Quest A Gift From Ashes[Open]

[Talus]

Eastern Sheketh Islands - The Tainted Bard

Dreadlords were rarely granted time off, even more rarely when they were the only ones who represented the Guard. Yet every soldier got leave, even the Conscripts who were taken into the ranks at the age of eighteen. So it had been decided by the Generals that Talus was no different, and he'd been granted five days to do as he'd wished.

The decision had been a simple one after he'd found out he would have to spend the time alone, and almost immediately upon receiving word of his leave coming through Talus had embarked on his journey.

His trip had taken him south for half a days ride, and then he'd taken the Portal Stone to a land so far away many believed it had been forgotten. Another half day was then taken to travel to the Port of Minaris. From there he had hired a ship and set sail to the eastern isles. There, he knew from his time in the Archives, he would find what he was looking for; A Phoenix.

The mythical beast was rare, as rare as the sight of a Dragon.

Most believed that a Phoenix feather was an ingredient to Immortality. The Magic surrounding it being capable of preserving and maintaining whatever it touched. Talus did not know if the story was true, but he knew the story and the person who had told it to him.

That was enough.

The islands in the distance drew closer, and someone stepped up behind him.

"Not sure why all you fools are comin here. Place is infested with Stone Giants. Bastards dont give a shit why you're there, they'll kill ya. Even if there was goddamn treasure, they won't let you get to it."​

Talus shrugged. "I have to try."

He didn't care about the Treasure that was said to be hoarded by the Stone Giants, all he cared about was the Phoenix's that supposedly lived among them.

 

[Rizzo Bouchard]

A Maester of the Fifth Order was dying. And Istra had been tasked with killing his potential savior: the Maester's own son, Jonathan Volk.

Maester Volk had proven himself to be an nuisance to the machinations of the Grand Council of Elbion in recent years, and the growing complications of his old age happened to be convenient. A self-correcting problem, as Istra's own Maester father was apt to say. Yet Jonathan's quest to the Eastern Sheketh Isles in search of a Phoenix feather, Maester Volk's last hope for more years of life, threatened this timely resolution for the Council.

So it became Speculatore business. Istra's business. Jonathan had quite the advanced headstart on her, but--so far as she knew--he was still out there. And he was not to leave the Eastern Isles alive.

He was not a bad man, Jonathan. Merely an inconvenient one. And this was enough to mark him for death.

Istra told herself that this would benefit the City of Elbion in the long run. That it was for a good far greater than either Jonathan or herself.

Yet a silent acknowledgement refused to budge from her heart, and it called this what it was:

Murder.

* * * * *​

From Elbion to the Portal Stone. From the Portal Stone to the city-state of Minaris. Istra had been issued gold coins for this task--unsophisticated currency that would spend in most of the rest of the Arethil--and she used this to cover her travel expenses and to buy her way onto a ship heading to the Eastern Isles of Sheketh. And from what she gathered there was at least one other person also heading to the Eastern Isles with the intent to find a Phoenix. Presumably--said intent was not express. The man might well have been after the rumored treasure the sailors jabbered on about. One or the other, given the look of the man when she caught glimpses of him on deck or in the sleeping quarters or in the galley.

Istra kept to herself for the duration of the sailing. Spoke only when spoken to, entertaining as needed the sailors and their wild stories of the north: the Stone Giants and how they came to be, the bear-men of the Eretejva Tundra, the things which supposedly lived in the mountains. To anyone who asked she was Professor Lejeune, Associate Professor of Alteration at the College of Elbion, having come to the far-flung Isles of Sheketh in search of a Phoenix feather for research purposes. A flexible truth.

And the ship was now approaching the Eastern Isles. Rocky hills thinly shrouded by mists.

Istra stood near the bow, holding with both hands onto the railing. The ship beneath her feet rocked up and down with the roiling motion of the sea. A rather unpleasant motion. All the more to remind her that she vastly preferred her life to be spent primarily on solid ground. Disembarking would be a welcome relief, and none too soon at that.

Elsewhere on the deck, it seemed second thoughts were being harbored and words of warning shared, now that they were so close. Istra glanced back--saw the man who had likewise bought passage on the ship. Perhaps it would be prudent to discern his intentions; to gauge whether or not his presence could be a complicating factor. His short answer to the sailor--I have to try--seemed to imply that he was after the rumored treasure of the Stone Giants, but knowing for certain would bring some assurance.

