Time: Early Morning / Early Afternoon
Location: Roshmi City / The Nest
"Interactions": Scathael @Apex Sunburn, Aerilyn @Alivefalling, Mari @princess, and Thraash @funnyguy
Mentions: Mister Luum @FunnyGuy, Bardulf @Lava Alckon, Rue @Potter, Bowyn @Helo, Zeva @Pink Khione and Brigitte @Tae

---

Earlier that morning, Five had secluded himself within one of Roshmi's many alleyways. The sun had yet to arise at this time, and the city was bathed in natural darkness, save for the central city blocks and neighborhoods, partially illuminated by rows of street lamps of varying sizes and properties. While confining inside the narrow lane settled between two inns, Five set to work maintaining his body, specifically his right arm, which he had noticed for some time wasn't optimally performing to his needs. He had just arrived in Roshmi City a few hours ago. He would undoubtedly be unable to see a specialist to perform a quality examination and tune-up this late at night. Granted, some individuals claimed to achieve the same service at any time, yet those same 'professionals' were either unknown to the greater populace or simply resided within the poorer districts of Roshmi. Five concluded it wouldn't be worth his time or money to humor any speck of honesty these independent businesses might have boasted, and he wasn't at all desperate to undergo serious repairs.

Yet the concerns about his wellbeing were mounting.

Five had not sought professional upkeep work for him for weeks, and the funds to arrange such services were drying up. Perhaps another reason Five wasn't too keen on taking up long-haul tasks, such as the one he had opted to pursue. Many methods were used to track targeted individuals. However, specialized skill sets, spells, and gadgets were typically crucial in narrowing down a bounty's route and location. Five certainly had no way to pick up on the aroma or stench of someone or something, and his hulking profile made him stand out in thinly populated areas with little cover. So, the problems with his dwindling capital resulted from paying off informants and witnesses willing to divulge any information, including the whereabouts of the Dragonborn, Thraash, and the Light Elf, Mari. Some asked for little coin, others had to be enticed into making a bargain. And then there were a few Five simply roughed up to obtain the information he needed. As it turns out, threatening to rip someone's arms off was an excellent motivator to gain compliance. Though at times during this annoying and costly process, Five nearly decided, out of rare impatience, to go after the troublesome pair early, but logic dictated he consolidate the facts necessary to produce a cleaner picture that illustrated their locality. Those puzzle pieces of intelligence eventually came to light. Now, Five was sure that today would be his big payday.

Time passed, and proper morning came with the sun rising over the horizon. Roshmi grew brighter with the sun's radiance and louder as its citizens and business owners bled into the streets, anticipating the markets soon to open. Several clicks sounded off as Five reattached his right arm back to his body. Bringing the recently repaired limb to his faceplate, Five's three burning eyes moved with rapid efficiency, judging the quality and effectiveness of his efforts. From bicep to fingers, his arm came alive, twisting and turning like a violent serpent. Five's right hand, in particular, seemed to mirror that of a maw of teeth, unraveling from a hammer-like fist into an open palm armed with five individual talons for fingers. Five had his weaponized limb undergo its unnatural and aggressive motions for another minute until he was satisfied with its performance. He would need it and the rest of his body to be in the best shape if he was going to subdue two criminal bounties, be them in cuffs or body bags.

Donning his cloak, Five took the time to ensure his armored frame was concealed by the black and thick fabric as best as he could. A giant Warforged walking in broad daylight was enough to draw many eyes toward his direction. The most he could do to obstruct his appearance was to resemble a cloaked and hooded humanoid, perhaps an orc or a large demi-human. This didn't stop pedestrians from noticing, though they were less inclined to take heed of him with his cloak thrown on. Thus far, his ruse had kept him out of trouble at the expense of him looking like a weirdo. Five would see it as a fair trade overall. He eventually exited the alleyway and into the street. With a more extensive crowd present, his disguise was enough to blend in that much better. For a few minutes, Five continued his advance through the street, which shallowly sloped into a downward incline leading to the city's entrance. Before he could take that route, Five peeled away and headed toward an elevated part of the sidewalk, which formed into a small public spot overlooking a portion of the city. Stopping at the marble palisade, his three eyes twitched and scanned the main road leading away from the entrance and the multiple streets that would branch off. If the information he gathered was corrected, the light elf and the dragonborn would be passing by and making their way to the lower-class sector of Roshmi. More than likely to hit up a vexing bar called the Nest. With an admittedly uneven timetable fabricated from these accumulated facts, Five anticipated his quarry would arrive from one of the intersecting streets. From there, he would simply tail them until the time was right to pounce.

