Cast Out and Fallen (Mok)

[Lessira]

The man was a strange one. He was large, strong and almost savage, but underneath it all... The girl thought he was nice. She snuggled in the cloak, pulling it tighter around her shoulders the girl could smell his scent in the fabric. For some reason it seemed to calm her troubled heart... It was true, she did not understand the danger she was in. For the girl the rolling waves and tilting boat were all a wondrously new experience, something that she could vaguely recognize but nothing that drew any alarm from her grieved soul. In fact she found the strange sensation of weightlessness as they tipped over the crest of a wave rather enjoyable. A small smile touched her lips as she was sprayed by the salty brine, and her eyes turned to look at Mok, expecting to see a similar joy in his. Instead she was met with eyes that spoke of pain and effort, and the girl felt her features grow somber. It seemed that the man was not enjoying the ride as much as she, but the girl could not see why not... Soon the water began falling into the boat by the buckets, soaking both passengers and chilling the girl to the bone. Her think shoulders shook from the cold, and the water logged cloak did little to aid her against the chill. The bottom of the boat was beginning to fill with the salty water, and the man's words held an urgency that rang in the girl's ears. Water was bad? Shaking her head the girl decided it was best to wonder about it later, for now even she could sense the rising danger on the rolling sea. So with small hands she began to shovel out handfuls of salty water out of the boat, working as fast as she could while she tried to keep her balance in the swaying craft. Then the boat tipped once more, falling forward and landing with a hard crashing into the waters, and the girl found herself falling. For a moment that sense of weightlessness was upon her once again, and the girl was reminded of that time, not long ago, when she had fallen from her heavenly domain into the world of mortals. It was an almost euphoric feeling, and she closed her eyes as she was once again swept up by the feel of salty wind pulling at her hair. Then she was embraced by the chilled sea once more... ********** Darkness... Once more encased in the turbulent waves, all sound was muffled... a load roaring filled her ears as the foaming waters passed over her head, and those points of fire began to burn once again. It was all so... Familiar now... The girl kicked out with her legs, pulling with her arms to try and reach the surface, to make it to the air that would give life to her lungs and save her pounding heart from bursting from her chest, but a swift down current caught her up and threatened to pull her back into the icy depths of the sea... Then the hand was there once gain, and the girl felt herself lifted and placed back onto the wooden craft by hands that were not so gentle. Water poured from her lips as she cleared her lungs for the life giving air, sucking it down in deep gulps that made her chest heave. Looking up she saw the man was over her, his eyes filled with emotions the girl did not recognize, and his voice was loud and graded heavily on her muddled mind. Still gasping for breath the girl sat up slowly, awakened fully by the man's forceful shaking that caused her thoughts to spin out of control. Shaking her head to clear the spinning circles, the girl looked upward to the sky, her eyes searching for the form of her God in the heavens, but the clouds had long since blocked him from view. Another wave threatened to capsize the vessel once again, and the girl clung to the wet boards with all of her strength. Inwardly, the lost traveler searched for something, anything she could do to help the man who had saved her twice now... Dimly, something began to form in her mind... Something that was so... Shaking her head the girl new she had to try, even if it was impossible... even if he would not listen to a Fallen... Slowly she stood, bracing her legs against the tilting floorboards. After a moment the girl seemed to find a rhythm to the crashing waves, and she was able to straighten fully. Her eyes looked upward, two shining points of violet that cut through the darkness created by the storm as the gazed upwards at the rolling clouds. Closing her eyes the girl clasped her hands before her chest, humming softly under her breath as she cast her thoughts upward. The girl was only newly fallen from the realm of Leth, his radiance still touched her skin and lit her from within. She did not know if she could reach him... The one whom she knew was there, within the storm... She did not know if he would hear her calls... She could never know if it mattered that she spoke, but still she had to try... Then, from her lips came for a song, a melody that wavered and ebbed and flowed like the flow of the sea itself. It was otherworldly, soft and loud at the same time. There were no words, there was no rhythm or tune. There was nothing but heart... it was passion... It was as if the girl was trying to fill the very air with the sound of her soul, as if she were casting out her entire being to the universe, carried on the melody of one who has known true paradise. As she sang her mind was cast upwards, a string of prayers and pleads directed to the one who controlled the storms... The girl had never met him before, but she knew that Leth had. Her God... surly her God would hear her even now, despite her fallen state... Her eyes opened and she gazed upwards, casting out her prayers to her patron God, asking for his eyes to see her once more, Oh my dearest Leth... I... I am fallen from your relm, but still... Still I would be of your children! Her skin seemed to grow brighter as her prayers were cast, I-I... I do not ask for myself, but for this man... For this man who has saved me from my own destruction... Oh my God, my Dearest Leth, One who has my heart and soul, I beg of you... Please allow this man's life to be spared... The winds howled just as loudly as before... the waves struck with the same amount of force with each passing, threatening to toss the girl from the vessel once more, but still she sang... and she prayed. It was an endless cycle, an almost desperate one. So on they pushed, the ferocity of the sea never letting up as the tiny boat somehow kept from capsizing, until finally the boat came within view of the docks. The sky looked as if it were about to burst with the force they contained, but somehow it was held in check until the boat made its way into the docks. Somehow they had survived, though it was not clear if it had been the girl's prayers or simply coincidence... ********** When the boat had come to a halt, the girl fell to her knees, exhaustion painting her features with a weary shadow. Her skin's glow was dulled, and her violet eyes cast over the man who had risked so much for her. She reached forward a hand and touched his bruised and battered face, and when she did a spark seemed to pass between them. The girl's hand would feel warm, almost causing the man's skin to tingle as she smiled softly at him, "Thank you for saving me... I-I..." She closed her eyes and shook her head. It seemed that words could not completely express what it was she wished to say, so instead she leaned in close, taking his face gently in his hands and placed a single kiss on the man's lips. When she leaned back her smile was warm, her eyes glowed with a soft hue that reflected what she felt inside. When she spoke, her voice carried an almost musical quality, as if she would sing at any moment, "Leth has smiled upon you, and so do I... I have been cast from my home, into a place that is so strange... I... " She shook her head and just smiled, "Thank you."

[Mok]

Mok shook his head. Apparently the woman didn't learn her lesson, because a minute after Mok pulled her from the ocean she was already at it again. The girl tried to stand up on the rocking boat. The stupid waif would only fall into the water again. Yelling, Mok tried to get her to sit, but it didn't work. She was bent on doing something so Mok let it go. It was her life and not his. He had no right to force her to do anything. To his surprise she was rather nimble and was able to keep her balance. Moments later she was steady.

