Wyatt
Hero
The Volcano
How can someone win if winning means that someone loses?
Posts: 463
Etruria Fame: 2
Sacae Fame: -1
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Post by Wyatt on Jan 17, 2012 7:40:01 GMT -6
OOC: Topic is locked, those who can enter already know it.
IC:
Well that hadn't gone according to plan, he had to admit. It had taken Wyatt nearly a week to get out of that last town. He should count his blessings that he got out at all, he supposed. He'd moved south and east slowly but surely, and fully intended to head straight into Sacae but...well things happened.
Wyatt had come to a town on the border of Lycia and Etruria, just a small farming community. Much like where he came from, and he couldn't deny that the hamlet made him a little depressed on the fate of his own home, but he moved from the thought. He'd found out early that the towns smith, an elderly man without an apprentice, had taken ill. So, in exchange for a place to stay, Wyatt took on the jobs of the small town. The elder smith was delighted to have the help, and was even impressed with the quality of his work. Seems like he'd learned a lot over these few years...go figure.
It felt like forever since he'd worked on a weapon though. And he didn't have his axe anymore, he'd given it to that Richter guy. Hmmm, thinking about it Wyatt began to wonder if they got away. They hadn't been dragged back to the town, alive or dead, so he supposed they had managed to escape. Good for them! Maybe someday he'd meet them again, but for now, he had work to do.
*Clang!*
The hammer reverberated on the forge as Wyatt struck the new horseshoes soundly. Shaping and tempering the metal as he worked. And there was still so much to do...his dad's journal and this odd metal he had...so much to experiment with.
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Post by Mana on Feb 3, 2012 22:23:49 GMT -6
Mana wasn't sure whether her meeting with Tora was something good or not. If she didn't meet him, she would probably ended being swallowed into the ground together with Ostia. But meeting him had let her into a fight where she lost her weapon and added a defeat in her record. A strange feeling had been lingering in her heart since she left the last village, she couldn't forget that man. She even wondered if she should have waited for him to return.
The swordwoman headed back to Etruria because she wanted to avoid Ostia or the other Lycia territory for a while. Who knows when another natural disaster would follow the recent eruption? She wasn't going to take that risk.
After a few days, she found a town, hoping to find a job there. Mana didn't have much money left in her purse, she had to find a job soon. She would take job as bodyguard, mercenary, soldier, as long as it wouldn't make her do something she didn't like. But first, she needed a new sword. Maybe a stronger sword than the previous would do, her last sword was light which offered agility, but it was too fragile.
Mana looked for blacksmith in the town. She wanted to get a new weapon as soon as possible, because she felt like naked without a sword. After asking to the townspeople, she finally found what she was looking for. "Thank you," she thanked a kind boy who just gave her the direction. Finding where the blacksmith lived wasn't difficult, she found it in no time. A loud clang was heard as she approached the forge. "This must be the place."
"Excuse me! I want to repair my weapon!" she called, trying to beat the sound of metal and hammer.
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Wyatt
Hero
The Volcano
How can someone win if winning means that someone loses?
Posts: 463
Etruria Fame: 2
Sacae Fame: -1
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Post by Wyatt on Feb 3, 2012 23:37:06 GMT -6
Wyatt had been just about finished with the shoes he was working on. He set the hammer to the side and quickly dunked the still hot metal into the basin. The steam poured forth, filling the work area with a small cloud. Wyatt rubbed the sweat from his brow as he registered the call he had heard.
[red]"I want to repair my weapon!"[/red]
Weapon? There were no fighters here, which meant this young girl who was calling was a traveler. Or working for one, but that seemed unlikely.
"Just a moment!" Wyatt called, moving out from the forge area to great the girl who stood in the door. He picked up a small rag at his side and wiped the soot off of his hands, it was always good to give a proper presentation.
"Good morning to you." He said, his eyes finally catching the crucial points. She was Sacaen...this close to Etruria? Thankfully this village hadn't seemed too concerned about the whole Prophet crap, but still. "Please, come inside Miss." He said, stepping back to allow her entrance to the building. He couldn't deny the excitement he felt at the budding prospect in front of him.
"It's a bit blunt of me, but you said you wanted a weapon repaired, correct? And since you wear a sword sheath I will assume it is a Sacaen blade." He looked quite pleased as he said this. "I would be honored to work on a weapon from your people. They are said to have no finer craftsman in all of Elibe."
