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Post by Adam on Nov 20, 2014 18:37:52 GMT -5
First part of a story from Blank's past. Let me know if you want more.
As Blank lay her head down for the night, she took one last look around the inn at her traveling companions. Tecuani was once again passed out from his excessive drinking. Dralban seemed to be trying to trance out as he usually did, but seemed to be having difficulty maintaining his composure. Elena, persnickety as she was, had produced an additional sheet from her pack to lay on top of the “beds” they were all using. Valraukar was obviously in a deep slumber, judging by the volume of snoring. Bilkin seemed to twitch and mutter in his sleep, side effects of his pact with whatever forces he has joined with Blank surmised. She thought back to the last time she worked with other people. “This is a good one, I guarantee it,” Crump said as he explained to Blank. The half-orc had just come back from a meeting with a potential client, and shaking out his cloak from the rain. “Since when do you work with me on jobs, or do I work with anyone for that matter?” Blank looked up at his face, disconcerted with him. “Trust me, you’ll be thanking me when the shit hits the fan on this job, and it will, and I’ll be there to keep the bastards off of ya.” “That’s not how I work Crump and you know it.” “Yeah, yeah, you don’t like to kill people because it’s mean,” Crump mocked her, shivering a little for emphasis. Blank punched him as hard as she could in the arm, which barely nudged the man. “That’s not it, I just don’t like to create a lot of mess and killing people brings too much heat from the guard.” Crump laughed at her strike, “Yeah sure that’s why. Anyway this isn’t a cut and dry job like you usually take, you can’t sneak or talk your way out of job site like you usually do. You’re gonna need muscle to back you up, and maybe a little magic.” “What is so great about this job that I would want to take all these unnecessary risks?” Crump turned to her and merely smiled his usual crooked tooth grin, “The pay is more than you can imagine.” “I doubt that,” Blank said turning away from him. He placed a hand on her shoulder, turning her around to look her in the eye, “Trust me, we do this and neither one of us has to work for a year!” The look in Crump’s eyes said it all, he wasn’t going to take no for an answer. If she didn’t accept, he would find somebody else who would. Tentatively Blank ask, “Alright, what is this job?” In a satisfied tone, Crump replied, “We’re robbing a mage tower.” Blank, adopting an expression befitting her name, paused for a moment. And then she shouted “Are you completely insane!?” Crump asked with false ignorance, “What?” “Why in all the hells would you accept a job like that? Who is stupid or desperate enough to even attempt it?” “You act like it’s never been done before.” “Okay, then tell me, who has done it before?” Crump looked at ceiling briefly before speaking, “Uh, Siegfried the, uh, Shadow.” Blank folded her arms and stared at Crump, “And who is Siegfried the Shadow?” “Why only the greatest thief who ever lived! He once lifted the necklace off a princess in front of the entire royal court. He pilfered an entire dragon hoard with the beast still slumbering next to it! Why he once stole…” “Crump! Do you think I’m an idiot!?” Once again, Crump avoided eye contact, “Not usually…” This time Blank kicked him in his stones. Her strength wasn’t enough to floor him, but it did force him to kneel. Crump gasped, “Okay, I’m sorry!” Blank sighed, “So it hasn’t been done before?” Crump coughed a bit and slowly stood back up, “Not to my knowledge. Look, I’m sorry that I didn’t ask you before accepting, but this offer was too good to pass up.” Blank stayed silent and simply lowered her eyes to the floor. He recognized that look of disappointment, “Oh come on, don’t be like that. It’s just that my work doesn’t pay as well as your does. This offer was a rare opportunity I didn’t want to pass up. I’ll understand if you don’t want to get involved, I just thought you would like a share of the loot.” Blank continued looking at the ground. She was still upset that Crump accepted what she perceived was a suicide mission. But, she didn’t want some amateur rogue getting him killed, which would be the only type of assistance Crump would be able to solicit. Wearily resigning herself to this dilemma, she looked up at him, “Okay, who else is coming?” Immediately Crump’s face beamed a smile, “I knew you’d come around. Just can’t resist my natural charm.” “More like I couldn’t put up with anymore of your pathetic begging,” she said with a slight smile. Crump laughed loudly and slapped her on the back, which nearly knocked her over, “Hey whatever gets me the ladies.” Blank regained her composure, and repeated her question, “So who else did you get?” Crump proudly stated, “I’ve got a top notch team lined up! Reginald, one of my oldest friends and one of the toughest sons of bitches I know.” Blank had met him before, and nodded her consent. “Priscilla, excellent mage with a knack for healing.” Blank had never met or heard of her before, but let Crump continue. “And the real find, Archibald. Decent ranger, but a real whirlwind in combat!” Blank’s face hardened at the last name, “Oh no, I am not working with that lunatic!” “What’s wrong with Archy?” “He has tried to kill me on more than one occasion, not to mention he’s got a reputation for getting his team killed!” “Oh come on. With his skill, how do we not know his team aren’t the ones who nearly got him killed?” Crump shrugged his shoulders. Blank stood firm, “I said no Crump.” “Well you two are just going to have to kiss and make up because he’s the one who brought me the job.” Blank knew better that to trust anything Archibald said. If he brought this job to Crump, it was because he knew she would join up and thus try to get her killed if not kill her himself. Blank had a sincere look to her, “Crump, this job is too dangerous. We can’t take it.” Crump’s frustration mounted, “Didn’t we just go over this?” “This is different, Archibald will try to kill us or at least try to get us killed. We can’t trust him.” “Why would he take a job that is just as likely to get him killed as us? Why would he kill us on a job when he needs us to survive for it to succeed?” “It’s not that simple Crump, I…” “NO!” he bellowed. His shout shook the room and caused Blank to recoil. “If you aren’t coming, then fine. Stay here and shut up about it. If you are coming, then fine. Come along and shut up about it.” Blank knew there was no reasoning with Crump at this point. “Okay, I’ll come with you,” came her meek reply. “Good.” His reply was brief and curt. Blank lowered her eyes to the floor once more. Crump gently brought her head back up to meet his eyes, “Don’t worry. If you are right, and Archy does try anything, I'll break him in two before he can even raise his blade.” Blank gave him a weak smile.
