ROLEPLAY HQ - battle-of-the-bards

Cold was an understatement for how Aradius felt in that moment. Traveling for miles in freezing temperatures didn’t seem too bad an idea when they originally started out on their journey. The weather was calm when when they left. Now it was dreary, dark, and miserable. Just a little further to the inn, they told themself, looking toward the town lights ahead. Better to be here than back there in the dungeons. Through the shivering breaths they took that ended in clouds in front of their pale lips, a snicker pushed through. Who knew sleeping with the head-guard’s husband would end with them being chased out of town? Even then, that night was pretty pathetic. It felt like days had passed, but finally the tiefling ducked into the nearest tavern. Snow was stuck to their boots and they were still shivering cloakless. Their pack and instrument case clung to their side as if frozen against their clothes, which they were. However, after a few moments of simply standing still save for the shivering, Aradius looked up to the innkeeper. They seemed young enough, certainly looked good. A decent pick to haggle with with their charm. A deep breath and a shake later, they strode over to the bar with confidence. The boots clicked against the wooden floor and they bounced with each step. “One mead and a room for the night, please, love.” They spoke up with a warm smile to the innkeeper once they were finished with another patron.

@Dark Cecils II

"It'll be a few silvers for the night, dear." The innkeeper, a half-elf woman with long hair tied into braids, replied. "Do you want any food to go with your drink? You can go take a seat by the fire, someone'll be over with it all soon." The inn seemed to be a nice, simple place. A large, open fire. A handful of patrons of various races sat at the tables sharing meals and drinks. Humans were the most common here, with a few elves and half-elves here and there. It was a very welcoming atmosphere. "You look like you're a traveling entertainer, are you not? Maybe you could put on a show, and I could see about getting you something to drink for free." @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Blank white eyes squinted at the innkeeper. “Ooh, three day’s wages for a night’s stay? Seems rather steep, especially for an entertainer living on tips, won’t you say?” They said, a calm and charismatic tone to their voice. elbows covered by the light fabric of a black dress shirt leaned onto the table, presenting a silent way of saying they were genuinely interested in what they were saying. “And might I add that you have the most beautiful hair. I’ve seen plenty of women far and wide but none of them could match yours. What do you do with it?” While waiting for their drink, Aradius scanned the room, looking for people they may recognize or that could be a valuable ally in a time of crisis. Who knew what would happen, and there was no way they were leaving until the storm let up. For the most part, the tavern was diverse, but it was humble and comfortable, and that aesthetic transferred to the people there. Everyone seemed genuinely relaxed and laid-back. It almost started to wear on them as well. “Maybe, for the right price.” They turned back to the innkeeper with a sly wink. But before she could react, they looked away again. What was the fun in haggling without a suggestive comment here and there to store the pot. “One drink for a show that guarantees to please your company? I may pass…that is unless you can think of something else?” They jumped up and knocked on the counter, as if expressing their leave. “Think about it, love.” They said before stepping over to the fireplace in order to wait for the drink. Feeding the thoughts of their victims of lust was one of their go-to methods in flirting. It worked from the scrawniest peasant to the highest of royalty…usually. Some were more stubborn than others. @Dark Cecils II

"Most people who can afford to travel can pay a few silvers." The innkeeper replied, grabbing a dirty mug to wash. She chuckled at the tiefling's next comment. "Thank you. It's not easy to keep it this nice, especially in this climate." There were plenty of adventuring types in the room, men and women wearing swords or bows and armor, sharing drinks with their companions. There was one who stood out, however. An orc, wearing simple clothes, in the corner of the room with a shortsword on his hip. He seemed to be washing one of the tables in the corner, his back turned to the rest of the tavern. "Well you're a cocky one, aren't you?" The woman replied, raising a brow. "I've had too many come in here who were all talk and couldn't back it up? How do I know you've actually got the talent?" It seemed like the innkeeper was used to travelers flirting with her, so their charms were having less of an effect on her. A few minutes passed after she took a seat before her drink arrived, carried by none other than the orc. He set it down on her table and looked her over for a few moments before smiling. "Enjoy your drink." @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Aradius put a hand to their chest in playful offense. “My, my, my, you really think that low of me? Oh, you wound me!” They said with a smile. A small laugh jumped through her lips. “Traveling takes quite a toll on funds, even with the payment I receive. But I think bringing the music and stories to every corner of this world is what makes it worth it.” Part of that statement was true. They did enjoy performing to any audience. It was pretty easy to read the room to find a story and song that people would want to hear. Looking around at the adventurers in the tavern, they could tell they were tired and weary, ready for a long rest in their rooms of homes once they finished their meals and drinks. A ballad and slower songs of the like would be the best bet until more requests came through. However, not many people were too keen on a tiefling as their entertainment. Must have been the assumption of hellish chaos often associated with the race’s appearance. Not that they cared. There were plenty others who respected them. “Really, there’s no way to know until you find out for yourself. However, I will say that I’ve heard good word behind my back from those who’ve listened to me. I’ll let you decide. Though I will say, it would be an absolute honor to play for you.” They looked up to her from under their eyebrows, an innocent tilt to their head seem more approachable. The fire was like heaven against their freezing lavender skin. Gloves were removed to feel the full amount of warmth radiating from the hearth and their bags were set to their side as they sat in front of the flames, finally unmasking their shivers. Eyes were trained on the flames before they heard the tankard being placed on the table behind them. They leaped up, remembering their decorum, and stepped up to take a sip. That was until they laid eyes on the orc serving. He was tall, obviously able-bodied, and the sword on his side made them immediately tense up. Was he there on an act of vengeance?

05:16

No, he couldn’t be…right? “Uh…thanks?” They said in response, eyes wide in almost fear as they flickered between his face and his sword. @Dark Cecils II

The orc's smile faded as he saw the fear in their eyes, and he just sighed and turned away. It was the same every time he served someone, they were always so afraid of him. They always thought that he was going to hurt them, just because he was an orc and carried a sword- Even if the sword was just for the defense of the inn. He walked over to the innkeeper, and the tiefling could see him talking with her for several minutes, before he disappeared into the back for some time. Around five minutes later, the same orc came out and sat down in a chair on the small stage in the corner of the room, a lute in his hands. After spending some time tuning it, his eyes scanned the crowds to see the mood. It was cheery, as people were coming from adventures and long days of work looking for some fun and some relaxation. He began to pick up a jolly tune that fit the mood of the inn, and Aradius could see that some of the people here, those who looked mostly like commoners, recognized the orc on stage and smiled as he began to perform. What was this orc's deal? He worked here at the inn, it seemed, carried a sword on his hip, and played music? @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Aradius tilted their head as they watched the orc walk away. Wait, he wasn’t there to hurt them? They were certain he was sent by someone they had pissed off in the past. Even as he spoke with the innkeeper, their eyes were trained on him. What were those two planning? No matter, if he was not problem to them, he was no problem to deal with at that moment. A few more minutes and the tiefling was sitting in their respective seat, drink half finished and already feeling warmer. In a lazy way, they scanned the crowd over again. This time, they were searching for those who were more drunk. Easy pocket money to pick off of. After all, it was a good fall-back if they couldn’t find a job in the tavern or the town in general. However, their ears perked up when they heard the wood on the stage creak as someone stepped on. Eyebrows furrowed together as Aradius looked toward the sound, finding the orc with a lute in hand. Curious, they hadn’t seen someone who looked so callous with an instrument in hand, let alone perform. From the faces of the others, they assumed he was their regular performer. How peculiar. Their curious it’s only grew as the orc began to play. He wasn’t half bad. In fact, he was pretty great. The snapping in their chest rose up, and Aradius looked toward the innkeeper. How come she hadn’t told them about this bard? To make a fool out of them? With a scoff, they turned away and fixed their gaze at the flames once again. @Dark Cecils II

There were plenty of drunk people around, though those who seemed more drunk definitely looked like they were lacking in a lot of coin. The adventurers, who'd be the ones with actual coin, seemed to know how to hold their ale. One thing that Aradius could see is that he was gentle with the instrument as he prepared to play, like it was something very important to him. Even as he played, they could see how skilled he was at handling it gently, yet still making the music he needed to from it. People seemed to be very interested in him playing, and Aradius wasn't the only one who hadn't expected an orc to be playing. Some of the adventurers were looking at the stage with mild confusion. When they looked at the innkeeper, she was watching the orc play with a warm, motherly smile. Almost like a mother watching their child perform at a show. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

It definitely wasn’t their night tonight. Maybe their luck ran out as soon as they hit the road. Whatever it was, Aradius was not in the best mood. As they sat at that lonely table by the fire, they reached for their coin pouch to count how much they had left. Music continued to fill their pointed ears while they counted. There was only enough for a few nights, a drink, and a couple meals, but no more. That would cover them until they find somewhere to work or collect coin, but the coin was flowing dangerously low. With a curse under their breath, they pinched the bridge of their nose and sighed. “Alright, Aradius, assess the damages. You’re stuck in a tavern who seems set Bard-wise, your coin is short, and there’s no telling what’ll happen once you’re kicked to the streets broke and jobless.” They muttered to themselves while their eyes opened to look back at the fire. It was as if it were a comfort. They never really were one to appreciate the cold, having lived in warmer climates while they were still you. What could they do? The innkeeper seemed to be resistant to their charm and the inn had competition. Hmm… As the firewood collapsed into each other and stirred the flames, they hatched an idea and snatched the leather instrument case from its place by their side. @Dark Cecils II (edited)

The orc seemed content to just play his music on the stage. It was clear that he enjoyed it quite a bit. After all, music was one thing that didn't scare the patrons of the inn here. In fact, people smiled when he started to play. The innkeeper had told him that she had offered to let another bard play, but they had refused the offer.. Fine with him. It gave him an excuse to perform. His music started to shift from someone less upbeat and to something slower, less energetic. It was a good idea for him to start working down from the high energy pieces so he could be ready to stop playing. Of course, he still had plenty of time to play throughout the night. People would be around for several hours more. His eyes scanned the crowd, looking at all the smiling faces looking at him. He noticed the less welcoming looks from the adventurers, and the tiefling was doing.. something. Now he kept his eyes on the tiefling to make sure they didn't do anything untoward. If he needed to stop performing to protect the inn, he would. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

The fiddle in Aradius’ hands was old, a few scratches here and there from the stories it has both seen and told. The wood was embellished with fanciful designs singed into the wood practically materializing it’s holder into an object. The quiet plucks of tuning only heard by the one causing the sound was comforting to the tiefling, like the smell of a homemade meal or the softness of a cozy blanket. A gentle but sharp cord was heard under their table, cutting the solo into a duet. A cheeky smile spread onto their face as they slowly rose up to be seen staring the orc right in the eyes as if waiting for a challenge. The attention of the people were taken from the Orc to the Tiefling, eyes landed on them as they disrupted the song, yet added to the charm of the song. Harmonies fluttered through the air as the two played together, but Aradius was keen on adding their own musical adornments to one-up their competition. @Dark Cecils II

The tiefling was doing something, that much was certain, but the orc wasn't letting it distract him too much from his playing. After all, he was here to make sure people had a good time, not get distracted by some random person. And then they suddenly started playing a fiddle, issuing a not-so-silent challenge to him. He could see it in their eyes as heads turned. Well, this wasn't how he expected this night to go, but sure. He'd take them up on the challenge. He could see what they were doing with their additions, how some things complimented his own playing and how they tried to overshadow other parts of it. That just wasn't gonna happen. Quickly shifting gears, he shifted from a slower tune to something more intense, something that'd be more fitting for a musical duel such as this. The patrons in the bar were quite surprised about the sudden challenge issued to their usual performer, but with how things were going, they were definitely interested in seeing how it went. It wasn't every day that you saw two musicians go at it like this, after all. The innkeeper chuckled to herself as she leaned against the bar, watching the two bards play across the inn. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Thats more like it they thought to themselves, their fingers dancing on the neck of their fiddle to create such enchantment. Orc or not, you’ll be met with a sorry loss! Instead of making their way to the stage, Aradius leaped onto the table they were originally sitting at, making their own stage. Surprisingly the table was solid enough ground, easy to stand on and little chance to fall. That was a good thing in their part. Last time they hadn’t checked the stability, they had fallen over and nearly broke their playing wrist. Thankfully the instrument they had used at that time wasn’t theirs. The music picked up, and Aradius was getting more and more competitive by the second. Their fingers were moving at lightning speed as the meter changed and they even began to stomp to add a percussive element. They were well trained, that was certain, and terribly cocky. This wasn’t a battle to demean an Orc, this was a battle for their dignity. While continuing to play, they made their way around the tavern, from tabletop to tabletop, careful of the drinks and food of the others. And even then, they couldn’t help but cast a flirtatious gaze every once and a while out of habit. But as they made it to the bar, the two had reached the height of the song. Both had yet to tire or falter, and Aradius was not one to give up so easily. Looking down, they saw a half-finished tankard of ale at their feet. This hatched an idea. With a dexterous kick, the tankard flew over to the stage and spilled over the Orc’s boots. However, since their eyes were so trained on their competition, they hadn’t seen the owner of the drink. She was burly, heavily armored, and after the stunt Aradius had pulled, fully pissed. But before She could swipe at the Bard, they had moved out of their reach. They were going to regret that later on, that was for sure. @Dark Cecils II (edited)

The tiefling could see a frown on the orc's face as they jumped from table to table, and they sure as hell got some protests from the patrons who weren't as interested in the performance as others, but they jumped away before anything would happen. Now it was personal. The orc had accepted the challenge as a courtesy, and to provide some interesting entertainment to the patrons. But now his opponent was making a mess of things and disturbing the people sitting at the tables. When the ale spilled over his boots, he hesitated only for a moment before playing a certain chord and then picked right back up into the song. Almost as if by magic, the ale on his boots seemed to evaporate, and the Orc gave them a smile. That was, until the pissed off woman went after them. Consequences of their actions, he supposed. Bother people during their meals, and you'd get yourself hurt. He wasn't going to back down now, though. Not while he still had some energy left. He had to teach this tiefling who was the performer for this inn. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Aradius was unaware to the threat that came their way, nor did they think it would come back to haunt them later. All they were focussed on was the music and beating the other bard. They gave him a sly smirk and a wink, but their face fell for a flash when they noticed the clean boots. So he knew his way around magic as well, huh? They had to give him some credit in that sense. The climax of the song was approaching, and Aradius was fully engaged with their fiddle as they sauntered across the tavern tables to the stage. Just by the look in their eye, the Orc could tell that they wouldn’t back down, especially not now. the world around the two seemed to disappear and Aradius was now on the stage, circling around their competition as if they were about to pounce on their prey. “You’re not half bad.” They told him over the music. “I’ll be honest in saying I underestimated you.” @Dark Cecils II

"And you've been causing a lot of trouble since this whole thing started." His voice had a strange combination of gruff orcish tones and something more refined. "We have a stage for a reason, and I don't think that woman's going to congradulate you on kicking her mug across the room, though." It was clear to them that he wasn't underestimating them, his eyes not leaving them as they circled him. "And even if you're trouble, you're pretty good with that fiddle. I dunno why you thought you had to challenge me though, you could've just performed yourself if you just agreed to it from the innkeeper." @HighFunctioningPsychopath

The Orc was merely met with a laugh. “Oh please, I can talk my way out of anything. A few words and I could have her wrapped around my finger.” They replied. “Besides, what’s the fun in being stuck to a stage when you have all this room?” However, something about the gruffness in his voice made him all the more intriguing. If playing didn’t work out, charisma may. Who knows, maybe they could trade a night of passion for some time to…borrow some coin. Their nose scrunched as they began to get stuck in their head and turned their gaze to the neck of their fiddle. It would be so much easier to get by in life if they could simply use magic on others, but there were laws, not to mention the sense of empathetic decency. This little competition would have been over by now if they could. The callouses on Aradius’ fingers were raw from the runs they were performing, so much that their index finger was close to bleeding. But it was like they hadn’t even noticed the ache. Just as the song concluded, they looked toward the Orc and gave him a determined smirk, as if silently flaunting a victory. Their bodies were mere inches away from couching, Aradius’ more behind the other. “The name’s Aradius if you want a rematch, but I can’t promise to go as easy on you as I just did.” They said. Now it was time to retire for the night. It was a long day, and they needed their rest. Thankfully all they had was one bag and their case left to set in their room, that was after paying though. After stepping off the stage and gathering their belongings, Aradius twisted through the tables to set three silver coins on the counter while the innkeeper wasn’t looking. However, what they hadn’t noticed was the woman from earlier glaring at them. And as she watched them slip out to the rooms, they knew they couldn’t hold back their anger any more. That little bastard would pay for her drink in one way or another.