Next the woman embraced her chest and looked up at the moon. Then song reverberated from her lips. It was strange, awful, and beautiful all at the same time. The song had no words or tune; it was simply music in its most pure form. The myrian stopped paddling and looked at the woman sing with immense passion. Mok had never seen anything like this in his life. Her violet horns and silvery hair once more shined in the moonlight. Her beautiful shine was glowing healthy once more.

Mok was speechless. His mind was swimming. He couldn't describe what was going on, but the image of the heavenly woman singing on the boat would be forever ingrained into his mind.

Slowly, the myrian took hold of the oars and began to row again. It was the only thing that he could do. His mind was a blank slate. Every time he tried to think of something it drowned out by the woman's singing. The half-blood was obliged to just row and watch her passionate throngs. With each passing stroke, Mok gained speed. The waters were just as turbulent as before but they were making record time towards the docks. Soon, they would be in the bay and they wouldn't have to deal with the open waters.

~~~

Soon they were in range of the light house, but the myrian took no heed. He paddled onward anyways. At this point, it didn't matter. He just wanted to get to the shore. The waters were still choppy as all hell here in the bay, but at least now it was manageable. He was no more than a furlong away from the closest dock. From what he could see there were no boats coming in and out.

Stopping the boat in the darkest part of the water, Mok waited patiently for the woman to stop singing. They were almost a stone's throw away from the shore now and he didn't want anyone listening in. Exhausted from balancing on the boat and singing for a good part of half an hour, the woman finally stopped. Her skin was now lackluster and dull again. Her eyes tired from intense passion.

She leaned forward and touched Mok's bruised and battered face. The myrian had no feeling in his eye, but as her fingers glided over his checks the myrian fluttered. Her hand was warm and full of love, yet it was not weak and fragile like some useless maiden. She locked eyes with the warrior and spoke words of thankfulness. Before the myrian could say another word she surprisingly kissed his lips.

It was absolutely wonderful! The beautiful goddess's lips tasted like the divine. It was nothing like the rotten, dirty mouths of the women in Sunberth. It was absolutely great! There was no other way to explain it. It was like some good pulp: an unexplainable sensation. Warmth spread like wildfire from his lips, through his face, down his body, and to the tips of his fingers and toes. Leaning back the woman smiled and thanked Mok again through her deep violet eyes. Once more she mentioned something about Leth and being cast from her home.

The half-blood myrian was feeling dizzy and faint. He was suddenly feeling strangely about the girl, but not like before. Before his mind was full of awe and splendor at her beauty but now it was pure physical attraction as well. He wanted her now, he wanted to rip of her cloak and embrace her tender body, only to ravage her in love making. Only time would tell if he would act on such infatuation.

~~~

Nothing good lasts long. That was a lesson Mok learned the hard way.

The bubbly, feel good time on the boat was suddenly put to an end. One moment he was lost in the woman's gaze. Next, the myrian was neck deep in the water hiding from a hail of cross bolt fire. Minutes after their kiss, Mok was spotted by the hooligans who were chasing him earlier in the night.

A bolt whistled through the air barely missing the myrian's neck. Instantly, the darkness in his heart was unleashed. He was once again back into survival mode. No more star gazing tonight. Only losing a second, Mok's hand shot out and grabbed the woman's wrist. His next move was to flip the boat over. Grabbing his rim of the vessel with his free hand, Mok rolled over and pulled with all his might.

FHUMP! SLAP!

Now both of them were underneath the boat, safe for now from the bolts. Underneath the boat was terrible. There was almost no air and the terrifying sound of bolts thudding again wood was amplified to the max. The myrian held on to one of the boards in the boat so he did not have to swim. He help the woman do the same.

"Listen! Listen! We are under fire. They want to kill us. They kill you!" Mok motioned to her with his right hand, making slashing motions across his neck.

"Do you understand? They want to kill you." His voice was desperate and harsh. He did not mean to scare the woman or be mean to her, but they were in dire straits. The clattering of arrows and bolts hitting the boat continued.

Mok too began to despair, he didn't know what to do with her, "Listen, we may die now, but it is important you do not hesitate. Do you understand? Do not hesitate. Follow me and your chances of survival will be much higher. Do you get me? If we stay under this boat we will die a horrible death. Torture! Do you like torture? Please say something to me! This is NO time for games!"

It was time for action, but what would he do? He needed to think and fast before the hooligans got smart.

Red = Myrian
Bold = Common

[Lessira]

Those hands clutched her once more, dragging her from the boat just as the sound of wooshing air passed over their heads. With a heave the man lifted the boat, capsizing it so that both she and Mok were trapped beneath their wooden shelter, treading water to stay afloat. The sound of bolts thudding against the wooden surface was a sound that brought a chill to the girl's spine. Why was it that she felt... that she knew this sound...? Her breaths came in shallow gasps, often taking in more water than air as she faught to keep her head above the water. Her eyes shown with fear, uncertainty and desperation, and the sought after Mok's for guidance. She cast a silent prayer upward, in hopes that Leth would hear her pleas... The man's hand guided the girls to the boards of the boat, allowing her to breath without fighting to stay afloat. His voice caught her attention, and her eyes never left the man's as he spoke to her. They wish to kill me? But why? Vaguely she wondered at such a thing, for it was certainly strange to her. What was death to one who lived among the divine? It was a thing for mortals... but then it seemed that she had come to be a mortal... trapped in this flesh and unable to even speak her name... Once more her despair threatened to claim her heart, but the man's insistent gaze and urgent words called her back from that place. There would be a time to absorb all that had occurred, to grieve her loss and ponder her life... but this was not it. Shaking her head the girl touched a hand to one temple, closing her eyes to align her thoughts and order her feelings, pushing them away to the back of her mind for future reference. Quietly, in the back of her mind, something stirred... It was as if an old memory... No... not a memory, an old identity was beginning to arouse within her. In her mind she felt as if... somewhere deep within her she KNEW what needed to be done, but it was a clouded thought, one long since lost into the folds of her being. Taking a deep breath the girl opened her eyes, looking up at Mok and nodding slowly, "I-I... Understand. If you lead, I shall follow you. Leth guide our steps." The girl's violet eyes shown with a quiet understanding, as if something had awoken within her, or rather someone... She still held her uncertain expression, and her innocent thoughts were still clearly defined on her features. Her eyes, however, looked as if they held within them something... so much more.

