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๖ۣۜSαᴙαh
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Dec 18, 2013 01:00PM
((RP with approved characters ONLY.))
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After his two week visit in Siluria, Tawarthion was finally on his way back to Tam Brithig with his two brothers as his prized recruits for the quest. The farewell banquet had been long, luxurious and predictable, but an event that the young wizard had enjoyed nevertheless. With their numerous servants and several wagons' worth of his brothers' earthly possessions in tow, they made their way through the mountainous terrain that surrounded Xi'an's capital. Tawarthion had decided that he was in the mood to walk and after halting his coach, he climbed out, his soft black robes swishing soundlessly around his feet as he stepped onto the hard ground. He had his wizard staff with him, feeling competent now that he had memorized his spells for the day (a task he completed daily) and as he studied the terrain ahead of them with his sharp golden-green eyes, he couldn't help but feel a sense of elation that he was finally going to make a name for himself that would distinguish him not only among his peers and people, but the Veryangóles as well.
Melethril was excited to finally get a chance to leave Siluria, although parting with his mother had been difficult and tearful. He had greatly enjoyed the farewell banquet and, despite their early start, had stayed up late playing music and singing. Now he sat aboard his coach, attentively watching the scenery around them as they traveled toward Tam Brithig. When Melethril noticed Tawarthion get down from his coach to walk, he waited a while before getting down as well. "You must be happy to be getting back to Tam Brithig," he said as he joined his brother, practically skipping as he walked along.
Nimmeth was bursting with excitement, not that he was going to let his brothers see how much this adventure meant to him, despite the night before. The farewell banquet had been stiff and formal in his opinion, seeing his fathers warning gaze on him ever other hour as a reminder of his promise, but he didn't need to threaten him. He sat next to the driver of the coach with pad and drawing materials in hand, staff strapped to his back as he drew the ever growing and wondrous scenery around him, breathing in the crisp new air, instead of the stale hot air he was used to. It was going to be an adventure to remember. But something was nagging at his senses, like he was forgetting something very simple.
Hearing his brother near him, Tawarthion glanced over at the beautiful eladrin and replied calmly, "I don't know if 'happy' is the word I would use, but I am glad to be returning to Tam Brithig," he answered Melethril. "Not because I miss the city though," he confided. "I simply want to sign up for the fellowships post haste. What do you think of the rest of Xi'an so far, brother?" he asked the middle Veryangóle.
"It is wonderful." Melethril replied gaily, twirling around as he walked as if he were dancing. "I can feel the expanse of the world and somehow it seems freer than Siluria, although I may be projecting myself onto this beautiful land." he said happily, walking normally again and starting to softly sing a travelling song he'd composed, full of mirth and lightness.
Nimmeth heard the murmurings of his brothers up ahead and shook his head in distaste. As he drew the land scape of that around them he found Melethril's voice float along the wind, wounding him with its preciousness, glancing up briefly to witness the happiness seeping out of him in waves. He hadn't witnessed such a thing of his brother since they were but babes in their home. Cleff cawed in his ear in alarm, jutting his beak to the sky as if there was something he could see that Nimmeth couldn't. Nimmeth followed the birds gaze and found that as he concentrated the birds and animals had ceased to make noise, a slicing chill going up his spine a split second before he spotted a shadow ducking out of view. Damnation. "Tawarthion! Melethril!" He cried to his brothers a moment before they were ambushed, dumping his things and jumping of the carriage to arm himself with his staff, flicking off a menace coming at him from his left.
The sound of Melethril's beautiful voice brought an inward smile to Tawarthion, but he did not get to enjoy it for long as Nimmeth's excited shouting snapped him out of his trance. Ambushed? Who would dare...? His sharp golden-green eyes spotted a shower of arrows in the direction of him and his brother. Instantaneously, Tawarthion's staff was up, and holding it in front of him at arm's length, he casted Arrow's Flight, causing the projectiles to fall harmlessly to the ground. "Melethril, run!" he shouted to his brother. "Go and help Nimmeth!"
