originally posted in:The New Dojo
"I mean, I can reshape a majority of the world as I see fit. Of course I would have to be careful."
She gave a weak chuckle, offering her arm when needed. The thought of more runes was tempting, but the warning made her wary of it.
English
-
"You can. It's a very powerful ability, but.. I trust you." [i]Niki would smile, before holding the portion of Rose's arm, placing the sharpened pen underneath the tattoo.[/i] "Ready?"
-
"Yeah, go ahead." She nodded then, ready for the pain to hit her.
-
[i]Niki nodded, beginning to engrave into Rose's skin. The pen's tip sliced open the woman's skin underneath, as blood began to drip like thin waterfalls. When Niki was done, a triangular shape was formed - straight and simple, with three lines from each corner meeting a dot in the center.[/i] [i]There, she took the oily substance from before, and dipped her finger into the dot.[/i] "[i]Cato autem infirma.[/i]" [i]Niki murmured, as a steel grey energy surged throughout Rose's arm. It looked as if it had cracked her skin, surging throughout her veins, before fading away.[/i] "...Use this as a test." [i]Niki placed a small metal ball into Rose's hand.[/i] [spoiler]Translation - "The flesh is weak". Yes, I used Google, lol.[/spoiler]
-
[spoiler]Kek, lol[/spoiler] Watching the magic in a bout of fear and awe, she tom a second to actually take the metal item. She wasn't sure it actually worked, but assumed it did, and took the metal in both hands. Smearing like clay, she flattened it, then made a rod, watching it all in disbelief. It actually worked, and she couldn't believe what her eyes where seeing.
-
"...It worked. It worked!" [i]Niki would shout out a little, before she would calm down, obviously.[/i] "...That was my first rune, sorry.. and it was successful, too. Though.. now I know that I can draw runes properly. And now you're even more capable.. this is exciting."
-
"I can agree, yeah. Thanks, Niki!" Rose stood then, ecstatic as she started forming the metal into random items, before making it clamp around her arm over the rune.
-
"I guess the clamp hides it. The runes look weird, but.. hey, cool powers. So.. if you don't mind me asking, what got you interested in joining? Not just cool powers, right?"
-
"I have other reasons, but a cool power I didn't expect when I wanted to join. Mostly needed a decent source of in come, and wanted some action."
-
"Ah. Action's what most people I know come for. They tend to enjoy melee combat and such, and I don't blame you for enjoying it either." [i]Niki smiled a little, putting up the objects.[/i] "Listen.. I can show you around the camp, if you want. Want to come along?" [i]This would be a good opportunity to find any prisoners..[/i]
-
She nodded. This Niki girl so far was enjoyable company, maybe Rose could get to know her more? The girl was all for new friends, as long as they weren't mutilating her current ones. "Sure, I'll follow around. Lead the way-" She gestured to lead then.
-
"Alright. C'mon." [i]As Niki lead Rose throughout the camp, she would get a good perspective of the place - it was formed in a triangular shape, with only one revealed entrance. To the left were barracks, living quarters, a makeshift outside bar, and generally where men and women hung out amongst themselves. In the center lied the high-ranking tents and quarters. To the right were the training grounds, armories, treasuries, and..[/i] [i]Cells. Cells, lined with prisoners.[/i] [i]The prisoners in general had seemed to be kept in a decent condition.. they wore only tunics, though sandals were provided in their cells. Guards provided bread and water, though would ignore the beggars. Some of the men and women were those that Rose would recognize. Niki stared at the cages, sighing a little.[/i] "...sorry. But you.. you should know every part of the encampment."
-
She cringed, she could make out the faces of Lucy, Thomas, Erianna and Kaden. There where more taken, but where where they? She passed the thoughts from her mind quickly, not wanting to dwell on them. She would avenge them all soon, once she got the chance... She spoke then, still following Nikki. "Guess we both share resentment for prisoners..." She did sympathize with Nikki, hating the sight, mostly because some she knew.
-
"...No one should be bound to a chain like that unless they deserved it. Some in there.. they were thieves, sure. Isabella already sent a message.. But they don't deserve an unknown amount of time in a cell, or.." [i]It sounded as if Niki would say something else. As if there was certainly something else going on.[/i] [i]But Isabella had been mentioned, alongside her little message.[/i] "...In Trayve.. thieves usually have their hands chopped off. Murderers are decapitated. Rаpers have.. parts eaten by starved rats. Traitors are flаyed alive. The punishments are sickening. They work, but.. ...I don't want to think about it. I'm sorry, I.. should've stopped talking."
-
Isabella, that's who it was. Now she could direct her fury at someone. Now it was just a matter of putting name face, and blade to flesh. She kept along with Nikki, the woman so far sharing a few of Rose's mindsets and ways of thinking. Maybe she could be a useful friend, if it all plays out right. Maybe more. Either way, she spoke again. "That's... That. Yeah, I don't want to dwell on it..." God forbid she got caught killing Isabella...
-
"...S-So, ah.. I know that you're pretty equipped right now, but.. I have one more thing. A weapon of your choice.. Seeing as you already have a sword.. I would suggest a.. I could get you a sheet of steel. You're a metalmancer.. you would be insane with one!" [i]Niki changed the topic quickly, smiling a little.[/i]
-
Rose grinned, Nikki was trying, she liked that. This woman was growing on Rose, and if she wasn't careful... "We, its not just a sword. But what the hell, surprise me!" She beamed then, glancing at Nikki to show off her enthusiasm. The mage was right, Rose now being a metalmancer, and a weapon made from steel; well the possibilities where endless.
