Story - Unedited

angelo
Member
Member # 1260 posted June 21, 2006 10:49 AMJune 21, 2006 10:49 AM
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Warren Worthington started explaining fast.

"I am no angel. I am merely a Sentinel,” he insisted. “And I assure you I am as real as that bow you are so rudely preparing to kill me with.” At first Sway was put off by the flippancy but then again if someone had a bow to her she would have probably hung them up by their toenails already. “Now might I ask, who are you?"

Sway was very tempted to say, “None of your ***damned business.” But she didn’t.

“No,” she said dismissively still staring at him.

“A sentinel? Well you’re doing a fine job guarding whatever it is you’re looking after,” she said noticing he was empty handed except for two swords that, if unsheathed, would be severed from his wrists.

If she had an attitude it wasn’t a personal vendetta. She was secretly hoping that he would be an explanation as to why she looked the way she did, but apparently she wasn’t a member of his club. “I would tell you who I am but I don’t trust Red and I don’t want my name in her mouth. Besides, you could be another mirage or something…”

More screaming.

“… worse.”

There was a figure darting through the forest and centaurs running after it. Maybe they were still chasing the spiders. Perhaps they had an adamant hatred for insects. If that were the case they should have started with the mosquitoes and worked their way up the food chain.

Through the brush she could see three or four of them and Sway reasoned that from here she could kill them without revealing their location. Even though she could only count on Kyle being her friend, she figured that no one was a friend to the centaurs and taking them down would benefit them all. Besides if anyone tried to stop her she’d know to kill them immediately.

On top of that, if she tried to kill the centaurs, whatever was screaming would get the hint and shut their ever loving mouths. Or get shot. Either way, things would quiet down.

“And if you think my bow is rude then I assume you had a more sophisticated vision of the way you would die?”

She moved with her arrow trained on the guy in front of her so that he was slightly out of her line of fire. She launched four arrows two at a time so fast the feathers didn’t get wet in the rain. They whizzed past the winged man’s shoulder through trees, leaves, and hopefully some vital organs.

“Did I make a mistake in not killing you just now?”

KO
Member
Member # 4719 posted June 21, 2006 01:17 PMJune 21, 2006 01:17 PM
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Are you making sense out of any of this? What did she just fire at?

Am I suppose to be? I thought I was only meant to be used as an Illusion spout

You know I don’t think of you that way, I’m sorry I had to put you in harm’s way, but it turned out fine didn’t it? We now know that the guy and the girl aren’t in on this and the angel guy too.

I could have told you they weren’t involved, they look like nice people.

You mean she looks nice.

Well that is true, but I just get the feeling that all three of them are good, not bad.

You mean cause they aren’t centaurs, or because you happen to have a thing for the chick with wings?

Look, it’s just a feeling alright, and since you are in a foul mood, I will go talk to someone else.

Ramses flew down from the tree where he was watching and hovered over Sway’s shoulder, as if asking to perch, and said, “Pretty lady.”

“I Ramses, Kelley behind tree,” he managed struggling with the speech.

“You darn mutinous bird!” she said moving out into the group with everyone, but still invisible.

Then she suddenly became visible made herself visible and punched the illusion of herself next to her making it disappear rather abruptly.

Just because you trust everyone already does not mean you had to out me darn it!

Are you jealous?

“WHAT?! I am not jealous you little glorified feather duster!” she screamed and started toward the bird.

Hunter
Member
Member # 4747 posted June 21, 2006 01:40 PMJune 21, 2006 01:40 PM
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“Did I make a mistake in not killing you just now?”

"No, I assure you you haven't. Although our centaur friends would have said otherwise I am sure. I am glad though that your skill with a bow is much more considerable than your manners. Or maybe you leave all the niceties up to your friend."

Arael didnt have the patience usually to deal with these sort of people, but he was at a dead end. He had nowhere to go, and at least for now he had company.

Suddenly the large raven Arael had noticed before swooped down from its hiding place and landed on the angel girl. Much to Arael's surprise he called out "Pretty girl" and something about the girl being behind a tree. Instantly what had been only an illusion of the girl vanished as the real verion, now fuming, came out and tried to go after the bird.

Arael leapt in between the two of them and said "surely this isn't necessary. You can trust us all. Well, me anyways. I'm not so sure about those two. I beleive I heard, what was it Ramses, say your name was Kelley. I am Arael. A Sentinel in search of a lost artifact. You and your bird may be able to help me. I would of course reciprocate in any way possible." He could help her all he wanted after he had the Book back safely in his keep. "What do you think Ramses? You scratch my back I scratch yours?" He turned his back to Kelley and addressed the bird directly. It might peeve Kelley, but in the state she was in, he probably would have managed to do it anyways.

angelo
Member
Member # 1260 posted June 21, 2006 03:20 PMJune 21, 2006 03:20 PM
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"No, I assure you you haven't. Although our centaur friends would have said otherwise I am sure. I am glad though that your skill with a bow is much more considerable than your manners. Or maybe you leave all the niceties up to your friend."

Sway put down her bow and slid her arrow back into the quiver. He had a smart mouth but he would do. She wondered if all the Sentinels were like him, looked like him, dressed like him, talked like him. It wouldn’t do to kill him anyway because he had friends and so Sway dropped the matter entirely.

She was going to turn to address the redheaded girl, but just then a huge raven decided her shoulder would be a good residency.

“Pretty lady.” Animals had talked to her before but none were rude enough to park on her. “I Ramses, Kelley behind tree.” Or provide her with pertinent information so quickly.

An identical girl pushed her way though the brush and punching her doppelganger stomped into the clearing shouting, “You darn mutinous bird!”

