Rest Stop for Asentari

Siegfried sighed, as he sat back in his chair. The Asentari had just left Karim, after a hectic fight with a Heanta woman. He had then found some bandits harassing a small town, which he had dealt with. As thanks, the barkeep, and older man, with a bald head, and big moustache, had given Sieg free drinks. He was sitting close to the wall farthest to the door, and had Balmung, his Divinium greatsword, sitting on the wall to his right, so that it was still in reach. Despite the small nature of this town, it was still a nice place, at least to Sieg. It was small enough, so that any of the major cities paid it no heed, but it was still large enough to have it's own tavern, which was well stocked. It was nice to someone like Sieg, who had spent a majority of his life on scout patrols, while he was in Edia. I'm almost sure the story of the bandits is the most exciting thing that has happened to this town in some time. Sieg thought to himself. 

The barkeep brought Sieg a drink, to which Seig said "Are you sure you don't want me pay? I have enough-" The barkeep waved the offer away. "No, not for the man who saved us from those bandits." Sieg shrugged. "Wouldn't anyone have helped?" "You'd be surprised, sir. At least, not someone who wields a Divinium blade." Sieg thought on that, as the barkeep walked away. "Oh, since my drinks are free, would you mind giving a round to everyone then?" THe barkeep laughed. "Just this once." He brushed his white hair out of his eyes, and took a sip from his tankard. The ale was good, but Sieg wasn't that big of a drinker. Sharp mind, sharp reflexes. It was an old saying of his swordsmanship teacher. It's strange to think, that people with weapons made like mine wouldn't help this town out. He took another sip, and didn't notice the figure next to him.

Finely buzzed, A dark haired, dark skinned girl sat near the back, her Red eyes watching her drink. She wasn't paying a bit of attention to the big man who'd given quite the show earlier when he'd beat up some bandits to the delight of the people at this little village. Although she heard something about free drinks, her mind was elsewhere. The large man sat down next to her, and sipped at his drink. On her other side, another man sat down, drink in hand and smiled at her. He was averagely handsome if you were into the sort of thing. "Hey there, whats a dark beauty like you doing sitting back here alone for." He said. He put a hand on her leg. "Oh that's precious. You think you have a shot with me because I look lonely. I'll tell you what though, you can leave that hand there if you want me to cut it off and shove it up your arse for you." She said, placing her hand on the hilt of the Gladius that rested next to her leg.

The man snatched his hand back. "Good call. Run along now, before you piss me off." He got up and walked away, pride hurt but the rest of him intact, and Bethany turned back to her drink. She looked at the big man, who may or may not have heard that exchange and noticed the marking on his chest. She leaned forward to get a better look before speaking. "Hey Asentari, what brings you so far from home?" She said to him. Though she wasn't entirely sure he was one, the marking looked like a draconic seal, and sometimes you just had a sense about these things.

Sieg had barely heard the exchange next to him, his mind on other things, until the woman next to him, correctly, guessed that he was an Asentari. "It's strangely less often than you think, that someone can tell I am Asentari." Sieg looked at her eyes. "You're one too." He said, leaning back in his chair. "As for what I'm doing here, I'm enjoying a drink." He wasn't about to open up to a stranger, especially after meeting Vala in Karim. 

"I could ask you the same thing. An Asentari outside of Edia is a rare site. Unless you get sent out on a mission." Or, you're like me. He thought, sipping his drink again. "I don't mean to pry, by the way. Like I said, it's just rare to see one of us out in the Freelands. Much less, for two of us to see each other."

She shrugged and took a deep gulp of her drink. And then nodded at his own declaration. "Well, when you spend long enough around humans and other races, you learn to spot your own kind." When he continued he simply replied that he was enjoying a drink. "That was a well earned drink. I seen you kick the snot out of those bandits. Impressive, if a bit irritating. I was working towards it, just waiting for the right offer." She said to him. "Not worried though. Plenty more scum out there, and people paying to get rid of them." It sounded a bit callous, but she'd done her fare share of good deeds, and ended up getting stung. It was easier to want to be freinds with someone after they save your life, but if you have to pay them, it creates professional distance. The kind of distance she appreciated, so she could drink alone and be sad.

Despite that, meeting another Asentari was uncommon so far from edia, so she decided to be pleasent. "I haven't called Edia home in a long time." She said as she took another swig of her drink. "I get what you mean though. Its a rare sight to see two of us in one place." She said. "Though I'm guessing you missed Edaria, or didn't stick around long enough to meet the Asentari who runs the place." She said.

