The Song of Swords

Darios, Mirshann, and Elik are now riding on a woodland path. Morn is also in a forest (most likely the same one) along with Bryant and Illyna who is watching them. Bryant is now speaking to Morn.
 
Darios

OOC: Okay, Unregistered was right. Thanks to them, however they are. Actually, Morn and the others, you guys can choose whether you want to be near by our party or far away, or somewhere in between: it's really up to you. I'm not fussed.

IC: As we began the long journey, my eyes stayed glued to the man ahead. Darios noticed the cantrip spell the man was casting, but such things Darios had seen before and made no difference for him.
Darios had had experience with mages before - and more often than not, it had ended badly. They were an untrustworthy lot, at best - and often used their powers for evil. Should this Elik make one move to harm the princess... Darios swore, at that moment, he would never turn his back on the mage. Never.
 
Elik

Sensing the uneasiness of Darios, Elik drops his juggling act, and slowly turns in his saddle to him. Unsure of wether to speak his name or not, he uses his better judgement. "You and your lady friend are safe. I assure you that I will not bring you harm. If there is something I can do to prove this to you, please let me know," Elik says softly. The minds of warriors have always been easy to read for Elik, and he smiles softly, turning back to face the front. Once again he begins to hum a tune. Suddenly, his humming stops, and he quickly jumps down from his steed.

"There is a small band of gnolls just ahead. If we're quiet enough, we may be able to get the jump on them. Or we can completely avoid them if you wish," Elik says. The tone in his voice filled with bloodlust.
 
(OOC: Well, it doesn't matter all that much, but for the sake of clearing things up, let's all agree that Morn, Bryant and Ilynya are in the same forest, about ten miles from the other group, and that the person Elik teleported wasn't Ilynya, but just some random person)

Morn eased his hands from the grip they had taken on his knife. No need to scare the lad.

He spoke softly, as was the way with Morn. 'I am Morn, lately of the Court, here on business. What do you in these woods, lad? The hour is late'
 
Bryant

Bryant glances up through the canopy of leaves to gauge the sun, and finds that it has fallen farther than he had thought.

"I must have been travelling for longer than I had thought," he says slowly. He then adds, "I was attacked... and lost my mount. So I fled on foot." His face flushes at admitting he lost his horse.

"Lately of the Court? On business? What kind of business has you sleeping out in the forest," he asks with a youthful grin.
 
Morn

'Attacked? These roads were safe once'

Morn stared broodingly at the ground. The roads had been safe, some time ago. He hadn't left the cities for some time... going from court to court with the princess Mirshann. Watching the little games of intrigue, sorting out alliances, unrest and trouble, all with the single goal of protecting her.

He looked up at the lad's next question.

'I was a guard of that court who failed in his duties. I'm out here to make reparations or, as the poets say, die in the attempt'

Morn's bleak grin did not touch his eyes
 
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Bryant

"Well, I had wandered off the road. Only for a short time though." He sighs heavily, "that will teach me I guess..."

One side of his mouth scrunches up for a moment as if in thought.

"Die trying? What sort of reparations are in order?"

Bryant looks at the man, seeing how honor controls his life and his actions, and he admires that.

"Maybe there is something I could do to help," he asks, his brown eyes flashing with eagerness for anything adventurous.

Morn had probably seen that look before, on countless youths who were strapped to a life of the same physical labor day in and day out, looking for anything out of the ordinary to bring a meaning to their lives.
 
Morn

Morn shook his head slowly

'No. The failure was mine. This isn't some glorious adventure, boy. I don't know who I'm dealing with, but I think they're on a high level. Very high. People like us, you know, we don't matter to people like them'

The choice of the pronoun 'us' was a last moment thought, a sop to the wounded pride of the boy. And that was odd, because while Morn was not a cruel man, he seldom spared much thoughts for any but his charge. He liked something about this boy; he sensed courage, and a fiery honour different from his own cold, plodding sense of responsibility.

Morn shook his head again, angrily. The risks were too great.

'I'm sorry, boy. No, that's not fair. You have a name, and you've proven you've a man's spirit. I'm sorry, Bryant. Maybe if I was chasing some bandits, a summer adventure, I'd take you along with me but what I'm involved in is politics. And politics is a misty place, full of subtle blades and false smiles. Even if you survive, you come out... changed'

He can't be much older than I was when I was first assigned to Mirshann

Morn banished his thoughts.

'You'd better stay here for tonight. In the morning, I'll write you a letter of credit for the court, and you can go claim a new horse'
 
Bryant

Morn had said: "People like us, you know, we don't matter to people like them."

