Brave Galaxy is set in a world loosely based on Hiro Mashima’s Fairy Tail and Eden’s Zero. It is a PG-13 or so rated space fantasy RP, and uses a combination of character statistics, which can be acquired via roleplaying and events, and creative freedom to help direct players’ characters. While there is a main storyline, which can be found in the events section, characters are free to interact with others and their environment however they see fit.
Explore the galaxy. Overcome the obstacles in your path. Shape the future of humanity.
Aerial transport always made Aedris’ stomach turn. Not due from turbulence, ever present on atmospheric re-entry on the budget trans-planetary airline. It was gut wrenching fear; enough to put even the steeliest of stomachs off the grey mush that was barely passable as an inflight meal. But despite the darkest corners of his mind telling him to turn back around at check in, here he sat; green faced and holding back tears. “You alright mister?” a young girl asked from the seat next to him, her confused expression hitting home, just how defeated the mage looked in that moment. Her young hands fidgeting in her pockets. “First time flying? I used to be scared too.” She continued in a child’s matter of fact tone. “But as Jeff Lightweek always says. ‘TO INFINITY AND YONDER, in an East Fioran ship. The safest there is!’.” It was a perplexing experience having a young child try and talk sense into an adult, more so that her rational was quoting the mascot for the airline he was currently using; odd but not unwelcome. “I’ll remember that.” Aedris said in a weakened voice, the smallest hints of a smile coming to his face between the silent episodes of panic. “If you meet him; but in a good word for me.” The girl who looked no older than seven said, palming the mage a small boiled sweet as a treat. Her expression moved from innocence to almost mafia-esque. Accepting the odd bribe, the mage nodded weakly. Spending the rest of the flight in quiet contemplation as to if this journey was worth it.
Another smaller trip and a good few hours later; Aedris was finally back on solid ground. His travel from Crocus to the outlaying towns of Dandelion had been uneventful for the most part; but far too nerve-wracking to be repeated for some time. Not that he could afford it now anyway. The mage had travelled on good authority that there was work to be had for any and everyone who was willing to put some elbow grease into it. A far cry from the elitist and placard decorated Crocus where he had been stood not 24 hours earlier. Having just enough money for his connecting flight and a day or two of food.
“Welcome to Cattlespring, Dandelion. Population 453.” Aedris said plainly, the words were etched into a sign near the main highway into town. A dusty track that was only used by horses and rusted hover trucks, too rough for any normal road vehicle to travel along. It was here he would start making his name. Good old Cattlespring, by the looks of the building it was less ‘good’ and more ‘old’. Aedris walked the last half mile into town from where he had been dropped off. Luckily only having to travel a short distance along the uneven road in full armour and weapon. Thankful that he had been able to hitchhike so far from the spaceport he had finally landed at.
The buildings of the town were arranged around the main crossroads. A bar to one side and a convenience store to the other. The rest being made up of other needed services and homes. It was bustling in its own small-town way. The late evening bringing a good number of ranch hands in to town; a mix of all humans by the looks of things. Most placed appeared to be closing shop. Lights dimming in windows and signed flipped over to ‘Shut’. There only seemed to be one place that was a budding hive of activity, like any community big or small it was the in town where people could get drink. And drink they did.
A large saloon with swinging doors. People laughing their way in and falling out. Like any good working town, the men and women all looked weathered and strong, but the ale appeared to be stronger. “Whas’za loo’n aa?” A particularly inebriated man said, early thirties with a good build and a thick coating of dust and dirt. He looked like trouble and smelled like it to, the liquor coated breath was strong even from a good 15 foot away. “Gonna go cut’ses fire wood?” The man slurred.
Aedris had seen his fair share of drunkard, he knew they could be aggressive at the turn of a coin but there was something almost comical about how far gone this guy was. Going to swing, the clown of man ended up falling over his own feet. With a cushioned ‘boomf’ he fell to the floor, asleep only moments afterwards. Were people would have been fretting over the sorry state the man had gotten into, instead the few men who gathered outside simply laughed, steeping over the sleeping mound rather than help. This was a totally different world to what the mage had been used to. The refined Elven wine bars of Stella and the structured corporate joints on Crocus didn’t prepare him for this sort of atmosphere. But he was there now, it would take hours to get back to the city or the next town on foot, and he had only enough money for a night or so. He needed to find work, and what better place was there than the one building where half the town seemed to be? With that decided, Aedris walked forward; swiftly and purposefully entering the bar. The swinging doors parting to let loose characteristic parfum of a small cattle town, a mix of cheap beer, sweat and earth. The that read opportunity and Aedris’ need for nose plugs.
