The First Step

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The hills of northern Anaxas; Scarmoge is a small village here.

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Evandria Sericks
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Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2018 2:57 am
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Race: Galdor
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Sun Oct 28, 2018 6:10 am

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The tension in his form only fed her unease. Evandria looked towards the man in worry. Alaric’s face told her enough, making the adrenaline in her system spike up. Something was about to go very wrong. Before she could even suggest that they leave the caves, a heavier rain of rocks and pebbles rain down on her. Then a thunderous crack that echoed through the room. Loud enough to make her flinch. Her head snapped up to see where it came from, only to see the earth crumble right above her.

While her training kicked right into gear and her feet tried to spring her away, the sergeant knew there was no way she could be fast enough to avoid the worst of it. Buried underneath the earth with a stranger… Was that how her life was going to end? When so many things she needed to do was nowhere near finished?

“Look out!” There was no reacting to his warning. Something hard suddenly hit her side and she was yanked back by quite a force. Rocks fell on her, but she was pulled away just in time before a massive chunk of the roof fell on the place she was just standing at.

Evandria cursed as her slender body was thrown backwards. Her back was first to hit the ground, her arms and legs scraping against the rough surface. It was an uncontrollable fall and she could only brace herself as her head slammed into something hard. She did not cry out, but she could feel the world spinning uncontrollably and the warm trickle of blood down the side of her face.

The earth around them groaned and rumbled as she could hear the rocks finally settling down. She coughed and sputtered as she breathed in the dust and dirt, struggling to get her bearings. Her hard hat had flew somewhere across the room, emitting a soft bluish glow between the dust cloud.

Realizing the trouble she was in, the young woman leapt to her feet and immediately faltered. Her head felt like it was going to explode and the ground beneath her threatened to disappear. Fearing that she might fall over again, Evandria braced a hand against the uneven walls as her eyes sought for the human male. “Mr. Tarrenius?”

Once her vision settled and she caught the figure of Alaric, she looked to his pickaxe and then back at the man. There was disbelief in her voice and she didn’t even bother to hide it. “You saved me.”

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Alaric Tarrenius
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Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2018 11:20 pm
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Wed Oct 31, 2018 11:30 pm

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It was not necessarily instinct that made him react. Part of him told him to let the tunnel have her; saved him having to justify himself to another Galdor. Yet, the other part of him had hope that she would be better than the last. It was that glimmer of hope that helped him get up each day, hoping the next day would be better. Each night he would lay in front of the hearth on the wooden floor of his relative's house, disappointed. No one in this small little town could be better. They were simple sheep. As long as their was food and alcohol, they would continue to drudge along.

His force had been great as he had not anticipated how light she would be. The ax had made a perfect stage hook, pulling her quickly from death and throwing her against the rough ground. Alaric took a step or two back, not responding immediately to her thrown body. The rock started to settle with small pebbles falling down the newly created slow. They landed at the toes of his boots, rolling to a stop. It was difficult to tell how thick this newly formed wall was. He made mental note to investigate it shortly. Once the tunnel ceased to rumble, he turned to face his prison-mate.

Mr. Tarrenius. The delicate voice almost brought memories back of his own father. On the edges of his memory, a feeble old woman chortled to his dad asking how he was doing. The memory faded before it could be recounted.

Evandria was standing in a way that suggested weakness and a possible head injury. He had seen it before. New miners would come into the mine without their hard hat and take a chunk of rock to the temple. The headaches were a clocking nightmare to deal with. He stepped forward, reaching under her extended arm to further support her. "Sit. Dat fall was no good for ya head."

Alaric refused to let go until he had helped lower her into a sitting position. Only then did he find it appropriate to go inspect the former exit. He pressed a hand here and there to see if the wall would give, occasionally tapping with his pick ax to see if their were hollow pockets. Nothing moved. Finally he gave up. Alaric moved to sit next to her, leaning his trusty pick against the wall near him. "I save ya only ta have ya die a poor death next ta a stranger. Dis is not good fa us. My men dun find us till dey get back."
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Evandria Sericks
Posts: 59
Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2018 2:57 am
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Fri Nov 02, 2018 6:26 am

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The man's warm arm was suddenly supporting her, preventing her from tipping over. “I'm fine, really.” Evandria proved herself wrong seconds later, the world spinning right in front of her eyes. “Alright. Maybe I do need to sit down.” Finally, she let him guide her to settle down and sit on the ground.

Despite her pounding headache, Evandria watched Alaric as he tested out the pile of earth blocking their entrance, effectively trapping them. Not a single piece of rock budged when he gave it a push, not even when he used his tool. The sight made her heart sink and she wondered how long they would be trapped here. “How thick do you think it is?” she asked as she ran her fingers through her dark hair, trying to shake off the dust and dirt that had settled there. “We're in a bad spot, aren't we?”

