03-04-2010, 02:21 AM
The swords clattered together, tungsteel on tungsteel. One of the fighting men stabbed for the others leg, but he was to slow, and came only to hit his opponents shield. Gnarling, the opponent countered against the others arm, and a small moment after the arm hang only in small strings of senew. A small, hollow sound was created of the sword colliding with the damp cave rock. Crying, the wounded man retreated up against the cave wall. Not given any thought, the wounder raised his sword high, and roared. It made a clean cut through the wounded man's shoulder, the cut ending in the heart. He pulled out his sword, and the corpse fell lifeless to the ground.
Suddenly, running footsteps could be heard. Approaching from the entrance behind him came four armour-clad warriors, weapons drawn.
”We heard the screami-” the one talking stopped. No more words were needed, as they all now spotted the maimed corpse. ”For fucking sake... You can't just go around and kill people!” yelled one of the newly arrived soldiers. ”Oi! He was threatening him, y'know! Of course he can kill him, if thats what he wants! You aint to g' around and play some depraved tindremic enforcer! Leave that to them, idiot!” another said, yelling loudly at the one who just said something. The rash continued, and eventually evolved into a fight.
Grumph looked towards to horizon. The sun rose among the mountains. Nice day, Grumph thought to himself. Behind him he could hear the carrying donkeys and the other mercenaries hired to protect the small caravan. Grumph wasn't exactly sure what to protect it from, but that didn't matter aslong as he was paid.
Walking down the mountain path was harder than it seemed. Some-one had spotted a potential bandit threat, and the caravan master wanted Grumph and four others to constantly keep watch and protecting the caravan from rear. This involved alot of running back and forth, since Grumph had been named captain for this particular job and the caravan master insisted that he constantly reported. ”Grumph!” one the men yelled. Grumph sprinted over, seeing it was one of the rear guards.
”Two men have been following us, I just got a glimpse of one of 'em. He is heading behind that bush, up there!” the man pointed further up where they came from. ”He is carrying a bow and spear, didn't notice any particular armour...” ”Anything else?” Grumph asked, not sure whether to draw weapons and confront them, or ignore them. Before the man got to answer, an arrow penetrated his head and was protruding on the other side of his head. Shocked, Grumph waved towards his mercenary mates. Two soldiers drawed their weapons, and hurried up to Grumph. A moment after the threes soldiers roared in unison and ran towards the bushes where their now-dead mate had pointed the archer to be. When arrived at the bushes, only a bundle of arrows lay there.
Grumph picked up the arrows and threw them over the cliff. ”We're gonna find these bastards!” he yelled, and continued up. His two mates broke off to join the caravan once again, fearing that the bandits chose to attack it, with the guard weakened.
”Slimy cowards” Grumph whispered to himself, as he jumped over a stone blocking view further up.
There stood three men, all with drawn weapons. Although all wearing a fine scale mail and leather gloves & boots, they looked very much apart. One had a eye-patch covering his left eye, wielding a cruelly shaped longsword and a shield in his other hand. Another missed a hand, but in the remaining he wielded a big club. The third didn't seem to miss any spectular body parts, but he wore a big hat, as some kind of noble. He also didn't wield any weapons, apart from a stout whitewood staff.
The two first men charged towards Grumph. The one with the club came first. He hit away on Grumphs shield, allowing the next, the one with the sword, to take Grumph un-guarded. Grumph had putting up any big fight, because of the numbers. Furiously, he slashed out towards the man with club, forcing him to retreat just a couple of paces. Receiving a hit from the sword, Grumph screamed in pain. Holding on to his weapons, he turned around to face the swordsman.
The swordsman smiled cruelly, bloodlust in his eyes. This time Grumph didn't wait, but repelled by attacking in same style as the club-wielder had done to him. The swordsman didn't even try to block though, he just stood forward to take the hits. And while doing so, he smiled. This infuriated Grumph even more, and he kept hacking away until he had severed the mans body so much that the chest was turned into a big bloody sandwich, the ribcage sticking out several places.
Having completely forgot the two others, Grumph received first a blow with the club from behind, and right after he felt his nerves failing him. Ofcourse, Grumph thought. The one with the staff – a magician! Right after Grumph fell to the ground.
”Sad story with Marc, eh?” Haldread sat down on the log. ”Sad indeed. But better here, than with the rest with you and Marc's old friends. ” the wizard said. Haldread thought back, to the fight in the cave just a week ago. Haldread and Marc had sided with Cormorus, and attacked the ”wannabe tindreme enforcers” as Marc so often had called them. It was a bloody mess, with Cormorus dead and the two others also. But luckily they had met the wizard outside the cave, who had healed the worst of Marc and Haldreads wounds.
”I say we leave these ol' mountains, and sell the rotten' corpse o' the man to some tindremine noblilita in need of a slave. What'cha'think?” Haldread said. The wizards gnawed on some old bread, and then nodded in agreement. ”Yes, yes indeed. ” ”Wizard...?” Haldread asked. ”Yes?” the answer sounded. ”Whats your actual name?” ”Forturis Dae Arbis.” he answered, and the rest of the night was still.
It seemed like he had been travelling for weeks with the two men. Grumph was happy that he atleast had severed one of the attackers to such a degree he couldn't be healed, even with magic.
They had left the mountains behind them days ago, and now they walked in the tindremine city. Haldread and Forturis decided that they needed a ”good ol' jug o' ale” as Haldread called it. Leaving him on the street, Grumph just sat there. He pleaded bypassers to release him, but none to notice to the pleading man.
Finally, one man approached Grumph. He told him that his Lady had started a project which had good use for Grumph. It could use him. Grumph liked this thought, that some-one could use him. Perhaps this lady of his would actually keep him. Actually... Keep him for good?
