((for mike and liz unless i tell you its ok for you to post too))
Goddard puts the orb away. He was sitting under a tree away from the group by himself.
You have to be careful Master.
"I know. But I have to keep Aara safe too. And I can't take everything I see in that orb seriously but I'll keep it in mind."
Tannin looks at his map, and scratches his head.
ReplyDelete"We are getting into Ork territory. I'm going to scout ahead. Goddard, care to join me? I could use your elf eyes" Tannin says
"My dear cousin has elf eyes too," Goddard jokes and stands up.
ReplyDelete"He's also impossible to find. But I want to see if I can sense anything to show the presence of the druchii. I'm sure the ark does a number on the winds." He follows behind Tannin.
Tannin walks Goddard through the woods for about twenty minutes. He dosnt say hardly anything, and stops every now and then.
ReplyDeleteHe turns suddenly to face Goddard, gaunt of face and fangs showing.
"I think its about time we got rid of you Goddard. You are given all that power, Carry around those books, and yet act like a weakling. There is only room in this world for the strong, Goddard. "
Tannin's been acting strangely, Aara thinks, fidgeting with the amethyst ring on her finger. Maybe being back in the empire is affecting him. This is the first time he's been here since he turned.
ReplyDeleteGoddard stays behind Tannin the whole time. Watching him and trying to get a read on him. His mind must be blank because Arha can't read it. This makes Goddard nervous.
ReplyDeleteWhen Tannin turns to face him, Goddard takes a step back, a bit surprised even though part of him expected this. "I"m no weakling," Goddard growls. "I just have self control when it comes to the power I have."
"Had you exercised less, I might have spared you life." Tannin says, pointing his sword towards Goddard and Advancing.
ReplyDelete"If your lucky, this will be over quickly. Fortunately for me, your luck has always been shit"
Goddard turns his scythe so that the blade is down and Goddard moves slowly away from Tannin as he walks forward, keeping a distance.
ReplyDelete"Ungrateful," Goddard hisses. His heart is pounding but he keeps his panic under control.
"For what, letting me feed? I drank from Aara almost every night while she slept. It will be sad when I Kill her, I prefer the taste of her blood." Tannin says with a grin.
ReplyDeleteTannin quickens his pace a bit, slashing at Goddard's chest, attempting to cause him as much pain from the slash with as little actual damage as possible
Goddard's head fills with rage when Tannin mentions Aara and he doesn't even have time to react to Tannin's moving or attack.
ReplyDeleteThe scythe falls to the ground and Goddard staggers backward, clutching his chest. His eyes full of pain and anger.
"Tsk Tsk Goddard. Ive always said never let your weapon get away from you."
ReplyDeleteClearly toying with Goddard, Tannin feints with another attack from his sword, but kicks outwards towards Goddards midsection
Goddard tries to get away from the sword then realizes too late that it should have been Tannin he had kept his eyes on. The kick connects and the wind is knocked out of Goddard.
ReplyDeleteHe falls to the ground and groans, trying to reach down for his dagger while working on the words for a spell at the same time.
Something has to work...I have to do something...
"LETS. MAKE. YOU. PRETTY!" Tannin says, exaggerating every word.
ReplyDeleteGoddard receives a kick square to the eye, and can clearly hear Tannin laughing
Goddard throws one arm over his face and grabs at Tannin's leg with the other. Goddard catches him around the ankle and Tannin's boot sort of sizzles and he can feel pain in his leg. It's as if his boot and his skin were rotting at an accelerated pace.
ReplyDeleteGoddard quickly scrambles to his feet and once he pulls the dagger out, he charges at Tannin.
"The Weak fight back!" Tannin says in surpise
ReplyDeleteThe pain in Tannins leg grows intense and he growls. Seeing Goddards bold move, he smiles, and spins his sword to slash out at Goddards thigh area.
Goddard dodges the slash but doesn't make it anywhere near hitting Tannin and he trips over a root and lands hard on his back, dropping the dagger.
