[RP]Obake Blade

[Rogue Nine]

Tellis wiped her brow for what seemed like the umpteenth time as she sat to the side, rearranging her medical kit. The fight with the rock snake had tired her quicker than she had anticipated. The trek up to Dovetail Peak, along with the subsequent high altitude and sunshine did little to ameliorate the onset of exhaustion. Snapping her kit shut, she reached into her cloak and pulled out a small canteen. She unscrewed the top and took a small swig. The cool water sent a pleasurable ripple through her body as she swallowed. Resisting the urge to indulge herself further, she replaced the canteen within her cloak and made to stand up when she noticed something and stopped short. She straightened up, then raised her hand to her face. It seemed to be glowing again. Arching a thin brow, she peered at it closer, then let out a small gasp as a strange feeling washed over her. It was as if someone had infused her with the power of the sun itself as she felt energy surge through her being. Then, all of a sudden, the feeling subsided. It had been enough, though, since she felt ten times better than she had been feeling not a few moments ago.

 

Something rustled to her right side. She turned to see the source of the noise, her eyes widening when she finally located it. Aya lay on the ground in a heap. Tellis was up in a flash and moving to the merchant's side. "Aya?" she said urgently, putting two fingers to the younger woman's neck. She felt a faint but steady throbbing, but Aya didn't stir. Tellis clucked her tongue softly, then cradled Aya's head into her lap. "Kyo, Carwyn, Akira?" she called out. "We have a bit of an issue..."

 

****

 

Carwyn heard Tellis call out his name and turned his head in the direction of her voice. He raised an eyebrow when he saw her with Aya's head in her lap. Hopping down from the rock he was on, he padded quickly over to the healer. "What happened, Tel?" he asked, a slight hint of worry in his voice. "Is she all right?"

 

"I think she will be..." Tellis replied, stroking Aya's sleeping face. "Poor child just needs her rest, bless her heart."

[Master_Archon]

Xan remained away from the group when they reached Dovetail Peak, as usual. He sat secluded, near the edge, looking off, over the land, looking as far as he could, until he could see no more.

 

He felt something wash over him, like a wave of energy, he felt less fatigued, and he could feel his wounds were no more. He heard a small commotion behind him, looking back he saw the merchant being cradled by the healer, the ranger nearby.

 

Xan could piece together what happened pretty well, but something bothered him, he didn't feel right, something was wrong, but he couldn't pinpoint it. He removed his helmet, noticing his eyesight wasn't healed, yet the rest of him was, only caused him sorrow, but that wasn't it.

 

He looked around, not finding anything out of place, he slipped his helmet back on, and resumed his thinking. But not long after he had resumed his solumn watch did he feel something painful wash over him this time, he felt a stab in his heart, and he breathed in sharply, but it quickly subsided.

 

The odd feeling he couldn't pinpoint had disapeared with that pain, and things seemed truely normal once more. He acted as if nothing had happened, yet his mind now had something else to dwell on.

[Quist]

Maggie was annoyed. She'd already been walking for a good hour and a half and she'd not yet found a suitable ryebark shrub. She knew that Brother Hanzo would still be in pain, as the arthritis attacks he suffered from got progressively worse as the day wore on. Ryebark tea was one of the only remedies that proved effective enough to combat the monk's pain. Unfortunately, it was a wild plant, and unsuited for domestication, forcing one to venture out and actively search for it.

 

She carefully picked her way between large boulders and sharp crags of rock jutting out from the ground. There hadn't been any usable leaves at the entrance to Rock Snake Canyon, so she had had to trudge into the canyon itself. The monks had always told her to be careful when venturing into the canyon, lest she awaken one of the eponymous serpents. Her keen brown eyes darted to the sinewy formations in the stone walls that she knew hid the great beasts. It would really ruin her day to run into one of them, so she kept her steps even and light as she made her way through.

 

She spotted the majestic rise of Dovetail Peak closing quickly in the distance. If she couldn't find ryebark anywhere else, she knew that the Peak was home to a few precious bushes at its top. She quickened her step, thinking that while she was here, she might as well indulge herself in the beautiful view that Dovetail provided.

[ForceFightWMe12]

The swordsman's eyes travelled upward, following the stream of ashes that Aya had released, in his mind praying for the man that he had never known.

 

Rest in peace, Sam S'Ornaku.

