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Post by Kai! Kai! on Jan 14, 2006 6:15:50 GMT -5
Prologue 2496 B.P. (Before Present)
Fall of Imperial Glacia[/color][/center] Fire leapt hungrily across the tapestries that covered the grim, gray stone walls of the fortress. Huddled in a corner a child watched as those flames grew and whimpered as the screams of the dieing echoed from both within and beyond the building she had called home since her birth some seven years ago. The heat was steadily increasing about her but the child had nowhere to go, the fire covered the door and her window was too high up, all she could do was huddle in the far corner breathing in the harsh foul smelling smoke that made her chest burn and wait for death. The Fire danced higher crawling across the ceiling, rafters groaned as they lost the power to hold firm and then fell to the ground below, showering the floor with sparks and embers. The child flinched away as the embers brushed her bard legs burning her young skin making her yelp. She sobbed crushing herself as close as she could into the corner coughing as she breathed in more of the noxious smoke. The rafters groaned again making the child look up, the fire was above and around her now, it was only a matter of time. Outside a cry that was not human sounded beyond her window making the girl gaze towards it. A dark mass flew by issuing forth bright and deadly ribbon of flame upon whatever lay below it. It had been a Fire Drake, one of six vicious species of elemental monsters related to the capricious dragons. It was they that now laid siege to her father’s domain; it was they who now lay to waste what had once been the beautiful Imperial city of Glacia. <Princess…?> the voice in her head throbbed as it reverberated through her skull. <Asguard there’s so much fire!> she cried out in her mind sending with it a picture of her room and all the flames. The deep voice made no reply but the girl knew it was still there. Asguard was her protector her warden they had been separated in the panic and then the fire came.
Overhead the roof groaned more dangerously, the Princess risked a look up and cringed at the sight and looked away as cinders fell. Panicked the princess reached out with her mind again meeting the steel like presence that had always been Asguard, <Hurry the roofs about to cave in!> The door heaved once and then shattered under an immense blow. The Princess looked up and watched as the seven foot tall figure moved into the room flames reflected off the armor of his body so he appeared like liquid metal. The shape looked like a man in knight’s armor but that was not true. She knew that metallic form as easily as she knew her own hands. The steel golem that was Asguard, looked directly at her, his glowing yellow eyes piercing fire and smoke to seek her out. “Asguard!” she cried then coughed as the smoke attacked her lungs again. The metal man moved fast reaching the princess and scooped her up protectively. Despite the flames all around them the metal of his body was cool for Steel golems such as Asguard was were immune to fire. The roof caved in suddenly but Asguard was already moving, his steps ringing against the stones carried them from the room and into the passage beyond. He moved faster then he appeared capable of shouldering through flaming debris to carry his charge to safety. While beyond the walls more then twenty Drakes tore what remained of the city apart in their rage. Neither Girl not golem stopped to watch the end of their world. There was little point. <Where are we going Asguard?” she asked not trusting her smoke scorched throat. <Somewhere safe.> he replied but would say no more. The made the princess uneasy. <Are mother, Father and Tino there?> she asked hopefully but her hopes and heart were crushed as Asguard’s reply. <Nay princess,> his mental voice vibrated sadly. <The vile and monstrous Drakes robbed them of their lives, I could not same them as I have saved you, forgive me…> <Of course I do Asguard, you would have helped them if you could.> she responded closing her eyes against both smoke and tears. Her family was gone and there would be no bringing them back. Asguard carried her quickly and without pause, the passages twisted and wove through the fortress like a maze, while gradually the sound of the Drake’s war cry faded along with the screams of the dieing and the roar of the flames. Weariness unlike anything before swept over the girl in the cool embrace of her metal protector. He was her shield and now the only thing she had in the world, listening to the steady thrum of his metal feet on the stone floor and the constant pulse of magical blood that flowed beneath his armor. Slowly the princess slipped into sleep, reassured by the presence of her massive protector unconcerned by their destination only that they were safe.
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Post by Kai! Kai! on Jan 14, 2006 6:17:46 GMT -5
Chapter One [/u] 2496 A.G. (After Glacia) Present Day
Part One Marsanna: The Outer Wall[/color][/center] Standing within the shadows of a small alleyway between the many stalls of the market, Sapphire Hawkeye watched the masses that moved from stall to stall, shop to shop in search of the items they needed for their day to day lives. Her clear deep azure eyes the colour of the very gem she was named after gazed from face to face, stall to stall in search of a mark. Nearby her student, a youth not past his thirteenth birthday named Spider kept a close observation as well. Sapphire kept a close eye on the market lounging against one of the support beams of a stall. She was bored with doing these tests, bored with cutting purses and breaking into houses for a score, but the truth of it was she didn’t have a choice. Like so many other orphaned children who grew up in the streets of Marsanna the jewel of the West, she owed her life to The Rogue, the king of thieves and the underworld of the west. One did not simply tell him that they have had enough and leave. A particularly well dressed man strutted passed escorting an equally well dressed woman, Sapphire smirked at he sight of the pair her eyes flicking quickly to Spider. The boy nodded quickly to her showing he too saw them, she replied with a second short nod and watched as the lad disappeared among the crowd. Turning her attention back to observing the comings and goings of the market, yet her eyes did not miss a single thing the boy-thief did as he approached the lord and lady. The pair stopped at one of the stalls, a small jewelry peddler the woman taking great interest in the many glittering beads, stones and bangles. Without thinning Sapphires hand trailed up to her neck touching the small lump beneath her tunic. The sky-blue stone that lay beneath it attached to a thick thong of leather. It was the only relic of her forgotten past, the only fragment of a past she could not remember. She sighed lowering her hand and gazed skyward closing her eyes as a cry of ‘Stop Thief!’ rose above the hum of the crowd. Sapphires eyes snapped open and she looked into the masses her eyes hunting out the boy. Sure enough spider flew past shoving people out the way before disappearing down on of the small pathways between the stalls not so different from the one she stood in while the peacock of a lord chasing after him with a few others but they came out of the alley not long after muttering among themselves. Satisfied Sapphire stepped into the crowd, humming softly to herself as she made her way out of the market. Gradually the crush of the crowd began to thin out and Sapphire found herself walking under the vast doorway into the main city itself. The guards on duty stood attention on either side glaring menacingly at everyone who passed but were in truth powerless to stop anyone without evidence of wrongdoing. On impulse she waved to one of the guards as she walked through and was satisfied to see the soldier’s expression darken. Once inside the outer wall of Marsanna, Sapphire strolled casually along the paved streets regarding the many people who moved about on their daily business. Quiet was not something in abundance anywhere in a city the size of Marsanna, it was always full of people from all walks of life. From country folk searching for work in the city, to the visiting lords and ladies of the many numerous landholdings all over the Kingdom of Advaita. Merchants however were its main population though that population fluctuated from month to month as contracts were signed and cargo’s loaded. By land and sea they went depending on where it was going. Lost in silent of where she’d like to be if she wasn’t here Sapphire almost didn’t see the two roughnecks following her, but Sapphire wasn’t dubbed Hawkeye for nothing. She continued her leisurely stroll twisting her wrists ever so slightly to allow the wrist sheath daggers concealed beneath the long sleeves of her tunic to slide into her hands ready to be completely drawn in her own defense, she wasn’t looking for a fight but if these lackeys attacked her she would kill them.
~ Reclining casually outside one of the local watering holes of Marsanna, a young man perhaps no older then his mid twenties watched the citizens of the seaside city his golden eyes moving from person to person while mulling over a tankard of the local brew. The bitter liquid wasn’t to his taste but Vega; Seeker of Nataris was not really all that concerned. What he was concerned with was his latest assignment. For the better part of the last four months he had been hunting down certain people with certain what his employer liked to call ‘talents’ not that Vega was a fool. He knew those talents revolved around a little word many spoke of in whispers called magic. They weren’t common and their strength varied and many were even unaware they possessed such abilities for the force of magic itself only came forward in a person when they were placed under a certain amount of mental or physical strain. Even then however, that power might surface briefly before submerging itself once more, they were the kind of people his employer liked to call Sleepers. Having located all the Sleepers worthy of notice to his employer, Vega would have quite happily returned to Nataris but then it had come to his attention. It being an unknown target. Sometimes the magic sung through the air like a breeze and other times there was nothing not a trace or a sliver to be found, and that was what troubled him most. Vega had been hunting down Sleepers for five years and developed something of a pattern to his work, he’d found he could identify a Sleeper’s strength just by gaining a trace of their magic and then follow it back to the source, but this one person. His or her magic was fluctuating in a way he had encountered only once before and it was dangerous. He remembered grimly the child whose magic had fluctuated between wakefulness and near non-existence, the people were so frightened they called the poor lad a demon and attacked him hoping to drive the boy away for his magic manifested itself in the most destructive of ways. Objects catching fire, rocks flying without being touched, people getting thrown when too near him. Vega closed his eyes wanting to block out the last memory he had of the boy as his own magic, so out of control it finally consumed him blasting a crater in the ground deep enough to be a shallow pond and wide enough to sit a house in. There had been no trace of there ever being a boy, standing where there was once flat ground. That boy had only been an average magic holder at best, but this one...This Sleeper was something more then the average. The strength of magic involved within this one Sleeper was in equal measure to that of his employers and four of his colleagues and with so much raw magic in such an unstable host he shuddered to think what would happen if this Sleeper ever lost control, if this Sleeper was ever pushed to the edge like that boy had. Bored with his drink and the gloom and doom of his thoughts Vega tipped the vile swill upon the street and left the tankard on the floor beside his seat, deciding to walk about and see if he couldn’t get a lock on this unknown Sleeper, so far the Sleeper had avoided spilling out with magic for the past three days but sooner or later he or she would slip up giving Vega perhaps a better idea of who or where this Sleeper hides. Letting his feet decide the path Vega found himself walking towards the Gate of the Outer Wall, heading towards the market, it would be full of people and as good of a place as any to begin his search anew. Lost in thought Vega thought carefully over all the information he’d gained about this wayward, Sleeper. The power left behind was raw and un-tempered, dismissing any suspicions of having any kind of control what so ever. The Sleeper was obviously ignorant of what went on when that power manifested itself which ruled out anything destructive and the manifestations never showed up in the same place. However Vega had managed to thin out the possible hiding areas to the area outside and within the Outer Wall of the lower city and possibly the port. It still left a wide area but it was a start. So caught up in his thoughts Vega failed to notice as he walked into a rather rough looking man, shoved roughly to one side, Vega stumbled and turned on his heel as he man sneered at him, “Watch where your going.” He turned his back to Vega and kept going not waiting for Vega’s reply. The fellow was an unsavory looking sought, his face had been heavily disfigured with many knife cuts and several pockmarks on the right side, but what made Vega all that more uneasy was the way he seemed to be watching another person not far ahead of him. It looked like a woman her hair was a deep earthen tone touched with red in places she looked about average height perhaps a good three inches short of his own six feet, dressed in well worn hide breeches, soft leather boots and a simple long-sleeved tunic. She appeared unaware of her shadow as she walked casually along. While it wasn’t his place to interfere, it always railed against his better senses when a man preyed upon someone weaker then himself. Yet still he wouldn’t interfere, the last thing he needed was to draw attention to himself. Instead Vega turned after a moments more hesitation and began heading towards the marker, glancing once more at the ugly thug who glanced once to another not far away. The hair prickled on the back of Vega’s neck as he watched them drew a pair of wicked looking daggers and then without warning the air began to hum.
~ When the first thug attacked her Sapphire was ready she twisted out of the way as he reached from behind to grab her slicing cleanly across his arm with the tip of her own dagger. Smirking as the scar faced brute howled with rage. It was the second she had more trouble dodging, he was taller then his companion but less solid. He moved with a speed and accuracy she had trouble matching at times, but luckily Sapphire kept his knife away from her by stepping out of the way and retaliating blow for blow. Striking at her again the swift man caused Sapphire to jump back as he attacked then suddenly stepped out the way. To her horror she found the scarred thug attacking her from behind his partner, they weren’t the normal kind of street thug. Working fast Sapphire lunged forward and under the pockmarked thug’s attack, barely missing a blow from his massive fist and cutting him across the upper thigh. He aimed another blow while she was off balance but Sapphire wasn’t willing to let him get the chance, the man had fists like a sledgehammer one blow form them could probably crack or even break a rib, instead she threw herself to the side rolling out the way as he went to strike hitting air instead of her. Climbing to her feet Sapphire had no more then a second to regain her balance and footing as the swiftest of the pair began his assault anew. Defiantly not the typical street thugs, she reflected countering another of the fast thugs attacks. What faction do they belong to I wonder? Sapphire had no more time to ponder however as disfigured thug joined in the fray attacking her from both in front and behind. Her concentration fully on the fight now she did little more then fight to survive and prayed that some of her own gang were nearby. No doubt word had spread up the street about the fighting. A blow from behind caught Sapphire as she deflected another from the swift thug, the blow hit her squarely in the ribs knocking her to the ground, dazed and hurting. She’d been right about the ugly ones strength his blow felt like he’d cracked a rib at the very least. Grunting she rolled out the way as one of the thugs tried to drive his dagger home but the blade snapped upon the cobble stones instead. “Two on one isn’t what I’d call fair,” a voice said. The tugs turned momentarily distracted, it was all Sapphire needed however as she climbed to her feet and lunged driving one of her small daggers into the neck of the faster of the pair. He staggered under her weight and then fell blood spurting form the wound as she rolled clear. The disfigured thug roared in anger and lunged at her but the man that had spoken stepped in smacking the thug in the back of the head. He staggered once and then fell. Climbing to her feet again Sapphire made a quick check of the area for any signs of other attackers. Her gaze fell upon a cloaked figure upon the roof, whoever it was watched her oddly face concealed behind a cloth that covered the lower half of the face and a deep hood. “Odd to see a Dark Hunter out in daylight…” a voice behind her said. Sapphire turned to face the man who had distracted the thugs. He was a comely man with short black hair cropped short and dressed in the typical traveling garb most adventurers wore. This outfit often consisted of a pair of hide breeches tougher and thicker then her own, a light or thick tunic (depending on the weather) and leather vest over that. What he wore over the vest however was not common, it was a kind of patched coat made out of numerous treated hides and was long enough to brush the middle of his calf. The most remarkable thing about the man however was his eyes, they were a deep amber almost golden, the same colour as several cats she’d come across in her years on the street. “A Dark what?” Sapphire enquired crouching on the ground to check over the bodies of the two men who had attacked her. The fast one was dead, having bled out from the fatal wound she’d inflicted but the ugly one wasn’t he was still breathing. “Dark Hunters,” He repeated. “Trackers part of an elite squad hired to hunt or kill for the right price. They employ skills most of us would have nightmares about…” He was gazing up at the roof watching as the darkly clad figure melted out of sight. “My name is Vega, and right now I think it might be best if we depart with all haste before the guards come.” Sapphire nodded absently and took firm hold of the ugly ones head. He was laying face down on the cobblestone, tilting his head back while she held onto his hair, Sapphire quickly disposed of the man by slicing his throat open while he was still out cold. That done she wiped her wrist daggers clean and returned them to her wrist-sheaths ignoring the horrified look on Vega’s face. His approval on what she did was not her concern, he was a stranger and most certainly didn’t come from these parts that she was sure of. A man with golden eyes would have been remarked upon easily as the colouring was extremely rare. Quickly she made a check of the bodies stealing their money pouches and the vicious daggers they carried, spare daggers never went astray and it wasn’t like those two would need them anymore. Her pilfering done Sapphire stood up glancing only once more to the roof to make sure the Hunter was gone and began to move, well aware of the eerie silence that had befallen the street. She wasn’t sure why but the thought of that strange man in black sent chills down her spine. Instead she focused on an escape root aware that the man named Vega was still with her as she moved through the lower streets of Marsanna’s outer streets. Sapphire had had close to eight years of learning the streets, having appeared in Marsanna when she was still a child, those eight years before coming to Marsanna were lost in that abyssal vault of her forgotten past. Who her parents were, where she came from, they mattered little. Her home was here in Marsanna, among the thieves and murderers of the underworld. Those eight years spent growing up on the streets now served her well allowing the thief to move about almost unnoticed by the normal population of these streets to an ally that was divided down the middle cutting one end off form the other it would be here she and this unwanted shadow of hers Vega, would separate all the while she walked her thoughts moved in overdrive trying to piece together what she knew of her attackers. The thugs had born no markings or defining marks of rival gangs and that worried her. If a rival thief gang was willing to use unknowns then something was coming to a head or a new unknown factor had entered the underworld of Marsanna. She stopped as they reached the fence readjusting her cloths and shifting the money pouches of the thugs to a new position on her belt along with the two vile looking daggers. Both of them were the same, double edged one side serrated the other clean with an ugly hook used to inflict more damage coming in then out. The daggers would prove a nice addition to her arsenal of knives, daggers and assorted throwing daggers. “If you don’t mind me asking,” Vega said when they stopped. “Why were those two so intent on killing you?” Sapphire glanced over her shoulder and met Vega’s strange gold eyes; she shrugged vaguely and gazed up the alley. It wasn’t a lie because she didn’t know and that was what frightened her more then anything, not that she would let fear show on her face. “I have to go now but thanks for the help,” She said hefting one of the thug’s coin pouches to him before vaulting herself onto one of the upturned barrels beside the dividing fence. Her ribs burned as she moved but again Sapphire let nothing of her discomfort show, there would be time enough to treat he ribs later when she was safe or as safe as anyone could be. “Wait,” he said but Sapphire didn’t. With ease she vaulted herself over the fence that divided the alley landing on the other side wincing at the impact glad her back was to him. “What’s you’re name?” he asked in a resigned tone aware that she obviously planned to ditch him here. “Sapphire Hawkeye, my friends just call me Hawkeye,” she replied, giving him a half wave half salute and moved off at a run vanishing around the corner to put as much distance between them as possible incase Vega decided he wanted to impose his unwanted company a little longer. That man was strange and he made her feel uneasy there was no other way for her to put the feeling the stirred in the pit of her stomach just looking at him. Sapphire had learnt a long time ago to trust that gut instinct of hers, it had saved her from more then a few bad scenarios and even saved her life. Still running, Sapphire continued on until she felt she was far enough away to actually make her way back to a safe house. She needed to have a talk with her gang and warn them about the unmarked thugs before she took it up with the Rogue himself; an unmarked attack was a major breech of The Rogue’s law and she would mention the sighting of this Dark Hunter as well.
