Pezz570

The Five Senses - Second Arc (Accepting New Players!)

Tayla

Interactions with @HokumPocus @13Org

---

Tayla braced herself as her attacker closed in. She reached for a nearby vase, and-

Octavio and Lynx sprang to life and disposed of her attacker. Tayla exhaled audibly. For once this crummy town had actually provided the good fortune she needed.

The vase to her right suddenly fell over and landed atop Tayla’s bare foot.

”SON OF A-”

Tayla fell to the ground cradling her foot as more servants flowed in.

Shit! Shit! Shit!

Gritting her teeth, Tayla moved into action and grabbed her discarded blade off the floor. However, before she could move. Lynx and Octavio had already disposed of them all. And… Senses take her name.

”The hell? How come your magic is working?” She complained while making her way to the bedside to recover her other blade which the first attacker had used to skewer the bed with.

”Thanks for the save, by the way.” She said to Octavio begrudgingly. She didn't like that she had required another's help to survive this encounter.

With a sigh, she stared down at her sleepwear and then eyed the attire she wore from the previous day. ”I'm not about to leave the room like this. This clothing isn't practical for fighting. Do me a favor and turn your back, would you? I'll make this quick.”

She hurriedly swapped attire when Karina suddenly popped in while Tayla was halfway through.

”For the love of-!” Tayla shouted while ducking below the bed. Honestly, this woman! Could she not knock?!

Tayla quickly threw on her top.

”Chres is gone.” She spat out in annoyance. ”Sil says he went for a walk before getting attacked. His magic isn't working, and neither is my own. This guy however...” She pointed in Octavio's direction and rolled her eyes.

”Sil has gone off to look for him, but not before mentioning something about the princess getting captured. So bottom line, we're sitting pretty in a ripe stink of a pile of dung. Funny how that always seems to happen to you lot.”

The Five Senses - Second Arc (Accepting New Players!)

Collab between Pezz and Jamesyco
Princess Lys
Peytr Ruhnoveltz

---

Hider

Lys frowned as she looked to her fellow caged individual. It was the first time she heard the man speak. What did he mean test subject?

Doofus chuckled dismissively at the man’s words. “Big words for a useless piece of meat.”

“He wasn’t useless.” Fidget interjected, still nonchalantly flicking the tool in his hands. With each flick, it morphed and twisted. It… It was a fork… Definitely a fork… “His… procedure… was actually informative, Sid.”

Flick. The tool was a knife! Undeniably a knife!

Doofus frowned, eyeing Fidget with unease. Hesitantly, he stole a glance at the knife.

“Right. His… procedure…”

Fidget smiled softly, seemingly amused by Doofus’s discomfort.

“Of course, if you would like to see it keep talking to the woman that way, we will see who gets to have a procedure of their own. Come come come. Come Sid, We will get to have fun if you do.”

The man’s cheek was pressed against the wood of the door, his lips and eyes going between so that he can either see through or just talk through. He stared at them, and he grew malicious in his thoughts.

“If you come here, I’ll show you what I am thinking, if you see that, you’ll go and sit down somewhere and be calm, you wont think think like we do sometimes. You wont have all that spite in you, maybe you’ll enjoy the company in front of you. After all she seems nice for someone whos is normal.”

Lys arched an eyebrow. Nice? Normal. She smirked. Those weren’t exactly the words she would use to describe herself. This guy got all the wrong first impressions.

They will underestimate you. Try to hold you back. Her mom’s words echoed in her head. Words drilled into her time and time again. Words of a mother seemingly paranoid that every man was out to get her and Lys. They will stand in front of you. Treat you as if you are the weaker gender. The world is not fair El’Lysael. You must perform twice over to prove yourself their equals.

As much as Lys liked to roll her eyes at her mother’s overload of ‘life lessons’ she wasn’t exactly wrong. However, she did not agree with her mom’s stance that all men acted this way, and certainly not intentionally. She never fully understood. Never fully understood all the scorn the woman seemed to hold beneath the surface.

She thought it best not to correct him. There was no need really. Particularly right now, when there were people threatening to remove her appendages. She was quite attached to those and didn’t intend to change that anytime soon.

“Normal!” Doofus shouted. “NORMAL!”

Fidget eyed Doofus with a distasteful frown.

“All of you Normies. Deafened by stupidity! Never considering to offer a helping hand to those who need it most! Only for those like your own.”

“Sid.” Fidget warned with a low growl.

Doofus, however, ignored Fidget. “You look down on us. Think you’re better than us! Well, Normie, keep talking and maybe you will convince my friend here to put you back under the kni-” -Flick. The tool was a spoon.- “-uh… spoon…” Doofus paused. A moment of confusion crossed his face. As if puzzling out his own choice of words. “Spoon?” He muttered the word questioningly. “Put you back under the… spoon?”

Fidget smiled to himself. As if partaking in an inside joke.

”You alright there Doofus?” Lys asked.

“It’s Sid! My name is Sid!”

Lys shrugged. “Sid. Doofus. Same same.”

Doofus got up from his chair, face red.

“Sid.” Fidget said in a dangerously cool voice. “Perhaps it would be best if you sit back down before you actually start looking like a doofus.”

Doofus shot Fidget a look, but reluctantly returned to his seat.

