Pathwalker - RP

[Kinslayer]

"She's taking too long..." thought Anyan, with his Viper still flaming in his hand.

Ragnar gave him a quick stare, as if he knew what he was thinking. Alziel and Liara were outside, and their heads seemed to be off to somewhere. And Saine was just standing still...

Anyan said nothing. Although Abell's change had been scary to some, he wasn't too surprised. He almost expected something like that to happen.

"Darn it... I'm going in, she's taking too long!" he said, as he hurried up into the Den.

The Viper was in flames, but nothing could really be seen. Suddenly, Anyan stepped into a wwide being, which was lying on the ground...

"A... bugbear..." he whispered, as he could see the beast, clearly dead.

No sound could be heard, not even the snoring of the beasts...

"Abell...?" said Anyan, in an almost whispering voice.

[Emerates]

Saine stood ahead of the group, looking back at the rest.  Alziel and Liara, Ragnar and Anyan, and the darkness beyond the mouth of the cave.

Anyan started into the mouth of the cave.  You fool! Saine thought reflexively.  If Anyan went back into the beasts' lair....  Anyan stopped abruptly, barely within the threshold of the cave.  Saine noticed the slightly green hue of something beyond, like dirty mud.  Not the color of the gravel in the tunnels below.  Anyan whispered something into the cave, but after that, there was no sound at all.

Saine twitched slightly as he felt the cold breeze against his back.  Suddenly, he came out of the spell the scene had quietly cast on him.  The others were watching, waiting, as Saine was, but now he could think as well...

At first, Saine had wanted to stay as far below ground as possible.  Ever since the gates of the Gnomish city had been ruined, Saine had been feeling something pulling quietly at the back of his mind, making him more tense and irratible.  Thus, he had said little during their planning decisions, knowing he may sow further distrust between himself and the others.  He still sensed their tension and apprehension towards him, although it had dimished somewhat in the chaos that had ensued in the previous day.

As they had moved further down and away from the city, thing in the back of his mind had gradually faded away.  Saine strongly suspected that this had been the mind control Abell had said the Ithyllid could use on its victims.  He wondered vaguely if he should share this experience with them...

Rocks started to shift under and clatter beyond the darkness of the cave, snapping Saine's attention back to the moment.  His hand drifted unconcsiously to his sword.  He hoped to see Abell come out, but something still made him wary.

[Kinslayer]

"Where could she be...?" thought Anyan, quickly, as he went a bit deeper into the cave. More bodies from bugbears could be seen, bleeding, sliced.

"Abell...?" he kept whispering. Where was she?

Suddenly, Anyan felt something, a noise...

Out of nowhere, a rampant bugbear attacked. Moving quickly, Anyan stabbed the creature's stomach, and lit it in flames, since the Viper was still under the flaming spell... The creature fell on the ground, instantly killed.

"Darn it! Where are you?!" thought Anyan again. He was worried, but started to move slowly towards the exit.

[Ben]

Suddenly, out of the caves darkness, a severed head was whipped out of the grotto's mouth as it thumped agains the wall traversing.

A jingle of coins rattled and Abells voice was heard growling, but clearly more controlled than it was beforwe.

"The last kill.....was.....mine"

Abells Head peered out of the darkness and at the others, all with a look of shock. Abell realized her actions would be offensive to those unacustomed with demonic instinct. He head hovered about 4 feet higher than usual, and then the rest of her body emerged, mounted on her steed.

"There are treasures, and weapons for the taking inside" Abell stepped off her mount, and wiped the blood off the blade.

[Kinslayer]

Anyan couldn't help but to ask himself what had happened in there... Abell's change had been significant. Could that be dangerous on the future?

All Anyan knew is that he would keep an eye on her from now on.

The fire on his blade had faded, and now he would enter without having to fear anything. Abell had killed all of the bugbears in her

"My weapon of choice... the Viper of course. But I might as well find something to protect me a little better..." he thought for himself, as he entered the cavern again, were Abell had told them to go.

Anyan stared to the treasure...

Mostly, there were pieces of broken weapons and unusable armors. But there was a small, round bronze shield, which Anyan surely would need.

"The light edge of my Viper combined with the little defense this shield can give me... 'tis good.." he thought again, as he took the shield. Then, Anyan took little shining stones, that looked to be diamonds. His pockets were empty, and he needed something valuable.

