Two Guys and a Gateway: A Bells and Brawn Adventure

[Chris]

Nathaniel "Brawns" Carridus Bells,

Meet me in the usual hiding place at midday, I've got a master plan. Bring snacks, sturdy shoes and your sword!

- Brawn

Nate was done with his lessons for the day, having managed to get through his lesson with Suraki Gaidin without completely passing out. After bathing and getting changed, the Dedicated had some food and waited for his best buddy Bells.

Since being allowed to channel and train as a regular Dedicated, Nate was supposed to feel quite free and independent. However, the truth of it was that the Grey Tower felt stifling, like he'd been inside its walls for too long. Hama Valon was all well and good, but Nate wanted to go further, like when Fiona took them to Andor. Only with less lightning and bandits, preferably. The Dedicated's strength in Saidin had grown during his time in recovery - fits and starts as was normal for men - and now he was at a point where he was comfortable trying out how to make a Gateway.

And the previous evening, Nate had managed to form the weave for the first time. He was most pleased.

How better to celebrate than an afternoon in the wilderness with Bells? Nate couldn't wait to get out there and stretch his legs, just go for a roll around the countryside for an afternoon before returning to the Tower refreshed and ready for more training. He had been resolutely studying this part of the gardens for some time so he could form the weave first time, a quiet corner where he would sometimes meet Bells before they went off to do their thing. It was not immune to inspection, but secluded enough that Nate was confident he could channel without getting into bother.

By the time midday rolled around and Alrim arrived, Nate was all set to go. He stood pacing, his warhammer strapped to his back and a bag of snacks politely nestled next to it. The Mayener turned at Alrim's entry to the scene with his usual enormous grin. "BELLS!" he all but roared, "good to see you! Now, you said I need to take care of myself, and I figured 'hey, you're about to get up to no good so you had better invite Bells along'." He put his hands on his hips, clearly proud of himself, "I've figured out how to make Gateways, so I'm going out for the afternoon. But there's a problem..." here Nate lowered his voice, "I don't actually know where to go. So I figured hey, maybe Bells has an idea? I thought it'd be cool to go to Caralain Grass or something, go for a wander, find a pond or a Stedding or something cool like that, have food, come back in time for supper. What do ya reckon? And more importantly, where should we go? I'll even make it so it doesn't rain on us." Right then the weather was rather pleasant, a light wind carrying pleasant scents of flowers around them.

Nate was itching to give his Gateway a try, so it was hard for him to keep his big feet in one place for longer than a second.

[Andy]

When he had received the little note, hand delivered by someone he was beginning to know on site portended something from Nate, he had frowned and re-read it several times. It was to the point just like the man, no frills and suggestive of some form of hare-brained adventure. The fact that he was being asked to bring a weapon told him that he was going to be asked to do something quite foolish, but amusing most probably. He liked it, it was never boring. It was certainly preferable to sitting around and doing nothing. Life as a Ji is much less cluttered than I expected. I thought they would hammer me harder but looks like it's more relaxed he mused to himself as he went about preparing, though in all fairness all it meant was that mistakes were now his own fault. He could take a day off but it meant he had to make it all up later and if he didn't he'd get smacked for the laziness. "Some leaders eh?" he muttered to himself, amused at the idea that he was supposed to be somewhat an example, of what he was not quite sure. Either way it was simple enough to bring sturdy boots, he wore them every day and though they were old and scarred they served him well enough still. Perhaps he would get new ones when he was Gaidin, he assumed they got a whole new wardrobe by what some told him but he'd settle for new boots. Maybe a decent scabbard and harness - the one he currently wore was borrowed from the armoury. His old one was scraps now, used to mend harness he assumed. The sword had been given to him upon his raising, -not a gift per se as he didn't own it but it was a good quality blade. Just in case I need to use it to defend the place, especially after the...recent events he knew, certain that security had been tightened but thankful for it. The blade was single edged and slightly curved in an s-shape, a neat little tip sharp enough to thrust to it too. It currently had its handle poking over his right shoulder as he made his way towards the appointed place only to find the man there already. "Somehow I knew you'd end up taking me somewhere interesting," he responded, hefting the rucksack over his left shoulder, filled with survival gear, he knew how to be prepared these days, "see you've given up the sword too" he nodded at the weapons trapped to the giants back, it seemed more fitting if he were honest. His strength gave him an edge where his lack of agility with a blade did not. "I don't know, told you I've never been out of Arafel. I heard Whitebridge was nice but full of people. If you're thinking Stedding they're in forests aren't they?" he asked, searching his memory, "isn't there a forest to the East of us, near a river maybe?" he asked. He already knew because he had been there in his testing with Zarius but he didn't want to talk about that. He took a few moments and tried to recall the maps he had looked over some time ago in the library, trying to visualise them in his mind's eye. He frowned in recollection. "Caralain Grass...that's surrounded by forests. Seems like a decent idea. I'd say go more north but I don't want to overshoot and be in the Blight. Not today, so Caralain Grass it is then for now, somewhere neutral first trip out," he grinned, "go on then, show me this trick of yours Brawn, let's see where we get to. We can get back too right? We're not walking?"

