"A twist of Fate, sirs. One that you'll come to regret, I think," Rodok says, as his eyes flash brightly and he appears to be looking up out past, and through, the roof and up into the sky.
As he steps backwards and away from the spears, the dwarf traces a pattern with each hand, his fingers moving between some strange unseen points --though a quick and well-educated observer would notice that they aligned with certain celestial bodies-- forming complicated patterns. Each pointer-finger lef behind a small trace of light as he formed the rune, which persisted only a second until it disappeared with a flash.
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A familiar feeling of confidence takes over Rodok, as he feels the blessings of Fate filling him and his allies. Meanwhile, he knows, their foes are less fortunate.
"Ack! Bastards! Hittin a defenseless old man!" As he coughs out his words the bull he rides kicks up dirt with its hooves. Kresh smile's "The guardian protects the gardener. As it has been for generations, so shall it be today! I will not die without an heir!" Kruuh roars before barreling through the group of guards, trampling as many as he can.
Kresh Slides of the bulls back just before he goes on his goring spree, landing just behind where the bull was standing. "Get over here! Yer in no shape to fight like that!" He yells to the fiery haired Sorceress.
The two guards in front of Kresh die screaming as they are crushed and gored by the rampaging bull. Lord Arvina dives out of the way, just getting grazed by one of the horns as the bull continues through the door before sliding to a halt and bellowing once more as it turns around and paws the ground.
"Perhaps next time I will be striking first and talking afterwards," he mutters as the large blade attacks one of the men as if it has a mind of its own.
Another of the guards falls to Vaen's blade as Lord Arvina regains his balance.
"Damn you! Damn you all," he bellows as he stretches out a hand and lighting lances out, reaching for Kresh.
The remaining guards fight desperately, apparently more afraid of their lord than of the frightfully skilled fighters that were beginning to slaughter them. Two each focus on Rodok and Vaen while the last attacks Schandra.
Vaen's opponents both land skillful blows, wounding him, though not as sorely as Kresh or Schandra have been wounded.
Kruuh seeing that a single that not only survived his onslaught, but continues to attack his master, bellows once more. Charging the lord.
:(
Backed into a corner Schandra drew her mace and called out, "A little help here!" She focused on being defensive, trying to avoid any attacks, as she looked at the guard and asked, "Surely you'd rather enjoy my body than damage it? I've been told that once you've had ifrit you'll never forget it."
"Guests that go sneaking about with weapons are no guests of Lord Arvina," the other guard shouts.
"I wouldn't touch your ugly arse with a ten foot pole even if I was made Emperor," one of the guards shouts to a chorus of agreements just before Lord Arvina cries out in pain as Kruuh gores him.
Rodok points again to the ceiling and draws another unseen constellation, buoyed by the feeling of luck and confidence, knowing Fate was on his side. Finishing his tracing, he points at their 'Host' and hurls a ball of negative energy.
Sadly, Rodok's spell misses as Lord Arvina dodges back.
The guards pull back, seeing their lord so brutally wounded. One of them does his best to defend his lord as they make for the door while the others attack the bull.
All they manage, though, is to incite the bull and cause it turn it's attention to them.
Lord Arvina limps back to the open barn doors, fire beginning to dance on his fingers.
"Burn, wretches! Burn like the chaff you are," he wheezes as he prepares his spell. His intentions are clear, he'll burn you all alive in the barn, and there's plenty of dry straw to set ablaze.
Kresh smiles as the lord retreats, he is clearly unaware of how hard it will be for him to escape. Closing his fist, he causes Kruuh to disappear, releasing it causes Kruuh to appear behind the lord. Or rather in front of him, as he is running away.
"I hope you didn't think it would be that easy to get away?" Kresh taunts the fleeing lord as the Kruuh begins to trample everyone in his path. "I am not a man you wish to trifle with sir."
That's what they are talking about. In most situations, sneaking around at night while carrying arms is considered a serious faux pas at best and proof that you're up to no good otherwise.