The man stared at the lights further down, and he slowly leaned back, he was being ignored as usual. But with that, he decided that he wanted a bit harsher of tones. He slowly moved around and placed his hand upon the wooden door as he relaxed, pulling the door.He violently shook it for a moment. Then stopped, letting wooden raddles silence themselves as he kept the door closed.

“If you come here…I wont tell them what you did to the poor girl, forced her into the room with the one they locked away, the one they experimented on. Would you rather have that fate, yes, yes, that fate. You would rather have that fate as someone who does dirty things.”

Peytr stared at the door and he placed his hand through the little slot, “Come here, I bet you have something good… If not, I’ll come over there and show you what’s inside my head. I’ll show you what the others wont, you two look strong enough, you two look like you want to see everything.”

Doofus laughed and tossed a cup at the man’s cage. “You think we care how you Normies look at us? Us Crazed are already looked at as ripe manure by all you Normies. But hey, if you’re looking for another beating by my club over there, then fine. Allow me to oblige.”

Yet, again Doofus rose from his chair.

Flick. It was a fork.

Fidget slammed the fork downward, piercing the wooden table at which they sat. The prongs seemed to twist and elongate, and for a second they appeared to pierce through the stone floor.

The table sank half a foot… or, had it always been that low?

Lys shook her head and blinked. When she opened her eyes, her gaze fell back onto the table. Something about the table suddenly felt terribly wrong. It had a strange chaotic pattern of brown gray, that somehow Lys had never noticed before. The pattern weaved throughout the table with the two shades clashing with each other, as if…

Her eyes widened in realization. The brown and gray were not two shades of color, but rather two separate materials of wood and stone with no clear demarcation between the two. This chaotic tapestry of disparate materials carried throughout the entire table and into the stone floor.

She found herself unable to fathom the seamless blend of discordant elements. The table before her became a source of discomfort, its very sight evoking a sense of unease. Contemplating its existence doubled the distress, akin to a collision of ideas forcefully melded, yet persistently yearning to unravel. The experience induced a dizzying sensation in her mind and an unsettling churn in her stomach. And it seemed that she wasn’t the only one affected.

With a shout, Doofus took a step back from the table. His face shared a look of equal confusion and discomfort as Lys.

“Sid.” Fidget said in a dangerously quiet voice. “If you stand up from your seat one more time, then I promise you I’ll make the chair and your ass one and the same.”

Doofus’s eyes widened. Clearly terrified of the notion. With a shudder, he looked at Fidget. “I-”

The door to the room opened in a sudden motion. Three people in servant garbs entered.

“Xyrlos, it’s time.” The lead servant said.

Lys frowned, Xyrlos… where had she heard that name before?

Fidget -Xyrlos- raised his emotionless gaze to the newcomers but said nothing, as if waiting for them to say more.

The three exchanged glances nervously “We- um… have begun our ambush on the uh… remaining Normies.”

Lys’s heart raced. They were ambushing her companions now? Could they not use their magic either?

Xyrlos, nodded at the others' words and rose from his seat.

“Sit down Sid.” He said warningly. “And do not think for a second about getting up until I get back.”

Xyrlos and the other three left the room. With only Doofus left behind, still standing there and staring at the door.

The Five Senses - Second Arc (Accepting New Players!)

Tayla
Sil

Mentioned @HokumPocus

---

Hider

”WAKE UP! CHRES IS IN TROUBLE!!!” Sil screamed directly into Tayla’s ear.

Tayla bolted up right in her bed, ears ringing and heart pounding. “Pierce my eardrums,Sil!” She cursed, her left hand leaping to cover her ear. She had awoken next to Octavio and Lynx. The two did apparently sleep together. New development or no, it was fair to say the bed was quite crowded.

“What the hell is your problem?!”

”Lots of things actually.” She replied back merrily, completely oblivious to the pain and probable loss of hearing that she just caused. ”-or at least that’s what Chres likes to tell me, but I like to think it’s part of my charm.” She said, hands clasped behind her back and head tilted to the side. She looked up to Tayla and gave her an innocent smile.

Tayla groaned. Was the fairy really so clueless, or did she just get a kick out of torturing others while feinting ignorance. “Why are you here, Sil?”

”Oooooooooh, no reason, really. I was just doing my nightly hobby of watching you sleep is all.”

Tayla’s jaw dropped. “You… were watching me sle-” She cut off abruptly and shook her head. Her mind doing a mental double take. ”I’m sorry did you say this was nightly hobby?”

”Hmmmmmmmmm…” She hummed contemplatively. ”Would it be weird if I said, ‘yes’?”

“Um… yes?”

”Then of course not, silly,” She scoffed, trying to downplay the situation, ”-this is hardly an obsessive hobby which you should definitely lose sleep over! Tonight was only a one-time affair.”

“Riiiiiiiiiiiight…” Tayla shifted in her sheets uncomfortably. She shifted her gaze around the room. Strange, the door was left open.

She rubbed her eyes for a second and tried to clear her head. She could make out strange scuffles and grunts coming from elsewhere in the guest wing. She eyed the night stand next to her, and the place where she had left her twin blades and bag of swabs. One of the blades was missing.

Tayla’s back stiffened. “Sil… what was it that you were yelling about again? Something about Chres being in trouble?”

”Oh, that? Just a minor detail. He went out for a stroll, and got into a little scrape, is all.”

“A… little scrape?”

