QUEST: Voyage for a Gem, chapter 2 [Samheen 4th]

[Guenhwyfar]

THe lack of defense offered by the dagger didn't seem to bother Guen overmuch, largely due to the sense of utter invulnerability possessed by the young and inexperienced.

She fought all the harder for that sense of invulnerability, however misguided it may have been. She tried to stave off as many blows as possible by either quick movements like the one she had used to pull her earlier opponent off-balance, or by blocking the arms of the opponents before they could strike her.

Guen realized that those with swords had the advantage of distance on her, armed only with her dagger, so with a some slight skill and some large recklessness, she tried to move closer to her opponents, standing close enough to them that they couldn't swing their blade at her, but so that she could bury hers in whatever part of their anatomy proffered itself.

She tried to work her way closer and closer towards the door, and Tayknot. It was essential that the door remained barred, and she wanted to make sure that no assailant attacked him while he stood there, blocking the door.

[BardicPup]

Tayknot managed to go unnoticed around to the back of the door. The small blade proved a suitable enough wedge to keep the door shut, but there was no telling how long it would hold. Some heavy pounding on the door drew the attention of the remaining guards in Tayknot's direction, however, and two began to close on him, hoping to reopen the door.

Rylas's ploy worked too well, for how was he to know that his former target had a brother nearby. He soon found himself beset by two brothers, clearly displeased at his reference to their mother.

Guen, mostly through the good grace of lady luck, and somewhat due to her skill, managed to get inside the reach of a young man of average stature. She managed to stab him several times as he fought to free himself of her proximity, but, when he finally did escape, it was by falling to the deck, life quickly fading from him. With the departure of her foe, she found she had a clear path to Tayknot, blocked only by the two advancing on her ally.

[Med]

With his opponent dragged away from him Daenus spotted Tayknot in the distance and nearly went for one of his throwing knives, but instead knew that a possible enemy was behind his back. Spinning his sword up to an overhanded grasp he turned to find out what was before him..

Suddenly he realized it was Captain Darkheart, but had little time to react towards him as he saw what looked to be a veteran fighter aproaching fast.. This could be bad.. With no time for words he could only hope the Captain held true to his words and could guess the only tactic the dark haired man could see.

Daenus veared to the right of the sea dog as he closed quarters and gave what was hoped to be a distracting swing towards his right chest area. A block would surely follow as he was out matched with this one. With luck Raven would be quicker than this one's retaliation.

His eyes grew even darker as a thought of death raced through his mind..

[tanoshimi]

Tayknot's heart was pumping like a thirsty man at a water fountain, but he found himself smiling.

He managed to lock the rest of those blood-hungry mongrels away for a while, downed one foe - and yet, was still alive.
Even the pair approaching him, didn't blow away the halfling's enthusiasm. One thing he knew though, that it was highly unlikely he could handle them both.

He took a couple steps back and after a moment's hesitation, adjusting his grip to the weight of his trusty dagger and calculating the distance to the man nearest him, he flung the dirtied blade at the man's chest.
This, of course, only if none of his allies were in the way. The blade was heavy and his aim careful as usual. Careful, but not sure.

If for some reason he couldn't cast his weapon at the man, the halfling would search for some sort of shield - a barrel, or large crate - which in direct combat with a human might give him some advantage. He only prayed that someone else would take care of the other.

[Raven Darkheart]

Raven reacted instinctively moving just behind Daenus and as the vetran dog would be moving out of the way he would follow up with a twap of his rapier just on the leftside, intended to seriously cut or main the man, but not kill him. He would leave that to Daenus.

[Guenhwyfar]

Guenhwyfar saw the halfling engage the first assailant, so set herself to attack the second.

Weighing the heft of her dagger in one hand, she considered. He was far enough in front of her that she wouldn't necessarily be able to make it there in time to stave off an attack on Tayknot, but her aim with a knife was not polished enough to guarantee a kill if she threw her blade.

There weren't many other options, however -- and, she reasoned, she was better with feet and fists alone anyway. Mustering what little aim she had, she threw the blade at the second enemy's back, hoping to slow and distract him, not to kill him.

As the blade left her hand, she charged forward in a series of athletic strides, then jumped forward, spinning as she went through the air, trying to deliver a circular kick to her enemy, enough to knock the wind out of him still farther and to turn him around face to face to fight her.

If she was successful in getting him to face her, she leapt up again to deliver a powerful kick squarely in the man's chest, then prepared to lunge forward as he fell backwards to attack further.

