Seven seals: The Reforging of the Seals

[Grimr]

If you don't mind I expected such an emergency Lorgan said as the other passengers and crew tried to save themselves. Lorgan took out a small oxen horn and blowed three shrill notes. There our exit will be here in a few minutes. Until then I suggest you take what is of most use and leave everything else minus the seals behind my ride will not carry that much baggage. As the roup began to take and leave certain things there came the sound of giant wings flapping.

 

[Blessed-one]

sorry guys, i went out of download limit last week... and ferment'll be finishing his exams on 8th Nov.

um, so what's the escape Grimr?
----

"I suppose we don't have a choice?" Taren muttered and he could see that none of his companions were happy with this twist of event, most of all, Aridol.

Patyrn, not having encountered Lorgain beforehand found herself enable to judge his character as she didn't have any past dealings with him. It was bad that he was trying to steal the seals, but she felt that he may not be all that he seemed to be.
"I say we don't have a choice at all," she said firmly as the ship began to tear apart and the beating of distant wings came closer.

 

[ferment8]

hey, i'm back.... for a while hehe...... 3 more exams , then i'll be free!!!!!!

--------------------

Aridol dodged a falling beam as he stared up at the incoming creatures.
They were creatures he had not seen before. The animals have heads somewhat similar to dragons, but they had six legs, completed with deadly claws. The wings were edged with sharp claws too. The red blazing eyes swept past them and the creatures landed on the sinking ship.

The group immediately climbed onto their backs, their scales providing adequate footing to hold on.

With great beatings of the wings, the creature roared and lifted off, leaving the dying ship behind.
-------------

wb

 

[Blessed-one]

cool.
----

The strange flying beasts dropped the group off somewhere off the west of their destination and flew away.
"That was a close call," Vialla said as they took up their belongings and started looking for a place to camp.
"It's still in Dal Calene," Clise answered Aridol's unvoiced question.
"Right, let's take a night rest and.."
"There's no need to set guard, you can trust me," Lorgain said wearily as Taren stood casually beside him.

"I think we better get things settled first," Patyrn said, looking concernedly at Freezia who was trying hard not to fall asleep.

 

[ferment8]

Aridol quickly prepared a fire, anticipating a hot meal to fill his stomach after the hasty escape from the ship. They were at a reasonable distance from the central city of Dal Celene, so a fire was all right.

The cook pots were spread out and Freezia, despite her sleepiness, was eager to prepare a meal to settle their growling stomachs.
Soon enough, aroma filled the camp.
-----------

yawnss..... going to bed no...

 

[ferment8]

ok here's the plan, after we spend the nite at camp, we travel into Dal Celene and somehow get some clue as to where the seal is hidden in the city. this should get things going for the while.....

 

[Kookaburra]

Freezia pulled herself to her feet in the deepening dusk, holding her hands out to the flames. She was still weak, and she suspected it was half from the shock of it.

Vialla gave her a sympathetic look and Patryn looked concerned as she came over. "You all right?" she asked, her eyes going to the nasty bruise visible on her neck.

"Sure, sure. I'll just need time." She shuddered. "I think I got more from riding those beasts than from fighting. Are you sure they can be trusted?" she directed her question at Lorgan, who was lying on a little knoll, so as not to skyline himself to any possible intruders.

"No, I'm not sure. But they respect me for having tamed them," he said. "They will give us no trouble."

Aridol nodded and stirred the fire. Freezia promptly banked it and pushed the sticks closer together. "A smaller, hotter fire will do," she said, grinning at him. "But since you thought it would keep my old weary bones warm, I thank you." The entire camp shared smiles and chuckles.

Vialla lay on her back, watching the stars and thinking . . . what, nobody knew. Patryn was sitting straight and still, staring at the embers in the fire, unable to feel its warmth. Lorgan was off in the twilight. Aridol was prodding the fire idly, enjoying its warmth and anticipating a nice, hot meal.

