Current
I just can't. This is too much. Berserk was so influential on so many things that I love. Goodbye, Miura. You'll be missed by many.
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6 yrs ago
Migraines ew
7 yrs ago
Welp apparently discord servers are having some pretty bad Latency issues.
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7 yrs ago
Well I just got my mitts on the Links Awakening remake. Excus eme while I disappear for a weak while I relive my childhood
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7 yrs ago
Migraine killed me today. Posts tomorrow.
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Bio
Hello! Welcome to my little bio.
Not much to say, really. Just a horror game protag that likes writing and playing vidya games when I'm not being chased by the cosmic forces of darkness. (I'm a security guard that works night shifts usually).
Well, alright. Here we are, migraine's not as bad as I thought it was going to be so I managed to at least get it to an acceptable state. A master for approval. If needed, I'll see about spinning up a servant I guess but I'm still unconfident in my ability to play them.
Name: Thalia Capelaune
Age: 20
Appearance: With scarlet red hair, similarly colored eyes and dressing in a fairly rebellious and not mainstream manner, Thalia gives off a fairly fiery appearance. She possesses a fairly taller build, and despite her somewhat more lithe appearance, she spends a decent amount of time doing physical training. Never seen without some sort of musical instrument.
Personality: Lackadaisical, easy going, and overall fairly good-natured. At least, that's how she would describe herself. Most don't try to refute that in her presence unless they want a drumstick to the back of the head. Truthfully, she is those qualities more often than not. Easy to get along with, doesn't take most things seriously, and a penchant for being a bit on the impish side, she spends most days plying her trade at various venues across Fusang.
That said...she also has a bit of a mean streak and volatile temperament. She finds something frustrating? Bonk it with a tactical drumstick. Someone pissing her off? She's likely to just put them in a choke hold. Thinks someone has insulted her in some way? Another bonking. This time with her boot.
Abilities: Thalia's magecraft is what one might consider very 'bardish'. That is to say, she uses sounds to perform and achieve various magical feats, typically through the use of music or voice. It is typically used to charm or enthrall in some manner, or cause certain physical reactions in things, for good or worse. With an affinity for Fire and Earth, she can perform a variety of effects with her music.
History: Despite what her love of modern music and overall temperament suggests, Thalia is in fact from a rather prestigious and old if not fairly well known or prestigious. With Greek roots, and claiming ties to old Greek philosophers, her family claims to have produced several notable musicians over the years. Thalia, too, is expected, well versed in most things of musical nature, though her skill with theories and more esoteric fields may often times be lacking.
As for how she came to reside in Fusang, it was mostly of her own choice, thinking it'd be a fun idea, and a way to expand her musical repertoire and inspiration. She quickly took to the more modern musical aspects, and when she's not messing around in Fusang, she can be found across various venues performing.
“Aha, don’t mention it. That’s what I’m here for~!” Lazhira replied to Leannah with a smile, Narkissa’s question however, caused her to frown. “...I’m...unsure.” She confessed, furrowing her brow in a manner suggesting mild confusion. “Enli says it’s been like this for awhile, and anyone in the village says its been like this for well...generations. I’m not sure though...I have my doubts about a lot of this temple, but its super interesting regardless.”
Novak picked up a mask from the floor. The smooth surface of its wooden construction, not even eyes for the wearer to see through. Were those wearing it trying to obscure their sights for some reason? Or were they just attempting to mimic how the illuminator looked? Regardless of his thoughts, he would attempt putting it on.
At first, darkness.
Then slowly...ever so slowly, something started ‘fading’ into view. It was...the temple room in front of him? But his sight was odd. It was the same stone room, but all the color had been removed, as though he was viewing the world through some sort of black and white filter. His vision only extended a few feet in any direction, but what he did see might cause some minor concern. Small orbs of silvery light, similar in nature to Lazhira’s orb of light she used to help them get here, were floating all about this place. While those in and of themselves were perhaps, not too interesting, a quick glance to the stone statue would reveal the floor beneath it lighting up in the same silvery white light...as well as the floor immediately in front of it.
Curiously, looking at Lazhira, would reveal her tattoo lighting up in the same manner, with her eyes, unlike being black and white, would be a silver color too. Seeing her like this would make him for a moment, think he had heard something whispering in his ear.
“...see anything fun with that, Novak?” She’d ask innocently, looking to him with a grin. “I tried putting those on once, but I didn’t see anything new.” She pouted slightly. “Apparently old priests would wear those when attempting to gain insight from the Illuminator.”
If Novak decided to take the mask with him
Item Gained: Mask of Insight A mask worn by those who once worshipped the illuminator. Wearing it sometimes allows one to see things not seen by others, but what is shown may not make sense, or may even be against what one already believes. They say sometimes too, you can even hear his mad ramblings at times.
Leannah wouldn’t find anything more interesting in the way written words. At least, nothing else she could discern as such, being unable to read the runes and ancient words within, so she’d set on her next plan.
With a running start, she leaped to the top of the stone idol with a fair amount of agility. The stone was surprisingly light - perhaps it wasn’t made of stone at all? It certainly looked like it should be heavier than it is, yet it was easy enough to carry with both hands with her currently above human strength, and with a bit of agility and strength, she managed to slot it into the wall.
There was a high pitched shrieking noise.
If Novak was still looking through his mask, he’d see the silvery glow fade from under the statue. A voice not belonging to him intruded upon his thoughts.
“The pit. Offer yourself.”
Several things would happen at once.
The temple rumbled, old stone and gears moving. The floor under the statue gave way, causing the idol and the catgirl that had currently done the deed, to begin to fall. Leannah wouldn’t have time to react as she too fell.
In the same instant, blobs of some viscous black liquid began to fall from the ceiling. Each one, eventually coalescing into a creature made of black slime with a greenish glowing light from within, and bony spines growing from various parts in their body. Rather than looking like any sort of animal, once could say they definitely resembled some sort of ‘slime’ creature from some video game, but far less friendly looking.
There were about seven in total that had dropped from the ceiling, and though they were slow moving they were moving towards the group with seemingly hostile intent. The foliage covering the temple began to burn as well! There was no telling how far this fire may spread, now, though given the snow nature of the forest it wasn’t going to go far, that was a small comfort to the party inside, though since most of the structure seemed to be made of stone, if they could get deeper inside or find a safe enough place to wait it out, it’d probably die down soon enough...
“Leannah?! And Fire?! Why is there a fire?!” Lazhira shouted. “And these things, they look...in pain...”
Leannah’s fall, thankfully would be brief. She would fall for only a few seconds before she would land on something soft, wet, and squishy, something that felt mildly like some sort of jello, but thankfully she would be uninjured. She’d have a few moments to take in her surroundings...and notice...she was on some sort of floor made of some sort of black substance. The room was lit by small crystalline clusters of white rock on the walls. On the opposite side of the room, the floor turned to stone, as one might expect of an old temple. A doorway seemed to lead deeper into it.
Looking up she could see light faintly from the room she had fallen from. The idol had sunken lightly into the floor, the top of it the only visible part now.
Deciding to get familiar with the town and hunt a bit of information, Misaki decided to walk around the village and see if they could learn anything from the villagers. Her first stop was the waterfront. Her assumption of salt production was spot on, too. Upon initial glance, a few huts nearby the ocean seemed to be dedicated to it - evaporating the water until a salty brine was left and then carried and stored elsewhere. Seemed like they mostly used clay pots and containers to do so, too.
Salt, huh. Salt could be used for any number of things. Preserving food. Flavoring it, but you would easily know these are barely even half the uses salt would have in a more advanced society should you even be able to get there. Indeed, salt was useful in a number of modern applications - deicing roads, plastic manufacturing, as an emulsifier...but such things were not currently useful to you.
Mineral Knowledge gained - Salt - A mineral with a number of uses, though the most immediate use would be that of food preservation, and a necessary mineral for humans and most animals. Other uses are in Agriculture, manufacturing, and more industrial purposes. The people of this world also consider Salt to be a blessing from the Moon Goddess, and is often given as offerings to shrines dedicated to her.
Among further investigation in the town, you would also find as you might expect, some sort of herbalist. The hut she used as her base wasn’t very large, but inside were a number of useful seeming herbs. Since you’d seem interested in learning about them, the older woman also would be eager to tell you as much about them as she could. Specifically their names and where they would grow best.
Medicinal knowledge gained: Teardrop - a plant with blue colored petals, white seeds with small clusters of flowers, perhaps reminding you of Lavender. They were used as fever reducers, as well as general pain relievers while having minor healing properties. They could be crushed and mixed with water and other herbs to enhance their effects. Found growing near rivers, typically in forests. Sleep leaf - a fairly unassuming herb with green leaves. Grows in shady, colder areas and slows ones reaction times and functions when imbibed. Hunters often use it on their arrows. Can be used to aid in sleep, as the name suggests. Could be mixed with other herbs to achieve other effects. Kyr reed - An herb with mostly recreational uses. A plant with wide leaves bearing numerous fronds along its stem. While having no noticeable medicinal purposes, it relaxes one and slightly alters one's perception. Can be smoked or eaten normally. Only found in this forest. Eshka root - One of the few herbs named after the reclusive and enigmatic goddess of the Underworld. In low quantities, it eases pain and helps the blood coagulate and eases bleeding wounds. Applied to severe injuries to prevent blood loss. In large quantities, however, it can be used as a poison, leading to severe thickening of the blood causing adverse health effects. Redpetal - a plant with red petals and bright yellow center. When mixed with Teardrop, it induces a temporary strengthening effect in the body allowing one to temporarily gain enhanced physical strength. Use sparingly. Common plant found in most regions.
Seems like useful knowledge in all aspects, though perhaps not immediately so. If Misaki intended to expand her knowledge, perhaps it might be a good idea to start maybe documenting some of these plants herself? Surely there would be others out in the forest that had some uses. Perhaps that was something she’d look into later. Her skill might also be suggesting there may be other uses gleaned from the plants if she were to somehow create a mixture of them…
Whatever she decided to do, once she left the herbalists she’d hear something curious. Two villagers were talking about something.
“Ah...you know, come to think of it..has anyone been to the Kyrnith’s grove in awhile?”
“...probably not, I bet the hunters are keeping people away too.”
“Shame. I hope the deer are okay.”
“I bet the hunters started getting to them already. Easy source of food.” If she kept listening, or if she asked the two, they’d eventually talk about or where this ‘Grove’ was. On the southern edge of the forest - quite near where the obelisk was, actually just a little ways into the forest itself was a clearing where people once offered thanks to the Kyrnith for the bounty of the forest.
"O-oh...okay, I'll stay here with...Octavia." The pup barked happily, running around for a moment before settling down near the elvish child.
The guard watched the group approach, obviously wary as he raised the spear at his side in a somewhat defensive manner as they approached. Upon seeing the horn, however, the man frowned, scowling.
“By the Prophet...this entire trip has been bad luck from the outset I tell you.” He grunted, relaxing his gaze slightly as he looked over the travelers before him. “Wait here a moment. Commander Morgan!” The guard took off into the camp, a light jog as he left his post. They’d only be left there a minute or so before the guard would return with a somewhat listless looking boy that couldn’t have been more than a few years out of his teens.