”Yeah, something about, ‘Magic’s not working -blah, blah, blah- Servants trying to kill me -yada, yada yada- Princess Lys is kidnapped -etc, etc’ ...”

Magic not working? Murderous servants? Lys, kidnapped?!?!?! Shit! Tayla’s eyes darted from the open door, the missing blade and the seemingly empty room.

“Sil.” She whispered. “Are we alone?”

”Alone? No, of course not silly. Someone is playing hide-n-seek under the bed!”

Tayla’s eyes widened. The bed?!

”But hey, back to the important stuff - did you know that you puddle from your mouth when you sleep? In fact, you still have a little bit on your chin over there-”

Tayla leapt out of the bed dressed in nothing but her sleepwear, just in time to avoid a blade piercing through the mattress where she had just been.

The woman under the bed cursed. She was now in a vulnerable position. Her chance to strike, lost. Tayla swept up her remaining blade in one hand and a bag of her swabs in the other. Then in one fluid turn she thrust the blade into the woman’s side and through her gut.

The woman let out a dying cry. Her form changing and shifting in the process. The servant… was she one of those Chameleon Crazed that Lord Ru’Tev showed them?

Another servant entered her room. More? Was this whole thing just a ploy then? This whole time?

Tayla made a dash for the new foe. Swung her sword and-

The new servant took a deep breath. Tayla’s sword burst apart into a gaseous blur and slithered away like a snake into the man’s nasal cavity.

Tayla abruptly stopped her assault and dashed backwards. The man took that chance to charge at her. Swinging his arms, he then breathed out. Tayla’s sword reappeared in his hands.

”Ah, fuck me!” Tayla cursed; crude as ever. She dove under the wild attack and shot past him. Fortunately for her, the man clearly wasn’t familiar with how to properly swing a blade.

Sliding on the floor she kicked the back of the man’s knees. The man collapsed to the ground screaming in pain.

”Sil!” She cried. The whole incident seemed to have frightened the familiar. Tayla could barely make Sil out in her winged ferret form. Hiding and shivering under the bed. “Warn the others, Sil!”

”I-”

“Warn the others!” She repeated. “And for senses sake, go find Chres!”

Sil yiped. Though she needed no further prodding. She flew off, out of the bed and into the guest wing. Screaming warnings for the others.

The man she had kicked laughed despite the pain he was in. “It’s too late. That Normie, all on his own? He’s probably dead already.”

Tayla shrugged. Honestly she didn’t care. From what she had seen thus far, the drunk fool was pretty useless anyway. Sil, however…

She thought back to the poor thing, shivering under the bed. Too scared to move. Too scared to do anything. She had been that girl before. Chained up and cowering under her father’s shadow. A runaway teen, homeless and balled up on her side, as the imperial patrol kicked and beat her for stealing bread. A broken woman, locked as a prisoner in a cell. The closest thing she had to a friend now dead because of her stubbornness.

No. She didn’t care for Chres. But this other feeling she had… This was new.

She looked at her opponent, as they both regained their posture. Just to make sure, she put one of the swabs in her mouth and frowned. Her magic also wasn’t working. The trigger for her power, and the power itself was there, but it felt like there was a wall of resistance in between.

She exhaled, She could make out the sounds of others in the guest wing. Things certainly looked bleak. If she died here, so be it. At the very least she could ensure that she wouldn’t die as that girl, crying in a corner.

Her attacker closed in.

The Five Senses - Second Arc (Accepting New Players!)

Collab between Pezz and Skycera
Nia
Chres

---

Hider

In the dimly lit corridors of Lord Ru'Tev's manor, an unsettling hush settled over the air. Shadows clung to the tapestries, and the crystal jade candles cast an eerie glow on the faces of those who gathered in clandestine corners.

In a corner, a group gathered around a warped-looking map of the manor, hastily drawn on tattered parchment. Fingers traced unseen paths and strategic points, marking the locations of the unsuspecting in the guest wing. Plans were whispered in hurried tones by the people in servants' clothes, ensuring every member knew their role in this attack.

Nods were exchanged and in a flash, the group dispersed. The once serene hallways erupted into a frenzy as servants, veiled in the guise of deference, darted in disparate directions, transforming the manor's corridors into a kaleidoscope of chaotic motion.

*

Nia sat upon a high back. cushioned chair within an extravagant library. The blindfold was once against pushed up her head as she flicked through the pages in a book. She couldn’t read well. No, Nia had never been given a proper education. Instead she admired the intricate illustrations decorating the occasional page.

She felt awkward, out of place even, wearing pilfered clothing far more lavish than anything she had worn before. Adorned in a soft gray tunic, dark pants and boots of fine quality leather, she could almost pass for a noble lady. Indeed the outfit, she had been told, once belonged to one of Lord Ru’Tev’s distant nieces.

She had just finished browsing the book and was midway to returning it to the shelf when the door barged open and a crew member garbed in the attire of a servant barged in.

“You!” he barked, waving her over “You’re needed. New orders”

She paused for a moment, a wave of icy anticipation coursing through her. If she was being called upon that could only mean she was expected to use her abilities.

She pulled down the blindfold and scooped up her falchion, sheathing it at her hip as she crossed the room.

“Where?” She asked, trying to disguise the nerves in her own voice.