“WHAT?! I am not jealous you little glorified feather duster!” Sway moved away from the girl before she could get too close. She had nothing to do with the lover’s quarrel and she was not going to get in the way if there was going to be a fight.

To save time and lives she also assumed this “Kelley” character was speaking to the raven, not her.

Arael began talking immediately. "Surely this isn't necessary. You can trust us all.” Sway could clearly see that Arael was going to end up being the mediator, “Well, me anyways. I'm not so sure about those two. I believe I heard, what was it Ramses, say your name was Kelley.” He said starting his introduction, “I am Arael. A Sentinel in search of a lost artifact.” So he had lost the thing he was supposed to guard. “You and your bird may be able to help me. I would of course reciprocate in any way possible." He was quite the businessman, "What do you think, Ramses? You scratch my back I scratch yours?"

Sway couldn’t remember a time when her wings needed to be scratched. Sometimes she found dust or leaves in them but that was about it.

“Arael you’re officially on the welcoming committee,” she said turning away.

“And, don’t bother introducing yourself, she’s been spying on us,” Sway said raising her eyebrows and walking away from the rest of them deep in study.

She held the raven on her shoulder in her hands and spread its right wing out studying it intently. “How does this work?” she murmured turning the bird over.

Ravens were never her favorite bird. When she lived in Arizona she remembered a day she’d seen seven circling over her father’s house. Everyone said it was a bad omen but no one said it to her. She fumed all day wondering who had had the nerve to die on her birthday.

She brushed her hair out of her face and pulled a twig out of its wing while looking for the “on” switch. “My name is Sora.” She looked under his beak and didn’t find anything out of the ordinary. “It means Chirping Songbird, which is kind of lame because I can’t sing at all,” she mused pacing away from the rest of them studying the bird like an artifact found in the darkest room of a pyramid. “But everyone calls me Sway to take the pressure off,” she murmured absently trying to figure out what the magical object was and what it could do.

Hunter
Member
Member # 4747 posted June 21, 2006 04:04 PMJune 21, 2006 04:04 PM
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“Arael you’re officially on the welcoming committee" said the winged girl. Arael hadn't intended to stay with any of them, but it couldnt hurt to have allies.“And, don’t bother introducing yourself, she’s been spying on us,” She said. Arael hoped she wasn't one to hold a grudge, It would certainly slow his efforts.

Sway took Ramses off of her shoulder and began examining him. Why he had no idea. Although from what Arael knew of animals they didn't usually like being handled in such obtrusive ways. Arael would have interjected, but the chaos that could ensue might just be too fun to let slip away.

Ke'ak
Member
Member # 2005 posted June 21, 2006 04:43 PMJune 21, 2006 04:43 PM
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(ooc - Amory, be ready for this... There's you hit in the face. Battle royale! - ooc)

Kyle wasn't all that surprised that the girl had merely been a phantom, especially considering what he'd discovered about the spiders earlier. It was Arael that Kyle found interesting. Here was yet another person who had wings, albiet they were white. The blades looked fearsome, but Kyle trusted the broadsword that still nestled in his fingers. But a glance at Sway seemed to show that she was even more interested, btu Kyle couldn't read her expression. Wonder? Awe? Fear? Surprise?

“Are you an angel?" She asked suddenly. An echo resounded in Kyle's mind of what had seemed like so very long ago... Es tu enge? The thought brought back strong memories, and Kyle wondered if this Arael person might be some kind of key to unraveling the reasons behind all of this.

But Sway wasn't finished. She continued to ask questions. But they were interupted by a bloodcurdling scream.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!” Kyle's head turned, as he heard rustling in the bushes. He knew that Sway could handle herself, and it didn't look as if the angel and the red-haired girl would be much of a problem.

"I'll check it out," he muttered to Sway. He turned, and winked quickly at the new girl, and then muttered under his breath. "Strayle." He disappeared from their view as time began to slow around them. Then he ran. He didn't know if that scream had come from friend or foe, but it was worth it to see. He bolted into the brush, his sword still drawn as he crashed through the foliage. He saw no less than four centaurs, with bows drawn, firing at a boy who looked to be about sixteen or so. Jet black hair was frozen in place, trailing behind the slender youth's head. A look of abject terror was on his face, and rightly so. The arrows frozen in place were headed right for him. He swiped quickly, slicing the deadly ones out of the air, so that their target would not be harmed. But he could see that the others were starting to move. It's slipping again... Time began to speed up. He cried out quickly, "Dharkrim!" His sword ignited with blue streaks of electricity as time continued to speed up. He could see that the centaurs were beginning to notice the glow, and to them, it would seem he was moving extremely fast. He ran towards them, his blade neatly cutting the bows in half, rendering the weapons useless. Then he stood before the unarmed beasts, his sword engulfed. The time spell had worn off.

"Give up," he said calmly. Two of them were inclined to comply, but the two others drew daggers from their belts. Here we go! The first dagger was aimed, but not at Kyle. Instead, the centaur had the boy in mind as his precious target. Kyle turned, and leaped at the youth as the dagger flew. The boy was tackled under Kyle's weight as the dagger stuck into the tree that only moments before might have been the boy's head. The second dagger flew, but was off, missing where Kyle had been standing only a moment ago. The boy hit the ground face first, but Kyle had no time for apologies. He jumped up, and flung his hatchet as the centaur charged. This time it didn't work. The centaur caught the handle, and flipped it around, ready to wield it.

Kyle wasted no time, continuing to charge, and pulled his dagger from his sheath. The centaur's blade fell, but Kyle caught it with his sword, and then plunged his dagger into the beast's belly. The hatchet dropped, and Kyle caught it. The other centaurs started to back up. Kyle turned, and his eyes were cold.