He needed nothing more, so he headed out of the cave.

The night was dark, yet beautiful, with the sky filled of shining stars...

Anyan searched inside his bag, and found what he was looking for... paintings.

He took a black, a red and a green painting, and started to paint the shield. He used to paint when he was a kid, and his family used to paint their weapons with the symbol of the Leddwick Family: The snake.

The shield was finished: All painted in black, with a light red line sorrounding it, and two snakes, their eyes painted in red, in the center of it. A nice piece of art it was.

Anyan put the shield on the ground, and whispered: "Well... this is all of my magic energy for now... I'll lit the flame again..." As he set the Viper's blade into fire again. He put the sword close to the shield, as the paint started to dry out quick.

It had been a long time since he had painted again...

[Red XIII]

Ragnar started looking around the cave.

"Darn... Only gold...." Ragnar thought.

Though it was atractive, gold had proven to be a third-class treasure during Ragnar's life.
Magic objects and gems were better.

After taking a few diamonds and emeralds, Ragnar noticed something.

A strange shine.... a little deeper in the cave.
Ragnar went to see, and found it.
In the floor, next to an armored corpse, lied a shiny dagger.
It was long for a dagger, and a bit curved. It had dwarven runes in it, and it looked very sharp.

When Ragnar took it, he accidentaly hit the corpse's shoulder.

The knive cut right through it, even though the corpse was wearing a ringmail (Rusty and damaged, yes, but still a ringmail).

"Well, is this a good blade!!!" Ragnar thought. "I recognize this work. This knive comes from the North dwarves. How did it end up here?. I wonder...."

While saving the knive close to his blades, Ragnar returned to his companions.

"Well, people, I'm done here. I'll wait for you, but I guess we shouldn't dwell around here for long. we should go when ready".

Ragnar closed to the entrance, and sat behind a hidden spot, with his crossbow ready.

"The knive..... It probably came from the East!" Ragnar thought.

[Moosetroop11]

Liara was still a little worried about Abell, but she followed the other's example and re-entered the cave, if only to see the bugbears up close. Their blood was everywhere- the cuts were clean but the huge creature's hearts were incredibly powerful and the mess was quite visible even in the poor light.

The sprite created a small white light in her hands, softly reflecting off of the rugged dark stone walls of the cave. She peered towards the treasure, and spotted exactly what she was looking for- a humanoid corpse with a rotten leather arrow quiver. The bow was snapped in two by bugbear jaws but she leapt lightly over one of Abell's victims, a brooding silhouette that still exuded power, and dragged away the quiver, melting the rusted lock with her palm and taking out several arrows. They were in good condition- the quiver had done it's job.

She made her way over to where Alziel was standing. "Don't say I never give you anything" she smiled.

[Dragonium]

Alziel laughed as he saw Liara's gift. "Thank you", he smiled, taking the arrows and slipping them into his own quiver. It was good to know that he had Liara looking out for him here.

"Alziel", someone called from behind, "Come and look at this". Alziel turned. Behind them, sillhouetted against the setting sun, was Saine, stood at the top of a hill that faced the cave entrance. He was gesturing out over the top of the hill, out into the direction that Alziel knew would be northwest - the direction they would be travelling later. Alziel put an arm around Liara, and the two of them walked to the top of the hill.

"Think you ought to see", Saine mumbled. Alziel looked out, and frowned. Over the hill, as far as he could see, was a thick forest of dead trees and swampland.

"Yes Saine", Alziel said quietly, "That is where we are going tonight". Saine raised his eyebrows and sighed. "You're in charge", he muttered, rolling his eyes, and walking away to the cave entrance to wait for the others.

"We'll have to be careful tonight if that's where we're going", Alziel said calmly. "I'm lucky I have you watching my back, eh?"

Both of them laughed.

Ragnar looked up to the top of the hill from the cave entrance, and seeing the two youngsters laughing together at the top of the hill, he smiled.

[Ben]

Abell stood in the corridor alone as the others rummaged for goods...

Her chest heaved with deep controlled breaths, as she murmured a prayer.