Post by Reya Starlyght on Mar 18, 2019 2:12:11 GMT
"Tch, talk about a shit hole," Leo remarked as they flew over the town know as Cattlespring, Eris soon landing their ship just outside the settlement where a few other vehicles were parked. None were space worthy though, aside from a public transportation line that had only stopped for a few minutes for a reason he didn't care to guess.
"Well, it is Dandelion. What else did you expect?" she commented, flicking a few switches in which he heard the dull roar of the engines come to a stop.
He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. I guess some things never change." A small sigh escaped his lips, him stretching his arms backwards in a bored manner although any who knew him well could probably tell such was not the case. They both removed themselves from the cockpit of Blackjack, Leo grabbing his favorite black jacket which had been slung over their sofa for no reason other than he had been too lazy to put it away properly. He wore a plain dark green t-shirt underneath, with gray jeans and black work boots as well. Pulling open a nearby drawer, Leo tucked his revolver into the back of his waistband, concealed by the aforementioned coat. Similarly, Eris slid a matching set of daggers into the boots she laced up, them cutting off just below her knees. Her pants were black in nature, embroidered with a creeping vine of navy flowers, the sweater she wore being of the latter hue. Such colors brought out the blues in her gaze, nearly masking any more unnatural tones. "You look nice," he muttered, in which she turned for a moment, eyebrows slightly raised.
"Ready to go?" He nodded, and she pushed the button that lowered the ship's ramp to the landscape below. Once they both exited, it rolled back up, there to wait until they returned. The air was neither hot nor cold, at least according to Leo's pretty skewed standards, and the air swept past them bringing a cloud of dust with it. Contrary to his prior expression of disgust, however, neither of them really seemed to react in response to the fine particles, Eris only giving a passing glance back to Blackjack for a second and seeing that for the most part nothing had lodged itself into the ship's joints.
Leo gave the town another once over now that they were on the ground, viewing the buildings and residents with the same clarity anyone else might see when it was midday. "Seems like just another working town passed over by fate to me. I'd wager there's a whole slew of outlaws hanging about," he commented as they starting walking in step to the only obvious choice for investigation, the saloon. "You know, there's a chance he might recognize us. Play dumb?"
A grin formed upon both their visages. "Yeah, ya, jus' get ma a drin' or sumthin," Eris replied with a wink, her mannerisms spot on considering the dialect that could be heard all around them. The 'he' in question was a fine fellow by the name of Malovio Faust, and if his name didn't give it away he was a formerly wealthy individual practically oozing with corruption. He had laundered millions of credits from various organizations, IMG of course being the only one either of them cared about. And while eventually Faust's actions had been found out, the man himself had never been delivered justice. Certainly, he looked down upon such an ideal, but there was the potential for him to repeat his deeds were he not caught, and that aside someone in particular had asked for Leo and Eris to bring him in, a somebody they generally agreed with on such matters.
They entered through the doors to find a scene not unfamiliar in their recent and past memories, a rowdy bar rather unsanitary in management. Not that either of them really cared, or at least anything beyond surface level annoyance, but at least it helped determine the type of customers they served further. The two pushed past the crowd to two open barstools with relative ease that suggested a great deal of practice doing such, although once the barkeep came over he immediately recognized them as outsiders, to little surprise. "Naw oft'n we get trav'lers round here. What brin' ya two ta 'attlesprin?" he asked, some suspicion evident in his heavily accented voice, although not as much as Leo often received.
"Work," he answered plainly, something uncharacteristic of his usual speech patterns. "Gimme a bottle of ya strongest stuff." Eris held up two fingers in response to his request.
The man nodded, with a smile that seemed almost cruel in nature, though he retrieved a bottle of some kind of whiskey and two shot glasses, their surfaces far from clear, in return. "Ain't talkers I guess. Be 'arned, th' stuff 'an knock a cow out," he remarked, in which Eris offered a glower and Leo responded something along the lines of alcohol first, questions later. The bartender, bored with the lack of conversation, quickly moved onto another customer, which suited their purposes more than well.
