Heirot

Jhaptal grinned. "You don't sound so sure about that," he said. "I have a feeling that you don't know what you're fighting for. Or maybe you fight for different reasons each time you do."

Soran looked at Jhaptal questioningly. This person seemed to have a strange instinct for seeing past appearances. "For a while I fought to survive. Then I needed my skills for insurance, and dominance. Lately I use them differently," he said unreadably, habitually stepping around out of the way of a poisonous thornbush that had grown out across the path.

Jhaptal let Soran pass by stepping back, the path being a bit too narrow to let both of them through at the same time. Then he also sidestepped the poisonous bush and followed behind the elf. "Well, you don't always need something to fight for," he pointed out. "Some people just fight for the sake of fighting. And some people fight for some sort of a meaning. Either is fine."

"There has to be a reason. No one fights just to fight," the rogue said, diverting from the cleared path and beginning to lead Jhaptal along an unmarked, winding route through the trees. When brush inevitably blocked his path, he leapt over by jumping up against the trunk of a tree midway and propelling himself the rest of the way across. Soran slowed down to wait for Jhaptal each time before he continued on. It was clear from his movements that he was very familiar with the area.

Jhaptal smirked and decided to show off a little acrobatics. He instead jumped over the brush towards a low hanging branch. He grabbed it and swinging once, did a flip in midair and landed, a grin on his face.

Soran eyed Jhaptal keenly as he landed. That wasn't a stunt an ordinary civilian could pull. "I suppose you learned that in Ongoreth too," he commented, impressed.

Jhaptal just continued grinning and walked on towards their destination. "So what places have you traveled to before?" he asked.

"In and around the Border and the Ashgrown forest," Soran said. "I've mostly stayed in Hepian. I'm not much of a traveler, though you seem to be," he commented.

Jhaptal shrugged. "Well, after my family was killed by the bandits, I took to travelling around, mostly finding clues about the bandits whereabouts," he replied. So right now we're on our way to the fruition of my journeys." Jhaptal's face looked saddened when he mentioned his family.

Soran's eyes flashed to Jhaptal. "Your family was killed by this group?" he asked in surprise. "Where was this?"

Jhaptal nodded. "I mentioned it before when I was talking about the mission. The day they stole the sword, they had broken in to my house and killed my family. I was lucky to get out alive from it though," he replied.

Soran looked at Jhaptal for a moment and then nodded solemnly. He hadn't listened very carefully at the time Jhaptal first told him, having thought he was just some magician Rai picked up. "So is the purpose of this mission merely to retrieve your sword, or for revenge as well?"

"The sword is more important to me than the revenge is," Jhaptal said solemnly. "Sure I'd like to kill as many of the bastards as I can, but if it looks hopeless as long as I have the sword back I'll be happy."

Soran nodded in approval. "I won't hesitate to cut down those who interfere, but I'm also not interested in bothering to exterminate the entire group. From my experience, there are many who will willingly surrender if they feel the odds are against them."

Jhaptal growled. "I never said I'd spare the ones that surrendered either. My family tried that and yet they were killed in cold blood anyway," he stated. "I don't care if doing the same brings me down to my level, I want them to know how my family felt."