Vesuvius00

Blood Act I~ Ghosts of the Past

[E'nasha Williams & Joseph Windsor] ((Collab with Lucius Cypher))

E'nasha was right to think it was a demon approaching, however it seems her frantic prayer was ignored. "That thing's already spotted us!" El'kan whispered to her quickly.

"Well, if you're so worried about it, DO something." She hissed back. She saw El'kan take a deep, calming breath, and he pulled out his favorite weapon, a very untrustworthy boomerang.

"That thing will not do us any good against THAT thing. Just, let me try first." She said as El'kan aimed to throw it at the creature. He sighed but put the boomerang down while she called to Sir. "Sir! Distraction please!"

At her command, the Raven fearlessly dive-bombed the creature as it landed, only to get blown away by the strong wind its wings made as it touched down. Sir tried to maneuver to glide back over to the tree he was in before, but E'nasha couldn't see where he ended up because she and El'kan got shaken out of the tree by the same wind, El'kan landing heavily on top of her.

"Crud, sorry." El'kan mumbled as he helped E'nasha to her feet. "Are you ok?" He asked after they had both ducked behind a tree so the creature was unable to see them for a moment.

"I'm fine, you just knocked the breath outta me is all." E'nasha was leaning against the tree, breathing heavily through her pain. "You've really gotta loose a few pounds." She said as she finally got her breath back. "So, what's the verdict? Will playing possum work on this thing, or should we run now?"

El'kan shook his head at her, looking around the side of the trunk. "I don't know. Running is probably the better guess though." He grabbed her hand and tried to pull her away from the tree. When she refused to move, he looked at her worriedly. "What's wrong? Did'ya break something when we fell?"

"No, just trying to think... The second it sees us again it'll probably start chasing us, and it doesn't look like it'd be bothered much if it knocked down every tree here to get to us." She replied quietly, pulling his wrist so that he was backed against the same tree trunk as she was. "So, running might be out too. Unless you have a way to keep it from seeing us."

The Roc flew through the air for another swoop. It's prey hid in the cover of the forest, but that would not protect them for long. These soft creatures were slow compared to itself, but made for tasty morsels. As it flew in for another attack something cut it. The Roc let out an ear-piercing screech as it diverted it's path and flew higher into the skies. When it got to a safe altitude it looked down to see what had attacked it.

And what the Roc would see, and for the two humans in the forest, was a small blue elf riding what looked like a ball of water. The look of determination in his eyes masked the fear. He was just out here to get his journal that he had left earlier that day, but than he saw the Roc menace those two strangers in the forest! He couldn't have sit idly by, but he wasn't ready to fight a Roc! Luckily there was a light rain earlier before, giving him an ample supply of water to use.

"Run you two, run away!" The elf shot his hands out from his side, sending two thin blades of water flying towards the Roc. Seeing the new threat the bird of prey was able to effortlessly avoid the attacks, but the elf was relentless, stalling it for the other two to make a break for it.

"Let's go!" El'kan said as he grabbed E'nasha's hand again. Together they ran back along the wall in the opposite direction of the way they had been going before. E'nasha barely had thought about who it was that had yelled at them to run, she was a bit more worried about if he'd be ok facing off against that creature alone.

She was about to try and go back before she remembered they wouldn't be able to help him anyway. He must be confident in himself to try and take on that monster... That or he's just really brave, or dumb. As if he could sense her unease El'kan slowed to a light jog, squeezing her hand as he spoke. "Hey, don't worry about that guy. Didn't you see him? He was controlling WATER, like actual water!"

"Yeah, I saw him. So? Just because he's got mageblood, that doesn't mean he'll be ok. C'mon, we gotta keep going. We aren't far enough away yet to slow down." E'nasha said as she sped up again. "We have to find some other people or something, that guy will probably need help." El'kan nodded his agreement and they kept running along the wall.

The Roc shook her head, her eyes blinked as she let out a screech. Her claws danced clumsily on the ground which she wasn't build well for when she peddled backwards, avoiding the blades of water. Her head jerked to see the two she had been chasing darted across open field and away. Feathers fluffed and her body hopped to intercept the two, her head lowered and wings tucked in. Her beak opened to clamp down and seize the slower of the two, E'nasha.

All E'nasha heard before she found herself being pulled into the air was the beginning of a panicked warning from El'kan and a screech from not too far behind her, probably from the creature. She tried to run faster or try and duck behind something, but she was too far away from the trees and the wall didn't really have any places to hide on it, so she was unable to do anything as she felt her feet leave the ground other than scream.