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Post by lloyd on Nov 21, 2014 0:57:44 GMT -5
I'm sensing a dead Crump soon.
Please don't be true, George R. R. Martin has killed enough characters that I like ;-;
But overall, seems like a really thought through story, looking forward to reading more!
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Post by Adam on Nov 23, 2014 15:35:46 GMT -5
Part two in the ongoing saga.
The Drowned Rat wasn’t the most upscale of taverns. Nor the cleanest or most well-maintained. However, the ale was cheap and everyone minded their own business. A perfect place to recruit from the scum and villainy of the city. Or as the case may be, rendezvous with those you have already found. As Blank and Crump entered, they were no long phased by the bouquet of piss and ale that permeated the tavern. Scanning the room for the team Crump had assembled, they found two of them sitting at a table in the back corner. Reginald was standing with one foot on his chair, regaling a wench with tales of his exploits. He was tall for a human and rather well built. Blonde, close cropped hair, deep blue eyes, and a strong jaw. He’d look every part the stereotypical hero if it wasn’t for the large fork-shaped brand on his right cheek. He turned toward the door briefly and caught sight of Crump. “Crump! Over here you ugly bastard! Lassie, get a drink for the orc man.” As Crump and Blank approached, the wench left the table. “Can always count on you to scare away the pretty ones,” Reginald said with a grin. “Actually I was saving you the embarrassment of showing her that tiny weapon you keep in your trousers.” Reginald pulled a thin dagger from his belt, “Oh I don’t know, she may have been impressed with what I can do with it.” With a chuckle he put the blade away, and slapped Crump on the shoulder. “You ready to break some heads?” Crump asked returning the gesture. “Just give the word fella.” “Nice to see you again Mr. Crump,” spoke the woman sitting at the table. A young woman in a dark blue robe with golden embroidery, she had black hair, pale skin, green eyes and a beautiful face that was far too clean for this establishment. “She can’t be more than 20, probably a noble” thought Blank. “Priscilla, I told you to just call me Crump.” “Sorry,” she said sweetly. “Anyway, this is Blank,” Crump said patting Blank on the back light lightly. Priscilla stood up, standing slightly taller than Blank, and walked over to her, “Hi, nice to meet you.” She gave a kind smile and extended a hand to her. Blank was a bit taken aback by Priscilla’s friendliness, but shook her hand after a brief pause. “Um yeah, nice to meet you too.” Blank couldn’t help but think that this girl seemed like a sheep in a wolf den. Before Priscilla could continue, Blank had a sudden feeling of imminent danger. In one swift motion, she ducked down, just avoiding a blade aimed at her head, drew a dagger and bought it up to the neck of her attacker as she stood. The attacker caught her arm just before the dagger reached his throat. “How ya doin’ Blank?” The voice was low and gravely. The dead eyes and unsettling smile confirmed the identity of her attacker. “That’s a hell of ‘how do you do’,” Reginald said as he started toward him. “It’s just Archibald,” Blank said, her eyes never looking away. Archibald gave a soft snigger as he disengaged from her. He stood a head taller than Blank with a lean build. He pulled back hood, revealing a handsome face and short dark hair. Priscilla, who barely had time to blink as the exchange took place, was enamored after the unveiling. “Oh my,” she said softly. Blank slightly turned her head toward her, “Don’t.” Chastised, Priscilla regained her composure, “Um, hello, I’m Priscilla. Mr. Archibald?” Brushing off Blank, he stepped toward Priscilla with a cocky smile, “Archy to my friends.” “Alright, if we are done with the love fest, can we get down to business?” Crump said trying to reign everyone in. Everyone sat at the table, the wench finally returning with ale for all. Reginald and Crump grabbed one each and downed it in a single gulp. Archibald grabbed his, drinking slow casual swigs. Priscilla took a mug, timidly taking a small sip. She immediately regretted it, coughing and gagging on the bitter and coarse beverage. The men laughed, anticipating such a reaction. Priscilla coughed, trying to catch her breath, and looked at Blank. “Aren’t you going to drink yours?” Blank shook her head, “I don’t drink, dulls the senses.” Archibald smirked, “Yeah, and she needs all the help she can get.” Blank ignored the comment. “So where is this tower of magic or whatever?” Reginald asked. Archibald produced a map from a hip pocket and laid it out on the table, “It’s in the noble district of town, not far from the walls. Don’t worry, you can’t miss it.” “Not in the arcane?” Blank asked. Archibald gave her a puzzled look, “Why would it be? It’s the court mage’s.” Blank shot Crump an angry look, “So not only is it a mage tower, it’s also a lord’s tower?” Crump feigned innocence, “Did I forget to mention that part?” Blank rested her head on her hand and gave and exasperated sigh. Archibald, without missing a beat, “Don’t worry Blank, I’ll hold your hand so you don’t get lost.” “Shut up Archibald,” she shot back. “I assume you have some kind of plan for this suicide job?” “We go in, steal the goods and get out, killing anyone who gets in our way as we go.” Priscilla genuinely intrigued, “Is it really that easy?” Everyone turned and looked at her. “What?” “Crump, where did you find her?” Blank asked turning to him. Priscilla happily chimed in, “Oh, I work at a clinic in the arcane district. My father owes Mr. Cru…, I mean Crump, for saving his life from some criminals and he asked me to help you all.” Crump rubbed the back of his neck, “Well that not the whole story. See her dad owed the cartel protection money. Money I was sent to collect. He didn’t have it so they gave him an option, assist on one of their contracts or I start breaking things. Sorry to tell you kid, but you’re here because your dad gave you to them to use.” “What?” a crestfallen Priscilla asked. “Sorry lassie, sounds like you got a right prick for a father,” Reginald said placing a hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her. She started crying quietly. “Wait, I thought you said Archibald gave you this job?” Archibald clarified, “I did, I contacted the cartel for men and Crump is who I got. You are just coming along for the ride.” “So where did you get it then? Or are you just that desperate to die?” Archibald chuckled, “Sorry, my client likes a little privacy.” “So what are we after in there? I assume a high risk target has a specific request,” Blank inquired. “Can’t tell you that either. Not yet. It’s not that I don’t trust you, it’s just that… No wait, it’s because I don’t trust you,” Archibald giving another cocky smile. “Would you wipe that shit eating grin off you face already?” Blank insisted. He just laughed. “I’ve scouted the location for a few days, and the windows nearest the walls are the best place to enter. They’re about 40 feet off the ground, won’t be a problem to get a hook up there and climb up,” Archibald started explaining, becoming very serious. “Priscilla will engage the guards at the front,” looking at her, “Just keep their attention, we’ll signal you when we are clear.” She slowly nodded, without lifting her head. “Once inside, we can work out where to go next,” Archibald finished. “Any questions?” The group remained silent. “Archibald stood up, his face reverting to its usual smirk, “See you assholes tomorrow.” And with that he was gone. Reginald grabbed Blank’s untouched mug and quaffed it down. After a rather loud belch he said, “Hope that fear of heights doesn’t bite you in the ass Crump.” He then got up and walked out. Priscilla wiped her eyes on her sleeve. She rose and turned to leave. She looked at Blank briefly, “It was nice to meet you.” her voice much quieter. Crump sat there waiting for Blank to say something, expecting another tirade. She simply stood up and said, “Let’s go.” She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off about this entire situation.
