion felt a pang of pity that overwhelmed her fury. Even distracted by her own goals, she could not ignore that there was a certain weight to the town... She recalled the women and man she had seen when they passed through the square, the warning from the guard...

And to her credit, she had intended to let her feet carry her to the woman, some part of her still empathetic enough to the needs of others to want to comfort those broken and in need... And she might've made it, had it not been for the sudden bellow of laughter that stole her attention towards the crew of men in the corner.

Tattoo after tattoo... Unmistakably familiar. Her stomach knotted and the angle of her attention shifted instantly. Her fingers brushed the hard edged hilt of the knife, tucked hidden into her belt and she turned back to Ardryan, eyes narrowing, "Stay here..."

Whether he'd listen or not, she couldn't judge, but it was of little concern as soon as she moved away from him. She crossed the room to the bar where a tray of flagons awaited one of the serving girls, who flirted and floundered among the crowd. Sweeping it up, Rion turned and taking a steadying breath, carried it across to the group of marked men on the other side.

"Quite the ruckus you boys are causin'..." She murmured with an easy smile, "Need a topoff?"

---

TAGS || @DarinValore, @Ultra Paradox, @Jays

 

[Jays]

"What are you doing?" Ardryan hissed at Catriona's back, catching a glimpse of the tattoos the moment she did. He considered grabbing her arm and pulling her back from whatever she was about to do, but already she was out of his reach. Fuming silently, he marched to a table near the tattooed men and tried to keep all of them in the corner of his vision.

"Hey, fellas," the loudest of the men spoke first, quieting the rest just as Catriona approached them, "More drink!" He called out as he swept one after the other off the tray and began passing them around. Once the tray was empty, his attention turned immediately to Catriona, "and a sweet young thing ta boot!" His tongue darted across his lips as he reached for her.

Dancing back, away from the hand, Catriona grinned, wagging a finger of her freehand, "No you don't… The drinks are free, but that'll cost ya." Holding the tray to her side, her eyes flickered between the men, and she gestured to one of the tattoos, "You boys in some sort of club or something?"

Her rejection caused the others to laugh, "It'll cost'cha, Cadan," mocked one of the men.

Cadan's cheeks reddened and annoyance flashed across his face. He was about to speak when she shot her question at him. The whole table fell silent almost instantly, "Club or something?" Cadan asked, "You ain't heard of us?"

"Don't seem that way, Cadan," the man from before spoke again.

Cadan's jaw clenched and he swelled up to make himself look larger, "We're the Untamed," he growled as he rose slowly from his chair. His hand snaked to a dagger at his waist and in one swift motion, he drew it and slammed it against the table top. Suddenly, an eruption of laughter tore from the throats of all the men as Cadan fell back into his chair, "You ain't from 'round here, are you?"

Her eyes flickered to the dagger, and a brow lifted as she shrugged, with a small twitter of laughter that held just the edge of nerves, "...Pretty new to the area. Came up from Drakos, to help my uncle around the inn. Don't mean to offend. I just wondered, is all. A big bunch of burly men like you lot… Catches the eye."

The more she talked, the harder Ardryan winced. It was bound to lead to disaster, her teasing. What was her plan? His grip on the edge of his table was bone white, yet indecision held him back. Not yet, he thought. Perhaps she really did have a plan. He wished very, very hard that it was so.

"Uncle?" Cadan shifted. His eyes turned toward the counter and he yelled, "Tomas, I didn't know you had such a beautiful niece!"

The man at the counter stopped and looked toward Cadan, "What?" he yelled back.

"I said, I didn't know you had a-," Cadan scowled and tossed his hand toward the barkeep, "Bah, nevermind you deaf fool," turning his attention back to Catriona, he continued, "I do hope you took after his sister and not him. I wouldn't want my new woman to be a complete fool like Tomas."

Fighting the urge to glance back at the bartender, to give herself away completely, she held her breath until the man had moved on, grateful he wasn't the sort to press… grateful Tomas was a deaf idiot.

"...Your new woman?" She asked, with a small smirk, "Awfully bold of you."

"I see," he smirked and reached for her again, "I take."

She didn't shift away this time, though internally, she grimaced and fought hard the urge to reach for her knife, "I recall saying that would cost ya…" She murmured, with an air of teasing.

"I've got coin enough for three of ya," he said as his fingers wrapped around her forearm. With a single tug he pulled her into his lap and with his free hand, he scooped out a few coins from his purse tied to his hip, "You," he dropped the first coin in her hand, "Can," the second on her lap, "Have more," he slipped the other under the shoulder of her clothing. A smile spread across his lips and he winked, "If you want."

"Well…" Her eyes flickered to the coin in her lap and picking it up, she turned it over in her hand, smiling faintly, "I suppose that'll do…"

The table roared with cheers and laughter over their friend's success. Cadan's eyes hungrily took in Rion before he stood to his feet, the woman in his arms, "Well, boys," he smiled, "It seems I have some business to attend to," he took a step away before turning back for a moment, "Don't wait up!"

More cheers and laughter arose before one of the men spoke, "Tell us how she is. I just might have a few coins for her, too!"

Arms slung lazily across the man's broad shoulders, Rion smirked, "Oi… Wait your turns…" Flashing a wink to the men they left behind, she waited until they were far enough away from the cacophony of the bar, before she turned her eyes back to Cadan, "...Now then. Why don't you put me down, and let me earn those coins, hmm?"

Chuckling, Cadan lowered her to her feet. His fingers began to work at his belt. Pausing, he glared at her, "You'd best please me. I'm far gentler than some of the others and if I tell them you couldn't please me, they just might be worse."

"You shouldn't worry…" She started, with a small smile, but as his fingers dove for his belt, her own shifted to her side and gripped the hilt of the knife. The motion was swift, and she carried into it what she had learned from dealing with the raider in Norcrest… bringing the blade up in one motion to press into the soft flesh beneath his jaw, "I've no concerns about pleasing you… Move or make a sound, however, and I will end you."

Anger flashed across his face and burned like a consuming fire in his eyes. No matter how badly it seemed he wanted to rip into the woman who had tricked him, the bite of the cold steel into his neck made him do little more than nod. He swallowed down his desires, "What do you want," he growled through clenched teeth.

"To gut you, and watch you bleed out where you lay…" She hissed, pressing the blade just a little closer, "Fortunately for you, you've some use to me alive. Nearly a fortnight ago, your people massacred a family on the outskirts of Eldrassir. A vineyard. I want to know why… and then I want you to tell me who it was. Their names and where I can find them."

Cadan growled, his eyes locking on hers, "What's it to you? It was just a vineyard owned by some rich fools. They had more than they needed. We just helped them part with it," his eyes dared her to do something stupid, "you aren't going to kill me. If you do, you won't walk out of this place alive."

