Dead Bandits Are Good Bandits

by **Kel Tempest** on March 15th, 2014, 9:16 am

Day 14 of Spring in the Year 514 AV

Ale swirled in the mug, the liquid frothing as it was jostled around in its container. A man held the mug, staring into it, watching idly before lifting it to his lips. The flavor of dark hops exploded in his mouth as the cold beverage touched his tongue and slid down his throat. The mug lowered and hit the table loudly.

“AHHHHHHHHHH.” The Svefra yelled loudly, turning a few heads in the tavern in his direction. He ignored them and continued staring into the contents of his glass. The bartender made his way over to the black haired man and cocked an eyebrow at him questioningly.

“You okay there? Need anything?”

Kel slowly looked up at him and narrowed his dark blue eyes. “There. Be. Nothin’. Teh’. Do. ‘Round. Here.”

Irritation writ itself across his face as he growled to himself. He felt trapped in Riverfall. He had done nothing but wander around the city. He had met a lot of new people, more enemies than friends granted, but that wasn’t out of the ordinary. Tydus always said he had sociopathic tendencies but Kel never paid any attention to the words of that silver tongued bastard.

They had a few adventures commandeering a few casinors but he thirsted for more. He desperately needed to sink his trident into something. To feel the rush of adrenaline coursing through his system. The possibility of death staring through his soul, longing to wrap him in its sweet embrace. It had been too long since he had felt any of those things. And he was tired of it.

He finally spoke. “This city be too quiet. Yeh’ have any problems in teh’ city or out? One that be requirin'...physical needs?” He drummed his fingers along the countertop, the restless energy growing stronger and stronger the longer he sat idle. The bartender took too long in responding. Kel slammed his fist on the bar and glared at the man.

The bartender hesitated, "Uhh. You mean, like prostitution?" Kel growled and grunted irritably.

"No, I be meanin' bandits. Wolves. That sorta' thing."

The bartender looked uncomfortable and raised both hands in the air trying not to offend the Svefra. "To each their own I suppose..."

Kel realized what he was referring to and narrowed his eyes. "No yeh' dolt. I mean to hunt. Kill. Not...not..." He waved his hand exasperatedly, unable to find the right words.

Understanding dawned on the bartender. “OH! I see. Well, we have a problem with bandits and slavers outside of the city. The Akalak guards take care of any problems inside the city. But in the forest, anything is fair game.” He picked up a glass and plucked a rag from inside his waist band. He dutifully cleaned it. Kel snatched up his mug and drained the contents of it before slamming it back down on the counter.

“Perfect. Thankee’ mate.” He flipped a silver miza on the counter for a drink and a copper one for the info. He stepped confidently towards the door and disappeared through it. Sunlight struck him in the face as he stepped outside. The brisk salt air caressed his face and he basked in it. His boots thumped along the wooden planks as he weaved his way through the crowded marina. He finally arrived next to the Laviku’s Pride and jumped over the gunwale onto the deck. Five steps across and he was at the cabin door which he threw open and stepped through.

NoteChange ledger -1SM 1CM, ale and info

by **Kel Tempest** on March 15th, 2014, 9:22 am

Day 14 of Spring in the Year 514 AV

The Svefra crossed the small room to his bedside and he placed a small bowl of fresh water on his bed. He picked up a small wet stone in one hand and his trident that was propped up beside the bed in the other. He eyed the blade critically before setting to work. He wasn’t the greatest at sharpening his weaponry. When he learned how to wield his trident as a youth, he had been taught how but he never seemed to get the hang of it. Never a better time like the present to practice.

Kel dipped the stone in the water and held it up towards a prong. He placed it at an angle against the metal and firmly pressed upwards. A gritting noise resounded from the edge as the two materials met. He quietly ran the stone of the blade a few times before repeating the process on the opposite side of the prongs edge.

Time went by as he methodically sharpened each prong on his trident. Rarely did Kel exhibit such focus and care with anything he did. But combat was his life. He’d personally ask Laviku to curse him if he didn’t prepare himself for combat. Half a bell went by until he was satisfied by the condition of the deadly weapon. There were a few knicks he wasn’t sure how to get out but hopefully as he continued to use the whetstone he would learn.

