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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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Apr 15, 2010 0:27:52 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Apr 15, 2010 0:27:52 GMT -5
"It is," Kvothe said, awe still clear in his voice as he looked out into the magnificent chamber. He found himself wishing that he'd thought to bring some of the flimsiplast he used for note-taking from the Masada; now would be an ample time to gather some information from a type of place he'd never seen before. Magnus might be interested in them, at the very least.
"I've heard stories of caves like this," he said slowly as he walked to the edge of the little ledge they stood on, "but I never imagined they'd be anything like this. This is..." His words failed him for a moment as he searched for a way to describe what was laid out before him. "Amazing. I have seen beautiful places before, but never anything like this."
Kvothe stopped at the edge of the ledge and looked down. It was a short drop. though there was some water pooled down at the bottom. He looked back to Alindra with a wry grin and said "Well let's go see what we can find, eh?" With that, he jumped down to the main floor and landed with a splash. Fas followed. Perhaps he'd take crystal for himself while he was here. Kvothe certainly had no plans to build a lightsaber, but he couldn't deny that it might be nice to have one.
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Apr 18, 2010 23:59:24 GMT -5
Post by Nightender on Apr 18, 2010 23:59:24 GMT -5
When her compatriots jumped into the pool, Alindra closed her eyes and lowered her head. She knew they weren't fools, but it was clear in her mind that she possessed more reverence for where they were.
Carefully, Alindra shifted her hair clip again, this time to hold her hair up and away from her neck and shoulders. She loosened the buttons on her corset and the buckles on her boots. Next came off her belt, followed by her shirt and pants. Alindra did nothing to undress further. Clad in black undergarments with angular red framing, Alindra stepped into the pool like a swimsuit model stepping into the ocean for the first time on camera.
The water was cool to the touch and Alindra breathed in its chill for a moment, waiting for a sign or a sense of which way she should go. Her hand reached out and took a bright blue crystal, small, but easily compensating with luster. To her left, she saw something else that struck her with interest. A slender pink gem, sparkling with hope that it could be something more.
Alindra moved around the pool, reaching her hand over many of the formations. She wasn't sure how many she could take, but she wanted the crystals to have colors she liked, if only so her eventual lightsaber would look the right way when it was lit.
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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Apr 20, 2010 17:00:44 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Apr 20, 2010 17:00:44 GMT -5
Kvothe moved deeper into the main floor, though he stopped for a moment too look back when he didn't hear the sound of Alindra following behind them. Apparently, she'd decided to take the time to undress down to her undergarments before following into the shallow pool. Kvothe turned around to continue moving forward, and, in spite of himself, felt a wry grin working its way across his face; he was, after all, still a man--and a young one at that--and Alindra was considerably less covered now than she had been only a few moments before. But he wouldn't make a fool himself, and his amusement faded as his mind returned to the cavernous chamber that stretched out in front of him.
It would be an understatement to say that Kvothe was still in awe of the crystals. To be honest, he didn't really know where to start. There were so many crystals in so many different hues. It's amazing, he thought again. I've never seen anything like this before.
Fas ran through the water and up onto one of the small islets of rock and dirt that rose out of the water. He found his reflection in one of the crystals and stared at it for a few moments. A paw reached tentatively out to touch the surface of the crystal, and Fas stiffened when he discovered what he saw wasn't actually another flickercat. Kvothe just laughed softly and continued on, leaving Fas to continue to explore the ins and outs of reflections.
He glanced toward Alindra to see her moving about from cluster to cluster. "It's almost hard to know where to start," he called. "It's like they're all calling out through the Myt--er... Force, as if they want your attention." His gaze shifted to a small cluster of crystals that were the same dark green of the leaves that grew on the pines in the Evus forest on Aiaru. They called louder than the others did, and to Kvothe, it almost felt like they were pulling on his presence. His hand went out, almost on its own accord, and found a small crystal, one that was roughly cube-ish with edges that were very near to being sharp. It felt right when held it. He couldn't explain to himself, or to anyone else how it felt. It just felt right. As if they belonged together. "It's really wondrous, I have to say."