[Mok]

To Mok's relief the innocent woman understood him clearly. Believe it or not, her simple affirmation of the situation was enough to pull the half-blood out of despair. Now he could focus without worrying about her doing anything stupid. It was time for action. First, the myrian needed to assess the situation.

"Stay and do not move or talk!"

Taking a deep breath Mok let himself sink underwater. The moon and stars were bright enough for Mok to locate the upturned vessel, but it was too dark to see anything else. Holding onto the rim of the boat, the myrian slowly rose out of the water to take a look at the situation. There had been a ceasefire, but from what he could make out the bolts had to be shot from a building on the edge of the docks. There wasn't much light so that was that entire he could make out. He couldn't see were their assailants were located. He couldn't even tell if there was any movement on the shoreline.

Returning back under the boat Mok whispered out loud, "I can't see a petching thing, but it looks like they are either waiting for us ashore or still hiding on top one of the buildings over yonder."

They had a few options. They could continue to use the boat as cover and just swim to the shoreline. While that seemed to be the safest option, their assailants would easily know their location. They could also abandon the boat and swim. Mok figured it would be safer, but if the woman surfaced for air at the wrong moment their location would be compromised. Both situations looked bad.

The warrior had made his decision. Taking his sword in hand, Mok decided to attack head on. Eventually it would come down to this and he didn't want to bullshit anymore. Plus this would teach his new friend what it meant to live by the sword. Taking hold of the vessel Mok began to kick in the way of the shore. In less than a minute, they would be on dry land and in a whole heap of trouble.

"They got two nasty crossbows. Stay under cover if they start to fire. This is it! Time to roll!" Mok said as his feet brushed against the sand. Seconds later the myrian pushed the boat up on the lapping waves. Almost immediately after he did that a whistling bolt flew over his head. Good. They were still up on the building. After the next volley the myrian planned to sprint the distance from the beach head to the closeted form of cover.

He didn't know what was on the other side of the boat but he couldn’t afford to hesitate. Giving a curt nod to the cloaked woman, Mok waited for the precise moment that the second volley arrived.

Boom!

It was do or die. The myrian sprang forward, sword shining in hand and made his way up the beach head. The sand was tough to run. Mok picked up his knees up and ran as fast as he could. Mok started to yell and get the attention of the assailants. Hopefully, that would be enough to allow the girl to slip by.

Two bolts whirled by his head and stuck into the sand directly behind him. Up ahead, ten yards away were some debris stacks up around three feet high. Launching his body forward the myrian hit the floor and rolled into cover just as another bolt zoomed by him.

As the girl reached the cover, Mok noticed that she looked distraught. Getting shot at like that must have been terrible for her. All of that could be handled later though.

"Look they are coming." Mok pointed at the building they were shooting from then pointed at the beginning of the allies. They were about three hundred and fifty yards away, "Stay hidden and stay safe. Head towards the ally. Stay covered at all times. I will go handle them."

Red = Myrian
Bold = Common

[Lessira]

