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Arcanis: Gonnes, Sons, and Treasure Runs (COMPLETED)
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<blockquote data-quote="talien" data-source="post: 1892130" data-attributes="member: 3285"><p><strong>Temptations of the Flesh - Prologue</strong></p><p></p><p>The tracks went on for a few leagues, running alongside a small stream that led them out of the forest. The forest's edge ended abruptly at rocky terrain. They had dismounted and Ilmarė was carefully studying the ground before them.</p><p></p><p>"The tracks lead this way," said Ilmarė. "But once they leave the forest, I'll lose the trail."</p><p></p><p>"We're not even sure that this is the right way," said Kham. "I still think we should have followed the horse tracks."</p><p></p><p>"They were the tracks of a human. Or a Val," said Ilmarė, glancing up at Kham. "Several pairs of them, with twin rows as if someone was being dragged."</p><p></p><p>"Sounds like brave and noble Gaius fell victim to another ambush. Maybe he'll be dead by the time we get there," muttered Kham. "If we ever find him."</p><p></p><p>"I don't think we have to look any further," said Beldin, pointing at the mountainside.</p><p></p><p>Nestled in the crook of two outcroppings was an ancient looking fortress, heavily damaged from rockslides and avalanches of ages past. The eastern portion of the building appeared to be completely caved in under the weight of the rocks. The top section of a tower lay strewn before it, as did countless smaller stones and boulders. A small waterfall cascaded next to the building, feeding the small stream. </p><p></p><p>"What is this place?" asked Quintus.</p><p></p><p>"Looks like an Auxunite structure, from the later dynasties," said Beldin, squinting in the direction of the fortress. "Portions of it have been recently excavated. My guess is that most of it still lies entombed in the earth below."</p><p></p><p>"Auxunites?" asked Sebastian.</p><p></p><p>"Barbarians that came from the north, before the time of the raising of the Wall of the Gods," Beldin replied. "They ruled a large area through tyranny and mayhem until the val'Tensen family finally overthrew their rule." </p><p></p><p>Ilmarė hissed a warning. They all crouched down behind some boulders. </p><p></p><p>"More hobgoblins," she pointed one slender finger towards tiny figures walking slowly back and forth in front of the fortress. "There."</p><p></p><p>"Alright," said Quintus, "we'll take them by-"</p><p></p><p>There was the sound of thundering hooves as Beldin galloped passed them.</p><p></p><p>"Where is HE going?" shouted Quintus.</p><p></p><p>"To bring the battle to the enemy, of course," said Sebastian matter-of-factly.</p><p></p><p>"Fool! He just cost us the element of surprise!"</p><p></p><p>BLAM!</p><p></p><p>Kham was standing over a small boulder with one of his handgonnes smoking. He aimed the next one. Ilmarė knocked an arrow. </p><p></p><p>"No help for it now," she said as she released the arrow and a hobgoblin collapsed in the distance.</p><p></p><p>A cloud of dirt billowed up as Beldin connected with the enemy. After a moment, it seemed as if Beldin was retreating.</p><p></p><p>"That's not Beldin," said Ilmarė. It was a hobgoblin on horseback, galloping towards them.</p><p></p><p>Quintus shook his head and grabbed his longspear roughly. "He's lucky if he doesn't get himself killed! I'll take care of this one."</p><p></p><p>The legionnaire stood in front of the largest boulder, shield at the ready. Quintus held his longspear up high as the rider, a hobgoblin of some rank, descended upon him. He held in his right hand a long, serrated sword filled with jagged edges, each as long as a dagger. The leader swung the sword over his head as he closed in.</p><p></p><p>BLAM! The bullet ricocheted off of his chainmail armor. He kept coming.</p><p></p><p>An arrow glanced off of the hobgoblin's shoulder. He kept coming.</p><p></p><p>Just as the hobgoblin was within range, Quintus lowered his spear and butted it against the boulder behind him. Unstoppable force met immovable object as the momentum of the hobgoblin's charge drove the longspear through his shoulder. His horse whinnied and fell to the side even as the rider was torn out of the stirrups and lifted into the air. </p><p></p><p>Quintus let got of the spear as the hobgoblin crumpled into a bloody pile of chainmail. He turned to Sebastian.