Completed [The Bronze Woods] A Trip to the Woods (Aren)

Aren escorts Oren as he goes to find some ingredients

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Stretching northward along the coastline of the Suvan Sea, the Cobalt Mountains are the home of the Bronze Wood, numerous ruins, and creatures both strange and fantastical.

[The Bronze Woods] A Trip to the Woods (Aren)

Postby Orin Fenix on February 6th, 2015, 2:19 am

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45 Winter, 514 AV
The snow was sending a nice, clean scent into the air. The trees were framed against the slightly overcast sky. The little sunlight that filtered through the clouds bathed the landscape in a slight glow. While most animals were asleep for the winter, a few birds still chittered in the branches and there were faded tracks in the snow indicating some critters still were moving on the ground as well. And Orin wasn’t paying attention to any of it.

This had everything to do with his travelling companion. Orin’s master had declared himself disgusted with the quality of winter vegetables available in the Great Bazaar. And unlike most chefs, Orin’s boss didn’t maintain a garden in any season. So the only way to get anything fresh enough was to go out into the wild and essentially hope that something turned up. Which was why Orin was out here bundled up to his eyeballs with an armed escort. Orin knew that dangerous creatures and evil individuals lurked out there in the idyllic looking countryside. Orin certainly wasn’t confident enough in his own combat abilities to protect himself from anything other than minor disturbances, which is why he had hired Aren.

Aren was a mercenary. The first thing that people normally would’ve noticed about him was his height. He towered at least a head over Orin, and Orin was fairly tall. However, they would only be able to ay attention to that once they got past the fact that Aren’s skin was blue. It was utterly unlike anything Orin had ever seen before and he hadn’t been quite sure how to react. All in all, Aren had a pretty intimidating presence, which Orin felt was good in someone that Orin was paying to guard his back. However, Orin found himself too confused and, frankly, afraid to make even a token attempt at conversation. Beyond giving Aren instructions on Orin’s plans for the day, Orin had been mute the entire journey.

The silence was beginning to wear on Orin though, especially since the surroundings were so stark and bare. As he rubbed his hands together to try and generate just a bit of warmth, Orin decided that he had to talk or he would start to go crazy. Unfortunately, he couldn’t think of any safe topics except for one. ”So, have you, well, done this often? I mean, bodyguard work. I don’t know, I guess I was just wondering what your work usually entailed. I mean, it all sounds so mysterious and exciting to me.” Orin snuck a glance at Aren. Finally, Orin’s curiosity got the better of him, and he blurted out, ”I’m sorry I have to know. Is the, you know,” and Orin gestured weakly at Aren, ”the skin a natural thing or a design or what?” Thankfully, it was too cold for Orin to blush. ”I hope that’s not an ignorant question or something. I’ve just never seen anyone with, well, skin that’s any color before.” Orin shut his mouth before anything too humiliating came out.
Last edited by Orin Fenix on February 20th, 2015, 12:19 am, edited 3 times in total.
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[The Bronze Woods] A Trip to the Woods (Aren)

Postby Aren on February 6th, 2015, 6:44 pm

Aren kept his head on a swivel, despite the unlikelihood of any self respecting bandits wanting to rob an apprentice cook who had come into the wilds for fresh produce. Even so, the area around Syliras could still be very dangerous, being inhabited by everything from wolves to Yukmen. The Akalak wouldn't have been surprised if he also saw a stray glassbeak or two which had wandered away from the Sea of Grass looking for better hunting grounds during a particularly harsh winter.

While Aren's infravision allowed him to easily spot warm blooded creatures in this cold, it was by no means a certainty that he would be able to detect a well executed ambush. He might be able to avoid it, or he might get some advanced warning before the trap was sprung, or he and his charge might both be dead before they even knew what happened.

Hopefully, however, this would be an uneventful job where the most exiting thing that happened was suffering through a couple of awkward questions from his employer. It couldn't really be helped, of course, if he'd never seen an Akalak before.

"Exciting, maybe. Mysterious? There's no mystery to it. You pay me and I try and keep you from getting killed, or I do killing on your behalf. Sometimes you might get an unusual job, like performing..." Aren's mind flashed to the events of a few nights ago. The stage, the crowds... the company.

Shaking his head, the experienced warrior knew that now wasn't the moment for reminiscing. A distraction like that could get them both killed, and he wasn't about to die in this freezing shit hole because thoughts of a woman dulled his reaction time. That would just be embarrassing.