A normal boy might have actually looked at his customer a bit more. As it was, Wyatt could only remember the most basic facts about her appearance. His eyes continuously darted to the sheath she wore, curious as to what kind of a blade had once been housed there.
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Post by Mana on Feb 4, 2012 0:22:46 GMT -6
Mana looked around as she waited for a response. This place felt a bit different than her tribe's forge. Because Sacaen lived nomadic life, they didn't build a forge like this. Their smith usually used more simple and lighter forging tools, and they were easy to be carried. Her mind drifted for a second until a voice came from the inside as a response to her calling.
A young man came out to greet her. Mana looked at him, she imagined the smith would be a bearded and muscled old man, not as young as Wyatt. "Alright." She nodded as she followed her invitation to go inside. Well, somehow this place had smell of iron and fire, as expected for a place where a smith made his arts.
Mana couldn't help but smiled when Wyatt praised her people, she felt proud as one of them. "Well, I think I am supposed to say thank you here..." she said, smiling at the young blacksmith. In her journey through Lycia or Etruria, she rarely met a person who gave her people recognition as much as Wyatt did. "Why I feel embarassed? I should be happy!" she thought.
"By the way, my sword is broken into two pieces. The damage is bad but I hope it can still be repaired." Mana took a white bundle of cloth from her bag, she untied the rope and unfolded the fabric, revealing a sword hilt with only half of the blade left. The blade itself was in poor condition, it had some cracks on its body. The girl looked troubled, she hated looking at her broken blade because it hurt her.
"Well, could you do repair my sword?"
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Wyatt
Hero
The Volcano
How can someone win if winning means that someone loses?
Posts: 463
Etruria Fame: 2
Sacae Fame: -1
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Post by Wyatt on Feb 4, 2012 0:37:50 GMT -6
Wyatt nodded with an absent minded smile as she responded. It felt like such a rude thing to say that he was only half paying attention to her, but he loved his craft. And the promise to work on a Sacaen blade was far to tempting for him. When she pulled out the cloth and opened it, he instantly went to grab the handle of the sword. He paused a moment, glancing at her as if seeking permission, but when she made no motion to stop him he took the hilt of it into his hand and held it aloft.
"A good weight..." He commented. "Heavier at the base, giving it a strong swing, while lighter at the tip to keep it light weight." He was more speaking to himself here. He examined the blade itself, cracked and chipped as it was. "What's this? Folded metal...? Is that how they do it?" It was difficult to tell looking at a finished product, but this sword had been so worn down that he could see past the exterior in it. It was exactly what he needed!
"I don't believe it!" He exclaimed happily. "This is just what I needed!" He actually looked at the girl for the first time since she'd walked into the forge. He paused for a moment, then continued with his train of thought. "Lycian weapons just cannot compare. I've only seen a few weapons of better craft then this. One was a relic, and the others were used by a dual wielding swordsman I knew. As I recall he was Sacaen as well." He realized he was a bit off topic and then picked up the blade part of the sword, weighing it in his hands.
"Yes, I can fix this. It would be my honor to work on such a fine blade." He said, rolling it over in his hands and nicking himself. He pulled his hand back as a drop of blood fell and chuckled. "Still sharp, after all you put it through. I'll get right to work on this." He said, laying it out as he went to add more fuel to the fire. Smelting horseshoes was one thing, but a sword required a much more precise touch.
"So, if I may ask Ma'am, what brings you this far from home?" He asked as he fed the fire, gathering up his tools for the job he was to start.
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Post by Mana on Feb 5, 2012 0:59:19 GMT -6
The blacksmith lost in his own world as Mana watched him admiring her broken sword. She never knew that a Sacae sword would be able to make a non-Sacaen blacksmith enthusiastic like this. Mana just watched him when Wyatt began to compare it with the Lycian-made. Looking at his reaction, it felt satisfying. Sacaen was being praised here, as one of them Mana felt very proud.
"Dual wielding swordman? Is he talking about...Yaen? Ah, impossible. This world isn't that small, is it?" Mana wondered for a moment. She knew a strong dual wielding Sacaen swordman named Yaen, but it was probably only a coincidence.