Melethril's voice abruptly cut off at Nimmeth's shout and he paused as he watch Tawarthion cast aside the arrows shot at them. Pulling his twin blades from where they hung on his back over his shoulders, Melethril heeded Tawarthion's words, rushing back towards Nimmeth.
Nimmeth split his staff and let the add chains fall out of their hidden ends, spinning them to deflect the arrows heading towards him. Snagging the handles out of their hiding place he used his weapon to deflect the slice of a sword with graceful ease, gutting the man before bashing him over the back of his head to knock him unconscious. He spotted Melethril running towards him and did the same, spinning behind Melethril as two idiots charged him, deflecting the arrow shot at them and snapping the neck of the other. "Back to back." He ordered Melethril.
Once Melethril was far enough away from him, Tawarthion concentrated and cast Obscuring Mist so that no one could see within 5' of him. With his body now unavailable as a target, he kept his staff held out, ready for an attack, taking in his surroundings. He couldn't see how many there were but based on the commotion of the ambushers screaming in common (his servants all spoke eladrin), he guessed about twenty. Spotting two rushing up to his mist up ahead, Tawarthion threw an Apprentice's Fireball at them, watching them scream as they burned, hoping his brothers were alright.
Melethril got back to back with Nimmeth, slicing at any enemies that came close enough. He would have gone for his bow but it was in his carriage up ahead. "I need to get to my bow." Melethril said to Nimmeth as he blocked an arrow with his blade.
Nimmeth's sight of Tawarthion ground to a halt as he wrapped himself in mist. At least he could take care of himself. He glanced over his shoulder at Melethril, giving a nod of understanding as he swirled his add chain around to the side of them to block an on coming around. "Walk over to the carriage slowly but keep back to back." He told him as they began a slow creep forward, blocking and slicing at anyone that came near them.
Although he tried to keep his attention on his brothers, Tawarthion realized that it would break his concentration too much and so he relinquished his attention fully to his spells. He cast Magic Missile next on a bandit coming his way who had dodged the fireball and watched the man hit the ground with the blinding flash of light that caused him pain.
Melethril kept pace with Nimmeth as they moved towards the carriage, feeling hot blood spatter him as he sliced open the neck of a charging enemy. What a racket all these beasts are making. he thought as they finally reached his carriage. He jumped in to retrieve his bow, slinging the quiver over his head as he pulled an arrow from it and notched the arrow to the bowstring. He quickly reemerged from his carriage to rejoin his younger brother, trusting Nimmeth to cover him as he began to shoot the archers, his aim truer than theirs in part to his better sight.
Nimmeth watched as his brother ducked into the carriage upon making it to their destination, blocking and taking down the enemy as he back his brother while he was vulnerable until he came back out. Once Melethril had taken out the archers up top he could relax a little into the fight, delighting in getting to stretch his muscles on new prey. He slammed someone's sword into the floor, almost breaking the flimsy metal as he tried to charge Melethril in a blind spot whilst he was shooting the last of the enemy out, cracking his jaw before slamming him into the ground unconscious. "Back to Tawarthion." He told Melethril.
Tawathion had been keeping the enemy at bay with his stronger attack spells, like Acid Bomb, Ackbar’s Voltage Arc and Energy Blast while his Obscuring Mist was still surrounding him. He noticed from the sounds of shouts and screams that the enemy were falling quite quickly around them and he realized then that he was quite proud of his brothers for holding their own. The sound of light footsteps told him that they were coming in his direction, causing Tawarthion to dart his golden-green eyes briefly over his shoulder to gauge their exact distance. Too late, he heard the "warcry" of one of the bandits coming his way and although the eladrin managed to dodge the blade swinging his way, he had to dive to the ground to avoid it. Now on his back, he held up his staff and casted Ray of Force at the man, which hurt him but not enough. He quickly tried to cast another spell but before he could get it off, a huge, white, dire wolverine leaped over the wizard's body, clamping its jaw on the bandit's exposed neck who toppled with a scream. Tawarthion watched calmly as the beast tore the man's jugular out, wondering where the hell the beast had come from and more importantly, who did the beast belong to?