"No, no!"

The elf had been trying to harass the Roc for as long as he could, but the beast proved to be tough. If it didn't simply dodge his water blades, it was able to shrug off all but his most powerful attacks. If he had more water to use he could have taken this beast down himself. Joseph continued to assault the Roc with water, trailing behind it. His attacks grew more frantic as it dove down towards the two humans running for safety. This was Joseph's only chance to hit it with one of his strongest attacks, since it was flying a semi-strait path. He focused the ball of water he was standing on into a spinning cone, before it grew even thinner until it became a watery spear. It was spinning with such speed that it could bore through the wall of the college if he missed. And he really hoped he didn't miss. Planting his feet on the soggy ground the elf hurled the spear at the Roc, aiming at the center of mass.

Blood dripped on the ground as the Roc took off, her beak struggled not to drop her earned treat.Pain rippled through her chest yet the spear flew pass and into the College wall, cracking it on impact. The weapon had hit her regardless, her body barely fast enough to miss being impaled while she slapped her wings against the ground. her feet lifted and rose from the ground rapidly. Air swirled and gusted about, knocking El'kan and likely Josphine off their feet in her retreat. In moments the Roc was several feet in the air before she transferred E'nasha to her talons, both the youth and the Roc disappearing towards the nest.

E'nasha started to get dizzy as she felt a strong wind around her, meaning that the creature had started to fly. Quickly attempting to calm down and focus, she reached her thoughts towards the plant-life around her. She had just barely felt the familiar rush that meant the plants were responding when a sudden movement completely broke her concentration. The creature had been holding her in its beak when it had grabbed her from the ground, as she saw when she felt its large talons wrapping around her body, constricting her lungs and causing her to pass out.

El'kan, still on the ground, watched in terror as the creature lifted E'nasha up, and he nearly screamed when he saw her figure go limp in its grasp as the creature flew higher. He thought about throwing a weapon or something at it, but was too afraid that he would hit E'nasha to do so.

Thankfully, as the creature was getting farther away, Sir came up to him and landed on his shoulder. "Oh, thank the gods! You're ok at least." He said to the bird. He pointed at the quickly retreating figure of the creature in the sky and gave the only command he was sure Sir would follow right now. "There's E'nasha. Follow her Sir!" The Raven responded immediately, taking off after the creature and E'nasha. El'kan took a moment to get his thoughts together, and decided to go look for the Blue Elf-guy that had tried to fight the creature earlier.

"No..."

The elf fell to his knees. He began to pull at his hair and was close to crying. "No! How could I have let that monster get away!" The elf was close to sobbing in rage when he noticed El'kan approaching. He composed himself, but was still rather sadden about the whole ordeal. But he had to put that aside to make sure this one was at least unharmed.

"Are you okay? You're not hurt are you?"

"Not physically, no." El'kan could see that the Elf was trying to hold back tears, just like he was. He forced himself to keep his voice steady as he spoke to him. "Th-thank you for trying to help us, even though..." He let the sentence trail off as he tried to think of something to say other than even though E'nasha got carried off to who-knows-where by a giant bird-monster.

As he thought that, he remembered. "The Raven, the one I sent after them, he'll be able to show us where that thing took her. Well, it'd be us if you'll still help me..."

The elf shook his head, looking over where the Roc had taken the girl. It was dangerous even for himself... But he had a responsibility. "Alright, but first let's head inside the college. We need to get ready." The elf was thinking how much he was to blame for this. And frankly, he was scared. He was more used to teaching students the ways of Hydromancy than hunting down monsters. But he couldn't be a coward now, not while that girl was in danger. They'd still need time to prepare, but with any luck the team sent out to deal with the Roc will save her before the worse would happen...

Ashes [EliteCommander and Vesuvius00]

"Do you trust in them? Would you place any and all hope for not only your life but the lives of everyone around you in their hands?" Onyx hoped she would be able to remember the names he had said, they did sound a little familiar already. "I ask because one thing my tribe has noticed about most outsiders who have recovered more of the Past one's Relics than we have is that they all seem to have a more disjointed relationship with their supposed greater beings of faith. They learn more of the lost past and lose sight of their beliefs, becoming a shell of what they may have been."

