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[img]https://i.imgur.com/O6BcC9v.png[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/6pysDJs.png[/img]
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[b]Time:[/b] [color=gold]Evening[/color]
[b]Location:[/b] [color=gold]Riverbloom[/color]
[b]Interactions:[/b] [color=gold]Barrock [@Conscripts], Aurora [@Mole], Rowan, and Zora[/color]
[b]Mentions:[/b] [color=gold]None[/color]
[b]Equipment:[/b] [color=gold]A [url=https://imgur.com/5jQonYy]greataxe[/url] with [b]Shockwave and Ethereal[/b] enchantment, [url=https://imgur.com/a8cytOu]Leather armor[/url] with [b]Absorption[/b] enchantment, and [b]Magic Nullification[/b] shackles[/color]
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As Veric's battle-high faded in the split-second before he would follow through with the punch, his expression changed. The quick draw of the blade steadily approaching his mid-section proved to be enough of a deterrent to soften his blow. He was cocky, perhaps even foolish, but he wasn't idiotic enough to take sharpened steel head on. He quickly rolled himself away from the blow, opting instead for a backhanded punch against Barrock's arm to push the blade further away from him. However the bait proved to be very effective, and the orc landed a partial blow on Veric's side. The cut was shallow, but fresh blood still dripped from the slash as Veric lunged further behind the orc. The follow-up blow was close, but this time he opted to use the literal meat shield that still housed his axe to soften the blow. With a twisted grin he shifted Zora's corpse between the sword and his body, and let Barrock decide. Either he could continue the strike and possibly land a blow at the risk of further ruining his dead comrade's corpse, or he could forsake the idea give Veric some distance.

No matter the result, Veric would backpedal several steps and pull his weapon from Zora with a horrific [b]SHLUNK[/b] and place it onto his back. The elf reached down to grab the small iron ball that had proven to be far less than useful in this combat and then addressed the party.

[color=crimson]"You little ones are awfully luck I don't got the time to be laying you all six feet under. But if you follow me, I could bring the General some more battle trophies. Makes no difference to me. Savor the fact you lived to fight me - even put a few scratches on me. But don't push your luck!"[/color]

Just as quickly as he rushed in, the man turned and began huffing the corpse, his gear, and his muscle-bound self into the tree line. Veric was burdened but by no means crippled, and the weight of the woman he just killed was not much to his carrying capabilities. Using the still-fresh confusion in the air he figured it would give him just enough time to put some space between him and the group.

[color=crimson][i]Interesting playthings you've given me, General. Very interesting indeed.[/i][/color] He thought to himself with a wicked smile.

With that, the party stood in the clearing, the only remaining evidence of their friend being the splattered red stain on the grass beneath their feet, and the dreadful feeling of a lost companion.
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