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Post by Kai! Kai! on Jan 14, 2006 6:18:06 GMT -5
~ Vega watched the strange thief Sapphire disappear from sight and sighed, when he’d felt the magic building he’d thought it might have been her but the appearance of the Dark Hunter dispelled that, the magic had been concentrated and focused upon the two thugs and came from him. It was odd for a Hunter to take such risk as to be seen bringing forth the notion that he might have been new but the way in which those two had been manipulated to attack the woman…there was a fine skill in that. Again it might have been coincidence that they had targeted her, put down again to a new recruit testing out his abilities but it still sent a shiver down his spine and none of it made sense. Sapphire from what he could tell was nothing more then a typical thief, a pickpocket and even a ruthless killer, points marked out by the way she’d pilfered the bodies of her attackers before fleeing with him close behind. Vega wasn’t against stealing from the corpses of those who had attacked him but the way she had dispatched the unconscious one without a second thought chilled him there was no need to take his life. It’s a kill or be killed kind of world I suppose, he thought, then turned and made his way to the Inn where he was put up later on tonight he’d see if he could get a lock on this mystery Sleeper. Stepping clear of the alley Vega, gazed down the street wondering if the guards had found the thugs yet. In truth they had more then enough warning about the fighting after he’d seen those few people who were in the street flee the fighting and then there were two guards stationed at the gate not five hundred paces away yet they had not appeared to keep the peace or arrest the brawlers. It was almost like they were ignorant of what was going on. Once again his mind drifted back to the Hunters, while not a legitimate or even existent service by the guild laws of Advaita for the simple fact they employed magic. That was another reason in itself that his employer sent Vega into the other lands in search of Sleepers, people discovered to posses magic were given the choice of serving their rulers or death. Nataris was not such a place, it was a haven for the talented where they could learn to master their abilities and better hide themselves in the wider world. Magic though had not always been so feared, once long ago during the time of the Glacian Empire some two and a half thousand years ago it was revered and cherished but when it was laid to waste by the Drakes blame fell upon magic. It was rumored that the sorcerers of yore had delved too deeply and thus enraged the ancient elemental beasts, causing them to destroy the Capital which even today still stood as a ruined testament within the heart of Advaita. Occupied with his thoughts Vega, moved automatically towards the Red Stag Inn trying to piece together what fragments he could about the Dark hunters, magic, the Sleepers and this unknown Sleeper. The conclusions he did draw from what he knew didn’t make him fell all that at ease, if Dark Hunters had been turned lose to hunt Sleepers that could be a problem. A string of curses escaped Vega’s lips as he walked while it wasn’t a definite conclusion it was still a bad one an until such time as he discovered the unstable Sleeper and got him or her away from this place and on the road to Nataris it was dangerous. At least with him around the Sleeper could learn to control the talent that flares up from within. When he reached the Red Stag Vega walked through the door and headed for his room bypassing the tap room which was his usual haunt after wandering the streets for the day. In truth he had no pallet for drink this afternoon his mind was too busy with the events of today and he needed a clear head to see if he couldn’t pinpoint the Sleeper that had been eluding him for so long. Pausing in the corridor of doors that led to various rooms Vega unlocked the door to his own sleeping area and walked in. His room was as he left it. Tossing the coin pouch Sapphire had given him for his help on the bed, Vega moved first to the window opening it to let the stagnant air of the room out before, he moved to the trunk at the foot of his bed opened the lid. Within was his travel pack and weapons. It wasn’t polite for people to walk the streets of a civilized city wearing weapons openly so he’d left his swords here. They weren’t the typical short swords most people carried; they were exotic looking compared to the short, heavy double edged blades carried by the militia. These blades were single edged for one thing and light in hand allowing for swift fighting, and together they could block most attacks when used right though in truth Vega preferred the use of a Greatsword, a massive two handed sword only perhaps two or three inches longer then a Longsword but thicker and weightier in blade. It was hard to travel with such a large weapon however, especially when you wanted to travel fats and alone, so Vega had settled for the smaller lighter swords he had with him now. Laying the weapons on the bed beside the pouch, Vega opened his travel pack and removed a long black cloak with a deep hood. Walking around the streets at night after curfew was risky business unless you had a legitimate reason to be there, many a man could end up entertaining the rats of the local jail till the morning and some even spent a few days in there. In Vega’s case it was better he remain unseen to the guards eyes, after all its not like he could tell them he was hunting down people with the potential for magic. Placing that cloak on the bed also Vega sat down on the straw pallet and picked up the pouch. To him it was blood money but as coins never went astray and he was never the picky type. It felt rather weighty to his hand but as with all things it probably wasn’t all it seemed. Opening the pouch Vega poured the contents upon the roughly woven blanket and smiled. The pouch was full of mostly silver pieces but there was perhaps three gold coins. Picking up one he looked it over and frowned thoughtfully. These thugs had been well paid to be carrying around this kind of money especially considering their overall appearance, which only meant to him that they had been paid… With a jolt Vega dropped the coin ignoring it as it rolled across the floor and lay to rest against the bedside wall. Turning to the coin pile he spread them out and found what he most feared. Among the coins as a small brooch, it was tarnished pewter in colour and set with three obsidian stones, the brooch was in the shape of an Eagle with one stone for the eye, another within its claws and the third above it like a black moon. Not pausing to think Vega turned to the window and threw the item out into the street well aware that anyone in position of such and item could be tracked though it had to be touched to activate. The mark of the Dark Hunters was about, he only hopped Sapphire would restrain the need to check her bounty for a while and miss touching the brooch or that her pouch was empty of such a device. He doubted it however; instead Vega strapped on his swords beneath his long-coat to hide them from sight and repacked his bag. It was time to move, before long Dark Hunters would be swarming to find the location of the first activated marker. The Red stag had been a pleasant place to stay for all its rowdiness but when Dark Hunters began their hunt they didn’t relent until the contract was terminated or the target was within their hands, dead or alive.
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Post by Kai! Kai! on Jan 15, 2006 23:16:40 GMT -5
Part Two [/u] Marsanna: The Lower Suburbs[/color][/center][/i] Gingerly touching her newly bandaged ribs Sapphire smirked as the healer scolded her severally for playing with them. “Pressing them won’t make them heal any faster Hawkeye, if anything they’ll take longer!” “Sorry Prim,” Sapphire apologized pulling her tunic back on now that her ribs were bound. Primrose Goldentouch was a kindly but firm woman who appeared to be in her late forties, with graying black hair and kind sea-green eyes. She had been taught by her mother as a child the art of healing injuries and curing sickness. Primrose was a generally good mannered woman who treated everyone and accepted whatever payment people would give her for her help. Sometimes it was coin, sometimes food and sometimes cloth but she accepted it all no matter how small. When Sapphire had been only thirteen she’d broken her arm in a nasty scuffle with a rival street kid gang and had been taken to see her. The break had healed in half the time it normally took for Prim was quite the healer though Sapphire had always thought she might posses something of magic. The very idea of such a power excited and scared her, after all she too had grown up with the stories of how the Glacian Empire fell for its evil work in magic and yet at the same time she heard these stories, Sapphire questioned the truth in them. “Now,” Primrose said as Sapphire stood up. “No climbing, no running and nothing strenuous for a good three weeks young lady, those ribs are fair cracked and if you do anything to upset them you will end up with a couple of broken ones for your efforts and don’t you think I won’t know if you don’t. You’re popular lass among the youngsters, they’re always babbling on to me about your latest exploits so I’ll know.” Smiling at the healer Sapphire nodded and took out four silver pieces from the coin pouch she lately acquired putting them on the table. She had every intention of following Prim’s advice, broken ribs were dangerous and took a lot longer to heal. Three weeks of rest and teaching youngsters the tricks of the trade wouldn’t hurt her. “For the treatment and your kindly advice Prim, The Rogue might be like a father to all us who grew up on the streets, but you are our mother.” Sapphire kissed the woman on the forehead and left the small room where she treated her patients. On the way out of the healers house Sapphire passed a young girl perhaps no older then thirteen with long golden-red hair and solemn blue-black eyes. Her name was Gwynne she’d turned up not three years ago at Primrose’s door, the woman had been delighted at the sight of the child and took her in, Gwynne was a girl of few words but Sapphire found she couldn’t help but like the girl. There was a quality about her that was often missed in the harsh world of the streets. Oddly enough the silent girl seemed to like Sapphire as well letting her solemn disposition vanish to reveal the vibrant and talkative girl hidden below the placid exterior. “Don’t poke your ribs Sapphire,” Gwynne warned her as the thief passed, causing Sapphire to break out in a soft laugh as she wandered back to one of the many safe houses that dotted the city. They were a building or buildings designated as neutral ground between the many small gangs of thieves under the rule of The Rogue. To openly fight or kill a member of a rival gang out the front of or within a safe house was to welcome fast and terrible reprisals from The Rogue. Those reprisals being a quick dip in the harbor with a pair of stone shoes or a knife to the back. The safe house she had in mind was a hostel called the Laughing Cat. It was a local haunt for her gang members the Shadow Cats and their allies the Blood Ravens and the Dancing Hounds. The sun was setting by the time Sapphire reached the Laughing Cat, just standing outside Sapphire could hear the laughter and playful banter from the tap room as it echoed through the thin walls and out onto the street making for a merry atmosphere compared to the solemn darkness descending upon the city. Stepping through the door Sapphire waved to the Hostel owner, a man named Gydred. He was a grizzly man of middle years who upheld the standard of neutrality and was ever quick to break up fights throwing the brawlers out into the streets to find their own way home. He was also her employer who got Sapphire to handle the bar when he was needed elsewhere. It hadn’t taken the others long to learn that Sapphire Hawkeye was just as strict as Gydred as far as the taps and forms of standards of were. Gydred waved back in return gesturing her over to the counter. Deftly Sapphire made her way through the crowd avoiding the arms of the men who tried to pull her onto their laps, it was another game often played. Everyone here knew Sapphire by name and reputation; no one messed with Hawkeye unless they wanted to lose a few fingers. That still didn’t stop them from trying and the Laughing cat was a good a place as any to try their luck, after all neutral ground meant no weapons could be drawn. “Ho Gydred! Business appears busy as usual,” Sapphire greeted him as she came up to the counter, glancing back behind her at the laughing drinkers. Several of whom called her back over to play her luck at dice and cards but she shook her head and looked back at Gydred who was busy cleaning out a tankard with a stained rag. “True enough Hawkeye but tell me how you fair, last I heard you were scuffling with two lads seeking to stick you with their blades.” He remarked casually but his eyes were giving her an apprising look. When he was satisfied there was nothing too serious he set down the tankard and pulled out a simple wooden cup pouring Sapphire a wine. Sapphire smiled when she saw this and sat down sipping the distilled liquid and nodded it was a good vintage. “In truth I did get involved in a little scuffle,” Sapphire admitted. “Copped a few cracked ribs for the effort but the two of them are much worse. Bled out all over the pavers would you believe trying to get the jump on Sapphire Hawkeye. They have a new opening on them on the necks,” she motioned to the side of her own neck where she got the fast one and then dragged her thumb across her neck where she’d finished off the ugly fellow. “Pity about the stones really, they were a nice dirt colour all spoilt by that blood.” She shook her head and gave a look of mocking despair at the thought of the stained cobble stones getting a laugh out of Gydred as she sipped her wine again, mulling over the fruity taste. “What Gang?” he asked, eagerly. Sapphire didn’t need to look over her shoulder to know there were others listening instead she lent over the bar and spoke softly so only Gydred could hear. “No gang, they were unmarked Gydred that’s why I’m here…” she paused and frowned, she had wanted to talk to her gang about the attack but what Vega had said about the Dark Hunters worried her. She didn’t know anything about them and the more she looked at it the more uncertain she was that it had been a gang attack. Something just didn’t sit right with the whole scenario. “Scorpion wouldn’t be about would he?” she asked glancing about the room again. “Unmarked…” he muttered eyes wide at the very though. “Yeah lass, he’s in his usual room I’ll give the word you’re heading up on business,” Gydred turned to a lad who was crouched by the bar and nodded to him. Quick as a mouse he was gone running around the counter and up the stairs to the rooms. Nodding her thanks, Sapphire downed her wine in one go and followed the path the lad took upstairs. The sound of the room below dimmed as she climbed the stairs until it was little more them muffled yelling. Peering down the dimly lit corridor Sapphire saw where the lad stood waiting for her, he motioned to her once indicating she was expected and then came back down the passage to return to his perch at the bar. Alone, Sapphire walked down the lengthy passage to the last door and knocked three times. “Come in Hawkeye,” a voice called from within. Smiling faintly Sapphire stepped into the room. “Good evening Scorpion,” she greeted him, closing the door behind her the moment she’d stepped through. The room Scorpion was in for the evening was well lit thanks to the wall mounted lamps and the small one upon the desk he sat at. Scorpion was a man perhaps ten years younger then Gryden but younger then Primrose, his head was