Freezia limped quickly over to her pack and extricated a package of venison, which she cut into thin slivers before wrapping them in leaves and pushing them under the coals to cook. Meanwhile, she found a kettle that she put over the flames to boil. When it was hot, she poured it into a birchbark bowl Aridol had made quickly, and stirred in spices and the other ingredients until she had the sauce.

Vialla had gotten to her feet and come to the fire, carrying a flat sheet of metal and another package. Smiling, she removed the wrappers and measured out a flour mixture into the remaining water, and mixed up biscuits. She put lumps of the sticky mixture onto the sheet, and tilted it against a rock to bake towards the flames.

Soon enough, the meal was ready, and Freezia pulled the cooked venison out from under the coals and brushed the charred leaves off. The bowls were distributed with meat, and the sauce was poured over it. The biscuits were gone in the twinkle of an eye.

Rubbing her neck gently, Freezia looked wistfully at the stars. If only I could touch one . . . .

 

[Blessed-one]

looks like we r running out of ideas.... i'll quicken things up a bit
--------------------------------------------

They finished the quick meal and wrapped themselves in the warm blankets. Aridik fell asleep quickly, but though in sleep, he could wake anytime in case of danger.

Time flew, and dusk came, welcoming them into a new day. Aridol yawned and loosened his muscles. The others gradually woke up, all looking a bit dazed from lack of sleep in other nights before.
"Finally a good night's sleep," Aridol said, walking to a nearby stream to clean up.
"Hell yeh, but still not enough," Taren replied, then yawned again.

Lorgan suddenly appeared from the bush nearby, a dead rabbit dangling on his shoulders. From instincts, Aridol drew his blade with alert, though he still didn't really trust the man.
Lorgan held out his hands and said, "Just wanna see if you'd like a warm breakfast."

Taren grinned slightly and Aridol nodded and muttered an apology.

The warm meat provided new energy to the group, and they packed everything and started towards Dal Celene, which was not far away.
Since they didn't have horses, thye had to walk there.
---------------------------

 

[ferment8]

sorri..... Blessed one's last post was actually mine. I forgot to log out of her account haha.

 

[Blessed-one]

you must really like the colour i chose to not recognise it when it's different!
----

"Now here's the plan," Aridol said after conferencing with Taren, Patyrn and Vialla. "We're going to split up and go in separately, and meet up at the town center as soon as possible. If you don't see the others in an hour, find a place to stay and don't wait for the others."

"Freezia, Clise and Vialla are with me. You three are to be my nieces." Patyrn said.
"And we'll be merceneries looking for work," Taren said, nodding to Aridol and Lorgain.
----

The four females approached the gate in a steady pace. Clise and Freezia had changed out of the elf clothing and now wore travel worn clothing, neat but a bit dusty. The three younger women were to pretend that they haven't been much to large city, so they walked timidly beside Patryn, yet their voices were loud enough to convey excitement.
"Over-enthusiastic," Patyrn commented dryly to the guard and she glanced at her three charges with reproach.

"Dal Calene!" Vialla declared, "I've always wanted to come here, mother said there're plenty of ornaments for sale." she fingered her bracelet.
"No, i want to see the circuit. Isn't there a circuit here, Aunt Killy?" Clise said, her face split into a smile of anticipation.
Freezia yawned, "I want a hot bath!"

 

[Grimr]

Lorgan looked at Taren and Aridol and whispered keep quite act like you’re a no funny stuff person and let me do the talking. The three walked towards the city when they halted at the gates. State your business the guard said lazily. We're collecting a bounty for a few criminals here in the city. All right move along then. You two head for the inn I have personal business to take care of I’ll meet up with you later.

 

[ferment8]

Aridol nodded and said, "See you round."
With that, Lorgan slipped off into a corner street.

"Well! Looks like Dal Calene is a pretty significant city. Just look at the huge stone walls back at the gate! Huge!" Taren commented, and looked around the streets. Most of the buildings around the main avenue are two to three, even four storyes high. Most are built from stones or plaster walls. Shop keepers cried their wares everywhere, jumbline with the voice of shoppers arguing for bargains.
"Yeh, a lively city. This IS the capital afterall. Tell you what, this is only the outer wall, there are two more walls further into the city and they are as huge as the first one. Another high wall surrounds the palace. You don't want to be attacking this country so easily," Aridol commented, and headed towards the direction where the city centre looks to be like.
"Yes commander," Taren said anc chuckled.