[Chris]

Nate grinned and shrugged his shoulders, the top of the handle moving as he did so. "Seems a better fit," he explained simply. And it was, there was nothing else to it really.

"There's a forest to the east, yeah, but... it doesn't feel like it's far enough, y'know?" Nate gestured in the general direction of the rest of the Grey Tower, "there's plenty of world out there. Whitebridge, Stedding, there's loads of places to go and see. And now we actually can, because... channelling." Nate grinned at his friend. "Caralain Grass it is. And you'll be pleased to know that I can make us a Gateway back, no problem." As long as he got them there in the first place, that is... but the Dedicated was pretty confident in his ability to get them to and fro as needed.

With a grand gesture towards the grassy space nearby, Nate said "stand back... the edges are sharp. But in a second we'll be in the middle of the Caralain Grass, and it's going to be awesome." He seized Saidin and grabbed at the threads of Spirit he needed, tying them together with a look of concentration on his face. The air seemed to split before them as the Gateway turned into being, slicing at the nearby grass and an unfortunate bluebell that was in the line of fire. The head of the flower fell to the neatly trimmed grass and waited to die. On the other side of the gate lay more flowers and exciting bursts of colour, waiting for them to stomp all over.

It was a friendly looking sunny scene on the other side of the Gateway and Nate plodded through first, because he was nosy and he wanted to show Bells that it was safe. "Remember, the edges are sharp!" he reminded the man, before turning to get a proper look around the sunny grassy area. Before them lay hills and fields of vibrant green, dotted with trees and mostly covered in knee length grass. The scent of fresh grass was strong, and Nate inhaled sharply as Alrim followed him through. The Gateway closed behind them and Nate turned to give the man a grin, but the grin froze in place as he got a look at what was behind them.

"Uhhh...." the Dedicated took Alrim by the shoulders and turned him around, letting him get a good look the other way.

Behind them was a large wooden fence, about three spans high. This fence had a gate. The gate was open. Men in rough leathers were looking out at them, surprise on their faces, and Nate had the horrible feeling that these fellows weren't going to be inviting them in for an ale. "So, er," he lifted a hand to wave, and one of the men nocked an arrow to their shortbow. "Ahhh, blood and ashes."

