Arsenal

Land of the Ancients: Return of Elderic

"Oh, uh..." Cyrus stuttered when Kiara thanked him in turn, searching for what to say in response. Before he could speak again, Xia answered the door much sooner than Cyrus had anticipated, the door swinging wide as she hurried them both inside and shut the door. After a quick introduction she excused herself, and Cyrus took the opportunity to unbutton and removed his vest, folding it and hanging it on top of his wooden pole, leaving it leaning against the corner beside the door. Underneath the vest he had been wearing a long-sleeved, button-down shirt; had Cyrus known he'd be doing so much running today he might have worn something far less formal and restrictive. He took a moment to try to think what to do next, there was really only one thing he was certain of, he didn't want to go it alone.

Xia returned with an unexpected sight, a bow and a set of arrows in a quiver. Xia explained the bow was of little use to herself. After a moment of hesitation, Cyrus glanced over at Kiara, then back to Xia. "Well, I've never handled a bow either, but even if none of us have ever used a bow before I think it would be best to bring it with just in case. Now, if you will give me a moment..."

Cyrus unbuttoned his sleeves and rolled them up past his elbows, revealing a couple fresh bruises on his arms. He excused himself, slinking past the two into the nearby kitchen. Cyrus searched and quickly retrieved three plates, one for each of them present. He didn't know if Xia had already eaten but Cyrus felt it rude not to prepare something for her too, considering they were her guests. The first thing he did was start washing off a couple apples and pears, taking a paring knife from the drawer and slicing the fruit into smaller servings and distributing them onto the three plates.

While Cyrus was at work preparing the three of them a meal, he overheard Xia in the other room asking what he and Kiara were planning to do. Cyrus stopped chopping meat for a second to think, before peeking his head out into the room, "I want to get to the nearest city, so I can send a letter back home. I know someone who can get the word out real fast; we can get news of this tragedy to the rest of the world in less than a week."

Cyrus returned to the kitchen, but emerged a few moments after, balancing three plates in hand each with a portion of salt-cured pork that had been seared, and slices of apples and pears. He passed one each to Kiara and Xia before himself seating nearby.

Land of the Ancients: Return of Elderic

The masculine form of the name "Claire" is actually "Clair", but according to this graph the name fell out of use in the mid-60's in the USA, whereas Claire is still a popular girl's name today.

Land of the Ancients: Return of Elderic

When Kiara seized his hand, Cyrus likewise clutched back, his fingers clasping firmly around Kiara's hand to prevent being separated from her. He dared not turn back, never even offering a glance behind themselves to see what was going on in the background. For a moment, his senses overwhelmed him, every sight, sound, smell, and touch gradually whirling together into a numb, unfeeling sensation. He tuned out the chaos around them, but eventually, the clamor and racket started to subside as the distance between themselves and the village grew greater.

While they no longer had sight of Xia, there really was only one way to go, following a trodden path made bare by countless footsteps before. With adrenaline starting to wear off, Cyrus felt his exhaustion starting to catch up to him, and every little bruise and ache he had ignored started to catch up to him. He panted, catching his breath, but he dared not slow, especially not now that he saw the cover of a little cabin ahead. He motioned to Kiara just a few footfalls ahead of himself, "That lady's gotta be there, maybe we can figure out what we do now."

He released Kiara's arm and slowed his pace, glancing over his shoulder to make sure they had not been followed. This far off, the sounds of whatever may be happening in the village were inaudible to all but the sharpest of ears. Cyrus stepped up onto the porch. Wanting to make sure they didn't surprise Xia, Cyrus knocked first. While waiting for Xia to answer the door, Cyrus buckled over, placing his hand on his knee while he caught his breath. He looked back towards Kiara.

Standing upright, Cyrus tightened his necktie, which had loosened during their mad sprint. He extended his hand towards Kiara, smiling. He spoke, "I never got a chance to thank you, by the way, I'm Cyrus."

Land of the Ancients: Return of Elderic

Still have my eye on this, I was just holding out to see if someone else would post.

Land of the Ancients: Return of Elderic

Cyrus suddenly felt out of breath the moment Kiara had wrapped her arms around his midsection, grasping onto him in a vice-grip to avoid falling off. To help, he angled the pole he was holding in his free hand so that the back end of the stick pressed against Kiara's back, doing his level best to try and keep his own balance while making sure neither of the other riders would fall themselves. Xia in front didn't seem terribly nervous, but a quick glance over his shoulder suggested to him that Kiara behind him was at least as uncomfortable as he was with the recent turn of affairs. Cyrus looked up, and the color drained from his face when he saw some large, winged creature just behind them. His mouth hung open while he searched for words, but all he had to say was a flat "Oh..."

