3. Lilly's Dajemma

Lilly's Dajemma

  • A

    From the darkness strode a man fully head and shoulders taller than each of them, closer to seven feet tall than to six, and looking near three hundred pounds of solid muscles. His body was wrapped entirely in black-plate armor, a gigantic greatsword resting across his shoulders, much the same as a farmwife would carry a broom. The sword was huge, looking near the comparison between a long sword and a bastard sword, yet this man hefted it with ease!

    He looked to be in his late thirties, with scars running all over his face and a stubby nose that looked like it had broken more than once. His head was shaved, though he sported a trimmed black goatee, and a lewd grin seemed plastered to his face, shwing yellowed teeth. At a glance he reminded Lilly of Uthger, with the confidence and sheer presence of the man, death assured if he wanted to deliver it.

    "Nice tits.." he spat, giving Lilly a wink that made her want to crawl in a hole to hide. Ever so calmly he looked at Vandorn, swinging his massive sword from his shoulder to cleave an oaken table in two, the wood not even slowing the blow down. With almost casual ease he swung his sword back onto his shoulder, he addressed them.

    "You did well so far, killed a few of my guards, killed a few acolytes. Bane's boon you even killed a few full clerics! Too bad you'll get no further, now who's going to fight me first? Or would you prefer to all rush me?" the man, continued, "Oh, my name's Argandor. Best to always know one's executioner."

    Lilly and Ocean's jaws were hanging open, how could they even think of fighting this man? If they were lucky they might be able to slip a poke or two through his defense, yet one good swing of that sword would surely lay them low. Hells, would a block or parry even be possible against that thing!

    "I shall fight you.. one to one. I will not permit you to harm the ladies." Vandorn said, bravely stepping forward, his bastard sword and metal shield already within his grip.

    Argandor only laughed, letting the tip of his greatsword grind against the ground as he did so, "I wont harm them.. yet. First, after I kill you, I will rape them. It's always sweeter when they scream and wriggle so prettily.. before they moan like whores. Then, once I'm finished with my new toys, Olgrimm and his priests can have them." he finished with a wink to Lilly and Ocean, that masde both women feel very, very frightened.

    Vandorn fairly fumed as he heard this, wasting no more time as he leveled his sword at the man, bellowing, "Torm guide me, then guide ye to the abyss where demons such as ye belong!" Argandor only laughing the louder.

    "Come and take me there little knight!" he taunted, easily hefting his sword to his shoulder again, "you may greet Torm as I leave you there as well." spitting to add even further insult.

    Without any further taunting, Argandor swung his sword in a surprisingly quick horizontal arc, Vandorn managing to raise his shield to intercept it. The blow still sent shivers through the knight, his shield arm instantly going numb as he toppled over from the sheer power of it. Argandor only laughing harder.

    How could they defeat a man such as this.. this had to do something.. but Ocean wouldn't stand a chance, rapier to that man, and Lilly's armor wasn't quite cooled yet. If she had to.. she'd don it, she could live with scarred breasts, as long as she lived. Glacing back at Ocean, she saw the girl take a flask from her pack, readying to throw it at the giant. Lilly's hand darted forward to stop her though, a better idea coming to her as if from a muse.

    Reaching into on of her pouches, Lilly pulled forth one of the scrolls Mirkali had given her, four pieces of parchment each with charm spells stored in them. Now would be a perfect time to use one of those gifts. Quickly moving Ocean so that she was shielded from Argandor's immediate view, Lilly unfolded the paper, reading quickly over the runes. The wording was all too important, or it would be wasted. Quietly, she began to read out loud.

    "Not even worth my effort.." Argandor mocked, his booted foot kicking out into Vandorn's breastplate, knocking him flat to his back, tauntingly chopping the sword inches from Vandorn's head, yet convenientl knocking the sword from Vandorn's grip. "Would you like to say goodbye to your lady friends, though I guess you wouldn't have to wait for them long anyways." a wicked smile splaying across his face, unaware of Lilly reading off the scroll. He was too trained of a warrior to actually take his eyes from Vandorn, lest a minor slip cause him to be defeated.

    "Villias umpto magelinth…" Lilly intoned quietly, Ocean serving her part as a shield from Argandor, not having to feign her horrified look as she watched the fight. "... Argandor meinisticil nograth toderaimos!" Lilly finished, hoping she'd not mispronounced anything, causing the spell to fail and them all to most likely die.

    Argandor looked around confusedly for a moment, then smiled brightly to them all, even walking forward to hug a startled Vandorn, unsconsciusly knocking his recovered bastard sword and the awkward swing. Yes, it had worked! Vandorn for his part looked throughly confused at the change in demeanor, even more so as Argandor spoke.

    "My friends, what is it you seek here?" he chuckled, going over to hug Ocean, then hugging Lilly and even kissing the top of her head, though he was much gentler than the bear hug he'd given Vandorn.

    "Well.. wez uz tryun ta git in tha utha rum.." Ocean started, hoping the charm spell would let them pass, though Argandor shook his head solemnly.

    "I'm sorry little one, but I'm not to let anyone pass who isn't either invited or a priest of the order of Malar." Argandor explained gently, just following his orders.

    "But.. we were asked to come back there by .. um.. Olgrimm.. yeah.. didn't he tell you?" Lilly lied quickly, hoping the charm spell would make it believable.

    It did, as he shook his head, looking back towards the magical darkness confused.

    "Take us back there, you can be our escort then, since they did ask us back.." Lilly purred, moving forward to stroke his arm, "plus.. i'd not mind having you by my side..."

    Vandorn glowered, but Lilly tossed him a sly wink, even though she loathed playing pretty for this terrible, ugly man, yet she loathed being raped and killed even more so.

    "Alright.. this way," Argandor grumbled, leading them through the magical darkness, after Lilly had stuffed her plate back into her pack, donning her travelling leathers instead. He even gave them a few potions, in case they had any lingering wounds. Lilly thought that she really should dedicate some time to learning that spell.

    Bright light flooded the room, stinging their eyes once they left the magical darkness, magical globes of light floating about candles and torches strewn about the room. Adorning the walls were all manner of cages filled with an equal myriad of beasts, so shackled as well, apparently being more of the unruly type. It was all taken in a glance, however, as once eyes adjusted they all focused on the ugly man dressed in pantherskins, holding a shining silver spear, a bone dagger tucked into the belt that held his loincloth in place. By his side stood an exceptionally puny looking kobold, that fairly trembled with fear at being so close to the priest, who teased him with the tip of the spear.

    Pausing in his jabbing at the kobold with the spear, the priest who could only be Olgrimm turned to regard them, a grin twisting his ugly features. "Ah, so you've come.. a wonderful guardian you are Argandor.. they paid you more I assume? Fair enough, you all shall die where you stand anyways.." Olgrimm rambled, giving them little chance to speak or explain. He rapped the butt of his staff on the ground three times, two sets of red eyes gleaming from the shadows in the corners of the room.

    "Mummies!" Vandorn shouted, the white wrapping becoming apparent to all what the dried corpses really were, and none doubted that these had many magical protections placed upon them to be guardians of a priests inner sanctum.

    Vandorn tried to lift his holy symbol, calling on Torm to cast them back, yet both creatures ignored it. Ocean took the opportunity to slip back into the concealing magical darkness, awaiting her moment to strike her mischief. Lilly took her own opportunity to whisper to Argandor, "You'll protect me... right?" to which the giant of a man just nodded and fixed the grip on his sword.

    As the mummies shambled closer to the priest and kobold, the puny kobold's eyes widened as an aura of fear enveloped it, immediately bolting towards the darkened tunnel, and coincidently Lilly. It stopped dead in its tracks though as something flashed in front of it, a thin red line welling up across its chest, the body crumpling as blood gushed out from the slice. The kobold quite dead as it was halted.

    Something strange happened, however, before the body could even fall, it started shimmering. The body of the kobold started to melt, the scales melting away to show real skin, the spindly legs fleshing out some and the arms shortening to a human's length.. no to a childs!

    Lilly world froze at that moment, a horrifying eternity that never seemed to end as that body fell to the ground. The change had taken less than a second, as soon as her scimitar finished its strike; yet, as soon as her blade pulled free, everything faded from her vision except for the little boy. The little boy they were to save.. the little boy Justin had died for.. the little boy they had almost died for. Everything was forgotten, faded to shadows except for that one little blond haired, dirty little boy, who's lifeblood would not quit spilling, her scimitar which continued to drip the blood of an innocent, almost as if weeping. Then herself, which she knew she wept. Gods but she knew.. she had killed a child, that could have been her child in another time, another situation.

