Patreon LogoYour support makes Blue Moon possible (Patreon)

Civil Magic {KayLove & Eyesoffire}

"I never said you weren't capable of defending yourself." Crispin replied casually. "I promised your father I'd ensure that you'd reach the various destinations without injury or death, and I can't keep that promise if I know you're going to go around slapping people willy nilly. I'm not stopping your from slapping anyone, I just want to be there when you do it so I'm the one who takes the blade when you decide to slap the wrong person."

Crispin laid back down. "I won't know if you're lock is being picked if I'm in another room. I also won't know if anyone will be entering into your window while I'm in another room. I won't be able to sleep and then when we have to head out I'll be sleepy, and that won't help anyone." His logic was sound, but he sounded childish and he knew it, either way, he didn't feel like leaving Athena alone.
"We could look at this situation differently." Crispin sat up once more. "You and I are both mature adults, we have a bottle of fine drink with us, why not take this time to get to know each other a little better?"
 
She listened to his words without protesting, but her eyes were rolling so much that she thought they might get stuck behind there. But it did not take much to convince Athena in this state, "Fine, just because it is a very flimsy lock, even I could pick it, and let me tell you, I am a very lousy lock pick especially when I've only had practice on one lock my entire life. But that is a whole different story about bored school girl sneaking into their fathers study just to stare at the maps laid out on his desk and read about the different lands..." her words drifted off as she climbed over his legs to sit on the other side of him, not before she grabbed the bottle with her and sat down with her back against the wall and her legs over Crispin's hips.

"And I wouldn't know if this was a fine drink or not, I've never actually drank liquor before." she told him in a matter-of-fact tone, before she took a sip and noted that the burning had lessened and she handed it to Crispin, "Although I will have to make sure and pay for this later, it is decent."
 
"I'm paying for it?" Crispin said, a little surprised as he took the bottle and sipped right from it. "You steal it and I'm paying for it. Even though I paid for the whole mess downstairs that you started?" He raised an eyebrow at her in question. Crispin then shook his head and muttered under his breath. "Noblewomen..." His tone had no sharpness to it, indicative of the fact that he wasn't setting about it insult, but rather tease.

"You enjoyed maps," His hand fell to rest upon her legs that were over his hips. "You weaselled your way into your father's room to study his maps?" he took another sip. "You should have just told him what you were doing, I doubt your father would have stopped you. Most girls I know would have entered their father's study in order to read up about some handsome night your father was receiving letters from." Crispin shrugged and chuckled slightly. "And then of course those girls meet me and all those things change."
 
Athena did not both to correct him about the money, seeing as her father was paying for this whole endeavor. She simply gave him a smirk of her pink lips and and raised a delicate brow at his own. "Captain...." She muttered after his own remark, crossing her arms defiantly, as she mimicked his tone.

As he commented on her maps and Knights in shinning armor she couldn't help but glance at his hand resting on her leg, it was only natural seeing as her legs were over him but she still wasn't used to it. "Oh they met you did they?" She asked, "And what if I had met you outside of this whole situation? Would you have done the same thing? Or would you like most men become intimidated the moment that I mentioned my father was St Clare and I was is only daughter?" She asked remembering her various crushes over the years, all of whom had been frightened away by her lineage and most importantly her father.

But to answer his question she answered, "Where is the fun in that? It's the only adventure I had, I'm sure you are right though that father wouldn't have cared. But I had such a wild imagination when I was young, father always said my head was in the clouds." She took the bottle back and took a long sip before resting it in her lap, holding it with one hand and with her other, using her fingertip she traced the edges of his hand upon her leg, going from his wrist and around his fingers.
 
Crispin gave her a scrutinizing look for a moment when she inquired about what he would have done had they met outside of this whole situation. "Why does it have to be outside of this situation?" He asked her, giving her a sly look. Crispin registered that she was tracing over his fingers while they spoke. He didn't look at their hands, or anything like there, he merely recognized that it was happening and gauged what further implications that could mean.

