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| Bitterness [FIN]; [P] Rinky 2: The Reckoning | |
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| Topic Started: Sat Oct 1, 2011 6:29 pm (1,020 Views) | |
| Nkiruka | Sat Oct 1, 2011 6:29 pm Post #1 |
 
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The lush canyons of the southern Istan River quickly gave way to the desolate wasteland for which the region was known. Scrubby plants pushed out between cracks in the ground. Heat blurred the air, creating mirages in the distance. Unlike the rolling sand dunes of northern Istan, the south was hard-soiled and flat. Nkiruka watched a herd of three-horned antelope dart away in the distance, black and white markings flashing. Ever since dealing with the infestation of intelligent undead near the cliff city Austrauka-en-Kalaar, Nkiruka had been completely silent. She held her cloak close over her body, hood and scarf lifted so that only her eyes were exposed. Khopesh was the only one who accompanied her on her slow patrol westward. The master berserker was a wall of a man, standing over six feet tall and with a broad, heavy body. He wrapped himself in a light gray cloak, leaving only his four thin wings to poke out from between the elaborate folds of cloth. His hands and feet were wrapped in bandages to hide their strange, clawed structure. Two sickle-swords dangled from his waist. Her master turned to her, revealing part of an owl's face. "Something is bothering you." His voice was a deep baritone, yet it rolled from his throat without moving his small beak: a form of broadcasted telepathy, she supposed. Nkiruka tossed him a sideways glance. "It's unlike you to pry." The hint of force in her tone told him to back off. "It is unlike you to be affected by such a common insult," Khopesh replied dryly. "A long time has passed since you were last called a monster by so many people. I merely wanted to ensure the Jarandi hadn't driven you suicidal." Nkiruka always fell for this. Her master often used his lack of emotion like a sarcastic taunt in order to point out something ridiculous she might be doing or thinking. This was the easiest way he'd get a rise out of her to practice some of the more directly anger-fueled techniques of their fighting style. Now, she suspected he was just being an ass. "You waited until we were in the middle of nowhere to talk about this?" "Yes." She didn't give him the satisfaction of a response, only shifting irritably on the back of her horse. "Our fighting style is fraught with peril," continued Khopesh. "Our released emotions can become tainted. They fester in our guts and hurt us." Nkiruka felt his black eyes piercing through her. "I know you aren't just wallowing like a weakling from the petty insults of another tribe. There's something more to it, and it's eating at you." Nkiruka kept her eyes forward. "I met your student," Khopesh suddenly changed the subject. "A cadet at the Hashem Military Academy." A mental image flashed through her mind of the small Serelle hugging and stroking Khopesh's feathers. Nkiruka looked over at him, expecting more of an explanation. Even though she had received a letter from her a month ago, she was curious to see how Serelle was doing. "She is a nice girl. Very dangerous," was all he said. Nkiruka frowned imperceptibly. "Why don't you train more people? Even I admit you've attained mastery even at this young age." "I have my own goals to focus on." Nkiruka came off a little more annoyed than she intended; she just wanted him to stop prying. Like usual, her master didn't react to the aggression. Rather than continue pressing Nkiruka's buttons, Khopesh motioned to the road ahead. "We will reach the city Kohal soon. I will meet up with you at nightfall." He slowed his horse considerably until he was far behind Nkiruka. Due to Khopesh's nature as a wanted criminal, it was imperative he not draw attention to himself by traveling alongside the obvious soldier Nkiruka. She continued into the town as if they were two separate parties. Patrol was uneventful in the rural city of Kohal. The tiny volunteer guard organized by the local tribes had no real need for her. Unfortunately, she was scheduled to stay here for at least a day. Nkiruka dismounted her horse and led it through the streets, looking for a good place to pass the time. Like most of rural Istan, the townspeople here looked at the soldier with anything from subtle hesitation to outright fear. Nkiruka was so beyond caring about their reactions to her presence that she didn't bother to meet anyone's eyes. Finding a good place out of the way, she tied her horse's reigns to a nearby post and took a seat against the side wall of a small inn. She crossed her arms and closed her eyes, keeping her body entirely tensed and rigid while she napped. |
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| Rin | Sat Oct 1, 2011 8:23 pm Post #2 |
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The streets of Istan City were crowded, which was appropriate for the busiest part of the day. The people of the desert metropolis were forced to speak loudly to be overhead, resulting in a cacophonous din that could drown out someone's own thoughts. The girl wandered through this scene like a phantom, a detached, empty expression on her face. There was no denying her beauty; she had sculpted and perfectly proportioned features, with bright blue eyes and golden hair that trailed down to the center of her back. Although there was a broad smile on her face, the expression did not reach her eyes. The blue pupils were dull and almost lifeless. She threaded her way through the crowd, not looking or speaking to anyone. The girl wore a thick cloak clasped at her neck, the fabric hemmed in red silk. The majority of the cloth was a dark brown color, although some spots of white were visible. She soon worked her way through the majority of the crowd, reaching a side-street that was noticeably less busy. Two guards were standing guard in front of the only building on the street, the compound surrounded by thick and tall walls. The archway of the gate had thick, copperplate letters carved into its surface. Istan Army Headquarters. Rinrae Dromigg quickly walked over to the guards, looking at them with an eerie expression. Despite her dull expression, when she spoke the girl's voice was excited and happy. "There is a soldier I must find. It is of the utmost importance." The sentries looked at each other curiously, speaking rapidly in the lilting Istani tongue before one of them cried out for a guide. The girl was led into the complex, which consisted of a wide training yard in front of a short, squat building. Barracks lined one of the interior walls, and even in the heat of the day ranks of men and women were training in full combat uniforms. The girl was led through the front door of the main building and directed to a bored-looking colonel who was wearing a uniform that seemed a size too small for