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 Jun 7, 2012 12:20:53 GMT -6
Wyatt paused for a moment. [red]"Hmm, that is true. The first time I didn't really use a real weapon, the shrine I used your sword, and sparring was with practice weapons. Well then, we'll have to practice a bit more! I'd want you to get some practice fighting an axe user who actually knows what he is doing."[/red] He said, thumping his chest.
And then, many things out of the ordinary seemed to happen. For one, the door swung rapidly, the sign of someone in a rush moving inside. Normally he wouldn't have noticed, but this nagging feeling was making him alert. He spied a small figure moving through the crowds, and arched an eyebrow as she sat down at a table with another man...a man he could swear he recognized. He looked like a sailor...but Wyatt hadn't done much sea travel.
He didn't have long to ponder this as a group of guards walked into the tavern, heading over to the owner almost instantly. Now this was way too suspicious. Someone is watching him, a small and hurried figure runs into the tavern, and four guards follow her. He supposed that this gathering would be perfect for pick-pockets, and that would certainly explain the soldiers.
Mana's question snapped him out of his thoughts as he turned to look at her with a slightly distracted smile. [red]"Not really, no. But I'd watch your coin pur...oh."[/red] Wyatt said, remembering that he held all the money. [red]"Keep your eyes open, I think something is about to happen here."[/red] He muttered, fully aware that he was not the only one in the tavern who had tensed up at the appearance of the guards. He refrained from putting his hand on a weapon for two reasons. One, he didn't want to send the image that he wanted to fight. Two, his weapons were not particularly small, subtle, or non threatening. Using them in here would be a disaster.
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Marcus
Manakete
Dragon Reborn
Hell and back is a long way to go, but my journey's only begun.
Posts: 176
Profession: Wanderer
Affinity: Dark
Dragon Element: Lightning
Profile: Marcus
OoC Alias: Marc
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Post by Marcus on Jun 7, 2012 22:21:25 GMT -6
Marcus chuckled at his friends. It had been so long since he had seen them and it was a relief to see that they hadn't changed one bit. Richter was still just as serious as he had always been and it was good to see that Clair could reason with him. Shrugging apologetically, Marcus turned to Richter.
"Sorry, sir, it's just that it's been a while. I was happy to see you and, well... you know me. Besides, how was I to know you were trying to avoid attention? After all, we're in Bern, an Ilian territory. You should be safe here, or at least I'd hope so. But then again, you never know these days," Marcus added with a sigh. He of all people should know that. There were whisperers and eyes everywhere these days and if you were careless for too long, it would be the end of you.
Marcus was broken from his thoughts by a rude comment from the guard behind him. Turning to face him, Marcus retorted, "I didn't realize it was standard for all of the city guardsmen to be rude."
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Post by Clair Feldsky on Jun 9, 2012 15:48:23 GMT -6
The Falcoknight watched as the big guard's eyes smoldered, but remained in check. He stepped out closer to them, moving in easy steps. The way he wore his dark armor, and how he carried his weapons bespoke of competance and skill as Clair watched. He wasn't just a new recruit by the looks of him. He'd likely been a soldier for years.
[Teal]"I will overlook that comment, and remind you that the gate station's doorsteps are intended for other kinds of business than loitering about and getting in the way."[/Teal] The thick shouldered man's voice intensified a bit, but always stayed just shy of outright aggression. Just.
[Teal]"Damn tourists...."[/Teal]
It sounded like the man had been hassled quite a bit since the tournament goers had started showing up. Such was condition of city duty. Especially in places as large as Bern.
Clair took the chance to step into the man's path, gaining his attention. He stopped, looking down at the blond woman standing before him, seemingly undaunted by his size or gruff shell. She, unlike the others wore her armor openly, and carried an odd spear in her grip. Probably a pegasus knight of some sort by her dress.
"We do have business with the gate. Is the Captain in?"
[Teal]"Captain Saint is standing right here. You aren't trying to file a complaint, are you? I have a Lieutenant inside dedicated to sorting any arguments before they become real problems."[/Teal]
This was the captain? His experience and demeanor made sense then, even if the annoyance he exhibited would be frowned on by Clair. That could be forgiven though, as long as he knew what he was about.
