Lord of Azure Flame: Chapter 8: To Catch a [s]Predator[/s] Demonic, soul-sucking mesh

[Inactive Account]

"Well, we can't exactly pull beds out of nowhere," Kelas replied. "I reckon we've got a few spare bedrolls from those saddlebags we lifted from the cavalry horses, you can have one of those."

[Phoenix]

Isotov and Irina

Irina: Well she is from a tribe of nomads right? I sleep outside all of the time. I'm not sure how campfires will effect the wyverns though. Most people don't make the mistake of sleeping in the mountains without some serious weaponry. If I had to guess, I'd expect them to keep a close eye on us. Best if we do night watches.

[-Cynthia-]

Charlotte looked at the bedroll on one of the horses.

"That's little more than a mat! Not to mention some other person has probably slept in it before me. It's very undignified."

[Snike]

"I can stand watch," Eric offered. To Charlotte, he said, "You could also use my coat as bedding, if you so wish."

[Inactive Account]

"Very little about 'adventuring' is dignified," Kelas replied as they stopped in what looked like as safe a spot as any. "Arrin, get off the horse, you look like you're going to pass out." Arrin nodded and complied; Kelas barely threw down a blanket in time, and he was curled up against a cliff wall snoring in moments.

"I'll take first watch," Kelas offered.

[-Cynthia-]

"A kind offer Sir Eric, I suppose it is better than simply the bedroll. Though I do hope this is an extremely rare occurence and we sleep in proper beds most of time. None of the stories I've read involved a hero sleeping in a used bedroll." Charlotte added for emphasis.

[Inactive Account]

"When people talk about the glory and romance of living in the saddle and traveling the lands, I laugh and laugh," Kelas muttered. "By now, I can even stop laughing before they start to talk about soothing drinks..." She dismounted and checked over Francis, giving both him and Amari water from the waterskin. "Anyone want to go get some wood? We could use a fire, if we keep it hidden."

[Snike]

"Milady, the stories you've read are not entirely accurate," he said, taking off his coat and passing it to the cleric. "So, I guess we both take first watch?"

[-Cynthia-]

"Hopefully they are at least somewhat accurate. As long as good triumphs over evil and true love conquers all then the rest is not very important." answered Charlotte, accepting the coat. She got a bedroll and laid it down. This isn't very grand she thought as she took out her perfume and gave the roll a few good puffs of perfume.

"I can get firewood." said Morgan. She went into the nearby woods and began to pick up sticks.

[Dark Sage]

"Where are they?" Alferis muttered to himself, "They should've been here awhile ago." As he thought this, he leaned forward towards the barkeep.

"I'll have another ale." he said.

"Coming right up!" said the barkeep.

After fetching the drink, he leaned in close to Alferis's face.

"Waiting for someone?" he asked.

"What makes you think that?" asked Alferis.

"You came in awhile ago, you didn't order anything, you kept fidgeting, you seemed impatient, its pretty obvious," the barkeep replied.

"Think what you will," said Alferis as he continued to sip on the ale. He had a problem, where would he and the group discuss their business without someone overhearing? This would be something he had to think of.

[Kanami]

Reika quietly opened the door to the bar and slipped in, not wanting to make a scene in a room filled with drunk men she quietly moved over to the barkeep, "Anything non-alocoholic that doesn't take like piss thanks" she said putting a few gold peices on the table, she had money at the moment, and saving up just wasn't her thing. It was either spending it now, or having someone else take it from her later. As the barkeep returned with water, she raised an eyebrow, but didn't complain. It was better then any non-alcoholic beer she guessed.

She sighed, she headed to Ilyphina but had heard rumors of a a group traveling towards the swamps earlier, and decided she'd check Hamburg first, unfortunately she'd just missed them, or what she assumed was them, she didn't quite understand why they were wanted criminals, but the scratch marks on the side of the inn, and an odd group traveling around with a wyvern didn't exactly happen every day. For one, wyverns weren't cheap, and most were sold exclusive to military powers.

She looked over at the barkeep and indicated for him to come over. The man seemed irritated at being ordered around by a girl but complied with a scowl.