his bulk. The man sat up straight as soon as she was admitted into the office, smiling disarmingly at her and nodding his greeting, speaking in heavily-accented Common. "Hello there, young miss. How may I help you today? Here to join up, I hope!" The construct shook her head mutely, dull eyes never leaving his face. The soldier's grin faltered slightly at her unerring stare, wetting his lips nervously and preparing to ask another question. The girl spoke first, however, her words as bright and cheerful as before. "I am looking for a soldier named Nkiruka. She was recently patrolling with Bero Darzi and Captain Aisha Zaman." She took out a small scroll from a satchel looped around her back, unrolling the parchment to reveal a travel-stained map of the Istani desert. She pointed to a small town along the northern reaches of the desert. "They were in Hasham recently." The soldier looked at the map and nodded, pulling out a thick book from a cabinet and opening it to a list of names. After turning several pages he nodded again, glancing up at the girl. "You're referring to Nkiruka Menai, correct? A low-level patrolman on a three-year circuit of the outskirts. I can find her current location easily." He shelved that book and pulled a scroll of his own off of the wall, unrolling it on the desk. On the surface of the paper was a map of Istan, much larger and more detailed than Rin's. Routine patrol routes had been penned across the map, showing a complicated web of dates and locations. He muttered to himself, tracing a path drawn in red around the circumference of the desert. "Ah, here we go. She should currently be located south of the Istan River, in the wastelands. I cannot be sure of her current location, but I can deliver a message to the next village on her route." The colonel re-rolled the map quickly, but not before Rin's sharp eyes had memorized the coordinates he had pointed to, as well as the relative route of that Nkiruka would be following. "There is no need. Thank you." She turned to walk away, but the colonel reached out quickly and grabbed her shoulder, concern written across his features. "Miss, are you alright?" The construct jerked away from the touch, swiveling on one foot, her eyes suddenly filled with anger. The colonel did not notice at first, rubbing his fingers together and staring at his hand. His touch had worn off some of the dark drown flakes, and comprehension lit up his eyes. "This is blood-" Before he could finish the sentence Rin slammed an elbow into the man's temple with a loud thwack! The colonel crumpled without a sound, his eyes rolling back in his head. The girl shook her head and turned back towards the door to the office, walking noticeably quicker than she had before. A week of traveling night and day was all it took to reach the next way-point on Nkiruka's scheduled patrol route: a small city by the name of Kohal. Rin double-checked the map for a moment, pursing her cracked lips together. Her canteen had run out of water the day before, but thankfully she was better equipped to deal with the environment than most mortals. The girl did not technically require sustenance or drink, although if she continued like this for much longer it would start to get extremely uncomfortable. Still, finding the Istani soldier was of utmost importance at the moment. According to the schedule, she should be in this village for at least a day; Rin would just need to locate her before she departed and continued on her path to the west. Rinrae, are you sure this is the most prudent path? I must learn to control this. I cannot allow myself to repeat what happened in Lugram. I must not. The girl looked down at her hands for several long moments, obviously lost in thought. After a minute of this she started, moving from the outskirts of the town into the dirt-packed streets, drawing up the hood of her cloak as she progressed. Although her pale skin and light hair had not been too out of place in a metropolitan area like Istan City, here she would stick out like a sore thumb. The girl wandered the streets aimlessly, peering out from underneath the cowl for the distinctive white, red, and tan uniforms worn by Istani soldiers. |
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| Nkiruka | Sat Oct 1, 2011 9:41 pm Post #3 |
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Nkiruka felt a presence passing by. Her eyebrow twitched as she tried to block out the sound of footsteps, but the hearing of a wolf -- and her natural inclination towards paranoia -- kept her from relaxing. She finally opened her eyes and peered around the corner to see who was coming. Even though a hood covered most of the girl's face, Nkiruka could see that she was beautiful. Long strands of golden hair flowed out in front of her from either side. Her brownish cloak was a bit too long for her, and draped loosely over her tiny frame. Nkiruka's eyes centered in on the stripe of red around the hem. If most of the cloak was white instead of brown, it would look exactly like the one she herself was wearing. Wait, was this person another soldier? Just to make sure it wasn't, Nkiruka clambered to her feet. She was a bit awkward at first, tripping slightly as she rounded the corner, but she managed to recover and compose herself back into her usual hawkish demeanor. The soldier walked a few feet past the post where her horse was tied, stopping on the side of the road where the girl was walking. Nkiruka lowered her hood and waited for her to approach. The girl looked... familiar somehow. "...Rinrae?" she suddenly blurted out. Nkiruka had almost forgotten about her. The girl had earned her respect in the labyrinth; they had grown to become allies as they were both almost killed repeatedly by the Tinkerer's deadly traps. While Rin had been in Nki's life slightly longer than the other schmucks she had to deal with in her day-to-day life, recent events had kept her attention away from this memory. At almost the same instant she pinpointed the girl's identity, images flashed through the soldier mind: the minotaur's mechanical arm, the spinning axes, Rin's wild grin. She still smelled like blood. How could Nkiruka have forgotten all of that? She looked horrible. Her lips were cracked, like she hadn't had a drink in days, and her eyes were dead. Maybe that was another reason why Nkiruka didn't recognize her right away; she barely looked like herself. The Rin she knew would be bouncing around in her slightly annoying manner, maybe humming a tune off-key. Something was fundamentally wrong here. Nkiruka's expression turned from guarded curiosity to angry, unabashed concern, although it wasn't one of outright protectiveness: more like a threat to destroy whoever or whatever was responsible. She pulled out her canteen from her belt at the same time she walked up to Rin, practically forcing it into her tiny fingers -- and daring her to reject the offer. "Tell me what happened." Edited by Nkiruka, Sat Oct 1, 2011 9:44 pm.
