Open Chronicles the lost lionmen of ixchel

[high counsel leader groff]

"this no doubt has to do with the results of today's tournament the nomadic chief who clearly won today knows the high council will vote him as a loser for fear of nomadic tribes bringing war after gaining political rights. if they remain nomadic they have no political sway and there backwards culture will stay away from ours"

i put away the tea and douse the fire.

"if you wouldn't mind accompanying me to the capital i can call an early council meeting, no doubt the assassin will find us on our way there, otherwise i havent a clue on how we would find them. its an hours walk. the assassin would have to kill me before the ruling is finalized, afterwards would do nothing but if this is not the nomadic chiefs doing then ive got beef with more people than i thought."

i reach for the door and open it. sniffing the air as i cautiously stepped out.

"smells clear but lets get going. we must leave now no time to call for an escort, but with what little they would do for us wasting the time isnt worth it anyways"

i hand her the key so she can lock the door behind her

the day is dwindling and i feel the dark will come before we make it to the capital i hope this elf has the power to protect me i personally have never had an issue with magic i just never thought to get the laws changed no ones used it for generations we wouldn't even know were to begin as all our spells were burned and the witch trials burned the writers of spells as well.

 

[Laqueta Hala Kritanta]

After copying the lionman's actions, Laqueta locked the door behind her, testing its strength. It wouldn't budge. Deeming the area secure, she nodded at him and tossed him the keys, unsheathing her twin blades.

It was getting darker. Easy to mix up trees with looming figures. She couldn't waste precious seconds unsheathing her weapons if they were jumped on. The bright sun melted into the horizon. Her ears twitched as she heard the occasional movement in the grass.

 

[high counsel leader groff]

i catch the keys and return them to my satchel. i take the girls lead and decide to strap on a small knife around my waist normally i would keep it in my bag i dislike having a knife on my belt being a politician ive found words to be much more effective over violence but it seems the choice has been taken from me, words will not do against the silent cold blade of an assassin.

i lead my new body guard down the path that intersects with a dirt road its usually well traveled but the road is oddly barren. the sky is ablaze with a pink and red sunset. its beautiful.

"this is the worst of days to die, id rather die on a cold and miserable day so that i dont need to endure with that misery but when the day is nice a i rather live to see the end of it" i gripe mostly to myself.

as we walk going further and further away from the small east village i begin to get more and more anxious, something in the air does not feel right, its as if death lingers in the shadows. a most unsettling feeling

"something isnt right, this road should be busy with commuters from the festival. its the only safe way to the capital and the northern tribes, i was sure they had attended but if they didn't then that could explain why its so quiet"

 

[Laqueta Hala Kritanta]

Laqueta nodded briefly as he spoke. His words made sense but she was too on edge to voice her own opinion on the matter. Her hands steadily grasped her own weapons she looked around. A faint rustling could be heard from all around them.

She wondered if he heard it too. Maybe not. The elf strained to hear whatever was making the noise.

 

[high counsel leader groff]

the smell hit me like a wave, the smell was unmistakable the smell of death lingered on the breeze.

i stop in my tracks my ears twitch and my grip tightens around my knife still on my belt.

a twig snaps in the woods to the right of the trail and my head swivels to the noise. i stare into the dark trees looking for whatever made the noise. just as i decide that it must be nothing a rather peculiar lionman appears on the trail ahead of us. hes dressed from head to toe in a red wrap that covers everything except his face and main which is braided. around his neck is a necklace made from lionmen pelts. a similarly dressed lionmen walks appears behind us his wrappings are white and red and that's when i realize why i smell death. i had head stories about these assassins but i didn't think anyone would be so evil. there wrappings were stained with blood. the one ahead of us must be more adept at killing as his dressings are more stained then his partners.

the redder of the two speaks first.

"you have not been marked for death little girl so unless you want me to bath in your blood as well i suggest you go away from this place. you haven't a clue what to do with those swords, we on the other hand do"

his partner draws two daggers and he draws a blood stained sword, the sword looks as if its never been cleaned since its first use.

even tho laqueta was a good deal bigger than any of the lionmen here they seemed un effected by her presence.

i pulled my own dagger.

 

[Laqueta Hala Kritanta]

Laqueta was surprised the assassins were lionmen. For some reason, she'd imagined it would be an orc or goblin. She shrugged it off and examined the two. Clearly, they were experienced, or at least more experienced than most lionmen.

"Úr- -esse cúma." The elf cursed at them as she crouched down in an offensive position. Laqueta leaped from the ground as she charged towards the dagger-wielding lionman. He sprung towards her in a sprint as they battled head-on.

