Snippet #2539450

Selena ran towards the swordwoman, but caught a glimpse of an attack out of the corner of her eye. She jumped to the side to avoid it just in the nick of time as a large club swept past her, then she saw the razor sharp wind coming at her from the side and she jumped off to the side a few feet away from the two, taking a defensive stance and waiting for their move.

Asha carefully eyed the assassin's movements as she leapt out of the way of her razor wind and swiftly avoided her sword strike. She scanned her stance, taking note of even the slightest nuances, all the while turning her own momentum around and initiating a second dash. She was to attempt the 1.5 second reflective slash wherein she'd make a single horizontal strike during her gap closer and then instantly repeat it on the opposite side for a clean cut in half.

Bliston snorted as his attack missed. He watched his targets movements, and was surprised to see she had the traits of a a beast kin half breed. This one was clearly skilled though, judging by the speed of her movements. Much more skilled than anything this trash could usually sport. He would have stayed on her but he caught a glimpse of the other bandits circling around him again. Growling a bit, he stepped back and let the swordswoman take her for now and focused instead on the larger mass of people. He did keep an eye on them though, his curiosity now piqued.

Selena saw the daemon turning toward the bandits, but saw that he's still keeping an eye on them. She saw the swordswoman doing the another almost similar move again, she easily dodged it by ducking very close to the ground. She started to whistle, but no sound came out of her mouth. By the time the second slash came, she leap forward and passed the swordswoman.
Asha took note of her opponent's speed, who not only dodged the first strike, but quickly evaded the second one as well, dodging out of the way to her side. She slid her blade back into its sheath and hover her hand over the hilt, taking an incredibly obvious sword drawing stance. Hm, that was my fastest attack. Looks like it still needs some work, then. This time she approached her very gradually, her eyes completely fixated on her opponent's form. She's definitely much faster than I am, that's for sure, but it won't matter. I'm getting used to her movements. Did she call for back up? Her eyes briefly picked through the surrounding trees. A bluff? Doesn't matter right now, there's someone in front of me.

Selena drew out some of her throwing knives. She has only very little left, but she can pick out the knives she previously thrown knives if she can find the chance to get it. While the swordswoman isn't making her move yet, she took this chance to attack. She threw three knives at her, expecting her to dodge it and use the chance to cut the vital in her neck with her dagger.
Asha knew exactly what was about to happen as soon as the assassin pulled her throwing knives out, but did nothing to show that she was preparing for an attack, continuing forward without breaking her stride. She wasn't entirely sure yet, but she'd confirm it as it happened and react accordingly. Three daggers came flying at her and she instantly reacted by drawing her sword and released a wave of energy that knocked two out of them out of the air by drawing a line between them. Since the blade move in the opposite direction of the knives and became wider as it gained speed, she'd have to divert some of her momentum in trying to dodge her attack as well. Asha took a slight step backwards to have the third knife pass by her, already having sheathed her blade again and waiting for the assassin to completely close the distance.

Selena saw the swordswoman knocked and dodged the knives. It wasn't entirely unexpected, but she lost her chance to aim for an opening. Fighting close combat is not really her thing, she would rather hit her and jump a few feets away, but the swordswoman isn't that easy. Her ears twitched as she heard rustling nearby, six wolves jumped out to the open and moved to Selena's side. Baring their teeth at the swordswoman. She commanded the wolves to attack the swordswoman's limbs with a silent voice unheard by man's ears. The wolves nodded and jumped toward the swordswoman's limbs, two aiming for the arm holding the sword.
While all this was going on, not eleven feet away Bliston was still dealing with the mass of of nervous thugs. He already had them off balance, but he was getting bored of dealing with lowgrade scum like this. Considering how they were already beginning to dwindle a bit, he figured it was about time he pushed them from frightened, to traumatized. Another bandit tried to sneak around to his side again and try for a stab at his flanks. Bliston reach out with his left hand and grabbed the man by the face, hefting him up into the air. Perfect. This one would do nicely. "You bore me, weaklings." He snarled. He began squeezing the mans head, illicting a series of screams from him. Several of his companions on the ground visibly flinched at the noise. "Flee. Flee for your wretched lives and I may yet spare you whelps." They backed up but didn't run. A sinister smile etched its way under his helm "I SAID FLEE WRETCHED WORMS!" He boomed. With a twist of his hand he broke the bandits neck, tossed him into the air, and then smashed his body with the warclub, sending it sailing into the crowd of bandits infront of him. The effect was instantaneous, and the thugs scattered, broke ranks and ran to get away from the massive daemon. Smiling to himself he turned back to where the wolfkin and the swordswoman we're fighting, just in time to catch sight of the wolves breaking through the brush. He laughed, and called out "Need help?" to Asha.

