The Half-Elf Runs

[Anonymous]

All her attackers could see of the half-elven girl through the woods was her long light brown hair ripping through the trees. 'I probably shouldn't have practiced magic in the middle of town for the children. Or stolen from them as I did so for that matter' Aradia thought as she ran faster, her adrenaline pumping as she ran faster taking every twist and turn she could find to elude the townspeople who chased her. 'Dangit! And now I'm even too weak to defend myself against these fat guys chasing me! What a disgrace!' she was thinking when all of a sudden she entered into a huge clearing surrounded by trees, a river, and mountains. 'Well, I guess it's time to head towards the mountains,' she thought and started running toward the safe haven of cliffs and hills.

[Anonymous]

It was perhaps not a holiday to those of this world, but to the merchant from Icarean, it was a time for feasting and merriment. Normally, these feasts wouldn't take place in a different dimension, in a forest, but one had to make do with what one had.

Inside the woods, a small woman with  pointed ears, dark skin, hair,and eyes was serenely feasting on a roasted boar, accompanied by an abnormally large raven and a wagon drawn by threecreatures which were definitely not horses. They had the appearance of scaled, green hounds and apparently were carnivorous, for the woman carelessly tossed them a piece of meat.

Kaliska had been peaceable eating, all thoughts of business far from her mind, when the impudent girl stumbled into the clearing. She hissed angrily, eyes like smoldering coals, and rising quickly, asked coldly, "Give me a good reason why I should not kill you right now."  It was all bluff, of course, but Kaliska made sure that her expressionless face gave nothing away.

[Anonymous]

Aradia was shocked when she the old elf threatened her. Se didn't look like she could do much, but looks were deceiving. "Please, ma'am, I wish you no intrusion," she said acting if everything was ok even thogh you could hear  the townspeople who were not far behind as they ran through the woods. "I am a simple half-elf and I need safe passage through the mountains. I ask your permission to use your cart and a cloak to cover myself. Money is no problem. I just got...err...paid," she said as she drew a leather poch that clinked with the weight of gold. "Now I ask you again, ma'am, may I have your cart?"

[Anonymous]

The icare's eyes narrowed slightly. "You would get me into trouble?" She was bargaining, now, rubbing the pommel of her sword. There was nothing Kaliska cared about more than money. Her eyes sweeped over the half-elven girl speculatively. "My wagon is drawn by beasts from another dimension. They are carnivorous, and it is costly to feed them, and I had intended to stop in Reajh, for I have business there..." she let the word hang. "But I am not greedy nor cruel, and I will not deprive you of too much..."

The icare continued, offering a sum, "Give me half of all you have and I will take you to Zantaric."

[Anonymous]

'Half of what I have?' she thought with a worried look on her face, 'but this has to buy me food, for, well, ever! I could always steal it back though.' "Deal!" she declared. She then emptied the bag of half it's contents, placed them in her savior's hands and ran towards the cart. "If you don't mind though, I believe I'll ride in the back so I will not be seen. Most people are not fond of my kind," she said and started to climb into the back of the cart where she would be concealed.

[Anonymous]

The icare bit and then examined the gold. Yes, it was genuine. She stowed it in one of her pouches" She summoned the raven from his feast with a flick of her hand. "There is a change of plan." We will take this girl to Zantaric. Go to the back of the wagon and guard her and my items."  The raven cawed almost angrily, but flew into the wagon.

While drawing back the curtain, Kaliska said, almost kindly, "If you are hungry, there is some dried meat and crackers in that chest."

She took her place at the front of the wagon,  "Nith quire!" the icare commanded her mounts, flicking her whip over them. They went obediently. "Your pursuers will no doubt catch up soon, so we must make good speed." she called.
[/i]

[Anonymous]

"Pursuers? What pursuers? Who would ever want to catch little old me?" she said with a slight grin. "Thank you again for your protection and the ride. Now may I ask, how long until we reach our destination?" she asked as she sniffed the dried meat and crackers before deciding they were safe enough to eat. 'Maybe if I eat a little I can regain some strength,' she thought remembering the last time she used too much magic. Then her father was there to take care of her once she passed out, but that wasn't the case this time. And it would never be the case again.

[Anonymous]

Kaliska decided to let the lie stand. "Oh, with delays, we might be up to a couple of months." she said cheerfully, answering the girl's question. "But don't worry, my wagon is quite luxurious and we have enough fare to last us until the next village." While she could technically side-step through the dimensions and to her destination, Kaliska preferred this style of travel, and anyways, side-stepping always drained her. Besides, if she got the girl feeling indebted, then perhaps she might pay some extra. And a helping hand was definitely useful. "Don't worry," she reassured the girl, more because of the money than because she cared for the girl, "You'll like Zantaric. Lots of people to try and slit your throat...but no one will mind if you slit theirs." she concluded, then adding, "My illegal goods trade is quite prosperous there."

She asked, "What is your name, girl? I can't exactly go on calling you girl if we will travel together." She cracked the whip again, with an apprenhensive glance back, Nesketare! Neske! Mun!" she ordered the beasts.

