Open Chronicles Field of Blood, City of Bones

[Nikaia]

He rolled his eyes, grabbed the wrist of the hand on his chest, pulled her past him while his foot tripped her up. Still holding her wrist he slung her to the ground and climbed on top of her, her wrist pinned down with one hand while the other put light pressure on her throat.
His blue eyes narrowed to a feral glare and he almost snarled at her.
"You want me to ravage you like the mountain beast that I am. But if I did that now we would be down a good soldier when we need everything we've got!
You said I'm in control, I am. Therefore I will take you for myself when I decide the time is best for all concerned!"

She purred happily when he put her on the ground. And the hand on her throat was even better. “There he is! The man I’ve been looking for finally emerges.” Then She pecked him on the lips. “Your roughness is exactly what I was hoping for in you.”

He leaned in close, she could feel his savage breath against her skin.
"This teasing game you play with me is dangerous. I am in control, the moment I'm not in control is when the beast takes control instead and I rut you senseless! Think of the men you're in charge of... How can you command them and fight by their side when you can't even walk?"

“You underestimate how tough my backside is, Tyrone.” She teased, licking her lips. “I don’t think you understand exactly how much I can’t take, and where.”

 

[Tyrone Kystal]

“You underestimate how tough my backside is, Tyrone.” She teased, licking her lips. “I don’t think you understand exactly how much I can take, and where.”

He couldn't help but grin. Subtlety wasn't her thing.
"I think it's you who's doing the underestimating here. You want it rough, violent even, and you want it up the ass. You're not a masochist are you? Should I bring a knife as well? Or would you rather I paddle you with the flat of my sword?"
He laughed aloud as he pulled her forcefully to her feet.
"Maybe you got a demotion because being dominated turns you on so much. Maybe I should just leave you strung up in your home with a stick up your backside while I go and command your men in your place?"

Somehow his feral look became even more feral as he slowly moved his hand behind her head to firmly tangle in her hair.
"But no... Battle turns you on just as much as being subdued... As much as you want to be tamed you want to fight back. And I haven't gotten to see you kill yet... I'm still waiting to see your worth with my own eyes."

 

[Nikaia]

He couldn't help but grin. Subtlety wasn't her thing.
"I think it's you who's doing the underestimating here. You want it rough, violent even, and you want it up the ass. You're not a masochist are you? Should I bring a knife as well? Or would you rather I paddle you with the flat of my sword?"
He laughed aloud as he pulled her forcefully to her feet.

“Oh no, I have something a little more specialized for you to use.” She says white being brought to her feet. “And yes, I am a masochist. I hope you can deliver.”

"Maybe you got a demotion because being dominated turns you on so much. Maybe I should just leave you strung up in your home with a stick up your backside while I go and command your men in your place?"

She hummed, “why put it in my backside? There’s a third hole you know~. And why limit it to just one of the three?”

Somehow his feral look became even more feral as he slowly moved his hand behind her head to firmly tangle in her hair.
"But no... Battle turns you on just as much as being subdued... As much as you want to be tamed you want to fight back. And I haven't gotten to see you kill yet... I'm still waiting to see your worth with my own eyes."

Her head leaned back just a bit when he gripped her hair. She purred. “Then I’ll need to work extra hard won’t I?”

When he went to the commanders, he’d see them overlooking a local map, and discussing scouting and search runs. One looked up at him and said, “yes?”

 

[Tyrone Kystal]

“Oh no, I have something a little more specialized for you to use.”
“And yes, I am a masochist. I hope you can deliver.”

He gave her a low chuckle, "You've no idea..."

“why put it in my backside? There’s a third hole you know~. And why limit it to just one of the three?”

"To frustrate you, to make your other holes beg for the same attention."

“Then I’ll need to work extra hard won’t I?”

He gripped her hair harder and pulled back so her face was pointed almost straight up and his mouth claimed her lips. She was so thirsty it verged on desperation and it was driving him crazy.
Before she could get frisky with the kiss he disengaged.
"That should hold you over till tomorrow. You'll have to work harder than you've ever worked before to impress me."
He released his hold on her.

“yes?”

