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Post by Mila on Apr 6, 2015 20:17:14 GMT -6
Mila relaxed when Near assured her that her brother was not one of his targets. From the tone of his voice and him talking about it Duma hadn't lost his edge. This news made her feel happy. So he's still fighting. And not a sad sack. Near was busy doing things to make a campfire. She observed him. The campfire was crude and small but it would do well. A small fire was better for a forest like this. It meant it would be easier to control in case if any stray leaves caught flame.
"Oh.. I'm.. relieved. And also sorry about your village." She spoke and took her seat on the rock provided. She watched near fumble a bit with a flint and steel. Admittedly Mila had forgotten how to light a fire with out magic. She had gotten so accustomed to the craft that things like flint and steel looked alien to her. I should probably remember how to light things with out magic. Gods know when I might be with out my tome.
As Ryu spoke more about her brother she felt more at ease. Even as the day light was starting to fade. Near looked up at her and asked if she could light the campfire. She pulled out her tome and neatly placed it on her lap. She flipped open to a page and quietly recited the words. Once again the orange ball of fire appeared over her hand.
"Please step away from the wood and dried leaves." Instead of throwing it like she normally would, she casually leaned over and gently coaxed the ball of fire onto the tinder. The fire fed on the dried remains of woods and gave the campfire life. The warmth of the fire was very comforting. Soon it would be dark. She pulled out from her bag two apples. She handed one over to Near.
"They are a bit bruised but still good."
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Post by Ryuzaki on Apr 6, 2015 22:04:23 GMT -6
"The village had been gone for some time. I guess bandits or something wiped it out... I don't think I even want to know. If I did, I'd have to hunt every last one down. And that would be a mess."
As Clover lit the fire, Ryu stepped close, pulling up his chair...Rock...
"Thanks. My, it must be great having a ready-made torch, fire... Whatever you need. Magic fascinates me."
The proffered apple looked bruised, but Ryu was used to many nights of eating scraps from the tables of the rich. Thus, even this bruised fruit looked like a heavenly morsel.
"Thank you. Here, I have food and wine to share as well."
Reaching into his cloak, Ryu produced a wineskin and some dried meat.
"Sorry. It's not a lot, but what I do have is yours if you'd like."
The assassin smiled and removed his outer cloak. The heavy fabric, still warm with his body heat, glowed in the firelight as the sun continued setting, and Ryu looked at it only for a few seconds before getting up, moving over to Clover, and gently draping it over her.
"Please, stay warm. I'm used to the winds and such; they won't bother me. I have a duty to see you safely out of this forest... I would feel terrible if you fell ill. My mother fell ill... And I could do nothing to save her. So my philosophy is that prevention is the best medicine, especially if you don't have a stave."
Ryu sat down on his stone, dragging it a bit closer to both Clover and the fire before crossing his legs and looking at her.
"So... I still don't know much about you. Duma didn't mention you, and so I don't have any preconceived notions. So far, I must say, I think you're quite charming and competent. A deadly mixture... Femme fatale, if you will."
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Post by Mila on Apr 7, 2015 11:39:51 GMT -6
"Ah I'm afraid I must decline your offer of meat and wine. You see.. Fire and wine do not mix well. If you want proof of that simply toss a few drops into the flame and see how it reacts. I may not be made of flame, but due to some... events in the past involving alcohol and other mages I've sworn off the drink. As for the meat. I am a vegetarian by choice." She stared out into the fire for a moment before taking a bite out of the red apple. Given the choice she would have preferred the tang of a green apple.
She hesitantly pulled off Near's cloak and handed it back to him.
"It is fine Near. I do not need the extra layer. The cloak I wear is rather heavy. But thank you." She handed him a small corner of her thick dark green cloak. The fabric was made of wool. Well at least the outer half of it was made of wool, the inside was lined with a softer layer of linen.
"I've a sweater made of wool and fur tucked away in the bag to wear for cold nights." She tried to put his mind at ease.
