Agarest: Broken Peace

[GamerKale]

"Hm, yeah yeah, sorry about the hold up." She picked up a thickish piece of wood and jogged the short distance to catch up with Lykala. "So, what excitement awaits us ahead? Or do you expect it to be boring with lots of talking?" She pulled a knife from her boot and began chipping away at the wood. She didn't want to let her hands be idle for too long, she might decide to take Jason up on his offer of continuing their fight, and she felt that wouldn't sit too well with Lykala. Which she found, oddly, that she was starting to care about his opinion. Skadi wasn't sure if she wanted to develop a lasting friendship with this Syrium yet or not. She'd have to discuss it with Angela whenever Gilgamesh caught up with them.

[Chaosbahamut123]

"Y'know, the less eventful one sounds really appealing. Between these rising shadows, your obsessed lord, and whatever else may be coming, a little bit of peace and quiet would be nice," said Lykala, still quite uneasy about the cold, sharp tingling in his spine. Dread clung to his hands, clammy and shaky. His wish was a small, but fruitless one; the Gridymate Road, that separated Gridamas and the Loreytool Hills, was infamous for its danger. Setting foot on it, Lykala immediately saw why. It was hectic. Everyone from Gridamas patrols to civilians used the road that separated Preuron and the outlying communities. He caught sight of a particularly large regiment of soldiers, and his blood froze. "We'd best keep away from them," he told Skadi, "With the trouble we've caused as of late, and Gridamas' hatred for elves, having a regiment on our tail would be quite disadvantageous."

[GamerKale]

She mulled it over for a minute. If they bothered her she'd just smack them around till they lost consciousness, or died, whichever came first. The road was busy anyways, if she happened to get bumped into them and just happened to have her hammer out, it wasn't really her fault was it? Still, she'd do her best to avoid the soldiers, but if someone else got in her way she'd muscle her way through like usual.

Skadi grumbled, "Fine." She hit Lykala lightly on the head with the stick and tried to concentrate on her carving, she'd need to if it was to turn out as little more than a poorly skinned potato. She broke off the excess and tossed it away, doing her best not to draw excess attention to herself. At this point it looked like an elongated ball that would fit in a person's hand. It obviously wouldn't turn out nearly as well as if she had proper tools to work with, but it's not like it was going to be a masterpiece anyways.

[Haseo{Terror of Death}]

Jason walked quietly behind Lykala and Skadi, he had never really been in fear of a group, in fact he looked up to soldiers. However, Jason was human, or at least he looked most human of the three. Jason stopped limping after a while and jogged up to both Skadi and Lykala, “Why are you so scared of them? I think I saw them on the way to Gridamas, they gave me food and medical supplies.” Jason nodded and fixed his sleeves. “Let’s see if they have extra supplies.” Jason patted both of their backs encouragingly.

[Chaosbahamut123]

Lykala's eyes widened marginally and he grabbed Jason by his collar, pulling him back from rushing towards the soldiers. "Are you nuts? You don't just walk up to a regiment of soldiers like that! Even if I was going to let you go and ask them for supplies, they aren't the sharing type."
Whether it was the unease he felt before, or just Jason's naiveté, Lykala wasn't sure. However, he let go of the youth's collar and kept walking, averting the eyes of a few infantry who glanced oddly at the pair. "They're soldiers on patrol, anyway," he eventually explained to Jason, "It's not like they'll have supplies. Most likely, the supplies will be waiting at the barracks for them."

[Haseo{Terror of Death}]

Jason just stared at Lykala once he let him go, “Whatever, I was just trying to help…” Jason sighed and rolled his sleeves back up to his elbows. Jason began smiling again as he came to another conclusion, “Hey Lykala, maybe they know the place we’re looking for? If you don’t want to talk to them, I can talk to them!” Jason seemed more excited to help than to see the soldiers, though that was his opinion of himself. “Trust me, it can’t end up bad-” Jason suddenly felt faint, and took in a breath of air. “W-whoa…” Jason grabbed Lykala’s shoulder for support, but fell anyway, losing grip. Jason had gone unconscious. He awakened immobilized and Jason could see feathers and blood surround him. “H-help…” Jason had no explanation for what was happening to himself, other than a total delusion of his mind. Jason reached out to move, and felt something, but he could not see what he touched, in the distance he saw a beautiful two-pronged spear impaled into the ground.

