220 amas, Heirloom Halberd, cloak, set of leather armor/clothes
The journey proved to be a quickly paced one, which Bardulf had no issue with really. Fast and subtle movements were his forte and he would likely be sticking to the edge of the treeline should anyone appear outside of their group again, not wanting to repeat his earlier mistake. He appreciated that there was one more in their group even if she did somewhat cause Bardulf's inner beast to re-surface. But she had no way of knowing that, it wouldn't be fair to hold a grudge against her for it and she proved herself capable of rectifying the mistake easily enough. He appreciated her kind disposition, but her more outgoing nature did certainly startle Bardulf on occasion.
As they approached the city, Bardulf stood and stared for awhile as he took in the scenery. He had to remind himself to keep walking as he observed the tall buildings, the properly cut and developed paths, the over abundance of people. There was so much activity in this one square of the world he could hardly believe it. The most people he had seen at once was maybe 1,000. This city dwarfed that number handedly. Bardulf took note of the statue that Mister Luum pointed out, however, as he recalled hearing about this King Zanithel. If his quest was to be fulfilled, this would be the one he would have to kill, maim, or usurp in some way shape or form. Well, him and his pack of course.
Mister Luum presented an interesting offer, albeit terrifying considering the implications of having to go into such a denseley populated area. Bardulf did want to acquire some supplies for hunting, but to do it among so many people. His anxiety began to bubble ever so slightly, but also his sense of reason warned him against the dangers of being spotted in such a densely populated city. "Uhm...Would it be safe for me to be around here? If there's this many people wouldn't they.....recognize me?" He walked up to Mister Luum and said in a faint whisper while making sure his cloak hid his face exceedingly well. "I wouldn't mind some....hunting supplies but...I can always wait for a smaller town." He continued to stammer on as he waited to see what the others would say.
Bardulf journeyes to Roshmi with everyone, and is immediately frightened by the scope of such a large city, having been around small villages all his life. He asks Mister Luum and the group if it would be wise for him to travel in the city with so many people, yet does mention he would like some hunting supplies.
As the massive green orc charged towards her, a fierce determination washed over Amisra. She didn't flinch in the face of danger; instead, she met his enraged gaze head-on, a wicked grin spreading across her lips. The orc's threats only fueled her resolve.
"Aww, you think I’m pretty?" Amisra retorted with a teasing tone, a hand pressing to her chest in mock surprise. "Such a big strong man, got me all hot and bothered!" In a swift and agile move, she dodged the orc's first swing, her lithe body easily evading his attack. With a burst of speed, she sprinted past him, her nimble form barely grazing his side. As she ran, she reached out, grabbing under his arm and using the momentum to swing around his back.
In one fluid motion, Amisra wrapped her legs around the orc's neck, locking them tightly as she used her weight and momentum to bring him crashing down to the ground. The impact reverberated through the alley, causing the surrounding debris to shake.
With the orc pinned beneath her, Amisra's legs remained coiled around his neck, holding him in place. She grinned triumphantly, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "See men are usually begging me to crush their heads between my thighs, you should feel honored right now to be where you’re at." She taunted, her voice filled with confidence. She then risked a moment to take her eyes off of him to see how the others were doing. “Thanks Tan!” She said as she blew him a kiss, her overconfidence likely to be her downfall.
Equipment: White Haori, Gauravian luck charm bracelet, Steel Chainshirt of Deflection (3 uses per day), Disguise ring
Gaurav
The situation had become far more intense than the grizzled wolf intended, but who could blame him for not expecting everyone to react so strongly. Hearing each of them complain or complain until their voices blended together into one massive grating headache.* Curses abounds! Bunch of overreacting brats, guess getting them privacy to rest while we keep watch and this the thanks we get?* Snorting at the thought, though who could predict such an intense reaction especially from the thorn wielding fairy who at the mere notion of being detained nearly set her off had the others, the brother particularly not intervened.
Just as Ulyses was on the verge of losing his temper; ready to give the group a good talking to, when Menzai's words broke through with silence following suit. (a godsend for his sanity's sake)
" As is apparent, the group are all in agreement..." Grimaced Menzai, his face etched with effort as his sole right arm weakly works to hold him up. Taking a deep breath, the pain of doing so burning his lungs." Since they have aided in the city's protection and approvals of Sir Darius, Dante surely too were he conscious. As such, I see no reason, I...shall take them under the guardian's charge.." Nearly collapsing at the end, saying nothing else.
Between both wolves a clear understanding the situation was done with...at least for the time being.
A relief and a blessing given by the uttering of those words leadin to the bearded giant letting loose an obvious sigh." Right then. Jin, I'd say that should work well enough as a report to settle those stubborn pricks?" He scowled in a sarcastically yet playful way.
" That is correct, sir. All that remains now is to send word back to the village and work on the remains of the Roc."
A boisterous laugh bellowed from the huge man slapping his belly like a drum." You heard the lad! Jin, have Thross and Cho make for the village to start calmin down the folks and should keep the elders satisfied while the group rests. The rest of you lot, get to work on the bird, no point lettin such a grand treasure go to waste." Giving a shrill whistle of his lips and in a quick flurry the canine observers vanished to do as ordered.
A heavy thud echoed out once more, similar to last time, but somewhat heavier as Ulyses had let it simply drop against a nearby knocked down tree." Now that my *duty* has been satisfied, you all can relax and do as you what." A lazy dismissive wave of his mighty arm as his huge body plopped down against the huge axe, slipping a thin bottle from his waist pouch intending to take a load off and enjoy his long disturbed daily drinking picnic.
A rest sadly cut short by the very infuriating pup that both let things get this bad and put a stop to it, who would go on to make a request of him. One he might normally refused had Menzai not been looking at him with such sincerity in his eyes.
" Thank you, Ulysus. I know this whole..farce was annoying, but still thanks are owed and an apology. For I wish to ask you to..to carry me to the roc's head." Panted out the tired wolf.
