A slave. I was basically nothing but a slave. And yet, I didn't care. I deserved this lifestyle. At least I was still killing something. Killing was all I have ever known. Killing and anger. I still had not revealed to Kael why I had come to this city covered in blood that day. I think he may have guessed from my letter. If not, then he was both dense and naive. I did explain why I had killed that kid. I said that I thought the kid known as Trace was in trouble, so I helped him out. It was no reason to kill, but, like I said, and like I told Kael, all I have ever known is killing.

Kael looked very hard at the Nomad caravan masters.
“there are other places you can go. Other Grounder camps.”
“but they arnt Kael town now aure they? Yur've dun too well fur yeself Kael.
The other camps arnt the best place to trade tween te Desert edge an' the shinin lake now is they?”
Kael suddenly realized what his allowing the trader caravans meant. His home was now a mark on a map. The market that usually might not have appeared once or twice a year now never died. Traffic now came and went almost constantly. Now that the Nomads were not trapped in the old ruin cities for half a year by sub-freezing winters, they were almost constantly out and about looking for things to trade.
And ‘Kaeltown’ was fast becoming a favorite spot. His brothers and sisters were forced to abandon their chores in favor of keeping the peace. At the same time Nomads and immigrant Grounder alike had come asking to take up such chores and join them.
Kael scarcely knew what to do. Nothing his parents and taught him told him how to deal with this…. “Kael?” one of the Nomads interrupted his thoughts. it shocked him back to the here and now. “very well, I'll allow you to clear more of the forest. You'll turn the lumber over to my boys. In exchange you may use the space for six more weeks.” Kael responded after a moment of thought.
“thank yee Kael, ya won't regret it” with that they left.

Later that day he approached Jayce.
“Assassin! I have a deal for you!”

“Assassin? What, do ya want me to kill for ya now too? I left that lifestyle. It made me too reackless.” It was true. I no longer introduced myself as Jayce the Assassin. I was now just Jayce the Worker.

BAH! such bitterness! As though we are the ones who wronged him! Kael shook the thought from his head. Jayce had come back to repent repay his debt. Yet the attitude he showed everyday told how little he had truly regretted and repented. “Reckless yes, so reckless that you incurred a debt to my community. A community you continue to scoff at though we have offered you kindness when we should have ended you.”
Was that a flicker of emotion crossed his face? At Jayce's continued silence he continued. “I do have use of your skills but not for killing, ‘Mr. worker’. It has become difficult to maintain peace with all the newcomers. I wish your assistance in training some men with your discipline and skill with a blade and gun.”

“Is that all?” I asked. "I'm sorry, I don't know much about training people. But I'll do my best.

Good he accepted “That is all I ask of anyone. We'll come to you in the morning to begin.” And with that Kaeltown's first criminal became its first constable.

-Cojo is part-mutant.

Trace was working. He was digging a ditch so more water could come this way form a stream he found. As he went to rub the sweat from his eyes, he saw Cojo. Then a eye shild came down from his helmet. Trace strugeled to stop himself from attacking him. He finilly did, but the eye shild would not go back up. He then put his robe's hood up. He kape on digging till he got closer to Kael. Trace ran up the him and said “sir. A person is back from my past. You have to stop him. He is crazy.”

Cojo has seen the town but was not instered. With his hand-claw slasher, He ripped a tree in two. “I know you are somewhere around here Trace. I will kill you.” he said to no one.

Trace then explaned who Cojo was and why he was after him to Kael.

I have a habit of looking at the sky. It didn't matter that you couldn't see the “stars”, I just liked staring at it's tranquility. I was doing that that night, just staring at the stars, on top of the little hut I had been given. It was so peaceful. I was lost in the sky, wondering what it would be like to be able to fly as free as the trals -birds- when I heard a vendor yelling. I looked down at the spot. Some dude was stealing from the vendor. I dropped off my hut right in front of him when he was trying to run past. He ran right into me and fell backward. “Ugh. Dammit, who do you think you a-a-a?” The man stopped flat as he saw my sword pointing directly at his face. “Give it back.” I told him. “Give it back, or pay for it, or you will face the consequences.”

- oi shard xu's a girl….. -

Dead Carl: heh this town has been getting bigger… isn't that right my dear sister.

XU: yes brother it has grown alot and that guy we decided to help became useful to this place…

notices an old man steal from a vendor

Dead carl: so another like us xu… should we help him out with food or maybe this gold we got in the next town?

* suddenly hears man cry out *

Xu: brother help him!

Dead Carl: of course…

* jumps down qietly and notices jayce pointing sword into old man's face andpulls out a yellow lollypop spits on it and hit's jayce with it fully parlyzing him until taken off by my or xu *

Dead Carl: are you insane boy…

* helps old man to his feet *

Xu: so you haven't killed in awhile so you attack a old man trying to get food?

Dead carl: your pathetic jayce go animals if you have that much insanity in ya hell i am a vampire and i don't need that much blood and i won't go for the elderly damnit!!

* turns and walks away with old man *

Dead Carl: pay him xu and take the parlysis off you know what to do…

Xu: alright brother… here's your pay slime ball

*pulls out bag of gold *and drops it on jayces face knocking him out cold*

Dead Carl: check to make sure he is out…

Xu: he is out

* takes off *

Heh, how easily they were fooled. I wasn't knocked out. But now I had to report my failure to Kael. That was something I wasn't looking foward to. It pissed me off thinking how they didn't even let me explain myself. When I naxt saw them, they wouldn't get away without a scratch like they had this time.

* as we entered the forest with the old man we stock him up on food and supplies and send him on his way *

Dead Carl: now lets confront this kael …

“why bother” Said Cojo. “why not burn the town down?”. I bet the people are tasty. Hehehehehehehe!

