Ripple Six: Task Presented
written by Kile Durann, Dax Pohgi, Bassal Toram and Clavil Fon'Har (NPC)

After the Warder Halls were restored, the resurrected Caden Ives was delivered a report from Janis Tearsin and Nykolai Deoddyn. They claimed that two bodies lay in the dungeons underneath the Yellow Ajah. One was Wensa Fuon and the other was Seanco Dinah, both drin'far'ji. Caden Ives then ordered a number of Trainees, which were closest at hand, to make their way to the bodies and guard the location until his arrival.

OOC: For your reference, you should read the Ripple in Chapter Two named "All but Pride Mended".

Kile's hand tightened on his sheathed sword as he slowly made his way down the spiralling staircase to the area the he had orders to guard. His fellow trainees had fought and died here, fortunatly, those on the side of the Light were the victors. He held his burning torch out infront of him so that he could see. The Drin'far'ji behind him were deathly quiet aside from nervous whispers here and there. He had seen death before, at home he had slaughtered the animals for food, and on his short stint as a merchants guard he had killed men that had tried to kill him and even that hadn't prepared him for the scene that he found.

At the foot of the stairway he found blood smears across the back wall and as he swung the torch to the left lighting the rest of the small area he caught site of a mound. When he moved closer he noticed the pool of blood that surrounded the form that wore a ruined Drin' uniform. A hush fell on the trainee's behind him, and Kile began to issue orders.

Pointing to the unlit torches that line the walls. "Light the torches so we can fully see what we've got here." He then gestured to the next trainee. "Take up a post there at the foot of the stairs, and be sure not to touch anything." He said as he moved toward an open door that led into another small room. From what he'd been told he knew what he would find in this room.

He entered slowly and made a quick scan of the room just to be sure that there was nothing amiss before he lighted the wall torches told another two trainee's to take up a post inside the small room. It seemed a touch unneccesary to him, but he had been ordered directly by the Gaidin Captain and he wanted everything to be perfect.

Nodding at Kile, he quickly went down the stairs along with the other drins. He stepped on something sticky. Must be the blood He thought as he came inside the room to search for torches hanging by the walls. Raising his right hand with the torch he went on,eventually he spotted two at the opposite ends.

He reached in to light them, feeling the damp air of the place. Afterwards, he waved his own to get a clear view of what was inside.

The light from the torches layed bare the dead bodies, blood oozing from both of them. They are both Drins such as I.....What happened here?

He walked slowly behind Kile at the head of the group of Drin' sent with him, not sure why he was going just knowing he was doing as ordered to do. His hand occasionally brushed the hilt of his Katana; it felt wrong that he should feel safer with his blade by him especially when he finally came to view the tower as his home. I shouldn't need weapons here he thought angrily to himself but he didn't feel safe without them due to the recent events.

When he arrived at the bottom of the staircase he looked at the blood and fought back the urge to wretch. I've buried my entire family, slaughtered like animals by Trollocs and didn't bat an eye lash so why now do i feel ill. He knew the answer but he didn't like it, not because of the implications but because of the way it made him feel ...it's because it could have been me. He stood still as Kile handed out orders to the other Drin's and the began to do their tasks.

He followed again close behind Kile into the next room and stood as a statue as again orders where handed out again. He noticed that he had been gestured to this time and he nodded to Kile "Yes sir" he managed to choke out from behind his numbed mind as he went to the door of the small room and stood alert like a statue his left hand resting just below the hilt of his sword on its sheathe the right holding the blade. He felt stupid and paranoid for standing ready to draw his weapon, but he felt safer that way and that's all that mattered to him at that moment in time.

Having the place all lit up, he started to follow Kile and Bassal to the room. What are we supposed to find here? He asked himself as he entered. Slowly he felt the pulse of the place, it was eerie indeed, aggravated by the fact that two dead bodies lay just a few paces from where he currently stood.

Having reached Kile's gruop, he approached Kile, with his hands ready at his sabre's hilt. "Master Kile, what are we supposed to be looking for?"