"Leave. Now." The other dagger-thrower still had anger in his eyes, but his friends grabbed his shoulders.

"Not wise, Yetimire. Not without proper armament." The centaur eyed Kyle, and then followed his friends. Kyle retrieved his weapons, and began slipping them into his sheath. He strapped his dagger back onto his thigh, and his hatchet slipped back into his belt. Then he reached down for his sword.

Penthesilea
Member
Member # 4625 posted June 21, 2006 05:27 PMJune 21, 2006 05:27 PM
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It was the scream that pulled Nava from her reverie. That wasn’t the kind of scream that people faked - it sounded like a full-force, raw-throated scream of horror. Really, Nava could have done with a scream herself considering the psychological damage done, even up to this point, probably could have landed her in an institution for life. She’d just caught a glimpse of giant spiders and horsey men far too close to her for comfort, she was three sizes larger than she used to be, and the trees were talking to her. If there was a good time to scream, this was it. The other’s scream, however, was remarkably close to her tree, where she still stood in the shade. She took a few steps and peered around the trunk, just in time to catch a glimpse of the figure who appeared to be getting stalked by even more horsey-men.

She stepped out from the cover of her tall, wooden sanctuary to get a better look. As terrified as she was, she was also a curious creature and didn’t want to get left out of the show. She watched the boy become the target of the tall, equine creatures, caught in the moment, convinced of the prospect that he could possibly die, and unable to tear her eyes away from the scene. She’d never seen anything like this before, and never had planned to. It didn’t occur to her that she was out of her cover now and was standing in plain sight, or that she very well could have been the next victim.

Before she could register what was occurring, a figure emerged - was he one of the one I was gaping at? - and, almost too swiftly, began to ward off the gigantic creatures that were targeting the boy who had shouted. It was like a good action film, only in 3-D with smell-o-vision. She couldn’t decide if she was excited or terrified. The fight raged on - was it possible that the boy was winning? He was good at what he did. As the centaurs retreated, she felt the nerves that had made her belly tight began to subside, and she let out a breath that she’d held in a gasp. As much as she wanted to return to the shade of the tree and sit there until she died, Nava realized that getting friendly with someone who could fight like that (not to mention someone human) was probably a better plan.

She made her way through the brush into the area where the two boys were, the grass and weeds rubbing up against her ankles. Though she hadn’t been going very quickly, she was breathing heavy, predominantly from the exhilaration.

“What - what just happened?” she asked, a confused and concerned look upon her face, panting lightly. Sometimes ‘hey, how ya doin?’ wasn’t necessary.

KO
Member
Member # 4719 posted June 21, 2006 05:32 PMJune 21, 2006 05:32 PM
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“I like scratches,” Ramses said toward Arael but looked back at Sway.

“Oh I’ll give you some darn scratches!” Kelley said after hearing his little response to Arael and started to go for Ramses again but didn’t get far since Arael had her by the arm.

“Let go of me, we have our own mission at the moment bird boy, and so far you haven’t given me any reason to think about helping you. Now let go so I can go murder that bird,” she said twisting about trying to get lose while watching Sway carry him a little ways away.

You are in so much trouble Ramses.

If you say so, I am very much enjoying myself. Just admit it, you can’t stand me being in the arms of another woman.

She’s not a woman, she’s some sort of devil bird.

Oh please, she is being very gingerly with me. But she seems to think I am some sort of a toy or something though by the look of it. Oh hold on she wants to talk, you know I can’t resist a chat with a pretty lady.

You’d better not tell her anything! We don’t know these people at all, and they already don’t like us, so don’t make it any worse.

Once out of sight, she couldn’t help but notice just how strong this neanderthal bird boy really was. And she had to admit to herself that the nice guy routine was a nice change from how hard her Master always treated her, or how that sarcastic bird always was.

“Look, I am sorry, it’s just that the only man that I have known here just disappeared, and he meant a great deal to me. I followed the trail here and made some assumptions I shouldn’t have,” she said realizing it was true and how much of an ass she probably does look like.

---

Sway asked how does this work to which Ramses replied, “I am no toy. That tickles.”

He made what could only be described as a laugh, though it sounded a bit off coming from him, more like a short song. Then she introduced herself after pulling a particularly annoying twig out from under his wing, and told her what he name means.

“Sora,” he said slowly marveling in the meaning and the joy it was to say while staring up at her lovely face.

“You like birds Sora? I not normal bird. Special one. Can do many things. I like pretty Sora. You got magic and wings,” he finally said looking away and back at the pack.

“Kelley no like you. She just worry about Master. He taken today. We search for him. She good. For human though. You give her chance?” he asked looking back up and her and then at her wings admiring them.

angelo
Member
Member # 1260 posted June 21, 2006 06:57 PMJune 21, 2006 06:57 PM
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Sway asked how does this work to which Ramses replied, “I am no toy. That tickles,” he giggled, which was a strange sound coming from a bird. He repeated her name very slowly and seemed to be quite pleased. Maybe he thought they were related.

“You like birds Sora?” Sway didn’t know if she particularly liked birds or not. She’d never thought about it. There were some birds that she thought were very beautiful, and certainly ravens were some of the smartest birds in the animal kingdom, but whether or not she liked birds she could be not be sure. “I don’t know enough birds to answer that question honestly.” She paused and thought of Kyle, “But golden hawks are very handsome.” She was trying to keep it talking. Maybe it was a magic spell that gave the creature the ability to think. He wasn’t a puppet or Red would have just possessed him and snatched him out of her hands.

