Clinic
(take 2, because half of the original post was lost. Why your software would come with auto-backup and not have it on by default is beyond me.)
Flame managed to bathe Quill in flames, causing her to shriek and dive away from the incoming heat. But flame's attack came with a very big price tag attached to it. The flames that he spewed out of his mouth seared his wind pipe, causing it to swell shut. He immediately fell to the ground, unable to release a single scream. What was going to kill Flame wasn't the wounds, but the fact that he was suffocating the entire time he was dying.
Quill was still standing, but Flame had bought his friends a significant chunk of time. Aki shot a gust of wind into Donovan's unapolagetically fat face and took Chieko's hand. Together they ran deeper into the clinic, with Quill charging after them. She was screaming the entire time, swinging her molten blade at everything she passed. The two human girls didn't dare turn around. What happen to Donovan and the damage Quill had sustained couldn't be verified.
Most of the patient rooms were made by hanging sheets from the ceiling, so it took Chieko a bit of time to find a wooden room to shut herself in. After ordering Aki to run, she shut the wooden door. She propped a chai against the knob and found a heavy crate to push up against the chair. And just in time too, because as soon as she finished she could hear Quill on the other side. The candle was lit, Chieko could smell the incense, she just had to hope her plan would work.
With a howl, Quill thrust her blade into the door and cut a small hole. Just big enough for half of her face. When Quill put her eye in front of the opening, she could see what Flame's attack had done. Her skin had been charred brown along the side of her head, but she still had use of her eye. She chuckled once she spotted Chieko.
“Practicing your fire magic are we? Or perhaps you'd prefer to die to the poison instead of me?” Even with such a big hole in the door, the room was free of other openings and small enough to contain the incense. Chieko could already feel herself getting drowsy.
“Oddly, you remind me of myself, seeing you in such a vulnerable state.” She leaned away from the opening.
“When the race was was just beginning, why, I was still a teenager. I happily served patrons drinks at my village. I guess you call them bar maidens in the big cities. I was gifted with magic, we all were. Oni are very strong, and we owe that strength to our horns. But humans, they fear everything. And what they don't fear, they hunger for.” Chieko could hear a thud as Quill leaned up against the door.
“Of all the villages, I don't know why they started with us. But they attacked when we were weak. our hunters were exhausted after a day of hunting, and were getting drunk with the rest of us. We were no match for their numbers. They slew all the men. And the woman, well, they cut off our horns. Most of us were weaker than your average human after that.” She leaned in front of the opening.
“I don't need to tell you what happened next, do I? You should know exactly what sort of depravity the men of your race are capable of. It's just like I said, once they weren't afraid of me, they desired me.” It was hard to see, but the corner of her deformed lips curled into a smile.
“So you see Chieko, as long as I kill you afterwards, there's really nothing I can do to sink to the depth of you humans.” By this point, Chieko was on the verge of unconsciousness. She was no longer able to even kneel in the room. She was starting to sink to the floor, with her eyes pointed up at the ceiling. The dim, half used candle was just bright enough to illuminate a small portion of the ceiling.
“So what was the plan? You lock yourself in here, poisoned, and then your friend comes and cures you once I'm gone? I suppose that could have worked. Unfortunately, I'm still not convinced you're entirely powerless. Or maybe I'm just feeling a little sentimental after our heart to heart.” She chuckled darkly.
“You're going to tell me exactly how you know so much, once you wake up. Then we'll rid this city of humans, together.” With what could only be the sound of a door bursting into flames, Chieko's vision was filled with various burning shapes flying over head. Briefly the flames outlined the silhouette of a cloaked stranger before dying out with her consciousness.
That mess near the heroe's district
The fight had started, and the sides had been decided. Everyone fell back behind a cart save for Aer and Hiro, who would be going up against Chiyo and her mysterious companion. Provided it wasn't actually several people assisting her from just out of site. Aer had displayed an impressive ability to block projectiles with a magical sheet of ice, but it wouldn't work forever. Certainly not if every volley was like that one.
