Quest: Republic Rebels (Continued)

[Fate Mcloud]

[Dastan]

The moment they'd set off, Dastan had thought this was going to be an interesting trip. Not because of Fate's company, the Elf as always giving off an odd vibe that seemed to kill the mood no matter how Dastan had stirred things up. He was like a bucket of water on a camp-fire, just dousing everything with his emotionless face, ruining anything that Dastan could have managed to stir up with Jen Li, even though he was a part of the trouble he generally stirred up. Two days in their company had given Dastan enough of a gauge of the two of them, enough stock to tell that Fate was someone he still couldn't read, and that Jen Li was a temperamental murderous psychopath that was on her best behaviour. He occasionally got the impression that she was on a razor's edge between deciding to kill him in seven different inventive ways, but generally he could talk his way out of the situation easily enough.

As they'd travelled, Dastan had noticed that Fate disappeared at night, even though he tried to sneak off when he thought the two of them were sleeping. Dastan wondered when the odd Elf was going, many possibilities running through his mind, such as that he was working for the Rebels, tipping them off to their location, but he didn't seem the type that would go for something like that... well... Dastan couldn't figure out what 'type' he was in the first place. Another possibility that he'd come up with, was that the Elf was a Vampire, off hunting in the night, swooping down on unsuspecting victims, sucking them dry and leaving them for dead... that idea gave him a laugh, Vampires were meant to be witty, charming, almost glow with good looks... and Fate... he had all the personality of a wet sponge.

Jen Li though, was much more interesting to Dastan... mainly because he could play with her a lot easier than Fate, even if she managed to resist much of his prodding and probing into her psyche. He knew what kind of person she was; angry all the time, mutilated in some very traumatic event in her youth, probably all quite riveting stuff, but truthfully, Dastan didn't give two hoots about that, there were enough sob stories out there to sink a ship. Really, if he could get a dime for every sob story he'd heard, he'd be kicking back in Cullvorn with those Nobles, trading snobby stories and laughing at the poor... maybe something for another day though, that. Still, he was amazed by her self restraint, though also troubled by it, as normally he'd be able to put her in the palm of his hand, string her up and make her dance to his tune, but this one, she had some kind of mental steel the like of which he'd almost never met before. More than once he'd pushed a little harder than was wise, maybe letting his toe cross the line a little too far. On one occasion, he'd managed to rile her up so very effectively, she'd drawn her blade and had a nice long tirade at him... if he weren't quite afraid she was about to kill him, he would have gotten quite the laugh out of the situation.

By and large, the trip was uneventful, bar Jen Li's little tirade, the quiets were night, the days were dull and overcast, the horses were steady, and his legs were stiff when they set up camp, his tongue venting much pent up stress. When the trio finally arrived at Kalis Aye, a town in western Amanndor, and around the same region as Eagle Point, he couldn't be more thankful, almost believing that there was some kind of Gods, and that they were merciful... but cruel, sick and twisted beings for putting him through this. Still, he chose to be slightly optimistic, at least about the prospects of having a bit more entertainment in civilisation, the chances of finding someone that wouldn't make him want to rob them blind and seduce their wives, he thought, were rather slim.

As they rode into the town, Dastan counted the taverns and pubs about the place, the town thriving off travellers passing through western Amanndor, either going in or out of the region, it didn't really matter to them, as long as they decided to stop and whet their whistle while they were passing through. Dastan let Fate take the lead again, as the stopped outside a reasonably loud sounding tavern, full of men laughing, and probably drinking. By the look of the place, it was above the board, looked like it was a respectable kind of place, not the kind of place that someone like Jen Li would normally frequent... a barn seemed more her style really. "Yes, yes, you go off to do whatever it is you do when you're alone." He said to Fate, flicking his hand at him, shooing him off as he turned to walk into the tavern. "If it's more your style I won't question if you want to stay with the horses and share their trough." He sneered over his shoulder at Jen Li, as he walked into the smell of ale and pipe smoke.

[Jen Li]

It took two whole days to get from Amanndor City to the town of Kalis Aye, but it felt more like two long years. It wasn't as if the rate we were proceeding at was exceptionally slow or akin to a snail’s pace, but just being with these guys kept every second feeling like an eternity. They were pretty much unbearable, although I had to admit that one was more tolerable than the other. I had to be thankful that Fate at least kept to himself the whole time, even if his pompous attitude and icy cool affront annoyed me almost as much as Dastan's loud, crude and aggravating behaviour. Still, Dastan managed to steal the show and rake himself in a prize of being the most frustrating man on the planet. By the time we got to Kalis Aye, I had lost count of all the times we'd berated with each other, the times I'd blown up at him and even the times I drew my blade and threatened to cut him into dust and scatter him throughout the winds. Yes, he truly was that persistent, that infuriating. If I hadn't have been on my best behaviour the entire time, it was likely he'd be found lying in a ditch somewhere, hidden in a bush somewhere, thrown up a tree somewhere and possibly tossed into a stream somewhere; I'd distribute the pieces that were left of him of course.


When we at last rode into town, we naturally headed for the stables. I’d grown quite fond of the old mare in the time we'd spent together, so I was somewhat eager to get the poor girl some rest. I felt she deserved it, if not just for putting up with me then for her stellar performance in pretending like she didn't hate my guts. Although the tavern just ahead was pretty ear-splitting, this was the nearest stable in town and since I didn't know if the place inhabited anymore, this just had to do. Either way, when I put the poor girl to rest inside, she didn't seem to mind so much. I let slip of a soft and heartening smile as she nasalized her gratitude, but nothing made me smile more than to hear of Fate's passing. He wasn't going anywhere permanently regrettably, but just the fact that he was leaving at all made me happy and grin from ear to ear. I didn't much appreciate his tone though, the tone he'd been using this whole forsaken trip, the tone that suggested he owned us, that we were not equals by any stretch of the imagination. I quickly took a glance toward Dastan in that moment, wondering what he'd make of his boyfriend wandering off again, leaving him to my mercy, but he seemed to take the news with a grain of salt. His encouraging words seemed sarcastic to me, making me smirk a little, but I resumed my focus onto the mare soon enough; I could care less about either of those idiots really.

