The Summons...

[BlazeofLife]

Looking at the man, boy really, though he towered over her, Alicia gave Jerahmeel a small smile, nodding at him.
"It can be hard, sometimes, to trust, young one. All you can do is to try your best, and I would expect no more of you...
"And you will prevail. All of you. Together. Of that, I have no doubt."

 

[The GrandMage]

Egan

He hadn't looked up when confronted. "You don't pray to the Creator, he is too busy to hear. That was a simple devotion. I prefer not to trust my life to those not in the realm of the living."

Then, the magic broke out. Egfan didn't stay around to listen to the speech. Like the simple folk, he was running. He fell, curling up in a ball, his eyes filled with the second least used emotion he had, fear. After the demonstration was over, he slowly got to his feet, keeping his distance from the sorceress as he climbed atop his horse once again. He shook his head, swallowing hard.

He wondered if he still had the ability to take the gift. The bond was gone, but, unlike the Agiel's power, it had not been the bond. He had gotten the power after Father Rahl himself had put his hand in Egan's training. He watched the woman as he wondered, finally deciding he didn't want to know the answer, yet.

He waited for the others to move out, shaking slowly. Fear of magic filled him. Even Mord Sith, as all D'haran's did, feared magic. He was silent now. He didn't want to argue theology, and although the long-haired woman sparked his curiousity, he was lost in his own word of fear. Silently, his lips mouthed the words running through his head. His new devotion, the only thoughts he had. Staring blankly ahead, he relaxed as the devotion washed away his fear by giving him something else to concentrate on.

 

[SpectralDragoon]

Kyle

Kyle, still used to the luxuries of the city Aydindril where he spent most of his, had gotten up early to go find a bath. This could be the last hot bath for quite some time, and he savored the feeling of the hot water and some scented oil. Now if only he had a pretty young girl to help clean him up hmm? He had sighed, reproaching himself for his thoughts of women when there was such a task ahead. After he had dried himself off and dressed, he had gone to purchase a few things he thought he might have need for.

When he had gotten back to the Inn, and walked in the door, he couldn't believe his eyes. He was afraid, very afraid. He had never seen a display of magic like that. He had seen Confessors and their wizards. He had even seen a Confessor take a man with her power, but hardly anyone was fearless enough to challenge a Confessor, so that her wizard would have need to use his magic.

He had stumbled backward into a chair and sat there with his mouth open as the woman stunned us all. After she walked out, he sat there for a few moments, dazed.

After swallowing the lump in his throat the size of a Keltish battle axe, he gets to his feet and goes out to secure his pack to a horse he would take as his own for now. He pulls himself up to the saddle and makes sure his breastplate is fit for the long ride ahead, then looks at nothing but his horses mane, and gives her a reassuring pat on the neck.

"Adventure Kyle, you always wanted adventure."He thinks to himself. "Well look what you have now, more adventure than you know what to do with."

 

[PmTick]

While waiting, Benedict dismounted the horse and practiced his sword play a bit. No matter how well he appeared to be doing, it didn't feel natural, like it would feel for a knight. He turned to Kyle, "Pardon me but do you know by any chance if we will meet Shota soon? I have a feeling she may be able to 'fill in the gaps' so to speak."

 

[SpectralDragoon]

Kyle turns his horse a bit and looks over.

"Well... I'm sorry but, we've already met Shota, in fact, just came from her... well, where we met her. Up in Agaden Reach, I'm sure you've heard of it. Its a place few like to wander into, especially alone. Maybe I can help fill in these gaps that you speak of? By the way, my name is Kyle."

He'd extend a hand to the man, but would like to keep it attached to his wrist, so waits for the man to stop practicing with his blade.

 

[Lord Kenshin]

.

 

[PmTick]

Benedict put his blade back in its sheath. He extended his hand, grasping Kyle's in a firm handshake. "My name is Benedict, I think. I washed up on the shore yesterday and found my way to the inn. Alicia told me that she knows nothing about me but Shota knows who I am. Pretty creepy, a person I've never me knows volumes about me."

 

[Paendragon]

Darren mounted Traveler, and shouldered his bow. He secured his now full quiver over his right shoulder for easy reach.

The sorceress' display was impressive, his skin was still tingling. The odd thing was, he had felt the tingling before she had started to use her sorcery. It felt similar to the feeling he got when danger ws near, as if someone reached out and tickled the back of his neck with a feather, only this time it was his entire body. Odd.

