Post by Aaron Williams on Jul 30, 2007 14:04:10 GMT -5
A loud BANG rocked the thick air in 532 Jantes Drive, Lower Genoa. The dust that had settled in the ages since the small hovel's last cleaning did well to hide the splinters that lurked on nearly every wooden table, bench, and creaky floorboard. A few electric lights lining the wall struggled in vein to cut the murky darkness, but the air--or whatever was floating around--was thick enough to drown in.
"Anyone home?" Called a timid voice, as the double doors swung shut with a silent tap. The man cursed softly to himself as splinters caught his bare feet. He eyed a bench a few paces ahead, and decided it to be a good place to rest.
Before he could limp another step the already splintered wall to his left exploded in a hail of jagged wood chippings. Finding it in his best interest to curse again, the man swaggered backward, gripping his side; the intended target of attack. The blade of a three-foot-long sword lay embedded firmly into the wall directly to the shoe-less mans left. Upon further inspection he found a taunt black tether leading from the hilt of the weapon to the top of what the man guessed was a staircase.
As quickly as the weapon appeared it had retreated, commanding a crack of pain from the wounded wall. What the newcomer guessed was a step echoed through the empty hall with a Tutt.
"We don't like your kind here...", said a woman's voice.
"My kind?"
"Thief's".
Tutt
"I'm not a--"
"Vandals"
Tutt
"Bandits"
Tutt
"Murderers"
The final accusation came through what the interloper could only assume were furious clenched teeth.
"...Freeloaders".
Tutt TUtt TUTt.....
The man--who at this moment was wondering why he was having such a horrible day, had less than a second to react. Covering his head and doubling over, the man prepared for the shock of the attack. However, he soon realized his mistake, as a pair of feet landed directly in the center of his back, sending him face first into the splinters that lined the hardwood floor. Stunned, he rolled sluggishly onto his back.
The tip of a black blade loomed inches from the intruders nose. From this distance he could see the fine red etchings which spun tales of ancient dragons and heroic deeds. Something about these images seemed familior...
"Get out of here, you cow--", began the woman, but was immediately cut off as a nearby chair was hurled forcefully at her head. She had just enough time to brace, but nowhere near enough to retaliate, as another chair collided with her, this time knocking her off her feet.
The man--who had managed to turn two nearby seats into brutally efficient weapons was on his feet again, readying a few choice words for the woman when two things struck him. The first was that this "woman", had in fact been a young lady, and a rather beautiful one at that. The second was the young lady's sword, as it tore past through his right leg, tables, chairs, a counter, and finally the wall, escaping the musty confines of the chamber. However, with a snap the beast was called back into the confines of the dank room.
The attacker ducked just in time, as the blade twisted just short of removing his head. Rather than returning to it's mistresses hand, the wild slip of steel made a rebound through the lower half of the staircase, and made to correct it's aim. The barefooted man--his feet now bleeding--dodged the blade again, but was caught by the tether that had until a moment ago been bound so firmly to the girls weapon, which sheathed itself in the counter with a dull thunk.
Following the same pattern it had with the sword, the tether hurled it's victim to and fro, slamming him like a rag doll into what could have been tables and chairs; the only thing the man knew for certain was that each time he collided with something wood chips dug deeper into his body, and would soon begin to do mortal damage. Once or twice he was certain that the tether momentarily released him, tossing him into the air before catching him in an even tighter grip.
On what seemed like the hundredth time the struggling man crossed the center of the room he spotted his chance. As he was flung headfirst into the counter his hand grasped the handle of the abandoned sword. He swung once. Twice. On his third try he lobbed the tether around his waist off, landing weakly above the woman, who lay upon her back, rage burning in her eyes.
The tether--which he found was being projected from the young lady's right hand, aimed to grab him once again, but stopped once he made it clear that he had it's masters sword pointed at her throat.
What seemed like forever passed. The young lady thinking of twisted ways to make her attacker pay, the barefooted man thinking of how he should best approach the lady about seeing her again.
The thick silence was unexpectedly broken when a door that the man had not noticed until now swung open, and a burly figure strode through. The figure stopped upon noticing the state of the now dismantled room.
The man made a feeble attempt to make an excuse, "We were just having a bit of fun...sorry about the mess, sir".
The figure strode closer to the two, and the barefooted man realized he had made a grave mistake. Upon seeing the dress and jewels that the woman was covered in he attempted to recover, "I--I mean, we can clean up the mess, mam...".
The figure strode closer, five o'clock shadow barely visible in the shadowy atmosphere, "A guest?!" Shrieked a deep voice of delight, "We haven't had a guest in ages! Please have a seat!" Said the figure with a motion to one of the various shattered chairs. "I'll be right out with a helping of my special casserole!"
As the figure strode away the man seized his chance to get a word in, "Thank you....sir? But actually I was recently hired; I got a letter this morning saying that my application had been accepted".
The amorphous figure stopped short of the door it had come out of, "Oh...", said a voice that resembled that of someone who had just realized he had eaten a live moth, "Well then, you can start by helping Taylor clean up the mess you two've made".
As her name was said he realized he was still standing over Taylor, holding her sword dangerously close to her cheek. Taylor seemed to be focused on scowling at a splintered plank of wood directly to her left. The man was snapped back to reality when the detested voice rose again. "What's your name, then?"
The newcomer puffed up his chest a bit and stood ridged as a plank, "Mary Llama Onnet, reporting for duty, s...ma...". The sentence trailed off into a kind-of muffled cough, and Mary suddenly seemed desperate to find Taylor's wood piece.
The mysterious figure spun around suddenly, and took a stance that looked somewhat like a hardcore little teapot. "Big Mama Dee, guild cook and second in command!!"