"They were my family… and that was your first mistake." Giving the blade just the slightest twitch, she nicked the surface of his neck, just enough to sting, "Your second mistake was assuming I came here alone. Now… the names and locations, before I decide you're not worth the trouble."

Cadan grunted as the blade nicked him, "Watch it!" he growled. His eyes scanned the faces of the crowd trying to identify her help, "You're bluffing. No one would be foolish enough to come after us."

"Remember… I don't take after Tomas. Though I'm starting to suspect you might." Tightening her grip, her eyes narrowed, "Don't test me. Or did you forget that you and those bastard friends of yours made certain I have nothing to lose?"

"Alright, alright," Cadan returned, "I wasn't there, but I heard Ordy and Telly talking about the loot. Y-you just missed 'em."

"It couldn't have been just the two of them… Not for a job of that size. But it's a start. We didn't miss them. Like I said… I didn't come alone." From the corner of her eye, Rion noticed a young, wide-eyed girl peering out of a door and with her free hand, she waved the young creature from the room. Apprehensively, hands knotted before her, the girl stepped forward.

"Please miss… I dun… I dun mean to eavesdrop. Just passed by and heard voices is all."

"It's alright. I won't hurt you…" Catriona answered, eyes still fixed on Cadan, "But I could use your help. There's copper pieces in it for you if you go into the bar there and find someone for me… A taller man, dark hair… sitting by himself near the group of tattooed idiots. Goes by the name Ardryan." Blinking as Catriona reached into her pocket and produced the coins she'd been given, the girl nodded enthusiastically, before turning and running straight into Ardryan himself stepping around the corner.

In fact, he had been around that very corner for a long while, keeping an eye on the table of thugs who had not moved, and allowing Catriona a few moments alone with the men she had her knife on.

Locking his eyes with the young girl, who blanched visibly, he withdrew a few coppers and dropped them on her slack hesitant palm before stepping aside. The girl gratefully brushed pass him and hurriedly disappeared into the crowd.

"Still remember I'm here, aye?" said Ardryan with more than a trace of irritation in his tone. "Come." Stepping pass Catriona, he examined the open doorway the young girl had stepped through previously. "Don't interrogate a man out in the open where anyone can walk in on you, especially when his friends are around the corner. Take him in here."

"If it bothers you so much, Ardryan, next time you can flirt with the creep. Though something tells me you aren't his type." With a nod of her head, she gestured Cadan towards the open door, "Go on. Inside with you…"

Cadan fought against Catriona for only a moment for the bite of the steel reminded him of his position. With a growl, he moved carefully into the room and waited for the door to close, "I told you everythin' I know," he stated.

"We'll see." Ardryan said lightly. The room was a dirty unkept storage, with moldy crates and stained cloth strewn across most surfaces. Taking one last look to the hallway, Ardryan shut the wooden door before turning and drawing his shortsword, holding it in an easy practiced grip on his side. "Now, where were we?"

"Where is your camp located? How many more of you are there? I could think of questions all day long…" Catriona mused, as she tucked the knife away, confident, now, that the man would be little trouble, "Your friends out there must you're having the time of your life… But then, that's the problem when you're a disgusting pig, isn't it."

Cadan began to laugh. In fact, despite being held hostage and threatened, he found little more than humor in her line of questions. He couldn't even provide her with an answer because of it. Once he finally calmed, he shook his head, "You two are dead. You really have no idea who you're messing with, and I don't just mean me," he shook his head before testing his nick with his finger. He was still bleeding, "You've asked the wrong questions and that tells me that I'm better off telling you nothing. They would do far worse than anything you ever could. Kill me," he shook his head again, "but it won't matter. Pretty boy here will be skewered and they'll use you until their tired of you before gutting you. It's what they did to your family. It's only fitting," he shrugged, dismissing any intimidation they once had over him.

Without warning Ardryan surged forward, shoving Cadan into the wall behind him violently, his left hand clamped tight over the man's mouth. Slowly, deliberately, his sword came up to the man's ribs and dug in, an inch, two.

Cadan's eyes fixed on Ardryan. A deep growl sounded only deeper because of the hand over his mouth. His hands clenched tightly, yet the man failed to budge. Yes, it hurt, but his brothers would do worse.

"See, I have met men like you before." Ardryan's voice was a soft whisper, calm and light. It wasn't like him, this cruelty. Yet his bones screamed for violence, and he hungrily obliged. "Men who claimed they were not afraid to die. That their master was capable of much more than all we could do to them. And they believed it, just like you. But see,..." he pushed the blade in an inch further, and twisted, hard. "...the horror they feared so much, it was just an idea in their head, a far off, intangible thing. And I. Am. Right. Here. Right now." His voice descended to a savage growl. "And they all broke. Every single one."

"Ardryan…" Stepping forward, Catriona reached out, placing a hand on the soldier's forearm, "That's enough. Can't you see it? He wants this… and as much as I would like nothing more than to watch the light leave his eyes… I have no intention of making a murderer out of you." Releasing him, she turned to one of the empty mead barrels stacked against the wall and yanked the leather cording that bound the wood together, "We'll tie him up and gag him… leave him for his idiot brothers to find. We need to go… Find Darin. He's heading after the other two, and I get the impression he's in over his head."

Stepping closer, she gripped Cadan's right arm and tugged it, twisting the cord tightly enough to turn his wrist purple, before looping the other end around his left wrist, "I want you to know… this isn't mercy. Because whatever Ardryan says… I can see the fear in you. What they'll do when they find you've talked. And I hope to the gods they make it last."

Stepping back, she shook her head in disgust, "Gag him and then we need to find Wymond and get out of here."

It was difficult for Ardryan to pull himself back from the violence. But at last, his discipline reigned his sudden bloodlust in, and he cleaned his sword on Cadan's shirt with shaking fingers. Taking his time to carefully and tightly wrap his hand in the cleanest cloth he could find nearby, Ardryan swung his fist hard and connected with Cadan's temple with a bone-jarring thud, knocking him unconscious. Retrieving a small dagger he found on Cadan's person, he paused and looked back at Catriona hesistently.

"Look away." said Ardryan, softly.

Frowning, she met his gaze, shaking her head, "What… what are you doing?"

"What has to be done. He saw our faces. He knows who you are. We are strangers in their town. It has to be done. Do not worry, he will live." Ardryan would make sure of that.

Blinking, her expression shifted, the color fading from her cheeks. There were times when she could handle it, the person she'd had to become to bring her family justice, but then there were those moments when she was just a girl from a small village, with so very little knowledge of the world… of the cruel and despicable nature of men.

"...Do it." She said, quietly, but she remained in place, without looking away.

For a moment, it seemed like he would argue, for her sake. But they both knew it stopped being about her the moment he had lost control.

