Many Roads Merge

[Lylessa Uluki]

Uluki was quick to agree. That had been her experience, too. People were never quite as you expected them to be. Usually it was in nice ways, like the Tiefling assassin and thief who turned out to have a secret love of playing the flute and insisted on saving Uluki's life, or the frightened woman on the run from from vicious criminals but who proved brave and compassionate when it counted. Or even the enemy who had proven to be a friend, then one she loved so deeply and trusted so completely.

Then there were the other, less nice things. The wealthy, well-known man of business who paid to have non-humans and magical creatures killed, or the respectable employer who had both colluded with him and also had a psychic parasite in his brain-- and the two things were completely unrelated. People were so very, very complex.

"I do think we are all odd indeed. Even the good citizens who so fear magic, I suspect they have quite a few secrets of their own. I think it's good to be odd. That way when we see the strangeness in others, we can recognize it as similar to our own. Maybe the fact we're odd helps us understand each other."

Uluki was beginning to get concerned about leaving the children alone so long. Not that the girls couldn't take care of themselves, but... even though they looked like teenagers, they were more like much younger children, having seen so little of the world. They'd existed less than a year, so it was to be expected, but she still worried about them. Maybe she should go get them? No, best to wait. Aislinn's negotiations with the wagon driver could still go sour, and it was best for the children to be out of the way. The girls were quite reliable, and took excellent care of the baby. No doubt they were doing fine, and soon they'd all be on the way to Marn...

[Cody]

Cody stopped all motion as she called out to him, his head still low to the ground to where he was searching for anything worth eating. A second later an ear flicked in her direction to show his focus on listening to her. No money? He had never imagined they would have less than he did. He raised his head up and took a step away from her basket. Of course she was correct; he understood how lucky he was that he could survive on grass.

He watched Uluki as she put the mushrooms on the ground for him. The mushroom’s was all they had, yet she was sharing them with him? Knowing he didn’t need them? No, she was not like some human women he had met, nothing like the original one he had known. He walked over to nudge her gently in the shoulder before going to eat the offered food. When they got to town he’d just give her his coins, and if necessary he could always beg for more from someone who actually had the money to give.

It doesn’t take long for a horse to eat a handful of anything, Cody did take his time though listening to the two talk about being odd. They needed to include him on that list! Created of magic, a horse and human combo…and a cowardly stallion, he’d fit right in.

[Cody]

Cody's ear flicked once as he finished the last mushroom. Another ear flick and his head came up to stare off farther into the forest.

More people? He turned his head to regard those he was already with. They hadn't mentioned a large number of people coming this way, of course it could have been part of the conversation before he arrived.

Now paranoia is a good way to survive, and a healthy dose of fear is a fine thing, or so Cody believed. His haunches grew tense again, his ears going straight foward then twiling in all directions.

Better to be safe than sorry? The large paint stallion spun around and at an extended trot moved to leave the group. A few strides after passint them he stopped, then snorted and shook his head and a wide large circle. What if it was trouble? Was he going to leave them their? They had been nice to him?

So what? What good was he in a fight? All he would do at most was try to bluff his way into looking tough, and he doubted he could even do that well.

They wern't coming up as fast as they could..they were being quiet and slow. Enough of this...he had to get out of here! Cody turned and pivoted, his front legs raising in the air as if to rear then landed again. Leaving these nice people?

He'd take human form and tell them to leave...but he'd be even more vulnerable like that. Their silent movement had him pretty damn sure they wern't friends at this point.

[AngelMacleod]

Angel nodded in agreement with Uluki. He then noticed the horse acting strangely. What caused it? The mushrooms? No, couldn't be. Uluki was too kind-hearted to do that kind of thing.

He then heard something. The rustle of grass...footsteps, slow, steady, and quiet...many of them. Maybe the horse heard the same thing.

His face grew hard. "Shh...there's something...or someone...out there," he whispered. "I hear footsteps...many of them...whoever or whatever they are, it seems they want to ambush us."

This was bad. If it was an ambush, then they were defenseless. They may be attacking from a distance; the footsteps seemed far away. If that was the case, then there was little he could do but hold a defensive position...and even he couldn't defend forever.