As the light opened up the visual range of the outer room, he realized that it wasn't a room at all. It was in actuality a corridor. Coming down the stairway there was a wall on the right hand side and the corridor opened up to the left. In the dark he couldn't see the end of the hallway, but what he could see were doors lining either side of the hall. He looked back toward the inner room where Bassal Toram had taken a post and noticed something that he hadn't in his previous quick scan. A small, but wide mound of black soot occupied the center of the floor. Kile could only imagine what was burned here, and what ever it was, it wasn't from a burner or a heater in the room, so what ever it was must have been done by some one that didn't want anyone to find it. This far under the tower a person could get away with almost any thing. Especially if they had some rank under their belts.

Kile turned back out of the small room and into the corridor, and as he opened his mouth to reply to Dax's question, there was a large racket coming from upstairs. It sounded alot like an army of people were ransacking one of the rooms upstairs. One of the trainee's under his command made as if to run up the stairs, but halted when Kile rushed silently to the staircase and grabbed his arm.

"No" He whispered feircly. "Our orders are to hold this position until the Captain comes and we recieve further orders. We stay here, I have a feeling that whatever they are after is down here." He released the Drin and slowly and silently drew his katana. "When they come we'll be ready." He turned and motioned for the others to come toward him in a circle. "There are door ways down the corridor, when they come down here for whatever they are looking for we will ambush them. I personally plan to go down fighting to save the Tower if it comes to that."

His thoughts flickered toward Aliana. He could only imagine how she would react when she learned that he was dead. She was safe, far away from here in her home. The Two Rivers was much safer than the Tower right now.

"So hide in one of those rooms and we'll spring the trap when they are down in the corridor. I'll be in the room with the body bag. So we'll attack at my call. Any questions?"

Lo'arn couldn't help but feel that he was making a mistake as he followed suit with the 5 other Drin'far'ji and began to tear open sacks of flour, salt and sugar. With out any supplies the Grey Tower couldn't survive. He mixed in the sweet sauce made from Velvet Heart sap from the branches that he had grown in his room, with the assorted berries and fruits that where sealed in storage. It tasted sweet, but the concoction was certainly a deadly mix. The victim would feel a bit light headed for a minute or so and then their heart would systematically shut down chamber by chamber. There was no known antidote to the poison so it was effective everytime. This dose would kill about twenty or thirty people depending on how it was portioned out. He nearly came out of his boots when the other Drin' began smashing pots and bowls and the stove's in the corner of the room.

The storage room for the Kitchens was right next to the Infirmary storage room, so while the others were having at the cookware he went into the glass filled room to reek some havoc. He drew his sword and began to shatter every beaker that he could find. After the floor was covered in an assortment of colored brews and glass, he moved on to the boxes. He sheathed his sword and threw all the boxes on the left side of the room to the right and vice versa. Powders and vegetation littered the air and the floor as he covered his face with a corner of his dark green cloak and left the devestated store room.

He knew what came next, they had to discard the bodies that were down stairs so that they could cover their trail. He led the small group down the stair way at Clavil's command. He held his torch in one hand and his sheathed sword at the other.

As he stood he heard the nosies coming from above and he pushed his thumb up slightly but not enought to slide the sword from its sheath he was prepared to fight to save his new home and die if it came to that.

As Kile motioned them over he came in close his hands not leaving the sheathe or hilt of the sword and lsitened intently to what Kile said. He was about to question the senseablity of spliting their forces up but thought about it and weighed it out and decided the surprise gave them more of an edge in his mind so he kept queit and listened. FOr a moment his mind wandered to the past to his family waving him off the sadness that was there and the cold fury that burned as the thougth continued on to him burying his sisters and father. These that have dedicated themselves to Shadow I will fight, and I will die if must be.

"No questions, sir. I'm with you to whatever end. The Tower is my home now and I'll die defending it!" even while whispering the cold fury in his voice could be heard the determination as he quickly went down the corridor coming across the first door he ducked in but left the door open and slwoly drew his Katana holding it point down to the ground, slowly trying to obtain his Focus (OOC:Bassal's name for the void) letting emotion and distraction leave him.

