[The Bronze Woods] IV. Unleashed

[Razkar]

Continued from here



6th Day of Summer
Half a mile west of the Sukina Geysers
14th Bell

Gone was the waiting, the lethargy, the restless, roiling inactivity that had been scratching at his soul for too long. Gone was the stealth and subtlety of ambush. Vanished and ill-remembered were all the shackles of civilization that he had chafed under for days, for seasons.

Blood arced and iron-tipped arrows flew and with much hue and cry and furious movement, blessed war came to the clearing in the Bronze Woods.

Razkar of the Shorn Skulls grinned behind his taut bow, and began to pray.

His second arrow found the neck of a sellsword's horse, animal rearing and screaming piteously, blood gushing from the wound. Razkar knew himself to be warrior, but he was merely proficient with the bow, not superlative as he was with his ax and gladius. Aiming for the larger, broader target of the horse as opposed to the rider was a much sounder strategy-

-and, as the sellsword fell to the ground with a roared curse, much more effective.

But surprising as their ambush was, their targets were no helpless pilgrims who would break and flee. Riders spurred their mounts towards their hidden line of archers, even as Razkar and the others snapped off arrows at them. Crossbowmen took aim and Razkar jerked behind a tree, hearing the low, deadly thunk of a bolt bury into the wood.

"FUBUKI!" He roared as he drew what he promised would be his last arrow. "MEN WITH CROSSBOWS AND MEN DRIVING WAGONS! NOW!"

A laugh that made his very teeth ache and shiver answered him, and he sidestepped from his cover, bow already raised-

-seeing two of the five wagon drivers already fallen or bleeding, wagons motionless, the ones behind them trapped and drivers screaming at their horses, beating them with their reins-

-and a gigantic, hooded figure on a white stallion bellow an order to one of the covered carts.

"GET OUT HERE, GODS FUCK YOU ALL!"

Arrows flew and horsemen charged but even in the chaos Razkar was pleased to see that the focus of the sellswords was solely on their side of the clearing. Kaie was whirling and screeching in their midst, but Daelyn, Solin and Kyra and himself were their targets-

-not Ekvan and his men, still silent and hidden on the opposite side... for now.

A little closer... closer...

Razkar let fly the last arrow at a horseman charging him, bastard sword raised, arrow burying into the horses leg and it staggered, trying to charge with only three solid legs now-

-falling in an almighty, screaming heap of horse flesh and tumbling rider, the human bowling over its head, rolling-

"FOR MYRI!"

Razkar tossed his bow aside and leaped over the hidden stakes, gladius and ax flashing in the sun seeping through the canopy above them all. He bore down on the fallen rider at a straight run, furious human's features melting at the sight of-

A monster from the dark jungles, leather armor his only trapping of civilization, steel filling his hands, tattooed arms whirring and pumping, inked and screaming face contorted like a demons.

The human jerked up his sword as he rose to one knee, only for Razkar's ax to batter it out of the way with a backhanded blow-

-gladius thrusting towards him, into him, through him-

-impaling the human with a grinding of cracked ribs, twisting the blade and ripping open a ragged hole.

More.

The Myrian ripped his blade free and kicked the dying human back, running on, closing with his enemy, somewhere between suicidal stupid and legendary brave, feet pistoning as more armored figures massed-

-and a dozen more erupted from the back of the covered cart, fresh from the ride and all wielding weapons.

Razkar grinned at these fresh offerings, and gave silent thanks to Myri even as he licked the blood from his blade. Then he ran on, desperate to close the gap and make worship.

OOCGet out there and KILL SOMETHING!

[Fubuki Kouri]

So it began, Kaie had began the first strike by slitting down one of those petching slavers. The ground shall ran red with slaver's blood today! Kouri's eyes went wide as wide as it could be in battle lust and her metallic familiars whirred and spun, eager to shed blood for their master. "FUBUKI! MEN WITH CROSSBOWS AND MEN DRIVING WAGONS! NOW!" Razkar's cue was answered with a psychotic haunting laughter that echoed all over the area, the high-pitched girlish nature of the voice made a sick combination with the absolute bloodlust accompanying it. "Ahaha... AHAHAHA!! AHAHA!! AHAHA!! AHAHAHAHAHAHEHEHEHEHEH!!" And the phantom little girl launched herself from the trees like an arrowhead, giant metallic hornets whirring and revolving around their master. Her first targets were.... It doesn't matter! She would kill them all! "DIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!" "What the petch?!" "Up there!" "Shykes Shykes Shykes!!" Sounds of bewilderment and utter shock fell upon her would-be victims, the crossbowmen definitely did not expect an aerial assault from a... little girl wearing a dress nonetheless, her reptilian glowing crimson red eyes and billowing white hair that acted as a body-size cobra hood struck the ranged fighters off guard, they frantically reload and tried to shoot the fast-approaching cackling ghost. *Woooosh!* *Wooosh!* The crossbowmen weren't novice for sure as those bolts would hit Kouri if she were a bird kelvic, but she was a ghost and the bolts phased harmlessly through her ethereal form "I-DI-OOOOOOT~♪" Even in battle, she still had the time to mock her enemies... no, more like murder victims. Those wagon drivers and crossbowmen were just a few feet from her now, ripe for the reaping. "THERE!!" With a command, a chakram launched itself and *GNASH GNASH GNASH GNASH!!!* cut clean a crossbowman's neck and launched his head clean off, beautiful red fountain now replaced his head. "NEXT!!" Without turning around, two chakrams made an arching motion and *STAB!* stab a crossbowmen's neck behind her in a simultaneous motion, his neck was fatally punctured by cold hard steel from both sides. She then violently ripped the two chakrams from the man's neck, beautiful crimson faucet were created. Two down, more to go. "Ehehehe~" Kouri elegantly bowed as her bloodstained chakrams returned to her side. Finishing the first part of her deadly dance, two had been dying to see her and now... Wait, did she just heard sounds of horse footsteps? A wagon driver were trying to get away. "Nuh uh uh~♪!" Kouri shook her head and quickly vanished form her location. "WHAT THE PETCH?!" The particular wagon driver couldn't believe his eyes, a little girl just appeared right in front of him, cheerfully smiling like she was playing a game. "Hello~♪" Kouri greeted the wagon driver then she materialized herself and... *PSSSSSSSSH!!* pressed both of her fingers to his eyes, sounds akin to dry ice chilling a warm surface could be heard. Screams of pain and agony erupted from the particular driver as both of his eyes were utterly destroyed, he lost control of his rein and the horse went into chaos. "KYAAAHAHAHAHAHA!! SCREAAAAAAAAAAM!!! SCREAM FOR MEEEE!" While enjoying the man's agony, Kouri combined her chakrams into twin greater chakrams each made out of eight daggers, she then positioned the greater chakrams at each side of the horse below her and... *SQUIIIIIIIIISH!!!* utterly sawed the horse's neck from the sides, her twin greater chakrams acted like buzz-saws, ravaging the flesh, muscles, and jugulars. The horse's head came clean off his neck and it immediately fell down with the blind rider still on it, the wagon abruptly crashed to the ground. Slaves were panicking and murmuring at the murderous ghost before them. "Kyaaaahahahaha!!" Kouri cackled and her crimson eyes spotted the two living wagon drivers left, obviously screaming for help and assistance. "TURN TO SHYKES, SCUM!!" Kouri held out her hands and each of her twin greater chakrams went to opposite directions. *STAB!! STAB!!* One stab the fourth wagon driver in the heart and the other one punctured the final wagon driver's forehead. She then ripped her greater chakrams out of those petcher's flesh, used them to finish off their horses by stabbing their forehead and brought them back to her shoulders. The horses went out of control and they fell down along with their riders. "Help me! Help! Heeeeelp!" The previously blind driver was trapped under his dead horse's body and was clawing the ground, screaming frantically for salvation. With four drivers dead and the last one paralyzed for life, Kouri floated down and patted the blind driver's head with her right hand. "There there~ It's going to be al..." Two steel daggers separated themselves from the chakram formation and "...right!" they stabbed the already ravaged eye sockets of the poor sod, finishing him off. Two crossbowmen and three wagon drivers, not bad for a start. Kouri flew up above the ground to gain a bird-eye's view on the battlefield, she was satisfied with her beautiful handiwork and extended her hands to the side, revolving her chakrams around herself and cackling psychotically. "WHO'S NEXT?!!"

[Solin]

When the first scream echoed in the cool morning air, soon after the second scream was heard. Solin stood up holding his composite short bow in his left hand. He lifted his bow and aligned the tip of the arrow with the head of the fourth wagon's wagon driver. He decided it was best to aim at a larger target, so he aimed at the side of the man's abdomen. He was grateful all the attention was on Fubuki and the Myrians because it gave him time to line up his shoot. Pulling back the bow string to his cheek, he took a deep breath to clear his mind and he release his arrow. Solin watched the arrow soar to his target, but the arrow didn't sail towards his attendant target, the side of the man. It veered slightly lower and hit the driver in his hip. The kelvic swore to himself, pulled another arrow from his quiver, and placed it on his bowstring. Solin lifted his bow once again, and he smiled to himself when the driver turned to look at the arrow in his hip. The driver gave him a larger target to fire at, so he pulled back the bow string to his cheek, aligned the arrow with the man's chest, and released his arrow. Solin watched the arrow fly towards it attended target, but the arrow veered downward and landed in the man's stomach.