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| Rin | Sun Oct 2, 2011 3:06 am Post #4 |
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As Rin walked through the town the sounds and smells of the village assaulted her senses. She could hear children laughing at play, the odor of meat charred over an open fire, the shouts of merchants hawking their wares, the soft scent of a vase of roses set on a windowsill. The girl wrapped her arms around her torso underneath the cloak, her fingers digging into her own arm as she continued down the road. Although she kept her head straight ahead, she walked without seeing, distracted by her own thoughts and memories. This place is so normal. Just like … just like Lugram. She was so distracted that she did not notice another figure round a corner wearing a similar cloak, although it was white instead of rusty red. Only when an astonished voice called out her name did the girl jerk out of her reverie, her head snapping back. Nkiruka Menai. The object of her search, standing right in front of her. For the first time in her existence, Rin had no idea what to say. The Istani soldier had no such misgivings. Her sharp golden eyes scoured the girl quickly, and there was no missing the worry that flashed in her golden pupils before it was replaced with a twinge of anger. She yanked a full canteen off of her belt and thrust it at the girl in a gruff manner that was so typical Rin couldn’t help but smile. She gratefully raised the container, pouring water down her parched throat and reveling in the sensation of the cool liquid easing the ache in her stomach. After her first disastrous trek through the desert she had sworn to never enter it unprepared again, but the necessity of the journey had led her to enter the endless dunes without the proper supplies once more. After she had gulped down several mouthfuls of the cool liquid she returned the canteen, absentmindedly wiping her mouth with the back of one hand and thinking of how best to answer the woman’s question. She raised both hands in front of her again, staring at her open fingers with an expression that seemed completely alien on her features. The movement forced the cloak to flap open, revealing the outfit she wore underneath the travel garment. The sundress she wore was also stained with dried blood from her shoulders to her knees, although her skin and the ribbons on her forearms and shins were immaculate. ”I…” Rin’s voice lacked its normal cheerful inflection. Instead, it seemed almost despondent. ”I threw myself into battle. I thought I was channeling my emotions. Like you said.” She clenched her fists suddenly, staring up directly into the taller woman’s eyes. The motion threw off her hood, allowing the warm desert breeze to blow her hair away. A long, crooked scar started at her left temple and worked its way across her hairline, tracing down her right cheek and ending on the curve of her jaw. The skin over the scar was smooth, suggesting it was an old injury, but in truth she had accrued the scar less than a month earlier at the hands of a rogue page. She had managed to defeat the sadistic entity, but at a grievous cost. ”I killed them all. Every single person.” Her voice was as soft as a breath now, and she swallowed nervously. Every man, woman and child. All of their homes, all of their hopes, all of their dreams. I cannot wash away the blood, not from my clothes, not from my hands. There were no tears in her eyes, but the utter desolation and defeat was worse than any amount of crying. ”Please, Nkiruka… Teach me. Teach me how you fight with your emotions. Teach me to control this.” |
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| Nkiruka | Sun Oct 2, 2011 3:32 pm Post #5 |
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The gravity of the situation became apparent in just those few words. Rin, like every other warrior born with a reckless and aggressive fighting style, was a risk at first. Nkiruka could even recall instances in her own past where she lost herself. All four of them -- Khopesh, Rin, her first student Serelle, and herself -- had this sort of breaking point before they realized they needed help. Nkiruka tied her canteen back onto her belt. "You're in the right place," she said. The tone she used almost made it seem like she wasn't trying to comfort her. Rin seriously needed to get cleaned up, but there wasn't time for that. The soldier motioned for her to follow and continued down the road, leaving Kohal's city limits. The sun slowly dipped down the sky. Khopesh could wait. "You were born with a unique and powerful skill," Nkiruka began, taking on something like a professional air. She intentionally neglected to mention how dangerous it could be when left unchecked; Rin didn't need to be told that. "My fighting style turns an explosion of power into a focused beam. It doesn't give you more power, it just manipulates the power you already have inside of you." She led her to a open area a long way from any sort of building or group of people. Nkiruka kept her eyes pinned on her new student. "This is going to seem counter-intuitive to what I just said, but I want to start by having you release all your emotions right now. No, you're not doing that already; no one does that. Everyone is holding back, even if it's just a little." She slid her shortswords halfway from their sheathes, holding them there just in case. "Scream. Cry your eyes out. Rant. Attack me with everything you got. Just feel something, even if it's exaggerated and inappropriate. No one else is here, and I don't care enough to judge you." As she waited for Rin's response, Nkiruka vaguely recalled her own experience with this exercise. As it oh-so-surprisingly turned out, the main emotion that the teenaged mercenary had felt was pitch black anger. She had worked herself into such a rage that she got a hit in on Khopesh shortly before collapsing from exhaustion. And that was what Nkiruka wanted here: she needed Rin to get everything out, temporarily purging herself of all the chaos in her mind until she just couldn't continue anymore. It might not happen from this exercise alone, as it had for Nkiruka herself, but it was important that she tire out the girl on this first day. Then she could start from a blank slate tomorrow morning. |
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| Rin | Sun Oct 2, 2011 11:49 pm Post #6 |
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Rin smiled slightly when the woman told her she was in the right place. Even though the words could be nothing more than empty reassurances, it was still comforting that Nkiruka believed she could help. The construct had seen the Istani in action when they had been battling in the labyrinth, but this was different. She had gotten much stronger since that adventure, and significantly more adept at manipulating the power of the Grimoire. She had a literal arsenal of weapons in her possession that she could summon in a thought and the skills to wield them effectively. The soldier was a skilled combatant and adept at focusing her own emotions, but Rin was still unsure if her teachings would be useful for her. She followed Nkiruka outside of the city's limits, pulling the hood back up to avoid the scrutinizing gaze of the desert natives. Once they had cleared the outskirts of the village the soldier began to speak, defining the fighting style that she utilized and believed that Rin could use as well. The Istani woman explained that instead of giving her more power, these techniques would simply allow her to better control and focus the ability she already possessed. Rin's fingers curled into small fists at those words, her nails digging into the flesh of her palm. The metaphor likening their skill to an explosion wass too close