 

He continued to watch the remains of Aya's father flutter on the breeze as they drifted into the sky, shining as if it was a stream of gold dust in the noontime sun. He sipped thoughtfully at the stew that Aya had brought him prior as the ashes flew out of sight.

 

How terrible... he thought, To watch your father die at the hands of bandits as he fought to protect you.

 

A tingling on his arm brought him out of his reprieve. His brows knitting together in confusion, he looked down at the gold haze that seemed to have settled over his arm. Pulling back his sleeve, he saw that the light had seemed to have concentrated on the wound in his arm - and right before his eyes, the skin grew over it and sealed it shut. The skin was clear and completely unblemished now, as if a puncture had never been there.

 

"Kyo, Carwyn, Akira? We have a bit of an issue...

 

The swordsman's head shot up to see Tellis sitting a few yards away, the head of the young merchant cradled in her lap. As Kyo stood, Carwyn joined the two and made a quick verification of Aya's health. She was alright, it seemed...but perhaps the use of her powers in the last two days had tired her beyond her wits' end. Then again, perhaps it hadn't been the two blessings that she had bestowed on them earlier.

 

"The fool..." he murmured softly, several things clicking together as he walked. The golden haze, the healing, the sudden revigoration...

 

"She passed out by using her powers to heal us." he said as he knelt next to the sleeping merchant. Her lips were parted slightly, to allow the shallow, drawn out breaths in and out, but other than that her face was set in a serene mask. He doubted that she would awaken even if Dovetail Peak had suddenly began to collapse into the canyon below.

[Rexraptor2000]

When Toa’s bruises and scratches had healed up instantaneously, along with his energy lost to the dragon, he was grateful. The fatigue that he felt afterwards from Aya’s own drain of energy, he was not grateful for. It felt like he had just lost his energy all over again, only this time he wasn’t dead or cut up.

 

I feel like I could go to sle-, Toa thought right before he allowed the world to go black too. The only difference was that he was already leaning against a rock.

[Jason Skywalker]

Suddenly, Akira just felt better. He even put weight on his shoulder and jumped up, looking around. He started smiling and even rotating his left arm.

 

"Kyo, Carwyn, Akira?" she called out. "We have a bit of an issue..."

 

Akira turned around and then saw as Aya slept, exhausted, her head on Tellis' lap.

 

"I knew this was going to happen, i knew it! But did anybody care to listen to me? No..., Akira thought. But it had been her choice. And now he had his arm healed.

 

"Say, wasn't there a monestary or so nearby?"

[Rogue Nine]

(( Jason, what are you on about? How did Akira "know that this was going to happen"? Is he psychic or something? And if he did think it, he certainly didn't make mention of it anywhere to anyone. ))

 

"The monestary is where we're going, Akira," Carwyn said, straightening up. "Didn't you hear Kyo talking about it?" He glanced at Kyo, then back down to Aya's sleeping form. "Though our path wasn't quite plotted through Rock Snake Canyon..." he mused. "I just hope someone knows the way from here."

[JasraLantill]

With the little Hydra curled up and sleeping on his pack, Bob had been quietly tied to a ryebark shrub off to the side of the camp, standing on three legs while he rested one. Climbing up the peak was always tiring, with or without a heavy pack. Through half-closed eyes he dozed off and on, rotating the resting leg every few minutes while the people in the camp busied themselves making a cooking fire and then stew. Sadly, no one offered Bob any of the stew vegetables before they chucked them into the pot, but then again, ponies weren’t usually invited to eat with the people.

 

His person, Aya, had left the group and taken a bowl of food to the warrior, Kyo. Bob raised his head and snorted. If there was one person she should be sharing food with it was the archer, Carwyn. Bob liked the archer. He always had some sort of food on his person—apples, cookies… sweet stuff. More importantly, he shared his sweets with poor wayward ponies. Carwyn was top notch in Bob’s book.

 

Bob’s ears pricked up as he saw Aya leave the warrior and take her urn over to a group of rocks. She had been carrying that thing around for days and he was relieved she was finally dumping it out. It hadn’t been heavy, but it had always been awkward to carry. Aya always seemed to want to pack it in a most illogical place—normally hidden securely underneath the rest of his pack where the pointed top of the urn dug into his side. Very uncomfortable.