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Post by Kenshin on Jun 10, 2012 0:30:52 GMT -6
Kenshin had spent the time eating and looking around the room, he saw what looked to be fighters and what he thought to be pick-pocketers but nobody that resembled Alan. With a crowd this size the chances of finding him wondering around were slim but it was also greater than sitting in here. As the time Kenshin was finishing his meal guards had entered the tavern, a part of him had wanted to aid them but his sensible side kicked in. "This isn't my home land, what happens here is none of my concern." As he stood up he made once last visual sweep of the room to ensure he didn't miss anything, a young girl caught his eye, the very same one that now wields the Falcatta. What was her name again? Mana, maybe? He started to approach her but he knew idle conversation would only prove to be a distraction.
Changing his path he made it out the door, it had seemed even more people had arrived since he went inside. A man trying to get people sign up had been shouting for more entries noticed Kenshin's weaponry and approached him. "You sir, you look like you'd be a fantastic warrior. Why don't you test your might against the finest fighters this land has to offer?" "No thank you, I only carry them to hunt and defend myself if the need rises." "Then come and defend yourself as they try make a name for themselves or even hunt for some fame of your own." "Once again I'm sorry, I must pass up your offer. I'm only a sight-seer and do not wish to take up arms against another." "Whatever, just take the coward's path and walk away." It had seemed as if people had forgotten the rumors of the Crimson Demon in these lands or he wasn't as well known as he thought, either way it played in his favor during this event.
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Post by Mana on Jun 10, 2012 1:51:11 GMT -6
Mana was both interested and startled imagining their next spar. Wyatt still hadn't shown her his true strength yet, she knew the blacksmith would be a fearsome force with his axe. Until now they had only been sparring with sword to train his swordplay, which had been improved greatly. Maybe his fighting experiences and knowledge about weaponry helped him developing his potential.
"Hmm..." Mana looked troubled. The girl was enjoying the food, she didn't want anything to ruin this peaceful moment. However, if Wyatt said so then something was probably going to happen soon, hopefully not. As if acknowledged his warning, the atmosphere inside the tavern tensed. Mana moved her hand toward her waist, closer to her swords, ready to draw them anytime. She tried to do it unnoticed to avoid trouble, the girl knew those guards might take her action as hostile if they saw her hand gripping the hilt of her iron sword.
"Grrr...I thought we could have a nice and peaceful meal. Why must it always like this everytime I am in a tavern?" Mana grumbled as she glanced secretly at the guards, keeping her voice low. Yes, she never had pleasant experience in taverns, it was always ended with something bad. "So you noticed, huh?" Mana felt a bit ashamed for letting down her guard which made her late to notice the changes.
Mana suddenly noticed a familiar red color in the crowd. The man resembled Kenshin, or maybe he was Kenshin himself. But , could it really be him? She didn't expect to meet him again anytime soon. She then pinched Wyatt's arm to get his attention. "Hey, Wyatt. Isn't that Kenshin?" How could she forget the face of the legendary hero who also the previous wielder of her sword, Falcatta? However, the red-haired man then left the tavern quickly leaving Mana wondering whether he really was Kenshin or not.
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Post by Richter Abend on Jun 10, 2012 2:58:59 GMT -6
"No complaints," said Richter, waving his hand in an signatory attempt to assuage the Captain's harshness. "I just need to talk security. Specifically Bern's." He couldn't say he exactly appreciated the man's attitude, but seeing how Richter was often accused of being blunt and gruff himself, he could definitely understand where the gate captain was coming from. All of these people had to be an unwelcome and trying change from the norm, and the last thing they needed was to contribute to the unwelcome activity and get off on the wrong foot because of it.
Before speaking more, the hooded pink haired commander took a second to size up this Captain Saint. Aside from the man's obvious muscular build and frustration, the gate captain was a bit shaggier than the mental picture Richter held military officers to, but then again, the Ilian's actual military experience was limited, and Etrurian Inquisitional officers tended to be a bit more well groomed than the standard.
"I don't want to speak out in the crowd. Let us in and we can talk further."
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Hiro
Rogue
I love stealing, I love taking things.
Posts: 216
Profession: Professional ladies man
OoC Alias: Hal
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Post by Hiro on Jun 11, 2012 8:53:21 GMT -6
Even though there were guards everywhere Hiro still scanned the crowd for an easy target. He was starting to get hungry, sure he had enough gold to feed himself but why should he spend HIS gold when there were so many people that owed him money just wondering around. Situations such as these where there were so many in debt to him and unwilling to pay him are always troublesome. He could always swipe that little girl's dollie and hold it ransom, but what if her dad was like twice his size or even worse a guard. Then there was a jester juggling some rocks, he had a small monkey with a hat collecting tips. Hiro was more than sure he could pop the monkey in the face and take off with the hat and blend in with the passing crowd, but what if a 'do-gooder' happen to be among the crowd and stopped him.