Wordlessly, Ardryan turned to the unconscious man and forced his jaw open, carefully extending the tongue with a cloth. He used Cadan's own dagger to cut to lines on the sides of the tongue, the cuts ragged and raw from the dullness of the blade. It was far from permanent, but it would render speech impossible for at least a month, and that was enough. The man stirred slightly, no doubt from the pain, but did not wake. Removing the cloth covering his fist, Ardryan used it to stuff Cadan's mouth and positioned his head forward so he would not choke on his blood. The unconscious man would not bleed out before his friends could find him, and he would not talk once he inevitably waked. It was ugly, but it had to be done.

"Let's go find Darin, then." Suddenly Ardryan found himself out of breath. Strange, for he did not recall his heart beating as fast as it was, or the sweat that drenched his shirt. Somewhere between rising and stepping back from the cruelty he had just inflicted, the dagger had clattered to the floor out of his numb fingers. Brushing pass Catriona, he stormed out of the room.

She waited until he had passed, until he was out of the room to release the breath she had been holding, reaching up to brush her cheeks dry in frustration of her own emotions. Cadan deserved it… for the cruelty he inflicted on others. For what he would have done to her… but that made it no easier.

Slipping out, she followed after Ardryan, "It's best I'm not seen. Find Wymond and meet me around the back. And Ardryan…" Pausing, she swallowed, lowering her gaze, "Thank you. For... Well… just thank you." Turning away, she started down the hallway, towards the exit out the back of the inn.

He watched her go with sadness and regret in his eyes. He had done far worse than torturing a man today. And the person Catriona was becoming, Ardryan was partially responsible. She was broken, they both were. Would there be salvation for her once they were done? He had given up on his, long ago.

The tavern was unchanged, the cacophony of noise never abated for a moment. The tattooed men remained at their table, laughing and hooting, oblivious to their friend's plight. They would, soon.

The air outside was refreshingly cold and cutting, a harsh wind blowing in from the North. Ardryan tasted dry sand on the breeze, bitter and foul. He knew that taste well, and the hollow feeling of dread in his guts. The day was far from over.

---

[RyanxRion3:TheRianing]

Tags: @Elle Joyner @DarinValore @Ultra Paradox

 

[Ultra Paradox]

Wymond was able to clean his nose of the blood, and after the whole experience of speaking with a dead person for the second time in the last twenty four hours, he chugged down at least three cups of ale. Something was wrong with him, and it had his nerves wrecked. He was very anxious and tried keeping his hands from shaking as he held onto his cup. The cacophony of the bar made his ears ring and he steadied his eyes upon the dark liquid in his cup.

"What's wrong with me?" He whispered to himself, and continued to repeat the question, over and over. What snapped him out of his trance was the bartender he spoke to yelling out, "What?"

He looked up from the cup, sliding his eyes across the room over to a group of men around a table. Across from them was none other than Catriona. Wymond hung his head low, making sure he wasn't caught eavesdropping by the group. He couldn't hear anything from this distance, but between all the movement in the bar he was able to see everything that was taking place. Ardryan was nearby, at a very close place. Something was going on.

He kept a close eye on the situation as everything seemed to unravel. Catriona being carried away, a little girl getting Adryan's attention up until the point that he too vanished in the same direction as she did with the strange man. Finally, after what felt like hours of him keeping his hand on his hilt in case something suddenly erupted, he was pulled out of the bar by Ardryan.

"The hell happened back there?" He looked between the two as he threw his things back into the carriage.

After listening to the situation he shook his head, spitting on the floor and getting in the carriage, "We should probably move somewhere safer now. And we have to find Darin, especially before they figure out what happened to their friend."

There was a pause and then Wymond spoke up, "Has anything strange been going on with the two of you? Not to sound crazy or anything, but like...seeing dead people."

 

[RJS]

How to Find Oracles and Alienate People
A collab between RJS, Greenie, Spekkun, Kat, Reina and Wishlist​

Sindri paced back and forth in the inn's main dining room. The others who had gathered there after the attack were sat around the various tables. For some reason, Alana seemed to have decided that because of what he said earlier, he somehow knew what they should do. He was just a damn skald! He had no place in events that would shape the entirety of Agganoth! He wasn't meant to do this! He was meant to sing the songs afterwards! Yet everywhere he walked, the rest looked at him expectantly? What was he meant to say? He couldn't just leave them staring at him. They were counting on him dammit! Feeling his legs begin to wobble, he sighed and nearly collapsed into a chair. Resting his head in his hands for a few moments, he breathed deeply, before raising his head. "You all had nightmares last night." It wasn't a question. "The alleged disappearance of the Oracle. The blast at the festival. The nightmares. They all point to one thing. The seven seals have begun to break. Magic is coming back, and with it the work of the Shadowmancer."

Shireen looked away from Sindri and down at the table she was sitting at. They all had had nightmares too then... Normally it would have made sense to simply pin such a thing on the events of the previous day, which in themselves were chaotic enough. However, having heard what Gavin had told her and Atum, she was quite certain that what Sindri was saying was true.

"Me an' Atum, we wen' after the drunk," she started, looking away from the table to the rest gathered, eyeing each one as she spoke. "The Captain didn' believe him, but that man wasn' tellin' lies. He saw some people takin' the Oracle away. He didn' know how many, but he said there was a servant girl..." She looked to Atum for confirmation of her story.

Atum nodded his head, confirming what Shireen said. "They took her through the servant's exit. I know he was inebriated but I doubt he would come up with something as fantastic as this." He didn't want them to disregard the information, just because of the source, as questionable as that source might be. "I think it would be in our best interest to search for the Oracle." He would have decided on going to the authorities, but that action could lead them nowhere.

None of them had seen the kidnapping themselves, so they would only have the word of said drunk to rely on. A drunk that had already been dismissed by the soldiers. They needed some sort of proof, some evidence, before they could take things to the authorities.

Sindri looked stunned. "You can't be serious, right? We have no idea where she is, no idea what she looks like. How could we possibly stand a chance?"

They both had a point, at least in Shireen's opinion. "One thing I'm bettin' on is the King wantin' his daughter back," she muttered. "I'm also bettin' he'd want people lookin' for her, which we could help with. I dunno 'bout you lot, but I have nothin' better to do at the moment, an' I ain't gonna stay in an inn, waitin' for another nightmare like the last one." She paused, rubbing her forehead with the tips of her fingers. What else was there to do? She couldn't return to the ship, an' even if she could, the nightmares wouldn't stop.

"I too would prefer not to have another one, not like that." Atum frowned a moment, patting his side where he dreamed he'd been stabbed. "We might not stand much of a chance but we would stand a far better chance being proactive instead of doing nothing." The problem was doing something. What would they do...? "Perhaps we can find some evidence by where Gavin said he saw the accused leave." He was pensive for a moment as he thought about it. "Shireen is right though, the King would not sit idly by with his daughter gone. He'd have as many people as he could looking for her. We could get more information from that."

