3. Lilly's Dajemma

Lilly's Dajemma

  • A

    It was night now, and Lilly found herself in the strangest of places, it was both familiar and yet so unspeakably unexpected that Lilly couldn't help a bit of disorientation. For the first time in a decade, Lilly was in her old house, the parlor actually, sitting on the couch where she had nestled in her mother's lap when she was just a little girl. It seemed so empty now, of her four brothers and her only sister there was no sign, her mother she knew was gone, so now there was only Lilly and her stepfather. Ocean arrived panting, finally finished hauling their things from the inn and unpacking them in a room. Horgeldaer sat in his old, wooden chair that creaked whenever he shifted his weight, watching the two women with interest.

    "A'right..guess first I'll ask who yer friend is, an' next what the fark yer doing here." Horgeldaer explained calmly in his gravelly voice, gesturing a thumb at Ocean.

    "I'z is Ocean Fyne," Ocean squeaked timidly, still a bit afraid of the man who was Lilly's stepdad, though she tried her best to hide it.

    "Sure ya is, ya know who I am I'm pretty sure, less ya've gone completely daft, anyways, Horgeldaer Laer, Lilly's stepda" he explained again, "now why're you here?" waiting for them to explain.

    "We've.. come on Dajemma." Lilly stated, mustering all her courage, his heavy slap knocking her to the wooden floor.

    "Ta fark ya are, ya aren't a warrior, ya aren't a man, and ya've never even seen a Witch. Fark, lass, ya aren't even from Rasheman!" horgeldaer thundered and scolded the pink haired woman climbing back into her chair, her cheek burning from the blow.

    "Zhe iz a waryer! 'he kild loz've en'mies!" Ocean said, rising from her spot on the couch beside Lilly, though Horgeldaer hard stare sat her back down again.

    "Aye? What've ya killed? A couple goblins, a hungry sneak, and sleeping orcs aren't exactly the stuff of legends ya know." he mocked them.

    "I've.. I've fought drow.. and mages, and enough goblins and orcs and kobolds to overrun any village.. and mummies, zombies, and even a cave of Malarites.. the boss of the that man you killed!" Lilly stated, pride starting to leak into her voice.

    "So ya killed the fat man he worked for, but not him? Now if you'd have killed Olgrimm instead of some fat merchant in an acolytes cave.." Horgeldaer tried to explain, but Ocean interrupted him.

    "Bu' wez di' kilt tha ma'arits, Lilly kild Olgrim wi' 'er bar' 'ands! 'e stab'd 'er wi' a sp'ir an' sh' still kilt 'im!" Ocean gushed heatedly, proud to defend her friend and hopefully make her stepdad proud of her.

    Horgeldaer just snorted, "Ya think I'll believe yer two were the ones tha' killed Olgrimm? Braver men than you have tried, yer full of shite, and i'll not tolerate lies in my house." he scolded as he leaned forward to strike Lilly again.

    Lilly simply leaned forward, and met his gaze, her eyes hard as she spoke harshly, "At least we were never forced from our own country."

    At those words, Horgeldaer's lip curled into a snarl and he lashed out with a viscious backhand, three times in rapid succession. Her eyes were closed, waiting for him to decide to actually punch her, but the blow never came. Peaking through a squinted eye, still afraid to fully open them, she saw the big man sit back and sigh heavily.

    "Lilly.. do ya know why I was exiled? Do ya even know who yer father is? Don't look dumb and gape at me you wench, you know farking well it wasn't me that sired ya." He spoke slowly, and carefully, Lilly's face a mix of too many emotions to read.

    "Lilly… yer a Thayan. Yer father, yer real father, was a farking Red Wizard, dead now, but he was. Ya know well enough the people of Rasheman hate nothing more than Red Wizards, and.. much as it hurt my pride.. I pretended you were my own while she was pregnant. I'd intended to pretend forever.. but you know well enough yer hair ain't natural. Farking wizard's gift, and then everyone knew, they wanted to kill you. Worse, they wanted to kill your mother, for willingly lying with a Thayan. I wouldn't let them.. I fought them, men I'd trained, men I'd grew up with, boys of those men. Good men, I killed far too many of them. There I left what pride I had left.. traded it all for a whore of a wife, and a pink-haired bastard of a daughter. Was it worth it? Nay, you were never worth it, but it wasn't my choice to make..." horgeldaer explained, lost in his own memories and drink, pausing only to lift a bottle of some potent liquor to his lips, the contents burning down his throat and easing the words out.

    "Everything, Lilly.. I gave up everything for you and your mother. I was a weaponmaster, I trained warriors of Rasheman, I could have been a clan leader one day. Gone.. gone in a trail of blood and tears, a path of orphans and widows. You know I couldn't control myself, the berserk came over me stronger than it ever had before, and for once.. I couldn't control it. So.. I fled.. the homeland I had grown in, my land, my life. For you." he babbled, moisture in his eyes though he didn't cry, he would not permit himself tears in front of them.

    "We fled Lilly.. farking ran away.. and you know what.. you weren't worth it. I killed the wizard sure, but you were still there. I should have killed you, you know I wanted to.. but I couldn't. You were still mine.. not by blood, but you were mine even if you were my dishonor. I shoud have killed you.. but I didn't.." he said as he finished drinking whatever foul tasting brew he had in the bottle.

    "You say yer on Dajemma.. you want to prove yerself a warrior. First light then, first light we start training. I'll be damned if I throw away everything for you, whore. First light, you become my apprentice, and you'll be no disgrace when you leave, or you wont leave. Now go get some sleep, you'll need it." he babbled, before shooing them with his hands, finall striking Lilly with the empty bottle and physically carrying her to the room, laying her down gently and tucking her in. Before Ocean's astonished eyes, he leaned over and kissed her forehead, before gesturing roughly for Ocean to follow him.

    "By first light.. we begin..."

  • A

    Moving with age, Horgeldaer held his sword in one hand, though it shook slightly until the tip dipped towards the ground, the older man raising a bottle to his lips, taking several large swallows. Horgeldaer was vulnerable, while he concentrated on guzzling whatever potent liquor the bottle contained Argandor could strike. Raising his sword overhead, Argandor charged expecting to cleave the old man in half; however, his charge was halted a second later as glass shattered against his face, shards stinging his cheeks and the liquid released assaulting his eyes and nose. The older man had thrown the bottle at him! Damn him, but the liquor burned his eyes and everywhere the glass had gashed open.

    "Fight me you flaming goat! Fight me with all this honor you are supposed to possess.. or did the sheep your father slept with and you called mother teach you only to fight as a coward! Fight me or i'll kill the wench!" Argandor bellowed in rage, wiping at his face trying desperately to see through blurring, stinging eyes. Bits of liquor, blood and spittle flew from his lips, the battle would be ugly indeed.

