RuneScape Forum Archive | Fall From Grace

Jul

2020

Serene End

Posts: 5,834 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Cutting across large, lush plains of verdant grass, the group came across a large castle. Surrounded by old iron gates, its body made of an ivy covered stone brick. Yet it still stood solidly and sturdily, a true testament to its masterful architecture. Indeed, its walls were as might as the day it was built, a fortification which Raphael surely kept closely in mind.

But just a little ways down the road, there stood a civilization of sorts. Indeed, as their eyes adjusted to the distance, the far sight of an old, rundown village loomed upon them. It laid smothered between the land and the sky, beckoning them over. With much eagerness and glee, they sprung forth into its direction.

But soon, they found themselves swallowed up by its dark, vexing nature. They walked down the main street in and out of this place, their eyes gazing upon a harsh environment truly. As the gentle breeze swept on through the town, carrying dust and dirt along with it, the group quietly rolled inwards. And just as Taverley of the past, their arrival sparked an inferno of reaction.

Their ears bear witness to the slew of sounds echoing through the morning air: doors shutting, windows closing, the swift speculation of the residents. The village itself was much alike Taverley in more ways than with its inhabitants, for the infrastructure was too ruined, decimated. Buildings crumbled at the sight, paths laid so bare of brick that the grass made for a better walkway.

Yet it seemed this place fared a little bit better than Taverley, for the atmosphere felt not hopeless and lost. Though they made no breathless effort to make it appear so, there was a very strong reaction from those around. No, not all scurried back into their holes, some continuing doing what they've been doing. Though it was clear that they were now doing it at a limited capacity, their eyes hellbent on taking the strangers down.
The end

is only

the beginning...

11-Nov-2016 17:31:27

Jul

2020

Serene End

Posts: 5,834 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

The group continued to walk further in this clearly hostile environment, playing the role of prey to the violent, bloodthirsty glares of those who hung around. A ticking time-bomb, awaiting ignition, feeling the seconds tick by. Yet most of the group came to notice a heavy noise explode off from the back, robbing them of their eyes.

They found then just one of the residents of this village before the hooded old man Neeson, that resident wielding a large wooden board in his hand. The resident having taken a swing at the old man, believing the old man clearly the weakest of the group. Thinking this an easy prey, the resident attacked, but he was a fool to even dare.

Neeson's left hand blocked the incoming attack, grabbing the weapon mid-way in its motion. The shock upon the attacker's face was quite lucid, yet that did not stay his barbarism. His teeth savagely fastened together, pressing on as hard as he could. Yet Neeson's arm wasn't budging even an inch, the old man's hollow, frigid blue eyes piercing straight through his attacker.

Unbiased to the attacker's harsh life, of his dirtied face, of his tattered clothes, of his cut up, callused hands, Neeson reached for his axe. And in a blink of an eye, blood soared high, the old man ripping his axe out of its holster and burying it into his attacker's neck before anyone could so much as breathe.

The old man then launched his right foot forward, hitting his attacker in his sternum and ripping his axe out from their neck. Neeson's attacker looked absolutely terrified, placing his hand upon the wound. A vain attempt to control the blood which just profusely gushed out from his body.

And although coin was such a sweet, tempting sound, this soul had a life to live too. It was clear that this old man was no ordinary fellow, forcing his attacker into a position where retreat was the only option. The attacker made a break for it, but the injury he had sustained was grave, the blood loss fast and significant.
The end

is only

the beginning...

11-Nov-2016 17:33:33 - Last edited on 11-Nov-2016 17:34:31 by Serene End

Jul

2020

Serene End

Posts: 5,834 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Neeson made no attempt to pursue him, watching his attacker leave only bloody footprints behind him. But his wound which he had suffered was far too great, the young man's sprint steadily growing slower and weaker. It was then that another attempt was taken, but this time on what seemed to be even weaker prey.

An older, brutish man came flying up with an weathered, old knife, aiming at Daevarro with malicious intent. But someone else was watching this situation grow the moment it was born, Raphael stepped off in Daevarro's defense. His purple eyes beaming upon the man with the ill-will, ripping Falcon out from its scabbard.

"Daevarro, behind you!" Raphael strongly, loudly shouted in the middle of his rush, drawing the dark-robed young man's attention. He turned around, finding his own mortality taking the form of a rusty old knife. Daevarro had to ready himself in defense, but that was all nullified when he suddenly felt himself getting pushed off to the side.

