The Calling

[makenziec123]

((I find Copper to be really funny in an innocent/naive way. And yeah, I hate makeup too. It always feels weird on my face. ))

 

Talibah stepped off of the lift with a brisk pace towards the smell of alcohol. She had always hated the stuff, especially the smell, but she could already hear Roark getting angry and yelling at random objects again.

 

"Oh great, I can already hear him. Sorry your first impression of Roark has to be when he's nearly blind drunk." She apoligized in a worried/annoyed tone to Jacen.

 

She came around the corner to find him babbling in a language that was closer to baby noises than it was to English angrily in the direction of a bar stool that he must have been sitting on. Or maybe he was yelling at the other drunk guy next to him, probably his new drinking buddy considering how he kept shouting "Copper" at him, which Talibah assumed was his name.

 

"Roark." Talibah called his name like a teacher would call out a talkative student.

 

He turned to look at her and stopped his mumbling, but other than that he just had a drunken blank stare on his face.

 

With a sigh, Talibah grabbed his hand and pulled it across her shoulders so that his swaying lessened.

 

"You're murdering your liver with that stuff you know." She muttered jokingly.

 

"Yer no funn." He replied in a sudden moment of relative clarity.

 

"Shut up. Let's see if we can find you and your buddy here a couple of rooms. By the way, that was -not- funny. You know me better than that." She scolded him.

 

" 'M sorry Tali. Jus' wanted a laugh." He chuckled, a little bit of drool spilling down his chin.

 

"You're hopeless." She smiled and shook her head. It was good to see he hadn't changed that much in the last three years.

Edited May 5, 2014 by makenziec123

[Narath]

((I don't like putting on make up or dresses on either))

"Sooo, you are the one called Talba." Copper said, standing up from the table, one hand on the surface to keep steady. "Roark'z told me 'bout you. Can ya' tell me a story of yer homeland? 'E says you got some good ones."

"Hold on there buddy, better stop talking now." Jaken interjected, grabbing ahold of the drunk's arm to keep him steady. "Man, you are heavy."

"I has bones of steel!" Copper shouted out in explanation.

"Talibah, what has your buddy done to him?"

"Drinks! Many many manymanymany drinks!"

[Dracovicus]

Azera's beer was set on the table, as he slowly drink it he could see that Roark was getting scolded at by a female. 'Nice friend there to take him from the bar. To bad he won't have this.' Azera thought as he pulled out a small pouch. He pulled out a few coins and hand them to the waiter and drink his beer in quite, until someone pushed him out of his chair. "Hey watch it." Azera said as he whipped his hands on his pants, and than was grab from the front by a huge man. "What the-" Azera started to say until he was in the face, for a reason he did not know., and it knock him to the ground He spit out a bit of blood out of his mouth from the punch. "You are in my seat, get out, and leave your stuff with me," the man said, as Azera started to get up off the ground.

 

"Wrong move idiot." Azera growled as he turn and face the man, who just stared at him.

 

"Did I studded, I said get out and leave your stuff with me, boy." The man growled at him, and went to strike again, this time though hitting something hot. A fire sphere was in front of the man fist as it started to scorch his flesh. The man yelled a bit in pain and pulled his hand back and tried again to hit Azera, and again was block b another sphere. Everyone in the bar went quite, as there was a fire mage among their bar.

 

"Are you very much done now?" Azera asked as the man hands were black from trying to punch him.

 

'Azera, something not right here. He keep on punch even after his hand burn.' The male voice said in his head. Than Azera notice it as well. 'They don't give up do they?' It said again as soon as Azera figure it out.

 

"Dame Horrors." Azera manage to say before the floor around him cracked, as the ground spiked around him. He jump up in just a split second before a spike hit him, and he look at the man, but he was gone. 'Dame where did he-' Azera started to say as a slash went across his back, but it came from behind. It felt like talons went across his back.

 

"Filthy creature, you killed my sister, now i will kill you." It said as it slammed him though the back wall. Both him and the creature bust though the back of the door, into an alley way. The harpy slammed him into a brick was, causing Azera to cough up blood. Azera grab the harpy wings, which took it by surprise, because it was quick as his action was. Azera gritted his teeth and he push the harpy to the ground hard, than pulled harder on the wings, ripping them off.

