[IC] The Rise of the Guardian

[MegaraFoxfire]

Ash nodded and they went onward, her hand resting on her weapon. It was the flying scream as she called it. It was one of The only things she had that was from before the blank spot in her memory. She rubbed her temples as they reached a clearly and she paused. A few bodies were laying there, ash jumping down and running over. After she checked them she sighed and said “they are all dead...his must have happened last night...,two men and a woman...but what were they doing all the way out here?”

She stood and looked around, feeling on edge.

[Jazz]

Carth stopped his horse when they got the clearing when Ash stopped within the clearing. He got off his horse as he made his way to her with caution. Looking around, he looked to the bodies on the clearing looking them over to see if he could find the cause of death. It was strange really, why would these bodies be here. "What was the cause of death?" He asked, keeping his senses up as well in case this maybe a trap.

[MegaraFoxfire]

Ash was checking when she said “looks like their ear drums exploded...but I’m not sure how that would...” she suddenly heard a branch crack a few yards away and she hand her hand on her fan. “Carth...don’t move...south of our location ten yards...”

[Jazz]

"Strange..." And it was. What could make such an injury that it was so fatal? This didn't make sense. Not unless it was such force that made this injury fatal. Carth had heard the branch and placed a hand on his sword but had not made the move to draw it. "Understood." He whispered, focusing his hearing to try and get an idea of what it was that had made the noise. "Think we should burn the bodies. Be hard to give them a proper burial at this point." He went on as such making it seem like they weren't aware of what was happening.

[MegaraFoxfire]

Ash nodded and muttered “agreed...” she slowly stood up and started to move the bodies so they were next to each other. They were almost ready to set the fire when ash suddenly grabbed Carth and tossed him to he ground. A piecing scream hit the clearing and Ash covered her ears, covering Carth as she tried to get to her weapon. She moved over and pulled her fan free and opened it showing four sharp blades linked together by a steel ring. She jumped up and thru the blade, then screamed herself into the blade and sent it flying towards the other screams, her ears starting to bleed a little

[Jazz]

Carth helped set the bodies together to be burned and set his hand out and facing toward the bodies to set them ablaze when he was suddenly grabbed and tossed to the ground. As soon as he heard the screaming, moving to cover his ears. They needed something to plug them up and fast. He suddenly had Ash above him as if to shield him. He ran to his horse about the time she was starting her engagement with the enemy. He pulled out a wad of cotton and then slapped both horses rears to send them off so they wouldn't be in the way. Carth then made his way toward the scream and internally cursed for he didn't want to do this but knew it was necessary. He gathered a ball of what looked to be lightning and once gathered, threw it at the direction of the screams in hopes to silence them and discourage them from fighting them.

"Ash! Come grab this cotton! Put it in your ears!" Carth yelled as he had put some in his ears. He rather avoided any more damage to their ears than what was already done. Even his ears bled a little.

[MegaraFoxfire]

Ash kept her screaming going then the other screaming stopped. Ash stopped and her blade flew back and she caught it. She was panting as blood dropped from her ears. She waited till they didn’t hear anything and she muttered “I think it ran...or we killed it...” she cursed and fell to one knee, feeling vertigo from the hearing damage.

But behind Ash came a black vine that was heading toward her, hiding in the grass.

[Jazz]

Carth sighed before making his way to Ash to check on her when she dropped on a knee, kneeling from her exhaustion. He had to admit it was impressive. He was unsure what was going on, but it sounded like something had amplified his hearing, looking behind Ash to find something slithering while hiding within the grass. He did what he felt was right as flames came from his hand in a sharp stream and aimed at the slithering thing while having grabbed Ash by the arm, moving Ash behind him.

[MegaraFoxfire]

The vine jumped at them and burned in front of them, turning to ash. Ash fell back and muttered “that’s the fourth one of those vines I’ve seen...they keep trying to grab me. No idea why....” she held her head and said “are you okay Carth?”

She tried to get up but the vertigo hit her again and she fell onto her side, her head spinning.

[Jazz]

Carth had started to wonder too. This was definitely a targeted attack and started to think that was going to be more dangerous than he had begun to think of. He needed to be more cautious and put these clues to memory. Pulled out of his thoughts, Carth looked to Ash who was still behind him when she asked if he was alright, for that he answered with a nod. "I'm alright."

