The two look at each other and Aayeh was the first to break off and sigh.
"Let's just say that the group we belong to isn't very popular with the Imperials, especially the ones that have been pushing for conquering Hordholm in the past few years. The others can tell you more, but as for the two of us, we felt it was the right thing to do."
"An enemy of the Imperials is a friend of mine." Sigurd says, straightening up as he pushes off the wall, nodding towards Aayeh. "Let us not waste anymore time then, before those beasts bring the whole fortress down." He stops for just a moment, looking towards the lithe man besides him. "No offense, my friend." It seems being a escapee with the barbarian is an easy way into his friendship.
He would walk towards Daedryn, who is still staring at her newfound youthful appearance. To the barbarian, who had not the time to truly study her features, he seems to have no reaction other than thinking that it was a shame that the fog rose so soon.
"Daedryn, when we're free of here, I would wish to help you find your children. I will not let such a worm of a man do harm to them. I swear, I'll take his lifeblood if he brings them harm." The words are solemn and certain, a somber tone in them as he ensures that he holds the Norden woman's stare before moving off towards wherever the elves begin to move to.
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The concern over the changes in her appearance vanish as Sigurd makes his oath. Before the warrior can leave, she spins him back and wraps him in a fierce hug.
"I would be honored," she starts before stepping back. Her face twists like she's going to cry, but she holds it in. "I would be honored to have your help Sigurd Warborn of Smithhold."
Before anything else happens, she also seeks out Aayeh and Thol.
"We all owe you a great debt. Once my children are safe, I'll come looking for you and your group. I do want to help. The things that have happened to all of us can't happen again."
The hug is sudden and fierce and for those that can see the warrior's face, the man seems to actually blush for a moment. The red on his cheeks are hidden by the thick scruff of his beard and he nods, not saying another word that could break that stern control that keeps the wetness of her tears. He then moves to the door, keeping an eye and ear out of any oncoming Imperials or Orcs that may have been seeking shelter from the beasts.
Olyenna gives Idana a questioning look. She too could feel the pull of the coming storm. Not the one currently raging, but what would come and change everything. Yes she remembered the promise to father, the promise to try to do as much good as was possible, despite the hate and fear they would certainly meet.
Daerdryn seemed to truly be in need, maligned for her gifts much as they had been. She had her sisters, but the fierce woman had lost her children.....to Imperialists. It made her angry.
Idana would make the final decision though, and she would follow. Family didn't leave family behind if they could help it.
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The daughter of winter waits until she hears no more rustling of cloth of clinking of metal, then nods her head and the fog sinks down into the floor and vanishes. She is revealed to be dressed in simple but rugged clothing, though perhaps not as heavy as might be warranted given Nordic weather.
While she dressed, Idana listened to the words of the mother and of the noble warrior and of the elves.
"Your answer is unsatisfying but I understand protecting secrets." the eldest of the three sisters says to the elves. "I also understand family."
Idana pauses, then amends her statement.
"We understand family. And how superstition and idiocy can rip at their seams. My sisters and I will help you find your children, Daerdryn."
Idana does not hesitate in offering both her support and that of the others. Olyenna, her soft heart shining in her eyes, has already made her feelings known and Elyana is always content so long as she has her undead friends.
"None taken," Kieran returns to the big man with a smile, leaning against his new quarterstaff. No armor for him, no sword or spear. No reason for such things these days, so quite unlike a few years ago.
"It is a noble cause," the Imperial readily agrees before a sigh escapes his lips. "Audun would certainly agree were he here." At the curious looks from the others, he turns to the sisters. "The older man who was with me when the fighting began in the tavern. We were separated in the chaos. And our captors were not exactly forthcoming with information as to his whereabouts." He shrugs then, as if chasing any unpleasant assumptions from his mind. "Who knows, perhaps we will run into him again, if the Everwander has anything to say about it."