"Commander? I'm the elected leader of the mercenary forces, Tyrone Kystal. I have an idea to contribute to our next defensive strategy."
He didn't salute or anything, he got right to the point.

 

[Nikaia]

"To frustrate you, to make your other holes beg for the same attention."

She shuddered, “Good. That’s exactly what I’d expect from a proper man.”

He gripped her hair harder and pulled back so her face was pointed almost straight up and his mouth claimed her lips. She was so thirsty it verged on desperation and it was driving him crazy.
Before she could get frisky with the kiss he disengaged.
"That should hold you over till tomorrow. You'll have to work harder than you've ever worked before to impress me."
He released his hold on her.

She melted. Perhaps Kiris had been holding her from relationships until he had arrived. If that were true, then she would owe the goddess of love a great deal. The kiss, however brief, was her first, and it was by far the best thing she had ever experienced. When he pulled away she whimpered and tried to move with him, only to be held back by the hand gripping her hair. She was released, and she was panting. She had no words, and her heart pounded like the city’s war drums while he walked away.

She turned around and speed walked through the streets, and went into the Temple of Kiris, and she dropped to her knees in front of the central statue, depicting Kiris Pandemos, who as opposed to Kiris Urania and Kiris Areia, was the goddess of romantic, passionate love. Nikaia preyed with profuse thanks and hope for success in this. She prayed to Kiris Areia for the strength to do as he required, to show how worthy she was to be his.

Kiris Areia, the warlike aspect of the three Kiris aspects, was the aspect of protective love for one’s home, family and friends, the love that lead people to go to war to defend them, or otherwise fight for them. It was an appropriate union if one thought about it, love and war were so closely bound that to put the two together wasn’t a stretch but basic understanding of the nature of war.

She stayed in the temple, praying to the warrior and the lover, and preyed in thanks and hope until dawn.

"Commander? I'm the elected leader of the mercenary forces, Tyrone Kystal. I have an idea to contribute to our next defensive strategy."
He didn't salute or anything, he got right to the point.

“It is appreciated, and if we were defending we’d listen, but we are not defending, we are attacking.” He said calmly. “You say you are the elected leader. Then you aught to be included in these talks. Join us.”

He gestured for Tyrone to join them and gestured to the map. “I understand that you come Fromm a culture somewhat similar to that of our attackers. So your insight will prove valuable. Tell us, where would you hide your forces if you were them?”

 

[Tyrone Kystal]

“It is appreciated, and if we were defending we’d listen, but we are not defending, we are attacking.” He said calmly. “You say you are the elected leader. Then you aught to be included in these talks. Join us.”
“I understand that you come From a culture somewhat similar to that of our attackers. So your insight will prove valuable. Tell us, where would you hide your forces if you were them?”

He looked at the map for a moment.
"Provided they're not sneaking over the coast side wall as we speak... I would scatter them in small forces within shouting distance of each other with hundreds of fake camps peppered throughout the forest to make my forces appear larger than they are. Or if I have a truly massive army I would have no need to make fake campsites to intimidate our night watch."
He indicated the entire forested area outside the city on the map.
"Judging by the forces they threw at us this morning that was hardly their full strength, I think it's safe to assume that the forest is absolutely thick with barbarians, accounting for casualties."

He stroked his beard for a minute.
"If you want to harass them, my advice would be to set the forest on fire. There are lots of streams and creaks in their so they can fight it off pretty easy, but it will turn the psychological games back on them.
Always keep your enemies guessing, don't give them a chance to act. Send me with a team of my choice and we can get it done before sunrise."

 

[Nikaia]

He looked at the map for a moment.
"Provided they're not sneaking over the coast side wall as we speak... I would scatter them in small forces within shouting distance of each other with hundreds of fake camps peppered throughout the forest to make my forces appear larger than they are. Or if I have a truly massive army I would have no need to make fake campsites to intimidate our night watch."
He indicated the entire forested area outside the city on the map.
"Judging by the forces they threw at us this morning that was hardly their full strength, I think it's safe to assume that the forest is absolutely thick with barbarians, accounting for casualties."