</p><p></p><p>"Now, as I was-"</p><p></p><p>"Look out!" Sebastian shouted, eyes wide.</p><p></p><p>There was a blinding flash of pain as Quintus's left shoulder was almost torn out of its socket. The serrated blade tore through his lorica segmata and bit deep into flesh, cutting into muscle. The hobgoblin leader had dragged himself up the length of the spear and attacked Quintus from behind.</p><p></p><p>Quintus yelped as he fell to the ground. He brought his shield up, but to no avail. The leader put one foot on Quintus' shield, pinning him beneath it. The hobgoblin pointed the end of his sword at Quintus' nose.</p><p></p><p>"Flesh Ripper shall feast on your face," he said through fanged teeth.</p><p></p><p>Then an arrow sprouted from his eye. The hobgoblin staggered backwards, clutching his face. He fell backwards in a spray of ichor, the shaft of the arrow sticking straight up into the air.</p><p></p><p>Kham walked over to Quintus, who was still prone since the attack. The legionnaire twitched beneath his shield as Kham lifted it off of him. </p><p></p><p>What he discovered beneath the shield made him gasp: Quintus' arm was drenched in black blood. The wound pulsed with a life of its own.</p><p></p><p>"Quintus is hurt, bad," said Kham. "I don't have any-"</p><p></p><p>"Stand back," said Ilmarė. She put her hands on Quintus' bloody wound. "<span style="font-family: 'Impact'">Nesta lim haru!</span>" </p><p></p><p>A soft purple glow flowed from Ilmarė's hands into Quintus' arm. When it dissipated, the blood was gone and a long, ugly scar was all that remained. </p><p></p><p>Quintus' eyes fluttered upon. "Apology accepted," he said with a brief smile. Ilmarė blinked back at him in surprise. She smiled uncertainly back at him.</p><p></p><p>"You can heal?" asked Kham. "Why didn't you say something before?"</p><p></p><p>"You never asked," she said.</p><p></p><p>Kham shot her a glare and picked up the hobgoblin's sword. "What the hell kind of weapon causes a wound like that?" </p><p></p><p>Quintus struggled to his feet. "A coward's weapon. Leave it."</p><p></p><p>Kham's eyes lit up. "I think we should hold on to it," he said quickly. "In case your wound festers again."</p><p></p><p>Quintus was about to say something when Beldin returned, his axe dripping hobgoblin blood. "The way is clear, but I think we alerted the guards."</p><p></p><p>"Ya think?" asked Kham, shaking his head.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="talien, post: 1892130, member: 3285"] [b]Temptations of the Flesh - Prologue[/b] The tracks went on for a few leagues, running alongside a small stream that led them out of the forest. The forest's edge ended abruptly at rocky terrain. They had dismounted and Ilmarė was carefully studying the ground before them. "The tracks lead this way," said Ilmarė. "But once they leave the forest, I'll lose the trail." "We're not even sure that this is the right way," said Kham. "I still think we should have followed the horse tracks." "They were the tracks of a human. Or a Val," said Ilmarė, glancing up at Kham. "Several pairs of them, with twin rows as if someone was being dragged." "Sounds like brave and noble Gaius fell victim to another ambush. Maybe he'll be dead by the time we get there," muttered Kham. "If we ever find him." "I don't think we have to look any further," said Beldin, pointing at the mountainside. Nestled in the crook of two outcroppings was an ancient looking fortress, heavily damaged from rockslides and avalanches of ages past. The eastern portion of the building appeared to be completely caved in under the weight of the rocks. The top section of a tower lay strewn before it, as did countless smaller stones and boulders. A small waterfall cascaded next to the building, feeding the small stream. "What is this place?" asked Quintus. "Looks like an Auxunite structure, from the later dynasties," said Beldin, squinting in the direction of the fortress. "Portions of it have been recently excavated. My guess is that most of it still lies entombed in the earth below." "Auxunites?" asked Sebastian. "Barbarians that came from the north, before the time of the raising of the Wall of the Gods," Beldin