Reika: "I'm looking for a group of... mercenaries? apparently they raided the town not too long ago, and was wondering if anyone had seen which way they went?"

Placing a few more coins on the table hoping the man would know something.

Edited June 17, 2010 by Kanami

[-Cynthia-]

The barkeep hastily grabbed the coins "Well there was that shaman who wanted to come in, I said no goobeldy gook spellthrower is coming into my inn ever again. Then some soldiers show up and they get into the fight with that weird mercenary group. The wyvern they had with 'em smashed my inn! I think they left in the opposite direction of the soldiers, but I can't say more than that."

Edited June 17, 2010 by -Cynthia-

[Kanami]

*Thanks Cynthia <3*

"Opposite direction?" she frowned, "Was there anything else you noticed about them?" she asked, and rolled her eyes when the barkeep indicated the counter with his eyes. "Nyeh, here's 20 gold, now asking me for money and spill." Reika listened to whatever else the man had to say before concluding that the group had already gone to the swamp.

Thanking the barkeep she decided she'd head for the mountain pass, the group had most likely tried to pass through the swamp to escape Elysimma, but had most likely come across some sort of obstacle, she'd also heard rumors of people seeing a huge wyvern, bigger then any bull wyvern flying away from the swamp, perhaps that was related to the groups failure. The other directions would be across the border, or the port up north, she'd already confirmed this with a different man earlier.

"So the border or port" she said amused. If the group really were wanted criminals they probably wouldn't risk crossing the border gate, if they attacked the gate, they'd have to fight of Halton soldiers, and when the going got rough, the best course of action was to always lay low, and then flee at the first chance she got. She looked over at the foreboding mountains, and sighed, "Guess I better go find myself something to keep me warm for the trip, she looked around, and noticed a man wearing a rather padded cloak. She reached for her dagger but decided she had more important things to prioritize, after purchasing the cloak from the man for a ridiculous sum, she headed over towards the mountain pass. Hopefully, the group would have stopped to rest for the night and she could make up for lost ground before too long.

(Reika plot gold, just over a hundred now XD)

[Dark Sage]

Alferis left the bar. It was disappointing to him. Here he thought he found a group who would help him fight against Septimus, but they ditched him before he could join them. As he walked out of town, he noticed a girl with, long, black hair heading towards the mountains.

"Hey!" he called out. "Where are you going?"

[Kanami]

Reika turned, she wasn't in the mood for soldiers, and she had done anything worth the attention of authorities in Hamburg as far as she knew. "Rack off, I purchased this legitimately, and I'm just a traveler...." she squinted in the dark and noticed the man wasn't wearing the armor of the town guard, "Oh, not a soldier, I'm going nowhere" she said dumbly, not managing to think of a destination that would be convincing enough.

Not really caring she shrugged, "I'm a mercenary who wants to grab a few quick coins but killing a few wanted criminals, nothing suspicious" she said trying to force a smile.

[Dark Sage]

Alferis smiled back. She was a very attractive woman to him. She seemed nice enough.

"I'm a guide around these parts. I used to be a pickpocket, and I used to belong to a rebel group that fought Septimus, but now I'm just trying to get by," he explained.

[Kanami]

"Not a very bright one" she said with a smirk, "I just said I was a bounty hunter, I'm sure if I cashed you in, I get a few coins, but they'd also probably recognize me too" looking around to make sure this wasn't some sort of trap, "Reika, still in the pickpocketing business and as I said earlier, I'm looking for a group of people that came around here most likely earlier today, you wouldn't happen to have seen them? A wyvern and about a dozen off them, most likely smelled like they hadn't bathed in years?"

After receiving a response she frowned, "You said you were a guide? How familiar would you be with the mountain pass? And is there any safe paths or shortcuts?"

[Dark Sage]

"I know the mountains like the back of my hand. The safest roads have many Septimus troops around though. I doubt you would get through without being recognized, let alone having me around," he laughed ruefully. "Still, there are many shortcuts around, though they're not all that safe. Wyverns are around the mountains, though they may be asleep. If that doesn't bother you, I can guide and protect you through these shortcuts," he said earnestly, "Though my fee is 4 gold pieces."