Name: Fiacre Morgan Race: Human Physical Attributes: Similar to you Magic Attributes: Greater than yours Weakness: Possesses no notable weaknesses. Abilities: Martial training (Intermediate) Denotes a skill with swordsmanship and martial ability. This particular individual is fairly skilled, and can fell most opponents without similar training. Ancient gods protection (lesser) - This particular individual has protection from harm, curses, and demonic influence thanks to their worship of a particularly ancient, nameless deity. However, for whatever reason it seems to be slightly limited. Ancient Gods Guidance (-----) - This individual has Guidance from some ancient deity. They will not be easily swayed from their mission and will be less susceptible to persuasion and trickery, while being more motivated to complete their goals. Wind Caller - With rigorous training, this particular individual has learned the secrets of utilizing the wind to perform various tasks. They are undaunted by strong winds, and have reached the point of being able to ‘read’ subtle movements in the air with some accuracy. Special attributes: Non-human Animosity This human has a particular distaste for non-humans and will actively seek to harm them in some fashion should the opportunity arise.
A human. One of the most numerous, yet scattered and divided races currently to walk the earth. His name is Fiacre Morgan. He is a young adult. He is impatient. He is annoyed. He is suspicious of you, but doesn’t care to act at the moment. He is worried about something. He is in peak physical condition. No injuries.
There seemed to be something with the ‘Ancient Gods Guidance’ that seemed somewhat...different. As though there was something more to be gleaned from it but it was being blocked, or currently unreadable with her current level of skill. As well, it seemed most of the other soldiers here would have a similar read out, with various levels of ‘Martial Training’ along with Ancient gods Guidance and Protection.
“...haaa, that’s definitely one of ours.” He would say to the group. “Thanks for returning it...I suppose the storm got them?” His eyes quickly shifted from Isidore to Leuca and Augusta but if he thought there was anything suspicious, he didn’t say anything. “First that botched raid, the storm blocking the easiest path south, and now this...” He frowned, rubbing his forehead. “Down two men and Captain Railey chased after that beast by himself.”
He let out a long sigh.
“Sorry, you don’t want to hear my complaining. You come from the northern areas, aye? Fiacre Morgan. I’m the commander here, I guess, since Captain Railey’s absent. We’re the Apostles of Rheane. We keep some semblance of order out here. As much as we can, anyways. The Elves and Bastelian don't exactly make it easy on us-" He was interrupted by another knight approaching.
“Commander, no sign of Railey still. The scouts we sent to check the dwarven gates returned - they’re shut tight. The storm doesn’t look like its going to be breaking anytime soon, either.”
“...hm, they only do that if they’re being threatened from something outside...or if there’s a problem within they’re trying to solve themselves. Well, that means we probably won’t have to deal with them, at least. Ha...I’m not going to get to do anything but sit on my ass this time aren’t I?” He turned back to the group having seemingly decided something.
“Alright, thanks for returning this, travelers.” He glanced back towards the camp. “If you're planning on heading south, I'd suggest finding shelter somewhere or heading elsewhere. The pass has been blocked by an avalanche caused by the storm. I'd let the both of you stay here, but our supplies will be stretched thin as it is. We weren't exactly planning on an extended leave from the Cathedral.” He glanced over Isidore. "But...perhaps if you could help find Captain Railey, I could make an exception and we might all be able to get out of here sooner rather than later."
“Y...you met with the Kyrnith?” Enli’s face immediately turned to surprise and mild shock upon hearing this. “And...it mentioned something about Dawn being about to...blow?” He frowned, trying to understand what exactly Nicholas meant by that, but shook his head. “I’m not quite sure what that means, but if you’ve both met with the Kyrnith and are here now...and you want to help...” He held a hand to his chin.
“What exactly did the Kyrnith say? It refuses to speak with those from the village, and most who have tried have ended up injured...or worse.” He looked over to Donovan as he asked his questions. “I’m...unsure what you are implying. We haven’t actively worshipped the Illuminator in...generations.” He replied, yet...there was a tinge of uncertainty in his voice as she glanced around the room. “...publicly, and the majority at least. There are no doubt who still do in this village.” He lowered his voice, as though he was afraid of being overheard.
“But...I really have no power here. Akando, is the one with the hunters on his side, and I fear he might be involved in some manner. That girl Lazhira, too. If you’ve seen a girl with an odd tattoo on her arm...she is involved in some manner.”
He cleared his throat, taking a normal pitch again.
“If you wish to help, then maybe you should start with that old temple in the forest. Some other travelers already agreed to help, so perhaps it wouldn’t be a terrible idea to get their help. An odd Bastelian, a black haired girl and Kitsune from Chagawa. Quite a few to be honest.”
Soyala watched the proceedings. Malphas, taking the stone, offering a prayer to the Illuminator. The process of the arrow being knocked. Malphas focusing inward as he reached for that intangible feeling within. The same otherworldly power that seemed to lace his words at times. It wasn’t very large, nor powerful, but at the same time it would suffice - a small flame, alighting the tip of the arrow.
It sailed through the air, striking the roof in some area. A blaze was lit.
“Pfft...ahahah!” Soyala, merely laughed as she watched. “Full of surprises aren’t you! Alright then...lets clean this place up. I’m sure he’d love to meet you after this.” She hefted her spear, heading into the fog ahead of Malphas. The beings that laid within, were not anything of consequence. A wolf or two. A few of those bird-like creatures. Overall, they would encounter nothing notable over the course of their foray into the fog. The fire they started too, seemed to drive away and weaken it slightly. As they both carried the mark, the fog didn’t seem to have its disorienting effects, either.
So long as they stayed sufficiently far away from it, they would likely be unharmed by what would be within, too.
The flower though, proved a bit more difficult but he too would eventually find it...along with something else. The flower was growing near the base of a tree, thankfully a fair ways out of the path that the fire could spread too. A cluster of them, even. And near them?
A deer.
A mundane looking dear, save for its dark blue coat and white, spotted fur. It had an arrow sticking from its side, and its leg seemed to have been caught in a snare.
“...one of the deer that roam this forest. Meats good. Looks like it got caught by an old snare or something after getting hunted.” The deer tried to back away from Malphas and Soyala, scrambling on the ground making pitiful noises, obviously terrified of its situation. “Give me a moment and I’ll kill it. Careful with that flower by the way. You’ll regret even touching it.”
Of course, if Malphas had other plans for the deer, he could stop her...but there wouldn’t be much point to that, would there?
Ability Revieced: Commanding Voice (human - Minor) An ability denoting a supernatural ability to command something. Rather than charisma, this is more of a charm-type ability that makes one more agreeable. This one specifically only works on those that count as humans. As well, it only will currently work on those that would already easily do as you say.
She noted two men. Both Elvish. Both with their backs to her. Good, then. Lucky she was able to slip in without being scene. She was confident she could handle both, but this would make things simple. Better yet, they were talking. Amazing how much peoples lips moved when they thought they were alone. How much information one could gather by simply listening...so Sera listened.
Moving quickly out of immediate sight, she positioned herself just around the corner of the door. Still low, as she listened to the two men talking. As she listened, she drew two blades. Smaller ones. Not particularly useful in direct combat, but perfect for dealing with unsuspecting people quietly. A cold breath, as her hand ran along the edge of the blade. A coating of frost slowly covered it. She repeated it with the second, though this one simply had its edge coated in frost, small flakes falling from its blade. The process took in all, just a few seconds. A few seconds of listening and preparing. Regardless of if they had revealed anything useful in that time, Sera would strike.
First, the one sitting. She approached. Quietly. The Rime-kissed blade aimed for the flesh of his neck, tearing a deep gash, the Rimewind venom hopefully doing enough to keep him from retaliating as he bled out.
In the next instant, she swiftly took the one bitten by frost and aimed for the first non-lethal weakpoint on his armor she saw. Weaken, and interrogate. If all else failed...she'd simply find some useful information laying about here. If nothing else, she'd have two fresh offerings.
“Ahaha, do I?~” Lazhira replied, smiling in a somewhat too innocent manner. “Well, Uhm...I’ve been in and out of the forest since I could walk, hehe. Not that I had anything else to do. I was one of the only kids in the village for the longest time, and since none of the grown ups wanted to play...I just sort of...learned how, I guess.” A flimsy, but not implausible sounding series of events. “I always got in trouble with Enli and the hunters after, though, heheh. Especially if I told them I was poking around this place.” She at least didn't seem to think she did anything wrong there as she glanced back towards the statue, the others doing a bit of investigating of their own as she answered.
“Its a depiction of the God of Knowledge. He’s called the ‘Faceless God’. They say he doesn’t have one - or that the light that comes from his crown blinds any that attempt looking at it.” Walking over to one of the murals, she placed a hand on one of the carvings, lightly running a hand over the visage of the old man. “I could be wrong, but I think its a depiction of him giving knowledge to the people here.” She continued. “Since his real appearance tends to cause problems, he likes walking around as an old man with a cane, or a dirty old hag whose face is always wearing a grin. No one knows what he really looks like, though.” She frowned slightly, glancing to the side. “...according to some things I’ve read in Enli’s records though, he’s prone to being unpredictable and uhm, somewhat...difficult. He likes to tempt mortals with knowledge and seeing what and how they’ll use it or what lengths they’ll go to learn it.” She turned back to the group.
“...he also has the right to take it away from people, too. Apparently that’s why the people in Dawn forgot how to make paper, the ability to make this temple, and well, a lot of things since he left.” She walked over to the statue and the socket in the wall, frowning. “I dunno about anything else though. I’m pretty sure this place is bigger, but I’ve not been able to find anything else. There’s probably some hidden or blocked passage though. There’s also faint traces of magic on the idol, but I’m not sure what it’d be for...”
Leannah would pick over the scattered remnants of the temple's previous occupants. There was little in the way of anything useful left behind. A few tattered robes. Some pottery. The books, ancient and faded with most of their words likely unintelligible...though one, seemed to stand out in particular. Simply marked with the same symbol Lazhira had on her arm. A quick check would allow Leannah to see it seemed to mostly be pictures depicting various things. A robed man with a cane. The stormy ocean and a fishing boat upon it. A woman wearing a tattered cloak...holding a white-eyed child and dropping it into the ocean.
That wasn’t the most helpful thing in existence, but at least it seemed oddly more well preserved than everything else. Perhaps she might find something else if she took time to look over the books.
Narkissa too, would also find something useful among the tomes. A book, written in similarly unintelligible words, yet the most intriguing things were the diagrams within. Perhaps they wouldn’t make any sense to anyone without her knowledge or background, but she could easily tell what she was looking at.
Ship building.
Not small canoes or fishing vessels. Tried and true wooden vessels, albeit roughly and crudely drawn.
Items received: Golden feather: A feather of unknown origin. Its warm to the touch, and gazing upon it fills you with confidence and a certainty of purpose to accomplish your goals. Old picture book: You’re not quite sure what it depicts, aside from various scenes involving what appears to be the God of knowledge and some others. A collection of tales involving him, perhaps? Maybe you should take some time to read it, or ask someone about it.
Item Received: Ship building manual: While its words are foriegn to you, the diagrams within, though crude, at least make some sense. Perhaps not immediately useful, but it may be prudent to hang onto this...translating it at some point may give you some insight.
“Feel free to take anything you want. I don’t think anyone would miss anything. I’d rather you guys take it and have it be used for something instead of rotting away here... ” Well, if that was any permission the group needed, there it was. Lazhira walked back over to the group, glancing over to Leannah.