[Lylessa Uluki]

Uluki was startled by the horse's odd behaviour too. She'd certainly seen horses do that before, and it never boded well. That meant strangers. Horses, of course, couldn't necessarily distinguish between friendly and unfriendly strangers... but the friendly kind rarely felt the need to sneak into your camp.

Maybe Zee and Dash had gotten tired of waiting and had decided to come look for their parents? But they'd be coming from the other direction...

Angel spoke a quiet warning, one of an ambush, and Uluki feared he must be right. She looked over at Rollick to gauge his reaction, and wasn't surprised to see his hand already wrapped around the handle of his sword.

Was it her imagination, or were there shapes moving in the trees? There seemed to be a lot of shapes...

No, that was definitely a person. A person pointing at her. He was shouting to his companion, still far away, but the word was audible. "Healer."

And she knew things were going to start to get very, very bad. This had happened before, too. You take the healer out first because that leaves the rest of the group...

Before she had time to process the full implications of that memory, the first crossbow bolt struck her. The person who fired it was a good shot, and she took it square in the chest. She drew in a sharp breath at the impact, her whole body knocked backwards as pain radiated outward across her body.

She heard Rollick shout her name, his voice hard-edged with fear and concern. She knew how bad her injury looked. She knew how bad it... was. She tried to speak, to call back to him that she was alright, to cast a spell to heal herself, but she couldn't draw sufficient breath for any words at all. She gasped ineffectually, trying desperately to get air into her lungs.

Rollick was running toward her... gods, she loved him... she tried to smile at him, but it turned into a grimace of pain.

Another bolt, this time deep into her abdomen. More blood, but this one hurt less. Actually, everything hurt less, maybe because she was so tired.

Rollick was beside her now; she was in his arms. Surely she could sleep now, now that he was with her? "I love you," she said softly, nuzzling her face against his neck. He called her name again, more urgently this time, but it was too hard to stay awake. Darkness crept into the edges of her vision. Surely it was time to rest. She couldn't keep her eyes open. She was too tired. Goodnight, Rollick...

Rollick held unconscious Uluki, shielding her body with his own. A swordsman can't do much against a crossbow, but at least he could make sure she didn't get hit again. Her breathing was shallow and laboured, but at least she was still breathing. Her heartbeat fluttered.

"Run!" Rollick shouted. "To the wagon, quickly!"

[Cody]

The stallion screamed at the aggressors as the bolt slammed into Uluki. Ooops…he hadn’t meant to scream. What if it made them angry? Please…please don’t shoot me. Cody’s front right hoof struck the ground several times in frustration. He started to move towards Rollick with this noble idea of protecting them. When another bolt flashed into Cody’s vision he chose instead to cow-hop and high tailed it the other direction until he again remembered his new friends. This time when he screamed it was more in a plea for the people to get away. This again got more of his hoof digging into the earth.

It seemed as long as he was willing to hang back, no one planned on aiming for him directly. Cody wasn’t surprised, he knew he was worth a lot of money, he’d practically had that brainwashed into him. Cody also knew he wasn’t a threat; he was only a horse and would most likely only get hurt if he went out there. He could offer to give Uluki a ride…no way! He didn’t want anyone on him, and to put a target on his back? Then he would actually get shot at. Coward. The word stung him mildly at points, but this time it was digging in much worse. He really should help…

Cody whickered softly, pleading for them to get away.

[AngelMacleod]

Angel grimaced at the two blows that Uluki took. Rollick had rushed in to help her, but she already had become unconscious...but not before giving Rollick her love. To Angel, that always seemed like an inevitable and heartbreaking omen.

Two more shots fired! Angel now saw the shapes as well; they were aiming at Rollick.

"Look out!" he cried as he raised his arm as if to block the crossbow bolts. He didn't have time to form a light shield; both bolts embedded themselves into his right arm. He cried in pain through his clenched teeth as he fell to the ground. But the pain was worth it; he had just prevented the bolts from going into the back of Rollick's head.

