Pezz570

The Five Senses

Sil
Nieffar

@fetzen@13org@Jerkchicken@HokumPocus@Typical@Elevation

---

Stupid Lynx. Sil thought, turning back into her fairy form. Casually,
she reclined onto her side, her head resting on the palm of her hand. She lay
in the air looking nonchalant, despite her downwards predicament.

Sil puffed out her cheeks in annoyance. She’ll have to find a way to get back at that sneaky Lynx. Maybe… she could draw a mustache on his snout… No, no… Too obvious… Spiders in his pants? No. She was being silly. Lynx doesn’t wear pants.

Lynx’s Octavapus, however… Sil thought. That one wears pants…

Sil rolled onto her back. Smiling as she watched world around her fall up in a blur. The fall was almost calming. It was weird to think most humans would tend fear a drop such as this. Puddles, most humans would freak out the moment one of their toes left the ground.

Silly humans. Sil thought. Didn’t they know that falling was just like flying? Only… without the whole flying thing…

She figured it would be nice if Chres gave it a try sometime. With the way that man went on, he could use a nice plunge off a cliff. Just the sort of thing to take the edge off. Surely he would understand the wonders of free fall! Who knows, perhaps the experience would even give him something to live for!

Sil nodded. Her decent coming to abrupt halt upon hitting the ground. Yes, that was just the thing Chres needed. She would have to pass the idea by him… After she gathered the enough spiders for Octavapus's pants, of course.

Humming softly to herself, Sil hopped to her feet and happily fluttered off the metal dome she landed on. She gave a wave and a smile to Metalman, who lay sprawled across the ground. His face was flushed, probably from all the fun he was having.

Good for him. She thought, happy to see him making friends.

She fluttered by No Eyes. He was a good man, that No Eyes. Making friends with an abnormality like Metalman.

She patted No Eyes on the head as she passed. The man’s head raised in surprise, before swiveling from left to right. Sil didn’t really see the point of it. It wasn’t like the man had any eyes to see her with. Why bother even turning his head?

“Wha-” No Eyes started.

“A familiar…” Said one of the men behind No Eyes.

“A… familiar?” No Eyes repeated, his head no longer swiveling. The man pursed his lips in what seemed to almost be a frown. His slowly turned his gaze back to the one heading the guard. The man who helped Chres at the Inn two nights before.

Sir Helps-a-lot. Sil thought, nodding to the man. Yes. That was his name.

Sil landed atop Sir Helps-a-lot’s shoulder and made whisper in his ear. “You know that weird mushy brown stuff dogs make outside? Whatever you do, don’t throw it at them.” Sil turned to look at No Eyes. “I don’t think they like it.”

---

They must be using the familiar to send messages between each other. Nieffar thought with a frown. There wasn’t much he could do about the familiar right now. What he really needed was for this conversation to be done with.

The Five Senses

Nieffar

@fetzen@13org@Jerkchicken@HokumPocus@Typical@Elevation

---

Nieffar raised an eyebrow at the man's words. "To be honest." Nieffar said coolly. "I came here after the initial fighting and the destruction of the tower. The only information I had were that my people were under attack. So I came here in defense of my own."

He turned his gaze to Smit. "Regardless," He said, his voice cold. "tell me Smit. What exactly were you all doing in this tower? Is there any truth to this man's words?"

Smit's eyes widened in shock. He obviously hadn't expected to take part in this conversation.

"I-" He started looking from Nieffar, to Tayla, to Hark. Nieffar frowned his eyes narrowing. Smit licked his lips slowly regaining his composure. "Th... three of our own were taken by these people. Tayla had us chase after them to this tower. I know not why they came here, perhaps they did it in the spur of the moment, or perhaps they had been using this place as some sort of base of operations. It all happened very fast."

Nieffar's frown deepened. His brow furrowed. He rubbed the back of his head with his stump of a hand, as if deciding whether to trust Smit's words or not.

"It seems to me, Hark, we have a case of 'he said, she said'." Nieffar said at last. "Nevertheless, one fact remains clear. This man attacked me. He even admitted as much. I, on the other hand, haven't put a scratch on him. Despite the fact that he looks worse for ware."

