Rested from their nights stay at the tavern they had met the one person there that they had least expected...
As the sliver of moon hung in the sky Cyrus and Althea mounted their steeds and headed away from Rothens Rest, the hounds keeping pace beside them.
Using the shadows of the night they avoided the many creatures that accumulated in the vicinity.......
Twisting around in the saddle, Althea looked back at the lights of the now distant tavern, her thoughts in turmoil as she tried to make sense of the past few hours...
With a final look back she turns and nudges the mare forward alongside of Cyrus and the sleek black stallion....
Her thoughts playing through the unexpected and unwelcomed meeting at the tavern....certainly one neither had anticipated.....deep within her soul the hate she felt for who they had encountered festered and grew, fed by the scars she carried both physically and mentally...retribution would be hers, first though, she needed to learn more of what he was....she had waited this long.....but then.....no! he had spoken only lies....none of it could be the truth and yet....her eyes flicked to her companion...
Cyrus, their destiny’s were entwined..the dragons had determined that..... she would ensure that they would not use him as they had so many before him ...she had lost too many she cared about to their will....she would not lose another....
A smile played across her face as she recalled their initial meeting and the venom that had ensued. A chance meeting in a remote glade and yet now, he was the one person she trusted....
*Why us?....* sharing her thoughts with Cyrus, no speech needed thanks to Thaleron .....
With the horses plodding along, the hounds in tow and an ethereal army lingering just beyond mortal senses, Cyrus was understandably content. The encounter and the ...... unfortunate events at the Realmgate seemed to be behind them for the moment, although he was sure they would catch up again soon. He could sense Althea in a similarly reflective mood, although the scowl on her face made it alot more sour than the smile on his own.
They had still not received a report from the scouts sent after Mordens forces that traveled through the gate so that suggested it was not a good direction in which to travel. But where else did that leave? That was where his thoughts were when interrupted by her silent question.
*huh? oh, I honestly don`t know. Oh wait yes I do, because the powers that be say so*
His expression soured
*know what I say?...... F*** `em, F*** their self-righteous, self-important, lazy arses. Its about time they did something for themselves and stopped screwing around with those that just want to be left alone.*
Spitting on the ground, he callously raised a fist and extended his middle finger to the skies....
"F*** `em! stay out of my existence and I`ll stay out of everyone else's"
Using the shadows as cover a dark figure follows silently behind them keeping a safe distance but keeping them always in sight.
Bringing the mare to a stop Althea looks at Cyrus and mulls over his defiant gesture..
Thoughts snowballing through her mind, past and present... all of it could be laid at the feet of the dragons and their meddling...or, in the case of Cyrus, the meddling of ..something else....one thing was certain both of them were expected to do something by others...
“Seems to me we have a choice, do what everyone expects us to do, or do what we want...”
Looking around them, scanning the immediate area as she thinks...Unfastening her waterskin from her belt she uncorks it before taking a mouthful... handing it to Cyrus...a look of determination upon her face...
“I say f**k it lets see what Morden has to offer....”
“If it’s not good enough, we take him and let us be the ones everyone worries about”.....
Stopping the stallion and circling back round to take the offered skin, Cyrus listens to Altheas words and chuckles.
*well we know what Morden wants at least, if we believe Molluch that is. Remember though the only way he can be brought down is by the sister you dont believe you have and maybe these two swords.*
Drinking deeply Cyrus thinks awhile while still slowly circling on the horse.
*I`m not sure Morden would be the best choice to approach. After all if I was him I`d simply kill me and imprison you for eternity, locking away both Thal and any ability to strike directly at him. Lets face it he is gonna be as bad as the rest of the dragons and gods and whatever.
Lookit, we have the ability now to protect ourselves from any aggressors, all we need is a safe haven to hold up and let all this pass us by.*
Handing back the skin Cyrus replaces it with a bottle stolen from Rothens rest, not the best mead in the world, but mead non-the less. Not being bothered to uncork it he simply smashes the neck off with his mace, blows and pours any glass fragments away and the empties some into a tankard, drinks, refills and passes to Althea. Seeing that Althea is still not convinced he examines her, his mood reflective yet serious.