    Images flashed before her eyes, her as a much younger woman, barely eighteen yet running through the gates of Norwick for the very first time, in her arms a dead little girl. Her dead little girl, barely three months old, little Caralina.. she didn't know who the father was, just knew that a fever had killed her.. just as she had killed this boy. She should cry, she thought she wept, but there were no tears.. why didn't she cry? Gods, but she wanted to cry, but no.. Bhaals balls but she'd have this Olgrimm's head on that spear of his, there was kiling to be done.

    A wall of red rose inside her, every other emotion fleeing, even sadness.. gods even mercy was gone; all that was left was rage, hot burning rage that demanded that blood be spilled. That look in his eyes.. aye he could see it.. he knew the look when someone was to kill him, someone who cared not for the price. She threw her scimitar against the wall, it still weeped the boys blood, at least to her eyes.... would it never stop?

    Dimly she was aware of Argandor moving to swipe at a mummy with that blade of his, but it didn't register, the whole process having taken but a few seconds, yet now her focus was total.. the priest must die!
    She stalked towards Olgrimm, heedless of Ocean's shouts as her and Vandorn engaged the other zombie, the creatures in the cages howling in fear and rattling the bars.

    Lilly charged the priest barehanded, completely unaware of the fierce melee raging behind her, or of Ocean using her alchemist's fire on the undead monstrosities. All she knew was there was justice to be done, there was murder to be done...

    "RraaagghhhGHHHHH!!!!!" she screamed, magical energy tingling and mixing with raw emotion, her eyes bloodshot and long unfocused, every muscle in her tightened and tensed to kill, sprinting at Olgrimm, not a single weapon in hand nor even attempted to be grabbed. Olgrimm waited for her, his spear set against his foot as one would to hunt boars, waiting for her to impale herself on it. Graciously she obliged him, the spear stabbing through the her, by luck more than anything else a vital spot was missed, though the spear stuck straight through her, blood loss threatening to finish her if nothing else.

    It didn't matter though, she couldn't feel the pain, there was no pain.. not when the object of her vengeance was within her grasp, Olgrimm's neck, her thumbs squeezing into his windpipe. He tried to utter a spell, yet so tight was her grasp, despite the spear sticking through her, that nothing except a hiss escaped, then only a gargle as his windpipe was crushed. Not satified though, Lilly let go with her left hand, plunging her index and middle fingers through his eyesockets, curling them to grip his brain and the inside of his skull. holding him upright with just that, Lilly bagain to pound him mercilessly with her right hand, repeatedly punching him until exhaustion and blood loss forced her to release him.

    The body slumped to the ground, her rage lifting from her, Lilly's emotions and sensations flooded back into her. The pain in her middle burned horribly, Lilly suddenly unable to keep her feet as her body crumpled to the ground, curling into a ball as best she could around the spear still sticking from her. Lying there, she cried.. the pain, the little boy, was she going to die here? She deserved to die... as blackness stole over her, the battle around her still raging.. yet for her, there was only dark oblivion...

  • G

    ((Excellent so far. Please keep up the writing!))

  • A

    The three crouched behind some shrubs and bushes, watching the cave mouth with trepidition, Lilly and Vandorn keeping their cloaks about them to hide the telltale gleam of armor in the morning sun. It had been a terrifyingly tense night, camping so close to the cave that served as the priests base, they were Malarites they could tell now from the grumblings of the few patrols that ventured within earshot of their tiny camp, thankfully remaining unseen. Somehow, they had each managed to get a little bit of sleep, though no more than a few hours apiece.

    "Fark it, I can't wait anymore.." Lilly whispered, already starting to slide her scimitar from its sheathe, only Vandorn's hand on her arm stopping her.

    "I'ze could try zneakin in an scout it fer yah.." Ocean offered, the girl showing only a hint of nervousness for the two guards armored in hide armor and carrying spears just inside the cave mouth, and of course for the priests which she knew milled about inside. In another hour they'd send a patrol out again, no more than two warriors in hide armor and a priest dressed in full battle plate. The guards never left sight of the cave however, so there would be no easy ambush.

    "Fark it…" Lilly swore in her normal voice, rising and tossing back her cloak, her scimitar flashing free in the morning light. Still angered by Justin's death, she trotted towards the cave mouth, the two guards with spears planted firmly ready to stop her. As expected, two arrows shot out at her from the darkness inside the cave, one getting stuck in her shield with a loud thunk and the other deflecting off one of her greave plates.

    A small glass bottle went soaring into the darkness just behind the mouth of the cave, screams erupting as the interior lit up with a flash of flames. Lilly broke into a charge now, as one of the spearmen dropped his weapon to attend to the fires licking at his back, the other distracted and lowering his weapon.

    Lilly's scimitar only flashed once as she charged through, a single swing that left one guard gurgling blood and the other merely crumpling where he stood. A single swing from one's throat to the back of the other's neck, without ever breaking stride.

    Inside, the two bowmen rolled on the ground, a sticky oil splashed all over them, and flames writhing over them that refused to be put out. Pausing for a moment, Lilly silenced their screams quickly with two slashes to exposed throats, taking a good look at the interior as she did. It was actually fairly well furnished, with tables and chairs set up at odd intervals, though dice, cards and empty ale bottles littered the floor. Two tunnels twisted away from the main room, and a hallway filled with a deep darkness that could only be magical dominating the back wall. Torches kept the room well lit.

    A cry of alarm was sounded, and soon after a gong was struck repeatedly. "well, the fighting can start now." Lilly mused mostly to herself, readying her scimitar which already dripped blood. She also started to hum a small battletune, tingling with magical energy she felt more confident that she could win this fight, no matter how ugly it got.

    From one of the tunnels emerged a handful of warriors, most dressed in hide armor and three carrying crossbows, loaded crossbows. Each aimed at Lilly, but only two fired as Ocean's own quarrel took one in the eye. One shot went wide, the other clanging off Lilly's shield. Three with longswords and shields, each wearing chainmail armor charged at Lilly seeing as she was the furthest one into their base.

    Lilly set herself into a defensive stance as priests began to rush down the other tunnel, the clatter of armor apparent why they'd taken longer to come. It wasn't a concern yet though, with three angry warriors charging her, longswords hungry for bard blood. Lilly deftly parrying the first one's lunge, using his momentum to send him past her, kicking out his leg as he did and sending him sprawling. His blade went skittering from him, even as his companion behind him had his attack blocked by Lilly's shield, her scimitar stabbing up through his ribs under the chainmail. Unfortunately, the blade was stuck from the awkward angle.

    Sensing the perfect moment, the third man struck out at where the wench was, grinning in satisfaction as his blade pierced mail and bit deep into flesh. He grimaced a second later as he realized the wench had spun his companion for use as a shield, all too apparent as his blade was sunk in over half way. He groaned no more as Lilly tugged her blade free of the now supported guard, and chopped at the last attacker's neck. She was rewarded by a severed head falling to the ground.

    Looking around, she now saw the priests, three dressed in full plate mail, with tower shields and heavy maces in their hands, and two others dressed in animal hides carrying spears.. and all were chanting! Lilly started at a dead sprint after sparing a glance to the opposite side of the cavern, Vandorn fending off two more guards in chainmail while Ocean fired off a shot at one of the priests.

    Her focus now entirely on the priests, Lilly saw one in animal skins gurgle uselessly as a quarrel stuck from his throat, the magic fading away, yet she doubted she'd be able to stop the other four. Willing herself to go faster, Lilly was just in time to witness the maces and armor glow brighter in the clerics' hands, one of the maces erupt into dark fire, and a third one seeming to carry his armor easier and experimentally swinging his mace as if it were a feather. Bloody great.

    Lilly's thought became distant instants later, as a pillar of flame fell from the ceiling to envelope her, gods but it burned! To make matters worse, the newly strengthened priest and the one with the fiery mace charged her, her own charged halted by the flamestrike. Facing them, Lilly hazarded a glance to Ocean and Vandorn, discerning the fourth priest's spell as she saw Ocean frantically trying to hold off the guards, though one lay slumped where Ocean had pierced his lung.

    Lilly parried the one with the fiery mace, not daring to let that thing hit her wooden shield, and was forced to abandon her counter-attack as the other priest chopped heavily at her hip, barely dodging out of the way. The two priests pressed her, working together and attacking alternately, Lilly blocking and parrying but giving ground easily. Her few counter-strikes bouncing harmlessly off of their heavy plate-mail. She looked past them, seeing the other two priests chanting again, "Fark!" she swore aloud.

    These priests had to be stopped, or they would all die here. Lilly waiting until the one on her left flank tried a heavy downward chop, Lilly dodging to the outside of him, swinging a backward arc with her scimitar to hit him in the back of the helm, staggering him for a moment. She then sprinted for all she was worth towards the unarmored priest, guessing him to be the easiest.

