A Storm to Remember (Closed)

[Aerika]

Not even making it to the end of the hallway, Aerika heard a sudden thud back from the room she had just peered into. Quickly turning around, the kelvic girl noticed the winged man laying on the ground in pain. Without thinking about it, Aerika dashed back toward the room that large balls of ice were now rolling out from. She grabbed a hold of his wings to attempt to try and drag him away from the dangerously large balls of ice. She felt the soft skin again, nearly losing her focus on the current danger, freezing for just a moment before snapping out of her trance to actually drag him out of harm's way. With one arm around each wing's base, she started using her body weight to drag him just far enough down the hallway to keep any other shards of the dangerous ice. "Are you okay?" Aerika shouted with a frantic look of fear over taking her body. She looked back down the hallway, hoping that the others that were still in the room were going to make it out alright. Looking back at the winged man, she looked at his fur, suddenly noticing that she was now rubbing his wings once more. Embarrassed that she had fallen to the seduction once again, she pulled her hands back quickly holding them to her chest. Her face started to blush so she turned away to watch the room once more. Nothing but ice rolled from the room for awhile, the sound of the tavern being attacked by the weather, and the sounds of people screaming filled her ears.

[Roka]

The water was beating down upon the surface, just above their heads; it filled Roka's head till he was nearly mad with the sound. At the man's barking words he lowered his knife, finding strange comfort in the man's leadership. He stood stunned watching wordlessly as the man simply passed him, beckoned him to follow and submerged below land. His hand trembled, as he replaced the misused utensil to its place among his clothing.

He inched toward the hole trying to gain a better view of the fall that awaited him, but all he could gather was the steady pour of muddy water spewing in. The winged-one called to him again, frustrated by his obvious faltering, so he without thinking slid into the crater. A minor drop until his feet met ground again.

A sickening crunch was heard underfoot accompanied by a horrid squealing. Roka had landed down upon a passing rat, cracking its back with his heel. He took pity on the poor creature and stomped his foot into its skull, bashing it to an immediate death.

As he continued forward in haste, the decent had thoroughly saturated him, soaking his hair so it clung messily to his face and neck. Droplets slid down the hollows of his cheeks and dripped from his eyelashes and nose. He was not comfortable being wet and the chill of the water caused the hairs of his arms to rise to attention. He grumbled quietly to himself, something that sounded like a growl, and shook himself like a beast, sprinkling the water along the pools at his feet. He caught the Zith in an instant’s time. He offered no words of remorse, it did not occur to him, and he was sure the man would find the words as empty they gave the impression of being.

"This female, you know her? Where is she leading?" his inquiries were voiced as they continued onward, his feet splashing along the flooded floors. Rat's in a panic would nip and scratch at their intruding feet, and he soon found his naked toes and ankles bleeding into the murky water. He was not swayed by the stinging but for the first time felt a need for clothing about his feet, it was an odd thing to think in a situation such as this.

[Xavior Silhouette]

The light from the hole was briefly obscured as the stranger slid through the hole into the floor and landed with a crunch. He barely batted an eye when he heard the squeals of the rat under a heavy body, it was drown out by the symphony of noise that echoed throughout the cavern. Xavior felt lucky that his eye sight worked well under dark conditions. He looked to the side and could see a long cavern that stretched out in front of them. Rats crawled every which way, fur matted with filth and water. They nibbled at his feet and caused welts and breaks in his skin as well. "Vile creatures!" Xavior growled loudly and as the sound reached Roka's ears a brief flash of imagery assaulted his eyes. The walls seemed to suddenly be covered in snakes, but the image soon faded whenever Roka doubted what he had just seen. The rats around them however skittered away from Xavior and Roka scared of something they only could see. "There we go, shouldn't be a bother anymore. Petchers got my feet." Further into the darkness they went and as Xavior left the light source from the hole in the floor his vision began to grow less and less. "I apologize about my tact earlier. I have a feeling whatever is about to happen here will not be something we'd want to witness first hand." Xavior's tone was more calmed, perhaps the Zith himself was panicked as well before he entered the relative safety of the passage way. After a moment, "I don't know the little girl. Err at least I don't think I do, to much ale the night before." There was a pause as he tripped over something in the dark, "watch your step there." He warned before he continued, "about earlier, I assume you followed the rats as well since you asked me the question that I was about to ask you." He paused a moment to check behind him, "my name is Xavior." He pronounced his name in one syllable. "Are you a beggar as well?"

