Ixous Warcaller
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Story of Dac and Ixous
Ixsain had started his day the same as every other day in the monastery. He had gathered the coal and the water and had begun heating his forge. The forge was especially cold today and he was having trouble deciding if he was warm from the fire, or cold from the early morning He stopped to think for a moment,
"Only in Hithdor could a monastery get work making armor."
Ixsain had learned the trade of blacksmithing rather quickly, and had spent many hours in the forge dedicating himself to the perfection of his craft. Day in and day out he had toiled over some very beautiful suits of armor. The armor he had made was for more of ceremonial wear, and although of sturdy construction, most of the work came in the detailing and painting of the suits. Elaborate battles from this countries history have been depicted upon the breasts of the men who would wear these suits to parties and commencements. He found himself wishing that his armor would see the test of battle.
"Course, I would never wish battle on anyone…."
The day had ground on slowly, swing by swing, until Ixsain had worn his arms out and his hands were blistered once again. No matter how many times he swung that hammer or burned his palm, his hands always seemed to blister. The sweat fell from his forehead and hissed as it disappeared into the flames. The day was warmer now, but the coming dusk proved that it would be cold again tonight. He glanced up from time to time to watch the sun set closer to the great wall that surrounded Hithdor, every time he looked back, the flame of his forge grew brighter and the world around him became dimmer. Soon, there was nothing left except him, the heat from his fire, the hammer in his hands, and continued clang of hammer on anvil.
With Ixsain off in his own world, thinking of his life, and pounding his memories into the iron, he did not see or hear the man approaching him. The monastery was open to almost anyone, and the forges were located near to the edge of the grounds. The man that approached was wearing a brown duster; a tan hood covered his head. Banded leather armor covered his arms, and a bandolier of tattered books crossed his chest, and a large broad sword on his back. A large tome with a tree on it hung at his side. A worn backpack jostled about on his back, slow and determined steps was all that was to be heard from the man.
"Well, you must be pretty healthy doing that all day" said the tattered man.
Ixsain was startled but recognized the voice immediately; he peered into the darkness and shot back, "Dac, I hope that you can say the same for yourself." Dac laughed and walked into the light pulling back his hood
"Sit." Ixsain pulled up a stool for Dac. Ixsain looked at the man that sat before him as a father. He had never seen the man so mis-kept and never with a beard, short as it was.
"Well, you know how much I enjoy being in the city" Dac said in sarcasm. "But, I figured I needed to come and check in on you."
Ixsain laughed, "Well, I am glad to see that your fatherly tendencies haven't faded from you, I figured all that time in the woods would take that from you."
"You're not so lucky," scoffed Dac. Dac quickly trailed off from his laughter and his gaze fell to the floor. "Let's go for a walk, I want to see the rest of the city before I have to leave."
Ixsain jumped up and began to close down his forge. After scrambling to put out his fire and close up his area, he gathered his pouch and he and Dac walked off of the grounds toward the city.
"They say, that this is a land within itself, so many crafts and trade and men and science here," said Ixsain. Dac just nodded his head and continued to look around.
"So what are those shiny new books you got tied all over you" asked Ixsain.
Dac patted the one on his hip, and looked up, "I have been writing of my studies of the western lands, it's quiet there, but there is mystery there as well. Tugia would be a good place for someone like you."
"Bah, I like the city here, you can get lost just as well here as you can in the middle of the forest. Here, I can be no one and go about my life in peace. All that bothers me here are the rumors," said Ixsain
"Ahh, like the kind of peace that comes from rumors of Hithdorian officers being assassinated?" asked Dac. There was a degree of seriousness in his jest.
Ixsain had nothing to answer with, and continued to walk along, his sandals were making his feet cold, walking on the white stone at night.
"This is why you have come to visit me? To dissuade me from staying here any longer?" said Ixsain.
"You think I would travel all the way here just to check up on your health? I came here cause you do not need to be amongst violence. We ran from that a long time ago, when I heard the rumors, I had to see if you were in danger." said Dac.
"I knew this was not to be just a visit of friendship, you came back here to play Shepard once again!" said Ixsain.
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1/21/2009, 1:40 pm
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Ixous Warcaller
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Re: Story of Dac and Ixous
"I never once pretended to know what is best for you, I only tried to help you along your way, but if you are so stubborn as to stay in this city and be blind to the problems of the world, then you must know what is best for yourself!" said Dac in whisper of anger.
Just then a Hitdorian officer came around the corner of where they were standing. He was perhaps 30 paces from Dac and Ixous before either of them heard his footsteps. They both looked up and saw the officers tabard in the moonlight. It was clear to see that the man had no interest in either of them and seemed to be on his way somewhere quickly. Dac slowly moved toward a wooden crate that had been placed near a shop entrance. He seemed to be looking up at something. Ixsain looked in the direction and then glanced back at the officer.