Five's eyes were set to work identifying everyone traveling down the multiple streets he could oversee at an inhuman rate. Some individuals looked similar to his targets, but he could make out their subtle physical features. If, by chance, someone was using a spell or a disguise ring to mask their appearance, for instance, Five would most certainly pick up on spectral signatures such methods would naturally produce. Though he couldn't see past the façade clearly, the user's aura would give away their general profile and shape, which was enough for him to work with to catch a bounty should they pull such a trick. While Five patiently observed his surroundings, something caught the attention of one of his eyes. A strange surge of familiarity suddenly occurred to him. Turning slightly towards Roshmi's main entrance, Five offered another of his optics to the disturbance. At the same time, his last eye remained glued to the roads. The odd instance that struck him at first glance appeared to originate from a group of adventurers. Enhancing his vision, the faces of these new subjects of interest appeared closer to him than where they actually were.

A registry script had then echoed through his artificial mind, ((REPORTING: ONE DEMI-HUMAN -- FEMALE, ONE LIGHT ELF -- FEMALE, TWO WINTER FAE -- MALE AND FEMALE RESPECTIVELY... LASTLY, TWO UNIDENTIFIED ENTITIES -- ASSUMED MALE RESPRECTIVEY... ADDENDUM: ENTITY ONE CLASSIFIED AS UNKNOWN SPECIES -- DISGUISE RING USE DETECTED ON ENTITY TWO'S PERSON... CORRECTION: CLASSIFYING ENTITY TWO AS LIGHT ELF BASED ON DETETED SIGNATURE...)).

For Five, time superficially stopped as he began processing the information from his optics. The figure wearing a cloak and armed with a halberd was an unusual sight. Compared to the fairies and the elves in his company, the man lacked the knife-ear trait Five was so used to seeing. And the individual's aura seemed off somehow. Something Five couldn't recognize immediately. Curious but inconsequential. The light elf wearing the disguise ring was another oddity, and the Warforged could only imagine the purpose they had in using the device. He wasn't worth the time figuring out. His fixation however landed on the two fairies. He had seen them before, yet somehow not in person. Five recollected his recent memories and discovered the reasoning behind the flash of familiarity that had caught his attention.

((IDENTITIES OF WINTER FAE VERIFIED: MALE MARKED AS BOWYN ELMWOOD -- CONFIRMED 'WANTED'. FEMALE MARKED AS RUE BRIAR -- CONFIRMED 'WANTED')).

A deep static growl that would come from a hungry and anxious predator emanated from Five. Before him were two wanted criminals with bounties on their heads. Combined, they would be enough to pay for a complete tune-up and repair to his chassis. They were right there, his for the taking. The Warforged presently had the advantage. He wasn't spotted yet. With a quick leap and a swing of his sword, the party of adventurers wouldn't know what hit them. The initial strike would undoubtedly catch them off guard, and the follow-up strikes he would commit would take them down quickly. Forget Thraash and Mari! Take these two instead; they're right there! Yet Five rejected the urge to pounce. Logic quickly settled in and erased the desperate tension. Indeed, he could attack, but to do so out in the open? Near the entrance where the city guard would be stationed? Where civilians and local businesses were uncomfortably close to him, and a massive sword being swung about? Any offense he undertook would incur many risks he would rather avoid. He would draw too much attention, and any miscalculated swings that caused property damage or, worse, injuries to the non-combatants around him would reflect poorly on him as a bounty hunter. Being a Warforged on top of that made the circumstances even more awkward. He had no desire to get involved with the authorities, especially the Dark Elf variety. What spectacularly rotten luck.

A brief jet of steam shot out from a few of his external facial vents, the only way Five could visibly convey his displeasure. The situation and the conditions at present were not in his favor. Five observed his potential prey for a few more seconds before retreating from view the moment their wandering gazes could meet his own. With a click, the chemical fogger built within him came alive. It loaded a vial containing a white substance into its ignition chamber. A small thick mist shot out from the vents that made up his 'mouth'. In an instant, whatever visage of him that could be seen from the city entrance had vanished behind the artificial shroud. He was still annoyed about fate, apparently taunting him with unreachable riches. Five resumed his search as he repositioned himself atop the scenic viewpoint.

It was only another hour later until Five's eyes caught a glimpse of his true quarry, followed by another registry report manifesting through his consciousness, ((TARGETS ACQUIRED: BOUNTIES MARKED AS MARI AND THRASH FERNO HEADING EASTWARD -- CALCULATED ROUTE ALIGNED WITH LOCATION OF ESTABLISHMENT IDENTIFIED AS "THE NEST")).