“...Oh, Leannah. Your arm.” Lazhira would walk over to the cat girl. Leannah might not have noticed right away, but that bird had done quite a number on her arm. The gashes its claws made weren’t deep, but by no means were they trivial either. “Hold on, I got some bandages somewhere…”
If Leannah wanted, Lazhira would bandage up the cat girls arm, at least so she wasn’t bleeding any more. They were also seemingly soaked in some sort of herb that smelled oddly like pine needles, and helped ease pain, though only a small amount.
The tent was lively, but hardly impressive for Nobunaga. She had seen marketplaces before, and while she did not originate from the modern world this was still more understated then she was used to. Still, she could certainly understand why the locals were enthralled with the wares on display here… and identify which ones were actually worth the prices they were being sold for.
At first glance that was only the preserved foods.
The black-haired girl regarded the fox-tailed woman at the stall for a moment. This confirmed what she expected quite handily. Such people were an ordinary part of this world, and thus there was no reason for anyone to expect anything was amiss with Misaki.
Excellent.
“My sword? I’m afraid not,” she began, “I’m quite attached to it, for the time being.”
It was her only weapon, after all, but no-one else needed to know that.
A slow glance around the tent to gauge what she could about everything brought only mild disappointment to Misaki, who simply furrowed her brow as she glanced over the goods lying about. Though she was no geologist, something at the back of her mind—likely the ‘gift’ that the Goddess had seen fit to give her—made clear that the ore that had been talked up was not particularly high quality. The fact that there was so much buzz over it spoke to two possibilities; either the villagers were starved for metals, or the shopkeeper was lying through their teeth. It was possible that both held true, but at least to the foxgirl it was better to hope for one or the other instead.
The textiles fared comparatively better in comparison, both in terms of popularity and efficiency, but the deep frown on Misaki’s face as she stared at the goods on the ‘higher’ end of the price spectrum betrayed her own opinions on the matter. The goods were shoddy compared to what she knew would have likely been the norm for the rich during any era prior to the Heian-era boom in silk, which in other words…
“A swindler…” she said to herself quietly in Japanese as the owner-apparent turned their way. Her initial reaction was not lost upon the foxgirl as she watched ‘Lady Mie’ approach the two of them, but Misaki decided against pressing further for the moment.
“Ah, no room for negotiation at all? How sad.” Mie replied with a small sigh. “I'd love to add it to my collection, but if you are certain...that aside.” Her eyes glanced between the two. “Its rare I run into those from my homeland on my travels. Care to join me for a private chat? I'd love to hear more of, well, what brings you two all the way out here to this middle of nowhere village.” Her tail swished as she waited somewhat impatiently for an answer from the pair.
Nobunaga considered the offer for a moment. While she did not know about this land in detail, the fact that it had such similarity to her homeland… that was promising. On top of that, this was an opportunity to learn more. On the other hand, it was quite clear that the fox was a swindler, just as Misaki had surmised.
Still, it was an opportunity that could not be ignored.
“Now that is an offer that I can entertain. I would quite enjoy a chat.”
“Ahaha, excellent.” Mie's tail swished as she turned. “I'll bring out some drinks.” She'd lead the pair out the back of the tend, where a small storage area seemed to have been set up. A few Oni workers greeted their employer with a bow and nod of their head as she passed as they went about their tasks. On one opposite end, seemed to be several animals. Large...looking chickens? With bright red feathers were corralled into a small area. Nearby were large, furry creatures reminiscent of a weasel. Silver colored fur adorned their bodies, thick to help protect from the cold and snow. Several of them were lazily lounging in the snow while a few workers fed and groomed their fur. Another was being loaded up with what seemed to be supplies. Animals of burden of some sort, from the look of them.
Their destination though, was a small tent set up on the opposite end of the small field.
Mie led the two through, holding the tent flaps up so her guests could enter unimpeded. Within, the room smelled faintly of exotic incense, foreign to both Misaki and Nobunaga. A mat had been set up in the center of the room, and a table atop. Pillows had been stationed around it, for obvious seating arrangements. The rest of the tent was fairly plain, save for a cot near the back, and several chests and storage trunks likely for Mie's own belongings and for locking up more expensive things.
“Come on, take a seat. I only bite people who annoy me.” She grinned. “Its rare people from Chagawa leave, and even rarer to meet them on my travels.” The fox walked over to a chest, upon which sat a flask of liquid and several bowls and cups. She took a bowl herself, and set a few more along with cups on the table. She poured herself some, followed by a glass for both Nobunaga and Misaki. “Don't worry, it’s not poisoned or anything, fufu~”
She sat, languidly bringing the bowl to her lips.
“Haaa...now then...who are you two? You obviously know me, but I've yet to hear your two's names.”
Misaki quietly nodded her head in response to the shopkeeper's offer, following after Nobunaga as the three of them left the shopfront. It would have been the height of folly to deny Mie's offer, even if her apparent business acumen led her to sell subpar goods to people. Granted, the villagers here might not have had the goods to be able to barter for anything higher in the first place, but misrepresentation of the truth was one step too far.
The scattered animals behind the tent did catch Misaki's eye, however momentarily; all of them seemed to be at least somewhat closer to things she had known on Earth than the monsters that her other companions had felled the day before, and given how all of them had tried to kill her before, it was nice to see animals now that weren't trying to rip her head off.
The tent that was their destination was oddly cozy, but the white-haired foxgirl was not a fan of the smell of the incense. It was bearable, yes, but it was not necessarily something she would want to smell outside of a visit to a temple or something of the like. Regardless of what she thought, though, this was still a negotiation, and so Misaki refrained from commenting on the matter and simply sat down upon one of the pillows, seiza-style. A slow glance at the drink that the shopkeeper had poured for the two of them was soon followed by a furtive sniff, confirming the presence of alcohol within.
Taking a small obligatory sip of what had to have been some variant of unrefined sake, Misaki slowly placed the cup back down in front of her before nodding.
"Introductions, then... My name is Takeshima... Ma—No, Misaki. Takeshima Misaki," she said, mentally reprimanding herself for almost using her old surname. It would take a little bit for that habit to go away, but it probably would in due time. It is a pleasure to meet you."
Similarly to Misaki, Nobunaga picked a pillow and sat down in seiza as well. She had noted the animals prior, rather curiously. They were more familiar than the creature that attacked the hunters before, but still retained notable differences to any creature that she was familiar with.
The unrefined sake certainly wasn’t an unpleasant offering, and the small black-haired girl took a sip herself before she next spoke.
“My name is Oda Kipposhi,” she introduced herself, avoiding the usage of her full, adult name. While it would have no significance to the fox, the same could not be said for those she may speak to. “I am pleased to meet you.”
“Misaki Takeshima...” The fox let out a breath, before turning her playful gaze towards Kipposhi. “And Oda Kipposhi. Hmhm, I see I see...well, welcome to my humble little establishment, fufu. I'd offer more, but I wasn't expecting to entertain guests until this evening so you'll have to forgive me for that, and I don't have the resources to ah, splurge a bit on the tail end of my trip.” Mie took another sip of her drink.
“So...how long have you two been traveling? Any recent happenings in Chagawa I should be aware of before I return? Heizo still having trouble with the Oni clans?” The question seemed more intended towards Kipposhi.
“My, how long have we been travelling? At times it can become difficult to keep track,” Nobunaga replied, without too much delay, a hint of humor in her voice as if she was admonishing herself for her lack of organization. She was going to have to improvise, now, “Takeshima-san is a scholar, you see, so we’ve been quite focused on learning what we can while we’re here.”
Establishing her fellow foreigner to this world as a scholar may have been risky… but at the same time, it was an excellent excuse for them to be abroad.
At least, so the small black-haired girl hoped.
“We intend to return soon, so I suppose we shall see the results of Heizo’s struggles first hand in relatively short order.”
“Well, I can’t say I don’t understand. When I first started I had no idea what I was doing, but well, keeping track of days and time helps greatly when you’re in my position.” Mie replied with a friendly chuckle, gaze shifting to Misaki.
“A scholar, you say? Admirable...though I can't imagine those at the Shrine were too happy about you leaving, caught up in their prayers and offerings as they are.” The black eared fox smirked. “Though I can't say I don't understand. How are things on Mt. Kozue by the way? I've not been back in...well, never. The Nori tree isn't doing any better, is it?”
The white-haired foxgirl let out a nervous chuckle as she subconsciously rubbed the back of her neck, unsure of how exactly to respond to Mie’s prompt. Being placed in the role of ‘scholar’ by Nobunaga, while not necessarily incorrect, also prompted a bit of requisite knowledge onto her shoulders.
Knowledge, of course, that she did not have. Even so, Misaki had to come up with some manner of response to keep the charade up, but that was easier said than done. In her mind, the best way to go about this matter was to try and disassociate herself with the group in question, but lying was most definitely not one of her strong suits—especially so in this situation.
“Ah… Well, that makes two of us, then,” she responded, smiling weakly in response. “I was always burying my head in my studies, so keeping track of those sorts of things was a bit… Well, unlikely, I suppose?”
Beyond that, Misaki found herself unable to figure out what to say, if anything. Taking a closer look at the shopkeeper’s wares could provide a bit more information on their craftsmanship, but regardless of how far they properly deviated from what was widely available in Chagawa, it could be seen as a bit rude to try and directly criticize them in the first place…
“...is that so.” Mie narrowed her eyes at Misaki. “Curious. The Nori tree is a sacred tree. Everyone in Chagawa knows of it, and the Kitsune are its caretakers...” Her mouth curled into a smirk. “...well, I suppose there's always one or two misfits. Not like an exile from the Shrine like me has any room to talk, heh.” Mie took another sip, letting out a long, languid sigh. It was difficult to tell if she entirely bought the lie, but at least it didn't seem like she was going to press the issue if she did.
“If you are traveling back to Chagawa, I would be more than happy to have you accompany me. We lost a few good men on this expedition, got caught in some Elder Beasts path to the northeast. I could pay you for your time, too.” She smirked playfully. “It will be dangerous, but ah...I have a good eye for people.” Her gaze turned back to Nobunaga. “I think you could handle yourself.”
“Forgive my companion, her dislike of talking about her obligations should be quite obvious,” Nobunaga commented, before considering the offer that had been made. On one hand, pay sounded quite excellent in a situation like this. Additionally, the opportunity to learn about this mirror of her own homeland was a rare one. However…
Her desire was to gain and exert influence. Going back on the offer she had made to the head of this village would do quite the opposite.
“I would gladly accept your offer… however, I must know how long you plan to remain here before I do,” the petite black-haired girl said after a few moments of thought, “You see, I have volunteered my services to the townsfolk, in hope of mending a contract that the had made that has since seemingly been broken. I pride myself in my skills at negotiation, and thus I cannot pass up this opportunity.”
She brushed her silken black hair back. “Provided you remain in this town until my obligations have been fulfilled, I would be happy to offer you my services as well.”
“I see.” The fox took a moment to silently sip her drink, obviously weighing her options. “I can respect that. Going back on ones word is the height of folly, especially for a merchant.” That probably didn't sound convincing, from what Nobbu and Misaki knew of her goods. “...but we've also been away from home for quite awhile. My people, are understandably looking forward to returning sooner rather than later...and considering we're not going to turn a profit at this village any longer, I could honestly care less about what happens to it.”
Mie held a hand to her chin.