He lunged at her, aiming his daggers for his opponent's stomach. Laqueta swung her swords to meet the side of her foe's blade, sending the attack wide as she spun inward, revolving the blade of her weapon to slash at the lionman's side. He grunted in pain as he shoved her away sloppily while pressing his wound with his paw. The elf rolled back gracefully, grunting when her back hit several sharp rocks strewn around the area.

 

[high counsel leader groff]

the swordsmen lunges for me as his partner is wounded by the laqueta i dodge and jab my knife into his rib. he must have not thought me to be so quick but i can be when my life is in danger. he only grunts and swings his sword once more i put my arm up defensively and attempt another dodge but he manages to gash my arm pretty good i look at my driping arm. i notice the swordsmen stumble in his stance his side was bleeding bad, this wasnt the first sword fight id been in without a sword myself but i exspected him to be more skilled than me.

suddenly he drops unconscious but not dead i turn to see his partner running at me. i froze i was tired and had not moved this much in years i try to get after the now discarded sword but i feel a pop and im stiff as bricks before the guy can grab me ive toppled off the road and down a small hill into some pushes. i was in a lot of pain very familiar pain like the last time i threw out my back, the local witch doctor told me not to do any strenuous work until i die or the back pain will kill me she then drained my blood for good health and gave me a tea for pain.

as i lie in the pushes im sure the back pain would kill me this time ore the treatments i would need to fix this will, the tea she gave me last time made me pass out for 3 days

 

[Laqueta Hala Kritanta]

Laqueta tackled his partner to the ground, hitting hit pressure point with the hilt of her blades. His body crumpled to the ground and she quickly turned towards Groff.

Hesitantly, she hovered her hands over his body. He look awful. She quickly checked his pulse and began muttering worriedly. They were far away from any doctor and even if she managed to get him to one, would he make it? She leaned over him, waiting for him to respond if he could.

 

[high counsel leader groff]

i lay in the grass in much pain wishing it to be gone i look up and see her and remember where we were headed and why, with the failed attempt on my life there will be more. i must make it to the capital.

"perhaps you know a spell that could remove my pain?" i couldn't believe what i was purposing

"it goes against all that i believe but if i die in this grass now i would be leaving my people doomed, there is more going on than just an attempt on my life something is not right in the capital i can feel it we must go there immediately before we are attacked once more" i struggle to talk and my words come raspy and quick

 

[Laqueta Hala Kritanta]

Laqueta frowned but nodded hesitantly. She placed her hands gently on his chest.

"Ainima n- sina laman mectar so i -rya alya- sercë are envinyata-." Her hands glowed a bright amber, her hair briefly shining a brilliant black. Her eyes shone red for a few seconds then turned back to their normal lilac hue.

The grass waved in the wind and the crickets chirped to themselves. The two assassins' bodies lay covered in dirt and blood in a muddled heap on the trail.

 

[high counsel leader groff]

my breath soothes and my back feels better as the words are spoken. i blink a bit and shake my head sitting up.

i look at her thankfully.

"perhaps my next diplomatic cause will be to allow the use of healing magic. my doctor would have suggested i drink poison root broth for a quick death.this is a lot better" i grown as i pull my self up to my feet my back was good better than good. i grunt as i climb out of the ditch. i was making sure the assassins were dead, they were. i frown at this.

"i would expect two blood stained assassins to put up more of a fight against a girl and an old cat like me"

i look at the one i had stabbed. in the light that was left i could see his wrappings clearly they were of a cheap cloth. from all the reports ive red the assassin clans wear traditional silk wrappings when on missions

"something isnt right here"

i squint suspiciously down the road were we came from and up the road were we must go.

 

[Laqueta Hala Kritanta]

Laqueta glanced down as she nodded in agreement. She carefully observed their surroundings for a few brief moments. Motioning for the lionman to move, she leaned over the bodies and inspected their weapons.

They seemed normal but for an assassin to go into battle with such tools was foolish. They were rather heavy compared to her own weapons and their blades were dull. She placed the middle of the dagger on her finger. It tilted from side to side before clattering to the ground. Unbalanced. The worst was yet to come.

 

[high counsel leader groff]

i take heed to the girls directions we must move before anything else comes to assault us. the moon slowly rises as we continue on down the trail every sound if it be bird or deer has my attention the crickets begin there hum, but the sound is over whelming the chance that i would hear a rustle before an arrow sticks me dead is null. i do pray that laqueta can defend me as she so promises.

"those were not assassins" i growl as we move on down the trail. i swivel my head left and right watching the shadows.

"there blades were weak. the assassin guilds are known for there silk dressings and there well crafted swords these men had neither. there wrappings were neither silk nor there weapons fine." i growl once more.

"we must hurry the peoples city will not be far we should be there before high moon"