Explorer for Hire (open to all)

[S!lent.Ronin]

Roy chortled as the adrenaline filled his body, it was a good fight for him. Highly outnumbered, but not out skilled and certainly not out gunned. He turned at the sound of footsteps behind him and grinned to see the enraged thug he had sucker punched. The man carried a short sword easily concealed in his cheap brown cloak, as he lifted it to strike a blow, Roy didn't budge, he just stood his ground until the man was in striking distance. As the thug swung down on the engineer, his blade met with metal and sent terrible vibrations down the cheap sword forcing the wielder to loosen his grip. Roy grabbed the sword and examined it, "We don't like when they don't fight fair do we Claire?" Roy whispered and looked down at the man. Grinning he reared back another punch, with his left this time. As he swung a mean left hook the pistons shot the arm forward. Smashing into the mans ribs with a cringing crunch. The man seized up and fell to his knees, Roy kicked him aside into the water laughing uncontrollably at the man's dismay. Once he regained his composure he looked to the remaining band of thugs, and smiled waving them over to the circle in the crowd at which he was the epicenter.

[Xavier]

When his feline companion drew the bandits attention directly away from him, Xavier determined that he would definitely have to get involved. He debated the safety of using his magic within the city, but figured if the guards weren't already being summoned to deal with a giant mechanical man, his somewhat more common fire magic was unlikely to raise an alarm. The sage hesitated at the edge of the ring of bandits, bringing his magical powers to the ready. His right paw was engulfed in flames, sprouting from his palm like a blooming flower before flickering in the breeze. The flames spread clear up his forearm, stopping just short of his elbow. Likewise his left paw began to glow a soft silvery white, rays of this light began to reach out into the open air, changing colors as they refracted.

"Oi, fellas!" The sage yelled, causing more than one of the closest thugs to turn and regard the grinning hybrid. With a sudden roaring boom, Xavier's right paw extended, launching a wave of flames across the platform and into the chest of the closest man. The man yelled as he was lifted clear off of his feet and thrown across the sajhari. The thugs, realizing that now they faced yet another enemy, adjusted themselves accordingly as the closest one to the sage rushed in for a quick kill on the hybrid.

Xavier, right arm still outstretched, was not so easy to catch off-guard however. The man came in low, thrusting his sword for the hybrid's gut. Xavier's left paw came across his vision in a blinding arc, leaving behind a trail of glowing light. As the man's sword impacted the magical residue, it was halted dead, as if he had struck a solid wall rather than some incorporeal glow. Xavier just smiled at the dumbstruck fellow, bringing his right arm across in a fiery punch that dropped the bandit to the wooden planks with an audiable thud.

Xavier reached down and picked up the man's chipped and worn sword with his left arm, the white light from his paw spreading across the weapon till it glowed a blinding silver/white color. This done he transferred it to his right paw. The magics he controlled switched paws to match, wielding flames with his left and that glowing light in his right. Xavier was only a mediocre swordsman, but the weapon would come in handy for blocking attacks.

[Kit]

The wind rustled past her wet fur as she pulled herself up onto the Sajhari docks again, noticing the sword-wielding Xavier Akafur. The kama slid from the sleeves of her cloak, clinking to a halt on the ends of the chains. She flicked her wrist out, catching the man foremost infront of her in the back with it, to which he nearly screamed from the blade piercing his skin. The wound wasn't deep, but when she ripped the chain backward he came flying across the walkway. "Come here." Kit simply stepped to the side, letting the man fly past her into the water. "Don't let the sharks eat you, lovey." She cat-called at the flailing man, who was gripping at the water towards the sajhari walkways with a vengeance. Maybe something rather big and grotesque would eat his ugly mug.

