The Song of Swords

[Dark Warrior]

OOC: The OOC thread can be found at... http://www.literotica.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=66985 Whilst I did say the ability to use magic was rare, I never said anything about power caps... so, you can choose the strength of your character's magic, but I would frown on anyone else trying to join as a magic-user.

IC: Darios' attention soon was shifted away from the obvious insult that Elik had given him as he saw the golem before him. When he had recovered from the shock, he shook his head and turned to Elik.
"Y...you...? Did I ask you to do that? Mage, you are... endangering our lives with this... this... abomination of life!" I hissed, shooting a stabbing glance at the golem. Darios had seen only three other mages before, but none had had this kind of power... he had heard the tales of the old world, where mages were plentiful and had near god-like powers, but this... the ability to CREATE something that wasn't there... that was something alien to Darios. He had seen transformations and illusions and such like magic, but this...
"Undo it now, mage, I am warning you!" Darios said, placing a hand on the hilt of his short sword. "Do it now, or I will strike you down!"

 

[BlkPnthr]

Elik

Elik looked at Darios calmly, while the warrior ranted and raved about the risk of having this golem amongst them. "I do not believe you are ready to listen to reason just yet," Elik said. With that, and without notice, the golem stealthily walked behind Darios, who was oblivious due to his raging state. The golem took Darios' arms, and held them steadfast, not overly tight but enough to keep him from hurting Elik. "Why do you have such a hatred for me and my ways?" he asked. "The golem is here to protect, and that is presicely what it will do, until I send it back to the ethreal plane. It will not endanger us. It can see in the dark Darios. Can you," Elik shot back.

 

[Dark Warrior]

Darios

Darios gritted his teeth as he struggled vainly against the golem's strong grasp, ignoring the mage's blatant insults.
"I'm warning you, Elik... the second I get my hands on you...! This is no way to treat someone who you are trying to gain the trust of...!" He struggled once more, before collapsing when he realised his attempts were all useless. He fixed the mage with his fiercest stare.
"Make... it... this, this, thing, let me go, sorceror, or I swear, you will NOT live another day." He stated manner of factly.

 

[BlkPnthr]

Elik

"Think rationally for a second. If I wanted to hurt or kill you, do you not think I could have done so already? Or the lady Mirshann for that matter. If my intent was to bring you harm, harm would have come already," Elik said softly. With that, Elik sighed and shook his head. "You just aren't going to listen are you? Well know this, if you attempt to harm me, rest assured, the golem will die protecting me from harm." Elik nodded at the golem, and the golem placed himself between Elik and Darios, then it let him free.

 

[Dark Warrior]

Darios

Darios straightened his clothes after the brief scuffle. Despite his anger, Darios realised that what Elik said was true - but he was not about to show it. He was stubborn as he was untrusting.
"That's right, hide behind your stupid creation! I piss on it, and I piss on you, mage!" Darios stopped, suddenly realising that this was not the sort of language that should be spoken in front of a princess. He blushed suddenly, and bowed quickly at Mirshann.
"I... I'm sorry, milady, I shouldn't speak like that in your presence... I..." Darios' voice drifted away to a sudden end. He then turned and looked up at the sky.
"Elik. Do what you will with your... plaything. I will stand guard, golem or none. No buts. Just go to sleep. I'm not hungry any longer... if you want, you can find some food in my possessions, over there." Darios walked over to a nearby tree stump, which he sat down on, absent-mindedly resting his hand on the hilt of his sword. Something about the wind... something seemed... wrong.
"A dark wind begins to blow..." He muttered under his breath.

 

[Lethe]

Morn

Morn gave a shallow bow, his movements fluid and controlled, his eyes wary.

'I am Morn, one-time of the Court. This is Bryant'

Morn sensed a flicker of fear in the slender young woman's eyes, and it somehow soothed his own suspicions. He took a step back, lifting his hands away slowly from the hilts of sword and dagger that hung from his belt.

'We mean you no harm', he said, quietly, as was the way with Morn.

 

[SpectralDragoon]

Bryant nodded as he was introduced. One corner of his lips tilting up in a half smile. He had a handsome face, somewhere between boyish charm and adult suaveness.

He sheathes his sword and stands with his arms crossed, looking down at the woman.

"Hello Illynya, quite an entrance..."

Bryant glances up at Morn, then returns his gaze to the lady between them.

 

[BlkPnthr]

Elik

Elik smiled softly, glad to see that Darios had come to his senses. "I appreciate your offer, but I had said before we began that I would not burden you," he said. Elik grabbed his bag, and began to rummage around in it. First he pulled out a long staff, and then his spell book. To anyone watching him, this would have seemed very strange, as the bag was only about one foot in length. He set the staff aside as well as the bag, and opened the book. He began flipping through the pages, looking for one in particular. Suddenly his eyes brightened as he found the page he was looking for.

Reciting the words in the passage, Elik conjured up a small feast of food. An assortment of meats, breads, fruits and drinks appeard on the ground befor him. "That should be plenty," Elik said as he looked at the rest of the group. "If anyone would like any, you're more than welcome to help yourself," he stated. Elik sat down and began to collect a variety of the foods onto his platter, and grabbed a bit of wine.

