[center][h1]-Collab Between Pezz570, 13org, Fetzen and HokumPocus- [color=dde0c7]Octavio[/color] [color=ff9900]Týfurkh[/color] [color=00aeef]Chres[/color] [color=6ecff6]Karina[/color] [color=ed1c24]Akai[/color] [color=a2d39c]Sil[/color] [color=#ffff66]Lynx[/color] [color=a187be]Sightless Syella[/color][/h1][/center] [hr] [hider=View Post] Behind Chres, a very loud and a more subtle bang gave notice of a certain piece of heavy equipment doing its job. Týfurkh had spotted the archer a brief moment before the latter had let go of the arrow, allowing him to raise his elbow as a very makeshift means of additional protection before impact. The first impact on the elbow had changed the arrow’s flight path, the second one had brought the projectile to a complete stop slightly embedded in Týfurkh’s chestpiece. Out from the corner of his eyes he could look down onto it and see the purple color, making it all the more evident that this was no standard arrow. Chres breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing that Týfurkh was okay. What in the world happened? Looking back at the archer, the man seemed just as surprised as Chres felt, but not in the same manner. A smile curled on the man’s lips as he drew another arrow. [color=ff9900]”Chres, your stuff isn’t gonna work anymore!”[/color] was the giant’s comment before he decided on what to do next. They wanted to push the charge forwards? Well, so be it! Chres would find himself shoved aside not so slightly, but with at least as much comfort as could be provided when doing things as fast as possible. Týfurkh stepped next to him and made a run for the guards, preparing both his fists and his crossbow as melee weapons for what was bound to come. The archer’s smug look quickly turned to panic as the giant man charged forward. “I need support!” The man cried out as he fumbled with notching his arrow on the bow string. Four soldiers charged forward pikes in hand. [color=00aeef]”Damn it!”[/color] Ches yelled as he pushed himself to keep up with Týfurkh’s giant strides. Perhaps his shields wouldn’t be as useful now, but that didn’t mean he still couldn’t back Týfurkh up! Chres charged in and shaped a giant lance. It’s tip forming inches away from the nearest soldier’s chest. The man, who was too focused on Týfurkh to notice Chres’ advance, came to a sudden halt as the lance skewered his chest. Damage done, Chres dismissed the construct immediately. Refocusing his attention on the next soldier. [color=00aeef]”You get the two on the right! I’ll take the remaining man on the left! Octavio, Karina, Ferris, support however you can!”[/color] One of Octavio’s throwing knives had left the palm of his hand and found itself embedded in the throat of one of the guards at the right, a moment before Chres had spoken. [color=dde0c7]“Huh? Oh, right. Certainly!”[/color] His illusion had been helping as well, though with less effective results from its more defensive movements. It was an intentional strategy employed by Octavio. He was there to throw projectiles, not receive them. Karina simply nodded as Chres and Octavio told her to conserve her energy, letting him and the others push ahead of her. Her body was gradually heating up but it would take some time until she was actually ready to use her magic again. Listening to Chres as he told that it was their chance to charge towards the gatehouse, Karina simply nodded, silently stating that she would be ready whenever they were. Judging the situation they were in, it would have to be soon as well, especially since the archers were still a threat and Chres' protection wasn't going to stop any additional arrows, as it became well evident with the arrow sticking out of Týfurkh's chestpiece. It was fortunate that he was still fine, but that was still a warning they should move. [color=6ecff6]"We can't stay here any longer!"[/color] she said, looking back towards Týfurkh just to be sure he was fine and then towards Chres. [color=6ecff6]"I'm ready whenever you guys are."[/color] she finished, looking to the group. Just as she said that though, Týfurkh pushed Chres aside for a moment, rushing towards the archer, with both fist and crossbow ready. Running after him, Chres cursed as he followed the giant's charge, readying a lance with his ability and skewering one of the soldiers as he got closer. Leaving the other soldiers to Týfurkh and going towards the last soldier remaining on his side, Chres asked Octavio, Ferris and Karina to support them in any way they could. Without being able to use her ability and being too far to use her rapier, Karina simply followed the group, focusing the best she could in conserving energy and resting enough to use her abilities again. Following Chres and Týfurkh she kept her rapier in hand, ready to help in case one of them found themselves in a difficult situation against the remaining guards. The second guard had turned his attention to Chres, he thrust his pike in Chres’s direction. Quickly, Chres made a thrusting motion himself, followed by a swipe upward. A spear formed in Chres’s hands. It caught the pike and knocked it aside. Chres dismissed the spear and took out his last throwing knife. Quickly, he flung it into the man’s chest, causing the soldier to stumble. Chres took the stumble to get in close, shaped a blade and stabbed the man in the chest. Twisting the blade to ensure severage of the man’s artery, Chres dismissed the blade, while using his free hand to snatch back his last throwing knife before the man collapsed. “Support! I need support!” The archer cried again as the giant loomed near. He raised his bow, took aimed- Chres threw his retrieved throwing knife. It sank its way into the archer’s forearm. The archer cried out and dropped the bow. [color=00aeef]”All yours!”