[Andy]

It was truly something to behold, he had to admit t himself as he watched the little slice of somewhere else form before them. He couldn't resist circling it, seeing it from both sides and seeing it was quite thin indeed, such a fragile looking thing to transport them. He hoped it didn't unravel him or something. He trusted Nate but he was still unfamiliar with the One Power being used directly upon him. Still, he had no choice other than to stay where he was and that was no choice at all. Besides, he seems alright he noted as he saw the figure of his friend already through the construct. He shook his head and stepped through as confidently as he could muster. It felt cold and confusing as his surroundings changed drastically within moments but as far as he could tell, patting himself a bit, he was whole and in the Caralain Grass region. Looking around he could certainly see how it got its name. He took a deep breath, feeling the purer air that always went with wilder places. He chuckled and stretched slightly as he took it in only to be turned around abruptly. He was about to protest but what he saw forestalled him. "You know, on balance Brawn," he said, too cheerfully for the situation as he raised his arms in placating gesture, "I'm quite happy, very, very happy, not that I'm complaining mind, but still happy I didn't choose the Borderlands" he finished, his tone of voice almost manic towards the end. He smiled as his eyes took in the newfound company, the wall, the gate and the suggestion of a few small huts perhaps behind them judging by the smoke pillars. The bowman certainly got his attention quickly, he was only thankful that there seemed to be only one of them, it made things easier if they had to run - not that they would get far it seemed. He felt an almost itching glee deep within, the sort of feeling he always had when faced with the inevitable - in this case likely pain and possibly death. He could only ever find it in him to grin at it. "I wonder how many of them there are," he pitched his voice for Nate though it was possible the closer men might have heard him, "I count four so far. Maybe a couple more inside. Could handle that between us. Maybe. You can't, you know, set them all on fire maybe?" he asked the giant with a sense of fading hope that it was possible. He didn't know what Nate could do with the Power beyond make cups and bubbles. "A shield, perhaps? For the arrow. If you can handle him I could probably get these two out" he finished the whisper as he stepped back a few paces, Nate beside him, just far enough to create a bit of space but stopping at a yell from the archer and an arrow in the turf to the side of them. "Going in then is it?" he sighed just as the two got closer and two more filled the gate yonder. "Whatchu doin' here? Hows it you got that shiny thing eh? Youse them soldiers we keep hearing about, eh? No funny business or you gets a shaft in yer innards. Henry there, he's hit coins from farther so he has" "Oh, us? We were just wandering about, looking for somewhere nice to have a meal. You know how it is eh? Get tired of being bossed about, got to get a break somewhere am I right?" he nudged Nate to try and get him to laugh long with him, presence went a long way with the shadier sorts. "Don't like being told what's what, that's good. But how's you get here?" the man was scruffy and had suspicious eyes, Alrim didn't like those eyes they signalled an opportunistic bastard and those were the worst kind of scum. "Call it a trinket" he offered, hefting his pack suggestively. He was mostly just stalling, waiting to see if Nate was able to do anything. If he was and did Alrim would be ready to flow into action but if he wasn't...well at least closer tot he wall if they were led there would be harder to get hit by an arrow. And gates are easier to defend anyway, use their own defence against them. Tight spaces, maybe something flammable inside, I can fight with the street thugs if needed he told himself, very conscious that he would need at least a few seconds to draw his blade in self-defence.

[Chris]

What in the Light was Bells so bloody happy about? Grinning like a flaming loon, Nate put his own hands up in a gesture the same as Alrim's, but he didn't share his friend's smile. He's just making the best of a bad situation Nate reasoned, as the man was still smiling like they were watching the female Drin in training or something. "I could set them on fire," he supposed, "but it could set the whole thing ablaze and, er, it's not very controlled." Not that Nate cared about this normally but there seemed to be something almost cheating about setting them ablaze. He would if he had to, of course. "Leave the bowman to me."

He went along with Bells, knowing enough to chortle when he needed to, and nodding his head sagely in agreement whenever Nate felt it appropriate to do so. Though he felt no better when he saw that they had company - that was six of them, against two. Nate did not fancy his chances and he seized Saidin, ready to do whatever he had to in order to keep Alrim from getting any more scars on his behalf. Though when Bells jingled their snacks around he was half tempted to give him a scar himself, offering their food away like that! Even if it was part of his bluff, that food was theirs.