He look to Hark, giving the man a face of resolve. "I'll be taking this one back with me, Sir Hark. As for his friends, I claim them as well for the lives they stole of my Clan."

The Five Senses

Hark
Nieffar

@fetzen@13org@Jerkchicken@HokumPocus@Typical@Elevation

---

Hark narrowed his eyes at the sightless, "Funny you should mention annulling prior agreements", Hark let out a slim smile, "I was here checking up on your little cult because since our king has so graciously given you partial control over this town you all have managed to be at the center of every destructive event."

Hark took a step towards the sightless, "Now lets start this off by explaining to me why the bell tower is destroyed and why these two are detained." Hark said pointing at the giant man and young woman the cultists had detained.

---

Nieffar's eye twitched ever so slightly as he maintained his false smile. That damn woman. He thought to Tayla. She will be punished.

Nieffar focused the Insight's attention upon the men that followed this man Hark. These remaining town guards were the ones he was putting on a show for. They would come to his side soon enough, the Insight would see to that. However, with the right politicking, Nieffar speed up that process.

"Us? At the center?" Nieffar said innocently. "Why Hark, I seem to recall that it was this town's own people who started that blood bath yesterday. If I'm not mistaken, even some of you own town guard took part in that slaughter." Nieffar's eyeless gaze turned towards more than one of the men who standing behind Hark.

"No." Nieffar continued, waving aside the accusation. "We most certainly were not at the center of all that destruction. All we did was act. We acted, hoping to end the chaos. Yes we may have kill some men, but we only did so when we had no choice! Madness had swept the town. We saved those we could while killing those who continued to threaten the lives of others. We did simply what needed to be done."

"As for these two," Nieffar said, nodding to Tayla and the giant. "As I said this man and his companions upstairs attacked my own. Perhaps an after effect from the madness that took this town the day prior."

"It seems one of our own took it upon herself to see to these troublemakers. I suppose you can't blame her, these people did kill some of her fellows, as you can see." Nieffar said waving a hand over to the dead bodies that lined the floor. "However, that does not excuse the destruction. Rest assured, she will be punished." Tayla looked up to Nieffer as if to object, but stopped as she met Nieffar's gaze.

"As for the giant, we had an agreement. You and your men may police town, however any crimes committed against my own would be under my jurisdiction."

Nieffar raised his stump of a hand. "This man here attacked me, leaving me with this stump of a hand. By our agreement, the punishment for his crimes falls to us. Just like with your Captain of the Guard. Who, let me remind you, we have allowed to live despite having killed one of my fellow Sightless. As for this man's companions upstairs... Well, you are more than welcome to assist us in their capture."

Nieffar cut off to let the man chew on his words. He took the moment to focus the Insight outward, away from the tower. Fuzzy forms appeared in his mind. They made their way towards the tower. Sightless Syella at their head.

Nieffar's smile broadened. He hated the woman, yes. Wanted to tear her down and rip her reputation among the clan to shreds. But if things came to a fight here, her aid would be most welcomed.

The Five Senses

Lynx
Sil

@fetzen@13org@Jerkchicken@HokumPocus@Typical@Elevation

---

Lynx stared in disbelief. No matter how dangerous their surroundings became, Sil was always ready to introduce them to another one of her ridiculous ideas. His tail flicked around as he thought of what to do next.

"I arrived in order to test out a theory. As I am a construct of light, there is a possibility that I am entirely invisible to the sightless. But..." he trailed off, eyes lingering on the fairy, "...we should swap roles."

"I communicate with Octavio and you take my place as the one to encounter the sightless." It sounded cruel, and for a moment Lynx felt like his old self again. But this truly was for the benefit of everyone present. He was certain that he wasn't the only one present who didn't want his life in the hands of someone who used the term Octavapoo.

Strength in numbers... He listened closely to Karina's explanation of their opponent's strategies. It was especially concerning for him to hear about them, as he and Octavio had been using similar tactics since their very first fight together. Overwhelming the opponent with an array of attacks, determining which ones were most effective, and then hitting harder the next time. The only way to win against an opponent like that was to stamp them out entirely, which wasn't an option given their numbers.