He turned Traveler with his knees, and watched the group again. One man was swinging his sword with what seemed to Darren to be a great deal of skill. The sword was the one aspect of Darren's training that was woefully inferior, and eventually, he would come to be in a situation that would require more than his skills with bow and knife could handle. If they were together long enough, maybe his companion would agree to work with him a bit, in return for him teaching him the bow.

His eyes slid toward the Sorceress, and he found her watching him. To cover his discomfort at being stared at, he grinned his most winning, arrogant, lopsided smile at her, and did a small half-bow from his saddle.

"I say we get on the road, My Lady."

With that, he heeled Traveler forward, and headed out of town.

 

[SpectralDragoon]

Alicia told me that she knows nothing about me but Shota knows who I am. Pretty creepy, a person I've never me knows volumes about me."

After returning Benedicts handshake with a strong grip of his own, Kyle says:

"Heh, you think that's creepy... you didn't meet her face to face. She's a witch woman of some kind. You can't travel within 50 miles of here and not hear about her or Agaden Reach, where she lives. Only a woman like her my friend," he says as he shakes his head, "only a woman like her, would choose to make her home there."

Kyle looks around at the group of people and horses.

"I didn't take an exact count on our horses, but if you have need, you can ride with me."

 

[BlazeofLife]

Alicia watched as Darren mounted his horse, studying him. Shota had said there would be something special about this one, as there was with all of them, but that he would be the first to begin to manifest to her...
She'd see the look in his eyes during her display, and the way he seemed to feel a presence, as his skin pebbled, as if from cold...

She smiled, a satisfied little smile, and turned away. He did indeed have the gift, it remained only to find out the measure of it's worth within him and to train him in its use.
A pity she had no Rada'Han with her; or perhaps not, she doubted that the remainder of the party would look kindly upon the collaring of one of them, no matter how disparate the group might be.
It didn't matter, anyway. They had no time for the teaching that a Rada'Han would require. Alternate means, however distasteful, would have to be found.
Her eyes began to peruse the gruop once more, stopping to linger upon another, the long haired one, Onatah. She too, possessed the gift, though not in the same way as Darren...
Hers, too, would be much easier to train, manifesting as it did as that of a sorceress, like Alicia's own...
She sighed, her attention focusing on the road ahead. So much to do, and to think, the prelate had declined her many petitions to become an instructor, and now she was to be expected to teach not one, but two students, and under a tight time constraint, as well!
Deciding that the others would simply have to catch up, she spurred her horse onward suddenly, allowing it its head for several lengths before reigning it in gently, and slowing it to a gentle canter.
They couldn't afford to exhaust their only means of travel, not yet...

 

[SpectralDragoon]

Kyle helps Benedict onto the horse behind him and gives her a gentle kick with his heels to start her on her way. Riding like this would be okay for now, but maybe after a while, it would be wise to switch Benedict with one of the women who wouldn't put so much strain on the animal.

That would be shame, really, to have to ride with one of them. His eyes glanced to them in turn. Interesting, all of them. He pulls up to flank Alicia's horse and settles in for a long day of riding, trying to loosen his muscles the best he can.

 

[The GrandMage]

Egan

His eyes snapped up as he overheard the one calling himself 'Benedict'. He stared a moment, then shook his head as shivers ran through his spine. The were going south, towards the sea. But it would take most of a fortnight to get there. Granted, the western direction they were going in to get to the Old World would add time,....but a day? Without a horse?

He closed his eyes. Magic was afoot. It stayed close, caressing the edges of his sanity. He took a deep breath. He could almost feel it. Magic. Everywhere. He shivered again. This was no place for a D'haran. Even if he was Mord-Sith. Especially with thebond broken.

What more horrible fate could there be? Magic. They would all surely die now.

 

[darkscribe]

Cullen noticed Darren, Alicia, and Onantah already starting to make their way. He trotted his steed up towards the others. As they were riding he asked "Did you happen to notice Egan? I noticed how since we first met him that he was strong and agressive. Now though, he looks troubled, as if there was a problem. Could Rahl have caught on to us before we have started?"
"Or was he just unnerved by your display at the inn?" Looking towards Alicia.


OOC: Yippee!! My 100 th post!! I finally get an avatar!!
Thanks to everyone, especially to Blaze, he was the first person I met on the bds and he made me feel welcome right away

 

[PmTick]

Benedict was taken back a bit by Kyle's "help" with the horse. He gained control of the beast and followed the others. "Thanks for your horseback riding lesson Kyle!" He didn't know exactly where he was headed but on the other hand he didn't know where he had been.

