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Titan Breaker Ancient ruins, fallen fortresses, abandoned towns, fallen temples---these things are not uncommon in Creation and especially not in the wildly changing landscape of The Hundred Kingdoms. Within the span of a single generation, dozens of nation states can rise and fall and leave in their wake the remains of broken lives and abandoned settlements in testimony of their passing. One location, a long abandoned hamlet with the husks of buildings and broken walls yet remaining, exists as one of man reminders of this reality. By and large unremarkable and non descript from the outside but near enough to well travelled roads to be accessible by those willing to brave the overgrown brush and broken pathways that once led to it in days of old. And so, ripe for the occasional petty brigands that are wont to hang out and camp here in their own travels between waylaying wanderers that has the misfortune of passing nearby. One such gang lurks here right now, even.

Or, perhaps, lurked, may be a better description.

Any travellers nearby might have heard the commotion. Shouts and yells and the banging of kettles to raise the alarm. Then a literal shaking of the earth. A thunderous *BOOM* and then another *TOOOM* and then yet more and more with cries of fury and anger turning to those of frustration and then terror as plumes of dust billow into the air and a massive dust cloud ripples out under the early evening sun. A broken tower completely falls and the ground shakes again and then again.

Eventually the shaking begins to settle and any travellers that were near enough to overhear and see the plumes of debris, or watch as large rocks rain down nearby...wisely continue on their way, a bit more hurridely perhaps...

Rishi A shadow flies over the area, once, twice, three times, seemingly searching the area to see what created the commotion. It eventually resolves into a shapely, bewinged woman with the feet and tail of a cat, the wings of a bat, and the face and figure of a goddess as she lands near where the tower stood. Her voice, too, is lovely as she calls out "Hello!? Is anyone being injured?"
Nine Roads Alani The kicked-up dust, the raucous commotion....some people might be all about running from it--and plenty are--but you can always tell who's got more bravado than sense by who's heading -towards- the ruckus in the hopes of making a coin or two. At least this person, a tanned blonde in intensely dusty tan robes and a grey cloak, looks -pleased- to be there rather than terrifyingly desperate. She's riding a chariot pulled by a pair of powerful-looking horses, just as dusty as she is and a good deal more sweaty. The chariot was making significant headway down the road, and doesn't seem appreciably slowed when going off of it either. Her grin is intense as the wind blows her hair every which way, and it turns a bit smirky as soon as she hears the first explosion.

"Hah!", she bursts out, exultant, as the chariot turns towards the noises. "Knew it. C'mon, you two." No one is there to respond, unless you count the horses. One of them chuffs derisively, but the pair soldier on until the chariot barges unceremoniously into the scene...

Titan Breaker There is an absolutely ridiculously enormous man present. His shape is seen first as the dust clouds begin to clear. His proportions and immensity are likely not allt hat unusual to those with the experience of Great Forks, rare though they be in Creation itself. Decadence has it's share of giants. Not one, or two but several no less.

This man, however, seems prodigious enough in girth at first glance to be comparable to a certain famed Exigent of strength? Bigger? Possibly - one would have to get them side by side at which point who knows but...it's enough to stand out.

Perhaps of more immediate concern then the giant bruisers giantness is the wreckage and ruins of what was a camp of thugs and ne'er doers. Bodies lay scattered and battered. Some not moving at all. A good dozen of them easily with more fleeing into the distance, trying to escape the perimeter of the battered settlement for the woods beyond. One man remains just a few feet away from the brute, on the ground and looking up, trying to scramble backwards.

Metal rustles as a massive anchor chain of some few yards long is pulled tight by the giants epic arm. A great iron ball that for its size may have once been part of a monument, is welded to the chain roughly and brutishly by some great force and is currently lodged in the toppled ruins of the tower that fell.

The giants arm flexes, bulking up a bicep that gives the impression of the girth of a guild wagon wheel and the earth shakes as the iron ball is dislodged from the crater it resides in. It goes sailing up into the air back towards the behemoth, engulfing both him and the terrified thug in front of him in its incoming meteoric shadow until the behemoth raises his hand up and catches the vast ball with a loud *WHOOOM* to its impact.

It is right as he catches it that he hears the greeting called out and he begins turning slightly, grey eyes peering from the shadows cast by the widebrim hat he wears and sleeveless red and black coat sweeping around him like a curtain. His eyes then flicker towards the chariot as well, attention fully yanked from the thug.

