Gashmere

[Corey]

A dim light from the candle put a shadow along his face as he looked down at the empty desktop, where only a bottle of whiskey and mug sat. Helos’ hands were brought to the temples of his head while his elbows rested along with the bottle and mug. He was slightly drunk, having drank nearly five shots downstairs in the bar area of the Knight’s Tavern. When the conversations down there had bored him, he sought refuge within his bedchamber, seeking the quietness that the candles gave. His mind was almost at ease just as a knock on the door alerted him to reality.

“What do you want?†The merchant spouted off with an agitated groan. He waited for a few seconds and became impatient with the quick lack of reply from whoever disturbed him, “Well, damn, come in!â€

The bartender didn’t wait any longer and quickly came through the door. The man was thick, wearing brown leather clothes that were common to most of the folks here in Gashmere. His face was rugged with a week old beard and his eyes were tired with black rings forming under. “Sorry Helos,†the man said with a quick nod, “the town guard has come to the tavern. Something is happening down at the caverns. They say a scourge of rats has poured out and are rather unusual.†The man checked the room, making sure that none other was upstairs when he already knew there wasn’t, “Something has frightened them out, and in their panic they are very hostile. I guess they’re rather big.â€

The merchant was not amused, “Why the hell does it matter to me?†He wondered on the question a minute, and forgot he was a rather prominent land owner here in Gashmere, and decided he might as well go hear what they had to say. He leaned up with a slow and not to urgent demeanor, mumbling to himself as he soon passed the bartender and went out the door leaving behind the whiskey.

Downstairs, the guards were speaking to the tavern as a whole. They were asking for support against the threat that was coming from the Amori Caves. They thought the rats were only the beginning and that their gut told them there was more to come. They needed willing fighters, healers, or whatever they could get – even if the people were drunk. Helos almost chuckled to his self as he listened and thought about how under-manned the Gashmere Guard had become. He then wondered who would go off on this adventure through the caves?

 

[Zeth]

"I shall fight" A man in red Armor said standing up. He was Japanese and wore twin swords on his waist. His black hair was in a wariors ponytail and he had a scruffy beard.Obviously he was not a local. He then took his place standing with the guard. The guardsman then asked,"Who else is willing?"

 

[Corey]

A few of the drunks in the tavern mumbled to each other as the first man stood and joined the guardsmen. They seemed surprised that someone had actually joined in protecting the town, most of them were too concerned with drinking and their own lively hood to stand up for this cause. What could a bunch of rats do anyways, seemed to be the general consensus. Helos already knew he would have to go down and check on things, even with his buzz given from the whiskey. He wasn’t great with weapons, but he had to know some things when he was away from town on cargo runs. The wilderness was a very dangerous place.

He found his way from behind the bar to stand near the red armored man, he gave him a nod and spoke, “Well, I guess someone will be covering my ass!” An almost seemingly drunken slap was given to the warrior’s back in approval of stepping forward, “I wonder if any more of you cowards can get off ye drunk asses.” Helos spoke back towards the those still around.

 

[Zeth]

The man nearly fell over from the slap but he swiftly recovered. "Don't hold your breathe," The Red warrior said. "I am Mori Hattori," He said slightly bowing to Helos and Guardsmen in turn as greeting. His dark Eyes Scan the crowd once more hoping another will step forth.

 

[Corey]

"Imagine that," Helos begun in scorn as his eyes also scanned the tavern, "to drunk and scared to even moved." He then quickly turned on his heels and moved for the door, shaking his head the entire time. "Come, Mori Hattori, we will investigate this ourselves." Just as Helos reached the door he noticed his staff leaning on the wall near the exit. He reached out quickly and pulled it to him, he exited with a couple of the guards at his heel, and a drunken step in his walk. Once outside, he stopped and looked around the area of the tavern. To the north, he could see the stable barn and to the west of that the large derby track. It was when he turned his head to the south he heard the screams coming from the town. "Hmm.." He mumbled to himself, and began walking that way, not really paying attention to much.

 

[Zeth]

"It looks like they are on the move," Mori said. Instead of walking he broke into a sprint. When he arrived a group of large rats were in the market place and peasents were understandbly fleeing. The red samurai drew his blades and lept at the rats. You saw flashes of steel and heard blades cut bone as he started to carve into the group of rats.