As for the question of his color, Aren didn't really feel like educating the boy amidst this annoying chill, and bid his brother do it for him, "Explain it to him, will ya."

"As for me being blue... well, it's the cold you see. Spend one too many days out here, and your skin will look like this, if the hypothermia doesn't kill you." Seros teased the young man, unable to help himself when the chance was presented. The darker Other was just that kind of person. He'd set him straight, eventually, but for now he'd enjoy seeing what kind of reaction his response garnered. Would anyone even be gullible enough to ever believe such a ridiculous story?

Aren, for his part, found his brother's invented explanation innocent enough that he didn't think he needed to jump in and correct it. For now, there was no harm in letting him have a little bit of fun; Seros deserved that chance, at least.
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[The Bronze Woods] A Trip to the Woods (Aren)

Postby Orin Fenix on February 8th, 2015, 8:25 pm

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Aren’s constant glances at the surroundings looked odd, his head darting this way and that at what Orin hoped were imagined, not real, threats. It was kind of funny actually, an almost birdlike motion. However, Orin carefully kept himself from laughing, not knowing what type of reaction it would provoke from the other man. Also, if it kept him safe, he wasn’t going to complain. With that sober thought, all humor drained out of the situation. Orin didn’t know how to properly assess potential trouble and hopefully Aren did. Maybe Orin should be paying attention to what Aren did, in case Orin ever found himself alone in the wilderness. It probably couldn’t hurt and might save his life one day.

Aren’s answer took a lot of the mystique out of his job. It sounded almost boring the way he described it. Although it was obviously much more dangerous than Orin’s simple work in the kitchen. And Orin could never see himself killing someone, except possibly in self-defense. He’d leave that to the professionals. ”Well, someone’s got to do it and better you than me. I appreciate your work. I couldn’t do this without you, I mean, assuming something goes wrong that is. Hopefully it’ll all go smoothly. And I don’t need you to kill anyone I swear! Just felt safer with someone out here with me.” Orin smiled gingerly at Aren. When Aren’s voice trailed off though, Orin’s interest perked up. ”Performing? Someone hired you to perform? What kind of performance?” Realizing that Aren had probably stopped talking for a reason, Orin apologized. ”I’m sorry, you don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.” Orin picked up the pace as if his day would end sooner if he walked faster.

However, Aren’s response to Orin’s inquiry caused Orin to stop in his tracks. Turning to the taller man, Orin crossed his arms across his chest. For once his cheeks were red with anger, and not cold or embarrassment. Aren’s joke wasn’t funny. Orin knew very well how frostbite and hypothermia worked. Having grown up in a farming community where flocks had to be rescued occasionally when shepherds and farmers ignored the warning signs when a blizzard was incoming had taught him more than he wanted to know about winter weather.

Scowling at Aren, spoke hotly. ”Listen, I’m sorry if that question was rude but I already apologized for it and fooling around with me isn’t nearly as funny to me and it might be to you. I’m ignorant, not stupid. I know exactly what happens in the cold having known more than enough people who had died in the snow. So that trick isn’t going to work on me, blue boy.” Stamping his feet as they started to go numb in his boots, and only slightly in anger, Orin continued. ”If you don’t want to tell me, just say so. But here’s some unsolicited advice. Annoying the person paying you is never a good idea, especially before you’ve been paid. And especially if you ever want to get hired again.” Marching forward, Orin pointedly ignored Aren, mad at the other man and himself for letting his temper get the better of him. But he was cold and he didn’t want to be out here any more than Aren probably did. So what if his conversation skills were poor. At least Orin had been making an effort and Aren decided to treat Orin like an imbecile. Well, if Aren didn’t want to have a conversation, that was perfectly fine with Orin.
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[The Bronze Woods] A Trip to the Woods (Aren)

Postby Aren on February 9th, 2015, 6:27 am

Seros did not deem this little cook important enough to grace with his lofty notice, and so ignored the young man's rather awkward questions, but the boy's reaction to his joke amused him, "You've got fire." The darker Other mused, smiling wickedly as his eyes suddenly found themselves staring off into the distance.

His employer did not, apparently, enjoy being teased, and that was a shame, but being who he was, Seros did not particularly give a damn that his sense of humor had elicited such an insulted reaction. The world wasn't going to stop being a shitty place just because you got angry at it, and the boy would do well to learn this fact. This wasn't his problem, however. His problem was keeping this brat alive long enough for him to learn these essential life lessons, and it was an issue which had probably just gotten a lot more complicated.

