Chapter 5 - ???

It's been a while!  I know there hasn't been much going on with Christmas and School Finals, but I was wondering what the status was on this chapter?

It would be nice to have some of the other characters introduced as well, but let's focus on keeping the story rolling!!!

Helios - Dark Sun Character

This is one of my Dark Sun PCs I want to use whenever I end up in a Dark Sun world.

I usually stick to humans... but the Shardminds always caught my eye!  Here is a sneak preview at his character sheet!

There is some back story to him... since Shardminds don't usually appear on Athas.  If anyone has any character's they've made and want to share, feel free!

Chapter 4 - The Men in Red

Nausico heard a loud crash echo down the side-street.  Something was going on a few buildings away, but he had to remain out of sight.  He pulled the hood of his tunic over his head and tried to relax.  No one had past by yet.  There was time to recuperate and plan his escape.  The shadows of the alley were tense as the air suddenly grew quiet.  There wasn't much time left.

The blast of a second crash filled the alleyway.  There was some shouting and the sound of hurried footsteps approaching.  Nausico quickly began to walk in the opposite direction.  A few figures hurried past Nausico in the alley.  He caught a glimpse of two men, skinny and pale.  They were laughing.  Neither bothered looking twice at Nausico as he past in the dark.

Maybe I have a chance with all this commotion...

At the end of the alley was a few small store houses, and beyond the wood where he'd spent the night.  With a long sprint he'd be out of the town and back into the wild.  He could find a better place to hide there.  Nausico waited a moment to be sure no one was looking, and started to run for the store houses.

Half-way across the street he froze.  Standing just beyond the edge of the wood, barely visible, was a yellow robed man wating for him.  Without thinking, Nausico turned right and bolted up the street.

"THERE HE IS!"

Within seconds, Nausico was surrounded by a large group of men in dark stained, yellow robes.  They were the Men in Red.  He didn't even have time to react.  They grabbed him by the arms and legs and carried him down the street.  Before he knew what was going on, Nausico was thrown to the ground with the sound of people all around him.  He was in a clearing of a large crowd.  They were jeering and yelling at him while some of the Men in Red held the rioters back.

"Here's the demon!", someone shouted.

Nausico heard a cacophony of voices.
"Let me go!""
"Put the farmer down!"
"Whoever you're looking for isn't here!"
"Out of our way!"
"Get away from me!"
"Bring out his accomplices!", commanded one of the Men in Red.

Two people were shoved into the circle of townsfolk and Men in Red.  Nausico recognized the red-haired girl from earlier and a man who seemed to look more like an animal in a tight corner.  Saffron looked anxious while the wild man bared his teeth agressively at the crowd.

The man turned and grabbed Nausico by the scruff of his collar.

He barked, "What did you get us into?!"

Nausico's face went ghost white.  He didn't understand what was going on.

"I... I don't know..." Nausico stuttered back.

Saffron touched the man on the shoulder and said, "Ysbry, let the boy down."

Ysbry relinquished his hold on Nausico and returned his attention to the crowd.  Fenwick seemed to appear out of thin air on Saffron's shoulders and continued to monitor the crowd nervously while Saffron approached Nausico.

"Nausico," said Saffron sternly, staring him directly in the face, "What do these men want?"

"I... They..."

But before he could answer a loud cry erupted from the crowd and they began to part.  A large man in a particularly worn yellow cape with terribly rusted pauldrons wielding a large, double-sided axe loomed before the trio.

He spoke deep and heavy.

"The penalty for evading the Men in Red is," he raised his double-sided axe and took his stance, "DEATH!"

Saffron looked uneasy, taking her tambourine in hand.

"Nausico," she said, "Be ready!"

Suddenly, Ysbry let out a bloody roar as he launched himself at the large man.  A heavy swing of the axe whistled through the air barely missing its' mark.  Ysbry's smaller axe tore through the man's arm, causing it to droop slightly.  He yelled and batted Ysbry away with the blunt side of the axe, sending Ysbry flying through the air.  He crashed through the crowd, sending the people into a panic.  The Men in Red advanced forward quickly.  Chaos filled the air as screaming townsfolk rushed in panic into their dwellings.

None of this seemed to phase Saffron.  She weaved her way as though in a trance through the jumbled mess of people, batting helmets and slicing limbs with her razor tambourine.  It was a cold, but beautiful scene.

