Jade was equally difficult to read, though in a different manner. She projected the air, emotion, and mannerisms of someone who had absolutely no clue what was going on with practiced perfection. The way she looked at her hand was the way someone would gaze at them if they thought cards were pretty and the numbers and symbols on them represented some kind of universal enigma with no solution. Jade fumbled about with her cards while watching her opponent through her periferal vision and keeping her mind open for imagery while paying attention to the overall emotion of the area. Her opponent was frustratingly placid, but she still had a good count going, and was confident discarding her Two for a new card would put her at the limit, or just under it.

"Oh, it's my move, isn't it? I'm so easily distracted it's a wonder I get anything done at all," she chuckled as the cloaked woman sat down next to her and chose a card from her hand, seemingly at random and slid it to the dealer face down with one of her enchanting smiles. From the cloaked woman's perspective, she might have noticed the expertly practiced flick that sent the card she wanted into her fingers rather than the one she was "reaching" for. Such a quick and fluid motion would have been very nearly invisible had the face of the cards not been showing towards the cloaked woman.

Jade sensed the new presense outside with Jack, though it barely registered a flick of her eyes in that direction. Had she not been keeping up a facade for the game, she would have rolled her eyes at the cordial over-politeness she felt happening, and were the situation different she'd have turned her mental attention elsewhere so she didn't have to "listen" to it. Instead she kept up her flawless game face while waiting for the dealer and contemplated stringing herself up in the rafters by her shoe laces and jumping off the gambling table... or running outside and yelling "Quit posturing and kiss already!!"

"Perhaps your meditations are merely dreams." The man called Erdu suggested to Jack. "A bird does not have to think about air, yet it is aware of it as it soars."

Jack smiled slightly.
"It is true as you say, friend. I shall have to take that into consideration in the future."

"What you say is true; can any man bear burdens that are not his own? Perhaps our destinies are not mingled, yet my offer stands. But now I am most curious: you claim to captain a ship of the sky? How is such a thing possible? I must see it!" At these words, Jack Highwind's eyes glimmered eagerly, and he smiled broadly.

"But of course, friend. I'm always happy to show my beloved Batavian to a rennaissance man like myself. As for how it is possible, I could not say for certain, as I was not the shipwright who built Her. I have long tried to understand the fundamental workings of Her, yet even now I can only understand the most rudimentary pieces of her machines. I could tell you what little secrets I have yet uncovered in regard to Her nature, however, it would do little good without seeing it with your own two eyes. I would humbly suggest that when the opportunity arise, you join me on-board Her for dinner, and I shall be most happy to sate your curiosity with a guided tour." He bowed again, smiling friendly at the man.

"If it would interest you it could even be possible to let you experience the incredible feeling of soaring through the sky like the bird you mentioned earlier." He chuckled. "The Batavian, my beloved lady as she is, always appreciates interested passengers."

Suddenly, he remembered the situation inside, and cleared his throat, bowing politely.
"Forgive me, friend, but there is someone inside whom I wish to look out for. I'm afraid my crew and I have treated her in a most un-gentlemanly fashion in the past. I strive to protect her as best I can to repay her for this disfavor. And so I must withdraw back inside. Why don't you join me? It must be more pleasant than meditating on the cold earth we walk in this shady alley." He gestured towards the door.

[OOC: For the sake of facilitating "group-iness" we can assume that I am following Jack unless I indicate otherwise.]

Erdu listened calmly, focusing himself on the words he was hearing rather than their meaning. The very thought of such a wonderful thing stirred a deep exhilaration inside of him that somehow echoed with familiarity, yet left him delighted with astonishment. Though it was difficult, he managed to remain expressionless as he listened, only nodding in agreement as the invitation was given. Though he was sure the specific principles that such a craft operated under would be beyond him, the idea of seeing land from up in the sky dogged him with intrigue.

Upon hearing of the companion of Jack under his protection, a soberness came over Erdu like a ripple on a still pond. If there was a female who was in fact in need, then she would inevitably find herself in some trouble. Whether or not this captain and his associates could handle the trouble was irrelevant. The only truth was need, and specifically a need that he could answer. "Every void exists to be filled," he thought to himself as he recited one of the foundational principles he had been taught by the Master.

Also, Erdu thought to himself as he said a quiet "thank you," and walked through the door, trouble almost always meant fighting and he had not quite yet had his fill for the day. With a pleasantly calm demeanor, he entered and then waited for Captain Jack to follow, patiently expecting that moment when he would be required.

The cloaked woman watched as Jade played two games at once. Both players were trying to beat each other with the cards in their hand, but secondly and perhaps more importantly both of them were attempting to hide their true intentions. And in Jade's case she also had to present a front of absolute novice. She watched, intrigued as Jade cheated and tricked her way through the game and noted to herself that the girl was holding her ground well despite her handicap. On the surface the game was pure chance. However the key, she surmised was not only in bluffing and fooling ones opponent but in intimidating them into submission. As the stakes increased with every draw the chance of failure weighed down more heavily. To fold and keep a portion of the winnings or to push ones luck and continue on for the chance of winning it all.

The man tapped on the table again to signal a new card be drawn and he scooped it up, his expression fixed even as he took a deep breath through his nostrils, placing the cards down on the table. Defeat.

