The Furry Forums
Creative Arts and Media => Roleplay => Serious RP => Topic started by: Self-sain on September 07, 2010, 09:59:54 PM
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"In a small village, near the Korcari wilds, the morning mist covers the land. Normally a small village, where children laughter, and small town farmers are usually found." A man in black leather armor says to a large group of people. "A body hangs from a sign post, and its inners have been torn out, it sways back and forth on the small flimsily rope that it was tied to. The once rich soil, is now baked with the bloods of the innocents. The once happy children, are now filled with arrows, torn with blades, and smashed with sledges. The delicate smell of fresh bread, has left with the faint smell of body's burning. This is the image is saw,.. I felt, ...and I lived as I arrived to my once humble home. I am a gray warden, I am knight Alfred, and I come to the lands meet with this horrific image, in hope to gain aid." A man in a yellow outfit stands up, "You surly don't think this is a blight do you?" the man mocks as he questions what the true meaning behind the Gray wardens request is. "I assure you, that this, is very much, a blight. I can fell there evil lurk in my bones, there hate scream's at me in my slumber. I'm here to ask you to act before its to late, before we are taken into the darkness..." The gray warden grabs his chest, he cant breath. He coughs up blood, as he loses his vision, darkness takes him in.
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Stella silently continued with her fifth load of laundry today, she would be done when she finally finished washing this large sheet. inside her head though she was humming a tune she had be practicing for the past two weeks. the soapy tin bucket with water washed away the dirt and grime as the other tin bucket washed away the soap. she pretended to mind her own business but her auburn ears flicked at any sound or conversation she found interesting. she stopped briefly to give her arms a break. drying her hands on her apron she then fixed her mass of red hair that spilled around her shoulders. putting it up in a messy bun she continued on, a servant woman came by and picked up the wet, clean clothes that needed to be dried. she raised an eyebrow
"almost done there Stella?" she asked, Stella only nodded in reply. she wiped the sweat from her brow with her fore arm from the high noon sun. the servant woman went away with the laundry. she dumped the water, stood up to her full height of 5'8 and stretched out her kinked back. smoothing out her apron and the skirt of her shabby dress, she headed inside the Inn, the loud noise of customers and servants working filled her ears. people gave her glances as she passed. she was considered a shy beauty, but Stella was different from everyone else, nobody else had cat ears, tail, eyes. though she had a human body, she was different from the other people.
"Stella! we need them wash bins!" a man approached her, silently with a nod she handed him the two wash bins, he gave her a grin before storming off.
It must be busy today... she thought to herself...
((correct post...sorry))
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((Just remember, elves are treated like crap))
A tall human, followed by Dusin enter a small town inn. They look around, and sit at a table near the window, farthest away from anyone.
"I can feel it... there has to be one here, but I can't fell who it is, I don't think they are here."
"Well, maybe I could cause a scene, and force them to defend them self"
"No Dusin, for the last time, you can't keep that train of though your whole life, we will figure something out"
"Fine, what ever, HEY CAN WE GET SOME SERVICE" Dusin yelled at the top of his lungs, looking to see who will and will not respond.
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the head owner was a plump fat lady, she sent the bar maid to serve the new customers,she then started at Stella with a heated glare. "Stella, what did I tell you about coming in the Inn?"
Stella as usual, didn't reply, she stood up straight and bowed her head, as the Inn owner reacher for her, a customer called from the front to clean up a mess. the old Inn owner pointed in that direction "Clean it up!" she spat, Stella immediately did as she was told, grabbing a pail, a mop, a wash cloth and a towel to dry with, she filled the pail with soapy water before coming to the front. the customers either pretended not to care, ignored her or teased her unmercifully. Stella as always, remained silent as she took care in cleaning up the mess....
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Dusin watched as the elf got teased, he knew how that felt, he hated it. "Stupid humans" he said out loud, and the bar maid just stared at him.
"Can I help you, you stupid human" Dusin hissed
"O I'm so sorry for my assistants out burst" the large human said.
"Maybe you should keep it on a leash" the bar maid said
"Why you little wretch" Dusin hissed as he grabbed her by the scurf of her head and pulled her down.
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Once she finished cleaning she noticed that the bar maid, the owners daughter was being picked on, she could not help but smile, but she knew that if she didn't help, she would be...punished.
"Ah..." was all she said when she touched his arm, her eyes pleaded for him to stop
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Dusin looked at the elf that came up, 'A slave' he thought to him self, this made him even angrier. He didn't want to put the elf in an odd position, so he decide to let the girl go, not in the most gentle way, when he let go of her he threw her head back making her fall backwards, and fall over. He couldn't help but chuckle, but he noticed that the inn's owner has now sent for some guards.
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Stella went to help up the Bar Maid, but she threw her off "get off me slime!" before she angrily stormed away. Stella was nervous as the guards came up, they surrounded the customers table, she yanked back, she let out a small squeak as the Inn owner sneered at her "You'll pay for this!" the old ladies hard hands slapped across her cheek, still silent. many of the customers have left due to the violent behavior that was beginning to arise. "Clean it up! Guards, throw em' out!"
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The large human couldn't help but face palm, "I'm sorry about what has happened, and I'm even more sorry about what is about to happen, by the way my name is Loub and on behalf of the circle of magi I ask for your forgiveness." He stood up and the ground around them began to shake and all the guards fell over, "Come!" Loub said to Dusin.
"Yea alright" he said as he jumped over the guards, as loub was running out of the Inn's door, Dusin looked back at the old women who had just slapped the elf. He ran forward at the two of them and took the elf's hand, "On behalf of the circle of Magi, I am taking this women for I believe that she poses magic ability's and must be taken in at once" Dusin turned and ran towards the inn's door, as he pulled on the elf.
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"Ah!" she followed as she looked over her shoulder as she was taken away from the one place she called Hell and Home. she looked back at the two who took her away, from her golden throat she spoke for the first time to someone is six months "Thank you.." her voice was soft, musical, but still extremely quiet
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After a cuople of seconds of running later, "Darn you..." Loub said as he skied to a stop, and shook his head. "You can't just go around abuducting people, and clamimg that people have magic powers just to justify, why you are takeing them"
"Well what if she dose"
"Then I want to see" loub and Dusin both looked at the elf
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as the two stared at her, she blinked, confused by the situation...Magic? she couldn't possibly have...wait a minute, she reached and grabbed his dagger at the strange mans hip, drawing the sharp blade across her palm, blood gently oozed, she winced slightly the blood was still there but she watched as it magically healed itself, good as new. not a scar. she danced in place excitedly, letting out tiny squeaks instead of loud squeals, she pointed to her hand, a big smile plastered on her face. her large amber eyes asking if this was magic
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"A spirt healer, see" Dusin said with a sly look on his face
"Or a blood mage" Loub said as he eyes the elf, "Girl what is you name"
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At first, Stella was hesitant to speak, but she replied "Stella" quietly
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"Well Stella, we are taking you to the circle of magi, where your skills will be evaluated, and you will be takken into traing" Loub said with a stern look, still not trusting her.
"Well I guess it looks to be a two to three day trip back, so is there any place you wanted to visit on the way to the circle?" Dusin said seeming optimistic.
"No we have no time" Loub said as he took back his dagger and began to walk.
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Ukko wiped his blade clean of the fresh blood, traders were too easy, slow moving carts, fat rich men, so vulnerable. He took the new dagger he had gotten from the cart, pocketed the coin, and took some bundles of leather and cloth, strapped them to the horse, dragged the body into a bush and rode towards town, ready to sell his newly obtained goods and maybe make some new clothes out of the leather. "Oh you silly humans."
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durako walked through the trees that lined a trading route to the next town when he heard some commotion coming from further along the path. he ran to see what was happening but got there just in time to see another elf riding away on a horse leaving a broken cart splattered with blood. he looked around and noticed a large body hidden under the nearby bushes. "looks like he was a trader, nothing special." he walked over to the cart and checked to see if there was anything left inside. "nothing. looks like in still walking." he began to walk along the road again leaving what he had seen behind him, and he just continued his walk.
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Loub stopped and looked at dusin, "Do you smell that?" He ran up ahead to see that there was nothing but a bloody mess left. 2hat the hel-" he notice a rouge elf walking off from the spot, "STOP" he yelled as he began to cast a spell trying to turn the ground under the elf into quick sand, Dusin was still running trying to Catch up.
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"whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!" the ground under him fell through causing him to fall, he quickly realized it was quicksand. "what the!! don't just stand there help!!" he yelled noticing the three strangers nearby.
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Stella barely let out a squeak, but she watched the two mages with wonder. she then followed them, heel to heel with the one who saved her from her previous home. in her chest she felt a sense of curiosity and a strange sense of dread, she was not prepared for the sight that was ahead...
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his skin began to itch as he sank into the quicksand. but he knew this itching, it was the transformation taking over. "are you just going to stand there or help?" he yelled to the two standing back and there companion who had stopped mere meters away. "if your going to do something, do it soon."
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Ukko trotted into town on his horse, the humans giving him dirty looks as always, many of the men shouting curses at him. It didn't matter to him really, who cares what they thought? all that mattered was that he had some goods to exchange. He stopped at a cloth trader's booth. "Hello there, I would like to sell you this bundle of cloth." The trader eyed him critically, obviously displeased that he was an elf but when he saw the cloth he became interested. "This is fine cloth, how'd you get it?" The trader asked. "Trading, buying and selling, just as you do, except i go from town to town, there seems to be more people in different towns during different parts of the season." Ukko lied. "Alright so i'll sell you it for the modest price of 5 gold if you interested." The trader's eyes lit up, it was a very good price indeed and he bought it without hesitation. Ukko turned to go to the leather workers shop when a man on horseback rode in, announcing that he had seen a bloodied cart and some strange people on the way to town. Ukko slipped back onto his horse and rode out of town, he wouldn't like to be blamed for such crimes, as most suspicious elfs were.
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"What happened here" Loub said to the mysterious elf, "what the hell' he thought to himself as he felt magical energy start to pulse through the elf. "Dusin, take the girl up to the village, and go inform the villagers what happened" Dusin nodded as he grabbed the girls hand and started to run ahead, "Now your going to calm down, and tell me what happened if you wish to get out of this hole"
In the village a random person grabs ukko and throws them off of the horse and threw them on the ground. "I know what you did" the person said, they stuck out there hand, "Now I don't agree with what you did, but I can't ignore the fact that you defiantly have talent, I'm here to find new recruits"
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he breaths slowly "OK, i walked up the road and see another rouge riding off on a horse so i looked around and went to continue walking when you showed up..."he said watching the stranger "now about my current situation?" he said smiling
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Stella wanted to scream at the sight but she was dragged away, slightly stumbling behind him, she didn't look back. "Sir...I wish not to be rude, but I did not catch you name" Stella said softly, her eyes staring at her sandaled feet.
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Ukko looked up at the man who had thrown him off his, now fleeing, horse. Ukko stood up slowly and motioned for the man to move to a more secluded location. "What do you think you're doing?! you can't just do that so close to the town gates, someone might have seen! and what do you mean recruits? and how did you find out?!" Ukko said quite quickly, obviously flustered.
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The man took down the hood of hid rob to show his face, he had a dark red tattoo on the left side of his face that looked like a crow. "Well for one, I use to be part of the most powerful group of assians known as the crows, your good, but you wouldn't even make it as a recruit. Well that was until, i got my self in to a predicament, much like your self. I was caught, and asked by a man if I would join his ranks as a gray warden." The man offered his hand again, commotion could be heard in the back ground. -
Dusin finally got to the entrance of the village when Stella asked him his name, "O... I'm terribly sorry about that, I'm Dusin, now not to cut this short but we have to find a guard and inform them of this." he said as he started to try and look around 'blast all these oversized fools' he thought to himself. -
Loub looked at the elf, he didn't have any proof, and he couldn't have him arrested for being a scum bag, but he had to do something, "Under the law of the circle, I am putting you under temporally siege to have you evaluated, will you comply and agree to this, note that this, is the only way I'll let you out." Lou said as he started to back up a little bit, he wasn't sure what to expect, so he started to concentrate some mana, he could get the man out with this, or defend him self, which ever it came to. In the distance a small group of guards where running there way.
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"the circle? so that's it........." his face went blank "this is going to be a long trip... fine just get me out of this hole." *it had to be a mage.....of all the people in the world it HAD to be a mage.* he thought to himself quietly.
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"Dunsin..." she repeated, she looked around,they either gave them nasty glares or said harsh, racist slurs. she felt something hard hit the side of her head, a group of boys, one with a sling shot were laughing. she sighed sadly as an elf passed, half canine of some sort. his spirit was broken as he pulled a heavy looking cart behind a plump, finely dressed merchant. Speak such harsh words...such cruel words...why do they speak so selfishly...? she sang under her breath. she hopefully thought that no one heard her.
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Ukko took the hand this time. "So... what exactly do you want?" the commotion outside grew louder for some reason.
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'Because they are evil' he thought to him self, she said it with out wanting any one to hear, so he thought it be best to keep it to him self. He looked ahead, and saw a guard, "Hey" he yelled, the guard turned and looked at him, then at Stella, then back at Dusin. "Look an elf, and a dwarf! Surround them, don't let the go" , "wait no listing darn you" he growled, he was staring to get aggravated with these stupid humans. But now he was surrounded, he didn't want to fight, especially with out Loub, he wondered how Stella is going to react.
The sand around drakou started to rise up until he was out of the ground, and it fell to his feet, "A mage and a Elf working together!" An old man said as he was passing by, "I must inform the guards" he said as he started to run. "Great..." loub said.
"I guess your not as smart as I thought, I'm going to have you join the ranks of the gray wardens" then man turned noticing the large circle of guards, "I'm not as ethical as the rest, so you got luck, they might of drooped you on sight"
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"sooo......i assume my sentience starts now?" he said brushing sand off his clothes and out of his fur. "listen i really don't like this agreement you set up so just be honest about this, how many mage's are you traveling with?"
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Ukko saw the guards and heard the yelling, he moved a bit deeper into the shadows and grunted. "Alright then, we should try to get away from here though, too much commotion."
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Stella was filled with terror, but she didn't want to be caught in the middle only to be recaptured and sold. a man dressed in black appeared from the group of surrounding guards, he was young but not a good looking guy. he grinned "whats the trouble?" he said in fake concern. Stella gasped, she knew him, she then gave him a hateful glare...gripping Dusins shirt sleeve until her knuckles were turning white...
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Dunsin looked at Stella, she was terrified, he was trapped, so was she, he didn't want to be imprisoned for nothing, he didn't want nothing to happen to either of them. He could feel his muscles tense up, 'what do I do'...
"And miss all the fun," the man chuckled at his own joke, "alright if you wish, we need to find two more recruits, so off we go then" the man glanced at the large group, and then begin to walk off in a casual manner.
"This is bad do you not understand that we could be now wanted, just because. I was seen helping you, we need to get the hell out of here" Loub said with a distress look on his face, he took a deep breath, raised his arm in the air, and a bright light shot off from it.
Dusin looked at the bright light shining off not to far away, "Great now we are on our own, Stella... get down" Dusin took a deep breath, and concentrated the air of his lungs to compress as much as they could trying to get as much air as possible , "Well... let's get them" one of the guards said, Dusin let out a large roar, causing a gust of concentrated wind, sending the guards that where in the way flying a couple of feet back. "..come on" Dusin said as he took Stella's hand and began to run. "Now that may be another potential addition, come let's follow them before the guards realises what just happend." The man jumped on a horse and offered his hand to Ukko.
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Ukko followed behind the man, with a bored expression on his face, glancing at things that might cause interest and not making it too obvious that he was following the man.
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durako followed closely trying not to think about what had happened to much. "so are you going to answer me? or are manners not your thing?" he asked lazily.
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Stella followed Dusin, with one hand, she held up her skirt to run easier, she kept looking back to see if they were followed, she noticed someone on a horse, following them. she let out a small squeak, running as fast as her legs would let her, she stumbled slightly but did not let herself fall. ahead she saw a unattended horse drawn cart, she inhaled as she then opened her mouth, she yelled for the first time in years "Look!" her pretty voice rang, she pointed in the direction the horses and cart were.
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"Nice" Dusin said as he ran towards it, getting on and offering his hand to Stella, he didn't seem to notice the man right behind him. Loub wasn't far off from them and he ran towards Dusin when he caught a glimpse of them, "Yes Wasn't it obvious, anyways there is more important things to worry about right now, like getting the hell out of here." Loub grabbed Duarako's forearm pulling him as he ran towards Dusin. Once he got close he noticed the man on the horse, what looks like, he is pursing the two mages. Loub runs in front of the cart and pulls his arms to his side. He concentrates his energy and the causes the ground in front of the man to fall like a wave.
The man on the horse sees the a new mage arrive on the scene, "this can't be good" he said out loud, "Hey kid you best be ready for anything, you never know what they can do" as turned his head back around he saw the sand wave about to engulf him and Ukko. "Shi-" he jumped of the horse, grabbed Ukko, and tried to lung out of range of the wave. Thew wave crashed down on horse and landed on the mans right leg, "Uggg!!!" the man grunted, "Hey kid, that one in the front is hostile, do you think you could fend him off for a second, If not, one of us won't be lasting much longer." the man said as he examined his leg.
Loub looked at Dusin, "Stay back, and watch those two, I'll take care of these two on my own" Loub began to concentrate energy again.
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Stella took Dusins hand, climbing up onto the wagon, she gave a wary glare at the other elf. she looked at Dusin, full of trust she took the reins and handed them to him, the horses pranced lightly in place....
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he climbed onto the cart along with the other elf, "hi....." was all he said as he sat down and watched the mage attack.
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Ukko was again caught by surprise by the sand wave I need to be more aware of things... he thought. He pulled out his new dagger in his main hand and his favorite dagger in the other, both gleaming in the sunlight. The crowd was already gathering and they of course would be against him if they decided to join the fray, but all he had to do was hold everyone off. "Who do you think you are rushing in here and attacking us?! What have we done to provoke such actions?!" Ukko said trying to make the mage explain while also buying him some time.