    Behind her, she heard first one then the priest she had struck begin prayers to Malar, while ahead the unarmored began his own, the other armored one having moved to finish off Vandorn. Ocean had already downed another warrior, and was trying to finish the last one, Lilly hoped she'd be alright, or that the spell would wear off soon.

    Terror froze her mind for a moment, yet momentum carried through with her strike, her scimitar crushing through the priests sternum, the light quickly fading from his eyes, the terror ending abruptly. Then she felt the other two spell hit her, a spell to freeze her muscles which she shrugged off, and then the other aimed not at her, but her armor, the metal started to glow with heat.

    Lilly let loose a cry of agony as the searing breastplate pressed against her breasts and shoulders, she could feel herself blistering and burning beneath it, the shirt she wore already molding to her body. Still, she knew to take it off would be her death, baring her teeth in a snarl, she faced the two priests again.

    With a groan, Vandorn slid free of the mental hold, his shield coming up to block the mace hit that would have ended him. Ocean danced deftly back from the last warriors arcing swing, lunging forward immediately afterwards to pierce his breast with her rapier, the dying man looking at it with a confused look on his face, then he looked no more.

    Vandorn traded blows with the priest attacking them, the mace far more effective on plate than the heavy bastard sword, though it wasn't completely without effect. Ocean danced arounnnd behind the priest, taking every opportunity to poke her rapier through a gap in the chainmail covering his under armpit, the back of his knees, his torso, etc.

    Eventually the minor wounds added up on the priest, and as he tried to call to Malar to cleanse his wounds, Vandorn's blade shone with a glowing light, his next strike cleaving straight through both armor and flesh and bone to leave the priest as two bloody halves lying on the cavern floor. Lilly didn't fare quite as well though, as she gasped for breath, her own breastplate burning against her and the smell of cooked meat wafting from her. The pain almost made her swoon, her barely being able to block and parry the blows from the priests. She nearly feignted where she stood as a heavy blow struck her square to the chestplate, driving the red hot metal against her breasts, her scream of agony echoing throughout the chamber.

    Lilly was saved, however, as the cleric with the fiery mace was cut in half similar to the earlier one Vandorn had felled. Ocean, for her part, had snuck behind the other one, driving a dagger underneath his helm, though it failed to kill him. The cleric crumpled, quite dead, a moment later though as Ocean punched the dagger with her palm, sending the tip through the back of his brain.

    Burning her hands as she tore the armor from her badly burned and sensitive breasts, Lilly collapsed to the floor whimpering as it finally fell free. Smoke rose from her, and her shirt was blackened and clinging to her, nearly melted to her seriously burned flesh.

    "It.. hurts.. so.. so.. bad... can.. we .. please.. rest..?" Lilly squeaked through whimpers, only barely holding onto consciousness. Vandorn simply kneeled next to her, holding his holy symbol in one hand, whiched glowed with a holy light, as he laid a hand to her cheek, a wave of soothing coolness washing through her. Lilly shivered, her ruined shirt falling to the ground in a mush around her, the healing having removed it from her.

    "Can.. we still.. rest?" Lilly said weakly, though strength quickly returning to her as Ocean handed her a new shirt, which she was hesistant to put on despite being topless at the moment. Still, her breasts were over-sensitive and raw, damned priests..

    "Nay.. even now I hear another alarm sounding. Don thy armor when it has cooled, and we must progress quickly." Vandorn said solemnly, drinking a potion from his belt, seeming to ease the pain and discomfort he had been feeling.

    "She iz hurt yah igit! Giv 'er a minut ta rest, wez be ded'f nut fer 'er," Ocean said heatedly, giving Lilly a cantene filled with cool water. Lilly drank heartily from it, then to all of their amusement, poured some over her abused breasts before slipping the new shirt over her head.

    "Amusing as you are.. I am afraid that you shall not have time for rest..." came a call from the tunnel where the deep blackness blocked all light from the torches. The voice sounded gruff and authoritative, as one would expect of a grizzled old warrior, rather than a younger priest. Could this after all that be the one they sought?

    From the blackness, they only heard chuckles.

  • A

    Later, when dawn had broke, three of the companions rode along the now muddy road, rain trickling down their backs and soaking them to the bone. Ocean was now dressed in her black leathers, a cloak huddled about her, Lilly and Vandorn dressed in their respective plate armors, a vigilant eye kept by both and few thoughts apparently given to the weather. Overhead the ugly gray clouds promised rain for the remainder of the day, already obscuring the tracks along the road. That very reason is why Justin had been sent ahead, to track as far as he was able, and hopefully to find the priest who they knew could not be far off.

    The three had been following the signs Justin left them for most of the day now, when would they actually find this priest? They were determined though, eating in the saddle and resting only when the horses could not go on. The priest would be hard pressed indeed to keep ahead of them for long at the pace they went now.

    Finally Justin returned to them, at least they thought it was Justin. A figure trudged down the road towards them, dressed the same as Justin was when he'd left them earlier. None of the companions failed to note that "Justin" was short a horse as he made his way to them, his hood pulled up to shield his face. Something about him just didn't seem right though, his arms hanging limply as he trudged, his booted feet almost dragging in the mud.

    "Justin.. what happened to ye?" Vandorn asked, already having dismounted and rushing over to his friend. "Just hold still and let me help ye.." he continued as it became apparrent that Justin had suffered numerous wounds to his chest and ribs.

    As Vandorn reached him and tryed to lay his hands on him, Justin met him with a viscious backhand, the attak coming so sudden as the lay the unsuspecting paladin to the muddy ground. Even more surprising, Justin then drew his one remaining shortsword, his intent clear as he angled it at Vandorn's throat. The blade dropped harmlessly, however, as an arrow sliced into "Justin's" shoulder, no blood showing as the arm hung limply, loosing its grip.

    Ocean gaped, "Justin.. whuz wrong wi' yah? Iz yuh zic?"

    Lilly shushed her, fitting another arrow to her complicated longbow, the bandit bow firing it off easily towards their former companion. Justin not even staggering as the shot tore into his gut. Something was definately amiss.

    "Zombie!" came a startled cry from Vandorn, slipping and sliding trying to both stand and back away from what used to be Justin in both full armor and mud. "Do not hold back! This is not our companion who is returned to us!" finally making his feet, fumbling with his holy symbol of Torm.

    "Stand ye back fell creature, Torm will not permit ye to come closer!" Vandorn shouted with such conviction that the zombie stood rooted in place, not retreating yet powerless to advance. Another arrow sliced into the zombie, this time piercing its chest. It was joined a second later by a crossbow quarrel, though Justin hardly seemed to acknowledge the wounds, nor did they even bleed.

    The rain continued to come down, making Justin seem to be an eternal creature that could not be felled. At least that seemed so before Lilly's arrow took it in the knee, crumpling the undead creature which hissed its frustration. Silence reigned soon after, as Vandorn's blade flashed once, the hissing stopping abruptly. All too silent, except for the rain which had not ceased, and the quiet sniffles Ocean gave. Lilly and Vandorn both bravely keeping their emotions hidden.

    "We must bury him.." Vandorn started to say, only to be interrupted by Lilly.

    "No. The priest sent him to stall us.. we are too close now." then, speaking a bit quieter, and emotion leaking into her voice, "and his true spirit has flown already.. happy that we have ended the brief slavery his body has endured."

    Her horse riding past, the bow returned once again to over her shoulder, she beckoned the other two to follow. " We must end this, and avenge him as he should be. We must complete the task he set about to do.. and we must kill the person who would so taint him with magis."

    A grim faced Lilly rode off, slowly a less confident Vandorn and Ocean following. They were close, Lilly knew it, and when they met. Then it would take a god's personal intervention to keep this priest from the justice he so deserved. The justice that can be delivered only from the blade.

  • A

    "Up lasses! To ye feet now, lest ye be slaughtered where ye lie!" came a cry from somewhere outside the tent, Lilly stirring with a groan, and getting to her feet quickly when she failed to feel the reassuring warmth of Ocean next to her.

    Lilly grabbed her scimitar and shield, not even bothering to dress her mostly naked self, the air chill as she emerged wearing only a simple set of cloth underwear, her breasts swinging free. Rubbing sleep from her eyes, she looked around, finally spotting the flash of metal across from the dying firepit. Hells, but she could hardly see anything.

    "Vigarious Luminous sucina!" Lilly sang out quickly, the words themselves not really as important as the notes they were sang in, magic tingling through her. As the last note rang out, a small ball of glowing light left her finger to float ten feet over the dying fire, the entire camp being bathed in bright light, stinging her eyes for a moment.