[Dastan]

The tavern as much as Dastan expected, and he was pleased at the fact. There were drunken men, harassed looking barmaids, and a thin cloud of pipe smoke nestled comfortably inches above his head. This was his environment, his natural habitat, the place where he shined the most, at least, with his more subtle techniques, bar fights were much too easy and simple for him. Taking in a deep breath, Dastan stepped in, walking across the room, bumping into one or two red faced men, who by all accounts he should have been able to avoid easily. By the time he'd arrived at the bar counter, his pocket was laden with more than a few liberated coins, ready to be put to his own use. The drunkards wouldn't notice, and by all means, Dastan was doing them a favour by ending their night before it got to the point of guessing what each other ate for dinner, from the regurgitated remains on the street.

With a smile to the Barman, Dastan looked around before he ordered. "Something a little harder for me..." He said, just loud enough for the Barman, but soft enough to escape the ears of any listeners. With the exchange of a coin or two, Dastan turned and leaned back against the bar, his eyes scanning from face to face, his ears scanning from conversation to conversation. He wanted any information he could get about the little town of Eagle Point, and he guessed from where it was, that it wasn't a common travelling or trading stop, like Kalis Aye. He was looking for a trader of some sort, perhaps a group of haggard looking men, the Plains of Rodonmir had never truly been an easy or safe place to traverse. In his hand was a small glass of an amber liquid, he took a small sip, and his eyes found their mark, a group of four men, burly and very drunk already. The thing that marked them out from the rest, was that instead of being unsteady on their feet and singing badly and loudly, they were unsteady in their seats, and whispering to each other, pointing and making sure nobody could hear their speculations.

Dastan grinned and downed the glass, before he turned to the Barman, waving his hand to call him back over. "Gimme another ten shots." He said, a half smile still holding on his face. "And a tray." The Barman didn't question, but went by pouring out the glasses and putting them on a wooden tray for the customer, before shuffling off to pour more watered down ale for some other plastered traveller. Dastan for his part, took the tray and slipped this way and that through the crowded room, till he was before the table. "Excuse me, Gents, I just came from the east, off a bit of profitable trade over in Morzonia, and I thought I should share my wealth. Care for a few extra drinks?" He asked, placing the tray, laden with alcohol, down on the table.

The group of men all turned to look at Dastan, and then at the drinks, their minds trying to make up whether they wanted more booze, or whether they didn't trust this stranger. Eventually, the men gave a cheer and patted him on the back, welcoming Dastan to the table, each of them taking one of the drinks and knocking them back. Dastan for his part, took another and sipped lightly before his eyes scanned around the men. There were two Humans, an Elf and strangely enough, a Dwarf in the group, he supposed they were traders, their clothes, while dirty, looked to have been of fine make at one point, and would have looked rather impressive if they were clean. "So, where do you men hail from?" He asked, deciding to use a Cullvornian accent, guessing the Humans in the group were from the Capitol.

The small gambit worked, and the Humans gave him a look before opening up, telling him, with many a slurred word, where all the men hailed from, and giving their names. Dastan barely registered their names before they moved onto their tale of being traders that handled supplies and the like, foodstuff and cloths, and occasionally ores from time to time when Gehenna was willing to give them a good price. And without even asking, they went on to tell of a really profitable trade they'd made up north in a town called Eagle Point, making a bundle from bringing Ores of all kinds to the town. After this point, their voices died down, and in whispers they began to gossip like a group of old women at afternoon tea, about strange things going on up at that place, too much hustle and bustle for a small town like that, far too lively.

Dastan grinned as they willing gave him all he needed. He guessed that his little fact finding mission would be much easier than he though, as the men continued to regale him with stories of how much those Elves were willing to pay them and how much they'd wrung out of them. Dastan made sure to get the attention of any barmaids that came past, to bring him and his companions more and more drinks, and with the looks he gave and received from some of those barmaids, they all seemed to have fixed a route that made sure to pass him every few minutes. Dastan didn't drink nearly as much as the other men, keeping a slow enough pace to keep himself enjoying himself, but not too far to lose focus and forget anything he found out. He would let these men drink themselves stupid and get any and all information out of them, before he cut purse and made off in the night... he glanced at one of the barmaids that were eyeing him up... perhaps he'd make off in the morning...

[Jen Li]

Although I was a little unable to believe my luck at first, I soon settled into the idea and let it wash over me like warm, soapy water. The inn had graciously provided a bath tub, filling it mostly with the water they had warmed over the fire before topping it up with the fresh, chilly water from the nearby spring. Not only that, but some perfumed oils had been decanted into the water as a bonus, filling the atmosphere with a luxurious florid scent. They didn’t take too much convincing really, a couple of shiny gold coins flashing passed their noses and they were all too eager to help me out. I couldn’t complain about anything, for a change, and was happy to sit and soak in my loneliness for a while. It was great to finally be alone at last, there was only so much I could take from other people, especially people who were as snotty as Fate and were as foul as Dastan. Nope, even the inn itself was devoid of much life. I had to imagine that most of the townsfolk kept themselves occupied over at the taverns in the evenings, lubricating their hardened muscles and hydrating their rough skins with enough beer to drown an army. The only people that were with me at the inn were those who were forced to work here and since I told them to leave me alone, pretend like I didn’t exist, they took the order literally and began chatting directly outside my bedroom door…


