Posted April 30, 2017 "'Aer' it is, then." Ike nodded and smiled in assurance. "My name's Ike. I wish we'd met under better circumstances, but it's great to have you on the team." ====== Before Ike could continue to introduce the others in greater detail, his voice was stopped short by a great peal issuing from the stairs above. The sound was one of anguish, despair, a throaty cry of a beast beyond the reckoning of those that heard it, and its echo passed through the room and reverberated, crawling along the walls and through the doorways until it leapt downstairs, crashing against the door with a might to rival it. Alex found her ears ringing, too shocked to respond in time. Soren only stiffened at the noise, keeping rigid in defiance of the interruption. Ike looked on upward, eyes flicking around the steps as he searched for the source of the deafening noise. When none could be found, his hand went to Ragnell's hilt, and with a smooth steady gesture, carefully removed it from its bonds. "I think we've stood around long enough. Whatever that was, it didn't sound happy, and the quicker we deal with it the quicker we leave." He motioned to the others and started off to the stairs, stopping only long enough to hand the satchel he'd shouldered back to Soren for the time being. "Let's get a move on." Share this post Link to post
Posted May 1, 2017 (edited) Ike nodded to Xker, and the Volt glanced back up, before looking -- And then there was a mighty howl thst shook the building. Xker tensed and flickered aer feathers again, ears twitching as aer looked around and up to the stairs. A noise from behind caused Xker's teeth to shine as aer lips peeled back. Could you stand being quieter? "I think we've stood around long enough. Whatever that was, it didn't sound happy, and the quicker we deal with it the quicker we leave." Xker found aerself agreeing with the idea. It reminded aer of missions, of the familiar in this alien realm. As Ike set off, the Volt made to follow. -- Stormcatcher glowered, angry he couldn't warn the creature to shut aer mouth after aer had called him a common lizard, called magic abnormal, and decided to state that he was scared. He wasn't scared. And then there ws a great cry from above, shaking the room. He snarled in surprise, his tail lashing out and slamming against the ground - his mistake, for pain pulsed through his muscle. Nothing was in sight that could have made the noise, and the dragon didn't like that. When the others began to move, he followed after, wincing and growling at every step he took. Edited May 13, 2017 by Dusky_Flareon Share this post Link to post
Posted May 1, 2017 There was a hush as Lu and Ciel approached the rest of the group. Those attuned to magic would sense their dark energy. It wasn't necessarily evil - just cold, emotionless, and certain. He carried her close to the group, but no further. He was silent as he stood there. Owain walked past him, then turned to the pair with questioning eyes. "This is a strategic point from where we can see all enemies at once, should you decide to turn on us." Ciel stated flatly. "Lu's safety is my top priority. I will not give you favorable conditions to ambush us." "Ugh... Ciel..." Lu began, but shook her head. "Ah, perhaps you're right. You normally are. After all, you ARE my guardian... Only the finest..." Owain rose an eyebrow, but Severa grabbed his arm. "Let's just leave them to their strange love." she whispered, pulling him away. Caeldori whinnied as they returned. She had waited patiently for them both to reappear. They heard screaming in the distance, and Ascension's final yell of "SOLAR!" Severa sighed. "Oh don't tell me someone's run off or something. We don't need that sort of interruption. UGH!" she grimaced. "We could find them, quickly, with Caeldori, right?" Owain asked. "WHY DO YOU VOLUNTEER US FOR THIS EVERY TIME?" Severa said, exasperated. "But... you wouldn't be you if you didn't." "Can she?" "Yeeees....Of course. She's the finest horse here. In this whole place." Severa said confidently. "Ascension, do you need our help?" Owain offered. But Lu and Ciel still stood silently on the edge of the group, quietly surveying... Share this post Link to post
Posted May 2, 2017 Ascension nodded to Leon. He understood his position; he could not voice his gratitude properly. "Everyone who was with me: please work together in my stead. Take care of each other and tend to the newcomers. I shall return." He heard Owain ask if he'd like their assistance, and while he didn't have the highest opinion on him and his...companion...to deny help would be borderline selfish. He quickly trotted over to them, looking up at the two. "If you can do anything to assist me, I'd be eternally grateful. Solar is in a bad place right now, and we must make haste for her position." He motioned to the black steed before him. "Does she ride well?" Share this post Link to post