"You can fix it!" Mana repeated what he just said. The girl looked happy and excited to hear that. That was a good news, she wanted to hold her weapon once again. It had been her partner since that incident made her leave her homeland, it saved her many times and helped her fight some bandits.
Well, it was touchy subject. A few months ago, she would have refused to answer. But time had healed the wound in her heart a little, she was able to answer the question now. "Just call me Mana," she said. Mana took a deep breath to help calming herself. She could answer this question, but she wouldn't give the details. "I left Sacae because some bandits attacked my tribe. So, I started travelling since that day...I think. I wanted to hone my skill so I can protect what precious to me." Honestly, one of the reason was that she couldn't go back to Sacae. She felt that it would be too painful for her to return to her homeland. To hone her skill? Mana didn't realize that she actually wanted revenge. No matter how hard to surpress it, the emotion still there, it was hiding in the deepest part of her heart.
"If it isn't too much...Could so make my sword more durable?" she asked, trying to change the subject.
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Wyatt
Hero
The Volcano
How can someone win if winning means that someone loses?
Posts: 463
Etruria Fame: 2
Sacae Fame: -1
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Post by Wyatt on Feb 5, 2012 1:15:42 GMT -6
Wyatt nodded, and glanced back at her as he continued prepping the forge. "Well it is nice to meet you Mana. Call me Wyatt." He'd heard many a story like hers. Brigands seemed to make their mark wherever you went. "I see..." He said in response to her story, deciding to not dig into it too much.
When she asked about the weapon, Wyatt went back into smiting mode. "Yep, it's actually the way I have to do it here. I don't have any materials aside from Iron here, and I don't have the right tools to make anything with a special purpose, like a sword for horses or wyverns or what have you." he explained as he placed the sword in an odd clamp-like apparatus, holding it over the fire as the metal began glowing faintly. He took an ingot of iron and treated it similarly, before plying the metals together over the flame. The basic shape was restored easily, but this was not a weapon. It was a piece of iron, broken and inconsistent. It would snap with the first swing. Wyatt moved the sword over the anvil and grabbed for his smiting hammer. He looked up to Mana for a moment before he struck.
"It's going to be a little loud." He explained, and then the hammer fell. Sparks flew as the hammer pounded out the imperfections in the molten metal. Molding and shaping the iron into the form that best captured this piece of art. Time flew for Wyatt, though it might have dragged for Mana, but he found that this was much easier then he thought it would have been. The metal being so thin actually allowed it to be forged easier. He'd done a repair job in the first ten minutes, the majority of the time was on the details. It wasn't just about being a weapon. Mana cherished this weapon, and he should do the same. So he would repair and reforge it the best he could, that was the duty of a smith after all.
With a final crash he paused, wiping the sweat from his brow as he pulled the sword from the anvil. It's metal still glowing dimly with heat, he wasted no time thrusting it into the basin. Steam billowed forth, filling the room with a cloud for a moment before it vented out of the top of the house. The same windows allowed light from the noonday sun in, and when Wyatt held the sword up to examine it, he was pleased to find the way the light shined off of the blade. With a swing of his arm, the sword effortlessly cut through the air, a song accompanying it as it danced through the air.
"I don't think I have ever had the honor to craft such a fine weapon." He said, lowering the sword so he held it in both hands and offering it to her. "I hope you are pleased with the result."
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Post by Mana on Feb 5, 2012 1:57:04 GMT -6
"Yes, it is." Mana made a weak comment while shielding her ears from the loud sound. The sound was loud indeed, she even wondered how Wyatt could swing her hammer with such spirit. He might be used to it as a blacksmith. Mana's ears felt hurt a little, she questioned in her mind why Wyatt didn't. The problem itself actually wasn't the sound, Mana just couldn't stand the room's temperature. The fire made this place hot. "Uh, maybe I should get out of here. But I want to watch! What should I do?" she got caught in a dilemma. She had to choose.
Mana stepped back and covered her mouth when steam filled the room. She closed one eye and kept the other one open to watch the progress. Had he finished? Mana didn't understand what he did to her sword, but she trusted him, this guy seemed reliable.
The girl almost jumped at Wyatt when she saw her sword in his hand, strong and perfect. She ran toward him and snatched it from him. The sword was stronger and more durable now, it had become a bit heavier but wouldn't give her wrist more than she could handle. Her style used speed and technique instead of raw strength, so the weight of the sword was really important.