Though looking at Ash, he could see that she looked exhausted. Turning to actually look at her, Carth carefully pulled Ash into his arms before picking her up and on his own two feet. He whistled which summoned the horses, helped Ash get on hers, and that she was secure. He turned back to the clearing where the bodies were planned to be burned. Walking up to the bodies, Carth faced his hand out to the pile and let out the stream of fire. As the bodies began to burn, he gave the dead a bow of his head and turns to head for his horse. Getting on, he grabs Ash's reigns and begins to guide then out of the forest. He had hoped they could reach a town before nightfall for they could spend a day or two for Ash to rest and regain her strength.

[MegaraFoxfire]

Ash laid on her horses back, letting her ears recover as they kept going on their path. After a while she was able to sit up again and said softly “thanks...we should reach the next village soon...then we can get food and rest for the night...with all of this traveling at night is not a good idea...”

She watched his back for a while then said “so your a fire user?”

[Jazz]

Carth watched the path and their surroundings as they traveled. Listening to Ash when she informed them that there would be a village nearby and would be reaching it soon felt like a relief. Rest would be a good idea, hoping once there they could plan this a bit better about this whole thing.

With her question, he glanced a look her way and hummed. "Yes. And you a wind user?" He asked.

[MegaraFoxfire]

Ash nodded and said “yes, my captain sometimes calls me the Siren. I’m not sure where I picked it up, I was just able to do it when the captain found me...” she looked around and pointed up ahead. “Up there, just follow those lights”

[Jazz]

Carth looked to be in thought about the nickname but figured that he would find out somehow. Carth looked ahead to see that there were indeed lights. He figured then that the lights were the village itself illuminating considering how dark it was out.

Soon it was upon reaching where the village was within sight that Carth seemed to feel a bit more at ease. He had the horses continue on their path to the village where he would find a stable give their horses rest before going to find an inn and get them rooms. Carth helped when Ash needed assistance.

[MegaraFoxfire]

When they found the inn ash got down carefully and rubbed her horses neck while leading him into the stables. She looked at Carth and as she got her horse settled said “I don’t know about you but food sounds amazing right now. And a bath after. Shall we find a room and dinner?”

[Jazz]

Upon getting the horses settled for the evening, Carth got his horse settled and fed, even giving it an apple for its hard work. He then looked at Ash when she mentioned a room and dinner. He had to admit he was hungry. Really hungry actually. He had no idea if it was because of being an Elementalist but he had quite the appetite when he used his fire. And to be honest he had used quite a bit of it too. "Rooms and dinner sound good. I am quite hungry, to be honest." He left when Ash was ready and made their way to the Inn for dinner and rooms.

[MegaraFoxfire]

Ash followed him, but had a feeling they were being watched. She moved next to him as they went to get a room and muttered “we are being watched...outside from the roof across the street...” when they checked in Ash asked for two rooms next to each other at the end of the hallway.

Then they headed to the pub and ash was rolling her neck. “Any idea whose following us?”

[Jazz]

If Carth knew if they were being watched or not, he didn't let it show and seemed relaxed, especially after what happened tonight. He gave a curt nod when Ash pointed out that they were being watched but didn't seem to make any sort of move to do anything. When making it to an Inn, he let Ash pick the rooms while he paid. With a thank you, Carth goes with Ash to go to a pub when she asks if he an idea who would follow them, he simply shrugged. "No clue. Wish they would stop and just tell us what they want." Carth stated with slight annoyance.

[MegaraFoxfire]

Ash nodded and muttered “especially having no idea why they would be...only those monsters want me dead...” she rubbed her temples as her normal headache hit as she sat down and closed her eyes. “Well, we can get food at least and see if they show themselves...”

At another table across the room sat a bright red haired women with bright eyes, watching them as she drank from a mug. She was dressed like a ranger, wearing the leathers of a tracker. She was interested in the pair, her eyes telling her there was more to them then they looked.

[Jazz]

Carth could only nod as he sat down at a table that was empty. He looked to Ash to see she was rubbing her temples. "Headache?" He asks, his eyes showing concern, understanding that so far this was all just a huge headache. He knew this quest wasnt going to be easy but this was all surrounded in mystery that seemed to start with Ash. All the more the reason to figure it out to take that off her.

For now all Carth could think about was food and they derserved a good meal after all that. He could afford it. He raised his hand to try to catch a barmaid and put on his best smile. Successing, Carth waved her over. "May we have two full platesand two pints, one ale, one water please?" He asks kindly. The young maid nods, "Coming right up, sir!" Before going off to get their order. Carth sits back as he looks to Ash, still noticing the feeling of being watch which was starting to grate on his nerves for some reason.