ReplyDeleteHe looks up at the plant he's tripped over and its a thorny bush. Goddard quickly grabs a branch off, not paying any attention to the pain of the thorns sticking into him and he whispers a few words under his breath as he stares down Tannin.
Tannin flinches, and looks down at his skin as thorns erupt from underneath his skin.
ReplyDelete"What a cute trick. I might just end you life faster now for that" Tannin says though gritted teeth, approaching the fallen Goddard
Goddard gets to his feet again but his weapons are all out of reach and he's getting tired.
ReplyDeleteYou've still got your claws and stuff...you still have magic too...
He whispers a few more words and uses the blood from his hand to cast the same spell he had cast on that manticore.
As the blood shoots over at Tannin and hits him, it smokes for a second, as if it had the capability of catching fire.
Tannin pounces on Goddard, Slashing and punching in an angry fury. This is no longer the playful toying around fighting Tannin was doing earlier, or the Stone face killer that he normally is. This is blind fury. This is Hatred.
ReplyDeleteTannin can feel his nails scrape against Goddard's jaw and the illusion Goddard usually has around him seems to be completely gone for this whole encounter.
ReplyDeleteGoddard surprisingly keeps Tannin from smashing in his skull but he's tired and can only see through one eye. He trips backward again and lands on his tail. He sits on the ground, trying to whisper up another spell, looking for the energy to even cast it.
Tannin jumps on top of him, His hand around Goddards neck.
ReplyDelete"Now you Die, elf" Tannin says, tightening his grip. He puts the tip of his sword on Goddards chest over his heart, letting the tip sink into his flesh, but preferring to watch the life leak out of Goddard as he is strangled
The words he was whispering are short when Tannin catches him. Goddard claws at Tannin as he's done so before. This is different. This time, he's not getting away. His eyes fill with tears but he keeps trying to breath. He keeps trying to get Tannin off.
ReplyDeleteThats...Thats Goddard! Riker thinks to himself. Hes been following the winds of magic for some time now, and they all converge on the spot where Goddard is being assault by some huge man.
ReplyDeleteRiker sprints off towards Goddard, muttering arcane words. His tattoos shift and flicker, his hair and eyebrows become living fire, and his eyes shed light even brighter then they already do. He dosnt even hesitate and launches 3 Bolts of fiery white hot energy which hit Tannin square in the chest, knocking him backwards off of Goddard.
Goddard's eyes flutter open quickly, surprised by what he sees.
ReplyDeleteWhat is this? He was right...terrible luck...
Once Tannin's grip is no longer on his throat, Goddard gasps and struggles to sit up. He tries to ignore the excruciating pain on his chest but it's impossible.
Riker continues to Assault Tannin with superheated bursts of Energy that set him ablaze where they Impact. Tannin trys to stand but is engulfed in flames. The Constant assault from Riker makes doing anything other the burning to death almost impossible
ReplyDeleteLecai! He's going to kill him!
ReplyDeleteAara's jolted out of her daydream by Ahra covering her face. "Huh? What is it?" she asks.
Master!
Aara jumps to her feet, loosening her scimitar in it's sheath. "Show me." Ahra flies quickly through the forest, and Aara's hard pressed to keep up.
I knew that vampire was trouble! I should have disobeyed orders and killed him when I had the chance!
Goddard stares in shock as Tannin goes up in flames. He still doesn't know nor does he care where this fire is coming from for the time being.
ReplyDeleteHe tries to turn around to see the direction where it came from but can't. The pain is too much and it takes a lot for him to remain seated and not just lie down.
At least Tannin is dead...and if I burst into flames now, at least she is safe.
Riker Approaches slowly to observe the sceen. After hes sure Tannin is dead, he Approaches Goddard.
ReplyDelete"Not how I expected our reunion" He says simply. "Are you alright?"
Goddard looks up confused at Reiker. He squints a bit and then he suddenly remembers him.
ReplyDelete"Ri...Riker?" He barley manages a whisper. "Is that really you? You still haven't melted?"