Being asked such a thing after all this, but..but..* How could I bloody refuse..damn ya..ya.. sweet Phi* Even internally he couldn't bring himself to insult or be mad at a fairy as sweet yet fierce as she." Ah, blasted hell! If any of ya got somethin to say to the pup then get on with it and be quick about it!" He barked out of agitation while working on getting back on his feet which as you one can expect proved a bit of a struggle for a man his size.
Time: Morning Location: Port Vanarosa Interactions/Mentions: Tanithil @Lava Alckon, Amisra @Tae, Arlen @SilverPaw, & Thugs @princess Equipment: A set of sturdy clothing, a dagger, the wonky ring of disguise that enlarges the ears of the user, and his dog tags.
The moment Ismael felt his foot connect with a solid thud to the fairy's chest, he shot his foot down and quickly threw his cloak open to retrieve his dagger. Taking it into his hand he was about to chase after the fairy yet he felt his feet seem to almost be planted into the ground. He looked down to see vines were beginning to climb up them, yet before they could fully take hold it seemed the fairy lost concentration and gave Ismael a chance to leap out of the vines. Once his feet planted from his leap back, he noticed the fairy beginning to rise up, leaving him with none other than the leader of the group.
Ismael flipped the knife in his hand and moved to an icepick grip before picking out his target, as he rushed forward, Ismael tried and clear the distance between him and the leading elf before he could pull a gun. The moment Ismael is within range he will go to slice the man's chest with his knife, but he is instead using the motion of the cut as a feint. Ismael will instead continue the cutting motion and allow his body to follow it into a spin where he will do a head kick to the man.
Ismael uses the fairy's lack of focus to leap out and then head to the only person who had no opponent and decided to fight him.
Ismael does a slash at the man's chest, but it was a feint to do a spinning head kick to the leading elf's head.
"Idiots that take pride in a war one without any." Rowan remarked as he stretched a bit, preparing his muscles for more sparing and training to come. "Say friend, I see a blade there at your side, yet you speak of observing. Care to warm those muscles up a bit while we wait for my companions instead?"
Rowan reached down and grabbed the two fair sized sticks that they had been using earlier so as to not risk injury before he deemed Zora fit for the blades. After some slight flourishes and twirls of the sticks, he offered one to the Orc, who was currently reeling in a fish.
"The name is Rowan, Rowan Dyewynn. Veteran of the Dark Elf war, trainer and mildly disgruntled babysitter. Pleased to meet you, sir...?" He stood straight as he introduced himself until the end of his minor speech where a weary sag befell his shoulders.
Stickling the stick into the ground of the soft bank for the Orc if he decided to participate in his warm-up, he retreated farther into the clearing. He settled his bow securely onto his back so it would stay in place but be readily available if needed and began the sow, deliberate motions of the basic elven sword forms. Like an elegant ballet of twists, bends, thrusts and occasional leaps, he moved with absolute determination and focus. As usual it did not take long for him to begin to feel the warmth of the exercise seep into his body, garnering a thin sheen of sweat, nagging at him to remove his shirt and practice as he normally would. Alas, in the presence of such a stranger and the impending arrival of his sister, he refrained and continued as he had begun.
The party's warnings fell on deaf ears, and the thugs decided to attack regardless. Well, if that’s how it’s gonna be. The battle began to unfold, his allies sowing chaos beneath. Words exchanged were muted this far up, but he could still hear the fairy insult him.
Say whatever you like… Still, a sharp glint entered Arlen’s eyes. As if the flier could speak when he was trying to hide too. He’d show the thug; coward or not, he would be the one to make it out in the end.
From behind a chimney, he tracked the fairy as he melded into the shadows. But the blonde was no dark elf. He was hidden well enough to prevent an accurate shot, true. But his guns weren’t his only means of attack. As soon as the fairy hid, and before the other guy found him, Arlen prepared and launched a series of small light blasts at him. This should blind the fairy, and while the thug was disoriented, the light elf fired at him once more.
However, his opponent would now know where he was. Provided he survived his first attack of opportunity, the fairy could easily find him; there weren’t many good ways to hide now that they were both above. Of course, Arlen still made note of each such spot, both on this roof and of those from the nearby buildings.
But his main course of action now would be to close the distance before the fairy recovered, and either finish him off quick or else try and get another attack in while the thug was at a disadvantage. “Let’s dance, pretty boy!” he taunted once close enough. He’d secured his other weapons, and withdrawn his two daggers. With so little space to maneuver, the shorter blades would work best.
Sees the fairy hide, attacks him with light blasts. Shoots at the thug with a pistol, then closes the distance into melee with his daggers.
Time: Morning Location: River Port Interactions: Malachi @princess Zion @Helo Jun @jj doe Kenia @Tae Mentions: Equipment: Magical Grimoire
"Yes, however much to my dismay, these are onions. Horribly overcooked too, I might add. The slimy texture is making it hard to pull them out." Enstille remarked as he focused intently on the onions, not noticing Zion offering him his fork. These gross, icky onions were going to leave their slimy remnants and ruin these eggs at this rate."
Suddenly, he realized that he had spoken to someone and paused. Who was that? Why are they speaking to him? Oh no, what did he say? Was he rude? Were they rude? Why can't he remember what just happened? Too focused on the onions it seemed. These slimy criminal onions that are conspiring to ruin his meal. He must remove them. If only he had a fork to do so, it would be so much easier when using the proper tools for the job. Fork. Fe needs a fork. FORK! He has one! Where was it? Enstille looked around him for his fork and eventually raised his eyes to see if he left it elsewhere, just to nearly loose one of said eyes to the very utensil he pursued.
"Ahhh!!" The curt scream escaped his lips from the surprise proximity of what he now considered to be far more lethal than he had ever imagined. "I'm sorry, that was rude. Were you the one that talked to me earlier? What did I say? I wasn't rude was I? Unless you were rude, then I find myself not caring too much about it. Do you like onions? I have an abundance on my plate that I wish to dispose of."