 

[AriaSilverfyre]

"We're never going to get anywhere if this keeps up." I think to myself, whispering the words softly under my breath as Darios and Elik argue.

I walk over to Darios where he sits on the stump and stand a few feet away.

"Why don't you two call a truce for the evening?" I say softly, "Back there, where the gnolls were, Elik had the opportunity to cause me harm while you were investigating the creatures. However, he didn't. In fact, he helped when they attacked. Now, by conjuring the golem, he is only trying to help."

I pause for a moment, thinking.

"If you don't mind, I'll make the fire and cook myself some food."

 

[Dark Warrior]

Darios

Darios allowed himself a small smile. Not too many princesses would even know how to make a fire, let alone do so without the help of a servant or two.
"Go right ahead, milady. Do whatever you wish; all that is mine is yours." he said, gesturing a hand back at where they had set up camp. There was a short silence.
"Milady, if there is nothing more, I would ask for a moment alone." Darios said after a moment, quietly yet firm.

 

[Lady_Siren]

Illynya smiled faintly at both of the men still unsure about what to say. "You are probably wondering why I just suddenly dropped out of the trees aren't you?" she shrugged "there is a prefectly good reason for that..." I just have to think of one she thought to herself but out loud she said "See I was searching for my pet bird. Ya thats right, she had flown into the trees and so I was climbing up there to get her when I heard you guys and curiously went to see what the noise was when I slipped on some moss and well here I am" she motioned to their surroundings with her hand praying they bought it. How could she explain that she had been following Morn around for days now. Hell she couldn't even explain it herself..

 

[Lethe]

Morn

Morn frowned uncertainly. Her story sounded flimsy, to say the least, but the girl looked nothing like an assassin. But he remembered one of the four direct attempts on Mirshann's life he had foiled.

It had been in a poor, far-away city that the royal family had been on a state visit to and in the streets a little beggar girl had approached them, hands cupped for coin. Her thin pinched face had made its own silent plea and Mirshann begged Morn to give her a coin. It was while he fumbled with his pouch that the girl drew a knife and attacked Mirshann.

That was the closest Morn had ever come to failing in his charge. Then. On the other hand... to let this young woman go alone into the night forests... he bowed his head.

The last of the dying light glinted in Ilynya's eyes like distant blue ice. Morn made his decision. Relief battled with anxiety in his mind but his voice and face were as expressionless as ever:

'The roads are not safe. You should stay with us tonight'

 

[SpectralDragoon]

The woman's story seemed a little silly to Bryant, but not impossible. He took a few glances up into the trees, listening for any birds that seemed out of place, then looked at the other two.

Morn didn't seem to have a problem with her. In fact, for his rough & tumble appearance, the guy certainly seemed to have a big heart. "It'll be good to do my best and help Morn, he shouldn't feel all the guilt he does," Bryant thought.

"I was taking the first watch, guess I still will."

Bryant heads over to the tree he had been leaning against and sits back down against it, laying his sword out on the ground and crossing his arms.

 

[AriaSilverfyre]

I nod my reply as step away, moving toward Elik and his small feast. "Wow... " I think to myself as I see the amount of food. I pick up several sticks of dead, dry wood for a fire.

I stop several feet from Elik.

"Would you mind helping me? I have no means to start a fire, though I'm sure these sticks will help." I say lifting the branches to show them, "That's a lot of food you have created."

 

[BlkPnthr]

Elik

Tired from the days events, Elik nodded and reached into his bag. His arm nearly disappeared completely inside of it. After a minute or so he pulled out a box. Opening it up, Elik pulled out a flint stone, and some tinder to spark the fire. "This should help," he said offering the contents to Mirshann.

 

[Dark Warrior]

Darios

Darios' senses grew even as the light faded. Now he was certain something was wrong. And it wasn't anything minor, either. This was serious.
"I don't like this one bit..." he whispered under his breath. His hand now gripped tighter and tighter about his sword hilt, until his knuckles turned white.
When he remembered the princess, he turned 90 degrees to his left so that he could keep an eye on his two travelling companions, but also still towards the direction the gnolls had been. Even now they could be just metres away in this darkness. Despite his doubts, Darios began to hope the golem could see in the darkness...

OOC: Guys, I've already exceeded my download limit for the month, and I still have 7 days left... so I won't be on for the next week. Feel free to control my character during this time, it's fine. See ya.

 

[AriaSilverfyre]

I take the flint stone and tinder from Elik.

"Thank you." I say as I step to an area near the center of camp.

Brushing aside some leaves, I clear a spot and set the branches down, arranging them so that they will not burn too fast. I set some of the tinder in the crevaces, leaving bits hanging out. Several quick strikes on the flint eventually make a spark large enough to ignite the tinder. I blow softly to encourage the small flame to grow. "That's better." I say to myself as the fire grows and settles into a comfortable burning.

Standing, I glance around for more wood, the light of the fire helping me to see better. I hand Elik his flint stone as I move past him to get some more wood.

