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The sound of metal falling on metal could be heard as Lars dropped all the equipment and gear he had picked up along the journey in front of him "This chase has gone on for far longer than I thought, good luck to those to you all and send my regards to the lady" Said the former pirate before he started walking back to Heldren and from there hopefully to a much warmer place.
I apologize everyone but I am dropping out of the game. I am just not enjoying myself anymore. Once more I am sorry for dropping this announcement so suddenly and I wish you all the best of luck.
"At least two days" Answered Lars before exhaling a plain to see stream of air that quickly dissolved into the chill atmosphere.
"Mostly humanoids and some horses, probably the ones they stole when the nabbed her highness" Lars knelt as he looked at the tracks they were following more closely "I guess what horses they have aren't enough for the lot of them, they are probably using them to carry their loot and the lady, doubt she walked all the way here...I don't think there are a lot of nobles that are used to long journeys on foot" The former pirate stood up once more and waited on his companions to either pull the corpse out of the snow or continue on their way.
"I don't see anything that could be dangerous. You can pull him out if you want to" Lars placed his hands into his pockets as he looked past the legs that sprouted out of the ground. It was strange how they never seemed to be close to their quarry. How fast could those bandits be? Could the fey be protecting them from the cold? It was mystery to Lars and while he had to admit that not everything they encountered could be related to those they hunted, it still appeared like they were taking the most difficult route to get there. "We have been trailing these bandits for a while now, and even if they had help from the fey they still have to stop somewhere so they can hide the lady and send their demands" Lars' eyes kept looking towards the road that awaited them "What I am wondering about is besides caves and makeshift shelters, is there a place here they could use to hide in?"
enjoy yourself, the last wedding I've been to was loud but still fun.
"I don't know" Lars turned his head to the right and left in a slow manner "The only time I believed we were dealing with bandits is when we had an encounter with that log, if this is an ambush I don't think a bandit would have done it this way. A warning sign on the other hand, yes, some outlaws would do things like that" His fingers ran against the chain shirt under his coat, as he looked at the peculiar sight before them. "If it was up to me I'd walk around whoever was unlucky enough to die in such a way" His boots began crushing snow once more as he shifted his position to the right slightly to look at the area from another angle "But if you want whoever owns these legs out, I suggest we start looking for any signs of bandits, logs, fey, stags, elementals or whatever else gets thrown at us" The tone of his voice was somewhere between jest and annoyance.
"Now you've gone and shoved snow off my cold and bitter heart" Replied Lars in clear jest before he carried on with the search of the area.
"You're probably right...but when you're playing cards you don't show your hand" Lars replied to Grimkell, his foul mood seemingly gone without a trace "Even if I let you take a peek, you may not like the cards I am carrying" He took a look from his hiding spot behind a tree, a small more natural half smile having replaced the sinister one from before. "You'll think 'why am I playing with a person like this? I could be making it big at another table' or something like that" The half grin grew slightly, showing parts of his teeth "And doesn't a hero that hides who he i,s a tale teller's dream? You could attach any motivation or let the listener wonder about the mysterious scoundrel, instead telling him a truth that could bore him" Lars looked up at the sky, his vision obstructed by the snow baring trees. "For what its worth, the lot of you have probably seen more of my cards than I cared to share with most people"
"Threats are for people who can make scary faces. Myself? I don't do scary faces, Not for lack of trying mind you, I just can't seem to get it right" Called back Lars as he continued forward Just focus on saving the noble woman, soon enough you'll be back in civilization, far away from crazy sprites. The scoundrel's feet felt heavier as he thought back to his supposedly desired civilization [b]"Yes civilization...dodging angry pirates and angrier witches...the fun that awaits me[/i] On that grim note Lars decided to plant his attention elsewhere...hopefully avoiding the next ambush. Lars weaved through the trees trying to gain cover whenver possible, as he looked for any signs of danger.
Slowly Lars' blue eyes revealed themselves to the world once more. On instinct his hand snaked its way to his sword and he rose into a crouch, his head moving from left to right. With nothing left of their foe but melting shards of ice. In eerie silence Lars left the river and found soft snow under his boots once "Pym" He called out his countenance show an unnatural friendly smile "You do this to me again and you'll hope the sea comes in land and drags you into it's depths before I get my hands on you" "Don't be scared though cause this isn't a threat, it's a promise between 'friends' understand?" The word sounded too joyful considering the situation and message "And while I am not big on keeping my word I'll try my hardest to keep this promise" He turned and began walking towards their quarry "Let's go me lads and lasses, the bandits aren't going to just throw back ale and wait for us"
Lars tumbled to the ground, his sword laying next to him, free from his grip Bloody...sprites... Are the last words on his mind before his consciousness faded.
Lars shuts his eyes but keeps his blade and shield in front of him Crazy sprite...
Ambush but no bandits...I am starting to wonder if there were any With sword and shield still at the ready Lars moved towards their new opponents, his feet leaving the snow and once more touching upon solid ice. A small smile possessed the former pirate's face as he flanked this icy terror and went for a diagonal cut. His sword gleaming with what light that was left in the day as it came down upon the elemental.
