[hider=Kavius the Commoner] [center][h1][color=00aeef]Kavius(Cav-e-is) Hishamie[/color][/h1][/center] [center][img]https://i.pinimg.com/originals/89/9d/92/899d9282d16706fa194581c4c0c0f387.jpg[/img][/center] [/hider] [hider=Samara the Commoner][table][row][cell][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/210311/29b6bee6045bec0315fee117181ea692.png[/img] [color=2e2c2c]x x x x darkslateblue x x x x x x x x x[/color][/cell][cell][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/581497240573444097/818004775580860446/image0.jpg[/img][/cell][/row][/table][/hider] [hider=Ahley Wycliffe the Noble][img]https://cdn.donmai.us/sample/f5/5b/__original_drawn_by_domi_hongsung0819__sample-f55b7be861d5da8c4332a6cbcc22669c.jpg[/img][/hider] [hider=Inventory] Outfit = (A) 1 baggy black shirt (slightly torn) (B) 1 blue pants rolled up slightly at the bottom (several tears and a small arrow shaped hole on one of the pant legs) (C) 1 pair of dark gray leather shoes (D) 1 sheath and silver longsword (E) 1 waist bound pouch = [s]Money, small wrapped up string, a small amount of spherical candy.[/s] [/hider] Overall, the order had been agreed to, reluctantly—but hard to stomach, for most of Ashley's Allies—a ragtag group which still had no official name. Much more easily persuaded and eager than they to seek vengeance were the ship's crew, who had suffered all of the casualties, and did most of the cleanup after the screaming ceased. In truth, Ashley herself had no taste for the slaughter that came, and excused herself shortly after it began—another callous act that could have pushed Kavius' temper over the edge once he'd heard about it—if not for what she said to him later that night. [color=#ff39d6]"I won't ask you who you really are, or where you came from—but I will apologize for speaking to you as though you were a child."[/color] Not a single unnecessary muscle on her face moved while she said it. She looked almost like a lifeless doll. Still, something about the proper bow she gave afterwards seemed to lend a genuineness to her compliment. For a few moments Kav did not speak or move. At times like this it was more likely for him to be at the receiving end of some form of complaint for his actions or words, often causing nothing but strife for himself and Sam. Especially from people who act all proper and bloody as this woman does. It was not as if he had a reason to dislike her at the beginning, he did not have a good or bad thought about anyone here in the group. The more he listened and the more he watched the better feel for these people Kav seemed to gain and Ashley…..well not matter before, after today's events, Kav in part tried to stay away from most of the crew to avoid looking like he was avoiding her. For his protection and hers. “[color=0072bc]If you have something to say then say it[/color]”, he said with little emotion, “[color=0072bc]Words hold no weight anyways so just get on with it.[/color]” [color=#ff39d6]"A little bird told me that you single-handedly turned the tide of this losing battle. That's a feat I won't soon forget. You have won my gratitude, respect, confidence, and a good word—if ever you need it,"[/color] she concluded, bowing again to excuse herself and leave Kavius to his thoughts. A losing battle? So, she [i]was[/i] bluffing, and not simply daft. As Ashley walked away Kavius relaxed his grip on his sword's hilt, hidden behind where he was sitting. In truth he was not concerned with her seeing him armed or if Ashley had missed it but he was glad it was over. As much as Kavius did like to speak, at times and to certain people, he was glad that conversation was over. It did not matter how much she apologized, Kavius refused to trust people who could give orders like that out. Life was not something you should just discard so quickly. Kav knew he was guilty of killing before but nothing close to what happened. Kavius injuries were tended after the battle had ended save for a lingering soreness. Kavius spent the rest of his time aboard the boat resting below deck, finding an out of the way corner spot and sleeping off his battle fatigue. In truth Kavius was not so much as battered physically as he was mentally. Fighting was not something he was unaccustomed to, nor was killing, but fighting for others was….somewhat different than what he was used to. Fighting with Sam was different in its own way and was beneficial for the both of them since they worked in tangent so well. He knew he went a bit overboard in the battle but he felt like showing he could be of value to everyone and not just a sack of dead weight was necessary. Before Kav drifted off into slumber below deck he smiled to himself, thinking how since he had shown he was somewhat capable no one would try to get him to do something to prove himself, knowing how there would be less work involved for himself. He could probably even hide and just sleep if nothing was to hold his interest in the coming days. Three things haunted Ashley that night. The first was the taste of iron from the vulneraries. It reminded her of the taste of blood. How she loathed it. She was so sickened by it that she found herself once again reaching for the bottle. Unwilling to wait out the taste of it, she allowed the strong alcohol to burn her mouth, before spitting it overboard; she wouldn't make the same mistake twice. This worked, and though it left her mouth feeling like it had been scalded with boiling water, she found pain preferable to the taste of blood. The second was a haunting of a third kind. It appeared suddenly, as though