It was just your average day up in the North, birds were chirping happy tunes and wolves were on the prowl looking for their next meal. Though nothing seemed out of place today things were about to change for better or worse for two individuals. Kodak, on this day, was chopping wood at the lumber mill like he normally did though today he used his dad's axe since the previous day Kodak had broken his and was waiting on getting his old one fixed or a new one entirely.

Elloria was, if nothing else, versatile. She had found many a thing to do up in the north, and for now that was working in a smithery. While this would have quickly filled her wallet in most circumstances, the inn she resided in ate up most of her funds. Not that the young woman minded, though. She still had a decent life. "Oi, girl," the blacksmith hollered when Elloria arrived. "Delivery." Without removing her overcoat, Elloria went to the man. His skin was dark, like hers. He handed her an axe. "Y' know where the lumba mill es? Bring this tha," he said when she nodded. "'S fer a boy, Kodak, 'e brough' his in yesterday an' 'twas in foul shape. Tell 'im tha' 'tween this an' th' iron from 'is ol' axe, tha's a thr'-coin diffurnce." Elloria took the axe and nodded again. "Shan't be long, Nurvan," she said. His accent was much thicker than hers. The girl turned and started for the lumber mill. The walk was longer than she would have thought, but pleasant. It was summer and warm for the north, but brisk compared to the summer heat she had grown accustomed to. Birds chirped songs as Elloria walked. The lumber mill came to sight and Elloria spotted an individual chopping wood. She approached him. "'Scuse me, are y' Kodak?"

Kodak had just finished chopping his log when he heard his name be called from not to far away and turned to the woman calling it. "T'is me, I am Kodak. You are?" Kodak asked as he put his fathers axe over his shoulder and looked down at the woman. As Kodak pondered why the woman was here he saw that she hand his axe in her hands which he had given to the blacksmith to get fixed.

If her purpose wasn't obvious already, Elloria held up the axe. She closed the last few steps between them to be at speaking distance. "Nurvan said 'at your axe was too broken t' repair, but 'e'll take the iron from it. This one is still three coin more," she explained, then remembered herself and bowed. "My apologies. I'm Elloria. Workin' with Nurvan for a little bit."

"Good to meet you Elloria, just wait here a moment and I'll go get the coin I owe Nurvan." Kodak said as he began to walk back to a near by cabin right near the Lumber mill. It was Kodak's home and while it wasn't big or extravagant it was home for him and he found it to be quite cozy. He quickly ran inside and got three coins out of a pouch near his own bed and then brought it out to Elloria. "Could ya thank Nurvan for me?" Kodak said as he handed the coin to Elloria.

"Of course," Elloria replied, taking the coins and slipping them into her pocket. She was just about to hand the axe over when a scream tore through the bird's singing. The young woman tightened her grip on the axe, and turned toward it. "Wait, now, 'twill 'ave to wait," she said, flinging the words over her shoulder to Kodak. Then, still holding the axe, Elloria ran off in the direction of the scream. She arrived to two men holding swords, and another man on a horse. It was obvious what was happening, and Elloria jumped right into the fray, swinging the axe and the nearer of the two bandits. The rider most have looked at her, or given her away somehow, because the bandit spun around and stopped her axe with his sword. She kicked at his knee, and caused him to stumble, only to spin around and block a blow from the other bandit.

Kodak chased after Elloria as he followed to the sound of the commotion. As he saw the woman jump into the battle Kodak watched for a moment in shock. Kodak hadn't fought anything before unless you consider chopping wood fighting. He figured that he should leave this up to Elloria since she seemed to be holding her own well enough but he found a new found courage or stupidity well up in his stomach. Before he knew it, Kodak was rushing in to help Elloria with the fight against the bandits as he swung his fathers axe wildly at the fiends. The bandits easily dodged and retaliated getting some good cuts into Kodak which made Kodak more aware and stressed which helped him out as he dodged a few of the hits from the attackers.

Kodak rushed in- which Elloria needed. She was no trained fighter, and especially ill-versed with an axe. The girl had defended herself, but Kodak attracted the attention of one. The young woman turned around and leaped at the one that she had kicked before. He had gotten back up, and the metal of their weapons met. Elloria tried to kick the bandit out again, but he was used to that trick, and instead sidestepped and tripped her. His sword aimed towards the ground, but Elloria rolled away and sprung up, greeting the man's chest with her fist. He stumbled back, breathless and spluttering.

As Kodak fought he began taking less and less hits though he was still taking quite a few and wouldn't be able to take it very much longer. Kodak figured he would need to finish this soon or else he would no doubt die here. As his struggle with the bandit continued he saw his chance as the bandit knocked Kodak's axe away with a skilful move of his blade Kodak rushed forward before the bandit could chop into his head. He talked the bandit with great force and proceeded to pin the bandit's arm and began hitting the bandit whom was struggling enough to cause some physical pain to Kodak.