devoid of hair more out of preference then because of natural causes and the whole left side of his head and face was marked with tribal tattoo’s intensifying his fierce appearance. He was named Scorpion because of his tendency to sting those who irritated him and like the small arachnid his sting could be deadly. “You wanted to see me?” he enquired, looking up from his work to regard her before gesturing to a chair. Sapphire took a seat watching Scorpion intently for a moment, his own green-grey eyes meeting hers. She looked away after a moment and smiled faintly at the two shadows behind him. Scorpion was never without his two shadows Hammer and Maul, both of them bull strong and undyingly loyal. “It’s to do with the brawl by the Outter Gate,” she began returning her gaze to Scorpion. “The two thugs that tried to jump me were unmarked Scorpion, they were thieves that much I know, but they carried no gang marker that I know of. “ “What did they look like?” Scorpion asked his eyes glinting coldly as he listened growing colder as she recounted what she knew about them and then the account of the black clad figure and the help given to her by the strange gold-eyed Vega. “He called the black clad man a Dark Hunter…” she finished massaging both temples with her hands, Sapphire knew she was getting a headache, she always did when recalling to memory exactly what she had seen. “I don’t know what they are these Dark Hunters but they send chilled down to the very marrow. I was also gunna talk to my gang about the attack and see if they pissed off the Golden Joker’s or the Bone Blades but I thought better of it, it’s not a real gang hit is it?” “No…” he replied grimly motioning for Hammer nad Maul to leave the room. The pair exchanged glances but said nothing they would keep watch in the passage. When they were alone Scorpion looked at Sapphire intently leaning back in his chair. “Were the attackers carrying anything with them that wasn’t normal?” He Sapphire nodded slowly and pulled out a small bundle. Placing it on the desk she removed the cloth and laid it out for them both to see. “I haven’t touched it with my bare hands seeing as I wasn’t sure if it had poison on it but the brooch isn’t something of the casual make.” She remarked leaning back in her seat while Scorpion examined the brooch, his face hooded under shadow. Time passed at a crawling pace for Sapphire as she waited to see what Scorpion thought. Scorpion was considered the right hand man of The Rogue, no one actually knew what the Rogue looked like but all his orders came through several people throughout the Gangs. Scorpion was the contact for her gang and its two allies. These contacts of the rogue were without Gang ties, having to renounce them. A contact who maintained his gang ties was killed without question. “I’ll inform his majesty and I think we might want to track down this gold-eyed Vega. There are two options I see to this Sapphire, either these thugs were hired to kill you and that Dark Hunter was their employer or you were the bait for you’re rescuer and I don’t like it when someone uses my thieves without my say so.” “Careful Scorpion, you’re slipping,” Sapphire warned automatically giving him a half taunting smile well aware it always irritated him. Scorpion just narrowed his eyes at her causing her to smile broadly. “You said my thieves…Talk that is dangerous you old rogue.” “I doubt that little Hawkeye, and stop being so pert. Also you forget you are mine young lady, I taught you everything I know. So behave or I’ll keep you on a shorter leash. As Prim always say’s you’re never too big for a tanning. Now get, I’ll pass on your information to The Rogue next time I see him. Oh and until further notice just to be safe you’re to stay within the grounds of the Laughing Cat…Anyway I’m sure Gydred could do with the extra help.” Sapphire nodded once and left pausing only for a moment at the door to turn and bow mockingly to Scorpion, “As you command…Majesty.” Laughing she ducked out of the room before Scorpion could reply.
~ When Sapphire was gone Scorpion rose from his seat leaving the vile brooch upon his desk, rubbed his face with both hands. Several times he paced across the floor pausing to glance every few steps at the brooch, unable to ignore the dead cold that had settled in the pit of his stomach. “Why did you have to drag Sapphire into this Vega, by damn man she’s still a kid, sixteen years old or not!” Scorpion shook his head and returned to his desk covering the brooch up once more. It was useless arguing with the air, after all it couldn’t give him a response. Looking at the small cloth bundle Scorpion found he was thankful to the gods for Sapphires cautious approach to the object. Had she touched it the brooch would have led them right to her. There was a knock at the door moments later as Hammer peered into the room. “Need anything boss?” he asked, eyes scanning the room out of habit for threats. “Yes actually,” Scorpion replied. “I want an old friend tracked down and brought to me, he’s an easy enough fellow to find, quite remarkable really just look for his gold eyes. Unharmed mind I want a few words with him.” “Right you are…gold eyes huh?” Hammer closed the door headed off to spread the word among the more trusted thieves. Scorpion picked up the wrapped brooch and placed it within a draw, he knew about Dark Hunters and even if she was just bait that hunter wasn’t going to let her live. She saw him and Dark hunters were very particular about being seen, bait or not Sapphire was marked for death. Returning to his seat Scorpion put aside the matter of Dark Hunters he had other matters to take care of at present.
~ For three days Vega had been on the move, keeping one step ahead of the men that now followed him. On several occasions they had managed to corner him but luckily he was able to escape. Things were starting to get dangerous for him in Marsanna but until he found the unknown Sleeper he couldn’t leave. Oddly however the Sleeper hadn’t resurfaced; no manifestation of power had appeared it was almost like the Sleeper had disappeared. That worried him in truth, for it could mean one of two things; this Sleeper was either dead or had left the immediate area. Vega would give it another week if time allowed and then he would move on to his next destination before the Dark hunters caught up with him. They were most dangerous when among masses of people, capable to melt away into crowds and remain hidden until they struck. Agitated and paranoid he entered a small seedy looking Inn by the name of The Black Cat, Vega had to smirk at the name because it always seemed the Hostel owners possessed a need to define the names of their establishments with colour’s and animals and it became more elaborate the further into the city you went. The Black Cat was a rather somber place as Vega entered, he looked about the room once and saw it was almost empty which boded good for him because it meant there was less chance there was a Dark Hunter about. Moving up to the bar he enquired after a room for the night. The price he paid for it was blind robbery but Vega was in no mood to haggle, instead he paid and headed to his room led by a lad who looked perhaps no older then twelve. The lad took him to a small room that looked like it haddn’t been properly cleaned for months. When eh left Vega opened the small shutter window and tipped the mattress of the bed shaking the bedding out the window incase of lice or bed bugs. When his bed was remade Vega sat down n the hard mattress and cursed into his hands so the muffled words made no sense, the sooner his business was concluded the better. Still aggravated over the past few days Vega should have been more alert when a knock at the door came, but as it was he was in no mood for clear thinking. Instead he walked over to the door and opened it growling mildly at the person before him. “What is it?” “Ah there you are Vega,” the voice replied as a meaty hand smacked him on the side of the head. Dazed by the hard blow Vega stumbled and landed on the floor holding his head while trying to stop the ringing in his ears. “A mutual friend of ours has been looking for you everywhere and let me say he’s very annoyed with you Vega.” “And what friend would that be?” he asked looking up at the massive man, his hand sliding to the hilt of one of his swords while waiting the reply. Vega would fight if he had to. “Our good friend Scorpion that’s who so get up and don’t you dare draw that sword. Scorpion said he wanted you alive but he said nothing about roughing you up which in truth I’m very tempted to. You got Hawkeye into some nasty serious business with them black clad fella’s, they’ve already tried to kill her twice more since you helped her and all of us are rather fond of Sapphire you see. She’s a good lass, better then most of us and kind to everyone who does right by her and her mates. So if you’re rally looking for a fight I’d be more then happy to oblige.” The big man cracked his knuckles menacingly as if daring Vega to try. Suspicious but seeing no harm in going along even if only for a little bit Vega stood up and nodded, the name Scorpion was not unknown to him. “Alright then, let’s go see Scorpion then…?” he looked enquiringly at the big man who snorted once and stepped aside motioning for Vega to get moving. Vega nodded and started walking, no sooner had he stepped out the door then he saw two more men waiting either side of his door. “Hammer, the names Hammer.” He said halfway along the passage. Vega only nodded however his thoughts moving fast, it seemed the Dark Hunters were more interested in killing Sapphire then him, he’d only encountered one Dark Hunter flunky since that fight, though it might have been because she was the easier target but then again it might have been because she was the harder target. Once again Vega found himself unable to put together a reason behind the hunter’s attacks on both him and the girl and now Scorpion had taken a hand in this. His only regret right at that moment was not having left sooner.
Scorpion hadn’t changed much in the last five years except perhaps he had a few more tattoo’s and now had no hair on his head. To begin with Vega had been suspicious about just where Hammer had been taking him, but the moment they came to the Laughing Cat and they walked inside Vega knew he had been speaking the truth. Thieves, cutthroats and pickpockets packed the room singing shouting and playing with all the merit of the world while several sat at the counter talking to a young woman Vega never really could forget. Sapphire Hawkeye was pouring ale’s for the men who talked to her shaking her head often at whatever was said he vibrant blue eyes changing from warm to flinty depending on what was said while a grizzly looking man moved about the room with a practiced ease taking food and ale to those who ordered and paid for it.
Even in the small room that was Scorpions temporary study Vega could hear the muffled noise of the room below. In truth he would have liked to go down there and join them, he doubted even Dark Hunters could mingle so well with such a crowd but matters at hand kept him in place. “Sapphire told me about what happened in the streets a couple of days ago, while I am pleased she only got away with a few cracked ribs I am more interested in why a Dark Hunter was present. So far all I can come up with is two possibilities, one is You were the target and they used Hawkeye for bait to lure you into the fight and kill you but hadn’t counted on her being so fast or good with a knife or Sapphire was the actual target and you just happened to be in the wrong place at the right time I honestly don’t care why you’re here or what you’re doing but it’s landed sapphire into a fair amount of mess because I’m damn sure it’s got something to do with what you’re doing.” Vega frowned and looked at the two massive men behind Scorpion, one he knew as Hammer but the other’s name escaped him all he knew was it was their job to protect Scorpion and they hadn’t been around when last he saw him. “I don’t have an answer for that I’m afraid Scorpion, their actions have me as baffled as you…” Vega sighed and shook his head rising from his chair and aced the room. “I don’t really know what can be done you and I both know there’s more to the Dark Hunters then is common knowledge and unless they think they’ve killed us or the term of the contact out on our heads runs out they’re gunna keep coming.” ”I know, but I already have something of a solution in mind… Maul.” Scorpion turned to the man who stood by Hammer. “Go and fetch Hawkeye for me and I mean now not in five minutes I’d be more tolerant of her delaying game if matters weren’t so serious but, they are.” Maul nodded and left the room, they all waited in silence though it wasn’t long before an irritated voice carried through the door. “I swear Maul if you don’t get that oversized paw of you’re off me right this second you’ll join those other few who are missing fingers on their hands. I do not like being manhandled!” Scorpion tried and failed to hide a grin as Maul opened the door and shoved a rather vexed Sapphire into the room. “She wasn’t too rough with you was she Maul?” Scorpion enquired ignoring Hawkeye’s vehemence look. “Naw not really though I did have to chase her through the room she suddenly found a hundred things to do, Maul chuckled and returned to his post though he did look at Sapphire and winked. “In all manner of respect Hawkeye the threat of losing a few fingers would be well worth the effort.” As if her expression couldn’t get more dangerous, the room felt like it dropped a good several degrees when she looked at Maul her cheeks colouring ever so slightly, though it would have been noticed even in the poor light. Sensing the tension in the room Scorpion cleared his throat and forcibly sat Sapphire down in one of the chairs before looking at Maul. “Be a good man and keep watch outside the door would you?” Winking again at Sapphire Maul left the room before she could think of anything to say or do. “Now then,” scorpion said making sure everyone had their attention on him. “Hawkeye I believe you are somewhat acquainted with Vega here,” he motioned to Vega who had moved into a corner of the room while the strange display was going on between the massive man and the ever slight of build Sapphire. She nodded once and glanced at Vega cocking and eyebrow as if to ask what he was doing here but said instead. “Small world…” Vega frowned, he didn’t care much for her attitude, the very tone she used when she had spoken just then grated at him. Almost immediately he was tempted to go out of his way to be annoyingly polite but something about her warned him not to so instead he played her game. If she wanted to be so uptight so could he. “Very small world indeed…” he replied in the same flat tone she had used moments before. Sapphire almost seemed to smile then but turned away before she could and looked at Scorpion. Vega too adjusted his gaze looking up at the man who had called them here. “Alright Scorpion what do you want?” Sapphire demanded still seaking in a n irritated and flat tone. “To tell you the details of what’s going to happen, basically it’s regarding your future young lady so don’t take the tone with me. This isn’t my fault, nor is it yours if anything I’m blaming you Vega.” He looked up and met Vega’s eyes daring him to object but Vega just looked away moving over to the only window in the room and half sat on the sill staring out into the street below. The moon was high enough to bathe everything in a pale silvery light. “Truth is Sapphire you can’t stay here it’s just not safe anymore and we can’t keep you safe forever so after evaluating matters I’ve decided that you’re going to leave Marsanna until the matter wit the Dark Hunter’s is resolved and..” scorpion held up his hand stopping Sapphire from objecting. “To make up for dragging you into this intentional or not he is going to be traveling with you or rather you are going with him.”
