Graceling

[Cara]

(so, what will be her "nickname"? Lean? Oh and FYI, Kasta, Lorn and the Guards are dressed in the Court colors of Rada... )

"So what is your Master's name?" Dedelean asked. Levial frowned...
"Oh... that doesn't matter...." she said, her smile returning to her face, as she moved with ease through the crowds.
Dedelean and Levia found themselves almost on the outskirts of town. There weren't many people here either.
"Ah, who have you brought me, Levia?" A man asked, stepping out of the shadows. He was dressed entirely in black, his face darkened by the large hood over his head. Dedelean noticed that Levia was dressed similarly, in all dark robes, but her dress was a deep violet hemmed in silver.
"Hello Master," Levia said, bowing. She still was holding Dedelean, so Dedelean was forced to bow with her. She eased her hand out of Levia's while she was distracted. This man gave her the creeps. "I brought you Dedelean... of... um, somewhere.." Levia said, she looked at Dedelean.
"You don't want to run away just yet..." the man intoned.
Dedelean felt her brain get fuzzy. What was going on? She felt like her feet were glued to the ground. She couldn't run away.
"You will join Levia... become my servant..." he said. Dedelean found herself nodding. What was going on!?!

Kasta felt the hair on her neck stand. She whirled around, drawing her bow with blinding speed. "Who goes there!" she shouted, her eyes scanning the forest edge. "I know you're there. I can smell you..." she said. Her Graceling eyes flashed. "Do not try me..."

[Galadas]

Elliot hid away, he couldn't risk being seen already, or maybe he could, but not by these people. The suspicious people of Rada, they wouldn't just let him pass, and besides, he needed to follow them, no way he had a heading. His dog insticts smelled something was wrong with the girl that smelled him, she was different, he guessed she was graced as well.

I don't want to! Lean tried to say, but she couldn't words didn't come out of her anymore, movements weren't hers. She wanted use her grace, to give the man a shock that he would never forget, using something she'd only used before a few times, but even that didn't work. Let me go! She begged in her mind. I don't want to be a braindead zomby!

[Cara]

"What is it Lady Kasta?" a guard asked.
"In the woods... there's someone there..." Kasta said, drawing her sword.
"Probably just a peasant on his way... your task is to the King...." the guard said. Kasta silenced him with a withering glare.
"Hold this..." she said, giving the reigns for Lorn. She dismounted with an inhuman grace and ease. Something told her that the situation wasn't right. Her instincts had never been wrong. She just had a specialty with stuff like that.

"Don't struggle dear..." the man said. "It'll just hurt more..." he said, his red and black eyes boring into Lean. "You can't resists me... my Grace is too strong..." he said. "Levia here loves me..."
"Oh, he's a wonderful Master!" Levia piped up smiling. "Please? I am lonely..." she said with unblinking eyes, a strange smile on her face.

[Galadas]

No! Lean tried to use her grace again, aiming a much bigger shock on the master, she could do it. She wouldn't let anyone play boss over her. A reign of blue shocks blasted out of her hands, and it hit it's surrounding, releasing Lean from the control. She looked at the master and Levia, who had been blown back by the wave of energy which tilted around her fingers. "You don't know who you're messing with!" She snapped at the man.

Elliot hid further behind the trees, he growled softly when he heard the lady talk. Who was she, he could remember her name, but not where it was from. Lady Kasta, a graceling at the court of the King of Rada. He looked at the clothes he was wearing, it was maybe a better plan to shift, it wouldn't do any good to hide from this new enemy. He took off the shirt, he needed to act swiftly.

[Cara]

In the pain, Levia felt her head clear. It was a moment of clarity. She jumped to her feet, confused, yet knowing she had to run... run away...
Lean turned and ran. Levia followed. Lean turned suddenly, Levia almost crashing into her.
"Back off!" Lean cried, her finger tips cracking with electricity.
Levia put her hand up. "Please... I never meant any harm..." she said, her eyes wide. "I have to get away before he regains control! Once he regains full consciousness, he'll come for me. For us..." she said, her voice frightened.
"He has others too..." Levia added hurriedly. "He's a Graceling collector..." she said.

Kasta listened, her senses reaching out. It wasn't just killing and causing pain that she excelled in, but she had a talent for danger. It was what kept her alive all these years...
"My Lady... no one is there..." a guard called. "The King won't be happy if--"
Kasta put her hand up. She knew there was something here. Her instincts had never failed her.