"I can keep her busy here, see if you can run ahead and notify the guards." Aer spun her spear before breaking into a sprint. She was only slightly taller than her adversary. If not for the sharp weapons, it would almost look like children enacting a play.
Of course, Hiro wasn’t going to just follow her commands like that. He knew exactly how dangerous the little assassin was. As such, he called out to the others with him.
”You heard the lady. Go get the guards. I’ll back Aer up.” He said, before charging out after the elf. This time, he would win.
Chiyo wasted no time with talk. The more people that got involved with the fight at this point would only drag it to a point that defeat was all too likely, or escape all but impossible.
That and the little murderer wasn't being paid for innocent deaths.
One of her three daggers, freshly coated with a thin black substance, flashed out with a flick off at Aer. To the trained eye it was clearly a miss, the projectile spinning harmlessly end over end off its mark past Aer.
If the killer seemed concerned they showed no sign of it, calmly drawing out the last two knives. One of them had a similar black substance on it but the other was pristine and unblemished steel.
The left hand dagger was held point down in their hand, the other held upright. A flick could have them reversed as needed but for now it was a non-issue. Memories of past lives danced in the back of Chiyos mind, teaching her how to defend against multiple opponents.
Chiyos eyes were wide and focused, taking in Aer and Hiro in that awful gaze so filled with malice it seemed almost visible. Patiently she waited for the opening to come.
Meanwhile, Ashton told Wisp to hurl a few fireballs at Chiyo, which caused Wisp to scratch the back of his head in concern.
”I dunno. I mean I’d like to, but Mousey gets mad when she hears about me using magic. She told me I can only use it in really dire situations. I mean she’s not here but...” The cat boy’s eyes scanned the surrounding area.
”I think Aer and Hiro have this, we should find someone else to play with. How about the person throwing those weapons? We could play with them instead!” Deep breaths, Ashton, deep breaths. Ashton tried to keep himself calm even as the situation was fast escalating out of control like usual. Despite Wisp’s blase attitude towards the ambush and Kimura’s
murder, he was right; Aer and Hiro could handle the tiny girl assassin themselves while the person who was throwing weapons around - or people who were throwing weapons around - needed to be taken care of.
“All right, Wisp,” Ashton said coldly, “Play with the weapon-thrower; Kimura needs to be avenged. I and Aerith will take cover behind...” He looked at a convenient tipped-over wagon. “That place.”
He then turned to Aerith and continued, “I don’t think we’d be useful here; the two of us are not trained fighters. Plus, I have a plan.”
The boy would then run off to the tipped-over wagon and hide behind it, gesturing for the older woman to do the same.
Should she not do so, he’ll just wait there. Should she listen, Ashton will reveal his plan.
“We are going to see whether Aer and Wisp are able to handle these assassins; I’d bet money that they would. Then, if they are able to, well, I have a theory about these resets that might be of use.” He paused.
“When we first came to this world, and when we first reset, it was in a completely different place - The Middle of the Merchant’s district, I think. There were two other people besides me and Yuuki as well; one Scandinavian and a Chinese-American.” Ashton then told Aerith about how Mono had killed them the first time and the attempt to run away after that, and how they had found Aer. He was starting to feel nervous, put forced himself through it anyway.
“T-then when we died after
that, we found ourselves in the Center Road, with you guys. And here’s what’s strange; the Scandinavian and the C-Chinese-American were
gone. G-granted, the former did run away, but the l-latter was with us. So I think that people get eliminated from the resets eventually.” Ashton then faced Aerith. His face was completely pale at this point. “A-And I think that’s g-going to happen to Yuuki if we reach a third checkpoint; he’s g-going to die permanently.”
Now to drop the bombshell, “S-So to prevent that, we need to kill ourselves as well once we see that Aer and Wisp can handle the fighting - or if they couldn’t - in order to trigger a-another reset. Otherwise, Kimura dies or disappears for real.”
