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+--- Thread: [Ludovoix Larille, Central Shroud] Shrouded in darkness. (/showthread.php?tid=7927)
[Ludovoix Larille, Central Shroud] Shrouded in darkness. - Ritual - 08-10-2014
The Moon hung in the sky watching eerily over the The Black Shroud, the Wildwood known as Ludovoix, crept through the forest, trying to keep silent, as he observed his surroundings. All was quiet, even the birds slumbered leaving the only noise to be Ludovoixs footsteps and the sounds of the West Vein river which ran through the Central Shroud, breathing deeply, he could smell the petrichor in the air as he knelt low to look at some tracks in the still wet dirt.Â
Ludovoix preferred to hunt at night, he enjoyed how solitary it was compared to the day, with all the adventurers running around, standing to his full height and adjusting his ever present bow, he turned at the noise of footsteps behind him. A person was walking towards him, clearly a male Highlander, judging by his large build and height, though his height didn't match Ludovoixs, he did come close to it, his maroon coloured hair swayed slightly in the breeze, emerald eyes creasing, as he smiled at Ludovoix.
"It has been too long Ludo." came the Highlanders gruff voice, he stood before Ludovoix, wearing standard Hyuran garb that you see on most adventurers, Ludovoix nodded slightly greeting, giving him a small smile, "True, it has Hoenheim." motioning down the path, they walked together across the bridge over the West Vein river, towards The Bannock. "You're becoming like a bloody ghost you know, I see you in the corner of me eye in Gridania sometimes, so I turn to say hello and poof, you're gone." Hoenheim smiled greatly, turning his head towards his friend, mirth evident in his tone, "Yeah, I am becoming more of a recluse nowadays, something I am actually quite enjoying if I'm honest." came Ludovoixs reply, sounding disinterested as always.Â
"Now don't be lying, I've seen you hanging around with that young Hyuran lass." Hoenheim teased, Ludovoix stopped in his tracks looking baffled, a sight rarely seen, he looked to the Highlander with a creased brow, "What?...." then realisation of who he must've meant came to mind. He shook his head, the ghost of a smile on his lips, "She's just a friend Hoenheim, trust me on that.". Hoenheim gave him a taunting wink as they continued walking, staying silent until they made it to The Bannock.Â
It was empty, the guards having returned to Gridania and the Lavender Beds for rest, after a long day of training. A quick look at the fire-pit, showed the wood was clearly still wet from the downpour earlier, the two each took a seat on a tree stump and they turned to face each other. After exchanging the usual pleasantries of how each of them were and so on, Ludovoix told him about his recent travels to Ul'dah, which resulted in more teasing from Hoenheim, seeing as Ludovoix in the past, was fairly outspoken about his distaste for the city-state. All the while the pair were unaware of the pack of Anole closing in around them, hidden by the forests foliage and shrouded in the darkness of the night.
The beasts burst forth from their positions surprising the two, Ludovoix cursed himself for dropping his guard, as they both stood to attention. Ludovoix pulled the bow from his back and quickly nocked an arrow, he pulled the string back and anchored the arrow beneath his chin, even if he was the only one with any training between the two, Hoenheims strength more than made up for it.Â
Keeping his left arm straight, Ludovoix kept switching between targets, locking on to the one closest, the beasts snarled and snapped their teeth at the men, clearly hungry. "Since when do Anole stray so far from their nesting grounds?" wondered Ludovoix aloud, he kept calm, breathing evenly and trying to think of ways out of this mess, five pairs of dirty yellow eyes glared at the men, each pair bringing a razor sharp set of teeth.Â
One of them leapt at Ludovoix and he released his arrow straight into the beasts mouth, it pierced the back of its throat, as the Anoles body fell to the ground and slide in the mud, but before he could nock another arrow, another of the pack charged at him. Ludovoix swung his bow like a makeshift bat, striking it across the face as the other came at him, the last two advancing on Hoenhiem.
The Anole tried to jump and kick at Ludovoix with both its feet, he dodged to the left, but one of the beasts claws tore a scar across his cheek, he sucked in a breath at the stinging pain as the it came at him again, not giving him a chance to nock another arrow. The creature opened his jaws wide and Ludo held his bow sideways, when the Anole snapped at him he caught the bow in his mouth, Ludovoix pushed against the beast, backing him up slowly, the Wildwood scowled at the creature, eyes burning like Ifrits flames with anger.Â
Hoenheim sidestepped to the right, the Anole that charged him went straight past him and tumbled into the fire-pit, knocking over the left over stew from what must have been the guards lunch earlier in the day. As it scrambled to get up, the second Anole attacking Hoenheim didn't fall for his sidestep and landed the attack that Ludovoix had barely dodged earlier, knocking the Highlander to the ground.
Hoenheim cursed his luck, as the Anole stood on his chest, pinning him to the muddy ground, Ludovoix looked over to his friend, it was then that he truly panicked, he twisted the bow sideways, causing the beast latched onto it to topple over, the Anole standing atop Hoeinheim glared down at him, not noticing Ludovoix pull an arrow from the quiver on his back, using it like a make shift knife, he drove it into the side of the beast, making it yelp in pain and back away.
Holding out a hand, he helped Hoenheim back to his feet and they ran for the safety of Gridania.
(I had decided to post this awhile ago, but I just never got around to it, I figured now that I'm quitting RP I may as well post it. Goodbye all.)