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| A Witch Hunt, A Witch Hunt! [Fin]; Open to everyone! | |
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| Topic Started: Mon Jun 27, 2011 7:01 pm (585 Views) | |
| Rin | Fri Jul 15, 2011 3:51 pm Post #16 |
 
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Rin swallowed nervously as the wyvern landed in the middle of the street, its deadly claws scrabbling for purchase on the cobbles. Its scales were dusty and brown and unattractive, yet the interlocking layer of protection would make attacking the beast more difficult. It awkwardly foled its wings along its rips as it hopped down the alleyway, a display that would almost be comical if the beast wasn't so dangerous looking. Its long tail was extended behind it for balance, the top ending in a wicked and barbed stinger. There were grooves along the stinger that glistened in the light of the lanterns, revealing the poison that the creatures were infamous for. Its entire eyes seemed to glow a fierce violet color as if shuffled down the alley, lips pulled back from a row of ivory teeth. Rinrae... You cannot allow it to sting either of you. No matter what. Wyvern poison is one of the deadliest substances known. Biting her lips at the Grimoire's words, Rin followed behind Kalim as he approached the beast, his sword rising to make the first strike against the creature. Either its glowing eyes could pierce her enchantment or it just sensed the danger, for the wyvern almost immediately jumped up into the air, its wings lashing out and buffeting the with a fierce wind. One of the wings struck Kalim, sending the mercenary sprawling to the ground. Rin gasped as he was knocked too far from her to be obscured by the dagger's enchantment, the darkness slipping off of his body as if they were liquid and rolling back towards the natural shadows in the alley. A earsplitting roar from above was all the indication they had of their new opponent. Rin kept her eyes narrowed as she watched the sky, tightly gripping the dagger's hilt with both hands. The lanterns of Balefire might be sufficient for lighting the walkways beneath their feet, but the sky was simply a blanketing darkness, making the wyvern impossible to locate. She heard its howl again, turning as the heavy flapping of the leathery wings betrayed the wyvern's direction. It was sweeping down the alleyway, the bulk of its body at the rooftop level. Its deadly tail and stinger dangled below the beast, aiming directly for Kalim. The girl leaped in front of him instinctively, ignoring the warning shouts of the Grimoire as she let the cloak of darkness fade out of existence. The wyvern barely had time to register surprise at her appearance before she had brought the black blade slashing upwards with all of her strength, deflecting the barbed stinger. It scratched along the wall above Kalim instead of piercing his body, leaving a deep furrow in the stone that glistened with released poison. Rin skidded down the alleyway from the beast's moment, her bare soles tearing on the rocky street to leave a trail of blood. She winced, but the injuries were superficial. She could still stay on her feet, and that meant she could still fight. Her smile had faded, replaced by a thin-lipped mask of concentration, her blue eyes fierce with determination. The wyvern's next attack was directed at the girl instead of the mercenary. Once again, it chose not to land in the street, simply slashing at them with its poisonous tail. This time it not roar to herald its approach, so her first warning was the sound of its wings beating in the still air. Rin ran straight at the curled tail as it descended, heedless of the recklessness of her attack. She jumped at the last moment, the barb whisking by her legs with mere inches to spare. She twirled in mid-air, drawing the dagger across the muscles on the wyvern's tail as it rocketed down the alleyway. The beast cried out as the black blade severed scales and skin, sinking into its tail before it jerked away from the offending blade. Rin landed in a crouch, the edge of her weapon wet with the reptile's dark blood. The wound had been deep, but not enough to sever the tail; in fact, she doubted it was enough to even impeded the wyvern. The wyvern tilted its wingspan, aiming towards one of the buildings along the alleyway instead of returning to the sky. It landed with a thunderous din, claws gouging the stone as it dragged itself to a halt. It roared at the duo, perched above them on the building. No longer confined to the alleyway, it proved itself to be much more graceful, using a single flap of its wings to hop from roof to roof. Its elevation still allowed the beast to use its tail without fear of retaliation, while it could easily drop from the rooftops to crush them beneath its weight and claws. Rin spun the dagger nimbly, reversing her grip on the hilt so its blade ran parallel to her forearm. The wyvern was slowly approaching their present location, its lavender eyes locked on the pair with reptilian fury. It cried out once more, causing the girl to wince at the piercing cacophony. Betrillay is augmenting the wyvern's intelligence. She might even be possessing it. Rin frowned slightly at those words, moving to stand next to Kalim once more. “The witch is controlling the creature. Be careful...” She walked away from him again as the wyvern got within striking distance with its long tail, eyes watching the creature mercilessly and giving them both enough room to fight and dodge its attacks. Edited by Rin, Fri Jul 15, 2011 3:52 pm.