But despite the odds, Raphael somehow managed to get over to Daevarro just in the nick of time. He put his sword up in defense, catching the knife on his blade's strong edge. He then controlled the knife, twisting it around and forcing it into his cross-guard. Raphael then hooked his right leg around the attacker's legs, tripping the older man and sending him collapsing onto the ground.

The would-be attacker hit the ground hard on his back, kicking up dust upon impact. His teeth gripped furiously, his eyes then opening and finding the glimmer of steel pressed into his throat. Raphael had willfully fallen with him, pinning him down with a knee to his abdomen and a blade to his throat.

Raphael's purple irises barreled down upon the older man, releasing nothing but pitiless anger. To dare attack one of his own, all in some selfish attempt to survive, this bitter resentment urging Raphael to take the man's life. He toyed with the idea, tossing it back and forth in his head.
The end

is only

the beginning...

11-Nov-2016 17:35:39

Jul

2020

Serene End

Posts: 5,834 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

"Do it!" Raphael would hear the grimaced face of the attacker exclaim. But despite the attacker submitting his life to his whim, Raphael declined. He recoiled, his hand which held his blade retreating back to his side. It was a rather surprising turnout, perhaps some of the old Raphael still resided within.

Still on top of the attacker, Raphael's eyes beamed venomously upon his attacker's face. "Get out of here," he angrily demanded, lifting his knee up off the man and standing back up. Offered this new lease on life, Daevarro's would-be attacker quickly built himself back up and ran, withdrawing back into whatever hole he crawled out from.

Subtly relieved that the attacker took his offer and literally ran with it, the silver-haired heir then averted his gaze onto Daevarro, who stood there with gratitude. "Are you all right?" Raphael asked the dark-robed young man.

Daevarro nodded his head. "Yes," he answered. "Thank you."

Having heard Daevarro's expression of appreciation, the silver-haired prince then turned to the other vicious stares around him and his group, unafraid and undaunted by their clear murderous intentions. Within his following, a certain red-haired archer smirked smugly, spanning his arms out to his sides. "What? That's it?" Shinon questioned the shady individuals off to their sides. "Anyone else wanna give it a go? C'mon! Why not take somethin' for free?"

"Eh, don't lis'en ta 'im, fellas!" Calvin then insisted nervously. "We're jus' sum folks passin' on by! We re'ly, re'ly ain't lookin' fer trouble."

Desiring to waste no more time, Raphael proceeded forward, becoming a single unit outside of the body of his following. The second his absence became noticed, those most loyal to him quickly located and flocked to his side. Daevarro, Telvern, and his master Malik walked loyally beside him, the second rather annoyed by the unwarranted, unneeded attention which their presence had brought.
The end

is only

the beginning...

11-Nov-2016 17:36:19

Jul

2020

Serene End

Posts: 5,834 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

They entered into this ruined village further, their eyes taking view of the village's inhabitants attempting to make what they could with their environment. It was more civilized than Taverley, where it was a mere struggle to survive. Life resided here, for there was trading and some good times to be had. But there was no sight of authority figures, an unwritten law that there was no law at all.

Further along down this road, their eyes settling down upon a building with a decent amount of population. Upon further inspection of this domain, it became obvious that it was a tavern of some kind. An old wooden sign hung just outside, one which hung on by a thread. In blunt fashion, it simply read "pub".

Needing a compass to point them in the right direction to this mysterious capital, Raphael and company ventured further into this tavern. From within, their ears captured excited chatter and jolly, drunken laughter. They push under a long, old blanket nailed into the doorway. A rather makeshift attempt at a door, one could wager. They entered inside, finding a fairly large sized interior, stuffed with small, rough wooden tables and chairs.

Immediately, they basked in the coarse, yet warmhearted air of the tavern scene. The scent of barley and the stink of the people went hand-in-hand, breeding an unusual smell. Some were having their own competitive match of arm wrestling, a duel between a Solasúian male and female. Quite the battle to be had, a match as even as the atmosphere on a windless day.

The bartender gave the newcomers a suspicious look, attempting to identify just what kind of people had stepped into his place. They carried weapons of steel and iron, bestowing them the ability to make their own authority. Such was a troubling thought, so the tender kept a very close eye on them.
The end

is only

the beginning...