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Elyana looked off to one side after her sisters spoke and then back to her sisters and then Daerdryn and then then elves before flickering back to only something that she could see. She listened, nodded, and blanched slightly, before replying, "Yes, I'll tell them." She looked back to the elves and said, "Syra said you can be trusted, and Elsbeth agrees with her, the rest are ambivalent, except for Bob, he doesn't like you. I'll help when my sisters help." She turned to Daerdryn and said, "We are all in unanimous agreement, we'll help you, and Bob says that those, 'blankety-blank'in blankerblanks are gonna pay if your kids are harmed.'" She looked back at one of them and her expression was stern as she said, "No Bob, I'm not repeating it verbatim, that's not a nice thing to..." her expression was stern, "...that's not...." she glared this time and said, "Do I have to stick you into a corpse again and not animate it again?" Her voice was sickly sweet but the intent was not. She nodded her head once with a smile and said, "That's better Bob...yes, I promise that if anyone hurt her kids you can have first crack at them." She smiled beatifically and said, "You're welcome Bob." She glanced at Daerdryn again after her little discussion, and disciplining, of thin air and said happily, "Bob likes you."
Olyenna tries and fails to suppress a smile.
"We have some friends that you can seek out for aid," Aayeh says as everyone appears ready.
"But first, we need to get all of you out of here. There's an ancient passageway that leads to some caves further along the Rise," Thol says, "and I promise we'll answer any questions you have the best we can. We just don't want to put one of our friends in danger."
Sigurd smiled at the man, looking at the quarterstaff within his hand. "What a weak weapon! Is the man going for a walk?" Yet he remembered the warning from some of his raiders that he fought along side with. Be wary of those who disregard armor and weapon yet walk like a warrior, they are trained in old and dangerous techniques and can break a man's jaw as easily as a mace could. The snide grin faded away and he would mentally remark to watch him carefully.
The...display...that Elyena showed as she spoke to one of her spirits drew a concerned look from him for just a moment. The sisters had been helpful, the girl was even kind if a bit simple, but he had been raised with the stories of witches and hags. They bear strange markings, their fingernails were too sharp, they were certainly no human he had ever seen before. They spoke like witches, controlled the elements like witches, it would take time to see if they would be like their terrible origins or if there was something more to them. Yet he could respect their shared bond, the closeness of family was something he had longed for and missed terribly. How long had it been since he felt his's mother's arms around him in an embrace of love? How long had it been since he fought and wrestled with his cousins? No, he could not fault them there, they stood against the world and he would not be another cold shoulder when they seemed interested in joining him.
The blonde woman who he had made his pledge to, she was quite the beauty as well and had a sternness to her that a matron should. She'd make a fine wife to someone and perhaps, if he was fortunate, he could work his way into becoming such a candidate. The Warborn name should not end with him, after all.
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"I don't think I can tell if you're serious or not..."
It's all Daerdryn can say to that "display." Though she'd seen the zombie raising firsthand, it was still had to believe that this woman was surrounded by a gaggle of spirits. That was saying something when compared to dragons and the changes of her face.
Still, she was glad for the proclamations of help all around. She had been worried that this journey was one she'd make alone. It felt like those early, terrifying, days when it was just her and Yolana with Mikael nowhere to be found.
"You don't think the soldiers had a plan for him, like my children? I don't recognize the name Audun. Was he well known?"
Elyana rolled her eyes at Daerdryn's lack of belief and said, "Alright Dadelion, I guess you're right." Elyana closed her eyes a moment and when she re-opened them the one whose pupil resembled a lightning bolt began to glow. Rather than what had happened before with the storm grey lighting up, this time the lightning bolt did, a dark purpleish light emanating from it and, as she turned her head, the light shone out to illuminate eight whisps of energy that were floating nearby. Three of them were near the elves and she pointed saying, "That one is Syra, that one Lyana, and that one Dadellion, they were elves once." She pointed to one near Daerdryn, hovering nearby the woman with a wisp of energy reaching out to gently hug her, "That one is Cynthea, she was separated from her children when she died so she feels she needs to comfort you." She pointed to another two, both near Sigurd, "That one is Elsbeth, she's a slut and thinks you're attractive, and that one is Manny, he likes Elsbeth but she won't give him the time of day so he's jealous of you." Manny swooped in close to Sigurd's face and "glared" at him. She pointed at one swooping around above like those dragons were during the attack, "That one is Draco, we don't know what he is but he loves to swoop around like that." Then she pointed to a hulking one that stayed near to her, "This one's Bob...Bob is Bob and he is my guardian." Closing her eyes again the spirits vanished from sight and when Elyana opened them again the light from her eye was gone. She smiled and said brightly, "So, now you know they are real!"