 

Aya said some words, some of which Bob caught and some of which he didn’t, and then he sensed an unusual tingling all over his body. He twitched, stamped his foot and shook his head, and in the process woke up Hedri the hydra. Bob felt his tiredness vanish, replaced by strength and vitality. Then he saw Aya slump to the ground. Oh no! He pulled at his tether, but then relaxed as Tellis the healer rushed over to help her. Suddenly, Bob relaxed. He liked the healer, too. She gave him cool water to drink by just waving her hand over his bucket. She'd fix Aya. He was sure of it.

 

Hedri was crawling around on Bob’s back now, being tickly. Bob twitched a few times, but then noticed that the hydra was moving around because he was upset that his person, the fire mage Toa, had also fallen into a deep sleep. Problem was, Toa was laying up against a rock and so hadn't fallen over. Not one of the people had noticed. But Hedri had.

 

The initial panic among the people had subsided, and now it seemed that there was some discussion going on as to what they were going to do. Bob pricked up his ears and focused them in on the conversation. Even though he was a pony, if he concentrated, he could still understand some Human Speak. Most times though, he didn’t bother. It was too much work nowadays.

 

"The monestary is where blah blah, Akira,” the ranger was saying. “Blah blah blah blah Kyo blah blah blah?" The ranger glanced over at Kyo, then back down to Aya's sleeping form. "Blah our path wasn't blah plotted through Blah Blah Canyon.... I blah hope someone knows the way blah blah."

 

Humph. Bob snorted. He knew the way. Had been there hundreds of times, even before he had belonged to Aya and her father. He’d take them there, too, if they asked him. And they would. Eventually.

 

Hedri was still tickling Bob’s back. No one had noticed that the fire mage was suffering from the same problem as his person, Aya. To bring attention to the mage’s problem and to offer a solution to the ranger’s problem, Bob decided that some attention was needed.

 

He drew in a deep breath, then let out a trumpeting, bellowing whinny that reverberated over the mesa and down into the canyon itself. It was so loud and so forceful that even Bob himself was quite surprised with the result. He didn’t sound like a dottering old pony—he sounded like a stallion!

 

And so, just because he could, he whinnied again, this time adding a dramatic head shake followed by a paw to the ground with his front hoof.

[Jason Skywalker]

(He did say something, but no one said anything. Check page 35, post 1372.)

 

"Sorry, didn't remember. Well, we sure could use someone who knows the trail," Akira said, then looking at Bob, "He sure looks unquiet."

[Quist]

Maggie was about halfway up the path to Dovetail peak when she heard a horse whinneying. She stopped in her tracks as she listened to the sound reverberate through the canyon, echoes bouncing off the stone walls. It had come from the top of Dovetail Peak, she was sure. From no other point could someone or something project such a loud noise. She took another step forward, then stopped again as another whinney belted through the canyon.

 

She wrinkled her nose. There was a horse up there, that was for sure. And horses usually didn't wander all the way up to Dovetail Peak by themselves, meaning that there were probably people up there as well. She quickened her step as she continued up the path. Dovetail Peak was a pretty famous landmark, so visitors from all across the lands would try and come to see it. The legends of the rock snakes that gave the canyon its name were usually enough to deter most of them, though. Maggie glanced over at the canyon wall to her left, spotting a few of the great sleeping serpents nestled away into the stone. She'd only ever seen one awake in her entire life, and that time was one time too many. She shivered slightly at the memory.

 

Making her way up the final bend, she came to the well worn embankment leading to the top of the Peak. The path had fresh tracks and hoofprints heading up, but not down, meaning whoever made them was probably still up there. She counted one set of hoofprints and several sets of human footprints, indicating a fairly large party. Maggie swallowed and gripped her staff a bit harder as she continued forward. She could only hope that they were friendly and not a band of bandits.

 

She clambered her way up the final few steps and came to rest at the small mesa at the top. "Hello?" she called out to the group of people gathered there.

[Rogue Nine]

(( Jason, I'd hardly consider Akira's "Maybe she gets tired or other things. I believe we should only use it for critical moments" a valid warning. It's not as if he's saying "Oh no, she's going to overexert herself and faint, we should never let her do that." Besides, Tellis was being facetious when she made the comment about Aya handling the healing for the group. ))

 

"Hello?