“...We can’t know that for sure, Ashton. It’s one theory, but….at the same time if we keep repeating, i am not sure how long everyone can take it either. Just think how this time started off, of all things, with everyone...myself included...in a not-so-calm mood. Aerith could feel it well up in her chest as well. That gripping fear. But she forced herself to speak.
H-Hiro might not want to g-give up on killing the people who have...well, taken our lives more times than i ever w-wanted to experience in a lifetime. C-Chieko seems hellbent on her own ideas about things, a-and frankly Yuuki could have stuffed it. Even i won’t rest until we get these assholes dead and off our backs for good, b-because they seem to be after m-myself and H-Hiro….
…..b-but why are they after us???” Aerith seemed to take a brief pause as she stayed in the cover with Yuuki….at least for the moment being. To kill herself for this? Like hell she would, even though Ashton seemed to have some reasons for his beliefs on these restarts. But as much as he had his experiences, she did as well. They all did….and only now did her mind think back to the potential “why” of the situation.
”If we don’t f-find ways to consistently shape events in our favor, we could r-repeat a million times -tthinking back on things, there might be something that would make m-me and Hiro targets. B-Besides, suicide isn’t something I-I am going to be doing. I’ve had b-blades and f-fireballs and all the sorts t-take my life so far, i’m going out s-swinging if it comes down to it.
A-And...I-I think I have an idea w-why I and Hiro might be targets.
I-It wasn’t like even myself, Hiro, or C-Chieko openly talked about anything t-that…
….oh no.” The American girl seemed to go as pale as a sheet, as certain unpleasant memories came back into her mind. The first death, the first reset. What Ashton had described about his group’s experiences came to mind, dredging back up those unpleasant memories of what in reality was not too long ago. Aerith quickly, but as clearly as she could manage, described her, Hiro, and Chieko’s first experiences in this new world as well, as well as her realizations that had just hit her mind.
She, Hiro, Chieko, they had been killed on the road by bandits, and the moment they came back she had run off to try to warn Irene and Vasilis...and Hiro had run off with Chieko in tow in a similar haste. They had acted rashly about an event they never should have seen coming by all logical accounts, that they never should have had forewarning from. They had stood out like a sore thumb against everything else, the fabric of this day, in this world, at that time, playing their hand unknowingly in regards to information...all by saving the two knights. For anyone behind such an ambush plan...how could they have failed so splendidly out of the blue? If no one else knew anything, and lips had perhaps been kept shut tight, how could some strangers see what was going on before trained knights could?
Maybe...such strangers were people who were seeing the future? Divination, perhaps? This theory had more holes than a piece of Swiss cheese,
but she knew she was correct because she read was happening at the clinic. Two strangers exhibiting knowledge they didn’t have any knowledge of by any sensible means, in a world where magic was all over the place it seemed, such a thing made sense. Though it was a theory at best, albeit it made frightening sense. It would have made herself and Hiro targets for sure, and….even Chieko, potentially at least, though the chunni’s lack of death was an odd factor in this.
Fritzi back in the poorer area had commented on the matter of them avoiding the ambush there afterwards, before leaving. And if Fritzi was in on the plan...or at least with that group the assassins were in general, that made sense as well. The house cleaning isolated them from everyone else easily, whilst the cart the assassins had made “cleanup” of corpses easier. Fritzi could clean up the mess after.
But if herself and Hiro had survived, of course Donovan or something/someone planted at the clinic potentially could “fix” the issue of them being alive. Poison gas, everyone dying in the clinic but those in the know, a perfect setup for an “accidental bunch of deaths”.
”....I-If i am right, stupid theories and ‘evidence’ and all, then we are all going to be hunted until we get P-past this. Me and Hiro. And e-even then, I-I don’t know if w-we’d be safe if we got p-past far enough to have another p-point we all ‘reset’ to…
...R-Right now, we need to find that other assassin. B-Because if we can figure out who is who, maybe...ah, maybe we can do something about it next round,” the girl said as she was finishing her explanation to Ashton, biting her lower lip a bit as she kept behind the cover.