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Post by Adam on Nov 28, 2014 20:37:09 GMT -5
A bit shorter than the previous two, but I hit a good stopping point for this entry.
They waited for sun to start its descent before they left home. Both had dressed for the occasion. Crump had his chainmail on underneath his studded leather armor pieces. Blank’s garb was the same as her normal clothes save for color, all black leather armor, offering minimal sound and maximum ease of movement. After a fifteen minute walk in silence, Blank and Crump arrived at the designated meeting location, an old watch tower, ingrained into the walls of the city. It had been abandoned since the lords of the city decided it was too expensive and too impractical to rebuild a tower that wasn’t on the outer walls. Reginald stepped out of the shadow of a nearby mansion. “Been waiting here.” He was in his “infiltration” gear, studded leather armor with plate sleeves and gauntlets. He had stuffed cloth beneath the plates to muffle any noise. Blank thought to herself that his ensemble wasn’t the most subtle, but it was as good as he was going to get. Crump spoke up, “Can’t ever leave the house without at least a little plate, eh?” Reginald smiled, “Hey fella, I don’t ever leave to twins exposed, no matter the job,” flexing a little for emphasis. Blank looked around briefly, “Where’s Archibald?” “Here.” They all looked for the source of the voice. “Up here idiots,” Archibald threw a heavy rope down from his perch on the wall. Crump stood facing the rope, preparing to climb. He’d been afraid of heights since his older brother knocked him out of a tree he had climbed when he was 8. 40 years later, he stood at the bottom of a 50 foot city wall eyeing a rope he hoped was not only secure, but would also take his 400 pound frame. He quickly wiped a forming bead of sweat away as Archibald shouted down, “Well? You don’t expect me to pull you up, do ya?” Blank slowly approached Crump and placed a tender hand on his shoulder, “Crump,” she whispered, “It’ll be okay.” Crump turned his head to see her silver eyes gently looking at him. He gave a cocky grin, “Of course it will be, those men in dresses won’t know what hit ‘em.” Blank simply nodded and gave him a soft smile, not mentioning the fear she saw lurking in his eyes. “Hey princess, he can braid your hair later, he needs to get his ass up here!” Blank shot Archibald an angry glance, “Be quiet! Do you want the guard to hear?” Crump gave his body a quick shake and proceeded to scale the wall. Blank watched his steady ascension then turned to Reginald. “Is Priscilla here yet?” “Not yet, but don’t worry. You go on ahead and I’ll wait for the lass.” Blank nodded and began climbing the wall. Reginald watched her and as she rose higher, his watching became leering at the attractive backside of the Drow. “Mr. Reginald?” Startled out of his voyeurism, he jumped and turned. Priscilla stood there, as beautiful as ever, the green robe she was wearing had delicate silver and gold patterns cascading around it. “Are you alright?” Reginald chuckle a bit embarrassed, “Fine lassie, just startled me is all. Are you sure that gown is fit for tonight?” She glanced down at it, “Sorry, this was the best I could do on short notice. I would have bought something, but after what Crump told me last night, I decided to save all the money I can.” “Indeed, I am sorry about you da.” She curtseyed slightly, “Thank you.” “But I count you lucky, my da beat me and my sister bloody most nights. At least until I was old enough to kill the bastard myself,” he added with a grin. Priscilla was unsure how to take this unexpected exposition and gave an uneasy smile. Reginald turned to face the wall, “Now then let’s get up the wall. Can you manage or do you need a hand?” Priscilla retrieved a pair of delicate leather gloves out of her bag, “I think I can do it.” Reginald laughed at the sight of them, “Fancy gloves lassie. Let me give you a hand or you’ll ruin them.” He picked her up by the waist and hoisted her as high as he could, then put his hands beneath her shoes to boost her higher. “Blank! Pass her a line!” Blank, who was over half way up the wall, looked down to see Priscilla tightly gripping the rope. She pulled a long cord from her bag, tied one end around her waist and dropped the remainder down. Priscilla caught the slack and secured it around her waist, “Thank you Blank.” Blank nodded down to her and wound the excess cord and herself and then continued rising. Priscilla own climb was made significantly easier and made rapid progress. Reginald made a last survey of the immediate area, “Right then.” He looked up wall, thinking of the difficultly of the climb ahead. However a brief flash of what was under Priscilla robe gave him all the motivation he needed and began his ascent.
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Post by Adam on Nov 30, 2014 17:54:31 GMT -5
Part four. Is anybody still reading this?