to accurate for the construct's liking. She could still feel the heat on her skin, still see the blackened ruins, still smell the smoldering flesh... No. Don't remember. Focus on her words. One they were far enough from any sign of civilization Nkiruka turned back towards her and ordered her to release all of her emotions at once. Rin stumbled in surprise, shaking her head instinctively. "Oh, Nkiruka... No.. I can't..." The gruff voice of the Grand Grimoire interrupted her protests, rumbling through her mind. Listen to her Rinrae. We have already wasted enough time on this fruitless quest of yours. You asked her to teach you. Obey her. I could kill her. Then she would not make an adequate mentor in the first place. Rin bit her bottom lip nervously, staring at Nkiruka for a moment. Finally she seemed to come to a decision and nodded slightly, if not entirely happily. "Fine. But take this." The construct tentatively raised one arm, slipping her fingers underneath the ribbons around the limb and taking something out of the hidden pocket. It was a tightly rolled piece of paper, easily over a foot long and tied together with a short piece of twine. The Grimoire's disapproving silence rang in the girl's mind, but if Nkiruka truly wanted her to go all out she would need to focus. "Keep this on your person. If... If you can't stop me, throw it aside. It is what I need to focus." She quickly thrust the page of the Grand Grimoire at the soldier, her hand quivering as it was taken away. She had been constructed to collect the pages; willingly parting with one made her head pound. The construct quickly jogged twenty feet or so away from the Istani soldier, pivoting and closing her eyes as she loosened the clasp on her bloodstained cloak. The fabric fell to the ground as she tapped into the part of her being that belonged to the Grimoire, the kernel of power that suffused her body and allowed her to detect its pages. She could sense the rolled up parchment in Nkiruka's possession, the fragment's power pulsing through her mind and body. Rin took in a deep breath, sinking into the martial trance-like state that made her such a formidable opponent. The girl could feel the pure rage bubbling underneath the surface, the ugly emotion she had not been able to fully keep in check ever since Lugram. She had spent the entire journey trying to suppress the wrath, but Nkiruka had told her that was not the way to learn. So she let the anger surge to the top of her consciousness. Rin's eyes snapped open, her pupils dilated. The girl's lips pulled back in a feral snarl as she raised one hand forward, spitting out the words. "Spear of Lugh." The air around her outstretched fingers rippled as her command warped the reality around her; when the construct closed her fingers a weapon took shape in her hand. It was a six-foot long spear, the spearhead and shaft of the weapon the same rusty red color of her bloodstained dress. A short length of chain hung from the point where the blade was connected to the shaft. Rin took a step towards Nkiruka, bringing her other hand forward to grab the shaft of the spear. Although the ground around the girl was already dry and barren from a lack of moisture, some plants had managed to struggle through the nutrient-poor soil and scratch out a meager life among the wasteland. The plants nearest the girl began to twist and shrivel as she took another step forward, their leaves crumbling to dust. The spear itself seemed to be pulling her froward, as if it wished to attack her opponent on its own. With a fierce shout the girl shot forward, her feet pounded against the cracked earth, closing the distance between them in moments. Rin thrust the weapon forward, barking out a single word at the same time. "Areadbhar!" The metal of the spearhead glowed for an instant before bursting into flames. The girl put all of the momentum of the charge and her own preternatural strength behind the jab, obviously meaning to skewer Nkiruka straight through the torso. There was no trace of recognition in her eyes, simply a implacable determination and burning anger. |
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| Nkiruka | Wed Oct 5, 2011 1:10 am Post #7 |
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The neutrality in Nkiruka's demeanor soured when Rinrae showed some hesitation, but she remained quiet. She figured Rin might feel limited by their friendship or some sense of politeness; maybe she thought she would hurt her new teacher. Either way, the girl made up her mind after a brief moment of indecision. Nkiruka was glad she didn't just outright back down. That sort of cowardice wouldn't be tolerated, especially after such an emotional admission of need. There was one condition, though, and Nkiruka took it with guarded curiosity. It was just a page from a book. This was what Rin needed to focus? The soldier held it up to read what was on it. The writing could barely be defined as such: the various symbols and illegible words were not printed upon the page, but looked like they were directly infused into it. The paper felt strange to the touch: nothing like any book she'd ever handled before. Nkiruka's eyes widened when the twisting text scrawled upon the paper suddenly shifted like a snake into what was apparently another language; and another, and another, the diagrams weaving into new patterns around it; and then, for just a few seconds, it became an outdated but readable form of Istani script. Just from glancing at it for a split-second Nkiruka's mind was overloaded with information. Words she couldn't understand tore through her brain like a knife. The soldier audibly cringed, violently lowering the paper and looking away. A throbbing headache quickly subsided. When she looked up, Rin had summoned a new weapon -- a spear -- and was ready to begin. The corner of Nkiruka's mouth lifted into a half-smirk. "That's a new one." Metal scraped as the soldier withdrew her silvery shortsword in the hand that wasn't grasping the strange page. She took a loose stance, holding the page in view and keeping her weapon in a defensive posture. Rin charged. Nkiruka underestimated the sheer speed such a tiny girl could reach in such a short distance, but her preparations and natural reflexes kept her from being impaled by the earth-killing spear. She twisted out of the way the instant the tip burst into flames; the page trailed behind her like a flapping flag gripped tightly in her calloused fingers. For a split-second Nkiruka was close enough to feel the heat pouring from the enchanted weapon. She followed through gracefully, turning to face Rin's back before flowing into her original stance again. The soldier didn't intend to participate in the fight at all; she and the page in her hands were merely the instrument upon which Rin could focus and vent. Nkiruka held up the page after making sure she herself wasn't looking directly at it. She felt a bit silly like this -- almost like a bullfighter -- but if it worked, she'd do it. It was strange how much a piece of paper could put fire in Rin's eyes like that. Good to know. Nkiruka would avoid Rin's next attack as best as she could. Just attacking -- just focusing on something -- wasn't enough here. Rin needed to lose it. After the fight continued for a while, Nkiruka broke the silence with a harsh shout. "What did you do?!" She tried to slam her weapon into the fiery, chained spear with the hope of agitating the girl further, making sure to avoid actually hitting her. Her voice elevated to a full-on roar. "Why did you kill all those people, Rinrae? What did they ever do to you?" [OOC: I took some creative liberties with what a page of the Grimoire actually looks like (and does). Let me know if it needs a-changin'.] Edited by Nkiruka, Wed Oct 5, 2011 1:16 am.