"As for your father..." Crispin began. He looked around the room, the place was sparely decorated, the inn didn't seem to be lavish, much more utilitarian with a hint of comfort. There was a single bed, big enough for two people. Candles were on either side of it, above which was a large window with old curtains. Across the bed was the door and a few feet to the door's right was a smaller table, with a chair and a candle. The table was wooden, old and lop-sided. On the wall to the right of them, closer to Crispin, was a painting of fruit in a frame. It was done terribly and the frame sat far from well upon the wall.

"Well, I don't fear the man, I respect him, there's a difference." He looked at Athena. "And he's not her now." At this remark Crispin lifted the fingers of his hand and gently collide with and intertwine with the fingers of the hand Athena was using to touch him. Crispin leaned closer to her, their faces were but inches apart as he looked down into her eyes. His free hand reached out. "I would care for what St Clare's daughter thinks of me, rather than his thoughts. After all, It's not from his lips that I want to be called 'Captain.'" His fingers curled around the body of the bottle as he took it from Athena's hand. He sipped from it once more, leaning back onto his side of the bed. "Enjoy your sleep, my lady." Crispin added, moving his feet over the side of the bed. "I'll be in the chair if you need me." He placed the bottle by Athena's side and got up, out of the bed and walked towards the rickety chair.
 
Athena simply shrugged at the thought of being outside of this situation, she didn't think that she would have ever met someone like him in any other situation. They lived in completely opposite worlds, she in the city with the Gifted, and him out here in the wilds. They didn't even live in the same world together. But somehow both their worlds seemed to meet in an unfortunate way but they met none the less. This whole thing was making her life far more exciting than she could have ever dreamed of.

She glanced up at him with her light blue eyes as he mentioned her father and scanned the room. He was quite something to look at, she could see why any woman would fall for him. There was a certain angle of his jaw, a way he held himself, set of his eyes... Which were now looking at her but she could break that, nor did she want to.

"Well, no but-..." she attempted to reply to his comment about her father not being there but her words drifted off as she felt her hand cease moving because his was clasping hers, laced together. She didn't know how to reply to that, but kept the notion of calling him Captain stored away for later use. Unknowingly she bit her bottom lip as he moved closer, a habit she hated but seemed to happen when she didn't know what to do with herself, only to get the bottle from her hands.

And before she knew it he was standing and walking towards the lone chair that graced the room with its poorly made presence. "Oh," she said in a slightly dazed tone but quickly shook it off, as the warmth from him under her legs was taken away she couldn't help but miss that simple contact.

"Are you going to be comfortable in that chair?" she asked as she sat up and unhooked her cloak from around her neck and folded it before using it as a pillow instead of the one provided, and she began to unlace her knee high boots, hiking her skirts up to the bottom of her thigh to do so, revealing her sheer tight covered legs. But she paid no mind to the height of her skirts, or at the low cut of her shirt under her leather corset, revealing far more skin now that her cloak wasn't covering her shoulders and chest.

"We wouldn't want you to be grumpy on our travels now would we?" she asked in a mocking tone as to refer to their earlier conversation, as she glanced up at him, and gave him a smile as she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.
 
"I'll be fine, so long as you're alive by the time night approaches." Crispin replied, sitting in the chair which caused it to respond with a dangerous creak. He froze for a moment, staring down at it before sitting himself further, finally putting his full weight into the chair. He leaned back in it and the chair creaked again some more. "I think this might annoy me more than you." He said, getting out of it and checking the chair. There was a loose nail that he pushed back in. He tested it out by sitting back down and much to his satisfaction he heard nothing.

Crispin looked over to give Athena a grin of achievement but noticed the skin she revealed from taking off her cloak and hiking up her skirt to pull of her boots. His eyes took everything in quickly and he regretted leaving the bed so soon. He hadn't seen skin so smooth and creamy and a chest that teased with hints of treasures within. He was curious to find out the chances he'd have with her tonight. He wasn't sure if corsets had always been a weakness for him, or if Athena had been the one to bring attention to the particular weakness, but he felt his eyes drawn to the article of clothing and the way it held her body.
Crispin blinked and continued to look at her, his eyes locking wit her own as she joked about his attitude tomorrow and smiled at him. He smiled back and shrugged. "I can't be as bad as Balgruff, the day that dwarf gets a lighter disposition is the day the world comes to an end. In fact I think that would be the only thing that makes him happy."