[GamerKale]

Skadi looked up from here carving just in time to catch Jason with her foot, her bad foot, she bit hard on her lip, drawing blood, to keep from yelling. She gently lowered Jason to the ground and felt herself being tackled from behind. Instinctively she stepped forward quickly and twisted out of the grip of her would be tackler and smashed her fist into his head. Realizing, too late, it was one of the soldiers. She hopped backwards, nearly bumping into a cart. "Filthy elves, what have you done to this poor boy?" Said the soldier as he picked himself back up. Skadi dropped what she was holding and put her hands in the air. "Look, I didn't do anything to him. Well, ok, I broke a couple of his ribs, but that was earlier." Two of the soldiers drew their weapons and moved to either side of Skadi. Her hands invariably went to her weapons at this sign of aggression, and they moved in on her.

She jumped skyward as their weapons bore down on her and she landed on a moving cart. She held on with one hand and drew her scimitar with the other and began dueling the two of them, well parrying really even if she wanted to go on the offensive it was all she could do to keep them from hitting her. Letting go she jumped to an empty wagon and the two soldiers followed. "I really don't want to hurt any of you. Well, ok, I'm not actually opposed to it, but-whoah!" The cart came to a sudden stop and rather than let herself fall, she ran up the front of the wagon and landed on one of the horses. She patted the horse, trying to calm it, but she wasn't having any success, especially since the driver decided to hit her with his whip. The next time he tried she caught it and pulled him off his seat and onto the dirt. "That is not how you use these!" She reprimanded him and then cut it to shreds and tossed them on him.

She was about to cut the horse free when she caught sight of Lykala, with a furious sigh she threw Blood Drinker to the dirt, crossed her arms, and prepared herself to be pulled from the horse and probably beaten into unconsciousness. She began to glare at Lykala and would continue to do so until this mess got cleared up or she fell unconscious. Whichever came first, and probably after that even.

[Chaosbahamut123]

"Oh, for fu-" Lykala almost howled in frustration, were it not for the fact that two soldiers closed in on Skadi, with their blades drawn. He wasn't pleased - least of all with Jason, who for whatever reason had fainted. He closed the distance between him and Skadi quickly. Feet slammed into the Gridamas soldiers, knocking them into one another in a comical flail. Back turned to his companion, Lykala yelled, half-angry, "Really, Skadi. Was that entirely necessary? And you two!"
He couldn't finish his sentence, for heavy armour had dulled his boot and scraped against their blades as they charged. Lykala flicked his daggers from their homes and they tasted the air eagerly, ready to strike, to kill.

"Easy, now."

He paused. A third soldier approached, dressed in small decorations like a red mantle, adorned with gold leaf tassles. His weapon was longer, thinner - perfect for stabbing, and clearly used to it. An amulet of darkest onyx rested on his chest. The two assailants from before hesitated; the man was evidently one of some rank. "I apologise, sir. My men have been a little unruly, as of late. I am Lieutenant Faris."
Lykala eyed the lieutenant warily. He exuded the dread that had ruffled his existence minutes previous, and the feeling grew stronger the more he stared at the man; in particular, the onyx amulet. It stood out from the rest of his decorations, implacable and... more. More than just an amulet. More than just black stone framed by filigree silver. More than everything that comprised of its existence in this realm. Magical, perhaps? He wasn't sure. "Not at all. Something big must be going down, for old hatreds to rekindle."
Lieutenant Faris laughed a dry, empty laugh. "You're perceptive, Syrium. My general is just like you. Always looking past the words, the deeds, and seeing the truth behind them. However, you're not the only one."
Faris considered Lykala in a way that made him truly uncomfortable. His beady brown eyes fixed him with a cold stare that took in his deathly complexion, his icy eyes, his messy hair. They lingered on the heavy edges of his daggers, on the travel-worn drover's coat and thick boots. They scrutinized every fibre of his life. "You carry a goal on your shoulders. One that I, for the sake of Gridamas, must end. Step aside, men."
"Wh-whoa! Hang on a minute - what the hell're you on about?" Lykala asked, holding his daggers out at arm's length. "What goal?"
"You're headed for the Cave of Origins, no?" he flinched; how did this stranger know about that? Did the amulet give him some otherwordly ability to read his thoughts like a child's book? "There. It's all in your eyes. I'm sorry, Syrium, but for your own sake, you must die."