 

[Corey]

Helos was not as quick to the battle as Mori was, but he did quicken up his step and reached the battle just as the man in red was hacking away a group of the rats. With his own half-drunken surge, Helos swung the staff like a golf club and sent a rat onto its back a few yards away. He proceeded doing this for a while, looking as if he was going through the weeds with a cleaver. A laugh would burst out of his lips every so often and a quick comment, "Look how far I sent that one!"

In a matter of minutes, they were surrounded by the rats, the guards were spread apart hacking their own way through the chaos. And then all at once, he felt a pain spiral through his legs and he let out a scream. He whirled the staff around his form, knocking away whatever was at him, then the pain brought him down to one knee. He looked around frantically and found Mori, the rats also forming around him. He could only think about where all these rats could come from, with each full rotation of the staff. What had he got himself in to?

 

[Zeth]

Painting the town red!

Well in Ayenee there is a rule. Espeacilly in .org and .com forms of ayenee. ALL CHARACTERS HAVE INSANE GOD LIKE POWERS THAT DEFY LOGIC AND REASON!! But Helos's powers were probably in making money and not combat.

Mori on the other hands was born and bred for combat. Like that useless martial artist who is good for nothing but combat. But when the evil ninjas attack your town your glad he is there.

"ENOUGH!" The Red Clad warrior yelled and went out on an all out rampage. You hear something like a lawn mower mowing down tall grass. Where mister Hattori was is now a fast moving red and silver blur and everything near it gets atomized like being put through a wood chipper. After a few moments of perfoming a list of highly long, intricate, and powerful moves wich I'm not going to describe for fear of boring the reader to death, the rats were gone. Now there were chunks of furr, flesh, and blood everywhere. It looked like some one literally tried to pain the town red. But at least the rats were gone.

The samurai dropped to one knee panting. He only suffered minor cuts and bruises for his armor absobed most of the rats offense. Though sweat was pouring from him literally and that display had left him winded. Between gasps he looks to Helos and asks,"Are you ok?"

 

[Corey]

It seemed only seconds between being bit by the vermits to peace, around Helos everything was calm for the moment. He was still down upon his knee, his head lowered down to the ground trying to catch his breath after trying to fight the rats. His clothes were ripped at and shredded, the bottoms of his pants were almost complete gone below the knees, and his left leg was covered in crusted blood. Slowly, Helos stood when Mori came to him and asked him the question. He nodded slightly, the alcohol didn't seem to be churning through his head no longer, but it did help to ease the pain. His eyes swept the area in surprise, blood and rat body parts were littered about him in a mess. A group of guards were surrounded in a circle around one who had follow during the battle, there was five of them altogether. Helos finally spoke up, "Thanks for that, they might have got me." He nodded over to the warrior, and then looked back at the mess, "I wonder what has gotten to them.."

 

[Zeth]

It was odd. Two men in the street on one knee panting. The warrior rised slowly and sheathed his blades. He glanced back to Helos,"Nah you could of taken them." Then the swordsman looked around to and see the guards starting to cirlce. "Hey, What's going on?" he asked.

 

[Corey]

One of the guards look back to the knight and just kind of shook his head. By the look on the man's face one could tell he was quiet sad, as were the rest of the guardsmen. The guard took a slow step back from the circle of men, allowing Mori to look upon the blood stricken body of the fallen. The skin was almost compeltely gone, as were the clothes and hair. What was not shielded by armor, simple was gnawed to the bone. Then the guard spoke, "He was so young, just joined last week.. poor guy." Revenge was building in the guardsmen eyes, they were all ready to go about and invoke havoc.

Helos then came upon the group with a slight limp, he took one look into the crowd down at the frame of what used to be the newest member of Gashmere's guard and quickly backed away, "Holy Hell!" He cursed, bringing a hand to guard his lips, thinking about the consquences to himself if the knight hadn't saved him. He waited a second to allow everyone to get over his comment, "We must see to the caves."

 

[Zeth]

The samurai let out a gasp of horror. No man should have to die like that. He felt a burning anger rise up in him towards these vile demons. He beat it down to be in check then replied," Yes Halos, we must see to these caves."