[Galadas]

"A what?!" Lean asked loudly, but there was no time to get her answer. She grabbed Levia's hand and started to run, she had enough voltage to bring down the master if he ever attacked again, at least she hoped. She looked a few times over her shoulder, where the girl was staring scared. "Don't worry, he's not going to get us! We're gonna go to Rada, he'll never follow us there!" She could only hope that that was right.

Elliot was a wolf again, shifted out of his clothes, he looked around the corner of the tree, seeing the girl coming towards him. He growled, louder, to make his place known to the human. It moved away from the clothes, taking a place where they couldn't be seen. He approached Lady Kasta, but wary. Humans didn't like wolves that much, he would most certainly be killed if he attacked.

[Cara]

Levia stumbled and fell. Lean turned to see Levia clutching her head.
"Levia...?" she asked. Levia looked up, her face contorted.
"Run!" she said, as she tackled Lean to the ground. "I'm so sorry..." she managed to say, before her face glazed over in a mask of fury. Her eyes became indifferent, as she smiled coldly. "Be glad, girl, that I don't have my bow..." she laughed. "You might have escaped us once, but you won't get away. We will always be watching you. There are more than you think!" Levia cried, as she grabbed Lean's hair.

Kasta looked at the wolf. It had two different colored eyes. She just noticed the slightest tints from the distance she stood. A Graceling? She was sure she smelled a human only moments before...
The wolf looked past Kasta at the two archers who had drawin their bows. The six guards that accompanied Lorn and Kasta were apart of The Order and the Court. They both guarded them and made sure that Kasta did what she was supposed to.
"Stand back, my Lady... Let us dispense of this creature..." a man shouted. Kasta moved with blind swiftness as they released their arrows...

[Galadas]

Lean gave an other shock, blowing Levia back, which she regretted. She jumped up and ran away from the girl, but she didn't want to leave her behind. She looked down her path, where a man was holding a horse by its reins, and not paying attention to what happened around him, this was her chance. She took over the horse, drew the reins from the man's hand and stormed off, despite all the people yelling and guards in the town trying to stop her. She released shock after shock to keep them at a distance.

The wolf dodged the first on, the second hit him in his feet, or Elliot's hand. But it was a simple wound, he would be able to walk with it. He turned to run away before the guards would shoot more arrows at him, this wasn't the time to get in a fight, although, his speed gave him a major advantage. He moved his body to a side, disappearing behind tree, but running out of the forest from an other direction. His prey was free in his sight, there were two guards, but they had sprinted away to get lady Kasta out of the forest, they would see him soon enough. He saw Lorn move his head towards the beast before he jumped up to attack him, teeth blinking in the sun...

[Cara]

Levia stood as her Master walked out from the alleyway. "Don't worry, Levia. She'll be back... And next time we'll get her. Call the others," he said. Levia bowed with respect, but her eyes were full of fury and hatred for the man.
"Yes, Master."

Lorn drew his sword, his war-trained horse, kicking up his deadly hooves. Kasta was running, cloak flying as the wolf leapt at Lorn.
Lorn managed to block the attack. His horse, seeing the enemy, stomped down. It was a maneuver meant to finish off an opponent on the ground. The wolf growled and jumped away just in time.
Kasta whistled for her horse. She swifly leapt up and charged at the wolf. The archers had drawn another set of arrows. "Sir Roan, I think it's a Graceling!" Kasta yelled. "Take him down" she commanded. She twirled her sword like a windmill of lethal silver.

[Galadas]

Elliot saw the danger, he had to play tactics if he wanted to survive. He changed form, shifted into a leopard, which was his fastest form, he dodged two more arrows. Growling heavily when Lady Kasta approached him, what would he do, run away. It was his best change to survive, they wouldn't be able to keep up with him. He hoped they wouldn't even try, he had no use for running off to far from his prey, he needed to go back and finish the job, Lorn had to die.

Lean wondered if she could ever save Levia, she wanted to, that girl didn't deserve to be a slave.

[Cara]

Kasta had been trained in both physical arms as well as mental tactics. Why would a Graceling attack a band of royal soldiers of Rada? The first thought was assassin. But for her? She had made plenty of enemies... But the Graceling had ran at Lorn, not her...!
"Lorn! Run!" she shouted.
"What! And leave you behind?" Lorn responded, brandishing his sword. He was after all the weapon master's apprentice. They trained together. She always won, being a Graceling killer helped, but he was very skilled.
Kasta growled, as she turned her horse. They were close to the walls. If this Graceling was so bold as to chase them into the open, the sentries would shoot him down... She spurred her horse, grabbing Lorn's reigns.
"Let's go!" she said. They kicked up into a gallop. They just had to clear the trees. The other guards would fall back and cover with their arrows.