The thought struck for him to reach out with his senses to see what might happen. Almost immediately, he felt it. His head turned back to look at the far wall, toward a large gathering of crystals that were a brilliant gold in color. It's almost like they're calling my name. The green crystal he already had was stuffed into one of his robe's pockets, and he started to make his way toward the gold crystals.
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Apr 23, 2010 14:34:25 GMT -5
Post by Nightender on Apr 23, 2010 14:34:25 GMT -5
"You can call it Mythos," Alindra said, almost cradling her endowments with her arms as she moved through the pool. "I know what you're talking about."
The lure of the gold crystals seemed to be bringing both Alindra and Kvothe closer. Every ray of reflected light shone in their eyes, making them want it more. Alindra touched one of the crystals and felt a rush of blood run through her entire body. Her eyes became dilated as a torrent of vague ideas and concepts flowed into her. In the instant of touching the crystal, something not only swept over Alindra, but swept into her.
Alindra slipped to one knee, lowering her head where she could see her own reflection. She saw the distortion in her eyes, both filled with the radiance of the gold crystal. Her sense of self was replaced with a desire to see another face of herself, something based on her reflection, but not totally bound to it. The mirage grew stronger, showing each of her eyes something different, each a powerful image. Dark and light, self and selfless, they showed her two paths to her destiny, two faces she could show. Vastly different, neither visage truly contradicted the other.
First came a face of darkness, though this was also a face of selflessness. Alindra saw herself wearing not only a dark robe, but a hooded habit covering her entire head. Her face was still exposed, thought painted to make her eyes look elongated and shadowed and her lips filled with a shimmering black. The face was that of something Alindra could only think of as a Sith priestess, a devotee fully embracing the Sith not just as an alliance or affiliation. This was the face of a woman who had decided that the Dark Lords were in fact divine, a woman who would devote herself to finding others and converting them to that devotion. As a priestess, she could embrace her darker natures as a religion, succumbing to pure zealotry.
The other face was bright and filled with life. It was the face of a woman who had been bestowed a title, though Alindra wasn't sure what that title might have been. With this face, Alindra wore gems in her carefully styled hair and a tiara on the crown of her skull. She dressed opulently, as fitting her station, the layered cloth she wore glowed in red and gold tones. In this guise, she would rule as a bright beacon of light, a light made from her own needs and desires. She would be lavished upon by her own servants, benefiting from their servitude and loyalty.
Seeing both of these faces, Alindra was ready to accept them. Her ambition began to transform and notions of need and zealotry began to fill her heart and mind. It would require another step, similar to what she did to anoint herself a servant of the Dark Side before. This time, she had to do something different. Alindra was forbidden from sacrificing Kvothe or Fas, they weren't even present in her mind. To gain the strength to gain either or both of the faces she'd seen, she had to offer something else.
Lowering herself to both knees, Alindra lowered her face into the pool. Once the cool water permeated her skin, she began to slowly let the air out of her lungs. She would take herself willingly to the edge of death if necessary, but the reflections she saw would be hers.
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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Apr 23, 2010 20:39:33 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Apr 23, 2010 20:39:33 GMT -5
{Went on for a tad longer than I originally planned, but oh well}
The cluster of shining gold crystals called to Kvothe, and he answered. The Force resonated throughout them, and that sensation of being drawn toward them only grew stronger as he got closer to them. Why are they pulling me like this? I've never felt anything like this before.
Kvothe felt himself staring into one of the flat surfaces of a larger crystal a few short paces later. The reflection of his face was dim, but he could make it out; the dark green tattoos on his face, the scar that his brother gave him that crossed the bridge of his nose, his hazel eyes, his auburn hair... So focused was he on the mirror image of his own face that he didn't notice the world seemingly spinning when the vision took him.