"Hmm.." She looked at him for a moment. Still taking bites out of her apple. After a few pensive moments of closed mouth chewing she swallowed the apple mix and spoke.
Une femme fatal,would imply you had to have been killed. You are clearly still among the living. So I am simply la femme." She smiled.
"It makes sense my brother did not mention me. We were separated in Nabata years ago. According to the family back in Taras he hasn't showed up back home either. So I do not think he knows I still live. That idiot." She expressed some annoyance at her brother's antics. She knew if she were to run into him during her travels she would have plenty of choice words to give him. After the initial shock and tears of reuniting with him wares off.
"As I said earlier. You are the most gentlemanly assassin I have ever met. Then again I have not exactly met any other assassins. The guild likes to stay out of the cutthroat business. No offense." She held her hands up in a peaceful gesture. I wish they didn't.. sometimes.
"Though I'd rather not speak more about myself. I have to keep some secrets if and when we are to meet again. Who knows? Maybe this is one of those fated meetings you read about in stories. If it is the gods have a funny sense of humor to meet after a botched er.. 'improvised' jail brake." Once again there was a light flush of red to her cheeks and a warmth in her chest that was not caused by the fire. The mage finished off what remained of the apple. Eating almost every bit of it except the seeds and stem. She took the seeds out of the remains and held it in her hands. She dug with her heel a small hole and gently dropped the seeds right in. Then covered the small hole with dirt. Maybe they'll make it out here. The stem was thrown into the fire.
"Hey, so what do I have to do to contact you for professional means? Just cause the guild back home likes to stay out of the business does not mean that I have to. If my assumption of you is correct you only go after the most corrupted of souls? Evil Lords and the like?"
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Post by Ryuzaki on Apr 7, 2015 12:14:10 GMT -6
"Hm! What a shame. My wine is of top quality, too. I stole it from a noble's estate."
Chuckling, Ryu downed a swig and continued his meal, eating enough to sustain his body but not enough to tire his mind. He had to stay fresh, after all. When Mila returned his cloak, he wrapped it back around his body, clasping it back on and inwardly sighing at the familiar feel of its silky fabric shrouding him.
"I salute your logic. Unless, of course, you have yet to kill me..."
Ryu winked at Mila, crossing his legs and finally feeling a bit at ease. As she described Duma and his world-wandering ways, Ryu looked back on his encounter with the warrior and couldn't help chiming in.
"But sometimes, Mila, a man has to wander the world alone. To find himself and to find his place in the world. I wouldn't fault him too much; clearly, he's still searching for who he is. As was I, for quite a while."
Tossing more sticks onto the fire, the assassin sighed and shook his head.
"I'm only gentlemanly because I like you, Mila. If you were a mark, I'd have taunted you until your mind gave out, then killed you in dramatic yet elegant fashion and left you for the carrion. If you were a bystander or just another villageperson, I might have ignored you or stolen your purse. But you're different. You helped Vincent out, even though you were in no way associated with him. And you show such great wit and mental sparkle. You're also quite cute. So I guess I've pulled out most of the stops for you."
The assassin stood up, removing a throwing knife from his bandolier, and handed it to Mila.
"This is how you will contact me... Hehe, no. I jest.
If this indeed is a fated meeting, we will see each other again. And when we do, if you show me that knife, I'll know it's you. And so I will remember.
Professional means? Surely you can't be serious...?"
But a quick look at her face assured him that Clover was, indeed serious.
"If you have to find me... The best place is in Santaruz. I'm not always easily accessible, but if you knock twice at the door of 404 Shining Court, Santaruz... I may open. Knock twice. Do not forget. Twice only."
Ryuzaki smiled.
"Yes. I strike down those with power who have abused it. The corrupt, the filthy, and the twisted."
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Post by Mila on Apr 7, 2015 19:06:00 GMT -6
"I do not.. think I could have lived with myself if Vincent had been killed for a crime he did not commit. Especially when I had the power to stop it. I heard the guards as they were dragging him out. They were just going to hang him. No trial or nothing. That's why I didn't run to the authorities. Also.. Assassins are a scary thing. Again no offense."
