Kearn O'Sorley
Rogue
Posts: 44
Profession: Bard and traveling dogooder
OoC Alias: Feldsky
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Post by Kearn O'Sorley on Dec 20, 2015 19:47:37 GMT -6
Sounds of merriment floated across the common room of the lone village inn. A bard had come to town tonight and was singing all evening, or so they said. For these townsfolk, life could be so harsh. Comfort of home and hearth was all they had, so when music and stories came to town, everyone took advantage of the opportunity and spent the evening in food and drink. Forgetting the troubles constantly assailing them and resting in fellowship.
That was what Kearn did, he thought to himself. At least, that was what he tried to do in all of his journeys. And so, he sat on a pile of fire logs by the hearth of this small inn, taking a long pull on of his mug before setting it behind him again and picking his plate back up and forking another slice of cooked potato into his mouth.
"Yep. It was a whole mob of them. Slow of body, but near impossible to bring down they were. There were many of us, all pursuing the bounty of a magic sword. It was to be given to the one that could slay their leader and master." The tales of the shambler mobs that had cropped up a short while before were always popular with the young and reckless. He'd been among them himself one. He had... Oh, who was he kidding? He was still just as the boys and girls gathered around him in a circle were. Further out, he could see just as many adults listening from the tables around the room.
"Many people. Joining forces to bring down the hoard, all bearing in mind the prize at the end of it...." Kearn paused letting his memory drift back to that time. There had been some strong and brave people there, and not all warriors and fighters by trade. He found himself remembering the woman he'd helped. Iadra.... She had been a pretty one. Pretty virtuous as well....
"Did kill him Kearn?" It was a young voice speaking up that broke him out of his momentary reverie. One of the children sitting close to him.
"Hmm? Noo.... Ya cannot kill the already dead. They did meet their end though. Through the strength of many stalwart farmers and laborers alongside healers and fighters. And even a bard. A good split to the head is enough for most monsters, after all. Besides. I'd be carryin' a much brighter sword than this old beater, if I'd 'a been the one to bring down the monster. Hey?" He gestured to his worn and beaten sword.
He saw a few of the parents eyes darkening at him a bit. No doubt ill at ease about him filling their children's heads with wild tales and violence.
"Uh.. Where was I...."
"The battle! The battle!" The younger children chanted excitedly as he reset himself to finish the story.
"Rallyin' together, we began chipping away at the hoard's edges with a persistence like none I've ever seen before. It was like an army out'o the very legends it was. And then He appeared. A massive armored knight with burning red eyes and a mighty weapons large enough to split ya in two with a single swipe. Spears of brilliant light magic from a dedicated monster slayer named Iadra, and the strength of a dark skinned heroic warrior named Orcleous opened the way for us. And it was his strength that finally brought down the monster of monsters...." In truth, Kearn had had alot to do with their success as well. Supporting the front lines with quick swordwork and assisting Orcleous in going after the quarry. He was just the taleweaver though. Glory belonged to the others.
"I know not where he walks now, but that's a tale for another time anyway.... And I think all that story telling is makin me tired. I think I need another drink." He reached behind himself and grabbed the tankard, feeling his hand brush his lute where he'd put it as well. Not too close to the fire. He was probably the one that was too close. He took good care of his equipment though.
He looked around again, pleased with the place he was making his home this night. They'd generously put him up for offering to sing and entertain. A common custom across the lands, but not one that he took for granted. "What a generous town...."
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Alex
Pupil
BANNED
"Don't bother picking a God. None can help you now." *trips over and falls on face*
Posts: 60
Profession: Pupil
Affiliation: Etruria
Affinity: Anima
OoC Alias: Alex
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Post by Alex on Dec 21, 2015 6:46:44 GMT -6
Sitting on a cushioned sill in a darkened corner of the inn was Alex, hard at work memorising his tome as he had been doing for a while now. The apparent drunkard of a bard was a severe distraction from his work, but Alex had little choice but to stay; He had been sleeping rough since leaving Emily, scavenging cooked food from travellers and bathing in lakes and rivers that were often more public than he was comfortable with, but it was how he had to live, as there were few inns as generous as this one which were so kind to children like himself. Alex looked out the window into the dark winter sky, thinking about Emily. There were days when he regretted ever parting with her, but he knew he had to keep pressing on. They had promised to meet again before too long and, though Emily did not know it, Alex promised her that he'd be more mature when the time came. He still had some time left to be a young lad, but he knew that he could still be independent and mature at the same time.