---

Sil nodded intently as Lynx spoke, but her eyes were distant. Her gaze slowly teetering off to the side.

"Em-hmm." She said, still nodding. "I agree. Those definitely are words..."

Swap roles, he said? Silly Lynx. And here she thought he wanted to be her equal. Is that why he suddenly wanted to be her?

"Okie dokie." She continued happily. She absently fluttered to the floor and turned into her ferret form. "I can be you and you can be me."

She looked to Lynx expectantly. Idly wondering where Lynx might sprout his wings. Her gaze shifted towards his bum.

Yes. She decided with a curt nod. That'll be the place.

---

Lynx eyed her carefully. Seeing her shift into a mammalian form made him feel uncomfortable for a reason he couldn't quite figure out. It was as if she was giving away that they weren't really regular beings, just complicated magic. Like if a human tore off all their clothes and reminded everyone else they were all just animals with larger brains than most. He didn't like it.

"Are you sure you want to er-, manifest yourself in that form?" he asked. If he were a human, his cheeks would have been red. "You are going to have to be as fast as possible. Wouldn't being your usual self be the most appropriate strategy?"

He sent a mental message to Octavio, explaining the situation at hand in the blunt and direct manner he usually spoke rather than the almost schoolteacher-like tone he'd taken on with Sil. And you say I'm not a people person. He shook his head, remembering his status as a lynx illusion. Whatever, he was people.

---

Sil felt a hint of disappointment as she began to realize that no wings were about to pop out of Lynx's backside.

Oddly Lynx's tone became more awkward.

What? She thought with a tilt of the head. Didn't he know that Butt-erfly wings weren't anything to be ashamed of?

"Well, silly, if I'm going to be you and not my usual self, I'd think this look would be much better. Or is it that I'm not fluffy enough for you?" Sil raised her snout into the air, unamused at Lynx's dislike for her lack of fluffiness.

---

Octavio raised his eyebrows at the sudden halt of information coming from Lynx. In their long time of having worked together no one had ever managed to get the jump on him. Now, Lynx was a lot of things. Still incredibly condescending towards other familiars, for one. Sil probably warrants that though. But when it came to dexterity, Lynx was second to none. Just what was happening?

---

"Sil! Listen to me!" he hissed, the slits in his eyes bearing down on the now ferret, "Our lives are at stake!" It seemed that every time Lynx thought that he had seen all there was to Sil's buffoonery, there was always something new, another stunt or joke that would leave him speechless.

He thought his words over for a moment, and then came up with a more convincing argument.

"Chres' life is at stake!"

There was no way this wouldn't work, right?

"Which is why you must approach the sightless and verify if it is able to see you!" He thought of adding the rest of the plan in, but Sil probably didn't care. He was almost salivating at the thought at being the one to take their opponent down with his claws and absolutely no chance of being detected. It was a rogue's dream. It would seem that his dream, however, would stay one.

"We are already outnumbered considerably. But... if they are on our side, then we should fight," said Lynx to Karina, in a much lower voice. Combat is inevitable, so why not seize the perfect moment?

---

"I see how it is. Sil said, ignoring the group's complaints. "You all prefer speedy Sil, over not fluffy enough Sil, don't you?" She sniffed at those words. "Rude." she said, followed by a 'hmph'. She turned turned to leave.

Sil, Chres's thoughts came to her follow Lynx's lead. We just need you to-

Lynx doesn't think I'm fluffy enough! Sil complained. She took her time walking away from Lynx, not really paying attention to where she was going.

What?! There's nothing wrong with your fluffiness. We just need you to-

"Chres says I'm fluffy enough!" Sil said behind her. "Tell you what, with my work done here I'll just scuttle back on over to my buddy Chres. At least Chres thinks-"

Sil's words trailed off. Something was wrong. Where the floor should have been there was nothing but air. Sil opened her eyes, startled. She had been so focused on telling Lynx and the rest off, she had walked straight into the giant hole in the floor.

Again?! She thought, as gravity took control for the second time this day. She felt it's pull tug her down into depths below.