<<INITIATING HUNT.>> Five hissed.

---

Five knew he would be trailing about a couple miles of architecture and apartments behind Thraash and Mari and had no visual of them for some time. There was even the chance they might not even be heading to The Nest and instead have gone to a different location altogether. Of course, that was always the risk of tracking prey; they could betray expectations at a moment's notice, whether they meant to or not. It was a fact he had long since accepted, and he could only but trust the intel he had gathered and go from there. Despite the apparent distance between him and his objective, the Warforgeds' natural cruising stride eventually allowed him to arrive in half the time it took his targets to get there. Five quickly scanned the surrounding slums and determined no pedestrians were present. Good. With what he had planned to capture the draconic demi-human and the light elf, he didn't want to involve other civilians besides the bar's patrons, whom he had already accepted as likely casualties to his upcoming ploy. They were criminals, after all. Who would miss them? His gaze was set on the bar itself, and his eyes glowed brighter. His vision shifted and pierced through the walls, making the interior visible to him. He could see the many people within the building eating, drinking heavily, smoking a number of toxic substances...

And there they were. Thraash and Mari talking up a storm, gaining the patrons' undivided attention.

Five made his way around the back of the establishment, though, only to find that the alleyway was unkempt with filth, rats, and sediment from other structures littering the backway. He would have frowned in disgust if he had anything resembling a mouth. With a quiet groan, Five worked his way through the muck, careful not to make any loud noise that could bring him unwanted attention. Funnily enough, with how rowdy the two were, he likely had little to worry about. Nevertheless, he prided himself in practicing surgical proficiency, and he certainly wasn't going to stop now or anytime soon.

The Warforged cleared the debris and found themselves staring at the backdoor to the bar. Next to the door were rows of trash cans filled to the brim with waste. And next to them was a Dark Elf who appeared to be in a narcotic-induced trance as their eyes stared unconsciously into the sky. It was evident to Five that the man was clearly on another planet as he took no notice of the hulking machine standing directly before him. Five paid the drug abuser no mind and glanced back toward the bar's main room and saw that the pair were still there. However, their attention now was fixated on a presumably drunken rabbit demi-human. Now, he only had to wait for the right moment to strike. Though the wellbeing of the bar-goers hardly concerned him, he preferred to keep the eventual confrontation between himself and Thraash and Mari. Five was confident in taking down these two criminals by himself should a fight erupt. Yet he knew from the intelligence he had gathered that they were strong and capable in their own right. Regardless of what he thought of them, he knew he had to take the pair seriously. Tipping the odds in his favor then would be beneficial in the grand scheme of things. He planned to wait out their venture of food and drink. Once they began to leave, he would launch his ambush, shrouding the area in a mist and incapacitating the two of them before they could plan a defensive response. All he had to do now was simply wait...

"WHO THE FUCK DARED TO POUR WATER ON ME?!?!"

Or so he thought.

Five was immediately taken aback by the demi-human's retaliatory roar, followed by the swing of their mighty hammer, which obliterated the table she initially wasted away on and knocked both Mari and Thraash flat on their rears. One of his eyes quickly shot to the great hammer within the girl's grasp. It was a powerful weapon from what he could gauge. Still, his unraveling vision instantly found that the large weapon she wielded was fitted with a shockwave enhancement. Such a powerful modification explained the destruction she caused a moment ago. That was going to be a problem. The situation had now changed, seemingly for the worse. Five was still determining how Thraash or Mari would react to this unexpected dilemma. He observed the great hammer wielder closely, taking in her stance and demeanor, which had radically shifted from the deathly stupor she exuded previously. She was amped up for a fight; there was no doubt about it. Five hissed and steamed in irritation. Who was that girl with the hammer anyway? Another bounty hunter? A mercenary? He didn't enjoy the idea of another individual cashing in the heads of two bounties he had planned more than a month for to capture himself. Whether that was her intent or to start a brawl for the hell of it, what Five did know was that she had just become competition.

And Five wasn't about to share the reward.

