Kin Chronicles Realm: Betrayal of the Guardians

[White Wolf Guardian]

*As the following week passed on the journey to the next guardian, the wolf began to grow bored with the silence that never seemed to end among the group* "I swear the most someone has attempted at all was probably yawn before falling asleep, I'm just wondering if there's at this point something wrong with just me or is everyone here pretty indifferent or distant. I hope we get to that next guardian soon, even reading these books for learning straight on through is getting old, there needs to be some other distraction or it's just going to be a void of passing empty time where I don't learn anything without healing the sense of repetitiveness." *White sighed without saying anything aloud*

[Chrono Blackwyng]

As the week rolled on, Talin had little care into why nobody was talking. In fact, the lack of talking made it easier for him to focus on what was going on around him. One of those days, he heard the shuffling of feet and mumbled words. Near the end of the week, the shuffling and mumbling became too much for him to simply listen to. He broke off from the group and came across a small family of three. He grabbed who he assumed was the father, and shaked him about. "I've been hearing people walking past us for almost a week now, and nobody is telling me why. Now give me your reason or I'll scar your son for life!"

[KittKat chunky~]

The following week of travel passed in silent contemplation for Kitt. Like Talin, for once, he did not mind the silence. These days he was finding it harder and harder to be his old cheerful self. It felt like less than a year ago he had been a foolish child; and that was because technically it had been, and yet in that time he felt like he had aged so much, not only physically because of the ranger ritual but in ways he could not even describe in his everyday thoughts.


It was so that when Talin grabbed a terrified-looking peasant Kitt barely looked up in surprise. Instead he sighed and walked past the two and knelt down beside the son in question, glancing up as the child's mother fearfully clenched the boys shoulders. Kitt ignored her and instead spoke directly to the young boy. It was with a small feeling of nostalgia that Kitt realised the child must be around the same age he had been when he had joined the group.

"Hey kid..." the boy looked into Kitt's eyes with a worried look. Kitt reached into his bag and rummaged about, grinning he pulled out a sling and pouch of stones, made for hunting, and held it out for the boy to take "Here, I used to have a lot of fun with this when I was your age... I have no need for it now though." The child reached out and took the sling, his mother looking down disapprovingly as she clutched him all the more closer and away from Talin. Kitt stood again and sighed, one hand resting on the pommel of his sword as he walked back to the group, pulling his hood further down so he needn't look any of them in the eye.

[Shinzuu Katame: Her Tolfy]

Loraine grumbled to herself as she had been restless the last week, "That goddamn idiot. He let himself get killed by such kids." Her servants brought Loraine her lunch, a large slab of ham. She took it and tore off a large chunk of it, chewing loudly, her fangs shining in the reflection of the midday light. Her 10 personal guards that were in the room with her were more nervous about her wrath than the coming battle with a small band of warriors strong enough to kill Guardians.

[Vee Katame: His Wolfy]

Kiana grumbled to herself when Talin veered off to question a family as to why people had been moving past them going in the direction they had come from. She stopped on the spot and turned in the direction that Talin had walked off in, not worried about the fact that Kitt had talked to the kid. "Talin, get your ass over here and leave those people alone!" She snapped. The family was no threat to them so she didn't like that he was threatening them. She went over to wear Talin stood holding the man of the family and demanding answers from him. Prying Talin's hands from the man, she turned Talin around and gave him a moderate push back toward the group. After that, she moved around him and got back to the group and began leading them on. "Alright, if any of you have any ideas for a plan, let's hear it, because I have none."

[White Wolf Guardian]

"I do actually a collective strategy! Let's put aside our differences and kill that Guardian up ahead. While hoping that Korius shows up soon after we start the fight. Before we get close to the next Guardian's stronghold we should also probably have someone with long distance ability like Kitt scout ahead and/or attack some of the initial defense, you the earth mage use the power of rocks or other earthly conveniences in the ground as shields so that our party can get closer so then I can use my majicka shields to protect us in close combat giving you the chance to have a break for a short while, then Drevo and Talin could keep an eye on my distracted weak points from flank attacks so I can continue to hold up our temporary invulnerability until we reach the Guardian. From there I have no idea how we should approach since every Guardian seems to be entirely different."

[Chrono Blackwyng]

Talin raised a brow at White, then shrugged. "I just wanted to ask him why people are heading the opposite direction of us. I can't be the only one thats noticed. Even though the bounty posters are apparently gone, our next target is probably expecting the direction we're coming from. If he mentioned the direction where they're fortifying, we change course." He looked at Kitt and rolled his eyes. "Even if he didn't give me anything, I wouldn't have done a thing. I've already seen and lived what its like to lose your parents, why the heck would I make someone else live through it? Also, I vote for White's plan..."