    Horgeldaer's eyes wandered to where the blinded man vaguely pointed, then they narrowed dangerously, "touch m' daughter.. and every lonely dog in Whiteriver will use you dead body as a pillowmate.." and before their eyes, Horgeldaer seemed to grow another foot taller, and his shoulders rippled with the strength of a man many years younger, the bastard sword seeming much lighter in his hands now. The apparent ease and familiarity with which it was held made one think if his act of frailty was illusion or facade. His eyes hard, he stalked Argandor, walking slowly and with his sword gripped lightly in one hand, tip towards the dirt.

    Argandor, able to see through red, tear-filled eyes only, could take no more of this man's stalling and charged again, blade ready to rend this man in two. A heavy downward chop, as had felled the men earlier, there was a crash and a grunt. To the astonished eyes of all their, the heavy blade was frozen in midswing, Horgeldaer on one knee and both hands holding to the hilt of his bastard sword, and aside from the initial grunt Horgeldaer seemed to strain very little. Holding the joined blades with one hand on his sword hilt, Horgeldaer's other hand snapped up into Argandor's stomach, the younger man grunting loudly as the air was blasted from him, backing away quickly, heavy sword raised defensively.

    Horgeldaer stalked him again, whipping his sword from behind him into a lazy horizontal arc which was easily blocked by Argandor; however, the left hook that immediately followed was not, and caught the man in his nose, blood now freely dripping from a broken nose and a few more shards of glass driven deeper into the skin.

    Again Horgeldaer stalked him, only charging straight at him after circling to place himself between his foe and Lilly. The first attack a high feint, followed by a sweeping arc to the bandits knee; all could hear a clang of metal on metal as the sword hit, though Argandor still stumbled back his sword raised defensively though it had done him little good so far. He was lucky to have such fine armor under his disguise, or else by trying to block the high feint he'd have lost a leg, and soon after his life.

    Horgeldaer eased his guard, and spoke aloud to almost the entire village gathered around them, "His big sword is effective against lesser fighters, and useful for intimidation, but it lacks any sort of adaptation, and is cumbersome and slow. He wont be able to hit me because he can't strike fast enough, and he isn't strong or smart enough to smash through my guard." the experienced man speaking almost in a detached voice, regarding Argandor coldly.

    Much slower, Argandor advanced on Horgeldaer, his sword over a shoulder as he let a seemingly wounded arm hang near his waist. Horgeldaer waited, letting the man inch forward until Argandor exploded into action, bringing the greatsword crashing down with one hand, while his long dagger flashed in his left hand to stab Horgeldaer as he instictually evaded or blocked the heavy blade, moving toward the seemingly injured hand. THe ploy wound have worked except with an almost scary ease Horgeldaer ducked under and around the descending blade, and the dagger strike hitting empty air as Horgeldaer had dodged the other way against almost any sort of reason. Even as the old man steeped past Argandor, his foot kicked out to catch the man's ankle, and then he turned and chopped heavily with his bastard sword to the falling Argandor's right elbow. The crack of bone audible even above the clash of metal as the blade struck armor.

    The older man spit on him, then stepped back, again addressing the crowd in a detached voice, his cold blue eyes never leaving the groaning form of Argandor, desperately trying to gather up his blade with his left hand. "Another disadvantage to two handed weapons.. you need both hands to wield them. I will admit that was a clever trick he tried to pull, but no man ever swings a weapon like that one-handed without something of the like planned, even if one hand is wounded." the grizzled old man berated him, and he didn't even sweat yet!

    Fear in his eyes for the first time, Argandor rose using his good hand and favoring his other leg, his hand clutching the overlarge greatsword as if it somehow could spare him. Horgeldaer stalked him again, circling him like a vulture waiting for the man to fall over and be dead. Argandor for his part looking much like a scared rabbit. With a last burst of strength, that greatsword swung in a low arc at Horgeldaer's legs, trying to use both hands though his face showed pain even before the blade was knocked from his grip as the two blades crashed together. Disarmed, Argandor desperately tried to punch out at the old man, though his fist was caught in midair by Horgeldaer's left hand. Before their eyes, Argandor knelt down, agony showing on his face, Horgeldaer's veins popped from his neck as he strained; slowly, sickeningly, the crowd heard the man's hand bone's crack under the force of Horgeldaer's crushing grip.

    With agonizing slowness, Horgeldaer let the man slip to the ground, his blade flashing lightning quick and a head soon falling to the ground as Argandor's headless body slumped to the ground.

    "One more reason a weapon which let's you choose either one or two hands is preferable.. now strip him of everything, and bring it to my house on the hill." Horgeldaer said quietly, shrinking to his normal size again, which was only slightly less of a giant. As if he was lifting a sack of potatoes he lifted Lilly over his shoulder, who was too awestruck by the situation to even respond, carrying her naked body towards his house. Almost by accident, his hand made a motion for someone to follow from where he'd picked up Lilly, and Ocean materialized from the tall grass, following cautiously. Lilly was slumped over his shoulder, having feignted. Something Ocean had never thought to see her do.

  • A

    Morning came over the little village of Whiteriver, the farmers having already been about their chores for an hour. Inside the only inn, by a fire which had long since died away sat Lilly, staring into the faintly glowing embers in a blurred stupor caused only by tears and much liquor. Ocean had stayed with her through much of the night, though at Lilly's bidding had found her bed; however, sleep eluded her til just before the sun started to peak over the hills of the horizon.

    As the sun rose a little higher, more people went about their business, though just as many seemed to prefer to keep their beds, Lilly and Horgeldaer's shouting having kept them awake, and especially the crying children and barking dogs that resulted from it. What had really set the village astir, was as Lilly returned from the inn with much potent liquor in her arms, and obscenities spewed from her lips every other word. Enough had been quite enough. A gathering of husbands and sons had come initially to persuade her to seek her own bed, though eventually they gave up the futility and bodily picked up the shrieking and kicking form, and carried her to the inn. There Ocean finally calmed the woman by firmly telling her to sit and quit causing a scene by acting childish. Of course the woman stopped quickly, but soon settled in a chair to drink herself to a blissfully memory-free stupor.

    Back in the present, a large hooded man ducked through the door of the inn, a large greatsword strapped across his back. Walking with an easy grace, he wove in between the tables to stand behind Lilly. Ever so slowly, she looked up at him, under the hood into that grinning face.

    "Time to pay what you owe.. I'll collect whether you want to give it up or not." came the mocking voice, why was it familiar?

    Lilly tried to focus tired eyes, too drunken to see less than three images of him. A large man, extremely large, well muscled with a gigantic greatsword.. had she met him before?