 

[AriaSilverfyre]

I set my pile of wood near the fire so it can be easily reached. Taking the bedroll Darios gave me, I spead it out near the fire, making sure it isn't too close. As, I lay down, I glance around the camp to be sure that everything is alright.

 

[Lady_Siren]

Illynya smiled relieved that they bought her story. Pet bird? right... she shrugged at her musings and agreed she should stay with them that night. Her leg was in no position to get her anywhere that night. So she limped over o a patch of grass and sat down watching the two men. Her gaze lingered on Morn still deeply curious why he was so morbid all the time. Shaking her head she layed down and soon fell asleep feeling oddly safe.

 

[Lethe]

Morn

The darkness slowly retreated into light and Morn, still as cool steel, stood under the shade of the old trees, his black clothes merging with the shadows.

He paced uneasily, hands flexing uneasily near the hilts of his blades. He'd cleaned and checked them a thousand times over the course of the watch. He'd chosen this time, known in guard parlance as the Dead Man's Watch, because it was the most likely time, between moonset and dawn, for an attack. Maybe I can protect someone this time.

Morn's thought was accompanied by a sour grimace. He ceased his walk between where his two companions lay sleeping. Bryant on his side, his newforged blade at his head, Ilynya with her head pillowed in her arms. Both of them looked as though they slept well.

Morn had not slept well. Nightmares of Mirshann's abduction and imprisonment, of his failure and execution by the king. He looked at Ilynya again. Honey hair tumbled around her face, she seemed to be smiling at whatever her dreams brought her. Morn shrugged uneasily. She was strange to him, this slender young woman with her delicate, elfin features and laughter, but he recognised something in her he had never had. Peace? Happiness?

Bryant was the same and Morn suddenly felt cold and hollow as he walked back to the shadow of the trees

 

[SpectralDragoon]

Bryant stirs, acutely aware of the cool morning air on his face. With a small groan, he stretches and opens his eyes, sitting up to rub at them with his knuckles. As his vision clears he can make out Morn in an easy crouch, looking over a knife as he turned it. Their eyes meet. He looks away to see what of the girl, and sees her curled up, still asleep.

Quietly, he makes his way over to Morn, who stands at his approach.

"Where are we going to go Morn? And what of her," he asks softly, gesturing over his shoulder with a thumb.

 

[Lethe]

Morn shrugged uneasily. He was still uncertain about his decision to permit Bryant to accompany him, but another pair of eyes, another sword, on the road might help. Morn did not consider whether he had wanted a friend.

'I don't know, Bryant. We're going east. There are few towns there. Perhaps at one of them we can part ways with her. Even if she is a spy, leaving her behind us could be disastrous'

Again Morn refused to questioned his motives. He was a guard. Nothing should distract him from his goal. Nothing.

He realized from Bryant's glance that he was gripping the hilt of his blade. He slowly drew it out and indicated Bryant's own sword.

'Since we've an hour or so, perhaps I should teach you a little about how to use that blade?'

 

[SpectralDragoon]

Bryant ponders Morn's statement about leaving a potential spy behind them. As he looks over the girl, he realizes the truth in his statement, there is no telling what she would do. Better to keep her around for the moment. But how would they part ways with her? And where did she come from?

He wondered at these things as well, and realized he was staring at Morn's grip on his sword. Now he wondered how Morn might look as he fought and used that weapon, how he might look as he killed.

After a moment of silence, he realized that he had been staring, and that Morn was watching him, and waiting.

"Since we've an hour or so, perhaps I should teach you a little about how to use that blade," Morn suggested.

Bryant looked up at Morn as his eyes got wide and lit up with that youthful ambition of his.

"Really, you mean it? That would be great!"

He draws his own weapon, somewhat clumsily, over drawing and throwing himself a little off balance. He goes to a tree and leans his ornate scabbard against it, then returns to face his comrade. He grips his long sword in both hands before him and takes a stance a bit too wide for his shoulders. He also tries to keep himself from grinning too much (not an easy task), and waits to see what his first lesson will be.

 

[Lady_Siren]

Illynya's eyes fluttered open to see Morn and Bryant sparring as Morn tried to show Bryant how to use his sword. She pretended to be asleep as she watched through hooded eyes her gaze constantly straying to Morn. He seemed so intense even though it wasn't a real battle. He curiosity continued to plague her and now she knew unless she found out what made Morn the way he was then she would forever wonder. Sighing softly she sat up and stretched yawning softly. "Good morning"

 

[Dark Warrior]

Darios

OOC: I'm baaaaa-ack!

IC: Darios looked back to see Mirshann, her fire already burning. By now his distrust of Elik had eased a little, and he gave the mage barely a glance. His mind was full of questions, and they were beginning to give him a headache. Why were gnolls this far from their homeland? And the image he had seen in their fire? How could that be explained? Surely Elik had an alternate motive for travelling with them?
Darios shook his head in an effort to get the thoughts out of his head. He glanced around, but night was beginning to settle and he could see little.
"Let's hope that golem can do it's job..." he thought, settling back and relaxing a little.