[S!lent.Ronin]

With the adrenaline slowly leaving his body, Roy stood surrounded by a few dead thugs scattered around him. He watched the two strange creatures fighting, it was a strange magic the one was using, like nothing his god father had ever showed him as a child. Fascinated he watched closely trying to learn the mechanics of the abilities. Roy quickly decided that the two were not from the continent, possibly not even of this world. Roy started to approach the one wielding magic, as he walked he heard a scream. An instant later his face was in the dirt, he cursed at not wearing his headgear as his ears rang and his head swam. Roy had been in his share of brawls and he could tell whoever swung the punch had on some sort of brass knuckles and wasn't new to brawling either. As Roy jumped up he caught a mouth full of steel. For a moment he thought "who the hell makes a pair of brass knuckles from copper?" and he started to clear his head he realized that was blood he was tasting. Roy laughed aloud and spit the mouthful of blood out, he squared up with the big brute smiling back through a few yellow and brown teeth.

[Xavier]

The sound of ringing steel echoed across the water as two of the remaining bandits rushed the hybrid. With nearly half of their group already removed from the fight, some of which were almost certainly dead, the remaining men had lost their earlier confidence. Xavier was met with grim, angry expressions from the two men coming at him. From the corner of his eye he saw the mechanic take a blind-sided hit from the biggest thug of the group, and nearly moved to go assist him.

However, not only was he already engaged with the two bandits furiously swinging away at him, he also reminded himself that he did not yet know what the old man's part in this was. The sage returned his focus to the two men trying to break through his defenses. With no formal sword training, any expert could see that the sage was not accustomed to wielding a blade, but he held his ground. Even against two opponents, every opening in his shoddy swordsmanship was quickly closes with a blast of magic.

The bandits quickly figured out that fact, as when the first one tried to stab at his chest his sword arm was scalded and knocked aside by a sudden wave of flames. Using the man's surprise to his advantage, the sage brought his sword around like a club, aiming for the side of the man's head. The second man saved his friend with a quick parry, however, and the sage was put back on the defensive.

Both bandits rushed at him, forcing him to take a step backwards to avoid losing a leg, the other blow aimed for his face being quickly deflected by his glowing sword. Xavier, thinking quickly, pulled back his arm and charged the already enchanted blade with a heavy dose of magic, causing it to shine a blinding silver/white. He hurled it at the bandits, causing both to pull their weapons up to defend against the blinding projectile. With the weapon free of his paw, the glowing light faded in an instant and the flames of his wildfire sprung to life in both paws.

The bandits, half-blind, put arms in front of their faces and managed to deflect the flying weapon, one receiving only a minor cut across the side as the sword fell to the wooden planks. Thinking that their opponent was cornered and defenseless, both of them lowered their arms and pulled up their swords, only to be met with the wrecking-ball force of the sage's fiery power. At such close range, the force not only pulled their weapons from their hands, but put both of them on their backs a good ten feet from where they had been standing prior to the attack. Xavier began advancing on the two downed men, wanting to make sure they wouldn't rejoin the fight, but a clicking sound made him stop. He turned just in time to notice one of the remaining five bandits with a rifle leveled at him, the hammer already down and smoke rolling from the side of the gun.

[Kit]

The ocelot's gaze flickered to her companions, even to the old man. When he was knocked flat on his back, she did not have the same train of thought as Xavier had. In fact, her mind went quite the other way. Assistance was perhaps unnecessary, but Kit had lately had a rather bad habit of helping those who didn't even want it. From where the man lay, he could see an almost vaporous shadow appear behind the brute who had knocked him to the floor. The distinct clink of a chain was heard before it appeared from the shadow-esque form, wrapping firmly around the man's neck and pulling him backward with a short jerk of the chain. The feline appeared next, shadows still running off her form like thin, volatile serpents.

The feline hoisted herself up onto the brute's back by using the chain to climb. Being rather small, it was easy to straddle his shoulders with her knees and jerk him around with the chain as if she were riding an animal. A thin, loud animalistic sound left her lips as the man wheeled back itno one of the Sajhari, sending the female flying through a window. Glass embedded itself nicely into her fur, drawing streaks of blood. She placed her paws beneath her and launched herself back onto her feet with a flip. The kama rang out as she drew it from it's belt with a metallic clink, fury flaring in her eyes. The brute had thought he'd taken care of the little kitten though, and went to turn his attention back to the old man. At least the feline had likely given him time to recover.