With the bard and his own tiredness making it too hard to work effectively, Alex finally gave into the temptation to relax. "Just for a little while..." He had told himself. Huddled on the sill with his cloak wrapped around him for warmth, Alex allowed himself to be taken in by the storyteller's narrative, picturing those great battles and their heroes in his head, blissfully unaware that he would soon have a battle of his own to fight.
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Kearn O'Sorley
Rogue
Posts: 44
Profession: Bard and traveling dogooder
OoC Alias: Feldsky
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Post by Kearn O'Sorley on Dec 21, 2015 18:04:02 GMT -6
The youngest of the children around him urged the reddish haired minstrel to spin another tale, but he just laughed and waved them off.
"Ahaha... No more for now. Go on then! Away with you. There will be more tales before bedtime." Turned down, they picked themselves up and rushed outside to play for what remained of the day. Depite his words, his manner with the children was soft enough. Something about sharing music, stories, and food set people at ease. And Ease and he were best friends, though he sometimes had to bid his favored companion farewell.
Kearn stood up and approached the owner of the inn at the counter, bringing his plate up and setting it down "Thankyou again, for puttin' me up tonight. Times can't be easy with the war around an' all."
The inn's owner was a man just approaching his elder years, with wings of grey starting to invade a thick matt of dark brown hair. He kept a thick, but well groomed beard, and his arms looked as though they were used to hard labor. Kearn wouldn't be surprised if the man was also the village carpenter or some other essential vocation. It was a small village, after all. Most of the village was gathered here right now, and he couldn't see many other men with the right feel to them.
"Oh, don't think special of it, Master Kearn. I guess I'm just happy anyone still comes out this way at all. The war makes the roads a dangerous place."
Kearn took another pull from his tankard, but when he set it down, he had a question in his eyes and on his lips. "Wars have always pulled out the worst sorts from their hiding places. Is there no one coming through here t' keep you safe?... I've heard stories of robbings on your highway."
"Now you know why we're glad that not everyone has abandoned our little home. Maybe we're not so forgotten after all." The Innkeep said, taking the finished platter back and dropping it in a tub to be scrubbed when time allowed.
"Pass me a few more o' those delicious rolls your wife made earlier, if you would, my good man. And tell me of visitors and newcomers to the area...." Kearn listened to the innkeeper for a time, thoughtful in what he was hearing. Kearn had arrived earlier that day, but there was a young boy who had traveled here before as well. There were also sightings of brigands on the roads They wanted gold, but they sounded the sort who would be happy enough to cut your throat out for the pleasure of it. That was disturbing....
...
Kearn sat down next to the boy pointed out to him earlier, and set a small tray of rolls down between them. He didn't say anything right away. Just minded his own business, fiddling with a small knife and a small piece of wood from inside one of his pockets. He idly scraped away at the piece. Right now, it didn't look like much. Give it some time and devotion though, and he knew that it would bloom into something beautiful. Or at least moderately recognizable. He wasn't the best of wittlers.
"So... Folk here seem to think you've traveled a long way." Kearn said still focusing down on his little project. "And ya seem ta' have quite the fascination with that book, there." He glanced over at the book before returning his eyes to his carving. He wasn't quite sure what it was. Couldn't see any words easily readable from where he was, and didn't fancy craning his neck anyway.
"Make's a bard feel a bit inadequate, ya might say." He chuckled, before taking his carving and his knife in one hand, and holding out the other to grip with a friendly smile. "The name's Kearn O'Sorley, Young One. Do ya mind talking for a spell?"
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Alex
Pupil
BANNED
"Don't bother picking a God. None can help you now." *trips over and falls on face*
Posts: 60
Profession: Pupil
Affiliation: Etruria
Affinity: Anima
OoC Alias: Alex
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Post by Alex on Dec 22, 2015 7:41:18 GMT -6
Alex was tempted to ignore the bard, but he knew that he should make an effort at least. He would have to form bonds if he was to need more hospitality such as the inn keeper's. Regardless, he still felt uncomfortable just talking to a complete a strange, but he did his best to come off as polite to the storyteller. "This isn't a book of stories," Alex began "It's a Trinity tome. I'm trying to learn the runes inside so I can conjure spells from memory while on the battlefield. They'll be slightly weaker without the support of the book, but I'll hopefully be able to cast two-handed as a result."
Alex decided to demonstrate what he had learnt so far. He had only memorised about half of the fire section of the tome, so the magic wouldn't travel far enough or even be at all effective, so there was no danger of damaging property or people. Closing the tome and setting it aside, Alex scrunched his brow and flicked off a bolt of fire which travelled a few feet in the air before dissipating into thin air around the tavern. "I don't know the complete spell yet, so it doesn't do anything other than fly through the air, which is a good trick for entertaining children, I suppose." Alex picked up his tome and tucked it under his right arm. "My name's Alex. I'm just here for the night before moving on. What did you want to talk about?" Most people wouldn't ask "What did you want to talk about?" unless they were trying to exhibit some kind of exasperation or desire to end conversation, but Alex still wasn't very good at this whole "socialising" thing yet, and he didn't know where else to go with the conversation.