[Anonymous]

"Hmm, a couple of months? Well, I guess it can't be helped," she said taking another bite of dried meat, "Oh, and my name's Aradia Kellsone. What's your name? I don't like being formal and calling you ma'am, but you wouldn't want me calling you old hag either, now would you?" she said as she got cockier and cockier with each passing minute that they where further from her village. "And I think you're right, Zantaric sounds like a wonderful place. What kind of illegal goods do sell anyways? They might be of some use to me." Just as she was saying it she started sweeping the cart over with quick glances of her eyes hoping for some clue as to what the woman sold. 'Too bad this raven is back here, otherwise I could take a good look.'

Just then Aradia sat up quickly. "Hurry please ma'am, I do believe someone is following us," she said as she saw the blur of her pursuers, some of them on horses.

[Anonymous]

Kaliska laughed, "I am Kaliska of Icarean." She wasn't very offended by the girl's comment, although she was definitely not old. She saw no point in not telling Aradia. "Drugs, stolen goods, poison, and amulets to protect you from scrying-which reminds me, Anare will give you one."

Inside the wagon, the raven flew from his perch to on top of a small chest.

 "We will be all right. The hounds can fight, and so can I. You do have a weapon, I hope?" she inquired. "If you want to replace yours, I have an old dirk lying somewhere. 'Nare will give it to you."

The raven cawed rebelliously.

[Anonymous]

"Oh, I have a weapon, I just can't use it very well," Aradia said as she lifted up her light wegiht sword, "But I guess now is as is as good a time as any to learn how," she added with a smirk.

All of a sudden the townspeople had caught up. Aradia then stood up on the cart, even though it was still moving, and yelled, "Good people of the town! I wish you no harm but I will fight if I have to! Those silly magic tricks were simply to show your children the other side of the magic you think is evil! Please! I am leaving the village, just go back and pretend nothing happened and no one will get hurt!" "I'm sorry, but we can't do that, you took something that didn't belong to you halfling! Return the money!" the supposed leader yelled out to her, stopping his horse and the others with it. "I'm sorry sir, but if you want that money, you'll have to fight me for it!" she yelled back and then jumped down from the cart, rolled once, and got ready for the stampede of people comeing to fight her. 'I guess this is it, now, or never.'

[Anonymous]

She nodded, "Aradia, will you give me some time to free the beasts?" Kaliska halted the beasts, and keeping her horsewhip ready, she freed Ciqala, Etu, and Istu, her three mounts. The hounds dove eagerly into the fight. "Nare," she called, holding her arm up to receive her raven, who promptly came. "Watch over the three. It would be hard to make speed with them injured." The raven flew off, presumably to fulfill his duty.

Kaliska smiled ferally, revealing the fangs of a predator. A fight, how fun. Drawing her sword, she swung at a young townsperson, pretty much disembowling him. Well, she thought cheerfully, lopping off another's head, she wouldn't have to feed the three for a couple of days.

Ciqala was leader of the pack, and the brothers followed her willingly. They worked as a team. Etu and Ciqala herded their prey towards Istu, who waited to kill the villagers. Often, they destroyed their prey even before they reached Istu. Their presence not only helped with the combat, but inspired fear into the hearts of the villagers. After all, who wouldn't be afraid of a giant hound?

The town's guards advanced slowly towards the criminal, carrying long spears with a farther reach than simple swords. Their leader, the captain, commanded them to spread out, and they surrounded Aradia in a circle, before charging.

(OOC: Could you RP someone to fight Kaliska?)

[Anonymous]

'Dangit!' Aradia thought as she had her sword ready. The first of them, a weak newcomer, charged at her with surpising strength, trying to spear her in the side, but he wasn't quick enough, Aradia swiftly cut the spear through with surprising ease, leaving her palm to go to up to the man's nosing, resulting in a qick but painful death. She disarmed and killed the others with just as much ease. 'How can this be! I've never used this sword in my life! And how does it cut through so easily?' she wondered as she easily killed more of the villagers, the same people she grew up with.

As Aradia fought his army of angry village people, the captain left to deal with what he thought was a much bigger problem. The driver and her hounds. 'They seem to be taking care of these people quite well,' he thought as he ran to fight the woman.

(ooc: we can share the captain, that way you don't have to wait for me to make him fight with your character (sry, i'm bad w. names))

[Anonymous]

In the middle of lopping someone's head off, Kaliska saw the captain bounding towards her. She scowled and raced out to meet him. Their combat began with a clash of sword. The icare knew that he was stronger than her, and she knew that he knew it too. Scowling, she ducked his next attack, and tried to retaliate with a swift cut to his groin. She missed, and he drew first blood by slashing at her arm.

Seeing some villagers with fire(were they going to set torch to her precious wagon), she managed to shout and parry the captain's blow at the same time. "Ciqala! Lal more!"

The hounds, with a bloodcurdling howl, rushed forward to meet those who wished to torch the wagon.