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Post by Kai! Kai! on Jan 15, 2006 23:18:07 GMT -5
That made Vega snap his head around and stare unbelievingly at Scorpion. “Are you crazy?!’ Vega demanded. “I have work to do Scorpion, delicate work that would be upset if I had some obtuse and spoilt brat like her tagging along I need to more about unnoticed and quickly. I refuse to baby-sit some wet behinds the ear’s girl!” “Oh I’m obtuse and spoilt am I?” Sapphire hissed her tone so cold Vega almost flinched at the sound of it. I hate to tell you gold-eyes but I’m anything but obtuse and anything but spoilt and I most certainly am not wet behind the ears. I was learning to kill and cut purses evade the watch and a swinging from the gallows at an age where you were still tugging at your mamma’s skirt!” she was out of her chair now and bearing down on him. Sapphire might have been a head shorter then him but right then she seemed a hundred feet tall. Vega actually felt weak at the knees with fear as those cold sapphire blue eyes bore into his, but it was only for a minute. Vega would not be cowed. “Oh yes, you’re very wet behind the ears missy, you know nothing about the world beyond the city wall’s you are ignorant and stupid. I doubt you could survive out there on your own!” she pushed her back by the shoulders and began bearing down on her. Sapphire retaliated by standing her ground insulting Vega’s ancestors and questioning his manhood while Vega continued to call her stupid, slowwitted and ignorant while giving her reason after reason why she was so. It continued for some time neither giving way while an amused Scorpion lent on his desk watching the exchange until it just degraded into petty name-calling, oddly during the whole exchange their voices never raised to a shout and staying at a firm but flinty level. “If you two are quite done insulting one another might I finish?” He asked almost casually, “Though of course, if you’d both rather continue this childish game I suppose I could lock you both in one of the spare rooms after removing all your weapons and furniture, if only to prevent you from killing each other while I make arrangements for the two of you to be on you’re way in three days.” Sapphire shut up immediately though anger radiated off her in waves while Vega moved back to the window his face unreadable as he shook his head. “I can’t leave in three day’s,” he objected sullenly. “Part of the work I was doing involved tracking down certain people I found all of them but then another of that same kind showed up only I don’t know what this other looks like only that he or she is around somewhere.” “I’m sorry Vega but both your lives depend on you leaving fast, while you’re moving the Dark Hunters won’t know where to turn though this is more out of concern for Sapphire then you. In three day’s you’re leaving work finished or unfinished.” Scorpion replied, he would not be dissuaded. “Even if this person could very well level part of the city if not found?” At these words all three looked at Vega in shock. Hammer, Sapphire and Scorpion all wore mirror image expressions but they quickly dissolved into looks of disbelief, uncertainty and fear. “How long ago did you find some trace of you’re mystery prey?” Scorpion asked curiously once the shock of Vega’s words wore off. “A good many day’s ago I’ll admit,” he replied “Then it could well be that you’re target left the city with that caravan I saw heading to the Southern Reaches of Advaita. Actually it’s more then likely, there was something odd about the caravan I’ll admit the people seemed just more then a little jumpy. Though if any sign of your mystery prey shows up in the three day’s you’re here you’ll have my thieves at you’re disposal to find this person before something that bad truly happens.” Vega nodded and sighed he was resigned to the idea whether he liked it or not. “Good, now your stuff is already here I want you both staying under this roof where I can keep an eye on you while preparations are being made. After that well…we’ll just wait and see.” Scorpion dismissed them and returned to his desk calling Maul back in. Vega left the room escorted by Maul to his room for the three day’s he would remain at the laughing Cat, while Sapphire remained in her seat staring out the open door. “What’s got your thoughts princess?” Scorpion enquired noticing the direction of her gaze, Sapphire turned her head immediately and cringed. She hated it when anyone called her princess, she knew it was only a term of affection but the word just rubbed her completely the wrong way no matter who said it or how it was said. “You know…” she began giving Scorpion that infuriating half smile of hers, “I actually think I could get to like that man.’ he azure eyes danced with amusement as she spoke, a; Scorpion could do however was chuckle and order Sapphire back down to the tavern to help Gydred after all the night was still young.
When Sapphire was gone and Maul returned the two heavy set bodyguards grinned wolfishly at one another and then almost at once all three men burst out laughing. “Gods! What I wouldn’t give to see how those two will turn out after a few months of traveling together,” Hammer said wiping a tear from his eye. “I swear I have never seen a pair so alike! They’re a stubborn, prideful pair and by damn they’ll do everything in their power to irritate one another.” “I could hear them out in the passage, like a couple of kids they were,” Maul added unable to stop grinning. “Oh I’m going to be watching those two all the time while they’re under the same roof…. To make sure they don’t try and kill each other first though.” He added quickly. “Aye, lad’s it would be quite the sight to see.” Scorpion admitted, “Though in truth I feel a little sorry for the man, he has no idea just how daunting and dangerous our little Hawkeye is and she’s taken somewhat of an interest in him I’m afraid.” “He doesn’t stand a chance then,” Maul remarked shaking his head sadly. “Anyone up for a drink then? I think it might be best if we toast to Vega’s good health while he still has it,” Hammer added, grinning as Scorpion and Maul followed him out of the room and downstairs to join in the fun. The preparations would have to wait for the morning anyway.
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Post by Kai! Kai! on Jan 17, 2006 17:34:05 GMT -5
Chapter Two
Part One [/u] Western Realm: The Boulder Hills[/i][/color][/center] Cobalt was a fine horse from what she knew his coat was a deep black colour that was touched with a blue sheen when the light hit him giving her the inspiration for his name. He moved under Sapphire at a slow walk, the saddle was hard and her legs were so sore. The idea of traveling out of Marsanna had been exciting at first but as tie wore on it lost its appeal. It was hard going especially when she didn’t really know how to ride a horse. If Cobalt move too suddenly in any direction she teetered and often fell causing her sever embarrassment while Vega laughed. It also made Sapphire short tempered and sullen so she sat in the saddle concentrating on staying upright and not falling off while Vega and his black and white pinto gelding named Two-Tone trotted along ahead of them. They had been plodding along the main highway towards the Southern Realm for almost a week it had rained once soaking Sapphire to the skin, she now suffered form a cold that left her foggy in the head. Moving with Cobalt like Vega had instructed her Sapphire, glared at the back of her disquieting companion’s head wishing more then ever she could throw one of her daggers at him. A blade between his shoulder blades would go someway ease her wounded pride, but she couldn’t instead Sapphire pictured the many things she would do to him someday. “Can we stop yet?” Sapphire asked knowing how it irritated him every time she asked. Vega became more ridged in his saddle but did not turn or even respond. Sapphire smiled fishing a pebble out of her pocket; there were a dozen of the small smooth rocks she picked up when they stopped for a rest beside the Clyster River. Hefting the blue-gray pebble she looked at Vega again and smirked. It wasn’t a dagger but she could irritate him. With a flick of her wrist while holding the saddle horn to help maintain her balance Sapphire threw the stone. It sailed through the air and connected with the back of Vega’s head. He turned sharply in the saddle and glared at her but Sapphire maintained and air of innocence. “What?” she said tilting her heads to one side. Vega reined Two-Tone to a stop while Cobalt plodded along, when the two horses were side by side Vega started his horse moving again so they rode side by side. “Cut it out,” Vega growled rubbing the back of his head. “You’re only along because Scorpion gave me a rather nasty alternative.” “You think I want to be gallivanting around Advaita with you?” she snapped rubbing at her face. Her head felt so foggy from her damn cold, even her nose itched. “So, like it or not we’re stuck with each other for however long it takes for these bastard Dark Hunters to give up…Now can we please stop or I swear I’m going to get off and walk. I swear I’m never going to walk properly again at this rate.” “No, and anyway you need to get used to riding it will hurt less as time wears on it’s just a matter of getting used to it.” Two-Tone moved off ahead so Vega was once more in the lead. Sulking Sapphire decided to focus her attention on their surroundings, they were still following the main road south but the open plains had given way to low sloping hills with scattered slate-gray boulders as big as a house and as small as a mouse. It was by a cluster of those massive boulders they stopped for the night. Wanting to stretch her still and aching legs Sapphire wandered about the boulders leaving camp preparations to Vega. He seemed to find fault in everything she tried to do, then again it didn’t help with the fact Sapphire was doing her worst deliberately. He irritated her acting to high and mighty, because of her supposed incompetence Vega had taken it on himself to set up camp and do almost everything himself. Sapphire found that scenario quite amusing as it left her free to wander about the immediate area. It was this time now she spent exploring the many crevasse between the boulders and climbed up finding footholds in impossible places. Climbing the rock was no difficult to her then climbing walls or roofs of Marsanna. Reaching the top Sapphire crawled on her stomach towards the rounded edge of the stone and peered down. Vega was sitting on the ground while Cobalt and Two-Tone grazed on the grass nearby, his legs crossed and eyes closed. He looked almost like he was asleep. Sapphire frowned and then rolled on her back to watch clouds while she waited. He’d done that several times while they traveled, the first time she asked him what it was Vega had snorted muttering something about her not understanding and would say nothing more. She was irritated but didn’t bother pressing the issue, if he didn’t want to tell her then that was his problem. Clouds rolled lazily overhead in the twilight, pink and violet puff balls touched with gold. Watching the clouds roll steadily by Sapphire let her mind wander on events until her thoughts became neutral. Laying there n the boulder Sapphire listened to the coming night and the odd static hum that was all around. It was a sound she had only been aware of in a few places; Primrose’s house was one of them. The sound was odd but comforting to her ears, closing her eyes Sapphire slipper her hand under the collar of her tunic and touched the stone beneath the fabric. As always the stone’s glass smooth surface was warm to the touch. It was then Sapphire became aware of another noise, a steady fast beat that was not like the hum of the air around her but like that of a running horse, several in fact. Sapphire opened her eyes and rolled over looking about from the source of the sound.
Her gaze traveled up the road to the rise of the next hill it was a fair distance away but Sapphire could count at east six horses riding fast. Quickly as she could Sapphire slid down off the rocks back the way she came grimacing as one of the jutting rocks jabbed her cracked ribs on the way down. Landing on the ground at a crouch and still smarting Sapphire moved quickly back around to where Vega still sat quietly. “We have company coming,” Sapphire said already moving to her saddle bags. She removed from it one heavy leather belt that held at least ten small weighted daggers. “And if their friendly I’ll behave myself and won’t complain for a week.” Sapphire tightened the belt about her waist and checked the many other numerous knives and blades concealed on her person. Scorpion had tried to give her a light rapier but Sapphire handed it back informing him she was better with daggers and would be more of a hindrance with a weapon she couldn’t use. “I don’t hear anything,” Vega replied standing slowly and looked about. “You weren’t on top of the boulders admiring the view, there are six riders heading this way from the second hill past that one.” She pointed to the hill between their camp and the next rise before rolling up her sleeves to loosen the two concealed daggers strapped to her forearms. The blades were a little broader and longer then the ones she had used in the street fight but she could use them all the same. “I see,” he muttered watching Sapphire suspiciously for a moment before getting his own weapons, “Alright so we are outnumbered and there is nowhere to sufficiently hide… any ideas?” Sapphire paused and looked about for a moment then she smiled slowly and nodded. “One perhaps but it will reply mostly on luck and my accuracy if they are hostile.” “Well as I’m going up with a great mass of nothing we’ll try it you’re way, just tell me what to do.”
The riders came to the camp not twenty minutes later the sky overhead was already dark as night started to truly set in. They looked like travel worn men on their way south. Their horses were sweat flecked their mounts sides. “Ho traveler!” one of the men called to Vega who was busy stirring a warming pot of stew for himself and Sapphire. Vega looked up from the pot and smiled, “Ho traveler!” he replied setting the pot off the fire and stood up. “A bit late to be traveling this road, aren’t you worried about highway bandits coming up on you unawares?” “In truth we were looking for a suitable place to camp when night caught up with us,” the man who greeted Vega replied. ”If it’s alright with you and your companion, would you mind if me and the others camp? We’ll stay on the other side of the boulder mind not wanting to impose upon you.” Vega shrugged and pulled out a bowl spooning a decent helping into his pot. “It’s up to you stranger, though how did you know I wasn’t alone?” “Well you have two horses picketed over there and that’s more food then I think you could eat in one night, but anyway I bid you good night stranger.” The man dismounted and led his horse and the others with him around the other side of the boulders. When they were out of sight Vega gaze upwards over the lip of the boulder where a face appeared just visible in the firelight. “He makes my skin crawl just like the one on the roof, the man who talked to you has to be the leader and the others make me uneasy. They look like killers, Vega and not the more pleasant one either I mean the kind that lack any kind of morals. At least when I or those under the rule of the Rogue kill we have laws about whom and how we kill…” Sapphires voice was so soft Vega would have missed it if she hadn’t been right above him. He nodded his head in reply not wanting to speak incase one of them was listening in. “I’ll wait and watch them, to make sure I’m not wrong but I doubt it…keep your guard up Vega I’d hate to see you get killed right about now especially if it’s not me doing the killing…” He head disappeared from sight and the silence of the night descended upon him once more. Sapphire was a sore puzzle for Vega right at the moment, half the time he wasn’t even sure what she would do next, and the girl was as unpredictable as a wild fire. Then there was the matter of how she noticed the riders, he hadn’t heard them at all and yet from the top of the rock Sapphire had seen them, something had drawn her attention to them. Vega couldn’t put his finger on it but something about that girl made him uneasy, there was something he was missing about her, something significant. Vega shook his head and sat back down with his back against the boulder picking up his bowl and started to eat. The girl also seemed to have a natural instinct for spotting enemies and trouble but until things were a little safer he couldn’t pursue the matter especially when Sapphire went out of her way to irritate him, his head still hurt from where she hit him with that rock. The attack came some hours later when night had truly set in. The five lackeys that had remained silent crept into Vega’s camp when he had turned in for the night, they didn’t get far however before two of them crumpled blood spilling from their necks. Alarmed the other three backed up quickly while Vega sprang to his feet dual swords drawn and attacked. Running one of the uncertain three through before the remaining two came ot their senses and attacked. Sapphire who had been crouching atop the boulder all night smiled two more throwing daggers already in her hands. Those five were easily taken care of. Vega seemed quite the swordsman even when dealing with two killers. She watched with fascination as Vega fought the both of them his swords flashing the moonlight as they tried to attack him from both sides. So preoccupied with watching the fighting Sapphire almost met her end, she had forgotten about the leader of the band of killer’s the strange man that sent chills down her spine. It was only the soft whistling of a projectile heading towards her that saved sapphire from a fatal injury. Years of living in the streets where an unwary person often met their death saved her as she automatically jumped to the side, but too late something hard slammed into her shoulder temporarily blinding Sapphire with pain and nausea under the impact. Throw off balance and hurting she rolled feeling something snap under her and fell over the edge of one boulder slamming into the new one below her. Winded Sapphire grunted and got to her feet scrambling as fats as she could while blocking out what pain she could and landed shakily on the ground. Getting out of sight Sapphire reached around to her shoulder and felt the broken shaft of an arrow sticking an inch out of her right shoulder, she couldn’t pull it out without help. Wiping her bloody hand on her pants Sapphire freed one of the daggers she took from the last lot of hired killers that tried to take her out and kept warily alert. Even in the dark Sapphire knew she was on the far side of the rocks a good distance from where Vega was busy dealing with the lackeys she had to do this on her own whether disadvantaged by her injuries or not, this killer didn’t know how she would fight, he didn’t know what she was really capable of when pushed. “Come out little treasure, I know you’re hiding in the shadows,” the man said as he stepped into view, Sapphire sneered at him from the shadows as she saw the bow in his hands, it was unstrung at present but she knew he was the one that shot her. Drawing her other hooked dagger ignoring the strap of pain in her ribs Sapphire stepped out of the dark reversing her grip on the dagger on her injured side to the flat of the blade rested against the inside of her wrist. “There you are,” he laughed tossing the bow and quiver aside. From his own belt he removed a pair of daggers identical to the ones she had. “I have to admit I hadn’t expected you to take out Razor and Ravage so easily, they were only beginners however and you did have a little help back in the city.” He lunged towards her daggers flashing, Sapphire winced and deflected his attacks countering with a few of her own fast and deadly strikes but the Hunter just laughed as he twisted back and sent a roundhouse kick towards her head, Sapphire ducked under the blow and backed up it was hard to keep her concentration with the sound of her heart pounding in the ears. The Hunter lunged at her again this time catching her on the face with the vicious hook on the end of one of his daggers drawing blood, Sapphire took advantage however and managed to cut his arm from elbow to wrist as he attacked using the momentum of his own arm to inflict the damage. He growled and attacked more ferociously forcing Sapphire to resort to a more defensive strategy avoiding dagger, boot and fist. All the while the fight was taking its toll, once she had misplaced her footing and stumbled backwards regaining her balance as the hunter lunged at her and again it was reflex that saved her life, Sapphire dived and rolled sideways climbing to her feet before the hunter could recover and turn on her. She hissed and started to attack forcing the hunter to defend for once as she felt her body and mind slipping into a fighting rhythm, she forgot her pain and dizziness focused utterly on killing her opponent. Sapphire started by just using her good arm and feinting with her injured arm slicing at random to keep her opponent alert, then she suddenly dropped swinging her leg across the ground to trip him up. The hunter jumped however missing her trip but was caught in the gut by her fist as she rose knocking the man onto his back. He was up quickly however and charging towards her but Sapphire just smiled throwing one of her daggers at him when he was at a range he couldn’t dodge, it struck him on the collarbone slicing through the flesh and digging deep. He faltered shock showing on his face as the strike registered on him. Sapphire smiled twisting once and raising her leg in a roundhouse kick her heel struck across his throat missing it by a fingers width, the hunter caught Sapphires leg and stopped his free hand flying to his throat, a dark liquid seeped between his fingers at the moment and the man let Sapphire go bewilderment showing on his face, his eyes traveled to her boot heel where a short bloody blade concealed in the heel, it was a thin blade and deadly sharp. He opened his mouth to speck but only blood came forth, the light died in his eyes and the man fell. Sapphire sighed and sat on the ground abruptly as all sensation came rushing back to her.
