GambolMuse

Adelon: Steeling the Faith (High-Casual)

With that addition I do believe all the characters are in! :D

Adelon: Steeling the Faith (High-Casual)

W-Wait, who's getting murdered now? O.o

Adelon: Steeling the Faith (High-Casual)

Ethan could use all the help he can get. He's as challenged as they come when trying to find his way, and a bit hapless as a fighter to boot :P

Adelon: Steeling the Faith (High-Casual)

What was he meant to do now? Kent was gone, the other Magi they had been working with - a Varuna named Kresh, was nowhere to be seen. He was the only Hunter present now and, simply put, Ethan was overwhelmed. Did he carry on trying to find their target or help with the situation at hand? Could he help? Rising to his feet he stumbled along the beach, shivering and soaked to the bone, trying to find some way to help. Perhaps the lone doctor aboard the Marigold was currently working on a young woman who sported a gruesome injury, a jagged piece of metal protruding from her leg. Blood didn't bother him too much but hearing her cries of pain was unsettling. Forcing a weak smile, Ethan knelt down beside the man with the offer to help, feeling like he was going through the paces now. Control the situation, keep the civilians safe, maintain order. His training rang in his ears and he'd do his best to do just that - even if "maintaining order" was a bit beyond him right now.

"You there! Yes, you. Hold her leg, Keep it steady now!" The doctor grabbed a small, sealed container and opened it up, visibly relaxing finding its contents undamaged. Taking out a roll of bandages, gauze and a bottle of some kind of oil, he took off his shirt and laid it beneath the woman's leg. "She's going to bleed once we remove the glass. It's missed an artery but be ready, you'll need to apply pressure above the wound and hold her still for me. Ma'am, this is going to hurt, just bear with it."

Ethan nodded stiffly, looking at the woman's contorted features. "Y-You're going to be okay, hang in there! The doctor will fix you up!" For what little his encouragement did as the woman was covering her face with her hand, sobbing and trying her best to remain still. Ethan nodded when told to be ready, placing both hands on the woman's leg. The glass was pulled and blood immediately began to pool around the wound, inciting a gasp as he tried to stifle it with his hands. Doing as he was told he applied pressure instead to the area around the wound - a bit difficult with his hands slick from blood. The doctor applied his oils which made the pain worse, then cleaned up the wound swiftly before applying gauze, and finally the bandages. The entire ordeal took but two minutes, though with the woman screaming and cursing it felt ten times as long.

"She's lost a decent amount of blood, but the wound isn't a fatal one. I have to see to the others, keep an eye on her for now and make sure she doesn't crash, understood?" Ethan nodded and the doctor gathered his tools, rushing off to a group beckoning to him. Their supplies were low and he was the only one who apparently had medical training - people were going to die, even more than already had.

Collapsing into the sand with a groan, Ethan hung his head and closed his eyes. He was beside himself and hadn't the foggiest idea what to do now that Kent was gone and Karesh was nowhere to be seen. For the moment he'd remain here to help, but after that...?

"Thank you..."

Ethan glanced at the woman and smiled slightly, giving a simple nod of his head. She looked awful, truth be told - drenched, pale, trembling still and her clothing bloodied. But she was alive, which is what he assumed she was thanking him for.

"Thank you for taking care... Of those damned Magi..." With her eyes shut she couldn't see Ethan's face fall, and the silence she took as an acceptance. She smiled weakly and reached out, grabbing Ethan's arm. "My husband, he was killed by a Magi. They're nothing but murderers and thieves now. People like you... You keep us safe, so... Thank you..."

"Y-yeah... Don't mention it..." The woman went silent and he worried for a moment they might have lost her, but seeing her chest rise and fall gently brushed aside those fears. It was nice to be thanked - when putting in time and effort into something, recognition could be nice. But Ethan didn't want to be thanked, not for that. Not all Magi were bad people. Not all thieves were bad people, and... He'd even argue not all killers were bad people. Call it naivete, call it optimism, call him an idiot, but he didn't believe in labeling a whole group of people as bad. If he'd learned anything since arriving in the cities is that good, and bad people, came from every walk of life. Between the sinners and the saints, evil didn't discriminate.

The woman was billed as 'stable' when the doctor returned, giving Ethan the freedom to move about once more. Bidding her farewell he looked around the beach uncertainly, trying to find some sense of direction. Nearby, the captain and a few members of his crew were having an animated discussion, the former looking to be trying to quell a disagreement. With an uneasy smile Ethan approached, hoping perhaps to help with whatever discussion they were having.

