Topic: Crimson Death - April 8, 2000

Panther

Date: 2006-07-06 13:01 EST
by Bargos McConahue

He whipped the scythe back, keeping the fiery tempered woman well at bay. The anger in her eyes was well apparent, yet he knew he had her out matched—or so he thought. Unremittingly she took the offensive, lunging in once more. Pivoting back he bent backwards, the cold steel grazing the flesh upon his neck drawing a fine line of crimson blood. However, her momentum carried her well past, the hard titanium end of the scythe finding her back just next to her spine, which would have been a fatal blow. He knew he had to keep her well at bay, the scythe constantly sent outward in warning strikes as he back peddled.

"Thi' beh yeh las' warning, wench."

Once more lashing out with the scythe in warning. She spoke threats, yet he paid little heed, the anger at last boiling over. He turned, smashing the scythe's tip into the wooden stair case. He turned back once more to face the woman, lifting his hand in a taunting manner. As she lunged in, he quickly brought his large knife to hand, pivoting sideward in attempt to allow her to pass. He felt the bite of the cold steel catching him clean in the side, running completely through his flesh. Yet without hesitation his dagger was upon her throat, pressing with enough force to draw blood.

"Seems weh aire in quite deh dilemma, nae?"

He stalled for a long moment, assessing the position of the wound and deciding it nonleathal. He forcefully jerked sideward allowing her blade to rip through his flesh. Yet now he had her, his knife pressed against her throat uncontested. Slowly a tingling feeling began to pass over his body, his hands began to go numb. The crimson flow of his blood ran rapidly from the gaping wound. He now knew he had mis-judged the wound, his legs nearly buckling from beneath him. He pulled away, slammed the hilt of the blade hard against her skull, rendering her unconscience. He then quickly reached for his scythe, departing with haste from the arena. He could hear the words echoing as he departed...

"Janella! Are you all right?"

He vanished from the room, yet unknown to those who remained, he found his way just downstairs, the annex being his only hope for survival. He stumbled down the stairs, coughing up vast amounts of blood with every few feet he crawled. At last he made it to the ring, the ward's effects immediately taking effect upon him. He felt as if it were a safehaven, and he then knew, he would be fine.

Panther

Date: 2006-07-06 13:03 EST
Crimson Death - Part 2 2000-APR-09 by Janella Vallonia

Jen was kneeling beside her, her voice plaintive. "Janella...?"

Janella was glaring up the Arena's steps, knowing Bargos could not have gone far. The exit which Bargos had taken, the door, was blurred in Janella's eyes, and she'd swear that it was not one door there, but two, maybe even three. She growled. How many doors were up there anyway' Her thoughts snapped back to Bargos. Janella looked at Jen, picturing him. "He's bleeding like a butchered cow." Janella tried to get up, thinking she'd find him, perhaps prone, just outside, ripe for the kill.

"Let him go....he's not worth it, " Jen told her.

Breathing hard, Janella felt the weight of her sword in her hand. The sensation was comforting as well as strengthening. Tasting beer (the bad brew that Bargos had tossed at her), Janella chanced another look at Jen. If Bargos hadn't thrown his drink at Janella, thereby inciting the fight, her night could've led to much better things. Glancing past her, Janella smirked. "The elf left, didn't he, " she observed, disappointedly.

Jen nodded slowly, for it was true, Rakanth was gone. She asked Janella if she was O.K., to which Janella suddenly showed her a terrific leer, her humor - however dark and crude - returning. "That would've been a good roll in the sheets...." Jen couldn't help but chuckle.

Panther

Date: 2006-07-06 13:07 EST
Crimson Death - Part 3 2000-APR-09 by Janella Vallonia

Janella lifted her chin. "The bastard pricked my neck, but I expect he'll die tonight. I carved into a rib, I'm sure of it."

"Let me look..."

"No, no. Let it alone, it'll heal."

Jen, more sternly, said again, "Let me look."

Janella's joke about Rakanth had diluted her frenzy to a simmer, but stubbornly, she jutted her chin the other way. "You can see it from there, can't you?"

"No. I can't."

Janella shifted from one foot to the other. "Well, it's not my fault you need glasses then!" "Would you like it if he still kills you, by infection?"

"Infection..?" Janella's tanned skin nearly paled; she swallowed, her eyes moving all around. "Bah......it wouldn't..."

Jen's stance was serious. "I've seen it happen."

"Does it look bad?"