Istra turned from the railing and walked across the deck (a particularly hard rocking of the boat against the waves causing her to stop momentarily and catch her balance) and went to the man in the armor.

She spoke cordially. "I do not believe we have met; I am Professor Istra Lejeune. Pardon if you find my curiosity intrusive, but were you by chance seeking out the Stone Giants on the island?"

Talus

 

[Talus]

He turned around towards the woman that spoke to him.

Talus of course had decided not to take this venture on as a Dreadlord. The armor he wore was not addorned with any symbols nor was its makes of any particular make. Some of it was Anirian, some Allirian, and there was even a pauldron that had come from the Dwarven city of Karak. He had made sure of it, if I only so no one recognized him.

"Talus." They were more than ten thousand miles from Vel Anir and he was hardly famous. There as no reason to use a pseudonym. "Spell sword."

He'd chosen the occupation as a cover in case he had to use his magic.

It had been General Ilyena who had actually suggested it. Apparently mercenaries who used magic often referred to themselves as such. They were often hired for specifically these types of Quests. Merchants and wizards always wanted the rare and powerful, bit often were Ill equipped to gather it themselves.

"Not stone Giants for me." Unlike half of the other people on this ship. They all wanted the treasure.

"Phoenix." He didn't see the point in hiding it. "Supposedly there's a flock of them on this island."

Talus shrugged, as though he was just a man on a paid mission rather than on his own quest.

 

[Rizzo Bouchard]

A spellsword. Man for hire, with perhaps little to no lasting loyalties. If true then fortunate, for now his intent was express: he too sought these alleged Phoenixes upon the Isles. Likely then that their paths--and Jonathan's--would cross. She had some degree of leeway in this matter--Jonathan did not know her own intent nor was she bidden to kill him on sight. But the ideal condition, Istra and Jonathan undoubtedly alone, might not arise. If she had to do it in front of someone, it was best that it happen in front of someone with malleable morals and an incentive not to care. Fabricated stories could also smooth the matter over; invert the reality of it, make Jonathan out to be the malicious one, Istra the "hero." Many denizens upon Arethil had a soft spot for just such a heroic narrative.

"An entire flock of them?" Istra said, her upper body and hair and tail of her headband swaying slightly along the motion of the ship. "Excellent. My sources did not indicate to me that this could be the case. It would be refreshingly pleasant if they proved incorrect in this matter."

A half-smile. Some mirth. Tools of endearment. "More often than not the faulty information I receive leads directly to misfortune. I am certain that you yourself can relate to such a plight, spellsword."

She put her hands on her hips. Spared a glance off to the rest of the ragtag men up on deck. Nearly to a man, none of any concern, for they had all professed their intention to pursue the hoarded treasure of the Stone Giants, and this removed themselves from play. Unless it so happened that Jonathan stumbled across this mass of treasure-seekers, then they were all non-issues.

Back to Talus. She said, "As it is with you, it is likewise with myself. So I assume. I seek the feather of one of these beasts, not necessarily to slay one. Such is often the case for those who seek out these creatures, save perhaps for the wanton ignorance of the Monster Hunters. Is my assumption correct, Talus?"

Talus

 

[Talus]

"I do not wish to kill them, no." Talus might have been a Dreadlord, but he wasn't a monster.

At least not anymore.

"My information comes from a reliable source." The Archives in Vel Anir were old, true, but they were also mostly accurate. As long as he had judged things correctly there would be a nest on this island. It was just a matter of getting through the stone giants.

"Would you like to travel with me?" Talus asked. "The Stone Giants are fierce, or so I hear."

He shrugged. "Two might be better than one."

 

[Rizzo Bouchard]

Oh. A reliable source. So who had hired this man to procure whatever it was that he was tasked to procure? He did not exhibit any sort of outward reaction to her introduction as a Professor of the College, so perhaps his benefactor was not associated.

She had no reason to assume the worst about him. Not yet. It seemed far more so to be a case of coincidence, that Talus's journey out here should be close in temporal proximity with Jonathan's own. Phoenixes and the reagents gathered from them were rare. Thus valuable. Thus sought after by those with the capacity to do so.