Idana ensures her pack hangs well on her frame. Her sister's display brings a rare smile to her lips but it quickly vanishes. A brief look is exchanged with Olyenna. More than once, the two sisters have had to take action to save Elyana after one of her displays.
Sigurd's eyes widen as the spirits seem to come into being, jumping almost as the two that are nearby them. He watches them carefully as Elyana goes through identifying each and every one of them. It was like a child naming their toys and, despite the strangeness of it, Sigurd could not keep a grin from growing upon his face.
"May you live in interesting times..." He murmurs to himself, wondering what his ancestors would be thinking of him right now. He gave a wink towards the one that was supposedly Elsbeth, a challenging glare to the one that called himself Manny. Or she called Manny. The details didn't really matter. They would all disappear from view soon after and Sigurd would nod a little, clearing his throat.
"Well...color me a believer, Elyana. You should be careful though, showing such...gifts...could be dangerous. Your sisters, I'm sure, keep you safe enough. No need to test them any further." There was a sense of understanding growing from the mighty warrior from the North, though he was still wary to some degree. Now was not the time for fear though, it was a time for action.
Catching Idana's look, Olyenna watches the others closely, the tension only leaving her frame when Sigurd laughs. Her eyes still scan the elves for any sign of a negative reaction.
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Daerdryn reaches for the spirit reaching for her, transfixed by it, but her hand greets nothing but air. She expected, almost, to feel the same pressure and solidity that she felt when casting. It was unnerving to say the least, but the feeling faded as the spirits did.
"I think I misspoke earlier. What I meant was that it seemed unreal with how you talked with them so easily. It was," she struggled to find the word, "surreal. Enough to make someone doubt the reality of a thing."
She sighed, "I'm probably not making a much better case for myself now either. In any case, I'm sorry for doubting."
Elyana was actually relieved at Sigurd and Daerdryn's reactions to her display. She'd seen things go badly too often when she revealed her friends to people. Her smile was bright, though she hadn't realized the elves might not have taken this quite as well as they hadn't responded yet. When Daerdrun explained herself more Elyana's grin fell and she seemed to puzzle through what had been said with a frown. Finally a light seemed to come on and she said, "Oh, I get it, you just thought it was kinda strange and disturbing huh?" She smiled sweetly and then said, "Don't worry, I get that a lot."
Aayeh and Thol are both stunned speechless by Elyana's display.
"Elyana, a-are those really spirits of the dead," Aayeh finally manages to asks as she and Thol huddle close for mutual support.
"How did you come by them," Thol asks a moment later.
"You don't think the soldiers had a plan for him, like my children? I don't recognize the name Audun. Was he well known?"
"Well known? I do not think so," Kieran replies after thinking on the question for a moment. "He was... is a strong warrior, yet never quick to show his skills. He preferred talking things out first. But I know next to nothing about his past frankly. He never spoke about it while we traveled together."
As Elyana displays her power and introduces her spirits the Imperial man remains silent through it all, watching and thinking. Finally when it is over he speaks up.
"Hmm... I would not have pegged him for a Bob."
When the elves spoke Elyana looked to Aayeh first and said, "Yep! They really are." She approached the two cautiously, she could tell they were a bit freaked out, maybe more so than the others, and stopped a short distance from them. She glanced at Thol as he questioned her and then said thoughtfully, "Hmmm, I don't remember where I was when I found all of them. Bob has always been there, as long as I can remember anyway. He's kept more vicious spirits away from me. Draco just showed up one day, a few of them were from our home town and the rest I met after we were forced into exile. With the exception of Bob and Draco they are all souls who had unfinished business that they were unable to complete before it was too late and became trapped here, forever. They find me sometimes and I adopt them, give them a family again and a purpose for being." She smiled then and finished with, "They all stay with me because they want to, not because I force them."
"Anyone who knows Elyana will know she is incapable of forcing anyone to do anything." Idana points out, "Except for soulless undead, I suppose. Those she can make march like puppets."
Idana sighs and steps forward.
"There will be things down in those tunnels. There always are things to fight and kill. Father's old stories were filled with them. 'Go underground', he said, 'and you will end up fighting something ugly and nasty."
And so, Idana spreads her arms.