“You’re with me” came the reply. “We have one loose in the halls. We’re moving into position to intercept in case the first group fails.”
Her only response was a stiff nod as she fell into step at his side. Together, the pair strode through the halls, Nia almost having to jog to keep up with the other Crazed. After only a couple of minutes they heard a commotion ahead. The pair upped their pace, rounding a corner in time to see an unfamiliar man facing off against another of their crew.

*

Chres cursed, pushing himself off the ground, and rolling into an empty room off to the side. The beast charged passed. Its image blurred, dancing in swirling blaze, as if it were flame itself. It didn't, however, turn into the room.

Okay, so at the very least this magic wasn’t precise. And at best, the creatures “didn’t think for themselves.

Senses! Why wasn’t his magic working? He could sense his energy stores. He could touch it even! It just resisted. It just…

Chres felt a trickle of power flow into his hand. So, he could still use magic. Something was just interfering.

There was a loud crash. A stony clawed beast burst through the wall bordering the room Chres was in and the hallway. Having completed its job, the beast collapsed into a pile of liquid.

“Knock, knock” said the Craze.

A trickle of power. Not enough to shape or weave. Not enough to do anything really intricate. But, if Compressed…

A Pea sized ball of energy formed between Chres’s thumb and forefinger of his free hand. It’s glow, a dull red.

With a flick of his wrist, he flung it into the man’s face. It exploded in a burst of tiny energy. The man’s head flinched backwards. He stumbled a bit. It wasn’t enough to knock him out, but it had to have felt like a back hand slap.

Chres took advantage of the moment of weakness. He dove in, grabbed the man by the throat, slammed him against the wall and finished him off by stabbing him in the heart. He made sure to twist the knife just to make sure.

He pulled out the knife, letting the attacker collapse to the floor. Chres looked to his left. Two more had arrived. A man and woman.

“What are you standing around for?” The man said to the girl. “Kill him!” He made to push her forward.

*

Nia stumbled a little as she was pushed. Blindfolded as she was, the detail was indistinct but she could see the man before her wrench a knife from one of her former companions. She disliked fighting but she felt as though if he wasn’t stopped this man would kill her and any other like her.

‘Click, click click’ the sound she emitted would be beyond the hearing of anyone else but it refreshed the view before her, bouncing back to her strangely shaped ears. In the same moment she raised the falchion and drew upon the innate energy within herself targeting the man with hallucinations, her curse.

The sound of whispers filled her ears, subtle and indistinct but noticeable. Trying to be so precise as she was would drain her sanity quickly. Without the blindfold it was likely the scene before her would already look vastly different to her eyes.

“Drop the weapon and surrender” Nai ordered, trying to keep her voice as level as the sword held before her. If the man made a move for her she was prepared to shape his perception for an advantage. Or, at least she would try. She had never killed before and now adrenaline mixed with fear in her chest. Her heart pounded but she was determined to stand her ground. She would prove now she wasn’t a liability.

*

The hallway warped and shifted.

“Chres,” came a voice. A voice he knew too well. A woman with a full belly appeared before him. Her once beautiful face beaten to a pulp. Her womb bloodied by multiple stabs wounds.

Sillensia. Chres’ wife.

Her image glitched and distorted; Jumping from one place to the next. “You killed our child Chres.”

Chres’ eyes widened. How?

He looked to the girl, her image shifted like the hall around him. This… this clearly wasn’t real, but how did she know about his wife?

Chres’s brow furrowed. ”Who are you?” He growled, his hand tensing on the knife.

With a flicker, Sellinsia’s image jumped and reappeared to his left, just at the corners of his peripheral. “Did you do it on purpose? Did you not want to be a father?” She continued. “Would you rather I ripped it out?” Her hand plunged into her womb, ripping out a gasping fetus. It’s heart beating rapidly like the rhythmic pattering of raindrops on the rooftops.

Chres took a step back, his resolve weakening. ”No…” he whispered. ”Stop…”

“Did you not want me? Did you not love me?”

”That’s not how it happened!” He yelled at the blindfolded women ”She abandoned me! She didn’t love me! IT WASN’T EVEN MINE!”

’No. You don’t understand.’ His wife’s protests reverberated in his ears. What? What didn’t he understand?!?!?!

“What are you standing around for!” Said the crazed who had grabbed Nia earlier “KILL HIM!”

*

Nia stood frozen as she heard the scene play out before her. The blindfold protected her from the sight itself but she heard everything in graphic detail. The pain in the man's voice cut her as real as any knife would and her morale wavered. She took a step forward silently begging the man to simply surrender. To drop his weapon so that this could end.

The whispers in her ears, the cost of her ability grew, They echoed the other Crazed’s words over and over.

“Kill him, kill him, kill him”

She grit her teeth but even so her voice seemed higher than usual as she spoke once more.

“Drop the weapon and I’ll end it. Please! Don’t make me do this to you!”

*

Another Sillensia appeared to his right. “ME?!?! I abandoned you???”

A third appeared “YOU!” They screamed in unison. “YOU KILLED ME!”

Chres took another step back.

”I-I didn’t want… I didn’t mean…”

“Have you gone fully crazed?! He’s a Normie. Kill him, you fool! KILL HIM!” They man yelled.

*

Nia drew back the falchion and prepared to strike at Chres. However, even indistinct as it was to her, the expression on his face and the voices she could hear caused her to pause.

She could almost hear Milaine’s voice in her head ”You might be more of a liability than an asset” She wasn’t a liability! She wasn’t! She...