it had simply faded in from the shadows on the walls. The lanky, pitch-black creature with glowing red eyes stood tall in the room that Ashley was sleeping in—so tall that it was hunched over Ashley's bunk, its back pressed up against the ceiling. When it swiftly and silently descended onto Ashley's back with impossible speed, she made a noise like she had been gently disturbed, but her eyes remained closed, apparently not waking up. Long, teeth-like protrusions extended from the end of its amorphous "face," slowly sliding along the back of Ashley's head, and across her scalp. Then, they slowly retracted—and extended again, as though the monstrous entity were struggling to get her entire head in its hideous maw. Then, just as suddenly as it had appeared and descended upon Ashley's helpless body, it vanished. At the same time, Ashley inhaled sharply, as though she had just woken up—before rolling over and going back to sleep, as if she hadn't noticed a thing. Long after the first rays of sunlight lit the morning bright did Kavius awaken. Slowly unfolding himself out of the pretzel he shaped himself into when he found it felt perfect to sleep in, Kav thought to himself how he had not had such a peaceful sleep in days. Peaceful boat sleep anyways. Making sure to gather himself and his things as he stood up and made his way topside, he was immediately taken back by the dramatic visuals he could see, a litter of broken ships and ship parts were everywhere. He felt a twinge of pain cross his body as he stood above deck. “[color=0072bc]Well this sucks[/color]”, Kavius said to himself out loud, “[color=0072bc]Cool shipwrecked coast to explore and I can barely move at a decent walking speed without feeling sore.[/color]” Kavius sighed as his eyes explored every inch of the beach that he could see. The delightful mist that seemed to make its home on the shore line puzzled him slightly but peaked his curiosity. His gaze turned from the shoreline, back to his surroundings on the boat. His companions seemed to be just as curious as he was as it seemed, even Troe who looked a tad bit more eager to get an up close look than the others.. Ashley had woken up feeling oddly refreshed—so much so that she couldn't even muster any annoyance at the fact that the cries of "land ho" came before she could finish her morning coffee. Her eyes narrowed, though, when she saw the wreckage. Ignoring Kavius, her eyes scanned the shoreline, looking for the wreckage of a particular ship she'd recognize. She didn't find what she was looking for, but she found Kathila, a woman she did recognize. Ashley's face betrayed no emotion as she looked at her, sizing her up. Out here, a powerful magic caster like her was a threat. Kathila probably would not recognize Ashley on sight like she did her, but if she heard the name "Wycliffe" spoken out loud in Ashley's general direction, it could be a disaster. Ashley was a woman with enemies—powerful enemies, who demanded protection from powerful allies like Lord Clive. Out here, in the open ocean and at Irinoth, she had no such protection—hence the Santa Lyrica mutiny-by-mercenary plot that had thankfully failed thus far—and Ashley had no idea if Kathila was for or against her. Given what Ashley knew about her, she could be cautiously optimistic, but never certain. All she knew was that, being a powerful person, she would almost certainly have an opinion one way or the other—probably a strong opinion. None of that seemed to matter, though, as Kathila was far too distracted by Troe's antics, which also earned a small wince from Ashley. As she approached both him and the shoreline, she attempted to heal his finger, to no avail. It was simply… gone. Kavius followed behind Ashley, at a distance, just as eager as she was apparently to get over to Troe. What really made him want to follow though was the look in Ashley's eyes when she spotted the random on the shoreline. He did not approve of Ash but anything that could make her go from 'normal’ to ‘totally not forced normal’ is something he wanted to know about. He found it quite hilarious when Troe lost his pinky though and Ashley's failed attempts at healing. “[color=0072bc]Oh yea this is great. Misty beachfront view, gorgeous shipwrecked sea, a side character that makes me feel like we should go because if she dies I don't wanna get blamed, oh yea who wouldn't wanna come here[/color]”, Kavius said sarcastically.. Ashley glanced at Kavius, acknowledging him for the first time that morning. [color=#ff39d6]"Hmph. I daresay anyone who comes here is a fool, including yours truly,"[/color] Ashley remarked in agreement with both Kavius and Kathila, shaking her head. [color=#ff39d6]"If magic does indeed 'burn away' as she says, then even—even I can do nothing,"[/color] she said, giving Troe a meaningful look. She meant, of course, that even if the phenomena [i]was[/i] a curse, her unique line of work would do no good here. She wouldn't even be able to study its makeup, let alone change it. [color=#ff39d6]"That still leaves the matter of obtaining proof of what took place here. I doubt a severed finger will appease the king's court—and even if we could transport the flames, that only seems like a disaster waiting to happen."[/color] She again glanced at Troe, as she called back to her earlier conversation with him, about her doubts regarding bringing this "thing" back to Faroth-En. Ashley frowned. This time, she was truly out of her depth, and even if it was only a little bit, it showed. [color=#ff39d6][i]What now?