Plan B it was then. Raiding the establishment wasn't his first and preferred idea, but his hands were now tied with the developing scene. Five reached for his greatsword and pulled the weapon from its magnetic mounting. With the sword in his right hand, Five decided to turn the weapon into a makeshift lance. He needed to enter the bar quickly, and the door didn't accommodate his massive profile. So, he would need to pull off some demolition work. His right palm then split open, revealing a circular chamber threaded and filled with rotating gears. He manipulated the sword's grip within his hand so his four fingers were now clenching both sides of the weapon's crossguard. The sword's grip was pulled into the chamber and locked into place, with the right thumb folding and sealing over his fingers. With several internal clicks, his right hand and the entire greatsword began to rotate and swiftly picked up speed. The rotation of the blade increased further, and within seconds, a subtle drone emanated as the sword spun and cut through the air. With his left hand, he braced his lance-arm and took a stance to eventually launch himself into the door. Mechanical motors and servos built into his legs and thighs clicked into position, and pistons accumulated dangerous pressure. Steam jetted out from all over his body, preparing to transform himself into a Warforged-sized ballista bolt.

After a few more clicks and clangs sounded off, he was ready.

"What are you...?" a tired and unbalanced query unexpectedly came from the high-in-the-sky dark elf.

One of Five's red eyes glared at the elf, <<GO BACK TO YOUR PLANET>>

The dark elf stared at him for a moment longer and leaned against the bar's exterior again, "...okay."

Not wanting to waste another moment longer, Five initiated his attack. In an instant, his body suddenly shot forward with a bang. Steam violently propelled him at a neck-break velocity, sending him into the doorway where his sword effortlessly drilled through and blew it apart, along with the rest of the doorframe and the wall too. The bar's inhabitants would have heard the destruction exploding from behind the establishment. However, they would have had little time to comprehend the dark, hazy mass that dozed towards them. Those furthest away would have seen a steam-shrouded entity with crimson eyes and a single massive horn charging in. Though Five was precise. He planned his vector of attack ahead of time, and his form swiftly carried him past the patrons and beelined directly at the demi-human girl and Thraashi and Mari. All three would have seen him by now and noted the giant spinning sword threatening to crash between them.

---

Watching Phia depart, the stomping footsteps of Ulysses could be heard drawing close to the lone wolf waving off the departing fairy." Talk about a tense situation that was." The bearded male said with a barking laugh.

This earned him a stern gaze from Menzai though said nothing for merely standing was taking all of his effort and concentration. That and the promise made, spurring him to keep himself conscious until everything was properly finished.

" She's grown into quite the dependable young lady. Good thing too, otherwise we would already be searching for a new guardian candidate." The big man scoffed with a small chuckle, his meaty fingers fumbling over his body searching for something. A quick scrrtch, a match was lit and brought close to Ulysses face where he lit and puffed at his half-used cigar, the fiery glow giving the aged warrior's visage an almost eerie shadow as he turned his gaze to the injured wolf who still yet moved.

Observing quietly while taking a big puff of the cigar then slowly exhaled upward." The group will be alright, long as they got Phia with them. Even more so if they decide to go pay Sonia a visit." The mere mention of her name had even the huge wolf shuddering." Good luck to those brothers..after this incident, I doubt she will be in much of a good mood. Course.... nothing goes well whenever the sisters get involved." Another barking laughter rang out followed by a bit of cough from some cigar smoke getting caught in his throat.

Every swaying motion of the large hand had the glow briefly illuminate Menzai's face shadowed by his hair. The reddish hue contrasting with his slick, sickly pale skin. His eyes normally vibrant stood dim amidst the shadows, but still maintained that sharp, fierce spirit burning within those crimson glints. Gaze fixated on some unseen spot though his ears remained perked; flicking to his companions words as a single work spoken did not go unnoticed

Yet, gave no indication of what he thought or felt about the recent incident or what had been said. Menzai had always kept everything close to his chest. Mind, he was not simply standing there feeling sorry for himself; in fact far from it. Since regaining consciousness, Menzai had been slowly piecing everything together and working out how to best proceed. He had some ideas though still needed time to think on things and there was still the council that will surely be happening in the coming hours.

Ulysses let out a tired sigh, smoke billowing from his lips, the smell of booze on his breath." Those humans really are something too. Shame I missed the big open moment." A frown creasing his brow.

" They did well. If not for them, more lives would assuredly have been lost." Menzai spoke his praise towards Dante and Darius, his tone solemn and sad; peering off towards the Roc lying lifeless.

Following Menzai's gaze, Ulysses peered at the corpse and gave his beard a wary scratch." This is merely the start, of course. This attack likely no more than a warning. Probably trying to show us that even these woods aren't safe for humans. Didn't expect it to be so soon, but we might have-"

" Ulysses. Enough." Menzai cut the man off, his body trembling and wobbling in place about to collapse if not for the larger wolf stepping forward using his body to catch and hold him up." That is something.... I must discuss with the group, but..enough for now. Please, take me to the destination I requested." Asked the violet-haired wolf in a soft spoken manner barely above a whisper, refraining from elaborating any further for the time being.

