Closed Pirates of the Hard Nox [archive]

[Hard Nox 2]

UMBRASIGHT

Good, maybe the old man had a brain between his ears. Nessa watched as the apothecary did as he was told and kicked his clothes into the corner. As little as she cared to look at the wrinkles, it would be safer for the both of them if the man didn’t have any clothes to think about hiding a weapon in. No pointless heroics, no needless time wasted, all nice and simple. Though, there were always the types who attempted to do things with their bare hands, but those fools tended to make their move before allowing themselves to go through the indignity.

“Good, then let’s—“

The man’s son, however, didn’t have a brain.

Nessa scarcely moved as the boy leapt out of the closet he had been hiding in, gun raised. His father, as pitiable the attempt, was quick to put his body between the two of them, but Nessa’s cold gaze remained on the boy’s face.

“I like to think I’m not an unreasonable person” Nessa said, her voice flat. She made a motion, like she was stepping backwards towards the open window, before she suddenly dropped into a crouch before springing forward past the apothecary and to his son. The boy was taller, but he was no fighter. The edge of her blade found the kid’s throat, as she jammed a finger of her other hand behind the trigger to keep the boy from pulling. Her blade, perhaps as hungry as she, nipped the soft skin of the boy’s neck, letting little pearls of red gather on the edge. She looked back to the father.

“Your life you said I couldn’t take, but what about his? ” Nessa purred. “I’m not one for extra chances, but I am busy. If you two make yourself both useful and you don’t have any other fools hiding in a closet, I don’t see why I have to be unreasonable here. That clear?”

Her gaze returned to the boy. The kid was stupid, so best to make her demands clear. “Drop the gun and strip. Then help your dad fill my bag.”

 

[Hard Nox 2]

PAPERBAG FILL

What-?

Soren felt the knife do nothing to the skin, only the leather. Terrible steel then. His Jotunn forged blades would have cut clean through, even as a knife. Soren could only growl a little in disappointment before the noise in his throat was cut short as he felt his weight being shifted. His feet off the ground before he felt the cool ground slam into his back. Soren took a deep breath before stretching his shoulders and arms out, trying to pick himself up. A blunt pain echoed through him, although considerably less brutal that the blow to the head.

Soren did not get up fully. Instead, he rolled to the side before, pushing through the fresh bruise that made up his back, and threw the knife with pristine accuracy towards the giant's face. If it could not slice any part of the giant's head, it would serve as a distraction before Soren reached out for his blade. The one that had been drawn away from him.

He called the blade. And it would travel handle first towards his outstretched hand with speed. Enough speed to strike at the knee of the giant from behind before traveling past, either send his fellow giant to his knees or even trip over entirely. Either way, Sore would use the momentary lapse to rise up and try to bring his blade into the side of the giant, where the leather armor had been damaged. Pulling back his arms and putting a full swing into his strike, Soren would begin trying to slam his blade over and over into that chip in the armor and into the enemy's ribs and flesh.

Behind each blow became more and more of a steady anger that seemed to flicker and die at the same time. Control was needed but also a rage to help see the deed done.

 

[Hard Nox 2]

DELFI

Surprising Poppy by still have some energy left, Juniper once again burned through the vines that held her in place and, once freed, tackled the woman to the ground.

The Satyr attempted to kick the girl out, but that little thing had more strength to her than her looks would suggest.

***

She was too fast, and Rupert could relate a small bit to his father's despair when the vampire's blade threatened his throat. But unlike his old man, he wouldn't beg.

"Please, forgive him! He's a stupid child!" The apothecary pleaded, dropping to his knees a second time.

"Stop it!" Rupert shouted, though his voice cracked as if holding back a cry. He didn't speak further and ended up doing as Nessa said, against his pride.

Father and son, both in underpants, filled two large bags of medicine under the pirate's threat.

"That's all we have, take it! And thank you so much!" Rupert's father's face was wet from the tears, scared yet hopeful that she'd be true to her word.

***

Soren's attempt to distract Brandon had worked. The giant slapped the knife away with his iron fist and didn't notice the blade get back to his enemy's hand, cutting through the layer of leather and into his skin.

"AAAH!" Brandon shouted over the burning sensation behind his knee, losing his balance. He could feel the cuts being made to his waist, but his skin was endured and he a higher pain tolerance than most men. While Soren attempted to slice him in half, Brandon got the Jotünn's head into an armlock.