Nausico was suddenly surrounded by Men in Red.  He reached out, sending a wave of frost that covered the nearest soldiers.  They froze for a moment.  It gave Nausico nearly enough time to evade a leathal strike from behind.  He sent another wave of frost, saving him another moment of time.  He had to get out of here.  He had to escape.

Then, he heard a terrible cry.  He turned to see the nearest soldiers break free of their icy prison and charge him.  There was no time to react.  Within moments he would be pinned to the ground. 

"NAUSICO!" called Saffron, just a few steps away.  She reached out with her tambourine, which transformed in mid-air into a giant, circular blade.  The war hoop sliced into the knees of the soldiers.  Saffron twirled the giant weapon with her arm, shouting, "Nausico!  Get behind me!"

Nausico managed to get back to back with Safforn.  Nearby, Nausico could see Ysbry twirling wildly with bodies surrounding him.  The area was beginning to clear, and Nausico saw they were standing in the center of town.  Then, Nausico saw the endless number of soldiers pouring into the center of town.

Ysbry hurried to join Saffron and Nausico.  He looked uneasy to see so many soldiers approaching.

"Your magic- got any kind of large blasts, Red Eyes?" Ysbry said gruffly, spiting some blood from his mouth, "We sure could use a bit more force."


Nausico nodded.

He began to focus all of his power, concentrating it into a large bubble of icy wind above them.  The soldiers paused as the bubble grew larger and larger.  They gathered around in awe as the sky began to darken.  The air grew frigid and the wind bellowed.  Nausico adjusted his stance and struggled against the growing orb.

"Get ready," Nausico shouted above the wind, "This is going to be big."

Saffron and Ysbry braced themselves.

Will - Chapter incoming?

Will, I saw you attempted to draft the next chapter but it hasn't been posted yet...

Were you planning on posting it soon?  Just let me know so we can get an idea of what's to come!

I'm really pumped right now from the last few chapters and can't wait to see what happens.  :-D

Chapter 3 - Dreams of Red Things

Cardinal by StormPetral0509 on deviantart

It was the first day of winter. At least, here in Dun, winter was just starting. It must have started snowing in the westward mountains Ysbry called home. The air was just a bit more crisp than that of the morning before. It had been nearly eight months since Ysbry left GlenRock, but he'd accomplished so little. How could so much time have passed so quickly? He realized this last thought was something of a trick question, and stiffly got up from his bed. It wasn't yet dawn when he woke, a hold over habit from taking turns watching the home tents as a guard. Unprepared for the cold, he stretched, and wrapped himself in his oldest woolen blanket which always still smelled a bit like sheep liniment. Rather than face the cold to reach the outhouse, Ysbry grudgingly used the chamber pot he thought so unsanitary. "You're supposed to do this business away from where you sleep and eat, not right under..." he gruffed to no one. It wasn't nearly even five in the morning, and, true to his ursine ancestry, Ysbry just wanted to go back to bed and sleep the cold away. With a heavy sigh, and a heavier mind, Ysbry laid back down wrapped in his worn, old blanket smelling faintly of sheep medicine. "Eight months, and I've done nothing but get by on odd jobs.." Ysbry mumbled, turning onto his side. "Oh Nunyinini, my great matron, send me a sign, what should I do with myself?" he prayed. As he drifted back to sleep that morning, he lay unaware of the commotion of yellow robed men bounding through town disrupting the early risers.


Those few hours of sleep, however, were tumultuous, for YSbry dreamed deep. A red cardinal was flitting about him in the trees, trying to get his attention. He followed it through a wintery land of red rowan berries hanging on leafless branches. He could see his breath, and ran as quickly as his legs could take him towards the bird. He eventually stopped in a clearing where a red fire burned. A red haired woman, with a foxes tail, and hands dyed red danced circles around the fire, and beckoned him to join. They danced a strange dance together, something a mix of twirls and spins, and running and hopping on all fours. A man with long dread locks joined the dance, his hair red like it had soaked in blood, and Ysbry realized his own face had red markings on as well. The new man had teeth like a boar, and then they were joined by a very small man, or else a child with white hair, and glowing red eyes. The girl danced like a sly, hungry fox, cautious, and beautiful. The large man danced like a warrior fights, bold, quick motions, never ceasing. The small man danced like butterfly, blind and dying, flittering and darting about nervously. Another two persons were waiting in the shadows to join this red dance, but Ysbry woke before he could see them. "Great Mother, you never disappoint, thank you."