With a final puff of his cigar." Ah, yes. Started rambling there and when you're already barely kicking. God forbids the reaction your mother will have." This time choosing not to chuckle, for what awaited Menzai was hardly a laughing matter. Things were only going to be more difficult once they get back to the village. Not to mention Sonia's possible wrath or how Phia would react if this prideful fool failed to hold up his promise. The duties of the guardian; a weight Menzai forced himself to carry. One they feared might crush him one day.

Bending downward using a decent size rock to put his cigar out on; finishing with a quick hand dusting, he turned and bent down." Alright. Get on. Your care is in my hands and making an enemy of the ladies from your family is one thing I definitely don't want on my arse."

A simple tired nod was his response as he allowed himself to rest against Ulysses back. Once secured and comfortable, the two made their way towards the Roc's head.

Time: Late Morning
Location: The Nest, Roshmi
Interactions: Mari @princess, Thrash @funnyguy, Scathael @Apex Sunburn, FIVE @ShiningSector
Current Equipment: , mithril breastplate with Deflection enchantment, Strength enchantment gloves, adventuring clothes, large survival backpack, two large red potions, three pink potions, two black potions, cooking pot, portable fira, teeth cleanser, body cleanser, time teller, darksight glasses, travel shelter, portable bed, small pillow, lantern, flask, rope, wayfinder, fire starter kit.

---

Aerilyn stood silently, smiling as the now subtly enraged Dragonborn and Light Elf said their piece and stood up on their feet. She was preparing to respond when her ears detected an ominous buzzing, a sound that heralded chaos. Before she could react, a deafening explosion rocked the bar, sending shards of the splintered door flying in all directions. Instinct took over as Aerilyn's initial plan to evade whatever impending threat had burst through the entrance was abruptly discarded as the Light Elf lunged towards her, throwing them both out of the way.

Aerilyn found herself under the Light Elf who had unhesitatingly thrown herself into harm's way to shield her. Their eyes met for a fleeting moment. "Thanks, baby girl," she quipped, a mischievous wink punctuating her gratitude. But there was no time for further banter. Aerilyn swiftly pushed her new possible business partner to safety, her eyes now locked on the ominous figure that had intruded upon their meeting.

“Well... Do you know what I do when I have a problem with someone? I just get rid of them. Simple as that! No person. Nooo problem. Easy." A quote she had heard from an old friend came to her mind as it always had when any situation with another person arose. A solid reminder that the best solution is one that completely removes any issues.

Aerilyn retrieved her hammer, the weight of it settling reassuringly in her grip. Without missing a beat, she braced her legs and let loose as she lunged forward, her powerful legs giving her a boost of forward momentum. She drove her hammer in a sweeping arc toward the mysterious assailant, determined to defend herself and the two willing to help her kill the bounty. The air whistled with the force of her swing as it hurtled toward their uninvited guest; the shockwave from the hit would be enough to at least cause some issue.

Time: Late Morning
Location: The Nest, Roshmi City
Interactions:Scathael @Apex Sunburn, Aerilyn @Alivefalling, Mari @princess, and Thraash @funnyguy
Current Equipment: Massive adamantine greatsword w/ Ethereal enchantment, heavy full-plated adamantine armor, magic nullification enchanted cuffs, standard backpack, rope (up to 50ft), wayfinder and timeteller, fire starter kit, first aid kit, chemist set to produce different mixtures for his fogger device, and small kit for minor repairs and maintenance.

---

Five's greatsword slammed into the wooden floor, its still-rotating framework effortlessly mulching the deck into mere splinters. He had missed, though the warforged wasn't concerned with the result. If anything, Five wanted the rabbit demi-human and Thraash and Mari separated. His reactionary measure worked as he watched them closely, jumping out of the way of his attempted strike and almost surrounding him. Ideally, he had betted on the demi-human disengaging from the ordeal and not drawing her ire onto him. Five had miscalculated, yet he wasn't bothered by that either. In fact, he was built for these odds, surrounded by talented and powerful foes and systematically cutting them down one by one. After all, he had butchered formations of dark elf vanguard and dispatched many of their veteran and elite troops during his killings more than a century ago. Five rose and looked down on his would-be victims, dissipating steam encompassing his imposing profile. Two metallic plates on his shoulders shifted and slid beneath his arm with a subtle yet noticeable clanking sound. The cloak he had worn up to this point slid off his metal body, revealing the extent of his armored form, illuminated by reddish hues that glowed from the numerable vents and slits. Five's signature triad of eyes realigned and maneuvered to face their targets.