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| Rin | Thu Oct 6, 2011 8:06 pm Post #8 |
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Rin’s expression was frozen in a fierce grimace as the Istani soldier spun away, the flaming head of the spear stabbing at empty air instead of impaling her torso. The construct did not even pause, simply spinning and flowing into her next attack. She displayed a fluid grace and finesse that was quite incongruous with her appearance. The secret behind her martial prowess was the manner of her existence; Rin had the ability to directly download the skills and abilities of legendary warriors through history. She pressed the attack immediately, whirling and spinning the spear so quickly it was a rusty red blur, lashing out with both the butt and blade of the weapon in an attempt to overpower Nkiruka. The tanned woman continued to dodge and parry with minimal effort, the silvery shortsword weaving an impenetrable web of defense around the woman. Rinrae, I was wrong. Stop this madness at once. The Grimoire’s warning was a mere whisper at the edge of her consciousness, a statement that she could barely comprehend. Rin shook her head savagely and continued to advance towards the Istani. Her attacks grew faster and less refined, each movement more wild as she desperately attempted to break through Nkiruka’s guard. The Istani shouted at her loudly enough that the girl jumped back, gripping the shaft of the spear so tightly her knuckles turned white. The wors seemed to echo through her ears, resonating endlessly as she stared at the soldier with a combination of anger and horror. The smoking ruins, the bloody corpses, the sickly sweet smell of the burning flesh… Me, me, me, all me… ”Shut… Shut up….” The construct’s voice was low and dangerous, closer to a growl than her usually bubbly inflection. However, Nkiruka did not stop there. Her next question was even crueler, like a dagger twisting in her gut. RIn’s hands were shaking on the spear, and her stricken expression transformed into a vehement mask. ”Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!” Rin dropped the spear entirely, holding both hands to the side, her fingers curled into claws. The Spear of Lugh did not fall all the way to the ground, but rather halted in mid-air, quivering in anticipation as it shot towards Nkiruka. The spear continued to attack of its own accord as Rin took several faltering steps backwards, her face twisted with anger. The air around her rippled like it was water, her image distorting for a moment as she manipulated reality with a sing-minded intensity. “Kusanagi-No-Tsurugi! Lan de Yue Jia!” There was a loud crack! as the air around her was displaced, two swords forming in her hands. One had a curved katana that seemed to be carved out of pure jade; the other was a decorative longsword that was made of an odd silvery material that shimmered in the dusk. Rin sprang towards Nkiruka with a fierce shout just as the Spear of Lugh fell to the earth, still shaking with its desire to attack the woman but its fading enchantment. She slashed at the woman with both of the swords. Her attacks were brutal, lacking any of the structure or skill from earlier. They seemed more like attacks made by a butcher than an expert swordsman, wild hacks at Nkiruka’s torso that relied on brute strength rather than speed or skill. Each slash was accompanied by a fierce shout, and she no longer seemed to care if the attacks landed or not, or if she left herself completely defenseless.
Edited by Rin, Thu Oct 6, 2011 8:06 pm.
