The final confrontation. (Inodair)

[Bojovnik Vybutit]

The final confrontation
53rd of Summer 512av

Bojovnik was ready to meet Inodair or Trandino Adarius he still didnt know what one was right. At first it all boggled his mind. This Inodair knew who deviano was and Deviano knew who Inodair was. Clearily the two had some major proplems together from the past. Never being from Nyka Bojovnik had no clue what the two aregued about at the house. The day afteer the incident with Inodair Bojovnik was given a proposition to track down this Inodair who killed Ebonstryfe. Personaly Bojovnik had nothing against the man but business is business, and right now Inodair was the target. If all went well Bojovnik could colect two bounties. Get this Inodair to the Ebonstryfe then bring Deviano to the other employer. It wasn't hard to get the two their. Just that for one who whole day Deviano. He could be dead, hurt or anything else. Walking to the new meeting spot didnt make things any more calm. Bojovnik could be jumped on the way their easily. It would make scense to do that, its what he would do. The pedestions walked past him oushing him out of their was on their journey to werever it is that they are heading. So many people going about their lives and Bojovnik may be heading to his death. Last time Inodair was pined up on a wall but this time it seemed like he may be more on his guard. With one day to think of a plan Inodair was far more prepaird then Bojovnik was. The meeting place was picked on his terms. Bojovnik saw down on a bench and placed his hands on his head. It wasn't like he needed to get ready just needed a quick breath. He tried to slow his breathing but it was ovious his heart was beating to fast for it. The usual nerves were kicking in. Stress was a common factor in the jop but not like this. What if Inodair bribed Deviano to fight along side him. Thats two on one and Bojovnik would lose. "When I'm rich and old, I'm buying a smalll house and being a nice boring merchant. No stress just me and sleep all the time." He chuckled at the thought but right now he wanted to focous on the jop. Once again he pulled out his bounty poster and read over it. WANTED Inoadar For murder of members of the Ebonstryfe. Bounty of 1000gm Alive Bring to the Vitrax Money was money and Inodair was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Bojovnik rolled up the paper again and stuffed it into his pocket once again. The remainder of the walk was uneventful as he tried to keep his breathing calm. Ariving at the house he peaked in through the window. Two bodies could be clearily seen. One of them was holding his leg so Deviano was one of the two. That meant the other was Inodair. Bojovnik pulled out his Bow and loaded and arrow. As he slowly opended the door it creaked making him curse under his breath and bash in the door full force. His bow wasrraised and ready to kill if anything went wrong. "Inodair? Whats the deal? How is this going to work?" Bojovnik asked both nervious and ready. He hoped that once again he would have the drop on Inodair and could quickly hurt his leg like Deviano and drag him to the Vitrax. Bojovnik made sure not to take his eyes of Inodair, as Deviano was no threat in this situation and couldn't do anything. "Well! What is it?" Bojovnik asked one last time.

[Inoadar]

Inoadar's eyes held no friendship as he began to count on his fingers. "One: I sit in plain sight, so you'll know I'm not up to anything. Two: you try to sneak in on me anyway. Three: when that doesn't work, you kick the door in, bow drawn and arrow nocked. And Four: I'm UNARMED!" He stood angrily as he hollered, throwing his arms out to his sides to show that he held no weapons. "And you ask ME 'what's the deal?'

"What, am I supposed to be flattered that you consider me a threat despite you holding all the cards? Or are you pissed off that I took the goon with me when I left?" he gestured at Deviano, "If you had a bounty on your head, you'd take steps to keep the two of us from plotting to cash you in as well."

Bojovnik started to protest, but Inoadar waved him down, "Spare me your outrage, I'm not saying I wouldn't have given it some thought as well. But now it's a lot more. Now it's not just some foreigner I have to watch out for, now it's the whole petching town!

"I can get by with a few posters. The Stryfers are too busy with their invasion plans to really concentrate on one suspect. And the sketch on that poster isn't all that great. But YOU TWO know me! I can't just shrug that off."

He slowly made his way around behind Deviano as he spoke. "Were you worried that he and I might make some deal? That's a laugh. There's only one set of terms he'd ever come to with me. But you..." A knife was now suddenly in his hand and he jabbed the air like an accusing finger at Bojovnik. "YOU might come to terms with him. It isn't just five hundred gold now. It's fifteen!"