Finally, Enstille's mind caught up with his mouth as he realized he was rambling to this man..... Blood drained from his face, blanching his already pale features. In an attempt to reconcile the atrocity he had just committed, he took the hand that offered the fork in both his hands and retrieved the fork with his mouth. That's what forks were used for right? This isn't weird, right? RIGHT? Oh no, this is weird, sooooooo weird. He needs to salvage this, make things less weird.
Enstille let go of Zion's hand and grabbed the fork, clearing his throat, before continuing to speak, ignoring the voice inside him screaming at all of it.
"Hi," He addressed the woman that has inserted herself into their breakfast. "Are we supposed to know you? Considering our "Special Circumstances."" He pointedly turned his gaze first to Zion for confirmation, before redirecting it pointedly at the human currently locked in low conversation with Malachi.
Time: Morning Location: Southwest of Roshmi City Interactions: Rue@Potter, Bardulf@Lava Alckon, Bridgette@Tae, Mister Luum@FunnyGuy, and Zeva@Pink Khione Equipment:Sword, hunting knife, a backpack with supplies, and a stoat named Raze who naps in the pocket of his vest.
With a deep sigh and an eye roll that he didn’t bother to hide, Bowyn only watched Luum continue trying to sell that this was all just one big heroic adventure. If Zeva bought it, that was her problem. Either way, the only thing Bowyn was making his problem, was ensuring Zeva didn’t sell them out the second they stepped foot in Roshmi City. Heading into such a highly populated city was already enough to set him on edge; too many dark elves there and at least half of their party had bounties on their heads, not to mention the human.
Bowyn looked from Luum, who had offered to train Zeva in light magic, to Zeva who declined the offer. He looked as if he had something to say about that, but only made a disapproving grunt before heading back over to Rue and Bardulf. If he’d seen anything in Zeva worth calling an ally it had vanished. If the young elf truly grasped the severity of what they faced she would not turn down strengthening her arsenal so quickly. Luum had invented her, so Luum could play babysitter.
The rest of the walk to Roshmi was uneventful, and soon the eyesore that was a large statue of Zanithel cast its oppressive shadow over the group. “A majestic lion or steadfast turtle would be an improvement over that ugly mug.” He muttered, eyeing the statue. As Mister Luum suggested splitting up he turned to Rue and dropped his voice to a whisper. “If we’re splitting up, at least one of us should keep an eye on Zeva.” There was no guarantee she wouldn’t turn them all in the first chance she got and it wasn’t worth the risk.
Bowyn lifted the hood of his cloak to better hide his own face as Bardulf voiced his concern. “Hood up, head down. Keep those weird ears hidden and act like your better than everyone, most folks should just assume you’re an elf. You might be able to snag a cheap disguise ring on the black market too.” He advised the human, but Bowyn didn’t sound entirely confident. It seemed too big a risk to send the human into a large, heavily occupied city just for a day of shopping and lounging around.
Time: Morning Location: Forest; Near Gaurav Village Interactions: Viola@13org, Phia@princess, Darius@FunnyGuy, Dante@Alivefalling, Menzai@samreaper Equipment: A pack with some supplies, seeds (in his pockets), a small knife, a mask that hangs from his belt, a weapon with a shifting charm that is either a sickle or a glaive, and a shield/drum with an unbreakable charm.
“We will not be prisoners.” Cyrus nodded his absolute agreement toward Viola. It seemed likely that the situation would continue to escalate, and Cyrus too would choose to fight over losing freedom. Ulysus seemed unwilling to listen to those around him until the wolf who had lost an arm spoke up. Cyrus watched as the smaller, injured, wolf commanded the larger wolf’s attention. He nodded slowly; this was good, the one they would need to talk to seemed less hostile than the rest of the demi-wolves here.
“The one who lost an arm seems to be in charge, and he is close to Ophelia,” He quietly pointed out to Viola. “When he is feeling better, I think he is the one to ask about Phia. What do think about the other two?” He looked over to Dante and Darius. “Not elves, elves don’t pull hands up from the earth, can’t make dust storm or rocks fly…” He added, but he did not ask anyone other than Viola, it didn’t seem like something that should be questioned and discussed too openly. The only thing he could think of to explain their strange magic was something that hadn’t existed on Avalia for a very long time if the old human tales were to be believed.
He studied his older sister, wondering what she thought of encountering nearly forgotten heroes from myths. He looked back at his younger sister and wondered how she’d found herself in such strange company. All that wondering, all that uncertainty brought into focus how far they’d all been pulled apart. There was once a time when he wouldn’t have needed to wonder these things, and now he would have to question a strange to better know who his own sister was.
But a couple of weeks ago he wasn’t sure he had any family left, and now Cyrus had the chance to get to know two of his sisters, so he smiled in a torn-up forest surrounded by so many broken trees.
Time: Morning Location: River Interactions: Rowan @GingerBobOh Mentions: None Equipment: Longsword and Plate Armor "Rough." Barrock replied plainly to the mention of Rowan's participation in the dark elf war. It was the most sympathy he didn't think he'd be giving out to a random stranger, but being one himself, albeit not really participating for any righteous fervor, he knew firsthand life at the other end of a spearpoint. But it was somewhat undercut by him just forgetting Barrock's name just after he just announced it.
"Barrock." He gritted his teeth to conceal his annoyance, but left a very curt response to it.
Rowan proceeded to retreat further into the clearing after offering Barrock an opportunity to join his 'warm-up'. The orc's eyebrows perked. Warm-up huh? Was he just offered an opportunity to fight? A reasonable justification? With natural vigour giving rise inside him, Barrock looked at where Rowan had left him. Grabbing the blade near him along with his belongings, the Orc followed the footsteps. The clunky footsteps catching up with the light elf matched his growing skepticism that slowly caught up with his hotheaded desire for combat. The elf wasn't offering a spar, was he?