 

Carwyn's head whipped around at the new, unfamiliar voice, his bow in his left hand and his right at his quiver. His keen eyes settled upon a slight figure standing in the path. It was a young woman, observing their little group apprehensively. She had no obvious weapons, save for maybe the staff she was clutching at, but from the way she gripped it, Carwyn surmised that her tight hold was borne out of nervousness rather than as preperation for any sort of attack.

 

He shouldered his bow, then walked towards her. "Hi there," he said, his hands turned out and open as he approached.

[JasraLantill]

Bob's ears pricked up hearing someone approach the camp. It was a young woman, similar in age and stature to his person Aya. As she approached the camp, he lifted his head, using his large nostrils to sniff the air for her scent. It was familiar to him, and so he whickered a horsey greeting to her.

 

He hadn't seen her in a year, but he did remember she had always given him tasty treats and always smelled pleasantly of herbs. Good qualities in his book. Especially the treats.

 

The ranger had spotted her and was now making his way toward her with open hands, a universal non-threatening gesture. Bob approved, and let the woman know he approved by letting out a gentle snort.

 

Now, if the ranger would offer the young woman a treat, Bob would be very much impressed by him....

[Jason Skywalker]

"Hello?", A female voice said as Akira looked back. It was a young woman, medium stature for her age. She seemed tired.

 

"Hello to you as well," He said, taking another glance at Bob.

 

I wonder what that one's thinking. Oh well, nevermind, Akira thought as he then looked back at the woman.

 

"Care for a snack? You seem tired and hungry," Akira told her.

[Quist]

Maggie looked over the tall, blond man who had replied to her and was now walking towards her. He was most likely a ranger, as evidenced by the bow over his shoulder and the quiver strapped to his thigh, as well as the lack of a sword and armor. His face was handsome and his warm green eyes displayed no malice.

 

She smiled at him. "Hey, are you guys sightseeing up here?" she asked.

 

Before the ranger could reply, another man had turned and greeted her. This one looked more like a warrior, with sword, scabbard and greaves. He asked her, "Care for a snack? You seem tired and hungry."

 

"Oh no, I'm fine, thank you very much," Maggie replied. She was about to tell him that she'd had more than enough rations when she heard a horse whinney. She turned her head and spotted a very familiar-looking pony... Before she knew what she'd done, she'd strode over to him and hugged him around his big shaggy head. "Oh Bob, it's you!" she exclaimed, her voice brimming with pleasant surprise.

[Rogue Nine]

Carwyn watched amusedly as the woman had run to Bob and hugged him. "Oh Bob, it's you!" she said. From the fact that she knew his name and the way Bob was nuzzling her face in return to her greeting, Carwyn surmised that they had met before. Which meant...

 

"To answer your question," he began we're not quite sightseeing up here, though on top of Dovetail Peak, I don't suppose anyone can help but do just a bit of looking around." He moved up next to the pony and took a cookie out of his rucksack. "And to ask a question in return, how is it that you seem to be acquainted with our equine friend here?" he asked, offering up the cookie to Bob.

[JasraLantill]

Bob had nuzzled Maggie as she had embrace him, more to sniff for any hidden treats than anything, but, well, food did come before friendship in his horsey mind.

 

The younger warrior, Akira, had spoken to Maggie, saying what Bob heard as, "Blah blah blah snack? You blah blah blah hungry." Bob had caught the word 'no' from her lips, but Bob wasn't giving up hope just yet. He swivelled his ears forward, pointing them directly at Akira as if asking, "Well? Just because she refused them, doesn't mean snack aren't welcome. Bring 'em on!"

 

The ranger now approached them. More importantly, he had brought a snack. Good lad, Bob thought, as he eagerly reached out to take the cookie in Carwyn's hand.

[Jason Skywalker]

The woman told him no, but he kept his face emotionless until she then recognized Bob.

 

"Well, ain't this a surprise. I take it that you know the path to a monastery nearby?" Akira asked, looking at her clothes.

[Quist]

"And to ask a question in return, how is it that you seem to be acquainted with our equine friend here?"

 

Maggie looked up at the ranger as she stroked Bob between his eyes. "Oh Bob's an old friend," she replied. "Whenever Sam S'Ornaku and his daughter Aya would come around these parts, they'd visit, along with Bob. I haven't seen Bob or them in a long time, though."