The dealer swept the pile of coins toward Jade with his arm. The defeated player sat silently, his gaze still set on Jade with worrying intensity.

She turned her head to follow Jack and the new arrival, studying the man curiously and without any attempt to hide her interest.

As he entered, Erdu noticed many observing some activity in one area of the dimly lit room. After a moment of watching, he realized it was some type of card game, though he was completely unfamiliar with such games. And something else caught his attention.

Without looking directly, Erdu quickly studied a large male that seemed human. He stood nearly a foot taller than himself and easily outweighed Erdu by no small amount. Adding to the matter was the fact that he looked rather solid as opposed to just large. As, Erdu continued to observe him, he maintained his steady breathing knowing that this one was watching the game too intently.

Though he understood this was a game where much money could trade hands, the large man was not waiting to see who won. He stood with a still confidence and stance which indicated lethal intentions. Whether the man was on one side or another, he could not tell. But it was clear that this man intended for things to go according to his plan. Perhaps things would remain civil. Erdu remained relaxed as he buried his excitement deep within, preparing for the possibility that they would not.

Erdu considered to himself pleasantly that the situation could provide his first legitimate challenge in some time.

Jack stepped inside in company with the stranger, just in time to see Jade grab the winnings from her opponent. He frowned as he began to move closer to the table. The opponent was staring at her intensely. It seemed he had lost the game, and wasn't too happy with the outcome. Jack stepped up to the table, and looked the man in the eyes, before turning first to the woman in grey, then motioning with his head to Vinsces, who caught the nod, stood up and began to approach, and then, looking at Jade, he said:

"Forgive me if I seem rude, my lady, but I do believe it's time for us to make a rather subtle exit." He looked her opponent sharply and straight in the eyes while still talking to her, and added: "Collect your earnings, thank the gentleman for the gracious game, and let us be on our merry way."

Vinsces approached the group, having left his own game, and looked down at the newcomer.
"That's an interesting mark you have there on your face, stranger. I like it! Bwahahaha!" He made a thumb up at the sight of the mark, and proceeded to offer his hand. "I'm Vinsces, friend! Any friend of my little brother here..." He motioned his head towards Jack. "...is a friend of mine! Bwahahaha!"

His eyes were then drawn to the tense atmosphere around the table.
"What's this?" He asked as he stepped up, looking first at Jade and then at the other player. "Oi, you bastard, you're not trying anything funny with the little girl, are you?" He clenched his fist at the man, as if outraged by the mere thought. Jack placed a hand on his arm, and shook his head.

"Forgive him for his rudeness, friend." He said. "Our enormous comrade suffers from quite a temper, and I am afraid he misunderstood the situation." He bowed slightly. Then, he looked at the others, and continued: "I'm afraid we really must be off, friends. There is a lot to be done, and less time to do it in."

Jade scooped her winnings into an empty pouch with a smile as Jack and his new friend approached them. She rolled her eyes a little when they came to her "rescue" from the scary card shark. She'd bested many of the of the best swordsman of Kishar with their own steel, and could certainly hold her own against a few smelly gamblers. She did smile at the other player as she finished collecting her winnings and offered a bow of her head.

"Thanks SO much for letting me play with you," she said cheerily, and gathered her scarf, wrapping it about her face and neck. "Oh, leave the poor man alone, he's been very polite the whole time... if not very sociable," she smiled beneath her scarf and made for the door. She brushed past her companions and made straight for the newcomer, locking her pupil-less emerald eyes on him as if she were sizing him up. In reality she was trying to read him: probing about him for intentions, emotions, imagery, anything she could pick out of the air about him. She watched every motion his body made as she walked towards the door and paused only briefly to give him a sidelong glance as she started to push her way outside.

She didn't trust him... well she didn't really trust anyone in the group just yet, so not trusting the new guy was really no surprise. In the meantime she would study everything she could about the group: the way they moved, the way they fought, talked, and thought... just in case she had to use that information against them to save her own skin.

Erdu stood by quietly as the group ushered its way out. He watched the man he had spotted from the corner of his eye; he was nonchalant. Too much so. His position had shifted as he casually walked away, not looking at the female that had been playing or the rest of the group. It was very much, Erdu realized to himself, the kind of behavior he would use if he wanted someone to think he was not watching them. Nothing had changed.

When they had all exited the building, now standing in that same dark alley, he approached his new acquaintance from behind. Pulling his hood up over his head, Erdu spoke in hushed tones that would be sure to reach only the intended audience. "Our bird has grown a shadow. Expect trouble."

Stepping in front of the Captain, he turned to face the group, lowering his hood as he introduced himself with a deep bow.

"I am Erdu-Tonshi. The Captain Highwind has extended to me an invitation to see his wonderful craft. I would be honored if you would also allow me the privilege of travelling in your company."

As Jade turned to leave the man at the table uttered something in his deep and gravelly voice, barely a hoarse whisper.

"Good game, missy." And with that he rose from his place at the table and made for the door with a hobbling swagger, his cane clattering loudly against the bare stone of the hall's floor. From the way he swung his right leg forward with a kick it was apparent that the leg was a fake from at least the knee. Northwall was full of men such as he, veterans of naval battles and lives on the sea, old and wasted. It was said that Northwall was where old sailors came to die.