Crispin only removed his swordbelt, taking it off his hips and placing it on the table in front of him. Naturally, the table snapped and its upper half fell over. He frowned as he stared at it. Crispin got up, muttering to himself. "Typical..." He gathered up his swordbelt and went back, sat on the chair and placed it upon his lap. With a small sigh, most of it a result from his bad choice of leaving the beautiful Athena so soon, he leaned back on more, "Sleep way, Lady Athena."
 
She laughed at his jest, "I would not be surprised if that were true." she replied as she climbed onto the bed to kneel upon it and close the frayed curtains to make it slightly darker, the blue fabric casting a hue over the room making her look paler than before and Crispin's blue eyes far bluer. She looked back at Crispin just in time to see the table snap because of his sword, and couldn't help but laugh, it was a polite laugh, one that she was taught being a lady. But she quickly stopped herself, a smile still on her lips.

"Mmhmm, I'm sure they could use your handy work around here." she said as she laid down in the middle of the bed, feeling slightly bad for taking the bed while he was left with a chair. She bit her lip once more as she watched him settle into his fixed chair with his sword upon his lap.

"I'll try..." she said with a small sigh of her own, as she laid on her side and curled up into the middle of the bed, feeling small compared to the bed beneath her. It was hard to get comfortable at first but she managed it, moving every couple of minutes until she found a good spot on the uneven bed beneath her. But even though her body was still her thoughts were not, they alone tossed and turned throughout her mind, keeping her on the edge of sleep and unable to rest. It was horrible, one of the main thoughts that was rolling around like a marble unable to find the edge was the thought that Crispin was sitting in a chair when there was plenty of room. She didn't know how long it had been since she closed her eyes, she might have even fallen into a light sleep.

"Crispin?" she whispered, not sure if he was awake seeing as she was now facing the opposite direction, her corset laced back facing him, but even if he wasn't awake she was still going to ask, "Won't you come sleep on the bed with me?" she asked, "I-" she sighed, "I can't stand the thought of you sleeping in that chair.." she told him only now turning slightly to see if he was awake or not.
 
Athena's movement upon the bed had kept him up for some time since the bed itself creaked as well, though not nearly as loud as the chair. However, he was able to finally close his eyes and fall off to sleep.

The bar downstairs began to pick up as the afternoon turned into dusk and finally night. Time flew by quickly but the group had to move about like this. The noise from downstairs was loud, and the walls here seemed to be thin. Laughter and song crawled up, all the way to the 3rd floor. Someone was back playing the loot, many individuals were singing a raunchy song and the bartender seemed to be shouting something at the people from time to time, and one point someone must have done something quite entertaining, as a result a large roar of approval went up from the crowd that was watching. Crispin woke up to hear that. He blinked in the darkness and turned to the window, wondering what time it was.

He turned just as Athena asked him to sleep on the bed with her. He chewed on his lower lip, he wasn't sure if that part had been real or just the start of some appealing dream he would have had had he not been woken up. Then she spoke again and Crispin saw her turn as she spoke. Without answering he got up and walked over to the bed, placing his sword on the floor by his side he took off his boots and climbed into the bed beside Athena, his body close to her own, his hand resting upon her hip.
 
Athena assumed that he would be asleep since she didn't hear a response from him but at time ticked by she heard the soft clunk of boots hitting the ground and the bed dipping where the man laid down behind her. She returned to her side position and closed her eyes but they quickly flashed open when his hand was laid upon her hip. If it had been at any other time, with any other person she would have moved away, learning from many years under her fathers roof that hips were not a place that a gentlemen touches. But his words rang in the very recesses of her mind, her father wasn't there.

The tavern below them held muffled voices that floated up even through to the third floor, but Athena didn't mind the noise, it seemed better than the quiet of the woods. She didn't have a clue what time it was nor did she care. She simply figured that Crispin would wake her when it was time to leave. Over all heavy eyes and unfinished dreams won over her feuding mind and she snuggled back into her cloak and back into Crispin, gravitating towards the warmth that he provided, not that it was particularly cold but the presence was calming. Her hips were pressed back against his and she fit nicely against him, that was very well noted in her mind as she moved her hair from behind her to tuck under neck and over her shoulder before she settled down.
 