Aedris entered the dimly lit, smoke and ale filled tavern room. Small tables were haphazardly stacked next to each other. Some were surrounded by dirtied farm hands pouring yellow and brown beers down their dust parched throats. Others were home to larger individuals, faces blunt and battered through years of less honest ‘work’. Stepping forward, the mage could feel his armoured shoes stick and peel across the beer stained floor. Approaching the bar, Aedris waded through molasses of stale ale and cautious glances from the Patrons. Obviously, these people were wary of outsides, especially though in full armour wielding a weapon almost as tall as some of the smaller men in the room.
With no free tables in sight, and with little reason to sit in the empty chairs next to those that even the locals avoided; Aedris found himself at the bar. Perching on a rickety chair and taking care not to show how little coin he currently had on him. The mage palmed a few credits chips from his pouch, trying his best to make sure it sounded like there were more in there than these was. His measly savings sounding more like a month’s pay as he rattled it obtusely. During his time in the city everything had been done electronically, but in the backwash towns, it was always safer to bring things with specified worth. It was easier to hand a pre-loaded credit chip over and barter for its worth, than have a racketeer try to add another zero during a payment screen. Not that Aedris had any extra zeros to his name to be scammed out of.
It did not take long for a bartender to venture over. Careful eyes surveying the weapon strapped to the man’s back, then lingering a few moments longer on the credit chip in his hands. The barkeep finally gave word. “It’s a far way off from the medieval fair. I trust ye’ won’t be getting any ideas about trying that thing out in here.” The stocky barkeep said. His voice as gruff as his appearance. Beer and sweat stained his once white apron and top. His teeth cracked and almost as yellowed as his clothes. Aedris has never been the one to partake in idle chit chat, but he was the stranger here. And he needed work. He needed it soon. A little ‘friendly’ tete-a-tete would only do him favours in the long run. Even if those friendly favours were people not thinking him an easy mark.
“Not as long as people don’t give me reason to.” The mage said slowly, cracking a welcoming enough smile whist remaining steely eyed; not letting his worry show. A few of the regulars shifted in their seat behind him. Ready to either move, or pounce. He could not tell, but he would be cautious either way. “I’m looking for somewhere to sleep for the night, and enough drink to knock me out quickly.” It was partly true. Aedris could enjoy a good few drink when needed to. But this was less out of enjoyment, and more for necessity. There were only so many smells he could deal with this sober, and the barkeep was not helping.
The giant of a man in front turned his cautious gaze into a wooden smile, almost as fake as the mage’s earlier one. “If you need booze we have it.” The sentence lifting a cheer from a few already drunk patrons around. “As for a bed, you’d not find a free one here, unless you try to work your way into Seamus’ one,” gesturing to a drunkard passed out on the table close to the doors. “It’s your best bet, as I’m sure his lovely Delilah won’t be wanting him back in that state.” The nearby patrons once again raised their glasses with a coo, nobody here was sober enough to not enough a callous joke. Even the poor Seamus raised his head to join in, too gone with his ale to understand the laughing was at his own expense.
Quickly enough to not let any more words pass, the bar keeps too the credit’s from Aedris’ hands, replacing the money with a mug of tar brown ale. The colour a mix between pig slurry room, and the runoff from one of the drunken farmhands’ clothes behind him. Now too poor, and too desperate to turn his nose up at the one thing that could stop his stomach from going without anything for the next few days. Aedris swallowed his pride, and along with it, a mouth full of his beer.
The ale burned his throat and flooded his nose with a powerful aroma of alcohol and bile. “Dark as horse piss, and it tastes no better.” He groaned, looking at the rest of the mug as he blinked away tears. With little other options, he clenched his eyes closed and took a few more swigs. “It’ll numb the cold, and you have another 2 coming up, along with a bed with the horses for your coin.” The bartender finished, stashing the credit chip in his stained apron before pulling another pitcher of ale to replace the almost empty one Aedris had almost worked his way through. “What brings you here anyway?” The bartender asked, expertly replacing the now empty glass with the second of Aedris’ three drinks.