Nia lowered the sword defeated, already dreading her aunt's disappointed tone. If she found out what Nia had done then she would surely be furious. She was always told how useless she was and now the words rang true.

The growing negativity caused her concentration on the magic to waver then slip. The words in her ears became laughter and jeers, mocking her for her failings. She fell to her knees clutching her head.

“I’m sorry!” she moaned, repeating it over and over “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

*
Chres collapsed to one knee; hand to his head. A bead of sweat dripped from his forehead. His breath came out labored. The voices had finally quieted. The room had turned normal once again.

”I-it wasn’t like that…” He whispered to himself. ”It wasn’t… Sense, please! Just tell me it wasn’t…”

Chres! Chres, what’s wrong? Sil said through their link.

The other Crazed gave Nia a flat stare. “Sorry? Scratch out my eyes girl! You showed mercy to a Normie! A Normie who just killed one of our own, aaaaand… you’re sorry…” with a shake of the head, he tsked and pulled out a blade. “Save your apologies for the others… I’ll kill the Normie.”

The Crazed drew a few steps towards Chres.

”It wasn’t… I wasn’t”

Chres! Answer me!

”I… I…” His vision began to focus.

The man was a foot away from him. Blade thrusting downwards.

Chres’ eyes widened.

No. Not yet.

He kicked off with one foot, and rolled to the side. His grip on his knife tightened as he brought it down and skewered the man’s foot.

The man fell with a scream, hands cradling his foot. His blade now abandoned on the ground, ripe for the picking. Chres swooped it up and brought the flat side of the blade down on the man’s head. He collapsed unmoving but still breathing.

Withdrawing the blade, Chres drew his gaze on the girl huddled before him. This girl… she knew Sillensia… She… She was the key! She had to be!

Chres made sure to close the gap between the two of them least she try to attack his mind again. ”You.” He said in a half growl, half whisper. He raised his blade to the girl’s head. ”Start talking.”

*

The cold point of a blade brushing her face pulled Nia from her fugue state. She felt confused and disorientated but her body reacted instinctively to the apparent threat and she froze.

Not daring to touch her blindfold, she fired off a series of echolocation clicks to map out the area before her. The impressionist view she received in return confirmed her fears. The other Crazed lay as an indistinct pile of the ground nearby and the unknown man, the enemy, now stood with a sword leveled at her.

She ran through some possible responses. If she tried to attack or use her powers she would likely be dead before she rose to her feet. If she told him what he wanted, he’d probably kill her immediately or the others would likely kill her later for the betrayal.

The only option was to delay and hope someone else would turn up in time to rescue her.

“..Did you really kill her?” Nia asked at last, inclining her head a little to look up at him. She cursed herself, her voice was shaky.

*

Chres' eye twitched involuntarily in response to the question, a lingering effect of the accusatory words echoing in his mind from the illusion.

‘YOU! YOU KILLED ME!’ The declaration echoed sharply in his mind.

The girl knew. She was toying with him. She had to be!

His sword hand trembled, caught in a storm of fury and anguish that threatened to consume him. ”Why d-” Chres’ voice faltered, the weight of suppressed pain rising to the surface, now impossible to ignore. The raw agony laid bare.

”Why did she do it?” He whispered, the words a struggle to articulate. ”Why? Why lie? … about us… about sneaking around with him behind my back… about… about…” Chres found himself almost unable to speak. ”The baby’s true parentage?” The question hung heavily in the air. The depth of betrayal was too much for him to grapple with.

”Why?” He whispered. ”Why?”

*

The blindfold over her eyes face hid Nia’s surprise. She had been sure from Chres’ reaction that he had been about to plunge the sword right through her head. Now he simply seemed pained.

She had to keep him talking, but saying the wrong thing here would lead to her death. Her isolated upbringing had keep her oblivious to the struggles of a romantic relationship but even she had overheard the occasional argument between the couples.

Drawing on her limited knowledge she cautiously ventured “Maybe because you were always busy. She felt you didn’t love her anymore?”

*

This. This he knew, but the same could be said of Mercaido. He literally worked for the man and followed him around.

That didn’t explain everything though. The gift she left him. A metal glass pendant with a custom made familiar in her image. And then the other identical pendant. The blank pendant…

Sillensia was right. He didn’t understand. But maybe, through this girl, he could understand more.

Chres could make out distant shouts behind him. The three attackers from before.

Lowering his blade, he looked at the girl.

”What’s your name, girl?” He asked.

*

Voices in the distance, she was almost safe.
Nia slowly rose to her feet without taking her covered eyes off Chres. She kept her hands raised defensively in front of her body.

“Nia” she replied cautiously.

*

Chres nodded. The sounds of the others were getting closer. Chres frowned. What was he to do with the girl? There were so many questions he wanted to ask. So many questions he had not the time for.

“Over there! I heard him over there!” A shout came from down the hall.

He didn’t trust the girl, not for a second. She had tried to kill him. Granted she was unable to follow through, but still… However, considering the situation, the girl’s knowledge could be useful in more ways than one.

”Nia.” Chres repeated.

Behind him, the man Chres knocked out, shifted and groaned. “What this? You two are on a first name basis?!”
*

She froze, eyes growing wide as she looked down at the prone man.

“No!” she gasped, horrified. “No, no! That’s not… He just…” Her words were cut off abruptly.

