32nd of Frost 4622
The pace of the Ozy wasn't nearly comparable to the Chariot, but the chariot couldn't pull a wagon. The truly enormous lizard was truly well adapted to its environment and cleaved through the hardened earth and sand with ease on its wild rush forward.
it was by no means a smooth ride, as Arkash clung to the railing of the passenger side with a grip that threatened the woodwork, and the wheels of the wagon bumped and jostled over every pothole and rock in the Badlands. They moved undeniably fast, but as Arkash cast a glance across the rocky ground to Izzy, he found her on her chariot, operating at less than half the speed she normally throttled the engine. There was barely any smoke spewing from the exhaust.
Another bump in the rocky ground jostled the Rath, who bit down hard and wiggled back into his seat as the roughness of the road evened out. The stout Druskai smiled beneath his goggles and light hood while he held the reins. Most of the journey was spent in silence, with the pair occasionally exchanging an awkward glance at one another, but the sight of the small one's smile prompted Arkash to speak. "Something funny?"
The dwarf's smile immediately flattened, and he looked over at Arkash, who maintained his white knuckle grip on the railing. He smiled again, albeit awkwardly "a bit," he confessed. "You wiped the floor with the old man, I didn't think you'd have much trouble with a wagon ride."
"Yeah well..." he began as he looked off and settled in his seat. "...Knocking ova' eldas is easy, but this is-" Another bump unsaddled the Rath, who promptly scrambled his legs against the foot guard and straightened himself up.
The Druskai laughed a breath or two and looked back at the road with a grin that bared his teeth. "It's alright, I get ya. You're a fighter, not a merchant."
Arkash exhaled against the unease in his stomach and nodded. "Somefin' like that," he agreed. "'Ow long 'til we get there?"
The Druskai hooked the reins then and drew a rolled parchment from his belt. He briefly looked up and scanned the horizon for landmarks before he referenced the map again, unrolled it a little further, then nodded. "Should be there..." he looked up at the sky then, one hand to shield his gaze from the blaring sunlight. "...Before sundown, maybe a little after?"
Arkash exhaled from his nose and nodded a bit as he leaned back in the seat with tension that betrayed his attempts to relax. "A few hours then," he guesstimated.
"A few hours," the Druskai nodded. "Ol' Zelk here's really reliable, he'll get us there no problem." he motioned to the giant lizard as it scraped and clawed through the burning earth without relent, then claimed the reins once more and let his shoulders fall lax. A slight pull on the harness steered the lizard a little to the right.
The Rath crossed his arms while he rested there, then looked out to the distance, where Izzy rode her chariot at a crawl. "...So, how'd a Druskai end up workin' for an artificer in the middle a' the desert?" Arkash began idle conversation while he dug in the claws of his bandaged feet to the foot guard. "Didja come from Valtoria?" it was right across the corrupted river from them, and he'd observed a rich Druskai population there.
"Half," the boy corrected. "Half Druskai, half Gnome..." he didn't turn to look at Arkash while he whipped the reins, and drew a grunt from the beast as it worked to pick up the pace. "I was dropped off at Shitport when I was little, and Bosby took me in. I learned everything I know from him and I'm an even better Fragmenter than he is, but I still manage the deliveries and stuff with Zelk 'ere." He grinned a little in thought for a moment before he continued. "Bosby's too old to make these trips so he stays in the shop," he explained. "I like it though, he treats me fair most of the time."
Arkash furrowed his brow. "...Do you get paid?"
The mixed race pulled his lips neutrally and shrugged a little at the question. "I get a place to stay, food and water, and free training in world magic; that's pretty good payment in itself if you ask me."
"Could 'ew leave if 'ew wanted?"
The halfling fell quiet at the question, and Arkash breathed a disappointed sigh. he rolled his head as he laid back on the seating, and found Izzy's on her chariot, driving toward them. She waved frantically, and Arkash turned over to fully face her as she drew near.
"Raiders!" she called when she slowed enough that the rumble of the engine didn't completely drown out her voice. "Are you deaf?! I've been calling you for five minutes!"
Arkash blinked and furrowed his brow. "Izzy the engine is twice as loud as you! We couldn't hear shit!" The reality of the situation then dawned on him; she'd said there were raiders. Promptly, he looked about the horizon to scan for any sign of approaching chariots and sure enough, found a collection of smog over one of the crags.
"Well if you two weren't so busy talking, I wouldn't have to yell!" She nipped.