“Work…” The mage continued, swallowing down another mouthful before gasping for air. “It tastes worse than it looks. And it looks worse than you, but it does get the job done.” He continued, already feeling the numbing tendrils of the ale take hold. Letting a brief laugh leave his lips, the bartender dropped his guard a little. Leaning across the bar; speaking just below the din, “We’ll find you something in the morning if you’re looking to stay around. But you have competition. You aren’t the only new one in town today.” At that, the barkeep gestured over to the other side where his equally scruffy looking colleague was at work serving a pair who looked as out of place as him. “There’s a work board put up in the square in the morning. If you’re sober enough to put those arms of yours to work.”
Post by Reya Starlyght on Apr 6, 2020 22:54:30 GMT
The whiskey tasted more like piss-infused moonshine, but he wasn't complaining. If one thing was for certain, it was strong, and at the moment that was all Leo cared about. He didn't particularly enjoy visiting places like whatever the town they were currently in was, he had forgotten the name already, but there was one thing they all had in common, strong alcohol and people who didn't ask questions. That was pretty much the only thing they had, really, other than folks who didn't know their lefts from their rights. It was a place one Malovio Faust most certainly didn't belong in, which yes did make it the perfect hiding spot. The difficulty was that he had probably never even seen a farm before, much less worked in a community that seemed to based on whatever meager substance it could provide. Bad for Faust, excellent for Leo and Eris, who had been tasked with dragging him back to headquarters, whether dead or alive was of no concern.
There was no need for haste, however, settling into the environment was key. They were nothing more than passerbys, looking for a coin or two to earn for fuel and drink before hopping over to another system, a common sight throughout the galaxy. Granted, the prospect for work in the current town was rather dim, no fortune was to be made with disgruntled farmhands, but it was nothing more than a cover and thus served its purpose well enough. It was not long before the barkeep returned to them, his curiosity getting the best of him, much to Leo's annoyance. "Ya got credits?" the man spoke, in which he let out a sigh. Must have been new to the job. Leo pulled out his wallet, sliding a few credits over the stained counter although their value amounted to more than enough for a bottle.
"'ave anotha one on its way," he drawled, pouring himself another glass from the current container and doing the same for Eris. The bartender looked mildly shocked, as if ordering two bottles of hard liquor was an uncommon sight, which Leo figured it probably was, seemed like most the patrons preferred some blend of shitty ale. Nevertheless, he wasn't going to retract his statement because of one odd stare, giving the man a grin and a motion to shoo him away. He did in fact leave, although it was more so a result of the ruckus emerging from the opposite side of the bar, cheers and laughter as a result of the other barkeep's words. The owner, likely, comparing the two by appearances alone, yet Leo was not concerned with him so much as the individual he was serving.
His golden irises were immediately drawn to the large ax strapped to the man's back, a far cry from the firearms most kept at their side, and certainly a statement at that. He was certainly the type that could hold his own in a fight, and donned armor to boot. Was there someone else trying to collect on Faust's considerable bounty? That would throw a loop in their plans, especially with someone so conspicuous in the mix. Not that he cared for the money, but catching Malovio was something that needed to be done. "Thas' an inneresting fellow," Eris remarked, catching his line of sight. "We gonna talk to 'im?"
Leo narrowed his eyes. "Inna bit would prob'ly be better," he answered, to her agreement.
Working through his second beer, Aedris was far past questioning his choice to start his journey to notoriety here. “Sure.” He murmured into the dregs in his mug. The beer clinging as sickly to the glass as it did his throat. “I’ll take the third now.” He said. The barkeeper already replacing the glass in his hand with the last before he could finish the sentence. With the slightest of slurs, the mage raised the drink with a cheerless ‘cheers’. It was too late to approach the morn fresh headed. He may as well drink whilst his taste was deadened to the tared ale, and settle down as numbed as he could in whatever back end barn his credits had purchased.
As he sloshed back another few swigs, the men behind him once again cheered at the expense of another local. This time it was talking about some boy, barely old to shave, having as much luck with the ladies as a legless ass. Not that any of them could be described as much more in their current states. “Barkeep!” he sounded out, attempting to grab the attention of his previous server who had wandered over to another, less savoury patron. But it seems like the only attention he could muster was from the pair on the other side of the room.
