And the Body Count Rises... (Gale)

[Ray]

Rayes nodded but didn’t press. He was well versed in drinkbuddy etiquette; ask only innocent questions and don’t dig for information not freely given. Finishing his drink, Ray cast his eyes around the bustling building to see if he could find what he had come here looking for. All the larger men seemed to already be more than a little tipsy and those that were sober were slim, scholarly types that looked like they fought by throwing feather quills at each other. Rayes frowned in irritation. There’s nothing here to stir up. He was immediately proven wrong as his gaze caught on two men that he hadn’t seen because they were sitting directly beside the man that Ray was conversing with. Both were muscular without being particularly brawny and their senses had not yet been stolen by drink, they bore battle-earned scars and heavy brows chiseled into what looked like permanent frowns and were talking easily to each other, confident in the regular crowd of the Kelp Bar. Gaze flitting away quickly, Rayes gave no indication that he’d seen the men as he rotated on his stool to fully face the person he’d been talking to. “Never fancied myself much of the bookish type, really. This city seems to be mighty proud of it, though. Tell me, from a native to a newcomer, what would you say’s the best thing to do here?” He spoke casually and his long leather coat concealed his foot as he secretly put it on the bar of his new friend’s stool.

[Gale Austin McCenry]

When the man asked what there was to do here, Gale's thoughts turned to personal subjects like walking, drawing...Jumping out a window.

"Survive." Gale said before realizing exactly what he said. Shyke. Now he was going to think he was some sort of fighter. "Well, for most people such as yourself. I don't particularly do anything exciting. But since you seem to like causing trouble you'd have to deal with the Wave Guards quite a lot."

Phew. At least his recovery sounded realistic. Right? He would have fallen for it. But yet again Gale fell for a lot of things. Please don't think much of it. Gale pleaded in his mind that his slip of words wouldn't cause too much attention to himself.

[Ray]

Ray nodded amiably as the man did his best to describe his personal favorite parts of the port city. He had noted the spectacular views of both the sea and mountains, and had been quite startled to find himself standing outside just to watch the sun set. Such a thing would have been pointless in the walls of Syliras and quite detrimental to someone’s reputation if they were caught doing it, but Ray was more at ease about Zeltivan sunsets, both because they were so much better and so much easier to watch. The man began to stutter, turning his head to wave in the direction of the harbor and Ray took the opportunity to brace the heel of his boot against the man’s stool’s crossbar before he looked back. Ray shrugged. “There’s always more to something than you can see just by looking at it. You dress well enough that I’d assume you’ve never taken a stroll down East Street. There are plenty of things to do there that you wouldn’t be able to do anywhere else, but I’d wager most people you know wouldn’t be caught dead there.” He leaned back, far enough to increase his foot’s leverage but short enough to remain inconspicuous. He could be entirely wrong; this man could turn out to be some powerful information broker, but despite his sadness his face had a type of innocence to it. “You ever tipped your hat to a whore? Shook hands with a mugger? Treat a prostitute like a lady and you’ll have a friend with her ear to every mouth in the city. Listen to a thug’s sorrows and you’ll have a powerful brawling partner.” He spared a glance at the two rough men behind his companion; they remained in their own conversation. “I guess I came for the side of this place that student-types wouldn’t know. Sure, may not be pretty, but it’s sturdy. And it’s everywhere, even in the best of towns. It has a fire there that burns you to the next day, keeps you surviving when the odds are stacked against you.” Ray’s face twisted into an amused smirk. “Wonder how you’d do if someone fed that fire.” And with that he kicked, sending both the stool and its occupant crashing into the two burly street men behind him.