"Fuck..." Arkash cursed. "What's the odds they brought guns?"
As if on queue, a thundering bang echoed, and the rock beside them kicked up in a spray of stone chips. Arkash looked to the source of the sound and found that one of the chariots had emerged from the crag with a smoking gun in the driver's hand. "Pretty fuckin' likely!" Izzy returned.
Arkash looked over his shoulder then to Bants, who shook in his boots. "Keep going!" he said as he climbed up on the edge of the wagon. "We'll take care of 'em and catch up with 'ew after," he assured with a grin.
"Wait!" Called the Druskai as Arkash leaped the distance between the Wagon and the chariot, and landed crouched with both feet on the seat. Without pause, he drew her gun.
"Drive!" He yelled as he took aim at the first raider.
"Drive where?!" Called Izzy in return, a fluster.
"Where do you think? Toward them!" He called with a point of his claw to the rise.
"Are you smoking crack? There's gotta be a dozen chariots back there!" Izzy's one-eyed gaze locked on him with no shortage of bewilderment.
"Well, then 'ew betta' drive fast. I've got the shootin', jus' keep us alive an' keep us movin'." Despite the comparably bleak circumstances, Arkash wore a grin that bared his malice.
Izzy caught that grin, with a look over the shoulder Arkash held onto, and her heart sank. "You're serious..." he spoke in disbelief and spoke again as she revved the engine and began to accelerate. "You're actually bloody serious!"
"I sure am!" Arkash laughed maniacally. Aimed down the sight of the pistol as they drew near, and pulled the trigger just as the rider of the opposing chariot had finished loading his gun. With a deafening boom and a prompt, audible crack, the driver flew back head first. The force of his body being thrown threw the steering wheel off and the chariot began to turn before it crashed on its side and tumbled through the rocky ground. In a spray of shrapnel, clutter, and blood, the occupants of the chariot were bludgeoned to death by the floor.
As the mass of crumpled metal flew by them, Arkash was prompt in reloading the flintlock weapon and raised his sights in time to find eight riflemen mounted on chariots with their own dedicated drivers atop the rise.
"MOVE IT!" he roared in a sudden bout of panic as the riflemen took aim and fired in unison.
The pace of the Ozy wasn't nearly comparable to the Chariot, but the chariot couldn't pull a wagon. The truly enormous lizard was truly well adapted to its environment and cleaved through the hardened earth and sand with ease on its wild rush forward.
it was by no means a smooth ride, as Arkash clung to the railing of the passenger side with a grip that threatened the woodwork, and the wheels of the wagon bumped and jostled over every pothole and rock in the Badlands. They moved undeniably fast, but as Arkash cast a glance across the rocky ground to Izzy, he found her on her chariot, operating at less than half the speed she normally throttled the engine. There was barely any smoke spewing from the exhaust.
Another bump in the rocky ground jostled the Rath, who bit down hard and wiggled back into his seat as the roughness of the road evened out. The stout Druskai smiled beneath his goggles and light hood while he held the reins. Most of the journey was spent in silence, with the pair occasionally exchanging an awkward glance at one another, but the sight of the small one's smile prompted Arkash to speak. "Something funny?"
The dwarf's smile immediately flattened, and he looked over at Arkash, who maintained his white knuckle grip on the railing. He smiled again, albeit awkwardly "a bit," he confessed. "You wiped the floor with the old man, I didn't think you'd have much trouble with a wagon ride."
"Yeah well..." he began as he looked off and settled in his seat. "...Knocking ova' eldas is easy, but this is-" Another bump unsaddled the Rath, who promptly scrambled his legs against the foot guard and straightened himself up.
The Druskai laughed a breath or two and looked back at the road with a grin that bared his teeth. "It's alright, I get ya. You're a fighter, not a merchant."
Arkash exhaled against the unease in his stomach and nodded. "Somefin' like that," he agreed. "'Ow long 'til we get there?"
The Druskai hooked the reins then and drew a rolled parchment from his belt. He briefly looked up and scanned the horizon for landmarks before he referenced the map again, unrolled it a little further, then nodded. "Should be there..." he looked up at the sky then, one hand to shield his gaze from the blaring sunlight. "...Before sundown, maybe a little after?"
Arkash exhaled from his nose and nodded a bit as he leaned back in the seat with tension that betrayed his attempts to relax. "A few hours then," he guesstimated.