 

"Well, ain't this a surprise. I take it that you know the path to a monastery nearby?" the warrior who had greeted her asked. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye; he was looking her over keenly. She shifted uncomfortably, tugging her dress down a bit.

 

"Yes, I do know the path to the monestary," she replied cautiously. "Have you business there?"

[ForceFightWMe12]

((Way to be totally blunt and straight-forward, Jason ))

 

Kyo looked up as he heard the commotion, standing from where he crouched a few feet from Aya's prone form and the healer who held her, moving to where the newcomer, Bob, Carwyn, and Akira stood.

 

"We do," he said, approaching them, "But that can wait for a few moments.

 

"I don't believe that any of my friends have introduced themselves." he said, smiling faintly, "My name is Kyo Ruroni. These here are my companions: Carwyn Stormchild and Akira Ryo." he pointed to each in turn. "We're travellers from Ryuu-Tokai."

[Jason Skywalker]

(Thank you, tis what i do best )

 

"Yes, Kyo is right, i apologize. Also, it's Ryu. But whatever," He said, waiting for her to introduct herself.

[Quist]

"Ryuu-Tokai?" Maggie repeated. "Well, that would make sense, though I'm surprised you chose to come through Rock Snake Canyon. It isn't exactly the safest route to the monestary." She stood up and dusted herself off. "I'm Magdelena Roche," she said bowing, then smiling as she straightened up. "Maggie, to my friends. I live at the monestary."

 

Something caught her eye past where Kyo was standing. Moving forward, she squinted, then widened her eyes in disbelief. "Excuse me, but is that Aya S'Ornaku?" she asked, pointing.

[ForceFightWMe12]

((It was Ryo on the character sheet o.O))

 

"It is." Kyo said, sighing softly as he moved aside, following Quist to where Aya lay. "We had a run-in with a Rock Snake and she exhausted herself. I'm sure she would be happy to greet you if she weren't sleeping."

 

The warrior smiled faintly as he turned back to look at the new woman. "You said that you live in the Northern Monestary, Miss Roche?"

[Quist]

"I do, yes," Maggie replied, turning back to face Kyo. He too was a warrior, if the sword at his side was any indication. He had blond hair like the ranger Carwyn, but his was a darker shade and somewhat shorter, though still wavy. His features were handsome, but again different from Carwyn's; his eyes had a tough, resilient strength behind them. She caught herself staring into them before she shook her head back to reason. "I've lived there ever since I was a kid. Aya and her father would visit every once in a while when Sam had business with the monks." She knelt down next to Aya and took one of the unconscious merchant's hands in her own. "Aya and I are about the same age, so we would always play together while her father sorted his dealings with the monks. She's like a sister to me."

 

It was then Maggie noticed the person cradling Aya's head in her lap. She had dark hair and intense grey eyes, which were currently studying Maggie. She had a delicate, quiet beauty about her.

 

Remembering her manners, she held her hand out and said, "Hello, I'm Maggie. I don't know who you are, but thank you for caring for Aya."

[Rogue Nine]

Tellis smiled at the new girl's greeting. Taking Maggie's hand in her own, she replied, "My name is Tellis Llyr. And I have not been taking care of Aya much; it's been the opposite, really." Her grey eyes caught Kyo's for a brief moment before returning to Maggie's face.

 

****

 

Carwyn finished feeding Bob the cookie, then scratched the pony behind the ears. Bob whinnied in satisfaction, then nuzzled into Carwyn's hair. The ranger laughed, then looked at Bob in the eye. "So Bob," he started. "Can we trust this Maggie person? Is she all she says she is?"

 

Bob stared at him, his lambent brown eyes seemingly saying, "Well of course, two-legs."

 

Carwyn laughed again and patted the pony's nose. "I knew I shouldn't have asked against your judgment, Bob." He turned to look at Maggie again, who had one of Aya's hands in her own. "She's quite pretty," Carwyn commented. "She and Aya look like they could be sisters, actually."

 

Bob whickered in approval.

[ForceFightWMe12]

Kyo shook his head very slightly at Tellis before looking to Maggie again.

 

"We were meaning to follow Miss Aya's lead to the Northern Monestary, but as you can see...that might be out of the question for a while." he sighed, scratching the back of his head, "Would you at all be able to help us? We're in need of a guide and, seeing as you've known Miss Aya and Bob seems to know you, I think we can trust you, Miss Roche?"