Crispin's hand naturally moved to hold her closer to him as she shifted. He felt a familiar feeling within him when she seemed to accept his actions. He only wished he could have acted on them some more had they had more time together. But now was not the time to dwell on that, he was just happy that he hadn't made the mistake a leaving her a second time.

The moon was high in the sky when he awoke and most of the noises from the tavern below had died down. He looked down to see Athena, her body laying out before him. With a small smile he got out of bed, put on his boots and strapped on his sword belt. "Come on, my lady." Crispin said to her as he crouched down on her side of the bed and gently shook her shoulder. "We're going to have to move once more and it would be stupid of me to just leave you sleeping in a not so comfortable bed." He watched Athena's face as she arose. His right hand still felt the warmth of her hips and he found himself wishing that he was still sleeping by her side.

"We'll have to meet the others by the statue and head out as soon as we're all together. We can grab some mugs of water from the bar before we leave."
 
She did not stir as Crispin moved from the bed and prepared himself, only when she was shaken did her eyes flutter open and she saw deep blue ones returning her own sleepy gaze. It was not a bad sight to wake to as she gave him a small smile before stretching out like a cat.

"But Captain..." she said in a low tone, pulling out the 'in' in the word as she stretched one more time before sitting up and lacing up her boots and clasping her cloak around her neck, feeling the slight chill in the air now that she wasn't curled against Crispin.

Her head gave her a sharp pound as if protesting from her movement, "Oh, yes, water." she rubbed her temple, "I shall need some of that to get rid of this headache." she said, more to herself as she stood and braided her black hair down her back before they started out of the inn.

She remembered to grab the, thankfully, unfinished bottle of liquor to give back to the bartender. As they headed down the winding stairs Athena asked, "We are headed to the wilds tonight aren't we?"

Athena got down to the decently quiet bar and returned the bottle, getting a glare from the man but that soon disappeared as she slid over a couple coins.
 
Crispin handed her a mug of water. "Have two mugs if you need it, and yes, tonight we'll be entering lands that are controlled by no one, undisputed borders, that kind of thing." He drank as well and took a second mug for himself. He paid the barkeep some coin and walked out into the crisp night air.

He turned to look around. The streets were nearly empty, he saw a dog run by, chasing a rat and a cat that was perched up upon a roof. Its tail flicked as its seemingly uncaring gaze surveyed the town. A few guards walked by on their nightly patrol and a homeless man staggered by, asking the two of them for some coin.

Crispin lead Athena to the statue and saw Balgruff and Tal behind it. The others weren't far behind and soon the whole group was under the statue. Volka had the smell of men about her and Crispin clearly knew where she had been, Balgruff must have slept with some pigs, Tal seemed to have just stayed awake the whole time and Alric probably slept beside Tal. Sky and Adam walked out from the same inn that Crispin and Athena had slept in. "We're not far now." Crispin said in the night. "A few days walk through the woods and we'll reach a clearing, once there we head towards the visible mountains." Crispin looked at Athena, "We'll move fast for now, and then tread slowly when the sun is in the sky. Let's go."
 
Athena simply nodded and downed the first mug of water before doing the same to the next and followed Crispin out to the weather beaten statue, she noted for the first time that the creature under the man's foot was something that she had never really seen before but her observation did not last long as she focused on the words that told them where they were going. The tired Athena didn't have much to say and neither did the others it seemed seeing as mostly all of them knew the journey that lie ahead of them was not one to be excited for.

She rubbed the back of her neck as they began to walk Alric quickly falling into pace with her as he excitedly told her about his new equipment, "My lady!"

"Hush you, it is not the time for loud noises," she scolded but quickly regretted it as he apologized, "What is it Alric? I see you have some armor. Did Sky and Adam take care of you?" she asked giving the twins a look and they both smiled back.

"Yep!" he said with a broad smile at her, "Even got a staff." he said showing her his new staff, there was slightly pointed metal on both ends of the stick, enough to damage but not enough for him to hurt himself. She approved.