[spoiler=Salsa, Vaen, Kresh, and Rodok]Schandra was pissed at the insult the guards delivered and then saw them run. She gave them a vicious smile and said, "That's right you'd better run. You just pissed me off." She was about to attack them when she saw the Lord begin to cast a spell and she called out to him, "That's not how you play with fire, THIS IS!" With that she pulled on her innate power as she gathered a ball of fire in her hands and then put just a little more oomph behind it from her reserve magical energy. With her fireball of doom ready she sent it at the Lord of the manor.
Between Kruuh's rampage and Schandra's spell, the remaining guards and Lord Arvina are dead.
But now you have a fire between you and the door.
"Die witch!"
The guards move in and attack Yngvild, but fail to even scratch her armor.
"Shhh, It's alright my friend. You know I can get us out." Kresh aproaches the bull, placing his hands on its flank before looking at his allies. "If you not out there with me in 5 seconds I'll be back in for you." and with that he pops to the other side of the fire.
"Coming, m'lady?"
Yngvild kills one of the guards and wounds the other. Arradir promptly finishes the last one off with a swift slice across his neck.
As the body falls, the shouts of alarm grow ever more panicked as you hear the call of "FIRE!" As the two of you quickly clean off your weapons, you hear the soft click of a latch and see a secret door open up in one of the walls of the hallway you were taking. Before you now stands Lady Arvina, some foul looking brew in her hands. Behind her is the younger daughter, looking as if she's about to be ill from fear and revulsion.
"What?! You should be in your rooms! Not out here," she exclaims.
All vestiges of stealth are gone as the barn truly begins to burn with the horses inside neighing and whinnying in fright. You manage to make it out safely, but things will only stay safe for so long. Cries of alarm and shouts of "FIRE!" ring out into the night. You know that soon this place will be swarming with people trying to put out the blaze.
"If there really are captives here, we'd better look in the house, fast!" Rodok says, with obvious concern, but without raising his voice much or changing the meter of his speaking.
Kresh looks into the burning stable at the panicking horses. A heavy look of sadness crosses his face. "Poor things, they 'ad nothin to do with that business." Sighing, Kresh motions for the others. "Let's go find the girl." Pointing at any window he can find. "Lets make through a window."
When Arradir makes noise as they attempt to sneak past, he swears under his breath and looks over. Yngvild tries to end things with the guards peacefully, to her credit, but then things take a turn south. With another breathed curse, the man draws his heavy knife and slashes in, and the blade slashes through the remaining guard's neck. With an almost practiced motion, he reaches forward to grab the man's body and ease it to the ground.
Just as he slides the knife away, Arradir hears the click of the door and draws it again. Yngvild is the first to speak to the lady, but Arradir nods behind her, a dour scowl on his face. "Aye, I've had about enough mystery and surprise for one night. Out with it, girl."
Before the girl has a chance to speak up, her mother throws her at the two of you and disappears down the hidden passage.
Before Arradir and Yngvild can react to what had just happened, Several people appear out of thin air, along with a bull that looks none too happy to be in a hallway that isn't built for his girth.
"Wh-who are you people," the young imperial girl sitting on the floor asks.
"Don worry little lady, We're only here for the girl's. Can you tell us where they are?" Kresh moves his gaze from the girl to Yngvild and Arradir, squinting a bit before saying. "Hey, I recognize you two. Why are yea here? Did yeah get nicked." Kresh grabs Kruuh by the horn, stroking the bull's head in an attempt to calm it's nerves.
"What the...." Yngvild blurts out as she spins to face the suddenly appearing group. Stepping protectively between them all and the girl she holds both her axes ready. "What in all the hells is going on?"
"Put yer axes down girl. We where set upon by the lordship and his men. We're here to rescue two girls he's supposed to be keeping, care to explain why you're here?" Kresh looks the two up and down, noticing the blood on their weapons now that he's taken a moment. "Looks like we weren't the only ones that saw some trouble tonight."
"We were invited here for dinner and a rest. Then they acted suspicious, and poisoned my dog. Now this." Arradir gestures to the general scene, frowning all the while. "I don't know what's going on, and I don't like it. But how did you just get here?" He raises an eyebrow and taps his knife against its sheath. "I doubt I'd have missed a bull walking down the halls."
Kresh shrugs. "Magic. And did you say they poisoned you dog? Maybe I can help." Kresh begins to guide Kruuh uncomfortably down the hall.