Inkling...
Inkling...
278 quotes (278 spoken, 0 mentions)
“Stop bickering. We’re at full strength again, thanks to that Human. Speaking of. Did anyone catch the Runner’s name?”
“We take a page out of the Runner’s book. Did you see how she escaped it? We moved in too slow. This time, we spread out. No shields, just run from cover to cover. Gerial, you’ll take one group left. I’ll head right. Put Marian and the other archers up and tie it up. Force it to shield itself, and give me an opening. Ceria, can you tag it at least once?”
“Horns! Did you hear that? We’re going in. The Runner’s bought us our moment, and we’ll all buy her a drink. But I’ll be drinking it out of that Lich’s damned skull. Advance!”
“You’re joking. She’ll never make it.”
“That’s me.”
“We have to.”
“You idiot. She’s Drathian.”
“You heard her. Horns of Hammerad—covering fire! Potions have arrived!”
“Let her go if she wants. Runner—thanks for the assistance. Not many of your lot would do this. The Horns owe you a debt.”
“Do you have half a potion left, Gerial? Give it to me. I’ll yank this out and charge. Everyone who can move goes.”
“What about Ceria and Sostrom? Why the hell aren’t they taking this thing out? We are a disgrace of a team.”
“Status?”
“She told you.”
“Who? What’s happening?”
“We must take the monster down. No Runner can get to us with it here, and no other adventuring team can bail us out. I am Beriad of the House of Minos. It would be a disgrace for me to let my team down.”
“Damn.”
“No clue. Shut up—give that Runner covering fire! Everyone up!”
“Calruz of the Beriad, Captain of the Horns of Hammerad. Son of Minos, at your service.”
“I hope you’ve got our delivery, Miss Runner.”
“Thank the Runner. Ceria, how’s your mana?”
“Explain, please.”
“We didn’t come here to chat. We’re honor-bound to repay our debt, which is why we’re here. And you’re injured. How’d that happen?”
“Of course. What does distance matter? But let us introduce ourselves properly. Ceria, introduce yourself.”
“Instead, we managed to break that damn skeleton’s head in. The treasure we recovered more than made up for the expedition. And while the rest of our group is still healing from the battle, we’re here to repay the debt we owe.”
“So? What about a healing potion? How good was that [Healer]? We have [Bone Healers] in the House of Minos well above the grade of local ones. Although even I can set a broken bone.”
“She reminds me of females of my kind. Fiery. The ones who would stab any male that offends. Much better than the simpering Human ones I keep meeting.”
“You. Runners. Your presence is clearly not wanted or needed. Leave.”
“Enough of this.”
“What a pathetic, cowardly lot. I’d challenge them all to an honor duel in a moment if I had cause. Didn’t you call for the Watch, at least? That’s how you do it in Izril—what about truth spells?”
“I like her.”
“Bah. All that’s needed is courage and spirit to win her over.”
“Strong. I like her quite a lot.”
“Don’t wait for me. I’ll find you at the Guild later.”
“Hah! Spirited! It is good to see that in a Human at last!”
“I am Calruz of the Beriad. We have met before. I lead the Horns of Hammerad, an adventuring party in these parts. I am in your debt, Ryoka Griffin.”
“I fear no [Mage], especially not a weak one who practices cowardly magic like necromancy.”
“We don’t need cowards! Jump off and run back into the city!”
“She seems—odd. What spell did you cast?”
“Exactly.”
“Rabble. Not worth dirtying a blade over. Not a single Hob in sight.”
“Bah.”
“What do you mean?”
“Not a challenge.”
“Honor and duty above all. Without it, we are animals.”
“We can cover the cost.”
“The House of Minos has a lot of experience with bone injuries, and our [Healers] are the best as I said. But—that was instantaneous. And the solution is a [Necromancer]? I should report this to home. If that really does mend bone that fast…”
“That little runt of a Human was mocking us the entire time. We travelled all this way and paid all this coin for a spell that any one of you could have done? Explain yourself, Ceria!”
“In that case, get out. And consider yourself banned from the Horns of Hammerad while you’re at it.”
“Worthless nags.”
“We must clean the wound first. A healing potion can accelerate an infection—”
“We’ll have to dump it over the wound. Ryoka Griffin, do you need something to clench with your teeth?”
“What?”
“Enough words. Run already!”
“Fast. But that’s why she is worthy.”
“Why? Because I am a Minotaur?”
“Bah, it doesn’t look that inviting anyways. It’s got holes in the roof, and if the [Necromancer]’s a customer, I shudder to think what the rest of the guests are like. Let’s go!”
“I’m no fool, and the Horns of Hammerad aren’t Gold-ranked. Not yet. A proper strike force will take setting up. Let alone the provisioning. We will wait. Now, let us follow the quick Ryoka Griffin.”