Melethril slung his bow over his head and under his arm like his quiver as he switched back to his twin blades while he moved with Nimmeth back toward Tawarthion. They seemed to be winning but the enemies kept coming an he was beginning to feel his arms tiring, wondering how much longer they could last like this. Caught off guard by a sudden arrow from his blind side, Melethril turned but not enough, the arrow slicing his upper right arm, sending searing, blinding pain shooting up the limb. Time seemed to slow down as he watched the cut, vaguely aware of anything going on around him, marveling at the injury. An enemy charged him, snapping him out of his revere as he swung and cut the attacker's head off, forgetting about his bleeding arm.
Nimmeth having been side tracked by one man charging for Melethril's blind spot was beaten to the punch as an arrow grazed through their defences before he could get to it quick enough, cursing blindly when he saw Melethril's blood well to the surface, angry and fresh. He used the add chains at the end of his tonfa on his two on coming attackers snapping the chain around their neck, yanking them inward to slam face first into each other, both dropping like stones. He was glad to see Melethril wasn't hindered by his injury for now. As they neared Tawathion he could only make out silhouettes, three many four people in amounts the cloud. He called his brothers name as a guidance so they could fight shoulder to shoulder once inside the mist, hearing a terrible growl accompanied by the rip of flesh.
Tawarthion snapped out of his somewhat inwardly startled and curious gaze when he heard Nimmeth shout his name. He realized then that because of the Obscuring Mist, they could not see where he was. He stood up and thrusting his staff forward, he casted Lesser Teleport to place himself and the mist to his brothers' location. He immediately backed up towards them, using his hands to pull them towards him to carry on. Meanwhile, once her dire wolverine had jumped out to rescue the party that she saw was under attack, Meadhbh made her way into the fray with her shortspear held skillfully by her side. With a fearless shout, she lunged at one of the men trying to swipe at her animal companion, stabbing him in his jugular. Ducking, she used her spear to knock out the leg of another bandit who thought to flank her with his comrade. She glanced around, once she had knocked him over, her pale violet eyes looking for further attackers as her silvery white hair fell partially over her ethereal face.
It wasn't long before the bandits started running away and Melethril suddenly felt the crushing weight of his weary limbs, especially in his aching arm that had been sliced by the arrow. He felt light-headed, especially as the realization that he had taken other beings' lives crashed over him. His legs gave way and he crumpled to the ground, his mind going numb as the edges of his vision blurred and he nearly blacked out.
Nimmeth used the teeth in his tonfa to rip the throat of an oncoming threat and the legs of another, getting back up just in time to be engulfed in mist, feeling the weight of his other brothers shoulder against him. He heard the thundering growl and tearing of a beast on the other side of the mist, but saw nothing but shadows melding with shadows. Once he heard the retrieving footsteps of their attackers he felt Melethril's muscles relax behind him far too quickly. Spinning just in time he caught Melethril under his arms, carefully putting his staff back together so he could lift him up properly. "Don't go so soon brother you'll miss out on all the fun." He muttered, nudging Tawarthion to get rid of the mist. Melethril, he thought, really wasn't cut out for an adventure like this.
Dropping the mist, Tawarthion bent over Nimmeth's body, that was holding and cradling Melethril, an inward frown creasing his emotions. With a face that was still as calm as the sea, he instructed, "Watch over him. I need to make sure that there are no other bandits skulking nearby." Without another word, he took off, his soft black robes silently swishing around his feet. Meadhbh realized that the fighting was over and now it was time to help the wounded. She began to look around when she saw an eladrin bent over another one who looked injured. She stepped lightly over to the pair in her sandaled feet, her dire wolverine following closely at her heels, and kneeling down by the blond men's side, she murmured, "Where is he injured? I can heal his wounds." Spotting blood on his arm, Meadhbh placed her delicate hands over the wound and began to cast Cure Light Wounds, which would make the man perfectly whole and healthy once she was done.