The world turned gray, just for a moment. Time seemed to stop for a few seconds at a time, and then, their nervousness in their chest disappeared. It was so brief, they both chose to ignore it.
Ashton nodded at that, then said, “It makes sense; the only objection is that it would have been better for t-them if they had kidnapped you in order to enslave you - slavery may or may not be legal here, and even if illegal is still possible - but that can be chalked up to them finding you too much of a threat to play around with. But even so, Fritzi… Why would she have taught you Magic the first time if she wanted to have you killed? And we all saw her falling prey to the candles as well when we got killed in Donovan’s clinic; that was an unnecessary exposure to danger.”
A purse of his lips. “And no, it doesn’t matter if she tolerated that better; she was still exposing herself to poison just like we were, and for all we know, she probably
did die that time. That’s the strongest argument against her being a culprit.”
He looked towards where Aer and Hiro were fighting the miniature assassin, and where Wisp was ‘playing’ with the weapons thrower, only wisp was not playing with the weapon’s thrower. He was laying on the ground, posed like a puppet that had all of its strings cut.When the aspiring veterinarian checked the cat boy’s pulse…
It appeared that talking about their powers for too long caused people who heard them to die. Ashton and Aerith were so wrapped up talking about their powers that they didn’t realise wisp was standing behind them the whole time. Did wisp think they were all going to go together and thus stuck around to listen to them? They wouldn’t find out the answer now. But if they wanted to help Aer and Hiro, they were going to have to do it themselves now.
The flying weapons came in vollies, and while they didn’t always come from the same area, they did always come from the same side of the street.
Ashton froze. “Oh no.” He looked at Aerith, “Oh, no, no, no! Wisp listened in, we felt that familiar fear that bound us whenever we talked about the mechanics of Isekai to a native, and then when we
ignored said fear…”
The boy looked at Aerith after giving her a few seconds to grasp the implications, “Aer will know that Wisp wasn’t killed by a weapon, and we’ll be suspects. Then we’ll die as well and hopefully trigger a reset.” He clenched his fists. “I don’t like being responsible for killing another person when said person is an
ally. We just killed an ally by our stupidity and by accident.”
A purse of his lips, “That said, though… Once we reset things so that we have
not killed another ally, friend, or otherwise innocent person - We’re
weaponizing this.”
As much as the fear was now gone...and the guilt over what happened to Wisp lingering a bit, Aerith’s former panic had been enough to get the adrenaline flowing some. Enough to keep a decent head with some effort, and then utter the first thing Ashton’s latest idea brought to her mind in full clarity:
”...I’m calling it: That is a very, very stupid idea.
You seem like a pretty smart guy, Ashton, but as you call me out for my Fritzi theory i think i need to call this out. We don’t know if what happened to Wisp here would work on enemies. For all we know, we’d be screwed over somehow, and after all we’ve all been through i don’t doubt it at this point.
For now...we need to try to deal with this weapon-throwing asshole as best as we can. If i and Hiro die, we get to group together again at least.
So...for the moment i’ll try to cover us if you follow my lead a bit. We can at least find a thing or two out, maybe...ah hell.” Having finished a brief bit of speaking, Aerith took a deep breath, looked out carefully at the situation with Hiro and the weapons-throwing and such….and then bolted like a bat outta hell. Her body, the threat of death looming over her, was pumping her muscles with hormones and adrenaline and all it could to get her moving as fast as she could. Along the way, a quiet call of “Shamak!” would come out of her lips one hand spewing out a cloud of black spores into the air to obfuscate her (and hopefully Ashton’s) positions a bit more.
Her destination? The other side of the street, to a nearby building where some more cover could be used.
Ashton followed, accepting Aerith’s idea; it seemed good enough, but he knew that he can and will try for a reset if given the chance.
The duo left Wisp's corpse and ran for a narrow alleyway. They didn't appear to be spotted, and if the volley of weapons flying over their head was any indication, their attackers did not seem to be aware that they were coming. Before emerging on the other side of the street, Aerith and Ashton cautiously looked out from the alleyway. Before them was the weapon thrower, siege master, assassin of Yukki. And what a terrifying sight they were.