The woman followed after the others at a distance and when Erdu stopped to introduce himself she continued walking past him, her movements reminiscant of a cat, with a haughty, self assured poise and sense of purpose as she strode past the group. She paused at the end of the alleyway, pressing close to the wall and peering out into the narrow street beyond.

When Erdu observed the woman in the gray cloak follow them out, he recognized her immediately. Surely this was the woman Captain Highwind referred to when he mentioned protecting someone. Though he knew the target of the large man he had seen inside was the card player, he began to doubt himself.

As he bowed in introduction and the woman passed by, Erdu silent rose and fell in behind her. Through the veil of her confident gestures he saw something else that both concerned and perplexed him. Standing on the balls of his feet, Erdu lifted his eyes above the woman's head to peer out into the street, quickly glancing in both direction. There was nothing of concern there, at least not in the immediate area. Softly returning to a normal stance, he took a single step back and spoke his mind.

"I think that trouble follows you like a cloud waiting to pour out its rain. Your affairs may be of no concern to me, but your life is. I would be most discouraged if you would not allow me to have the pleasure of your company so that I might ensure you get to wherever you are going."

The woman turned to look at Erdu, somewhat surprised by his remark. There was an awkward silence for a time as she studied him up and down with the intense expression of one who was examining a piece of art or oddity at a sideshow. From what little showed of her face one could only guess at her thoughts.

"I don't see why my life is any of your concern. You don't even know who I am." She said coldly, about to continue when she halted herself. "What is your profession?" She asked, looking curiously at his face with the same intense curiosity as a child shows a small animal.

[OOC: an unusually short post for me. Just wanted to not clog things up and leave room for others to also act]

Erdu grinned broadly as he responded, "I am a fighter." He continued with a bit less enthusiasm as he spiraled into his own thoughts, "Though I haven't done as much fighting lately as I have traveling, learning, studying, and meditating. And yet I am still in search of the one thing that I can not even identify."

His eyes returned to that of the woman as did his thoughts. "All life is precious to me, and I learn as much as I can about how different people fight so that I may better protect those in need whenever I happen to be around. As I am now." Turning back to look at the captain and the other female, he wondered again if the large man could have possibly been targeting this one instead of the card player. If the road divided, he would go where he was most needed, but for now he waited to see what would unfold.

Jack followed with the others outside, Vinsces at his side. The woman in grey, and Jack's new-found friend, talked as introductions were passed around. Jack listened in silence until Erdu finished speaking. At that time, Jack looked at the woman, and spoke, with the same politeness as usual, but with a serious tone.

"My lady, I do not wish to pry into business that is not mine. However, I came to Northwall for a purpose, to arrange for supplies to be bought to my beloved Batavian, before I left for the north. I did not intend to get involved in any fights, though it was no doubt my own fault. However, I am obliged by the needs of my men to see to the supplies that are necessary before journeying north. Yet, I cannot with good conscience abandon any lady who is as your fine self pursued by less savory characters of the accursed Borgias. And so, I would ask that you tell us why you are marked by the crimson-clad scum, once and for all. After that fact, we should discuss our best course of action to proceed with." He bowed as he finished speaking.

The woman cocked her head curiously as Erdu described himself.

"A fighter?" She pursed her lips as though deep in thought before Jack interjected. She eyed the man coolly. "I cannot tell you why those men are pursuing me because I do not in all honesty know myself." She started off down the narrow back street, once again quickly navigating its twists and turns with what appeared to be the confidence of someone whe had lived in the area for many years. "However, I do know that they will not stop merely because they have lost a few of their number." She paused before continuing. "I will need a bodyguard." The woman turned to Erdu. "You say you are a fighter. How good are you?" She asked.

As the woman turned away after inspecting him, Erdu nodded in the captain's direction hoping that he would understand even if he didn't choose to follow. Erdu fell into step behind the woman, slightly off to her left, and shifted his focus to their changing surroundings as they headed towards a destination he assumed only the woman knew.

When she turned to ask him the question, he did not meet her gaze but instead kept an eye on where they were going and any possible points from which they could be ambushed. "I believe I am sufficient to the task."

"In the year since my journey began, I have taken more lives than I care to count," he continued regretfully. "They had all put themselves in the place where the only possible outcome would be death. An unfortunate truth that I do my best to avoid when possible. If this large man who expressed intent to harm one of your company appears, then I believe you will see a true measure of my ability."

Thinking of the man from the gambling hall caused Erdu to well up with a somber delight. It wasn't merely his size, but also his skill. He was not an opponent to be taken lightly, and would without question toss aside the reservation's Erdu had about taking life. Erdu paused in his thoughts to appreciate the fine balance he now found himself in: both wanting the conflict to occur for the sake of the challenge, but hoping that they could somehow elude the man for the sake of their safety. He found it to be a profoundly wonderful position that he had not had the pleasure of being in before. Turning his eyes to look at the woman, he realized that he would have to dedicate time in meditation upon this paradox in the future.

"I'm afraid you'll have to offer me more assurance than just your word. After all, I only just met you." The woman trod carefully around the detrius of the streets gutters, coming to a stop only to allow a cart of produce to rattle across the uneven cobblestones before her. She listened to Erdu continue. "A large man you say?" The woman pursed her lips, touching a finger to them thoughtfully. "This place seems to be full of such brutes." She cast a sardonic glance back towards Jck and Vinsces as she continued on with her brisk walk.

