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The You Who Will Never Be (M)

Started by Valtxr, June 22, 2017, 12:49:05 AM

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Valtxr

(((Got the go ahead from Draconian too. Time skipping in this post.)))


   Gabe seemed unsure at first. A tremor of worry as Sharon considered what he had said. More wood on the fire. More blood, more violence. More innocent lives gone; more Emogenes, who would simply be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
   Adelaide.
   And even when she had it, the power and the control she sought, it wouldn't be over. It would be an ordered carnage, but still carnage. Those who broke her rules would have to be put down, those who made power plays against her would have to be put down, those who attempted to compromise her operations to the Reajh guard would have to be put down. Quickly. Violently. Enough to send a powerful message to others with similar ideas. A message that, if she were lucky, might buy her a small time of peace, before the next crackdown was necessary.
   But the alternative was Deegan, and men like him. Unrestrained. And the abuses and atrocities they would commit. That they were committing right now.
   Sharon took heart when he came around to the idea. Smiled and embraced him as he came close. An encouraging warmth in her chest.
   "Thank you, Gabe," she said. "Good to know you've got my back."
   And she closed her eyes. Savored the moment. One of the few in her life she could cherish.

* * * * *

   Rain fell on a small abandoned fort in the foothills of the Kilanthro mountains.
   Reese walked into the underground dungeon of the fort. Two metal hooks in his right hand. He sung a ballad to himself as he walked. Taking his time. He wore only pants. A big man, bristling with muscle. Close-cut hair, piercing hazel eyes. A massive black tattoo on his chest and stomach: that of the Circled Snake. Eating its own tail.
   A lantern hanging from the ceiling of the room. A man, naked and bound by chains at the wrists and ankles to the wall. He had a name. Once.
   The man looked fearfully to Reese. "Please. I have a family."
   Reese stopped. Stood in front of the man. "Do you know why you're here?"
   "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have stolen from Mr. Winters. I just needed to make ends—"
   "No. Ask me."
   "What?"
   "Ask me why you're here, and I will tell you the truth."
   "Listen to me, listen, it won't happen again—"
   Reese brought up his left hand. Laid it gently over the man's entire face. Spread his fingers so he could see through them.
   "Ask me."
   "W...why am I here?"
   Reese let his hand slide down the man's face. "Because you have always been here. And now you are here again. You've lived this moment countless times before. And the last time was merciful. This time, it will be worse. The next, worse still."
   The man's lips trembled. "What?"
   "We cannot see the cage we are born into. It is shrouded from our eyes. Disguised as dirt and grass and trees and sky. And there is no escape from it. Our eternal prison."
   The man's arms and legs shook as Reese grabbed hold of his chin and forced his mouth open. "No, no, no—!"
   Reese slid one of the hooks into the man's mouth and jerked it down. The pointed end tore through the man's tongue and the bottom of his mouth and burst out of the skin beneath his chin. Blood dripped to the floor as the man cried out. Reese slid the other hook inside the man's mouth on the other side. Punctured the soft flesh in the same way.
   Reese grabbed two thin ropes from the table on his right. Secured them to the bottom of the hooks. Then tied them to twin loops of iron on the floor. Made sure the ropes were taut.
   And Reese looked back to the table. Grabbed a pair of crude iron pliers.
   "Samsara is the name of this prison. The gilded cage for all who live and die. And it knows only one King."
   Reese clamped the pliers onto the first of the man's teeth.
   "Monarch."
   And pulled.
   Screams in the dungeon.

   It was only when Reese had a bowl full of the man's teeth that one of his men opened the dungeon's door. He had a note in his hand.
   "Boss, you're gonna wanna see this. It's important."

* * * * *

   Sharon had a difficult time sleeping. She tossed and turned in bed, thoughts of the upcoming assault making her restless. It wasn't so much a feeling of nervousness or unease, strangely, but one of a quiet and persistent eagerness to get it done, and get it done right. She hopped out of bed several times, walked over to one of the large windows of the room in just her shirt and underwear, and peered out the glass at the dark night sky. The storm clouds had blotted out the stars, rain fell at a steady pace, and mostly silent lightning illuminated the Kilanthro mountains lurking in the distance. Only the low rumble of thunder every few minutes or so.
   A pattern. Trying to sleep. Standing by the window. Sitting and thinking on the sofa. Repeat.
   This had to work. Everything depended on it. Not only did she need to successfully kill Reese, but rumors of The Maitri being ultimately responsible needed to be spread effectively, or else what was the point? A tricky balance.
   Now Sharon started to understand why Rains was always on edge. Why she liked to destress often with working girls. This anxiety, this hyper-vigilance, frayed the nerves.
   And she tried to sleep again.

   The faintest sliver of light to the east. A tiny purple tide in the sky, pushing up against the black.
   Sharon walked out onto the deck of The Overlook fully dressed, a cloth mask down around her neck and ready to be pulled up to conceal her face. The wood of the deck was still wet, the smell of fresh rain thick in the cold air. Half the clouds were gone from the sky now, allowing the meager light from the exposed stars and the moon to shine down.
   Jorge followed her out. Stood next to her by the railing of the deck. Looked out over Twin Rivers with her.
   "Mornin', Sharon," he said.
   "Good morning, Jorge." She glanced over at him. "You look...huh, well-rested. I was expecting you to look like shit."
   "That's 'cause I know my gut. Drank just enough yesterday to help me find a nice, cozy spot in my pillow and knock out early. Maybe you ought to've tried it, love. You look fuckin' beat."
   "I'm fine."
   "Jus' sayin'." He waited a bit, then added, "So did you go one round or two with Gabe? Ow! Fuck me, Sharon, that's my good arm. Now I'm gonna miss both my shots."
   "Maybe you should've kept the commentary to yourself then."