As Inoadar stepped out into the clear on Deviano's left, the knife swung up under the Injured man's chin. "Just hear me out. Now, I didn't kill him, even though he's nothing but a liability to me. But you made it pretty clear you want him alive. So here's the deal. You make a wrong move and I open his throat. Instant loss of five hundred gold! Plus, you'll then have to kill me and the Stryfer poster clearly says they want me alive! So you might lose it all."

His eyes focused on the directional alignment of the arrow nocked in Bojovnik's bow, prepared to react. This was really going to be touch and go. He didn't know what Bojovnik was going to decide. If not for the Stryfer's posters, he thought he'd get Bojvnik to work with him. He HAD an idea. A plan to fake his death. In truth, he wanted Deviano alive. So he'd give corroboration to Bojovnik's story here in Ravok, and also he'd go back to Nyka and report Inoadar dead and end that loose end as well. But fifteen hundred gold was a lot for Bojovnik to risk on a less-than-sure thing.

He thought he might be able to make this work with Bojovnik's help, but he couldn't discuss it in front of Deviano, he'd never cooperate. And he'd suspect some sort of scheme if Inoadar kept knocking him out. He was just going to have to let this play out. He might be able to make it work even if Bojovnik didn't know. Everything WAS in place...

"So, what's it going to be? You going to let fly and risk it all, or see if we can work something out?" He purposely let the knife sag away from Deviano's chin to see if Bojovnik would take the bait.

[Bojovnik Vybutit]

"I'm not pissed you took Deviano but when you did the two of you shouted about god knows what! So now I have no idea who you are Inodair. I trusted you two days ago, I gave you my real name, but you gave me a fake one. What am I supposed to believe Inodair!" Bojovnik shouted back at Inodair who began to wave him down. The wave might have stopped him from shouting but he kept his bow up. Upon seeing the knife Bojovnik took a step forward and tightened his draw. "Play this right and I get both of them, play this right and I get both of them, play this right and I get both of them." He kept chanting in his head hopping it would help him in some way. Inodair did have the position to make demands but there was the chance a perfect arrow on his blade hand could slow him down long enough to make a play. The room was dark and hard to see in. To the right was a wooden table with a broken vase resting on top of it. Over at the left side held a hallway with a few rooms in it. Bojovnik also guessed that was where the stairs to to the next floor were located too. A few windows scatted around and some broken glass lined the floor. Bojovnik looked down making sure he had his axe on him but cursed when he noticed he had forgotten his longsword at his camp site. Noticing this he realized that he would have to keep this fight up close and personal if he wanted to win. Bojovnik continued to step around the two. Looking for a much better position that he found next to a table side. If things got bad he could use the table as cover from that weird blow gun Inodair always had. "I liked you friend, I really did. But a hand shake deal is nothing more then a hand shake." With that said Bojovnik let go of his arrow hopping that if everything went right the arrow would hit Inodair hand pierce threw it and impale Deviano. Of course he knew that would never happen but it was a choice for Inodair, does he take the arrow saving Deviano or let Deviano take the arrow and possibly kill him from even more blood.

[Inoadar]

All of the training of Inoadar's years before entering the Second Edict came into play. He already knew he needed Deviano alive if he was going to make his faked death have any credibility. His position to the left of him was not random. The floor sloped ever so slightly down to the right, enough for a half second of benefit rather than hindrance.

He was listening to Bojovnik only to judge the instant he would fire. He knew from his father's lecturing that the first thirty or forty feet of an arrow's flight was actually the weakest and slowest part. And Bojovnik had not displayed the tactical experience to attack in the middle of a sentence. No, he would finish his statement, then fire.

As Bojovnik spoke, Inoadar had kept the blade moving enough to draw attention away from his legs, which were now bent slightly for a leap. With the end of the sentence came the signs, the end of eye movement, the focus on the target, the subtle relaxation of having made the decision and allowing it's release. As these things occurred, Inoadar made his leap...directly across, in front of Deviano.

He was rewarded by the thwang of the bowstring, the hiss and thud of the arrow...in the center of his chest, where he had tied the large segment of an old broken shield, beneath his shirt, using his whip. His trust in Bojovnik's ability to shoot straight had paid off.

If his facing had been perfectly perpendicular, the arrow might have penetrated anyway. But the angle caused it to deflect off into a corner as Inoadar tumbled and rolled, pulling his shirt loose as he dove for the hallway.

His mind ran through a replay of archers he had seen practicing rapid firing and could imagine how Bojovnik would just be nocking the next one, now aligning the trajectory, now pulling the string back. As his left hand clutched the jamb of the doorway to the left, instead of pulling himself through, he pushed off, propelling himself backwards as the hiss of another arrow preceded a ripping pain in his left forearm.