The individual was covered head to toe in a black garb. Their hands were gloved, and the inside of their hood was as black as night. They had so few features they looked more like a silhouette that a person. The individual was tall and had broad shoulders, but not much else could be discerned.
The street they were looking into must have been near some of the weapon shops, because more people in brown cloaks were carting wheel barrels filled with weapons of all types into the street. As soon as they lined up on the road, they would drop onto their bellies and put their hands over their head. That was when the strange stuff happened...
The black robed figure would
vanish, and instantly appear beside one of the wheelbarrows before swinging their arm like a massive haymaker. This would cause the entire cart of weapons to launch its payload in a single salvo attack and rain weapons down in the street on the other side. Once a cart was empty, the brown cloaks would stand up and cart it off, presumably to fill it again. But there was always someone else returning with more weapons. It was impossible to tell how taxing this was on the mysterious individual, but they didn't seem to be attacking as fast as they could have been. Of course, they would run out of weapons
very quickly if they did, and they had at least a dozen carts ready to be fired like artillery.
”....Well, it’s a simple idea they have here, but...we need to shut this person down before they hit Hiro or Aer,” Aerith said quietly, to avoid being heard by anyone but Ashton, as she softly pulled back behind the corner where they were currently safe for the moment. Her brows furrowed in furtive thought, though after a few moments, she seemed to perk up again,
”Aha! We could just run a distraction, then! Maybe piss these guys off...or at least just the big one, and dip into the buildings around here to move around.” Stop the weapons fire, maybe it’d help Hiro and company a bit more. If they were still alive right now at least. However, Aerith silently looked to Ashton for his thoughts (or agreement) on what they should do. Frankly, she didn’t want to waste any more time than they had around Wisp...to an unintentionally fatal end at least.
Ashton nodded, then whispered, “Should I do a stereotypical kid-tackle from behind, or should you use that darkness thing again? I think the latter might be better.”
”I...if you do a tackle you will probably instantly die. Maybe. Honestly, i can puff out that spell again, and we start screaming and go different directions once they start following or something.
Main point is to get their attention...so let’s do this,” the darker-haired girl said, not the least bit confident underneath about this plan….but at face value and tone she was putting on the mask of total confidence (within reason).
It was a very silly plan.
She then leapt out of cover, and with a quick “Shamak!” sent out a dark spreading cloud of spores in the direction of the enemies. She then, much like a fool, began shouting insults and profanities at the baddies, waving her arms about like a fool. She would do it just enough to get attention and then bolt away. Honestly...it felt somewhat like a Monty Python skit from that one movie to her. However, she wasn’t too far from cover at least…albeit that was merely a small comfort in this cycle of constant death.
Ashton, meanwhile, shouted, “Hey, meddling little tyke here! Who wants to try their luck killing me?! I bet you don’t get paid enough to be part of a syndicate, right? Certainly not enough to kill kids!”
And with that, he would go down up a set of nearby stairs well away from Aerith.
The dozen-something bandits immediately took notice of the teenagers.
”Someone threw dust into the air!” ”It kind of looks like a spell!” ”I hear a woman's voice! I think she's mocking us!” ”I see a boy! He's definitely mocking us!” The bandits had proven to be quite organized in the past, but it seemed that they were woefully unprepared for the situation. They were rather close to the hero's district, which was one of the most well armed, anti-bandit places in the entire city. So naturally they gave chase, with a few people going after Aerith, some Ashton, and the rest were still confused as to what they should be doing. Fortunately none of them had any crossbows. The only weapons they brought were in those wheelbarrows.
Ashton made it a fair distance up the stairs, before something took hold of his neck. Before he had a chance to see what it was, he was cast backwards and road on a current of wind directly into his pursuers. The people behind them were quick to beat and apprehend him.