To his offer then. Yes, there was merit to it. Istra would hardly be able to accomplish her mission if she could not reach her target. And it was highly preferred by the Grand Council that Jonathan's death reasonably appear to be a case of misfortune at the hands of Stone Giants or the talons and fire of the Phoenixes--not anything which might raise questions. A simple tragedy. If he was seen getting back on the boat or going through Minaris again, this preferred outcome would be ruined.

So it came to the problem of the Stone Giants, and getting past them to this reliably sourced flock of Phoenixes roosting about on the island. Istra's lightning magic would certainly not be very effective against them, and her Alteration spells unusable on the (she surmised) living stones that comprised their bodies. There were terribly clever ways around this seemingly crippling set of limitations, but such endeavors might well be exhausting upon her reserve of arcane power.

Settled.

Istra nodded. Said, "Two would be better than one. Yes, I concur. I couldn't possibly pin my hopes on the efficacy of this treasure-hunting rabble assembled on deck to distract the Stone Giants for long."

She gave a small curtsy--a formal gesture. "We are indeed well met, Talus. I look forward to working with you."

Meanwhile, sailors worked at pulling down the sails and elsewhere on the ship the anchor was thrown overboard. A sailor with a braided beard stood by the starboard side railing, the shore of the island to his back. He cupped his around his mouth and shouted, "Alright lads, get yer asses onto one of the landing crafts if you ain't having any second thoughts. Best of luck to ya. Spend some of that coin and plunder at the Cruel Mistress tavern in Minaris if ya make it back."

Talus

 

[Talus]

"Same to you." The young Dreadlord said with a smile.

He had no reason not to trust the woman. In his experience Maestar's of Elbion were honest folk, and why would deception be necessary on a trip like this? He was tens of thousands of miles from Vel Anir, and if an assassin were to come for him...well there had been three days time for that already.

The Captain made his announcement next.

Talus highly doubted he would be headed back to Minaris any time soon except to get to the Portal Stone, but he remembered the name of the tavern just for luck's sake.

One never knew when a good tavern was needed, and besides perhaps he and Zana would venture there together some day. A smile touched his lips for a brief moment, though it was quickly dismissed as he moved towards the side ladders of the ship.

He made sure to pull himself into the same longboat as Istra, falling into the small longship.

It took only a few moments after to get to shore, the black beaches of the island crunching beneath the sound of a dozen boots as men and women began to seek out their treasure. "The peak is where we'll find the nest."

Talus told Istra.

"The only way up though is through the Stone Giant's village." He glanced towards the mercenaries and treasure hunters readying their weapons.

They would make good fodder.

 

[Rizzo Bouchard]

The smaller landing craft fell to the whims of the sea more so than the flagship itself it seemed. Yet even as Istra sat in the middle next to Talus and the lurching of the craft swayed heads and shoulders along with it, tiny fortunes could still be gleaned from the nauseating ride: the seas on this day were comparatively calm, and the foaming splashes against the hull of the craft did not spill over the sides and leave her and everyone else sodden.

Some hearty rowing brought the landing crafts to the black, volcanic sands of the island's coast. Thick green vegetation lay beyond the dark flats, rising steadily up into the foothills and then ascending more sharply as the mountain at the heart of the island speared skyward and that hazy mist enshrouded much of its rugged character. It was a primeval land, and to these shores Istra would bring an act fittingly ancient.

She disembarked (sweet relief and solid ground, what a treat) once the landing crafts were beached. Strode alongside Talus, the two of them maintaining a degree of separation from the loose band of treasure hunters. A charismatic man named Hardin was their de facto leader, a surly dwarf (whom everyone referred to solely and simply as "Belgrath" for some as yet unshared reason) having fallen in as his second-in-command of sorts. Among them--these seekers of fortune--a motley selection of armor and armaments: gambesons and chain and mithril and plate, halbreds and swords with shields and billhooks and crossbows. Perhaps some scrolls or other enchanted devices for an edge of magic.

As Hardin riled up his fellow fortune-seekers with talk of the spoils and the boastful bellows of some choice epithets for the Stone Giants that brought some laughs, Istra looked to Talus and said, "Shall we allow them to take the lead, then?"