Seeing the driver rolled off the wagon, Solin eyes flicker to a crossbowman on top of the fourth wagon taking aim at him. He quickly ducked behind his tree as he heard the bolt thunk into the tree. Grabbing another arrow, he saw the crossbowman starting to reload. He smiled to himself when he had to stand up to reload it. Solin took aim his chest, pulled back his bowstring, and released the arrow. The arrow flew towards his target, but it veered up to high and hit the crossbowman in the shoulder. As Solin readied another arrow and aimed at his chest, the crossbowman stumbled back from force of the first arrow. The crossbowman reached into his quiver at his side and placed the bolt on the crossbow. As the mercenary lifted his crossbow to fire, Solin pulled back his bowstring and released his arrow. The arrow soared towards it's attended targeted, and it hit the crossbow in the chest. Solin smiled to himself when he stumbled back and fell off the back of the wagon.

Moving into a different position, Solin quickly kept low in the underbrush as he crept besides a fallen tree. When he heard the sound of charging horses, he stood up and took aim at the closest horse rider. Solin ducked back behind the tree, and he heard the sound of charging horses coming at them. When he heard sound of horses charging the group, he pulled another arrow from his quiver Pulling his bowstring back to his cheek, Solin aimed his arrow at the middle of the abdomen of the large black four legged beast. He released the arrow and watched as the arrow hit the front hip of the horse. The horse reared up in pain, and the horse rider lost balance and fell off the the horse. He knew it wasn't a killing blow, but he needed to get the horse riders off their horse wear their a more vulnerable for the melee warriors. Deciding to move back into his old position, he crouched low and quickly moved back to large oak tree by the tree with the bolt in it.

[Kaie]

This hollowed ground had quickly become a bathing basin for the Goddess Queen. A bloodbath for the beloved deity to bathe in, to drink from the gore her children spilled along the ground. It was Kaie's first offering to Myri and she was determined to make an impression. In their profit driven crusade, Kaie was blessed with the opportunity to lead the charge. A flirtatious display of a despaired barbarian girl lost in the woods had earned her the first kill. Her first blood. What happened there taught her an important lesson. One her family had drilled into her head whenever she spoke of visiting these foreign lands. Stereotypes could be just as powerful as trust. The way barbarian girls made themselves out to be defenseless, pitiful creatures made it easier for men who had come to believe this idea vulnerable.

Considering other than her skin tone and appearance, Kaie didn't have all the typical Myrian trademarks. No tattoos and only ear piercings. An ignorant passerby would probably never connect her with the violent stories of her people, and this gave her an advantage. One she capitalized on savagely. It had been such a glorifying experience for her. The way the knife drew so smoothly along the throat, blood pouring down the soft flesh like she had broken a fragile dam. It was an odd thing to Kaie, how easy it was to take a life. For what better sacrifice was there to Myri than the reaping of life, gifting her with the deprivation of their stolen chance to pursue their dreams. Tearing their born privileges from their hands like bread from a child. Their bonds, relationships, experiences, and their very futures. All gone. All for the Goddess Queen. As that first victim hit the dirt with a sickening thud, realizations flooded her being. The knowledge was instantaneous, the effect her deed had breathed life into her. It was like she had been choking through life and oxygen had only then been returned to her. Within her hollow center a flame was lit and oh how brightly it glowed within her. That angry wildfire that crackled and burned like Ivak's very own beast. It rushed through her veins quicker than the dry woods in these barbarian lands when they caught fire. Only when she began feeling the crimson liquid pool at her feet was the Myrian warrior truly birthed.

Then she snapped. Crouched over the paling body, Kaie switched her grip on her knife to point the end toward the ground. A reverse grip. The first man rushed with a grief filled cry and a longsword raised. A close friend maybe? Odd considering their line of work. Nonetheless he came with the recklessness of an infuriated Tskanna and his idiocy was rewarded with a swift slice across his tender side before he could reach her. She had rocketed forward past his flank so quickly, he hadn't even a chance to realize his injury until she had buried her weapon in the base of his neck from behind. Tearing it out, he dropped just as quickly as him companion.

"Rule Number One: Control your emotions in battle," She recited her fathers words in her head while she finished the deed and prepared for the next. A burly man of large physique and a heavy beard masking most of his face. Cutlass in hand, he faced her with a solid expression of animosity. One that could only be matched by her own. "Rule Number Two: Always maintain your awareness. Always," She reminded herself again, finding a new problem with her position. Sure she had her back toward her comrades who were firing their arrows with precision, but now the battle was starting to really begin. How long would it be until the men approaching her flank closed her in the middle and cut her off? Or worse, buried a sword in her back? That's when she heard a familiar voice cry out in the name of the Goddess Queen. Kaie had no patience for the barbarian group still hiding in the forests, but she had looked Razkar and her comrades in the eyes. She had searched their souls and though she didn't know a single one of them truthfully, she allowed them a smidgen of rare trust. Solin seemed genuine and steady, Kouri was insane but had proven herself to Kaie once before, and Razkar was not only a fellow child of Myri but he was also skilled and lived the Myrian way. In battle, your comrades are all you have against the enemy.

Now the man made his move which was surprisingly quick considering his stocky build. He jammed it forward at her sternum and she drop stepped to avoid a premature end, eyes wide as the iron began to glide past her. "Block and counter!" Her father's voice growled in the empty air for her ears alone, coaching her like she was that seven year old girl again. Dutifully, she obeyed and let her free left arm glide down the man's as he proceeded with his attack, blocking the path of the sword and redirecting it past her. Continuing, she slid her arm down until her hand clasped the wrist and tugged the arm roughly past her. With his balance altered, she quickly came through, ripping the man's arm up and over his head to make room for her as she shoved her knife into his super-sternal notch. Removing her knife caused another waterfall of blood to pour from flesh. Strength gone, Kaie released the sword hand when he was no longer a threat to her. Another body hitting the floor. More fuel to her fire.

Amber eyes burning with her warrior spirit, Kaie's blood began to boil more intensely as each droplet of blood was spilled by her hand. She was the vessel of fury now. The manifestation of rage on the battlefield. She hardly cared if she was the lone foot soldier. She had trained for this her whole life. This right here was who she truly was. A blood driven savage for the barbarians to fear. Their scalps were hers. Their lives were hers. They belonged to her. Each slice of her knife was like a bloody branding. The mark of a sacrifice. Now technique and skill had combined with Kaie's born belligerence. She was a hurricane. A whirling monster of speed and iron driven only to kill. She could not be reckoned with nor bribed from this job. This right here, all of it, was purely out of passion. She was an artist spilling red across the canvas. Too focused on her task to be easily overcome and intimidated. Even when the enemy archers arrived, her vision was never altered. Her state of mind was constant and fast moving to adapt to each opponent. Besides, she knew just as well as everyone else that there was too much risk for them to shoot at her. She never stayed in one place long and was dancing around the slavers in a murderous ballet. Kaie was into close combat. It would be too easy for them to become guilty of friendly fire. She felt unstoppable. Invincible. That is, until the knife was knocked from her grasp.

Shyke! She thought watching the metal sail from her hand. Flames of anger masked the tinge of panic that struck her mind as she turned to glare at the audacious combatant. Well build but thin and lean. Black hair cropped close and stubble well kept upon the sun kissed face. The man was young, maybe only a few years older than her. Sizing him up, she knew he wasn't the same. Not like the others who charged and swung weapons haphazardly at her face. Kaie could see it in his dark eyes that he didn't just kill. He knew how to do it well. This guy was the sort you saw in the Rearing Stallion on a rare night. The kind who you stared at and saw undeniable potential in a bloody career path. Kaie bared her teeth at him which he returned with a smirk and a readjustment of his grip on a gladius. Watching the glow of the fire across the well cared for weapon made her heartsick for her own. She cursed herself under her breath for agreeing to leave it behind. The Myrian woman was weaponless and at a disadvantage. He knew it just as well as she did. Her eyes searched his, hoping to see his pupils dilate and warn her when he finally decided to make his move. And dilate they did.

He forward stepped with a vicious swing at her middle smirking all the way through. Growling, Kaie couldn't side step this time. Instead she stepped back, something she was not fond of doing at all. To her dismay he didn't dare stop there. A swing followed a back swing that kept her backpedaling like a madwoman to save her own skin. Brow furrowed when the pace changed and his feet moved quicker than she could account for. With her focus disrupted with his sudden foot speed, the guy rushed her with a spinning strike of the gladius. Cleverly executed, Kaie felt the edge race along her skin. It was blasphemy, the angry red slice he created on her skin. How dare he mark her? A child of Myri? The wildfire in her heart was now insatiable and for the first time she truly felt the burn of the gnosis. The Goddess Queen was with her now. This man's life would be hers. She would walk away from this battle with his head as her trophy. He would feel her wrath. Weapon or no weapon, she would come out victorious or die. There was no other option. Victory or death.

