Crimson Paladin

The Storm Cycle: Reclamation

Ethelred was a bit surprised that the Fomorian replied to his taunts. It wasn't exactly fluent in its speech but it was at least smart enough to recognize the knight's unique powers and think of a mundane utility out of it. Ethelred wasn't fazed by its threats, although he was a bit peeved that he didn't have any breathing room to fire back with a retort.

As the Fomorian moved to strike at Ethelred, something struck its arm from behind, restraining it. It took just a moment for the ice knight to see exactly what had happened- Reinhardt had taken advantage of the distraction to toss a harpoon into the cyclops' arm. This gave Ethelred an opportune moment to strike, but he would still have to heed its other arm- injured as it was, their massive opponent had demonstrated that the limb was still quite functional.

As Ethelred assessed where to strike, there was a flash of light from behind the cyclops. Looking up, he saw the elf stranger from before atop a market stall and preparing a radiant spear. Evidently the elf was no worse for wear from the rough manhandling that the Fomorian had subjected it to, and he was ready to strike what Ethelred suspected was intended to be a death blow.

With the Fomorian's attention focused on the two knights, the elf may very well be able to pull it off, but only if the blow landed. Committing to make it happen, and to take some pressure off of Reinhardt, Ethelred spurred his horse forward, seeking to drive his lance into the orc's free arm. Assuming it struck flesh, the knight would channel his freezing powers through the polearm to freeze it firmly to the wound it had made. His goal was to restrain the monster's other arm, to help hold it in place alongside Reinhardt for the elf's attack. He wasn't sure how long he'd be able to hold it, but if the elf's aim was true, they only needed a moment.

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Fantasy Knight RP

Fleuri Jodeau

"You're probably right, we probably wouldn't have gotten anything out of him" Fleuri spoke to Kherun as he looked down at the corpse. "I apologize for my words, this ordeal has been quite frustrating." There was no excuse for being unwelcoming to one of the fellow members of the order in this manner. In the future, Fleuri would need to remember to mind himself even in times of stress.

Fleuri glanced at Fanilly and Veileena, still holding conversation. As annoyed as Fleuri was that there were still many questions that remained unanswered, they at least had some idea of what was going on, and they now had several leads to pursue. Given the urgent nature of this situation, however, Fleuri figured that this would be going straight to the crown, and it'd be up to them to determine exactly what role the Iron Roses would continue to play. He had no doubt, however, that they would be employed in this matter in some capacity- the kingdom could not afford to hold back as long as a potentially apocalyptic artifact was in the wrong hands.

Fleuri was ready to head back home. It had been a long day, and the sooner the crown received word of the Iron Roses' discoveries, the better. He remained silent, waiting for Fanilly and Tyaethe to finish questioning the Cal girl.

@Martian

The Storm Cycle: Reclamation

Ethelred

Ethelred kept his gaze trained at his foe as he struck it. His attack only managed to graze the surprisingly nimble Fomorian's neck, but it had been enough to bring it to its knees and release the elf warrior from its grip. He did not stick around to wait for it to recover and retaliate- Ethelred continued his current course, galloping around and away from his foe, out of the reach of its attempted counter-blow.

He's weakened, but only somewhat, Ethelred assessed. The knight's blow to the creature's neck looked to be only superficial, but the elf's strikes had severely injured one of its arms. Still, even with one good arm, it remained a very dangerous foe.

On the other hand, they no longer had the element of surprise, and the creature was now clearly quite aware of the threat it was facing. The Frozen Knight wasn't sure if the elf had sustained any injuries in his valorous assault, but Reinhardt was still unscathed (not that this was a surprise, considering how supernaturally tough the man was).

Ethelred turned back towards the creature, readying his lance as if to prepare for another charge. He needed to keep its one eye focused on him so that the others could have a chance to blindside it.

"Not so tough when you're up against someone who can fight back, are you," he shouted to the cyclops, in an attempt to maintain its attention. He readied his lance in case the creature took the bait and charged. He would not risk a wounding blow, but would instead attempt to evade, parry, or otherwise deflect the creature's club. With only one good arm, and probably a non-dominant one at that, the Fomorian ought to have trouble defending against all three of them at once.