“Well ya know what I ‘eard don’t ya?” The voice of an older, though grouchy lady pierced through the thick wood of the door as if it were only made of paper. “Yeah, what’s that?” Replied a younger, higher voice almost dully as if not really taking an interest in what this other woman had to say, feigning interest really, amusing the old bat out of obligation by the sound of it. “Well I ‘eard that those Amanndorians are really under the thumb of their governments, practically slaves they are!” She roared, her sides splitting in laughter for a second before she seemed to realise the younger girl was hardly listening, probably too busy actually doing her job; though most likely not. “Is that so?” She muttered at last, her tone still as dry and dreary as it had been all night. The girl had probably been dreaming of a life far, far away somewhere. It was her ambition to leave this place, find a rich handsome man in a decadent city somewhere and marry him, live in the lap of luxury for the rest of her life. Instead, she was stuck here, sweeping floors, dusting furniture, washing the dishes, polishing the silver; this wasn’t supposed to be how she would end up, this wasn’t her dream!


“Yeah, that is so!” Countered the belligerent old woman within a heartbeat. “They’re fed with silver spoons from the moment they’re born and it’s just so as to mask the problem, keep ‘em ‘appy so they don’t be starting asking any questions about what’s really going on. They’re so high in the clouds they can’t see Maia’s slippin’ away under their feet!” The youth softly hummed her reply, knowing full well that the cranky old crone would still have more to say on the matter very soon and wouldn’t give her the chance to say any more than that, even if she were to agree with her. “They’ve lost touch with the world they have, their government’s just a group of farty old men looking to hoard as much power as they can, get away with as much gold as they can before leaving those people in ruins and wondering what the heck happened! We all know it, everybody knows it, just most of ‘em can’t see it. They’ll see it soon enough though…” As the elder female’s words came to a close, they also followed into a whisper. It just so happened that it had been the most interesting part of the conversation too. Still, I didn’t have to pay too much attention to hear her scratchy words crackling through the door; she’d whispered those last drops of knowledge, but they’d still been fairly loud.


“Interesting…” I uttered softly to myself before my gaze drifted to the cream ceiling above. Normally I would keep my thoughts to myself, but since I were alone, I felt free enough to talk out loud, allowing the echo of my voice to whisper back to me and reiterate my thoughts. “So the Amanndor government is just a bunch of bad old thugs running people’s lives for them, only looking out for themselves and the poor old Republicans are the good guys, eh? They’re just so hard done by aren’t they…” Smirking, I looked to the door with amusement lingering in my hard features. “Sounds like they needed to justify themselves in stirring up trouble and disrupting the peace to me. Why they’d bother I’ll never know, but I guess it’s fairly ironic really. The Regime plays them, That Man plays them, and strings them a line they can use against the enemy…” My smirk softened into a deadly smile, my gaze still fixed upon the door in a train of thought. “How very interesting.” I repeated, my voice whirring like a whisper. My suspicions deepening, it made me anxious to think that we would be reaching Eagle Point very soon. When the morning came, we’d be making our way across the Plains of Rodonmir and heading into the town before we’d know it. I just hoped we were prepared for what was to come, I hoped all of us were really. Maybe it was best to get some shut eye real soon…

[Fate Mcloud]

After an hour or so of looking Fate found the tavern he set out for on almost the opposite side of town. It was everything he knew it would be. Run down, dirty, falling apart, and still seemingly drawing in customers. A sign, hanging crookedly above the door was to ruined to read completely but the second word was 'Refuge'. For a moment Fate wondered what the first word was, but pushed the thought aside and entered the establishment. The inside was only slightly less worn down then the outside and its inhabitants seemed as much a part of the decorum as the tables and chairs. Those at the bar were either busy trying drowning themselves in brew or already trying to sleep off the affects of the drink. Only one of them appeared to not be drunk. The tables in the center of the room were not full, but all but a few were occupied. Those who sat by themselves nursed a cup and picked at some meat before them. Only two such people were present. Those who sat with others conversed quietly amongst themselves and sipped at their drinks. There was only one group consisting of four people. The tables along the side of the room were occupied by more shady characters. They had no drinks with them and watched the others carefully as they conversed with another across from them. There were three such groups along the side of the tavern. Two of them had looked up at Fate, but saw another elf and quickly went back to their business. The last seemed to intent on his conversation to notice the knew arrival. As walked to the bar Fate began searching through the minds of the men and elves in the room just as his eyes had searched their bodies moments ago. The sleeping man at the bar was to far into unconscious to yield anything lucid. The one that was not far enough in his drink to succumb to sleep was contemplating killing himself ad wondering if anyone would care if he went through with it. The one that was not drinking at all was simply waiting for the serving girl to finish for the night so he could take her home. His thoughts also revealed a worry for the girl who was apparently his wife and her current job. The thoughts of the two who ate food by themselves revealed they were simple travelers down on their luck and unable to afford a more expensive meal. The group of four men, three elves, a human, and a dwarf were appeared to be merchants trying to find away to turn their failing businesses around and were looking to others in the same situation for advice.

It was exactly the crowd that Fate had expected. All of them, aside from the one waiting for his wife, were for one reason or another dealing with difficulties in life. Because he could go no further then their surface thoughts, Fate was not able to find out exactly why each was in their current situation. The drunken man at the bar was to busy contemplating the ways he would kill himself. Thankfully his imagination was not very vivid and the drink was slowing his thoughts because Fate was sure had the thought of blood entered the mans mind a hunt would have ensued. After all who miss such a person who seemed to have no ties to the outside world. Fate pushed the thoughts aside with difficulty. He was here for other reasons. As he reached the last seat at the bar Fate's mind finally reached those seated along the side. The first man, one of those who had looked up when fate had entered, was dwelling on the business before him. Apparently he was being hired to kill someone, but he wasn't sure if it was worth the risk. After a few moments of waiting Fate was able to hear the answer as to why someone would need such a service, and the following no that the man gave the person seeking his aid. It did not involve the rebels at all. The second man, who had also taken notice of Fate and also dismissed him, was blocked to Fate's mental probe. The one he spoke to, however, had as open a mind as any. They were discussing some form of smuggling involving the city of Ammandor.

