[Mkguild] New WA Segment -- Revised

[Kamau]

Did a quick read through and it sounds like a good addition to WA. 
Hopefully as I continue to catch up, on the 1000 plus MK posts, I'll see 
some more of your work and these characters.

Kamau

Stephen Tigner wrote:
> Well, here's the revised version of that WA segment I posted a little
> over a week ago. I made mostly minor cosmetic changes. Unless anyone
> has any major objections or revision suggestions, this will probably
> be the final version. n.n
> 
> ==========
> 
> Rois and the Triplets (Working Title)
> A Metamor Keep: Winter Assault story
> By Stephen Tigner
> ---------------------
> 
> (12/24 -- Approx 8PM)
> 
> The snow was blowing hard and fast outside the window Rois was staring
> out of, when one of her students came up to her, with a concerned look
> on his face.  "Rois-sensei?" the AR of her three charges, Colin,
> queries, unsure if he should disturb her.
> Rois turns to look at the boy, a gentle smile on her face, "Yes,
> Colin?  Did you need something?"
> "I'm sorry to bother you sensei, but this storm... it... something...
> something feels strange about it..." Colin said, with a bit of
> trepidation.
> Rois' expression suddenly became quite serious, "So, you're feeling it
> too, ne?  Something," she stared back out the window again, "is
> coming."
> 
> -----
> 
> (12/25 -- Afternoon)
> 
> That omen of the coming storm was felt yesterday... However, now it
> seems much longer than that ago; as Colin is standing in one of the
> keep's many grand hallways, watching as his brother Drake finishes
> roasting the last lutin in this group they happened upon, the stench
> of charred flesh has brought him close to retching several times.
> He's managed to hold down what breakfast he had so far, though. The
> youth turns to Drake, "You done now?"
> The dragon morph grinned back at his brother, "I don't know about me,
> but I think that Lutin is done now... well done."
> 
> Colin just groans at the obvious pun, and sets about putting out the
> burning corpses, making sure each lutin was really dead, and the other
> fires that were burning in the hall.  Meanwhile, his
> once-brother-now-sister Aisha is checking to make sure the folks they
> fought off these lutins to rescue are okay. Looking over this scene,
> he realized just how much of an understatement 'something' was when
> Rois-sensei said it. ~This is horrendous!~ the age regressed youth
> thought to himself.
> 
> A tap on the boy's shoulder snaps him out of his reverie, and he turns
> his head to see who it is that was tapping him. It's Drake, "Snap out
> of it Colin, we're ready to go. We need to get these people to the
> Follower chapel."
> I nod, "Sorry, Drake," and walk with him over to Aisha and the Keepers
> we've just rescued.
> 
> She's explaining the situation to the adults in the group, and then
> motions to her brothers as they're walking up.  "These are my
> brothers, Drake and Colin," she says, introducing them and pointing to
> each of the two in turn.
> Colin nods, "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, though I wish it
> was under more pleasant circumstances."  Drake echoes sentiments
> similar to his brother's.  "Now," Colin continued, "I believe Aisha
> has explained to you the situation,"  A show of nods from the group.
> "Good, then lets get going before another group of lutins shows up."
> 
> They head off, with Aisha taking point, Colin walking next to the
> group, and Drake watching their backs.
> Rois-sensei has been helping the budding telepath with controlling his
> mental powers, and he's able to broadcast just to the people around
> him now, instead of deafening the mental ears of the whole keep.  So
> Colin broadcast a message directed at the wall next to him, hoping
> that it will reach Kyia.  ::Kyia, please see us safely to our
> destination, the follower chapel, as fast as possible.::
> 
> It seems she has heard me, though, for they reach the follower chapel
> after walking for what seems to be only about five minutes or so.
> Aisha knocks on the door, while Drake and Colin are keeping a watchful
> eye on the corridor around us.  They hear a slightly muffled voice
> from the other side of the door, "Who goes there?"
> "Aisha, Colin, and Drake," The girl replies, "with a party of refugees."
> 
> ----------
> 
> It was Graed's turn for sentry duty, and so he's standing at the door
> when someone knocks on it, "Who goes there?" he queries, wondering if
> it's those kids.
