You and what army? (Ximal/Rail)

by **Sergei** on April 14th, 2012, 4:57 am

39 Spring, 512

Damn. This city was even more of a dump now then it was before the storm. Ravok, Syliras, Riverfall, even Zeltiva, were each a thousand times more orderly, better kept, cleaner – better smelling than Sunberth could ever hope to be. And now quite a bit of the city had finished tumbling – or burning – down, like some old age pensioner who had finally sunk to his knees and just collapsed, giving up the proverbial ghost. Still, as Sergei pushed the canvas flap of the large tent aside and he tried not to breathe in the foetid odors, he had a feeling of ownership, of being invested in this place. It might have been the arm pit of Mizahar, but it was home, and he had worked quite hard to carve a niche for himself here. Literally – he had carved up quite a few . . . things . . . to get to where he was, and he intended to keep climbing up the slime covered ladder, as far as it would take him. This makeshift bar was part of that effort, and his dark eyes scanned the interior for the one he was to meet. Such tent based businesses had been sprouting up overnight since the storm had wrecked many of the city's dilapidated establishments, like so many mushrooms arising from the dung heap of the Sunset Quarters. And like the beetles and maggots that such middens attracted, the citizens of Sunberth seemed to have no qualms about crawling about beneath the canvas roofs, looking for a buzz and a way to throw away their typically illicitly earned cash. Fine. Let them pour the booze down their gullets. As long as part of the profits went into the coffers of those who had the muscle to extort it, they could all get trashed every day and night of the week. Sergei was only here to make sure the coin got paid over now, just as it had been before the storm.

The make shift bar was crowded – the tent packed with men and women and other strange denizens of the city standing shoulder to shoulder and chest to back. The brew here was cheap, questionable and barely palatable. But it served its purpose. By this hour of the late evening, many of the patrons were already lucky to be packed in so tightly. Otherwise, they’d be down on the floor, which was an unattractive mix of dirt interspersed with patches of mud and nameless muck. Sergei could not see his contact, as he he shoved his way through the crowd, paying no mind to toes or feet or any other body parts that happened to stand between him and the bar counter. That was a grandiose term for a warped board slung over two upended barrels. But again, the customers didn’t care, as long as the ale was cheap. Finally, he reached the spot where he could make himself seen to the men who worked behind the board, filling up all manners of drinking vessels in varying states of filthiness, matching the barmen themselves. Gods, what a dive. But Sergei kept his face impassive, as he usually did, and made one final shove forward, past a mountain of a man who stood like a dolt blocking three or four behind with his vast bulk. Sergei offered no words of pardon or request for the man to move aside, and he certainly didn’t apologize when his shoulder made enough contact as to jog the man’s arm. All he said was directed at one of the barmen, and consisted of, “Tell Wat that he better get his ass out here right now, or the price doubles in the next five minutes.”

by **Ximal** on April 14th, 2012, 5:35 am

Foul, this corner of the city Xi rarely visited but had too tonight the pig foot was crammed full of mercs. No way in hell was he going to go and split a beer with the types of people who'd kill helpless people. Still this place would suffice he'd heard about it from a person down at the pits. The large metal axe on hi back a good deterring factor for people usually and if that didn't suffice he always had his hands to deal with them. Of course he was a novice with his axes, but people didn't need to know that. In sunberth all it took was the look of being tougher than someone and they shied well away from them. Still this fettered tent of a piss-ant ale house would suffice for the time being. He wasn't fond of being here mainly because as usual it was full of the types of people who'd do anything for money. Pounding his boots through the mud towards the tent he entered to find it packed with people. Fantastic. Although non really looked a challenge except the man standing by the bar. Xi wouldn't start a brawl he'd end it. All he wanted was to drink in peace but to hide himself for a while his huge hulking stature sat down in a seat mid way in darkness. He leered out surveying the room.

WHAT'S wrong Xi, don't want to start a fight. WE could have FUN! Let yourself fade and let me out. LET ME OUT! Closing his eyes tight and focusing all his efforts into fighting against liro he just sat quietly, as liro and Xi's endless struggle raged on. Though the feel of anger irradiating from hi would set the entire bar on edge. the could feel the sheer anger flowing off of Xi like fire. And the trickles of madness which danced around him like a swathing lava current. Liro was fighting, and Xi was defending right now, so the madness currents grew, this would make Xi seem like a monster in a chair. Still Xi sat quietly lacing his fingers, eyes closed. He was composed to look at but had the feel of a mad man encircling him.

by **Rail** on April 15th, 2012, 3:16 am

There was a raucous cheer from the farthest corner of the tent, where a huge group of men stood around waving flagons of ale, joking, and, most important of all, betting.