Before the boy was even yanked to his feet, The dark individual appeared in front of Aerith. Their appearance was so sudden that she had little time to avoid the incoming sucker punch. It dug in under the rib cage and squarely hit her stomach. Not only was Aerith robbed of breath, but she had to fight to keep the contents of her stomach down. Her only recourse was to sink to her knees. But in this position, she noticed that her attacker had platform shoes. A few moments later, the guards pulled Aerith to her feet.
The two had been captured rather swiftly, and the black cloak paced back and forth in front of them. Finally one of the bandits stepped in front of the two youth.
”Oy!” A middle aged man with matted cat ears addressed them.
”Wut you doin' round here?” Wind Magic, Ashton thought before he said, “I would like to ask you the same thing. We were just being escorted to get our papers when you guys suddenly ambushed us.”
”That be da point, boi!” The cat man poked Ashton.
”You humie folk think you can run the place! Ever since the war, all yuz been doing is bossin' around us poor demi folk.” He drew a knife out of his cloak and held it up to Ashton's neck.
”You's could all stand to feel a bit more fear...” The dark cloak abruptly appeared in front of Aerith, but said nothing. Even at this range, it was impossible to see the face of the one who attacked them. Perhaps it was waiting for some sort of response?
The cat man looked between the two.
”So what was ya doin' huh? Thought you could sabotage the entire operation by yaselves?” Demi-Humans. Victims of racism/speciesism and prejudice. Also, there was a recently concluded war? I must store this in my thoughts, Ashton thought as he prepared to make a mini-speech.
Don’t get cocky, but don’t cower, either; show the right amount of respect for your enemy’s capabilities. “We were acting in self-defense, actually,” Ashton said. “Your operation killed one of my friends by accident - the small boy with the large bag - and we thought that attacking you first would take off the pressure off the ones escorting us so that they can beat the mystery assassin they are fighting more easily, then come rescue us.” He faced the Cat-man, “But to be honest, we did not know how much you and your peoples have suffered in the war; we are strangers from a faraway country where Demi-humans are a rarity.”
He purses his lips, “For all it’s worth; I am sorry that you suffered under the hands of humanity, and I am sorry too that we had to attack you. But another child lies dead because of the weapons your captain threw at us and the people escorting us, and I ask you, do more children need to die in the name of revenge? Will our deaths actually make things better?”
….Aerith had no words for Ashton. A flowery speech to some demi-human thugs, who were already intent on killing them. To her, it was a more foolish idea than her wanting them to play diversionary tactics….and his willingness to GET them killed was nothing short of stupid in her mind. They had so much to try to do, at least, before they just...gave up!
Aerith let out a small sigh after Ashton was done speaking, noticeably exasperated and lightly frustrated. As much as she wanted to be calm, they could die at any time. That much was true. But she...had an idea, if Ashton could follow along. Albeit, not try to make a total 180 from what he had just done unless he wanted death again quickly.
At least they knew a bit more about this city’s situation, somewhat.
”...Honestly, i don’t come from a nation where anyone has ever seen a demi. And I don’t know what your lives have been like.
But then I came here.
After seeing the conditions demi folk live in, I frankly don’t agree with how they are being treated. Hell, if I can help you all somehow, that would be pretty great. Just please don’t kill me or the other two that are fighting, and I’ll come along with you all without a fuss.
The only thing i haven’t liked since suddenly arriving here, is almost being killed a few times over. Though to be fair, it’s not like you all have reasons to trust a human, much less me or this other guy here who couldn’t swing a sword to save his life.” Aerith said, keeping it simpler, she hoped, than Ashton’s binge as she put a genuine tone in her words.
Truly, she wouldn’t blame people in a bad situation for doing what they could...she empathized with them a bit. But preventing the reset for as long as she could, and if that meant getting more intel by some or any means, was her priority. And maybe, on the slimmest possible chance, she could get Hiro and Aer to not be dead.
”Oi? Ya still up on the babe killing nonsense? At lleast the lass has the common sense ta pretend ta be appreciative.” the wolf man chuckled. But he stopped immediately when the cloaked figure placed their hand on the wolf's shoulder.