“Ceria—now.”
“Hold it.”
“I assure you, it’s merely practicality.”
“We’ll follow in the wagon and pick you up when you slow down. There’s over a hundred miles between here and Celum. Even I—you couldn’t run that far.”
“Not without a full-fighting party. There’s a reason none of the cowards around here have dared breach the upper levels yet. If we come back, it will be after we know what monsters have been sighted there and our wounded have recovered.”
“Nonsense.”
“She will survive. She is a Human worthy of my admiration and respect. She will survive.”
“If we don’t get in there first, some Gold-rank team is going to organize an expedition and grab everything before we do!”
“If you’re with us, I’ll want your full commitment, not uncertain promises. My team has heard my decision, and they are with us. If you lack their spirit, we do not need you.”
“We don’t need cowards. If they lack the courage to risk their lives, we were better off without them to begin with. Such weakness would only drag us down.”
“Have you no spines? Here is the opportunity of a lifetime, and you all hesitate to step forwards! Grab your axes, and let’s enter these ruins already!”
“Ceria does not lead the Horns of Hammerad. I do.”
“The very same. Her name is Ryoka Griffin, and she is fearless.”
“You coward, Gregor. Where’s your sense of pride as a warrior?”
“Bah. She wanted to stay in Celum. Now she’s pacing around the Runner’s Guild.”
“She was waiting for a Runner to come back. She made a mistake and gave her mana potions instead of healing potions right before she ran into the High Passes.”
“I told her it would not matter. This Runner is no coward like the others. Mistake or not, she will survive the journey. And meanwhile, we have an expedition to prepare.”
“Ryoka Griffin is here?”
“Her business is her own. If Magnolia Reinhart seeks Ryoka Griffin, she should either respect her privacy or seek her outright.”
“What you are attempting is folly, Ryoka Griffin. There are some things that cannot be surpassed.”
“I’m not saying you’re inferior in technique. But size matters, and so do Skills. Do you have any in hand-to-hand combat? I thought not. You see, Runner Garia, it’s all commendable. But a warrior is a warrior, a Runner, a Runner. Even Ryoka Griffin would do well to run from any monsters she encounters. Her fists would not be enough to allow her survival in Liscor’s ruins.”
“Honor is for those who earn it. I don’t know this Runner’s character.”
“You. Runner. Move.”
“She is no warrior. This place is reserved for adventurers, not mere Runners.”
“You tread on Ceria’s honor. For that, I should challenge you to a duel with real weapons.”
“You. You, Ryoka Griffin, wish to fight me?”
“I was mistaken about you. You are no warrior. You are just a bully who wants something to hit.”
“Cowards.”
“I’m defending the integrity of—”
“Is it not the truth? Humans are weaker than Minotaurs by birth. So too are you women weaker than men.”
“You are not worth the time it would take.”
“As you wish.”
“I am merely stating the truth. Your fists would do little against most monsters my team faces. Less, since you are female and thus weaker.”
“Upon my honor, I promise. I will not attack any of your guests unless provoked.”
“Those creatures are scum. They should be exterminated.”
“What did you think I looked like, then?”
“We’re not bulls. Or cattle.”
“I can eat beef.”
“We know what’s in there. And the Ruins are less than an hour’s journey from the city! We don’t need supplies or scouts!”
“Also, Innkeeper. My name is Calruz, and I lead the Horns of Hammerad. Any title is fine, but—‘Bull Guy’—I would prefer you not call me that.”
“I don’t know what kind of Minotaurs you’ve heard of. But I accept your mistake.”
“This was not warrior’s work.”
“What do you mean, wait?”
“What?”
“A Minotaur.”
“Honor is at stake. You will not stop me.”
“After the innkeeper. Where else?”
“Who says I’m going to catch her? The child needs a second for a proper death duel.”
“So. You would allow death and dishonor to befall you because of mere rank? The House of Minos respects rank—but even Prince Khedal or our King would expect to be challenged if they spoke or acted madness. Have the Antinium no such sense?”
“You.”
“You. Why did you not fight? When you were being tortured by your own kind—why did you not resist? Are all of your kind cowards or do you not have any pride?”
“Answer me something, insect. Why did you not fight?”
“All that I should have expected from a slave.”
“I have decided this. I will teach you starting tomorrow. There are two days remaining before I go into the Ruins. I will have you learn to at least fight properly until then.”
“But you should have. It was a matter of honor. If you cared for the one called Pawn, you should have fought to protect him.”
“She looked like—it is nothing. You would likely not know her as an Izrilian.”
“Last night. You went out to avenge the insect. You did not. But you should have fought.”
“It is worthless. Weak.”
“That is not what I meant. I mean Skills for combat.”
“Immaterial. Classes, levels, these are just additions. What you lack is the soul of the warrior. You must have it. A female must not be alone without the power to defend herself. The singer must not be silenced. You must be stronger.”