"There are too many injured, we can't transport everyone as we are, not like this," reaffirmed the captain. "We'd be at risk for drawing beasts, the best we can do is send out a party to find help and bring the guard here."

"People are goin' to DIE, captain! We've gotta move them now!"

"How? We have no carts, no carriages, and we can't transport them on the boats, there isn't enough room for everyone. And Galloway's too far to make it on those anyway. No, we need to find the nearest town and get help there." The captain paused when Ethan approached the group, giving the boy a slight, weary smile. "Glad to see you made it, boy. You're looking less green now that we're on land."

Ethan thanked him sheepishly, rubbing at a small cut on his cheek. The crew admonished him with impatient glares, clearly not welcoming of the seemingly hapless boy in their midst. And his next words made them none the more pleased with his presence. "I uh... Overheard some of your conversation. If you'd like... I can try and find some help?"

One of the crew members, a boy roughly his age, was the first to speak up. "Absolutely not! If we leave people here they'll be killed! We can't just sit here and wait to be saved!"

"Yer asking us to just wait here and expect some kid to save us?"

Ethan smiled uncertainly, pulling back his cloak and revealing the patch on his upper arm. From skepticism to disbelief the men all glanced at it, then their captain. "I'm not totally helpless, if you need help then I can help," he argued, concealing the patch again and looking at the captain, "Please. I'm... Still kind of new at this, but it's my job to help, so let me help. I'll find someone who can get these people what they need, and I'll do it as quickly as I can."

"That... Would be fantastic. We can send you and a few others out, there's a town just about 20 kilometers or so to the south. If you left now and made quick of it, you could probably get there and back... By this time tomorrow." It was honestly still faster than if they tried to transport the wounded, given how careful they would need to be. "Alert the guard, the town's healers, whoever you can find. See if they have room for about a dozen wounded, tell them its an emergency. We'll remain here and keep everyone safe, this is a good a spot as any to rest." Water to their back, wide open space to their front, it was easily defensible. Their supplies were low but, with luck, they would only need a day.

Right. Find help, get supplies, help get everyone to the nearest town. He could manage that much, especially if he had others helping. "You got it sir! I won't let you down!" Though... There was one slight problem. Ethan glanced up and down the beach before smiling weakly, itching at his nose and letting out a chuckle. "Uh... Wh-which way is south...?"

Adelon: Steeling the Faith (High-Casual)

Feel free to fill in the gaps there however you want, guys! Just wanted to move that along :3

Adelon: Steeling the Faith (High-Casual)

Ethan was never, EVER going to get on a boat again. The seasickness was dreadful but manageable - he'd survive being queasy long enough to reach port. But now they were going to potentially capsize? He knew how to swim just fine, he'd spent plenty of time in the rivers around Kinsgrove, but just how far out were they? Worrying about himself aside there were children aboard the Marigold too, one of which was with him now. And bawling her eyes out. The Captain's insistence for calm and order did little in the face of panic, and panicking the passengers were. Picking up the child he looked around desperately before spotting her parents by the stairwell, calling for her. Cutting his way through the crowd, Ethan handed the girl over and gave the parents a reassuring grin - for whatever good that might do. He couldn't stop a wave from hitting this boat, his magic was nowhere near that powerful.

"Everyone, get to your quarters! Brace for the wave, do not come out unless explicitly told to!" Over the shouting and screaming, Kent's voice somehow rang above all of it. Already a head above most people he had an air of authority about him - one Ethan sorely lacked. Spotting his companion, the elder Magi gestured down to the decks below, pausing to wave another group down into the hull of the ship. "Make sure that everyone gets to their rooms safely! And go find the Captain, ask him if you can help in any way."

Ethan didn't know what people were going to ask of him, or what he could even help with. But orders were orders. "Uh... S-Sure! But what are you going to do...?"

"Stop the wave, of course. Otherwise people are going to die." How he would stop a wave was beyond him, but only three Magi - four, if their target was on board, were present. No normal person could hope to avert a disaster, not without magic. Demanding Ethan to get to work he watched the boy run down the stairs, sighing to himself. To the stern of the ship he went, narrowing his eyes and shielding them from the sun as he looked for the wave. Just off in the horizon to the east he could make it out, a rise in the water, unnatural in every sense of the word. The how and why of the wave didn't matter, he only needed to focus on saving the Marigold.