The main avenue was wide, with two lines of trees separating the two sides of the stone paved road. This city was as grand as any.
----------------

hehe.... just thought i'd do some description of the city.

 

[Kookaburra]

Underneath her hood, Freezia's eyes roved restlessly and endlessly. Just because Lorgan had 'changed' sides, she wasn't about to dismiss an attack from other quarters. She leaned idly against the brick wall as Patryn spoke to the guard, yawning behind her hand.

Although she had never been to Don Calene before, she had been to many cities of its type -- planned, busy, and seamed with dark alleys and holes in the bright society where darkness plundered the unwatchful as they passed, only to discover later their purse stolen. Many a careless person had been lost and trapped in a dismal corner and just vanished from sight, killed or taken on board a ship and shanghaied. Such were mourned little, and deemed unimportant amid the hustle and bustle.

//I don't want to be one of those,// thought Freezia, and the guard waved them through.

Vialla was playing the part of the youngest, eager for adventure and city society. Clise was playing the typical eldest while Freezia was the middle, and thus most silent of the three.

She felt eyes on her wherever she went, and shuddered. Four pretty women wandering in this city were fair game as far as anyone was concerned.

Walking down a dark corridor, Freezia felt the hot breath on her neck before the icy tip of cold steel pricked her spine. A muffled thud echoed, and Clise looked back anxiously in the gloom as her friend materialized, her short knife crimsoned to the hilt. She wiped it clean on some leaves, and resheathed it. "We may not be so lucky next time," she said softly, and Clise nodded. Patryn kept a hand on her sword, and Vialla's hand strayed to her dagger.

They came in a silent rush, feet padding softly on the cobblestones. There were five of them, and two met their end on Clise and Patryn's blades before the remaining three vanished into the night, denied their plunder and halved in number. Another was wounded badly and staggered off. The group did not follow.

"Here," Patryn said at last. She turned in at a dark doorway and they entered. Freezia went at once to the window of their room and peered out for any stalkers. Seeing no one, she kept a wary eye out as Vialla and Clise settled in to sleep.

"We'll take second watch," Clise said, and went to sleep, leaving Patryn and Freezia listening to the sound of the wind in the trees.

 

[Blessed-one]

With the attack fresh on their mind, they decided not to meet up with the others in the city center.
----

Taren and Aridol lingered around. It was more than an hour and there were still no signs of the girls anywhere.

"Right, let's get going, we may be drawing attention already," Aridol said, and with a nod, the two of them melt into the crowd in search for lodging.

 

[ferment8]

Aridol pointed at an inn, with a sign of a rearing horse. It was a three storey building, and a decent one from the look of it.
"The rearing stallion. Let's get a drink. I need a quick rest too," Taren said, and they approached the inn.

Suddenly, a loud explosion shook the ground, and the top storey of The Rearing Stallion blew into bits, allowing a huge fireball to errupt into the sky. Aridol and Taren jumped for cover, covering their heads from the flying burning debris. An unfortunate man was screaming in agony when a flying sharpnarld pierced his stomach. Everyone were screaming, running in all directions as a huge cloud of smoke rose out of the inn.

"What was that?!" Aridol yelled over the clamour.
"No idea! From the size of that explosion, it might be set to kill a group of people inside! Or maybe it's just a pack of fireworks setting off accidentally!" Taren replied as they both duck under a timber roof a few blocks away.

Aridol sighed and wiped his face, "I hope the girls didn't happen to be at that inn," he said.
Taren stared at the burning inn, now people were running back with buckets of water.
-----------------------

haha, a bit of excitement.

