Gods of Atonement Chapter 1: The Medallion

[Psych]

Swaying. Flowing. Turn here. Step here. Wave to the crowd. Dancing was almost robotic for her, but with a subtle air of fluidity and emotion no other could capture. Her home was the stage. Well, when having no parents and simply traveling, could you really call anywhere home? She spun like a top, easily attracting the on-lookers and married husbands standing with the groceries for dinner. Some targets were just so easy. And the children too. They always loved to have fun. Some day maybe she'd be a mother. As the performance drew to a close, she looked onward, towards the harbor. Where should she go next? Find out more about this necklace? Maybe look for a library in the kingdom for some sort of research. No, that was probably useless. All the books she had read gave no mention. Like they seemed to have disappeared in the flood.

She collected the money at her feet, thinking of dinner. Maybe some fish. Try the local special. She stood, thinking. Walking North along the roads, the merchants stared at her. Her clothes stood out, deep blues and greens amongst the pale browns and greys. She turned down an alley, hoping to take a quick short cut back to the inn, before noticing a shadow flit amongst the wall. She reached for the dagger at her waist. She recently was attacked at a performance, so she had taken steps to defend herself when her speed but not be as useful. "Is someone there?"

(OOC: It shouldn't be one of your characters. This was just establishing. Conflict in next post.))

[CT075]

Cam leaned against a wall outside after the performance. He was bored. As always, he had headed to the market to see if they had anything interesting happening, but clearly not. Just some tattered-looking dancer.

I hope someone tries to mug me right now. I really need something to do, he thought.

He was just pondering heading to the inn and hit the sack when he saw a shadow flit against a wall. He also saw the dancer from earlier reaching for her dagger. He grinned. Finally, something interesting. He picked up a rock, just in case, and settled into the shadows to watch.

((Reason for edit: Just cleaning up so it's easier to read))

Edited September 27, 2010 by Camtech075

[Darros]

Zack was bored. He hated to admit it, but he missed Porlanor. He recalled the days when Gavyl was alive. Before the assassoins took over. Now his gang was nothing but a knife to a killer. Replaceable. He had watched the dancer, and saw her every move. Her grace, the way her teal hair swayed. He decided to head back to the inn, and rest.

((OOC: Bedtime. Shat.))

[Psych]

"Hey girly. Hand over the emblem." Three man took a step towards her. One's right hand glowed in a strange purple-black flame. His eyes seemed cold like ice, but glowed deep red, and his face seemed to be morphing as well. The others seemed to have wings on their back, and tails and horns were sprounting.

"Wh-what are you? Someone! Help!" She quickly kicked up some dust, before turning and running. Her heart pounding, she ran straight into a man at the entrance of the alley, before crawling away. "Someone! Help!"

[CT075]

Upon seeing the girl's distress, Cam threw the rock at the leader before taking out his book of Fire.

The rock struck it's mark, distracting the man from his target. The man looked around for the unseen attacker, but Cam had already made his move. At that moment, a fireball incinerated the man blocking the alleyway. When the smoke cleared, Cam was standing in front of the dancer, arm outstretched protectively.

"Stay behind me. Or run. Just keep out of my way," he said to the dancer lying behind him. Then, raising his voice, he said, "Isn't it a bit unsporting to attack a girl in the alleyways like this? Especially one that's not very well armed."

Edited September 27, 2010 by Camtech075

[Darros]

Zack saw two figures running at him.

"Curses!" he shouted, as he ran from them. "Why are they chasin' me?" He unsheathed the axe he took with him everywhere while running, just if this ended badly.

[Psych]

"What's this? The girl has a guard? Let's get him boys." The man in charge seemed to change. His body starting turning into.....something. The other shot a few quick spells at the man, before reaching for a knife and throwing it as well.

THe third turned. He saw the fighter in the corner. "What's this? Oi! She's got two of em! What should we do?"

Sara turned to the man that had saved her, gasping for air. "Hurry! I don't know what they are, but it's not human! Run!" She grabbed his wrist, before leading him through the streets. Regretfully, she had no time to buy much needed supplies such as water before heading into the desert, but they ran. Running all the way to the edge of town in fact. "Who are you? Why did you save me? Do you know those men? I think they were after my necklace. They said something about spirits I think.