The thug then wisely attempts takes this opportunity to try and begin scurrying away.

Rishi The shapely woman calls out "Fud....no, no you are not being him." in heavily accented Riverspeak. As she gazes at the devestation, she frowns, tilting her head, and taking a deep breath in through her nose. "Why are you doing the destroying of this place and the killing of these people?" she says, as she starts in the direction of the most injured, but still alive person.
Nine Roads Alani As the chariot ambles into the clearing, the horses look like they've been working hard, but surprisingly, not utterly exhausted. Instead, one looks surly and annoyed while the other is craning her neck, looking around like a tourist. The blonde is still grinning, though it fades just a bit at the carnage here. She doesn't look upset by it, though...just more serious. And she is wary, but not scared of, the huge man.

She hops off the back of her dark wooden chariot without bothering to tie it or the horses up. Instead, she surveys the damage for a bit, then raises one eyebrow up at Rishi speaking...and it raises a bit higher specifically at the name she almost mentions.

"Uhhh...don't mind me," she murmurs. "I'll say this, though. Take another look at these bodies. This was no farming village."

Titan Breaker Indeed - these are armed men, or were at least. They hardly look capable of doing much else now with those who did survive the encounter intact having long ducked out for nominally safer grounds.

As to the behemoth of a man..

Needless to say, the goliath is ...well struck silent isn't quite the right word since he hadn't been speaking or uttering a word whatsoever up to this point in time - doubly dumbstruck perhaps?

Regardless, Rishi manages to rip any words from his throat that might have been about to emerge once he gets a good look at her and the greater then mortal beauty she is wielding. He inclines his head slightly, almost bird like but for the fact that his neck is so muscled it's probably thicker around then her waist by several degrees. In this sense he just basically stares at her with no answer to her question and his arm goes slack slightly, letting the heavy anchor chains rattle roughly more to the ground.

As to injured, there are plenty of them. Great bludgeoned by immense forces and battered gigantically as should be clear given both the monstrously huge man and the makeshift weapon he seems to have favored using.

Alani's words seem to help pull him back to the more pressing matter of what he perceives as impending interference. "Stop." he demands. Thick bass voice rolling with an accent heavy with the cadence of Thorns. He then lifts an arm able to make tree trunks appear like splinters and gestures with a heavy gnarled hand at Rishi, then Alani, and then he drags it over to indicate the bodies of the men. "You..." he rumbles slowly, "...are with them?"

Rishi Rishi tilts her head, considering, wary...but not as wary as a practically naked woman would or should be in this scenerio. "I am not being "with" any of the people here. I am being Rishi, Chosen of the Lady of the Changing Waters. More of the importantly, I am being a most skilled Healer."
	 She looks back at the other woman. "And, regardless of what they were having done before, they are needing my help now. So. Unless I am hearing the most good reason that I should be doing the allowing of people to be dying slowly, I shall be doing the helping of them."
Nine Roads Alani The blonde scratches the back of her head, hand on the opposite hip, a wry look on her face. She sighs explosively, blowing a couple bangs out of her eyes, and starts by looking right at Titan.

"Look, big guy, just stand down, all right? Do we -look- like bandits? Hint: the answer is 'no'. I ain't with them, and I'd bet a talent of jade she isn't either. Not with looks--and clothes--like that. They're beat, you can relax with the ball and chain stuff. Don't think there'll be any unless you start it."

She turns and looks at Rishi, her Northern rural drawl starting to stretch out a bit. "And I hate to be the whiner here, but maybe make sure our pal here isn't going to explode before helping the people he's just got done whooping? Don't get me wrong," Her smirk turns wickedly arrogant for a moment. "...I'd take him out, but it's liable to take all day, and I don't think I could stop him from smooshing you in the meantime."

Titan Breaker The verbal chastising and tongue lashing from both women draws a heavy rumbling snort and then sigh from the goliath who settles his gaze long on 'Elena' now, especially at her confidence at being able to take him. Despite that, he seems to take no umbrage with that in particular and ends up breathing heavily again as he looks over the ruins once more. The chains rustle heavily as he drops that arm to his side and then lifts his other to scratch his jaw, producing a sound like metal brush stands scraping across stone as he scratches his chin and the light beard framing it. He then drops that hand to his hips and shakes his head again before finally speaking once more:

"Bounties. Wanted dead with proof of their scattering - or brought in for justice. Either way, they are valuable to me.. If you heal them, be ready to march with me and them to Greyfalls where a Tepet and I have an arrangement..." he explains slowly and patiently. There is a vague hint of frustration in his tone as he speaks but he makes no aggressive move on either of them and just watches for now.