   Zhang ascended the narrow path leading up to The Overlook. Reached the top. Saw Sharon and Jorge out on the deck again. He arrived just in time to see her punch Jorge in the arm.
   A minor dispute, it seemed.
   Zhang entered the inn, the lobby illuminated by a couple lanterns. He crossed the distance to the door to the deck. Opened it. And stepped out.
   "Good morning," Zhang said, standing by the door in same spot as yesterday.
   "Mornin', mate," Jorge said as he turned around.
   Sharon didn't. Kept her hands on the wooden railing and her gaze out over the town.
   Zhang could only hope that she was prepared for what was in store.

Elector Count of WAAAGH!

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, near where the set meeting place was for the orc and goblin, the orc and goblin were trekking out of the forest and down the river towards where they were suppose to be.

The goblin was standing on the orc's shoulder and was resting one of its hands on the orc's helmet. The orc meanwhile was dragging part of a dead carcass behind him, having a good chuckle.

"Now dat waz a propa fight, haha." The orc boomed as he began to chant a crude war tune.
The goblin meanwhile was snickering along, looking over to Gary, who presumably was also with them.

"Iz didn't know youz one of dem forezt gobboz!" The goblin crackled. "Wot tribe you'z from? Da SpidaBitaz?"

Skwint

"At least you still have both of them," Black Skull said to Jorge after he complained about his arm.

Black Skull had shown up out of nowhere once again, but Sharon seemed too distracted to pull a gun on him this time. Hopefully Sharon would snap back into focus during the job. As good as it was to be properly compensated for his services, Black Skull wasn't about to risk his life for the woman. It was hard enough keeping himself alive sometimes with only one arm.

Draconian

Raizel returned early. Found lodgings elsewhere. Aki did bird things all night and came back in the morning fat and happy. Bird things complete. Raizel rubbed sleep from her eyes and fixed her cloak, finger combing her hair before she pulled it back into a ponytail, her pointed ears working to keep her hair hooked back. The various curious glances she got from people she wandered by were returned by hard blue looks.

Finally, she entered the inn and glanced about, finding the familiar faces before getting close - but not close enough. Her hands went to the hood before she fluffed it out to easily pull it over her head. The piece of cloth around her neck so she could quickly pull it up over her nose and mouth. The simple talking going on set things at ease and she saw from a distance the woman hit the kindly man.

Raizel frowned ever so slightly before she huffed a breath and headed over.

At least she knew where she was going, even if she didn't know where she was coming from.

"Good morning," She stated, finally making her way to the deck, glancing at the one armed man before she meandered her way to Jorge. Raizel found that she liked Jorge. There was an easy air about him and she kept her chin up and nodded. Aki crowed before he hopped himself into Raizel's hood, where he hunkered down and watched what he could. "I take it violence towards teammates is usually frowned upon?" She tilted her head, smirking and glancing between Sharon and Jorge.

Wrathwyrm

Between yesterday and now, Gary had become somewhat acquainted with Zaggit and Ugdanak.  Not exactly the gory details, but the general idea of how these two operated.  In a way, Zaggit acted as the orc's conscience, keeping him focused on certain things, even though they may argue about it.  In its own way, it works.  Goblins were not super-strong, so being sly and cunning was a necessity.  Apply that to a strong and battlecharging orc and you've got a deadly combination.  They would learn, of course, that Gary was quick-footed rogue of a fighter, that he had a number of nifty things for battle, and that he had a large spider creature who assisted him, that being Concord.

We take you to now, now.  What happened to then?  We missed it.  When?  Just now.  Everything that is happening now, is happening...now.  And so on.  ...  Where was I?  Oh yes!  Now.  Ahem...  Putting aside all of that, the two would certainly learn that Gary had a penchant for leaping around, taking high places and low places, and being generally stealthy and quick.  This would probably be why Zaggit was thinking that he was a member of a forest goblin tribe.  There were many kinds of goblin tribes, of which that was only one, but he could see why Zaggit assumed that.  What he didn't know was that Gary was rather skilled in many places.  So saying, he shook his head.

"Actually, I'm an underdweller.  I was born deep in caves, away from humans and their laws and edicts.  Well, not far away enough..."

He was staring straight forward, for now, then glanced their way.

"You know how it happens.  Some idiot gets lost in a cave or some explorer finds out there's goblins somewhere, so the humans naturally balk and pay a bunch of so-called Adventurers to clean them out.  That's why I do this, you know.  They must be made to pay, and pay they shall with every last coin, to make our kind the rich and them the poor."

Gawfy

Gabe awoke on the couch in the room Sharon had ordered. The sun peaking in the sky. He moved himself off of the couch and looked back to the bed Sharon was trying to sleep in, now Sharon-less.
He made his way downstairs and back onto the deck.  It would seem he was the last to wake up among those in their motley crew. Mornin Jorge, Mornin Sharon. He said as he found a chair and pulled it close to the group before sitting down. Mornin everyone else. He said with a friendly wave. Hope you didnt get too boozed up before bed Jorge, i also hope you are going to get slightly boozed before we head out. I dont think i ever seen you hit any of your marks sober.
Gabe said jokingly.

