|
Post by EsricIX on Jul 17, 2014 23:30:50 GMT -6
Following their leader's orders; Raine and Ulric took off to their room.
"Brother, what was that noise on the battlefield?" Raine asked as they walked up the first few flights of steps.
"I guess you don't remember what happened after all...but it's probably for the best..." Her brother replied as they reached their room.
"...Something I...don't remember...?" Raine concentrated trying to remember yet she drew nothing but blanks.
They entered the room and each sat on a bed. Raine looked to Ulric and asked:
"Brother, what actually ha-" Ulric's eyes shifted quickly towards the doorway and Raine's soon turned to meet their guest as well.
“Ulric and… Raine, right?” he spoke quietly from behind them. “You said you heard something – a sound on the battlefield. What was it like?”
Ulric shifted a bit on his bed and turned to meet the young man in the doorway.
"Why do you ask? You know something of the subject? Ulric replied in his usual somewhat cold demeanor. Noticing the man was armed, Ulric took mind to remain a bit cautious.
Raine felt something familiar about this young man, yet she couldn't quite put her finger on where she could've encountered such a person before.
|
|
Renalla
Secret Weapon
Brooding silence.
Posts: 22
|
Post by Renalla on Jul 19, 2014 12:39:11 GMT -6
Jayt carefully watched Ulric’s movements, studying both siblings to see if either potentially was carrying a weapon hidden on them. He hadn’t seen them with anything down in the dungeons but that meant little in a world where a thin blade could easily be held up a sleeve. Still, they didn’t seem outwardly hostile, just cold. He preferred avoiding bullshit anyway; it seemed so did Ulric.
“I’ve heard stories on my travels, when I traded my skills as a bard for food and shelter,” he said, relaxing against the doorframe casually. It didn’t block the way completely, but it certainly wouldn’t make it easy to just pass by him. “Stories about sounds, though more stories about the Exodites than anything else. The legend seems to change every time I hear it, and now the woman in the dungeons claims only Exodites hear the cry of the world.”
A smile spread across his lips, but the expression was without any real emotion. It was as carefully constructed as a knight’s armor.
“Of course, the sounds you heard could have just been those from a traditional battlefield. What made them so different to you? There were screams out there by the hundreds, but you took particular notice of one.”
He didn’t answer Ulric’s question directly, instead choosing a roundabout way to gather more information. If these two were hiding something, Jayt planned on digging it out of them. If they were Exodites, he wanted to know, if for no other reason than to satisfy his curiosity.
“If there’s something you’d rather not have mentioned around your clan regarding the two of you,” he continued, “I have no intention of repeating anything of this conversation. What have you witnessed, I wonder, to have such a reaction to a few screams? They’re hardly an unheard sound in this day and age.”
|
|
|
Post by Konata on Jul 19, 2014 22:40:16 GMT -6
Kale tried to hide his smirk after Freya told Niki to put away his sword. However, his smile quickly left his face after hearin Freya's decision. Kale felt torn after it. In one hand, Iola isnt brutally murdered... so yay. But... lettin her go with no punishment whatsoever? Dam, pretty naive if you ask me. I just hope that the other nations and clans dont view us as soft and try and take advantage of us. At any rate, Freya's decision IS final, so no goin against that. HOWEVER, theres no way in hell im gonna let Niki stay here in the dungeon alone with Iola...
5 minutes and Niki was still not movin. What the hell Niki, theres literally nothin to do in this dam dungeon. Maybe Niki was just waitin for me to initiate the conversation, mhmm. Oh, so hes just shy? Then its up to me to make the first move! As Kale reached out to Niki armed with a bright smile and attempted to start a conversation, Niki blew past Kale's outstretched arm and made a beeline to the stairs. If one listened closely, a vein could be heard poppin. Oh ho... ignorin me I see... With renewed energy, Kale rushed towards Niki and grabbed his arm. "OI NIKI! Why ya gotta be ignorin me!? Lets go and do somethin! Lets celebrate us defendin the clan and all!"
|
|
Fredmir
Sol Faction
BLADEFIGHT!
Posts: 45
|
Post by Fredmir on Jul 20, 2014 20:59:57 GMT -6
Nikolas was almost at the top ofthe stairs when Kale reached him and grabbed his arm.
"OI NIKI! Why ya gotta be ignorin me!? Lets go and do somethin! Lets celebrate us defendin the clan and all!"
Suppressing his momentaneous thought of just killing the guy next to him, Nikolas calmed himself and tried to answer his proposition calmly.
