Empires of Ashes Reboot

Ket: "It would set us back a day or two. And leave us vulnerable. But the oasis is not far, a large one, it could sustain us for long enough to have most of the scales off."

Trajan: So long as we fortify ourselves, I don't see why not. It will still take a week or so before your nephew realises we're here.

Ket: "If Idilli is with us." (God of luck and good fortune.)

Trajan: indeed...

Ket: "Now if you will excuse me... I have men, who i must see to the next world."

Trajan: of course. Take all the time you need.

Having ordered his optio to see to his men, Justin checks on Diana

Ket nods, and makes a rather sarcastic excuse for a dracian salute, before walking back towards the smoldering sand.

Diana and her T'sebi are walking the sand, putting the blade to any of the adversary who still breathes.

Justin is alongside several of his veterans, doing likewise with their Pila, as they approach Diana's T'sebi

one of them, a kelthrovi born, by the skin, with a tattoo peeking from under their vambrace, sees him first, and then, as if by magic, diana turns to see them. She nods in greeting.

Justin: *nods back, lifting the face guard on his helmet* You lot alright? *she can tell the question is directed at her, just a little disguised so as not to cause suspicion*

Diana: "As can be expected. We lost fourty three. No wounded."

Justin: aye, lighter than expected.... fuck. Never seen a real one before. *he's looking at the dead dragon*

Diana: "Lesser ones in the deserts... You hear about it."

Justin: likewise in the mountains up north... but even so...
*diana notices fresh blood on the side of his breastplate, as if having come from his shoulder*

Diana starts, as if to say his name. Halting herself after saying "Juh" and correcting herself. "Dracian... You are bleeding."

Justin: hm? oh yes, don't worry, I've bandaged it. Lucky spear got me. *half hearted smile*

Diana: "Good. We need loose no more today."

Justin: aye. Any of yours fall?

Diana: "No, my T'sebi faced only men. not dragons."

Justin: the men had dragonfire, still a risk.

Diana: "True. Luck, then."

Justin: Aye Are-*he stops himself from saying Arenae* The gods smile upon you it seems.

Diana: "Indeed. Indeed." *awkward.*

Justin: *mouths* I'll see you back at camp, if you get a moment *he replaces his visor then keeps moving*

behind him, he hears muffled begging in kelthrovi, before a gurling scream.

he turns towards it

The kelthrovi who first saw him just drove the butt spike of his spear into man on the ground's throat, with his foot on their chest.

Justin doesn't react and keeps moving.

Further away Ket, Justin, and Diana can see Mordred riding alongside an older but similarly armed warrior. They’re talking to eachother as they execute men, the pair being tailed by about a dozen spearmen who eagerly loot the corpses. If any kelthrovi are within earshot they overhear the pair talking quite obviously about Ket, with, judging by the inflection, Mordred asking the man for advice and recieving a rather dismissive answer.

They ride past Hakon, his foot on the dragon's back, slowly working the dagger he jammed into its scales free.

LI walks over to the dragon

Mord ushers the other warrior along and stops beside Hakon
“I am surprised you are still standing, not many men survive being beaten by a dragon’s tail”

Hakon pulls the blade free with a final twist and pull. "I am not many men, cymrai."

LI walks over to it, and begins working a stretch of its skin free.

Hakon takes a knife from a sheath, concealed beneath the white silk under his armour. He offers it to Li, it has a sawtoothed blade, all the while, staring down Mordred.

“That much is obvious....Thengul?”

Hakon: "Indeed, i am thengulli."

“Why keep going at the dragon if you were barely a nuisance?”

Hakon: "One, a distraction is distracting, two, i intended to shove a spear up its arse."

Mord: “That would get it’s attention, and you’d have become red paste”

Hakon: "Hjúkrunarpróf" If mordred is very well educated in thengulli, he would know the word is quite the unique one to the language, roughly translating to 'son of a jarl who has not earned' or more simply 'Idiot princeling'

he sees LI give him a look for that

The prince leans in toward him “Vertu fegin að þú ert bandamaður minn” (Be glad you’re my ally) “I hope to get to know you better once we make camp, our fighting pit is always open”

"Ég er ekki hrifinn af því" (I am not impressed) "A pit?" He laughs, up into the sky, loud. "A pit indeed. You may see me there."

LI:..pit?

“Þú munt verða” (You will be) “I’ll be expecting you” *He looks to Li* “Less a pit, more an arena. We like to fight in our spare time”

Hakon switches to kelthrovi, assuming that mordred does not also speak it, and knowing LI does. "līk’e kahinatu mani inē mani inidehoni āyawik’imi" (The princeling knows not who i am.)

LI just looks at Hakon, knowing full well what he said. he's not sure what she's thinking.

The prince goes quiet, letting Hakon assume he can’t understand him

Hakon shrugs, and digs his knife back under the scale, and continues to attempt to lever the scale off.

“Who are you Thengul?”