[Arcane]

Arcane Interlude!Don't panic, you guys have done nothing wrong. On the contrary, this is so interesting that I couldn't resist spicing things up a little Jonas Relis downed another mug of kelp beer, listening to the woes of his friend Henry McConvas. The two of them looked like thugs, but it was fair for they used to be pirates on the seas, competing with Svefrans who wielded the power of Laviku. It was a tough life smuggling goods for Sunberth, trying to protect their cargo, then staying alive from cutthroat merchants in the seedy city. Both of them happened to meet and fall in love with the same girl in Zeltiva, leading to them putting away their unlawful activities and joining the Wave Guards. To cut the long story short, the two of them eventually turned from love rivals to close friends, and Jonas eventually had a change of heart. Henry continued to pursue the girl, but found out that one day her entire family just upped and left for Riverfall without a single mention to him. That was the result of him pouring his heart out to his friend. Despite possessing a tough exterior, they were really softies at heart. Despite that, when a stool and its wiry occupant came flying towards them, neither was amused. Gale smacked straight into Henry, pushing both into the floor while Jonas glanced around angrily, trying to find the starter of this trouble. The bartender sighed, quickly clearing up and hiding the glassware as he began to seek cover under the bartop. The other customers were beginning to understand the situation and either were edging away or getting eager to join. This was going to be one superb brawl. OOC : Feel free to continue from here. Jonas and Henry are both Wave Guards, their relevant skills being Competent in Brawling and Bodybuilding. Feel free to resume control over them RP-wise, as long as you play to skill levels and realism. Have fun!

[Gale Austin McCenry]

Gale listened. As the man continued talking, Gale tried to figure out where he was getting at. He didn't accomplish this soon enough it seemed. When he looked back at his partner, he saw the twisted look on his face. Then the threatening statement came next.

Time seemed to freeze for Gale as terror struck him. Struck him between the eyes, as he seemed to fall slowly back, from the push of his chair. His arms flailed to catch something to stop his fall, but the pound of sturdy human body proved to him that he failed to get a grasp of something in time.

Giving a grunt at the impact, Gale slid down the two men, falling on the floor, his chair being awkwardly at his side now. Gale knew this wasn't going to end well with his injury and all. Being slightly dazed at the sudden fall, Gale blinked for a moment, confused and his ankle starting to hurt again. Looking up at the man he was previously talking to, he heard the irritated grumbles and curses sputtering from the mouths of the men. Attempting to get up as soon as possible, Gale pulled his leg that was awkwardly and painfully placed on his stool off, and pushing himself up. Soon after getting his feet- well foot, Henry, who had stood up with him, but quicker, grabbed him by the shirt whipping him around.

Gale looked at the large man with fear, not wanting to be here at all. He regretted even coming here in the first place now. He had to just throw himself into another dangerous situation. Gale was a fool to think that the Kelp bar was any place for a man such as himself with an injury like he had, talking to a man like Rayes. Combinations like that only got one into trouble, which is exactly what Gale got himself into.

Feeling a firm fist knock him across his jaw, Gale gave a painful grunt, not knowing how to respond at first. His gaze blurred momentarily, before bringing his head back up to look at the muscular Wave Guard. Gale watched as he cocked his arm back for another swing. Instinctively, Gale brought his arms and hands up to cover his face, his head turned to the side. Having the hard blow hit his forearm, the thin blonde gave another grunt of discomfort and pain.

Gale wasn't going to live the night if he just took the blows. Sarcastically of course, unless someone went too far.Seeing his situation, Gale let one arm fall back more, and his dominant left hand cocking back, forming a fist. Using all of his might in his dazed and confused state, Gale clopped Henry back. His fist now hurt just as much as his jaw did. His artistic and dainty hand feeling like he had just punched a wall.