Feeling her demise coming on with her pause, the guy swung down over his head in an attempt to hack at the side of her neck. A killing blow. In her righteous fury, Kaie moved in swifter than the sword. Arms lifted she jammed her right forearm into the inside of his elbow and the left into the wrist to halt the blade. Never stopping she gripped his wrist and secured it to her hip and moved her arm to squeeze his neck. Now she was in control. Stepping through, she swiped at the back of his knee with her right leg. With no choice but to fall backward, Kaie saw him the entire way down. The man slammed onto the dirt with a dull thud, eyes wide and a choking sound coming from him. She must've knocked the wind from his lungs on the way down. Oops... Now that she had set herself up for one of her favorite moves. All she had to do was lift him a bit more by his arm where he lay and drop her foot her a brick onto his skull. Seeing it all in her head made her hungry to bring her vision to life. She grinned sadistically down at him as she dropped her foot.

Kaie grunted furiously as she landed face first in the dirt. How the hell had he managed that after bashing the back of his head on the ground? Either way he had successfully managed to redeem himself by catching her foot and yanking her only him where she was forced to fall into the earth. Smart little bastard. All she could think about was the sword she had lost hold of. That alone was enough to get her rolling away from the contender and back onto her feet to face him. Arrows continued to rain past her, landing in bodies of enemies who dropped soon after either in death of cries of pain. Still, her eyes were only for the son of a bitch who just wouldn't die. On his feet again, their dance continued. He thrusted and she blocked or dashed away just out of reach in a seemingly endless cycle of violence. That's when pain streaked up her leg like venom in her veins. A once seemingly dead body had chosen to make a last stand against the attackers and raked the tip of a dagger at her calf as she back stepped. Her opponent drove his foot into the dying man's skull angrily for his disturbance as Kaie began to fall back.

The young man was upon her again, gladius being forced toward her throat where only her hands on his stopped her untimely death. she struggled against his force bitterly, teeth clenched and eyes glaring at the gleaming metal like she could will it away with her hate for it. They strained against each other and with his full body weight on the weapon, the gladius tip was nearing her at an unwanted rate. Slowly but surely he was successfully closing the gap until she could almost feel the cool metal against her warm skin, teasing at her.

"I will admit, Myrian, your acting was quite clever. But your fighting? Needs work. You...Didn't....Stand a chance against me from the start. You see?" He murmured like the agent of Dira in his ear as he struggled to force the gladius into her flesh and end it. She had no words. She couldn't. Had she tried to speak, she would've lost the battle quicker than she was now. She hadn't the strength to speak. Only the focus to delay her death. She was strong, but he was stronger. His force down could beat her force going up. Kaie couldn't deny the physics of that. Yet...What if she didn't have to push him back? What if she could just redirect him in? A grin spread across her lips as her plan formulated, an expression that caused his face to contort with confusion. Shoving her hands to her side and giving in at the same time, the man's gladius drove past her throat and into the ground beside her with all his weight. With so much of his force invested in that specific attack, Kaie freed one hand quick enough to shoot to the side and clasp the dead man's knife within her reach. The one still coated in a thin bit of her blood.

Just as he panicked and tore the gladius from the earth, Kaie drove the knife into his back repetitively. Each strike landing handle deep in the man's back with the strength she still possessed from their struggle. He cried out, hurriedly trying to return a blow before she landed another. Now, Kaie was the quicker one. Gnosis burning with the blessing of Myri, Kaie mauled him with the speed of a Myrian Tiger. This one he wasn't coming back from. That she was certain. He began to go limp, blood gurgling from his mouth which spilled onto her shoulder. She drove a final time into his back and slowly began to twist the blade viciously as blood soaked through his shirt and spilled onto the ground. This is what murder they accused her people of committing? Leaning up to place her lips at his ear, Kaie whispered a final hymn to send him into Dira's hands. A return of what he had said before when she couldn't respond. First she began in Common for his understanding, then transitioning later to her own as his soul left his eyes.

"Rule Number Three: Never assume victory...You were dead the moment you drew your sword...Myri, accept this offering I sacrifice to you. Goddess Queen, I gift you with glory and blood of battle. This bloodletting in your name will not stop here. See your daughter through this carnage. Guide my fists. My life is yours."

[Razkar]

Razkar hit the squad of hidden mercenaries like a wrecking ball made of blades and fury.

Gnosis on fire, the Myrian's ax and gladius were blurs of gleaming steal that soon become crimson slashes through the air, trailing blood and viscera wherever they landed. His face was twisted in a visage of concentrated hared, but his eyes... they were joyous. Ecstatic.

Free. For the first time, he could let loose all the demons that had been baying in his soul and Goddess, it felt... righteous.

He slashed at the first man that turned to him with his ax, hacking diagonally at the man's leg, bringing him down to his knees-

-gladius thrusting into his chest the he was down-

-ripping it free to parry a bastard sword from another sellsword with a boy's face but the scars of a man-

-who then died like one, or an unlucky one, as Razkar's ax slashed upwards and opened up his stomach, ropes of intestines spilling onto the jungle floor, steaming as the boy screamed-

-until Razkar's gladius slashed open his throat and turned it into a gurgle.

But the warrior didn't stop moving; he couldn't afford to. A wall of fresh armor and blades appeared in front of him, remaining sellswords fanning out around him, moving fast to access their targets. Arrows whistled through them, over them, but Razkar realized with a flash of anger no nearly as many as he wanted.

The human and the other Kelvic weren't firing. Either they were dead, fled or cowards. Either way, they were useless and he pushed them from his mind-

"Fucking savage!"

Razkar fought the urge to roll his eyes - seriously, a whole year and that was still the best they could come up with? - and swayed to his left as a cutlass swung past him, wielder rearing back for a follow-up-

-his partner on Razkar's left raising his mace-

-only for Razkar to bury his boot into his crotch, sliding behind him as his body jerked forward, doubling over-

-into the path of the other human's cutlass.

"Fuck!"

Blood and brain matter splattered from the impact and the human's face crumpled in shock-

-long enough for Razkar's gladius to thrust hilt-deep into his chest, twisting and grinding against ribs, blood frothing from his lips in red bubbles. The human's lips twisted int anger, indignation, hands whitening on the handle of his cutlass for one more-

-the Myrian ax flashed through the air horizontally, and a head trailing rubies cartwheeled lazily through the air...

"FOR MYRIIIIIIIIAAAAAAHHHH!"

Razkar's sacrament became a wordless yell of delight as he turned from the rest and leaped upon their cart, the only one with a crossbowman left on it. The human reacted fast when the Myrian landed on the blood-slick seat where the dead driver previously was, not bothering to finish reloading with his enemy so close and just hurling his crossbow at the savage-

-only for Razkar to slashed downward with his gladius and upward with his ax, smashing the weapon into splinters, bursting through the brief cloud of debris-

-and hacking down at the screaming human's even as he reached for a sword, blade ripping through flesh and fat and shearing bone, popping an eye and sending him reeling off the cart to the ground.

The horses went insane, rearing up, Razkar's platform becoming a shaking mess that was ruining his balance...

And the ambush was spread before him from his vantage point.

Solin, white-haired and flitting from tree to tree, but pursued by horsemen even as he snapped off arrows from the treeline.

Fubuki, watching with a laugh from above, face serene despite the horrific carnage she had wreaked on those below.

Kaie, another Child of Myri, whirling through their enemies and leaving broken enemies in her wake.

Where the petch is-

"INTO 'EM!"

A new volley of arrows erupted from Ekvan's side of the clearing and a slew of slavers went down screaming, or spinning round with limbs pierced. The leader, hooded and furious, raging at his worthless excuses for mercenaries, roared out as an arrow struck him high in the shoulder, darkened cowl snapping from Razkar to the treeline-

Both of them seeing that bearded bastard running from the treeline, his motley, filthy crew of thugs following him, drawing more fire and attention from the remnants of the slavers-

-and their leader's attention.

Whatever or whomever he was, Razkar wasn't giving him a chance to turn a second time and threw himself onto the figure's back, both of them tumbling from the stallion, rolling and crushing each other-

"GET OFF ME, YOU SSSSSSSCUM!"

-until he heard those words and froze, memories from far, far from here in place and memory paralyzing him for a second-

-giving the leader a chance to kick him away, scrambling upright, good falling away...

Revealing a tall, broad male with an angular, pinched face... and yellow eyes with red slit, glaring at him with a thousand years of mutual hatred for him and his entire race. Razkar's jaw began to drop... and then his lips curled back into a grimace of sheer disgust.

"Our war followed us here." He muttered in his own tongue, watching the snake-eyed human draw a pair of short, curved swords from the folds of his cloak. "Praise be to Myri..."

The Dhani screeched in its own hissing, oozing language, thrill and piercing beyond human vocal chords, and the two ancient enemies clashed in sparks and shuddering steel.

