A Wagon full of lies. (job thread)

[Alexander Faircroft]

Timestamp: 33rd Winter 516AV
Location: Just outside Alvadas

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


Alex left the city early. The specified date. Dreamless sleep was the menu for the prior evening, Five bells of dreamless sleep. He always called it dreamless when he was just reliving a memory. On his mind was the encounter he shared with Phira, The pair of vantha women he now held in his charge Infilia and Nemori, and lastly Linie. The woman from his dreams he was still on the fence about being fully real or not. Alex sighed stuffing his hands into the pockets of his long leather jacket. Over all he wasn’t in bad spirits this morning but he wouldn’t allow himself to be happy. It never ended well. He’d brought his bow and quiver full of arrows with him alongside the pair of bastard swords he carried at his hips. On his back just because he was being extremely cautious today for some reason, lie his shield. He hadn’t picked the thing up since he’d left the knights but it was something he took today. And of course the myriad of daggers he held hidden over himself.

Trudging out into danger wasn’t the smartest thing to do but still there was that feeling of dread. Alex stepped past the sanity centre giving a small nod to it’s occupant before he stepped through the gaping maw. The cities guardian and gatekeeper. Alex gave a small smile as he walked through feeling the cool but not cold winds blow past him. Like a cold fall not a full bodied winter. And it was already a third into the winter season. Alex could see why things were getting desperate but that was still no reason to harm a people that did nothing wrong. His hands tightened in his pockets a cool rage building in him. He focused elsewhere and washed it away. Like waves lapping at the shore.

Right, so where’s my contracted guarding duty? Alex thought to himself as he marched through the open roads leading down past the patchwork port. A three bell trip it would take him from where he started in the city He prepped himself for the long haul but strangely he didn’t feel as secure in himself as normal the plate he would usually wear no longer his means of survival instead he was back to his old ways. Leathers and bow work. He didn’t feel as confidant as he possibly should have in anything else.

Though as he drew closer to the meeting point for the wagon full of cargo, Alex stopped hiding behind a particularly large boulder. His motions silent and slow as he could hear voices discussing something. He pulled his bow from his shoulder and an arrow alongside it.

“I don’t see why we gotta guard this pile of crap.” One of the guards spoke. Alex peered around the corner and edge of the boulder and snapped back instantly. Both of the two having a discussion were “relieving themselves”.

“I agree it’s just a pile of crap. No-one is going to want a pile of crap. Not even any godsdamned bandits!”

[Alexander Faircroft]

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


Well at least it was good to know this his support for guarding this thing was about as useful as a pile of wet blankets. Alex slipped the bow back over his shoulders silently and crept around the rock to see the wagon in sight with its content and the driver sat looking extremely anxious and wary. Alex however was well enough concealed from view to get a good look at the prospect of the situation. His hood covering his face as he kept low and slow pulling away from the rock and moving towards the sparse treeline. Trying his best to not be seen he slipped up behind the cart. Still “bill and Ben” hadn’t arrived back taking a piss for that long was just taking the piss.

Alex thought it’d be a good idea to see what exactly he was checking and protecting. Even with the driver on high alert Alex was quiet enough to get close enough to flick up the corner of the canvas covering. Inside lie as they’d said what seemed like junk at least to the untrained. It was a myriad of rocks. All shapes and sizes however Alex pulled one from the supply and checked it over. Either these people didn’t have a clue what this was. Or they weren’t told and just a plain bunch of idiots. The cart wasn’t full to overflowing but it was enough that Alex could tell there was a good deal of money here. As inside the rock he held through a crack at it’s edge he could see clearly light refracting off of something with in. With an extremely prismatic presence.

Great…I’m protecting a cart full of uncut and still in the stone gems. They weren’t huge but there was enough of them for him to understand why it needed protecting. But as Alex pressed his fingers into the stone it cracked further. Alex knew he was no-where near strong enough to break stone with his grip… And then it hit him, these had been covered to prevent the two mooks at the side from stealing anything just in case. Or deterring inquiring eyes. And it was an exceptionally well done job. Whoever this “Darius” was clearly he was both smart and knew how to judge people well.