 

[Paendragon]

Darren turned toward Cullen, and shrugged.

"If Rahl had any idea where we were, and what we were up to, I'm pretty sure we'd have some more evidence of his handiwork, than an upset Mord-Sith."

He looked over his shoulder at Egan. "Still, I would reccomend we be careful. If this is some kind of affect with his bond, I'd rather know sooner than later."

He turned back toward the others. "We should keep an eye on him. Just remember, until he shows otherwise, he is a part of our group, and deserves to be treated with all due respect. I mean to survive this mission, if I have to force peace on this party myself."

Then, to lighten the mood, he asked. "So, does anyone here gamble? Say an archery contest?"

 

[Beethoven'sFire]

It had not taken long for Onatah to slip off to the side once more, and resume her position slightly away and out of sight from the group. The rising and falling of her mount's body grew hypnotic as the horse walked on, but Onatah kept herself alert by making up games memorizing the details around her. With each footfall of the horse, Onatah kept her eyes moving from one thing to the next, her ears seeking the voices of her party. It was almost comforting to be traveling, even with all the strange experiences that had already occured.

 

[SpectralDragoon]

Kyle sighs and surveys the landscape around them as they ride. He knew that this may be boring now, but at any moment they could be thrown into the unknown. Especially if Rahl were to discover them. There is no telling what kind of forces he could throw at them. Be they beast, magic, men... a combination? He tried to keep alert as much as possible, and observed his fellows. Each of them had their quirks, and he was doing his best to try and learn them.

He reaches down and takes up a water skin from where he had hung it by its strap around the pommel of his saddle. After taking a long drink of its somewhat stale contents, he sighs and rummages into his pack and retrieves a green apple. He pulls a small knife from its sheath on his belt and starts to carve pieces into his mouth, enjoying the flavor.

 

[Paendragon]

The party moved rather quickly, and Darren moved forward to the point, his eyes scanning the horizon, and his bow at the ready.

Usually, he would station archers near the middle of the party, to be best able to use their bows from a distance to pick off any enemies. In this case, however, he didn't know or trust his new companions yet, and had no evidence of their skills at tracking or woodcraft. His own skills he could trust. At least they were all being bloody quiet for a change.

The sorceress rode behind him. There were times he could almost feel her eyes on him, studying him. It bothered the hell outta him, but he refused to let it show.

Just then, his attention was diverted. He held up his hand, and the column slowed to a stop, as he studied the tracks that crossed the path. He heard the sorceress' horse plod up beside him.

"What is it?" she asked.

Darren pointed to the tracks. "Horses. Wearing a strong shoe... you can make out the faint double-cross reinforcement. The only horses I know who wear that heavy a shoe this far in the middle of nowhere are D'Haran heavy calvary."

"Are you certain?" she asked.

He looked at her, as she pushed her glasses up to the bridge of her nose.

"The only others I know that would even come close to using a shoe that sturdy would be a work horse. I haven't seen any farms this far out. Plus, these shoes are expensive, and the D'Haran military rarely goes the cheap route on supplies. Then theres the size of the party..." he pointed at the sets of tracks again, "at least twenty, maybe more. Small for heavy calvary, but larger than any team of plowhorses I've ever heard of." He looked her in the eyes. "I'm not one hundred percent positive, but I'm certain enough to recommend extreme caution."

 

[Lormegil]

Elkire laid the final log on the fire, then stood up and stretched out his aching muscles. By his best estimate, he had traveled a good thirty miles that day, and his body was complaining. He looked around, admiring the landscape. He could see the foothills from his camp, and the wilds were stretched as far as he could see. There were a few fireflies which danced around his campfire, and a cool breeze tousled his hair.
Feeling rather relaxed he sat back down to prepare his supper. Yet he couldn't quite shake the urgency he felt. He felt as if he was supposed to be somewhere, with someone, but he didn't know where. For the past few weeks, he could hear a tiny, yet persuasive voice in the back of his mind, trying to tell him where to go. But today he couldn't hear it. He just knew he had to go forward. He didn't know why, but he knew just the same.
Elkire fished out a few assorted fruits from his pack, and began to eat. He had not eaten since early morning, and he was famished.
His body accepted the food eagerly, glad to finally receive nourishment. As he ate, he contimplated on the voice. What was his purpose? What role did he play?
Suddenly, he heard a the voice again. It was clearer this time, as though it had broken through a barrier that had been holding it back.
"Alicia," it said. "Find Alicia. She will be your guide."
Alicia? Elkire didn't recognize the name, yet it seemed somehow familiar. As if he had known all along. Now he knew what he must do.

