The Furry Forums
Creative Arts and Media => Roleplay => Serious RP => Topic started by: Tayy on January 03, 2014, 02:06:07 AM
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(/Let me begin by saying I haven't roleplayed in years, so forgive me if I trip over my own feet here and there xD)
The night was upon this place. Stars shined, however, they shined dimly. The moon was nigh, and that was the only thing she took comfort in, especially at this moment. Wind whistled, the only noise in this silence; and deafening that silence was. The warmth of the day had gone, replaced with a shiver of confusion. She could hear the scurrying of rodents, smell the cold approaching... and feel sand beneath her paws.
Groaning, Luna sat up from where she lay. Her muscles screamed in response, but she forced her legs to stretch as she stood slowly, placing a crimson paw to her throbbing temple. "What in the..." she muttered to herself, her sight adjusting to the darkness. Fuzzy blurs turned into bare, jagged shrubbery, and rocks. A few palm trees stood about ten paces from where she now gazed at her surroundings in a muddled mind. She took a step and hissed at the pain that seared up from her left foot. Looking down, a gash ran from between her toes up her calf. A flash of what led her to wake up here flew by her mind- fighting a large dragon. Hellfire had been burning all over an abandoned castle; she was drawn here by a few others to extinguish the oncoming end. She saw herself running along the obsidian dragon's flank before slicing her dagger along its massive black tail. Then it caught her off guard with a swipe from its own clawed paw, sending her flying. Then it went black again. She must have ended up here from that hit. She looked around as her headache subsided, saw no other fur in sight, and began heading east in the rapidly freezing desert. She knew there was a bustling city in that direction, and was intent on finding some civilization- whether for the sake of her own worrying mindset or for the good of the world.
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He hated waiting. He paced back and forth. Other furs and scales hustled about the city minding their own business hardly noticing the foreigner. This is where they'd agreed to meet, but she was late as usual. He'd been in the city for nearly a week and had forgotten the name of it, but he had no use for it. He checked with the watch daily to see if they'd encountered any three tailed foxes, sadly as of yet they had not.
The tavern he was staying at was quaint. Like most every other local watering hole in the city this one was filled with unruly guest and patrons of many a colorful lifestyle. "Kibira," The bartender looked up at him. "More water please." Kibira was a striking weasel girl with pointed ears and soft beach white fur. A stark contrast to her father, an all black weasel, who owned the place. She slid another pitcher of water to him and he poured himself another glass.
"You thing she'll come in today Helios?" He nodded to her happily. Tonight was a full moon when she'd be at her strongest, still he hated waiting.
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"Five...six...seven," Luna counted her wounds as she walked. Most were shallow gashes, but three proved to be very deep, and very painful. The one that climbed her leg, one that ran across her right hip, and one somewhere hidden by the hair on her head. She only knew it was there from the blood that occasionally dripped down into her eye. Normally, she would have made a salve to put on these wounds, but she was walking through a desert at night. Even with her keen senses, there was no way she could have made something up. It made more sense to continue on to the city, to help. Nyx knows how much longer until she would pass out, either from blood loss, hunger, exhaustion, or all three.
That city... she couldn't even remember the name of it. Somehow she knew she was going in the right direction, but would there be guards? How would she get in? Thoughts raced, making her dizziness increase. She put her paw to her temple once more and shook her head. "The city..." she breathed. Her tails lashing behind her, she kept walking. She soon saw lanterns glowing and both excitement and relief washed over her. As she neared the city, she gazed at its sandstone walls, so smooth looking yet grainy to the touch. She wiped blood from her forehead and continued, following the only light she could see- a lantern hanging from a tavern that stuck out to her. She squinted as she made her way to its doors, and as she let herself in, a small smile curled her lips before she stumbled forward to her knees, unaware of both the concerned and pervasive stares that shot in her direction.
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He thanked Nyx she was safe for he knew she would if she could. He was glad he had payed one of the guards to tell him if a fox matching Luna's descriptions came through. He left the Tavern in a panic when the news came in and he ran through the city in full sprint. Nothing would keep him from her. How long had it been since he'd seen her? One week? Two? A month? He never was good with time. He pushed and shoved people out of his way as he tried to get to the local hospice where he was told Luna was. He tripped several times and felt himself tiring quickly.
Bah out of shape I never should have let myself get lazy. After a few more moments he saw her not in the hospice but outside the city gates surrounded by guards their weapons drawn. Gah this girl will be the death of me.
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Luna struggled to stay awake, fuzzy images floating across her vision. She had made it to the city, but as she thought, there were guards. She couldn't gather enough words to string together sentences to explain. She tried and a guard pointed his spear directly at her chest, to which she quickly knocked it away in one fluid motion. "Fo..fools," she breathed, her energy wearing even thinner. The guard rapped her aside the head with the shaft of a sword, causing her to fall more to her side. "Stop!" a voice broke through the commotion that was quickly growing.
"Can't you see she's injured?! Have mercy!" A femme gerbil fur forced her way to the front of the crowd, her emerald eyes alight in the moonlight. She held a lantern of her own, giving some illumination in which Luna saw the teal hair she was looking for. She felt a burst of fire within her once more, reaching and pointing to Helios. "Get back, rodent!" The two nearest guards pushed against the gerbil, trying to force her back into the crowd. Luna, seeing this distraction, gathered what energy she could and stumbled toward her target, crying out against the pain that seared through her body.
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She will will be the death of me. He shot out to the group of guards.
"Can't you see she's injured?! Have mercy!" A femme gerbil fur forced her way to the front of the crowd. Drawing his ivory white blade in one hand and his ebony black dagger in a reverse grip in the other he started shoving his way through the crowd, furs grumbling and shouting as he did. Grabbing both the Gerbil and Luna he stood facing a group of about five or six guards.
"I don't want to hurt anyone." He growled barring his fangs. One of the guards, a Wolf it looked like, pinned his ears and charged Helios his blade drawn. Helios was no novice to combat and despite being out of shape he managed to get under the curved blade of the guard and swept his leg out from under him causing him to land flat on the ground with a whine. "Now if you don't mind she's hurt!" He barked at the remaining guards.
"Let them through." The wolf growled from the ground.
"Come the hospice is this way." The Gerbil said calmly. Helios grabbed Luna in his arm and carried her into the city following the Gerbil.
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"N-no, no hospitals!" Luna's eyes frantically darted around as she dug into Helios' neck and shoulders in her panic. Her ears pressed flat and blood rushed down her forehead once again, forcing her to close her eye. Dizziness took over again, heightened in her anxiety. She could feel the gerbil look back at her quizically, but the world spun around her.
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"Perhaps you know of a more natural approach an herbs master or salve maker?" Helios asked holding Luna closer.
"I know of one her in the city, but she's clear on the other side of the city are you sure you want to go all the way over there?" The Gerbil asked a concerned look on her face.
"I'm certain ma'am." He followed her disregarding the looks of curiosity that the locals gave him.