Aedris was no stranger to stares, especially in his current get up. Looks couldn’t hurt, especially the inquisitive glare they mustered when catching the glean of his axe blade. But he had learnt quickly enough that it was their reasoning behind the looks he had to be careful of. He was not so drunk as to lose his sense of caution. He was a stranger in a backwater town, surely people would have little remorse stripping him of any credits, and pride. The mage narrowed his gaze to return the glare in kind. A discouraging look could make a thief second guess. “Where’s this place to sleep?” The sentence came slowly and purposefully. With enough force behind it that his previous server knew he was not in the mood to be persuaded into another round of ale.
After a few hasty directions, and a lot of forceful shoving passed drunks, Aedris once again found himself in the dusty ground that made up the main streets of Cattlespring. A few stumbling men surrounding the bar door, some smoking, others hurling in buckets. Aedris thanked the bitter taste of the beer now, strong enough to dull his nose to the malaise hanging around these men. Booze, bile, and body odour. “If ish isn’t the luhmerr * hic* jack!” a familiar face called. The drunkard from earlier was once again stood on two feet. A little more sober, but with the same dour expression of a man looking for a tussle, his wounded sense of masculine pride only to remedied by landing a few purposeful punches on the outsider.
Aedris was not one to fight when not needed, nor was he one to drink excessively. But new surroundings did change things, plus the beast of a labourer was not giving him much chance in a peaceful resolution. Once more that night, a fist soared towards his face. This time there was a little more steadiness to it. In a more sober mood, he would have been able to avoid the staggering oaf without much issue, but the fog of drink and fatigue hung to him heavily. Weighing him down enough for the punch to clip the corner of his chin, not enough to make full contact, but it would bruise slightly.
Too numbed to feel much more than swelling anger, and too drunk to care. The mage pivoted the next sluggish blow from the left. The punch sailing through air, finding no target. Still, it came closer than it should have, but at least it left no painful reminders to be felt in the morning. Not giving the man a chance to attempt another untrained strike or to attempt a monosyllabic apologise. Aedris’ fist met him squarely in the stomach; a short but potent uppercut action was all it took to cause the drunkard to stagger backward. After three long seconds of shock, the man keeled over, vomiting up a good two pints of the sickly ale from the pub. The looks enough to turn Aedris’ stomach. “It looks the same coming up as it does going down.” He offered dryly. Having to squeeze his own fist ‘til his knuckles were white to stop himself joining his attacker in heaving up his night’s spoils.
The mage started to walk towards his destination. His bed for the night was only around the back of the building in a small half open shed. The prospects of being picked at by old, dry hay. With horses resting not inches from him was not his idea of luxury. But despite his desire to put a little more distance between himself and the stumbling mass outside the bar. And, to welcome a dreamless sleep. He could not help but stay a few moments longer in the clear night air. Wanting to clear himself of the overpowering atmosphere of the tavern and think of the next day in the worry-free way. The way that only ale could really give. Worries and inhibitions were quelled, if not just for a few hours. It was worth the few credits and sour taste it took to get here. if not only for the few hours.
But like all things, the quiet contemplative times end. Before he had too much time to plan his ideal next morning, his found himself being rammed off his feet by another of the louts who had been standing around next to the other oaf, who had since keeled onto his side, whimpering quietly. With his armour enough to take some of the force off toppling into the side of the bar’s outside wall. Aedris attempted to regain his footing. No luck. A third individual, swung. This time meeting the side of his face square on. The liquor in both was enough to dull the punch on both sides, but the seething annoyance was only kindled by the flammable ale in his blood. With another strong swing, the mage’s fist met with the battering rams head. Toppling the wall of a man and letting at least one of them find a starless sleep that night. His third attacker was a touch too light footed.
The man darted back to the front of the building, hopping haphazardly over a small wooden fence used to tie up horses during the day. It was clear even in Aedris’ inebriated mind that this guy would cause trouble for him if he vanished. Chasing afterwards, Aedris once again found himself pinned by a drunkard, this time the armoured mage toppling not into a wall but staggering through the saloon doors. “I told you all not to give me a reason.” With that the axe was expertly spun from his back into his two hands. Taking a wide and steady stance, Aedris straddled between the ale filled bar. Now three new men outside who were all ready to use the new guy as a punching bag, spurred to life by the chance of some action.