    She tried to stand up, in order to get a view of him that wasn't upside down, but he slapped her heavily across the face, her limp body crashing to the floor. Fear welled within her, though the burning in her cheek was too far away to really be felt.

    The man looked around, being sure the innkeeper hadn't woken from the crash, and surprisingly he hadn't, the man then leaning down to whisper to her, "You aren't wearing the ring are you? you pink-haired whore." his great paws of hands already patting over her body feeling for it, not missing the opportunity to feel her more womanly areas when his hands passed over them. Lilly was oblivious, even when he decided he couldn't be safe just searching, and cut her clothes from her with a long knife from his belt sheathe.

    "Good you aren't, lets go whore. My employers were very dissappointed when you killed Olgrimm… but I think delivering you will help ease their minds. Of course, after I've killed Horgeldaer, and after you've been... "broken in" first." The big man talked as he leered at her, bending down to swat her behind before grabbing a chunk of her hair and beginning to drag her out. Lilly barely reacting, confusion etched on her face.

    As the sunlight hit her eyes, her limp body sliding onto the dirt outside of the inn's back door, Lilly became aware of the wrongness of the situation, the bard beginning to struggle. The man only laughed, lifting the drunken woman, who had so far neglected to make even an audible protest, by her hair and punching her heavily in the face, her body hanging loosely after that. He then swung her naked body over his shoulder, striding towards the woods two hundred yards distant, the entire way his hand feeling her bottom.

    The man was halfway to the treeline when he heard running footsteps and the jingling of chainmail armor, and chuckling the man heaved Lilly into a patch of tall grass. Still laughing as he drew his greatsword, looking far too big for any normal man to wield, though this man was hardly normal. Soon enough, a ring of men covered in chainmail and wielding a motley assortment of weapons, though all appeared well made, had formed a semicircle around him. The oldest of the eight men stepping forward.

    "Drop your weapon, and back off of the lass. We have you out-sworded, you are over-matched." the most experienced man said, though little authority was in it as he gaped at the man.

    The man just laughed, "None of you rabble is Horgeldaer, so I'll not harm you unless you try to harm me or impede justice. This wench is a thief and a whore, and worse yet, a murderer. A few days ago, she lay with a friend of my own, for only six coins she'd promised to kiss and cuddle him until cock crow. Yet by morning, all that was left was a room stripped of anything valuable, and my friend with a dagger sticking from his chest. Will you protect that!" finishing in a deadly serious tone, the men backing away fearfully.

    Unsure of what to do, both archers lowered their weapons though the others kept their spears, axes, and blades at the ready. Finally, one of the younger fighters voiced in a confused voice, "Why would you want to kill Horgeldaer..? he is a hero!."

    The man only raised his giant blade to his shoulder, grinning again, "because I want to be known as the best, and so far that old dog has done a good job of avoiding real fighters to impress farmers and widows." the man gloated, seemingly unconcerned at being unarmored and surrounded by eight armored men.

    "You lie!" one of the men shouted as a bowman loosed a shaft at the man's chest, which clattered to the ground as if it had struck a wall. Three others, one with an axe and two with swords charged him.

    The man was ready for them, his downward chop cutting through armor and bone as the heavy diagonal attack cleaved the first man with a sword in two. He then spun, his great sword whipping around and cleaving through the midsection of the man with axe who charged his flank, cutting him in half as easily as he would through paper. The third man tried to stop and reverse his direction, but managed only to skid towards the giant man with the giant sword. A viscious punch caught the man in the side of his head, then with one hand, the man was thrown to his face in the dirt. The heavy blade made dust rise as it crashed into the ground with a wet sound, no one daring to look at the man most recently felled.

    The man then looked around arrogantly at the awe-strucked fighters, "Any more challengers? No? Good, then you, yes you. The ugly one. Go find Horgeldaer, and tell him I've killed all but yourself in thi little entourage. Don't forget to mention I warned you all." This caused the other men to jump back and clutch weapons in fear, the man only laughing the louder, the light of madness in his eyes. Lilly stirred now, muttering under her breath as she felt a tingle sweep through her as her system was purged of its intoxication through magic.

    "There's no need ya daft farker.. i'm here" came a gravelly voice, from behind the now clustered and shaking men, a few being roughly shoved aside. "Now who the fark are you before 'ah kill ya?" he looked over and gave an appreciative nod to a little boy Lilly recognized from the wagon, before facing back at the man. The boy scurried out of reach of either giant, then turned to watch curiously.

    "Some call me a madman, an executioner.. and legend calls me the Shadowknight.. but I always like telling my name to people who truly deserve to die. Prepare yourself Horgeldaer, for you face Argandor now." Argandor stated coldly, though an arrogant grin plastered his face, not intimidating the older man in the least.

    A hand gripped Lilly's shoulder, and turning her head ever so slowly, she was able to spot a nearly invisible Ocean crouched in the tall grass around her. Her shortsword bare and ready for action, though hidden so the morning light never shone from it. Both women looked to where the two giants faced off, the eager, young Argandor, muscles bulging in anticipation; his huge sword being raised into a proper stance. A huge contrast to the older Horgeldaer, who drew his smaller by comparison bastard sword with a relative slowness, cracking his neck with a few rolls as he did. Then tossing his sword case casually to the ground, Horgeldaer raised his weapon slowly into a fighter's stance, his age apparent and stiffness slowing his movements.

    Lilly groaned, surely she hated her father, though she didn't want to see him die. She knew he was good.. but surely he couldn't stand to Argandor.

    (OOC: part two coming soon. just a pain to type all at once)

  • A

    Lilly sighed, "Fark.. but if I didn't know I'd end up back here…" as she walked her horse into the tiny village, farmlands visibly surrounding it in the dying light of dusk. Lights from candles and fire shone from the windows of the modest wooden homes, the onset of Shar's veiling close, Selune already rising for her nocurnal journey.

    Unconsciously, Lilly looked to a hill atop which a house slightly larger than most in the village sat, though it was enough distant to not actually be in Whiteriver. As she looked, she shivered, though she barely even felt the cold. Shaking her head and swearing more, Lilly drew out a bottle of wine from her pack, that she'd secretted away without Ocean's knowing. She'd need the valor of either Tempus himself or a drunkards's courage to keep from turning and fleeing this place, hells she half expected the Foehammer himself to come ready to kick her in the rump. Argandor coming for Horgeldaer... a giant of a man who was deadly quick with his bastard sword, though he was surely old by now. After all, he was her father.. "Stop that! he's not really your father.. just your momma's husband.." she chided herself angrily aloud, a few of the children playing nearby staring at her before giggling.