11-Nov-2016 17:36:47

Jul

2020

Serene End

Posts: 5,834 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

They stepped through this place, birthing many stuttered conversations among the commoners, attracting many dirty glances and menacing sneers. Almost every eye shone with a subtle, yet vibrant light, the implication that they resided within a territory owned by gods. It was rather nerve-wrecking for some, forcing them to do whatever it took to avoid eye contact and be on their best behavior.

The sound of even more commotion embraced the air then, beckoning over certain inquisitive minds. There were several people flocking over to a table in the back-most corner, several ardent words came flying out into the air. "Go for the left one," suggested a drunken female Solasúian.

"N-no, no! Right, right," another person then advised in his tipsy stutter.

Inside this gathering stood a woman in ragged clothing and a red bandana, her teal blue glowing irises beaming down upon an old wooden table. But it was not the table she stared upon, but it was on the table. A triad of wooden cups sat there in the middle of the table, flipped upside down. They were perfectly aligned in a straight row of three, the marker of the perfect game of chance.

On the side of the table adjacent to her was a man in his forties, though given that his eyes were glowing, he was most likely about eighty or so. An eager, long-nosed dealer with the face of an imp, bearing a mischievous grin. His teal blue eyes examining the face of his player as she contemplated her choice. "So, what'll it be?" the dealer requested of his player in a smooth tongue.

"Center," she answered him, pointing her left index finger at her chosen cup. Hearing her choice, the dealer placed his hand upon the cup at the heart in this trio. He lifted it up off the table, revealing a little white ball beneath. Upon the ball's unveiling, those onlookers appeared excited and impressed. They cheered and applauded for her, filling the air with many "oohs" and "ahhs".
The end

is only

the beginning...

11-Nov-2016 17:37:19

Jul

2020

Serene End

Posts: 5,834 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

The dealer himself looked rather impressed, calmly forking over a pouch of gold. "Here you go," he said to her. "That's twenty gold pieces for you, lady. You've earned it."

This game of luck stayed Calvin's very step, even his little heart stayed for a half a second. His eyes as sweet and as shiny as a glazed donut, filled with the hopes and aspirations of pressing his luck. He let out a teeth-bare smile as wide as his imagination on just what he could do with twenty gold pieces, a booming encouragement which pushed him on.

Enthusiastically sliding his hands together, the social assassin licked his lips at the kinds of tasty, delectable meals he could buy with twenty coins. His covetous, overactive imagination getting the upper-hand. He happily sprung out from his herd of black, hearing that wonderfully pleasing sound of coins singing together in a most heavenly choir.

"You do understand the probability of that game being engineered, don't you?" Calvin's uplifting, upbeat parade suddenly getting rained on by the downpour of a downer named Telvern.

Calvin peacefully turned to his friend, letting off that big, bright smile of his. "Ahh, c'mon!" Calvin cheerfully dismissed. "Ya need ta 'lax a li'l', light'n up, y'know! Not ev'ry fella's-a scammer or cutthroat."

"That's—" Telvern attempted a rebuttal, however his voice would be immediately shut out.

"— La la la , can't 'ear ya, egghead!" The social assassin innocently blocked Telvern's logic out, covering his ears. "Sorry, too busy thinkin' 'bout wat ta do wit' all dat money I'm gonna ca'lect!"

Telvern sighed in his frustration, crossing his arms. "...Very well," the furtive genius conceded. "If you will not trust in my words, then an enlightening experience will surely confirm my suspicions."
The end

is only

the beginning...

11-Nov-2016 17:38:31

Jul

2020

Serene End

Posts: 5,834 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

"Hehehe," Calvin chuckled devilishly, rubbing the back of his head. He then took that small horseshoe charm chained around his neck in hand, putting it to his lips and giving it a good kiss for even better fortune. Calvin returned that charm under his shirt, merrily strutting over to that desired destination.

Aside from Calvin's sidetracking, most others headed off to the front of the bar. He who tended the drink and handled the fools, an older Solasúian male with a long, thick cover of hair upon his face. His glowing, teal blue eyes watched as the group came forward, finding a silver-haired young man and several other characters stand before his counter.

"What's your poison?" The bartender asked Raphael and his companions, a question he routinely asks everyone in his bar.