> The girl's voice comes from the other side, "Aisha, Colin and Drake,
> with a party of refugees."  It's them all right.
> "Is the hallway clear?" He asks, just to make sure, though they have
> probably already checked that.
> "Yes it is," comes the reply.
> ~Like I thought, these three are sharp.  And damn brave to take on the
> mission they have.~
> 
> Graed turns to the others, "Let's get these doors open, but be ready,
> just in case."  A couple of the men get ready to open the door, while
> the others stand ready to attack whatever's on the other side, should
> it prove to be foe and not friend.  When all are at the ready, the two
> men open the doors and peer out, then open them enough to let the
> people pass through single-file.
> 
> First through the door is the girl, Aisha.  Following her is a group
> of very relieved-looking Keepers.  Last come the other two of those
> kids, Colin and Drake.  As soon as Drake's through the door, it's
> closed and barred shut again.  The refugees are ushered over to where
> they can rest, those three kids walk over to the commander to report,
> and Graed resumes watching and waiting at the door.
> 
> ----------
> 
> (12/25 -- Evening)
> 
> Aisha walks over with his siblings to the commanding officer, and
> Rois-sensei is standing there, talking with her.  "Aisha, Colin, and
> Drake, reporting in," the young woman states as the trio reaches the
> pair.  Both turn and look at the triplets, the commander saying,
> "Welcome back.  I've been talking with Rois here, and we've come up
> with a plan to hopefully cause some infighting in the lutin ranks."
> 
> She looks over at Rois, who continues, "We're certain that at least
> some of the tribes here are ones that would normally be fighting each
> other, if they weren't here to fight us.  Colin, with your mental
> powers, you should be able to find a group of lutins from normally
> warring tribes.  You three then need to get them to start fighting
> each other.  Possibly by making them think the other tribe had just
> insulted them."
> 
> "Sensei, what about Drake and I?" the girl asks the centauress.
> The commander responds, however, "You two will be supporting Colin,
> and helping fend off the Lutins if you are discovered."
> 	
> Rois nods her assent, then speaks again, "This may be a bit taxing, so
> I want you three to get some sleep.  You'll start on this mission in
> the morning."
> 
> "Yes sensei," all three of them say at once and then head off to get some rest.
> 
> ----------
> 
> (12/26 -- Morning)
> 
> Rois' three apprentices have been creeping around these halls for what
> seems like hours now, Colin probing at the minds of the groups of
> lutins they've come upon, and so far, they haven't had any luck with
> finding a large group of lutins from separate tribes.  ~It's just our
> luck to keep running into groups of lutins all from the same tribe.~
> Drake thinks to himself.
> 
> A voice in the dragon morph's head startles him, however, ::I know,
> Drake.  It stinks, but we have to keep looking.::
> 
> ~Dammit, Colin!  How many times have I told you to stop doing that?~
> Drake really doesn't like his brother eavesdropping on his thoughts
> like that.
> 
> ::Sorry,:: comes the other boy's sheepish mental response.  Suddenly,
> he stops, ::Bingo!  I've found some!::  After standing there for a
> couple of minutes, he continues, ::One tribe calls themselves the
> Swift Arrows, the other the Shredding Fangs.::
> 
> Aisha just stares at him, and he shrugs. ::That's what they call
> themselves.::  She rolls her eyes, and I smirk.  ::Now... how to get
> them fighting each other...:: he scrunches up his face slightly, and
> soon we hear a ruckus from around the next corner.  Lutins yelling and
> screaming, the clash of arms, the sounds of crude weapons connecting
> with flesh.
> 
> ----------
> 
> Drake and Aisha exchange glances before both asking, mentally, ~What
> did you do?~
> Colin grins and replies, ::Just enhanced their natural violent
> tendencies a bit, so that they started fighting each other.:: Suddenly
> the grin drops off is face, and he gulps, ::We better get moving,
> they're heading this way!::
> ~WHAT?~ again the twin chorus from his siblings. The three start
> running from the sound of clashing weapons, only to hear the sound of
> charging Lutins coming down the hall in front of them.
