Completed Nothing is what it seems

[Chevalier]

The woman took in a deep swell of air, exhaling slowly as she prepared her response for the diligent Squire, "Hmph, is this the certainty of youth? Complete the mission at all costs, is it?" The tone coming from this woman of the wilderness appeared to be darkening. It was deeper and more forceful than the much more palatable diplomatic tone she had used previously. Although her voice was tensed, her body seemed quite relaxed, eerily so. Would a cornered convict of Syliras take flight? Was Nightshatter even a convict of any kind?

Markus wouldn't be able to concentrate on his own thoughts for too long, as suddenly the very ground beneath him began to shake. Like the jagged pillars he had seen leading up to the lone cabin in the deep woods, an earthen spear fired up from the place he once stood, his own honed Knightly reflexes carrying him just enough to keep his body in one piece. If his eyes dared to look down below, his skill with Djed manipulation might allow him to see the ethereal mist pouring from the woman's feet, wreathing outward from the open sandals she wore and spreading across the soil like a fine bed of fog.

"You move quite well for a Squire. Out of respect for the dedication you have to your training that kept you alive, I'll ask again that you turn back and simply reply to any superior that nothing remains of Nightshatter. If not..." she moved slightly away from the foundation of the cabin before slipping her arms from the sleeves of her robe, allowing the fabric to fall down limply to her waist. She wasn't nude beneath, instead a type of female undergarment appeared to cover her womanly upper parts. More interestingly however was a vast lattice work of complex tattoos that appeared to have been inked into her skin, from the collarbone down to her navel from what Markus could tell. The dark lines had a very precise angle to them, almost as if they were all part of some grander pattern.

"I will be unable to allow you to leave alive. I've gone many years existing peacefully with my dearest, thanks to solitude. I have placed clear indicators to drive away outsiders, but the density of a Squire's head is clearly immune to these visual cues. Make your choice before the water boils, as I don't wish for her to see what I will have done with you should you refuse." blading her body slightly the woman appeared to be moving into the militaristic hand-to-hand combat stance taught to the Syliran Knights.

[Markus Andres]

The woman certainly wasn't pleased with Markus stubbornness. That much was Markus able to read out of her before his attention was directed elsewhere. A strange shaking under him. His eyes went wide, but he didn't waste time standing around contemplating what underground predator was about to burst out and consume him. He leapt away from the strange shaking ground. His right hand already holding the hilt of his sword and had pulled it an inch clear of the sheath. For a brief moment he just looked dumbfounded at the strange earthen spear protruding from the ground. Then it dawned on him just how close he had been to dying. The woman continued to speak, but Markus hardly paid any heed to her words. For someone had just tried to kill him! He looked around the area. See if there were anyone else but the two. But he saw no clues. His eyes narrowed as he looked from the spear to the woman. There was no surprise in her body language. Not surprised at seeing the spear, at least. It was obvious who was the culprit. He was at a loss to what had transpired. She had attacked him? But why? But Markus, who usually looked forward to any fight, did not like the prospects of this one. He was a child of Zeltiva, he knew of mages. His mind went into overdrive trying to figure out a way out of the sticky situation. He needed to find a way to plunge the cold steel of his blade deep into her heart and stop her from ever producing another speck of djed. His eyes dared leave her for a brief moment, to look at the spear. Formulating some sort of basic tactic from that. Markus tilted his head when his eyes turned to her again. She started undressing. He wasn't in the mood, but he couldn't say he didn't find the prospect interesting. Then he saw the tattoos on her body. They did not appear to symbolise anything. It only made Markus dread her abilities as a mage even further. With her last verbal clue, it finally dawned on Markus that she herself was Nightshatter. Markus felt like a fool for not realizing it earlier. A moment later Markus scrapped his hastily formed plan. He could not kill her. He was to bring Nightshatter to Syliras alive. A task, he now realized, was going to be much harder than anticipated. He looked at her stance. A stance he had seen a lot of times. Knights used that stance when fighting unarmed, or some variant of the stance. That was when another thing dawned on the dense squire. She was a former knight? He did not enjoy the implied threat in her words. So many things happened at once. Markus needed time to react. To think! But he had no time. He just stared into the eyes of the woman. "Why not?" He simply asked. "Is it not high time she learns that you greet strangers, who come wishing no ill will, with death?" He let it hang in the air for a brief moment. "Must be something you picked up after leaving Syliras and the knights." Once again, hoping for a reaction. For if she fought like a Syliran knight, he would be not only against a formidable magician, but also a formidable hand to hand fighter. Markus let a small breath of air escape his lips as his muscles tightened under the heavy armour. Part of him wanted to just get it over with. Fight the fight and see who would win. But he couldn't kill her! That meant he would hesitate every single second. Even if he managed to knock her out... He couldn't keep doing that until they reached Syliras. She would be so brain damaged that they would have no use for her. Then he remembered her daughter, he couldn't leave her out here to fend for herself! "What happens to your daughter? If something should happen to you? You expect her to survive out here alone?" He paused to let the fact sink in. "Syliras is a far safer than this place will ever be. Even with you around to protect her. You said it yourself, this is a dangerous place." His green eyes staring hard into hers. Markus had no idea if he was just wasting his breath trying to be diplomatic about it. He tried, desperately, to appeal to her logos. For he didn't see a viable path through the strength of arms.