"Thank you!" She leapt at him and gave him a hug. She didn't even realize what she did. The myrmidon then broke the hug and took a few steps behind. This sword needed to be tested although she could tell that the quality was top notch jsut by looking at it. "Please step back, Mr. blacksmith," she said.
Mana swung her sword diagonally, she felt the sensation with her muscle. "Yes, it is heavier but nothing I can't handle." She raised it abover her head then made a few swings again. "Nice, it's stronger than I thought." Mana leapt back and swung it behind, then twirled like a whirlwind. She looked happy, a smile never left her face.
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Wyatt
Hero
The Volcano
How can someone win if winning means that someone loses?
Posts: 463
Etruria Fame: 2
Sacae Fame: -1
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Post by Wyatt on Feb 5, 2012 14:26:37 GMT -6
When Mana nearly tacked him he was slightly taken aback. She released him soon enough and begun to dance around with her new sword, and that was when Wyatt had the epiphany.
"Hah, so that is what it is. Sacaen sword smiths aren't any better then any others, they just put more care into the work. You just proved that, cause that sword is your most valuable treasure isn't it? A Lycian made sword is just a mass produced weapon, very few people use a weapon that is anything more then a tool for murder." He started speaking as he let the fire cool down. "But every sword I have ever seen a Sacaen wield had an air about it, it was their sword. Made just for them. It's the detail and the care that goes into the weapon that makes them so impressive." He looked over the sword he'd reforged and smiled. "One day, I hope I can make a weapon as impressive as that one. Now then Mana, whe-" He started, but then went quiet when a familiar sound greeted his ears. Horses. And not one, that was a few of them.
He moved over to one of the windows and peered out, seeing three men unsaddling in the square. They were lightly armed, but didn't look like soldiers. Maybe scouts? The insignia on the one in the middle, who wore the look of a noble, was familiar to Wyatt. He was stuck in that fort for a week after all, this guy was part of the Inquisitional Squad. Probably coming to check the town, well that was fine. Nobody knew he had anything to do with that whole Richter thing.
He turned back to Mana. Wait, she was a Sacaen...they wouldn't attack her on sight, he hoped, but it would likely create a good deal of trouble. Well, they had time to hide her, they wouldn't come here first.
Wyatt cursed as he saw them turn in his direction, the leader pointing to his horse's hoof. Oh damn it all, he'd thrown a shoe and he came here to have it repaired. That meant he was coming here first.
"Get out of sight." Wyatt said, using a stick to close the top window used for venting the forge. "Inquisitors are here. Things will get complicated if they see you." He grabbed a bucket of water and poured it over the still hot anvil, sending up another thick cloud of steam. The heat was noticeable even to him, so the Inquisition shouldn't want to remain here long.
Hopefully they wouldn't look around the forge too much.
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Post by Mana on Feb 8, 2012 22:45:06 GMT -6
"A tool of murder??? I really don't undertand how those Lycians think," she said while turning, still busy with her new sword. Mana never saw her sword as a tool of murder, she sometimes used it to kill but her intention was to protect herself and her pride. For her, it wasn't a tool of fight either. Mana couldn't explain it well, but she knew that she never saw her sword as a mere tool, and she wouldn't ever do it.
Wyatt looked like he was going to say something, but he stopped and went to the window. Mana tilted her head as she watched his back. "Well?" The blacksmith probably had found something nice outside, he seemed forget to complete his sentence. While waiting, the myrmidon looked down and drew some rounds in the ground with her sword. "Uups, I hope he won't get angry for it," she thought.
"Eeh? What did you say? I haven't even paid you." Mana was somewhat confused. Why did he look hurry? And what did he mean with inquisitors? "Who are these inquisitors anyway?" she asked. But then she was forced to cover her mouth when the steam hit her. Her sweats began to drop, the heat in this place was something. She wondered how Wyatt could work in place like this. "Hey, stop that! It is killing me!"
Mana forgot that the inquisitors are approaching.
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Wyatt
Hero
The Volcano
How can someone win if winning means that someone loses?