For a moment, Jen thought she saw Janella sweating. She examined Janella's chin more closely. "No, but I should clean it—- "

"—Oh, c'mon! We don't have to do that! No, no, no."

Jen folded her arms as Janella found something to look at along the far wall. Janella was still tasting beer, too, seemingly unable to be rid of it.

"It won't take long, " Jen reassured her.

"Well, there's no hurry now, seeing as how that lard chased off my fun for the night, " Janella complained back.

As Jen started thinking about how patching wounds seemed oddly familiar to her, Janella was thinking about warm beds, and hotter sheets - not asking Jen about her son Will (who was upset the last time she saw him), or about Jen's own head (which was sporting a fairly large bump - bruise - she recalled, now).

" 'Least you shouldn't scar.."

"Eh, who cares, I'm a fighter, not some noble queen."

Panther

Date: 2006-07-06 13:10 EST
Crimson Death - Part 4 2000-APR-09 by Janella Vallonia

Jen motioned Janella over to a table. "Sit down." Janella did as Jen instructed, though she slouched down, on purpose, drumming her fingers on the table as she thought about the rugged mixed elf, Rakanth.

With a towel, and some whiskey, Jen disinfected the wound on Janella's neck, as Janella stared up at the Arena's rafters. She suddenly thought of something, but quickly hid her smile, instead calling out in an alarmed voice. "Oh, oh, oh Gods, let it be quick! And painless!"

Jen jerked back, struck dumb, confused, not knowing what was wrong, until Janella hooted, slapped her hand on the table, and shook with laughter. "I got you...."

"Got..?" Then, comprehending, Jen thwapped Janella with the towel, as Janella grinned more. "Aaaah, the pain, the pain! Oh, it hurts....it hurts...I'm dying..."

" 'S not funny..!" Jen protested. Janella tried to look plain. "Allright. Well, I'm not dead. See" Nevermind what could've happened, it didn't. Besides, I'll probably hear about them finding his body tonight, tomorrow morning in the Inn."

"Good, " Jen said. "Right, " Janella echoed.

"The animals will have gotten to him by then...." Janella sounded whistful. "So, do I need a cast?" She was teasing Jen again. Jen said a bandage might help. "This bloody cut is going to annoy the snot out of me all damned week, and then some, I'd wager. But no, no bandage."

Jen shrugged, "Your ch-choice."

Panther

Date: 2006-07-06 13:11 EST
Crimson Death - Part 5 2000-APR-09 by Janella Vallonia

Janella glanced around the Arena, half-hoping, not expecting, Rakanth to emerge from the shadows, or perhaps some skybox. "He was hot, with a capital 'H', you know.."

Jen just nodded, reaching for a bottle of liquor, as Janella closed her eyes, a smile ripening on her lips.

"Damn this 'Bargos' to hell. First the beer, then the elf! I lost the elf."

"Want s-some?" Jen asked, taking a long drink herself.

"No, no, this is itchy..." Janella answered, pulling her right gauntlet off, flicking the glove on the table. Immediately, she moved her now-bare fingers up to her throat. Jen, annoyed by her own stuttering, ventured, "Itchy?"

Janella hadn't really noticed the speech impediment until now, if even - writing it off as Jen either having drank tonight, or something else - who knew. "Yeah. Itchy. You know, itchy, scratch-scratch?" Janella was scratching.

"It shouldn't be b-bothering you..."

Janella's fingers slowed some, as she studied Jen. "So, what did you drink tonight, and, give me some of it. If it causes you to talk funny, I'm sure it has other pleasant effects, too."

"Be-before this" Water...."

"Water" What, from Rask's wash basin" Water didn't do that to you." Janella's words echoed around and through the empty Arena, somewhat absorbed by the many standards and banners hung upon the walls.

"No....It s-started a few m-minutes ago."

"Quit that, would you? It's not funny anymore." Janella smirked. "What's got you?" She reached out to shake Jen by the arm.

"C-can't help it..."

"Well, help it!" Janella leaned forward, preparing to get up from the table. "C'mon, let's go. We'll go to the Inn. Let's eat something."

"Ok...."

Janella mused, "Maybe Rakanth'll be there, " though she doubted it. Jen nodded, following her. Scratching her head, Janella grabbed her gauntlet, and started for the stairs, Jen in tow. "I've got a yen for that elf, for certain." That drew a grin from Jen.

The two headed out, into the Red Dragon, looking forward to warmer fare than what they'd had most recently from the Arena. Bargos, Janella noticed, was nowhere to be seen.