Ashes [EliteCommander and Vesuvius00]

Onyx had never thought that her flight was mundane, how could she, when every time she took off she could feel the pure joy and freedom of the air around her. She was not quite sure how to explain this to Tarentek however, so she decided to try telling him what her mother had once told her. "Well, to me the ability to fly has always been a blessing upon my people. Our wings have allowed us to survive what our brother race, the Gahiji, could not. The Gahiji all died years before I was born, but other than the absence of wings, they were exactly like the Elissics. The histories I have learned of my people claim that the two races may have had a shared heritage, and that it was a grave mistake on the part of the Elissics to allow the Gahiji's destruction." Onyx took a moment to get her train of thought back on track before continuing.

"As for imagination... Have you ever felt so happy and safe that you couldn't help yourself but to laugh and sing? When I'm in flight the world seems so much smaller, and I know that I am free of the lurking dangers and unpredictability of the land below. I am untouchable, and may go wherever I wish, or even simply nowhere at all..." Onyx trailed off, a light smile on her face as she recalled memories of when she had first learned to fly. "I was terrified when I was first learning, Olias caught me a lot at the beginning, but now I could fly in my sleep if i wanted to." Suddenly, Onyx realized what the biggest difference between them could be.

"Tarentek, do you have gods? I don't mean the kind that you could prove exist, but the deep belief that there is someone unseen watching over you." Onyx tried not to ask the question too suddenly, but she hoped that he would understand that what she asked had a stronger meaning than the words could imply.

Blood Act I~ Ghosts of the Past

I honestly have no idea how to respond to that Lucius.

Hello @Freeshooter92.

Ashes [EliteCommander and Vesuvius00]

Tarentek's question didn't surprise her, although the fog of his memory sure did. Her father had only briefly mentioned that she was his daughter, but the way he said it had made her think that he was attempting to shame Her and Tarentek at the same time. If she accounted for the fact that his memory would probably be spotty because of his condition, she could understand him forgetting such a minuscule moment. "Well," She started, not sure whether to be blunt or vague, and deciding to just get it out. "Yes, you are right. Raldel is my father, and I am his youngest daughter."

Onyx tried to force herself to keep a strait face as she thought about her family. She didn't fit in with her brothers at all, as they all decided to become Scouts and Sentries, and her one older sister was... Onyx shook herself to keep the thought from her mind. "I'd rather not talk about my family much, if you don't mind. Please." She added the last part under her breath, so she was unsure if Tarentek actually heard it or not, and then decided she didn't care. "All you need to know is that my father has not been leader of our tribe for long. He took control after the last snow-fall."

Blood Act I~ Ghosts of the Past

[E'nasha Williams]

"Sir! Return!" Just as always, when E'nasha shouted the command, The large Raven she kept as a pet and trusted companion, Sir Ithslala Ra'vin (Sir for short), circled back through the trees to land on E'nasha's shoulder, not bothered at all by the rain that fell quietly around them. "What direction?" She asked the bird, ignoring her other companion's sigh.

"Are you seriously still asking the bird for directions? We might as well go back to Granny." The speaker was El'kan, E'nasha's friend ever since they were children. He was good-looking, if you liked dark brown eyes and blonde hair on a guy you know well enough (and get along with well enough) for him to be your brother. El'kan was not the sharpest knife on the rack, and liked to state the obvious. E'nasha rolled her eyes at him and waited for Sir's answer.

Sir tapped three times on her shoulder and turned to the left. "West. 30 paces." E'nasha said to El'kan. He sighed again, but followed her as she carried Sir through the trees. They walked as quickly as they could, trying not to slip on the thin layer of mud covering the ground. “At least mud is better than ice.” E’nasha muttered to herself under her breath. She could imagine Sir’s response in her head as he took flight to go on ahead of them again. ’Yep, and i’m not sticking around any longer for you to slip and get my feathers all dirty!’ “Stay close!” She called after him, his light croaking caw answering her not too far ahead.

El’kan managed to slip-slide his way to her side, struggling even more than she was to keep from tripping over the tree roots and small plants that had started popping up since the snow started melting. The little patches of green made E’nasha feel a bit less gloomy. It had been an unexpectedly long journey through a very confusing wintery landscape for them so far, so the splashes of color she saw in the towns along the way greatly contrasted the monochromaticity of the landscapes around them, keeping E’nasha in an almost unending cycle of depression.

The statement, ‘they live for the colors’, could be said for every member of their little trio. E’nasha normally seems happier when she’s surrounded by the vibrancy of the colors of the living forest, and Sir likes to play around with paints and such whenever they have free time. El’kan likes to try and teach Sir how to draw pictures of specific people and things, although it usually ends pretty badly.