There was nothing quite as sobering as adrenaline and pain. But with a few more bruises to add to his already purple repertoire, Aedris was starting the dislike the dodging and weaving of the smaller, more mousey men who still stood outside. desperate to break through the saloon doors and try and surround the mage, the came in waves. The men inside appeared to be a little more passive. At least for now. The bar keep on the other hand was cooing, it looked like this town lived for a bit more action that drunkards vomiting in the street and the occasional jeer. Aedris was in this alone. The outsider who everyone seemed to have a personal vendetta pinned against. The small-town mentality marked anything new as up for grabs, and the residents of Cattlespring did not grab gently. With a strong swing to dissuade one of his attackers from bursting through the saloon doors, and an agile enough punch to cause another set of lights to turn out for the night for a larger man who wasn’t as fortunate in being able to avoid the mage’s fists, the odds were starting to shift more into Aedris’ favour. Or so he hoped.
Post by Reya Starlyght on Apr 9, 2020 19:52:09 GMT
Apparently the man was intent on leaving before they would have the chance to strike a conversation, although judging by the glare he had given them he didn't really seem the type to engage in a friendly chat anyway. The look did not dissuade Leo, however, the corner of his mouth twisting into a smirk, almost a challenge. He was far more interested in his drink than provoking a baseless bar fight though, and thus only maintained eye contact until the man got the message that they were not to be trifled with. Evidently, Leo was not the only one whose gaze had been drawn toward him, as was seen by the multitude of patrons assessing his physique, and, more importantly, the weapon strapped to his back. It was clear that he did not know the definition of not making waves in a small town, well really in any place his outfit was quite the eye catcher. Yes, comparatively Leo and Eris were only given a few spare glances, the conclusion drawn that they were perhaps a bit higher class than the rest of the folk but standard travelers all the same, they had no visible armaments on their persons after all.
It was not long after the other stranger of the town departed the saloon that the attention began to shift toward them, however. Their target of the night had just left, and when a drunken man's object of curiosity was no longer present it was only natural that he find a new one. Unfortunately, Leo and Eris were the only other newcomers to the desolate village, and with the bartenders doing nothing to rile down the crowd a man particularly off-kilter decided to approach. While his words were slurred to the point of being indecipherable, his intent was clear as he stumbled over to Eris from behind. Before he could ever draw near, however, she spun around on the bar stool, planted her foot in his stomach, and sent him gasping for air on the ground below. The heel of her boot moved to this throat just as Leo managed to clear his throat, catching the fact all eyes were now on them. "Eris...." he muttered, his tone that of careful warning. The man on the ground at that point had passed out due to asphyxiation, and only once his eyes shuttered to a close did she remove herself.
"Ah, fuck it," Eris said, looking toward the crowd of patrons before dropping the accent. "Yes, we are strangers to your town, but unfortunately you're harboring someone who we'd like to meet. Turn him over, and we'll get out of your very pleasant bar. I'll even try to convince the fellow with the ax to do so as well." A few of the men stole glances to each other, before they balled up their fists, unconvinced. She shook her head, while Leo let out a sigh, picking himself up from his seat.
"There goes the element of surprise."
Eris shrugged. "The transport should have left by now; Faust has nowhere to run." It was the last words exchanged by them before the saloon broke into chaos. The front was twofold, in fact, as at the same time the man with the ax returned, having been chased back through the doors. Leo and Eris had their own opponents to deal with, however, as several drunks decided to haphazardously charge them. Neither drew their weapons, however, confident in the fact that the men were far to slow to land any sort of hit on them, both still completely sober despite the alcohol they had consumed. Leo sidestepped a slug toward his jaw, grabbing the man's arm with great speed and yanking him forward, before following up with a roundhouse kick to his back, leaving him a body on the floor. Meanwhile, Eris had armed herself with the chair she had been sitting upon, using it to sweep a patron's legs from under him, before bashing his face in with the wood.