He stroked his beard for a minute.
"If you want to harass them, my advice would be to set the forest on fire. There are lots of streams and creaks in their so they can fight it off pretty easy, but it will turn the psychological games back on them.
Always keep your enemies guessing, don't give them a chance to act. Send me with a team of my choice and we can get it done before sunrise."

They listened calmly and carefully, considering his words. They spoke on it briefly arguing for or against it, and eventually they decided for it. “Very well. Tyrone. You take five mercenaries and five of our soldiers and accomplish this task. No heroics, just set the forest alight and come back. We’ll have the main force waiting to sweep the remains for the invaders, and kill them.

 

[Tyrone Kystal]

“Very well. Tyrone. You take five mercenaries and five of our soldiers and accomplish this task. No heroics, just set the forest alight and come back. We’ll have the main force waiting to sweep the remains for the invaders, and kill them."

He smiled and gave a salute, "That forest will be lighting up the night before long."
with that he made his way out and began to recruit those he needed, of course Nikaia was number one on his list.

 

[Nikaia]

He smiled and gave a salute, "That forest will be lighting up the night before long."
with that he made his way out and began to recruit those he needed, of course Nikaia was number one on his list.

He’d find Nikaia in the aforementioned temple. She’d be on her knees in front of the three towering statues of three separate women, each depicting one of the three aspects of Kiris. Kiris Areia was on the left, and wore the typical, revealing armor of the female people of the city, only covering even less of her especially feminine’s areas. In the middle was Kiris Urania, she wore a loose top and skirt, with her midriff completely exposed and the waist being very low. On the right was Kiris Pandemos, she was just skyclad.

She’d turn around as he approached. She was surprised to see him. “I thought you went to the commanders.”

 

[Tyrone Kystal]

He had rarely ever been in places of worship, but the last thing he would have expected in such a place were pleasurable images of an exhibitionist goddess! Although, come to think of it, exhibitionism seemed to be a regular practice in this city so it made sense that their gods would reflect some of this.

“I thought you went to the commanders.”

"You thought correctly. I have a mission tonight and I've been instructed to bring five soldiers and five mercenaries to set the forest ablaze."
He stepped up to her and rested his hands on her hips as he sidled close.
"You wouldn't happen to know of anyone who might be looking for some recognition for their efforts in this war, would you?"

 

[Nikaia]

"You thought correctly. I have a mission tonight and I've been instructed to bring five soldiers and five mercenaries to set the forest ablaze."
He stepped up to her and rested his hands on her hips as he sidled close.
"You wouldn't happen to know of anyone who might be looking for some recognition for their efforts in this war, would you?"

When he put his hands on her hips and pressed his body to hers she glanced nervously up at the statues. She wasn’t sure if the goddes would strike them dead for preforming such actions in her temple, or smile in approval because that is what she was the goddess of. Quite frankly she had no idea which was more likely, but she wasn’t instantly obliterated by divine wrath so she assume do that she at least suffered having such things in her temple this once.

“I know a few. You need five of them? I can give you four besides myself, if you’d have me along.” She said back to him.

 

[Tyrone Kystal]

“I know a few. You need five of them? I can give you four besides myself, if you’d have me along.”

He lifted her chin to look at him. He was smiling and his thumb playfully teased her lips.
"I won't have it any other way. Come with me and show me your worth. Follow my orders and keep your men in line. We'll get you that promotion!"

 

[Nikaia]

He lifted her chin to look at him. He was smiling and his thumb playfully teased her lips.
"I won't have it any other way. Come with me and show me your worth. Follow my orders and keep your men in line. We'll get you that promotion!"

He was so good. She let his thumb play with her mouth, and put her arms around him. “Follow your orders? Must you even ask?”

 

[Tyrone Kystal]

“Follow your orders? Must you even ask?”

He chuckled before he fishhooked her cheek with his thumb, "I suppose I don't... How does this sound?"
He hit her arms off of him and pulled her painfully up on her tiptoes by her cheek.
His smile vanished and the feral glare returned.
"You're coming with us on a dangerous mission whether you like it or not. I'll see how you kill and decide if you're worthy of marriage or just a submissive slut to take advantage of."
He released her face, his thumb dripping with her saliva. He had no compunctions about doing this in a temple, the gods were supposed to know what everyone does anyway so it didn't matter where one did it.