[BardicPup]

The veteran indeed blocked Daenus's attack, but it did little more then delay matters. With the two swords tangled for a moment, Raven had a couple seconds to chose a target and attack.

Raven's blade snaked out quickly, stricking like a viper, and drawing a thin line of blood on the sea dog's right arm. Most opponents would have dropped their weapon from the pain, but the aged one held to his weapon, though his grip was weak.

Tayknot saw Guen headed after the second enemy, so decided to hold fast to his dagger, for now. A tun of rum sat nearby, likely empty and left there from the night before. While not as tall as a barrel, it would likely give him just the boost he needed to be on level with the human. By this time the human was almost on top of him. From his perch atop the tun, Tay had to decide to throw the dagger almost point blank, or to fight the human head on.

Guen's weapon buried itself in the pirate's left side, making him grunt in pain. Pulling it out, he turned to search for the fiend that had tormented him. Foolishly, however, as he turned, he offered his wounded side to Guen, even as she was leaping up to kick him. The kick struck his back and left side, causing him to stagger, sword flayling as if with a will of it's own, tip kissing Guen's right cheak in passing.

[Guest]

Rylas brought his lochaber forward and slashed in an upward arc at the closest of the two brothers. Then, intending to redirect the momentum rther than change it, he tried to circle it back down and slash across the gut of the same pirate.

Again, Rylas knew distance was his best friend and best chance, for once both men got inside his distance with their quicker weapons, he would be done for.

Rylas began backpedaling again regardless of the results of his first attack, using both hands to slsh low back and forth to try to maintain his space, waiting for an opening...

[Med]

It was now or never....

Sinister..

The right arm was wounded that Daenus had been tangeling with. He pulled just up above the wrist and shot down with the momentum of wieght.. Hoping to disarm the man by driving against his own blade in such a fashion to make it drop from his hand, as he had two focuses at once.

A standard move afterwards if sucsess happened would have been to raise a blade to the other man's throat or strike him down as soon as possible.. If it worked.

Daenus had no intention of going for the killing stroke though.

[BardicPup]

Rylas's first strike was deflected, but the pirate had not planned on Rylas's circling back for a second pass, and was unable to stop the lochaber from slicing his belly open. He staggered back, grasping a hand to his midsection in an attempt to keep his innards inside. His brother moved forward quickly, holding Rylas at about the same distance as he slashed at the lochaber, trying to keep it busy and find an openning.

Daenus's tactic likely would not have worked on the veteran, if he had not been injured, but he was. The veteran's sword broke free of his grasp, and Daenus's weapon severed the tip of his thumb.

It was over. The sea dog knew and excepted that. He stood still, ready for the final blow. He was too tired to go on anyways. Age had taken the thrill from him. How many foes had he struck down over his many years? More then he could remember. Now it was his turn to be struck down. He excepted it without regret, or fear, unlike many others.

[Med]

Daenus glanced in the other man's eyes and saw it.. A reflection of how he would be.

It Doesn't matter!

"This is not how it should be perhaps, but it is.. There is no more need for fighting. You should know not even allegiances matter at this point as all will soon be destroyed. Such is the way of the world. Drop to the ground with hands locked behind your head. You shall be a prisoner, yes. Yet soon as details of matters are done with I promise you shall be released."

Amazingly Daenus's eyes looked almost sympathetic. He recalled past events that made them such.

And though his words were spoken rarely could they be trusted. No intention was there to give this man such. No one lived aboard a ship as long as this one without knowing something. A First mate at least he thought....

He will break.

[Guenhwyfar]

So quick was the slash, and so sharp was the blade, that Guen was hardly aware of the cut as it appeared on her face. No doubt when the fighting had ceased, it would sting and throb to the point of distraction, but for the moment preoccupation and adrenalin helped her to ignore the wound.

What she couldn't ignore, however, was this yokel of a pirate swinging his sword at her. As he stumbled, she slashed out again with a crescent-shaped kick, hoping to kick his blade out of his hand and help him fall even more. THen, depending on how close he was to her, she lashed out again at his midsection with either her knee or her foot, hoping to get him to double over; if successful, she kicked out again as he doubled over, aiming for the fragile spot beneath his chin. A solidly-placed blow there should be enough to put him out of commission for a while, if not kill him outright.

[tanoshimi]

OOC: it actually was Tayknot's intention to get behind the barrel, not on it, hehe ..but I didn't make that clear enough

IC:
Tayknot perched himself up on the rum keg, knees bent for better balance. A knife throw at this point seemed awkward, if not just uneffective.