"You say you abhore violence. Then how is it you came to master it so?" Her tone was weary and disinterested, as though she had engaged in such a conversation many times before.

It was the early afternoon now and the street sellers were in full swing, their carts and stalls lined the already narrow streets, which formed a bottleneck of eagerly jostling city folk. As they passed the enthusiastic merchants called out to them with bellowing cries like the sound of trumpets. The sumptuous scents of exotic spices and perfumes mingled with the rotten odour of waste and damp in a sickly sweet stench which trickled down the back of one's throat in the most unpleasent way.

[OOC: this post covers from the time Erdu was just speaking until the time the encounter begins. I will not post again until everyone is ready to begin the fight (which they can do before I post again as you will see), and I am assuming posts that follow will be each person's perspective of that time period.]

Erdu had not spent a great time in this city, in fact it was very new to him and the overall sense of fascination had not yet receded. However, he did recognize a particular building ahead and set his sights on it. As the woman had been speaking, the large man from the gambling hall had overplayed his hand.

Whether by accident or on purpose, Erdu could not be sure, though he supposed the former. Yet a man, who most certainly was one of his henchman or some equivalent, had moved just a bit too obviously in his effort to follow the small group, revealing his presence to Erdu's watchful eyes. Though there had been no indication of immediate purpose, the man's presence confirmed Erdu's suspicions: the large man was trailing them, waiting for a moment of opportunity. The one thing he hoped his opponent would not expect was that such an opportunity would be forced to occur.

Placing his hand at the small of the woman's back and guiding with only enough contact to indicate direction, Erdu made his thoughts known. "The moment of your assurances seems to be upon us. I believe this building will suit our purposes." Arriving at the thick wooden door, Erdu saw that it was still chained, as he had observed before, the rust on the padlock declaring the length of time it had been in disuse. The lock was far more ineffective than the building would prove to be. With a swift kick, he struck one of the handles through which the chain had been run, completely dislodging it from the door. With a gentle push, he opened the door and immediately walked inside, calmly suggesting his plan to those behind him.

"We should make our stand here," he spoke over his right shoulder with a clear steady tone. "I think there will be no fewer than three, but expect more." Erdu quickly surveyed the building for the second time. It was easily 30 feet across and equally high while twice as deep; square support beams ran from floor to ceiling in two even rows on either side of the building. Halfway into the building a second floor overshadowed the first, accessed by a straight staircase on the left hand side. That was where he had been during the first viewing, having climbed into the building through a second story window that looked out onto the roof of an adjoining building. Designed to function as a warehouse that was now empty, the windows were few in number, providing bright thin arcs of sunlight that bathed the exposed half of the first floor in an amber glow. The back portion of the first floor, as well as most of the second, was immersed in near total blackness.

Speedily removing his outer coat and tunic and carefully setting them by one of the support beams, Erdu turned to face the door with increased determination. "The lady," he said indicated the woman in gray with his open left hand, "should take up position behind me. You others may do as you wish. I believe we will have perhaps two more minutes to prepare." Rubbing his chin that was now peppered with stubble, relishing the raw sensation as he drove his mind to a place of intense focus.

He had been "aroused from sleep", as he often referred to it, when he had first spotted the man on the street. From that point, his surroundings had become increasingly blurred to the point at which he found himself now, as he made final mental preparations for combat. Though the others in the group had responded to his actions, they ceased to exist. His entire world now consisted of a thin strip of white over twenty feet away that looked out onto the market. An eternity silently passed as he waited those two minutes patiently, their ending announced by eight men errupting into the building. The large man entered immediately behind them, totally concealing the presence of the opening with his girth.


"Please leave that one to me ," Erdu called out loudly as his eyes locked with the giant. There was no tremor in the man's gaze, nor the slightest indication of intimidation or false bravado: this would indeed be a fight that Erdu would not soon forget.

"Unless of course I die," Erdu thought to himself, unable to resist smiling generously at such a challenge. "For you, I think I take off my shirt," he challenged spryly as he casually tossed the white garment and sheath on top of the others. This would require as little restriction as possible, though he knew it would be inappropriate to disrobe any further.

The woman did as Erdu bid, allowing him to guide her into the run down building even as she uttered words of protest.

"Wait." She urged Erdu and the others. "When I said I wanted assurance of your skill I didn't mean like this!" Her mouth arched into a deep frown as she tugged on Erdu's arm. "We should try to reason with them or at least flee first." She looked around at the interior of the rough edged grey brick building and frowned. Escape would be difficult through the slim windows, it seemed that they had been hemmed in and as the stream of light through the door of the room was broken by the bulky frame of their first assailant. She sighed with resignation.

"Well. If you must fight..." She bit her lip in consternation as though mulling over her feelings on the matter. "Don't kill them at least." She pleaded as she released Erdu, sinking back into the dark recesses of the room behind Vinsces.

Jack took Erdu's nodding indication, and following a basic bodyguard pattern, moved in front of and to the woman's right, keeping his eyes open on all the streets and alleys they passed. He looked at the giant spearman, and said: "My big friend, it would do me great joy if you would indulge a young sky pirate and stay close to the ladies, as we do not wish any harm upon them." The giant made a grin and a thumbs up, and said:

"Leave it to me, little brother. Bwahahahaha!"

