[EVENT RP] The Reclamation of Tania

[WyvernSlayer]

Satsume lashed out with his lance.  The knight slapped it away with his sword with minimal effort.  Satsume tried again, trying to keep space between him and his opponent.  The knight parried once more, and took a quick shuffle step forward.  He was trying to get inside, away from the dangerous thrusts.  He’s good, thought Satsume.  The Emperor’s men are well-trained.

But bringing him close was exactly what Satsume wanted.  He gave a few more token shoves of his spear, just daring his foe to retaliate.  Eventually he did.  As Satsume pulled back his weapon, the knight lunged.

“Hyahhh!”  His sword cut across and scored Satsume’s breastplate.  Satsume went to grab the man’s wrist, as was his preferred way of dealing with opponents who got too close.  Got him!  Before the soldier could react, Satsume tugged hard, pulling his foe past him and stumbling him.  As soon as he let go of the man’s wrist, he chased after him, gripping his spear with both hands.

The knight regained his footing just in time to receive Satsume’s spearpoint in the ribs.  He howled in pain and sank to the ground, dropping his sword and reaching for the end of Satsume’s weapon, vainly hoping to pry it out.

Satsume quickly obliged him and yanked the spear back, leaving his captor clutching at a sizeable hole in his side.  

“I warned you,” Satsume said triumphantly.  “Now get out of here.”  He hastily gathered up his weapons and began to run back towards the inn.

Yep, definitely time to skip town.

The streets were now completely barren, save for the occasional patrol of Lycian guardsmen.  Satsume was careful not to attract their attention as he slipped by, taking cover behind a corner as the inn lay in front of him.  He watched a small contingent of soldiers stop at an intersection, talk amongst themselves for a brief moment, then look in his general direction.  He held his breath and gripped his spear.  One of them was trouble enough…

Finally, they continued down another path.  Satsume breathed a sigh of relief and went to take a step toward the inn.

“Oh… it’s you again.”

Satsume didn’t recognize the voice right away, so he whirled around and aimed his spearpoint at the source.  “Who…?!”

It was the Keeper he had met earlier.  Satsume almost didn’t recognize him underneath those ridiculous ecclesiastical hat-helm things they wore.  He noticed that he wasn’t holding a weapon of any kind; instead, he clutched a small book in his right hand.  Satsume couldn’t be sure, but it looked like this man meant no quarrel.  He kept his weapon ready.

“I thought I heard a wyvern’s call,” the man said.  He placed the book in a satchel hanging from his belt.  “I suppose this means that Bern has reached us.”

“Isn’t that why you’re here?” asked Satsume.

“Well, no… but I am told that my brothers will arrive soon to ease the peoples’ fears.”

“I’m sure,” Satsume said under his breath.  Then, louder, he said, “So why are you here?”

“Saint Elimine has guided me on this path, to find my faith.”

Satsume rolled his eyes.  He hated it when people got super-religious around him.  “Look,” he said, “The Emperor’s men have been chasing after me.  Can you-“

Screeeeeeeeech!

At the sound of the wyvern’s call, Satsume could hear the sounds of weapons jostling.  Footsteps picked up all around him.  He watched as a small group of Lycian soldiers ran right past where Satsume and the Keeper were standing.  His own heartbeat picked up in anticipation.  There was a battle coming.

“My friend,” said the Keeper.  “We must get inside.  The Bernese will surely think we mean to fight.”

Satsume stared at the holy man briefly, then nodded in acknowledgement.  He was right.  Besides, if the soldiers were distracted with the wyverns, it could give him a chance to get away.  Satsume collapsed his weapon, and he and the Keeper re-entered the inn.

“Okay, I have to know,” said Satsume as the door closed behind them.  “Why are you so different from the rest of the Keepers I’ve seen?  I had taken them all to be self-serving fanatics.  But not you.”

The Keeper sighed.  “I wish I knew.  But then again…” He looked down at the Keeper’s insignia that adorned his sleeve.  “Maybe I wish not to find out.”

“You’re an odd one.”

“Elimine accepts us all, my friend.”

Satsume couldn’t help but chuckle a bit.  He peered around the room.  Clusters of people were huddled about, talking amongst themselves.  Several had flocked to the windows to watch the impending battle unfold, including a woman with a familiar shock of red hair.  Satsume bit his lip.  Welp, no wriggling out of this one.  Guess I should apologize.  The Keeper followed behind him as he approached her.

“Uh, Paige?  About earlier...” He shuffled his feet and swallowed.  “I’m sorry.”