19:18

So she stood and began to follow them, a raging fire in her eyes and a blood-thirsty look to her face. @Dark Cecils II

"I dunno, she looks pretty angry. I don't think you'd be able to talk your way out of that one." He just sighed for a moment. "Maybe not bothering people when they're eating their food? And not kicking someone's drink?" This tiefling wasn't going to listen to him, no matter what he said. He could already tell. The orc was working on putting his lute away as Aradius introduced themselves. "Xoruk. I don't normally play for competition. I just play whenever nobody else does, 'cause I enjoy it." After finishing up, he noticed the angry woman and walked over, resting a hand on her shoulder. "We don't allow violence here, miss. I'm going to need to have you sit down and leave them to their night. Let's not do anything we'll regret, yeah?" @HighFunctioningPsychopath

The woman turned to look at the Orc, the anger never leaving her eyes as her form grew more tense and tall. Their calloused hand hovered over her own blade, threatening to draw the weapon. They roughly shrugged his hand off of her shoulder before plastering a strained smile on her face. “ I was merely going to compliment their playing. It’s not often one sees a battle of the tavern bards.” They made a move to follow after the bastardly tiefling once more, placing a hand on the railing of the stairs and talking a step up. But there was a problem. She had lost their trail. There was no telling what room they would be in nor what would happen if the innkeeper found out. Another time then. The other Bard owed her a drink, but the setting they were in wasn’t the best to make demands. They were off the hook…for now. “Maybe you’re right, Orc. After all, I’d imagine they need all the rest they can get from the performance you two did back there.” She muttered over her shoulder in defeat, but her body still radiated with fury. The hand that was on the old blade let go, finally allowing blood to flow through her knuckles once again. @Dark Cecils II (edited)

Xoruk stared the woman down as she reached for her weapon. "Don't do anything you'll regret, ma'am. If you have a compliment for them, you can mention it to them in the morning. Not every performer's comfortable with fans following them up to their rooms." He had a smile on his face, but the message in his eyes was clear- If the woman tried something, he'd get her ass out that door immediately. He followed close behind when she went to the stairs, his eyes never leaving her form. He wouldn't draw his weapon if he didn't need to, but if things got too violent.. Then he'd do whatever he needed to to protect the inn. "If anyone would understand needing some rest after that performance, it'd be me. Just, go sit back down, friend, and i'll buy you a drink to help calm those nerves." He led her back to the bar, but not before pointing up the stairs subtly and whispering. You're welcome. I just saved your ass from a very angry woman whose drink you kicked. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Aradius hadn’t even noticed the woman following them, their mind was too clouded by pride. They simply continued on until they had heard Xoruk’s voice pipe up to halt someone. Figuring he was speaking to them, they rolled their eyes and turned around, only to find the woman whose tankard they had chucked close to following them. Eyes now widened in shock, confusion set in. Why was he helping them? Usually when they showed-up local bards, they wouldn’t give two shits whether or not they were attacked or beaten. Whatever it was, he wasn’t deserving of their thanks, no matter how entertaining it was to watch him shoo away the woman from bothering them. With a scoff and a rolling of their eyes, Aradius continued on to their room for the night. Their belongings hit the floor with a thunk and the bed creaked as they collapsed onto the cushioned mattress. Now this, this was better than those nights camping on the ground. They still had a crick in their neck from the night before when they had made sanctuary in a cave to hide from the guards. It felt nice to be in a bed once again. @Dark Cecils II

Xoruk left the stairs and sat down on the bar, conversing with the bartender for a few minutes before disappearing into his own room for the night. Sitting down on his bed, he channeled his magic through his hands to repair the general damage from the night's events. Then, as he finished cleaning himself up for the night, he grabbed his sword and went out back to practice. It was a simple routine for him. Perform in the evening, train in the late evening, be in bed by midnight, get up in the morning to help in the tavern. It was a nice life, honestly. Yeah, there were a few hiccups here and there, especially with different performers like that Aradius person, or the few rough customers like the armored woman, but everything else was enjoyable. The night itself would pass uneventfully, and Xoruk was cleaning the tables in preparation for the early morning meals. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

The night passed by surprisingly uneventful. The town was quiet save for the howling of the wind. The only reason Aradius struggled to capture any sleep was because of the chilliness of the room. They had curled into themselves to keep warm, which wasn’t an uncommon sight when finding them asleep, yet the shivers were still a concern of theirs. Thank heavens that their was a boiler in the room, albeit small, otherwise they surely would have fallen ill. Once the night had passed and the sun had started to rise, Aradius figured it was time to figure out a plan. After all, they couldn’t do much without money. However, one thing was for sure: they were definitely not going to wear the same outfit as last night. Both the clothes and themself were due for a washing. So they dug through their travel bag, hoping to find some fresh clothes, and pulled out the most decent ones they found. Scuffed boots lightly sounded from the stairs as the bard entered the tavern, eyes scanning the room for…well, anything. Food, drink, intimate or platonic company, really anything to start the day. But once they caught visual of an empty room save for Xaruk, their face fell with a silent huff. @Dark Cecils II

Xoruk glanced up at them and smiled. "Good morning. The innkeeper should be out in a few minutes if you want to get a drink." They could see that his hands were perfectly fine, which was strange, considering how intense their performance was last night. "Is there anything I can get you right now?" @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Aradius was silent, a hint of suspicion in their eyes as they stared at Xoruk. There was something off about this orc. He seemed to have a lot more personality than the other orcs they had come across in the past. It was almost like a sigh of relief. Xoruk didn't seem to be a threat other than to their opportunities to obtain a stage. The tiefling, stepped closer to him, scrutinizing him for any weaknesses for them to exploit. That was when they noticed his healed fingers. They didn't seem to have too thick of callouses, yet the performance the night before left them with cut fingers. "You've studied magic too, I assume?" They asked, sounding more like a statement than a question. Their arms crossed over each other and they leaned their hip against the table Xoruk was wiping down, the end of their tail swishing curiously. "Seems you use it more often than I." @Dark Cecils II (edited)

As they stared, Xoruk turned his attention back to the table he was washing, humming quietly as he cleaned it. There didn't seem to be too much to him, personality-wise. He was friendly and far nicer than most orcs, though he knew when to get serious. For weaknesses, it was hard to tell with so little interaction. He seemed like a good, honest person who cared for this tavern. When they commented about magic, the orc looked up again. "Yeah, I use magic a fair bit. No laws against it here. Besides, keeping practiced is a good way to grow my talents." @HighFunctioningPsychopath

"Ah, that explains a bit." They nodded, eyes never leaving his face. "I was wondering how you seemed to stir the crowd so much last night." It was a backwards comment, nothing more than a statement to fuel Aradius' ego. In all honesty, they really didn't realize how rude the comment was. They just couldn't wrap their mind around the mystery of the orc in front of them. On the outside, it seemed like Aradius was egging on a fight, but in reality they were giving the best compliment they could to Xoruk, albeit insinuating his talent wasn't organic. They turned away soon after they had spoken and looked out one of the windows. The warm light of the morning sun cast a welcoming light onto their purple skin. If one hadn't known about their almost suffocating confidence, one would assume them to be a kind-hearted and compassionate person, especially the way that they had looked then. "Is there anywhere nearby I could find a wash? Public or private, I don't care, but the warmer the better." @Dark Cecils II

He just shrugged at the comment, shaking his head. Being an orc, Xoruk was used to people looking down on him as a monster, thinking themselves his better. They always thought that he had done something to get his talent. It didn't bother him much. "I've been performing here for a long, long time. My teacher said that I had a natural talent with the strings, and it seems like a lot of people here agree. I've been able to read the room for a long time now, seeing what people like at any given time." The orc went back over to the counter, stepping behind it to set the rag aside. "There's baths at the end of each hall. I can get you soap and towels for three coppers, and your clothes will be cleaned." @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Aradius’ eyes lit up at the mention of the baths. Just the thought of soaking the stress and cold away made them melt. However, when Xoruk also mentioned the cleaning of their clothes, they smirked. “Slow down, darling, at least buy me a drink before we got that far.” They teased, sending him a wink. It was like it was second nature for them to flirt. Just moments ago, they were suspicious of him, yet now they tested their luck with a suggestive comment. “I’ve got my own. Perks of a traveling musician, right?” They stood from their leaning position, sauntering toward Xoruk. Their smirk fell into a darker gaze. They were serious. The lines on their face told the Orc they were rarely this serious. “I also wanted to tell you for future notice. While I’m in town, stay out of my way. Abide by that, and we won’t have a problem.” With that, they shot him a mischievous smile and started toward the stairs. @Dark Cecils II

He just shrugged. "Suit yourself." It was a simple service, nothing suggestive in the slightest, offered to any patron who asked for a bath. He knew that he hated dirty clothes, and would keep himself clean as much as possible. Either he didn't catch their drift with the flirty comment, or he just wasn't interested. When they seemed to threaten him, he didn't even seem frightened in the slightest. This hadn't been the first time a patron had threatened him in various ways, especially since he was an Orc, and he had undergone training with the sword for that very reason. In this town, one wrong step could have someone trying to run him through. "..Don't try anything funny. I'd hate to have to break those talented hands." He replied without even missing a beat. When they walked away, he turned his attention back to the tables he was washing as the first few patrons made their way downstairs to begin their day. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Aradius scoffed. “And here I thought you didn’t condone violence in this tavern.” They chuckled darkly, relishing the fact that they cornered Xoruk into that metaphorical trap. However, they didn’t stay long afterwards as they began to leave for the baths. That was until they stopped for a moment at the base of the steps, a mischievous look on their face as they thought for a moment. A while back, they had dabbled in subtle bardic magic. It was more unpredictable and weaker than using an instrument, but it still was able to do simple things. They’d also heard word that some colleges used it as an entrance exam. What if… A light whistle blew between the Tiefling’s lips, jumping in a short melody. It took a bit of concentration, especially when a Bard at their level was so accustomed to using an instrument for magic, but the water and soap that was used to wipe the tables down slowly began to change. The sharp, stinking smell of vinegar wafted through the air, notably in the places that were recently cleaned. Water to vinegar, a simple polymorph spell. With that, Aradius continued up the staircase, making a beeline through a few other patrons to their room to fetch their soap for their bath. @Dark Cecils II

He didn't, but he wouldn't hesitate to protect his life or the safety of the tavern. After all, this was his home, he wasn't going to let it get ruined by some stuck-up tiefling who thought they were better than everyone else. He thought it better to lay that fact out now than deal with the trouble the tiefling would cause later. Because that's what their mischevious attitude would bring, trouble. When he sensed the spell's effects, he just sighed. "It's one thing to try and play me off the stage. It's another thing entirely to interfere with my normal job.." He picked up the ruined water and took it outside, dumping it out and filling it again, restarting his cleaning with a grumble. There'd be trouble at this rate.. But he wasn't the kind of person to retaliate. No, he valued his reputation too much, and his heart was still in the right place. Bards faced competition all the time, and he'd rather these childish pranks than a knife to his side. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Aradius simply chuckled at the reaction they had stirred out of Xoruk. What an easy target to their games. Then again, they couldn’t wait to leave him and this town behind. But that was only possible if they managed to get a job or a gig. Whether musically artistic or more oriented to aggressive negotiations, they’d take it for the money. Sooner they get it, the sooner they can leave. They stepped into one of the baths with their hygiene products and began adding fuel to the boiler so as to heat the water. Thank goodness this place had such, otherwise Aradius would not have been a very happy camper. While the water heated and Aradius readied themself for the bath, they let their thoughts wander. What was their next plan of action? Obviously find some source of income, but where would they find that? It’d be fantastic if someone requested them instead of them stopping as low as to ask someone for work, but that was highly unlikely. A deep and frustrated sigh huffed from between their lips. It wasn’t long before the water was heated and the tiefling was soaking in the warmth the water brought. The moment the water had touched their skin, Aradius felt relaxed. It was as if all the stress in their body had washed away in seconds. @Dark Cecils II

Now the morning was in full swing, and Xoruk was doing his usual work. Serving drinks, cleaning tables, every so often having to give a stern look at a rowdy customer.. In general though, he was a ray of sunshine, with a beaming Orcish smile at all who entered. Even when a cloaked figure who seemed to be hiding his face rushed in and sat down at a table in the corner, his eyes looking in nearly every direction. He seemed nervous, very very nervous. When Xoruk went to get his order, the man eyed the sword on his hip for several seconds before ordering a drink in a quiet voice. The man's demeanor bothered the Orc, but he didn't question it. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

After a few moments of relishing in the warmth of the water, Aradius used their tail to grab the soap and quickly wash up. It felt absolutely fantastic to be clean again, and it seemed to make their clothes more comfortable as they redressed themselves and took care of the used water. Within minutes, Aradius had returned to the tavern with their fiddle case in grasp. Seeing as Xoruk was a bit busy, they saw their chance to maybe get a tip or two by playing for a bit while they strategized a plan of action. So they sat in one of the booths, pulling out their instrument and quietly tuning up. Occasionally, their eyes scabbed over the people, trying to find the best genre of music to play for them. It was calm, yet jovial. A light, bouncy tune would work. However, they caught sight of the hooded figure in the corner. Anyone could tell that he was absolutely terrified. Of what, Aradius couldn’t tell, but their curiosity got the better of them. As they stepped closer to him, they started to recognize the man. Didn’t he work for… “Fancy seeing a familiar face here.” They said. “How’s that boss of yours? Still pining after another night with me?” @Dark Cecils II

