Quick on her feet, Alexine sliced through groups of the undead. Rotted bones cut easily, like thin, rusted metal snapped in half. The mage's streams of flame danced in the corners of her vision, sometimes so close her arms and face burned. She swung out at flashes of metal, parried the undead and knocked them to the ground hard enough to snap their bones.
Alexine turned to meet another when an inhuman screech pierced her ears and sent her to her knees. She clutched at her head ineffectually, still gripping her sword in a callous fist. The undead swarmed her in a tight circle and lifted their weapons to strike her dead. She cried out and dropped her hands, spun and hacked at their ankles. A narrow escape from a blow to the neck. The undead around her crumbled, and when she stood again, the rest had backed away to the very corners of the courtyard or disappeared completely.
Before the adventurers stood a great, ugly beast with one eye and monstrous arms, unlike anything she had seen in all her adventurers. There had been many villainous monsters she helped to take down, but none came close to this. It lunged for Dasmira, the half-elf and the mage; Alexine followed. They moved quickly, with practiced skill befitting their titles. Flames and melodic slashes charged for the beast. As she approached the group again, Dasmira darted out from the protection of flames and by some miracle of skill wrangled the beast's neck in her rope.
Attentive to opportunity, Alexine ran to where Dasmira wrestled with the creature. She yanked from her belt a long dagger and stabbed at the beast's eyes.They could only hold it down so long before it overpowered Dasmira. Alexine wrenched her dagger from its eye, and dashed around to its side. "Immobolise it, quick!" she called to the others, and drove her dagger into the flesh behind the beast's shoulder until the blade severed muscle.
teapotshark Member
- Last Seen: 8 yrs ago
- Old Guild Username: splash13
- Joined: 11 yrs ago
- Posts: 482 (0.12 / day)
- VMs: 0
-
Username history
- teapotshark 11 yrs ago
Status
User has no status, yet
Bio
Pre-Guildfall, 2008. Communication is what makes a lasting roleplay.
Most Recent Posts
As always, Chris and Tony remained close to one another as they walked. Not long into the resumed journey, Tony's legs began to ache again. Days of running with only short breaks... he didn't want to imagine what would happen if he collapsed. So he marched through it, smiling all the way to the treeline because that's what his best friend would expect. He wasn't the best liar, but he knew exactly how to fool her.
Watching the density of the trees decrease before them, and the abandoned shacks and cars begin to appear around a dirt road, relief sprang up like a cat at feeding time with its ears pricked. For the briefest moment Tony felt better, before reality struck him in the gut. He couldn't remember when he stopped smiling, but worry painted itself across his features now.
“Infected are most likely around here somewhere.”
When their new companion dropped down on the outskirts of the small town, Chris pulled the rifle over her shoulder back into her hands. She looked down the sights in every direction, motioned for her companions to follow, then walked slowly into the town. If there were infected to be dealt with, she would make sure they met a swift end.
She made her way through the town from its main road, passing rows and rows of empty housing before catching sight of the first store. Still, it was a quarter mile away, its colourful sign like a beacon. Chris slowed and trained her rifle on every conceivable exit and entrance, then glanced back at Tony and Joshua and indicated down the road to the store. Predictably, Tony responded with an enthusiastic nod.
Watching the density of the trees decrease before them, and the abandoned shacks and cars begin to appear around a dirt road, relief sprang up like a cat at feeding time with its ears pricked. For the briefest moment Tony felt better, before reality struck him in the gut. He couldn't remember when he stopped smiling, but worry painted itself across his features now.
“Infected are most likely around here somewhere.”
When their new companion dropped down on the outskirts of the small town, Chris pulled the rifle over her shoulder back into her hands. She looked down the sights in every direction, motioned for her companions to follow, then walked slowly into the town. If there were infected to be dealt with, she would make sure they met a swift end.