As if through a veil Melethril felt Nimmeth catch him, then saw Tawarthion bend over him before his disappeared from his line of sight. He thought of their mother and whether leaving Siluria should have been a dream left in the realm of imagination, wondering if he really ought to have come, if he belonged out here. As he was thinking he saw a woman with pale violet eyes and silvery white hair bend over him. He felt her hands burn his wounded arm before it was flooded with a lightness and relief and a slight itching sensation as she healed the wound.
Nimmeth glanced up at his brother and gave him a clean nod of understanding, gently laying his brother down on the ground, keeping his head in his lap to keep his head fairly clear. He laid his staff down beside Melethril spotting the girl who bent over Melethril. He nearly went for his staff again, not fond of the beast next to her, but she announced her intentions and went to work before he could even form words. Once he saw his wounds shrivel and disappear he grabbed the water slung over his shoulder and nudge Melethril. "Drink up, it will help." He told him, helping him to sit up slowly.
When she finished her prayer, Meadhbh gave the young eladrin an alluring smile as she said to him in common, not sure if he spoke elven, "I am going to just open your shirt a little to see if the wound is completely healed. I apologize for the ripping the material," she told him regretfully as she gave it a little tear. Seeing the cut was definitely gone, she nodded in satisfaction, thanking Ehlonna silently for her generosity. The dire wolverine was glaring fiercely at the two men, his bloody teeth bared, his blood lust still insatiated, but knowing full well not to attack. Yet. After making sure that the bandits had fully retreated, Tawarthion instructed the head servant to search for the wounded and begin helping them. He swiftly made his way back to his brothers to see the mysterious woman healing Melethril, which only served to peak his curiosity even more. Walking up to them, he was careful to step widely around the dire wolverine, to stand behind his brothers as he watched the elf work. "I thank you for your help, kind stranger," he said to her in his calm, deep voice.
Without glancing up, Meadhbh replied graciously, "I am just happy to be able to do so, sir. Do you have others that require assistance?"
"I might," Tawarthion told her. "We are checking now." Glancing down to Melethril, he asked, "Are you alright?"
Melethril drank from the water pouch Nimmeth held up to him before turning to the elf who had healed him. "Thank you, milady. I fear I may not have survived that wound but for your intervention on my behalf." he told her genuinely and gratefully. "I am indebted to you that which I can only hope to fully repay." he finished as Tawarthion came up. He looked up at his elder brother, who towered over him like a god from his seated position on the ground, "Yes, I am fine now, this wonderful lady has healed me."
Nimmeth was staring as the elf healed his brother, not sure he trusted her so freely given help. Her beast didn't exactly ease the tension, giving the bloodied muzzle some scrutiny before looking down at his brother and up at his elder. Melethril shouldn't be so eager to be indebted, he thought but it wasn't his place to control such a thing. Let's hope the convenient healer didn't take him up on such an offer. Now that Melethril was descent enough he helped him stand, keeping a hand on him in case he was wobbly, only pulling away when he was satisfied he didn't need him anymore. He gave a bow to the healer. "Many thanks madam." He told her, standing tall. "A curious beast you have." He pointed out.
"Good," Tawarthion replied to Melethril, giving the elf another calm look. "Thank you," he said to her in elven, to which she replied in kind, pleasantly surprised to see that he spoke it. Meadhbh smiled alluringly at the beautiful eladrin that she had cured, but shook her head, replying in her soothing voice, "Please do not thank me. It was Ehlonna who healed you with her divine strength and mercy. She is the one who should gain the credit." She rose to her feet then, glancing between all three eladrin, having to tilt her head up somewhat since they were all quite tall. At the shorter one's question, she told him, "He is not a beast. He is a spirit companion, sent from Ehlonna to protect me." She bent over to give her dire wolverine a gentle, calming stroke on his head and said, "He is not of this world, but of one far from here," she said, a faraway look on her face.