[Ana Sol Starris]

Temple of The Unknown The nudge brought her back, and sleepily she got up with Wrens tugging to stand beside him. Rubbing her eyes and leaning on her companion as if a little drunkenly despite the close proximity. Ana was simply too asleep, well half asleep to panic about the touch and thus looked around the temple with droopy eyes, it was crowded, packed. It took her a few moments to process the fact they were now moving towards the less densely packed areas of the room, "whats happenin', where'd all the people come from..?" She questioned Wrenmae, now confused on how exactly it became packed so quickly. Did she fall asleep for that long? It was then that there was schrill schriek behind the two, freezing, Anas blood went cold. Frozen, as she turned her head to look. As the occupants remained quiet for a brief moment, before exploding into a frenzied terror and began to herd Ana and Wrenmae like cattle to a slaughter. Ana did not see what had caused the scream, but Wrenmae seemed to have changed again, her body pressed against his as she looked up. His head had turned away from whatever had happened, his eyes were that same black again, holding her breath, she looked away and allowed herself to be moved with Wrenmae till he gripped her wrist and yanked her out of the crowd to the side. Pressing against the wall and watching the people pack themselves into their deaths, trampling those unlucky who had fallen under. Watching them, she only had a few seconds to react to his insistance of being pushed down some stairs that appeared to lead to nowhere. Stumbling somewhat at the pushing, she caught herself on the wall with her butt on one of the steps. Looking around for Wren, he seemed to have dissapeared only to later reappear whilst screaming and mass hysteria could be heard above. Getting up, Ana tested her ankle out and found it was not broken.. Strained.. But not broken, she had many a broken bone before and thus knew what it would feel like. Looking up at where they had come from, then down the stairs, a curiousity welled up inside her. Where did this lead? Ana began to take careful steps downwards, using the wall as a sort of guide for her limited vision, her voice was small and out of place down here compared to what it would have been among the roar of above "hey Wren, where do you think this goes?" She asked, a sliver of excitement escaped into her voice, Ana did not know if he listened or not but she was content to chatter on for a second. "Looks pretty dark, hope theres nothin' scary down here.." She muttered to herself, the dark of her dreams was bad enough.. She didn't need some monster leaping out at her from the real dark.. Or maybe this was still a dream? Piping up with a clear ring of fear in her voice, she looked at Wren "is this a dream?" Ana didn't know if this would proove anything, but.. It was worth a try, it was better than hysterically getting ones self almost killed by doing some of the stupidest things.

[Cade]

Location: Pig Foots Tavern, second floor balcony

Cade's amused demeanour had vanished as his hot breakfast now laid within his lap. He sat there, just looking at the delicious food he longed for, smudged against his groin and on the floor below him. Such anger build with in him that crashing noises the hail made while peppering holes through the tavern's roof did not stir him to caution. He slowly looked up and the wench had retreated, guess she will live to see another day.

Just then, a girl peered into the room insistent that they make a run for it, but the drunken savage was still focused upon the mess the bar maid made of him. He rose to his feet and there stood Carina, who some how appeared in the room undetected by Cade's dulled senses. She made a crack at him, insults he would take from her for she was one of his and a woman that he adored and respected. She earned the rights to make jest of the killer and live to do it again another day.

Could not say the same for the two whores that were just as plastered as their embarrassed customer,. They hackled like little hens in a coop at his disposition. The barbarian's blood boiled to the breaking inferno, his eyes locked upon the two whores as his sword was snapped from its sheath with panther like speed and lashed out in a horizontal slash the decapitated the first girl clean through. Her head rolled off to the side as the body flopped backwards into the other whore sitting on the bed.

Before she could scream, the half blood myrian brought his longsword down upon her, savagely cleaving her from left collar bone down deep into her chest cavity. Just like that, Cade ripped his sword from her carcass, a wolfish grin of satisfaction framed upon his face as he turned to face the others in the room. He gave no explanation, he needed not to.