Archibald knelt on the top of the city wall, looking down the rope he had thrown. Crump sat nearby catching his breath after the arduous climb. Blank was just reaching the top. She pulled herself on to the wall and looped the cord binding herself to Priscilla around a crenellation, keeping it taut. Priscilla was just a ways down, her progress slowing considerably as the strain of the climb affected her. Priscilla paused to try to catch her breath and flex her hands. “Best be quick about it lassie, I doubt Blank wants to pull you the rest of the way.” She looked down to see Reginald a few feet below her. He gave her a friendly smile, “Or are you trying to pull her down?” She gasped a little, “I’m sorry, she must be as exhausted as me.” She quickly grabbed back onto the rope and resumed here climb. Reginald gave a quick laugh, “Easy lass, just a joke. Blank is tougher than she looks. She probably fine.” Blank face was starting to show signs of strain from holding up Priscilla. Archibald noticed. With a wry grin, “What’s a matter Blank? Little Miss Priss too much for ya?” He gave a matching chuckle. Crump stood up and pushed past him. He pulled Priscilla up the rest of the way, high enough to set her down on the wall with them. She had a surprised look her face. “Oh, thank you Crump,” she smiled to him. She quickly unfastened the cord from her waist as went over to a recovering Blank. “And thank you Blank. I never would have made it without your help.” She smiled kindly, extending a hand to Blank. Blank grabbed her hand and was pulled to her feet. Priscilla gave a squeak of effort, “Oof, that’s not as easy as you all make it look.” Crump laughed at her before turning his her down to Reginald, still climbing. “Sorry Reg, can’t offer you the same courtesy. Maybe if you lost some of that fat you the twins I could.” “S’alright Crump, not the first time you’ve been show up by the wee lassie.” A few minutes later they were all on the top of the wall. Archibald finished pulling up his rope, “Alright, our entry point is down the wall a bit. Blank, you are gonna get in there and secure us a line to shimmy across.” They all moved along the walkway in silence and relative stealth. The “entry point” was a dark window on the tower about 15 feet from the wall. Reginald had a puzzled reaction. “How is this an entry point?” Priscilla looked at Reginald, “I was thinking the same thing. I just thought you all knew something I didn’t again so I didn’t want to say anything.” Blank simply sighed and looked at Crump, “You ready to do this again?” Crump scratched his face, “It’s not that far, but I don’t have a run up so it’ll be tough.” Reginald was intrigued, “Crump, what are you talking about?” “He’s gonna throw Blank at the window,” Archibald answered. Priscilla was baffled, “What!? It’s a 50 foot drop if she misses!” “Don’t worry Prissy, she’s been thrown farther.” Upset, she stomped, “Don’t call me that, and she will die from fall like that!” “Well then I’ll have one less problem in my life.” “Stop being mean!” Blank flatly stated, “Ignore him Priscilla, that’s just how he is. And don’t worry about me, Crump knows what he is doing.” Priscilla felt powerless to stop anything that was happening and fell silent. “Okay, here’s the rope. Don’t fall and die or I’ll have to replace it,” Archibald gave it Blank to wrap around herself. She walked over to Crump, who was stretching his arms in preparation, “Let’s do it.” He picked her up and laid her over his shoulder, one hand one the bottom of her feet, the other at her stomach. Blank compressed her legs, waiting for Crump. Crump took one more deep breath and paused, aiming. Then with a grunt of force, hurled her as hard as he could at the window. Blank extended her legs, adding to her forward momentum. What seemed like an eternity passed as all watched and waited for Blank to clear the gap. She fell slightly short. Blank crashed into the bottom of the window, her arms and head the only part that made the distance. The rest slammed into the side of the tower, leaving her gasping for air. She hugged the window ledge as hard as she could to stop from falling as she caught her breath. “Hey! Congratulations, you’re not dead!” Archibald shouted to her. She was too busy struggling to respond and finally pulled herself into the window. She laid on the floor a moment, recuperating, before standing and surveying the area. It appeared to be an old storage room with various crates and barrels stack about it. She listened for any signs of movement in the area. After a minute of silence, she tied the rope around the strongest looking beam in the room. Blank peered out the window, “Psst!” She threw the rope back to the group. Reginald caught it and wound it around a crenellation and held it for everyone to cross. One by one they all shimmied across the gap, arms and legs wrapped around the rope as they dangled upside down. After the last of one was over, Reginald unwrapped the rope and stepped to the edge with it in hand. He jumped forward slightly and swung to the wall, using his legs to catch him from suffering the same blow as Blank. After Reginald scrambled inside, Blank looked at Archibald, “Okay, now what?” “Our goal is a couple floors above us in a workspace. I’ll let you all know when we get there.” “Very well. Oh, and Archibald?” “What?” With almost blinding speed, Blank threw a punch into his neck. He fell to one knee grabbing his throat trying to catch his breath, “Keep your mouth shut otherwise. I’m not going to tell you again.” Anger quickly replace pain on his face as he started towards Blank. Reginald quickly stepped between them, “Hey, settle down! We can’t go killing each other while we are in here.” Archibald glared at him, then turned his back with an indignant snort. Blank’s stare never waver from Archibald. “Well it great to see everyone getting along,” Reginald shrugged.
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Post by lloyd on Nov 30, 2014 23:53:44 GMT -5
Still reading.
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Post by Cuetlachtli on Dec 2, 2014 12:45:15 GMT -5
Yeah I'm still reading lol
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Post by Cuetlachtli on Dec 4, 2014 10:40:05 GMT -5
It's a fun read so far. I like the segmentation. Can't wait for more! I wanna write something like this for Tec when I'm not working most the week haha
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Post by Adam on Dec 9, 2014 20:28:44 GMT -5
Sorry for the delay, took me a while to figure out how to proceed.