He could always just "accidently" bump into some fatso and slight of hand his coin pouch, how hard could it to be to out run him? As he wondered the streets trying to look as unsuspicious as he possible could, luckily for him he wasn't the only one in a cloak, Hiro passed by a red haired man in Sacaern garbs being heckled by a tournament barker in joining. Great not only were their guards but loud mouths like that, surely if he tried anything near one of them they could bring attention to him. Despite his line of work the guards had also provided a layer of security, as long as he stayed in the open Kraft's men shouldn't try to do anything at least he hoped.
Hiro had found what he was looking for, an elderly man who seemed to be easily distracted by the crowd. Such an easy meal ticket, almost a crime to collect that debt. There was a flicker of light? to Hiro's left. Quickly darting his head to see what was the source there was a lady, quite attractive at that too, decked out in armor with a lance he thought he'd see a magic person or something. He didn't realize but when the armored maiden came into view he stopped walking causing the muscle head behind him to crash into him, a liquid ran down Hiro's head as he spilled his ale all over him. "You stupid basturd! You owe me a new drink." Turning around Hiro saw a mountain of a man, or so compared to him, backing up he threw his hands in the air. "Shhhhiiiiiittt man, I'm sorry. You see I kinda don't have any money, so if you would kindly... EAT MY DUST!" Hiro spun on his heels and began to run, or so he thought. The man grabbed a hold the back of Hiro's cloak and pulled him back, the very reason he never fancied them before, and spun him back around and decked him.
Blood spilled from Hiro's nose as he fell back. What a drag, he wanted to avoid the guards and now they'd surely step in, at lease to save his ass. Mr. Muscle body stepped over Hiro and got another swing in before guards stepped in pulling the man off of him, now they both were being detained to be questioned. Last time this happened Hiro was able to simple walk away, but this isn't Kraft's castle. With a black eye and a bloody nose he followed the man with the very sharp stick to the nearest guard station, passing the maiden in armor Hiro felt ashamed that she'd see him all beat up like this.
The two were taken to different rooms Hiro sat down using his own cloak to try to stop the blood. "Can't you guys give me something to stop the bleeding? God damn you're so rude." "Shut up and start talking. What the hell happened out there!" "Geese, hospitality isn't you're strong suit, first I get beat up and now this. I was walking when some flicker caught my eye and I stopped walking for like half a second. He came crashing into me screaming at me so I tried to get away when he popped me in the nose. Did I mention he had a few too many to drink, least it smelled like it when he opened his mouth."
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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 Jun 11, 2012 11:42:59 GMT -6
Wyatt looked up with a wince when Mana pinched him, following her gaze to a figure moving out the door. He only caught a split second view of him and his crimson mane, before he vanished from sight.
[red]"Hmmmm, well the hair looked right. Could just be an imitator though."[/red] He mused, but it seemed they had started a bit of a fire around them with the mentioning of his name. A few others had noticed him, and hearing Mana say the name they started to get rather fidgety as the name worked it's way through the tavern in hushed whispers of conversation. [red]"Looks like the crowd think you might be right, did you want to follow him? You wanted to fight him, right?"[/red] He asked her, unsure of what her response would be in this matter. Sure, fighting Kenshin seemed like a big deal for her, but she had surprised him before.
[red]"I suppose I could run some errands if you want to go have a match with him, we could meet up back at the inn a little bit later if you want."[/red] He suggested. [red]"After all, I cannot see you being able to let him walk away without testing your skill with his sword against him."[/red]
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Sabin
Pirate
Sightseeing's fun, isn't it?
Posts: 148
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Post by Sabin on Jun 12, 2012 5:48:26 GMT -6
Sabin's eyes widened as a small girl took a seat next to him. He knew her of course. "NO! Not that cunning little thief again! I was blackmailed last time by this scoundrel!" he thought as he saw her taking a piece of meat and chewing it. Oh god, she was going to use him up now!