"Celebrate you say? Must I remind you that the witch just told us they'd come back? And we don't know when. How much times will it take for the survivors to make their report? And then, how much time will it take for the next strike team to get here? We didn't come out of this battle unscattered, Volund is still badly injured. I don't think it's the best moment to just 'go out to celebrate'. When I'll have fully recovered, I'll make sure to train myself with some ranged weapon, a bow or a crossbow probably. I can't be fighting everytime at close against magic users like her."
Nikolas freed his arm from Kale and looked at him.
"You can go celebrate if you want, but I still value my life in here. And this clan will have some hard time in a near future. Right now I'm going to get myself something to eat."
Nikolas started walking, pretty sure Kale would follow him, having another 'brillant' idea.
|
|
|
Post by EsricIX on Jul 20, 2014 23:43:35 GMT -6
The young man had gotten straight to the point and spoke clearly.
“I’ve heard stories on my travels, when I traded my skills as a bard for food and shelter,” he said. “Stories about sounds, though more stories about the Exodites than anything else. The legend seems to change every time I hear it, and now the woman in the dungeons claims only Exodites hear the cry of the world.”
Something about that managed to peak Raine's curiosity; which could immediately be seen in her expression as her eyebrows raised a bit.
“Of course, the sounds you heard could have just been those from a traditional battlefield. What made them so different to you? There were screams out there by the hundreds, but you took particular notice of one.”
Raine's eyes worriedly shifted towards her brother for a moment.
“If there’s something you’d rather not have mentioned around your clan regarding the two of you,” he continued, “I have no intention of repeating anything of this conversation. What have you witnessed, I wonder, to have such a reaction to a few screams? They’re hardly an unheard sound in this day and age.”
"It's really nothing the clan leaders don't already know of...I'm pretty sure Freya would be happy to fill you in on how my sister and I came to be a part of this clan..." Ulric answered in a rather dismissing manner. His sister then rose from her seat.
"...I want to hear it as well brother." Raine added. "You seem to have a clear memory of what happened back then, but I don't...and seeing you react like that outside earlier was devastating." She paused for a moment. "I would like some type of explanation for what went on....I mean I could hear the voice as well...So please brother, will you tell?"
Ulric slowly closed his eyes and sighed just a bit.
"...It all happened about five years ago." He started. Raine returned to her seat. "From what I understood at the time, the Exodite hunts were coming to an end, and our parents seemed very happy to hear that." "The day progressed as normal, I would help father tame wyverns while you were usually with mother aiding the wounded at the nearby shelter..." Ulric said as he took a short breath. "...As the evening approached and the sun began to set, it seemed as though someone...or something was calling to me in an erie voice. As if they were on the edge of death, enduring so...much pain."
"I would keep hearing that voice throughout the day...unsure of where it was coming from and had no clue of how to make it stop..." "I..just tried to tune it out, though everytime I tried it just grew louder until later that evening." "Right before the sun had completely set, you could hear the men approaching our home." "It seemed that the closer they got, the louder the voice got." Ulric continued.
"Soon our house was set ablaze as the men charged in...Father did his best to try and protect us...but there were too many of them. He had mother take us to the Wyvern's Grounds and told us to escape upon one. By the time she had led us there, the men had caught up to us. They attacked all of our wyverns, and shot our mother with arrows...At that point I heard nothing but the agony of the unknown voice."
"We managed to reach our last remaining wyvern that was hiding out back, and upon taking off we were both shot by the bowmen they had with them...Raine had passed out and all I could do was hold her tight as to not fall as we flew in the direction of this HQ." Ulric took one last breath. "And from there I just remembered waking up here."
"The voice on the battlefield though...It might have been the same one...To this day I am still not sure of what it is. I have never heard about anyone in our family being an Exodite or anything related to them, but all of a sudden being able to hear these voices is supposed to make me one?" Ulric was at a loss, truly not knowing of his possible lineage, he really wanted to know if there was more to it. Would his fellow clansmen turn against him and his sister if they did turn out to be Exodites?
"...Well you've heard our story. Mind telling us who you are now and what this has to do with you? Ulric concluded. After practically laying all of his cards out on the table, Ulric awaited the reply of the young man in the doorway. Ulric had no need for dishonesty nor dishonest people...for the right reasons of course. Ulric's tomahawk had been put away in the closet, though he still wore his sword on his back...not having all the time to put it away after the battle and interrogation. Raine remained seated awaiting his reply as well.
|
|
Renalla
Secret Weapon
Brooding silence.