For a time, it seemed as if he was merely continuing to stare at himself, albeit a full-bodied version, rather than just a face. That image of himself started to change as he looked at it, though. He grew a few inches taller, with a slightly more muscular build, and his hair went from rusty red to midnight black, tied back in a ponytail with a few bangs hanging loose in front of his face. His facial features became a bit more angled--more handsome, some might say--and the tattoos and scars faded away.The robes that adorned his body transformed from their shades of tan and cream with green accents to black, with red highlights here and there. And, above all, there were those strange sleeves that left his shoulders bare, showing the circular tattoos of the Unum.
"It's been a long time, Ishar," Vorian said, using Kvothe's true name, as he had a way of doing when they were alone. That the smirk that Kvothe remembered all too well growing on his face.
"You," Kvothe snarled, hatred plain in his voice. "What are you doing here?"
Vorian snorted roughly. "You'd think you'd be more respectful, Ishar." He started circle to slowly around Kvothe. As he did, Kvothe noted for the first time that they were no longer back in the crystal cave, but up in some courtyard high up in the mountains somewhere. His breaths misted lightly in front of him, and fat flakes of snow drifted lazily to the ground. He hadn't a clue where he was, nor did he care.
"After all," Vorian continued as he moved behind Kvothe and came to a stop, "I could have killed you in the desert. I could have put a stop to all of your hopes and ambitions right there. But I didn't."
"Instead you left me to die on the burning sands with a sandstorm coming to rip the flesh from my bones." Kvothe turned his head to the side and spit on the ground. A lone eye locked on Vorian. "How kind of you." He turned around slowly and met his brother's eyes.
Vorian laughed to himself and shook his head. "So you're a Sword of Diligence now, are you? Impressive. They don't let slouches into their ranks." He popped his knuckles idly and rested a hand on the hilt of the sword that rested so easily on his hip. "You've even been the cause of a bit of annoyance for us. Good on you for that. But know this, Kvothe." The tone of his voice suddenly darkened, as did his expression. "Do not think you are the only hunter on Aiaru. Very soon, I will be after you. And we both know you can't stand up to me."
Red flashed in Kvothe's irises. "It's been five years! What makes you think th-" he was forced to stop, as Vorian's sword was suddenly in hand, and moving toward his neck. He blocked it, only to get a kick in the stomach that doubled him over made his vision go out of focus. A hand took him by the back of the neck and jerked him upright. His eyes opened early enough to stare in horror as Vorian's sword plunged into his stomach.
Kvothe's scream echoed throughout the cavern. His breaths came slow and heave when it was through, and he noticed that he was on his hands and knees. Sweat coated his face, and some of his hair clung wetly to his forehead. It wasn't real. But why was the pain there? A second wave of pain from Vorian's strike surged through him, and he fought to resist the urge to cry out again; he couldn't keep it all in, though, and a muffled groan broke through.
The water leaking into the top of his boots and soaking through the end of his sleeves told him that had fallen down in the water. He looked around to see that his staff fell down near to him, and Alindra was... What was she doing?
"Alindra?" Kvothe's voice was a bit weaker than he'd expected it to be, and trembled just a little bit. "Are you okay?"
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Apr 24, 2010 4:32:36 GMT -5
Post by Nightender on Apr 24, 2010 4:32:36 GMT -5
It was all around her. The slight waves of cool water, gently swaying with whatever movement might come along. The careful chill Alindra's skin started to take on relaxed her. The water poured into her mouth and lungs for a moment, long enough to lock her body in place. From deep inside, Alindra felt fire, a burning rage of darkness ready at last to emerge.
She popped up, though her knees still rested in the pool. Water coursed through the air for a moment before dripping down like sudden rain. She glanced over to the side and saw Kvothe looking either curious or concerned, maybe both. "Alindra? Are you okay?"
Alindra's eyes lit up and she smiled. "Oh, yes," she said. "I feel incredible." Standing up, she made her way over to the gold crystals and picked up two more. "It's amazing, to be filled with conviction like I am now." Alindra looked around the cave surrounding the pool, opening her arms and letting herself be taken over by awe. "You don't know how it feels to suddenly have so much direction--or maybe you do. "Have you seen anything since coming in here?"