Presumably, Jonathan had found a way to sneak around the village of Giants. That, or perhaps he would be stuck waiting for an opportunity or sweating over conceiving an actionable plan somewhere before the village.

If he had gone around, good. Then that meant there would be a way. For it was entirely uncertain how well this enthusiastic but disorganized band of treasure hunters would fare against the Stone Giants.

Talus

 

[Talus]

"Yeah." Talus said in soft agreement, nodding his head.

He didn't really like the idea of throwing away lives but...well he wasn't in charge of these men. No one had told them to rush into this situation, no one had given them an order or forced them to march onto the Island.

That was good enough for him. "If you don't mind my asking."

Talus lingered for a few moment before the Treasure Hunters gathered themselves up and started to march up the beach. A few of them broke off and went on their own route, but by and large it apparently seemed they would try to work together.

The Dreadlord followed after them, though remained a good dozen paces between their larger group and himself and Istra.

If they got caught he didn't want to get caught with them.

"Where does your magic lie?" He asked. "Just in case we get cornered. I prefer to know how to best fight alongside you."

In the distance he could hear footsteps.

 

[Rizzo Bouchard]

They fell in behind the treasure hunters as Hardin, with all the gusto of zealous pirate captain, swung his sabre forward and took the lead and most of the rest of them followed. Some enterprising individuals splintered from the main group for their own undisclosed reasons and went on tangential trajectories to Hardin's rabble.

They marched across that black sand of the beach and soon their boots found more solid dirt upon the well-traveled path through the looming flora. Inquisitive vines and hanging branches watched over the path like onlookers on balconies, intrusive blades of long grass nipping at shins and waists and forearms alike. It was interesting to Istra, how thoroughly one could remove oneself from the comforts of civilization; the well-laid streets and masterfully constructed structures of Elbion, or even the offerings of Minaris, seemed to in effect be on the surface of Pneria, immersed as she was now in a world so stark in difference to it. Having lived a suitably wealthy and "cushioned" life as the daughter of a Maester and granddaughter of a Councilor, this island and its untamed span was a landscape alien to her sensibilities.

Yet she would endeavor to overcome this challenge. To embrace hardship and conquer it. She had--as the saying went--been born with a silver spoon in her mouth, and upon being sworn into the Order of Speculatores she made the conscious decision to cast it out.

So along she went. Keeping her "cushy" complaints, the complaints of a pampered and petulant youth, to herself.

And Talus had a question.

She glanced over to him. Said, "I am a Professor and Master of the discipline of Alteration, the manipulation of the physical properties of objects. I am also versed in a variety of lightning-based elemental spells, with a minor focus on enchantments. A poor kit to be so equipped with against the likes of these Stone Giants I'm afraid, but not one completely devoid of merit."

She walked along the path with him. The treasure hunter just ahead of them smacked at the back of his neck, trying to swat a bothersome insect.

"Might I be bold enough to hope that you have talents far more suited to...direct persuasion, shall we say? Should we indeed be forced to fight these Stone Giants on our passing through?"

Made faint by distance, footsteps--as if summoned by Istra's mention of their name--came from the foothills ahead.

Talus

 

[Talus]

"Wouldn't be much of a spell-sword if that wasn't the case, right?" Talus mused with a smile.

While he was here he'd endeavored to use as little of his own magic as possible. Since graduating from the Academy his abilities had grown far beyond what even the Proctor's had thought possible, but he'd relied on it far too heavily. He needed to flex his muscles in something else he knew; college magic.

The irony of him carrying this thought on with a Maestar besides him did not escape him, but he knew enough of the craft to pass himself off as a simple practitioner, albeit one geared more towards war.

Of course, I'd things for bad he would dip into his own abilities, but he preferred not to. Especially around anyone from the college. He didn't like the idea of anyone studying him, least of all someone who had a background in the arts themselves. "If it comes to it i-"

Talus cut himself off as the ground quaked.

The group ahead of them seemed to reel back slightly, and then began to draw swords. Talus let out a curse, lips thinning for a brief second as he shifted his weight and gently nudged Istra to the side.

"Little lesson about battle." He offered the woman as he motioned towards a nearby boulder. "Never face a for going in blind."