The Storm Cycle: Reclamation

Ethelred

Ethelred looked in horror as a cyclops emerged, right from the direction which most of the locals had fled. The broken bodies of its victims lay all around, and Ethelred turned his head just in time to see it strike a fleeing woman with its club. The one-eyed monster was surprisingly well-armored for a Fomorian, especially for one that was too big to wear looted armor. He wasn't an expert on cyclops intelligence, but it seemed quite possible to him that this massive foe was the leader of this attack.

Given the Fomorians' penchant for their murderous cruelty, it was quite possible that its successful ambush of the fleeing townsfolk was pre-planned, and the smaller Fomorians had intended to herd those fleeing right into the cyclops' path. Or perhaps it was just very bad luck on the part of the townspeople that they happened to flee right into the direction of danger. Regardless, the sight caused the Frozen Knight's blood to boil at the sight of these innocent people being cut down. While an ordinary person might grow warmer with rage, Ethelred's body did the opposite and grew even colder, creating a noticeable fog around him.

These people were no threat. They did nothing to you. But I am a threat, and I will make sure you don't leave this town alive!

Enraged as he may have been, Ethelred wasn't a fool- if he charged in recklessly, he'd just end up being struck by the giant's massive cudgel. Fortunately, Reinhardt and the elf stranger had already begun to draw its attention with their own taunts and attacks. Reinhardt had attempted to distract it by throwing rocks. Given the man's strength, it was quite possible that those rocks could cause real injury to the cyclops. Meanwhile, the elf had thrown what looked like one of the dead Fomorians at their foe and was now employing considerable acrobatics in his attack. Seeing the cyclops distracted, Ethelred couched his lance and charged at the distracted giant, his weapon aimed at the beast's head. It could be a challenge to penetrate the giant's metal armor, but its head was unprotected and its eye presented a particularly large and soft target for his lance...

The Storm Cycle: Reclamation

Just as everything was going smoothly, it happened. Fomorians- many of them- emerged from the shadows with malicious intent. They looked similar to the ones that the knights had killed previously, probably their kin. The townspeople fled at the sight of the horrid creatures within the walls. It was actually happening, Redwater Point was under attack.

According to the standards of chivalry set by Sorcha the old king she was supposedly reincarnated from, it was his duty to protect the townspeople and strike down the attackers. However, Redwater Point also had a special significance to him- long ago, it was under his family's protection. With his family gone, that weighty responsibility was now his.

Just as he drew his weapon and prepared to fight, a hooded stranger leapt from the rooftops and slew several of the Fomorians in quick succession with phantom weapons. When the new arrival's hood fell back, Ethelred recognized the youthful features of an elf upon him. The man challenged Ethelred to show what he could do. Normally he would've assumed this to be a challenge to a fight, but in light of the current situation, the context was no doubt to assist him in putting down the Fomorians.

Ethelred nodded, and took up a position between the Fomorians and the fleeing civilians- he was not going to give any of the a chance to run off after the locals. He let loose a whistle to call his horse. It had been a challenge to learn how to do it without being able to hold anything to his mouth, but it should suffice at this distance.

I hope that branch I tied it too wasn't too strong.

Ethelred stomped his foot down, channeling his ice powers to freeze the ground in front of him. All around him frost formed on the ground, plants, and stone.

"I am Etheling Ethelred Edmundson, last of my line, and Redwater Point is under my family's protection!" he bellowed to the Fomorians in front of him. "If you seek to lay a hand on the good people of this town, you will first have to go through me!" Normally he would have used his more modern title- Sir Ethelred the Frozen Knight of Airedale- but Redwater Point held a very special significance to him.

Four of the Fomorians charged. Ethelred bashed the first one aside with his shield, causing it to lose footing on the icy ground and fall on its back. The second found itself impaled on Ethelred's lance, thrust with such force that it pushed through and shallowly stabbed a Fomorian behind, causing it to to slip and fall on the ice. The fourth, a many-headed quadruped, leapt at the knight and sunk all three of its heads' teeth into Ethelred's weapon arm.

The Frozen Knight maintained his footing as if the ice was not even there, and once again evoked his powers of freezing. Frost formed on the unyielding beast's heads as they froze solid, causing the body to go limp as the heads expired. The impaled Fomorian suffered a similar effect, frost creeping out from the plugged hole in its chest as its torso froze solid. At this point the fourth of the attackers was still struggling to its feet due to the gaping chest wound, but the first had managed to get back on its feet and attacked Ethelred, charging right into his raised shield with its dagger held high, intent on reaching over the crystalline bulwark to stab the knight behind it.