Valtxr

   Jorge grinned once he heard and saw Black Skull. God damn, that guy was good at that, the whole poppin' in outta thin air thing. Shit, if he could pull that off with one arm, imagine what he'd do to Reese and his boys. "Too right, mate. Guess my lot in life is 'bout as good as its gonna get. Still got both my hands for double the fun at brothels. What more could I ask for?"
   Then Raizel showed up. Blue-Eyes. If that wasn't her nickname, it oughtta be.
   "'Ey there, love." And she made a pretty solid point, she did. "Yeah, Sharon. What gives? Here I am, mindin' my own business like a nice guy, and you just up an' punch me. See what I have to work with here, Blue-Eyes?"
   That finally got another rise out of Sharon, but not as big a one as he had hoped for. She turned around from the railing and said to him, "Hush."
   And lastly, there was Gabe.
   "Mornin', mate."
   "Good morning, Gabe," Sharon said.
   Jorge had to grin again. Hey, maybe Gabe was onto something there. Not the slightly boozed part, no, take it all the way. Maybe, just maybe, Jorge was a secret deadeye when he was drunk off his ass. He'd heard stories, yeah. So who knew? Couldn't be any worse than his sober accuracy, that was for damn sure.
   "Well, like I told Sharon, if there's one thing I know its my gut. Drank just enough for a nice buzz to sing me a sweet little lullaby yesterday. Got a touch of it right now, matter of fact."
   Sharon glanced over those assembled. All concerned were present. She didn't waste any time. "Alright, let's go. You all know what to do."
   She walked to the deck door, and Jorge followed.
   Ah, now came the shitty part of a job. Actually doing it.

   Sharon walked down the narrow path leading to The Overlook and down the road she had come yesterday morning. The small homes and shops almost taking on a different character in the intensely dim light of the pre-sun morning. Black and looming.
   A local guard stood by the arch bridge over the Mystral River. He covered his mouth as he yawned. Sharon had learned two weeks ago that Twin Rivers had a constable and a small force of about a dozen guardsmen. Mostly inexperienced, since the town was such a quiet place, even with the presence of Reese and his operations.
   Sharon walked past him and across the bridge. The guards were very accustomed to people, lone or in groups like Sharon's, passing through town at odd hours. Travelers, adventurers, caravans of traders, all those sorts. So he stayed at his post, only sparing a fleeting and disinterested glance to the group as they passed. It was evident that he'd rather be sleeping right now.
   Sharon continued on. Through a terrace of shops and stores with some light activity. A wagon had just pulled in to one store and two men were unloading cargo into the building.
   Onward.
   To the eastern end of town. A small sliver of orange underneath the purple in the sky, but the sun was still hidden beneath the Earth. And the night still held sway over Sharon's head.
   And she led the group into a quaint neighborhood. Small homes made almost entirely of wood. Dozens of them arranged with no particular order, with the road branching off into a few wide and different paths to accommodate. The sort of environment it'd be easy to get lost in, if Twin Rivers was a big town.
   Sharon passed a number of these homes. Slowed as she eyed one to the group's left.
   And she pulled up her mask over her face.
   "Gabe, Black Skull, on me," she said. "Zhang, Raizel, keep watch."
   Zhang nodded. Turned around and looked back the way they had come. Stood casually, glancing around like a visitor.
   Sharon approached the house. Her hand resting on her pistol.
   The sound of the Mystral behind the house. The river flowing.
   Sharon stood in front of the door. Carefully laid her hand on the handle. Pushed it slowly, less than an inch. Open. Just like when she and Jorge and Charles had come two weeks ago. Seemed the people of Twin Rivers didn't lock their doors as often as they should. Even Durandan.
   Sharon pulled out her pistol. Nodded back to Gabe and Black Skull.
   Shoved the door open.
   And the fire rune etched into the other side of the door exploded.

   Zhang whipped his head around when he heard it. Saw a geyser of smoke and flame erupt from the home, a directed blast in the shape of the doorway. Sharon flew back ten feet through the air, hitting the ground and rolling to a stop on her back, steam rising from her body.
   His mouth dropped open. He had not expected this.
   Then the first shot of the ambush cracked through the air. Sailed past Zhang's head. He dived for cover beside one of the homes, pulling out his pistol after he landed.
   Jorge, who was caught in the middle of the road, his own pistol now in hand, shouted, "What the fuck!"
   Then his body jerked. Jorge clamped his free hand to his neck, spun around, and collapsed to the ground, accidentally firing his pistol into the air as he fell.
   Glass shattering. Wooden window shutters being thrown open. Doors popping open. More flashes of light in the darkness. All around the group. All sides and directions. Bullets cracking and crossbow bolts hissing.
   "Return fire!" Zhang shouted. He peeked out from the side of the house. Aimed toward one of the open windows across the road. Fired. A shout from inside and the thump of a body.
   He reached into the pistolier's kit on the side of his belt. Started the process of reloading. Hours and hours of practice would not be in vain now.
   And as he did, he considered the scale of the ambush. Had Reese brought his entire gang to town for this? He had eighteen men had his disposal. An unexpected outcome. Perhaps—
   A crossbow bolt slammed into the wall next to Zhang. He backed away, further between the two houses he hid behind, and continued reloading.