“I was only planning on staying a day or so...but very well.” Mie nodded. “Five days. I can wait five days before I need to return. If you solve whatever it is you agreed too, you're more than welcome to join me.”
Five days?
That was fine.
Negotiating with a fantastical beast in under five days? She had accomplished plenty of extraordinary things before. She could not in good conscience bear the name Oda Nobunaga if she could not accomplish diplomatic endeavors as well as military.
“In that case, unless Takeshima-san has any objections, I believe this matter is settled,” Nobunaga replied, clapping her hands together with a smile.
"Wonderful then. I'll look forward to it." Mie replied with a nod, the conversation coming to a close as Akando, the lead hunter lifted one of the tent flaps. "Ah...yes, that matter." Mie frowned slightly. "Sorry to cut this short, but I've got another thing to take care of. Now if you'll excuse me. Talk to one of my retainers if you need anything." Mie would show the two out of her tent, a guard curiously taking position at the front of the tent to ward off any eavesdroppers or anyone that might intrude while she was busy.
Now then, that left them mostly to roam free now. Perhaps they should attempt to seek out this Kyrnith, now? How would they even begin to search for it.
They were quite high up now. Back to the north, the way they came...they could see the shoreline stretching far. The forest they had been so close to previously, seemingly stretched for miles, massive tracts of likely untamed wilderness. Far, far in the distance to the east a plain stretched into the horizon.
Perhaps, adventures for another time and later.
Leuca barely caught the cloak isidore tossed towards her, stumbling slightly as she yawned. She didn’t complain, quickly wrapping it and the hood around her. Octavia simply barked in response to Augusta’s question, happily wagging her tail and sitting near Leuca, though the Elf didn’t seem to acknowledge the pup itself.
“...mhm. I’m not too sure...” Leuca would finally reply to Isidore’s question. “Sorcha mentioned something about other entrances the Shadow Elves use for access so they don’t have to bother with the dwarves.” The small elf paused for a moment, frowning. “I-I think she said to look for Mushrooms from the Hollow near the entrance. Something about...them glowing? The shadow elves usually only travel at night, though...so it might be hard to find something during the day...without a guide...if Sorcha was here she would know, but...”
She glanced to the sky, then back towards Isidore and Augusta, then frowned and pulled her cloak tighter, taking a few steps away from Octavia...who simply sat up and walked back over.
“O-oh! Uhm...I-I forgot but, Sorcha and my uncle mentioned an Elder Beast that lives on this mountain. It doesn’t usually show itself on the surface, but...its been known to from time to time. They say it makes the whole mountain tremble...”
The conversation was interrupted by the deep call of a horn echoing across the mountains. At least they definitely knew they had in fact, heard one last night during the storm - but that left the question of who was calling. It repeated the same call, several times. A single long note, followed by two short ones. It repeated this style before falling silent, likely expecting a reply of some sort, yet none seemed to come.
Whenever the party decided to start moving again, the safest path seemed to be deeper into the mountains. They had yet to crest a peak, or see the world that lay south beyond. Perhaps they would never. A cavern was likely easy enough to find now that they didn’t have to worry about dying from hypothermia.
Eventually their path would take them around a small hill, their feet leaving deep footprints in the snow as they walked. Not having a clear path caused the groups travel to be slowed a good deal, and Leuca’s small legs weren’t doing so well carrying her through the deep drifts, but Octavia made sure to keep near to prevent her from there being too much of an accident.
Soon however, after some minutes of traveling they’d see smoke rising in the distance. If any went to go check, they’d find a small camp of around twenty humans all set up at the foot of a large outcropping that blocked most of the wind from the previous night from their camp. Several wooden fortifications had been made. Large bonfire seemed to have been constructed in the center of the camp, where the black smoke was coming from.
A tattered, white and black flag depicting a serpent swallowing a star waved lightly in the wind.
“...apostles…!”
Leuca hid behind Isidore. No one in the camp seemed to have seen them yet, thankfully...but perhaps this could also be an opportunity? They were free to turn around and do something else entirely, too of course.
“Apologies, I’ve work to do for Lady Mie.” Haruno bowed slightly. "I was merely wondering about that black-haired girl...something about her is...mhm, n-nevermind. That's nothing I should bother you with. If you'll excuse me then..." A respectful farewell later, Haruno turned and left, heading back towards the docks she had been at earlier and seemingly quickly getting lost in discussion with some nearby fishermen.
Nick and Donovan would then head up towards the longhouse where the villages supposed Chief was. It was easy enough, and aside from a single hunter standing guard, nothing hindered his progress. A brief hello and a statement of why they were there, and a friendly waving in from Enli from within, he was let in.
Warmth from within chased away the cold from outdoors, coming from the large fire pit in the middle of the room. Hunting trophies donned the walls, with tables and chairs sitting against them. Perhaps they were used to holding festivals, or gatherings here at times. Bookshelves and scrolls donned the back wall of the room.
"More travelers? The Goddess is certainly planning something isn't she?" He would muse as he glanced over Nick. "...and one so young and inexperienced seeming. I welcome you to Dawn. What can I do for you two? We don't have much, and with the forest getting more and more dangerous these days I can offer little in the way of hospitality." The older man lacked any particularly notable features, save for his red robe.
As far as Donovan could tell, too, despite wearing the same symbol upon his robe as that girls tattoo, he was utterly mundane.
“Heh, honeyed words as always.” The huntress mused, following after Malphas. “Indeed, it's always good to use gifts given to you. Waste is how one goes hungry, after all.” The woman, Soyala at least, seemed open to following his lead, spear ready to strike again should any creature decide to bar their path. “If you desire, I could train you. I may be better with a spear, but I can show you the basics once we’re done here.”
There was a definite difference between this huntress and the others. Some sort of instinctual understanding that his words were working. His ability at least, seemed to be working on this woman.
“No, not really.” She continued answering Malphas’ question. “It is a relic of the past, and a...distraction, if you will. Nothing more than a trap laid by the one who built it.” She smirked, laughing lightly. “And I prefer keeping my eyes on the future. Like making sure you get your legs in this land.” Thankfully, it didn’t take the two much longer to reach a small hill overlooking the temple. The area, dimmed by the thick trees overhead, cast a gloomy shadow. He could see a few animals and figures moving within the fog below, too. Soyala knelt closer to the ground, checking the soil and ground.
“...seems there’s people already inside. Probably that reject and some of the other travelers...” She hummed. “I’d suggest finding another entrance, Malphas. Best not to ah, get involved with that failure.” She smirked, standing again, playfully winking at Malphas. “Of course, I already know where it is...but where would be the fun in telling you? Should probably find those herbs for the merchant, too. She’s not someone you want to cross...or have her ‘debt collectors’ after you.”
She pulled something from one of her pockets. A round, smooth stone, similar to the one the hag had given him last night. The same exact engraving, too.
“Don’t worry about the fog as long as you carry the Illuminators protection with you. The fog is terrified of those bearing light from the divine.”
Now he just had to go and inspect the temple...granted he wanted to go along with what Soyala was saying. She seemed to have some connection to the hag from the previous evening, and it seemed the Hag wanted him to travel into this temple for some reason. He could always turn around and leave. It seemed like Soyala might just follow him regardless so long as he provided an entertaining reason.
“Might be best to use that bow to pick off a few of those animals before you go in.” She slipped the small stone back into her pocket, waiting to see what Malphas would do from here.
“Weh! Leannah! At least feed me first before getting rough-!” Throwing the native girl seemed to have at least the desired effect. With the sun in the sky, sunlight flowing through her veins Leannah launched her hands forward. Her hand wrapped around the leg of one of the birds, the creature squawking and clawing at its captor. Its beak and the claws upon its wings cut into her flesh, deep wounds from sharp claws drawing blood from the martial artists body.
And as she swung, within her soul she prayed. Prayed to a Goddess she didn’t know. A goddess that she knew nothing about. If you had asked any other Bastelian, she was lucky simply to not have been immolated on the spot. Time seemed to slow. Her body began to heat, almost as if she was burning alive from within.
The sun above seemed to shimmer. Briefly, Leannah would find her vision filled with something else other than the forest around her.
Before her, a vast desert. Not of snow and ice, but sand and heat. Sand filled every breath she took. Her throat hurt with thirst. How had she gotten here? She had just been in a forest, but now she was alone in a vast, seemingly endless sea of sand - at least, alone until the Sun itself seemed to speak.
“...not only are you a thief, you arrogantly ask for my aid.”
A loud, disapproving voice. A wave of heat slammed into Leannah, singing her clothes and hair.
“And you choose to ask for aid against such unimpressive foes? If you need help against such pathetically weak creatures, you are unfit for those ears and tails you wear. I should smite you where you stand, mortal and, throw your soul into the sun to burn!”
There was a loud, raucous laugh.
“VERY WELL! Burn, then otherworlder! Bright enough to eclipse even the capricious moon!”
At least it seemed like she wasn’t about to have an entire sun drop on her.
“...but granting power without first attaining it oneself would be foolish. If you truly wish to earn my boons, gifts, and favor, then kill an Elder Beast! Kill it in my name in glorious combat! Offer it up to the sun and prove you are worthy of the name Bastelian and as one of my chosen! Ahahah! Don’t look so surprised! You must also atone for your theft! Regardless whether the stolen power was thrust upon you against your will or not, the burden of sin falls to you unless you wish to give it up. I will reward you depending on the prey you hunt! Now...I will be watching your progress. Do not falter. Head and eyes forward as you hunt. If you die, I will at least spare your soul from burning eternally!”
A laugh, followed by a self-satisfied seeming chuckle.
“Huhu, I think that went well. Do you think I was too overbearing-”
A pause followed by nervous laughter.
“...o-oh I forgot to-Uh-ahem! Mortal! Next time, try praying before or after engaging the enemy!”
Reality began moving again. The sudden whiplash of the all to real vision caused her to stumble lightly as the feathered creature in her grip was swung, slamming into one of the other nearby birds. The one that was it, was knocked clean out of the area and into the fog, the other managed to pull itself from her grasp, but dazed from the impact as it scrambled to get to its feet. Several feathers from the creature was ejected into the air, broken free by Leannah’s grip. Yet, oddly, among them...a single, bright yellow colored feather that seemed to shimmer, giving off a soft yellow glow and oddly warm to the touch.
Lazhira stumbled to the ground some distance behind the group. Novak was swift to react next. Following the movements he had observed earlier, his blade cleanly thrust forwards. The blade met the creature's side, skewering it upon the blade. It thrashed, trying to remove itself from the blade.
Narkissa, thankfully, could evade the one going for her with the other three being fairly easily taken care of. She evaded just in time, the claws of the bird barely missing her face as the blade was swung, a rather deep cut being slashed into its abdomen and sending it careening to the floor.
“Oof...” Lazhira got back to her feet after being roughly cat-handled. “Ugh, these things are always a nuisance. Their eggs and meat go great with fruit though.” There were two birds left. The one that had been ejected into the fog didn’t seem to be returning. Both, however, seemed to decide they were in over their heads that their little ambush had been soundly defeated, and made a move to flee the group. Seemed at least they knew when to scatter in front of a bigger threat.
“You guys are pretty good. Thanks for the save there, Leannah.” Lazhira giggled in thanks. Perhaps she could defend herself in some manner. She had made no secret of walking around the forest by herself...and if predators were common here, then how did she deal with it if they bothered her? “Anyways! The temple isn’t much further! Probably. We're still on the right track, i think, heheh!”