replied. "They ruled a large area through tyranny and mayhem until the val'Tensen family finally overthrew their rule." Ilmarė hissed a warning. They all crouched down behind some boulders. "More hobgoblins," she pointed one slender finger towards tiny figures walking slowly back and forth in front of the fortress. "There." "Alright," said Quintus, "we'll take them by-" There was the sound of thundering hooves as Beldin galloped passed them. "Where is HE going?" shouted Quintus. "To bring the battle to the enemy, of course," said Sebastian matter-of-factly. "Fool! He just cost us the element of surprise!" BLAM! Kham was standing over a small boulder with one of his handgonnes smoking. He aimed the next one. Ilmarė knocked an arrow. "No help for it now," she said as she released the arrow and a hobgoblin collapsed in the distance. A cloud of dirt billowed up as Beldin connected with the enemy. After a moment, it seemed as if Beldin was retreating. "That's not Beldin," said Ilmarė. It was a hobgoblin on horseback, galloping towards them. Quintus shook his head and grabbed his longspear roughly. "He's lucky if he doesn't get himself killed! I'll take care of this one." The legionnaire stood in front of the largest boulder, shield at the ready. Quintus held his longspear up high as the rider, a hobgoblin of some rank, descended upon him. He held in his right hand a long, serrated sword filled with jagged edges, each as long as a dagger. The leader swung the sword over his head as he closed in. BLAM! The bullet ricocheted off of his chainmail armor. He kept coming. An arrow glanced off of the hobgoblin's shoulder. He kept coming. Just as the hobgoblin was within range, Quintus lowered his spear and butted it against the boulder behind him. Unstoppable force met immovable object as the momentum of the hobgoblin's charge drove the longspear through his shoulder. His horse whinnied and fell to the side even as the rider was torn out of the stirrups and lifted into the air. Quintus let got of the spear as the hobgoblin crumpled into a bloody pile of chainmail. He turned to Sebastian. "Now, as I was-" "Look out!" Sebastian shouted, eyes wide. There was a blinding flash of pain as Quintus's left shoulder was almost torn out of its socket. The serrated blade tore through his lorica segmata and bit deep into flesh, cutting into muscle. The hobgoblin leader had dragged himself up the length of the spear and attacked Quintus from behind. Quintus yelped as he fell to the ground. He brought his shield up, but to no avail. The leader put one foot on Quintus' shield, pinning him beneath it. The hobgoblin pointed the end of his sword at Quintus' nose. "Flesh Ripper shall feast on your face," he said through fanged teeth. Then an arrow sprouted from his eye. The hobgoblin staggered backwards, clutching his face. He fell backwards in a spray of ichor, the shaft of the arrow sticking straight up into the air. Kham walked over to Quintus, who was still prone since the attack. The legionnaire twitched beneath his shield as Kham lifted it off of him. What he discovered beneath the shield made him gasp: Quintus' arm was drenched in black blood. The wound pulsed with a life of its own. "Quintus is hurt, bad," said Kham. "I don't have any-" "Stand back," said Ilmarė. She put her hands on Quintus' bloody wound. "[FONT=Impact]Nesta lim haru![/FONT]" A soft purple glow flowed from Ilmarė's hands into Quintus' arm. When it dissipated, the blood was gone and a long, ugly scar was all that remained. Quintus' eyes fluttered upon. "Apology accepted," he said with a brief smile. Ilmarė blinked back at him in surprise. She smiled uncertainly back at him. "You can heal?" asked Kham. "Why didn't you say something before?" "You never asked," she said. Kham shot her a glare and picked up the hobgoblin's sword. "What the hell kind of weapon causes a wound like that?" Quintus struggled to his feet. "A coward's weapon. Leave it." Kham's eyes lit up. "I think we should hold on to it," he said quickly. "In case your wound festers again." Quintus was about to say something when Beldin returned, his axe dripping hobgoblin blood. "The way is clear, but I think we alerted the guards." "Ya think?" asked Kham, shaking his head. [/QUOTE]
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