Fubuki:

"Petching ghost, as well!"

"Yeah, well, lemme handle that."

He certainlydidn't sound like a mage; not any Adran had heard of, anyway. When he was a boy, they were always stiff and formal men in flowing robes, beards down to their waists and... staffs. Always with the gnarled staffs, but did they use them? Not that he saw.

They were not thin, wolfish-looking men who looked like the Sunberth herb-heads he'd known in the past. But as the sellsword and the mage jumped from the cart and into the meat grinder, he decided that they'd need every edge they could get.

"Bloody Hell..."

Declerk looked up at the hovering, shimmering, see-through figure above them, surrounded by whirring, spinning instruments of death... and he was not afraid. He scrutinized, analyzed... and then raised the shortbow in his left hand, right reaching behind him for an arrow-

"Petch..."

-and Adran breathed his surprise at the way the arrow seemed to pulse and shimmer, like it was partially glass and there were slugs or diseased worms inside. He frowned even as slaughter and battle unfolded around him, under orders along with his cousin Barius to protect the mage.

"Souldart..."

"Yes," the mage said matter-of-factly, holding the bow and arrow in one hand then reaching into his pocket, "And that's not all..."

He came up with a lasso, or something like it, only there were seven softly glowing rocks tied into it, set at roughly even points. Without a word the mage shifted his grip and swung it over his head until it was open in an O-shape-

-then let it drop to the ground, wide enough to encompass himself and his two sellsword bodyguards.

"Stay within the circle." Declerk said in that dead, eerily calm voice of his, returning his eyes to the ghost and drawing a bead with his arrow. "And you will be safe... kind of."

Adran's lips pursed into a question but before it could hit the breeze, the charmed arrow was loosed at the giggling, circling ghost.

Solin:

"More of 'em!"

"Split off, then! Joran?! Yer with me!"

The filly was scared shitless but Joran couldn't have cared less; he hauled back on the reins until the bridle cut into her mouth and manhandled her around to follow the older sellsword in their pursuit. Of the five horsemen left, three were peeling off in a screaming charge at Ekvan and his crew, some of them already breaking for the treeline or luring them into the hidden spikes.

Not so for Joran and Ol' Pete. That petching archer was their priority.

The older Benshira whipped his horse with the flat of his sword, spurring it on as the two of the ran down the fleeing archer, white hair flailing around that oddly-feminine face. The gnarled sellsword snarled and leveled his sword at the younger man from atop his steed.

"Time t'fuckin' die!"

Kaie:

"What a fucking mess."

"Get out there and earn!"

The last three mercenaries hit the rotting leaves and churned dirt of the Bronze Woods to have utter chaos greet them. Cart drivers and crossbowmen were bleeidng out still or screaming at their feet; riderless horses rampaged around or vanished into the trees, carts of slaves were keening or begging, shaking the bars of their mobile cages so hard they were knocking bolts loose.

Not to mention half their number dead or dying. But such were the risks in their trade, and the three hard-faced sellswords unlimbered scimitar, spear and mace, the last turning it over in both hands, seeking targets...

Finding just one. Standing above three of their butchered comrades.

"Well, then," the youngest said, fatalistic despite his age and perhaps suspecting he wouldn't survive this... but taking such a ferocious enemy into the afterlife with you? Ah... that had to count in your favor. "Good enough place to start."

He led the charge, his two partners darting out at his sides to hit the Myrian female from the flanks.

OOCOK, so, you each have your little battles... enjoy!

Also, Kaie? You roleplayed WAY above your Skill Level in your last thread, considering you don't even HAVE any XP in Dagger. And no, using Unarmed to compensate doesn't count, believe me, I've tried it. Something for you to watch out for.

[Fubuki Kouri]

"Kyaaahahahaha!! AHAHAHAHA!! AHAHAHA!! UHUHUHUH!! HEHEHEHE!! Hehehehehe..." The psychotic giggling continued to echo in the battlefield as Kouri twirled once and prepared to launch herself back to the fray. She saw her comrades were doing very well and Razkar was about to duel with another large warrior. I'll help~♪ She unmaterialized herself, spun her chakrams, and was about to assist the Myrian when... "Ah..." time seemed to slow down and she let out a barely audible, but utterly shocked, sigh. What... Kouri slowly looked down to her stomach and found a strange arrow was lodged in it. It went all they way from her stomach to her back. How could this happened? She was sure she unmaterialized herself so how could a seemingly corporeal object touched her. Pain wrecked through her ethereal body and she lost her focus, her tendrils lost their grip and rain of sixteen daggers fell through the air, an unlucky sellsword was stabbed on the top of his head by one of the blades. "Got her..." The Spiritist, Declerk, said without any visible emotion I admit... that's one powerful ghost... He was impressed by the little girl's ability to manipulate that many objects and with expertise, but he didn't let it show. "Is... is it over?" Adran was really expecting the answer to be 'yes'. He really didn't want to fight a cackling phantom with sixteen blades even though he was supposed to be the bodyguard, but how could his sword cut through the dead? Declerk here seemed to look fine though. "Not yet" Declerk lightly shook his head, and again, with his ever so emotionless voice. "WHAT?!" "...This one's strong, need more arrows before weak enough to dust..." In his mind, he heightened his focus and concentration, he mustn't spare any lenience to this ghost or his head could be torn apart by the apparition like so many before him. He prepared another arrow and fired them again at the bewildered ghost and he quickly shot another one, the soulmist-filled tip eerily sang through the air. "Gahack! Aaaah..." Another creepy arrow lodged itself to her chest, Kouri truly didn't expect one of those 'spiritist' was here, among the slavers. She was stunned and could feel a banshee scream coming to her ethereal throat. Her wincing crimson eyes finally located her assaulter, she didn't even got the chance to curse the man as another arrow pierced her neck. "Uuuh..." The pain was unbearable and she couldn't keep her focus, the arrow's weight were pulling her weightless body and she fell to the ground... directly between Razkar and his Dhani foe. *THUD!!* The three arrows stabbed the ground as Kouri fell back-first, surprising both the Myrian and the Dhani. She struggled to get a good look at Razkar's face "Raz...kar... it..." She then unleashed a wail that could shudder except for the bravest of warriors "...HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURTSSSS!!! IT HURRRRRTSSSS!! IT HURTS!! IT HURTS!! IT HURTS!! IT HURTS!! IT HURTS!! IT HURTS!!" Kouri wanted to blink away, but the souldarts were preventing her from using any of her powers. "Gah!" "Petch?!!!" "Waaaagh!!!" Her scream was loud enough to cause some of the fighting men in the area, allies and foes alike to temporarily abandon their fight and immediately covered their poor eardrums, screaming curses and shock all the while. Razkar and the Dhani of course, felt the full force of the scream. "SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!" The Dhani hissed in pain as his eardrums were wracked by the haunting scream before him. "You did it, Declerk!" "Not... yet..." "Not yet?" Adran was getting confused, the ghost was visibly dying... or so he thought. "It's not over until I dust the ghost, get them away from her, then I will follow" "B-but..." The two sellsword bodyguards definitely didn't want to interrupt a duel between two arch-nemesis, the giant Dhani and the terrifying Myrian. "Go." Declerk didn't want to hear excuse, he couldn't pass up on this chance, either dust the ghost now or risk all of them being butchered by her later. Adran then gulped and sprinted towards the Myrian and the Dhani, he shouted to the Dhani "Declerk want to dust ghost! Get out of way! Ghost is enemy!" He didn't have time for formalities and all that bullcrap, he just wanted for Declerk to get rid of the ghost... and fast. OOCOh no! Kouri's incapacitated!

[Solin]

Retrieving another arrow from his quiver, Solin turned around and his blue eyes watched as two horse riders started to charge in his direction. He placed the broad tipped arrow on his bowstring, lifted his short bow, and took aim at the nearest rider. He heard their incoherent battle cry from the older man at him, and for a tick, he decided to take aim at him since he was probably a veteran mercenary. Solin knew he probably wouldn't stand a chance if it came to melee battle between the older man and him. The blond man pulled back the bowstring to his face, took a deep breath, and released his arrow on the exhale. Solin watched as the arrow whistled through the air at the older man, but the arrow veered high and to his left, so the older man just had to move his head to dodge the shot. Solin cursed to himself as his first shot completely missed the old man. Hastily he retrieved another arrow, set it on the bowstring, and took aim at the head of the horse. Solin knew his shots were veering up for some reason, so he needed to adjust his next shot. The kelvic straightened his stance, pulled back the bowstring to his cheek, and he fired at the top of the horses head. The arrow soared swiftly through the air in the direction of the horse, but it started to veer up and hit the armored man in the chest. Hearing the armored man hit the ground, Solin looked at the other young rider, and he knew didn't have time to get another shot off on him. The kelvic started to back peddled to the trunk of the tree, and he tossed his short bow aside, and he unsheathed his tulwar waiting for charging horse rider to close the distance between them.

