Herutenshi

Roleplay from Aethelmaer

Aethelmaer stood in the city square, waiting for his challenger to arrive. Aethelmaer spent this time clearing the area of peasants so that their duel may go unhindered. After the last of the peasants were moved away, Gin showed up, and they clasped hands to start their duel.

"May this be a good and honorable duel my friend." Aethelmaer exclaims

"Yes it shall be, but I shall come out the victor!"

"We shall see about that!"

The two combatants stood at the ready, each wondering what their tactics would be for the upcoming fight. Then at the drop of a pin, the two lunge at each other swinging their swords fiercly. At the first lockup, they seemed of equal strength, yet Aethelmaer just a tad stronger than Gin. After they broke their stances, Gin tried a downswing on Aethelmaer who dodged it and came back with an upward slice, which Gin had blocked, and with that Aethelmaer was pushed back, and Gin took his advantage to attack, and ends up slicing Aethelmaer's shirt. Another blow was then blocked as Gin tried to bring his sword back around for another blow. Aethelmaer slide his way into a crouching position then rolled through Gin's legs. Catching him off guard and just about to strike him down, a peasant, oblivious to the situation, hits Aethelmaer in the head, effectivly knocking him out! Gin then turned around and to his astonishment Aethelmaer was gone. Taking a step forward, he tripped over his limp body, and as he fell, injured himself on his own blade. With his wound, it was enough to declare the match a win for Aethelmaer.

"Wake up, Aethelmaer!" Gin spoke, as Aethelmaer started to open his eyes.

"What's going on? Who won the duel?"

"You did my friend, and a blunder of a win it was too!"

Gin told him what had happened, and then the two after recovering, went to the nearest local bar, to share a couple of ales on Gin's tab, to celebrate Aethelmaer's strange but legal win.

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Roleplay from Kurohyou

Kurohyou was informed by a few peasants that Aethelmaer and Gin were to duel each other in the town center. Kurohyou seemed interested in watching as his two friends went at it.

As he stands near the entrance to the armourer, he sees that Gin and Aethelmaer shake hands and then get into their stances. Kurohyou begins to head towards the duel area.

"Good luck, Aethelmaer and Gin!"

Apparently they were too focused that they didn't have time to respond. Kurohyou then watches as the duel commences. Block by block the go at it. Then Aethelmaer gets his shirt cut open.

'That was a close one for Aethelmaer, hopefully that won't be the only blow that'll occur.' Kurohyou thinks.

Then, as Gin begins to break Aethelmaer's defenses, Aethelmaer rolls in between Gin's legs. Kurohyou saw that the duel was done just then. But after Aethelmaer finishes his manuever, Kurohyou notices that Aethelmaer was heading straight for a peasant.

"Aethelmaer, watch out!!!" But it was too late. Aethelmaer made a head on collision with the peasant and fainted. Kurohyou then went Gin seeing that he slipped and fell on his own sword.

"Gin, are you alright?"

"Yeah, that was unexpected though."

"That's good, now lets go and check on Aethelmaer."

They check on Aethelmaer, Gin asks if he was alright, and Aethelmaer says hes alright. They then went to the tavern for a drink of some ale. Gin says he has the tab, however, Kurohyou insists that he has it.

"No, Gin, you two enjoy the ale, I'll pay the bill. But seriously, Gin, how in gods name could you slip on your own sword?"

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Roleplay from Gin

You make me seem incompetent and I call you friends. Damn my luck though, it was you I triped over. ~Downs the rest of his ale~ ~thinking to him self~ I would have won if it wasn't for that damn technicality, first blood.

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Roleplay from Kurohyou

Kurohyou turns towards Gin and says, "You say I was the one you trip over. Aye, I think you are starting to lose it. I was near the armourer when the battle was commencing, there was no way I caused that to happen." Kurohyou drinks his ale. "Yes, but don't forget, we still have Round 2 coming up, so you better prepare yourself." Then Kurohyou turns to aethelmaer and says, "Would you like to spectate our duel when it occurs?"

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Roleplay from Aethelmaer

"This shall be a great duel of wits, I shall watch, in hopes to see that the battle isn't as foolish as mine. Also, Gin, it isn't your fault for losing in that way. I myself have lost that way many times growing up, just like me not knowing that the peasant was there. I should duel him just to get my revenge, even though I know I would win, it would still bring that satisfying feeling to myself."

Aethelmaer downs yet another ale, stands up, remarks something that sounded something of jibberish, then falls to the floor. After a minute of laughs, Kurohyou and Gin help Aethelmaer back up again.

(drunkily slurring his words now) "I'd-d thhink it a better idea t-t-to have go at mud wresssttling-g, assss it-t-t would morre sssui-t-t my d-d-drunk-k-kenesssss"

"Now is the time for you to rest my friend," exclaims Kurohyou.

"Off to bed with you, and let me and Kurohyou duel later on."

Slowly they take Aethelmaer back home where he sleeps for all night and most of the day. Waking up just in time to find out Achilles has won the election.

"Messanger, send word to Achilles, Congratulations! Now let's finish off those goats once and for all. May Tara rise to power once again!"