With a communal cheer the group parted revealing two men facing each other weapons drawn. One a giant young man with a feral grin and wild black hair, the other a small blond with gleaming eyes," You dare accuse me of cheating!?" The smaller man roared." That I do you little petch. I saw you switch the dice while the others were distracted."

The big youth seemed calm and collected but there was a fire burning under his skin and his smile was that of a predator." I want compensation for the money you cheated out of me." Spluttering the little man waved his knife," Y-you have no fekin proof scum." he blurted out." Oh don't I?"

Rail pointed down at the dice on the table." Watch this." With a grin he smashed his fist into the table sending the dice flying into the air. They landed with a clamor and the crowd shushed. The winning numbers. Twice more he banged the table sending the dice flying and twice more they landed with the same numbers," Would you like to explain this?"

The little man stared at the dice in distaste and then looked up at his hulking opponent," You must have changed the dice. Its an attempt to frame me!." He spit out viciously as he turned looking around for friends he knew would be nearby," No one besmirches my good name." He said with a growl slowly bringing his knife to bear.

Rail smiled all the wider as he slowly began to twirl his chain in tight little circles readying himself for the fight to come. Before the fun could start, however, one of the blond mans comrades stepped forward," Calm down dammit!! This doesnt need to end in a fight." With a glare to both sides the man turned to the crowd," I suggest a contest to settle the dispute. You can use your knife and you can use.... whatever the fek that thing is, one target. Whoever hits closest to the target wins."

The crowd roared its approval of the idea. The people of Sunberth are a rowdy lot who likes entertainment in any form. Whether it be a fight or a contest they loved it all the same. Rail however knew the situation was not in his favor. His skill with this weapon was still in development and he knew he could not hold up in a true contest. The dilemma vexed him for a moment before a vicious thought crossed his mind. With a mischievous grin he nodded his consent to the contest. After a moment so did the other man.

The crowds backed up to make room pressuring others behind them and making the already cramped tent even worse. Most did not care as the two contestants stepped up." This is the target." The orator said as he pointed to a dark spot on the back of a chair across the tent."And this is the line." He drew a small line in front of Rail and the blond man. Rail looked up at his opponent," Whenever your ready." The blond man stepped up to the line and tossed his knife up into the air, catching it by its blade," Beat this." He said with a cocky air as he threw the knife down the range to thunk deep into the wood of the chair.

There were a few oohs and ahs as the crowd moved forward to see the mans cast. The blade quivered slightly directly in the center of the spot of dark wood." Beat that you petch." The blond man sneered. With a wicked smile Rail walked up to the line slowly twirling his bladed dart," Ill try." He said swinging the chain wide and nicking the cocky blonds cheek.

The mans yelp of pain was quickly covered by the crowds cheer when Rail released the dart and watched it fly. There were murmurs of confusion and a few laughs of derision as the dart wrapped itself around the leg of the chair instead of sticking into the back. But he knew what he was doing. With a sudden tug Rail pulled the chair clear off the floor and caught it lightly in his hands," My win I think." He said lightly as he spun around and smashed the chair into the blond mans temple, sending splinters of wood in every direction.

For a moment the crowd did not move, too stunned even to speak. Then with a thunderous roar men began to move in on Rail the first was the friend who had decided to oversee the contest. He rushed towards Rail with a vicious scream and jumped into the air in an attempt to tackle the giant to the ground and pummel him to death. With a deft movement Rail lifted his knee connecting solidly with the poor slops chin and snapping his head back with an audible thwack.