"They dont know..." She thought
"The bloodlust of the demonic...I must seem a monster not to be trusted" Her body regained its compsure slowly, and her eyes returned to their origonal state
"And the bugbears...goblins in any form...I must remember my training, or they will see me as the enemy...must retain my composure."
Abelll dismounted and leaned wearily and lethargically against the corridors wall, looking toward the corridors exit, to the twilight skies faintly illuminating and refreshing her being.

When her racial enemies were present, the demonic instinct usually took over. Only once had she ever lost sight of her allies in this state, and that was a mistake she had vowed never to make again.

"Bugbears, goblins...vile filth" she mouthed

The group hadn't inquired to her past, her present, or her purposes, and Abell being wise with age, had learned not to volunteer it unless necessary...

She looked into the cave a saw a light....a beautifull light, the likes of which she had never seen before, eminating from liaras magic...
She lost herself in its glow, and its very presence calmed her with more efficiency than any of her training ever had...there was something about it that placated her...almost put her into a trance

Not almost, completely. Utterly mesmerized...speechless, and relaxed. As long as this light glowed, abell was lost in pleasant dreams inside herself...She could not move, nor would she want to.

Had she cognition, She surly would have exhuberantly questioned the nature of the sprites magic. Abell had only ever encountered dark sprites in the past, and their magic had never so much as caught her intrests

[Red XIII]

OOC: sorry, guys. Long post. I'm telling some more about Ragnar's story. Oh, and I asked Kin permission to use his char.... He said it was ok.

BIC:
Ragnar saw Alziel and Liara and smiled....

That scene had brought him memories.... from a lost past. And his long-gone wife.

Then, Ragnar started to think about his mission.... And his expression changed. He looked sad.

"My son.... Could it be possible? Could he be sick from the Psionics? I'm going to talk to Abell about this... Once I understand whatever she says" Ragnar thought.

Ragnar's thoughts went back to the East for a while, as he rembered the past.....

"When I was in the King's elite spy service..... as the Boss" Ragnar thougt.

Ragnar remembered everything. His son, one of the best young knights of the country.
The "Western attack" incident... the cover-up that Ragnar was a part of.....

The expedition sent to to investigate.......
And his son... marching towards the west, in exchange for a coward who pretended to be sick. And that coward was....
"Klerr...." Ragnar said with grief.

"Klerr?!?!" Anyan said in response.
He had been drying the paint of his shield, and had heard the old man. Now he looked surprised from hearing that name again.

"Yes. Klerr." Ragnar answered. "Because of him, my son had to come here"

Looking at Anyan's face, Ragnar continued.

"Don't worry, he came back. Only that sick. He only whispered nonsense." Ragnar said sadly.

"But how?" Anyan asked.

"No one knows..... But he came back though. One day he appeared at the beach mumbling, and then he passed out. He hasn't talked ever since. He was hidden by the King's order in a castle. My men kidnapped him before we came here. He is the reason I'm here."

"What do you mean?" Anyan said.

"He got sick here, in the West. That means that his cure must be here. To cure my son, that is why I came!" When Ragnar finished the last sentence, a flash went through his eyes.

He was determined to do anything to find that cure.

[Kinslayer]

OOC: He's lying XD There was a gun involved :p

BIC:

"So that's what happened to Beowulf..." said Anyan in his usual tone. He became silent. Yes, when he used to be a knight, he had been a companion of arms with Beowulf, who introduced Anyan to his father.

Anyan remembered when he traveled, after abandoning his knightly position, when he met back Ragnar.

The shield was now dried up, and teh sword's flame had left, so Anyan took it up, as the light of the moon reflected on it, beautiful.

"I'll be sure to help you out old man, we run through paths that will take us against the King... I'm sure that you know what I'm talking about..." said Anyan. The trip hadn't made him forget his promise to kill the King.

Anyan and Ragnar became silent for the next seconds, until strangely, Anyan broke the silence.

"Klerr already payed for his crimes... The price of a scratch was more than enough..." said Anyan staring to the Viper's edge: "Then again... this lands, so strange... there must be a cure for Beowulf..." then he stood up and walked.

He wasn't too good at cheering people up.

There was Abell, standing alone, in the dark, silent. Anyan had felt identified with Abell from the beginning, he didn't know why.

But something in her loneliness reminded him of himself.

[Dragonium]

Alziel looked around the company gathered. Everyone seemed to be quiet and thoughtful, caught in a moment of reflection. He hated to break the silence - he had always enjoyed a quiet moment to himself - but progress had to be made.