A small smile appeared for a moment on the pirate's young face.
"Hm..." He made a thoughtful but amused sound, and then nodded appreciatively as he refocused his attention on the dark alleys they passed. It was not long before both Jack and Erdu realized they were being followed. As one body, the bodyguards took the woman inside cover. Jack unsheathed his blade and made up the rear while Vinsces followed Erdu and the women inside. Finally, Jack closed the door behind them, and looked around.

"We should make our stand here," Erdu said with a decicive tone. "I think there will be no fewer than three, but expect more."

Jack moved up behind him, his marvelous dragon saber in hand, and his sharp eyes locked on the door.
"I disagree, friend." He said. His politeness was now gone, as if his personality had suddenly and drastically changed, and his tone was edged by deadly professionalism only. "One or two of us should stay and fight them. But someone should leave with the nameless lady over there." He motioned with his head towards the woman. "They need to take her to safety. The two who stay behind will have to fight and keep the enemy back." He looked at his friends, and added: "It will be a dangerous task. But so will escorting her out of here."

Then, the door suddenly smashed open. The enemies stepped inside - among them the giant of a man they had seen previously in the gambling den. Erdu seemed eager to take on the man. Jack nodded at his comment, saying:

"He's all yours. I'll take care of the small-fry, then." He looked over to Vinsces, and started to talk, but Vinsces interrupted him:

"I know, little brother, I know. Take the pretty girls out of here, right? Bwahahaha! Leave it to me!" He slammed his fist into his chest, swinging his spear around in a martial-like circle, before turning to the grey-clad woman, gesturing for her to follow him. His joking attitude seemed to disappear, as he added: "Don't worry. They'll be fine. It takes more than small-fry to kill them. Bwahahaha!" With that, he started to search for a back entrance or something that would allow them to escape.

Jack smiled silently, even going so far as to chuckle to himself when realizing how lucky he was to have made friends like Vinsces.
"Well, when he put it like that, I guess we can't very well lose, now can we, friend?" He said to Erdu, before launching himself against his enemies with a blood-freezing battle cry.

"You think you are that good," the giant mocked in response to Erdu's disrobing as he casually walked to a closing distance. Whether he understood the reason for his partial nudity or not was unclear, but he could not safely assume the advantage. At least not yet. Matching the larger man's pace and stance, Erdu also closed, stopping just an arm's reach from the man with much larger and longer arms.

"Perhaps we find out," he countered, the smile almost completely dissolved from his face. Though he had been aware of the captain speaking, the words ran together like the sound of a babbling brook. Most of Erdu's energy had now been focused on a single target, and that focus would not shift until one of them was eliminated. He watched calmly as the giant silently laughed at him, clearly thinking himself the superior combatant in this fight: an advantage Erdu enjoyed, though for how long was indeterminable. Remaining in his stance, which likely seemed to not be a stance by appearances, Erdu waited for several moments as his gaze remained locked with the giant's. The first move would belong to the attacker.



Without even a change of expression from the cocky smile he wore, the giant thrust out a large meaty fist in a blur. It had been fast, so fast that as Erdu sidestepped the blow he felt the zip of the air against his ribs, but not fast enough. Certainly not as fast as his own strike: a firm open handed slap to the man's cheek that landed with a audibly sharp crack. Taking two quick steps back the instant his hand had connected to remove himself from the man's range , Erdu remained locked on the man's eyes. His face had exploded in shock and rage as the searing pain from the slap began to register. It had been an intentionally taunting maneuver, which placed Erdu at some risk, yet he had to know for sure just how stern this one could be once his head was fully in the fight.

"I was going to kill you quickly," the giant spat in a quiet tone full of intense disgust. Snapping into a solid boxer's stance, the giant began taking small steps forward, inching his way closer to Erdu. Though he initially attempted to circle his opponent, the first steps had indicated the man's prowess: there would be little chance to avoid direct confrontation. Still utilizing a disposition that was more reactionary than aggressive, Erdu maintained his steady breathing waiting for the next move.

Another step forward was followed by a swift kick. It had been the man's right leg, which was in the front position, and the kick had drove straight rather than sweeping up. Erdu had responded with his right foot, kicking to deflect the blow, but his effectiveness was greatly diminished. The blow had been swift; still not as swift as Erdu himself, but it showed promise of being near equal. The strength of the blow, however, drove Erdu's foot backward momentarily throwing off his balance. He had not expected such power. Shifting his feet as he stepped back and forth between the giant's left and right sides, Erdu mentally adjusted for the difference in strength. There would also be little chance of overpowering his opponent.


The sound of a blocked strike that echoed off the wooden walls had registered with both men, seemingly ending the first testing round. Moving forward quickly with large steps, the giant drove towards Erdu with opened arms as if to crush him. Instantly dropping to the floor in a sort of half roll on the man's left, Erdu moved behind the man and struck out his left foot intending to buckle the left knee. The giant had stopped mid step and turned just enough to take the impact on the side of his knee as his foot settled back on the floor rendering the kick almost completely ineffective. As Erdu stood to his feet, he swing his arms to the left in a circular motion to deflect the incoming right-handed uppercut as the giant continued to turn. Though his hands struck the man's wrist and forearm, the deflection of the arced swing only managed to tilt Erdu into his opponent, his back nearing the man's chest.