He set the trident down gently before reaching around behind him and pulling out his kukri. He had little to no experience with it but he had seen it in use with deadly precision. Excitement roiled within as he looked forward to being able to use it. Hopefully soon.

He rolled the blade between his fingers, looking at it thoughtfully. The blade wasn’t something he was used to. The sharp edge of the blade curved inward, verses outwards like most daggers or curved swords. It was very useful for cutting throats.

The whetstone slid across the curve of the blade over and over as he treated the weapon with the utmost care. Little tiny scratches began appearing over the surface of the untarnished blade. He had never used it before but the edge itself wasn’t very sharp. Something like that could get him killed. The edge slowly grew thinner and thinner after he pass. He paused a moment and ran the blade lightly over his thumb. A layer of skin parted and a grin appeared across his face. It was sharp.

Suddenly the clicking of claws across the surface of the wood caused Kel to jerk upright, blade almost falling out of his hands. A look of fear crossed his face and he hastily tried hiding the whetstone, spilling the water all over the place in the process.

He froze, kukris in one hand, whetstone in the other, as the form entered the room.

“This isn’t what it looks like…” The form chittered at him angrily. “What do you mean what am I doing? What are you doing? What do…you are….where have you been?!” Kel demanded blustering as he was caught in the act and tried to turn it around on the figure. Loud chittering erupted from the floor and he scowled.

“Jenkins, would I ever lie to you?” The sea otter sneezed and Kel snapped irritated, “Shut up, you don’t know me…” He sighed exasperated. “FINE. YES JENKINS. I was going out. I was going out to…to…the hub…” He grasped about for a lie to tell his tavan companion but came up short. The sea otter chittered at him.

“I got bored and needed something to do beforehand. You know how I get…” He waved his hand around dismissively. He hastily gathered up his trident and thrust the kukri in its sheath under his sash, against his lower back. He headed for the door but turned around quickly. Kel pointed a finger at the sea otter and glared.

“Jenkins, STAY. I’m just out for…supplies. We need more…plates.” His friend chittered at him.

“I need my trident….just because! Stop asking questions! Goodbye Jenkins!” Kel yelled exasperated and jumped off the deck onto the pier striding down the wooden planks.

by **Kel Tempest** on March 15th, 2014, 10:48 am

Day 14 of Spring in the Year 514 AV

The black haired Svefra strode confidently down the pier, trident thrown loosely over his shoulder, arms draped over the weapon. He stepped lightly as he walked down the streets of Riverfall, heading towards the main gate. His mind wandered as people were forced to dodge him, some shouting out as they almost got speared by the prongs of his weapons. He ignored them as his thoughts drifted.

As badly as Kel wanted to bring Jenkins along with him, the little sea otter always seemed to get in the way. The last thing he wanted to happen was for his tavan companion to get hurt. He was itching for a fight and he didn’t want Jenkins to get caught up in it and potentially injured. On the ocean, the sea otter could always escape into the water. But out in the woods, the sea otter would have nowhere to escape to. He was safer just staying in the cabin, at the waterfront where he belonged.

The warrior quickly moved through the streets. About a bell later, the towering gates rose overhead. He whistled, the construct of such massive building never ceased to amaze him. Land dwellers had too much time on their hands. He shook his head scornfully and was about to step through when he was stopped.

“Halt.” Two Akalak guards stepped in front of him, hands resting lightly on the hilts of their weapons. “What brings you out of the city?”

Kel arched an eyebrow up at them and smirked. “N what business tis’ it of yehr’s?” The two guards traded glances and looked back at the Svefra, eyes hardening.

“The roads are dangerous. It’s not safe to travel alone out there."

Kel scoffed and looked at them in disbelief.

“No shyke. Why do yeh’ think me has this trident? Yeh’ think it just fer’ show?” He released the trident and flourished the weapon around him in a figure eight. He brought it to a halt and rested it over one shoulder.

“Thankee’ fer’ yehr’ concern," He grinned at them mockingly. "...but I’ma out here just fer' that reason.”

He slid the trident across the back of his neck and looped his arm over it again. “I’ma gettin’ restless, me hopin’ teh’ find some trouble out here.”

