AD - Tasks: Dimicari's Memento

The sun was high in the sky and several small clouds pock marked the sky, the wind was slightly blowing and birds chirped away in the distance.

Standing outside the Compound was Samuel, armed with his Scrap sword, his blue eyes scanning the woodlands as he was about to set off.


Xarr,whom was sitting atop the Compound saw someone in the distance, and without a moment's hesitation he jumped down and made his way towards him.

"Pardon me, you must be Samuel, if I'm not mistaken, you wouldn't happen to venture in search of Dimicari's keepsake would you?"


Samuel who was seemingly unfazed by the air mage's' sudden appearance nodded, "Yes, that is my name, and yes I am to look for her precious token, what of it?" The human questioned the air mage beside him, his grip on his sword tightening.


Xarr noticed Samuel's change of grip and quickly Air dashed backwards, whilst keeping his composure.

"I've no intention of fighting you Samuel, I simply thought we'd be able to pursue this quest together, it'd save us both some time and effort. Besides if I did want to fight you, I would simply have attacked you preemptively."


Samuel relaxed his hand but still kept an cautious eye on the air mage.

"I've no intention either," he told the mage, "I was merely being... cautious, you never know who can be trusted. And as for 'pursuing' this quest... very well."

He looked out into the woods once more before saying, "I suggest we head out."


“Then by all means, let us head out.”

“So far I’ve gathered that the memento is a silver bracelet passed down for seven or eight generations, and we’ll have to venture west from here towards Western Yoru where we should find the Feline Pride. I do not expect much troubles, but one never knows. So be on your guard at all times.”


Samuel nodded, "My guard is never down mind you, unless I am asleep or eating." he told the air mage, looking west and cracking his knuckles.

"Western Yoru? I do not believe I've been there, and as for trouble, there is always trouble."


"Yes, Western Yoru, we could take the old road that leads to the Air Mage Ruins, they're long since abandoned and would make for a great camping site. The road starts at about a 10 minute walk from here, and it would keep us away from the swampy depths of the Northern Yoru woods."

And thus both of them set forth, Samuel taking point, Xarr covering the rear as they slowly but surely advanced towards the Air Mage Ruins.


Samuel kept a close eye out as they walked the road, heading to an old path, his eyes scanned the woods around them and his ears picking up the sounds of chirping, and Xarr's foot falls, light as if he was gliding.

His right hand was on the hilt of his homemade sword, his thumb tracing circles on the tip.


As they left the safety of the Compound far behind them, they left the road for what it was and begun walking the dirt path towards the ruins. The chirping of the birds increased in intensity and the foliage grew thicker. They where no longer in the small woodlands, but instead found themselves entering a jungle like surroundings. They walked for hours straight, headed East to West, and could already see the vast majestic ruins in the distance.

"Ruins ahead." Xarr said, while feeling a bit gloomy at the sight of the once great Air Mage settlement.


Samuel looked ahead, and spotting the ruins he stared,"This is what remains of one of the great Air Mage settlements... facinating." the human remarked, eyeing the ruins with a keen eye, a grin appeared on his face as he pulled out his sword in case of attack.


"Yes, 't was indeed once a great city, but we both know who's fault it is it lies in ruins... Humans
and their damned war..." Xarr said with an aggressive undertone.

"I suggest we take up camp in what used to be the temple, it'll be easier to protect in case we find ourselves under attack. I believe you to have noticed the eyes that have been following us for the last 2 miles."

Not long after they arrived at the temple a battle cry was heard, and both of them could see 4 raiders, felines, charging straight at them from the bushes.


Samuel raised his sword, his eyes open and his stance firm. The first feline raider come at him, armed with a short sword like him.

The feline jabbed at him, thrusting his sword forward at the human. Samuel parried the blow with the flat of his sword and slashed at the back of the hybrid before kicking him forward, the feline however was still able to attack.


Xarr did not waste a moment's time and launched a shockwave at the remaining three knocking them on the ground. He swiftly follows up with an air dash towards the feline who'm was parried by Samuel and Air Sliced her; incapacitated she has no choice but to yield.

By the time Xarr finished his Air Slice the three other feline raiders got up and started throwing venomous daggers at them, but they found their thrown daggers no match for Air Magic that easily deflects them. Xarr whom was forced to play defence now looks at Samuel. "A little help here would be hot." he jokingly said.


Samuel sighed and rushed to the air mage's side, deflecting a dagger that was thrown at the mage's blind spot with his sword.

"I thought Air Mages were tough," the human remarked, eyeing the felines with a growing urge to gut them, slowly, "why don't you act like it."