Before Cyrus knew what was happening, he felt a shove against his torso, Xia had pushed off; pushing himself into Kiara, and in turn, throwing all three clear of the horse when it collapsed in a wounded heap just ahead. Cyrus's lowly pole was tossed aside by the impact with the ground, knocked loose from his hand. He rolled over onto his back in time to see the dragon, looming ahead, as it landed and crushed a ghoul under its massive weight. Cyrus scrambled for his would-be weapon of a broken broom handle, but instead of taking off behind Xia, he took a moment to extend a hand to Kiara and help her to her feet. Yes, he didn't even know the woman's name, but she'd taken the time to help him before, and the least he could do was stick together. He beckoned her, "Come on! We've already been halfway through hell itself, we can't let it end here!"

Land of the Ancients: Return of Elderic

"Wait, you know how to ride that thing?" Cyrus asked when Xia started to mount the horse, stepping back to give her and the horse some berth. Cyrus didn't know the first or last thing about riding, and was apprehensive about approaching. Then he saw Xia shift forwards to give the both of them space to try and sit up behind her, a thought which started to make Cyrus nervous, he stuttered, "Uhh, I-I'm not sure if..."

A loud shriek from behind Cyrus made him turn around to face a ghoul that was in mid-leap towards him. In panic, Cyrus pointed the splintered, broken end of the broom handle he'd been carrying at the Ghoul hoping to swat it away. The top of the broom handle made contact with the leaping monster's chest, and the force of impact made the broom handle slip from Cyrus's grasp, sliding through his hands until the end hit the ground. The bottom end of the wooden shaft became firmly wedged into the trodden earth beneath their feet. The Ghoul dropped to the ground, winded, coughing and sputtering from the impact of the pole right against its sternum, clutching its heavily bruised chest. Cyrus took advantage of the opening and swung his makeshift weapon as hard as he could into the monster's head, dazing it and giving Cyrus time to turn and run.

That scare was all the convincing Cyrus needed to get over his fear of riding, "Right then! Let's not wait any longer shall we?"

Cyrus sprinted right towards Xia and the horse. He awkwardly scrambled up just behind her, and without thinking wrapped his left arm tightly around her waist, using his right hand to hold his broom handle off to their side.

Land of the Ancients: Return of Elderic

Cyril kept up his run until he was abruptly and suddenly yanked to one side by something that had seized his arm. Cyril immediately spun around to face whoever or whatever had grabbed him; his eyes open wide in shock and surprise while still hopping on one leg trying to regain his balance. His fist was cocked back in a position as if he was going to throw a punch, but he relaxed his hand and lowered his arm once it was clear that he wasn't in any immediate danger. Cyril was wordless, unable to even offer the most trite expressions of gratitude for Kiara's help, only able to catch his breath while the both of them apparently tried to plan their own way out of this mess. Then he noticed his rescuer reaching for the dagger on her hip.

"What are you going to-" the answer to the question he'd not even fully asked was soon clear when she whipped it hard right past Cyril. The blade sank itself part-way into the head of one of the black ghouls pursuing them. The blade became firmly wedged in the monster's skull. Cyril could only stare dumbfounded as the the other two monsters momentarily stopped to inspect the blow delivered to one of their own. Cyril at last recognized the opportunity to gain ground on his pursuers, and followed the woman already on her way away. Cyril's loosened tie continued to flutter and flap just over his shoulder during the full sprint. He called out to Kiara ahead, "By god, what are these things?"

On the way through the alley, something caught Cyril's eye, a broom just lying out in the alleyway. Checking behind him to make sure the monsters were out of sight, Cyril grabbed the broom. He held the handle firmly, and stamped hard on the shaft just above the broom head as hard as he could a few times. Finally, the broom head snapped off, leaving Cyril with something that might at least pass as a weapon of some kind. The sound of one of the shrieking monsters was quick to remind Cyril that standing still was not a good idea, and he hurried on his way again, broom handle in hand.

Cyril soon emerged on the scene of another woman, Xia, having already fatally stabbed one of the monsters. The woman was beckoning the both of them to follow her into the forest, something Cyril wasn't going to argue against, "Right then! Lead the way!"

There was little time to actually make an escape, as an odd scene unfolded. A horse barreled out into the streets, stomping a ghoul to pieces before standing out in the streets alone. Cyril might have been just seeing things, but he could have sworn that it was staring at Xia.

