Getting Schooled

Mila had lost her father, but had gained some friends. Still, there were purses to grab, houses to rob, and contacts for the taking.

Fellsgard is the foundation of Khy'eras' history and through reconstruction, it is now a vibrant and lively city. People reside here due to mild climate, opportunities, and safety and stability. Adventures often start from Fellsgard. Read more...
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Mila Glade
Character
Half Elf
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01
24 / 24 HP
17 / 17 MP
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Race: Human and Kerasoka
Class: Rogue
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Getting Schooled

Post by Mila Glade »

"Gone where?"

Mila's father simply shook his head. "I know not."

Her eyes narrowed. Her mother had never been a maternal type - she had left Mila's upbringing and education to others, though she had always been there to teach her to throw a blade effectively - but now she had just vanished? "That bitch. Kaxitaki curse her!"

For once, Mal did not argue with his daughter, nor rebuke her for her crass language. He simply sighed. "It's her way." Was all he said.

Then they were leaving.

Mila knew nothing of life outside of Ajteire, and from how the folk there spoke of Mal and Mila's destination - the city of Fellsguard - the half-elf girl wasn't expecting much from it, though there would be ample chance for her to do what loved best; relieveing others of their possessions. It had gotten her into trouble more than once in the Fae city, and if not for her age she might have been cast out.

"Will I ever see her again?" Mila asked, as she sat across from her father in the carriage.

Mal shrugged. He had not spoken much since the day Mila's mother had simply declared she was leaving and had not even said 'good-bye' to her daughter. "Your mother walks her own path. I think she did not like watching me age. That is something you, yourself, will one day come to understand."

Mila felt a chill at his words but had said nothing.

Then time twisted, and she saw him cough, weak and feeble, drawing his last breath as she knelt by his side.


-

She awoke slowly, dragging herself from that horrible dream and the recollections of the last year. Would she ever be free of them?

Mila got up from the mattress and, with a sheet covering her for modesty, she changed into the new clothes she had. She got up and stretched, then took her knife and a seat, and practised throwing it up in the air and catching it. She never missed it, it was something she could do, something she had seemed to be able to do. Mila had no magic, or any finesse with a long blade, but daggers felt like part of her. She could take down a squirrel at a fair distance. Her eyes watched Artemis come awake. "Quel amrun (good morning)" She said. "Don't suppose you got anything for breakfast? I want to get fed so I can get out and work. That Kat woman said there was work from that elven pub, but I reckon taking some thinks off people that don't need them might be more fun."
Word count: 442
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Artemis Black
Character
Black of the Night
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04
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Re: Getting Schooled

Post by Artemis Black »

Artemis snapped awake when there was a sudden shift beside him. He was warm, far warmer than he should be given he’d gone to sleep at home. He kept his eyes closed for a moment and realized he wasn’t itchy either. Then his brain finished catching up. ‘Blankets, Mila, Mattress,’ his thoughts flitted through his head. He didn’t move or change his breathing, letting the half-elf get up and about without worrying about him.

When she started tossing a blade into the air he grinned into his blankets and started to pretend to wake up. When she finally spoke to him he flicked one of his own daggers, catching her’s in the air with a pleasing clang of metal. “We can swing by the Goose for some meat and porridge,” he said, sitting up and giving her a grin. “Also, sorry about the half-elf thing. I’m not exactly particularly experienced with the whole proper names thing. I blame my mother.” As he spoke he stretched broadly, popping his shoulders and arms.

Artemis rose and got himself sorted for clothing, grabbing his slightly modified street wear along with his usual satchels, pouches, and bags. Lastly he shoved his feet into his boots. He really needed to drop the funds to have his armor replaced soon. “I think we could get some done, will be able to use Beaky this morning before sending her back to her master,” he said as he moved out into the warehouse. “Do need to get this cleaned up though,” he motioned to the piles of rotting and discarded boxes and barrels scattered haphazardly across the warehouse floor.

“Let’s take the street, don’t want you getting too used to the back passage,” he said over his shoulder after he stepped out into the sunlight. Artemis glanced around at the roofs and sky as he stood in the open work yard. After a moment he gave a sharp whistle. {Blue.} There was a croaking reply and Nyx appeared, gliding down to settle onto his shoulder. “Morning little thief,” he said to the bird, gently stroking her head.

The walk to the Velvet Goose was relatively calm in the early dawn. Only the rare laborer or watchman out and about this early. Artemis didn’t talk much as they moved, but his eyes never rested for a moment. He’d need to find a way to work Mila into his normally singular routes if they were going to be successful.
Word count: 418
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Mila Glade
Character
Half Elf
Level
01
24 / 24 HP
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Race: Human and Kerasoka
Class: Rogue
Posts: 62
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Re: Getting Schooled

Post by Mila Glade »

Mila shrugged when he brought up the 'halfling' thing. "Now you know, then now you know!" She gave him a quick grin. "Food does sound good. Didn't eat all that well back at that place we lived at." She couldn't ever have called it home, that horrible little hut.

