Bandits Did It!

[Kadd Bane]

Kadd lay motionless for a moment, his body appearing to be beaten, but his mind sharp as he listened intently to those around him. He heard a familiar voice, the voice of the girl from earlier, and a vein in his temple pulsed slightly. He could feel more then see her leaning in to inspect him, and before he could even register it himself, his hand had darted out towards her throat. From a completely lying down position, he had made to wrap his hand tightly around her neck, his vice-like grip tightening for a moment, before releasing her. "Ah," he said in a weak voice, shifting slightly to get a better look at her. "So sorry. I thought perhaps it was my tormentors, coming to finish me off..." He rolled onto his back, inspecting the pair before him. They didn't seem any worse for wear since he'd seen them last, which only slightly disappointed him.

"Too bad. I was excited to make him eat his words. Probably quite a ways away by now," the man said, motioning towards the broken window. Kadd chuckled, lowering his head. "Believe me, you wouldn't want to fight him. His skill with the blade is nothing to scoff at. But anyway..." Rocking up into a sitting position, he gestured to Hoff. "Please, help me stand. We should get out of here. And if one of you would be so kind as to grab my sword..." he pointed over to the corner. "I believe it's over there."

(OOC: sorry about how long it took to post)

[Hoff]

Hoff stood a short distance away - suddenly as the man grabbed Erio and he jumped clearing the few feet between them with a sword raised. The man released as quickly as he had attacked however and mumbled his explanation. Still he was on edge and didnt lower his blade until he asked for help. Hoff's mind was on the bandit's incompetence not to restrain one of their own prisoners. How careless he muttered to himself. Bandits weren't known for their smarts, but to him this seemed like a whole new low.

He shrugged to himself looking around quickly - it wouldn't be right to leave a man bleeding on the floor like that, and it seemed they were away from danger right now without much of a reason not to help a stranger. He stepped next to the wounded Merc, wrapped an arm around his waist and with the other grabbed his wrist, lifting his arm over his own shoulders to help him stand. His sword was still out held in his right hand at the man's waist pointing away so it wouldn't hurt him.

He was light enough that Hoff could move him along back towards the door "Now, now.. you are pretty bad off, I don't think you need a sword right just this second" He tried not to sound too patronizing but it still probably came out like that. "Someone will get it, we need to get out of here." he looked around for Erio and Kasteen "How's it out there? Do we need another way out? I don't want to fight with this guy hanging on my shoulders"

[Deleted]

Erio turned and glanced back at Hoff "I suppose I am too now that I think of it" she replied slightly surprised at his words. It was hard to think that he would be worried in the about her, probably just about her new cloak. Er...the new cloak that was rather ragged. An acceptable sacrifice, she could just sew it up good as new.

"Whats going on out there?" the man asked from behind her and she turned her head to glanced back at him "nothing much, most are dead I am lead to believe by the screams here and there. Kasteen seems to be fairing rather well at the moment so I am not too worried."

She sighed softly turning back to continue to look over the wounds reaching out to softly run her fingers over them checking to see if they were deep and needed to be stitched shut. "He got away?" she asked glancing up to the window and then around the room searching for any sign of anything her eyes falling upon the blade lying a short ways away. It tickled the back of her mind oddly familiar, she knew she had seen it before.

She twirled a silky obsidian strand around her finger deep in thought, simply flipping back through her memories. She did not notice the hand darting out and let out a soft cry as it wrapped around her throat the woman moving quickly and jabbing her fingers into his eyes slipping back the moment he released her and rubbing at it with a frown.

"I thought the screams would have let you know" she grumbled slightly sour about it and glancing over at Hoff his sword drawn. She shook her head and let out a sigh standing up and dusting herself off reaching over to grab the sword as it suddenly hit her where she had seen it before "nice blade" she commented handing it back to the bandit leader. To be frank she did not know what to do with the new information, better to keep it at bay until it was needed. She could always use it against him if needed.

"I think most are dead, nothing to worry about them attacking" she said simply turning and walking towards the door "we should get out before the two buffoons tramping about bring this castle down on our heads." She started for the passage out waiting for Hoff and glancing about for The Beetle.

[Kressen]

Kressen entered the room to see Kadd apparently injured and unconscious on the floor, only to the witness him strike at Erio like a snake. He released her just as quickly as he struck, so Kressen relinquished the feeling to Flux him into the ground. He didn’t say a word, but instead chose to listen to their conversation. He stood near the corner his cloak apparently allowing him to remain unseen by the trio, or perhaps Kressen just went by unnoticed by most people. He felt a little irritated being called Kasteen instead of his real name which is Kressen.

