The sky was overcast, and a harsh wind was blowing as the Mortalborn finally left the university, half a break later than he had planned for a student had approached him with questions, and made his way towards the docks. There were fewer people outside than usually on a Vhalar afternoon, and most that he passed by hurried down the streets without casting as much as a glance at him, desperate to reach their destination before the storm began. The thick, grey clouds signaled rain, and worse, and in the distance thunder could be heard.
A lightning bolt flashed across the rapidly darkening sky and illuminated the city brightly for a trill before it was shrouded in twilight once more. Doran raised his head for a moment and watched before he wrapped his cloak tighter around his body, pulled the hood over his head and quickened his pace. He had almost reached his destination. In the distance he could already see the ocean. Turning back now would not make any sense.
There were a few ingredients he needed to gather, sea weed as well as certain shells and fish, and he was in no mood to delay the experiment that he was working on until the next trial.
By the time he had filled the bag he had brought with him and begun to walk the road back to Andaris, the flashes of lightning came more frequently, and the thunder seemed closer than it had been before. In addition, thick rain drops had begun to fall, first only a few and then more and more. Within a handful of bits the Mortalborn was soaking wet, and the rain was falling so heavily that he had trouble breathing and seeing what was right in front of his eyes.
Lightning struck again, this time somewhere close to him, and pierced the darkness, revealing what seemed to be a small building just off the road. He hesitated for just a moment before he walked towards it at a brisk pace. It would be unwise to continue onwards under such circumstances, he decided. He would ask for shelter until the worst of the thunderstorm had passed. It seemed to him as if he had heard a horse whinny somewhere and seen light in a window which suggested that somebody was home.
Hopefully they would have mercy on a stranger whom the extent of the thunderstorm had taken by surprise. He raised a gloved hand and knocked on the door, once, twice, three times, loudly so that he would be heard over the sound of the rain, and then he waited.
Last edited by Doran on Sat Oct 08, 2016 8:06 pm, edited 1 time in total. word count: 440
Elyna had emerged from the trees soaked even through her heavy cloak and hood, just in time to see the cloaked figure approach the door and knock. She lingered in the shadows, bow slung over her back and quiver around her hips. He didn’t look as though he was here to cause trouble, but that didn’t tell her anything at all. She glanced down the mud laden road then back to the house. The fire cast a warm orange glow. A beacon that screamed sanctuary in the darkness and the sudden deluge.
It was then she saw the shape of her two youngest recruits standing in the hayloft window, armed and ready. If she didn’t intervene they would shoot and so she stepped forward and out from the cover of leaves. Rain slid down her back and made her shudder. She followed the steps the man had taken and signalled her two Airman and they retreated unseen into the drier barn and the mediocre comfort of the hayloft. Her sword was drawn as she approached and held easily in her hand.
“Excuse me?” she had to shout over the rising wind, “can I be off assistance, Sir?” That was probably the only thing she could tell from the figure’s back, that he was male and taller than she was; but then so was everyone.
The Skyrider found a rock to plant a boot on, keeping her self balanced against the wind. She wasn’t an easy target, if the stranger turned out to be a foe rather than a friend, he would find himself in trouble, fast.
Last edited by Elyna on Sat Oct 08, 2016 7:39 pm, edited 1 time in total. word count: 271
He waited on the doorstep, just beneath the roof where the pouring rain was less likely to reach him and listened carefully, but he could hear neither voices nor footsteps on the other side of the door. It made him wonder what exactly was going on inside, whether the inhabitants were quietly debating whether to let him in or had already decided not to trust a man that had arrived in the middle of the worst thunderstorm Rynmere had experienced in ages.
He had just made the decision to turn back and perhaps seek refuge in the barn that was located close to the house or under a tree when he heard her question. He turned around abruptly and looked at her as she was without a doubt looking at him, raising his hands slightly, palms facing outwards to show her that he was not armed as he did so.
Because of the volume of the wind and the rain her approach had gone unnoticed. She was a strange sight, dripping wet and heavily pregnant, possibly close to her due date, with a sword in her hand. It made him wonder who exactly she was and why she was living out there, alone rather than in the city where help would be readily available to a woman like her.