"Master Kile, might I suggest a course of ction?" He said as he unsheathed his sabre and dagger, light gleaming off it's wicked blades. "Might I suggest that we spring our trap at an instant before they reach our position....I mean....It would be to our advantage to keep them at our direct front, we can hold them off in this corridor three at a time, and it would relieve us of the burden of worrying of how to defend our rear." He said at an almost whisper. Looking at his companions, he felt his muscles tense. So this is it....If I die....I will bring them down with me...

Kile nodded at Dax's suggestion. It clearly made more sense, and he was open to anything that kept them alive and the enemies closing down on them dead. "Will do, now lets get out of sight." He said. He moved into position inside the smaller room with the body of Wensa. He couldn't help, but notice the overly large segment of his chest that had been removed. He could only wonder if he and his men would end up like that. He had never led men into a fray before no matter how small, but Bassal and Dax had faith in him and they trusted him to get them through. He thought of Aliana's smooth raven black hair and her sparkling saphire eyes, one last time before he banished all distraction from his mind and entered the Void. His nervousness was another mans it didn't belong tohim so he didn't claim it. He waited emotionlessly with his sword drawn for the attackers to get down the stairs.

As he waited his Focus wavered and thought came unbidden into his mind People will die here today, some of them possibly through your actions.... and his heart began to beat faster and faster as his mind raced Wanting to kill Shadowspawn is one thing, but people you've trained with? Can you do it he shook his head violently and thought to himself No they are Shadowsworn or as good as, they deserve what they get, I'll fight and kill if need be.

The issues within him resolving themselves he steeled himself once again banishing all emotion and distract and achieving his Focus once again. The fear and doubt that filled him might as well have been independent from him, if he didn't choose to acknowledge it, it didn't exist so he ignored and brought his blade up ready to rush forward at whoever came down those stairs and fight for his home and his life.

He made his body adjust to the place, heart beating faster, excitement creeping through his arms and legs. In this close quarters, his dagger compliment would come in handy.

He placed his back against his shaded concealment, lowering every breath while at the same time straining his eyes to catch a glimpse of their opponents. Suddenly he saw a faint light glimmering from the distance. They are carrying a torch.....very careless.... The fight is about to start, and it appears that he was one of the first to engage.

Aggravated with his situation, Clavil Fon'har lumbered behind his liegemen through the dim corridors like a mordant grizzly. He was taller and broader than any of those he had brought down into the bowels of the Grey Tower. From underneath the shadow his bulky forehead made, his eyes pierced the darkness before them all. I'm damned outcast, he thought, his mind working on the verdict the Dawn of Blood had foreseen for them, Yet by the Great Lord, I will damn the whole Tower to a slow death in my wake.

The storages had been done with, and the Tower was crippled. Outcast, he thought, his mouth baring teeth, they will learn who they have damned. They will know the price. Oh, they will know.

At the end of this corridor, the cremation room was guarded by Guara Sindaran and Seanco Dinah. Since the cremator... Sagone Asha'man... had died, the room was of no use anymore. And the body lying in wait there needed to be disposed of before Clavil escaped the Grey Tower through the old passageway to the Old Tower. It was thanks to Eya that they knew of that near-by forgotten route.

A pity that the seven drin'far'ji before him were not going to live long enough to witness the ruins of past glory and follow him to freedom.

It was then he noticed that the two guards were gone, and his dark eyes narrowed. He stopped in his track and knotted his fists at his sides, his arms bulging and his shoulders threatening to rip the cloth of his charcoal sa'ji'alantin uniform. "Ready your swords, for something has happened to the sentries. Sweep forward," his command came like stone being crushed into gravel. With a slow motion, he folded back his black cloak behind his massive shoulders and gripped the hilt of his falchion. Like the dark and imminent reaper of lives, he watched as his liegemen moved forward, opening the few doors along the corridor while they advanced towards the cremation room.