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Stella nodded her head in return to the other elf's greeting.
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An arrow flys in loubs left shoulder, he screams in pain, and then looks at the squad of guards coming at them, "Die you pathetic mortals" Loub said in a deep demonic voice. He took the arrow out of his arm and the blood from his shoulder drained into his palm. "Kill them all" one of the lead guard said, as the other guards fired there arrows, loub jumped in the air and cut open a hole in the sky, he went in it, and so did the arrows, he appeared behind the squad, "What the hel-" the arrows flew into the guards and penetrated them. Dusin looked at his friend, his mintor, his master, he was corrupted with a demon, all that he was ever taught was to never give into a demons wish. Yet here was Loub, corrupted, he betrayed all that he knew, all he stood for, most of all he betrayed him. The guards drooped to the floor, and Loub looked at Ukko, and began to laugh erratically. He charged at Ukko, but something grabbed him and stabbed him with a dagger in his chest, the knife was taken out and then slit his throat. It was the man, he almost seemed invisible until he attacked, 'what the hell' Dusin though to him self, before it hit him, "LOUB!!" He yelled as he started to run at him. Blood was dripping from Dusins mouth, but he didn't noticed. He went to his knees, and looked at his friend who was now bleeding every where. "I'm sorry.." Loub coughed up some blood, "I was weak, but your not... don't give in... this man did right, go with him..." Loub coughed one more time before his body was stood frozen, the man walked over to Dusin. "He was a friend of mine, ...he would want this" The man limped over to the cart, he pulled him self onto the cart, and sat next to Durako. Dusin felt tears stream from his face, "Excuse me girl, If you don't mind can you go to this camp site over here" the man pointed to a point on the map, "Hey kid you did fine distracting him, please get in the cart before more guards come" the man leaned back, and wiped his dagger clean. Dusin looked at Lobs body one more time, he set it on fire, before he turned and and got in the cart next to Stella. He wiped the blood from his mouth and shut his eyes.
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Ukko leaped into the cart and stared at the man how did he... before Ukko could even finish the thought guards began charging through the crowd.
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"you!" durako said as the other rouge got in the cart. "thanks to you i was falsely accused," he then looked at the other man behind the rouge. "but you just loosened my bounds." he smiled slyly
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"Dusin...?" Stella reached out, ignoring the man, she touched his shoulder as soft, white light luminated from her finger tips, this has always happened whenever she felt or saw pain or sadness. with her other hand she gently touched his other shoulder, her other hands lit up with the soft, white light. no pain is worst then the pain of losing a loved one... "he must of been very good friend to you..." she said softly
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"We need to leave..." Dusin ordered the horse to move east, towards the camp site, "it should only take us till about night fall" the man said. Dusin continued to look in a diffrent direction not wanting to talk to any one. "Well, I guess I should first tell you why I followed you, I saw you use the air punch as Loub called it, back when we where kids. ...He was a good friend of mine... anyways, I'm here to recruit you into the ranks of the gray wardens, you have more then enough talent. My name is Samlinstie, or sam, I think it could do you some good. As for you other two, I guess well have to find a place to pawn you off at be-" "Stella is here with me!" Dusin growled, now looking forward with a serious look on his face. "Yea..anyways if you have any questions, we should be there by the time we arrive" sam turned to inspect the damage to his leg.
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Stella gasped, her eyes wide. her heart was pounding wildly...she was always nervous when people became angry. but she smiled inwardly when she knew that she was not going to be sold again. she began humming quietly to herself, but continued to give cautious looks at the man named...Sam, right now she only trusted Dusin. but as all slaves are taught, it is not wise to become to attached... even though in the a day, she trusted Dusin fully. she knew it was best to keep that truth to herself, except she eyed all the people around her. she was good at people watching. she hugged her knee's to her chest, she had almost fallen over a couple times due to the bumpiness of the horse cart. she closed her eyes...and slowly she fell into a light doze. still aware, but not quite....
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"try and sell me, but the moment I'm no longer stuck with them...." he referred to the other elf and the dwarf on the other side of the cart "I'm going back to what i was doing."
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((Hope its okay if I join, even if I'm kinda late. I read the story though))
As the cart traveled down the road, after a turn, there was a broken box in the middle of the track. The bars at the front showed it was a cage, and, even thought it was broken, there was a poor mabari stuck inside. It looks like it had been there for some time, it saw the cart pulling close and let out a whine, followed by a short weak bark that was only ment to say, "Help me." The mabari looked out at them, they hadn't been the first to pass him by since he fell off a cart that was transporting him.
He had markings painted on his fur. The markings of a war dog. He whined some more, hoping these good people would stop for him.
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(hay i don't think anyone will mind but you should go to the ooc, just to stop any real complaining.)
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Yevin stepped towards the pedestal where he would drink the lirium-based tonic and enter the Fade, but the First Enchanter put a hand on his shoulder with worry almost shinig from his eyes. "Yevin, do you truly think you can handle the Fade without us?" Yevin's eyes were unfocused, so the Head Templar put a hand in front of the First Enchanter's shoulder and gently pulled him off Yevin. "The boy is more accustomed to the Fade than the rest of us, I mean he practically sees it every time he casts magic!" The First Enchanter nodded with reluctancy and let Yevin begin his first complete 'dive' into the Fade...
Upon reawakening in his bed, there were two Templars stationed at his bed and were dressed for battle by the looks of their attitude and armaments. "Oh look, the buck is finally awake." The tone was condecending, but what was odd was how dark his eyes looked. "You getting up or-" as the Templar reached for him, Yevin seemed to snap as he shot a blast of electricty right into the Templar's chest while yelling:"Don't touch me!!" The other Templar pulled out his sword and held it towards Yevin, who calmed down even though his fists never unclenched. "I understand that we may not ever experience what the Harrowing puts the first-timers through, but that does not justify trying to fry someone for trying to get you on your two feet." The dark gaze Yevin had earlier completely vanished and his eyes seemed filled with worry. "Did I just... kill him?" The templar kicked his less disciplined colleague, who groaned rather loudly at the kick. "He'll be fine since the armor took the brunt of it, but I'll need to come with you to explain why we have a wounded Templar."
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"Sell me?" Ukko sighed "Well have to see how this goes." Ukko notices the smallish animal in the cage. and the poor condition of it, he quickly hopped off the cart lifted the box and managed to get it and himself back on the cart. He examines the animal. "I can't bare to see animals in distress, and he looks friendly enough."
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"I swear..." Sam said as he shook his head, and faced palmed. "You elf's are more sensitive, then a pregnant women. When I said pawn, I didn't mean sell, I merely meant to get rid of, for one thing, selling some one is illegal,and for another thing, I'm not allowed to do something that isn't ethical." Sam looked at the marbial, "A war dog, the only thing better then a marbial, is two" Sam chuckled at his own joke. Dusin ignored the loud man, they where pulling into a small camp ground, there appeared to be a good amount of people going this way and that, he didn't know what was totally going on. "Hold on, sate your business here, you ELF, and Dwarf." A guard said at the front of the camp ground, blocking there way to get in. "Hold your tongue, have you no respect for a Gray warden." Sam said as he popped his head forward in between Dusin and Stella. "A thousand apologies, please move forward." the guard motioned for the others to let them pass. "Stupid humans..." Dusin said, not caring who heard. Dusin parked the carriage into a holding pen, it wasn't there cart, but he couldn't just leave it anywhere. Sam jumped out of the cart, "I'm here to find some Gray Warden candidate, these two have already been approved candidates, the rest of you, will either A, try your luck to get the approval of the elder Gray warden, or B, be tried for any crimes you where committing when you where luckily saved. Not much of a choice, but it's yours." Sam said with a devilishly smile, "Wait! what do you mean candidate, I still have to do more??" "Of course, now if you guys have anything else to say, well be off to see the elder." Dusin turned to Stella, "Don't worry nothing will happen to you.. I promise."
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Stella opened her eyes and happily smiled to Dusin's promise, she jumped off from the cart and looked around, standing next to Dusin. her senses told her to run and hide and wait until be called on but she did not dare to move. Stella was feeling the same emotion as the marbial was when she saw the look in its eye. vulnerable, helpless, but most of all, she was still extremely terrorfied of humans. she stood closer to Dusin. she did not want to show fear, but it shined brightly in her eyes as she looked around, she hurried over to the horses that were pulling the cart. one was a dark brown gelding while the other was a black filly, the dark brown had a white marking on its face with black socks, the black one only had a white streak down her face. she began to take off the tack of the horses except for their bridals. constantly looking over at Dusin, finally, done she walked back with both horses, she handed the reins of the dark brown horse to him.
"He might be...useful...to you..." her eyes lowered, but she was trying to not smile.
-
When he looked up into Stellas eyes, he did feel a definant bind, like, although they wern't even the same speices, they were the same. Horse lay back down. He was still in the cage. He gave off a little whine. He would do anything to be free again, to no longer have the confines of this box. He lay his head on his crossed paws.
-
Stellas eyes trailed back to the Marible, she noticed the lock, it was simple to pik, with a pin from her pocket, she made and effort to do so, when she did, the door swung open "go now..." she said gently "your free"
-
Horse stepped from the cage and he ran around. The air smelt so good. He ran to a stream nearby and drank before returning to Stella. He sat at her feet. He owed her a debet of gratitude now. She fee'd him from certain death. He sat and looked up to her before standing and bowing with his front legs. He was then so happy he jumped up onto her, knocking her over and lickign her face.
-
Ukko followed close behind Sam, the camp was so busy and he didnt want to draw any attention to himself like in the city.
-
"well I'll just be going...." durako started to walk off knowing he had done nothing against the laws other than existing in the humans eyes.
-
"I think not, I may not know any of you, but I know how to have all of you put in jail, or sentenced to death, you may leave, after your trial of course, and please note, it will be a human jury, so the choice is your."
-
he threw a blank stare at the man. "i hate you......." he walked back over and sat down next to the cart. "so what do we have to do?"
-
Sam laughed, "I been told much worse," he said as he patted him on the shoulder. Sam leaned again the cart, as a short old man walked up, he was an elf, but only a little taller then a dwarf, probably because of his hump in his back. "Samlinstie, are these the new comers, there are quite a few, please tell me about your self, Oh wait where are my manners. My name is Daunak, I came from my tribe in the wilds, I was under apprentice ship, until something happened.. Now I'm am one of the mightiest gray wardens in the land." "Always one to be little your self" Sam said with a chuckle, "So he is just nothing special.." Dusin said with a sour tone, "Hold your tongue!" Sam hissed at him, Daunak raised his hand and smiled. Sam just grunted, "He is the strongest man in all of Feraldon, you best show your respect". The man just laughed a little, "umm... sorry I guess... I am Dusin, a mage from the circle"
-
Stella stood with her new friends, the horse and the war dog at her feet. she kept her tongue and said nothing. the black horse, in which she named 'Dancer' was constantly wanting her attention. ((dancer will be important to Stella's character later... though she wont appear much)) she quietly listened, hiding behind the group.
-
"Child don't be scared, please, no one will hurt you here" the old man said with his beaty little eyes pearing at here, "Child I was once like you, the only way to solve this, is to just face it, so won't you tell me, what your name is?"
-
Stella gulped as she stepped forward, her new friend Dancer followed "Stella, sir..." trying her best to hide her beautiful voice. she looked at Dusin, nervous.
-
Yevin was now riding a row-boat to the lake-port since the Templars forbade him from leaving across the bridge in fear of his new 'condition' endangering traders and incoming students.
Three hours earlier, Yevin had gone up to Irving's office flanked by three Templars and two mind-specialized mages. Irving sat at his desk, his sagging eyes reading over the report of his recent actions. "Young one, it seems that something went wrong during your leave of the Fade when you completed your Harrowing. Would you care to elaborate?" "No sir, I would rather leave the tower than explain myself while the supersticious Templars stand with their swords at hand." The First Enchanter seemed further depressed at Yevin's refusal, but solemnly nodded and waved him away. "You are still one of the Circle, but your situation is too serious to simply let be. Farewell Yevin, and may your travels give you peace of mind..."
-
"durako atcher, last of my line." he said not looking up from the dirt. he watched the horses feet contemplating stealing it and riding away, he then looked up and saw Stella standing with the horse by her side and decided against his plan. "anything else old timer?
-
Horse barked happily to the old elf. He walked over and sniffed him a little before walked back to stella side. He could see that the old man was no threat. Just by smelling him, Horse could tell he was a mage, and a powerful one at that. Horse never really understod how magic worked. It was like elves and men could just go poof and things would appear. If he could make things appear, he'd get the largest pile of bones ever. especially lamb bones, mmmm, lamb bones. He let out a little whimper remembering how hungery he was. Last thing he had to ate was a snake that slithered into his cage two days ago.
-
"so are we going to do anything or are we just going to sit/stand here and shrivel out under the sun?" durako said getting impatient.
-
Ukko cast a sharp glance at Durako. "Be patient." Ukko looked up at the old elf, he felt the power seep off him and was contented to wait until he was ready to reply. "My name is Ukko sir, forgive me for forgetting to introduce myself properly to you.
-
Daunak laughed, "It is fine child, I remember when I first came here, I wasn't the most cooperated. Well to become a gray warden, there are some requirements, you must all attain a bottle of dark spawn blood, well other then the marbial of course," the old man laughed as he called in another person, "This is well she has no name, she is form the barbarian tribe off the Korcari wilds, she will upcoming you along your journey, you will need five bottles in total to do the induction, you will also need to check the smoke off to the west, we belie there may be a mage there, we just want you to talk to her. Only after you get the blood." The old man and sam started to walk away, the name less women glared at her companions and only grunted. "..shall we move then" the women said, not looking at any of them.
-
Stella blinked at the nameless woman, Dancer waited patiently, she led the horse to the stream for a quick drink before finding Dusin, talking low enough for only Dusin to hear "do we need suppiles? new clothes" she looked own at herself "I am not exactly in travel material" the out of the blue, her stomach growled. blushing madly she looked away. she forgot that she hasn't eaten in a while...due to the quite amount of excitement...
-
"this just gets better and better." durako sighed getting up and walking over to the barbarian woman. "is there any way i could just walk away and not get thrown in a cell?"
-
Horse turned to Durako and growled at his whining. He sniffed at the nameless woman before growling. He never trusted wild people. Mostly because he was in battles with them, in the kings army. He then perked up his ears, hearing Stellatalking about how hungry she was. He then ran into a bush for a few moments before emerging victorious with a dead hare. He walked over and nudged Stella offering her the dead, mangled, drool drenched hare.
-
"That is where you belong, there is another way, I could smash you then you won't have to worry about it" The women pulled out a large club, and before Durako could react, she swung it. The club stooped right in front of his face, the woman's face looked intense, frustrated. The old man was standing a couple feet away, he eyed her with a deathly look, he turned around and walkaway, the club feel from her hands and she gassed for air.
"I'm not sure" Dusin said, sam popped out of no where, "it won't be a long trip, I think you should leave the horse, you can take the maribial if you want, there is food over there if you want something a bit, less fresh, I call every one when it's done, in the mean time there are supply's over there, but you will need gold, and I'm sure you both lack that." Sam said as he begin to walk away, "He is right I'm broke, maybe we could find some things to sell when we go off, but in the mean time, I think he is right, we won't be gone for long, and the horse is safer here, don't worry we will be fine." Sam yelled for food, and every one came and ate, shortly after words, they all stood by the gate, "Are you all ready to depart, if so, you'll head east, watch for darkspawn and you'll be fine." a guard at the gate said.
-
Stella petted the Marbial, smiling sweetly she said "you eat it, give yourself some energy" taking the food that was given to her, she ate it, occasionally giving large hunks of bread to the Marbial. she notice a collar around its neck, the tag only said 'Horse'. "cute name" she said quietly to herself. Petting him affectionately, she eat every last bite. looking down at herself still in her rags. sighing heavily, wishing she didn't have to go like this, but she didn't complain. after she ate, she set Dancer Free. the black horse, galloping in the opposite direction she was going.
-
Horse could see how sad Stella was about her clothing. He ran around the camp, looking around in all the tents before finding a rather extravigant open case in an empty tent. He looked in the case and found a beautiful womans dress. he gently picked it up and put it over his neck before running back to Stella and nudging her gently. He wanted so badly to repay her for freeing him from his cage. He looked at the guard waiting for them. He had eaten there and was ready as he ever was to travel, battle or, well, generally do anything.
-
"A dog that steels, could put you in great risk, you might want to keep an eye on him form now on, but for now its fine, we will wait for you if you wish to change"
-
Horse looked at him then back at Stella. Horse as with more Maribai had no idea of possession. Everything belonged to everyone, the only time something could only be used by a certain person or being is when they had it in thier hands or mouth. He stod thier panting and looking up at Stella with big puppy dog eyes and the presant for her.
-
"I don't think he is stealing" she said kindly as she took the dress, it was simple, an elegant emerald green. long sleeved. she hid and changed, the skirt was long a flowing. Petting the Marbial. "I believe that he is only repaying me, for the kindness I have shown him" she stared at him "Like I am doing for you, I will do anything to show you my gratitude" this time she wasn't afraid of anyone hearing her voice. she walked in the direction of the nameless woman. she tried not to show her how terrorfied she was about 'darkspawn' everyone else knows how to fight, but she knew nothing of battle. her palms sweated as she trembled, but she kept a level head.
-
Ukko looked at his daggers and his sturdy leather armor, good for traveling, the only thing he really needed was water, throwing knives, and some poison; Because of the gold he..."acquired." earlier he had enough money to pay for them all. He searched around the camp, easily finding water, throwing knives were a bit harder, and easily found poison from a shady merchant. He eventually heard Sam yell that the food was done, he ate his fill and continued to the front gate, where everyone was waiting. "I am ready to depart." He said to the guard.