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| Kalim | Fri Jul 15, 2011 6:54 pm Post #17 |
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The two didn't have to wait long for the flying lizard to reapper from the dark sky, the wyvern swooping low towards them, it's wings carrying it quickly along the alleyway, too quickly for him to realize he needed to move; his body ached from the blow the creature's wings had dealt him, and his arm burned from where it had been bitten by the wolf. Instead of trying to evade the attack, as he should have, he instead stepped into a defensive stance with sword slanted before him, as if he was about to face another swordsman rather than an overgrown reptile. His eyes widened in surprised as he saw Rin running towards it, but had no time to shout a command to stay back before she swung her dagger upwards, hitting and deflecting the spike on the end of the creature's tail. He ducked reflexively as it flew towards him, and he noticed something wet and glistening along the stone that it had struck. He swore, loudly, at his realization of what it was: poison. The girl had just saved his life. Conversely, just as she had preserved his, Rin seemed intent on losing her own. Still reeling with shock at how close he had come to leaving the mortal world, he didn't realize her plan until she ran at the creature as it flew back towards them, and he could only watch with trepidation as she threw herself into the air, barely evading the slashing stinger before she managed to score a hit against the beast, a long, deep gash on it's tail. It screamed as she landed; the wound would not stop it, but it caused it pain, perhaps enough to make it more cautious in it's approach. Indeed, it seemed that the wyvern had learned that it's prey wasn't as helpless as they appeared. It alighted on top of one of the rooftops, staring at them with angry, slitted eyes. It began moving along each rooftop, it's wings making the maneuvers seem effortless. He glanced in Rin's direction as she approached, hoping she had some kind of plan, but her news only deepened his scowl. "So we're fighting her, just in this thing's body? Good." His eyes followed the wyvern as it landed on top of a nearby building, close enough to be within striking range with it's tail. "I've been wanting to hurt this witch for a while now, teach her what happens when somone plays puppet master." He approached the dangling tail, eyes focused on it, waiting for the slightest twitch that would warn him of an incoming attack. The giant reptile snarled, and as it jerked it's deadly barb towards the mercenary, he moved his sword to the side, changing the strike's direction so that it passed by him. The wyvern's wings unfurled again, and he knew that it was about to take off again. He didn't stop to think; his mind was empty and he relied purely on instinct to drive him forward as he leaped to grab hold of the beast's tail, wrapping his hands around it to maintain a tight grip on the leathery flesh, and he kept his sword in his right hand as he felt his feet leave the ground. This...is not good. It didn't take long for the wyvern to realize it had an unwanted passenger, but with him holding on to it, it couldn't move it's tail to sting him. The unexpected weight dragged it down for a moment, and it drifted along the street. Coming near a building, it turned sharply, sending him hurtling back towards the brick wall, and as he came close to it, he pressed his legs against the structure, allowing them to bend before he kicked off of it. With it's attempt to shake him failed, the wyvern changed strategies, and it's powerful wings began to flap, taking them further skyward with every downward thrust. He looked down; the distance to the alley was too far to fall, but if he dropped down on top of a building... Every second counted, but he knew that as soon as the tail was freed, the wyvern would lash out, possibly before he was out of it's range. He had managed to hold on to his sword, though, and as they drifted over a home he looked up, noticing that the wound Rin had inflincted was only a short distance from where he held on. Releasing his right hand, he dangled precariously as he moved his sword back, then forward, slashing as forcefully as possible considering the awkward angle. The blade cut deep into the already damaged muscle and bone before it emerged on the other side, severing the tail completely. Immediately he felt himself falling, falling, before crashing againt the tiles below, his sword flying from his hand. He instintively tucked into a roll to lessen the impact, but then the mercenary realized he was on a roof and pressed against the slanted terrain before finally skidding to a stop a mere foot from toppling over the edge. His body was screaming in pain. Though he doubted anything was broken, it was still a long distance to fall, and his breath came in staggered gasps as he struggled to lift himself to his feet, before collapsing back against the roof, laying flat. He would need time to recover; he could only hope that Rin could fend for herself until he could rejoin the battle. |
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| Rin | Sat Jul 16, 2011 1:04 am Post #18 |
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Rin watched calmly as Kalim rushed at the perched monstrosity, deftly avoiding its tail strikes. The reptile prepared to launch itself from the ground, but before it could the mercenary leapt onto its body, wrapping his arms tightly around its tail. Rin cried out as the wyvern lifted into the dark night, its wings swiftly carrying the beast out of her line of sight. That... That idiot! Did he do that on purpose? Biting her lip in frustration, the girl clenched her fingers around the grip of the dagger, feeling completely useless. She could hear the piercing cries of the wyvern as it swirled unseen in the sky, and she wondered how her ally was faring in its natural element. She got her answers moment later when she heard the man cry out, quickly accompanied by a thump on a nearby rooftop. Rin looked up at the edge of the building worriedly, wondering if the fall had injured the man. When she saw a trickle of blood flow from the roof she gasped and immediately began looking for a way to ascend to the roof. There was a haphazardly stacked tower of boxes leaning against the wall, clearly sturdy enough for a makeshift ladder. Rin jumped onto the base of the stack, quickly climbing up the rest of the boxes. She hauled herself to the dark rooftop, eyes scanning the tilted surface for kalim. He was lying on his side near the edge of the roof, holding his side and groaning. The source of the blood had not been the mercenary, but rather the severed tail of the wyvern laying next to his battered body. Rin sprang forward, brandishing the dagger and calling on its mystical powers once more. The replica of King Arthur’s weapon was incomplete; she knew she could only utilize its unique abilites three times a day, but this seemed like an appropriate time. The shadows ignored her own thin frame, wrapping around Kalim instead. “Stay still! You’re in no condition to fight!” The cloak settled around the mercenary’s body as she jumped from the rooftop, grabbing the severed wyvern’s tail as she did so, and not a moment too soon. The creature came careening out of the night, vicious claws tearing through the rooftop where she had been standing only moments before. The girl landed in a roll, making sure to keep the razor-sharp stinger away from her