She made her way through the town from its main road, passing rows and rows of empty housing before catching sight of the first store. Still, it was a quarter mile away, its colourful sign like a beacon. Chris slowed and trained her rifle on every conceivable exit and entrance, then glanced back at Tony and Joshua and indicated down the road to the store. Predictably, Tony responded with an enthusiastic nod.
I hope you get back on your feet soon. We'll be here. :)
Well! I just got a whole load of paperwork finished, and I can focus more. :D
The night and the rain conspired to trick her into sleeping late; it could be the only explanation to missing three alarms on her phone and two on the clock. Torrential memories of England drifted through her sleep-dulled mind, lifting a pleasant hum to her throat. She would fight someone over the “rainy England” stereotype, but only verbally of course – she had not the skills to match anyone in a physical battle, though that would not stop her trying. The hypnotising lullaby of raindrops on her bedroom windows imprisoned her in dreams, until her roommate kicked down her door, jumped on her bed and started bouncing.
“Oh my god, get up! Get up!” Phoebe groaned. What was that thing on her back? She didn't have a dog... “Oh my god you're so dead, did you take something?” Her roommate leaned over, gave her a moment's respite from the bouncing, and screamed into her ear. “You're late!” Jolting so violently she struck her roommate in the nose, Phoebe wriggled out of the comforter and pointed a hairbrush at the girl.
Nadine, a six foot tall beauty and promising up-and-coming model, clutched her face in both hands and stared at Phoebe like she'd lost her mind.
“Sorry...” Phoebe muttered after a long blink. She rubbed her eyes, clearing some of the blur from her vision, and tossed the hairbrush on the bed. Her quiet, gravelly 'morning voice' raced ahead before her mind could finish constructing sentences. “What were you talking about?”
“I come home and want to sleep, right,” Nadine's hands over her nose and mouth muffled her words, and Phoebe squinted, but for some reason, that didn't help. “And all I hear is your phone blasting Mine Turtle like four times and your clock starts ringing, I figure you gotta be tired so I let you sleep in, then you get that stupid Star Wars text thing, and ugh!” Nadine threw up her hands. There was a dark lump starting to form on her nose, just to the right. Lost in staring at it, Phoebe slowly absorbed what her roommate said.
“Star Wars?” She picked up her phone from the bedside table and blinked hard at the array of messages and missed calls.
First a drunk text from Nadine, far too deep in spelling errors to decipher, at least three calls from unidentified numbers, a missed call and an email from mother – that was to be expected – and an event reminder:
Point Blank cast & crew readthrough, 11:00 AM.
Her schedule was kind enough to include a flickering red message below the event reading: 42 minutes!
Throwing her phone to her roommate, Phoebe snatched up clothes and a towel and dashed into the shower. She emerged ten minutes later, still dressing, and stuffed a few things into her work bag – a small blue duffle with a Zorro keychain and her initials on the back – before sprinting out the door. “Star Trek!” she shouted back to Nadine as she went, “It was Star Trek, not wars!”
She couldn't rightly leave without clarifying that one, small detail.
The race to the meeting room trumped her usual morning jog, carrying her to the building in double her record time. She thought too late that it might have been smart to hail a cab, then remembered there was no cash in her wallet anyway. As she slowed to a walk and entered the building, flashing her access card to a number of different people, she tapped her chin irritably and mumbled all the way to the room. Her phone claimed she had time to spare, though she was not sure how much she trusted the device any more.
“Oh my god, get up! Get up!” Phoebe groaned. What was that thing on her back? She didn't have a dog... “Oh my god you're so dead, did you take something?” Her roommate leaned over, gave her a moment's respite from the bouncing, and screamed into her ear. “You're late!” Jolting so violently she struck her roommate in the nose, Phoebe wriggled out of the comforter and pointed a hairbrush at the girl.
Nadine, a six foot tall beauty and promising up-and-coming model, clutched her face in both hands and stared at Phoebe like she'd lost her mind.