One of them would likely pass out, it was a matter of who'd go first; the one who couldn't breathe, or the one who'd lost a lot of blood.

 

[Hard Nox 2]

ILLIRICA

Ah, a caster. No surprise, there, really. They always did tend towards the most ostentatious clothing on the field... certain pirate captains notwithstanding, anyway. Sinéad's bolt vanished, redirected into the ground with a gesture. The same flames wreathed his blade. No doubt he'd be moving that around like a puppet, though he was holding on to it for now, likely hoping Sinéad wouldn't notice, or wouldn't make anything of it.

The threat of death, of course, was just a delight. "Oh, I like you," she told the caster, getting a hand in her boot once more and pulling out her dagger. She was better with the cutlass alone rather than trying to dual wield, of course, but if she thought she were likely to be fighting flying swords, she wanted a blocking weapon in her off hand.

Of course, she still had to test that theory. The bolt was on the ground, but unscathed, so it was likely he'd not flay her skin off with a thought - and if he did, well, Emer would have a challenge when this was all over, wouldn't she.

Or Mal, but false truths and broken promises forbid it should ever come to that. She rushed in, cutlass striking to meet his blade, and knife ready to plunge in from the side. Emer'd taught her that people had two kidneys and only needed one. Lovely lass, that girl.

"How about a counter offer? Join my crew and I won't have to cut off your kneecap so you can use it as an eyepatch!"

 

[Hard Nox 2]

PAPERBAG FILL

Soren heard the scream. The plan worked and he could then feel his blade sink into the flesh of the giant. It brought some amount of levity to his own wounds. The bullet shrapnel burrowing into his back. The arrowheads burrowed as well and sliced into his back while the shafts had already snapped off during the chaos of battle. The blood from the wound across his brow had dripped down over his eye, reddening his the sight of one eye. The wound itched and swelled. His entire back felt rough to move, as if each movement were a little stiff.

All in all, not the worse wounds he's sustained. But his dance partner here? Well, Soren fully intended to end this giant.

His eyes widened at the movement of the enemy's arms and how they wrapped around his throat. Immediately, Soren felt the crushing weight around his windpipe. One hand immediately let go of the blade and latched onto the arms of his enemy, fighting and clawing his fingers into material and flesh to loosen the grip and regain his breath. The other? Soren began beating the hilt of his blade into his enemy's thigh and waist before dropping the blade entirely. Soren began ramming the back of his elbow into the man behind him as best he could. Darkness and stars began to cloud around his vision. Vision . . .

Soren's free hand would move up, feeling up along Brandon's face, before trying to find his eye before trying multiple times trying to jam his fingers and thumb into the damn socket. No mercy here. The stretching of his shoulder and his back sent throes of pain Soren knew all too familiarly. And with familiarity came the drive to push through it. Soren remained fully prepared to remove the brute's eye if it meant getting out of this damn headlock.

No matter what.

 

[Hard Nox 2]

SHODDYPRODUCT

Satyr kicks hurt. The hooves of their opponent caught their stomach, leading to bruising for sure and perhaps even a gash or two. It would have to wait for later, however, as Juniper was holding this woman to the ground with every bit of physical strength she could muster, and they were counting themself lucky that their opponent was a caster as well, rather than someone with more martial prowess. Between kicks, they spoke, desperately holding on.

"I don't want to have to kill you here! If you keep this up, someone else will get to you, if I don't, and I really, really don't want to." She had joined the Nox because she felt it was the one place she could fit in, after the accident. Already likely wanted in her home town, she figured adding to the list, if anyone even found out it was her, wouldn't hurt. Despite that, however, they never wanted things to be this... Personal.

The town burning down could be chalked up to an accident. The guard from earlier could be reasoned away in her mind, with the distance between them and the fact that killing him delayed exactly what was happening now, and it didn't hurt that she was more worried about spiting a very particular vampire than their own, or others, wellbeing. But this was different. The Satyr could stand up for herself, sure, but now it was personal. Like it was going to be with the girl, had the captain had her way, and Lucien not intervened. Juniper desperately didn't want to be a murderer, but it was too late for them already. All they could do now was try to keep more from happening, however vainly, and act as a pirate would when it was absolutely necessary.