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| Nkiruka | Sat Oct 15, 2011 3:14 pm Post #9 |
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With a loud, metallic shunt, Nkiruka knocked away the bloodthirsty spear in a strong sweep of her shortsword. It flew a few yards, spinning, before it reoriented itself toward her. She saw Rin summoning two more weapons -- a pair of longswords -- out of the corner of her eye. It was that moment that Nkiruka realized that this was getting far beyond her abilities with a single blade. She stuffed the paper in her pocket and tore out her other blade, steel hissing, and managed to cross them and catch the Spear of Lugh mid-lunge. She fought against it for a moment as it strained against the crossed shortswords, but managed to overpower it and force it down just as Rin rejoined the fight. Nkiruka pressed the spear into the ground, in the process ducking to avoid a clumsy slash from the katana. She shifted her body so her foot pinned the spear to the ground, then rose to meet the jia with her own weapon. The soldier only redirected blows from her body, never locking or overpowering the girl. It was fairly obvious from her attacks -- and her choice of two long blades, even -- that Rin wasn't trained in that particular fighting style at all. Nkiruka took each hit effortlessly; not only was she able to keep the Spear of Lugh pinned, but the ease of defending herself let her observe Rin more closely. The unfortunate little waif was not mentally here anymore. She had completely lost herself, becoming nothing but a shade of anger and guilt, screaming and growling like Nkiruka herself had done back during her own training. The soldier genuinely pitied her. Rinrae was a good kid; she shouldn't have to go through this. Unfortunately, her alarming fighting style and her tendency toward aggression in battle made her murders almost unavoidable. Almost. Maybe Nkiruka should have trained her back in Hashem, when she first noticed the "symptoms" of the berserker. Nkiruka shook off the thought, telling herself that Rin wouldn't have agreed to it anyway -- back then, the girl was very intent on traveling and wouldn't allow her quest to be interrupted by a rude acquaintance. The sun slowly dipped below the horizon. Nkiruka would continue the fight as long as Rin needed. |
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| Rin | Sun Oct 16, 2011 9:00 pm Post #10 |
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The construct wildly hammered at the Istani soldier, barely even realizing when Nkiruka was forced to draw her second sword in order to defend herself against the barrage of attacks. The only fact that managed to penetrate her rage-addled mind was that her assault was failing to penetrate the woman's defenses, every attack redirected or parried with the minimum amount of effort. Rin could not even draw on the latent enchantments of the mythological weapons. At the edge of her consciousness the girl could hear the Grimoire's continued protestations at her actions, but she was beyond the point of reason and could barely even register the tome's words. At the same time the tome was attempting to stop her using less subtle means. As her creator, the Grand Grimoire could cause Rin feel waves of pain or nausea, an ability it had only had occasion to use once or twice before. Now, however, it did not seem to effect her at all; she was completely beyond the capacity to feel such small amounts of pain. She threw herself at Nkriuka, attacking even more ferociously, yet to no avail. Her defenses were completely open and full of holes, but the Istani did not take advantage of her lack of style, refusing to strike at the girl herself. If she had been fully cognizant of what was occurring the patronizing attitude would have infuriated Rinrae, but in her current state she simply kept attacking wildly. No matter how savagely or quickly she hacked at the woman Nkiruka's defenses never lowered, never allowing the construct to power through Eventually her wild style finally betrayed the girl, a misjudged attack sending the jade katana flying out of her hands. Rin snarled ferociously, backing away with the Lan de Yue Jia clutched in her free hand. The girl was panting heavily, her shoulders heaving. Here eyes were wide and dilated, her pupils almost unnaturally wide. "L... Laev... Laevateinn!" She dropped the silverly longsword as the air around her shivered, the sheer force of her anger making the conjuring more abrupt and disruptive than ever before. Instead of appearing in her hand the weapon came into existence several feet above the ground. It was a massive sword, with a six-foot long blade and hilt a third of that length. The edge of the weapon had been inscribed with a flame motif, with rough runes scratched into the flate of the sword. She jumped up into the air, wrapping both hands around the crossguards and stabbing the tip of the sword deep into the earth. Rin growled savagely, her eyes narrowing as the runes began to glow red-hot. The sheer force of her ferocity overpowered the need for an incantation, the ground cracking and steaming. In the next instant fire surged out from the earth, great gouts of flame that leaped across the distance between Rin and the Istani soldier, searing the air and instantly turning the sand into glass. The construct stood there, breathing heavily, clutching the hilt of Laevateinn so tightly her knuckles were white. |
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| Nkiruka | Sat Oct 22, 2011 7:41 pm Post #11 |
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Laevateinn. She knew that name all too well. The fiery greatsword had aided them in two of the traps that were in the deadly maze, usually by blowing something up in a massive conflagration. Nkiruka took several steps back, suddenly very cautious about what was going on. It materialized above the berserking girl faster than she had ever seen it form. Rin jumped up, took it in her hands, was going to drive it down... Nkiruka bolted. Fire surged from the cracked ground, tearing everything apart and turning the shallow patches of sand to glass. The superheated air made it painful to breathe. Nkiruka flapped her wings and jumped just before the outer edge of the fire storm's range would have cooked her alive. Flames played at the trailing edge of her cloak, lightly scorching it. She landed gracefully on her feet far away from Rin, breathing faster now. The heat-warped air returned to normal and the smoke cleared, revealing that Rin wasn't pressing the attack. She remained in the same position as before, smoldering quietly while she clutched the half-buried sword tight in her hands. A thin sheet of glass surrounded her on all sides in a wide radius. Nkiruka's eyes narrowed in concern. She straightened completely and sheathed both swords. Taking the strange page from her pocket, the soldier approached slowly but without fear. Instead of holding the page in a way meant to provoke Rin further, she knelt down to eye-level with Rin and offered it to her as a friendly gesture. "I think you're done." A small but sincere smile tugged at the edges of her lips. Fully aware that her life was completely at the mercy of this girl, Nkiruka gently tried to remove the girl's fingers from Laevateinn. Patting her hand in a friendly gesture, she straightened, allowing Rin to get up herself. "You did well." Nkiruka looked back toward Kohal. "There's an inn in town. I'll get you a room so you can clean up and rest. The real training starts tomorrow." She started walking, expecting her student to follow. The inn was only a few minutes away once they re-entered the city. Nkiruka planted the keys to Rin's room in her hand. "I'm sorry," she said. The apology might have come off as a bit spontaneous, but the gravity in the way she said it might have helped indicate what she was referring to. "Meet me in the same place at dawn." With that, the soldier left. |