Seeing the elf practicing alone, that seemed quite likely.
God damn it...
Now that he showed up, he could not simply chicken out now.
Barrock kept a bit of composure as he dropped his belongings on the ground with the same energy as a little girl trying hard not to sit on the flower she loved. He did get a bit of calm back after grabbing hold of his blade though. It would simply be a training session, that's all, just with this guy here to watch.
The Orc's form was one of might, but at the same time exuberating a great degree of calm and self-control. The long hilted, long bladed sword often came close to a mighty swing that would have sliced through any weak material in its way, but it would stop and switch directions with great agility. Often, as he was yet to get used to having a partner-of-training. Normally he would be a lot more precise.
Time: Breakfast time! Location: River Port; Malachi’s mom’s house Interactions: Malachi@princess, Jun@JJ Doe, Enstille@GingerBobOh, Kenia@Tae Equipment: A halberd, (always with him) hunting knife, and half-plate armor (left in the room).
Zion’s ears twitched at the sudden scream from Enstille, a confused wrinkling of lines around his eyes and forehead followed as the elf moved to chomp down on the fork while Zion still held it. Elves certainly had strange customs, but Zion only let go of the fork and patted Enstille on the shoulder.
“You are full of surprises. But not rude, and I hope I have not been either. We just agreed that onions in the eggs were a very gross addition.” Zion flashed a toothy smile, Enstille was trying not to be rude, putting far more effort into the endeavor than Malachi, and Zion was just happy to see someone else make an effort. He noticed Kenia was also picking out the onions.
“We can leave all the unwanted onions on a plate for Malachi since he wishes to repel everyone from him, this will help.” Zion suggested and his eyes moved from the two elves to the now unattended spray bottle Malachi had left behind. Zion was firmly against the spritzing of the skittish Jun, being dosed with water was a step too far, it instinctually agitated the cat. He could just hide it from Malachi…
Kenia, who he learned had multiple homes, asked about his time in River Port. "River Port is a delightful city, the sun is a constant companion here, makes for excellent weather for training. And the food, best Sarelion in all of Avalia.” Zion answered, his stomach roared at the thought of the grilled fish, he still needed to grab his breakfast. His attention returned to the spray bottle that perched perilously near a table’s edge. Without even realizing it, the lion had slowly moved closer to the bottle.
He knew he really should leave Malachi’s stuff alone but feline instinct seized hold. He lifted a mighty paw, one sift motion and the lion had swatted the spray bottle from where it sat to the floor where it skittered a path across the kitchen. Malachi’s spray bottle now lay in pieces scattered about the kitchen floor surrounded by a puddle of spilled water. Zion grinned to himself, almost as if he’d swiped a bird down from the sky. He could clean that up later, now it was time for breakfast.
"This is Malachi's neighbor," Zion told Enstille, not sure what to say about 'special circumstances', but he did know he couldn't just tell Kenia they were training a human. "I doubt Kenia wants to hear about Jun's adventurer training. The fella that ran into you earlier, he's still city-soft and we are helping him with that." Zion offered as close to the truth as he could while he built up a plate of eggs, minus the onions, and breakfast meats.
Time: Morning Location: Forest near Guarav Village Interactions: Cyrus @Helo, Ophelia @princess, Dante @FunnyGuy Darius @Samreaper Menzai Equipment:
Cannot break or become dull.
243 Amas
Despite the clear attempts from one of the strange 'elves' and even Ophelia herself to defuse the situation, Viola's expression didn't change. Nodding at Cyrus' firm words as he also said they wouldn't be made prisoners, Viola kept the protective perimeter the vines formed around them, with the vines ready to strike if Ulysses or his subordinated advanced.
While seeing Ophelia put herself in front of Cyrus and her did make Viola feel a bit better, the situation still didn't let her lower her guard. That was at least until the wolf who had lost his arm spoke up with a commanding voice, ordering for Ulysses and the others to stand down.
Despite being gravely wounded, it seems he was still the one in command and as soon as he spoke up, the other wolves followed, backing down despite their complaints. To think that they, which were nothing more as mere obstacles to Viola, had the audacity to complain despite their actions made her very annoyed, but due to their connection with Ophelia and also wanting to avoid creating any more problems to her brother, she ended up retracting the Blood Rose's thorns, although it did take a good few seconds longer after the wolves backed down though.
As the rose's thorns retracted, once again embracing Viola's body, thin droplets of blood could seen rolling down from the holes the rose had left earlier, marking her immaculately white skin with thin crimson lines before the vines returned to gently apply pressure to them.
"Definitely not elves. Not with those powers..." Viola said, agreeing with Cyrus as she glanced towards the brothers, analyzing them for a good few seconds before she turned back to her brother.
While Viola did not say a word more, it would be clear to her brother to imagine what she was thinking. Cypress knew how difficult it was for Viola to trust others, how her time at Daka Island made her see shadows lingering at every turn and suspect everyone who approached her. Even if they truly were the beings told on stories of long ago, capable of changing the very course of history with the powers they wielded... Even if they interceded for them and spoke on their defense in front of the other wolves... It was still too early for Viola to completely trust them.
"The wounded wolf... Do you think he will trust us enough to talk about... 'Phia'?" Viola asked as she looked towards Cypress, using the name her sister seemed to call herself now.
Time: One week after Zora arrived into Avalia. Location: Riverbloom, Daisy Bakery Interactions: Aurora @mole, Barrock @Conscripts, Rowan @GingerBobOh Mentions:
Soon after her small talk with Aurora, both of them made their way to the forest where Rowan went earlier. Even though Zora had agreed that they should at least try to understand each other if they were going to work together, she wasn't really looking forward trying to put some sense in Rowan's head... Especially how intent he seemed to be in 'controlling' and 'molding' her to his wishes. Regardless of how annoying the situation was, unless Zora was willing to try her luck around Avalia by herself instead of continuing with Rowan and Aurora, she would have to at least reach an agreement with Rowan.