“That is what you should learn. Skills. If you must be alone, you must not be unprotected. You must fight.”
“If you are not a warrior, you should become one. It is unbefitting for a female to be alone and not be a warrior.”
“You…do not know?”
“Do you know her?”
“Food. Drink. I will have both.”
“You should have fought.”
“You. You should have fought.”
“You did not.”
“That is immaterial.”
“Those who believe they will lose before battle begins have already lost.”
“There is more to strength than mere levels.”
“I refer to Skills.”
“Weak.”
“Activated skills. Combat skills.”
“Follow me.”
“Observe. This is my Skill.”
“[Hammer Blow]!”
“Yes. It is my sole Skill.”
“I will rest now. My party will come soon. They must have food. See to it.”
“No.”
“If you break your fingers or cut your skin, there are potions. Keep attacking.”
“You must. You must learn to fight.”
“What does that mean?”
“Your king. In times of need, even he defends himself, does he not?”
“Striking a downed opponent may be wrong.”
“That doesn’t mean strike like a pathetic weakling! Hit harder!”
“Now—a spar.”
“She must learn to fight an enemy stronger and larger than she is.”
“Running away will not solve anything. She must hone her instincts. I will let her rest after she lands a proper hit on me. Now move—”
“That—was a dishonorable blow.”
“Go. Rest.”
“It was underhanded.”
“At least she was able to strike at me, even by surprise. That is good.”
“I was. But she showed me that she had more potential than that.”
“You have potential. But if you are attacked now, what I have taught you will not suffice. You must practice. Train. Remember that for now you are still weak.”
“To honor and glory.”
“I’ll break its shell.”
“Mm.”
“That is a boulder. What of it?”
“Give me your strongest punch. I wish to feel it.”
“If you can injure me, I will hang up my axe and cease living as a warrior this instant.”
“Try again.”
“Your form is terrible.”
“It is not a compliment.”
“Do you not even know how to punch properly?”
“Never?”
“Someone who cannot even punch properly would never learn a Skill.”
“Nevertheless, we respect the art of war in magic, engineering, and all forms. We understand honing one’s techniques, learning systematically. And this—we understand the flow of combat. To learn and use such Skills, you must forget your frailties and strike with heart.”
“That…proves you know what it is, if nothing of it.”
“She lacks vision. I will make her understand that.”
“Not just desire. It is the refinement of a single strike into a moment of perfection. But that is something far beyond you at this moment. For now, you must learn to punch.”
“Strike my palm. I will show you how to attack properly.”
“And then when you strike, step forwards and move your hips like so.”
“Again.”
“Fast. Faster. Pull back your arm quickly.”
“You. Thing. Dodge her.”
“Try to strike it.”
“You are painfully slow. Move faster! Don’t strike where he is, but where he will be.”
“I don’t see it. Is it hiding in the ground?”
“What are you worried about?”
“There is no need to waste any more time with useless chattering and polishing weapons. Tomorrow, we fight. Tell the others I will be ready when the time comes.”
“Don’t stop! Press the attack! Your goal is to defeat your enemy. Hurt him. Mercy is a luxury only the strong can afford. Attack until he lies in pieces.”
“Perhaps—yes. There is more honor in you than I thought. Very well. I have little time, so I shall simply teach you to fight. If you practice against your creature, you may learn the basics quickly enough.”
“I will teach you. If you are to protect her, you must fight better. Come. Strike at me.”
“Not like that. You will break your fingers if you strike unevenly.”
“It is the act of exceeding one’s limits.”
“I am teaching you a basic truth. You must know how to fight without weapons, or it will be a weakness others will exploit. Besides, you understand nothing of the flow of combat. You must learn to strike your opponent before you are worthy of using a blade.”
“No.”
“What about your creature? Surely it knows how to do battle.”
“…Can you do that again?”
“Stop running! Don’t—don’t crouch like that. If you must retreat, do it quickly and without wasting motion. Never turn your back to the enemy!”
“Gazi the Omniscient. It would be inconvenient if she were to trouble us now. I will go with you.”
“Go, then. I will remain here.”
“This is the last resort I speak of. Someday, you will surely be alone and without anyone to protect you. Will you die then or fight?”
“That neither you nor your—pet know how to defend yourselves is a shame. Were you never taught how to fight?”
“I am no mage. That was a Skill. It allows me to transcend my hardest strike and turn it into something even stronger.”
“There is art in this. My kind practices little magic. There are war mages, and we do study in places like Wistram—but we respect martial ability more often.”
“The House of Minos learned from [Martial Artists] to create the basis of our hand-to-hand training. I am surprised you know of it. Most Izrilians are ignorant [Brawlers]. What do you know of such things?”
