Lazo

The Three Realms War [A DMC, Bayonetta and Darksiders RP]

Fenn flattened another small tree as he passed, nose pointed in the direction of the scent he had caught. Occasionally he caught sight of something that clearly indicated the presence of his quarry, such as footprints and crushed plants. Once he noticed a small clump of severed vines lying on the path, the ends cut so neatly he doubted it had been done with an ordinary weapon. The idea that an artefact of such unbelievable power as that sword could have been used as a machete made even Fenn, whose body was as a weapon in an of itself, distinctly uncomfortable.

As they marched, the hound found his attention diverted. Even as Fenn attempted to focus his ears on the sounds of the jungle, it was inevitable that he would catch the conversation that took place a few paces behind him. As he resolved to snap back at the Imp and the Magpie to quit their chatter, the human’s words reached his ears.

“But either I make it somehow, or I die and I’m free of this mess. Win-win.”

Fenn stopped very suddenly, though the reason was not that he had caught wind of a threat nearby. Much the opposite. The jungle around them was eerily quiet, the animals having retreated at his advance, and the sounds of battle that reached him were still distinctly far away.

“Hoh?” Even the slight breeze that made the underbrush rustle seemed to have frozen, as though the jungle was holding its breath.

It was the words that had given him pause. Fenn quickly recognized it as the bravado of an anxious youth, one attempting to ridicule their fears in order to make the burden easier to shoulder. However, the message conveyed by the words themselves struck painfully against something unsightly within the dog’s mind. Such words tossed out so carelessly made the whole of his being seethe.

How could he take that as anything other than an invitation?

The demon craned his neck towards Souta, a predator’s eye falling on him like an executioner's axe. Even with the flames that often surrounded Fenn’s dark coat notably absent, his body radiated oppressive heat. The towering behemoth began to turn with deliberate slowness, keen fangs bared in a lupine smile as he faced the young man. “In that case, you should not mind if I devour you here. Humans do not make for satisfying meals, but mayhaps those carcasses you carry will add to the flavor,” rumbled the words from the hellhound’s chest.

The large beast took a ponderous step towards the small human. And the other participant in the conversation stood in his path.

Lily stopped mid-stride and turned slowly away from Souta to face Fenn. She took a single step forward and looked up at the larger demon, eyes flickering dangerously but otherwise expressionless. When she spoke, she did so slowly as if choosing each word with care.

"Fenn," she began, “Did I not tell you to restrain yourself?" Her tone, neither threatening nor scolding, still managed to sound loaded with a single message: Do not cross me.

A light breeze swept over the proceedings, like an exhaled breath. Fenn’s still-alert ears twitched, and the spell was broken. The demon’s expression went from murderous to vaguely exasperated, as though slipping out of a mask, and the tense atmosphere vanished.

Lily gave him an irritating smile.

He glared at the Imp that saw fit to interrupt his game. For the demoness that stubbornly held onto her carefree demeanor, even the bulk of her commands rather pathetically taking the form requests, she had been oddly forthright in her interruption.

His eyes fell on the human again and comprehension dawned on him.

“Truly, Imp? This one? I thought you to have a more discerning palate.”

“Oh? What would you look for in a man, pray tell?” she asked with mock curiosity.

Fenn knew he was being made light of, so he replied in kind. “More meat on their bones, to start with.” Even as a joke, the words came out drenched in acid.

“Is that jealousy I hear, Fenn?” Lily asked, her smile becoming a grin.

The dog snorted, instantly dismissing the idea. "Hardly. I ought to pity the fool.” Then his brow furrowed, and his gaze was drawn away as he remembered himself. “Or perhaps not. 'Tis the folly of all males to happily fling themselves into such snares."

“Even you?”

“Once.” Fenn bared his fangs and gave her a sardonic look. “I tire of being trapped, I’m afraid.”

She nodded. “Understandable.” She then looked pointedly behind Fenn, to the trail he had been following. “Now, I believe we were trying to find someone?”

Fenn sniffed as the Imp none-too-subtly brought them back to more immediate concerns. “Be silent, then,” he admonished, returning to the path as though having lost interest. “I shall not bear the blame if the enemy hides the sound of their approach under your prattle.”