Seeing the incoming group tense, Dax figured out that something was indeed wrong too. Surprise has flown off the window....must improvise..... They had figured somehow that another group was to be seen in this corridor, and now they preparing to engage too. Sheathing his sabre, he pulled one throwing dagger from it's concealment in his hips, and waited patiently for the first one with the torch come within his range. Must use every advantage I can get......

The group was coming closer, his companions apparently saw the changes too. Good. At least now the surprise won't backfire on them. Feeling his small throwing dagger, he could almost feel himself do this same thing before. Maybe he had, he had done too much in the streets of Cairhien too remember the particulars of some events. They chose death.... He heard the whisper of Master Shyne's advice to him not so long ago, and immediately he banished the thoughts of death from his mind.

Kile barely dared to breathe as he listened to the man in charge of the soldiers coming down the stairway give his orders. He said that his guards were gone, that must mean that these men were involved with the entire ordeal inside the Tower. Kile had assumed as much, but by the sounds of the soldiers boots on the stone floor there were a number more than the small force that he led. This was most likely not going to be a pretty fight.

The first of the soldiers paused in the doorway where Kile stood, only inches from his face the torch illuminated them both and as the man wearing a Drin'far'ji uniform opened his mouth to shout Kile filled his throat with the cold hard steel of his katana. "Now!!!" He shouted with all the sound he could muster. The man behind the dead one raised his wicked looking axe to take off Kile's head, but the blow was blocked as Kile saw his four Drin fill the corridor with battle cries and sharp steel. Kile wound the man's axe up in a disarming form called The Grapevine Twines, but as he pulled the axe from the man's hands with his sword a body crashed into him from his right side. He dropped his sword as his body was thrown to the ground and pinned there by an man's body that weighed a good bit more that Kile's own did. When he hit the ground he felt a pop in his side and then a peircing pain. "Broke a rib" He thought quickly. As the man with the axe raised it to finish Kile. Kile noticed the man on the stair way. Clavil Fon'Har, the man was snickering. Kile vowed quickly to himself that if he lived long enough he would make Fon'Har die with that same sadistic smile.

The axe plummeted towards Kile's neck.

Bassal stood in his darkened doorway waiting as the sounds above them drew closer and closer his hand tightening against the hilt of his Katana. He heard some muffled statements from above and the first thought to enter his mind is They know something is wrong and he prepared himself for an ugly fight especially when he knew they were outnumbered when the 7 Drin's came out from the stairway weapons in hands and he saw the first Drin' go down fast and Kile's scream of "Now!".

Before the word had finished coming from Kile's throat he rushed forward with an incomprehensible scream of rage as he rushed towards the Drin's They have given themselves to the Shadow, only death awaits them was the last thought that pulsed through his mind as he bared down on a Drin' holding a curved blade in his hands. When he came within range he brought his Katana up into the form Low Wind Rising which was promptly parried and countered with a sharp slash to his right which he only managed to knock away using a sharp thrust to stop the movement and the thrust down into Ribbon In The Air hoping to bring the sword up after it but it was cut short by another parry from his opponent. His heart was throbbing in his chest as he fought against the Drin' each attack parried and countered by each man as they progressed he was aware of others around him fighting Kile close in front of him battling with a man with an axe and the other Drin's fighting but his attention was on his own opponent.

His limbs were tiring and his mind wavering as they fought and he wasn't sure if anything was apparent to his enemy, or if in fact his enemy was feeling any of the same things. He needed to finish this quick and he quickly brought his blade up into Tower Of The Morning and his enemy managed to step back from it and he returned it down towards his enemy's head beginning with The Courtier Taps His Fan and continuing the same series of strikes turning it into Striking The Spark. His opponent kept his blade high fending off the attacks and he saw his opening. He feel down quickly onto his knees and performed a quick slash at the thigh of his enemy is a slight modification of The River Undercuts The Bank the sword biting deep into his legs that he screamed in pain and a quick but hard punch to the stomach knocked him backwards as he quickly scanned for anyone close to him.

