Elise’s Friday evening odd encounter(Nathaniel)

June 28, 2025

Date: 2025-06-27 20:07

(Elise’s Friday evening odd encounter(Nathaniel):Nathaniel)

[Fri Jun 27 2025]

A Bedroom

It is dusk/span>/span69F(20C) degrees, and there are a few wispy white clouds in the sky. The mist is heaviest At Elm and Sidney/span>/spanA gentle wind blows its way through the park.

As the pair walk their way through the park, enjoying the weather as there is a brief reprieve to their rainy afternoon. Coming through the well maintained piece of forest is a young man sprinting at full speed, colliding into the pair and sending everyone tumbling in every which direction.

Off into the air goes Nathaniel cane and down the dark haired man goes in the process as he is hit with a powerful blow from the clumsy(?) person coming barreling through the park. Either way, Nathaniel lays sprawed out on the ground, groaning as his cane lands near his head, narrowly missing him.

Elise gets absolutely bulldozed by this whoever he is, and only has enough time to think to let go of Nathaniel’s hand so as not to drag him down with her – though alas, her efforts don’t save him either. Sitting up from the strike, the blonde wipes bits of stone and dirt from her palms where they broke her fall, hissing at the bit of stinging scrape she finds there. “Nate?” she asks, worriedly. “Are you Okay?” And then she’s trying to focus on the very thing that caused all this, presuming he’s in the heap with both of them. “Are… YOU okay?”

The young man stands up quickly, brushing himself as he looks over his shoulder. There is a hint of panic in his voice as he appologizes, “I am so sorry… But you have to help me. They are going to get me and take me back… I can’t go back.” The young man seems to be dressed in some kind of leather armor with hodge-podge bits of metal sticked into it. There are assorted spikes there as well, which it is a small surprise that Nathaniel nor Elise were impaled by any of them on the you man’s armor. On his waste, there is some kind of strange firearm. Whatever the case might be though, he is obviously not local.

Rubbing his head as he groans once more, Nathaniel slowly sits up, collecting his cane, “Yes, I will be okay. I didn’t realize I was on an active football field.” He grumbles as he looks up at the young man, “What is going on, who is after you?”

Elise has seen stranger things in New Haven, so the surprise isn’t entirely all there despite the blonde’s fragile appearance. She gets to her own feet, shuffling closer to Nathaniel to bring his cane to hand and fuss over knocking dirt or dust from his blazer jacket before she stands to full height and offers her hand to the man should he wish to take it to rise. “Go back where?” she asks the stranger, following his eyes over his shoulder to see nothing just yet. “Who?” No stranger to the desperation of the unknown, the small woman holds her shoulder bag close to her side now, a free hand slipping inside of it as if to grab something from within should it be required.

“The 63rd Legion.” The young man declares, looking around with a touch of paranoia as if speaking their name will summon them, but perhaps that is a real thing? Either way, the young man continues, “I have deserted them, I am tired of hurting people and I need to get out. But you just can’t leave. They won’t accept me leaving… They will come for me.” He says, the young man seems considered.

someone accepts the cane from Elise and works at pushing himself back to his feet, which he does perhaps with surprising ease considering, “You are a conscript I assume then? This is the Ivory Quarter, which is controlled by the Order, at least for now. You are safe here for the time being.”

Nathaniel accepts the cane from Elise and works at pushing himself back to his feet, which he does perhaps with surprising ease considering, “You are a conscript I assume then? This is the Ivory Quarter, which is controlled by the Order, at least for now. You are safe here for the time being.”

The hand reaching into her purse relaxes a bit for now but Elise looks at the young man with compassion. “You need safe haven.” It’s a statement more than a question, and she turns her wider than average blue eyes onto Nathaniel. “Can we… can we provide that directly? Current assumed jurisdictional safety aside?”

The young man looks hopeful at the suggestions from both of the people in front of him. But perhaps both of the suggestions were overly optmistic, because in the end, why would the 63rd legion care who is currently controls where they are at? The world belongs to the Legion, they will see to it and in this case, that is just what they intend. Two men walk up striding confidently, one with a rifle and the other with a large club. They are dressed similarly to the young man, but it is far from a uniform, but more chaos in armor form. They are massive men.. The club baring one laughs at the ‘resistance’ they just have encountered, “Oh Malik, do you think a cripple and a little girl is going to keep you from paying the price for desertion?” Of course this is not what the young man ‘Malik’ wanted to realize, but suddenly he just realizes that his odds might not be as good as he first thought.