Arriving at the small clearing Rowan went before, Zora noticed that both the elf and the orc were sparring against each other and instead of interrupting, she simply sat down on a tree root and waited. For a few minutes, Zora did nothing but watch as both of them sparred against each other, noticing how wildly different their fighting styles was and how they moved and reacted to each other's moves. When it finally appeared they were finished, finally stood up and approached them.
"One's fighting style is more than the training they received. It often is influenced by their personalities and their experiences, both in combat and in their life. It was quite fun to watch, both of you sparring, I mean." Zora said as she approached them, greeting the orc with a discreet nod.
"The act of sparring is not that different from a debate or a conversation to be honest. At it's essence, sparring is the acknowledgement and exchange of said experiences through one's blade... or their very fists instead of just words. Regardless of the means this 'conversation' happens, respect is necessary." Zora continued, clearly referring to the previous argument she and Rowan had.
"If we are to travel together, Rowan, regardless of our differences, we need to respect one another. Respect and acknowledge each other's experiences, choices and who they are. To learn with one another instead of seeing yourself as being 'superior' and try to 'mold' the other to be what they see as being 'better'. Don't you agree?" Zora finished, looking directly into Rowan's eyes with a serious expression, waiting for his reply.
The short dark elf grinned, seeing the gun fall to the floor. He hadn’t hesitated much, however and moved forward with Tanithil, however, and had slashed his knives toward him once more. Before he could notice if he had struck him or not, his vision darkened as a blob of dark magic latched itself onto his face. It took him by surprise but after a moment or so, the dark elf wretched the magic off his face and glared at Tanithil with fury.
With his confidence undeterred, the dark elf lunged at Tanithil once again, his blades aimed with deadly intent. His attack was merciless and he seemed confident he had him this time.
Meanwhile, the orc grunted, “You won’t be pretty when I’m done with you.” He was pretty embarrassed to have been put on the ground by the small woman, but he knew how to put an overconfident bitch back in her place. He reached his big hands up to grab her thighs and squeezed them tight in his hands as she had averted her gaze. With superior strength, he squeezed as hard as he could then moved with intent to crush her femurs and fling her into the wall as he rose up to his feet.
The fairy staggered under the onslaught of the blinding light blasts, momentarily disoriented by the intense brightness. As he looked down, a sharp realization pierced through the haze. He had been struck in the abdomen by a bullet, the searing pain gnawing at his flesh. He clutched his wounded side, feeling the warm, sticky blood on his trembling hand.
Narrowing his eyes with a mixture of fury and desperation, he directed his glare towards Arlen behind the chimney, his voice trembling with anger as he yelled, "You will pay for this, light elf scum!" Despite the potentially mortal wound, determination fueled his every move as he propelled himself forward, wielding a black sword drawn from the sheath on his hip. The fairy now closing the distance, the taste of revenge on his lips, determined to end this once and for all by beheading the elf who had caused him such pain.
Finally came the leading dark elf, who had not anticipated Ismael closing in on him so quickly and had sustained a slice across his chest and ripped his shirt. As crimson droplets fell down from the fabric, the dark elf's scowl deepened. However, he knew the black-haired elf had made a grave mistake. With narrowed eyes, he managed to dodge the next incoming slices, stepping around him with ease and precision. It was when Ismael moved to spin that he had the opportunity to conjure a decent size orb of dark magic and propel it at him just as his foot had been about to connect with his skull. The sudden force would be enough to push Ismael back and send a feeling of dread through the young man.
This also would give him a moment to draw his gun.
Time: Morning Location: River Port Interactions: Zion @Helo, Enstille @GingerBobOh Mentions: Malachi @princess, Jun @JJ Doe Equipment:
Kenia couldn't help but find Enstille's behavior peculiar, but she admired his effort to be polite and his determination to avoid the dreaded onions. She gave him a reassuring smile, trying to put him at ease despite his apparent discomfort. She also took note of his mention of ‘special circumstances’, having a feeling he might be easy to get to slip up about things. She’d worry about that later, however, as she needed to keep up the face of a curious and friendly neighbor.
"Oh, don't worry, you haven't been rude at all. In fact, I find your honesty quite refreshing," she said with a chuckle while watching the odd way he took the fork from Zion. What an interesting creature he was. "And yes, those onions do seem to be causing quite a bit of trouble, don't they? Let's just make a pile of them as Zion suggested and keep them far away from our plates."
As she continued to listen to Zion's description of River Port, she couldn't help but notice the playful glint in his eyes as he suggested leaving the onions for Malachi. It was evident that Zion had a mischievous side, and she found herself smiling at his playful nature. She had a feeling that they were going to get along rather splendidly. Even as he went and did quite the curious thing of knocking off the spray bottle, she thought this.
"The weather and food of River Port are honestly my favorite parts about it. Have you tried the cheesy tuna sandwich at Seafood Sensations yet? I don’t know what makes it so delightful as it’s such a simple sandwich, but damn it’s good…" she replied, genuineness in her voice. It definitely wasn’t a lie that she adored River Port, finding it’s quaint and homely atmosphere rather refreshing. Zion then reintroduced her to Enstille as Malachi’s neighbor and Kenia realized the man likely missed her introduction earlier when he panicked and ran.
“Oh yes! I tried introducing myself earlier to you, but I believed I spooked you. I do apologize for that. I’m Kenia, just wishing to be a friendly neighbor and don’t with to impose on your ‘special circumstances.’” She introduced herself once more with a soft smile. Her attention then turned back to Zion upon mention of Jun going through adventure training.
“Oh so you’re a group of adventurers? How exciting! I’ve done a bit of adventuring in my life and honestly miss it. I remember how tough it was starting out as well. The poor guy is probably overwhelmed.” Kenia decided to approach the topic with a gentle curiosity, not wanting to pry too much but genuinely interested in learning more about them all.
