Lodekai
03-16-08, 05:07 PM
((Follows Care and feeding (http://althanas.com/world/showthread.php?p=105344) and the weapons mentioned were purchased here (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=12550) which, for the purpose of this story, was an Bazaar outlet somewhere in Raiaera. The reason this isn't in the FQ forum is that this has nothing to do with the FQ beyond that she's training for Xemmy's army. Since it has no direct bearing it goes here. Also so if I don't finish this quest line before the FQ starts again I can still abuse liquid time here. ^^;;
Since I obsessively document everything, an added note. This thread is going to be very action and combat oriented. This is for an IC and OOC reason. IC being that there is a short amount of time before Xem's next big push and they need to get her trained as fast as possible. OOC being that as I pointed out here (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=13340) combat is my weakness so I'm trying to improve. Before I just avoided combat situations or kept them almost slapstick so I wouldn't have to worry about writing convincing and compelling fights. So here’s to trying to improve.
Solo))
---------------------------------------------------------
Ambience (http://www.newgrounds.com/audio/listen/64409)
--------
It was late in the afternoon when the girl and her crow companion arrived in the ruins of the city that had once been Valinatal, now called Narenhad. By that time she was beginning to greatly regret the fact that she had not purchased sheathes to go with her weapons. She hadn’t said anything to Zaz’thatal for fear of being chided by the fellow familiar for her shortsightedness. In truth the crow had simply forgotten as well, lacking hands the bird had never handled weaponry. Without even a belt to hold the weapons, she was forced to carry both, which grew old very quickly. Finally she had hit upon the idea of carrying the kris stuffed in one of her knee-high boots, allowing her to switch the cutlass from hand to hand as each grew tired. Another adventurer might have a different line of thought while walking alone through the soot and debris littered streets of a ruined city. Lodekai, however, was still young and cheerfully oblivious to the true sadness and the depth of destruction that surrounded her. Having no knowledge of cities, and only having ever glimpsed one that was intact, it was no great tragedy to her to see this one in such a state.
Zaz’thatal was unusually silent. Much older than Lodekai, the crow had once been privileged to glimpse Valinatal in its full splendor. Many times the bird had flown over the great guardian city, gathering and transporting information for the master. In some ways, the bird should have felt proud of the destruction, after all it had been wrought by the master of its master, a true victory for ‘their’ side of the war. Yet it was still eerie. Perhaps some of that came from the crow’s carrion nature. For in all the massive ruins not a single corpse lay waiting to be scavenged. Not one body, no bit of flesh, no eyes to snatch nor giblets to feast upon. All the fallen had risen once more and marched away with the powerful necromancer, increasing his numbers. The city was completely empty, devoid of even ghosts.
Lodekai paused as she approached a fork in the road. Her boots kicked up a small cloud of dust and soot and as she glanced back she noticed that her tracks were obvious in the deserted city. She didn’t really think of any implications to them, other than that it looked lonely to see only one set of footprints in the city. Careful not to dislodge the crow riding on her shoulder, she pulled off the knapsack of meager supplies her master had sent with her. She held it in one hand as she dug through the contents. Finally she found the map of the city her master had given her. Slinging the bag back over her unoccupied shoulder she unrolled the thin parchment and stretched it out. The drawing was of a sturdy and vibrant city with defiant towers and strong walls. Tilting her head to look around the map at the city behind it she gave a quiet sight.
“I don’t think this is gonna help us much, Zazzy. ”
“Aye.” The bird croaked in agreement, great wings beating at the air as it rose from her shoulder. “Around to find our lost entrance, around this bird will fly.”
With nothing to do but wait for the bird to return with directions, Lodekai walked a short distance to a ruined wall and sat down heavily on a heap of rubble. Crossing one leg over the other she pulled off her right boot, not the one with the dagger in it, and began to rub her foot. The journey to reach this place had been long for the undead familiar, a longer distance than she had ever traveled in her life. Not used to such continuous strenuous activities she found herself exhausted. Her feet hurt, her stomach hurt, she was tired and grumpy. Most of all, though, she missed her master. Missed his soft salt and pepper goatee, the look in his eyes when he was trying to be serious and no laugh at the same time, his natty old robes that were always warm to the touch. His kind and gentle voice as he told her stories in the early morning hours before she went to sleep. She was supposed to be calling him daddy now to protect him from do-gooders that would try to kill him if they knew there was a necromancer still alive in the mountains. She didn’t know anything about real parents or what they were like, but if she ever really did have a dad, she would want him to be just like her master.