“I not normal bird. Special one. Can do many things. I like pretty Sora. You got magic and wings,” he checked on the status of Red. She seemed to be fuming.

”Well thank you, but I must warn you, Ramses, I’m susceptible to flattery.”

“Kelley no like you.” Sway shrugged, a lot of people didn’t like her. Then again a lot of people who didn’t like her were dead. What did she care? “She just worry about Master. He taken today. We search for him.”

Why was it that everyone was looking for something? “She good. For human though. You give her chance?” he said admiring her.

“Under normal circumstances, absolutely not, to figure out how these spells work, possibly. You can land on my shoulder whenever you want. Just don’t poop on me,” she laughed.

Sway made a circle around her of the weakest fire spell she could manage. It created a haze around her like a hot summer day. Heat lines appeared in a column around her but since she was holding Ramses he couldn’t be burned. Her clothes and hair started to dry as the spell sucked the moisture out of the air. She was tired of the eternal water wedgie.

“Look, I am sorry, it’s just that the only man that I have known here just disappeared, and he meant a great deal to me. I followed the trail here and made some assumptions I shouldn’t have.”

”darn skippy,” Sway muttered touching her hair to make sure it dried all the way.

She still had her back to them as she pet Ramses. His wings felt different than hers, they were smooth but hers felt like someone had stretched fine silk over something springy, strong and flexible, “Kyle, I figured it out. Maybe these are the people we’ve been searching for the whole time. Think about it, we all have the same thing in common, we’re trying to restore something we lost.

“We’re trying to restore peace, Arael is trying to find a piece of furniture or something, and Red is looking for her boyfriend. If that’s the case then we could end up going in the same direction eventually anyway.” This was motivated in no small part by wanting to understand how she could become more powerful through Ramses. She never volunteered help without pay.

She turned and realized that Kyle was gone.

At a loss she finally recognized Kelley. “And if you could agree to pump your brakes for five seconds maybe we could figure out where your master is… and your objet d'art.”

Amory
Member
Member # 3763 posted June 22, 2006 05:43 AMJune 22, 2006 05:43 AM
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Caspar muttered an ancient prayer in his native Persian tongue, as he was prone to do in extremely high-tension situations, as he continued to evasively elude his dogged hunters. Don't these guys ever stop?

His vision blurred for a second and a figure came into, streaming and ephemeral in appearance. Sunlight glinted off blue, polished steel as the strange figure's sword danced through the air in sweeping arcs. Blurry guy comes to the rescue! After a few seconds he came into focus and neatly cut through the bows the centaurs had been holding. A human! He was a boy who looked to be a few years older than Caspar. He was garbed in much more urban apparel than Caspar's own ancient looking wardrobe. There were also several weapons hanging off the boy's muscular frame. He obviously was good with a sword.

"Give up", the stranger demanded of the centaurs.

Caspar saw it before the stranger did. One of the centaurs had turned to look directly into Caspar's eyes, while simultaneously drawing a dagger from some hidden sheath on his person. This day just keeps getting better and better. Caspar froze, paralyzed with fear, and found himself staring into the centaur's slitted, golden eyes.

"Umphh", he wheezed as the strange boy tackled him abruptly, saving him from what would have certainly been a swift end. He hit the ground hard. Stars exploded before Caspar's eyes as his face erupted into a volcano of pain and blood. His mind grew foggy and swam with nauseating waves of light-headedness. Caspar reflexively licked the inside of his busted lip.

Blood. It was as if some long-forgotten, primal entity had awoken from a dreamless sleep. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he felt especially...peculiar. His eyes had already begun changing. The pupils seemed to waver for a while before shrinking into jagged, vertical slits. Small flecks of amber appeared on his retina, blossoming sporadically on the pale, turqoise eyes before blotting the retina out completely and then taking over the entire eye, granting the appearance of having two faintly glowing embers where his eyes should have been.

A strange sensation began rippling over Caspar's skin. He unsteadily lifted his head from the ground, supporting his badly bruised frame on his hands and knees. Was that hair growing on his arms? Caspar gawked as he watched the hairs on his arms bristle and twitch before beginning to grow rapidly. He realized that this must have been the sensation he had noticed. But soon, the sensation began to intensify. His skin tightened and strained before the peculiar sensation switched to pure, unadulterated pain. Caspar felt like his entire body had become engulfed in flames as he watched in horror as thick, coarse hair forced itself through his skin to the surface.

It was at this point that the transformation began to speed up noticeably. Caspar felt his body quiver, every muscle in his body was screaming. A wave of spasms rippled through his body as the muscles bunched and coiled, flexed and grew. With every sucessive spasm his frame bulged and enlarged. His bones painfully twisted and warped, lengthening rapidly and shifting around under the taut, coils of muscle. Caspar tried to scream but nothing came out. Large, sinister fangs sprouted from his mouth, transforming his teeth into a mountain range of jagged bone. His hands and feet blurred momentarily before melding into paws, complete with deadly looking claws and leathery pads, with hair peeking inbetween. Casper's mind, reeling with the event that was taking place, skipped a beat. It was like he was losing his grip and just letting go of everything. Something was growing inside him to take his place. His consciousness eroded into something...feral. Every ounce of his being was swimming in unbridled energy and rage.

Caspar's spine cracked and popped as he stood, stretching and drawing himself to his full height of about eight feet now. Dark, matted fur covered his hulking, canine body. His vision was wreathed in red and the scent of blood mingled in his nose as he looked down his muzzle menacingly at the boy standing there with his back to him.

“What - what just happened?”, a voice asked from out of the blue.