However, Nathaniel doesn’t seem deterred. He reaches into his blazer as pulls out a pistol in his free hand, “Sorry gentleman, the kid is coming with us. There doesn’t need to be trouble this day, after all, if one of you ends up hurt over a deserter, what do you think your commander will do to you?” He bluffs.

Elise drifts over to the young man who has been identified as someone, standing somewhat behind him but putting a hand against the back of his arm. She glares at the two massive men, or at least she thinks she is glaring while she probably looks more like a deer in the headlights as per usual. But her presence next to the young man in tandem with Nathaniel, presents at least like unity – even if they seem like an unlikely or improbable pair of ‘rescuers’. Quietly, beneath her breath, so soft the men might feel like they are imagining it, or perhaps someone’s radio in the distance is so loud the notes are occasionally reaching their ears – the small woman sings to herself a lost appalachian nursery tune that would certainly not be recognized by any gathered here even if they could pinpoint it to the young lady.

Elise drifts over to the young man who has been identified as Malik, standing somewhat behind him but putting a hand against the back of his arm. She glares at the two massive men, or at least she thinks she is glaring while she probably looks more like a deer in the headlights as per usual. But her presence next to the young man in tandem with Nathaniel, presents at least like unity – even if they seem like an unlikely or improbable pair of ‘rescuers’. Quietly, beneath her breath, so soft the men might feel like they are imagining it, or perhaps someone’s radio in the distance is so loud the notes are occasionally reaching their ears – the small woman sings to herself a lost appalachian nursery tune that would certainly not be recognized by any gathered here even if they could pinpoint it to the young lady.

“Or if we bring the heads of three enemies of the Legion, we will probably get promoted.” The club baring barbarian warrior declares proudly, walking towards the three with confidence that he is about to pluck candy for babies. His buddy levels the crude looking rifle at the three ‘enemies’ looking to prepare to fire. Malik doesn’t seem content with just throwing in the towel without a fight though, drawing his own ‘firearm’ and aiming it at the pair. The legionaries do not seem to care though, but just get a laugh from it. Their firearms do not seem conventional in any sense, it is even doubtful they fire bullets, as they are covered in infernal runes.

Nathaniel looks over to Elise, giving her a nod as he tucks his pistol back into his holster quickly and tries to discreetly show her a device he is carrying… It seems to be a flashbang.

Elise isn’t formally battle trained. Hell, she isn’t even informally battle trained. She’s working on pure protective instinct right now. Nathaniel at her side, putting away his gun and pulling out a -something else- with a nod only just barely catches her attention while a series of fidgety movements like someone with a hyperactive disorder trying to concentrate might make, happens between her fingers. In only a moment’s time, spurred by the approach of these thugs it would seem, a sort of ward begins to form around the trio like a blanket of humidity that muffles those with a sensitivity to magic. Elise’s upper chest flushes with a deepening red as she fights her freeze or fawn response, only daring to take her eyes off of the immediate threat to flick her gaze to Nathaniel for any other instruction. Hopefully in the form of very clear command for this newbie.

The two men still seemingly undaunted by the efforts to protect Malik, even with displays of magic, it seems like something they have seen before or at least, not scared of. The first shot is fired from one of the barbarian warriors. His rifle bletches a bullet of hellfire which flies in the direction of the three, but it seems to deflect off in a direction. Elise’s warding aids for now, but it is uncertain how long it will last under prolonged fire.

Nathaniel, taking the opportunity with the enemy advancing, he tosses the grenade device at the warriors, before calling out to Elise, “Cover your eyes!” And shortly after his words are spoken, the grenade lets off a loud burst of sound and light, deafening all and blinding those that have seen the blast, in this case, at least the two warriors have. Malik seems to realize what was happening and looks away.