Rayela hardly understood how she would be of help to the group. She sighed and swung her leg back and forth. "How are we going to travel? Will we let the king know we intend on finding his daughter?"

Alana shut her eyes as she took a seat beside a resting Rayela. Search for the oracle? Find the princess? Were they really all going to do this? They didn't even know each other! But what other option was there? Norcrest was in ruins and what she had witnessed could not be explained away. Clearly magic had returned and they needed to get everything in order again. She did NOT want another nightmare like the one from the prior night. Not again. She had to do something and she definitely didn't want to be alone. "Are we going to the king or or we going to where the oracle was last seen? I don't even know what I could possibly offer to help in this quest. I'm just a shopkeep. I sell trinkets I make. How could I possibly find an oracle or even properly address a king?!"

Shireen gave a one shoulder shrug before letting out a breath. "An' I'm a sailor, I don' usually spend time on land... but I ain't got a choice right now. I don' think it's the time t'think about what's proper or not." She stood up, steadying herself with a hand against the tabletop. "Y'all can do what you want... I ain't no one's master but myself. Me, I'mma head out an' see what I can find 'round where Gavin saw the Oracle."

Sindri sighed. "You're mad, all of you!" He sunk his head back into his hands for a few seconds, wiping the palms over his face as he lifted his head up. His eyes met Shireen's, and his voice carried a hint of determination. "You're not going on your own. Not with those injuries. I'm coming with you and," he frowned thoughtfully, "I need to get something from my room before we leave. Just in case."

Rayela scoffed at Sindri's statement of her being mad and stood up. The last thing she wanted was to be on this trip and it was frustrating to not be acknowledged. "I guess I'll be walking around while my foot's injured then. Sure to help it heal faster," she stated, sarcasm and annoyance laced in her voice. "We might as well just walk out without a plan of any sort."

Sindri's gaze flashed over to Rayela. "Maybe if you took your own advice you wouldn't be needing to rest that foot!" He immediately regretted the words...but there was that much pressure, it felt like a vice was squeezing his head. He needed to go, clear his head, get outside.

"Not everyone's gotta go," Shireen pointed out to Rayela after giving Sindri a nod. "You're right 'bout your foot not healin' faster if you're walkin'. Might be best for you to stay here an' rest up." A small chuckle escaped her. "As for a plan... I'm just goin' to snoop about right now, don' need much of a plan for that." She looked around at the inn. Nice enough place to keep as a base while still here...

Sindri stood up suddenly, sweeping upstairs to his room, where he fished around under the bed, retrieving a somewhat worn warhammer. It looked like it had seen use, but not an excessive amount...it should still be enough to deter any opportunists. Slinging it across his shoulder with the attached strap, he made his way back downstairs, nodding to Shireen, then gazing over at Rayela.

"Right, guess we'll head out, see what we can find. Might be worth you staying here, keeping an ear out for any gossip… assuming there's any customers."

Rayela grimaced and sat back down, frustrated that she couldn't do anything. "Fine."

Alana looked to Rayela immediately. "It would be fine if it weren't for the fact that your husband is searching for you. You can't stay here for long and you know it. You have to go with them. WE have to go with them." She'd be damned if she was left behind. She had to get those nightmares to end. She had to. "We don't have to rush but we do have to hurry. I'm sure we can find a walking stick that can help you stay off that foot."

"Absolutely not. I'd rather get a horse. They're more efficient." Rayela abhorred the idea of walking around like an old lady with a stick in hand.

Alana rolled her eyes. "Fine." She turned her attention to the others in the group. "Anyone have a horse?"

Atum frowned somewhat, a sigh escaping him. It was better for her foot that she did have a horse, but she was being difficult about it. "I do have a horse I suppose she can sit on. I will be holding the reigns though." He didn't want to risk Amal being taken. As nice as they seemed, he barely knew any of them and would much rather keep Amal by his side. The horse had been by his side for far too long for him to comfortably leave him in the hands of strangers.

Rayela narrowed her eyes at the man Sindri had addressed as Atum from hours ago, "Are you certain your horse wouldn't simply try and buck me off the saddle?" She couldn't remember where he came from, but she knew he was not from her tribe.

Atum stayed silent for a few moments, eyes focused on Rayela, his frown frozen upon his face. "I offered you a way to tag along. Either you stay here or you take my offer. Be grateful I've given you that much."

Well this is very friendly... Shireen looked between the two, a small sigh escaping her. "We'll keep the horse in control," she said, attempting a smile. "I dunno much 'bout horses, but I'm bettin' it'll listen to its master."

"Yes, I'm sure it will," Rayela muttered with a roll of her eyes.

The pressure built up on her, pushing her to make a decision away, to completely give in and give these strangers the benefit of the doubt, mainly the Tumaran. She'd seen men like him do terrible things, it was difficult to accept a simple gesture that he expected her to be grateful for: an offer that she should be appreciative of, but could not find the right words to say, frightened of what might happen should she put her trust in him.

Rayela recalled the recent conversation she had with Alana and Sindri; Sindri had promised to protect her, should anything go wrong. She dug her nails in her arms and grimaced at the thought of being agreeable with the Tumaran. She had no clue what he might chalk up later, but if Sindri was willing to do whatever it took… she might as well give up. Rayela chewed on her bottom lip, frustrated with the Tumaran's answer and his lack of respect and insensitivity towards her safety. The pirate girl's answer hadn't done much to help completely persuade her either, but when she thought of Sindri, she sighed and gave in, directing a response at the Tumaran.

"Fine, but you're responsible for what your horse does."

Sindri sighed heavily, turning his head and knocking it softly against the wall in his frustration. "Great. Now that that's all sorted, are we going to get going?" He had no idea why he was so desperate to get moving when before he'd been against doing anything...but the others seemed to be going along with it and he had no desire to be left behind.

"I want to see if I can find anything salvageable at my place as well," Rayela stated in a cool tone.

Sindri scrunched his fists into tight balls, muttering an archaic Eldrissaran swear word before turning and walking out. If he didn't go now he wouldn't at all, and the more Rayela spoke the more petulant and grating she seemed. He just could not cope with speaking to her anymore, so ignoring her was the only option, since as tempting as it was there was no way it was right to leave her to fend for herself.

And that went well... Shireen cast a look at the group, slightly worried that there may be a little too much friction. It wasn't like back on the ship, where the captain's word was law, that was for sure. She was slightly worried about Sindri as well, it was easy to read the stress on his face.

"Have you not realized the situation we're in?!" Alana began as she turned her attention back to Rayela after watching Sindri walk out in frustration. "According to Sindri, and these other two, our worst nightmares are coming true every night and with the return of magic, who knows what else is in store. We don't have time for your petulance. So you either adhere to the goal of the group or I will ensure we really do leave you behind." Alana glared at the girl, just as tired of her as perhaps Sindri was. By the gods, they had run after her and she was nothing but a stranger. She didn't need to continue acting as if this mission was about her. "Grow up, Rayela. I'd like to go back to my cart too. I'd like to salvage what bit of merchandise I have left and not think that some of my hard work is in ruins. But we have to find the princess or we will live to regret it."