Not wasting the opportunity, the man closed his left arm with his right, linking hands and pulling Erdu in close to crush him. Erdu, having already cleared his arms, drove them upward, striking the man's chin with full force as his left foot drove down into the inside of the man's knee. The giant arched his back slightly with the blow to the face, causing his crushing grip to loosen just enough for Erdu to use the momentum from the kick to propel himself upward in a twisting motion. Though the man instantly resumed his crushing, his hands were now at the small of Erdu's back while his own chin was now above the eye level of the giant.

Ignoring the pain creeping up his spine, Erdu used the position to drive a flurry of full strength blows to the giant's left and right temples in a blur. Reactively, Erdu could feel the grip lessen as the man's attention was diverted to the pain registering in his head. Seizing the opportunity, he drove his left knee into the man's stomach just beneath the sternum, moving his right foot high up his opponent's body as his hands drove down on the man's shoulders. The blow had caused the large man to double slightly, providing Erdu just enough room to step off his left bicep as his arms lifted him up and over the giant's head. Snapping his left foot backward, Erdu struck the back of the man's skull hoping to send him tumbling as his own arms arced forward in preparation for his landing. A wave of shock swept over Erdu as he felt a blow glance his right shin. Though it had not been very powerful, the man had been fast enough to turn and strike his leg with enough force to offset the angle of his fall, causing Erdu to tumble sloppily to the floor.

Standing quickly as he turned to face his opponent, Erdu observed that he had pulled a thick short blade resembling a meat cleaver as he smiled sadistically. "You are good! I'm going to enjoy taking your blood." In the shuffle they had circled and now the giant stood between Erdu and his own blade. Taking a quick deep breath, he prepared himself for the next assault. Though the conflict had been ongoing for mere seconds, Erdu began to perceive the strain that would be involved before this was over. As the giant rushed in determinedly, Erdu readied himself to land the first round of lethal blows.

The woman followed Vinsces further into the gloomy recesses of the stark stone building where it soon became obvious that the only escape route would be the narrow windows set high above into the bare stone walls. The walls themsevles were smooth enough that finding purchase to climb them would be impossible and as she scanned the empty warehouse she was dismayed to find that there was no other way of reaching them, the contents of the old storehouse having long since been emptied. Only a few splintered crates and discarded pottery remained in the dusty, run down room.

One after the other the thugs filed into the building and though Jack was able to distract many of them a few managed to force their way past his offensive in the confusion, making straight for the trio at the back of the room and cornering them.

Trio? This is where they would notice that Jade was no longer with them. She'd slipped away through one of the side alleys while they were talking about this and that... and to think, that skinny guy thought he was some kind of master fighter? She had held back a scoff when she'd heard, mostly because the man who taught her how to fight couldn't have weighed more than eighty pounds soaking wet. It was a mistake to underestemate someone just because they looked frail. Jade herself had found her way out to the markets, and was bartering away her winnings at the shops. She had purchaced herself a nice new scarf, one that was lighter and not quite as stifling in the humidity as her crimson desert wrap. It was made of some kind of breatheable material she hadn't encountered before, and had an almost irridescent sheen even though it was dyed black. She was sure to purchase some other clothing to replace the rest of her desert garb, and folded it neatly into her pack before she started to head for the city gate.

She had decided to just go and let destiny take her wherever it willed, to explore on her own, as being stifled by overprotective males wasn't really her thing. She had decided to just leave them to their fates. She had decided to rid herself of the bother of company and whatever trouble they kept attracting to themselves... why was she just staring at the gate and not walking through it?

"Crimeny," she muttered... it was a swear word her sensei had made up and had rubbed off on her. Jade turned away from the gate and slipped silently into the alleys, reaching out with her mind and searching for the imprints of the companions she'd previously thought had served their purpose. It took a few minutes, but what she found wasn't entirely unexpected... excitement, determination, the overbearing sense that they were protecting someone helpless. The fight was already well on its way when she arrived and she was content to watch Erdu battle the giant from the entrance for a few moments before she decided to involve herself.

"Can't you boys behave for one minute without adult supervision? Seriously, I can't take you anywhere! And you!!" She pointed accusingly at the giant, whom she recognized from the gambling hall. "You're just jealouse that you were out gambled by a girl." She smirked under her scarf, having observed Erdu shifting his stance in preparation to deliver a lethal blow and was hoping her words would distract the giant for just one moment. Jade could tell from the look in Erdu's eyes that he probably wouldn't even register that she was there. It didn't matter one way or the other, really, since Jade had closed the distance between them almost before he could have turned his head towards her.

The "whoosh" sound of Jade flitting past, followed by the vibrato of ringing Kisharan steel as it sliced through the giant's weapon, sending the business end of his cleaver spinning into the dirt would likely be the last thing he heard before Erdu extracted his spine out of his body through some oraface... or whatever it was Erdu was planning to end him with. Years of running, fighting, and hiking through the loose sand of the dunes had awarded her a frightening quickness while on solid earth. It was almost as though the air was humming with power... the air was humming with power, and it let loose all at once like a great release of tension, or a thunderclap without a sound. Jade's emerald eyes were flashing as a wave of force gouged out the floor, leaving a comet shaped divot in the ground as it ripped the thugs fighting Jack clean off their feet and hurled them into a heap against the wall with bone crushing force.