He turned back round to notice his mistake has the man he'd just knocked backwards reeled into Kile brining them both to the ground. Burn me for a light blinded fool!!! was the only thing he thought before he launched himself towards the axe wielding Drin' with what energy he had left after his fight taking him at the waist and just managing to knock him off balance and the two went to the ground Bassal rolling off the man over hard onto his face on the ground with a grunt his focus shattering around him as he struggled for the breath and energy he needed to get up his sword lying to his side.

"Now!" Kile shouted as he came at the lead man. Seeing his chance at the throwing dagger disappear with Kile blocking his view, Dax quickly replaced them with his sabre dagger combo once more. Running fast to meet the enemies, he dived in under Kile to avoid being hit as the combatants crossed blade and axe above him, landing in a roll in front of his companions to meet a bulky Drin with a broadsword. With a shout, the Drin came at him sword raised to hack him in two, immediately he held his blades up high to meet the powerful blow in a cross and afterwards delivering a kick in the Drin's stomach to clear his way.

Looking back at his group, he saw Kile was down, and shortly Bassal came in to tackle an axe wielding foe. We are being pressed in.... He thought as he came in running towards his companions to give them time to stand up and get their bearings straight. Alone he stood between the fallen group behind him and the incoming pair up front, Katanas drawn. The first one was circling his left and the other was pacing slowly to his front, backed by the sound of blades clashing nearby, signalling that his other companions was still alive. It appears that they think that my left is my weak side......fools.. The Drins came at him simultaneously, and he engaged them in a blur of motion, parrying each strike to give the men behind him the precious time they need to recover.

A kick here, a cut there, he kept them at bay for a while, but then the Drin at his left made a sweep at his feet that made him jump in the air, losing the balance he desperately needed. Landing on the ground, he saw the one up front came at him with a strike to slice off his head, forcing him to crouch low and roll off to clear his foes. Big mistake.

No! Was all he could scream inside his head as he saw one of the Drins came at Kile and Bassal to hack them down.

Kile saw the axe weilding man fall before the blow landed, and he didn't waste anytime ridding himself of the burden on top of him. The man was sucking air and Kile could feel the leg of his pants slick with blood, he must have been previously wounded. Kile twisted so that he could grab the mans head and he gave it a violent twist. The sickening snapping sound confirmed his kill and he pushed the body off of him.

The pain in his side roared protest at him, but again the sensation belonged to another man. He grabbed a sword that was laying on the ground nearby and when he raised it to strike at the man grappling with Bassal it was sent flying from his hand by an over head blow aimed at the other man. Kile had inadvertantly blocked the blow and saved his comrade. Before the younger and less expirienced Drin'far'ji could raise the blade again to strike down at him, he quickly got to his feet and kicked the man flush in the face. Underneath his boot he felt the mans nose break and the Drin' gurgled as he fell to the floor. He then picked up his sword and quickly went to Dax's side to help with the three remaining Drin in the fight. Kile spared a glance toward Bassal, neither was armed at the moment, but Bassal's sword was close by and the enemies axe was nearly on the other side of the room, and with Dax and himself outnumbered, Bassal would have to fend for himself. Kile parried a pair of slashes from the two Drin nearest to him. He had never sparred with more than one opponent before so this would indeed prove difficult for him if he survived.

Bassal began to try and push himself up on shaky arms almost dropping back to his face again then something brightened in his mind Marria... his mind throbbed with the face of his younger sister and it flicked to her cold dead body as he lay her into the grave and his eyes became steel again The shadow will die.

Managing to push himself onto his knees the grunts from the fighters and the ring of steel on steel near him was deafening. He spotted his katana and quickly gripped the hilt forcing himself to stand a dull throbbing pain in his head stopping him from re-achieving his focus he looked at the Drin' he had just tackled saw him trying to rise he glared and brought his foot up and into the mans face with a snap and a meaty thump and brought the hilt of his blade down hard onto his head. That should be him out for a while he thought as the man slumped to the ground again with a cut of groan.

He turned and saw his companions in battle and brought his blade up into a high guard and advanced forward to stand with them. Trying to get his Focus back as quickly as possible.