“The thunderstorm caught me by surprise“, he shouted back. Now that he was facing her she could see that he appeared to be in his late twenties, thirty at most, with dark hair and a short beard, both dripping wet for even the hood had not been able to keep his head dry. His clothes, while almost completely soaked, were of fine quality, dark and burgundy, although the colors might be hard to tell apart in the twilight that had descended upon Rynmere.
“I was gathering ingredients for an experiment when it started to rain“, he continued, thus identifying himself as a scientist, a scholar, a man that she would hopefully decide to trust. “Will you let me in and give me shelter until the worst of it has passed?“
She studied him in her usual way, gaze moving with care over his form. He was fairly well-built but he didn’t look like a fighter and he didn’t carry himself like one either. His hair and beard were neatly trimmed so she could guess that he took a lot of care with his appearance. Fighters tended to worry less, usually at risk of a black eye or broken nose. His appearance seemed to match his claim. No matter that everyone looked half-drowned in the torrent. Even if she had cause to change her mind, Rafa and Kit were nearby and alert. She glanced at the hayloft once more before she gave a small nod, decision made.
“If you don’t mind?” She gestured for him to step away from the door. Once he’d moved a suitable distance she stepped around him, taking care to stay out of arms-reach if possible. The door was deftly unlocked and she stepped into the warmth. The woman beckoned the man to follow and hopefully close the door behind himself.
Once inside, she pulled off her the bow and quiver, then hood and cloak. Hanging the collection on a peg beside the door. The water fell in a steady drip from the thick wool and she grimaced, nose wrinkling as she crossed to the fireplace. Sword still in hand she collected the iron poker and nudged the embers back into roaring life. Her nose and cheeks were flushed with wind and then heat as she finally turned around to her guest.
“I don’t think I could leave anyone out in that weather...it must be an important experiment?” she admitted with a cautious smile. She looked around the room as though for inspiration. The Skyrider wasn’t someone who usually entertained strangers.
“Can I get you something to drink? Or eat?” She followed the counter around into the kitchen area and pulled out a pair mugs. Finally setting the sword down beside the counter. There was already water in the pot hung permanently over the fireplace. She watched the man as he settled and moved around her home. The quiet was broken by the steady drip of water from her cloak and the constant barrage of water on the roof.
As she studied him, he stood completely still and straight for a moment and met her gaze unflinchingly, despite the pouring rain. The fact that she briefly looked towards the hayloft did not go unnoticed. It made him wonder what was in there, whether she was worried about her animals, about lightning striking it or whether there was more to it, but he decided not to ask her about it.
It would be inappropriate to question a woman who had offered to give a stranger shelter from the storm, and thus he simply stepped away from the door as she spoke, far enough away that they were out of each other’s reach. She was being careful and did not leave anything up to chance, he observed. He approved of that.
Once he had followed her inside and closed the door behind himself, leaving a puddle of water on the previously dry floor as he had done so, he took his cloak off and hung it next to hers. The front of his shirt and the legs of his pants were a little wet as well, but the rest of his clothes had remained at least somewhat dry. He too walked towards the fireplace and then took his gloves off that had become somewhat clammy.
“The importance of my experiment is up to debate“, he spoke with the barest hint of amusement in his voice as he extended his half frozen hands towards the fire, savouring its warmth. He could not remember having been that cold and wet in a long time. “But I have an unfortunate tendency to always want to realize an idea immediately, no matter what the cost, the bane of a scientist, I suppose. I am a professor at Rynmere University“, he revealed to her in an attempt to relieve some of the tension that was present.
Having said that, he turned around to finally study his new surroundings and the woman that invited him into her home more closely. She didn’t have the looks of a commoner, a farmer or a hunter who had to rely on her bow to survive and struggled to make ends meet. On top of that she was far from unattractive. Even he could not deny that. Had some sort of misfortune befallen her that she was forced to live so far away from the city proper then?
“I would be grateful for a cup of tea“, he spoke, hoping that it would make some of the chill that had taken a hold of his insides go away. The tone of his voice was unfailingly polite, as it almost always was. While she walked into the kitchen area, he stayed where he was, close to the fire to dry his wet clothes and get warm again.