[GamerKale]

"I didn't start it.", she said defensively. At the words 'you must die', Skadi leaped from the horse, her knees locked on either side of one soldier's head. She threw her small hammer at the other, it got swatted down by Faris. She twisted and slammed the first soldier's head into the ground, and to be sure he was down she pulled a knife from her boot and stabbed it into his chest. She rolled forward and grabbed Blood Drinker as she sprang to her feet, parrying a strike from Faris. Another strike came in quickly and was once again knocked aside. "Hah, you fight like a child." Despite her taunt and grin, she was fighting oddly defensively compared to how she had fought up to this point yet her eyes would sometimes flick away from Faris, as if she thought that a single blow from his weapon would end the fight or that another enemy would suddenly appear behind her.

[Chaosbahamut123]

Faris simply grinned, and in a simple movement, parried Skadi's incoming blows with ease and grace. "Like a child, hm? I shudder to think of what you compare your skill to, then. Distract her."
His second vanguard, unfazed by the death of one of his own, pushed himself between Skadi and Faris, whilst the latter advanced on Lykala. The Syrium backed up against the cart Skadi had leapt from. Dread froze his heart, iced the blood in his veins. This man was not human. The ease with which he had repelled the most skilled fighter of their group wasn't normal. The onyx of his amulet glinted maliciously, consuming sunlight repulsed by his rapier's keen edge. "Here, your journey ends," Faris stated, and before Lykala could cross his daggers to parry, pushed the tip easily through his heart.

[GamerKale]

She dispatched the second soldier as easily the first, but not quickly enough, she saw the tip pierce Lykala's heart and Skadi's vision became a tunnel. She loosed a roar that would quell a pack of charging boars and threw herself at Faris, grasping the sledge with her free hand. Her first blow he blocked, the hammer swing was also blocked, but he couldn't stop the force of the strike and it slammed home into his shoulder albeit weakened, her scimitar came up and slashed him across the stomach at the same time his rapier pierced Skadi's chest perhaps even her heart. But it did nothing to slow her and she couldn't feel it, all she felt was rage and one other source of malice nearby, almost as great as her own rage and she knew she had to crush it before it could crush her so she lashed out for it. She dropped her weapons and grabbed the pendant, she tried to either tear it from around Faris's neck or wring him by the throat with all of the strength in her body.

[Haseo{Terror of Death}]

Jason’s eyes opened suddenly and he found that he was once again on the floor. “Where… where the hell am I? Mountains... hey Lykala, we should head towards-” He turned over and felt bile crawl up his stomach. “-Oh crap!” Jason vomited a small amount of stomach bile, and turned to see Lykala’s corpse fall to the floor. When he looked for Skadi, he saw attacking Faris. “What is going on here?!” Jason slammed his palms against the floor and rose to his knees. Jason took a deep breath charged at Faris, but soldiers held him off. “Let me go damn it!” He broke free of the soldiers’ grip but more continued to hold him down. “Go home boy, this is a battle between elves and humans, don’t fight for the wrong team.” Jason slammed his forehead against the man’s nose, breaking it. He then struggled out of his jacket, but was then knocked in the back of the head and forced to the ground, “Let me go you bastards!”

[Chaosbahamut123]

Faris laughed, cruel and disaffected. "Try as you might, little girl. You haven't the strength to remove this," His knee collided forcefully with Skadi's stomach, with more strength than any normal human could muster. Then, in complete contrast, he coaxed Skadi's hands away from the amulet, as if he were cradling a newborn's with gentle reassurances. The smile remained carved into his dulled complexion, the only prominent feature and the most twisted. He grasped hold of his rapier and sliced across her stomach.

