Where, oh where, can my brothers be?|Rivenway | Ro

[Kender Bard]

Talon followed the second scream. Now this one sounded all-too familiar... He zipped into the alleyway, taking in the prone Acqua and Burak. Barely thinking, he hurtled himself at Burak; a bullrush was always his best opening strategy against Storms, especially if they didn't see it coming. And he already had his dagger out...

[adris]

Burak took the hit, he didn't see it coming. He fell to the ground hard, but was able to at least sit up in order to make a quick plan. He thought of zapping Talon, but the man might be just as dedicated as he was last time. Instead, he shot another strong lightning bolt at Acqua, who was a very easy target, then started crawled backwards away from Talon.

"Sir, step away, every hostile move you make I hit her again. You have put me in a very desperate position, I won't be able to control my own strength. Do you want to throw her life away on a gamble?"

He already had his symbol on his sign, he was ready to shock her every time she tried to rise as well, he wasn't about to lose his target. His eyes were switching swiftly from one back to another, this wouldn't end here, it was far too soon.

[Northen Light36]

Acqua had been just starting to get to her feet when the second bolt hit her hard. Crying out, Acqua flops back to the ground and lies there, twitching slightly as the current leaves her body. Her knife fell from her numb fingers as she desperately brings a hand to her storm sign, hoping she can at least bleed off some of the power of Burak's next strike.

[Kender Bard]

"In hell you will," Talon growled, a surprisingly nasty voice rumbling from his throat as he slips a smaller dagger, more of a knife really, out of his belt while simultaneously making a slash for his sign with his infamous speed. He only hoped he was fast enough to get the second knife up and out to act as a lightning rod if his aim wasn't spot on.

[adris]

Burak should have figured that any relative of Acqua's would be just as fast as she was. In fact, he had, while he wasn't built for fighting he didn't come unarmed. Talon slashed into his arm, his other hand fell to his left side and produced a dagger of his own. With a desperate speedy rush of his own he raised his dagger towards Talon's open and very much in range midsection.

[Northen Light36]

Acqua might be injuried, but her eyes are as sharp as ever and she sees the flash of light on metal as Burak draws his dagger. Chanting desperately, Acqua puts every bit of willpower and desperation into trying to pull off Vortai's magnatism trick so as to draw back Burak's knife just a fraction and keep the blow from being a fatal one.

The pain burns through Acqua's entire body, worse then any of Burak's attacks and she can't help but scream in pain before she, mercifully, passes out.

[Kender Bard]

Talon makes a sharp grunt as the knife stabs into him. Acqua's trick kept him from being disemboweled, but it still hurt like all hell. He grit his teeth to ignore the pain and focused on the stab, slash, protect, kill commands of his mind, taking his upraised knife and plunging it down towards Burak's chest, trying for an awkward back-hand stab into the man's side.

[adris]

Burak gasped, there wasn't much room for a long and drawn out speech or anything. Talon had pretty effectively pierced the vitals, causing him to just fall back, eyes blank. His last thought is that he hopes that Talon is hunted, as they don't have him to stand for any crimes anymore.

[Kender Bard]

Talon held his stomach, breathing heavily. He looked around, wondering what to do now. He started inching his way towards Acqua; he had to get her... somewhere.. healing.. Yes, a healer's. Alethia, Talon thought mournfully. Oh what he wouldn't give for the soothing ministrations of his wife right now. Pull yourself together, Talon. Your family needs you. Head upturned, he sent a silent prayer to Etaf for strength and got back up, slowly, reached for Acqua and tried to pick her up.

"Need a hand?"

Talon tilted his head towards the voice. Hawk stood in the alleyway, taking steps forward to pick up Acqua. "Uh huh," he grunted.

"This way, Talon," Hawk coached softly as he led the way towards the healing house. "One step in front of the other..."

"One.. in front of.. the other," Talon groaned, holding his stomach, and managed to follow.