skin. Poison glistened along its length, and she knew that any mistake could be fatal. She turned to face the reptile as it crashed to the street, its purple eyes burning with anger. Although it had been separated from its stinger, the creature was by no means defenseless. It spun awkwardly, wielding its severed tail like a flail. The thick stump was too fast and too length to avoid. It slammed into her side with bone-bruising force, sending the girl flying down the alleyway… but before she was knocked away from the creature she sank its own barbed tail deep into the flesh of its back, the entire length of the stinger sinking into its skin. The wyvern howled as the girl slammed into the wall, twisting its neck to glare at the offending stinger. The witch’s influence was apparently strong enough to encourage the beast to tear the barb from its flesh in a spray of dark blood, but the damage had been done. The wyvern had a strong resistance to its own poison, but the venom was still potent enough to eventually cause its demise. Growling in animalistic rage, the wyvern barreled down the street towards Rin, its jaws snapping savagely. Still dazed from the wyvern’s strike, she didn’t manage to avoid its attack entire, its teeth catching her uper arm. The girl hissed as she slammed the pommel of the dagger into the creature’s snout, causing it to recoil from the blow. Her arm torn and bloody from its jaws, Rin gritted her teeth and held the dagger in her uninjured hand. She could only hope that the poison coursing through the creature’s veins would kill it before it managed to catch her with its deadly teeth. |
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| Kalim | Sun Jul 17, 2011 3:28 am Post #19 |
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Soft thumps caused him to open his eyes, to see Rin clambering up beside him. He idly thought, amidst the pain that jolted him, that it would be quite a nice vision for any injured soldier, if it wasn't for the fact that he knew just how deadly she was. He could do little other than grunt at her concerned words, the wind that had been knocked out of him just now returning, and he lay there quietly as the darkness settled around him, hiding him from the wyvern's hunting eyes. The magical shadows didn't stop him from almost having a heart attack when the beast came zooming past, talons slicing along the rooftop and scattering fragile tiles. He jumped while laying down, as impossible as that seemed, and it didn't do much to help his condition. The shrieking cry of the wyvern told him that the fight was still going on, and he knew that he had to stand and fight if there was a chance of survival for either of them. Lifting his head, he looked back where he had fallen before rolling, and there, barely visible, rested his sword, still bloody from severing the beast's tail. He crawled towards it, wincing at each slight movement. He was bruised and battered; if he felt this bad now, the mercenary didn't even want to think about how much pain he would be in tomorrow, or even today, once the adrenaline from the fight had worn off. Still, he kept going, using his knees and elbows to push him forward, and finally got close enough to reach out and grasp the hilt of his weapon. He braced the point against the roof and used it to lift himself up, before stumbling over to where he had seen Rin climb up a short while ago, hoping that there was a ladder or something else that would allow easy access to the street below. As luck would have it, the only way down was a stack of boxes that might have worked for Rin, who hadn't just suffered the rather unpleasant effects of gravity, but for him, who could barely walk, it looked like a deathtrap. Still, unless he suddenly sprouted wings, it was his only choice. Carefully, and ever so slowly, he got down on his knees and allowed himself to slide off the roof, and onto the top box. It wobbled, and he quickly moved on to the next one, hoping that his momentum would carry him the rest of the way. Unfortunately, he landed on one with poor footing, and it immediately slipped out from beneath his boots, causing a chain reaction that led to all the other boxes tumbling out into the pathway, with a loudly cursing mercenary coming along for the ride. He landed with his arms held out to brace against the impact and was only minorly scuffed, but along with his other injuries, it felt like dropping from the wyvern all over again. He rose to his feet and limped along the alley towards where he had last heard the wyvern screaming. It came into view, staring down Rin, a gaping wound on it's back that he could only assume the girl had inflicted on it. It appeared she hadn't escaped unscathed; even from this distance, he could see the blood on her arm. Wearily, he raised his sword, pointing it at the stupid, thrice-damned lizard. "I've had enough of this," he said, his voice containing both exhaustion and anger. "Just...die already." It seemed the wyvern had no intention of appeasing him, or even noticing him for that matter. It continued it's advance towards it's current target, and the mercenary shouted, telling her to step back as he stabbed his sword, hard, into it's side. It flailed even as it howled, and he was forced to duck to avoid being bludgeoned in the head. With it's attention sucessfully gained, the wyvern lumbered around and it's maw came forward to emit a bestial roar, right in the sellsword's face; his hair actually caught a warm breeze, it was so close. He knew he should be terrified, but he was so injured, so irritated, and so tired that the only thing he could think of was that he wanted this to end, and end now. Therefore, his only reaction to the rather impressive attempt at intimidation was to wrinkle his nose, wave his free hand in front of his face, and say, rather casually, "Your breath...really stinks." He jumped back as the wyvern snapped it's jaws forward, his injured legs screaming in protest at the sudden movement, and the pain was enough to distract him from the tail as it came swinging around for another strike. It hit him in the stomach, hard, and he kneeled over, breath leaving his lungs in an explosive burst. He fell to a knee, and the wyvern gave a shriek of victory before it reared it's head back, preparing to close it's teeth around his neck. Expecting death, prepared for darkness to close around his vision, the mercenary was surprised when nothing came. There was no pain, no agony born from fangs burying themselves in his throat. What he heard, instead, was what sounded very much like a choking sound, and he looked up in confusion. The beast gagged, and he could see the muscles in it's legs and body tensing, as if it was in intense pain. It collapsed, a heaving mass of power reduced to a curled-up heap as it twitched as though it was having a seizure. It made one more pitiful sound before it became still. Kal looked at the corpse, frowning. Well, that was...unexpected. He managed to reach Rin and leaned back against a hard wall behind him, using it to support himself. He hurt all over, but his stability was starting to return; a short rest, and he should be able to continue. He closed his eyes, trying to get his breathing back to a normal rate. The battle was over, but it would take a while for his body to adjust. "Just give me a minute," he told his companion, before slumping down on to the ground. He didn't bother sheathing his sword, letting it fall from his hand to the ground. "Are you alright?" |
