By Nightfall (Jygust 30th Early ET)

[Haikan]

Waiga looked at his crafted wood and pouted, realizing he'd snepped it when he lost his temper. "Now look what ya made me done," he said. He tried to push the two pieces together, but physics outsmarted him as the wood pieces remained seperate. "Aw, damnit all!" He threw both pieces overboard and pulled from his pocket a fresh rectangle of wood.

As Damon peered over the side of the boat, he could see fingers gripping the side of his dinghy. They were wet and slipping, and it looked like the person those fingers belonged to, was being pulled under somehow. The bubbles were decreasing in their intensity, and the splashing was growing fainter. This person wouldn't be clawing for air for much longer.

[Damon Ryot]

Aghast by the sight of a fellow...well person in the threat of being drowned instilled him to do one thing and one thing only.
Have to be fast with this.

He glanced over his shoulder, seeing Waiga busy with a new block of wood, ready to carve it to whatever nonsensical object he desired. He decided to act immediately, surprise Waiga, and get a little head start therefore.

He knew there was no use jumping over the side. He wasn't a swimmer, and the orc would just join him, catching him before he could help the drowning person. With a split flicker's decision, he made for the ladder that had brought him up here in the first place.

He intended to go down as quickly as possible and then grab the sinking hand from its watery oblivion.

[Haikan]

Damon successfully began to clamber down the rope ladder, quickly and suddenly, and it took Waiga a minute to realize what was happening. "Hey punk, get back here!" He shouted and sprinted after him, by the time Damon had gotten to the dinghy and steadied himself, he could see the form of the orc named Waiga jumping down after him. Thunk!

The dinghy was rocked violently as Waiga landed right in front of the freelancer and he thrust his hand forward, locking Damon's neck against the side of the boat and knocking his head against the wooden starboard. "You tryin' to pull something, hotshot? I warned you, you ain't getting away!"

A small glow began to form behind Waiga's feet, and through his legs Damon saw a hand, using it's finger to gesture for him to be quiet. The lips that finger was pressed against belonged to none other than Esther.

Don't say anything, Damon! He could hear her voice in his head, and an impish smile formed as she looked up at Waiga mischeviously.

[Damon Ryot]

Damon was astounded by the speed of Waiga, though it took him some time to realize he'd disappeared, he had caught him almost immediately as he landed beside on the boat from the daring jump. A hard, strong hand gripped him from his neck and with pounded his head against the starboard quite violently. He was dazed, unable to answer the orc, and barely conscious to discern the world around him.

He saw the faint shimmer by Waiga's legs, but still his vision swam here and there, why he wasn't capable of seeing Esther or the warning finger. Not that he was about to say anything, nearly incapacitated as he was; he thought death was slowly approaching to greet him.
What a funny way to come. Glowing lights, a pathway to my oblivion, or my rest. His thoughts, as irrational as his senses.

Next, he heard a voice speak to him in his mind. It was familiar, a reminiscent of his past life surely, how quaint. Death, to come to him in the guise of a dear old friend, how benevolent, and of such a malevolent entity.

"I welcome you with open arms, my canary." He spoke softly, but a notch above a whisper. He closed his eyes, ready for what was to come.

[Haikan]

Esther rubbed her hands together and they began to glow a bluish green. Her hair was wet and water dripped down her face as she closed her eyes and smiled. "Sorry about my tantrum, Damon, I hope this makes up for it..." Meanwhile Waiga was shouting his head off at Damon and he seemed to choose ignorance rather than notice Esther's presence.

"You dickweed, you have any idea how much trouble I'd get in if-" Suddenly his hand let go and he straightened himself up perfectly. Esther's hands were tightly wrapped around his ankles and his entire body was stiff as a board. "Urrgghhhh" was all he could manage to say, and his hair stood upright, as he began to smoke.

"Take that, meanie!" Esther shouted, and Waiga fell overboard, sinking like a stone. She pulled herself onto the dinghy and stood upright, grabbing Damon by the shoulders and pressing her lips up against his. As soon as she did so, his head ceased to hurt and his mind could return to normal functioning. Not only was she no longer cold and wet from the water, her hair and clothes were completely dry, and her face was warm, soft. She pulled away and grabbed onto the ladder with one hand. "You got a job to do, Damon?"

[Damon Ryot]

Death seemed to be a slow, for time passed, and it passed, until his open arms closed up in impatience.
Would thou torture me, laugh in my face, then steal my soul to the nether? He asked Death in his delusions.

There was a distinct splash; something large had fallen into water, probably sinking fast down below. Through his ethereal vision he saw no longer a shimmer, but a being of pure light.
Death, thou wishest to play your tricks. Aye! Take me, tempt me no more, for I've seen a lass beyond your frail depictions.