Heroes of Beacon - the Next Chapter

@Lazo

I plan to. I'm just waiting on someone to post so I don't leave them hanging. : )

@SevenStormStyle

I get the feeling most people with characters in that room are waiting to see what others do. I kind of am, at least.

Heroes of Beacon - the Next Chapter

Out of curiosity, who's participating in the race?

The Three Realms War [A DMC, Bayonetta and Darksiders RP]

Fenn clenched his paw, feeling the soft earth shift under his digits. Vegetation spread out around him, blanketing the area in myriad shades of brown and green only broken by the intrusive facades of long ruined structures. What he saw might have been an alley between dwellings many years past, but the jungle was quick to swallow the abandoned ruins.

The dense underbrush would no doubt prove troublesome for beings of human stature, but Fenn’s mass allowed him to flatten most obstacles with little concern. Fangs bared, ruefully. He had little doubt that clearing the path would fall to him.

They found themselves on Earth this time, searching for another Seal of the Apocalypse. The demon did not know what to make of the fact. He did not know what it meant for his misgivings regarding the Seals to confirm that multiple had indeed been hidden on the Third Realm, and their taskmasters saw little need offer explanations beyond their immediate desires. Perhaps the mage would see fit to share new insights if he came across anything new, but Fenn would not hold his breath. Peaceful as the encounter had been, it had been brought about on a whim, and the chances of it bearing unexpected fruit were slim. Perhaps he ought to wonder why this time they were spared the presence of the lead Watcher. Regardless, such thoughts could be put away for the time being. They were, after all, a mere puzzle to distract him while he awaited the next battlefield.

And Fenn had little doubt that there were battlefields to be found within this jungle. Its denizens were restless, the sounds of frightened cries and of scampering animals reaching him from afar, and the slight breeze that managed to snake its way past the trees brought with it the intermixed scents of hell and the heavenly host. It would not be long before the sounds of the fighting itself reached him, he well knew.

While he sensed no threats in the immediate vicinity, the anticipation made the demon’s posture vaguely threatening.

“Must I restrain myself?” The wording made the grumble seem like a complaint addressed to himself, but not far from him stood the woman who had brought him there.

Lily, still in the guise of the Sídhe lady, albeit wearing loosely fitted shirt and pants, let her gaze wander around them, not looking at Fenn as she answered, “Yes. The quieter we are, the better chance to surprise any opponent, and not be surprised ourselves. For now, don’t burn anything, or topple any trees.”

Easier said than done. The hound could be deceptively quiet when the mood struck him, but his hunting grounds had been rocky ridges and rugged plains with little to no vegetation. With the dense foliage, that kind of stealth would prove quite difficult for him, particularly when he was chasing after prey.

Nonetheless, he grunted his understanding. He could restrain his flames. The forest burning around him would not bother him one whit, but alas, he did not have the pleasure of working alone for this. Not to say, there was no reason to think that the snake they sought would not be able to use the confusion to its advantage.

Still, Fenn continued staring at the Imp even as she looked at their surroundings. The objective she was given by the Council was simple. Obstruct the snake and defend the seal. That said, while she had been given the freedom to operate as she wished, the location to the latter had not been revealed.

The dog was certain the order would come, but he was not good-natured enough to volunteer his services.

“Fenn,” Lily said, finally looking at him, “can you search for Sevrin’s scent?”

Only then did the hound move. Forcing this request served its own purpose, even if there were few to see. He had lent his loyalty to her, not to the Council. It was a matter of principle for this to be shown in action and not just in word.

The hound’s muzzle moved closer to the ground, sniffing along as he trudged forward. “Naught but animals have frequented these parts in a long time,” he rumbled, nose still close to the ground like a dowsing rod. “If the snake was seen here, finding a trail should not be difficult.”

The demoness sighed. Of course things wouldn’t be easy. “Keep alert for anything, be it new smells, birds suddenly being spooked, or other sounds. I’ll keep eyes and ears open as well, but your senses are still sharper.” She glanced around before focusing solely on a patch of trees where there was a relatively large amount of free space to move. “That way,” she declared, pointing. “It is, to my knowledge, towards the center of the ruins. I suspect anyone, and anything, to do with the Seal will head that way. We will have a higher chance finding our colleagues, as well as Sevrin, that way… wherever they may be.”

