Ted "Rick" Picton's Story

The Hunter pulled a small wagon via a strap being held over his shoulder. A rather large wild boar lay peacefully in the wagon, with an arrow shaft protruding from it's neck. The wagon shook wildly from the unruly pathway, however the wagon held together. Rick stopped for a moment and wiped the sweat from his brow using the strappings of his vambrace.

Unseen eyes watched as the wagon almost tipped over; From above the woman was unseen, yet seeing everything was her abilities. She felt the uneven ground under the wagon yet the man who pulled it seemed more or less calm about it. Crane wasnt one to steal from another; it wasnt exactly how she operated, but since getting kicked out of her apartment she'd been hunting for food, and finding it hard to get. Sometimes it was too stringy, or too tough, or just not good stuff for her to attempt to eat.

So she watched the man while unseen. Why did he feel familar ?

The man had a plan to bring the boar to the local Butcher's, as was his current job. For now, he needed to return to camp and prepare the meat in a proper wagon. His camp, and trade wagon by extension, sat along the road, within view of a nearby watchtower. Being a solo operator, Rick was always risking bandits looting his camp whenever he went out hunting, though his camp usually never had anything really worth stealing beyond simple cast iron pans and cheap utensils.

Rick arrived at the main wagon, a larger vehicle with a tapestry cover. The wagon was byfar the most valuable piece the hunter had, for it drove itself via a runic system. The runic system also doubled as a defense mechanism if anyone other than the assigned "owner" tried to touch it. Rick hoisted the boar into the larger wagon, and produced a grown rabbit carcass from the very same wagon. Rick then returned to his camp and produced his knife. He then began skinning and carving meat off from the rabbit's bones. This was to be his meal for the day.

From a distance the woman watched unseen before her attention was taken by a group of bandits. WEith a smirk she went unseen and flew off the tree branch with the cry of a bird taking flight easily dropping into a copse of trees and peeking out, then without a sound she snuckout of the pile of leaves unseen, grabbing the trailing Bandit she forced the man into a choke hold while unseen and choking the air out of him before sneaking after the next one in line easily snapping the guys neck before sneaking off to the next pair without being seen.

She neared the larger group of the bandits and overheard their plan, they were going on a raid nearby and needed the path clear. Crane then let herself get seen not far away. But the bandits were between her and Rick's campsite. Her clothing was a dark magenta robe, embroidered with Westerlillies; her right arm however, was cruted in dried blood of various shades and age. Under the robes however was just barely seen pearlgreen armor seemingly woven into her clothing.

"You there!" She simply called out

"Aack" Said one of the higher looking bandits "We've been spotted, get her!" the group, a good twenty eight men, minus the two she had already slain in the woods swarmed forwards.

Crane waited until they were almost on her, then reacted. Moving swift and sure she parried first one strike, then another, then dropkicked a third assailant. Within a heartbeat hell had broken lose as she pretty much forced her way through the tswarm of men

A commotion.

Rick's hand snapped to the hilt of his sword. He drew the blade and stood firm. Rick scanned the immediate area for the source of the noise, only to find that a bight had begun a short distance away.

"What in the-" Rick swerved to the right as a crossbow bolt whistled by. "Hot damn!" Rick dove into the cover of the trees. He darted from tree to tree to safely close the distance on the bandits. They had clearly attempted to kill the Hunter, so the law would grant him a pardon by way of self-defence.

The short blade passed in a single swing, extracting a chunk of the nearest bandit's neck. The Hunter then dropped into a low crouch and used his blade to hamstring the next couple of bandits. The chaos of the fight provided decent cover, and allowed the Hunter a modicum of time to consider his movements.

With a fast motion Crane went from using her sword sheathed to withdrawing the stupidly long blade and skillfully using the blade she took out many targets. At one point her targets were easily downed, but then uot of nowhere the sword vashied, sheath and all and she was simply using her fists. Spinning almost slam drunk she twisted about, knocking into seveal targets and once then hammering the last one at least a half dozen times before laying on the ground and looking about as if trying to sober up.

Seeing some more targets she sprang to her feet and easily drew a pair of daggers off her belt and using them started dancing. It was for the most part, quite fun with these idiots. She felt something hit her ankle and a brief shot of pain lanced through her before it went away just as quickly as she felt it, the Spirit Pearl of Void went to work almost instantly. With a flick of the wrist she sent a bandit into the tress ontop of Rick a bit to her left before taking down another two with another flick of the wrist.

Sheathing her daggers she withdrew her sword again, this time it was shorter. It seemed to swirl around like water, water that glowed a sickly orange like fire danced upon the blade, like a sword of some kind, a fire sword ? No this was different. this was like a lightsaber of a sort, but it was really her power of the five elements making it a lightsaber like blade.

With a final flick of the wrist she sent the last remaining bandits flying into the tress with a powerful gust of wind before lowering her weapon. never turning towards Rick she smirked as the strange firelike blade receeded off her weapon as it returned to its original length in her slender hands. "You can come out now" She said to Rick. At that moment her clothing also changed slightly from the normal dark pink to a black and red bodice and corset of a sort with skirtlike black pants. her pale green armor faded from her body, now it was a glittery pale red.