The changeling allowed herself to be kicked away, and now held her stomach gingerly as she looked at her counterpart.

"Please, just go... Before I have to fight. Please." A plea, and one Juniper would likely regret, either due to the satyr, or the captain, depending on who decided to take initiative.

 

[Hard Nox 2]

GHOSTLY

As the more bloodthirsty elements of their crew laid waste to the town and were eager to make quick work of anyone would who oppose their raid, Ciarán's group had been lucky enough to encounter little resistance, only a few stragglers who preferred to run than face off with the cadre. With the stockpile, their prize within their grasp they quickened their pace for it, but as they drew near Ciarán noticed a shape moving a ways off - unfortunately for them, the archer had already set a volley their way before he could warn them.

Ciarán heard a sharp whistle and then felt a razor-thin sting along the right side of his head. A miss? No, she hadn't been aiming for him.

His head whipped back just as Torrel dropped their blade and went immediately to grasp at their throat. Their eyes went wide as they desperately tried to let out a breath, a scream, anything. But all that came up was more blood.

Then came a scream and a crack against the cobblestones. To Ciarán's left fell Gee, an arrow through his eye and out the back of his freshly shaven head, Sliocht's work not even an hour ago. The arrow nearly popped out the other end as his face hit the stones and he laid limp against the ground. There was no hope for him, but Torrel?..

Without another thought Ciarán scooped Torrel over his shoulder and called back. "Archer! Find cover in the alley, go!" A moment too late, the third arrow found purchase in the clavicle of Jarys and he fell back cursing between gritting teeth. There would be more soon, and Ciarán would only lose more of his troops. Ciarán ran for the alleyway and set Torrel down next to their fellows, he pointed to a pair of the group. "You two! Take Torrel back to Emer and Sliocht but stay clear of these sight-lines, you'll be cut down out there," he ordered as he sheathed his sabre and pulled a small grenade from his belt.

He didn't expect Torrel - or even Jarys would make it, but he didn't have the luxury or time to consider that.

"Musketeers," he looked back over at his team, only one remained with a rifle. Gee had carried another and he'd sent off their last with Torrel. "Musketeer," he corrected himself. "I'll try and close the distance using a screen for cover, take a shot as I run out. It doesn't have to hit, it only has to make the archer hesitate. Use the smoke for cover, it should last long enough for me to get close, then grab and Jarys and the stockpile if you can."

"One or two moments. That's all there is between life and death." Ciarán looked over his raiding team once more before peaking around the corner. Gauging the distance, he lit the grenade and lobbed it close enough to obscure his run but not too far as to prove useless and leave him exposed for the next volley. If things all went badly, he still had his arm - although he still wasn't sure if it would work as designed. He pulled a pistol from his shoulder holster and peeked.

With a deep breath he came around the corner and fired a shot towards where he thought Beck would be, praying all the while this would work.

 

[Hard Nox 2]

ILLIRICA

"Decided to come back?"

The words would greet Alys before she could even see who or what was speaking them. One moment, she had been looking at her crewmates and trying to figure out how she could help, and the next there was a voice in her ear, not quite whispering - just loud enough to be accusatory. It wasn't the high pitched laughing voice of whatever she'd encountered before - it was a woman's voice, older, more mature. Motherly, almost, if the tone could be taken for parental disapproval.

It came from behind her, and Alys would have to turn to find the source. There was a shimmer, or a glimmer - if she looked at it the right way, sort of obliquely, it looked a bit like a fae woman - and then it was a fae woman, or maybe it always had been. She held one of the grinning shadow creatures from before on her hip the way a mother holds a small child, and another clung to the hem of her skirt with something that wasn't quite a hand, but wasn't not a hand, either.

"It's not polite to run off when you're being spoken to, you know. Why don't you come with me, my dear? We'll have a more civilized discussion than... all this." A pearlescent hand waved, encompassing the nearby fracas. The figure took a few steps back, watching Alys, but obviously intending for her to follow. The small grinning creature in her arms giggled.

"Hee hee hee..."​

"Come along."


--


Small things moved very fast. Mate thought perhaps he had hit it with his hand a little bit, but perhaps he was wrong. Sometimes it was hard to tell with things that were small and soft.

The little fairy man's sword came in, like a bramble. It drew a scratch, one that quickly oozed over with viscous swamp water. It wasn't a word, but at least the small one was trying.