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"Thank you..." Luna relaxed against Helios again, feeling herself slip into oblivion. When she reawoke, she was lying on a hide in the middle of a dim room. The gerbil fur was absent, Helios sat behind her with her head in his lap, and a feline kneeled in front of her. He held a bandage in one hand, a dripping sponge in the other. "Welcome, dear Luna. My name is Griff." his voice was like water, smooth and relaxing. She felt Helios lift her slightly and the feline began sponging the dried blood from her face. She winced slightly, watching with blurred vision. When he finished bandaging her head wound and sat back, she noticed another fur sitting next to him. She stared at him intently, bringing a glance from Griff. "Oh," He claimed, "That's my assistant, Vulps." Griff smiled as he motioned for Vulps to come and help with the rest of Luna's wounds, but Luna stiffened under her skin. Something was off about him. But then, maybe it was just her nerves from being hurt and tired.
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Vulps is brought to attention, after he was daydreaming. He Wanted to be on her side, more than his own, he turned, and put his paws to his face, thinking, "Are you Really going to do this?" "Yes", he thought to himself. He turned and composed himself. As he helped with the wounds, he kept repeating that though over and over in his head, and then he made the decision. He was on her side. He was brought to attention when they were all done with the wounds.
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Protective was an understatement. Helios was Luna's guard, but even he had to admit when he needed help helping her. He had a bad feeling about this Griff fellow, but Vulps seemed a bit naive and perhaps a bit well meaning. All he could do was wait. His hands rested on his blades his knuckles snow white with pressure from gripping.
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Luna smiled up at Helios gently before sitting up fully. "Easy now," Griff muttered. She glared at him out of habit and moved to Helios' side. "Thank you for your help... I already feel better," she lied, eager to get away. An uneasiness grew in her steadily. Her gaze flicked between Griff and Vulps, who had seemed to relax more upon interacting with her. "Oh, dear, but you should really take this," Griff reached for a vial on a low shelf next to him. Luna narrowed her eyes, seeing it was a dark purple-red liquid inside. Griff pulled the cork off with a smile at Vulps, handing it to Luna. She sniffed, it was a rosy aroma but seemed to mask something else... something metallic. "I think I'll manage without it." she tried to hand it back, gaining a small frown from Griff. "I really advise you drink. It will quicken the healing process," he pushed it back toward her. She furrowed her brow, looking back and forth between Vulps and Helios.
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I quickly mutter to Helios:
"Don't do that."
He shoots quickly a look at Luna of wonder and hope. He snaps back to looking at Helios as quick as possible.
He Follows to give a less strong sign of trust to Helios.
"You may be my master, But you do not, toy with me."
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"Griff, Luna said no." Helios steps between the vial and Luna. Griff glares at Helios who returns it with a stare of pure anger. His tail flicked back and forth before he turned to Luna. "Luna, let's get out of here, and quickly." He turns to Vulps slipping him a note he'd written originally for the Gerbil, but she was long gone and Vulps showed promise. "Thank you both for your service."
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Luna stood and turned to look at Vulps, knowing well that the written note was an invitation to the Guardianship. It probably held some sort of meeting time and place, although currently everyone was under orders to meet in this city. It was rare for so many to be in one place, Luna wondered. She stepped out of the naturalist's building into the night air. She sighed as she breathed in the coolness, basking in the moonlight. She turned to watch Helios exit the place as well, noting Griff's intense glare after them. He was muttering something under his breath, and that made her very uncomfortable. With a shudder, she turned back toward the city, watching the pale flickering of the few, strewn-about lanterns. "Now what?" She touched the bandage above her eye, frowning at how she could feel her hair was messed up due to it.
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He read's the note, mutters curses under his breath, and says:
"Gotta think About it."
He slowly is realizing what is goig to happen if he declines.
"I'm In."
He then follows with a look at Luna again, still representing that that acceptation was a bigger facade.
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Helios let a small smile escape as he watched Vulps follow silently behind at a short distance. After tromping across half the city he and Luna disappeared from Vulps view for a brief moment. Helios surprised Vulps and he threw a bag over his head shrouding Vulps's vision. "Don't freak out I just can't let you see how to get to our base until we accept you into our ranks."
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Luna drew one of her daggers as a precaution, a sad smile coming across her muzzle. She remember going through this as well, the anxiety that had come over her during it. "Just stay calm and quiet and you'll be fine," she gently took one of his paws and began leading through the darkness. "Oh, and don't try anything," she added, touching a pad on his paw with the point of her dagger. She smiled at Helios and continued, humming softly.
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He was thinking. Thinking alot. Thoughts passed though his mid. Trust. Fear. Mystery.
Bad things he thought were going to happen soon.
He started to just be very submissive on the trip.
He was plotting.
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Helios pulled the bag off of Vulps head and turned to Luna smiling. "Well he's not the Gerbil, but my gut tells me he'll be a good addition." He turns to Vulps smiling. "Tell me Vulps why didn't you push down your masters vial. Seems like that's what a proper apprentice would do?" I sit polishing my blades while waiting for Vulps response.
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Luna giggled, opening the gate to this city's base. She began leading them down a dark corridor of stone stairs. "Indeed, I am curious as well. I thought I was going to have to fight both of you off while I was wounded," she muttered. As they finally reached the bottom, she felt around for a wooden brick amongst the stone and knocked, murmuring something in another language. A door was opened and she smiled at the boys before disappearing inside.
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"Well, i was thought going with it would invoke trust!"
He is Concerned, he starts acting slightly defensive, expecting something to happen.
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"You thought right." Helios chuckled lightly. "It takes a lot of courage to stand up to one's master. Courage that the Guardianship could use." Helios looked to Luna with a smile and a small kiss on the cheek. "But you already impressed me it's Luna here who you've really got to impress. She's in charge here I'm just the muscle." Helios was sizing up Vulps he was by no means a small fox fur. In fact he was taller and bulkier than Helios despite the fact that Helios probably weighed more. Vulps was easily the most colorful fur he'd met to date, his fur a vibrant and fluorescent green with equally striking yellow markings. What came across to Helios as most interesting though was Velps lack of weapons.
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Luna smiled and rolled her golden eyes as the boys followed her inside. The door slammed shut behind them and an array of furs turned to see who entered. A few recognized her and she waved to them before it got quiet, all eyes turned to Vulps.
"Femmes and gentlefurs, allow me to introduce Vulps. He defied his master in order to tag along with us." a smile curled her lips as she motioned at him with a lazy paw. "He hasn't fully been accepted yet, obviously, however he is up to joining the Guardianship. Of course the pledge is left," she paused. There were a few whispers that went around before it grew still again. "If anyone objects to gaining this new warrior, speak now as such." she slowly gazed at each and every pair of eyes, none looking away. "There you have it," she turned to the fox, bringing him forward. "We'll have Helios initiate the pledge and you'll be right in, so long as you accept."
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He felt almost--welcomed. He sensed that not everyone wanted me to be here, doubt. He looks down and stares at his feet in fear of direct eye contact. He slowly looked up, ready to do as told. He was very, very nervous as because he did not know alot of people in this place. As he continued, he eventually composed himself enough to make this pledge.