    As Lilly hitched her horse by the only inn in the village, she spotted Ocean sittingo n one of the benches looking decidedly bored. Though as Ocean saw her, she rose quickly to rush over and nearly tackle the bard in a hug. Lilly tried her best to hide the bottle of wine behind her back, but was hardly successful, Ocean just giving a sigh and holding out an expectant hand. Like a little child Lilly handed it over, and Ocean simply poured it out onto the ground.

    "the kid was alright.. I take it..?" Lilly asked after a moment, brushing down her horse while Ocean helped to unsaddle it.

    "Ay.. he wuz olroight, juz needin a bi' o' rezt now.. woos this.. Hurgaldeer?" Lilly froze as Ocean asked, just shaking her head and refusing to answer.

    Finally, "a man I'm going to see tonight.. I want you to stay here, get us a room and get a warm bath.. have one ready for me when I get back. He's a bad man, and I doubt it will take long.. if things go well.. I'll come get you." Lilly spoke, her mind whirling a million miles away. Ocean went to pat her shoulder, and Lilly flinched as if a whip had cracked down across her back. Ocean frowned at her, wondering what fate Lilly had befelled to this man..

    Lilly muttered to herself the entire time, but slowly she marched towards the house on the hill, her travelling leathers still on her, scimitar buckled to her hip. Then, drawing her courage, she knocked on the door, having to knock again louder as no one bothered to answer the first call. Inside she could hear the creaking of an old chair under someone's weight.

    Eventually a deep, rumbling voice that sounded a bit intoxicated came from the closed door, apparently irritated at being disturbed, "Tha fark do ya want? If its money then I nay got it, if it's killin then they can wait til farking morning."

    The door oppened, and Lilly saw perhaps one of the most physically imposing men she had ever seen in her life, which was no easy feat. He was old, that wasn't in question, yet like how an oak grows tougher and more gnarly with age, so too had this man. Corded muscles ran across broad shoulders twice as wide as most men's, arm' as thick as most men's legs running down to hands seeming perfectly sized to crush a man's skull, all on a frame that seemed closer to seven feet tall than to six. He seemed a bear, with arms that looked as if a rabbit skin had been wrapped around them, a thick carpet of greying hair poking from the top of his sleeveless tunic. Upon his face was set a small, trimmed beard and mustache which was more grey than his salt and pepper hair. Peircing blue eyes stared out at her, narrowed and a testy look upon them. He recognized her then, yet for whatever reason he had forgotten just why he didn't like her, the alcohol most likely.

    The smell of strong spirits assaulted her nose, nearly bringing her to tears with the fear that seemed palpable near this man, she had never wanted to see him again. Her step-father, Horgeldaer Laer.

    "I.. was.. just passing through.. Da.. is..um.. Momma home..do you th.."
    Lilly stammered nervously, and very much afraid, though her words were cut off all too quickly as Horgeldaer's heavy fist smashed into her jaw. The pink haired bard sent into a short flight from his small wooden porch, to crash unceremoniously into the dirt behind it, where she spat blood. Without saying a word, he slammed the door.

    "Blood bucket of piss!" Lilly shrieked at the closed door, feeling to see if any teeth had been lost, thankfully none had. "I just bloody came to farking see my Momma, you can bloody well rot in your flaming grave for all I farking care!" tears mingling with her anger, blood still welling in her mouth.

    "Lurana's gone you whore.. go back to where ya came from, none want a disgrace like ya here.." came the rough voice from behind the door, though the bark wasn't in the words, they almost sounded apologetic.

    Lilly was far too worked up to back off now, she continued her shrieks, "Bloody, farking hells I'll go back! Farking sodding disgrace I am? Beshaba's middle finger, I'm not the farkingone exiled from his own bloody country. Take your own disgrace you bastard, treacherous coward!" She knew she'd gone too far, yet she didn't care, even when the door was flung open, a fully irate Horgeldaer stepping out, the light of Selune magnifying the glare of hatred from those icy blue orbs.

    Hatred seemed tangible as she looked at him, suddenly very afraid, though for his part Horgeldaer just stared at her, a half empty bottle of liquor in his hand, "It was because of ya Lilly.. why I was exiled from Rasheman.. you and your farking whore of a mother.. deciding farking a wizard is more important than her own family and husband.. if it wasn't for whores like ya, then honest folk could be much happier." as he finished his speeach, his frustration showed as he hurled the bottle at her, the glass container hitting her heavily in the chest, causing to fall over again with a grunt. Tears had already welled in her eyes, and leaked down to the dirt below.

    A hundred questions whirled through her mind at once, all wanting to know why, but her throat was too constricted from crying even if she could think of a question to actually ask. The door slammed, and without even thinking, Lilly picked up the bottle, popping the cork and swallowing as much of the burning liquid as she could. It felt as if she were trying to drink a campfire, logs and all, yet she didn't care. The burning soothed her, made her forget about what had just happened, made it as if it had never happened.

    "Fark you.. I'm not needin a dad.. fark you.. people love me.. Ocean loves me.. my sisters love me.. Mirkali loves me... they love me for who I am.." she tried to scream to the night, though her burning and raw throat constricted it to a choked whisper, causing her voice to vie with the crickets as some ofthe villagers peered from their houses to the one atop the hill. Despite what she'd said, she felt very unloved at this moment.

    From her hidden shadows, a figure of a girl slipped back towards the inn, the sight she'd seen having been very brief but all together too shocking. She had wanted desperately to rush out and attack the man who had so hurt Lilly, yet.. somehow it just wasn't her place. With a heavy heart, the girl went slinking back to the inn, leaving Lilly to cry to herself until she finally found the strength to come back. Ocean also wanted to be rested, and prepared for an early departure in the morning, which she was sure Lilly would insist upon.


  • The third bandit rode hard, intending to outrun the fight behind him as much as to catch the wagon ahead. Ocean was no horseman and found herself shaken and jarred by the ride, the bolt shaken loose from the crossbow clattered to the road behind her.
    "Fack it, I' ah haz ter ah'll tok tha zhitzuka ter deth!" she sword to herself as only a sailor can.
    With no thought but to catch the horseman efore he caught the slower moving wagon she leant forward over the horses neck and kicked hard with her heels.

    Finally she started to gain, first pulling in behind then starting to come alongside. Never much for ceremony, subtlety or in any way behaving in a ladylike or heroic fashion she simply let the crossbow hang on it's strap, pulled her shortsword and stabbed the bandit's horse in the arse.
    With a shriek of indignation the horse reared, the rider struggling to stay in the saddle, but failing and falling hard.
    Ocean pulled her own horse up hard and lept from the saddle. Striding forward with an arrogant swagger, clearly enjoying having caught the man, she came to within striking distance.
    "Zurenda or ah'll zkyua yer waer yer liez!"
    The bandit made no response, his head lying at an odd angle to the body, not one conducive to long life and healthy children.