*

“Traitor!” The man yelled, “WE HAVE A TRAITOR!”

The accusations rang down the hall as the other three attackers turned the corner.

Chres looked to the injured man, the attacker and back to Nia. He pursed his lips. Mind made up.

”Well Nia,” He said, grabbing her hand. ”seems like if you want to keep your head, then you better come with me.”

And with that he took off at a run.

ChatGPT - The RP

---

Ennui's brow furrowed as she observed the defenders retreating toward the square.

”This… can’t be good.”she remarked with a tinge of concern, casting a worried glance at Quincy. ”Perhaps… now would be a good time to leave Quincy.”

Quincy responded with a thoughtful hum, uncertainty lingering in the air. "But… if we leave now… my new friends… Orion… Lunella…"

”You can’t help them Quincy.” Ennui said firmly.

"No!" Quincy insisted, a spark of determination in his eyes. "I can help them. If I give them a dream of singing raindrops, it might bolster morale and-"

”Quincy. You can’t help anyone.” Ennui stated, cutting him off. ”You aren’t equipped to-”

"I can help!" Quincy interjected. "I-I must help! I can be more than a never-ending circus!"

Ennui fell into a prolonged silence, Quincy's words tugging at her heartstrings. ”Quincy.” she said in a hesitant, quiet voice, ”The last time you were ever helpful to anyone, was the time you saved a little girl’s life from the nightmarish fiend in the marshes… A life already shattered and broken… The event that led to the creation of me.”

Quincy frowned, blurred images flickering through his mind, elusive memories slipping away like sand. His hand went to his forehead, a pained expression on his face.

Ennui placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, her eyes filled with sorrow. ”Please.” She whispered. ”Remember.”

Her visage seemed to blur, her hand merging into Quincy as if trying to converge with him.

”No...” Quincy protested as he collapsed to his knees. ”I can’t… I won’t!”

Ennui’s image returned to its clear and distinct form. She cast upon him a look laden with both sorrow and comprehension.

Head buried in his knees, Quincy’s voice came out as a whimpering muffle. ”I’m sorry Elina… I’m… so, so sorry.”

---

After a minute, Quincy regained his composure. By then the defender had begun to regroup and create a defensive posture around the central square of Nexustead.

Despite Ennui’s continued prodding, his refusal to leave persisted. Running up to a nearby defender, he grabbed their arm. ”Did my idea work? Did hugging the Abyssal Creatures help at all?”

By now, it was clear that Quincy’s momentary lucidity had worn away and he was back to his usual self.

The defender gave him an odd look before shaking him off. “They are of the Abyss, you fool. Hugging them is a sure way to get corrupted.”

”But did it work?”

“... No?”

No? The answer was no? How could that have not worked? Sometimes the only thing Quincy ever wanted was a hug!

Quincy collapsed to his knees, utterly dejected. What could he do to help his new friends if giving the enemy hugs didn't solve the problem?

”Quincy,” Ennui began hesitantly, ”If you insist on staying, then perhaps it would be wise to regroup with the others. Perhaps we can strategize from there.”

With a solemn nod, Quincy abandoned the soldier and made his way to the center of the square.

ChatGPT - The RP

ChatGPT

---

Hider

Amidst the fiery proclamations and the harmonious interplay of elemental and celestial energies, the Abyssal Leader, concealed in the shadows, observed with an eerie, malevolent satisfaction. The defiance of Orion and Lunella only fueled the Abyssal Leader's resolve. The Abyssal creatures, momentarily repelled, regrouped under the unseen influence of their leader, setting the stage for a more insidious phase of their assault.

The Abyssal Leader, a cunning strategist, seized the opportunity presented by Orion and Lunella's display of unity. With a gesture veiled in darkness, the Abyssal Leader redirected the efforts of the Abyssal creatures. Instead of persisting in a frontal assault, they dispersed like tendrils of shadow, infiltrating the outskirts of Nexustead. Their aim was no longer to breach the defenses head-on but to exploit the vulnerabilities within.

As the Abyssal creatures spilled into the village, their elusive forms moved with a malevolent purpose. The ethereal dance of shadows became a haunting symphony, each creature finding its way toward the mystical amplifier that stood at the heart of Nexustead's defenses. The shift in tactics was subtle, a strategic maneuver to divert the attention of the defenders.

In their wake, the Abyssal creatures left a trail of corruption that twisted the very essence of the races that called Nexustead home. Feyweavers, with their ethereal connection to nature, were corrupted into twisted, vengeful manifestations. The once-diplomatic Feyweavers became elusive shadows, wielding corrupted fey magic that ensnared their victims in a web of nightmares.

Celestial Guardians, revered for their protective presence, succumbed to the Abyssal influence. Their radiant aura turned into an eerie, sickly glow, and their celestial powers were perverted into malevolent energies that drained the life force of those they sought to protect.

As the Abyssal Leader neared the mystical amplifier, a sinister chuckle echoed through the shadows. "The descent into darkness is inevitable," the Abyssal Leader murmured, his voice a foreboding whisper. The corrupted races, now unwitting pawns in the Abyssal Leader's grand design, added to the cacophony of chaos that enveloped Nexustead. The fate of the Elemental Nexus hung in the balance, and the defenders faced not only a physical battle but a war against the very corruption that threatened to consume them all.

