Post by Manshin on Sept 30, 2005 11:50:55 GMT -5
Pale moonlight dusted the grasslands to the North of Redmist, painting a ghostly landscape beyond her watch fires. Two figures moved swiftly and silently through the darkness; hunters seeking an elusive pray. As they made their way along out into the grasslands, approaching the Mistwood, the figure in the back crouched low and gave a shrill whistle. The lead figure stopped, also sinking to a low crouch and moving into the grass.
“I have spotted them,” whispered Padrin.
“Where?” Manshin turned toward the druid, Kofuji’s Tsuba clinking softly as he put his hand upon the long hilt. The easterner looked about, but though he could see well in the dark, his eyes were no match for the druids.
Padrin pointed back the way they had come; “Just off the road. It is Lewis, and Tenchi I believe… another as well, though I didn’t see who.”
“Did they see us?”
“I think Lewis did,” replied the druid, drawing forth his long wickedly curved sickle as he scanned the long grass.
Manshin loosened Korfuji with his thumb, then, keeping low, he made his way back the way they had come. Soon, he found his quarry. Tenchi Yamato stood in the darkness, another, shorter figure stood near him. They were less than thirty paces. The short figure must have been the dwarf Padrin had spoken of… The one who had helped to torture his friends… the one who knew where Hrothgar was. They looked to be standing over something… perhaps a kill.
Manshin grunted inwardly… no Cypher. But he was out there, the easterner did not doubt. His grip tightened upon the Wind Walker. He looked at Padrin who’s hard eye’s reflected the pain and suffering he had endured at the hands of these dogs; but he could also see burning vengeance in them. Padrin wanted this. He deserved it.
“I am going to attack,” said Manshin, resolve in his voice. Padrin nodded, never taking his fierce gaze from the enemy.
Manshin began to stock through the grass, as silently as a ghost. He flanked to the left. As he moved in silence, his gaze shifted from Tenchi and the dwarf to the tall grass, seeking for Louis. He drew closer, soon he would be in place to strike.
Sudden thoughts of regret filled him. He did not want to fight Tenchi this way. He wanted to fight him in single combat, honorably. He pushed aside these thoughts swiftly. Louis Cypher was out there. They were outnumbered and were facing very skillful enemies. Like a mantra, Manshin forced his thoughts to focus. Hrothgar’s life depended upon him, many lives depended on him. He had learned a hard lesson watching his father fall, drugged and unable to defend himself against the Yuriki-Naku.
When you fight a devil, be a devil yourself, or you cannot win.
The patient mantis became the striking snake. The wind in the grass blew just a little too hard, something was not right. Tenchi turned to look, suspicion knotting his brow.
Korfuji flashed in the dark, moonlight glinting upon its razor edge. The blade slashed across the fallen Samurai. Tenchi was a master fencer however. What should have been a deathblow was partially turned upon his flaming blade. The warrior backed away, trying to ascertain in the darkness what was attacking him, though; through the sudden burst of pain, he knew.
Korfuji streaked across again with blinding speed, biting as it past. Tenchi; caught completely by surprise and reeling from his wound was unable to defend himself. His guard was flung wide as the ancient blade came up, then cut down at an angle, shearing through dark armor and flesh.
The dwarf Marcus heard the wind as well, and then came a flash of movement, the ring of blades and a grunt of pain. Spinning around, he saw a dark figure, low, legs spread wide. He held straight out a curved blade with the edge up. Upon the end of that blade was lord Tenchi!
With a sudden jerk, Manshin yanked Korfuji free. The Banite collapsed limply into the grass. With little hesitation, Manshin rushed the surprised dwarf. Staggering backwards, Marcus tried to get his guard up, but with a resigned sigh he realized it was too late; Korfuji flashed once, twice, and a third time. The dwarf fell face first, lines of bright red upon his hewn mail.
Manshin stood, swinging Korfuji down and back, throwing hot blood from Mitsiguru’s blade. Padrin was beside him now. His eyes were wide with urgency as he looked past Manshin.
“Louis is coming… Now!”
Inwardly, Manshin counted his great fortune again for Padrin’s sharp eyes. Having no idea how close Cypher was, but knowing his initial strike would probably be deadly, Manshin reacted the way he thought best. Hurling a small object to the ground, a thick inky cloud of darkness burst forth covering them all. Manshin quick-stepped immediately to the right, pivoting as he did so. He held Korfuji before him defensively and listened. At first, he heard nothing then the crash of steel against wood. Rushing toward the sound, Manshin heard Padrin howl in anger… the whistle of steel. Footfalls too far over to be the druids! Manshin struck. Korfuji grazed something, though only lightly. A soft grunt; it was Louis.