She'd been tricked! Tricked by that sneaky Lynx! "Puddles take you Lyyyyynx!!!" Sil shouted. She shook one of her adorable paws into the air angrily as her words trailed off behind her...

The Five Senses

Nieffar

@fetzen@13org@Jerkchicken@HokumPocus@Typical@Elevation

---

The crossbow hit Nieffar square in the face, chipping away bits of his wooden-like skin. A minor annoyance. Rather than getting angry, though, Nieffar smiled. Nieffar motioned for one of his men to collect the crossbow.

"And now?" Nieffar said, repeating the giant's word. "Now we take you back home. Let's see if we can make you squeal." Sightless-to-be De'laire would enjoy breaking this one.

Absently Nieffar refocused his Insight on Pact Makers trapped above, when- ”Nieffar show yourself!”

A familar voice... Visions of the ones above faded as Nieffar's shifted the Insight's attention towards the one who spoke.

Nieffar sighed audibly, "This guy..." He said under his breath.

"Deter the giant." Nieffar said to Smit. "I'll handle the newcomer."

Smit took out a handful of dust sand and tossed it in the eyes of the giant. "Shall we knock him out?" Smit asked, as he used each of the other deterrents, one by one.

"Not quite yet." Nieffar said. "Our public perception comes first."

Nieffar turned his attention to the newcomer as he entered the room. Hark... that was the name he provided when Nieffar encountered the man earlier that day. Annoyingly, this Pact Maker had been wise enough to bring some of the public with him, the town guard The Clan had not yet turned.

"Ah, if it isn't Hark, of the King's Royal Guard." Nieffar said with a smile that did not reach his eye sockets. "I must say, I'm glad you and your men are here. These misfits here attacked and killed members of my clan." Nieffar raised the stump of an arm the giant man gifted him moments earlier. "As keepers of the town's peace, your men's assistance here would be most welcome..."

"Or-" Nieffar continued. His smile fading as he turned his eyeless gaze to the giant man on the ground. "-have you come here for other reasons? ... Reasons that would annul any prior agreements..."

The Five Senses

Sil

@Typical @HokumPocus @jerkchicken @fetzen @13org @Elevation

---

A Lynx without his Octavapus? “That’s cute.” Sil said. Idly she imagined Lynx tenfold his size, devouring an eight-armed Octavapus in one fell swoop. ‘Whoooop whoop whoop whoop whoop!’ the Octavapus chirped merrily as the giant Lynx gobbled him up.

Sil smiled, bemused, barely making note of Man with Stick as he adjusted his posture ever so slightly. Reclining onto her back - His head was just too comfy! - Sil sighed happily.

She hung her head backwards, catching an upside-down view of Lynx. Her head lazily dangled off the side of Man with Stick’s own head, much like a child’s head would when lying down on a bench that was much too small.

“Silly, silly Lynx.” She said. “When did you get so downside-up?” She vaguely felt Man with Stick’s posture adjust yet again as Ms. ‘Clouds For Hair’ blabbed about something unimportant.

Sil stretched her arms past her head and released she yawn. “You know, it feels good to be helpful! I bet Chres would be pro-“ - Man with Stick’s body lurched forward suddenly - “-ouuuaaaaAAAAAHHHH” Sil cried out, her words turning into a scream as her body slid backwards off her newly found couch. She made a loud ‘Ooph’, landing head first on the floor.

Sil groaned audibility. She wince as she rubbed her head until suddenly remembering that she couldn’t feel pain.

Sil got back to her feet and brushed herself off. What was the saying? Pain makes you saunter? But what if you had wings?

“Hmmmm” Sil hummed aloud as she pondered the concept of pain. Slowly her wings began to flutter, gently lifting her off the ground.

What exactly was pain anyway? Half of Sil suspected pain to be a myth. The other half was convinced it was some type of food. Meanwhile, her third half thought that maybe she would be better off thinking about something else. Her other two halves nodded in agreement.

“Hey Lynx,” Sil started, a thought occurring to her. “When you eat an Octavapus, do you think it comes out as Octavapoo?”

Sil fluttered happily atop Lynx’s snout. “Also, why are you and Silly Eyes here again?”