"You... MEL! How did you get here?"he exclaimed, just as some guards came in, and a soldier went straight up to the owner. Silence befell the tavern. Sabin stopped eating for a bit, as he listened to what the soldier had to say.
After the owner was taken in, Sabin turned back to talk to Mel, while eating at the same time. "So lassie, what are you doing here? I thought you were back in the Isles?" he asked while tapping his fingers on the table. Man the food was delicious.
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Post by Plot Device on Jun 12, 2012 20:23:10 GMT -6
"Pegasi and Wyverns are war beasts, not food stock. I don't know of anyplace that would raise and sell them for such purposes, but if there is one, or if someone is poaching off the Bernese Wyvern Riders, then you can be assured that it will go very badly for them, and for you!" The moment the owner and the cook was in front of the guard, his personality changed from icy to furious. His partner looked on, another pair of eyes present to observe and investigate.
[Orange]"W-Wait!... It's not really wyvern. Or pegasus."[/Orange] It was the cook coming clean. Apparently wanting to assure the officers that his tools wouldn't touch actual wyvern meat.
"So, why don't you tell us what it was." Again, despite the phrasing, there was no question to the guard's speech. He expected an answer, and the hardened tone carrying through his words emphasized that.
[Red]" It was a mule, Sir.... A farmer who brings his wares to the city had one of his wagon mules die while he was here. I bought the carcass, and started selling it as a specialty during the last few days. I thought I could make some extra money during the tournament..."[/Red]
"This plan was in bad taste!." The soldier leaned back, crossing his arm, and scowling at the men in front of him. "My brother is a wyvern rider, and I remember a time when Bern's wyvern riders were feared and respected across the lands. Even under Ilian rule, the wyvern riders are still Bern's citizen's first line of defense against complete chaos overturning the land, and yet this is how they're rewarded. Used as a tourist attraction for an extra handful of gold pieces! Pheh!"
The soldier uncrossed his arms, and strode across the kitchen, armor jingling lightly. "You get this off your menus, or I'll be right back here! With a nice shiny pair of braclets for you to wear in your cell!"
And with that he left, muttering under his breath about the indecency of it all. His partner was mumbling something about having "told you that no one would actually really try such a thing here". They left the tavern in nearly the same shape as they'd found it in when they arrived.
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Post by Clair Feldsky on Jun 12, 2012 21:24:36 GMT -6
A scuffle up the road broke out, briefly catching the captain's attention until he saw the guards bringing the bloodied pair towards them. Correction. One was bloodied. The other just looked angry.
[Teal]"Incredible.... You start something, only to find two more distractions hitting you square in the face....."[/Teal] The captain griped to himself under his breath. Clair watched the tension in his forehead build, his brow furrowing into a scowl as the moments passed. Soon enough, the pair and the guards had gone inside, Saint watching them disappear quickly inside.
[Teal]"The whole damn week has been like this. We're all getting a little tired of it.... Well, C'mon inside then. Let's get this over with."[/Teal] He turned and went inside the door he'd only come out of a few minutes before, immediately turning to the left, and entering a midsized office dominated by a large wooden desk. An ebon black quarterstaff leaned in the corner of the room, along with various hangers for different sorts of weapons. He moved to stand behind his desk, and leaned his heavy spear against it, but neglected to actually sit. It was just as well. There were only two seats in the room.
Clair followed Richter in, looking around as she entered, and judging the strength of the structure. It was far more sturdy than the watchtower which they'd collapsed while escaping the Herald in Etruria. When she was done with her own internal assessment of the place, she looked to Richter. She'd said she'd let him handle this....
[Teal]" So, do I get to know who's breathing down my neck about the city's security?[/Teal] Saint spoke up, pulling his guantlets off and slapping them down on the desk.
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Marcus
Manakete
Dragon Reborn
Hell and back is a long way to go, but my journey's only begun.
Posts: 176
Profession: Wanderer
Affinity: Dark
Dragon Element: Lightning
Profile: Marcus
OoC Alias: Marc
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Post by Marcus on Jun 12, 2012 22:38:44 GMT -6
As Richter, Clair, and the rude guard who had identified himself as Captain Saint entered the building, Marcus hesitated to follow. After all, he wasn't officially with the Illian military and neither Richter nor Clair had ever formally hired him. However, he was one of Richter's most trusted followers and he was sure to vouch for the dragon. Besides, who was gonna tell him not to?