This man puts me on his level? Bryant's eyes widen as heh listens. But then...

"Boy? Pish."

He scoffs, and would cross his arms against his chest were he not holding a longsword.

"I've worked hard as any man, hah, harder than some who would call themselves men," he proclaims matter-of-factly with a nod, and thrusting out his chin just a bit.

"As far as being changed, well, I think I am due for a change. I've pretty much made up my mind. I think I'll keep this sword."

He holds it up for a moment, then lets it drop.

"I made it, maybe I'll just keep it. Or maybe I'll sell it, I don't need this fancy of a blade. Either way, I don't know that I'm going back to my town. Rumors are that armies are marching, surely someone will have need of a smith, or at least an apprentice. Shades! I'd almost consider myself journeyman. You're right about politics though. But... politics don't matter to me Morn."

"Are you like... a Lord or something important? Hmm, and besides, if you're in the shit as deep as you say, you might need a hand with whatever you have to do.... say... what do you have to do anyway?"



(OOC: Sorry if that was too long heh)
 
I begin to question Elik's warning, but Velkryn releases a loud, uneasy snort and starts to move uneasily. I pat his neck and try to calm him, but he isn't listening. I turn to Darios.

"I think Elik may be right. Velkryn can sense danger and is usually right." I say just loud enough for Darios to hear.

I increase my grip in the saddle as Velkryn stops suddenly and rears slightly. I hold tight as he continues with his little fit.
 
Darios

"Gnolls? Here? I find that hard to believe." Darios said, bringing his horse to a halt as the others did. I cast a glance over to Mirshann.
"I think Elik may be right. Velkryn can sense danger and is usually right." she says to me. I looked forward, to where Elik waited for my command.
"But... our mission is not to slay gnolls. My first priority is the safety of the princess, and I hardly think that fighting gnolls is the best way to go about that. Let us bypass them - or try, at least." I said, urging my horse on, until I was next to Elik. I turned to the mage. "You had better be right about this." I said with a menacing tone. "Lead the way." I finished.
 
Elik

With the consent of the group, Elik starts to chant softly, making methodical gestures with his hands. A moment later, Elik seems to fade out of existance, then Mirshann, followed by Darios as well. "Do not be alarmed," Elik calls out softly. "If you still do not believe, you are more than welcome to continue on ahead, or I can conjure up a gate that will put us on the other side of this rogue band of gnolls. I leave the choice to you. Heed my warning though, being invisible is going to be required either way you choose," he states mater of factly. With that, Elik casts a spell on both Darios and Mirshann, enabling them to see invisible objects temporarily.
 
Darios

Darios gritted his teeth.
"I thought you meant we were going to get around them by PHYSICAL means... but, I guess, there is no turning back now. And now that we're invisible I wouldn't mind getting a sneak peek on those gnolls... it is strange that they should be in this part of the country, and I would like to know why they are here... is that OK?" I asked, trying to calm Whitefire as the horse began to panic at its current state.
 
Furrowing an eyebrow, Elik says softly, "If you want to check them out by all means, go ahead. I am not taking the lead this time around however. You are supposed to be the warrior, not me," he says.
 
Morn

Morn sighed.

'I was bodyguard to the princess Mirshann. She was abducted'

Morn did not elaborate, but instead examined the blade Bryant held in his hands. A well-crafted sword, though gaudy and over-decorated. That polished grip would slip in its wielder's hands with the sweat of combat; that shining blade would dull and rust easily in the rain. A nobleman's sword.

'Now there's two of us, we should set a watch. I do not care for surprises when I sleep'
 
Darios

Darios narrowed his eyes at the mage.
"Very well, coward." He turned back to Mirshann. "Should he attack you, milady, yell as loud as you can."
Darios dismounted Whitefire and threw the reins to Elik. With that, he stalked into the forest. He heard Elik's warning that the invisibility spell had only a limited duration, but continued nonetheless.
As he crept through the trees, he heard the sounds of a low, guttural language which could only be that of the gnolls. He snuck up to them, and saw five of them, sitting around a campfire. One of them, the leader by the looks of him, was making hand gestures towards the fire, and chanting in their language. The others remained quiet, staring into the dancing flames of the fire. Darios had seen gnolls once or twice before, but never this far from their homelands, far to the west. The leader - who seemed to be a shaman of some sorts - continued his ritual, and now Darios found himself staring into the flames.
Darios' eyes grew wide as he saw the vision within the fire - a scene, two men having a swordfight. In the dancing flames it was hard to tell, but Darios thought he saw crowns on the men's heads. And then there was a bright flash and the fire flared up, and when the vision could be seen again, one of the men was on the ground, a small dagger in his back. The other man was waving his sword at the air, seemingly at nothing, but then he froze for an instant and his neck gave a sickening crunch as it was broken by an unseen hand. As the second man once more fell to the ground, Darios was disturbed by the sound of one of the other gnolls. Darios looked up to see that now all five were looking at him, and growling.
"Oh... shit..." Darios muttered under his breath, realising that his invisibility spell had worn out.
 