A hand reached up towards the center of his chest while another craned back in an obviously practiced gesture. Mere instants later, the large scythe resting on the mercenary's back fell into his waiting hand just before the entire arm twisted forward to bring the weapon to bear in a single, continuous motion.

"That's good, because you're going to need it." The Akalak's tone seemed to change as he spoke now, from one of obvious disdain, to one more akin to genuine concern.

Thought Aren did not wish to alarm the young man he was charged with protecting for fear that he might panic and do something stupid, he knew that keeping him in the dark was not an option, "Now, I want you to listen to me very carefully, if you have absolutely any desire to live." The warrior's voice suggested that this wasn't the moment for anything other than paying complete attention.

His eyes had detected the telltale patchwork of heat which almost certainly belonged to a couple of Yukmen. They were reasonably far, but the problem with these creatures was that they generally didn't travel in such small packs. Where there were two there were three, and where there were three, there could often be a hundred more. These creatures were not particularly threatening individually (though not for lack of viciousness), yet there was no way Aren could fight them in larger numbers.

"If it comes down to it, you're not going to leave him behind, are you?" Seros questioned, though he had known the answer to his query even before he had voiced it.

"If only he knew that he could tell you right now that he didn't have a miza to his name and you'd still risk your neck to protect him without a second thought..." Aren's brother didn't entirely know what to make of his sibling sometimes, or how to feel about this absurd moral code he insisted on living by. Was it abject loathing that he would risk both their lives for a stranger, or was it pride that the man would rather die than abandon someone he had taken responsibility for?

"I don't know if you have what you came for, but we need to get out of these woods quickly and quietly, and we need to do it now. Don't say anything. Just nod if you understand." Aren's golden eyes seemed like they were a long way away, but he made sure to keep his charge within his peripheral vision at all times. This could turn out to be an easy retreat, depending on the size and direction of the horde, or it could be that they were already surrounded. Either way, this was going to have to be a careful and well coordinated egress.
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[The Bronze Woods] A Trip to the Woods (Aren)

Postby Orin Fenix on February 9th, 2015, 2:54 pm

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Orin was annoyed. Aren seemed to be taking his anger as if it was a temper tantrum thrown by a small child. However, Aren was clearly in the wrong in this situation. A little courtesy wouldn’t hurt and Orin didn’t see any need to be nice to someone who wasn’t nice back to him. Orin wasn’t a child anymore and didn’t need to act like one. Just because he was inexperienced didn’t mean that he could be treated poorly. After all, the only way to learn things was to be exposed to them Orin hated bullies and it wasn’t often that he was in a position to tell one off. So Orin took a deep breath to tell Aren where he could shove that fire.

However, he stopped short when Aren suddenly fell into a combat ready position and told Orin he was going to need that spark. The blade on the end gleamed and it looked like Aren knew exactly what he was doing. Orin had never seen a scythe used in a fight before. To him, they were farming implements, nothing more, nothing less. However, he knew from personal experience that a sharp scythe could be deadly. He had a scar on his leg to prove it. Suddenly nervous, Orin pulled a knife from its sheathe on his hip. It wasn’t really meant for fighting, but it was better than nothing. If worst came to worst, he could at least surprise an opponent with it. His hand trembled at first, but he forced it into stillness. Settling into the stance that he had been practicing most mornings, Orin gathered himself for either a fight or a sprint.

Orin was about to ask Aren what was going on, but the warrior told him to simply nod if he understood and Orin knew instinctively to trust Aren’s judgment in a dangerous situation. His grievance set aside for now Orin nodded. He had enough vegetables that he wouldn’t be coming back empty-handed, mostly the hardier root vegetables like leeks and onions that could survive underground in the winter. Even if he had nothing, Orin’s life wasn’t worth a few lousy plants.