   Halis Durandan threw open the shutters to the back window of his home as soon as he heard the trap at the front door go off. Crossbow in hand, he vaulted out the window. Started running west, along the base of the Mystral River behind his home and the others of the neighborhood.
   Hopefully, the boys would take care of the intruders. Durandan might not even have to fire a shot. He'd still shoot off the bolt in his crossbow though. Make it look like he got some. Appearances and all.
   And he ran. Trying to escape.

   After the initial volley, the door to a home down the road burst open. Five men, armed with swords and axes and shields, all rushed out and charged at the group, shouting a battle cry as they closed in.

   Everything was a blur. The sounds of the world and the ambush crushed by the ringing in her ears.
   Sharon coughed harshly, her body twitching and quivering. Pain ravaged every inch of her. Blood pouring from her nose. Leaking from her ears. Her clothes were blackened and burnt and spotty with holes, the bangs of her hair singed. A tiny fire on her mask.
   She tried to lift her left hand to take the mask off. A lightning bolt of agony made her see red for a moment. So she tore the flaming mask off her face with her right hand. Glanced to her left arm.
   The bone of her forearm was jutting out of her skin.
   She started to breathe heavily. The onset of panic.
   She couldn't see out of her left eye. She lifted her right hand to her face. Felt a jagged piece of wood lodged into the eye socket.
   Something else was wrong. Her left leg ached and throbbed. But not her right.
   Sharon lifted her head from the ground slightly. Enough to see.
   Half her right leg was missing. Severed just below the knee.
   Something to her side.
   She looked.
   Her foot. Attached to her severed leg. Strips of flesh and red muscle dangling from the end.
   No. Not like this.
   Not like this.
   "Help..." she said weakly. A whisper crushed beneath the fury of battle around her. "Help me..."

Skwint

Everything went to shit immediately. This had not at all been according to plan. They had known. They were prepared. But how?

Sharon had been practically blown to pieces and they were now under heavy fire from all directions. Even amidst the sound of chaos, Black Skull heard Sharon's plea. The last time he was faced with a dying woman he had failed to save her. He had told himself he wasn't going to risk his life. But that look of helplessness. It was a feeling he was all too familiar with. And her now-missing leg made their situations even more similar in context.

Fuck it.

The first man to charge Sharon collpased before he could reach as his leg gave out. The man pulled the throwing spike out from his knee just to have his neck slashed open by Black Skull's armblade. Black Skull picked the spike back up and hurled it through the eye of the next man. The third managed to close the distance and take a swing witb his sword, but Black Skull parried the blow and followed it up with a headbutt and a hard kick to the groin. He then finished the man off as he collapsed to the ground. Three down, an unknown number more to go.

Black Skull went to Sharon's side. She was hurt bad. Really bad. Her arm needed to be set and the bleeding put under control. He knew how to go about it, but everything that needed to be done required two hands. He needed another pair of hands. That Gabe fellow seemed close to Sharon. Perhaps he would come to her aid as well. Until then, he would simply have to kill anyone who tried to come finish her off.

Gawfy

FUCK Was all Gabe could utter as The explosion happened. Slivers of Metal and wood rocketed at Gabe as he threw his arms up. It throwing him backwards as well. Ears still ringing and shrapnel in his arms Gabe yelled.  BLACK SKULL FIND OUR GUY! He said as he stood up as looked behind him to Sharon. The men where running out now with blades in hand and murder on their minds.
SOMEONE GET TO SHARON! Gabe took his fighting stance as the men charged him.
Calm your mind and your body will follow.
A Glint of light trickled off of Gabe's arms.  He stood completely still until the first man a sword was almost on top of him. Gabe rushed him while he winded up for an attack.
A wet sound radiated as his Jab slipped through the man like a hot knife through butter. He twisted his arm before pulling it out leaving a substantial hole. He picked up the man's sword and threw it at the Axeman now on him.  The man put up his Axe to block the sword and in fact did, but the sword was merely a feint. Gabe slashed his arms downward on the man's open body effectively gutting him. The others where already dead, must have been killed by black skull or shot. Hardly mattered.
He turned around to see black skull crouched near sharon watching on. 
He turned around and ran over to Sharon.
Gabe felt his stomach churn as he saw her.
The bone. Her leg. Her eye.  Gabe looked at black skull.  I can set the bone by myself, handle the bleeding!. He grabbed on to her arm and felt for the correct place for it to go before pressing down.
Hard.
He struggled against sharon as she writhed in pain.  Holding the bone in place he then tore a segment of his pants off with his free hand. He then used the Cloth to tie the bone in place. It would work for now but she would need a brace or a split in the near future. He then turned to black skull. I can handle this from here. Find Durandan

Skwint

Luckily Gabe had indeed made his way over to Sharon and they were able to get her...well...bleeding less at least. With that taken care of Black Skull took Gabe's advice and took off after Durandan, which he assumed was the man running away off in the distance and holding a crossbow. There would be no mercy once he caught up to him.

Elector Count of WAAAGH!

Zaggit was actrually thinking that Gary was a forest goblin because of the spider, hence the tribe he referred to was called SpidaBitaz, because they rode spiders of all sizes into a fight.

"So youz one of dem night gobboz, eh?" Zaggit said, mostly to himself.