The two Akalak guards traded another look with each other. After a moment, the smaller of the two shrugged. “Whatever you say. It’s your hide.” With that they turned and went back to their posts. Kel rolled his eyes and strolled through the gates, whistling cheerfully.

It was his first time in as long as he could remember to have stepped foot so far away from the ocean. It made him nervous. But his restlessness had been stirred to such a point that he didn’t care. He needed adventure. He looked around as he strolled down the path. Trees of all sizes rose from the ground, their branches grasping at the air. The sounds of wild life stirred in the air as a gentle breeze blew them towards him. He missed the smell of salt and the sway of the water under him. He preferred the beauty of the sea but even he could admit that the land dwellers did have some pretty landscape.

He strode down the path, a slight swagger in his step. A rustle in the bush caused him to stop in his tracks. He tilted his head. The sound happened again. Kel turned around and faced the general direction from where the sound came from. He looked at the bush warily. It shifted again. Something was in there. Kel swung his trident around and held it in both hands, in front of him.

Suddenly there was an explosion of foliage and the figure burst from the bush onto the pathway, directly in front of the Svefra.

by **Kel Tempest** on March 16th, 2014, 4:14 am

Day 14 of Spring in the Year 514 AV

“You followed me?!” Kel yelled at the sea otter infuriated. “You petching little shyke! I told you to stay in the cabin!” He paced angrily along the path, waving his hands in the air. The tavan companion chittered loudly.

“No! I don’t want to hear your excuses!” The Svefra pointed his trident at the sea otter and glared. “You could get hurt out here.”

Kel sighed, feeling the anger seep out of him as the small animal stared up at him. He dropped to one knee as the small sea animal scurried over to him and rubbed up against his leg. He gently petted the soft fur, a small tugging at his lips. “Bahh, well you’re here so you might as well come along. Stay out of trouble you little scoundrel or I’ll make a hat out of your tail.”

The Svefra pushed off the ground and brushed off his knees as he stood and continued walking down the path. The two wandered through the trees and bushes, listening contently to the birds and small animals as they followed the path deeper into the woods. Suddenly Kel stopped.

“Jenkins, you smell that?” He sniffed the air. A harsh scent permeated the air. “Smoke.”

“Someone’s cooking. With a fire.” He added, in case the otter didn’t understand. He swung the trident over one shoulder and grinned. “Well you ready to see who it is?”

He could feel the glee rising in his chest as he dove into the forest, off the path, crashing through branches and brush, causing a ruckus. There was no subtly in his movements, he could easily be heard cursing and fighting the foliage a good fifty feet ahead. Finally he broke free from the forest and stumbled into a clearing.

Kel straightened himself and looked up into the glade. A small campsite sat in the middle. Two small tents were propped up, bedrolls tucked inside. Beside them sat a little campfire, one man crouching beside it roasting a small portion of meat on the spit while the other stood, sword held out in front of him, warily. They had been watching the forest, having heard him crashing through it.

The Svefra spotted the two armed men and mischievousness twinkled in his eyes. He bowed mockingly, keeping eye contact with them.

“Ello ‘gents! What brings yehr’ selves out here on this lovely day, eh?” Kel twirled his trident in a circle beside him, arching an eyebrow.

The two men looked at each other, smiles slowly spreading across their faces. The smaller one stood up and pulled out a mace that was shoved in his belt. They slowly approached the Svefra. The man holding the mace eyed the sea otter and leered.

“I like your little friend there. What is it?” The man with the sword slowly fanned out towards the left, trying to outmaneuver Kel. Kel kept an eye on him, smirking.

“That’d be a sea otter, mate. Why do yeh’ ask?”

The man chuckled and jerked his head back towards the fire pit. “We are a little short on food. That animal is good enough food as any. Thanks for being so considerate and bringing it to us!”

And with that, the man with mace charged Kel, weapon held high.

The Svefra grasped the shaft in both hands. He held it in across his chest, prongs points towards the sky at an angle. The man ran at him and brought his mace down, trying to crush the black haired man’s skull. Kel brought his trident up and parried the attack between his hands on the leather wrapped metal pole, steel clashing against steel.

Kel quickly brought his foot up and kicked the man in the waist, causing him to stagger backwards. While he was distracted, the larger of the two men swung his sword at the momentarily defenseless Svefra.