Feeling sweat trickle down the side of his face, Solin watched the man approach in a full charge with a expressionless face, but the kelvic knew he needed to stand his ground in front of the tree until the right time. Gripping his curved sword in his hand, he could feel the palms of his hands start to sweat with anticipation of the coming battle with the human. Hearing the hoofs of the horse, the blond haired young man thought to himself, “When I see the whites of his eyes than I will make my move.” Suddenly, Solin heard a blood curdling scream echoing throughout the forest and his first thought went to his ghost companion, “Shyke! Was that Fubuki! I hope she is ok...” The brown eyed rider turned his head to the source of the sound, and Solin knew it was his time to move in the confusion. The kelvic quickly pivoted and ran behind the tree, and pressed his back against the back of the tree. Suddenly he head a loud cry of a horse, and few ticks later, he heard a loud thud as something large hit the other side of the tree. Seeing a lone leaf fall in front of his face, Solin smiled to himself knowing that even horses aren't stupid enough to run straight into a tree. The kelvic went around the other side of the tree and quickly pounced on his attacker.

Joran looked at Ol' Pete for a moment and smiled to himself as the old man was knocked off his horse by the force of the arrow. It didn't matter to Joran because he knew if the old man died, he would get a piece of his cut in the end. The mercenary pointed his sword at the kelvic, and he continued his charge at the white haired pretty boy and yelled in his direction, “Your head is mine, boy!” He spurred his horse with his heels and continued his charge. Starring straight into the blue eyed archer, Joren was startled as he heard a ear splitting scream echoing throughout the forest. Joren turned his head abruptly to figure out where the scream was coming from, but it seemed like it was coming from everywhere. The mercenary turned his head back to the white haired archer who was moving around the tree. Suddenly, the horse came to abrupt stop as it came dangerously close to the tree, and the horseman flew over the head of horse and hit the trunk of the tree with a loud, thud!

Whirling out from the tree, Solin saw the human on all four slowly getting to his feet, so the kelvic ran forward, pivoted his left foot back, leaned back of his left foot still holding his sword in his right hand, and thrust the back of his booted heel into face of his dazed attacker. The force of blow knocked the younger man back to the ground, and Solin swung his sword in underhanded arc to catch the man across the neck, but the young man wasn't to dazed by his kick because he managed to roll out of the way of the kelvic's sword slash. Solin growled to himself and said in tukant, “I will bath in your blood human!” Solin saw trying to get back to his feet again, so he slashed across his body in a wide arch, but the human was quick, and he easily parried the novice blow. Struggling to his feet, the human said with a smirk after he parried the sword slash, “I see you paid to much attention to your bow, archer! Now die you petching bastard!” Solin watched the man lift his long sword with one arm slashed it across the chest of the kelvic. The blond haired man jumped back trying to feebly block it backhandedly, but the force of the mercenary swing knocked the weak block away and the tip of the long sword cut across his chest and through his leather armor. Feeling warm sticky liquid ooze from his chest, Solin knew if he chose not to wear his armor. The wound would have been a lot deeper and more severe, but the pain was still intense, and he knew he needed to end the battle quickly otherwise he will be dead.

Solin staggered back from the blow, and he glanced at his wound for a tick and thought to himself, “Dira it is time to dance.” Solin knew he needed to press his attack, so he quickly moved forward and slashed his sword across the belly of his enemy, but the mercenary jumped back out of the way as the tulwar. The mercenary thrust his sword at his head, so Solin sided stepped the mercenary's thrust and moved his head back, so it missed him. The kelvic countered his thrust with a slash up into the side of his ribs. The sword hit the mercenary in the ribs, and the kelvic tilted his blade up as he pulled his sword out. The blond man smiled when he saw blood on the sharp side of his sword and saw the human holding his side for a few ticks trying to stop the bleeding. Solin stepped forward and slashed down and across the body of the mercenary, but he misjudged his distance and the slash missed the human completely. Still in pain, Solin in a defensive stance watched the mercenary lift the longsword with both his hands up to his cheek. The kelvic wondered if he was going to finish it with one swing. The mercenary stepped forward and swung his sword downward towards the kelvic. Solin knew the human would hit him if her tried to jump back, so he stepped forward and swinging his sword up intercept his blade. When he heard the sound of metal hitting metal and feeling the human weight pressing down on him, he put the palm on his hand on the dull edge of the blade and used his legs to stand up moving his sword upward against the other mercenary's sword. Feeling the pain from his chest wound start to throb, Solin growled in the face of his enemy tilted his head back and slammed the top of his head on the bridge of his nose.

Seeing the man stumble back in a daze, Solin stepped forward with his right foot, tilt his left foot to the side, leaned back, and swinging the top of his foot into the side of head of the mercenary. The human had little time to react, and the force of the round house kick brought him back to the ground. Solin saw him struggling to get off the ground, so he brought the edge of the tulwar to the bottom of his throat of the human, lifted the blade up a few inches into the flesh, and savagely pulled back his blade cutting the human's throat. Solin watched him bleed out for a few ticks before turning around, but suddenly, he was blind sided by a bull rush from the older mercenary with grey hair, and the momentum knocked face of the kelvic into the tree. He heard the man behind him yell at him in common, “I guess I will just a have to kill you bare handed, boy.” Leaning on the tree for support, Solin turned around in a haze as he saw the large older mercenary behind him cracking his knuckles with a arrow sticking deeply out of his chest.

[Kaie]

With a forceful shove, the dead weight lifted from her chest and rolled across the dirt. The corpse laid there staring upward wrapped in freshly red dyed attire. A feast for crows. Kaie exhaled sharply and rolled onto her feet hastily with her dagger in hand. She wasn't too keen on staying in that vulnerable position. Not again. After all she had almost just met her death that way and she'd allow Dira herself to cut her down if she let another try their hand. Her bronzed fingers wrapped tightly around the bloodied dagger in that classic white knuckle hold. The kind of grip newly anointed knights held in the heat of their first war just after tasting death. The sort one had in the midst of a distant field feeling the isolation of battle, watching men from all walks of life drop in bloodied piles. Had someone accused her of fear, Kaie would've mocked them. Thrown some sarcastic jibe their way. Truthfully though, she recognized the hated emotion rather clearly. She was not ashamed. One who feels no fear when dancing with Dira is either a fool or plunged deep into insanity. The blessing that came with being a Myrian was the way she could manipulate it. Kaie had learned early on to turn that paralyzing fear into righteous violence. Adrenaline only aided her fight. It caused her muscles to tense and heart to race with the thrill of conquest. Then again that could've just been the power of her gnosis and the breath Myri breathed into her being.

On the war path again, she wasted no time finding a new target. She had found herself slowly being taken with the tide deeper into the enemy ranks and decided it would be best to return to a position that was in her favor. No one likes the idea of an invisible wall of hostile enemies coming down on you. Kaie could feel the slash across her calf, too. A fantastic testament to the fact she was indeed being closed in. There was a break in the fighting and she gladly took the space. Clearing through the opening she found she could hardly tell where the hell the line was. The mercenaries and sellswords Razkar had linked them up with were untrained and not too keen on organization. Kaie would bet a Taloban hunting party would be more capable than the rag-tag crew. Then again that opinion was probably pretty biased.

Quickly she spied a worthy situation to intrude upon after seeing no open enemies to have to herself initially. One of the allied force's guys was in a fierce clash with an enemy's broadsword. He was an older guy probably twice Kaie's age at least and wielding a short sword. Needless to say, he was taking quite a beating. No doubt he probably would fall in a couple minutes. Kaie would've dished some money out on that bet right then if someone had a pool going. She really didn't care at all about the man's well being. What she did have eyes for was his sword. Her own gladius was left behind from the start and ever since all the fighting became close quarters, she'd craved it. She needed something she could really use. If her next opponent was as good a swordsman as the last, she'd lose her head pretty quickly. The dagger wasn't going to do it. The job would be easy. She'd just slip up behind the attacker and cut his throat, kick the guy in the teeth, take the weapon, and be on her way. Naturally the plan would've been flawless had she not remembered how inefficient she was with a short sword. More than likely she'd gut herself. Perhaps if she took out the aggressor she could convince the swordsman to stick around for a little bit...

Just when she was coming up toward Razkar in his battle, a scream rocked her focus like an earthquake. It was all she could do not to drop to her knees and holler for her ear's sake. Instead she gritted her teeth and pressed her palms as flat as possible to the sides of her head to lessen the volume. That scream... Turning her gaze she found the source of the familiar cry. The ghost girl she had met under unusual circumstances in the Bazaar. Kouri. The once giggling little girl who held her hand to prevent losing her in the crowd, was now crumpled at her fellow Myrian's feet. Arrows lodged in her immortal body. The insane thing was, the arrows actually stuck. Impossible. How could an object incapacitate a ghost? Then she remembered. The reason they disbanded from the market in the first place was to keep from pushing their luck. Had they continued their little antics, Kaie would've worn her very own noose and Kouri would've met some pleasant spiritists. It was only then that Kaie realized how the ghostly executions pan out. Amber eyes flashed back to her original task. Saving the swordsman. That was what she needed to do for her own sake. Upon meeting her, Kaie got the impression Kouri could easily handle herself. After all, Myrian Tiger fangs couldn't keep her in her grave. There was no reason for her to step in. Besides, she had her own business to take care of. It wasn't her responsibility. Not her problem...Right?

