Half of the Kingdom(ft. commentary)

~Nov 22

The figure was a man, holding a bow with an arrow that was pointed straight at Karayan's heart. The other Vanags in the room quickly sprang into action, but the new person deftly drew a sword and made quick work of the other Vanags who now lay dead or severely injured on the ground.

so can he do sword and bow at the same time? did he put the bow and arrow back, take out the sword, and get the arrow and bow back out? ninja skills

"Who in the Emperor's name are you?" Karayan inquired, his own sword now drawn, red eyes narrowed, examining the stranger as best he could, but he couldn't see the guy that well. Just that he wasn't very menacing looking, aside from the sword in one hand and the bow and arrow in the other. Karayan would have guessed that it was just an average man, but he'd never seen a sword like the one this new stranger was wielding. It was a thin, slender blade, but sharper than a razor, and strong, it seemed, with how easily it had felled those guards. The bow was short, but the arrow keen and deadly. The figure quickly had the sword sheathed and the bow and arrow now in both his hands.

ohoHO, he has sword in one hand and bow and arrow in the other SUPER ninja skillss

Karayan waited in silence for another threat to come from him, but he remained silent. His silence was threatening in of itself.

"Well," Karayan finally broke the silence, "It seems we're at a draw, then,"

"No," The figure stated firmly.

as fun as quippy and witty comebacks are, i also appreciate a good old fashioned straigh-up "no." "Nope" "nah" "bruh that's not tubular" "nein". for when you just don't want to deal with this guy's bull anymore

"No? What do you mean, "No? I have two pieces of leverage, and there's only one of you,"

"If you move to touch one of them, you'll find yourself at the end of my dart," He threatened, pulling back more on the string.

the sword tho??

Karaya was getting nervous. He wasn't used to this kind of confrontation, Usually, the person with the weapon pounced, Karyana would step aside, they'd fight for little while and Karayan would conquer. This person wasn't making a move, so Karayan wasn't either. This unnerved him. He wasn't used to this. He shifted uncomfortably.

"Are you just going to stand there and stare at me, or is there meaning behind your threat?" He asked somewhat angrily.

"There is always meaning behind my threats,"

"Then what meaning is behind this one?" Karayan demanded. "Are you going to shoot that bow, or not? I grow impatient,"

"I won't have to," The figure replied.

Before Karayan could think about what he'd just said, another person came into view.

"Back away from him slowly, you miserable rat!" A female voice and its owner were now in the room. She had a drawn sword that was instantly pointed at Karayan's neck.

This is more like it, Karayan thought, as he nimbly drew his sword to make an attack on the newcomer. He had it all mapped out. Slip away from her blade and counter with his. He was no doubt the better swordsman, it'd be over in a minute, then he could take care of that annoying bowman.

But that's not what happened.

Before Karayan could slip away and draw his sword as had been planned, an arrow came whizzing at him and Karayan had to step forward to avoid it piercing his back. This in turn brought him closer to the other's blade, and she grabbed his shoulder and pushed ham back against the wall, blade still at his throat.

Karayam initiated a kick, but an arrow landed in his calf, stopping him. He cried out in pain and rage. He'd never been beaten in this way before! How could this be? Yet another two people were now there, two men, and one picked up Yanev from where she lay still motionless on the ground. Roric struggled to stand with the other's help.

that arrow wound is never heard from again

"Roric, you just disappeared, what happened?" He asked.

"Andarin?" Roric questioned.

"Yes, it's us. Miryanna, Blax and I,"

Karayan, upon hearing his words, allowed a faint smirk to creep across his face. "Then this must be little Miryanna, who I kidnapped all that time ago. My my, look at you now,"

"Shut it, rat, I'm not a naive child anymore," She hissed in his face.

"Oh you're not, are you? You're a strong independent young woman now?"

oh shut up karyan

"I said be quiet," She turned to Andarin, "You got the rope?"

"Yup," He answered and started tying Karayan's hands. "Shall we bring him back to base?"

"No," The figure with the bow, "he wants to know where your base is, you'll give him the opportunity. He'll escape one way or the other."

"He's right," Miryanna said, "Right now, we just need to get Yanev and Roric out of here. More Vanags could come at any moment,"

As is on cue, the door burst open, "Drop your weapons!" a voice cried.

"Run!" Andarin yelled. They dashed towards the opposite exit, weapons drawn. Roric grabbed his sword which had been deposited by the wall upon his being taken to the place.

They dashed through the hallways and passages, the figure with the bow in the lead, directing them which way to go. The Vanags would have caught up, but they had a guide that knew tha way better than even the Vanags.

Before any of them knew it, except the guide of course, they were in an alley outside of a building.

"Where have you taken us?" Miryanna questioned the figure, breathing hard from the hard run.

The figure had momentarily disappeared, but returned a moment later with the horses in tow.

"Make all haste back to the base. Karayan was foolish enough to have you held in one of his buildings." He pointed across the street and a few blocks down. "That one there, report it to your leaders."

howw??? do you know???????

They all turned to look at the building, and before they could thank the figure who'd initiated the daring escape, he was gone. Disappeared.

"Who was that, anyway?" Andarin asked Miryanna.

"Yeah, he was mysterious to say the least," Blax piped up.

"There's no time for that now, we need to get back to base with Yanev and Roric," Miryanna said in urgent tones.

there's never any time for that

"Yes, right, right," Andarin said, taking the reins of his horse.

They all mounted, and rode as fast as they could back to base. Yanev still hadn't woken up, and Roric was getting more and more worried, his own hurts and injuries ignored.

It was a fitful trip back. Miryanna rode by Blax for a little while. "So, how was your first trip to Campel?" She asked him.

And now back to our regularly scheduled program.

He shrugged, "It was... not what I expected it to be,"

Miryanna managed a smile, "Yeah, this trip isn't what I expected it to be like either," She said.