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Helios looked Vulps up and down once more. "Take this last moment and relish it. For once you say these words you are a member of the Guardianship. We are more than a rag tag team of fighters, we are family and we all welcome one another. We are the light in the ever increasing Darkness that engulfs our world. We are reason and restraint against a foe who promotes chaos and discord. We are agents or harmony and now we extend an offer to you to join us." Helios drew his dagger. "Zaryph," He said to a small Zebra fur stepped forward. "Bring Vulps a dagger." The Zebra darted out and quickly returned with a pitch black dagger similar to Helios and handed it to Vulps. "Now should you choose to join us you need only do as I do." Helios took his dagger and cut his hand barely allowing a small amount of blood out leaving his bloody paw print on the page of a large dusty tome on top of a pedestal. "I am the light that guides the fallen to redemption." Helios turned to Vulps. "The choice is yours."
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Luna watched with patience as Helios calmly proceeded. Though their initiation seemed olden, it held truest in its form; a blood bond. So many other paw prints were present in that same tome, including her own. Though they followed no single upper power, they all were united. The other furs raised their glasses in the anticipation of Vulps signing, no doubt cheers waiting to burst from their tongues.
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He Proceeded to accept and make the bond. He quickly suppressed his reaction when lots all around cheered. He was simply a nurse this morning, and look what he is now. He knew this was his destiny.
"My choice is here. I would be nothing without this."
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"Choice is everything." Helios said sheathing his dagger. "Take me for example. I used to be a prince. But when my kingdom was ransacked and my family slaughtered I swore vengeance. In time I succumbed to the Darkness. If it hadn't been for Luna who knows where I'd be now." Helios gave a silent pause. "But enough of the past. Today your life restarted you are a Guardian now, or well will be once you've received a little training." He gave Luna a smirk. "I'll let her decide where to start you."
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"We'll start tomorrow," she murmured, turning to the crowd with her fist raised. "To a new warrior- a new soul!" she yelled out, gaining an even louder response. She grinned and lowered her hand, the cheers still sounding. Many furs surrounded Vulps in a welcoming. Luna smiled at Helios and headed to the bar in the base, waving down the tender, a violet tiger. "Luna!" He exclaimed, hugging her over the bar. She released him and hit him softly in the shoulder. "Krieg, good to see you. Listen, I want you to begin with some basic longsword training tomorrow with Vulps," she glanced back at the vibrant fox and raised an eyebrow. "Actually... try a bow. Maybe a crossbow or recurve. I feel like he'd be better with distance and calm," she laughed. Krieg nodded and she thanked him, returning to Vulps and Helios. "It's settled then." She found her way snug against Helios' side and called out to Vulps, "You'll be doing some bow training. Better get your sleep tonight- your arms are going to be sore tomorrow!"
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as he was guided to his sleeping quarters, he had large amount of thoughts churning. He thought quite a bit in his bunk before going to bed. he thought and thought about what had happened today until he slept. His dreams were the actions of today, repeating over in his head, constantly gripping, thinking, slowly figuring out how to treat everyone.
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Night was his favorite time. It was her time. Helios was supposed to be a creature of the sun. He had been branded thus. And yet the more time he was with Luna the more he enjoyed the night. He sat out on the roof of the Guardianship roof and stared at the moon. He'd been glad he moved his room up here. It was quieter and he had a ladder straight to the front entrance as well. He thought more and more of this new kid Vulps. He like him, his gut told him Vulps would probably be energetic at first, but then again even Helios was when he first joined. Vulps would need a mentoring team to get field experience when his training was done and he was hoping it would be the perfect excuse for him and Luna to be out in the field again like the old days. As he dozed off dreaming of the old days he felt Luna curl up next to him.
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The moon was at its brightest on this night, a full moon at its best. Luna drank it in happily as she curled her three tails around Helios' waist. Vulps had gone to bed, Helios would be fully sleeping soon. It was then she decided to make her move. They could wait no longer, and the anticipation was making her itch. She removed the bandage from her head with an irritated swipe and no blood ran down her face. She grinned and gently moved from Helios, dancing on the roof in the moonlight. Although she had almost been past the point of simply passing out just earlier, the moon invoked the night energy within her blood. She could almost feel the silver light racing throughout her veins, her seven points of energy aflame. With a sigh and a last turn, she crept back into Helios' room and went to find the male who was even more in charge than she.
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Vulps had been awakened by Luna from her walking around. He was indeed a light sleeper. he stayed in his bed and feeling fully rested,he sat in his bed and started thinking again. He does not need much sleep to run on.
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As always Helios was up at dawn. As he walked past the open doors of the rooms to the training ground he smiled. He loved being the first one awake. The corridors were quiet, but he didn't mind it so much. He had spent many a long morning training with his weapons and had become one with them. No today he had a special idea for training. Today he'd start getting back into shape. His fur was a vibrant gold and the black and brown spots on him had nearly faded when he started his warm ups, and by the time the room began to fill with mor furs, his fur was a darkened brown his spots even darker so from the sweat he'd worked up.
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"What do you mean you don't know?" Luna snarled at the commander in front of her. It was near daybreak already, and she had been prying him for information all night. The lion put his head in his paws, sighing heavily. The wooden desk beneath him creaked with his sudden weight. "Luna, we don't know. We've gotten word of this 'cure', but no one has tried experimenting. It's from somewhere in the West, way West. Beyond our control. We don't have the abilities to test it!" She threw her paws up and turned, staring out the window. Minutes passed in silence, the commander knowing she was thinking intently. Finally, she turned around. "I'll test it."
"Luna, no, you don't know what-"
"Exactly! We don't know, and we won't know until research is done. Besides... something in me tells me I'll find it... this reversal." She gave one more look at the lion and he grimly nodded. With that, she turned to find something to do. Her paws were itching to get dirty, her muscles wanting tiring. She mindlessly passed other furs through the labrynth of the base, not hearing any greetings.
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Vulps is waiting by the archery grounds, silently tempted to give a crack at the weapons before he knows about them completely. Ge goes for it and starts operating the crossbow, quickly figuring out how the mechanics work and how to operate it.
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Alex trekked through the desert tirelessly-or perhaps that wasn't entirely true. Every step the fynx took sent waves of pain through his legs and his whole body cried out for sustenance, something more fulfilling than the meager rations he had picked up some many miles back. The blazing sun had not yet risen but the hybrid could feel that it was fighting to break the hard line of the horizon. His unusually blue fur had thinned since he moved into hotter areas out of an evolutionary reflex, but it wasn't enough for him to move comfortably through these harsh lands.
Bedecked in light robes designed to dispel heat and block out harsh desert winds and sand he peered out through the veil over his eyes and gasped. "Sweet rapture.." The voice was tight and raspy as he saw a city rising up in the distance. Taking a moment to satisfy himself that it wasn't a mirage he reached for his canteen for a moment. Realising that he had drained it long before then he knelt to the ground and took a deep breath, blood pounded in his ears as his weak body called to the water in the ground and a small trickle began to flow from one of the many cracks in the sun baked earth. A little ball of water soon formed in the palm of his hands and he carried it carefully to his mouth where he drank it down. Wiping his face he stood and with a bit of renewed vigor in him he stalks to the town, eventually bringing himself to a staggering halt before a guard who looked rather concerned. Reaching for and missing the cover over his mouth a few times he finally yanks it down and throws back the veil.
