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 Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2005 5:21 pm
For the trip back, Artes keeps himself in sorrowful silence except for a sniff or sob here and there. The pain is great, something he had never concieved of before. It fealt like someone had just removed his entire chest cavity, leaving an unfilled abyss of sorrow.
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Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2005 7:17 pm
Deciding that this could easily lead to his next mark, Kreen follows the human through the forest with ease. Trailing behind about ten feet, he opts to move through the branches of the surrounding trees, moving totally silently as has become habitual.
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Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2005 7:39 am
Zeal stops running at the lip of a hollow in the ground, the same hollow that Valden had used before. He doesn't look behind him, knowing that the assassin is there.
"I know you by reputation but not by name. I am called Zeal." Zeal doesn't turn to face the assassin as he speaks but continues watching as Valden comes into view.
Zeal remains completely calm to all appearances as the large black dragon back-wings, raising a cloud of dust, and settles to the ground. He walks forward quickly, moving right past the great claws and jumps up to the dragon's shoulder to assist the obviously distraught elf there.
"Artes... come on." Zeal's voice holds a gentle command as he tries to get Artes off of his high perch.
Valden sweeps in to a gentle landing in the hollow, well aware of the assassin's presence. His eyes never leave the assassin but seem to only bear curiosity and caution. He bends down slightly to assist Zeal in removing Artes to a safer position while never taking his emerald eyes off of the assassin.
"The village was completely destroyed by monsters, Zeal. There were no survivors." Valden's voice is quiet, for a dragon, being only slightly louder than a normal human's spoken volume.
Valden's eyes never leave the assassin, called the Dying Breath. No hostility is evident but his manner indicates that both he and Zeal are familiar with such scenes of carnage.
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Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2005 8:23 am
"Once, I was called Kreen among my people. You may use that name if you wish," he says, appearantly totally unaffected by the sudden arrival of a gigantic, armored death-beast. Of course, 'appearantly' is the key word in that sentence, for he is inwardly gaping at the majestic creature.
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Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2005 9:33 am
Artes got down with Zeal's aid and afterwords stood in silence, almost seeming like a soul-less body. He really took no notice of Kreen. He just seemed to be drowning in guilt, self-pity, and defeat.
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Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2005 10:20 am
Zeal returns to the ground after helping Artes and stands beside him, watching him carefully. He glances once toward Valden and after a brief moment he turns his attention back to Kreen.
"This is Valden and Artes." He gestures at them as he states their names. He is obviously too preoccupied to play around with formality and he turns his full attention to Artes once he finishes speaking.
Zeal puts a hand on the elf's shoulder and begins to guide him to a seat on the grass a few yards away, urging him to rest his back against a tree there. His eyes show concern for Artes but there is an underlying worry that seems to be unrelated.
Valden lowers his head until it is only a short distance in front of Kreen's own and gazes penetratingly into his eyes. His black scales shine in the light and his emerald eyes seem almost crystaline.
"Kreen, is your name then. Hmmm..." Valden's breath seems only to smell warm, neither a bad smell nor a pleasant one. He pauses for a few moments before speaking again. "Neither Zeal nor I approve of assassination." There is a finality in the statement that seems completely in keeping with Valden's appearance and manner. "However, you may be suitable... Artes is suitable for it but you... there is still some doubt in our minds as to whether or not you are to be trusted on such a level." He seems to not care that his words would most likely not make a great deal of sense to Kreen.
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Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2005 6:09 pm
Artes broke down again, burying his head into Zeal's chest, sobbing. "Zeal! It was so horrible! I could smell the smoke and the... the flesh! It was terrible! Why, Zeal? Why wasn't I there to suffer the same fate as my family? My people? I... I have no place to go..." His next words were engrossed in sobs and tears.
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Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2005 7:04 pm
"There are few things I could care about less than whether you approve of my methods or not. I do what I can, in the best way I can. I look upon the world and see it ruled by warlords. The simplest way I can see to stop this is to remove the warlords from power. This was successful, for a time. But now, I cannot complete this objective alone, for as soon as a warlord falls, another takes his place. Sometimes this new human is an idiot, sometimes he is insane. Sometimes, he is cunning and deadly, but always there are a thousand in line behind him. That is why I chose to follow Zeal. If you do not trust me, then there is nothing I can do in this place to alleviate your fears, whatever they may be. What you speak of, I do not understand. All I can hope for at this point is that you see fit to show me what it is you hide, and that you accept my oath that I will do all in my power to safeguard all that you hold dear," Kreen says, dropping to one knee and bowing as he speaks his oath.
