Minor Uprising (open, very much so)

[Ules Felko]

((To advance time. I suggest you guys warp time forward after your conversation is done))

With the officer felled, the rebellion was able to successfully drive back the guards, despite many casualties, and set fire to the guard house, thanks to a spell from the leader. The few remaining guards took off, obviously planning to get word out or retreat to a different barracks.

Knowing this, the rebellion began to sink into a portal created by the mage, who was now waving everyone inside. Skeet and Karei would need to enter fast if they didn't wish to be left to the undoubtedly major reinforcement that would be arriving soon. No doubt Ules' lackeys would be happy to capture and torture them both.

((Assume the portal leads to an underground area, like a dwarven establishment, except much less professionally crafted, since humans can't do anything right. This is the headquarters of the rebellion))

[is god]

Skeet had barely time to see the guard captain (he presumed) drop before another trio foolishly launched an attack at the pair, probably in a vain attempt to preserve the captain life. Luckily Karei was as skilful as ever and dispatched one quickly and hindered the second, giving Skeet time to get off his shots and react to the lumbering attack of the now wounded guard. It was too close quarters for a longbow but Skeet had no time to draw his sabre without dropping his bow and the bandit would never treat one of his precious weapons so disrespectfully. Instead Skeet simply used another arrow, quickly drawn from his quiver, as a dagger. Without even bothering to nock the bow and fire he stabbed the sharp head straight into the guards forehead as he jumped around the violent swing of the guard's blade. The momentum of moving forward and the weight of Skeet's body effectively drove the arrow into the man's skull. Skeet was sure the guy was dead but to be sure he slid one of the concealed daggers on his wrist up through the man's ribcage and into the heart, letting the man slip to the floor in a bloody mess.

With no more enemies about for now Skeet took the time to wipe the blood off his blade and arrow. He was just replacing the dagger when Karei's voice cut through the air above the dim sounds of clanging steel and cries of war. She told him to save his questions but he didn't even have any at that point. He was too confused and shocked to even think of a starting point, let alone a question and the familiar adrenalin rush of a fight had stolen any half-formed words from his mouth. Instead he simply scowled, not overly appreciative of her commanding tone. He wasn’t sure if she was intentionally trying to rile him or was just too pumped herself to realise she spoke such but it mattered little. His azure eyes looked at her dagger embedded in the man's back. She had probably saved his life but Skeet would never admit such. Wordlessly he picked up the dagger and, after flipping it a few time to feel the weight, tossed it casually to his childhood friend.

His eyes lingered on her bleeding palm, expecting to feel the guilt he used to have whenever he saw her injured, even indirectly, by his hand. Skeet paused, waiting for the rush of anger than accompanied the guilt, angry at the injustice that this girl could so easily befuddle him and sway him. Nothing came, no guilt nor anger. Nothing at all except confusion was felt towards the woman he claimed to love. Now was not the time to puzzle over his emotions, or lack of, however. The rebels seemed to have overpowered the guards and burn the guardhouse. With the battle over they were now gathering around a blonde-haired mage and disappearing into a portal. Skeet was indecisive and his brilliantly blue eyes stared intently at Karei, as if he were trying to bore a hole through her. Should he stay here with her and repair whatever they had left of their relationship? But his money was disappearing through a portal, not to mention his proof for Ules. Skeet didn't fear the necromancer but that didn't mean the bandit wanted to be on the wrong side of him either. Whatever happened Skeet was going through that portal he knew but still he hesitated, wondering if he could ask Karei to come with him.

With a sigh Skeet tore his eyes away, not looking back as he sprinted to the portal at a speed only slightly faster than normal, pausing to collecting his arrows from the dead officer, and entered the portal with the other rebels. Emerging in something resembling a dwarven cavern carved by extremely intoxicated, blind handless dwarves Skeet then turned to the portal he had just entered through wondering why in a choice between love and money he always went for money. Maybe he hadn't grown up after all.

((sorry for the long post. I did try to condense it but I’m liking my new mature Skeet and had to embellish a little. he has quite a shock after all.))

[Karei]

To be honest, Karei was surprised that he didn't go off on her, blame her for abandoning him and demand where she's been or something similar. As he tossed her the dagger she quickly caught it, peering at him curiously from underneath her hood. His silence was actually quite a relief, though she was disturbed by the small bit of disappointment she felt. Sheathing her dagger and one sword her attention moved to the portal as the rebels began to spill through. The young woman hesitated, unsure of whether to go or stay. Then again, the only reason she would not be a part of the rebellion was because of Skeet. Now he seemed to know who she was and still didn't care, so that problem was through (though she couldn't deny that a part of her wanted to be near him still, too).

For a moment after Skeet left she lingered, debating. Finally she took a strong hold on her remaining drawn blade and ran through the portal. She stumbled out, definitely not used to this particular form of transportation, and bumped into another. The man growled and issued a warning that she didn't quite catch, too busy fixing the hood of her cloak, and wandered off. Karei kept her blade out, grip tightened around the blade. It seemed all the remaining rebels were here and the portal closed, but she didn't really like being in a foreign place when she didn't know where an escape was. Her eyes scanned the area, unaccustomed to the odd style of the place. She growled softly in frustration and then looked around at everyone. She could spot Skeet easily, but her gaze passed over him just as quickly as everyone else. Karei vaguely wondered who the leader was, or at least where he was.