As the mead works its way into his system he realises she is deadly serious about siding with or taking the place of Morden. Something dark stirs inside Cyrus seeing such a willing partner in death and destruction, the blatent disregard for living beings and the order of life, a heat builds inside him, so close to breaking free, so close to shucking off whats left of conscience and morality, fulfilling what the beast desired. When he speaks his voice is different somehow, more resonant, more inhuman
*Do you truly know what you are suggesting, what the conclusion of your words will bring?*
Drinking the contents of the tankard Althea considers his words....
“According to Molloch, Morden can only be destroyed in one way. According to someone I have no cause to trust or believe. Someone, I hasten to remind you that we recently deprived of a head he seems very much attached to...“
Manoeuvring the mare close beside the stallion her head tilted to one side, she looks in his eyes ...her own burning with intent...
“Both of us have our souls bound to...something powerful....and we have each other....our unity is our strength.. why shouldn’t we act for us instead of others?”...
Looking at him intently her expression softening for a moment..
Her thought is gentle, a mere caress across his mind......*What do you want Cy?*
“The dragons say our destiny’s are linked.....Well I’ll damn well not let them dictate your end.....and If I am to die I would rather choose the end than it be dictated by others.....Tell me your not ready to take control of your own destiny...”
The figure furtively creeps close enough to hear their words. Taking aim he releases the weapon towards his target. The lethal bolt drives into the mare's neck with a screech she rears into the air before crashing to the floor with her rider unable to escape. A clear shot the second bolt is rapidly released towards the stallion finding its way deep within his shoulder. Driving him down. Taking advantage of the confusion the black clad figure darts from the trees heading directly for his target. A knife flashes through the night stabbing deeply. Withdrawing the knife he makes for the cover of the trees.
In the confusion as the horses flail Althea feels the thrust of a knife digging deep into her side as it is pulled from the wound pain rips through her chest and her breathing becomes difficult. As the stallion crashes to the floor Cyrus is thrown clear hitting the ground a short way from the assailant.
The ghostly guards loom into exsistance before he has a chance to move from her closing around the assailant weapons drawn one is driven deep into his chest. He sinks to his knees.
Althea – chest 1hp through
As the mare rears, Althea tightens her grip in confusion before plummeting to the ground with her mount...... “What the f...?”
Attempting to avoid the thrashing hooves, realising the stallion is also falling concentrates on dodging the hooves.......
Deep within her side a burning pain erupts from nowhere, crying out in pain and shock she twists around, clutching at her side she sees a dark figure moving away as the pain tears through her chest.......
Frantically looking around for Cyrus she reaches out along their link ensuring he is unharmed....
Attempting to push free from the horse she sees the figure encircled by the ethereal guards....*DONT kill him!* ...
Clutching her side she scrambles closer to the horses heads kneeling between them, attempting to calm them both enough to allow her to help them.... Her breath short and painful....she can feel the warm stickiness of blood oozing through her fingers... *Cy ...help me...*
Wriggling free and dodging the flailing hooves Cyrus is caught between courses of action. The moments hesitation over, he acts.
*Bind his wound AND his limbs, DO NOT allow him to die* he commands the guards around the assailant whilst rushing to Altheas side. Dragging her out of range of the hooves and pushing her hands out of the way, he stems the flow of blood whilst incanting the words of healing to mend the wound.
"See to the horses" he says to her as soon as the spell is finished and her bleeding stopped. Then walks to the bound would be assassin.
*General, materialise the army, no-one gets closer than one hundred paces to us unless invited* he orders as he walks.
Grabbing the trussed man by the face he says quietly
"you and I need to have words" as he heals the damage done to his chest, so it may be repeated again and again and again.........