"You'll have to get someone to teach you how to use that thing." she said as she glanced up at the night sky, crossing her arms over her chest, this was going to be a long walk.
 
The walking was steady throughout the night and it was a few hours until they had lost any sight of the town. They were within the woods, the dark trees seemed to close in around them. There were no set paths this deep within since all the logging happened on the fringes of the woodland. "Keep close now." Volka said quietly, she seemed to have woken up first and was holding her axe ready. Crispin was glad for that, at least someone had to be alert, it wouldn't be long before all of them were wary, but he wouldn't stop them, they had to make good time.

"Heimfarl is another two days from here, am I correct, Balgruff?" Tal asked, peering in the gloom.
The dwarf only responded with a deep grunt.
They walked on a little more. Suddenly birdsong seemed to erupt from some of the trees overhead. Crispin swore a little, it was getting light already. "Double up the pace." He said to the others and they began to move faster.

They would have made quite the distance if they hadn't suddenly come to a clearing within the forest. Crispin swore out loud, Volka frowned and hefted her axe. Balgruff only grinned and Tal turned to watch their backs. There was no movement as Crispin's eyes scanned the empty tents and dead fire before him, the leaves had been jostled as if someone had left here in a hurry. There was still a small swirl of smoke coming from the firepit. "If we turn and leave now they may not find us." Crispin whispered to the rest.

That was when eight figures approached them from across the clearing, exactly the way they needed to be heading. Eight men, all of them armed. The bandits spotted them ,some froze, others seemed to dart behind trees and out of sight. Crispin pursed his lips and pulled his sword an inch from its scabbard. There was silence between the group as heavy tension filled the space between them.
 
The night seemed to drag on for Athena, her mind keeping itself occupied by identifying the trees and plants as they passed, often writing in a small notebook that she kept in one of her various pockets of her cloak, about the journey so far. Her handwriting was not anything to be admired but seeing as there was no stopping it would have to do.

Athena had noticed the strange actions of the others but it didn't occur to her that she too should be on edge as the sun rose and cast light orange over the sky and through the trees. But she soon caught on as she now stood in the center of the ring of warriors, the twins along with the other flanking each side, both reaching for their dual blades on their hips.

"What..." she as about to ask what they had just come upon, it was only a camp site but then she figured out why they should have never stumbled upon it in the first place, rough looking men seemed to appear from nowhere.

The tension in the air was palpable now that Athena knew what exactly was going on. But seeing as she was here to speak to people and not attack that seemed the logical answer to this situation to her, but then again she didn't know weather her idea brewing in her head would work...

She gave Crispin a glance, and began to step forward until she caught the eyes of the men, they all looked at her with suspicion and mistrust. "Good morrow!" she shouted across the campsite, waving a pale hand, "My group and I would like to pass through here, and seeing as you are all in our path there seems to be a problem." she allowed a pause, her voice was strong but her hands shook ever so slightly but she continued to talk, "Have any of you ever heard of the gifted?" she asked, "The people who care not ones that are not such as them? People that have the gifts to control, fire, water, even the air we breath." she said and for the first time since joining their crusade she used her air magic, her gifts that she was given from her father...

Without moving Athena started to literally suppress the air around each of the opposing members across the clearing, it took a lot of concentration... But she managed to make it so that all of the men would have a very hard time breathing, as if they were atop the highest mountain....

"You see..." she said, a bead of sweat beading down her temple, as she heard a man collapse from the lack of air, "We simply want to stop those people," another one fell, she closed her eyes and kept concentrating, "And you will not stand in our way. If any of you have ever even heard the name St Clare..." her powers were starting to slip as her hair was literally moving on its own with what seemed like its own air current moving around Athena, "You'll let us pass..."
 
A third one fell, clasping at his throat. The others looked at their fallen comrades in shock, clearly these were men who didn't expect to be fighting anyone with magical powers. Crispin sighed in relief, thankfully Athena was more than just a pretty face. The other bandits looked at one another, a fourth man dropped his sword and Crispin reached out and placed his hand on Athena's shoulder, indicating to her that she should stop. He noted the sweat as it dripped down her face.