[Ules Felko]

((You guys should skip time forward by some amount in one of your next posts))

The caverns were wide, deep, and somewhat crooked, but plenty spacious, with this current room being the size of the main room of a noble's mansion, though far less well-kept. There were far more people here than there were at that initial raid, implying that other cities had had similar endeavors, though some of the people seemed to even be Avie'kan or Ravisha.

The leader was speaking of success, how they had shaken the foundation of Arcania in several places. Further listening would reveal his name, Aryan Flay, and hints as to their exact location were given. Apparently they were beneath the mountains in between Sparinik and Ravisha.

Several minor strikes were planned, mostly at guard quarters, small academies, and neighborhoods of rich nobles. targets that wouldn't cripple the nation but would perhaps inspire enough fear to grow the numbers of the rebels, and shake the foundation enough to make it vulnerable to being toppled.

The actual likelihood of it all working, however, depended deeply on their numbers and power, which at the moment, while decent, were no match for even the less defended areas of Arcania. And if skeet followed through with his plan, they would be taken out as easily as a few insects hiding under a wardrobe.

[is god]

((I shall skip to night then assuming all preliminary niceties and such have been done))

The young thief was seated in one corner, casually tossing one of his many daggers into the air, watching it spin end over end before fluidly catching it again. He wasn't even paying attention to the revolving blade, his intense sapphire orbs glancing around the cavern as the rebels went to and from their business. Many had turned in for the night, some sporting wounds and some simply exhausted from their respective skirmishes. Skeet refused to call the shambles a battle, there having been no planning on either side and a distinct lack of skill displayed. But then again most of those gathered hadn't been raised with a blade in hand like Skeet had. His dark locks fell into his eyes but the bandit did not bother to brush them away, simply rhythmically tossing his dagger into the air. "Hey Gylfi you better get some shut-eye. Big day tomorrow." one of the older rebels called over, giving him a little wink. Skeet nodded in return flashing the man an innocent smile. For some reason Skeet gave of the air of needing looking after, maybe it was because he looked younger than his 23 years. After all, the thief had barely changed in appearance since he was 17, only gaining a few more scars which slowly faded as the years sailed by.

Skeet had chosen to adopt the name of his dead brother, not being comfortable using his birth name with the memory of his last visit home still so fresh in his mind despite it having been 4 years since he had departed from the family farm for a second time. Gylfi had died in the war Skeet had been told and part of him felt sad about that fact but not enough to prevent Skeet using his brother's name as an alias. Without meaning too Skeet's eyes started searching for Karei, not having spoken to his childhood friend since the fight started. He had not expected her to follow him and he was burning with curiosity to know why she would purposefully cast herself into danger with no benefit to herself. She did not live in Arcania nor was she being paid. Such selflessness was lost on Skeet and, though he would never admit it, he was slightly angry that she would seemingly have so little regard for her life.

((not very good sorry but it's 12.30am and I didn’t really know what to say))

[Karei]

Karei only half listened when the leader spoke. Once his speech was finished she proceeded to wander around and try to know the area a bit better. All the while she kept her hood up, though luckily among a sea of shady characters she didn't stand out too much this way. Why she decided to keep her face hidden was a mystery, though she figured it was because she felt somehow secure. It was silly, though, and she knew this, but still kept the hood up. After a little while she began to recognize some faces, though still did not talk to anyone. In return no one made an attempt to contact her in any way. She was fine with this - after all, she was only here because fighting among rebels was far more entertaining that wandering around aimlessly.

Eventually Karei had settled herself against the far wall. Her belt was unhooked from her waist, one sword at her side and another laid across her lap. She had been cleaning and sharpening her blades to pass the time, though she had little to no skill in such things. just enough to keep the swords from falling apart. Every now and then she'd glance around to watch the others, particularly Skeet and the leader, Aryan Flay, when she could see them. As the minutes wore on, though, she began to feel tired. Her movements and reactions were slower, much more dragged. She paused and examined the blade, turning it over carefully in her hand. Not professional work, but it was satisfactory. Karei slipped the blade back in its sheath. As she did she noticed that many others had begun to settle down and decided she should rest, too.

With a small yawn she stretched her arms up over her head, arching her back and feeling her tired muscles shudder before slowly relaxing. Gathering up her swords, Kar leaned them against her chest and lazily wrapped an arm around them. For a few minutes she watched the other rebels from under her hood. She didn't exactly realize when she fell asleep.

When she was rudely awaken...well, that she noticed. A rough kick against her leg snapped her eyes open and, mostly as a reflex, she kicked her leg out and knocked over the man who had stumbled against her. "Fool! Watch yourself!" She spat out, angry that her somewhat peaceful sleep was disturbed. The man growled some insult, though she didn't quite catch it. Karei rotated her stiff neck and slowly began to rise, sleepily groaning at the effort. Sitting was not the most comfortable way to sleep, yet she was pretty well rested.