The rabbit humanoid's intentions aside, the two criminals' strategy became evident the moment they moved to flank him. Five observed and analyzed their every moment. How fast they ran into position. The countermeasures they employed while doing so. The way they breathed to propel their bodies forward. The arrangement of limbs within the posture and stances they took. The direction and focus of their gaze. And the physical and magical hints they unknowingly disclose. Five simultaneously absorbed and processed the concurrent information of these aspects of battle and tactical direction displayed by each combatant. It became apparent to the warforged how fast Thraash responded to his attack by instinctively breathing in oxygen and then expunging a directed gout of fire aimed at him while moving out of the way. The demi-human's tactic would have done little to damage Five's adamantine body, and he was certain Thraash could have potentially breathed out something more substantial with what little time was available at that moment. It was an attempt to blind him. He would give Thraash praise for his quick thinking had that trick been used on someone else, yet it was employed on him. Five's optics had immediately adapted, momentarily interpreting the world through a colorless spectrum* where the intense heat became visually diminished.

Then, there was the stance his target was adopting. The warforged noticed how fixated Thraash's focus was. It wasn't entirely set on him; it was placed on his sword and Mari, which his other eye had caught the light elf in preparing a spell. Was she projecting photokinesis? It seemed likely, though he couldn't immediately tell if it was the offensive flavor or an illusion. Regardless, he could see through their ploy. It appeared she was preparing to manifest something when Thraash sprung into action and neutralized his sword. Commendable coordination without vocal communication.

And lastly, the demi-human wielding her giant hammer. Five had watched how Mari slammed into her, quite aggressively hard, to presumably push her out of the way of his earlier attack. The notion seemed odd, given how they were ready to brawl moments ago. Nonetheless, the rabbit girl was the first of the three opponents to launch an attack, charging from where Mari was and committing to a wide swing of her hammer. Five's third eye made him aware of the two other tactical factors on her person: a deflection and a strength enhancement tied to her gloves and breastplate, respectively. The facts themselves gave him an advantage in how to deal with her. He knew now that he would have to pummel her rather than rely on a single slaying attack to wear out that deflection enhancement. He could use the ethereal enhancement in his sword to bypass her countermeasure entirely, though he figured it would be wise to keep that trick in reserve should he be forced to call upon its finite advantage. Then there was the knowledge that her own attacks would be on par with his own thanks to the enhancement in her glove, imbuing her with heightened strength. Certainly problematic, but Five already formed a strategy to deal with her and the other two.

The moment the demi-human committed her assault, Five's entire body was morphing. Clicks and clangs resonated from within the depths of his armored shell. Gears repositioned into different mechanical systems. Pistons quickly directed pressure flows to crucial components. Panels and plates adjusted and realigned with his separating spine. In response to his changing internal framework, more steam vented out, followed by Five distributing a new yellow vial into his fogger device. The timing was everything, and his preparations began when his attacker took their first offensive step. Now, he would retaliate in kind. The droning emanating from his spinning sword had now intensified into an awful buzzing sound as the revolutions of the blade kicked up sharply. The surrounding air currents danced around what looked more like a lance than a sword, ripping up dust and residual debris from the floor. Another gunshot of steam exploded out from Five, signaling his move. His move in question, however, appeared to be that of a bizarre and unnatural contortionist performance. A performance that would prove deadly if unheeded.

Taking only but a single step back, Five's head and upper torso suddenly moved independently from each other. His body shifted right, bringing his left arm and taloned hand into a swing, now gesturing like a makeshift blade. At first, Five appeared to aim for the rabbit girl's head until his arm fluidly curved inward and merged into the head of her hammer. Yet it wasn't a colliding impact. Five could feel his entire left arm rattle as he precisely glanced it against the side of the hammer, sparks flying as metal rubbed against metal. The demi-human's enhanced strength was to be feared indeed. There was a chance the enhancement built into the weapon would go off from making the slight connection. Based on its intensity when it was first triggered earlier, he had calculated that the wave alone wouldn't cause any critical damage to him. However, the projected shockwave could reverberate throughout his mechanical body and interfere with his sensitive internal components temporarily. Five didn't like the idea of having portions, or worse, the entirety of his framework disabled, even if it was brief. He concluded he would have to compensate the best he could should that happen. His current main concern was using his mass and precision to nudge the demi-human's powerful hammer away from him. But his attack was far from over; his torso was still quickly rotating around. Five drove his sword into the floor once more; only now, he carved it up through his swift rotation, sending out a dense cloud of splinters and debris in every direction. A split second later, the blade was airborne and swung widely towards Mari. Given the length of his sword, mirroring his own height shy of three whole meters, the tip of the greatsword was barely reaching the bar's walls. Patrons ducked or hugged the walls to escape the sword, and the destruction is brought. Tables, chairs, and whatever object in the path of Five's large-improvised-woodchipper-sword-thing was instantly pulverized. He predicted the light elf had only a few seconds to disengage under the threat of becoming mulch.

