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Post by Stage on Mar 30, 2018 2:54:00 GMT
Her good eye blinded by the spray of cobalt blood and the ground rumbling beneath her feet, the woman had fallen along with the beast.
And, even injured, it was faster to rise.
Teeth barred in a warrior's grimace, the woman in black could only twist onto her back and try to guard herself with her sable blade...
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Post by Orcus on his Throne on Mar 30, 2018 3:04:03 GMT
Much to the swordswoman's surprise, however, she soon learned that she was not alone out here in the wilderness. Not too far from her location, she could see an orange glow appearing from within the thicket of trees. She could here voices shouting aloud, ringing through the forest, before suddenly, a torrent of fire roared out through the forest, singeing the surrounding pine trees. The blast struck the upper thigh of the recovering monstrosity before rapidly beginning to consume the monster's side.
The shouts began to grow closer, as the woman could make out the sound of several horsemen rapidly approaching the behemoth creature before her. Through the foliage of the forest, Lark could faintly make out several armored figures riding on horseback, illuminated slightly thanks to the embers flaking off nearby trees....
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Post by Executus Gira on Mar 30, 2018 3:09:06 GMT
The cascade of flames enveloping its hide burned the creature, and a terrible otherworldly howl escaped from its mouth. It rolled onto its back, dousing the flames against the soil, before righting itself back up. Yet, its upper flank was burned, and the titan, howling at the sudden invaders, swung its head into a nearby tree, snapping it in half and sending the top flying toward the figures on horseback...
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Post by Stage on Mar 30, 2018 3:14:53 GMT
While the injured beast tried to lay low at the newcomers, the woman lurched to her feet and limped into the shade of a particularly massive pine. Leaning heavily against the ancient tree, she tried to angle her body away from the scuffle even as she watched it intently. She had never seen flames used as a weapon like that, but she did not dare let herself believe it could not be Alisdre. The empire was hungry for new ways to shed blood. This could be one they intended to christen on her...
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Post by Orcus on his Throne on Mar 30, 2018 3:24:10 GMT
A scream of pain rung through the forest as the tree's upper half clipped one of the riders, snapping his neck and sending his corpse hurtling off of his steed. The sounds of galloping intensified as the group of riders rapidly approached the monstrous beast, speaking to one another in a language that the swordswoman could not properly understand. The horsemen, from what she could make out, were clad in heavy armor and wielded lances. They thrust their weapons towards the behemoth's belly, though the monster's stomping legs and flailing limbs, crushed a couple of the brave warriors in the process.
In the back, the woman in black could make out a figure in a red-hued robe whose hands filled with brilliant orange light, before they unleashed another torrent of flame directly into the titan's face...
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Post by Executus Gira on Mar 30, 2018 3:28:04 GMT
The spears caused more of the beast's azure blood to drip down upon them and the ground beneath them, but for the monster, the flames were what hurt the most. It screamed once again as its face was consumed with flames, causing it recoil back and flail madly. It stormed off the other way, with a noticeable limp in its burned leg, while its mad head flailing finally caused the flames in its face to go out, yet the damage remained. No meal was worth this much trouble, especially morsels so small...
All that remained of the monster once it limped away were pools of blood on the ground, and the aftermath of its struggle...
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Post by Stage on Mar 30, 2018 3:48:02 GMT
Part of the woman was relieved to see it was not soldiers of Alisdre who had, inadvertently or not, come to her rescue. Another grew tenser yet. She did not know if these men were friend or foe. She did not know anything about them but what could be plainly seen. Alisdre was the devil on her heels, but was it not better the devil you know?
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Post by Orcus on his Throne on Mar 30, 2018 4:02:46 GMT
The woman observed as the soldiers jeered the creature as it fled, enjoying the victory they had achieved. After a few moments of celebration, however, they began to examine the surrounding area, locating the bodies of their dead. Some of the soldiers openly mourned the loss of their comrades while others seemingly stood still, like stone monoliths in the darkness. Others scrounged the surrounding area, noticing strange clues pointing to an earlier scuffle not involving them.
One figure notably reached down near Lark's location and picked up her knife from earlier. He called out to the others, as several of the armored figures came towards him to examine the object and discuss amongst themselves...
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Post by Stage on Mar 30, 2018 4:33:57 GMT
A thin, fair hand flew to the woman's pocket, and found it empty. She grit her teeth. That had been careless. Now she had to try and slip away unnoticed. It was likely Shurik had placed a bounty on her, so even if these people weren't innately hostile to outsiders, they might be tempted by material reward to capture and turn her in.
Carefully, she tried to move, but her age and her injuries protested loudly, causing her to- quite involuntarily- let out a quiet hiss of pain...
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Post by Orcus on his Throne on Mar 30, 2018 4:38:53 GMT
The figures near the woman suddenly lurched toward her direction, keeping their spears at the ready. one of them shouted out at her in a strange language she could not understand. The words were very rough and phlegmy, making it sound almost as if they had bad congestion when they shouted at her. The figure in the red robe, a fair-skinned man, shook his head and his hands, as if to tell them the error of their ways, before he spoke out.
"If you can understand me, know you have nothing to fear," the man said towards the sound, unsure as to the woman's exact location. "We have no intentions to hurt you. You can come out now."
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Post by Stage on Mar 30, 2018 4:46:36 GMT
The woman cursed herself. She was a fool. She had little choice but to comply. Slowly, pained limp prominent even as she tried to conceal it, the woman in black walked into the moonlight, though she first returned the black blade to her bedroll.