But Fenn was hardly paying attention to her at that point. Something had caught his notice. The dog lowered himself near a patch of vegetation behind one of the ruined houses, led by his nose. The clumps of green nearby had been disturbed, leaving bits of leaves and branches littering the path. Among the plants, he thought he could make out the shape of a shoeprint on the earth.

The dog’s nose twitched as he memorized the scent.

The trail seemed to lead vaguely in the direction the Imp had pointed at, and the hound found himself recalling the tunnels under the human settlement where he had come across her. There was something ironic regarding the idea that humans had built their dwellings around the artefacts meant to herald the end of their world.

The dog let out a heavy breath through his nose. “You may have the truth of it,” he called out to the woman. “Now follow.”

Fenn set out at a brisk pace, scent held fixed in his mind. Catching up to the snake would require some haste, and the dog was reluctant to let others steal his prize. Lily followed behind him, content to let him have the lead for the time being.

Heroes of Beacon - the Next Chapter

@SevenStormStyle@Awesomoman64Guess it's time to move to the Athletics place?

Heroes of Beacon - the Next Chapter

Allen smiled gleefully, ignoring Trad’s outburst. It seemed the young man had failed to interrupt them in time for Allen to make an educated guess. Not that he would have failed to latch on to the most amusing explanation he found for Trad’s embarrassment otherwise, Sand knew.

“Good on you, kid!” And turning back to her, he added in a feigned whisper, still loud enough for all to hear, “And good on you too. I hear every girl needs a friend like that.”

When did this turn into a rom-com?

Sand sighed, giving him a helpless shrug. She turned, giving Sepia and her family a wan smile. “Well, nice to meet you. Congratulations on the expanding family too. Now, not to put a damper on everyone’s enthusiasm, but I’d say we should go before someone gets thumped or this one finds someone else to pester.”

Sand grabbed Allen’s arm, pulling him away from conversation with Trad’s family, and began dragging him along back to the main campus. Allen staggered, stumbling a few steps until he righted himself, keeping up with Sand’s brisk pace.

“Don’t be rude, Sand,” he reprimanded, though his easy smile took much of the threat away from the admonition.

She hummed. “You seem more excited than usual,” she observed in a low voice.

“Naturally,” he answered in kind, “Can’t I be happy to see my little girl?”

“Sure. Nothing wrong with that. I appreciate it, in fact.” Sand threw a dubious glance at him. “But something tells me you might be trying to get back at me for yesterday’s change of plans.”

“Oh, that? Don’t worry about it.” He gave her a devious smile. “Rather, I’d be doing this either way. It’s a parent’s prerogative to thoroughly embarrass their children in public. You avoided it when you ran off to Atlas, but I’m not missing this chance.”

“Whether that applies to you is debatable.” Allen winced, visibly chastised, and Sand repressed a pang of guilt. She should have put more thought into her answer.

“You’re a bit too quick to admit that,” he told her. “Careful you don’t give everyone a bad impression of you.”

You’re one to talk, she thought, particularly when I feel like a mother stringing along an unruly child. If the child weighed two hundred pounds, had greying hair and was beginning to bald, that was. Had their roles reversed while she wasn’t looking? That was a chilling thought.

“It’s not like we can hide it, either way,” she pointed out. “We look nothing alike.”

“Bah! Details, details.”

The pair whispered bickering only intensified as they continued to walk.

@SevenStormStyle@Awesomoman64

Heroes of Beacon - the Next Chapter

Sand was heading to the Docks originally, so I decided to have her come up to her teammate.

Heroes of Beacon - the Next Chapter

Well. I can’t remember the last time I was ignored so thoroughly.

The moment Robert laid eyes on the girl outside their team’s room, he rushed over to her, leaving Sand to look on as the two lovebirds kissed and spoke to each other, just low enough for Sand to have trouble making out the words. Before she could even think of approaching, the two went on their way, leaving Sand alone in the hallway.

Rude. Walked him over from the infirmary and not so much as a ‘goodbye’. Still, a small smile pulled at the corner of her lips. It seemed Robert was not quite as alone as he had told her.