When the tiefling approached, the man's eyes widened. "You..?! What the hell are you doing here?!" He hissed, obviously more nervous now. "And why would you care about the boss? You didn't exactly make him happy after you ditched him.." It was at this time that Xoruk brought the man's drink over, setting it down in front of him and noticing his increased tension and Aradius, just sighing and walking away without a word. Causing trouble for customers.. Sounds about right. The man quickly took his drink and downed half of it. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Aradius shrugged. “Simply making small talk to lighten the mood. You look like you double-crossed a necromancer.” They sat down in one of the chairs at the table, leaning back in a relaxed demeanor. “Besides, you can’t blame a person for being curious.” Just as they finished speaking, Xoruk came up to the table and handed the man his drink. The mere presence of the Orc irked them, and it was easy to tell in the way they nodded their head away from the table in a “beat it” manner, all the while having an innocent look in their eyes. This man’s mannerisms were quite concerning to Aradius. People around his boss usually were tense, but this was an entirely new level. “Woah there, fella, I’m all in for downing drinks but you need to slow down before you choke.” They said, guiding them to put down the drink to catch his breath and relax. Aradius’ usual carefree and cheeky attitude seemed to dissipate, replaced with a serious look of disquietude. Whatever had this man was looking out for wasn’t a force to be reckoned with. “What’s got you all flustered.” @Dark Cecils II

"..I.." The man hesitated for several seconds. "..May have gotten some of the Boss's places raided on accident. Now he's got men after me. I've been running for weeks, and I think they're catching up to me.." @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Aradius’ stomach dropped. They knew how powerful his boss was, what his resources were. Hell, even they were lucky to get away from him before he sent the dogs on their tail. “You…raided his places…on accident?” They asked with disbelief. A nervous laugh shook from their chest as their muscles grew rigid. This wasn’t good, and if his men caught up with them as well, things surely wouldn’t end well for them. “Then you need to leave. There should be a fortress a couple days walk from here last I looked at a map. Stow away, ask for sanctuary, do whatever, but get in there and wait for them to pass. Rest tonight and leave at first light tomorrow.” They suggested, a gentle hand on his forearm in attempts to comfort him. @Dark Cecils II

"I didn't realize that there was someone following me as I did my rounds!" There was immense fear and guilt in his tone. "I got all that stuff taken from Boss, and now he's going to have me offed.. The only ones who can ensure my safety are the Gods, and that's if they haven't forsaken me.." Xoruk was watching the conversation from where he was cleaning a table. He couldn't hear everything that was being said, of course, but he knew that whatever was going on wasn't good for anyone involved. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Aradius sighed, running their free hand over their face. They really couldn’t catch a break, could they? “Look, I’ll leave you some coins for a hot meal. Eat, relax for a bit. You’ll need your energy.” With that, they stood from the table and opened the coin bag on their waist, pulling out just the right amount. It may have been their room’s cost for the night, but they’d work something out. Besides, he needed it more than they did. After setting the coins on the table, they pivoted and left before he could deny it. As they made their way to the stage, fiddle still in hand, their eyes caught onto Xoruk. How long was he watching the two of them? Never mind, there were worse things to bitch about than an insufferable Orc. With a shake of their head, they stepped onto the stage and began to play, allowing the music to distract themselves. @Dark Cecils II

The man watched them leave, his protest dying in his throat before he sighed. The rest of the day would pass uneventfully, with Aradius getting a handful of coins from patrons as they played. Xoruk kept his eye on them throughout the day to make sure they didn't cause any more trouble, but otherwise left them alone. Then, the evening came. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

The sun began to set beyond the horizon, and Aradius had already forgotten about the threat that had happened earlier that morning. Hell, they had even shared some rather interesting looks with one of the patrons who had given them a nice tip. Although their fingers were still sensitive and sore from playing the night before and all day, the continued on until the darkness had settled outside. That was when they decided it was best to take the night off, maybe talk with the person that they had been having silent conversations with all evening. After collecting their coin and packing their fiddle into its case, they headed toward the patron, ready to share some action with them. @Dark Cecils II

Unlike someone else they had been stuck dealing with for a good chunk of the time, this patron seemed more than willing to go along with whatever plans Aradius had. In fact, they had space at home that they could take should they choose to. Xoruk was busy cleaning up behind the bar for the evening, so for once, his eyes weren't on them for what felt like the first time all day. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

A few flirtatious comments in and Aradius could tell they had them wrapped around their finger. They had sat in their lap, wrapped their tail around their leg, even went so far as to get a little close to an indecent intimate touch with them, but they knew when to draw the line. This was a Tavern, not a brothel. “Give me a moment and we can take this back to your place, darling.” They hummed before standing and stepping up to the bar. As much as they didn’t want to deal with Xoruk, they had to tell him they couldn’t pay tonight. Even with the tips, they were still a bit short. Nothing they couldn’t take care of overnight, though. “Hey, wise guy.” They called to the Orc. “I’ll pay for the room in the morning. Think you can wait that long?” @Dark Cecils II

Xoruk looked up from where he was working. "If nobody else needs the room, fine. But if someone else needs it, then I can't help you there." He shrugged. The innkeeper was normally lenient about these things, and even if he disliked how the tiefling acted, he couldn't go against how the innkeeper normally ran things. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Aradius rolled their eyes. “Jackass.” They muttered after a scoff. After that, it was off to the races. They followed the patron to their place and immediately started to have their fun. Front ways, side ways, whatever the two of them felt compelled to do, they did it. Although not the best action they’d ever had, Aradius thought it was better than nothing. Yet in the midst of the night, a few torch fires blazed against the snow from betwixt the trees, slowly making way to the quiet and quaint little town. An inescapable trouble was in store for that night. @Dark Cecils II

It was midnight when several torches were stood in an alleyway behind the inn. "This the place?" One hooded figure said. "Yep. He's in there, without a doubt." Another responded. "Good." A third responded. "Oil it up." Soon, there was a large amount of oil placed just inside the back door, throughout the common area, and along the outside. Then, a torch was thrown inside, and the figures ran off. Xoruk's eyes snapped open as he smelled the smoke, and he stepped into action, doing his best to save those he could. Unfortunately, there was only so many people he could save without putting himself in too much danger. With a wet cloth over his mouth and noise, he dragged several patrons out of the front door before heading back inside. When he was trying to get the innkeeper out, a beam grazed the side of his arm, burning it pretty badly and separating the two of them. "Run!" He shouted to them as the blaze continued to consume the inn. "I'll save who I can!" ..Those who made it out watched as the inn continued to burn, and ultimately collapsed on those still inside. Then, morning came and with it, guards questioning some of the survivors about what happened. The orc was not with them, nor was the innkeeper. There were only five survivors, with many more charred corpses recovered from the wreckage. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Aradius woke to the eve of the morning, the sun just moments away from breaching the dawn. Though they had gotten little sleep, they felt refreshed. Maybe it was good for them to blow off some steam. They swiped the sleep from their eyes and slipped out of the bed, careful not to wake up the person they had slept with. They were silent, as if working by pure clockwork. Wake up, get dressed, grab their things and leave. However, as they began to step through the door to make way back to the inn, they halted in the doorway. The other person was still asleep, probably would be for a while. Their pants were near the dresser, and there hung the coin pouch. Judging by the size and bulk, there would be enough for a few weeks on the road, maybe more. Looking back and forth between the person sleeping soundly and the coin pouch, they made their decision. Moments later, they were seen swinging the pouch between their fingers as they walked through the streets back to the in. But as they approached, the smell of smoke and ashes grew heavier. That was when they saw the ruins of the inn. Aradius was speechless, but their mind was running rapid. The only thing they could muster up was one word. “Shit.” They muttered, a mixture of shock and anger in their voice. @Dark Cecils II

Everything, and everyone, that had been inside that inn when it collapsed would be buried under charred wood, if it had even survived. Judging by how few people were outside, not many had made it out. Hey, at least they wouldn't have to deal with that Orc any more, right? @HighFunctioningPsychopath

A long day had passed. A whole day at the market just to restock everything that was destroyed in the inn fire and the evening time just to walk across town to the other inn so they had a place to stay. At that point they just wanted a drink, a meal, and a good night’s rest. At least they still had enough for a couple weeks on the road, but nighttime was not great for traveling alone. No matter how many times they had done it, they found it unsettling and dangerous. They stepped into the inn cold and exhausted and shivered as they stepped lightly up to the bar, flagging the innkeeper to simply pay and get what they needed for a nice, long night of rest. No doubt the fire was caused by the boss. There was no other explanation. Aradius was lucky enough not to be in the inn when it caught fire, but the thought still sent shivers up their spine. What if his men had caught them? What if they had fallen with the inn? It was uncharacteristic for them to be this worried, but considering they were so close to being one of the victims, they couldn’t help it. @Dark Cecils II

The bar was sparsely populated tonight, mostly due to a sense of unease that came over the city. Though, there was one unusual customer. A man carrying a sword and lute, smelling of ash and wearing a rough leather cloak. Upon closer inspection, there was a rough wooden mask over the majority of his face, the only things poking out were a couple of tusks. The man's eyes flicked over to Aradius, and his frown just deepened. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

As Aradius paid and waited for their food to come, they sat down at the bar, rubbing their hands over their face as if the feeling would massage the anxieties they felt in that moment. At least there was one good thing that happened: they didn’t have to pay for the night before at the inn. Not to mention the Orc was gone so they had plenty of options for gigs if they decided to stay for a bit to replenish the money they had spent that day. Their eyebrows furrowed together when they felt eyes burning into their head, as of trying to drill a hole straight through. This only made them sigh. What now? Following the feeling, they found the masked man, and their purple skin seemed to almost turn white. He looked like he was fantasizing their death. But they didn’t remember crossing anyone with a mask. Had they? Was it a bounty Hunter? Aradius gulped and turned back around, hands gripping each other tighter. Inwardly, they prayed to whatever they could that there wouldn’t be any trouble, that they’d just have a peaceful night. But judging by that stare the man had given them, they weren’t confident in that thought. @Dark Cecils II

It had all happened after that tiefling left.. They obviously had something to do with it. Oh, he knew they were going to be trouble the moment they walked through the door. And trouble they had caused! Now his home was gone, his caretaker dead, his body.. His frown slowly turned to a snarl. He'd get answers from them, and then he'd make their death swift. Nobody deserved to suffer, but this tiefling had made him suffer. And they got everything taken from him. He'd find out everyone involved, and he'd kill them. That was the only way to make things right. It went against everything that he had been taught about wielding a blade when he was young.. Use it only to protect the innocent, they said. It is not a weapon, but a tool to protect yourself, they said. Well, screw that. He couldn't protect those he cared about when it really matteres. He couldn't even protect himself. So he'd use it as a weapon. The man's gaze turned back to his hands, which were clasped in front of him, rough leather gloves covering up the scarred skin underneath. They'd pay. They'd all pay. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

For such a quaint town, there was a lot of trouble. And for the first time, Aradius wasn’t the one that caused it. If anything, they wanted to get away from all the threats and near-death experiences. But seeing as they are who they are, that wasn’t possible. It was like the only thing Aradius knew how to do was act out, which made their quiet and mousy demeanor all the more unsettling. Every once in a while, their eyes would flicker back to the masked man. All they could see from their position was his sword and the tip of another object out of view. A dagger wouldn’t be much help against a sword and a possible melee weapon. Not to mention the fact that the man was larger than them. He had the upper hand in that department. The tiefling was shaken from their thoughts as their food and drink arrived, and they hesitated before beginning to eat. @Dark Cecils II

He'd have to wait until they left the common area to make his move. He may be mad, but he wasn't mad. Attacking someone in broad daylight, in the middle of a tavern full of people, was a stupid idea. So for now he sat and watched, each second that passed bringing him more and more annoyance. The silence was driving him nuts. After several minutes, he stood and walked over to the tiefling, putting a hand on their shoulder, not so gently. "You. We need to talk." The voice that came from underneath the mask was growly, as if it pained them to speak, but there was a hint of something familiar there. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Aradius continued to eat with shaky hands, leg bouncing as they sat. Once finished, they planned to speed to their room for the night. No problems, no conflict, just rest. Those plans were crushed when they felt a hand grip onto their shoulder. Everything went rigid and they couldn’t feel, hear, or see anything other than the almost crushing grip. “A-Ah, I–um…I maybe another night, love. I’ve…I’ve had a long–a long day and am not in the mood for some fun.” They stuttered, not daring to turn around. That voice…why did it sound so familiar? They don’t remember many gruff voices in the near past but the hint of a melodic tone was… “Shit.” they hissed. It was the Orc bard from the inn that burned down. Just from the grip they could tell he was fueled by pure fury. “U-Uh, heh, Why don’t we keep this civilized, eh?” They laughed nervously as they turned, eyes darting anywhere but his eyes. “You–uh–wouldn’t want to cause any problems for the innkeeper, right?” @Dark Cecils II

His grip tightened on their shoulder. "Which is why we're taking this little chat outside, yeah?" The Orc growled out. "Wouldn't want to cause any trouble for any innkeepers, would we?" He just about dragged them out of their chair and walked them outside, taking them out into one of the alleyways before slamming them against the wall. "Now you're going to talk. I know you had something to do with what happened to the inn. You're gonna spill it, or i'll spill you." Xoruk's hand rested on his sword, making it painfully obvious what he meant by that. Getting a good look at him now, Aradius could see that there was very little exposed skin on his entire body due to thick leather and furs all over him. The only skin they could see on him was around his eyes, and it was discolored somehow. "You were talkin' to that shady guy, and then you happen to leave before the inn burned down? Quite the coincidence, don'tcha think?" @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Aradius was too petrified to object to the movement. Not that they could do anything anyway, they hadn’t had enough time to grab their lute and no simple magic would get them out of this. They simply complied, hoping to lock eyes with someone for help. A huff was pushed out of their chest as they were shoved against the wall, almost all the air knocked out of their lungs. He was pissed! Yet even at the threat on their well-being, they still had the guts to be smart. “Well, if you really wanted to be with me like this, you could have said something.” They said with a small cough and a shaky voice. Their eyes drifted to his hip, seeing the hand on his sword and they bit the inside of their lip. This wasn’t the first time Aradius had been in this kind of situation. They had lost count of how many times they had been close to being beaten to a pulp. But the sight gave them an idea. The dagger! It was still on their hip! Their eyes lifted back up to meet Xoruk’s, trying to keep his eyes on their face instead of anywhere else. Meanwhile, the tip of their tail began to slowly slither upwards in hopes of not being seen as they tried to grasp the weapon to escape. “I’ve nothing to do with the guy. He was just an old friend! After that, I decided to have some fun that night and left. Am I not allowed to meet up with a friend and get a little playful in the sheets of someone else’s bed?” They asked. @Dark Cecils II