Caspar's head jerked to face the unlucky girl. His amber eyes considered her for a moment, curiosity evident on his face. He cautiously loped forward and leaned towards her, sniffing the air speculatively.

KO
Member
Member # 4719 posted June 22, 2006 09:07 AMJune 22, 2006 09:07 AM
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After hearing Sway say she should put on her breaks, Kelley managed to stem her temper, stop struggling with Arael, and finally give in to settling down.

“Thank you. It would be nice to have some help finding him, but for the record, he was not my boyfriend, he was more my grandfather,” she said looking at Ramses sitting back on Sway’s shoulder and still not quite sure she liked it.

I’ll come back over in a minute, but didn’t I tell you they were nice?

Yes you are a very smart bird, and too good to me some times, I don’t know how you put up with my temper at times.

Neither do I

“Well, I suppose a formal introduction is in order. I am Kelley O’ Callaghan, as Ramses stated earlier, and I think I picked up that your Sway, and you Arael, but then who is…” she trailed off.

“The muscular guy you were with Sway wasn’t he here just a second ago?” she asked.

Hunter
Member
Member # 4747 posted June 22, 2006 09:14 AMJune 22, 2006 09:14 AM
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"Yes he was," said Arael, releasing Kelley from his grasp. "Where did your friend get off to Sway?" He had dissapeared for the second time in as many minutes. This one was shifty, quiet...could he be trusted?

"Kelley, why don't you tell us more about your, lets say grandfather as you put it. Why would he be kidnapped? Was their any reason for him to be that jumps out at you?" If there was, Arael was beginning to think that their two quests were not mutually exclusive.

KO
Member
Member # 4719 posted June 22, 2006 11:29 AMJune 22, 2006 11:29 AM
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“Well I don’t know much about his past to be honest; he always sort of kept that private. All I know was that he was once a great teacher of those who possessed the gift of magic for an emperor. When he found me, he noticed I too had the gift, and asked if I would like some training. That was a year ago today.

“He was a very powerful man, both in magic and in spirit. I really miss him, as I said he was more than a teacher to me, he reminded me of my grandfather,” she said with a deeper sadness than she realized.

“Sorry,” she said turning away from Arael and wiping her eyes a little, “I don’t mean to unload my problems on others like this. I mean I hardly even know you all, and yet I feel comfortable with you. It’s odd, I feel like we know where the other is coming from, like we have some shared history, you know? Or does that sound crazy?”

I don’t think it does, I told you I felt something too.

I’m staring to think you may be on to something. This was not a chance meeting, we were brought here to there people for a reason.

angelo
Member
Member # 1260 posted June 22, 2006 01:20 PMJune 22, 2006 01:20 PM
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“Well, I suppose a formal introduction is in order. I am Kelley O’ Callaghan, as Ramses stated earlier, and I think I picked up that you’re Sway, and you’re Arael, but then who is…” she trailed off. “The muscular guy you were with, Sway, wasn’t he here just a second ago?”

“Muscular guy?” Sway said to herself combing her fingers through her hair. “Who is she talking about?”

"Yes he was," said Arael as he let Red go. "Where did your friend get off to Sway?"

Oh they meant Kyle. She looked around and shrugged. He was doing his lightspeed thing again somewhere.

Sway had never sat down and thought of Kyle as being muscular but he was really built. She’d seen Kyle pick up things and trot off with them on his merry way that normal people would have just chained to the back of their trucks. He’d built an entire log cabin, mainly out of logs that had already fallen, largely by himself.

On sunny days when she was supposed to be on lookout she’d sit in a tree a few yards away and watch him work secretly hoping he’d get the hint the sun was dropping and take off his shirt.

Back to reality. "Kelley, why don't you tell us more about your, lets say grandfather as you put it. Why would he be kidnapped? Was there any reason for him to be that jumps out at you?" Not only was Arael on the welcoming committee he a detective.

“Well I don’t know much about his past to be honest; he always sort of kept that private. All I know was that he was once a great teacher of those who possessed the gift of magic for an emperor.” Sway wondered if it was just an emperor and not the Empress. Serpon was a slippery buzzard back in the day she could have been up to anything. “When he found me, he noticed I too had the gift, and asked if I would like some training. That was a year ago today.

“He was a very powerful man, both in magic and in spirit. I really miss him, as I said he was more than a teacher to me, he reminded me of my grandfather.” Sway could see the tantrum coming a mile away. Red screwed up her face and started sniffling. Then came the waterworks.

“Sorry. I don’t mean to unload my problems on others like this. I mean I hardly even know you all, and yet I feel comfortable with you. It’s odd, I feel like we know where the other is coming from, like we have some shared history, you know?” Sway doubted very seriously anyone knew where she was coming from, most of the time she didn’t even have the faintest idea herself. “Or does that sound crazy?”

She could have answered honestly, but she didn’t.

People crying always made her feel uncomfortable. She wasn’t really able to empathize with them because she didn’t cry much herself. When she saw other people cry it reminded her of that and she felt bad that she couldn’t ever feel *that* sad. She was pretty much useless in helping them stop other than shouting, "Fix your face or Get it together."

She just did what Chase always did for her when she felt sad about something. She patted her on the shoulder and said, “It’s okay.” Chase would always say, “It’s okay,” to anything that Sway did. Even if it wasn’t okay at all.

That was where Sway’s helpfulness ended. She really didn’t know what else to do. She just looked at Arael behind Red with her eyebrows raised and shrugged as if to say, “You fix her.”

