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| Nature Shall Bloom Eternal [P]; Rin | |
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| Topic Started: Thu Aug 4, 2011 2:27 am (420 Views) | |
| Seti Thutmose | Thu Aug 4, 2011 2:27 am Post #1 |
 
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He had been wandering the sands for what seemed nigh on twenty years now, ten of them locked away in exile. But these rumors that he heard, these whispers of an oasis being created from nothing? It was something he could not truly ignore. How could any man, no matter how lowly, truly ignore the curiosity of it? It brought a smile to his face, which was an action that he truly could not be used to. So long alone in the desert had left little need for smiling, and now that he had begun wandering to civilization again, the pilgrim found the self-made scars upon his face tingled and burned with every motion of his face. With a smile, he heard the feint whisper in his ear, Ghashurk, the elemental that he bound within him during his travels through the desert. 'Do not forget our arrangement, find the source of it...' Seti merely nodded, understanding completely. The beast required much of him, but it was a price he was willing to pay for the power that was given to him. Many mages he had read about in legend could simply create with a snap of their fingers, many of them referencing this creation of 'mana' within themselves. No matter how hard he tried, the Medjain truly didn't understand how to draw upon this well. And so, he made his deals, he bound power into his very flesh. He smiled again as he ran a hand over his left breast, pain surging through him at the mere touch. The wounds were still fresh, the ritual not having been a week since passed. For it to be complete, however, there were things that he needed to do within this.. oasis. From it's waters life has sprung, and from it shall he return it. When his deal is done, the lock on the elemental's cage will become stronger, and he will have that much more control of the creature.. That much more... He kept pressing on, finding himself missing the presence of a companion he had long ago lost to the sands. When he left his home they had given him enough supplies for a month, and a horse to guide him. His people were somewhat skilled with horses naturally, but he found himself somewhat awkward on the beast. it wasn't long before he found himself quite fond of the idea of parting with the beast. He was quite sure it was doing much better in the desert then he was, a fact that mildly amused him. Animals were not quite as clever as the average man, but their survival instincts were something to be respected. The town stood as a testament to the ingenuity of men, an admirable quality. He felt that the passions of men were something he could truly respect, the ability to act upon a simple desire and push forward, taking from the deepest wells that nature had to offer to grow in power. He imagined that the first man who set his camp here to begin this town was living well enough, having found the place through luck and taken over through strength of will. He kept his scarf around his head wrapped tightly, the only part of his face that was visible were his eyes. The purple eye glittered with promise while the yellow was filled with malice, tracing over each face in the crowd as he passed by them. He memorized each face, wishing to know each of them to know which one would be perfect. Couldn't be a child, not enough blood.. someone who would frequent the oasis but wouldn't be missed. It was a tough option, and he'd likely need to make more guesses then he truly cared for. Whether it was a difficult option or not, however, it was something that needed to be done. Whoever he would choose would die, and he would move on from this place. It would prosper upon the blood of it's brother, and he would move on to the next place to begin the next step of it all. He found the alacrity with which they built the town to be something to commend. Much of the town was tents and animal skins setup to shield the people within from the ravaging of the desert winds, and even worse when it kicked up the sandstorms. However, he found that the places that had buildings already up and standing was something most impressive. Apparently masons saw the profit that could be made with this place at the first whiff of a new oasis. He pressed on with resolve, holding one of his hands to the mouth of his scarf to help stave off the blowing winds, the strength of them being excessive today-even for the desert. However, when he reached the oasis he found the tempest to be calmed completely, some trees even growing from the mouth of the lake that had created itself from nothing in the heart of the desert. It was truly something of miracle, something that a man would truly revere were he a pious man, something Seti just happened to be. He closed his eyes for a moment to offer a prayer to Hesep, the mother of nature and it's rather chaotic gifts. A smile crossed his face as he dipped one of his fingers into the waters. It was rather cool, colder then he had felt in a very long time. He spent the moment looking to his hands, his nails unkempt and the scars forming all over his palms and back of his hands seeming rather grotesque. And yet, he still found himself smiling, that painful feeling in his cheeks ever-growing. Edited by Seti Thutmose, Thu Aug 4, 2011 2:27 am.
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| Rin | Thu Aug 4, 2011 3:28 am Post #2 |
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She was getting much more accustomed to traveling through the seemingly endless desert. The first time she had wandered into the harsh dunes and searing sun the girl had almost died, despite her augmented body. Only the lucky discovery of water within a cactus had saved her life, as well as her body's ability to heal wounds much faster than normal mortals. Rin shaded her eyes with one hand, staring across the expanse of sand. Her destination was just barely visible on the horizon, a small blotch of darkness on the golden sand. She had been hearing rumors about the desert village almost constantly since her departure from Tand and Istan City. It was being called the miracle of the desert; a large lake had just appeared in the dunes, and flora and fauna had soon blossomed all around its surface. A man had happened upon the source of water around two months ago and had immediately laid stake to the water, but he had been generous enough to allow other travelers and merchants make use of its liquid to ease their trek across the dunes. Now it had developed into a small town with the lake at its center, tents and hovels and cabins rapidly built all around the mysterious, life-giving pool. Rin had a sinking suspicion it had been created by a page of the Grand Grimoire. The girl was acutely aware of the fact she did not look like an agent of a sentient and incredibly powerful tome that recorded all of reality. She was a short girl who appeared to be no older than seventeen, with long, golden hair and a face that would make a sculptor cry in awe of her beauty. Her eyes were large and as bright as amethysts, sparkling as she surveyed the Istan Desert. She had also been created with several unique augmentations: she could intrinsically sense any alterations to reality that had been caused by the misuse of the Grimoire's pages, and she was capable of regenerating flesh much more quickly than normal mortals. Her usual attire was a simple white sundress and silver ribbons wrapped around her forearms and shins; however, she had added a thick traveling cloak and expertly-wrapped turban to this ensemble in order to ease her passage through the desert. She still refused to wear shoes, mainly because she enjoyed the gritty feel of the rains of sand between her toes. The girl hunkered down and continued to walk towards