“Where is your husband though?“ he inquired carefully and looked in her direction. The question had the potential of making her uncomfortable, he realized, but he wished to solve the riddle that she represented, even if that went against what he had previously decided - that he would not question the woman that had offered him shelter.
“If the question is unacceptable“, he added. “forgive me. It seems somewhat unusual to me though that a woman that will give birth soon lives all by herself and far from the city.“
The woman opened the pot of herbs and spooned tea into both mugs in preparation. A hot drink would do them both good and hopefully stave off any chills of threat of illness. She sniffed, her nose cold and itchy and hoped that she wasn’t developing a cold. The list of ailments that came with pregnancy were starting to mount up and she didn’t want a runny nose to boot. There was warmth in his voice and humour too. She suspected that if he’d had any ill intention he’d have been more serious and less inclined to keep his distance. She sent a silent prayer to anyone listening, that she wasn’t making a mistake. The woman wasn’t undefended or helpless but she would prefer to avoid a stressful evening if she could.
The Skyrider considered if it would have been easier to leave him outside in the rain. A soft heart was dangerous in these times. A professor at the University? “Which subject do you teach?” Curiosity prompted the question. Elyna watched him from beneath long lashes. One mug at a time she approached the fireplace and used a ladle to draw out boiling water and add to the herbs. The first mug she offered the stranger before she retreated back behind the countertop with the second. She felt water snaking down the back of her neck and wondered if he knew Malcolm. How many professors could there be? It explained his neat appearance somewhat. She’d never known Malcolm attend his teach post anything less than well groomed.
She wrapped cold hands around the warm ceramic, “I hope the tea is alright. I added ginger to all of my reserves a few seasons ago. I’m afraid it’s not to everyone’s liking.” But it had stopped the morning sickness. Or the allday sickness she’d come to think of it as. It was an ailment she was glad to leave in her past, but the ginger persisted amongst the herbs and she was damned if she would pick out all the scrapings of it. Ginger tea till Cylus it was.
Her husband? Unfortunately it was a question she was hearing with greater frequency and she still wasn’t certain how to answer. She didn’t have a husband. Yet, in the city there was a register with her name next to Malcolm’s Krome. A lie. A lie she itched to scratch from the page.
Elyna blew on the drink to cool it, then took a cautious sip, “you are an educated man to be a professor, Master…?” she took care to keep her voice neutral and friendly, without accusation, “why would you assume I was married?”
His inquiry explained further she nodded in agreement, “I’m not quite alone,” a half-smile pulled at her features and she nodded towards the barn, “I am a Captain of Xiur Skyriders, some of my crew are always close by,” and now he was truly warned against doing anything foolish. “I prefer the quiet,” she admitted, “less people and uh…less questions.”
“I teach chemistry, mostly to students that are at the beginning of their studies“, he replied and accepted the mug from her, thanking her as he did so. He just held it for a moment, enjoying the warmth that emanated from it before he gently blew on it and took a single, slow sip. The tea was still hot, but he enjoyed that, considering the unpleasant weather outside. “It is excellent. I am quite fond of ginger myself and will often drink ginger tea when I am sick as it soothes a sore throat and an upset stomach.“
As he said that, he could not help but wonder about her again. She did not only seem to know how to handle a weapon – or rather two, she had had both a bow and a sword, he remembered – she was also somewhat familiar with herbs. Was she a healer then? It would explain why she had chosen to live in such a place, to some extent at least. He often ventured outside the city to gather herbs as well as other ingredients for his potions.
“Doran“, he introduced himself as she inquired about his name, hoping that she would tell him who she was as well now. “Doran Thetys.“ He inclined his head as she called him an educated man. It was the truth after all, and thus he saw no reason for false humility and making his accomplishments seem less than they were. “I attended the Academy of Viden. As for why I assumed you were married. It was a somewhat hasty conclusion. I apologize.“
He showed neither embarrassment at his blunder nor discomfort, although the tone of his voice was of course polite. He simply decided to say nothing more on the matter, for now, and move on as neither telling her that it was perfectly acceptable for an unmarried woman to have a baby nor asking what had happened to the father would be helpful.