The face was a blur, even as it came up close to his face; closer and closer until he felt something moist and warm press against his lips.
Death, kiss me goodnight...
However, as soon as that happened, he opened his eyes fully. He was back to his senses in that instance, with the delusions behind, and the orc over the side though he was unaware of that.

"Esther?" He saw her clearly, not Death, but his dear Esther in the very flesh her celestial soul wore. He couldn't have been more pleased.

His head no longer pained him; hopefully there was no blood, and he was back to optimum.
Kiss of life. He mused amusedly, his mouth drawn into a warm smile.

A thousand things raced through him; he wanted to beg for forgiveness, wanted to return her kiss; stroke the beautiful brown hair, whisper loving word into her ear and...and...he was merely overwhelmed. Fortunately, so overwhelmed, that he said nothing but nodded solemnly and said.

"Yes, I think so." He didn't dare look straight into her eyes. Guilt had returned foremost, ready to tear him asunder yet again, and before her he felt...insignificant and lowly. Mundane as the very orc who'd just disappeared; whom he'd forgotten all about.

[Haikan]

"Then let's finish what we've started, Damon. Celeste told me everything. We need to get back on this ship!" She exclaimed her point quietly, while holding the dinghy in place by clasping the rope ladder. "Come on Damon, unless you want to turn back..." She brushed off her skirt, and she pulled up her knee-high socks, finally beginning to climb the rope ladder over Damon, seemingly so concerned with the fact that there was business to attend to onboard the ship that she didn't show any worry over the fact that Damon could see right up her skirt at her flawless legs as she climbed.

On the dock some 25 meters away, the two Orcs from before were watching with spyglasses, keeping to the shadows and holding large, brutish weapons, most likely stolen from Navirez's office. One of them had a crossbow and took aim and Damon, but there was a loud screeching sound to his left and he jumped, firing up in the air and looking around confusedly. Celeste had evidently shrieked to distract him, and was heading back out into the distance.

[Damon Ryot]

Damon was too busy in his own thoughts to hear, see, or notice anything around him. To him, the situation had become somewhat ridiculous already. He was of course delighted to see her again, happier even that she didn't seem to hold any grudges towards him, but how things had happened just like that.

This is absolutely strange... Why he missed Esther's climb up the ship, missed such a pair of beautiful legs. He was unaware of the impending death several metres away, on the docks, where his employers were ready to send him to Death's true embrace.

The loud shriek wasn't missed by him, however, and he looked up in time to catch a glimpse of Celeste.
At least she's alright.
He didn't see the two orcs though; why he was wondering why she'd gone screeching like that in the first place, just to fly off once more.
"Maybe she was missing me, heh heh." He spoke to himself.

Back to the present location. His grieving guilt slowly revolved, and it revolved, until other emotions began to emerge amongst his unsettled mind.
What in the hell is going on?
Just from the blue, she'd appeared once again straight out of the very nowhere. He was glad his life had been saved, perhaps her way of repaying back the debt.
I didn't get her her money back. The man tripped.

Somewhat reluctantly, he grabbed the rope ladder, and climbed aboard her grace one more time; to finish what they'd-
Halt right there, sir! He was already up on the deck, but had stopped right by the edge.

"What do you mean finish what we've started?" He demanded of her, watching her with a suspicious glint in his eyes. "All I remember you doing was crying all over the place, vanishing into thin air, only to appear out of nowhere. I have no recollection of having 'started' anything with you, Esther." His voice was strong, flaring with the self-elevated pride of youth and ambition. He knew exactly why he was saying this, but could in no way voice it out.

Once again, you've been bested by a mere girl... His subconscious whispered softly in his ear; sweet words of poison.

[Haikan]

A soft tender hand made its way swiftly across Damon's face. His cheek was red and Esther's eyes were glowing with frustration. "Would you stop being so selfish, Damon? There are lives on the line, here! If you want to push away my lifestyle and refuse my magick, that's one thing, but I'm not going to sit idly by while innocent people are killed. When we first met, I saw in you the potential of a hero." She crossed her arms and stuck her tongue out at the boy.

"Was I wrong? Are you going to turn back, now?"

While she lectured him, there was a tall orc sneaking up behind her, slinking up and raising his fist high in the air, preparing to knock her unconscious. There was a glint of sadistic lust for blood in his eyes, and Damon could see the evil emanating from his spirit. It was not Boss, but it looked strong enough to really hurt someone with a hard enough knock to the head.