"The name's Mercy. And who are you, tall savior of this little town?" She asked with mocking praise. "How long have you been travelling? You don't have the look of the usual stoic asentari soldier out on a mission for the senate, or the Primoris Rex. I could be wrong though." Another swig, and the glass was empty. She waved over a barmaid and gave her a sultry smile. "Can I get another glass of whatever ale this is, you pretty thing." She said, and the woman blushed a little, but nodded. She felt slightly bad for her, knowning she must endure some shit here and Bethany hitting on her probably didn't help. Or maybe it did. Sometimes it turned out to be a fun night.

Siegfired nodded. "True enough. It would be easier. I'm pretty noticable as well, with my Draconic Seal being here on my chest, and face." He grimaced at the mention of the bandits. "I don't particularly like people like them. So, in a way, it was.......therapeutic to knock their heads around. If only, for a short while. Besides, I've learned with most types like them, show enough force, they retreat with their tails between their legs." 

"A long time, huh." he said, sipping his own drink. "No, I didn't meet the Asentari in Eldaria. It never possessed me to pass by, on my own way out." He didn't seem to mind telling her this, which somewhat caught Sieg off guard. I'm usually a bit more distant than this. He thought. The woman introduced herself as Mercy, which Sieg figured was a sake name. But, he was enjoying the chat, and didn't pry further. "I am Siegfried, but my friends call me Sieg."

"I only left Edia a few months ago. I felt a calling, to travel the land. So, I left. I also kind of left my post as Seargent, so please don't let anyone know where I am. I get the feeling the Oculi won't be to happy with me in this moment." Sieg noted the flirting Mercy did, towards the barmaid, but didn't say anything. It wasn't his business, after all.

"Try being covered in red scaled. Its quite the conversation starter." She said with a grin. "Have you unlocked your seal yet?" She asked out of curiousity. She hadn't unlocked the seal on her back before. She only knew it was there because of Aline, who'd drawn it for her. Before she could keep thinking about it she turned her attention back to the bandits. "I'd agree with that. They're cowards who prey on the weak, and they'll be back when your gone. If they're really dumb they'll be back with more freinds. You should have killed them all to send a real message." she said. She would have. No mercy, because they would give none to the people of this village.

"A long time." She nodded. And listened to what he had to say about Edaria. "You should visit sometime, Sieg. The city is the only good place in the freelands. And Al-... The ruler seems like a good woman." She said, catching herself. He explained that he hadn't been gone for long and asked her not to mention him to anyone back home. She laughed at that. "I wouldn't worry about that Sieg, I dont intend on going back again anytime soon. And I never got involved in the army. I wouldn't have been allowed even if I'd wanted to. Granted, it probably wouldn't suit me to well." She said. The barmaid returned with her drink and Bethany flashed her a winning smile. "Thank you." She said before taking the drink and drinking deeply.

"So, Sieg, what are your plans out here? Travel around, help the common folk and kill that wonderlust? Or are you planning on taking on some mercenary work." She asked, more out of curiousity than anything. She wasn't looking to start up another mercenary band. After the last time, she'd decided sticking to simple work and staying out of all the trouble up north was the best way to avoid being taken captive again. "I will warn you, if you intend on going north keep your guard up. Asentari are a new popular prize up in Karcenak, and the slavers know how to spot us as easily as we spotted eachother."

Red scales, eh?" Sieg knew that their more....dragon like aspects took a multitude of forms. She asked him if he had unlocked his seal yet. "No, not yet. i know how, I just need to get stronger. It takes quite a bit out of you, if my teacher's are correct." He smiled at Mercy pointing out the bandits. "Well then, maybe I should see where they live, and make absolutely sure that they don't come back here. Tracking them should be easy. I used to be a scout." 

He nodded. I will do that. Maybe even after i'm finished here." He breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. I don't need the Guard trying to bring me back." She asked him what his plans were. "Kill the wanderlust, mostly. I fight here and there." He patted Balmung. "Got to make sure I can still swing this thing, after all." She said about the north, and slavers. "I had no plans on the North. At least, not yet. But, when I do, I'll keep my eyes open. Thanks." 

Sieg finished his drink, and got up, stretching. "Well, I think I need to pay those bandits a visit." He looked back at her, and an idea sprung into his head. "Would you want to come with me? I'm sure the town would reward you, if that's the thing you're after." He picked up Balmung, and re-attached it to his back.

Bethany smiled at his intention to fully deal with the problem bandits. "Now thats what i like to see, someone with the balls to finish the job they started." She downed half the tankard, before continuing.  "Good. Last thing you want is to end up in Karcenak. Trust me." She said. She lifted her glass, and caught a glance of her reflection in it. She seemed to drift somewhere else for a moment, but then she snapped back to the now, and downed the last of the tankard. Sieg finished his drink and went to make a move. He was about to leave when he haulted and asked her if she would want to help.