[Darros]

Before the mage spoke, Zack caught up. He had followed the two the whole way, but was slightly behind.

Panting, he asked "The hell? What were those things? Who are you?"

'Maybe I've found myself employment.' he hoped.

Edited September 27, 2010 by Spykor

[CT075]

When the men lunged at him, Cam ducked the spells and knife, casting his own. Then he saw the men transform. His smile grew even wider. Then his attention got called back to the girl he had saved. She seemed to be trying to escape. He cursed and ran with her, lobbing fireballs to cover their escape. He also saw another man fighting them off before following him.

When they reached the edge of town, Cam finally answered the obvious question(s).

"My name isn't important at the moment. Just know that I can't let a girl like you get jumped in the allyways without stepping in a leveling the field a bit. That, and I've been looking for a bit of excitement."

[Psych]

Sara turned back to look at the town from the hill they were standing on. Smoke could be seen rising from the alley, and large crowds seemed to be gathering. She could hear the shouts of soldiers probably sent to examine the scene. Another town, another problem. BUt how did they know about her necklace? She typically kept it covered under her shirt, and had only bought it a few weeks ago. And muttering something about the spirits. The ones supposedly long gone from the old kingdom.

"Well, thank you. But I'm afraid I have to go. I need to start finding out more about a few things. Here, take this." She handed the man a small wooden bird, placing it gently in his hands. "Maybe it'll come in handy." She turned, seeing the fighter walking up the hill out of breath.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Were you caught up in that as well? I don't know, they seemed inhuman. Almost...like demons. I'm worried they might try to follow me. But I have to go. Sorry about that."

She walked towards the hills, headed for the valley above town, and into the desert beyond.

[Strawman]

Meanwhile, off the coast of Shorrfan:

Bliss stood on the bow of an old creaky ship, content as the cool night air gently fluttered her robes and what was left of her hair. She was nervous. The last mission her mother sent her on had cost her an eye and most of her fire-red hair. This dumb mask, she thought, as if I didn't stand out already. She hated the sea. Well not the sea exactly but the people on the sea who were so full of greed and anger.

Ugh, sailors, she thought. "At least I'm not surrounded by those disgusting pirates," she let slip by accident.

"Hey!" yelled one of the crewman, "we aren't pirates, your highness, we're sailors. This is the fastest ship leaving Shorrfan and if you don't like it you can find some other way to get to the mainland."

She ignored the man. She had enough on her mind. He mother didn't even tell her the specifics of her mission, just that she was supposed to "eliminate a threat." Oh, and something about "the threat is now headed towards the desert." She couldn't remember exactly.

The water was getting rough and so were the crewman. Bliss got agitated and slammed her fist on the rail. She would be on the mainland by tomorrow evening and could start gathering information on her "threat." She had been thanking too much and stormed off to the sleeping quarters of the ship.

[Cryptic]

Lucifer watched a group of people walking his way. They had weapons, and looked dangerous with the exception of a dancer. Living alone out in the desert made him wary of strangers, because most of the strangers that he'd meet would try to kill him for gold. He had a 40,000 gold bounty on his head placed by a wealthy man that he had once disrespected, and the desert was the safest place for him. It made him hard to kill, and even harder to find. It was lonely, though, being without company for many years.

If the group kept the direction they were going, they'd be right one him in a few minutes. He lived out in the open desert, not in any of the villages, and it was kill or be killed out there. He climbed atop the sand dune and nocked two arrows, taking aim at the two men. It was decision time.

"Who comes here, in my land?", he exclaimed aloud. It wasn't actually his land, but not much else lived out here, and he knew it from nearly every pebble of the landscape. "Stop moving, or I will have to kill you." It was a thing he said many times before to countless men that he had to murder.

Edited September 28, 2010 by Jaden

[Darros]

Stupidly, Zack shouted back "Why would you do that? We don't got nothin' of value and we're just passin' by."

He knew he could whoop the guy.

Jeez, ya'd think we're murderers, he thought. Then he turned to the group.

"Whatdaya think we do?"

[Psych]

Sara stopped. The two men from earlier seemed to be coming with her, but here was another obstacle. She had no idea people lived out here or that something had gone wrong.

"You'll have to excuse us. These men seem to be coming with me. But we're just headed for the nearest town. We mean no trouble. If you'd take us there, I'd gladly pay you."