"..Or leave them to me and to face the results of their choices. Up to you. There are others like them that need dealing with..."

Rishi Rishi smiles at the other woman, her face lighting up as she does so. "I am hardly being the helpless." Then she turns that smile on the giant. "But, if he is just doing the killing of the bandits, as you are doing the thinking he is, then why should he be even thinking of doing the harming of me? I am simply trying to be of help." Her smile and voice manage to be warm, yet refreshing, the odd accent weirdly thrilling.
	 She pauses as he explains that these are wanted people, her frown making her no-less beautiful. "...How much is being this bounty? What is it they have been doing that they are being wanted to be dead by the Realm and the House of the Tepets?"
Nine Roads Alani The blonde offers a smile back, friendly but not entirely relaxed. She replies, "Not helpless, hm? Hey there to you, too, beautiful. You can call me Elena." She pauses and looks at Titan again.

"Actually, both of you can. Nice to meet you two. And hon, I thought he might want to stop you because you're trying to help people he wanted hurt. Not complicated and all. But you bring up a good point," she muses.

"Hey, big guy. I'm kind of wondering why the Realm cares more about what these people are doing than the other kingdoms here, myself. Any ideas? And...also, while I'm at it, what's your names?"

Titan Breaker The giant heaves another sigh, impatience starting to rear it's ugly head now. He quietly clucks his tongue against the roof of his mouth and then shakes his head once more before reaching up to remove his hat finally, revealing hair braided up top and close shaven on his sides. His expression shows pursed lips and squinted eyes, face wrinkling abit as his nose crinkles with rising annoyance at the interference and delays.

But he remains restrained. Impatient but seemingly having the sense of mind to calculate options versus tearing forth at either of them for any sort of peceived slight or interruption of his activities.

The drumming of his fingers against the side of his legs may slowly imply there is a timer beginning to run though.

"Volken." he answers, granting his name first, "Volken the Titan Breaker." he adds.

The earned sobriquet is likely obvious given the mans immensity but he then adds, almost on reflex as if pre-empting any questions that might arise, "I fought in Thorns. Broke a Deathknight's pet. So. Titan Breaker. Volken or Titan will do..."

His slow rumbling voice qwuiets and then, not bothering to add further context to that absurd claim he continues by simply noting, "..Don't know.." to the question about why a Tepet cares about bandits. "...Don't care." he then adds, indicating flatly he didn't bother to think about it. "Saved a town from some thugs. He and his legionnaires rwarded me. Offered more if I continued. Maybe bad for business." he notes and then finally he shrugs lightly, his movements straining his garments tightly as his muscles creak like stretching leather. "....There are bounties from local kingdoms as well." he admits, "Maybe going all the way to Greyfalls.. bit of an exaggeration."

Rishi Rishi sighs sadly. "Then I am certainly not having the enough to be doing the paying of you to be doing the leaving of them to me." She sighs again. "I am not doing the liking of the Realm, but if all of the locals are not liking them... I should still be preferring to be reducing their suffering. I can be 'making it quick' for them."
	 As she resumes swaying off towards the injured, she calls over her shoulder to Elena, "And I am being Rishi, Chosen of the Goddess of the Changing Waters."
Nine Roads Alani "Volken the Titan Breaker," the blonde replies. "Yeah, I can see it, though...Thorns?" She blows out a puff of air. "...Ouch. Not sure I want to know what would make even you want to go somewhere like that. I'm sure there's stuff there that...well, you or me just -smacking- it ain't enough. Rough."

Elena blinks and has the grace to look sheepish. "Oh. Damn, I'm sorry. Nice to meet you, Rishi." The more ornery of Elena's two horses whickers at that exact moment, almost sounding like a chuckle, and sure enough, Elena looks behind her at the horse with a comically sour expression. "Oi," she mutters. "I don't see -you- being smooth with the stallions yourself, Adrath." She shakes her head and sighs.

"Anyway," she says, hauling herself back to the matter at hand, "Like I said, nice to meet you both. I wonder if...hrm..." She pauses, looking around at the place with intent, clearly not finishing her thought.