“Who the petch are you!?” The voice broke through the silence and in his swiftness to cover his tracks he pocketed what was in his hand. Alex then rose from the side of the cart. “Well. The obvious answer would be someone who could have stolen from you all and walked off without a single thought. What idiot deigns it a good idea to go for a bathroom break at the same time?” Alex looked up from the ground keeping his eyes trained on the pair of pillocks. “I’m the back up that was sent to make sure that this reaches the city without any-” Alex was cut off by the sound of an arrow sinking into the wood of the cart. “Complications…” For the love of…Why can’t it ever be an easy job!? Alex took a few steps back and leapt over the cart yelling one word as he did so.

“Down!”

[Alexander Faircroft]

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


Arrows peppered the side of the cart The driver rolled off the side of it just in time to not take an Arrow to the chest instead it sank into his shoulder. Now Alex and The two bumbling morons that should have seen this coming were sat behind the cart. Alex slipped his longbow from his shoulders as the other two lifted crossbows. Alex popped up over the edge and loosed an arrow at the first, the thick shaft puncturing his knee clean through. One… Another arrow flew from his bow the snap of the string giving him a flashback to a time he’d had to do something similar. And another arrow slid into a second bandit’s shoulder digging the shaft into him. Two…

The two next to him finally got their arse in gear and started to send bolts out, straight kill shots with each one. For a group of around eleven bandits with bows and blades against Alex and his three amigos. Alex fired another shot, the arrow sank into the shoulder again. Three… And then the numbers began to thin as they got closer. Each of the two geniuses beside him managed to take down a two people each. And then the remainder descended upon him and the two.
Alex leapt up and slipped his bow over his shoulder drawing both of his swords simultaneously.
“Well let’s see who you two can deal with!” Alex leapt up leaving the other two to deal with the remaining two.

Alex squared off against the duo of bandits. Each hand filled with a blade but against two bandits each one brandishing a rather jagged and ramshackle looking dagger. “Right. Let’s see what you two can do shall we?” Alex’s voice was cold and even. He stepped towards them a feeling of ice flowing off of him almost like he was attempting to cool the air around him with that feeling of malice. Almost daring the pair of them to come closer to begin trying to fight him.

He could see the shake and quake in their legs, they seemingly knew that Alex could strike out against them. Alex stepped in and swung his blades each one moving slightly after the other with one swinging low towards the bandit to his right’s knee the other swung high toward the bandit to his left’s shoulder. His swings were deliberate and practiced and their blocks were haphazard and fractured. These were people who clearly had no formal training nor any real want other than hunting this down for the money. Clearly they couldn’t find any vantha with the goings on this season but this was an attack of desperation than much else. Alex felt something within him say this was wrong. However he’d give his word. But that didn’t mean he had to kill them.

Alex stepped in and swung both blades towards the bandit on his right kicking the one to his left in the gut and away. The bandit he swung at blocked both of the blades with his knife and stumbled back towards his buddy. Alex whirled his blades and stared at the pair of them jumping in again he swung a blade at each pressing the offensive and aiming to end their plight there and then. However something felt wrong. With each clash of his blades against theirs he could see their body’s shaking and wavering. A distinct lack of strength behind their blows. They not only weren’t well trained but they were hungry. The lack of the winter weather had drawn them from their hunting spots and dried up the game for a good chunk of the surrounding land. And this was a way for them to buy some meat and mead within Alvadas’ walls.

Alex changed the angle of his blades dragging them across the tendons on the bandit’s legs within a single slash a piece. Severing their achillies tendons in a single stroke. Leaving both bleeding and writhing on the ground in pain. “I’m sorry. But at least you have your lives.” His words were remorseful yet as much as he left his quarries alive his “dubious compatriots” were not quite as kind. Killing their foes outright.