Catching sight of him out of the corner of his eye, Kel side stepped, almost dodging the strike, but wasn’t fast enough as he caught the tip of the blade across the back of his shoulder blade. He winced in pain as his flesh parted before the metal. He felt blood slowly trickle down his back but he forced himself to ignore it.

Kel slammed the butt of his trident straight into the man’s chest. Kel heard a sharp crack and the man gasped in pain. Kel spun the trident around and was about to skewer him on it but was distracted as the mace wielding man jumped back into the fight.

Kel halted his attack and dove to the side, sparing the man for the moment as he sprawled out on the ground as the smaller man attempted to crack the Svefra across the back of the head again. He growled in frustration, trying to get a solid hit on the nimble fighter. Kel rolled onto his stomach, trying to avoid spearing himself on his own trident.The smaller man quickly pushed through his irritation and lifted his foot, aiming his boot at Kel’s sternum.

The blow connected and Kel gasped as the kick knocked the wind out of him. He wheezed, trying to suck in air but feeling his body rebel against him. Kel saw the man leer down at him. The man raised his mace in the air, the spiked ball intent on ending the Svefra’s life.

by **Kel Tempest** on March 16th, 2014, 5:13 am

Day 14 of Spring in the Year 514 AV

Suddenly a small form dove through the air and sank its sharp teeth into the man’s leg. He howled in pain as the small animal growled and held on. Kel saw his tavan try and save his life. His eyes widened and he tried yelling but was barely able to weeze, “Jenkins…n-no…”

The man yelled and smashed his mace into the sea otter. The animal yelped and released its grip as he was thrown through the air. He landed in a heap of fur, not moving. The man began to speak to his friend, smirking. “Hey Rob, I got us din-“

The words died on his lips. His face froze, eyes widening and mouth gaping silently. The mace slowly slipped from his grasp and he looked down. The jagged prongs of the Svefra’s trident were deeply embedded in the man’s groin. Pain suddenly registered in the man’s mind and he screamed.

Kel staggered to his feet, pushing off the ground with one hand, the other still firmly gripping the trident. Rage contorted on his face as he looked at the man who attacked his tavan. The man dropped to his knees, weeping as he weakly gripped the shaft of the trident that ripped cruelly into his genitals.

Fire burned in the Svefra’s eyes as he shoved his face next to the pain ravished man’s. “I’ma comin’ back fer’ yehr. Yehr’ gonna feel a lot of pain befer’ I’m done wit’ yeh’.”

Kel twisted the trident slowly. His face was a block of stone as the man’s screams pierced the forest. The fighter stood up straight and planted a boot against the man’s chest. He shoved the man backwards as he jerked the trident out from the tender flesh.

The man howled even louder, tears of pain streaming down his face. Kel kicked the mace away from his grasp and gave him a black look. “Don’t want’cha tryin’ to be killin’ yehr’ self before I make yeh’ scream. Louder.”

Kel slowly looked up, trident held loosely in one hand. The man holding the sword met his stare with a nervous look. His hands shook as he held the sword. He had witnessed the whole thing as he tried to recover from the blow to the chest. He saw the merciless way the Svefra had left the man alive after stabbing him in the balls. The man’s sobs could still be heard as he grabbed his destroyed groin.

The bigger man steeled his face and held the sword, on guard. Kel swung the trident around, gripping it in both hands. The two circled one another warily. Any signs of playfulness that once danced across Kel’s face was gone and replaced by a cold, calculating face of a predator stalking its prey.

Hurt his tavan and there would be hell to pay.

Kel charged, trident held out in front of him. He thrust it forward, towards the man’s stomach. The man deflected the prongs with his sword and continued with his momentum, bringing the blade slashing through the air towards Kel’s exposed shoulder.

The Svefra pivoted, dodging the attack. He jabbed the prongs at the man’s unprotected side but was once again met with the clash of steel. The larger man who had been called Rob started to smile as he realized the man in front of him wasn’t as fearsome as he first appeared. He could take him.

The two continued to circle one another. There was a feral look in Kel’s eyes and he bared his teeth as he crouched, eyes locked on his opponent. Kel thrust the trident forward again but this time the man anticipated the attack and jumped backwards. The three blades missed their mark.