[/i][/color] was the unspoken question on her mind. With Troe enamored with what was happening and Ashley pondering, Kavius gained a thought. The random side character here might have more to say if they just ask the right questions. Or rather really he was just bored now and wanted something to do. Forgetting the fact he was supposed to be on a mission because of the obstacle in front of him Kavius spoke to Kathila. “[color=0072bc]So...sooooo….come here often[/color]”, he asked hesitantly. Ashley looked visibly disappointed, lowering her head and hiding her face with her hand as she sighed. She surely hadn’t expected her word to be tested so soon, and in the presence of someone as powerful as Kathila no less. Kavius probably wouldn’t even appreciate the favor, and would just chalk it up to her supposed honor as a knight, but… a promise was a promise. [color=#ff39d6]”Pardon my partners’ lack of manners. Rest assured, they’re worth keeping around.”[/color] Ashley offered Kathila a curtsy for an apology, putting on significantly fewer airs than usual. Despite being in the presence of someone who was obviously more of a somebody than she was, the lady knight Ashley was nowhere to be seen; she hadn’t even introduced herself. Perhaps she was embracing her new ragtag allies and life as a mercenary—or more likely, she was being deceptive as usual. Kavius scoffed. “[color=0072bc]As if it is that easy to get rid of me in the first place[/color].” Kav crossed his arms while avoiding the gaze of Kathila, spotting the wrecked ships again floating in the sea. Quite suddenly, almost making Kav do a double take, he realized something. A half of a thought was formed in his head, but Kav decided to keep this to himself for now. Looking back at Kathila, Kavius relaxed a bit and smiled. Kav took a few steps toward Kathila until he was a few feet away from in front of her. “[color=0072bc]Hey. You’re old so you probably know a lot right? That's probably why you’re here in the first place. Send the older and….maybe stronger[/color]”, Kavius said questiongly, “[color=0072bc]So if nothing can get in, including even you oh so shockingly, doesn't that mean there is a decent chance of something even stronger being trapped in.[/color]” There was no doubt in his mind that this was weird. He did not know much about magic, but this whole scene reeked of it and something strange was taking place that he could not see. Kav walked over until he was just to the edge of where the mist would not touch him, staring at it as he spoke to the Gremory next. “[color=0072bc]Wait, that's silly, how would you know that? Although...you did say you knew this magic crap doesn't stop here but continues inward. I'm sure you knew that though cause you look like a mage so you can probably sense that stuff or something?[/color]” If Sam had been standing closer by she would have stopped him sooner but the comment on the Gremory’s age could not go unnoticed. Walking up behind him, Samara gave a quick smack on the back of Kav’s neck. [color=darkslateblue]”Please excuse this knucklehead. He was raised in a barn so he doesn’t have much manners. But he does bring up a good point. How do you know it doesn’t engulf the entire island?”[/color] Kathila softly chuckled at the sight of Kavius being smacked. “Well I suppose it is a good thing the boy has you to watch over him and keep him out of trouble. I doubt he would survive here for very long, carrying on like a small stray.” Bristled at being called a boy Kavius placed his hand on the hilt of his sword but gave a hearty laugh, confusing the Gremory and those around him, save Sam. As Kavius began to walk back from the mist Sam softly spoke a warning to him. [color=darkslateblue]“Kav…..just don't.”[/color] With a shrug Kavius walked past Sam and stood in front of Kathila, looking her in her eyes and flashing a big smile. She still had not answered any of his or Sam's questions, while continuing to treat him with little to no regard. Granted Kavius was normally unaffected by the tauntings of others as he was the taunter more often than not and knew getting angry would do nothing but hurt him. This woman reeked of magic and Kav was not very well prepared at the moment to deal with her. So with a heavy sigh and rolling of the eyes, Kavius put his pride aside for the moment. “[color=0072bc]Whatever little woman. Look can you actually tell us that could be of any help, unless you really came here just to enjoy the sights. Sights being the ocean and nothing else.[/color]” Kathila frowned but chose to speak regardless of the young man's crude mannerisms as Samara appeared next to Kavius to smack him once again, this time hard enough for an echo to emanate. “What I can tell you will bring you no happiness, although I am sure someone like yourself is ever truly happy less you are indulging in personal vices. There are many who would wish all of you harm, and would risk life and limb to satisfy their bloodlust. This island holds many perils hidden by the mist, to which I have no explanation to give you.” [color=darkslateblue]“Can we please skip the fancy words? You really haven’t told us anything we couldn’t or haven’t already figured out. Do you intend to be an ally or are you simply going to watch as we try to do something besides sit in the water?”[/color] But then Sam sized up the woman as if thinking. ‘Or is she planning to be an enemy at any point?’ To be an enemy of this woman was not something Kavius wished for, in fact if she were to simply leave he would not protest. After the bloodbath previously he had no wish to harm another human for a while.