Aedris was now well and truly stuck between the proverbial rock and a hard place. The rock was the brawl that had seemingly sprung up behind him, the bar now ablaze with shouting and fighting. This one at least, was nothing to do with him. The hard place lay just outside the saloon doors. Another 4 men were looking to push through the small opening, towards Aedris. There was little chance at moving back through the crowd behind him to escape. If he moved forward towards his attackers, he’d lose his only advantage. The small choke point that was keeping only a single attacker from attempting to burst through at a time, gave him something of a fighting chance.
Tightening his grip on his Axe, the mage swung the weapon forward, in a large and purposeful downwards arc. The force was enough to dissuade one of the men outside from attempting to barge through the flapping saloon doors. The axe meeting where his hand was moments before. Splintering wood spraying out from the strike, his axe even tearing the old steel hinges from the frame. Giving them little chance at restarting their assault. His weapon was once again pulled into the air. In a fluid spiral motion around himself, large enough to catch one of the tables behind with a crash. Aedris sent its sharpened blade back towards the door. Aiming this time at the floor below his previous strike, where the remnants of the door he had struck earlier lay messily around.
Axe metal once again met aged wood. With a bone cracking smash, the boards below the entrance to the bar were shattered into pieces. Old dust and rotted splinters flying into the air in a plume. His axe standing prominently in the wreckage, the entrance to the bar now looking like a woody murder scene. Upon pulling the axe from the ground, one of the adjected board that had been held solid only by a caking of mud and tar like beer, finally gave way. The resulting chasm being large enough for a small child to lie down in, but not without being skewered by the haphazard mass of splinters that remained of the floor. He hadn’t neutralised any of his attackers directly. But the show of strength, and the risk of macerating their legs while trying to get into the bar via the front entrance. That was enough to dissuade them for the time being. A few of the ale addled thugs outside turned to each other with a look of confusion and annoyance. The one that did attempt to push forward, quickly found his leg covered with large gashes from the barrier of broken wood.
With one issue solved, Aedris set his mind to the commotion behind him. Tables had been pushed out the way, and men were moving towards the bar with aggressive purpose. Someone had poked a sleeping bear too many times in its own den. With little chance of getting out of the front entrance with the louts still cautiously loitering. He needed to go out the back door, it would take too much time and energy to carve a hole in the side of the wall. Plus, with the state of the floor he had smashed just moments ago, a strike to a supporting beam would be a death sentence to himself and anyone in the building. Pushing men aside to make his way through. His earlier blessing of being ignored, quickly waned.
For yet another time that night, Aedris found himself having to dodge punches and fists. The first few had been the men at the back of the room, people who were as sober as good old Seamus. Seamus who had been the laughingstock earlier also tried to participate in the brawl, but with more ale in him than sense, he found himself knocked out cold on the ground. The first few attackers had been similarly inebriated, and easy enough to take down. But it didn’t take long for a goliath of a man to appear. One of those who had been sat alone, one of the people the rough and tumble locals avoided.
Almost thrown over, Aedris regained what little footing he could find with his back pushed against the wall for support, even with his spiked boots it was difficult to stay upright on the now blood slick boards below. The man came hurling towards the mage, not with blind fury, but a much colder and deadlier expression on his face. Where one fist would miss, the other found itself impacting against Aedris’ armour. Well made enough to stop the force from breaking bones, or tenderizing flesh. Still the mage was winded with each blow. The flurry continued for a few more seconds. Aedris’ face taking an inconsequential knock or two as he was manhandled around. With a bloodied nose and a body that felt like it had been through the blender, he had little choice. Readying himself for the next blow, Aedris positioned his gauntleted arm up to block the next fist aimed at his face. It’s metallic surface shimmer for a moment just before the punch landed. With a yowl, the attacker’s hand started bleeding; small icicles connected to his gauntlet impaling the outside of his attackers’ fist. Not enough to cause any long-lasting damage, but enough to give Aedris the breathing room he needed. Ignoring the white-hot paid spreading through his arm where the blow had landed, the mage took advantage of the slight lull in the cadence of the fight. Picking his foot from the floor, Aedris sent it crashing down with all the force he could muster onto his attackers’ shoe. The spiked crampons that attached to his sole pierced the worn leather like a hot knife through butter. With little protection, the metallic spikes buried themselves into flesh of the goliath’s foot and cracked loudly against bone.