[ June 22, 2006, 01:26 PM: Message edited by: angelo ]

Hunter
Member
Member # 4747 posted June 22, 2006 01:32 PMJune 22, 2006 01:32 PM
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“Sorry,” she said turning away from Arael and wiping her eyes a little, “I don’t mean to unload my problems on others like this. I mean I hardly even know you all, and yet I feel comfortable with you. It’s odd, I feel like we know where the other is coming from, like we have some shared history, you know? Or does that sound crazy?”

Sway walked up to her and patted her shoulder,"It’s okay" she said. Then her sweet side was gone. She turned and stared at Arael, aparently hoping he could something to help calm Kelley. So she did think he was part of the welcoming committee, not just joking. Well why, not. Sway wasn't going to be of much help, that much was evident.

Arael walked up to Kelley and took hold of her by the shoulders, then looked her in the eyes. "Kelley, by the sound of things your master was a very powerful man. He will be fine on his own. And don't worry, I'll help you get him back, I swear to it." Arael knew what it was like to lose a loved one. His mother had died when he was only four. She was the only reason he wasn't running around in some street gang somewhere or working for the mafia.

He let Kelley go and stepped back, waiting for her reaction. Hopefully she wouldn't become even more upset. Arael had enough guilt on his hands already without this as well.

Ke'ak
Member
Member # 2005 posted June 22, 2006 06:31 PMJune 22, 2006 06:31 PM
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As his hand gripped the hilt, Kyle heard snapping and cracking behind him. Doesn't this ever end? He whirled around, his sword coming up to face whatever new threat may have appeared.

"What - what just happened?”

Kyle heard the voice, and realized his new situation. The black-haired youth was gone, without a trace. Kyle instead noticed a girl, standing ten feet from where Kyle was. Is he a shape-shifter? It wouldn't be the first time. But the hulking mass before her was what drew Kyle's attention, and opened his eyes wide.

There, teeth bared, stood a werewolf. An honest-to-goodness werewolf. He easily had Kyle by two feet and a couple hundred pounds. Long fur shot out in every direction, jet black. The same color as... The boy. Was it a ruse? Were the centaurs playing some game? Was the boy simply a decoy for Kyle to get caught by this new foe? The sword-wielder didn't have time to ask questions. Yet another youth stood to be destroyed by yet another enemy. This was Kyle's responsibility. He had sword with his oath, long ago, to save those lacking the power to save themselves. And this girl fit the bill.

Kyle rushed forward, his sword still raised, and leaped in front of the girl. His long blade aimed directly between the hairy beast's eyes. Kyle had never seen eyes like these, red and flaming. Kyle's own eyes turned cold, thinning as they always did whenever he happened to be looking at his iminent death. He waited for the beast's first move, but muttered under his breath.

"Girl," he said, indicating the one standing behind him. "If I were you, I'd run."

Penthesilea
Member
Member # 4625 posted June 23, 2006 01:54 AMJune 23, 2006 01:54 AM
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If Nava was scared before, there had to be some sort of dangerously descriptive word to describe what she was feeling the second she looked up to find the bright red eyes that belonged to the too-tall dog boy. Was that the same boy who had just been the target of the horsey men? Could the horsey men have been the good guys? That was too much to think about having just entered this strange place, and the alliances and forces within the world were things Nava hadn’t even begun to consider. She was simply looking for the way out - the exit. Before all of this, she had been navigating the woods in the hopes of coming upon the bold ‘game over’ floating above her.

Now would have been the perfect time for that game over, wouldn’t it?

Before her brain could even send the signal to run, or do anything for that matter, the hero from the last battle had created a wall between her and the dangerous looking creature that had just come out of nowhere. “Girl,” he hissed at her, “If I were you, I'd run.”

“Right,” she said with a nervous, breathy laugh that sounded more like she was hyperventilating. She looked around, her eyes scanning her surroundings, and then made a rather frightened and frustrated kind of noise. “Run where?” she asked, seemingly glued to the spot with trepidation. The tree where she’d just made her sanctuary was just beyond where the creature stood, and she couldn’t go back there without possibly provoking it. She knew she couldn’t stand around and think, especially if there was going to be a fight, but she was just as nervous about having to outrun the furry thing if it should chase her. Considering she was unarmed and had no super-human abilities that she knew of, she was caught on the spot. The girl was always stubborn, even at the worst possible times, and couldn’t decide between the two evils - potentially being chased, or potentially being caught in the crossfire of some epic battle. It was sad - she’d always wanted to die a martyr and get a day named after her.

KO
Member
Member # 4719 posted June 23, 2006 09:02 AMJune 23, 2006 09:02 AM
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Kelley heard the, “It’s okay,” and turned to see that it was Sway who had said it! She couldn’t believe Sway would try to comfort her, even in that small way. She couldn’t help but begin to feel better and have a smile start to grace her face.

Arael then told her how he master would be fine, he could take care of himself, and he would even help her find him!

Someone makes friends fast don’t they, this guy barely knows you and is already willing to help. I’m telling you, people with wings, you can trust.

She turned to face Arael, still tears in her green eyes but that only made them sparkle more, and now with a smile on her face said, “You barely know me and yet both of you are trying to comfort me. I can’t possible thank you enough for that, and for offering to help find my grandfather.”

She sniffled, wiped her eyes, and feeling rather silly still for having broken down in front of strangers, said, “Is there anything I, or rather we,” she said looking at Ramses, “can do to repay you for your kindness? Maybe find your…companion, Sway?”

angelo
Member
Member # 1260 posted June 23, 2006 02:52 PMJune 23, 2006 02:52 PM
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“You barely know me and yet both of you are trying to comfort me. I can’t possible thank you enough for that, and for offering to help find my grandfather.”