"Thanks, I owe you one." the mage said, as he promptly used an Air Push on the closest enemy, he followed up with an air dash and jabbed his staff deep into the assailant's side. "That'll keep him out for a bit, and that makes it 2-0 Sammy boy, looks like you'll need to step up your game.." at which point he opened Winter's Gate, chilling the joints of the remaining two assailants.


"You're welcome I suppose." Samuel replied, looking at the assailants and the current predicament they were in. "I can't exactly 'step up my game' when I'm working with an Air Mage with those abilities." Suddenly, he heard something to his left and looking, he spotted a fifth hybrid hidden in the trees.

Both surged forward and attacked, Samuel with his sword and the Feline with a staff.

Samuel countered a thrust with his sword and slashed at the feline's stomach, causing her to cry out and fall to her knee.

Once she was down he brought his sword down to stab her, his sword impaling her back as she let out a cry of pain. He twisted his sword, and pulling it out and swiped her across the face, ending her life.

Holding his sword as he stood up, he flicked his sword down making blood fly off it onto the ground.

He looked down t the body, and without emotion looked to Xarr,"Now its 2-1" Was all the human said as he scanned the area.


"Yes, 2-1 but for how long.." the mage playfully said. He tightened his hold on his staff and sliced it in a strong powerful horizontal manner, the air itself cracked and a sharp noise was released.
The air wave created by it sliced one of the two remaining felines and practically severed her legs from her torso, defenceless she lay there wailing in a puddle of her own blood. "I'm sorry , I think I might have overdone it..." He promptly closed in on her and jabbed the blunt part of his staff straight through her eye socket, ending her life and suffering.

The one remaining assailant had a petrified gaze in her eyes as she saw her companions brutally slaughtered in front of her as the scent of blood and entrails began to permeate the air.

"So, what do you want to do with this one?" He asked Samuel.


Samuel walked over to the terrified hybrid, he could see the fear behind her eyes. He raised his sword and as the feline cowered, he brought it down, but instead of killing her he knocked her unconscious.

She fell to the ground with a flop and groan, and dropping her staff. Samuel picked her up and dragged her over to the tree line and hid her behind a fallen log.

"Leave her, she won't be of any trouble to us." he told the air mage, gesturing to the ruins. "Let us take shelter there, before anymore show up."


The two ventured deep into the ruins, moss and organic life covered the moist walls
and even some roots managed to pierce them. It smelled stuffy, like a flooded basement.

"Oh, Air Mage Glyphs." Xarr said, and he promptly activated them by pressing them in sequence.
A hidden door opened leading to a side exit, they ended up 2 miles away from the ruins and pretty darned close to their destination. The mage gracefully jumped up in the air and dashed into a tree.
"I'll keep watch from here as we progress"


Samuel nodded as he kept an eye out below, now that Xarr was in the trees he had the high ground, and could ambush possible foes should they make an appearance.

His eyes glanced into the tree line, keen eyes watching for any sort of movement. All he saw for now were birds, "lots of birds." He remarked silently.


As both advanced further going Northwest towards the border between Southern and Western Yoru,
they could tell by the change of surroundings that they were entering a more hostile environment.
Broken arrows and traces of freshly slain animals in the near vicinity displayed this more than anything.,
Xarr's treetop travelling gave him a clear sight on one of the Feline Pride's houses,
a small brown cottage build from twigs and mud, yet looking sturdy enough to withstand a hurricane.


"We're getting close, what's the plan?
I don't suppose we can just run up to Dimicari's house and look around..." Xarr joked at Samuel.


Samuel knelt down, looking at houses made of stick and mud as he formulated a plan of action. "I suggest we be stealthy in our approach, no telling how the inhabitants might react to two armed individuals coming into their territory." He suggested to Xarr.


“Good point..” The mage said to his companion, at which point he quickly hid his cedar long staff in his cloak and crouched down, slowly approaching the house closest to the jungle-like border. He leaned against the house with his left ear, and tried to distinguish any sounds.
“Sounds like nobody’s home..” he smiled at Samuel as he air sliced right through the mud wall and
created an opening for both of them to enter the through.

The human entered first, sword raised, and scouting ahead, Xarr followed silently
and noticed a picture of Dimicari. It was badly hidden under a bloodied scarf. He pointed
Samuel in its general direction. “Should we take it with us? I mean it does look like a family portrait..” He whispered in a sincere and saddened tone, remembering his own family and how they too were murdered.


Samuel gazed at the photo, and felt a pang of sadness which was rare for him. He nodded as the Air Mage,"Yeah, go ahead and grab it, I'll look for the keepsake."


Xarr quickly grabbed hold of the picture and stashed it away in his left pocket. "I'm sure she'd appreciate the gesture." He nodded at Samuel and he proceeded to investigate the room, there were signs of struggle and traces of blood were still present.


