Avan did not like the rising sounds that echoed around them, but he saw no wisdom in charging in But there is always wisdom in making sure you aren't surrounded by enemies With that thought in his head, the bouncer got up, noting the dwarf's hand come in front of him but he merely shook his head and began circling the area; his body movements while appearing unexcited and bored with this self appointed task were in clear conflict with his eyes that watched for anything that seemed out of the ordinary, his ears tried to push aside the sounds of nature and find something that simply did not belong there.
Avan mainly notices the elevated voices, the otherwise silent village, and the occasional rustle of an animal moving in the trees nearby.
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Irnk's commanding tone causes the squabble in the hut to secede, and a tiny voice calls back, "Zo-Ki-Mache yo ale! Te soti nan marekaj la, tounen al jwenn marekaj la. Kache, li pa t 'gade yo ale! Nou kache, li pa t 'gade yo ale! Kite nou fedatifis nou yo assouvir havok sou jare lontan."
"Ki moun ki mennen kounye a?" Irnk questions the hidden Goblin. Not waiting for an answer, he continues. "Mache mouri pa jis vini ak Lè sa a, kite pou okenn rezon." Shaking his head in disbelief, Irnk asks again. "Eske yo te kite apre yo te konn touye yon ero? Chèf la? Eske yo te pran yon bagay?"
"Eske yo te pote fedatifis yo?" He adds, miming an explosion with his hands.
"Walking dead don't just come and then leave for no reason."
"Did they leave after they killed a hero? The chief? Did they take something?"
"Did they bring the fireworks?"
"Chèf Gutwad se sou fòtèy la - toujou la kounye a! Li te gen yon bagay Zo-Ki-Mache yo te vle - vanyan sòlda nou an te jwenn fedatifis yo ak lòt bagay sou yon bato jare lontan nan marekaj la. Yo kite apre yo fin te resevwa sa yo te vle - yon bwat wouj. Te sanble ak tij lontan te fè soti nan zo, te pote nepe tankou tij long, men mwens dwat. Jwenn bwat, li pran bwat, li pati. Ou vle bwat, tou?"
"Poukisa pou m 'ta vle estipid wotè janm bwat?" Irnk barks back. Once more not awaiting a reply, he continues. "Mwen bezwen pale ak chèf ou. Mennen m 'bò l'."
"I need to talk with your chief. Take me to him."
A mild breeze ran past Avan's, rustling his messy blond hair and creating waves on his wide pants, his response was simply to stand in his spot and let the wind wash over him, the grass at his feet and the leaves of the trees near by swaying in its direction. It was then that Avan's caught sight of a few leaves dancing in the currents of air, he watched their movement and continued his vigil as they got closer and closer...and finally one of them embraced his left eye as the rest rushed past.
With minimalistic movements Avan shook the stray leaf away, he so desired to sit down No, lay down He corrected himself, but knew that his desire for lethargy could be granted at a later, more suitable time, now he had to stand ready in case his companions came under attack, and with their numbers scattered, he knew they had to be extra careful. A sigh escaped his lips as he took notice of a patch in the group that seemed just perfect for relaxing; there were no small rocks to poke at him and the grass was just the right height No He denied himself once more, his face taking on a much sterner expression than it really should.
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Galford was bored. All he could see was Irnk doing something. Well he was also speaking and getting replies ot be fair but.....it was all gibberish to him. Forcing himself to concentrate, the wily tengu slowly and surely begin to teach himself the words of the goblin tongue, trusting himself to master it sooner or later.
Who knows that ability would be useful one day.
Apex sighs with happiness when the breeze rolls by, and closes her eyes. She feels the current, the freedom of the wind, and a small smile comes over her lips. She makes a small motion with her hand, almost imperceptible, and three leaves get picked up by the breeze. She sends them at Avan, and they playfully float at his face, one sticking to his eye. A small giggle escapes her, but dies when his face becomes more stern.
Oh no! I wanted to make him smile! Did I make him mad? I'm so stupid! What am I even doing? Why do I feel this way?