“Why!? Why did you do that?” Alex roared out staring at the pair of them.
“Simple they attacked us.” The guard smiled and wrenched his spear free from the back of the bandit on the ground.
“They attacked because they were desperate and had no-where else to turn! You didn’t have to kill them!” Alex spoke with a word of pain.
“Petch that. I get paid for each person I kill on this job.” The second of the two spoke. And Alex’s vision darkened. Hold it back. Don’t go through with it now. He’ll know. Hold off. Alex’s logic was speaking to him and keeping him as calm as it could. Alex hoisted his blades up and…sheathed them. Swallowing hard he kept his voice as even as possible. “Leave the others they’re not a threat. Were headed back to the city.” Alex kept his gaze down towards the ground, the look of sheer anger in his face was enough to let them know if he looked at them. He was strongly contemplating ending the pair of them.

[Alexander Faircroft]

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


There was a sudden quiet pall in the air now as Alex looked over the gear in the wagon. Almost feeling the cold eyes of the two guards nearby on him. Did this Darius really trust these two or were they sent by someone else? Whatever the case was Alex had this feeling of dread welling up within him. Alex helped the carriage driver back up onto the cart and checked the arrow wound in his shoulder. Nothing fatal but enough to suck. Holding one end steady he broke off the back of it and glanced towards the driver who was now breathing fairly heavily. Young lad, slightly younger than Alex himself but not by much.

“Bite down on this.” Alex told him with a stern look and word.
“Why!?” He exclaimed with a wince and an undercurrent of pain in his voice, trying to act brave and mask it.
“Because I’m going to pull the arrow out. And if I don’t it’s going to get infected and you could at best, lose the arm, at worst die. So bite down on it.” The sharpness in his words was enough to smack some sense into the kid and without a second comeback he had the arrow half in his mouth and between his teeth.

Alex took a firm hold on the back of it. “On the count of three, ok?” The driver nodded and braced himself. “One-” All Alex said as he yanked the arrow out with a singular swift pull, the pain intense by the shock lessened for the lad. Next thing he did was tear off the sleeve of the shirt and tie it into a sling to brace his arm, before tearing off a long thin strip of the canvas covering the cart top use as a bandage to the drivers now slowly bleeding wound.

“When we get back to town go find a healer or a doctor. I’m not the greatest at this but I know the very, very basics.” Alex then let the cart lead on a little before he heard two cries of agony behind him. The two bandits he’d left alive were silenced in an instant. And now weapons were being brandished towards Alex and the driver.

“Now… Drop em.” Alex knew what he meant without even having to ask.
“So the real threat was actually you two. No wonder you felt so secure in what you were doing.” Alex spoke with a calm word, his hands slowly moving to his chest
“Arms down!” One of the two said nervously but still trying to act in control and command.
“You told me top drop my weapons and the belt fastening them is here. So do you want me fully armed or unarmed?” Alex spoke without turning his body but looking over his shoulder to see the pair of them clearly. A good three feet between him and the closer of the two. His fingers gripped the edge of the throwing daggers strapped to his chest and then in a singular motion eh turned launching the daggers at the two “brigands”.

His right dagger caught the spear weilder in the chest sinking a good inch in past the armour and the other caught the sword user in the shoulder sinking in a good two inches and possibly nicking the bone. Either way he bought himself a moment to reach to his side and draw one sword and the shield from his back. Strapped in place with a single motion and his word out he fell into is old Knight Sword stance.

Designed for defence rather than aggression. With no armour and two at least decently skilled weapon users against him the shield would offer better protection.

Lovely… I knew I felt something bad from these two...

The spear user came at him first feeling more confidant after pulling the blade form his chest. The spear came in and Alex lifted his shield to angle the tip away from him, the steel scraping on steel then wood told Alex he’d over judged the trust and now Alex had a clear line. His Sword swung low and found itself biting into the wood and half way through the user’s calf as he hadn’t been fast enough to get there.

As the spear user fell to the ground cradling his leg Alex stepped back. Readying for the next bout of assault he then caught sight of steel out of the corner of his eye, the blade met his shield with an alarming impact. The ringing in his shoulder told him that would have lopped his head off had he been any slower. Alex backpedalled keeping his balance on the loose mud beneath him. Practiced thoroughly on all kinds of loose terrain his opponent clearly wasn’t as the momentum of the strike and impact made his feet slide slightly.