    When her eyes adjusted to the newly made light, she realized just how poorly planned it had been. Ocean was now removed from the sheltering shadows she favored, clad only in skimpy purple lingerie. Also, the bright light spell had served to momentarily blind Vandorn, giving his opponent the perfect opportunity to knock him to the ground, with a viscious punch to his breastplate.

    "Zhit!" Ocean swore, launching her crossbow quarrel at the nearest attacker, the missile making a small squelching sound though it was mostly ignored by the man it had hit. "Zhit! Zumbese!"

    Starting to rush towards Vandorn, she nearly gasped as she saw two bright flashes and the zombie that had stood to ready to strangle the knight have its head and right arm fall to the ground, the rest of the body topling over afterwards. With him safe, Lilly rushed over to help Ocean, where three zombies staggered towards her, including the one with a quarrel stuck in its chest.

    Vandorn was now back on his feet, his heavy bastard sword cutting cleanly through a zombie's collarbone to its ribs, the two pieces sliding apart before dropping to the ground. Ocean had fumbled a dagger out, but was giving ground quickly to the zombies that seemed to ignore its bite.

    Ocean gave a relieved smile as one zombie was knocked from its feet from a heavy shield charge, the one just in front of it tumbling down as well as the back of its leg was severed from an arcing scimitar slash. Ocean took her opportunity to lunge forward and stab her dagger deep into the fallen zombie's skull, the infernal light fading from its eyes as it slumped dead once again.

    The third zombie took a swipe at Ocean, though she easily ducked it, stabbing her dagger under its armpit towards where a persons heart should be. Instead of a felled victim, she was met only by a splash of gore and ooze shooting into her face, causing her to loose her grip on her dagger and immediately starting to vomit up any of the stew she'd eaten only hours before.

    Lilly's scimitar took the zombies head from its shoulders before it could try and grab Ocean, kicking the twitching thing away from the now green-faced girl. A snarl crossing her face, keeping back the revulsion she herself felt as she charged and stuck her scimitar to the hilt in the last zombie that had charged Ocean, the creature becoming lifeless as it slid off of her blade, leaving cold black blood staining it.

    Across the camp, Justin finished cutting down the last of their zombies, totaling four, Vandorn holding out his symbol of Torm, which was glowing too brightly to be from either her spell or moonlight combined. As the last fell lifelessly, Vandorn sighed, "I would suppose now that the priest most foul knows of our presence. May I suggest we join the chase again?"

    All around he was met with nods, Lilly blushing as she noticed the looks she received from both Justin and Vandorn, quickly banishing her light spell. In the now all too welcome darkness, Lilly and Ocean hurried back to their tent, Ocean giggling and Lilly blushing furiously. Unseen in the dark, Vandorn blushed as well, and the Ocean's giggling was echoed y Justin's chuckling.

    "Just give us a moment.. saddle the horses while we dress, we'll be on the road soon." came a call from within the tent, amid the sound of much rustling, plenty of girlish giggling erupting as well.


  • At the tents Justin pulled a rope taut and hammered inthe last peg, his eyes flicking again to the dark haired beauty nearby. She was unrolling a groundsheet but her eyes were on the couple by the fire, her expression troubled. Following her gaze for a moment he called her attention back to him
    "So, lass. Dajemma. That's a Rashemi tradition is it not…and you are not Rashemi...in fact I'd hesitate to guess where you're from"

    Ocean tore her gaze from Lilly and the handsome knight, muttering to herself a moment before realizing she'd been addressed.
    "Uhm...wha'? O' I'z frem Amn."
    She finished spreading the groundsheet in what was to be the girl's tent, seemingly happy that the conversation was dealt with.

    Justin chuckled to himself and shook his head ruefully. Despite her earlier blushes this was proving to be one tough nut to crack.
    "Mi'lady. Are you always this terse, or have I done something to offend you? I'm no knight in shining armour like Vandorm there, with his courtly manners, but I don't seem to be making much of an impression on you. I'd have us friends if we travel together."

    Ocean looked up, startled to find the man still there.
    "Zorry. Ma mindz elzwaer. I'z nuzzin yer've dun."
    She looked at the man again, lean but not skinny, and moving with the easy grace of someone who knows the ins and outs of her preferred trade. No sailor though...not the Drelan was... Her thoughts were derailed again. She should have left Drelan a message, or told him before they left that she planned to follow Lilly regardless. The ship refit was a good excuse, but Ocean hated the idea of Lilly travelling alone, and had already proven, to both Lilly and herself, that following Lilly had been the right thing to do. Alright she'd caused nearly as much trouble as she'd stopped, but Lilly would be dead by now if it weren't for her presence. Again she looked over to the log by the fire, just as Lilly lept up a little too fast and headed off into the bushes, leaving Vandorm to sit, looking after her a second before stirring the food.
    Ocean frowned again and gave a slight shake of her head.
    "Wha yer doin' Lilly. Thiz wuz ter fin' yerssen az a fiter. Nay ter fin' a man. Yer luv mirk an' yer noez it. An ah'd hate ter ha' ter hurt tha fella i' he mezzez wi yer..."
    Her gaze returned from the middle distance and again took in Justin, the handsome young lad watching her as she obviously struggled with some internal dialogue. Suddenly she smiled and her eyes sparkled fiercely blue.
    "Aye. We cin be frendz. Yer'll ha ter put up wi' ma akzent, ma wayz an' tha fact tha ah coz morr trubbel than a halfy in a brothul. Bu' we cin be frendz"
    Caught by surprise by the sudden change of mood in the girl, as much as by the words themselves, Justin burst into laughter.
    "You're a strange one alright. But I think I can cope with all that"
    With a soft wink he stood, offered her a hand up and the pair of them approached the fire where Vandorm was readying the meal Lilly had prepared.

  • A

    The sun was fading quickly over the meadow where the now four companions had stopped to make camp, well away from the road. All were saddlesore to some degree, though Lilly and Ocean walked easier than they should have been able to in thanks to Lilly's bardic talents. They had rode the rest of the day, following the carriage tracks until they were too exhausted.

    Lilly sat upon a log that served as a makeshift bench, stirring the stewpot idly, making sure the mixture of hare and greens and onions didn't have time to settle and burn. When none were looking though, she'd dart glances at Vandorn, who was just finishing carrying the last bit of firewood to their tiny camp, somewhere along the way losing his shirt. Sweat glistened on his muscled body, and seemingly sculpted with the way the last of dusks light. He was exceedingly handsome, with short cut brown hair and a pair of piercing blue eyes that belonged on a man years older than him. He was only twenty five, only two years younger than she was, though he'd only recently become a true paladin of his order.

    Feeling a flush coming over her, Lilly quickly turned her attentions away from him, instead glancing over at Ocean and Justin, who were tending to the tents. Vandorn had insisted they both sleep in separate tents, one for the women and one for the men, much to Justin's chagrin and many a bawdy joke. Watching the two, it was easy to notice that Justin thought of Ocean as more than a girl, something she seemed to enjoy well enough despite her blushing at most of his praises.

    Ocean could handle herself though, if Justin became too persistent, or she'd tell Lilly; until then let them enjoy themselves. Anyways, it lent her plenty of time to gaze at Vandorn, and as she did she idly wondered if his order was one that practiced chastity. Gods but what would Mirkali think if he were here with her? Carrying on like this.

    "Something wrong m'lady? Vandorn asked from behind her, having found a shirt to cover himself with. As he asked she realized she'd actually blushed with the thought.

    Damnit woman, control yourself! You're not a simpering girl, you're a woman.. who already has a man! "No.. uh, just thinking a bit," giving him an awkward smile, trying purposefully to be vague, hoping he'd lose interest. There was no such luck, however, as he simply smiled at her, prodding her to go on. "Well.. I uh.. was merely thinking of.. uh, um.." stalling as best she could, "must all paladins completely disregard names for the sake of formality!" she said with a bit too much bite, trying to set him on his guard to forget his reason for asking.

    He just chuckled, "Nay, nay m'la.. Lilly, tis just a bad habit. I'll try to avoid it if it distresses ye so."

    "I'd appreciate that… well.. um.. take a seat if you want." she said, nervously crossing and uncrossing her legs. She tried to focus on the stew again, she'd burn it if she couldn't quit sneaking peaks at Vandorn. Sometimes she wondered if knights were truly a joke of the gods, sent to tease women much the same as a demon succubi does to men.

    Crossing her legs again and pressing them tightly, somehow holding in a blush as he sat close to her, knowing in her heart that Sharess was greatly enjoying this moment of frustration and embarrassed excitement. Ever so slowly he took her hand in his, her breath catching in her throat as his handsome face leaned close to hers. Gods, is he going to kiss me? How could she be so tempted? Has Mirkali been in the same situation? Beshaba's middle finger, why could she have a free moment when she didn't feel a shy maid!

