Coatleque rode towards Highbridge on a standard patrol of the road to Gridania. She only just returned to Ul'dah within a sun and had already been beset by duties after her absence. She had hoped to be done her travelling for a few days at least, but the dry winds and sun of Thanalan were more welcoming after the cold climes of Coerthas. The route so far had been uneventful as usual, so she had little to complain of today.
Unknown to Crofte, yellow eyes watched her approach from the rock overlooking the pass. The humanoid shaped creature wore what looked to be simple shepherd’s clothes, torn here and there in places, but its face was shadowed. As she passed under, the creature rose and leaped at the woman, seeking to knock her from her chocobo!
Startled at the sudden presence of something flying through the air at her, she pulled hard on the reigns and the bird reared back and to the right, just narrowly being missed by the creature. The creature’s cloak spread open almost as if it were wings upon its back as it landed. It paused momentarily to stare at her face before muttering something incomprehensible. After quickly regaining her bearings, she stared at this new visage before her, narrowing her eyes.
"Was that meant to be some sort of ambush?", she quipped as she urged her bird to back up a few steps. Scanning the area she was now on guard for any assistance this one may have with it. “Who are you, and what business do you have stopping me here?â€
The thing drew itself up straight. Its face was covered and shadowed, but the skin around its eyes looks dark, and it spoke with a voice not its own. "Crofte. Take. Now." With that, it lunged forward again, arms outstretched.
Still having the advantage of being mounted, she reared the bird once more and forced it to jump sideways to avoid the creature’s lunge. Its purpose now clear, she quickly dismounted and pushes the bird away; It ran off away into the field to wait whatever outcome. She drew her blade and turned to face the creature. "It is a crime to keep a Sultansworn from their duty, though I don't feel you particularly care at this point, Ser."
The creature responded once again in a guttural, unnatural voice. "Duty. Take Crofte. It is commanded!" It raised its arm above its head and a shadowy halberd seemed to grow from its hand as it swung downward! While put off by the sudden appearance of the weapon, she easily anticipated its slower movement and sidestepped the swing while raising her sword parallel to the ground. "If you will not be swayed, then so be it!"
She wielded her sword with both hands and moved in with a quick spin to her right, sweeping the blade down in an effort to sweep its leg with the flat of her sword. The attack connected easily, and the creature is dropped to one knee as she broke its leg with her blade. It howled a shrill alien scream that echoed across Thanalan. After a moment it looked at her direction and vomited void pitch at her face.
Diving to the side, she avoiding whatever the thing had spit towards her. The pitch landed on the ground a few feet behind her and bubbled as it ate a hole in the sand. She let her sword drop to one hand by her side as she moved towards the creature once more. Raising one leg, she kicked it square in the chest, pushing the creature over.
As the creature toppled it swung out with one last attempt against its quarry. Not prepared that time, she could not avoid it as the halberd smashed into her chest, pushing her backwards and momentarily knocking the breath from her lungs. Her scale and chain took the brunt of the impact, but the force behind the impact was still astonishing.
Looking down at the creature with a smirk, she gave it one last chance to surrender.
"Any last words before I send you back to the void?"
It did not reply, but only made a gurgling sound as it tried to rise on its remaining good leg.
“So be it.â€
She spun hard to the right again, with her sword outstretched in a wide arch, cleaving the creature diagonally across its torso. Thee blade easily cut through the shepherd’s robes and its flesh. It gurgled as it quivered and died in front of her. However, though dead it did not stop moving as it began to writhe and contort on the ground before her. Stepping back, sword still at the ready, she watched its struggles.
Before long it had changed shape. Looked like a young highlander man, bleeding quite a natural red over the sand.
"By the Twelve!" Her sword fell to the ground as she rushed forward to attend to the man. She quickly looked over the body, trying to find any hope of saving him or bringing him back from the brink. Unfortunately it was far to late for the him. His pulse was gone and torrents of blood gushed out from where she cleaved him across the chest. The shadowy halberd vanished with all other traces of the voidsent.
She stayed like that for a good few minutes, cursing herself for the life she had taken. Afterwards she simply rose, and pulling his body to the side of the road, left him under the shade of the rock. Retrieving her sword she went find her bird. Thankfully it had not run off far, only to the plains beyond the bend in the road. A properly trained War Steed. Turning the mount about, she headed back to Drybone to report his death to the local Brass Blades.