Lazhira would quickly start walking again, and true to her word they soon stumbled upon the front of the temple. An impressive piece of stonework. The exterior was covered with vines, plants and greenery quickly reclaiming the likely ancient building for nature. It was difficult to make anything out, but oddly there seemed symbols similar to the tattoo on Lazhira's arm upon the door and exterior in some places.
The interior was similarly defunct. Snow covered the ground, obscuring much of the stone floor, that seemed to have a few stone carvings in it. A number of massive stone pillars upheld the ceiling, what were once braziers of some sort carved into them for lighting. One seemed to have been broken at some point, however. Against the walls were some shelves, littered with fragmentary remains of the people who once lived and worshiped here. Frayed, old ropes faceless masks and old robes, it seemed frozen where they lay. A number of other artifacts lay scattered around the place. Old stone tablets with unintelligible writing, books filled with similar writing.
The walls too, were full if iconography of varying degrees. On the left, seemed to show people flocking to what was an old man with a cane. An orb of light in hand as he gave it to them. The right wall, instead showed what seemed to be a cloaked, old woman with a macabre grin offering something else. Both processions of people however, were expertly worked into what seemed to be the centerpiece of the temple.
A large, stone idol that ran from the floor to the ceiling. It was simple in scope, but impressive nonetheless. It was vaguely human in shape, with an extremely top heavy design. Towards the floor it was tapered, likely mimicking feet, before it slowly growing in size as it went upwards, abruptly ending with its 'shoulders'. Upon it rested a single, smooth stone in the center, with two curved horns extending from its side. In the wall above, was a small indentation of a white stone. Oddly, the stone was impossibly smooth to the touch. Almost a glassy, surface that seemed like it should have been impossible to make.
As they entered, a slight sense of awe would wash over them. As though this was some place where not many would come.
The Roma Mob @ERode@Pyromania99 The girl’s eyes shifted between the human and the elf before her. Initially, her grip on the dagger tightened, taking another unsteady step away from them. It very well seemed like she was about to just make a run for it, but by the time she seemed to have made a decision her legs failed her. The elf hit the ground, falling to her knees and dropping the knife onto the ground.
“...not any more...” The small elf held her arm with her good hand, a few tears starting to form as she began to speak with an unsteady voice. “T-the Apostles...we were heading to Gloomhollow...” As far as Augusta could tell, she wasn’t lying, though she obviously would have no idea what Gloomhollow was or where it even was. Isidore though, would likely be initially relieved to at least find nothing out of the ordinary among the ridges leading up the mountain.
At the dropping of the knife, Isidore placed his hand on Augusta’s back, pushing her forward further. He remained where he was, however, just outside the radius of the crackling fire’s heat. “Is Gloomhollow a safe place for you?” he asked, maintaining his body’s furnace-like heat as the storm continued to beat down.
Augusta noted the assistance Isidore gave her and ever so slightly rolled her eyes. She thought the best course was to let Isidore ask questions for now while she tended to the girl's injuries. Gently she moved, walking to the girl before lowering herself to her level and moving the knife aside.
The elven woman looked over the girl taking note of her wrist and ribcage. She made an assumption her uninjured, or mostly so, wrist was the one who's hand could move enough to grab her arm. She took her healing fire and held it to the wrist. If anything was healed easier, it'd hopefully be the wrist. "Perhaps you would grace us with your name, as well."
With her power, she of course knew the girls name, but didn't want to surprise her with knowledge she shouldn't have otherwise.
“L-Leuca...” The girl replied, wincing lightly as Augusta approached, though didn't object to letting her do what she needed. “Its...erm, the home of the Shadow Elves. Gloomhollow, that is...” She continued, replying to Isidore. “But w-we lost our guide. The only other one who knew the way was big sis Sorcha, but...” She cast her gaze towards the ground. “She led the Apostles further up the mountain...”
As Augusta applied her cleansing flame to Leuca, the small elf watched with muted excitement. Considering what she had likely been through, she probably wasn't feeling very hopeful or excited. Still, as she worked the fractured wrist seemed to mend just fine, though it still seemed to be slightly swollen.
“...U-uhm...so what's...your name? I didn't think there were any more of us...outside of Talamn...” Augusta would not get long to answer. Isidore's watchful eyes would catch a flash of color, something moving just a bit on a ridge just a few yards away up the mountain. Definitely not an animal, and there seemed to be more than one.
“Call me Isidore,” he spoke, drawing his sword out of the ground. Keeping his distance from the young elf, he approached one of the dead men and wrested the shield from his grasp. He slid it over to his companion, then appropriated a dagger from the man’s belt as well. “Augusta, we’ve company. Up the ridge.” These ‘apostles’ that Leuca knew had headed up the mountains, but the deer had spoke of other races as well. ‘Those of Shadow’ must’ve referred to the Shadow Elves that the child identified with. Were these the ‘Mountain Folk’ then?
Augusta kept her attention focused on Leuca and kept healing her injuries. She noted the warning and shield that was slid to her. She peaked up to see if she could make a note of anyone or anything with her ability. "Octavia, can you help keep an eye out?"
“Leuca,” Isidore said, as he pulled the cloak off the corpse and tossed it in her direction. “Are ‘mountain folk’ your enemy?”
"And how is your hand? Better?" The elven woman mention, being careful when touching the wounded girl.
“Y-yes, thank you.” Leuca replied, flexing her hand. “...a-are you a druid, lady?” She asked, frowning lightly as she glanced over to Isidore. “W-wah? N-no, they're our allies! O-or should be...! We can't even get to Gloomhollow without their help...”
Despite what Leuca had replied, those moving on the ridge above soon realized they had been seen.
“Stone it all, we've been seen! Get the girl and leave the wench and that flat ear for the wolves!” They'd quickly reveal themselves. Three short humanoids wearing what seemed to be heavy, if somewhat primitive looking metal plates of armor covering their entire body. Augusta's eye would quickly reveal these Mountain Folk were not to be taken lightly if scanning a single one was anything to go by.
Name: Anundur Longarm Race: Dwarf (Dirithen) Physical Attributes: Stronger than you Magic Attributes: Weaker than you Weakness: Those of the Mountain Folk, known as Dwarves or Dirithen, possess no glaring weaknesses aside from what typically ail the mortal flesh. Abilities: Martial Mastery (Novice) – Denoting one who has trained with the blade and other weapons. Signifies ones experience with fighting and training. Dwarven Constitution - Blessed of Ancient Stone and wisdom, those of the dwarves boast extreme natural physical strength and stamina that completely dwarfs those of other races. Special attributes:
It could be assumed all were of similar skill level and ability. Two of the mountain folk were wielding large two handed axes, the third possessed a large shield and a simple, but rather humorously large for their size blade. They didn't give Isidore and Augusta much time to prepare for a defense, quickly descending towards the group. “W-wait! I'm Leuca of the Sirithen! You should have been-!”
The girls cries fell on deaf ears. Assuming that Isidore was the most dangerous looking one of the group, the two with the axes rushed towards him, one coming in swinging with a heavy overhead cleave with their axe. Even with Isidore's ability, that seemed like a dangerous blow to take the full brunt of.
The second quickly followed up with a thrust with the blunt head of his axe to Isidore's torso. The third, was hanging back slightly, shield In hand and slowly circling the fight towards Augusta and Leuca. Octavia had situated herself near the fire,growling and barking aggressively towards the Dwarves.
Compact, armored, and intelligent. Damn.
Without hesitation, Isidore drew his arming sword against his left arm, brow furrowing from the searing pain that dulled moments later. Black, crystalline material spread from the wound, coating the rest of his body in its entirety, but the material itself was still flaky. If he wished for armor strong enough to ward off the axes of these creatures, he’d have to take another couple hits, at the very least.
Or he could just evade instead.
Short, and muscular, with polearms to make up for their lack of physical range. A lower center of gravity, making them more suitable for combat on sloped hills. Armor, though primitive, allowed them to attack fearlessly. As two rushed for him, Isidore backstepped to the steeper portions of the mountainside as he continued to build up heat in his stomach. The cleaving blow smashed into stone, and Isidore slammed the pommel of his dagger into the flat of the thrusting polearm, deflecting it sideways. Maintaining his distance, maintaining the circulation of his magic, he positioned his arming sword on his shoulder and brought his dagger in front of him defensively.
“We’re allies of that shadow elf there. Are they your enemy now?”
“Alliances don't matter out here human.” The dwarf harshly replied, bringing his axe back to a resting position after having missed. “How about you hand over that thing instead and we won't turn ye your friend there into wolf food. Lord Firebeard might even pay ye for handing her over.”
The second one made a flourish with their weapon, somewhat overly eager to fight.
“...U-uhm...I'm not...a Shadow Elf...I'm a Sirithen. Like the lady here...” Leuca moved closer to Augusta, shivering slightly, but not from the cold. “We were traveling to Gloomhollow...I was supposed to be tutored by their Queen...”
“Ahh, yes, the bartering for children. Sounds like a wonderful life you Dirithen live.” Augusta mentioned as she grabbed the shield Isidore rolled over to her and readied it on her arm. Her eye started to glow as she went to read the status of the other two dwarves while still applying some of her healing magic to Leuca’s rib cage. Mostly, just to catch their names. While most of the information she gleamed was basically the same, the names were, obviously, different. Bera Stonefist, Fasti Axebreaker and Anunder Longarm. Things she’d keep in mind.
The woman made sure to pull the small elf girl closer and held her shield up, keeping an eye on the blade of the dwarf in front of her. Worst case, she was ready change from healing Leuca to firing a bolt of fire at the dwarf. She wasn’t sure how effective it would be, but she needed to defend herself if it came to it.
Isidore looked at the short man, at his overeager companion, and then finally towards the ‘Sirithen’. The dark-haired ‘human’ was quiet for a moment. In the next, he stuck his sword into the slushy ground, then beamed a bright, placating smile towards Augusta and addressed the short men before him. “Now now,” Isidore said. “I’m not that attached, and we should always keep our options open. What sort of payment would you be offering though, friend?”
“H-huh!?” Leuca's eyes widened at Isidore's words. “Y-you wouldn't! P-please If its money u-uncle can pay you more!” The girl took a few steps away from Augusta, holding her hands to her chest, clasped together, eyes constantly switching between the dwarfs, Augusta, and Isidore.
“Ah, a reasonable human.” The one who spoke before replied with a laugh. The one with the shield stopped moving, but had positioned himself some a bit too close to Augusta for comfort, though Octavia had positioned herself between them. “Lord Firebeard wants that elf, and is even pulling a few strings to make sure it happens. Strings that could get him into a lot of trouble for pulling.” Leuca had slowly inched over to where her dagger had fallen earlier as the dwarf spoke. “For the ensuring the safety of the elf...no less than thirty gold pieces.” The dwarf took a few steps closer, lowering his weapon. “And he might be interested, in further cooperation from a human supposing you'd be interested. Are you interested, friend?”
Augusta noted the look Isidore gave her. That seems an unnatural look on the man. Hmm. A ruse? She hoped so, since the words that he spoke were… Definitely not the words she’d say. “Isidore!? How dare you!” That seemed convincing, right? She took a step back from the dwarf that was much too close. “What does your ‘Lord’ even want with her!?” She exclaimed, shooting a glare at all those involved. She let Leuca go and stopped channeling her healing spell. She was ready to quick cast magic if necessary.