Time: Morning Location: Gaurav Village Interactions: Menzai @samreaper, Cyrus @Helo, Ophelia @princess and Viola [13org] Equipment: 2 shot glasses, 1036 Amas total, Flowers from Phia, Dante’s cellphone, and Dante’s knife
Dante stopped for a moment as Menzai had spoken up to cease the quarreling. He looked down at his brother who was supporting his body from collapsing due to his dazed condition. “You will not tell me what to do, bro. I am older and you know what that means. I am wiser. I’m fin..” His words trailed off, slurred by the impact of his condition, and he leaned heavily on his brother before finally sinking to his knees.
“Jeez, come on.” Darius complained. He looked down at Dante who was in such a sorry state, and decided to shift his attention from the conversation between the others. He sighed before crouching down and helping Dante up by getting his shoulder under his arm while supporting Dante's back. “Let's get up, my wise old brother,” Darius joked, yet his expression remained unamused.
Once up, Darius watched as the confrontation died down. It made Darius realize just how much weight Menzai's words carried in Gaurav Village.
“So we avoided a second fight. Good.” Darius was glad he could at least find relief in this, however, he very much avoided looking directly at Menzai. He just couldn't bring himself to do it. Instead, he looked at the three fairies. “I'm taking Dante back to the village. Name's Darius by the way. I guess you're welcome to come see the village… if you want.” He managed a smile just before his eyes centered on Phia. He couldn't mask his concern for her after what happened to Menzai. Even she almost wound up in an even predicament. Darius just hoped she didn't blame herself for what happened.
“You coming with or…?” He wasn't sure if Phia wanted to stay back with Menzai or head back to the village. Either way, he'd respect her desires.
Time: Morning Location: Southwest of Roshmi City Interactions:@Helo Bowyn ❄ [@Lava Acklon] Bardulf ❄ @FunnyGuy Mister Luum ❄ @Tae Brigette ❄ @Pink Khione Zeva Mentions: Equipment: Small backpack, two knives, bow and arrow, rations, water flask, hygiene products, polearm, outfit
Rue let out a deep sigh. Splitting up was not an ideal option. Leaving Bardulf left a pit in Rue’s stomach, while the idea of leaving Bowyn cut her in half. Her wings fluttered angrily and she glanced around at everyone. It didn’t help that in front of her was the godawful statue of the King Zanithel. Rue pulled her hood up and pretended to cough to hide the sneer that crossed her face. Although she didn’t despise the dark elves, she despised their reign and the awful things they did and were getting away with. Pegasus grunted and tossed her head, a warning to Rue that her emotions were affecting her pegasus. She took a deep breath and stroked her mane to soothe her, and she quieted down. Her hood being up caused her shoulders to slouch slightly. The bounty on her head loomed over her and she prayed to God there weren't any posters of her here.
Bowyn’s remark regarding keeping an eye on Zeva was one she agreed with; it would not do to let her romp freely after Bardulf’s magic. It didn’t seem as though she understood how dangerous and reckless their mission was, either. Combined with the city being infested with dark elves and trouble, Rue would have preferred standing on a beach under the hot sun
”I hate to leave either of you,” Rue whispered back to Bowyn, so the others could not hear. ”I fear leaving either of you. If I go with Bardulf, I can leave quicker on Starfire, but also chase down Zeva if she runs for it. I also don’t want to leave you.” Rue set her hand on his cheek and rubbed his face gently.
”I’m going to attract attention too on Starfire as well, so it may be best to keep me with Zeva anyway." Her voice dropped even quieter, barely above a whisper, "But I don't know if I trust Mr.Luum with Bardulf alone either." Rue sighed, then continued. I do want to buy him a disguise ring, and other supplies he feels comfortable using. I just… I don’t want to lose you, Bo. Anything can happen here.” Rue’s wings drooped down as the pit in her stomach only rose. Her gaze kept shooting around to ensure they were not being watched.
320 amas, Red-hilted dagger, Leather armor, compass, fancy spyglass, and a cloak
Tanithil could only smirk as the elf charged him once more. He had an entire plan in mind from the very beginning, his gaze now shifting to the lump of shadow magic on the floor. One hand held his dagger while taking a feinting stance, and the other hand flicked upwards to point his index finger upward. In response to his fast hand, the blob flung itself at the thug, quickly sharpening itself into a spike on both ends. The thin diamond-shaped spike hurtled towards the dark elf, piercing the side of his neck while he wasn't looking. With a new opening presenting itself as the man reacted to being stabbed in his neck, Tanithil side-stepped and shoved his dagger into the mans shoulder. With one side of the elf stabbed in the neck, and the opposite stabbed in the shoulder, Tanithil figured the elf would bleed out. He pushed the man onto the ground, pulling on the magic spike shoved into his neck and yanking it free. In his hand, the spike quickly formed back into a gun and with a warped sound, the hammer pulled back.
Tanithil hopped over the bleeding elf and pointed his shadow gun at the orc threatening to break Amisra's femurs. But his attention then diverted to the warping of shadow magic aimed right at Ismael. With a frustrated click of his tongue he continued aiming his pistol at the orc. Then, a resounding cry came from the rooftops, confirming that at the very least Arlen was keeping his quarry at bay. He took a sharp breath and spoke in his usual cocky manner, which slowly began to twist into a more malicious filled cadance. "Right this has been a fun little scrap here. But I just sticked ya mate there and iffin ya don't drop my friends and walk the fuck out of here....I'm gonna make swiss cheese jealous with how many holes you'll have, Tiny." His voice held no hesitation, and he kept himself spaced enough between the leader and the orc to hopefully keep a good sightline if either of them pulled anything. But he secretly hoped his friends had something up their sleeves. He hardly had the speed to keep them both safe apart from his shields.