Posted May 2, 2017 (edited) "Forgive me if I sound exhausted in my answer, but I will try to be as truthful as possible. Eos is my sister, my elder but not my eldest sibling. She, along with my brother Nix, the eldest of the three, once made up a trinity of gods who had dominion over the Sun, Moon, and Elements respectively. As my siblings grew envious of my sway over humanity, Eos endeavored against me and slew me in cold blood, and in turn, my brother did the same to her. I spent the next 3000 years roaming the underworld. By some chance, some sway of the Stars who called me, I was resurrected, but as it turned out, it was only to stop their quarreling. Eos had returned, and Nix had had control in my stead." Lightweaver's ears swiveled over to Ascension in order to listen to the story. Three siblings, who ended up hating one another... it reminded her somewhat of her own family. It seems many gods do not get along... He didn't look happy, either. Leon made to apologize, but suddenly there was a screech, causing Lightweaver's ears to prick up on alert, and Ascension screamed Solar's name. Ascension and Leon seemed to have a silent exchange, and suddenly... the Beastclan from earlier and her 'Spritzee' had appeared, along with two others. "Do you know these people? I'm assuming they are friends of yours." Lightweaver considered, before replying. "I know that one of these three Beastclans was searching one of those worlds with her ... Spritzee alongside Ascension, Solar, Ratchet, and myself. I believe the other two were her companions, if I recall Ascension's mention of them." Edited May 13, 2017 by Dusky_Flareon Share this post Link to post
Posted May 2, 2017 Severa huffed almost as though she was insulted. "Of course she does!" she said, confident. "She would never hurt her riders. She's an intelligent and noble steed." Owain nodded in agreement. "But enough about that. We have a Solar to save!" he proclaimed, leaping onto Caeldori's back smoothly. The horse moved a bit in excitement, prepared to soar. Severa got on in front of him, grabbing the reins firmly. She held out her hand to the small thing, looking away. "You... you may need a hand getting up here. I'm not sure, ok. I know you're a god but..." she began, frowning. "But sometimes we all need a bit of help! Take it or not!" Share this post Link to post
Posted May 2, 2017 (edited) Ascension couldn't complain about Severa's remark. This horse was certainly faster and more efficient at getting around than he at this point, and Solar had likely made incredible headway. He didn't know how fast she could move, but in her state of terror, he wouldn't wait to find out. He moved to give himself some space and leapt forward, guided by Severa's hand into her lap with a dainty, if slightly off-balance landing. Body parts were ungainly to stand on, what with the bones and the squish of the flesh surrounding them, so he settled for sitting. He looked up at her for confirmation. "I hope this arrangement is suitable. If you don't mind, please hold on to me. I'd hate to fall; I may be dubiously immortal, but I am not unbreakable." He situated a little and nudged his tail around him. "Come! She headed for the forest! Perhaps an aerial view will lend us some clue to her whereabouts." ============================== A cry, no a scream really, rang through the tower jarring link to the bones. The sound was something he had heard only a handful of times from monsters in their dying moments. It must have been from something large for its voice to make it all the way down here. A shudder ran through him as he straightened up, memories of past fight surfacing again. Hadn't he been done with this, hadn't he left this life behind after stopping Demise. Apparently not, Hylia must still have plans for him. Shaking his head in disapproval he turned making his way to the stairs. At least this time in this battle he wouldn't have to go it alone. Strangers in the worst times could be allies, and that's who he had with him. The roar left the room ringing throughout, and following the noise came all-encompassing silence to deafen its loss. Only the sound of Ike’s voice nearby dared to break it, and at his command the group began to mobilize. Soren, listening intently as he spoke, nodded in agreement at his direction, and as such chose to dismiss himself from any further conversation. “I should be getting on now. Thank you for your assistance,” and Soren turned away, walking off to meet Ike on his way to the stairs. He could see the curiosity in his eyes, but did not acknowledge it, instead trading off the waterskin for the satchel on his shoulder. As Ike took the waterskin graciously to his lips, Soren went to work cataloguing his tomes and other belongings again. “...ah.” “Mm?” Ike hummed through a mouthful of water. He pulled out the two foreign tomes, Thunder and Ragnarok. “These are Cyil’s. I should return them to her.” He heard the soft hiss of suction releasing. “She’s a mage, too?” “To a degree, though that degree is yet to be measured. She seems mostly dependant on her sword, but also favors shifting. As such, I’ve not personally borne witness to her skill in it.” He tucked the tomes under his arm. “I’ll be back.” Wasting no time at all, he swiftly made his way back to Cyil and held out the books to her, making sure to handle them with care. “Here. Take these; I’d rather not put myself in your debt any further.” He went to go back to Ike’s side when he caught sight of something peculiar in his peripheral vision. Something he’d seen before, but didn’t fully