As Fate waited for any hint as to what they were smuggling the Bartender came over to him. It would be suspicious to enter a bar and not order anything so with a quick word Fate asked for a mug of cheap ale.

When it was revealed that they were smuggling some form of herb and not any weapons or armor Fate moved his mind to the last group in the bar. The conversation, which had been involved before, seemed to have grown heated. Both of their minds swarmed with thoughts and emotions. The one talking felt angry at some kind of betrayal, and was trying to convince the other who only shook his head and repeatedly said no to apologize for said betrayal and return. The man who was shaking his head was afraid that he had been found and wondering how he would escape. Among the ideas that occurred to him was killing the man who found him. The man considered it for a moment but decided he didn't know who else knew he was here. In his mind the man imagined elves hunting him down for murder, believing that those willing to rebel against the Council for wrongs would also being willing to hunt him down for any wrongs he committed. After all he wasn't necessary to them, never had been. The only reason the other was there trying to convince him was because they were related.

Fate quickly pulled his mind away before he became any more engrossed in the man's thoughts and lost sight of the real world. Just in time to as his drink had just arrived. Fate took a deep swig of the beer, disliking the taste but loathing to break his anonymity but rejecting it. The angry man seemed to finally give up on convincing the frightened man and stormed out of the bar. Those who weren't to drunk to notice watched him leave, Fate also watched the man walk out and feigned mild curiosity on his face. An amateur would have followed the man leaving and tried gin information from him. Fate however knew that a deserter would prove far more pliable to threats, especially one who fled out of cowardice. A quick peak into the frightened mans mind told Fate that he would be hear for a while, most likely to drown his troubles in the drink as some of the others had taken too doing. Fate emptied his own cup and left a coin on the able in payment for it then walked out the door. As soon as the door closed Fate took a quick account of the area around him. It had grown dark since his entering and few were on the streets in this area. None had noticed him yet so Fate was able to the side of the building and shroud himself in an illusion of invisibility without raising any alarm. Now he had to wait.

[Fate Mcloud]

Because he could not see the man, and because he was busy fogging his mind with alcohol, Fate was unable to make a connection with his thoughts. This meant he had to rely on his improved senses to see when someone was leaving. Since he was loathe to fill his mind with the stench that was often associated with such establishments, he fell to using his hearing. There was little movement in the building itself and whatever conversations that were being carried on in those walls were being done in voices to low for him to hear clearly. This left Fate's mind with little to occupy itself on. So he turned it to the thoughts of those few who traveled the streets now. The thoughts accompanying these minds were predictable. One or two were able to escape Fate's scrutiny, either through the unlikely training they would need or the more readily occurring natural resistance some people seemed to have. One such person was that obstinate women Jen. His thoughts turning to his traveling companions Fate briefly wondered where they were and made a mental note to at least check up on Dastan, who was not the kind of person who should be left to his own devices lest he start causing trouble.

At the sound of the door opening Fate's training took precedence and his thoughts returned to task at hand. the person was in fact the very elf he was waiting for, drunk and swaying out the tavern. Fate quietly followed behind the man, making sure to keep track of his motions as well as his thoughts. It did not seem necessary though, the man's thoughts were as confused and unfocused as his steps. It was a wonder the man could stand at all nonetheless walk. This might cause trouble. Sometimes a drunkard did react in the way he would be intended to in certain situations. Threats seem less daunting when seen through the haze of inebriation. Fate might very well have to scare him sober. As the man's steps carried him passed a particularly dark alley Fate made his move. With speed some might actually have trouble even seeing Fate grabbed the man and pulled him into the concealing shadows between the two buildings. The elf did not react as quickly as others in his situation might, his mind sluggish and confused. This gave Fate the opportunity to cover the mans mouth before he could cry out for help. At the same time he slammed the man against the walk and picked him up off the ground by the collar of his neck.

Only when he was sure he had secured the man did Fate reveal himself. However, instead of letting the illusion go, he simply spread it over his captive as well. It would give them a great deal of privacy. Upon seeing him the elf immediately recognized what he was and attempted to break free from Fate's grip. Fate simply pulled the man away from the wall and slammed him back against it. The wind knocked out of him, the elf became subdued. In low voice, so as to not be over heard, Fate began speaking to the man. His voice raised a chill in the air that traveled up the elf's spine and cause him to involuntarily shiver. "I am not going to feed on you. I have questions. You will answer them. You don't, you die." The elf, unable to say anything, only nodded. The muddled affects of the alcohol seemed to have cleared up, at least temporarily. Perhaps being dragged into an alley way by an invisible assailant had done it.

"Where are the rebels?" The elf spoke into Fate's hand, unable to get anything intelligible out. His mind however clearly rang in a panicked tone 'Eagle point'.

"Do you know where specifically in Eagle Point?" The elf's surprise was evident on his face but after being slammed into the wall behind him again he answered. 'No'.

"Why don't you know where they are? You were one of them yes?" 'I only spread rumors for them, I never actually went to the base. My cousin said it would be safer if I didn't know anything more.'

That was ironic. That bit of information would have probably been the only thing that would have stayed his hand when it came time to ending this interrogation.

"Why did you leave the rebels?" 'I heard word that the government was hiring mercenaries to deal with us. I also heard that the guys at eagle point were doing the same. I was willing to spend a few hours a day telling stories but getting in the middle of a civil war is not what I had in mind.'