the distant oasis, knowing that the end of the path might lead her to another page of the Grimore... and doubtlessly a confrontation with the men and women who had made the spring their home. Two hours of a quick pace had led the girl to the outskirts of the village. She pulled the edge of the cloak down off of her nose, blinking in the sand-lace wind. The village was an odd affair; there was a combination of thick tents and hastily-constructed cabins that gave the village a half-finished feel. She supposed that was fitting; after all, this town had not existed nearly as long as Istan City or Taras, and building supplies were doubtlessly difficult to acquire out here in the middle of the desert. The streets were merely areas of packed-down dirt, so every passerby was trailed by a cloud of dirt that made it appear as if the entire village was covered in a low-hanging and filthy fog. She spun in a circle and laughed, glad to be at the end of her quest. Even if the lake was not the resting place of one of the Grimoire's scattered fragments, she would be glad to spend the night under a roof again. She had been forced to shelter underneath a rocky overhang last night, and she had awoken to find scorpions crawling over her legs. Rin skipped through the crowded streets to the large lake at its center, her eyes widening as she came around a corner and was given her first view of the pool. It was larger than she had expected, the water so clear it seemed to sparkle in the harsh sun. Several trees had managed to sprout around the perimeter of the lake, and a soft carpet of grass had encroached on the dunes. She could see people and animals leaning down all around the banks of the lake, filling up assorted containers or simply crouching to takea drink. Signs were posted around the outside of the lake warning visitors to not swim in the water or face the consequences, and she spotted several guards watching the crowd among the banks. She made her way down to the water, giggling at the ticklish sensation of the grass on her bare feet. The girl knelt down at the edge of the pool and reached down with both hands, removing a handful of liquid from the oasis and raising it to her lips. Rin leaned her head back as she swallowed, staring up at the distant sun beating down on the village. The cool water trickled down her scorched throat, and the girl sighed contentedly even as her stomach tied itself in a knot. There was no doubt. The oasis had been formed by a page of the Grimoire. Rin stood quickly, her sculpted features twisted in a frown. She did not want to ruin this village by removing their source of water... but nor could she leave now that she had located another page. She mused on this conundrum for a moment, crossing her arms and staring out over the glistening water with a thoughtful expression. The girl took a step back, unaware that doing so caused her to bump directly into a stranger's back...
Edited by Rin, Thu Aug 4, 2011 3:28 am.
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| Seti Thutmose | Thu Aug 4, 2011 4:13 am Post #3 |
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Seti was blissfully ignorant of what was going on until it was far too late for him to stop it. His figure bowled over into the water head first, causing the heretical preacher to be submerged to the water to his feet. He was not quite sure what had just happened, but for a moment while he was underwater he could swear he saw a glitter of light beneath the water. He could feel a presence here, beneath the surface... something that reminded him of his time amongst the plane-walkers. 'You are wasting time, Seti... wasting time...' He heard the voice of the irritated elemental, finally bringing himself back to reality, none to soon at that. He could feel a burning in his chest that was somewhat similar to the feeling of having sand in your throat, which he imagined was just a lack of oxygen from not taking proper breaths while underwater. He would need to find a creature to bind to him to fix that... As he reached the surface he could see many of the guards surrounding the pool, many of them giving him looks as if he pushed himself into the pool. He looked to the shore, somewhat wishing that he had left his Nefer-Ibeh on the shore. She often refused to leave her sheath if she was not happy, a fact he was never fond of when dealing with his beautiful blade. As he pulled himself to the surface, he took a moment to pull the scarf that was wrapped around his head off, shaking his head as dry as he could. His red hair went wild, spiking itself out in a few directions as if it had a mind of it's own. Everyone that could see his face become vividly aware that the man's flesh was carved from at least forehead to chin in arcane sigils-the type that were often used in the darkest of summoning and binding rituals. A few of them near his face were still a deep red color, fresh from a ritual that had been done not three days before. He looked towards the young woman that had pushed him in, a sigh passing his lips as he looked at his jacket. The heavy material was already difficult to wear for the man, barely keeping away the heat thanks to the weight of it, the water making it almost three times worse. He sighed, pulling an arm within the jacket to undo the buttons from within. It fell to the ground with a loud thump, revealing the less-wet sand-colored vest that he wore beneath, the long-sleeved white dress shirt beneath clinging to him in a way that brought him nigh to rage. "It seems I have found myself to being in your way, and for that I apologize..." One of the guards began to approach the man to try and confirm if it had been an accident, the immediate gaze that he received from the maddened cultist being one that froze him in his tracks. His vibrant eyes seemed to shatter the will in the man, causing the guard to slink back to where he stood. Seti took in a deep breath, relaxing himself as best he could before looking back at the girl. He ran a hand over his face, leaving his yellow eye closed as best he could. He found whenever he had the yellow one open, anger and rage came to him much more easily. And to control one's passions, that would be a sign of strength that was worth much when it came to self-preservation. He remembered his precious blade that hung from his side, the strap wrapped over his shoulder and strapped to his side. With his jacket on, it was almost invisible on his person, now it was quite clearly wrapped tightly to it's master, it's sheath built much like a quiver that tied tightly to it's master's body. He ground his teeth, not able to resist the temptation any longer, "I suppose miracles of nature tend to attract all kinds, then? What brings one of your kind here, lass? You don't seem to be a native of these sands, their bounties should mean little to you." He couldn't remove a curt tone from his voice, one grown from years of no contact with other humans. It was nigh on twenty years now, just short by a few years as far as he knew. His eighteenth birthday was the last time he had seen his father, the last human he had seen since he visited this place. He actually wondered at times if there were some changes in custom since the last time he had had human contact, or if there really could be? He'd never know 'til he tested the waters, as it were. |
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| Rin | Thu Aug 4, 2011 6:14 pm Post #4 |