“That certainly sounds tempting,” Isidore replied, sucking in a breath. Thirty gold...even disregarding the meager size of the coinage, that was a hefty price to pay in the world he came from. He had done worse work for less, back in his youth. But that was then. And now?
Isidore didn’t need money.
Still posturing contemplation, Isidore reached into the depths of his stomach, where he had been gathering and circulating energy the entire time, and pushed it all out at once, feeding it with the lungful of air he had just sucked it. Last night had been an accident, but accidents that could be reproduced were just new techniques. A burst of flame shot out from his mouth, hopefully potent enough to blind the two mountain men in front of him, and he dashed off to the side opposite of the first’s halberd, aiming to drive his dagger into the back of their knee before pushing them down the slushy slope that Isidore’s internal heat had generated.
“None of your business, elf. We don't ask-” He was cut off before he could finish that sentence. A flash of heat from Isidore's mouth, from the forge of his stomach billowed forth. “Sage's blood! You back-stabbing-gha!” The dwarf flailed, swinging his poleaxe wide, but Isidore had the advantage. His dagger found its target, the dwarf crying out in pain as his footing was lost.
He slid.
Right down the slope, rolling like a snowball.
It didn't take long for the second dwarf to realize what was happening. Just as Isidore finished, he'd find himself on the receiving end of the others axe. Bone crunched, blood flowed from the wound on his shoulder, the dwarf trying to cleave him in two. Yet, what the dwarf wasn't prepared for, was for it not to work. Isidore's armor held despite the deep wound. He'd only have a handful of seconds before the surprised dwarf retaliated again. The one nearest Augusta charged towards the elf, blade striking forward to draw blood.
Octavia had...ran off somewhere? Augusta was pretty sure she'd have seen her chasing a dwarf rolling down the mountain.
Augusta smirked as she saw Isidore trick the dwarf as she had expected. And she knew, this would cause these dwarves to turn hostile. Truthfully, she wasn’t sure if Octavia chasing the dwarf falling down the hill was good or bad, but she didn’t have much a chance to yell at the hound. The dwarf in front of her was attacking. Luckily, she had a shield in hand. She reached out with the shield to throw aside the sword and hopefully throw the dwarf off balance. Then, she aimed and fired a bolt of fire at his face, hopefully blinding him. She was ready for that to fail however and try to receive another attack, whether shield bash or weapon attack.
His armor held, even as his bones cracked from the force of the strike, and instantly, it hardened further, more of the black crystal growing out. Isidore's vision blurred from the sudden jolt of adrenaline through his body, the pain that shook down one side of his body enough to drive him to his knee. Without Augusta's healing, without his armor, he'd be dead.
But his wagers were founded on all available resources, and in close combat, a dagger was many times faster than a halberd.
The crook of the elbow, the armpit, the space below the jaw. Frenzied by impending death, Isidore stabbed the armored warrior thrice before kicking himself away, rolling down the slope and getting some distance to regain his composure.
As Augusta expected, deflecting the sword of a seasoned warrior wasn't the easiest of feats. The sword slammed into her own shield, force enough causing her own arm to strain against the blow. The following fireball had about as much of an effect as she hoped. The dwarf grunted from the impact, the heated metal of his helmet sizzling slightly, but ultimately was not too injured. With a mighty yell, the dwarf brought the sword back down towards Augusta, seemingly intent on just brute forcing his way past her defenses.
Isidore's opponent sputtered, unable to react fast enough to Isidore's assault. Blood flowed from the wounds, the dagger having found their targets. The dwarf stumbled as Isidore pushed himself away, grunting as he realized he had been injured. Isidore had succeeded in putting some distance between them, having slid down the slope a bit further than he intended. It ikely wasn't to last long, however. His opponent was already hefting his axe in his good hand. Realizing that he couldn't just cleave this seemingly unarmored opponent in two, he took a slightly more cautious approach.
Leuca, meanwhile had retrieved her dagger, and was worriedly watching the fight play out.
Augusta, taking note of how little her bolt did, decided she needed to make a new plan. She took a step to the side, since Leuca seemed to have moved away a small bit, pivoted her torso and lifted her shield to let the blade slide off into the open air. As the weapon met with her shield, she lifted her free hand, aimed at the dwarf’s face and fired a continuous stream of flame akin to a slightly downsized flamethrower from earth. If a bolt of fire had little effect on him, perhaps she needed to up the firepower a bit. If he recoiled any, she would aim with her other hand towards the lower part of his body.
Perhaps she just needed to roast him alive. Despite what she had imagined about dwarves, they have no resistance nor heat so fire should do just fine.
Isidore stood up straight as well, the snow continuing to fall around him. Three blows, and it didn’t seem as if the mountain man was going to bleed out any time soon. Resilient, but that could be accounted for. The world was muted, the gouts of flame from Augusta’s position seeming so distant. He pressed the dagger against the bloody gash on his shoulder, then flexed his arm. Good. If it was for simple motions alone, he could still force it. From the slurry of mud and slush, the dark-haired youth retrieved his sword, held his dagger in his injured arm, and breathed in.
He had demonstrated strength. Axes, regardless of individual strength, were top-heavy weapons. With only one arm, the shoulder would be used as leverage to launch it out. Diagonal attack then, coming from the outside. Could not discount the ability to use the other arm, but it was weak, and the man didn’t have another visible weapon, not one that could deal as much damage as a two-handed chop. Sword will block from the shaft. Lock weapons. Step off to the right, away from a potential kick. Leverage length of legs to push the axe up. Dagger will slip into the armpit. This time, ignite and burn out his heart.
Isidore breathed out, bent his legs, and charged.
The dwarf, unfortunately, was far stronger than Augusta was. His sword met her shield, unable to deflect the blow of someone who simply was just much stronger than she was. A crack of noise as Augusta felt pain radiate from her wrist and into the rest of her arm. Had something broken? Or just bruised? Either way, she did at least manage to get off that flamethrower she envisioned with her free hand.
“Ghaaa-!” The dwarf recoiled as his vision was engulfed in fire. Even in the cold, the sudden scorching heat from the fire proved effective. The dwarf stumbled back cursing and screaming as the helmet was turned into a furnace, almost burning his head alive. Before Augusta could use her second hand however, he used his shield to block the rest of the fire Augusta was slinging at him, frantically taking off his helmet with the other revealing a now burned face beneath.
She had managed to subdue him, but her reserves for magic couldn't last forever.
Isidore imagined the scenario perfectly, almost. His opponent lost most of the use of his injured arm from the stab, severed arteries and muscles rendering it a bleeding, useless, mess. It would play out almost exactly as he envisioned. He charged. The dwarf swung his axe with a mighty heave. Isidore deflected the blow, his blade catching his opponents weapon. His dagger found the target. Fire billowed from the weapon, a bloodcurdling scream from the dwarf as it was burned entirely from the inside out.
His axe fell to the snow, soon followed by his limp body.
It had gone as planned, so there was no reason to linger upon the expected result any longer. Letting out a sharp breath, Isidore twisted his dagger out of the smoldering corpse of the mountain man, and then dropped both his weapons onto the ground to pick up the axe. It was heavy, stained with his own blood, but the top-heavy nature of the weapon made it excellent for one thing.
Throwing.
Pushing past the strain upon his left shoulder, Isidore grasped the haft of the weapon and brought it back. He centered himself onto the dwarf who had been held down by Augusta’s flames, took in a deep breath, and widened his eyes. It was the posture of a gunman, but he was throwing an axe. The man could have smiled about this, with a couple drinks. But instead, he tightened his muscles and swung the halberd towards his target, hands still extended outwards as the weapon cartwheeled towards the mountain man’s back.
“Erupt.”
A final surge of energy shot out from his veins, linking to the part of him stuck upon the spinning blade. Blood ignited explosively upon the axehead, adding a burst of speed and destructive ability that should cause the armored man to falter long enough to be overcome by Augusta’s fire. And if not?
Isidore picked up his dagger and sword, and began to approach him.
The weapon sailed, wind whistling around its blade as it careened towards its target. Even if the recipient had saw it coming, it was either the axe, or being burned alive. There was a sickening crunch, and a muted grunt from the dwarf as his body was knocked down by the impact.
Dead.
Leuca let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding.
“...oh, thank the ancestors...ahah...” The young elf let out a mirthless, dry laugh. “You two...were amazing. I-isidore...I didn't think there was a human capable of weaving spells like that...And Augusta. I don't...even think Sirithen druids can do it so easily...” Her voice was quiet, eyes cast down towards the quickly freezing over slush. Despite her compliments it was clear the kid wasn't doing well.
Finally too, Octavia returned to Augusta's side, a long tongue licking fresh red blood from her maw. It was easy to figure out why the third dwarf hadn't come back to pester them, at least.
Perhaps it might be best to find some shelter, now. The storm was still raging, and it didn't seem like it was going to be stopping anytime soon. Leuca sheathed her dagger somewhere under her cloak, looking between the two.
“Thank you for the assist, Isidore. Perhaps I should learn some Lightning magic to help deal with enemies wearing armor.” Augusta mentioned, giving a nod to the man before looking down at Octavia. She wanted to say something, but sighed and pet the dog anyhow. “Thank you for dealing with that man, Octavia. Good girl. Only kill people that threaten us though.” She didn’t seem upset or anything. She just smiled, though winced a bit as she pet the beast for a second time. Right, her arm was messed up. She hoped she hadn’t broke a bone but she should be fine.
Octavia tilted her head to the side as though she didn't entirely understand, but barked happily in response.
She rested her other hand on the spot that hurt and weaved some of her healing magic into it, though the initial touch made her wince a second time. It was fairly obvious she was hurt, but she didn’t make a show of it. “I don’t know many things, but what I can say is I’m no druid. Heh…” She looked around at the camp and frowned. “Guessing we shouldn’t stay here. Is there anywhere else we can go?” She asked, looking at Leuca. “You still need healed and there’s plenty of questions for both sides.”
Isidore only nodded at Leuca’s praise. Good. It would be troublesome if this level of ability was something commonplace in the world. A fight would be much less predictable, after all, if everyone had access to the steadily-growing suite of abilities in his grasp. Walking over to the other two and casting a brief look at Octavia’s bloodied fur, Isidore didn’t waste time stripping the cloaks and belts off the humans. His arming sword had served him well, but the scabbards of those knights’ belts only fit their own sword, so he swapped it out, tying the belt to his own body and sheathing the longsword he pilfered from one of the knights. It would take some time getting used to the sensation of something hanging against his waist, but he’ll get used to it.
It was more important, after all, to have his hands free.
While Augusta healed herself, Isidore kept busy with slicing off hunks of steaming meat from the roast. Throughout the entirety of the fight, no one had knocked it over, so he was more than happy to help himself to a hearty meal. He tore a leg off the creature to feed Octavia, and then pulled the shield off the arm of the other man. Scrubbing the surface with some snow, Isidore soon used it as an improvised plate, efficiently slicing off more cuts of meat for the others to eat.
“I’ll bury them,” he said, tilting his head in the direction of the five corpses that they now accompanied. “Leuca, eat up, rest up, and tell us everything you know. We leave when you’re ready.”