"Do you know who the rebels found to assist them? Do they know who the government found?" 'No, no. I never heard anything, not even a name for either group.'

"Can you think of anything else that you know about the rebels?" 'No. I was never really involved. I was only in it for the coins.'

"All right then, one more question. How well can you swim?" Fate could see the confusion on the elf's face as his thoughts wondered about the seemingly random query. It was only a moment though before he realized that They didn't seem to be in the alley anymore. Though it was still dark out, the sound of waves crashing against the shore was easily heard. The elf looked below him, terrified at the change of scenery. They now appeared to be on a cliff, far above the ocean. Fate was no longer holding him against the wall of some building, he was no holding him over the edge of the cliff jutting out over the seas. For a moment, just a moment, the man's thoughts began to wonder if it was just a dream. Then Fate dropped him. Even though Fate had seemed to let goo him and subsequently uncovered his mouth, his screams sounded muffled. His mind was another story. Terror rang true in his thoughts. The impact with the water seemed to hurt him, but he survived that. However he seemed unable to pull himself to the surface of the water. Something seemed to be dragging him down. The elf's lungs burned for air and when they could wait no longer they forced him to open his mouth. Instead of air though, the elf took in a great deal of water. Moments passed and his struggles subsided. Fate followed the man's thoughts to the brink of death itself. And then he was gone.

In truth, only the elf's death had been real. Fate still held him aloft in the dark alley way against a wall. The body in his grasp was now limp. Fate dropped it to the ground and removed the cover of his illusion from it, using all of his will to not look at the wasted meal. Fate moved quickly away from the alley and headed straight for the nearest edge of the town. Then as quickly as he could he found a rabbit to feed on and drained it dry. His thirst at least partially sated, Fate returned to the town. He realized that the sun was just beginning to rise and went for his horse at the stables he had left it at. As he was walking to the road he had told the others he would wait at, a human beggar wearing all rags and leaning heavily on a beat up cane moved from one person to another on the rode asking for coin, humming an off key song when he was not talking to others. Fate only paid a small amount of attention to the man, seeing little threat in him. Just as he passed him though the beggar turned to Fate and held out his hand. "A little coin for a man down on his luck good sir?"

Like all of the others, Fate ignored the man's question and continued walking, pulling a nervous horse behind him. Unlike all the other times though instead of leaving Fate alone, the beggar chose to grab Fate's arm. "Please sir just a little coin." Fate attempted to wrench his arm from the beggars grasp but found the human had a solid grip. In fact, instead of breaking free of the beggars grasp, the man pulled Fate closer. "Drowning a man in his own thoughts is not very subtle fledgling. But it does speak favorably of your style."

Fate reeled around to get a good look at the beggar, but found he was alone on the road with his horse, who jumped at Fate's sudden action. Fate opened his mind and began searching all around for the thoughts of another. Briefly they touched upon a mind that seemed to allow it for a moment before pulling itself back. The mind was like none Fate had ever touched before. It seemed infinite in its complexity and was moving to fast for Fate to even feel much less comprehend. When it pulled away Fate felt, for the first time in a long time, utterly alone. with nothing else to do Fate turned around and began walking toward the road again, where he would wait for the others.

This trip had already proved to be far more interesting then could be expected. By the time Fate reached the edge of the town the majority of the populace began to stir from their beds. His thoughts however were to occupied to take notice of this event, to busy wondering if he would encounter the beggar again. Something told him that if he did, it would not be anytime soon.

[Dastan]

With a slight groan, Dastan opened his eyes. There was a light the just managed to filter in through the shutters on the window, not even enough to dimly illuminate the room. Dastan blearily looked around himself, feeling his head pound unhealthily as he did, sheets tangled around him hindering his movement. His eyes, already adjusted to the dark after a night's sleep, could see the sparsely furnished room, a little mirror stand on the other side, a chair and the bed being the only decorations in the room, the rest was plain wood. Dastan hazily attempted to remember what happened the night before, and managed to recall most of arriving at the town, till some time though the night, where he'd decided to congratulate himself with a few drinks... he heard a deep inhale next to him, and he looked to his left, a woman, curled up under the sheets, her hair messed and a satisfied looked plastered on her unconscious face... he must have congratulated himself with a bit more than just a drink... he grinned at his conquest as he turned and got out of the bed.

Stumbling quietly around the room, Dastan gathered his clothes and dressed, quite skilled at a silent getaway in the morning. His progress was hindered by the procession of armed forces that seemed to be passing through his head, but after a few minutes, his pants were on and he'd gotten his boots on the right feet. He slowly opened the door and closed it behind him, making sure he didn't wake the barmaid from the night before. When he was finally in the clear, Dastan wiped a hand across his brow, before he threw his scarf around his neck and head, pulling it up to cover his face. He didn't have the time to fix himself up, and guessed that he looked a mess at the moment... if he had a chance, he'd have to wash his face before they set off...

He wasn't exactly sure what time it was, but by the lack of a barman at the counter behind the bar downstairs, and a lack of customers, he guessed that it was too early for them to be in drowning their sorrows, or giving themselves a treat after a job well done, even in a stop over town like Kalis Aye. Grinning a little more at his luck, he slipped out of the building without even paying for the room, by all accounts, the experience the barmaid had the night before would have been more than enough compensation. Outside, the light didn't seem much better than in his room, a twilight hour glow all around, as if it was the hours before dawn, but the fresh eye'd people that were just starting to come and go in the main street told him that it must have been a little later on in the morning.