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Kearn O'Sorley
Rogue
Posts: 44
Profession: Bard and traveling dogooder
OoC Alias: Feldsky
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Post by Kearn O'Sorley on Dec 22, 2015 19:38:34 GMT -6
"Hah.... And two handed magic is far superior for striking mighty wizardly poses for the tales than one handed, yes?" Kearn said letting his hand drop and going back to his carving with a weak smirk. He didn't appear bothered as he spoke. He caught the discomfort in the boy's manner and noted it before continuing on his path. "I thought of trainin' in the ways o' magic once upon a time. Too many other things callin' to me though."
Kearn leaned back and watched the flames shoot upwards as Alex demonstrated, interest and amusement reflecting in his eyes like the flames. Around the inn, a few people jumped and looked back towards them before going back to their meals when nothing else untoward happened right away.
"What did I want to talk about?" Kearn asked lightly. "Oh, not too much. I'm impressed with the the magic though. Ya find young mages about as often as ya find a lad wandering across the world." "Across the world" was just an estimation. Still it was lent weight by the innkeeper's stories of the lad traveling. Alex himself had given inclinations that he was traveling. And there was something else. Alex didn't seem quite Bernese though. Something about how he sat and interacted. Were the Bernese a little more confrontational? People were people no matter where they were and that could make it difficult to guess where they were from, but the traveling bard was willing to hedge a bet that Alex wasn't from around here.
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Alex
Pupil
BANNED
"Don't bother picking a God. None can help you now." *trips over and falls on face*
Posts: 60
Profession: Pupil
Affiliation: Etruria
Affinity: Anima
OoC Alias: Alex
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Post by Alex on Dec 23, 2015 5:05:17 GMT -6
"I suppose that'll be all then?" Said Alex, matter-of-factly. "I don't have anything else I can tell you and you don't seem to be burning to say anything in particular." Alex stopped and frowned, staring at the floor. How did he know that? He knew he wasn't wrong in what he said, but how did he know it? How could he get by without doing much talking yet still be able to read people so well? Was it something he had learnt before or was it simply a natural talent? However, he had to put his musings on hold as he heard a scream ring out in the street. Pushing past Kearn, he opened the window and poked his head out of it. The first thing he noticed was that it was snowing. He loved snow; Something about it just made him feel very happy inside. He wasn't so easily sidetracked however, and began looking around once more and saw a woman running down the middle of the street. Alex leapt out of the window with his tome (which his small frame allowed him to do) and ran over to the woman.
The woman answered Alex's question before he even had a chance to ask it. "Brigands!" She screamed, clutching at his shoulders. Alex gently removed her hands from him and walked her to the safety of the inn. Once inside, he notified everyone else of the situation, using information give to him by the woman. There were 10 bandits ransacking the town, capturing women and children while butchering their fathers and husbands. "So is anyone going to help me stop this?" He asked. He looked around the inn. No one seemed to be a fighter or willing to be mixed up in this. "Fine then." Alex said, walking out of the inn and onto the street. He didn't know what he was going to do yet. He was still a pupil. A weak mage with no formal training, but he wasn't going to idly sit by as this village was being terrorised. He physically couldn't, such was the strength of his disgust.
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Kearn O'Sorley
Rogue
Posts: 44
Profession: Bard and traveling dogooder
OoC Alias: Feldsky
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Post by Kearn O'Sorley on Dec 27, 2015 15:56:58 GMT -6
Kearn's eyebrows raised a little bit in wry amusement at how he was being dismissed. Usually, people, whoever they were spoke back when addressed. They made small talk or discussed the weather. If you were lucky, they had some interesting tales you could hear and weave into a narrative to capture the attention of listeners in the next town over. There were some though who just wanted to be left alone. Kearn would respect that. Even if it came from someone who was likely too young to even remember some of the major recent events of the world.
"I guess you're right." Kearn whittled a few moments more, before tucking his knife and project away, and getting himself up, and taking his hospitality with him. He went back to the counter, and found another tale, about how only the best hunters in the region could catch the mountain goats living in these hills. He found himself interested enough in the story to begin taking notes on how hardy the beasts were, and how well they could jump. Maybe he'd get a chance to see one someday. He could probably afford to take some time for a hunting trip.
