Solo A Grave Mistake.

[Alexander Faircroft]

33rd Spring 516av

11:37AM

Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"

The day had started off quietly and calm as any other. A cool wind blew but tinged with heat. The herald of summer and the beginnings of the world’s outlook on the good things. Alex smiled lightly things had happened that had made him a little wider and more understanding of the world. But to this day he’d never broken a vow he’d made to anyone or anything. Alex stepped into the open path between Syliras and the Mythrin outpost. A small ways out into the distance Alex veered off the beaten path, wanting to just enjoy being out in the wilds of nature for a bit. A moment’s respite. A small fragment of calm within the world’s ever churning storm of chaos.

The soft tranquillity of the small space he’d found coupled with the streaking sunlight. Alex smiled lightly, the silence a glorious thing. Alex perched on a stone nearby and drew his sword. He had no intent to hunt or track anything instead from a small pouch on his belt he drew a small stone and dragged it along the edge of the blade. Small sparks arcing off of the blade as he did so, the soft scrape of steel on stone the only thing breaking the silence. Alex closed his eyes and thought back on the events of the past. The dark moments of pain and the small flashes of bright joy. One far sparser than the other. Still he felt like he’d become a stronger person for it. A harder person for it, but not a changed one.

As Alex mused on the situation a scream caught his ears. Loud, piercing, but not feral. From a person not an animal. Alex slipped the stone into the pouch and took off through the trees, blade still drawn. He hurried as fast as the sheer volume of steel over his frame would allow him. In the distance a small plume of smoke rose cutting the sky in two with a thin black divider. Alex gripped the hilt of his blade harder and in his other hand began to strap the shield to his arm. He pressed his eight into his legs and muscled through he was now going as fast as he could. His foot falls despite being placed with a weight were controlled. Weighted to minimize the rattle of his armour and weapons. He was in a hurry but he was also trying to be silent.

[Alexander Faircroft]

Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"

Hidden in the shroud of the shadows Alex stopped near the edge of the site. Several bandits had assaulted a small wagon. The merchant and guards lay motionless on the ground, and the bandits began to rifle through the supplies. Alex stood stock still in the darkness watching the events. He flipped the sword in his hands stabbing the tip into the ground. Over his shoulder he slipped off the bow. Shifting his shield on his arm he tried to balance it drawing an arrow from his quiver he crouched lightly. Hoping to adjust the centre of mass and lessen the weight on his arm. Slow breaths. And each stick that passed lead him to believe that things were only going to turn worse. He exhaled slowly and loosed the arrow. It punched through one of the bandit’s knees, dropping him to the ground with an almighty yelp of pain. Alex pulled another arrow and took aim. The second bandit at the wagon now swung his eyes out into the darkness of the trees. Panicked and shaken. Right hold still, I can’t promise this won’t hut but it’ll keep you alive.

Alex paused, waited held until the last possible tick and then loosed. The arrow streaked through the air and plunged itself into the bandit’s knee, the opposite one to the One now lying on the ground screaming in pain. Two down, anymore? Almost like a rebuttal from the gods themselves a single bandit walked from the shroud of the wagon. Rising over the edge almost as if he’d been too busy with something else. A Myrian. A light bronzing to his skin, Alex still shrouded in the darkness thought he’d be ok until he head the voice.

“You in the darkness…Come out, yes I can see you.” The voice rang out loudly calling out like a roaring waterfall. The game was up. Alex had at least disabled his underlings. Alex slipped the bow back over his shoulder, and pulled his blade from the dirt, whipping the remaining mud off against a tree. A small shake to his hands. He’d heard just how good Myrian’s were at martial situations. Something in him was telling him to just run. To call for re-enforcements. Do something anything that would help him. But no Alex against all of his instincts stepped free from the darkness. The glint of the light shining on his steel plate. Alex squared off against the tattooed man before him. A half smirk on the bandit’s face. Alex however looked sharp and ready. Something told him this wasn’t going to end well.

[Alexander Faircroft]

Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"

The Distance between them held. A subtle hint of the situation passed between them. Alex’s fingers flexed around his sword as the Myrian picked up a short spear. Leather against plate, spear against sword. Alex swallowed dryly, shifting his footing he drew his sword up falling into stance. The Myrian smiled and leered at him. Nothing moved. Not even the wind. A dead pall held over the face off. And without warning the Myrian move. Faster than Alex had expected, faster than Alex would have thought possible for a man of his size. Alex barely managed to get his shield up in time feeling the steel screech at the impact of the spears edge. Ands soon as the strike landed Alex swung but caught Air as the Myrian rolled back and away from the swipe. Alex stepped around carefully shifting his eight with each motion. Making sure to not lift his feet too far from the ground, almost skating the surface with them. One wrong move here would mean he was in serious trouble.

Again the onslaught came a series of rapid thrusts from the Myrian. Alex shifted to the side, one screeching against his abdomen as he did, his shield soaking up another three of the rapid thrusts. Alex was in a bad spot he was out skilled and out speeded. The only thing he had going for him was his defence and the longer reach. Even that wasn’t enough as he’d learnt against ball. Wait. Ball. He had a plan. Alex exhaled slowly grunting lightly at the pain from the impacts on his arm. Alex shifted in and attempted to close the distance between himself and the Myrian. A plan well-constructed but poorly executed. As Alex stepped on to close the distance the Myrian stepped out. Alex was sloppy on the execution, creeping tendrils of fear were clawing at the back of his mind. A feeling of impending doom and dread began to linger over him. It was visible and the Myrian let out a laugh, or at least what Alex presumed to be a laugh. Too light to be a snarl and too guttural to be a laugh.