The three warriors fought for many long moments in the darkness. Manshin knew he had wounded the assassin, he felt his blade bite several times. Thinking his enemy near defeat he pressed in, but only hit air. Then he heard the sound of someone drinking! Pardrin was swinging again, but the elusive assassin seemed to be evading him. More drinking. Manshin rushed the sound. A stinging impact upon his dark armor, followed by another brought him up short. Holding his guard high, the easterner kicked out blindly, knocking Louis’s legs out from under him. Manshin pressed. Louis was getting up, but another strike sent him sprawling.
Then everything became confusing. High pitched squeals and the hoarse roar of something big! What the hell was going on here!? He felt several more impacts upon his armor and heard the whistle of weapons coming only inches from his head.
Then, as quickly as it has come, the darkness faded! The scene before the easterner was out of a bizarre dream! Before him was a wounded and surprised Louis, a small vial to his lips and his short blade thrust into a goblin. Behind him, several more of the crazed raiders charged in. Manshin almost laughed… not your day Louis. The goblins stopped short in surprise. Just to the easterners right came the guttural roar of something massive and covered in dark hair. Without thinking, Manshin brought Korfuji across the throat of the giant thing. The minitaur dropped its heavy axe, staggering back and clutching it’s sliced throat.
The remaining gobins, realizing they had chosen the wrong fight, ran for the trees.
Manshin spun back on Louis, and pressed the attack fiercely. Then a sudden and horrible thought hit Manshin like a storm. Pardrin! Looking around, the easterner felt a cold knot constrict his stomach. It was no minitaur who had sunk to the earth; clutching a torn throat… it was Padrin!
Seeing Manshin distracted, Louis stuck hard. The easterner barley turned the thrust upon his kote, feeling the energy pour off the short blade through the iron bars he wore on his forearms. His mind in a rush of fear and guilt, Manshin gave a fierce cry and attacked with everything he had. His one thought; to kill his adversary quickly and go help Padrin. He struck with ringing force and blinding speed; his entire being focused upon each strike. Louis tried to defend himself. His moves were skillful, his defense masterful, but he was already wounded, and against Manshin’s unrelenting and focused attack, he could not last. The final strike came down hard. Crashing through the assassin’s defense, Kofuji sliced through the enchanted leather and sunk into the assassin’s collarbone, driving him to his knees.
Gasping for breath, Louis clutched the wound, then toppled over to his side; eyes wide with pain and shock.
Manshin rushed to Padrin then. The wound was deep. His friend would not last much longer… so much blood had been lost! Digging in his belt pouch, Manshin found what he was looking for. He slathered the magical salve on Padrin’s wound, sighing in relief as the healing spell begun to knit the torn flesh. The druid’s breathing slowed as his pain eased. Within moments, Padrin had recovered from the brink. Manshin helped him up.
“I apologies my friend… that was very foolish. I became confused in the darkness… and then the goblins…” Said Manshin, shame in his voice.
Padrin, a hand covering his healed throat waved Manshin off.
“I’m alive.” He said, breathing heavily and glancing at the fallen assassin. Louis was still moving. They went to him then and saw that he was bleeding badly. Already the Banite’s blood had pooled in the dirt as he rocked slowly back in forth, his breath coming in shallow, ragged gasps.
“I have questions for him Padrin. Can you stop the bleeding?”
“Aye” said the druid, bending over the fallen enemy.
They asked Louis Cypher many questions, they learned that their fears were true. Hrothgar was dead. Of the other things they heard, it was difficult to say what was true and what was lies. Louis, on his knees and weak from blood loss, finally stopped giving intelligible answers.
“Listen to me Loius Cypher,” said Manshin. “Though you have many deaths to answer for…” A sudden flash of Chril’s pale lifeless eyes haunted the easterner. His jaw clenched, then he continued. “Though you deserve less… I am going to let you live. When you return to suckle from your master, you tell him what happened here… how easily you all fell beneath Korfuji. You are not my match. None of you are. Leave Isinhold. Take your evil far away. If you come back, I will not show you mercy. I will kill you all.” Then, the easterner sheathed Korfuji, and turned toward Redmist.
Padrin gripped his sickle tightly, his knuckles white. He didn’t want to let these bastards live. With a last hard glare at Louis, then at Tenchi’s motionless form, he spit, and stocked off after the easterner.
The two, though tired, traveled far that night. For many hours they walked until at last they came to the gates of the Thavian Enclave. Entering under disguise, they sought for sign of Hrothgar’s remains in vein. When searching the temple of Bane came up with nothing, they had little choice but to leave in defeat. At the last, however, through a revelation which stunned and horrified the two warriors, good fortune found them again.
Arriving at last in Isinhold, the two men, exhausted and aching to the bone, strode up the path to the temple. Coming before Merriss, Padrin approached and bowed his head in respect. “Merriss, we have desperate need of you.”
“What is it that you need?” Said the druid, looking from Padrin to Manshin.