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| Rin | Sun Oct 23, 2011 6:53 pm Post #12 |
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Rin stood as still as a statue as the soldier approached, her fingers locked around the grip of the greatsword. Smoke rose up from the ground in front of her, the scorched earth blackened from the intense flames she had summoned. Patches of sand had been liquefied from the attack, the pools of glass still glowing with retained heat. When Skiruka passed the invisible boundary that marked her maximum range with the greatsword the girl twitched, as if she was restraining herself from instinctively lashing out at the woman. Her grip on the sword tightened even more, if such a thing was possible, and she bit her bottom lip so hard it drew blood. Only when the page was revealed did the tension drain out of her muscles, her shoulders slumping in mute relief. Once the softly glowing parchment was offered she slowly uncurled one hand from the hilt, reaching out to lightly brush it with her fingertips. The merest touch was all it took to bring her back to complete awareness, the change obvious from the sudden shift in her expression, from blind range to exhaustion and fear. She allowed Nkiruka to pry her other hand from the sword, reaching out to fully grasp the page. She absentmindedly rolled it back into a tight cylinder, slipping it into the ribbons on her right arm before speaking, her words so soft they were almost inaudible. "I'm sorry." Rin did not speak again as the Istani soldier spoke and began to lead her back towards the small village. The construct looked at the weapons scattered around the battlefield, frowning slightly. She snapped her fingers and the three swords disappeared, as well as the ruinous spear. She bent over and retrieved the bloodstained tunic, wrapping it around her shoulders tightly a she trudged after the soldier towards Kalau. Once she had been led to her room and given the key she reached out, briefly grabbing Nkiruka's wrist. "Thank you. For helping me." She smiled, and for a moment it seemed as if she had forgotten the reasons she was here, her eyes bright and excited. The girl quickly turned and unlocked her room, stepping into the darkened chamber. They were simple accommodations, with a small bed, table, and wash basin. She knelt besides the small container, reaching in with both hands to take out a handful of the tepid water and raised it to her lips, ignoring the fact that her entire body was shaking. Rin looked down at herself, at the bloody cloak and dress she wore, frowning deeply. She suddenly tore the cloak off, pulling the dress off as well to plunge the garment into the water. Her chest and waist was completely wrapped in the same silvery ribbons as her arms and shins, but they were mysteriously completely clean. In the small of her back was an intricate tattoo, a large glyph that seemed to shimmer in the lantern light. Rin began to scrub the dress clean, washing it until the water in the basin was completely red. With that task done she rose and collapsed on the bed, staring at the ceiling. She had not slept since Lugram, and she doubted she would sleep tonight. The girl folded her hands on her stomach and waited for the night to end and for the training to begin. Rin rose from the bed almost an hour before true dawn, just when the sky was beginning to lighten. She slipped into the still-damp dress, leaving the cloak discarded on the floor. The girl placed the key to the inn in the pocket on her ribbons and carefully opened the door, making as little noise as possible as she crept out of the inn. The construct swiftly walked to the location of their fight the night before, chewing on her lower lip as she surveyed the damage. The fire storm has scoured the earth bare, and the place where Nkiruka had pinned the Spear of Lugh was even more withered than the surrounding landscape. With a soft sigh she sank, sitting in a cross-legged position. Rin withdrew one of the pages of the Grand Grimoire from its hiding space and unfurled it in her lap, staring unseeingly at the shifting words and images. |
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| Nkiruka | Thu Oct 27, 2011 6:48 pm Post #13 |
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Khopesh was lounging on the back roof of the inn when Nkiruka visited him. It was almost pitch black outside by the time the soldier had a chance to meet with him. A pair of owl's eyes turned down to her. "You're late." "I was busy." His head tilted slightly. "That's unusual. You're either marching or sleeping. Never anything in between." "Look, we need to change our plans a little. Something came up." Nkiruka rubbed the back of her neck nervously, looking away and then back at her old teacher. "Can you fly ahead? I need to borrow your horse." The hooded man was quiet for several seconds, a habit that always annoyed her. Finally: "Sure. I'll call for you if there is any trouble in the next town." Nkiruka looked like she was going to leave, but he interrupted her. "Are you sure you don't need my help?" Oh, of course he knew. Khopesh always knew things he shouldn't. Nkiruka grumbled a bit, but answered truthfully. "Your face scares people. Just do as I say." "Hm." It was kind of like an affirmation. "I am available if you change your mind." The soldier scoffed at him, turning to leave. He spread his four wings and burst silently into the night air. "You can actually look at that thing?" Nkiruka sat down next to Rinrae. The girl still looked as glum as before, albeit much calmer. The exercise last evening must have helped. She looked like she'd been sitting here for a while, though. "I got a look at it for a few seconds once, and it shifted to something I could read for a split-second. That was enough to give me the worst headache I'd ever had. I had weird dreams last night about things I couldn't even understand." She gave a single-note, exhaling heh, almost nervously. Behind them both, Nkiruka's and Khopesh's horses -- the latter tied with a long rope to the former to lead it -- stood by the side of the road out of Kohal. Maybe, Nkiruka thought, a little conversation about something Rin loved would coax her out of her shell a little and bring her back to her old self. "So these are what you're looking for, yeah? The pages. They must be really important to you. Are they pages from a book, or just some kind of enchanted documents?" |
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| Rin | Tue Nov 1, 2011 3:08 pm Post #14 |