His musings were cut off prematurely by a sound that had become all too familiar to him once upon a time. Outside, someone screamed. It had always heralded another bout of nightmares for him to have to live through in the past. He felt the memories creeping back up... but he was past that now.
Kearn was surprised at the reaction of the young one. Mage though he be, brawling with bandits wasn't something he wanted to see a child doing. He looked around, seeing the fearful and the weak. Those concerned with staying with their families. He saw the kid leave in a huff to get the job done, and sighed. Welp. No one ever said he wouldn't run into trouble on this life. Kearn grabbed his sword from where he'd left it, and belted it on. He picked up his whip and hung it looped at his side, then looked back to the others gathered around.
"Alright, ehh... bar the doors, but be ready to leave in hurry.... I'm going to go talk to them." Ten of them... Whew... this was going to be a tall order. He'd just have to hope that he could run faster than they could.
Kearn pushed open the door, and started jogging up the street before he could even hear the sound of the door being barred behind him.
"Well, Young one, I'd say you ought ta go and take shelter, but they just blocked the door behind me. I hope you have more than entertainer's tricks in that book." His comments were aimed at Alex as he started heading up the street, green cloak swirling over the dusted snow at his feet.
Somethin' in me says that there's going to be a rather large commotion up the road in just a few moments...." Kearn said, quickly ducking into a side street, and suddenly speeding away at a full sprint. Ahead, he could hear sounds of struggle and violence. That brought up dark memories in him, and he could feel something dark and feral in him ripping to get out.
There, ahead of him was someone. The man was taking his axe, and trying to break down a door, and Kearn could hear panicking voices on the other side. Out came the cages beast from his past years of torment. Kearn slammed into the man at full tilt run before he could turn at the sound of the rogue's foot falls. He snarled as he rammed his cutlass through the man's chest and felt it hit the door with a final solid bang, leaving the man pinned in place for a moment, back arched in pain. Without thinking, Kearn picked up the man's dropped axe and swung at his neck, taking it off cleanly. He dropped the axe, and wrenched his blade out of the door only to turn and find that there were two more ruffians confronting him.
"Hello, Boyos. This wasn't a friend of yours was it?" Kearn watched, predicting accurately what would come next. There was two against one, and odds like those always made men cocky and overeager.
"Get him!" One of the two yelled. A classic planning session as represented by the uninitiated in war. Kearn smiled, waiting for them to come for him.
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Alex
Pupil
BANNED
"Don't bother picking a God. None can help you now." *trips over and falls on face*
Posts: 60
Profession: Pupil
Affiliation: Etruria
Affinity: Anima
OoC Alias: Alex
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Post by Alex on Dec 27, 2015 18:29:51 GMT -6
Speaking of overconfidence, Alex was brimming with it, being the young and naive lad he was. "I've got ranged magic." He figured. "None of those bandits should be able to get near me." As such, Kearn's words were lost on him, and they went their separate ways down the streets of the town. Presently, Alex came to an area where things were a little warmer; It seemed as though some traveller had made a fire for themselves on the street to keep warm before they fled at the site of the bandits. As such, the snow in the area was just warm enough to have melted into puddles.
"Well, well, well. Lookie what we 'ave 'ere." Chuckled a deep voice, one which Alex associated with a lack of intelligence or civility. Alex snapped around to find a bandit walking towards him. He was lugging a large axe behind him, so he wouldn't be jumping out of the way of any attacks. Alex raised a hand and launched a crescent of wind magic at the ruffian, his naive and arrogant self fully expecting the pitifully weak attack to fell this relative titan. Unsurprisingly (though not to Alex), it didn't; Although the attack hit home and made the bandit flinch, any damage done was superficial, as not so much as a cut had been made on the man's flesh.
Alex's eyes widened in shock and panic. The brigand was getting closer now, almost within striking range. He knew Alex could do nothing to escape, so the man prolonged Alex's fear for as long as he could. What Alex knew of his life flashed before his eyes. He was going to die on some unknown street in Bern, having never discovered who he truly was.
Except he wasn't. Not yet, at least. As he clenched his fists and prepared to meet his maker, he noticed something; the bandit was walking through one of the puddles near the fire. It was at that point a memory came to him of his past life; It was painful, but he instinctively braced himself to avoid seizing up as he had done before. He had once been told by the same woman who had appeared to him so many times was giving him an important lesson in magic. He was to never use lightning magic in a wet environment, lest he accidentally jolt one of his allies via water. Following this, Alex made two quick checks before taking action; That he wasn't standing in a puddle and that the bandit still was. He then put all his strength into one large bolt of Thunder, aimed at the brigand's feet.