Watching as the wolves came around at Selena's side, Asha heard the armored daemon ask if she needed assistance. "If you're able, then I'd certainly appreciate it," she said, watching closely as the wolves came at her. Since there was still some distance between them, she used her razor wind to strike them from afar, releasing one after another in rapid succession. They weren't as strong as her usual ones, but there were multiple wolves to deal with that were closing in on her so there was no time to complain. They weren't quite lethal, but they would serve as a rather painful deterrent against them. To make the best use out of her attacks, she aimed for their legs to disable their mobility.

The wolves whimpered as they dragged their bodies back toward Selena. Some were still able about two of them. The wolves she called was quite weak compared to the others, but she knew that the swordswoman's blow was quite weak, either it is because it is to push the wolves away or she is exhausted. Thought she doubts that. The others lied on the side, and licking each others wound. She commanded the two to attack her again, but this time they started leaping in an unpredictable zigzag motion. Selena did the same, but instead of charging toward her straight on, she leapt behind her and stab her at the back of her neck.

As the wolfkin girl rounded behind Asha, closing in for a strike from her behind, a voice echoed incredibly close by. "Hold there." That was the only warning Selena would get before the studded back of Bliston's gauntlet began swinging its way on an intercept course with the wolfkin's own face.

She knew the assassin was fast, but her movements exceeded her expectations - the assassin was behind her in a flash and she was about to move to confront her when the armored daemon came charging in, swinging his fist at her. Figuring he could take her, she decided to quickly take care of the wolves - they were moving in a bizarre zigzag pattern that ultimately didn't accomplish much and only wasted their energy, as Asha could see where they would jump to before they even started to leap - she predicted their trajectories and in rapid succession, sent out two full power razor winds toward them, striking them both dead on before quickly turning around to flank Selena.

Selena saw the daemon's fist coming toward her face. She can hear each of his loud step as he ran toward her from behind and easily dodged by leaping sideward and toward the thicker part of the forest. She saw the two of her wolves dead as the swordswoman easily read their movement.

Finishing off the last of the bandits, Lana took notice of one of them trying to make a break for it into the forest. Scowling, she summoned a molten torrent of fire in her hand and launched it - the large ball of flame exploded in mid-air and released a volley of small fire balls that scattered in a wide area in front of Selena, blocking her off from the forest.

Under his helm, Bliston grinned. "Hold!" He shouted, and held up a hand in a pause sign whilst still keeping one eye on the wolfkin girl. "The hostages are the priority, remember. Go back up the other team." He ordered Lana.

The bandit leader started to call for Selena's help. With her great hearing she could hear it from distance away. While they were talking, she suddenly leapt away from them and run back to the camp at full speed. Feeding them her dust. The moment before she entered the camp She felt a wall blocking her way as a large blueish dome was covering the camp. She looked back toward the diversion team. The only who could have possible done it was the gnome who is not suitable for physical combat.

"Your friends there are finished girl." Bliston called to her.

"I want to burn her to cinders," Lana said in a flat tone, embers sparking in her hands. "I'm not letting her get away."

"Calm yourself child." Blistion barked. "And did I not give you instructions? Leave this one to us, the others could probably use you more."

Lana rolled her eyes and put out the flames for now, heading toward the rescue team. Despite her rampage, she hadn't quite quelled her bloodthirst yet, but she'd have to let it sit for now. "Fine."

In the distance they could all hear Jor cackling madly as he felled more bandits. He seemed to be doing well, rounding up the ones who were fleeing and ridding them of vital organs and gallons of blood.

The little spite fire now diverted for now, the daemon turned his full attention to the wolfkin. In his earlier haste to aid Asha he had abandond Hevnoraak behind, but the horned man didn't seem to care about his disarmed state. Infact, he seemed rather confidant as he took slow delibrate strides towards the wolfkin girl. "So..." He started with the tone of someone discussing the weather. "You're a skilled little lass, aren't you? Whats someone with your talent hanging about with this country bumpkin trash?"

Selena looked toward the daemon. "I was hired, much like you, Bliston." She answered, not a hint of anxiety in her voice.

"Hired?" Hints of a chuckle entered his voice. "How many sovereigns could this lot pay you."