She hopped to her feet as he got ready, glancing round at the mess. "I hope you don't bring your girlfriend here," she said, with a smirk. "Doubt a proper lady like that would be comfortable in a messy place. Will we be seeing her? She's not bad on the eyes, that one. I can see why yo're all love-struck."

Mila followed as he led the way, giving a curious look when Katarya's bird landed on his shoulder. "How does that thing work?" She asked, curiously. "Will that wi-, I mean, will Katarya know all you're getting up to? Few of the Fae I knew back in Ajteire had pets like that, and they could see through their eyes and everything. Kinda spooky if you ask me."

She regaled him with questions as they walked. How long had he lived in the city? Why did he live down there? Where is all the good loot to be found? The girl obviously wasn't afraid to talk!
Word count: 214
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Artemis Black
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Black of the Night
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Re: Getting Schooled

Post by Artemis Black »

“I don’t really bring much of anyone here to be entirely honest,” Artemis replied giving Mila a grin and a wink. “I have no idea if we’ll see Katarya today. I imagine it depends on how well we do. We earn enough to cover a few days of food, we can definitely spend some time wandering about getting into trouble. I do want to teach you some things, see your technique in action.”

He reached up to scratch the chest feathers of Nyx. “It is terribly spooky, and I haven’t the slightest clue how it works. I figure if she wanted to spy on me for something there are cheaper and easier ways though. Besides, Beaky is an excellent distraction.” Artemis nodded to a seemingly random man stumbling down the street. The fellow bumped his forearm against his gut strangely and kept on stumbling.

“Despite what these men want, we’re going to to want to not start a fight in a few moments here,” he said as they approached a street corner with three dirty looking thugs. The thugs leered at Mila and snarled at Artemis as they passed by. “Gutter rat and his knife-ear whore out for a stroll eh?” one of the men said through clearly rotting teeth.
Word count: 214
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Mila Glade
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Half Elf
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Re: Getting Schooled

Post by Mila Glade »

Mila near snarled, and put a hand to her dagger. "We could take em." She said, turning her gaze to the ruffians. She looked back to Artemis with a glimmer of something unpleasant in her eye. "You said it yourself, Black. You wanted to see my skills!"

In a quick, fluid move, just as she had been taught, she put a hand round her waiste, grabbed the dagger and then with a swing, launched in spinning through the air, lodging itself into the closest man's upper chest. Mila scowled. "Nambá!" She cursed in Elvish. "I was aiming for his throat." She immediately adopted a fighting stance; she wasn't prepared to take on three of them, as she wasn't that kind of fighter. She was 'hit and run', but she needed her dagger back. All she had to do was avoid the blows of the others, get the dagger, and she could be up on the roofs quick as a squirrel.

She didn't look away as the man she struck clutched at his chest, his breathing now a gurgling sound. "Ready?" She asked Artemis.
Word count: 183
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Artemis Black
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Black of the Night
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Re: Getting Schooled

Post by Artemis Black »

Artemis had to try extremely hard to keep the grimace painted on his face as Mila’s knife struck the thug in the chest. He’d wondered how she would handle this, violence was useful, but there’d need to a lesson on temperance afterwards or she’d hang in a week. He did laugh heartily when she announced she’d missed. He noted her fighting stance was solid, getting her away from immediate threats of cuts, but allowing for quick strikes.

He drew a blade and lashed out, threatening back one of the uninjured men. He didn’t want to stop Mila from showing off, and he could keep the man at bay by relying on natural wariness. “Always ready, though we need to work on your aim," he said over his shoulder, shifting to move his opponent away from the half-elf. "Take that one down, and we’ll move along,” he added as he deftly tossed another knife to float across her vision.
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Mila Glade
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Re: Getting Schooled

Post by Mila Glade »

Catching the blade with deft hands, Mila grinned at Artemis. She had a wild, gleeful look in her eyes, as if this was something she was enjoying: killing.

She jumped forward, wanting to actual put the dagger into the man herself, without a throw.

Her opponent growled in anger, those his eyes were widened. He obviously had not expected this to happen, at all. He flailed at her. "You killed 'im you fucking knife eared bitch!"

Mila ducked under his arm, and was suddenly behind him, taking a moment to flick the dagger into the air and caught it again, laughing as she did.

Unfortunately, her little display meant that, moving faster than she had anticipated he could, he swung his arm round and punched her soundly in the face, sending her reeling back, clutching her face.

Mila could feel the blood pour from her nose at the hit, her back hitting the wall of the alley. He had got a good one in, and no mistake. Her anger flared at this humiliation in front of Artemis. She had intended to show herself as a predator, a real fighter. A threat to anyone who crossed her. And now she had allowed a lumbering idiot land a punch. This would not do.

He laughed at her, and launched himself at her as she was stuck against the wall.

Her eyes narrowed and, as he ran at her, she ducked, slipping under his arms and thrusting the blade up into his armpit, ripping a scream of agony from his lips. She cursed at the noise, as he fell forward hitting the alley, and with more care this time, launched her blade at the man. A still target wasn't so difficult and the dagger buried itself into the back of the man's throat.