Ysbry got up for the second time that morning, though it was rather late now. He asked for a warm kettle, so he could shave his face and head, had some honeyed fruit and warm milk for breakfast, and was soon on his way. Downstairs, in the tavern, some men were gambling with dice, and attempted to sucker the nomad out of his cash, but he paid no mind to their jeers. He wrapped himself in his favorite fur, and braced himself for the day. He hadn't yet left the inn when a woman with a shock of red hair and colorful clothing poured into the room, a small red animal concealed partially in the ends of her skirts.
“My that is quite a fearsome looking bear pelt you have there, I’m rather sure I’ve only seen an animal of quite that caliber of majesty once before, when I was traveling in the mountains as a girl…” said the woman cheerily.
“The Starry Mountains.” Ysbry replied.
“Yes, I do believe that sounds familiar. Say, you seem like a rather fascinating fellow and if you are not in too much of a hurry I was turned down by someone this morning and I had quite assigned myself to dining with company. Would you care to join me at the inn? I’d love to buy you a beer and listen to any tales you have to share.”
Breakfast had only been three hours ago, but he couldn't pass up the offer.

Ysbry had nearly forgotten about his dream until the food arrived at their table. The small animal accompanying the woman hopped out from under the table. It was a fox... a red haired woman with a fox tail! Ysbry mentally smacked himself for being so dense. Fenwick the fox stood on his hind legs, and did a quick spin, begging for food.
"Fewakewa..." he said almost under his breath.
"Actually, his name is Fenwick, but that was very close indeed, friend! Say, are you one of those great shamans that come from the mountains to calm the angry nature spirits and teach people right and wrong? I know a great and exciting tale about the vengeful spirit of an apple tree, but perhaps I'll wait until I've acquired a grander,larger audience? Oh, please forgive me! Always thinking about work, I do humbly apologize.Yes, Fenwick is..." the woman went on, and Ysbry tried to follow her train of thought. He isn't dense, just singularly focused.
"Do you believe in signs?" Ysbry interrupted. "Fewakewa, means Red-Handed. She is a trickster spirit, and a fox. I saw her this morning, wearing your face. I am no shaman, but the spirits of the earth are my allies, and I revere them. Today they have given me a sign. I don't know you, I never caught your name, but I believe I am meant to be with you." Ysbry blurted out his thoughts to the best of his ability.
"Well, sir, you are not the first suitor I've had,perhaps the most outwardly blunt, but not the first. Usually though, my traveling lifestyle isn't to the taste of most men. I am greatly flattered by your proposition, kind stranger, but really, don't you think you ought to get to know me before making such claims as destiny would have us together? Perhaps you ought to pay for lunch, sir, and I would consider this your first courtship attempt? Though, you are terribly silent most of the time." the stranger said playfully, though Ysbry was just feeling embarrassed now.

"Oh...I...I didn't mean it like that... I'm sorry. I'm not so crass...I...Curanda Yolo give me strength." Ysbry sighed out, and he could see his new acquaintance open her mouth to speak again. "What I mean is" he started before she could "... I am on a journey in my life, and I have pleaded the primal powers for a sign, and I believe perhaps we are meant to travel together for a time; you a nomad like myself. I am not normally so forward, I just feel strongly compelled to you. There will be others too, but please understand I believe I was meant to meet you for lunch today. And I do not think we should part ways after lunch either." As he said this last bit, he hung his head a moment, and tossed a scrap from his plate to Fenwick. This last gesture seemed to touch the stranger, and her bright smile softened a moment and she sighed contentedly.
"I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship..." she said at last.

The two exchanged names finally, and recent history. They continued to speak as they wandered through the town. Saffron explained she'd been looking for a sign as well, and found her own that morning. The pair were engrossed in their dialogue when a small troupe of men in disgusting, stained yellow robes, and weather worn armor accost a man selling his wares from a wagon. He couldn't hear too well, but Ysbry caught snippets of exchanged words as the locals tried to flee the trouble.
"We're looking for a young man, we are going to search your cart."
"Be careful with that, the harvest is almost over! This is my livelihood!"
And then blows were struck...

Mr. N!

You're up!  :-D