recall. He turned to get a better look and his eyes fell upon the form of a green-garbed boy walking with a not-subtle limp in his step. He quickly referenced back to days before and remembered him as Link, but oddly absent was his irritating black imp companion. He wasn’t concerned about it--if memory served, it hid in his shadow when not consuming his body in some ugly lupine form. The lack of raucous self-banter was a welcome reprieve. Soren waited until Link approached before stepping out, holding out his hand to stop him. “You...Link, yes? I’ll have to ask you to stop for a moment.” Glancing at the boy who had caused so much drama over the course of the past hour he stopped briefly. What did he want, he hadn’t done anything to him, yet. Curiosity did play through him thought, he had yet to talk to him, let alone even know his name. Name…. How did he know him. His gaze Shifted back to Ike, it was possible that he had told him sometime, but when. He had seen him most of the time….wait, Ike was gone for most of the night. Maybe... Shaking his head to clear it his attention landed back on him. Truthfully, why did he care? It wasn't like he would ever see him after he got home. He wouldn't see any of these people again. Cocking his head to the side a little he shook it yet again, this time the meaning for something different as he waved his hand in the air slightly between them. what do you want kid? The fold of Soren’s mouth twitched as he began to grind a bit of his bottom lip between his incisors. So, you won’t speak, then? He withheld the scoff that threatened his demeanor. Why was everyone so unreasonably disagreeable as this? He glanced to Link’s wound and back up, unwilling to lessen his severity. “That wound your sporting...it needs tending. I will take it upon myself to do so. You’ll need to sit for me get a better look.” Furrowing his brows together he stepped away a little. The idea of someone else touching him didn't settle well with him, even Zelda he kept at a distance if he could help it. Besides he had had worse and survived. And in most of those cases he had had a red potion or a fairy, and when it was still too much for him…. Well he wasn't awake for it anyway. Something small like this wouldn't kill him though and he could still walk with it. ”umhm”,Giving a gentle shake he waved his hand in the air in dismissal. What was he going to do anyway, stare him to death. Moving to walk around him he started again for the second time to walk up them. Watching Link dismiss him brought a wave of heat to Soren’s face. He stepped once more in the boy’s path, barring him from going any further. “This is not up for discussion.” His gaze was fiery, his patience long exhausted by this point. He would not allow this ingrate to deny his offer, and for what?! Some asinine sense of pride? He stood straight and resolute before Link, unwavering. Indomitable. “You will sit. And I will see to that bite. If you cannot agree to these terms, then see yourself down the steps.” “When the infection sets in and claims your leg, it will spread into your blood and ravage you. You may think to amputate and cauterize if you have the means, but it will do you no good. It may take awhile, but you will become wracked with endless pain and bloated with pus.” His eyes narrowed, his head tilted to look directly into Link’s eyes. “I cannot guarantee we’ll have time to save you. Seeing the likelihood of that, I feel the need to say that, if you do not comply, and if the infection doesn’t bore holes into your brain and drive you to madness first, you will drown yourself in your own vomit, finally ending your life in the throes of choking agony.” “Are you willing to pay that price? All to spare whatever weakens you?” This kid… is scary! For a moment all link could do was stare, he was unaccustomed to people talking to him like that. It was slightly upsetting but he did have a point. But did he really have to put it like that? Sighing in defeat he glanced to the stairs and back. If he was going to have a practical stranger looking at him he at least wanted to be comfortable, well as much as possible. Easing around him he made sure to keep eye contact as he took a seat on the stone steps. Glancing down he pulled his pant leg up to reveal the bite underneath. ttsssshaving the scratchy material move over it hurt, a slow burning ache. He had cleaned it this morning with water given to him by Cyil but maybe it wasn't enough. Propping the cloth so it stayed in place he then moved the his shirt for his shoulder. Soren hadn't said anything on it but it was probably not a good idea to hide it, and he would be… mad later if link didn't show him. well I'm sitting, anything else? he wasn't looking forward to him being touched but if he was lucky then he would have something close to a red potion. Now that Link had done as asked, Soren knelt down in front of him without a word more. The first thing to draw his attention was the aforementioned leg wound, which had begun to seep red, leaving jagged trails behind. He gingerly turned the leg side to side in increments to see the extent of the bite. Puncture wounds ran nearly all the way around it, and from what he could tell without being invasive, they