A soft sigh made its way past Lars' lips as he mimicked Grimkell's actions with his pack and followed the Ulfen after there was 15 feet between them. His sword and shield were at the ready, in case the ambush he suspected did occur.
"Hey, whether it was meant to me or Grimkell, we are both plenty useful and it would be a huge loss if we drowned" Replied Lars with a snicker on his lips as he placed his arm around the shorter blond's shoulders "I say we send your sprite friend first Mirri, she can fly what does she have to worry about?"
"I'd say it's best we moved on" Announced Lars as he took one last scanning look at the ice "We won't be very mobile as we cross, so if they are going to ambush us it will likely happen then" He swung his sword at open air and shrugged the arm holding his shield "Except for that bird on your shoulder" his finger went in the direction of Theora's pet "He doesn't have to worry about slipping...you know any ravens bird? Maybe you could talk to them for me, see if we can get some business going" He laughed at himself as he prepared for the crossing.
Lars gladly took hold of the rope and passed it on to Grimkell after tying a knot around his own waist "Good thinking" He turned to Jamarcus with a half smile on his face, then his eyes focused on the icy bridge they'd have to cross, studying it for any areas that looked particularly intolerant towards an increased load "But still it's best we try to avoid falling, just give me a minute to look this river over and see if it is in any mood to let us pass"
"Grimkell has the right of it" Said Lars as he left the leafy veil that protected him from prying eyes. Lars took particular care to keep as much distance from himself and the snowman as possible before he followed after the shorter blond and stood next to him. "Whatever happened to proper ambushes Grimkell? Plenty of men with crossbows, bows and what not" Lars unsheathed his sword and let his quickdraw shield fall into place at his forearm "And if I can make a suggestion, you'll want to cut this part out of your tale...walking past a talking snowman isn't exactly exciting or heroic" The scared man snickered as his eyes filled with a bit of nostalgia "Have I ever told you about a pirate named Clancy?"
Oh yes, the same trick again, because it worked wonderfully the last time Lars halted a sarcastic sigh before it could escape him and stared at the snowman and the area in it's proximity. Blue eyes combed the area for any detail of any sort, anything out of the ordinary, a shaking of leaves, unexplained footprints, any movement or abnormality from the snow guardian itself.
"I'll look the other way" Said Lars in a hushed tone before delving into the bushes that Grimkell did not choose. He did his best to remain quiet and searched for any signs of behavior that was alien to these woods, anything that disturbed the stillness of this place and any sound that had no business being here.
An annoyed sigh formed a small and visible cloud in front of Lars' scarred face "I distill don't see anything strange...except the snowman that was built in a place like this" Lars turned to the rest of the party. The frown on his face now gone "I say we'd best try passing around it" His head turned towards the unmoving sentry of snow. "Could be more fey tricks for all we know"
The humming stopped and the neutral look and Lars face showed a small frown "Can't make out anything from here" He murmured before taking several steps forward "Wait I'll step a little closer and look at it once more" He said to his companions. His hand reaching into his pocket, fishing out the veil Mirri had handed him, and then he put it on in a more awkward manner, but made sure that it was working as intended. Now that the former pirate and the snowman were less far apart, the analyzing began anew. Lars took his time studying this peculiar sight in the middle of nowhere If these bandits built it...well I'll probably have less respect for them than that swindler. The frown on his face grew deeper as he remembered the atomie.
A soft hum played itself on Lars lips as he stared at the "guardsman" that stood in their way. Their journey seemed to head from the peculiar to the absurd...and he trusted neither. While he kept a safe distance from the snowman, Lars studied its make and carefully looked for telltale signs of anything out of the ordinary. A crack here, something poking out of the snow there, clues would always be there for the ones that searched for them.
Lars looked to the ground in an attempt to recapture the bandits trail, then he studied the area for any sight or sound of unnatural movement.
Have fun!
"And let us hope it remains just a dream" Came Lars' somewhat mirthful voice from behind Grimkell "Giants can't stay at nice inns, now a flock of Ravens on the other hand" The locksmith took of the cloak and handed it to Zisel "Your cloak" He gave her a small smile "Should you ever need to borrow something of mine, I won't make much of a fuss about it, maybe just a question or two " The former pirate walked to his gear and began preparing for the continuation of their journey That wasn't too bad.
Waking up to the same cold he felt before they built the fire. Lars sighed, leaving a small clear stream of air in front of his face for a few moments Makes you wonder how anyone gets used to this The scoundrel got up slowly, and looked around, keeping the cloak close to his body And here I thought my time in Kalsgard didn't spoil me. He looked down to see Jamarcus still lying down with an arm covering his eyes Could be still asleep, best leave him be Thought Lars as he walked a bit past where they camped, his mild expression unchanging as he surveyed where they killed the atmoie "If you're going to pull a trick like that at least think about it first..a talking stag..." He said in a hushed voice as he walked a little further, mostly to stretch his legs.
