Lannis
You've yeed your last haw
Staff member
Admin
Events Staff
In-Game Tech Staff
Lore Staff
Server Outreach
Server Owner
Shadow Owner
@Faelin
And so it goes...
Through the night the pair rode. The Northman glanced down at their steed with growing concern, its slavering maw and laboured breath betraying its discontent at being burdened by an additional rider. Through the night they fled the terrifying destruction wrought by warring Gods, corruption crackling through the ground even as the hoofbeats galloped on. The Arbiter’s head lolled against his armored shoulder, unconscious body held steady between his muscular arms. “Hang in there, Alba,” he choked out in a hoarse whisper, reassuring tone supplanted by the tightness in his throat. “We’re safe.”
Mind left to wander by the repetitive pounding of horse’s hooves, the Northman’s thoughts wandered back to the hellish fight at the Cathedral.
Unholy beasts swarming around, overwhelming. Through the melee, small pockets of resistance struggling to survive the onslaught. The stench of blood already permeated the battlefield, numerous dead or dying from the initial wave alone. One such pocket surrounded the Arbiter, a wide swath of dying hellbeasts cut down through the sweeping blows of his polearm. A flush found it way to the cheeks of the Northman at the sight, mighty spectacle of the Arbiter’s prowess leaving him speechless. His own clearing, though substantial, paled in comparison to that of the Arbiter’s furious hammer. A lull in the fighting found its way to the Northman’s proximity, giving him time to fully appreciate the magnificence of the Arbiter’s art. To their rapid dismay, this appreciation did not go unnoticed. The Arbiter’s head turned too wide in the follow-through of a swing, gaze crossing to Northman’s to meet him in the eye. Only then did the Arbiter falter, a similar flush reaching his cheeks at the attention of such a man. Through the battlefield they stared into each other’s eyes, finding a spark of more than kinship in the shared gaze.
The Northman noticed it before the Arbiter could; An opportunistic pigman, from the corner of his eye. An exclamation of denial passed his lips as the beast’s sword rose, outstretched hand reaching for the Arbiter as it fell. A tortured scream crawled its way out from the Northman as the Arbiter crumpled, heavy blow tearing through tabard, armor, and flesh.
Furious was his advance through the combat, the Northman hacking through any beasts that dared stand between him and the fallen Arbiter. His advance was joined by the war-cries of a heavily armored Dwarf plowing into the flank of the foul host, hammer swinging in wider arcs than even those of the Arbiter.
The battlefield seemed to fall quiet as the Northman reached the fallen Arbiter, furious pulse in his ears drowning out the battle raging around them. A choked gasp escaped his lips as he fell to his knees, desperate hands reaching to cradle the Arbiter’s head. Down he glanced, past the visor into the deep pools that were the Arbiter’s eyes, now clouded by pain and confusion. Around them the hellbeasts stumbled, their retreat forced by the renewed offensive of the valiant Alterans. Even as the enemy fought back against the rout, the Northman knew that his fight was over. For now, he had something far more precious than the realm to protect.
The distant sight of the wall broke the Northman from his reverie. Had it not, the weak groans of the Arbiter may have gone unnoticed. In his gradual awakening, the Arbiter first noticed the sharp bite of the night air on his torso. Groggy mind trudging along to find an explanation, the Arbiter soon decided that the chill was due in part to the absence of the reassuring weight of his armor, and again to the absence of gambeson that preceded it.
He noticed second the discomfort in his chest, bare flesh pressed against the unyielding surface of the Northman’s fine chestplate. “Curious,” he thought, for removing his armor had no place in his recollection of events.
He noticed third the mounting burning in his cheeks, as his body realized the proximity to the burly Northman before his mind. He sat straddling the saddle facing opposite to the Northman, sturdy arms holding him close even as they handled the reins. A groan escaped him, in part due to the dull ache in his back and more so in embarrassment from his reaction to the compromising position.
“Are you… Are you alright?” Asked the Northman, his mouth dry.
The Arbiter’s voice emerges as a croak, “I… I think so.” A last comment slips out, ”...Thanks to you.” At the unbidden recognition, the Arbiter buries his head further into the Northman’s shoulder to hide the flush raging through his cheeks. “This is not happening,” he thinks. “I’m married, damn it! But...”
At his nuzzling, the Northman diverts his attention from their path to the increasingly confused Arbiter. A slight adjustment of body leaves them leaning inches from each other, so that the Northman can inspect once more the deep eyes of his inexplicably beloved Arbiter. The befuddled Arbiter’s feeble inquiries and objections fade as they sink deeper into each other’s gaze. An unspoken understanding between the two has their heads tilting one to the side of the other, steady rocking of the horse beneath them gradually driving their bodies, waiting lips, closer and closer together...