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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Apr 24, 2010 16:10:10 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Apr 24, 2010 16:10:10 GMT -5
Kvothe didn't know what Alindra had seen. If her mood was any indication, it had to be something that had been more pleasant than what Kvothe had gone through. Not that that was saying much, really. Kvothe pushed himself to his feet wearily as she spoke, and moved a few paces to his right to sit on a large rock that protruded out of the water.
"I am not sure," he said slowly as he pondered her question of having direction. "Perhaps. Perhaps not." He fell silent for a moment as he considered revealing what he'd seen to her. It wasn't something he wanted to think about, much less tell someone else."I saw... a warning, I guess you could say. About my brother." Kvothe glanced over to the crystals solemnly. "I got a reality check. That's all I really want to say on it, though."
He rose to his feet once more and strode over to the clusters. Slowly, gingerly, he reached out to take a small crystal from the rest of the group. Still images from his vision flashed through his mind for an instant when he touched it, and he cringed reflexively, but he held on to it and placed it into the same pocket the green crystal went into. He sighed and shook his head before turning to face Alindra once more. "What about you? Did you see anything?"
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Apr 25, 2010 2:10:34 GMT -5
Post by Nightender on Apr 25, 2010 2:10:34 GMT -5
Alindra hadn't been the only one to see something. Something quite different had come to Kvothe, but he'd come out of it with a new direction as well. Or a reminder of an old one.
"I like that thought," Alindra said. "I think I had a reality check, too." She reserved her thoughts for a moment, pooling them together. The more immediate image--at least what she thought was the more immediate image--of the dark priestess wearing her face spoke to her. Alindra knew it was a mechanism. A path to getting the things she desired was in front of her, she had but to have the faith to step upon it.
As her words started to emerge, Alindra gained a quiet certainty, a sureness that had nothing to do with any persona she might wear. "I met my faith. It looked into my eyes and showed me what I wanted to be and what I have to be to get it."
Her words tickled in her mind. For a moment, she shied away from Kvothe. When she turned back, she lightly smiled at him. "That didn't make a lot of sense, did it?"
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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Apr 25, 2010 15:42:31 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Apr 25, 2010 15:42:31 GMT -5
"I know what you mean," Kvothe said with a laugh. He smiled amusedly at her sudden good mood, but his mind was turning within his head. Found her faith? What does she mean by that? Kvothe had never told Alindra, but the Mythics were a quasi-religious order. In addition to the whole thing with searching for knowledge and their monopoly of the Etherium trade, they regarded the Force itself as something dive--as a holy energy that few understood. That was part of the reason they did not get involved in the dealings of the Jedi and the Sith; they believed both groups went about their business, manipulating the divine energies with little thought or care for the importance of it. But that line of thought was a whole different topic, and for another time.
"It's good that you've gotten some insight into that, though," he continued on with a nod. He turned to look about the cave again, even though it was the same as it had been the other times he'd taken it in. Where only moments before, he'd been excited and in awe of the cave, the only thing that this place brought to mind now where his brother's words, and he did not like that. I want to be gone from this place.
"So," he said lightly, turning his gaze to Alindra once more, "I trust you found what you were looking for here? I think it might be time to move on, if you're ready."
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Apr 25, 2010 16:19:08 GMT -5
Post by Nightender on Apr 25, 2010 16:19:08 GMT -5
There was much for Alindra to figure out. The face she had seen inspired new thoughts and ideas. She knew she would soon be suggesting something extreme, possibly extreme to other Sith. Alindra had no real skill in convincing someone to do what she wanted. On the short term, she could charm someone into doing what she wanted. Part of her wanted to try with Kvothe, to see what he might think. It seemed too aggressive an idea, especially since Alindra hadn't gone out to convert anyone as of yet.