Officers should be wary of being out at…
(TWANG)
Quick as a Wisp, Dac kicked the box at his feet toward the officer, but missed. The officer jumped sideways and the arrow intended for his neck struck the wooden box with and audible twack.
Immediately Dac ran in the direction of the shot came from, and Ixsain hurried to catch up. Ixsain looked up and saw a large blackened mass turn and run along the edge of a rooftop adjacent to where the officer was standing. Dac was running at full sprint after the assassin and suddenly darted down an alley behind the row of houses. The alley was cluttered with boxes, carts, and cellar entrances.
"WE NEED TO GET TO THE ROOF!" yelled Ixsain
Dac without acknowledging leapt hands first up onto a four wheeled cart, and sprung off the drivers seat onto the ledge of the building the assassin had now just jumped on. He pulled himself up and shouted down to Ixsain.
"RUN TO THE END AND CUT HIM OFF!"
Dac looked up to see the assassin was very large and was moving at incredible pace. The hot air was pumping from its lungs in audible heaves and curled about it's shadowed cowl. The assassin looked back briefly and dodged left of a chimney and proceeded to jump down to a lower building. Without breaking stride, the assassin tucked rolled and sprung foreword using its hands to land. Dac lept from the previous building and landed with a dead stop on the ledge of the lower building and ran down the ledge to try to get next to the assassin.
(TWANG)
The assassin had drawn its bow while Dac was regaining his balance and had fired. But the arrow had not met its mark and whistled past.
"IXSAIN!" screamed Dac in fevered panic
Ixsain saw the creature leap over his head and ran as fast as he could. He finally reached the end of the alleyway and now realized that he had no way to climb up the building. He frantically looked for a hand hold to boost himself up. The only thing he could see was a small concrete ledge and a gargoyle drainage pipe sticking out from the adjacent building. He could hear the chase getting closer above and ran toward the pillar and leapt up with one foot and dodged up to the gargoyle spout. With one final spring, Ixsain reached for the night sky between the buildings, only to get a face full of sprinting assassin.
The instant Ixsain and the assassin collided, Dac threw himself on the back of the assassin only to feel a strong clawed hand reach back and grab him by his duster. The assassin with one hand, before landing threw Dac over his shoulder and face first into the roof of the house. Ixsain caught himself from falling and balanced with one hand and guided his feet back to the ground. Ixsain and the assassin were now face to face and the neither moved. The assassin let out a growl and reached for his quiver, only to find that he was out of arrows. The bow fell to the roof and the assassin reach into his cloak and pulled out a cruel look scimitar.
Find a weapon!
Ixsain knelt down and picked up a long narrow pole that had been left on the roof. He knew that the blade would slice through the stick in only a few swings. Then from behind the assassin, came the audible sound of steel being drawn from its sheath. Dac had pulled himself from his piles of books and loose papers and was directly behind the assassin.
The assassin rushed toward Dac and struck at his head. Dac pulled back his head just in time and threw a shot at the assassins passing arm. Dac and Ixsain had fought together before, but had become a bit rusty in the communication between them. Ixsain hesitated for an instant to see what Dac was going to do. Dac darted left and Ixsain jumped foreword and struck the assassin in the leg. Dac swung for the head of the assassin and clipped the cowl that was covering his face.
The cowl fell back and revealed the most terrible set of fangs protruding from the lower jaw of an orc. This orc had something different aside from his fangs, it had skin as dark as a night shadow. This was a Black Orc!
The Black Orc let out a furious howl that frightened both Dac and Ixsain. He tried to swing at Ixsain, but Ixsain had tripped over a loose stone and fell backward as the blade passed over his chest. The Black Orc reversed his swing, and met cleanly with Dac's armor on his arm. Dac grabbed the Black Orc around the neck and got a small degree of control over his sword arm. Without missing another opportunity, Ixsain grabbed the right leg of the Black Orc and lifted it up. The Black Orc struck Ixsain in the head as he closed in. What all three did not notice was that they were backed up to a ledge only the height of a hay bale. All three went tumbling over the side of the building. Ixsain and Dac were punching the creature all the way down. They fell threw clothes lines, awnings, even a gargoyle spout met face to face with the Black Orc. All three hit the ground with a audible snapcrunch.
By this time, the officer had called the alarm and the entire neighborhood had come outside to see what happened. A man exited his house to find two injured men pulling themselves away from a Orc who was laying on his stomach, but his head spun round to gaze at the stars.
Quickly surrounded by citizens and guards, Dac and Ixsain, now unconscious were picked up and rushed off in a wagon. The officer who had been saved by a egg crate threw a sac over the face of the Black Orc.
"NOTHING TO SEE HERE PEOPLE, THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT! GO BACK TO YOUR HOMES AT ONCE!"
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1/21/2009, 1:41 pm
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