Orin glanced around. Though the reflected sunlight off the snow blinded him, he was desperate to see what was going on. Unfortunately, he couldn’t see anything that would have spooked the other man. There was no movement in the distance and no sounds as far as Orin could tell. However, he kept silent, waiting until Aren gave him further instructions or the all clear. Orin backed away, trying to judge the distance that Aren’s scythe would cover if he needed to swing it. Orin wanted to be out of the way when that happened. Orin tried to move as quietly as possible, feeling the snow and the ground to make sure there was nothing that would cause him to either stumble or fall or make a noise, like a snapping twig. He did know at least a little bit having practically grown up in these woods. And Orin knew that the dangers they represented were real.
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[The Bronze Woods] A Trip to the Woods (Aren)

Postby Aren on February 10th, 2015, 11:45 pm

The Akalak's eyes scanned his surroundings for the presence of more Yukmen. He only saw the two he had initially spotted, but the woods were dense, and there was no way he could be sure there weren't more. The risk of these two simply being part of a larger group was too high, and the dangers of facing a horde were just too great. It would have been irresponsible of Aren to do anything but attempt an escape, yet he also had to consider the possibility that in trying to flee, he might accidentally run into the very thing he was trying to avoid. At the moment, however, getting out of this forest seemed like the best option, as long as they were careful in their exit.

"Stay low, and don't make any sudden movements." Aren counseled, knowing that their best chance was to retreat unnoticed from these creatures. If these two fine specimens did indicate the presence of an actual horde nearby, it would be their only chance.

"Oh, and, Ferin was it?" The Akalak questioned the accuracy of his statement, thinking he had heard the young man's name mentioned at some point, but not entirely sure if he remembered correctly, "If you see anything, do not panic. Keep your calm, and inform me. Don't run off on your own, and do NOT panic.

Aren felt kind of like he might have been making his point a little sternly, but he had to know that it was made, without equivocation. This person he was charged with protecting had little to no training or experience, as near as he could tell, and a single moment of uncontrolled fear could mean both their deaths. The warrior knew how hard that could be, even for a practiced veteran, which is why he had to make sure the boy understood.

"If I panic, I die. Say it." The Akalak wanted to make sure to drill this fact into his head, but the mercenary also found he felt confident the skinny cook would behave appropriately.

Despite Seros' provocations, he had reacted instantly to Aren's warning, having instinctively realized that now wasn't the time for questions or doubts. He was told, and obeyed, a trait which he had probably only grudgingly cultivated while working under a demanding master, but it was one that would serve him well today.

Of course, needless to say, Aren's darker Other did not feel the same way, but he knew better than to try to argue with his brother on matters such as these. In fact, at this point the only real choice he had was to try to make himself useful. In most circumstances that simply meant not distracting the dominant personality too much, but sometimes Seros saw things in a way the lighter Other didn't. The differences between the pair meant that there were a lot of things that while one couldn't even fathom, the other understood all too well.

Aren, for example, didn't really have too much experience with negative emotions like resentment or rage. Yet, his brother, on the other hand, could teach a master class on them. The world looked completely different to both of them, and lately Seros had started to come around to the idea that this wasn't necessarily a bad thing. United, they could be stronger than they were divided. He knew they weren't there yet, though.

"I just hope that if something happens and he gets in trouble you know you can't get him out of, you won't make some suicidal attempt to save him anyways," The harsh sounding voice resonated through the azure giant's skull, and though Aren didn't know what he'd do unless the situation came up, the thought of sacrificing two people in a pointless endeavor to keep a third alive didn't sit right with him, either.

"Pray it doesn't come to that, because if it does, a glorious death might start to look mighty appealing when the alternative is cowardly regret."
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[The Bronze Woods] A Trip to the Woods (Aren)

Postby Orin Fenix on February 14th, 2015, 12:39 am

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At any other time Orin would’ve taken offense to Aren’s tone and words. The other man didn’t seem to think much of Orin and his abilities and it annoyed Orin to no end. That combined with Orin’s earlier grievance with Aren meant that Orin’s normally long fuse would’ve been perilously close to exploding. Orin had rarely lost his temper, usually being good-natured, patient, and forgiving. And although he would never admit this to himself, a lot of his rebelliousness had been beaten out of him both physically and mentally. The few times Orin had lost his temper had been truly legendary, though.

This was not normal, however. Aren seemed in control of the situation and Orin respected that authority even if he didn’t think much of the man. Orin could and would set aside his feelings until they were out of danger. And maybe Aren would realize his errors and apologize for his behavior if he saw that Orin could handle himself in a crisis. Even when Aren added insult to injury by calling Orin by the wrong name, Orin just gritted his teeth and nodded his head. The short satisfaction Orin might feel if he unleashed his rage at Aren wouldn’t be worth Orin’s life when it attracted their enemies. Besides, Orin would lose in a fight between the two of them. All that energy would be better channeled into the battle with their still unseen assailants.