Kile moved to the left so that Bassal could fit in between him and Dax. The man in front of him moved in on him in the most familiar way. He raised his blade as if to go for a strike that would sweep Kile's head off, but instead it was changed in mid form to a sweeping lower attack that looked like tower of morning. As Kile parried the rising attack he caught a glance of his opponents face in the flickering torchlight of the walls.

Lo'arns usually friendly features were twisted into a mask of rage and hate. Kile wasn't sure if his friend knew it was him that he was fighting, but he was on the wrong side of this fray. Kile was the better swordsman of the two, he almost always won, but in this situation almost wasn't going to cut it. Kile moved to his left a bit more so that he could catch a glimpse of Clavil coming down the stairs. He had to end this quickly, but he didn't want to kill his friend, he resolved that there was no other choice. He parried another form, Parting the Silk was met with Moon rises over water. Lo'arn who had been his faithful friend since they came to the Tower, ducked to avoid the slash at the throat and Kile quickly brought his sword down and used Ribbon in the air. Just before the tail end of the form curved swiftly up to slice through the soft throat tissue, his best friend looked up at him and a shocked recognition flashed through his face. Kile didn't have any time to mourn his friend though, the Void protected him from the feelings that he should have had to deal with.

A groan slipped through his teeth as his side protested the movement, but Kile stepped up to engage the Ji'alantin. With out time for thought or talk, Kile used Whirlwind on the Mountain. His blade quickly swung around his head for a powerful vertical slash. It started at about head height and ended at the mid section

Pulling his dagger free from the lifeless form laying in front of him, Dax looked around in the dimly lit corridor. their foes are falling one by one, Kile is engaged in mortal combat, and Bassal is in the charge for the other one standing. Just two more.... Seeing their great advantage, he ran in for the unengaged Drin to help Bassal out.

Bassal's blade swung out to meet his next opponent. He was out of his Focus and couldn't manage to get it back so he was fighting this Drin' without its aid and the fear gripped his whole body that he had to struggle to fight.

His blade moved sluggishly but always got there just in time to block an attack never with the time left needed to counter. He knew he would die here and that made him all the more fearful, more for his companions than for himself. His muscles began to tire and his blade moving slower.

Just as he blocked a slash to his side another came up and round toward his neck. He didn't have time to block this was it, and just as he resigned himself to death a blade crossed with his attackers, he glanced round and saw Dax standing there and he nodded steeping back and sliding round the Drin' fighting to obtain his focus before the onslaught began again.

Dax looked at Bassal, growing tired of the fight as he was, he thought that they had to end this quick before more foes come in.

Seeing the determination his comrade, he said: "Take his flank Master Bassal, I will take his front." And with that he engaged the last Drin other than the one Kile was fighting. He opened with Courtier Taps the Fan followed by Kingfisher Takes Flight. Everytime his opponent found a way to counter. He's quite good... He thought as he took the Drin's attention from the circling Bassal.

As Bassal spun out he noticed Dax begin fighting. This guy may be a bit of a handful for just the one of us, time to give us a fighting chance as he slipped forward towards the mans hind he managed to re-attain his Focus.

As he slipped in he slashed quickly with Ribbon In The Air only to have it blocked. He grimaced as the mans quickly blocked a slash by Dax and he began a tentative Cat Dances On The Wall each attack he managed blocked as Dax attacked moments after only to be blocked as well He is good the thought slid across his Focus the fear it should have brought a distant thing to him.

Suddenly a plan came to him and he snapped his blade up into high guard and give the slightest nod to Dax. Seeing he noticed he swung his blade into a quick Boar Rushes Down The Mountain as Dax performed Tower Of The Morning the two blades moving almost simultaneously the Drin' they were fighting managed to block Dax's blade. Unfortunately for him the other blade still came in hard biting deep into his shoulder and farther as the manoeuvre quickly changed to a sharp slash to the right the blade coming free of the body and it slumping to the ground he stood there looking at it the blood glinting from the tip of the blade in the dim light.