Elik

Elik had figured correctly, seeing the spell wear off from the rest of the targets, Mirshann, the horses, and himself. Looking to Mirshann, Elik sighed in resignation. "We should move closer towards Darios. He is now visible and may need our help," he says flatly. With that, he silently heads towards Darios, about 20 yards ahead.

Just as he had feared, Elik can see Darios, completely exposed, and the gnolls staring angrily at him.
 
Darios

When everyone had gotten over their shock, the gnolls stood up, wielding swords and axes and looking threatening. Realising this was the time to make his move, Darios pulled out his staff, and as the first gnoll charged him, he looked up... seeing two branches intercrossed from the two trees next to him, he jumped up, placing his staff between the two branches, and as the first gnoll reached him, he swung out with a wild kick, sending the gnoll crashing backwards into the one behind it, and the two then sprawled into the fire with a hideous cry. Darios performed a tidy flip backwards, pulling his staff free and turning to flee just in time to dodge a blow from a nasty-looking axe. He saw the mage sitting astride his horse not far away, and with a determined look on his face, sprinted for the safety of company.
 
Elik

Seeing Darios flee towards him and Mirshann, Elik prepared a spell in his mind. Once Darios was out of the line of fire, he began chanting softly, his eyes shut. Sparks could be seen coming from the ends of Elik's fingertips. A bolt of lightning shot forth, closing the distance between himself and the closest gnoll. Blasting through the chest of the pittiful creature, it was sent sprawling back into two others, knocking them down. The hit gnoll died instantaneously. Smoke could be seen billowing up from it's chest. Before Elik had the chance to cast another spell, the other two gnolls were within melee range. One went straight for Darios, filled with rage and bloodlust. Completely unaware of it's peril before it was too late, failing to measure up the warrior.
 
Bryant

Bryant did a silent, "WooHoo!!" in his mind, realizing that he was in and glanced around the clearing.

"Hmm, alright, I can take first watch, I could use a rest anyway, and you were already sleeping sooo...."

He went and sat down with his back to a tree and watched Morn and his horse. He stretched out his legs and leaned the sword up against the tree as well.

"How long do you want to sleep Morn?"
 
Darios

Darios was ready for the charging gnoll, and used its momentum against it. As it came close, he ducked aside nimbly and brought his staff forward, knocking the gnoll over with a clean clothesline. When the gnoll hit the ground, Darios swung, and in the same movement brought his staff flying downwards at a tremendous rate, straight into the creature's head. The sickening crunch which ensewed was enough to tell Darios he had cracked its skull open.
The last gnoll, a little unsure, now having seen all his friends killed or beaten, turned and fled into the forest. Darios saw it gather up the remaining survivors, and then the group took off deeper into the woods.
"No sense in following them." Darios said, looking down at the fallen body before him. The group was silent for a moment.
"Elik - thank you." Darios said softly, before walking over to Whitefire and mounting. He saw the mage looking at him. "That's all the thanks you're getting - now let's get moving, we're in a bit of a hurry."
 
Elik

OOC: Should we continue any further without Mirshann's posts?

IC: Elik furrowed an eyebrow, looking at Darios, then simply said "You're welcome." Looking down at the fallen gnoll, Elik manuvered his horse around it. Seeing the damage to the skull, he chuckled softly, turning to face Darios. "If that blow hadn't killed him, it'd sure have knocked some sense into him," Elik said in an attempt to lighten the mood.
 
OOC: I'm sorry everyone my computer was down and I was unable to post but I'm back now!

IC: Illynya watched the conversation between the man she now knew as Morn and the boy. She shifted her footing to gain a better foot hold but instead she stepped on some damp moss making her lose her footing. Her foot slipped out from under her and she plumetted strait to the ground hit her head and landed in front of Morn in an unconcious heap.
 
"Morn!!"

Bryant leapt to his feet and pulled the his sword from the scabbard as fast as he could. Fearing an attacker, he tossed the scabbard aside and ran over to the figure on the ground, taking a wide stance with his weapon ready. Seeing that the person isn't moving, after a moment, he lowers the tip of the blade to the ground. He nudges the form over to its back with his boot.

"A woman...."
 
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