Orin couldn’t see them at least. Aren seemed to know what he was looking for as he gazed off in the distance. Orin hoped that the mercenary wasn’t conning him. Aren could be fooling Orin into paying more because he was being ‘protected’ from a threat that didn’t exist. However, Orin wasn’t going to go check it out. Instead he strained his eyes and his ears for just a hint of movement or the rustle of branches or the crunch of snow. There was nothing that he could perceive.

Orin realizing Aren wanted him to actually repeat the statement. Despite Orin feeling that making any kind of noise on their part was a poor decision, he found himself whispering, ”If I panic, I die.” Under any other circumstance Orin would’ve laughed at the statement. At the moment it seemed entirely appropriate. Orin gripped his knife even tighter, and took a few swings. He was trying to remember the little he could from the training. If worst came to worst, Orin knew he would be putting it to use sooner than he had ever hoped or anticipated. As he tried once again to make the slashes tighter, faster, and most instinctive, Orin looked at Aren expectantly, awaiting further instructions. Orin also sent up a prayer to any of the gods that would be willing to smile upon them. He’d take all the help he could get.
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[The Bronze Woods] A Trip to the Woods (Aren)

Postby Aren on February 14th, 2015, 8:12 am

Having not corrected the Akalak on what the man thought his name was, Aren figured that he had remembered correctly. He did seem intent on grimacing and tightening his jaw every few words that the warrior spoke, but the azure giant attributed this to anxiousness stemming from knowing that their current situation was a very dangerous one.

When Ferin repeated the phrase Aren had commanded him to, the mercenary smiled. It was a good sign. He’d follow orders, and he’d do it quickly and without question. Blind obedience was not something that the well-traveled Akalak normally considered a positive trait, but there were always exceptions.

If Ferin delayed or distracted him with queries or doubts, then the man protecting him wouldn’t be able to do his job as effectively. He was a cook; his domain was the kitchen, preparing food for consumption. Out here, the sad truth was that his presence was more a liability than anything else. Aren had to be twice as vigilant and step twice as carefully because if a fight broke out, it wasn’t just his own neck he’d have to worry about. Maybe Ferin could take care of himself, but people who could handle themselves didn’t generally hire bodyguards to protect them. Like with everything, there were exceptions, but it would have been foolhardy for Aren to operate under that assumption, and seeing him wield his knife did nothing to alleviate that concern.

Realizing that the young man might well be forced to defend his own life, despite the absence of practically any observable combat skills, his would-be protector thought a little knowledge about their enemy might prove useful, ”Aim for the flesh. Don’t even bother with those bits of them that look like rocks.” Aren uttered, knowing that whispering was unnecessary for now. The two he saw nearby where too far to pick up almost any noise they might make; it wasn’t them that had him worried, but what that they could mean.

"Let’s go. " The Akalak commanded, as he turned around and began to head in the opposite direction of the pair of Yukmen he had spotted.

A direct reverse course was the most efficient means he knew of clearing the forest whilst simultaneously getting them closer to the city, but Aren was gambling that the potential horde his two new friends represented hadn't already encircled them and cut the route off. The only other option was staying put, and that felt like it was even more of a risk. It was possible the horde could pass them right by if it was scattered across a sufficiently large area, yet the odds of that where certainly not great.

Before they could get too far, however, Aren saw exactly what he had been hoping not to. More Yukmen; another scatted few that did not necessarily mean anything, yet a detour was still wiser than engaging them. Unfortunately, it was getting dark, and while under different circumstances this might have proved a significant advantage for the Akalak, his sidekick’s presence meant that the matter was not quite so simple. The Yukmen’s sight was probably not as good as Aren’s in low illumination, but their bestial instincts meant that they would probably fare better fighting in the chaos of darkness than Ferin.

So now the mercenary found himself facing three new choices: try to wait out the upcoming night, try to find a way around them… or fight. The safest course was the detour, yet if they kept doing that they’d never make it out of these infernal woods. The other two were inherently riskier, but both had their own potential benefits.

Aren’s eyes unwaveringly gazed into the distance. There were only three of them, and maybe if the pair could get past them, they could make some serious progress… but how? In the waning light the Akalak might be able to get closer than under normal circumstances, but he wasn’t particularly adept at surprising enemies. If he could get one before the others noticed him, though, it might be possible to quickly dispatch the other two. If he tried and failed, however, all three of them could be on top of him in the blink of an eye.