"Make your jokes all you want, tiefling." His eyes narrowed behind the mask. "The fact that you can joke about it just shows how heartless you are." His grip tightened on the hilt of his sword. "You're nothing but trouble. You arrive at my inn, and then the very next day, it gets burned down. There were well over a dozen people in that place when it burned down, I hope you realize that. Only four or five made it out." His eyes closed for several seconds, and then they snapped open. "I watched the innkeeper get crushed by a falling beam. That woman took me in when I had nowhere else to go, and then I watched her die." He shoved Aradius against the wall roughly. "So you're going to give me a better answer than 'he was just an old friend', or you'll be the first person whose blood I spill." He fully expected them to do something to try and either kill him or escape. That's what those people tried to do, run away from anything that confronted them. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

At least one of us knows how to lighten the mood They thought, but they bit into their tongue before that thought left their mouth. "Easy, easy, Xoruk! I'm trouble, I'll admit that, but I would never do anything like what just happened!" Their voice cracked as they were shoved against the wall once again. Aradius' tail had successfully wrapped around the hilt of the dagger and currently was trying to pull it quietly out of its sheathe. A swift jab to the thigh out to distract the Orc enough to give them a change to slip away. "Listen, the guy in the inn crossed someone no person in their right mind would ever think of crossing. I told him to keep moving, gave him some money, then left! I swear on the stars that I had nothing to do with this! Now why don't you just take a deep breath and let me go, then we can talk like mature adults." Yes! they had finally freed the dagger. They were now armed. In the case than Xoruk refused to let them go, they had their plan. There was no reason for them to stay in this town unless they wanted to face the wrath of a grieving orc. They could run, hide in the woods until his trail on them ran cold, then they could enter the next town and head North. @Dark Cecils II (edited)

"How am I supposed to trust you? You've had it out for me since you got here! Trying to show me up on the stage, trying to mess up my work.. What'd stop you from trying to kill me as well?" He hissed out, staring daggers at them. His grip tightened on the hilt of his sword for several seconds before lowering his hand and grimacing. This wasn't him, harrassing some tiefling and threatening their life when they've already said that they had nothing to do with it.. "You know who caused this, though. So you're going to tell me, and then you can go." His eyes narrowed again, that fire igniting again. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Aradius had enough of being cornered on the wall, they quickly slashed the back of the orc’s thigh with the blade held by their tail and slid away from the wall, crouched as if ready to pounce. “You’re insane if you think you’ll be able to go after him and survive. The man’s a maniac! I barely made it out of his grasp and I’m a slippery bastard if I do say so myself.” They said, moving the dagger from their tail to their hand. Even though they had slipped out of Xoruk’s grip, he still blacked the way out of the alley. They were still trapped. While the Orc was still distracted, they quickly scanned their surroundings to find some other escape. A window ledge, a stack of crates, some loose vines. That wasn’t much to work with, but it was enough to at least get to the roof. That was all they needed. “Speaking of which, I’ll bid you farewell in your suicide mission of finding that psychopath. Ta!” They said before turning to begin climbing the crates in the corner of the dead end. @Dark Cecils II

The Orc growled as his thigh was slashed from behind, and he immediately started limping after Aradius as they started to run. "Maybe I am insane! What else am I supposed to do, huh?" He called after them. "Just sit around and let it go unpunished? Let people get away with murdering the people I care about, burning my home and scarring me?! No! I will not be a coward who runs from these people!" The meaning behind his words was obvious. The fact that they were running from him of all people made them a coward in his eyes. Letting out another growl, the orc reached down and laid his hand across the wound, humming a quiet tune as his bardic magic did its work to seal up the wound. If the tiefling was going to run and leave him to try and track down this person entirely on his own, fuck 'em. They obviously didn't give a shit if these villains were brought to justice. They were content to just let more and more people die to their hands. Not him. He'd hunt these people down and dismantle their organization piece by piece. "Keep running, coward! Keep running from the problems that you cause and you let fester!" With that, he started limping out of the alleyway. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Aradius paused at intended insult. “Coward for choosing life? Coward for being smart enough not to face a man who has hoards of resources with nothing to my name other than a fiddle, a pack, and a few coins?” They shot back, but behind their serious expression, their eyes showed pure fear. They had seen what that man had done. The sins that he had committed without a second blink of the eye. It was a wonder how they hadn’t seen them before sleeping with him then bolting. Xoruk was just a tiny roach compared to him. But the Orcs words began to sink in further. They did cause a lot of trouble. Most times they deemed the consequences as issues they needn’t deal with. A tavern brawl caused by soldiers trying to find them? Not their problem. An uprising at a festival because they had spread rumors of the host? Unrelated to them. Aradius sighed. As much as they didn’t want to admit it, Xoruk was right. No more running. They may not have anything to do with this problem, but they knew how to help fix it. “Wait,” they called from atop the stack of crates. Their voice seemed hesitant, but serious. No hint of playfulness. “You’re asking me to put my neck on the line to help you go against someone who could squash you with a glance. I think if I make it out alive, there should be some sort of compensation for helping you, other than your humiliation, of course.” They slid over the side and landed on the ground softly. From the sound, or lack of, of their landing, it was evident that they knew their way around a stealthy course of action. A useful tool. “What’s in it for me if I were to help you?” @Dark Cecils II

The orc didn't look over his shoulder at the tiefling as they spoke. They'd shown that they didn't care enough- They were focused on themselves and only themselves. Unlike him, they felt like they had things left to lose. Their life mattered to them, even if it was selfish to think that way. Whether or not he was a 'tiny roach', that didn't matter to him. What did he have left to lose at this point? His life? What did his life matter in anything? He couldn't save the people he cared most for, and he had no future. It wouldn't matter if he died. When they called out to him, he stopped moving and only barely tilted his head to listen to them. "No, i'm not asking you to stick your neck out for anything, tiefling. The only thing I want from you is a name and places to look for. I don't give a shit what you do once I have the info I need." When they mentioned wanting compensation, Xoruk's head whipped around and they could see a burning fury in his narrowed eyes. "You want payment?" He hissed. "I don't know if you've noticed, but I have nothing thanks to your little friends. The orc reached down to his belt and pulled off a small coin purse, throwing it to the ground at their feet in disgust. The purse still smelled of smoke, and they could hear only a handful of coin in it. "There's your damn payment. Now tell me what you know so you can go off and live whatever life you want." @HighFunctioningPsychopath

The tiefling let out a sarcastic laugh, their shoulders jumping at the action as they doubled over. “Please, you don’t know what you’re getting into. He has ears everywhere. One word and then poof, you’ll end up with your head on a spike. It’s a wonder how he hasn’t caught wind of me yet.” They replied. They calmed their breath and stood straight, looking toward the man in front of them. Their tail wrapped around the bag to pick it up and brought it to their hands for them to inspect. “Oh, no, you’re a stuck with me. Once I talk, I’m fair game to end up burning as well.” They opened the pouch and counted what they saw. It wasn’t much, but it was a decent amount to get by. “Besides, you’ll need someone that knows about the ins and outs about the big guy. Lucky for you, I do.” The only thing they wanted to do was run, to turn tail and stay alive. The sense of self preservation kept them safe so far, they’ve trusted it since the beginning. Now they’re willingly stepping into the line of fire, quite literally. Curse of a changed conscience, wasn’t it? “His name is Agni. He’s a fire Genasi that has an estate just West of the Faebrook river, but there’s no telling if he’ll be there until the Festival of Dancing Lights. He hosts his own event for the local town. That’s your easiest ticket to him, but there’s no getting in unless you’re a local or you have an invitation.” @Dark Cecils II

"If my head's on a spike, then it just means I don't have to worry about shit any more." He replied venomously. When they picked up the bag, he turned away from them and scowled. Great, he was stuck with an egotistical asshole who had no interest in actually helping him. They just wanted his money, and then they'd ditch him when things got rough. "Let's make this very clear, tiefling. I'm not an idiot. I know you don't give a shit what happens to me, or anyone for that matter, unless it benefits you directly. You got what you wanted, now buzz off." Agni. Fire genasi. Estate west of the faebrook. Festival of dancing lights. These were things he could work with, and he didn't need some stuck-up, selfish tiefling dragging him down and around as they wished. The faster he either took care of this Agni or died, the better. "Besides, if I die, that's just one less person to compete with, right?" That final comment was thrown over his shoulder before he started walking again. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Pale eyes lifted from the bag, a hint of shock lacing them as they watched Xoruk begin to walk away. The nerves began to set in. Letting him go? They’d only have days left before they’d be dead. A small whimper was heard from them as they quickly jumped after them. Aradius’ steps were skittish, speedy as they tried to keep up with the Orc. “Ah, wait, wait, wait! Hold on! What’s a little friendly competition? Besides,” they circled around him and stood in front of him to stop Xoruk in his path. With outstretched arms as if presenting themself, they gave a strained yet charming smile. “You need me. To get into that Festival, I mean.” @Dark Cecils II

As they quickly caught up to him, he scowled underneath his mask. "It's one thing to have 'friendly competition'. It's another thing to actively disturb someone's work." His eyes flicked over to them for a few seconds as he kept walking, only stopping when they stepped in front of him. His eyes met theirs as they said he needed them before he spoke again. "And what makes you think that?" He spoke with an annoyed gruffness. "You think that I can't figure out how to get into a Festival? You think that I couldn't get invited somehow?" That just showed how little they thought of him. He already had the plan of getting an invite by playing shows in the region leading up to this Festival, making a solid name for himself there, and getting the attention of this Agni that way. It was a slow process that wouldn't satisfy his fury, but it was necessary. "And you think that you could get in there, no problem, huh? Because you're so much better and so smart when it comes to dealing with this Agni guy, right?" The sarcasm and disdain was obvious. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Aradius was desperate. It was evident by the pleading look in their eyes behind the confident expression. To say they were terrified was an understatement. In fact, no words could acutely describe how they felt. But it was only for themselves. To be fair, anyone would be desperate to stay alive. If that meant staying with the star-forsaken Orc in front of them, they’d take it. Their confident smirk fell into a harsh glare, the gravel crunching softly under their boots as they stepped up to Xoruk as if challenging him. “And you think trying to impress Agni by playing nearby will be the quickest way to him?” They shot back lowly, getting as much in his face as they could. After all, the average height of their races were quite different. Even if they stood on their toes, Aradius would only just reach his shoulders. “It pays to play, darling. I’ve played there before, not to mention spent the night a few times. I know my way around the estate, and with that I know a few of the secrets you could use to your advantage. Oh, and might I also remind you that I actually know him and how he acts…mostly. “But, if you think going in blind after years of gaining an invitation and risking facing all of the goons he has after killing him if you do, be my guest. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” They said. Reverse psychology and logic. A last resort. it was evident their charm wouldn’t work on him, so trying to defend their position logically would help them. After they finished, they turned and began to walk the other way, but inwardly they were begging for the Orc to change his mind. @Dark Cecils II

Not everyone was so keen on staying alive. In all honesty, the look in his eyes showed a complete lack of self-preservation. After all, what was there for him to live for now? Nobody would be able to see him as anything more than grotesque. An orc was bad enough, but one as scarred and disfigured as him? How could anyone see him as more than a monster? Better to accept how little his life had than to have false hope for a better future. "I don't care if it's quick. I don't even care how painful it'll be to take him down." He growled out. "Agni took everything from me. I'm going to do the same to him, even if I die trying. "I'll drag him down to Hell kicking and screaming if I have to, since the gods are so keen on making my life hell either way." From that, it was clear that he'd welcome this being a suicide mission, and that he wouldn't let anything stand between him and his revenge against Agni. When Aradius began to walk off, the orc scowled and started walking in the opposite direction- stopping after several seconds. Letting someone be in grave danger because of his own hatred.. It was the kind of thing Orcs were hated for. He looked over his shoulder. "Fine. You can help. But when the moment comes to deal with Agni, he's mine. You don't lay a finger on him, got it?" @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Pointed canines poked through Aradius’ lips as a smirk grew on their face. Thank goodness that worked. If it didn’t, they would have been screwed. They stopped and swiveled around. The cocky look on their face only intensifying with the mischievous glint in their eyes. “With the stars as my witness and the honor of the tieflings, I give you my word I will leave Agni unharmed and untouched.” They said, a hint of dramaticism to their tone to cover the nerves that were growing in their stomach. It would be useful to have an Orc around. No one would think to mess with them as long as Xoruk was nearby to intimidate. As they stepped closer and around Xoruk, they trailed a hand up from his chest to his chin, avoiding the mask so as to not pull it off of his face. They may oftentimes be heartless, but they still had enough of a heart to respect certain decisions people follow. If Xoruk wanted to keep his face behind a mask, so be it. “But I can’t promise anything in terms of pleasure.” They added lowly with a suggestive wink. As quick as the day, they took their hand back and stepped away, the suggestive look they had fading into a more serious look. “Now, when do we leave?” @Dark Cecils II

The tiefling's cockiness just pissed Xoruk off. Here they were, begging for their life and to come with him, and the moment he agreed? All that damned swagger and confidence came flooding back. It's like they had no idea what the hell was truly going on. He was planning on killing someone. At least they'd leave Agni alone. They may not respect anything in this damned world, but at least they respected his wishes there. The dramatics were unnecessary though. As soon as Aradius went to lay a hand on him, he flinched and took a long step back. In a harsh growl, he spoke, "Don't you dare touch me." They thought they deserved being able to touch him? They were dead wrong. After several moments of staring daggers, he stepped past them and started walking again. "We leave immediately." @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Xoruk’s harsh tone sent shivers down Aradius’ spine. Evidently he wasn’t much of a physical person. Then again, who knew what had happened in the fire. For all they knew, he could be in pain. Aradius’ hands came up in surrender, eyes blowing wide as they took another step back. “Alright, alright, no touching! Understood!” They said defensively. As the Orc shrugged past them, they pushed down a scoff. They knew they needed him around as some sort of protectant, but the least he could do was loosen up a bit. His entire life burned to a crisp the night before, but that didn’t mean he needed to constantly mope about. “I’ll grab my things from the tavern you so gently pulled me from, then.” They replied, turning on their heel to do so. It was less than a minute that Aradius was gone before they returned with their belongings…along with a small coin pouch hooked to the end of their tail. The tiefling could practically feel the harsh look Xoruk gave them and they simply shrugged. “She was running through my things whilst wearing nobleman’s clothes. I think I’m valid in receiving payment payment without permission.” A small chuckle bubbled from their chest as they took the pouch in their hand and added it with the rest of their money. @Dark Cecils II