 

[SpectralDragoon]

Wondering why they were halting, he broke the line and caught a bit of the conversation.

"Darren is right," Kyle voiced as he cantered his horse to a stop on the other side of him.

"Both Kelton and Galea would have warhorses like those prints would indicate, but they are too far away, and they would have no business out here anyway. It would throw the council into froth if all the peoples of the Midlands had their armies out marching around. But Spirits!.... how could a group of D'Haran heavy calvary be this far into the Midlands?"

Kyle stated, perhaps obviously, "This isn't good at all."

 

[PmTick]

Benedict got closer to the rest of the group as not to call attention to them. "Perhaps one of us should provide a distraction? A magical one to be more specific."

 

[BlazeofLife]

Alicia peered up from her journeybook, having taken it out to peruse at the halt in their motion.
"Distractions are unnecesary," she said, blinking owlishly from behind her glasses and pushing them idly back up uon her nose.
"The D'Haren forces are to the south of us at the moment, and pose no threat as yet.
"However, we will be setting up camp here. I have just received word", this last said while waving the book in the air, "that we will have a new companion joining us shortly. He is on his way already, and is not far. He should arrive before dark."
Her face turned ominous, and she placed the fragile tome back into its pouch.
"We do, however, have worse problems.
"Shota sends word that we have likely been discovered. Several quads have recently passed near to the Reach, and each was accompanied by a Mord Sith. They have doffed their brown for red."
She gazed at Egan as she spoke of the Mord Sith, aware that his knowledge of their persuers would far outweigh her own, and aware, too, that he would quickly realize the significance of her last statement.

 

[The GrandMage]

Egan

He gave a nod of his head, and dismounted. He slowly looked around, grumbling in his throat. He reached up, scratching the back of his head, and then turned to the woman.

"Well, if I were you, sorceress, I'd be a little more worried. They'll go for the two of us first. I'll simply be killed, but you,...."

He tilted his head, and shrugged. "How recently is recently? When can we expect the first quad, or are they all together? If they've donned red, they won't rest until they get us."

He turned to the small group, and shook his head. "How many of you fine, brave warriors feel up to the challange of taking on four experienced, heavily armed D'Haran killers? The same men trained to...."

His eyes came up in a start, and he turned to the woman, fear running rampant through his eyes. "We won't be using any of the trails that....confessors use, will we? I've heard they spend quite a bit of time going through the towns, seeing if their services are needed...."

 

[SpectralDragoon]

Heavy calvary, Mord Sith using red instead of brown, quads...

"What is she talking about Egan?!"

Kyle's voice was tense and confused at all of this flying around his head.

"What is the meaning of that? Brown for red? Quads?! What the vulk are we going to do about them?"

Kyle's face started turning crimson and he gestured for emphasis as he spoke, raising his hands from the pommel of his saddle and pointing..

He'd heard bad things about quads, and had seen a team of four elite soldiers take on a good handful more men than they should have been able to handle. The quads frightened him, the Mord Sith... he didn't know much about, but he knew they were most dangerous to those who could use magic.

"How do we fight them? Not just one quad, but several! Shota said that any who passed near her lands would not survive, and we had her word on that, what of that promise?!"

Frustrated, he looked down at the ground and away as he tried to compose himself, giving a deep heave of a sigh.

 

[Jerahmeel]

Jerahmeel

I stood and listened as we heard the news. I listened as one spoke of Shota and her word."I hate to say but Egan what is our but plan of action. You know more how these people think then any of us. I am not affraid to die but i am in no hurry eithere. I would rather avoid a fight as long as possiable. How do you think we can get around them. If that is possiable at all." I stood waiting for a reply hating the fact I had to ask him for help. But knowing that in the end his knowledge was as dangers as his strenght. This was at least some what of an advatage not much but a little and we need all the help we could get. Becasue if waht she said was true then it wont be long and they will find us. They will probably kill us and that will be that. But I am dammed if I will go easy.But I would rather find away around them for right now. We are not ready to fight them. We need more time. I think with a little more trust we might have a chance.About a chance of a snowball in hell but still a chance.