Rise of the Sentinels

[DeletedUser28032]

Ulric Alder
An evil grin spread across Ulric’s face as Ben confronted him, revealing that the girl was a mage "So what?" he said with a shrug of his shoulders "Mages die just as easily as anybody else but thanks for the heads up...oh and if you were truly a pirate you'll know that we don't take to threats and that there are hundred more tricks out there for us to use" spitting contemptuously between Bens boots Ulric turned and walked away leaving him to take up his watch outside of the cabin door.
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Kaella
Dropping over the side of the ship Kaella's boots rapidly filled with water as she waded ashore onto the pebble beach, the cove was almost pitch black with no moon and little in the way of starlight to guide them "We should be careful about telling him about what’s happened else he'll send his troops to rescue her and throw us in the dungeons for putting her there in the first place" neither of which held much appeal.
Climbing up the narrow track up onto the plains Kaella looked about herself in an attempt to find a landmark before leading them across the fields in what she hoped was the right direction "So Mark...How was she when you saw her?"

 

[Deleted User - 819397]

(Sorry for the delay...forgot I was up. Thanks Tiger for reminding me )
Mark shrugged. "She was shaken from the pulse of energy, and seemed to know something more about the incident, but we ran out of time before she could tell me. So not bad, considering the circumstances." He shrugged, not sure what else to add.

 

[DeletedUser31931]

Ben had sharpened his sword now. He pulled out his remaining arrows and some bits of wood and metal from the small pouch he always carried when travelling so that if he had a really long wait then he could just make some more arrows. Grumbling to himself he began fletching the wood into arrow shafts, adding feathers and heads and then adding the finished arrows to his quiver.

 

[DeletedUser]

(My pleasure Regal)

"How do you think our employer will react to the news that she ran away from him? should we even tell him?" Galen wondered as they moved out of the cove and onto the plain.

 

[DeletedUser28032]

Kaella
Leading her group along a steep track up the side of the cliff, loose stones constantly dropping over the edge with every move she made, Kaella considered Galen’s question before speaking "I don't think its our place to tell him...though I suppose the truth will come out eventually" secrets like that rarely stayed hidden for long besides which too many people had seen her in Tristan’s company for them to pass off a lie "No...Our jobs to deliver her back to her father, how she explains it is up to her....besides I am more worried about telling him she being held to ransom by pirates"
Reaching the top of the cliffs Kaella forces her way through a pair of gorse bushes before striding out onto the long rolling grasslands beyond.
Not too far away she can just make out the wisps of smoke, pale grey and against the darkness with the tell tale lights of a guardsmen’s torch. It was far to small to be Rithe Halla....perhaps a small village or a border fort.
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Princess Isolla
Sat upon the bunk with only her thoughts and the rasping of Ben’s whetstone for company she sits and thinks of what Mark had told her, of his belief that the pulse that had been so agonising had been caused by the arrival of another race to her homeland. The thought troubled her...were these people a threat or a potential ally against those she had original fled home to battle? she couldn't take the chance and yet here she was trapped in this tiny cabin with at least twenty pirates and the man who had shot her between her and the coast, though at least she knew he wasn't in league with them.
Rising from off of the bunk Isolla takes the two steps required to reach the door before knocking on the heavy wood "Can you get me a drink of water please?" she asked keeping her voice small and polite like the good little captive that she was.
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Oberon
Oberon watched as his mother; tall, slender and extremely beautiful an older version of his sister Ariel stepped through the portal and glided towards the two siblings, her two bodyguards large men dressed from head to toe in bronze and ivory plates scanning those around them for any sign of trouble from the people gathered around them.
Closing her eyes she takes a deep breath of air before slowly exhaling "Too long have I been away from this plane...but no matter thanks to you my son I am able to set foot upon it once again" clicking her long delicate fingers over her shoulders the surface of the gate begins to ripple as a small column of infantry march through before being proceeded by a large tiger like creature, the large best bounding up to its mistress to lovingly rub itself against her leg "Had I realised that you had the key I would have gathered more of my soldiers oh well they'll have to suffice...Ariel my darling go and find me somewhere to call home" offering her mother a quick bow Ariel quickly selects a group of soldiers along with several of the original gathering before disappearing into the darkness.

 

[DeletedUser]

Galen nodded in regard to Kaella's statement.
as they grew closer to the rising smoke, it became clear that it appeared to be a small hamlet, probably a fishing village or similar.
Galen carried on walking towards the torchlight, as it grew nearer his mind drifted back, it seemed like an age since they had stepped out of Rithe Halla, bu it had only been a week or so...

 

[DeletedUser31931]

Ben heard Isolla's request and opened the door. "Here you are." he said gruffly, and handed her his water-skin (part of his essentials bag that he carried with him. "Have what's left and I'll get it refilled. To be honest, I didn't particularly want to shoot you in the hand, you just left me with no choice. If you behave then I'm sure this night will pass much quicker." and he stood there letting her drink from his water-skin.