The effect was phenomenal, to say the least. The bolt illuminated both the puddle and its occupant upon contacting. The ruffian screamed in pain as he had numerous spasms where he stood, eventually falling to the ground, his skin smoking. Alex went back on the move. He had no time to check whether the bandit was dead or alive. He had to try and fend off as many others as he could. He knew the wordsmith he had met earlier was also in the fray, but Alex frankly didn't trust that Kearn was still alive, having never seen him in battle before. It was completely possible, but Alex wasn't going to bank on it, accepting that he may have to go down fighting for this village. He knew his luck would run out sooner or later if he was the only one fighting.
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Kearn O'Sorley
Rogue
Posts: 44
Profession: Bard and traveling dogooder
OoC Alias: Feldsky
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Post by Kearn O'Sorley on Dec 27, 2015 20:33:54 GMT -6
They came quick enough. Practically tripping over their own feet in eagerness to charge the red headed stranger who had the audacity to strike down one of their own. They were going to split him open and hang his carcass for the town to see. They were planning on enjoying doing it, too. It wasn't hard to imagine such barbarity from louts such as these. He wasn't sure how far these men had fallen, but it no longer mattered to him.
Roaring fury speaking clearly. His story's past the jury. Red on white his blade would paint, The blood of these for surely.
As they came at him, Kearn stepped in with a low lunge, and scooped up a handful of snow from where it had drifted against the house, and slung it into the eyes of the nearest combatant. It was only a momentary distraction, but it was enough for Kearn to do what he needed. He gave a quick strike at the second man to force him back, and then closed with the one he'd scattered snow in the face of. The man was bigger than he, but not fast enough to stop the swordsman. He gave the man a fist to the face, smashing his sword's handguard forward and hearing the man's pained yell. It was like a song to his ears right then. Kearn shoved the man back enough to get a thrust in, but it lacked the power that his last stroke had had with it. He was about to step in and finish the job when his eyes caught the other man moving back in. Kearn threw up a hand in an emergency block and felt his arm crack under the weight of repelling the sword strike that had come at him. He hit it at an angle, so it bounced off instead of shearing through, but it hurt like nothing else he could remember.
He slipped back a step, twisting as he hissed in pain to bring his sword arm around and strike. The other man blocked well enough to turn the minstrels blade though. Kearn hopped a half step back, and then lunged in again with a low slash, scoring a ragged cut across the man's leg, before hopping back out of reach again.
The his arm throbbed, as he took stock of the circumstances, but right then, Kearn didn't mind. The pain was bringing him back to thinking. Being as reckless as he'd been acting would have gotten him killed. He still felt the fury in him, but now he recognized that it was a luxury.
"I suppose that you're feeling pretty happy with yourself right now, eh?" Kearn was doing his best to still sound chipper, but there was significantly more teeth gritting now. Two men stood armed against him now. One hardly able to see for blood in his eyes and a would in his gut, the other hobbled with a limp from a gash left by Kearn's blade.
Well, I hope what ya had for lunch was good enough for yer last meal, because you'll be gettin' nothing but cold steel from me. Kearn stepped forward, weaving his blade in a pattern that had always seemed to work for him over the years, pusing both of them back with a steel web of intimidation and skilled footwork of an acrobat. One last crescendo was enough to separate the pair. Kearn pushed "Limp" towards the center of town, and came in with a finisher slash of a downward chop to the one he'd stabbed in the gut earlier. There was a crunch as Kearn pulled his blade loose, flicking blood off his blade and onto the man still standing against him. A sour look, sent the other running towards the main road, where he'd commented earlier that a commotion would be happening. He'd planned on leading some of these bandits on a merry chase, but if he was going to be the one running them, he wouldn't be complaining. Oh.... How I loved when things fell into place, he thought to himself coolly, as he ran after the limping, fleeing bandit.
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Alex
Pupil
BANNED
"Don't bother picking a God. None can help you now." *trips over and falls on face*
Posts: 60
Profession: Pupil
Affiliation: Etruria
Affinity: Anima
OoC Alias: Alex
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Post by Alex on Dec 28, 2015 7:27:46 GMT -6
Alex decided that, if he was somehow going to fend off all the bandits and get out of his predicament alive, he'd have to start thinking strategically. He couldn't rely on his luck throughout the battle, and he needed to create a distinct advantage for himself. Bearing this in mind, Alex took to the roofs for higher ground; It'd give him more range against his close combat oriented assailants as well as making him harder to follow. Also, it seemed that people rarely looked skyward when Pegasus Knights weren't involved.