"''It em w'ere it 'urtz, roight?" The orc said. "Usually ya 'it dem in between dem legz fer it ta 'urt, but 'umiez like dere shiny bitz don't dey?"

The orc then gave a low chuckle, before glancing at the Gary. "You'z know, fightin' dem 'umiez uz fun an' all, but it be borin' ta do it yaself. But gettin' stuck in wiv da boys; now datz props fun."

The goblin began to crackle at the last part. Both had fond memories from back in the day when there was an actrual war with massive amounts of orcs and goblins all charging their enemies or getting to the enemies in some other violent manner. Sure, at times orcs and goblins didn't get along, and if wasn't just the fact that orcs didn't get along with goblins or vise versa, it was also the fact that orcs didn't get along that well with other orcs and goblins didn't get along with their kin all too well either. The fact that Zaggit and Badaxe's klan was made up of several other tribes, and in fighting was common, if not a sport. Still, when they weren't busy beating each other senseless and had/could band together, it was proper fun. All of the combined was like a green tsunami that could not be stopped, and that momentarily feel of power during the rush for the enemy was like no other experience.

"'Umiez kan be propa mean, but dey ain't az green and mean az uz greenskinz." The orc said, almost roaring it out. "We'z orcz and gobboz got ta stikk ta getha, ya neva know wot dem 'umiez 'ave fer u-"

The orc was intrupted by a massive explosion coming from the town, his head whipped around in the direction as the goblin on his shoulder a bit startled. Sounded like a fight, without him! Now he was cross.

"Dey started da fight wiv out uz! Dem sneaky gitz!!" The orc yelled in anger.

"But boss, da 'umie lass told uz ta wait at da two rivaz place." Zaggit respond, still trying to keep balance.

"Zog dat! Iz waz promized a fight!" The orc yelled, before looking at a Gary. "Let'z go show dem 'umiez some green an' mean, eh?" Then started to run in the direction of where the explosion came from with the goblin clinging onto the orc's shoulder.

Wrathwyrm

Actually, Concord was cave-dwellar too.  At least, it was where she hatched and Gary found her.  Never you mind about that, though.  'Tis not important.  Their conversation soon turned to that of fighting alongside his own kind, or at least with that of abnormal beings.

"I never really thought about having a gang.  I've worked alongside other goblins and creatures before, but mostly on single missions, like this one.  I don't know.  I'll have to think on it."

Besides, he wasn't truly alone.  He had to agree, though.  Humans weren't really as suited to getting down and dirty as others, but...the thing is they had their own brand of dirty deeds that Gary didn't like.  They did so, but then made like they were lily-white clean and nothing wrong was ever done.  'Oh no, we are not monsters.'.  Bullshit.  Still, this conversation came to an abrupt halt when there was a sudden explosion!

"Dammit, I had a feeling this might happen."

After all, they'd sent Zaggit and Ugdanak to wait in a forest.  Gary had wanted to follow the human party, see what they were up to, but he had a feeling that it would be better off if humans fought humans first, and then they could swoop in and tackle the very chaos stirred.  Plus, being a rogue himself, it wouldn't surprise him if Reese's group learned of a group of mercenaries staying at a posh place like The Overlook.  Nevermind about that now.  Ugdanak ran with Zaggit, and Gary was whistling for his ride.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Somewhere in the woods - where a dug-up area had been covered by a board with dirt, moss, leaves, and twigs - a spider stirred.

[OOC: Gobbos and orc arrive next turn, I assume.]

Draconian

Aki trailed from above. Keeping watch. Eyes high above the ground to see what they could not. Raizel knew he was just a bird but he was a smart bird. When he wasn't hungry. The journey to where they were going left her feeling tense and finally, the instructions to keep watch were met with a nod before she pulled her hood up and moved the cloth to cover her nose. Slipping to the side of a building to keep watch like she was told to.

Then there was a shrill cry from the raven and Raizel went on high alert.

Then noise.

Moving quickly, she rushed towards the explosion, heart picking up. Aki had gone to safety but Raizel ran into it, though she wasn't concerned about being hurt. The first thing she spotted was a wayward foot and pair of men around... Eyes wide she moved in a black cloaked blur, hands going to the clasp to remove it. Easily a strip was torn off the end and she went to the meat that was once a leg. "Fuck," She hissed, looking at the man who had set her arm. The one armed one had gone off, chasing someone.

The strip of cloth was used to tie a tourniquet as close to the missing part of her leg as possible, then another higher up. The blood had turned the ground a sick shade of muddy and Raizel put the cloak over her, gasping softly at the... "Well, that'll hurt. You," She looked to the wood in the womans head then to Gabe, "get her somewhere safe, she'll go into shock, make sure she stays as conscious as you can keep her. Don't remove the wood from her eye until you can apply pressure and keep it there, do you understand? Your job is to keep her from bleeding out - I'll try to take care of the rest." Raizel paused and looked around.

Where was Jorge?

Raizel didn't know him. Didn't know anyone in this ragtag of people but she pulled her sword from its sheath and held it, shoulders back, chin up. "Well, the nice woman's plan went tits up," she huffed out, moving into the thick of things, trusting their patron with the Gabe fellow - he seemed emotionally invested in the woman so... Leaving her to him was best. With elegant precise movements one of the ambushers was sliced, the blade kissing flesh and spilling out guts. Then his arm was lopped off, the axe falling to the ground with a thud. Then the rest of him went down and added to be added to the bloody mud. Then she stood, sword out, silvery metal stained by the dripping blood. All the way down to the elegant looking handle.