The girl's mind tried to make sense of the words Mok spoke, but she simply did not have the experience... However she did have the sense to know that whatever it was, it was dangerous. The girl nodded to the man as he spoke, assuring him that she would do as he said. The sound of further bolts hitting the boat set her heart pounding, and strangely the sound was almost familiar to her ears... Then the man moved, taking the boats weight fully on his own me moved them forward. The sound of thudding continued as they made their slow progress to the shore, and when her feet touched sand the girl looked to the man for his further instructions. The instruction, however, came in the sound of scraping steel and the sudden tossing of the boat. Her eyes were opened then to a world she had never known before. Stars twinkled in the partially cloudy sky, and Leth smiled down upon her brow as she looked upward and tasted the fresh air untainted by salt and brine. It was... strangely peaceful, if only for a mere fraction of a moment... Then the world was once more thrown into chaos. The woosh of bolts through the air brought the girls head back to the world of mortals, and the sight of the man's fleeing back spurred her own legs to carry her forward as well. The pounding in her chest, the burning sensation as life's breath came in short, gasping bursts send the girl's mind reeling. It was so much to take in, it was all so new and... Overwhelming. To have been thrown from the realm of God's to a place such as this, it was almost too much to take in all at once. Her mind threatened to collapse in on itself, to take shelter in that small part of her being and wait for the world to return to normal once more, but something... A smaller part, a voice from long ago would not allow this. It fought to keep her mind from straying, to ground her in this world that was both so strange and familiar at the same time. It called out to her in a whisper from decades ago. It spoke to her in hushed tones that kept the darkness at bay. Do not lose focus... The girl's eyes locked on the man's back as she ran, watching the bunch of muscles and flash of steel form his hand. His stride was longer than hers, and it carried him farther from her with each step. The girl flinched as she felt the wind from an arrow pass mere inches over her shoulder, brushing aside a few strands of hair in its path, and she stumbled and almost fell as another landed dangerously close to where her foot was just moments ago. The sand... Oh the sand caused her legs to tremble from the sudden sprint, her muscles still so knew to this world where the press of the world was so heavy... Her lungs called for more air than she could give them, and her heart raced with a mix of fear and adrenaline. She just had to keep moving... Follow the man... Her eyes never left his back, never strayed from from his form as they made their flee for cover. The man waved his hands, calling attention to himself, and at the same time he made motions that the girl could only assume were for her. He is making himself a decoy... The other voice spoke within her with feelings rather than words, I must find cover... She altered direction slightly, heading to a set of stacked crates a little to the right of where Mok was running. She quickly followed his lead and took cover, though she more slid through the sand than rolled behind the crates just as she heard the thud of arrows slamming into her shelter. Taking a deep breath the girl leaned back against the crates, her chest heaving as she closed her eyes for a moment, Oh Dearest Leth... Where have I come to... What is this place where I feel nothing but fear... For the briefest moment the girl felt that she would be overcome with despair once more, the force of it causing her eyes to open and look about in distress. She found the man not too far, his eyes on her, for a moment, settled her fears, He said he would help me... He helped me before... She looked to the man to anchor her shattered nerves, If I just... He will help me... Some inner part of her seemed to scoff at this, but the girl still could not help herself. She was placing very ounce of her trust into this man who she had only met a few bells ago... This man who had now saved her twice in such a short time... His voice carried over to the girl's ears, a balm of sorts that eased the pounding of her chest enough that she could listen and understand what he was saying. Peeking over the lip of the crate the girl saw allies that he spoke of, but she could not see from where the arrows were coming. Of course, she did not know what to look for either. Her head turned, however, when she heard the whole of his plan. The girl's eyes shown with worry as she spoke, "No, you cannot! You cannot go alone... W-what if something were to happen? She did not know what COULD happen... She did not yet understand what it meant to be harmed, or even what it was to die. She could not picture injury or pain, beyond emotional ones, but something within her spoke... It said that if this man were to go alone, bad things might happen, and the girl could not let this. This man... He... He was more than just the one who had found her, he was all she knew. The girl knew nothing of this world... Mok had become the only real thing to this girl could hold onto, the only thing that anchored her and kept her from being swept up in her grief. He was rock, her shelter, her entire world... for all she knew he was all there was in this existence... And so she could not let him go. "I-I... I will go too." Her voice may have sounded frail, perhaps almost timid, but her eyes looked at Mok with a determination. There was a fire there, a steel in those glowing points that might lead one to wonder if this girl was truly as innocent as she seemed. She looked at the man with eyes that spoke of a deeper understanding of the situation than she appeared to have, as if she in part knew what it was she was getting into. It may have been a trick of the light, but there was a glimmer there as well. The light of something else that spoke of some form of experience. The girl herself may have been unaware of it, but those eyes were the eyes of one who had seen combat before. Whatever the man said, the girl was determined to follow him. To help him however she could, and so when he began to move she quickly followed him despite any protests he might have. She followed his lead, dodging from shelter to shelter as they made their way close to the beach. The man's experience showing through as he seemed to find the closes shelter and roll behind it as soon as another bolt was loosed. The girl tried to follow his example, but her movements were rather slow in comparison. She moved with confidence and sure-footed, but it was as if her limbs were foreign to her. Her body felt so heavy, the weight of the world seemed to press on her shoulders with every step, and the sand almost to leap up and grab at her feet withe very step. It was a slow and awkward movement, but as she progressed the girl did seem to be improving. It was then that the girl experience her first pain. When she first felt what it was to be truly mortal... It was proceeded only by the soft whispering of air, a sudden gust of wind and finally by an impact that made her stagger and almost lose her footing. The bolt had flown true, whistling its way through the air until it finally came to a stop, slicing through the flesh of her upper arm and landing with a thud in the dirt behind her. The force of it caused her to jerk and almost fall backwards, but her forward momentum kept her on her feet and moving in the same direction. She managed to stumble behind cover with Mok, her legs failing her and causing her to fall to her knees as she tried to catch her breath. Then she felt it, that surge of lightning as the numbness from the sudden shock wore off and the pain was allowed to flow freely through her veins. A soft cry escaped her lips and tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at her arm. The bolt had struck a clean line through her upper arm, creating a gash in her previously perfect skin that wept blood at a steady rate. The injury itself would not be life threading, for the girl had done something completely by accident. Just before the bolt had struck she had stumbled on a loose piece of drift wood, causing her body to turn and causing the bolt to hit the side of her arm instead of the middle of her chest. It was a lucky mistake, and it may have saved her life this day. The pain, however, may have caused the girl to think otherwise. Her breaths came in shallow gasps as a trickle of blood began to fall down her arm. The bolt had sliced a clean path through her shimmering skin, and the wound pored blood in a steady stream that trickled down her forearm and dripped from her fingers. However to the girl it was simply pain... It was something she did not know of, could not have understood until this moment. Tears fell freely from her eyes as she clutched at her arm with her free hand, curling up so that her head touched her knees while she waited for the pain to lessen.

[Mok]

The girl insisted on following.

"No one lives forever." the myrian coldly stated. Mok considered protesting, but it was no use trying to convince her; there was no time for explanations. In the end, he couldn't make decisions for her. If she wanted to follow him, it was her folly. Looking upon the goddess' fiery eyes one more time, the myrian wished that she would just run to safety. There was no telling what would happen next. It smelt like death in the air and Mok was not confident at all in her ability to fend off the assailants. There was nothing that he could do about it now.

Twang. Shink. That was his queue to run and he exploded without hesitation.

Mok's plan was already ingrained deep into his head. He had been going over it in his mind. He didn't have anything specific; however the overall goal was to run from cover to cover to get into melee range of the attackers. By his estimation there were at the least two bowmen. Taking into the consideration the reload rate of a crossbow, Mok figured he had approximately one to fifteen counts of clean time. That meant that once the second bolt was loosened the time frame that Mok had to work with could be fatally short or intensely long. On the bright side, this actually gave Mok more of a chance. A typical bows reload rate would be much faster. All in all, it was a risky maneuver but what fun would the battle be without a gamble.