Satisfied with the quick meal he had, Isidore wiped his dagger on his sleeve, sheathed it, and kicked up the axe that he had thrown previously. A shovel would have been nice, but an axe could do the job in a jiffy. Better than just a stick, after all. He stood at the perimeter of the camp, drew in a breath to stock the internal furnace within his body, and as his body temperature began to rise once more, Isidore pushed the energy first into his injured shoulder, and then into his arms. Perhaps he could strengthen himself and heal up while he got with this task.
Snow melted underfoot, as the axehead smashed into dirt and gravel. A shallow grave would suffice.
“R-right...” Leuca took a seat by the fire, taking Isidore up on the offer of eating something finally. It had been...an entire day? Or was it almost two? Since she had eaten last...right before...he elf hugged herself. She couldn't be this down. She had to...help Isidore and Augusta, right? Maybe they could...
“...U-uhm, I'll try. I'm not sure if anything I know could help...” Leuca replied. “L-let me start with myself again. I am Leuca Whelani. My U-uncle is King Boidmal of the Sirithen...” Her voice slowly steadied itself while she began talking. “I was supposed...to be heading to Gloomhollow, The Urutha...er, Shadow Elves home. Our relationship with them has never been good. They...they used demonic magics to keep themselves alive in the Moonless Era before, and still practice it...” Leuca frowned. “But this was supposed to be a peace offering of sorts. I was...supposed to be sent to learn from their Queen, Ereleiva.”
She looked at where Isidore was burying the dwarves.
“I don't...know why the Dwarves would do this.” She shook her head, frowning. “The Shadow Elves and them have been allies since someone they call the 'Great Sage' led them against some threat in that era. The Dwarves live in the mountains, and Gloomhollow – the Urutha's home, lay beneath. A-ah...and the Apostles...I don't know much. They're just...humans who follow some Old God from before even the Moonless Era and who see this world as 'wrong'...or something...we don't know. They just really don't like anything non-human...that's all I really know.”
"So these Apostles have your… Older Sister, Sorcha?" Augusta asked, continuing the treatment on her arm. That dwarf swung pretty heavily with the bladed weapon he used. Perhaps she'd take that with her. "Speaking of enemies, what do you know of this Lord.. Firebreat-- Firebeard." The elf corrected herself. "Is he Lord of the dwarves here? Or is he merely some faction leader wanting a prize, or perhaps hostage?" She was starting to formulate plans to go about preventing this dwarf from claiming a prize while saving this elf girl's sister-apparent.
“I don't know...he's not their King so he might be one of the higher ranking Raider Captains or maybe one of their warrior poets...but I'm not sure.” Leuca frowned, shaking her head. “Sorry, I don't know much about them. I-i've never been outside the forest before a few days ago and only know the most important people...” The girls lips however, turned into a small smile soon though.
“Ehe, and I wouldn't worry about Sorcha. S-she's not actually my sister but she helped raise me when my father and uncle were too busy. She's been with the Royal Family since before was born and is probably the strongest warrior in the forest!” If nothing else, it seemed like talking about this Sorcha improved Leuca's mood a bit. “She has this really amazing sword that goes 'fwoom' and 'zwoom' when she swings it, eheheh!”
A sudden gust of harsh, cold wind nearly blew the girl off her feet. The storm was getting worse, now.
“Ah...w-we should find something to block this wind…!” The wind indeed, was one of the worst aspects about this storm. Crackling thunder and lighting already descended aside, the wind was now carrying large amounts of snow, whipping it into a white, freezing blizzard. It was almost getting hard to talk, too.
"Yes, let's find a cave to get out of this wind. We can gather stuff to make a fire on the way." She looked to Isidore who she hoped was done with whatever he was doing. "Lets get moving." She picked up the trophy sword and made sure to eat some of the lizard meat before they left.
Her arm was better. The soreness was mostly gone. "Come, Leuca. You can tell us more of Sorcha when we find some shelter." She hoped this would help encourage the child in finding some shelter as she wrapped an arm around the child to help prevent her from flying away in the wind. It also helped her apply some healing magic. "Octavia, keep an eye out for dangers."
The storm was getting stronger, and Isidore didn’t plan on lingering for much longer either. Tossing the last of the dwarves into a shallow grave, he shoved a pile of dirt over them, only an inch or two’s worth, before hurrying over to salvage what he could from the fallen knights. It was a shame about their armor; he’d have loved an opportunity to pull it apart and take it for himself, but Isidore focused on their belongings instead, utilizing the rope they had on them to make a rudimentary sling pack to carry the bundles of fur and cloth. The preserved food was a wonderful addition, and he took up the shield as well.
Though snow lashed against his face and lightning cracked against the mountainside, Isidore could take stock of all that he had gained and be content.
He pushed to the front of the group, just a couple steps ahead of Leuca and Augusta, to serve as a windbreak for them. Heat, emanating from the circulation of energy from his body, was pushed back onto them, offering a warm breeze for the two. The skies were dark though, and it was still unclear where a shelter could be found. “Twenty minutes,” Isidore called out. “After that, we’ll dig a trench and hunker down inside there.”
Their progress was slow, winds berating them with cold, though Isidore managed to keep them from getting frostbite, or worse. Octavia elected to stay near Leuca, who was having trouble simply walking in this wind. The Elf child didn't seem to be able to keep up very well, and was hampering their progress up the mountain.
Slow progress, was still progress, however. There was nothing immediately around them that seemed to pass as a shelter, though the blinding winds of the storm didn't make that a particularly easy feat in and of itself. Soon they'd find themselves traveling further up the mountain. They hadn't been too far up it in that camp, but slowly and steadily they would climb.
It'd be about fifteen minutes into their trek, hope of finding shelter slowly dwindling when they finally spotted something that might at least, be somewhat decent. It wasn't a cave, but a formation of rocks creating a small natural alcove on three sides leaving only the top, and the open side exposed to the harsh winds. The space inside would be cramped for all three of them, but it might be better than simply digging a trench. But such a small space, could likely be easily heated too.
Isidore stared at the alcove. Once, twice. Shook his head. Was it still there? Good. His thoughts were beginning to wander, so monotonous the trek through the storm had been, and the fact that he was burning up energy just to ward off frostbite was slowly fatiguing him. An alcove like this...would be friendly enough. He let out a sigh, then pulled Leuca up into the alcove, practically pushing the long-eared child into the back of it. Snapping out the heavy blanket, the dark-haired man motioned for Augusta to grab the other end.
“I’ll do the top. You handle the bottom.”
Without another word, he climbed above the alcove, pressing the blanket against the ground, before shuffling whatever heavy rocks he could find on top of it. Snow was used to pack down and maintain the positions of the rocks; Isidore turned them into slush with his heightened body heat, before letting the cold temperatures themselves freeze it into ice. It would take some effort to remove the blanket in the morning, and they would have to periodically slap the snow off it during the night, but this way, they had a windbreak. Hopefully.
Isidore frowned. The weather must be doing a number on him. He wasn’t predisposed to hope alone, so he packed some extra snow and stone on top.
Augusta had a thought in mind on how to keep the blanket up. She just hoped that, given her past experiences it'd be as easy as she hoped. She held the blanket and melted some ice on the rock with her flames and let it flow on to the blanket a bit. Then she thought about how ice was made from water, how freezing occurred and pointed her hand. Slowly, the water froze into ice and stuck the part of the blanket to the stone.
She repeated the process until she had got the blanket fairly well anchored. She wondered if perhaps it would have been better to make a wall of ice but gave up the thought as she wasn't sure how she'd go about doing that. "Hmm." For now, perhaps it was best to gather something flammable. They needed a fire to keep warm. Hopefully, with all four of them huddled together in a small area they'd keep warm.
It was a shelter, however makeshift. Leuca quickly positioned herself at the back, Octavia deciding to curl up next to the elf child. Leuca pulled her ragged cloak tighter over her body, glad to finally be out of the wind. Thankfully, Isidores and Augusta’s efforts proved effective. It was still frigid, but now that the wind had been cut off from all but one side at least they no longer had to deal with the wind chill.
Now they just had to weather the storm, and some method of warmth. No telling how long it was going to rage for. If nothing else, Leuca was good at passing the time with idle conversation. She spoke a great deal about this ‘Sorcha’ person, taking up Augusta’s offer on talking more about her. The rest of her family and the elves too. Apparently ‘Talamn’ was the elves' current home, located some distance to the south still. Across a vast snowy plain that some race called the ‘Bastelian’ home. Apparently the Apostles also had some home somewhere further to the southeast, close to the ocean though she didn’t know where exactly. They only occasionally came close to Talamn, but when they did they typically just murdered any non-human they could find.
Needless to say, they were not the friendliest sort and people had very little information on them. Eventually though, Leuca slowly fell asleep - though it didn’t look like she slept very well, not for very long moments at a time and even if she did she tossed and turned. The storm would rage through the night, the storm piling more and more snow upon the front of the alcove, until it had halfway buried the entrance under a pile of snow.
At some point in the night, they would vaguely hear what sounded like it might have been a horn periodically, but it soon faded. Aside from the cold, lightning thundering and cracking overhead, the rest of the night would pass uneventfully until morning came and the storm finally let up.
After they would finally dig themselves out of their shelter for the evening, they could still see angry gray clouds rolling overhead. It seemed like it might start again at some point, but for now they could make an attempt to travel further through the mountain, though any path that may have existed was thoroughly buried under snow, now leaving nothing but rocks, and thick drifts of snow to traverse.
Leuca would have been the last of the group to wake. The elf would slowly pull herself out of the shelter, seemingly still half asleep.
That just left them to figure out where they were going and what they were doing, now.
Item received: Some preserved food Enough for two people to last a few days. Roll of what seemed to be a mat of thick fur, likely for sleeping on Comfortable, but only one. A heavy looking fur/cloth blanket. Cozy, warm and heavy. Good for sleeping in colder climates. Communication horn Made from bone, hollow and likely used for communication. A small pot and a ladle Frozen canteen of water
Ability Gained: Fire Breath: Trying to be a dragon, are we? This ability, while weak, serves its purpose. Unleash a stream of fire from your nostrils and throat scorching anything in front of you. Lasts only for a moment, but would probably burn most fleshy targets well.
“If she is possessed that’s a big deal! You should seek assistance!” The woman replied with an exasperated and concerned tone. “What if she hurts someone! She could get hurt too! We should bring her to a shrine to-” It seemed as though she hadn’t been able to take Nicks joke as a joke. Considering the nature of things, possession may not be an entirely. She did manage to stop herself, however, and merely clear her throat.
“N-no, its fine. I should not speak out of turn.” The woman replied, seemingly trying to stop herself from speaking more. “And...I apologize again but I can not speak so familiarly with a human. I am Haruno. I am one of Lady Mie’s retainers, though she currently tasked me with talking to the villagers.” Haruno replied. “I apologize again for not being more help in whatever trouble is plaguing here. I would need to get Lady Mie’s permission before I could, and she’s currently busy. I would suggest meeting with lord Enli. He lives in the longhouse up there. He’s this towns...Chief, I think they call him.”
Then glanced towards where he had pointed. A few exchanged what seemed to be communicative squawks. They looked back to Malphas, only to find him fleeing. Well they certainly didn’t like that. With an Angry squawk, the group began running after him. Yet, they did not get far. Malphas didn’t either.
Before he was able to run very far, he’d find him almost coming face to face with what seemed to be one of the huntresses from the village. She smirked, before using the butt of her spear to knock the feet out from under Malphas sending him face first to the snow.