Her re-entry to the battle happened just as Xavier was advancing on the two fallen men. Her bright sapphire eyes fluttering to the rifle. She took a running leap, flying across the side of the sajhari walk. In mid-air she drew both kamas, throwing one out to catch the rifle of the man. She had a second's delay in the moment she fell atop the man, rolling with him on the ground of the sajhari walkways. Her claws reached out, grasping around the tender skin of the neck. She slowly leaned down, the man's eyes wide with terror beneath her. Rage coursed through her system, and with a quick twist of her claws into the tender neck, the throat contorted sickeningly, blood squirting from the man's lips. Blood seeped from her claws as she stood to face the others, one kama already drawn, her gaze flickering back to Xavier. In the hustle, she had not heard a gunshot, but who was to know she hadn't been a second too late...

[xavious]

Character: Amun Rathier Sutek
PL 5.4

To say Amun was tired of this world would be a good place to start on his current mood. Being accustomed to measuring time by the position of the sun and stars, the lack of movement of the heavenly bodies of this planet was maddening. Questions constantly were fluttering through his mind. How long had he been trapped in this accursed world? Months? Years? More trivial questions slowing down progress to an answer of his primary question, how to return home.

Having journeyed a good deal on this planet he knew simply from observation he wasn't in Kharam anymore. The fox had awoken on a scorched plain after being enveloped by that vortex. Barely able to sustain himself on what little moisture he could draw out of this arid land he eventually reached the first signs of civilization. Here, in this massive city, he learned the nature of this world; the rampant magical energy, the harsh landscapes, the language of the people here... that last was particularly hard to come by. Although in time he became as fluent as any other person.

Refusing to settle down, the fox's desire to leave burned within him and traveled as far as any dared travel alone in these hellish environs. With the wind to his back he blazed a trail across the Aeok and Gouhash. At first he traveled in search of a vortex similar that which brought him here but found nothing and if at any time he felt he was close conditions became too inhospitable to continue. Resigning to pursue answers in those forsaken lands later, he chose to see what else The Belt had to offer. Keeping a lower profile here in this city he kept his magic to a minimum and his robes drawn tight. Thus far he didn't dare discover their attitude towards magic. At least not until the time was right.

By chance Amun found himself in the Sajhari district walking, muttering, rambling to himself. Lost in his thoughts he was hardly aware of the fight happening around him, almost to the point of even walking into it. About to take a step past the fringe of the crowd of onlookers he finally broke out of his trance thanks to the calamity of someone being thrown through glass. Taking in the situation it was certainly one of the stranger sights he had seen. Two other anthropomorphs such as himself as well as what looked like one of this worlds steam-craft machines were fighting, and apparently winning, against a group of thugs.

At this point he had little concern for keeping a low profile anymore, especially with the display of powers before him, and with the slightest thought a gentle breeze filtered through the area, cycling it around his body while idly passing his staff back and forth between his hands. Right as the ocelot had one of the five pinned to the ground Amun stepped forward past the crowd. With his targets in mind, he thrust the staff in the direction of the first thug sending a gust of wind towards him. Without stopping he proceeded to whip the end around to face the second and third as well, each getting a staggering blast of wind.

For the fourth the fox lunged forward to engage in close combat before the others could recover. The thug barely had time to block with his blade but managed. The force of the impact however forced him to take several steps back towards the edge of sajhari. Just as he had lunged forward he now leapt backwards, propelled by a column of wind beneath his feet. With a toothy grin he mouthed the words “Goodbye” and pushed forward a singular gust of air knocking the thug into the water. Remembering the other three, he whipped around in a battle stance to prepare for whatever came next.