Just a flesh wound, but it stung like acid. He tore the shield and whip loose and flung himself backwards as he somersaulted backwards into the room behind him. Rising, he clicked his boots to activate the four inch blades from the toes and listened for sounds of pursuit.

[Bojovnik Vybutit]

"Yes right in the chest! Wait what?" Bojovnik thought to himself as his arrow nearily deflected off. Not wasting anytime he got another arrow ready to fire. Guessing were Inodair was going to be Bojovnik let it fly. This time it hit the blood made that clear. Inodair was trying to act as if it didn't hurt but it was obvious it was stinging bad. "What are you some acrobat now?" Bojovnik called out trying to agitate him. " Come on Trandino why you hiding fight me like a man." Inodair may have fancy moves but Bojovnik knew for certain that all this man was is talk. His skill in fighting is no wear on par to Bojovniks. Remembering the room the last time the two were in the house Bojovnik knew that the room was small. Sliding the bow back on his shoulder and putting the arrow back Bojovnik got ready for a close quarters fight. He slid his axe out of its holder and slowly walked up into the room. Inodair had goon in on Bojovniks right side so he slowly walked around the corner waiting till he saw his target. The moment Inodair was in view Bojovnik lunged towards him striking low in the hopes to catch him off guard and also knowing if his first attack missed it could be easily followed up with a slashing attack upwards. Knowing one of the hits seemed to work he stumbled backwards looking to see what happened. At first it seemed like all was well until a fierce sting in his left shoulder. Upon closer inspection he noticed that there was a cut, a small one but defiantly deep enough to draw blood. Bojovnik looked down at the blade of his axe and seeing as that had blood on it as well he knew for certain that he had his something. The blood dripped down his shoulder brightening up the dark brown room. Bojovniks breathing increased in speed as did his heartbeat. Adrrenalin was surging threw his body and he was ready for another go at Inodair. Hoping he wasted no time he ran up and leaped towards his opponent not trying to gut him with the axe but to tackle him to the ground hoping to make it a hand to hand fight now. It had just now accord to him that Deviano was still in the room but it didn't matter now as the fight was already underway.

[Inoadar]

Inoadar ignored Bojovnik's taunting. The only thing bothering him was that he needed him alive. He wondered if his adversary had noticed that the blowgun was not in play. It was in place to serve it's purpose, but it's place was not here.

He had to credit the man for his caution, not to recklessly charge into the room. Inoadar had his whip coiled in his right hand, but didn't want to use it yet. As Bojovnik swung in low with his axe, Inoadar slammed the edge of the shield into the floor, right in its path, intending to use it as a vault to kick with his boot blades at the mercenary's chest. He guessed the leather armor would negate the usual lethality of a stab in the chest, but it needed to look he was trying to kill him.

In the back of his mind, he chuckled at the irony of the fight itself. Both combatants needed the other alive. Bojovnik needed him alive to collect the bounty, which plainly stated "Alive", and he needed Bojovnik alive for any success in faking his death.

The shield crumpled unexpectedly as the axe sheared partially through it, allowing a five inch length of protruding blade to slash his thigh. Worse, it knocked his kick off track. For a second, Inoadar thought he was going to strike his target's throat. But it slipped by, with a hair's width to spare, to catch in the mercenary's shoulder.

The sudden halt to his kick disrupted his balance and sent him flopping to the floor. He had only just risen to a crouch when he looked over to see Bojovnik leaping at him, probably to pin him to the floor. He pulled the whip out and stretched it between his two arms as he set himself against the impact.

Even though he was able to wrap the whip around Bojovnik's torso, pinning his upper arms to his sides, the weight drove him off his feet to crash to the floor with the mercenary on top of him. The fact that Bojovnik had not led with his axe confirmed the fact that he needed him alive.

"You know you'll have to kill me, sonny." His voice strained as he tried to complete the roll to bring Bojovnik to his side. The mercenary was actually smaller and lighter and, as they struggled, he could feel himself gaining an edge of leverage. He managed to cross the whip over itself behind the man's back and pull the edges around to give him still further leverage as he continued.

"I don't know...if you've ever been a...slave or a...prisoner...or been...tortured." He gasped with exertion as he got his feet beneath him, trying to pull his enemy to his feet with the whip. "Well I HAVE...And I'll DIE before I...let it happen...AGAIN!" He roared in fury. This statement was not part of an act, and the emotion lent him the strength to get to his feet with Bojovnik struggling in the loops of the whip.