“Sorry...” Phoebe muttered after a long blink. She rubbed her eyes, clearing some of the blur from her vision, and tossed the hairbrush on the bed. Her quiet, gravelly 'morning voice' raced ahead before her mind could finish constructing sentences. “What were you talking about?”
“I come home and want to sleep, right,” Nadine's hands over her nose and mouth muffled her words, and Phoebe squinted, but for some reason, that didn't help. “And all I hear is your phone blasting Mine Turtle like four times and your clock starts ringing, I figure you gotta be tired so I let you sleep in, then you get that stupid Star Wars text thing, and ugh!” Nadine threw up her hands. There was a dark lump starting to form on her nose, just to the right. Lost in staring at it, Phoebe slowly absorbed what her roommate said.
“Star Wars?” She picked up her phone from the bedside table and blinked hard at the array of messages and missed calls.
First a drunk text from Nadine, far too deep in spelling errors to decipher, at least three calls from unidentified numbers, a missed call and an email from mother – that was to be expected – and an event reminder:
Point Blank cast & crew readthrough, 11:00 AM.
Her schedule was kind enough to include a flickering red message below the event reading: 42 minutes!
Throwing her phone to her roommate, Phoebe snatched up clothes and a towel and dashed into the shower. She emerged ten minutes later, still dressing, and stuffed a few things into her work bag – a small blue duffle with a Zorro keychain and her initials on the back – before sprinting out the door. “Star Trek!” she shouted back to Nadine as she went, “It was Star Trek, not wars!”
She couldn't rightly leave without clarifying that one, small detail.
The race to the meeting room trumped her usual morning jog, carrying her to the building in double her record time. She thought too late that it might have been smart to hail a cab, then remembered there was no cash in her wallet anyway. As she slowed to a walk and entered the building, flashing her access card to a number of different people, she tapped her chin irritably and mumbled all the way to the room. Her phone claimed she had time to spare, though she was not sure how much she trusted the device any more.
If characters are going to have a quick-shot conversation like Joshua and Chris/Tony just did, it'd span quite a few posts without them moving forward and with only a few lines per post. I just wanted to avoid that. :D But if you'd rather not, you are the GM, we shall listen.
In any case, I've posted the collab now and those three characters can move forward!
In any case, I've posted the collab now and those three characters can move forward!
Working on a post at the moment.
Collab with Joshua15555.
Chris did not lower the rifle at the stranger's request, but at Tony's. She kept it aimed on the stranger for as long as it took him to explain himself and for her to check him over for visible undead-related injuries. When Tony quietly urged her to think carefully, she slowly lowered the gun. She knew how Tony would be looking at this situation; another person to watch their backs, help them achieve their goals, regroup with humanity, and all that crap. But this wasn't a damn video game.
He picked the baton up from the leaves and offered it to her. “Who are you?” she asked the stranger, taking the baton from from Tony's hand and wrapping her fingers tight around the handle.
"Joshua." He stated, letting out a breath as he stepped forward, putting away his knife and Glock. However he didn't strap the pistol in, he simply set it on safe and let it sit in the holster, his hand resting on it, ready to be drawn if he needed to. He watched her carefully as he took a few more short steps forward.
"Now that I said who I was I'd like for you to tell me who you two are. Seems only reasonable." Joshua said cautiously.
She kept the rifle in her hand, its strap dangling in the undergrowth of the woods. "Chris. This is Tony." She gestured to her friend, who waved at Joshua.
"There's a town on the other side of these woods," Tony blurted. She tapped his thigh with the end of the baton and shot him a glare. Excellent, she thought, now he knows where we're going. Tony shut up then, biting his bottom lip as if the rest of their plans were going to fly out of his mouth if he didn't stop them.
She faced Joshua again and pulled the rifle onto her shoulder. A sign of good will, but nothing stupid. If he attacked them, she knew exactly where to hit to disable him, at least long enough to get the hell out of the woods. "Give me a reason to trust you. A good one."