Out in the street, the budding noise of the hustle and bustle felt like someone was prodding his brain with a sharp stick every few minutes, and while his stomach didn't feel like it was going to relieve him of whatever it was he'd eaten the night before, it did still feel like every step he took was a somersault. He didn't relish the idea of riding on a horse for the rest of the day in this condition, but he guessed he'd either have to man up, or walk, and he didn't think he'd enjoy the decision to walk across the Rodonmir Plains. Looking around, Dastan tracked his steps from the night before, back to the stable where the horses were, and probably where he'd find Jen Li, cuddled up with the animals.

Rather to his disappointment, when he'd gotten back to the stable, the cripple of a woman was absent, maybe having found a pig sty somewhere that suited her better. When he approached his horse, it stepped away, snorting a warning to him, not recognising him with his face covered, and his smell covered in alcohol and women. Dastan slowly held out one hand for the horse to sniff as he pulled his scarf down, revealing his face, the horse looking to be calm again before it snorted... and licked his hand. "Yes, yes, I look like hell, I don't need an animal to tell me that." He said, squinting at the horse. he took the opportunity to pull out his little mirror and check himself, his bloodshot eyes and unshaven face... well, his unshaven face gave him a more rugged handsomeness, but his eyes just made him look hungover.

Dastan sighed and walked over to the water trough for the horses. He would have preferred to have had a wash basin or a bath of some kind, but he'd done worse than this before, and beggars couldn't be choosers. He pulled off his scarf and dunked his head into the water, pulling it out and scrubbed his face with his hands, before he swept his hair back. He was lucky to have the kind of hair that always settled in just the right way, always looking good. After making sure that he looked satisfactory, he reset his scarf around his head and neck, and returned to take the reigns of the horse. "Alright, I assume I'm up to your standards now?" He muttered, before leading it out of the stables. He was to meet the other two at the edge of town, so he guessed he might as well get on to it, deciding to walk the horse rather than ride it... he still wasn't sure if he'd regret walking or riding the rest of the way anymore.

[Jen Li]

The light filtered in through the dusty old windows in hues of grey and brown, dirty and yet beautiful as the room brightened just a touch. I couldn’t believe how quiet it was in the morning, I was used to being first awoken by my sense of hearing; there was always something or someone making a noise. Lazily I widened my gaze, taking in this dank splendour for a moment or two before bothering to sit up. It was also strange how comfortable I felt here, all snuggled up in a warm bed, my will failing to pull me out of this nonchalant haze. The night before was like trying to sleep in a barnyard. The bed felt as though it was made out of earth and hay and then around the early hours of the morning all the farm animals were turning in for the night. My sleep was being pretty much constantly disturbed and yet, when I awoke in the morning, the bed felt luxurious, the room seemed beautiful and for a change, I actually felt refreshed. Given the chance, I probably would have just laid there for a couple of more hours, but as it was, I had a job to be getting on with that just wouldn’t wait.


Slipping free from the soft sheets, my feet touched down almost instantly on the cold wooden floor. Yawning and stretching, I took my time in waking up and getting myself ready and able to greet the day. I had to prepare myself for dealing with those idiots again, no doubt they’d do their best to irritate me into further insanity the minute we met up again. It was good to get away from them and as I glanced longingly back at the comfortable space I had slept in, I really regretted having to leave. Unfortunately, it couldn’t be helped. It wasn’t my regular deal to get stuck with a job I just had to complete, but usually when I made a deal, signed a contract, I was honourable enough to stick with it. Dastan and Fate were really trying my patience, but no matter how enraged I got at them, I refused to let myself have the pleasure of cutting them down. The Amanndorian government had lectured me long enough to let me know how serious they were about not spilling any blood, I assumed that meant for my travelling companions as well. Besides, deep down, I had my doubts that I could get on with this job without them. As soon as we were done, I’d make sure to have my fun then.


Gathering my weapons, my clothes and all the other gear I was carrying, I made my way to the door of the inn room. Pausing for a moment, I looked toward the window and watched the grey clouds slowly drift about the sky, never once revealing a drop of pure sunlight as they did though. The heavens looked almost as hostile of the world below it and I couldn’t imagine what must be going on up there beyond that thick, ghastly veil. Whatever the case though, it couldn’t be good. I shrugged a little before pulling the door open and heading out; there was nothing I could do and so there was no point wasting my time thinking about it. I travelled quickly down the stairs toward the front desk, my feet moving both rapidly and skilfully so as not to trip. Once I reached the counter, the woman behind bowed her head in greeting, but I didn’t have the time to waste with the pleasantries. I coughed up the coins for the bill and was on my way quicker than she could work up a gratifying courtesy. I wasn’t about to be late, I would never hear the end of it.


Walking the dusty paths upon the brink of dawn was somewhat pleasant, even if I weren’t really paying all that much attention to my surroundings. As my eye began to wander though, my pace soon slowed to a crawl and then I couldn’t help but to take in the sights. A stop-off point though it was, really, Kalis Aye wasn’t really all that bad of a town. It seemed somewhat familiar, the livelihood was simple, no-fuss and peaceful and while the majority of the folk appeared to preoccupy their evenings with drinking far too much, in the light of dawn, the town took on a civilised look. Both men and women worked the land, although not in the traditional sense that I was used to. The Elves were strange and had strange ways about them, so they had adopted a different approach when it came to dealing with life. Nothing ever seemed like toil to them and life seemed to come easy, but nevertheless there was still a great deal of tension in the air; you’d have to be blind to miss it. With Ork Tooth Reef and Bandit’s Bay lingering ominously in the east, it was right to be a little uneasy about its current disposition. Still, that didn’t stop the people trying to squeeze every little coin out of your hand though. No matter what direction you looked, there was always someone wanting you to buy something…


