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Post by Orcus on his Throne on Jun 14, 2018 3:43:17 GMT
Chaos ensued. The snarls of the canine stalkers filled the air around the duo. The hooves of Zander's steed were deftly evaded by the clever predators, who nevertheless backed off and circled back into the shadows. Zander's shot struck true, illuminating the surrounding area in a flash of fire and shaking the forest with its resounding thundered. The predator loosed a yip of pain, a spray of blood splattering across the ground as it slid across the earth in a mangled heap.
As Zander's shot slew one of the assailing beasts, another wolf darted in from the side and lunged towards Zander, only to be slashed across the forehead with his flailing saber. The wolf yelped in pain, and instead of biting down on the man's leg instead crashed shoulder first into him, sending both sprawling across the ground with the wolf on top. The resounding thunder of the pistol shot had sent its packmates scattering into the night. In pain and afraid, the wolf that had slammed into Zander lashed out with vicious jaws, aiming to crush his windpipe...
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Post by Stage on Jun 14, 2018 4:05:36 GMT
The vicious canine jaws slammed shut, but only on the empty pistol Zander had thrust into the wolf's mouth. Grabbing his saber, which had left his hand and clattered down besides him, the Pale swung it heavily at the beast, trying to cleave into its ribs and launch it off of him...
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Post by Orcus on his Throne on Jun 14, 2018 4:11:03 GMT
The saber struck true, slicing a clean wound right into the wolf's side. Blood splashed across Zander's body, staining his shining armor in gore. The wolf howled in pain and fell onto its wounded side, only further serving to worsen it. Blood began to rapidly pool beneath its body as it breathed raggedly in pain...
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Post by Stage on Jun 14, 2018 4:29:36 GMT
Rolling to his knees, Zander look down at the injured beast with pity. He laid the flat of his saber against its neck, pinning its trembling head down. Producing a knife, he braced his wrist on the sword and quickly slid the blade into its jugular.
"Ye prusha prushchinoye," he told the dying animal quietly. It seemed to be an apology of some sort.
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Post by Orcus on his Throne on Jun 14, 2018 4:34:00 GMT
Zander's knife slit the creature's throat swiftly. Blood swiftly pooled beneath the creature's head as well as its breathing became more choked. After a few moments, the wolf's eyes closed shut and its breathing stopped. The creature's body fell limp as death claimed it.
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Post by Stage on Jun 14, 2018 4:42:35 GMT
The paleback stood and flicked the blood off his saber and knife. Putting both away, he leaned softly against Giruy, trying to keep the agitated stallion calm, and took out his powder flask.
The wolves seemed to have been frightened away for now, so he took the opportunity to reload his pistol. It would only take about a minute, but he kept an eye on the woods anyway...
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Post by Executus Gira on Jun 14, 2018 4:52:47 GMT
The forest had grown quiet in the aftermath of the bloodshed. The rays of the moon shone down through the leafs in the trees, illuminating the forest floor below, and the paleback and his stallion.
Yet, even now, they were not truly alone. A pair of eyes had been watching the entire conflict from the shadows, almost indistinguishable from the shade around it.
It edged a little closer, to get a better view, but it had misjudged. A part of its body brushed against several leafs of the branch it was beside, creating a loud rustling noise...
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Post by Stage on Jun 14, 2018 5:02:56 GMT
Zander dropped his powder flask, freshly closed, and pointed his pistol in the direction of the sound. He began reaching for his saber to rattle it in case the wolves had returned, but paused as his fingers brushed its pommel.
That sound had been from the trees, not the underbrush. This was no wolf.
"If you are looking for trouble," he said loudly, "then leave now."
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Post by Executus Gira on Jun 14, 2018 5:14:20 GMT
"I mean no trouble, I swear!"
The response had come from a branch twenty feet before him, ten feet up. The voice was definitely feminine, even girly, and surprisingly soft.
The leafs parted, and Zander saw the source of the noise. It was a girl, or something that looked like a very small girl with bat like wings from her back. She slowly fluttered down to eye level with the man, her hands behind her back, and her arrow shaped tail, twice as long as she was tall, swooshed back and forth in the moonlight.
"I don't really know where here is." She said. "But... you're not like any human I've seen before. Not from where I'm from..."
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Post by Stage on Jun 14, 2018 5:56:13 GMT
Though his eyes were wide and bewildered, Zander promptly lowered his pistol. "I... have not seen anything such as you either. Are you from the Brume? I have heard strange people dwell there. Fio. Fairies."
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Post by Executus Gira on Jun 14, 2018 6:23:22 GMT
The tiny woman's eyes widened. "Fae? They... They dwell in this world as well? I know no place called the Brume but... yes, I would be what you call a fairy. That's what humans call us, anyways..."
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Post by Stage on Jun 14, 2018 6:34:35 GMT
"Yes. It is said they rule a forest to the northeast. I have never visited it, but I have heard tales. Not all of them good I fear." Zander titled his head at the tiny woman. "What is your name?"
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Post by Executus Gira on Jun 14, 2018 22:48:16 GMT
"Aseya. That was the name Lady Titania, my queen, gave to me." The small fae replied. "It stands for Loyal One"
She hovered closer. Now Zander could see that the underside of her wings were covered in a light brown fur coating like a bat. "And what of you? What is your name, and where are you from?"
Behind her back, her fingers began to chill...
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Post by Stage on Jun 14, 2018 23:06:47 GMT
"I was given a name as well," the Pale replied. "Zander. By the Gray-Eyed King, Sashenka I. I hale from Lasdre originally, a city far from here, but now call the new capital of Alisdre home."
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Post by Executus Gira on Jun 15, 2018 1:29:42 GMT
"So you travelled here..." Aseya pondered. "And... I can't say I know any of those names. Still, you seem like a nice human, if not a strange one..."
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Post by Stage on Jun 15, 2018 1:32:23 GMT
Zander furrowed his brow. "Well... I traveled here, yes, but I arrived on this continent in much the same you did, I suspect. You spoke of, 'this world,' yes? Meaning you came from another. I am the same. We needed a new capital for a reason."
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Post by Executus Gira on Jun 15, 2018 1:33:49 GMT
"oh." Aseya corrected herself. "I... I misunderstood! Yes, I'm not from this world. Everything here is... not what I'm used to. It's all so strange and new and... not burning up."
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Post by Stage on Jun 15, 2018 1:36:51 GMT
"Burning?" Zander asked. He took an intrigued step forward. "Was your country at war with another? I know of a nation that uses exploding missiles of fire in warfare."
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Post by Executus Gira on Jun 15, 2018 1:47:05 GMT
That one step Zander took forward was upon a thick, slick piece of black ice that had seemingly manifested beneath him. The paleback's foot slid out from under him, and he slipped onto his hands and rear.
Aseya struggled her hardest to mask the snorts and chuckles escaping her throat, but it wasn't enough. She burst into laughter at Zander's slip up. "It was bad times... but this puts them behind me." She cried.
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Post by Stage on Jun 15, 2018 2:23:25 GMT
Though the prank, while rude, was ultimately harmless, Zander's ocean blue eyes lit up with a disproportionate fury.
"I am tired of being deceived!" he hissed as he raised his pistol and aimed at the tiny fey. He squeezed the trigger...
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