Those Long of Tooth and Full of Pride

[Oblivion]

There was an ages old story, passed down from father to son, mother to daughter, for generations. It was about the noblest of horses who pulled any weight required of her, no matter the reason, from the time she could walk. Finally, in old age, the horse was pampered and kept as a pet, and let to trot about in freedom when she wished. It was meant to inspire children to obey their parents, no matter what, promising great rewards for their loyalty. Sometimes a father asks too much of his children...
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Ajax breathed the winter air of the countryside deeply, warm in his long, fur-lined coat. To one side of him some twenty yards away lay a titanic beast of the sky, a griffon, dead. To his right, close at hand, was a long bastard sword much wider at its base than most, forming a deadly triangular edge. Blood had frozen to its edge, as he awaited passage to the next town from any old bystander on the highway. In the meantime, he lit a pipe with black tobacco and drew smoke off of it now and then. The country was dangerous this time of year, many elementals and magic beasts about, so he knew he might have to wait a very long time.

[Apollo]

The boy always whistled as he walked, he had no reason not to. He was happy. He could wander the world at his pleasure, adventures will happen along the way, he always told himself.
Around him the wind swirled, making each step longer, the boy's smiled grew. When he finally looked down he was a couple of feet around the ground which just made him laugh. He calmed himself and finally floated down.
On the move again he walked around the corner of the path only to see a man. He quickly hid behind a tree and took note. His smoke coming off of his pipe floating on the lightest of breezes, the sword covered in blood (a man of battle) . . . and the beast of the sky. . . A griffon, dead.
"That he'll pay for." The boy muttered to himself. He patted his knives, all of them which were plenty. He took his favorite out and held it so the blade was to his forearm. "We'll see how much the sky likes you now." And they boy, Kenji, was gone.

[Oblivion]

There was a ringing sound, and the man pulled an odd device from his pocket and opened it. A portable scrying amulet. The man represented by the floating image was elven in descent by the looks of it. His voice reflected this, it was medium toned and smooth. "Hey, Ajax."

"Damian, I told you not to call when I was out." He muttered. His voice was deep, and slightly gravelly. "What is it?"

"Well... I just wanted to know if you'd killed that Griffon yet, the guild wants you back for another mission."

"Already?" he puffed on his pipe plaintively. "No. I told you, this was my last mission. No more serving the guild."

"Don't you care about helping people Ajax? That Griffon was dangerous, you took care of it."

"I'm done talking Damian." He closed the amulet before his friend could say another word, and got up to leave, when he felt movement on the edge of his senses looked around for the source of it.

[Levethix'moxt]

Levethix'moxt was not having a good day. He had been made earlier and as typically occurred once someone had started yelling 'Dragon!', well... everything had kinda gone to hell at that point. So here he was scrambling for cover in human form, trying to get well clear of the town before the panic died down and the mob had a chance to form.

[Apollo]

The wind covered his scent and most of his form as he snuck up behind the man, using some kind of amulet. Kenji paid cloase attention to his movements, the slightest twitch to the wrong spot could make him miss his kill shit. His hand no longer twitched at the thought of the loss of human life, as a part of his contract to the Wind, he was a guardian for all those under its protection. A man of honor does not fear or lose courage for the name of what he must do. His sensei had taught him that.
"Murderer!" He shouted, both hands on the dagger for a downward stab.

[Oblivion]

Ajax exhaled slowly, but moved with the speed of a frightened wolf. He parried the blow with a twisting slash, grabbing up his blade and turning in the same motion, before pointing his long, deadly weapon at the boy's face mere inches away. Kenji instantly knew he was outclassed. "Now why on earth would you throw that kind of label at me, lad?" The man's long black hair fell over his face, masking a pale blue-white visage that seemed carved from ice, having a strong jaw and stern features. His ice-blue eyes, colored with starbursts of white and blue, froze Kenji to the core.

[Levethix'moxt]

''Out of the way!'' a smallish white haired 'human' yelled running for his life as he came barreling down at them, having not had the time to prevent the inevitable collision. ''He went that way!'' came the louder roar behind him.

[Apollo]

"I'm a protector of the wind and all its creatures." He said, breathing heavily. His figure was slight, yes, in an acrobatic's way. Where his muscle was not big but wiry. So having beaten him so easily, this man was no novice. Yet, he would not show fear in the face of death or any enemy. As he finished talking a boy tried to run past him, Please be distracted by him Kenji thought to himself. He closed his eyes and just as the boy running by crossed in front of him, Kenji vanished from sight.

[Oblivion]

As the small white haired individual ran into him, he scoffed, not moving at all as he was a veritable wall. ''. . . Two midgets in a row.'' He muttered to himself. ''What the hell. . .'' Protector of what now? He was going to seriously kill everyone at the agency if they had sent him to kill some sacred beast. Ajax didn't even care if it had eaten the entire crop, or destroyed the entire town. He rode the damned thing for ten miles to this crappy place before he killed it, for the express purpose of keeping people safe. He was not about to get his chops busted for a good deed.... Again.

[Levethix'moxt]

The 'Kid' no visibly older then a child of fourteen fell flat on his ass, his rather elaborate red and black clothing flaring out on impact. ''Uh!'' he grunted the wind knocked out of him. With the desperation of the will to live he forced his lungs open and tried to take in air... a bit to fast. His attempt to rise was not successful as dizziness. ''Crap.'' he gasped, and then successfully got to his feat.

''Stop that thing!'' a man yelled apparently the leader of the pack, holding the oh so traditional pitchfork in hand as the sounds of dozens of others came behind him, much better organized and equipped others. ''It's a dragon sent to spy on us!''

'crap.' the kid thought again, he saw the man he had crashed into and one thought hit him like a ton of bricks. 'slayer.' he couldn't take this guy, all his tricks, all his strength, both inherited and earned, none of it would be enough and he knew it at a glance.

Damned if that'd stop him from trying to though.