Titan Breaker "Didn't -go- to Thorns. -Left- Thorns." explains Volken, turning towards Elena now to address her words first. "Was there...when it fell.."

His voice trails off as he speaks now, the first hint of something haunted in there now as he eyes the charioteer, holding her in his blue-grey gaze before lifting his hand up to replace his hat upon his head finally.

He then turns his gaze back towards Rishi, his expression once more neutral and stone faced and seemingly lacking of any real empathy for the situation or her words. He long considers her and then Elena again...and then finally turns and starts towards one of the bodies that lays dead, crushed under a fallen chunk of rock the size of a large ox, in the process dropping his iron ball to the ground with a heavy *TWHOOOM* as it cracks the ground upon impact.

A moment later and he's crouched over the body, searching it with his eyes...and then he finally reaches down and removes from the body a dagger and then a bloodied cloth with what looks like a cruedly drawn image of a boar upon it.

This he stuffs into his jacket as he rises and turns.

"Heal them or kill them." he offers to Rishi. "..At your leisure. My task is done." He slowly approaches the iron ball and chain once again and then reaches down to grasp for the thick chain once more.

Rishi Rishi nods to him. "Thank you for giving me this kindness. I am sorry to be hearing that you were being in the path of that....monster. You did well to be doing the escaping." She turns back to the wounded, but pauses as his coat opens and she gets a glimpse inside. She headtilts considering, before glancing at Elena, then turns back to the bandits to start doing what she can for them.
Titan Breaker "Don't thank me yet..." rumbles the brutes gravelly voice.

There is a grinding sound as he reaches another fallen bandit and crushed portio nof the ruins. His mammoth arm reaches forth and lifts the massive boulder pinning the body curling it up and then with a casual heave and press of his arm, sending the massive thing spinning through the air to crash on the other side of the ruins.

As the ground shakes, he bends over again, to look over more of the body, unperturbed by the sight of it from having been crushed by the falling ruins.

"They are bandits." he says by way of reminder, "The one you heal may have fallen upon a family. A merchant. Ruined businesses and lives. You give them another chance to do so again - or not. That is up to them. Maybe they will swear off violence. Maybe they won't and they will encounter me again... Maybe they will and those they've harmed will never receive justice. Either way, a price.."

His voice rumbles like an earthquake. Dispassionate and dismissive of the potential outcomes as his back remains to her while he works.

He gives Elena a final glance, noting her frustrations with her steeds....and then stands up once again. This time, the earth shakes again as he shoulders that iron ball. Not an artifact, the behemoth is simply so strong that he can carry it around. "Do as you will."

Rishi "The dead do little for the living. Better that they should have the chance to be doing their repenting in this life. But any I am doing the healing of, I shall also be taking the responsibility of. I can be doing that much for those they have done the wronging of. And I am not being the bringer of the law, just being the one who is trying to be giving the help."
Titan Breaker There is silence after she speaks. Not that he's proven to be particularly verbose or fast with his words as is, but there is a ponderous weighty silence. With her ministering to the fallen she may not notice him staring at her, stone faced, neutral, but also still and not moving right away. His eyes then slightly narrow and he looks away to study the broken campsite.

Then: "Death to those deserving does do something for the living.." his deep voice rumbles with surety.

"It brings them satisfaction..."

That seems to be the end of it. The matter, for him, is closed, though perhaps he seems to have come up somewhat on the losing end. Again, perhaps. The items he gained he likely attempts to use as proof of his act of breaking this bandit camp and scattering them. It's as much proof as claiming they're dead after all..and likely by the time any come to investigate, Rishi will have ushered those who lived elsewhere.

Or all together different lives judging from her words.

"You may have them then." he says once again before securing his hat more tightly and then bringing that giant iron ball around to rest against his vast back with a heavy meaty *THUD* as it mpacts there. He gives Elena once final look..and then wordlessly turns to begin to tread for the broken remains of the road though his steps take him towards Rishi with intention on passing by her as he starts to wander into the darkening evening.

Rishi "Such satisfaction is being much too expensive, if it is coming at the cost of the life." Rishi sighs and nods. "But I shall try to be worthy of your kindness. If you are ever being in the Great Forks, you can likely be finding me. Or, if we are doing the seeing of each other again, you can be doing the asking of me for a favor. I am being a most skilled healer." she says as she wrenches a broken bone back into place with a sudden pop and scream from her patient. "Hush now. Did you show your victims such kindness?"