-
Yevin, wearing earthly green robes with an even darker green hood, passes by the group and is stopped by the guard as he tries to pass through. His shoes show quite a bit of wear, but also seem like they could last forever. "Give me one sound reason as to why I cannot pass..." He didn't even make eye contact with the guard as his head was always pointed at the ground.
-
"For one there are darkspawn all over that area, for another thing this is not a place for civilians. This is an area owned by the king, and he will not have some out law running about this area for no reason. Now turn back, or I'll have you turned on your back." the guard said, as he went in a more aggressive stance.
Dusin not wanting to be in the middle of more blood shed, wished that the other elf would hurry up, "Where is that other elf, the one that accompanied us in the carriage" he said looking at Ukko, and Stella.
-
Stella waited patiently. she close to Dusin. she liked her dress, admiring herself in it.
-
durako walked up to the group quietly, "I'm coming." he sighed walking past Dustin.
-
Horse barked impatiently. He was ready to get going already. Although he was domesticated, he also enjoyed th wilds. It felt right to him when he was there. He wouldn't want to live there though. It was far too unpredicale. Horse liked a little predictablity in his life. One of the reasons he was so good as a war dog. He knew how people would fight, he knew it from watching all the training of the men and elves and dwarfs he was fighting with in his time. He walked over to the gate and started sniffing and pawing at it. It was time to go.
-
Yevin fought the urge to silence the guard when he said "civilian", but anyone attuned to magic could smell a strong demonic taint for just a moment before Yevin took off his hood. "I must have been hearing things, did you just call a circle mage a 'civilian'?"
-
"What oh, I'm sorry sir I didn't mean to umm er.... please pass" The guard said, fearing that he may be turned into a toad. Dusin looked at the man, he couldn't help but over here what he said, "your form the circle, that's funny... I don't recall ever seeing you"
-
The taint was once again in the air as Yevin started to shake his head like a mabari hound with someone's leg in its mouth. "I could say the same for you dwarf. Nobody informed me that the circle was open to scale-faced barbarians."
-
"You bastard!" Dusin yelled as the air around them condensed and then burst into a heated blaze. "O crap!" the guard screamed as he ran for his life from the hellish flames. "Stop!" the old man said, as the lames dissipated, with Dusin, and Yevin on the ground. "There will be no fighting in my camp" his nice, calm, smooth voice, was now stern, rough, and power full. Dusin couldn't move his body, it was as if the air around him was smothering him, he could only think that the same thing was happening to Yevin. The old man face went calm again, and dusin's body became free, "Son, if you want to start trouble, I'll have to ask you to leave, and you Dusin, I would expect more from a potential gray warden."
-
Horse could smell the taint coming off the mage. He growled. It smelt like darkspawn to him. Darkspawn which he had killed before and tasted thier blood. It always made him so sick. But, the dog trainers always knew how to take care of him when it happened. But, he always hated darkspawn for that. But, what they did if he didn't stop them, would be much much worse. Like what he would do to this mage if a demon would try taking him.
-
during the whole, siege, Stella was scared speechless. once it was over, he knee's buckled and fell down, trying to sit up, she stared down at her trembling hands.... they stared to glow a silver white light, barely glowing, but it engulfed her hands, a gentle breeze blew around her as the glow dissapeared. she was sweating slightly, she wrapped her arms around Horse's neck, she let out all her fear in a heavy sigh....if there was one thing that scared her more than anything...was fire.
-
durako looked over at the group cautiously. "OK, who isn't a mage here?" he asked still looking from person to person.
-
Ukko had read about mages, mostly in priceless books he stole, and when the air heated up he dodged backwards and drew his blades, but sheathed them once he realized that the old one had restrained them.
-
Yevin stood back up rather calmly considering he hadn't brought up his guard or even attempted an attack. There was no taint in the air and the tone of his voice was almost panicked as he looked at the damage from the fire and how he was near the center of it. "W-what happened h-here?"
-
Sam, stood behind Yevin, "There is no need for your games, you know what just happened, you discriminated against a dwarf, the dwarf attacked, and now we are here." He put his hands on the hilts of his blades, "We are here for a reason, but what reason dose the circle have to be here uninvited"
-
Yevin's face contorted into further confusion as he looked at Sam. "What are you talking about, I never said anything to a dwarf, even when that waitress slapped me for not tipping her extra!!" A look of realization suddenly bloomed as he grabbed his horn buds and started to make a whimpering sound. How long had he been in control?!
-
"Look I don't know what game your getting at, but we need to move" Dusin said as he began walking, he turned and looked back, waiting on the others to follow. Sam eyed yevin, "annd move I don't like and it will be your last, what are you talking about"
-
Horse let out a worried whine as he let Stella hold onto him, trying to help her up. He saw the silver that happened to her hands. He licked them, trying to figure out if they were hurt or if it was something that always happened to her hands.
-
Ukko grew tired of this. "Oh forget this, he is obviously some weary delusional traveler, We have a mission to finish." He began to walk out of the camp gate.
-
"nothing is wrong Horse" she whispered...she stood up. "should we go now?" she called out
-
"That way we must go, there has been reports of darkspawn" the nameless women said as she began to walk, Dusin looked at Emily, then looked away, 'why do I hurt every one...' be beagn to walk with the name less women
-
durako followed the group silently watching the others cautiously. "so how far are we traveling?" he asked walking next to the nameless woman and Dusin
-
Horse stod next to Emily. Standing between her and everyone else. Not to seggrigate her but, as a protective barrier. Incase they tried some of that stuff again. He started to grow very protective of her. He followed the namless woman into the wilds. He had heard the word that all his masters feared. Darkspawn. They didn't scare him though. They were just another fight.
-
By the time the group left, Yevin had vanished from everyone's sight. The stench from earlier returned when they entered the wilds, but it was much more bearable as whatever the source, was too far away to be pin-pointed by scent alone.
-
Stella knew nothing of the wilds, but she followed silently, her amber eyes darting around, looking at everything. it scared yet fascinated her greatly. sighing heavily she listened to both her beating heart and the wild wood
-
Ukko casually strolled through the woods, seeming relaxed. But in truth his hand never strayed too far from his dagger, and his fox ears twitched and turned listening to every sound.
-
durako walked merrily through the trees constantly walking on and off the path, humming as he walked past Stella. "what are you so worried about? you have an early warning system right by your side." he said rubbing hores on the head with his other hand lazily resting on the hilt of his sword aweare of horse's objections to him. he smiled and disappeared back behind a tree before walking across the path again humming.
-
Dusin stopped and put his hand up, "do you hear that" he turned around, not seeing anything. "I hear of nothing" the nameless women said, "that's my point!" Dusin said, looking around restlessly. A tree is knocked down as an ogre beings to run at the group, dusin is in the front, right by the name less women. The over sized creature kicks dusin, sending him flying into a tree, the creature then looks at the name less women who has her club readied. As the women swings the clup, the creature grabs her hand and lifts her in mid air, she dangles as she struggles to get free, she looks at the ogre who's face was in front of her's. She had a look of fear as she gazed into the heartless eyes, it let out a might roar, grabbing her legs and ripping her body in two, she didn't even have time to scream. Dusin trys to get back onto his feat, gazing at the terrible ordeal, they would need to act fast, and try to stay away from the creatures deathly grip. Stella was next in line, "RUN STELLA" dusin yelled as the him and the beast race towards her, he didn't know what he do if he got there first, but he didn't want to know what would happen if the evil darkspawn's behemoth reached her first.
-
Stella ran into the tree's panting heavily she never looked back but she knew the dark spawn was behind her. her mind raced, she needed to do something and fast. she tripped over something. hitting her head against a tree root. her vision went blurry, she could barely see what was going on, her body moved on its own in defense. she ran again, the thing was almost at her heels, when her vision came to again she was at a river. she quickly ran through the water. almost at chest high was when it came. grunting, staring at her. slowly almost tauting her it came into the water. growling and opening it mouth to show a row of bloodstained teeth. she moves farther back into the current, stronger now, she firmly plants her feet into the soil. her hands were glowing white again. something different happened. right as it lunged for her a serpentine shape of water rose into the air and smacked it back to the shore.
-
durako ran over and launched himself out of a tree and landed on the ogre's head as it rose from the ground. he drew his sword silently while holding on to one of the ogre's horns, "go, i got this!" he shouted to Stella plunging his blade deep into the back of the ogre's neck before getting knocked off by a flailing arm. he landed near Stella dazed.
-
Stella ran to him, holding up above the water "wake up!" the orge drew out the sword and roared with rage. Stella and the water serpentine magic attacked each other again, the water wrapped around its body, draining life from him
-
durako looked over just in time to see Stella take down the ogre. "well that was intresting......shouldn't we get back to the others?" he joked walking up behind her in the water.
-
she barely had time to respond when the ogre got out of the hold and jumped in the water next to them, sending Stella and Durako away, Stella went deeper into the current, even though it was shallow, it was swift. she held onto a rock praying for dear life, her hands didn't glow white anymore, she had no idea how and why she was able to do that water ability, but she knew one, thing, she couldn't do it anymore. she was cold, wet, in a river and in terror because a dark spawn was out to get her. she recalled the image of nameless being torn apart, she threw up her lunch. the ogre was coming close at violent speed and she had to think of something, fast. her grip on the rock was growing weak and the current was growing stronger... a soft voice spoke to her. let go...let go of the rock, go with the current he will follow, and fall to his death at the waterfall
Stella stayed where she was, no matter what some weird voice told her to do, she had to keep the ogre distracted from from Dusin, Durako, Horse and Ukko. even if it meant her death or capture.
-
Ukko was following close behind the whole time and fired an arrow at the beat from behind, a muscle poison arrow to be exact, to hopefully slow the beat down, but he hand't fought darkspawn before. He kept firing his arrows, he couldn't let these people get killed, not after what he just saw. "HEY UGLY COME THIS WAY!" he yelled the whole time whilst shooting arrows.
-
"NO UKKO!" Stella screamed, "Go! save yourself" Stella was slipping and quick. she couldn't get these people hurt, especially Dusin, he saved her, now its her job to protect him. she held onto the rock, the current was growing quicker and quicker.
-
The stench that followed the group got stronger as the source was moving in. Yevin burst through the bushes on the other side of the river, and jumped onto the rock that Stella was holding onto. His staff was out, and had fire on the tip of it as he reached down to her with his left hand. "Do you have no shame? Get up here and finish your fight mage!!" His eyes were two different colors, the one on the left being bright green while the other was completely black.
-
"mage!" Stella's beautiful voice rang in terror and annoyance "what in heavens name are you talking about, I am an ex slave!" she almost slipped and fell but she held on to his hand. "I have no idea what is going on! maybe you can tell me good kind sir!"
-
Yevin pulled her up next to him, and he was able to jump back from where he appeared, and let her stand on her own. "An ex-slave that just manipulated water, and obviously little training from what I hear!!" He yelled, then turned to the ogre and held out his staff as it shot lightning across the river and right at the ogre. "Come face your better, ogre!!"
-
"I have received no training!" she shouted but then she looked at her hands "at least I think so... it was not me!! my hands only glowed white!!"
-
Yevin, while waiting for the ogre to actually respond, send another lightning bolt up at a branch that hung over them, and it fell between him and Stella. "Pick up that branch, its the closest thing I could make at the moment. Once this monster is dead I'll be your trainer, and I'm not taking no for an answer!"
-
Stella was panicking, "what, what!?" Stella looked at the branch, picked it up and then dropped it "why wont you take no for an answer?!"
-
Yevin, didn't face her as he kept his gaze on the ogre. "Because I just saved your life, and if you even try to say no, I'll kill you so that these mortals don't suffer from your magical incompetence!"
-
Stella remained quiet. she continued to glare at this elf. he had a point, but she didn't like it. mumbling to herself she checked her body for cuts, she had some bruises and scratches but nothing dramatic.
-
durako looked up and noticed he was hanging in the tree above Stella, he turned and saw the ogre stumbling around. he lept back down into the water after spying his sword, he quickly grabbed it and ran back up, jumping from joint to joint, onto the ogres back and went back to work on the spot he had already opened. he then jumped back only to get hit by another flailing arm sending him towards Ukko. he landed with a solid thud against a tree and noticed Ukko with a bow, "aim for the base of the neck, its open!"
-
The Oreg screamed in anger as pain fluttered through out its body, it grabbed a large bolder and threw it a yevin, and then one at the water in front of Stella causing a large wave to over take her. The creature then looked at ukko, and threw a small tree at him as it began to run towards thicker part of the forest. Dusin was Finlay coming closer to the group, he had wounded his leg so he was slower, he saw the creature begin the flee, but he also saw Stella in the water, "dam it" he said pout loud, he had to let the creature go, or else Stella will freeze to death.
-
he saw everyone else distracted as the ogre started to flee "fine I'll do it." he grabbed his long elven bow and an arrow and started running after the ogre. he jumped up onto it again and quickly shot the arrow, point blank, deep into the ogre's spinal cord.
-
Stella screamed, falling into the water in a extremely strong current. after being underwater for several scary seconds she came up and drew air before falling in again. but this time she grabbed a branch and hoisted herself out and onto a rock next to the shore.
-
The ogres hard bones took the hit, but where weaked, the ogre grabbed the elf, and threw him all the way down to the river, with such force that he skipped twice. The creature then blened into the deep forest. Dusin pulled as small misshappen staff that was quite short, due to him being a dwarf, and shoot an air pocket into the water where stella was, "hurry before the water falls back" he yelled
((Let me handel the ogre for now))
-
Stella grabbed onto Dusin. she felt her body beginning to chill, teeth chattering and her skin turing blue.
-
(sounds good, i think i might just see to the high probability of broken bones.....)
he felt the solid hand grab him. "this was not supposed to happen......" the ogre threw him and he hit the water, skiping across it like what it felt like to him...stone. he slammed into a tree this time shaking the thick trunk. "help.......i think the water broke something......or it was the tree......I'm not quite sure which." he said full of different sensations of pain as he lay where he had landed........in a thorn bush........
-
"We failed..." dusin said, pulling Stella out. He used a basic frezze spell, to make a small bridge, to go help the other elf. He put his arm across his shoulder, "I think we should set up camp, any one else?", he began to walk back trying to keep most of the wight on him, he looked at yevin, will he come?
-
Ukko had finally rolled the rather large branch off of him. His legs were bruised but not broken, then he saw Dukaro skip across the water and heard the mumble for help. Ukko ran along the Newly formed ice bridge and said a quick "I" to Dusin before sitting up Dukaro gently and looking for the wounds.
-
Yevin sneered at scale-face that was holding him, and pulled himself away surprisingly well for someone that was hit by a boulder. "My only interest is in this ex-slave being taught magic. Beyond that, I have no desire to see anyone here leave alive." His tone made it sound like he was going to kill everyone else, but he ment that out of all the people that fought the ogre, he wanted Stella alive above anyone else. He brushed the pebbles off his robe, then lifted his hand towards his fallen staff as it flung itself towards the palm of his hand for him to grab it and then use it as a walking stick.
-
"Dusin" Stella whined softly as she sat on the ground, chattering and cold "its...really coold..." she held herself tight, trying to keep in the remaining warmth she had. her teeth chattering violently she looked up at her self proclaimed master, sighing, knowing that she had no choice in that matter she looked away. she began to think that she looked at pathetic as a drowned rat. she knew that the best way to get rid of hypothermia was to get out of the wet clothes, but there was no way she was going to do that in a group of men. "we have not failed" she tried to say to dusin reassuringly "you, Ukko and Durako can follow him...I'll go back to camp" still shivering violently, she managed to smile t him.
-
Yevin, finally noticing the plight of his apprentice, held the tip of his staff out and made the small ember turn into a fire. "No, you are staying with me. I will keep you from freezing to death, then our training will begin when your clothes are dry and you have regained your staff."
-
Stella automatically moved closer to the fire, turning to her Master she gave him appreciative nod "thank you" she said softly. she was feeling warmer but still cold, "so...are we staying here?" she asked curiously at her master.
-
Yevin let go of the staff, and it held itself up perfectly as he gathered fire wood and lit it into a roaring blaze before stripping off his upper robe, recently cleaned just before the fight with the ogre, and tossing it to the ex-slave. "As a mage, I am in control of my emotions, no harm or disrespect will be caused if I see another strip before me. But, if you must have privacy, there is a bush over there that has no thorns in it." He pointed to the berry shrub a good three meters from where he was now sitting.
-
Stella grumbled, she wrapped the cloak around her as she watched him build a fire. "I have name you know...its Stella, no last name" she felt better, warmth was coming back to her body, slowly though. she smiled gently as she kicked a small rock with her slave sandals, a memory of her past, she too then off. feeling the Earth's vibrations. "it means Star" random information about herself but she thought since she was going to spend a long while with his, it was better to let him know of herself...little by little. she looked up at him "whats your name?"
-
The black in Yevin's eye almost vanished as she asked the question, most people just treated him as a peasant or a vagrant since he kept a low profile. Now, he was getting asked his name by some female he, on a whim, had made his apprentice. "You will either call me Master, or Master Yevin. Do not mistake this for a slavery, you will have far less excuses to mess up as I will be explaining what you need to do."
-
Stella heaved a huge sigh of relief. smiling as she re ecohed his name " Yevin...you have a very noble name master"
-
Dusin looked at the other two mages, he didn't like what he saw, he just had a bad feeling about that guy. "Hey mm, ukko, right? Do you need any treatment, if not could you help me with this guy" he said as he gesterd towards, durako, "I think he might of hurt his back, if we can get to him soon, he should be fine enoguh in the morning."