[/color] Chres exclaimed to Týfurkh. [hr] [color=a2d39c]”Move it, bud, or I’ll nip you again!”[/color] Sil commanded threateningly to her new ride. It was the soldier who’s shirt she had crawled into earlier. She had done so in order to take cover from the shadow metal arrows the archer had shot at her. “I’m going as fast as I- OW!” [color=a2d39c]”Silence, Silly human!”[/color] Sil demanded. [color=a2d39c]”Now look what you made me do! Your chest nub is puddling red! Such a waste of food!”[/color] The soldier, Teb, gulped. “Food? What do you mean food?” Sweat began to bead down the soldier’s head. Did this monstrous familiar drink human blood too? [color=a2d39c]”Don’t play silly with me, human!”[/color] Sil growled -which ended up sounding more like a purr- [color=a2d39c]”You and I both know you humans eat red puddles to live!”[/color] “We- what?” [color=a2d39c]”You keep it in bottles! Pour it into cups! Then drink it till you become red in the face and are no longer able to walk straight!”[/color] “I-I think you’re a little confused -Ow! Hey! I’m running! Alright? I’m running!” [color=a2d39c]”That’s a good human!”[/color] Sil replied, before nipping him again. “Ow- What was that for?” [color=a2d39c]”That?”[/color] Sil asked. [color=a2d39c]”That was for me to know and for you to stress over!”[/color] Teb groaned, but said no more. Onwards he rushed toward the gatehouse, where Lynx and Akai suspected they would find Chres and the rest. Teb had been a good little human. He had followed Sil’s every instruction thus far… or so he had after receiving the proper motivation that is... It was Teb who had taken down the archer shooting the shadow metal coated arrows. Teb who had pointed them towards the gatehouse, and now Teb who had so kindly ‘offered’ Sil a lift so she could relax comfortably, safe inside his shirt. Sil poked her out of the opening of Teb’s shirt. The man had come to a stop. “We're here.” He whispered. “Teb?” Another soldier called out. “What are you doing here?” The Soldier turned his gaze to Lynx and Akai “Since when did you get familiars... and… is that Crystal Jade attached to them?” “I-” Teb stuttered. [color=a187be]“Those aren’t his.”[/color] A familiar voice, gravelly, female voice said. “Sightless Syella?” The soldier asked. [color=a187be]“I may not be able to see them,”[/color] Sightless Syella began, [color=a187be]“but crystal jade and familiars can only mean one thing. This man is colluding with the enemy... Kill him.”[/color] “No!” Teb yelped.”That’s not what this is! They forced me to do it! They-” [color=a2d39c][i]Oh no![/i][/color] Sil thought. [color=a2d39c][i]Not best buddy, Teb![/i][/color] Sil lept out from the cover of Teb’s shirt. [color=a2d39c]“Surprise attack!”[/color] Sil exclaimed. Wings outstretched, she flew right into the incoming guard’s face and started scratching and biting. It was convenient having teeth and claws. The more she was in this form, the more Sil had been finding uses for it. “What the-” The soldier exclaimed “Agh! Get off! Get off!” [color=a2d39c]“Run, Teb! Run!”[/color] She cried out. Teb, needing no additional urging, took off. Sil sighed reminiscently. The boy always was a good runner… [color=a2d39c]”Whatever you do, don’t forget all the wonderful times we shared together!”[/color] She called out to Teb. [color=a2d39c]“I will never forget you- you- yoooooo- whatever your name was!”[/color] Sil turned her attention to Lynx and Akai. [color=a2d39c]“Lynx, Akai! Go find Chres and the rest. I’ll join you shortly!”[/color] In the middle of the ensuing chaos Lynx found himself in front of Teb and nearly caused him to topple, later taking a quick leap to allow the man to escape. His gimmick of tripping humans was going to be reserved to the ones who [i]weren’t[/i] running for their lives and now in need of intensive therapy. [color=#ffff66][i]We must have a conversation about ethics at some point,[/i][/color] he thought to himself. He dove out of a pair of legs just in time to see her clawing a guard’s face off. [color=#ffff66][i]On second thought… this could be beneficial for m-, us.[/i][/color] He could forgive unpredictability when it was on his side. He wasted no time advancing towards the gatehouse. This was a situation in which there were no room for mistakes, one against insurmountable odds. Worries and anxiety creeped through him, almost as if it were a physical affliction. He could never tell if that had been a symptom of not having a true physical body or not. The only way he could make those thoughts vanish was through confronting the danger himself, a bizarre loophole with his emotions he discovered long ago. [color=ed1c24]"Unorthodox, but effective!"