"I'm looking for.. a Guardian.." the fynx, having drained the last of his energy getting to town and stating his mission fell awkwardly forward and to the left and passed out before he hit the ground. Anyone could tell once he'd had his coverings removed that he was the definition of hunger, thirst, and all around over exertion. It wasn't a choice for him though, this had to be done. Even if it cost him everything, though somewhere along the way he may have lost track of where the extreme was, how far was too far-that maybe he needed to be alive and well when he met these rumored Guardians.
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He wasn't happy that it'd be something this dangerous that they'd be taking Vulps on for his first time in the field, but Luna was stubborn and determined as usual and he wouldn't trust anyone else with training Vulps in the coming days. Helios sat that morning eating his potato. Luna sat next to him her mind obviously planing their next adventure. He watched Vulps take to the crossbow as if his hands were crafted for it. Sure he saw rookie mistakes, but Vulps seemed to taking well enough to it.
That's about when everything went to hell. One of the local Guardians, Malfor he believed his name was, came barging in. He had a contact in the cities guards, apparently about an hour or so ago some fur came into town asking for a Guardian. Obviously the locals had no clue about us, but it was well enough that he seemed to be on the brink of death. Luna would want to see him, and Helios wanted to talk to this guy himself. He grabbed his blades and looked to Luna ready to go.
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With a look to Vulps, Luna stood. "Come along if you'd like, but be prepared. Your choice," She stretched and shook her head slightly, clearing her cloudy mind. Krieg had already gone back into the barracks to get his own weapons and when Helios looked at her, she nodded. With her hand on her own daggers hilt, she began the trek to the city's hospital, as Malfor had informed them where the fur was headed. In passing through their base's narrow halls, she reached for a tan cloak that was hanging with others of its kind. Pulling it to hide her face as she walked, she glanced back at Helios and quickened her pace.
"It's better that we take this route," she explained as she led the way onto a nearby roof. She scanned the city for a moment before continuing, leaping where necessary until they were in front of the hospital. There was a fairly large crowd, which she expected. This city was always interested when something was different. Now there were whispers of the Guardians flying between furs below, hardly anyone seemed interested in the fur that was past the point of exhaustion. She scoffed at this and took her bow off her back, its beautiful polished wood with red accents glinting in the sunlight. She carefully fired an arrow into the midst of the crowd and the furs quickly moved out from around it, cries rising. "Calm down," Luna yelled as she leaped into the now open space. "You were all just in the way." She laughed quietly to Helios and retrieved her arrow, pulling her cloak further down as she moved through the rest of the crowd. Whispers rose once again, and she quickly entered the hospital. Once inside, she began scanning as to where this fur might be. If he was looking for a Guardian, and knew of them, he had to be important. And to Luna, he would be taken care of.
"Hm, I wonder where he could be." she sarcastically threw back to Helios, nodding in the direction where a small crowd of furs were surrounding a room entrance.
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Vulps Quickly catches up to Luna, bringing a couple water canteens and a crossbow along with spare bolts. He Said without hesitation,
"I'm Coming with you expecting a long trip requiring endurance, move on and i will reach high places and scout out for danger"
Vulps Runs off and Cannot tolerate the large amount of people.
He reaches a high point and is watching out for any danger for the current area.
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Alex slowly came to in a bed with people crowded around the doorway to his room. Petrified by the idea of all those people surrounding him he didn't know what he should do. If he laid still perhaps he could just wait it out until the doctors came. The room was closed off for privacy but some people still peered in through the door every now and again. Looking over with his eyes he saw his clothes were free of the sand and crime that had plagued them for some time. Eyes widening he looked around and saw his back pack and belt of pouches sitting on a table. Looking back to the window he saw two people jockeying for a view of the stranger. When they disappeared he lurched out and groaned, the little time spent lying down had done little to ease his muscles. When he pulled his pack back and tried hiding it under the sheets it happened.
"HE'S AWAKE!" Then there was madness.
Heart pounding the fynx watched as people fought more and more-was it to get a look at him awake and aware or were they trying to get into the room now? Opening the pack he looked inside and found his pouch of special trinkets and trophies and smiled feeling the bulge of his latest trophy. Looking back to the door he stuffed the pack under the covers and tried to calm down. God was he still hungry and thirsty though, comfy, still painfully hungry, just a bit better off-as long as the crowd stayed out there that is..
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Helios looked around. He looked to Vulps who was doing a remarkable job as a sentry. Luna looked agitated in the crowd she hated them. But what could he do. This fur needed medical attention they couldn't provide at the base. Helios walked up the the crowd around his door. "Hey get out of the way." He barked at the crowd forcing his way through with Luna in tow. "We are his family come on move it!" People seemed to move fast enough. A couple of well placed scowls got them through the doors of the room. Luna feigned the part of a well intentioned sister well enough and soon they'd have all the time they needed with this fur who'd sought them out.
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"Finally," Luna sighed and shut the door, glaring out its window before hanging her cloak from a nail that was on the wall above it. A small tremble ran through her body as she cleared herself of the irritation that came from being in such a small, crowded area. Then she turned to the fur lying on the bed. She could see the fear in his eyes still no matter how still he lay and took her hide-covered canteen from her belt. She looked at Helios and gently sat on the bed a the furs side, handing him the canteen. "We aren't here to hurt you," she murmured.
"In fact, we are who you were looking for." She watched him carefully, feeling Helios at her side. She looked out the large window and saw a blur of green atop a roof directly across, Vulps keeping watch. He might make a good soldier yet, she mused. Turning back to the fur in front of her, she waved a paw over his body. "Are you hurt? Or can we move you? We are not in a safe place,"
-
His shouting Vulps thought was slightly rash, but worth the risk. The risk was worth it, but it turned out to pick up some attention. Two Heavily Armed guards were curiously coming to the same building. Guards he recognized. He quickly thought they would get recognized as soon as they entered the building. Vulps thought fast, but these people were approaching the door faster than he could think. He made a quick decision: Them having a higher chance of surviving, and vulps could be replaced if he had fallen, or 2-3 people possibly getting killed and no say to resolve such value lost. He shouted loudly attracting they're attention and put a bolt though one of the guards foreheads. He valued himself lower then the others. He re-loaded his crossbow while he was approving, and after finally loading the guard was on the roof, vulps discharged a bolt into his shoulder, though that did not affect him is the rage that his comrade had been killed. Vulps quickly grabbed another bolt and used it as a melee weapon. The Guard swung his sword, he thought it hit nothing, and he stabbed the gourd in the heart wit no hesitation. The guard chucked as he died. He heard a liquid dripping. most of His left arm was gone. Knowing what to do, he took off is shirt and made a tourniquet. the bleeding stopped. He walked with a reasonable pace to Helios and said,
"Gaurds were coming. I took care of them. They took something of mine along as i took they're lives. I'll survive, but i need someone to bandage the wound."
Vulps kept so calm because he knew if he had gone exited and into shock, he would die.
"I know what to do in a situation like this. I graduated the top of my class as a nurse. I temporarily cannot use my crossbow, my apologies. I did not suffer hardly any blood loss due to me realizing what had happened quickly and taking care of the bleeding."
