Thykahm was awaiting a response from the pair of Elves when he heard what sounded like a terrific ‘thud’ of metal hitting something akin to bare flesh.<span style="color: #0080FF">‘What was that?!’</span>He heard Ryan shout in surprise before running off to the source of the sound. Thykahm decided that it would be beat to follow, and investigate what this peculiar sound was. Following the source of the sound, he saw two armed soldiers standing over what looked like a man. Apparently they must have hit him quite hard, as the man was sprawled across the floor. Perhaps these soldiers knew about the village burnings earlier? Maybe they had even taken part in the settlement’s destruction. Monstrous either way.<span style="color: #FF0040"> ‘Heh, that was too easy!’</span>One of the armed soldiers said, apparently boasting over the ability to hit an unarmed man with a heavy shield. A bully was the correct term for such a person.<br/><br/>The Dwarf was just about ready to storm in there and attack the soldiers with his axe when he felt an extremely hot object fly past his head, aside from scaled wings; apparently Ryan knew how to throw fireballs as well. Magic was a strange and fickle art, and Thykahm didn’t exactly feel all too comfortable around the stuff. Dwarves had lived without magic for literal ages; they can live yet more without it. However, for all his mistrust, the fireball did indeed hit its target: the head of one of the soldiers. His head burst into a searing inferno of flame and burning hair, but the damage didn’t seem to be that serious, despite the apparent dangers of having one’s head set on fire. The soldier apparently didn’t know where the fire came from at first, as he blamed the female that stood alongside him, fool.<br/><br/>The woman didn’t seem too fazed by such an accusation, responding<span style="color: #FF00FF"> ‘What? But I didn’t do that! It came from over there!’</span>Her words were cut somewhat short, as Ryan shouted an arcane incarnation, sending out a bolt of lightning at the woman. Electrocuting her. But the Elf wasn’t finished; stomping on the ground he caused some kind of earthquake around the feet of the soldiers. So much magic flying around wasn’t exactly reassuring to Thykahm, but at least it was being wielding by someone that he considered an ally. The Elf even had scales! What sorcery was this!? Apparently the targeted the woman who was with the soldier thought more or less the same thing, crying out,<span style="color: #FF00FF"> ‘that’s not destruction magic!’</span>Before falling to the ground, and receiving an arrow into her throat from Rosalin.<br/><br/>Ryan was apparently enjoying this greatly, saying to the terrified male soldier on the ground<span style="color: #0080FF">‘don’t think for a second that you can get away, you idiot!’</span>He was met with the terrified response of the soldier, who screamed<span style="color: #FF0040">‘Don’t kill me!’</span>Despite the soldiers horrific ways,<span style="color: #FF4000">perhaps it would be better to actually let him live, maybe he would possess information</span>, Thykahm thought as he listened to the two men’s exchange of words. The next part was a tad bloody, as Ryan moved forwards the downed soldier, cutting his neck and killing him before proceeding over to his sister. Thykahm was rather amazed with the ferocity of the Elven duo, they certainly knew what they were doing in a fight, which made having them as potential allies all the better. Walking over to the man that was lying on the ground, Thykahm took a look at him, he was apparently a Dark Elf man…and he must be somewhat important, for those soldiers to attack him. Maybe he was a deserter? Or ex-soldier that knew a little too much. Either was possible, but the thought of the soldiers that would certainly be looking for their comrades weighed just a tad heavier on Thykahm’s mind. But at least defensive fighting was his expertise.<br/><br/>There was a faint rustling of the trees above them; something larger than just than a passive squirrel was about, but only a short while would tell if the person, or creature, was friendly or not. Ryan seemed to already be on the case, as he leapt up into the trees and collared the would be stalker. Thykahm didn’t exactly hear what he said to her, being more occupied with sizing up just how large the potential fighting force they may soon meet would be, probably rather large given the size of most armies, especially the legion. He took note however when Ryan came down from the tree, he was with someone, a Dark Elf by appearance, but Thykahm could never be too sure when it came to Elven folk.<br/><br/><br/>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/><br/><br/>Dar’Rabiisi had been gathering for a fair while now in an area not too far away from the Elven settlement that she lived in. She was clad in leather armour, in a rather tribal-like style, meaning that some of her hybrid markings would be visible. Though she still felt living in one place to be particularly strange, after all, a nomadic life of hunting and rarely visiting cities or villages had made its impression upon the Khajiit/Elf hybrid. Thus far, she had gathered a large pouch full of edible plants from large ripe berries to herbs and fruits. Despite her aptitude with a short bow, she never liked the thought of killing a living creature, even if they were threatening her, running was far better and resulted in less bloodshed for both sides. Her role in the villages seemed to be something of a food gatherer, since food was always valuable wherever people resided.<br/><br/>She had walked for quite some time now, back from the gathering spot to the village where she resided. But, something was odd. Thick black smoke was rising from the location of the village, perhaps it was just a large bonfire? Walking a few more steps, she found the cause of the smoke. The village lay in burned ruins, homes and buildings were reduced to charred rubble. A whole village, just, gone. Destroyed by some outsider most likely, who didn’t live within the village, unless one person’s clumsy mistake did this. But there was nothing she could do, nothing left. Anyone who was there when the apparent fire happened was likely to be dead and reduced to ash. She had pretty much all of her possessions on her at this point, weapons, clothing, and sustenance. There was little choice but to just leave and find someplace else, and that is what she did.<br/><br/>Placing her longknife back in its sheath, she walked westwards. Not really knowing where to go or what to expect from the people there, if there was any people in that direction. As a precautionary measure, she climbed the nearest tree, her small size and tail often made her look like an animal rather than a person. Hoping from tree to tree she travelled. However, she soon stopped upon coming across the corpses of two Orcs and a Goblin. That had been killed by a large blade, as evident by the cut marks on their being. One was killed by a large slash down its shoulder and chest, and the others were in similar states, with the other Orc missing its head and the Goblin’s back having been broken by something powerfully strong. Jumping down from her tree, she searched the bodies, coming up with nothing of real value as to be expected from creatures like them, just a few coins that she placed on one of her armour’s various pouches.<br/><br/>Instead of climbing a tree again, she stayed on the ground this time. In the dirt were relatively fresh tracks left by something heavy, or something wearing heavy armour. It probably wasn’t wise, but she decided to follow it, since it seemed strong enough to kill these savages, perhaps the person would even prove to be friendly…but she could just run if not. Following the tracks for several minutes, she spotted a group a several people huddled together. They were certainly larger folk that she was, but one of them wore strange, metal armour and had a large beard, maybe a Dwarf? Alongside him stood a few others that looked vaguely elven in stance and outline, but she couldn’t be sure. Ducking down, which reduced her already diminutive height, she crept behind the group, curious as to their actions here in the forest. The way they stood together suggested that they were friendly, but there was a man lying on the ground, murderers?! She couldn’t be sure unless she got closer, heightening the risk of being heard by one of them. Proceeding on, she avoided a patch where many twigs had fallen from a larger tree, but not well enough. She stepped directly onto one of the twigs, snapping it and producing a most certainly audible sound. Instead of trying her luck further, she bolted back in the direction she had come from…