“Ferin. Stay here. If I’m not back in a few minutes, climb the thickest tree in this jungle and stay there as quietly and as long as you dare.” Aren honestly didn’t know what to make of his employer’s odds of survival without him, but he suggested what he believed might prove to be his best chance in case the worst should happen.

One hand holding his scythe, the other outstretched with open palm facing upwards, the mercenary gave Ferin a look that suggested that he shouldn’t be afraid, no matter what he saw. A moment later, an amount of ethereal material began to ooze out of Aren’s hand and collect itself a few inches above his palm. Eventually, its growth stopped, and the translucent substance adopted a gauntlet-like appearance around his arm.
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[The Bronze Woods] A Trip to the Woods (Aren)

Postby Orin Fenix on February 15th, 2015, 6:56 pm

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Orin felt all the color drain from his face when Aren told him what to aim for. Although the blue giant hadn’t actually said specifically what the two of them would be facing, the mention of rocks embedded in the flesh could only mean one thing. Yukmen. Orin had grown up with stories of the hordes of Yukmen that would occasionally storm the walls of Mithryn or Syliras and had a healthy fear of the nearly mindless monsters. The thought that a crowd of them surrounded Orin and Aren was terrifying. “Yu-Yukmen?” Orin hated that the question came out as a squeak.

Scampering to keep up with Aren’s longer strides, Orin tried to gather what little courage he had. While the danger was real, freezing up wouldn’t help either of them get out of this situation. They were moving away from where Aren had been looking earlier, in the complete opposite direction. Orin hoped that if there was a horde, it hadn’t spotted them, it was behind them, and they could outrun it. However, when Aren came to a halt, Orin felt his stomach drop. Obviously, if there were enemies ahead of them as well, it was likely they were surrounded. Bouncing up and down with nervous energy and fear, Orin waited for Aren to make a decision. The taller man gazed into the distance, obviously evaluating the threat that Orin still couldn’t see. Orin glanced at the setting sun. It would be dark soon and Orin would be even more helpless.

When Aren told Orin to stay put, Orin felt a stab of fear. Splitting up seemed like the worst possible idea to him, especially if there were enemies behind them who could come up upon Orin unawares. And although Orin didn’t know much about fighting, he knew two stood a better chance than one. So all in all, Aren’s plan seemed full of holes.

However, the protest bubbling up in his throat died at the sight of a strange material coating Aren’s arm. Orin had never seen anything like it before in his life. ”What is that?!” Orin exclaimed, then clamped his hands over his mouth as the sound echoed out into the woods. Hopefully he hadn’t just sealed their fates. Orin made a note that if they got out of this, he would ask Aren to explain it, though.

However, Orin’s earlier misgivings were still there and, characteristically, they soon burst out of him. Orin was at least careful to keep his voice down. ”Listen, I might not know much about combat and I might not be the brightest person, but even I know that you haring off on your own is going to quickly get both of us killed. We need more of a plan then me climbing a tree and you going off to face who knows how many enemies.” Although a shiver of fear ran down his spine, Orin was not going to let Aren fight by himself. ”At the very least I can serve as a distraction. Besides, I know these woods, probably better than you.” As he spoke, Orin felt the glimmer of an idea form into the back of his head.

Before terror could seize him, Orin found himself moving. ”I can lead them to you, and then you’ll have the element of surprise. Trust me, I can do this.” Before Aren could stop him, Orin darted off into the trees, breaking into an easy lope that he’d perfected with years of outrunning bullies. Feeling adrenalin spike, Orin recklessly called out behind him before Aren was lost in the trees ”And my name’s Orin, not Ferin! Get it right.” Even if that seemed silly at the time, Orin needed an outlet for his growing sense of hysteria.