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| Rin | Mon Jul 18, 2011 3:22 am Post #20 |
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Rin dropped to the ground, her entire torso slamming painfully into the cobbles as the wyvern’s slavering jaws snapped closed above her frame. She immediately sprang to her feet as its clawed foot descended where her body had laid mere moments before, its claws digging deep scratches into the stones. I thought you said its poison was deadly! She flipped in mid-air to avoid the flailing stump of its tail, but the thick cord of muscles still caught her ankle, sending her sprawling. The wyvern let loose a piercing cry of victory as it prepared to eviscerate her prone form… before Kalim reentered the fight, his sword gleaming in the light of the lanterns as he plunged it into the wyvern’s ribcage. The creature twirled to attack the mercenary, giving the girl time to recover. She raised to her hands and knees, pressing her right hand against the gash on her shoulder in an attempt to staunch the blood. The entire length of her left arm was covered with a fresh layer of blood, turning her pale skin crimson. The wound from the reptile’s teeth were not deep enough to sever the muscles in her arm, but it was still extremely painful injury. She grit her teeth and rose to her feet as the mercenary continues to battle the creature, holding Carnwennan in her bloody fingers and a fierce expression of determination on her face. She ran towards the wyvern’s back as it threw Kalim back from its body, but her approach slowed as she realized the attack had not been designed to actually harm the man. Instead, the wyvern seemed to be convulsing, its legs and wings shaking wildly. She came to a halt safely out of the range of its spasms. Its muscles shivered as the creature collapsed with a loud thump!, the jerking limbs unable to support its girth. Within a minute the creature’s body had stilled, its tongue lolling out of its mouth. With the wyvern dead the girl noticed that its eyes were no longer violet, but instead a deep brown color. A drop of that poison would have killed you even quicker, Rinrae. You need to be more careful. Ignoring the book’s chastisement she slowly sank to her knees, Kalim joining her shortly and leaning against the wall next to her. She smiled at the man, although the expression seemed odd next to the gash in her shoulder. “I am fine… my arm is not injured too badly. Thank you Kalim. I could not keep it distracted for much longer.” She methodically rotated the damaged limb, grimacing at the waves of pain that emanated from the wound. “We have to be getting close to Betrillay. I cannot imagine her defenses would be this strong if we were not approaching her lair.” “You are more correct than I’d like to admit, waif.” Rin’s head jerked up at the words, her eyes narrowing. A woman stood on the other side of the wyvern’s corpse, her lips twisted in a cruel smile. She wore a dark purple robes that covered her from neck to ankles, although it was not quite loose enough to hide the voluptuous curves of her body. A sash was looped around her waist, various pouches hanging from the fabric. Her hair was as black as night, with shining violet eyes set in a face whose beauty rivaled Rin’s. Her eyelids and lips had been dusted with lavender makeup, and amethysts sparkled in her ears. In one hand she held a tall staff of gnarly wood, purple inscriptions carved into its smooth surface. She walked towards the pair, her hips swinging seductively as she laughed. “You are a slow learner, girl. I warned you to leave me be. The page of your precious book is mine by the laws of men.” She stopped around twenty feet away from the incapacitated pair, her lips curling back to reveal a row of perfect white teeth. “And now you’ve killed my pets. This will not do at all.” Rin’s only response was to tentatively rise to her feet, the dagger clutched in her right hand. “Betrillay…” The name dripped with venom, and Rin’s eyes were cold and fierce as she stared at the witch. She tightened her grip on the weapon, taking a step towards the witch. The woman laughed at the blatant aggression and raised one hand to the girl in the universal symbol for ‘stop.’ “This is not necessary, mercenary. I have done you no wrong.” The witch’s eyes narrowed as she shifted her gaze to Kalim, smiling unctuously. “I can reward you beyond your wildest imagination for your service. And all this girl has to offer you is her praise and thanks. I can give you power and wealth and… other services.” She licked her lips as she said this, sending a shiver down Rin's spine. She gestured towards Rin dispassionately. “All you need to do is stop this little girl.” Rin sneered at the woman’s words, but did not speak. Kalim could choose for himself… But if he chose the wrong side, she would have to be forced to deal with him. The thought unsettled the girl; she liked the mercenary, and it would be unfortunate if she had to eliminate him as well. |
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| Kalim | Mon Jul 18, 2011 6:41 pm Post #21 |
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Rin seemed just as tired as he was, sitting next him on the hard ground. He leaned his head back against the stone, looking up into the void above them. The mercenary counted himself lucky to have survived this long; there weren't many people out there that could say they had battled a wyvern and lived, especially when there were only two of them. He wasn't religious, and many people said the gods had abadoned them anyway, but it was at times like this that he wondered if perhaps someone out there really was watching over him. None of his injuries were life-threatening - out of all of them, the worse was the wolf bite, due to the risk of infection. His falls would leave large, ugly bruises, but they would heal. The fierce, throbbing pain was already fading, though he knew that if he struck something the wrong way, it would all come rushing back. Rin seemed fine, though the wound on her own arm posed the same problem as his. They would need to be careful - if they allowed themselves to be harmed any further, the wouldn't be in any condition to fight. However, it seemed that they didn't have the leisure of being cautious. Kal opened his eyes and looked over in the direction of the female voice, only to fix his gaze on one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. Though she lacked the perfection of the girl next to him, he could see now why so many of the men in Balefire seemed to have fallen beneath her spell; some of them had possibly even gave themselves to her willingly. From the way she moved, it was obvious that she was aware of the fact, and was shameless about flaunting it. The mercenary was unable to tear his gaze away from her, though he told himself that it was only because she was a threat. From the hate in Rin's voice as she rose, there was no doubting that this was the witch they had come to defeat. Kal wrapped his hand around his sword and rose with her, and matched the sorceress's stare as she turned her eyes upon him. He could have laughed at the witch's offer; it was such a stereotype, trying to turn a sellsword against his employer, though he had to admit, it was a good attempt. He knew more than a few fellow mercenaries who would join the woman's side in a heartbeat, more for the last suggestion than for the promises of power and gold. But he had a reputation to protect, and besides, Rin was far too intriguing an individual for him to just abandon her. He still