It certainly didn’t make her feel any better when the human decided to just sit down beside her. She looked to him and pressed her lips together, considering the words she would say to him. The adrenaline was still rushing in her blood, making her heart pound and her hand shake. It still seemed unreal that a human had been the one to save her, pulling her out danger. “Still, thank you. I… I suppose I owe you my life.”

The young sergeant turned her gaze back at the wall of dirt. Sitting here until his workers could find them didn't sound great. Perhaps forcing their way out of here would be the only choice for them. “I could try to blast it with a soundwave, but do you think it'll make more rocks fall down on us?”

She sighed as she took in the darkness surrounding them. She didn't like it, didn't like feeling trapped. “I just need these clocking headache to settle down before I cast anything.” While Evandria was used to casting in the midst of crisis, she would prefer not messing up and pissing off the mona. “If we're lucky, my squad would look for me soon.”
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Alaric Tarrenius
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2018 11:20 pm
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Race: Human
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Writer: Megan
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Sat Nov 03, 2018 12:31 am

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Alaric stared at the wall, contemplating her questions. One, maybe two feet was more than ample to waylay any miner. If it was thicker than that, they would be in serious trouble. He had only heard of mine collapses. It had never happened here. Then again, Alaric and his crew had always played by the skin of their teeth. Without a Galdor engineer, it was only a matter of time before an accident happened. Taking a breath, he resolved himself to be optimistic. Pessimism at this point would only darken her outlook as well. "Aye, it not da best spot. Could beh worse. I tink it be 1 or 2 feet?"

"Dun mention it," Alaric waved his hand at the wrist to dismiss her thanks. In realty, she should never mention it again for his sake. Most of the humans in Berowyn were not fans of the Galdor. Despite his neutral behavior, he was considered to be on the side of the humans in the eyes of the villagers. If they found out that he could have left her die beneath a bunch of rubble, he would probably be left here to rot. At her mention of using her mysterious magic, Alaric shuddered. He had seen the Galdor practice their art only a handful of times; the innate power scared him. Their magical language manipulated the world around them. It was almost demonic. It probably had its purposes, but all he had ever seen was continued destruction. "I dun know if da rock would fall with ya magic. May kill us, may not."

It was a wishy-washy answer; deep down he was against her using that black art in his mines. She had brought some thoughts to his mind. If he had reinforced the mine tunnel periodically with wooden beams, this might have been prevented. Maybe that is what the Galdor engineers knew that he did not. Hopefully his men would not bring down the ceiling in the process of getting them out. Then again, maybe her squad would get here first and kill them both. "Da ya believe ya men wood come fa ya? Sergeant Horwyn wood be left ta die."

Horwyn's squad had been interested in ousting him strictly for personal gain. Many of his subordinates figured they would be able to take his share of Braxus' bribe when they elevated themselves into his position. Naturally, the Sergeant had a bigger portion being the one in charge. It was disgusting to watch as one of Braxus' men came to the mine to deal with Horwyn, dropping coin into his grubby hand in front of the humans. A sick and twisted method of torture as many, including Alaric, skipped meals to spare coin. Alaric tipped his head a little to gaze at her out of the corner of his eye.

Just how long would it take for her to become corrupted to?
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Evandria Sericks
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Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2018 2:57 am
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Sun Nov 04, 2018 8:04 am

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She gave him a wry smile at his response. Certainly not the most encouraging one. If a miner who had worked the mines for years couldn’t be sure of what would happen, Evandria wondered if it was worth the risk. “Good to know.”

The sergeant didn't miss the shudder coursing through the man's body at the mention of her magic. “You're not a fan of my people.” It wasn't an accusation and neither was she offended – he had been nothing but courteous to her. It was a fact and both of them knew it. Humans had been vocal about their opinions of the galdori and their magic. She supposed she couldn’t blame. The humans would never be able to share a connection to the mona and doomed to be at a disadvantage. Although, admittedly more than a few had compensated with their ingenuity, crafted contraptions that could easily harm her people. “Still, it’s worth a try. We can try to wait for now... How long will it take for your miners to return to work?”

“Da ya believe ya men wood come fa ya? Sergeant Horwyn wood be left ta die.”

“Of course they would,” Evandria said, surprised that such an idea came into the man’s head. The following statement surprised her even more. Just what sort of person this Sergeant Horwyn was? “Admittedly, perhaps not each and every one of them. A few of my men are still a bit miffed to be led by a younger woman, a foreigner no less. But Constable Girardi would look for me soon enough.”

Still, the mention of Horwyn once again simply flamed her curiosity. Clearly there was a history, but Alaric did not seem eager to share it. But Evandria was not someone who would such a thing go without a bit of more effort. “What’s the story of Sir Braxus, Horwyn, and this place? We have time to kill and the silence will most certainly make me go mad. I am due for a meeting with Sir Braxus in a few days and I would like to know what it is I am dealing with.”