“I know a Human who fights with her fists. She is…skilled. But wild. And she does not understand. She fights with cunning and grace, but she only fights at her limit. She does not think she can go further. Thus—she never will.”
“Now, the skeleton. Punch it.”
“Very well. We shall try something else. The skeleton shall guard, and you will break through. Punch him, kick him. Destroy your opponent.”
“The skeleton will block. Simply strike at him. He is dead, so it matters little what you do. Forget death and battle for the moment. Simply know the purity of combat.”
“No. Consider this a final test. Both of you—spar with each other. You are a good match. Equally weak. Well, the skeleton knows how to fight, but it should be good practice.”
“Move aside, Ceria. I am teaching her to fight.”
“She is—talented. Very talented. Ceria. In the course of a few hours, she was able to overwhelm that skeleton in a fist fight. And then she unlocked a Skill. She learned one in the heat of training.”
“It is rare, but I have heard of it being done. Never seen it on one’s first day of training. Erin Solstice has a sense for battle. I have met others like her. She is gifted. Talented. It is a shame she never trained before this.”
“I am not one for speeches. But tomorrow we go into new ruins, and we may find treasure beyond our dreams there or the greatest of enemies. Regardless, we go together. The Horns of Hammerad shall return triumphant.”
“Impossible.”
“No. Teaching.”
“Mm. We’re all set. Time to head out?”
“No markings on the walls. Why didn’t they double back and warn us?”
“We have to go. Follow us, but don’t lag behind.”
“Enough talk.”
“Hendric. Coward.”
“We’re not clearing out every room. As soon as we strike a treasury or find enough to justify the costs, we’ll leave.”
“To me, Horns of Hammerad.”
“We’re going.”
“Good. Try not to use magic just yet if we can help it. Form up!”
“Yes. Let us begin.”
“There’s Yvlon. Move up.”
“My team will take the front—”
“That sounds good. Do it.”
“Are you done?”
“The Horns of Hammerad are all here.”
“Why waste time waiting?”
“I do not need a Skill. Be ready. When they attack, we will crush them.”
“Hold, damn you! Fall back in order! Warriors, hold, and mages retreat to the chamber!”
“No. Wait. We will recover a while longer. And then we will go and destroy those who would take our own.”
“I have a plan.”
“You. [Tactician]. Do you have any skills that would turn the tide of battle?”
“I will lure them out. If one of you possesses a [Loudness] spell or something similar, I will provoke them into attacking.”
“We should face them all at once.”
“The spell is about to run out! Mages, buy us some time.”
“Not every Skill or spell must be shouted.”
“Pathetic spirits of the dead! I am Calruz, leader of the Horns of Hammerad! By the House of Minos, I challenge you. If there is any honor left yet in your defiled corpses—face me and meet your end!”
“Gerial! Back me up!”
“Move!”
“You speak of seeking them out in their homes, but that is foolish. We are adventurers. We are stronger than they are. If we remove the element of surprise and cowardly attacks from behind, we stand a better chance of wiping them out at once than fighting with our backs to the walls every five minutes.”
“The dead do not like sound any more than you do. It is an intrusion. I have challenged their honor. And so—we begin!”
“Pah.”
“With me?”
“Fool. Drathians have their own language. And to read any tome, no matter how old, is a valuable ability. You uncultured Izrilians.”
“Do not run. You are the Horns of Hammerad. This thing has slain our own. We must avenge—”
“What of Gregor and the others?”
“Why were the doors opened? Gregor was told to wait! Who—”
“I am Calruz of the Beriad. I challenge you.”
“Cast it! The rest of you, follow me!”
“If you did not open them, then who—”
“Honor. We must not run. Face your death with pride.”
“But you cannot read it.”
“We are not mewling Human children. Speak.”
“Let us regroup with Yvlon. With speed. [Warriors], form up, and mages, follow close behind. Prepare for—”
“Is this important?”
“We’ve found nothing of worth so far. Give us a few minutes to gather everyone, and we’ll follow you.”
“Or more could be inside. Wait for us.”
“What’s happening? Where are Gregor and the others?”
“They opened them? The fools!”
“The door!”
“Can you slow them down?”
“Fools!”
“Have you sent anyone down there?”
“A message. Too long to explain. Know that we most likely face Skinner, the guardian of this place. He—steals skin.”
“So it was written. And his awakening woke the other undead too. There is a horde approaching from behind.”
“I do not want to run without seeing the enemy’s face.”
“What is?”
“They’re dead. But what caught them? This Skinner—”
“Retreat!”
“We must fight.”
“On your feet! What’s happening?”
“Ceria!”
“—Perhaps we should send word to the surface. Ask if any know of this ‘Skinner’ creature.”
“Agreed. We will hold off opening them until we are prepared. And perhaps—”
“Horns of Hammerad. If you have any pride, turn and face your enemy.”