    His hand pried the wooden spoon from her grasp, and he whispered softly to her, "ye may go seek the bushes if ye need to, I'll watch the stew. I've dug a latrine near the brush there. There is no need to distress yourself Miss Lilly, none here will think you the worse for it."

    Relief flooded through her as she bounded up, rushing towards the bushes he'd indicated. She blushed the entire way to the newly dug latrine, she didn't need to relieve herself but it was far preferable than to try to ignore the other urges her body felt around him. Perhaps she should have thought twice about traveling with them, if she intended to stay true to Mirkali, or perhaps made fewer jests of finding a handsome knight. Either way she knew her wand would receive plenty of use in the days they remained travelling partners.

    "Mirkali.. don't be mad at what I can't control.. I'll come back to you though, if you'll keep but one finger free for me." she mumbled to herself, deciding that a walk in the cool air would settle her down some.

  • A

    The wind whipped through the hair of the two travellers, one clad in normal looking leathers contrasting with the soft pink hair on her head, a smile peaking its way out from a layer of grime and dust. Her companion, a young woman with years left until she turns twenty summers, bedecked in golden rings and a mischivious smirk splayed across her beautiful, youthful face. Her dark hair blown behind her, her black leathers pressed against her body as the two horses trotted down the hard packed dirt road.

    Down the road, a glint of metal could be seen within a dustcloud riding towards them, apparently they were not the only such travellers on a day like today. Though she wondered how many people actually travelled North on The Cold Road, opposite the way they now travelled.

    Both women showed surprise seeing a pair of the most handsome men they'd ever lain eyes on galloping along the road towards them. Both were on white geldings, though one wore polished steel platemail with golden sun engraved upon the breastplate, a symbol of Torm visible as he rode closer. This man was broad-shouldered, and looked fairly muscular and athletic under his armor, a large shield hanging behind him and a heavy bastard sword sheathed upon his hip, a long spear gripped in his hand. His face looked young, yet determined to accomplish his goal despite any obstacles. His friend was clad in leathers, much as Lilly and Ocean were, with twin shortswords sheathed at his hip, a shortbow slung across his back, and a myriad of daggers poking from odd intervals.

    As the two groups drew closer, they each stopped to examine the other, giving small smiles. The man in the polished armor spoke first,"well met ladies fair, a good morn ye've had I trust?"

    Both women flushed a bit, biting back words that would only make them blush more, Lilly instead voicing, "Aye.. not a bad day I think, least its not rained. Where are you bound for?" answerering a question for a question, to all but a fool they were adventurers as well.

    "Wherever we tread m'lady, though for we follow on the heels of a thief of the foulest sort. A child of the village a days hence has been taken by a priest of the foul gods it is believed. Justin and I have agreed to find and return the innocent at any cost to ourselves. M'ladies, ye'd not have happened to see which way yonder priest hath went have ye? The child would have blond hair, a scrawny thing scarecely past six winters. Most likely the poor child's scared witless.. well m'ladies, have ye?" the Knight queried, met with only a shaking head from Lilly.

    "I uh.. uh mite uv seen 'im.." Ocean said carefully, speaking nervously as the two handsome men turned their attention to her.

    "Did ye see whither they were going? Have they left the road?" the knight pressed.

    Ocean blushed a little as she answered, "well.. uh dunno, he was pizzen when uh saw 'im, he ha' uh horse an uh caraje w'im. I guez the kid culd've been azleep in thur."

    "Ye hear that Justin! He's still in the carriage, let us be on then! I thank you two ladies fair for your aid in this matter. Torm thanks ye as well, and blesses ye on whichever road ye travel." The knight said hurriedly, gathering his reigns in the hand not holding the spear, preparing to ride off.

    His departure was halted however as Lilly rode her horse directly in their way, eliciting a chuckle from the man called Justin. "Would you be willing to allow two more to ride with you?" she asked calmly, offering a charming smile, a sparkle in her eyes.

    "Nay, nay, good lady. Tis dangerous indeed to trek the roads and brave whatever foul trap this priest has left behind for those who would seek him. we'd dare not think to risk maids such as yeselves." the knight began, the other man watching amusedly and sending smiles at Ocean, who ignored him as she watched Lilly and the armored man.

    "I'm hardly a maid.. and as for dangerous, that's why I'm offering you daft lummox! My name is Lilly, and this is Ocean Fyne, we're on Dajemma and a quest such as the one you're presently on is precisely the goal we seek to aid.Anyways we've fought priests before, and recently liberated a slaver camp, so we can take care of ourselves. Perhaps we'll even be an aid to you, a bard is a useful thing to have around you know." Lilly finished, some of the sting fading from her words as she winked after the last.

    Justin only chuckled the louder, the knight trying to keep his face calm, yet a smile played across his lips. Justin attempted no such subtlety, raising his voice, "I had a bard friend once.. he always spoke grandly, convincing us all to follow his wild schemes. Course if the going turned dangerous, he would nobly volunteer to be the rear guard, oftentimes leagues away from the fighting to be sure we'd not be flanked.. I'd not dare assume you two are the same, yet we'll not take you along merely for your bardic worth, which is little more than a beggars save for prettier words." he finished grinning, evidently pleased with his wordplay.

    Lilly hadheard quite enough, and irritation shown in Ocean's eyes, though she kept her seat, trusting Lilly to deal with the situation.

    "Very well… let me prove my worth to you. Come down from your saddle and fight me." Lilly challenged.

    "Nay, nay m'lady. T'would not be proper at all, and you'd just lose." the knight said through chuckles, apparently finding it amusing that she thought highly enough of her self to challenge him.

    "Very well.." she smiled, "then I challenge you to a duel of honor. The first person to concede defeat will be the loser, the other winner by default. If you are a man of Torm, instead of simply wearing his symbol as so many pretty baubles, you'll not disgrace him by backing down." in a calm voice, her eyes gleaming from the challenge.

    "Ye are brave m'lady, brave but foolish. Ye may play at being a warrior, but a lady bard has no business challenging a proper Paladin of Torm. Lady, my name is Vandorn Pelreivar, and I shall defeat you swiftly to be on our way." at this he looked back to Justin, giving a small nod. He quickly drew off his metal shield, and drew his heavy bastard sword, tapping it once.. twice.

    "Prepare yourself!" he bellowed.

    "Very well.. let us begin." Lilly answered sweetly, her scimitar snaking from her sheath, casually tossing her wooden shield to the ground, drawing a curious look from Vandorn, to which she merely smiled. She stalked calmly forward, her voice lifting to sing a calm song that yet tingled with magical energy.

    Twice by twice does falcon flap,
    once for wind, and again for sky,
    only once does falcon swoop,
    only one breath of wind, before prey dies.

    In time with her song, Lilly darted forward with her scimitar in an overextended lunge, the tip driving quickly towards the open faced helm. As she'd hoped, that heavy shield rose high to block, for a moment obscuring his view and hiding her, the heavy bastard sword being drawn back to arc forward viciously once her scimitar clattered predictably with his shield. What he didn't predict was for her to throw her body forward at his legs once he could no longer see her. The feint worked perfectly as she heaved at his mailed legs, sending him to his back painfully, the air blasted from his lungs. Ever so casually she pointed the tip of her scimitar to just under his eye, giving him a wicked smile.

    "convinced yet?" was all she needed to say, a laughing Justin and Ocean clapping her on the back as both regained their horses. Wordlessly they rode off along the trail, resuming the trek for the priest.


  • Ocean looks up from the camp fire a few days later with a thoughtful look on her face.
    “Yer noez, tha heelin yer duz iz dedd uzfel.” She prods the side of her leather armour where she’s stitched it together after the fight with the hobgoblins. “Bu’ ah dun noez if ah haz tha payshunz ter lern i’ messen’
    Lilly looks up from cleaning a slight nick in the blade of her scimitar and smiles. “Well, I could try and teach you I suppose. If you were interested. Mind you, I’ve heard you sing!”, she winks and ducks as Ocean throws a pebble at her, the stone sailing over her head. “Just teasing. I used to sing just as badly”
    Ocean giggles “Ah find tha hard ter beleaf. Naywun zingz az bad az I duz. Bu’ nay, like ah zed ah’z nay zure ah haz tha pashunz fer lernin it.”
    Ocean shifts a little uncomfortably and pulls her crossbow into her lap and starts oiling the wood to keep it supple. As she does so she starts to hum softly to herself.
    Lilly looks up, slightly startled to hear a tune from the young girl that she hasn’t heard before and that doesn’t seem to have a chorus about the lusty antics of a pirate lass. Her eyes sparkle slightly though and she sits quietly not wanting to interrupt.