An orange blotch of warmth could be seen in the snow conquered forest. The flame that the adventurers built ravenously ate the wood that was offered to it, it's dancing lights giving birth to wavering shadows to all things that were close to it. Among them was the figure of Lars propped against a fallen, covered in the cloak that was given to him. He leaned his head back as a clear exhale formed in front of his face. This was far from an ideal situation for them, half of them were clearly affected by the cold, and needed time to recover. Now he wasn't afraid that the bandits would escape them, it's just that he wanted to minimize anytime he spent here They are probably suffering because of the cold too Lars looked towards his companions that were not gathered around their camp fire and noticed them near another blotch of flickering orange light Whatever they are doing isn't my business He said to himself but then his eyes remained on Zisel for a moment longer If I was going to betray someone now would be the perfect time...and yet she isn't doing anything suspicous...maybe she was telling the truth He pulled the cloak on tighter, but then halted in mid motion, looked at the cloak Ah...well maybe I was wrong about her, but a stranger appearing at the perfect time, I mean who could blame me for being paranoid The former pirate decided to think on the matter at a later time for now he decided to close his eyes and let sleep steal away his consciousness.
Lars gladly accepted the cloak. His hands unconsciously wrapping around his torso in an attempt to keep the heat of his body from escaping "You know I am not a gambling man but if I wasn't all grown up I would have risked being squashed" He said to the sorceress his tone lower from the cold that accosted him but still with a hint of jest. Acting tough was not something he subscribed to, neither was chivalry. In his mind it was best to show how your feeling if there is no outward benefit to feigning strength when you have little in your current situation. The altruism he did not expect though, and still had no idea how to deal with "Hope you don't regret giving this to me later" Was what came out when he tried for a simple "thank you" "For what its worth I won't forget that you've helped me out even if I do somehow become rich again" That sounded a little better to him than his previous attempt Could still use work though.
It was funny to Lars how good news always made him ignore anything negative about it's delivery. Simply hearing that his situation wasn't permanent made the laughing at his expense no different from the joyous laughter at one of the many parties he held when he was rich...but then those people were probably laughing at his own expense as well. [quoute=Grimkell]"Watch out damsels! Lars the Small can now easily walk around and look under your dresses. Let's hope he grows back soon that we may spared his malicious tendencies!" "Among other things" The child sized pirate wiped his sword clean with an old piece of cloth and then sheathed the blade "Now if you don't mind I have darts to collect and a stag to skin" He gave the three a simple wave before he headed into the direction of where he threw his darts.
The tracks left behind by Lars in the snow grew larger as he walked, he noticed his increase in altitude, the things around him growing smaller, until he finally everything returned to what it has been before he was afflicted by that spell. The blond shrugged his shoulder, to ease an imagined ache and moved to the animal they killed and crouched next to its corpse. In a casual manner he had his dagger out and began the same process he went through on the body of the massive lizard they killed earlier.
"After we are done here I wouldn't be against resting a bit" Lars' voice seemed weaker than before, and was just loud enough to be heard. Those looking his way would also notice his breathing rate has increased.
Save for the sound of snow being crushed under his boots, no sound came from the former pirate. His expression neutral and his sword casually at his side, its tip almost dipping into the white carpet beneath him "I honestly don't know what is more annoying" Said Lars once he was in front of the atomie. "That I am not as tall as I used to be or that I saw a third rate swindler like you work" At the end of these words the former pirate pulled back his blade and stabbed at their grappled foe.
Relaxing is the best thing you can do to combat a cold. Take care of yourself.
Oh hiding are we? I know this game well The tiny pirate nimbly pressed on to the bushes ahead of him,, diving into them without hesitation with another dart ready in his hand And you made me even better at it. In silence Lars studied the area around them, he would wait for their enemy to reveal himself, after all they were not the ones pressed for time or disadvantaged by superior numbers. Their foe had two options escape or try for an attack while unseen If he were smart he'd run...but I doubt he's that clever The hiding scoundrel held back his sigh and continued to remain on his guard; waiting for their foe to reveal himself so he would let another dart fly to meet his flesh.
Once more Lars' shield slid away from its position on his forearm and then he dashed forward He won't see me attacking him once he brought me down to his size The thought rolled in his head as he littered the ground beneath him with tiny boot marks. His now free arm drew out an equally tiny dart and with no hesitation Lars swung his arm and let the small projectile fly in the direction of Fawfein.
Suddenly the world grew large around Lars, or so he thought for a moment, for he quickly noticed that it was not the world that has grown, he had simply shrunk. Frustration, surprise and worry began to mix within the former pirate but he wouldn't let his foe see it "You have a problem with being a small man in a very big world, eh?" He asked as he gave their enemy a mocking smile.
"An old wise but grumpy man once told me to carry a spare of everything" Replied Lars as a small grin came over his face. His sword released a subtle shout as it left it's sheath and was bared at their wild assailant, next his shield followed suit and positioned itself on his forearm with a few manipulations of its leather straps. Blue eyes quickly scanned the area for signs of their hidden opponent. "Lets find out what stag meat tastes like" The scoundrel went with a simple horizontal swipe, continued with a heavy diagonal cut and finally finished his combination of slashes with a rising strike.
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