"I'll be okay if we continue the mission as long as i am taken care of, or you can send me back, witch i most up mostly will not want to do."
He cursed under his breath and accompanies Helios, he could temporarily not scout our because of his injury.
-
Alex looks up and sucks in a quick breath seeing the two enter. They seemed different from the others-besides the NOT being screaming lunatics part, they had an air about them that was.. unusual.. Letting out his held breath he pulls out the pouch from earlier and fiddles with it, holding it tight despite his current company. Taking the canteen he drinks heavily-very heavily actually. The fynx drank until he sputtered a bit then handed it back, easily draining more than enough. "Sorry.. my stomach just hurts so much I need to fill it with something-and, eh, I was.."
Lifting his shirt he revealed four long scars over his chest visible where the scar tissue had kept fur from growing in. "The doctors probably brushed it off as an old wound but.. well, I'll explain when we're in a safer, more secure place." Looking to the door he pulled himself to his feet and barely held back a groan. Though his body was not wounded his stamina was still drained, his muscles sore. "Lead the way and try to keep the crowd back. I have a lot to offer you, and my only current requirement from you is a good meal." The fynx chuckled softly and looked around glancing into his pouch his eyes twinkled softly and he stowed it in his back pack and threw on his desert outfit.
-
Helios barely heard a word the new fur said to him as he sat listening to the commotion outside. He tuned back in to the last few words of the fur as he climbed out of the bed. "Giving demands to the people saving you?" Helios chuckled. "Just trust me." With that Helios grabbed the fur in his arms. "Luna take point. A small distraction is all I need. Once you do Vulps and I will take him back to the base and we can talk there." He kissed his lover once in a fit of passion knowing she'd do what was needed. He looked down at the new fur in his arms and laughed again. "Don't worry you're safe with us." Helios was ready for what ever was about to happen.
-
Luna smiled and nodded at Helios, letting her tails slide across his chest as she moved toward the door. She grabbed her cloak and threw it around herself, leaving the hood down. She unsheathed one of her daggers and opened the doorway to the chaos outside. Shouts began flying and she simply smirked. She slowly stepped out and shut the door to a minor crack behind her. When she looked up, she had adopted a look of concern.
"Listen to me," she pleaded, holding her paws out. The crowd simply began pressing closer. Her ears twitched and she snarled. "I said listen, you ignorant fools!" her bark caused the group to silence. Whispers starting darting and she glared, holding her dagger point to the east, away from where their base was located. "That fur is not as exciting as you think. There came word of a major fight about to break out between the city guards and some bandits! I hear you can sell those bandits headwraps for a lot of gold," she grinned, waving her dagger. The crowd didn't shift much, though a few furs ran towards the false hope. She frowned and pointed her dagger at the remaining group. "Go before I make you." she murmured. A few more left sulking, but one fur stood taller than he should have. He shouted an obscenity and ran at Luna with a shortsword. With a smile, she quickly disarmed him with her other dagger and sunk her ivory one into his ear. He howled in pain as she calmly wiped the blood from her blade on his own tunic before he sunk to his knees, earning a kick from her to get him further. "Someone help, this gentlefur has been harmed by someone here in this group!" she cried loudly and soon footsteps could be heard. The few furs left standing went wide-eyed and ran at the chance of being jailed for assault. She turned back toward the door with a sigh. That was much more effort than she wanted to expel. So tedious.
-
Vulps quickly became out of eyeshot to the new fur, fearing that he would be in worse condition because he would freak out. He singlaed Helios to follow him and so he did, leading the way, getting looks of fear and hate from the crowd as we left for home. Hethought about bringing his disembodied arm home, but he quckly saw a cople pheasants running off with it to cook it. as they traveled home, vulps slowly brought into his thoughts his missing arm without going into shock. He thought, there must be a tinkerer at home base willing to make a mechanical arm. They arrived at the base without any more drama, and approaced Helios and the New fur.
"I'll need a tinkerer to make me a new arm. Show me where i should go, Helios."
-
Alex moved with Helios, watching the one who'd rushed Luna get carted away he eyed the girl suspiciously. This was definitely not what he had expected, after all, this 'Guardian' had attacked someone then attempted to frame the crowd-this happening after she threatened them. Perhaps the threatening wasn't that big of a deal but.. The fynx was going to have to take time to sort things out for himself. Watching the city rush by as he tried to ignore the slightly sick feeling of a stomach full of nothing more than water he eventually arrived at what they called home. Alex suspected it would be a while before he could identify anything as such.
Sitting down he looked around, watching as a new fur to him ushered the one name Helios away to help him find someone to-did he say make a new arm? Shaking his head softly he turned to Luna and looked her over as if appraising her worth. Doubts still circled around in his head. "You don't like to play the classical hero do you? Friend of the people, looking after the common good is a bit alien, eh? Or at least the usual way of accomplishing those goals is a bit alien to you.." Reaching into his pack he pulled out the pouch and pulled out a long bit of bone-no, a fang. Upon closer it was wickedly sharp. "I'll give you one guess as to what I pried that out of. One hint, it gave me the scars I showed you just the other day."
-
"Gods Vulps! Don't you ever be that rash again! We are Guardians, not crazed mad men with a vendetta." Helios sighed. He couldn't be too mad. He'd been that rash himself when he and Luna had joined. Seeing the pain and guilt in Vulps eyes he softened his words. "Look just... Just head to the east wing of the complex. There you'll find a black smith who should be able to replace your arm. His name is Gregior. Vulps... Next time let's try our words first okay?" Turning his attention completely to this new fur Helios looked him up and down again.
"So, he's faced a dragon and lived. Not many can make that claim, not even with in these halls. I'm impressed, but what I'm more curious about is how he found us. Guardians have never been sought out. We've always chosen our ranks and who knows of us." Helios whispered into the ear of Luna taking a seat next to her. As he sat he say even more clearly just how starved, and torn up the fur really was. "Ryla, do be a dear and fetch me a loaf of bread, what ever is freshest and have Rae prepare soup for our friend here. Nothing to heavy and make sure you find him something to wear until Sophia has time to get him a proper outfit. Oh and please race down to Gregior and tell him Vulps's arm is on me." Ryla went right to work with Helios's order. He now sat waiting to see just what Luna and this fur had to say.
-
Luna giggled at Helios scolding the new fur, knowing well that he'd quickly turn into the softie that he was. And indeed, he did so. She turned to the new fur with a more serious look, glancing him up and down as the same he'd done to her. "Don't worry about who I am- you'll come to know for yourself soon enough. After all, you're in our custody now." a half smile came to her lips and as the food Helios had ordered arrived, she sat next to the fynx, handing it to him gently. "So you've already fought a dragon. Good to know. That's how I got these as well," she pointed to the bandages still wrapped on her leg and hips. "Ah, we never caught your name. Eat your fill til you've got some strength and then tell us- who you are and why you've come. I'm very intrigued, and no doubt he is as well," she motioned to Helios, an ear twitching. "Hardly anyone even knows who we are." she narrowed her eyes, watching the fur carefully. After a few moments she took her daggers out and played, touching their tips together and slashing them against one another gently, as if sharpening a knife. She had to do something as she waited, after all.