At the last flicker he decided idle waiting for an attack was dangerous. So he decided on something even more risky (not quite conscious of the fact at that moment). When the pirate was just a step and a half away he jumped, pulling his legs up, making himself as small as possible, hopefully a harder target.

The momentum itself - of his leap and the man running - should've made for a considerable blow, aimed at the foe's neck. Tayknot hoped that he would be able to grab the man's shoulder for support in mid-air and land behind him, or at least to his side, striking another stab in his side or back - before landing, or just after.

[BardicPup]

The aged sea dog looked at Daenus a moment, considering. "You wish me to surrender to you? Hrm.... I am too tired of this life. Perhaps I'll become a politician, the only differences are no ship and no fighting, both a plus at my age. Very well, but you will take me like this. You need my information, or you wouldn't offer me this choice. So treat me with the respect I deserve, or you will get none. "

Guen's well placed kick sent the weapon flying leaving it standing on the deck several feet away. Guen's second kick doubled the man over, almost dropping him to one knee, but the force would not let him. The pirate saw death a moment too late, as Guen's foot shattered the bones in his neck.

The pirate looked shocked at the miniature living cannonball flying at him. That moment of indecision cost him any chance to counter. Tayknot looked truly the master as his hand grasped the man's shoulder in mid-leap. It was indeed a sight to see, as Tayknot twisted his body in midair and struck. Then it happened, as things always tend to happen to one unskilled in combat that looks, through blind luck, to be a master. His dagger stuck, and he forgot to let go. Tayknot's body whip-lashed as the dagger pulled at him. His grip broke free, and he crashed to the deck in a tangle of nearby spare rigging. Luckily, The dagger had buried itself in the pirate's spine, so he could take no advantage of Tayknot's 'graceful' landing.

[Guest]

Rylas knew that he had fortune to thank for not having both brothers at his throat currently, but the one whose mother stood insulted and his sibling's guts spilt on the deck was enough.

Rylas meticulously tried to keep his foe at the end of his lochaber, but it wouldn't do for them to poke at one another all day. Eventually, Rylas's heavier weapon would angle just a little to high or low and let him in, or worse, someone else might come up and take the kill from Rylas.

His muscles still held the memory of the drills his surrogate uncle used to put him through, even if they were starting to fade as of late with the foam of the sea. One of the last things Tedrin taught Rylas was explosive and a bit more advanced; given the raging state of the enemy Rylas thought it could be effective if he got the form right and could do it fast enough, and if the pirate's swordplay wasn't refined enough to get around it...

He took one last step back and swung the lochaber to the left to prepare, then planted his forward foot down and snapped the blade back to the right in a slash across the area of the upper body, using the momentum to turn in a spinning slash at the midsection, finally dropping so low as to steady himself on the deck with his left hand and sweep back to the left for the legs...

[Med]

"Very well" Daenus said as he kicked the man's lost sword over the bridge of the ship. "It shall be so." his eyes still locked on the man.

Not now..

Thoughts of the day were starting to strike his mind, as he realized what he had done once again. It would be a long night of staring at the tides. Forcing it down he began to escort the man to the other ship. Blade held, but not in as much of a menacing tone. The words had struck far deeper than Daenus was comfotable with.

Fighting still remained, but there were far more important tasks. The others could finish up. He had more than enough of a taste of blood this day.

[Raven Darkheart]

Raven gave a quick nod to Daenus and without a word moved forward again, into the thick of the fighting, in an attempt to reach the door. He jumped on a barrel and grabbed a piece of rigging, trying to jump over the heads of the crowd and landing behind them. "Forward with the Rose" he yelled on the top of his lungs.

OOC: Pup, I'll assume you have control over the Than and his henchmen back at the Lady Rose.

[tanoshimi]

Tayknot cursed horribly as his initially impressive attack ended with a crash landing. He instinctively tried to move away and looked up at his foe. Realizing that he had been rendered harmless, the halfling untangled himself from the roping. Then he tried to remove his dagger from the dead man's back, still remaining alert for any more cutthroats who wanted to pick on him.

[BardicPup]

Rylas's foe, dispite his rage, was no fool. He had witnessed his brother's demise, and had no wish to join him. Hence, Rylas's first two swings were dodged with ease. However, he had not expected Rylas's ease of control on his oversized weapon. The final swing at his legs struck heavily, biting bone on his left leg. Rylas's attempts to free the weapon failed, but openned the wound even more, leaving the man screaming, far too far to halt his assalent's merciless tugging on his rended flesh.He cried out for aid, but found none. Indead, the crew of the Lady Rose were within a breath of victory.