Samuel glanced around, spotting the blood as well, then out of the corner of his eyes something glinted from under the table, walking over to it he knelt and picked it up and upon inspection it appeared to be a bullet casing, "Hey Xarr, I found... a bullet casing... interesting."


"Lovely, bullet casings... any sight of the memento yet?"
Xarr proceeded to slowly turn over the bed and empty the wardrobe, everything smelled stale, stuffy and moist. A noise could be heard from the outside, as if someone's approaching the house.
"Sam, keep quiet, I think we have company..." Xarr spoke in a sightly elevated tone.


Samuel silently nodded as he took cover, pocketing the casing he gripped his sword as he listened to any sounds outside, "looks like a fight could be about to happen..."


They could see two individuals enter the house, one of age and and a woman about Dimicari's age. "Did you find that bloody keepsake yet?" The old one said to the child. "No, not yet, but I'm sure it's around here somewhere." She replied in a scared manner. As both proceeded to look around in the house, the child spotted Xarr, and Xarr quickly responded by knocking her over the head with his staff, rendering her unconcious. He quickly grabbed her and dragged her into cover.

I appears she was holding a picture depicting Dimicari's memento, and they could see a silver coffin that holds it, it appears dark, dusty, and somehow near the ground. The mage promptly stood up and Air Pushed the picture towards Samuel. "Have a look" he whispered.


Samuel picked up the photo, and upon seeing it he scowled slightly. "Now where would this be?" he pondered, looking around the musty looking place before spotting the older man, ""almost forgot.

Standing up he calmly walked over to him and as the older man turned around Samuel punched him in the face, the older man stumbled as Samuel grabbed him and held him in a sleeper hold. He tightened his grip and the man tried fighting back but it was pointless, Samuel was stronger.

Once he passed out Samuel dragged him out of the line of sight and as he did he heard a slight creak coming from the floorboards, Samuel looked at the photo once more before discerning that the memento was hidden under the floor.

Turning to the Air Mage he gestured to the floor before stabbing it with his sword, he then began to pry one of the boards loose, "Give me a hand with this."


Xarr swiftly came to Samuel's aid and wedged his staff in between the floorboards.. "This'll take forever.." at which point he just air sliced the boards in half, allowing them to remove them. Silver coffin, just like the picture.
Samuel lifted the coffin, it wasn't as heavy as it looked. And both of them sat on the bed, ready to open up the box. "Let this be it..." Xarr softly sighed.


Samuel reached for the latches and flicking them up producing a clacking sound the coffin was open, he lifted the top up ad lookng inside he spotted the bracelet. Colored Sliver with various engravings decorating it. "This is it?" the human asked, picking it up and looking at it.


"That does look like it, and I don't think we'll gain anything else from staying here." The mage stood up and prepared to head for the exit.
"Are you coming? I'll race you home.." He said in a joking manner.


"I don't think that's fare coming from someone who can air dash faster then a human can run, buuuuut-" Samuel pushed Xarr towards the bed that was in there and bolted out the door before he could start moving, looking back with a dirty grin,"-I have the lead!" he said before bolting out of the pride's area.


Both of them left the Feline Pride at an incredible speed, and Xarr, being tricked by Samuel, couldn't help but smile. He air dashed a few times to catch up with Samuel, and then stopped using his air magic.

"Let's play fair, no dirty tricks, or magic." The mage whispered upon the wind.

Before anyone had any idea, the compound was already in sight.


Samuel nodded as they arrived at the compound, the two slowed to a run as they set about finding Dimicari.

The two entered the compound, both of them relieved somewhat to be back in the confines of the unity. Samuel, followed by the Air mage decided to check the hospital.

Inside stood the feline, her gaze shifting from the window to the two who entered, both looking somewhat weathered,"Well... do you have it?"

Samuel nodded and pulled out of his pocket the Memento, he looked at it for a few seconds before giving it to the feline. "Here it is, we also found a photo, as well as bullet casings... if that interests you."

Dimicari was extremely happy  to have the memento back, and when Samuel said something about a photo she asked, "can I see it?"


Xarr took the photograph out of his pocket and handed it over to Dimicari.
"It's a bit bloodied and wrinkled, but it's a clear depiction of you."
Dimicari's face looked pained at the sight of her 'family' portrait,
and both the human and mage decided it'd best to leave her be, for now at least.

"Well Sam, thist was quite an adventure, we should do this again sometime." At which point Xarr slowly walked away towards his chambers.

"Perhaps..." was all Samuel said as he left the air mage, walking towards his own room.

Perhaps another adventure was awaiting the two.