[Chevalier]

"Hmph. Finally got the big picture, hm? I suppose this day was coming, the Windoak is persistent like that. It's the only reason I haven't worked harder to deceive you...if I did you'd simply return one day with more information. What a pain that wait would be. Best to take care of things now." she sighed, a hand coming up to rub her temples in frustration. She wanted to believe such a situation would never occur, that she could simply live in the wilds alone with her dearest forever. What a fool she was.

"Although it shouldn't have been so difficult to understand. I hated the title 'Sera'. So they just ended up calling me Isabella, unless we were being formal. Then it was my rank and my name. Knight Isabella Shatter. Knight Shatter." she explained. The vocalization of her name had apparently turned into Nightshatter. "I never wanted to leave the Knights. We had traveled far to the northeast, toward Ravok. There was a strong disturbance in the flow of Djed, something my Wing was to investigate. Turns out the disturbance was because of Nyka, and it also turned out whatever that city does to make sure a signature upon the world draws all sorts of creatures. That was years ago." it seemed now the woman had no shortage of information to give Markus, but for what end? Her body was still clearly tense, although her lips had loosened quite noticeably.

"I was young, and foolish. Injured and stuck in a place I didn't understand I just...stayed. Of course I planned on making my way to give my report when I was well enough, but then I met her. Things changed. I still know damn well what happens when you fail to return to duty, and I won't be taken away from her. I cannot allow it. Even if it's just years in the mines, not being able to watch her grow up...I won't...I can't do it..." clearly the woman was conflicted, as if Markus' words were having an effect, but there were still very valid concerns she had for her future, as well as the future of her adopted daughter.

"I don't want this..." she seemed regrettable about her actions, but it didn't stop her from raising her right arm, which had apparently turned int something reminiscent of a beasts claw. The tattoo lines drawn upon her body shimmered slightly, thick scales appearing upon her skin, the soft flesh fading away as it was replaced by a leathery hide. "...but if I had to choose between you and her, I'll choose her. Her protection...it can only come from me! Years ago I couldn't protect her, but not now. I am twice what I was under the employ of the Knights. There is nothing in this Gods forsaken Wilds I can't slay. That includes you. Last chance, sympathize with me, go back on your way, and tell them I'm long dead. Please. Give me your word!" Isabella had found it difficult to keep her voice down now, tears starting to come to her eyes. The little wonderland she had created for herself and her child was starting to crumble, and she didn't want to see that future end.

[Markus Andres]

Markus let the fallen knight speak. He had little more to contribute to the conversation. He had tried the diplomatic method and he was not eloquent enough to try and persuade her any more. It was down to strength of arms. He took a deep breath as the women continued. He was quite shocked to realize that her name wasn't Nightshatter, but rather just Shatter. Or Isabella. Markus felt conflicted about the woman and her plight. He felt that the woman was hysterical. Life in Syliras was far better than anything that could be achieved in the wilderness. There could be no doubt about that. But he still felt an honest pity for the woman. Her speech of how she had fallen played with his emotions. It was unfortunate, but his duty to the knights came before any pity he felt for a woman. He had been tasked with bringing this woman before the Windoak. "Why didn't you just return with her?" He asked. Mostly himself. Was there something special about the child he had not noticed. The child was special, she had broken a knight and turned her into a house-mom. Markus eyes widened a bit. Broken a knight. Knight shatter... Markus immediately dismissed the thought. The girl was no mage. His target was the woman, Knight Isabella Shatter. With the thought dismissed, Markus noticed what was going on with the woman's body. He tilted his head and looked at how her appearance changed. Her arm. Changing right before him. It was frightening. Those odd tattoos, tribal markings had he thought first, glowing. They appeared to be much more than mere tribal markings, like those of the horse people in the south. With eyes staring wide, Markus felt a fear creep down his spine. This woman was truly a master of magic. Markus bit his teeth together. For once, there was a battle he was truly not looking forward to fight. She gave him a last chance. Markus was still looking at the leathery beast arm of hers. "No lands, but Ravok are forsaken by the gods. The Windoak demands you uphold your duty and return to Syliras, Isabella. The Knights might sympathize with you, but I will not, can not forsake my duty. " Markus spoke, his voice becoming more determined as he spoke. His eyes went from her arm to her eyes. Seeing the tears. Markus felt it tug at his heart, but he steeled his will. He was to become a knight! "Promise that you will take good care of Alluia should you win." Markus said nodding in the direction of the war horse behind him as he unsheathed the bastard in a single fluid motion. He would wait for a response before going into action. He tightened his shield arm. His eyes were kept between her and the ground. She had the earth as her ally in this fight. He could not forget that. Nor could he forget that the woman was actually a mage and a former knight. It would be the toughest fight of his life. And he could not kill her, or he would fail his quest. He sighed and went into his regular stance. Left side leading. Shield protecting his body. Sword poised to strike at demand.