The conflict of her inner thoughts is apparent on her face for a moment, and then her shoulders sag, and the breeze dies away, the leaves falling to the ground mournfully.
As Avan contemplated the opportunity that was lost by not using such a prime spot, he thought he heard a giggle, he didn't pay it any mind at first but then realized what he was doing and turned towards its direction I should have reacted sooner, but who would giggle before ambushing someone? Before he could act on his late detection, the sight of Apex sagging her shoulders completely disarmed any alarm he felt Come to think of it that was her giggle Reasoned Avan as he recalled her short laughs as he carried her across the river.
Why is she sad though? Avan's left hand instinctively moved to his neck as he pondered this mystery, then it dawned up on him She found that spot first! She was happy to find it, but then she saw me staring at it and thought that I would take it away The martial artist's eyes widened I am being unfair, I should let her know that I wasn't going to take it. Fair is fair Feeling his bravery empowered by the resolution he reached, Avan did something he wouldn't usually do; he approached someone of his own accord, it wasn't a drunk, an enemy, or someone beckoning him to get closer...the nervousness came, but he was already too far emboldened by the answers he found to turn back, but nonetheless his right hand instinctively reached for his mane of platinum blond and began softly rummaging through it.
"I didn't know you found it first" Said Avan as he gave Apex an awkward and all too rigid wave that was supposed to be a greeting "You should have said something" He continued as he moved behind her, put his hands on her shoulders and gently walked her towards the resting spot.
"You have an eye for finding these good patches of earth" He said truthfully as they made their way to the rock free patch of earth I almost forgot He shook his head "Sorry, I didn't mean to take it from you" He finally said, his voice carrying what seemed to be sincere guilt, then he turned and continued his patrol.
Hearing an unexpected amount of movement and noise behind her, Sybil became tense. However, before she had time to turn her head to appraise the danger, she heard Avan speak about something really silly, a patch of earth which seemingly belonged to Apex.
What is wrong with them, Irnk might be in danger and they are playing around!
Without turning around, the dwarf chastised the two of them:
"Enough! We must keep our attention focused on the task. Mr. Avan, climb up this tree to see whether you can look above the fortifications of the village. Miss Stormshard, come next to me. I would like to know about what you can do to help during battles." she says, barely covering the touch of impatience in her voice.
Apex stutters when Avan grabs her, knocking her out of her thoughts, and starts to apologize in a panic.
I... I'm so sorry! I didn't know the leaves would make you mad! I just wanted to make you smile!
Her mind finally registers his words, but she still can't make sense of them.
Wha... No... I thought.... I upset you when I made the wind carry the leaves at you! I didn't try to take your ground!
She somehow manages to exclaim her words while still maintaining her usual quiet, meek tone, but she doesn't stop Avan from steering her.
His hands.... He's not trying to hurt me, or take me back... Is he really the first person to touch me without a bad meaning?
She speaks again, when they're almost to the patch of ground.
Avan... I... I....
Her words are interrupted by Sybil though, and she slides out of Avan's grasp with a worried gasp.
Oh no... Now I made her mad! I'm terrible at people!
Sybil! I'm so sorry! Please forgive me! I didn't mean...
Her apology trails off under Sybil's disapproving glare, and her head bows, eyes on the ground.
I... I have control over the wind. I can make it blow really hard, like I did when that thing killed... Mister Tharjuk. I also can make someone bigger, like Irnk could be as big as... Avan. I could also make the air hard around someone, like armor.
Her tone is even more meek than before, and completely subdued, all playfulness gone from her demeanor.
I have to stay focused. I can't let someone else die... I have to use all of my magic to help. I can't.... be happy. I have to stay ahead of the bounty hunters. I just... Wish it could be different...
When she looks up at Sybil, her sky blue eyes are rimmed with tears, and clouded by the most monumental sadness Sybil has ever seen.
"Why would leaves make me angry?" Asked Avan as he continued guiding Apex to what he thought was her rightful area of their not yet made camp And why would they make me smile anyway? He wondered as he listened to the wizard try to explain herself.