As she explained that she was a captain of the sky riders and some of her crew were close by, he nodded again. It explained why she had let him, a complete stranger into her house so quickly. If he had turned out to have less than friendly intentions, they would probably have barged into the house and taken him captive or done worse. “I enjoy the solitude myself every once in a while“, he let her know which was the truth.
He wanted to say more, when he suddenly heard a sound, something strange that sent shivers down his spine, just at the edge of his awareness. He paused for a moment, and then he put his mug down abruptly and raised a finger to his lips, signaling Elyna to be quiet and stand completely still before he quickly moved over to the window. He stood behind the curtain so that who- or whatever was outside would not immediately notice him and took a tentative look.
“They are here“, he spoke in barely more than a whisper, abruptly drew back and closed the curtain. “The shadows. How close are your crew?“ he asked and turned around, casting a meaningful glance at the longsword that she had held in her hand mere bits before. Would she decide to put her trust into a man she didn’t know and allow him to help them deal with the threat?
“A pleasure to meet you Doran,” Elyna offered a careful smile in response. She took another sip of the tea. The liquid was quick to warm her throat. It provided a pleasant counterpoint to the feeling of damp hair against her neck. At some point soon she would excuse herself to dry off and change. Chemistry? Her brows raised in surprise. What was a chemistry tutor doing wandering the darkness in the rain? He’d mentioned an experiment but her opinion of chemistry tutors was that they should be behind a desk. Glass tubes and bubbling potions trailing in bubbles through pipework. She’d never know a science tutor to emerge into daylight before...not that there was much light. Then, Elyna considered, that she didn’t know many people who studied science or had an interest in it all.
The woman made a careful point of remembering the ways ginger could soothe. His apology was accepted with a shrug. Generally good natured the Skyrider was slow to anger with strangers. He seemed willing to drop the subject for which she was grateful. She grinned at the suggestion of solitude. She hadn’t managed to recruit a full crew but had stolen a few new Airmen under her wing as it were. Rosa had simply announced she would by joining Elyna’s group and the Captain hadn’t protested. Soon they would join other units until she was able to return to her duties and build the team she hoped for.
He seemed to freeze then and the woman lowered the warm mug of tea. Brows narrowed in a scowl as the man had the audacity to silence her in her own home. To command someone with far more training and experience in defence then himself. But the young woman wasn’t an idiot and she held her tongue. Closing her eyes to better hear beyond the sound of falling rain she shuddered. Elyna gave a nod of silent agreement. So far she had avoided contact with the beasts. It seemed that her luck had run out.
The whispered words disturbed her concentration and she caught his glance at her treasured possession; her longsword. The woman picked up the weapon and crossed to the door. Silent she turned it in her hand and presented him with the pommel, “look after him,” she murmured.
Her bow was collected and restrung in the dry, quiver slung over her back before she paused. Reaching into the wooden box propped behind the door she pulled out arrows that were slightly different to her usual. Coated with a fast burning oil the tips glistened.
“They’re in the barn,” the woman replied, “they might not have heard…” and they were young and inexperienced and more likely to hit either her, or the man beside her than what they were aiming at. It had only been a couple of days after all.
Her mouth felt suddenly dry and nerves threatened to rob her of breathe. There was little choice though. The creatures were here whether she wanted them to be or not. The room was bright and light and she doubted they would enter, from what she’d heard in rumours and strange tales.
She drew the bow string back whilst still in the house, “would you mind opening the door?” she let out a slow breath. Usually she could hold the draw for far longer but her muscles and strength were undoubtedly changing. The captain waited for Doran to comply with her request. It was then that she lifted the arrow tip to the sconce beside the door and let the flame catch on the tip of oil. Without wasting breath she re-adjusted her aim and shot.
The first beast had turned at the sound of the door. A low howl split the air before it charged, roaring with fury. The arrow was a blast of light that struck straight in its chest. A guttural howl raged as it stumbled, legs dropping beneath it and fell. It vanished in the darkness – leaving her arrow sticking out of the earth. Flames stretching up the length of the shaft. Elyna collected another arrow without thinking. Drew a breath and looked to Doran, what next? She put the arrow to the string. She could fire a few shots yes, but her endurance was not what it usually was.