The Five Senses

Týfurkh
Nieffar

@fetzen@13org@Jerkchicken@HokumPocus@Typical

---

Nieffar smirked as the man took aim with his crossbow.

"How cute." He mocked. "You think your bolts will hurt m-"

A flash of Insight cut Nieffar's words short. It foreshadowed. Warning of immediate danger.

Normally Týfurkh would not have deemed anyone trying to make a mock out of him while being threatened by a crossbow shot to be in full posession of his or her mental sanity, but honestly he wasn't so sure about Nieffar... The man had already displayed an awesome, or rather aweful ?, range of mighty abilities, so Týfurkh really couldn't be sure about not something happening.

Still he deemed a good shot to be his only chance of getting out of this damned tower in one piece, so Týfurkh tried his best to get ready as soon as possible. Loading while being halfway dragged around on the ground was difficult to say the least, especially with this humongous weapon of his, but he made progress.

But what now ? Something seemed to cut off the sightless in the midst of his words. Had something happened ? Týfurkh hoped so, since pretty much anything happening could only mean an improvement right now... With the bolt finally having been readied, his armored hand touched it gently before he started to take aim. For Nieffar's head. Týfurkh had not the slightest interest in this turning into half a kill or even just a minor injury. He wanted Nieffar to be blasted right into oblivion.

Click.

Nieffar's brow raised in alarm. He reacted quickly to the vision. He moved his damaged hand in an effort to guard his face. The vision chanced. The result the same.

No! He thought. His ordinary movements were too slow! The man was moments away from launching the bolt!

The wrist to his hand extruded, inching his damaged hand just in time to connect with the now airborne bolt.

Boom! Snap!

Pain. Lots of Pain. Nieffar couldn't help but release a cry of pain.

The Sightless found himself on his knees. The blow from the bolt tore about his wooden-like skin, snapping his left hand clean off. In its wake, it left a stump where there use to be a hand. A stump oozing with yellowish-green puss.

Tiny black vines sprouted from his stump of a wrist. Most of them weaving together in an effort to clot the flow of puss oozing out. A few stray vines sprouted outwards in an effort to regrow his lost hand.

A wave of rage washed over Nieffar. It was going to take time to regrow that hand.

"You two, take out the-" Smit started.

"Silence!" Nieffar shouted. The growth for his right fingers were at his current limits. He needed more leeway.

Baring his teeth, Nieffar loosen his tendrils grip upon Tayla. He growled, "Tend to the disgrace. I'll handle this one myself."

Two clansmen dragged the wounded Tayla out from the capture of Nieffar's tendrils. As they did, he adjusted the growth on his fingers. Straightening the coils, used to hold Tayla, while extruding the tips of the tendrils that held the giant man.

The tendrils snaked up the man's leg and beneath the folds of his armor.

"You little piece of filth..." Nieffar hissed, his tendrils snaking their way up towards the man's waist. "Allow me to ask a personal question, yes?"

The tendrils extended further under the man's belly. Their tips becoming razor sharp as they approached their destination. "Do you prefer peeing standing-" The growth stopped at the man's crotch. "-or sitting?"

Týfurkh remained silent, but his breathing was accelerating rapidly. He simply did not know anything reasonable to say at this point, but only stared at the tendrils that searched and found their way through the gaps in his armor, entering his very private area...

Should he continue to try to defend himself now or should he just give in, anxiously awaiting what might happen next and if Nieffar would truly pull through with his plan ? The possibility that the sightless' question might have been an honest one not even crossed Týfurkh's mind briefly. He expected it to happen and did not know what would come next.

"Toss us the crossbow." Nieffar growled,

The Five Senses

Tayla

@13org @JerkChicken @fetzen

---

Nieffar curled his lip into a sneer. Under his breath, Tayla heard him mutter "Too slow..."

An echoing of noise erupted in the far end of the room. Nieffar's tendrils cracked, spewing several chips of that black bark-like skin of his.

Nieffar retracted his damaged fingers back to his hand. A sickly greenish-yellow ooze pussed out from beneath the missing bits of his fingers.