“I think that’s enough sight-seeing for now.” I muttered, enforcing myself to pick up the pace again and be on my way. I didn’t know whether or not I’d be alone at the meeting spot, but as long as I wasn’t late, I was content. Fate and Dastan were pretty much as unpredictable as they were a pain in the rear, which probably just enhanced the fact that they annoyed me. Anyway, I just didn’t know if I could rely on either one of them. Upon approaching the stables though, I noticed that something was different; one of our horses had been taken already. I moved with a bit of caution to the mare, touching a warm hand to the bridge of her nose as if to affectionately greet her. “Hello darling.” I spoke softly, my tone cold, but not aloof as I readied her for our departure. “Looks like someone’s already been here, huh. Come on, better catch up.” She snorted and kicked up a bit of dust as I hurried her along, probably irritated by the fact that we were setting out on the road again. I couldn’t say I was all that happy to be getting on either, but I wasn’t about to take any lip from a horse. Ignoring her opposition and complaints, I kept my brash pace and the horse followed suit eventually. Right now she was in no mood to have a passenger, but by the time we got to the edge of town, her mood seemed to subside a bit and I at last straddled the mare.


Unfortunately though, by the time I got to the edge of town, I so certainly wasn’t alone. Dastan had made it and I wasn’t best pleased to see him. As we settled up alongside him, I made a point of showing how happy I was to be next to him by pretty much ignoring his existence. I had however passed him a glance and quickly regretted it though, so it was a smart move on my part. He almost looked as bad as he smelt, but the potency of his odour was not something to be sniffed at. Like some inebriated tramp you’d walk the city to avoid, Dastan stood blearily beside his horse. Maybe he had taken his own advice the other night and had in fact curled up with the animals, I could only hope he didn’t rub off on them and cause their owners some disdain. He was such a sorry piece of flesh which just amazed me all the more when I considered how he could have survived this long. I supposed that the same could be said for me when our race was all around us dying, dropping like flies along a window sill; it was amazing how any of us survived really. Still, it stood to reason that our kind was dying as even now when faced with extinction, we’d rather think about our own egos than try to help one another. I ignored him for as long as I could bare it…


At first I hadn't seen him there, but as I rode up closer to Dastan and passed the idiot another look out of habit, I recognised Fate had been waiting there all this time. So here it was, I was the last to leave our group and the last to return to the group; it really irritated me having to be in last place twice now. All I could do was force my rage and embarrassment into a tight fist and convince myself that this wasn't exactly a race anyway. It was all I could do but to not burst into flames, but still, something had to be said now that we were all together again. Since the other two were busy being silent, full of themselves and hung over, I decided I'd better be the one to make the morning announcement. "Well what are we waiting for guys?" I asked them, quirking a brow as I instructed the horse to ride on up in front of them both, opposing the road ahead. "It's dawn, we're all accounted for, let's move it." A grin cracked in my still and serious features, I was ready and made it clear that there was no point in hanging about like this, all we were waiting on now was for them to make their move.

[Fate Mcloud]

The first to arrive was Dastan looking and smelling worse then usual. Most people would be able to take in the smell and then ignore it. Fate was for the first time regretting his enhanced senses. The man looked like he had been up all night drinking, and his thoughts revealed a stabbing pain every time a sound was louder then normal. Fate wondered for a moment if the man truly was a fool. It was possible that he got some information by sharing a drink with the right people, but after asking such questions then becoming inebriated was a risk in itself. Fate hoped Jen had at least found something, even a confirmation of what he had heard from the deserter would be useful. Jen arrived just as the though crossed Fates mind and Fate saw that she didn't seemed to have got drunk like the other human. Weather by her intentions or by some twisted fate Jen's mind was one that could not be read. Annoying to say the least especially given how often she appeared.

[Dastan]

As Dastan made his way to the meeting point, he slowly started to feel better about his chances of feeling well enough to actually ride his horse, instead of having to walk it across the Plains of Rodonmir. His stomach was thankfully settling enough that the ground didn't feel like it was tilting to and fro every few steps, but his head still throbbed every time someone was obnoxious enough to speak in anything over a loud whisper. It was not as if he had not had any experience at this before, in fact, he'd been in this position so many times in the last few years, that he knew that as long as he got enough water in him, and stayed away from any more alcohol, he should make a near full recovery before noon. The part that worried him was the fact that they were going out into the Plains of Rodonmir with limited resources, and he needed quite a bit of water...

When he arrived, he wasn't exactly pleased to see the Elf waiting there for him, though his facial expression did not change. There was something about the man that he didn't like, he couldn't exactly put his finger on it, but he just rubbed him the wrong way, he didn't sit right with him. Dastan knew there was more to the Elf than he was letting on, but as of yet, he couldn't figure it out. Either way, he pushed the thoughts aside, instead deciding to keep a casual silence. He nodded tenderly to the Elf in greeting, but outside of that, kept his mouth closed to wait for their final, crippled, crabby, possibly deranged, companion. He wasn't sure what her story was, but he'd seen people like her before, so caught up in their own little sad tale of a life, that they thought the entire world was one giant conspiracy against them... she was just the first one he'd seen that had been driven so far insane by whatever happened that she'd tried to take on the world. Kudos to her for her bravado.

It wasn't all that long before the one eye'd cripple showed up, but by all accounts, she seemed a different woman. No less crippled, and no less crabby looking, definitely still grumpy, but she had an air about her that he had not seen; she looked clean. It was rather amazing the level of difference it seem to make... he supposed that if she wasn't a one eye'd cripple psychopath, she might be worth wooing, but, the glass was half empty, she had to have gone and ruined her chances by getting herself mutilated. With a small sigh, Dastan turned to his horse as she arrived, her and her lover exchanging their greetings before the decision to move on was silently made by the Elf. Dastan grimaced for a moment, before he slipped his boot into the stirrup, and hoisted himself up onto the horse, and quite to his expectation, his stomach continued to flip and roll around for a moment or two after he'd settled himself.