“Come follow” The voice of Zaz’thatal interrupted her musings. “Come and follow, this way.”
Pulling her boot back on, the little undead retrieved her cutlass and hurried after her soaring companion. Keeping her eyes on the sky she didn’t pay any attention to the devastation around her. No building was intact, all the wood had been charred down into grey and white cinders. The bricks were broken and scattered, a great many covered with wide splashes of blood. Soot and dust covered every inch, it never failed to settle back on every surface even after the rain washed it away. It was utterly silent in the city. Even the scavengers and opportunistic avoided the place.
Zaz’thatal led her through a series of twists and turns down the street. The crow avoided taking her through shortcuts across the ruined buildings, or even empty lots. There was no telling how stable any of the debris was, it was better to stay on the defined streets. They had been sent to look for a house, probably near the outskirts of the city, which harbored a secret of which the last owner was probably not aware. A hidden stairwell that led down to a forgotten tunnel. It ventured deep into the earth under Raiaera, leading away from the city and towards the Red Forest. Those who managed to pass the trials of the lengthy tunnel would be accepted as students by the legendary warrior who lived deep underground. In some ways the destruction of the city had made it easier for the pair to find the entrance, since the house that would have hidden it had been burned away in the blaze to reveal the stairs.
Lodekai did not hesitate when they reached the stairwell but rather descended immediately, taking them two at a time in her eagerness. She did not pause to consider what dangers might wait below, nor even to find a torch or free her kris from her boot. The staircase at first was made of wooden planks, which Lodekai did not consider odd. Zaz’thatal, however, was instantly suspicious and landed upon one, trying to dig a taloned toe into the wood. It could not harm the wood in any way. The steps were enchanted so that they could not be destroyed, even after the entire city had been burned to the ground. When they reached the first landing, there was a niche in the wall with a statue and a lamp. The undead ignored the both and followed the curve of the wall to continue pelting down the stairs, which were now made of beaten metal. The crow rose to hover in front of the alcove, studying the two objects. It was just as well Lodekai had ignored them. A thin filament extended outwards from the handle of the lamp, probably reaching back to a trap that would have damaged anyone trying to retrieve it. It was the small bust of a man’s shoulders and face that sent a chill through Zaz’thatal, however. The bird recognized that face and suddenly realized where they had been sent. How could the master have been so foolish? Surely Lodekai could not withstand the trials that this man would demand of her!
Zaz’thatal called after the little undead to wait but she was too far ahead. The crow soared down the stairs, which wound around themselves in a slow, ever descending circle. Several hundred steps down was a second landing. The bird had almost caught up but felt the need to pause and examine the table that waited patiently for any who made it that far down. A lantern sat out, with a can of oil, flint and steel to strike and light it. All three trapped. If the little undead was not possessed of the ability to see in the dark, the girl would already be wounded twice over. The bird gave a low sort of choking sound in the back of its throat. There was no statue here, but rather a simple coin almost completely hidden in a layer of dust and spider webs. The face on the coin was the same as that of the bust. There was no mistaking the owner of the tunnel.
Almost in a panic, Zaz’thatal soared down the narrow passageway over steps that were now carved out of a pale stone. This flight was the shortest yet and the bird almost collided with its young ward as it found Lodekai standing still at the base. Pulling up from the headlong dive, the crow familiar fluttered in place a moment before it landed on the undead’s shoulder to stare at what had stopped the girl in her tracks.
“Welcome, crow.”