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Rin cried out and spun after rudely knocking into the stranger, wincing at the following splash. There was a man floundering in the shallows, splashing and making enough noise to draw the attention of every pair of eyes. The girl spotted several of the guards immediately converging on their location, drawn by the disturbance like flies to a carcass. The man submerged quickly, and Rin caught a glimpse of different colored eyes that both intrigued and scared her. One eye was purple and the other was yellow, a characteristic she had yet to encounter in Imythess. There was something very unusual about the mismatched coloration, but almost as soon as she had noticed the unusual trait he closed one of the eyes, splashing towards the bank with what she assumed was an irritated expression. Something about his clashing irises disquieted the girl, and she had to fight to repress a shudder. Heterochromia iridum is just a rare genetic trait, Rinrae. It does not mean that there is something wrong with him. The girl shivered despite the Grimoire's inaudible advice. She had long ago gotten used to its tendency to advise the construct and explain things she had never experienced before. She watched as the man dragged himself out of the lake. It was a good thing he moved so quickly; one guard had gotten close enough that he would have probably intervened if the trespasser took too long to exit the water. He was an interesting individual, to be sure; every inch of exposed skin seemed to be covered in scars, which was not too extraordinary, but there was something artificial about their patterns. As if the markings were not the residue of countless battles, but rather some ritualistic and masochistic process. It was as if he had carved the symbols into his face himself. His clothes were sopping wet, leaving a puddle of moisture in the grass underneath his feet as he apologized to the construct. "Oh, no, I should be the one saying sorry! I did not mean to bump into you!" The eye he had left open was a dark violet color, and he stared at Rin in open curiosity for several moments before asking her what she was doing here. "Oh... Well. I heard about the oasis, and I thought it was very interesting! But that is- that's not all." She glanced at the guard who had approached their location, but after this man had left the pool he had wandered back away, alert for any other trespassers. She leaned in conspiratorially, eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief. "There's something here I am searching for. An artifact, of great power." She had long ago learned that revealing the actual nature of the Grimoire's pages would usually result in other mortals seeking its power for themselves. Explaining the phenomena as being the work of a mysterious artifact was usually safer and much, much easier to explain than a reality-warping piece of paper. Rin reached into her satchel, hefting her weighty coin purse so that this stranger could her the coins clinking together. "You look like a stranger to this town as well... Is there any chance I could hire you to help me?" This man's ritualistic tattoos were unique in this village, so she assumed that he was not one of the residents of the new town, who would be unlikely to help her steal their source of water. Still, she would have to be careful how she worded things. His skin was tanned from the sun, suggesting he also called the Istan desert home; she was not sure if anyone who had grown up in this harsh environment would be willing to basically drain a source of water for so many innocents. And even if he does agree... That might be a more worrisome prospect. |
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| Seti Thutmose | Fri Aug 5, 2011 5:04 am Post #5 |
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Seti opened both of his eyes fully as he looked over the girl, somewhat surprised at the apology he was offered. His only knowledge of the world outside of his tribe was what he was told by people who had gone out on their marches. Those that told him of it painted a rather dark picture of the rest of the world, and the little interaction he had before he abandoned civilization to travel into the heart of the desert didn't support any view beyond that one. His features softened a bit, the twinkle of malice that filled his yellow eye softening slightly. He could at least give the benefit of the doubt, though there had to be a purpose behind the accident. And it didn't take much listening for him to truly find out that purpose either. He listened to the girl bring up the theory of an artifact causing this oasis, a some sort of object that fueled the growth of this place. For a moment, he was reminded of the tale of the seed of Hesep, an object that would focus her power perfectly and grow nature from nothing. He looked into the water, remembering the feeling he got when he was pushed into it. 'Perhaps there is my purpose in this...' he smiled, hearing a very irritated groan from Ghashurk in his head at the thought of it. The stone elemental was somewhat empathetic of humans, but the more the two dealt with one another the more Seti realized that he had little respect for human faith, and many of their beliefs when dealing with faith. 'Just try and keep yourself from becoming the sacrifice, Seti, that would ruin our agreement...' He smirked a bit wider, 'I wouldn't want that, my friend.' He thought of the presence he felt underneath the water, something strange that made the water feel invigorating while he was beneath it. It reminded him of the first time he stood beneath the sun and simply waited, watching it's light go across the sky. Beneath that sun, the feeling of it burning against him being all that he could feel, he felt more alive then he had ever felt before. Beneath those waters he felt a similar feeling, something that came from another world. It was the feeling of an object that it's very presence breathed life into whatever it touched, creation.. the most beautiful thing in this world. "I suppose you can propose the deal you wish and I can agree or disagree. I would be rather foolish to accept a death with the simple premise of helping someone else who wandered in through the deserts. Don't you agree?" He smiled, hefting his jacket off of the ground to wring it out. When it was at least partially dry, he hung the piece of cloth from his shoulders and sighed. For now, it would have to do. He had grown rather fond of the jacket, having stitched it himself from some cloth he salvaged in the desert. A caravan had been hit by bandits and he found some of the supplies needed to make the jacket amongst what they left behind. Apparently all they were after were the food and the gold that the caravan had brought with them. Or at least, that was all he really knew was on there, he wasn't aware of what merchant caravans really moved around, having no real experience with markets. Or most societies in general, really. "First off, perhaps some details on this artifact? From what I can tell well..-" he looked at the lake that had formed in the midst of the sands, his eyes scanning over the vegetation that had sprung form it, "-it would have to be quite powerful for it to cause this. Wouldn't something like that have some sort of.. natural protection from pilfering?" That was the extend of the man's knowledge so far as magical items went, that the most powerful of objects tended to have defenses against those that wanted to pilfer them. Most of his knowledge, he'd admit, were simply legends of ancient tomes that the Istani people had created for some of their greatest citizens, at least some tribes(another fact that he had simply read in a tome). He turned his head for a moment, having forgotten one of the simplest principles so far as human contact was concerned, something his father had taught to him a long time ago, "But perhaps.. before anything is agreed to Senet, you may tell me your name? It is difficult for a man to deal with the faceless, as my people say. And I suppose the way I said that could be insulting... so you, Senet, may call me Seti." He smiled, bowing slightly. The parts of his hair that were finally dry drifted over his face, attempting to cover up his yellow eye as he often preferred it did. He found that his curiosity was somewhat peaked. Edited by Seti Thutmose, Fri Aug 5, 2011 5:05 am.