Blank inspected the hinges of the only door out of the stockroom. In her experience, doors seem to have a knack for creaking when least desirable. Pulling an oily rag from her belt, she lubricated the hinges. Very slowly and very carefully, she opened the door to create the smallest gap possible to see through. To the casual observer, the door seemed to open of its own accord. Fortunately, there weren’t any observers, casual of otherwise. Blank, quick and quiet as a shadow, stepped out of the room into the unoccupied hall. Stairs spiraled upwards to the next floor a few feet from the door and various rooms lay further on in the opposite direction. Archibald was right behind her, his own movements nearly as subtle, but still loud enough to obfuscate her hearing. She shot him a stern look that was ignored by a still angered Archibald. Blank turned to signal the others out. And then a guard appeared at the bottom of the staircase. Blank’s hearing was at times too sensitive, picking up and focusing on noises in the immediate area, rather than what may be just around the corner. Like for instance Archibald’s movements, instead of the sound of footsteps coming down stairs. The guard was surprised by the unexpected thieves and hesitated briefly. More than enough time for Blank and Archibald to react. To Blank, time seemed to pass at a fraction of its normal speed. The guard opened his mouth, attempting to raise an alarm, whilst reaching for his sword. Archibald’s hand was already on the handle of his own blade and he was moving toward the guard. Blank saw him reach for his sword the instant he noticed the guard and knew he had lethal intentions. She was already a step closer to the sluggish guard and quickly swept her leg beneath him. He fell before he could utter a word and barely avoided Archibald’s blade. Blank caught the guard before he hit the floor and quickly rolled with him to muffle any noise and reposition herself on top of him, pinning him with her knee to his throat. Although she appeared frail, the guard couldn’t overpower Blank and struggled for a few seconds before losing consciousness. She rose over the comatose guard and looked at Archibald, “We don’t need to leave any blood trails yet, so don’t kill anyone until we have to.” He looked down at her with a condescending smirk, “I don’t know how someone as soft as you is considered one of the best. And trust me, there is no clean up when I end someone.” Blank signaled for everyone else to finally join them in the hall and then proceeded to bind and gag the insentient guard. Crump picked him up and gently placed his limp body in the stockroom before they continued. This time Blank scouted up the stairs alone with everyone at the bottom of the stairs waiting for word. Priscilla looked around uneasily, “I don’t like being out here in the open, some could see us.” Crump reassured her, “Don’t worry, patrols this late tend to be skeleton. I’d bet out unconscious friend in there was the only watching this floor.” “But couldn’t we disguise ourselves as guards to get by easier?” Reginald laughed quietly, “Lassie, I know you’re new at this, but what are the odds of us finding guard uniforms to fit us all. And even if we did, nobody is going to believe a Drow, a Half-Orc, this psycho”, thumbing towards Archibald, “your delicate self, and the sex god that is me are all guards.” “Oh, I’m sorry, I guess it wasn’t a very good idea…” she slightly lowered her head. “Ah, don’t feel bad lassie, you’re not the first to think of this unrealistic plan.” Blank’s head suddenly appeared in the stairwell, “It’s clear for the moment, let’s move.” As the last of them reached the top of the stairs, Blank cursed quietly. A door opened with seven rowdy and most likely drunk guards pouring out of it several doors down. She quickly put her ear to the closest door and listened. “This one’s empty, let’s go.” She opened the door and moved inside with the others quickly following suit. She shut the door quickly and quietly. She peered back to check on everyone and noticed a glaring absence. “Where’s Archibald?” She peeked out the door as she realized too late what was happening. As the group rushed to hide in the vacant room, Archibald simply stood there looking at the guards. A wicked grin crept onto his face, “Too easy.” The door had closed by the time he was halfway down the hall. He drew three razor thin needles from each sleeve and whistled at the guards as he continued rushing them. The guards turned to face the source of the sound and were greeted with a needle launched into each of their hearts. As the sixth man fell, the last was left standing as Archibald leapt at him. A powerful kick into the remaining guard’s neck, crushing his throat as Archibald landed. Blank was the first to reach Archibald and the scattered corpses. She was irate, “Why did you do that!?” He casually looked at her, “We needed to get by them and your way was too slow. And see”, he indicated to the bodies with his arms, “No blood trails to worry about.” Blank looked down at the deceased and indeed, not one of them was bleeding out. The needles were uniquely design to halt any blood flow. Blank looked away in disgust as the rest of the group arrived. Reginald was simply stunned, “Damn.” Priscilla’s hands covered her mouth, “Oh god…” Crump simply looked down at the corpses and then at Archibald and Blank. “We need to hide them and move on, we still have a ways to go.”
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Post by Cuetlachtli on Dec 10, 2014 13:28:43 GMT -5
Haha I love it I knew Archie would spill blood whether it was a drop or a lot haha can't wait for more. It perfectly tenuous!
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Post by lloyd on Dec 14, 2014 17:42:58 GMT -5
I'm writing Bilkin's version of this, and it's so far less of a story about something and more just surprisingly technical musings on existence itself. Not too sure I wanna post that since it's interesting to me but looks like utterly insane ramblings.
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Post by Adam on Dec 14, 2014 22:09:26 GMT -5
Part six. Stuff happens.
The bodies were stashed. They were hidden as best as could be expected, but they needed to hurry. The rest of the floor was clear and they continued up the next stairwell. Blank was more angry than horrified at what Archibald had done. She wasn’t unfamiliar with death and violence, but she preferred nonlethal methods if it was possible. Priscilla was keeping up as best she could, still somewhat in shock over the massacre wrought by Archibald. Crump and Reginald had long since become immune to the shock of death and continued on unfazed. Archibald relished the opportunity to finally see some action, one-sided as it may have been. This whole enterprise was going too slow for him however and he rushed the group onward. The next few floors were sparsely patrolled, a stray guard here or there, all of which were either easily avoided or quickly dispatched by Blank, who tried to limit the death toll. Finally they reached their destination. “Alright, here we are,” Archibald halted everyone. Crump looked at the door Archibald stopped at, “Are you sure? It looks just like every other door we have seen so far.” “Trust me, I know,” Archibald said as he reached onto his bag. He pulled out a vibrating orb that glowed white softly. “Resonates when it nears it counter,” he simply stated as he put it back in his bag. Once again Blank went to work on the door. She listened and oiled the hinges as she had done before, only this door was locked and was fitted with a magical trap of some kind. “Hang on, give me a minute,” speaking to everyone while barely turning away from the door. She produced a blank scroll from a pouch and flattened it out on the door. She then retrieved a quill and pricked her finger for “ink”. She wrote obscure arcane letters on the scroll and with each small wisps of energy dissipated from the door. When she was done the scroll glowed briefly before disintegrating. “Now for the hard part…” she thought to herself as she replaced her quill and procured her other toolset. One instrument in each hand, she poked and prodded the lock. After a couple of minutes a satisfying sliding of metal was heard