"300 sovereigns down payment and a quarter of the treasures hidden underneath Andril." Selena answered him. She pretty much lost, there's no reason for her to not answer their questions.

"300!?" Bliston burst into laughter. "That's a pitiful pay for a fool's errand like this." Honestly, kidnapping and sending a ransom to a larger and more well equipped military force was the kind of things idiot bandits would do. "That's making the assumption the gold under the keep even exists." Crossing his arms on his chest, he tilited his head at her, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "And thats also even assuming this rabble would even be willing to follow up on that payment. Tell me, how did you plan on transporting that much gold? In your pockets? Carrying it in your arms?"

"They were supposed to give me a wagon to carry it back, and the treasures underneath the fort is true." She answered again, not the slighest bit unnerved or annoyed by Bliston's mockery.

"Yes and trotting through the country side with a wagon full of gold wouldn't attract any sort of attention, or questions." He waved his hand in a circular motion, and began to pace around her. "There is a reason why most just take coin, kid. It's easier to cash in, don't need to worry about fencing it, and you don't need to put as much effort into hidding it."

"I don't plan to bring it in just any place."

"Of course not, but maybe you should think about avoiding taking your jobs from low down rabble who have a tendancy of getting way to far in over their heads. There is an easier way of getting money, girl, and it involves getting a healthy bit of respect along with it. Something this lot of bush sqautters could never give you." He took a sit not to far from her, on a fallen tree, and motioned for her to sit on a stump across from him. "Would you care to hear a proposition miss...?" He trailled off, trying to indicate that he wanted her to introduce herself.

Selena sat on the tree stump across from Bliston. As the one who lost, she has to comply to their demands. "Proposition?" She asked, slightly curious, but not the slightest hint of it in her voice.

Bliston removed his helm. Setting it aside, he leaned forward a bit, crossing his hands and resting his chin on them. "The life of a mercenary isn't always the easiest one." He started "S*** pay, dangerous work, and if things go wrong you can be branded a criminal and end up running from the law. But some, rare few, they get that lucky break. They find someone of some high standing that notices them, hires them, and if they do well may hire them again. They build a reputation, establish a ring of contacts that employ them regularly, and eventually find people coming to them with a job, instead of having to hunt down someone willing to shell out pay." A grin was still etched into the daemons face. "For someone like me who's been in the buisness long enough, I've had the good fortune of that kind of reputation for being reliable for a while now. And as such I occasionally get contacted by some fairly high rollers. Just recently, infact, I had received a write of summons by the king of Londe himself." That grin grew. "And the job as was summoned for, was the slaying of a particular dragon thats been harrassing his people." He leaned back, hands now resting on his knees. "I was intrigued by this offer, but the more I think about it the more I beleive that we'd need a tad more man power to bring this drake down. So to that end I extend my offer. How would you like to leave these small time country trash behind, and join a wyrm hunt commissioned by his royal magesty himself?"

Selena listened attentively to Bliston's lectures. She is excellent at doing her job, but not that good at choosing it. She can see the difference in experience between them. "I see your point. I accept your offer. I lost, you win, that's all that there is." She answered. She failed and her client is most probably dead. She will have to return the coins, even to a corpse.

With most of the bandits defeated and the rest being swiftly mopped up by Jor, Iator came out of hiding. He removed the spell on himself and the many copies vanished. It seemed as though the displacement spell he had cast on the others had dissipated over time as well. With the wolf-kin subdued and talking to Bliston, Iator thought that they might as well get into the camp to help out the others if they needed it. He said as much to Bliston, who had taken on the role as the distraction team's leader.

Bliston let out a short laugh. "Don't look so glum girl. You're leaving the little leagues behind now. Just think of what you might be seeing in the future." It was then that he heard Iator calling him. "I'll be there in a minute." He called back. "Get the others and have them meet up further in." He turned back to the girl. "Meet us back at the fort later. I'll need some time to sway the others into hiring you on." With that he got up and retrieved his helmet. As he turned he ask "By the way, what was your name? You know mine but never gave me yours."

"Selena, Selena Wulfric." She respond.

Iator nodded and collected whoever he could get to come with him. Jor was too busy fighting to pay attention so he hoped the others would follow. With that, he walked up to his force wall and dismissed it with the wave of his hand, eager to see how the other team had done.

"Very well. I will be seeing you again soon, young Wulfric." And then Bliston strode away to join up with the insertion team and the rest of the party.