She watched Kvothe for a moment, while he congratulated her moment of insight. There was something disturbed in his movements and speech. He had seen something very different than what Alindra had seen, either that, or he hadn't been as willing to accept it.
Stepping out of the pool, Alindra said, "I'm ready if you are." When she stepped onto the stone floor, she looked at her clothes. Just touching them felt inappropriate. Something inside her had changed enough that her carefully chosen garment wasn't enough.
For a moment, she closed her eyes, imagining how she should dress if she was going to become a priestess. It would have to be something that wasn't fully ornate, but seemed purified, appropriately shaded and uniform. Alindra knew that she would have to cast aside much of what stood out about her in order to look the way she felt she needed to look.
Then she heard footsteps in the water. Alindra wasn't sure if they were from Fas or Kvothe, but they drew her attention away from her clothes. She looked at her companions and decided to say something, just to gauge the situation. "This is just an observation, but how often does a woman strip in front of you? Most people would say something, but this whole time, you haven't said a word."
Drawing attention to her point, Alindra picked up her pants and put the crystals she'd collected in one of the pockets. "I'm just curious."
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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Apr 25, 2010 17:10:49 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Apr 25, 2010 17:10:49 GMT -5
Kvothe only nodded his readiness when Alindra indicated she'd be ready when he was. While the experience of finding the cave and getting the two crystals had been interesting, he'd much rather forget about his vision. But if I forget, will that lead to it, or something like it coming to pass? He shivered slightly at the thought as he walked over to stand near where Alindra left her clothes.
He'd already known be in for a difficult battle the next time he crossed paths with his brother; though he'd pushed himself as best he could in the five years since their last meeting, he knew that Vorian would be getting stronger as well, and he'd have to work harder than his brother to have any chance of closing the gap between them. But if the vision was a warning that he was not yet ready, even after all this time... A small, cold finger of fear seemed to trace his spine, and he shivered again. Will I ever be able to stand up to him, then? If he couldn't... Well, he'd skirted the edge of death too many times for his liking, and there was no guarantee Vorian wouldn't just outright kill him, rather than toying with him as he had in the desert.
Kvothe forced himself to stop thinking about such things and return to the present. He looked to see Alindra preparing to put her clothes back on, though she seemed to be thinking about something. What she saw in her vision, no doubt. Fas' presence was nearby, and the sound of footsteps in the water made Kvothe look up. Fas was padding over to him on the stone, and Kvothe went back to his silent musings. Then it struck him. Fas was on stone, not in the water. A second glance told that whatever it was got the flickercat's attention, as well as Alindra's. Kvothe looked around warily, wondering what the source of the sound could possibly have been. He didn't see anyone, though he couldn't shake the feeling they weren't alone.
He was on the verge of asking her if she had any idea what the sound could've been when she suddenly decided to try to change the mood. The question she asked caught Kvothe completely off guard, and his own question was forgotten as he felt his cheeks heating as his mind returned to that stupid grin he'd had on upon seeing her undress. "I'm not often in front of women when the strip, no." He looked toward her, and felt his cheeks heating more. "But, I've known you for what, a few hours now? It just seemed to me that it might be out of place to make some comment when I barely know you." Kvothe frowned for a moment, thinking what he'd said. "Well, maybe not barely, but you know what I mean. I think." He shook his head and smiled stupidly. "Though, if you'd like me to in the future..."
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Apr 26, 2010 0:24:40 GMT -5
Post by Nightender on Apr 26, 2010 0:24:40 GMT -5
"You should have already figured out that I'm not shy, Kvothe." Alindra jumped into her pants, pulling them on tightly, so they wouldn't get snagged in the middle of a fight, should one break out. "I might have had a rough past, even violated a few times." She slipped into her shirt, folding each side across her chest before sitting down and reaching for her boots. When she had both boots on and secured, Alindra said, "Shy, I'm not."
