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Post by Scar on Mar 7, 2006 2:01:22 GMT -5
((That clears some things up )) Khestrel's eyes narrowed as he pointed the tip of his gleaming sword at the orc's throat. "No need to act so coy, orc," he threatened. "You just helped a Morpho escape and I'm sure the Order won't tolerate such an intrusion into their business. Especially by an orc. Right now I'm the least of your problems so if you'll kindly explain what business you have with these Morphos." He smirked confidently. Orcs scare easily ... ~*~*~*~ Artemis, seeing the orc distracted, slinked between his legs and ran full out into the alley. His mind was numb with pain but one thought did penetrate his consciouness. Get the other two to safety. He decided to start with the other girl, who was sitting semi-consciously against a grimy wall.
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Post by Kat on Mar 7, 2006 5:24:26 GMT -5
((It's still nighttime, right?))
Gerard sighed, leaning back against a wall. For some strange reason, he felt suddenly emaciated. Quickly pulling back his hood so it covered his face, he found that he was in a different side of the city. He thought of staying in the inn nearby.
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Post by aerisangel01 on Mar 7, 2006 9:51:13 GMT -5
(Yup, we'll make it day as soon as this sequence is over.)
Aerisa arrived in the alley, seeing her sister poor state, and the fox - Undoutably a Morpho, going to her. The green cloud was begining to disappear, so she risked removing her cloth to speak; without breathing, however.
"I'm taking her. If you want to help anyone, go take the little girl; Elves doesn't interest me."
She put her cloth back and, with her one free arm, grabbed Adeesa, putting her on Liger's back.
Adeesa mowned a bit, but, too weak now, she didn't give any resistance.
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Post by My email doesn't work anymore on Mar 7, 2006 18:38:07 GMT -5
Thak growled but pulled back a bit trying not to appear threatened. A smaller skull stayed in his grip just in case. "See 'ere you. I know wha's goin' on in these towns bette' then anyone. If this 'Order' yer talkin' about had act'lly told anyone 'bout their 'business' I would've 'ad the righ' mind to stay out." Backing up another few steps the orc tore his axe out from the mossed-over wall and slung it over shoulder "An' for my 'business' I'll say no mo' than I wan' 'em dead..." ***** Divna sat in her frozen barrier with her arms wrapped tightly around her knees. It had been way too long since the fox man had told her to stay. And now it was too dark to see anything outside of the ice. She sniffled her dripping nose and tried to get warmer just as she heard a miniscule scratching noise from up above. She looked up and saw tiny blob of white on the apex of the ice. "Nini!" the elfling squealed jumping upright just to get her head smacked on the frozen blockade. Squealing and rubbing her head she started to summon a warm water forth and slowly melt down the durable walls.
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Post by Scar on Mar 7, 2006 19:20:10 GMT -5
"The Order of Selbaden knows what's best for the people," Khestrel growled. "We're respected pillars of society. We don't need to tell rabble like you of our motivations. But --" He lowered his sword ever so slightly. "-- your goals seem to be the same as mine ... for the moment." Khestrel finally sheathed his sword into its scabbard. "Allow me to make a proposition. You help me hunt down that Morpho woman and the Order doesn't know of your interference." He put out a mailed hand. "Do we have an agreement?"
~*~*~*~
He growled, more out of pain than anything else, butknew better than to tackle that thing and its handler again. Much as Artemis hated this he had no choice but to abandon the other girl. Casting a worried glance back, he darted off towards where he had left the young elf. "I hope I did the right thing," he said to himself weakly.
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Post by aerisangel01 on Mar 7, 2006 20:04:52 GMT -5
Aerisa held Adeesa as strong as she could, so she wouldn't fall. The later finally lost conciousness, her cloth droping from her hand.
"Quick, Liger... before that idiot comes back." She said under her own cloth.
Liger jumped to some crates and on the roof of the nearest house. Afterward, they had to find a safe hidding place, as far from that city as possible...