"I can't really, and it's pretty foolish to try. Just because you trust me, what stops you from stabbing me in the back? Not a lot." Joshua said, stopping his slow advance. He really couldn't find a reason, he was going to the town and ransack it and keep moving towards the inner United States, to get away from the highly populated coast.
He had a point, but Chris would rather keep someone she trusted and might have a use for alive, with their back intact. She chose not to tell the stranger this. If he wouldn't cooperate, she wouldn't mind leaving him behind. For now, with Tony's stupid puppy dog eyes threatening to work on her any minute, she would let this guy off. She waved her hand, letting Tony pick up the conversation.
"Hello," he said, smiling sweetly. Like an idiot. "Are you heading to the town too? Would you like to come with us?"
"I wouldn't mind a group until we get there. When we arrive we can reconsider if we want to keep moving together. Can I head over and grab my gear, it's not far from here." Joshua said, watching the previously silent Tony.
Tony nodded, like an excited child, and turned to grin at his best friend. She fought the impulse to roll her eyes and nodded too. "We'll come with you, then to the town," Tony said, already walking towards where Joshua had come from. Chris followed him closely, eyeing Joshua all the while.
"You guys can wait there, not I don't... trust you, its a personal thing." Joshua said, waving his hand away from them, still walking to his gear. The guy seemed too friendly, too quick to trust. He'd have been just like the female, Chris, with someone like himself. After a little longer he arrived at his gear, he threw off the leaves and picked up the assault pack, throwing it on his back and moving back to return to Chris and Tony, provided they had listened to him in the first place.
More than happy to leave this guy to his business, Chris put out an arm and stopped Tony. He halted immediately, of course. She kept one hand on his arm and one on the baton, eyeing the trees. By the time Joshua came back, she gave him a quick once-over and nodded in approval. Whatever he had in that pack, she'd figure out if it posed a threat to her and Tony later.
She started towards the town at a quick pace and Tony followed.
Chris did not lower the rifle at the stranger's request, but at Tony's. She kept it aimed on the stranger for as long as it took him to explain himself and for her to check him over for visible undead-related injuries. When Tony quietly urged her to think carefully, she slowly lowered the gun. She knew how Tony would be looking at this situation; another person to watch their backs, help them achieve their goals, regroup with humanity, and all that crap. But this wasn't a damn video game.
He picked the baton up from the leaves and offered it to her. “Who are you?” she asked the stranger, taking the baton from from Tony's hand and wrapping her fingers tight around the handle.
"Joshua." He stated, letting out a breath as he stepped forward, putting away his knife and Glock. However he didn't strap the pistol in, he simply set it on safe and let it sit in the holster, his hand resting on it, ready to be drawn if he needed to. He watched her carefully as he took a few more short steps forward.
"Now that I said who I was I'd like for you to tell me who you two are. Seems only reasonable." Joshua said cautiously.
She kept the rifle in her hand, its strap dangling in the undergrowth of the woods. "Chris. This is Tony." She gestured to her friend, who waved at Joshua.
"There's a town on the other side of these woods," Tony blurted. She tapped his thigh with the end of the baton and shot him a glare. Excellent, she thought, now he knows where we're going. Tony shut up then, biting his bottom lip as if the rest of their plans were going to fly out of his mouth if he didn't stop them.
She faced Joshua again and pulled the rifle onto her shoulder. A sign of good will, but nothing stupid. If he attacked them, she knew exactly where to hit to disable him, at least long enough to get the hell out of the woods. "Give me a reason to trust you. A good one."
"I can't really, and it's pretty foolish to try. Just because you trust me, what stops you from stabbing me in the back? Not a lot." Joshua said, stopping his slow advance. He really couldn't find a reason, he was going to the town and ransack it and keep moving towards the inner United States, to get away from the highly populated coast.
He had a point, but Chris would rather keep someone she trusted and might have a use for alive, with their back intact. She chose not to tell the stranger this. If he wouldn't cooperate, she wouldn't mind leaving him behind. For now, with Tony's stupid puppy dog eyes threatening to work on her any minute, she would let this guy off. She waved her hand, letting Tony pick up the conversation.