-
Vulps went to gregoir, and with haste to just know what he wanted to know and get himself back to bis quaters as fast as he could and deal with what happened today. Gregors words echoed around in his head, "Week if i hasten it!". Same amlint of time it would take for his arm--what was left of it-- to heal. He kept silent as the new fur accepted becoming a visitor. Mad voices came boucing around. He simply gave him a stern look, full of concern, questioning, and slight regret. He folloed and transitioned to slightly cheerful, patted the new fur on the back, and ans simply spoke.
"Do good. Im sure your worth of what you cost me."
-
Alex narrowed his own eyes at her and scoffed at the word taking his food and poking at it for a moment then he licked his lips and dug in with a ravenous hunger. If he had any skepticism about the integrity of his food, something in him overrode it fast and hard. In a matter of minutes his food was gone and somehow he'd managed to get it all into his mouth as well. Letting out a content sigh he looked to her and scoffed again. "I am in no one's custody for a number of reasons. One being that I have not been accused of a crime-and I have not been accused because I have not committed one." 'Not in your lands' the last few words stayed behind his lips and in his head where they belonged. "I suppose, though.." the fynx continued after only a moments silence, "evidence could easily be created, given your behavior so far.. There is one more reason why I am not in custody. Though first I'd like to hazard a guess as to the location of my sword."
Somewhere along the way he realised it was missing but thinking back the last time it was on his person was when he passed out at the gates. "Would it be in your 'custody' by chance?" The fynx emphasized the word 'custody' as it became a bit of a slur with the way he said it.
-
"Sadly no we did not grab your blade, but one can and will be made. And stop using custody as if it were taboo. You are a guest if that makes you feel any better." He turned to the other furs who were gathered. "Clear the hall all of you. Luna and I will be talking to this fur one on one. That reminds me. Your name you have one right. Well speak up, and start talking. You came to us so you owe us answers!" Everyone scattered and quickly. Helios had never been this upset before. Not unless Luna was in danger or missing.
-
Luna simply smiled and pointed a dagger at his throat lazily. "You seem very intent on that word. Unfortunately, you misunderstand my meaning." she stood up, her gaze unwavering. "No one here has accused you of anything, though you seem to be hiding something. You sought us out, you are here under our protection, and you'd do well to remember that." she turned to stand closer to Helios, sheathing her daggers. "Disrespecting those who saved you from that dreadful hospital," she muttered, waving at Helios to calm down. She watched the hall clear out of everyone and turned her attention back to this azure fynx.
"Again, why have you come? Hardly anyone knows of us, fewer know where our bases lie. Your name, your reasons. You've eaten well, let's hear them before we give you a resting quarters."
-
Alex arches his brows and lowers his head, almost looking through his lashes. The look conveyed a feeling of disbelief and perhaps even a bit of contempt. Standing and pacing away he stood for a moment and sighed deeply. "Guardians.. of what?" Turning his head sharply and shooting them a challenging look he presses on. "I remember hearing that the Guardians were great, virtuous protectors of the people. Yet here in the-what, hour?-I've known you I've seen you threatening people, using a dagger on an unarmed man, and now you have the nerve to point that same dagger at me and say that I'm here under your protection?"
Fully turning around the hybrid shook his head slowly. "You both also seem to think that simply because I came seeking you out means I need you. I think you-" his gaze slid over to meet Luna's eyes, "-will find that you need me." The air about Alex had shifted greatly, he now seemed stronger, that single meal seeming to improve more than just his health. Raising a paw and holding it up before him energy crackled like bits of lighting and then a ghostly blue flame ignited in his paw. "I believe I have something that you have a vested interest in.."
-
Helios was usually calm, but he was not one to be threatened in his own house. "We did what we had to!" He barked at the arrogant Fynx. "You know nothing of our plight. We were Guardians of the people long before your time, but now we mean nothing to this society to this world. We used to be champions, but now we are nothing! This world doesn't see the threats we fight to keep them safe. They thing us no better than the common mercenary." Helios's movements were fast as he lunged across the room slamming the Fynx to the ground in a full body hold. "Now my wife and I have both been rather polite, so I'm only going to ask you one more time. Who are you and why are you here. And so help me if I find out you are keeping any secrets I will gut you from end to end and you will know my wrath." The blood in Helios was boiling, he'd never been so enraged. But for this snarky jerk to come in and make this accusations and claims after they'd risked their lives to keep him out of the public and from the certain death the villagers would have condemned him to for even mentioning the Guardians, Helios had had enough.
-
((Alex you skipped Vulps. Stay in order please unless he's withdrawn.))
Luna watched Helios with amusement, though she was fixated on that magic the fynx held in his palm. She had a vague throbbing in her head when he did it, a sure sign she had made the right choice. However, her suspicion quickly grew. She laid a paw on Helios' shoulder and looked down at the fur.
"He's right," she murmured. "I used my dagger on an unarmed man? He ran at me with a shortsword, or maybe you were too busy being carried to see that," she spat, "I don't know about you, but if somefur has the nerve to attack me, I will make sure he gets what he deserves. Maybe we should have let the crowd take you instead," she turned her back for a moment, pacing. She didn't like being so curt to someone who was obviously genuine about coming to them. However, from the moment they had gotten him back he had been nothing but an ass.
She turned back and knelt next to Helios, tracing along one of the furs scars. She looked into his eyes intently, searching, as she took her paw back. "Who are you?" she asked quietly.
-
Vulps stays in his quarters because he needs to recover. As he should help, but he does not because the deep trouble he was in. He had just a couple days more until he could get back into action. He needed to cope and get his disability dealt with. He thought that he should go, but also, equal combating thoughts to stay and heal.
-
The fynx arched his brow and growled as he was jumped and pinned to the ground. A deadly glare was all he offered Helios at first, though once the warmth of the fire moved up and threatened to slowly singe and light his fur as a way to get the aggressive male off of him he spoke firmly. "Polite? POLITE!? I've had threats and demands made at me and of me, then a knife pointed at me, now you pin me to the floor and have the nerve to speak about politeness-THEN THREATEN MY LIFE IN THE NEXT BREATH!"
If the male hadn't moved yet he'd press the flames closer and uttered the intent of the flames. "If you want to show politeness respect my personal space." His eyes shifted to the girl. Alex had clearly marked her as a bit sociopathic whereas the guy seemed to fly off the handle as of late. Despite the fact that somewhere the fynx suspected she was being nice to get results, it was something. Gaze softening he sighed. "I am Alex, my family has carried draconic blood in our veins since the last time dragons were known to roam this earth. With a trace of ancient wisdom let me tell you something. If you want to be seen as heroes, be heroes. If you let the people define you with their opinions then it shows a lack of conviction. It's not a judgement.. just an observation.."
-
Helios let off of Alex as he felt the heat rise. "You would be so rude as to think us anything other than polite! The last fur who sought us out died when a group of locals from the last town we were based in killed him for speaking our name in open public! You can be angry all you want, but we saved you! People don't see our group as a menace because we prey upon them, they see us as such because of..." Helios couldn't even finish what he was saying. He was about to storm off and leave Luna to deal with this ungrateful jerk, when he'd realized she'd need him.