intended to solve the mystery surrounding her. For one thing, what was all this about a page? He kept the scorn from his face and replaced it with a grin as he slowly walked towards the witch. "An interesting proposal. It's a good offer." He reached her side, turning around to face the white-clad blonde. "I wouldn't mind power or riches, or..." his grin broaded as he stared into the beautiful mask that he was certain hid a soul uglier than the wyvern laying at their feet, but his arm tensed and his hand tightened on the hilt of his sword. "Unfortunately, I don't take bribes." He thrust the point of the weapon towards the witch's stomach, at the same time that she raised her staff, the archaic lines etched into it glowing. Kal vaguely realized he was kneeling, both hands clutching his head; everything seemed fuzzy, his thoughts sluggish. It was like being half-awake; he was only aware of himself, the witch standing over him a thing of the past, along with Rin. A soft groan escaped his lips at the haze pushed deeper into his brain. He knew that he was supposed to be doing something, but what? Danger. Why did he feel like he was in danger? There was nothing like that here. The world was at peace, and and so long as he did what he was told, everything would be fine. If he could have seen himself, he would have noticed his eyes slowly during purple. No! No! A voice was screaming in his head, distant, but quickly becoming clearer and louder. He dismissed it; nothing really mattered anymore. He looked up to his new master, the beautiful and wondrous Betrillay, and began to rise. Memories came crashing into his head. He was standing in the living chamber of his parent's home, screaming at his father that he would never swear away his freedom. He cried along with his sister as he watched his brother's go off to war. He looked on, stone-faced, as Oron returned, injured fighting for faceless nobles that saw him as nothing but a number. He looked back at his birthplace one last time before leaving on his own path, having chosen freedom over servitude. His eyes flashed back to brown, and he spun around, snarling, the pommel of his sword ramming hard into the witch's gut. She cried out in pain and recoiled from the blow, but not before her staff shone again, and suddenly she was ten feet away from where she had been standing a moment ago, her magic carrying herself out of harm's way. "You are more resistant than I thought. But that was only a fragment of my power. You will submit." Kal's eyes burned with pure hatred. "Do your worst. You see, you just made a big mistake." His entire body shook; he could feel his nails digging into his palm as his hands clenched. She had tried to enslave him, make him into a puppet. Just like his father. "I'm angrier than I've been in a long time." He looked back, towards Rin, his expression just as foul as he pointed at the wretched spell-caster with the point of his longsword. He no longer cared about any possible reward. He justed wanted the woman dead. "Rin, let's kill her." |
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| Rin | Tue Jul 19, 2011 5:29 am Post #22 |
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Rin sighed in obvious relief when the mercenary pounced towards the witch instead of accepting her offer, slashing towards the enchantress with his sword. Yet halfway through his charge Betrillay raised her staff with a sultry smirk, the runes carved along its length washing the dark alleyway with purple light. Kalim almost immediately fell to his knees, his sword falling to the cobbles as he clutched at his head. Rin could feel the woman's manipulation of the page, using its power to bend the man's mind to her will. The girl snarled and closed her eyes, focusing on the core of the Grimoire's power in her own slight frame. Even as Kalim battled the witch's control internally, the construct used her own Grimoire-given gifts to wrench at the witch's spell, attempting to free the mercenary's mind from her dominating presence. Her eyes shot open as the mercenary turned towards the girl, his brown eyes shining with a lavender light as he raised the sword. No... It should not end like this... She was not sure if her own efforts or the sell-sword's own stubbornness that allowed him to resist the witch's spell, but it was unimportant; Kalim jerked to his feet, slamming the pommel of the weapon into her gut instead of attacking the construct. The witch retreated from the man, coughing and waving her staff. The runes flashed once more, and she teleported back away from Kalim, her eyes burning with magic and anger. Rin did not wait for the mercenary's permission; she simply jumped towards the witch, the dagger clutched in both hands as her bare feet slammed against the street. She brought the blade up in a broad slash aimed at the witch's torso, her features an emotionless mask of determination. Betrillay sneered and brought the staff up to block the dagger, the symbols along its length flashing as she deflected the weapon. The witch brought the head of the staff down towards Rin's skull as if it were a cudgel, laughing at the girl's impulsive assault. The construct brought up the dagger, catching the heavy length of wood on its edge. She reached up to wrap her thin fingers along the staff, gripping it so that the witch could not use the arcane focus to defend herself. “Game over.” She deftly reversed her grip on the dagger, slashing Carnwennan towards the witch's throat. ”Hardly.” The runes carved into the material of the staff flashed, lines of white-hot energy crackling between the mystic symbols. The electricity arced along the entire length of the staff, surging through the girl's arm. She cried out and fell back from Betrillay, her entire arm jerking wildly from the arcane shock. The witch laughed and spun the staff, lashing out to hit Rin across the stomach with the shaft of the weapon. She flew back, screaming in pain as electricity coursed though her frame, causing her entire body to spasm. She tumbled awkwardly backwards from the blow, her unresponsive limbs refusing to turn the tumble into a roll as she had intended. Rin came to a a halt on her hands and knees, coughing and wheezing. She gingerly pressed her free hand against her side, pulling in deep breaths. That is at least one rib broken... She stood hesitantly, grimacing as the movement elicited another fresh wave of pain from the fractured bone. The witch laughed again, her voice filled with a harsh malice. ”This man is obviously a fool if he picked you, girl. You are no threat to me. This time I will kill you to keep you from interfering, and your little friend too.” Betrillay pointed the staff towards the pair, mumbling underneath her breath. The words seemed impossibly to hear accurately; when the girl tried to focus on the syllables they slipped out of her head. The night was suddenly filled with the sound of flapping wings and keening cries. Rin looked at the dark sky warily, unsure of what to expect. She cried out and ducked as a bat dived out of the sky, screeching as it zoomed towards her face. The construct slashed out with the dagger, but the animal was far too quick, easily avoiding the black blade. Rin muttered a dark curse underneath her breath as she stabbed at another bat, trying to prevent the flier from tangling its tiny claws in her hair. ((OOC: She is using the Pestilent Pests spell. She also utilized the Electrify Weapon spell, and the Blink spell from your previous post.)) Edited by Rin, Tue Jul 19, 2011 5:32 am.