The wizened sea dog saw the look in Daenus's eyes. He knew he was a captive, and this was his captor escorting him from a ship he had spent much of his life on, but he couldn't help himself. The sage buried within the aged pirate would not let him turn away from the conflict raging within his tormented captor.

"I am much older then you, by far, yet I see much of myself, my current self, in you. You did not chose this life, I know. It chose you. Why do you cling to it, as a fish clings to the hook that leads it to the frying pan? Free yourself of this trap. At next port, come with me. Leave this life behind you, and start anew, lest one day you find yourself in my shoes, or worse, you find yourself sitting alone, on a ship that has become your prisonlooking up at stars that have no meaning, but to plot a course you did not chose, and feeling the wind that leads where you do not want to be. Leave it behind, as I am, and find the freedom you seek. "

[BardicPup]

A few of the crew of the Lady Rose had witnessed Tayknot's feat, and chuckled. Tayknot soon noted that few remained, too few to worry about a lone halfling. His dagger came away easily, in vast contrast to his earilier attempt.

Raven's cry was the final straw. The few remaining members of the trireme's once impressive crew dropped their weapons, all save one, that looked around at his companions with shocked distaste. "If we are to lose, let it be in blood, not as captives of the Than and his cronies, leader of some backwater operation. Forward! "

The lone man charged at Raven, ignoring all others. His charge was cut short by one of Darkheart's crew, tripping him so his sword flew to the deck and embedded it's tip in the planks. The pirate also flew, but his face did not embed in the deck in quite the same way as he planted it solidly there.

[Guest]

Rylas smirked as he yanked at his weapon. It would seem that he had laid waste to an entire generation of some family. He would thank Tedrin silently when he next lay down to sleep.

Rylas was intent on freeing his weapon, but doubly intent on not losing a limb to carelessness. He aimed a savage kick at the pirate's face, then went to pin his sword arm with his foot and wrench the blade from his grasp.

Following successful completion of that precaution, Rylas would work further to free his blade, bracing his foot on the pirate's leg if necessary.

[Guenhwyfar]

Guenhwyfar stepped over the body of her victim and continued on her way towards the door. She cursed under her breath slightly as she watched Tayknot fall, less out of concern for the halfling's wellbeing, and more out of concern that his fall, spectacular though it may have been, left the all-important door unguarded.

With a few long strides, she tried to move in front of the door and stood there, in a guard position, ready to take on any comers. She thought to herself that the battle certainly seemed to be over -- an observation reinforced by the less-than-graceful sprawling of the last fighting crewman at Raven's feet.

Still, you could never be too careful, so she stood there firmly, scowling slightly, still in her battle focus, noting half-consciously that her cheek seemed to be smarting terribly for some reason.

[Med]

Daenus listened as he began to escort the man across to the adjacent ship. All these same thoughts had crossed his mind countless times before. In silence he wondered what he needed to release... and recalled that last night when the ship left him.. Walking down the street with cutlass in hand to kill the dark man that had robbed him of his life. No it was not a life he had chosen, but what else was there. Power? Money? even sex held little gratification anymore. The dark haired gypsy both hated and loved the sea with a passion. It was his tormenting lover that took and gave life with a self-centered greed.

Let it go.... or remember your position.

"No it may have been it that chose me, but let us remember why we are here now." he said in a cool tone, as they boarded raven's ship, "I may have little love left for this, but this is the way it is. The way of the world."

Daenus called off to the other crew members, "This man is a prisoner. See him brought below deck and secured! I shall be down shortly to interogate!"

A burning rage shot through him as the thought of his own weakness struck him. It tasted like venom in his mouth.

[BardicPup]

Rylas Was successful in staggering, then disarming the man. Knowing his time was now, and seeing the face of his death, the man simply whispered "There is another, one who is not here. She will avenge my death, and that of my brother. She knows your face, for we were linked in birth, and the bond cannot be broken, even unto death. "It was the last words he would ever utter.

Indeed the battle was over, at least above decks. Those left had laid down arms and were awaiting Raven's decision as to their fate. A drop of blood ran hot down Guen's face, telling her why she felt a sting there. A sharp banging could be heard from the other side of the door.

[BardicPup]

The man's head dropped visably. "Very well. If thats the way, it is you who must live with it, as I have, or die by it. The sea is a cruel mistress, but one with a siren's call. May she show you the same mercies that you have shown me. "

That said, he offered his hands to those that would escort him to a more secure location. They bound his hands, and lead him down into the hold.