Talus had no idea what a stone giant looked like, much less what it could do, if this group of idiots wanted to fight one then he would gladly let them. He himself would watch though, and learn as much as he possibly could while doing so.

 

[Rizzo Bouchard]

Wouldn't be much of a spell-sword if that wasn't the case, right?

"Yes, I suppose so," Istra replied. "Though it would be a terrible happenstance if your talents were as efficacious as my own against these Stone Giants. Then we would 'have naught but our wits, and there the greatest challenge and greatest reward.'"

A small quote at the end, the part pertaining to wits and challenge and reward. A line from a character she quite enjoyed in a popular play. A play that was a local Elbion production, and furthermore one that attracted an audience consisting more of the upper echelon of the city than was usual. Talus probably wouldn't know it, but it was a good quote regardless.

Then the ground shook, intruding on whatever Talus was meaning to suggest. The treasure hunters seemed variably apprehensive or energetically eager. Up ahead at the front of the group, Hardin called back with his sabre twirled above his head, "Time to get stuck in, lads! That treasure won't find itself!"

Istra followed along with Talus's nudging prompt, going behind the cover of the boulder. The thickness of the concealing vegetation had thinned ever so slightly as they had gone higher and higher in elevation, gradually becoming replaced by rocky outcroppings and boulders like this one.

She placed one hand upon the boulder, peering out from the side to keep eyes on the intrepid treasure hunters. With a glance to Talus she said, "Very well then. I will defer to your expertise in this field."

And it was true. Talus, as a spellsword (read: mercenary), was sure to retain the better portion of the combat experience between them. Istra's own work as a Speculatore involved combat, yes, but it was not the sole focus. More over, most of her combat encounters were swift, decisive, and had the element of surprise, and in some cases overwhelming force. Pitched battle was not something she was used to, nor expressly prepared for.

A boon, then, that she had met Talus and that he was gracious enough to allow himself her company.

Talus

 

[Talus]

Talus practically dragged Istra back over towards the boulder as the ground began to quake, a frown touching his features as they moved to hide.

The men ahead of them did not have the same inclination, they instead arrayed themselves out in a crescent shape. Some drew bows, others swords, and still others grasped what appeared to be large pikes. Talus glanced out from the boulder, frowning slightly.

Half a second later the giant appeared.

It was a name that fit rather aptly.

The Stone Giant was as tall as a building, appearing mostly human, if more hunched over, with a thick gray and black hide covering it's skin. In it's hand the giant carried what appeared to be a massive crude sword, an edge of steel that must have been forged in a a fire as big as a house.

"Holy shit." Talus couldn't help the expletive come from his mouth as he saw the Giant, cringing as he saw someone loose an arrow that his the creature in the face...and then just bounced off.

Like a force of nature the giant lashed out, slashing it's sword into the huddled group of treasure hunters in an orgy of blood and death. A single swipe took then men, and the Hunters broke into an absolute panic as they rushed to get away.

Some attacked, some ran, and others just stood frozen in fear.

 

[Alakir]

Alakir wasn't the type to take a day off. The Anirian Guard was what he'd trained from childhood to be part of. Service was everything. So when they'd granted leave to select Guardsmen, he was despondent. What would he do with all the excess time, other than train?

Hell, he would have been doing that anyway! The red eyed man lumbered across the deck of the boat and down the ramp onto the island proper. It made sense they wanted to focus efforts on campaigns outside the capital, but Alakir wanted to join one of those rather than being sat on his arse doing nothing.

When he'd heard about the prospect of Giants and Phoenixes, he quietly wondered if he could make a name for himself in the Guard by felling one or both. That led to him following his nose to where he was now, and lo and behold- a band of brigands, ready to adventure awaited.

It'd be easy enough to keep his identity quiet. As an unassigned, low ranked Guardsman, he didn't wear any specific colors to denote his position. So, it was just his black cloak and combat fatigues, and his trustworthy halberd.

...until it was him, a lot of flying corpses, Talus, some witch, and a Stone Giant.

They were untrained, and uninterested in proper strategy. Ranks and file were out of the question. "Flank," he reminded himself beneath his breath. "Look for a weakness, and exploit it. If there's no weakness, split it's attention."