"Hello," he said, smiling sweetly. Like an idiot. "Are you heading to the town too? Would you like to come with us?"
"I wouldn't mind a group until we get there. When we arrive we can reconsider if we want to keep moving together. Can I head over and grab my gear, it's not far from here." Joshua said, watching the previously silent Tony.
Tony nodded, like an excited child, and turned to grin at his best friend. She fought the impulse to roll her eyes and nodded too. "We'll come with you, then to the town," Tony said, already walking towards where Joshua had come from. Chris followed him closely, eyeing Joshua all the while.
"You guys can wait there, not I don't... trust you, its a personal thing." Joshua said, waving his hand away from them, still walking to his gear. The guy seemed too friendly, too quick to trust. He'd have been just like the female, Chris, with someone like himself. After a little longer he arrived at his gear, he threw off the leaves and picked up the assault pack, throwing it on his back and moving back to return to Chris and Tony, provided they had listened to him in the first place.
More than happy to leave this guy to his business, Chris put out an arm and stopped Tony. He halted immediately, of course. She kept one hand on his arm and one on the baton, eyeing the trees. By the time Joshua came back, she gave him a quick once-over and nodded in approval. Whatever he had in that pack, she'd figure out if it posed a threat to her and Tony later.
She started towards the town at a quick pace and Tony followed.
Yeah, I apologise our collab is taking so long. I can promise we have not abandoned the roleplay. I'll have a post up tomorrow at the latest.
Aveline slowed as she approached the melted gate, muttering a disapproving few words about the mage, and passed through into the courtyard at a trot. She found herself wondering if her brother had stood in the exact spot she did, and where had he turned to enter the keep? The entrances were vast and varied, reminiscent of a puzzle. She likened to courtyard to a life-sized board for a game of stones. Casting her eyes about the courtyard, it seemed the stones of this board retired long ago. Nothing but their bones and weapons remained of their play.
She watched the mage in flames at the second gate with a single raised eyebrow and dismounted, tying Bella by her reins to the nearest post in the stables. In the vastness of her travels she had met more than the odd mage – none with Athinar's power, but noteworthy nonetheless – and for the first time she did not appreciate it. For a brief moment she felt guilty leaving the horse and considered setting her free, should they not survive the keep. Instead she pressed her forehead to the horse's long face and stroked her mane; a silent apology and a promise to return. Then, adjusting the sword on her hip, she strode to the other arrivals.
"I don't plan on waiting for the mage to destroy another gate. There are other entrances," she told them, gesturing to the doors and ladders. The mage could be helpful, she would admit that, but if her wholly ungifted brother could go missing in such a lifeless, soul-damning place as this keep, a mage acting as Athinar was could provoke any number of evils. Aveline did not wish to go missing as well, nor wished that upon her companions. She let her eyes sweep over them, glanced at the mage once more, then walked to the nearest door to see if it would open.
She watched the mage in flames at the second gate with a single raised eyebrow and dismounted, tying Bella by her reins to the nearest post in the stables. In the vastness of her travels she had met more than the odd mage – none with Athinar's power, but noteworthy nonetheless – and for the first time she did not appreciate it. For a brief moment she felt guilty leaving the horse and considered setting her free, should they not survive the keep. Instead she pressed her forehead to the horse's long face and stroked her mane; a silent apology and a promise to return. Then, adjusting the sword on her hip, she strode to the other arrivals.
"I don't plan on waiting for the mage to destroy another gate. There are other entrances," she told them, gesturing to the doors and ladders. The mage could be helpful, she would admit that, but if her wholly ungifted brother could go missing in such a lifeless, soul-damning place as this keep, a mage acting as Athinar was could provoke any number of evils. Aveline did not wish to go missing as well, nor wished that upon her companions. She let her eyes sweep over them, glanced at the mage once more, then walked to the nearest door to see if it would open.
© 2007-2024