Starting from behind some junk wood, Mok sprinted with all his might towards a grouping of crates. It was easily forty yards away. This would be the longest distance that he would need to cross. Usually, the myrian could sprint the distance in a matter of seconds, but with the sand it was a whole other situation. The sand greatly slowed the warrior down. Not only did each step sink into the floor, he could not push off the floor at all. The treacherous underfoot could mean his end. Half way through his sprint a bolt landing several yards in front of him. He was glad that they were terrible shots. Looking up towards the building they were shooting from Mok spotted the glint of a bolt speeding through the air. Due to the distance, the quarrel was moving around the same speed as a regular longbow. He had only moments to react, but it was too late. Raising his gladius over his head, the myrian prepared to tumble out of the way. If anything, he might block the bolt with his sword.

~~~

Things might have gone Mok's way, but it was a misfortunate night and luck was definitely not on his side. The bolt came slamming down into the very arm that was attempting to shirk off the bolt. A sharp, hot pain went through his arm and came out the other side. A moment later there was more pain, this time it was his face. Crashing into floor near the crates, Mok found himself in dire straits.

A cross bolt had pierced through both the chain and flesh of his arm all the way into his cheek bone. Finally, Mok realized what had just happened. It was unbelievable. He had never imagined such a terrible wound. A second after realizing what just occurred the pain of the injury suddenly rushed to his head and he let out a terrible cry: A cry of despair and darkness. A blood curdling scream.

Sinking lower into the floor the warrior's body spasemed. Pain pulsated around his face, neck, arm, and shoulders. Behind him he could hear the woman had finally reached cover. He couldn't just lie on the floor, he needed to do something.

A drop of blood hit the sandy floor. His eyes began to flash. Another drop of blood. Rage began to fill his heart. It was time for action. Someone needed to pay for this.

Standing up, Mok called upon all his strength and will power to act. He needed to get out the line of fire and quick. Keeping his arm up, he sprinted ten yards to a group of barrels. Ducking behind a barrel, he spotted his next location and sprinted there.

The next minute was a blur. Moving from location the myrian slowly made his way out of the range. He had no time to worry about the woman either. She needed to survive on her own for now.

Leaning against a low stone wall, Mok finally could take a breather. Blood trickled down his face and arm. Right now, the only thing keeping him going was hate and adrenaline. Someone was going to pay the price. No one petched with Mok and lived. This was way too much for him.
Darkness swirled around his heart. His heart embraced the terror and horror. There was nothing else he could do.

Grabbing the shaft of the arrow that was sticking out of his forearm, the myrian counted off to four and prepared to snap it. Using his thumb, the myrian gripped the wooden shaft so it wouldn't jerk.

SNAP.

Next he slid his arm off the broken bolt. Pain pulsated again across his face. The myrian held in his scream. His face began to shake. He was going into shock, but he couldn't accept that. He was a warrior. He worshiped steel and lived by its rules every day and that he needed to fight to the bitter end. In other words, Mok would pay the price, but he would not count the cost.
Any on looker would see a wretched man struggling to keep his composure, but Mok knew that he was only preparing for the upcoming clash. Blood dripped down his face and neck. It was painful to even move his head. He needed to push back the pain and allow more darkness to enter his heart. By now his heart was black and without remorse. He needed to stop feeling sorry for himself.

This was it. It was time to engage the enemy. Mok's vision and hearing were addled but he knew what he needed to do. Calling upon the darkness in his heart the warrior prepared to make his last stand.

Red = Myrian
Bold = Common

[Lessira]

For a time the girl remained there, half curled into a ball and weeping silent tears of fear and anguish. She rocked back and forth, one hand clutching at the wound as rivets of red fell freely down her shimmering skin. When the man moved the girl did not take notice at first, but his labored breathing soon brought her eyes up to see him running from cover to cover. Shaking her head the girl tried to stand, but her legs would not move. She was... I am... Afraid... She knew this... This world was... chaos. It was so strange, so different... It terrified her. Had it really only been a few bells before that she had been in the splendor of Leth and his realm? Was it but a short time ago that she had been in peace and happiness? To have been thrown so suddenly, so violently into this world where nothing made sense anymore... The man was moving farther and farther away now. His steps were slowed slightly, but the bulge of his muscles and the look of his face... It sent shivers tracing down her spine. It ignited something within her... Some feelings from long ago that she could not place. This man... He was... He's getting away! The voice called strongly from within her. It was an urgent cry, one that spoke volumes to the girl. Feelings began to well up, fears of what would happen if she were separated from the man. For some reason she knew... Shaking her head the girl cast a prayer to Leth and stood, gasping and sobbing as the pain in her arm returned anew, but her eyes turned to watch the man's fleeing form. Once more Mok had become an anchor, something that the girl could use to pull her free from the grasping tendrils of depression that sought to drag her to the depths of despair once more. She had to keep up... She had to... Stupid, the longer you sit here the farther he is going to get. Blinking the girl took a deep breath, gritted her teeth and dashed from her position to follow the man. Her footing was awkward, and the pain in her arm distracted her as she made her way from cover to cover. However, the man quickly pulled ahead. She could not keep up with his pace, for he was driven on by an unnerving force of will that the girl could not comprehend. He was so strong... So much more than she, and the girl could feel the distance between them growing with each step. Then the two were separated completely... A stray bolt crashed into a stack of crates before the girl, sending the precariously placed boxes tumbling forward and almost crushing the girl as she ran by them. The edge of one of the crates caught her leg, adding another long scrape up her calf and sending the girl tumbling into the sand as the man continued in his forward trek. Her body ached... Sand filled her lungs as she coughed and raised herself up on her elbows. She could not see, the fall thrusting dust and grit into those violet pools and blinding the girl and causing fresh tears to fall to the ground. Blinking to clear her vision she looked up to search for the man who would keep her within this world, but suddenly a shadow was cast over her...

[Mok]

His heart was filled to the brink with horror and darkness. He was ready now. Strife and pain was the only thing left for Mok on this world. He cast out of his mind anything that was unnecessary. For now he cast aside thoughts of the celestial woman. He expelled memories of his beloved brothers and sisters in the Crimson Edge. His whole body and will power was focused on the encounter that was about to occur.

His face was a figure of despair, disgust, and madness. Anyone looking upon Mok would see that he was at his breaking point, but he had just activated his second wind from deep inside. The warrior would take his assailants to the petching grave. Everyone would know it. Whether or not they would be afraid would be another story though.