[Accolade]

Isabella wasn't surprised by the squire's words, in fact they were just what she expected. She knew his answer, she had always known...from the moment that she decided not to return to Syliras, the woman knew that they would come for her some day.

It was inevitable, these were not mere mortals shredding their vows and going back on their words. These were men and women entangled with Gods, and an order that was far older than either of them. There would be no backing down, or changing of sides, it was just as important to Isabella to stay with her child as it was for Markus to bring her in...or even more so.

"Understand something squire, I'm no longer with the Order. I don't fight with the same rules and although my conviction may have wavered, my resolve has never been stronger. I will take you down and I won't hesitate to bury you under stone if I have too."

The mage and former Syliran Knight held her stance and watched the squire's movements. She hoped in vain that he would listen, that he could have it within him to walk away, but it wasn't to be. The woman watched with narrowed eyes as he drew his weapon and readied himself for a duel. Isabella sighed softly, a huff of breath that barely escaped his lips and she tightened her muscles before she looked upon him with a final word.

"So be it...I will look after your horse."

And with that, she charged him, a quick dash towards the squire. The mage lowered her shoulder and rammed it directly into Markus, and in one fluid motion, extended her morphed-beast arm in an upward arch towards his body. There was a thud, as she clashed with the squire, fully putting her strength behind her moves. It was a fight to the end now, and she had to let all else go in order to fight without fear...or perhaps that was the one emotion behind her strength.

"Leave here now!"

Isabella warned the squire again, as she jabbed her boot into his knee, using it also to lift her up to where she could come down upon him with a club-like blow with her leather-spiked arm. "You won't win this fight squire! You won't, it will take more than your basic tactics to stop me!"

[Markus Andres]

What madness had inflicted this woman, Markus did not know. But she was not well. None that consciously betrayed the knights could not be well. It was to betray Syliras. Betray the gods. Betray life. To help the cursed Rhysol. But Markus sighed heavily when she agreed to take care of Alluia should he be defeated. In any other battle, Markus would have been confident he could walk out of there as the winner. But she was a mage. And mages had a natural talent for messing things up. Turning everything that made sense upside down. Bring chaos to an ordered universe. Magic complicated everything. With that sigh, Markus left behind any resignation he would have had fighting this woman. She may be a lone mother, but Markus could take the child to Nyka or Syliras. She might hate him for life, but he could bear that burden. He would have to. But he really hoped it would never come to such an extreme. For his orders had been clear. Bring her back. alive. But he had failed in that regard. He was not certain he could defeat her without going for killing strikes. He did know he could win even if he did so! The woman was quick. Markus realized this as she covered the distance between them before he was ready for the attack. The next moment she had breached his slumbering defence and entered his personal space. Although the woman was on the attractive side of things, he would rather not have her that close. Markus stepped instinctively back with his right and braced for impact. He felt the impact as she slammed into him. The actual force of the power he felt, but he felt none of the pain. His armour made sure of that. Something collided with the armour further down. The armour protected him from the worst of her attacks. If not all of it, but Markus felt the power behind those attacks. A huge knight like him having to step back to brace for impact. Petching mage The mage stepped up on his knee. Markus feet would slide across the ground as he pressed against the ground and most muscles in his body tensed as he raised his shield close to his body. Markus wore no helmet. Anyone fighting without a weapon would naturally strike at his head. The metal toothed heater shield's edge would be slammed directly up into the descending elbow or if Markus timed it wrong, just have her arm bounce off of the shield. Markus let out a grunt as he forced the shield up with all of his strength. Hopefully he could dislocate her arm the elbow or better yet, break it entirely. But Markus did not rely on hope alone. His feet slid across the ground again as his right side of his torso went forward and the shield side withdrew and the shield went to the left. Right arm swinging forward with the body in a tight arc. As the body stopped turning, his arm and shoulder did not flew forward in a close range punch. His feet dug into the ground a little as the power from the ground went through his gauntleted' fist and sword flew in close at her stomach in an uppercut. The sword turned away from the woman. The arm would dip outside his shield and his aim was to hit her abdomen or lower ribcage. Do some massive damage to her ribs or lungs so she could not breathe properly. Unless that strange clothing of hers or her powers would shield her from his strike, then he hoped he could cause some pain. It was the best way to end the fight and disrupt her focus on her magic. Nothing like pain to distract a mage from the taxing task of manipulating djed. Markus knew this first hand. A mage without control of their djed, was a harmless mage. "Not alone." Markus firmly responded under his breath. Markus had turned his shield so it was no longer in front of his body, but rather perpendicular to his own body when he had pulled it back for the uppercut. His sword arm would pull back. Markus was an aggressive fighter. Not relenting the offensive just because it was a mother. Both feet planted solidly in the ground so his balance and centre of gravity was secure. Markus would once again turn his body, pull the right side back and the left forward to strike at the woman. The shield would slam forward with the metal edge first at whatever was in front of him at the time. The edge of the shield would be painful to be struck with and Markus' intention was not to hit a specific part of her body, just any part that would push her away and outside this close range combat would be ideal.

