Thread: Life's Journey (The_Gladiator & darkangel76)

Grennen looked around, his eyes trying to pierce the darkness as he knelt next to his companion. As much as he had wanted to be alone, he had figured that she had sent someone like the Weasel along with him. Her little spy. Even so, he thought that he was a good one to have at his back, or so he had thought. Turns out I was wrong. He muttered. Reluctantly Grennen fastened his pants the bitch would have to wait. The half-ogre was none too pleased with this turn of events, but even he wasnt stupid enough to think pleasure came before duty. He just hoped he got to kill who or whatever had ruined his fun. The big guys knees popped as he squatted down on his heals next to his companion, his hand reaching out to the side to feel for a pulse. His right hand gripped the haft of his long ax over his shoulder ready to yank it off his back at a seconds notice. Two of his thick fingers found the side of Weasels neck and encountered a small amount of blood which appeared to be dripping from a small puncture wound in the neck. However, he felt the strong pulse of the carotid artery under his probing touch. He took this as a good sign, the little one was merely unconscious or paralyzed or something of the like. Shyra would not be pleased if her latest boy toy were killed. Speaking of boy toys, this stank of Shyras old flame. Only he dealt in the drow sleep poison, which Grennen, who wasnt as dumb as he looked, suspected had been used here. The behemoth spat on the ground, the warm spittle splattering all over his unconscious companion. He wanted absolutely nothing to do with The Black Heart there was one nasty piece of work if ever he knew one. A fine match for Shyra Lath, come to think of it... a perfect match made in hell. Before he could stand up, he heard the distinctive hiss of metal on leather, the sound of a blade being drawn. The crouching giant lurched as if to rise, but before he got far he felt the kiss of cold steal along the side of his neck. My my Grennen, it has been a long time since you and I last met. The over large Adams apple of Grennen bobbed up and down as he swallowed. His initial thought was proved to be accurate. What are you doing here Black Heart? he managed to bite out. Able to keep the slight hint of fear out of his tone but not trying to hide the disgust and anger, the outrage that Brandon had spoiled his fun. Oh my dear Grennen, I am here to make sure that you have a really really bad day. The half-elf said with a deadpan tone. He pulled back the sword to decapitate the half-ogre, but he moved faster than he expected. Taureans blade whistled through the air, but rather than being rewarded with the satisfying thwack of hitting flesh there was only the swish of hitting air Grennen had rolled forward away from the blade, the wind of the blades strike Buffeting his face. The half-ogre moved much faster than the assassin anticipated and was already coming around, his long-ax sweeping out with a single handed backhand chop, which turned into a two handed sweep as Grennen got his free hand onto the haft adding to the swing of the blade. Taurean didnt dare try to block such a tremendous swing, his slender sword would probably snap from the impact of such a strike, to say nothing of the arm. Skittering backward, the half-elf sucked in his gut and arched his back, the axs razor sharp tip barely scoring the leather armor Taurean wore under his tunic, rather than slicing him in half. The strike impacted the side of a tree, slicing cleanly through half the substantial trunk with a single crashing blow. Darting in behind the strike Taurean countered, hands rolling over and over, his blades dancing in a pattern that the half-ogre would be unable to predict, sword and dagger working seamlessly as extensions of the elfs arms. The hulking Grennen got hit half a dozen times in that initial attack pattern wicked slashes and stabs, that had to more than sting, but none of which were even remotely life threatening. As Grennen brought his ax back in the other direction his hands shifting positions to swipe the other way, he was again too slow as Taurean rolled beneath the blade coming up behind the hulking grennen and glanced a blow off his rib that he had intended to find his kidney, and a slash along the back of the column like thigh which failed to do what Taurean had intended and hamstring the oaf. Taurean knew he could do this all night, running in circles around the behemoth but he knew also that it was only a matter of time before the others realized something was amiss and come and investigate. Therefore he stepped up the intensity of his attacks hitting Grennen again and again, using his superior night vision and faster speed to his advantage. He didnt go completely unscathed, for as he closed in for the kill he elected to take a blow from the haft of the ax rather than from its bladed tip. He heard the crunch as it slammed into his side and was nearly slammed off his feet as he felt the sudden pop that suggested that at least one of his ribs had cracked if not broken. Fighting through the pain Taurean leapt forward after ducking the wild backswing following that blow. Grennen had thought he had the half-elf so the next swing had been hasty, over confident, and the half-elf easily avoided it. He felt the breeze of its passing ruffle his hair before he came back to his feet and struck. The sword in his left hand came down slicing cleanly through Grennens right arm, and oh how the big howled with pain. The howl only lasted a couple seconds before he went silent as the life was snuffed out by a well-aimed thrust of that wicked dagger. Moving gingerly, Taurean left the body of Grennen and the unconscious form of The Weasel behind. He hadnt the time to go back and kill the Weasel, plus, he didnt need a Despurden contract on his head, No one would miss Grennen, on the other hand, The Weasel, or Shyra, they would most definitely be missed and The guild would want blood. Best to just find this priestess and get the hell out of here before Shyra caught on that something other than fucking was going on out here in the trees. The woman wasnt stupid, she would know well that howl of Grennens was not the cry of a tremendous sexual release it was the cry of incredible pain. Sheathing his blades Taurean approached the place he had last seen the priestess his eyes sweeping the area, seeking her out unerringly.