Unknown to Crofte, yellow eyes watched her approach from the rock overlooking the pass. The humanoid shaped creature wore what looked to be simple shepherd’s clothes, torn here and there in places, but its face was shadowed. As she passed under, the creature rose and leaped at the woman, seeking to knock her from her chocobo!
Startled at the sudden presence of something flying through the air at her, she pulled hard on the reigns and the bird reared back and to the right, just narrowly being missed by the creature. The creature’s cloak spread open almost as if it were wings upon its back as it landed. It paused momentarily to stare at her face before muttering something incomprehensible. After quickly regaining her bearings, she stared at this new visage before her, narrowing her eyes.
"Was that meant to be some sort of ambush?", she quipped as she urged her bird to back up a few steps. Scanning the area she was now on guard for any assistance this one may have with it. “Who are you, and what business do you have stopping me here?â€
The thing drew itself up straight. Its face was covered and shadowed, but the skin around its eyes looks dark, and it spoke with a voice not its own. "Crofte. Take. Now." With that, it lunged forward again, arms outstretched.
Still having the advantage of being mounted, she reared the bird once more and forced it to jump sideways to avoid the creature’s lunge. Its purpose now clear, she quickly dismounted and pushes the bird away; It ran off away into the field to wait whatever outcome. She drew her blade and turned to face the creature. "It is a crime to keep a Sultansworn from their duty, though I don't feel you particularly care at this point, Ser."
The creature responded once again in a guttural, unnatural voice. "Duty. Take Crofte. It is commanded!" It raised its arm above its head and a shadowy halberd seemed to grow from its hand as it swung downward! While put off by the sudden appearance of the weapon, she easily anticipated its slower movement and sidestepped the swing while raising her sword parallel to the ground. "If you will not be swayed, then so be it!"
She wielded her sword with both hands and moved in with a quick spin to her right, sweeping the blade down in an effort to sweep its leg with the flat of her sword. The attack connected easily, and the creature is dropped to one knee as she broke its leg with her blade. It howled a shrill alien scream that echoed across Thanalan. After a moment it looked at her direction and vomited void pitch at her face.
Diving to the side, she avoiding whatever the thing had spit towards her. The pitch landed on the ground a few feet behind her and bubbled as it ate a hole in the sand. She let her sword drop to one hand by her side as she moved towards the creature once more. Raising one leg, she kicked it square in the chest, pushing the creature over.
As the creature toppled it swung out with one last attempt against its quarry. Not prepared that time, she could not avoid it as the halberd smashed into her chest, pushing her backwards and momentarily knocking the breath from her lungs. Her scale and chain took the brunt of the impact, but the force behind the impact was still astonishing.
Looking down at the creature with a smirk, she gave it one last chance to surrender.
"Any last words before I send you back to the void?"
It did not reply, but only made a gurgling sound as it tried to rise on its remaining good leg.
“So be it.â€
She spun hard to the right again, with her sword outstretched in a wide arch, cleaving the creature diagonally across its torso. Thee blade easily cut through the shepherd’s robes and its flesh. It gurgled as it quivered and died in front of her. However, though dead it did not stop moving as it began to writhe and contort on the ground before her. Stepping back, sword still at the ready, she watched its struggles.
Before long it had changed shape. Looked like a young highlander man, bleeding quite a natural red over the sand.
"By the Twelve!" Her sword fell to the ground as she rushed forward to attend to the man. She quickly looked over the body, trying to find any hope of saving him or bringing him back from the brink. Unfortunately it was far to late for the him. His pulse was gone and torrents of blood gushed out from where she cleaved him across the chest. The shadowy halberd vanished with all other traces of the voidsent.
She stayed like that for a good few minutes, cursing herself for the life she had taken. Afterwards she simply rose, and pulling his body to the side of the road, left him under the shade of the rock. Retrieving her sword she went find her bird. Thankfully it had not run off far, only to the plains beyond the bend in the road. A properly trained War Steed. Turning the mount about, she headed back to Drybone to report his death to the local Brass Blades.