Rayela flinched, taken aback by Alana's spitfire attitude and criticism. She opened her mouth to say something, but found herself rendered speechless in the moment. Her cheeks burned as she glanced away, guilt surfacing to the forefront of her mind. Her fists buried into her dress. There was nothing left to be said.

Alana rose to her feet and introduced herself to the pirate girl and the Tumaran. "I'm Alana by the way. And that's…" She looked over to Rayela. She wanted to say something else but chose to be civil. "...Rayela."

"Name's Shireen an' m'friend here is Atum." The sailor gestured toward the Tumaran man before nodding towards the door. "Guessin' you already know, but that one who just left was Sindri."

"Nice to meet you both." Alana's eyes moved across the room and settled on the other girl she had met the night prior. "Isha'a, right?" She moved towards her and continued, "We're all heading out to find the princess and stop these nightmares." Isha'a had been clearly listening in as evidenced by the cold food still on her plate. "I'm sure it's better than the cold eggs you keep moving on your plate and I'm pretty sure you've heard all that's happening. Come with us. It isn't good to be alone."

Isha'a smiled back to Alana, almost instinctually, as her habits got the best of her. "-Oh. Yes, of course," she responded as she pushed away her food. The air seemed thick. To even someone like Isha'a, it was easy to tell that there was still some things left unresolved within the group. But either way, she couldn't find too much fault in her new acquaintances. It didn't seem like she was need for much else. The apparent separation from her masters was reason enough for that. "-...I don't have much in the way of responsibility—well, it does seem like a good idea for me to stay with all of you for now. I haven't a clue of the city of Norcrest-"

"I'm more interested in never having to repeat last night's nightmares. Everyone seems to be on their way out now. Let's head out with the rest of them. We might as well get started." Alana said with a smile as she gestured for Isha'a to follow her outside.

Meanwhile, Shireen looked away from Alana to the Tumaran instead. "Atum," she started, "is your horse nearby? Might be an idea t'bring 'im here? I'mma go head out an' see where Sindri's off to."

Atum nodded his head. "I'll go fetch him now." He'd enjoy being away from the Inn right now anyway. He only had so much patience after all. "Be careful. After yesterday, who knows what today could bring." The Tumaran followed Shireen out of the Inn, heading towards the stable to retrieve his horse. The stable wasn't far, and he'd paid his dues to keep the horse there already so it wouldn't take him long to return.

"I guess we'll be headed out now. I'll grab my shoes then wait outside for him," Rayela mumbled under her breath and limped upstairs to grab her boots. Hopefully, once her foot was better healed, she could wear them and better protect her feet. She maneuvered herself with great difficulty, but managed to make back downstairs and outside the tavern. She sat down on the steps to the entrance and waited in silence for Atum to return. He returned not long after, walking beside a beautiful and proud black steed. Her heart pounded with excitement as she observed the stallion's graceful gait. She stood up as Atum neared the entrance of the tavern. "Thank you," she murmured.

"His name is Amal." Atum told her, stopping in front of the tavern. He kept one hand firmly on the reigns while the other gently stroked the horse's head. "He's a horse bred for battle but he's a calm one. You don't need to be afraid while riding him." He looked to Rayela. "Now let's get you on top so that we may get to work." The horse let out a snort, seemingly in agreement with his owner.

She cleared her throat, "I, um, can get up onto him by myself. Thank you." She walked around to the other side of the horse, intent on using her non injured foot to hoist herself into the stirrup. She laid her boots across the saddle, grasped the horn and stuck her foot in the stirrup. She swung herself up onto the horse with ease and situated herself into a proper riding position, making sure her back was straight and her legs loose. "I'm all good."

Alana and Isha'a met the others outside. She immediately noticed Rayela on the horse and nodded. About time the girl cooperated, she thought to herself. She liked Rayela but would not hesitate to put the woman in her place if she once again thought herself more important than the mission again.

By that time, Shireen had managed to catch sight and hurry after Sindri. "Wait up!" she called, panting as she finally caught up to him, as he rested his head against the wall in apparent frustration. Truth be told, she would have been better off resting as well. Her hands weren't too bad off with their bandages, but all the quick movement was causing her head to both throb and spin. Still, there was no time to idle about.

"Sindri... they're waitin' outside the inn... Let's get goin' then, eh?"

As he turned, he saw Shireen looking wobbly and immediately moved to prop her up, the pounding in his head now somewhat muted. Taking some of her weight on her shoulders, he sighed. "Let's go see if we can save the world, shall we?" His voice was thick with sarcasm. The whole thing sounded ridiculous after all, but what else could they do?

 

[DarinValore]

[fieldbox="Westhollow, green, solid"]
Following the drunks, Telly and Ordy, to the Untamed hideaway in Westhollow was easier than finding his party when he finished. When Darin returned to the Raven's Cry, his companions were no where to be found and soldiers of the Untamed seemed to be combing over the place, interrogating everyone who even grew close to the building. Like ants they poured out and returned obviously on the hunt. Darin recalled the event in his mind as he stood among his companions.

"Did you find her?" called out one man, who stood a head taller than the others. Darin overheard the man as he hid behind the crates in the growing shadow of the setting sun, "She lured Cadan into a back room and did him in good. It'll be weeks if not longer before we can get anything useful out of him. Find the woman before the boss hears about this!"

What did you do? he questioned sure the others had something to do with this. They should have just done what he said and waited, but it seemed they had kicked the hornets nest and left in a hurry.

The doors to the Raven's Cry swung open, "This whore says she wasn't alone. That there was another man who joined 'em," one thug said as he dragged a yelping woman by her hair. She was weeping and each jerk of her hair pulled another cry from her lips.

"You sure?" asked the man directing the search.

She nodded and produced a coin, "T-they gave me this to help them."

"They paid you and you helped them?" he returned, his eyes burning holes right through the girl. The look on her face revealed that she knew immediately she should have kept that tidbit of information to herself. She started to beg for forgiveness when the man drew a dagger and slid the blade across her throat, drowning out her pleas with gurgles until she fell still.

"Find both of them," he said as he wiped his blade on the shirt of the man who'd brought the woman.

That event had Darin hurriedly searching the streets for his companions now. The look on the woman's face etched in his brain, the total disregard for her life a replaying memory even as he dodged through the crowds. He would never forget that moment just like he would never forget the day before.