-
Stella wanted to help so badly. but she knew she needed to explaine her new situation to her friend "Dusin" she called. hoping that he would hear
-
Dusin's head snapped at hearign his name, stella called him, "yes?" He called back
-
Stella go up and gently and slowly explained her new situation with Yevin, also telling the story behinde it. she heaved a heavy sigh at the end "I have no idea what to do now? I know that if I don;t do what he says, bad results will happen...and I don't want to stray away from you"
-
"With all that has happend it slipped my mind, you need a teacher very much, you could easily be" he stopped mid sentence, and thought about his friend. He looked away, "its for the best, but ill never be far, if you need anything, you just yell"
-
she wanted to ask who she could easily be, but then she didnt want to find out, knowing the look on his face. she hugged him. silently crying. "I won't be far either... you have been a good friend and I will always be there for you in return"
-
"no hurry, but i think i found a sword.........or at least it feels like a sword......its hard to tell. wait, no hurry? sword?.......HELP ME!! THEIRS A SWORD IN MY LEG!!" he called looking down at the sharp pain in his thigh only to see the tip of his blade. he grabbed Ukko's shirt in pain holding on tightly. "for once being in a group might actually be a good thing." he smirked quietly holding Ukko close.
-
"Don't worry I got you, Dusin come over here and help me treat Durako." Ukko looked at the sword. "We can't remove it just yet, just try not to move..." Ukko continued to inspect his wounds, the most major being the one to his leg and back.
-
durako looked at Ukko blankly "does it look like i can go anywhere?......i can't even feel below my arms at the moment......"
-
Dusin setup a small fire, about six meters away from the tip of Yevin's camp. "Ok brace you self" he said as he quickly pulled out the blade before Durako could respond, he wrapped it some a herbs that he found on the rivers bead. "I'm sorry, I'm not a spirit healer, that all i can do for you, but it should stop the bleeding." Dusin and ukko, put him near the fire, and dusin pulled ukko to the side, "Do you want to follow the beast? It will only be the two of us, and possibly the dog, but we need to act before it can meet up with the horde, I'll leave you with some time to think, I'm going to dispose of the other women's body..... we don't need to attract animals, or more darkspawn..." he said as he left.
-
Ukko had been thinking about going after the creature, the only thing he really knew about darkspawn was that they had hordes. "You shouldn't go out into the forest alone, I'll come with you, we can come back and then go after the darkspawn."
-
Stella approached Durako and knelt down next to him, her hands began to glow white with a hint of grass green. automatically her hands touched his bloody bandages. his entire wound glowed white then as the bandages fell apart, his wound was completely healed. Stella jumped back with a startled cry. she waited for it to reopen again...nothing happened. her heart pounded wildly. but in the process, her own hands were wounded with a jagged cut across both each palm, still bleeding until the wound closed up and healed, but the blood remained there and her hand pulsed white hot. sitting on her knees she she rocked back and fourth and the painful, red hot ache seared her whole hands. whimpering softly but tears brimmed at her eyes...she then randomly remembered something she over heared while she was in slaved there is always a consequence for magic...
-
"Alright," the two of them began walking in the directon of what dusin belived to be where they came from, "so... tell me about your self" he wasn't very good at small talk but he thought it be best to know his future allies.
-
Ukko didn't know Dusin very well and didn't want to tell too much about himself just yet. "I don't usually work with others, and I steal things for a living, a simple life style, and you?" Always good to know who your working with, and any information you can use against them if needed.
-
"thanks...." durako said shyly looking away as Stella healed his leg. he heard her wimper softly and looked over at her "you didn't need to help me.....not when helping me hurts you...." he said ripping off one of his sleeves then tearing it in half. he tied it gently around her palms then sat back down looking at the fire. "don't take how i act around you personally, I'm just not to friendly with mages."
-
"I...have never done this before...." she said shakily. clenching her teeth.
-
"I came from the tower" he said, looking ahead he saw a pack of wolves eating the women's dead body, "I think we should just turn around before they spot us", he said a she began to walk backwards, he stepped on a branch, cracking it. "Dam.." he said as the wolves turned and began growling.
-
Ukko instinctively took out his bow "Just keep backing away maybe there protecting their food...." He already had a poison tipped arrow drawn.
-
"i can tell, but don't worry from what i know the pain should go away soon, but then again i don't know the extent of your powers. it could take seconds or it could take hours." he shifted uncomfortably up against the tree, his bloody sword shone with the reflection of the red fire through his crimson blood. "your a former slave aren't you?" he asked turning back to look Stella in the eyes.
-
she nodded silently, holding back tears, breathing deeply "ever since I can remember..." she said softly, her hands were beginning to feel better but not great. "My master was Lady Klaudia Lysinger, bought me as a babe seventeen years ago..."
-
"I've seen quite a few slaves in my travels, i was never put into slavery, but my grandmother was. she escaped using magic before fleeing to a small settlement in the forest where see lived out the rest of her life." he said calmly surprised at how easily he was opening up with not only a stranger, but a mage. "I'm a little curious though, if your a mage....then why were you a slave for so long?"
-
she glared at him, but then her features softened "I guess...I was taken from my family by Slave Traders...I have no memory of my parents or my... lineage what so ever. though long ago a woman like myself, a slave that was considered crazy...she called me Clasae Spiritchaser. saying that I looked just like my mother, Amarua Spiritchaser...and that I was taken from my home when the ceremony was beginning. taking me from my mothers arms...of course I know nothing, I didn't believe her." she looked at Durako intensely "who is Clasae Spiritchaser?"
-
"ahem......well.....awkward moment.......that's actually the name of my aunt on my fathers side.........." he said unsure of what to say next. "she's the only one who ever left the colony other than me.....i heard rumours about her abilities, but i never imagined her having a daughter........." he smiled softly and chuckled a little looking up at her. "well it seems that you followed the family tradition, unlike me."
((if you don't want to go in that direction then just say so and I'll change my post.))
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Horse finally limped back into camp. He foolishly had set in chase after the ogre. He lost it after falling down a large hill and hiurting his leg very badly. He had put up a valient effort but, it was in vain. He limped over to Stella and saw the other mage teaching her magic. He lay down tenderly, making sure not to lay on his possibly broken leg.
-
sitting beside Horse, she stroked the poor dog, she didnt want to risk hurting herself more. "did she...look like me at all?" she stared straight at Durako. Amber eyes shining and her once dark red hair was still wet.
-
"she is your reflection in the water......but a bit older as you would expect, but the only thing i remember of her that it different to you is your eyes.....you have your fathers eyes." he said looking deeply into her eyes.
-
"My...father..." she paused for a moment. not really knowing what to say, she wanted to believe him, everything was happening so fast, it would scare her but somehow..she was calm about it. she thought for a moment "who was he...? why was I taken away from them? and whats this...ceremony for an elf child?"
-
"ahhh.......i think we should discuss this later" he said not wanting to hurt her with the answers, now his gaze had returned to the fire. "look, now you know about a little of your heritage......its best it stays between the two of us. some things are best not known....." he got up and walked over to the other side of the camp still limping a little.
-
Stella wanted to so desprately know...but then she thought it was best not to pesture, she went back to nutering Horse, singing softly to him, hoping it would sooth him
-
"if it helps.....your mother was a good person, if not for my training in the clan i would be your adopted brother. but when she left i had to stay for my training as a warrior. she would have never given you up willingly........just remember that you inherited her heart.....and not the void in your fathers." durako said with his back to Stella, the last four words spoken quietly, he was trying to not let her hear them. he looked down to a scar along his forearm that he had been cursed with for longer than he cared to remember.
-
Stella froze in place...could of been her adoptive brother...he knew so much about her life and clan that she never knew of. smiling to herself as she continued to help Horse. she began to happily hum the tune she had practiced for weeks. her eyes became heavy as she fell over, her head next to Horse's. she fell right into a deep sleep.
-
"sleep well cousin, you deserve the peace of your mothers side......you don't deserve a father such as the one you are cursed with......" he said climbing into a nearby tree to watch over the camp.
-
Horse whined as he saw her suddenly fall into a deep sleep and thought how wonderful a good sleep would be right now too. He lowered his head and watched Stella. He looked around, injured, hurting and tired, he still watched out over her. He could not help himself as his heavy eye lids closed and he nodded off to sleep.
-
"Lets hope" he said still backing up, he fell over a tree rot, falling back into something. He heard low growling and turned to see a blight wolf staring at him, it lunged at him, and he had little time to pull out his small staff, to barley block the vicious teeth that where gnawing for his flesh. The wolf had him pinned down, holding his staff on top of him he couldn't move, but at least the wolf couldn't get him. The other wolves started to circle around the two of them drawing closer with each step.
-
Stella's dreams were filled with lot of terror, blood and screams. waking up suddenly, it had only been a few minutes but her gut told her something was definately wrong. cold sweat beaded on her brow and the back of her neck, laying down shakily she closed her eyes, resting.
-
"durako heard a wolfs howl come from the direction he saw the others go. 'they should be fine.......' he thought to himself looking over at Stella and horse. he got to his feet and jumped out of the tree, he grabbed his bow as he ran past it heading to find the others.
-
Ukko flicked out his Dagger and embedded it into the wolves neck, yanking it out and flashing the blade at the others. "It pains me to say this but we must kill them if we want to survive." Ukko helped Dusin up and stood at his back, watching the wolves, waiting for the next strike.
-
Yevin had listened to Durako, and kept to the outside of the camp, keeping himself hidden as he caught only faint echos of what was being said. He stayed there until Durako left, then crawled into camp on all fours and sitting next to his apprentice. "So... you're a Dalish?"
-
Stella was awake, she sat up, her eyes filled with confusion "Dalish?" she asked.
-
Yevin nodded when she replied in confusion. "Thats what the Irving said they are, clans of elves that constantly travel because their land had been taken after their prophet Andraste had passed on."
-
Stella was intrigued. "Master, will I learn about Folklore in...I guess my training? my fellow slave mates would never tell me stories of their land"
-
Yevin nodded, then sat down next to her and not next to the mabari next to her. "The Circle has many a book on magic similar to that of the Dalish, and their magic was deeply tied into their culture. I was born as a city elf, who were treated as less valuable than the dirt the walked upon. But I was able to escape the fate of my family and possible siblings when my magic surfaced during my first three years, and was sent to the circle to become a mage. Now, go to sleep my apprentice, I will keep night watch for tonight and I will not take lack of sleep as an excuse tomorrow."
-
"Cover me, I'm going to summon a tempest" he said as he began to move his hands around in a circular motion, bringing energy to him self. A wolf lunged at ukko, as another crept behind him.
A fiend with a deathly stare watched the rouge elf run to aid his fellow companions. She jumped down in front of him, "Why is an elf all alone, in my woods" she said as she ran her fingers across durako chest plate.
-
"okay..." she said softly, resting next to Horse, falling asleep into now a comfortable dreamless sleep....
-
Ukko easily sidestepped the wolf and stabbed it again in its neck, twisting the blade and locating the wolf behind him, but he was too late. It bit into his leg, only to be stabbed in the neck moments later. "Whatever you do do it fast!" Ukko coated his throwing knife in poison and threw it at one of the wolves, it scampered back whimpering.
-
Yevin watched as she went to sleep, then closed his eyes in a facade of exhaustion as his ears and body acted as sonars for movement or sudden changes in the air. Imagine, you of all entities to actually show care about someone besides your own well-being. Shut it, she will be my next vessel after I give her the knowledge to surpass your skill. Yea, like warming her up or making up a story about knowing the Dalish as a mage even though this is my body you're riding in...
-
Stella began to dream again...something though was different. it was a vision almost. she watching her own self. dressed in shining silver and emerald robes, she watched as she opened her hands and a ball of silver blue lightning, she looked angry, hurt and... vindictive. everything that she never wanted to be.
"this betrayal must end ...NOW!!!" her own voice was more beautiful and enchanting than ever, she watched her exploded with extreme energy. casting it to an unknown source. but she saw that in her own amber eyes, tears flowed down her cheeks as she whispered "why is trust so easily broken..?"
in her sleep, her hands began to glow that eerie white again. she was crying and her body curled and trembled violently.
-
Yevin left his inner conversation as he heard crying, and his gaze went down to his apprentice Stella. He wanted to wake her up, but he played it safe as he held her hands, and tried to supress her rising magic. Well, this definatly helps pass by the time... He occasionally said 'shhh' while holding her hands, trying to calm her down and keep her power from going berserk.
-
Stella in her dreams felt gentle hands as she began to calm down, still crying... in her dreams, she watched herself cry as she screamed to the unknown source "why, master, why would you do this to me!!" but in her sleep she repeated it in a mere whisper, loud enough for her master to hear before she grew silent, the dreams vanished and so did the magic...all together, not a trace left.
-
Dusin let out a might roar as he threw his hands to his sides, as static between him them tried to pull them back together. As his hands dropped to the side a large black cloud formed over them, striking thunder around the group, killing the wolves as the lighting decimated there bodies, striking to close to home. Dusin panted hard as he looked at his work, burnt bodies laid around them, he looked at ukko, "you ok?" he said with a smile, his knees buckled they gave out form exhaustion.
-
Ukko caught Dusin, both of them were on their Knees. "One of them bit me behind my leg, but I got him before he could get in too deep. you?" Dusin could really hold his own in a fight Ukko realized then.
-
Yevin gently lifted her off the mabari, and leaned her against himself so he could wrap his arm around her. Aw... you're such a father figure. I thought I was supposed to be the 'evil one', but I'm being heckled by goody two shoes here! Me, heckling?! Naw, I just think its cute that you're showing concern for her.
-
"who are you and what do you want?!" durako said quickly moving away surprised by the woman's sudden appearance. he had no desire to stay to long and was slowly backing away in a defencive stance when he heard a large storm suddenly appear off to his left, he looked in the direction for less than a second before realising his mistake.
-
Horse heard Stella talking in her sleep and awoke. His leg was still sore, but better now. He sniffed at Stella hoping she was okay as she cried out quietly in her sleep.
-
Stella was still sleeping. nothing happened, except for the beating of her heart that regained its normal beat. she could feel that she was being held, in all her life she was never held like this, for an ex slave her aware body found it comforting. she suddenly had visions of her friends, her cousin, all were in trouble, but her body was too tired to stir. except for the soft groaning, but it wasn't enough. she had too much happen all in one day.
-
When Yevin felt her calm down, he jammed his staff into the dirt and it created a glyph that formed a barrier around the staff and anyone who held it, along with anyone else the wielder was touching. This ment that Yevin and Stella were protected, but not the mabari hound that was sleeping nearby.
-
Dusin chuckled, "that's a high level move" he took a pauses, panting, "I'm not that experienced yet... so it took a lot out of me, should we look for the beast or head back" he said looking at ukko, trying to stand on his own.
The women had Durako's hand in her hands tossing it up and down, she chuckled, as he face dissolved off and it exposed her skull, giving and ominous feeling. She lunged at him biting his neck and ripping a chunk off, he grabbed the wound, and noticed that his hands where burning, and soon his whole body was. He screamed in agony as she chuckled, his vision went black, and his body stop burning, when he looked at her he noticed that she had all her flesh and he had no dame done to him. She chuckled once again, "I'll ask you again" she said as she gave a deathly stair, "why are you here"
A loud roar is heard through out the came, as a wondering bear comes in, as it comes closer it is obvious that it is a blight bear. The bear looks around, the barrier hides stella and yevin from its senses, but it sees the marbial, and growls as it begins to run at him.
-
Horse looked at the blight bear and jumped to the side, avoiding the charge. It barked as it ran at the bear as it stopped to come back around at him. He jumped and sank his teeth into the bears neck. Biting down hard and not letting go.
-
Right as the bear charges,Stella envisioned her dog companion being attacked as he looked so helpless lying there. she mumbled his name but did not stir. she wanted to help him so badly but she knew that right now, she could do nothing...at all.
-
Before the bear got to Stella, Horse ran and jumped, hitting its side, knocking it over. He bit its neck and hard. As his teeth sunk into its neck, it pulled back tasting the tainted blood. It was vile tasting. He did his best to spit it out before looking back at the blight bear and growling loudly.
-
"We...we should...bury her..." Ukko said gesturing to the partially eaten body. The roars of the bear were drowning out in the distance.
-
Horse limped over to Stella, after seeing the bear bleeding out from the chunk he tore in its neck. He lay down off his sore leg. He looked up at her and licked her hand, almost to let her know it was alright.
-
"No time to," he took in another deep breath, "and her flesh might be tainted, we should just burn her"
The mighty bear let out one more groan before finally perishing on the ground, and ill smell filled the air as the tainted blood broke down and ate the renaming flesh.
-
Ukko began tending to his wound. "Do you think you have enough strength to start a fire?"
-
"No, I doubt I have enough to get back to camp" he laughed, pulling out a fire rod, "but a good mage always has at least one of these". He set a pile of sticks, on top of the remaining body parts, and using the fire rod, he lit the sticks on fire, "come, I think we should hurry back, I think Stella might be able to help you, a lot more then I can" he laughed some more, offering his hand to ukko.
-
Ukko let Dusin help him up. "Yeah, looks like you need rest too." Ukko Helped Dusin on his way back to camp.
-
"why do you need to know?...." durako asked now trying to escape the feeling of dread that was enveloping him while quickly backing away again, he drew his blade now determined to not let her try anything else like what she had just done.
-
Yevin didn't lower the barrier, but put a hand on the mabari's injury, and the palm gave off a white light that seemed to heal the damage done. "Thats your only freebie, the next will cost you half your next hunt."
-
Stella finally woke up, she didn't see what happened, but everything looked odd, the bear...she sighed with relief that Horse was alright, but she had a throbbing headache...she has had these before, but not like this..
-
"You dare raise your blade at me!" She yelled, as the air around them became heavy, a dark smog floated around her, giving off eletrical impulese, her eyes started to grow a greenish yellow, as she started to laugh. "Foolish elf, ill have your skin for this." Dusin and ukko began to come closer and the women heard, "you just watch your step in my forest" the women unleashed a sonic boom sending him back into a tree and disappeared. "The hell was that" dusin said, running to see drako fall down, he ran over to him, "are you all right?"
-
Horse runs over to Stellas belongings, incase she had something that could help her. He could see she was in pain. And he just wanted to help. He whined concerned for her.