[Srgntcuddles]

"Sounds better then what I can come up with. It get's us to our target. Assuming Kitt can handle being a scout. I'm not doubting your abilities, kid I just don't want you to do something so dangerous if you're not over your demons. No offense...I'm not trying to sound like a jackass but I don't want to jeopardize your safety." Drevo said. He looked ahead before speaking again. "As for taking on Loraine...Talin and I will be the ones doing the most attacking. White should be supporting us with protective spells and if needed emergency healing. Kitt would be providing ranged support and Kiana, since you could go both ways, maybe something in the middle. Like helping me and Talin with the fighting but at the same time defending White and Kitt. That's just my suggestion. I'm far from leader of this group..." He mumbled the part about being leader as he spoke. He didn't expect anyone to listen, he also half expected lip from Kitt. Though since he didn't give him time to respond he figured he was in the clear.

[KittKat chunky~]

Kitt rolled his eyes right back at Talin, flicking his fringe to one side as he listened in silence to the plans that people were voicing. He glanced up at at Drevo and shrugged "No, you're right to bring it up. But I think I can handle it." With another shrug he crossed his arms and looked over at White "No point in me being a ranger if I cant scout ahead for the group."

Uncrossing his arms he looked directly at White now "But I cant do what I did last time. I only had a limited supply of those enchanted arrows, and Kiana was helping me with targeting the guards. I would have to attack them from much closer and risk being spotted." Kitt scratched behind his ear, apparently in deep thought before he continued "Unless... Well It would be risky. But what If someone lured them out? They have the advantage so long as they remain in their stronghold, but if we get them out somehow we would have the advantage of surprise." He shrugged again, glancing around at everyone "Could it work?"

[Shinzuu Katame: Her Tolfy]

Elistro and his men decided that it was time to leave, "Come on, men. Our job is done here." They exited through the south entrance, but something caught his eyes and he broke from his men as they mounted their horses. On the southern ridge of the wall, there was a lone archer staring off into the southern region and he noticed a small group of people heading towards the town in the opposite direction of the villagers. "Shit! I have to warn Lady Ik-" His mouth was covered as a large sword went through his chest, "No. You won't." Elistro pulled his sword out and pushed the body over the edge. He looked over at the party in the evening sunlight, "You now have the perfect cover. Get it done for my Lord."

[Vee Katame: His Wolfy]

Kiana listened to the others as she walked onward. When they all had spoken, she stayed silent for another minute. "Well, if that's what we've got then that's what we've got." She finally said. "I don't know about luring them out though. With all the people that have been leaving the place, I think people actually coming towards the place is going to get attention anyway, so I don't think we need to risk any of our hides to draw them out when they will already be suspicious if they see anyone."

[White Wolf Guardian]

*As White walked forward he noticed what appeared to be a large structure that eventually focused into view as a castle; the wolf looked suspiciously at the castle walls* "Am I the only one that thinks there's something wrong here? Why would there be no archers or even at least someone visible at the top of these castle walls? Maybe they aren't expecting us to come or maybe we're going right into some sort of trap? Perhaps this isn't even the right place, were we given incorrect instructions?" *The wolf wrinkled his forhead and looked a bit confused and increasingly annoyed* "This is probably the wrong damn place, this doesn't even make sense. If this really is the right place, we are definitely missing something." *The wolf looked at Kiana in a perplexed expression with a questioning response unsaid* "What should we do?" *He thought to himself*

[Chrono Blackwyng]

Talin went past White after he pointed out that there was nobody at the walls, and got ahead of the group so he could get a closer look. He managed to find a body at the side of the wall, facing upwards with a wound through his chest. Judging from how twisted the bottom half of his body is, I'm guessing he was a guard. Hey, whats- He checked the bow that had broken during the fall, and the Guardian insignia was carved on the curve towards the center of the bow. He brought it back to the group, so he wouldn't have to yell and possibly attract more attention than needed. "I believe this is the symbol Korius told us to not take if we're selling looted weapons. I found it on a soldier that probably fell off those walls, also the chest was bloody from a sword wound. You think Korius somehow beat us here?"

[Srgntcuddles]

Drevo looked at the castle as they approached, unsure what to think of the lack of guards. "It is strange, but this will make it easier to infiltrate the castle. If we do it right we can probably sneak right up to the guardian. What ever happened it seems we shouldn't pass up this opportunity, trap or not." he spoke. He looked around for a way up for them but didn't find any. "Well, I can scale the wall and find a rope to lower down to you all, or Kiana can raise us up to the wall. Or even move some stone from the wall silently."

[KittKat chunky~]

Kitt watched as Talin brought back the bow from the corpse. It seemed his skills as a scout where not needed, which was a shame as he had wanted a chance to prove himself after displaying such childish stupidity before. He pushed back his hood slightly and looked once more along the walls, checking that they really where empty "I would be inclined to agree with Drevo... This seems like the best chance we will get." He glanced across at Kiana as he pulled his hood back down, wondering whether it would be a waste of her magika to do either of the things Drevo had suggested she could do to get them in.