Carantathraiel

Wanderers

Her argument made him feel thick. He knew men, in general, were often thick and needed things explained to them in the simplest of ways before they could understand it, but for most things, Ruli hadn't been one of them. Until this. Until her. Kire made him feel stupid.
Stupid for the fact that she had to say it. Stupid for the fact that he still didn't really understand. Stupid for the fact that he had to ask "Why?"

He raised his arm to wave his hand, tensing at the action. "No, I mean. Fuck." Ruli arched his back, trying to fight for a little more mobility. "I get that you and I don't shy away from each others scars. And that you don't have easy pickings as ... you. For people to let off steam with. But... me?" He asked, puzzled. "I-" he bent his arm to squeeze the bridge of his nose.

"Nothing I saw here is not going to erupt into a fight." Ruli realized before he pushed himself to his feet, hating every movement. "I need to see your cousin. Get some rest." Ruli unintentionally ordered, shuffling toward her door. "Point me in the direction of your kitchen, and when I can walk again, I'll make a whole plate of flatbread. And knock on your door afterward."

Wanderers

He made a face when she asked about the name of the city, considering she made it sound as if she understood it. And mentioned Ysaryn, who was the reason for the name, in a way. He didn't pull at the line of questioning, focusing instead on the one he really wanted to know, about her random visit to the seaside cliffs before she abruptly turned around again to leave.

Him. To blow off more steam, he knew without needing to ask. And there was that mention about Envy. Ruli's brow furrowed. Her word to him was that she would have a legitimate reason to visit, not just him. What would she have been ask by Envy? Why couldn't he tell Envy about this?

Silence circled them. Ruli wasn't sure what to say, but somehow felt the silence was worse. He cleared his throat and naturally when to shift, only to immediately regret that idea, as well. Exhaling, he settled back into the chair, reminding himself not to move. "So." He said, still uncomfortable. Still not sure what to say. What to ask. "Today, you just ... wanted one more lay? Die satisfied?" Ruli frowned at her. "I can't tell if I need to be insulted or flattered."

Wanderers

The flatbread? Ruli wanted to question her for that, considering it was the most bland and basic thing he could make, and little more than something to accompany the real meal.

There was also something about the look on her face when he asked why he'd been brought here, and the body language as she answered him. A hiccup. Liar. Ruli thought noticing the way she couldn't meet his eyes. And, while he was very intrigued about her request not to tell Envy, his nodded, inviting her to continue.
To that.
Holy Gods.
Ruli blinked. Then swallowed. Maybe it wasn't what he automatically assumed, and that she only thought of him because, ... maybe his wards would have been a help. Maybe he could have gotten her out safely, like he'd done with her in Cordon, yanking her out of the collapsing mine before it crushed her.
But then she added the last portion, about how she thought about not seeing him again, and Ruli felt his mouth went dry. "I-" He began, then faltered. "That still doesn't really answer my question." He admitted. He didn't move, mostly because he didn't want to lift his arms.
"You changed your mind." He added suddenly. "A few months ago. I felt you come to Úvano. Er, the city. But you left."

Wanderers

Ruli wrinkled his nose. "Yeah, I heard. Or... at least that part." He said, stepping into the room. At this point, he'd take to laying naked in the snow if it would help. As Kire moved to sit on the bed, Ruli made for one of the chairs at her table, getting a strange sense of deja vu as he did. He hissed as he sat down in it, leaning against the back. At once, he regretted coming in here, only because he didn't want to stand up again, and was stranded.

"No, its fine. Tomorrow, the day after, I'm not missing much. Úvano won't fall without me to cook." Ruli looked her over, his blue eyes wandering the length of her arm. "I stupidly thought that was from the dolls." He voiced before his gaze went to her face. "I understand the need to protect your men and get them out, Narda, Ed. But ..." He splayed his hand. "Kire, what the fuck?" He asked in a low breath. "I wasn't in any danger. I certainly wasn't necessary. So ... why?"

Wanderers

He managed to make his way back to the hallway full of bedrooms, opened the door to the room he'd last stayed in and barely managed to make it to the bed before he literally fell into it. And slept.

Ruli wasn't sure for how long he lay there asleep on the bed, but when he woke up, he instantly regretted it. The objecting pull in his aching back making him audibly groan. He went limp, wondering if this would be his fate, and he would simply die here. Until he recalled there was a woman in the manor who literally died fighting her enemy, only brought back to life by the son of her enemy. And that same woman had severely burnt her arm rescuing half a damn unit of her men and women.
In no world would he be shown up by her.