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| Kalim | Thu Jul 21, 2011 9:32 pm Post #23 |
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He hadn't even finished speaking before Rin came rushing past him to attack the witch, and he stood there, teeth gritted as he watched the two fight, ready to jump in at the slightest opening. The pair attacked and counterattacked before Rin slashed her mysterious dagger towards the woman's throat, and for a moment he thought that the battle had already been won. But just as the weapon was about to end her life, the witch's staff surged with magic, and crackling electrical energy surged through it, powerful enough to stun Rin while she was batted with the staff. He ran to her side, kneeling to check on the girl; the fall she had taken was vicious. He was relieved when he heard her cough, which at least proved that she was still alive. Her injuries weren't insignificant though, as he could see the pain displayed on her features as she lifted herself to her feet. Kal's eyes settled on the robed mage, sword raising as he prepared to charge her, electrified staff or not. Before he could, though, she began casting another spell, and he halted to see what new threat was going to be thrown at them. As she finished her muttered incantation, he suddenly heard screeches from above, accomanied by the sound of beating wings, and the mercenary frowned. That sounds like... He jerked back in surprise as a furry black bat went careening past his face, followed by another that landed on his arm before sinking its tiny fangs into his hand. He grabbed the winged rodent and tossed it down to the ground, then proceeded to stomp on it until its shrieks ceased. Kal flipped his sword around so that he was holding it with the broadside prominent, and proceeded to flail the length of steel like a bat. He managed to knock a few away, but the majority of them managed to get past his mad attacks. He could feel them scrabbling along his back, and one chose his head as a perch until he gave it the same treatment as the first one. Turning, he saw the woman, watching the chaos she had sown as if it were nothing more than an entertaining show, and he turned the blade so that the edge was once again intended for use. His legs sent him hurtling towards the woman, and he ignored the bats that tried to impede his progress. As he neared her, however, she shouted a word, and Kal had no time to cover his face as what sounded like an explosion roared into his ears. A blindingly bright light seared into his eyes, made ten times worse by how long he had been in the darkness. He actually felt pain, aching deep in his head, as sight and hearing disappeared, though he knew he was shouting. His momentum kept him stumbling forward, and he ran headlong into what he recognized by feel as human flesh. He felt something hard and wooden jab into him, forcing his entire body to go numb and his sword to leave his grasp, but he still felt a failling sensation, with the person, whom he could only assume was the witch, beneath him. |
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| Rin | Thu Jul 21, 2011 11:21 pm Post #24 |
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Rin ducked underneath another bat as it flew at her face, wincing at the flash of pain the movement elicited from the broken rib. The bats continued to wheel around the girl, diving at her with single-minded ferocity that the mammalian creatures usually lacked. The girl snarled and grabbed the piece of leather that was tightly tied to the dagger's pommel. The leather was as black as night and almost two feet long, initially included int he weapon's design in order to wrap it around the white ivory grip when stealth was desirable. Rin used the length of soft fabric for an entirely different reason; swinging the blade like a short whip. The girl twirled in a tight circle, momentarily forcing herself to ignore the pain as she lashed out with her arm. The leather strip added almost two feet to her range, allowing the enchanted dagger to carve through two of the offending bats before they could readjust to her augmented reach. She pulled the dagger back to her hand, holding it in a reversed grip, her teeth gleaming as she flashed a fierce smile. Another bat rocketed towards the girl, but this time she was prepared. Ruin threw her hand out, releasing Carnwennan so it speared the pest. She kept her grip on the leather strip, so after she had slain the creature she easily pulled the dagger back to her waiting hands. The bat's assault temporarily abated as the creatures winged away from this girl, unsure how to advance now that she could spear them at her leisure. Rin took advantage of this lull in fighting to look for Kalim. The mercenary had battered his way through the swarm of bats, charging directly at the witch. She raised her staff, light gleaming along the length of enchanted wood. Rin slammed her eyes shut a mere instant before a blinding flash burst forth from the woman. A deafening crash accompanied the explosion of light. Rin raised her hands to her ears, pressing her palms into her earlobes in a desperate attempt to protect her auditory canals from the thunderous cacophony. The bats fared no better; the Flashburst spell proved far more effective against the sensitive pests, completely demolishing their sense of direction sending their furry bodies spiraling out of the sky. Rin opened her eyes a crack, observing the scene around her as the winged mammals fell onto the street like rain. Spots of light flashed on the edge of her vision, but she could still see. Kalim was on the ground, his eyes closed and tears streaming down his face. He was currently pinning Betrillay to the ground with his body weight, although the construct doubted the mercenary was aware of the fact. The witch's staff was several yards away from the pair, knocked away by the collision. Betrillay was struggling to rise from underneath the mercenary, painting nails scrabbling on the cobbles as she reached for the staff. Rin took a step forward, opening her mouth to cry out to the sellsword... only no sound emerged. She touched her lips in shock, only to see that there was blood on the palms of both hands. She suddenly realized that although the spell had not managed to blind the girl, it had still deafened her. Rin gave up on attempting to speak, stumbling over to where Kalim was curled on top of Betrillay. The witch snarled as she