Perhaps Mate would have to do this another way. Deep in his chest he rumbled, putting wide lips together.

"Mmmmm..."

These words were difficult. There was no rhythm to them, no percussion. He opened his mouth wider, remembering how they were formed.

"Aaaaayyyt." A sharp end, tongue against great wide teeth. Mate raised a hand to scratch his head, then plucked the blossom from his thistle and held it out.

 

[Hard Nox 2]

DELFI

Crow watched as Sineád bent over to pull out a dagger from her boot and waited for her to strike first. He liked Fen Manor because he barely had any work to do, but he enjoyed a good fight once in a while, and it’d been a long time coming. The blonde rushing towards him with her blade didn’t come as a surprise, but her counter offer did. He chuckled, meeting her orange eyes, just a palm away from his.

"As tempting as that sounds, I don't believe you can afford my wages." That, and Crow had a tendency of getting sea sick. A ship, even if a flying one, was nowhere near his ideal lifestyle, especially when compared to a manor. It didn't matter how attractive its captain was.

With his eyes burning bright purple for no longer than a couple seconds, Crow’s sword pushed Sineád away with enough strength to take down a giant.


***

A cloud of smoke covered Beck’s view of the raiders. The young archer narrowed her eyes, trying to spot any kind of movement that might indicate one of her targets.

A bullet missed Beck’s cheek by an inch, forcing the girl to put down her bow and find cover. Her heart raced madly as she pulled out a knife, catching her breath. It was her first time out in a real battle, and even though she was considered a prodigy, killing real people was quite different from shooting arrows at dummies. She waited for the gun master to get close to her hiding spot before revealing herself, surprising him with an attempt to stab his chest.

***

Caleb looked back proudly, convinced he’d done some damage to the troll only to find out his blade had merely scratched the thing.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake!” He cursed, getting his blade ready for a second strike, when the troll attempted to speak.

The quartermaster got out of his stance, raising an eyebrow at the weird creature. It didn’t seem to want to attack him… Was it handing him a flower? His trail of thought was disrupted by a drop of water that flickered his nose. Then his shoulder. It was beginning to drizzle, an indication that they were about to overstay their welcome.

“Spit it out, what do you want?” He asked the troll, losing his patience. “Are you going to fight me or not?”

 

[Hard Nox 2]

UMBRASIGHT

“See? Isn’t this much easier?” Nessa said again, the sweetness returning to her voice. Perhaps not for the two men, but for her this was definitely much easier, it didn’t take much to hold someone else’s pistol and watch after all. The boy wasn’t taking things well, but he had yet to do anything exceptionally stupid so perhaps little miracles happened from time to time. But, as it was said, many hands made work light, and soon enough the two men had her packs stuffed full with what the little building had to offer.

“Well gentlemen, I’m glad we were able to come to an arrangement that benefited the both of us.” Nessa said, as the two finished their work. She held the boy’s pistol out, roughly in their direction but not actually aimed at either of them. “Now, the two of you put your hands on the back of your head and face the wall there.” Nessa said, motioning them towards the closet the boy had hopped out of.

“Do that and we all get what we want.” She added, her smile holding none of the sweetness in her tone. She gave the two a moment to do as she had instructed before she stepped over to her bags and picked them up. With soft steps, and an eye on the two, she returned to the window and peeked out to be sure no one curious had come snooping around before dropping the sacks out the window carefully, and following them out.

 

[Hard Nox 2]

GOLDEN

Alys' hesitation to aid; specifically Juniper, Soren, or Caleb, who seemed to be struggling the most, had evidently been a mistake. She heard another voice, though this one was far more mature, and above all, stern. As before, she whirled around to face the source, fully expecting another shadow creature. This time, however, her brows furrowed in confusion and she blinked a couple times to ensure that her eyes weren't deceiving her. There was a woman, nearly translucent, yet her outline and features shined like a bag of recently polished gold coins.

As the woman began to speak, Alys couldn't help but feel a little foolish. The crew was neck deep in their own blood, yet here she was, evidently going insane.

But no, she wasn't crazy. She could see and hear them, whatever these things were. What's worse, the woman scowlded her, like a petulant child who refused to behave. She hadn't felt this way since... well, since the woman who brought her into this world had been killed. The memories she'd buried deep down began to resurface, mostly bringing back the heartache and pain, but also the miniscule moments of happiness.