Then she sighed, remembering that he had no obligations to tell her and probably would not. “I have only heard rumors about him and most of them not quite pleasant.” The galdor man was wealthy, loved to throw extravagant parties and fancied beautiful things. Especially beautiful women. He would do anything to get what he wanted and Evandria sure as hell would like to know what the man wanted.
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Alaric Tarrenius
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2018 11:20 pm
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Race: Human
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Plot Notes: [url=http:/fullurl/]Plot Notes[/url]
Writer: Megan
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Fri Nov 09, 2018 1:06 pm

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They had entered the mine mid afternoon. Most of the miners were not due back for their shift until evening, when the phosphor was primed and glowed the brightest. He had sent one of the others to rouse them early. At the earliest, they still had another hour or two to sit here and wait in silence.

At least, silence would have been better for him. She was persistent. Truthfully, she was also right. Both were sitting here with nothing to do. Why wouldn't she take this opportunity to delve into the history of Berowyn a little bit more. Although Alaric was tied up in the story, he would be able to bury that thread for now. All she asked for was information on Horwyn and Braxus. It kept the limelight off him and his dead beat family. "Ah righ'. I tell ya. It be a long storeh lass..."

Rolling his neck this way and that to pop the muscles, Alaric made himself comfortable before he began his story. "I came ta Berowyn when I was thirteen. Mah Aunt and Uncle lived in Reedlyn before. Braxus no like them. Dey were stupid when talking bout da mines. How long Braxus here in Northern Tors no one knows. He take Reedlyn firs', den Cerolyn. He came ta Berowyn when I was sixteen. Horwyn was useless man, but he was good man den. Like ta odda towns, Braxus bring Berowyn in line by force. He try odda ways but we fight back. I was nineteen. Da Hanging Day is known only by dos of us tat were der. He came to da square, pulled five humans from da crowd. Braxus hung dem on dey spot. No trial. No justice. Jus murda."

He paused a moment, clenching his fist tightly as he recounted that day. No one spoke of it under penalty of death lately. There were only about 15, maybe 20 people, left that knew what happened that day. It was a secret that most would carry to their graves. Each anniversary for the last 11 years, Alaric would dismiss the other miners from working as a special day off. He took the opportunity to go all out in the mines, striking the wall with his pick ax over and over again. All he had to do to persevere through the night was imagine it was Braxus, and not his innocent and kind Loretta. "He pay Horwyn afta dat, ta keep him quiet. Horwyn no good man. He Braxus man. We all fall in line afta dat day."

Alaric was leaving off several key points, most pertaining to his involvement and presence that day. His Aunt and Uncle had not been there, but they were aware of the story when he came home bearing a dreadful weight and Loretta deceased body in his arms. She had been orphaned, so they did not have to notify next of kin. They simply buried her alongside the other four victims, with only their immediate families in attendance. Alaric figured that short story would be enough to satiate her for the time being.
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Evandria Sericks
Posts: 59
Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2018 2:57 am
Topics: 11
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Sun Nov 18, 2018 12:22 am

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The pain in his eyes… He lost someone that day. Evandria opened her mouth, but then quickly closed it again. An apology or condolences from her… It did not feel right. Whatever she said wouldn’t be able to undo the horrible thing that Horwyn did as the sergeant of this town. A title she now hold. A title bathed in blood. No wonder the townspeople had looked at her with such disdain and hatred.

Evandria had imagined that Braxus would simply be some pompous, wealthy bastard that liked to run his mouth. She had heard rumors about him demanding outrageous things from the mining towns, but hadn’t decided to believe it or not. It turned out to be true and worse. Murdering humans to get them to submit… How could anyone agree to such a thing?

But then she remembered all those years ago, back when her hatred would have scorched forests and tint the sky red. Her parents, who had been loving and kind and fighting to make humans’ gain more right, murdered in cold blood. All because they were galdori. Because the Resistance wanted to wreak havoc and prove that they could do such things to political figures. Her old self wouldn’t have cared about it.

She liked to think that she had changed. At least a little.

“It will not happen again,” the sergeant then said firmly. There was nothing else she could offer him. Nothing but her words. Something that probably worth nothing to him. “I’m not like him.”

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Evandria decided that she could not take it anymore. The closed space was making her terribly uncomfortable and jittery, especially after she knew about the tragedy haunting this town. She turned to the human, taking in his features that were sharpened by the shadows. He was definitely a handsome, albeit somewhat rough looking. “Since you’re not the chatty sort, perhaps we should try something out. My spell will cancel the gravity, make the stones lighter. Can you help me move it out of the way?” It was the simplest way of explaining what she was planning, but it should be sufficient.

If a soundwave blast was too risky, perhaps she could try a different approach. Now that the pounding had died down, the young woman was confident enough to cast more spells. Evandria had never been the sort to wait and think and this time she was no different. Eager to do something, she turned to look at the wall blocking their exit and rose to her feet, the words of the mona flowed through her pink lips. The spell urged gravity to suspend its laws, to release its grasp on the area for now.

The sergeant turned to the miner and gave him a smirk. “Perhaps we could dig our own way out.”
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