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Post by My email doesn't work anymore on Mar 7, 2006 21:30:12 GMT -5
Thak ignored the hackneyed insult and didn't hesitate to practically crush the paladin's and seal the agreement. It didn't really matter to him whether the Order found out about his "interference" but he just wanted to get the human out of his way without almost getting his neck impalled again. The orc hooked the small skull back into his collection so as not to waste another on the same victim. "On las' thing though. You do realize there were three o' 'em righ'? Or did the others jus' not make any 'offesives' against your Order?" ***** Finally Divna broke through the hole in the melted ice after much difficulty. She might have been strong with magic but extremely weak physically. Squealing with glee she scooped up the small kitten and hugged her close next to her now soaked dress frock. "Oh Nini! How could you have gotten lost so easy? Ah well, now that you found me I don't have to be sad anymore. But I'm not really sure coming to the city was such a great idea anymore." Still not minding her wet clothing Divna grabbed her satchel and trekked down the alley looking for hte fox man
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Post by Kat on Mar 8, 2006 7:22:46 GMT -5
Meanwhile, in the outskirts of the city, a girl sleeping in the largest boughs of a tree slowly began to stir. Her dark brown eyes blinked open, and she could see that it was still dark. Perhaps it was already early morning, but the dawn hadn't arrived yet. Lorraine felt her back, which seemed rather twisted at some parts for leaning against a trunk throughout her sleep. She sighed, and wondered if she could still catch some forty winks.
* * *
Gerard chanced a glance through the inn's rather musty window. There was something going on. He casually pushed the door open, trying to look every bit the innocent adventurer.
"I would like a room, please," he said. But at first, his request went unheeded.
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Post by Scar on Mar 8, 2006 8:42:16 GMT -5
At this Khestrel was taken aback. "Three? I only saw --" he paused and thought over it for a moment. The orc wouldn't lie to him would he? What benefit would he receive by doing so? He looked up at the orc's scowling face and decided some motivation was due. "All right orc, I believe you. Assist me in hunting these three abominations and I shall see to it you are handsomely rewarded for your services." From the Order's coffers of course, he didn't say. "What say you?"
~*~*~*~
Artemis came running and almost barreled into the elfling. "Didn't I ask you to --" he started to reprimand but the words died in his throat along with a fresh wave of pain. "There's no time," he grimaced. "I hope she understands." Artemis looked hard into the elfling's eyes, barely taking note of the kitten in her arms, and beckoned with his head for her to get on his back, barking to emphasize his point.
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Post by My email doesn't work anymore on Mar 8, 2006 19:25:56 GMT -5
Divna giggled gleefully when she saw the fox-man again and ran straight up to him. "Yay! It's you again! Look! I found my kitten all on my own! Don't know how-- Are you okay?" She asked innocently, cocking her head to the side. He had tried to say something, that she barely made out, and was now doing some sort of funny dance. Then Divna remembered Rileth doing something like that when she wanted to give her a warthog-back ride. Still a bit confused the elfing tucked Nini into her satchel and hopped on his back hoping he didn't mind her cold, soaking dress frock. ***** "Wha' say I?" Thak chortled. "I say ya've sweeten'd the deal qui' nicely!" It had been along time since Thak was given a more challenging assasination assignment with a hefty reward. Little treasure hunts for bored, rich humans was losing its appeal quickly. The orc turned to begin his task immediately but then glanced back quizically. "Jus' one thing. What shoul' I bring as proof to redeem the promis'd sum? And where fo' tha' matter?"
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Post by Scar on Mar 8, 2006 19:42:31 GMT -5
Khestrel smiled. Mercenary scum. I figured as much. "I don't need any proof," he said slyly, leaning in closer to the orc. "Because I'll be there to see it myself. I do hope you don't mind company.
"Because I'm sure the Order requires witnesses to dispense their rewards."
~*~*~*~
Artemis ignored the cold water soaking into the fur on his back as the little elfling climbed on. His right backleg nearly buckled with her weight, however light, and he sincerely hoped she didn't start jumping up and down in glee.
When he was sure the elfling and her kitten were securely in place, Artemis set off down the alley, using the boxes to jump oer the fence and, once clear, started in the direction of the plains.
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Post by aerisangel01 on Mar 8, 2006 20:07:58 GMT -5
It wasn't too long before Liger reached the plain. It was Aerisa, however, who spotted something to hide. A huge rock sat at the middle of nowhere, and, very likely, there would be a burrow under it.
"C'mon, go there!" Aerisa told her beast, and it was soon done. As she saw, there was indeed a burrow, and quite a large one, too... But not enough for them to enter it. Liger being feline, he would be incapable to dig it to make it bigger. She would have no other choice, but before that...
"Liger, you disobbeyed me, didn't you?"
He lowered his head, but while he expected her to shout or something, on the contrary, she hugged him around the neck.
"I am not happy that you disobbeyed me... But you saved our live.... Thanks you for that."
He licked her ear, somewhat happy she wouldn't menace him again.
Aerisa then raised herself, and concentrated... A huge shout of pain soon came, followed by many, many other. But they progressively changed into howl, as she turned into a big, grey wolf.