Alys bit the inside of her cheek hard, enough to draw blood, to keep the emotion she was feeling behind her hardened exterior. "I-" She began, before clearing her throat. "This is fucking ridiculous. I have a job to do. Leave me alone." She spun around quickly, and once again began to glide towards the stockpile.

 

[Hard Nox 2]

DELFI

Pinned to the ground, Poppy was forced to listen to the girl’s stupid pleas. How could she take pity on a murderer? With a final kick, the changeling fell to the side and it was the satyr’s turn to be on top. She conjured a vine covered in thorns, holding it against Juniper’s throat as she let out her final words.

“...Please.”

Poppy blinked, softening the grip around her weapon. She took a better look at the girl’s face, seeing pain and regret all over it, and against her better judgment, tossed her vine to the side. She stood up, but before the girl could thank her act of kindness, another set of roots wrapped itself around Juniper, forming a type of cocoon.

“I will spare your life. I’m not a murderer, like you.” She spat out, looking away from her. “But you will face consequences for your actions. If not by being hanged, then a lifelong in prison will do. The authorities will know what's best.”

***

Brandon smiled when the stabbing and slashing stopped, tightening the grip around Soren’s neck.

“SLEEP.” He grunted, chuckling at the man’s useless attempts at pushing him away with his elbow. His mood shifted when he felt the tips of Soren’s fingers on his face, and then in his eyelid. “AAAAAH!” The giant screamed, feeling his eye being squished like a lemon, blood dripping down his cheek. He let go of the jotünn’s neck, pushing him away and stumbling back, covering his wounded eye with both his hands.

 

[Hard Nox 2]

ANNASIEL

"Of course, dear," Emer replied, shooting a not-quite-polite glance towards Mal as she did. The trio moved back into the ship, thick wooden hulls muffling the near-distant sounds of shouts and gunfire once more. Regardless of Mal's possible intent, Emer shepherded both towards her clinic, talking all the while as she did.

"-you should know, though, that this is far from the proper place to showcase craftsmanship, and far from the proper crew to present it to, yes? These are pirates, dear. Many of them are ruthless, many of them are dangerous."

She opened the clinic door, slipping inside, immediately moving towards a small silver pot sitting near the hot stones. Not bothering to ask - one, she'd already asked, and one, she'd answered for them - Emer poured two mugs of tea, pushing them into both Mal and Fionn's hands.

"Drink. Chamomile. It calms the nerves."

Her voice was curt. No-nonsense.

"It's been steeping for a tad bit longer than I intended, but a little extra time in the bath's never caused a body harm. Now."

She sat down across from them, taking up her own mug. One sip, then she sat it on the table beside her, hands folding in her lap.

"Mal, if it would settle your mind, please search our friend's tools. And you -" her gaze settled on Fionn. "What is your name, and why did you choose this ship, at this time?"

 

[Hard Nox 2]

SHODDYPRODUCT

Their whole body ached. Trapped flat against the ground, Juniper looked up to the satyr, amidst the sounds of battle. "I think you missed part of it. They'll kill you. The second one of them notices this, they'll come over here and swarm you before you can have an opportunity to talk it out. I get I should face consequences, and I know they're coming my way eventually, but I don't want it to be at the expense of someone else." During their short spiel, they felt the first signs of rain, falling down on their face. They would be leaving soon, but not without the haul, or most of it. They needed to get up and get away from here, hopefully sparing the other woman as well.

"Just go. We'll be gone soon too, and hopefully we never have to meet again. Get out of sight, help the people we-" She stopped herself, thinking a moment before continuing, "I hurt. This place isn't doomed yet. not with people like you with it."

Their words seemed genuine, and they likely were, but at the same time, the changeling didn't want to die here, not yet. Guilt weighed heavily on their mind, but self preservation was a powerful instinct. From within the cocoon of vines and roots, the sorceress placed their hands on the inside, pushing to call whatever heat they could generate, whatever strength they had left magically, to free herself if the satyr didn't take her words as truth and flee.

 

[Hard Nox 2]

PAPERBAG FILL

Soren may not have felt the blood drip down his gloves, but he knew that cry all too well and even more he knew the loosening of the arms around his throat. Soren coughed and sputtered as he broke free before he felt those giant palms press into his back. He nearly stumbled on the ground as he tried sucking in oxygen and righting balance. Instead, his blade flew back into his hand as he turned around, still sputtering out choked spit and air. His throat on fire as his body struggled to take in air and move.