He heard footsteps rushing up behind him. 'Deviano!' he remembered with anguish. A new surge of adrenaline powered his arms and he spun and sent the mercenary falling into the Nykan as he let go his whip and ran from the room, stumbling, unarmed but for his boots, and near exhausted.

[Bojovnik Vybutit]

Bojovnik had hoped that he could beat Inodair in a grapling fight but it was evident that he was strong enought to throw him off. Even if he was able to land a few solid punches on his mid section they weren't strong due to the fact of his arms pined onto him. During the grapple he managed to keep hold of his axe. The way Inodair was fighting started to conferm Bojovniks suspician that he might have his own plan as well. Bojovnik was shoved into Deviano who he kicked in his bad knew and shoved him to the right. Inodairs taunt about being a slave struck a nerve in Bojovnik but he decided it best to not mention anything all he did was give a slight chuckle. Noticing Inodair running off Bojovnik chased after him. A slide was made to pick up a piece of broken glass that he held in his left hand tightly. The sides were sharp enough that a small cut on his hand was made just from holding it. Increasing speed Bojovnik was right behind Inodair when he swung his axe in front of his face and held it over his neck. "Its over." He said to Inodair as he poked part of the glass into his back. "You move and its over. I'm sure somebody would pay for your dead body back in were ever you are." Bojovnik was going to continue until he felt a force pulling him back. The axe didn't slit Inodairs throat but it cut into a shoulder. Deviano was pulling him off screaming something at the top of his heads involving monks and Nyka. Bojovnik felt a elbow hit him in the back of his head and he fell forward on his knees. There was another kick felt that roled him over to see Deviano holding a dagger ready to kill him. Bojovniks arms frantically searched for his axe but was not in arms reach. As the first strike came down Bojovnik moved over to the right quickly missing it. He rolled back over throwing a punch into Devianos face. The force of the impact sent his head arching backwards when Bojovnik remembered the piece of glass in his hand. Deviano realized what was going to happen far to late. When he tried to react the shard was already pieced threw the shirt and into his flesh. Somehow he had enought energy to get up. Still laying on his back Bojovniks view of Deviano was gone the moment he stumbled back. Bojovnik rolled over to pick up his axe now covered in blood. He slowly started to stand. Breathing heavily and almost all out of adrenalin to run on fatigue was starting to get to him. Bojovnik's entire body seemed to bounce up and down from the huge intake of breaths. His back was arched over as he triend to keep his head up looking at Inodair. "Okay not fair" Bojvnik coughed and wiped of blood on his hand. "I had to fight two people so far." Hoping it might help Bojovnik tugged on a few strings of his leather armor releasing the knots and letting it fall to the ground. Now only in a black undershirt up top his many scars on his right and left arms were now visible. "You don't get these from bar fights friend." Bojovnik said casually as he pointed to his left eye that held another scar. Seeing as the fight would start again Bojovnik got in a stance ready to take on his opponent once again.

[Inoadar]

Inoadar was puzzled, but not distracted. He was backing towards the front door as he spoke. "I don't know whose side that prick is on." gesturing at Deviano, "But it's not mine! And I'm not on his, either!"

He took another quick look to confirm his path to the door as he took another backwards step. "We already know what the monks back in Nyka will pay you for my dead body, 300 gold. But you may need Him to collect it!" he nodded towards Deviano and took another step back.

This was working out pretty well. It irked him that he was going to come off as a man that would run away from a "fair fight", which seemed to be what Bojovnik wanted him to believe it would be. But Deviano was too unpredictable. When he'd attacked Bojovnik, it had surprised him as much as anyone. It was time to take this outside. This locale was not where he had planned and set-up his fake death.

Bojovnik made a reference to 'bar fights' and bared a number of scars. Inoadar smirked, "What? You want sympathy from ME? So, you've seen tough times too! So what! That doesn't change the fact that you're planning to turn me in, to torture and death, for money. Don't get me wrong, 'it's nothing personal', I know, but quit calling me 'friend'! And I've seen better men than you get worse than scars in a bar fight, pal!"

Bojovnik had dropped his leather armor, for relief from the weight and heat, he presumed, if not just to show his scars. He looked to be readying himself to start the fight anew. Inoadar took a pair of steps back and resorted to his last weapon, his garrotte.