(OOC: It's better to keep them anonymous)

[Anonymous]

'I still don't know how I can fight them so easily, but I guess it's just a godsend,' she thought as she twirled around and jumped back, just in time to escape a lethal blow. "Watch it!" she yelled as she slashed her sword through the man's chest, right through him. She looked down breathing hard, happy for a small relief. When she looked up there where fallen bodies were all around her. Aradia then noticed that Kaliska was fighting the leader of these people. 'Hang on, Kaliska, I'm coming,' she thought as she ran through the sea of dead to get to Kaliska.

As she got close enough she took a deadly swing at the leader, but he swiftly blocked it and Kaliska's blows. 'Dangit! This one acctually has some experience! Unlike me!' she thought as she gave another blow, he blocked it as well. They went on like that blocking, blowing, and parrying. 'At least it's two against one, maybe we can wear him down.'

(ooc: sry, didn't mean to make him real, we'd alreading mentioned a caption, so... now he's fighting!)

[Anonymous]

Seeing Aradia's coming, Kaliska quickly distracted the captain with a series of quick moves. After a while, sweat was starting to trickle down her brow. She screamed some instructions in Icarean at the hovering raven. Then, she rejoined the combat.

The Icare tried a couple of disarming moves, but only succeeded in getting her left arm broken. Wincing with pain, Kaliska fought on. By now, she was covered with sweat, and her ripostes were becoming more and more sluggish. "Anare!" she shouted for the raven.

Anare dove onto the captain's head, claws extended like a falcon's. It inflicted very little damage, but it provided the opening the Icare needed. As his upper body was too well defended, she drove the pommel of her sword into his groin. Hard. It was hardly a killing blow, but it would provide an opening for Aradia. Kaliska could only hope that she followed up on the advantage.

[Anonymous]

Aradia saw her chance, one hand was holding his groin and the other went up to get the raven away. "Die!" she shouted and shoved her sword through his back, right where his heart should be. And with that, he fell to the ground.

"Well, that's finally over! Too bad so many had to die, but hey, I warned them!" Aradia said with a smile. She then noticed Kaliska's broken arm. "Hey? Are you okay? Here, let me help you back to the cart," Aradia said, wishing she had enough strength to use her healing magic.

[Anonymous]

Kaliska smiled with grim pleasure. Being among so many dead did not bother her; she was Icarean, after all. "I'm all right." she said, panting a bit at the exertion. "A salve and a bandage  is all I need." She smiled affectionately at the raven who landed upon her shoulders. "Nare has probably saved both of our lives." Entering her wagon, she opened a chest, took out a small green jar, and smeared the salve over her arm, before bandaging it." Coming out again, she watched for a while the feasting hounds. "Do you mind if we delay our traveling for a while? The hounds are eating, and they deserve a good, uninterrupted meal. No one will attack us, and if they do, we can defend ourselves. You are a very able swordswoman." she said with a small smile. If anything, surviving this experience had made her much more tolerant of Aradia. "Although," she said, "Your technique could use improving. I'll tell you what, we can practice sparring in the mornings." Bending down, she petted one of the hounds.

[Anonymous]

"Hmm, fine, I need a rest anyways. Otherwise I'll NEVER be able to use my magic. And sparring sounds fun to. Would you believe me if I told if that's the first time I've used it?" Aradia added with a happy smile and started to watch as the hounds ate. 'Me? A swordswoman? Heh! Probably the first, and last, time I'll EVER hear that!' she thought as she laughed inwardly. "Ahh!" she yawned, "I'd better get a bit of sleep. Wake me thirty minutes before sparring please! That'll be plenty of time for me...to....get.....ready." And as soon as she said the last word she was asleep.

[Anonymous]

Kaliska shook her head disbelievingly. "She's a natural. I should have known." The raven cawed in reply, no doubt remembering a much younger and feistier Kaliska who had been the absolute devil with the bow. "I still am." Kaliska replied, divining exactly what he had been thinking. They had, after all, had a long association.

She shook her head, and in a brisker tone, commented, "You'd think she would have some sense to sleep in the wagon. I suppose I'll have to get her there."

Kaliska side-stepped and half of her body disappeared. She stepped out again, but the ripin the air remained. It showed the inside of her wagon; peaceful and calm. The woman managed to push Aradia into the rip, and smiling smugly, pinched together the rip with her good hand.

Then, Kaliska fell to the task of looting the corpses. Much of what they had was worthless, but one of them had on what appeared to be a fur coat. She took that, the coins, and some of the weapons that were in better condition.

Of the dogs, Istu returned first, panting excitedly. They'd probably brought back something big. A deer, perhaps?

After she finished, she reharnessed the hounds, and once again began driving. They were still too close to that village for her comfort.
----
It was not even dawn yet, but Kaliska woke. It was better to get an early start on things. She woke the dogs and sent them off to hunt. Hopefully, they would bring her back a couple of rabbits.

After Aradia had fallen asleep, Kaliska had driven for around three hours until exhaustion took its toll. Soon, they would be out of Connlaoth.

Of the dogs, Istu returned first, panting excitedly. They'd probably brought back something big. A deer, perhaps?