He towered over her and buried his hand in her hair, forcing her to look up at him. "I want to see your strength, and if I find it worthy I will take that strength and make it my own."

 

[Nikaia]

He chuckled before he fishhooked her cheek with his thumb, "I suppose I don't... How does this sound?"
He hit her arms off of him and pulled her painfully up on her tiptoes by her cheek.
His smile vanished and the feral glare returned.
"You're coming with us on a dangerous mission whether you like it or not. I'll see how you kill and decide if you're worthy of marriage or just a submissive slut to take advantage of."

She gasped quietly as she was forced to her toes, wow, he was good. She shivered. “Yes sir~”

She expected, and excitedly anticipated, that he’d put her on some kind of leash. While she definitely wanted to prove that she was worth his attention, being kept as a pet was much too alluring to ignored.

He released her face, his thumb dripping with her saliva. He had no compunctions about doing this in a temple, the gods were supposed to know what everyone does anyway so it didn't matter where one did it.

He towered over her and buried his hand in her hair, forcing her to look up at him. "I want to see your strength, and if I find it worthy I will take that strength and make it my own."

He gripped her hair, it was only slightly painful, but she couldn’t care less about that. “You won’t be disappointed. I hope that I won’t be either.”

 

[Tyrone Kystal]

“You won’t be disappointed. I hope that I won’t be either.”

His smile returned and he released her, licking her saliva off his thumb.
"Gather four others from your unit and muster at the barracks in an hour."
With a salute to the statue of the naked goddess he left her there while he went to recruit some of the mercenaries.

 

[Nikaia]

His smile returned and he released her, licking her saliva off his thumb.
"Gather four others from your unit and muster at the barracks in an hour."
With a salute to the statue of the naked goddess he left her there while he went to recruit some of the mercenaries.

She shuddered in delight. “Yes sir.”

He left, and she turned around to face the statues again, and despite being carved from marble, the eye she of each statue seemed to gleam with mischief. She didn’t know whether to be worried or hopeful. She went to her unit a brought four other soldiers back with her, as Tyrone’s had directed.

 

[Nikaia]

She and her four fellow soldiers waited outside the barracks as directed while Tyrone Kystal gathered his own men.

 

[Nikaia]

(Bewp?)

 

[Nikaia]

His smile returned and he released her, licking her saliva off his thumb.
"Gather four others from your unit and muster at the barracks in an hour."
With a salute to the statue of the naked goddess he left her there while he went to recruit some of the mercenaries.

(You still there buddy?)

 

[Tyrone Kystal]

(Things just got a bit crowded so I made some priority cuts, sorry!)

Tyrone arrived with his group of mercenaries and met up with the soldiers. They were armed with the necessary equipment to achieve the mission along with some light armor. Tyrone was dressed in his normal gear and as always had his large sword over his back, which meant he was bare chested like the legionnaires.
He snapped a sharp salute with a smirk to Nikaia.
"We're ready to move out whenever you are. Our objective is simple, light the forest on fire and give the barbarians something to keep them up all night!
Any questions?"

 

[Nikaia]

(Things just got a bit crowded so I made some priority cuts, sorry!)

(No worries buddy.)

"We're ready to move out whenever you are. Our objective is simple, light the forest on fire and give the barbarians something to keep them up all night!
Any questions?"

Noone asked any. So she said, "nope. No questions. Lead the way Tyrone."

The legionaries were perfectly prepared to march as ordered. They didn't like being commanded by a mercenary, but it was a higher command to be so, so no complaints either. Nikaia and her soldiers were on the march behind him.

 

[Tyrone Kystal]

"nope. No questions. Lead the way Tyrone."

As expected.
The mercenaries handed out torches and tinderboxes to those who didn't have any.
"Once we reach the forest we'll fan out in groups of two, absolutely no verbal communication once you enter the tree line. Plant your flames in thirty foot intervals behind you as you move and avoid the enemy camps and their sentries. The tallest hill in the forest is where we'll meet up and take shelter, the wind is brisk tonight so we should have a good inferno chasing us!"
He adjusted the strap on his gauntlet and looked meaningfully at the soldiers gathered there.
"We're not going to engage the enemy but if it comes down to it don't die without silencing them. If anything keeps you from reaching the hill, let it be the flames."