Unfortunately for Kel, the lack of resistance caused him to overstep. Rob pounced, swinging his sword down towards the Svefra’s hands. Kel saw the blade but couldn’t withdraw fast enough. He managed to back, but it wasn’t fast enough. The blade grazed the tops of his hands.

Kel grimaced in pain and instinctively let go of his trident. A look of disbelief crossed his face at his own stupidity and he tried snatching the weapon back but Rob leaped forward, sword swinging down towards his opponent.

Kel was forced to jump backwards to avoid the sword. Rob hooked his foot under the trident and kicked it into the shrubbery. An evil grin crossed his face and he spun the sword through the air leisurely.

“Well, well, well. Look who doesn’t have a weapon now.” The armed opponent laughed mirthlessly as he closed in on his combatant, forcing him away from the weapon.

The prey had just become the predator.

by **Kel Tempest** on March 16th, 2014, 6:06 am

Day 14 of Spring in the Year 514 AV

Suddenly he remembered. Kel reached a hand behind him and swiftly pulled his kukri from its sheath. The curved blade glinted in the light. He had no combat experience with it but it would have to do. He held it in front of him warily. Rob laughed.

“What are you going to do with that little knife? Gonna try and poke me with it?” He grinned evilly as he swung his sword in an X shape, mocking the Svefra.

“Focus Kel. Remember, foot work. That’s what’s most important. Be light on your feet. Duck, dodge, strike. Focus on speed. He’s a bit slow on his recovery after each strike. Take advantage of that.”

He crouched, spreading his feet shoulder width apart as he held the blade in front of him. He slowly backed away as Rob approached him. Suddenly his opponent lunged forward, trying to skewer Kel through the stomach. The Svefra jumped to the side and quickly slashed the kukri down across the man’s wrist.

A line of red welled up from the wound and he grunted in pain but managed to hold onto the weapon. He swept it sideways forcing Kel to duck and roll away to put distance between them. They circled each other again. Kel heard a faint click. He cast a quick glance around the area but couldn’t tell where the sound came from.

Rob feinted right, sword slashing down. Kel jumped to the left, trying to evade the attack. But that was just what the bandit wanted. He snapped his leg up, a blade jutting out from the tip of the boot. There was nothing Kel could do to avoid the kick as he landed his initial evasive maneuver.

The blade sunk into his thigh and he felt it tear through muscle and skin. He cursed in Fratava as blood began dripping down his leg. He didn’t think it had hit a main artery or a hamstring since he could still walk but the pain was excruciating.

Rob jerked his heel backwards, blade making a sucking noise as it ripped free of the Svefra’s leg. Kel grasped his leg, blood seeping through his fingers, gasping in pain. The bandit grinned, wiping the blade in the grass, cleaning the blood off of it.

“You like that? That’s called a bladed boot.” He slowly stalked Kel. “There is a coiled spring in the base of the boot and when enough pressure is put against the button in the heel, the lever is released and the coil shoots a blade from a slit in the leather. Hence the bladed boot.” He looked at them fondly. “They are quite handy for surprising the enemy as you just found out.”

Kel grunted, limping slightly, slowly retreating, mind focused solely on how to kill the bandit in front of him. He quickly scanned the terrain around him. His eyes finally found a small divot in the dirt to his left. He slowly began making his way over to it as the man talked.

The overconfident man, seeing his prey wounded, sighed. “Alright, enough. Play time is over. Time to end this.”

The bandit raised the sword and charged. Kel stepped in front of the small divot, a few feet behind it. He just hoped that his opponent wouldn’t see it before it was too late. Laviku might have been the god of the sea but he must have been watching out of his child on that day.

The look of victory so clearly painted on the thugs face turned into confusion as him foot met with air as the slight change in the terrain caused him to land awkwardly in the small divot, throwing off his balance.

Kel pounced.

by **Kel Tempest** on March 16th, 2014, 7:41 am

Day 14 of Spring in the Year 514 AV

Pain radiated through his leg as he leaped forward, kukri held in his white knuckled grip.