 

[Blessed-one]

A hand shook her shoulder, still too sleepy to respond, Clise squeezed her eyes hut. The hand shook harder and she sat up relunctantly.
"What's going on?" she mumbled.
"Hurry, we need to get out of here," Patyrn said, and Clise saw in the dim light that Freezia was waking up Vialla on the other bed.
Discerning the urgent tone in Patyrn's voice, Clise didn't waste time to ask questions, in no time at all they were dressed and ready to go. Fortunately they hadn't unpacked their stuff yet, grabbing up her belongings in the wardrobe, Clise set the long wrapped knife behind her back and followed the others out.

With no warning whatsoever, a huge rocking shook the inn, and fire erupted all around. The stairways they were going to use to get down to ground level was incinerated instantly and the fire sucked up almost all of the air. Timber cracked and gave weight, falling in huge chucks of burning wood which fed into the fire all the more. Smoke bellowed out and sparks flew everywhere.

Freezia brushed away a block of wood and held Vialla up by the arm. Clise was clutching on the other side and Patyrn had her hand on Vialla's shoulder. Everyone was staring at the water seal.
Fire burnt around them.

Clise put a hand onto the seal and the sense was muted. It wouldn't do to have the enemies discover the seals now. When the eruption occurred, Patyrn had quickly elected a shield around them, preventing the heat from getting to them. In the confusion, all they could do was hold onto each other, however, the fact that fire couldn't burn them didn't mean that the wood wouldn't hurt them. Vialla was almost knocked senseless when a block of wood fell on top of her head. That was when they felt the presence of the water seal getting stronger, responding to the intense heat around it.

"Let's get out of here," Freezia said, and supporting Vialla with Clise, they followed Patyrn out of the blaze. On the street, people were running around, screaming and pointing. No one paid them much attention as they emerged from the back of the burning inn, their pace fast as they half carried the semi-conscious Vialla to a cooler place.

 

[ferment8]

where's everyone?? i better wait for the others b4 i post.....

2 more exams!! then i'm free!

 

[Million Pieces]

Sorry I've been away so long.. Just a little bit here to keep things going..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Taren and Aridol searched the crowds of inn guests for their lady-friends. The mass of onlookers made it difficult to tell who belonged and who didn't.

Suddenly Taren caught sight of Patryn's head hovering over the crowd. Under the roaring of the fire, and screams of the injured, and the voice of the great crowd, Aridol couldn't hear him shout, "There they are!" He dashed off to join the ladies, intending for Aridol to follow.

He gripped Clise's hand first, and she spun to look at him. Inwardly her heart all but burst with relief for their safety. She threw her arms around his neck and felt the first stirrings of weeping in the back of her throat. Taren, stunned, put his hands on her shoulders, and shoved her away. What on earth had brought that on? Clise quickly recovered her bearing and pinched her eyes shut quelling the weepy tickle in her nose.

"Is everyone here?" Taren asked Freezia, who stood coughing. "Yes, I think we're all here. Patryn sheilded us all from the heat of the fire, but the smoke and soot still gets in our mouths." Vialla slouched between Clise and Freezia.

Patryn closed her eyes, and focused her energies inward. She assumed the explosion and fire was deliberately set, and she had a hunch who might have been responsible. That evil presense in her mind was still there. Not as strong this time, but there nonetheless. As she focused on her FarSight, she began to feel the evil approaching. Slowly and tentatively, it was homing in on their position.

She gasped loudly enough for her friends to hear, "It's coming! It's coming for the seals! We have to leave the city as soon as Vialla is able to travel."

Clise wordlessly reached for the seal she carried, "I have one seal here, are they all safe? We can't leave them behind!" She held the Fire seal, and the Air seal. The Water seal. . . was nowhere to be found.

And neither was Aridol.

 

[Blessed-one]

glad to see you back Jn207.

uh, question,
doesn't Vialla have a water seal and Patyrn has the fire seal? so where does the air seal come from?
there's still one seal hidden in the city and Clise doesn't have a seal.

 

[Kookaburra]

water seal is Viallas, so you shouldn't exactly . . . make it dissapear. But I guess it's ok, since it claimed her as its owner, no-one else can use it. And Freezia has the air seal -- it's the one she found.