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Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2005 12:48 pm
Dricoleth looked trough the things he had packed. It was enough food for at least a week, and he would by then have reached an elven village where he could stock up on some more. "Slingshot, smelling pellets, food and an extra set of clothes. Everythings here." he said to himself. His parents were used to him sneaking away for long times in a row. This time, however, he wasn''t planning on coming back anytime soon. This time he would take a look on the world before he came back. Who knew? Maybe he would be able to learn new ways of pulling pranks? Either way, there was only one way from now: Forwards.
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Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2005 2:14 pm
Zeal closes his eyes, letting Artes cry for a few minutes. His expression shows that he has seen such suffering before but has not felt it himself.
"Artes, you weren't there because you were trying to save them. Among humans there are many soldiers who leave their homes and families in order to protect them from harm. Some of these soldiers do not return, others return to happy and relieved family. There are also a few who return to find their homes have been reduced to charred ruins and graves." Zeal's voice is gentle and steady as he tries to steady Artes. "You left on a mission to protect them and you were unable to. But think for a moment. Even riding dragon-back you were still too late. It was impossible to save them. But... you do have a place to go." Zeal's voice carries a strength that adds potency to his words.
Valden is somewhat surprised by Kreen's words, although he does not show it. There are very few who would have the strength to speak in such a way to a mature black dragon. The words themselves have a ringing honesty and directness to them and a strength behind the oath, sworn by this fae assassin.
"... Very well, fae assassin called Kreen. I accept your oath. I will also remember it." Valden's tone clearly conveys the fact that he takes this matter with a deathly seriousness. "Zeal and I are bonded. Our minds, hearts and powers are linked forever. My mate broods over our first clutch and I desire that our young should come to know what I have learned about the lesser races of this world. Both you and the elf can assist in this. You will dwell in smaller chambers within the mountain lair that my mate and I share in anticipation of the hatching. You will then associate with the young hatchlings. It is their well-being and that of my mate and partner that you have just sworn to protect." Valden's voice holds a note of decisive finality as he raises his head back to a more comfortable height, four to five feet over Kreen's head.
Valden turns his gaze toward Zeal and Artes. "Elven child, Artes, come and ride. Let the breath of the sky drive your tears from you." The dragon's eyes shine emerald green, gentle and encouraging.
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Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2005 6:31 pm
"So be it. When do we leave?" Kreen asks, standing and stretching in order to allow his equipment to fall back into comfortable placement without revealing existance or hiding places. To an outside observer, it simply looks like a Fae assassin armed only with a sword on his back stretching.
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Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2005 6:43 pm
Artes looked up into Zeal's eyes at his words. "A-a place to go? Lord Zeal, Wh-whatever do you mean?" He then heard Valden's conversation with the fae assassin, and the words that the great dragon spoke of for the plans that Artes found himself within. At Valden's words the elf bucked up a little. He fealt a bit more strength within.
"Lord Valden, with your and Lord Zeal's assistance, I would that my life may rise from these ashes and I may take on a new purpose in this world. I thank you greatly for this oppertunity."
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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2005 6:33 pm
Zeal smiles in silence at Artes' first questions. That smile widens a little and he nods in silent reply to the elf's response. While his expression shows nothing but calm and pleased acceptance of the elf's acceptance his true feeling is one of strong relief. His partner's young will have an elf around at their birth.
"Artes... Get back on Valden. We'll take it from there." Zeal stands up straight and turns to look toward Kreen. "We have agreed that the two of you are acceptable. You will not be the only ones if we have our way, but you are the first." Zeal's voice is steady and strong as he says these words.
Zeal turns and jumps from the ground to Valden's shoulder and from there to his neck, just behind his head. "Kreen, sit behind Artes."
Valden observes Kreen's stretch, watching how the fae's muscles move and sensing something hidden beneath the movements. Not succeeding in identifying the basis for his instinctual doubt and trusting the sworn oath of this fae, He lowers his body to make access to his back easier. It is obvious that passengers are to ride just in front of his wings, at the base of his neck.
"We leave now. Ride." Valden's voice is both even and cautious, neither truly worried nor unconcerned.
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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2005 6:58 pm
Artes couldn't help but smile at the strong human's words. He moved up onto Valden's back, quickly. There was something about the human that just made him safe and happy, something that the elf could feel deep within himself.
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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2005 7:05 pm
Drake leaps up to Valden's shoulder, his landing almost undetectable to the dragon. Sitting easily just in front of his wings, the assassin braces himself as best he can for the impending jar as the dragon leaps into the air.
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