Maybe there was something in his expression that gave him away, in spite of him trying to play along. Maybe it was because he'd seized Saidin. But Nate was suddenly quite aware of the shift in posture, the tensing of the bowstring, hands shifting to hits and fingers tightening around handles. His heightened senses took this in and he let out a low growl, "they're not buying it." He was tempted to grab the fallen arrow with Air and jam it in that bloody archer's face, show him how to use his weapon...

"The fat one's a channeller! Look at 'is clothes!" one of the newcomers yelled, pointing at Nate. "Tha's how dey got 'ere! Bloody Black Tower, innit!"

"I don't gee a rat's arse so long as dey leave dem bags," one of the burlier men spat. "You 'eard. Leave your bags... and yer weapons! And ye can keep yer coin. Unless yer too slow in leaving, mind," he said, nodding to his archer with a sly wink.

Nate gave Bells a long suffering look and shook his head. "I don't think we're making any new friends today," he said matter of factly, before wielding two thick strands of Air. They each grabbed at a gate apiece, swinging them inwards at speed. There was a cry from within and the archer let his arrow loose, but Nate let it hit a wall of Air he threw up in anticipation. The gates slammed shut and there were more shouts from within - this was far from over. Nate decided to put a plank of Air across the doors to keep them closed, but it wouldn't hold for too long. And from the movement on the other side of the gates, they were sure to have visitors very shortly. "They're not taking our food," he said. "So much for a peaceful walk! We're taking this base, and shutting their operations down. Whatever they're doing, I bet it's wrong, and they brought it on themselves when we... er... accidentally Travelled here." Regardless of the "How", they were there and they would deal with it now.

Nate unhooked his warhammer and hefted the mighty metal in both hands, ready for action. "Let's find their side gate and bottleneck them," he decided. He nodded to the corner of the keep and they made their way that way, to where shouts could be heard congregating. "Still glad we aren't in the Borderlands, Bells?" he asked with a grim smile. Strangely enough Nate didn't feel at all bad about what he was about to do. As far as he was concerned, these people were in the wrong, and he was going to set it right in the only way they deserved.

Besides, they'd called him fat.

[Andy]

He supposed Nate was right about the not setting everything ablaze, fire was hard to get out of if it took you by surprise. A flash of a painful memory came before vanishing as quickly as it had come, his concentration had to be upon the moment, not the past. Lives depended on it, including his and he liked his life. Mostly. He still was impressed when the man kicked off the show though, dashing to the side to retrieve the fallen arrow before following in Nate's footsteps. He was the channeller after all, best not to argue with him in the middle of a fight. Still when they were getting towards the corner of the make shift rampart he couldn't hold it in. "You want to take care of all of them?" he shook his head at that, "we don't even know how many there are. Would be simpler to cripple them and then run for it. Or Gateway. Anywhere is better than dead" he stated, knowing his words would fail by Nate's expression. He sighed and pulled out his sword smoothly as their backs now pressed against the rough, weathered wood. It was rotten in places he noted, which meant it might not have burnt easily in patches at any rate. The voices were audible and they were mostly cursing and trying to deal with ramming the gate open. A few stray words caught his ears though and caused him to grin once more - this would be interesting and perhaps an opportunity. They were sending a couple to the walls to see what was happening with their escaped spoils. He put the bag down and stuck the point of the sword into the earth to hold it. The arrow went beside it. "Boost me" he slapped Nate on the should and managed to get his fingertips around the lip of the wall above, feet braced and readied for when they peered over the edge to try to spy them. "Can't see 'em!" the voice grew louder by the word. "Must've scarpered. Scared little sods" the second one laughed like gravel shifting. "Wrong!" he pulled with his arms and pushed with the balls of his feet just as they stuck their heads over, grabbing their shirts and letting gravity do the rest as one was pulled over completely, destined to hit the dirt head first mortally and the second was left all but shirtless and dangling over the edge screaming. The ground caused his knees to moan at him even though he had braced himself and he threw the shirt scraps upon the corps beside them with frustration, taking up his sword in one hand and the arrow in another, grasped in his fist so the point was a deadly punch for someone if he had his way about it. "Guess it was too much to hope for luck enough for both. Can't smash through this rotten wood could you? Or you got another plan?" he asked the giant as he circled the blade to warm up his wrist and haring the distinct sounds of ramming at the gate, which was now bending slightly which was perhaps a sign that it would be broken through . "They will probably pull that oaf back over though so I guess we could switch corners, confuse them and try to get over, come up behind them? Or just send me over and you can take the gate? I promise to save you" he offered with a grin. "And I'm fan-flaming-tastic Brawn, thanks for asking. I suppose next time we'll be waltzing through Malkier like it's normal" he snorted.