-
"why me........" was all durako got to say before the sonic wave sent him flying. he looked up just in time to see Dustin and Ukko come into view. "another jolly being going on its merry way." he said getting up and cracking his back. "lets just get back to camp, i could use a good sleep somewhere she can't get, i mean somewhere quiet........" he said looking around more obvious with his caution then he realized.
-
Ukko followed close behind Dusin and helped Durako up. "Back to camp it is, no way we can stand much more out here.." ukko said, looking at his leg.
-
Yevin put down the barrier as he could sense that somewhat more helpful individuals were arriving soon. "Young Stella, now that the air is a bit more clear and you have awoken, shall we start your training? Or shall I just create a pain larger than the headache you have?"
-
durako walked normally between Dusin and Ukko, his right eye twitching a little as they walked, he could feel the womans burning stare burning a hole in the back of his head from the trees.
-
The finally made it back to camp, dusin looked at yevin. He seemed not angry, if that made sense, he thought to himself. Then looked at what was the bear, now just a giant blood spot, and shook his head,"hey ukko, go prop your leg up, ill go see if Stella can help you" he turned to the other elf, "hey your good right?" He said as he ran over to Stella.
-
Yevin's staff seemed to move fluidly from the ground and just out far enough to poke dusin in the chest as Yevin stared him down. "My apprentice will not require help if a headache is all that ails her..."
-
"yea, just loosing my mind......." durako said quietly, eye still twitching, once Dusin was out of ear shot. the burning gaze still on him but now he felt it moving lower down his back. he quickly moved so he was sitting against a rock, completely hidden from that burning gaze.
-
"yeah I am fine" she gave Dusin a small smile. she then looked at her master "please don't...no more pain" her tone was bitter and on edge, though she said nothing else. she got up shakily...she somehow felt different.
-
Yevin nodded to his apprentice, then reached out with his empty hand to call Stella's staff to his hand before he handed it to her. "First, you will need to learn how to draw out your energy in a form more helpful than glowing hands or unskilled manipulation of water"
-
Dusin walked away, wiping his chest, "what's that Guy problem" he said to ukko, as he sat next to him. "Sorry I don't think Stella will be able to help you, I could boil water that's about it, I'm not an herbalist." He looked at durako, "ill set the tent up if you want to get some rest I think we all could use it" he looked up at the sky, it had to be around 7am. 'If we leave at high sun, we should be able to find some dark spawn' he thought to himself.
-
she nodded, she was so distracted, she wanted to help, the moon was high as she gave a pained, worried to the others...her slave instics still deeply imbedded into her brain were firing up, she would become anxious if she couldn't help.
-
"no no, i'm fine." durako smiled as the burning appeared on his left shoulder. he quickly scuttled around the rock to hide again.
-
"Well then," Dusin set a pot of boiled water infront of ukko, "there you go, there are some cloths to the side, good luck with that." He stood up, looking at the sun, "ill be heading down for a needed rest, we shall leave at high noon, I take you and stella shall stay and train after we depart?" He said looking at Yevin
-
Yevin put an arm over Stella's shoulders, shaking her from her thoughts before turning back to the scale-face before him. "I am surprised you never even bothered to tutor her since you are a mage yourself, but that no longer matters as I will in fact be training her."
-
Horse stood by Stella side and looked at the rest of the team, as if to tell them, he was staying with her while she trained.
-
Stella was comforted by the fact that Horse was staying with her. smiling she knelt down and began to affectionatly pet him.
-
He let his tongue hang out as his tail wagged at her patting, and, before long, she patted the best spot that made his leg go up and down like crazy. His eyes went all lazy, like they always did when he was patted there. He let out a content whine.
-
Stella laughed joyfully as she continued to pet him. hugging him, she sighed happily.
-
"that's it! just come out and fight me!!!!" durako yelled jumping up from behind the rock. he noticed something instantly..........five burning gazes, bit not the one he was after. 'had she gone? did i just made a fool of myself? was i crazy?' he looked around at the faces around him. "I'll be in that tree over there......" he sighed lazily dragging his feet over to a tree on the other side of the clearing.
-
"I know her less then a full day, I am in need of an guide, there is no way someone of my skill level could be any good to teach someone else the arcane arts" he watched Drako leave, "it matters little, I'm sure you think you are far superior then I am, so ill leave it to you, now if you don't mind ill be off to get some rest, ill be beast slaying later, until then" he said as he walked into the tent resting his head down.
-
Ukko walked back into camp, garbed in new clothes and holding an empty pot that once held the hot water. He tried to watch Durako, there was obviously something wrong with him, something had happened. Ukko slowly lifted himself up, his wound was healing but it still ached. He limped to Durako. "H-hey, you ok?"
-
"yea, but i think someone is planing something. this creepy woman jumped me when i went after you and dusin." he said siting down against the tree. "but its not that, she did this weird illusion that felt so real then i could feel her watching we all the way here.......you think I'm crazy don't you? wait are you laughing?" he looked up at Ukko blankly realising how pathetic he sounded.
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Ukko instantly changed his face into that of passivity. "No, of course not. Now tell me about this woman, and what did she do? Dusin may know something about this. And I don't think your crazy because I know something must have happened out there, you wouldn't be acting this way if nothing happened, Now come back into camp, warm up by the fire and rest, were going to need it for tomorrow."
-
Yevin 'lightly' tapped Stella on the head and walked over to the river. "Come... your training started two moments ago"
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Stella followed, rubbing the top of her head ouch? she picked up her 'staff' she inspected it then, eyed Yevin.
-
Yevin seemed impatient as he stopped at the river and faced Stella. "I will not repeat myself again, or shall I give you more 'encouragement'?" he yelled as the ember on his staff turned into a fireball.
-
Stella eyed the fireball, she began to sweat... fire, she gave him a death glare "using fear as form of 'encouragement'...?" she said darkly, she then ventured back out to the ice cold water till the water reached her thighs, raising her hands to sky "here I am!" she yelled, she then smiled, putting her hands on her hips "teach me!" she challenged
-
The fireball turned into a sphere of electricity as he made a darker version of her smile. "From where you are, pick up the water without using your body or any form of clothing."
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Stella, seeing the ball transform...she had felling that being in water was not a good idea. she got out onto a rock, she crouched low. she wanted to say something but she decided not to. closing her eyes...she began to search herself, finding light within her, a small ball of unshaply water raised as high as eye level... as she opened her eyes, the water ball flew directly into Yevin's face, hitting him. Stella froze...
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Yevin actually seemed to be stone-faced, but it only took a few moments before he started to laugh. "Oh... that was cute... now its my turn..." Yevin made the water rise out and grab Stella, and then it froze around her hips and all the way down to the bottoom of the river. "Now, try to keep it from leaving your personal space."
-
her face dissolved off exposing her skull, giving of this ominous feeling. She lunged at me biting my neck and ripping a chunk off, i grabbed the wound, and my hands started burning, then it spread to the rest of my body. my vision went black, and my body stop burning, when i looked at her she was back to normal, and so was i. then she just laughed, and asked me again 'why are you here' i drew my sword and tried to run but she just got angry, the air around us became heavy, a dark smog started floating around her i could feel electrical impulses, her eyes started to grow a greenish yellow, as she started to laugh. then she called me a foolish elf and swore she would have my skin. then you guys came along and she disappeared after telling me to watch my step in her forest and sending me flying with a sonic boom." durako sat there not sure if Ukko was even listening, he just sat there watching some ants fight a Caterpillar.
-
"I don't get why you have to freeze me??" she yelled, she sighed as she thought of something that would melt ice...warmth....ah how nice does that sound right now! slowly the ice melted, but it left her frost bites "owwww....cooooold"
-
Horse lay on the side, watching the two train. He knew better then to get into a magic fight. He felt bad for Stella though, a few time. He wanted to go over and see if she was okay, but, he knew this was training, and it was better not to interfere.
-
Ukko listened carefully. "Well I most certainly believe SOMETHING happened back there, Dusin may know something about this. Come on lets go talk to Dusin." Ukko said offering a paw.
-
Yevin rolled his eyes, and the ice that held her in place melted away, but there was still space between her and the rest of the 'prison'. "You'll get out when I see some water controlling happen with your eyes open!"
-
Stella tried and tried, but no matter how many times she tried she could not see the light within her with her eyes open. "well, maybe if your taught me how to do so Master, I would greatly appreciate it...right now I feel like I am not being taught anything" she sat down on the rock, her head in her hands...this training is going no where...
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"Have you ever tried 'daydreaming'? You enter the Fade when you're asleep, so try dreaming that you're making a sphere of water rise out of the river. If that doesn't work, then close your eyes and do what you did again, but open your eyes slowly, keeping whatever draws out your power fresh in your mind. Understand what I am telling you?"
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Stella gave it a try, seeing ball inside her mind with her eyes open it formed, her excitment was overflowing, but again like last time the water shot its self in poor Master Yevin's face. Stella couldn't help but giggle quietly as she tried to apologize.
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Dusin lets out a mighty yawn, reveling his mighty teeth , from his more primitive side. He brushed his eyes as they adjusted to the sun light , he felt rejuvenated after that nap. He steeped out of the tent, seeing ukko and drako coming towards him, He sat down near the fire, still half awake and not wanting to go over to them.
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Yevin made another tentacle of water, but it detached from the river after a certain distance and formed a near perfect sphere before turning into snow. He then hurled it at Stella and it seemed to engulf her entire face. "Control your emotions, Demons from greed, lust, sloth, and pride only need to have a mage show weakness and their body is open to manipulation!!"
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Stella wipped the snow from her face, she was growing tired of him, he was rude, crule... she was tired, hungry. she jumped back into the water, waded back to shore. and walked past him without giving him another glance. "c'mon horse" she said quietly. as she began to walk back to the trail she was on the previous night....
-
When Stella walked past Yevin, his eyes seemed to glow bright red. Then the next instant the glow was gone as his posture became meek and he almost sprinted towards Stella. "Please forgive my rudeness Apprentice, but it is truly important to maintain your composure when trying anything beyond water..."
-
Stella was startled...he went from...evil, to good. Stella, being a gentle, forgiving nature smiled "I am sorry, it was not in my place to just walk away." she blushed sheepishly "are you hungry...after we eat we can continue?" thats funny...its like he has two people inside himself... which is impossible
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"hay dusin, quick question. its about earlyer. back in the woods i ran into this woman, she did something and i guess I'm kind of hoping you know what." he repeated the same thing to dusin as he told Ukko. "any idea?"
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Dusin sat. There for a second, "yea.... it sounds like the put some kind of mind spell on you.... but I never heard of anything of such a degree... and they didn't use any kind of blood, like they didn't cut them self or anything right?"
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"i don't think so, i was distracted trying not to look her in the eyes, but i couldn't stop myself....." durako said feeling slightly embarrassed, he started to blush and quickly looked away.
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Horse perked up at the mention of food. He got up and slowly walked over to Stella, and sat beside her, seeing how hard this training had been on her.
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"I'm not sure then... well at any case we shall be on our way, maybe we will see you mystery lady along the way, are you ready to move?"
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"yes i am, and as for running into her again......i hope we don't. i really do." he said grabbing his stuff. "ready when everyone else is."
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Ukko shouldered his pack. "Ready."
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"You guys do realize we will be back by night fall right" dusin said in a joking manner, he grabbed his little stub of a staff, and looked at Stella and yevin. "Good luck" he said throwing his hand in a gesturing manner, and began to walk off. As the group walked dusin started to notice a decrease in the number of animals around, the smell of blood filled his nostrils. "I think we are getting close, keep your eyes pulled" he said, holding his staff in a aggressive manner.
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durako noticed the decrease in the animals, "so where are we going exactly?" he walked next to dusin with a hand on his sword.
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Ukko coated his arrows and daggers with poison, Silently listening to the conversation and eying the forest.
-
A small breezed flowed in, rustling the leaves, followed by an omanis silence and a deathly stillness. Dusin inched forward, and an arrow flew at his chest, he quickly cast a blaze of fire burning it, but as quick as the arrow was destroyed a small darkspawn lunged forward grabbing his staff holding him down. Four other dark spawn spilt and ran at the two elves, while the Archer, now visible , began to ready another arrow.
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Yevin continued to smile as he nodded, then put his staff away as he almost ran to the camp and pulled out a few pieces of dried meat from his satchel. "It might help with your containment if you imagine it being held in a container thats the shape you desire, then 'hold' the container in your hands."
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Stella raised an eyebrow but then closed her eyes and imagined a high quality pot to make a stew out of. she opened her eyes and to her delight there was a pot. she turned to horse. "Horse, you would be so kind, to find a rabbit or two please?" "I hope it doesn't fade away"
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Horse varked happily and ran off into the bushes. He went deep into the woods away from the camp onto the trail of something. He finally came across what he was tracking, a ram. It turned to him and charged Horse jumped over the rams head and onto its back, his weight causing the ram to fall. Horse then spun around and quickly and painlessly as possible, broke the rams neck. He then took it by the neck and dragged it back tot he camp, feeling a little proud of his victory as he dragged it up to Stella and dropped it.
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Stella raised an eyebrow, "and where did you get this?" she smiled
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Horse barked and danced around, proud of his catch before using his nose to push it towards her.
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"oh come on!!" durako drew his sword and stabbed at one of the darkspawn, he cut it but the other one jumped up on his back and grabbed him around the neck. he quickly flung it of the same way the ogre had done it to him.
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Ukko jumped to the side at the last moment and flung out his daggers as the Darkspawn rushed by him, suffering a deep gash in the side. The other one however was smarter and engaged Ukko head on, blades flying. Ukko pushed the creature back and tried to side step again, only to have to dodge a blow. to the stomach. Finally Ukko remembered the archer and saw him with a readied arrow.
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Yevin boredly snapped off another piece of jerky while looking at the ram. His closest eye showed a hint of crimson as he studied the body. "He apparently just killed some yew's mate and dragged it here, thereby destroying two to four future lambs and possibly enough wool to clothe an entire family and their cippled child. Should probably make that mabari into dessert before all of Ferelden goes without winter clothes." His dark humor earned him a whack from the staff as he lost control of his right hand. I did not let you out to be a brute again!
-
Stella was suddenly very annoyed with Yevin's twin personality, she looked around, she found a dagger on Yevins hip and took it. being a slave, she had to do many dirty jobs, including cutting up animals. she slit the animals throat to drain the blood into the pot. she cut off the skin, not looking at her master "be thankful for what food we have now, this will last us several weeks" her tone was emotionless, "also, you may have your food, but I have to eat as well". skillfully she cut off the skin of the ram. she will clean it later to make a coat or use it as a blanket. all the flesh of the ram was cut up, she made a plank to place the meat on to dehydrate the meat. she gave some of the useless parts of the ram to horse for dinner. she made sausage links, jerky, mince meat for stew. that was the last thing she made after she made jerky and sausage links, using blood, water, she stuck the ram bones in for nutrients from the marrow. she found wild herbs, she struck gold by finding edible, wild onions. too add flavor. her dress was now bloody with ram's blood, but she didn't care.
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Horse ate up the scraps and saw the blood stains on Stella dress, but, she wasn't the same, he slowly approched and sniffed the blood on her dress. He whined a little. It smelled good, but, hhe was scared of what was happening to her. This other side, it scared him.
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Stella sensed Horses nervousness and smiled "awww, its okay, its only the rams blood, nothing bad" after she washed her hands she gave him a good scratching. then she whispered so that only Horse could hear "do you not like Yevin either?...I surely think he is very odd. he just waked himself with his own staff?"
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Yevin reached over the fire and started to mix the stew by waving his hand over it to manipulate the water, then putting the tip of his staff into the ember to strengthen the blaze. He extracted a blob of the stew, and cooled it off with a breath before putting it in his mouth. He muttered a few words, then went into his right pocket and pulled out a small leather tie-off that had an odd-colored salt. He put a few drops in it and then went back to stirring it before sitting down and acting like he did absolutely nothing to the food.
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Stella tasted the stew, her eyes went wide...she tasted salt, she didn't have salt. then she looked at Yevin. something clicked inside her head she only smiled and shook her head. skillfully she extracted the bones and gave them to horse.
"I smell fooood...." a voice came from the bushes. Stella, became scared, her heart pounded wildly, from the bushes came a short, hunched over, old man in rags "iiit's very goooood smelling" he scampered to the boiling pot. he smelled it, and a look of pure bliss over took his ugly face " Ram, onion, sage, rooooosemary...SALT!!" he almost dove his hand into the pot before Stella caught it, the old man looked at her, then screamed, then jumped back. "FILTHY ELF TOUCHED ME! AAAAAHHHH IT BUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRN'S ME!!!" he ran off back into the forest, gone from sight. Stella blinked several times before she shrugged. taking a bowl, she scooped up hot stew and handed it to Yevin "Hungry?"
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Horse chewed on his bones for a while. Mmmmm, he did so love his ram bones. The old man then jumped out of the bushes. Horse looked at him while he tried to go for the soup and as he disappeared. Horse went straight back to his ram bones, not even getting up. Mmmmm, ram bones.
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Yevin watched as the man seemed to want what was in the pot, and seemed to smile deviously until Stella grabbed the man. When he left and she handed him the bowl of stew, he nodded and gently took the bowl. "I put a little something in there in case we had attackers coming for our food. It was obvious he lacked the know-how to detect its scent but the salts I put in, tasty as they are, are designed to burn the hands of those whom act with greed. Had you let him put his hand in it, he would have had his hands roated to the bone while the stew itself would remain unchanged."
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the image of burning flesh appeared in her mind and she scrunched her nose. "how delightful" but she smiled "but thank you" she ate quickly, then she began to sing, it was a story she heard when a traveling Bard came through her old tavern/ Inn home and sang a tale about powerful and legendary heros , who long ago drove back fearlessly the ancient evils and locked them away. Stella sang each note flawlessly, she wished she had some other music skill. what she didn't notice was that her hands were glowing white again, this time it didn't hurt.