Alakir ran. He ran like a madman, unconcerned with his own life or limb. There was at least one other man who understood how to do battle among them, and though he hadn't had time to greet his commanding officer properly on this battlefield, he was sure the Dreadlord would see him soon enough.

Skreeeeweak!

The horrid scream of halberd raking across stone resonated across the battlefield, and if the creature noticed at all, it did not appear to shift its focus at all. That did not dishearten him.

Steady strikes. Vigilance. Patience.

War wasn't one with a single attack. Or at least, those words seemed true until the creature's weapon carved a swath through a healthy number of their compatriots. "Fuck me," he exhaled sharply as he threw himself out of the way of a follow through attack, and rolled into a crouched position at a safer distance.

"Alright, that won't work..."

 

[Rizzo Bouchard]

With a blinking bewilderment, Istra nevertheless allowed for herself to be dragged back from the side of the boulder and more properly behind it. She had made it clear that she would defer to Talus's expertise but she had not anticipated him being so direct and forceful in the matter. Some part of her was annoyed and indignant, a larger part rather liked it, and the largest part was entirely practical about it: she wasn't here to "prove" herself nor specifically to help those treasure hunters nor even engage the Stone Giants if it could at all be avoided. And as a mercenary, Talus--even if he was a younger man--ought to well know the old sellsword virtue pertaining to valor and discretion.

So even though she was behind him and very much behind the boulder now, such that she could not see what was happening out with the motley band of fortune-seekers, she trusted Talus. Or, more specifically, trusted in his sense of self-preservation.

The ground quake deepened. She heard (and felt) that. And something drastic must have happened, seeing as Talus--remarkably refined for a sellsword--let slip some profanity at the sight of something. And she tempered a swell of curiosity with force of will.

Yet she need not even ask. She heard a great WHOOSH and the sickening splatters and the shouts of Hardin and Belgrath and even saw for herself some of the treasure hunters--their morale utterly shattered--running back down the path upon which they had all come.

To Talus, a question whose answer she didn't already know: "Is it going better or worse than you expected?"

She catalogued some of the tricks of Alteration in her mind in the meantime. Manipulation of reflective properties of light--hardly true invisibility but possibly enough to fool these Giants--yet this worked best with a blanket or cloak or something that was of uniform material and could cover the whole body. Mass reduction upon the boulder perhaps: roll it fast and hard toward the Giant, snap off her spell right before impact to return its considerable mass and cripple the beast. Maybe even Altering or enchanting the weapons of the treasure hunters with something to improve their efficacy against the Stone Giants; though that seemed hardly worth the arcane reserve if the wielders of said weapons were terrible at using them. Surely there had to be at least one among them upon whom such an effort would not be wasted.

Talus Alakir

 

[Talus]

Ah fuck.

Fuck fuck fuck.

He cursed himself as he pulled himself out from the boulder, motioning for Istra to stay put. "Don't move."

His voice was as farm as could be, a trick of command that he had learned in the Guard and one that he hoped would work here. The Elbion College Mage would likely have been a help in a fight, but Talus most definitely did not intend to fight.

All he intended was to get one of his moronic Guardsmen out of a situation where he would most assuredly get murdered twice over.

If not thrice.

With a quick Dash the Dreadlord moved out from behind the rock, not even bothering to draw his sword as he sprinted across the open field. The Stone giant swiped it's sword again, this time slamming the blade into the ground as a wave of dust and debris raised into the air.

It was the perfect cover, and with a whisper Talus' eyes suddenly glowed. There was a flash, and he saw through the dust as he reached Alakir and grabbed the back of his coat. "You fucking Moron."

Talus said as he yanked the lad back.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Talus demanded as he practically began to drag the boy back towards the boulder and away from the stone giant.

 

[Alakir]

Three powerful strokes leveled a massive number of men in almost no time at all. Alakir did everything he could only to evade, because he quickly recognized his inability to do anything at all to the giant. The Guardsman readied his Halberd again, hopeful for an opening he was doubtful would ever come.

"Gack-!!!"

The sudden jerk on the back of his coat swept him right off his feet. Above him, the world went gray and blood rained down. Was this death? Had he taken time away from work only to die during his leisure time?

You fucking moron.

Kasim.

When he hit the dirt, he found himself looking up at his commanding officer. He managed a crooked grin and awkward laugh, but the impact had knocked the wind from his lungs. "They told me to take time off," he wheezed. "I'm kind of a workaholic."