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Post by Kai! Kai! on Jan 17, 2006 17:35:13 GMT -5
~ Vega sidestepped a desperate swing from the last remaining killer as his broadsword sliced down into empty air, Vega growled kicking out with his right leg to catch the man in the gut, he doubled over form the blow and staggered away glaring menacingly at Vega, he shifted from foot to foot watching for another chance to attack and then stopped. He looked suddenly dazed and uncertain; he blinked and looked about, that particular response threw Vega off balance. He had expected an attack not this complete and utter look of bewilderment. Then the man looked at Vega again, their eyes met and the man attacked like a madman. There was little skill in the attack, it was a stupid mad rush, one again Vega just sidestepped the attack this time swinging his own sword high, decapitating the killer so his body crashed into the ground. Panting he wiped his forehead with his sleeve and looked about the moonlit hill five bodies lay slumped upon the ground, but where was the sixth? He looked up at the boulders and frowned as he remembered he hadn’t seen Sapphire either. Uneasy about the absence of both Vega moved around the boulders, both swords in hand and listened. He found them on the far side, one body was sprawled out on the ground and another was hunched over on the ground. “Sapphire?” he called softly and was relieved when the hunched figure looked up and met his gaze. “Oh…hey,” she whispered and tried to stand up but her legs just gave way under her forcing Sapphire to stay sitting. “How badly are you hurt?” he asked coming over to kneel beside her, Sapphire had several nicks on her from what he could see in the moonlight. Gingerly he reached over and lifted up one of her arms, Sapphire gasped however and jerked her arm away pressing a hand to her ribs, “Those ribs were just cracked but I think I broke a few when I tried to play dodge the arrow…” Vega nodded grimly and moved to her other side noting the broken shaft still sticking out of her shoulder. “Played and lost from the look of it.” Sapphire didn’t speak she just attempted to stand again this time staying on her feet, she winced as Vega slipped her arm across his own shoulders to help keep her upright and walked slowly back to camp. “I wasn’t watching my own back when they attacked,” she whispered, it hurt to talk let aloe breath. “The bastard came up behind me, I managed to jump to the side but it caught me in the shoulder and then I had a nice fall onto the rock below, I think that’s what broke them coz I landed pretty hard and then the arrow snapped coz I was rolling.” “You were damn lucky then,” Vega replied darkly as they reached the camp, the bodies of their would be killers still littering the ground, Vega sat her down and told her not to move while he dragged the bodies around the other side he returned a little later to find Sapphire dozing, he knelt before her woke her up. “No sleeping yet princess you can sleep after we get that arrow out and rebind those ribs.” “Don’t call me that…” she muttered fixing him with a dazed look. “I don’t let Scorpion call me that and I most certainly won’t let you…” Vega smirked and nodded moving around behind her and sighed. “Keep still I’ll pull this out and it’s going to hurt.” He took hold of what remained of the arrow shaft and paused watching Sapphires face, she was staring at him form the corner of her eye but made no move, he nodded once and then yanked hard pulling the arrow free. Sapphire howled in pain and dropped several curses that would have half the women he knew back home blushing to the roots of their hair. “Well I was feeling sleepy but not so anymore,” she muttered making Vega chuckle. He tossed the arrow on the ground and stood up grabbing his medical kit form his saddle bags. “Alright shirt off, I need to rebind your ribs and get a better look at that arrow hole.” Sapphire glared at him menacingly but Vega only returned her look with a stony one. ‘You’re wearing a breast-band right? Then there’s no problem.” Sapphire grunted and then moved slowly using one arm to peel her bloodstained shirt off, Vega grimaced when he saw the ugly bruises already appearing on her ribs, it had been partially healed from when the ugly brute back in the city had struck but after the fall she’d injured her ribs anew. Looking to the new hole in her shoulder Vega saw the injury was relatively clean two stitches and some bandaging to keep it clean would stop any infection from setting in. Vega rummaged through his bag and found the bandages and some balm to ease the pain. Deftly he set about treating her shoulder first scolding Sapphire every time she moved, the hardest part was applying the stitches but somehow he got that closed up and bandaged. When it came to her ribs however Sapphire was touchy she flinched away every time he tried to apply the balm and wouldn’t sit still eventually he managed to pin her down however and finish applying the bandage firmly to make sure she didn’t do anymore damage to them. “There that wasn’t so bad was it?” Vega asked half grinning at a sullen Sapphire. She didn’t reply however instead she went to her saddlebag and grabbed one of her spare tunics sliding it on as best she could using only one arm. Vega chuckled and sat down his back against the boulder and watched Sapphire she moved slowly wrapping Cobalt’s saddle blanket over her shoulders and sat down next to him careful not to lean against her sore shoulder. They sat quietly for a while before Vega finally spoke. “Thank you for watching my back while you could Hawkeye, and you’re not such a bad shot with those throwing knives of yours…” he paused and looked at the girl chuckling softly. Sapphires head was bowed into the blanket she had wrapped herself in, her eyes closed as she half lent against the walls, sleep already claiming her. Looking up he found Two-Tone and Cobalt watching them, the horses had stayed close by during he fighting at his wish but kept out of sight. Vega doubted Sapphire would rightly accept the idea of her traveling companion possessing magic of any kind. She grew up in a world that shunned and feared such things though the stone about her neck raised some unsettling questions. He had spied it there handing against her skin, it was a strange stone sky-blue in colour…a tear shaped shard of some greater gem, an uncanny and dangerous stone for one such as her. Magistone was lethal to creatures born of magic, even many sorcerers feared such stone and Vega wouldn’t have believed that almost clear gem was such a rock had not it absorbed what magic he tried to apply to help speed Sapphire’s healing. He remembered what a strange sensation it had been when he touched his fingers to her bare flesh, at first his fingers had just felt tingly but then they started to feel numb and then when he tried to draw on his magic the sensation intensified. Only his training had stopped him from crying in alarm, all the while Sapphire sat there completely oblivious to the effect she was having on him. He sighed collecting his own blanket and wrapped himself up. He would have to query Sapphire on her stone when she was in a better condition, it might well be she has no idea of the kind of stone she carries and yet at the same time he had never seen a Magistone so clear, the amount of magic it must have absorbed, who knew how old it was? After all Magistone always begins as a black non-reflective stone gluttonous and hungry for any magic it can acquire to fill itself. The more magic it absorbs the clearer and lighter in colour it becomes. Vega sighed softly shaking his head and looked at the sleeping sapphire, shaking his head again, Vega pulled the blanket tighter about his shoulders and closed his eyes, there was time enough to question his new traveling companion after all they still had to catch up with the caravan and see about that possibly wayward Sleeper though Vega was very dubious about the possibility of the Sleeper being with them after all there should have been manifestations of some kind with regards to the strength and the lack of utter control. No one with that kind of raw power could keep it under tight control without assistance and even then there should have been leaks or traces of magic, but again there was time enough. While there were no manifestations, no signs of imminent disaster there was still a chance.
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Post by Kai! Kai! on Jan 18, 2006 7:51:43 GMT -5
Part Two [/u] Western Realm: The Road South[/i][/center][/color] It was slow going along the road, Vega couldn’t push the horses too hard because if Cobalt moved suddenly he jarred Sapphires ribs running the risk of one of the broken bones jamming itself into her lung, that would have been a major problem and on top of that Sapphire refused to take the gem off from around her neck. No amount of pleading, persuasion or bargaining would make her relinquish the gem at all meaning Vega could not attempt to help heal her wounds and he was reluctant to give her a proper answer which added to the problem. Since the fight Sapphire had become quiet, she said little and did almost as much except to ride on Cobalt’s back or more surprisingly do what she was told. That worried Vega almost as much as the idea of that girl wearing a Magistone about her neck, something was either bothering the girl and she wouldn’t say what or she was just to hurt and tired to be bothered. Either way it was impossible to ask her about how she came by the gem. They traveled for a week and a half avoiding towns and small villages where possible while in the Boulder hills. Vega explained to Sapphire while they rode that when trees started to pop up they were a third of the way to the Southern Realm border which was also known as the Deadwood Pass. When they did need to stop for supplies Vega left Sapphire to watch the horses while he went in alone. It was on one of these excursions into the village that Sapphire seemed to manage to drag herself out of her disheartened mood. Vega had already shouldered his pack. “I’m coming with you,” Sapphire muttered climbing to her feet stiffly. She touched her ribs as she moved. “I won’t take no for an answer either, I’m getting bored sitting around all afternoon and sitting around is making me stiff…” Vega opened and closed his mouth several times to argue but he couldn’t form an objection instead, he sighed and nodded once making sure Cobalt and Two-Tone were secure and out of sight behind the small cluster of trees he had picked out because of their proximity to the town and cover. Once that was done the pair started out towards the small village, they passed several worked fields before entering the actually village, it was a sleepy little place. It was a farming village more then an actually town, as they walked Sapphire looked about with a mild interest unable to help but compare this place to her home back in Marsanna. The streets were more mud and dirt then the cobbled streets she was used to but there was a feel about the place she didn’t find in the city. There was a tension and unease like the people were afraid, deathly afraid of something. Vega also seemed aware of the atmosphere as well for he kept pace close to Sapphire and his expression was one she had learnt from observation to be one of unease. He said nothing on the matter however as they came the local tavern, it seemed no matter how remote the town there was always a place where one could drown his sorrows in ale. Vega stopped Sapphire outside and told her firmly to stay there till he came back out while he went in to ask where he could find a place to purchase supplies. While she waited Sapphire pulled out one of her many daggers and began cleaning out from under her. Glancing up once to see what was going on around her Sapphire spied a rather strange woman, she seemed out of place especially wearing the cloths she was. They may have been plain in colour but Sapphire noted the fine quality of the weave. The earthen brown leggings, calf high soft leather boots, leather skirt and emerald green tunic beneath a leather vest were of a far better make then anything that could be found in a backwater village like this. She also had the look of a southerner with her sandy gold locks and fair skin. The woman must have noticed Sapphires look because she paused as she walked past her hazel eyes meeting Sapphires. Sapphire just cocked an eyebrow and then looked back at her fingernails continuing to clean the dirt out from under them as the woman passed. Vega came out several minutes later and grinned, “There’s a shop several doors up where we can get what we need and…” he paused for a moment and then took her arm steering Sapphire around to a side alley also they could speak more privately. “The reason for the tensions is there have been reports from towns further up of monsters attacking travelers and villages… they claim their undead…” Sapphire shivered involuntarily and shook her head. “Necromancy…” Vega looked startled at her use of the word and frowned. “You know about Necromancy?” “I know about the nine paths of all magic and what they are meant to do in their most basic forms, Prim was always determined to hammer that into my head for some reason….Anyway I may be an ignorant city thief but I do listen, and the only thing that makes walking cadavers is someone who uses Necromancy…” She slipped her dagger back into her belt and frowned, her expression one of thoughtfulness. “We have to go through that area don’t we?” “Not if you don’t want to,” Vega replied but Sapphire shook her head. “No, we do. Especially as you need to find this person or whoever it is you’re tracking before something terrible happens and taking the long way around just to avoid a few walking stiff’s will put that person in jeopardy if not from others then from him or herself. We won’t lose time just because I’m squeamish though I loathe admitting it.” Vega smiled faintly and nodded motioning for her to follow him out of the alley and down to the store he mentioned before. It was a simple enough store stuffed with bags containing grain, oats, flour and many other items of interest. What caught Sapphire’s interest however was the enclosed cabinet showing several knives and swords, curious she went over and peered at the weapons her mind going mentally over their usability. “Know much about weapons?” a soft and musical voice asked sapphire, the girl stood up and glanced over her shoulder to see the woman that had passed not long ago standing behind her. “A little, but mostly daggers and knives not swords, I’ve never used a sword in my life I’d be more likely to slice my own hand off with it.” The woman laughed and came to stand beside Sapphire leaning over to peer through the glass and examine the blades. “Alright here’s a quiz, if I needed a dagger for throwing what would be the best kind?” Sapphire smiled, that was an easy question for her. Deftly she removed three kinds of daggers from her person, one from her heavy belt, one of the hooked daggers and another from her boot laying them on the counter. “The dagger with the hook is made for gutting, its blade is heavier then the hilt, if you want a throwing dagger this kind is better balance.” Sapphire picked up one of her belt daggers and flipped it in her hand catching his hilt again. The third dagger is made more fore piercing its blade is long and narrow, strike in the right place and you’re enemy will bleed to death.” She replaced the daggers and pointed to the ones in the counter. ‘Several of those are more for show their blades would break easily I also would guess the metals in the blades are brittle.” The woman beside her nodded and smiled, “I asked about one dagger and got a short description of three and I’d say from that you know a little more about daggers.” She paused and tilted her head to the side. “Are you any good with them?” “She’s probably the best around Ruth, that girl slit a Dark Hunters throat like he was a novice,” Vega’s response came before Sapphire could reply. The thief looked between him and the strange woman; it seemed they knew one another. “Actually, Sapphire said shaking her head. “I got lucky; he didn’t expect me to have a concealed blade…” She shrugged and looked at the door. “I’m heading back to camp so if you’re not finished shopping around I’ll be there.” Sapphire left the shop and left a brooding Vega and a quizzical Ruth staring after her. “I think she’s just a little worn out…” Vega offered smiling at Ruth. “Odd to see you so far west though, especially since you’re meant to be back home.” Ruth laughed and clapped Vega on the shoulder picking up one of the bags of supplies Vega had just purchased. “Well I’m here because I was asked to come here and it was getting rather boring and you were meant to be home weeks ago.” “I ah, ran into a problem…” “Yes,” Ruth replied smiling wickedly. “I saw that problem…A bit young but she looked your type.” “Ruth!” he exclaimed in shock his face colouring slightly as they left the shop. “She’s not with me in that way! In truth we kind of don’t have a choice. Especially seeing as her boss stuck her with me because he blames me for the whole Dark Hunter problem…it’s all very complicated.” “Yes,” Ruth agreed giving him a sly wink, “So very complicated indeed.” Vega shook his head with frustration and started from the beginning, with how he came across an unidentified Sleeper, the strength of the talent involved and his intervention on Sapphire’s fight in the street. Then how she had handed him the coin pouch containing the Dark Hunter insignia then how he had avoided capture by both the thieves and Hunter lackeys for a few days until the thieves finally caught him. Vega concluded by informing Ruth of how the head of the thieves more or less kicked the pair of them out of Marsanna telling them to more or less stay away until the matter of the hunters was resolved. “I think the realization of never really being able to go home’s finally hit her…” Vega shook his head. “And to top it all off after the last attack upon one of the boulder hills I discovered something about my new traveling companion, She wears around her neck a shard of Magistone… not the average kind either its not black or smoky like most but a lovely sky-blue almost perfectly clear except for its cloudy heart…I didn’t even know she had it until I tried to heal her injuries…Oh! Sapphire doesn’t know what we’re capable of too so try and tip-toe around the whole magic thing if possible. I was planning to work her up to it but with what’s been happening…” he shrugged. “I’ll get around to it though oddly she knows more then most about magic. Apparently a local healer was intent on drumming the information into her head.” Ruth just gaped at him not sure where to begin and then she just broke out into hysterical laughter pausing on the way to collect her own horse, a chocolate mare with black mane and tail. “Oh this