Darkness. All-consuming. Never-ending. Omniscient, omnipotent darkness. It bled into every pore and orifice in Lykala's body, through his pupils and mouth. Cold and unrelenting, but never painful, for Lykala was numb to his very core. As if there was no blood pumped through his body, no spark to give him life. Nothing to animate his limbs or rouse his emotions.
Was this what death was? A vast expanse of darkness; present but never felt? Felt but never experienced?
Out of nowhere, he heard a voice. "Your friends will die."
He couldn't respond. He couldn't even summon the thoughts to articulate his voice, let alone piece together a coherent sentence. The voice continued, however, as if he had. "You could do nothing to prevent your death. Nothing to stop the Darkness's blade from piercing your heart. You were powerless to stop that puppet, and here you lie, on the very verge of oblivion. Don't you want to help your friends?"

[GamerKale]

Her unrelenting fury driving her, Skadi ignored the injury and continued trying to get at the amulet. She lunged forward towards the taunting voice. She bit down hard on his lips and tore away a large chunk of flesh. He tossed her aside again and she grabbed the wheel of the cart and threw it at Faris who easily evaded it and it slammed into the chests of Jason and the men holding him. She tore the railing of the cart off and swung it at Faris. Blood flowed freely from her body and she slowed ever so slightly as the injuries, and her efforts worsening them, began to take their toll in spite of the rage.

[Haseo{Terror of Death}]

The soldiers released Jason immediately when the wheel struck him, and Jason could have sworn his chest collapsed. “Get the girl! The boy is down!” The soldiers charged at Skadi, attempting to hold down her arms first. The raging dark elf would not be so easily subdued however, and Jason eventually rose. Jason jumped and latched on to the back of one of the soldiers, catching him in a headlock. Jason wrapped his legs around another soldier, giving Skadi just enough room to escape their grasp. “He’s gone Skadi! Get out of here! Lykala wouldn’t want you do die too!” Jason held his grip as tightly as he could, but holding someone down was much harder than trying to break free from one’s grasp, regardless of skill.

[GamerKale]

Jason's words fell on deaf ears and she just swung as hard as she could with the railing. She caught a couple of the soldiers with it, but her target deftly evaded it. As she completed her 360 degree spin the railing went flying from her grasp as Faris pierced her right shoulder, disabling the arm, he hopped back, content to watch the helpless girl rage herself into submission. She moved forward towards him and fell to the ground near where she had first dueled him. She pushed herself up with the one arm and he slashed her across the face as payment for his lips. This fresh injury seemed to knock her out of her rage, or perhaps it just happened to end then. She grasped ahold of Blood Drinker and used it as support to push herself up. She spat blood onto the blade, giving it an eerie glint. Faris's eyes widened and he rushed Skadi, stabbing her in the other shoulder, but Skadi managed to push it just off course so that she could hold onto her blade, but she stumbled backwards. She slashed one of the soldiers as he tried to take advantage of her weakened state. She stabbed the soldier Jason was holding. "Get out of here Jason." She smiled wryly, "There's no way I'd die here, I still have a wedding to attend." She placed herself between Lykala's body and the soldiers, she wouldn't let anyone touch it for as long as she drew breath, short as that was. She knew she didn't have long, the only reason she wasn't dead yet was the rage coursing through her veins, what was left of it and them anyways.

[Chaosbahamut123]

Faris wiped his lip, unfazed. "Men, fall in. We have no business here. Not anymore."
Most of the men obeyed immediately and fell into rank, marching back to Gridamas. One or two required a forceful stare from the lieutenant before they followed orders. Faris lingered, however, wiping his sword clean on its scabbard before pushing it home. He watched Lykala's corpse for a while, as if waiting for something. A large crowd had gathered around the commotion, but seeing the chaos seemingly dealt with, they began to scatter and disperse.