Rail stepped away from the two downed men and gestured at the crowd, his blood singing," Come now whos next?"

by **Sergei** on April 16th, 2012, 1:59 pm

As Sergei waited for the man to fetch his boss, he took in the feel of the crowd about him, the various groupings of people standing or sitting elbow to elbow in the tightly packed tent, and the overall atmosphere of the place. He had long, long ago learned that it always paid to have an almost subliminal finger on the pulse of his surroundings. So as he waited, when a murmur from the far corner increased in volume and the people there surged to make way for the challenge that came as a result of the accusation of cheating, he turned. With watchful eyes, he saw the one cretin throw a dagger with easy skill at the targeted chair. Then came the other, a young giant of a man who manipulated his own unique weapon with grace and deadly effectiveness. What came next was unexpected, but also came as no surprise. Disputes in Sunberth were rarely settled with simple wagers. Violence seemed to be the only real means of determining a victor in this town, regardless of the type of disagreement.

But this was not Sergei’s fight, not yet. He guessed it might soon be, and he went on high alert mentally and physically, preparing to defend himself if needed. Perhaps there would be no takers to the giant’s challenge, though he doubted it. The citizens of Sunberth seemed to live their lives of more normal pursuits as simply a way to kill time until they could mix it up again. Looked like those here in the tent were about to get their daily dose of fun and games.

by **Ximal** on April 16th, 2012, 3:59 pm

Bunch of idiots. Xi sat in his corner of the bar, watching the pair at the opposite end, accusations of cheating. What kind of simpleton gets caught cheating in Sunberth. Though Xi couldn't help but think and feel he knew the other man the larger of the two with black hair. Watching him, it clicked. Rail that son of a mother petcher. What were the odds, he had the worst luck, though they didn't leave on bad terms. They had left on a disagreement. Watching from his corner of the bar he watched the pair have a competition. Throwing knife against he had no clue what that was, he'd gotten a new toy since last time. Though Xi did find it some what amusing when rail smashed the chair around the cheating blighter's forehead. Idiots who cheat deserve what they get. Though as rail taunted the crowd onlooking, Xi rose from his seat and strolled over, and cuffed rail on the shoulder lightly. fully expecting a punch if he was going to deliver one, mean right hook. Still as xi tapped he shoulder he said in his now low and rather friendly, if not somewhat recognizable voice. "Oi, suzie. Behind you." Darting his arm out fast he caught the man about to smash a mug into rails head in the face, shooting his arm out over rails shoulder and clocking the idiot between the eyes. "Consider us even on the buying rounds front. We make it out a this, I'm buyin." Xi made a mental note of the last giant of the bar, standing at the bar just watching the events unfold. Xi wasnt gonna let someone he liked get sucker punched.

Smiling beneath his hood he still stood above rail. But now he brandished weapons as well. But this was a bar fight, no reason to have to use them. Not yet at least. So what have you been doing for the last twenty-six days? Apart from getting your self into bar fights and a new rather "unique" weapon? Xi smiled as he offered his had out to rail for a hand shake. Those who speak their minds with thier fists often respected each other more than those who spoke with words alone. Though the third giant at the bar still unnerved Xi a little. rail and xi both carried weapons but looking at them they were new to them. They were more secure unarmed. Xi more so than he'd openly admit due to his special powers. Petch being a mage, he was more concerned about liro snapping free to assume control over the fight.

by **Rail** on April 18th, 2012, 2:25 am

As he stood waiting for the onslaught to begin Rail noticed a familiar smell moving in... He couldnt be certain of who it was but for the moment he was too occupied to think about it.

As he continued his little game of goading on the crowd he felt the man cuff him companionably on the shoulder, and turned just in time to see him knock out some poor fool who had been attempting to brain him with a jug. As he looked up at the newcomer recognition escaped him but he still clapped the man on the shoulder as if he were an old friend," You buy the drinks eh? Then we must get out of this mess in tact dont you think?"

With a grin he pulled the big man aside and grabbed hold of a thief who had attempted to sneak up on them while they were distracted," Its not polite to break in on anothers conversations mate." He laughed wildly as he picked the man up off his feet and threw him across the room into the crowd. As he landed curses, angry shouts, and fists all rose at once. This fight is just getting interesting Rail thought with a smile.

The weapons they both held were enough to keep the brewing melee from getting too close long enough for Rail to say," I didnt know there was anything But this my friend!!" He said it with a laugh as he tied his chain around his arm again and began to wade into the crowd," Join if you want my man but I doubt youll need those unless you plan to chop wood for the fire." His laughter faded into the raucous clamor of battle joined and naught could be seen of him but a black mop of hair bobbing and weaving throughout the makeshift battlefield.

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