Watching Bassal tore his Katana free from the fallen Drin, Distant thoughts rushed through Dax's mind. From far off it is as if he had done something like that before. I should master this 'Void' that my trainers speak to me about, maybe it could release me from the thoughts. Nodding at Bassal, He quickly scanned the room and his companions, they were all bleeding from a few cuts, but nothing serious.

Pointing his head at the other end of the dimly lit corridor, he saw a lone figure starting to flee. He must not escape. Steadying himself for a quick sprint, he spoke in a low grim voice. "Shall we pursue?"

As Clavil Fon'Har had watched the battle, his great chest had heaved like a below with his calm breathing. At first he had taken victory for granted, and allowed himself to leer in triumph.

Yet the three had prevailed.

I have lingered to long. Now when I have done my share for my masters, it is time to leave. Still carrying his great falchion unsheathed, he took the steps of the spiral staircase two at the time. He would need to bring the last of his men from the sabotage that was being done on the floor above in order to stall the three from pursuing him. Reaching the floor above, he called out. "Come to me! Kill the ones below! Make sure to hold the stairs!"

His great voice carried through the dark stone corridors and he saw two figures advance from a door far away at his call. And another three were not far off in the opposite direction, also freeing their curved blades and advancing towards the stairs in mordant strides. Satisfied that his last men had heard him, CLavil took the last corridor away from the scene, leading into utter darkness.

OOC: The area above the stairs look like a T-crossing of murky corridors, which are lined with doors to food and material storages. The stairs come up in the middle of the crossing. While the two groups of Clavil's drin'far'ji' come from opposite directions, Clavil leaves in the third.

Kile's mind reeled as he pulled the darkly glistening blade from the last of the enemy. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Clavil dashing up the stairs. With out time for thought he hurtled up the stairs after him. He heard the Drin'far'ji under his command following not far behind him, as Clavil shouted for reinforcments. Not knowing how many people were there to engage he stopped not quite to the top of the dark stairway, thinking that the narrow area of the stairway would be easier to defend than the entire corridor.

He quickly blocked the first slash of the two hulking defenders, he continued to block and parry quickly until the rest of his people got there to help.

Bassal turned just in time to see Clavil bound dup the steps with Kile hot after him without turning to Dax he said "Quick, move out" he raced up just after Kile the his sword still in hand. He heard muffled shouts from above and then the harsh sound of metal on metal.

Light I hope I'm not to late as he rounded the last bend he saw Kile battling two Drin's, the space was narrow but there was just enough room for him to help and he rushed forward. He came up behind Kile quickly and lunged his sword past his side as one of his attackers swung a blow to his head the blade slid home and the man convulsed a few times before slumping Light.....two men dead by my hand the htought threatened to pull him out of his Focus, when he saw other defenders coming up he banished it and prepared once again to fight for his life and the tower.

Bassal ran in front of him, following an enraged Kile up the stairs, he heard the quick sounds of clashing steel, telling him that his companions are fighting off some more foes.

Joining the fray, two more Drins came at him sporting their deadly broadswords, seeing himself nearly with his back on a wall, the situation was much to his disadvantage. Must move quickly.... Was all he could think of as the first of the Drins came at him with Courtier taps the Fan while the other came in with Ribbon in the Air. He blocked the powerful falling strike with a horizontal thrust of his sabre, pushed it upward to give him room then caught the horizontal slash of the second Drin with both his blades. Putting his right foot in to stand by the side of the locked Drin, he gave the Drin a punch in the face with his left hand while holding his dagger to make fist and pommel connect to equate a broken nose.

The Drin staggered back, turning around, he saw at that split second that the other Drin came at him again, rage filled his opponent this time, giving a shout and sword raised high. He is out of his senses..... That was the opening he needed. He skipped towards the raging Drin and raised his right foot high at a sideways stance to kick the Drin squarely in the neck. He was getting tired, his hands were beginning to feel numb. We must end this soon......