Some of the men tried to run, but couldn't get far until Athena decided that it was time to let them go.
Balgruff frowned and cursed loudly. Talk merely smiled and Volka let her guard drop. Alright seemed the most tired. He was breathing heavily, as if Athena's magic worked on him. "Situations like this will get easier as you encounter them more often." Crispin told the boy.

He looked at Athena after signalling that they should move out. "Thank you" hr said to her as they walked slightly ahead of the others. "If it had come down to violence, Alric wouldnt have handled himself so well. I'd rather not lose a member of the group."
 
To suppress someones supply of air was no easy feat but it could be done with great care and the energy that she had stored up. Her vision seemed to tunnel for a moment, the edges going black, until her concentration was shattered with the feeling of a hand on her shoulder. Her hair stilled and she herself took a deep breath letting the magic slip from her very being.

She glanced at Crispin, feeling uneasy on her feet but she forced herself to keep standing and finally, slowly, move on. Crispin walked beside her, and she felt a slight comfort in that simple gesture of him beside her.

"I dont require thanks, not from you." she said with a small smile, dabbing at her forehead and gathering her hair into a quick bun before stumbling on her own feet, and quickly grabbing hold of Crispin's arm, "I'm afraid I will not be able to do that again though..." she glanced back at the youngest of their group, "He will have to be ready next time Crispin." she said as she watched the twins talk to the boy, telling him to stay calm, and beginning to act like older brothers to the boy. When she looked forward again they passed by a couple of the unconsious men, they were breathing steady, alive and well, but they would wake with quite a headache from having no air for a time.

"I hope the others don't think less of me... Being gifted." she said more to herself but she kept her arm through Crispin's feeling as though she might fall and go straight to sleep if she didn't have something to keep her upright. It was strange to go from a world that you are so highly praised for your skills and beloved to someplace where you might not be accepted for them. But then again she did just spare them much needed time as well as possible injuries.
 
"Many of the supporters of the Rebellion are given magical powers." Crispin said as they walked, he quickly understood that Athena needed his support and shifted that she no longer needed to hold onto him, but rather he was holding her. "They just never use them when there is no conflict." Crispin raised his free hand in front of them and ignited it. The flames danced across his fingers as he twirled them. He lit a small part of the forest as well. "The others won't feel bad, I'm sure. You're helping their cause and if there is magic on their side then they'll be happy to have it. at least, that's the way I feel about it. And we're not the only ones, have you ever sat next to Tal? There's something about him, he doesn't carry any weapons, but when Alric found us his hands seemed to shimmer."

Crispin gestured that they pick up the pace. "There are still more bandits in the woods and I have no intention of running into them. Once we reach the clearing we'll camp on the edge of it." The group was able to reach their destination before they expected, having no issues other than navigating the pathless forest. From the edge of the clearing they could see the distant mountain range, 4 peaks that made up the dwarven stronghold of Heimfarl in this part of the world. "May have a cousin or two in there." Balgruff said, staring up at the peaks. "Greedy bastards thinkin' of nothing but wee silver coin."
"Camp here." Crispin said, "Get an extra bit of sleep. The mountains are in sight and I want to be there as quickly as we can. Adam, Sky, once we're in the dwarven holds I'm expecting the two of you to show Alric how to use that staff." Crispin eyes landed on Alric and they were uncharacteristically stern. "You learn fast, otherwise you're staying in that fortress."
 
Athena watched with a renewed spark of her own curiosity when fire lit upon the hand before her, she wondered if that was the reason she found Crispin so warm at times. "I see," she said as she looked over her shoulder at the elf behind them, yet again pulling up the back of the group, he glanced back at her and simply smiled at her and she smiled a small one of her own, her curiosity growing by the minute, she would have to ask him when they had time.

As time moved so did they and Athena soon trusted herself to walk without assistance, giving Crispin's hand a light squeeze before she detached herself from his side reluctantly. She fell back to where Volka walked and pulled out an apple from her bag to share with the woman as they spoke of weaponry and men. Volka seemed to have a straightforward view of what they were mainly good for which made Athena blush several times, only making the larger woman laugh wholeheartedly.