As they got through the last few trees into a clearing, they saw a large stone wall on the other side of the clearing that stretched on farther than they could see in either direction. Sir returned to E’nasha’s shoulder before she could give the command, and turned his head to the right and giving a short croak. “I suppose we should go left then.” E’nasha said as Sir took off again, circling around them as they walked.

“Hey, E‘nasha?” El’kan said after a few minutes. “Do you think this is it? The college?” She glanced back at him for a moment, not really wanting to get his or her hopes up. They had been following every map, direction, and instinct they had to try and find the place, and they had messed up so many times before that E’nasha just felt like they were going to keep messing up until- El’kan interrupted her hopeless thoughts with some of his trademark optimism. “We are actually in the area where it’s supposed to be. Maybe someone in this town could actually lead us there.” He finished by nodding his head to the wall they were walking alongside.

“El’kan… First of all, we don’t even know that this-” She pointed to the wall as well, “Even IS a town. Second, what the heck is Sir staring at?” E’nasha and El’kan’s attention was drawn to a dark, hazy figure in the distance. Sir had landed while they were talking, and E’nasha had almost tripped over the large bird, which was how she noticed that all his attention was on something else.

“El’kan, the trees.” She whispered quickly as the shadow seemed to get closer. They both climbed the branches of a large pine, hoping that the prickly leaves would hide them. “Sir! Natural!” E’nasha hissed at the bird that was still staring down the shadow. As soon as he heard the command he flew up to the top of another tree so he was partially hidden from her point of view. Oh lord Ren, don't let us be found!

Ashes [EliteCommander and Vesuvius00]

ground herbs have been able to be pressured and dried into tablets or such for a long time before conventional medicines. i was kinda thinking along those lines, but i can change it tomorrow if it still bugs you.

Ashes [EliteCommander and Vesuvius00]

Onyx tried to make something that tasted ok in as little time as possible, so she ended up making hot sandwiches. Ground meat cooked into a shape like a pancake and served in bread, a simple meal that she was sure Tarentek would be able to eat as much as he wanted of. "Tarentek. The meal is ready." She called as she placed the food on the small table in the main room, pouring another glass of water for Tarentek and placing it at his spot. She did not have to wait long for him to show up, although he did not seem to have rested at all since she had left him in his room. She decided that she would give him some medicine to help him sleep after he ate, as she placed two small pills next to his plate before sitting down.

"The blue pill will help your digestion, and the green one will help you re-hydrate faster. You have to take them before you finish your plate if you're going to want any more food after that." She said as he sat across the table from her.

Ashes [EliteCommander and Vesuvius00]

Tarentek's silence worried Onyx, she glance back at him many times as they crossed the bridge, but could not make out the emotion on his face. She hoped it was just because he was tired, and kept vigilant watch on the skies for sentries. As they got to her den she rushed inside, starting a fire in the fireplace and lighting lamps in every room around the den. She motioned for Tarentek to come in once she had finished, and led him to a small room near the back of the den.

"This is where you will sleep, please wait a moment." She went to the kitchen and got a large glass of water, returning to Tarentek within a minute. "Here, drink slowly. There is more." She said as she handed the cup to him. She went around the room, gathering up things she would have to move to another room by the door, and making the bed with a large white blanket and pillow. "Please try to rest now. I will call you out to the main room once the meal is ready." She walked over to the only hole in the walls of the room and hung a large sheet over the opening, covering it completely. "Also, do not move this," She said, motioning to the sheet. "It will keep anyone from seeing you as you sleep."

She left him then. If he did not come when she called she could try and wake him up, however she believed that in his state it would probably be better to let him sleep and feed him when he woke again.

Ashes [EliteCommander and Vesuvius00]

Onyx gave a slight sigh of relief. He can eat livestock! She could feel herself relaxing as she formed a plan in her mind as for what to do next. She would give him water when they got to her den, which was not too far away now, and she could let him rest for a while as she prepared the meal. "None of us drink alcohol. It makes us, too unfocused, like we are dream-walking. We only use it when we are trying to induce sleep or dull pain from cold or a wound." She flicked her tail and ear nervously as she saw the shadow of two sentries flying above, probably to relieve the current guards at the west mountain for the night.

"We are almost there." She said to Tarentek as they went across the last bridge between the center of the nest to the mountain that her den was situated on. It was arguably the longest bridge in the nest, as it went almost all the way to the top of the south mountain from the small plateau that the center of the nest was situated on. "Please hurry, it's getting dark and I currently would NOT like to be stopped by a sentry asking why i'm not home yet." She looked back at him and added, "Do not worry about falling off the bridge, I or Olias will catch you."