-
"Okay.. I could try getting you a club. No, too much leather.. maybe steal? Sorry, I'd.. get my hand cut off, or you would. ...I think we should try the sheet of steel for now. A big, wide one. I seriously hope that the smiths understand." [i]Niki smiled, nodding to herself as a flurry of thoughts ran through her head.[/i] "We could get away with a really big greatsword, too. A zweihander or a claymore. Or even bigger. We have a few zweihanders and such in the back, biggest claymore's seven feet in length.."
-
Rose set a hand on Niki's shoulder then, cutting the girl off as Rose was beaming. She spoke sweetly then. She was falling for the mage, weapons where the key to the bandit's heart. "Hey, calm down. Don't get you're hands cut off for me. Let's keep it simple, I stick to faster weapons, mostly trick stuff." Then, backing away, she pulled her gladius. Using her metalmancy, she could switch its forms with ease now, and proved it by making it shift into a spear, roughly 7ft in length. "Such as these. It also turns into a high caliber ballistic rifle capable of shooting up to .45 calibers, either hollowpoint or armor piercing."
-
"...a what?" [i]While Niki felt a tad bit more comfortable in Rose's presence, and with her explaining that everything would be alright.. she seemed confused about what a rifle was. Or whatever Rose had said. Her silvery eyebrows were raised a little, as she pocketed her hands, tilting her head.[/i] "What's.. that?" [i]She didn't even catch onto what Rose had said, in truth.[/i]
-
"-its also a gun." Rose grinned, setting the butt of the spear against the ground as she beamed at Niki. The girl being clueless was amusing to her. "Now, shouldn't we get along to get that metal?" As much as Rose hated to ruin the moment, she was eager to experiment with her newfound ability.
-
"...um.. sure. I'll see what I can do.." [i]Niki motioned for Rose to follow her to the armory, knocking on the wooden counter to draw the smith's attention. The smith was a burly man, old, yet seemed to be doing well for his age. Tattoos were strewn across his muscled arms, as soft brown eyes would lay upon the bаstard girl.[/i] "[b]Mornin', Silver. Where's Gold, trainin'?[/b]" "I think he is, or vying for the attention of that Guardian girl.. Oliver's crazy for her. ...I need a sheet of steel. For my friend here." "[b]...I serve weapons 'n armor to thee. You'll hafta pay, metal ain't cheap.[/b]" "Can I pay you back when we get back to Trayve?" "[b]Nope. Right 'ere 'n now, lass. Sorry.[/b]" "You know what Isabella would do-" "[b]If I denied ya rightful services, I know. She beat a smithie into the ground when he refused 'er, I know. Dumb ol' Morgen.. hold on.[/b]" [i]The old smith sighed, before returning with a heavy sheet of steel. Niki smiled a little, bowing towards him.[/i] "[b]Don't tell Freya. Why'd you need it?[/b]" "Magic stuff." "[b]...Please. Stay safe.[/b]" [i]As Niki handed the sheet to Rose, she smiled, as the smith went back to his work.[/i] "I hate to.. to threaten like that, if that was a threat. But Isabella.. she'd do a lot for me. She's always been surprisingly good to me."
-
"Isabella is family, I guess?" Rose hefted it, warping it into a more manageable, a solid bar for now. If Isabella was family to Niki, then it would kill Rose to see Niki suffer. But Isabella, there was no mistake about it. That sadistic woman needed to go... "Sorry if its prying, just curious." She tried to play it off for now, glancing to Niki.
-
"She is. Arthur was always too busy with Oliver.. Freya hated me for outsmarting her at times. Julian.. Julian tried to be nice, but failed. And my father, Armillion.. at the parties and celebrations, he just let people call me things. "Bаstard", "devil child".. ...Isabella never let them, though. The insults fell silent when she entered. She'd take me up to my room, we'd chat.. then she'd check up on me, every now and then." [i]Niki sighed, staring at the ground before meeting Rose's gaze.[/i] "...Bella's always loved family.. more than anything. She's terrible to enemies, and vulgar, and bullying, but.. she cared, when nobody else other than Oliver and Julian did. Oliver because he understood, Julian because that's the type of person he is. ...I'm happy that you care, though. Thank you, for that."
-
Rose tried to keep her face from losing color, once it was that Niki looked away, Rose went ghost white, as her mind flurried to try and make sense of it. What of her friends? She was there to do them justice, but she was falling for Niki, and she didn't want to hurt the woman... No, don't think on it, later she would. She tried to calm down, her heart racing now as she nodded to the blacksmith, and then spoke. "She sounds nice, although the way she handles situations with people she doesn't like..." She sighed. God forbid Bella caught Rose.
-
"...She broke that girl." [i]Niki stared out at Ross, shaking her head. She quivered a little, her breaths shaky.[/i] "...S-She began with her friends first. Then her. The sawing was first. The branding was.. oh, gods.. ...Rose, I don't.. I don't know. Can I.. can I save them from that fate? S-Should I-I tell h-her.. T-They're just thieves, Rose, t-they don't deserve that.." [i]Rose had better bring Niki into a spot that was private, and quickly. The mage girl had begun to hyperventilate, sharp breaths escaping her lips, her knuckles going white from how tightly she gripped her hands.[/i]