After what felt like hours of searching, he stumbled upon the group. Fighting against the urge to inform them of what had transpired at the Raven's Cry, Darin elected to go straight into talking about what he had discovered. Guiding the group to the corner of a block, he leaned against the cart and began to speak, "I followed them through the streets until they came upon a brothel. It's got to be where the Untamed, that's what they call themselves, are running their business out of in Westhollow. It's heavily guarded during the day, but a few of the guards spoke of a shift change that occurs just as night falls. On top of that, I heard talk about some big event happening at the same time that will undoubtedly drag some of the Untamed away as well. That's when we should make our move. Any earlier or later and we all die trying to get Catriona her revenge."

Darin shaded his eyes as he looked skyward. The sun still stood over the horizon, "I'd say we have an hour or two before we can make our move. We should make sure we're ready. As much as I'd rather avoid it, I'm certain we may have to fight our way through at some point."[/fieldbox]

 

[Reina]

[fieldbox="Castle Norcrest, yellow, solid"]

Day of the Festival
​

"Do you think the king will come to visit the princess after his speech?" Nadia said as she finished drying the last of the dishes with a small cloth. "I'm sure he will," Magdin responded with a smile. "He always does." The dwarf hopped down from the stool he stood on and grabbed the last dish from Nadia's hand. "I'll finish setting the table. We should all be well fed before the king arrives." Nadia chuckled, "Do you really think the king will bother visiting the servants' quarters? Come now, Magdin. He's the king. He can't waste his time on us."

Magdin smiled as he walked around the small table, carefully setting each plate before one of the chairs. "He doesn't always come but he has come. I have a good feeling about this year. Why don't you run along and gather the others? We should be ready just in case."

The young girl nodded her head in excitement and skipped out of the kitchens leaving Magdin alone to finish setting the table. He chuckled to himself and shook his head. Oh to be so young again. Nadia was knew and he liked her already.

He had set the last plate down when a young woman he had never seen before entered the kitchens. She looked to him nervously and quickly grabbed a broom from the corner. "Just going to tidy up the hall of the princess. Don't want the king stepping in dust." Magdin stared at her but before he could open his mouth she had taken off. Odd he thought to himself and moved towards the cabinets to grab some utensils.

Magdin looked around, steel brown eyes darting from one side of the room to the other in thought. He twirled the ends of his long white beard between his fingers. There was something odd about that woman. He had served most of his life in this castle yet he couldn't place her. At first he thought nothing of it as he continued putting the final touches on the table. He just couldn't shake the feeling however. It was unusual for him not to remember those that worked in the castle. If there was one thing he could trust it was his gut. He had never seen her before. It was best to investigate. Perhaps she was newly brought to the castle like Nadia. I should speak to her, he thought to himself as he set down the last piece of silverware. He had to rid himself of the doubt.

His stout little legs carried him down the hall he had seen the woman dart off to. He moved as quickly as his legs would allow but stopped short once he arrived in the princess' corridor and his eyes opened wide. There on the ground was Rikos, one of the guards charged with guarding the princess' door. Blood had pooled around him and his eyes had lost all signs of life. He was dead and the door to the princess' room was wide open. Magdin began to move closer, his breath shaky and his hands trembling. There was ruckus coming from her room.

Someone was coming.

He did the only thing he could. He hid.

Magdin practically threw himself inside an odd chest just outside the room, quickly shutting the lid as he attempted to make as little noise as possible. For once he was thankful for his small stature. The noise grew louder and he could hear voices. The sound was muffled but he did his best to make out as much as possible.

Did you hear s–thing?

No one's here.

I could have sworn—

Kill anyone you see. Doesn't matter who it is.

Grab -- Princess.

We must move quickly.

We'll have more help once we get to –

One of the men outside kicked the chest as he moved down the hall. Magdin's heart rose to his throat but he did his best not to move or make a sound. The voices died down eventually and the footsteps finally ceased. But Magdin remained in the chest for some time. His heart was full of fear. He had begun shaking again. Were they going to kill him like they killed Rikos? Rikos was an armed guard. Magdin was just a simple dwarf, just a servant. Were they going to kill everyone in the castle? Who knew about this? Who could be trusted?

His heart grew more in fear and refused to leave the comfort he had found in hiding in the small chest. He would have remained there longer if he hadn't heard Nadia's panic filled voice. "Magdin! Magdin! Where are you?! Magdin!"

Finally his small fingers pushed against the lid, opening it and stepping out cautiously. They were gone. They had taken the princess and he could only assume their purposes would only bring detriment to Agganoth. More servants had entered the corridor and some had huddled around Rikos. Nadia, however, hugged Magdin as hard as she could. "I was so worried about you! We couldn't find you!"

"They…they…they took her. And they…they…killed…" Magdin could barely get the words out. Nadia only nodded as she brushed a piece of his white hair back from his face. "I know." Nadia did her best to reassure him but Magdin's heart was still full of fear.

"Did you see anything, Magdin? Hear anything?" Nadia asked.

Magdin looked at her wide eyed. He wanted to tell her everything he heard, that he had an idea where the princess was being taken, but how could he? He wasn't sure who he could trust anymore. Nadia was new just like the other servant girl. Could she be trusted? They would kill him. He couldn't say anything. He was too shaken. Too scared of what might happen to him if he spoke.

"I didn't," he said, voice shaking. "I just...hid."[/fieldbox]

 

[Elle Joyner]

It wasn't a pleasant feeling, traipsing blind through the town, scouring alleys and shadowed streets, in search for their missing companion. In so many ways, what happened next was her doing, and while admitting aloud any fears or doubts felt far too much a victory for the enemy they hunted, there was a part of her that has asked all too often in the past few hours if it wouldn't have been better for her to do it all on her own.

Something had stirred within her back at the Raven's Cry... Something that frightened her to her core, something that had chosen to ignore a weeping woman in favor of her own quest for justice... and as they searched, panic welling in her chest, the question arose again... Was it all worth it?

But it was a question that went unanswered, because eventually, Darin found them and his revelation renewed the fire in Catriona, burning out her nerves and a strong weight of guilt with a sense of necessity.

Fire. But not without an edge of doubt.

While nothing much was clear for the young woman who, over the course of only a few weeks, had transformed into something considerably less appealing than her former self… one thing seemed to stand out among the rest. She did not have the slightest clue what she was doing. Things had not fallen completely apart back in the tavern, but she hadn't thought it through and it shown in ways both subtle and not…

The path she had chosen was a difficult and dangerous one, but not willing to back down, there seemed few options remained. She needed to learn. To grow. And at least in regards to her physical capabilities, there was something she could do.

After moving their party away from the tumultuous slums of Westhollow, they stopped to await nightfall... And suddenly burdened by far too many thoughts, Catriona found herself restless... anxious in waiting. She could think of no better time than the present to take one member of their ragged crew up on his debt. Her pacing halted and she made for the cart where they kept their supplies, rifling around for a moment until she came away with the spare bow Darin had purchased outside of Norcrest. This she carried with her when she approached the man, pausing before him.