 

[DeletedUser28032]

Princess Isolla
"Yes...I am sure it will" she replied before dutifully taking a mouthful of water before returning the skin to Ben. She had hoped that he would fetch her a cup of water from the front of the ship or something but this would have to do.
Gently closing the door behind her she spits the half mouthful of water onto the deck before dropping to her knees and using her finger to trace sigils onto the cabins grimy floor she would have much preferred to use chalk or charcoal but needs must.
Moving quickly to get the sigils drawn before the water dried out completely, muttering the incantations beneath her breath hoping that the oath outside her door wouldn't hear her.
She wasn't going back to her father and they weren't going to make her there were more urgent things at state and if she had to fight this menace by herself then so be it.
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Kaella
Drawing ever closer it soon became apparent that the smoke they had seen belonged to a hamlet, only a handful of short squat cottages, a pig sty and a cattle byre, the guards were either local boys with their grandfathers sword or soldiers from a nearby fort though who'd dispatch men to guard such a place was beyond her.
A shout is suddenly raised from the village as a man carrying a torch quickly darts away "Don't worry they've probably seen our weapons and think we're raiders if we don't draw we should be alright" Dashel cautions the group though checks that his hatchet is close to hand all the same.
"Should we around it rather than try stopping for the night?" Kaella asks the group as a whole unsure as to what to do herself and welcoming the input. It had been a long night and she was feeling weary yet if they were liable to be attacked as raiders was the risk worth it?

 

[DeletedUser31931]

(OOC: Thanks for keeping things interesting Braet.)
As Ben sat back down in front of Isolla's door he called for someone and asked if they could bring something of water. The man agreed to and went off to get a water barrel. When he returned Ben thanked him and he said "Not too loud. We don't want to disturb Ulric and Elleric. Their cabin is just above us." And with that he left.
Ben realised that if he did that hearing improvement spell he had been trying then he might be able to hear any plans they had. He cast it and for once it worked. He heard nothing from up-stairs but now he heard the muttering that had been coming from Isolla's room. Then he realised what she was saying. A spell. Jumping to his feet he ran into the room and saw the water sigils. Knowing what to do he poured water over the sigils and muttered a word that cancelled their effect. Then he looked at Isolla. "Don't bother trying to attack me. I can dodge your magic for long enough to knock you unconscious. Or I could just shoot you again. He pulled out a piece of cloth and a piece of rope from his bag. He tied the cloth in her mouth as a gag doing a not he could only ever untie with a knife and then did the same with the rope around he hands. "Now then. Don't try anything like that again. I was kind of hoping you would behave but since you can't don't worry. We will find that magic pulse and kill however caused it if they have malicious intent. However it appears that sorcerers can't fight these beings if they have the power to do that to our magicians. And aside from being a magician, you're just the kings daughter. Stay here and I'll be keeping my hearing up listening in on you."

 

[DeletedUser28032]

Princess Isolla
At first gaping as the fool dashed water across the sigils she had been drawing upon the floor Isolla found herself struggling not to laugh as he muttered his feeble cantrip he truly does not understand what he s dealing with does he? Her body trembling with suppressed mirth she allowed him to tie and gag her, making his threats as he went biding her time for when she must truly shock him.
As he turned his back on her to leave she makes a small mewling sound through her gag enough to make him turn his attention back towards her and it was at this point that she acted.
Although her hands were bound her fingers were not, summoning as much concentration as he could muster she flicked them out towards the steadily growing puddle of water, a single half drawn sigil missed by Bens attempts to erase them momentarily flared before the puddle exploded into a vortex throwing giant splinters of wood across the room as a towering maelstrom of water shot through the ships deck and the cabin's roof, a miracle that neither of them had been killed in the blast. Seizing hold of Ben’s wrist as tightly as she could manage with her bonds she steps back into the boiling maelstrom behind her.
The world spins and thrashes wildly as the uncontrolled forces within the vortex tries to simultaneously both tear them apart and crush them back together again before violently hurling them onto the sandy beach of an unknown shore. Rolling onto her back Isolla silently prays to the gods thanking them for sparing her from her folly before she starts laughing around her gag I bet he didn't see that coming

 

[DeletedUser31931]

As Ben landed on the beach he swore and drew his sword ready to cut Isolla's head off, then he remembered that doing so would get them nowhere. "Oh great, Well thanks for that." He said sarcastically. "Now I'm stuck with you in the middle of god knows where and no-body else knows where we are. I'll admit something to you. I want to go find the cause of that blast to so will you please just agree something with me. Here is the deal I propose. You will use your magic skills to help find the source of that blast for I have no idea where it came from and then we'll go find it and kill the people. Then we return to Talamh Bui and when we have returned you to the king and he almost undoubtedly exiles us again if he exiles you you can become my apprentice Sentinel and I will teach you how to fight with a sword or a bow because although your magic is strong there are situations where magic will not be able to help you. If you agree I will teach you how to use my throwing knives on the way there and magic can help you with that. If you don't agree I simply knock you unconscious and steal a horse and ride to Talamh Bui with you unconscious on my back putting you to sleep again whenever needs be. Ok?" He made this deal because at the moment he really couldn't see any other thing he could do.