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Rin heard the soft crunch of footsteps on the dusty ground, but did not move or react until Nkiruka spoke. The girl looked up at the Istani, smiling slightly. "Of course I can read it. The Grimoire exists to share knowledge." She looked back down at the page, resting one fingertip on the initial line of text. Ripples seemed to spread across the ink from the point of impact, freezing the page's structure. Although the lines of text were no longer shifting around the page, the symbols and letters that constituted the text continued to change constantly, switching between languages every few seconds. Rin did not even seem to notice the transformation, simply reciting the words on the page without pause. Each syllable seemed filled with a degree of respect that bordered on fanaticism, and there was a zealot-like shin in her eyes."Heed my words,all classes of men, you greater and lesser." She continued to recite from the Völuspá, a small smile on her face as she spoke. After several minutes of speaking she lapsed into silence, stating the last line with a sense of finality. "As he overflies that fair valley... Now I must retire." As soon as Rin turned her attention away from the text the material on the parchment began to shift more rapidly, the structure of the words and diagrams changing as well. She did not even seem to notice the disconcerting effects of the page, absentmindedly rolling the paper into a tight cylinder. "They belong to the Grand Grimoire. They... are small facets of the world. Reality contained in a tangible form." She slowly slid the page into the hidden pocket on her ribbons. The silvery material was more like leather than any typical fabric, and constructed specifically to dampen the effects of the pages contained within. In her travels she had managed to reclaim dozens of the Grimoire's scattered fragments, each page powerful enough to rend the fabric of reality. "Within the Grimoire is recorded every fact of reality. They are the reason I exist." She ran her fingers over the ribbons on her arm, sensing the power of the pages hidden within. They had been responsible for all manners of atrocities and calamities, but she still felt calmer due to their presence. The girl looked over the Istani's shoulder at the tethered horses, her lips curling up into a broad smile. She quickly stood, skipping over to the animals. She came to a halt several feet away from them, standing on her tiptoes and peering at the creatures. "Are we going somewhere? I've never been on a horse!" The girl skipped around the horses, making sure not to get too close to the creatures. She had learned her lesson from camels and didn't want to be spit at again. Rin seemed much more cheerful than the night before, lacking much of the tension in her expression and carriage. Only an astute observer would notice the strained look in her eyes or her tendency to gnaw on her bottom lip between smiles. |
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| Nkiruka | Tue Nov 1, 2011 8:45 pm Post #15 |
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Nkiruka sat quietly, hands folded on her lap, listening to Rin's reading of the page. She didn't know what it all meant, but the sheer fact that the girl could make so much sense of it was remarkable. It was possible, even, that Rin could read every single language printed on that paper and shift between them as quickly as one might if they couldn't even perceive their differences. It seemed unlikely that Rin was actually capable of that, so Nkiruka assumed some sort of magic was at play that she didn't understand. After reading, Rin explained the fundamentals of what she called the Grand Grimoire, a tome that apparently recorded all of reality. From what Nkiruka had read from that single page, Nkiruka definitely didn't doubt that such infinite information could potentially be stored in a book like that. It also made sense now why Rin was so concerned with the pages: having so much knowledge was a powerful thing. She figured it was better those pages were in Rin's hands as opposed to someone else's; they'd probably find a way to misuse it somehow. Rather than ask more questions about the Grimoire, Nkiruka followed Rin as she noticed and wandered toward the horses. The girl mentioned having never ridden one before, and asked if they were going anywhere. "We can't stay in Kohal much longer; I have to continue on my route," the soldier explained. "I also have a good place in mind to start teaching you." Nkiruka rounded around Rin and lowered into a kneel near the side of the second horse. She held her hands clasped together, palms-up. "Step on. I'll boost you up. Just swing your leg over the saddle and sit there." Nkiruka made sure Rin was all settled on the horse's back before placing the girl's hand on the horn of the saddle for stability. No reigns were necessary since it would simply follow the horse tied in front of it. "Comfortable? Heh, you won't be after riding all day." Once Nkiruka mounted her own steed with no difficulty, they were off into a fast trot down the road. Rather than say anything further, Nkiruka became almost silent during the ride. She did occasionally make light conversation with Rin, but only if the girl was the one who initiated it. They rode for hours, baking under the harsh Istan sun. Nkiruka became lost in thought more than once, quietly stewing about matters she'd rather not discuss with her student. When the road forked toward a distant area tinged with greens a few hours later, Nkiruka led their horses in that direction. "It's a bit longer yet, so I'll start with the boring lecture part." It was obvious Nkiruka was talking to Rin, even though she couldn't turn her body far enough around to make eye contact with her student. She shifted and resettled her wings on her back before continuing. "I already taught you about what the style is all about: controlling and focusing an explosion of power. In order to accomplish this, you'd normally assume that it's all about mental discipline -- and it is, to some extent. Of course you need just enough discipline to stop yourself from going feral." While she was speaking, they arrived in the midst of a vast, green savanna. Flat-topped trees expanded out between an ocean of short grasses. "In reality, it's simpler than just mental discipline. It's about putting everything you have into every single attack. If you strengthen your fighting style, make your reflexes sharper than they've ever been, and become so used to the different techniques that you can use them without thinking, then you have everything you need. Your aggression will stop building up to dangerous levels and you can start fighting like a real warrior again." Nkiruka led them off-road to a watering hole, but stopped a long way from it. "In Istan, we prepare for everything. Our training allows us to survive in some of the most life-threatening battle situations. In that vein, you won't be allowed to summon any weapons during training exercises. Not only does it increase the difficulty for you, but it gives you some experience with circumstances where you might not be able to summon your weapons." She pointed to the watering hole in the distance. A whole herd of large, black, hooved animals with tan stripes were lined around the edge. Their overall body plan evoked the bison of the Devon Plains, since most of their muscles were concentrated in the front of their bodies. Beyond the two curling horns on their heads, however, they also had a straight spike at the fronts of their noses for goring predators. "They're called ikal-nayati: striped buffalo. Stronger than oxen and a lot more aggressive. The herd keeps the calves at the center. They'd rather stand their ground against predators instead of run away, which works well for our purposes." Nkiruka dismounted her horse and helped Rin off her own. "If you put all of your strength into every movement in combat, even a small girl like you can wrestle them down. So your first task is simple: just go in there and bring me back a buffalo calf. No weapons allowed; just use your brute strength to match theirs." Nkiruka's plain tone indicated that she was completely serious about this. She was perfectly confident in Rin's ability to overpower a herd of animals that weighed far more than she did. |
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9:58 PM Feb 22