[Ray]

Ray’s companion fell slowly, graceful in his own strange way like a floundering swan. Everything seemed to slow down as he crashed into one of the burly men, sending both careening to the floor in a tangle of windmilling limbs. After a moment he realized that he was grinning like an idiot with one foot sticking out, marking him as the obvious culprit. The man still standing, named Jonas from what snippets of conversation Ray had heard, looked at him with a gaze of thunder. Ray’s grin didn’t lessen as he sized the Wave Guard up. He stood almost a full foot taller than Rayes with arms much thicker than his own. He moved with cautioun and knowledge of his own body, causing Ray to recognize him as a brawler, perhaps equal in skill to himself. He had come to the Kelp Bar to drink away anger, and with this new turn of events it looked like he would fight it out instead. A quick glance to the other, Henry, informed Ray that the man he’d decided to introduce to the “different” side of life was currently being hefted off the floor like a rag doll. Ray may have been a scoundrel, but he had his honor and he liked to think he took care of his friends. And telling someone about yourself over a pint and then kicking them into a fight without their consent definitely made them one of his friends. He flicked his gaze back to Jonas, slipped off the stool and threw his arms open. “Come on, then.” Jonas barreled towards him expertly, but Ray had no intention to engage just yet and threw the stool in front of the larger man’s path. It didn’t cause Jonas any damage, barely even tripped him, but it was enough for Ray to slip around him just in time to see Gale clock Henry in the cheek. “Hey, good for you!” he said, taking advantage of the Wave Guard’s startlement and adding his own punch. The quick succession of strikes gave Ray enough time to break the hold on Gale’s collar, but his time was made much shorter as he saw Jonas once more charging at him out of the corner of his eye. He grabbed a stool and handed it to Gale. “Takethisandhithimorrunandhidejustkeephimbusyhavefun!” He turned and ran to meet the oncoming tank, coat tails fluttering with finality. Gale would probably not get any more help from him tonight.

[Gale Austin McCenry]

Gale's mouth hung open slightly as he hand fell after the punch, it doing virtually nothing to the hard skinned Wave Guard. While Henry was dazed for a brief moment, Gale saw another hand zoom in, hitting the heartbroken guard. With Rayes' hands taking Henry's grip off of his shirt, Gale felt relieved for a moment. Then he felt a stool shoved into his arms. Gale hoped back slightly into a table he used for support, being off balance for a second at the new object shoved into his arms. Looking at the stool briefly before looking up at the man who got him into this mess, Gale was barely able to catch what he said.

Having no other object to defending himself, he looked back at the stood as if wondering how he was going to use this besides chucking it at him. Looking up at Henry as he gave a war like cry as he ran at him angrily. Gale's eyes widened once again as he gave a brief moment of involuntary immobilization. Snapping out of his shock as the large man charged him, Gale swung the stool, hoping it would make some sort of contact. Hitting the man on the shoulder, Henry weaved to his right slightly from the impact of the stool, but not enough to avoid Gale. With a chair leg from the stool snapping, Henry's body hurled into table, making the table tip over as Henry collapsed in it. Gale fell on Henry when the table tipped with a grunt and painful groan. He should have just went to the healer.

The blonde's gaze turned to Ray, showing a brief moment of the outcome of the charge before Henry pushed himself to his knees. Pulling his torso up so he didn't look like a rag doll laying on The Guard's back, Gale was now sitting on Henry. Henry straightened himself out, Gale sliding off his back and onto the ground with a thud and oof.

[Ray]

Jonas led with a left hook and Rayes ducked to wrap his arms around the man’s middle, sending them both spinning to the floor. As the lighter specimen Ray was able to land on top and give a grand total of three punches to his opponent’s face before the hammerlike fist struck him in the chest. He flew from the Guard and rolled to his feet with a wheeze, lungs suddenly constricted and ribs in a great deal of pain. Can’t take another love tap like that… Jonas stood smoothly, a gleam of victory in his eye, and Rayes took a moment to take stock of what was going on around them. Everyone who didn’t like brawls had either fled or taken cover, and the remained were forming a loose semicircle that trapped the four brawlers in front of the bar. Some were cheering, some shouting angrily, and still others shifted restlessly, anxious to get in on the fun. A few were eyeing Gale and Henry, no doubt disliking such a large man taking on such a small man, so the ex-student would probably survive the night without any serious injury occurring before someone else stepped in to defend him. Jonas and Ray, though, were a different matter. In brawling skill they seemed to be perfectly matched though the Guard had the advantage in sheer strength, and many of the onlookers just wanted to watch to see how it would turn out. As the pain his chest slowly faded, Ray and Jonas began to circle each other. Almost, almost… and then the pain was gone, and all thoughts of caution flew from Ray’s head. He straightened, bounced on the balls of his feet to loosen his shoulders and their dance began again.