What a mess this turned out to be. Though, it was slowly getting personal, she hadn't been expecting an ambush.

Valtxr

(((@Wrathwyrm Yup.)))


   Sharon saw Black Skull rush at something. Then Gabe. She turned her head and watched the three of them quickly dispatch the five sword-and-axe men. Saw some kind of light through the blur and the blood in her eye.
   They came back. Gabe dropped down to her side. Said something. His voice far behind the oppressive ringing in her head.
   Then he grabbed her broken arm. Felt around for a bit. And Sharon knew what was coming.
   "Wait, wait...FUCK! AGH, GOD!"
   Sharon's mouth stretched open as far as it could go as she screamed. Her right hand clamping down on Gabe's leg and digging nails into his skin. Her eye pinched shut. A vicious collage of colors bursting through the blackness of her eyelid as another streak of white-hot pain radiated from her arm and throughout the rest of her body.
   Her breathing came in ragged, desperate gasps after the bone was set back under the torn skin.
   Sharon opened her eye. Heard Gabe shout something else. Saw Black Skull break into a sprint. Disappearing around Durandan's house.
   Raizel came. Another harsh crackle of pain as she tied the makeshift tourniquets around the upper half of Sharon's right leg. Sharon's eye rolled up into the back of her head for a second. Pure darkness claiming her. Then she snapped back to reality. Blinked a few times. Saw Raizel get up and deal with a sixth ambusher who tried rushing the three of them while they were busy.
   Her eye found Gabe again.
   "Tell Siro..." Her eye started to roll back again. She shuddered. Fought to stay conscious. "Tell...please..."

   A small moment of quiet as the melee ambushers were all slain and the riflemen and crossbowmen lurking in the buildings had all dropped back behind cover to reload.
   Zhang finished turning the wheellock mechanism on his pistol, and he slid the spanner back into his pocket.
   He had seen Black Skull take off. Likely in pursuit of Durandan. Good. Retribution would soon be at hand if they could use him to find Reese.
   A troubling thought: had the Contact known that Reese would react this way to the warning note Zhang had delivered? A full-scale counter-ambush right in the heart of the town itself? With innocent bystanders surely caught in the middle?
   Zhang dashed over to Jorge, who was down on the road not far from Sharon and Gabe and Raizel. The man had his left hand clamped to the base of his neck by the top of his shoulder. Blood seeped out from between his fingers. But it wasn't profuse.
   "Fuckin' hell..." Jorge said as he rolled over onto his back.
   Zhang crouched down. Keeping eyes on the windows and doors of the homes around them. No movement. Yet.
   "Can you walk?"
   "Yeah," Jorge said as he holstered his empty pistol and haphazardly pushed himself up to his feet, left hand still pressed to his neck. "I can walk. Just grazed a little b—"
   A crossbow bolt sliced through the air and hit Jorge in his right thigh. He yelped and staggered forward, close to losing his balance.
   Zhang whipped his pistol around and fired back in the direction of the bolt. His bullet pierced the thin wood of the shutters and hit the crossbowman in the chest. He fell back out of sight.
   Zhang glanced back to Sharon and Gabe and Raizel. They needed to get the hell off the exposed street, and Sharon needed medical attention. Quickly.
   "Up the road!" Zhang yelled to Gabe and Raizel. "There's an apothecary shop. In the terrace with the other stores. Grab her and run! I'll cover you!"
   Zhang holstered his empty pistol and grabbed Jorge's loaded reserve. Gave Jorge a hard shove in the back. "You too! Go! Go!"
   Some shouts from the homes. Two more flashes of light. Bullets zipping past Gabe and Raizel. Another flash. And Zhang heard the crack next to his ears. Felt the disturbance in the air.
   "God fuckin' dammit!" Jorge yelled as he hobbled forward, working his way up the road and back toward the shop terrace.
   A man. Far up ahead. Out in the open and running across the road. Zhang aimed but couldn't level the pistol out in time. The man disappeared behind some houses.
   Zhang stayed close to the slowly moving Jorge, scanning the buildings and their rooftops. Searching for more movement or more flashes.

   Durandan had a good stride going, felt in his bones that he'd get a clean getaway. Reese was nearby, close enough to observe the ambush from a good vantage point. The path along the banks of the Mystral hid him from the boss' sight, but he'd have to fire off that bolt sooner or later. All those screams back there. Sounded like the boys were roughin' those intruders up good.
   And Durandan hazarded a glance back.
   Shit, shit, shit!
   Somebody was onto him. Chasing him.
   Durandan took a hard left, turning away from the river and running up to the back door of one of the homes of his neighborhood. Keltic had to be in here. This was his spot for the ambush.
   Durandan kicked open the back door and ran inside. There he was. Keltic stood beside the window, his back pressed against the wall, reloading his matchlock rifle.
   "Hey, Keltic, heads up!"
   Durandan tossed him his crossbow. Keltic had to drop his rifle to catch it. "What the fuck, Halis?"
   "Shoot the guy comin' in behind me!"
   Keltic didn't ask anymore questions. Just kneeled and aimed the crossbow at the open back door.
   Durandan, meanwhile, threw open the front door of the home and ran across the road. To his left and some distance away down the road, a hobbling man and an armed man. Durandan couldn't tell if they were intruders or some of his boys. Didn't care either way.
   He ran into a narrow space between two houses.