Coming to a decision, Marcus shrugged to no one in particular and followed quickly through the closing door. The interior of the building wasn't very impressive, but the captain's office was a different story. The walls contained several racks of weapons from all corners of Elibe. The captain must have been some sort of collector. The most impressive, however, was the solid black quaterstaff. Marcus couldn't appraise the material from where he stood, but he could tell it was valuable.
Rather than enter the room, Marcus chose to stand in the doorway and lean against the frame. When the captain inquired to who they were, the dragon called from the door, "I'd be watching my tongue if I were you. This here is Richter Abend."
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Post by Mana on Jun 13, 2012 11:56:48 GMT -6
"I do want to, but..." Mana was hesitated. Back then, in the temple, she made a foolish request to Kenshin. She didn't really think anything that time although her request represented her real desire. Considering how he had responded to her that time, Mana wasn't sure if she should ask him a same request now. She thought about it for a moment. "No...Not now." She slumped down onto her seat. "I was rushing things that time. I probably shouldn't have asked him anyway," she said.
"Beside...There is only one reason if a warrior come into this city at this time. I think he came here to participate in the tournament." Mana sounded very sure about this, she believed she would see Kenshin in the tournament. The girl had jumped into a conclusion without thinking about another possibilities. "I will face him in the arena," she said, sounded excited.
Mana trembled, but not because of fear. This was because she couldn't wait until the tournament began. Not only Kenshin, many strong fighters would appear in the tournament too. "Also, I hope I will have a match with you too, Wyatt." He had become someone she acknowledged, she wanted to face him as a friend and as a competitor. "I am not going to hold back." Mana said with a smile in her face and eyes of a warrior.
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Post by Richter Abend on Jun 14, 2012 1:12:37 GMT -6
"Quiet Marcus," hushed the commander, "I'm not here to make threats." His voice was quiet but stern; a commanding tone that few but he would dare to use when addressing a dragon, but then again, it was Marcus. He and Richter had a special relationship. Something about Marcus losing his dragon stone and owing Richter forever. That, and he was a...friend.
"But yes, I'm Richter Abend," spoke the pink haired Ilian, remaining standing as he maneuvered himself in front of the chair that sat before Captain Saint's desk. His father had always said that the easiest way to give a man an advantage over you was to lower yourself before him. Apparently, some men even went so far as to seat others in chairs smaller than their own to amplify this effect, and while the two chairs in Captain Saint's office seemed to be relatively similar in size, the desk seemed like an overcompensation for something. That, or the Captain simply needed a place to put those massive arms of his.
"And I'm here on official Ilian business," he said, finally pulling down his hood as he spoke. He made no mention of what his 'business' was, and merely transitioned into the next part of his expectations. "I'll be in the city for the next few days, and, with all of the tournament chaos going on, I'm going to need to be sure that I can trust the gate to be particularly judicious when it comes to admitting travelers into the city for as long as I'm here."
The order was short and to point, quite reflective of Richter's personality, and while his words might have sounded as if he was merely concerned for his own skin, his real concerns lay with the people of Bern. The pink haired Ilian did indeed plan on stirring up a bit trouble during his stay in the mountain kingdom, a fact he did not plan on making known to the gate captain, and because of that he wanted as few potentially hostile elements in the city as possible. If it was at all possible to accomplish this, it would make everyone's lives easier, and safer, in the long run.
At the same time Richter also hoped that his desire for caution would be picked up by Captain Saint. After all, if the soldier was expecting trouble,he would be much more equipped to deal with it should it appear.
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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 Jun 14, 2012 13:33:30 GMT -6
[red]"You'd better not!"[/red] Wyatt responded to Mana. [red]"You'd never forgive me if I went easy on you, so I expect you to give me everything you've got...and more!"[/red] He said with a full smile.
After the guards left, Wyatt looked around the tavern, didn't seem like much was going on here now, and the food and drink was mostly gone. [red]"Well, even if we don't go to follow the legend himself, I think I'd like to get a look around the city before I really have to buckle down to training. I imagine it's going to be an exhausting couple of days."[/red]
And that was likely true. The tournament may have been a few days off still, but Wyatt knew that the training regimes would be taking over the city soon. Already on their way here they'd seen a few public fights, with coin changing hands of course...wait.
[red]"Say...want to try one of the street fights? It'd be a good way to gauge ourselves against the prospective opponents."[/red] He suggested to her as he stood up from the table.
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