[/color] Akai said, hovering as she chased Sil and her new human hostage, laughing. Every now and then, she would be able to hear the poor soldier's yelp of pain as Sil bit him. The scene only became even more amusing as Sil began talking about food, confounding the soldier's blood with the wine humans often drank, which made the soldier terrified of Sil. It didn't take much for them to reach the Gatehouse with the help of Teb, which was Sil's new means of transportation. Arriving there, they expected to find Chres and the rest but unfortunately, they were intercepted by another guard, who promptly inquired about the familiars carrying jade candles who were with them. Akai wasn't that worried about a single soldier, but with the arrival of a Sightless, things were completely different. She had heard about Chres, Karina and the others about those 'sightless' and she knew that they were absolutely not someone they would like to mess with. [color=ed1c24]"Oh no..."[/color] Akai muttered as the sightles quickly revealed their plans, showing no mercy even towards Teb, who was an 'enemy' soldier, much for the despair of the unlucky soldier. Quickly jumping into the other soldier's face, Sil began scratching his face while telling Teb to run before she turned towards both Akai and Lynx, telling them to go find Chres and the rest. [color=ed1c24]"Don't do anything stupid Sil!"[/color] Akai said, flying to where the soldier where Sil was, pushing him so he would lose balance and fall to the ground. [color=ed1c24]"Let's go Sil! Don't do anything stupid, we need to run!"[/color] she shouted as she turned towards Lynx, nodding towards him, a clear indication that her advice to run didn't apply just for Sil. The guard was sent toppling to the ground. Sil leaping off of him at the last minute and flying after Lynx and Akai. [color=a2d39c]”Ah, Akai you really do care, don’t you?”[/color] Sil said as she landed atop Akai’s shoulder. [color=a2d39c]”You know, Lynx, you could learn a thing or two from our little-big sister Akai. Leaving me there to- Aaaah!”[/color] Sil’s remarks were cut short by the Sightless. Her fingers elongated into razor sharp points, shot straight past Sil and Lynx. She missed the two familiars, but only barely. Any and all of the protests forming in Lynx’s mind were tossed to the side along with his body, which hit the ground hard in a feeble attempt to avoid what felt like giant needles tearing through the air. The fright caused Sil to leap off of Akai’s shoulder. She flew ahead in front of the pack. [color=a2d39c]”Down the stairs! Down the stairs!”[/color] Sil panicked as she zipped down the nearby spiraling staircase. Did Sil feel lighter? Did the room appear darker? Sil didn’t have time to contempt those thoughts, as she flew headfirst into a group of six soldiers. [color=ed1c24]"J-Just don't get used to it..."[/color] Akai said in an annoyed tone as Sil landed on her shoulder. She was about to do another snarky remark as a reply to what Sil was saying before Sil suddenly screamed as the sigthless' elongated fingers just missed both her and Lynx, making Akai open her eyes wide in surprise. [color=ed1c24]"You don't need to tell me twice!"[/color] Akai shouted, going as fast as she could after Sil. The sightless already gave her the chills, but the close encounter with her razor sharp finger things was enough to make her run without even looking back. Lynx saved his words for the inside of his mind, in which they were surely put to better use formulating curses. Danger made him quieter, stealthier. They’d run and he’d voice his complaints later, or at least, that was his plan. Unfortunately, it seemed their bad luck wasn't over yet. The moment they went down the stairs, they were greeted by a group of six soldiers. [hr] Sightless Syella frowned. She watched the emptiness in the Insight, the three familiars, flee. A new emptiness had formed in her odd form of ‘vision’ one that enveloped her entirely. The familiar’s survival was of little concern to Sightless Syella, what two of those familiars carried, however, was not. In her hands, Sightless Syella held two crystal jade candles. She couldn’t see the candles, but the emptiness in her vision implied that they were there. Syella breathed a sigh of relief. These candles were dangerous weapons, and in all honesty, she hadn’t been sure if she was even capable of snatching two invisible candles from fleeing targets. She suspected, though, that aim towards the center of the emptiness would be close to her target. Turns out that suspicion had been right on track. In fact, she felt that she could almost feel were there two candles were located. Perhaps there was something to that notion… Syella sighed, closing her eyes to the Insight. Things didn’t look good here. The Pact makers were nearing the Gate House. If they opened the doors leading into the wall, then she feared it might be over for them. She could try to fend the door, but she dared not face the Pact Makers alone. Not with weapons like this. She now knew of ways to counteract the crystal jade, yes, but still it was risky. Perhaps it was time to convince Nieffar to abandon this town. Perhaps it was time to tell the clan to retreat. If only the pack makers hadn’t stuck together... Syella’s head jerked. Wait… one of the pact makers had gone off on his own. Sightless Syella turned her gaze beyond the wall and turns the pact maker she had previously tried to capture. Yes… Now was the time to advise her clan to retreat. Her retreat, however, could wait just a little while longer. [/hider]