The Orc rolled his eyes as they went to get their things, leaning on the corner of the building with his eyes closed. Did he really need to be so hard on the tiefling? Maybe. Maybe not. Did he really care at the moment? No, not at all. They didn't seem to give a shit about anything he was going through, focused only on their own survival and their own gain. It didn't matter to them that people got hurt, or that his life has been ruined. But was he any better, forcing them to give everything up for his own path of revenge? Of course he wasn't, but it wasn't like they couldn't return to their life after all this was over. What did he really have to return to? He was an Orc, and a hideously scarred one at that, so nobody would accept him. His home and job had been destroyed, and he had nowhere else to go. So once this was all over.. what would be next? He'd cross that bridge when he got to it. When the tiefling walked back outside with a coin purse on their tail, he glared for a second or two before sighing. It really didn't matter to him what they did, as long as they didn't make his life more difficult. "Come on." And with that, he pushed off of the walk and started walking again. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

By the time Aradius looked up again, Xoruk was already five steps ahead, which was quite a bit considering the height difference. They jumped in surprise and scampered to keep up with him, staying close to him. After all, the night was a dangerous place. A few hours past, and Aradius was shivering violently from the cold. The cloak they had was heavy, but it seemed like it did nothing to help them battle the temperature. Breaths came out in puffs of steam as they panted, attempting to keep up with the Orc, but never once did they complain, at least not outwardly. Not a word was shared, it was silent save for the quiet howling of the wind occasionally shaking snow from the trees. @Dark Cecils II

It was getting far too dark to travel, so after several hours of walking, Xoruk held up a hand for Aradius to stop. "We camp here, off the round, in that clearing over there." There was a sense of harsh finality to his words- as if he wouldn't take 'no' for an answer on this matter. And so, they trudged through the snow for about thirty seconds before they were in a clearing mostly protected from the harsh winds and snow. A cold wind still came through every now and then, knocking snow from the leaves and showering the ground with the freezing flakes. All things considered, however, there were worse places to camp. "You stay here." The orc said harshly. "I'll go get some wood for a small fire." He spoke simply, and then disappeared into the treeline. If Aradius watched, they could see his hulking form in the shadows of the woods, leaning down and grabbing frozen sticks every so often. Xoruk would be gone for ten minutes or so before he returned, an armful of sticks of varying sizes. If this was all he had, it was bound to be a long, cold night. He dropped most of them to the ground, arranging a few of them in a simple, small campfire, which he then held his hand over and spoke a word, lighting it with magic. "There." @HighFunctioningPsychopath

There was a sense of relief that came with Xoruk’s words. Finally some rest. Finally a chance to somewhat warm up. Aradius grew a spike of energy as they grew closer to the clearing and immediately dropped their belongings in their respective corner. A dramatic sigh was heaved as they pulled the cloak around their shoulders tighter around their form. When told to stay, the tiefling didn’t respond. Even if they wanted to move, they couldn’t. Both by their situation and the temperature factored into that. A sharp breeze cut through the trees and shook some snow off of the branches, causing the heat-acclimated tiefling to shiver more violently. As they waited for Xoruk to return, Aradius kept a wary eye on their surroundings. Although diminished by the misery of exhaustion, paranoia still had a grip on their mind. Who knew what was out in the woods around them. Dangerous creatures, people…or worse. The sound of firewood falling to the ground shook Aradius from their thoughts in fear. They nearly fell backwards, but thankfully they had just enough strength to keep upright. Their eyes flicked between the kindling and the masked Orc, but didn’t protest. Fire was fire, and they had no energy to shoot a snarky comment. The fire started and Aradius scrambled closer, aiding it to help it grow silently. @Dark Cecils II

Once the fire was established, Xoruk sat at the edge of the warmth, opposite from Aradius. His expression was unreadable, but his body was visibly tense as he looked around the area. While he had this burning rage deep inside him.. He was no warrior. No soldier. He was an entertainer and a server, his experience with his swords was limited at best. Doubts existed at the corners of the Orc's mind, as did visions of the fire. Every time he closed his eyes, he could feel the heat on his skin, the searing pain that never seemed to truly leave his flesh, the shouts of panic and fear and pain in his ears. The shaking of his hands were subtle, but noticeable by a keen eye. That night had only been a few days ago, but every night since felt like an eternity of searing pain. Sleep hadn't, and wouldn't, come easy. He'd make Agni pay. The Genasi's death would be slow and painful, Xoruk would make sure of that. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Quiet. It was a very rare thing to befall the tiefling, and it was already starting to get to their head as they began to thaw. Aradius looked up at their new traveling companion, studying his expression, or at least what they could through his mask. Although still seething with rage, they could see he was still haunted by the memory of his home—his life—being burnt to ashes. They almost felt pity for him…almost. Looking down at his hands, they saw him at unrest, both because of the cold and his unrest. They could see the scarring from the fire, the callouses from the word he had done before then. This made them begin to think. Aradius didn’t want to be stirred from the little amount of sleep they would get by his night terrors. They’d rather have him asleep and dreaming of revenge. “If you are trying to keep warm, you aren’t doing a very good job.” They commented, gesturing to the movement in his hands. @Dark Cecils II

He could feel the tiefling looking him over. Examining him, how his body had been scarred. Let them stare, let them gawk. It didn't matter to him. If he survived this journey, he'd get stares for the rest of his life. When they pointed out how his hands were shaking, he clenched them into fists to stop them. "The cold doesn't bother me in the same way it does you." A weak response, to be sure, but he wasn't going to take pity from his temporary traveling companion. Pity wasn't what he wanted. They had a purpose to serve, and then he'd never see them again. ..And he had obvious reasons to keep his distance from the fire. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

“Regardless, that doesn’t give you the right to freeze.” They shot back, a slight tremble to their voice from their shivers. “But if you so wish to do so, be my guest.” In times like these, they wished they had paid more mind to the environmental manipulating spells in their schooling. How to change the weather for a short time, how to spread heat, how to melt the snow and leave their makeshift camp in a warm, homey oasis from the cold. Instead, they learned just enough to both get by, which was good enough for them. Everyone has their motive. Besides, even if they could, they’d most likely catch frostbite as they played. A few moments passed in silence, Aradius’s eyes flickering between the comforting glow of the fire and the haunted look in Xoruk’s eyes. It was an all too common motif when it came to looking people in the eye. Some were more evident than others, some more severe, but it was all the same. The look of a lost soul. They scoffed to themself. “No point to dwell in the negatives. How about a distraction?” They said, scooting closer to the fire, and in turn Xoruk. “If we’re to travel together we should at the very least get to know each other. I’ll even let you start! Go on, ask me a question.” @Dark Cecils II

Being cold is far better than being hot. The thought came to Xoruk's mind almost immediately as his tiefling companion continued to speak. He let out a sigh and bundled his coat tighter around himself, eyes narrowing behind their mask. He probably had a large variety of spells under his belt that would help keep them warm.. But most of them would involve fire, which wasn't something he wanted to mess with ever again. If he could avoid fire forever, he would in a heatbeat. That wasn't going to happen, unfortunately.. He had his own fears about confronting Agni, deep down. He was a Genasi, beings of the elements. He'd undoubtedly have powerful fire under his control.. The Orc shuddered with a primal fear at that thought. Before confronting Agni, he needed to find defenses against elemental magic. Specifically, fire magic. There had to be ways to protect himself.. He was roused from his dark musings by Aradius's voice, and his eyes flicked up. They wanted to.. what? After blinking a couple of times to process what they had said, he looked back down for several seconds in silence, barely seeming like he acknowledged what they said. Then, he spoke. "Where did you even come from?" @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Aradius waited and waited for a reply, anything to continue the conversation. They couldn’t stand the silence. After a small while, they sighed and looked back down at the flames. However, Xoruk then began to speak. His words took them aback for a moments, and for once they were almost speechless. By the look in their eyes, it seemed like they were calculating their response. Eyes flitted over the fire and their mouth opened and closed once or twice before they found the words. “I’m…not really tied anywhere. I find a tavern, stay for a while, and move on. I stay some places a month or two at the most.” They looked back up at the Orc in front of them, praying to the stars that he wasn’t asking about where they were originally from. There was no need to go into any of that with someone who didn’t care whether they lived or died. Besides, they had their secrets they intended to keep. “And what about you? I didn’t see many local Orcs back in that little town of yours? Were you a traveler?” They shot back almost defensively. @Dark Cecils II

There was a part of him that felt proud that he had found a question that shut the tiefling up for a time, but that quickly faded as they gave him an evasive response that didn't really answer his question. They weren't stupid- They knew what he meant. Letting out a sigh, he just looked back down at his hands. He could see what this was now- They wanted information on him, and didn't plan on giving any about themselves. Fine, if that's what they wanted to do, so be it. He didn't have a lot of info to give anyway. "I was abandoned as a child, spent my early years on the streets, before the innkeeper took me in." He replied dryly. If they didn't plan on giving anything about themselves, then he wasn't giving much about himself. That was as much as they were gonna get. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

The tiefling huffed to themself. Of course he’d be difficult. If the entire trip was this way, it would be a long journey. However, they still pressed on. Maybe charm would help coax something to base a conversation on. “‘Abandoned’ you say. Must have been hard on you.” They said, a seemingly innocent tilt of their head. It was a simple look, but to the weak minded—and on a good day—they could make anyone fold into doing what they wanted. Although, Xoruk wasn’t an easy target. Although channeling their expertise in deceit, they were genuinely curious. They almost felt…pity for this shell of an Orc. They could feel the relatability, but as soon as it began to grow, they pushed it deeper into their stomach. There was no room in their heart to hold sentiment for Xoruk, especially because his actions may determine whether or not they live or die. @Dark Cecils II

He didn't even look up at them. "Not any harder than any kid living on the street. Muscled my way into some circles of other kids for a while. Got food and shelter that way." There was nothing flowery about how he spoke about his childhood. That's just how it was- Nobody liked kids on the street. Being an orc gave him the size and strength to have an upper hand over the other kids. Now that he had answered their question, his attention focused back on his hands. They were the only things he could fully trust- his own two hands. They'd never betray him. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Aradius shrugged, their clothing ruffling as they did so, but as the wind picked up, it seemed as if they were simply pulling their cloak closer. “Sometimes the streets are the best teachers. How else would I have learned where to find the little vinegar trick I pulled.” They chuckled in a feeble attempt lighten his mood. After a few moments, they thought of their own question. “What drew you to Bardic magic? I feel you would be more drawn to the arcane arts with all the old wack jobs in the South.” Another jab at striking a conversation, albeit highly improbable. As they spoke, they took one of the extra stick and poked at the fire, hoping to help the flames and bring more warmth to their campsite. “I mean, you obviously seem to be the pacafist type,” they added their raised eyebrows to their sarcastic comment. “so I don’t see you being one to do underground battles, although I must say, you could probably make some good coin.” @Dark Cecils II

He didn't seem to acknowledge the comment about the vinegar trick, but deep down, he was still pissed about it. That was the last day he was able to do what he enjoyed, and it had been fucked up by the tiefling's pranks. "I found a discarded instrument in the inn one day, and had a natural talent for it. A well-known bard took notice of my talent and took me under his wing, teaching me all he knew." When Aradius went poking at the flames, Xoruk physically retreated into his coat more than before, trying to protect himself from the flames as they were disturbed. He did not cry out, though. "I'm not a pacifist. I just avoided undue violence, and I enjoyed my life at the inn." @Dark Cecils II

Aradius nodded along as they listened, but took notice of the tension in the Orc’s shoulders when they tried to assist the flames. In turn, they simply tossed the stick they were using into the fire, watching the flames grow for just a moment before calming once more. “Seemed it. I’d never seen such a happy Orc. It was close to unsettling.” They replied as they leaned down to their side. Might as well get somewhat comfortable for the night, even though the freezing winds cut through their clothes and the fire didn’t help too much. “But a well-known Bard, hmm? That sounds interesting!” @Dark Cecils II

The orc nodded simply. He enjoyed his life before, even if he could never have anything like that again. "And i've never seen such a paranoid tiefling." The comment was dry, with no humor to it. All he saw from Aradius was a paranoid, albeit flirtatious, person who didn't have much to them outside of that. They didn't show anything else. Which made them unbearable to be around. "..But yes, a bard taught me what he knew. That's how I refined my musical talents and learned magic." @HighFunctioningPsychopath

A puff of steam pooled from Aradius’ nose as they huffed, face dropping into an unamused expression in response to Xoruk’s comment. “I have my reasons, same as you. Trust is an uncommon thing these days, and I intend to keep my horns connected to my head and my head attached to my body, thank you very much.” They said, a playfully defensive tone in their voice. Things hadn’t always been easy for Aradius. Although they had stirred trouble up for themself most of the time, they still learned from their naïvety in their youth. Running around, never stopping, never getting close to anyone. They didn’t even remember the last time they had settled somewhere for more than a year. It wasn’t the easiest nor the happiest lifestyle, but it was the safest. They blinked away the reflections and ignored the growing pit in their stomach. It would go away with sleep, it always did. “Homeschool learning, hmm? Sounds boring. How did you even make friends. Have you even gotten yourself a little partner yet?” @Dark Cecils II

Unlike him to them, Aradius knew why he was so defensive. So full of pain. His eyes flicked up to them for a moment, though his exact mood was hard to discern due to his mask. "I made friends with the regulars at the inn. Had some friends from my younger days. Anything else is none of your business." @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Aradius raised their hands in surrender, but still keep them covered by their cloak. Quickly after, they pulled them back close to their chest, a shiver running up their spine. “Simply trying to talk, my friend, but if you want silence, I will give you silence.” They said defensively before laying down fully. It seemed he was too grumpy to talk further, so they would leave him to brood. Let him mope for all they cared. The only reason they were there was for self preservation. So they turned over and curled into a fetal position, covering their face as much as they could to keep it warm as well. @Dark Cecils II

The orc sighed as Aradius turned away from him. There was some shuffling, and then a rough blanket was tossed over them. It wasn't of good quality, but at least it'd keep them warm. "I'll take first watch." Xoruk said, looking down at them from where he stood before turning and walking to the edge of camp. If there was going to be silence, it might as well be productive silence. Well, as productive as it could be. While he didn't think they'd be in danger this close to town, it was better to get in a routine of watches for when they were. Especially once Agni caught wind of his goal. It'd probably be a good idea to find some magic to stop people from sneaking up to the camp while they rested.. Too much to do. Not enough time, and by far not enough money. Damn tiefling.. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Aradius jumped a little when they felt the rough fabric land over their head. At first, they thought someone had gotten word to Agni and in turn the genasi sent a few of his men their way to capture them. But when they pulled the blanket away from their eyes, they frowned in confusion. Turning their gaze to look at the Orc, they grew even more confused. What had they done to show them any sort of kindness. For all he knew, they had ruined every bit of happiness he had left, but Xoruk…he still showed them the kindness to give them a blanket. A part of them was trying to find his angle. What did Aradius need to do in return? Nothing comes without a price. But a small voice in their head told them there wasn’t an angle, that he was just being kind, and that felt…nice. It’d been a long time since anyone had done something for them without them paying with either their body, their music, or for their coin. Aradius wrapped the blanket around their form, already feeling more protected from the cold. Since they figured it was more suitable for the size of their new traveling companion, they were swallowed by the fabric in almost a cocoon of warmth. It took a little while, but Aradius finally found some form of unconsciousness. @Dark Cecils II