Marry thought briefly of applauding, but based on Taylor's reaction, judged this to be quite normal. After a second, Big Mama Dee put her hands down and pointed to the mess surrounding the Mary and Taylor, "Welcome to the guild, now get to work".
"Anyone home?" Called a timid voice, as the double doors swung shut with a silent tap. The man cursed softly to himself as splinters caught his bare feet. He eyed a bench a few paces ahead, and decided it to be a good place to rest.
Before he could limp another step the already splintered wall to his left exploded in a hail of jagged wood chippings. Finding it in his best interest to curse again, the man swaggered backward, gripping his side; the intended target of attack. The blade of a three-foot-long sword lay embedded firmly into the wall directly to the shoe-less mans left. Upon further inspection he found a taunt black tether leading from the hilt of the weapon to the top of what the man guessed was a staircase.
As quickly as the weapon appeared it had retreated, commanding a crack of pain from the wounded wall. What the newcomer guessed was a step echoed through the empty hall with a Tutt.
"We don't like your kind here...", said a woman's voice.
"My kind?"
"Thief's".
Tutt
"I'm not a--"
"Vandals"
Tutt
"Bandits"
Tutt
"Murderers"
The final accusation came through what the interloper could only assume were furious clenched teeth.
"...Freeloaders".
Tutt TUtt TUTt.....
The man--who at this moment was wondering why he was having such a horrible day, had less than a second to react. Covering his head and doubling over, the man prepared for the shock of the attack. However, he soon realized his mistake, as a pair of feet landed directly in the center of his back, sending him face first into the splinters that lined the hardwood floor. Stunned, he rolled sluggishly onto his back.
The tip of a black blade loomed inches from the intruders nose. From this distance he could see the fine red etchings which spun tales of ancient dragons and heroic deeds. Something about these images seemed familior...
"Get out of here, you cow--", began the woman, but was immediately cut off as a nearby chair was hurled forcefully at her head. She had just enough time to brace, but nowhere near enough to retaliate, as another chair collided with her, this time knocking her off her feet.
The man--who had managed to turn two nearby seats into brutally efficient weapons was on his feet again, readying a few choice words for the woman when two things struck him. The first was that this "woman", had in fact been a young lady, and a rather beautiful one at that. The second was the young lady's sword, as it tore past through his right leg, tables, chairs, a counter, and finally the wall, escaping the musty confines of the chamber. However, with a snap the beast was called back into the confines of the dank room.
The attacker ducked just in time, as the blade twisted just short of removing his head. Rather than returning to it's mistresses hand, the wild slip of steel made a rebound through the lower half of the staircase, and made to correct it's aim. The barefooted man--his feet now bleeding--dodged the blade again, but was caught by the tether that had until a moment ago been bound so firmly to the girls weapon, which sheathed itself in the counter with a dull thunk.
Following the same pattern it had with the sword, the tether hurled it's victim to and fro, slamming him like a rag doll into what could have been tables and chairs; the only thing the man knew for certain was that each time he collided with something wood chips dug deeper into his body, and would soon begin to do mortal damage. Once or twice he was certain that the tether momentarily released him, tossing him into the air before catching him in an even tighter grip.
On what seemed like the hundredth time the struggling man crossed the center of the room he spotted his chance. As he was flung headfirst into the counter his hand grasped the handle of the abandoned sword. He swung once. Twice. On his third try he lobbed the tether around his waist off, landing weakly above the woman, who lay upon her back, rage burning in her eyes.
The tether--which he found was being projected from the young lady's right hand, aimed to grab him once again, but stopped once he made it clear that he had it's masters sword pointed at her throat.
What seemed like forever passed. The young lady thinking of twisted ways to make her attacker pay, the barefooted man thinking of how he should best approach the lady about seeing her again.
The thick silence was unexpectedly broken when a door that the man had not noticed until now swung open, and a burly figure strode through. The figure stopped upon noticing the state of the now dismantled room.
The man made a feeble attempt to make an excuse, "We were just having a bit of fun...sorry about the mess, sir".
The figure strode closer to the two, and the barefooted man realized he had made a grave mistake. Upon seeing the dress and jewels that the woman was covered in he attempted to recover, "I--I mean, we can clean up the mess, mam...".
The figure strode closer, five o'clock shadow barely visible in the shadowy atmosphere, "A guest?!" Shrieked a deep voice of delight, "We haven't had a guest in ages! Please have a seat!" Said the figure with a motion to one of the various shattered chairs. "I'll be right out with a helping of my special casserole!"
As the figure strode away the man seized his chance to get a word in, "Thank you....sir? But actually I was recently hired; I got a letter this morning saying that my application had been accepted".
The amorphous figure stopped short of the door it had come out of, "Oh...", said a voice that resembled that of someone who had just realized he had eaten a live moth, "Well then, you can start by helping Taylor clean up the mess you two've made".
As her name was said he realized he was still standing over Taylor, holding her sword dangerously close to her cheek. Taylor seemed to be focused on scowling at a splintered plank of wood directly to her left. The man was snapped back to reality when the detested voice rose again. "What's your name, then?"
The newcomer puffed up his chest a bit and stood ridged as a plank, "Mary Llama Onnet, reporting for duty, s...ma...". The sentence trailed off into a kind-of muffled cough, and Mary suddenly seemed desperate to find Taylor's wood piece.
The mysterious figure spun around suddenly, and took a stance that looked somewhat like a hardcore little teapot. "Big Mama Dee, guild cook and second in command!!"
Marry thought briefly of applauding, but based on Taylor's reaction, judged this to be quite normal. After a second, Big Mama Dee put her hands down and pointed to the mess surrounding the Mary and Taylor, "Welcome to the guild, now get to work".