as the door swung silently opened. Archibald was the first to move, “Let’s hurry, we’re almost done.” This room was empty, bare stone with various lines and scripts carved into it. In the center was a small altar with an orb similar to the one Archibald had, only this one glowed black. It seemed to drain the light out of the room, with its immediate vicinity almost pitch black. “You all,” Archibald glared at everyone, “wait here.” He once again pulled his white orb out, now shining much brighter and shaking more violently. Everyone looked at each other with looks of either puzzlement or anxiety. He turned his back to them and moved toward the altar, each step closer causing both orbs to glow and vibrate more intensely. When he stood before the altar, he paused briefly. The walls danced with light and dark swirling and intertwining along them. Finally he held the white orb over the black and released it. After an eternity of plummeting, they connected. A loud screeching noise pierced the relative silence. Everyone reeled from the deafening sound. Priscilla screamed silently as blood began to trickle from her nose and ears. Blank was on her knees trying in vain to block the noise. As she looked up she saw Archibald, who appear to be unaffected by the cacophony, watching the orbs slowly grind into each other. She closed her eyes as she began to blackout. And then all was silent. She reopened her eyes and the room appeared tranquil. The room was a stale grey, with no source of light or dark emanating. Crump knelt next to her, checking to see if she was still conscious. She looked to her other companions. Reginald was kneeling holding a limp Priscilla, her eyes appeared to have rolled back and her mouth hung slack. Archibald simply stood near the now inert altar looking over them all. Behind him a simple glass orb seemed to rest on the altar. Crump quickly rose to his feet and approached him, “What the hell was that!” He grabbed Archibald by the throat and lifted him high in the air. Archibald struggled slightly but still kept a smug sneer on his face, “That’s what I was paid to do. What you were paid to do. If you have a problem with it, take it up with your cartel. I’m sure they would gladly assist you with any grievances.” Crump released him and looked back at Blank and Reginald. Blank returned to her feet but Reginald was still, looking down at Priscilla with grief. Blank slowly walked over to him and placed a hand on Priscilla’s neck. She felt a weak pulse and looked into his eyes,”Reg, she is going to be okay.” He looked at Blank and silently nodded his headed before returning his gaze to Priscilla. Blank stood up and looked at Archibald, “Okay, are we done here? Can we leave, please?” Archibald simply laughed, “You really are far too soft for this kind of work. But yeah, we’re done.” They all slowly made their way out the door. Archibald was last out, taking one last look at the inactive orb. A faint red appeared as he smiled and closed the door.
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Post by Adam on Dec 27, 2014 21:11:13 GMT -5
Part Seven. Sorry for the lack of story, but I was busy, then slacking.
They moved with purpose. Priscilla was unconscious seemed to be fading quickly. Blank and Crump wore expressions of worry, but Reginald seemed to be most affected by her state. He held her gently draped across his arms, constantly looking down for any signs of movement or recovery. Archibald seemed ignorant of the loss and pressed the group rapidly onward. Blank was eager to leave the tower as well, but was suspicious of the pace he was setting. With Archibald in the lead, they moved down level after level. There were few guards remaining after their initial ascent, but what few remained were quickly dispatched by him. Blank remained silent, arguing at this stage would be pointless. The group was moving down another stairwell when they felt a slight tremor. Everyone paused and looked around, searching for a possible source. Everyone except Archibald. He lowered his head, a slight smile creeping onto his face. The tremors slowly became stronger, loose dust falling from the walls and ceilings. Soon they became so violent the group had to lean on the walls or hit the floor. What struck them as odd was the silence. Other than the noise they were making, no sound accompanied the tremors. The tower started to creak as the vibrations became increasingly intense. As the tremors seemed to reach an almost unbearable level, they suddenly stop. What replaced them was far worse. A small window in the stairwell allow for a glimpse of what was transpiring, the almost pitch black night was suddenly illuminated with a bright red light that washed over everything in the immediate vicinity of the tower. For a few moments everyone laid on the stairs waiting for the light to fade. The light pulsed softer then brighter before finally shooting up into the sky and dissipating in all directions. An unsettling calm fell upon them as the night sky regained it former darkness. Crump crawled up a few steps to the previous floor and saw what the light had wrought. Everything above waist height on this level was gone, the only ceiling was that of the moon and stars. Archibald stood as he saw Crump return. A look of bewilderment on the half orc’s face was replaced with rage as he saw Archibald staring at him, his trademark arrogance on display. Blank was kneeling on a step racking her brain to resolve various conflicting emotions in her mind, anger, hatred, horror, confusion, anxiety, all vying for prominence. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply a few times before standing, a look of stoic determination was all she revealed. Crump started toward Archibald, eager to crush to ranger’s head in his hands, when Blank grabbed his collar and pulled his face to eye level. She held him inches away from her, staring hard into his eyes. Any protests or arguments quickly fled his mind, he had never seen her like this. There was no warmth, no kindness, no sign of his friend of nearly 20 years, just cold, unfeeling silver eyes piercing his soul. She spoke flatly, “We need to move, now.” Crump gave a weak nod, it was all he needed to hear. Blank released him and turned her gaze to Archibald, “Let’s go.” His normally unshakeable conceit slowly fade along with the accompanying smirk. His face became like stone and he turned to move downstairs. Reginald had been sitting with Priscilla, barely registering the exchange. Crump placed a hand on his shoulder, waking him from his trancelike state, “We need to move, come on.” Crump grabbed him by the hand and pulled him to his feet. Reginald followed as the group moved down the stairwell, still cradling Priscilla’s limp form. The group moved with renewed purpose, stealth, surprise, and subtlety were no longer options. The next two levels were clear. Blank knew something was wrong. She stopped everyone, “Wait, we’re running into an ambush.” Archibald looked at her, “I know, but the only exit is this far down the tower is the front door,” he had no time for jokes or quips now. “Just be ready to fight,” he said as he drew his twin blades. Blank nodded to Crump and drew her daggers in preparation for the inevitable battle. Crump unclasped the axe from his belt and pulled the shield from his back. He looked to Reginald, “Reg, get ready.” Reginald was still staring down at Priscilla, muttering softly. Crump walked over to him and threw a fist in his face. “Reginald!” The punch knocked him off balance and he shifted his legs to keep from falling, “Fuck!” He quickly snapped to rage and looked at Crump. Crump cut him off, “You can’t do anything for her! Sulking is just going to get both of you killed. This tower is going to be swarming with guards and soldiers further down and you need to be ready to fight!” The rage disappeared on his face dissolved and was replaced with sorrow, “I know, I know… She looks so much like my younger sister. The one my da killed, the reason I killed him.” “I don’t know how you feel, but I do know you don’t want her death on your head.” Reginald continued to look down for a moment. He then looked at Crump and gave a small nod. Satisfied, Crump smiled and nodded back and the two caught up to the others.
