Y1105: Stranded [GALLAVANT]

"Centaur village trouble with captain man!" - shouted Sogmeath, running towards the apprentices, as they neared Yorkford.
And trouble they could hear, loud and clear. They saw a few figures standing in a field, arguing loudly, with other villagers surrounding them.
"Don´t you remember what happened with the last time we let someone using magic? Or have you already forgotten?" It was one of the minotaurs, seemingly bigger than others but bent forward because of his age.
"Of course I do remember. But if you think, Oxordo, that he will leave us alone, you are naive" one of the centaurs opposed him "You are a leader of this small community and a minotaur of great respect, but your thinking is clouded by anger. Our axes and bows cannot defeat wizard, should he attack".
The minotaur called Oxordo snorted loudly and stomped his foot a few times. Other minotaurs started grunting and murmuring in their own language. You could feel the tension in the air, the division in the village obvious.
When he let some of his anger go, Oxordo pointed a finger at Greyjell. "And the ship that this man commanded, that he brought here. It is clear that it´s cursed, the smell of death surrounds it. His..." he stopped talking as with the corner of his eye, he saw Solmyr and Lilinoe approaching.
"Finally!" he turned to them with his raspy voice "A witch herself decided to show up. I can smell your foul craft from here".
As they came closer, Lilinoe stopped, not wanting to stand between the centaur and the minotaur. On the way, Sogo explained a little about the nature of the problem: apparently, some of the villagers, having bad past experiences with wizard Gwydion, didn´t want anything to do with any person using magic. That, and the general state and aura of the ship, which could be easily called ¨the ghost ship¨.
Lilinoe took a deep breath, steadied her voice and spoke:
"Elders and people of this village! I´m being called a witch and I must say, I don´t know what that means. Do I, or Solmyr here, try to use magic? Yes, we do. But you should know as well, that with our current knowledge and power, we pose no threat tou you. It would probably take just two or three minotaurs strong as you to cut us down. Of course, maybe we would kill one of them but in the end - we don´t stand a chance".
She played a very easy and obvious game - she tried to appear as harmless to them. Appealing to their self-confidence seemed like a good tactics, and some flattery wouldn´t hurt either. When noone interrupted her, she continued: "Look at the matter this way: you don´t have to trust us but we have a common enemy. Solmyr could tell you more, as he just escaped with his life from the grasp of Gwydion".
Solmyr puffed his chest and stepped forward: "Indeed. Shedding our blood wouldn´t help you much. And if Gwydion comes - and I´m sure he will come when he feels secure in his power - you don´t stand a chance against him. Even with us to help, you probably don´t stand a chance, but it´s better than nothing. In other words, you don´t have much choice. I got to know this man a little, probably less than you. He kept me prisoner, tried breaking me but finally I... I got away.".
When Solmyr was talking, Lilinoe used that time to discreetly recite the words for the "Calm" spell. While not being overly powerful, it should slowly emanate around them and make the people... calmer.
Then again, she took the lead, when Solmyr finished his sentence:
"Look at this man, Aeron Greyjell, captain of our ship. Does he look like a warlock or anything maleficient? In his prime, he may have been a corsair or a smuggler but right now, he´s just an experienced sailor with many stories to tell". Then, she turned to the centaurs, as she remembered that they cherished laws of hospitality "Look, you clearly need time to discuss this with other citizens. We are strangers, so we will let you talk. We do not want your land or your lives - we would be most happy to leave, once our ship is functional again. If you would provide such help, we would be most grateful. If not, then let us be on our way and look for some other place".

The bull's blood is boiling. It is not wise to pick up a fit with just a beast. They will let you pick a champion for the fight. Let me be your sword. I have fought his kind before - Aeron whispered in Lilinoe´s ear. And as much as she wanted to see the old captain in real action - which she have never had the opportunity for - she didn´t think it was a good idea.
She figured this was one of these times when a hierarchy was being established, when she could either show the people (her people and the villagers) that she was the one in control - or she back down. Therefore, although she didn´t feel completely secure in her abilities to fight a minotaur face-to-face, she felt it necessary.
"Thank you Aeron for this offer. Feel free to avenge me if it comes to that. But, right now, I´m afraid I have to take a stand".
Then, she turned towards Oxordo, keeping the distance in case his patience, already thin, run out.
"Oh, how brave you are, a battle-hardened warrior challenging a woman who have just before admitted to not even be of that much skill. But yes, of course, I shall satisfy your bloody urge".
Aeron tried pulling her back, hissing for her to be quiet and not make matters worse. And honestly, she didn´t know what was happening. She should be completely afraid for her life, and in some level, she understood the risks. But at the same time, she felt this strange, alien willpower guiding her. She issued a silent whisper to whatever spirit was contacting her before: "You better help me now or youré not going to have anyone to torment".