Before he could contemplate this any further, Sybil's voice shattered his concentration and turned his attention towards her "The boss has a scarier angry voice" He simply replied, his posture slouching as he turned to walk away but then he noticed Apex' tears "Why are you crying? We aren't in Ulgrin, she's not going to whip us" Exclaimed the bouncer in a calm voice, before he walked to a nearby tree and began climbing it.
Not waiting on a further response from the Goblins within, Irnk begins walking into the village. Once he can see the interior more clearly, he looks for the building most likely to be the chief's.
You see a larger hut in the back of the village, far from the gate. The Goblins, still bickering over what to do, are shocked when you enter uninvited, and though they are cowed from your earlier display of intimidation, they still begin whooping and shrieking that you should not enter.
Their allies in the next building, however, are not so worried about responding to your entry, now that they have clearly ascertained that you are neither one of the skeletons that attacked them, nor a fellow Licktoad come back after the recent raid. One emerges with a tube in one hand and a dogslicer in the other, and his two companions come bustling down a stairway with dogslicers in hand. They yell something that is mostly incoherent, but you figure it to mean, "Death to the intruders!"
Galford hears the angry cry emerge from the village.
Estipid, estipid!
Berating himself for allowing his impatience to impede his attempt at resolving matters peacefully, Irnk draws his Dogslicer & prepares to meet the attack.
Galford rushes towards the wall, leaping as he does so, and grabs a handhold to pull himself over as soon as he is able.
Apex, hearing the battle cries, follows Galford, but begins making for the gate instead, staying just outside the wall.
The goblin with the tube in his hand strikes a flint and steel against it, and you hear the telltale sound of a fuse burning. His companions hold back from rushing Irnk, who draws his longbow, rushes to the side, and fires an arrow at a goblin on the ground .
The goblin squeals in pain and readies to charge Irnk with his dogslicer.
Seeing Galford rush to help Irnk, Sybil stood up from behind the bushes that were hiding her and rushed toward the entrance of the village. Standing 5' away from the actual gate, she tries to appraise the situation. However, seeing all three goblins, she seems to freeze for a moment.
A small cloud of dust jumped from the ground as Avan made his landing and swiftly dashed towards the gates of the goblin village.
Galford leaps the wall, steps behind a hut and the three goblins, and pulls his curve blade.
Apex leans around the wall, and seeing the injured goblin with one of Irnk's arrows, and sends her quarterstaff flying at its head to strike.
The goblin is clouted on the head, falling down to the mud.
The goblin with the tube points it at Irnk and launches a fiery blast from the firework!
His aim os terrible, however, and only hits the muddy ground. His companion yells a battle cry, and runs up to attack Irnk.
Irnk returns the favor with his own dogslicer.
He lands a deep cut.
As Avan bounds into the fray, holding himself in a peculiarly defensive stance, Irnk steps to the leading Goblin's outside, drawing his blade across the Licktoad's thigh as he goes
Sybil circles around Apex to enter the village, as she does so, the sylp can clearly see that Sybil is shaking, with eyes wide open, as if frightened by the fight which is taking place. Yet, once inside , the alchemist adds a pinch of powder to one of the flask that she was holding and thrown toward the goblin who is standing on the railning .
Apex looks worriedly at Avan and Irnk, but she see they have the goblin there well in hand, so she speaks a small incantation, holding her staff out in front of her, and then points it at the goblin on the wooden platform. The staff flies out like a spear, just like it did before, but this time, you can see the wind whirling around it like a small cyclone.
The staff strikes the goblin a glancing blow on the shoulder, and the wind that was whirling around it becomes a thin line that snakes back to her hand like a small, tornado, where it deposits her staff and dissipates.
Upon seeing Apex's staff fly towards a target that was farther away Avan shifts towards the one facing Irnk, effectively cornering their foe between them. His face was impassive as he launched a downward arcing palm strike at the goblin's back, following it with a low kick that would probably take his foe in the abdomen and finishing with a descending elbow strike.
Sybil's bomb just misses, hitting the ground and burning up the goblin on the ground, right before Avan steps into the gap and slams his elbow into the goblin, dropping it to the ground.
Apex's staff raps the goblin with the firework on the shoulder.