Posts: 22
|
Post by Renalla on Jul 21, 2014 17:46:18 GMT -6
Jayt's eyes never left Ulric and Raine, though more often than not they were on the brother. Ulric's expression rarely strayed from one of indifference, but beneath the surface it was obvious the story affected him. He hardly looked pleased afterwards. Rather, his eyes were haunted with the memory. These siblings would probably die for one another, if the story was true.
Raine, on the other hand, clearly was looking to her brother for some kind of explanation. At that age, it was little wonder that she recalled none of the battle or the trauma that had left her brother a changed man. Maybe she traditionally took orders from him or perhaps it was simply he was the older sibling. Either way, the siblings looked like they could handle several enemies together - after all, it was Raine's magic that had ultimately stopped Iola.
Naturally Ulric would want to know why Jayt was questioning them. It made perfect sense - he appeared determined to keep his sister safe. They were all the other had left.
"It was rumored the secondary Exodite hunts were started because several Exodites escaped the final battle of the war. Even leaving one alive was considered too much of a threat." He shrugged. "Call my own interest curiosity. Hearing things on the battlefield is one thing, but hearing something from your past is quite another. Have you heard these cries at any other time? Perhaps Iola believes what she spoke because she does not realize something similar happened with your family."
Was it possible the surviving Exodite or Exodites had children? Considering the hunts had started immediately after the end of the war, he thought it unlikely, but... there was always the chance. Could they have lived out normal lives after the bloodiest war the world had ever seen?
He simply couldn't picture it. Briefly his expression turned distant, his mind far afield. When he returned dark green eyes back, his empty smile was back in place. He inclined his head and stood up straight. After Ulric answered his other question, he would leave the two be, assuming they didn't press him for more information. He was hardly giving them much in return for telling him what he considered to be a secret. After all, it sounded like the only ones who knew were Volund and his sister.
"Your loss was considerable, and the hunts ultimately ended in failure anyway, if there's the possibility that the Exodites lived. Fear and revenge truly are the worst motivators."
|
|
|
Post by EsricIX on Aug 13, 2014 22:56:01 GMT -6
"Your loss was considerable, and the hunts ultimately ended in failure anyway, if there's the possibility that the Exodites lived. Fear and revenge truly are the worst motivators."
That young man's voice...Raine finally remember where she had heard it before; down in the dungeons. Even the expression on her faced almost changed when she had realized.
"Revenge?" Ulric thought, nah...revenge would be pointless against a bunch of people he could not even remember. "I joined this clan in order to prevent such travesties from ever happening again...to anyone regardless of their origin." Ulric didn't want anyone to ever have to feel the pain he felt that day. Feeling that had been established, Raine shifted her glance over to the young man and asked; "So would you mind telling us who you are? O-or at least a name to address you by in the future?"
|
|
Renalla
Secret Weapon
Brooding silence.
Posts: 22
|
Post by Renalla on Aug 14, 2014 18:24:32 GMT -6
"Considering what you've shared with me, it's only fair you get my name, I think," Jayt said, his empty smile never wavering. "I am Cecil, a traveling bard. Don't let the title fool you, though - I can handle myself perfectly well on a battlefield. I've done plenty of mercenary work to make up for lack of musical needs. The world is, after all, rebuilding constantly, and there's always use for another set of strong arms."
He fidgeted with one of his vambraces, straightening it on his arm so the design was clear. His fingers ghosted over it, tracing along the marks that even through his gloves he could feel. No doubt about it; even if these two weren't Exodites, it was clear something was going on with them.
"Let me give you some friendly advice: be aware of your surroundings, and pay attention to what else you hear. You never know when you'll learn something useful." He chuckled, the sound without true humor. "Of course you probably thought of that already. You both strike me as being fiercely independent... and protective. And if you are Exodites... keep quiet about it. I very much doubt an Exodite Hunter would waste an opportunity." He stood up straight, his eyes narrowing a little and lips curling into a different version of his smile, this one far more threatening. "After all, they're still out there."
He turned his back to them, clearly unconcerned by the action, and spoke once more as he moved into the hallway. "Good luck, Ulric and Raine. I hope for your sake you really aren't Exodites." His footsteps faded as he began down the stairs. Well, seeing how this turned out provided enough incentive to stay and see how this little fledgling clan did on its first mission. Would they rise to the challenge, like Nexus had? Or would they fall and be destroyed by this foolhardy attacker? It would make for a good story, at least.
|
|