Gripping the worn handle of his gladius, Mok recollected all of the encounters that his faithful weapon saw him through. Trust none but steel; that was a philosophy that he invented for himself when he was exiled from the jungle. He was on the brink of life. No god would help him now. This situation proved to Mok that steel was the only thing worth worshiping. Maybe the myrian had realized this fact way too late, but none-the-less he understood now.

Taking his sword in hand and clasping his injured arm close to his heart, the half-blood advanced.

Stepping out from behind cover, the myrian saw the situation unfold in front of him. The two crossbow men were now wielding longsword and they were approaching fast. Soon the myrian would be able to solve the conflict that had erupted.

When both the fighters were ten yards away from each other, everyone suddenly stopped dead in their tracks. Something needed to be said, before combat began. The first swordsman broke the silence with a heckling laugh.

"Lookie 'ere lookie 'ere. Mister myrian isn't tough as we though' ya see? Whadda think 'Berto?"

The second swordsman laughed in response, "Petching piece of myrian shit, that's whad I think Sid."

"Hey myrian. This is the part when ya grovel at my knees and beg for my forgiveness." Sid stated.

Mok responded coldly, "I rather die on my two feet standing then bow to the pitiful excuse of a human you call yourself." This only caused more laughter from the swordsmen. They obviously could not understand the seriousness of the situation. Berto and Sid had an appointment with Lhex and they would not be late.

Nevertheless, they responded in heckling laughter, "Right you are! Right you are! But your still wrong...I left my humanity behind long ago!"

"No. You don't understand," the warrior responded immediately, "I am going to cut you first, you petching cunt, I am going to remind you the true meaning of horror! I am going to teach you the last lesson of your miserable life!" The half-blood’s rage spilled over. His face was maniac and lit up. His eyes shone in the dim light. His facial expression was one of blood lust. He had finally gotten through to them. He wasn't petching around. He was playing for keeps. He would fight to the bitter end. NOTHING else mattered.

There was no more need for words. The battle began.

Berto charged him first. His held his longsword like a peasant: pointed at a forty-five degree angle in front of his body. The warrior had his gladius pointed at straight at his opponent, palm down. Mok wait patiently for Berto to enter his range. He would use all his power and rage into this strike, but he would do it smartly. Mok had to finish him off as quickly as possible.

The long swordsman opened with a typical overhead strike. Not a big deal to Mok. The myrian dropped to one knee and parried the strike by raising his blade over his head. Then he froze. Normally, he would attack with his free arm, but no he was wounded. This gave Berto the opportunity to swing again. Still on one, knee the myrian hopped back up to his feet while evading a strike. After a moment of composure, Mok advanced again. He had only one chance at winning the fight cleanly right now: he needed to disable the man or disarm him. Mok knew the perfect move.

Mok leaped forward, extending his legs and hips to get maximum range and trust in his stab. The warrior's weapon was a foot shorter than the longsword, but he could make up for it with techniques to extend his reach. The stab was aimed right for the man's weapon hand. Berto instinctively brought his hand down to meet Mok's blade with his hand guard.

Clank! Now their weapons were locked. The next technique was critical. Mok could either attempt a disarm or go for some cheap shots... He decided to play it safe and pivoted on his off-foot to align himself adjacent to his assailant. At the same time as the pivoting step, Mok grabbed his opponent’s sword hand with his wounded arm. Berto's reaction was to try to free his sword from the lock, but his efforts came a little too late; Mok was in the position for victory.

Twisting his torso, Mok succeeded in also twisting his arm as well. This meant Berto's weapon was useless in his current positioning. The myrian wasted no time and stabbed with his gladius. Finally, success! Mok's head rushed with blood and excitement as his blade sunk into the flesh of the man. Blood chortled from the longswordsman's mouth immediately as he let out a terrible cry.

It was over. One down. One to go. Mok turned to his next opponent and began to walk over slowly. It was time for him to pay the price. Sid took one look at Mok and was trembling in fear. Although the myrian didn't notice it, but he was no covered from head to toe in a spray of blood. After Mok killed his right hand man so easily, Sid was much shaken now. Mok was a terrifing sight indeed; he was a man that ignored pain and suffering and eerily fought was such savage intensity.

Sid wanted none of it. Turning around the guy ran for his life and never looked back.

Just as soon as the first longswordsman left, pain and agony returned to Mok's face and arm. Falling back down on his knees, Mok's mind went black.

Red = Myrian
Bold = Common

[Lessira]

OOCThis is a very long post, but it is a focal point for a lot of Less' future threads and development. A lot of stuff happens and she learns a few things about herself. There is a bit of maturity in this post, so just a heads up. I hope you enjoy That man, Sid was his name, such a coward was he... His partner beaten, his pride bruised by a mix of fear of embarrassment. A man who saw his future reflected in the light glittering off the blood spattering the Myrian. It was this future that drove Sid away, forced him to flea for his very life, defeated and shamed unlike ever before... Petch it all, I never run from such a petching fight before. Burning with rage and fear, mixed shame and embarrassment, the man distanced himself from the barbarian who had slain his man without a second thought. It had been so easy, so quick for that Myrain, and Sid did not wish to become another drop of blood on that man's boots. He was a man beaten and forced away, one who had his pride crushed into a pulp in a mere moments. He hated himself, but he hated the Myrain more, If ever I get tha chance I'll gut him like a pig! It was a solemn vow, filled with resentment and malice. Sid hated that man, and somehow he would take his revenge. It was then that he noticed something, someone still on the beach. Someone with long hair and a cloak draped over their shoulders. Slowing to a halt Sid cast a look back over his shoulder at Mok, and he saw that the man had slumped where he was. Sid then looked back at the figure on the beach, and a smile spread across his lips, reviling cracked and yellowed teeth. It was a smile of a cadaver risen from the grave, one of malice and evil intentions. Well now, there's an idea. ***** The girl stared down at the sand, her from the same as it was when she had fallen. There was an ache in her leg from the where the crates teeth had left its mark, and fresh blood trailed down her calf. The wound in her arm was aggravated as well, weeping fresh tears as the girl struggled to her knees, wincing as sand brushed against her open wounds. She coughed a few times to clear her lungs of the abstractions that entered her throat when she fell, and her hands pressed against her chest and she gasped desperate breaths in an attempt to refill those lungs that had just had the air driven from them. Her mind struggled to catch up with so many new sensations. Her hands trembled slightly as she reached up and felt a fresh flow of tears streaking down her cheeks, creating paths through patches of sand that now adorned her skin. Where have I come Leth... Why am I... A sob broke through and the girl closed her eyes and clasped her hands over her face. Shaking her head she leaned down, pressing her forehead against her knees and shaking with soft sobs. The man was gone now, she was certain. He had left her as well, and the girl did not know... I am alone again... Why am I here now Leth...? Her mind was in musings and so she did not hear. Her attention was on her own despair and so she did not have a chance... It was then that a new pain was experienced, and a new sensation... Fear was awakened within the girl. The man had come upon her, and his hand grasped at