[Chris]

Did Bells seriously think that they should turn tail and run, when there were shady folk like this operating in the area? To turn a blind eye to their misdeeds, which there would surely be many of, why just the mere thought of it made the Dedicated huff. Nate was going to deal with each and every person who thought they could be all... y'know, shady and try to kill them. And call him fat.

"You want a leg up?" Nate lowered his hammer with a thud and hooked his fingers together so Bells had a decent foothold. On cue he hoisted the man up with ease, and let out a bellow of a chortle as the bandit fell and landed on his neck. "Bloody ashes Bells that was awesome!" But of course there were plenty more folk to consider and Nate knew that this would get more difficult before it got easier. "This wood's gross, but it's easier for us if we have some cover for now. I reckon..." he gave a devillish grin, "that's a great idea. I'll boost you up and over and follow you in." He wasn't about to go climbing over the wall himself though. "One word of advice... stay well away from the gates."

Bells looked his way clearly expecting a lift up as before, but Nate shook his head. "Hold onto your sword," he warned, "you're going over a little more, er, dynamically this time." And with that Nate weaved a thick cord of Air, taking Alrim by the waist and hoisting him up. The man took off in a jingle of bells and Nate guffawed a little before unceremoniously dumping him on the other side of the wall. Not carelessly, he made sure to put him down safely...

Then the Dedicated turned his attention to the main gates, which were bulging outwards and splintering somewhat as people applied a fair amount of force to them. Nate just smiled a little to himself and took his hammer up, removing the barrier of Air that was keeping the gates closed. With shouts and yells, the people inside the compound burst outwards and fell over themselves, perfect for the picking really. He could drop his hammer on their heads and that would be that.

But it wasn't necessarily right, was it, to fight a man when he was down on his luck? There were guards and prisons and laws in place for people like this. Nate didn't need to kill them if he had them wrapped up in Air and hauled to the nearest authority figure. The Dedicated stood there, hammer at the ready, but he made no move to actually use it. Instead, the men were hauled up one at a time with coils of Air and tied up, left to sit to the side against the fence. I'm not a monster, Nate reminded himself as he stood there, watching the men coming back to their senses and realising they were wrapped up and unable to harm anyone else. Who am I to decide who lives and who doesn't? "Hey Bells, I think you were right," he called out. "I can make a Gateway out of here."

Thunk, thunk, thunk

From the building, throwing knives. The thigh, the chest, the stomach. They were small, and at that distance they didn't dig in too deeply at all, but they certainly did their job. Nate nearly dropped his hammer, losing Saidin as he let out a roar of pain. A roar of pain that quite quickly became a roar of anger. Suddenly the idea of leaving was an absurd one. "Bloody flaming bandit scumbags! I'm gonna smash your no-good faces in you hear me?!" Nate raised his hammer over his head and charged at the door into the main building, slamming the metal head into the lock and smashing the thing open. Then he ducked on inside to go and see who the heck was throwing knives at him so he could give them back... via their eye sockets. A fine red mist nestled over his thoughts, making the decisions for him.