And so it goes...
Through the night the pair rode. The Northman glanced down at their steed with growing concern, its slavering maw and laboured breath betraying its discontent at being burdened by an additional rider. Through the night they fled the terrifying destruction wrought by warring Gods, corruption crackling through the ground even as the hoofbeats galloped on. The Arbiter’s head lolled against his armored shoulder, unconscious body held steady between his muscular arms. “Hang in there, Alba,” he choked out in a hoarse whisper, reassuring tone supplanted by the tightness in his throat. “We’re safe.”
Mind left to wander by the repetitive pounding of horse’s hooves, the Northman’s thoughts wandered back to the hellish fight at the Cathedral.
Unholy beasts swarming around, overwhelming. Through the melee, small pockets of resistance struggling to survive the onslaught. The stench of blood already permeated the battlefield, numerous dead or dying from the initial wave alone. One such pocket surrounded the Arbiter, a wide swath of dying hellbeasts cut down through the sweeping blows of his polearm. A flush found it way to the cheeks of the Northman at the sight, mighty spectacle of the Arbiter’s prowess leaving him speechless. His own clearing, though substantial, paled in comparison to that of the Arbiter’s furious hammer. A lull in the fighting found its way to the Northman’s proximity, giving him time to fully appreciate the magnificence of the Arbiter’s art. To their rapid dismay, this appreciation did not go unnoticed. The Arbiter’s head turned too wide in the follow-through of a swing, gaze crossing to Northman’s to meet him in the eye. Only then did the Arbiter falter, a similar flush reaching his cheeks at the attention of such a man. Through the battlefield they stared into each other’s eyes, finding a spark of more than kinship in the shared gaze.
The Northman noticed it before the Arbiter could; An opportunistic pigman, from the corner of his eye. An exclamation of denial passed his lips as the beast’s sword rose, outstretched hand reaching for the Arbiter as it fell. A tortured scream crawled its way out from the Northman as the Arbiter crumpled, heavy blow tearing through tabard, armor, and flesh.
Furious was his advance through the combat, the Northman hacking through any beasts that dared stand between him and the fallen Arbiter. His advance was joined by the war-cries of a heavily armored Dwarf plowing into the flank of the foul host, hammer swinging in wider arcs than even those of the Arbiter.
The battlefield seemed to fall quiet as the Northman reached the fallen Arbiter, furious pulse in his ears drowning out the battle raging around them. A choked gasp escaped his lips as he fell to his knees, desperate hands reaching to cradle the Arbiter’s head. Down he glanced, past the visor into the deep pools that were the Arbiter’s eyes, now clouded by pain and confusion. Around them the hellbeasts stumbled, their retreat forced by the renewed offensive of the valiant Alterans. Even as the enemy fought back against the rout, the Northman knew that his fight was over. For now, he had something far more precious than the realm to protect.
The distant sight of the wall broke the Northman from his reverie. Had it not, the weak groans of the Arbiter may have gone unnoticed. In his gradual awakening, the Arbiter first noticed the sharp bite of the night air on his torso. Groggy mind trudging along to find an explanation, the Arbiter soon decided that the chill was due in part to the absence of the reassuring weight of his armor, and again to the absence of gambeson that preceded it.
He noticed second the discomfort in his chest, bare flesh pressed against the unyielding surface of the Northman’s fine chestplate. “Curious,” he thought, for removing his armor had no place in his recollection of events.
He noticed third the mounting burning in his cheeks, as his body realized the proximity to the burly Northman before his mind. He sat straddling the saddle facing opposite to the Northman, sturdy arms holding him close even as they handled the reins. A groan escaped him, in part due to the dull ache in his back and more so in embarrassment from his reaction to the compromising position.
“Are you… Are you alright?” Asked the Northman, his mouth dry.
The Arbiter’s voice emerges as a croak, “I… I think so.” A last comment slips out, ”...Thanks to you.” At the unbidden recognition, the Arbiter buries his head further into the Northman’s shoulder to hide the flush raging through his cheeks. “This is not happening,” he thinks. “I’m married, damn it! But...”
At his nuzzling, the Northman diverts his attention from their path to the increasingly confused Arbiter. A slight adjustment of body leaves them leaning inches from each other, so that the Northman can inspect once more the deep eyes of his inexplicably beloved Arbiter. The befuddled Arbiter’s feeble inquiries and objections fade as they sink deeper into each other’s gaze. An unspoken understanding between the two has their heads tilting one to the side of the other, steady rocking of the horse beneath them gradually driving their bodies, waiting lips, closer and closer together...