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| Rin | Fri Aug 5, 2011 4:11 pm Post #6 |
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Rin's smile broadened when the stranger showed some interest in assisting her. At one point in time, she would have gladly shared all of her knowledge on the page, but months of hunting them throughout Imythess had made her slightly more cautious in her quest. She jerked her head at the oasis in a gesture she hoped was inconspicuous. "I am glad you're at least interested. I have reason to believe that the artifact is somewhere in this pool... Probably in the depths. I also think the guards are aware of its presence... why else would they ban people from swimming?" One guard in particular was still watching the duo with a suspicious glare. The man who had been seconds away from yanking the stranger out of the oasis was still watching them sullenly, arms crossed and eyes narrowed. His obvious mistrust annoyed Rin; after all, she had done nothing to warrant his displeasure! True, she was planning on stealing the source of water that allowed him and all the rest of these people to survive in the harsh desert, but he had no way of knowing that! The nerve of some people. "As for the artifact itself... Its powers are quite simple. It can augment the abilities of any mage." She left out the small fact that one did not necessarily need prior arcane knowledge in order to utilize it. The Grimoire's pieces possessed the ability to alter reality; this usually resulted in effects that were easiest explained as 'magic,' even if that definition was not exactly truthful. A peasant with a page could suddenly possess the powers of an archmage, while a trained magician would find his spells powerful enough to shake the earth. "Although it does have some defensive capabilities, I am lucky enough to have a way to slip through them... a certain resistance to the artifact's power." That much was true. The Grimoire had known that its fragments were not all resting at the bottom of lakes, unattended. Some had been discovered by men, and power always tends to corrupt. She had been given the ability to not only sense any alterations in reality, but also to dispel their effects in order to help her on her quest. Although this was primarily used to quell the rampant pages of the Grimoire, she had also found that she could cancel out more traditional magical assaults. She smiled again when the man introduced himself. "I don't think your rude! My name is Rinrae... but you should call me Rin!" She giggled and curtsied smoothly, bowing her head to the ritually tattooed man. "If you help me... I will be able to reward you." The girl reached into her satchel and jingled her small pouch of coins, the money inside clinking together reassuringly. She had discovered that offering gold to mortals was the quickest way to acquire their loyalty, at least for short-term purposes. Rin looked over Seti's shoulder, her smile fading as she realized that the guard was approaching the two of them once more. She lowered her voice to a hissing whisper, glancing between the sentry and Seti nervously. "This could be trouble... Let me talk to him." The guard halted several feet away from the pair, one hand resting threateningly on the pommel of his longsword. His eyes flickered from Seti to the girl with an attitude of obvious superiority. "Excuse me, sir and madam... But we don't want any disturbances here. I would prefer it if you departed the premises... Immediately." Rin's face transformed into a mask of confusion. Her lower lip protruded in a pout that would have been comedic if it wasn't so adorable. When she spoke it was much less assertive, the words ringing with deference. "But... but sir, I just want a drink of water..." "Please mam, I must insist." The guard took a step forward, now openly gripping the hilt of the sword. Rin's face transformed in a moment, from submission to annoyance. The construct was too close to her goal to give up now; hesitating for even a moment longer seemed far too difficult when she could begin her attempts to reclaim the page immediately.She stepped forward and thrust both arms out, slamming her open palms into the guard's chest with a strength that was incongrous with her appearance. The man shouted out as he tumbled into the lake with a loud splash, instantly drawing the attention of all the other guards to their location. The girl's look was sheepish as she turned to Seti and slipped a hand into her satchel. "I would choose fast, if I were you..." |
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| Seti Thutmose | Sat Aug 6, 2011 4:38 pm Post #7 |
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Well, Seti had to agree that they must have known something were they setting guards out to stop people from swimming. Even he could feel something by merely being shoved in. Someone who was even more skilled at magic could have likely known of something within with the simple act of pressing their hand into the surface of the water. He smiled, nodding as he muttered quietly, barely enough for her to hear him, "That is quite peculiar... if not transparent." 'Don't forget idiotic. Though letting humans swim in a drinking source of all things I can understand not wanting them to.. filthy creatures the lot of you...' He couldn't help but chuckle at the sentiment Ghashurk was trying to explain, forgetting that no one else around him could actually hear the little voice inside him. He raised a hand to his mouth to stifle a false cough, turning his head to look towards the guard that was still remaining rather near them. Something about the man made Seti uncomfortable, something that would end bad for one of them. His ears twitched at the description of the artifact, however, bringing his attention back to the girl. Augment the powers of a mage? That would be something that he found great interest in. He couldn't personally cast magic the way others could, the ability remarkably foreign to him, but to augment his own abilities could prove his style to be much less fatal. Or more, as the case may turn out to be. He smiled, nodding his head and keeping his voice quiet enough that the guard could not hear him, "I suppose we should wish to retrieve it before someone of lesser morals could reach it, then. I fear for the desert sands were someone to randomly catch wind of this object." In a way he was speaking the truth, though his feelings about what the artifact would be used for was likely different then what he thought her views would be. He thought of this very thing he stood in, a town, a corruption of nature if there ever was one. If he were to use the artifact it would be to wipe this place from existence, giving nature back her reign. For now, however, he did not have the means to do that. He realized the thoughts were making his face one of rather grim distaste, quickly twisting it into a smile as the lass gave her name. He bowed lightly, his eyes moving to the coin-purse that she retrieved, sighing lightly at the thought of it. He hadn't had much use for gold in any of his years, much of it spent far and away from any manner of civilization. If there was something that he wanted, he took it. If someone couldn't stop him, then it was their own problem. He wondered if he would be forced to take it to keep from seeming suspicious to the girl, his thoughts cut short at the approach of the guard. It was something that he had expected, but still wasn't less irritating in spite of that. He watched her talking to the guard and his face visibly curled in a look of confusion, the innocence in the young woman's expressions seeming perfectly legitimate, the sort that he had only seen in children before he began his march. In a way, his curiosity was sparked further, and in another he found himself mildly annoyed. He looked towards the guard at the use of the word assist, his hand twitching slightly. The guard caught the motion in the corner of his eye as Seti began to slide his sleeve up his arm. You'll have your sacrifice early, my friend. He could hear Ghashurk's laughter in his ear as he moved his hand to his scimitar, the beautiful edge of his Nefer-Ibeh glittering in the sun as it left it's sheath. He noticed the alarm on the guard's face as he moved in towards the man. He would admit that his abilities with a blade were a little over that of a child's, but the chaotic nature of his movements would lend a mild advantage to the man. The average guard of a place like this could certainly be accounted as a veteran of battle, but not enough to guess the movements of a madman. His voice came out like a hiss, and tasted