[Gale Austin McCenry]

The man stood up and grabbed Gale's collar again, pulling him up to his feet, making Gale gasp at his ankle. Gale's head fell back when he was hit in the nose, blood now falling down to his lips. Gale pulled his head back and returned the favor, it making his hand ache again. It didn't do much to the body builder but Gale knew a way to make his hits count. After getting hit again on his bruising jaw, Gale jabbed the man in the eyes with his fingers. The man wailed, his free hand covering his watery, red eyes. Grabbing the hand that was attached to his shirt, Gale pried his fingers off and shoved the blind man back, making him hit the counter.


Henry, attempted to open his eyes to see as he made his way towards Gale again, half blind. When he was close enough and taking a blind swing at the widower, Gale leaned away, ending up laying on the table. Henry lifted his fists and smashed down on Gale's stomach. Gale yelled at the pain rushing through his stomach. Any harder and he would have lost his Kelp Beer. Gale pushed Henry back with his good leg, Henry stumbling back, allowing Gale to sit up with a moan in his aching body. Henry , however, didn't allow Gale to get off the table. The wet eyed brawler went back over to the table, grabbed the table edges and flipping it. Gale somersaulted off the table, landing on his back.

[Ray]

Hook, hook, duck, uppercut, back up. Rayes kept his toes light, focusing more on avoiding than proper blocking. With slight acrobatic skill, however small, his style had always used evasion more than anything else, and he did his best to use that to its full extent. Jonas was like a wall with arms, so the only chance the smaller man had was staying out of the way of those arms and landing as many heavy blows as he could. And that was not nearly as easy as it was supposed to be. They were matched exactly, toe to toe and fist to fist. They blurred around each other, matching every strike with a counterstrike and shrugging off the same amount of damage. They broke apart and stepped back, panting. Neither had yet gotten the upper hand despite numerous sore spots that would be black and blue in the morning and their audience was enjoying itself immensely. Fighters were tensed, waiting for someone to become the underdog so they would have cause to jump in. Since they were in identical positions Ray and Jonas allowed each other a mutual breather, and Ray looked over to where his bookboy companion was fighting. He grinned to see that Gale was still conscious and had his Henry in the eye. Well, looks like he might just do alright. Jonas straightened to signal that he was ready to start again and Ray mirrored him. The smaller man struck first, landing two quick blows to his enemy’s abdomen before he saw the fist coming from underneath. Jonas’ punch sunk into his stomach and stunned him long enough for the Guard to get his hands on the lapels of Ray’s jacket. Ray was aware of being in the air, and then whatever air remained was lost as he was slammed violently onto the top of the bar. His vision swam and his lungs burned urgently. He needed air. Ray writhed, but Jonas’ grip was firm. The blond brawler’s hand snaked out almost of its own accord, looking for something, anything. He needed out. He needed air. Now. Jonas wound up one arm for the blow that would end the fight, and Ray’s hand miraculously closed around the handle of the tankard he’d been drinking from. He rolled his head to one side to avoid the punch as it sailed down and then slammed the tankard into the back of the Wave Guard’s head with all his might. Jonas reeled and Ray took ahold of his jacket, yanking him down so he could slam his forehead into the larger brawler’s nose. He sat up as the Guard fell away from him, ignoring the colossal throbbing in his head, and used Jonas’ stunned state to uppercut him in the jaw. Jonas sagged, and Ray planted one foot on his chest and sent him crashing into a table and the chairs surrounding it. Ray spun to face the crowd. The small fight was over; now it was time for the big battle. Already someone was moving to attack while another was moving to intercept, and the fighter braced himself. It was time for chaos.