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Dusin squeezed his staff, closing his eyes, a small gust of wind is released. He casted a mind spell, it temporary knocked the darkspan out, he threw the one off him, he got up and fire erupted from his hands roasting the darkspawns flesh, as he turned something flew across his shoulder, and noticed the last dark spawn whom he had missed with his mind attack, he launched a stream of fire at the dark spawn knocking it back as it screamed in agony as its flesh burnted. He tried to catch his breath as he tunred to the others, "finish them before the spell wares off".
The man came back, smiling holding his hand, "now get that worthless trash and kill the stud" the man said, as three barbarians came out, each holding a club.
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Ukko turned to the left and wrenched his right arm upward, slicing the dark spawn's sternum apart. Ukko turned around to engage the other, already wounded darkspawn. It charged him again, Ukko leaped upward and landed on it's shoulders, burying his knife in it's spine before it could throw him off.
-
Dusin wiped his small dagger clean, after killing the last darkspawn. He threw ukko a small vial, "we need four tubes full", he said putting the tube in the pool of darkspawn blood. When his hand touched the pool, he felt his scales shiver, he could feel the evil from the taint.
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Ukko caught the vial and dipped it into the darkspawns gash, the Vial filled rather quickly, some of the blood landing on Ukko's paw. His fur stood on end. "Its like you can feel the evil and cruelty...."
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Stella began to think of Dusin, she began to wonder if he was alright. worry struck her hard as she looked in the direction he left Dusin...are you alright? I hope you are, I hope that everything is successful she slowly stopped singing...
-
Horse finished his ram bones. The song Stella was singing calmed him. It made him think of times long past, even though he didn't understand all the words or what the song was about, he still liked it. He then heard her slow down and walked over to her. He licked her hand comfortingly, as if to let her know, he was here for her.
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"One..two three.." dusin looks at ukko, "that will be four" he said putting the vials of blood in his backpack trying to keep it away from his flesh. "Alright, I think we should head back now, I rather not leave those to alone to long, who knows what could happen?" he said with concern in his voice.
Back at the camp site, a pair of eyes staired at yeavin, "yea he is the one, look at him acting all innocent ", "but didn't the senior mage let him leave" "yea, but that dosen't mean we can let him live" the man said, standing up and putting his templar helm on. "You ready?" "Let's bring the rain" the other one said, he threw his arms to the side, releasing a quick mana sucking attack, and began to charge at the two mages, now with weakend mana.
-
Stella was petting horse when she suddenly felt very weak. she didn't understand why until she heard something charging into the trees.
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Yevin felt his body weaken, and the more hostile side 'awakened' as he picked up his staff and got between Stella and the Templars. "I am a mage of the Circle, just because I do not reside in the Tower does not make me fair-game!!" He raised his left hand and his staff towards the charging Templars, and lightning shot out to greet them in the middle of their charge.
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The larger of the two lunged infront of the lignting bolt, his arms covering his chest, reducing the impact. The other one was now within reach of yevin, he took his sword and tried his best to get a clean swipe.
-
Stella became nervous, scared and worried as the power between the two mage's pulsed between them, she glanced at the fire place, the boiling pot of stew, the sausage and jerky she made was one on the only foods they now had. she kept a firm hold on Horse's collar so he wouldn't attack. standing up, she kept glancing at the pot, wondering what she should do to cause a distraction, once she saw the one charge at Yevin with a weapon, as best as she could, grabbed the boiling pot and directed it at the man in reach of Yevin as the boiling liquid aimed for his face.
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durako walked into the clearing just in time to see the man get covered in the stew. "we weren't even gone for an hour and you managed to find trouble! your lucky the others are right behind me, don't think their going to be to happy that your waisting their food." he smirked from behind the group or attackers, knowing that Ukko and dusin were mere minutes behind.
((sorry i was away...kind of got myself temp-banned. nice to see i wasn't missed ;j
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The man lifted his hand to block the boiling liquid, "blast it! You damn harlot 'll-" the man cut off seeing the other elf. He could feel the other age began to approach.
"Come brother we will find them another day" the other Templar said.
"What your step mage!" the other one said before the two disappeared into the darkness of the forest. Dusin and Ukko walked over to the camp site, "what happened to all of our food?" Dusin asked? After Stella explained what happen Dusin had a serious look on his face, he stood up looking at Yevin, "I don't think it would be a good idea to leave you guys on your own anymore. We have one more mission left to complete before we can go back to camp. We are to check out this so called, witch of the wilds."
-
"The what?" Ukko said, from behind Dusin. Ukko placed the vials in some latches on his belt, the blood festering there menacingly.
-
Yevin growled at the leaving templars then turned to the dwarf when he arrived. "Exactly what makes this 'witch of the wilds' so different from any other female mage? Does she summon demons, or turn pretty girls to stone and young men to frogs?"
-
(looks like Halfeb is not coming back...so can I play as horse?)
Stella bit her lower lip, not bothering to join into the conversation. she add more wood to the fire, it was sunrise, everything was sparkling bright in the cold morning dew. she got up and decided to take the now empty pot, she sighed heavily as she walked to the riverside. she rinsed the pot as best she could, seeing that she had no soap. as placed the pot in her lap, her dirty skirts were used as a rag to dry the pot, she knew of the witch of the wilds... but it was only a story. as she was inspecting the pot she spoke.
"have you not heard the story of witch Flemeth and her daughter Morrigan? they say the witches are powerful shapeshifters" she began to sing story quietly to herself... as far as her naive brain knew, they were only myth, she learned their story from a drunken man at the Inn, claiming he saw them.
-
Dusin looked at Stella, "I actually know nothing of the witch of the wilds, nor have I ever heard any of the stories. All I do know" he said tunring at to Yevin "is that the gray wardens want this witch to be found, we weren't give an order to kill her. We we were not given an order to even capture her. I'm starting to doubt the reliability of the graywardens… but in any cases, we are to find her and that is it." Dusin didn't like how that sounded, but he had little choice, he had to do what he was told.
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Yevin seemed to get angry at the suggestion Dusin made. "So your wardens told you to find some witch in the Kokari Wilds, and do nothing?! I would either kill her or at least get some information out of her. But even then, what use could a fabled old bat serve?!"
-
"Wisdom comes with age right? This women must be old if there are stories about her, so at the very least we could try and pry something out of her." Dusin said, still lost at how ridiculous this sounded. A women's laughter could be heard from above the group, and grew closer as a hawk descended near the group. "No way…" Dusin said gazing at the bird who landed, on top of a log right next to him. "Did.. did this bird just laugh?" Dusin said as he reached out to touch the hawk who was cleaning its feathers. 8 don't know did it!" The bird yelled jumping at dusin, scaring him and making him fall to the ground.
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"i really need to get out more...last time i saw a hawk it didn't laugh...it made some gurgling noises but that's about it." durako joked getting his bow ready just in case. the bird then spoke and he watched as dusin fell to the ground. "that voice...those eyes....." he said as the hawk shot him a look. "I'll be over here......right over here." he said side stepping away.
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Stella nearly dropped her pot at the sight "my word!" she half cried, her heart beated fast as she held her hand above her heart. "that scared me" her amber eyes huge
-
Sinister laughter, "come child shall we not play?", dusin now back on his feet.
"Are you-" Dusin began to say before he was cut off.
"Yes"
"You didn't even let me finish"
"Were would be the point in that. I knew what you were going to ask so why would I wait until you finshed"
"Because it would-"
"It would be what, nice, polite. Such trivial things you are looking for, if politeness is worth wait for, then maybe you should tell that to the darkspawn horde ravaging the camp"
"Wait what?" Dusin wasn't to sure why that women said that, but he hoped she wasn't being serious.
"Did you hear me? You have ears don't you… well you have the ability to hear don't you?" Dusin remained quite, he didn't say anything. "Well in anycase your friend is here, try not to die, ill be waiting for our next encounter" the hawk began to laugh as it flew away. Dusin was watching it fly away until a grunt caught his attention. He tunred his head and saw the org from earlyer.
-
Ukko's ears caught the noise of the darkspawn as he was closer to the trees. When the creature burst though Ukko instinctively removed his daggers and ran up behind the beast who was charging towards the camp.
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The creature, not noticing ukko, began to charge at dusin, who was conveniently in the middle of the camp. "Why me" he said, he pulled out his little staff, and shot a lighting bolt, that skimed the creature. The creature just continued to run as if nothing happend.
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Yevin cursed under his breath after Dusin attempted to harm the ogre, and pushed him out of the way while pointing his staff at the ogre. The moment the ogre was within a meter or so from the staff, a spray of lightning bolts caught him dead-on as Yevin silently hoped the ogre would stop from the effects of electricity.
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Ukko leaped into the air after Dusin's attack and embedded his daggers into the beasts back, but thats when the electricity truck, Ukko was shocked and pushed backwards, off the ogre, and fell to the floor.
-
The beast yelled as the blades went into its flesh but didn't stop it from charging. As Yevin's lighting struck it the beast froze, the blades on its back acted like an amplifier, skipping the creature's tough, thick skin and going down into its vital organs. The beast looked at yeavin, and put up its claw as if to hit him, but feel before him. Dusin picked him self up from the ground. 'Team player..' he thouhgt to him self.
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durako was on the other side of the camp when the ogre went down, he started to draw his sword but stopped half way, remembering his luck so far <wait....(images of the fight with the ogre) and then (images of the darkspawn incounter) ok!> he put his sword away and jumped up into a tree behind him. quickly grabbing out his bow he started firing carfully aimed shots at the attackers.
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Ukko lay on the floor for a moment, twitching slightly, then he groaned and struggled to his feet. He staggered his way over to the center of the camp with the others after retrieving his daggers.
-
Stella watched from behind the rock... her hard breathing caused her to notice the constant swell and decrease of the river tide as if it was breathing with her... as she calmed down, so did the river, she noticed but was ready to defend the fact. she bit her lower lip,coming out from hiding.
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Dusin sat down on top of the ogre after searching though its corpse for some valuables. "Hey... do you guys think what that hawk.. I mean that witch said was true? And if it is should we head there? Or should we just.. you know, I guess leave and look for other graywardens?"
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Ukko sat near the small remaining embers of the fire pit. "We were ordered to find here weren't we?"
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"She technically found us, but I think it still counts? In any case, I think we should head back to camp, any objections?"
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"normally no. but i think we should make sure theres no more darkspawn, and find out what the witch wants, and who this friend is." durako said walking over to the others calmly. he put away his bow and sat down near Stella and pulled out a small dagger. it was a simple straight blade with a forged steel guard and the grip had small jewels along its entire length with a larger saphire on the base. "it's not much, but it's more yours than mine. after all it was your granmothers." he said calmly holding the blade out for Stella to take, not taking his eyes on the firepit.
-
Stella accepted the gift "thank you... its wonderful" she smiled graciously at him, she dashed to the fire place. "ummm... there is still food left, anyone hungry?" holding up the sausage links "before we search"
-
"The witch was talking about the darkspawn, it was our friend. I think she just wants us out of her head right now, so I say we shall be off to the warden camp ground" Dusin began to pack, when he stopped to think. "If a whole dark spawn horde is there wouldn't it be a bad move to go there" he sat back down thinking, "where else should we go then?"
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Ukko picked up a black feather from the ground. "This witch IS interesting, I mean, it's not everyday that you find one of the legends in a folktale...I say we go after her."
-
After some long pointless discussions, someone finally suggested heading to wardens keep. "Alright then, I think the best way would be to stop in Red Cliff first, we will need some kind of map to find our way through those tunnels our else we may never find it." they all agreed and then set out.
As they arrived in red cliff they could feel something off about it, they were getting odd stairs and whispering was all around them. "Odd people, this is why I prefer the tower" Duisn sighed looking for a merchant. He walked over to a dwarf who was selling maps and armor, "Excuse me sir would you have a map to warden's keep?"
"And why would you want to go to a place like that?"
"Well we are graywarden's more or less" The dwarf looked back and forth, and handed them a map. "Leave before you draw attention to my place" he said shoeing them away. Dusin looked at the strange man as they began to walk away, "What was all that about?" A human girl ran over to were the group was, "There, there, there are the graywardens!" she yelled as guards came rushing behind her. "Now look here you rebels, you are to put down your weapons and come with us, if you do. We will make your deaths be quick and peaceful."
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Stella bit her lower lip, she really wished she could of stopped the human girl, her held the dagger to her chest, not sure of what to do when the guards came. she looeked at Dusin, wide eyed for help, a plan maybe? then back at Yevin.
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Ukko unsheathed his daggers behind his back and coated them with a poison. "Now now, why don't you put down those weapons and well talk like civilized people." Said Ukko, inching forward.
-
Stella looked around and noticed people watching as the guards swarmed them. their intense glares frightened her, her heart pounded wildly, she was panicking... every slave instinct told her to run away, but she was frozen in place. she paled, her amber eyes became large and she began to breath quickly. every slave knew that a punishment for a runaway slave was death from where she came from. she was glad that her healing ability saved her from a slave mark. she nearly dropped the dagger.
-
"OK, so what now? you better have a plan or I'm making one up myself....and what i have in mind could go horribly wrong." durako shifted from side to side, measuring the guards around. he moved closer to Stella "can i borrow that dagger for a second, I'll teach you how to use it once we're out of here i promise." he whispered holding his hand out behind his back, still watching the guards surrounding the group.
-
Ukko took another step forward. "Come now, is all this necessary? at least let us know what we have done." Ukko knew they would not stop, but he could see his ruse was walking, they had not see his weapons, and they seemed to not think of him as much of a threat anymore. He reached behind his back as they closed in.
-
"You all are being taken in for being associated with Graywardens." the front guard said.
"And what did the graywardens do?" Dusin asked a little thrown off by the comment.
"They are all being executed for trying to over throw the king of Ferelden." The front guard crept closer.
"Well I'm sorry but.. we must be on our way" Dusin raised his staff in the air and a fire ball flew out of it, into the guards. The ball exploded on impact, causing the guards to fall to the ground screaming in pain as the tried to put out the flames. "We must hurry" Dusin yelled, as the guards fought to get up.
-
Stella gave Durako the dagger, staying close withing the group as they ran.
-
Ukko was surprised by the fireball and stumbles backwards before turning tail and running with the others.
-
A large over sized man grabs Stella by her tail and lifts her in the air, Dusin tunrs around quickly but is shit in the breat plate by an arrow, taking him down.
-
"DUSIN!!" Stella cried, she squirmed and fought "put me down you brute" she hissed, one of the guards stood next to her "her voice is gorgeous!" Stella felt humiliated, as she struggled to get free, her tail hurt, allot.
-
Dusin took in a deep breath, and then shot out a concentrated ball of air. The ball struck the large brute, knocking him over on top of the other guard, releasing Stella. Dusin coughed as the arrow dug deeper into him from taking in such a large amount of air, there was blood in his cough. He knew it was bad to use that move to much, the air could and did cut his inner throat at it comes out at such speed.
-
"Stella, take dusin and go with the others. I'll be right behind you." durako called taking a defensive stance between the guards and the others, realising that he would have to out wit them he knew it all relied on the dagger, after all the guards were stronger, knew the town, had his out numbered, were more than likely better with a blade and in general looked like they were ready to trample him into a fine powder...but he held his ground. "what are you waiting for? go already i can handle this!"
-
When the guards picked up Stella, Ukko bolted behind a tree next to the path during the confusion. He saw Dusin get shot and almost ran to his aid but then Durako stood in between the guards and the others. Ukko's ears perked upward as Durako called his challenge. Ukko kept his tail low as he climbed the tree and was concealed in the leaves. He drew his bow and waited for the opportunity to attack, there was no way Durako could face that many guards.
-
Stella dragged Dusin away with amazing amount of strength, finding a sheltered area, she noticed her hands, glowing white, draw ed themselves to the wound. shakily the arrow came out, and the wound slowly, ever so slowly came to a close. she felt satisfied but drained, she resulted in a deadly high fever. she smiled dizzily at Dusin before she collapsed.
-
"OK, so as you may have guessed....theres no way in hell i can take all of you on. but, you see, i don't have to. this dagger has a magical trait embedded into it's creation so that certain people of certain blood lines can use its power. and seeing as all the others are gone, I'm the only one left for you to kill, right?" he watched the guards shift uneasily, waiting for the order to attack. "well seeing as your all so polite I'll just say......bye!" he turned smiling and dashed between two houses, clicking the tip of the daggers handle and disappearing from view, literally. only visible from about where ukko was sitting an oozing blob covered durako, turning his skin and its self invisible as it covered him, in an instant he was gone.
-
Ukko watched as Durako dashed in between the houses and was astounded when the blob covered him and appeared to make him disappear. He sunk down on his branch, waiting to see what the guards would do, perhaps they would follow into the alley to see nothing there, or maybe they would just go away.
-
Yevin had left Stella to her own devices, figuring this would be a good chance for his 'pupil' to support herself, and was somewhat disappointed as she couldn't even freeze the man holding her. When the whole group left, Yevin went in Stella's direction and eventually noticed the blood stains and came across Stella and the scale-face. As expected, she was his first priority as he pulled a potion out of his satchel and held it to her mouth. He gently opened her mouth and poured in the Lyrium and then closed her mouth so she could swallow. He then propped her up against a barrel and leaned against a wall, standing guard over both of the mages.
-
"Damn were did they go!" the front guard yelled, "Men fall back, well tell the courstmen of what we have found, I'm sure the wardens will be on there way there" the guards dispersed and all left.
Dusin panted, still in pain from the wound even if it was healed up. He looked at Yevin "Do you know anything about what the gaurds men have accused the graywardens of" Yevin always seemed to be a shady character in Dusin's eyes. He may know something that could prove useful, but the information may do little other then reassure.
-
Stella began to wake up short after, her tail sore, but the pain vanished slowly with her healing ability. she bit her lower lip, she knew she had disappointed Yevin... though she inwardly scowled at the thought of him not helping her, but then again, she was not use to help. her hands began to burn again, it hurt worse than the last time, silently soothing her hands, she began to search for a water source. nothing, but slowly, the burning sensation vanished, she sat quietly, her gaze slightly clouded with pain and shame.