    Ocean pouted. "Zod it. Borin' facker!" Kicking the body for good measure she mounted and rode on to catch the wagon, and keep her appointment with Lilly in Whiteriver.

  • A

    A chill wind blew from the North, winds that travelled the long trek from the Great Glacier to bring discomfort and cold feet to any who dare to travel the roads that meander near the northern reaches; not surpisingly, those chill wind never ventured far enough south to bring solace to those trapped in the sweltering heats of the more southern climes. The wind did, however, perform an excellent job of biting through the cloaks of the two women and thoroughly freezing them to the bone, causing them both to huddle within their cloaks and hunch over their horse's necks to avoid the biting breeze. Ocean seemed the smarter one, wrapped within a heavy fur cloak she had bought before the journey, the thick garment equal protection against wind and sea spray, warm at first though it gradually leaks through until it's little comfort at all. Lilly seemed to be worse off, though she refused to show it by chattering her teeth like Ocean did; the older woman wore a sparkling purple and blue cloak that seemed more accustomed to a wizard. The cloak was a gift from an old lover, and she had refused to buy a new one, even though it had got her in trouble before. Apparently, the swish of the sparkling garment coupled with her swaying walk and low cut shirts seemed to interest some in parting with their coins for a night's acquaintance; though it only took a slap, or a punch for those who went too far to get her a respite from grabbing hands.

    Winter was coming, that was easy enough to tell, and neither woman enjoyed the idea of entertaining themselves while stuck in an inn waiting for the snows to thaw, thus had they rode south as quickly as their horses could manage. They had left Vandorn behind at the last village, a decision in which Lilly felt bad to make but she had finally decided was a worthwhile choice. Despite her words to Penny and Fadia before leaving, a handsome knight was not what she needed, she'd never find herself or put her mind at ease if she kept getting distracted. Ocean had whole-heartedly agreed, even going so far as to bribe a local woman to "distract" him for a day, while the two of them rode off south. Lilly had sighed as Ocean told her between giggles, the pink-haired woman making a mental note to let her friend sneak off less.

    "Zo.. wur er we go'un agin?" Ocean, her teeth chattering, trying to further wrap herself in her cloak, which had almost become a second skin.

    "To Rasheman.. and then Sembia maybe, Mirkali gave me a list of drinks to get for him, of which I've collected none thus far.." Lilly answered, frowning a bit at having accomplished so little. "Supposedly the cities in Sembia are a hundred times bigger than Peltarch, so I think it'd be fun to visit there." she finished, excitement edging into her voice.

    Ocean simply yawned, "I'z zeen em 'afore, theyz iz nuthun speshul.." though honestly Ocean was itching for the opportunity to visit a city again, she'd had remarkably few opportunities to practice her trade, aside from a few travellers coins and pies sitting on unwatched window sills.

    "Just cause you've had a life sailing all over the farking world diesn't mean everyone else has seen it," Lilly started with a mock stern voice, though she giggled, "hells, an hour or so further south is the furthest…" then her eyes widened, and her mouth shut with a click. She hoped Ocean wouldn't ask..

    "Wur's tha.." Ocean pressed, not understanding Lilly's sudden expression.

    "Oh um.. nowhere.. nowhere important really.. um.. some little town.. a river there I think.. um.. Whitebridge.. or Whiteriver.. something like that.. just a little farm village.." Lily stalled, finally giving up and riding her horse up ahead to end the conversation.

    Ocean just frowned and let her friend go, she'd tell whatever secret she was hiding in her own time, probably in an hour. What was it about this farmland that bugged her? wasn't she a farmer's daughter after all?
    Maybe she had an ex-lover who lived here, or maybe there was a city close by! That had to be it, that's why Lilly was pretending it wasn't a big deal.

    Lilly's thoughts were many and scattered, though she instictually huddled over the horse's neck as she heard the crack of a whip behind her, waiting for the blow to fall across her back. Confusion whelled within her as the expected blow didn't come, then embarrassment as she collected her senses, feeling dumb for falling so deeply into her thoughts and memories. Looking back, she saw a pair of horses pulling a wagon thundering down the road, a young boy of no more than fourteen winters cracking the whip over the team's head, a boy of closer to nineteen slumped over onto the boy. Blood matted his shirt, and his expression was unresponsive, to all eyes dead, a quarrel sticking from his chest. Terror was engraved upon the young boy's face, a cloud of dust swirling in the wake of the wagon, hay spilling from the back as the wind from their wild rush carried them past the startled women.

    As they passed, the boy shouted, "Ride for Whiteriver! Bandits! Horgeldaer will protect us!" that remark leaving a dumbstruck expression on Lilly's face as the dust cloud washed over them, the horses snorting their displeasure. Both women had reigned, Ocean winding the winch to her crossbow and Lilly staring after the boy, her memories having captured her attention for a moment.

    "Lilly.. gi' ready! Wez uz figh'in!" Ocean said quickly, now loading a bolt into her freshly cocked crossbow. Lilly sluggishly pulling her composite bow from her back, fitting an arrow from her saddle quiver to it as if in a dream.

    They hadn't long to wait, as three mounted men quickly crested the hill in obvious pursuit of the boy in the wagon. Ocean's quarrel leaped from her crossbow, the bolt embedding itself into the chest of the first rider, knocking him from the saddle as he released his reigns to clutch at himself. Lilly's arrow, however, missed its target, her horse getting skittish as the horses hooves thumped against the road coming nearer, the mount bumping against the side of the bow and causing her shot to graze the second rider's horse's flank. The horse in its surprise reared and the man went crashing to the ground with a wet thud. The third bandit was not quite as offguard, bearing a loaded crossbow instead of longswords like the first two. He discharged his shot at Lilly, though it missed horribly and stuck into the road behind her.

    The third bandit had no intentions of stopping to engage them though, and rode past them still in eager pursuit of the wagon, both women swearing, "Shit!" Lilly tried to fit another arrow to her bow, but the shot fell short and shot wide from the awkward angle of the horse. Ocean was working fast to load her crossbow again, when Lilly barked, "Go after him! i'll deal with these two. We'll meet in Whiteriver!"

    Nodding once, Ocean fitted a new quarrel to her newly readied crossbow, then kicked her weary horse into a gallop. Lilly watched her go, then dismounted and drew her scimitar, checking the two for life signs.

    The one thrown from his horse was assuredly dead, his chest no longer rose for breath, and his mouth was frozen in a wordless scream, his eyes staring wide at the sky, except that he lay on his stomach. The one with the quarrel in his stomach lay on his back, groaning from where his horse had left him.

    Calmly, Lilly walked to him and kicked him, the wounded man groaning louder. "What.. do ye want.. bitch.. " he said between gritted teeth and growls.