    The next morning they set off again, walking the dusty road down towards a small village, half wooden buildings half tents. More out of habit than for any need Ocean melts off to the side of the road and vanishes amongst the sparse cover. Lilly looks over with an exasperated grin as her young friend vanishes from sight, then strides on into the village, checking just once that the scimitar is free in it’s sheathe, though the place looks peaceful enough.

    Using some of the money the hobgoblins so generously donated to their cause Lilly stops and buys lunch for the two of them at the tavern and is almost starting to worry as Oceans food slowly cools. The dark haired girl slips with a grin into the seat and starts eating heartily as if she wasn’t at all late, and looks up with an innocent expression that would probably fool anyone except her travelling companion.
    “What trouble have you been causing now, brat?”
    Ocean looks hurt “Ah hazen cozd enny trubbel. Ah wuz juz’ looking aroun’ an go’ diztractid. Ah follerd a fella ter tha zouz along tha dirt trak tha leavz tha villij tha way. I’ zeemed an odd way ter go, nay used much.” She continues softly “ennyways, I’ leedz ter anuzza zmoll camp. Mebbe a duzen men an’ tha zame o’ hossez.”
    Lilly looks up from the last mouthful of her meal and frowns slightly “Aye, and why do we care?”
    Ocean frowns, mirroring her friends expression unconsciously, “Cuz they’z zlavaz. Frem wha ah herd thiz villij iz on two main routez in thiz ariya an’ they haz a habit o’ waylayin travlerz tha dun look like tha cin difendz thessenz. They haz harf a duzen priznaz a’ tha momunt, an’ tha fella wuz wondrin down ter tell them tha yer wuz wokin inter town oll on yer own an tha mebbe yer zhuld nay mek it far parzt town wen yer leaf.”
    Lilly’s expression shifts slowly from a frown, to a glare and then back to a frown.
    “A dozen men? Too many for us. We need a safe way to get out of here… I don’t like leaving those prisoners in slavery, but I don’t want to see you dead…nor myself for that matter.”
    The pirate lass watches Lilly’s face for a moment and then shrugs slightly “Ah grew up in Amn, ah’z zeen zlavry. Ahz nay much likin I’ tho. Bu’ I’ yer carn deel wi yer own sikz then ah’ll juz ha’ ter do morra them messen. Cin yer mebbe handul three?”

    Lilly snorts and exclaims “Why you cheeky brat!” before dropping her voice again, and keeping a cheerful and relaxed expression plastered on her face despite her tension. “You and me against twelve men is suicide! I won’t let you do it and if I have to I’ll drag you away from here kicking and screaming.”
    Ocean grins “yer’d ha ter find me first. ‘zidez, yer hazen e’en herd mi plan yet.” Seemingly randomly the girl pushes the food around her plate until it resembles a crude sketch of the camp she has just returned from. “Tha priznaz iz here…wi’ two men gardin’ em. Tha loot theyz capchud o’ o ‘em is in two cheztz here. Two men ha tha keyz ter tha chainz tha priznaz iz in. The bozz o’ tha group in thiz tent an’ wun o’ tha gardz zo tha I’ he needz ter zeparate wun off for a minnit cuz thayz go’ a cramp or zumthin’ ‘e cin do I’ wi’out bothrin tha bozz.”
    Lilly nods sceptically, eyeing the heaps off meat and vegetables with a practiced eye, laying her own tactical knowledge over the youngsters own interpretation.
    “Ah zay yer leaf town, wi me around, bu’ nay zeen. Wait fer tha attak, cuz tha’ll be much lezz than a duzen. They won’ tek morran sikz men frem tha camp cuz thay needz ter gard wha they haz olreddy.”
    “You have an odd idea of good odds Ocean. Two against six isn’t much better than two against twelve. We’ll get beaten up and sold as slaves”
    “Truzt me. An morran tha, truzt Mirk” With a grin, and a devilsh sparkle in her eyes, the girl taps her pack with one be-ringed hand.
    Lilly frowns, both at the look in Ocean’s eye and at the mention of Mirkali. “What are you up to brat?”
    Looking slightly hurt Ocean rolls her eyes “Tharz nay blind truzt in tha werld iz thar. Juzt foller tha road frem town ter tha wezt an’ wen they attakz try not ter die” and with that she slides from her seat and disappears off before the older woman has time to argue or restrain her.

    With much trepidation and a great deal of foreboding Lilly strides from the village, one hand on the hilt of her rapier and her other clenching and unclenching, the tension building as the attack fails to come fast enough for her liking.
    When it does come it surprises the attackers as much as it surprises Lilly. Two men on each side move from the underbrush to block the path as two more come up from behind expecting a surprised and nervous lone female traveller who they can render unconscious and carry off in a few seconds. Instead the men behind find themselves facing an angry bard with a very sharp sword, one of them run through before they were even aware that she was aware of them.

    They were the lucky ones. The men in front expected to face a frightened woman, four on one, and to simply have to keep her there whilst there companions caught and bound her. What they found instead was hell. As they stepped into the path, Ocean, from her concealed position expertly sent two flasks of alchemists fire into the midst of them, following them with two of oil. The men screamed and beat frantically at the flames on their armour and skin, succeeding only in splashing the deadly liquid further over themselves. One breaks for the undergrowth trying to make it to the stream he knew was nearby, but a crossbow bolt took him high in the forehead and he fell into a bush that was soon sending more grey smoke skywards as it burnt.
    Lilly pushes the first man off of her sword, and he lies gurgling and dying, blood dribbling from his mouth in a most unhealthy way whilst the second man she faces gazes past her a moment in horror at what is happening to his companions before his face contorts in rage and he charges at her.
    His face meets Lilly’s fist coming the other way and with a contemptuous flick of her sword as he falls she slices through his throat, the blade grating on the bones of his neck.

    Within minutes it’s over. A couple more bolts silence the screams of the men still moving, and Ocean moves to stand beside her companion, her expression unreadable.
    “Wull…tha wuz…mezziya than ah thot it’d be” with a faint sigh she turns and vomits up the half a lunch she herself had eaten as the smell of burnt leather and flesh breezes across her face. Lilly moves to strokes her back, the girls distress acting to cover any revulsion of her own by keeping her too busy to notice. With a tug she leads Ocean away from the carnage and holds her until the sickness has passed.
    “So…Mirk gave you those did he? Might have known, no subtlety” Lilly grins trying to lighten the mood.
    “Aye, ‘e di’.” Ocean wipes her mouth and manages a slightly pale smile, “an’ ah haz morr, bu’ ah think ah’ll sayve those fer an emerjunzee. A’ leezt tha nekzt part o’ tha plan iz eezyer…”
    “It is? We still have six men in their own camp to deal with!”
    Ocean winks, “Haz yer nay lernd ter truzt me ye’? Oll yer haz ter do fer thiz bi’ is wok down to tha camp along tha game trayul thar.”
    “Just…walk?”
    “Aye, yer wok down tha trayul, zlow an eezy. Wi’ thiz zmoke thar’ll be reddy fer trubbel, zo zhud be eezy” and with that she turns and disappears into the brush leaving Lilly once more muttering to herself about uncontrollable brats and whether or not this is some kind of punishment. With a sigh she wipes her scimitar clean and heads off down the path Ocean indicated, feeling like bait in some kind of trap she doesn’t understand.

    As Lilly gets close to the camp she can finally see what Oceans lunch was trying to show her. The men, watching the smoke in the distance see her approaching from the direction of it and with a slight hesitation, since they see only one lone woman and know that six men went to fetch her, they reach for their weapons and move cautiously forward, the two guards staying where they are, their hands on their swords, and their eyes on the approaching woman.

    The four men approaching Lilly spread out, swords held easy, but their eyes wary.
    “Hello, Lass,” says the leader “Since you’re here and my men aren’t I’m guessing you gave them the slip. Maybe even killed a couple judging by the smoke yonder. But you made a mistake coming down here. There’s four of us, we all have you in sight and there’s…..”
    His words are cut off abruptly as his foot catching in the concealed wire before him. The sharpened spikes rip upwards, tearing through muscles and slicing open two major arteries, the man falls, oozing blood and making a soft sighing noise as one lung deflates. Lilly keeps her face calm, raising an eyebrow at the other three and as if she’d been expecting nothing less says “Well, who’s next?”

    Two of the men stop where they are, eyeing the ground warily, but the third charges and not ten paces from Lilly is torn apart by another spike trap. A soft whisper from behind her shoulder says “thaz tha lot, ah only plazed two. Zo, D’yer like tha oddz betta yet?”