"I am a daughter of Winter. I can summon storms and control weather. You have seen me do this. Also given to me is the power to heal. What can each of you do in battle?"
"And unlike my sisters, my talent for magic is extremely limited. I can draw a fraction of power from them to enhance my weapons when I need it, but I suppose I take after father. I have trained with literally dozens of different weapons, they seem to come pretty easily to me actually. Other than that....well I suppose I'm hard to kill." she says with a grin as she looks at the others.
"Please, forgive my sister and I," Thol says after the three sisters finish explaining themselves, "the last time we meet one who consorted with spirits it did not end well. We barely escaped with our lives."
"You are very kind to help those gone that remain in this world, Elyana," Aayeh adds, "and I hope you can help them finish whatever holds them here. As for us, we're sneaks, and handy with a knife."
Thank you, by the way. May I ask one favor, though, can you provide a list of your spirits and what they are like?
The elves were not wrong with their fear and apprehension, Sigurd had heard stories of necromancers, witches, and the brutality of hags. These girls could be dangerous, deadly, and truly wicked even. Yet they seemed to strive against it yet embraced that it was part of them. Such a fine line to walk, it was a line that Sigurd could respect.
Sigurd would watch the others as they explained what they could do, remaining quiet until eyes were finally upon him. He smirked a cocky grin, lifting his chin proudly.
"I am a proud son of Nordhelm. What is it that you think I do?" He was there with a giant sword, heavy armor, and bristled with muscles. Subtlety was not his specialty, gratuitous violence and glory were his past times.
"I think you spend a lot of time scratching yourself and belching." Idana says. She looks to the elves.
"I think we know what to do now. We should continue on before any orcs or Imperials stumble into us from behind."
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Daerdryn nodded along as they explained their capabilities. They all had such strong ideas about who they were and what their talents are. She on the other hand...
"Well... I can make magic happen when it feels right. That's not the best way to put it. It's like I can feel magic around me and when I grasp or touch it I can make magic happen. I don't really know how to explain it better. I was informed that it's a gift and that I should use it."
Her eyes flick towards her newly platinum strands and back to her companions.
"The magic I can make usually has to do with storms and lightning. I can control the weather a little and create a lightning bolt in my hand. But there are also the weird ones too. I can move metal if it's small enough, the teleportation, and that blade... thing. Those I don't really understand, I just know they're related."
"Well, I rather like walking, I suppose," Kieran says with a shrug and a smile. "And I can do so not only quickly but quietly if need be."
He then looks at the quarterstaff in his hands. "And I fight well enough with this." His smile widens. "I even fight rather well without it too, if I do say so myself."
He takes a deep breath. "It is not that I cannot use other weapons if I need to, it is just that I usually do not see any reason to do so. Usually..."
As you make your way deeper into bowels of the fortress, the noises from the monsters above slowly being to fade. Occasionally, dust and some pebbles rain down from above from a particularly loud explosion or roar.
Soon, though, voices can be heard from up in the tunnel. Loud voices.
It sounds as if an argument is taking place.
One of the voices is panicking because of the "hellbeasts" and is begging the other voices to run with him and live. The others are calling him a coward and are beginning to grow ugly.
The man grins at Idana's comments, a low chuckle leaving him before he nods. "On a good day. Sounds like a good night at the tavern." He listens to the others describe what they could and the truth was that he didn't really get what Idana and Daerdryn could do. Idana did things with the cold and winter, Daerdryn did things with lightning and metal. Elyana was about the spirits and the dead while her sister Olyena was simple and upfront like he was in their specialty. Kieran's explanation was one that left the Barbarian curious. Anyone could fight good with a stick in their hand and anyone could throw a left hook pretty solidly. He'd have to see the man fight to get a better idea around his vague words.
"Imperials. They're arguing over whether they should flee or not. It sounds like things are going to come to a head."
Sigurd will suddenly grow a cunning grin, looking back at the others.
"Can any of you create sounds? If we can trick them into thinking we're those beasts, we can get them to flee. Conserve our strength."
As Daerdryn moves forward, so will Sigurd. He tries to move quietly, keeping the sound of his armor shuffling as minimal as possible as he draws the greatsword off of his back.
"I know of storms. Daerdryn Ingdora." Idana says as they travel down into the tunnels. "When we are safe, I can help you explore this ability."
