ERode

Edea Odyssey

As Tsukiko watched the battle progress, she didn’t notice the ensnaring roots until it was too late, the magical entanglements racing up her long legs and squeezing her thighs, restraining her temporarily. Before she could tear the bindings off her legs with brute force, the priestess stopped, realizing that she was surrounded by large, humanoid beings. The jungle trolls, huh? Eyeing them warily, she wondered just how Ophene was unable to hear them coming at all, but kept her comments to herself.

From above, the leader of the trolls dispatched of the ‘sacred bird’ and reprimanded Tetras. Soon the bindings disappeared, merely suggesting that the party leave before any other, less friendly tribes found them.

Tsukino closed her eyes, before loosening her grip on the weapon at hand. The Pheran had decided that the giant bird was the only cause of the disappearances, while the dark-skinned girl was as indecisive as ever. It would be easy, really, to say that the giant bird did it, but the Priestess of War was sharper than that. There were too many questions. And the trolls were too valuable just to give up on for the time being.

“Wait,” she called out, walking up towards the leader of the trolls, “What’s this about other tribes? Have they been attacking caravans? And your sacred bird, is it something that is raised and trained by your kind? We’re here to investigate the disappearance of supplies travelling from Oar’s Rest to an outpost. If you have information, explain.”

Edea Odyssey

Gonna be posting later tonight, probs. Been busy this weekend.

Edea Odyssey

A loud screech interrupted Tsukiko and Ophene’s conversation, and the two rushed out to see a truly massive fatbird, its beak spiky and its talons sharp. Towering above even the cart, it was an impressive sight to take in, its black wings longer than Tsukiko’s height. Each step of its shook the earth, and its breast was nice and thick. How many people can this thing feed? Fifty? Seventy? If she made a broth out of it, it could probably feed a whole town.

At the same time, however, it didn’t actually appeared to be all that hostile. All it eyed was the cart, and the motions it made suggested that the fatbird wasn’t intent on attacking the adventurers immediately, regardless of the hysteria it was causing the horse. A bird of this size should have no problem keeping itself fed, and the beasts of the wildlands were just beasts. The contents of this cart, then, should be of no interest to the fatbird.

Which meant that it was domesticated. Trained. Working under the bidding of someone who DID care about what was in the cart.

Of course, regardless of whether or not it was particularly peaceful, Tetras had already launched his attack, rushing in with two greatswords drawn, while Ophene, after suggesting they ran away, went on the offensive, tossing a small ball of fire.

Tsukiko turned to Isabel as her companions fought, before sighing. “We could just let it take the cart away and follow it. This isn't even evil.”

Regardless, the ink-haired woman placed herself in front of Ophene, Tsukimi held between her hands like a staff, ready to parry whatever blows came their way.

Edea Odyssey

But you're not a Rogue. So...ganbatte. Tsukiko will drink tea and wonder if this is an evil worth purging.

Edea Odyssey

Tsk tsk, the best strategy is to just Ariadne Thread the fuck out if you feel like you're in danger. Cause if the FOE's an actual threat, you won't be able to escape from it.

Of course, if you do get tagged anyways, that's why you carry a Return Flute~

Edea Odyssey

Welp, chances are that it's not the actual perpetrator anyways, or you'd have survivors going 'hurr durr it was a bird'.

Gonna wait for Pyro before I post.

Edea Odyssey

A single wing? Or the total wing-size?

And towering as in building-size? Or towering as in a head above us?

Give me some concrete numbers, Rune, so Tsukiko can figure out how many people this fatbird can feed.

Edea Odyssey

How big even is the bird? Got any dimensions?

Edea Odyssey

Weirder birds? There were plenty of weird birds in the Dark Continent, but Tsukiko supposed that the spiky one that popped up was a particularly weird one. The alpha of the flock, perhaps? Its countenance certainly suggested that it was stronger than the average fatbird. But, well, ultimately, a bird was but a bird, definitely not a threat to a wagon guarded by adventurers. After a tense moment, the ink-haired girl leaned back once more, taking a peek at the book Ophene was reading.

‘The Lily Garden and Tracts of Land’? Was the Pheran a gardener? That was a nice, useful hobby.

“There’s no need to go after it,” the priestess said, crossing her legs, “If the birds were just birds, it’s a waste of time. If the birds were scouts, it’s a waste of time. Ultimately, whatever’s attacking the wagons will come to us. Hunting the hunter is pointless, because the hunter will come to you.”

“And Ophene, you garden? Must confess that I wouldn’t have imagined that tilling soil and planting seeds was a popular pastime in the rest of the Caededril Republic, but I suppose tracts of land here will be particularly good for lily gardens.”

Edea Odyssey

Now, this is where Ophene reveals that she's reading porn, and make things super awkward.