The first few hours of the night passed uneventfully, with Xoruk brooding at the edge of the camp, just outside the light of the campfire. He had to admit, the silence of the frosted forest did wonders to calm the whirlwind in his mind. It was said that orcs were naturally aggressive, that they had a fury in their blood. He had never experienced that fury when he was at the inn- Nothing had set him off. But now, he had struggled to keep himself calm several times throughout the day.. Maybe something had awakened in him. Something dangerous.. After roughly half the night, Aradius was woken up by him taking the blanket. "Your watch." Was the only thing he said before he wrapped himself up and fell asleep. The blanket was far smaller on him compared to Aradius, failing to cover everything soundly. He would deal, however. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

The stark contrast of warmth from the cold as the blanket was shaken from their body was what Aradius from their light sleep. It took them off guard, but the tiefling groaned and stretched, moving to ground themself to the present gain all of their senses. Not a word was shared between the two, mostly since Xoruk had collapsed as soon as he hit the ground. There wasn’t a point anyways. So they simply pulled their cloak closer and sat a small distance away from the embers where the fire once was. Against a large, lumbering tree was where they sat, looking with sharp, paranoid eyes around the small camp. Hours passed and they began to grow bored. They had counted all the trees they could see, all the pebbles stuck in the bottom of their boots, every fading footstep they had left before settling for the night. Fifty-six, Thirteen, and as far as they could see there were around 20. At one point they managed to get a few ideas for some future songs. @Dark Cecils II

The first peaks of the sun could barely be seen over the horizon and Aradius began to notice. They looked up from their journal and stood, hearing their limbs crack as they were stirred from their stiffness. Uneventful and all quiet. With a yawn, they stepped up to the sleeping Orc on the other side of the camp. They lifted their boot to start nudging him awake with their foot, but stopped. Why did they stop? Was it because they remembered what he had done the night before? Or was it because they were too tired to use that much energy? They liked to think it was the latter reason, but deep down they knew that wasn’t the case. Bending down, they shook the Orc’s shoulder to wake him up. “It’s daylight. I’m assuming you’d want to start moving.” They muttered before shifting away and starting to kick snow over the remains of the fire. If they learned one thing over the years, it was to never leave an indication of where you slept. It had saved their skin plenty of times before, and with Agni soon to be on their tails it would surely help now. @Dark Cecils II

His eyes snapped open as they shook him. There was a wild panic to them, and he nearly lunged. When he realized what was going on, he stopped himself, taking several moments to calm his breathing and mind. Sleep hadn't come easy, and it hadn't been restful. Now that he was calmed down- Calm enough, at the very least, he started packing up what little supplies he had. It showed just how little he still had from the fire, or what he had managed to scrounge up with what little coin he had- Before Aradius took it. All he really had was a rough backpack and blanket, that's it. Once he had gotten everything packed up, he looked over at Aradius. "Let's go." Then, he turned and started walking down the path, not waiting for the tiefling. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

As there wasn’t much room the night before to unpack anything, Aradius was ready to go the moment the word came. Not that they had many traveling supplies anyway. Mostly clothes, a few hygiene items, a waterskin they hadn’t had the time to fill, and the coin they had “earned.” They planned to stay in town a bit longer, but that wasn’t the case for Xoruk apparently once he had come along. However, that was in the terms of physically packing. When it came to mentality, that was a different story. They were so distracted by covering the fire that they hadn’t noticed the Orc bard storming off without them. Their heart jumped in panic. “Right, off we go!” They replied, mostly to themself, as they snatched their pack from the ground and raced to catch up with Xoruk. Snow kicked up from their feet as they ran and finally reach his side, and they could feel the heel of their cloak begin to gather snow, melting into the fabric and causing it to soak at the bottom. As long as it wasn’t near their torso and head. “The next town is a few days away by foot. But there’s a pass nearby that gets us there in half the time.” They said, hoping to break the silence for a bit. They continued on, but as they did, they realized the mistake they were making in mentioning the shortcut. “Problem is, it’s easy pickings for thieves and other…dangerous people—“ they quickly cut themself off before the thought lingered. “Are you familiar with Wyndman’s road? I hear it’s lively this time of year with the snow, why not go that away?” @Dark Cecils II

The orc trudged through the snow, bag thumping against his back with every step. It lacked weight, which bothered him to some degree. If he was going to survive out on the road, he'd need more than what he had. He- or they- would starve, freeze, die of thirst, whatever terrible fate would befall them without more supplies. The tiefling wouldn't let him have the money to buy the supplies, though.. With a simple wave of his hand, his boots and gloves started to warm nicely. It'd help keep him comfy, but wouldn't do a ton to avoid frostbite or hypothermia. "Unless you're planning on starving or freezing to death, taking the shortcut's our only option. I, at the very least, don't have the supplies to make it to the next town comfortably." A very pointed look to Aradius. His point was clear- He believed that fact was their fault. "Besides, if any brigands come after us, I have more training with this thing than you'd expect." He motioned to the shortsword on his hip. "That, combined with my wide variety of magic, means I can probably handle whatever they throw at us." @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Aradius noticed the wave of their traveling companion’s hand began to wonder. They hadn’t seen anyone do that before, and it obviously wasn’t a fidget as he hadn’t done so the day before nor any other time before that. How curious. Was it a magical aid to help battle the cold? If that was the case then they definitely were not going to be seen as an idiot. As they listened to Xoruk, they followed the movement he had done that caused him to walk a little more comfortably. Nothing happened. Their brows furrowed in concentration as they tried again, this time with a little more intensity and intention into whatever magic he had called upon. Again, nothing happened. A soft, frustrated huff rumbled through their throat before they noticed Xoruk began to look toward them. Their hand shot down to their side, eyes a little widened as if caught in the act. However, that was the moment they processed what he had said, and their heart dropped to their stomach. “Uh—heh—wouldn’t you think it’d be wiser to…you know…save your hide for the maniac you so intend on having an unfriendly chat with?” They asked, no doubt an attempt to weasel out of going through the pass. @Dark Cecils II

He raised a brow at them from behind his mask. What was it they were trying to do? Were they mimicking what he had done? The frustrated appearance, quickly followed by the look of a kid whose hand was caught in the cookie jar, told him that was so. He didn't comment on it, however, just sighing. "If you want to take the long way around, be my guest. But, like I said, I don't have any other choice. It's either deal with some bandits and fight 'em off, or die of starvation out here in the wilderness. You have the money. You have the supplies to last long enough to make it town. We don't. So if you're going to chicken out and take the long way around, go for it." He quickly turned his attention forward again. "I won't be." @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Aradius took offense to Xoruk’s comments as if he had just cursed their entire bloodline. Their hand flew to their chest as they took in a dramatic gasp. “You call being sensible cowardly? What world does that make sense?” They retorted, tail swishing angrily behind them as if itching to attack. Although their gaits were sparsely different, the tiefling managed to scramble in front of the Orc and continue backward, albeit trotting to stay in that position. “These aren’t just a few scummy bandits without brains, you lumbering mass of cattle feed, they’re resourceful! One opening and they’ve got you roped-up and off to be sold to the highest bid. It was a mistake to even mention that place!” But he seemed not to listen, as when they stopped, he simply walked around them. They grunted, as they followed him, repeatedly telling themself in their mind that they were doing so for their life. But judging by Xoruk’s attitude and decisions thus far, they would be dead either way. “Oh, again with the finances! If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were trying to swindle your money back!” They said, once again continuing the bickering. @Dark Cecils II

He stopped and stared Aradius down, a burning fury in his eyes. "You call starving sensible? You call taking risks because you have no other choice a mistake? What other option do I have?! How many times do I have to repeat myself- No food. Barely any shelter. Middle of the winter in the middle of the wilderness. Several days. You think I like having to trudge through a bandit-filled pass? You think I enjoy having to risk my life this way?" When they went on to try and dissuade him from going into the pass, he just huffed roughly. "They can sure as hell try to tie me up. I've got more than just a sword on my belt. I'm stronger than most humans, I have magic, and I have experience fighting. So yes, I call being 'sensible' cowardly in this situation. Because being 'sensible' means death." Then, he was walking again, passing Aradius without a second thought. "Oh, like you'd even think about giving me any of the coin. Why would you? It'll do you no good to give me any when i'm supposedly walking straight to my death. And even if- and when- I make it through that pass, you wouldn't be able to try and force me to do shit your way if I had any coin. So no, I don't give a flying fuck about the coin. I care about getting to the next town so I don't starve to death." @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Aradius couldn’t find the words, only a snarl and a glare was on their face. The could feel the growl as it rumbled through their chest, which shocked them. It was quite a rare instance to get them to do such. Any enemy of theirs would be honored to have done so. But, as much as Aradius despised to admit it, neither of them had really prepared for the journey. No food, no traveling materials, nothing. Desperate times called for desperate measures, that being a gamble with their lives as the betting price. So they complied. It took work, but they pushed their pride down and held their tongue. What more could they do? The Orc was too stubborn to listen. Not to mention any direction they chose led to death. Leave Xoruk, Agni would find that they had helped Xoruk and kill them. Go through the pass, probably be sent to some bounty hunter’s client and killed. Split and meet in the next town, starvation. “And to think I actually showed you pity this morning.” They grumbled to themself, glaring into Xoruk’s back as they started after him without another word. Who knows. Maybe there wouldn’t be any problem, however unlikely that would be. @Dark Cecils II

Xoruk moved toward the pass with a grim expression behind his mask. Did he have a particular plan to get through the pass? No, not really. But he had magic, and he would adapt. If they could avoid the main path, they'd be able to avoid the bulk of the bandits.. He had a spell that could possibly help with it, the only times he ever expected to use it was if there was a extremely aggressive customer at the inn who needed more to take care of than what he had.. But it'd only be able to apply to one of them at a time. He wasn't strong enough to make it affect them both.. "How good are you at climbing?" The question came suddenly, after several minutes of walking. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

The silence was stifling, but what more was there to say? The two hadn’t had much of a good start after all, and as far as Aradius could tell, Xoruk wasn’t much of a chatterbox. If they hadn’t met him before the fire, they would have been led to believe he was a machine rather than an Orc thanks to the mask. However, they did have something to keep their mind busy. The puzzle of what he had done earlier. Every once and a while, they waved their hand, each time a little different, and each time to no avail. After each attempt, they brainstormed other factors that may have added to successful results. It seemed so simple and easy when he did it. How was it so hard for them? A different faction of magic, maybe? “So-so,” they replied, more engrossed in their experimentation than the conversation. “Why?” @Dark Cecils II

His attention was on the rough terrain around them as they got closer to the pass. "You're not a fighter, you've made that obvious. So i'm going to make climbing easier for you with magic, and you can climb above the bandits to avoid them entirely, and i'll sneak my way through the pass itself. I'm sure you'd be fine with you not being the one at risk, and if I get myself captured or killed, that's one less thing for you to worry about." He explained his plan without even looking back at them or stopping. Either he was suicidal, or he was still looking out for them in a weird way. Or he was arrogant and way too confident in his own abilities. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

The ground beneath Aradius’ boots began to become all the more rocky and uneven, a telltale sign that the pass was getting all the more closer. But the Tiefling took no note of the change yet, only the response the Orc gave. In fact, they were so shocked that the moment they attempted to wave their hand again, they felt the soles of their feet burn as if they had just stepped on a bed of hot coal. A loud yelp was heard coming from Aradius as they leapt in pain, followed by a string of curses. No doubt they wouldn’t try that again. “Wait, wait, give me a moment!” They said, still hopping but somewhat still keeping up with Xoruk as the burning subsided. “You mean to suggest splitting up?” Finally the effects of the magic wore off, but the pain in their feet remained. Possibly burns were what remained, but they couldn’t stop to heal them. They would just have to wait until their next rest, that was if they made it there. “You—I don’t…uh, well—“ a deep, calming breath in. “No.” @Dark Cecils II

He raised a brow at them, both at what they had done to themselves and their response. "That's surprising. I thought you would've expected you to want to make it as safe as possible for you. How do you expect to make it through the pass? It's a lot easier for one person to make it through the pass undetected than two." A part of him was annoyed at the tiefling for refusing. It would've been a hell of a lot easier for him to stay out of the way without worrying about keeping their sorry tail alive, but he'd just have to improvise. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

There was a haunted glint in Aradius’ ghostly white eyes, one that hadn’t been shown before. Yet they kept their eyes ahead, not once looking to the masked Orc at their side. “I have my reasons, as do you. And I’ll also have you know, I can fight. I just…prefer the weapon of my word rather than a sword. That’s all.” Their arms crossed over themselves and fletched close to Aradius’ chest. On the outside they seemed to be conserving body heat, but Aradius just couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable. The small glimpse of weakness was soon gone as they realized what they were doing and they stood up straighter, clearing their throat and running their hands up and down their arms to keep the appearance of keeping warm. “Besides, with your infatuation with death wishes, you’ll need a clear head. And who better than I to be that level head for you?” @Dark Cecils II

The Orc shrugged. Whatever. He'd work with it, one way or another. With that, he turned his attention to the increasingly rocky terrain around them. Did he expect them to accompany him into the pass? No, not at all. Did it make things considerably harder for him? Yes, yes it did. Moving carefully forward, his eyes were focused on the cliffs above. Aradius could worry about the stuff on the ground. If they were careful, they'd be able to make their way through a decent part of the pass without being seen. Of course, his bulk and the dark color of his clothes made him stand out against the much lighter stone. With him being careful, however, he positioned most of his bulk behind various large stones beside the path- the very kind that bandits would hide behind. Apparently he wasn't dumb enough to just waltz down the main road. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

The hairs on Aradius’ back stood on end as they began to enter the pass. Stealth was the name of the game, and they going to play strictly by the rules. They moved almost catlike from cover to cover, eyes peeled for any sense of danger. At the same time, they never left a five foot radius from Xoruk and constantly made sure he was still there. They may not have liked him very much, but he was a good source of protection, especially with the amount of rage radiating off of him. It was a wonder how he hadn’t melted the snow surrounding him. The pass was deathly silent, almost as if time had stopped as soon as they entered. No howling of the wind, no rustling from animals scrounging for food, just the pounding heartbeat in the Tiefling’s ears and the soft crunch of snow as they continued on. @Dark Cecils II