"Enough talk", said the minotaur, visibly angered by Lilinoe´s words "You do not come here to mock me and live".
She finally told Aeron to let her go. She still felt like this was necessary if she wanted to win those people to her side. She wasn´t sure how to take on a big beast like that, but she hoped that the strange entity would somehow empower her to do that. She said a silent whisper to her spectral helper and took a step in Oxordo´s direction.
"Seems like we´re going that" said Greyjell, shaking his head "Stupid girl. I don´t want to watch this" he sighed and disappeared. Lilinoe was disappointed to see him go but it was probably a sign of affection on his side, not wanting to see her suffer.
In his place, Sogmeath suddenly showed up, energized and eager to see the fight. He wanted to get her attention and when she finally looked at him, he said "Hit the balls. Goblin win bigger people with that". Someone in the crowd laughed at this, someone shouted to "silence this brat". All the villagers formed a semicircle, ensuring a good point of view for everyone. At least they would have some witnesses.
Oxordo roared and spat on the ground. He took his axe, balancing it in one hand. Everyone fell silent and watched as he went towards Lilinoe, step by step, with a smirk that promised to bring the pain.
Lilinoe, still a few meters away from him, decided to act before he could get too close. She crossed fourth and fifth finger of the left hand in order to use a simple weakening spell on the minotaur. Simple, but effective. The trick was to touch an opponent with her small finger.
She waited for the bull to come a little closer. She feigned stepping backwards, as if afraid of him and waited for the opening. It came when Oxordo finally decided to strike. He jumped ahead, simultanously raising his axe to strike. Lilinoe dodged to her right, diving to the ground near his feet. Before the enemy had the time to grab her, she simply touched his knee. It was supposed to be a weakening spell, but instead, Oxordo reacted as if she had smashed his knee with a hammer. He dropped down and exclaimed surprised. Then, Lilinoe felt some instinct kicking in, guiding her moves. She saw a shadow enveloping her arm as she raised it to strike the kneeling opponent. She hit his side with a fist, which shouldn´t do any harm to the thick'skinned beast. However, she saw the shadow and knew her fist was only a tool. She struck the bull and momentarily jumped back, revealing the damage. Oxordo was wounded, with a small puncture similar to a wound inflicted by a dagger. A little blood poured out and, what was more surprising, a thin line of black smoke, which drifted upwards and disappeared.
"Witch-tricks" he seethed through the clenched teeth, not even looking at his wound. Fueled by anger and pain, he spun around with the cat´s agility and swung his axe. The edge of the blade missed Lililnoe´s head by milimeters but right after that, her head connected with hard wood of the axe´s shaft. For a second she couldn´t see nothing but the darkness and thought she would pass out. More by an instinct then by training, she crawled back on all fours, murmuring incomprehensibly.
"Goblin way, goblin way" shouted Sogo standing on the other side of the arena. She barely heard him, trying to think of any spell but nothing came to her. "De...Abe...Bua..." she mumbled, trying to form the right words, regaining her vision. Oxordo was already standing, reaching for her with his big hand, no doubt going for the kill. "Rechaza" she finally said. Nothing fancy, just a normal power bolt that would emanate from her hand. She raised a palm to dispense it and saw it covered in black shadow veil, as if a snake made of smoke was crawling around her arm. Although it was frowned upon by serious fighters, she didn´t hesitate to use the goblin way. She pointed at the lower part of the minotaur´s body and saw an arrow consisting in half of smoke and in half of light, shooting straight forward. Oxordo bent consumed by pain but didn´t fall. This gave her a moment that she needed to get up. Though she swayed a little, she also felt some alien strength coursing through her veins, feeding of her anger and pain. It felt as if there was something trapped inside her and it wanted to get out, scratching at her skin and bones from the inside. She would let it out. Not giving the minotaur any more time, she run at him. The spirit inside her guided her moves, made her jump at Oxordo´s back and claw at his neck. And while her rather soft hands by themselves would do nothing, the claws that she could see now looked sinister. Each of her fingers prolonged and curved, like that of a harpy. They seemed material and transparent at the sime time, at least to her - though she didn´t know if they were really real.
Nevertheless, the blood was real. One by one, her fingers tore at the flesh and dug deeper. First the neck, then she attacked his ear. The bull slapped her hard but wasn´t able to get free. Then, she claweed at his cheeks, his eyes, his head until he started to shake his whole body and got rid of her. Panting, he tried to clear his vision and took rapid, bloody gasps of air. His face was ruined but he still saw her with one good eye. The claws weren´t visible, she just stood there all covered in blood up to her elbows, with her hair and face splashed red as well. The spirit was content, satiated and bored, it went away. "You bought more time", she heard in her head "But I will return".
Feeling that her ally had left her, she needed to act on her own. Taking a knife in her hand, she circled Oxordo, who watched her, wounded and bleeding but alive.
"Do it, you witch, finish your dirty deed. That was not a fight." he said between gasps.
"Seemed like a fight" she answered, cautious. From what she knew, many fights have been won in the last moments, when someone lost their focus. She stood on his right, just far enough to not be caught.
"As my last words, I want to say" he started, looking at the ground but didn´t finish. Lilinoe took two qucik steps, stabbed him in his second eye and jumped back. He howled with pain again and trashed around wanting to hit her.
"Keep your last words. I won´t kill you" she said, not knowing why. She didn´t know if the villagers would appreciate the gesture or not but she didn´t want to kill already broken beast. Somehow, she felt that massacrating and blinding him was enough.