Still, he struggled to get up, gritting his teeth as his back screamed at him. First he sat up, sighed, and looked around the room. Whether or not he could move, he was still stuck here until Kire could take him back. He'd spoken honestly earlier, he really had no issue in waiting, but the question of why still nagged at him.
As if on command, he heard the door to Kire's room close, inviting him out of his thoughts. Inhaling, preparing himself, he got to his feet and swallowed another groan before he shuffled across the floor to the door. Then across the hall. Then to Kire's door.
One hand braced on the frame, he knocked gently, sure she wasn't asleep, but one could never know, considering the amount of energy she'd spent.

Wanderers

Ruli only raised his eyebrows as one cousin assaulted the other, suddenly afraid to move. He'd foolishly assumed her burn had been from the exploding dolls, not her own magic backfiring. Suddenly, much more of what Elva had said made sense. He swallowed, looking from Kire, to Elva, to Narda, and back.
She'd transported twenty, when her limit was ten, and then had crossed into his world and back. Holy Gods. Even he was surprised she wasn't dead.

He looked over to Narda, wondering if she felt as awkward about the exchange as he did, but the giantess seemed half ready to smack Kire herself. The hiss she'd made told him something ... either vulgar or cruel was said. Judging by the looks on Elva's face, the answer was the later.
Ruli remained still, only his eyes darting around the room, before he uncomfortably cleared his throat. "I might go lay down." Give you three time to yell at one another. He rose to his feet, wincing again.

Wanderers

Ruli listened, uneasy at the simliarity between the tower and the gems the Gemini used. He cringed, wrinkled his nose again. The scent of Elva's smoke was oddly comforting though, and Ruli leaned his elbow on the table and propped his head on his fist, listening to them talk. "I get the feeling Daryll and I will have a lot to talk about, interest wise." he muttered. "Didn't you say he'd like Envy?" He glanced to the giantess.

The scent of the food, when delivered, was even better than the smoke. Instead of lulling Ruli into a comforted daze, it roused him, his hunger pulling at his stomach. He did not hesitate in helping himself, devouring the bowl of soup he helped himself to before moving onto the meatballs. "I'm alive." He muttered with a full mouth to Elva. "I like the chainmail, I'll have to look into some should I ever need it again. Amrian steel is already the envy of the city back home. Ysaryn has been strutting about with the blade from Myka like a queen, herself." He grinned, grabbing more meatballs and refilling his water. "The fact that she hasn't stolen the blade Kire gave me is a fuc- oh. A miracle." He censored himself.

Another bowl of soup, another plate of meatballs, and he was inhaling his fourth glass of water when Kire stepped inside. Ruli half coughed on the water, feeling it dribble down his chin, before he managed to set the glass down with what little dignity he had left. "I'd say the same to you, but I'll wait, in case Elva chews your ear off." He commented, gesturing to the food spread out. "I ate most of it, no apologies, but help yourself, you look dead on your feet."

Wanderers

Ruli wrinkled his nose at the offer. "You mean you don't just toss people into the snow here?" He asked sarcastically. "Maybe. Does sound like it'll help." He had to admit. Ice had never been a thing they had a large abundance of in Ziad, and now, in Úvano, they had access to it but had thrived so long without they rarely bothered. Envy had always resorted to a poultice of his creation that created a cool feeling on the flesh for such injuries. "We're not used to having ice back home, we used a, uh. Lignocane and comfrey? In a poultice." Now that he wasn't in the thick of the battle, his adrenaline waning, Ruli was beginning to realize he was drained. So much energy spent in such little time. How Ed and his soldiers, Narda included, had been out there for so much longer, and still expected to keep going, was beyond Ruli at the moment.

He rubbed at his face, listening to them answer his question about the monstrous dolls, and spiral into talk about this Red Tower. It seemed likely to him that the Gemini were targeting this tower, if indeed it had ties to Paladins and Kire's power. While he had no idea, the name itself, 'Red Tower', screamed bloodshed, and it would draw all sorts of focus in the blood magic arts that drew the Gemini.

"Mm. Yeah, I could eat, if you're offering." Ruli admitted. "No wine, though, thank you." No need to add a slight inebriated state to his current fatigued one. "Why the name? Red Tower?" He wondered. "Blood magic? Colour of the stone? Bloody history?"

Wanderers

Six months since he'd been in actual combat. Six months he sat on his arse cooking meals for petty coin and teaching Gavin the difference between tonics and elixirs. Even the random occasion where he agreed to spar with the ever restless Ysaryn hadn't kept his body prepared for this. Ruli swore as he kicked his leg out and sent a Gemini wretch flying backward that, if he made it back to Úvano, he would spar daily, against Zeke, Ysaryn, even Bolym or the other elves.