Several minutes passed as they crept through the pass. The mark of bandits being in the area was obvious, with remains of camps visible every now and then. Where they were exactly, however, was much harder to tell. Every so often, the Orc would point out traps that he noticed, mostly designed to capture- not kill- showing that these bandits were slavers. When they were halfway through the pass, however, an arrow slammed into the stone just behind Xoruk. He suddenly slammed a hand on his own shoulder, mumbling some words as his eyes seemed to.. change beneath his mask. Then, he looked over his shoulder. "Follow my lead and do as I say. Do not stop running." With that, along with the shouts of bandits on the cliffs above, Xoruk dashed out from behind the rocks, shouting commands to Aradius on how to avoid the traps that he was somehow noticing and avoiding. It was at this point that the Orc drew his sword as well, knowing that there would be fighting towards the end of the pass since they had been caught. Damn his large frame. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Aradius cursed in surprise as they heard the arrow land, turning to the side where Xoruk was to see if he was hurt. But they had only a few seconds to see the damaged before more arrows began to fly, one nearly grazing their eye if not for them ducking. Their breath came out in short pants as they could feel fear rising. They’d heard stories of survivors, tales told by those who had managed to escape after being captured in that very pass. ‘Merciless’ is what they always described these people as. But that was the understatement of the era judging by the descriptions of their experiences. Looking over the rocky mound they used as cover, they heard Xoruk command for them to follow. Of course he would want to tell them what to do. The thought made their eyes roll into the back of their head and they began to turn to fire back a snappy remark. However, the look of Xoruk’s eyes lassoed their tongue to the back of their mouth for a moment. “Yes, sir!” They said, mostly out of fear of what he’d do to them if they didn’t than of the bandits and thieves firing at them. Their feet screamed for respite, yet the adrenaline pumping through their veins helped them ignore the irritation. Three heads from what they could see, but arrows came from everywhere. Three less to take care of if they take their fiddle from the confines of its case. Which proved difficult as they avoided arrows, traps, and followed orders simultaneously. Finally, they pulled out the instrument and found cover. A sickening tune was heard from its strings as the Tiefling glared at the 3 targets. And as they did so, they all ducked and faint retching was heard from their vantage points. @Dark Cecils II

Unfortunately for Xoruk, while he was able to avoid the traps, he wasn't so lucky with avoiding all of the arrows. Several grazed him as he ran, leaving painful cuts in him that only served to anger him more. Thankfully, most were focused on the large orc, which left Aradius to do what they needed to do a lot easier. When Xoruk heard the sound of a fiddle behind him, he skidded to a stop. Dammit! They were supposed to stay close so they both could avoid the traps. Now they were behind, and he'd need to wait for them to catch up. A few bandits, armed with clubs and swords, slid down the cliff and ran at him. Fucking great. Luckily, with his magically-enhanced eyesight, he was able to see the weak points in their shoddily-maintained armor, which allowed him to jump out of the way of one of the club swings before slamming his sword through the ribcage of one of the bandits, leaning heavily into the blow. The orc and the bandit hit the ground hand, and Xoruk had to roll away, barely avoiding the club swung at his head. One down, plus whatever Aradius had done. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Aradius celebrated the small victory in their head, smiling to themself for a split second as they figured the sickening feeling they had cast upon the three would linger long enough to spare them time. But the small victory was short lived, as when they started after Xoruk, they found him caught in one of the traps. “For the love of—“ they growled before running forwards to free the Orc. However, they were halted for a moment as a crossbow’s arrow buried its tip into their shoulder blade, causing them to stumble over their feet. Thankfully they hadn’t called, but that just made them all the more pissed. They knew this would happen, they knew they would run into trouble, yet they went anyway. Was it too late to turn around and take starvation instead? They inspected the arrow and followed its angle to its shooter, who was currently reloading for another shot. Aradius didn’t give them the chance, as they pointed their bow towards her and showered her in a line of flames. So what it drained most of their Arcane energy. It was payback. “I look away for one minute and you get yourself stuck!” They shouted, skidding to his side to help him up as their tail snatched their dagger to work on releasing him. @Dark Cecils II

Xoruk just growled out some word, and Aradius heard a limp body hit the ground behind them. "Watch your damn back!" Once they had cut him free, the orc rolled out of the way of an arrow that slammed into the stone between them. Then, he was up and deflecting a sword swung at his neck, slamming the pommel of his shortsword into the chest of his assailant twice before kneeing them in the gut. He grabbed the bandit, who just had the wind knocked out of them, and blocked two crossbow bolts with their body as they let out cries of pain. It was a terrible sound and feeling, but he didn't have the time to think about it. Discarding the body, he shoved Aradius out of the way of a club swing, getting into a scuffle as he tried to wrestle the club out of the man's hand. This was going exactly how he was imagining it would. Damn it, he'd be so tired after using his magic to heal them both.. But they didn't have much of a choice. This was the faster route, this was where they had to go through. But fuck did it hurt. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

The Tiefling braced themself as they heard the limp body fall behind them, looking and finding one of them with a dirty rapier in hand. No doubt they would have had yet another new hole in their back if not for Xoruk. But his commentary shook them out of those thoughts before a sense of thankfulness arose. “Says the one in a trap!” They shot back, a sarcastic smile on their face that looked more to be a baring of sharp teeth. Their tail handed the dagger into their free hand moments before they tossed it right into the eye of a pursuing thief. His screams filled their pointed ears as he cradled his now lost eye. Yet they were shoved before they could relish in the sound. They didn’t even get the chance to reorient themself before they were scrambling out of the line of fire of a flying boulder. The ground shook as it landed and broke into separate pieces. Out stood a Goliath in the path they were meant to go, a barbaric blade in its eyes. “Shit, shit, shit!” They hissed, scurried out of sight. This beast of a person was what Aradius had heard the worst about. They said it tore people limb from limb…for fun! But as it began stomping forward, beginning to build momentum, they hatched a plan. “Hey, gutter-fuck! Think you can distract that thing for a minute?” They shouted at Xoruk right before an arrow grazed their knuckles and causing them to duck further. @Dark Cecils II

"Kinda busy!" He had tackled the now-eyeless bandit and used his body as another meatshield from several arrows. Letting out a sigh, he shouted something to the Goliath. "Hey, you! Yeah, you, dumb fuckin' brute! Over here! You and me, one-on-one!" Magic-laced words drew the attention of the massive foe, and Xoruk let out a harsh sigh. Now he'd have to dance with this fucker while dodging arrows and everything else thrown his way. Picking up a fallen sword, he cracked his neck and held both at the ready as the goliath charged him and he started working to avoid his swings while stabbing at him when he was wide open. It wasn't easy in the slightest, and it was fucking exhausting, but damn if he wasn't surprising himself. Not that he thought he could keep it up much longer.. Whatever the hell Aradius had planned, they better get on it faster. @HighFunctioningPsychopath (edited)

In; one, two, three. Out; one, two, three. In; one, two… Eyes closed, heart in their stomach, anxious worries running through their head. This plan was absurd, absolutely insane even, but the chances of it working only dwindled if Aradius didn’t have a clear head. One last breath, and Aradius was a dull blur as they dashed from stone to stone, keeping out of the eyesight of the Goliath. At a space in firing, they retrieved their dagger and ducked once again, this time on the opposing side of the pass. The side the Goliath favored in his brawl with Xoruk. They had to admit, Xoruk wasn’t half bad of a fighter. Considering he was shot, tired, and had just been trapped moments ago, he was still putting up quite a fight. Against a Goliath, at that! It was pretty admirable. The time grew nearer, and arrows began to become less of an issue as their archers ran out of any to fire. “Oh, this is so stupid.” They huffed to themself before they found an opening. They leaped onto the towering figure’s back and began to climb. Thrashing was something they had expected, but not as much as what was happening at that moment. Aradius anticipated slow movements, practically useless attempts to stop them. Thank goodness for that accursed tail of theirs for wrapping onto his form, otherwise they would have hit the dirt by now. “Oh, hold still, you overgrown piece of troll lard!” They shouted in frustration once they reached his neck. The still bloodied dagger raised into the air, the crimson liquid shining in the sunlight. The strike was true to its course, as they plunged it into the Goliath’s neck, cutting its airflow. At first, he fought to throw the threat off of his shoulders, but his energy began fading. Each blink grew heavier as he gapped for air. “Huh, didn’t think that would actually work.” They mused with a tilted head. But then came the imbalance, and then the fall.

18:52

Time to go! They yanked on the blade. No movement. Another yank, nothing, and then the impact onto the ground…on top of Aradius. They hit the ground with a pained grunt, the weight on their legs pinning them down. “Really? You couldn’t have fallen foreword?” They fumed. @Dark Cecils II

Now that the archers were out of arrows and bolts, and the goliath was dealt with- Which, how the hell did Aradius take him down like that? How the hell had he not crushed Xoruk's skull fast enough? Whatever. They needed to get out of here, and fast, or else they'd be swarmed by the bandits that were climbing down the cliffs. It wasn't easy, especially with his wounds, but Xoruk pushed the corpse off of Aradius and shouted to them: "Get up! It's time to go!" With that, he started running. Adrenaline was pumping, and to be honest, that was the only reason he wasn't hurting all over. They both had used a lot of their magic, and they both had received quite the beating. Tomorrow morning was going to suck, but there'd be a tomorrow morning for them! And with that, it meant that he was one step closer to making it to Agni and exacting his revenge. They'd have to take some time to rest once they were far enough from the pass, as there was no way in hell he was going to be able to travel for half a day or however long it would be in his condition. Honestly, he doubted Aradius could either. After running for a solid five minutes or so, he looked over at the tiefling. That is, after catching his breath for a solid 30 seconds or so. "You still alive over there?" @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Aradius pushed and pushed until finally they wiggled free from the crushing weight of the Goliath, veins finding instant relief as blood was able to flood back through its normal path in their legs. But the first thing they did was not run, but lunge for their dagger. No way were they going to leave one of their only weapons there. Along with that, their fiddle still lay unguarded a few feet away, hidden behind rocks. With the help of a well placed foot for leverage, they pulled out the weapon and snatched the instrument from its hiding place. Their lungs burned with the same intensity as their soles as they retreated. Before they had entered the pass, it was untouched and almost beautiful. Now, as the two sprinted off, the once clean white snow was stained with blood, and bodies littered the ground. A bone chilling sight. An arrow to the shoulder, multiple grazes and cuts, burns on the bottom of each foot, crushed legs, and a withering Arcane energy. the price to pay for leaving the pass with their life. They could feel all of the pain they brought as the adrenaline in their system dimmed. They didn’t even realize they had stopped running until they had slumped to the ground against a thin tree, barely noticing Xoruk’s question. All they could give was a groan in between their panting breaths, a sound of both approval and great discomfort. Words were too much. Yet even though they sounded like their mind was jumbled, which it still was, they already thought ahead. Once they could breathe properly, they’d heal every inch of their body, no matter the cost to their energy. There was no way they would continue following after a grieving Orc with no conversation skills while in the state they were in. In fact, they were already reaching for their fiddle, which was just inches away from their fingers. @Dark Cecils II

Seeing as Aradius was still moving and breathing, Xoruk took that as a yes, they'd live. Reaching up to his own wounds, he channeled the last of his magic into repairing his wounds, letting out a harsh sigh at the feeling of emptiness that followed. And the sheer wave of exhaustion and pain that came with it, really. He couldn't heal everything, unfortunately. Stumbling away from where Aradius stood, the orc just kinda.. plopped down against a tree. "Five.. Five minutes to catch our breath. Then we'll have to keep moving if we're going to get anywhere today. Plus, to be frank, I don't plan on sleeping this close to the pass." But hey! They were alive! He knew they'd be able to make it through it alive, though they both were more beat up than he was hoping for. Roughed up, but still alive! That's what mattered. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Xoruk was met with a curt wave of the hand, signaling that they understood and would be ready. At least, they hoped they would be. At least they regained enough physical energy to grip the arrow lodged into their shoulder and begin to yank. Each pull made the Tiefling grit their teeth or bit the inside of their cheek. Bless every being out there that the arrow was poorly made and for the most part easy to remove. As soon as it was out, they reached for the fiddle and brought it up to its playing position. The tune they played was short and calming, practically a lullaby. Already, they felt more relaxed just by the sound of the music. As they tune continued, their fingertips began to tingle and itch and they took that as a sign to stop and use the spell. Each injury they touched sealed, but left irritated red skin. It was better than nothing. After all, they were focussing their spell on their burns. A hiss was heard as they kicked off their boots and fully heal their blistering burns. That was the last of them. Surprisingly, they still had some remaining Arcane energy left. But they were taken care of. What could they do with the last bit? A hand fell onto one of the Orc’s visible cuts, and Aradius turned their back to pack their instrument into its case. @Dark Cecils II

Xoruk watched the tiefling heal themselves as he was catching his breath, just as he had done. Watching the arrow be removed looked painful, and he was glad that the bandits had been poor shots and only managed grazing blows against him. It was times like this when he wondered if he should play his intrument more. Playing with gloves was.. difficult, to say the least, and nobody needed to see his ruined flesh underneath. That's one of the reasons that he was glad that he had been taught how to manipulate magic through his weapons, at least now. He hadn't fully understand the reasoning back when he was learning, but he was thankful for it now. Most bards didn't need to learn how to cast their spells without instruments, but he did. When Aradius healed him, he looked at them, confused. Why'd they use their energy on him? He could think of several things that they could have done instead. Oh well. They had made the decision. "Thanks." It was a simple acceptance of the healing, and then he was back to trying to not die of exhaustion. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Aradius didn’t respond. They merely slung their case over the now healed shoulder. That was the last bit of magic they could muster. They were spent. And after battling their way through the pass, Aradius was exhausted. But Xoruk was right. The two of them were too close to the pass to be safe. Relocation was necessary. A few hours at the very least. “Not even a feel day’s travel and I nearly die. How fun.” They muttered sarcastically. Boots back on, bags strapped to their body, ready to leave, all the while never meeting their traveling companion’s eyes. Then they grabbed the dagger. Some blood had dropped off and more had rubbed off in the snow. The sight made them grimace in disgust. They always hated actively using blades. In Aradius’ wise opinion, they thought their tongue was sharp and their bow sharper. But as they cleaned the blade in the snow and sheathed it once again, they knew it was better to take precautions. With a snarky voice and droopy eyes, they raised their question to the Orc. “Are we moving out or are you going to sit there?” @Dark Cecils II

He just rolled his eyes. "Don't get snappy with me, you're not the one who got into a fistfight with a Goliath." He pushed himself to his feet and rolled his shoulders. Taking a deep breath, Xoruk didn't even look back as he started walking, pulling out a cloth and cleaning his sword as he walked. Did he really think that Aradius would give a shit? No, not really. But at this point, none of that mattered. They'd made it through the pass, and despite the tiefling's attitude, they were making progress. Slow progress, but progress nonetheless. Now that his sword was clean, he sheathed it and focused on moving forward silently. He'd be surprised if there was any conversation before they made camp, as they were both exhausted and Aradius likely blamed him for what happened. Which, to be frank, was fair. But it's not like they had any other choice. It was either that, or starvation, like he had insisted on. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