-
The guards left, Ukko hopped out of his tree and moved into the alley, he poked the area where he saw Durako disappear. "Nice trick, but lets get back to the others." he said as he blindly looked for Durako.
-
Yevin looked at Dusin with contempt, then looked back down the hallway. "Unless the Darkspawn rule the kingdom, or the Grey Wardens became political enemies, there should be no reason for the sudden hostilities. Regardless, my part in this little troupe' is that my apprentice does not meet her end if the rest of you act foolish."
-
"over here Ukko. I'm assuming you saw my little trick." durako said reappearing behind Ukko watching the guards walking away. "we should get back to the others before they decide to leave us behind." he said walking out of the ally, hiding the expression of pure pain on his face and in his voice.
durako walked up behind the others unaware of if ukko was following him or not. he was just in time to hear yavin's comment and immediately became enraged. "who do you think you are! you say that we're the ones that are going to do something stupid and get your apprentice killed, well where were you when those guards came? where were you when Stella was in danger?! next time you want to just worry about yourself and Stella than fine, but cut us some slack! if not for us she would be in a cell at best." a wave of pain hit him suddenly, this time he wasn't able to hide it as his breathing slowed and his vision began to blur while he slowly swayed unable to controle his balance "just........re....remem.......ber....tha.." he passed out from another wave of pain and exhaustion caused by his use of the dagger.
-
Stella gasped, she knelt down beside her relative... cradling him in her lap, she dare not meet her master's eyes, she gently felt his pulse, glad that he was still alive. she did not smile though, her features were blank, her stare still of pain and shame.
-
Yevin looked right at Stella even though she did not return the look. "We'll need to continue your magic training if you ever hope to do more than just a patch-up after the battle is over. What I saw today could have been prevented if you had steeled your nerves." He could tell she was going to get more emotional from his talking, so he quickly went over and hugged her arms into restraint. "I know its hard to control your emotions when it feels right to express them, but those with the power for magic have to stay in control or else we destroy everything around us."
-
Stella did not like the idea of being a destroyer... though tears still weld in her eyes, she held them back furiously... she did not want to show weakness. it felt strange to her that this being would hug her..she found it even more unnerving when she hugged him, though, her heart beated quickly and she closed her eyes, dare not to look at her master.
-
durako stired in his sleep, memories of his past flashing before his closed eyes. both happy and sad segments of his past, but his most cherished were the ones with his aunt, uncle and cousin....the closest thing he ever had to a family. his body began to tremble as his only suppresed memory resurfaced. the night of the blood crest festivle...the night he lost every thing he ever had.
the full moon sat low in the sky, elven refugees dancing, singing and playing various instriments outside a large circus like tent. his aunt stood next to him, his cousin in his young arms. "auntie Clasae, where is uncle yanshek? he shoul be here by now." "don't worry child, i'm sure he's on his way." not a moment later a tall elf apeared on the hill overlooking the celibration. "there he is auntie! he's finally here!" his aunt took young stella out of his arms before he started to run towards the hill. he was halfway there when thirty humans apeared next to the man on the hill. durako started to runn back towards the festivle when the humans charged. when he awoke he found himself alone, infront of him was the burnig tent and the bodies of those that had been slaughtered. he made it back to the villige later that day to find less than a third of the villagers left, the others ether killed or captured....including young stella.
sections of the next few weeks flashed before his eyes, all of which were him watching silently as his aunt broke down, as his village got back on its feet....then as his aunt left to find her lost daughter...never to be seen again. the next section of his memory to show itself was of about a year later when he to left the village to...to escape his past.
-
Yevin looked about, and casually stroked Stella's hair. He then pulled himself from her hug and went outside for a moment and then came back. "The coast is clear, try not to mention anything much about the Gray Wardens..."
-
Stella stroked Durako's hair comfortingly, she was still in a slight daze, through when Yevin was not looking, her amber eyes flicked up to him before immediately dropping down control...why does everything have to be in control...? what ever happened to freedom?
-
durako started to wake, he felt a hand stroking his head and a cold sweat covering his body. "what happened? one minute i was going off at someone, the next i'm here with a spliting head ache and stella comforting me." he sat up slowly finding the dagger in his belt. "oh yea, this is yours." he gave stella the dagger back and looked around.
-
Stella took the dagger, it was warm, she gently stroke the blade before standing up "we should leave..." she said quietly
-
Yevin casually walked over to Stella and put a hand on her shoulder. It would be hard to keep up with Yevin's personality changes unless you listened to the tone of his voice, or read his posture. "Would you perfer to control your power for the sake of others, or the freedom of being alone?" He lifted up Durako and got him on his feet as he went to the door. "So, can anyone remind me where we're going... I had to stay out of earshot for most of our stay here."
-
Stella blinked "we were trying to find the wild witch...if anything..." their other comrades had gone..."we are left on our own.."
-
durako swayed a little, stil uneasy on his feet. "thanks, so it's just the three of us?" he looked around before sighing and turning to yevin "sorry for going off earlier. it's just that stella is the closest i have left to a family, both my parents are gone along with the one i called my aunt. her husband is no longer anything but a hated memory and her only daughter is in this room."
-
Yevin rolled his eyes and kept the door open. "Yes, you are both very lucky to be alive, now can we find Flemeth or do I have to act like your past has anything to do with your future?!"
-
Stella glowerd at Yevin "you know, I liked you better when you were cooperating, now, lets get going before we are found out by the guards" having some sense of control she looked at her relative "lets go"
-
"after you sister." he smiled walking over to stalla's side "don't forget that if you ever have a question or a task, feel free to ask them of me...and about that cerimony you asked earlier...you were wrong, it was finished before your mother left the village...but that is all i shall say for now."
-
Yevin stared incredulously at Stella as she said 'cooperating', and didn't say anything until Durako finished speaking. "When did I ever cooperate with my apprentice?! The only reason I am standing with you now, is because that idiotic scale-face decided to abandon you and your cousin. That dwarf is such a hypocrite!"
-
Stella whipped around, her amber eyes large, wild and angry, her chest heaved "I...would appreciate if we discussed this later..." she said as calmly as she could, turning on her heel, she walked away, the marbial, Horse had made his way back and was at her heel. Stella didn't want to show the tears, or the strange emotion she felt
-
he watched stella and horse leave before turning to yevin. "wait, who was she saying that to? you, the one who just insulted the person who set her free? or me the one who's trying to hide the truth of her past for as long as posible?" he looked back towards the door and sighed lightly. "well, even though the two of us are about as compatable as fire and water we need to work together to protect her.....she means more to me than you know, and she always has." durako walked out of the room quickly, wishing that he hadn't said the last part, and trying to avoid any questions about his and stella's combined pasts.
-
Stella trudged through the forest angrily, "mages and their constant ways pf putting other people down, thinking they are the best..." she grumbled.
-
Dusin approached a large castle, he looked down at the map he was holding, he finally made it to Wardens Keep. He tucked the map in a small pouch and began to walk forward, he hasn't noticed any yet. Maybe all of the Wardens abandoned this area, that would explain why the Dwarf gave him odd looks when he asked about it, but not why the guards attacked him. Deep in thought, he had no time to react to a dwarf who stood in front of him aim a cross bow at his head.
"State your business here, castless" the dwarf hissed the last part.
"I'm looking for the Wardens"
"Why"
"I was recruited, but I was never inducted, the came was taken out before that could happen"
"By who"
"The darkspawn"
"Humm… well do you have what is required" Dusin pat himself down, then pulled out a vial of darkspawn blood. The dwarf nodded, and cocked his head, telling dusin to walk forward.
An young elven girl with a purple tail sits waitting for the right moment. "She said they would come-" The elven girl got up, behind a tree, looking at the approaching group. The female elf in the group seemed to be the weakest, or at least, the most vulnerable. The elf took a deep breath, using the shadows to slowly sneak up on the girl. She grabbed the girl, holding a dagger at the girls throat and antother one pointed at the girls heart. "Any of you move, and she dies." The elf took a deep breath, what do you want with Asha'Bellenor!" Her eyes scanned between the mage and rogue, tightening her grip on the blades.
-
"i have no idea who that is but if your talking about the old witch then we were told to seek her out, nothing more. now can you please let her go? i promise nothing will happen to you as long as you don't do anything stupid." durako said half calm, half paniced. "but hear this, if you so much as cause a tear to fall from her eye, i wont be acountable for what i do to you."
-
"Hold you tongue fool!" the females eyes darted back and forth between the trees and the group, "That old witch could have you killed without even thinking. Now as I said, what do you want with Asha'Bellenor! If you have no reason to seek her out, I suggest you don't." Her stance did not change at all.
-
Stella was panicking, the marbial was distracted at the right moment when she was caught, she looked at her relative with wide, scared amber eyes, her red hair in a mess. her breath became ice cold out of fear, ice partials traveled up her pale arm, she knew if shed moved...she would most likely be stabbed and cut. she waited for the right moment "Durako.." she whined, she then suddenly remembered...her voice!! even though no seemed affected by speech...though it seemed rather silly if she sang now...maybe it might help her calm down... she then began to sing about the beginning, softly but audio able
-
durako started to get angry, forgoten emotions starting to raise, "let her go..." a hidden mark on his shoulder blade began to burn his skin. "i don't care what that witch can do, or who ever this Asha'Bellenor is. i just want you to let her go before this gets ugly." his skin began to itch, the transformation being brought forward by the circomstances.
-
"If you tell me why your are pursing the witch, and stop pursing her, ill let your friend go" The elf tugged the girl back, far enough away were if drako made a move, Stella would already of been dead. "If you have no reason to pursue her, I suggest you stop."
Dusin looked at the dwarf, taking the glass he was holding, "drink and join your brothers" dusin nodded, before taking a sip. He dropped the glass, grabbing his throat, it felt like a burning sensation, he fell over, last thing he saw was the dwarf standing over him. "Storong… for a castless" dusin didn't hear him, he passed out before.
-
"if we need a reason to find her than i suppose we wish to speak to her. and as for us persuing her, how caan we persue what we can't find?" he spoke quickly and he started twitching slightly, measuring the elf holding stella.
-
"Then don't look" she hissed.
-
Yevin stayed quiet the entire time, then he casually walked up to Stella and the elf behind her while she was focused on the other two. "We have no real reason to look for her, as the one who was tasked to do so is no longer with us. Now, the questions I'd like to ask are: Who told you we were looking for her, and why are you so anxious to make a dash for those trees?"
-
"Who is not your concern, nor is the why. The trees are just as alive as the wind, they speak as clear as the birds." The elf dashed away from Stella and Yevin. "I have no reason to harm you, nor do I have a reason to indulge you. I will how ever give you a recommendation, with the tyrant standing, the wardens will be in hiding. Kill the king, kill the blight, simple yes?"
-
Stella, finally released, merely stood there, she moved but not from her spot. she stared blankly down the road of the mountain side..empty... her ear twitched at a sound..someone was near by, a breeze swept through, but her senses were alive and alert, she then turned her gaze back to the elf who had captured her, her amber eyes intense, different..not herself, she didn't feel like herself, she slowly relaxed but for that one brief moment..she felt like she had power, she returned to Durako's side, touching his arm but not making eye contact.
-
durako moved in front of stella once she touched his arm, his sword ready to be drawn if need be. "then where is this king so we may end his nonsence." durako started calming down and represing the transformation. he turned his head slightly so he could see stella without loosing sight of the stranger. "are you ok? did she hurt you?"
-
she smiled up at Durako "i am well, no worries" she said quietly
-
"Were else, the castle. You will need to kill the human king so that you may gain any remaining wardens help"
-
"that is good to hear..." he turned to the elf "and where would this castle be? cos if you hadn't noticed theres a fair few castles covering the land within a ten days ride. not to mention beyond that." durako slowly took his hand from his sword and looked across to yevin. "so what do you think of all this?"
-
"In a city known as denerim"
-
Yevin kept his composure, even though his attitude had changed again. "Grey Wardens have now become the target of guards and bounty-hunters. Since this is a major city, its obvious the Grey Wardens are being blamed for some kind of crime against the kingdom. Why Dusin needed to talk to some witch and how people are assuming that we are Grey Wardens even though none of us have done the ritual, I have yet to logically figure out. Frankly, I'm still a Circle mage while also being an apostate, so frankly I could care less about the politics behind this."
-
"at least you have the circle, you should see where i came from." he turned to stella slowly. "don't worry, it's still there......more-or-less...." he turned back to the elf sighing. "i am but a rouge being blackmailed, why should i care for the wardens? or this king you speak of?"
-
Stella remained silent but listened intently,but finally she spoke "so many people have lost faith in a king"
-
"Take your chance if you wish mage, but an apostate will be hunted down just as any gray warden will be. I also don't appropriate you hissing that tongue of your at me." She eyed Yevin, she wasn't found of any non Dalish elf. "If any of you had done the ritual, then we wouldn't need the other gray wardens to kill the Archdemon now would we?" She looked at Stella, "A slave.... how could you ever submit..." she said that mainly to her self, but did nothing to quite her words. "The king is a tyrant, he is as cold as the blood in a dark spawn, the wardens tried to over throw him. Now they feel his wrath."
-
"don't you ever call her a slave again." durako stared into the strangers eyes, hinting at the evil intentions he had if her herd her say it again. "she was taken at birth and has never known our culture. acusing her of sumitting to a filthy human is worse than insulting my blood, the second purest of my clan....the only blood line purer is that of my lord and master." he couldn't help but glance at stella as he said the last few words, be quickly corected this and continued staring the elf down, hoping she hadn't noticed the betrail of his eyes.
-
Stella stared with a sad look, but said nothing, she looked away from the other elf "it was not my fault..." she murmured, she gripped her arms to keep her self from becoming emotional "Yevin, she is not worth the fight, we must move on, I personally have no intention with the wild witch"
-
Yevin laughed rather loudly when she mentioned fighting the elf. "The only reason I should fry her is because she dared to harm you, my apprentice. But, its also pointless because she seems more interested in running than fighting. Go ahead, run off to the trees, I'm not going to bite..." He continued to act this way as the better side of him had felt the same way about the elf, that she was probably going to run off at the first sign of a fight.
-
"I spit at all of you!" She hissed as her eyes went from elf to elf. "I'm in no way, trying to run. If you knew what I knew, then you will understand. But you do not there for you can not." She looked at durako, her eyes filled with discus. "Don't you ever associate your self with me, I would never turn my back on my people and go rouge."
-
durako has hit especialy hard by her coment, the strike at his past burning deep as he looked away ".....not all rouges.....are by choice. and you are wise to never question my loyalty to my people, or my past." he hissed never looking away from the ground.
-
Yevin is now stone-faced as he regarded the elf up and down. "So, you came to us with your demand to not search for a witch who will probably find us anyway. You constantly make a reference to some great danger, yet decide for yourself that we don't understand. Is it the Blight? Have the darkspawn found an old god to make their leader?" He leans forward on his staff and puts both hands on top of it, the top hand making a gradual gesture used in subtle spell casting.
-
Stella sensed a battle coming, She stepped forward so she was next to Durako "stop" she said to quietly
-
"Obvious, I mean honestly, why else would they be out an about?" The elf looked back at the forest. "If the mage wishes for a fight, I will satisfy him, but until he attacks, I'll be making my way to the city with or with out you guys. To kill the human king, I can clam no greater honer for my people." The elf began to walk.
-
"so what do you expect from us? you come here, threaten us, worn us of things that have little concern to us, worn us of things we alone can not possibly change and then go back to insulting us! so just tell us now what you actualy want or be gone to do what ever the blood hell you wish as long as it doesn't involve us." durako said sternly, after growing impatient and irritable.
-
Yevin cursed under his breath as he readied his staff and the sound of electricity, along with the smell of ozone, filled the air. "While I personally wish we had a different king, he is still essential to what little organization there is to the armed forces that humanity has left. The Dalish are no match for the Darkspawn alone, despite your skill with the bow, blade, and book. The most you will accomplish is adding to the chaos and probably increasing the size of the horde that will come."
-
Stella, watching this whole thing suddenly was caught by a sigh of something she knew all too well, a wagon, full of her kind in iron shackles, remembering the slave scar on her left arm she grew pale as she looked at Durako, she didn't want to speak but she desperately wanted to get out of sight of the slave traders. "w-we need to go"
-
Santh's ears went down as she took in the thought, "No" her instincts and quick wit shot out. Trying to figure a flaw in Yevin's argument, "But... but he is evil he must die!" she was so lost for words, her body began to shake with frustration. The jingling of the shackles caught Santh's attention and her head snapped in the direction of sound. Her ears back, her body now filled with anger.
"Hey boys look, one, two, three... four elf's, all right for the picking." The slaver smiled as the rest of the squad came into view, "I want the pretty one" he winked at Stella.
"You dirty pathetic humans, I will make your flesh fall from your body as I burn you ten folds!" Santh grabbed her blades as she began charge at the nearest slaver.
-
Stella, terrorfied gripped Durako's arm, shaking out of fear, her legs told her to run, but she was too scared to move. she avoided the gaze of the one who wanted her "durako, i have seen this man..he does awful things" suddenly she was grabbed and pulled away by the hair, looking up with watery eyes she paled. it was her previous mistresses eldest and most loved son. "Kale" she squeaked
he grinned evilly "mother told me all about you running away...do you know what happens to runaway slaves.." he whispered all that in his ear, Stella pale as death growled "get your filthy hands off me" she snapped. he merely smiled "your punishment will be execution" he looked up, seeing the other elf charging at the other, Stella used this as an opportunity to fight, kicking him, she turned around full of animal like rage she attacked him, scratching, clawing and biting like a wild cat.
-
durako sighed looking from the stranger fighting two of the slavers to stella attacking one of the others. he looked up at yevin and sighed again, "women!" with that he drew his sword and walked oner to stella. "um, don't mean to but in but you do have the dagger you know....." he walked away and started helping the stranger with the other slavers.