The voice belonged to a tall man who wasn’t entirely there. He appeared like a flickering flame, sometimes there in full shape, sometimes a distorted shadow creature, sometimes a narrow wraith and others a squat, pale ghoul. In the few glimpses of his true shape, he was menacing enough. His chest and shoulders were broad and the green shirt he wore was stretched across it, molding to the muscle beneath. His waist was surprisingly thin and he wore a sash of blood red, into which a scroll was wedged. His legs were long but not as overly muscled as his chest. They were sinewy and spoke of quickness and speed. Over them he wore a pair of nondescript brown breeches and worn but comfortable looking boots. His left hand was bare, his fingers long and delicate while his right was covered in a heavy leather gauntlet, much like those falconers wear. His face was narrow, his skin pale and thin with the veins showing through as obvious blue lines. His hair was dull platinum fading into grey, pulled back into a stately ponytail at the nape of his neck with not a single strand out of place. His features looked to have been carved from granite by a master sculptor. His eyebrows were stately arches, his eyes narrowed orbs of uncompromising blue. His cheekbones were high and pronounced. His nose was aquiline, slender as it descended into a beak-like downward curve. His mouth was set into a pale firm line. The curve of his chin was sanguine, in opposition to his nose and curled faintly upwards like the bottom of a crescent moon. His ears were remarkable long, pressing close against his skull until they extended beyond it where they then curved faintly inwards and up to a sharp point, giving the impression of slowly curving horns. As the pair observed him, he moved not a muscle. Had not the apparition spoke, Zaz’thatal would have taken the image to be a lifeless door guardian.
“I am Zodd d’Amortus. Why have you ventured into my tunnel?”
“I, uh…” Lodekai begin and then glanced at the crow on her shoulder for support. Zaz’thatal was staring at the figure with rapt attention, leaving the little undead on her own. “Daddy sent me here to learn to fight.”
“Daddy?” The man intoned, his voice dripping with disgust. “Is this any way to speak of your elders?”
Lodekai blinked, not understanding his words. A light dig of talons into her shoulders prompted her to speak again. “Uh, my father sent me here to learn the ways of combat…?”
“Better.” He allowed but his eyes were still disapproving. “When you speak, speak with authority. If you are unsure of your words, do not speak them.”
Lodekai nodded but the disapproving look did not fade. “Er, yes, … um, what should I call you?”
“Master d’Amortus will do for now.” He clasped his hands behind his back and tilted his chin upwards a little, glaring down at her with sapphire orbs.
“Yes, Master d’Amortus.” Lodekai answered a bit too loudly and forcefully, a child trying to imitate her elder.
“You will learn.” D’Amortus said at last, walking forward. His form became stable and whole. This sudden change caught them both so off guard that neither could move a muscle when he reached out to grasp Zaz’thatal with his gloved hand. The great crow tried to beat its wings, to free itself from the iron grip of dexterous fingers but found the grip too tight. Before Lodekai could respond both had vanished into nothingness, leaving her alone in the darkened tunnel.
“Enter my tunnel, child." Spoke the disembodied voice of Master d'Amortus. “Should you pass the trials and reach my abode, I will teach you what you have come to learn. If you wish to see your friend again, you will not fail.”
Since I obsessively document everything, an added note. This thread is going to be very action and combat oriented. This is for an IC and OOC reason. IC being that there is a short amount of time before Xem's next big push and they need to get her trained as fast as possible. OOC being that as I pointed out here (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=13340) combat is my weakness so I'm trying to improve. Before I just avoided combat situations or kept them almost slapstick so I wouldn't have to worry about writing convincing and compelling fights. So here’s to trying to improve.
Solo))
---------------------------------------------------------
Ambience (http://www.newgrounds.com/audio/listen/64409)
--------
It was late in the afternoon when the girl and her crow companion arrived in the ruins of the city that had once been Valinatal, now called Narenhad. By that time she was beginning to greatly regret the fact that she had not purchased sheathes to go with her weapons. She hadn’t said anything to Zaz’thatal for fear of being chided by the fellow familiar for her shortsightedness. In truth the crow had simply forgotten as well, lacking hands the bird had never handled weaponry. Without even a belt to hold the weapons, she was forced to carry both, which grew old very quickly. Finally she had hit upon the idea of carrying the kris stuffed in one of her knee-high boots, allowing her to switch the cutlass from hand to hand as each grew tired. Another adventurer might have a different line of thought while walking alone through the soot and debris littered streets of a ruined city. Lodekai, however, was still young and cheerfully oblivious to the true sadness and the depth of destruction that surrounded her. Having no knowledge of cities, and only having ever glimpsed one that was intact, it was no great tragedy to her to see this one in such a state.
Zaz’thatal was unusually silent. Much older than Lodekai, the crow had once been privileged to glimpse Valinatal in its full splendor. Many times the bird had flown over the great guardian city, gathering and transporting information for the master. In some ways, the bird should have felt proud of the destruction, after all it had been wrought by the master of its master, a true victory for ‘their’ side of the war. Yet it was still eerie. Perhaps some of that came from the crow’s carrion nature. For in all the massive ruins not a single corpse lay waiting to be scavenged. Not one body, no bit of flesh, no eyes to snatch nor giblets to feast upon. All the fallen had risen once more and marched away with the powerful necromancer, increasing his numbers. The city was completely empty, devoid of even ghosts.