    Lilly grins and moves forwards in an easy crouch, her scimitar held loosely her gaze flicking between the two men in front of her. The guards at the slave enclosure look up nervously, unsure what to do. One of them makes a decision and breaks for the horses. Whatever the hells this woman is he knows that two of his friends are dead and six missing, he grabs the reins of the only saddled horse and swings himself up. The saddle chooses that moment to make it clear that someone has undone the girth strap and with a strangled cry it slips off the horse, taking the man with it. His head hits the ground hard and he doesn’t move again.

    Lilly feints towards one of the men, the other lunging at the opening she has purposefully left. With a roll she ducks to her right and comes up under his guard driving her sword up through his stomach and behind his sternum, his heart bursting, death instant.
    His companion breaks and runs for it, the ease of the slaughter around him cooling his ardour for battle, but only makes it a dozen paces before sharpened spikes erupt from the ground at his feet and he plunges to the ground, one spike driving up through the floor of his mouth and into his brain.

    The last man, seeing all his plans, his future and his friends lying in shreds and blood around him grabs one of the prisoners and holds his sword to the woman’s throat.
    “Back off! I just want to leave! Try and stop me and she dies.”

    Lilly stands and just grins, her sword held in front of her, point down, blood running from the blade. She walks towards the man, using the exact tracks left by one of his friends, not entirely trusting that Ocean’s ability to count traps might not be out by more than one. Her face showing nothing but an easy, almost feral smile, she approaches the man, whose face twists with first fear and then hate and then fear again.

    Eventually fear wins. He pushes the prisoner away from him, knowing that to kill her signs his own death sentence, and backs away a pace. “Look. Lady. Just let me leave. Please.”
    Lilly sighs and looks at the carnage and death the two of them have reeked and lowers the blade further. “Aye. Fark off. On foot. I see you again I won’t be so nice”

    The man nods and tosses his sword down before turning and running off into the undergrowth. Ocean steps out from between the horses and wipes blood from her shortsword. “Yer noez he’ll go ztraight ter tha villij fer help?”
    “Aye, brat. So let’s not be here when they get back”
    Ocean nods once and starts using the key she just recovered from the other, now dead, guard and begins freeing and arming the grateful prisoners, who look at the two women with something between awe and dread. With barely a backward glance they scurry off in the same direction as the fleeing guard. Some of them looking like they have no intention of letting him make it to the village.

    Lilly turns to Ocean, who is looking somewhat sheepish “Only two huh?”
    “wull…ah fergot tha uzza wun…tha fiya a’ tha uzza fight med me ferget….Zorry…”
    Lilly grins. “Well. We won. What now?”
    Ocean grins back and her bright azure eyes sparkle mischievously “Wull. Now we haz two cheztz o’ loot ter carry. An a lotta hozzes. Ah think we zhud move on. What der yer think. Fanzy ridin’ fer a bit?”

  • A

    Lilly's vision swam as awareness creeped back to her, her whole body aching and the throbbing in her head causing the shadows to leap and obscure everything. Too pained and disoriented to move, Lilly just stared straight up, the shadows slowly melting away into a silhouette. Concentrating as much as her confused little head would allow, Lilly tried to figure out whether the figure was male or female, hells if it was even human! Sharess be watching.. it's the hobgoblin from earlier!

    They'd not find her such easy prey though, rage welling within her, fleetingly as her stomach lurched as the world spun around her. Gods, but she hurt when she tried to move, and what her eyes saw made no sense. It was a little easier as she gave up with sense, and seeing for that matter, closing her eyes and balling up her fist. With all the strength left in her aching body, she swung her fist around where she guessed the creature's face would be, surprisingly she actually hit it. She grinned to herself as her fist connected solidly to the creature's jaw, surprisingly small and frail for most hobgoblins. She was even more surprised as the body was knocked back heavily, crumpling with a groan to the ground away from Lilly.

    The groan sounded different than most hobgoblins speech, but then again her ears were still ringing too. Concentrating on her throbbing head, Lilly began to sing softly, the notes tingling in the air as a soothing coolness swept through her, the aching lifting and her vision clearing. Ever so slowly, the ringing eased as the normal forest sounds emerged from the silence that seemed to envelope her.

    She looked to the groaning form on the ground, her hand instictively reaching for the scimitar that would usually be in the sheathe on her hip, but for the moment lay gleaming dully in the underbrush where she'd dropped it. Where she'd expected to see a very irate hobgoblin, she instead saw a dark-haired girl with rings glittering on each finger, rubbing her already swollen jaw and looking at Lilly with hurt eyes.

    "Ye didunt have to hit me…" Ocean mumbled, still holding her jaw. "ya did needz ma help though..so iz gud I followed ya."

    She was interrupted as Lilly rushed over to hug her tight, mumbling under breath and touching the sweeling spot on Ocean's jaw, it slowly returning to its normal size. Hugging her tightly again once the healing was finished, now fully remembering how Ocean had saved her.

    "Then.. yur no mad tha I followed you..?" A somewhat bewildered Ocean asked, worrying if the bard had fully recovered her wits or not.

    "No sweety.. I'm just glad its you and not a hobgoblin trying to finish me..." Lilly started to blush as she finished explaining, "I kinda thought you were til I could see again.."

    Lilly's blushes were met with giggles as Ocean ran her hands over her body, even cupping her breasts before giggling again, "I'z do look aluttle loik a goblin.. no?" sending both women in a giggle, the seriousness of the past moment fleeting away.

    Lilly blushed again as she realized how close she'd come to really hurting Ocean, she offered a silent thanks to Tymora that she'd not been able to get her scimitar to bear.

    "Are you mad tha I fullowed you then..?" Ocean pressed, a smile lighting her face as Lilly hugged her tight again, kissing her on the forehead. Causing a tiny blush in Ocean.

    "Somehow I figured you'd be tough to get rid of, and anyways I'm kinda happy I'll have someone with me... even if it is a spoiled brat." Lilly teased, ruffling Ocean's hair, for all the world looking a pair of teenage sisters.

    Lilly's face quickly took on a stern look, "but.. effective now I'm to be your Captain again, and you are once again my responsibility. When I tell you to do something, I want you to do it." eliciting a resigned sigh, and a mumbled, "alroight.." from Ocean.

    "I'll behave mezelf.." Ocean sighed, giving a surprised gasp turned giggle as Lilly hugged her tightly, lifting her up and spinning her around.

    "I thought you knew me better brat!" Lilly giggled, setting Ocean down, "if you're coming then you might as well enjoy yourself. Same as sisters, same as always, dajemma'll be little different. And especially we can have fun while none are here to watch us." Lilly said with a mischivious wink, giggling as Ocean blushed a bit.

    "Oh quit being embarrassed, I've seen you, you love teasing men. Anyways I'll make sure they don't get too pushy, and you watch out for me, kay?" a grinning Ocean nodding her response.

    "Come on then, lets hurry on and find a good spot for a camp. I think we've had enough excitement for this day."

    The birds chirping once again, sunlight filtering through the trees as dusk approached. Two women walking down the path, blood on them but no cuts to be seen, a scimitar once again sticking from one's sheathe on her hip. If one would look at their eyes, a familiar sparkle would shine in both. By one path or the next, adventure would come their way.

  • A

    Warm Sun: inviting darkness

    The sun was warm on her back, shining through the trees at odd intervals, illuminating the forest around her in a hodgepodge of greens and browns. The air was crisp, still a bit cool from being so far north, still it seemed considerably warmer than her most recent home. It wasn't bothering her much though, as her cloak had long been folded and put away in her pack. Her travelling leathers were warm enough anyways. Nibbling on a bit of dried deer meat, she idly wondered when she'd actually find an inn on this road, or if she'd be forced to spend another night alone in a makeshift camp.

    It had only been a few days since she'd made her final farewell to Ocean, leaving the shipyard village that they'd landed in for Ocean's Fury to be outfitted as a proper ship. It hadn't even been a month since she'd left Peltarch, but already it felt longer.

    "I do miss cuddling up on a nice warm bed…" she announced to no one in particular with a giggle, confident than none but birds were listening. Her thoughts quickly disturbed as she heard growling from the brush flanking the narrow path ahead.

    From either side of the path stepped a pair of hobgoblins, two from each side, all with grins splitting their ugly faces, lewdly staring at her.

    "No beds.. but we'll give you what we know you want..." one of the hobgoblins said in surprisingly good common, the others licking their lips or making lewd gestures at her.

    Her scimitar hissed free of its scabbard, the bronze blade catching the sun and giving it a devilish look. Her wooden shield finding its way from her back to her left arm.

    "this one's got fight... she'll squirm real good. Now put down the sword or we promise we'll let you walk away." The stupid grins on the faces of the other three as they talked amongst themselves in their own language giving away the poor ruse.

