Long Away Tome

[happyhobo2000]

"No! No, just stop it!" Hooves pounded on the earth as a horse tried to keep a terrible rider on it's back. Salazenathor's torn cloak flew around himself as he tried to keep the horse in steady pace, but the harder the apprentice tried the slower the horse went. "Look, Aubrey, your not going to do anything more with that stick than you did with the broom when you tried to take care of those pirates! What are you going to do, poke their armor and say 'tee hee?" It was obvious that a team of heavy cavalry was gaining on the small party of four. The clanking and clicking of metal was heard down the trail. Salazenathor turned around for a moment, really managing to notice the pretty shine on the tips of the approaching lances. "And then you just HAD to help the servant at the king's palace, didn't you? Gosh, women are so USELESS!"

(POSTING ORDER: happyhobo2000, Daisy, Blazin, noche)

[ClockworkDaisy]

Aubrey flicked her long auburn hair over her shoulder and attempted a haughty expression, her voice icy as she retorted. This in turn was negated by the twig replete with requisite leaf sticking out of her hair and the dark smudge across her cheek looking suspiciously like ash.
"Sal, I think you have deliberately forgotten the pretty ladies-maid.. Have you ever seen a rainbow inside?" She tried her best to imitate his pitch and manner. "Since when has setting fire to the tapestries been how you make a rainbow?"

[blazinvire]

Living things were not Perish's forte, if such a fact wasn't already evident due to how lost she was at the reins of a horse, her snow-white hair in a bedraggled mess everywhere mostly due to all the bouncing around and the wind as she was at the mercy of the horse and whatever prayers she could think of hoping the creature would keep going the right way.
"Well... I thought it was an interesting pickup line," Perish remarked as she threw a glance backwards to monitor pursuit -and pretend to look like she knew what she was doing.

[El Noche]

The rushing wind blew his thick black mane about Episolon's head, as he struggled to stay atop tge ornery steed beneath him. The rhythm of the horses stride churned the dark purple liquid he had gluttonously consumed, bringing forth a strong nausea to his senses. He looked back to the source of the thundering sound that was the heavy cavalry that chased them. "Blast! Why did I have to become a mage's apprentice! I could have been a sailor! Free from worry with nothing but the salty aroma of the sea to trouble me! I could be living a life of freedom, with a flagon of rum in one hand, and a comely barmaid in the other!" Episolon shouted in a half drunken stupor. The sound of the cavalry grew closer, and as it did, Episolon began to rack his mind for a spell that would preserve his life. "Blast it! We must do something! there is no way we will outrun them, we should dismount and hide in the bushes or some such other beguiling flora!, or hell why not simply turn and face them! Better we die on our feet with our face to the enemy, than be run down like dogs." He said.

The only spell he could bring to his mind, was the first spell he had ever learned. It was a spell that changed water into a honey mead, a somewhat non novice spell that earned Episolon the temporary admiration of his master, who at the time was under the impression that he had some sort of prodigy under his tutelage. This is until of course, he became more acquainted with the dark headed apprentice. Though in a moment of clarity, he began casting a spell that he thought would aid him, a feather spell. He went through the vocal component of the spell, seeking to cast it upon his horse, so that it may gallop with unrestricted vigor. Just as the spell was to be completed, his horse stumbled causing him to lose his balance and slide down the side of the horse. He gripped the side of the horse for dear life, as his feet dragged the ground. "Damn it all one of you do something!"

[happyhobo2000]

Salazenathor laughed at her, but his own face was not better off. Blond hair was disheveled, his clothes were torn from riding through various bushes. The apprentice looked at Aubery with his blue eyes, glaring at her. "I was trying to impress her! What were you even doing with that maid lady!?" Suddenly, he looked over at Perish, hearing her say a thought outloud. "What the hell did you even ask that poor knight-"

"DAMN IT ALL ONE OF YOU MUST DO SOMETHING!" A drunken voice hollered. It was Episolon.

He was right of course, and Sal decided that this moment he would play hero. Reaching into the pocket of his cloak he reached for his wand- nope, gone. He had forgotten about the pirates and their robbery. "Fine! I'll do something if none of you can!" Raising his arms, he turned in his saddle. "Rulkan, nodol, rakin sol nodul, crinkah de me lah, por tul!" His hands reached for the sky.

The horsemen began to slow down, worrying about the powerful magiks that this sorcerer could hold. It was a long spell.

Suddenly a miraculous light burst from the end of Episolon's mount, causing an awkward moment for everyone. The horsemen then laughed, approaching ever closer than before. With Episolon's tail burning, the lances approaching, and the party slowing down, it seemed like the end for all of them.

Salazenathor's Mana: 3/5 remaining

[ClockworkDaisy]

Aubrey was, fortunately, very able on a horse and even as Episolon bellowed and bawled she was turning very agilely in her saddle. Hoisting her skirts up above her knee, the young mage sat astride her mount in reverse, the long lean expanse of her shapely calves very much exposed above her ankle height boots - something that would have had her old governess turning an unsightly shade of peuce - when she caught sight of the aftermath.
"Its alright, I've got this!" Her voice rang loud and clear, even as her eyes flicked from knight to advancing knight in cold calculation. Straightening her shoulders and unable to stop herself from throwing a very self satisfied smirk towards her fellows, Aubrey pulled forth her wand and began to mutter in earnest.

In all honesty her spell should have had the knights finding themselves encountering some type of spooky specter and fleeing for their castle and yet the results weren't entirely unsatisfying...

"They are naked! Naked! Just look at that!" Aubrey giggled.