Uncertain of what to do with himself, Ethan approached the first crew hand he found, asking for directions. Seeing the insignia on the boy's shoulder he was instructed to help ensure passengers were ready for impact. Darting from room to room, the few he could find occupied, he gave a quick glance to see if people had their jackets on. With his magic it took him no time at all to pass through the halls, and just as well - the wave was closing in. Crew members were running to and fro, sealing hatches and locking bulkheads, ones not necessary for escape. Once the passengers were accounted for Ethan darted up the stairs, somehow finding his way to the command deck. Barging into the room he found the captain and crew staring out the windows, fixated on something just outside. The wave?

Kent's face was sheen, not from surf but from sweat, pure exertion. Hands extended towards the stern he had cast a spell, a large barrier surrounding the entirety of the Marigold. It was the extent of his power and he hadn't a clue if it might hold up, but he needed to try something. Gritting his teeth and placing his left leg back he braced, pumping as much magic into the barrier as it could. The wave rose up to meet him, climbing at least a meter over the railings and coming crashing down into the barrier with a thunderous roar. Shouting and pushing back as his barrier flexed he fell to one knee, his muscles straining and chest constricting, feeling like he might nearly lose consciousness. Just as it seemed that the barrier would fail the wave disappeared, leaving the Marigold rocking back and forth but, miraculously, upright. Looking up as a light spray soaked him, Kent smiled and sank to his knees and hands, breathing labored. He'd done it, somehow. Behind him he could hear the cheers of the crew above, but he hadn't the strength to even lift his head and acknowledge them, much less celebrate himself.

"C-CAPTAIN! PROBLEM!"

Ethan's eyes widened seeing it himself, and all cheers promptly died out as a deathly silence filled the room. A second wave several meters higher than the first had appeared, having appeared perhaps behind the first. Avoiding it was out of the question, and one look at Kent struggling to get his footing confirmed what they were all thinking. The Captain gave a shout to brace just as the wave rose above the Marigold, and with a deafening roar, several hundred tons of water bore down on the ship. Windows in the cabin were shattered and the room filled, the ship being thrown about like a toy under the force of the wave. People below were thrown about, and everything inverted as the ship was thrown onto its side, then ultimately upside down. Her hull now sat above water, and everyone on board - Ethan included, was beneath the waves.

The sound of faint chatter was the first sign he wasn't dead. His body felt heavy, clothing soaked and chilled to the bone, but he was alive. Ethan's eyes slowly opened themselves and he was mystified to find he was on the shoreline. Groaning, he lifted his head and slowly pushed himself up, looking around at the scene before him. Several small boats sat on the shoreline, and a few more still coming in from the water. A few familiar faces he recognized, the Ydra woman and her cat, the captain, some of the faces he briefly saw before the wave hit. Relief was quickly overshadowed by dismay as he looked down the beach further, noticing several people laid out and lined up, not a single one moving and several other people over them, crying or desperately trying to resuscitate them. Among them was Kent, skin pale and blue, with several crew members unsuccessfully trying to administer CPR. Not everyone had made it out then...

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

Sasha gasped softly as her fist smacked Viral's jaw, watching him stumble away. From livid and aggressive now he was... Remorseful? She'd seen him grow angry plenty of times - the troops were all well aware of his penchant for lashing out. It was why Aito didn't seem to trust Viral, why she'd been asked to come here and gauge him. What she had never seen, however, was him back down. Her commanding officer would be furious that she wasn't going to report exact details - she was doing everything she could to respect the fact Viral was even agreeing with this, but this was a very distinct, and very good sign things were changing.

"No, no, I provoked you!" Sasha responded, holding up her hands with a bashful smile, "Most people don't know we can do that, and you're not the first to assume it's Ki. It's an unfair advantage though, and not something I should be throwing around in a simple sparring match. So I'm sorry, for even using it on you." She folded her hands together and bowed her head slightly, hopeful not to ruin this moment. "And really nothing happened, I might have a bruise but that's nothing. Don't even worry about it!" It was almost more than a bruise - she swore her bones were going to snap under that single strike. But then that was just as telling as Viral's stepping away and calming down: he'd been holding back his strength to try and not harm her, showing, again, he was far more than the wild animal Korian dubbed him to be. Now she almost did want to tell the man just to see his reaction, how he'd come to terms with being so terribly wrong.

"I'm almost disappointed Korian isn't here right now, in a way. He wouldn't know what to do seeing you like this." Speaking aloud without thinking about it, Sasha smiled apologetically. "A lot of people are willing to follow you, but everyone was... Scared, I guess? It hasn't helped that Korian has treated you as a threat, but there was some of us, people who have fought with you, that knew you'd be able to do this. Even Ricken did, even if he won't ever say as much," she added with a short laugh. "I'm sorry, you probably don't want to be hearing all of this. But I'm sure you're going to do great, training everyone. Obviously you're ready for it, no matter what anyone else says."

Adelon: Steeling the Faith (High-Casual)

Throw the children over, use them as rafts, they're buoyant!

Adelon: Steeling the Faith (High-Casual)

"N-Nice to meet you, Yarri! And yeah,,, I think after today I'm not a fan of ships either..." His sorry state said as much, and even now he was fighting to not lose what little might be left inside of his stomach. Having a conversation with someone helped take his mind off things - shame then it ended so abruptly. Ethan was puzzled when given the cold shoulder, wondering if he'd somehow offended the woman. All he'd done was agree with her. They sat in awkward silence for a moment until Yarri broke it, leaving a disappointed Ethan by himself again.

"Oh... Okay then! Well uh, give her a petting for me would you? I'd do it but, you know..." Ethan trailed, gesturing to the railing, "Got my post to look after!" With a small chuckle he laid back on the deck once more, finding himself to fare a bit better when lower. Just a few hours to go. Glancing up at the sky again he watched a cloud drift by, wondering if he'd get sick upon a cloud. Could you ride a cloud...? It had to be better than being on a ship, anything would be better than this. Smiling to himself his eyebrows raised slightly when a young child popped into his view, looking down at him with a whimsical smile of their own. "Uh... Hi there," he muttered, flashing them a smile.

The child giggled and reached down, prodding the boy's nose. "Why're you lying down, mister?"

"Because I'm sick," Ethan groaned, putting his hands on his stomach. Wriggling his nose when poked again he grinned, reaching up and returning the gesture. "Hey... Weren't you chasing that cat a minute ago?"

"Yeah... But the lady said we couldn't play with her anymore, and my brother went downstairs to find mommy and daddy." The girl puffed her cheeks and let out a huff, then smiled again and grabbed Ethan's shirt, pulling on it excitably. "Play with me, mister! Chase me!"

Seriously? He was going to have to run around? The girl seemed adamant and Ethan hadn't in him to tell her no, she seemed so earnest and eager. Slowly sitting up he covered his mouth and belched, smiling sheepishly. "Alright, alright. But if I say I need to stop then we have to stop, okay? Running's probably not good for my stomach right now..." And the girl was off, running away giggling before he'd even finished speaking. Resigning himself with a sigh, Ethan climbed to his feet and took a few unsteady steps, breathing deeply before jogging after the girl. "Come here you!"

----------

"Uh... Captain? You should see this..."

One of the many devices outfitted aboard the Marigold was a depth chart, one of the first to be employed. It was installed as a trial device and never used, in fact most of the crew tended to ignore it. Yet the spikes in activity beneath the water was causing its readings to flare up. The captain approached the counter and looked to the device, then his crew, a deep frown etched on his face. This was nothing unheard of, the waterways of Adelon could be perilous in ways unseen. Yet for something to be registering in the middle of the Thalassa Sea...

"Sir! Reports of a large wave off of the aft! Approximately a kilometer off and closing fast!"

How? When? They hadn't felt any tremors, and any time a wave suddenly sprouted this far out it was because of a quake. The Marigold wasn't equipped to take large waves, her hull was sturdy but not weighted, meaning capsizing was a very likely. And without any sizable holds to take on excess water it meant the cabins would flood, along with the storage rooms, and likely the engine room. The Captain would bemoan his sorry excuse for a ship later, he needed to warn the passengers. Hurrying to the intercom turned it on, speaking to the entirety of the vessel.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain! I need everyone to calmly return to their quarters and grab your life jackets. Anyone without one will be given one by the crew. You are to remain below deck until told otherwise. We are about to be struck by a wave, and are expecting a worst-case scenario." No sense in sugar coating things, people would panic but at least this way they'd save some lives. Barking out a series of orders, he then continued. "In the event of the ship capsizing, you will use the emergency hatches to get above the water. Crew will help escort you, and our escape vessels will be launched. Women and children proceed first, then the men. If anyone cannot swim, inform a crew member. That is all, hang in there everyone, we'll get through this!"

Adelon: Steeling the Faith (High-Casual)

@Raylah Ethan's got it on his right shoulder, but he's also wearing a cloak, so while technically visible, it's hidden :P