Jade dashed past Jack as the hum of power built up about her again. By the time she reached Vinsces and the woman in grey, it would almost be resonating through their bodies like a great bass thrum as it rattled light fixtures free of the walls and sent cracks splintering through the mortar between bricks as she passed. She couldn't let this one fly and get everyone at once without hitting Vinsces and the girl as well, so she made a great effort to tighten the blast into more of a column than a cone, and aim it to just hit the one thug in her way. Jade slid to a halt behind her target and slammed her fist into his back as she released the wave of force, blasting the thug forward, past the woman and Vincses and through the wall at the back of the warehouse.

"Ladies and gentlemen... the exit is now open."

As the voice sounded behind him, Erdu registered the tone as harmless and remained focused on his approaching target. He was not prepared for what would come next.

With a sound a feeling as though the very air between them had parted, Erdu observed a figure pass between them as the giant's blade was cut almost to the handle. The action had likely been intended as a distraction, and it had worked. As he returned his eyes to his opponent, the larger man slashed deftly at him with the nub of a blade. He had not been so taken with the figure as Erdu had, giving him the clear advantage as the bit of metal still left extending from the handle of the weapon sliced across an arm extended too late to provide an adequate deflection. Dropping to one knee, Erdu drove all his weight in an upward arc as his hand struck the man's left ribs which resounded with a dull snap. Sliding his left foot in a circular motion along the floor, Erdu ducked under the giant's left arm and stood as he turned, quickly transferring his weight to the right foot as his left shot backward in an effective kick striking somewhere above the man's hip bone.

When Erdu turned again, aware of the burning pain emanating from his left forearm, he watched the larger man crash clumsily into the wall next to the still open door, the damaged weapon clattering noisily to the floor. Though he began moving smoothly to the right, his opponent had already considered the possibility of being outflanked and threw his left leg backward in a sloppy kick that missed by no small distance. But it had earned the man a bit more breathing room.

Erdu continued to circle to the right, more slowly now, as the man moved to where his opponent had been standing. Clutching his ribs with his right arm, he smiled wickedly. That bones had been broken, there was no doubt, but this one's smile betrayed some other advantage Erdu had not yet seen. Slowly, and not removing his eyes from Erdu's gaze, the man bent down and placed his left hand in the small puddle of blood that had formed when his blade had made contact. Erdu watched with widening eyes as the blood seemed to dissolve as it receded towards the man's hand. Standing again, having erased any presence of blood from the floor in only a moment, the giant stood tall and stretched his arms over head as a quiet popping echoed from his left side. The wicked grin had only intensified.

"What is this madness," Erdu could not help muttering in shock.

Again taking advantage of opportunity, the larger man closed the distance between them in a seemingly instant stride. As the large meaty fist struck his chest near where he had been marked, Erdu felt a wave of force flow through him to the wall behind him as his back struck it, snapping one of the boards with a sharp crack. The feeling that followed was unlike anything Erdu had experienced before, as though he were simultaneously suffocating and being pricked by thousands of tiny needles. The blow had instantly stopped his heart plunging him into darkness as the man prepared for a second strike.










Feeling as though he was falling through endless dark, Erdu observed nothingness in horror as he descended deeper and deeper. Suddenly a scene flashed before him, only for an instant. A man on the field of battle. A large battle. Banners littered the ground as the man through whose vision Erdu watched looked down at the shaft of an arrow piercing his chest before the whole scene fled as quickly as it had appeared.

Darkness again seized hold of him for moments that seemed endless.


As his body shook violently, Erdu faced a pair of searing white eyes without pupils that were unnaturally large. As these eyes pierced him with a gaze that lit his soul on fire in agonizing pain, his body shook violently again. Wincing his eyes against the pain, Erdu opened them to see the large man standing over him preparing for another blow while his other hand was viciously wrapped around his throat.

Instantly renewed with vigor as his heart again pumped blood through his system, Erdu struck a closed fist out at the man's crotch. Not waiting for the painful answer as the man doubled, Erdu quickly swept his left foot up and around the arm around the arm holding him down as he placed the back of his knee on top of the foot locking in the hold. As a look of pain electrified the man's face, he exerted downward pressure instantly snapping the arm at the joint. The giant, mid-swing, now tumbled forward crashing against the wall as Erdu untangled his foot and struck the man's throat with his heel. Another moment and the man was falling in a messy heap to Erdu's right as he rolled backwards and stood to his feet. It was then that he realized he had not taken a single breath.



Breathing deeply, Erdu felt a warm fire course through his veins chasing away any fatigue that had previously restricted him. The giant began lumbering to his feet again as Erdu took an instant to check himself: the cut on his forearm was impossibly non existent, and though his mind still reeled from the pain that the blows to his chest had caused, the only noticeable change was a deepening of the redness of the mark on his chest as though it had been infused with fresh blood. Erdu's paired strikes would have ended any man his size, yet this one now stood before him. Even though he was gingerly holding his now limp arm, the man's face still showed a strength that had not been exhausted.

