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First Impressions [DragonSong]

Started by Arocraes, March 25, 2016, 08:14:36 AM

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Arocraes

Arocraes smirked and whispered, "Now how would that look on me if I didn't help such a defenseless person?" teasing her and trying to ease the tension. Arocraes tried to ease the tension as they walked through the town, where citizens stared at the pair.

They arrived at a fort overlooking the sea, where a couple more guards escorted Arocraes and Tara into a dungeon cellar. The cellar was small and damp. The air was thin and filled with putrid smells of several other poor prisoners. Some seemed to have been there for a long time, with their skins beginning to sag off from weight loss, probably due to poor nutrition. A guard threw the two into a cell situated at the back corner of the hall, across from a man who seemed several breaths away from death.

"The captain will see you in the morning. It's a pity you won't rot away until then" the guard said as he walked away back to the surface. "Well that was rude" Arocraes joked, turning to Tara.

DragonSong

"Hmph." She was fumbling with her skirt, hiking it up over her left hip so she could get at the lock picking set strapped to her thigh. "We're getting out of here. Unless you have any objections?" She glanced up at him and waved a pick back and forth with a smirk.

Arocraes

Arocraes did not give an immediate reply. Instead, he looked around him at all the prisoners who were in grotesque states. "Let's go" he said to her as he got up, looking at the prisoner across from their cell.

DragonSong

Tara knelt in front of the door and fumbled a bit with the lock. It had been a long time since she'd had to use this particular skill. Eventually though, she managed to get it open and swung the door to their cell carefully open, trying to be as silent as possible.

Arocraes

"I need to get my katana" Arocraes whispered, seeing as the guards took his belongings. His eyes were still fixated on the other prisoners, but he did not know what to say or do. He was helpless at his current state, and even if he had all his gear it would be very unwise to do anything that would make him a wanted criminal in town--even though he was already believed to be one.

"Where do you think they put it?" he asked Tara, a little bit louder than his initial whisper.

DragonSong

She clapped her hand over his mouth, giving him an icy look and holding a finger to her lips. "There's always a storage room in places like this," she murmured, picking her way between the rows of cells. "Your belongings are probably there."

Arocraes

"Lead on" he whispered, his thoughts racing elsewhere as his eyes continually shifted around his surroundings. "You seem a little too familiar with this kind of situation" he continued, following her closely trying to mask his footsteps.

DragonSong

Tara couldn't help smirking at that. "I'm not sure I like what you're implying," she whispered, throwing him a wink.

Darting around a corner, she suddenly paused, then turned and pushed him up against a tiny alcove in the wall. "Don't make a sound. Don't even breathe," she hissed, clapping her hand over his mouth and pressing them a little further in the shadows as the footsteps of a guard moved past.

Arocraes

Arocraes looked downwards at the girl's hand. It felt a little rugged, but also soothing in a way. His eyes traced the curvature of her knuckles that were almost barely visible in the dark. He was concentrated in following her directions to not even breathe, but began to feel nervous under the pressure. Oh no he thought.

Ah-choo. Arocraes was more worried about the state of the poor girl's hand rather than the guard that almost assuredly have heard them. "I'm so sorry" he whispered, refusing to make eye contact with her out of embarrassment.

DragonSong

She jerked back reflexively, then flinched. "Oh, shit."

The guard swung around the corner. "Who's there?"

Tara didn't have time to warn Arocraes to cover his ears before she started to sing, throwing a ridiculous amount of magic into the sound. The guard dropped like a stone.

Arocraes

Arocraes fell to his knees, bringing his hands to his ears to mitigate the effect. However, he involuntarily began gagging, feeling the acid from his stomach creeping up before forcing it back down.

"What was that?" he asked her, seeing as he didn't have a chance to when he last witnessed her power. He helped himself stand and turned towards her.

DragonSong

"Magic," Tara said shortly as she extended a hand to help him up. "I probably used a bit too much, sorry. Panicked a little."

She turned to peer around the corner. The coast seemed clear. "Alright. C'mon, let's get our stuff and get out of here."

Arocraes

Arocraes didn't pry anymore. Sure he was surprised initially, but he has encountered much stranger incidents of magic.