Standing back up, Alindra started to put back on the last part of her outfit, the dark red corset she wore simply to offset all the black she was already wearing. When she stood up, Alindra glanced back toward the shadows leading out and the soft gleam of the crystal-lined pool. "As far as you knowing me better in the future..." She smiled. Not a show smile and not a reaction. Her craving to speak about the divine power of the Sith to anyone who could be seduced was quiet. Alindra Vordrinn smiled for herself. "I'd like that."
Noises echoed off the cave walls. Something sounded angry. Or hungry. Likely both. "Dammit," Alindra said, fastening her corset in a hurry. "What now?"
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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Apr 28, 2010 15:54:31 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Apr 28, 2010 15:54:31 GMT -5
"Fair enough," Kvothe said with a light laugh, "I guess I should've known that. It's noted for the future, I suppose." He glanced around once more as Alindra went about putting on her corset, though this time he looked toward they way they'd come, rather than the pool and its crystals.
He returned his attention to Alindra when she spoke again, and a smile played at the edge of his mouth in spite of himself. Perhaps it was because of the way she was smiling; he couldn't really say for sure. "And I wouldn't mind getting to know you better," he answered, nodding slightly at her.
They were interrupted by the sound of noises reverberating throughout the caver, no doubt from some angry creature. A surge of apprehension shot through the bond from Fas to Kvothe. The intensity of it surprised Kvothe, and he looked down to see Fas jump in front of him. The bioluminescent lights on the end of Fas' three tail prongs were red now, the color of alertness, meant to both scare off and give warning to potential enemies. Kvothe also noted that the hair on the back of Fas' neck was standing up.
"Whatever it is has got him on edge," Kvothe muttered as his hand instinctively went to the hilt of the sword that hung behind his back. "Doesn't sound pleasant either."
Another series of roars and growls echoed through the cavern, and then the thing finally appeared. It was reptilian, with rows of yellowish spines sprouting from the grey scales of it's back. Size wise, it looked to be near Kvothe's height, with wide body that was supported by four thick legs. It roared, and Kvothe's eyes lifted at the sharp teeth that lined its jaw. Though Kvothe didn't know what it was, it was a Kell dragon, the prime predator on Ruusan, and a much, much smaller to the legendary Krayt dragons.
"Well," Kvothe said flatly as he let his staff fall to the ground and drew the sword instead, "looks like we need to handle this... thing before we'll be able to leave."
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Apr 29, 2010 3:20:03 GMT -5
Post by Nightender on Apr 29, 2010 3:20:03 GMT -5
"No way, ugly." Alindra said, staring at the Kell Dragon. "I'm going to eat you for dinner, not the other way around." Her hand reached for her lightsaber, but didn't take the weapon out. Thoughts about weaknesses and strengths started rolling around in her mind. The last thing Alindra needed was to have her lightsaber shut down on her only to go down this fiend's throat just before her limbs followed suit.
She glanced over at Fas, seeing his fur standing on edge, his flickers standing with a dark red hue. Kvothe had taken up his sword, leaving his staff behind, close to the edge of the pool.
Anger fumed out of the beast. The Kell Dragon was frustrated, more frustrated than anything Alindra had ever encountered before, with the possible exception of the guards who tried to take her back into bonds of slavery. Only a small number of people had the power to command Alindra like she was their slave, though none of them had yet. It was the largest drawback to joining the Sith Order, she had to embrace a degree of slavery in order to get what she wanted.
"Kvothe. Don't move. I've got a plan. Just hold still. Keep both hands on your sword and leave it pointed our party crasher." Alindra moved back around, lining her body up with Kvothe's. "Do you know of anywhere this think might not like to be impaled?"
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Rugs
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Apr 29, 2010 19:00:45 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Apr 29, 2010 19:00:45 GMT -5
Kvothe turned his head only enough to look at Alindra from the corner of one of his eyes. It was a fleeting thing though, and his attention had to be returned to the Kell dragon, lest it start to make some move and catch him off guard. Is she suggesting what I think she is? If she was, it was a ballsy plan, to say the least. Kvothe couldn't do anything but smile a bit at that as he faced the Kell dragon down.
