Storyboards: Gares

Adventures | Encounter

Adventures
Dressed in a dark cloak he watched them leave, his arms crossed, unnoticed. Two people leaving together without a word and they thought it would not be noticed..how foolish. He had been aware the moment they started packing and the reason why they were leaving was quickly attained. They rushed in with false confidence..the very young were always rash in their undertakings. It was not time to go after them yet, there was still one more piece to this drama that needed to be put in place..he would wait until then. He turned his back to them and strode to the hall, his mind reaching out to the horses of the two riders. They had their instructions, to watch and keep them safe until the time he could keep his eye on all of them.

(A few days later)

It was time he thought as he watched the road from a concealed clump of trees, he made sure not to stare at his subject but kept the corner of his eye on them. It was true that people could feel your stare if you gazed directly at them for a long period of time. He communicated with the horse as it went by, its rider unaware of anything once he sensed they were a few miles ahead of him he strode from the trees and followed. His tracking ability was superb from years of practice, there was little that escaped him. He had learnt not to underestimate his quarries and he was not about to start now. He rode silently after them it was his job as their Leader to make sure nothing bad came to them, and one thing he always did, was to do his job and what was required.

Aiviey, Kerowa and Aewyr...he would keep his eye on them. For now he would let them do as they pleased... but he would be near enough in case of anything that they couldn’t handle rose up. Besides...it had been a while since he had gone in an adventure himself. He smiled as he chewed on a twig… one never knew what these adventures would yield.

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Encounter
He screamed in pain and rage as large sharp teeth ripped into his flesh and yanked, blood spurting forth from his shoulder as it was ripped apart. He would not give up... not this time... this time it would be him dealing the pain. He grips his sword with his free hand and swings with all his might feeling it connect and sink in deep. The beast lets go and roars in pain moving backwards, and quickly he jumps to his feet, the pain forgotten. He dashes in and slashes the jaws reaching for him, he ducks under as it goes by and thrusts his sword upwards into its head, the other blocking the giant claw that swipes at him.
Yanking the sword out he rolls to the left as the claws reach once more where he had been, both swords slashing its leg, hamstringing the beast and leaving it crippled. Once more he jumps onto a rock avoiding the snapping jaws, teeth yellow and covered in blood and before the beast can recover; jumps forward, swords thrusting downwards in a deathblow.
On top of it he falls with it as it collapses under him, the ground shaking as the beast hits the ground. Pulling himself up he pulls out his swords and chops downwards with all his might, its filthy head coming off that monstrous neck. It was dead... finally… no more would he be hunted. Kicking the head across the cavern he watches it roll carefully, one could never be too cautious with these things.
The feeling of achievement flows over him he wipes his blades on the corpse of a poor farmer, sheathing them in one swift quick motion. Slowly he tends to his wound, the bite throbbing painfully with the beast’s poison. He cleans it carefully and drinks the antidote, it always paid to be properly prepared for these things; overconfidence was the demise of many a mighty warrior. He wraps the wound tight with the bandage, using his teeth to make sure it was tight, wincing at the pain the flows over him.
The thing had followed him for days, and he had tried to outrun it thinking it would give up its chase after a few futile hours. He had spent 4 sleepless nights keeping the distance between this thing and himself. He did not know what the hell it was... he had never seen a beast like it before… but the fact that it chased him relentlessly meant only one thing.
Someone or something did not want him alive… and had gone to a lot of trouble to make sure he did not walk away from this. Stashing the head into his pack he whistles loudly and walks out into the forest, the sound of a galloping horse moving closer. A deep brown horse gallops into view and races towards him as he raises his hand in greeting. He looks into its eyes and the horse nods its head, neighing softly. Quickly and silently, he climbs onto its back and the horse moves to the west seemingly on its own.
It had been the only one following him...they had not thought he would survive this encounter. It was time to find out who had sent this thing after him. So much for a quiet hunting trip, he thought as he raced back to the city, but now...it was time for another kind of hunt.

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