They couldn’t help but laugh. They wouldn’t let him allow Xoruk to see the respect they had gained from observing the fight. Not many could fight a Goliath and take its punches. “Quite an amusing sight, to say the least.” They said. “But get back to me when you try climbing one! The vertigo from all the thrashing was sickening!” However, the important thing was that they were alive, more or less. The fact that they were was a miracle in the eyes of Aradius. Who knew! Certainly not the Tiefling. Granted, they would have been unscathed if they had gone around, but to be living and breathing! Unbelievable! But the thought of irking Xoruk was too irresistible. They bumped the shoulder that was left relatively unharmed against the Orc’s. “Admit it! If it wasn’t for me, you’d be unconscious and on the way to some slave trade!” @Dark Cecils II

"I dunno, I think I would've been able to take 'im." He shot back as the two of them walked. "I'd end up with a broken nose, maybe, but i'd take him down." Did he really think that? Honestly, no, not really. But he wasn't going to give ground, as he knew the tiefling would take a mile if he did so. They had a long way ahead of them, though, and it'd be very slow-going with how exhausted they were. Best to make whatever distance they could. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Aradius rolled their eyes, a chuckle indicating their disbelief. Yet not another word was uttered by them. They would let Xoruk believe what he wanted. But still, he did have a point. What with how well he was defending himself against the Goliath, he could’ve taken him down. Granted it would have taken a bit longer and less likely with the remaining bandits. But what a fight it was. For someone who seemed to prefer a less violent path as a bard, he had skill. Possibly even worthy of a song. But that could wait. For now, Aradius was more focussed on where they would camp for the night. @Dark Cecils II

Several hours of walking later, and Xoruk motioned to a place not too far from the path, but wouldn't be too visible if they set up camp there. While he didn't think there was too much danger to them at the moment, having safety would be better for them sleeping well. He went through the simple routine of gathering some firewood, lighting it with magic, and then settling in against a tree, eyes closed behind the mask. Man, he was exhausted, but he knew his watch would be first up in the night, so he couldn't sleep yet. A bite to eat and some time to warm up, and he'd be ready to get up again. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

By the time the two reached a resting point, Aradius was dragging their feet in exhaustion. Every once in a while, they would let out a yawn, and they tried to be useful and collect as much dry wood as they could. The amount collected together would last them the night. A few pieces of wood fell into the fire and Aradius used a separate stick to help feed the flames. All the while, their gaze met the Orc’s form. Just his body language compared to the night before was drastically different. Instead of the stiffness they had grown accustomed to being around, Xoruk body looked to be fighting to stay together. As exhausted as they were, Aradius felt it was only fair for them to take the first watch. After all, Xoruk had done so the night before and he had quite the fight earlier. Besides, how could he protect them if he was wrecked with pain and drained. “I’ll take first watch and look for something to eat. Stay down and get some rest.” They muttered, standing up and moving to a separate tree to set their belongings down. @Dark Cecils II

The orc's eyes snapped up for a moment. The words almost left him- Are you sure? He almost blurted out. Though, staying his tongue, he just nodded. Xoruk wasn't in any condition to take the first watch himself. It was better to take a nap and recover so he'd be in decent condition for the morning's journey. Leaning back against the tree, he closed his eyes for a while, drifting in and out of sleep. It wasn't the most restful sleep he's ever had, but it was better than nothing. By the time Aradius's watch was over, Xoruk stirred and pushed himself to his feet. "..Alright. What'd you find?" @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Aradius’ stomach growled in discomfort, begging and pleading to be filled again, but they searched for winter berries and other edible foragings. Almost nothing. Just a few of each, maybe enough for a tea-like substance if they had the right tools to make it. The fire was distant behind them, but still close enough to hear the snapping of the wood. Being a traveler should give you an advantage to survival and fishing, right? Apparently not. Aradius usually left with a few days rations and some traps in case those supplies ran out. Yet they had neither. Not to mention they only knew the safest and tastiest items to forage for were mountainous. Oh, what they wouldn’t do for a home-cooked meal. That’s when they heard the strong stomp of feet and froze. Ahead was a young deer, most likely just separated from its mother. Just the sight of it made their mouth water, thinking about the opportunity for venison. I’m short, it wasn’t meant to be. Aradius was never a hunter, so any attempt to get close to the creature was fruitless. Besides, what good could they do with a close range weapon and no magic? The deer was too fast to throw the weapon at and just the thought of magic made their eyes droopy. I’m the end, they gave up with a soft growl, but they didn’t go back empty handed. Trudging back, they did find a rabbit hole and was especially lucky to find one in there. It wasn’t much, but it was something. So they brought the kill back, setting a roast over the fire and beginning to skin the rabbit just as Xoruk woke up. “Some seeds and berries are in the handkerchief beside me and I got lucky enough to score some rabbit, albeit a skinny one.” They responded without looking up. @Dark Cecils II

"It's better than nothing." He sighed. This would have gone so much better if he had been able to purchase supplies for the trip. Unfortunately, however, that wasn't the case, so they'd just have to make do with what they had. Pushing himself to his feet, Xoruk stretched his sore body, letting out a sigh as several of his bones popped. Even if the ground was fuckin' uncomfortable there was at least something pleasant about the feeling that came after those kinds of stretches. "Do you have a mess kit?" He questioned as he put some more wood in the fire, very careful to avoid his hand getting too close to it. Every time he was this close to the fire, all of his movements became so incredibly careful, and he flinched away from even the slightest ember. "We can make enough for the both of us if we make rabbit stew." @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Aradius perked up, eyes widening. Why hadn’t they thought of that?! A stew would give them so much more to eat than a skinny rabbit would! Tossing the pelt to the side and draping the skinned rabbit on the skewer over the fire, they wiped their hands in the snow and began to rampage in their pack, not even bothering to respond to the Orc. A few extra clothes, a couple hygiene items, the bag of coins they earned or stolen. Where was it? Moments after, they found a small mess kit. Thank goodness they hadn’t waited until they planned on leaving to buy it! “Oh, you beauty!” They muttered as they brought it back to the fire. It wasn’t too large, but if used right it could be enough to feed two people. “It won’t be gourmet in the slightest, but dinner is dinner.” They said, plopping back down in their spot and opening the kit. “That is, unless you happen to be a royal cook and have an entire supply of spices wrapped in that cloak and armor.” @Dark Cecils II

He watched them rummage through their pack from where he stood, arms crossed. Then, he turned to the rabbit to make sure it didn't burn. While he didn't have too much experience with campfire cooking, he still had a decent idea of how to keep something cooking. After all, he had spent most of his life helping out at the inn, and that included cooking. "..While i'm no royal cook, and I don't have any of those fancy spices you find in the cities, I've got a decent amount of experience cooking. I can get the full flavor of this rabbit out.." Without too much warning, he took the cooking pan out of the mess kit and set to work. He walked around the edges of their camp and rummaged through the snow before returning with a handful of herbs. They wouldn't be in the best condition due to the season, but it'd give it just a hint of more flavor. Several minutes later, he motioned to Aradius and stepped back. "Your mess kit, you eat first." @HighFunctioningPsychopath (edited)

Aradius’ eyes grew wide for a moment in surprise as Xoruk took the kit, not expecting him to snatch it before they offered, but as they thought more of their relationship dynamic they realized it wasn’t too out of character. They still were on the edge of clawing at each other’s throats. As soon as the Orc set to work, Aradius found no work for them to do, so they simply leaned back and relaxed. Even through the chilling air around them, Aradius felt their eyes grow heavier and heavier. Maybe it was the exhaustion from the pass that caused them to forget how cold they really were. They were halfway asleep just from the quiet moment of Xoruk cooking when they heard him speak up. His words didn’t register at first, so the tiefling just looked at him with at tilted head and tired eyes. “Pardon?” They asked, until they linked together his position and what few words they heard. Their eyes trailed down to the stew, the smell reaching their nose and reminding them of their hunger. Oh what they wouldn’t do to be in a warm cabin, curled up next to a fire with a heavy blanket and a gourmet soup cooking in a cauldron. But alas, they had not the amenities. Looking back up at Xoruk, they hesitantly reached for the food. Why hadn’t he just started to eat? He could have started whenever he felt like, even could have eaten his half or more without speaking and left the rest without notifying them. @Dark Cecils II

The Orc had moved back to where he sat before, his cloak wrapped tightly around himself and his expression unreadable behind his mask. In all honesty, he was fucking starving, but he knew that they both needed to eat to stay strong if they were going to get anywhere. The best way to ensure that they both got to eat was to let the tiefling eat their fill and take the rest for himself. Since they were so much smaller than him, they'd eat less than he'd need normally. If he ate his fill first, there likely wouldn't be much left for Aradius. When he noticed Aradius staring at him, he sighed. "Eat your fill and stop staring, dammit." @HighFunctioningPsychopath

The snap of Xoruks tongue brought the Tiefling back to reality, and without another word, they began to eat, eyes forcefully cast down at the food rather than wandering where they wanted to go. The stew wasn’t much but it was still plenty delicious. Much better than anything they could make even if they tried. But then they began to chuckle lowly. “I can see why there wasn’t much of a lover around.” They teased. It’s wasn’t out of malice, surprisingly, although there was still some edge to their words. “If that’s the way you react to someone simply staring I wonder how you’d react to someone who was seriously flirting with you, unlike myself.” @Dark Cecils II

"People don't flirt with orcs." He responded from where he sat, clearly annoyed at the direction Aradius was taking this. "No matter what I do, people'll just see me as a monster because of what I am." There was only one person who truly saw him for what he could be, and she died in the fire at the inn. He.. he couldn't save her. Even if orcs were supposed to be strong and fast, he wasn't fast or strong enough, and all he got for his efforts was an even more hideous body. But Agni.. He'd be able to take his anger out on Agni. He was all about causing fires, huh? Well, Xoruk would show him a firey rage that overshadowed any puny flame he could conjure, even if it destroyed himself in the process. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

“Eh, that never stopped me.” They muttered down toward the stew in hand. “I mean, Tieflings aren’t typically the first race one thinks when attractiveness is mentioned among races. Then again, you did pick the shortest stick in life, didn’t you?” They then handed the rest of the stew to Xoruk, surprisingly leaving over half left. Aradius wasn’t a fool. They knew Orcs needed more to sustain their bodies, and if they were traveling with him, they’d rather not have him grumpier than usual from being both tired and hungry. Besides, they still had some foraged nuts that they could munch on if their hunger struck again. As they looked to one of the only parts of Xoruk’s face that wasn’t covered, their face dropped. He was brooding again, they could tell, and as soon as that began Xoruk began to shut down and become more provokable, that is if he spoke at all. “I’m going to get some extra firewood before I turn in.” Aradius said with a small sigh as they stood and stretched. “You have that…look in your eyes again.” @Dark Cecils II

That wasn't the experience he had from his time in the inn. To most people he listened to, tieflings were these exotic and mysterious things that, while many considered bad luck, would at least be interesting to take to their room for a night. With proper precautions, of course. Orcs on the other hand were only ever considered barbaric, or monsters, raiding villages and taking the women for their own pleasure. Xoruk wasn't oblivious during his upbringing- He felt their stares on his back as he took dishes back inside, and the hushed conversations as he got older. But his caretaker had always assured him that they didn't know what they were talking about. Look where that led. When Aradius handed him the bowl, he glanced at the stew for a few moments and noticed that there was more than half left. Why didn't they just- Ugh. Whatever. He was planning on arguing about it. After casting a spell to ensure the spoon was clean, the Orc finished off the rest of the stew. It wasn't bad, but the lack of good ingredients absolutely showed. It was better than charred rabbit, at least.. Xoruk glanced up at Aradius as they spoke again, explaining they were off for more firewood. That look in his eyes again? The hell did they mean by that?! He caught the outburst before it became anything major. At this point, he didn't care. Any arguing was a waste of his time and energy. So instead of shouting, he just sighed and didn't respond, allowing Aradius to leave. Once he was done eating, Xoruk stood and walked out of the fire light. He'd keep watch. @HighFunctioningPsychopath

Aradius took at least half an hour to search for some sort of dry kindling, but it was a little difficult with the snow around them. It didn’t help that their fingers were starting to numb, so really determining what was decent based on feeling was a no-go. All-in-all, they found enough for a few hours at most, just enough to keep the fire warm enough for comfort. As they searched, they let their thoughts wander. The path they were going, the events of the day, the rabbit stew Xoruk had made. Nothing too in depth. But what stuck in their mind was the damned little spell Xoruk had casted earlier. What had it done? How did he do it? When they had tried it, they were unsuccessful to say the least. What had they done wrong? As they hesitantly tried again, they were met with a few of their fingers being burnt to irritation, causing them to hiss and drop the firewood. Well, it was better than last time, not to mention they got at least some feeling back into the effected fingers. But the injury was too minor to bother healing it. Time would do it’s magic. As they picked the dropped firewood from the group and brought them to the fireside, they wondered. Maybe they should ask the Orc himself how he had done it? The spell would really help with keeping from the cold and it seemed to be a minor spell so as to not drain their arcane energy. No, they’d figure it out themself. Who needs the brooding oaf to teach them? They’ll learn it, although at the expense of their comfort from experimental burns. @Dark Cecils II

Xoruk watched over the camp for a little while, glancing in the direction that the tiefling had gone while they were out gathering firewood. He could see the faint shadows in the distance, something that hopefully was Aradius.. Everywhere he looked, he could see faint, flickering shadows in the trees. His fingers twitched, both from the cold and from a voice in the back of his mind telling him that there was something out there. Someone who wanted him dead. Wanted to burn him alive. They were following him, that had to be the case. His eyes and ears were open, though his eyes never stayed in one place for too long. They were always moving, flicking over to the shadows to try and find if they were people or not. The Orc's hand rested on his sword, ready to draw it should a threat reveal itself.. He spun when he heard the snow crunching as Aradius approached with firewood, his grip tightening on the hilt of his shortsword. Oh. It was just the tiefling. Who'd eventually turn on him. That much he was certain of. They hated him, even though they were the one that caused all this by drawing that Agni guy's attention. Shaking his head, he sighed. None of that mattered. If they killed him, they killed him. Once all this was over, they'd never have to see this mask or ugly, scarred flesh underneath, again. Aradius was left alone for several hours as Xoruk kept watch. He was still tired, with only a few hours of sleep, but they had to move on soon if they were going to get anywhere today. "Get up." His gruff voice cut through the morning air as he kicked dirt onto the dying campfire. @HighFunctioningPsychopath