[Accolade]

Isabella unleashed a hard attack on the squire, but he was able to deflect most of it with his shield. She wasn't surprised however, it wasn't as if the Knights sent weaklings off to handle business. But just as Markus was a well trained fighter, so was she and her strength wasn't a short coming. The upper cut from Markus was well placed, but the mage did see it coming before he struck. Although she couldn't move out of the way, she did have time to curl her other arm into to block and take off some of the damage that was meant to knock her out.

The woman stumbled backwards, the pain apparent in her face, but even in this, it didn't stop her swinging her armored limb towards him again to keep him off. Again and again her arm clashed with his as he took the lead in their fight. Isabella sucked in a breath quickly and shoved her foot towards his chest. She had figured he'd raise his shield again, and when he did she used it to pushed off and slid backwards while putting distance between them.

"Is that all they taught you? Have you no more? In that case I should just end this here."

She snarled lightly and lifted her arms, and turned her palms upward. The res within her started to pour outward, like a fine sand slinking downward to settle in with that which lied below. Isabella focused her res and drowned it deep into the soil of the ground before putting it to use. With the narrowing and focus in her eyes, she willed the earth to react to her command, creating large spikes that judged out of the earth, one after the other in a line heading towards Markus. At the same time, there were more spike rising from the ground and circling around her in a semicircle.

[Markus Andres]

The woman was quick. Her arm skilfully blocking the metal from crushing ribs. His shield moved to intercept her desperate swing and it was too late that Markus realized there was a purpose behind this swing. For the push he felt against the heater shield told him that his opponent was no longer in the vicinity. She had prudently decided to retreat and Markus, partly hoping for a peaceful resolution to this pointless fight, did not pursue her. A decision he bitterly regretted moments later. Her words, full of mockery and insults to the proud young squire. His eyes narrowed upon the woman. He wished to open his mouth and return her mockery tenfold, but although the goddess of wisdom had not bestowed much of her grace upon him, his lacklustre sense of wisdom beckoned him to hold his tongue. Not provoke the mage further. That was when he realized that the blow to her lower arm was not sufficient to disrupt her concentration on her djed. Earthen spikes protruded from the ground in a direct line for him. Narrow eyes turned wide and instincts had Markus jump aside. The heavy squire landing somewhat ungracefully on the ground. But he did not stand still, lest he wanted another spike in his direction. His feet kept him moving. Not like some fool directly away from her, that would make him an easy target. He ran sideways. Circling the petching mage, keeping his shield between him and her. As the feet carried the heavy knight out of the spikes' path, he noticed a similar set of spikes around her. Forming a barrier of sorts between him and her. Complicating things further. Seriously... Petching mage. Desperation upon desperation, Markus was at a loss as to what he would do. What little he knew of mages was mainly in how to avoid them getting the possibility to unleash their full powers in your direction. Judging from the rapidly alterations of the terrain surrounding the mage, he had failed particularly in this aspect of the fight. The young tactician knew that winning a straight up fight without killing her, especially now, were slim to null. Still, he would try. Right hand threw the blade to the left hand. Awkward holding both the blade and shield like that, but it was a temporary solution. For the right hand moved in close to his side and drew the other blade he carried. Suddenly the squire stopped his evasive makeovers twisted his front to face the mage. The dagger flung directly at her. Probably only to get stopped by the spikes, but at this time, he was at a loss to how to break through her defences. It demanded a change of tactics, for he was not going to get close to that spiked defence. ”Just stop this madness and give in! Why would I bring you back alive if they were only to kill you? Why would they give a rat's ass whether you died here or in Syliras, Isabella? They want you back alive.” Markus pleaded to her sense of logic as his legs pumped under him and kept him moving.