Posts: 463
Etruria Fame: 2
Sacae Fame: -1
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Post by Wyatt on Feb 9, 2012 21:22:39 GMT -6
Before Wyatt could explain to her what was going on, the door opened. Instantly, the steam cloud billowed out, likely rather uncomfortable for the trio that had just opened the door.
[blue]"Gah! Is this how you great all of your esteemed customers old man?"[/blue] Came the indignant response. Wyatt stepped up quickly, trying to get them in and out of here before they noticed Mana.
[red]"My apologies sir, I had just finished some work and cooled off the forge. You need a new shoe for the horse out there, correct? I can measure and have it ready for you in less then an hour. Please trouble yourself no more."[/red]
Wyatt had attempted to make the man leave as quickly as possible. However, the man did not know him, and say that he was being hurried along. [blue]"Well now, you are a new face. Where is the old man?"[/blue] He asked, eying the boy critically.
[red]"Master Xandis took ill, I have been taking care of his work for him. Was there something else I could do for you?"[/red] He asked, desperate to get this man out of the smithy.
Fortune was not on his side, as the steam had finally dissipated enough for him to notice that they were not alone. His eyes went to Mana and his hand went to his sword instantly. The two following him reacted similarly.
[red]"Please!"[/red] Wyatt said, holding his hands up in a gesture of peace. [red]"She is merely a customer. There is no need for violence."[/red] He practically pleaded.
[blue]"So you say, but you tried to keep her hidden. We will just need to take her in for questioning of course. If she is innocent as you say, then there should be no problem."[/blue]
[red]"I really don't think..."[/red]
The man slapped Wyatt across the face with his gloved hand. [blue]"When I need the view of some worthless laborer, I will order you to provide it to me. Out of the way!"[/blue] He called. Wyatt moved aside, allowing the three of them into the smithy and closer to where Mana was.
[blue]"Now then, if you be so kind as to put down that toy sword before you get hurt. We wouldn't wa-AAAGGGGHHH!!!"[/blue] The man shouted as his back began to smolder. Behind him Wyatt stood, with a branding prod held firmly in his hands. It had burned straight through the man's cloth, searing his flesh with Wyatt's own blacksmith mark. Before the man could even react Wyatt used his other hand to knock a small bucket of water from the counter on to him. The man fell instantly, rolling on the ground as he howled in pain.
A burn of that nature didn't really hurt until you cooled it off. However he noticed his misfortune as the two other guards turned on him, and a branding prod was not really a good weapon versus a sword.
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Post by Mana on Feb 9, 2012 23:28:05 GMT -6
The steam hurt her eyes, it felt hot and painful. Luckily the steam began to dissipate and her sight was getting clearer. What surprised her was the sight of three men with hands on their weapons, ready to draw. Her instinct thought faster than her brain, she quickly took a battle stance and waved her sword to the front. Whoever they were, she could ask later after disarming them. But somehow she felt that their intention was anything but good.
"Heey!" She shouted angrily when one of them slapped Wyatt on his face. The blacksmith seemed to be trying to stop them from hurting her and probably had angered the three men. This wan't good. She just got someone covering for her, she wouldn't allow them to treat him like a worthless animal. Mana didn't have any intention to lower her weapon as she watched them coming toward her direction. "Draw your sword, and I will show you a living hell," she muttered under her breath, focusing her attention to their movements.
Mana ignored the man's words and tensed her muscle, this matter might end badly. Just when she was about to say something, the inquisitor screamed of pain. Then he got hit with a bucket of water, which also accidentally showered Mana with cool water. "It's cold!" she yelled, raising her both hands to cover her head.
Between her arms, she saw the two guards turned at Wyatt. Something told her that he was the one who just saved her again, although the mymrmidon probably didn't need help at all. The guards' gesture gave some hints of hostility, they looked dangerous with those swords. "Alright, strike first, think later!" she shouted. Mana was never good wih too much thinking anyway, she often did something rashly.
"Heeyaaa!" Followed with a loud shout, Mana ducked between the two men and tried to sweep their legs with a strong kick, using her unarmed hand to support her balance while her kick moving through the air.
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Wyatt
Hero
The Volcano
How can someone win if winning means that someone loses?