The messanger runs off and Aethelmaer walks out into town, enjoying the beautiful weather on this fine day.

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Roleplay from Kurohyou

After Kurohyou and Gin help Aethelmaer to his home, Kurohyou bids Gin farewell and goes to his home to sleep. Then, the next morning, Kurohyou's scribe rushes into the room, giving word that Achilles has won the election.

"Good, that is excellent news. Now, go and send word to Achilles that I congradulate him on his latest victory."

"Will do, Sir!"

Kurohyou then takes Kyoku out on there morning walk. Along the way, Kyoku rushes towards Aethelmaer, who has just come out of his home as well.

"The sky is pleasant this magnificant day, don't you think, Aethelmaer!"

"Oh, yes, it is a wonderful day, Kurohyou."

Kurohyou shakes hands with Aethelmaer and asks if he and Kyoku can join him on his morning walk..

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Roleplay from Aethelmaer

Aethelmaer joins Kurohyou and Kyoku on their morning walk. As they walk along they speak of stories and gossip. Their walk takes them out into the forest, the trees swaying back and forth, and the leaves russling in the wind, brought a certain calmness to Aethelmaer. Kyoku stopped in his tracks sniffing the air, looks off to the side into some bushes and starts to growl.

"What's the matter, Kyoku? Is something there?" asks Kurohyou

Aethelmaer draws his bow, and strings an arrow loosely, Kurohyou unsheathes his sword, both sensing something dark has come near to them. They both wait in silence for their silent stalkers to show themselves.

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Roleplay from Kurohyou

As Kurohyou, Aethelmaer, and Kyoku stand there in the forest, they sense that someone is watching them. Kurohyou and Aethelmaer both arm themselves for what is ahead of them. As they stand there ground, Kyoku begins to run deeper into the forest.

"KYOKU, What are you doing!!!"

Aethelmaer and Kurohyou then to suspect that Kyoku was pursuing there stalker.

"Aethelmaer, I think that we should investigate what this possible threat is, and if it is proven hostile, we should suppress it..."

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Letter from Aethelmaer

Aethelmaer and Kurohyou were chasing Kyoku through the woods. It seems as though something caught Kyoku's senses in the bushes, and as it seemed to have an evil sense about it, Kyoku ran after it in a fury of growls and barks. While the two still had their weapons drawn, they tried to keep up to Kyoku, yet to no avail. They stopped only to see Kyoku run off into the darkness ahead of them.

"KYOKU!! What are you doing?!?!"

"There's nothing you can do now, Kurohyou. The only thing we can do is to follow, and search around for Kyoku."

The took a few moments to catch their breath, put their weapons away, and continued on, deeper into the woods. As they were walking they came upon some tracks. Kurohyou bent down, and studied them carefully, noticing that they were from Kyoku, they followed them. They followed the tracks, for what seemed like an hour or two, until they came upon a cave. Aethelmaer stood at the ready, looking into the darkness of the cave, as Kurohyou got ready.

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Roleplay from Kurohyou

As Kurohyou and Aethelmaer stand in front of the cave entrance, Kurohyou calls out for Kyoku into the cave. They here his barks, and the two are determined to enter the cave and see what this "visitor" was.

"Aethelmaer, I recommend that we don't hesitate to strike down anything that gets in our way."

"I agree. Let's go."

The two prepare for the unexpected, and begin to make their way into the cave...

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Roleplay from Aethelmaer

Aethelmaer and Kurohyou trekking carefully through the dark, dusky cave. They walked down one tunnel, then took a left at a split. Walking a few more minutes, Aethelmaer spots a light ahead of them. Hoping it was a way out, he rushed for it, with Kurohyou following close behind. Aethelmaer came up to the light and found out its source was that of a crack, in the top of the cavern. The light was good, as it illuminated most of the cavern they had found. Looking around, Aethelmaer couldn't find anything and decided to rest a little atop a rock nearby. Kurohyou, determined to find Kyoku, looked closer at the walls. Finding a small niche, where the light didn't reach, he bent down and found a small crawl space.

"Aethelmaer, come here. I have found a small crawlspace,yet I cannot fit in it. See if you can."

Aethelmaer starts to squeeze his way into the small hole in the wall.

"What will you do, Kurohyou?"

"I shall wait here, until your return. Unless that is, I should start searching the other tunnel when it split."

"I don't know if that would be a good idea. If something should happen to the other, we won't be able to help th--"

"Yet, you are leaving me behind because I cannot travel through this small hole in the wall. I will search the other path, if it leads too deep then I will return, and await for you."

"OK. That sounds like a plan. Take caution though. Somehow mark your trail, so if you do get lost, you can find your way back out. Perhaps mark the wall with your sword, or drag a line in the ground."

"Will do. Maybe we'll get lucky and I'll find you on the other side."

"Maybe. All we can do now is hope we can find Kyoku. Good luck to you friend."

"Yes, and the same to you."

The two parted ways, Aethelmaer stood still until the footsteps of his friend were unheard, then continued on into the darkness of the hole.

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