[Cryptic]

She seems earnest enough. Whatever, I'll do it, Lucifer thought. Hoping that the other two wouldn't cut him down, he slid the arrows back into his quiver and walked warily over to the group.

"I don't need any money, but I'll take you where you need to get. Do you have any idea as to where you are going." It wasn't normal for anyone to go through the desert when they could just take the long path around. Who knows, maybe they're being hunted, too.

[Psych]

"Somewhere towards the center of the desert. That seems like the best idea. Do you know of any towns that have some historical importance or old legends about them?" Sara pondered a moment. She wondered if these men were truly a good idea to bring with her. She didn't want anyone else getting hurt, but she couldn't just do things herself.

[Cryptic]

"The center of the desert? You know that that's quite a ways away, right?" Lucifer gave the group a closer look. What kind of group is this? An axeman? A dancer? A scholar? He took a second to think a bit more, trying to find a way to word his next question.

Suddenly a shout broke the silence. "Oy, get 'im!" Two bandits appeared above a dune and rushed down the side towards the group. One of them was carrying a piece of paper that he dropped. It was undoubtedly one of his wanted posters.

They have the worst timing, Lucifer thought as he nocked an arrow. He drew the string back and fired. The arrow embedded itself into the first bandit's ankle, and he dropped into the sand clutching at it. The other bandit slowed himself so that he wouldn't trip over his partner and clumsily made his way around him.

First blood, Lucifer congratulated himself as he turned towards the group again. "Would you mind helping me?"

[Darros]

Help? The shady guy wants help? At least he did offer to take us to... wherever we're goin', thought Zack.

"Sure, I'm in." he spoke, as he unsheated his axe and ran to the bandit. "This guy's mine!"

He ran, at a slower pace than usual, into the bandit. Axe clashed against axe. Zack managed to grab the brigands axe and pick him up over his shoulder. Zack dropped his weapon and slammed the bandit to the ground. As he stepped on the bandit to ensure he didn't slip away, he grabbed the bandits axe and slit his throat, with his own weapon. Then he saw the paper.

".......You're a criminal?" he asked.

Edited October 4, 2010 by Spykor

[Cryptic]

"What? A criminal? I had no idea." Lucifer said, with a slight tinge of sarcasm in is voice. He impaled an arrow into the injured bandit's forehead and glanced at the paper in the axman's hand. Sure enough, it was a sketch of his face with a large number under it. The price went up again? Pretty expensive...

This is awkward... He stood facing the larger guy, feeling smaller than usual. "Well, what are you running from, then? Huh? A misfitted group like this doesn't just come from nowhere and ask to go straight through the desert instead of taking the usual routes. You're trying to avoid something, too." He said in an accusative tone.

[Psych]

He's so violent. How could he....I'm not sure about this. And a criminal?"Oh, I'm just.....looking for something. These two here saved me when these men were attacking. I guess they're coming along. I certainly don't want any trouble. You can just lead us somewhere, and we can turn a blind eye...."

[Cryptic]

"That sounds fair enough," Lucifer replied to the dancer. He peered into her eyes with a cryptic look on his face. "What is it that you looking for, and do you know where you want to start searching for it?"

[Psych]

"Err...no, but I'm sure we will find it. One always does. It's getting quite dark. If there's nothing close by, maybe we should set up camp?" Sara looked out on the desert, the winds sweeping up the sands. This was not some place she wanted to be for long. Not even many animals could survive out here.

[Darros]

"Set up camp?" asked Zack. "This place is barren!"

Zack wasn't a survival fool. He had lived on the mountain peaks, and he rather liked it there, but this was madness. There was no way that Zack knew how to live in desert.

"Does anyone got food even? I say we walk through the night."

[Cryptic]

"How 'bout we avoid traveling at night. Wouldn't want to get lost in the utter blackness of the night, now, would we?" Lucifer suggested to the axeman. "However, if you'd walk with me for a few minutes, I could lead you to a small oasis I've been camping out at for a while. It's really quite nice." Lucifer began to walk off at a fast pace without waiting to see if they would follow.

[Darros]

Zack followed without question. For all he knew this man just had a random bounty on his head. And he wasn't in the mood to cross the desert at night.