With the bandit that she had been fighting dazed, Elloria spun around to see how Kodak was doing. She gasped- he was incredibly bloody and no longer held his axe, but he had managed to pin the bandit's arm. He still clung to his sword, though, and Elloria jumped over. She grabbed Kodak's axe while travelling the short distance, and lobbed it into the man's shoulder. Elloria gasped. She'd never cut a person before, and wasn't sure what to expect. The blade wedged itself into his shoulder with ease and held fast. She cursed, and felt sick as blood sputtered from the man's wound, but spun around to see the second bandit come to his feet. The girl swore again and approached the bandit, axe poised.

Kodak was to enraged at the time to notice how morbid this was for him. If he had been a onlooker he probably would have called for someone to come help as there was a man with an axe in his shoulder being beaten by a madman but luckily he was instead in the heat of the fight, hoping it would end soon. As Kodak continued pummelling the now heavily bleeding bandit he realized the man would be very unlikely to get up from this so he brought his for up and stopped the bandit's hand, making him drop the sword he was holding to which Kodak picked it up and decided it would be better then a wood cutter's axe.

The fight had made Elloria aware and tireless, and she sprang towards the bandit. This felt good- her heart was pounding and her breath was ragged and only half remembered, but something about this made Elloria giddy. Not the gore, but this sensation. It tingled through her whole body, but in a good way. Perhaps not good enough, though, as the Bandit met her and swung his sword. He seemed to have a renewed vigor about him and Elloria found it tough to continually block with the axe she had. It was not designed for battle, and it was almost a wonder that it had lasted that long. Nuren's crafting was a fine one indeed, but Elloria could only wield it so well. She blocked and blocked, but the bandit started to push her back.

"YARRRGHH!" Kodak yelled as he charged the bandit whom of which was attacking Elloria at the moment. He began takeing slash and stabs at the bandit with the hopes of taking some of the preassure off of Elloria. He also made a few blocks of his own but still many attacks connected with his skin.

With a yell, Kodak charged the bandit. Elloria took the moment of confusion to breathe and stand steady before attacking. Luck was on her side, apparently, for Elloria struck hard with her axe and lodged it in the bandit's thigh. The man cried out and crumpled to the ground. Elloria was rather astounded by how his leg reacted- she couldn't take her eyes from the gore, but tore them away to look at Kodak. "You're-" she started, but was out of breath. She inhaled and tried again. "You're injured. Y'need a healer," Elloria stated, concerned.

"I'm... I'm fine... just a few scratches" Kodak said holding his sore arm while dropping the sword he had previously been wielding. It seemed that in the midst of the fight the travellers whom of which were being held up had made their escape in the chaos of battle and were nowhere to be seen. "Well that ended up better than I thought it would." Kodak said staring down at the bandit that laid before them.

"Scratches!" Elloria scoffed. "Y'll bleed out if y' don't get et checked, come now..." Her voice trailed off as she considered the bandits. Elloria swore, loudly. "Go t' town 'n' see a 'ealer, ah, I'll stay 'ere 'n' bring 'em t' th' jail..." Distressed as she was, Elloria's accent grew thicker. She started mumbling in her native tongue, quietly. Tiredness and aching was setting in on her now, but there was still more to do.

" 're you sure you'll be able ta' get 'me there on your own?" Kodak asked looking at Elloria then at the road leading to town. He was hurting pretty bad but he didn't think he would bleed out from it. As Kodak considered his option of going to town a figure dropped down from a tree and landed on the road a few feet away. The person was wearing a brown hooded cloak along with a mask covering the bottom of her face. "That was quite a spectacle from you two, taking on those bandits alone with nothing but your fists and two woodcutters axe" the woman said with a faint, unheard of accent.

"Wh- o' course I can!" Elloria huffed. "How weak do you think I am?" she asked, but the question was never answered. A woman fell like a leaf from a tree. Surprised, Elloria scanned the ground- there was a sword on the ground, but it was far. Not that it seemed to matter; the woman remarked as though she were impressed. Suspicious of the woman, Elloria didn't remove her eyes from the brown-clad figure. "Aye," she answered, "and quite a spectacle from you to sit in the trees and watch," she said, her own accent calming back down.

The woman chuckled a bit then nodded "I guess you could say that." the woman said as she began to approach the two. "Anyway enough of this squabbling I have a message to bring your way, I represent a group of like minded individuals whom of which liked what they saw here today. Sure you two didn't seem to be the most experienced with your weapons but you have sprit." The woman said as she stopped a fe feet away from the duo. Kodak didn't know how to react, 'was this how the recruited bandits? Once the last one get killed off they try to recruit the next people they find?' Kodak thought to himself. "What is this group you represent?" Kodak asked aloud to the woman. "It would be easier hopefully if I showed you." she said as suddenly in a blast of purple light the woman disappeared and reappeared in the tree she had once been perched in. Kodak simply stared in awe. He had heard stories of warriors who wielded super natural powers to protect the innocent from harm but he had always thought they were just a legend.