---

Elara, standing amidst the defenders, felt a shiver run down her spine as she received a harrowing report. A key structure, vital to Nexustead's defenses, had been targeted and breached by the Abyssal creatures. The defenders stationed there were overwhelmed, and the heart of their resistance now faced imminent collapse.

Breaking through the front defenses was just the beginning of the Abyssal Leader's strategy. The targeted structure was a mystical amplifier, intricately woven with the elemental energies that held Nexustead together. Its destruction would not only weaken the town's defenses but also amplify the corrupting influence of the Abyssal Convergence, turning the tide of battle decisively in their favor.

Elara's urgent message resonated through the minds of the defenders, "The Abyssal creatures have breached the heart of our defenses. They target the Elemental Nexus, a structure crucial to the stability of Nexustead. Its destruction would not only compromise our defenses but accelerate the corruption spreading through the town. We must regroup and strategize before we make our move."

The Elemental Nexus was an ancient construct, a convergence of elemental energies that had safeguarded Nexustead for generations. Its destruction would not only leave the town vulnerable to the Abyssal forces but also put the very fabric of reality at risk. The consequences of its fall were dire — an unraveling of the elemental balance, a surge of corrupted energy, and the potential transformation of the town into a permanent conduit for the Abyssal Convergence.

Elara, with a heavy heart, continued, "We cannot afford a hasty assault. The Abyssal Leader is cunning, and rushing in blindly would play into their hands. We need a strategic approach to break through their defenses, rescue our comrades, and secure the Elemental Nexus. Gather at the central square for a council of war. Time is of the essence, my friends. We must save Nexustead from this impending doom."

The Five Senses - Second Arc (Accepting New Players!)

Princess Lys

---

This was probably one of the more… undignified predicaments that Princess Lys found herself in. Locked in a cage suited for a modest sized animal; Trapped in the old Lord’s basement waiting for him to do who knows what to her. Her mom always did say that men weren’t to be trusted. Given the chance they would take advantage of her, use her even. Perhaps even in ways that were… best not thought about.

Odd warning to come from one’s own mother. Particularly the last bit. As a child, she never thought much of it. But as an adult… Those were the types of comments that made one cringe and tell their parents off, just like any proper adult should. Aaaaaaaaaaaand Lys was an adult… if only just barely.

Lys sighed as she reclined on her side from within the cage, head resting atop her hand. It was an uncomfortable position to say the least, particularly with the cold metal surface she rested atop of, but hoped the relaxed posture would add a sense of unease to her captors.

As of right now she had two guards watching over her. The first guard, who she named Doofus, had a bloodied lip and a swelling eye, curtsy of her left and right hook. The man almost seemed to snarl at her every time he paid her a glance. Each time, she made sure to return his disdain with a smug smile which further pissed him off. Once it even earned her a kick at her cage and a bit of spit, which of course she mimicked as one does. It would be fair to say the gesture did not improve relations.

The other guard made her more uneasy. That one had yet to spare her a single glance. Instead, the man seemed to stare blankly at the wall in front of him. In his hand, he fidgeted with a strange silvery utensil. As he flicked it, it would almost seem to undulate and shift. One moment it would look almost like an oversized two-pronged fork, then a spoon with a long stem and a generous bowl, and the next moment an elongated table knife with jagged teeth. The tool’s sheen wasn't much better. One second it would shine against the light, another it would reflect the light. Other times it would glow, and there were even times where it would just turn dull.

The constant changing made her head spin and her stomach turn. Something wasn’t right about that thing. Was it a fork, a spoon, or a knife? At one time she had tried to fixate on the idea of it being all three, but oddly her brain refused to accept the notion. The idea seemed almost foreign. It had to be one thing or the other!

Fidget. That was the name she had coined for him.

Lys sighed, contemplating her situation. Princess El’lysael, the should-be heir to the throne of the Nation of Sight -assuming one ignored her little brother and the likes of male inheritance- was now nothing more than a prisoner. Wings clipped and magic nullified. It was a thought that irritated her to no end.

This whole time, how could she have been so foolish?! She had spent her life preparing to be a diplomat! She should have seen the signs! And her training? Her ‘dancing lessons’ as her mom liked to put it. All of that had amounted to nothing. -Doofus cursed as he place a new pack of ice on his eye.- Weeeeeeeeeeeell… almost nothing.

“So,-” Lys started, “-What’s the plan here?”

Doofus stared daggers at Lys, while Fidget continued with his… well… fidgeting. Typically

“Hey! You! Fidget!” Lys yelled with a whistle. “I’m talking to you!”

Doofus frowned. “Fidget?” He repeated.

Fidget stopped his fidgeting, and finally he spared her a glance.

“Finally.” Lys said. “You know, Doofus, I’ld thought he’d never stop.”

“Doofus? DOOFUS?!” The man repeated, standing up. His face turning red.

Fidget held up his hand. His face void of emotions. Reluctantly Doofus relaxed. With a flick of Fidget’s wrist, the tool settled into its knife form.

Uh-oh…

Fidget rose from his seat, knife at his side. It was a knife right? It had to be a knife!

“So high and mighty. All you Normies are the same.” Fidget said in a voice barely above a whisper.

Lys felt her breath catch at the word ‘Normies’. This man, he wasn’t just a man. He was a Crazed. And... if he was Crazed... then the prison...