is rich. I can’t wait to get home and tell the others about this!” she continued to laugh until they were almost back to camp and regained control over herself. “I wondered why her injuries were still looking a little fresh even if they are over a week old. I thought you might have been neglecting her, but you can’t do a thing. Not while she’s wearing that stone and now you have Dark Hunters hounding you and you’re heading south because?” “Because Sapphire’s boss suggested I follow it incase my mystery Sleeper was with them because there have been no manifestations for a good while and I have nothing better to do while I try and work out what to do with Hawkeye…” “Hawkeye is Sapphire’s other name?” “Yeah her call sign, apparently she is rather perceptive and I’m inclined to believe them as she saw a Dark Hunter and five lackeys pounding down the road after us did I mention they were little more then specks on the horizon and would you believe she has a good gut instinct for people too. She knew those riders were not friendly.” “You sound quite impressed,” Ruth remarked. “I should be she’s also deadly accurate with those throwing knives of hers and she’s fast when in top form. I watched her take out those thugs in the streets back in Marsanna. A lesser fighter would have been killed. She may be young, but Sapphire Hawkeye is a dangerous girl. Just don’t tell her I said that, for all her skill Sapphire has made it her life’s mission I think to drive me to distraction.” “Aw how cute! You two are playing,” Ruth teased laughing as she jumped out of reach. “But how about letting me tag along until we reach the Southern Realm, it will be safer in the long run too especially with Cadavers wandering about and your new girlfriend doesn’t look to be in the best condition for fighting.” “She had a couple of broken ribs…” he muttered looking to the cluster of trees where the horses were hiding with Sapphire. “And she’s not my girlfriend as I’ve said before we were thrust together against our own wishes.” “Sure…” Ruth replied disappearing into the trees before Vega could formulate a reply. Frustrated like he normally was when Ruth teased him Vega entered the trees and found Sapphire leaning against a tree her head bowed against her chest and eyes closed like she was asleep. Ruth was standing by the horses stroking their noses while the chocolate mare she’d dragged with her eyed Cobalt and Two-Tone suspiciously. “These are handsome horses,” Ruth remarked wandering over to where Sapphire was leaning against the tree. “Forgive me for not introducing my self earlier I’m Ruth Longshot and that beautiful creature is Coal.” Sapphire opened her eyes and looked up and nodded, “Sapphire Hawkeye and the black monster is Cobalt, and the pinto is Two-Tone.” Cobalt snorted, flattening his ears in response. “Of course when I mean monster, I mean it in a terrifying way as he strikes fear in the heart of his enemies.” Ruth laughed when Cobalt nodded his head enthusiastically. “Oh yes, quite the monster.” Shaking his head in despair Vega smiled at the pair, “Here’s the choice ladies we can stay here for the night or move along till nightfall and then make camp.” “Here’s fine with me, Ruth replied. “I don’t care,” was Sapphires response accompanied by a shrug. Looking between the two women Vega ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. “We’ll stay here then.” Smirking Ruth placed her hands on her hips and looked at Vega, Well we might as well set up something like a camp and then… I can tell you’re friend all about those many embarrassing moments in your life I was present for.” Vega grimaced and then headed over to the horses to start removing their gear. His gaze drifting once to Sapphire who stood before Cobalt stroking his nose, as if feeling his gaze Sapphire turned her head and met his eyes. Briefly she smiled rolling her eyes and then broke out into an actual grin, the first real smile in almost two weeks.
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Post by Kai! Kai! on Jan 19, 2006 21:14:24 GMT -5
Chapter Three
Part One Western Realm: The Deadwood[/i][/center][/color] The room was dark and could, with only two figures within. One sat in a high-backed chair a roaring fire behind him cutting out any possibility of identifying his features the other stood before the seated man face concealed beyond a cloth mask. “What do you mean Baldric is dead?” The man in the chair demanded. “We found him with his throat slit upon the boulder hills with five of his coerced killers,” the standing man replied. “He underestimated Vega I think,” “No he underestimated the girl. He forgot she was raised with thieves and murderers. She may not understand the importance of what she carries to our employer and I doubt even Vega understands but Baldric was cocky. He thought her nothing more then the common thief; he should have learned better when he lost Razor and Ravage. He deserved his death so don’t disappoint me like he did Galzen.” “I won’t Master but…if the Immortal’s Tear is everything it’s said to be do we really want to be handing it over to him?” The man in the chair laughed coldly, “We do what we’re paid Galzen and…” He raised a hand and clicked his fingers. Almost immediately Galzen shrieked falling to his knees and grabbing at his skin. The man in the chair watched for several moments before he lowered his hand leaving a trembling Galzen on the floor. “Don’t ever question my orders you’re expendable, just like all the others.” Galzen nodded weakly and climbed to his feet retreating quickly from the room leaving the man Galzen called Master alone, he rose from his chair once along and stood before the fire gazing into its depths. He made a movement with a hand and the fire leapt higher changing from golden, orange-red to a deep blood red mixed with black. “What do you have to report?” the fire asked. “Baldric failed, sir so I’m sending Galzen, the Girl is reported to be heading south towards the Deadwood Pass and is accompanied by the one known as Vega Moonlance from what last we heard.” “Excellent, I’ve been meaning to really test just how powerful this sorcerer Moonlance is. Necronimus has been spoiling for some fu, harassing peasants and commonplace soldiers is no sport so if they are indeed heading south he’ll be sure to lay a few surprises for them.” The Master nodded once and glanced over his shoulder as if sensing something. “I think we’re being watched…” “I know, it’s the girl watching in her mind. I doubt she understands what she perceives however. After all she’s still a child. Stand aside and let me deal with this…” The man before the fire stepped aside The fire flared up black and red separating until the fire was completely black but for two red eyes gazing from the darkness. “Sleep and forget child, sleep and remember not for this is but a dream, this is but a nightmare of a dream…sleep and forget…”[/b] ~ Over the many days that followed on the road South, Sapphire and the ever energetic Ruth became better acquainted swapping stories of adventure with their lives. The pair endeavored to teach the finer points of fighting with quarterstaff and dagger. All of this would have been quite fine with Vega if they left him out of it, he didn’t need to know how to throw a dagger and he was competent enough with a staff but he preferred his swords. It was on their second week on the road since meeting Ruth that the open grasslands gave way completely to forest. Sapphire who had never sense so many trees in one place gazed about in wonder and unease. Her mind picturing all the many places an enemy could be lurking in wait. “Aren’t these highway bandits on these kinds of roads?” she asked pensively a throwing dagger already in hand. “No, not with the Cadavers lurking about,” Ruth replied, even her usually cheery self was subdued. “Oh joy!” Sapphire replied sarcastically. “Instead of Hunters we have to look out for walking stiff’s,” “Oh, don’t forget the Wolves, bears and Banshee’s Ruth,” Vega added without as much as a smile. Ruth rolled her eyes at him but then looked at Sapphire whose expression was dubious. “He’s right about them Sapphire but there’s not much to worry about, you can hear a Banshee coming from miles away and wolves don’t attack people this time of year its only during winter and as for bears well they avoid the roads.” Ruth replied pulling Coal up between Two-Tone and Cobalt and to cut off any bickering between the pair. They were like little kids half the time, taunting and picking fights. It had escalated once into blows at one point during a practice session with staff’s leaving Vega with several large bruises and a black eye while Sapphire managed to avoid most of his blows thanks to her nimble feet. The few weeks had seen the bones heal nicely but her side was still tender and Sapphire had a habit of poking and prodding her injuries, though she had a few extra bruises from the scuffle. “Lets just move fast and get through the pass, I don’t want to run into anything nasty and Sapphire’s competent enough in a saddle now not to fall off if we need to run,” Vega remarked moving Two-Tone off ahead of the group as usual. He always seemed determined to be in the lead while Sapphire was next and Ruth brought up the rear, all three rode in silence eyes searching for danger among the trees as they moved. Sapphire had neither the heart nor the wish to pick a fight with Vega for the sake of it while they rode. She couldn’t put her finger on it but something about the forest made her flesh crawl, it was quiet, often too quiet for her liking. In her hand as she rode Sapphire kept a firm hold on one of her hooked daggers, so used to living in the city the forest about her was eerie and dangerous. To her mind there were hundreds of possible places attacks could come from, the sooner they were out the happier she’d be. For five days they rode through the often silent forest, rarely speaking with one another even the practice sessions weren’t continued. It was on the sixth day that signs of danger began to show, taking a break Ruth had walked around several trees only to find the rusted armor and half decomposed bodies of several soldiers bearing the insignia of the Western Soldiers, she had returned to camp grim faced and spoke quietly with Vega while Sapphire noticing the draw expression on her face and walked back down the path Ruth had taken to find the bodies. Used to death and the sight of Bodies Sapphire wasn’t horrified at the sight of them, but what did disturb her were the injuries to what remained of the bodies, they looked almost animalistic but far to broad for the bite of a canine let along a bear and the slashes across several plates, there were seven claw marks not four or five. Kneeling beside the bodies Sapphire poked at them with one of her daggers lifting an arm and examined it more closely, the limb had been severed in one attack and it hadn’t been cut by a blade either not with the way it looked shredded and the bones so splintered. “Sapphire put that down don’t be disgusting,” Vega said behind her. “Not animal,” she remarked dropping the limb and wiping her dagger on her breeches. “But it was big nasty, has sharp teeth a powerful bite and sharp claws…what do these Cadavers look like?” Vega grimaced and grabbed her arm dragging Sapphire after him quickly back to where he left Ruth and the horses. ”Alright Miss Curiosity, these Cadavers are about six feet tall when standing upright, they have massive heads that are all teeth and mouth, several eyes and run like dogs. Their bodies are patch-worked monstrosities of animal and human, we call them Death Hounds because they bite you anywhere you lose what they bite and more often then not you die.” “Lovely…” she muttered as Vega released her arm and mounted Two-Tone. “Stop talking and get mounted we’re moving off now!” Ruth nodded and mounted while Sapphire followed suit. Vega spurred Two-Tone on at a half run but not wanting to rush away. They rode like that for several hours before slowing the horses to a walk again. Sapphire had remained silent as they rode trying to picture in her head just what a creature like a Death Hound would really look like. None of the images she could come up with instilled a sense of ease. When they stopped for the night Ruth and Vega spoke at length together out of earshot of Sapphire who had quickly become bored as she sat the fire. To pass the time she drew in the soft soil with a twig while in her mind she saw the odd circles Primrose had hidden in her house back in Marsanna. The Nine Circles carved into thick flat pieces of bone, each bearing their own inner symbol for the nine areas of magic. Conjuration, Spiritual, Elemental, Divination, Enchantment, Illusion, Transmutation, Evocation and Necromancy all were linked and bound by the nature of what mankind did to utilize the power they possessed. It was the Symbol of Divination she had begun to draw seeing the single lidless eye encircled by a thin ring. Divination gave the caller the ability of true sight and with it they could see Past, Present, Future, pierce illusions and see things unseen or far away. “Eye all seeing, pierces shadow. Let eyes see unclouded truth, future, past and present bound will all come full circle. What was, What is-“ “-and what is to come…You should never use the Symbols lightly.” Ruth’s hands stopped Sapphires drawing hand. Blinking the thief looked at the near finished Symbol and snorted, with her other hand she brushed it out as if it had never been and refused to look up to meet Ruth’s gaze, she knew what Ruth would ask next. “Back home, Primrose Goldentouch the healer I told you about had Nine symbols sitting in a small enameled chest. Once when I was younger, about ten or so, I got into wondering just what she had hidden so one day when she was occupied elsewhere I opened that chest and looked at them…Odd how it was that once seen I could not forget and seeing them each in turn I knew what they represented. Prim never knew how much I understood about what I saw, I was too scared to say and it was such an odd sensation when I saw and touched them like relearning an old lesson…You wouldn’t believe the scolding I got from her for touching those bone runes and trust me, you never want to be on the receiving end of one of Prim’s lectures she’ll make your ears bleed.” Sapphire laughed softly, removing Ruth’s hands from hers and tossed the twig into the fire before climbing to her feet and dusting the leaf litter and dirt from her breeches. “Besides, they only work for people who possess magic and I don’t have any…”Without another word she moved off to where the horses were and climbed the nearest tree perching upon one of the thick branches high above her form barely visible in the darkness of the night. “That girl is starting to worry me…” Ruth muttered glancing over her shoulder to where Vega stood his gaze still on Sapphire among the branches. “For a girl who has no magic she knows more about it then the average novice back home.” “She knows more about it then nine-tenths of the nation of Advaita, you find people like that from time to time Longshot their called observant and she is called Hawkeye for a reason.” He replied meeting Ruth’s hard gaze. “Yes she is called Hawkeye for a reason and I’m starting to believe she knows or guesses a lot more then you give her credit for, and that has always been a failing point of yours to underestimate the fairer sex. Sometimes I think you believe us to be ignorant of anything but womanly issues and yet not once have I heard this girl talk of matters most girls would be at her age. She doesn’t talk about boys or going to festivals with her sweetheart, she doesn’t gossip or complain much not like some pampered city girl, if anything half the time she complains because it irritate you. Sapphire is sharper and far more perceptive then you could ever think her possible of because you’re so damn close-minded and you know what, she knows it too and uses it to beat you over the head with every chance she gets though you’re too stupid to realize.” Vega made no reply to that but merely turned and walked until he was out of sight, Ruth shook her head and threw her arms up in defeat, turning to the fire she sat down abruptly and poked the fire with another stick muttering to herself, “Why is it that I saddled myself with two of the most stubborn people in the Western Realm.” “Maybe you just like pigheaded people,” came Sapphire’s soft reply from the branches above the horses. All Ruth could do was laugh helplessly before replying, “Maybe we should change your name from Sapphire Hawkeye, to Sapphire Wolfear, because you certainly have sharp hearing.” “No, it’s just quiet and sound travels better at night,” Sapphire became silent once more letting the eerie silence of the night engulf them for a while until finally she dropped soundlessly out of the tree and came to sit opposite Ruth by the fire. “What do you know about this forest?” Watching Sapphire for a moment Ruth shifted her gaze back to the fire and sighed, “This forest is The Deadwood named so for the dead trees that begin to appear closer to the south. It is also the forest that encloses the Deadwood Pass which is essentially a massive cut through the mountains and cliffs that encircle the arid Southern Realm. Trust me when I say by the time we start getting close you’re going to want to change your breeches for a skirt or something lighter.” Sapphire snorted, “I don’t wear skirts, dresses or any of that girly stuff. It would just look ridiculous and make me feel silly and very uncomfortable; I also doubt I could move properly in one.” That surprised Ruth, all the women and girls she met at least wore skirts or dresses on the odd occasion, “So, you’ve never worn a dress, not once in your entire life?” “Not since I came to be in Marsanna eight years ago before then I might have but…I don’t remember I’ve never once been able to.” She shrugged. “The first eight years of my life are a void, darkness and oddly I don’t feel compelled to find out about them, actually I don’t want to, not ever. Whatever happened, I just feel like it would be a bad thing to remember…a very bad thing indeed…” Sapphire stood up and moved to her bed roll turning in for the night and left a puzzled Ruth to keep watch until Vega returned from wherever he had disappeared to. Vega stood along in a clearing a fair distance from camp, gazing up at the night sky. The moon was almost full and would be complete within three days time. It wasn’t moon watching that saw Vega standing where he was however, it had been Ruth’s words about his own ignorance, it smarted to hear those words come from her but what hurt more was just how correct she was. For a child Sapphire was sharp minded and very observant. He had mostly ignored her while they traveled talking when spoken to or answering her questions but paid her little heed otherwise, and that must have been the cause for her attempts to irritate him. Shaking his head and seating himself upon the ground Vega closed his eyes and focused on the image of a tawny owl. Putting his mind into it, Vega manipulated his own magic until the image took hold. When he next opened his eyes he found a large pair of golden eyes looking back at him. “Search the surrounding area for signs of danger,” he commanded the owl. Bobbed its head and took off leaving Vega alone once more. Smiling faintly as he watched it go Vega wiped the perspiration from his forehead and stopped up, conjuring animals and creatures from nothing was hard work, it was always better to work with objects such as feathers or parts of the animal you’re trying to create it gave something for the magic to anchor to although they lasted much longer then creatures like the own he just made. It would last long enough to get the information he asked for and then it would return to the nothing it had come from. For two hours Vega waited until finally the owl returned, it landed on his outstretched arm and bobbed its head several times meeting Vega’s eyes. The information it passed to him was passed in an instant telling him exactly where it had been what it had seen and where. In his minds eye Vega saw two vile shapes slinking through the shadows near the main road behind them a fair distance away following a scent trail, they were waxy coloured beasts with massive flat rounded heads that were all teeth and prowled about. It seemed the Death Hounds were on their trail. The owl faded and then vanished, its duty done. Rubbing his face Vega turned and headed back to camp, there may have only been two Death hounds trailing them but it didn’t mean there were other beasts around as well and he didn’t doubt that there were more unpleasant creatures waiting for them. Camp was quiet when he returned, Ruth was sitting by the fire gazing at the flames and Sapphire who had climbed down from her tree was asleep on her bedroll her back to the fire. Ruth looked up from the flames as he entered. “Anything?” “We have two death Hounds coming up behind us their still a good distance away but it might be best if we push the horses for a while, in truth the sooner we’re out of this forest and in the Southern Realm the better.” Nodding Ruth stood up and stretched, “Well as you’re back I might turn in for a few more hours, wake me for the dawn watch.” That said Ruth turned to her own bedroll leaving Vega to keep watch for a few more hours until it was his turn to rest.[/color]