[Kanami]

Reika raised an eyebrow, not really sure if she could trust this man, Septimian troops in the mountains? Surely he meant Elysimmians, Ah well, soldiers were soldiers to her, and she didn't really like any of them.

"4 gold? It's not like I need this much gold, here's 10, just make sure I come out of those mountains alive with or without you." she said laughing as she handed the man a few gold pieces. She didn't really understand how these gold circles were worth so much anyway. Her family had killed eachother for the stuff, yet here she was throwing it away. Since there was always a good supply of the stuff wherever humans lived

"Shortcuts, well I'll leave that to you, just need to get through the mountains as quickly as possible, preferably without wyverns noticing me."

Edited June 17, 2010 by Kanami

[Dark Sage]

"No problem! Thanks for the extra gold by the way. Normally I just lead two or three people who don't have much gold, but in your case, I'll make an exception," he answered.

Reika nodded and the two entered the pass.

"This way!" said Alferis, climbing a steep ledge. Being raised and acclimated here made him move around here as easily as walking on a straight road. He leaned forward, ready to offer her a helping hand.

[Kanami]

Reika glared at the hand but managed to restrain herself from slapping it away, for one she wasn't sure if she could slap the hand away and still remain on the ledge. She just had to keep telling herself this was just a really big house, and instead of breaking bones when falling off, it was just certain death.

"I'll trust you to catch me if I fall, otherwise I'd prefer you kept a lookout for wyverns" she stated a rudely, the nerve of this man, thinking she needed a hand.

They'd traveled for a good few hours, and had been significantly slowed down by Reika who'd stop occasionally to check her footing.

How he's so surefooted and fast at moving forward when it's so dark is beyond me

Reika thought trying to take her mind of the abyss below, she had thought her nightvision was unparalleled, but this guy was moving forward as if he were just walking down a main road in the middle of the day.

She'd only taken her mind off the ledge for a second when she'd stepped on air and nearly fell of the ledge, fortunately though the man had somehow managed to prevent her from falling, and quickly pulled her up.

"I'm glad I paid you that extra gold now" she said gasping for air. "I did say quickly, but any chances of taking a break somewhere? I'd rather travel when I can see where I'm stepping"

[Dark Sage]

"Ok then. We'll camp for the night." he said. "Stay here and let me get the firewood."

Just when he was about to leave, he looked back and asked

"Hey Reika, do you have any food, or do you need me to find something here?"

[Kanami]

Reika sighed with relief as they reached the next clearing, she was sure that if she'd continued she'd probably have died today. Or tomorrow, she couldn't really tell, but the sun wasn't up yet so it must be today.

"I thought free meals came with the fee?" she joked, pulling out a few small packets, "I've got a few rations that I swiped from a few soldiers earlier, but I'd prefer meat if you think you can find any, otherwise, you're welcome to share the rations, I'd really prefer to know where you are at all times while I'm in this pass"

She watched the man carefully, she wasn't a lie detector, but she'd learned trusting people was a bad idea, and if this man was planning to ditch her in the mountains maybe she'd be able to notice in his tone of voice, eyes, anything.

[Dark Sage]

"Alright. If it makes you feel better, we can share the rations. I have a bit of jerky here," he said, pulling it from his pack.

"Of course if you'd rather I get something, I'll be sure to be nearby, though I might need to go out a bit to find something,"

[Kanami]

Reika managed a smile, "Relax, I've paid you already, it's not like I'll bite your head off or send you off to prison" she didn't mind the man being willingness to work, but his attitude of accepting everything she said was making her feel like one of those upstart soldiers. "If you think you can find something, then go ahead, as I said I'd prefer you stay within sight, but I'd also prefer something other then these bland rations, honestly, why can't they make tasty rations? Then it'd actually be worth stealing them.

She sighed, I'd offer to go with you, but I'll probably be more of a hindrance then help, and possibly risk both our lives, and I suppose I can trust you enough to actually come back" she said not entirely sure if there was even a grain of truth in her words.