"Long time since you changed, think we'll be able to have a conversation?" Ligger talked in his own feral tongue, the tongue of the exotic beast like him. He licked Aerisa's now wolf head. He couldn't understand humans language, so whenever she said anything to him, he didn't understand. But they always knew what the other thought when in their normal form, due to the magical link between them. Still, a conversation was always a thousand time better than that primitive link.
"Ugh... I'm still wondering what is better.. Little pain the whole time of our transformation, or a huge one worth a thousand death when we are transforming..." She growled to Liger, still panting. She personally knew more than one feral tongue, including Liger's.
After resting a bit, she raised herself, shaking her head. "You watch over her." She said, looking at the still uncouncious Adeesa. She then dashed to the burrow, starting to dig in it. As a wolf Morpho, she knew perfectly how to create or improve any burrow, so it didn't take too long before she completely disappeared under the ground.
Eventually an oversized mole was ejected from the hole and Liger caught it with delight. It was a small meal, but it would do. Inside, Aerisa had already started to attack the main room. It would have to be big enough for her, Liger, and Adeesa to stay in. She also took great care in removing any excrement there was. She was still a Morpho, and Morphos, just like humans, HATED bad smell and other dirty thing.
Eventually, the main room had 2 metres in diameter. "I'm such a genius!" She said with glee. Far enough for them all. She went back to Liger, and her sister. Liger had pushed all the dirt away, so the entrance would be clean.
"Wasn't too hard?"
"Nope! There wasn't a single rock. I've made the main room big enough for all of us, but the entrance is big enough to be able to enter Adeesa without problem only. If you want to enter, you'll have to use your feline flexibility."
"Not a problem."
Aerisa then grabbed Adeesa by the back of her dress, dragging her into the hole. Just in time, she thought, for the sun was starting to get up.
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Post by My email doesn't work anymore on Mar 8, 2006 21:36:43 GMT -5
Thak practically flinched at the word 'company'. He was more than prepared to just grab his axe and do away with the paladin, mainly just to get him to shut up. But despite the fact an amount hadn't been defined it was still easy gold for what he loved doing most. "Alrigh' then. Ya can come along but ya hafta cut all this 'Orc!' crap. I have a name ya know. Jus' refer ta me as Thak an' I won' have a reason ta give ya a complimen'ry evisceration" ***** Divna wanted to bounce around and pretend he was a foal but she was a bit timid of falling off. And she didn't want to squish Nini. Besides, his back was nice and warm and the cool morning air wasn't pleasant against Divna's wet rags. Once it was light out and it was obvious they were no longer anywhere near the city she tried to cheer him up. "So um...what's your name anyways? I'm Divna. And why are your ears all weird? They're like mine only...fluffier and redder. But that's not a bad thing! I like them fluffy and red. Where are we going anyways? Are we there yet?"
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Post by Scar on Mar 8, 2006 22:47:17 GMT -5
((Hehe, "are we there yet?" XD))
Insolent little --! Khestrel kept up his disarming smile, hard as it was, and nodded. "Understood Thak. Now, we shall meet up later at the Sunsong Tavern; tell them Sir Khestrel sent you. I have to get my injured brethren to the Church ... and collect part of your payment while I'm at it. For now you keep your eyes and ears open for those Morphos."
He started for Sontag's body. "And don't kill them just yet. I want to look them in their eyes personally before I run them through."
~*~*~*~
"I -- wait she can't understand me." Artemis stopped slowly and looked around. Grassy fields as far as the eye could see. Good. He slowly lowered himself to allow the elfling to hop off, wincing from the pain in his leg, and took a few steps back.
Artemis willed himself to revert back to his original form ...
... and almost passed out from the excruciating pain he experienced, similar to that of a hot brand running through his chest. When he was done, he found himself on all fours on the dew-laden grass. He managed a small smile at the little elf staring worriedly at him. "Nice too ... meet you too Divna. You can call me ... Artemis. I hope you don't mind ... if I rest for ... a moment." It was then that he slumped unconscious to the ground.
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Post by Kat on Mar 9, 2006 5:59:58 GMT -5
Lorraine finally jumped down from her branch, stretching in the first few rays of the rising sun. She washed her face in the nearby stream and drank from the small flask she often carried with her. The mage remembered to grab her staff as well, and she glanced at the city again. Detecting some movement nearby, she saw some figures moving through the plain.
* * *
Gerard sighed. Mornin' already? he grumbled, burying his head under his pillow, careful not to accidentally crush the large leather case where he kept all his knives. If he put his blades up on display where some stupid maid would catch them, he could be in serious trouble.
He dozed off again, snoring loudly and scaring the sparrows perched on his windowsill.
((When do the chars meet?))
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