Soren's watered eyes narrowed. His body's instincts honed in on the next task that must be done.

No time to waste to try and catch his breath. The time was now and only now. Soren steadied the blade in hands that rather let go of the blade than hold on. He pushed through the pounding in his head, and his lungs burning for pause and a fresh breath of air. Charging forward, Soren aimed to run the giant through the chest, right through where the wounds in the giant's side had been. Wounds that would prove an easy gateway to the rest of the muscles and organs. And, if Soren had his way, the Jotunn's grip on the blade would adjust and he would grab the giant's ginger hair--body tugged one way and the blade the other--and cleave his torso in half.

 

[Hard Nox 2]

GHOSTLY

Ciarán made his way cautiously through the smoke, pistol still in hand. He had another shot left in the twin barrel, and Gods be good he'd plant it between the eyes of the bastard who'd killed his crew - his charge. They'd made a mistake by picking off the others first, Ciarán wouldn't let them make it again.


At the edge of the smoke where it hardly dissipated, Ciarán stepped out. Still no archer? Maybe they'd run off? He couldn't take the chance. He was close to their vantage point now, and slowly made his approach with pistol in his right hand and his left ready to draw his saber if need be.

He began to look up, expecting them to reposition and try to snipe again, but it was his mistake. He rounded a corner and had barely a moment to react as his mark ambushed him, lunging for him with a blade in hand and the intention to bury it in his chest.

Acting on pure instinct, his arm immediately tried to draw his blade, but the archer's knife caught him in his arm, slipping between the artificial ulna and radius and pushing back against his chest, pinning his hand in the process.

Luckily his prosthetic saved him from taking more than the last two inches of the blade, which pierced his vest and shirt, still finding purchase in his right breast. Ciarán let out a pained groan between his gritted teeth as he looked down at the wound and the hand pinned along with it. He pressed his pistol against their stomach, and looked up to see the face of his attacker.

Just a girl, she couldn't have been much older than Juniper or some of the other runaways aboard. As their eyes met, his trigger finger suddenly went weak and his grip softened. Without thinking, the pistol dropped from his grasp and his free hand went to take hold of her wrist, keeping the blade and her hand pinned along with his silver arm before he tried to push her back against where she'd been hiding before.

 

[Hard Nox 2]

ILLIRICA

It seemed the mage was not inclined to take Sinéad's offer. That didn't bother her. If she had been inclined towards honesty - which she wasn't, particularly - she would have been forced to admit that she wouldn't have known what to do with him if he had taken her up on it. There were times to take on new crewmates, and when she was already eagerly anticipating a possible mutiny wasn't meant to be one of them.

The man's eyes glowed once more, and the pressure of the sword against her own suddenly became immense, forceful enough to toss her backwards. Sinéad knew better than to fight against a force like that - she was a fairy, after all, even if she wanted nothing at all to do with most of the rest of them. Still, the fae tended towards lithe and lightly built, and she wasn't much different even with a decade of sword-swinging under her belt. In a contest of pure strength, she wasn't going to win.

That was why it was important to make the best use of the strengths she had, rather than try to play into those she did not. The sword pressed her back, but she turned the force sidewards, spinning around and coming in forward again, rolling under the blade to stick her little knife into the side of the mage's knee. She'd have rather gone for the ankle, the tendon at the back of it, but it was harder to make that strike with clothing in the way.

The same move would pull the knife forward towards her. She'd popped more than one kneecap free with that move, in her days as a pirate. Hopefully she'd add a few more to that gruesome tally.

A droplet hit her cheek - not blood, but water. She knew the difference without looking. The storm was starting to come in, then, and it was time to get back to the ship. Sinéad moved back, mindful of the mage blade, looking for the opportunity to disengage.

"Time's up! Finish 'em and go!"

 

[Hard Nox 2]

ILLIRICA

The little fairy man didn't accept the thistle, but at least he had stopped hitting Mate with the little stinging things. Mate thought this was much better. He did not like being hurt. He didn't really like hurting others, either. Sometimes he forgot how small and squishy these other creatures were. It was easy to hurt them even when you were just trying to talk.