"It's time…"

Ever since he'd returned from following the men and happened upon the wondering band through the streets of Westhollow, Darin couldn't help but feel frustrated. Catriona has initiated some kind of interrogation, of which they spared him much of the details, instead of simply waiting for his return. This was the same woman he had promised to train. If she did not have something against him, he would have sought a swift exit from the task now. Her impatience and lack of self-control would make his task that much harder.

It was these things he was contemplating when Catriona approached him in the setting sun. Splashes of colors spread across the sky preserving enough light for training to begin. With a heavy sigh, he nodded before pushing himself off the cart, "Then come on," he told her as he lead her down an alley. His eyes scanned for materials until he managed to find an empty barrel he set on a stool he had to tie a piece of fractured wood in place of a missing leg. Stepping back to her, he drew an arrow, nocked it, drew the string, and released. The arrow whistled through the air until it slammed into the center of the barrel with a thunk, "Your turn," he said as he drew another arrow and handed it to her. Knowing what she knew would help him know where to start.

Blinking at the arrow, where it had hit its mark, Catriona lifted her own bow with a sense of trepidation. She wasn't one who liked to admit her own shortcomings, and it was a flaw, she knew, but for all the love and encouragement she had experienced growing up, her home had also been something of a competitive environment, and failure just meant someone else would get the chance instead.

Admitting she didn't know the first thing about archery… about weapons in general was an embarrassment she wasn't particularly keen on experiencing.

Lifting the bow, her fingers curled around the wooden curve, and tentatively, she tested the string, surprised to find how taut it was. Swallowing, she plucked an arrow from their selection and notched it as she had seen him do. Then pulling back, she released and with spectacular grace, managed to fling the bow backwards, the arrow flipping upward and landing point down in the dirt at her feet.

Staring, Catriona swore softly.

Darin had never been impressed by failure until now. Catriona had managed to lose grip on the bow, flip the arrow into the air, and drop it at her feet. The magnitude of her failure suppressed any laughter that might have come out at a different time. They were moments away from infiltrating a hideaway and she was proving to be a massive liability if she could not defend herself. He needed her to at least be able to fire an arrow in a direction. If there were enough enemies or were in a hallway not allowing for much movement, she might hit something. If she could shoot, that is.

Letting a deep breath pour from his nostrils, Darin grabbed the bow, "Let's try that again," he placed the bow back in her hand and wrapped her hand around the wood, "Tightly this time," he placed her free hand on the string, "Pull straight back and keep your elbow level. When ready, release. Once you can draw and fire without dropping the bow, we'll try it again with an arrow."

Jaw tightening, Rion gripped the arch and gave it a solid tug. Her shoulders strained against the weight, her knuckles paling as she determined not to let go. Unfortunately, her determination to hold on was as detrimental as her lax grip had been previously and when the string snapped back, so too did the curve, smacking her hard in the cheek.

With a cry, a mixture of frustration and pain, she dropped the bow and turned away, cupping a hand over the steadily forming bruise and blinking away tears with fury.

Running his fingers over his brow, Darin suppressed the sigh. The pain and embarrassment was enough for Catriona. She was new to archery and these things would happen. Picking up the bow, he held it out with one hand and gestured toward her, "Come here," he said gently, "Place your hand under mine," he watched as she hesitated, her hand still caressing her cheek. He nodded and after a moment longer, she stepped to him and wrapped her hand around the bow just under his, "Good," he said as he positioned himself behind her and gently took her hand, "Pull here," he hooked her fingers around the bowstring. Placing his above hers, he pulled as she did, "Arm straight and level with mine," he told her, "Breathe in, then release on the exhale."

Swallowing, ignoring the flare of pain in her cheek, Rion breathed in, her eyes closed as she steadied herself. Then with an exhale, her eyes snapping opened again, she released the string.

"Oh!" With a startled gasp, she spun, eyed slightly wide, "I got it! I did it!"

Darin smiled for the first time since his sister's death in that moment. He saw the frustration and pain leave Catriona's eyes and fill with surprise and satisfaction, "You did," he agreed, "Now try again without my help. Just do the same exact thing. Grip the bow, draw back the string, breathe and release on exhale."

Nodding firmly, Catriona turned back again and took hold of the arch as he had shown her. It wasn't perfect… it was far from it, really… but the second time she released resulted in much the same success and a small smile formed at the edge of her mouth as she lowered the bow to her side, "Like that?"

"Mhmm," Darin hummed before retrieving the arrow from the dirt, "Now nock this, and try and hit the barrel."

Breathing in, she reached to take the arrow, staring at it for a moment, "...You… you're probably going to want to stand back, just in case." Slipping the slot against the string, she turned to the barrel and following the same instructions, she gave a tug back, before releasing on the exhale. The arrow sailed from the string with a sharp whistle, skimming the surface of the barrel. When it landed on the other side, she pulled another arrow from the pile and adjusting her stance, fired a second, this one making its mark in the wood before dropping into the grass. A third arrow followed, and this time, the tip dug in deeply, staying in place just a little ways from his own.

"Ha!" She exclaimed, lowering the bow, "Look at that…"

"Look at that…" he echoed as he surveyed the damage. Two hit, one sunk in, "More practice'll be needed, but as long as your target's stationary, I think you just might hit it," he teased lightly before drawing his own bow and quickly firing three arrows. They slammed into the barrel in a tight grouping around his first arrow.

Staring, blinking, Catriona shook her head. Practice. It would take more than practice to achieve that quality of skill… Still. She had hit something, besides her own cheek.

But his words made her think… something she hadn't dared to do since leaving Norcrest.

Her expression shifted and she drew the bow back again, testing her aim with another arrow, "Darin… have… have you ever killed someone?"

Her question caught him off guard. It was one of those questions one was never supposed to asked someone, but it wouldn't be a hard one for him to answer, "Someone, no. Something, yes," Darin judged her draw. Gently he raised her elbow, "straight," he reiterated, "I imagine it's similar to killing a beast, only it'll weigh heavier on me."

"...I thought it would be easy." She started, quietly, letting the arrow fly. She notched another almost immediately, but the bow remained stationary as she considered her words, "I thought… back at the inn, that I could do it. For a minute, I wanted to. The way he spoke of my family… the way he looked at me. I thought I could do it. But then Ardryan… when he… I couldn't let it happen." Breathing out, she pulled the string taut, "How can I bring my family justice… if I couldn't even let one man die. A man who deserved it?"

Darin chewed on her words for a moment, his own bow rested at his side, "Taking life is never easy. It's not supposed to be. Even when someone deserves it, such a punishment should be heavily considered and not lightly carried out. I think your struggle about letting that man die at Ardryan's hands speaks to your character," he nodded lightly and turned his attention down range, "but there may be a time when you might have to make that decision. When that time arrives," he shook his head, "Do not betray who you really are for vengeance."