Angel was on his feet again almost immediately, despite the pain coursing through his arm. As his experience was twelve years ago, he had gone through much greater pain than this. But still, those bolts hurt like hell.

"Let's get out of here!" he shouted. "Hurry!" He then dashed off, but stopped thirty feet away to make sure Rollick was behind him. Angel was indeed a very fast runner, but Rollick may be hindered carrying Uluki. And Angel would be damned if he left them behind.

[Lylessa Uluki]

((NPC Post))

Rollick lifted Uluki from the ground, careful to continue to shield her from their attackers. She wouldn't survive another bolt, that was clear. He was strong and she was very light; she was easy to carry, even running. Rollick took off toward the wagon.

A bolt struck him in the back, but it was a superficial wound and barely slowed him. The attackers seemed to be firing wildly now that their prey was escaping, and the shot that hit Rollick was a poor one.

Angel had stopped to wait for them. Uluki was right about the Half-Elf, he was indeed a good person. Rollick was impressed that he had waited, and very grateful for the bolts Angel had taken to save his life and allow him to help Uluki. Rollick would be sure to thank him for that once they were out of danger and there was time to talk. For now, though, they had to focus on escape.

"I have Uluki-- she's alive," he called. "Keep running. We'll meet you at the wagon."

Another bolt, this time headed directly toward Uluki's face. Rollick was able to dodge it somewhat, to block the impact with his own shoulder. It hurt like hell and he almost dropped her, but he managed to hold on. He kept running.

The next bolt stuck in his lower back. Again, not a life-threatening injury, but he was aware he was losing blood too fast. He wouldn't be able to run for much longer. He didn't have to, though-- they were nearly to the wagon. Once they got there he would call for the children. They trusted their father and would come quickly, and they could get Uluki to safety in Marn, find someone to heal her. He hoped there really were people who used magic there, because even his untrained eye could tell Uluki's injuries were beyond conventional healing. Her blood-- or was it his?-- made his hands slippery, and he had to tighten his grip to hold onto her.

He cursed quietly as a fourth bolt lodged in his side. His vision was beginning to blur, but he couldn't give in to it, not yet, not till she was out of danger. He stumbled, went down on one knee, but managed to get back to his feet. So close now...

Then they were by the wagon, shielded by it. She would be safe now. He laid her gently on the ground. He wasn't sure he'd have enough strength left to go find the children. He'd have to tell the others that they needed to...

But he didn't have the strength even for that. He'd lost too much blood, expended too much energy. Rollick finally lost consciousness, falling on the ground beside Uluki.

[AngelMacleod]

Angel watched helplessly as Rollick took more bolts, acting as a human shield to protect the now unconscious Uluki. Angel could tell that Rollick was willing to die to keep Uluki safe. To Angel, that seemed like an inevitable and heartbreaking omen.

For now, he had little choice but to run away from their attackers. He had a smaller chance of getting killed running than meeting them head-on. But this wasn't over yet. Angel was a firm believer of exacting revenge, as long as people weren't killed, and if he should cross paths with these bandits again, he would get his revenge. Right now, he couldn't do much but run.

Angel did his best to dodge the oncoming crossbow bolts, his acute hearing helping him determine where they came from. Only one grazed his right arm, adding to the pain of the other two bolts lodged into it. Angel ignored the pain and made it to the wagon, successfully shielding himself from any other forms of attack.

It was then that he saw Rollick unconscious alongside Uluki. Panic-stricken, Angel tried to figure out what to do. Uluki only had two bolts in her, but they were in vital areas. Rollick had four bolts total in non-vital areas. Both were losing blood fast. Angel couldn't take care of two unconscious people at once. What to do, what to do, what to do?

He then remembered that Aislinn was with the wagon. "Aislinn! Come quickly! It's Uluki! She's hurt!" he cried out in desparation.

[Lylessa Uluki]

((NPC Post))

Dash and Zee had been waiting in the forest, taking turns entertaining Martin to keep him from crying. They had known it might be awhile, and they had settled in. Zee was sitting propped up against one of the packs, while Dash perched on a branch of a nearby tree... one she'd climbed, rather than flown to. She still wasn't completely comfortable with having wings.