"I'd imagine," he started as he held Orcus out in front of him, tip pointed at the large lizard, "that there are a number of places our friend might not want to be impaled." The creature shifted, and light glinted darkly from the darkened metal of Kvothe's blade as he shifted his stance just enough to keep the tip a pointed at it. "The eyes spring to mind. The skin on the stomach might be less protected, though I don't want to think about how I'd go about getting to it..." He studied the beast for a moment longer, and touches of gold started to ease into his eyes as he did. "I suppose the mouth would hurt, but those teeth aren't exactly making me jump at the thought of it."
Those were the only things that immediately sprung to his mind, though he still wasn't entirely sure why Alindra was asking. Oh, he had ideas of what she might have in mind, but there was only one way to really find out.
"So, uh, what is it you have in mind, exactly?"
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last online Apr 10, 2014 12:08:08 GMT -5
Knight
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Apr 29, 2010 19:22:13 GMT -5
Post by Nightender on Apr 29, 2010 19:22:13 GMT -5
A massive roar, painful and almost concussive, rocked through the cave. Droplets of spittle floated through the air, trying to reach the trio who dared step foot in the dark lair.
"You're going for the right eye," Alindra said. "Lean to the right when you make contact--and sink that sword in when you do."
Alindra put her hands behind Kvothe, one behind his shoulder blades, the other on the base of his spine. They were both rushing with excitement, aware that in moments, they could be dead. Alindra's eyes closed. She began to imagine a massive cushion behind Kvothe. She thought of the cave as a cannon. The Kell dragon was nothing more than a target, waiting to be shot.
"If this works the way it's supposed to, it'll really hurt."
And she thrust Kvothe forward with the Force.
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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Apr 29, 2010 20:23:08 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Apr 29, 2010 20:23:08 GMT -5
Kvothe tensed subconsciously when Alindra gave him instructions. "Right. I'd imagine getting stabbed in the eye wou-"
He was cut off when she suddenly shoved him forward with the Force. He sailed through the air, out over the strangely serene surface of the pool of water, out toward their angered foe. His mind shifted into the sort of near-autonomous mode it went into when there was only enough time to act, with none to think of how to act. It was a mix of both instinct and something that had just been put into him through his years of training in the Tower. And now, Mythos willing, it'd be what helped him put an end to the Kell dragon.
The beast roared once more, daring Kvothe to try to harm it. Kvothe obliged. He leaned as best he could in the air, as Alindra had instructed him to, and came went to the right of the big creature. His attack came as instinctively as breathing, and he lashed out with his blade at the dragon's eyes. It connected, and sank deep, biting deep into the creature's head as the muscles in Kvothe's arms released all of the energy he could muster for the strike.
Orcus cut back as Kvothe was carried on by the momentum of Alindra's push. As it did, it came into contact with the part of the skull that surrounded the eye sockets. Said bone was quite sturdy, and brought the movement of Kvothe's sword to a halt. Kvothe let go and carried on through the air, coming to land in a crouch behind the Kell dragon.
Pained--or perhaps enraged--roars echoed through the cavernous area, loudly enough that Kvothe was forced to press his hands to his ears in an attempt to keep the noise out. "How's it looking from that side, Alindra?" He had to yell to make himself heard, but the question carried. If he'd felt the blow right, it went in fairly deeply. Hopefully they'd be able to finish the damn thing off--if it wasn't already entering its death throes--and be done with it.
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last online Apr 10, 2014 12:08:08 GMT -5
Knight
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Apr 30, 2010 3:50:08 GMT -5
Post by Nightender on Apr 30, 2010 3:50:08 GMT -5
Just as planned, Kvothe had hit his target, sinking in his blade and swaying the Kell dragon to the side. It was what Alindra was after, to create a fight on two fronts for the beast, turning it from predator to prey.
Following the lead she had given Kvothe, Alindra fired herself at the dragon, shifting her attack to the left. In the air, she ripped her lightsaber free and twisting it like a dagger. Still, she didn't ignite it. Not because she was tired and hurting; launching Kvothe the way she had took a lot out of Alindra. The habit of her lightsaber timing out lingered, though Alindra was sure that she could strike at least once with authority--as long as everything lined up.