The little fairy man was trying to talk, too. His words were fast and hard to understand. Mate was quite still for a few moments, doing nothing, saying nothing, trying to figure out the words and put them into a rhythm that made sense.

It took a little while, but eventually he puzzled it out. This was how the little ones had their discussions, wasn't it? No stomping or clapping, just strange-shaped words.

Mate pursed his wide lips, working to figure out what came next. What did he want? He had already said it, in the language of the trolls, but the little fairy man did not understand that. Mate tucked the thistle flower behind his ear for decoration, then attempted, once more, to speak.

"LllllllleeeeEAAAAVE!"


--

"No, no!​

The little voice again, no longer giggling at Alys but petulant and pathetic.

"Don't leave us!"

There was genuine worry in that cry, or at least a very good imitation of it. One of the wispy shadow creatures appeared between her and the stockpile, hands out in the manner of telling someone to stop. It was getting darker again, or at least she thought it was. The stockpile was close, though, just a little bit off to one side.

For a moment, Alys might have felt like it was somewhere else, but of course it was all too easy to get turned around in battle, especially when surrounded by little glowing creatures of some unknown variety. There were more of them again, congregating between her and the stockpile she could see.

"Play with us?​

"Please stay!"​

 

[Hard Nox 2]

DELFI

As if they were partners on a dance, Crow was able to anticipate Sineád's move, twirling his blade to meet the edge of her knife before it could touch his knee. He took a step back as well as his duo, and rubbed the back of his hand on his forehead, wiping away the droplets of rainwater.

The cold drips on his face picked up pace, but his focus remained on Sineád, stance ready to block her if she attempted to attack or escape.

"So soon? We were just getting to know each other." His voice was smooth and calm, but his eyes gave away the malice behind his words. "Name's Crow. You are?"


***

Juniper kept going on with her arguments, but the Satyr wasn't listening. Her attention was far away, on the other side of what was once the town square of the place that had welcomed her all those years ago.

The blade cut through air in a diagonal, slicing half way through Brandon's torso and getting stuck on what was probably his spine. Poppy believed it to be gruesome enough, but a gasp died on her throat as she watched the pirate hold her friend's hair down, the arc of his back facilitating the way of the sword.

After her village had been destroyed and all her relatives had been murdered, Poppy had spent years traveling from place to place, offering her services in exchange of food and a place to lay down. She'd never spent that much time on the same place, and Fen Manor was, up until that point, the closest thing Poppy could call a home. And those people fighting by her side, the closest thing she had to a family.

Poppy listened to Juniper's last words. Maybe she was right, they should leave. What was there to save, anyway?

And the rain washed away her tears.

***

She'd pierced through something, but it wasn't flesh. Wood, maybe? Beck tried to pull her blade back, but stopped when she felt the cold metal of the pirate's gun on her waist.

His eyes met the terrified look on hers, as rain started to pour on both of their faces. After a moment that seemed to last forever, the archer was caught off guard when Ciarán dropped his weapon and grabbed her wrist, her other arm pressed between her chest and his prosthetic.

The brunette was pushed a few steps back, until her back hit a wall. Her heart started racing and she panicked. Nothing she'd learned at the Academy prepared her for a situation like this.

Following her instincts, Beck lifted up her knee in between Ciarán's legs. If it'd hit the target, she'd use the opportunity to escape from him.

***

The rain grew heavier by the second, and Caleb waited impatiently as the creature struggled to form a sentence.

"Leave? Good, we want the same thing." Caleb shifted his weight on his legs and put away his sword, touching his forehead on a salute, before lifting his feet off the ground. "See 'ya."

He wasn't planning on giving the creature time to change it's mind, or waste his time trying to kill something that had proved to be unkillable. Caleb had priorities, and his priority right now was to carry as much gold as he could and get back on the ship.

 

[Hard Nox 2]

SHODDYPRODUCT

"Go. Please. Please." Juniper was all too familiar with that faraway look, eyes glazed over in horror. They were familiar with it because they had lived it, more times than they wished they ever had too. That pain, that sorrow, that devastation was a constant companion, the flip side of the coin that was her temper. They fed on each other, each fueling the other, fanning the flames and bringing about disaster. The changeling didn't want to bring about more destruction today, not with the rain finally coming in. This was supposed to be the end of it. The ship would be breaking away soon, to leave these people to rebuild.

"Run, while you can. While you still have the chance."