She hesitated for a moment, looking from Seig to the bar, and the barmaid who moved amoung the crowd. Continue to get drunk, or help out a potential ally. Before she could aswer, the door was kicked in, and a group of the bandits that had been there before shuffled in, along with a large fierce looking heanta who carried a sword to rival Balmung. Another, smaller heanta was with him, though this one was still taller than Bethany. "Where's the prick who thought they could interupt our business agreement and just walk away!" The Heanta snapped. The tavern fell silent. "Oh wow, what impeccible timing." She said with a laugh. "They came to you, now isn't that handy."

The heanta heard them and looked at her. "What was that, woman? Did you wan't to tell me something." The heanta asked, stalking towards them.  "Na, I wasn't talking to you." She said. "Well keep your mouth shut before I cut your tongue out." The heanta snarled.  "Ooh, I'm scared now." She stood up, and moved to Sieg's side. "I was going to ask some rediculous fee in exchange for my aide, Sieg. But I don't take kindly to threats, so I'll take you up on the offer, no charge." She said. The heanta moved towards her, reaching for her sword. "I'm going to kill you first." He snarled at her. "Oh well hay now, there's no rush. Lets take our time. Barmaid, bring me a bottle of wiskey. I'm not drunk enough yet." She said, turning away from the heanta. The barmaid, to Bethany's surprise snatched the closest bottle and threw it to Bethany. "The boss says its on the house if you get rid of them."

At that point the Heanta took a swing at her. The other one, and two of the men rushed Sieg. Bethany ducked the attack with relative despite only barely seeing it, and pulled the cork from the bottle with her teeth. She took a deep swig as she drew Vadjra with her other hand, and slashed at the heanta's arm as he recovered from his wild swing. She hit the wrist and he's grip slipped on the sword. Before she could continue, he moved back and was replaced by two bandits. The other heanta and his two bandits surrounded Sieg and tried to stab and slash him from various sides. The real threat here was the heanta. Humans we're nothing compared to the Northern demons. She took another swig and slashed a leg out from one of her attackers.  "Watch your back, Seig." She warned.

The big heanta lunged passed his thugs, swinging his mighty axe at her. She side stepped the blow and the heavy axe swung down into the ground. The heanta had a little more control of his weapon than a novice would, but still the miss threw off his balance just enough that the blow she landed with the flat of her blade on his leg cause him to stagger as it buckled. Bethany spun past him and drove the pommel into the back of his head. He staggered into Sieg, just as the other heanta lunged again with those daggers.

Bethany slashed at the other heanta, driving him away from while he was distracted by the big heanta. One of the humans swung a club at her, which hit her hand and knocked Vadjra free. She went from playful to furious in a second as her hand pulsed in pain. She swigged her bottle as he swung again, dodging it this time. As the club went wide, she slammed the bottle into his face, glass and blood exploding in all directions. The human went down, and she threw the shattered remains at a second attacker.

By then, the big heanta had untangled from Sieg and rushed her down, his mighty axe swinging through the air. She rushed in and caught the handle with both hands, holding back his might with her own. They struggled over the weapon for a moment, and then a human hit her in the back with a sword. The blade didn't break the skin, but the blow would bruise. She moved before he could attack again, and the blade hit the heanta, cutting into his gut.

The heanta's response was to roar at the human and flatten him into the ground with the axe. The heanta then swung wild at her, and she dodged back. Her hand came up, the palm burning bright red. Fire exploded in a powerful beam that hit the heanta in the chest and sent him flying backwards out the door to the tavern. Two of the human thugs followed him out, but they fled into the night rather than try to help him. That left only two and the second heanta in the tavern.

Bethany scooped up Vadjra and cut the leg out from under one human, and drove the blade down into his chest, finishing him off. She pushed the second one into the path of Sieg's blade as he tried to dodge. The other heanta looked between them, and decided to leave before she could attack. He backed out the door and retreated to his friend on the ground. Bethany grinned at Sieg. "Come on, lets go show these northerners what an asentari can really do." She said.

"We can hope. Also, don't count that big guy out just yet, eh? You ever faught a heanta? Those fuckers regenerate." She said, slurring slightly. Drunk already. Maybe she shouldn't have drank so much of that bottle, not that it would affect the fight ahead. She jumped out the front and dodged a viper strike from the second heanta by inches. She countered with her second blade, drawing it and driving the pommel up under the heanta's chin. She tried to flip the weapon around and catch him with the blade, but he was well out of reach.