-DM note: At this point Kaeltown consists of three concentric walls. Outside some fields are being cleared for new farms but none are done yet and few tents and cabins. The first wall contains a tent city and some shacks for the market. the second holds the new settlers and their cabins. The last wall contains the original compound.
The town still has three watchtowers and no less than a hundred yards between the wall and the tree line. The walls are patrolled from the top due to frequent visits by brigands.-

Map available!



Fullsize here http://fc04.deviantart.com/fs21/f/2007/274/8/e/Kaeltown_by_imshard.jpg

-nice-

Cojo then dissappered from where he was. He didn't like being around other brigands. He then show up by the north farm. “this looks like a good place to sleep.” Cojo said.

Tomias heard a noise. Ever since his father had moved them here it had been a constant battle with the coyotes. While he insisted on what a privilege it was to have land, Tomias longed to give up tree cutting and stump clearing to go back to traveling the old roads and pick throught the rich leaving of the before people in the ruined cities. But noooo. Father wanted to give up being a Nomad and start pushing a plow like a Grounder…
He continued to fume to himself as he loaded his rifle and put his clothes on.
When he was dressed he threw open the door and fired at the first blur of motion he saw. He had killed and pelted many miserable vermin this way. This time though it was a Brigand. A mean one too from the looks of it. And he had just shot the very Mean looking man in the thigh. Cojo roared and put his fist through the boy's skull.

Trace awoke! He felt that Cojo had killed nearby. He came out of his cabin and looked to the north farm. Trace thought about going to attack Cojo but he might blamed for it. He want to find Kael. Kael was one Trace Trusted.

meanwhile Cojo was in the north farm house, eating the people inside.

“What was that?” I could hear it. The sound of blood flowing. A bastard has killed someone. -note: remember that, as an assassin, I have heigtened senses.- I know what Blood dripping and flowing sounds like, because I had killed so many times before. Then I saw the kid, Trace, running by. I dropped down in front of him, and he ran into me. In case you haven't guessed, I was sitting on my hut again. I asked him why he was in such a hurry, and why I heard blood flowing.

Trace just stared at him. “C Cojo! He is here! He has killed someone. I must tell Kael! I must!” said Trace frantic. Then He gets up and runs to the inner gate. "I must talk to Kael he yelled to the watchman. Jayce just watch him as he yelled and wonder how he knew someone was killed.

Kael groggily stood from his bed and pulled on a shirt. KNOCK!! KNOCK!! KNOCK!! The pounding on his door continued. He glanced bleary eyed at Emixeen where leaned against the door frame. He pulled the door open. Jayce, Trace and Turrin all nearly fell in on top of him. “What's going on here!?” Kael demanded. They told him.
He picked up the ancient rifle and charged out of the house. Together they went to North farm.

“Trace, who is this guy?” I asked the kid. It was weird. I heard the sound of someone eating, but it came from inside the farm.

“He is the one from my past. He killed the man who gave me this armor. He wants this armor, but it won't come off. It's my skin now, I think…: Trace answered as His dagger turn into a sword(just a normal one). Cojo head them coming and said ”more Meat."

Ah, a sadistic person. And by the sounds of it, a sadistic cannibal at that! I hadn'r fought a sadistic person in a year or two. It was going to be fun to fight again.

Kael narrowed his eyes. A mutant, a cannibal…. An abomination
The New people valued life. The Old people had tried to annihilate it.
This Cojo was defiling life. The farmhouse was in sight. The grease paper windows spattered with blood. Kael gave a hand signal. Trace and Jayce looked alarmed at what the other men held. Gin bottles, with cloths stuffed in the tops. The ancient chaos weapon; the Ocktail. They surrounded the house lit their packages, and threw them at every opening on the house. Kael spoke soberly. “Be ready, I doubt he'll be so easily killed”

Cojo slammed open the door with a arm in hand and look at the people that showed up. “many humans and… Trace! So we meet ones again!” Said Cojo. Trace cringe at what Cojo said.

“Trace, why did he set you apart from humans? I mean, I killed hundreds of people, but I'm still considered human!”

three humans? Kael pushed the thought back for later.
“DIE MURDERER! NOW!”
The house was on fire. Cojo was on fire. Turrin and Kael opened fire.
From back up the hill in a tree Turrin used his rifle to put a round into Cojo's chest.
Th monster didn't even flinch as the round burst straight through him. Kael shouldered his rifle and fired. He managed two 3-round bursts before the creature charged him and planted his big meaty fist to his gut. Kael flew backwards and slammed into a pile of lumber. Pain sheared his body. Stars exploded in his eyes. He fought very hard to stay conscious.

“my armor…” said Trace. “I don't cositer him Human anymore, Human. Mind your own beewax. Trace! I will Kill you!!” Yells Cojo as he rushes at Trace. Trace's armor then Change to block the attack.

I'm suddenly in front of Cojo, blocking his attack. Cojo looked pissed. “I'm not going to let you pick on someone with the mind of a 5-year-old, you mother fucker!”

From his perch Turrin watched in horror as Kael went flying back and went limp upon impacting a fallen tree. The Thing was still moving! It turned from Kael and yelled something Turrin couldn't make out. It started down on the simpleton in the armor. Turrin cycled the bolt on his rile and aimed for the head this time. Damn Mutants just dont know when to die. He fired.
The moving nature of the target made him miss the head. But he did hit the neck.

“Die!!!” yelled Cojo. He cut Jayce and smelled his blood. “You've killed before… I'm going to love eating you after I get that armor” said Cojo. “You won't” said Trace in a differnt voice. His armor made him look like a machine. He then Rushed up and punched Cojo into the gut. The blow sent Cojo back in to the burning house.