“You’re lucky, you know?” Fidget continued. “We’re supposed to keep you alive for now… however…”

Fidget stabbed the wall with the knife and cut through it like butter… Or… had he cut through it???

Lys's head spun. Had he sliced through the wall, or had that crevice always lurked unnoticed?

Fidget cocked his head and gave her a faint smile. “An ear, a finger, a tongue, perhaps even an entire hand. People don’t need those to live, do they Sid?”

Sid -Doofus- smirked. “No.” He said. “I don’t think they do.”

Lys held her tongue. She didn’t think this was an idle threat.

Seemingly satisfied, Fidget returned to his seat. The fidgeting continued. As did the staring at the wall.

ChatGPT - The RP

ChatGPT

---

The darkness loomed, undulating like a living entity as the Abyssal leader, a being of alien grace, observed the unfolding chaos from the concealed vantage point. The creatures under its command swirled in a nightmarish dance, a twisted response to the defenders' resistance. This Elder of the Abyss watched with eyes unseen, orbs of unfathomable abyssal energy that surveyed Nexustead and its would-be saviors.

In the distance, Orion's flames clashed with the Shadowy Manifestations, a futile attempt to pierce the elusive entities. A smirk, if such a gesture could be attributed to the grotesque visage of the Abyssal Leader, etched across its formless countenance. Elemental Marauders, brutes with an intrinsic connection to the Elemental Enclave, advanced with shattered, elemental features, their purpose clear: to disrupt and dismantle the Elemental Enclave.

But then, Lunella stepped forward, her Crescent Blade aglow with the silvery light of the moons. Her celestial dance synchronized with Orion's fiery onslaught, creating an unexpected synergy. The elder Abyssal creature's interest was piqued, its unseen eyes narrowing as it registered the harmonious interplay between fire and moonlight. A sense of recognition, a begrudging acknowledgment of the defenders' ingenuity, echoed through the alien entity's thoughts.

The Abyssal Leader pondered the situation. The defenders were proving to be more resilient than anticipated. A momentary pause in its strategic contemplation occurred as a deceptive scout, a Shapeshifting Terror, sought to infiltrate the defenses. Its grotesque form shifted, mimicking the surroundings in an attempt to bypass the vigilant eyes of the defenders. Clever, but the defenders' unity posed a significant challenge.

In the midst of the chaos, a weakness in the defenders' line was identified. A strategic maneuver by the Elemental Corruptors disrupted the carefully maintained elemental balance, causing a rift in the defensive formation. Brutes seized the opportunity, crashing through the weakened area with a terrifying force. The defenders, momentarily caught off guard, attempted to regroup.

A Celestial Defender, ensnared by the relentless grip of an Elemental Marauder, faced a grim fate. The corrupted touch of the abyssal entity spread swiftly, darkening the defender's skin and emanating tendrils of abyssal corruption into the surrounding area. Panic set in among the defenders as the corrupted elemental magic wreaked havoc.

The Abyssal Leader, a silent orchestrator amidst the tumult, assessed the situation. Its form pulsed with malevolence, amplifying the eerie aura that surrounded the Abyssal Creatures. A resonant voice echoed in the minds of the defenders, a manifestation of the Elder's will.

"Futile, Celestial Defenders. Your feeble attempts only quicken the inexorable descent into darkness. Your precious Nexustead will crumble, consumed by the Abyssal Convergence."

The battle raged on, an unfolding symphony of chaos orchestrated by the Abyssal Leader, its unseen eyes ever-watchful, its influence spreading like a stain on the tapestry of reality.

Recruiting new players for The Five Senses

Our Discord:
https://discord.gg/atjM7dZz
(includes a 'wiki' of information about the world)

OOC:
https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/189518-the-five-senses-second-arc-accepting-new-players/ooc

---

Hello Friends! me and my fellow role-players are looking for new recruits to join our fantasy RP which we have been contributing to for a little over 6 and a half years now.

We started our second story arc earlier this year. So the current arc is still young. Recaps and detailed info about our world can be found on our discord.

Note: We typically post every one or two weeks. I make a point of treating this as the hobby it is rather than as a job :)

The Five Senses - Arc 2

The Basic Premise

Premise

Saencila revolves around the sacred Five Senses. The story unfolds in a war between two of its great nations, with the struggling Nation of Sight seeking aid from the fanatical Cult of Insight, inadvertently inviting a greater evil.

On one side are the Pactmakers, unrelated individuals bound to the ancient entity known as The Being on Many Names, including titles like The Lord of Senses and Tricksters of Tricksters. On the opposing side are the Discarded; their existence has been forgotten by time. These entities are ancient powers that were imprisoned long ago, except for the Discarded of Sight.

However, a new faction, the Crazed, emerges, seemingly aiding the Cult and Discarded. These magic wielders, driven to madness by their powers, have a history of conflict due to discrimination. However, this time, they appear disciplined and controlled, though their animosity towards normal people of Saencila remains.

You, the protagonist, are an everyday person thrust into a conflict between powerful entities and warring factions.

---

What's currently being worked on

As of November 2023 we are fending off an ambush of Crazed Magic users inside of a lord's manor. Worst part is, our characters' magic is currently not working. Our powers have been nullified!! - Gasp!

The Five Senses - Second Arc (Accepting New Players!)

For Recaps, you can visit our Discord:
discord.gg/atjM7dZz

Look under the 'Story Thus Far' category to view a recap on the first and second arcs.