Flowing through the air, Alindra turned, twisting like a leaf in the breeze. She started a stabbing motion when she came close to the Kell dragon, trusting her instincts to gjuide her to the right timing. Just as she was about to connect the lightsaber with the Kell dragon's eye, Alindra flipped the switch, bringing the lightsaber to life. The blade sank deep, giving Alindra a faint anchor to turn upon.
She twisted, letting her feet and her body lead her in another circle, this one creating a downward arc. As she let gravity take over, her body slipped along the side of the Kell dragon's face, burning the blade through the beast's thick skin.
All the while, Alindra hadn't actually seen if her plan had worked at all.
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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Apr 30, 2010 12:59:22 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Apr 30, 2010 12:59:22 GMT -5
The Kell dragon's enraged roars quickly turned to shrieks when Alindra launched her own assault. Kvothe almost felt bad for the thing, as he took a moment to look at it; it was blind, after both of their blades sank into its two eyes, and it staggered about almost drunkenly while it continued to try to fight off the attackers it could no longer see.
It fell roughly to the ground as Alindra's saber burned down the side of its face. Kvothe sighed, knowing the fight--and the beast's life--was nearing an end. He reached out with the Mythos and pulled his sword back to his hand--a move that elected more frenzied shrieks from the monster. He swung out sharply down and to the side when he had his weapon in hand to sling most of the dragon's dark, thick blood onto the ground and off of his blade.
"It's a pity," he said softly when he came to the dragon's head and looked into the eye his sword ruined only a few moments ago, "for all of your size and strength, with your sharp teeth and armored hide, you were brought down by weak, fleshy creatures such as us." His hair swung gently around his face as he shook his head and tsked disapprovingly. "If you were going to live through this, I'd say it was a lesson. I guess it still is one, though you won't have any time to use it. Ah well. Such is life, I guess. I know I've had my share of hard lessons."
Orcus came up once more, and Kvothe rested the tip of the sword onto the beast's neck. He didn't push it in, though. Not yet.
"Alindra, is your lightsaber still functioning? Let's put an end to this thing before it tried to get up again."
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last online Apr 10, 2014 12:08:08 GMT -5
Knight
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Apr 30, 2010 14:00:25 GMT -5
Post by Nightender on Apr 30, 2010 14:00:25 GMT -5
For a moment, there was nothing. Alindra was far too dazed to see or feel. Thinking was on the outside of her mind. Not even instinct could kick in since she'd pushed herself in ways she'd never expected to. The Force had taken something from her since she'd pulled so hard on it so fast. Then, she heard the voice, calling out to her.
"Alindra, is your lightsaber still functioning? Let's put an end to this thing before it tried to get up again."
Alindra. Her name was still Alindra Vordrinn. Dancer, former slave, animal, Sith. She stood up, accepting that she was a hate-filled animal and answered. "Of course it is."
Unlike Kvothe, Alindra didn't hesitate, plunging her lightsaber into the Kell dragon. The beast howled, they both howled, leaving Kvothe and Fas to watch how they liked.
Once the Kell dragon was suitably defeated, Alindra did just what a year of living in the wild told her she had to. After shutting off her lightsaber and putting it back on her belt, she grabbed hold of the largest wound with both hands and started to pull. With the Force as leverage, she started to tear away the thickest layer of hide, finding more malleable muscle underneath. When there was a large enough section, she buried her hands and mouth into it, tearing out a large chunk of flesh, which she immediately began to eat.
"Not the best I've ever had, but not terrible either. Hey." She tore off another chunk and tossed it toward Fas. "There's plenty for all of us."
After a few more bites of her own, Alindra looked over the hide of the Kell dragon, wondering if it would be strong enough. She'd heard of leather armor and knew she would need to find armor at some point. Maybe there's a chance this would work.
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