    "The hells I'd give up to brigands, green-skins to boot.. Tymora'd hate me indeed in any of you managed to even touch me, much less robbing and what you plan." Lilly spat, swishing her scimitar meancingly, dropping into a defensive crouch.

    "Beautiful.. we'll take all your gold, and your sword, and we'll rape you til you moan like a whore. Then since you don't like our offer, we'll slit your pretty throat." the goblin-kin spoke, seemingly the brigand's speaker.

    Eying them, Lilly felt there was something she was missing. They all eyed her, more than robbery on their mind obviously, involuntarily a shudder coursing through her, but they hadn't even made a move to advance. Were they afraid they'd have to kill her, and spoil their fun?

    Lilly's eyes spread wide as she dove forward into a light somersault, her blade flashing in the light as she spun to look behind her. Her vision catching up tiredly to her reflexes, she was just in time to see two addition hobgoblins slump to the ground, one garggling from a neat slice through its throat, the other spasming with a hole driving through its back. A dark-haired girl smirked and waved to Lilly, gold rings sparkling on almost every finger.

    "Ocean!" Lilly gasped suprised, "the hells are you doing here?", feeling foolish as Ocen pointed behind her to the now furious goblin-kin, beginning to charge the two.

    "Fark, just stay behind me. I'll be able to handle them." as Lilly shifted back into a defensive crouch, her shield held in front and her scimitar held back in a low angle near to the ground.

    The lead two bore a spear and a shortsword, the one with the spear raising it high to stab down over her shield. Perfect. Seeing her opportunity, Lilly sprung out to flash her scimitar in a low arc, slicing across the goblin-kin's thigh, the hummanoid crumpling as its leg gave out on it. Without breaking her motion, Lilly shifted her moment to slam her shield into the face of the hobgoblin with the shortsword, the whole exchange taking but a few seconds, and two green-skins lying on the ground.

    The thrill of attle rushing through her, Lilly never noticed as the first goblin-kin she'd downed swung the butt end of his spear at her legs, connecting solidly with her calf and the leg went numb, tumbling her to the ground where she immediately rolled away from the not-so-dissabled hobgoblin.

    The two remaining hobgoblins, who had been approaching more cautiosly, now rushed to finish the now-kneeling Lilly, her leg still awkward beneath her. Hazarding a glance behind her, she wondered to herself why Ocean wasn't helping, raising herself to her feet completely as she muttered.

    "Least she's not going to get...ARRgghh" as blazing pain swept through her left shoulder, followed by numbing cold as the shield dropped limping from her arm.

    Backing away, the scimitar up defensively to better protect herself with no shield and a numb arm, she looked into the face of a grinning hobgoblin wielding a club. Thankfully the strike had missed her head, though she wondered for a moment if her shoulder was broken. No time for thoughts like that though, as she pushed them away from her.

    She heard a wet gurgle somewhere behind her, from the direction of the hobgoblin who's leg she'd cut, assuring her Ocean was still in the fight. Unfortunately the one who's nose she'd smashed was up with murder in its eyes, the three remaining hobgoblins closing in around her. Hazarding another glance, Ocean was gone again.

    She barely managed to duck a swing from a hobgoblin with a shortsword, her own scimitar driving in near to the hilt through the thing's stomach. Ugh, bad idea, as the dying hobgoblin fell away with her sword slipping from her hand, still stuck in its stomach.

    Somehow, the hobgoblins managed to grin even wider, especially as she started to swear oaths. Dodging the too-eager swings the remaining goblin-kin gave her, Lilly smashed her fist into the one with the short-sword's jaw, sending it reeling backward. The one with the club enjoyed his opportunity to smash his club heavily into Lilly's exposed back, knocking the breath from her lungs. She had to finish off the one with the sword though, that would hurt much worse than the club if he had the opportunity.

    Struggling for breath, Lilly connected a solid blow between the ugly goblin-kin's eyes, crumpling the horrid thing. She smiled to herself, hearing Penny's words in her head as she turned to face the last and mst troubling hobgoblin. Lilly tha Brawler was ready for him.

    The last thought being very ironic, as the club smashed into the side of her head, the pink haired woman crumpling to the ground in a heap.

    Swirling colors danced before her eyes, what had just happened? She was vulnerable now she knew it, something wanted to hurt her, but what? She should move, she should be up with her scimitar, but she couldn't feel the reassuring grip anywhere, could barely even feel her own hands. Everything was dark, aside from the colors, that's strange.. how can it be dark and colorful... Her thoughts growing slower, more labored, the inviting darkness calling her. She could rest for just a little while, it wouldn't really hurt anything... no one would disturb her, and it was so comfortable.. just a little while longer...

    As darkness took over her.

  • A

    The sun was high in the sky, surprisingly warm and even pleasant feeling. Nearby the waters lapped gently at the shore, a myriad of ships of all sizes floating lazily, all at some degree of disrepair. Standing off by themselves, near to the edge of the woods sheltering the tiny ship foundery, stood the pink-haired woman named Lilly and the dark-haired girl with the sparkling gold rings named Ocean.

    The two seemed completely different people than they were just a few days earlier on the ship, Lilly's face returned to its more usual colors and an eager light once again dancing in her eyes, the light so often seen in the eyes of the brave or the foolish just before a grand adventure. Across Ocean's features played an uncertainty, and more than a little sadness.

    "Duz ya haz to go?" Ocean pleaded for perhaps the dozenth time in the last hour, being answered again with a sigh from Lilly.

    "You know I do, now the more you whine and keep me, the longer it'll take me to get back," she explained tiredly much to a daughter who repeatedly asks the same questions in different ways.

    "Then take me wif you," Ocean insisted stubbornly, not willing to let it go without a fight, "I could be helpful you knoz..I'm zneaky and I'll no be in your way…" her practiced pleading interrupted as Lilly hugged her tight to her, her arms squeezing almost too tight, the hiding the tear building in her eye.

    "Listen, you've got to stay here. Mirk'll need that ship, and I'm wanting you safe. Anyways what would your dad think if you went chasing after me?" Lilly said with as much authority as she could muster, though it was not much.

    "He'z be prowd uz me, for goinz off and helpin you." she said proudly, eliciting another small sigh from Lilly.

    Knowing no words would be able to end this parting, Lilly hugged her tight again kissing her lightly on the forehead.

    "Behave yourself, brat." taking on the sisterly tone she was more accustomed to, "just cause no one's here to watch you doesn't mean you wont get paddled when I get back." grinning and swatting Ocean teasingly on the rump.

    "I'z behave myzelf, I'll no have wold sekz e'vry night." she giggled, earning her another teasing swat on the rump.

    Ruffling Ocean's hair with her free hand, Lilly started checking over her supplies one final time, finding herself loathe to give up her last companion, to be truly all alone. Scimitar, dagger in its hidden sheathe, main gauche, bow, arrows, her half-plate armor secured in her pack, travelling leathers worn, bandages, her birdpipes, yarting, harp in their cases, spare clothes folded neatly, even a dress though she doubted she'd have need for it. Everything seemed in order. Of course she had plenty of food, and even a few bottles of romani wine that she'd managed to secret away. She patted a hand to one of her pouches, feeling the four rolled charm scrolls Mirkali had given her before she'd left. She actually blushed some when that caused her to remember his other gift, a certain blue wand of some notoriety within the region. "Well a girl's got needs.." barely able to stop a grin as she thought of Penny saying those words.

    Memories of her friends, and family now she reminded herself, flooded her memory. Penny giving her the calm confidence and understanding that had brought them so close and through turbulent times, forever making her be Lilly's big sister. Fadia, hugging her close and giving voice to the insecurities she felt, yet reassuring her that it'll all turn out alright in the end. Daria clinging to her, not willing to let her go. A smile found its way onto her face as she remembered carrying the clinging Sunite through the gates to Peltarch, because she'd not let her go.

    She thought of Gears and Bow, keeping up their cheerful manners they always did, not letting it bring her to tears again. She'd come back, and they'd be there waiting. Drelan, so much like her , she wondered briefly if he'd be alright without either Lilly or Ocean there... but he'd just have to take care of himself.

    As always, it was Mirkali she worried over most, would he still love her when she returned? She loved Fadia and Daria, but she wondered if she'd find them having replaced her when she returned. She smiled though, even blushing a little as she remembered the state she'd left him; thoroughly exhausted, naked on the bed, her kitten curled up on his chest, as she checked her gear much the same as now.

    As before, no words she'd be able to say, Lilly hurried up the path. Running far too quickly for Ocean to even make up her mind on whether she wanted to follow or not.. Somehow, she felt that would be the only way.