Finally, Five's head, during his torso rotation, shot in the opposite direction before locking in relation to his left shoulder. A torrent of yellowish gas discharged from his mouth as he deflected the hammer away. The mist of paralyzing nerve agents quickly accumulated through his body's incomprehensible performance, spreading the chemical around the bar. Though the act was directed against both demi-humans, anyone within ten feet of him would risk breathing in the toxin and collapsing to the floor, constantly twitching until the effects eventually wore off.

Five's crimson eyes, still glued to their individual targets, glowed brightly as he watched closely how his foes would respond.



*Infrared

---

Of course, it had to be today. Scathael hadn’t expected otherwise.

Well, most of him hadn’t, at least. It would be a lie if he said that there hadn’t been a small part of him that had wished for the rest of his time in the Nest to go quietly and smoothly. And so, he didn’t. That part was a fool, anyway; the place was practically a font of chaos. Neither did peace follow him whenever he left the open road for a town or city. With those two incontrovertible truths in mind, it would have been a far bigger surprise had his visit to the Next gone off without any further trouble.

Granted, he hadn’t quite expected trouble to manifest itself as a hulking Warforged launching itself through the doors. Flimsy wood burst into a shower of tiny splinters. Shouts and yells of surprise echoed up, down, and across the inn’s floors. One tore itself from Scathael’s lips as he almost fell from his seat. He kept his balance, however, and managed to catch a glimpse of the machine as it went straight for the dragonborn, his elf friend, and the demi-human. A fight erupted immediately, and the rest of the inn went into a riotous uproar, although all had sense and none joined in. “Bloody typical,” Scathael muttered beneath his breath as he settled into his chair once more and did his best to ignore the noise. Really, what had he expected to happen, coming here?

At least the Warforged didn’t seem interested in anyone else. Scathael just had to wait long enough for it to capture its quarry, or for said quarry to make a clever and daring getaway, and he could continue going about his business and on with his day.

Said business was a feline demi-human seated across the table from him. Her tail swished excitedly, as if it had a mind of its own, as she twisted around to watch the altercation with rapt attention. Scathael sighed and folded his arms over his chest. Up until just now, she had been haggling with him over a good quantity of excess musket balls he had cast back in the village. They had almost agreed on a good price, even. But Fate, as it was wont to do, just had to intervene.

Scathael exhaled slowly though his nose. Things could be worse, he supposed. He could be one of those that were fighting the vicious-looking Warforged, for one.

The demi-human furtively slid a hand towards the pistol on her thigh, and Scathael immediately gave her chair a hard kick. She let out a yelp, and snapped back around to glare at him with annoyance and a touch of embarrassment in her wide, brownish-green eyes. Scathael didn’t look apologetic in the least. He didn’t even sound sheepish when he said, “Are you an idiot? If you want to do that, do it from the other side.”

“Oh.” The demi-human’s irritation seeped away from her visage. “D’you think it’s got a sore spot around its back or somethin’?”

“No,” Scathael replied, managing to pack the dryness of a desert into that one syllable. “But I won't be turned into a stain on the wall with you if you're over there and I'm here.”

The demi-human scowled, but returned her hand to the table nonetheless. “I take it you’ve dealt with one of those before?” She jerked her head towards the Warforged.

“Yes.”

“What was it like?”

Scathael shrugged. “I fixed the broken ones and left the able ones alone. That’s all. I never stayed around long enough to get to know them.” He never stayed around long enough to know if those in particularly dire straits ever survived long enough to get proper repairs, either, but he kept that part to himself. He recalled meeting some that had – quite literally – been on their last legs. Scathael could keep the mechanical parts running, but their magical components? That was well-beyond his expertise. He could only hope that they managed to find their way to someone who could properly fix them before expiring.