    "Answers.. who do you work for? Why chase the child?" she asked calmly, kicking him in the ribs when he didn't answer quickly enough.

    "because.. it's.. Horgeldaer's.. grandson.." the man said, now coughing up blood, "Argandor.. is coming.. for him.. and... all.. his brats.. and bitches.. like you.. you kn.." at once his coughing and taunting were silenced as Lilly's scimitar flashed once, the man's throat cut as his precious lifeblood flowed to stain his already filthy shirt.

    Horgeldaer.. bitches like her.. Argandor coming.. if only the man had known how terrible his taunts had truly been to her...

  • A

    Dragon's be Damned

    Ahead lights flickered, where was she? How did she get here, wasn't she asleep in a bed somewhere? A glow seemed to come from ahead, strange, didn't it just seem like those torches were behind her? The way behind was dark now, the hells is this place?

    The glow's getting brighter now, no, is it brighter? It's just a dull reddish color that doesn't seem to come from anywhere. Looking around, Lilly could see that she was in a tunnel somewhere, torches again flickering near the mouth where the tunnel openned into a large cavern. The glow is brightest from there, dwarfing the torchlights; if it glows so brightly, then why are there even torches lit?

    Confused, with a myriad of thoughts still running through her head, Lilly creeped along the walls edge, shadows flickering and swirling about her. Why does it seem so familiar?

    Now she stands in the middle of a large cavern, dressed in her normal clothes rather than the shift she wore in the priestess's house, piles of gold heaped around her. Treasure piled to the roof, glowing swords, instruments that play themselves, armor standing at attention almost as if a body stood within it, though she carefully touches none of it. That confused her as well, usually she'd grab as much as she could carry, she's wasn't necessarily greedy but she certainly enjoyed the spoils. Instead she walks through it, almost loathe to touch it; it just seemed… wrong. It seems dirty now, the fine swords with nicks in them, the armor and coins heavily rusted, the instruments now playing horribly off-key. "What's going on..?" she speaks aloud for the first time.

    In the darkness, when did it get dark? She hears a hissing, as a clinking mountain of gold coins slide against each other. What's the sound? Flapping.. are there bats? Lilly looking around wearily, her scimitar appearing in her hands, instantly smearing her hand in blood as it dripped onto the gold beneath her feet. She dropped it, both the blood and blade dissappearing before it hit the ground.

    "Whoossee isss there?" came a hissing voice, somewhere from above. "Goesss awayss before sissysss meltsss you... or maybe Malla should..." Malla? Gods, why does that name sound familiar? If only she could think, but it seemed as if her mind was trudging through mud and slush.

    Into view fluttered a tiny pseudodragon, a chicken leg cluched in one of her talons, almost seeming to smirk at Lilly.

    "You bringss me chickensss?" Malla hissed, before ripping a chunk from the now chicken breast clutched in her talons.

    "I.. um.. no, I have no chicken.. um.. where am I? Have we met.. before?" Lilly ventured, the creature having her thoroughly baffled.

    "You are in Sissy'sss home, she eatsss you if you don'tss bringss me chickenss and her goldsss... " The tiny dragon studying her, "You looksss like Sissy before Sissy becomesss real Sissy..It'sss the hair yep, you no change. Still little human girl. Sissy sayss all the timess she wantss to eat youss most of all." the little dragon cackled delighted with herself, causing Lilly to wonder just who exactly this Sissy was? Did Lilly know her? Gods but Malla looked familiar.

    A booming voice sounded from the glittering room, the piles of treasure shining all around again, Lilly becoming disoriented as she looked out at the ever shifting cavern.

    "Who dares to trespass, Malla…?" an ominous and thunderous voice boomed from somewhere entirely too close, the booming voice sounding little pleased.

    "It'sss human, Sissy! It's THE human, Sissy! Come lookss, come seesss, come and eatsss her!" Malla cackled gleefully, before flapping off, a full roasted chicken clutched in each talon.

    The room flashed, suddenly Lilly found herself looking up into the face of a great Red Dragon. Its legs curled up under it, wings folded around its great bulk, all except for the tail which lashed like a cat's, and the head and neck which stuck proudly in the air to loom over top of her. A deep throaty chuckle coming from the beast, a terrifying sight indeed, yet strangly Lilly felt afraid not at all.

    "Lilly Laer… what a most pleasant, pleasant surprise... Do you recognize me?" The dragon teased, chuckling louder seeing the astonished negative head shake from Lilly. "Come now.. surely you recognize your own sister.. do you not?"

    Her head should have exploded, why it did not is uncertain, and her eyes should have rolled onto the floor they widened so much. The dragon only cackled deeper, "Look at me dear sister.. look at what I have become… I have found myself Lily darlin.. go on, you may stare, I am even more beautiful now than I was when I looked like you.." the last word nearly a sneer as the dragon preened before Lilly's astonished eyes.

    "Penny.. are you really.. that. that thing…?" before Lilly's eyes sat a humongous red wyrm, though the wings, the claws, and the head seemed proportional to a smaller sized one. The body was swelled, much like a gluttons, so massive in fact that Lilly wondered if Penny could move at all.
    "Oh gods Penny, what have you done!" rushing forward to hug one of the claws.

    "DO NOT TOUCH ME!" Penny thundered, bits of fire licking out from her great maw, forcing Lilly to cower back trembling.

    "I do not need you Lilly Laer.. I am a dragon now… you never believed me. You doubted me Lilly, even mocked me for it, look at me now. I have found myself, have you? What would you even find Lilly? Is there anythng to find? You are a human, and weak! You could protect no one, and no one wanted you to try. You are weak, , have been weak, and to find yourself... you'll find you've known that all along, but you're too stubborn to accept it... It's no matter though.. because now I think I'll eat you darlin.. you're no longer a use to me." the dragon thundered, her head raising to plunge down and consume Lilly.

    "Stop!" came a ringing shout from where daylight streamed into the cavern, was that there before?

    A company of knights stood there, all astride horses with lances leveled at Penny. Atop the first's still squeaked a tiny flapping form, for all the world looking like a chicken on a spit. "Prepare to die beast!" the company mounting a charge.

    Shrieking rage, Penny tried to shift her bulk, but it wouldn't budge, instead spewing flames at them. As one they raised their shields, each riding through as through water spilling from a fall, lances extended balefully, armor gleaming. Lances slammed into her, driving deep and causing her head to raise in agony, "Stop! I command you.."

    The knights ignored her, dismounting and chopping at her with bright swords and axes, blood and fire shooting from the wounds they created. "Your terror ends today, Penny the Red! Death to the Red Eyes!" one of the knights shouted.