With that he turned to the gate, "Let's move out! We've got a lot of ground to cover!"

 

[Nikaia]

The mercenaries handed out torches and tinderboxes to those who didn't have any.
"Once we reach the forest we'll fan out in groups of two, absolutely no verbal communication once you enter the tree line. Plant your flames in thirty foot intervals behind you as you move and avoid the enemy camps and their sentries. The tallest hill in the forest is where we'll meet up and take shelter, the wind is brisk tonight so we should have a good inferno chasing us!"
He adjusted the strap on his gauntlet and looked meaningfully at the soldiers gathered there.
"We're not going to engage the enemy but if it comes down to it don't die without silencing them. If anything keeps you from reaching the hill, let it be the flames."

Each soldiers snapped a salute, "yes sir."

With that he turned to the gate, "Let's move out! We've got a lot of ground to cover!"

The five soldiers marched with the mercenaries, and after a half hour of jog-marching they were at the treeline. They had cleared up the area a while back to give themselves more warning when the invaders emerged.

So they split up, one soldier per mercenary, and the five teams went about setting fires. Nikaia was with Tyrone, (I assumed that to be where she was meant to be) and she was doing as instructed. Fires were lit, and the forest began to burn.

But what was odd was that there was absolutely no sign of any encampment anywhere, not even a sentry or patrol. They had gotten cocky.

The group arrived at the hilltop, to be surprised that the fires had caught but hadn't spread. They were all stuck in individual pillars of towering fire, but nothing around them was burning.

Four out of the five groups were there, and at last a single mercenary walked up to them, breathless and covered in soot, his eyebrows had been seared off, and smoke was rising from his hair.

"Pyromancers. They have pyromancer's." He said, and immediately afterwards a wall of fire erupted between them and the city, a half circle. And standing in front of them was no less than sixty barbarian warriors, almost naked and painted black, armed with axes and black roundshields. Among them were four total cloaked men wearing helmets of deer skulls, antlers still intact, and carrying staffs topped with jawbones. Pyromancers.

Nikaia and the soldiers immediately formed a phalanx in front of the mercenaries, it wasn't deep enough to be as strong as usual but it would definitely hold. But they were surrounded, and outnumbered. They wouldn't last long in a straight fight, not here.

 

[Tyrone Kystal]

Things went well, a lot better than he expected which told a very different and suspicious story. As they carried out their mission and made their way to the rendezvous point. He took note that they didn't spot many if any campfires on their rout and he was alert for danger.

When they arrived at the hill and they waited for the others he was still on edge. The wind was good so the fire should have been spreading quickly, but all he could see was smoke.

Then the final member of their group arrived with his report.

"Pyromancers. They have pyromancer's."

That's when hell broke loose and Tyrone got a glimpse of the trap they were conveniently led right into.
As the fire burst forth and revealed their enemies he let out a low whistle, their element of surprise was obviously gone, if not totally wasted from the beginning.
He looked at their small band of fighters as he unwrapped a package on his belt.
"Looks like a whole army is standing between us and the city. Things look bleak and we might not all make it out alive..."
He removed some parts from the wrapping and began assembling and stringing a large heavy bow. Another mercenary had a bow and an extra quiver and tossed it to Tyrone.
"Well... If we play our cards right and pull this off flawlessly, it's entirely possible that we all get to see the light of day after this."
He completed the assembly and tested the pull of the bow.
"If we take out the pyromancers then the flames will continue to spread as planned and sweep right over this army. Our shelter here is secure from the fire since there's very little up here to burn, all we'll have to do is lay low and wait it out.
Shields, protect the bowmen from the enemy."

With that he nocked an arrow and sighted down one of the four Pyromancers, the other mercenary did the same with his own target.
The powerful bow thumped like a drum as he released the arrow, the steel tip streaked through the night, glowing from the light of the flames.
His aim with a bow was as true as his strength with a sword. The arrow of the second bowman also streaked unerringly to its target.
Tyrone chuckled as he reloaded. It was foolish of those pyromancers to create another flame. It would merely add to the forest fire that would be unleashed with their deaths.