"Wench, listen when I speak to you!" Rolling her eyes, she snapped her attention to the disgruntled man, then continued to fasten her swords on her belt and then wrap her belt around her waist. Her gaze drifted, watching the other rebels awaken and ready themselves. Perhaps for another battle, Karei guessed. She could use the excitement...Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt the man sharply grab her by her arm. "Pay atten-" Before he could finish, or barely start, she planted a fist directly in the middle of his face and broke the man's nose. With a surprised yelp the man fell back, but now that she was pissed she didn't feel like backing off. Instead the young woman planted her boot on his throat, forcing him down to the ground.

---

ooc:: meh.

[Ules Felko]

((Ive got nothing to add, you two should continue ))

[is god]

((Sorry, exams, moving house, work etc all kept me insanely busy. Here is an ultra long post to make up for it. Sorry Karei but I comandeered your idea, lol))

Skeet had drifted off into a light sleep at some point, his back rested against the harsh rock as his arms curled around his duel sabres. The young bandit rarely slept soundly even when surrounded by the gang he considered family so it was not surprising that his respite was fitful. Every little sound woke him from his rest so when Karei snapped Skeet was immediately aware of the fact. The bandit could not suppress a small chuckle when Karei began to arm herself, unfazed by the disgruntled rebel, and was not surprised that the older man’s attempts to monopolise the fiery woman resulted in a quick trip to the ground. The commotion had aroused several of the rebels, some seeing the disagreement merely as a form of entertainment and began placing bets on who would emerge victorious. One group, however, caught Skeet’s sapphire eye as the lingered in the background with a range of thunderous expressions. Skeet guessed that they didn’t take to kindly to their friend being beaten by a shrimp of a girl which was the bandit’s entire problem with this motley crew of ragtags. They had no admiration of skill and therefore could not combat it. Their wise and benevolent leader was, typically, nowhere to be found when his verbal nonsense was actually required which just summed up the entire rebellion. If they were lucky they might have managed to infuriate Ules by running around taking out insignificant guard’s posts and the temptation to leave them be was great but in the end Skeet needed money and it became apparent his plan would not work without a little tweaking to the ranks.

The bandit was going to allow Karei to dig herself out of the mess she had created. After all they weren’t exactly on good terms at the moment and she had, yet again, intruded upon his affairs uninvited which complicated the entire job for Skeet. However, seeing the 5 burly angry men edge closer to where Karei had her victim pinned, Skeet found himself moving before his brain had decided upon a course of action. Locking his twin sabres together to create a dire sabre Skeet pushed through the small crowd to the main attraction just as one of the new arrivals swung at Karei whilst her attention was fixed on the floor. Using the blunt end Skeet knocked the hand to one side, twisting the weapon slightly as it curved down to drawn a line of red blood down the man’s forearm as a warning.

“And exactly how are you planning to win against Ules when you can’t even refrain from fighting amongst yourselves?”

He questioned, his piercing blue eyes staring at the 4 men bundled before him. Skeet was by no means tall for a guy at 5ft 10 and his black garments hid his muscular body making him appear slender and almost fragile when confronted by these towering chunks of raw muscle. His gaze held them in place though as the bandit lifted his weapon to stand it upright on the floor, holding the hilt loosely but ready to pounce should the men decide to attack once more. He had purposely used language that set himself apart from them, placing himself above them without seeming to. Skeet’s plan was simple, to gain a following of his own. He could not judge this Aryan Flay fully but from what Skeet had seen a heard so far the man’s only talent was for impassionate speeches. Skeet planned to use his skills as tactician to rise through the ranks, find out who the key players were and then create a situation where he could deliver their head to Ules with minimal danger to himself. Of course it was easier said than done but at least, thanks to Karei, he had found a means to draw attention to himself without casting himself in a negative light. Now all he needed was to show off his skills.

“We’re going to need that strength for something more important than beating on girls so save it.”

He chastised, looking at the men scornfully yet now he spoke as one of them. He needed the others to think him a loyal member of the resistance and not some cocky brat. When the bandit was confident the men had given up the notion of a brawl Skeet turned to Karei and her captive.

“I can’t tell you what to do so if you insist on fighting then go ahead but don’t you think it would be more productive for us all if you stop acting like all problems can be solved with a fist and just apologise to each other instead?”

He spoke calmly but firmly, not waiting for their reply before he excused himself. Within seconds the group of men who had adopted him as a younger brother surrounded the bandit, wide grins decorating their faces. ‘Well who’d have thought our little Gylfi was so wise at heart?’ one commented, which led to torrents of banter and ridicule. Skeet endured all this, laughing along with them at the ridiculous jokes. Their comments were signs his little show had had the desired effects and he was accepted by at least a few of the rebels. Without conscious thought his eyes drifted over the now dispersed crowd to seek Karei, unable to prevent himself being concerned for her welfare but unable to show her favouritism when she was so antagonistic towards others. For the hundredth time she cursed her following him, her mere presence undermining his strategy and yet he was also unbelievably glad she was still around.