Alex was scared. He knew it he could feel his legs beginning to shake. He was being toyed with. Being played with. Alex paused a moment lifting his sword again and stepped around the Myrian and that did not work either. All of Alex’s simple and base tactics were failing him. He only wished he’d learnt more. Something to pull out in this situation something that he could use to save himself. But no right now he had to think on his feet. He had to plan something out that he hadn’t before. Beneath the steel of his gauntlets his hands felt cold. He was so out of his depth. Again another thrust came from the Myrian. Wide Alex caught it with his sword arm and pressed his upper arm against his chest holding the spear haft there. A ploy nothing more. The moment Alex was about to wing at the Myrian Alex felt his feet leave his grounding and he fell. Crashing against the ground again. A wince of pain on his face, and then a shooting pain up his arm.

The Myrian had stamped on the edge of his shield and his forearm had dislocated at the elbow. He screamed out in pain. His grip on his left arm fell slack and now the shield was weighting it down. Alex saw the Myrian looming overhead and as the spear thrust dame down at his head Alex swung his sword up and batted the blade away. Rolling his torso and body away he scrambled back to his feet his left arm hanging limp at his side. Right now doing nothing for him he took a moment to detach his shield lifting the latches on the belts to let it just fall. His arm now hanging limp by his side. Free form the extra weight. The pain on his arm lessened but still now he had no defence and one arm he couldn’t use.

[Alexander Faircroft]

Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"

He rest his bastard sword on his shoulder, poised to swing and focus his efforts on dodging. The Myrian paced. Toying, playing, and enjoying himself. Alex took a slow breath easing his muscles to relax. The Myrian raced towards Alex again, three sharp thrusts, two at the torso one at the face. Alex avoided the on to the head and the tow at the chest scraped off leaving trails of sparks in their wake. Alex took a wide swing and caught nothing but air. He needed to catch the Myrian in a way that would force a mistake. Alex slid his feet back and widened his stance and with reckless abandon charged the Myrian. Catching him off guard Alex swung his award at the spear knocking it away and grazing the Myrians arm in the process. The Myrian rolled away and stood opposite Alex again. A more serious look in his eye.

He ran at Alex throwing his spear Alex deflected it and readied for a counter strike but couldn’t make it in time. The Myrian tackled him to the ground and knocked the blade from his grip. His left arm splayed out on the ground next to him. The Myrian grinned presenting a pair of rows of sharpened teeth. And breath so hideous Alex threw up in his mouth a little. The Myrian turned ot the side and spotted Alex’s loosed sword. A cruel glint. Alex caught it. As the Myrian reached up for the sword he placed it across Alex’s throat and smirked watching the sharpened edge draw a trickle of blood from his neck. Alex swallowed dryly. Was this it? Was this where he died? Something within him snapped As the Myrian reeled the sword back thinking he’d win Alex drove a mailed fist into the Myrian’s face stunning him for just long enough to let Alex slip the dagger at his waist free and drive it into the Myrians chest. With a loud grunt he forced all the body weight he could to drag the blade down The Myrians chest. How blood washing over Alex. And in that split second he’d realized what he’d done.

The Myrian sloughed off of him and landed in a wet pile to the right hand side of Alex. The hilt of his dagger sticking out of the gut of the Myiran. Alex paused. He stared at his hands and saw the tainted crimson over them. No…No, no no, no no no, no no no no no! I didn’t…He…He’s dead. Alex felt a chill run down his spine. He looked into the lifeless eyes of the body before him. He pulled the dagger from the body. I…Killed him…No. Alex didn’t move. He felt the heat drain from him, the colour faded from his face. His world began to spin. He turned to the side and vomited. Heaving with each pulse, holding himself up with his right arm. His left still hanging limply at his side. The two bandits on the ground scrabbled to their feet and tried to hop away.

Alex didn’t even notice too distraught at what he’d done. The dagger now stood blade in the mud. Blood dripping and running down the edge of the blade. Alex picked up his sword and sheathed it as best he could before picking the bloodied and mudded dagger. Alex blinked hard. What had he done? This couldn’t be real. He’d wake up in his bed and snap awake from the nightmare. Something. Anything…But no. He shifted and his arm screamed at him. The reality then set in he’d taken a life. He’d stolen something that wasn’t his to take. He wanted to scream he wanted to reverse what had happened. But no. He couldn’t. He couldn’t take it back, and he couldn’t change it. And now he had to live with it.

[Devi]

Your Grades have arrived! Alex Skills: Philosophy: 1 Observation: 3 Running: 1 Endurance: 1 Stealth: 1 Weapon Skill - Longbow: 1 Tactics: 3 Weapon Skill - Bastard Sword: 2 Weapon Skill - Shield: 1 Acrobatics: 1 Weapon Skill - Dagger: 1 Lores: Tactics: Fighting someone with longer reach Endurance: Fighting through pain Tactics: The value of good footwork Event: My first kill Shield Points: +3 for helping people of the city – even if Alex didn’t arrive in time to save the merchant or his guards, he still did his duty in apprehending those responsible and preventing the theft of their goods. Comments: Well done Alex, this reads like the beginning of a really interesting story arc. It would be great to read more about this and to see how this impacts on Alex's daily life going forward! Let me know if you have any questions or feedback. Don't forget to edit your post in the Grade Request Thread to say it's graded and leave a link in there for the Storytellers. Happy Writing!