Her hands shook as the bow dropped from her grip, her jaw clenched as she bit the inside of her cheek to stem off the flood of emotions that overwhelmed her, "It was my fault." She whispered, swiping her hand across her unbruised cheek, "I wasn't supposed to go. The… the trip. I begged my father to let me do it. And for weeks we fought back and forth on it. He finally gave in… If he hadn't, he would have taken them… my brother and my sister. They would all be alive. And they aren't now, because of me…"

His head turned back to her as the sound of her bow rattling on the ground filled his ears. He listened to her words before hooking his bow over his shoulder and stepping toward her, "Did you hire the men?" He asked, "Did you set them to the task of raiding your home and leaving behind a wave a destruction and heartache?" He knew the question was ridiculous, "You cannot blame yourself for the actions of others," he said while shaking his head before locking eyes for a moment, "For circumstances out of your control," he smiled softly, "you told me that."

Her eyes fell to her hands and she smiled, dryly, at his words… her words, "That's not fair." But she couldn't exactly argue his point. Looking up again, she shrugged, wearily, "I feel lost. I feel like every decision I make is somehow the wrong one. But I don't know how to change it. And I can't let this happen to someone else's family. I won't. But I don't know how to keep from losing myself… when I'm not even sure who I am, anymore."

"You won't always make the right decision," he stated plainly, "sometimes you'll find yourself struggling with where you are and how you got there, but things are a little easier when you don't walk them alone. Find someone who will keep you grounded, who understands, who will help you remember who you are and fight like hell to keep you from forgetting it."

"I lost everyone I cared about… in one night, Darin." Looking up at him, she shook her head, "How do I keep from being afraid that it will happen again? I see it… in my mind, over and over and I am so scared… and after last night. That dream. Maybe alone is better."

Darin moved to the nearest barrel and sat upon it. Shaking his head, he spoke, "Alone is not better," he was alone. His sister was all he cared about and now she was gone. He had his parents, but they did not know him, did not understand him, like his sister did, "Fear is not the company you want to keep. You can't let it dictate how you're going to live the rest of your life. Focus on today, on right now, and make room for the good things to come once again. You're a strong woman. You have to be in order to make it this far. You'll make it."

"Thank you…" She murmured, moving to lean against one of the barrels, "I don't feel very strong… but I suppose it's easier to feel what makes sense than what doesn't." Glancing over at him, she smiled faintly, "Not exactly how I expected this training to go."

"Eh," he shrugged, "I think they were words we both needed to hear. Besides, it's not like this was the last session we'll ever have," he slapped his knees and stood up. Drawing an arrow, he extended it toward her, "Now, try it again," he said as he jerked his head toward the barrels.

"I suppose you and I have something of a penchant for giving advice we both need to hear." A brow lifted and she rose, plucking up her bow where she had dropped it, before taking the arrow from him, "Roll the barrel. Moving target, right?"

---

TAGS || @DarinValore, @Ultra Paradox, @Jays

 

[DarinValore]

[fieldbox="Westhollow Slums, green, solid"]
Catriona had shot as well as could be expected once Darin had helped her develop a solid form. She was going to need much more practice but at least now she ought to be able to put an arrow in a thug should the need arise. The pair returned to the cart, Wymond, and Ardryan just as the last of the sun's rays dissipated over the horizon. Filling his and Catriona's quivers with what arrows they had, he shouldered his bow and nodded, "The shift change should happen soon. We should get moving. Hope you all are ready."

Darin led the group through the streets, electing to take the least lit areas since Catriona, Wymond, and Ardryan were being hunted by the very men they were hunting. Half way there, a commotion in the streets caused Darin to stop them.

"Please," a young woman cried as she walked through the center of the streets, "Someone, please help me!" She moved from person to person, practically throwing herself on people or at their feet, grief heavy on her voice, "Please! Help!"

Watching from the shadows, Darin witness the woman turn her attention to two men standing against a wall. She stumbled to them, a sob tearing from her throat before she threw herself on the closest man. Gripping his leg, she called up to him, "Please, sir, you have to help me!"

"I have to do no such thing! Get off me!" the man said as he kicked his leg out, sending the sobbing woman to the ground.

"Please," she cried as she looked up to him, "You know my brother. He didn't do it!"

The man shook his head, "I thought I knew your brother," he replied, "That was until he went and destroyed half the town with those two witches!"

"Careful, Urick," the other man warned as he grabbed his friend's arm, "she could be one of 'em."

"N-no!" she cried, "I'm no witch and neither is my brother! He's innocent, I swear!"

"I think you're right," Urick stretched to his full height as he spoke to his friend, "Even if she ain't a witch, her brother did kill my Pa," he took a step toward her, "Your brother owes me a loved one."

Darin could see the hate in the man's eyes, the desire for blood, even from their dark corner of the street. Other people walked on by without paying any mind to the seemingly unjust situation unfolding right before them. Every fiber of his being screamed for him to knock an arrow and send it flying into the man's shoulder, but if he did that, he risked attracting the very attention they were trying to escape. There were plenty of Untamed around to make life difficult for the four of them.

A loud crack shook him from his thoughts to find that the man had back-handed the woman sending her sprawling on the ground, "Your life will do," he said as he loomed over the woman, his friend keeping watch.

Turning to the group, Darin started, "The brothel is just around the corner and down a street. The shift change is happening now," he turned his attention to Catriona, "If we help her, I can almost guarantee the Untamed will see you and we may not get another chance."[/fieldbox]

@Elle Joyner @Ultra Paradox @Jays

 

[Elle Joyner]

The anticipation throughout their journey came in waves which on multiple occasions threatened to overwhelm Catriona's calm entirely. She would not allow herself to think that her family's justice could be so close at hand. She would not allow herself to hope that it was possible this whole mess could be over so quickly. Hope was fickle and twisted and believing in it was like trusting a breeze not to alter course with a storm on the horizon.

But Darin had found them... found their hideout and with the guard change happening... there was a chance. Finally, a chance. Or there had been, until the sounds of distress drove their party to a halt. It didn't take long at all for Catriona to recognize the woman. The guilt that she carried with her from the inn had clung to her all day, and as she spotted the weeping woman again, her heart cinched hard in her chest. She didn't believe in fate... things happening for a reason - but it was hard even for her to deny the coincidence behind the woman's appearance, here... now...

Why here and now...?

As Darin looked towards the building that would lead them to their quarry, and his warning rang clear in her mind, Catriona swore beneath her breath and without another word, she pulled an arrow from the quiver at her hip and her bow from her shoulder. Notching the arrow, she pulled it back and let it fly, where it burrowed in the wooden sign post just above the head of the man assaulting the woman.

Stepping out of the shadow, Rion narrowed her eyes and readied another arrow, leveling it at the men, "The next finds your throat, if you don't step away from her. Now..."

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TAGS || @DarinValore, @Ultra Paradox, @Jays