[Andy]

Of all the things that could have happened Alrim had no expectation of being scooped up bodily by an invisible force and sent to soar above the walls as if here weightless. It probably didn't help the image of two serious contenders that his ascent and descent was accompanied by a series of oaths and protestations. By the time his feet cam to the soft soil on the other side he was running out f breath and quite happily thanked the ground for not killing him. He didn't realise at first that his easily visible mode of transportation had caused three grim looking men who hadn't had a wash for weeks by the smell, to surround him, weapons in hand. "Well.....shi-" he began as he brought sword and arrow fist up in readiness. "Get im!" the larger and more disgustingly dirty one interrupted him. He ducked the swinging blades, leaving them to meet each other as they blocked their own quite comically, jammed the arrow tip as hard as he could into the nearest knee to forever end the bandit's career, and dashed away to get some distance. He spied Nate dealing with the others and so felt safe to turn and the roaring of pain and the hateful remarks being sent his way. His eyes scanned around to see if anything might help him and give him an advantage. He grinned as he spotted an oil lamp, lit and just begging to be used. He just needed them to get really, really mad. "Come on," he whistled, "here boys. Good hounds" he goaded them as he positioned himself by the lantern and met their blades with his own. It was a small series of parries and ripostes really, they were not too skilled. Either that or he had been trained better than he had assumed. He whittled them down a bit, a few cuts here and there, a slashed achilles tendon to get one of them stumbling into the other two - the arrow to the knee man was trying to get at him too despite his wound but it merely served to hamper the only uninjured fighter. He waited for his moment and when it came took it swiftly, getting the sliced leg to over commit, overbalance and a helpful grabbing of the back of the head smashed it into the lantern. He fell unconscious to the side of the barrel with a small fire starting on his shirt. That was when he heard Nate scream and knew there was trouble. His head whipped around and saw the giant idiot running into a building without so much as a tactical care whatsoever. He turned back in time to catch a blade, stepped between the two of them and twisted his body invitingly. The lunge came and he was already out of the way - the healthy fighter impaling the arrow kneed wretch, trapping his blade. Alrim kicked the back of his knees as he yanked on the blade, he fell forwards and met the flat of his blade coming the other way to smash his nose open. "Now you stay here, good boy" he kicked the man's back so he went sprawling into the dirt and turned and ran for the cottage, hut...whatever it was. Through the window he saw Nate was fighting, maybe a few people. The door was shut hard, barred perhaps after Nate had been lured in by his rage. He cursed to himself as he tried to jam the tip of his sword to try to lever the door. As he was straining, sweat stained hair and bells getting in the way of his vision he flicked his head irritably and saw something more interesting off to the left and in a little clearing at the centre of the camp. He stopped and grinned, he liked being a rogue. It meant no rules and certainly no honour. Soon enough Nate would see the man half-blocking the window get the warmest greeting of his life - a heavy cooking pot filled with bubbling, steaming hot broth. Through the shuttered window and into his back.

[Chris]

A lot can happen in a short space of time, and it was as if this hut/house/cottage/base was operating under different laws of physics. The door closed behind Nate and he was set upon by a pair of filthy bandits in the dark - and inside, there wasn't much room to swing his hammer at all. That didn't stop the man from doing so, lashing out and taking one in the side of the head so hard he slammed against the wall on his way down. The other closed in on Nate's exposed form, earning the Dedicated a gash across the ribs before Nate returned with his elbow to crack her in the nose, and shortly after kicking her back she was smacked in the face as well.

"Flaming bandit darkfriend scumbags!" Nate snarled at nobody in particular, breathing hard as he stomped into the next room looking for more people to subdue. It wasn't planned or thought out at all, it stemmed off the back of his baser instinct to maim and dominate, to take out the bad guys. The red mist was heavy.

The next room Nate barged into, they had clearly been waiting in ambush but Nate struck so hard at the first figure that the bandit probably didn't realise he was dead for a good few minutes. There was more room in here for Nate to swing his weapon properly, and he parried a strike from the sword from one bandit before another went for his Achilles tendon and missed by a hair. Nate was accumulating all these small gashes where he had just moved out of the way, or turned his body so the wrong place was hit, but they were adding up. Nate lashed out with his hammer, and when it hit, they knew about it. The breaking of bones was practically audible to the whole room, and Nate followed up relentlessly, thick cords of muscle in his arms burning but going unnoticed as he lashed out.