 

He throw them on the ground, as the harpy scream from the pain. "Horrors don't deserve mercy." Azera said as a orb the size of a baseball appeared next to him. He kick the harpy hard, than walked and pick up the wings. the harpy started to push himself off the ground when the orb collapse on itself, causing it to explode. Azera was gone again vanish in the dust.

[makenziec123]

"Roark, how many beers did you buy for him?!" Talibah asked her taller friend.

 

"Dun luk at mee! He's a one who kept drinkin'!" Roark implored, his world spinning as a sudden loud argument, followed by the sound of splintering wood broke through.

 

He winced and held his head, barely registering that Talibah was dragging him to an over turned table, probably to protect him from whatever had just happened.

 

"The hell?" He asked, his head pounding.

 

"Don't move. Stay here with your friend." Talibah replied, taking the other drunk man's arm and helping Jacen drag him over.

 

"How did a Harpy get inside the city?!" She asked no one in particular, but Roark felt the need to answer;

 

"Oh. A biiiiiiiiig flock of 'em came through here last week. I told 'em we missed sum, but nooooobody lisens to me." He grumbled and crossed his arms like a little kid.

 

"Fantastic. What should we do?" She asked as she turned to look at the only sober friend she had right now.

 

~~~~~

 

Amanda heard the sounds of the city.

 

The beautiful hiss of steam, the chatter of people, the clip-clop of horse hooves on cobblestones.

 

But something was amiss. She heard faint shouts of fear as they walked past a particular tavern.

 

"What's going on in there?" Amanda asked Navir, even though she knew he wouldn't know the answer.

 

"I hope Azera is okay. He ran pretty far ahead of us. But we did sort of agree to be a traveling group, so I guess he'll show up eventually." She thought.

 

((Has anybody seen Fireside lately?))

Edited May 5, 2014 by makenziec123

[Narath]

As soon as the drunk was behind the table with Roark, Jacen turned towards the horror and drew his sword.

"Talibah, I'll distract it while you go around and flank it." Jacen said.

Before he could do anything though, it and the fire mage fighting it disappeared in an explosion.

"Well, I guess that solved itself out then. Now what?"

 

((Writer's block))

[makenziec123]

((Same >.< anybody have any ideas?))

[Narath]

((Not at the moment. Maybe if you guys could break me out of my prison of a home I could think of something.))

[Pyrowings]

((Well, I remember you talking about some sort of training camp before Halenna allows you to go to the Badlands. Speaking of which, isn't it about time they really met her?))

 

"Tweet!" the cockatrice hopped out and shook her feathers before proceeding to fly up... And onto Selye's head, with the snake part of it moving to face and sniff her.

"Huh. I guess you can't tell, but she's normally very unfriendly."

"Hisssss!"

.... I... Just.... What....?

Hmm. On one hand, it would probably require a lot of upkeep and time. On the other.... Well, it's a companion for whenever I'm lonely, and could probably be trained to send messages.

~~~

A few minutes later and Selye was walking back to the HQ of the Border Guards with a bird on her head and a book in her hand.

 

((Fun fact: I was originally going to make have this sea monster as as her pet (ignore the person) http://www.puzzledragonx.com/en/img/monster/383.jpg))

Edited May 6, 2014 by beiningtian

[makenziec123]

((*throws keys at Narath* There ya go!

 

We can't go there yet, I think we need to actually have all the characters there first so that we can have one big meet up with Hannalea in battle for example, then they can all go to the training camp for a few "week" that we can fast forward through and everyone can walk out with either one new minor skill or improvements to ones they already have.

 

Or at least, that's what happens in my head. It's up to you guys whether or not you meet her alone or in a group. As a matter of fact, there could just be a sign up sheet on a tavern wall or something so that you can go to the training camp.))

[Fireside90]

Navir looked to the tavern as he shrugged and kept walking with Amanda "Probably a small bar brawl. the guards here can handle it as it is their job. I know a place we can stay for the night then head to the border, may even get us some supplies!" he said with a smile as he walked ahead of her, going to lead her down the main road of the town. "they are 'friends' I am sure they would help"

[makenziec123]

"Alright! Lead the way!" Amanda replied to her taller friend with a smile, her traveling cloak swirling slightly in the steam as it escaped from various pipes littering the city.