Gawfy

Gabe started patting Sharon on the face as her eyes rolled back. Sharon stay with me god dammit!. Gabe looked down at the tourniquet that woman had made. This was his first time doing most of this shit so he thanked what ever god was out there that she not only did that but also covered them. Tell Siro yourself Sharon I aint lettin you die here!  He said as he picked her up.
His head twisted back as he heard zhang yell about the apothecary shop.
Gabe ran with her as fast as he could holding her. Sharon Listen to my voice for the love of God do not black out! Gabe had no idea if his words were reaching her.
The slivers of wood and metal were aching in Gabe's arms as he carried her up to the shop.
He Used his Shoulder to nearly break the door off its hinges as he came in much to the shopkeeper's dismay. Gabe then knocked everything off of his counter then placed sharon on it. GET ME ALL THE FUCKING MEDICAL SUPPLIES YOU HAVE, NOW! He bellowed at the shopkeeper. Gabe grabbed sharon's hand. Giving it a firm squeeze to keep her awake.



Talk to me Sharon.... Gabe could start to feel tears welling up in his eyes.

Elector Count of WAAAGH!

"Boss, lok!" Zaggit yelled as he saw Durandan running out of the building, pointing with his crude looking spear. "Dem a-AAAAAAAGAHAHAHAHA!" The goblin screamed before manically laughing, as he was launched into the air, and I mean launched, by the orc up into the air so high that he could see down at the tree tops.

The goblin was launched towards the runner, he began to flap his hands like wings as he try to direct himself towards the runner, shirking at the top of his lungs as he hurtled in the vague direction of the runner.

Neither the orc or the goblin knew who this was, but to hell with it, they wanted to fight!

The goblin was beginning to home in on the vicinity of the runner, just a little more and...

The goblin face planted into the ground, the momentum from his flight slid him forward so fast that he slid under the feet of the runner.

Meanwhile the orc barreled towards the door at great speed, having dropped his breakfast to throw the goblin, he now raised his axe up high, and gave a mighty roar that the entire village could hear above the shirking of the goblin.

He ran out into the streets of the village, ramming down any stray objects in his way like a charging bull, before he yelled at the top of his lungs "W'ere dem kowardz!"

Wrathwyrm

The village was in total chaos.  There had been an explosion, and by the time they were in range here, plenty of gunshots and sounds of battle had followed.  Gary could not know the extent of the damage until he investigated more thoroughly, but for the time being, Zaggit had been thrown by Ugdanak, and the orc had gone into a loud battle frenzy.

And then, a new sound followed.

To the combatants, it began faintly, but was soon to be recognized as heavy impacts upon a series of roofs, getting closer.  The odd spacing of the houses required a bit of jumping power, and soon - in full view of a number of the people in battle - there was a giant red-and-black spider and a masked goblin with daggers out.  He had a sword on his back and a pistol in his belt, which seemed to carry - like his pockets - a number of things.

"Stand and deliver...your lives!"

Concord spat venom at whoever was closest, as Gary leapt off of her head - quick as you like - down at the first person he met that was not being spat at, fully prepared to parry-and-spin with his daggers into that man's throat.  Keep in mind, of course, that he knows which side is which.  He saw them all earlier.  He would be making his way towards the direction that Zaggit went.

Skwint

Black Skull continued to run down Durandan. He was pretty quick, as cowards tended to be, but not quick enough. Durandan then took a sudden left turn and kicked in the back door to one of the houses. Why would he pick that house compared to all the others they has run by? Was is a spur of the moment thing? Or was it planned? Why would he kick in the door without even checking if it was locked? Was he not concerned about disturbing the occupants?  Or did he know whi was occupying that house?

Black Skull wasn't taking any chances. He had already been ambushed once today. There was no way in hell he was going to let it happen twice.

Black Skull cut between two houses and out into the street just in time to see Durandan run between two houses on the other side of the street. Black Skull was quick to follow. Black Skull may be missing an arm, but both his legs work just fine and he could run for quite awhile before having to stop and rest. It was time to see if Durandan shared that ability.

Draconian

Following quickly, foot steps light and quiet. Aki soaring above. He perched his feathery butt somewhere on the roof while the Gabe fellow rudely destroyed a display of things and scared the poor man white and scurry away.

How had his day turned into shit? He wondered, gathering things to help. Cloths. Salves. Things to help. "I...I'm not a surgeon," he whimpered, putting the string and the needle and the scissors down.

"That's fine," Raizel said, pushing her hair behind her ears and pushing her sleeves up past her elbows. "I know how to at least make it not kill her." A glance over her shoulder before she dragged a loose side table over with the things she'd think she'd need. Alcohol to sanitize the wound. Which would sting like seven bitches.

"It won't be pretty and it won't feel good, but if we don't fix this soon she's going to die. If not from blood loss than from fever," she grabbed a pair of scissors and looked at the messy pulp of leg, "if you're confident enough about anything you can patch up her eye socket and set her arm. Give her something to soothe. I need to take care of whats left of this leg." and then she started to work. Raizel wasn't sure how she knew this but the supplies were there and her hands found the right tool.  "If you people had healers instead of people that sniffed herbs this would be way easier," she grumbled.