Being lithe and agile due to his light frame, it only took Alex a few well placed jumps and climbs to get up onto the roof of one of the village's shops, from which he took stock of his surroundings. He could see two more bandits out to the east of the town and another four in the centre. Looking north, Alex could see a lone brigand limping pitifully towards the rest of his group. Alex decided it'd be better to pick off this weak one before his wounds could be tended, but before he could start making his way to the ruffian, he caught sight of a still very much alive Kearn. Alex realised he had previously underestimated the minstrel and respected that he more than had the situation under control. Alex decided to change course and head for the two bandits to the east. He reckoned that he could take them down if he was smart about it, but he'd need to split them up first...
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Kearn O'Sorley
Rogue
Posts: 44
Profession: Bard and traveling dogooder
OoC Alias: Feldsky
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Post by Kearn O'Sorley on Dec 30, 2015 20:19:43 GMT -6
Kearn gritted his teeth as his arm continued to broadcast its injury to him. The pain was great, but right then he was filled so full of aggression and adrenaline that it wasn't hard to ignore. Of course, ignoring it wasn't wise. He could cause lasting damage. The blow might have already- he hadn't actually stopped to inspect it. He couldn't. Not until things were settled.
Kept after brigand, cowardly, crass, Old worn cutlass at my side side. I walk with quick and steady stride. Intent, forthwith to beat his... bottom.
Words and verse ran through his head. He'd thought in it and practiced so much as a youth that it didn't surprise him. It felt and seemed normal to let his mind run away with itself, carrying stories and actions to turn or rhythm in his mind. Someday, maybe he'd weave these stories into a true tale, but for now, he let the muse run wild, and his anger carry him to vengeance.
The bandit swordsman had realized that he couldn't outrun Kearn by now and had started yelling for help. The orange haired rogue let that sink in a little as he followed. The bandit turned and pulled up his guard as he reached the main street. This was where Kearn had mentioned things would be going down. He waited for a moment, but nothing was forthcoming. It had been a long shot to expect fire and lightning to suddenly begin materializing around his opponent. Hopefully, the kid from earlier was keeping safe, but in his current state, Kearn wasn't thinking about that. He was thinking about how to bring down the bandit in front of him. Kearn cursed under his breath at how it was all going to come down to him. He was more of a skirmisher. He could duel adequately, though it wasn't what people would call refined. Still, his place wasn't on the battlelines. It was running along the edges and harrying enemies for others to crush.
Carefully holding his injured arm out of the way, Kearn lunged in, and then hopped back as the man swung. The injured leg hampered his ability to chase down the nimble acrobat, so Kearn did another quick lunge before hopping back. He grinned as the man's blade failed to catch him again, but the smile vanished a moment later when Kearn saw a whole band of fighters coming from up the road towards them. Taking a risk, Kearn lunged deep and swiped at the hand holding the weapon, nearly taking it off with the weapon. The blood curdling scream from the other fighter started to trail off, as Kearn dismantled the cobbled together harness of armor scraps with a chop, and then gave another chop to the man's chest. Kearn took off running, leaving the dying man behind on the ground and not looking behind him at the pursuit. Four of them at once was more than he cared to take on at once, so now he just hoped that they were slower than he was as he ducked into a side road and started weaving through the alleys. He thought he could hear sounds of pursuit behind him, but they might be coming from in front of him as well. He mentally tallied off how many he'd seen. The woman had said there were ten, but he wasn't sure how well she could count when running for her life. Stopping to count them all seemed risky to attempt. That being said, he'd brought down three now, and he had another four chasing him. At least, he assumed they were still chasing him. He hadn't slowed yet to find out. Maybe he should.
He slowed a bit, and gave a quick glance back, only to run squarely into something, and bounce off. It had been something big. Kearn hit the snowy ground and instinctively rolled back, brushing his cloak out from under his feet as he stablized himself on a knee. He looked up, and saw a big brute with an equally large axe. The man laughed and rushed forward with an overhand chop. Kearn sprang back, still a little unsteady on his feet in the snow as the axe hit where he had been. The mud caking the blade didn't look like it was going to make it harder to split Kearn in half, if it managed to meet his skin. Even if it failed to actually cut, it would still break him under the force of it.
Kearn looked around at his surroundings. It wasn't a main road; it was smaller. Too narrow for a wagon, but not a problem for fighting in, unfortunately. He seemed to be trapped between two buildings, the brute, and the band chasing him from earlier. Another charge, and an attack from the brue. Kearn readied his sword and his feet so he could spring away again. The others would catch up in a matter of seconds though. He'd have to get creative then.
