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Post by Young Grimwold on Jul 12, 2004 0:14:42 GMT
*YG falters. Then he has an idea.*
Would a bad person do this?
*He begins to sing - revealing that although he cannot hold a note for long, he has an impressive range...*
[OOC: To the tune of 'Tragedy' by the Bee Gees.]
There you sit
In a lost and lonely forest tree
Injuries
In a world of tears with strangers three
Missing home
You just can't make it all alone
And we really won't be hurting you
Hurting you
We'll help you, we'll help you
Up a tree
When your family's gone and you can't go on
You're up a tree
When you're feeling sad 'cause you think we're bad
We know you're scared
But if you climb down then we'll show you we care...
*YG repeats the chorus over and over, nudging Hordriss and Lord Fear in the hope that they'll aid him. He gestures for the boy to climb down from the tree.*
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Post by Hordriss de Confuseur on Jul 12, 2004 0:17:27 GMT
*Hordriss, not one to be outclassed, joins in with the song, and even manages to achieve a harmony. He finds his spirits being raised by this impromptu jingoism.*
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The Boy
Traveller
Help Me!
Posts: 13
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Post by The Boy on Jul 12, 2004 0:21:48 GMT
*Young Grimwold's guttral strains echo upwards to the boy, whose lower lip continues to quiver throughout the impromptu performance. For his part, the child merely looks flabbergasted. When the song is over, he does not automatically break out in floods again, and while he does not laugh, he seems somewhat more at ease in their presence.*
*As he risks a peek towards the forest floor, he realises how high up he has climbed, and throws himself back into his perch again, tightly clutching his knapsack. He graps a nearby branch and hangs on for dear life as the island breezes whistle past him.*
I-I-I.... I CAN'T come down! One of the branches broke and I can't come down! I'm stuck!!
*The boy begins to whimper again.*
...don't leave me here...
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Post by Young Grimwold on Jul 12, 2004 0:37:31 GMT
I can't climb up to you because I'm too heavy, and I'd break even more branches. The others are injured, and probably couldn't make the climb either.
But if you jump down, I will catch you.
*YG moves into a suitable position and looks upwards.*
Drop your knapsack first; then jump. I'll catch you.
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The Boy
Traveller
Help Me!
Posts: 13
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Post by The Boy on Jul 12, 2004 0:46:27 GMT
*The boy frowns at the thought of relinquishing his knapsack. He is obviously suspicious beyond his years.*
I-I won't give it to you. You maybe not a bad man, but it's still my bag! You better catch me good or I'll be hurt and cry!
You too far away! You won't catch me!!! Come closer!
*The boy begins to shimmy inch by inch along the nearest branch in preparation for his ten-foot drop, shaking like a leaf and clutching his knapsack to his chest at all times.*
(OOC: Sorry, off to bed. Back tomorrow!)
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Post by Young Grimwold on Jul 12, 2004 0:50:32 GMT
*As the boy moves along the branch, YG adjusts his position. He takes off his knapsacks so he can move more easily, and drops them nearby.*
Wrap the knapsack tightly around you, so it doesn't get caught on a branch on the way down. I'm here, I'll catch you. Jump when you're ready.
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Post by Lord Fear on Jul 12, 2004 16:48:17 GMT
*While seeing everyone is busy Lord Fear secretly sneaks off without being noticed... for now*
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Post by Hordriss de Confuseur on Jul 12, 2004 21:50:14 GMT
*As Hordriss looks from Young Grimwold to the frightened boy, he wonders to what degree this is a 'trap'. Although he has encountered wolves in sheep's clothing before - and even performed as one himself - the boy's terror seems genuine.*
*Under his breath, to himself* Do catch him, Grimwold.