Sway was a little apprehensive. She wondered if this girl normally had mood swings like that or if she was balanced. But then again Sway couldn’t talk she could use a medical cocktail or two herself.

The girl sniffled and wiped her eyes looking at Sway, “Is there anything I, or rather we,” she said looking at Ramses, “can do to repay you for your kindness?”

Sway thought vaguely, “Get lost?” but made up her mind to keep quiet.

“Maybe find your…companion, Sway?”

Yeah her… companion… Kyle.

”Kyle can take care of himself… but he has been gone for a while,” she said. Then she heard a weird scraping sound like someone was dragging bones over gravel. Where those the centaurs? Then there was a moment of silence.

Sway had always been a really strong runner. Sometimes she would get up early in the morning and run for a few hours for no particular reason. Running was something that came easy to her. She had a lot of stamina and didn’t get tired fast. It was pretty much the only thing she was good at that didn’t involve any powers or weapons. She could do it on her own and so she was proud she was good at it.

She tried always to run toward the danger and never away from it and maybe it was a reflection on her but she could run faster than most people.

She took off in the direction that the sounds were coming from. She would have flown but she wasn’t so good at it that she could do it in a forest and not risk becoming a knot on a tree.

She jetted through the brush, leaped over rocks, and tried to avoid as many pools of water as possible. Finally, when she was sure she might have made a wrong turn she saw the blue gleam of Kyle’s sword.

He was standing in a clearing with a thin girl who was hiding behind a tree. When Sway came to a stop she was right behind her. “If I were you, I'd run,” Kyle said.

Sway raised her eyebrows, she had just finished running, she was still trying to catch her breath, what was she supposed to be running from now?

“Right,” said the girl sheepishly, “Run where?”

Then Sway saw exactly what in the blue moon they were supposed to be running from. There was a hulking dark beast standing just in front of Kyle and he didn’t look like he was selling Girl Scout cookies.

The girl was just standing there numbly with no weapons, no armor, no chance. Sway was taken aback herself. She’d never seen a monster like this before. What did people call these things? Werewolves? All she knew about them was that they bit people and changed them into werewolves too. If that thing bit Kyle, it could rest assured that out of spite Sway would kill it and eat the whole thing.

Sway grabbed the girl by the arm at the elbow trying to pull her out of her trance. “You need to come with me,” she said. And with one leg she kicked off the ground, flapped twice and landed on the limb of a tree.

Then she realized what a bad idea that was.

KO
Member
Member # 4719 posted June 23, 2006 04:04 PMJune 23, 2006 04:04 PM
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Sway told her that Kyle, who must have been the guy Ramses spoke of, could handle himself. Then she heard a wretched sound, like nothing she had ever heard before, which easily made a chill go up her spine. And Sway took off at full sprint toward the noise!

Ramses couldn’t hang onto Sway and quickly departed her shoulder in lue of a better view, higher up, and away from the danger.

“Well, we’d better go investigate,” she said and took off after Sway but couldn’t keep up, nor could she tell which way she was going after long.

Can you see her? Which way should I go?

I can’t tell where she went, the foliage is too thick. Let me see if I can get a better view.

She decided to go down an embankment, but realized it was far steeper than she realized, and quickly started to fall end over end, until she landed smack dab in the middle of the party. Landing right in-between a huge red eyed beast and a handsome broad backed man wielding glowing blades with a cold look in the eye. Her bum hurt enough that she didn’t even notice Sway and a small girl up in a tree over head.

All she could muster was, “…eep.”

OH NO!

“KELLEY!” Ramses yelled, swooping around and down closer to the ground, trying to find which way she had went.

Hunter
Member
Member # 4747 posted June 23, 2006 04:48 PMJune 23, 2006 04:48 PM
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”Kyle can take care of himself… but he has been gone for a while,”

Indeed he had. He had just disappeared. And now the strange noises had returned to the forest. Sway bolted at top speed and Kelley and Ramses followed her through the creeping foliage. Arael decided he had nothing better to do and in the interest of the 'helping the innocent' act he took off as well.

It was difficult but flying through the forest was definately faster than running through it. He came through and found the source of the screaming and strange noises. Kyle had reappeared and was hefting an electric blue sword. There was another girl who had apparently bee caught between a rock and a hard place. Both spaces being occupied by a snarling, ugly, brutish and all around evil manifestation. A Werewolf. Arael could not have imagined a creature more foul. From their bloody red eyes to their inhuman powers, there was no creature that the Sentinels hated more. They were the ones who had attempted to steal the book before it's removal into the City of Clouds. Arael was sure that the creatures proximity meant something. Perhaps in his human form he knew the location of the Book.

Distracted, Arael had not noticed that Kelley had run right into the fray. Oh dear. Arael was in no position to fight. He couldn't get to her in time. He drew one of his swords, determined to help in anyway he could. He ignited it and flames coursed up and down the blade. He threw it down to Kyle, hoping it would help. "Kyle, catch!" he screamed. That blade had tasted Werewolf before, by the days end it might again.

Ke'ak
Member
Member # 2005 posted June 23, 2006 04:56 PMJune 23, 2006 04:56 PM
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To Kyle, this day seemed to just be getting worse and worse. Can't I catch a break anywhere? There was a werewolf beast standing directly in front of him, and Kyle had only his sword to keep him company. A girl scared out of her wits stood behind him, with only Kyle to serve as a barrier. And now, Kyle heard a crashing sound to his left. Something was coming, and fast. He was sure that the beast heard it as well.

“You need to come with me,” said a voice. Kyle didn't need to look to know it was Sway. He could hear the brush move as he assumed that she was taking the other girl away. How she'd gotten here, he didn't know, and it didn't matter. If she was behind him, then he knew they'd both be alright.