[Accolade]

Isabella concentrated more, keeping the wall of spikes around her as well as another trailing the squire. Markus may not have noticed it, or he did and that was the reason that he kept moving. Isabella curved the line of spike that snapped from the ground to follow the squire as he moved. Soon an odd pattern started to form in the ground creating some kind of tiny labyrinth around the two.

"Just give up! Go home Squire!"

She watched him move about, trying to stay out of the line of spikes that followed him. It was a risky move to make using so much of her power, but she had to defeat him. Isabella turned just in time to see the dagger darting towards her, and the woman jumped to the side to avoid and also giving up her advantage. The wall and twirling of spike extending from the ground slowly started to peel away, one by one they fell revealing more of Isabella's form as they did.

"You are still young squire, you don't know the Order as I do. Rules are set in place for a reason and the Order will up hold theirs at all cost. You may not understand squire there are things worse than death. But if you won't listen, let's just end this now."

Suddenly Markus would fill a pang, a sudden pressing sensation, pushing into his back. Once he turned around he would see the same young child that he had before standing only a few feet away from him. She was without her ax, and as he realized this, he would also realize what was sticking out of his back. She looked scared, eyes widen and knees almost bucking in. She wanted to run again, but she wouldn't leave her mother.

"Leave my mommy alone!"

[Markus Andres]

The brief pause Markus had as she spoke, as the spikes fell apart and returned to their original state had left Markus somewhat breathless at the sight. Such a rapid and violent altercation to the land with such little time to prepare. If it was not for his innate dislike of people abandoning the order, he would have held respect for her, now it was just awe at the power she wielded mixed with a little sadness at the power was lost to the knights if he did not convince her to return. The implied threat in her final five words had Markus react by quickly raising his sword hand with the palm outward. Trying to halt the lady before she could attack him. But it was too late, a pressure from behind had him straighten his back and grit his teeth at the pain. Markus figured it to be a spike like the others, a dishonourable stab in his back by the woman. Markus turned with the sword swinging through the air. A steadily rising arc to cut the spike apart and hopefully remove her control of the spike before she could further impale him. But there was no spike. Already turned to harmless earth? Had Markus come a couple of years later or the girl grown any taller, she would have become a head shorter then and there, Markus' blade narrowly avoided the little girl with much less than an inch to spare. Barely had the shock of him almost killing the little girl settled in before a sharp jolt of pain from his back made him focus again. He pushed against the ground hard in the direction of the little girl. He had to get her out of the way. Couldn't fight the mother while a little girl meandered around the battlefield. Lowering himself as he moved toward the house and the implied safety, he would attempt to pick up the little girl and drop her inside the room. Had he known that she had been the one who had attacked him, he might not have been as gentle when he puffed her into the house and shut the door in front of him. Back in pain from the connected strike. The movement made it worse, but he had had worse and he could not afford to slow down. He did not hear the sound of an axe landing on the ground. Did not realize what had struck him. "Listen you crazy shyke." Markus said as he moved in a circular pattern again around the woman. "I just put your daughter out of harm's way. I, a simple squire, could have torn your peaceful life away from you and made your existence pointless. You ready to listen to reason? The order might uphold the rules, what of the Windoak? IT sent me here to get you. To bring you back to it alive." Markus paused for a moment. He had already been fooled once by the night shatter thing. Her being Knight Shatter. A peculiar thought struck him and it seemed almost impossible, yet did not sound illogical, just far fetched. The girl had shattered a knight, turning her into this... crazed woman before him. Was the girl Nightshatter? Markus shook his head once more. Too far fetched and imagine the laughing stock he would be returning with a girl. "Why should the Windoak care for the rules? Would it not supersede the rules of the order? Would it not protect you from the consequences were your services truly needed?" Markus said angrily. He could have taken the girl hostage and brought this conflict to an easy end. Instead he still tried reason. Giving up now, would be nothing short of treason. "But let me make this clear. If that display of magic was all you got, you won't be winning this battle." He said as anger and confidence rang clear in his voice. Still moving. Still trying to keep her off balance and unable to get a stationary target to focus upon. Every single movement brought pain to the front of his mind, but it was promptly and repeatedly pushed to the back of his mind.