It was the cut to the neck that broke the straw on the camel's back. It likely wasn't intended for his neck, as Nate had parried a blow and they'd been in a lockdown until a shift in body position had both weapons fall forwards suddenly. The sword fell from its overhead strike and Nate turned his head, the bladecutting from jaw to collarbone.

Nate let out a bellow of rage, unrestrained, animalistic.

The bandit suddenly found itself covered in a vast amount of hot broth, which would have been considered a sorry waste of food had Nate been thinking about it. But no, the Dedicated simply used that opportunity to bring his hammer across in a wide swing to hit the fellow in the side of the head. He crumbled, but Nate didn't relent, bringing the hammer around, up, over, and down onto the fallen man's chest. An unnecessary movement. But as Nate looked up at the window with the now flapping shutters, seeing the man outside, there was no recognition there. Another man to fight and destroy.

With a growl that might have been an oath, Nate's calloused hands regripped the heavy hammer and he swung for the wood below the window. It gave out enough that Nate could step through - and so he did, raising his weapon and lashing out at the man with the long hair and the bells with nothing but rage in his hazel eyes.

[Andy]

Alrim dashed to the window quickly, the screams from his little trick ringing in his ears as he managed to peer in. He saw Nate, thankfully still standing but by the look of him injured in quit a few places. He was about to call out when the look came his way, almost animalistic, and he knew Nate had lost all sense of himself. He couldn't have that gaze and still be the same man. Words stilled and he had but a few moments to jumps back, sword in hand, as the wall began to come crashing out at him, hammer following through soon after. The hammer came around again and Alrim ducked under it, dodging sideways and rolling away. "There you are!" came the distorted growl from one of those he had not killed properly before, shuffling towards him. A roar came from behind Alrim and footsteps were closing in he could hear. "Nice to meet you, need your help," he grabbed the surprised man as he looked at Nate charging and threw him in between himself and death. He winced as he heard the crunching, wet and yet dry at the same time. He turned and deflected a swing, taking the opportunity to kick the man back a pace or two as he frantically tried to think of what to do. He had expected a nice day out and now he was faced with the choice of whether to put Nate down for good or not - if he even could. H decided to try tog et the man to se reason first, he didn't want to lose a friend. "Brawn! Brawn!," he side-stepped again and kept circling, "for Lights sake Brawn! Nate! It's me, Bells. Alrim, remember? I took one blade for you I'm not taking another hear?" he panted as he rolled over some crates and heaved the top one to fall onto the man to encumber him, "please don't make me hurt you? Pretty please?" he implored. That was when the hammer smashed through the wood and he barely got his sword up in time to direct the force away from him, getting a good bruise to his forearm in the process and soon after the warmth told him blood was seeping out, he was not sure how much. Didn't feel too bad. Either way he growled and gave up on reason, it wasn't going to work. Gaze darted and found some opportunities. He kicked up a spray of dirt towards Nate's eyes and used the distraction to dart around a tent. Nate followed, mind senseless and hammering at the obstacle, only serving to get it caught around his hammer. Alrim gripped the canvas and tugged as hard as he could. He wasn't as strong as Nate but without the momentum from a big swing he couldn't hurt him too bad at least. "There! Now lets just put the hammer do-" he grunted as the tug of war went on and finally he let go, causing Nate to stagger backwards. He dashed forwards and cannoned into the man, using the momentum to pick him up and dump him to the ground with his shoulder. Form then it was dirty fighting, street fighting. No weapons because they had lost grip of their weapons. Just fists and knees, elbows and grapples. Eventually he managed to get his forearm around Nate's neck, locking his legs around his waist to cross across his stomach and he squeezed. If the man didn't see sense he would have to choke him unconscious. "Come on...Brawn...come back mate...come on" he grunted as he tried desperately to hold onto the man as he thrashed and bucked.