Mila pulled her hood back over her head. So to hide her now very red face. Near's comments about her were flattering but also made her feel embarrassed. It was one of the reasons why she liked to keep her hood and cloak on during her travels. Her cute face, as Near put it, was a bit of a distraction. Most of the contracts she acquired were from men who were expecting a battle hardened mercenary not a pretty face. On occasion they'd try to woo her and she would turn them down. She developed a sort of immunity to false courting. Which in turn made for unhappy clients. Which would end contracts, which meant no money. Most of the Academy mages ignored her due to her low social status. Even if she was pretty she wasn't rich, which was the only thing they cared about. This was the first time in a long time where she felt genuine sincerity from another man's courting. And that's what was making her blush.
She tried to focus on something else. She took his knife and stared at it for a while. She memorized Near's address. 404 Shining Court, Santaruz.. knock twice.
The corrupt. The Filthy. The Twisted. She hung on to those words. They reminded her of herself. She hunts monsters. The corrupt, filthy, twisted, abominations of nature.
"It.. seems we are alike in this regard. You kill humans who are monsters.. and I kill monsters that are monsters." She revealed a little of her profession.
"If you run into anything of the monster kind. Let me know. I might be able to help. Although I might not always be there. Best way to get a hold of me is in Taras. You can send a letter to the Pot-Luck Pub. The Pub Keep and His wife know how to get a hold of me. Were.. It's a pub by day and a guild at night. Actually, were a mixed bag of both during the day. If you see it in person look for the Guild with an emblem of a cauldron, sword, and clover."
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Post by Ryuzaki on Apr 8, 2015 13:03:51 GMT -6
Aww. He'd made Mila self conscious... she seemed flattered. He wasn't sure if he had gone too far, so he decided to air on the side of caution and simply leave his past comments alone. But then she changed the subject in a fluid transition that brought an entirely new and frightening idea to light.
"Monsters...?"
Ryu's eyes narrowed. He hadn't had much experience, but he did know that they were nasty. Baels. Wickedly terribly fiendishly awful.
"Damn. I hate Baels. They're vicious and awful. Baels can go die... But somebody else can do the killing for me. I can't stand Baels. Bah!"
The assassin shuddered, drawing his cloak nearer to him. That was a good campfire story, actually... Being surrounded by a gaggle of Bael...
"So... I was a lowly thief once, and there was a... Man, this is a long story. I hope you don't mind.
Anyway. A long time ago, I had a friend named Rogus. He too was a thief, and has since disappeared. I miss him a lot. He was a great friend. But Rogus and I had many adventures, and our first was when we robbed a church and barely escaped with our loot and lives after a girl named Ingrid betrayed us.
Later, that girl named Ingrid made friends with a guy named Kyle, and all four of us - Ryu, Rogus, Ingrid, and Kyle - were on an Expedition together. Ingrid went missing, the expedition fell apart, and Kyle's been popping up all over the place to ruin my life, since he thinks I killed Ingrid. I didn't.
Then... I was part of another group, which set off to find a lost city or something like that. Turns out we walked into a valley crawling with Bael - no pun intended - and had to viciously fight about ten of the things off. I was impaled, but Kyle saved me by pulling its leg out of mine, and so I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't kill him just for being a pain. I'd only retaliate if he attacked me.
And that's why I hate Baels."
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Post by Mila on Apr 8, 2015 19:35:25 GMT -6
Mila instantly perked up when Near spoke about baels. She quickly pulled off her hood and gazed her full attention at him. Her initial embarrassment gone entirely. There were some stars in her eyes and she gave off the impression of wanting to hear every detail about the events. Mila hadn't had the chance to study baels yet. What information she could gather were from books on arachnids and some crude details form other mercenaries. The plucky young mage had seen her fair share of Mauthe Doogs, Bone walkers, even a gargoyle. But the Baels have so far alluded her.