[Xavier]

Just as Kit barreled into the shooter, the sound a gunshot rang out. Xavier flinched to the side instinctively, butt he feline's timely intervention prevented the marksman from hitting his target. Xavier wasted no time in regaining his defensive posture, preparing to defend the feline while she was on the ground.
Before the sage could move, however, a stranger entered the fray, disabling three of the remaining men and skillfully dispatching the fourth with what Xavier assumed was some sort of magic. He had seen air elemental magic before, but none used in such a manner that it complimented a staff fighter. The fact that the new fellow was another anthromorph didn't register until he turned around to face the remaining men.
With Kit having presumably killed the gunman, a fact Xavier noted with the sudden appearance of copious amounts of blood on her hands, and the stranger removing yet another, only four thugs remained. Three were squared off against the three fighters, and that brute was still engaged with the mechanical man. Seeing an opportunity, Xavier called out, hoping the two strangers would heed his words. "Keep at least one alive. I have questions for these fools."
The sage stared down the thugs grimly, watching them look at each other with uncertain eyes. They were only three after all, and each of the creatures facing them had already shown easily capable of killing them two at a time. The hybrid grinned. "Or you can surrender and save us the time?" He ventured, but was met with the brandishing of weapons.
"Suit yourself." The sage replied. A voice in the back of his mind was telling him to hurry, though, a commotion of this size in the sajhari district was certain to have the city guards swarming down on them any moment. In the rat's warren, this wouldn't even call attention, but here...
It occurred to him suddenly that they were very close to his home, and that likely many in the crowd recognized him. Guess he wouldn't be going home any time soon, at least not without the girl's father in tow. He didn't want to explain to the city guards why he had a small, human child locked in his house... that was a bigger issue than murdering these scoundrels.

[Kit]

Kit gave a soft, low snort. The shadows slowly warped over her body, crawling like writhing snakes. The feline slipped into the water next to the walkway, blending in with the dark blue waves. The three bandits would feel a sense of dread before they even saw her. One hand shot out from behind them, in the water, and she jerked the male back with a splash. Here was one to have fun with. She wrapped her chains around the male's ankles and began to drag him downward, tying him underneath the sajhari walkways, leaving him beneath the water. Looks like there were only two, one to keep alive that is. Kit had already plucked off one of them. While Xavier may have spoke of surrendering, of mercy, Kit would rather go the other way.

[lori]

Character: Snowy
4.8

Snowy shivered to herself as she clung to the straps of her backpack, wandering down the busy streets. What to do? Where to go? For the first time in her young life, she wasn’t being given any direction or order. She was so used to just putting on a happy face and following orders…. Whatever orders she could make out anyway. Unfortunately, a lot of people didn’t take the time to look at her when they were talking and Snowy couldn’t see their lips moving.

If only she were good enough to stay back at her home in the mansion with her favorite trainer. If only her ears worked properly, then she wouldn’t have to be on her own right now. Still, this foreign place was better than the death that would have been in store for the girl if she’d stayed at her home. Her trainer had made sure to take her far away where the masters of the mansion couldn’t find and kill her.

Still, life was so much simpler there. Where could she go to find a place? To find work? Her head ducked and her fluffy white ears ducked, not making any eye contact with passer-byers. More importantly though, who the hell would hire a deaf girl? She stared at the floor, not paying attention to where she was going really. Anywhere was fine…

Suddenly, the heavy tang of blood filled her senses and her nose wrinkled up in disgust. What was that? She headed towards it. Maybe someone was hurt? As she drew closer, the blood became almost overwhelming, much stronger than she had ever smelled.

Then, upon seeing the horrible sight before her, Snowy froze. Death…. Dead bodies everywhere, covered in blood! Snowy felt herself tearing up and whimpering in a delayed reaction to the violence for it was the worst slaughter she had ever seen. She’d seen a lot of violence in her life. Hell, she’d been beaten on more than one occasion. She’d even seen a few of the other slaves at the mansion get executed, but nothing like this.

One of the two remaining bandits, hearing her cry, turned to her and, seeing the little girl as a helpless looking victim and possibly even hostage, ran for her. Snowy, still basically frozen in fear, took a few moments before gaining control over her body once again and turning to run, but it was too late. In almost no time, he had grabbed her and held her restrained. She couldn't see his lips in this position and honestly, was too scared to take the trouble of reading them anyway even if she could.

Her instincts told her to stay still and submissive, to take whatever beating was thrown upon her and just pray she would survive. After all, she bred and raised to be used for whatever purpose people needed her for. Fighting back against someone doing her harm back at the mansion would mean instant execution, and even running would be punished with at least a severe beating ...