"I mean no harm as well," she said slowly, attempting to mask her accent. She displayed her hands and their lack of weapons. "I am a traveler. I only want to reach the south, but I was stopped by that beast. I did not know this was your land."
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Post by Orcus on his Throne on Mar 30, 2018 4:53:39 GMT
"It is fine," the robed figure replied with a reassuring smile. "I'm sure you're still shaken up from that encounter with that massive beast."
He paused for a moment, before glancing over to his troops, directing them to regroup away from them. He turned back to the woman and resumed talking. "Unfortunately, I am going to have to take you back with us to our fort until we can verify certain aspects of your identity. It is protocol to detain travelers for brief questioning in order to ensure peace in the wilderness."
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Post by Stage on Mar 30, 2018 5:06:17 GMT
"Very well," the woman agreed. She hoped she did not sound as grudging as she felt. "May I ask who you are? I am unfamiliar with these lands and its people."
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Post by Orcus on his Throne on Mar 30, 2018 6:48:08 GMT
"Akros," The man replied. He turns to lead the woman back towards his group of soldiers. "I am from Freyr-Lunge land of the my people, the Draxons. May I ask who you are?"
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Post by Stage on Mar 30, 2018 7:18:05 GMT
"Temned," the woman in black lied. She regretted it immediately. She was trying to disguise her identity and had given a name that would be recognized by any Lexian immediately. Temned was the blindfolded goddess of Rusidus, the continent of her birth. She was said to be a thing of darkness and lies, but one who discovered and marked other wicked things, as well as rewarded those who were righteous. Her other half, the muzzled god Leyid, was far more popularly worshiped however. Perhaps it was this waning praise, the blasphemy of that slipping faith, that caused some to make the absurd claim that she was the human avatar of Temned, angered that she was being left behind. The similarities were there. The goddess was said to be fair and dark-headed, and her raven hair was unique among Lexians because she was only half-blooded. She even appeared to be blinded. She was no god, but perhaps it was no so hard to believe that some rural fool, unfamiliar with what an elite of the Lexian army was capable of, could mistake her for a goddess after seeing her dispatch other soldier, maybe even one of the two Pale she had killed.
It was the persistence of the rumor that irked her though. One excitable, superstitious soul was understandable, but the myth had become widespread before she had even left the empire's territory. It was ridiculous, but it did have it uses. To those who felt their nation was not on their side, it must be comforting to imagine a goddess is, or at least that she is against the country that does not care for them. For the supporters of Lexia, it was an excuse as to why their finest had not yet brought her in, and why some had even fallen to her blade: she is a goddess, it is only natural, they might reason to each other, trying not to realize that it only takes one mortal to show the cracks in their power.
She hated it.
She had left Lexia to stop being used, not to find new ways to be a tool.
The woman in black had not meant to give Akros such an alias, but she had instinctively spoken the name furthest away from how she felt: hurt and old and captured. The name of the goddess, her unwanted second identity, is what came forth.
"I come from north of the mountains," she continued, determined to add depth to the deception. "But it was hard living. People and animals both unfriendly. I wanted a better life in the south. I hope it was not folly. Are beasts like that common?"
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Post by Orcus on his Throne on Mar 30, 2018 7:29:26 GMT
"Temned... a beautiful name I must say," Akros replied. He turned towards the woman as he continued walking. "Ah, so you are from Migma then, no? Have you seen our two outposts in that region before? The strongholds Snowmourne and Frostbane?"
As he spoke, however, he was interrupted by his soldiers, who seemed to inquire something to him in that grating language once again. Akros responded back in the tongue, seemingly attempting to keep it brief. A groan of discontent rung out from the warriors, who shot glares towards the woman before they mounted back on top of their steeds and began to trot back to base. One of the steeds carried the swords and helmets of the dead with them.
Akros turned back to the woman. "So Temned, would you prefer to ride on the horse with me or would you prefer to walk?"
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Post by Stage on Mar 30, 2018 7:38:22 GMT
Her mind said no, it was far too dangerous, but her body just as strong disagreed. It needed rest. She had been on the move for many days, and now she was injured.
"If it would not trouble you." The woman in black bowed her head to the robed man. "Many thanks. And yes, I have, though only at a distance, from passing caravans."
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Post by Orcus on his Throne on Mar 30, 2018 7:54:50 GMT
"Not a problem," Akros replied as he hoisted himself onto his steed, a beautiful black-colored mare. He stuck a hand out for Temned to be hoisted onto the saddle of the beast of burden.
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Post by Stage on Mar 30, 2018 17:53:34 GMT
The woman in black nodded gratefully to the Draxon, but managed to neatly mount the ebony steed herself. Black atop black, the woman blended into the mare, so it appeared as if the robed man was atop a demonic nuckelavee.
"I ride too," she explained after settling herself. "I no longer have a horse, but the knowledge has not yet left."
She had known the specially bred, silver-white steeds of the Pale would be too attention-grabbing, so she had to leave sweet Slabák behind. Though more timid than his kin, he was an intelligent, loyal creature she missed dearly.
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Post by Orcus on his Throne on Mar 30, 2018 18:58:47 GMT
"It is always nice to meet a traveler who knows how to handle riding atop a horse." Akros spurred his steed one, who quickly began to catch up with the other riders. She seemed to be quite a nimble horse.
"So you said you were heading south... but where were you headed towards?" Akros inquired as he rode. "There is little of note south besides a few villages and, supposedly, a single city."
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