Her attention returned to Crispin as they finally came to a sight he found suitable for their sleep and Athena couldn't be more grateful, although she had put on a happy and normal face inside she was still recuperating from the encounter. She hoped a good rest would do well for her energy level as she unrolled her bed and snuggled down into the thin thing, far better than the lumpy mattress at the inn, and she was out like a candle as soon as her head hit her bag of a pillow.
 
Crispin divvied up the watches with the others, not even thinking to ask Athena what she might want to do.

The day passed without incident, just a few sightings of deer and a fox. When dusk arrive Crispin woke them up, getting them to their feet quickly. They had a few extra hours of rest, which was good since Crispin wanted to ensure that they were all prepared for anything.
"We pass this clearing, enter the woods on the other side and then it's another day's journey to the edge of the mountains. From there we'll be safe." He said as he buckled his swordbelt and grabbed his bag. "The area will be patrolled by the dwarves, all we have to do is prevent ourselves from getting in trouble. Blagruff should help with that."

"Aye." Came Balgruff's faded reply, who was slightly away from the group, hidden as he was relieving himself.
Crossing the clearing was easy, it was straightforward and there were no roots to watch out for. Birds flew overhead as noises from the woods they were approaching seemed to get louder. It was hard to decipher what the noises were, even Tal, with his enhanced senses, was unsure. These woods were darker and thicker and the group had a much slower time going through it than previously. "The trees, they block the light." Volka said as she looked up. There was only enough light to be able to see what was about 10 feet in front of someone.
It wasn't long before torches had to be lit in order to see farther ahead of them.
Tal suddenly stopped in front of Athena. "We're being foll-"

An arrow whizzed by him as another embedded itself into a thick root by Crispin's feet. Crispin dislodged the shaft and inspected it quickly, it's stubby, barbed and serrated hilt made of chewed bone was indicative of who fired it. "Hobgoblins." He said, as if it were a curse. Deep and vicious cackling erupted all around them as shapes moved out of the firelight. Then one came for them. It was the size of a dwarf, stocky and covered in grey skin. It's yellow eyes were enraged, despite the fact that a laugh came from it's yellow tooth-filled mouth. It worse some crude hide armor and wielded a club of bone. The hobgoblin tackled Alric from behind as another arrow thudded into Volka's shield.
Tal thrust his arm up into the air with force as the canopy seemed to open above them, allowing large shafts of sunlight to stream in, giving the group a lot more visibility, enough to reveal that they were surrounded by several hobgolbins.
 
"I feel we could be going in circles and never know it..." she said in a soft voice, even slightly frightened by the strange forest, and before long she ran into Tal in front of her just as an arrow flew above her head and down behind her.

"Hob-What?" she asked to no one in particular as her words were drowned out by crude laughter, and finally there was a douse of light from above thanks to Tal and she could see the grotesque creatures that surrounded them. There weren't enough to overwhelm them completely but enough for her heart to beat faster and adrenaline to kick in as chaos surrounded her.

Adam and Sky, almost in sync, jumped to pry off the hobgoblin from the small Alric and threw it off drawing their duel blades and jumped into battle with the one creature. They were truly a sight to be seen, but Athena's eyes were torn away with a sudden shock of pain on her arm as an arrow skimmed her upper arm, tearing flesh and fabric alike with a crude bone arrow. Athena hissed through her teeth at the sudden pain and the feeling of warm blood now flowing freely down her arm. The creature that shot it smiled at the blood drawn and charged in straight towards Athena. She was far from ready for a fight like this.
 
Crispin had his sword drawn and was about to strike a charging hobgoblin when Balgruff slammed his shoulder into it. The creature fell to the floor with a yelp and only managed a strained scream as Balgruff's axe sank into its chest, splintering bone.
"Tal, take out whatever archers you see!" Crispin called as noises of battle began to form all around him as others got locked in combat with the hobgoblins. Volka battered one with her shield before crying out as her shin was bitten by another. Two more tackled Balgruff to the ground, the dwarf fell, laughing as he clutched both of them. Crispin didn't wait to see if Balgruff could handle it, he had spied an archer that had him in his sights. Crispin ducked the shaft and charged the creature, who slowly drew forth a bone dagger. Crispin swung, the hobgoblin blocked it, then Crispin swung again, aiming for it's wrist, the creature moved to block, but didn't expect the change in target and screamed as it clutched it bleeding wrist. Crispin put it out of its misery with a thrust of his blade through its chest.