Elise would have no say, or at least conscious awareness of how long her ward holds – only projecting this feeling of protection like an involuntary stress response. She turns her face, using Malik’s back like a shield when Nathaniel calls out. The warding magic falters a moment at the burst of sound, its tenuous hold over the area showing in its caster’s inexperience. She tries to look aside to Nathaniel next, turning away from the flash instead of looking towards it. Because her ears are ringing, she doesn’t really bother with complicated diction. She tries to catch the agent’s attention and mouths the question ‘RUN?’

The two warriors shield their faces, what a perfect time to do just that. Malik does take the opportunity to flee off towards the street and away from the park.

However, Nathaniel, not a man of a fast means, in traditional Shieldbearer fashion holds his ground for his retreating allies. He instead lumbers forward as fast as his cane allows him too, but instead of his gun, the glint of a blade appears of his bowie knife, lunging it into the barbarian carrying the large club. The blade bites true into the warrior. The warrior screams out, wounded by the crippled agent.

Elise looks about ready to run, but with Nathaniel turning /towards/ the aggressors instead of away, she halts – watching the retreating form of Malik. “Get to the Botanical Gardens!” she yells in an attempt to give aid should they not be able to regroup. But still red all down her throat and across her upper chest like an anxious rash, she doesn’t leave Nathaniel behind – though she’s keeping a distance that’s not in clubbing range. Her shaking hand pulls out the orange canister of pepper spray from her bag. And works to hold it up and out at eye level. About as threatening as a squirrel brandishing a fork.

Stepping back from the stab wound, the club baring warrior coughs with specks of blood appearing upon his lips, he shots at the gun wielding one, “Don’t just stand there! Shoot him!” The gun wielding one finishes wiping out the spots in his eyes from the bright flash from the flashbang, he raises his rifle to do just that.

Nathaniel for now, is ready for just this. He lifts his left forearm towards the shooter, his cane still held tight. A shield of raw force energy appears on his arm as the blasts hit it, the shield shimmer with the force of the blows, sending Nathaniel to one knee.

Elise is not ready. She’s just stuck in this for good or for ill behind Nathaniel – unable to leave, unable to advance. The quiet, breathy singing begins once more, like a self regulating tactic that also seems to heat the air around her.

The demonic rifle glows with red runes as it pours blast after blast of hellfire upon Nathaniel as he holds steady for now, the shots pelting the shield over and over. The club baring thug grins, his teeth stained in his own blood as he can see how the fight is going.

Nathaniel drops his knife, leaning on his good knee as he goes for his pistol once more, but his shield flickers and the fatigue seems to start becoming apparent.

Elise makes a sound of distress, watching Nathaniel go down on a knee and his shield falter. Without really thinking about it, she rushes towards him, catching him back in her embrace when he sways a little. Her soft and emotional voice speaks near his ear – a gentle and mystical nature to it like a protective whisper rather than any sort of commanding incantation. “Fold the world, hide us between the seams..”

If Nathaniel is indeed found to fall into her arms, despite the young woman’s waifish frame, she would squeeze her eyes shut and picture the quiet, calm, dark and suddenly the pair would disappear into shadow.

The fight disappears behind them as the melt away into the shadow. With communication coming in from the Order, Malik has been safely secured and put into protective custody. The warriors that were in park seem to have moved on, likely back to their legion. After some time, Nathaniel and Elise make their way back to the park to recover their vehicles.

“Well, that was unexpected… or it should be expected in this town.” Nathaniel admits as he looks upon his car after the ordeal they just faced, “Well, that is not how I expected things to go though.” He admits to Elise, “I am sorry things tend to be chaotic, between demons and vampire fish.”

Elise looks a little bit like she probably could use that “sorry”, shock written a bit on her features as she tries to piece together what just happened and their current state of safety. And then there’s the mention of vampire fish and she winces visibly. “Yeah…” she sort of agrees distantly, rubbing at the front of her neck where her anxious rash now subsides.

“Was it my imagination, but did you do something durning all of that? Or was it that guy we saved?” Nathaniel asks Elise as he rubs the back of his neck, shaking his head, “Like I thought I saw some shimmering, but it could have been my imagination.”

“What?” Elise asks Nathaniel, as if he’s said something to her while her head is in the dryer. She blinks, processing what she’s heard and then answers before he can repeat himself. “Me? No I- I just couldn’t leave either of you. I didn’t know what to do but… leaving wasn’t the answer.”