almost like sand as he spoke, "Eckryllia, grant me this one boon and strike with fury." He ran his hand over the edge of his own blade, blood dripping down it almost immediately. The scars on his hands helped lend some credence to the idea that he had done this before as he ran his bloody hand down the exposed surface of his arm. As blood touched each of the sigils, they seemed to come to life. His very skin crawled, he could feel the beast moving within as the spell soared into the guard, pain seizing him for a single moment. The only moment the mad-man needed. The guard raised his blade as the pain ceased, the cultist twisting his body in reaction to cause a wide arc, the slash grazing itself over the man's neck. It wasn't deep enough to be fatal, but the man certainly felt it as if it was. Using the distraction, Seti moved in to place his blade into the man's stomach, lowering his shoulder as the guard attempted to stab at him wildly while his other arm held his throat. As the blade passed through, Seti assisted the man in grabbing his throat, hefting him off of his feet and spinning to toss the body into the waters of the Oasis. "Ghashurk, I offer you the blood of my enemies, their very souls given to the void of your existence." The marks that were on his face seemed to glow happily at the words, his face visibly seeming to vibrate as the man died within the waters. It was one of three men that he still needed to finish his offering. He looked to the young woman and rose his left hand, sheathing his blade before wiping some blood from his face. "You have yourself a deal, though you may keep your gold, I have no use for it. For now, however, I recommend we run... I know of a path in town that I doubt all of the locals have yet to map out..." He recalled the spacing of the streets, the different ways that each district was built as more and more people funneled into the area. If they left the Oasis and went immediately went north, he knew that if they did a few perfect turns the could enter an alleyway, reach another district, and circle around the long way to get the guards off of their tails. There was a certain beauty in it, really. The humans tried to make order in nature, chaotic patterns would be what would eventually destroy them. Edited by Seti Thutmose, Sat Aug 6, 2011 4:39 pm.
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| Rin | Sat Aug 6, 2011 7:28 pm Post #8 |
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Rin watched as the man's entire bearing seemed to change. He became more confident, drawing a wickedly curved blade from underneath his motley jacket and turning towards the guard she had pushed into the lake. Seti muttered to himself incoherently as he cut his own flesh, some of the tattoos carved into his arm glowing with arcane might before the guard's body began to spasm. The girl was not entirely sure what was going on at first, but she soon realized that he had tapped into some brand of magic she had never witnessed before. She could just barely sense the ripple on the fabric of reality from his manipulation of the natural environment, somehow causing pain in his opponent. Rin chewed on her lip, wondering if she had chosen her partner correctly. Such a spell seemed cruel and unnecessary... it was better to just kill someone than purposely cause them pain. Perhaps she could help with that. When she withdrew her arm from the backpack it was accompanied by the noise of steel sliding against leather. She drew a longsword from the satchel, holding its hilt with both hands and a determined expression. Another one of the guards was running along the shore in the opposite direction, drawing his own blade as he approached the intruders. Rin stepped forward to meet this man with a pivot, her weapon whirring through the air so quickly it was a blur of silver. The guard halted his reckless charge just in time, the tip of the longsword scoring a long cut down the length of his cuirass. People always seemed to underestimate her; looking like a teenage girl usually gave her a slight advantage in battle, especially combined with her above average speed and strength. Rin spun forward, jumping into the air to put the entire weight of her body behind the next stroke. The guard's parry was hurried, her blade scraping all the way along its edge to catch on the crossguard. The construct twisted her own blade rapidly, almost effortlessly disarming the guard. He was reaching for a dagger she she stabbed up, the sword piercing his breastplate right over the heart. Screams started along the edge of the lake as Rin withdrew the sword from the dying man, her eyes dispassionate as she examined the blood staining the tip of her blade. A glance over her shoulder told the girl that Seti had managed to defeat his opponent as well, the man's body floating face-down in the pool of water with blood blossoming around his neck. She nodded at his suggestion that they retreated for now, eying the crowd around them. Although no one else had stepped forward to attack them yet, every face looked at them with a combination of fear and anger, and she could see several more guards struggling through the crowd to accost them. "Let's go." She followed Seti as he led them north, springing to keep up with the scarred man. He seemed to lead them in random directions, ducking around corners and running across busy intersections until they reached a small, winding alleyway that was so thin it almost seemed hidden. She could still hear the guards shouting at as they followed the pair, but none of them were in sight yet. The man squeezed into the passage, followed closely by Rin. They emerged on a completely different street, but she could tell that the guards would have no way of following them through the shortcut. She hastily sheathed her sword and wrapped her cloak around her frame, raising her hood so that her foreign coloration and hair color would be less obvious. "Quick... While they're distracted. We need to get back to the oasis. Do you know the way?" Once there she knew they would be forced to engage any remaining guards before the girl could dive into the pool itself... it hadn't looked very deep and she was a strong swimmer, but time was still the concern. It would do no good to retrieve the page if they got caught at the lake. |
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| Seti Thutmose | Sun Aug 7, 2011 8:32 am Post #9 |
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He found himself to be quite impressed with the skill that the girl used her weapon, the guard easily being dispatched with a few thrusts and skillful moves. He would have to remember the moves were he to improve his own form, well aware that it could use some work. He smiled as they passed through the streets, making mental notes of minor details as they passed by, cracks in the walls, certain peddlers and where they set up their stalls. The area they passed into offered even more details, going from a more residential area into the bazaar of the town. He took his scarf and wrapped it around his head as tightly as he could until all that was visible of his face was his eyes, pulling up his sleeve and buttoning his heavy jacket to ensure that the blood on his arm wasn't as visible as it was before. His palm was still bleeding, however, something that he lacked the means to hide. He sighed, putting it into the pocket of his white jacket and simply resolved himself to the fact that he would need to find the cloth to replace the pocket or wash it as well as he could. "We'll need to go through the bazaar, and take the long way around. If we take a left from the central shop and follow the path to the center of this place, and perhaps snake through another alley if this place is the same as the last district, we should be able to sneak back in. We could likely buy ourselves ponchos or something similar in the in the bazaar to keep ourselves disguised until the last moment... " He rubbed his chin, thinking off all of the possibilities. It wasn't very difficult to trick the lot of guards that tended to places like this, at least in his opinion. He would admit that his human contact was limited but they tended to lean more towards the dimwitted type so far as he could tell, especially the brutish guard types. He nodded for them to walk on, knowing that if they just stood in an alleyway and did nothing that it would be more suspicious than the mild red stain that was growing on the inside of his jacket. He looked at each of the stalls as they passed them, his eyes taking in every object. The things that humans sold to one another were almost nonsensical. Some of these baubles