Leaving the pair to their own affairs, Sand entered her room. It was only a pit-stop, either way. She stored her bag under Delta’s bed and quickly shuffled out of the room and into the dorm’s hallways once more.

The sound of sobbing made her hesitate as she turned another corner, where she saw a small girl crying in the arms of a young woman. Sisters, she guessed. It was the day for it. Perhaps she had stumbled into another heartfelt reunion?

That was as much thought as she gave the matter, choosing to simply walk past the pair. Judging from the call she had received while waiting for Robert to come out of the infirmary, a guest of her own would arrive at the air docks soon enough. Better not to make them wait.

---

Sand eyed the people milling about in the docks. An airship had recently arrived, letting out another wave of visitors mingle with their respective wave of awaiting students. Cheery conversation reached her ears from the groups ahead, where students caught up with their family and, when present, introduced them to the team members they had been staying with until then.

It was almost like a meeting with extended family, one could say.

Still, she couldn’t make out the one she had expected to see from the people leaving the airship. She had been sure this was the right vessel. Her hand reached into her pocket, producing her Scroll to check for any new messages, but the device showed her no new information.

She flung her gaze back at the crowd with some irritation. Perhaps she should have taken her time and gotten herself some coffee on the way there.

A familiar figure drew her attention, and with nothing better to do, she began walking towards the green-clad hunter. She had not taken three steps when Trad turned and slammed straight into a nearby couple, almost earning him a swift jab to the nose for his troubles.

If I didn’t know better, I’d think my teammates have rotten luck, she thought dryly. “That was interesting,” she said as she reached the group. “Hey Trad. And family? Sorry to interrupt. Have you seen a man with gray-orange hair and an ugly beard? About my height but a bit on the thick side? Probably smells of oil.”

“You sure know how to flatter someone.”

As if conjured by her dry description, a man approached from the side, appearing from behind another group of students. As she had described, the man had stout build, exaggerated by the thick jacket he had thrown over his white shirt and suspender pants. His orange hair was streaked with white, and a short but messy beard surrounded a smile as pale as his skin.

He wrapped a hand over Sand’s waist and pulled her into a hug, planting a kiss on the girl’s cheek before she could mount a protest. He looked up and down at her, knitting his brows over a prominent forehead. “Did you get higher? Quit that before I have to tiptoe to greet you.”

Sand broke out of the hug with a soft snort, looking at him with a wry smile. “You probably got shorter. And you did stink yesterday.”

“What did you expect? I was in the middle of work. Not that you have any right to complain when you went out to greet me covered in dirt and with your clothes in tatters.”

She shrugged, as if the point was of no consequence. “Why’d you think I had to call you?”

Suddenly realizing they had begun sniping at each other before an audience, she gave a light cough, composing herself. “Sorry,” she said. “I’m Sand. This is Allen. I’m a recent transfer from Atlas.” She glanced back at Allen and said, “This is Trad, one of the teammates I told you about.”

“A guy,” he said somberly. “One of the three.”

A groan tried to escape her throat as she saw where the conversation was going, but she clamped down on it. “Really?” she asked him.

“You say that, but I was their age once, and I know what goes on in their head.”

“Even then, I’ll be fine,” she affirmed seriously.

Allen looked at her as though she had grown a second head. “What does that have to do with anything? Of course you’ll be fine. I’m not worried about you; I’m worried about them!”

Sand couldn’t contain a huff of annoyance. Glancing at the other student, she dryly offered, “Don’t worry about first impressions.” As an afterthought, she added, “Please.”

@SevenStormStyle@Awesomoman64

Heroes of Beacon - the Next Chapter

@Prince of SeraphsWell, I suppose Sand could wander in there, but she's got to go meet up with someone and she doesn't know the two, so unless she gets called out by Sapphire she'd just walk past them.

@Awesomoman64 Is Trad still in his room?

Heroes of Beacon - the Next Chapter

@NarayanKWhy would this ever make me want to stab you?

Anyway, I should write something soon. Sand should be heading to the docks at some point. That's where the commotion with Sangue, Gratia and the two demons is happening, right? Don't know about time frames, but I should probably ignore those for the sake of my sanity.