Guilt swarmed her conscious as quick as a flooding basin. Turning her back on that little girl was virtually the same as killing her herself. Kaie wasn't around when Kouri's parents thought it was a great idea to go sight seeing in tiger country, but she was there on that battlefield. She could not walk away. Maybe it was the idiotic barbarian ethics getting to her brain. Or maybe it was her own stupidity driving her to an early grave. Regardless, her mind was made up and there was no going back. Turning on her heels, Kaie took off with the ferocity of an enraged Tskanna. Hair billowed behind her bronzed shoulders, muscles tense and prepared for impact. Coming from the flank, Kaie crashed into the spiritist with a new found fury that sent them both sprawling across the ground. Plumes of dirt followed their impact. Taking advantage of the man's disorientation as a result of her surprise attack, Kaie drove the edge of her knife toward the man's heart. His attempt to roll away earned him metal between the rib cage just beside the sternum. He cried out and her own face was one of surprise at the position of impact. Not what she'd wanted but she'd take it. She tore it back just as blood started to foam at his lips before turning to her fallen comrade. Reaching out a bronzed hand, Kaie clasped Kouri's wrist and dragged her from between Razkar and his opponent. Best not to get between a Myrian man and his ass kicking. Whoever and whatever the hooded figure was didn't concern Kaie at the time. She trusted Razkar enough to distract the man with blades and fists. Returning focus to the task at hand she found a new problem.

What the hell was she supposed to do now? Kaie glanced at the arrows noticing no blood or fluid coming from the spots they pierced. Her brow drew together in thought, almost regretting her decision, fearing she was doing more harm than good. To free both hands she tucked the dagger into her waistband. If the arrows were what incapacitated her in the first place...Would she be freed if I were to just...Remove them? That could work couldn't it? She thought hesitantly, moving a hand to clasp toward the tip of the arrow at the neck. Kaie yanked it out and followed up with the rest. All the while she kept her head on a swivel, paranoid someone was lurking in the fray waiting for her to turn her back again. Upon reaching the final arrow and pulling it from the body, Kaie gave Kouri a playful expression and brandished the pesky weapon.


"You're gonna be the death of me, kid," She joked with a grin totally unfit for their current predicament. That is of course before a well placed foot dug straight into the back of her head. Kaie toppled over from her kneeling position off to the side, head pounding and confused. Looking up at the night sky, the stars were blurred. Everything, the noises, were confused in her head. It seemed to all go in slow motion. The giant bludgeon weapon held over her head dropped toward her like gravity itself summoned it. The heavy metal swung down toward her head as doubled objects were becoming one again. Her eyes widened and instinctively she tucked right, rolling away from it. The metal landed with a dull thud that marked the spot her head once rested. A crater reminding all of its missed mark. The Myrian woman didn't stop there. Her bare feet scampered across the dirt to gain her distance before she found her feet.

She glared at the youth who didn't seem much older than herself. Where had he come from? How the hell had he come up on her that quickly? Her brain was filled with questions and her confusion probably briefly found its way to her expression. The boy twirled the mace like a heavy baton as he lowered into a fighting stance. All business. Kaie just about mirrored his positioning with her own twist. Knees bent and body low, her left foot was ahead of the other just a bit, giving her a side on approach. A smaller target. He stared at her but never looked directly into her eyes. He was watching her body and how she moved. Studying her. He was so intently looking at her that it made her almost uncomfortable. Certainly the heavy mace contributed to that. Bashing her skull in with that thing? No harder than splitting a watermelon with a hammer. What did she have? A dagger at her waist and a weird arrow in her hand. Already did she seem inferior to him, race aside. Now the question was: who would make the first move?

Without foreboding, the boy raced at her with his mace raised. Prepared to swing diagonally from above across her body and crush her skull. An attempt like that was so juvenile and obvious, Kaie almost wondered if she should feel insulted. And here she thought she'd met a capable opponent. Just like before, Kaie used her arms to halt the swing, and began to wrap the wrist to her body and slide a side fist into his throat. Much to her surprise, the tables turned with ferocious speed. With his free hand the young kid managed to match her own reflex speed. A fist into her rib cage that returned thrice. Body now wracked with pain, Kaie was forced to release her hold and create distance with a front kick to the chest. He stumbled back a few paces with a grunt but that was all. This could take a while...

Then it was her turn to strike. Utilizing footwork Kaie learned from a half breed friend from her childhood, she shot forward. First she feigned left, then right before settling with a straight approach with an elbow to the solar plexus. The hit landed nicely but the mace came nonetheless. Controlled by pain and dictated by the very small distance, the swing was a third of the power swing that came the first time around. That sure didn't mean it didn't hurt like hell though. The metal ball found the same tender spot on her rib cage. There was no denying the crack that shook her entire body. The splitting sound of bone under greater force. Her nerves were on fire in the worst way. That strike she couldn't bear with silence like the ones she had before. She let out a cry of agony and squeezed her eyes shut in a wince. Kaie dropped then and smashed onto her other side in the dirt at the boy's feet. Her mouth was half open but she never spoke. Never cursed or gave him the satisfaction of a scream. Instead, she drove that bastard of an arrow straight into the soft tissue below his knee cap.

It was his turn to holler now. And holler he did. Just when he went to turn toward his side to strike her where she lay, his knee gave out on him. The boy dropped toward the ground where his healthy knee stopped him from being laid out. Sending a foot upward, Kaie landed a nice kick right on the lower part of his jaw. The boy fell back into the dust promptly. Eye on her target, Kaie wrapped her left hand around to her other side to hold her rib. The right hand withdrew the dagger. The Myrian woman hoisted herself slowly to her feet preparing herself to kill the aggressor and end the battle. The ever burning of her gnosis intensified which caused her to turn on her heel from her incapacitated enemy. She was greeted with the sight of a spear tip hurdling toward her face. Shyke! She cursed internally to herself and stepped a foot back at the same time she turned her head. Unlucky for her, the spear didn't completely miss its mark entirely. Warmth flooded her cheek and slowly the blood began to trickle down. The edge managed to slice across the side of her face. At least it wasn't deep.

The hulking spear thrower started hurling profanities at her. Suddenly it became clear to her he sacrificed his weapon in hopes of saving his own ally. By Myri's will alone had she escaped that bloody end. Now the man was fuming, staring at her with daggers in his eyes. Then he did something odd. He nodded at her. Why would he nod at her? Oh... Following his gaze she realized it wasn't her that he was looking at. He was looking behind her. Slowly looking over her shoulder she found a lanky man with a scimitar. Two on one? Normally she would've been overjoyed with the challenge of those odds if not for the sword. Kaie was confident in her combat skills but here? Not even her competence in that skill could save her from this encounter. The Myrian woman suddenly remembered the dagger in her hand. She felt its weight. It's size. It wasn't at all like the light and small little food knife she wielded before. Anyone can pick up a weapon and stab someone when they're not expecting it. Using one with skill? That was something else. Something she surely didn't have with the dagger.

Yelling they came from both directions. Armed and unarmed. The swordsman was quicker but the spear thrower was closer. They'd be arriving at the same time. Petch it. I'm not going down without a battle. Myri, guide my fists. Let your daughter be glorified in her last stand for your honor. Final prayer complete, she prepared to deal with fate. She ran in the direction of the spear man in hopes of meeting him first. Ribs throbbing, she battled through to land one more strike. Hopefully she'd get it in before the sword was thrust through her back. Just before he was in range, Kaie performed a short jump and drove her heel into his nose bridge. The man's head was thrown back and his run ended. Both feet on the ground, she moved to turn to meet her end. It never came. Instead she heard the grinding of metal upon metal. A short sword clashing with a scimitar.

The old man was dancing with the lanky swordsman in a deadly performance. swipes and slashes either missed or blocked. Through his brown shirt she could see a large stain of fresh blood soaked into the fabric. The wound behind it must've been deep because it wasn't yet dried and the amount of blood was decent. It seemed that Kaie had it all wrong about the guy. He somehow managed to survive the last guy after all. She had underestimated him. What a real tough son of a bitch. Maybe the other team wasn't so useless after all. The Myrian woman returned her stare to the spear man, who was back up with a lovely stream of blood flowing down from his nose to his chin. If he wasn't furious before he sure was now. Kaie tucked the dagger into the waist band and grinned at him. Slowly she lifted a hand and motioned for him to come. He happily obliged. This time he slowed as he neared her range and prepared for another round of kicks to the face. They never came. Instead she let him swing first.

