AwesomeZero5

Haunting Revolutions

Book-worm would keep the heat up of rapid attacks. They had no particular reason to give Ariues the opportunity to relax. They would aim a particular blast at the back of Arieus left knee, aiming to knock them off balance.

go left book-worm called out to Margaret and only her. The aim to get at Ariuws weakened side.. assuming

Haunting Revolutions

Book-worm well knew to stay a distance away, especially from a paladin. They stuck to that very strategy although made certain to not be distracted themselves.

They were a bit too far to do much more but send the barrage of blasts toward the paladin to be effective. On the otherhand, the distance would make it rather unlikely to be attack by the paladin without him leaving an opening to be backstabbed.

The nlaste continued but the intensity of emotion behind them calmed

Haunting Revolutions

Bookworm was not alright for multiple reasons. No, they weren't really alright at all. The pain had stopped, true... but it wasn't something that made it just 'alright'. They hardly had time to notice Margaret patting out the flames as the pain had passed through.

Book-worm was nearly spent. Then they could feel hatred, just hatred coming out from the paladin. They felt someone else piercing into their mind. They hadn't felt hatred, not directly, not like this since they lost their antennas and they didn't mean to but they would just as quickly try pushing Margaret away and letting out what was a very monstrous screech.

Just faintly in that, a response would come to Margaret: No.

They knew, hatred doesn't stop. Hatred does not let a fleeing creature or child simply leave. Hatred drives misery and suffering on a target. Hatred would track down anything to make it suffer unfathomably or cause it to be destroyed, pursuing to no end. Hatred was something that needed to be removed.

Book-worm's legs and body were already moving before they realized it. They would distance themselves further from the paladin but start to run weaving patterns and twists as to avoid attacks. A terrifying pained screech coming out of their mouth over and over again.

A strong beam of stellar (eldtrich) energy that briefly took the form of a wolf would shoot out toward the paladin's chest. It shot quick as a crossbow bolt and rammed just as strong as a heavy bolt meant to pierce through shields. Within each moment or breath afterward Book-worm would shoot this energy again, and again, and again with every breath they were given, all the while moving.

Haunting Revolutions

@Skinner35 thanks.
Bookworm is using an offhand version of Dissonant Whispers if that helps

Haunting Revolutions

Bookworm having tried to counter-attack to make up for his earlier panic gets hit by the flaming cross. They probably should have taken the time to try and shut off the telepathic connection. As the moment they were hit by the flaming cross they would wail, terribly in extreme pain. The bugs they were sending toward the paladin's way never full received their command and would likely be incinerated by the flaming cross itself.

The telepathic connection and actual sound escaping from Bookworm would be nothing sort of an ungodly and pained screech as their carapace and body burned with extreme intensity. They clung to their cloak just screaming in absolute dread agony which was split among their normal managed talk way. They were doing their very best to simply not drop to their knees at the moment. Bookworm struggled to stay standing and aiming to pat out the fires.

In a brief moment of psychic backlash the screaming, pain and horrible ungodly sounds of some unknown nature and creature would target right into the paladin's brain. It would feel like three sharp swords aiming to stab directly into his mind among the painful and agonizing wails and there was very little way to avoid all the psychic pain from it (unless the target was deaf). One could will themselves to resist, if they were focused enough but even then it was extremely likely that at least half of that sharp pain would flash into the mind. The very pain would aim to drive the paladin to move far away from Book-worm should they not be able to will through the portion of the pain that could be avoided.

Haunting Revolutions

@Skinner35 alright, is the flaming cross like sacred flame where it's radiant or just fire?

Haunting Revolutions

Bookworm just about panicked upon hearing that. In reaction they would not only try to increase the distance between themselves an Auries just as possible. They would leave a medium wave of suggestion toward Arieus mind. Seeing as they had been traveling together and likely been conversing during that time the mental influence should be somewhat fair.

The suggest was a simple one: Go after the attacker to train their defense.

They did regret the suggestion, but they were slightly panicked. It could not really be linked back to them in particular either way whether it too effect or if it failed.

Bookworm hardly realized they had used that very suggestion in panic. None the less they did start to prepare something else, as they increased the distant further. A buzzing noise could be heard.

Haunting Revolutions

Standard sparring it is. Book-worm stepped back with a rather obvious shiver at the thought. None the less their hands grabbed toward the concealed weapons under their cloak. They weren't particularly comfortable with this. The thought against going up against a paladin was, displeasing said the least.

Are there any particular rules to this engagement or is it simply a matter of seeing how far we can go?

They were less than comfortable to be making the first move. Relieved they weren't.

Haunting Revolutions

Book-worm would spend most of those two days reading a book or three. It was something to occupy the time, mostly trying to study up on alchemy and alchemical processes.

Training against an unknown enemy of darkness. I guess that's fair, do you have any particular means of training you wish to try or are we simply to spar against one another?

Book-worm would slowly get out of the carriage.

Haunting Revolutions

Book-worm replies back to Magaret. He's saying it is the end of the world. We assume the world is going to be forever plunged in some form of darkness. The dead will rise from their graves to kill the living. That kind of thing, a standard apocalypse by most standards. Unless of course you talk to some ancient elves in which case the end times are caused by this giant lizard monster and tons, and tons of floods. Although that's usually brought up by a deity of more.. divine nature or that's what texts tend to say.

Book-Worm leaned back a little. This one is too early for our tastes of course. Much to early, there should be at least three millennia to go.