The birds, somewhat confused but not entirely caring as long as they had some prey quickly focused in on their new target. The huntress, though, was definitely prepared. More than Malphas was anyways. One of the birds leaped towards her, but she was faster. Metal met flesh, the weapon slamming into the bird, cleaving a large, deep gash into its breast and sending it careening towards the ground. The second bird went for the feet in an attempt to topple her, but the armored foot slammed into its beak as she kicked it. Spinning the spear, the butt soon slammed into the third, cracking its skull with a loud cracking of bone. The fourth, was soon similarly dealt with before it could flee. Ducking under its lunge, she then reached out and grabbed it by its tail feathers, slamming it into the ground and crushing its head underfoot. By now, the fifth was already fleeing the scene, thoroughly spooked.
In all, it had taken barely twenty seconds for her to deal with the birds.
She walked over to where she had tripped Malphas, holding out a hand to help him up.
“Glad I decided to see what you were up to.” Once he was pulled to his feet, the Huntress rested her spear on her shoulder. “Soyala. If you were too inebriated to remember.”
Ah, it was the girl from last night. What was she doing here though?
“I suggest you get a move on to the temple. I was told not to help, but...well, I’m not good at doing what I’m told.”
Sera listened to the others. Vela hadn't said much yet, aside from asking if they had a plan, though it wasn't like Qantz or even herself gave her much time to say anything. By the time Qantz had even finished speaking, he was already off walking away from the group. Well, that might as well have made her decision for her. As much as she wanted to treat this as a serious mission...she was also intensely curious about Qantz's abilities.
They may prove useful elsewhere, if she was clever enough.
"Sorry, boy." She smirked, glancing over to Finn. "I'll be going with Qantz-farron on this one. It is our assessment job, after all. Would be a poor showing not to show some initiative, now wouldn't it?" Sera turned on her heels, following the enigmatic, dark man through the cliffs regardless of if the others followed or not.
She followed him silently, the squalor of the slums doing little to phase her, instead focusing on Qantz, curiously watching him light the lamp. Ceremony or something else? Could be either or, knowing his type, though she didn't pose the question, anticipating either a uselessly cryptic answer, or him not answering at all. Eventually whatever he was doing to track the substance led them to what seemed to be an alleyway. A scant few words later, Qantz confirmed. A stockpile of the drug.
Wordlessly, Sera nodded.
Time to do her job.
No other obvious ways in aside from the front door. Hm. Quietly, Sera approached the door. People inside. Few, from the sounds of it, but more than she could probably handle in a direct fight without things getting...frosty. Mix that with the fact the building didn't appear to be too big, and this might be difficult if she were spotted. Too much to wish that they were all by themselves, so she could take them quietly, but such was the cold grip of fate.
No other way forward than to take the plunge.
With a deft, skilled hand Sera opened the door, just wide enough to slip through quietly and quietly close it behind her. Once inside, she'd keep a low profile, quickly taking stock of her surroundings.
It was easy enough for Narkissa to form a small ball of light. Unlike Lazhira’s and Leannah’s however, her’s was far more normal. Instead of a bright sphere of pure white light, or miniature sun, hers was like a small ball of light with a small ring of rainbow-colored light around the outer edges.
“E-eh? You don’t know?” Lazhira seemed surprised. “You...really don’t? And you’re a...huh. Well...that may explain a few things.” The human said with a thoughtful hum. “Jeez, you’re using that sorta magic without even knowing where it comes from. I’m surprised you haven’t just been turned into a fireball already.” Lazhira smiled, starting to head into the fog. The fog hissed lightly at the touch of the light from the three girls, receding in their presence. Notably, Leannah’s ball of light seemed to repel it much more than the other two.
“Well, I’m not sure what you mean by ‘this world’, but yes. Auset-Kythet. I dunno much about her, only a handful of Bastelian ever cross the southern mountains. But from what they tell me she doesn’t get along with the other Gods very much. Especially the Delpith and the Lord Illuminator - er, the God of Knowledge, I heard one time he stole her Sun Crown to make a replica of it for himself.” She laughed. “I bet her expression was priceless, hehehe-ahem. A-anyways,” She shiftly glanced to the side. “Yeah, there is one.”
Thankfully it seemed like nothing was going to be bothering them here in this fog so far, their progress proceeded unimpeded across the dimly lit ground, the fog receding around them as they continued. Novak’s question though, caused Lazhira to pause, frowning and shake her head.
“Oh that...” She glanced to the side. “Well...I’m not sure of the specifics, but the Kyrnith asked our ancestors to completely abandon the temple here and to cease worshipping the Illuminator.” The girl sighed, brow furrowing with a troubled expression as they traversed the fog, mumbling something under her breath but not really at an audible level. “Really,” She shook her head. “Its not the Kyrnith. Please, believe me. I-it might not be a curse but he’d never hurt someone without reason...” Once again there was the distinct feeling Lazhira knew more than she was letting on, but even if she was bad at hiding it she didn’t seem to be open to talking more.
“Mhm, no they didn’t sail. I don’t think there’s a boat big enough to, hehe. If there was it’d be the Mountain Folk who had it, and they don’t like sharing.” Lazhira replied with a giggle. “Lady Mie says she’s based on the coast of the mainland, and just has people ferry goods from the islands to her place there and just travels on land routes mostly between the scattered inland villages. We’re the last stop on her route, and she’ll probably be staying a few days at least-”
There was a loud chittering from the fog, interrupting whatever it was she was going to say. They had almost made it to the temple, but it seemed they weren’t the only ones that had gotten lost in the fog. Several large feathered creatures stumbled into the clearing their orbs of light had made. About half as tall as they were, if they were standing at their full height with wings seemed built more for gliding, with long talons seeming to be used for climbing trees.
There were four of them, and they didn’t even wait for the group to react before they attempted attacking. Two leaped towards Lazhira, since she was the closest, claws extended and ready to hunt their prey while the other two went for Narkissa and Leannah respectively.
“Weh?!” Lazhira was in front of the group, having been leading them, was the closest to the feathered land birds.
The sights within perhaps, while awe inspiring to the locals, was likely much less impressive to that of people used to the more advanced tech of earth. The large tent seemed to be divided into several sections so people could easily find what they were looking for. Raw ore, tools for working with such materials were situated in one section. A number of the villages hunters and craftsmen were already present, attempting to haggle down some prices, likely trying to buy up most of the foxes stock. Still...it didn’t seem to be particularly high quality ore and metals of any kind. It’d probably be considered low grade back on earth that would require quite a bit of processing to become usable.
Another section had been dedicated to textiles and clothing, both of the casual sort and more practical sort. The more practical sorts were what one may expect of a colder environment. Furs, thick warm coats, gloves and other manner of clothing that could keep one warm. They seemed reasonable enough, and seemed to be where most people were looking to buy things. The more casual sort though...well, while they were definitely eye catching and apparently were being passed off as ‘high quality and what all the well off wore in Chagawa’ Misaki and Nobunaga both could probably tell they were the equivalent of a knock-off brand being peddled as the real deal. Even for something made with techniques that would be far out of date on earth.
Seemed like at least the fox knew how to get maximum profits for as little work as possible. The rest of her wares were of similar nature. The few weapons she had on display were, while pretty, were definitely lower end items that while served their purpose, would likely have high level of impurities.
The preserved, salted foods were probably the only thing that seemed exactly as the label said with no amount of the fox trying to scam someone.
And the trader in question...had just noticed the two recent two arrivals. It’d be hard for the two to miss her immediate reaction. Her eyes visibly widened as they landed on Misaki. The fur on her tail visibly stood on end, her ears forward, towards the other woman, like a wary animal that had just been spooked or was on the lookout for a predator - but it was only for a moment. Her impish smile quickly returned, a lazy, lax posture returning as she stepped out from behind the counter she had set up and waltzed over to Misaki and Nobunaga.
“Eeeh~ I didn’t think I’d run into another little fox out here.” She greeted them in a friendly, lively tone. “And with such a curious looking traveler too. I couldn’t help but notice that’s quite the fancy sword you have there...wouldn’t be willing to part with it, would you?”
“H-huh?” The horned woman studied the two of them quietly for a moment. She seemed to not know exactly how to process any of the information she had just been given by Nick. Little sister had horns? Deer saying something about this village being destroyed? “F-forgive me Lord Nick,” She quietly replied, tone of voice almost indicating she thought her lack of knowledge might have offended in some manner. “I-I’m not quite sure what you mean...I don’t mean to intrude, but if your sister had horns that only some could see she is probably possessed. I would suggest an offering to the underworld for assistance with the ailment...”
There was most likely some misunderstanding here stemming from the fact Nick was from a completely different world. She glanced towards another pair of travelers. A fox tailed woman and a short girl with black hair that both looked as out of place as they were. The woman's gaze lingered on them again, but quickly turned back towards Nick and Donovan.
“...uhm, and if you’re concerned about the village’s safety, you could probably talk to lord Enli. Lady Mie m-may also be able to help. Though...” The woman’s voice fell a bit. “...I don’t think Lady Mie has any inclination to help with whatever is ailing Dawn.” She glanced to the side. “And uhm, forgive me for my inquisitiveness, but are you traveling with that short, black-haired girl with the fox-tailed companion?"
A last minute team change, eh. Couldn't say she was a fan of that. More hands didn't always mean better, but what was done was done. The new girl seemed capable enough, and she was happy enough to work with someone else so long as they did pull their weight. As Nyrien explained the situation again, Sera simply stayed quiet and made her her blades were ready to go. No doubt she'd have need of them soon enough.
Sera spent her time traveling mostly quietly. Conversation and banter was fun, of course, and she made a special note to try and heckle Finn slightly whenever she got a chance, but she kept it to light teasing and maybe one or two harsher jabs if the opportunity presented itself. More interesting though, was the glances Vera was giving her. Sera made a mental note to be wary of her. She wasn't interested in revealing any of her hand that she didn't have too.
Finally, they arrived at their destination. The Cliffs. She had only seen it a few times, being only a recent arrival in Arskel, yet such slums always made her slightly despondent.
Well, such problems were no longer hers.
"Qantz-Farron suggested we simply head to the sewers and flush them out." Sera replied to Vera's question. "Not a bad plan, though I'd prefer a bit more...interrogation and a cleaner approach. As long as we get the job done, and done well, and I get to have a bit fun, I don't care so much about what approach we take."
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/jjKSxTj.png[/img][/center]
Hello! Welcome to my little bio.
Not much to say, really. Just a horror game protag that likes writing and playing vidya games when I'm not being chased by the cosmic forces of darkness. (I'm a security guard that works night shifts usually).
Have some dancing medjed.
[img]https://i.redd.it/q95hk1tobbv11.gif[/img]
<div style="white-space:pre-wrap;"><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/jjKSxTj.png" /></div><br><br>Hello! Welcome to my little bio.<br><br>Not much to say, really. Just a horror game protag that likes writing and playing vidya games when I'm not being chased by the cosmic forces of darkness. (I'm a security guard that works night shifts usually).<br><br>Have some dancing medjed.<br><br><img src="https://i.redd.it/q95hk1tobbv11.gif" /></div>
Yankee
Xaltwind
Renose
BabyKaiju
Double
Crusader Lord
Savo
Dragonfly 9
tadcfnaf
Azure Bubbles