The hook came quick from the side and she ducked under it quickly to appear behind his back. She rained a storm of strikes into his kidney and fell back just in time to avoid the back fist. In front again, they exchanged punches. Other than a jab to her shoulder, Kaie managed to maintain control of the encounter with minimal damage. Impatience got the best of her. Impulsively she swung her foot straight into the man's crotch. He dropped like a rock. Over his head she could see the old guy battling fiercely with the scimitar. Shockingly he seemed to have it more than under control. In fact he looked like he was just about finishing the other guy off. Behind them she spied the mace boy kneeling again, gritting his teeth to remove the arrow. Back to her own fight, Kaie brought the full force of her foot upon his skull with a sickening crunch. Then again. And again.

Pivoting like a professional, Kaie turned around while pulling the dagger from her waistband. Seeing the older guy thrusting his short sword through the lanky enemy, she caught sight of the mace in the air. Coming right for her new ally. Stepping forward with it, Kaie grinned murderously and hurled the dagger at the attacking youth. She followed through and everything. It was the perfect throw. She watched eagerly with a feeling of superiority. A feeling of violent satisfaction. The dagger sailed through the air with grace right for her target who didn't seem to move. Yes! I've got you now...

Thunk. Her dagger found her victim with perfect precision. The handle that is...The harmless end tapped against the kid's chest and dropped to the ground with a dull thud. Immediately her heart sank from the failure. Seconds later the mace came down upon the older guy's head. Brain matter splattered across the area across from her. The body fell without a fight. Well shyke. The Myrian woman stood there for a second almost awestruck at what had just happened. Not only had she completely and utterly embarrassed herself but now her ally was dead and she had no weapon. Great.

"Well. That was rather unforeseeable,"
She said with a bitter laugh in her own language. To be honest she didn't really know how to react to what just went down. Disbelief and humor seemed to be her only immediate relief. She couldn't really tell if the two of them were going to burst out laughing at her folly or have the most intense battle yet. After seconds of deliberation, Kaie decided she preferred the latter. Staring at the splattered head of the guy who practically saved her life, she'd be lying if she said anger wasn't around. Her side was throbbing so hard she could practically feel a heartbeat in the spot. No doubt she was bruising in the nastiest way. Limping to her now the mace boy came with a face of determination. The kind of look you give someone when on your death bed but still swinging a sword. He was clearly dead set up on taking Kaie with him in the end. Let him try.

The mace was swung in all kinds of directions, fists were hurled left and right, and each swayed from one way and to another to avoid blows. Sometimes Kaie would seem on top and other times the boy seemed to rise to have superior odds. Both sides exchanged decent hits but the tides turned in his favor when Kaie took another blow to the side. Then another. And another. Her body shook with pain again and she growled through clenched jaws. It was turning her savage. Primitive. Furious. Suddenly she forgot about the mace all together. Just as he went to swing across again she leaped onto him like a primate from Falyndar. Legs wrapped around his torso but hands clapped over both his ears and held onto his head. The ear clap completely disoriented him and he tumbled over with the loss of balance. No doubt he had a splitting migraine and real trouble focusing. With no weapons on hand, Kaie simply pulled his head toward her and shoved it back just as they hit the ground. Then like a Myrian Tiger, she closed her fangs over the youth's jugular. Blood filled her mouth. Screams rang in her ears. Then the fists came.

The top of the mace jabbed her several times but to no avail did she release him. Fists rained down on her head and body which lead to her grinding the torn skin and tearing it from the body. Blood poured along the ground. Then sitting up she began to pummel him. Hooks, jabs, strikes, punches of all kinds met the boy's face. Quickly, his strength faded and his soul left his eyes. Kaie's chest heaved with fatigue. She had forgotten to breathe between punches. As she gasped for oxygen quietly she looked up. Hoping to see Solin, Razkar, and Kouri in better shape than she was. Feeling a warm stream on her torso caused amber eyes to shift down to her stomach. A gentle line of blood was dribbling from three six millimeter deep holes. With her adrenaline rush she hadn't even realized that sometime during her battle, the spiked at the top of a flanged mace punctured her skin. Added to that was the ever present agonizing side injury, sliced cheek, and various bruises upon her body. Kaie traced her tongue along her lips to rid them of the boy's blood. A bronzed hand lifted to rub the rest away from her chin as she surveyed the field. The only rest she'd had all day. Preparing herself to jump back into the fray if need be.

OOC:Thanks for reminding me, Razkar. Sometimes I get so caught up in the work that I forget about the skill levels or overlap ones that really shouldn't be able to gel. I genuinely appreciate the reminder! Anyhow, I've tried to compensate in this post by roughing her up some and forcing her to recognize the fact she is no war goddess. A little humility goes a long way.

[Razkar]

"SSSSSSSSHHHHHYYYYYKKKEEEE!!!"

For once, Razkar agreed with the Dhani. The two enemies clashed, gladius and hand ax and short wakizashi clanging into each other. The Dhani was quick, skilled, but Razkar had fought its kind when they were monstrous, half human and half gigantic snake, with reflexes to match. He was strong, too, far stronger than a man... and relied on that too much.

The hissing creature slashed at Razkar horizntally, forcing the Myrian to sway back-

-before thrusting towards his gut, aiming to disembowel him-

-only for the Myrian to parry the blow with his ax-

-and hammer the hilt of his gladius into he creature's face, hearing something snap, crack, sending it reeling back with a screeching hiss. The two of them circled, weapons ready...

... and something both shimmering and solid dropped between them.

The chaos and fury of the battle was lost, forgotten as the two gazed in pure surprise at the writhing Fubuki. Razkar frowned as he saw the three... were those arrows? Yes! And they were lodged in her, pulsating as if alive, outlines blurring under her endlessly-shifting skin, but obviously causing her pain-

-the Dhani hissed, ready to leap over this strange distraction, Razkar tearing his mind from the pitiful sight. He needed his focus on this creature, this enemy of all his kin and kind, even if the girl was-

-and then she screamed and split the world open.

Razkar reeled back as if slapped, sound like ice water pouring into his ears and then shattering. Part of his mind wondered if this was some magic or consequence from beyond the realm of the living; the dead's pain lashing out at the living, and he saw her writhing there, screaming and shrieking and babbling like a little girl, not a monster-

-but he saw the Dhani reacting, shaking its head in pain and confusion, focus broken, adrift-

More figures approached, shouting at the Dhani, mercenaries detaching themselves from the eerily calm figure with the crossbow. The Dhani flicked an annoyed glance their way. Razkar gauged the distance, watching them run towards the prone ghost-

Another scream. His head snapped around and saw the crossbowman... bolts! Those were bolts in Fubuki, not arrows, he was the one that had bought her down! But his skills with the dead did not translate to the living, for Razkar turned just in time to see Kaie plunge her knife into the human-

"Cousin!"

Razkar felt a fresh plan for as his gnosis set fire to the back of his head, darting towards the two hesitating sellswords, wavering between their fallen charge - urgh, we are so going to get blamed for that - and the ghost and the Dhani and the Myrian-

-the Myrian-

-charging them.

"Fuck-!"

Adran had enough time to register Barius' arm severed at the elbow, sword dropping in his clenched hand as the Myrian's ax ripped through it. The human just stared at it in shock, blood spurting, mouth widening to birth a scream-

-but before he got the chance, Razkar's gladius stabbed like a silver blur towards him-

-and Adran saw the end of it punch through his cousin's lower back like it was made of paper. He raised his sword and made to charge when a wrecking ball knocked him clean off his feet, snarling Dhani leader ripping him away with his forearm, inhuman strength smashing this impediment from his path.

"Out of my way, insec-"

Razkar smiled thinly, holding up the wheezing, dying, bug-eyed Barius, blood dripping from his lips. He peered over the fading humans shoulder and saw the towering Dhani raise its weapons charging-

Now!

-he ripped his gladius free and stepped back, then threw his right foot up and out, planting it into Barius's chest with all his might and a savage bark-

-sending the human catapulting into the Dhani.

Strong as he was, his balance and reflexes were no better than a human in this form, and two hundred pounds of dead (well, dying) weight slamming into him was enough to knock him backwards in utter confusion, his eyes full of the back of Barius and his balance shot to shit, his target coming up unseen behind it-

-Razkar jumping forwards, roaring even as his gnosis coursed through him, arm clutching his gladius cocked back-

-as he leaped high, through the chaos and for a moment he was frozen there, mouth open and showing every sharpened tooth, every tattoo bared to the world, towering over them in mid-air, the Dhani with his arms suddenly full and the human with all spark fled from his eyes-

-and his gladius glashed forwards and down, over Barius' shoulder-

-into the Dhani's throat.

All that hate... it didn't lessen an iota, and the vitriol seeping through those wide eyes only made Razkar smile wider. The gladius ripped through flesh and muscle with contemptuous ease, doing exactly what it was forged to do: punch through life and cause death. He felt the blade grind against bone, perhaps those of the spine, and ripped it free just as the three humanoid figures crashed down-

-the Dhani underneath the corpse of Barius-

-Razkar on top of Barius, seeing a sword snake up (no pun intended) weakly from his right-

-and hacking sideways at the trembling arm, no, at the hand-

-blowing apart fingers, hilt, bone, flesh and cartilage in a spray of gore. The Dhani roared - well, gurgled - its outrage, body heaving under Barius's, Razkar rolling from the dead man as the snake-creature tried to work its way from under it, unwilling to stop, unwilling to surrender-

-even when Razkar stamped on its remaining arm-

-dropped his ax, making sure the Dhani with blood pouring from the gaping wound in its throat and mouth saw him do the strange thing-

-reverse the grip on his gladius-

-Myrian and gladius dropping down so fast it was like Razkar had been stepped on by a massive boot, long blade vertical as it knifed down-

-through Barius's chest-

-and the Dhani coughed... disbelieving... looking at the hilt of the weapon the fucking bastard of that whore goddess-queen had stabbed into the human... feeling the blade through... his...