The blade whipped through the air as the Svefra drove the point of the blade into the bandit’s chest. Confusion changed to surprise as the curved weapon sunk into the man’s upper torso. His eyes widened in shock, sword slipping from his nerveless fingers as his body realized that a foreign object was stopping vital body functions.

Kel held him in place, staring into his eyes. A dark smile barred his teeth as he gripped the back of the bandit’s neck and twisted the dagger deeper into the man’s chest. Rob shook violently and coughed, blood welling up from his pierced lungs, dripping down his chin. Kel whispered coarsely into his ear.

“The predator is my title.”

Kel jerked the blade out and let the man fall to the ground. He inhaled raggedy feeling exhaustion take over his body. He wanted to collapse and sleep for a week. But his job wasn’t over yet.

He stumbled over to his tavan companion and fell to his knees. The sea otter lay quietly on the uneven ground. Kel scooped him up, “Jenkins! Are you there buddy? Wake up! Please for the love of Laviku, wake up!”

The black haired Svefra petted his friend softly. Fear started to creep into his voice when the small animal didn't respond. “Jenkins, don’t do this to me…I told you not to come…I told you…” Kel rocked back and forth, pressing the sea otter to his chest, burying his face in the fur.

A groan resounded through the silent glade. Kel slowly looked up from where he cradled Jenkins, the turmoil of emotions running its course through his face. The man who wielded the mace was still alive. He had resorted to small whimpers as his body went into shock. But he was coming out of it and the pain was coming back in full force.

Kel gently set the small animal on the grass and picked up the kukri. He limped over to the severely wounded man and sat down beside him. The man looked up fearfully, rivets of dirt running down his face where the tears streaked past. Kel stared at him, unblinking.

“P-p-please…you got…you got….you gotta help me…” The man whimpered, pain coursing through his destroyed genitals. The Svefra didn’t say a word as he lifted the blade and let the light glint off it, the sun’s rays bouncing off the metal into the man’s eyes as he lay on the ground.

“No please! Don’t kill me!” He begged desperately. Kel brought the blade down swiftly.

It hovered over the man’s throat but then quickly sliced through the shirt, until it was completely separated. He ripped off two strips of material. Kel had never made any sort of tourniquet before, he only knew he was bleeding and it needed to stop. The only way to do that was bind it.

He folded the smaller strip into a square and pressed it against his leg, over the injury. He winced as he touched the open wound. He pressed it firmly against it with one hand as he wrapped the longer piece around his leg. He tightened the cloth and tied it off. It would have to do.

“Now.”

Gradient would have looked soft than the Svefra’s face at that moment. Kel trailed the blade along the whimpering man’s chest, dangerously.

“Do yeh’ realize what yeh’ve done?” Kel asked quietly, pushing the kukri a little harder, breaking the skin, drawing a thin line of blood down the dying man’s chest. The man grimaced sweat thickening on his already drenched forehead.

“Well do yeh’??” Kel pressed harder, the knife pushing deeper into the soft tissue, carving a deep slice through his stomach. The man screamed.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Stop…please! Just stop…” Tears squeezed from his eyes as the pain intensified.

“Sorry fer’ what?” What are yeh’ sorry fer’?!” Kel demanded, the anger starting to break through his stony exterior.

The man babbled as he cried, the pain growing worse. “For…for…sorry for attacking you!”

“NO!” Kel shouted, rage bursting from its confines. He drove the curved blade into the bandit’s stomach, razor sharp edge piercing through the soft flesh and through the organs until it was buried to the hilt.

A scream of excruciating pain echoed through the forest.

Blood gushed up from the wound, dying Kel’s hand red. The man gasped, barely conscious from the amount of pain that was being inflicted upon him.

“Say yehr’ sorry for killin’ Jenkins!” The man’s mouth gaped open and closed like a dying fish. And that was exactly what he was. The light faded from the man’s eyes and he went limp from blood lose. Kel threw back his head and roared. Rage coursed through him at the loss of his best friend. Rage coursed through him because the man didn’t pay for his deeds. He didn’t suffer like Kel was going to suffer.

He pounded his fist against the dead man, head pressed down into the grass. He felt tears blossoming from the corners of his eyes and his throat closed up.