"Look maybe you got off on the wrong paw, but you came into our house, eaten our food, and drank our wine and water. If you are a fur so hell bent on politeness I'd think you'd know that you had owed us the answers we sought right from the start. I understand that what we did may have been morally grey, but we did what we had to. But enough of this, you clearly came to see my wife. So exchange your words quickly my patience is running dangerously low." Helios had calmed his face no longer betrayed him, but still he didn't like this Alex fellow. Magic was a fools errand only used by those who wished misfortune on them selves. He continued to watch Alex and prayed to Nyx that Luna would be able to talk her way out of this mess like she always did.
-
Luna put a paw on Helios' shoulder, pressing gently against his tensed muscles. Her gaze was still attached to Alex and she held out the same paw to help him up. "You don't understand," she said quietly. With the hall being so empty, her voice rang with an echo. "Maybe if you had seen what this Guardianship has been through you would, but you haven't, and you never will. We've been a part of it since the beginning. You might be stuck in your old thinking, but you have to realize it isn't like that anymore. Believe me, I wish it were." she held his eyes a moment longer before pressing her paw to her face. Bad memories came spiraling and she washed them away with a shake of her head. "Draconic blood?"
-
Alex stood and brushed himself off and looked to Helios and arched a brow again. The tone he used was neutral but his words betrayed the agitation he felt. "You know.. when people acknowledge that someone may have gotten off on the wrong footpaw, it means that they acknowledge there may have been a misunderstanding and they'd like to start anew. Pressing on how someone was insulting afterwards defeats the point." Looking around he makes a confused 'hmf' sort of noise and mutters to himself. "'Your home' you say? I would have thought I'd be at some sort of guild hall.. all the same no drop of liquid has passed my lips here. I make my own wine. Though I am down to one bottle, not much time or energy to make it."
Pacing a bit closer to the girl who seemed more tame and gave fairer arguments towards the state of the Guardianship he sighed. "You'll excuse me for not recognizing my whereabouts and my imbalanced nature, I've been trading off exhausting my body with magic to garner water to keep from dying of thirst. It has not served me too well. That bit of heat was more than I should have done, to say the truth, but given my predicament I wasn't going to admit it at the time." Chuckling softly but in a passive, non-offensive way he turned and looked from one to the other.
"Going up my mother's side there was a time when one of her ancestors made a pact with an ancient being. It's unknown whether or not she knew it was a dragon at the time, but her descendants found out. The pact was an oath of secrecy and passive servitude to that dragon and his children. I suspect he didn't expect to be driven from this world so soon. My ancestor saw some merit in his goals and with the offer of great power to give her safety over her kinfolk, townspeople, and to see her enemies driven before her she accepted. The magic has persisted, usually down the first born of each line, though it has been known to skip one in lieu of another. I was the first born of my parents and as you can see, I wield the ancient magic-not openly, anyways. Too dangerous. Easy to misunderstand. Why I'm here is for what I hear you have been searching for, Lady Guardian."
The fynx eyed her with a rather neutral look that was edged with a bit of fire and energy, "I hear you want a way to undo these old magics. I may have used such Power Reversal techniques to defeat that desert dragon.." The offer was left unspoken, but still it hung in the air, almost palpable
-
Helios just watched. Nothing he said made sense, but Luna seemed genuinely interested. As he watched he sized up the fynx and realized that maybe he could be of some help to the Guardians. Another new member so soon seemed a bit crazy, but any fur who'd not only stay calm under Helios's paws deserved to at least be considered. If Luna really believed what he said though they'd be on the road soon and that meant they'd need supplies. "Well I'll leave you two alone to talk. I'll be down with Gregior getting supplies. Alex when you to are done meet me down there we owe you a blade."
-
She listened carefully and stood in silence for a moment, replaying his words over and over. She glanced up at Helios as he moved to leave, holding her paw to his lips with a small smile. She turned back to Alex and searched his eyes. "Walk with me, tell me more," she laced her arm through his own, hoping he wouldn't mind the gesture. She began leading him through halls, talking quietly as other furs scurried around them, some waving hello. "When did you discover you wielded it?" she asked softly, keeping her eyes ahead, watching. "Why exactly did you seek me out, how? Does it really drain your energy that much?" A slight fog came into her mind, reminding her. "And.. do you feel buzzing in your head at all? Or throbbing?"
-
The fynx blinked slowly and made a soft hum when she hooked his arm but walked along with her. Having traveled to a great many places and having seen the way nobles and gentlemen acted and even walking amongst them on occasion he was familiar with the courtly gesture. Listening to her closely as she whispered and remained vague to avoid arousing suspicion from those among them. Utilizing his own knowledge of and skill in double speak he gave vague answers that Luna would be certain to understand. "It was when I was very young that I got it. My father hadn't seen much of my mother's family heirloom-she was understandably private about it. It was very beautiful to have but my mother told me it was very delicate and that I had to treat it with care, and so I have, for all these years."
Nodding and waving to a view he considered how to direct the next response. "I understand you are interested in trinkets from the old days and-with my supervision of course I might be willing to let you examine my mother's family heirloom. You must treat it with as much care as myself. If you act haphazardly or in an uncaring manner with it, it will be the death of you. As to how, I just followed the whispers along the grape vine. When you travel as much as I do, you learn to find the whispers on the street and follow them."
When she asked the last question he gave pause and waited till they were along a more deserted area and slowed them down so he could speak just above a whisper. "Using it beyond your own capabilities will cause strain on your mind. The power is only limited by your imagination and yet even an artist must give pause. You must be mentally ready, and I can make you mentally ready. This is the art of drawing power from the arcane energy permeating this world. It exerts stress on you to do it. Once you become better you won't even notice it as long as you keep yourself healthy and well rested. Wandering hungry and thirsty in the desert however.. heh.."
Alex looked to the floor and sighed, "Just be careful. Follow my instructions. I will do you no harm. I cannot make guarantees that the magic will do you no harm though.."
-
Helios paced back and forth in front of Gregior. "Oh just give me the bloody hammer." Helios began to pound away at the unrefined mythril inlaying dozens of layers before stopping to marvel at his work. Gregior and blacksmithing were truly Helios's roots. Gregior had originally recruited him to be his apprentice, but when Helios met and feel for Luna he became a warrior. Though he never lost his talent, he'd come down to the forge to work his anger.
"Still talented as ever Helios." Gregior said looking at the beautiful mythril daggers and blade that laid on the table. "Suppose those are for the lady and you." He said with a grin and wheeze.
"Of course they are. She was on the road during our wedding anniversary. Though knowing her she's forgotten all about it in her panic with the newcomers. It's well enough. We'll be here for another day or so to prepare hopefully you can craft what ever Alex asks for when he get's down this way?"
"Of course, but for now help me out with these stock blades they need to be sharpened." And with that the two set to work on the blades waiting for Luna and Alex to arrive.