"We aren't done," the giant growled as he stepped into the doorway. "Your kind will get theirs soon enough." The wicked grin had returned to his face for an instant before the man leaped inhumanly skyward out of sight. Though he was calm with a confidence that he would have emerged the victor, Erdu was glad for the moment that the fight had ended. Turning his back to the door, Erdu looked towards the others that had entered with him, wondering if they had fared so well.

(Apologies if this is a bit shakey, I was rather later than I would have liked in introducing her)

Hells on a race horse, these people were mad. Inali had quietly trailed the fascinating group from Edwin's gambling hall, where he'd been raging about lost revenue from bad custom worrrying off other patrons. She'd kept her knapsack with her and in plain view, moseying along after them. The shaven man was a problem, his eyes were a hawk, sharp for snakes. So was not tripping over the hard folk following them. She didn't like the look of the giant. Something sour and ugly sparked in him. She'd not want to have to fight him. Instead Inali decided to trail them, hunting the hunters.

She was curious about Grey, as she'd dubbed the woman child in the cloak. Evidently this was revolving around her, regardless of Captain Highwind. Inali had taken a moment to place his features, the scar tugging at her mind. She'd seen a drawing of him when leaving a watch station in a city somewhere back on the Meridian border. She'd guess he'd aged a bit since then, perhaps five years by her skewed reckoning. At least she no longer panicked and gave her age as forty when humans asked. It would seem she was among few in recognising his face, he'd been given no particular trouble for all the Vado called for his blood.

When they'd vanished into the building ahead of her, Inali figured she'd want a better look before having to go through the one door. She moved quietly around the building, noting the length of the building. It crossed to the next street but didn't have another entrance. Glancing down the facade, Inali could see where an entrance had been blocked in and plastered over. Perhaps the building had another purpose before being a storehouse. Inali slipped back along, stopping in the middle of the alley. It was perhaps a grown man's armspan, and there were narrow windows. She looked to either side for anybody paying attention. None.

Inali suddenly surged up the wall in a fluid and silent motion, stopping at one of the highest windows. The beauty of humans; they so rarely looked up. Leathery limbs clinging to the warehouse as well as bracing against the other building across the alley, Inali looked in.

The shaved man was going toe to toe with the giant. And the giant... Inali narrowed her eyes, assessing him. It was restorative, but something was off. The giant simply absorbed the lost blood back into himself. He didn't regenerate any of it. The shaved man was in trouble. And then his heart stopped. Inali saw it, the little spark of life. It looked like sunlight seen through a thin scraped hide, and it went out.

And came back on. Inali had heard of it but not yet witnessed such a thing, committing the sight to memory for recording. His ancestor did not sleep. He was wide awake and strong. If she could, Inali must ask him about it.

The cunning woman was explosive, literally. Inali winced at so much uncontained and raw power being thrown around like bread dough in a bakery. Had nobody ever trained her? How could the cunning woman's elders missed so much talent? Allowed her to learn to grasp but not to weild? That was dangerous and Inali suddenly very much wished she wasn't hanging on the wall when she threw an assailant through the bricked up door. If her power got away then despite how quick Inali was, up here was not the place to be if the building began to collapse.

She glanced back to the giant in time to see him leave. The moment he leapt, Inali scuttled the further four feet up, seeing the man descend in a grand arc. He would be several streets away by the time he landed. Not true flight, but close enough. The young cecaelia had been right, he was indeed sour.

Enough. That was a lead she couldn't follow for now, and what she could learn about the motley crew inside was so much more tempting. She would drop down and continue to follow them unobtrusively until a good time to make herself known. Coming so close on the heels of being persued for reasons other than a chat, she could be unwelcome. Even if cecaelia were known in Northwall, they were still not always well received and these were clearly travellers.

Jack sheathed his saber as the enemies retracted, though only after lashing out with it, throwing the blood off of the blade. Afterwards, he turned to Jade, stepped up to her, and bowed deeply.

"Forgive me, my lady, for underestimating your considerable powers." He said. "It seems, as much of the world as I have seen, I yet have a lot to learn about it. Where I come from there are few ladies such as yourself who show any interest in defending themselves. I have shamed you by comparing you to such women, and you are worthy of better. I offer my deepest and most sincere apologies." He added as he bowed deeply once more.

He then stood up and looked around, surveying the carnage around them. Erdu caught his eye, and the sky pirate frowned slightly as his eyes fell on the man's red mark. Somehow, it seemed just a little more red than usual. Jack frowned, but shook his head, silently dismissing it as his imagination. Instead, his eyes drifted back to the two women in the room - Jade, who's newly-discovered powers remained unclear, and the lady in grey, who's name even was a mystery to them.

His eyes drifted between the two of them, as if wondering who he should ask first. Finally, his eyes fell on the woman in grey, and he frowned with dislike.

"My Lady..." He said. "If I may be so impetious... We have all been very understanding of your plight so far, and with the exception of this lowly pirate, none other have pried into your secrets. However, I would wish to call to your attention the fact we have, twice now, saved your life, yet you have not even shown the most basic common courtesy of introducing yourself. Where I anything less than a gentleman of fortune as I am, I would be offended by such impoliteness. Furthermore, I do believe you owe our new-found friend here..." He made an outreached gesture towards Erdu. "...an answer in regard to his offer of protection. In short, my lady, I do believe it's time for you to converse with us all, on several subjects that need illumination. Would you please indulge us?" He finished, his eyes looking sharply at the woman.