They were talking quietly, with Martin sleeping on Zee's lap, when they heard the commotion. Exchanging a look with her sister, Dash dropped to the ground and slipped behind the tree, while Zee scooped up the baby and moved behind a rock. They listened for a moment, taking stock of the situation, trying to determine whether or not they should try to intervene, and if there was even anything they could do. It was hard to hear what was going on.

Then they both heard the words, unmistakably. "It's Uluki! She's hurt!"

That brought both of them out of hiding. Moving as swiftly as they could without making too much racket, they made their way to the wagon, where it seemed the shout had come from. Dash tried not to consider how ominous it was that the voice calling out about her injured mother hadn't been her father's. If nothing else, at least Uluki was still alive. She could only hope Rollick was too.

The two girls burst from the trees to see their parents lying on the ground, covered with blood, with a desperate Angel beside them, also wounded.

Zee began to cry audibly, tears running down her cheeks as she rocked the baby.

Dash knelt beside her parents, taking one of each of their hands in hers. Uluki's hand felt cold-- not dead-cold, but colder than her hands had been when she'd braided Dash's hair that morning. That thought nearly made Dash cry too, but she forced the tears back. She simply sat helplessly, hoping with all her being she wouldn't lose any of the people she loved.

[Cody]

Cody was more than happy to run away as the group did. He still kept several feet off to one side of them, not getting to close to the targets of those bolts. He tossed his head in wide circles a few times, expressing his stress at this whole situation. When they got to the wagon he quickly pivoted around and past the wagon to stay behind it.

Good! It appeared they'd be safe now, he was safe now. His muscles were taught, the horse practically one large coiled up spring ready to go. His head was up as high as possible, taking deep large breaths smelling the air for the attackers. Cody wanted to run, not just for fear but that little run at such a slow pace had him wanting to go full tilt relieving this pent up energy he felt inside.

Why did he have such a feeling that following this group was only to get him in more trouble?

[Dynadin Rolthor]

Thar Shaddin. Where the masses gathered in the bleak hope to create a civilisation. The thought was an amusing one, especially to someone who much preferred the region of Dalouxiu. Yet the town of Marn was still a strong pull for one such as Dynadin Rolthor, and so his horse pulled his wagon, the well-covered man sitting at the front with both hands held loosely onto the reins. The horse moved at a walk, as slowly and easily as the mood Dynadin felt and yet he was aware of the stillness in the air, that undeniable feeling of apprehension and so he was perhaps sitting a little straighter than usual. Marn was not far now; if it wasn't for the morning fog then it would probably be in sight by now, or so Dynadin thought.

Then, just as his thoughts began to wonder to the river that split Marn from the body of woodland that he now knew he was coming to the end of; the Ofriyu, a dangerous obstacle, yet he had crossed the various bridges set up every other year to replace fallen ones on more than a few occasions. Dynadin certainly felt more at ease at the idea of crossing one such bridge than he had when he left Marn not too long ago; the luggage that was now stored in his wagon had much less value to him and so his worry was considerably easier. The feeling of the woods - regardless of how close he was to leaving them - was still uneasy, however and so his thoughts could not focus for long.

And then something broke his concentration much easier than the river or the wood possibly could; a young woman at the side of the road was attempting to wave him down, although, considering his slow pace this was not particularly difficult in the first place. Dynadin slowed the horse to halt as he came to where she stood. Though the shape of her body would suggest youth, the woman's face was so worn and tired that her age was something of a mystery to Dynadin. She did however seem to be desperate enough - was that a strong sense of being lost and naive he could see in her bloodshot eyes? - and he could not helping one such as her, whether because of his age or not he did not know.

Leaning forward to pat his horse on the neck, he spoke directly yet quietly to her, "Hello young Lady, are you quite all right? It is not advised to be out here in the woods before day light . . ." Here his eyes moved quickly along the road before settling upon the woman once more, . . . Or any time for that matter." He finished speaking in a dark tone to leave no doubt in what meaning his words carried.[/i]

[Aislinn Vahtees]

Am I quiet fine sir, thank you for your concern." She felt rude flagging him down and interrupting his journey but his passing had been too fortuitous to pass up.