[Northen Light36]

As soon as the group set foot in the Healing House, another problem presents its self. Namely a wide spread panic among the junior healers as they see the 'murderer' who the guards have been after for days. One bright spark jumps out a window and runs for the guards.

"THAT WILL DO!" a woman in her mid-fifties shouts from the doorway, her voice carrying over the panicking healers. "What in Efil's name is the matter with you? You made an oath to help ANYONE who comes through the doors and forces help me, you will do so."

With that she makes her way over to Talon, Hawk and Acqua, with a boy in his early teens trailling her. "Right, you put that girl down on the bed and, if you're not hurt yourself, get out of the way." the healer orders Hawk as she firmly leads Talon to the nearest bed. "As for you, young man, you just lie down on this bed and let me take care of you."

"Sir, can you tell me what happened?" the boy asks, then gives Hawk a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Healer Sparkle is one of the best here. Your... friend... will be fine."

[Kender Bard]

"I'm not sure," Hawk admitted weakly. "I heard Acqua screaming and went running. Then I found them like this." He knew better than to mention the dead body.

Talon was all to happy to flop onto the bed and let soothing darkness slip over him.

Hawk set Acqua down and wiped the back of his hand over his forehead. "I know what you guys are thinkin', though, and Talon isn't a murderer! He's a hero in Talen'sul in fact!"

[Northen Light36]

"Right, well let's get at least one of them in the condision to tell what happened and we'll worry about whether he's a hero or a murderer later," Sparkle comments, fetching a few bottles of healing water to suppliment her own and begins treating Talon's injuries. "Seafoam, you tend to the girl, but don't wear yourself out."

"Yes Sparkle," Seafoam replies, getting to work. The Healer and her apprentice work in silence for awhile, until Sparkle has finished healing Talon and comes to help with Acqua. After a glance at the girl, Sparkle shoos Seafoam away and closes a curtain around the bed for privacy.

[Kender Bard]

"Nghn," Talon moans as he starts to come to. "Alethia..."

"'Fraid not," Hawk said, leaning against a wall, watching him. Talon stirred and blinked a few times as he let his mind remind him that he's a wanted criminal in Ronduin.

"Please let this be a nightmare," he sighed into his pillow.

[Northen Light36]

"Sorry sir, but I think you're awake," Seafoam quips checkily.

"That will do Seafoam," Sparkle scolds, stepping out from behind the curtain. "Now sir, I'm glad to see you're awake. You're a very lucky young man, had that cut been half an inch deeper we wouldn't be talking right now." She takes a seat by Talon's bed. "However, I do need to know what happened to the young girl who was brought in with you. Can you tell me?"

[Kender Bard]

Talon nods, and tries to sit up, but gives up on the endeavor and lies still. "We were here - my friend and I - because there was a man named Burak who had kidnapped and tortured our sister, Acqua. He sent her a letter from Ronduin, threatening her again. So Amaro and I came here to put a stop to it. We found someone who was Burak's friend, so we thought we might be able to find him by questioning the man." He frowned. "And we did just question him, we never hurt him! It wasn't any good though, he was on to us. We went back to the inn and wondered what to do next... I decided to look for Burak on my own when Amaro got sick from dinner. The next thing I know, it looks like the guy's house got broke into and the guards were coming to get us. I couldn't help Amaro so I questioned the guy about why he would do that. I guess he was protecting Burak. I.." He flushed. "I threatened him a bit, everything was getting out of hand. So he took some poison or something. I ran away because what else could I do? Then today I was trying to figure out how to clean this whole mess up when I heard Acqua screaming. I went to go see what was up, and there was Burak, hurting her. So.. So I.. I stopped him." He almost whispered the last words.

"Burak's dead," Hawk said evenly, watching and listening. Talon didn't respond but trembled a little under his blanket.

"I just want to go home now," he whispered, so quietly even he could barely hear himself.