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Post by Adam on Jan 4, 2015 13:28:48 GMT -5
Part Seven. Okay so this is my first time writing an action sequence, so let me know what you think.
The group made rapid progress down a few more floors and stairwells. All seemed abandoned, but they knew what guards remained had retreated to form an ambush. All had drawn their respective weapons of choice, even Reginald was wielding his greatsword in one hand while carrying Priscilla in the other. He had a rekindled focus, getting Priscilla out alive, and it made him ready to fight all the harder. They reached the bottom of a stairwell, only this one didn’t lead into another long hallway, instead opening into a large room encompassing nearly the entire level. On the opposite side Blank could made out a gate leading to the next stairwell. But this is where the trap would be sprung. The party paused one last time for final preparations, readying themselves both physically and mentally. And then they entered. It was fairly dark, but Blank could see everything. She saw the three score men “hiding” in the darkness. Along the top of the walls she could see the two dozen arrow slits and the shadows moving behind them. But she pressed on still, prepared for the chaos that was about to erupt. When they reached the center of the room the braziers ignited. The entire room immediately illuminated, revealing everything that she saw. The guards however were not the simple guards anticipated. These were members of the garrison, trained and hardened warriors with many battles worth of experience. What may have been simply a prolonged brawl was now a difficult if not unwinnable battle. Every soldier had unsheathed their sword or spear and face the surrounded group. For a moment all were still. Archibald made the first move. The second he charged the nearest soldier, all hell broke loose. Ten men immediately rushed him. He deflected the blade of the initial man he flew at with one sword and drove the other into his neck. The next soldier thrust his spear at him, but he dodged aside it and cut his hands off with his next swing. Two soldiers attacked Archibald, keeping him on the defensive with quick swings of their swords. A fifth soldier was charged an opening created by them aiming for Archibald’s heart. Before he could reach his target, Blank had vaulted over Archibald and landed her daggers in the spearman’s skull. Distracted by the flying Drow, the two swordsmen momentarily relented, enough time for Archibald to knock their swords aside and impale them with his own. Another spearman rushed Blank, she responded by sheathing her daggers, ducking his thrust and then tripping the soldier. She then quickly grabbed his spear before he could recover and killed him with his own weapon. The last two spearmen and swordsman all assaulted Archibald together, hoping to overwhelm him. The spearmen thrust in concert making it difficult to dodge, so instead he parried. After knocking their spears aside, he stabbed his blades into their chests. Before he could retract them however, the swordsman was on him and Archibald was fighting unarmed. With only one opponent to concentrate on, he easily dodged repeated swings of the soldier’s blade. Finally after one particularly poor swing, Archibald made his move and delivered a hard blow to his neck to wind him and quickly followed up by snapping the soldier’s neck. Afterward he reclaimed his blades from the spearmen’s corpses. The other fifty soldiers paused briefly, dumbstruck. Two of these thieves had just killed ten of them in the span of a few minutes. They were well trained, but for fighting against enemies who fought like them. They were thoroughly unprepared for foes such as these. A commander could be heard shouting from the rear, “Disengage!” The soldiers responded by stepping back several paces. A second order was shouted, “Archers! Aim and fire!” A moment later arrows flew through the slits high along the walls. Archibald and Blank were quick enough to dodge or parry the few shot at them. Crump blocked with his shield causing the arrows to bounce of his shield and fall harmlessly to the floor. Reginald had neither a shield to defend with nor the freedom to dodge quickly. He avoided a couple arrows by dodging at the last second, and a few more glanced off of his plated arms, but one found its mark in his thigh. He shouted in pain before quickly breaking off the shaft from his leg. The volley had caused them to spread out somewhat and the commander ordered another five of men to assault each isolated warrior. Archibald swung a high blade at the face of his nearest attacker which was immediately ducked. What the soldier missed was the second blade flying low at his head’s new level. Three soldiers attacked in concert with sword and spear. Archibald was prepared for the joint assault this time and quickly tripped the first soldier and then sided stepped and swung over the spearman’s thrust. The third soldier was quickly slain before his tripped companion could recover. Archibald executed the grounded soldier before moving on to the last. The lone soldier never stood a chance as Archibald danced around him, toying with him before finally ending his struggle. Blank took a more proactive approach and quickly somersaulted over the soldier in front of her, slicing his neck in midair, and landed in a crouch. As she rose she sheathed a dagger into two more soldiers’ necks. The last two finally caught up with her and began dueling her with their swords. She dodged and parried their blades before finally sinking a dagger into the exposed gap in one of the soldier’s armor. The last soldier took advantage of her momentary preoccupation and thrust his blade at her chest. She was able to parry the sword at the last minute, but still took a grazing strike on her arm. She quickly responded by grabbing his wrist and flipping him to the floor. She landed on top him and drove a powerful strike through his chestplate and into his heart. Crump redirected a blow off of his shield and to the floor and drove his axe into the skull of his attacker. He parried the next swordsman’s strike with his axe and slammed the pointed bottom of his kite shield into his face. Two spearmen worked together and rained thrusts upon him forcing him to keep his guard up. Fed up after a few moment, he lead back out of range of their spears and threw his axe into one of their chests. The other turned to look at his fallen comrade and was quickly caught by the neck. Crump crushed the man’s neck in his hand and dropped him before retrieving his axe. The final swordsman launched his assault before he could regain it however. Crump parried his attacker with his shield and answered with a shield bash. The force of the blow knocked the swordsman sideways and Crump grabbed his head and quickly brought him down, breaking his spine over his knee. Reginald was in for a difficult fight. He leg was injured and he still had Priscilla slung over his shoulder. But he was never one to surrender easily. He swung his greatsword down onto a swordsman. The man tried to block it, but the force was too great and knocked aside his blade and the blow sunk into his shoulder. Reginald pulled his sword out the dead man and swung it around in time to deflect another swordsman strike. He kicked the swordsman off his feet and brought his weapon around for an attack on a spearman. This time his sword stuck fast in the man’s side and a swordsman took advantage and slashed his back causing him to grunt in pain and release his sword. He turned swiftly and threw a fierce punch into the man’s face, bloodying it and knocking him unconscious. A spearman charged Reginald, aiming for his heart. Reginald grabbed the spear and broke off the head off it. He turned it on the spearman and drove it into his neck. The kicked swordsman had recovered by now and was made for Reginald with an overhead strike. Reginald hurriedly reacquired his sword from the fallen spearman and delivered a hard rising swing. His reach was greater than the swordsman’s and cut open his chest and face. Finally having a brief reprieve, Reginald paused for a moment before moving to the unconscious swordsman and issuing a brutal stomp to his skull. With their respective fights over, the group took stock of the situation. They were getting tired and injuries were beginning to mount. Though they had taken out twenty men, there was still another thirty remaining not including the archers prepared to fire on them. They needed a way out.