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Post by Kai! Kai! on Jan 23, 2006 20:19:50 GMT -5
~ Over the days that followed their continued journey through the Deadwood the trees did indeed begin to change as Ruth had explained and gradually the temperature too began to increase. It was the constant sight of trees the gradual increase in temperature and a deep seeded feeling of dread buried within the pit of her stomach that saw Sapphire become short tempered and withdrawn. Her mind and attention was divided as they rode along the main road towards the pass, the ground had changed its elevation from time to time until at one point upon the crest of an almost bald hill the towering cliffs and mountains that marked the boarder of the Southern realm. Pausing to take in the sight Sapphires eyes looked along the hazy range her expression one of brooding thought. Turning her gaze west she saw something closer that was not a natural structure rather it had the look of an old ruin rising a good ten feet above the top of the highest tree its grey-black stones ominous to the eye, without knowing why Sapphire felt that feeling of dread stir and deepen. “A ruin of a time long past,” Vega remarked as he came u p beside her his voice hushed and laden with unease. “Long ago during the height of the Glacian Empire it belonged to one of the most renowned sorcerers but he was also something of a disreputable fellow. It was rumored he dabbled excessively in necromancy…” The distaste in his town made it clear that Vega had a great dislike for that area of magic and for once Sapphire agreed with him. Necromancy was an abominable practice. The dead should be left well alone to rest eternally. “His name was Alazard Necronimus,” Ruth said. The turned her horse towards the pass and started down the hill. “I think we can do without the gloomy tales and besides,” she called over her shoulder. “He died almost twenty-five hundred years ago like everything else that day…” Vega turned and followed Ruth and in turn so too did Sapphire though the girl paused for a moment and looked back at the tower unable to shake the feeling that something didn’t seem right about that story and the ruined structure. Following at the rear Sapphire let her thoughts wander again over what she knew and overheard from her companions. For some time now there had been a nagging sensation at the bag of her mind about the pair, something she couldn’t place and perhaps it was partly due to her reluctance to accept the one possibility that kept rearing its head at her. They both knew more then the average person about magic but then again so did she having dredged what she knew from times spent hiding under tables in her younger days, listening to the older men tell stories. What Prim had mentioned with the odd remark and what she knew because of something from her shadowed past. Sapphire knew that if she was to move beyond this current stage with her relations to the pair she had to make a decision soon, either they were what her mind refused to believe or they were just two very strange and well learned people looking for someone they didn’t know by sight… She grunted with frustration and glared moodily at Cobalt’s mane her attention focused on a twig that had managed to get knotted there. I’m being stupid; she reasoned plucking the twig from Cobalt’s mane as she rode. It’s all there right in front of me and yet I just can’t, no…won’t accept it because of those stupid stories about sorcerers. Every story told to me said they were evil malicious people who took pleasure in using their powers to harass and do evil things to common folk! Sapphire twirled the twig in her finger as she thought battling the prejudice that had been seeded in her mind since she was eight, there was only one conclusion that truly fitted all the pieces if only she could just bring herself to accept it. And yet… her eyes looked up and stared thoughtful at the back of Vega’s head, though he got on her nerves and ignored her often Sapphire couldn’t help but like him. There was something about the man that she didn’t see in her companions back in Marsanna, a kind of dignity and bearing that didn’t come from being born noble or because he believed himself better then the rest. He was soft spoken when she hadn’t infuriated him with her childish behavior and never once tried to harm or put her in harms way unless they were training. As if feeling her gaze Vega looked over his shoulder at her and cocked an eyebrow questioningly, without even thinking Sapphire grinned wickedly at him. The man shook his head and looked forward once more muttering to himself. Turning her gaze past Vega her vibrant blue eyes sought out Ruth, the strange woman who saw almost anything and through much, she seemed able to read a person like a book, Sapphire had even tested her one or twice to define the depths of the woman’s skill and Sapphire admitted ruefully that she was a cut above any she had met before. Despite this however Ruth was as energetic and cheerful and a woman of her early twenties rather then late thirties, Sapphire couldn’t believe it when Ruth told her, her real age it just didn’t seem right. Ruth looked no older then a woman of her mid twenties. Repressing a deep sigh Sapphire flicked the twig away and lent down in her saddle so her head was near to Cobalt’s neck where upon she whispered softly to the stallion. “At least you’re everything you appear to be my friend, if only I could admit to myself the puzzle that is Ruth and Vega.” Bored Sapphire sat up in her saddle and slide carefully off keeping Cobalt walking as she did, the Horse turned his head slightly to look at her his deep liquid eyes questioning but the thief merely winked slyly at him and then moved off disappearing into the trees with barely a sound. With the horses only walking and no immediate sign of danger the pair wouldn’t notice she was gone until they looked back or stopped to rest, cobalt would keep following the group without a worry. Moving through the trees like a shadow Sapphire raced ahead of the riders her ears alert and eyes sharp for any sign of danger. Once she paused to climb a tree keeping out of sight and looked down the road. In the distance she could see Ruth, Vega riding side by side, no doubt talking about their secrets again. However tempting it was for her to listen, Sapphire kept her nose out of their business, she had a certain moral code that dictated she did not eavesdrop on people she might consider friends. It just wasn’t done. Tempted to climb down and keep moving Sapphire decided against it, the air was pleasant in the canopy and it gave her a good view of the surrounding area though to her relief the ruins were almost completely lost behind several rises like the one they had descended. Instead of enjoying the view however Sapphire found her mind turning again to the dilemma of her own mind. Her companions were not what the stories described if they were what she couldn’t accept them to be. Then again who was to say the stories were completely true? Sapphire lent back against the trunk of the tree and gazed skyward watching the cloud slide sluggishly across it. Who was to say that there hadn’t been good sorcerers after all, Glacia had been built on magic according to the histories of both verbal and written versions. As a matter of fact Glacia had been the epicenter of all magic and it had been used to build the empire into what it had been before its fall, the people there had not been unhappy, if anything they had lived in a paradise. Somehow Sapphire knew this to be true and the part of her mind that had always been trying to argue the fact that Ruth and Vega were sorcerers grew stronger pointing out fact after fact including that strange fiery sensation that she had felt on her back through the numb pain where Vega had been treating her arrow wound. It hadn’t been dissimilar to the sensation she got from the balms and salves Prim liked to use of cuts bruises and sores. She knew it had been magic but her mind just hadn’t been ready to accept that fact and put it numbly down as the effect of the pain and her fatigue. Sapphire smiled suddenly glad to have reached some kind of decision finally. The weeks of fighting her eight years of programmed prejudice was starting to wear thin and she was getting somewhere at last. Looking up to check where Vega and Ruth were on the road Sapphire saw they had almost reached her position. Smiling she started to slide down from the tree when movement a goodly distance away caught her eye. She couldn’t see what the shapes were but the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as a deep cold feeling not unlike the feeling she had when she beheld the ruins settled over her. Quickly as she could without falling Sapphire descended the tree and broke out onto the road at a run. Coal was so startled the horse reared flailing her hooves at a nimble Sapphire who dodged the deadly strikes while Ruth got her horse under control. “God’s damn it Hawkeye!” Vega roared coming to a stop beside Ruth, both were staring at her, Vega with something between astonishment and anger while Ruth’s face showed merely alarm. “Yell at me latter Cat-eyes we have something following us,” she snapped using a nickname she’d invented a while ago. It annoyed Vega to no end mostly because he had a dislike for cats (something Sapphire also shared, but mostly because they made her go into sneezing fits) and moved around to where Cobalt stood. Sapphire mounted and made him walk forwards so she was level with the pair. “Followed?” Ruth repeated, glancing over her shoulder back down the road. “You won’t see them, ‘Sapphire replied hurriedly. “I was up a tree watching you come down the road after leaving you both at the bottom of the last rise though from you’re look you knew I was gone Ruth even if Vega didn’t.” She smiled sweetly at Vega who appeared about to say something and not at the very least pleasant when Ruth cut across him. “What did you see?” she enquired moving coal forward again though at a quick canter. “Two shapes, they were too far away even for me to see but the sight of them made me go cold all over and if I were a dog my hackles would have been up trust me. Just the sight of those shapes gave me a cold kind of dread feeling not dissimilar from the one I got looking at the ruins… to cut it short they gave me the willies.” “Two shapes?” Vega repeated thoughtfully then glanced backwards too his expression troubled. “It seems I was mistaken, those Death hound’s are moving faster then I thought their defiantly after us but we’re still a good two weeks ride from the Pass…” he turned and looked at Ruth, “We’d best ride as fast as we dare without exhausting the horses too much, I think we’re going to have to fight them and..” he looked at Sapphire. ‘We are going to have a little talk about you disappearing while we’re not looking. I’m sure its all great fun but I’d rather not lose you just yet Hawkeye, Scorpion would have my skin for a rug if anything happened to you. After all you do have him wrapped neatly around your little finger just like his bodyguards and I don’t doubt hundreds of others all over Marsanna.” “And of course there’s you too Vega but we can discuss that later,” sapphire replied in her usual infuriating way before spurring Cobalt into a run which Ruth close behind her laughter audible as she moved on. Vega muttered a few choice curses and followed after them. The hounds were visible not long afterwards. Glancing over her shoulder Sapphire saw what Vega had meant when he described them, they were patchwork monsters and despite that the beasts could move. They pounded along the road after them gaping mouths open to reveal the double rowed fangs of what could only be their heads. They were horrifying to see so Sapphire looked away after a moment drawing one of her daggers. “I can see why you call them Death Hounds,” she yelled to Vega, the man mad no reply other then to nod his head and glance once over his shoulder, the death hounds were coming up fast. One roared a strangled half-chocked cry like death. Cobalt strained to keep ahead of the monsters but they were just to fast, one came running up beside the horses, it snaked its worm-like head and gazed at the riders with its multiple eyes before racing ahead. Sapphire began to feel sick at the sight of the abomination and then glanced behind them to see the second Death Hound keeping pace behind them. “They’re surrounding us!” Ruth cried reining Coal to a stop. The horse reared flailing her hooves at the Death hound that bared her path. The cadaver hissed backing away from the sharp hooves but then crept forwards swaying on its feet before rising onto its hind legs. “You come with usss…” it hissed. Vega opened his mouth to respond but Sapphire reached over and touched his arm shaking her head warningly. “Lets just do what they want,” she said gently, but the tone in her voice said volumes. Sapphire was playing at something. Slowly Sapphire dismounted keeping her eyes on the Death Hound blocking their path; she walked over to the creature and looked up at it, flinching as it extended his neck to peer down at her. “You one master wantsss,” it spat with satisfaction, lowering itself back onto all fours, Glancing behind her Sapphire saw the pair staring at her wild-eyed and about to dismount but she shook her head. “And what could your master want with a city thief like me?” she asked not needing to fake the fear in her voice. This monster made her flesh crawl and the smell… she couldn’t even begin to describe it. “Ssspecial reassson but not tell, Massster will tell all,” the second creature behind them replied. It had slinked up the side and now stood behind Sapphire fixing its gaze upon her with those dead eyes. She watched and waited, fear trying to take hold and make her run, but Sapphire had already formed the idea in her head when she knew they had been captured. Two could be a serious problem but if they could take out one the other could be dealt with in short succession. She only hopped Ruth and Vega were paying close attention. The Death hound that blocked the front extended its neck again to look her over, so close the sagging patched skin almost touched her, it was that Sapphire had been waiting for. Faster then even the death hounds could react to she clicked out the knife she had concealed against her arm and drove the blade home into the soft part between the neck and the head. The hound shuddered once and then collapsed its body twitching as if finally died. The second however roared in rage rearing up. It slashed at her with its massive clawed hand, but Sapphire was already moving, the beast only managed to cut her arm shallowly before it too shuddered and fell, Vega’s sword protruding from the back of its head. “That was the most stupid thing I have ever seen you do!” he yelled yanking the sword out of the creatures rapidly decaying body. “We killed them didn’t we?!” Sapphire yelled back wincing as she examined her arm, the claw marks weren’t too deep but they were bleeding nicely, seven clean straight cuts not so dissimilar from the marks on that armor plate. “Did it ever occur to you that Ruth and I could have taken care of it?” “No not really,” she snapped back, blinking several times as her vision blurred for a second, no doubt form the pain. “After all you seemed so damned determined to hide what you’re both capable off, I have to admit I couldn’t bring myself to accept it but-“ She stopped yelling and closed her eyes. “-I don’t feel so good…” sapphires legs buckled under her but Vega had been waiting he caught her under the arms as she fell and lifted her up easily. Ruth shook her head and watched him load her up onto Two-Tone. “Was that really necessary Vega?” she remarked. ‘I know the venom in a death hounds claw merely incapacitates their prey when they get excited but did you have to?” “Yes,” he remarked examining Sapphires bleeding arm once he climbed up behind her to make sure it wasn’t too serious. ‘I consider it the perfect chance to remove her stone while she’s out good and proper. I don’t like the idea of her carrying something like that around its dangerous not only to us but to her too.” He spurred Two-tone into a walk ignoring the troubled look on Ruth’s face. Pausing she looked back at Cobalt and sighed. “Come on cobalt the dangers over and I doubt you want to stay here,” the Stallion nodded his head and began walking after Vega all of them quiet as they continued on the road.