Lodekai paused as she approached a fork in the road. Her boots kicked up a small cloud of dust and soot and as she glanced back she noticed that her tracks were obvious in the deserted city. She didn’t really think of any implications to them, other than that it looked lonely to see only one set of footprints in the city. Careful not to dislodge the crow riding on her shoulder, she pulled off the knapsack of meager supplies her master had sent with her. She held it in one hand as she dug through the contents. Finally she found the map of the city her master had given her. Slinging the bag back over her unoccupied shoulder she unrolled the thin parchment and stretched it out. The drawing was of a sturdy and vibrant city with defiant towers and strong walls. Tilting her head to look around the map at the city behind it she gave a quiet sight.
“I don’t think this is gonna help us much, Zazzy. ”
“Aye.” The bird croaked in agreement, great wings beating at the air as it rose from her shoulder. “Around to find our lost entrance, around this bird will fly.”
With nothing to do but wait for the bird to return with directions, Lodekai walked a short distance to a ruined wall and sat down heavily on a heap of rubble. Crossing one leg over the other she pulled off her right boot, not the one with the dagger in it, and began to rub her foot. The journey to reach this place had been long for the undead familiar, a longer distance than she had ever traveled in her life. Not used to such continuous strenuous activities she found herself exhausted. Her feet hurt, her stomach hurt, she was tired and grumpy. Most of all, though, she missed her master. Missed his soft salt and pepper goatee, the look in his eyes when he was trying to be serious and no laugh at the same time, his natty old robes that were always warm to the touch. His kind and gentle voice as he told her stories in the early morning hours before she went to sleep. She was supposed to be calling him daddy now to protect him from do-gooders that would try to kill him if they knew there was a necromancer still alive in the mountains. She didn’t know anything about real parents or what they were like, but if she ever really did have a dad, she would want him to be just like her master.
“Come follow” The voice of Zaz’thatal interrupted her musings. “Come and follow, this way.”
Pulling her boot back on, the little undead retrieved her cutlass and hurried after her soaring companion. Keeping her eyes on the sky she didn’t pay any attention to the devastation around her. No building was intact, all the wood had been charred down into grey and white cinders. The bricks were broken and scattered, a great many covered with wide splashes of blood. Soot and dust covered every inch, it never failed to settle back on every surface even after the rain washed it away. It was utterly silent in the city. Even the scavengers and opportunistic avoided the place.
Zaz’thatal led her through a series of twists and turns down the street. The crow avoided taking her through shortcuts across the ruined buildings, or even empty lots. There was no telling how stable any of the debris was, it was better to stay on the defined streets. They had been sent to look for a house, probably near the outskirts of the city, which harbored a secret of which the last owner was probably not aware. A hidden stairwell that led down to a forgotten tunnel. It ventured deep into the earth under Raiaera, leading away from the city and towards the Red Forest. Those who managed to pass the trials of the lengthy tunnel would be accepted as students by the legendary warrior who lived deep underground. In some ways the destruction of the city had made it easier for the pair to find the entrance, since the house that would have hidden it had been burned away in the blaze to reveal the stairs.
Lodekai did not hesitate when they reached the stairwell but rather descended immediately, taking them two at a time in her eagerness. She did not pause to consider what dangers might wait below, nor even to find a torch or free her kris from her boot. The staircase at first was made of wooden planks, which Lodekai did not consider odd. Zaz’thatal, however, was instantly suspicious and landed upon one, trying to dig a taloned toe into the wood. It could not harm the wood in any way. The steps were enchanted so that they could not be destroyed, even after the entire city had been burned to the ground. When they reached the first landing, there was a niche in the wall with a statue and a lamp. The undead ignored the both and followed the curve of the wall to continue pelting down the stairs, which were now made of beaten metal. The crow rose to hover in front of the alcove, studying the two objects. It was just as well Lodekai had ignored them. A thin filament extended outwards from the handle of the lamp, probably reaching back to a trap that would have damaged anyone trying to retrieve it. It was the small bust of a man’s shoulders and face that sent a chill through Zaz’thatal, however. The bird recognized that face and suddenly realized where they had been sent. How could the master have been so foolish? Surely Lodekai could not withstand the trials that this man would demand of her!