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Alex
Pupil
BANNED
"Don't bother picking a God. None can help you now." *trips over and falls on face*
Posts: 60
Profession: Pupil
Affiliation: Etruria
Affinity: Anima
OoC Alias: Alex
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Post by Alex on Jan 1, 2016 16:16:24 GMT -6
Pulling his cloak up over his face to keep it warm, Alex perched at the edge of a rooftop, staring down at the bandits below. He didn't bother trying to stay out of sight as he knew that there was little the brigands could do to him while he was so high up, even if they did see him. They were too heavy to effectively climb up after him before he escaped so he knew he was relatively safe where he was. Still, Alex couldn't be too reckless in his attack, so he continued to size up his enemy, thinking of ways to separate the two ruffians. He would've liked to throw a stone to draw one off into an alley, but, being on a roof, there weren't any handy.
After going through a few plans in his head and trying to figure out which had the best chance of success, Alex still found himself at a loss with what to do. He couldn't just jump down there and expect to win a straight fight with the two of them. If they even managed to get one blow on him, he'd be slow and crippled, then they could start getting clean hits with their axes...wait a minute. They have axes. If Alex could get them to throw their axes at him, they'd be without weapons, giving Alex a huge advantage. Thing is, how could he do that? He couldn't just stand on the rooftop and snipe them; They'd only regroup and tell the other bandits of his presence. He needed to get them to attack him without seeming like too much of a threat.
Then Alex had an idea. Well, he wouldn't have called it an idea. In fact, as soon as he made his mind up to go through with it, he promised himself he'd never tell anyone about the experience. Waiting until one of the brigands came to a stop near the building on which he was perched, Alex stood up. He undid his pantaloons, aimed down at the bandit and let nature take its course. Within a few seconds the brigand looked up. At first he was shocked, then he realised what was happening, and his shock turned to anger. Leaping away from the building, the brigand hastily threw his axe. Alex predicted this, but did not imagine it happening so quickly. He had no choice but to simply leap backwards in his current state, yelling with shock as his rear end fell into a patch of snow. However, he'd achieved what he wanted to. The ruffian had thrown his own axe, and was now coming back with his friend's to throw. Alex quickly got up and got ready to fight.
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Kearn O'Sorley
Rogue
Posts: 44
Profession: Bard and traveling dogooder
OoC Alias: Feldsky
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Post by Kearn O'Sorley on Jan 3, 2016 15:07:01 GMT -6
Kearn backed up another step, eyes frantically darting back and forth, looking for something to use in this tight of a situation. A clatter just over his head, caused him to glance up rapidly. Just in time to spot an axe noisily sliding down the side of the roof over his head. Kearn slipped to the side just before the axe hit the ground. A moment later it was followed by another axe. What was wrong with the world, that it was raining axes on him. There was a moment o almost comical confusion as he and the bandit brute's eyes met, and they shared a perplexed look. Then they were back to mortal enemies.
The bard knew he had to go for broke here, but all he needed to do was get past this brute, and then run. Run as though hell hounds were on his tail. Or Hell's Belles. He'd met a few more of those than he had hell hounds. taking in a deep breath to steady himself, he passed his sword to his injured arm, gritting his teeth against a spike of pain as he used its sore muscles. Looping a foot under the fallen axe, he kicked it into the air, caught it with his good hand, and then hurled it towards the brute in a swift smooth motion. Just like the juggling tricks he'd done back home. except he'd never played with his life before back in Lycia. It was a little bit of a clumsy throw, since the axehead weighted the weapon all wrong, and he'd never been great with the heavier weapons anyways. The brute actually batted it away with his own weapon and dared to laugh at Kearn. That was before he saw the leather thong of Kearn's whip snaking out towards him though. The brute threw up an arm to cover his face, and Kearn gave it a good crack, following through with a second and a third. He strikes left bright red licks across the big man's arms. They would cut and they would smart. Saint have mercy, whips smarted... These probably wouldn't kill though. They were far more alarming than injurious, and it wouldn't be long before the brute realized that. Kearn sped by, taking off past the bandit in the alley, and leaping away as the man came around with a swing of his axe. Behind him, Kearn heard yelling and footsteps. More than just one of them too. The pack had caught his scent now, and he would have to stay ahead or be boxed in.
He quickly listed his options, mind racing through the possibilities.
Hide, take shelter, die, or run. Which answer be the true one. Here you are Kearn, live brazen bait. How now escape bloody, morbid fate.