The red-headed archer Shinon then sat down upon a stool at the barside, sitting beside a strange, yet unusually captivating fellow. "I'll take the best ale you've got," the red-haired archer Shinon answered.

"I'm looking for the capital," Raphael told the bartender, completely ignoring his question. "Do you know the way there?"

The bartender then stared at Raphael directly in his face, taking notice of the clear lack of shine in his eyes. "Are you a human?" The bartender questioned, cleaning out a cup for Shinon.

"And if I am?" Raphael returned, his tongue subtly sharp.

"Then I'd advise you tread nowhere near Ardougne," the bartender strongly urged. "You might get fortunate and find a few sympathizers on the capital's outskirts, but inside its walls is a completely different animal. Alverra is lawless, unbound, and it holds no respect or kindness for the lesser ilk. Ardougne serves as the culmination of these... 'ideals', the way they handle their human propriety is beyond deplorable."

"I'll take my chances," the silver-haired heir sternly replied.
The end

is only

the beginning...

11-Nov-2016 17:39:20

Jul

2020

Serene End

Posts: 5,834 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

"As you wish," the bartender acknowledged, tossing aside this false sense of concern as he handed Shinon a cup of nice, foamy, cold ale. "The capital resides to the southwest of here. If you continue to follow the main road, you'll eventually come across it in... a week roughly by foot travel."

Raphael then reached into his pocket, procuring a few shiny gold coins. He tipped the bartender, his show of appreciation for the information charitably given. The bartender, a soul who saw not a whole lot of business, was not fooling around. He quickly pounced on that cash, vacuuming up these tiny delectables fast and furiously like a hungry anteater.

Bearing this new information, Raphael sought the view of his closest allies. He turned to them with determination, prepared for whatever images their eyes had to behold. The most imaginative of minds began springing with their own idea of just what this Ardougne would look like, a true dystopia even worse than Governanti.

"Let's get going," Raphael said to his comrades, having no desire to continue lingering here and waste more valuable time. His gaze without relent, his stead without pause, charging through towards the way they came. The heads of some followed him, but not their feet, for those some had begun to grow concerned with Raphael's haste.

All the while, Calvin's attempt to play this shell game was going as well as to be expected. A frustrating turn of events truly, a perpetual cycle of losing and losing and losing some more. Yet the unyielding resolution of this assassin continued to pressure him, push him onward. But it also didn't help that there was a beautiful lady there next to him, constantly encouraging him to keep going, that this time "will be the one."
The end

is only

the beginning...

11-Nov-2016 17:39:49

Jul

2020

Serene End

Posts: 5,834 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

After trying about a dozen and half times, the social assassin felt his pocket as light as air. A feeling like his stomach had fallen down to his ankles, a disturbing thought to think himself actually broke. The operator then looked to Calvin, awaiting his call for another game. "Come now, I'm certain you'll claim your lost coin in the next one!" The dealer tried to urge him.

"Yes, I'm certain the next time will be the one!" The lady who won concurred.

"Nah... nah..." Calvin declined in a sorrowful tone, shamefully hanging his head. "I'm as flat broke as-a bank wit' its vaul' door op'n!"

"Aw, that's too bad," the lady responded with dismay.

The operator smirked, then taking his eyes out to the growing crowd. "Anyone else wish to partake in a little game of luck?" He advertised loudly and proudly, feeling victorious. Members of the crowd shuffled their heads around, looking out for the next player in this shell game. When it seemed this plate would bear not a soul upon it, when it seemed that this game was to close shop for the day... someone came into the spotlight.

A fellow at the bar came out from his seat beside Shinon, penetrating the crowd. He arrived, a slightly older fellow who was Solasúian, given his glowing teal blue eyes. Like his eyes, he possessed very common traits to a typical member of his ilk. His hair sandy brown and short, his facial structure bore some strong characteristics, and his skin was slightly tan.

Despite having all of these average features seen about a million times, there was something about him, something... exotic. Despite having a familiar hairstyle, his hair was well-kept and clean. Despite bearing eyes that could be ripped out from any other of his kind, they tempted all with their beauty. Despite his face being the exact same as hundreds of others, it was the kind of mask that could make anyone -- female or male -- swoon. And despite his hide being like almost any of his ilk, it was flawless, unsullied, pure.
The end

is only

the beginning...

11-Nov-2016 17:42:52

Forums

Fall From Grace