He followed her as they drew near a secluded room with a door cracked slightly open. "That's probably where they have our stuff" Arocraes whispered excitedly, "or it could be a room full of more guards. And maybe some dragons. Or dragons dressed up as guards." He threw his back against the wall, making sure he was out of sight should some pop their head out of the door.

DragonSong

She gave him a brief, incredulous look before shaking her head at him. "Gods, you act like it's your first time busting out of a jail."

With a quick whistle that seemed to float into the room more than rebound off the walls, she confirmed that it was empty and slipped inside, gesturing for him to follow.

A smile spread across Tara's face and she made a beeline for her pack, bow, and lyre, which had been tossed in a corner of the room. "Ah, there you are!"

Arocraes

"You say that like it's a bad thing" he remarked, following her into the room. He grabbed his katana and armor piece, equipping both. He looked over to the bag of black iron, pausing and thinking for a minute. "Thank you for helping" he suddenly said as the gratitude glowed in his voice. "I know I owe you a few knives, and you'll get them, but I need one last favor."

He pointed to the bag of black iron, "Can you take that with you and head for the inn. I'll try and meet you there, but if I'm not back within 24 hours there's a ship leaving for Thanatos. Get on it and once you're in Suna ask around about the Vanelors. Then I can repay my debt."

Arocraes slashed the ground producing a layer of wind underneath his feet, and he jogged quietly out of the room without waiting for a reply. He headed straight for the cells Tara freed them from.

DragonSong

"Hey, wait a- Hey!"

Tara scowled, scooping up the bag he'd indicated- grunting in surprise at the weight- and shaking her head. Fine. Fine, if he wanted to go and get himself arrested again, that was his business. But if he thought she wouldn't be leaving on that ship without him, he was dead wrong.

Grumbling quietly to herself, she managed to sneak out through one of the side doors of the jailhouse and nonchalantly picked her way back through the streets to the inn.

Arocraes

Arocraes picked up his pace and weaved in and out through the multiple corridors, heading straight for the cells with the goal to set the prisoners free. Although the sight of them living in their current conditions did disturb, that was not necessarily the reason why Arocraes decided to free them. Perhaps it was for revenge against the guards, or pity and resentment for them living a life of confinement. Or it maybe it was just because he thought it would be fun. Regardless of the true answer, Arocraes was not sure why himself.

"Halt!" a guard suddenly shouted to Arocraes, seeing the boy run towards him with full force. Without thinking, or caring, Arocraes drew his katana, sliced open the guard's vulnerable neck, and sheathed his blade in one movement without stopping or slowing down. I wonder what she'd think if she saw me like this he thought.

Upon reaching the group of cells, Arocraes freed each prisoner one by one by breaking the gates down with his wind magic. He did not interact with any of them, instead he headed straight to surface to confront the men who had taken him and Tara prisoner. For some reason, he did not care at how he himself was treated, but was rather enraged and agitated at how they handled Tara, who was only there to help him. As he reached the surface, multiple men surrounded him, as the captain of the guard walked towards Arocraes. He brought his hand to the handle of his katana. I wonder what she'd think if she saw me like this he thought once more.

DragonSong

Tara was waiting.

She didn't like waiting.

Tapping her foot, she pursed her lips and glanced at the door of the in again- what must have been the ninth time in the past few minutes.

Where the hell was he?

Arocraes

The captain was surprisingly calm considering the boy before him just freed all his prisoners and killed some of his men. They stared each other down, when suddenly the captain launched forward. Arocraes blocked the captain's attack with his left arm, but noticed none of the other guards joined in. They watched the duel with amusement, as if this were a regular occurrence.

The captain was strong. Arocraes could feel his weight and strength force him downwards. However, he had the speed advantage. In one swift move, Arocraes ducked and swept his leg underneath the captain's, forcing him to fall down. He then kicked the handle of the man's sword to knock it out of his hands as he fell.

Arocraes hoisted his blade up to the captain's neck, as the surrounding guards cleared a path to allow him to exist. In the conclusion of a most surreal event, where no words were spoken other than the cheers and jeers from the surrounding guards, Arocraes stepped out of the guard tower and headed for the inn he told Tara to wait at. Covered in tattered clothes and several bruises and cuts, Arocraes rubbed his arms that were starting to feel sore.

DragonSong

Finally, Tara heard the door open again and looked up. Here eyes widened.

"What the hell happened to you?" she demanded, sliding off her stool and moving toward Arocraes.