Levia walked up to the corpse, and pulled her arrow out. It had, as always, aimed true. She searched the man for any money, pulling a huge purse of coins out of his jacket. They would go deeper into Rada. There was said to be another Graceling there at court. Kasta Sarce. She was highly valued, her Grace coveted and her Master wanted that. Levia and two others were to go and capture the girl...

[Galadas]

Elliot started to follow, he was much faster than them, he might even catch up. He had one more secret show hidden, other animals, wolves, a whole pack of them. If he changed back he could call for help, they would help him. There was only one problem, the Lady, she was graced just like him, but what kind of Grace did she have, was it dangerous. He wouldn't know, he had never heard of her, maybe once, but only that she was a lady at the court at Rada. Well, she would end up at the tip of his claw, just like Lorn.

[Cara]

Kasta could hear Eliot's feet behind them, pounding the earth. She spurred her horse faster. Soron raced blindingly fast through the trees. Kasta's Graced reflexes were the only thing that saved her from almost having her head taken off by a low-hanging branch. As she cleared the forest, she turned. Lorn should be right behind her!
"LORN!" Kasta cried. She swore and turned Soron back to the forest.

Lorn's horse had stumbled. He tried to call out to Kasta, but she was a blur, already gone. The wolf was upon him, barely giving him a chance to raise his sword in defense. He put up his weapon just in time. Rolling away, he stood. His horse had probably broken it's neck in the fall. Rather his horse than himself... The wolf leapt towards Lorn. Just as it was about to attack, it staggered to the side giving out a yelp. Lorn saw one of Kasta's many gilded daggers embedded in its side. It gave Lorn just enough time to jump on Kasta's horse as she galloped into the tight clearing. With an expert hand, she turned and tore through the trees.

Kasta almost laughed as she broke through into the clearing. Only two guards were behind her... She raced across the fields to the wall. As she crossed, she told the guards to lock down and not let person or animal into the city...

[Galadas]

Dedelean rode her horse into a local Radian town, she couldn't stop now. Rest? No. Too dangerous. She felt hunted, it was worse than running away from something, because now she could never stop. She needed some help from an old friend of her; Elliot. He would know what to do, he always did, and he still lived in Rada. She hoped he hadn't forgotten her after two years.

Elliot sat down on the soft grass, he was back in human form, because that was the only form handy enough to take the knife out of his side. He had nothing to press against the wound, he felt weak already. Now he had a whole in his hand and a wound to his side, a bad and ugly one. If that Lady Kasta had just rode of like she was about to, he wouldn't have any trouble with killing Lorn.
He staggered to the borders of the forest, he could hardly get his feet from the ground, the tremendous pain. He had missed his chances, the next try would get much harder. He get to get behind the walls, there had to be some way to get it done. He went back to the place where he left the clothes, put them on and hid the wound, lashed up a few bandages over his wound. What were his choices? He growled, he would kill Kasta for free.

[Cara]

Lorn shook himself, as he got off his horse. Kasta examined the long slash from his collar bone to his elbow. "You'll live," she said, smiling. It was a worried smile though. "Do you know what a Graceling would be after you?"
"Are you sure it was after me?"
"Yes. Although I tend to make many enemies, and I'm sure that this Graceling is out to get me as well, I have no doubt that he was originally after you."
"Why?" Lorn asked, flinching as a nurse tended his wound.
"That's a good question..." Kasta said, absent mindedly flipping a dagger from hand to hand.
"I only leave Court with you. I work under the very astute and respected Sir Galvin, Weapons Master... Why would call for my death?"
"We'll have to figure that out I guess..." Kasta said. "At the moment, I have my duty to my uncle..." she said, throwing the dagger straight into the post that stood almost thirty feet away. It quivered, embedded up to the hilt.

Levia waited for the others to join her. Among them was a boy who could bring a man to his knees at a glance. There was also a small girl who had the strength of ten men, as well as her brother, a large boy who was Graced in seeing in the dark. Then there was her. She was Graced with perfect aim. She never missed.
The plan was to go after Kasta Sarce. Dedelean was last seen riding west to Rada's main city. Perfect. Kasta was at Court there as well...