“Really? You weren’t curious at all?”

Scathael fixed the demi-human with an unamused look. “Yes, yes, you exposed me. I made friends with a few and we had tea parties.” The demi-human rolled her eyes, but chuckled and smirked anyway. Before she could reply, however, Scathael noticed the Warforged doing something strange. An unfamiliar tension gripped his heart as he eyes narrowed. Then, they widened as he saw sickly, yellow smoke billow from the machine’s mouth. He had seen something similar before, and on a Warforged as well. Granted, the smoke then had emerged from somewhere else, and had looked different, but Scathael wasn’t about to take any chances. It had been terrible then. He would bet that it would be terrible now if nothing was done.

“Windows,” he exclaimed and shot to his feet. The smoke was still thickest around the machine, but it was spreading quickly. Though the cloud itself was unlikely to reach him, diffusion would ensure that everyone in the inn would breathe some of the stuff in, even if they could detect neither scent nor colour. He looked at the demi-human, still seated. “Get the windows, get the fans, cut a hole in the walls if you have to.” His words came out in a torrent. “That thing is going to suffocate us all if we don’t do something quick!”

He didn’t bother waiting for a response, but the patter of feet against wood told him that she was at least doing something. One of the windows on the wall behind him was already ajar, and its old hinges squeaked painfully as he pushed it open to its greatest extent before moving on the the next. “Every window, every door has to be opened! Get the fans going as fast as they can as well!” He yelled at anyone in earshot, which wasn’t much thanks to the din of the fight. “Unless you want bad things to happen to you, do it quickly!”

_{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, @Conscripts
T A G S : @13org , @Conscripts
E Q U I P M E N T :}




“And, I am Aurora,” the Light Elf made a gracious bow to the Orc. Her hand was firmly holding her staff, as her body lowered itself.

Upon rising, Aurora’s milky gaze examined Barrack. He had a peaceful energy to him. She had witnessed Light Elves with more ferocity in their spirits. A small, polite smile rested on her lips. “I am so honored to be in the presence of a gentle creature.”

Her father had taught her to never underestimate any creature, great or small. However, she found herself quite curious about the Orc. He was not ordinary in the least, and it was admirable. She wished she could reach out and touch his face, to feel the muscles that rested his facial expression. However, she resisted such a notion.

“I apologize about the intrusion, as well…” Aurora hesitated. Her mind knitted together the best way to implore the Orc. There was much Zora (and she) could learn from the Orc. He had mastered a demon within his own nature that she could very well guess no other Orc had. To let him blend into the background, once again, would be a mistake.

Instead of immediately asking the Orc for any, assistance, Aurora decided to let the subject come to its own fruition naturally, if possible. Zora had already taken some sort of interest in the Orc. “What is it that others call you, my dear Orc?”

---

Mari narrowly evaded the swinging sword that threatened to slice through the air, her body twisting and tumbling onto the tavern floor. She landed on the rough wooden floor with a roll, a searing pain coursing through her arm as blood trickled from a gash. He’s fast!

Luckily, Thraash had given her an opening with his token spicy burp of his. Just a few seconds later, she suddenly channeled her light energy with a focused intent. A brilliant flash of light erupted, momentarily blinding everyone in the room. The scene had shifted entirely once the glare subsided. Aerilyn now occupied the very spot where Mari had been standing just seconds ago, while Mari found herself in Aerilyn's place. However, known to Mari alone, this was not reality. She had not moved from where she stood. She was banking on the idea the warforged would at the least be confused a moment, if not fooled.

Finally, she hurled the orb toward him. “Okay you overgrown solar box. Attacking people the moment you walk into a place is VERY rude.” She got to her feet with a grin, “I mean, my feelings are seriously hurt, and you haven't even given me a proper apology! Come on, isn't there something called manners anymore? No 'hello'? No 'how are you'? Geez!” She hurled a few smaller light orbs with each question, “Where’d you learn your manners? Were you raised by beast men!?”

Aerilyn held her breath as gas spewed from the Warforged after narrowly dodging her initial attack, forcing her to back off. Her attention was then drawn to Mari and the Dragonborn. She watched as flames shot forth towards the Warforged from Thraash, followed by a blinding flash of light. As the brilliance subsided, Aerilyn saw what appeared to be herself across the room where Mari just stood armed with a hammer, ready for action.

'Incredible!' She tightened her grip on her hammer and swiftly lunged forward for another attack. Aerilyn’s body had taken the form of a magical sphere glowing with radiance shot from an illusionary Mari to any onlookers.