The dagger deflected off of Ethelred's crystalline gorget, and as the beast tried to reach another strike, it realized with horror that its chest had frozen to the shield which it had foolishly pressed itself against. It ceased its attacks and desperately tried to pull itself loose in vain before going limp as its torso froze completely.

With the three of them killed, Ethelred approached the fourth, which was now finally getting back on its feet despite its wound. Almost effortlessly he slid the dead Fomorians off of his weapons and armor, the ice that had fervently gripped them moments ago now yielding. Just as the Fomorian gave out a defiant cry and raised its weapon, Ethelred's horse, having heard his call and broken free of its post, came from behind and headbutted it with its horns, sending the creature flying right onto his lance.

Ethelred freed the enemy from his lance and climbed atop the horse, only then acknowledging the elf.

"I'm going to make sure the people are safe. Thanks for your help, stranger," With that, he galloped in the direction where the people had fled, determined to protect them.

@Cu Chulainn

The Storm Cycle: Reclamation

Ethelred

As Ethelred walked to the tavern, reins of the horses in his hand, he looked over the town. Seeing Redwater Point again was bittersweet. A century ago, it had been under the rule and protection of his family. Today, it was ruled by the man that had crushed his family. He didn't recognize any of the buildings, but the land that they sat upon was familiar to him. Either way, it was good to see that the town was still standing after all these years, and evidently hadn't been yet attacked by the troublesome fomorian.

Unsurprisingly, he people seemed to have been unsettled by the knight's strange appearance. He didn't have much of a choice- the armor didn't come off, and even when damaged, it simply regrew- in fact, it had already fully regenerated the damage that Cecilia's enchanted arrows had inflicted upon it. Normally it might have bothered him a bit, he considered it a bit of a windfall. The more they worried about his crystalline armored form, the fewer questions they'd ask about the man within it. If the Alistains found out that the kin of their old enemies was still alive, they could make trouble and would likely resist any attempt by Queen Sorcha to bring this region under her rule. It was unlikely that some town guards would pose too much trouble for the Frozen Knight, and it would give him an excuse to take up arms against Lord Alistain, but in the current circumstances, they did not need further complications in their mission.

For now, he'd have to focus on his mission. Still, it didn't mean he couldn't gather information pertinent to his long-term goals of obtaining justice for his kin.

Ethelred reached the inn and knocked on the door. Assuming that the innkeeper wasn't too fussy about the knight's appearance, he'd offload the horses to be kept in the inn's stables, then would head to the trader in town. His own horse had been tied to a tree outside of the town due to its frightening appearance and frankly, it was for the best. Between both its aggressive personality and its ice powers, it was best for everyone that the horse not be handled by the locals.

After the horses had been taken care of, Ethelred headed to the market to purchase the provisions that Reinhardt requested. Again, there was some concern that he might have some difficulty dealing with the traders due to his frozen armor. While he was at the market, he'd try to ask the merchants how the current rulers were treating them and how they were managing the town. It might prove to be an uphill battle to get anyone to speak ill of the rulers within hearing distance of the guards, especially to a man of an alarming appearance. He considered slipping them some extra coin to loosen their lips, but Reinhardt would definitely not approve of such a misuse of their funds.

Perhaps they'd be more willing to trust them after the knights ensured that the fomorian was dealt with...

The Storm Cycle: Reclamation

Ethelred

The third village...that's a familiar location.

Ethelred raised an eyebrow beneath his helmet he saw where one of the attacked villages was on the map- just a short distance from the ruins of his family's castle. Long ago, the protection of that village would've been the duty of his family and their retainers. Now, a century later, it looked like he might end up avenging them.

According to the queen it was a Fomorian that was responsible, seemingly rushing up and down from coast to coast and razing villages in its path with unnatural speed and power over fire. With that in mind, it was a wise choice for the queen to send Ethelred along- if they encountered it, the Ice Knight's powers and fearsome mount should prove useful against the creature.

As for what they'd be facing, that was less clear. For all that Sorcha had told them, it was possible that they could run into this Fomorian, the Harzel knights, or even Elnith herself, driven into a frenzy by her curse. The three of them could probably defeat and subdue her, but it could prove difficult- Elnith was a berserker in battle, and her magical blade always reached its target. Perhaps that was why Sorcha was sending these particular three knights, because Ethelred's armor, Od's regeneration, and Reinhardt's seeming invulnerability would make them more capable of withstanding a blade that always found its mark. Ethelred hoped it wouldn't come to that, however- he always held out hope that his fellow fey-cursed knight would be able to hold back the curse afflicting her.