 

[Rizzo Bouchard]

"Holding position," Istra said.

And so she did, there behind the boulder. Speculatore training had a number of militaristic elements to it, chief among them discipline and adherence to hierarchy--such was strictly required to ensure secrecy first and foremost. Her aforementioned deference to Talus's combat experience, until such time that circumstances changed, made him a de facto sergeant to her. This established order. Order was a prerequisite for effectiveness. And effectiveness was necessary for victory.

And victory here, whether by direct triumph over the Stone Giants or evasion thereof, would bring her closer to her true objective.

So Istra awaited Talus's return. Kept tabs on the battle through the sounds that swam around the boulder in a manner that her eyesight could not. It did not seem to be going so well (of course) for Hardin and his disorderly rabble of treasure seekers.

She kept her mind active. Ready and adaptable.

Talus Alakir

 

[Talus]

Talus wanted to kick the damned fool in the head and just be done with all of this, but he was the man's commanding officer and there was no way in the seven hells he would be letting him die.

"Come on then." There was a growl in his throat.

His gaze shifted towards the Stone Giant who was lumbering slowly towards a collection of men who had their bows drawn and at the ready. Arrows did nothing of course, bouncing off the Giant's flesh as though they had tossed tooth picks at it.

A curse escaped his lips. "That boulder, go!"

Talus whispered something, an odd ball forming in his hand that he quickly tossed onto the ground. There was a slight pause, and then suddenly fog spread outward from where he was standing.

A simple bit of College Magic, but handy. With a quick grasping shove Talus yanked Alakir from the ground and sent him stumbling towards the boulder with Istra Lejeune.

"If anyone asks we're part of a Sell-Sword company, got it?" He told the Guardsmen as he ran.

 

[Alakir]

The truth was, Alakir wasn't so sure he had picked the right vacation to take.

Sure, the opportunity to hone his skills against a giant was once in a lifetime- but, so was dying, and he wasn't quite so eager to go down that road. His commanding officer was even less enthusiastic than he was, evidenced by the scowl he made no attempt to hide. Thankfully for both men, Alakir was exceptional at following orders.

Their movements were jarred by missteps and frenzied motion. It was apparent that the Dreadlord was slightly panicked, though he was masking it expertly. Alakir's suspicions were confirmed when the other man spoke again.

Mercenaries? Pah! They were proud Alirian Guardsmen! Why were they-

He blinked when he saw the woman, though he could not have named her. She didn't have the look of someone from the homeland, but then, humans immigrated often. Perhaps she was a friend of Talus?

He doesn't want anyone to figure out who he is. I get it.

The Halberdier staggered up toward the boulder and started climbing hurriedly. "Beg pardon," he called out, reaching with a hand, "could I get a hand?"

 

[Rizzo Bouchard]

Istra heard them coming--small bootsteps amidst the battle against the Stone Giant, evident a mere second or two before their appearing. Hm. Talus had brought someone back.

When she saw them appear around the curvature of the boulder, her attention focused more so on the newcomer than on Talus. Obvious reasons. Assessments would need to be made. Risks determined. Adaptations implemented, as needed. The completion of her mission was paramount and she would need to evaluate how the newcomer (and Talus) fit or did not fit into that.

He reached out his hand and asked for aid and Istra did offer hers but her fingers stopped short of his for a moment. In this new proximity Istra had gotten a closer look at the new man's eyes. Unique and unnatural. An arresting red, and so she was arrested. For a moment, as she was struck by the beautiful peculiarity of his eyes and then overcame it and reached further to grasp his hand and give him the help he sought.

With the relative safety of being covered from the battle by the boulder, Istra took a quick moment to say to the new man, "Professor Istra Lejeune. And you?"

To Talus, "Friend of yours, I presume?"

Her words clipped and quick. Efficient.

Talus Alakir

 

[Talus]

"Aye." Talus said with a frown, glancing at Alakir for a moment and wondering if the lad would be able to keep up the ruse. He didn't really want to have to explain why a Dreadlord was running around on the other side of the world.

Particularly given the fact that he probably would have just said the truth.

That would have been embarrassing. "Didn't expect him to be here, but it is what it is."