The easterner stepped forward, dropping a large bucket down onto the stone, the slosh of liquid coming from within. “We have found Hrothgar Redbeard. He is need of your services.”
Merriss looked down at the bucket of undercooked stew, confusion creasing his wizened brow.
“I have spotted them,” whispered Padrin.
“Where?” Manshin turned toward the druid, Kofuji’s Tsuba clinking softly as he put his hand upon the long hilt. The easterner looked about, but though he could see well in the dark, his eyes were no match for the druids.
Padrin pointed back the way they had come; “Just off the road. It is Lewis, and Tenchi I believe… another as well, though I didn’t see who.”
“Did they see us?”
“I think Lewis did,” replied the druid, drawing forth his long wickedly curved sickle as he scanned the long grass.
Manshin loosened Korfuji with his thumb, then, keeping low, he made his way back the way they had come. Soon, he found his quarry. Tenchi Yamato stood in the darkness, another, shorter figure stood near him. They were less than thirty paces. The short figure must have been the dwarf Padrin had spoken of… The one who had helped to torture his friends… the one who knew where Hrothgar was. They looked to be standing over something… perhaps a kill.
Manshin grunted inwardly… no Cypher. But he was out there, the easterner did not doubt. His grip tightened upon the Wind Walker. He looked at Padrin who’s hard eye’s reflected the pain and suffering he had endured at the hands of these dogs; but he could also see burning vengeance in them. Padrin wanted this. He deserved it.
“I am going to attack,” said Manshin, resolve in his voice. Padrin nodded, never taking his fierce gaze from the enemy.
Manshin began to stock through the grass, as silently as a ghost. He flanked to the left. As he moved in silence, his gaze shifted from Tenchi and the dwarf to the tall grass, seeking for Louis. He drew closer, soon he would be in place to strike.
Sudden thoughts of regret filled him. He did not want to fight Tenchi this way. He wanted to fight him in single combat, honorably. He pushed aside these thoughts swiftly. Louis Cypher was out there. They were outnumbered and were facing very skillful enemies. Like a mantra, Manshin forced his thoughts to focus. Hrothgar’s life depended upon him, many lives depended on him. He had learned a hard lesson watching his father fall, drugged and unable to defend himself against the Yuriki-Naku.
When you fight a devil, be a devil yourself, or you cannot win.
The patient mantis became the striking snake. The wind in the grass blew just a little too hard, something was not right. Tenchi turned to look, suspicion knotting his brow.
Korfuji flashed in the dark, moonlight glinting upon its razor edge. The blade slashed across the fallen Samurai. Tenchi was a master fencer however. What should have been a deathblow was partially turned upon his flaming blade. The warrior backed away, trying to ascertain in the darkness what was attacking him, though; through the sudden burst of pain, he knew.
Korfuji streaked across again with blinding speed, biting as it past. Tenchi; caught completely by surprise and reeling from his wound was unable to defend himself. His guard was flung wide as the ancient blade came up, then cut down at an angle, shearing through dark armor and flesh.
The dwarf Marcus heard the wind as well, and then came a flash of movement, the ring of blades and a grunt of pain. Spinning around, he saw a dark figure, low, legs spread wide. He held straight out a curved blade with the edge up. Upon the end of that blade was lord Tenchi!
With a sudden jerk, Manshin yanked Korfuji free. The Banite collapsed limply into the grass. With little hesitation, Manshin rushed the surprised dwarf. Staggering backwards, Marcus tried to get his guard up, but with a resigned sigh he realized it was too late; Korfuji flashed once, twice, and a third time. The dwarf fell face first, lines of bright red upon his hewn mail.
Manshin stood, swinging Korfuji down and back, throwing hot blood from Mitsiguru’s blade. Padrin was beside him now. His eyes were wide with urgency as he looked past Manshin.
“Louis is coming… Now!”
Inwardly, Manshin counted his great fortune again for Padrin’s sharp eyes. Having no idea how close Cypher was, but knowing his initial strike would probably be deadly, Manshin reacted the way he thought best. Hurling a small object to the ground, a thick inky cloud of darkness burst forth covering them all. Manshin quick-stepped immediately to the right, pivoting as he did so. He held Korfuji before him defensively and listened. At first, he heard nothing then the crash of steel against wood. Rushing toward the sound, Manshin heard Padrin howl in anger… the whistle of steel. Footfalls too far over to be the druids! Manshin struck. Korfuji grazed something, though only lightly. A soft grunt; it was Louis.
The three warriors fought for many long moments in the darkness. Manshin knew he had wounded the assassin, he felt his blade bite several times. Thinking his enemy near defeat he pressed in, but only hit air. Then he heard the sound of someone drinking! Pardrin was swinging again, but the elusive assassin seemed to be evading him. More drinking. Manshin rushed the sound. A stinging impact upon his dark armor, followed by another brought him up short. Holding his guard high, the easterner kicked out blindly, knocking Louis’s legs out from under him. Manshin pressed. Louis was getting up, but another strike sent him sprawling.