Tanithil stabs the dark elf charging at him in the neck with a shadow spike made from his shadow magic. He then stabs him in the shoulder and knocks him down while yanking the spike from his body. He turns it into a gun and points it at the orc and threatens both him and the leader to leave or be shot. Secretly, he feels worried if he can stop the both of them.
T I M E : One Week After Human Arrival L O C A T I O N : Riverbloom, The River I N T E R A C T I O N S : @13org T A G S : @13org , @GingerBobOh , @Conscripts E Q U I P M E N T :
N/A
Aurora was quiet as Zora spoke to her brother. Zora was a bright creature. The flame inside of her blossomed brightly, and too, her brother’s had flowered from the spar with the Orc. Her grip tightened around her staff.
She wished to say something but felt it was better to speak to her brother in private about the subject. She had already interjected her opinion publicly once today, and she did not wish to cause any disrespect towards him — especially with the delicacy of the situation and being in front of a new comrade.
Time: MORNING Location: RIVER PORT Interactions/Mentions: Zion @Helo; Enstille@GingerBobOh; Kenia @Tae
"... Would you accompany me for a stroll?"
Jun tensed. Malachi was trying to separate him from the others. Why? What did he have to say or do to Jun that he couldn't say or do in front of them? Better yet, what was Malachi planning to do if he refused?
He clutched his backpack closer. Who was he kidding? There was never a choice. He could either prolong the inevitable or face whatever "Malachi" (the character Malachi or the guy roleplaying him) had planned now. Best case scenario, he wouldn't hurt him. Even better case scenario, Jun would be allowed to go home. Though, with his luck, Jun doubted either of those outcomes. If anything, the gamer in him told him that this was the best setup for a battle encounter, the perfect distraction to shove his concerns and wishes aside and advance the story campaign to the juicy bits that the others were itching for. "... Sure."
The spicy sweetness of the ginger candy invigorated him to rise to his feet, but didn't give him the courage to put his glasses back on. If this ended up being the worst case scenario, Jun rather not see it coming. Literally.
With the grace and elegance of a blind bat that couldn't echolocate, Jun navigated through the house. He stumbled over almost every piece of furniture in his path, bumped into what he thought was one of the LARPers, broke something he prayed was nothing valuable, and smacked into the pillar before he finally managed to shuffle out the door.
Unfazed by the spectacle, Malachi rose in tandem with Jun, briefly glancing at the others around them. "Don't do anything stupid," he commanded with an air of authority before following Jun. He watched nonchalantly as the young man navigated through the house with, at best, half a functioning brain cell. Determined to remain patient, Malachi gracefully maneuvered after him, biting on the inside of his cheek to keep from yelling.
Stay calm. Don’t say anything. Don’t do it…
Malachi's breath caught in his throat as a portrait tumbled off the wall thanks to Jun bumping into it, and he hurried over to the fallen frame. His usual grace abandoned him as he crashed to his knees and cradled the broken frame in his hands. The broken glass was shattered over the floor beneath him, poking into his skin. His heart pounded in his chest as he stared at it, his normally composed gaze darkening with emotions he struggled to conceal. His expression became inscrutable as he hung his head There was a long pause before he set it down and rose to his feet, the glass crackling audibly under his boots.
He moved after Jun and shut the door once outside. The bustling noise of the town filled the awkward silence finally. With the most unnatural, forced smile, Malachi spoke softly, “Lovely weather for a walk, isn’t it?”
Although Malachi controlled his voice, every syllable sounded strained through gritted teeth. Jun's head bobbed, "But... That's not what you want to say." The thought leapt from his mind to his lips before he could stop it. Jun's bottom lip shrank into his mouth. "S-sorry," he stammered for the tenth time since he broke the unknown object.
“No.” Malachi agreed, his eyes meeting his with unwavering resolve. “It’s not.” He paused at the sidewalk to allow Jun to catch up. The elf took a deep breath before continuing, his tone earnest and sincere. “But I would like to get along with you. I was thinking… perhaps you could explain to me your point of view. What you remember before you and I started this journey and how it’s made you feel.“
His gaze remained steady and serious. “ Then I’d like to also make you understand mine.”
Jun stared at the ground in silence for a good long time. "What's there to say?" he finally muttered. "I'm just some pathetic guy who fell down the stairs because he couldn't get a plastic bag off his face. You people found me and took me here… to 'Avalia'." His tongue fiddled with the ginger candy in his mouth. "Don't know why any of you thought that was a good idea… Whatever it is you want from me, you got the wrong guy. I'm no one and I've nothing valuable. I want to… have to go back home."
Malachi frowned. He paused before asking simply, “...Do you understand where Avalia is, Jun?”
"In a different dimension from Earth," Jun said to Malachi the character and paraphrased GM Vaeril's welcoming speech, "where 'magic pulses and the land is beautiful beyond comprehension.' It's ruled by the evil dark elves and you're on team good guys."
To the player playing Malachi, Jun said, "I understand the setting, it's a classic. Easy for newbies to get into and flexible enough to add details later. I like it, I do. A-and I know you guys put a lot of effort into this. I just—I have to go." He sighed, "Got adulting to do." Familiar faces filled his mind, making his chest tighten. "… People I miss…"
Malachi’s brows lifted. He folded his arms. Though the words did not exactly add up in his brain, he felt he was perhaps on a route to understanding his perspective. However, instead of commenting, he decided he’d hear out Jun as much as he could first. With a wave of his hand, he gestured for them to begin walking down toward the beach as he asked, “What do you mean by the setting, exactly? And… What are newbies?”
The weight on Jun's chest grew heavier as his heart sank at the realization that this conversation was a farce; "Malachi" wasn't listening, he was just pretending to be. This thought left Jun feeling more isolated and unheard than before.
Exhaustion suddenly washed over him.
Jun dragged his feet over to the closest structure and slumped against it. "Setting as in… where all this takes place," he explained to no one who actually needed the clarification. "Newbie, meaning newcomer."