Amazingly, he still lived (though he was certainly dying, but not quick enough for Mila, it seemed). She strode over and yanked the knife out of him, before reaching down, grabbing his head, pulling it back so his wide eyes were looking right into hers. She smiled as she plunged it into his throat, and his screams were replaced by a quiet gurgling.

Letting the man drop forward, she turned to Artemis, breathing heavily. She had been so focused, she hadn't been watching his own tactics.
Word count: 386
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Artemis Black
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Re: Getting Schooled

Post by Artemis Black »

He watched her work behind him, painfully aware of the look in her eye and the manic grin that stretched her lips. ‘Kaxitaki’s wagers, she’s a fucking manic,’ he thought to himself as he whipped his dagger out to slice his opponent again. The man already had several small cuts. Each drawing more rage to the surface and keeping his attention squarely on Artemis.

The thief watched her toss her blade and frowned, though he laughed when she took a counter punch straight to the face. ‘Perhaps that’s enough lesson, though likely needs reinforcing,’ he added to his list. Mila’s features clearly flared in anger and shame. Artemis kicked his opponent in the chest, knocking the man into a wall. He wanted to catch all of her retaliation.

It wasn’t the cleanest thing he’d ever seen, but her instincts were right, if a bit overly cruel. ‘She takes more satisfaction in the act of killing than is safe,’ he thought as Mila brutally lifted the clearly dying man to suffocate him with his own blood. Artemis felt he had enough, he looked to his opponent, covered in cuts and struggling to recover from the kick. He snapped a quick slash into the man’s throat and stepped away from the slumping body.

“Come on then, search them quick and let’s get high. Breakfast will be late,” he said with some heat to his voice. The men weren’t carrying much, but they still managed to scrape together six coppers and two low quality blades.

Artemis scrambled up a nearby wall, making his way along a roof until he was nestled in a shaded hollow. They could rest there for a moment before moving out of the area. When Mila joined him he gave her a stern frown. “We’re going to need to temper your lust, your bravado, and your vindictiveness,” he said, the heat and sharpness similar to what he’d gotten from Cook in his early years. “But you’re made of good material. Some honing, a bit of refinement, and you’ll be a terror,” he added, letting his expression become a soft smile.

“Just know, if you get that flashy or blinded often enough you’ll be swinging from the rope no matter how much I teach you,” he finished and clasped her forearm to his. “Let’s hop down on the far side, and go get breakfast.”
Word count: 409
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Mila Glade
Character
Half Elf
Level
01
24 / 24 HP
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Race: Human and Kerasoka
Class: Rogue
Posts: 62
Joined: October 21st, 2019, 1:11 pm
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Re: Getting Schooled

Post by Mila Glade »

Mila followed Artemis up to the roof, dusting herself off. The blood-lust was fading from her somewhat, and she listened as Artemis spoke. "Yes, Black." She said.

She knew he was right, and wasn't going to argue with him. It didn't mean she would change everything about herself in an instant, but he knew the city and she didn't. And from the way he fought, he would outmatch her, maybe not easily, but she would lose if they ever ended up crossing blades. She didn't want that. She wanted a friend and a mentor. She wanted someone to show her how to be better at what she loved. Kaxitaki's essence flowed in her; she was sure of it.

"I don't kill all the time or anything, she said as they moved across the roofs. "Just them that deserve is all. And they deserved it. World is a better place after today." She checked herself before she said more. Even she realised she was bordering on the edge of 'fanatic'.

"Sure am hungry now!" She said, when they finally dropped down into another alley. "Can we train after breakfast, please?"
Word count: 189
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Ksenia
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Craftmistress for Black's at East Hall. Journeyman seamstress for hire
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Re: Getting Schooled

Post by Ksenia »

Ksenia was doing her best to make inroads to the second helping of food Deb had set down for her when she heard Artemis and the new girl - Mila? - talking outside the back door. They stepped in after a moment and she waved. “Morning! Here for breakfast I’m guessing?” Ksenia gestured to the plates and the food set out. “Help me and take some of this off my plate before Deb sees you,” she stage-whispered to Artemis. He chuckled and shook his head. Deb came over to where they were talking.

“You’d better not, and you-” Deb turned to face Ksenia - “still need to eat up. I’m not having you keel over midday because you were being stubborn.” She put one hand on her hip and raised an eyebrow.

“My stomach can only hold so much, though…” Ksenia began, then trailed off at Deb’s expression. “I’ll do my best.” She sighed and stabbed a piece of sausage to nibble.

“That’s better.” Deb strode off, working on the kitchen’s stock of supplies.

“Any exciting plans for the day? I’m going to go to The Discerning Maiden once Deb is satisfied. I have some projects in mind, and I’d like to see if I can find another mattress form or two. Anything either of you need, or would you care to join me?” Ksenia stretched her arms above her head and tilted her head from side to side.
Word count: 248
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