A shrug rolled over his shoulder, and then he turned away as he decided that was all the explaining he was going to do. His lips thinned for a brief moment, and then he slowly sheathed his sword as he peered over the top of the boulder.

The Stone Giant was continuing it's work, massacring those below with little to no problem. It was a gruesome sight, and the creature seemed to take little to no pleasure in it.

A grimace flickered over Talus' expression, and then his gaze shifted towards a cliffside in the distance.

"If neither of you have any objections...I think it perhaps best we avoid the roads and do a bit of climbing." He motioned towards the cliff. It lead up to the same place as the road, probably faster, though it did not appear exactly easy to climb either.

 

[Alakir]

"Al," he introduced himself in the shorthand. If the boss didn't want him identified as an Anirian, it would be best not to give a proper name. He noticed her hesitation- had she seen something strange? The way she held his gaze for that moment was awkward, but then, she ultimately decided to help him. He wouldn't bring it up. "My name's Al, with the Wayward Sons mercenary company."

He glanced toward Talus and made a quick gesture. "We work for the same guy," he said. He decided that he wouldn't push his luck much further than that. "It was just by chance that I heard about this excursion. Good ol' Tal saw fit to keep me in the dark, but he forgets we have the same sources."

Alakir gave the woman a lighthearted wink. "At any rate it's good to meet you, Professor," he stated cordially, "and if it's all the same, I'm amenable to any path that doesn't include Stone Giants."

He placed the halberd back in its sling and folded his arms for the duration of the discussion. It was sure to be a short one.

 

[Rizzo Bouchard]

Al. With the Wayward Sons. The same Wayward Sons that employed Talus, so far as Istra understood it. Mercenary companies were near impossible to keep current track of, cropping up from coalescings of rowdy, martial men seeking fame or fortune or simply the coin to support their vices and the ends of said companies often times as abrupt as their formations. So Istra never bothered. With no significant or worthwhile distinctions, she hardly concerned herself with differentiating between them either.

And yes, those aforementioned sources. Likely to include that same reliable source Talus had cited previously. Curious, that bit about Talus keeping Al in the dark; an indication of some troubled history between them? Impossible to be certain, with so little information provided. And perhaps it was nothing at all: men, in their peculiar ways and especially those of the lower class, could entertain arguments that devolved into brawls with one another and still somehow remain friends. Istra would never understand it. Regardless, they seemed amiable enough with one another, Talus and Al, so there was nothing to concern herself with there. No complicating or exploitable factors.

A wink. From Al. Istra showed no outward reaction.

Talus mentioned avoiding the roads and thus the Stone Giants altogether. Istra followed the track of his gaze, toward the dizzying heights of a cliff. A suitable answer to their Giant woes. And something Istra's Alteration magic could assist with.

"A workable solution," Istra said.

Then, as a small demonstration, she without looking reached her hand out toward the boulder and worked her magic. A small portion of the stone became as malleable as mud, and she plunged her fingers into it and scooped out a fistful of the altered stone and created an ideal handhold/footrest the like of which was seldom found naturally. After a few seconds passed her magic dissipated and the stone reverted to its normal qualities, even the sticking remnants of it on her hand falling away entirely as they lost that adhesiveness and malleablility of mud.

"One that will be physically demanding, but whose perils can be mitigated." A small tug of a smile at the corner of her lips, as she was quite pleased with this route. "Gentlemen, we are in agreement."

Talus Alakir

 

[Talus]

"Wonderful." Talus was genuine in the word, practically beaming as he realized that things wouldn't be as hard as he'd initially thought.

They would still need to make it up the wall and through the Stone Giant Village, but he figured that they could take things one step at a time and not fully stress about what they were going to do and each and every corner.

With one more glance over the boulder, and then a look towards Alakir, Talus motioned for the other two to follow along his path.

The fog that he had earlier created still clung to the ground, though the Stone Giant loomed above it like some sort of massive sentry. Talus crept forward quickly, keeping low to the ground and using a dozen other boulders to cut their way towards the wall.

Once he made it there was a quick motion. "Istra, you go first. Al you're next."

He would take up the rear.

"Find a place to hide when you get to the top." No reason to get there if they were only going to get spotted in the first five minutes.

Alakir | Istra Lejeune