were barely use their weight in gold, let alone worth half their weight. Simple things that they made by hand or found in the desert and sold at a hoisted price here. And some people must be buying or the salesman would have died from lack of food a long time ago. He sighed, looking at the girl, "Do you have any clue why they sell some of these things? It's asinine..." He shook his head and let out a light sigh. There were some things of the outside world that he was quite sure his life in the Medjai would never prepare him for, and his time in the wild may have made the situation more awful then better. Perhaps that was for the better, considering his ultimate goals. As they reached the center of the bazaar he looked behind them, noticing some guards moving through the shops with some vigilance in their gazes. They were becoming less alert, but they would still be looking for them. He held up a hand for the girl to pause and moved to a nearby shop, buying himself a poncho and offering the coin to the girl to find one she liked, "I'm not sure of your personal style." He didn't realize the oddness of the statement, or even if the coins he was using were even worth anything. They were, of course, but he wouldn't know any better. His people traded in labor, often trading food for services and other such things. It made things simple, but rather archaic in his eyes. Though it was a nice way of ensuring that men did their duty and did it well. He smiled as he put the poncho on over his clothing, putting the hood up and pulling the scarf lower so his nose wasn't covered. His scars were too obvious for him to show them openly, a fact that brought great sadness to the mad-man. He rather wished he could remove it without making himself obvious, the scent of the somewhat-wet scarf becoming stifling the more he had it around his head. It would grow to be irritating if he has to dive into the water once again. If it came to that, he may need to kill another guard instead of a citizen for the second sacrifice to vent his rage. Or two of them, as it were. |
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| Rin | Mon Aug 8, 2011 7:10 pm Post #10 |
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The girl refused Seti's money, withdrawing a few golden and silver coins from her own satchel. She thrust the coins at the merchant, grabbing an odd hat and vibrant, multicolored poncho from his wares. The hat she put on directly over her hood; it had an almost comically wide brim, completely shadowing her features. Tassels hung from the edges of the hat, jerking and swaying with every movement she took. The poncho itself had clashing strips of brightly died fabric, a garment that was incredibly distracting and not at all conspicuous. Perhaps that was why the guards never even gave the pair a second glance; they probably did not believe that anyone who dressed so garishly could be the people who were hiding from the sentries. Rin continued to follow the cultist, making sure that she kept the man in sight. Although he had agreed to help her, she did not fully trust him as of yet. Sometimes mortals were overcome with a desire to possess the pages for themselves... now that she had revealed its presence and location to Seti she could not allow him to escape her until she had the page in her own possession. They slowly worked their way back down to the lake, leaving the majority of the guards behind to search the marketplace. THe remaining men had cleared out the area around the oasis, ushering away the villagers and travelers in order to remove their dead from the pool and make sure no other intruders corrupted the purity of the lake. Rin grabbed Seti's hand and charged down to the eight remaining men, her eyes wide. "Guards! Guards! I just saw the killers run up that street!" She gestured wildly towards a road in almost the opposite direction of their original escape path. Half of the men immediately dropped the corpses on the banks of the oasis, unsheathing their weapons and rushing up the hill towards the street she indicated. The girl beamed underneath her cloak as she watched them sprint away, mentally celebrating that miost humans seemed gullible to the point that it was a fault. "Wait a minute..." One of the remaining men lunged forward, grabbing fro her hat. Rin didn't have enough warning to duck out of the way, and his questing fingers found the brim of the sombrero and tore it from her head to reveal her features. The girl snarled as he gasped in recognition, reaching into her satchel for the longsword. All four of the guards remaining at the lake drew their weapons and advanced on Rin and Seti, calling out for assistance. Luckily, it seemd as though all of their comrades were currently far enough away to not hear their pleas for help. They would have to take care of these men quickly if that was to remain the case...
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| Seti Thutmose | Tue Aug 9, 2011 9:58 am Post #11 |
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He had to admit that the attempt at subterfuge was respectable. Though he was curious at the reason that the girl picked such vibrant colors for her personal disguise, he wouldn't question it too much if it allowed them to reach their goals. He was beginning to grow more and more curious to whatever this artifact would be, and how powerful it was if it could cause life to grow so readily. He began to wonder if he could truly allow her to remove it, especially if it sprouted life like it did. If not for the humans here, this place would be the perfect resting place for many of the nomads and the animals that would only take what they need and leave, instead of using the place as a cash farm. In his mind he began to devise plans, tricks that would burn the entire town down and return the Oasis to nature... it would just require some clever work to get the girl out of the way as well, depending on how determined she was. He found himself somewhat regretful of the little venture when the guards found out their cover, however. He could feel his hand shaking at the thought of battle, Ghashurk hungering for more sacrifices. He would need to be very careful here and pick out one or two of them after the others were dead. He still needed two more sacrifices.. and if he could get them both here then his life would be much simpler. With a smile on his face, he tossed his poncho aside and drew his precious blade from her scabbard, using his right hand to open his jacket while his left drew the blade from within it. He watched as the four began to circle them, watching the two of them brandishing their weaponry. They were being more careful now, at least mildly aware of their abilities-and possibly apprehensive to face against a young woman that looked as innocent as she did, or a man as psychotic as they likely presumed him to be. He chuckled as he looked into the nearest man's brown eyes, mouthing the word 'goodbye' with a smile showing on his face. He drew back his left sleeve to reveal his already bloody arm, the red liquid caking into his skin. He would need to wash properly later. As he pressed in on the first guard he became acutely aware that his tricks wouldn't work this time. A second guard moved in to assist his friend, not giving the mad cultist the time he needed to cut open his hand or speak his incantations and send one of them back with a surge of pain. All the better, then, he could use the practice with his blade-work. Each movement he made was almost awkward in it's execution, ducks and sloppy kicks to push him through the sandy dirt doing more of the work then his own parries and counter-lunges. He bit open his lip on accident as he was forced back, rolling and landing on one of his knees as one of them pressed in on him, his blade raised over his head in a show that was almost more befitting a barbarian then a normal man. Set shook his head, diving sideways and stabbing out with his blade, his lower half tripping the guard and causing the stab to bite deeply into his side. The guard fell away from the cultist with a grunt, the both of them laying on their respective sides, Seti kicking his feet and avoiding the second guard as best he could-which wasn't quite that well as it were- while the guard clutched at his open wound and resisted crying out. Though why he resisted Seti hadn't the faintest clue. If he screamed it was more likely to bring his allies. He wouldn't say that he was against this silent pain method that let them go about their business more readily, but he had to wonder how their logic worked so badly. Edited by Seti Thutmose, Tue Aug 9, 2011 9:58 am.