It looked up, and saw Razkar of the Shorn Skulls smiling down at it. For a long moment he relished that realization, that chilling certainty that the day all mortals secretly dreaded had arrived, that all ones plans and hopes and dreams, the full span of this creature's wretched life was just another spark in creation's fire...

Then he twisted the blade. The Dhani whimpered. Then it died.

"Glory be to Myri..."

The chaos flooded back into the precious moment, uncaring and overwhelming as war always was. Razkar surveyed the situation around him as he ripped his gore-choked blade free, flicking it hard to his side, crimson arc painting the floor in ribbons of blood. Hard, black eyes scanned the area around him, watching... calculating... judging... deciding...

He saw the white-haired Kelvic fell one of the horsemen chasing him down with his bow and another by trickery. But so busy was he with the second that the first - only wounded - was on him again, evidently more than ready to exact some vengeance.

The Myrian looked around frantically... no... neither bow nor crossbow, and the Kelvic was too far for his ax to reach. He'd have to handle it himself, and Razkar wondered if he'd be lucky enough to see the wolf burst forth-

Groaning and sobbing from the carts, and not just the slaves. His head whipped around and more bodies had appeared, freshly killed and some still twitching pitifully. Fubuki was among them, still moaning like a little girl with a belly ache, sobbing and curled up, but without her darts-

-and the reason for that was straddling a human, hands rising and falling, fists bruising and blooding...

Thunk... Thunk... Thunk...

The sellsword's face was reduced to a mangled horror of blood, bone and flesh beneath Kaie's wrath, bursts of it exploding against her skin as her lips curled back in anger. Under Razkar's gaze she finally stopped, looking around, that familiar, hungry, feral look of a true Myrian at battle strong in her eyes.

Something to kill. Something more. Always more for She Who Every Thirsts...

Fresh groaning, and much closer. The sellsword the Dhani had swatted like a fly was getting back to his feet. Adran hardly knew what planet he was on, but it took just ticks to remember, see and hear the massacre taking place around him. Most of the caravan guards were dead, the spiritist was dead, the slaves were keening and howling and laughing, laughing at their tormentors butchered like animals.

His cousin. He remembered his cousin.

Too late.

He turned and saw the Myrian's arm swing forwards from maybe fifteen feet away. Something curved and shiny left it, held low on the hilt, spinning beautifully as it turned, over and over-

-towards him-

-ax knocking Adran off his feet yet again as it slammed into his chest with the force of an Akalak's kick. Razkar smiled tightly, more in satisfaction that pleasure for his kill. The pale, strange mage in Riverfall certainly did not cheat him. The ax was a beautiful specimen before, but now with the Power of Bones coursing through it bone hilt, every blow was like a warhammer with the edge of an ax.

Adran stared at the sky, such as it was through the leaves and the branches. The wind was picking up. That was good. So hot and still on the road, no breeze to relieve it. Then he coughed and his mouth filled with a sickly coppery taste... and he understood he would travel no more. Not here.

"Barius..."

The Myrian cocked his head to one side and looked down, after seeing the trio of horsemen chasing down Ekvan and his men butchered. The horses had gone from a gallop to frenzied, agonized screeching and bucked as the buried staked impaled their feet. Their riders were thrown, the horses limped away to die of infection in the woods, abandoning their masters to the blades and maces and spears of Ekvans grinning killers...

Only the slaves were left. They and the final, wounded sellsword that Solin had to deal with.

"And you..."

He was only a few years older than him. Face pained and pinched now, holding onto life like a rope over a raging abyss. The ax quivered and heaved whenever he took a breath, but each breath only bubbled around the ax head buried in his lungs... and the boy looked up... pleading silently with lips moving and dripping and no, no, no, he didn't want to die so far from Taldera...

Razkar did not cheapen his kill with words of comfort. He'd never met this boy, this mercenary, this enemy and offering, but how they had met was enough for him. He would not lie to him.

He knelt down and pulled his ax free, brief spurt of blood escaping that ruined chest cavity. Adran coughed up more crimson and sobbing tears mingled salty and warm with the steaming blood...

"Please... kill me..."

Razkar straddled the boy across the middle, knees pinning his arms... and withdrew his kukri. He glanced around himself one more time. All dead, dying or caged, those living beings still in this place aside from his own band. Ekvan and his men put the bloody finishing touches to the begging horseman, and Razkar wished Solin well... but he had an offering to make.

Adran listened as if in a dream to words pouring from the savage's mouth. He saw... no... observed, like it wasn't his body anymore, the strange curved dagger raised higher... words coming like a benediction... a prayer...

"Myri... cast eyes on your son this day. Feast though your warrior on this gift I bring..."

The shining blade eclipsed the beautiful clear sky, the gently swaying trees and branches. He would miss the wind. He would-

-the kukri jerked down to his belly and Adran found one more scream ripped from his mouth.

OOCFine work, guys! OK, get your individual closers up - Solin is the only one with any real action left - and I'll cap it off. Battle's pretty much over so this is just establishing we're in control and, ahem, all loose ends are tied.

[Fubuki Kouri]

Everything happened after Kouri's banshee scream was like a slow motioned play with dampened sounds to her. She just lay there on the ground with her eyes empty and unfocused, and her mouth slightly ajar. All of her ethereal being was focused on lessening the pain these three Morwen-forsaken arrows lodged to her body caused. She heard something along the line of 'Spiritist' and 'dusting'. Her state of mind didn't let her contemplate on those words further though. Then she saw it... her favorite female Myrian, Madame Kaie, lunging at the spiritist responsible for piercing her body with these creepy arrows. "Ah..." Kouri could only watch in awe and satisfaction as Kaie enacted righteous vengeance upon the bastard. She then huffed a pained sigh and closed her eyes, not caring for anything else... well except Rena. She focused the image of her little sister's adorable face to calm herself. ?! She felt the presence of someone looming over her, it was probably Razkar... or his duel opponent or... was it someone else? The fact that the figure didn't move was interesting enough for Kouri to open her eyes to find Kaie kneeling beside her, her face full of worry and concern. Kaie then tried to grasp her hand but it just phased through her unmaterialized state, Kouri got the message and activated just a small amount of her soulmist projection in her right wrist. "A...aaah..." She let out a small moan as pain shot through her, courtesy of the soulmist-tipped arrows disturbing her flow of power. Her strength was fortunately enough and Kaie was able to grab her wrist and pulled her out of harm's way. "....." She closed her eyes again and braced herself, knowing Kaie would try to pull these darts out of her body. Then... "Aaaaaaaaaaah! Gaaaaaaaaaah!" Her screams wrecked the air once more, though not as extreme as the previous one. Part of her soulmist body was torn when the arrows were pulled out, it was extremely painful but a necessary process. "You're gonna be the death of me, kid." That was the last words she heard before Kouri lightly giggled in thanks, closed her eyes, and focused on fixing herself up. Swirling black spots where her wound would be if she was a normal human, she moaned, whimpered, and restlessly twist her regenerating ethereal body. Then her consciousness barely held on as she fell into a comatose state. ============================= When Kouri opened her crimson eyes and shifted to a sitting position, she found not death and destruction before her, but justice... pure righteous justice as those evil slavers lay dead and butchered before her. Her known comrades were fortunately alright. Kaie was obviously wounded but Kouri knew she would pull through and Razkar was bathed in the glorious red juices for their enemies. She winced in pain and examined her wound, the holes were getting smaller and smaller, that was a good sign. Kouri turned around to find... Solin facing against a male human, Kouri didn't care about the details as it was obvious that human was an enemy. "...." She wanted to help him, her crimson eyes searched around and found... "Ehehehe..." Razkar's hand-ax, nestling neatly on his weapon strap. Kouri twist her back and a thick tendril jutted out, traveled to the ax's hilt and snatched it away, fresh blood dripping from the sharp edges. "Haaa...." Kouri then prepared herself and the tendril snapped violently, launching the ax to Solin's foe like a very long elastic ghastly arm. *GNASH!!* "Gwaaaaaaaaaaah!!!" The scream of the old man erupted to the air as Razkar's maledicted hand ax sliced clean through the man's right leg, violently separating it from his body. Fresh blood poured from his amputated leg. "Kyaaaahahahahaha!!" Kouri cackled gleefully and shoved the ax towards Solin, it landed on the ground in front of him with the grip facing towards him, ready to be picked up and wielded. "Kill him for me~♥" OOCSolin, assist!