He felt a heavy strike against his back, the chainmail protecting him from what would have surely sliced him in two. He fell forward and rolled, splaying on his back to strike upward before he scrambled again to his feet at the first chance he got. His back already ached, but would surely be nothing more than a bruise. As he spotted another doll, Ruli barreled toward it. The Amrians around him noticed the way to bring down the enemy, and followed, charging after other dolls, striking them down with agility.
Agility. Gods, that was all Ruli had here, with the exception of his magic. Though he mentally demanded a few Gemini to 'hold still', to be cut down by an Amrian shortly after, and only used his shadows to reposition himself when he found himself cornered, there wasn't much use here. Plus, he noticed that each time he tried, the Gemini seemed to rush him, like they could scent him in much the same way Kire did.

He never heard Ed's call over the din of battle, the shriek of men, the explosions that made his ears ring. Everything was so loud. He couldn't imagine how Ysaryn and the other elves managed battle, when they could hear a mouse creep across muddy terrain with ease. He just kept himself moving, made himself hard to hit, hard to follow. He wasn't sure if he was following the general direction of the Wyvern military, or if he was just some rogue causing damage. But none of the Amrian's grabbed him to correct him.

Until someone gripped his shoulder and pointed behind Ruli. The made was lucky Ruli was certain there were no enemies behind him, or the Wyvern soldier would have lost his head. Turning, he spotted Ed waving him over, and Ruli retreated, making his way back. "I was hardly expecting this when I woke up the morning." Ruli answered Narda, grinning beneath his helmet.
As Ed explained he'd handle things, and that Elva and Kire would like a report, Ruli only nodded, understanding the order. His last comment made Ruli snort. "She would." He agreed, sighing. With a quick glance over Narda, he jerked his chin. "You're coming with me. I hardly understand military jargon, I think both would hit me if my report consisted of 'I stabbed a bunch'."

Moments later, they emerged into the infirmary, Ruli gestured to the nearest bed. None of them held Kire, and Ruli's stomach twisted, wondering if she'd already portaled back onto the field. "Where are they?" He asked one of the healers that came forward to assist Narda. They informed him that the Mistress was in the Empress's room, where the latter was sleeping, he nodded. "Ah. Would you mind if I went to fetch Elva? Er, your mistress?"

Allowing Narda the privacy he knew most soldiers prefered when being cared for, Ruli found himself back in the hallway where he and Ysaryn had been allowed to sleep. He glanced at the door of what had been his room, remembering the horribly awkward morning last spent there.
He knocked gently, then cracked open the to peer inside.
Kire was asleep in her bed, looking oddly peaceful. Ruli met Elva's gaze and, suddenly remembering he still wore his helmet, removed it. "We're back." he said, tilting his head to request she follow him. Once they were both in the hallway, walked beside her. "Narda returned with me. She didn't look too good. Ed's still alive. I'll let Narda explain what happened, though."

Back inside the infirmary, Ruli set the helmet, his armour, and his weapons down on a vacant chair before sitting himself in one nearby. He leaned back and winced, feeling what would indeed be a nasty bruise already forming. "How long have they been using those things here?" He wondered. "The dolls with the gems?"

Wanderers

"I've heard your lot are damn hard to kill." He voiced, shouting over his shoulder as he faced the enemy. He studied the explosions, not allowing himself to think of all the ways to ward off fire and explosives. There wasn't enough time to get through every single Wyvern soldier and ward them for protection. Wards and enchantments wouldn't work here.
Frowning, Ruli's eyes traced the movement of the dolls.

"Well." Ruli turned and shouted at Ed again. "Let's rejoin them. What are you doing, just sitting here talking to a foreigner?" He demanded before he dove into the fray.

He knew he wasn't trained like Ed and Kire's men and women. He knew he would likely be targeted, especially if these things could smell the magic in his blood, far more pronounced than the rest of the Wyverns and Armians. Let that be the case, then. Ruli pressed his thumb to the point of the axe he wielded, enough to puncture the skin and draw blood before he began to wave through the monsters.
He went for the gems, swinging the blade of the axe into their chests. The first one turned its ugly eyes to Ruli, and the gem -just missed by the blade of the axe- began to glow. "Mother f-" Ruli said, before he grabbed the thing and vanished.

Back to when he'd unintentionally crossed their lines, surrounding himself and the rearing thing with its own allies. With a hard shove, Ruli released his grip and vanished again, reappearing to where he'd been, bumping into an Amrian soldier as he did. They both stumbled as the thing exploded. Move quicker. Aim better. Ruli demanded of himself, and he went after the next one, decapitating first, then, a half second later, swinging his axe into the gem.