[blazinvire]

Perish had been trying to think of some kind of spell to cast ever since this whole shenanigans started, and she hadn't made much progress on that front which made things a little tense for her as she watched the lances creep ever closer. What Epsilon had said had mostly gone over her head, the fiery stunt from Sal was replied to with a slight grimace, but the recent efforts of Aubrey left Perish a little gobsmacked as she stared back at the knights.

"Oh... oh my..." Perish said with a trace of mock innocence, "Remember that one, Aubrey!"

Finally Perish decided to try and magically assist things as everything was going south fast, vaguely remembering one of the ritual sigils for summoning spirits and doing her best to trace it in her mind as she uttered some words like she was only half-remembering them.
And with a flamboyant flick of the wrist Perish sent out a shadow projectile that went askew, flying off in the wrong direction and spiraling around in the air before exploding and causing a spirit's hand to appear, which shot forth and blindly grabbed the tip of the lance of the furthest left knight and kept flying, spinning the lance around to crash it into the others.
All that infernal bouncing of the saddle had messed up the sigil's pattern, her beautiful plan of summoning a spirit to push a knight off a horse was ruined by something so trivial.

[El Noche]

As Episolon witnessed the flash of light emanate from the back of his mount, he assumed that Sal had cast a decently powerful spell, that would perhaps incinerate, or at the very least blind their pursuers. To his dismay, it seemed that all Sal managed to accomplish was giving his horse a case of luminescent flatulence. He began to panic as he saw that his horses tail was now also on fire, though thoughts of attempting to extinguish the flame soon died as he realized the flames were spurring the horse to run faster.

It seemed the women in the group were faring far better, and having a much better time entertainment wise. Epsilon did not have the same appreciation for the view of the naked horsemen as Parish or Aubrey, though he was glad the two were at least having some effect on the cavalrymen. The combination of being stripped of their armor, and having a spirt flung lance disrupting their formation caused the bulk of the horsemen to slow in their pursuit, seeming to break off entirely. Though there was one who kept pace. The knight whose lance was taken by the spirit hand, his face now as red as the fiery red hair on his head. Mercilessly he whipped at his steed, galloping ever so closer to Epsilon.

"No one makes a fool of the Purple dragon Knights!" the fiery red head shouted at Epsilon as he pulled up beside him. "Don't blame this on me, for it was not I that relieved you lot from your armor! It was that woman over there, with the skirt! Go after her, I am just trying to live my life here!" Epsilon shouted back, his speech slightly slurred. "Quiet you fool!" The angered knight barked as he began to grab at Epsilon. Being accosted by a naked man was not high on Epsilon's list of pleasant occurrences, he eagerly fought back against the struggling grasps of the knight. As the two tussled, Epsilon cocked back his arm, and threw a stout punch. The blow whizzed by its intended target, the jaw of the knight, and landed squarely into the side of the Knight's horses head. The battered steed neighed in pain, and veered away, just in time for a low swinging branch to catch the angered knight in the chest, knocking him clean out of the saddle. He landed with a thud, and rolled across the ground before coming to a stop.

"Huzzah! Who is the fool now! Enjoy your naked defeat cretin!" Epsilon shouted in victory, as he spurred his horse to run ever faster, smoke trailing from its diminishing tail. "Seems you lot aren't so useless after all!" He said as he rode past his comrades.

[happyhobo2000]

Salazenathor watched as they somehow managed to defeat the enemy lancers. Whether it was through luck or careful planning on the part of his comrades, the mage did not know. They did seem to do a good job however, and either way the pursuit was done. The party rode for another two hours before their horses couldn't go any further- the poor animals simply gave up. Night was approaching anyways, and they desperately needed to find shelter or a place to hide. After going through the forest for a bit, the light mage noticed a clearing not to far off. They headed over to it- the clearing was a good place to camp, removed from civilization and unable to be seen from the road. "I- I think we can rest here. Episolon, gather the firewood. Perish and Aubrey, find something to eat. I'll light the fire I suppose. I think we can sleep beneath the stars, the sky seems rather clear." Gathering some grass and leaves and other such stuff, Sal exposed his hand to the fire. "Krol." The grass and leaves lit obediently, and a small flame was flickering from the pile. He gathered some smaller sticks and placed them on the pile as well.

If he had known about the town a mile down the road, the approaching storm could have easily been avoided in a nice, comfortable inn.

Salazenathor's Mana: 2/5

[ClockworkDaisy]

Aubrey grinned appreciatively at both the naked knights and her friend, Perish's comments eliciting another laugh, the sound melodic. The laughter sputtered to a stop when Episolon tried to throw the very angry knights attention her way and she muttered some very unladylike things beneath her breath before biting down on her lip. Righting herself upon her steed she gathered up the reigns tightly and spurred it into action, greatful when their pursuers fell behind and eventually easing from gallop into trot.

When they finally dismounted every muscle in her body ached, as she stretched it all eased only slightly amd she missed with fierce longing the tender ministrations of her maids at home. If I feel this bad imagine how the ones that can't ride are feeling.. Aubrey was glancing around, taking in the others as they dismounted and counting it all a victory that none of them had been run through with a lance when Salazenthor spoke. It was always bloody Sal, barking off orders like he was some sort of God.

"Excuse me?" Aubrey rounded on Salazenathor with eyes blazing, arms and legs akimbo, her voice throaty. "Why don't YOU go and get the food? Just because we are women doesn't mean it should be up to us! Besides that we should water the horses and get them sorted before we worry too much about ourselves.."

Her amber eyes softened noticeably and she revealed more sincere affection for the beasts that had saved them then the men had probably seen her display previously as she begun to unsaddle her mount. Certainly there was always a sparkle in her eye whenever she encountered a particularly dashing gent but Aubrey never let it go any deeper.

"Perish.. I think I shall call her Dove. It suits her dusky coat don't you think?"