Posts: 463
Etruria Fame: 2
Sacae Fame: -1
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Post by Wyatt on Feb 10, 2012 13:04:59 GMT -6
Wyatt was plenty surprised when one of the two men approaching him fell forward. He jumped to the side, watching with a grimace as the man fell and bounced his head off of the forge with a dull clang. Out cold, well that was one problem down. The other had his sword out though, and swung it at Wyatt. Wyatt ducked down, losing his footing as the sword missed him by a few inches. There wasn't a lot of room to swing the sword around in here, and that fact may have saved his life.
The man stood over him, sword raised and ready to stab. Wyatt's hand fell on something...a hammer? Not his maul, but his smaller smithing hammer. Wrapping his fingers around he brought the metal hammer down on the man's foot. The loud sound of cracking filled his ears for a moment as the man fell over, screaming.
Wyatt moved to get up, but knew the noise had likely alerted a lot of people to the trouble. [red]"Come on, we have to go before the villagers show up."[/red] He said to Mana, pointing to a back door. As he left he picked up one of the fallen soldier's swords. Tch, a piece of crap, he threw it aside. Gathering the rest of his belongings didn't take long, maybe a minute, as he headed for the back door. The two conscious people on the ground were whimpering lamely now, and Wyatt looked to Mana.
[red]"Ready to go?"[/red]
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Post by Mana on Feb 10, 2012 23:00:29 GMT -6
"Nice!!!" Mana exclaimed when one of them fell and hit the forge. That looked painful. But she then realized that the other went to attack Wyatt. She held her breath when the sword missed his head only by a few inches. Mana tried to get up and assist the blacksmith. She tightened her grip on her sword and prepared to charge. Well, in the end, he didn't need her help. Mana watched with her eyes as the hammer fell to the guard's foot, probably crushing some of his bones. Judged by his reaction, that should be painful. His scream made Mana pity him a little.
"Come on, we have to go before the villagers show up."
"Eh, but why?" Mana wanted to protest but the blacsmith already went to get his belongings. She was left dumbfounded. Looking at the men in the ground, who was groaning with weak voice. She wanted to question why they drew their swords and acted hostile to her. She didn't even remember ever meeting them, those ugly faces were unfamiliar to her. Realizing that this fight was probably ended, she put her sword back to the sheath and waited for Wyatt.
When he came and asked if she was ready, Mana gave him a short silence and confused expression. Finally, she shrugged and said, "Alright, but you owe me an explanation." The girl still wanted to know their reason to raise weapon, which had bothered her. There was a few question left unanswered here but she would wait until later.
"Lets go," she said, still was unsure with what happened. But at least she knew she could trust Wyatt. He didn't look like a bad person, and he had repaired her sword anyway so he couldn't be a bad person.
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Wyatt
Hero
The Volcano
How can someone win if winning means that someone loses?
Posts: 463
Etruria Fame: 2
Sacae Fame: -1
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Post by Wyatt on Feb 10, 2012 23:30:06 GMT -6
Wyatt slipped out the back door quietly, looking about as he did so. The smith was on the edge of town, so they could get away easily enough. To add to that, the terrain was hilly, meaning it didn't take more then ten minutes to be 'out of sight' behind one of the hills.
He sighed in relief once the town was no longer visible. He then remembered her confusion. [red]"Ah right, an explanation. I'm gonna guess you haven't been to Etruria before. Well it's like this. I don't know a lot about Sacaen religion but it's about spirits right? The earth, the sky, and lots of other things, right? Damn, Arron was way better then me at this."[/red] His knowledge on the subject was vague at best.
[red]"Anyway, Etruria and most other nations follow the church of St. Elimine. Normally they are really peaceful, and it isn't a big deal. But they've changed, they've started 'converting' people to their way. And those who don't...disappear."[/red] He glanced to her. [red]"Those men in there, they were part of what was called the Inquisitional Squad. Their job is to find 'heretics' or people who don't follow what they say is the will of Saint Elimine, and they 'question' them. Don't be fooled, I've never seen a person come back from the questioning, they just imprison and kill them."[/red] He explained.
[red]"They saw you, being Sacaen, and were likely going to do the same. We left the village because those guys are still alive. If they thought the town was helping us, the army would burn the whole place down, labeling them heretics."[/red]
He hadn't realized just how dark the situation had gotten until he spoke it aloud. [red]"These are dangerous times to be wandering around. Do you have a destination in mind? Wouldn't feel right just leaving you on your own."[/red]
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