The quick action that boiled his blood had somewhat sobered him as he realized that tavern was being viciously volleyed by frozen chunks of ice. Battle instincts quickly straighten him out as his brains flickered with options of escape. The little girls intrusion now making sense.

"MOVE OUT" The barbarian barked his orders to those that remained in the room. He may have been drunk, he may have been a murderous beast but most of those that were in this room were his people, his family and he felt a duty to protect them above his own safety. "We need shelter" He demanded, his mind thinking of something familiar " Head to the blood pits. The mine she lays in should hold against this godly hail"

[Roka]

The tunnels waning light knotted the pit of Roka's stomach. It wasn't that his surroundings were frightening to him, he just felt skittish. He wasn't habituated to this kind of arrangement, the kind that meant he was required to trust the other who was in the lightless cavern in search of safety. He made a point to travel alone, to only rely on himself. This was what his past and his breed had nurtured him to be.

However the Kelvic in him was glad to be with another, glad to follow another into the unoccupied pit, and glad to not be unaided among a torrent of rats and filth.

He chuckled silently as the Zith cursed the rats. Their chatter was nearly as loud as the water, and for once he felt sick of them. Had he been alone he may have cursed them too, reminding them they were blessed to be spared from an extended stay within his gullet, and that even in numbers he would cease their nibbling little mouths. It was only for vermin he found such a lack of compassion for; maybe if the rats hadn't led him astray he would take pity upon them more often out of gratitude. Maybe.

His tongue remained still as Xaviour spoke, unsure of where, in polite conversation, he would enter a courteous word. He took pause when an apology was voiced, "I was the one with knife drawn, please do not apologize to me." it was a kind gesture, but he felt guilt hit him that this Zith may be kinder than he.

He looked down straining to see the paces in front of him, but was having very little luck in identifying any light. His feet were his only guide and felt along the tangle of bodies and water at foot. He barely avoided the obstruction the man warned of, feeling it with the tips of his toes, and taking a wide step over it. "Thanks..." his words were quiet but sincere enough.

He listened to the man continue on, effortlessly speaking. "Mmm yes, the way I figure it, the rats knew what was coming and would also know the safest caverns in the city to burry themselves in, they usually do."

"I'm Roka...and well, no, I wouldn't call myself a beggar..." He took pause. How could he even explain himself to someone? He never really tried, and rarely liked to out-right admit he was Kelvic. He finally sighed a small laugh "I guess you could say I'm a bit nomadic." a joke that would only be funny to him. He was beginning to feel more at ease now though, probably more so than he would have if he had been alone. It surprised him even more that conversation helped ward off his thoughts of what was happening around them, and put his mind at ease.

"Xaviour, so you say you don't remember this girl, so you do not know where this place leads either?" His voice was nearly drowned out by the sound of the beams round the tunnel moaning in distress. The soil above them was shifting and the supports were holding firm but would creak and cry suddenly and disturbingly. "Wherever it is, I hope we arrive soon..."

[Kit]

This was bad. This was very bad. He'd taken to long; the storm had hit before he'd been able to take his human to shelter, and now they were both trapped. The rising water suddenly made going underground seem like a bad idea, and from the loud thumping sounds coming from above, going up wasn't any safer.

In an attempt to compromise, Kit crawled onto a nearby table. That would keep his feet out of the water, for a while anyway. He kept his ears peeled, trying to judge the situation and figure out what the best course of action would be. He stayed on the table until something changed, or someone made him move.

[Tawk]

Tawk heard the whelping from one of the rooms. He rose from his seat and peered into it, and the next thing he knew was a chunk of ice rocketing towards him. Tawk threw himself backwards and slumped up against the wooden bar. He wondered if a drunken magician was fooling around to scare some of the wenches. Tawk chuckled before rising to his feet and dusting his coat. He turned around to return to his seat but heard a loud thud. And another. And another. All around him, bolts of ice flew around.

A hailstorm! In a building!?

He furrowed his brow and darted behind the bar, grazing his chin. He listened closely to any suggestions the other patrons could give, hoping to retreat to a safer place.