"Tell me peddlar, how do you feel about smuggling." She quickly explained the predicament of her companions and emphasised the presence of woman and children hoping to pull at his heart strings. "So you see we are in a bit of a bind. It would be nigh impossible to get past the City Guard without some kind of concealment.

She pointed in the direction of her camp, towards the area f the woods she had been checking over her shoulder during the entire conversation. She did not like leaving her things unoccupied, perhaps the Elven lad would prove he had some honesty? "I have a horse that I can offer as part payment. I intended on selling the beast when I got into the city to pay for my own board."

She had indeed been contemplating her own stay in a quiet tavern somewhere. She had been known as a flutist in Shim and knew she could not earn her wage doing that in Marn, out of fear of discovery. How long would the coin from the sale of the horse last though? How long would she be in Marn? She knew she would have to find another job as soon as possible..with the money she would have to give to this peddlar for Uluki and her families passage she would have to find a job even sooner then she expected.

"I shall fetch my horse and belongings to see if you think they are worth the price. Please sir, wait for me, I shall not be too long I promise!"

She didn't want to hear him decline her plea for passage so she rushed off into the woods towards her little campsite. As daylight filtered into the world Aislinn listened to the sounds of Dawn, her passage through the bracken and brambles drowned out by the birds singing their morning tunes and the rustle of the leaves in the canopy. The Ofriyu Mar ran across the road ahead of them cutting across Marn. the bridge was not too far away and so the sounds of the river could be heard in the near distance. The great river cut its way through the valley, the rush of water evoking memories of her own near miss in it. Her escape from the clutches of death, from Coin and Shim were so fresh in her tired mind that they drew a shudder from her.

The mist of the pre-dawn world was fading in most places but around her own camp it lingered. The field in which Uluki had been picking mushrooms was washed in the light of dawn, the mist being burned away to reveal more of the countryside surrounding the city. The camp was empty. There was no sign of the duskling or the half elf. A cry from nearby spooked her horse which echoed the scream, the sound of the horse eerie and disconcerting. She stroked his back, patting him and soothing him but her wanted to bolt in the opposite direction. Quickly scooping her belongings into her arms and shoving them into the saddlebag she untied the horse and led it back towards the road. She tried not to run but the scream had put her nerves on edge. The road was close now and she prayed that she would find the peddlar still there, waiting for her and her new found friends.

[Dynadin Rolthor]

Dynadin watched the woman leave with interest, his curiosity peaked further by her lack of an introduction; such was her desperation, it seemed. Her story had spilled forth from her mouth so quickly that he barely registered it. Fortunately, the part about the group containing unusual people stood out like a sore thumb - "She really is quite naive, it would seem", the old man thought - and he took it for exactly what seemed obvious; this was a group which included non-humans no doubt. This did not serve to discourage him though, as Dynadin had seen too much in his life thus far for such a thing to bother his ageing mind.

He stood up as she walked away in her pre-occupied state, half jogging as she went, and turned into the back of his wagon. It was spacious enough, yet it rarely caught too much attention despite its red-coloured exterior; the likeness of this red to the colour of blood had served the peddler well, as most people tend to ignore such a vehicle, not wishing to be involved. Although, the right people could also be attracted to it. On most days the wagon would be full of his wares, items that could range from rare relics to the latest innovations in potions and accessories for those who pursue combat fervently enough; however, his main items for sale - and quite the area of interest for many a year - are his weapons. From the smallest daggers to the longest spears and even the odd shield, at least half of the space of the wagon would be stocked with what Dynadin had discovered was a particularly popular item in the cities he travelled between; a sad state indeed, but this was the world as it was and perhaps would forever be.