saw the girl approach, slamming one elbow towards the mercenary's temple to free her from underneath his body, but it was already too late. The construct's final charge turned into an awkward tumble by the time she reached the witch, but the enchantress had still not recovered enough to rise. Rin fell to her knees on the woman's stomach, lifted Carnwennan in both hands and speaking even though she was incapable of hearing the words herself. "The page is mine." She could not hear the witch's outraged cry, nor could the girl read her frantic lips. She plunged the dagger into the woman's throat. Blood gushed over Rin's fingers as Carnwennan severed the woman's jugular, passing all of the way through her neck and scraping against her spine. The witch stiffened, raking her sharp nails across the girl's face. Rin gasped and shied away from the scratches, but she did not release the dagger. Instead she thrust it deeper into the woman's neck, until the blade was buried up to the crossguard in the witch's milk-white flesh. Thick, warm blood surged out of the grievous wound, staining the woman's violet robe and puddling underneath her body. Betrillay's struggles turned sluggish as she wrapped her fingers around Rin's wrists, but the witch no longer had the strength to force the girl away. With one last shudder the witch died, her hands wrapped around Rin's in a vise-like clutch. The girl did not move, holding the dagger in the woman's throat for a long minute. She did not know if the sellsword had recovered enough to witness the gruesome sight, nor did she care. They had succeeded. |
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| Kalim | Fri Jul 22, 2011 8:37 pm Post #25 |
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I can't see a damn thing. Blind, deaf, and numb, all three senses had been stolen from him. He could still feel Betrillay stuggling beneath him, however, and he noticed when she suddenly stiffened. Something seemed to be sliming its way along his arm. As feeling slowly returned he realized that it was warm and wet. The witch was no longer moving, either. Slowly, he rolled away before raising himself to his knees, an arm outstretched as he searched for something to help lift himself. Finding a hard, vertical surface he assumed was a wall, he tried to stand, but his head seemed to be swimming, and he was abruptly assaulted by waves of dizziness. Kal back to the ground, breathing hard. "Is she dead?" he asked, though nothing reached his own ears. He rubbed them with his hands, and complete deafness turned into a shrill ringing that only made his headache worse. He felt like he had been run over by a horse. The last time he had been hurt this badly was when - actually, he didn't think he had ever taken this much punishment. He had received worse wounds, certainly, but not in such a short time frame. He felt like laying there, in the alley, and just going to sleep. He blinked as the alley began coming into the view, though he had to squint to make out anything. He turned his head, and recoiled as the light of a lantern shone directly into his burned eyes. Shading them with a hand, he looked around, and caught sight of what looked like a white sundress that could only belond to Rin. She was standing over a purple blob. It took him a few moments to realize that it was the body of the witch, now just a corpse. They had won, apparently. Kal crawled over to where he remembered dropping his sword, and began patting the ground around him in search of it. His hand touched steel, and he hissed as the sharp edge split skin. He found the hilt, and managed to sheath it without accidentally chopping his own head off, quite a feat considering his near-blindness. The mercenary rose, and after a few staggering steps he was able to stay on his feet without feeling as though the world was sliding around underneath him. He squinted in Rin's direction. "Is that it?" he asked, not quite believing it was over. "Does she have what she stole?" Now that the time had finally come, he was dying to know what they had gone through all this trouble for. "Does she have the...page?" He paused briefly, but his curiousity overcame his caution. "What is it, anyway?" |
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| Rin | Sat Jul 23, 2011 1:31 am Post #26 |
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Rin moved laboriously, as if every little motion pained her. She tilted her neck to stare at Kalim over her shoulder, her blue eyes still cold and merciless. The girl shivered, shaking her head like a wet dog. When she slowly opened her eyes once more they had returned to normal, a mischievous gleam reflected in the azure depths. "Yes Kalim... We have found it." The girl rose shakily, walking over to to the sellsword with small, halting steps. When she got within arm's reach of the mercenary she reached out to grip his arm gently before drawing the man into a tight embrace. "Thank you..." She squeezed his torso lightly, aware of both of their injuries and not wishing to hurt him further. She released him after a moment, grimacing as the movement caused the broken rib to grind painfully. She stumbled away from the man, walking towards the witches discarded staff. From this distance the page's aura was as sweet and as potent as honey wine, its power pulsing through her bones and whispering in her ears. She reached out to touch the wooden staff, focusing on the essence of the Grimoire as she wrapped her fingers around the arcane focus. It's length shimmered as if it were a mirage, the entire length of the wood glowing with a soft and steady illumination. Within moments it had shrank to only a loot long, and much, much thinner. She stood once more, unwrapping the cylindrical roll of parchment. The page was over a foot wide and long, with lines of tiny, spidery wrioting coverings its surface that was almost too small to decipher. The words seemed to shift as she watched, rearranding themselves endlessly as it continued to record reality. "These pages.... are why I exist. They belong to a very old book." She brought the page close to her chest, wrapping it in a loving embrace. She closed her eyes, the expression on her face serene and blissful. Although she was squeezing it tightly, the glowing pages did not wrinkle or tear, and none of the sweat, blood, or other grime from her body could find purchase on its surface. "They are very powerful, so no one can be allowed to possess them. No one but me." She quickly rolled the page back into a tight cylinder, placing it in a hidden area of the ribbons on her forearms. The ribbon's material appeared deceptively thin, but was actually as protective as leather. The hidden pouches along its length was where she kept all of the pages she had collected throughout Imythess. She could feel its power washing over her like a soothing massage, calming her frayed nerves and easing the pain of her injuries. "We should leave now, Kalim. The authorities might investigate this area of Balefire now that Betrillay can no longer distract them. We look like murderers." The girl was right; her arms were caked in blood up to the elbows, and she still held the dripping dagger in one hand. Her appearance, combined with her wide smile and bright eyes, made the construct appear quite insane. "Let us go." |