-
Luna continued to listen carefully, laughing gently at his remark about wandering through the desert. She had turned more toward him as they had reached the more serious pace in the conversation and now she fully faced him with an intent expression. "I'll be fine," the words ran off of her tongue comfortably, as if she wasn't the one commanding them forth. In her heart, she knew that were true, she had no worries about learning these new abilities. A smiled passed over her face before she looked toward the end of this hall. "Let's go get your blade," she grabbed his paw and began excitingly leading him toward the blacksmithing area. A small hum came from her. "You'll like it here." she added with a glance over her shoulder.
-
Alex looked sidelong at her and sighed, worried infinitely about her casualness. Thinking it over he didn't realise that she was now leading him and when she looked back at him, seeming happy and carefree the fynx stopped her and held her in place, seeing more people up ahead. "Listen. You be confident all you want, but if I tell you to stop, you stop, understand? I don't care how comfortable you feel at the time. I've watched people get Burnt Out. They try and use more magic they can channel, and sometimes they don't notice it, sometimes they want to push the limits. Have you heard of Spontaneous Internal Combustion? Cause I've seen it. The magic literally burns them from the inside out and by the time it gets to the outside and burns away their skin their insides are already embers and ashes."
The air was so thick you could cut it with a knife, and yet his gaze was intense enough that he could the air to shreds. It was more than apparent the horror he felt at the idea of her burning from the inside out. "This is not negotiable. The moment I tell you you need to stop, or the moment it starts getting difficult for you-or both!-you stop.." Letting her go he took a deep breath and looked to the direction they were headed. "I hope he has top quality materials.. I still want to find my original blade but I'll settle for another if I make it."
-
Seeing his beautiful wife elated Helios. He put down the blade he was sharpening and kissed her with a smile.He turned to the fur he'd pinned earlier. "I do hope you can forgive me for my earlier mistreatment of you sir." he said with a bow. "We've had a lot of misfortune lately and we've not coped as well as we'd like everyone to believe. As part of my apology, Gregior and his forge are yours to replace your lost blade."
He turned back once more to Luna and kissed her with yet another smile. "So if you'll recall you were out when our anniversary passed. I know we'll be on the road again soon so I made you these."Helios held out the two mythril daggers. The blades had been polished casting a perfect reflective image in their sea foam green metal. The handles were both grooved in a spiral fashion and pitch black. Helios smiled hoping she'd like them.
-
Luna narrowed her eyes at the fur grabbing her. With his words, her expression softened a little as she stood calmly in front of him. "It isn't about confidence," she said quietly. Her gaze quickly glanced around to ensure no one else were listening before she continued against the metal in her heart telling her not to. "I wouldn't use that word. While I know my skill in fighting, in my words, in my influence, no I do not have confidence. Something inside," she put her paw to her heart, looking down at it for a moment. "Something inside tells me I chose to do this for a reason, that it's right. I'm not worried. I'm not afraid, for fear leads to regret. Believe me, I will trust you and if I need to stop, I will do so," she nodded, looking back up into his eyes before turning around. "However, even if I were to catch alight as you have seen, it's not like I have anything to lose." she added softly. She grabbed his paw again and quietly reached the blacksmith where Helios immediately smiled upon their arrival. She returned it in half-turn and let out a small sigh when he apologized to Alex. With a happy nod, she motioned for him to go to Gregior. "He'll make anything you wish. On us, as we've said,"
As Helios held out the new blades, Luna covered her mouth. She studied the beauty of the design, the care he put into the shaping. "They're beautiful," she murmured as she took them from his paws. She held them in her typical grip, flexing her pawtoes. "Thank you." she smiled up at him and began switching them into her sheaths.
-
Alex smiled softly and couldn't help but feel a bit of joy at her sudden sincerity and seriousness in the matter. Many had cast his warnings aside and suffered the consequences of it. Magic was not a physical chore where overexerting yourself meant a muscle pull and a few days resting. Pushing yourself too far with magic could be fatal, but at least this girl would not be one of them. Blinking he heard her final words and watched as she walked over to who the fynx had presumed was her husband. 'How could she think such things? Isn't it obvious that she'd stand to lose him? That he'd grieve her passing?' Shaking his head he looked over and eyed the forge and Gregior.
Walking over he looked it over, now with a greater eye for detail. The hybrid wasn't so much judging any of it, so much as he was admiring it, somewhat like a child in a sweet shop. So many beautiful things that he wouldn't mind making, having. Finally stopping he turned to Gregior and smiled faintly. "I don't suppose you have any smithing gear in my size? I have needs of your forge."
-
Helios smiled as he watched Luna handle her new blades with grace. Seeing her eyes light up when she held made Helios smile in turn. He turned watching Alex admire Gregior's work. Helios remembered having much the same look when he first saw Gregior's work as well.
"We should have plenty in your size. Just don't hurt yourself." With that Gregior left with a chuckle.
"Just don't take to long Alex we need to leave with in the next few days."
-
(Wow, I'm sorry my leave of absence was so long. I've been dealing with some personal life issues, but they've been dealt with so I should be back to normal. Again, I apologize. <3)
Luna chuckled as she slid her old daggers from their sheaths, replacing them with the new beauties. "Let him take all the time he wants. You look like a kit in a candy store," she smiled at Alex and turned her attention back to her old daggers as they glinted. Her smile slowly faded as she ran the fond memories through her mind. These had been her daggers for a good few years, she was sad to leave them behind for now. "We'll have our fun again," she said softly as she placed them on a shelf back behind Gregior's personal work space. She turned back around and placed her paws on the table now in front of her. "I'll be heading to the Commander's office to inform him of our finding," she rested her gaze intently on the fynx, her thoughts swirling. She would rather keep him a secret within their little group, but the chain of command was as it were. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to tell someone that you are in our squad's custody," she told Alex. With a nod, she turned and manuevered around the equipment once more to begin her path to his office.
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Alex donned his smithing gear and set to his work, ignoring all offers of help and taking his time to give answers. This was a very important moment, and within him emotions spun and cloyed like many different currents clashing in a body of water. Focusing on the feelings of dedication and the rock of willpower mounted within him, he let other similar feelings gather like sands on the rock, slowly forming a dune. This sword would be his companion, but Alex knew deep down that his original sword was somewhere. A weapon of that craftsmanship doesn't just disappear, someone had it-or worse, something. As the mithril solidified and the fynx carefully hammered the hot metal and examined it with a critical eye he felt the spark in him, the connection with this new extension of himself and dipped it in the water. As the steam dissipated Alex looked over his sword admiringly. The blade was long and it dipped in the middle and then curved back up where the blade tapered to a tip that was obviously designed for piercing while the whole underside was a weapon of slashing and rending.
The fynx squinted and yawned a bit looking around. How long had he been working? It felt like hours, but it could have been a day or two had he lost himself in his perfectionist work as he often did.
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Watching Alex work was amazing. Helios had only ever seen himself and Gregior set into their own world when working the forge. Helios watched him with intent as he crafted a beautiful blade unlike any Helios had ever seen. When Alex finished he looked around as if dazed and confused. Laughing Helios realized he must have lost track of time. "It's only been eight hours Alex. No need to worry though we still have a day or two to prepare. Why don't you come with me to the training room and we can test your new blade?" Helios waited for Alex to respond sure that he was most likely still lost in his new blade. Though his body was here though, in spirit he was with Luna who would need all the help she could get having to deal with the commander.