Jaqueline heard Julian call back to her, but ignored it - she was too intent on sneaking up on the two darkspawn she had seen in the shadows. She moved silently, her mind assessing the situation at the speed of lightning. The one with the crude crossbow leveled at Julian was a danger - but not so much as the big guy standing slightly behind it. The pair were well hidden and, had she not been so careful to move silently and see everything, she probably would have missed them.
She circled wide around the pair, creeping up while being careful to remain undetected. If she was going to do this, she would need the element of surprise. She watched the two for a moment, surveying the way each moved. The large one, the one in better armor, seemed much more confident in his movement. His hideous mouth opened, but no sound came out. She could tell, though, that some sort of communication was happening. They were going to kill her brothers.
Everything in her screamed to act, but she held fast. She would get one shot at this, and with so much on the line she couldn't fail. So she watched and waited for her opportunity.
When it happened, she was ready. The armor was impressive, leaving few places that would allow her to strike a deadly blow. But when he lifted his arm again, she saw it - her chance. In an instant she was behind him, the long thin dagger clutched tightly in her left hand had been pushed through the opening under his arm and into his chest. Her right arm wrapped around his neck, the blade in that hand sliding between the armor and his chin to his neck. Immediately, her right glove felt warm, and she knew it had been coated with ichor.
Her mind was moving so fast now, inventorying her state. She hadn't been wounded, hadn't been cut. No open wounds, no places for the blight to infect. She was okay...though she still wanted to strip the gloves from her hands as soon as possible. No time now, though.
The darkspawn with the crossbow turned his head slightly as the creature in her arms crumpled to the ground, but the tip of the bolt did not waiver. Jaqueline was on him before he could react any further, the blades in her hands piercing his putrid flesh. He loosed the bolt, but the attack had caused his aim to falter just a bit - just enough to let the projectile fly harmlessly between her brothers. She pulled the blade in her left hand out and plunged it deeper several times, giving it a twist in the final stroke. When she felt the body go slack, she retreated back to the shadows, away from any others she may not have seen.
Once concealed in the darkness. she crouched and scanned the trees around her, looking for further threats. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as Tomas plunged his blade into an attacker approaching him. It had probably been years since the last time he trained, but Jaq idly observed that his movements were still sure, still showed the practiced grace that could only come from instruction. She also tracked Julian, noting the two stragglers that seemed focused on him. Jaq was sure he would make short work of them - the certainly did not currently pose enough of a threat to warrant giving up her position.
Despite the rush of adrenaline coursing through her body, something at the bag of her mind seemed to quiet - as if the string that had been tugging her here finally fell silent. She didn't trust feelings like that, though, so she resumed her search, checking for more hidden dangers. Finding none, she finally turned back to her brothers and watched as the final attack descending on them.
She circled wide around the pair, creeping up while being careful to remain undetected. If she was going to do this, she would need the element of surprise. She watched the two for a moment, surveying the way each moved. The large one, the one in better armor, seemed much more confident in his movement. His hideous mouth opened, but no sound came out. She could tell, though, that some sort of communication was happening. They were going to kill her brothers.
Everything in her screamed to act, but she held fast. She would get one shot at this, and with so much on the line she couldn't fail. So she watched and waited for her opportunity.
When it happened, she was ready. The armor was impressive, leaving few places that would allow her to strike a deadly blow. But when he lifted his arm again, she saw it - her chance. In an instant she was behind him, the long thin dagger clutched tightly in her left hand had been pushed through the opening under his arm and into his chest. Her right arm wrapped around his neck, the blade in that hand sliding between the armor and his chin to his neck. Immediately, her right glove felt warm, and she knew it had been coated with ichor.
Her mind was moving so fast now, inventorying her state. She hadn't been wounded, hadn't been cut. No open wounds, no places for the blight to infect. She was okay...though she still wanted to strip the gloves from her hands as soon as possible. No time now, though.
The darkspawn with the crossbow turned his head slightly as the creature in her arms crumpled to the ground, but the tip of the bolt did not waiver. Jaqueline was on him before he could react any further, the blades in her hands piercing his putrid flesh. He loosed the bolt, but the attack had caused his aim to falter just a bit - just enough to let the projectile fly harmlessly between her brothers. She pulled the blade in her left hand out and plunged it deeper several times, giving it a twist in the final stroke. When she felt the body go slack, she retreated back to the shadows, away from any others she may not have seen.
Once concealed in the darkness. she crouched and scanned the trees around her, looking for further threats. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as Tomas plunged his blade into an attacker approaching him. It had probably been years since the last time he trained, but Jaq idly observed that his movements were still sure, still showed the practiced grace that could only come from instruction. She also tracked Julian, noting the two stragglers that seemed focused on him. Jaq was sure he would make short work of them - the certainly did not currently pose enough of a threat to warrant giving up her position.
Despite the rush of adrenaline coursing through her body, something at the bag of her mind seemed to quiet - as if the string that had been tugging her here finally fell silent. She didn't trust feelings like that, though, so she resumed her search, checking for more hidden dangers. Finding none, she finally turned back to her brothers and watched as the final attack descending on them.
12-21-2022, 04:15 PM