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| Kalim | Sun Jul 24, 2011 6:47 pm Post #27 |
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He winced slightly as Rin embraced him, and stood there awkwardly and stiffly, not used to displays of affection. With his sight and vision returned, feeling quickly followed, more to his dismay than relief. Everything hurt. From his toes to his head, he felt beaten and battered, and he decided that no matter how much it cost, he was going to find a healer after this and get himself fixed up. There was no way he was going to stay in this city for however long it took him to recover. Not only did he despise the city, but he hated being idly, lying about in an inn, unable to do anything. It made him think too much. The mercenary watched in awed silence as Rin touched the staff. Instantly, it began to transform into something much smaller, shrinking until it became what was indeed a page, rolled into a cylinder. Rin clutched it tightly, almost as if it were her own child. So, that was what they had fought so hard for? He turned to cast a dismal look at the witch. Hugs were good, but he would have preferred gold. He had been certain that the woman would have something valuable, other than that staff. He was glad he hadn't picked it up, though. He had considered it when he first saw it, thinking that it might have some worth, but if it contained that kind of power then he wanted nothing to do with it. Besides, the girl might have stabbed him right then and there if he had. He saw how hard Rin fought, and he was beginning to respect her, a rare thing, but he still doubted her sanity. The way she looked, covered in blood and with a happy expression on her face, did little to negate the thought. He was sure he didn't look much better, but at least he wasn't giggling over this hellish day. Or was it night yet? So, this job is a bust. Oh well...not the first. This would free all those enslaved citizens, at least. The thought of them living out their lives, forever bound, was sickening. Saving them made it worth it. Maybe it even made him a hero? He chuckled at the thought. Of course not. Mercenaries were never heroes. He turned away from the witch's corpse, gesturing for her to lead the way. "Yeah, let's go." He began to walk, but paused and glanced back at her, a slight smile playing across his lips. "I still think you're crazy, though." |
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| Rin | Tue Jul 26, 2011 4:12 am Post #28 |
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Rin paused as they started to depart, tilting her head to the side as the Grimoire spoke to her. She frowned in obvious disgust, wrinkling her nose. "Do I have to?" Apparently unaware that she had spoken out loud, the girl put both hands on her hips and stared defiantly into empty air. "Well... Fine. I can do that." The girl reached out and grabbed Kalim's wrist. "Wait a second! We forgot to search Betrillay's body. She is a powerful sorceress... I am sure she owns something that would be valuable to you, Kalim." She sighed heavily and turned back to the witch's corpse, crouching down over the still-warm body. She used the tip of Carnwennan to rip a long gash in the woman's robes and started rifling though her possessions. Rin searched the witch's clothes ruthlessly, apparently unconcerned with committing an act that most people considered sacrilegious. The construct had been instilled with a practical attitude; anything that helped her in her quest to repair the Grand Grimoire was allowed. She was rewarded with several prizes: a set of glowing blue vials, one oddly-shaped glass container with a thick golden concoction inside, and a thick purse that clinked when she grabbed it. The girl smiled and pulled open the drawstring on the latter item, revealing a collection of gold and silver coins. She threw the pouch over her shoulder to Kalim, giggling. "It appears Betrillay collected taxes from her thralls. How lucky for you!" The girl pocketed the vial of amber liquid at the Grimoire's insistence; it seemed to believe that the bottle contained a magical elixir that would provide useful in her travels. Rin stood and turned back to the mercenary, frowning at the blue vials. They were small and fragile, stored in a case obviously designed for quick withdrawal. The lid of the vials was a piece of glass sculpted to look like a crystal, and the liquid inside the containers was a deep sapphirre color. "I have no idea what these are... but they might prove useful. Here, let us split them!" Rin emptied out half of the collection of vials, carefully storing them in a leather pouch on the inside of her satchel. She thrust the remaining vials towards Kalim, as well as the bandolier they had been stored in. "I am glad you got a reward, Kalim!" She grinned brightly and spun Carnwennan deftly. When the blade whirred to a halt she released the grip, and the dagger faded out of existence as if it had never existed. "But I am still not crazy! A crazy person would kill you and take the gold, and I will not be doing that! I do not need gold, after all." Rin giggled and skipped away from the sellsword, oblivious to how terrifying her parting comment would sound to someone who did not understand the truth of her existence. ((OOC: This is my last post here, so the topic is done. Feel free to reply if you want. The glowing blue vials that we split were Mana Burn potions... I like earning all of my items IC, so I wanted to include it... and so I dragged you along. ^.^)) |
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2:06 PM May 19