Missing girl. Baels. Valley. Ten of them! That's like 80 individual legs! 20 set of fangs! Ryu! Wait.. did he just let slip he name? She kept that in the back of her head for now.
"Oh man. That must have been intense! I would have killed to have been in your situation. Er.. not really. Perhaps at a distance. Then get up close when the Bael is dead and examine it's remains. Gods.. all the things we could learn form those unholy abominations." She smiled softly.
"Well since were sharing spooky monster stories. I've got one. Pretty recent too. I spent some time in Ostia. You know how it's a giant crater now correct? Well.. it's also a giant crater full of bone walkers and wights. Reanimated corpses of the dead. We.. that is Yorick, Oya, and myself were on a job to kill a small band of em. Yorick's a halberdier, a master of all things weaponry. Oya was..er is a pirate. He had a magic axe called Xigshaw that pretty much only responded to him." She took a moment to think. She placed her index finger under her thumb for a moment.
"Bone walkers pretty much had us surrounded. We couldn't really see to well either since the fighting kicked up dust and ashes. Gods those things were a pain in the ass to kill. You had to make sure the bones were completely destroyed or turned to dust or else they'd just get right back up again. That wasn't a problem for the two guys with big metal weapons. Me? Hoo.. I had to make sure to hit there heads and pump enough fire in them so the skulls and bones cracked. Blasted Wight was leading them. I think Oya got the final hit on that thing. Almost certain he bashed the skull so hard out of rage it flew into the next country. Either that or he turned it to dust." As she spoke her story she tried to emphasize certain points using hand motions. Her story wasn't exactly as riveting as being stuck in a valley of Baels.
"Heh.. Careful there Ryu. You let your real name slip there for a second. Don't worry I'll keep it secret. As long as were on the subject. My real name is Mila. Clover is my cover name. It's nice to meet you." She held up her hand to shake his.
The night was starting to drag on a bit. The moon slowly made it's way up and across the sky. She was happy to bide the time talking with Near.
"Hmm.. I think.. we've spoken enough for one day. I believe it is time to call it a night. Since your such a gentleman Near, I assume you are to take first watch? I trust you to wake me when it is my turn. Even gentlemanly assassins need sleep." She made herself as comfortable as she could. Pulled back up her hood and drifted to sleep.
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Post by Ryuzaki on Apr 16, 2015 16:46:54 GMT -6
Ryuzaki smiled. He liked how this girl, attractive and intelligent, was so enraptured by his experience with monsters, which were on the whole repulsive and unintelligent. To him, being surrounded was a terrible enough situation; he did not like the idea of being surrounded by angry skeletons with weapons. Learning was fine and good, but he'd leave that to the scholars, since he much preferred not losing body parts to leering corpses.
He would keep in mind, though, that to kill a Bonewalker or Wight one had to destroy its skull in order to incapacitate it. That was useful information to know, especially with the rise of those damnable things in Lycia.
When Mila let free his mistake, Ryu chuckled.
"I'm Ryuzaki. It is a pleasure."
He shook the proffered hand, bowing slightly and firmly grasping Mila's soft but strong hand. He was glad they had come to a level of companionship and trust. It made it much easier to interact. What a shame they'd probably never see each other again after this trip. Ah, well. Fortune and Luck are well known strumpets, and the wheel stops for no man.
"I'm glad to take the watch. Get some good rest, Clover... Mila. You'll need it for the journey. I'll keep you safe and get you to Santaruz without delay. Good night."
With that, the assassin moved over to the clearing, drew his sword, and began practicing his art and craft. His senses were on high alert, but he allowed his focus to be with his blade as he repeated parries, counters, strikes...
Time passed, and, caught up in his meditative swordplay, Ryu neglected to feel tired. Soon, the pink rays of dawn began to creep over the horizon, and the assassin relaxed, sheathing his blade and stretching. They would set out for Santaruz at first light.
[Support End]
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