    Desperately Penny tried to wiggle her claws, trying to cast a spell to save her life, though her claws were far too bloated to cooperate, the spell fizzling. With a last act of desperation, Penny's great head shot forward, the gleaming teeth of her maw seeking Lilly's cowering flesh. Agony washed over Lilly, as the maw found its mark, teeth grinding and creating terrible wounds.

    The teeth left her as Penny gave a great roar, her scales covered in blood and licking fire, then suddenly it ended, the head toppling from the body, silence reigning aside from the heavy breathing of the knights. Holding a heavy axe, an executioner stood poised where the neck had been cut, his barechest covered in sweat, causing the bulging, corded muscles to gleam in the remaining dull red glow. A scream erupted from Lilly as the executioner removed his black hood, and she screamed even louder into Ocean's face.

    "Lilly, Lilly, zettle down, zettle down, shhh… " Ocean sat with her in the bed in the healer's house, holding the frightened pink haired woman and whispering soothingly to her. Still so confused, Lilly clutched her tight, sandwiching the straw doll between the two of them, tears in her eyes. Only then did Lilly realize she'd been thrashing around and screaming, the door quietly closing as the healer went back to her own bed.

    "Thank you.. Ocean.. I'm better now.. just a bad dream.. we can leave in the morning.. now.. either find your own bed.. or crawl in here with me.. either way we'll need rest." Lilly said tiredly, seemingly with a restored spirit.

    Ocean simply smiled and hugged her tight, adjusting the covers back over Lilly and slipping into the large bed, hugging the woman tight in case more bad dreams decided to visit her... but come morning, she found they never did.

  • A

    The last light of the day shone through the window, rolling hills and farmhouses visible just beyond, farmer's returning to their families, the day's work done for now. Lilly, however failed to truly appreciate it, lying nearly unmoving in her bed as she had for days now, unwilling to exert the effort needed to actually rise from her bed for more than the urgings for the chamberpot. In the back of her mind she knew she was fine, the priestess had done her job well and she was fully capable of walking and carrying on, she could even fight again if she had the mind to. Yet, for days she had stayed in bed, crying when none were there to check on her, and even when Ocean was there, as the girl scarecly left her side.

    Lifting the covers, and sliding the silk shift up over her stomach, Lilly traced the puckered scar on her belly, knowing full well that a matching one was on her back; a gift from the Malarites, and the almost too long ride to this village. It didn't matter now though, they had failed, they had failed miserably. Justin was dead, though she hardly even knew him, the rest had nearly been killed, and worst of all Lilly had killed the child they were to rescue!

    The door to the room openned quietly, Ocean slipping in with a bowl of steaming soup in her hands, shutting the door with her foot, trying not to disturb the woman. She could have slammed it and the result would have been the same, Lilly would have continued to stare out the window, as if she'd not heard a thing.

    "Lilly.. ah got ya zum zoup.. ur ya 'ungry?" Ocean said cautiously, as if speaking with a dog which you're not sure if it will bite or not, "if'n ya needz ta use th' pot.. then ah kin 'elp ya…" Ocean finished, hoping for some response from her friend, which had appeared almost dead recently. The only difference being the dead don't weep.

    Ocean settled into her chair, setting the soup on the nightstand, Lilly would eat it, or Ocean would feed it to her before long, but she'd rather the woman come to herself than be babied. She'd sat in this chair for almost three days now, trying her best to make the woman as comfortable as she could, yet nothing seemed to work.

    "Ocean... please.. get me an ale.. or a bottle of wine.. just.. please.. anything..." came Lilly's rasping voice, raw from where she'd cried the first few days. Her voice was so pathetic Ocean almost caved and gave it to her, but she finally just shook her head, remaining firm and denying her.

    ""No Lilly.. yuh can't solf yur problums wi' gettn drunk ever'time.. yur the one tha tought me tha.." Ocean explained, for all the world sounding like a mother explaining to a child why they can't have what they want. "an yer culdna've known..ya culdna've known.. pleez eat..."

    When Lilly had first woke up, the memories of the final confrontation had come flooding back to her, especially when her scimitar cut down the little boy. Soon after she woke up, she just started breaking down and crying, begging someone to get her a bottle of wine. When no one made a move to do so, she picked herself up, despite being weak as a kitten and tried to do so herself; taking both Ocean and the priestess of Lathander to force her back onto her bed, where she's stayed nearly unmoving since.

    Long minutes passed, the light growing just a shade darker as night drew near, but finally Lilly rolled her head to look at Ocean. Ocean looked up, ready to do what she could to make her more comfortable, though Lilly had been pretty close-mouthed of late. To her surprise, Lilly actually gave Ocean a tiny smile, though it was weak and forced rather than through any event to cause her joy.

    "Thank you.. sweety.. i'm sorry... that I'm being such a burden.. but if you could... I mean.. would you mind.. cleaning the blood from my sword? It's dripping again..." Lilly said in a dreamlike voice, almost as if she wasn't even aware she was talking, though Ocean knew what to expect. Lilly had asked her many times over the past few days to "clean her sword" though the scimitar sat well polished and cleaned in its sheathe in the corner of the room. Always Lilly would complain about the blood dripping from the blade, making a mess all over the floor. Always afterwards, Lilly would then tell Ocean to wash her hands, because it's a horrible feeling to have blood on your hands.. and you wont ever be a real lady.

    "Aye.. ah'll clean it.." Ocean said soothingly, rising to pick up the blade, taking out a perfectly clean rag which she'd used to clean the perfectly clean sword six times today alone. Ocean lit a candle for her to do her "work" with the sword, though she needn't have bothered as Lilly was already drifting off to sleep, her soup untouched.

    Quietly Ocean rose to close the curtains, the last bit of light already fading from the sky. She looked at her friend, who for all her bravery and guilt looked as a frightened little girl. An overgrown child she looked, a huge contrast to the brave warrior who'd only days before slain a priest of Malar with her bare hands, a berserker who'd willingly impaled herself to save her friends and defeat her enemy. Now she lay curled in her bed, her eyes shut tight as she dreamed another bad dream, a straw doll clutched tightly to her bosom, a gift from the priestess to help her sleep easier.

    One flash of metal had done this too her, one stroke of the sword. Spells may be wonderous things, and a single sword may topple a kingdom, yet it seems fate is the one who plays the cruelest jest of them all.


  • It happened so slowly, and in a fraction of a second. Minutes passed in the moment Lilly fell to the floor, and the three paces across the room seemed to take an hour.

    Everything had been harder, and messier, and more dangerous than Ocean wished or wanted or was ready for. First Lilly, burnt and so blistered. Then Argandor, simply causing terror by being. The priests, the blood, the fear. And now this.