"I don't know!" Kearn answered his own rhymes as he ran, heedless that no one had actually asked him anything. He looped the whip back over the hook at his belt as he ran, the awkwardness slowing him a bit. He spotted another alleyway ahead, and figured that would be a good place to stop, glancing behind him, he slowed a bit more, and then whipped around skidding to a stop as he reached the middle of the road near where the alley broke off. He stepped in, to the bandit still rushing towards him, and slashed with his cutlass before the man could set a solid guard. Kearn's strike was blocked clumsily, but the bardic acrobat managed to get in and give a kick to the man's knee and a slash to the other arm before dashing off again down the alleyway. He could hear shouting behind him, yelling to split up and cut him off. If they could slow him down, they could get lucky and trap him. And that'd be his last performance. Or, they might weaken themselves if he they split up too much. He couldn't chance it though. There were alot more of them than there were of him, and... Damnation!
Kearn looked ahead and saw a pair of bandits looking up towards a roof ahead of him. They looked angry though. And, they hadn't spotted him yet? Kearn was still about ten yards away, barreling down the road just ahead of a group still chasing him.
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Alex
Pupil
BANNED
"Don't bother picking a God. None can help you now." *trips over and falls on face*
Posts: 60
Profession: Pupil
Affiliation: Etruria
Affinity: Anima
OoC Alias: Alex
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Post by Alex on Jan 3, 2016 16:11:29 GMT -6
After letting the second axe fly past his head, Alex gave a wry smile. He had the bandits just how he wanted them. Oh, how he loved turnabouts. He jumped from the roof top gracefully and came crashing down feet first on the head of the angrier bandit. He wasn't very heavy, but an audible crack came rang out as feet forced skull into neck. It wasn't a killing blow, but it was certainly good enough to put the brigand out for the count.
The other ruffian saw this spectacle was unfazed by it. He simply lunged at Alex with a large fist. Alex was caught off guard by this and had time only to duck. The bandit tripped over Alex's small frame, but as he fell, he took the lad with him, pinning him to the ground and winding him. The man then got up, but ensured that he still had Alex pinned, before he started wailing at his face with great brutality.
The blows were heavy and came just slow enough that Alex could see one fist being raised just as the other left his face. At first Alex let out great screams of pain as each blow landed. However, once he had suffered enough blows to have been mildly haemorrhaged, he'd become desensitised, but at the same time had decided he'd had enough. With no warning, Alex quickly thrust his shin up into the brigand's crotch. After a brief period of recovery from his winding, Alex got up, shoving a sobbing ruffian off his legs before kicking him once more just for good measure.
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Kearn O'Sorley
Rogue
Posts: 44
Profession: Bard and traveling dogooder
OoC Alias: Feldsky
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Post by Kearn O'Sorley on Jan 3, 2016 18:37:19 GMT -6
Legs pumping and throwing himself forward, the last thing Kearn expected to see was a small boy falling feet first into the face of one of the bandit's ahead of him. It was such a shock that Kearn just about laughed out loud at seeing it. He would have if his breath wasn't starting to come ragged. Amusement at the audacity turned to dismay as he saw the kid from before being beaten into the ground by one of the larger men. It was brutal to see, and yet, when he thought there wasn't any hope left, there was a quick kick, and the bandit heaved over onto his side, groaning in pain.
Kearn was almost on them now, as he ran. He saw Alex kick the man once more as he stood up, clearly hurting, but not doubled over like the brigand on the ground next to him. The kid had fight. He'd give him that. As Kearn ran up, he gave the man a full on booted kick to the gut, and sent him sprawling several more feet and rolled him over a few more times. There was an audible crack as some of the man's ribs gave way. Kearn even felt it in his booted toes. He spun to a stop, and turned back to confront the lagging bandits that were still behind him. They looked as out of breath as he felt. Some were worse. Not many people were as practiced at running as he was....
"Alex... I can't take them all, but we can show them here that it's no' worth it for them to keep fightin'." Kearn said quickly under his breath for the mage child to hear. Hopefully, he could pull something flashy off. If not, it would be time for more running. There was still the brute with the axe, and four others. One of the others was noticably lagging behind the others, and didn't look like he wanted to fight. He was the one that Kearn had given a bruised knee and a gashed arm too. And the Brute still looked like his whip cuts were smarting. All of them were breathing hard.
"Ho there, you louts, Take heed of your doubts. Stay your anger! See the danger! And, flee through in-arduous routes!"
They spread out, a few of them looking perplexed at the crazy running man who was spouting rhyming words at them. Those sounded like they ought to understand them..., but was he speaking the same language as they?
"It means, run away, or you'll all die here. We've already got half your number down, and some of you are starting to look pretty easy to off." Kearn kept his sword up, and was still bouncing on his toes, ready to leap in. His voice was still strong, even after that sprint, in contrast to the heavy breathing that the bandits were still managing... He couldn't keep this up against five of them though.
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