"A few hours," the Druskai nodded. "Ol' Zelk here's really reliable, he'll get us there no problem." he motioned to the giant lizard as it scraped and clawed through the burning earth without relent, then claimed the reins once more and let his shoulders fall lax. A slight pull on the harness steered the lizard a little to the right.
The Rath crossed his arms while he rested there, then looked out to the distance, where Izzy rode her chariot at a crawl. "...So, how'd a Druskai end up workin' for an artificer in the middle a' the desert?" Arkash began idle conversation while he dug in the claws of his bandaged feet to the foot guard. "Didja come from Valtoria?" it was right across the corrupted river from them, and he'd observed a rich Druskai population there.
"Half," the boy corrected. "Half Druskai, half Gnome..." he didn't turn to look at Arkash while he whipped the reins, and drew a grunt from the beast as it worked to pick up the pace. "I was dropped off at Shitport when I was little, and Bosby took me in. I learned everything I know from him and I'm an even better Fragmenter than he is, but I still manage the deliveries and stuff with Zelk 'ere." He grinned a little in thought for a moment before he continued. "Bosby's too old to make these trips so he stays in the shop," he explained. "I like it though, he treats me fair most of the time."
Arkash furrowed his brow. "...Do you get paid?"
The mixed race pulled his lips neutrally and shrugged a little at the question. "I get a place to stay, food and water, and free training in world magic; that's pretty good payment in itself if you ask me."
"Could 'ew leave if 'ew wanted?"
The halfling fell quiet at the question, and Arkash breathed a disappointed sigh. he rolled his head as he laid back on the seating, and found Izzy's on her chariot, driving toward them. She waved frantically, and Arkash turned over to fully face her as she drew near.
"Raiders!" she called when she slowed enough that the rumble of the engine didn't completely drown out her voice. "Are you deaf?! I've been calling you for five minutes!"
Arkash blinked and furrowed his brow. "Izzy the engine is twice as loud as you! We couldn't hear shit!" The reality of the situation then dawned on him; she'd said there were raiders. Promptly, he looked about the horizon to scan for any sign of approaching chariots and sure enough, found a collection of smog over one of the crags.
"Well if you two weren't so busy talking, I wouldn't have to yell!" She nipped.
"Fuck..." Arkash cursed. "What's the odds they brought guns?"
As if on queue, a thundering bang echoed, and the rock beside them kicked up in a spray of stone chips. Arkash looked to the source of the sound and found that one of the chariots had emerged from the crag with a smoking gun in the driver's hand. "Pretty fuckin' likely!" Izzy returned.
Arkash looked over his shoulder then to Bants, who shook in his boots. "Keep going!" he said as he climbed up on the edge of the wagon. "We'll take care of 'em and catch up with 'ew after," he assured with a grin.
"Wait!" Called the Druskai as Arkash leaped the distance between the Wagon and the chariot, and landed crouched with both feet on the seat. Without pause, he drew her gun.
"Drive!" He yelled as he took aim at the first raider.
"Drive where?!" Called Izzy in return, a fluster.
"Where do you think? Toward them!" He called with a point of his claw to the rise.
"Are you smoking crack? There's gotta be a dozen chariots back there!" Izzy's one-eyed gaze locked on him with no shortage of bewilderment.
"Well, then 'ew betta' drive fast. I've got the shootin', jus' keep us alive an' keep us movin'." Despite the comparably bleak circumstances, Arkash wore a grin that bared his malice.
Izzy caught that grin, with a look over the shoulder Arkash held onto, and her heart sank. "You're serious..." he spoke in disbelief and spoke again as she revved the engine and began to accelerate. "You're actually bloody serious!"
"I sure am!" Arkash laughed maniacally. Aimed down the sight of the pistol as they drew near, and pulled the trigger just as the rider of the opposing chariot had finished loading his gun. With a deafening boom and a prompt, audible crack, the driver flew back head first. The force of his body being thrown threw the steering wheel off and the chariot began to turn before it crashed on its side and tumbled through the rocky ground. In a spray of shrapnel, clutter, and blood, the occupants of the chariot were bludgeoned to death by the floor.
As the mass of crumpled metal flew by them, Arkash was prompt in reloading the flintlock weapon and raised his sights in time to find eight riflemen mounted on chariots with their own dedicated drivers atop the rise.
"MOVE IT!" he roared in a sudden bout of panic as the riflemen took aim and fired in unison.
Image source.