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Post by Kai! Kai! on Jan 26, 2006 18:00:52 GMT -5
Part Two [/u] Western Realm: The Deadwood Road[/center][/color][/i] The first thing Sapphire became consciously aware of, was the dull throb in her arm, not long after that the steady beat of her heart and the soft whicker of the horses nearby. Closer however was the soft talk of two voices that were familiar to her. Groggily she opened both eyes finding her gaze locked upon the thinning foliage of the trees they were camped under. As she lay there Sapphire became aware that something was profoundly wrong. Laying there in silence Sapphire remained perfectly still as she tried to work out what it was, then slowly she reached a hand up to her neck and discovered what it was. Her stone was gone. “Where is it?” she demanded, forcing her body into a sitting position despite the nausea that attempted to overwhelm her senses. “Where is it?!” “Stay down Sapphire or the poison will make you pass out again it hasn’t been flushed out of your system yet,” Ruth warned calmly trying to push the thief back down but the girl shoved her away and started to stand up her eyes locked venomously on Vega. “I know you have it, so give it back,” she growled swaying slightly on her feet. Vega merely shook his head and regarded her gravely. “I can’t do that princes, the stone you have is more dangerous then you could ever imagine. Not only to Ruth and me but to you too, who knows what kind of effect that small shard of Magistone has had on you.” “I, it hasn’t had a, any affect on me that I know of,” Sapphire replied stumbling over a few words. Ruth again tried to make sapphire sit down but the girl pushed her away with surprising strength. “Give it back Vega it’s not yours to have...” “It shouldn’t be yours either girl,” he replied gently. “Magistone is like a leech it drains you of all magic while in contact with flesh of any kind. Given enough time it could have done who knows what to you.” “You don’t understand!” Sapphire yelled her temper rising again. “What don’t I understand?” he enquired watching sapphire closely she was getting more unsteady on her feet though she made no move towards him. “The stone it…it is mine because…” she trailed off and shook her head trying to clear her thoughts. “Father…he gave it to me and said keep it safe-” Her talking was getting slurred and slowed as the poison started taking effect again. Rather then let it get hold of her completely Vega met Sapphires eyes and spoke a single commanding word, “Sleep.” The girls sank slowly back down on the ground where her bedroll was, shoulders slumping and her long earth-tone locks falling about her face. Ruth who had been waiting very close at hand helped the now sleeping girl back beneath her blankets. “I think we should be glad Sapphire wasn’t struck with a deadly kind of poison,” the woman remarked. “She got excited enough when she found that Magistone of hers missing but…what parent in their right mind would give a child a Magistone?” Vega shook his head, placing a hand on the small pouch beneath his belt. “I don’t know, but he has a poor choice in gifts.” His gaze turned to the sleeping Sapphire and pondered in silence. “Let’s just keep a close eye on her for now.” Ruth nodded and began to set up something more of a proper camp, she was silent for a time before looking at Vega, “Well that little outburst on the road confirmed what I told you about, she was talking around some of the ground you said she knew nothing about. The girl might not fully understand what we can do but she suspects very strongly that we can.” “Then why did she get down off Cobalt instead of letting us handle it?” “She is rather impulsive.” Ruth admitted ruefully having no real answer to give. Vega chuckled and nodded piling the wood before leaning back. He looked at the wood pile and a moment later fire appeared within. “I missed doing that; it’s so much easier then using flint.” “You’re lazy,” Ruth accused lightly. “I think having Sapphire around to limit your reliance on magic has been good for you.” She laughed preparing the evening meal while the twilight of sunset bled through the scant leave cover above. They both fell into a subdued silence while waiting for their meal to cook. It was Ruth who spoke first about the matter they had both been avoiding. “I didn’t realize Death Hounds were capable of speech but that one was…” “They wanted Sapphire but the question is why?” Vega said speaking to no one in particular. Then after a moment he revised his words. “No, their master wanted her.” “Or they wanted the stone she carried,” Ruth suggested gravely. “Vega there has never been a Magistone as clear as the one she carries, it must have been in contact with magic for centuries!” she shook her head and sighed. “By God’s I wish Julian was here, he’s the expert on such things not us.” “Me too, even if he is a little too pompous for my liking…” he replied, rolling his eyes as Ruth laughed. “I know he is a little uptight but he’s good at what he does.” She paused, glancing once at Sapphire then back at Vega. “After the business here is settled we’re going to have to take her and the stone back to Nataris you know. Julian won’t be satisfied with just the stone he’ll want to look at the person carrying it as well and-“ Ruth was cut off as Vega began to laugh full heartedly. “What’s so funny?” she enquired. “Oh nothing, I just though about how Sapphire would likely to react to the idea of being examined. She’s very fickle about that kind of thing. The rumors going around in Marsanna were she has a nice collection of fingers from every man who ever once tried his luck.” “You still have all your fingers from what I see,” she replied offhandedly and smirked as Vega’s face coloured slightly. “That’s because I never tried and never will” he retorted. “Anyway, she’s too young for me and we don’t get along all that well, as I’m sure you’ve noticed.” “That’s never stopped you before in the pursuit of the fairer sex,” she teased then smiled wickedly. “And if you’re referring to those little verbal bouts and her pranks, they seem more playful then argumentative or vicious.” “Well I think judging by her reaction to her missing stone things are going to be interesting after all, we are riding with a proven killer.” He responded and then looked up towards the darkening sky. “I suppose we’ll deal with things as they come…” he sighed sadly, and then added after a moments thought. “I’ll take the midnight watch if that’s ok with you. I need to do some serious thinking.” Ruth nodded and watched Vega as he rose and wandered off among the trees.
~ The second bout of unsolicited sleep was more fitful then the last case. The first had been nothing more the a void of darkness as she slipped one minute from a nauseated and tilting world of wakefulness to a strange and out-of-place world where her stone was gone. The second bout of sleep imposed upon her by whatever toxins still lingered in her system from the hound’s claws. This sleep was plagued by dark shapes and a place of such splendor and warmth that is made her heart ache to see it. For somehow Sapphire knew it was no more, and among those troubled shadows and heart wrenching images were a pair of soft golden eyes. They faded over time as once again she surfaced into wakefulness. It was announced by the return of the dull throb in her arm, the wounds were still fresh and tender despite the clean bandages and whatever balm was placed upon them to ensure they didn’t fester. No doubt injuries like those would leave several nice scars, not that such things bothered her. Sapphire had never been one to care much for her own personal appearance. She did the minima needed ensuring she kept herself relatively clean no more. Opening her eyes slowly Sapphire found it to be dark about her with only the gentle amber light of the fire to light the camp. Sitting up slowly she searched for any sign of the others. Ruth was already asleep under her own blankets, but Vega was nowhere to be seen. Irritated, sapphire slowly crept out of her bed and around the woman melting into the shadows like only a thief could. The movement redoubled the throb to her arm but Sapphire didn’t care. After waking up a second time the outburst of the loss of her stone partially forgotten she reasoned that Vega had good reasons for taking it. If he said the stone was dangerous then it probably was to a degree, what vexed her more about it was the fact he stole it from her. One did not steal anything from her so easily and not expect retribution. Walking soundlessly through the trees she sought out any sign of Vega, but there didn’t appear to be any. After several minutes of walking around the camp in the shadows a voice from overhead, “You should be laying down still princess.” Sapphire looked up catching the faint outline of the person she had sought out. ‘Don’t call me that” she snapped. “It’s bad enough Scorpion does but he only gets away with it because he more or less is my superior.” She looked the tree over and reached up for the first branch. “Stay down there Hawkeye,” Vega warned. “I’ll not have you up here if you’re coming after the stone. You can’t have it back.” “I won’t try and take it back,” she replied. “Not yet anyway not until I get some straight answers. Thief’s Honor.” “I didn’t think a Thief had any honor,” he replied callously. “Oh we do see we thieves have certain codes we follow,” She explained in the same cold tone. “You break them you’re dead it’s that simple.” “Nothing ever simple but if you give your word I suppose I might just come down. No point in you hurting yourself,” with an uncanny ease Vega slid down out of the tree making no more noise then a whisper and stood on the ground an arms length from her. Once he was grounded Vega looked Sapphire over and waited to see if she really would try anything but true to her word Sapphire made no move. “So what answers are you looking for?” “Explain to me why the stones so dangerous,” she replied. Vega repressed a sigh and motioned for her to follow him back to camp. There were several things he would have to ask and make sure she knew before he could explain that question. They stepped into the soft glow of the campfire light sitting down. Sapphire watched Vega as the man thought through whatever answer he was going to give her carefully. “Alright,” Vega began throwing a twig into the fire. “What you need to understand is that the reason the stone is so dangerous is because its like a parasite. Magistone drains the magic out of anything it touches with the exception of the long gone steel golems. It is dangerous to Ruth and myself because we unlike the majority of the world posses and use magic. Now I think you already worked it out at least to a degree but now you know for certain.” Sapphire nodded grimly pulling her knees up to her chest. Resting her chin on her knees she looked into the fire. “Its dangerous to you because you’ve been in contact with it for so long, we’re not even sure what kind of effect its had on you since you’ve been wearing it or what effect it might have therefore until we find out I can’t give the stone back. It could be very important to your health.” They sat in silence for several minutes before Vega turned slightly to look at her, ‘Give me you’re arm.” He instructed holding out his hand. Warily Sapphire complied knowing her meant her injured arm. Gently Vega removed the bandages to reveal the red, weeping and painful looking cuts. Deftly Vega retrieved his water skin and poured some of its contents over the wounds making the thief cringe as the cold water touched the hot flesh. that done he placed a single hand over the cuts and concentrated on the contact point. Sapphire watched with fascination as she felt the heat recede from her arm along with the pain, oddly she could almost see the way the air around his hand shimmered slowly encasing her injured arm with a soft white-gold light. Gradually the cuts seemed to seal together as the pain relented until finally there were only several puffy white-red scars. Vega removed his hand flexing his fingers as he watched her examine her arm. “The wounds have to heal naturally from that point, it works out better for your body.” “You couldn’t use this when I had the stone could you,” she said softly running her fingers over the scars. “The stone absorbs the energy that is magic which is why you call it a parasite.” She said thinking out loud to better work out what she had seen and heard. “While I was in contact with the stone any magic used on me was automatically absorbed by the stone…” Vega nodded slowly and too her arm again binding a clean bandage over the injury. When it was done she flexed her arm to make sure it wasn’t too tight and then nodded. “In truth I was going to try and steal it back from you but I get the feeling I wouldn’t have much luck.” Sapphire admitted ruefully as Vega nodded in agreement. “I can tell when you’re coming now that you don’t have the stone, every person has a distinct kind or aura about them I suppose would be the best way to explain it. I am however glad that you understand the situation.” “Alright until you’re satisfied the stone ain’t doing nothing weird to me I’ll not try and take it from you,” she held out her hand as a sign of good will and smiled when Vega gripped her forearm. The moment he did however Sapphires other hand flicked forward so fast he didn’t have time to react, Vega jerked his arm away and examined the nasty cut along the back of his forearm and hand. “What was that for?” he demanded, examining the cut. “I don’t like being stolen from even if it is for a good reason,” she replied coolly. “So just consider it atonement for the theft and leave it at that.” Quickly she slipped one of her many hidden daggers back into its hiding place, then returned to her bed roll to turn in for the night, leaving Vega to treat the damage to his arm.
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