If time allowed it, the sounds tuned out and Raizel was lost in the operation. The last time she did this her hair was longer and there was an unfamiliar weight on her back. In a tent. "Guess next time you go out you'll watch for traps," she muttered, grabbing for something else sharp. What a mess of a wound.

Valtxr

   The world moved, and Sharon's body protested in pain. The burns and the cuts and gashes scattered across her skin all lit up in agony as the cold air of forward motion rushed over them.
   Gabe had her. Was carrying her. She knew that much.
   Some distant yelling. An unfamiliar voice. Stifled. No more.
   The stars swayed above her. White and out of focus in the remaining black of the sky. Tiny celestial judges. Casting a hard and callous gaze down upon her.
   A thought: This was punishment. For Adelaide. For Emogene. For the sum of all the wrong she had done in her life. It mattered not what her reasons were for what she had done. She had breached the laws of the divine time and again. And the divine were cruel.
   A loud crash.
   The sky was replaced by a ceiling. Gabe shouting. She felt hard wood under her. Raizel cutting away what was left of her pants around her right leg.
   Gabe taking her cold hand. Sharon clenched her teeth and squeezed hard as the sharp sting of the alcohol rampaged through her body like an army of knives.
   She winced when it subsided. Gasping for breath. Sweat rolling down her forehead. Her life in the hands of those around her.
   Talk to me Sharon...
   Sharon turned her head. Looked to Gabe. A drop of blood from the shard of wood in her left eye falling to the floor.
   Bone pressed against the skin of her right hand as she squeezed his. "I'm still here."
   Her lips trembled.

   Zhang walked backwards most of the way to the shopping terrace, one hand on Jorge's shoulder and the other aiming the pistol back towards Durandan's house and the site of the ambush. Gabe and Raizel, both much more mobile than the wounded Jorge, rushed past them.
   Zhang caught sight of the orc and the goblin charging onto the scene from further down the road. A favorable turn of events. And an odd feeling, to actually take heart in seeing them.
   Then it appeared they brought something...else. Zhang heard the strange clatter on the rooftops, as did a couple ambushers who had run out of their hiding places and sought to pursue.
   A giant spider. Plus another small being riding it. Both the spider and its rider fell upon the two ambushers, dispatching them in their own ways.
   Three crossbow bolts flew out of the windows of nearby homes. Two at the charging orc, and one at the giant spider.
   Good. The orc and his reinforcements would distract some of the ambushers and continue flanking them from behind. Perhaps this whole thing could be turned around.
   Zhang and Jorge made it to the shopping terrace. Gabe and Raizel already barreling toward the apothecary shop.
   The sleepy guard from the bridge came running toward Zhang and Jorge then. Shouting, "What the hell is going o—?"
   A crossbow bolt punctured the guard's chainmail, piercing into his chest. His knees buckled, and he toppled back onto the ground. The two men by the wagon who had been unloading cargo scattered and ran away in a panic.
   "Go! Go!" Zhang said to Jorge, looking around the shops for where the shot might of come.
   "I'm movin' as fast as I can, mate!"
   They made it into the shop without taking any additional fire. Zhang slammed the door shut and Jorge pressed his back up against the wall next to it and slid down to sit on the floor.
   Sharon was on the counter. Gabe and Raizel and the shopkeeper were all attending to her. So Zhang hazarded a peek out the large shop window. Said to Jorge, "Reload. Quickly! They're coming."
   "I got it! I got it!" Jorge said as he pulled out his empty main pistol and reached into his own pistolier's kit and began.
   Zhang tried to count. Six melee ambushers were killed. He'd shot two. The spider and the rider got two. That should leave eight men, not counting Durandan and Reese himself—
   A gunshot. The shop window shattered, as did a few of the display potions, liquid spraying across the front of the shop.
   Zhang leaned out from behind the wall and returned fire through the broken window. Didn't see if he hit or not.
   Then he, too, started reloading.
   And knew they were vulnerable.

   Durandan saw something fall from the air. And that something hit the ground and slid and made him trip and fall face first into the dirt. Down between two houses.
   Shit!
   He whirled around onto his back, holding up his hand to the one-armed man pursuing him.
   "Wait, wait, wait! I know things, okay? I know things. I can more useful to you alive than dead. I swear!"

   Four of Reese's men, including Keltic, who had given up waiting, lined up outside the apothecary shop. Kept their distance in the open terrace. Two were reloading their crossbows, one his rifle, and the last of them popped off a shot at the window. A flash from inside, and the bullet cracked past the four men.
   And they flinched.
   Not from the bullet. But from the sudden appearance of Reese, stepping in front of them from behind. His hands on his hips, he eyed the shop. Said to the men without turning around, "Why are they not dead yet?"
   "We've got them trapped in there, boss," Keltic said, the only one brave enough to speak.
   "That wouldn't be necessary," Reese said. "Had you killed them all in the first volley." A pause. "Come here."
   Keltic swallowed, but did as he was bidden. He stepped up to Reese's side.
   And Reese turned to face him. Placed his hand upon Keltic's chest. "You have earned the chance to redeem yourself."
   A fire rune etched itself onto Keltic's skin. Glowing brightly underneath his shirt as it formed. The man had become a living bomb, ready to be detonated at Reese's discretion.
   "Now run," Reese commanded. "And I will see you again in the next life."
   Fear compelled him. Not the fear of death, but the fear of what Reese would do to him if he offered so much as a hint of disobedience.
   And Keltic started his suicide run toward the apothecary shop.

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