It was obvious the man he fought had not expected dirty fighting in a bar brawl. Because within a few moments of that, Aedris had swapped his position. Pinning the wailing brute against the wall. Using the weight of his poleaxe to push against the man’s chest. Unable to move his arms, the goliath flailed like a fish out of water, thrown to the floor with wanton care. Not giving him the chance to change the odds once more that fight. Aedris slammed against the softest part on the man’s skull with his own head. The aching was inconsequential at this point. What mattered was that the beast of a man lay slumped against the floor and wall. He wasn’t moving until morning, and with the aches shooting through Aedris, he thought it would be best if he did the same.
No. He still had to get out of there. There was still a fight raging around, and men just outside who would like to do much worse than he had done to the man unconscious before him. Pivoting with as much resolve as he could muster. Aedris continued with a domineering air, faking to those around him that he still had the will to fight relentlessly. Raising his weapon once more, Aedris surveyed the room for his escape options; Paying close attention to what had happened to the brawl within the saloon walls.
Post by Reya Starlyght on Apr 24, 2020 1:34:05 GMT
Bar fights were so dull. It was an unspoken rule that lethal force could not be applied in them, there were too many witnesses even in towns as unruly as those in Dandelion. Nor were fists and improvised weapons particularly good at evoking the elegance of a duel, they were implements far too crude, far more useful when utilized in true combat. What detracted Leo the most from barroom brawls, however, was their setting itself. Instead of getting drunk in peace, he now had to fight past a mob of inebriated fellows who wanted nothing more than to tear the three outsiders in the saloon to shreds. It was all nonsense, how people became so aggressive when they had drank a bit too much was beyond him, Leo's reaction to the substance in sufficient quantities was quite the opposite, after all.
Nevertheless, they had gotten themselves into the situation so now they had to get themselves out. Hunting down Faust was another priority, yes, but given the crowd's rowdiness he was almost certain their quarry was lurking in another den. How unfortunate, but then again it meant they wouldn't be frequenting the particular establishment anytime soon, which would be a welcome change. Two men in the bar down, then, a heaping more to go. It had seemed the stranger from before had gotten himself into quite a bit of a pickle, facing off against a rather burly man who was a bit more sober than most of them. What was truly a bother, however, was the fact that he had decided to splinter the floor right in front of the door into a billion pieces, and while Leo was confident he could close that gap jumping headfirst into the small crowd loitering outside didn't really seem like the best of options.
Before he had the chance to scout out another exit, however, another patron decide to charge him straight on. With a sigh, he easily sidestepped the man and brought an elbow cracking down upon his skull, knocking him out cold with ease. Fine, then. He'd just walk out of the place. Eris had lassoed another bar stool into her grip after the one she had been wielding cracked upon another man's rib cage, much to the barkeep's dismay. Nothing could halt the chaos that was unfolding, however, short of perhaps someone deciding to pay for rounds for the entire saloon. While that was certainly not out of range of what they could afford, it would only draw more suspicion toward them. Plus, Eris was evidently enjoying herself, given the sloppy grin on her face. Granted, he couldn't help but wince as she decided to kick a man straight in the balls, but hey, at least it wasn't him.
Enough was enough. Instead of waiting for them to approach, he closed the gap himself, picking up a stray chair and throwing it in the direction of two drunkards who promptly tripped over the upholstery and face planted into the alcohol and piss soaked floor. Another had decided to get clever, attempting to utilize Leo's blind spot although unbeknownst to him such was a futile effort. Soon, he had him by the throat and slammed him into the counter, giving one of the dismayed employees a smirk before turning back to the onslaught. While a few blows were landed upon his person, their impact was insignificant in the grand scheme of things, and in a matter of minutes the saloon had grown quiet. From a corner Leo caught an eye of the stranger who appeared to be looking for a way to dodge, although other than the small crowd that was trying to figure out a way to bypass the terrain obstacle most of the men were groaning upon the floor, or passed out in their entirety.
"What are ye, bounty hunters or sumthin'?" The barkeep finally mustered up the courage to speak, oddly enough having not been a target of the previous attacks. Then again, given the disrepair the furniture had been in before fights were likely common in the saloon. The floorboards being split, on the other hand, were not. Leo headed toward the other outsider, while Eris leaned against the bartop.
"Yes, something like that. Malovio Faust, have you heard of him?"