As Erio finished talking he chose now to reveal his presence. “Those buffoons are hopefully chatting it up right now, so if we hurry we could probably get away before the delay us any further.” He titled his head to Erio. “My name is Kressen, not Kasteen by the way.” He still had his tome in his hand as he turned his attention towards Hoff and Kadd. He did not trust Kadd at all. For someone who was injured he moved pretty quickly, and then he said he was too injured to walk on his own. Then the bandit leader who was supposed to be a cruel heartless beast with masterful sword skills left the man alive instead of finishing him off. Kressen wasn’t buying it.

Still he didn’t want to rub the rest of the group the wrong way, or alert Kadd to his suspicions so remained silent for now. Still it wouldn’t do to have Hoff carry the man so Kressen voiced another opinion. “Leave there if he can’t walk Hoff. You need to be able to fight just in case there are some still hiding in the shadows. I’m sure the Mage Knight will carry him for us, since it’ll be easier for him cause of his horse.” He leaned against a nearby wall waiting on the two to make a choice.

[Kadd Bane]

(OOC: Huh. right...watever, I suppose I'll take that godmod on the chin =_=)

Grasping his weapon, he rested it at his hip. Shifting slightly, he tried to tug his arm from Hoff's grasp. "That's quite alright. I only needed help to stand up, I can walk just fine." Straightening up, he held a hand to his side as he walked through the door, passing the mage. He fixed his eyes on him for a moment, turning away with a snort. "To think, rescued by such an odd group. Such hostility. Should have just escaped by myself, saved myself the headache of having to deal with you lot..." he muttered. Stepping out into the darkened hallways he halted his progress. "Did uh...Did any of you happen to bring a torch? It's kinda dark..." he called back into the room.

He leaned against the wall slightly, his mood slowly souring. He'd intended to only go this far for the money. The longer he managed to terrorize the people, the larger the reward for their defeat, and he fully intended to get it. But he'd never been so annoyed in his life. These people were so bothersome he half wished he had just killed them all when he had the chance. As it was, he was outnumbered, so he would keep his tongue in check for the moment as he waited impatiently for someone to come with a torch

[Hoff]

Hoff straightened up a little bit "Sorry you.. you seemed pretty bad off" Feeling a bit silly for trying to help he made a mental note that it is always a bad idea, and that one should look out for their own hide.

He walked back trough what seemed like the exit, at least it was where people were headed. Appearing into the previous area he was faced with a grizzly sight - some more bodies on the floor, a few stabbed, arrows sticking out, and many of them burned. Looking around he saw two men, instantly recognizing them from the Inn. He stepped forward a few more feet to be sure they saw him and raised his hands at shoulder height showing his palms... hopefully they would recognize him, rather than just kill him right there.

"You guys.. you are from the Inn." He addressed the duo. The man in red.. he was probably the mage responsible for all the charred bodies. Eyeing the others hair he couldn't hide a smile, which probably looked more like a smirk to someone not familiar with Hoff's limited range of expressions.

"I.. I guess we owe you.. you slaughtered most of these guys.. I think the rest of are dead, most of them were out here." Hoff then suddenly realized he had offered no explanation on what they were doing here "Oh and, we were looking to collect on the bounty... or something like that, anyway just hoped to kill some bandits. There was a wounded merc inside, and two others with me, a Mage and a Squire" He really wasnt sure what to call his companions but that at least seemed to fit.

Thinking on the situation, Hoff was tempted to just let them have the bounty. That would not be very good business though so he spoke up "We were just leaving. We are planning on collecting whatever they have in town for these... We can surely split it." Typical of Hoff to be aware that they killed most bandits, and yet still disregard it and offer only a portion of the loot. They were here first after all.. and if it didnt work so be it, the two could just take all the money and he wouldn't be able to do much.

(ooc: alright long post but didnt want to leave you two hanging after being stuck in here for a while. If someone has an idea for something else, by all means, otherwise im thinking just go back to town. I thought about more bandits but didnt want to make the thread drag - if you want them go for it)

[Deleted]

Erio stared at the men from before and let out a long and reasonably over exaggerated sigh flipping her hair over her shoulder. "It would be best to leave, they will come along like dogs if they wish." She turned and continued to walk off towards the exit. There was little point in staying around any longer if there was nothing to be gained from it, better to go off to seek new opportunities.

(Well this has dragged so I am going to end it here, going to start a new thread soon)