"But you are of this world," Tawarthion interjected calmly in elven.
Meadhbh laughed softly then and replied, "Of course. I am made of flesh and bone, just like I assume you are, sir."
"Indeed," Tawarthion replied flatly although inside he found her quite amusing. Turning to his brothers then, he said, "We should get moving."
Melethril stood as Nimmeth helped him up, dusting himself off lightly and making sure he felt steady as his brother let go. "Was anyone hurt or anything badly damaged?" he asked Tawarthion as he looked around slowly, still feeling the effects of the elf's healing magic as it lingered in him.
Nimmeth liked his women but he did not seem to trust the healer before him even if she was captivating. He sighed and brushed himself off and straightened himself out before turning on his heal, gathering his weapon. "Let's go, we should get moving before the bandits get the idea into their heads that we are now sitting ducks for a second attack." He muttered with distaste, heading straight for the spot he'd occupied before.
"There are a few other injuries," Tawarthion murmured in response to his younger brother's question. "I asked Cornelius to gather them together and we will put them in a carriage and--" he was cut off before he could finish his sentence as Meadhbh placed her delicate hand gently on the eladrin's arm, speaking to him in elven, "Do let me tend to them, sir. Where are they?" Tawarthion glanced down at the elf and replied calmly, "I couldn't possibly ask you to do that without offering you payment: we cannot remain on the road," he explained as he regarded the woman with his sharp golden-green gaze. "We must continue on, which means you would have to heal them as we travel."Meadhbh nodded and replied, "I won't accept payment but this road only leads in one direction and I am heading the same way."
Tawarthion couldn't see anything wrong with that suggestion, and so he glanced down at Melethril who was still at his side with a question for confirmation, Nimmeth already gone towards the coaches.
"Sorry, I don't speak Elvish." Melethril said with a tinkling waterfall of light laughter as his elder brother looked at him. All he knew was that he was being asked a question but he didn't even know what type of answer was expected of him.
"Apologies, brother," Tawarthion replied as he proceeded to translate their conversation to Melethril. Without being given permission, however, Meadhbh walked over to the cart where they were loading the hurt servants and climbing aboard with her dire wolverine at the foot of the wagon still, she proceeded to tend to the wounded. "Nimmeth does not seem to trust her," Tawarthion pointed out when he was sure the elf was out of ear shot. "What do you think?" he asked his younger brother, remembering the way the woman had saved his own life mere moments ago. That bandit would have seriously wounded him had the dire wolverine not intervened, he was certain of that.
Melethril glanced at Meadhbh as she walked away but then looked back at his brother. "Of course, Nimmeth does not trust her but how could I not?" he said before looking in the direction of where Meadhbh had gone, thinking her departure without permission somewhat rude. "Does she know who we are?" he asked Tawarthion, looking back at him.
"I highly doubt it," Tawarthion replied. "You'll find the rest of Xi'an quite different, Melethril," he told his little brother. "They do not care about our noble status as much as they should," he informed the younger eladrin. "In any event, I suppose it wouldn't be the worse thing to have her travel with us for now. The bandits are still out there and if they capture her, she might be forced to lead them back to us," he pointed out, his golden-green eyes shrewdly observing the rest of the landscape. He hoped to make it into a city by nightfall. "Let us be on our way then," he said, clasping his slender hands behind his back as he walked towards the carriages, expecting Melethril to follow.
Melethril pursed his lips slightly but followed his brother when Tawarthion headed back to the carriages. How could anyone not know and appreciate the royalty that him and his brothers were a part of? The thought baffled him. He got back in his carriage and waited for them to start moving, noticing presently that his hands were shaking. He stared at his hand for a few minutes, wondering at the trembling.