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| Rin | Sat Aug 13, 2011 7:38 pm Post #12 |
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Rin watched the two guards that were walking towards her, reaching for her satchel. Even if the men had seen her slay their comrade less than an hour before, they still seemed uncomfortable with accosting a girl who looked to be a young, innocent, and naive teenager. That would give her a slight advantage when incapacitating the sentries... The Grimoire reminded her on a regular basis that it would be much more appropriate for her to merely stun or knock out innocents who stood between her and a page, but it was so much easier to just let herself go and fight at her full potential. Which usually resulted in death. The girl drew her longsword as the guards approached, holding the weapon in both hands and waiting for them to make the first move. Maybe, if she really, really focused she could take care of these two men without ending their lives. Maybe... The first guard tore a nightstick off of his belt, spinning the cudgel once before stepping forward and snapping it at her forehead. She lazily raised the longsword, deflecting the blow easily. A chink of wood flew off of the club as she parried it, and the guard huffed in annoyance. He had clearly expected this girl to just give up and let him knock her unconscious to be imprisoned. Rin sneered at him and jumped forward, the longsword flashing as she whirled it through the air. Suddenly the guard found himself on the defense, the wooden club not nearly sufficient to block her relentless onslaught. The man stumbled backwards as she advance, more and more wood shavings flying as she whittled away at his weapon. The second sentry took this opportunity to intercede, catching one of her frenzied slashes on a long, curved sword. Rin jumped backwards and grinned at this new enemy even as the Grimoire offered a name for his odd weapon. A shamshir. A weapon preferred by many desert warriors. The construct absorbed this new information, blocking a heavy slash from this guard. He was the one who had first noticed her true identity and seemed very obsessed with righting this injustice. His next attack was strong enough to force her a step backwards, the curved blade almost cutting into her shoulder. Rin smiled brightly at the man as he crowed in victory, drawing the shamshir back to strike again. "Too slow." The girl stepped forward underneath his arms, stabbing forward with both hands. The longsword slid through the guard's chest, blood dripping from the tip of the blade as it protruded from his spine. The man sputtered, red dripping out of mouth as he looked at the girl in amazement. After a few seconds he toppled, his own weight dragging the body off of the blade. Rin did not look happy at her success, just staring at the corpse dispassionately. The second guard was staring at her in utter amazement, still holding his chipped wooden club. He slowly dropped it, drawing a shortsword instead before he jumped forward at the construct. The construct met his advance with a joyful expression, the steel ringing out as their weapons clashed. |
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| Seti Thutmose | Sun Aug 14, 2011 7:52 am Post #13 |
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Seti had to admit that he was impressed with the young woman's skills, easily holding off the other two guards while he twisted and writhed across the ground like a fish stuck on land. The wounded guard finally pulled himself to his feet, the two that were against the vizier obviously not happy with his choice of not having died yet, or surrendered as the more merciful case may be. He had a sinking feeling the former was more appropriate now. He ran a finger across the edge of his blade, staining his forearm with the guard's blood. It wasn't his own, but it would do for the simple sacrifice of the demonic spell. He waited, muttering the incantation under his breath as they closed in on him, raising his blade to parry a blow as he dived to the side. The second guard came in on him, a smile crossing Seti's face as the man thought he was about to get revenge for his side. The sigils on his arm sprang to life as he spoke the incantation again, this time loud enough for both of them to hear. The guard locked up in pain as it surged through his side once again, intense for the few seconds it lasted. Before it was over, Nefer-Ibeh had found her mark. Seti pulled his blade from the man's heart, the sigils on his face glowing hungrily as the man's life was offered to the elemental bound within. Ghashurk was obtaining his sacrifice just as he wished, it wasn't how Seti intended but it would work all the same. He twirled the blade as the second guard turned on him, a quick jab stabbing into the mad-man's shoulder and sending a surge of pain through him. He smirked in glee, jabbing forward with wild abandon. The guard seemed less amused at his successful attack, thrown on the defensive against a mad-man who had no thoughts for his own defense now. His eyes had lost all mirth, now only filled with malice. He could hear cackles of glee in his head, of both creatures he had bound within him that were benefiting from this battle. Seti didn't share such love of the spectacle, worry growing within him at the thought of more guards coming. He could handle the one in front of him - albeit he would have to admit with some difficulty - but if more came he would need to gain Ghashurk's favor to truly hold his own here. Or allow the girl to handle it, as it were. Her skills seemed impressive enough she could handle a few more guards before it became difficult for her. He sometimes wished he was born into the Mesen Sen-ef of his tribe, the elite warriors that defend their people. He would have a much easier time during this battle, though he imagined he wouldn't have been enlightened upon his march enough to refuse returning home. Alas, he would have to work with what he had. He pressed his advantage, stabbing forward and forcing the guard to turn his head to keep himself from tripping, slashing as hard as he could to send the man's blade wide, reversing his momentum to bite the tip of his blade into the man's neck. He stared into the guard's eyes for a moment before pushing his blade forward, severing the spine and finishing the job fully. He shook his head, that would have to do for the third sacrifice. Leaning down, he dipped his hand into the man's blood and pressed the tips of each of his fingers to each of his cheeks, pressing into each sigil in kind. He could hear a satisfied sigh echo in his head now, his own voice mimicking it afterwards. He wasn't sure what he would gain for this, but he could feel the stone elemental becoming closer to him with every second that passed. |
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| Rin | Mon Aug 15, 2011 2:29 am Post #14 |