Running in the direction Aren had been glancing at, Orin tried to keep his breathing steady. Panicking would not help at all. So he simply concentrated on keeping one foot ahead of the other. He was so focused on his running that when he burst into a clearing and saw three shapes ahead of him, he almost didn’t stop. Luckily, his body had a better self-preservation than his mind, and he skidded to a halt, almost falling in the snow. Luckily, he didn’t, and he threw himself back towards where he had left Aren. The three yukmen immediately came after him, their cries of yuk, yuk, yuk, spurring Orin to a greater speed. Lungs burning, he soon drew near to where he had left Aren, hoping the other man was prepared. If not, Orin has probably just killed them both. Hopefully his half-baked, hair-brained scheme would manage to save them both. If all went well, the three yukmen would be so intent on Orin that they wouldn’t notice Aren until it was too late. And at least it was still light enough that Orin could see and maybe help if it came to that.
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[The Bronze Woods] A Trip to the Woods (Aren)

Postby Aren on February 17th, 2015, 7:51 am

Ferin did not seem afraid, which was a relief, but rather the opposite. Aren had to admit that he enjoyed when others reacted to his magical abilities with awe, just as much as he disliked it when they reacted to them with an unreasonable degree of fear. Magic could be dangerous, certainly, but so could a blade. People tended to often panic at the mere sight of the former, however. Sometimes it didn't even matter how it was being used, or for what purpose, its simple existence might be enough to condemn a man in the eyes of another.

Out of all the opportunities he had to exert his independence, the cook just had to choose this one? The Akalak's head nodded from side to side as he heard Ferin offer his opinion on Aren's chosen stratagem. "No, you listen to me! I don't care if you take a piss out in these woods every morning and I know exactly how many enemies there are." The mercenary started, his voice overlapping with that of the man he was tasked with protecting. "I don't give a damn WHAT you think! I can't fight as effectively if I also have to be worri-" Before he could finish his statement, however, Ferin had darted off in the direction of the three Yukmen.

"If that little shit survives... I'm going to fucking kill him! Seros snarled, his voice conveying a feeling of profound rage mixed with a complete and utter sense of disbelief.

Aren, on the other hand, knew he had no time for anger if he wanted keep Ferin, or Orin, or whatever the hell his name was, alive. He had to go after him, and he had to do it right now. The Akalak instinctively chased after the cook, but the young man really did know these woods better than him. Realizing that he wasn't going to be able to stop him from executing his insane plan, Aren decided that the only thing he could really do was try and make said plan actually succeed.

The Akalak's eyes detected the moment that Orin saw the Yukmen and vice versa, prompting him to take cover behind a thick tree that appeared to be on the madman's return course. Keeping his scythe parallel with the length of the trunk, Aren's head craned out every few breaths to judge the distance between Orin and the last of his pursuers.

"Two... no, three!" The Yukman at the end of the train was three heartbeats away, he estimated. If he was wrong however, if he mistimed his attack a second too early or too late... At best the Akalak could end up surrendering the element of surprise for absolutely no gain. At worst, Orin could find himself with two or three Yukmen on top of him with Aren too far away to provide help in time.

There was no time to ponder other options, however, as the little cook flew by him in his mad dash to escape the monsters that hunted him; he was, of course, followed closely by his new acquaintances, "One..." The mercenary counted, a bead of anxious sweat sliding down his brow as he noticed the first of the Yukmen rush past him, "Two..." He could feel his own heart pounding away in his chest like an angry drum, as he noticed the second one blow by "...Three!" Without a moment's hesitation, Aren took a step to his right and turned about, his scythe snaking behind him with a horizontal sweeping motion.

The blade cutting smoothly through the Yukman's soft neck, the creature's momentum carried it's headless body quite a ways before it rolled to a stop. His friends did not even seem to notice, however, eagerly continuing their pursuit of Orin.

Pointing the palm of his free hand in the direction of the second closest of Orin's new devotees, the Akalak took his time (thought he knew there wasn't much of that to go around) to make sure he didn't miss. The mass of Res that had suddenly shifted position from it's previous resting place wrapped around Aren's forearm now coalesced into a solid spherical construct which hovered in front of his outstretched hand.

The triple layered spell, consisting of one inner control layer, as well as two distinct outer layers, suddenly lit up with a chirping noise, and arcs of light seemed to bounce through, and around, the otherworldly creation. Willing the energetic ball to move, the Reimancer flung it right into the exposed back of one of the pair of Yukmen running after his charge, hoping he had correctly accounted for the speed of the projectile and the movement of the target. A few seconds later, screams of agony and the sight of smoking flesh told him he had not erred, even before he saw his unfortunate victim slump to the ground.

There was only one left now, and Aren promptly gave chase to it even as it neared Orin, but he was simply too far. He began to produce another quantity of Res as he ran, but it was necessarily slower going. The only thing the mercenary could really do at this point was warn him, "You have to turn around, Orin! Turn around right now, and FIGHT!"
Last edited by Aren on February 17th, 2015, 10:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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