[hr][hr][center][h2][b][i][color=b8860b]Keystone[/color][/i][/b][/h2][/center]
[b][center][color=b8860b]Location:[/color] Woods North of Salarn, Orc Encampment, Evening of Day Three [/center][/b][b][center][color=b8860b]Interacting With: [/color] Bloody Smudge In The Air [/center][/b][hr][hr]

	Down on the icy ground for the second time in this fight. Not stumbling, not flat-footed. On his ass. The smell and taste of blood enveloped all of Keystone's senses, even his vision as he struggled to blink his eyes clear of the stuff. He took in a shuddering breath, followed immediately by a wet, raspy cough. Aspirating blood was a painful experience, he found out. Curiously, he wondered if he could somehow make this thing choke on its own blood, too. Well, [i]his[/i] now, as the semi-corporeal creature was now tinged with Essence of Keystone. 

	That kind of attack might have killed a lesser man. But let it never be said that Keystone was "less". If that monster thought that it had killed him, it was in for a rude awakening. Raggedly, painfully, Keystone pulled himself up to his feet. The thing that had fed on him had turned its attention to the rest of the group, apparently trying to pick out which morsel to try next. Nope, not on his watch. 

	Keystone spat loudly, the blood in his mouth splashing upon the solid ground below. [color=b8860b]"Oi! Where you goin', y'bloody nance?"[/color] He stumbled forward a single step, drawing out his great seax knife from the back of his belt. [color=b8860b]"Didn't say we was finished."[/color] 

	It was still very close range, so Keystone reversed his grip on the blade. It was one of the few pieces of actual magic that he owned, despite his initial reluctance to have anything to do with the stuff in the first place. The piece was amazingly functional as a tool and broadened his options in combat; useful indeed. Keystone took a broad, strong stance, and hurled the blade short feet away to the swirling mass of sanguine evil. 

	His other hand quickly moved up to give the beast a very rude, two-fingered gesture, terminated by the big man blowing a crimson snot rocket.