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Post by Young Grimwold on Jul 12, 2004 22:59:55 GMT
*As YG looks up at the boy, he feels his thread necklace chafing. He wonders if this is the end. He hopes that, if he is being judged somehow, either by the forces behind the Battle, or by other powers, that his recent actions, culminating in his current endeavour, will allow him to be seen as good, and endow his end with more dignity than an ogre might normally expect. He breathes in, and then out, and continues to wait for the jump... or the fall.*
[OOC: The battle was due to end now, but posting carried on past the deadline from some members. So subsequent posts are being retained but edited, on the assumption that the tightening of the necklaces in Kully's post below signals the finale of the battle, and characters have just enough time to act before the tightening itself becomes fatal, meaning they may die in other ways...]
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The Boy
Traveller
Help Me!
Posts: 13
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Post by The Boy on Jul 13, 2004 12:55:31 GMT
'Kay....here I come!!
*The boy edges off the high branch, clutching his knapsack close to his chest. The sheer height of his perch is obviously terrifying him.*
UWAAAAAAHHHHH.....!
*Down and down he falls, eyes closed tight, not able to see Young Grimwold frantically shuffling left and right in an attempt to judge the child's descent. Tears stream from his eyes and are whipped away by the sheer force of gravity. After what seems to the boy like forever, he lands in the ogre's strong arms with a thwack. He continues to scream as if he were perpetually falling.*
UWAAAAAHHHHH!!!!
*Relieved to have the youngster safely in his arms, Young Grimwold notices that the boy is holding a stick, perhaps one that he pulled off the tree as he fell. The boy continues to scream in his distinctive way, tortuing the ogre's eardrums. Grimwold is just wondering why the end of the stick is sharpened to a knifepoint when the boy whips his knapsack to one side and skewers the sharpened stake straight through the ogre's right eyeball with both hands.*
*The boy is no longer screaming.*
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Post by Lord Fear on Jul 13, 2004 16:59:20 GMT
*Lord Fea walks through the forest slowly, slightly pulling on thread to see if it's moving*
"His promises are more like lies." muttered Fear.
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Post by Kully on Jul 13, 2004 21:25:49 GMT
*Suddenly the necklaces on the remaining contestants begin to feel unnaturally tight. The battle has ended.*
*The little boy begins to laugh.*
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Post by Lord Fear on Jul 13, 2004 21:51:30 GMT
*Lord Fear grabs the thread to stop it from strangle him*
"I will NOT go down so easily" said Fear aloud.
*Lord Fear strugles with the thread and hears the Boy laugh and begins to head back in that direction as fast as he possibly can, strugling along the way.*
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The Boy
Traveller
Help Me!
Posts: 13
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Post by The Boy on Jul 14, 2004 18:05:17 GMT
*Still sitting upright in Young Grimwold's unmoving arms, The Boy removes his tiny hands from the sharpened stake. It remains firmly in place, save for a macabre vibrating motion. He looks straight into the ogre's remaining eye and giggles slightly. Though his now-bloodsoaked face is still that of a child, his eyes radiate pure malice. He grins.*
You silly!! You not know how to play!! Even I know how to play, and I'm only little!! You shoulda played along like the baldy old man told you all to. I get in trouble when I don't do as I'm told, and now YOU in BIIIIG trouble too...!
*He jumps lithely out of Young Grimwold's musclebound arms to the forest floor, leaving the stick embedded in the ogre's eye socket.*
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Post by Lord Fear on Jul 14, 2004 18:18:46 GMT
*Lord Fear returns to the clearing. He now sees how evil the boy is, and that the boy will force Hordriss and him to fight to the death. But Lord Fear refuses to be told what to do, especially in his dying moments. He turns to Hordriss.*
"As much as I want to fight you old thing, I no longer wish to be a pawn in this game, if you encouter the old one or you get your hands on this thing whatever it is, KILL THEM BOTH."
*Lord Fear turns to the Boy*
"I NO LONGER WISH TO PLAY" shouted Fear as he grabbed the dagger out of Young Grimwold's discarded Knapsacks and stabs himself in his lung.
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