[Damon Ryot]

The slap was all it took to deflate his pompous ego. There was a stinging pain on the left side of his face, reminding, that even he was after all only human. To be very honest; the only other persons that had ever descended upon with such disciplinary action, were his parents, and a few aunts and uncles. His eyes were glazed, capable of only surveying Esther, without a single more thought processed in his mind. Even his subconscious had decided to make a hasty retreat, seeing reason now, eventually clearing way into his head.

Then, right then, millennia seemed to flash by him as incoherency became tangible memories. Tons after tons; heaps of things he couldn't just explain. He could remember one night, when but a young child barely toddling about, when he'd told his mother he was afraid of the dark. Afraid of the dark, why, she'd asked him. But, he couldn't answer; was it that he had been afraid of the dark, or been afraid to be in the dark?

What am I thinking! His mind screamed for some sense of it. None was given. He slowly regained some degree of real-life, presented with a question by Esther just in time for his reawakening. He didn't get to answer it though.

"Esther, watch out!" He shouted, his limbs in action before his mouth had had made the notion of warning her. With all his speed, flexing every muscle to the tiniest of tendons, his ligaments screaming by the very torment he now wrought upon them. He didn't care; he needed to save her that instant, it was all that had to be done right then.

He made a run at her, in an attempt to knock her off the way as the orc's fist came down like a sledgehammer, ready to bring her down without a trace of mercy. His right hand had by reflex gripped the hilt of his sword under the cloak, but he knew not to use it just yet, until she was out of harm's way.

[Haikan]

Damon's swift reaction was too fast for the orc to notice. As Damon's muscles pushed their limits he swiftly tackled Esther and successfully brought her to the ground. "Ouch," She said. "You brute, that hurt!" As she said this the orc that had almost killed her a moment sooner punched his fist through the wooden floor, getting stuck and spraying blood from the splinters.

"Aurggh!" It screamed in agony and tried to pull it's arm free, but as it did so it only hurt it's hand more. Finally he pulled it out, ripping off a good deal of flesh and muscle from his hand and wrist, and he let out a barbaric scream as he pointed his finger at Esther. "What sorcery is this, wench!? You insolent bitch! Remember the name Barkul, because you are going to die by my hands!"

Without hesitation he jumped toward Damon and Esther, and Esther's eyes grew wide with terror. She grabbed Damon's shoulder and pushed him to his feet, so he was facing the orc, and his sword arm was beginning to itch, and it burned with a feeling of strength and purpose.

"Help me, Damon!"

[Damon Ryot]

Working near optimum speed had taken its toll. He felt no pain though, from having falling on Esther probably. He didn't however have any time for witty remarks, even if they'd been with his subconscious, for as soon as he'd recovered from the small fall; and stopped by the aid of friction.

He was slightly fatigued, but that didn't bring down his determination one bit. He swore right there and then, that even if he wouldn't survive this, Barkul or whatever his name was would come with him.

He heard Esther's plea to help her, which boosted his confidence immediately, as probably did the strange power that suddenly flamed within him. His right hand drew out the sword swiftly, powered by the mystical energy, and motioned for Esther to stand back.

His opponent was three times his height, and maybe six times his width, if not even more. In strength, he was no match to Barkul, and agility would be hard to use since Esther would be standing just right behind him. He needed to direct his attention wholly to himself. Strangely enough, he wasn't afraid.

"Come on, you pamsey!" He shouted, holding his sword in one hand with a smirk across his face. "Why trouble the lady, when you've got me."
The orc was coming straight at him, or them rather, and Damon made a quick movement to duck as soon as the fists of fury would try to smash him, which would enable him to thrust his blade deep into the orc's belly and hopefully incapacitate early enough in the fight.[/i]

[Haikan]

He had fallen on top of Esther, but she'd pushed him to his feet and boldened his sword-arm. His hair was whooshed to the side by the fierce and powerful blow that he nimbly ducked under. His sword met the stomach of the orc, slightly off to the side, and blood spewed everywhere. The orc let out a gurgling sound and then shouted loudly in pain, stumbling backwards as Damon's sword slid out of him.

Behind the orc a rather large, muscular yet boyish looking fellow of a human skin color hurled himself onto the deck from the side of the boat. A clueless expression was taped on his face, and he looked about the same size as the orc that Damon just skewered.

"Damon, you saved me." Esther spoke in a breathy voice, evidently still trembling with fear. "You are a hero!"

At that moment a light turned on in the cabin and the sound of a stamping feet against wood could be heard.

[Haikan]

Locked for skilling.


Damon, you are now interacting with Frank and Quinlan Corodin, and may continue here


Skills for Damon!

*Swords, One-handed
*Conversation
*Language, Human

New skill!
Dodge/blow