    The mummy she and Vandorm had been fighting was pinned beneath Vandorm’s sword, the alchemists fire burning so fiercely and brightly that the beast could do little but thrash as it was slowly consumed. Argandor’s great sword was carving chunks from the other mummy. The beasts caged around the room shrieked and created havoc trying to get out or away from the flames.

    Ocean’s foot came down, one pace closer, one moment nearer to Lilly. She crossed the room in three paces, a matter of seconds as her brain screamed and an hour passed. Remembering every detail of the fight until the mummy’s appeared. Each blow and each prayer. Her eyes fixed on the blood slowly dripping from where the spear exited Lilly’s back. She saw the boy, dead. Sword slash. Too small to be Vandorm or Argandor, not her’s. Priest had a spear. Lilly. Oh hells, Lilly, don’t fall apart. Survive. Accept.

    Ocean’s foot came down, a second pace, the blood drip falling from the spear finally hitting the ground. That pace took her past the body of the boy. Her eyes never left Lilly though, focussed, intent. Her mind screaming at her. Lilly couldn’t die. Mustn’t die. Suddenly she remembered Mirkali talking to her, one of her bad times, trying to persuade her she was worth more than others opinion of her. No, more than Deacon’s opinion of her, that was the issue. He wanted her to live her life for her, not for the approval of others. Then she remembered learning to box, with Lilly guiding and Mirkali sparring and No! not then, back to Mirkali, living for herself. Her mind wanted to hide, find anything to focus on other than that which was before her. The scene of blood and spear and the foetal ball that was her friend, mentor, sister. Mirkali, living for herself. Yes, and no. That memory. Not the others, that one. And for a reason. The reason being what she hadn’t told Mirkali, not properly. That Lilly’s opinion was as important to her as Deacon’s. Lilly..must..live. Admitting it to herself was as hard as admitting it to Mirkali would have been. Tashara, her mother, but always her captain, and gone so long anyway, had never been to her what Lilly was. Sister, confidante, friend. Lilly..must..live.

    Ocean’s foot came down, in a pool of slowly spreading blood. She stooped, her arms moving to envelope Lilly, but not touching yet, not willing to cause more harm, more pain. Her eyes flickered, left and right, imprinting the details, her mind finally starting to watch what her eyes were seeing and not hide, not fight to deny the truth before her. She turned, her eyes taking in Vandorm, stepping back from the now crumbling mummy, Argandor slicing his huge blade through his own opponent, and the boy. Her eyes saw the boy again, this time her mind, always sharp, taking in the details, the lack of clothing on the torso, the puncture marks. Marks made by a spear.
    “Oh Lilly…yer wernt ter noez. How wuz yer ter noez tha facker ha’ chanjd him inter tha.”

    Argandor strode over, his gaze sweeping the woman whose power held his will captive. He pulled a belt pouch open, taking out potions and salves, bandages and herbs. He knelt and despite Ocean’s glare, began to apply the herbs and salves to the wounds front and back. Taking a fistful of powerful magical salve in each hand he turned his hideous face to Ocean. “Pull it out. Now.”
    Ocean began to protest. Feeling her heart quaver at the pain it would cause Lilly.
    “Pull it out or she dies. She won’t feel it, she’s almost dead already.”
    Ocean grabbed the spear behind the head and found her hands clasped between Vandorms. They pulled and with a slick wetness and a further spray of blood the spear slid free. Argandor slapped the paste into the wounds which ceased to bleed and began to close. “It might not be enough. We need a healer.”
    Vandorm nodded to the huge warrior. “There is one. At the village where the boy came from. But I fear for the Lady, it is several days from here.”
    Argandor grunted. “I have potions enough to keep her alive that long. As long as she fights. Will she fight?”
    “Ah…ah dunnoez…bu’ zhe betta…or ah’ll kikk her azz messen!”
    With a grin and little effort Argandor scooped Lilly into his arms and strode form the cave without a backward glance.

    Ocean delayed. Vandorm had followed to see to the horses. Justins might not like carrying Argandor’s weight but they needed the big man for the moment.
    But Ocean delayed. Her eyes again taking in the scene, looking at the mess they had made, and at the mess Olgrimm had made. At the mess he had made of Lilly’s mind.
    “Facker!” She kicked the cooling body, then bent to search it. The belt was filthy and the pouches not much better but they yielded a good deal of coin. She searched a little, keeping away from the cages. A chest in the corner, a simple enough trap and lock, and she was richer still. “Gud. Ahgundorz a merzenry. I’ ah cin pay ‘im all’ll be well.” As she turned to leave her eyes passed over the priest again, a look of contempt and hatred passing into curiosity as she noticed the chain around his neck, a plain iron chain, on which it turned out was hung a black metal band, a simple unadorned ring. Slipping the chain around her neck alongside her other jewellery she sighed, gathered up her treasure, and went to help the others.

    A few hours from the cave Argandor began to gaze around at them, not in confusion and not quite in anger. “So. The priests dead. I should cut my losses, kill you three and be out of here.” With that he unsheathed his sword from across his back and moved his horse to block the path of the others. Vandorm reined in, unable to draw his own sword since he was supporting Lilly in front of him on his horse. Her wounds were closed, but she remained unconscious and perilously ill. Ocean walked her horse forwards a pace, sweat gleaming on it, steam rising.
    “We cin pay yer. Ah haz tha preeztz munny.”
    “Yes, lass. And when you’re dead I will have it.”
    Ocean blanched, she had been so sure that the money would be enough. Then on impulse she pulled the chain from between her breasts and moved the ring on it towards her finger. “Ah olzo ha’ thiz”
    Argandor stopped. He took a slow breath. “You’re not as stupid as you look girl. Well, you shall live. But if I ever find you again, without that ring, I will enjoy flaying you alive and raping whilst you bleed to death from your muscles.” With an angry twist of the reins he turned Justin’s horse and rode away into the gathering darkness.

    They arrived at the village with Lilly as close to death as she had been at the cave, Argandor’s potions having run out. Vandorm strode, Lilly in his arms, straight to the healer’s house. The healer, a Priestess of Lathander, ushered the three of them inside, their stamping horses loosely tied up outside.
    With Lilly in bed, Lathander’s blessings having healed her wounds, but in need of some rest, Vandorm left Ocean to watch her and walked, with none of the swagger in his step that had marked their first meeting, and retrieved from the spare horse the final treasure Ocean had retrieved from the cave.

    With a sigh, and tears tracking down his face, he took the boys body in his arms, and went to confess to his failure.


  • // Way to go Aeolderr, Glad I can somehow keep up with how you are getting my daughter killed. :roll: 😄 , And Kate, Same goes for you 🙂 Only thank you for keeping me informed about how you are getting yourself killed 😉

  • 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.