[Xavior Silhouette]

"Tsk," Xavior chuckled and half hearted replied to the admittance of wrong, "I had you beat with knives, ten to one." His claws clicked together, strong and deadly sharp. His ears perked with curiosity when Roka revealed he wasn't a beggar. Most of the people that he had heard of would be to dignified to follow the spreader of disease down into the unknown debts of the old mining town. "Ah a nomad," his voice still sounded like gravel, yet it was still laced with cheerfulness, "I guess birds of a feather flock together aye?" He was not deaf to the sounds of creaks that threatened and possibly foreshadowed a grim fate, "I have full faith in these urchins and beggars. Like animals, they live to survive and will do just about anything to do so. Wherever this young lady had led us, I'm sure it will be relatively safe." Though there was confidence in his tone, there was also the undeniable waver of fear. His ears flicked again as he heard the sound of running once more. Gentle taps against the moist soil and stone made him feel he had closed the gap with others. "Come Roka, I think I've found them."

[Zandelia]

The Pig's Foot Tavern


Zandeia had finished her tale, or rather had finished the parts that had been worth telling the rest of the group. There were smaller details that she could have contributed, specifics that would bore them no end. Still, the more important issues had been lain out for all to see – she had failed. It was then time for her to be answered, and she had guessed in advance already whom would be the one to tell her what they thought – Mok. He was a good man in many ways, his words kind enough to give her pause for a small semblance of a smile across her lips. Still, he was only a man and would never be able to heal the damages she had suffered with mere words. In some ways his words even inspired further darkness within her, self-contrived in some ways though it might have been.

He does not see that I am not fighter, not in the way he is. I can wield weapons well enough when the occasion calls for it, but it is not my real talent. Families contribute, look after each other, and I can do neither. I use them even as they praise me she thought to herself as she ruminated upon his words, drinking further from her cup and ignoring the glances being thrown her way.

“Thanks Mok, I will remember” was all she was able to truly mutter to him in response, her inner-turmoil still very much a nebulous cloud.

It was then that her world took perhaps a further turn for the worse, though she would have been the first to admit she was not sure it was a feasible possibility. Another woman entered the party, beautiful and delicate – seeming to know Mok and Cade. Zandelia had heard of her but never met here, merely noted side references and glances shared between other men. She was followed shortly by the maid, dragging in Cades meals with her nose turned up. It was not difficult to understand given the brutal barbarian’s penchant for casual womanizing and violent misconduct. Still, Zandelia observed that the food was the object of her distaste, almost raw as it was brought it she thought from her position. Those occasions were normal, however, but the next one was decidedly unusual even for the city of dirt. The maid flew sideways, heroically saving Cade’s food and showing dedication to duty that was unfathomable. It was what had caused her rapid lurch that was the harbinger of the hell to come – a giant lump of ice.

What in the name of Akajia is that? she asked herself as she gestured someone to help the maid and went to investigate.

She picked up the lump of ice in her hands, holding it close to see if there was anything unusual besides the size of the damned thing. She could perceive nothing out of the ordinary, however, and merely turned it around as the chill seeped past her gauntlets and painfully, gradually into her flesh. She stood then, taking it towards the rest of the group with a look of perplexed puzzling upon her visage. She looked up and grinned to the rest.

“Not the usual thing eh?” she asked them, just before another lump of ice smashed into the one she was holding, sending both into her form. They hit her shoulder first, but one leapt up to slap her across the left side of her face with a solidness much resembling a club.

She stumbled sideways as her disorientation flared, her thoughts rattled as her vision turned a blasting of white static. She hit the wall, slipping down it a little before being able to catch herself with a steadying hand. She shook the blur from her vision and when it returned was confronted by a scene that was not of her vein of experience. Hail was now literally hammering into the group, hitting a few here and there but most just slamming into the walls and flooring with deafening thuds. She saw Cade’s mouth pen wide and the prostitutes dead upon the floor – a shame indeed as they were not altogether too ugly. She pushed herself towards and managed to understand the gist of what the warrior was screaming through the pumping of blood in her ears – get out.

“Petch it all to...” she managed to growl before another hail block slapped her to the floor as it impacted upon her leather boot, rapping her calf.