And then the big guy was back up, swinging his greatsword towards her. She blocked the blow with crossed blades and was thrown from the steps. She was pretty strong, but she was also light as a feather. She managed to keep her footing, just barely. The big heanta used the opening he head created to rush her down, and tried to impale her with one of his horns. She barely managed to dodge, a horn ripping through her cloak as the Heanta stormed past. She lay a slash across his back and he stumbled, then spun again, greatsword reaping through the air.

At the same time, the other heanta began to harrass seigefried with a flurry of blows from his daggers, lunging and stabbing rapidly to try and drive the asentari away from his companion.

Sieg nodded. "I have. And it's annoying." He followed Mercy out the door, as she was attacked by the dual dagger Heanta. He followed after him, as Mercy went after the greatsword wielding Heanta. Sieg turned his attention, fully to the dagger one. "Let's dance." He said. He started to block the Henata's attacks, mostly because they seemed to be only probing his defenses, and keeping him away from Mercy. Sieg's sword started to crackle with lightning, and he unleashed a wave of it, directly at the Heanta (Aversage power). He then moved towards the bandit, launching his own series of strikes, but these were more to end the fight, rather than keep the Heanta busy.

Kock growled, as this drunk bitch had slashed his back, and burned him. He let loose with a volley of blows, much as the same as her companion was doing to Karat. He then attempted to punch her in the face, as his rage was more directing his fighting style, than his mind, "Maybe, once my friend finishes off your boyfriend, we will get to have some fun of our own with you."

"Oh you have? Did you win? Tell me about this heanta." she said as she began to parry the large heanta's blows with her gladius. He seemed mad, which he demonstrated by throwing a punch at her. She sidestepped the blow and swept Asi upwards under his arm, attempting to slice it open. With a drunken spin she also slashed at his side with Vadjra and while using the action to move from his path.

"You can try, but your going to end up with something long and hard deep in your guts." Bethany slurred. With that, she tried to drive the point of Asi into the heanta's back and impale him.

The large Asentari came at Karat swinging his big sword. The heanta dodged back away from the man, and noticed the woman was parrying Kock's attacks like they were nothing. Karat seen an opening and tried to strike her in the back, but the big asentari suddenly swung his sword and shot a blast of lightning at him. Karat tried to duck under the attack but it hit him and he landed on his back. Springing up he looked shouted to his friend. "Kock this is getting a little much. Maybe we shoud retreat!"

At the mention of his name, the female Asentari looked towards Karat, back at Kock, and burst out laughing. The laughter continued for a solid minute, and Karat knew that this would not bode well with Kock. He tended to lose his shit if people laughed at his name. Karat resigned himself to continuing this fight, cause Kock definately wouldn't leave now.

Sieg smiled at her. "If we win, I'll gladly share stories." He nodded, as Balmung's wave of lightningn hit the smaller Heanta. He then called out to his companion. And that name...."Well. That is unfortunate." Sieg said under his breath, as he heard Mercy start to laugh. He started walking over to the small Heanta, and growled out, "No retreating for either of you. You agitated me now. You don't leave this site" Sieg would then attack the smaller Heanta again, hoping to end the fight then and there.

Kock sucked in a breath, as the woman sliced into his arm. He did manage to move out of the way of the second atack, but he knew that it was only a matter of time now. He then heard Karat call out to him, and retreat. He almost said yes, until the woman started laughing at his name. That was all it took. Kock lunged back in, in a full rage now. He didn't know where he was swinging, all he knew was that he wanted this bitch dead.

Kock lost his temper, and charged Bethany in a rage, swinging his big sword around like a mad man. The asentari dodged the attack and slashed the back of his knee, then as he fell she drove her second blade through the back of his throat. She ripped the blade to the side, and his head flopped half off as he fell forward, bleeding into the dirt. "Well, I doubt he'll regenerate from that." She said, as she looked over to Seig, who lunged forward and a flurry of strikes battered the other heanta until he could no long move.

Bethany approached as the heanta lay in the dirt, bleeding out, and just for good messure she drove Asi into his face. She looked up at Sieg. "Good work, that was impressive." She said. She looked at the bodies and frowned. She considered what she was doing, chasing her past into the north instead of making a future for herself, and taught about what Kairi had asked of her. At that moment she decided she would go and help the woman, and forgot about her own problems. Looking at Seig she gave him
a slight smile. "Lets get another drink, and you can tell me about this heanta you faught. Then I've got to head out again." She said. "I dont suppose you'd be interested in tagging along to a town called Zandar? There's some work, pay, and maybe a bit of loot in it if your interested."