Meadhbh had finished healing the wounded--most of which sustained only very minor wounds and so she didn't have to dip into her stronger healing prayer--and climbing back out of the carriage, she went in search of the white haired eladrin who seemed to be the one in charge, passing the blond one that she had helped a few minutes ago. Seeing him staring at his hands, she noticed then that they were trembling slightly and with concern etched all over her ethereal face, she quickly walked over to the eladrin and placing a gentle hand on his arm, asked, "Sir, are you still hurt?"
Melethril looked up at her, snapped out of his reverie. "No, no, I'm okay, thank you." he said, coming back to himself. "Just...a little shaken up, I suppose." he admitted, somewhat sheepishly.
Meadhbh gave him an understanding smile and taking his hand in her own smaller ones, she gave him an encouraging squeeze. "Violence is never something anyone should have to see, suffer through, or endure. I can only imagine how disturbing today's events have been for you and your companions," she told him empathetically. "I will pray to Ehlonna for her mercy on the souls that have caused you harm today to change their ways," she told him with an ethereal smile.
"Thank you." Melethril said, deciding not to contradict her with his own beliefs. "I can infer from your composed demeanor that you have seen this kind of suffering before?"
"I have seen my share of violence," Meadhbh replied, her pale violet eyes darkening slightly at the memories that flashed through her mind that had occurred throughout her years. "There is never any... real way to overcome the anguish you feel in the aftermath. The best thing to do is pray for peace and hope that your 'enemies' find the same and change their ways," she told the eladrin, glancing up at him then with another small smile. "Rest, sir. I'm sure that you need it."
Melethril nodded, "You should probably go talk to my brother." he said, thinking Tawarthion would probably want to speak to her about travelling them with something. "And, thank you again for healing me."
"You're very welcome, although it was Ehlonna who healed you," the shaman reminded him as she inclined her head gracefully before heading further down the moving train of carriages toward the silver haired brother, her dire wolverine faithfully following at her heels.***END OF SCENE***
As the oddly fitting trio made their way towards the capital through the mountainous terrain, Sèitheach began to grow slightly more uncomfortable. Andraste's map had informed him that they had to pass through the Holy Griffin Empire, which he knew was dwarven territory. Although he was only a half-elf, he knew that that particular race was prejudiced against all elves, no matter how much of the blood they had and Andraste was a lythari elf on top of it. Not to mention his dire wolf, Bleddyn, who he could not leave behind. He was so lost in thought that he didn't realize Andraste was speaking to him until she finally paused in her stride to look up at him questioningly and with a slightly exasperated look on her face. Sèitheach cursed himself for not paying more attention to his surroundings. That was what he was good at and he had almost allowed his thoughts to strip him of his keen senses.
As she walked along, glancing at her map occasionally, Andraste was starting to wonder if they should continue along the mountains or not. Studying the map, she asked the druid for his opinion. When she got no response, Andraste frowned and stopped in her tracks, calling his name to get his attention. Seeing that Sèitheach was finally paying attention to her, Andraste repeated her question. "Do we want to go through the city? It might be quicker, but then you and I both know what kind of welcome we might receive."
Sèitheach frowned as his piercing violet gaze lifted from Andraste's face to the large, looming mammoth of a mountain ahead of them. "I do not want to go inside the city," he admitted.
"Neither would I and depending on the weather, the mountains can get pretty rough." Andraste looked at the mountain thoughtfully, then over to the city. It was as if a clock was ticking away inside of her and she felt more anxious as they got closer.
"I would rather take my chances with the weather," Sèitheach admitted. Glancing down at the lythari then, he asked her curiously, arching a brow into his cloak's hood. "Have you ever left Carlegond before?"
Shaking her head, Andraste smiled sheepishly. "Not really. I'm relatively new as a ranger and they've always assigned me to areas close to home," she explained.