 

"So, what exactly is this place we're going to?"

[makenziec123]

((Oh! Idea for those with writers block, go nuts with this :3))

 

The Demon Master. Lord Kongbu. The Dark King of Arendia.

 

All these names and more belong to a single man, a man who was currently peering down on the innocent civilians of Horusia right at this very moment.

 

A harpy with purple peacock-like feathers flew in through a stone window with the glass broken out and landed in what was once the King's greeting room in a crouch, not daring to look up at his dark master.

 

"My Lord, the troops are nearly ready. If you wish to make your announcement, I would advise you warn the prey that they have less than two months to prepare for their death." The messenger Harpy stated, standing -but still not looking at his Master- with his wings spread out in a submissive posture as he backed up towards the window he had come in through.

 

"Stop." The Demon King commanded, causing his servant to freeze with one talon still hovering above the chipped stone floor.

 

"You. You, advise me? Who are you to tell me what I should and should not do?" He asked, his midnight purple cape snagging against the rough floor as he walked over to the messenger.

 

"Forgive me, my l-*SQUAK!!!*" The poor creature was cut off as a ball of midnight black fire was placed squarely in the center of it's face, burning it down to the bone in seconds and spreading quickly through his beautiful feathers.

 

"DID I GIVE YOU PERMISSION TO SPEAK?!" Lord Kongbu asked.

 

"I'M SORRY! *SQUAKSQUAKSQUAK* I'M SORRY MY LORD!" The poor bird screamed, not realizing that in it's panic it had backed up all the way to window until it was too late, falling out as if his feathers were suddenly made of lead.

 

The rush of wind from the smoggy outside air only seemed to feed the black fire, rushing it to his once beautiful wings so that even before he hit the ground, there was nothing but ash remaining.

 

"...The humans will have three months to prepare. It will take that long just for them to put up enough defenses for a fair fight." He chuckled to himself, his greasy black hair hanging in his face as he peered into his crystal ball once more.

 

Blackened fingernails extended towards the orb, he began to chant, until he felt himself traveling on the wind, then growing to the size of Ziamliana and hovering just behind the Horusian defenses.

 

His prey screamed from the other side of the great fence, and even a few of the soldiers turned tail and hid.

 

"AH, HOW FAR YOUR "COURAGE" FALLS WHEN YOU SEE THE TRUE FACE OF DANGER." The embodiment of evil itself roared with laughter.

 

"PEOPLE OF XPAUREL, I COME BEARING A SINGLE MESSAGE. YOU HAVE THREE MONTHS TO PREPARE FOR THE END OF DAYS. ON THE LAST HOUR OF THE LAST DAY, I WILL MARCH MY HOARDS THROUGH YOUR KINGDOMS, AND YOU WILL ALL CRUMBLE BENEATH MY FEET." He yelled, though at his size it could have been a simple whisper. The panicked crowd below him ran away or hid anywhere they could find as he pulled up his crystal ball, showing them their fate as the gnashing jaws of his minions and their razor-sharp talons flashed by.

 

"HOWEVER," He added, pointing one finger up at a cloud, which instantly turned black; "IF BEFORE THEN YOU SURRENDER ANY AND ALL OF THESE "CALLERS" AND THEIR "COMPANIONS", I WILL SPARE HE WHO BRINGS ME MY PRIZE. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED, PUNNY HUMANS. REMEMBER THAT."

 

And with a swish of his giant grimy purple cape, he vanished in a cloud of toxic-colored fog.

[Narath]

"I think that means that we need to get to our friends soon huh?" Jacen asked, looking back at Talibah.

The giant apparition had chilled his nerves to the bone, sending icy shivers racing up and down his spine. And when it spoke... He could tell that even the being in his head, who was never afraid of anything was unnerved by it.

"Or join the wall guard at the very least." He added.

[makenziec123]

"...When did this city get so freaking weird?!" Talibah replied to Jacen with a question of her own, half joking to try and shove the fear off of her mind.