”War is not a pretty thing.” When the black cloak spoke, their voice was being greatly distorted. It was unclear if it was magic, their outfit, or something else. But it sounded unnatural.
”And now that the war is over, the violence should stop. But the humans continue to oppress us. We continue to live in slums among their poor, while the wealthiest of them hide in the upper layers of society. They don't kill us with bladed weapons, but through starving us, denying us life saving medicine, and turn us into villains when we dare take enough to survive.” ”Heh! Dat's our leader, silver tongue n' everythin'.” The dark cloak approached the weapons.
”If you want to help us, then you will do nothing. All Hiro has to do is dodge this next volley. If he can do so, then all of you can join us.” They raised their hand, and every last weapon flew over the wall. The sky was turned black with sharpened steel.
During the fight on the other side, Chiyo's knife seemed to magically rebound and wound up in Aer's leg. The adventurer had limited mobility, and the poison was making it harder to stay alert as time went on. Naturally, her magic was also weaker.
”Hiro...” But she didn't have to say anything. Everyone could see the hundreds of metal objects glistening in the sun. It almost looked like a giant mass of dragon scales was ready to descend on them. Aer raised her hands over her head and did her best to shield from the incoming blows, but there were so many. She couldn't make the shield big enough, and Hiro was too far away. Even with the wall of ice, the weapons were able to pick away at it until a few came crashing through. The head of a mace dislocated her shoulder, and a spear flew through her stomach. Not a lethal blow, but between the poisoned dagger and this, she wasn't going anywhere. Aer turned to try and find Hiro, but he was nowhere to be seen. By the point, the weapons were covering the street, and the only person who was still visible was Chiyo. It seemed that the weapons had swerved to avoid her.
”Hiro... is dead?” Aer sunk to the ground. Her gaze was empty.
I couldn't even save one... Not even one. Aer fell onto her side before uttering her last words.
“What a useless life, all I could ever do was take things.” Hiro crawled out of the pile of weapons, but there was nothing left of him. The falling weapons had cut him down to his elbows and knees. The dark cloak stepped out into the street with Ashton and Aerith in tow behind them.
”No!” They fell to ne knee.
”This isn't possible! All of the sources said...” And then, Hiro expired, and the world froze over in a gray film.
Center road, The Golden Quarter, Priestella
The group had uncovered a lot of information, which they promptly shared on their restart.
~ Quill was called in by Donovan, and couldn't help the other bandits. In fact she tried to leave, putting on the same outfit she wore when she attacked the peppin's house group.
~ The bandits are after people who are “Clairvoyant,” and they believe Hiro's ability with this power is the strongest.
~ Wind magic can be used to cure incense poising from Donovan's candles.
~ Chiyo and the bandits attacked on Aer's route this time, proving that they are likely picking the group that has Hiro in it.
~ The bandit leader, or at the very least, the leader of that particular group of bandits, is an unnamed figure in a black cloak, who uses powerful wind magic and can teleport. The limitations of their power are unknown.
~ The cloak they wore concealed an unnatural amount of their features, but Aerith noticed they were wearing platform shoes. She was pretty sure they would be shorter than her without them.
~ Aerith and ashton were pretty sure they never saw the cloaked person before now.
With all of this knew knowledge in hand, maybe they had everything they needed to turn the tables. Now that they knew a bit about how the bandits operated, they might be able to trap them. The only real mystery left was that they didn't know who the bandit leader was. Perhaps that would reveal itself in time.
”Youhoo, Hiro!” Fritzi leaned over the counter of Mile's emporium, waving a bag in the air.
”Would you like some complementary shoooooooes?”GM NOTE: you guys might find it easier to discuss tactics in the discord server before enacting a plan IC.
GM NOTE X2: For a small fee of 5.99$ a month for the rest of your life, you could get these same posts with better proof reading. It's not a lot of money, and you'll be helping indie devs like myself who can't get hired by AAA companies.
1x Laugh
