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[center][color=f7941d]P I T Y   I N   A   F R O Z E N   W O R L D[/color][/center]

[color=Beige] It really was very cold. Daen shivered as he sat up and turned back around to peek down at the stranded graverobbers. The archer had thrown his bow and was stalking around, looking aggravated. The mage was finally picking himself up off the ground. given a very sinister look by the tendrils of smoke rising up around him. And the Swordsman was sitting on his arse, rubbing his head and trying to figure out what had just happened. Daen shivered again, the cold settling into his bones. He'd never been one to pity the pitiless. Truth had always been his master, and the truth of it was that these men certainly did not deserve to live. They'd tried to rob him, and most definitely would have killed him had he not acted so quickly. And for what? The clothes off his back and perhaps a scrap of gold somewhere in the humungous mausoleum that had been Daen's place of rest for who knew how long? Well, at least they would have the time to find the latter. Although looking at the barren walls and plentiful cobwebs, he doubted they'd find anything. 

He watched as the swordsman sat up and did a cursory inspection of his companions. He furrowed his brow at the archer, who was still stalking back and forth and spewing profanities, most of which were directed at Daen. The Mage sat dumbstruck, still trying to puzzle out why his magic had failed him so spectacularly. Then the swordsman pushed off the floor and reclaimed his dented iron blade from nearby. He walked over to the archer and placed a hand on the brooding man's shoulder. The archer stopped immediately, his adrenaline filtering out at the hint of companionship. When the swordsman spoke his words echoed off the high walls, making him sound ethereal. [/color]

[color=DarkGray]"Bit more 'en we bargain'd for, 'ey boys?"[/color][color=beige] The swordsman chuckled, but the archer didn't approve of his dark humor. [/color]
[color=DarkGray]"Bit more eh? My fookin' hair's gone! Burnt off. Always tol'ya that fookin' mage'd be trouble!"[/color] [color=beige]the archer shook his fist at the still smoking mage, who shot him a dangerous look. [/color]
[color=DarkGray]"Wa'nt my fault. That damn one eye'd freak was doin sumt'n crazy! Poppin' my fire like brine bubbles."[/color] [color=beige]He gestured back at the archer. [/color][color=DarkGray]"Never hit one of you boys before 'ave I?"[/color][color=beige] The mage turned and spat blood onto the dark stone floor.[/color] [color=DarkGray]"Nah, sumt'n odd with that'un. I mean, this place is spose'd be forbidden. What was he even doin way out 'ere?"[/color]
[color=DarkGray]"Probly the same thing we're doin way out 'ere,"[/color] [color=beige]the swordsman replied.[/color] [color=DarkGray]"Probly has a family o' his own to look afta. Freezin' like the rest 'o us."[/color] [color=Beige]The archer turned and spat gunky red spit onto the floor as well, but it wasn't blood, it was from whatever he was chewing. [/color]
[color=DarkGray]"Spit that shite out Mulik, is Anne fine's out you's was chewin again she'll 'ave my head."[/color] [color=Beige]The archer, Mulik, grunted and pulled the glob of whatever-it-was out of his mouth and threw it into the darkness. [/color]
[color=beige]
Suddenly Daen felt something he'd not felt in a very long time. A pang of doubt. He couldn't recall the last time he'd misjudged an individual. That had been a quality that Saevus had so highly admired in him, his ability to see the truth in others. So how had he not known? He could only think that the lack of his lord was the cause. He'd been so in-tuned with Saevus that often times he didn't need to look to see. He furrowed his brow and looked over at the rope ladder that he'd pulled up. Then he looked back down at the graverobbers. He stood up and didnt have to look long before he found a bit of rubble nearby. He slowly inched the ladder back down into the moon door about a third of the way, then placed the cut stone rubble between two of the rungs that were laying flat on the stone roof. The men, who were bickering about something now, didn't seem to notice until Daen whistled to get their attention. At once, all three of them wheeled to look up at the moon door. The furious archer Mulik immediately went to grab an arrow from his quiver, screaming obscenities at Daen, but the Swordsman stopped him. He leaned over and whispered something that Daen didn't hear in Mulik's ear. Mulik then slid the arrow back into his quiver and lowered his bow. [/color]

[color=f9ad81]"Look,"[/color][color=beige] Daen said, [/color][color=f9ad81]"I don't usually do this, especially to men who have threatened me. But here's your out. I intend to take one of your horses. And since you must've had a way to get out here, I also intend to take your boat. But I won't leave you to die down there."[/color] [color=beige]Daen stood and gestured to the precariously balanced ladder. [/color][color=f9ad81]"Of course that's assuming you can get yourselves out. Excuse my caution, but setting fire to people tends to make them slightly vengeful. Good luck lads."[/color] [color=beige]Daen turned to leave when he heard the swordsman call out. He turned to look back down at the men. [/color]
[color=DarkGray]"Who are ya', one eye? Not many that can take down three arm'd men with only a shirt."[/color]
[color=beige]Daen smirked, trying not to seem as flabbergasted as the swordsman was by the fact that he had managed that.[/color]
[color=f9ad81]"I'm Daen. The truthseeker. And if you'd excuse me, It's freezing out and i'd really like to get somewhere warmer."[/color]

[color=beige]As daen climbed down a pile of rubble from the stone roof, he heard the swordsman's dry laughter. He barely made out the words from this far. [/color]
[color=DarkGray]"Warm? Ain't nowhere warm."[/color]

[color=beige]Luckily enough, he found a coat in the saddlebag of the speckled horse he chose to take. It didn't keep out the entirety of the bone-deep chill, but it was leagues better than being shirtless, so he couldn't complain. He rode out of the thicket of snow-laden trees that surrounded the mausoleum and rode down to the beach. The sea was covered in a thick white fog. But as Daen rode closer, he noticed that it wasn't a fog. Horse tracks stretched across a frozen strait of ocean, imprinted into the snow that laid atop the ice. Daen could remember when he'd come here to die, so long ago. It had been so hot he'd left most his clothing on the far shore before taking the crossing in his dinghy. Now it was as if ice had pumped through the veins of Ansus and frozen the skin of the world. Fog puffed after Daen's every breath and he begun his long trek across the frozen sea.
The words of the swordsman haunted him as he rode into what became a blizzard.[/color]

[color=darkgray][i]Warm? Ain't nowhere warm.[/i][/color]
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