When Bassal ran the first of the attackers through Kile pushed the second over the body and finished her with a mighty cleave that opened a monsterous gap in her chest. Kile felt bad for killing a woman, but it was another mans emotion, just as his cracked rib was another man's pain. He stepped over the pair so that Dax could come out from behind himself and Bassal. Dax moved out to the left to engage a pair of charging Drin, while he himself was set upon by the last one. He met his opponents axe and took a quick step to the left. He stepped in and brought his sword up and to the left, which forced the unexpirienced Drin to block to the left, but Kile cut in before the block was more than half started. He brought his curved blade along the mans belly and through to the other arm. He fell bleeding profusely and out of the fight. Kile looked over at the last man standing on there side who was reeling toward Bassal from Dax's kick.

He looked down the corridor that Clavil had retreated down, and he was no where to be seen.

Dax scanned the area, the place was oozing with blood, his group was finishing off what was left of their enemies. He looked at Kile too, and saw the rage burned even more in the man's eyes.

He looked down at the Drin that he gave a broken nose, the man was still squirming. He's still alive...We can use him.... Sheathing his sabre and pulling free his dagger, he knelt in close to hold the helpless Drin by the collar, pressing the deadly blade deep on his neck. "Master Kile!" He shouted, trying to get their attention. "I think we have a prisoner in our hands..."

Kile's head snapped around from looking down the hall where Clavil had ran to Dax. He glanced over the man that was on the floor with a blood covered face and a ruined nose.

"Not now Dax." He said sternly. The determination turning his face and voice into a rock hard and blade sharp weapon. He pointed at the other two Drin, " Take that man back down to our original post. Touch nothing, wait for either myself or the Gaidin Captain to relieve you." He pushed a lock of blood stained blonde hair out of his face and gestured to Dax and Bassal. "You two will come with me."

Not saying another word he made sure to turn around before he winced at the pain in his side. He started off at a trot in the direction that Clavil had gone. He went carefully after a short while because he hadn't seen where Clavil went this far down and he could be waiting anywhere for them.

This was the way it was for a little while until Kile spotted an opening in the wall ahead. Likely no one even knew that the opening was there, but Kile couldn't help but think that this was where they would find Clavil.

Bassal quickly turned to the two Drin's Kile told to return to the post. "Theres another unconcious one down there" was all he said before Folding The Fan quickly and taking off after Kile, who he slightly noticed the uncomfort in Kile's movement Is side must really be in pain the thought slid across his Focus.

When he came up to the opening he didn't speak he just Unfolded The Fand deftly and stepped forward. He stared for a moment then turned to Kile "What are your orders,sir?"

Kile answered quickly, the opening had been covered by what looked to be in the dark a large bookcase. That was probably why the tunnel had never been found. He had heard of a tunnel that was supposed to lead in and out of the Tower, it was created before the Breaking of the Grey Tower in case there were ever a siege.

"We can't let him get away, the blood of our brothers mars his hands. Lets be after him, but be careful, even with torches on the walls there are many shadows." Kile gripped his blade firmly and stepped into the opening that was wide enough for about five men. The torches light glittered off of Kile's red gleaming blade. Taking this time that they had he wiped the blade off on his charcoal colored uniform. He set himself in a quick trot with his eyes forward. "Bassal Keep the rear." He ordered as they ran.

Dax kept his pace with Kile and Bassal, holding his sabre in his left hand, blood running down it's fine blade. Steadily he strained his eyes to see through the dimly lit corridor, torches burning low to give the place an eerie glow.

This is a very dangerous position.... He noted. ....we're very much open for an ambush. Drawing his dagger compliment, he walked just behind Kile in a slow pace like a nimble ocelot ready to pounce. Must be ready for anything... Was all that he could think of as they went on with their parade.

Chapter Three: The Dawn of Blood
~Ripple One: Alive
~Ripple Two: Captured
~Ripple Three: Trapped
~Ripple Four: Questions
~Ripple Five: Your Mission
~Ripple Six: Task Presented
~Ripple Seven: Vengeful Assassain
~Ripple Eight: Echoes

Return to the Ripples Intro