Without a step away however her sword moved easily slashing out the throat of a world be assassin bent on destroying her. Crane then sighed, they were getting wreckless now those Assassins

Rick stood out from the next batch of trees. He had come across mighty heroes before, but most interaction with them involved standing by while they did their thing with such immeasurably powerful spells and enchantments. After the first couple of bandits, Rick had seen the dame go through swift, graceful movements that meant death for her victims, and he naturally made for cover.

The hunter was no such hero. His sword may be slightly enchanted, but it was a simple piece one could get at a store for a little more than a fair sum. His equipment was nothing like the legendary equipment looted from the most dangerous caverns and realms beyond the stars. His leathers were plain, simple, tough, and comfortable,

"So... were they after you or me?" Rick asked as he stepped among the slain bandits They didn't seem particularly equipped to handle this woman with the enormous dandao-like sword. Did they think they stood a chance? They were likely after me... but I don't know for certain...

"Kinda harsh," he commented as his eyes caught some bandits. He adjusted the belt on his pants, for it had shifted from the rapid movement of the fight. "I'd have thought the City Watch would've spotted these guys... Unless you're the City Watch?"

"I think they were after you, though that last one I've been having to deal with a lot lately" Crane replied simply with a flick of her arm the long blade lost all the blood upon it and she then somehow sheathed it, the weapon soon disappearing into a space at her hip. How she could sheath such a awaepon, it had to be some form of technology unknown to the masses. Such as Flatspace Tech, which allowed for the hiding of said sword, up to its hilt.

She turned towards Rick as he stepped aroind some of the dead at their feet. "Sorry about the mess bu the City Watch is partly why I'm stuck out here" She had a house in the city somewhere, a nice place, she and her friend Leopardhead lived there, it had a extra room. But thanks to the recent crap happening she wasnt allowed near ther city gates and she couldnt just warp herself in.

It started to snow... well not exactly snow more like ash as the earthquake going on had caused massive fissures to open and something of a small volcano had gone off. So thick ash the color of snowflakes began falling around them, within a moment however the ash completely covered Cranes hair in a dull graywhite hue which thankfully melted like normal snowflakes. But again it was ash which spelled trouble. Lots of it.

"Hm..." Rick hummed to himself as he regarded the snow/ash with mild concern, "Well, I'd best get this beast delivered. Thanks for the help, miss."

Rick moved to clean his sword, which had seen the edge trimmed with a modicum of blood. The blade had a simple Hold Sharpness enchantment, which kept it sturdy and highly resistant to chipping and scratches. That wasn't to say it was entirely indestructible. It was a very humble sword, compared to the equipment of high-tier warriors Rick had come across before.

Rick was but a humble hunter. His bounty remained safe in the carriage, and he needed to deliver that to the butcher's before the gates closed. "I must head to the city, though," Rick said, "The local boar is not known to hold its freshness, and I know no ice magic to preserve it with."

Among one of the paths was a small wind up doll-like robot walking but sometimes running in these paths. If you saw her, she seem like a lost child but in her perspective she is checking out what is outside Wing City like the curious child she likes to be.

I've never been here in my long life, what will I find? Oh this'll be funfunfun~!

She said to herself out loud while giggling to herself. As she is strolling she will eventually come to the path fork where two mysterious figures are at.

"I'm sorry but, I dont think we can go back there" Crane replied after a moment, she held her hand out as the snowfall started; some of the ashes falling into her hand turned to dirt that quickly grew some green grass before she dropped it with a startled gasp as it turned back to ashes to the ground at her feet. Was it automatic now ? She sighed and continued "When I left this morning to go for a walk to clear my mind, I felt the ground begin to shake. Something is happening and now I've been told I cant go back into the city by the main gate because of the earthquake."

She pointed at the falling ash around them that was quickly turning the ground into a dull graywhite hue like snow. "And this is only making things more worrisome, it isnt natural for it to snow here; and this is not snow because it feels warm... like dirt..." She faltered in her thought. Something caused a volcano to go off.... If that was the case it only made it more dangerous for her to be there.

But there was another way, and she saw this man only had his carraige of a sort. "If we can get to the Western Gate of the city perhaps then we can get to my home ? You are welcome there with Leopardhead away on business its only me there when I can be there. But today it might be hard, the Eastern Road is blocked and they're not letting anyone through to enter or exit the City... its why the City Watch cant be here to... care about them" She pointed at the deceased on the ground quickly covered by ash

"Hurm..." Rick harrumphed in acknowledgement. He didn't pay much attention to the woman's ability to germinate plant-life. In his mind, that must have been one of the hero's abilities, "Yeah, this ash doesn't seem to bode well," He brushed some flakes out of his hair- or attempted to- but it only made him appear twenty years older.