The Wagon, however, was now almost completely empty. Aside from a couple of well placed compartments underneath his seat, Dynadin had emptied the wagon before he had set off for Marn many miles away and so it seemed quite spacious . . . Maybe even comfortable, though the thought brought a wry smile to the face of the peddler. His short inspection did not last long though as the taught atmosphere of the morning air was suddenly broken by the sound of different cries; cries of pain and panic. Dynadin kicked one of the compartments and it slid out in reaction. He then reached down and pulled out an axe, gripping it with both hands before leaping from the wagon, his agility belying the many years of his life. He looked down either side of the road to identify the source of the increasingly dramatic noise and didn't have to wait long before he found out.

Within minutes the madness of the fleeing three, and a horse as well somehow, had caught up to his wagon. Dynadin, seeing their injuries before they had reached the wagon, had leapt back into it and kicked the other compartment below his seat . . .

Less than a minute later two younger-sounding cries accompanied Dynadin's reappearance. He carried a number of small, clear phials and a few sachets as he knelt down between the two bodies; one was clearly human, the other some sort of fae it seemed. As the eldest of the two younglings began to control herself somewhat Dynadin held up two of the smallest phials so that they were level with the girls face. "They need to drink these. They will wake them up and numb the pain, which is what they need right now. This loss of blood will take them near death if we do not do this and then clean their wounds"-he nodded at the sachets-"once we are in the wagon. But I will not force you."

He then turned to the other man, with two crossbow bolts in his arm and looking partly elvish in appearance. "And you my boy need two sachets for those wounds. Quickly now!" He passed over two sachets before offering to help him pull the bolts out of his arm and then turned back to the younglings and the still bodies.

[Lylessa Uluki]

((NPC Post))

Dash nodded and took the phials the old man offered. Her hands shook. Though Dash was supposedly a weapon, bred to be a soldier, she had seen little of combat, little of injury or death, and she was very frightened, though it didn't show on her face, only in her trembling hands.

She realized there was some chance that this old man was poisoning her parents, and though he seemed kind, she remained apprehensive since she didn't know him. Still, if she did nothing, her parents would certainly die of their injuries, and Dash could think of no other way to help them. It was a chance she'd have to take.

"Thank you," she said softly, trying not to let her fear show in her voice. She uncorked the phials, and poured the first into Uluki's mouth. In seconds her mother's breathing seemed to ease, her chest rising and falling in a slower, more even rhythm. It certainly seemed to be helping.

Dash exchanged a look with Zee, trying to reassure her sister that everything would be alright, then poured the contents of the other phial into Rollick's mouth. He coughed a little, then opened his eyes. He seemed dazed and disoriented, but he would be in good enough shape to reach the wagon.

Rollick reached toward Uluki, but Zee shook her head. "I'll get her." She handed her brother to Dash, then picked up Uluki as easily as she'd carried the baby. Rollick leaned slightly on Zee's shoulder, more for balance than anything else, and they made their way quickly toward the wagon. Zee, glad to be of help, assisted the others to get in after she'd set Uluki down.

Rollick hugged and kissed each of the children. "I'm so glad you're safe." He'd been worried about them.

Then he settled himself for the journey, holding Uluki so she wouldn't have to lie on the floor, and to protect her from the bumps they would hit along the road. Dash and Zee sat on either side of him, leaning against him. Zee laid her head on Rollick's shoulder, and Dash took Uluki's hand.

It was hardly a comfortable position for Rollick, and his wounds were still painful, though the pain was far less than it had been. His joints ached from the abuse they had taken in his desperate run, reminding him he wasn't as young as he used to be. These discomforts made little difference to him. Fighters have to be able to handle pain; they learn to ignore it and focus on other things. In this case, Rollick was focused on having his family near him, having them safe. He'd rather be close to them than be more physically comfortable.

Rollick brushed a strand of hair back from Uluki's forehead and tried to wipe away the beads of blood at the corner of her mouth. He only ended up making more of a mess of her face, as his hands were bloody too, so he gave up on the task, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close. Her heartbeat was noticeably stronger than it had been when he'd been carrying her. She seemed to be getting better, not worse, and that gave him hope.

He spoke to her, though he doubted she could hear him. "You're going to be fine, dear one. I know it hurts, but you just need to stay strong for a little while longer. You're safe now, and we're here with you. We love you..."