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This guard fought with the shortsword as it was meant to be wielded, darting around Rin to constantly hack at her defenses with the much lighter and more maneuverable weapon. Rin shifted to a defensive stance as he continued to batter at her, blocking his attacks with as little movement as possible. The longsword might have the advantage in reach, but the heavy slashes and jabs that the sword was designed for were difficult to execute against a well-trained opponent. Still, she was slightly faster than her opponent and had much more skill with the blade, so she was not truly in any danger at the moment. She retreated steadily under his frantic onslaught, studying his movements with a practiced eye. Rin had only been in existence for a few months, but her combat skills had been directly downloaded into her body from the heroes of yore. She could fight with the strength of Surtr, the easy grace of Roland, and the relentless righteousness of King Arthur. The longsword was merely a silver blur in her hands as she blocked attack after attack from the guard, waiting for a moment of weakness. She soon spotted what she was looking for. The girl pivoted forward as the guard thrust at her neck, leaning gracefully out of the sword's trajectory. Instead of opening her jugular it sliced along the back of her shoulders, a superficial cut that barely sliced the skin open. Her return blow was a broad slash that opened the man from waist to shoulder, dark blood spreading across his tunic like a blossoming flower. The man grunted and dropped the shortsword, looking away from the girl to stare at the huge gash in his chest. He was forced to use both hands to keep his entrails from falling out, collapsing to his knees and staring at the mortal injury in disbelief. The girl tilted her head to one side, leaning down to whisper something in his ear. When the guard nodded she drew the sword across his neck lightning-quick, ending his life far quicker than it would have taken for his split innards to poison his body. The girl dispassionately wiped her blade clean on the soft grass, glancing around at the surrounding buildings. There had been very few witnesses to their fight, and none of them seemed to have been brave enough to call for the guards. Instead they were just watching these two trespassers with a combination of fear and disgust. The construct forced herself to ignore their angry gazes and turned to Seti, smiling brightly. "Well, that worked better than I expected! Those guards were super gullible!" She did not seem disturbed by the fact she had mercilessly slaughtered two men, nor did she seem to feel the pain from the cut across her shoulder blades. Although Rin was capable of feeling pain, she also found it incredibly simple to work past the sensation. She had never been sure if this was a defense mechanism programmed into her body by the Grand Grimoire or if her own determination kept the pain at pay. "Now it's time to retrieve the artifact..." She skipped over to the very edge of the lake, dipping her toes into the cool, clear water. From that small tangible contact she could feel the power of the Grimoire that pulsed through the lake, as sweet and wonderful as honey nectar. She glanced over her shoulder at Seti, eyes bright with excitement. "Stay here and keep a watch, Seti! I think I can hold my breath long enough to retrieve it..." She glanced out at the still surface of the lake, closing her eyes as she prepared to dive in. "It is a shame that it will cause this oasis to wither, but such things cannot be helped..." |
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| Seti Thutmose | Tue Aug 16, 2011 10:42 am Post #15 |
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Seti found himself impressed by the girl's skill in combat, allowing himself to get lost in the subtle movements that she used to battle against her target. He would need to teach himself something similar with his own blade, something to assist in his survival amongst the desert sands. Truly, he had no intention of ever leaving the desert, but he had a feeling that one day he would need to. If not for knowledge, then for the need to spread the word of his beliefs. It was the only reason he had the will to draw breath. He found little surprise in the girl's thoughts on killing the men, his own view and thoughts on it warped and twisted from years alone, as well as a life-time of isolationism that his people bred in each child. These were not his tribesmen - though in a way he believed they were each part of one larger family - so he readily killed them if it meant his continued survival. It wouldn't be strange if this girl felt the same way. He smiled, "I was more hoping for us to go about our work unhindered, but I suppose that a ruse to get them to attack us works just as well if it lets us work unhindered... especially considered the way the fools who live here act..." He looked at the crowd with a mild feeling of disgust, malice growing in his gaze. They were too cowardly to assist their tribesmen, the few who were willing to protect them at that. If a man would not raise arms to defend his brothers, then he had little worth in the mad-man's eyes. He sighed as he looked back to the girl, moving towards the edge of the waters in unison, stopping dead in his tracks at the edge, the words she spoke bringing a sigh to his lips. He rose his brow, a frown growing on his face, "While I can understand the need to keep the object out of malicious hands... are you truly intending to destroy this... this beautiful thing?" He had little that he would attribute to some sort of natural order instead of natural chaos, but he felt that if this oasis was made from an artifact, it was the gods will that placed it there, wishing for it's power to feed the growth and creation of the place. He frowned as he took a few steps back from the girl, bowing his head as if in a form of apology as he moved his hand to rest on the hilt of his weapon. He smiled grimly, "I will offer you one chance to change your ways, then I will have no choice but to stop you. This creation is the will of the gods, the birth of the Oasis - whether by artifact or natural law - was something that they wished to happen." He sighed, feeling that there was a good likelihood that he wouldn't survive the encounter with the girl. Either the guards would finally catch on and come to kill them, or this girl's superior skills at battle would kill the vizier. He felt no fear about this, it was more the apprehension that with him, his will and faith would die with him. No one would understand the true needs of this world, the need to destroy the silly casting of humanity and open the world back to her natural state. He drew the blade from beneath his arm, trying to hold it as non-threateningly as he could muster. He felt somewhat disturbed at the thought of fighting a girl who looked so young, but no human was above the need for death at the hands of the righteous. And if there was ever a need that Seti felt he was meant for, it was the will of the gods guiding him to righteous battle. |
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4:40 PM May 22