Land of the Ancients: Return of Elderic

Cyril continued towards where he had last heard the screeching noise, but as he drew nearer, he slowed and crouched behind a waist-high stone wall, The young man was able to hear a low gurgling and murmuring noise beyond it, what exactly it was was Cyril was not able to say; the most he could say is that it was not human. Cyril slowly peered up over the lip of the stony wall, able to see three near-identical creatures, all gaunt, black-skinned figures with elongated claws. The creatures seemed to not be particularly focused on their surroundings at the moment, chattering and mumbling incoherently. Ehat exactly they were doing Cyril wasn't sure, but he was less than inclined to make his presence known.

Unaware of any potential danger, Cyril reached into his coat pocket to withdraw a small book with a brown leather cover, flipping it open to begin taking notes. He wrote about what the creatures looked like, the noises they made, anything worth writing down. Cyril again lifted his head to look over the wall, starting to sketch out a rough illustration, but that was when he noticed a curious sight. The other two creatures looked to be attending to the third, who had recently taken to lying down on its stomach, exposing a kitchen knife that had been sunk half-way to the handle into its back.

The creature's breathing was hoarse and labored, interrupted only momentarily by the occasional sputtering. Cyril quietly capped his pen and closed his book, stuffing both into the corner of his pocket while he braced himself against the wall for a better look into the square below. Only now did he see the body of a dead man, horribly mangled and wounded by the monsters; it looked that the man had not gone down without a fight though, as the dead body of one of the black beasts was slumped over him, covered in stab wounds the same size and shape of ther kitchen knife embedded in the third creature's back. Only now did Cyril realize just how real the danger was he had put himself into. He turned to try and get away without being noticed, but stumbled into a potted plant and knocked it over.

The moment it crashed, he heard the beasts let out a roused shriek of warning. Cyril didn't even turn around to see if he was being pursued. The moment adrenaline started coursing through his body he took off, his loose tie flapping right over his shoulder. He could already hear the rough scraping noise of claws against the stone pavement on his heels. Glancing over his shoulder he could see the three beasts in pursuit. He finally exclaimed, "Oh God!"

To try and throw the creatures off, he started knocking over anything he passed beside during his run. A piece of patio furniture here, a couple of potted plants there. It was successful only in that it slowed his pursuers, but the black monsters kept running after him.

Land of the Ancients: Return of Elderic

Father,
Even though I began my journey a week ago, every morning I still wake up with that nervous pit in my stomach. I never realized how different it would feel, to be away from the place I hadd lived my entire life. Even so, I harbor no regrets for my decision, I wanted to explore when I left home and I see no reason to change my mind now. Yes, I admit that it has been more difficult than I had anticipated, but I'm not about to let a couple of mere inconveniences stop me. I just wanted to write to at least let you know that I have made it safely to the next village. I'll try to send you something every week to let you know of my progress, and by the end of next month I'll be home, a wiser man I hope.
Your son,
Cyril

After checking the letter he'd written once more, Cyril folded the parchment over itself and walked up to the counter. The man standing behind the counter lifted his head, adjusting his glasses to look at the younger man in front of him. Cyril offered a polite smile before pointing to the candle and wax beside the man at the desk, "Can I send a letter?"

"Certainly," the old postal worker reached over, with trembling hands, to carefully move the lit candle and the sealing wax closer to Cyril. Taking care to not let the molten wax drip off the brass cup at the base of the candle. Cyril opened his hand to accept the stick of red-dyed sealing wax from the worker when he offered it. Cyril immersed the stick of wax in the little flame licking at the end of the candle's wick, and quickly dripped the melting red liquid onto the letter, sealing it shut as it cooled and hardened.

The worker carefully lifted the sealed letter, looking to where the letter was addressed to be sent, "Well, young man, postage will be just a 5 copper to ship that close."

Cyril nodded and reached into his pocket pulling out a handful of copper coins, laying them with a metallic clatter onto the wooden countertop. Cyril smiled, "Thanks, you have a good day."

"You too," the postal worker agreed, tipping his head.

With that, Cyril turned around and departed from the postal office, opening the door to step outside. He placed his hands into his pockets while he stepped off the wooden porch. If everything went as planned, he'd stay a few weeks in this village before departing for the next. He'd get a chance to find a quick job to pay for his own way around, get a chance to write, then move on to the next place and repeat. He unbuttoned his waistcoat and loosened his tie, wiping his brow when the sound of a shrill screech seemed to echo through the village.

At first, Cyril was simply frozen; he'd never heard such an unearthly noise before, and wasn't sure what to think of it. While a small part of him was afraid, telling him to get away. Such fearful thoughts were silenced though, when curiosity instead filled his mind; he wanted, no he absolutely had to know what that noise was.

Land of the Ancients: Return of Elderic

I don't think I saw, but can I ask what the form of currency that's used in this RP?