Board Thread:Roleplaying/@comment-3293219-20140217201750/@comment-3293219-20140304130013

The Animal Spirit
The Black Argonian had been wandering County Cheydinhal for, what felt like, an age. His feet ached, he swore they were blistered but he didn't care enough to check.

Kaizen knew, exactly, what he was looking for but he wasn't sure where it was or if it truly existed. By the time Kaizen had reached adulthood, they were already extinct or close to it. The minotaurs, a once proud race, who dwelled in the Jerral Mountains, were hunted to extinction. At the end of the 3rd Era, several, brave, warriors partook in 'the great purge.'

Like the goblins and ogres, Minotaurs were complex beasts. They had their own, primitive, societies, they were not simple beasts. From what Kaizen had read about them, they were more complex than most people believed. They were intelligent enough to forge, or at least procure, powerful blunt weapons of good quality and there was evidence to suggest that they had a sort of tribal hierarchy. They resembled the goblins but they were nowhere near as advanced.

Unfortunately, they were different to 'the civilized folk' and, because of this, they had to go.

The 'civilized' people of County Cheydinhal banded together and using axes, hammers, spears, forks, scythes and torches, they managed to rid the land of their 'filth.'

In many ways, Kaizen empothised with them. Both of them were in the same boat now, the same waves had sunk their ships, indisciminate and uncaring...

But it wasn't empathy that caused Kaizen to seek them out; if he wanted to take on the Penitus Oculatus he would need soldiers. The Black Argonian had heard whisperings of Minotaur activity but he always dismissed them. Old wives often swapped stories about old threats returning, to bring death, destruction and excitement to their dull, bleak lives. He wouldn't be surprised if one of those tales was about him.

The Black Argonian looked to his left, seeing the hazy sight of Cheydinhal in the distance. Lake Arrius was slightly more in his range of vision, though only half of the lake was visible. He sighed as he was reminded of Petra, wondering about how she was doing, whether or not she'd function in a position of leadership. It seemed incredibly risky, leaving her in charge and Larius didn't exactly fill him with confidence. He was no fool, he knew that neither of them were fit for leadership but Petra had yet to prove this and thus it felt like the right decision.

Kaizen looked back as he heard something, in the bushes, up ahead. He swallowed and drew his mace and axe, wondering if the Cheydinhal guard were looking for him, combing the wilderness for his location. He then dismissed the idea as their Captain would be out of action for a number of hours, days or weeks and they didn't look smart enough to make executive decisions on their own.

The rustling stopped and whatever was lurking there had fled the scene, leaving Kaizen alone. He stood, weapons at the ready, he was prepared to face an inevitable ambush...

But none came.

Hmm, weird... He thought to himself. Surely they would have attacked by now... maybe they didn't plan to and they were simply watching him, studying him, to see where he was going or looking for obvious strengths and weaknesses. This unnerved him as an assassin; he knew what this could mean. He lowered his weapons and, slowly, crept forward. His boots crushed some twigs, underfoot, causing him to freeze on the spot as his spine shot up.

He stood still; his cold eyes were now scanning the forest, grip tightening around his weapons. The argonian sighed as his confidence returned and his paranoia faded away, leaving him alone at the center of the wilderness. He lowered his weapons as his mind cast back to Petra and the weight that now rested on her shoulders. The responsibility of leadership was bad enough but with no point of reference, she was pretty much on her own.

Kaizen shrugged off his concerns, easing the weight on his own shoulders as he began to shamble on. He had to find shelter before dark. Soon, he would return to Petra, with the promise of victory.