 

[DeletedUser28032]

Princess Isolla
Pulling herself into a sitting position she watched as Ben swore and cursed, drawing his sword as if to strike her down before returning it to its scabbard realising the futility of such and action before proposing his deal.
She had no intention of learning to wield either bow or blade and although the prospect of becoming a Sentinel was mildly appealing she didn't see her father allowing her to do so no matter how upset with her he was, however if it kept him happy Isolla was perfectly willing to lie for now.
Displaying her still bound hands Isolla rolled her eyes hoping that he would get the message that she wasn't capable of agreeing to anything in her current state.

 

[DeletedUser31931]

Ben pulled out the gag and left the ropes on just in case she did not agree. He had assumed those had come off in the maelstrom. "Oh and one other thing. If you would accept you would teach me magic. Because I need better magic and you seem to be someone that could help."

 

[DeletedUser]

"We should stop for the night, we'll be a danger to ourselves if we carry on, none of us has slept, and we'll be slaughtered if we're attacked by bandits." Galen replied.
he quickened his pace as he moved towards the so called 'guards' in the hamlet.
"Hey, you! We're not raiders, we just want a night's rest here before we carry on with our journey.' He declared.

 

[DeletedUser28032]

Princess Isolla
With the gag now out of her mouth Isolla tried work some feeling back into her jaw, it had been rather tighter than she liked. It as she was doing this that she considered his offer, weighing up the pro's and con's of the situation before speaking "I have a counter proposal I would offer you...If you help me complete what I originally set out to do I in return promise not to escape or have you killed and will return to my father when it is completed and more importantly I will tell you where you are" she spoke calmly as she sat upon the sand as if she had all the time in the world, which lets face it she did.
The man was brash, arrogant and quick to act without thinking, she still had the scar to prove that last point however as powerful as she was Isolla fully realised that she didn't stand much of a chance by herself, she made too tempting a target.
However just because she needed his help didn't mean she couldn't set more favourable terms ...besides there was something from her that he desired "As for training you in the art...I'd have to think about that...so what say you do we have a deal?"
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Kaella
Upon hearing Galen's shouting the guard took one look at the approaching group before fleeing out of sight almost dropping his sword in the process "I don't think he believes you" Kaella said with a smile patting the thief between the shoulders in consolation.
As they drew closer to the hamlet the party could hear raised voices and clattering of weapons and armour as around half a dozen guardsmen dressed in ill fitting leather hauberks and carrying a collection of mainly antiquated weapons came to meet them, an old man leading the way.
"There is nothing of value here...I have sent a boy to Brackenwall the kings men will be here soon!" the old man shouted in a high querulous voice, it was clear from his attire that he had been dragged from out of his bed to meet the raiders and send them on their way.

 

[DeletedUser]

"Good! we were going to see the king anyway, you've saved us a journey!" Galen replied. striding towards the old man.
"I don't need to repeat myself; We. Are. Not. Raiders." he said exasperatedly.
the boys and old men pointed their rusty weapons at him.
"Don't believe me? fine." he stated. he took his sword off his back, placed it on the ground and stepped back.
"Do the same guys," he said over his shoulder. turning back to the villagers he spoke again; "We don't wanna kill you. how long is it gonna take you to realise that?"

 

[Deleted User - 819397]

Mark laughed. "I'd lay my weapons down if I had them," he chuckled. "Lost my staff a while back. Now I've nothing left but myself." It was the first time he'd spoken since they got off the ship. He'd been lost in thought, trying to figure out how Oberon had tricked him so easily, and why he'd given him even a hint of his magic in return...surely that wasn't smart? He had no idea what to think of the whole affair. If he hadn't let Oberon go, he'd have died as well...but now the whole world was going to die...surely his life wasn't worth that much...

 

[DeletedUser28032]

The old man watched as Galen tossed his sword upon the ground, protesting their innocence as he went "Very well ...but if you are not raiders what is it that you want from us?...As I have already said we have very little here" the old man spoke cautiously despite accepting the man's protestations of not being a raider and judging by his attire and that of his companions his small militia wouldn't stand much of a chance against them if they were.
Waving a bony hand behind him the assembled men moved their weapons to a less aggressive stance although it was clear that they were still nervous of the small band of travellers.

 

[DeletedUser31931]

Ben listened to Isolla and made his choice, he was stuck here and right now he needed some help. He just wished he could send a message to Mark. Oh why hadn't they opened that thought link! "I say we have a deal Princess, So then. Where are we and where do we want to go. In fact, I have an idea of where we should go first. But that depends on where we are. Also can you contact Mark for me. I don't want him going to the King and saying that they have you when you've escaped. They would make fools of themselves and it would not appear good for the Sentinels."

 

[DeletedUser]

"I did say earlier...we just need a night's sleep, that's all. once again thanks for sending for the king's men, it's him we want to see." Galen said. putting his sword on his back once more and striding forwards towards the 'militia', clearly they were still nervous, as many of them kept their weapons levelled.
"Now, where can we kip?" he asked, ignoring the rusty, in some cases bent, weapons pointed at him.