"Here in the flesh. And I didnt melt, but your ah, buddy over there did. Apperently he had an aversion to fire. Let me see those wounds"
ReplyDeleteRiker props Goddard up, and traces the cuts on Goddards chest, which seem to magically seal and cauterize
"Thank you," he mutters. "I would have been done for if you hadn't shown up."
ReplyDeleteAara comes running, swords drawn. She slides to a stop, looking for Tannin. Where is he? There's obviously been a fight here. When she sees Goddard covered in blood, she drops both swords and kneels beside him.
ReplyDelete"Nuur'eni!" she gasps, running her hands over his chest, looking for a wound. "What happened?" She slaps a pair of red tattooed hands away from him, not really noticing that they belong to someone. Worry and fear clouds her eyes as she feels for broken bones and injuries.
"Yeah you would have been smoked if not for me. How strange the winds brought me here"
ReplyDelete"Why is it everytime Im around you a girl slaps me?" he asks, as Aara shows up
She looks up, noticing him. "Who are you?"
ReplyDelete"Wilhelm Riker, Master Bright Wizard, At your service" Riker says with a bow
ReplyDeleteGoddard chuckles a bit then coughs. "Don't hurt him lecai," he says softly.
ReplyDeleteAara raises an eyebrow and goes back to looking over Goddard. Bruises already? What did Tannin do to him? "If you say so."
ReplyDelete"We need to get Goddard out of here. This is Ork Territory. "
ReplyDelete"Agreed. We have a camp set not far from here." She helps Goddard to his feet, still running her hands over his ribs, looking for broken bones. "Can you walk, nuur'eni?"
ReplyDeleteHe nods at Aara. "Could you get my scythe and my dagger? I had a hard time holding onto them. I'll have an easier time walking with the scythe."
ReplyDeleteAara retrieves the weapons and hands them to him. "Don't trip and impale yourself on it," she says, trying to joke through her worry. "Wait...where's Tannin? I want to give him a piece of my mind."
ReplyDeleteRiker Gestures over to the charred pile of ash
ReplyDelete"Assume that was Tannin, I already gave him a piece of mine."
"Reiker turned him into a pile of ash...which...can you grab me some of that too lecai?"
ReplyDeleteFor the first time, Aara takes a good look at the stranger. "Should have killed him weeks ago. You have my thanks. I'm Aara." Turning to Goddard, she gestures to his belts. "Give me a pouch or bottle, hayati."
ReplyDelete"Always looking for spell components even in the face of death. " Riker says laughing. He moves over to the body and picks up whats left (IE the weapons and magic stuff)
ReplyDelete" Pleasure to meet you. Arabian, I take it? "
ReplyDeleteShe smirks. "Did my pale complexion give it away?"
ReplyDeleteGoddard tosses a pouch to Aara and catches his balance on the scythe before he almost tips over.
ReplyDelete"You never know when you might need it later."
"No it was your Accent" Riker laughes, stuffing things into his pouches
ReplyDeleteShe fills it with the vampire's ashes, spitting on the rest as she rises. "Damn infidel. Should have killed you when I had the chance."
ReplyDelete"Thank you," Goddard puts the pouch on his belt when Aara hands it to him. "Did you really want to have his name on your hands though?" He asks Aara with a chuckle.
ReplyDelete"I don't have any in reikspeil yet. I could be an international Walking Death," she answers lightly.
ReplyDelete"He was a Bretonnian," he reminds her. "And you still can be international," he starts to laugh but it quickly becomes a groan of pain.
ReplyDelete"So was this Tannin a Friend of yours?"
ReplyDelete"Was. Before he died."
ReplyDeleteAara quickly slips under his arm support him. "Come on, Goddard. We'll get you back to camp and resting." Looking back at Riker, she nods, trying to convey her deepest thanks for saving him.
"When are you supposed to start being the muscle, nuur'eni?" she teases lightly. "Saving you all the time gets exhausting."