Then everything became confusing. High pitched squeals and the hoarse roar of something big! What the hell was going on here!? He felt several more impacts upon his armor and heard the whistle of weapons coming only inches from his head.
Then, as quickly as it has come, the darkness faded! The scene before the easterner was out of a bizarre dream! Before him was a wounded and surprised Louis, a small vial to his lips and his short blade thrust into a goblin. Behind him, several more of the crazed raiders charged in. Manshin almost laughed… not your day Louis. The goblins stopped short in surprise. Just to the easterners right came the guttural roar of something massive and covered in dark hair. Without thinking, Manshin brought Korfuji across the throat of the giant thing. The minitaur dropped its heavy axe, staggering back and clutching it’s sliced throat.
The remaining gobins, realizing they had chosen the wrong fight, ran for the trees.
Manshin spun back on Louis, and pressed the attack fiercely. Then a sudden and horrible thought hit Manshin like a storm. Pardrin! Looking around, the easterner felt a cold knot constrict his stomach. It was no minitaur who had sunk to the earth; clutching a torn throat… it was Padrin!
Seeing Manshin distracted, Louis stuck hard. The easterner barley turned the thrust upon his kote, feeling the energy pour off the short blade through the iron bars he wore on his forearms. His mind in a rush of fear and guilt, Manshin gave a fierce cry and attacked with everything he had. His one thought; to kill his adversary quickly and go help Padrin. He struck with ringing force and blinding speed; his entire being focused upon each strike. Louis tried to defend himself. His moves were skillful, his defense masterful, but he was already wounded, and against Manshin’s unrelenting and focused attack, he could not last. The final strike came down hard. Crashing through the assassin’s defense, Kofuji sliced through the enchanted leather and sunk into the assassin’s collarbone, driving him to his knees.
Gasping for breath, Louis clutched the wound, then toppled over to his side; eyes wide with pain and shock.
Manshin rushed to Padrin then. The wound was deep. His friend would not last much longer… so much blood had been lost! Digging in his belt pouch, Manshin found what he was looking for. He slathered the magical salve on Padrin’s wound, sighing in relief as the healing spell begun to knit the torn flesh. The druid’s breathing slowed as his pain eased. Within moments, Padrin had recovered from the brink. Manshin helped him up.
“I apologies my friend… that was very foolish. I became confused in the darkness… and then the goblins…” Said Manshin, shame in his voice.
Padrin, a hand covering his healed throat waved Manshin off.
“I’m alive.” He said, breathing heavily and glancing at the fallen assassin. Louis was still moving. They went to him then and saw that he was bleeding badly. Already the Banite’s blood had pooled in the dirt as he rocked slowly back in forth, his breath coming in shallow, ragged gasps.
“I have questions for him Padrin. Can you stop the bleeding?”
“Aye” said the druid, bending over the fallen enemy.
They asked Louis Cypher many questions, they learned that their fears were true. Hrothgar was dead. Of the other things they heard, it was difficult to say what was true and what was lies. Louis, on his knees and weak from blood loss, finally stopped giving intelligible answers.
“Listen to me Loius Cypher,” said Manshin. “Though you have many deaths to answer for…” A sudden flash of Chril’s pale lifeless eyes haunted the easterner. His jaw clenched, then he continued. “Though you deserve less… I am going to let you live. When you return to suckle from your master, you tell him what happened here… how easily you all fell beneath Korfuji. You are not my match. None of you are. Leave Isinhold. Take your evil far away. If you come back, I will not show you mercy. I will kill you all.” Then, the easterner sheathed Korfuji, and turned toward Redmist.
Padrin gripped his sickle tightly, his knuckles white. He didn’t want to let these bastards live. With a last hard glare at Louis, then at Tenchi’s motionless form, he spit, and stocked off after the easterner.
The two, though tired, traveled far that night. For many hours they walked until at last they came to the gates of the Thavian Enclave. Entering under disguise, they sought for sign of Hrothgar’s remains in vein. When searching the temple of Bane came up with nothing, they had little choice but to leave in defeat. At the last, however, through a revelation which stunned and horrified the two warriors, good fortune found them again.
Arriving at last in Isinhold, the two men, exhausted and aching to the bone, strode up the path to the temple. Coming before Merriss, Padrin approached and bowed his head in respect. “Merriss, we have desperate need of you.”
“What is it that you need?” Said the druid, looking from Padrin to Manshin.
The easterner stepped forward, dropping a large bucket down onto the stone, the slosh of liquid coming from within. “We have found Hrothgar Redbeard. He is need of your services.”
Merriss looked down at the bucket of undercooked stew, confusion creasing his wizened brow.