The Elf seemed to be interested in both of their night time activities, though Dastan had already assumed that the Elf and the cripple had spent the night in a passionate embrace... of some kind... perhaps he was wrong for once though. Dastan decided to get his piece of news out of the way first, so that he could concentrate on keeping his stomach settled on the swaying saddle, the swaying of the horse as it moved doing it no favours. "I had an interesting conversation with a few fine gentlemen that had come back from a town to the north, Eagle Point. They seemed to have made quite the profit, trading ores and metals up there... though they said they did not know what a small fishing village would need so much iron for..." He sat back a little in his saddle and took a breath, letting it out in a slow sigh. "Far too much activity for a little, remote place like that, quite suspicious, wouldn't you say?" Dastan's eyes locked on the back of the Elf's head, thinking about his suspicions of him for a moment, before he reached down to the horse's saddlebag, rummaging around till he found a waterskin, taking a few small swigs before he rested it in his lap. He'd be needing a bit more than that today.

[Jen Li]

It wasn’t long before we finally began moving again, our destination clear in our minds; we’d pass through the Plains of Rodonnmir to get to Eagle Point. I really hadn’t heard much about these places; pretty much all of Amanndor was something of a mystery to me. It never paid to give the place any of my attention and since there was only so much of my memory to go around, Amanndor just got sort of left out of the equation. Of course I couldn’t let the other two know that and when Dastan began to speak about his findings, leaving things on a sort of suspicious rhetoric note, I just mentally shrugged my shoulders and kept pretty quiet. I felt their eyes turn on me though, expecting me up next to share with them my findings since we were suddenly a team now, but I just cast a discerning glare their way. Besides the propaganda that had been circulating around, those women hadn’t really given much more away. The older lady mentioned something about an uprising coming, that something was about to happen soon, but maybe she learned some wisdom at last and kept her trap shut about the interesting stuff. What a shame…


“The talk of the town here is that there’s a lot of action going on up in Eagle Point, more than there normally is anyway. With it being under the scrutiny of the Rebels and all, I’d count on what is happening over there to be related to them. Apparently they’re getting ready for something big, but we won’t know for sure until we get there.” My tone was pretty cold, conveying only the faintest hint of emotion as I alerted them to my own knowledge. It seemed like I was plucking these words straight out of their minds though, since I figured we had to all on the same page by now. The problem was that we really didn’t know what was going on over there and although the townsfolk here were ready to part their lips and offer their knowledge, we couldn’t know for sure if they were really speaking the truth or what they thought was the truth. Still, whatever we learned we’d have to take with a pinch of salt and really just rely on our own wits, instincts and abilities. If trouble was brought up, we’d just have to deal with it as it came, but at least I knew I was ready to expect the unexpected. I couldn’t say for certain about my companions, but I had some sort of faith in them regardless.


A little pause for thought and I was ready to be talking again, despite the fact that I generally kept quiet in any kind of situation. With the horse behaving itself and my companions acting as if they were Human and not complete jack-arses, I was feeling somewhat confident again. “Let’s just get through these fields as quickly as possible. We’ll see for ourselves what’s going on soon enough.” I pulled a little tighter on the reigns, signalling to the horse to get a move on. She fussed a little from the tension, but did as instructed and picked up the pace. From a gradual crawl and into a determined trot, we’d be seeing the end of the Rodonnmir Plains and the start of the town of Eagle Point by nightfall. That was, if luck was on our side and we didn’t come across any obstacles anyway. Again, I hadn’t heard much of this place either, but if it was like a walk in the park, the government of Amanndor wouldn’t just be hiring any old fools to cross it and then deal with the Rebel forces. I was prepared to be on my guard for the entire journey.

[Dastan]

Dastan listened patiently to the useless information that the cripple decided to share. There really wasn't any more to add on top of what he'd already told; all signs pointed to Eagle Point. They seemed to be stockpiling for something, whether it was an assumed siege or a planned assault, he didn't know. There was something in the air, a quality that seemed to be electric, that made the hairs on Dastan's arms stand on end... the air of possibility. There were opportunities in Eagle Point unlike any he'd ever come across before, perhaps even to rival his early years in Cullvorn, it was an odd thought, somewhat terrifying, somewhat revitalising. He'd have to take stock once they arrived, there'd be plenty of trials awaiting there, and he hoped the fact that the three of them weren't an invading force, they wouldn't be so hostile.

The three of them set off, beyond the borders of Kalis Aye, northward, to ward their destination. Dastan couldn't comprehend what was going on in the cripple's mind, or the Elf's mind, but in his own, he was planning ways to try and neutralize either of them should he require, either by hanging them up with a thousand useless things, or by physically incapacitating. He wasn't sure if he could overpower the Elf, and from the small outbursts that the cripple had shown on their trip here, he guessed that she wasn't to be underestimated either... he found it rather humorous and highly ridiculous that she could be so physically able, while being so crippled... if there was a higher power, he guessed that it must have been their idea of humour.

He guessed it would take them a few days before they reached their destination, and a few more days in their company may drive him mad before he could drive them mad. It was worse that in his current condition, his temper was shorter than it normally would have been, but hopefully, he'd have kicked his hangover before they decided to talk to him... fortunately, neither of them were really talkative, so he might just luck out on this one. He pulled his water flask and took a swig, already feeling the throbbing slowly starting to subside, he wiped his mouth and returned his flask to his lap. The air was still cool, but he guessed that it would get warmer and muggier, even more so once they were out in the open with no shade or cover.

With a sigh as the cripple trotted on ahead, Dastan lightly tapped the horses sides with his heels, urging it on at a faster pace. "Onward and upward, as they say..." He mumbled to himself, his eyes drifting form the pink beacon in front of him, to back, over his shoulder, the dull, bland, Elf behind him. Lets just hope this won't be a long trip...