her hair and yanked her up and unto her feet, causing a gasp and a cry to escape the girl's lips. The girl reached up to grab at the hand holding onto her silver locks, trying to relieve the pain that was burning through her scalp as he swung her around to face him. For a moment the man's jaw went slack, his eyes gazing upon her with a mix of awe and dumbfounded curiosity. It was obvious that the man had never seen a creature as radiant as the woman he now held, and Sid at first did not know what to do. However, this moment did not last and the look in his eyes was soon replaced by something that sent a chill racing up the girl's spine. "Oh, so this is wha' that petchin bastard was fighting for is it? Ahaha I gotta say, he had a good taste in his whores." Sid leaned in close, almost seeming to sniff the girl, "Yeah, good tastes indeed!" With one hand the cloak was undone and the girls form was exposed fully to the man. An evil cackle escaped his lips as one rough hand clasped a full breast, and the other pulled back on the girls hair to expose her neck for the man's horrid teeth. The man's touch sent revulsion scorching through her veins. Her heart pounded and a feeling of anguish and dread pushed the girls body into action, struggling and pulling at Sid's hold as she fought against the merciless fingers and sickening tongue that found their way across her body. "N-no! P-please don't touch me!" She kicked with her legs, pulled with her arms, fighting with all of her might, but the man only seemed to take more pleasure from this, "Struggle all ye' like my darlin. We are gonna have some fun tonight!" Still laughing, Sid grabbed one of the girl's flailing arms and pinned it behind her back, pulling her against his chest so that he stared down into her violet eyes. Then, after giving her a cracked tooth smile he dipped his head down, forcing his lips upon hers, parting them with his tongue despite the girl's muffled cries and desperate attempts to break free. Revulsion filled her as she felt the man's tongue pressing against her own. She could feel every inch of him pressed against her body, but she could not move pinned as she was. Every time she attempted the grip on her hair would tighten, forcing her head to remain still as the man did as he wished. Her arm hurt from the awkward positioning behind her back, and Sid's grip was like iron on her fair skin. Desperately she cried out to her God, Leth, please! However, this time there would be no answer... Releasing those full lips, Sid cackled and ran his tongue over one cheek before speaking, "Ahh yes you are sweet aren't you? Ahaha! Come, lets go somehwere more..." He grinned and leaned in to whisper in her ear, "Private." Private? What did that mean? The girl did not understand, could not. What was it he wished from her, she had nothing to give? These questions filled her mind as she was dragged, still pinned against the man as he walked. In the back of her mind, that other voice stirred within her once more, No! Do not give up! If you do he will... He will what? What was this feeling that welled up within her. Where was this fear coming from... It was so strange, it was staggering in its power and influence over her mind. It was as if a tidal-wave that washed away all other thoughts and feelings, and it set the girls struggles to a new intensity. "No! No don't! I-I do not want this! P-please you can't!" Where was he? Where was the man? He said he would help her... Had he forgotten of the girl? Had he abandoned her to... This fate? "Stop! I-I don't... P-please!" ***** Sid could feel his excitement building as the girl struggled in his arms, Oh, I love it when they struggle. Licking his lips the man drug the girl up and away from the sands of the beach, laughing from time to time as he imagined all of the things he was about to do. Surely, this would get make the Myrian to regret what he did! His grin only grew as he felt the girl struggle against him, stirring certain passions into a full blaze as he chuckled, "Yes, I have never done this with something like you before. Ohhh I will savor every second!" The girl's struggles only increased, and then both disappeared around the corner leading to a deserted alley... ***** The girl could do nothing... The man was too strong, and she was too week to continue struggling. Her arm ached where he had it twisted behind her, her head burned from his fierce grip on her hair. She felt desperation taking over her mind as she saw her end coming closer and closer... This was the end, and she could do nothing... No! The voice called out lound and clear, ringing through her mind with the force of a hammer blow, Do not give in! You are more than this, you are stronger than this! Remember! For the briefest instant a series of images flashed before the girl's eyes, images of someone else... Someone who stood strong and tall, one who did not back down from fear... It was someone so familiar.. The girl could almost... Her eyes opened, the girl did not realize that she had closed them, and she looked up at the face of the man who held her. His eyes were beedy, filled with illcontent and evil intentions. His gaze found her's, and his expression sent another chill coursing through her veins. She had to escape... She had to be free or he would... Stop thinking, act! Taking a deep breath the girl shook her head, contorting her entire body and struggled with all of her might against the man's grip. She fought, she pulled and tugged at her arms, forcing them to move. Within her, something shifted as well. The girl felt the sense of something flowing through her, sloshing back and forth like water in a bucket. This flow seemed to flow in the direction of her greatest struggles, but the girl did not bother taking the time to question this. Instead she gathered her strength, summoning forth her strength for one final attempt. ***** However, the man would have none of this. Her struggling caused him to lose his balance, crashing against the walls of the alley as the girl seemed to grow in strength as the seconds passed. With a growl, the man gathered the girl in his arms, releasing her hair to grasp both of her shoulders, "You stupid whore, be STILL!" That one, commanding word was followed by a swift, powerful motion of Sid's arms, slinging the girl around so that she crashed into the wall of the alley, her head slamming hard against the bricks, "You are MINE now, and I will take everything from you." He laughed and threw her into the opposite wall, the sound of flesh on stone setting his loins into a frenzy, "I like my meat tender anyway. His evil cackling reaching a new pitch, Sid made his way toward the limp, unspeakable things resting within his mind. ***** Darkness filled her vision... Everything was... silent once more. The girl felt as if she were floating, caught up in a swirl of mixed feelings and thoughts that floated slowly through her mind. She tried to remember where she was... but such complex thinking escaped her at the moment. Her head ached... and she wished she could rest like this forever... Within the darkness, however, another voice echoed... Why are you sleeping... You do not have time to rest... The girl sighed, looking around the darkness for the voice that had guided her, I am... weak. I can do nothing... I have been cast out. I am fallen... What point is there in struggling any longer...? The voice seemed to scoff at the girl's words, an almost mocking sound, Is that what you truly think? Will you give up just like that? The girl almost seemed to shrug at the voice, What choice do I have now? I cannot fight him, he is too strong... And perhaps... I shall return to Leth... The voice was silent for a moment, but when it spoke it rang with conviction, Leth would not accept us like this... and he has a purpose for us here... The girl's mind seemed to awaken slightly at this, What purpose can there be? Why would he... Let me show you... what you are truly capable of. ***** The girl stirred, slowly raising herself up into a kneeling position. Her breaths came in shallow gasps and a fresh stream of blood trickled down the side of her head, the crimson in stark contrast to her silver hair. Her eyes fluttered open, looking down at the