Since this wasn't going to be about leaving the campaign, and not remotely brave enough to test his luck with the cranky team leader, Jun switched to the other topic mentioned. "Uh… so… What's your story, 'Malachi Elowyn'?"
“Setting.” Malachi repeated as if tasting the word. “...Like a chosen setting for a novel…”
He fell silent as he took a moment to mentally work out what was occurring here. In combination of the strange things Jun had uttered over the last week and what he had just said, he was starting to get a decent idea that Jun thought this entire situation was not real.
“Jun…” He paused to stare down at him. For a moment, he saw young elven child with long blonde ringlets and a pout on her face as she swore allegiance to her unique way of thinking. At first, he thought he had conjured her vision in his mind because Jun had requested his story, but he slowly realized that had not been the reason.
Regardless, It hurt to see her. He didn’t want to, yet there she was intruding in his memory even when he tried his hardest to push all of them away.
However, he could not push her away. He knew he needed to see her. Perhaps Rosamira would have been able to understand Jun in a way he could not. No matter what anyone had told her, she had always been determined to see the world in her own way. It had been difficult to get through to her, but when he had, it had been because he had been short and sweet. “This isn’t a fabricated scenario… This is real. ” He took a step back and opened his palm. Flickers of light appeared in small flashes as energy began to conjure above. A small ball of light energy began to grow from nothing, growing in size and brightness. “I have a feeling you may tell me you believe this is a illusion, but I ask that you hover your hands near it and feel the heat… From what I understand, no one on earth harnesses such ability. I need you to understand, for your safety, that you are not on earth anymore, Jun. You are in an entirely different place.” The light that danced in his hands reflected in his still blue eyes. Allowing a bit more intensity to fall into his gentle tone, he added, “I implore you to tell me what it is I need to do to make you believe me.”
Jun flinched as the figure he assumed was Malachi approached. Instinctively, he raised his backpack as a shield. However, whatever the other man had planned, he stopped short. Instead, a bright light illuminated the area. Without his glasses he couldn't tell, but Malachi was probably performing a pretty cool magic trick.
Believe me.
The sincerity in Malachi's voice took Jun back to the day he witnessed a patient having a psychotic episode in the middle of the ER. They ranted about the evil forces being upon them, urging everyone to unite and wield long-lost magical powers to fend off the impending doom. It had taken a team of nurses and a security guard to restrain them.
Was Malachi like that patient? Or was Jun the one losing touch with reality?
A long pause stretched out as Jun stared into the luminous display. "I don't know. There isn't much I think you can do," he finally admitted.
"Earth might not have real magic, but there are magicians and illusionists who do that kind of trick. With enough money and time, anyone can build a theme park like this. There's even communities that dress up like the people here and have fun playing pretend."
Jun looked up at the blurry shape above the bright orb. "… No one's given me a reason to believe any of this is 'real'." He hesitated. Just when he was ready to add further, the ginger candy made a surprise appearance in his windpipe, causing him to cough and splutter uncontrollably.
Once the coughing subsided, Jun, his eyes teary and voice raspy, managed to croak one question, "W-why should I trust my kid-kidnappers?"
Malachi’s face remained stoic throughout Jun’s words. He shut his hand, the orb dissipating, and then folded his arms. “There’s been reasons to believe it’s real Jun. It’s just easier not to… It’s easier to believe this is all a game and everything here is an illusion than to accept that your reality has changed… And perhaps you have lost everything. Believe I know.” He chewed the inside of his lip a moment.
The way Malachi said all that rubbed Jun the wrong way. This is starting to feel like an Asch Conformity Experiment, he thought.
“You can’t go home, Jun, because then-”
”SOMEBODY HELP ME!” A shrill voice suddenly filled the air. It was obviously coming from behind the homes and in the thick of the woods, but it was close enough to pierce through the air and cause several folks walking by to pause.
On cue. His gamer instincts were right: this "heart-to-heart" was the best setup for a battle encounter. Jun sighed and turned to the direction they came from."That's that then. Good talk. Time to save the day, hero."
“Come with me.” Malachi said without hesitation.
"No thank you. Go have fun." Jun kept walking. "I'll tell the others about the encounter so they won't miss out on loot and EXP. I don't want to participate." Even though he saw it coming from a mile away, he still felt salty for being used like this.
Not like they needed him anyways.
“It’s not an encounter, Jun….” He sighed with frustration. “Fine. Go inside.” He waved him off and waited to see Jun go back inside the house before running off on his own.
It took some effort to backtrack and find the door handle. Still, Jun managed to get back inside the right house and walk toward the voices. "Hey guys. So you know, Malachi ran off into the woods." Or, at least, that's what he thought the green mass was.
Having escaped the grouch's clutches, Jun relaxed. His stomach, which had been tied in knots, now roared for sustenance. Cheeks flushed with embarrassment, he hastily put his glasses on before getting himself some breakfast.
Malachi and Jun took a walk outside to try to reach an understanding. Their conversation was cut short by a cry for help. Malachi rushed to the woods to investigate while Jun returned to the house to have breakfast. He let the others know where Malachi went.
“Wait.” Phia moved up to Darius and Dante. Placing a gentle hand on Dante's shoulder, a soft, soothing light emanated from her palm, suffusing Dante with a healing energy.She wasn’t certain if anything in particular was injured, but she knew it would not add any harm.. “ I am going to check on Menzai, and then I will catch up with you two… “
Her gaze shifted briefly towards Darius, a warm and caring smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "If you're hurt as well, please don't hesitate to let me know," she added, her concern extending readily to him. If he had needed healing, she had provided such as well.
“I am proud of you two for your bravery. You fought admirably.” She earnestly informed them before glancing in Cyrus and Viola’s direction. “Are either of you injured..? I will tend to your wounds as well if need be… If not, if you want to follow with them, they will bring you to the village. Menzai and I will catch up real soon. We can all then have a discussion over a meal perhaps?”
She then finally made her way over to Menzai, slowly approaching him with a wave.