-
As Santh's first blade went into the humans neck she forced the second one in right after. She pulled them both away in opposite directions shredding the humans neck killing him instantly. As she charged at the second one, the human drew its over sized blade and swung it at the small elf. She gently side stepped it, followed with her disappearing from view. She appeared behind the human with one of her blades in the back of his spine. As the second human fell, another casually walked over up, clapping his hands together.
"You, you I like" he said with a smile, "You'll make such a nice pet." Sandth charged at the man, infuriated with what he said. As her blade was within reach of his neck, her body stopped midway. Sandth tried to force her arm to move, but she couldn't, her face was filled with frustration as her eyes shot over to the smiling human.
"Foolish elf, do you honestly believe that you could kill a tevinter magister?" the Magister looked at the elf, and threw his hands, sending her flying back into tree. She cried in pain as her arm was pierced by a branch. She instinctively grabbed it, holding it tight trying to mage to pull it away. The magister, now board, rose his hand at the elf firing a fire ball at the sitting elf.
-
Stella, fighting with blind fury, Kale used this to his advantage, punching her in the stomach , Stella coughed up blood, stumbling back, pulling out her dagger. she was seeing in blurs, on one knee she coughed up more blood. stumbling and getting up she charged again, dagger gleaming wickedly in hand. but he merely kicked her back, Stella, more angry and animal like then before growled like a wild cat in pure rage.
-
durako saw the events in slow motion, he made a choice. <to save stella i must risk myself.> in a second he stood facing santh straight faiced. "this means nothing...." the blast was milimeters from his flesh, he could feel the heat of his clothes begining to catch fire...and a deep resinating pulse that wasn't his own yet it was. the fire ball hit him and seemed to disapate instantly, loud cracking noises emited from durako's joints as his clothes ripped. seconds later a large werewolf stood, 7'9" on it's hind legs. it howled loudly causing everyone to turn to see what had made the noise. the wolf droped to all fours and lept over landing between stalla and kale, growling deeply while rising back up to it's full hight and looking down on the slaver.
-
Stella's eyes went back to normal as she stood up slightly "durako.." she said softly, then turing around the slave master and the other female elf, she could smell fire in the air "what in the word.." she mumbled. before something hit the back of her head with a loud crack and everything went black, her uncontentious body fell. "the master wanted this one" a weaker, more nervous looking one quietly dragged Stella away "but..she is mine now"
-
durako turned violently grabbing the weak slaver by the face and lifted him off the grund with one large clawed hand like paw. he looked into the cowering mans eyes, visible between his fingers before grabbing the mans neck and shoulder in his mouth and ripping the mans head clean off, throwing the two peices in opposite directions before turning back to his first target and resumed growling, waiting for him to react.
-
Yevin watched the attack play itself out since he had to keep himself from being the first to lash out, the first to lose control over his emotions. "Tevinter is not really that known for its magic, more for its wierd accents and rather pathetic slave buisness." Yevin said aloud as a sphere of ice formed in his hand. "However, your confidence is truly something to behold. Have you really seen what the Fade is like, what it is capable of doing to someone?!" Yevin's eyes turned red as the sphere of ice became a globe that was larger than his head. He sent the globe of ice magic right at the magister, then fired off some lightning with his other hand in a one-two punch fashion.
-
Stella opened her eyes, head throbbing and her body sore, she looked up to see the other slaves, looking t her with pitiful, pleading eyes... she slowly got up, ignoring the pain she quietly opened the gate... and the shackles came off, she stepped aside, the males of the slaves had a evil, sinister, revengeful look on their faces. the women and children stood by her, thanking her quietly "come ma'am, you need to come away".
a coulpe of the slavers were attacked by the released elves, a small, bloody fight came into play
Kale smirked "you evil scum" he charged at Durako with his broadsword
-
durako grabbed the sword, a trickle of black blood slowly crept down the blade. durako grabbed kale's arms and lifted him off the ground after throwing the sword clear across the clearing and into the depths of the forest. he emitter a loud growl that almost sounded as if he was clearing his throught. "audeo laedit, interficiam te. mei tangam ego te rip artusque." (dare hurt me, i kill you. dare touch my master, i rip you limb from limb.) he growled, practicly snout to nose with the human.
-
"she is ours!!!" Kale challenged " we bought her, she is rightfully ours, we can do whatever we want!!"
-
"nos non solum obiecta venalium!" (we are no mere objects to be bought and sold!) durako spat, he took kale's arms, one in each hand, and spread them apart as far as they would go. "nocte suprema sit, tu in inferno agimus" (tonight shall be your last, you shall spend it in hell) with that he delivered a powerfull kick to kale's upper chest while pulling the humans arms back behind him. the blood splater flew as the two arms ripped from their sokets and the flesh gave way causing the now useless arms to land not far from stella, followed shortly after by the rast of the now cowering, screaming mess that was kale. durako looked into stella's eyes as if to say 'the final strike is yours.'
-
Stella nearly puked, she merely shook her head and turned away.
-
durako walked over, not caring about anything other than stella's safety. he stepped casualy on the back of kale's chest, a serise of loud unmistakeable cracks signaled the distruction of his ribs as durako lifted his other foot off the ground and stomped down on kale's head, shatering it and silencing his screams. durako looked at stella, blood driping from half of his fur, most of it not his. he lowered to all fours and sat down next to him, trying to get her to look him in the eyes.
-
Stella did look back, her amber eyes filled with horror and gradituted
-
Yevin had finished off the magister the moment his frozen arm was shattered by a bolt of arcane energy. But just to make sure the magister was dead, he shot a jet of fire onto his body and watched him burn with a borderline disgusted face. He then walked away from the body, and headed towards Stella. He neither raised a hand nor showed concern as his eyes still burned with the same red one would find in a demon. "When you regain control over your fear, we shall find a place to rest before we look for Dusin. If he is nowhere to be found, then I will guide you to the Fade as your magical potential makes you a big target for other demons."
-
"yes sir" she quietly, looking at all of the dead bodies, Stella knel down, arms out stretched "come here Durako" she said softly
-
durako looked at stella calmly. a shot of pure pain him through his hand before he looked back up at stella after looking at his sliced open hand. red blood was starting to show through the black, durako fell to the ground in pain quickly curling up into the featal position as his body reverted backto normal. once the change was complete he lay unconcious on the ground, blood gushing from his wound but otherwise he looked asif nothing had happened.
-
Stella knelt by Durako, that light came and she placed it over his hand. the simple wound healed "wake up..time to go" she said softly
-
durako stired, but it was nothing more than turning and laying on his back. his calm face interupted by sudden twitches. in his head was a sweirling picture show of his life, a show he had watch to many times in the past as it graduly got longer. and this expefience wa no different. the second the flashing images stoped he drifted into conciousness faintly. enough to turn his head and look into stella's eyes, the most beautifull things in the world to him at this moment. "i...i'll....i'll be......fine....i'll be fine." he strugled out, weasing through semi crushed lungs from the sudden decrease in mass.
-
Stella placed her hands with healing over the crushed lungs, sobbing softly as she placed his head in her lap "your not fine Durako..." tears splashed on his cheeks "we need to move and I dont want to lose you"
-
durako pushed stella's hands away as his strength grew back to a movable level. he slowly stumbled to an unsteady standing position, against stella's will. "i..i said....i'll be fine.....my body just....needs...to re...readjust..." he coughed, specs of blood hitting the ground at his feet. "we should keep going....i'll be back to normal...by...sundown"
-
Yevin started to soften as he saw his 'apprentice' cry and grabbed durako's right arm, putting it over Yevin's neck, and stuck the right side of his hip out while helping durako move. "Theres a red colored heart-shaped potion in my right pocket, take it out and make him drink it. If it will heal mortal wounds, it should fix his internal organs."
-
Stella found the potion in Yevin's bag and forced the liquid down if throat, holding her hand over his mouth "come on it s for the best..." she looked at Yevin and kissed his cheek in gratitude "thank you Master" she said softly
-
durako swallowed the potion reluctantly, not that he had a choice in the matter. he instantly pushed the two off and droped to the ground dry-heaving. once he stoped long enough to speak he did so, "what in the name of all things elven did you put in that?! yak piss?! and you didn't have to do that. i would have been fine, the longer the transformation the longer i take to recover. thats the rule of my curse, why do you think i was fighting it till you needed it....." he looked away, unsure if he should tell stella the secret to their conjoined passed....about the other ritual that she was involved in, before her birth, the one involving him.......
-
"I'm sorry Durako...I just hated seeing you in pain" Stella said with a shaky breath, looking around, there was a storm coming "come on,lets get moving"
-
"ok, i was expecting more questions as to what i just did." durako rose slowly, still uneazy on his feet. "i'm so tired, we should find shelter soon, or i might end up just passing out on the ground."
-
Thunder boomed and lighning flashed, in the distance she saw a small cabin. she dragged Durako up, helping him in and letting Yevin in before closing the door against the wind "this will do..."
-
durako floped down in a chair still to tired to move around alot. "any clue where we should head next?"
-
"I say we just destroy the country-side, give those Templars a reason to hunt us." Yevin reclined in a skin-covered chair, his clothes drying themselves with a weak fire spell.
-
Stella started a fire in the fire place before returning to look at Yevin ... she turned away before wrapping an old blanket around Durako's shoulder
-
he thanked stella sleepily, yawning soon after. "and do you think thats wise? we barely made it past a few measly slave traiders, do you think we stand a chance against an army? that transformation was weak and didn't last long. yet look at me, i can barely stay consious from the amount of energy needed and the phisical strain it enduces on the body."
-
Rummaging through the kitchen she found an old tea kettle and some tea leaves that have not gone bad, she began to make tea she used her pointer finger to make circular motions, half realizing that she was in fact using magic. she didn't celebrate, not yet at least.
-
Santh gazed restlessly at the building the three of elves were in. She knew not how to approach them, nor did she now what to do to thank them. She was taking in the events that had happened and what the mage had said, she had her whole heart set out on making everything right by killing the king, yet... what was she to do now? She slowly walked up to the door, head down ears back, she gently knocked on it.
Dusin could hear the cries of the other wardens as they yelled at each other, commanding one and other. In Dusin time away he had learned that the Wardnes had planed to over throw the king, but some how he found out. The king's army was currently attacking the fortress, the Wardens had little to no hope to survive. With the blight about, they could not simply leave Feralden left to fight with no Wardens. The Warden commander chose to send Dusin through a fade portal. Dusin had never seen such magic before, and it was not til the day of the attack did he realize why he had never seen such a thing. The dwarf looked at the odd contraption that the warden's mage had built, it wreaked with blood magic.
"When those doors open, I will take the blood from the first wave, and push it into this portal, that is when you will jump in" The mage looked at Dusin making sure he understood. Dusin slowly and reluctantly nodded, he understood what was happening. He just couldn't believe that he was actually going to agree to be an accomplice with blood magic. The Warden commander stood in front of the waiting wardens, she would be there last words of inspiration before they go to meet there doom.
-
durako heard the knock on the door and strugled to stand. he slowly got to the door and with great effort managed to open it. he say the girl and stared blankly at her, the colour visibly draining from his skin as he stood there swaying. "i supose you want to come in."
-
Stella come up behind Durako...holding him up, she looked at Santh "come in, just making tea" she said kindly
-
She quickly came in, pivoting her self around the two making sure not to touch other of them. She took a small place in the coroner. She sat on her knees, looking at her palms which were in her lap. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but then stopped and closed it. She did this again, looking at the other elves, but then closed her mouth and looked back down.
-
Stella knelt in front of her, eyes alight with concern "hey, I know we got off on the wrong foot..." Stella paused then spoke again "but there is something on you mind"
-
durako made it back to the chair, barely, and turned so he could see both stella and santh. he could feel the last of his strength draining from him slowly. "if you have any questions for me.....ask them quickly." his head floped back, resting in the back of the chair limply. "i can't stay awake for much longer.....and i'm not sure how long i'll be out for."
-
"That is something I've only seen done by a keeper…" her voiced trailed off. Even though she said it out loud, she wasn't looking for a response. The night stired with the ragging storm, it brought peace to the elf. She began to relax her body, but still avoiding eye contact. Her peaceful aura was shattered when another knock came to the door. On the out side of the door stood a small eleven child.
-
Yevin opened the door, looked at the child, then shut it again. "I already have one child to look after..." He mumbled, sitting back down on the fur chair. "You can go ahead and sleep Dalish one, only angry mobs would come out in this weather. If such a group arrives, I'll just zap the first three and let the rest run for the hills."
-
durako stared daggers at yevin through his weakness, "let her in......"
-
Stella opened the door and scooped up the child in her arms, who clung to her desperately "here love.." she place the child by the fire as she wrapped her in an old blanket, offering her tea, she took it "whats you name dear?"
-
Santh chuckled at Yevin whether it was at him slamming the door or him zapping people was unclear. Santh eyed the child, not to sure what to expect.
"My.. my name?... Umm... I don't know.." the child trailed off looking back at the tea. "I.. I like.. Rosses they are very pretty.. Can that be my name?... Rosses... I'll feel very pretty..."
"Great a human tainted city elf" Santh turned to look at the fire it brought her peace.
-
"its a very beautiful name...my name is Stella" she glared at Santh before looking back at the child "don't mind the others, they are grouchy alot of the time" sh stroked her hair comfortingly
-
Rosses pulled back as Stella began to do that, when she did Stella saw an odd scar at the top of her head. Santh saw it to, this got her intrigued by the little elf, but thought it best just for them to go to sleep.
"Mage... I think I'll take you up on your offer and sleep" she took her blades from her hips, setting therm next to her, and rested her head. "I can feel something stir in the air, I think we will all need or rest for tomorrow.." she contemplated her next move, wondering how she could save her people.
-
Yevin nodded at Santh's suggestion, but made no move to sleep. "I'll keep watch, its not the first time I've gone without sleep..." He sat upright in his chair, and gazed out as if he were looking at a castle that was a whole days worth of travel away...
-
Stella poured a cup of tea for Yevin, she sat down by him, staring at Rosse, she smiled at the little girl "you know ...I am a slave myself" she said softly
-
Rosses didn't hear Stella, she was already asleep, it has been a while since she felt safe.
"Was" Santh hissed, before going to sleep without a word. Santh sleep was light for even though she was sure the mage didn't lie, she wouldn't just take the chance for someone to take her in her sleep. She woke with the sun, for it is customary for her tribe. She was surprised when she saw Yevin still awake, she couldn't believe that he actually stayed up the whole night.
"I'll.... be back" she said she she burst out the door, with an awkward silence falling behind her. Rosses moved a little, rubbing her eyes and looking at Yevin.
"Are... are you a magister?" fear was in her voice, but it didn't over power her tone. She had heard stroies about there great power, but also of there ruthless ways.
-
Stella had fallen asleep next to Rosses, she woke up before the child and was making breakfast with what little she had, humming lullaby she hear last night
-
Yevin glanced at the young elf girl, a fiery glimmer making him seem all the more abnormal. "Magister are just glamorized mages, any decent circle mage can contend with what I fought against. So no, I'm not a magister..."
-
" and a grump too..." Stella handed both Yevin and Rosses some food ten proceeded to wake up Durako.
-
durako began to stir, slowly streaching and yawning his muscules screaming silently at him to stop moving as he slowly sat up. "how long was i out?" he asked rubbing his head, him memory and thughts a mass of colored blurs tht seemed to run together indiscriminatly.
-
"almost high noon from yesterday..." she handed him a small plate of breakfast, she then heard something move outside, her cat ears flicked and she went out side, then came back in with two adult rabbits she killed "well, meat anyone?"
-
"I'll pass, still have not finished eating what you just handed me." Yevin said as he ate what his apprentice gave him just a moment ago. "As far as 'grump' goes, most mages would think its beneath them to teach a slave magic, I just don't like seeing diamonds in the rough that everyone else doesn't feel like touching."
-
skinning and using all the parts of the rabbit she placed the meat in the boiling water pot, she found some herbs she reconized like sage and rosemary in the kitchen and put it in. "now....just some wild onions...oh! garlic!!" excited she looked for some other stuff
-
durako thanked stella weakly and began to eat slowly, tuning out to the rest of the world.
-
"Such a kind man you are" Rosses said, looking at Yevin. Her childish views making her to lose her fear of him, she only now feared what he could do. She ate the food she was given, not wishing to eat any meat. "Thank you" she said, not sure what else to do. She had just intruded. On them, and even thought they feed and watched she couldn't over stay her welcome. She stood up, and began walking to the door. As she reached for the door, it flew back and head it in her face and she fell back with a thud. Santh had kicked the door open, her arms holding a large chunk of wood, she looked at Rosses dreading the fact that she had just slamend the door in her face. Not because she hit her, she cared less about that, just for the simple fact she didn't know how to act with kids and now had to apologize.
"Er… eh... are you ok?" She barley manged to pull out.
"Yes" she lied, holding her forhead. She could feel a bump begin to forum as it pulsated, it hurt, but she had much worse. "Thank you for the hospitality, but ill be going now."
"Bye" Santh spat out setting her wood down. She pulled a small vial of a clear liquid, dabbing her finger in it, rubbed the wood gently with her moist finger. Santh turned her head looking at Rosses wondering why she had stopped. Rosses eyes were large as she gazed at the large creature that stood before her.
"Hi?" she said, being a virgin of the outside world. An ogre let out a loud cry as it swung its large claws as the child. Santh grabbed the child, pulling her behind her, and screaming in pain as the goers claws tore into her flesh. The oger let out another roar, grabbing the roofing ogre the house and ripping it off.
-
durako sighed as the oger ribbed the roof off. "well at least it's not his house...." he said getting to his feet. yavin, i mighht need some help with this...you take the two on the left....i got the other one......." he swayed, trusting his vision far to much which at that moment was unfocused and unclear, causing him to see triple as all the blood in his body shifted, his head throbbing and his body visibly straining to stay up "or better yet....you can dal with it......i don't feel so good......." he fell to his knees and then to the ground, underestimating just how much his last transformation had taken out of him.