dirt between her fingers as she tried to orient herself. Something within her had changed... Sid's slow steps came to a halt and he chuckled deep in his chest, "So ye' got a bit more fight in ya do ye'? Thats good, I like it when they put up a struggle for me." His laughter rang in the girl's ears, igniting a feeling that caused her body to tremble. Mistakening the reason for her shuddering form, Sid stepped closer and stooped down that he could smile at her bleeding face, "Ah now my pretty thing, no reason to be scared hahaha. I ain't gonna hurtcha. We are just gonna have a bit of fun together, you and I." His smile broadened as he reached out a single, grotesque finger and brushed it against her glimmering horn. It was an instant, a mere fraction of a second. It was a blur, a sudden movement that Sid could not possibly have seen coming. The water within the girl flowed, spilling up from her other limbs to fill her left arm as she struck the detestable man square in his chest, the force of the blow such that it sent the man sprawling backwards, the wind knocked from the lungs and his mind addled by surprise and shock. As he lay, gasping and wheezing, the girl slowly stood, shaking out her hair and dusting off her knees. Straightening the girl looked down at her hand, feeling the flow within her spreading out to the rest of her body once more. Faintly, she could remember what it was that caused this sensation, but she could not put it into words. Sid coughed and wheezed, struggling to recapture the lost breath as he rolled onto his side and stood to his knees. His eyes looked up at the woman, his gaze filled with scorn and hatred as he struggled to bring his tongue to motion, "You petching-- *wheeze* whore! I-- Kill you for that. Coughing into his hand, Sid felt a strange mix of fear and aggravation when he saw speckles of blood dotting his palm. He looked up once more to send a few more chose words at the girl, but his tongue was stilled by the gaze that met his own. The girl had changed... Her eyes, they glowed with a new intensity. Stricken from them was the innocents from before, and what was left was something determined... something cold... Something that Sid felt was... Shaking his head the man tried to smile, the act coming off more as a grimace as he spoke in a slightly strained voice, standing to his feet, "So, you are a bit more than I thought ye' were eh? Eheh still doesn't change a thing though. I'm gonna be taking whats mine." Stepping toward the girl the man reached forward to take ahold of her arm, grinning fully once more. Surely it had simply been a fluke... The girl's movements were fluid, like the flow within her. Stepping forward with her left foot her arm slid under Sid's, her other hand grasping his wrist as she turned as she leveraged his arm over her shoulder, the flow of energy flowing to the muscles of her back and shoulders. With a deep breath the girl rotated her hips, using her charged muscles, leverage and the man's own momentum to flip him bodily over her shoulder, sending him sprawling on his back once more. Stepping back, the girl brushed a hand through her hair, rolling her shoulders as she breathed deeply, "Do not touch me." The man landed with thud, the air rushing once more from his lungs as his head was sent spinning. Growling deep in his throat, Sid rolled over and stood to his feet, pulling a knife from his boot as he advanced once more, Hey now, precious, you done gone and forced my hand. I don't need ye' in one piece for what I got planned." He stepped closer to the girl, reaching forward and brandishing his knife, laughing as he did. The girl's thoughts were calm, calculating almost as the man came closer. Step back, wait for him. Do not force the tide, ride with it. Her breaths were slow and deep as she took a couple of steps back, feeling the wall of the alley close to her side as Sid stepped closer, "I pray Leth has mercy on your soul... for I shall not." Sid smiled, showing his yellowed teeth, ["Is that so? Well ill be sure to tell him how sweet you tasted." His lunge came suddenly and without warning. His arm slashed wildly, the knife whipping close to the girl's exposed skin. Be calm... Each time the man struck, the girl would reach forward, using the side of her hand to deflect the blow so that it would not hit any vital areas. Her movements were swift, confident, but there was an awkwardness about it as well. It was as if she had not done this in a long time, or perhaps her body was not conditioned for such activities? Whatever the case, Sid scored several blows in his mad scramble to pin her, and his reward was new areas of ruby tears that coursed down the girl's shimmering skin. The girl's mind was both racing and slow at the same time, her thoughts jumbled with a mixture of odd feelings and musings. The voice spoke through her, guided her actions as she avoided strikes and deflected killing blows, or was it really her doing it? The girl could not say, for she felt the same, yet completely different all at once... Her mind was calm though, like a still pond without a single ripple. She could not explain it, this sensation. She did not know where it came from... How is it... that I can do these things? The girl thought to herself as she narrowly avoided the steel just as grazed by her cheek, This is not me... But then, who..." The voice answered her, filling her mind with half remembered dreams, This is you... It has always been you... Sid managed to push the girl back against the alley wall, smiling in his grotesque way as he felt his excitement build once more, "Well now, ye' have come no where else to run off ta', now do ye'? Come on over to old Sid, and I'll make ye' feel real good." Stepping closer, Sid lunched with the knife, aiming for her injured shoulder. There was something... so familiar about the situation... The girl felt as if she had experienced this before, this feeling of... She could not explain it. The man's sudden lunge ceased all further thought from her mind, sending forth a surge of energy coursing through her being. Her movements came without thought, with out meaning or conscious decision. It was as if her body knew what her mind did not. It knew what needed to be done... old memories drilled into muscles that had not been used in a long time surged forth, taking charge and acting on their own. That flowing energy was concentrated once more, but instead of it all flowing a smaller portion of it was divided from the rest and released, commanded to circle the girl's left arm as the rest surged toward that limb. As the man closed in the girl's back hit the wall, bracing her for the impact that was to come. With a single, sudden exhale the surge of energy coursed through her left arm, and the circling res spun itself into a tight vortex around her left hand as she struck out, landing a hard blow in the center of the man's chest as he added the dagger's cold blade her bleeding arm. As soon as her palm impacted the spinning res was directed into the man's chest and was transformed into wind, creating a concussion blast of compressed air that jared the girls bones. The combined strength of her charged muscles and the force of the wind pressed the girl against the wall, but Sid was lifted from his feet and sent crashing into the opposite wall of the alley where he slumped and remained still. Breathing deeply, her muscles shaking from exertion and slight over-giving, the girl slumped to the floor of the alley as well. Her legs could not hold her, and her left arm ached and felt numb. A weakness began to creep at the edges of her mind as she looked down at her trembling hands. How did I... The voice answered, softer than before, You always could.

[Archelon]

Thread Award "..." And the Results!!!!: Mok : SkillName 1-5 How/why? Gladius 2 Unarmed Combat 2 Brawling 2 Tactics 2 Bodybuilding 2 Stealth 1 Intimidation 1 Running 2 Lores: Lessira(partial) Ethfael(partial) Witnessing an Ethfael's fall Lessira : SkillName 1-5 How/why? Swimming 1 Unarmed 2 Reimancy 1 Flux 2 Rhetoric 2 Philosophy 1 Running 1 Lores: The perilous chasms of despair. Mok, my hero(partial) Religion of Leth(basic) Would you like some extra turtle sauce ? : Sorry this took so long guys.