"Don't you want to help your friends?" the voice asked for the umpteenth time. Finally, with every mote of his existence, Lykala forced an answer from his throat.
"Why?"
"They will die, if you do not help them. The Dark Elf, Skadi, is already in grave danger," stated the voice, "You failed them because you were powerless. But what if you could be stronger? Strong enough to defeat the shadows gripping your assailant's heart?"
"Wh-what...?"
"Surrender your bloodline to me, Lykala Rossgrave. Pledge the destiny of your soul, and all its incarnations, to stopping the evil that grips this world, and you shall have the strength to protect your friends. Strength enough to never fail them again."
His muscles began to operate, pushing him into a standing position. A woman of purple eyes and flowing, silver hair stood before him, her hand extended purposefully towards him. "Surrender my bloodline...?"
"You haven't much time before you fade from this world. Answer."
Save his friends... Avoid death just this once. Maybe, even...
"I will," said Lykala, more conviction in his voice now than there ever had been before, "I, Lykala Rossgrave, pledge my bloodline to you!"
The woman nodded, eyes closed. A sphere of runes engulfed his body. "Very well."

[GamerKale]

Skadi's vision began to turn to black, she blinked several times, but it didn't help. And then her muscles gave out and she fell to her left. Her hand still held her scimitar with a vice grip and her eyes were open, but her breathing had stopped.

A chill ran down Gilgamesh's spine as he pulled on his left gauntlet. He stopped as a sense of dread came over him. He couldn't place it, but something was wrong, he could feel it. A small warm hand clasped his neck and he received a kiss on his cheek, then suddenly the hand vanished and Angela walked around to stand in front of him. "What's wrong?" "I don't know." He sat down on the bed and Angela sat next to him. "But it's not good, that woman we passed on our way to the city yesterday. She said something, do you remember what it was?" "Something to do with rising shadows." "I don't usually put much stock in things random people say to me, but what if she was right?" "What do you want to do?" "I want to go after Skadi." "You've made enough wealth to support yourself, it no longer matters what your father thinks." "I know, but I can't go after her. Not yet. There's a few things I need to take care of first." "A wedding gown?" "Hah, no. That was made long ago. Come on." "Actually, I'm pretty exhausted. Why don't you take Oria with you." "Alright, I'll leave six of the Syriums with you. I'll be staying at that lovely hotel you pointed out." With a parting kiss he left.

[Chaosbahamut123]

Lykala opened his eyes, filled with strength he hadn't felt in a long time. It joined his blood, bolstering his constitution and filling him with awareness of everything. Of the cool dirt beneath his feet, the shattered wood behind him, the closing wound on his chest. He pushed himself to his feet with ease, grasping his daggers tightly. They were ready for his fingers, humming contentedly at his touch.
"You will only have one chance," whispered the voice that had raised him, "This strength is but a temporary blessing. It will not last for much longer."
Faris turned around, to see the woman standing behind Lykala, guiding his blade towards his throat. "NO!" he roared, in a tone wholly different to the calm lieutenant of before. This was primal, raw, twisted darkness given voice. "You should be dead!"
"The Dark Gods hold no sway over you now, human. Not any more," whispered the woman, urging Lykala forward. He carved into the man relentlessly, cutting through his armor with gleaming blades. The onyx wavered and trembled, chiming painfully with each blow. When the man was tattered and torn, heavy plate broken beyond recognition, the Syrium cut through the chain holding the onyx in place with one final cut, that tore the very air around them. He landed silently, a foot or so away from Faris, as the man collapsed in a fount of blood. The vitality that he had felt rushing headily through his veins dissipated, forcing him to one knee. He panted to regain his breath, exhilarated.
"The Elf, Lykala," whispered his saviour, "Hurry."
He didn't need to think, forcing his aching limbs into movement. He edged over to Skadi, buckling inches from her. She was in a terrible state, but he was too drained to do much. That attack had drained him; not just his stamina, either. It felt like it had sapped at his very spirit. He struggled to tear the sleeve of his travelling coat, padding the wounds as best as he could to stem the bleeding.

[GamerKale]

Skadi felt a faint touch brush against her from far away. She looked in the direction of the touch, but couldn't see anything. It took almost all of the strength she had left, but she took a deep breath through her nose. It smelled of...Lykala? But that couldn't be, he was dead. She remembered back to when he bought her a 'present'. That healing potion she hadn't taken. It made her want to laugh, maybe if she had thought to take it sooner things would be a bit brighter. If it was Lykala, perhaps he was on the brink as well, if he could move then it just might be able to help him survive, "First date." She forced out with a smile. The pain's starting to fade, and something tells me Gil isn't going to make it this time.