"My liege, have there been any attacks since you sent Elnith?" he asked the Queen, desiring more information about their mission. "Any possible evidence as to whether or not she has managed to slay the Fomorian?"

@Rune_Alchemist

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Fantasy Knight RP

Fleuri Jodeau

It seemed that at least one of the Golden Boars wasn't quite dead. Judging by his injury, he probably didn't have much time left, but it might be enough time to glean some information out of him. Unfortunately, as luck would have it, they wouldn't get that chance. A newly arriving knight swiftly put an end to the mortally wounded mercenary's life. Fleuri might have commended their apparent mercy, if it didn't just deprive them of an opportunity to interrogate the man.

"Was that necessary?" Fleuri interjected as the newly arrived knight introduced himself to Fanilly. "It is ultimately up the the captain, but I would have preferred if we at least had the option to question the man before he succumbed to his sounds. I'm afraid there are still a lot of questions that remain unanswered, and he might have had some of those answers."

They were getting nowhere in finding information. Veileena didn't sound like she was going to cooperate any more than what she had already told them about the shard, and without a surviving mercenary to interrogate, all they could do for now was search the dead for any orders or anything else that might shed some light on what was going on. Once that was exhausted, it might just be best to head back to the capital, to get some answers from the College and perhaps figure out where the remaining Golden Boars might be found.

@Martian@VitaVitaAR

The Storm Cycle: Reclamation

Ethelred

The little fairy wasn't exactly a polite sort, not hesitating to throw barbs at Ethelred's direction. It didn't bother him, however. If anything, in fact, her open, unsubtle nastiness it actually made her less threatening. The Unseelie were a tricky, deceitful lot, and Ethelred would much prefer dealing with one who wore her unpleasant nature for all to see rather than one that could conceal their malicious nature behind a mask of courtesy and cordiality.

While he did not consider this fairy to be particularly dangerous, especially compared to some of the other Unseelie whom he had run afoul of, it would be best to not offend by refusing it. Aside from being unbecoming for a knight (or at least his romantic concept of knighthood that his fellows didn't entirely share), it'd be best to avoid needlessly earning the ire of the twisted fey. At the same time, it'd also be wise to have Fio look at it in case it was a malicious trick.

I thank you for the gift, he replied. "Take care now,". Ethelred neglected to mention that he intended to capture the fairy if she continued to look for trouble in the town. He had no patience for those who took advantage of the kindness of others, or could not be swayed away from making trouble.

With the business of the fairy taken care of, the Frozen Knight headed to the castle. He would need to discuss this intrusion, and the token, with the Queen. The people of the town wouldn't be able to sleep soundly if the Unseelie were sneaking into the town under the knights' noses.

The Storm Cycle: Reclamation

Ethelred

This turn of events was quite amusing for Ethelred, and he couldn't help but crack a smile beneath his helmet. It appeared he wasn't the only one who had taken an interest in the fairy, whom he could clearly see had the inhuman features of an Unseelie- a cat had managed to catch her and her cries for help had alerted a few guards.

An unseelie crying to humans for help? Irony abound. Scourges of humans, bringers of many vile curses, and prey to common cats.
The guards weren't sure what to do, not wanting to get involved with a malevolent fey- after all, they were cruel enough that even helping them might not discourage them afflicting their helper with a curse. Of course, earning one's ire by standing by might just incite even crueler acts. That was assuming, of course, that the fairy wasn't so cruel that her acts ingratitude would be of the same rock-bottom depravity as acts of revenge.

There was little doubt that the fairy probably deserved this...yet it wasn't Ethelred's duty to judge who is worthy of saving and who isn't. He had good personal reasons to dislike the Unseelie, but the fact remained that this was not the one that had cursed him. As distasteful as it was, this little fey was crying for help, and he felt it was a knight's duty to help. Not for a reward, but because helping others in need was the right thing to do. Besides, he didn't have to worry too much about curses, as he was already cursed.

"I'll take it from here, men," Ethelred spoke to the guards as he dismounted. He approached the fairy, knelt down and gently shooed the cat off of the fairy, not wanting to hurt this very good feline.

"Are you hurt?" he asked the fey. "Are your wings intact enough to fly?"