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Post by Adam on Jan 25, 2015 14:26:54 GMT -5
Part 8. Thanks for the feedback guys.
The remaining soldiers were fearful yet eager. The slaughter of their fellow soldiers terrified some and enflamed others, but it was the thieves’ signs of fatigue that caused more than a few of them to smile to themselves. Yet none wished to be the fodder that they exhausted themselves on. Once again the commander ordered a volley. The archers’ focus was primarily on Archibald, Blank and Crump, Reginald’s current injuries spared him from the majority of their shots. Once more they attempted to dodge, block or deflect. This time the group was unable react quickly enough. Archibald caught a grazing blow to his head. It made him stumble slightly but, other than the trickle of blood running down the side, he still stood. Blank received a cut on her arm, almost as if to match the one on the other. Crump blocked all but one arrow that sailed slightly higher than he was holding his shield and buried itself in his shoulder. He knocked the shaft off with his axe, but he could barely hold his shield up. Though he was nearly spent, Reginald somehow managed to deflect the single arrow shot at him. Blank knew they were dead if they didn’t escape immediately. She quickly scanned the room for any sign of possible escape. This far down on the tower there were no windows to deter possible thieves. She would have smiled at the irony of it if she wasn’t in dire straits. The only doors out were the one they entered, which wasn’t an option, and a portcullis opposite it, the wench for which was behind the commander surrounded by fifteen soldiers. It was their only chance. “Crump, there’s a lever behind the commander, there,” see nodded slightly. The soldiers became anxious at what she was saying, not because of what she said, but because they couldn’t understand it. She was speaking a covert dialect popular among thieves. She learned it many years ago and had since taught it to Crump. He was too busy lashing his shield to his arm look to up but still muttered back, “And how are we supposed to get there?” He never actually learned how to speak the language, only to understand it. “Simple,” Archibald cut in, “the two big shits charge the other way.” Crump and Blank both shot him a surprised look, his response was in the thieves’ tongue. “What? It’s easier to hunt sneaky twats like you when I know your ‘secret dialect’,” he indicated towards Blank, “I’ll cover their backs, and you split to the side and get to the lever.” She paused for a moment to consider the plan; it seemed to be their best option and the soldiers seemed like they were about to launch another assault. She nodded and Crump moved to Reginald to relay the strategy. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, but quickly smiled and nodded as he adjusted Priscilla’s body still hanging from his shoulder. Then they made their move. The soldiers on both sides of the room saw the Drow look around for a moment and then speak an alien language with the ranger and Half-orc. The Orc then moved to the other man and grumble something. Suddenly the thieves were charging half the remaining soldiers. The commander tried to reign in the platoon surrounding him, but watching their friends being butchered caused them lose all discipline. They paid him no heed and charged headlong at the thieves’ back. The soldiers in front of them were shouting and counter charging, to them it seemed a final suicide attack. Crump weakly held his shield up and was the first to impact with the soldiers. The moment his shield crashed into the nearest soldier, a massive smoke cloud spread across the immediate area. It was an old trick he and Blank concocted, disorients your enemies and leaves them ripe for the slaughter. He and Reginald quickly went to work, slashing and hacking all soldiers in reach, easily felling seven before the soldiers could get their bearings. The other soldiers halted suddenly when the smoke exploded out. Their brothers in arms and the thieves were both shrouded. When they heard the cacophony of battle however, they immediately resumed their charge. Until three of them fell in quick succession. Each had an arrow lodged in a gap in their armor. Archibald had sheathed his blades and, bow in hand was swiftly sniping the soldiers. He drew three more arrows and one at a time nocked and fired; another three died. Further enraged, the soldiers’ charge became a reckless stampede. As the battle raged in front and behind, a shadow slipped out of the side. Blank was running as hard as she could to skirt the fray, desperate to reach the lever. The soldiers on both sides were preoccupied with the other three allowing her to flank them unnoticed. She continued along the walls of the room, endeavoring to avoid notice. She finally cleared the remaining nine soldiers the lever only a few yards away. That is where she came to a dead stop. The commander of the soldiers, a brute of a man standing as tall as Reginald with a physique to match, stood before her. She couldn’t see his face, but his heavy breathing clearly demonstrated his emotional state; he was furious. Not just at the death of so many of his longtime friends and allies, but also at the fact that his men had complete lost all discipline and order at the hands of a couple of run-of-the-mill, untrained, ill-equipped, undisciplined, should-have-been-long-since-died thieves. He stood there, covered head to toe in heavy plate, longsword in hand. He said nothing as she came to a halt. After a brief pause that seemed to never end, he gave a mighty bellow and charged her. He led with a thrust; Blank dodged to the side and stabbed below it. Prepared for such a maneuver, he pulled his thrust back and delivered an elbow to her head. She focused hard to remain standing and countered with a sweeping leg. The commander stumbled, but only fell to a kneel. Quickly she followed up with a dagger to his shoulder. He grunted in pain and quickly rose with a head-butt to her stomach. Blank stumbled back, the air knocked out of her. The commander came after her with a viscous sword slash. She once again dodged it and stayed low this time with a piercing strike to his thigh. The commander was throw off balance due to the force of his missed attack and took too long to recover to stop her. However he was able to catch her. He grabbed her by the back of her neck and picked her up. And then he slammed her hard into the ground. And again and again and again. His rage was flowing forth and unleashed upon her. She dropped her daggers and was leaving more blood on the floor with each slam. She as barely conscious as he raised her high one last time and readied his sword for a final strike.
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