Wing City: This definitely wasn't in the plan!

(Post co-written by Tiko and XavierDantius32)

Well over an hour passed before Van at last emerged from the room, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He wiped an arm across his brow as he entered.

?I've done all I can for her at the moment. The wounds are cleaned and dressed and I think I managed to purge the infection from her blood,? Van explained to Snow. ?She's too weak for me to begin mending the wounds yet, but she's stable for now. I'll be able to do more once Lucas returns and after she's had a few days rest.?

Snow had spent the interim pacing around the apartment, taking an inventory of everything he had left. His intentions were to get moving as soon as possible, only taking whatever he could carry on his back.

The kitchen table creaked under the weight of a massive great-sword, woven with hexagrammic wards, forged from meteoric iron. Snow slipped this into a leather sheath, hanging it between his shoulder blades as Van began to speak.

?Don't worry about getting her in tip-top condition. I know basic first aid. I need her ready to move within a few days. I want you gone as soon as she's fit.?

He fixed Van with a hard stare before turning away, shunting a mound of perishable food into a hiking pack, already bulging with several weighty tomes and various tools needed for binding a daemon.

Van didn't even try to keep the astonishment from his face or his voice. ?A few days? This woman shouldn't even be out of bed for at least a week, let alone traveling. First aid isn't what this woman needs, she needs a doctor and medical supplies. If her fever returns, it could well kill her,? Van retorted. ?I can leave you some salves and herbal remedies -?

?That won't be necessary. I'm leaving. Now.? Red stood in the doorway of the side room, a hand on the door frame to keep herself steady and on her feet. She had scrounged a button up shirt from the room - though it still hung open, leaving the bandages that lay beneath it bared. She was pale and her abdomen and much of her upper chest and shoulder were tightly bound in pristine white bandages.

?Celestia above! You need to lay down. Do you have a death wish?? Van was dismayed that she was even awake, let alone on her feet.

?It's not up for debate, I'm leaving.? In complete disregard for Van, Red was already refitting her bracers that had been left on the bedside table.

?Let her go, angel-boy.? Snow grunted, stomping across the floor on Van's left flank, one hand slipping to his waist.

He studied Red carefully, eyes flicking between her and Van. ?If she thinks she's ready to move, she should move.?

Snow scowled at the pair, the hand on his waist curling around the hunting knife in the back of his belt. Even weak, he supposed that the girl was powerful enough to hold her own, and together, they should be able to take Van down if it came to blows.

?I can't do that,? Van said as he shifted to put his back to the door, between Snow and Red. ?She walks out that door, and she could well die. She's unwell and delirious. Do you really want that on your conscience??

Red meanwhile, stepped forward, fully intent on leaving whether Van agreed or not. ?I'm leaving and I don't think you have any intention of killing us if we do, so I suggest you just get to the moving out of my way and save us all the trouble,? Red bit off. She couldn't really do much to make him move, but she was willing to bet that the brute behind her could.

To Snow, the air was completely still, as the adrenaline kicked in. As Van moved to block the door, he continued circling, making room to manoeuvre, while still having the advantage of attacking on Van's left.

He was more than prepared to cut this man down at the drop of the hat, but he issued one last warning. ?I'd start moving back to your fancy academy now, pal. Before this turns nasty."

?I'm afraid I can't do that,? Van replied.

Reflexively his hand dropped for his sword, but he quickly realized he had removed it earlier and it was still in the other room. Foolish. Still, he couldn't let the pair leave. His eyes shifting from Red to Snow, but primarily remained on Snow. Red was too wounded to be much of a threat.

As Snow circled to Van's left, Red took the opportunity to sidle her way to his right. Her eyes fell across the flintlock pistol on display along the wall.

?Your loss.? Snow shrugged, drawing the massive sword from over his shoulder, dropping into a low crouch, the point aimed squarely at Van's gut. The blade gleamed dully, the light catching on the numerous runes worked into its construction.

With a grace belaying his size, Snow surged forward, bringing the sword up behind his shoulder, then down towards Van's left shoulder, with the intention of driving him towards Red, who he seemed to have forgotten about.

Van's lithe form easily twisted and stepped to the side of the overhead swing. He was well versed in hand to hand combat, but that two-handed sword would be deadly if it struck him. His thoughts went to disarming the man - that is, before he stiffed and then crumpled to the ground.

Red stood behind Van looking down at him, the flintlock pistol in her hand. It wasn't loaded, but it made a heck of a blunt object. Van would have quite the headache when he woke up. Tossing the pistol to Snow she muttered. ?Let's go.?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/gA4MibYK_lU/viewtopic.php

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