[i]The Day Before[/i] "No coin, no play," the blacksmith said, he crossed his arms across his chest and grunted. They were gathered around a drinking table in the tavern playing a game of pirate dice, all taking the portion of the day to relax from their daily activities. Dalious approached appearing to be a beggar, with dirty and ragged clothes still stained from his own dried up blood. [color=steelblue] "I have a horse," [/color] Dalious assured the working men. [color=steelblue] "There, notched just outside. Black as the night and as swift as a sparrow. She's fast and sturdy. I call her Stealthion."[/color] The blacksmith and the others went just outside to take a look, all agreeing with the payment by shaking their heads. They sat back down at the table, pulling up a new chair for the pirate. Each man put five dice into a mug, shook them all up, then slammed them down on the table upside down. They got quiet as they were in thought, but upon the ending of every round became again loud and drunk. By the end of the hour, the last two men playing were Dalious and the blacksmith, the largest pile of coin on Dalious' side. [color=steelblue] "Three sixes." [/color] "Exact!" the blacksmith spat. He had two dice left, one being a six and the other a three. He was confident Dalious had two sixes, plus his own six would justify his claim. They showed their hand. Of Dalious' three dice, he had zero sixes, leaving the blacksmith's six as the only one. "Damn you outlander! You've won every single damned game since we started!" [color=steelblue] "You've one dice leffft, mate,"[/color]he slurred. They shook the cups again and slammed them down. At this point Dalious was incredibly drunk, and realized this was not only a game of dice, but also a game of who could stay up the longest. The blacksmith could drink as he quickly found out, both of the two having ordered whiskeys with every pint of ale. [color=steelblue] "One four." [/color] "TWO FOURS!!!!" [color=steelblue] "Three fours."[/color] "Ahhh, lies!!" They revealed their hands again. The blacksmith had a single four, while Dalious had two fours and a five. [color=steelblue] "Three fours," [/color] he said and smiled. "Ahh pissoff you shit grinder!!" the blacksmith yelled and nearly waved his drink off the table. "Beginner's lu-hick-k!" [color=steelblue] "Keep your gold friend," [/color] Dalious said, a more serious tone in his voice. He pushed even his own winnings throughout the night over to the man's side of the table, leaving him with a confused look. [color=steelblue] "Even keep my gold." [/color] "Why for?" he asked. "No one plays for free, this I know. What do you want?" [color=steelblue] "You are the blacksmith, yes?" [/color] "Ah, I see," he said. "What kind are you after?" [color=steelblue] "Only your finest."[/color] [i]Day of Battle[/i] Dalious rode Stealthion near to the front of the line. He was cloaked from head to toe in fine metallic armor that fit his form perfectly. It was black as his horse, with dark red chain mail at his joints and underneath. He had two silver gauntlets that reached from his fingertips to just before his elbow, strong enough to deflect a slashing blow. At least the blacksmith thought so as much, he had never gotten around to test the theory. The gauntlet on his right hand concealed a hidden blade that propped out upon his will. A black hood hung over his head, good for disguise as well as in blocking the sun's rays. Strapped to his back was a silver long katana with a black and red handle. The sheath was of the same coloring, but the red formed a painting of a dragon that stretched from bottom to the top. At his hip was a holstered blunderbuss that the blacksmith threw in freely, just for the good game. Even his horse Stealthion was cloaked in fine leather armor at the body and the head. As he listened to the mad king speak before his army, he couldn't help but to find himself wondering why he was even still here. His debt to the prince was already paid for back at the arena, yet he longed to follow him again anyway. In any other instance, the man would have taken his earnings and headed back to sea, but this dispute was of the most important. It gave him reason to be of use. Maybe he liked Barcea more than he ever admitted. He left Stealthion back a ways and went forth on foot with the others. Moments later, the arrows were cast and it had begun. As Joachim and Alsius broke the line and took to the archers, Dalious followed just a few feet behind. His first attack was to be with the blunderbuss, that he took out and aimed to the nearest threat. He pulled the trigger, but the weapon just clicked and did nothing. [color=steelblue] "Son of a whore!!" [/color] he yelled. The sword and the armor, however, held up to expectation. He swayed in and out, hacking and slashing enemies all around him with quickness and precision. Blocking a strike with his left gauntlet, he punched the attacker with his right, sticking him in the throat with his hidden blade, then concealing it again. He then rolled past the next attack and to the back of the enemy, bringing his katana upward, splitting the man nearly in half. He reached the archers, slicing two of them at their stomachs and spilling their guts before they could nock the next arrow. The third archer was ready for him, though, as he aimed and loosed. Dalious swayed slightly backward as he charged the man, causing the arrow to nick his armor and fling off. The archer was quick enough to nock his next arrow, but Dalious was already upon him. He sliced downward just before the arrow was let go, cutting it down, then swung the katana back upward and hacked the man from chest to shoulder. A large and tall H'Kelan came forward weilding a warhammer that he swung back and forth with great ease. He smashed the soldier beside Dalious into the ground with a single stroke, pushing the soldier's head into his body. His next swing came for Dalious, though the pirate rolled under it and backed away from the enemies reach span. [color=steelblue] "To your duty, then," [/color] he said, a smirk on his face. Before the large man could attack again, his head suddenly exploded and his body fell slumped to the ground. A sniper off in the distance had seen to that kill, while Dalious huffed and shrugged his shoulders. He gave a thumbs up in the air, then went back to fighting.