A few of the cracks began to mend themselves. Tiny black vines sprouted from the wounds, weaving together and clouting the wound.

His hand began to shake. Perhaps from the pain. Perhaps from anger. Regardless, Nieffar paid his damaged hand little more than wince. Instead, he extruded the tips of the tendrils he had wrapped around Tayla's body.

The tendrils shot towards the giant man, already out the door. They wrapped around his leg and yanked backwards.

"That hurt." Nieffar growled.

The Five Senses

Sil

@Typical @HokumPocus @jerkchicken @fetzen @13org

---

"Sil?" The She-Person said, "If you're here... Chres is also nearby, right?"

Nearby? Sil, giggled at the thought. Didn't she know that if you can't see a person, then they no longer exist?

"Please tell him that Týfurkh is gone! After the bell crashed, he fell down with it!"

"Metal-Tree-Mouse is gone?!" Sil gasped. No! He couldn't be gone! Metal-Tree-Mouse was an endangered species afterall!

Within an instant Sil zipped over to the gaping hole in the floor. Peering down into the depths below, She shouted, "DAMN YOU BELL!" Her fist raised in anger. "You big stupid puddle y-"

A glimpse of Metal-Tree-Mouse's giant form jumped out from behind a wall below. "Oh wait, he's okay."

"Silly, She-Person." Sil said. She fluttered away from the hole and towards Man with Stick. "Metal-Tree-Mouse is just playing games with Mr. 'No Eyes' downstairs. No worries though, I'll let Chres know he's A-OK."

Casually, Sil perched herself atop the Man with Stick's head -Ooo, comfy- and sent a mental message over to Chres.

"Chres says 'Help is on the way.'" Leaning forward on her perch, she placed her hand to her mouth and whispered, "Joke's on him. I'm already here!"

The Five Senses

Chres Sansus

Interaction with @Typical @HokumPocus

---

Chres tilted his head slightly back, rubbing his chin in thought.

“I’m not sure.” He said at length. Addressing Ferris’ concern for Sil.

“She wasn’t there for most of the time they chased us yesterday. So, probably not? The Sightless, however…. Hmmm…“

Chres furrowed his brow as another thought occurred to him. “Come to think of it, I wonder if Sightless are even able to ‘see’ Familiars… or any entity under a construct of light.”

Turning his gaze to Lynx and Octavio, Chres idly wondered how they could safely put this theory to the test.

Rain slowly began to trickle down from the sky, causing Chres to blink as a stray drop hit the back of his neck.

Rain... He thought, his mind going to Sil. Quickly he sent a few mental messages her way, urging her to focus.

Chres turned his attention back to Ferris. Motioning, with his head, for the man to follow. Chres approached a nearby alleyway, positioned away from the crowd.

“When I make stairs for myself, I know exactly where I’ll want to step.” Chres said. “I can make each step individually and as small as I need it to be. Things are different when making stairs for others.”

Chres placed his right foot firmly at the entrance of the alley. Unconsciously, he summoned the heat stored in his clothes. He felt its warmth as he channeled it down his leg. “I can’t predict how another person will move. So I have to make constructs for others larger. I'll save more energy by not joining you. But that means I have to make everything as a whole.”

Tendrils of energy emerged from Chres’s foot, giving off a dull red glow. The tendrils quickly began weaving together, forming the shape of something larger. They towered up past the nearby buildings and into a spiral ending high above the roof tops.

“You’ll have to be quick. It will take more than half of my stored heat to make this behemoth last longer than a minute. Best to move faster than that.”

More and more tendrils weaved into the construct. Steps began to take shape. There were no safety rails on the sides or supports to hold the construct up. Just a winding path of stairs. The lack of detail was necessary. Less details required less energy, and the static nature of woven constructs made supports unnecessary.

“I’ll get you as close as I dare to the tower. Once at the top, jump. I will dissipate the construct soon after. Tell Sil when you are ready to retreat. I’ll prepare a set of pole shaped constructs for you to slide down. Poles require far less energy to weave than stairs.”

Tendrils stopped to emerging from Chres’ foot. He quickly moved his foot away from the woven construct.

Looking Ferris in the eye, he spoke a single word. “Go.”