The man grabbed a knife, and quickly cut the ropes tying Grumph up. He reached out for Grumphs hand, and gratefully for help Grumph took it. Yet again, Grumph was taking out on a long journey. Yet, only this time Grumph approved the journey, for the better of his life.
Suddenly, running footsteps could be heard. Approaching from the entrance behind him came four armour-clad warriors, weapons drawn.
”We heard the screami-” the one talking stopped. No more words were needed, as they all now spotted the maimed corpse. ”For fucking sake... You can't just go around and kill people!” yelled one of the newly arrived soldiers. ”Oi! He was threatening him, y'know! Of course he can kill him, if thats what he wants! You aint to g' around and play some depraved tindremic enforcer! Leave that to them, idiot!” another said, yelling loudly at the one who just said something. The rash continued, and eventually evolved into a fight.
Grumph looked towards to horizon. The sun rose among the mountains. Nice day, Grumph thought to himself. Behind him he could hear the carrying donkeys and the other mercenaries hired to protect the small caravan. Grumph wasn't exactly sure what to protect it from, but that didn't matter aslong as he was paid.
Walking down the mountain path was harder than it seemed. Some-one had spotted a potential bandit threat, and the caravan master wanted Grumph and four others to constantly keep watch and protecting the caravan from rear. This involved alot of running back and forth, since Grumph had been named captain for this particular job and the caravan master insisted that he constantly reported. ”Grumph!” one the men yelled. Grumph sprinted over, seeing it was one of the rear guards.
”Two men have been following us, I just got a glimpse of one of 'em. He is heading behind that bush, up there!” the man pointed further up where they came from. ”He is carrying a bow and spear, didn't notice any particular armour...” ”Anything else?” Grumph asked, not sure whether to draw weapons and confront them, or ignore them. Before the man got to answer, an arrow penetrated his head and was protruding on the other side of his head. Shocked, Grumph waved towards his mercenary mates. Two soldiers drawed their weapons, and hurried up to Grumph. A moment after the threes soldiers roared in unison and ran towards the bushes where their now-dead mate had pointed the archer to be. When arrived at the bushes, only a bundle of arrows lay there.
Grumph picked up the arrows and threw them over the cliff. ”We're gonna find these bastards!” he yelled, and continued up. His two mates broke off to join the caravan once again, fearing that the bandits chose to attack it, with the guard weakened.
”Slimy cowards” Grumph whispered to himself, as he jumped over a stone blocking view further up.
There stood three men, all with drawn weapons. Although all wearing a fine scale mail and leather gloves & boots, they looked very much apart. One had a eye-patch covering his left eye, wielding a cruelly shaped longsword and a shield in his other hand. Another missed a hand, but in the remaining he wielded a big club. The third didn't seem to miss any spectular body parts, but he wore a big hat, as some kind of noble. He also didn't wield any weapons, apart from a stout whitewood staff.
The two first men charged towards Grumph. The one with the club came first. He hit away on Grumphs shield, allowing the next, the one with the sword, to take Grumph un-guarded. Grumph had putting up any big fight, because of the numbers. Furiously, he slashed out towards the man with club, forcing him to retreat just a couple of paces. Receiving a hit from the sword, Grumph screamed in pain. Holding on to his weapons, he turned around to face the swordsman.
The swordsman smiled cruelly, bloodlust in his eyes. This time Grumph didn't wait, but repelled by attacking in same style as the club-wielder had done to him. The swordsman didn't even try to block though, he just stood forward to take the hits. And while doing so, he smiled. This infuriated Grumph even more, and he kept hacking away until he had severed the mans body so much that the chest was turned into a big bloody sandwich, the ribcage sticking out several places.
Having completely forgot the two others, Grumph received first a blow with the club from behind, and right after he felt his nerves failing him. Ofcourse, Grumph thought. The one with the staff – a magician! Right after Grumph fell to the ground.
”Sad story with Marc, eh?” Haldread sat down on the log. ”Sad indeed. But better here, than with the rest with you and Marc's old friends. ” the wizard said. Haldread thought back, to the fight in the cave just a week ago. Haldread and Marc had sided with Cormorus, and attacked the ”wannabe tindreme enforcers” as Marc so often had called them. It was a bloody mess, with Cormorus dead and the two others also. But luckily they had met the wizard outside the cave, who had healed the worst of Marc and Haldreads wounds.
”I say we leave these ol' mountains, and sell the rotten' corpse o' the man to some tindremine noblilita in need of a slave. What'cha'think?” Haldread said. The wizards gnawed on some old bread, and then nodded in agreement. ”Yes, yes indeed. ” ”Wizard...?” Haldread asked. ”Yes?” the answer sounded. ”Whats your actual name?” ”Forturis Dae Arbis.” he answered, and the rest of the night was still.
It seemed like he had been travelling for weeks with the two men. Grumph was happy that he atleast had severed one of the attackers to such a degree he couldn't be healed, even with magic.
They had left the mountains behind them days ago, and now they walked in the tindremine city. Haldread and Forturis decided that they needed a ”good ol' jug o' ale” as Haldread called it. Leaving him on the street, Grumph just sat there. He pleaded bypassers to release him, but none to notice to the pleading man.
Finally, one man approached Grumph. He told him that his Lady had started a project which had good use for Grumph. It could use him. Grumph liked this thought, that some-one could use him. Perhaps this lady of his would actually keep him. Actually... Keep him for good?
The man grabbed a knife, and quickly cut the ropes tying Grumph up. He reached out for Grumphs hand, and gratefully for help Grumph took it. Yet again, Grumph was taking out on a long journey. Yet, only this time Grumph approved the journey, for the better of his life.
? Good action filled story. Was the guy in the end, who saved Grumph, working for Red Blades? So you even managed to tie the joining of the guild into the story as well unlike some 