"Alright everyone", he called loud enough for everyone to hear. The assembled group turned to look at him. "We need to move soon. It's dusk. I've scanned the swampland down there and I can see a clearing a little distance into the swamp which looks clear and secure enough to set up camp. There might be a fog tonight, so we need to get comfortable and safe before nightfall or we'll get lost. Is everyone alright with our plan?"

There was a collective nod and mutter of approval.

"Let's go, people", he called, and turned. Liara caught his arm and smiled at him.

"You're getting more confident", she said with a smile.

"I believe I am", he replied. Both laughed.

The group began to move, walking over the hill at the exit of the Bugbear lair and heading towards the swamp where they would spend the night.

As he looked over the swamp as they descended the slope towards it, Alziel thought he saw a human-sized figure dash among the trees a long way into the swamp, but after a moment he smiled, looked at Liara walking next to him, and dismissed whatever it was as a trick of the light.

[Moosetroop11]

"I'll have a look out for those creatures" Liara murmured, before stretching her wings and taking to the sky. A few from the group glanced up for a second, but most of them knew that the sprite had been dying to fly properly for days.

Liara tasted the darkening air. Above ground, the shield of confidence that surrounded the group was gone- she could once again feel the brooding presence that stalked the continent. But she was getting used to ignoring that.
When a sprite is kept indoors, they build up a feeling similar to having one's legs stuck in a box- nothing felt more restrictive to Liara than losing the full use of her wings. Now she did a barrel roll in mid flight, for a moment forgetting her strange surroundings and feeling at home in the sky.

The battle was clearly far away from the group now, because Liara couldn't see any of the winged creatures, although the gathering night might have had something to do with the poor visibility. She was a little dissapointed that she wasn't able to see the mindflayers either, as they had sparked her curiosity- but then she reminded herself that the group was bound to come face to face with one, and much sooner than they would have liked.

The cold air made her shiver a little. She cut her aerial display short and spiraled towards earth, alighting next to Alziel again. The sky wasn't the only comfort on this continent.

[Kinslayer]

Anyan felt pleased for a little while. Watching Liara fly reminded him of dreams he ahd when he was little... how he and other kids would wish to fly.

How would that feel? Still, he wouldn't ask, Liara was close to Alziel, and he knew well that it was impolite to interrupt a couple... or a future one, as he suspected.

Anyan went to the front a little bit, to see if there was danger before them, or something, though his sight wasn't the best around.

He stood still a  little bit as the group kept walking towards him.

The dusk.. it was beautiful. The sky was turning reddish as the sun sunk, giving the night the time to fill the sky with the shining stars, though some had started to appear.

Anyan watched the sun sink for a while. He knew he'd have little times to enjoy himself with such beauties...

[Dragonium]

OOC: Hope nobody minds if I move things on a little.

BIC:

Alziel sighed. The group had reached the swamp around half an hour ago, and after the brief trek his boots were already full of mud.

It was a grim place; there were trees in great numbers, certainly, but nigh on all of them were dead or choked on water to the point of appearing that way. The floor space was almost completely covered with mud, all except for the raised space of solid ground they were heading towards, and the occasional log that had fallen into the mud. There were no birds or animals to be heard. Everything seemed terribly still.

Dusk was nearing its end, and soon night would fall. Alziel stumbled; this terrain was extreme even with his experience, and he picked his way through the deepest muddy spots and leaned against a tree, letting the rest of the group catch up.

Liara flittered down (She had been flying for the most part to avoid sinking in the mud) and landed gently on a nearby log. "Hard going", she panted. Alziel nodded. "We're nearly there".

Saine stumbled by - here he seemed less graceful and noble - and leaned against a tree opposite Alziel. "Are you sure this is the best way?", he grumbled.

"Completely", Alziel replied. "The solid part we're aiming for is just beyond this next part of the swamp. It's large enough to set up camp there".

"Sure it's safe?", Saine quizzed. He looked around suddenly, as though someone or something dangerous might hear him.

"We'll hear anything coming from a mile away. It's too quiet".

"You're correct there".

Alziel frowned. He would rather his leadership was not doubted at this point. They'd have to make camp soon, and any tension in the camp was sure to make things awkward.

Besides, it was too late to turn back.