Zaz’thatal called after the little undead to wait but she was too far ahead. The crow soared down the stairs, which wound around themselves in a slow, ever descending circle. Several hundred steps down was a second landing. The bird had almost caught up but felt the need to pause and examine the table that waited patiently for any who made it that far down. A lantern sat out, with a can of oil, flint and steel to strike and light it. All three trapped. If the little undead was not possessed of the ability to see in the dark, the girl would already be wounded twice over. The bird gave a low sort of choking sound in the back of its throat. There was no statue here, but rather a simple coin almost completely hidden in a layer of dust and spider webs. The face on the coin was the same as that of the bust. There was no mistaking the owner of the tunnel.
Almost in a panic, Zaz’thatal soared down the narrow passageway over steps that were now carved out of a pale stone. This flight was the shortest yet and the bird almost collided with its young ward as it found Lodekai standing still at the base. Pulling up from the headlong dive, the crow familiar fluttered in place a moment before it landed on the undead’s shoulder to stare at what had stopped the girl in her tracks.
“Welcome, crow.”
The voice belonged to a tall man who wasn’t entirely there. He appeared like a flickering flame, sometimes there in full shape, sometimes a distorted shadow creature, sometimes a narrow wraith and others a squat, pale ghoul. In the few glimpses of his true shape, he was menacing enough. His chest and shoulders were broad and the green shirt he wore was stretched across it, molding to the muscle beneath. His waist was surprisingly thin and he wore a sash of blood red, into which a scroll was wedged. His legs were long but not as overly muscled as his chest. They were sinewy and spoke of quickness and speed. Over them he wore a pair of nondescript brown breeches and worn but comfortable looking boots. His left hand was bare, his fingers long and delicate while his right was covered in a heavy leather gauntlet, much like those falconers wear. His face was narrow, his skin pale and thin with the veins showing through as obvious blue lines. His hair was dull platinum fading into grey, pulled back into a stately ponytail at the nape of his neck with not a single strand out of place. His features looked to have been carved from granite by a master sculptor. His eyebrows were stately arches, his eyes narrowed orbs of uncompromising blue. His cheekbones were high and pronounced. His nose was aquiline, slender as it descended into a beak-like downward curve. His mouth was set into a pale firm line. The curve of his chin was sanguine, in opposition to his nose and curled faintly upwards like the bottom of a crescent moon. His ears were remarkable long, pressing close against his skull until they extended beyond it where they then curved faintly inwards and up to a sharp point, giving the impression of slowly curving horns. As the pair observed him, he moved not a muscle. Had not the apparition spoke, Zaz’thatal would have taken the image to be a lifeless door guardian.
“I am Zodd d’Amortus. Why have you ventured into my tunnel?”
“I, uh…” Lodekai begin and then glanced at the crow on her shoulder for support. Zaz’thatal was staring at the figure with rapt attention, leaving the little undead on her own. “Daddy sent me here to learn to fight.”
“Daddy?” The man intoned, his voice dripping with disgust. “Is this any way to speak of your elders?”
Lodekai blinked, not understanding his words. A light dig of talons into her shoulders prompted her to speak again. “Uh, my father sent me here to learn the ways of combat…?”
“Better.” He allowed but his eyes were still disapproving. “When you speak, speak with authority. If you are unsure of your words, do not speak them.”
Lodekai nodded but the disapproving look did not fade. “Er, yes, … um, what should I call you?”
“Master d’Amortus will do for now.” He clasped his hands behind his back and tilted his chin upwards a little, glaring down at her with sapphire orbs.
“Yes, Master d’Amortus.” Lodekai answered a bit too loudly and forcefully, a child trying to imitate her elder.
“You will learn.” D’Amortus said at last, walking forward. His form became stable and whole. This sudden change caught them both so off guard that neither could move a muscle when he reached out to grasp Zaz’thatal with his gloved hand. The great crow tried to beat its wings, to free itself from the iron grip of dexterous fingers but found the grip too tight. Before Lodekai could respond both had vanished into nothingness, leaving her alone in the darkened tunnel.
“Enter my tunnel, child." Spoke the disembodied voice of Master d'Amortus. “Should you pass the trials and reach my abode, I will teach you what you have come to learn. If you wish to see your friend again, you will not fail.”