More importantly, if what she said was true, then the city was locked down. The hunter wasn't coming in anytime soon. "I'll need to pack up my things for travel then," Rick then turned and began heading back down the road. He paused for a moment as he spotted what appeared to be an oversized wind-up doll. After the pause, the hunter recollected himself and began dismantling his camp. He folded up the tent canvas, rolled up and tied storage knots on the ropes, dumped a bucket of water with an accumulated ash film over the remnants of the fire, and subsequently threw everything into his rune-powered travelling cart.

He was going to be busy for a few minutes as he did so.

By the time everything ewas inside the horseless carriage which Crane knew had to be some kind of van or car or something, she grew up with the things personally. After all being the grandchild of Peter Pan did give you some benefits. Of course by the time Rick had everything in his horseless carraige there was two inches of ash on Cranes head, she kept brushing it away and the bbreeze swept the area, making it briefly hard to see.

She looked up into the falling ash, tryingto see the trees above them only to not see far into the air as it was a grey cloud of hoarfrost in a way. but it wasnt cold. Where was this ash coming from ?? She turned and briefly saw someone stumbling by but then paid them little heed as she turned towards Rick, the ash was making it briefly hard to see even him until she caused the breeze around them to clear the area little bit. She saw Rick briefly having trouble breathing until she cleared the air a bit. "Are you alright ?"

As the ash got thicker and thicker, Rick pulled a spare shirt from the carriage and wrapped it around his nose and mouth to form a makeshift facemask. "What the hell happened?" Rick found himself asking aloud as he scanned the skies.

Dark, patchy, as swarms of flakes came in waves. Judging by the wind, it's coming from that direction," Rick noted the far-off peaks barely visible between the trees. "Icy Peaks, they're called." Rick boarded his carriage and placed his hand on the rune at the front. The carriage began to move itself. The axles even bent in an unnatural way in order for it to step in place to turn around. "Well, if this is the reason Wing City's locked down, I might as well investigate." His voice was slightly muffled as he spoke, but he could breathe easy with his makeshift mask.

She could barely see the icy Peaks as he mentioned and pointed towards them. the ash was so thick she could have been looking at a tree but it didnt matter. Crane wasnt wearing a mask, "What could set off such a plume of...." Her voice trailed off as some of the ash that she caught felt... hot ? What the hell ?!

Crane stood stock still as the ash fell like a blizzard yet none remained on her head thanks to the sudden breeze. this was surreal. "Something... whoa" She stumbled as she felt the tremor then, and not by the movement of the carraige either. An earyhquake, that had to be it!

If an earthquake set off the volcano, far in the distaince Crane could barely make out flames spewing from the top of the ice peak. She pointed at it as Ricks carraige turned in place. "That isnt good...."

As Yae was approaching the path fork and those figures seem to be riding into one of the forks in a weird carriage, The robot didn't really care about them however. The huge cloud of ash that the figures noticed a few seconds ago started to block Yae's glass vision.

Eeh? Is my right eye going out?

Yae said to herself blinded. Yae then wiped the ash from her eyes with her slightly grayish apron only then to realise that huge ash cloud coming from the south which made her fall off feet in surprise.

Yae's shock was short lived as she just wanted to see what is outside Wing City, she came to the middle of the path fork itself; Yae knows NOT to go south as the weird ash was coming from there.

I'll~ go... East!

Which was actually west; Yae came from the north which was Wing City so thats why the directions may seem flipped, she be heading off to the Winding Path, Yae excitedly skipped there thinking of what sorts of adventure was there.

"Чёрт!" Rick blurted as the quake shook everything within the carriage, "As a civilian, I should make haste for safety. Will you be alright, miss?" The carriage rode up to the woman. He also called after the short automaton if she needed a lift to evacuate the area.

Thr ground shook madly under her feet nearly sending her to the ground in ah eap as the ash fell like snow. it subsided briefly. She waved her hand infront of her face briefly blowing to keep the ash out of her nose and mouth. "The question is not me, but you, my home may be stable and clean, but I am not sure if we can get there from here while together." She said, then she remembered; she reached into her belt where her sword hilt poked from and withdrew a paper, using a bit of magic she scrawled an address on tihe paper and hended it up to Rick.

"Get out of this ash and to that address, if it still is ash laden sky, dont worry, the runes there will clear it. if I am not there by time you get there, use this code to let yourself in" the numbers, written in runes of course, was the passkey to get into the house without a problem for the rune secure net she had set up.

She cast a brief glance at the strange contraption Rick spoke to. "I will be fine. Get to that address, if Leopardhead is there he'll recognise my writing. I have to fimnd out whats causing this, it doesnt feel right." the ground rumbled under her feet again, this time it sent her tumbling as the ground rolled crazily, she crashed against a tree ahd shook her head to clear it of the stars she briefly saw.

She got back to her feet, suing her sword now as a walking stick to keep her feet, "Go, I willmeet you there as soon as I can! You'll be safe there." With that she turned and seemingly disappeared with the sudden cry of a bird

The address seemed simple enough to find. Rick tightened his grip on the rune panel, and the carriage rolled on down the path at a solid speed. The hunter stole a glance back at the women as he left, but that did not stop him from evacuating like the good civilian he is.