Some folks helped Oxordo get up, others dispersed. Noone came to talk to her and she didn´t want that. She sat down and breathed heavily. Then exruciating pain was just starting to wash over her. Solmyr squatted near her, not saying a word, then Sogo.
"Your hands..." said Solmyr. She looked down: he was right. The upper part of her hand, her fingers were torn, like they burst from the inside. No bleeding though, only barely visible trails of black smoke.

As Lilinoe fell on the ground, everyone stood there in silece. They have just witnessed her using kind of powers that they couldn´t understand and even worse - couldn´t accept. They felt something dark sneaking in among them, like an animal would feel a predator closing in.
Uh, oh said Sogmeath, glancing over his shoulder Good knight pissed.
And he wasn´t wrong. Charging towards them, in shining armor and all geared up, was Bartholomew with his loyal paladins. The look on his face made it clear that he didn´t want to drink tea, but rather, kill someone.
What is this wickedness? he yelled, even before reaching them We felt it, you tainted this land with some kind of dark arts, just as you had tainted your ship before!
Solmyr took a look at Lilinoe still laying at his feet, oblivious to all that was going on. She needed some medical attention first, then they could deal with this. He was damned if he would let those sanctimonious brutes touch her, she was his friend and she needed him. If he had any doubts when he saw her fighting and using these claws, this spirit... he lost them a minute later. Just before she collapsed, she whispered a few words, not to him in particular, but he was the only one who heard them:
"It... it wants me to go to the Fount. If I fail, it will use someone else until it gets there. It wants to be free" it seemed she had some insight as to the nature of the spirit within her. But, unfortunately, before she could say more, her body gave out. Or maybe, the spirit didn´t want her to say more and made her loose her consciousness.
He stood up to confront Bartholomew, who was almost upon them. He steeled his nerves and went into focus. His eyes turned from blue to white and he seemed to grow a little, making his presence more menacing.
"Step aside, wizard, or we will deal with you as well. I have always known that magic corrupts the minds of it´s users"
Meanwhile, Margaret was gaining on her brother, pulling at his arm to slow down. She wanted to stop him from starting another bloodshed but she couldn´t get through to him.
"Hey, idiot" shouted Aeron and spat on the ground "You are so brave and holy, aren´t you. Have you already washed the stains from your family´s honor or are you running from it like your parents?"
That seemed to work. Like all the nobles, Bartholomew couldn´t take the insult to the honor of him or his family. He turned to Aeron, pulling out his sword: "You will die as you should have done a long time ago" he seethed and took a swing. Greyjell was expecting that and stepped to a side without a problem. He turned his head towards centaurs, minotaurs and other citizens:
"We have broken bread. We didn´t hurt you. Are you going to let him kill all of us?"
They grunted. Though they weren´t glad, he was right. The sacred laws of hospitality said that if you let someone into your village or your home, he was your guest. If he turned out dangerous you could kill him, of course, but you couldn´t let him be slaughtered by strangers.
Some of the younger minotaurs rushed forward to separate the sides, stepping between the paladins and Lilinoe´s crew. Then, the centaur that vouched for them came closer:
"You´re right, even though you´re playing us. We don´t want this... wicekdness" he glanced towards Bartholomew "inside our community. We judge the matter properly and decide according to our laws. You would do best to return to your places"
Greyjell was smiling as if that was exactly the turnout he hoped for. The truth, he was just glad to see Bartholomew not winning. He hated the little brat and his family.
Without any word, Solmyr kneeled down and lifted Lilinoe, telling Sogo to find her someone to mend the wounds. He glanced at Oxordo, already being propped up by one of his fellowmen, alive, eyeless. Then he just started walking back towards the campfire.
Bartholomew wanted to keep fighting, he even made another swing with his sword and started giving orders but then Margarite took him by the arm again.
"Shut up, look" she pointed with her chin. Besides the few minotaurs keeping an eye on them, there was standing a hydra. A real hydra, at least six meters long, with three heads, long tail and serpent skin. It didn´t look aggressive now but was watching them carefully with its reptile eyes. It would defend it´s village.