As they approach the voices, she grows quiet, though it seems there is little point. Sigurd's walking sounds like an entire good night at the tavern, all by itself.
"We will be fighting, sisters. Olyenna, help the body scratcher. Elyana, let's see watch the muscles work. Stay back with me."
As Sigurd's advance creates an unmistakable clamor, Olyenna shrugs realizing stealth is now pointless. Looking to her sister she nods, a hint of a grin playing at her lips. After the captivity, shackles and beatings, it would feel good to have a bit of payback against the imperial scum.
"This shouldn't take long."
Thol and Aayeh creep along the wall with Sigurd, though from the rising volume of the shouting, it seems that they needn't bother with being so careful. They manage to get right to the corner where the passage makes a sharp turn without being noticed.
You can hear more clearly what's being said. It sounds as if the others are growing tired of the one man's begging and sniveling, and unless something destracts them, they'll probably kill him in the next few moments.
Elyana heard Idana's instructions and nodded, staying close to her sister while the others scouted ahead. She looked at Idana as they waited and said, "If we can get to where I can see them I could start Viewing them and move back here again. It might give us better knowledge of what they have there."
Olyenna moves forward, still maintaining a stealthy prowl along with the elves.
"If we take any longer to get there, the one doing all the begging is probably going to end up dead," Kieran says, not bothering with stealth much like the others. "The others are growing tired of him."
He starts moving a little faster, a little more urgently. "Sigurd? Olyenna?"
Sigurd moves quicker as he hears the man begging for his life, for his people to flee, and the anger growing in the voices of the others. Looking back towards Kieran, he gives a small nod before looking at the other, quieter folk behind him.
"I suppose it is time to make introductions, then." And the armored warrior begins to pick up the pace. Chain bounces with each step as he gets faster and faster, rushing almost towards where those men were. If there was a door in the way, his foot would rise to kick right above the handle to smash it open. If not, he would charge in with a roar and hopefully the others behind him.
"Afíste ton ísycho, boreíte deiloí!" He shouts in Imperial, eyeing the scene and moving to strike down the first man who bears a weapon.
For a moment, Aayeh and Thol stand in stunned disbelief at Sigurd's choice of tactics, as do the Imperials, though they are not stunned enough to keep from drawing their blades and shields. The lieutenant, though, facing a young man who looks to barely be out of boyhood, sniffs disdainfully at the norden's words.
"I will say this slowly and in your language. You do not tell an Imperial what to do, you norden son of a b$*@#. You obey, or die," he sneers before stabbing the young soldier in the belly. The young man collapses and screams in agony as teh lieutenant points his bloodied sword at Sigurd.
<<Kill this scum! I want his head,>> he barks in the imperial tongue.
Drawing both weapons as she moves forward, Olyenna opens with a low, rising trust with her gladeus seeking to open a substantial wound in the first soldier to face her.
"Option three, we kill you!" Olyenna growls as she attacks.
The lieutenant stabs the man and draws back a blade red with blood and threatens Sigurd, bringing an almost malevolent grin to the warrior's face. Olyenna charges into the room with him and he grins, rushing towards the lieutenant.
His voice booms like thunder as the greatsword swings with terrible speed and strength, aiming to cut the man down.
Olyena's opponent is more alert than his stunned expression may suggest and slows the blow enough with his shield for it not to pierce his armor. The lieutenant, however, is gravely wounded by Sigurd's blow. Eyes which had been so full of his own superiority are now filled with fear and dread.
Following the others' lead Kieran quickly closes with one of the unoccupied soldiers, bringing his new-found quarterstaff to bear as soon as he is within striking distance. Maybe it its the time he recently spent in chains or maybe it is his foe's actual skill, but whatever the reason his attack misses, glancing off the man's helmet harmlessly.
Kieran has little luck with his opponent, but Daerdryn, on the other hand, strikes down the imperial lieutenant and leaves him twitching on the floor.
Elyana was very angry at the lieutenant, he killed someone dependent on him and the changeling woman knew that just wasn't right. She was about to kill him for it when Daerdryn beat her to it so she chose another target. Spotting the closest enemy to her she focused and gathered a ball of nasty green-black energy which she then sent sailing at the fool and then pulled free her whip.