 

Roark had finally passed out from the amount of alcohol in his system, or maybe he had gotten scared and fainted, but either way, that huge figure was not a pretty sight. And if the images from that orb were real, they needed to listen to the voices in their heads even more carefully than before.

 

"Well, whatever we do, we need to do it as a team. And find a way into the Badlands. Something tells me we'll find some way to protect all these people." She explained, looking around at the other terrified patrons of the bar that were hiding under tables and a few even hiding under other people.

 

"First though, what do we do with these two?" She asked, gesturing towards Roark and Copper.

[Narath]

"More drinkz!" Copper cried in response to Talibah's question.

Though the strange man was incredibly wasted, he would just not pass out. Yes, he had the momentary black outs, but for some reason he would just not fall unconscious unless he wanted to. And right now he wanted more ale.

"I think we need to get them a room for the night so they can talk coherently with us." Jacen said, keeping a drunken Copper from getting up to order more alcohol. "However, we'll need our money for that. I only have a few copper coins."

Edited May 8, 2014 by Narath

[makenziec123]

"Roark should have our winnings. Hang on a second." Talibah replied, softly shaking Roark's shoulder until he gave a low groan.

 

"Roark, where's that money that Jacen and I won?" She asked him, even though she knew it was a long shot that he would both hear -and- reply to her.

 

He didn't reply, but he did drunken claw one hand up to his neck where a thick leather bag cord was tied.

 

"Thank you." She smiled at him, then gently untied to cord from around his neck and pulled out what must have been at least three pounds of gold coins. ((In actual weight, not the value of the coins))

 

"I love it when I surprise them." She chuckled to herself, holding the hefty bag in her hands.

 

"I think we've got plenty now." She smiled, turning back to look at Jacen with the large sack in her hands.

[Narath]

Jacen stared wide eyed at the pouch of money that Talibah held up for him to see. He'd never had so much money before!

"That's really all ours?" He asked in disbelief. "It can't be. I was only expecting just enough to buy us a room for a night!"

[Dracovicus]

((I am having the baddest days so far. So who volunteer to meet Slayer?))

 

Azera walked around for a bit, and found a shop that was willing to buy harpy feathers and talon in exchange for weapons and gold. He set the wings talon and feather from the two harpies, which seems to take surprise to the shop keeper. He offered a bit of gold for the wings, but also offered custom armor as well for Azera, and a harpy sword

 

"What kind of armor would that be?" Azera asked the shop keeper.

 

The shop keeper simple replied "It called harpy Armor, as great as it sounds it nothing to great except it make it much harder for someone to freeze you, but not impossible, and I will also make it look like a hoody if you wish."

 

Azera look at his hoody for a bit and nod his head. He had to agree he need a new one. "How log will it take?" Azera asked as he look over his agreement.

 

"A day for the weapon but I already have a harpy hoodie made. A bit ago someone order one, but he died by a harpy just hours before he was suppose to pick it up. He was a bit bigger than you, but it should fit fine." The shop owner said as he went to the back for a few seconds and came back, holding a master piece of harpy feather all sewn together with a master hand. It black feather shine a bit in the dusk light. The shop keeper hand it to Azera as Azera's hand felt the silk of the feather. He set the hoodie on the desk that was in front of him. He removed his rip black hoodie and set it on the ground and slid the black silk feather hoodie over his rip sheet. I fit well over his well build body, leaving a bit of room for his movement.

 

"Hm, it fits nice, though a bit cold, but nice," Azera said "you said a day for the weapon to be created. I'll keep some of the gold but i must give you most of it back. this is a master work of art that I wear, and it will make me guilty for not at least paying for some of it." He said as he set most of the gold back on the counter. He turn and pick up his rip hoodie and slide it into his bag and started to head out the building leaving the shop owner to his work.

 

Azera walked around for a bit, just aimless looking for something. He heard the word that a horror was looking for a group of people called 'Callers'. 'Hm how interesting, but I fight for the weak and helpless.' Azera thought to himself or thought he did.

 

'It might be best if you find Amanda or a group to say with tonight, you are not on the best side of horrors right now.' The deep male voice said.

 

Not agreeing or disagreeing with the voice he simple wonder a bit more, until he ran back into Amanda by sheer accident.