Luckily though the noise had summoned Rafa and Kit as they waited beside the hayloft window. Eager to assist their Captain at a moment’s notice. And now there was a beacon in the darkness. An arrow bathed in light.
He noticed her surprised look as he mentioned that he was a chemist and raised an eyebrow in turn, as if he were asking her what she found so strange about it, but he said nothing. In truth, he was much more than just a chemist and a professor. In Ne’haer he had worked in an apothecary, he had mended wounds, and once, more than three centuries before he had worked as a guard for a young Lord Endor, but she had not asked for further information, and he saw no reason to tell the entire story of his life.
He was glad that the woman, who still had not told him her name – maybe, he considered, she wanted to remain at least somewhat anonymous – didn’t panic upon his statement that the shadow creatures had arrived. But then again she was a skyrider, a warrior and had likely been in dangerous situations before - before she had fallen pregnant.
So her sword was male? He allowed himself to be slightly amused for a trill and wondered whether she had named it as well, although his face revealed little before he took the weapon and tried to get a feel for it. "I will", he promised her. It was a good weapon, he decided, and sharp, but then he had not expected anything less of a woman like her.
She did not have to wait long for him to open the door. She had barely finished speaking when he did so. As he stepped onto the threshold, he felt chilled, for a reason that did only partly have to do with the unpleasant weather outside. He could already see the first creature, unmistakable despite the bad lighting situation. As it howled and charged at them, he wrapped both of his hands around the hilt and pointed the tip of his blade directly at it, settling into what was commonly known as the plow guard, a defensive position.
As Elyna fired her arrow, the entire area in front of them was brightly lit for a moment. So fire does hurt them, he thought, remembering a conversation with his students earlier that season before he made a step forward, changed his stance slightly and raised his borrowed sword. Somewhere to his left another howl could be heard. And then the creature was already upon him, still only half formed. A quick strike from above and it disappeared as if it had never existed in the first place. It seemed to have retreated into the shadows once more.
"There!" he called out to Elyna, although it was likely that she had already seen it. There was another creature in front of them, still some distance away, but entirely within her bow’s reach. And then another one charged at him. He made a step back, executing a backward lunge. In the distance more howls could be heard, rising in a most frightening crescendo. The creatures were out for blood or, perhaps, their souls. Now, the Mortalborn thought, would be a good time for her crew to come to their assistance.
At Doran’s agreement to take care of her sword, the young woman glanced in his direction with a smile that could only be described as impish. The she winked at him, “I wasn’t talking to you,” Elyna explained. It was the brief flashes of humour at the worst possible times that made her feel as though she could keep her sanity. Or something like it. By no means a comic genius, the young woman did have a sense of humour. No matter what anyone else said behind her back. Usually too shy to express it to strangers though, there was nothing like a dangerous situation to bring out her inner comedian.
Doran took up a good position to guard and she was pleased that he could handle the weapon. At his direction she drew the bow back once more, lit the oil against the candle and shot. The shot landed short because she hadn’t drawn it back far enough. It lit the ground in front of the beast though. The fire flickering before it was extinguished by cold earth and heavy rainfall. Fortunately Doran and the Skyrider, Kit and Rafa had managed to get into position. Where Elyna had missed two fresh arrows thudded into the animal which howled itself into oblivion.
Amazed that her young Airman had managed to hit anything, Elyna fit another arrow to the string. She waited for the next creature to emerge from the darkness. Bounding over the earth with a roar. She let it draw closer before she shot again, burying the flame within its heart.
There were circled by the creatures. There always seemed to be another one springing out of the darkness at Doran. Elyna shot arrow after arrow, running out of the oil coated tips fast. Luckily the few arrows she landed, stayed alight, quivering in the mud. The flames lighting up a fighting pit. It made a space where Kit and Rafa could shoot quarry with ease as the animals seemed to lurch along the same route in their desire to destroy the house and kill those who stood in it.
“Master Theyts!” Elyna peered into the darkness. Sweat pooled in the center of her back and her arms were fatigued, “I’m almost out of ideas,” she warned.