> ::Dammit,:: Colin swears, ::that wasn't all of them! Some of the
> Shredding Fangs are coming this way to join the battle!::
> The three of them look around frantically as the Lutins are closing in
> on them from both directions, and they spot a small alcove off to the
> side of the hallway. The three look at each other briefly, then run
> for the alcove. ~Please let this work!~ Colin thinks silently to
> himself.
> 
> The noises of the approaching hordes get louder and louder, as the
> three press themselves against the walls of the alcove to try and make
> themselves as invisible as possible, given the circumstances. Drake
> along one wall, Colin and Aisha along the opposite wall.
> 
> ----------
> 
> ~If only this hallway weren't so small, I could assume full dragon
> form and take out huge swathes of these guys.~ Drake grumbled to
> himself as the Lutins approached. Distracted by their inter-tribal
> rivalry, the two tribes, with the rest of Shredding Fangs now having
> reunited with the advanced scouts, commenced the work of death with
> each other.
> 
> The triplets held their breaths, figuratively speaking, as they waited
> to see the outcome of the battle. Their reprieve was not to last,
> however, as a cold breeze chose then to blow through the arrow slit
> behind them and over the lutins, some of whom sniffed the air and
> turned to see the three Keepers hiding in the alcove.
> 
> ::Crud,:: Colin swore again, ::They've spotted us!:: The three readied
> their weapons as the Lutins let loose a war cry and attempted to
> charge into the alcove, waving their crude weapons.
> 
> The first few Lutins fell back under the assault of Drake's fire
> breath weapon, burning and screaming, but are quickly replaced by
> others. The three stand together, trying to fight them off, and having
> some success due to relative narrowness of the alcove. However, the
> Lutins just keep coming, with no end in sight, and the three are
> slowly being pushed further and further back into the alcove.
> 
> ::I don't know how much longer I can keep this up!:: Colin frantically
> sends to his siblings.
> ~Same here,~ comes back the reply from both of the other two, as they
> are finally pushed back up against the back wall, with nowhere else to
> go.
> ~Oh Kami, we're going to die, here! I don't want to die!~ Aisha
> thinks, panicked and scared.
> 
> The Lutins keep swarming the three Keepers and are about to attempt
> killing blows when Aisha screams, "I don't wanna die!" and she is
> surrounded by a blue-white aura, as the blizzard outside suddenly
> bursts through the arrow slit above their heads, and swirls around,
> literally picking up the swarming Lutins and throwing them out of the
> alcove, freezing them solid in midair.
> 
> Frost forms on the walls of the alcove and quickly spreads out from
> there along the corridor as a fierce, magically enhanced, freezing
> wind blows down the hallway in either direction, freezing Lutins in
> place and covering them with heavy snow drifts, leaving a scene that
> looks like a forest of snowmen inside the keep. Aisha then collapses,
> unconscious, into her brothers' arms, the aura fading from around her.
> 
> ----------
> 
> Aisha groans and slowly opens her eyes, blinking a couple of times as
> faces come into focus, those of her brothers and Rois. She winces at a
> sudden headache and closes her eyes back up, groaning again, "What
> happened and why does my head hurt so much?"
> 
> She can hear the smirk in Rois' voice, "Well, my dear, that's what
> happens when you burn yourself out on a single spell."
> Aisha cracks her eyes open slightly, "Wha?"
> 
> Colin speaks up this time, "You really did a number on those Lutins,
> sis. The whole hallway was littered with frozen Lutin corpses, most of
> which were still standing."
> Aisha sits up now, grimacing at the intensified headache that causes,
> but grits her teeth for a few seconds before asking, "I... I froze the
> entirety of that swarm... both of those tribes?"
> Drake grins and nods, "Yeah! It was incredible! They just froze stiff
> and then were covered in snow, looked like some kind of frozen Lutin
> forest."
> 
> Rois nods, "However, because of your little stunt, you're not fit to
> fight for a while yet. Please try to get some more rest, you need to
> recharge." She then turns to look at the two brothers, "As for you
> two, stay with her and make sure that she *does* get that rest." Drake
> starts to protest, but Rois holds up her hand to silence him, "No
> excuses, you two are staying here. I know you, and you won't be able
> to concentrate fully on the fight at hand if you're having to worry
> about your sister."
> 
> ----------
> 
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