Crispin turned around in time to see Tal lift a hobgoblin into the air, using some unknown force, and send it flying into a tree with a bone-crunching smack. Balgruff was up, he'd strangled one hobgoblin to death and was using his fists to knock out the teeth of the other. Volka just about dodged a swipe from the hobgoblin's club before bringing the edge of her shield into its face, breaking its teeth. Alric was up, but the side of his face was covered in blood, he looked more confused than scared, the pain of the wound hadn't seemed to sink in yet. The hobgoblin that the twins faced was easily slain, cut up in several different places, however Alric's severed ear was laying on the ground beside him.

Then Crispin spotted Athena and her ordeal, he made a move to get to her but was stopped in his tracks by another sound. The combatants seemed to freeze and look up as a mix of a growl and squeal echoed through the forest. The hobgoblins began to climb trees and those that were locked in combat scurried to get away. One of the hobgoblin's feet snapped a twig, as if on cue a large beast smashed through a nearby thicket. It looked like a boar, but it was twice its size and had four tusks as well as short horns protruding from just above its eyes. It snorted and dug a hoofed foot into the earth as its dark eyes scanned the fighters. "Dire boar!" Balgruff whispered, standing extremely still.
 
Battle was not something she was used to, not with creatures like these, she had handled herself decently against the humans but this was something different all together. Her heart pounded in its chest, forgetting that she had a perfectly fine blade on her side but her concern was more for the stark red that now covered Alric's face.

"Alric!" she yelled attempting to snap him out of the daze he was in and she ran for him, dodging the swing of a blade swung by one of the twins. She grabbed the boy by the shoulders and all he could do was look at her with his wide eyes.

"Oh gods." she said with a quick worried glance at his head, noting even through all the blood that his ear was missing. She scanned the bloodied ground and spotted the damaged part by their feet, quickly pulling a handkerchief from her pocket and grabbing it before someone stepped on it, she still had slight hope that it could be helped but it was only a hope as she tugged a bandage from her bag and began to press it against his side. The pain seemed to kick in then and he winced away from her beginning to whimper.

"Alric, Alric listen to me you have to hold this against your head. No matter how much it hurts." she said just as the bumbling sound came from behind her and he nodded seeming to know what she said so she took the chance to turn and watch as the largest boar she had ever seen stalked through the trees and glared at each one of them.

"Balgruff?" she asked in a soft tone seeing as he identified the creature she thought he might know, never taking her eyes from the beast, "What does one do in this situation?" she asked as she backed up closer to Alric, putting herself in front of the boy.
 
The boar heard Athena speak and glared in her direction. It sniffed the air as it slowly approached her and Alric. Blagruff, who was standing on the other end of the small battlefield mouthed the words 'don't move.'
The dire boar tread over the roots and uneven ground expertly, a hobgoblin nearby seemed to shake uncontrollably as the boar past, it's massive hooves nearly missing the hobgoblin's foot by a few inches.

The boar's snout stopped before Athena's face, it sniffed the air and it's mouth opened slightly, as if to taste the air itself. A hot stench rushed into Athena's face once the boar opened its mouth, it's huge molars became visible, large yellowing tusks, misshapen by the creature's goring, moved past her face. The creature sniffed once more and its head turned to face Alric. It brushed past Athena, the slightest touch of the beast's bulk causing her to fall to the floor. The boar scented the blood covering Alric's face. It opened its mouth as it approached him.

Tal caused a branch to fall nearby and the boar's attention quickly shifted. It turned in time to see an opportunistic hobgoblin trying to climb a tree. The boar stamped its foot and charged the creature out of pure anger. Crispin took the moment to run to Athena and pick her up. "Move! Now!" He stated, running towards their destination as the sounds of the boar's goring and the screams of the hobgoblin faded behind them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom