Member
Red Helix
Urizen
Squirrel98
AlteredTundra
Vesuvius00
Alby47
Lunarlord34
Lighthouse
CitrusArms
Interactions: Nolan [@hatakekuro], DM @Zarkun
Why couldn't she ever manage to attack when she wanted to? Surely this was life or death enough. So why was it she could only manage to cast offensive magic when she was fighting Azria. Thankfully her defensive stuff worked just fine and she could help with the fight at least. It's not like anyone knew she could do offensive spells, nothing beyond using make-weapons anyway. So the good news was: she wasn't disappointing anyone.
Ria's gaze followed the ash hand from the truck to Nolan, arching a brow. That was quite the articulated spell for a basic ash mage. Maybe he was a maker mage too. That'd be something. The guild could use some more of those. Right now wasn't the time for thinking on that though. She could hear more Asterins in the brush and they needed to be ready.
When the older mage turned his attention to her, the water mage focused on him. Limit the Asterins mobilities as much as possible. Use whatever spells can do as much as possible. She took a breath. She had spells like those, but to do the most good those would both need to be maintained. It was a terribly tall order to try to maintain both. First one as broad as I can then maintain the other... She nodded, smiling softly. "Yes, okay. This might feel a bit weird, everyone, but I won't be adding anything to you. Just...helping you navigate these spells."
She settled into properly sitting in the saddle and cast the first spell. Obscuring Mist rolled from her hands, extended above her head. The heavy fog to billowed out and spreading as far as she could feel in all directions. Sure, heavy enough winds could force it away, but for now it was neigh impenetrable vision wise. At least, for the Asterins. Her hands descended as if to push the billowing cloud out further around them. Her focus turned to each person, where she knew they were, once the mist reached its limits. For each, the mist would seem to part, but the feel of heavy moisture in the air would still be noticeable if they were accustomed to walking through heavy morning fog (so long as they weren't in the trucks).
Her attention turned from those she was defending to those she was against. This wasn't as easy (not that targeting multiple people with her other spell was easy) a task as the other one given she has very limited view of the targets for this one. But still, she pressed to try to find targets, instead giving up to focus on giving weight to the plants around them. Undertow dragged at each, aimed at turning them all into a proverbial current to pull anything that crossed them away from the path the group drove on.
Hopefully it worked.
It seemed they had an understanding. Mark wasn't sure what the man found funny, but they weren't wasting time discussing trivialities any longer. He took it as an understanding. Of course, when he expressed making sure everyone came back safely, he hadn't exactly envisioned it being horses as the other garrison members he would be ensuring were safe. It didn't change the sentiment regardless; or, perhaps it rather reinforced it. He certainly wasn't willing to let one of these beautiful beasts fall to harm if he could help it, and they were just as vital a member of the force as any of the actual guardsmen.
The smallest of smiles ticked onto his lips as he stood beside the mount he would ride. His hand glided over the soft hairs of the neck before stroking the fuzz of its muzzle. Any trace of a smile vanished when he heard Adelyn's struggle just to get up into the saddle though. With a soft sigh, he walked over and boosted her into it and tossed the reins to her before heading back over to swiftly mount his. Another few strokes of the mount's neck, and he prompted the beast to follow after the Sergeant.
Thankful, the lightning girl kept quiet for the ride out of the outpost and into the forest. Nothing was more tiresome than idle chatter. There was enough to look at and study for the ride out anyway. Noting markings on the ground, the look of particular trees as they passed, even noteworthy rocks or bushes - all would be helpful if for some reason something required them navigating back with an unconscious Sergeant in tow.
"Very well." That was all Mark said, with a slight nod, before the Sergeant started his climb up to his post. A vantage point like that meant it was easier to remember anyway. In case he needed to suddenly report here to help. So much to note, and keep track of. But the Sergeant was right - dismounting would likely be best. From all the hunting books he read, and the few times he tried his hand at the concept, it was better to limit the scent signatures. Cover it with something more natural was best - like mud or something - but he wasn't exactly intending to go through that amount of effort for what could ultimately turn into a fight. Traveling from downwind would be best too. That was perhaps the easier thing to do.
He dismounted and looked to the others. After Adelyn finally stopped rambling, he nodded and dismounted as smoothly as he mounted. "Yes, do not risk the horses." Of course, on the topic of if they had anything they could do to get them in easily...He had one spell in mind but was it worth the energy? Two miles north in a grotto was a rough estimate, There was the potential he miscalculated and they ended up directly on the thing. That would still provide the element of surprise but it would be just as jarring for them as the beast. There were too many variables to be confident in using Void Step, and the experience would certainly be too jarring for at least the girl.
No, there was only one real course of action. Sneaking in to take this beast on would be no different than when he would sneak up to observe some of the beasts near his home as a child. There were certain things you did and didn't do to be quiet. This was new wilderness to him, for the most part given how much of a bother it was to get all the way out here, but it was still the same principles. Which meant hunting the beast would just be an elevation to scientific observation.
"We will need to go on foot. Single file. Walk carefully. Avoid dry twigs and leaves as much as possible. It will conserve our energy for the fight, and if we can remain downwind it will give us the ability to observe what we will face. Hopefully that will give us the advantage." He set to ensuring his mount was safe and steady beside Sergeant's before looking back at the others. "I can take point. Kiba, can you take rear?."