His best friend was gone.

by **Kel Tempest** on March 16th, 2014, 12:02 pm

Day 14 of Spring in the Year 514 AV

Turmoil roiled within him. Emotions he refused to ever feel boiled to the surface and threatened to consume him. The after math of battles were always the worst. The fighting was over and there was nothing left to take his anger out on. He was left alone with his thoughts. Alone with his ghosts.

But he was dragged out of his misery as something soft tickled his ear. Kel jerked upright, kukri lifted threateningly.

Kel froze.

The sea otter chittered weakly at him as it curled up next to him. For the first time in his life, Kel was speechless. It felt as if a tremendous weight was lifted off his chest at the sight of his tavan alive. The emotions that churned within him burst out.

“You little shyke! Why didn’t you tell me you weren’t dead?" Kel looked at the sea otter, outraged. "You wanted to see how I would react?! You petching son of a blowfish!”

The small animal chattered at him impishly as he tried to mask the hoarseness of his voice. “No I was NOT upset when I thought you were dead.” Kel glared at the sea otter. “I thought I would finally get some peace and quiet around here. Guess that’s out the window…”

His harsh words were counteracted by his actions as he gently stroked his tavan’s fur. He inspected the otter more closely. Jenkins jumped slightly when Kel touched the animal’s hindquarters. He brought up his fingers and they came away wet with blood. The Svefra growled but the man who inflicted the damage wasn’t going to pose a threat anymore.

He rifled through the dead man’s pocket and found a decent sized purse. He peeked inside. Mizas.

Before getting up, he moved over and placed the dead man’s hand against a small rock. Kel held the blade against the thumb and pressed down. Hard. Metal sliced through flesh, stopping at bone. The Svefra placed his other hand on top of the blunted edge and pressed down harder. It slowly slid through the dense bone before finally severing it from the hand. Blood drained from the thumbless hand.

He picked it up, letting the blood drip out and glanced over at Jenkins.

“Don’t get your tail in a wad, it’s just a trophy. This is the only thing that allows a man to hold a weapon. Without it, they are defenseless. Not that he needs it anyways…”

He planned to tie the thumb to a fishing line and toss it out to sea. He would let the fish pick the bone clean before bringing it back up. Then he would bleach it in the sun and add it to his collection.

Kel wiped the blood off of the kukri on the pants of the smaller man before replacing it in its’ sheath under his sash. He grunted as he pushed himself to his feet. The Svefra limped over to the larger bandit and looked down. The man’s sightless eyes stared up at the sky, blood soaking his shirt. Kel repeated the same process with the thumb before bending down at the man’s feet. He unlaced the bladed boots and pulled them off of the corpse’s feet. He tied the laces together and threw them over his shoulder.

“Dead men don’t need boots, eh Jenkins?”

There was only one last thing he needed.

His trident.

He was still irritated that he had been disarmed. He needed to make sure that next time he didn’t overextend himself. That’s how he lost his weapon. He wasn’t about to let that happen again. He trampled through the brush. After a few chimes he found his prized possession.

Kel stood in the middle of the clearing, casting a cursory glance over the campsite, making sure he had everything he wanted. He had obtained some mizas, a new pair of weaponized boots and accomplished what he came out here to do: kill some bandits.

The two limping friends pushed through the forest, back towards the trail.

“Well Jenkins…it’s going to be a long walk home. And I’m not about to carry you unless you want to carry me…I still think that's pretty messed up what you did back there too me...Pretending to be dead to stir a response...who does that...We should get Neri to patch us up…”

The Svefra’s voice finally faded away, leaving nothing but a nearly burnt out fire, dead bandits and a silent glade behind.

Note To The GraderI'm not sure how loot works but I would like to know how much mizas Kel found in the pouch and I would like to have the bladed boots if that is okay. Thanks so much!

by **Shijara** on May 22nd, 2014, 8:19 am

Kel Tempest

The Good Stuff :

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your grade, please send me a PM and I'll be happy to discuss it with you. Keep writing!

Skill	XP
Observation	+3
Kukri	+3
Weapon: Trident	+2
Interrogation	+1
Endurance	+1
Medicine	+1
Torture	+1
Acrobatics	+1

Completed Dead Bandits Are Good Bandits