Alex grounded himself digging his heels into the mid and dirt and waited. He wasn’t going to initiate this onslaught. The sword user charged in and struck out at him and Alex took the blade against his shield bending his knees to absorb the impact, and with a sharp cold glare he brought his sword down on the poor sap. A small motion smaller than moist people would have expected but still it was there. And now the poor bastard had his Achilles tendon sliced. Perhaps Alex’s time with Ball had worn off on him too much. And he was intentionally going for the ankles as the fastest way to disable people.

“I’m not going to kill you two. Just inform Darius of your intent to steal his goods. Then I’ll let him deal with you. So don’t go anywhere, I don’t think it’ll take long.” His words were cold but if he acted on his impulses, he’d be no better than those he tried to stop. Turning his gaze back to the driver his look softened ad he with a small nod urged him on.

[Alexander Faircroft]

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


Alex walked alongside the cart as the driver fully motioned with him keeping it at a slow and steady pace. His sword finding its sheath once again and shield to his back. A glum look on his features not the one of someone who’d just survived a potential life and death situation. Instead he had the look of someone who was going to do something he didn’t want too but felt it necessary.

The driver winced and groaned as he rocked over some small stones. Alex finally parted his lips and spoke once again. “I never got the chance to ask your name nor the…other two’s.” Alex glanced towards the driver with a look of quiet dissatisfaction with the way things turned out.

It seemed as if the car driver caught onto this and looked a little dejected as well.
“Names Reggie. And the two back there were Bart and George. Not the nicest people but they did keep the cargo safe…Little did I know it was so they could ransack it themselves. Must have figured out what was in it… Like you did.” Alex glanced towards the driver with a stark look of curiosity. “Think I didn’t notice?” The driver said with a twinge of pride and a small wince of pain.

“Well done. Not many people do. Nice to see you’re a lot more observant than most. Would probably explain how you made it most of the way without getting ambushed beforehand, because those two were…less than good enough.” A word of quiet appreciation for one who kept his wits sharpened above his wallet or his pride. “By the way I’mma hang onto this diamond I’ve got. I’ve a purpose for it but it will return to Darius’ hands.” And given what had just happened Alex had endeared himself a bit to the driver of the cart and by proxy he hoped Darius.

The two parted ways as Reggie headed off with the full cart towards the store house that Darius owned and Alex made his way through the mess of streets and the ever shifting maze towards Darius’ home. A good bell and a half passed before those inky black doors loomed over him again.

Smirking and wondering he knocked on the door again the same pattern. And the teen opened the door again with a very quiet word.
“Welcome…” The small voice with a large red mark on his forehead spoke quietly.
“Thank you.” Alex spoke now with a courteous response and a small knowing smirk. Stepping past the teen and into the main hall where he’d spoken to Darius and his wife prior Alex sighed and put his hands into his jacket. “Well. Your cargo is safe and in the city. However you didn’t tell me that we’d be ambushed, nor that your two current guards would turn on both me and the driver.”

Darius looked at Alex with a small almost sarcastically knowing smile.
“Which is precisely why I sent you.” His smile grew boarder as he stepped across the room. “It’s good to know there’s at least one painfully honest man in Alvadas who isn’t hidden behind some kind of illusion. Or hiding in the shadows playing tricks. But there’s still a shell around you, and I respect that.”

It was like Darius was peeking into who he truly was who and what he’d been. And Alex was not ok with that.
“The two, Bart and George are still alive. I don’t kill. At least unless I know there’s no alternative. As for these.” Alex pulled the diamond out of his pocket it wasn’t huge but it was big enough to macth the tip of his little finger. And tossed it to Darius. “They’re safe and extremely well hidden. I suspect had the other two not been told they weren’t just rocks they may never have truly known.” Alex gave Darius a small knowing glance as he caught the stone.

“Oh I really like you. I’ll be in touch if I ever require an honest man who’s good with a blade again. As for the other two…I’ll deal with them. Or at least have them dealt with. You can pick up your payment on the way out.” Alex nodded lightly and headed for the door. A feeling of deep dread beginning to settle into his stomach. Alvadas was only going to get more interesting now.