[makenziec123]

"Navir, look! Is that Azera?" Amanda asked, standing up on her toes to look above the crowd of people and wave her hand at him.

 

~~~~~

 

"That's how these kinds of fights work in Horusia. It's a battle of odds- I had the most odds stacked against me, what with being a former slave and a woman, so I had the most bets against me. Since we both won and managed not to faint until after the battle was over, we get a third of the money that was bet against us." She explained, a sly grin on her face.

 

"But I mean, we won together, so this is all the money that was stacked against both of us combined." She added, suddenly feeling a bit sheepish. She usually got this much when she took on double challenges alone too... but she wasn't going to tell him that. Nor would she tell him that she blew most of it trying to feed other "street rats" like herself, saving only a few coins for her own food and for Tiana's.

 

((Sorry can't post now but I didn't want to hold the RP up >.<))

[Fireside90]

Navir waved to Azera with a smile as he walked with her and possibly azera, down a road that branched off from the main road. He walked with a smile "Some old friends I helped out long ago who I am sure can help us." he said as the street ended at what looked like a small clinic and inn all in one. despite the neighborhood the building was cleaner the surrounding area with windows shown around with light pouring out from them. the building it self was made of white stone. "we can rest here for the night as it is partly an inn, and the people here can give us some supplies to help us along" he said as he walked to the door, opening it for the two of them and waited for amanda and/or azera if he followed to follow

 

 

((One way or the other, I will get my clinic back also eddited to respond to your recent post mak and draco ))

Edited May 9, 2014 by Fireside90

[Narath]

"Well what do you usually do with extra winnings?" Jacen asked. "My family rarely ever had a copper to spare, so I wouldn't know what to do with it."

"I know what you'd do with it." Stated the feminine voice in his head in a matter-of-fact manner. "You'd just spent what little you needed for the night, and send the rest to your parents first thing the next day."

"And how did you figure that out?"

"Because I've been in your head for over ten years. Honestly, you are still the same sweat little boy that I've known back when you were eleven and working on the farm. You would do anything for your parents little one."

 

[Pyrowings]

((Um, can someone meet Selye?))

[makenziec123]

"Uh, well..." Talibah began, not sure if she wanted him to know the truth or not, so she told him what happened the very first time she ever won a fight like that, at age 16.

 

"Most of the time, I don't get to keep but just a little bit of my earnings. The very first time I won a fight like that, the men there that lost got angry and dragged me out of the arena and beat me up more than I already was, then tossed me out back into a mud puddle. One of the bar tenders found me there later and patched me up, and he even went and found Tiana for me." She explained, forgetting that she hadn't introduced Jacen to her life-long companion yet.

 

"All of these lies and half-truths will get you killed some day Talibah." The voice nagged at her.

 

"Put a sock in it." She shot back.

 

((If you want she can meet up with Amanda?))

[Narath]

"Oh. Well, I am uh... Sorry I asked." Jacen said awkwardly, aferting his redening face from her. "Anyways, if you want, I can be your partner from now on. I'd make sure that any hellspawn that had a problem with you wouldn't be able to do anything like that.

"That is if your friend Tiana doesn't mind." He added quickly.

[makenziec123]

"Thanks. I'll try and do the same." Talibah smiled back, her thoughts drifting back to when Roark had made a similar promise... but she wasn't going to think about that now. That promise had long since been broken.

 

"Besides, Tiana can't exactly disagree if she doesn't like you. I am her master, after all." She explained, still forgetting that he hadn't met her horse.

 

"Talibah, he doesn't know who Tiana is yet. They haven't met." The voice in her head smiled at her forgetfulness.

 

"Oh yeah..." She thought back.

 

"We should probably get these guys cleaned up..." Talibah wondered aloud, looking down at Roark as he drooled all over himself, adding to whatever other liquids were covering him.

 

"Do you think you could help me carry Roark? There should be a hose by the stable outside. Maybe the cold water will help him sober up." She thought, a mischievous smile coming to her face for more than one reason.

 

After all, it was always pretty funny when Tiana surprised people. She did have a pretty intimidating stature, which helped quite a bit when she was a war horse.