Had he ever told her what she meant to him? Not really. He remembered once, after Serpon had taken over a young boy in the stable, and Sway had actually struggled with the choice of actually slaying Kyle to get to the boy, when the two of them had talked in her room. She had said something that had always been imprinted in his mind. "You're...special to me," she said. He couldn't recall the rest of the conversation, but remembered leaving her room that night feeling fully alive for the first time that they'd entered this crazy place. What he hadn't said was, "You're special to me, too." Instead, he'd just nodded as he always did, and said good night.

It bothered him that in any of these encounters, Kyle might actually see his final breath, and she would never know that deep inside of his soul, she meant the world to him. She had her faults, anyone does, but Kyle chose to see past that, into the soul that she tried desperately to hide from the world. That of a young woman who had never known actual love in her life. Tormented by a family that never cared for her, ignored her, tortured her spirit to the dust. Kyle knew that there was good in her. He'd seen it on several occasions, and refused to believe her when she denied it.

It's funny the thoughts that run through your mind when you're faced with your impending death.

Without warning, another girl, Sway had called her... Red? She burst from the foliage, and landed right in front of Kyle's sword, the beast glowering down at now all three of them. Kyle was annoyed more than anything. It was a classic predicament. A battle school textbook's pages came into mind. "Be nice to those you meet. You never know if they might end up as the one who pulls you from a ditch in a few minutes." And what a ditch this was. Here stood a ditch with gaping jaws, glistening fur, and claws the size of Kyle's dagger. And now, of course, Kyle had to play the hero.

What was the deal with that? Kyle always had to be the good guy. Sometimes he honestly believed that perhaps Sway's way of thinking was a lot smarter. You just look out for yourself, and don't worry about the aftermath. But here was Kyle, and his heart was screaming out louder than his logic. You've got a job to do, Kye. You may not like this girl, but that's no reason to let her die. Kyle jumped forward to block the lunge that the beast would inevitably make, his sword raised above himself as he stood just above the girl on the ground.

"Kyle, catch!" Kyle looked up to see a flaming sword coming right at him, hilt-first. There was no time for questions. He reached up with his free hand and caught the blade, spinning it quickly, smoothly, so that the electricity of his own and the fire of the new intermingled above him. It was almost beautiful, but Kyle could feel the heat as it passed. He crossed the two blades and held for the coming impact.

[ June 23, 2006, 05:01 PM: Message edited by: Ke'ak ]

Amory
Member
Member # 3763 posted June 23, 2006 07:43 PMJune 23, 2006 07:43 PM
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OOC when Caspar is a werewolf I'm just going to refer to him as Wolf, since it's pretty much a different person. OOC

Wolf's ears laid back against his head as he appreciatively sniffed the terrified girl that stood, no, trembled before him. He liked her scent, it was...familiar somehow, and that was comforting. He took another step forward before coming face to face with a large, glowing sword, brandished by a handsome youth that somehow looked AND smelled familiar.

"Girl, if I were you I'd run", he muttered without turning his head.

Wolf's eyes widened. He understood what the boy was saying, and he didn't want the girl to leave. He whined audibly as he took another step forward and recoiled when a small streak of blue electricity shot out from the sword and singed some of his fur. The sword had bit him!

His head snapped up, his ears perking at the rhythmic sound of impact on the ground. His keen eyes picked out the figure of another girl. He cautiously kept his distance from the menacing sword as he watched the raven-winged newcomer take off into a tree with the girl he had enjoyed the scent of. The winged girl also looked faintly familiar. Wolf's ears perked up again as he picke d up the tell-tale sounds of voices, and then the much more obvious sound of some poor creature rolling down a steep embankment. His eyes seemed to dance with amusement as another girl appeared, tumbling right in front of his monstrous hindfeet. One of his shiny claws twitched noticeably before coming to rest again.

The rustle of clothing and faint clinking of something metallic drew Wolf's eyes up in time to jump back a step as the youth with the stinging sword jumped forward in front of the red-haired girl. He was beginning to dislike this person, regardless of his familiar scent.

"Kyle, catch!", a voice yelled from somewhere above Wolf's head. His head swiveled up to see something hovering in the air, held aloft by white-feathered wings. A fiery looking sword fell from his hands into the handsome youth's outstretched off-hand. He whirled them expertly above his head, his cold, threatening eyes dancing with the light being cast by the two swords.

Wolf's lip curled, revealing ghostly-white fangs the size of steak-knives. He growled in a low rumble as his vision became wreathed in red again. He looked around the small clearing, his molten eyes searching for some weapon. He smiled sinisterly, or what passed for a smile concerning were-wolves, as he loped swiftly over to a fallen section of tree roughly six feet long and as big around as his waist. He bent over and dug both of his claws deep into the tough wood. He grunted as he lifted it effortlessly, holding it by one of its ends like a baseball bat on steroids. Walking lightly on feet, he approached the youth, still brandishing the two blazing weapons. He held the improvised club easily with one, bulging arm, as his other arm was kept alertly at his side, his fingers and claws flexing with the anticipation of
violence.

Wolf's nose twitched. It was a scent he hadn't smelled on the boy earlier. The intoxicating, sickly sweet stench of blood was emanating from the youth who stood before him. Blood that smelled very similiar to his own. Had he killed others of his kind before? He growled savagely as the bloodlust straining to be loosed coarsed through his body like white hot lightning, sharpening his senses and honing his awareness. Without a second thought he dashed forward, the tree whistled through the air as he swung it sideways in a fierce, broad stroke towards the person who reeked the evidence of killing Wolf's own kind.