A 'slicing wire', it was meant to slit throats. it was a thin, sharp-edged wire with handles at each end. it was meant to be looped over an unsuspecting head and tightened on the throat by pulling the handles, making the loop cut into the flesh of the throat, often all the way to the bone.

He knew he would never get it over Bojvnik's head, nor did he want to. But if Bojvnik thought he wanted to, he might sacrifice his arm to take the weapon out. Now that his leather was off, that was exactly what Inoadar had in mind. The muscle of a forearm or bicep would resist far more than the tender flesh of the throat, but whipping the wire around an arm and giving even a quick pull, could disable an arm pretty effectively.

Inoadar backed towards the door, the wire whistling as he sliced a figure-8 motion in the air in front of him, the handle on the free end giving it the weight it needed. "Don't do it. I just want to leave." He took a quick look over his shoulder to confirm the doorway's location and backed right to it.

[Bojovnik Vybutit]

"Oh your going to beat me with some string! Ha brilliant." He said laughing at the weapon Inodair pulled out. "How many weapons does this man have?" Bojovnik reached down for his longsword but remembered he had forget it. "If I could keep him at more of a distance I could win this." Noticing Inodair had almost no weapons or armor left Bojovnik picked up his bow and readied another arrow from the quiver still attached to his leather armor. "Okay lets make a deal? Deviano is dying from blood lose and he has already passed out from the pain. If we just-" With that he cut his sentence short and launched his arrow with no hint whatsoever. Throwing his bow back on the ground Bojovnik moved forward hopping his arrow had hit this time. Again he made a small leap at the man following in with his axe. Swinging down with the force of his jump would surely help the impact. Once he had swung threw he followed up with another slash going for the gut. Not stooping to know if his attacks hit or not Bojovnik spun around and now aimed at Inodairs bad leg that was still beading. Feeling content with his work he jumped back and tried to gain breath.

[Inoadar]

Inoadar looked down to the right at his rucksack, sitting on the floor just inside the door. It had been necessary to bring it with him after making the arrangements for his fake death, rather than returning to Tarsin's to leave it there. Still swinging his garrotte, he heard Bojovnik start some yak about 'making a deal' and figured the man would finish before he did anything, just as he had before. Halfway through his spiel, Inoadar reached down to grab his rucksack.

The sound of the bowstring in the middle of the sentence came as a surprise. If he hadn't been reaching for his bag, the arrow would have hit him right in the chest. As it was, the stabbing pain in his shoulder sent a shiver through his nerves, causing him to drop the garrotte from his twitching hand. Control returned instantly, but he didn't have time to retrieve the garrotte as Bojovnik came in like a bull, axe in a killing downward stroke.

The thought that Bojovnik had apparently decided to forgo the "alive" bounty flashed through Inoadar's mind as he swung the rucksack up to intercept the axe. It slowed it somewhat and negated the edge, but it still slammed his arms and chest like a hammer. Sharp pain wracked his chest making his gasp of breath a spike of pain. He relegated the pain to a compartment in his brain where he put things he was not going to focus on, as he wrenched back to avoid the cross swing that might have disemboweled him.

He swung the rucksack down to hinder the stroke aimed at his leg. He stumbled, one-legged, back against the door jamb as his bad leg was battered out from under him. The motion of his leg, and the rucksack, absorbed most of the blow, but the rucksack was torn open, strewing some of the contents around the floor as Bojovnik jumped back to reset for his next attack.

What caught Inoadar's eye was the grappling hook and attached rope partially hanging from the bag. Deciding he'd had enough of this stage of the game, he pulled the grapple out and hooked one side over the inside edge of the door. He tossed the bag away, figuring if things went well, he could come back and get his things later. He looked up and locked eyes with his adversary.

Bojovnik's eyes widened as he realized what Inoadar was going to do. With a grin, Inoadar nodded a goodbye and stepped through the doorway, pulling the rope with all his strength. The door slammed shut, the shaft lodging in the jamb, where the rope couldn't be reached to be cut. The hooks on one side sank into the face of the door, the ones on the other side sinking into the molding and wall.

He felt the pull on the rope and tugged back to stymie Bojovnik's attempt to pull the door open. He gave an instant's thought to tying the rope to something heavy to further delay Bojovnik's pursuit, but decided against it as he heard axe strokes shredding the inside face of the door. Besides, he didn't want to actually elude Bojovnik, he just wanted a head start. He laughed as he ran around the side of the house, so Bojovnik would hear which way he had gone. The canal was only four blocks away.