appeared to be relatively deep. Curiously, disregarding the blood, the wounds appeared to have been cleaned recently, but there were traces of a vile brown-purple fluid pooled in the deeper pockets. The second was the markings peppered against where Link had pulled his shirt away. These were not nearly as severe, and even showed signs of healing on their own. As such, he would not interrupt the work the body was naturally beginning. His hand slipped into his satchel. “Whoever attempted to clean this must have had little to no experience doing so. In this state, your leg most certainly would have rotted off.” He fished for the brush of the bandages, only finding a scrap that was far too small to have been applied to him at any point, then felt for the waterskin to begin his work. Within a second of recalling handing it to Ike, he found it stuck stealthily down in a corner of the bag. Of course he wouldn’t take it with him. Of course he would do that. He uncapped the waterskin with one hand and found the last tool he needed held in a padded pocket--a smooth green pear-shaped vial that was cool to the touch--and set it off to the side, bracing Link’s calf in one hand while he held the wet cloth in the other. “Hold still. This will only take a moment.” He set the rag against his skin, starting to wipe away any excess grime before moving to the punctures. With a quick wash of the green vial’s contents over his hands, he tented the cloth over his fingers and tipped the vial onto them, darkening the tan to a deep brown. He could feel the tension in Link’s body without looking. “It will sting, but you trade the pain for healing.” His fingers smoothed into the first row of teeth marks. At first Link’s attention was on what Soren had said, he was buying for a distraction at the hand on his leg. And the comment had been just the thing. It wasn't his fault that he always carried something that would do all the work for him. He could bandage small things but truthfully he didn't have anything here with him. He was lucky he got water to clean it the first time. Watching he had expected him to just run the rag over the wound, not in it. When his fingers went into the puncture wounds that were only slightly bigger than they were he couldn't sit still. Shooting forward he touched sorens shoulder, tears welling in his eyes. Goddess it hurt. ” P..P..Pl...L..L….leas….se….se...E sss….sst….stto…” curling in he drew inwards with his hands and arms. He hunched over himself as he tried to pull his leg away. It felt the like pain was consuming him, it wasn't even this bad when he was stabbed with a sword through his thigh. Although that could have been from the fairy he had on him at the time. He did say it would hurt though, and link should have expected it. ”H...H...Hu..Uur….urrt...T...T...S...Sss. He clamped a hand over the top of Link’s thigh, holding the ankle out straight as he fought to steady him. Soren, in the midst of the struggle, caught the broken, hoarse whispers of pain, and he raised his head in confused shock. “So you do speak.” He said it quietly enough to only be heard between them. So he hadn’t been acting standoffish. His eyes searched the boy’s face for further information, glancing down in between to guide his hands. He didn’t continue deeper for now. Taking a few shuddering breaths he tried to steady himself, a light shiver setting in. Turning his head to the side he looked at the wall while wiping his eyes. He had given up on pulling his leg away and now sat trying to relax while waiting for the pain to go away. Soren's question was something he settled on, a grounding point almost to take him away from what was happening at the present. Nodding he pointed at his throat, he could speak but not well. ”s….s….st...T...St….u…” taking a huff in aggravation he inhaled before releasing a large sigh. Finally he just shook his head no, it would be easier if he just believed link couldn't talk at all. He remained silent as he pondered this information. Obviously he had the capability, or had had it at one time before. Was this nervousness? Could he be so unsteadied by simple pain? Or...was it something deeper? Perhaps...but he didn’t entertain the thought long. That was presumptuous. This was a speech impediment--assuming anything outside of the obvious was foolish at best. But even as he thought it, a quiet sort of sympathy grew within him, remnant of a time so long ago he’d thought for sure he’d subtracted himself from it. It was solemn and somber, this feeling it coaxed forth, and though he kept it held inside, there was something like understanding between him and Link. The details didn’t matter. He reapplied more antiseptic to the rag and continued. “Don’t force it,” he said, neither kind or hateful, “I can understand you for the most part.” He was nearly finished now. Just a little more… Link was grateful for the most part, for Soren understanding that he didn't want to. Most people in skyloft knew he could but didn't care because they hardly talked to him after his fight with Ganon. Why would they, there hero had done his job so they had no need for him anymore. For the remainder of Soren tending to his wound he grit his teeth together and bore through the pain. Every now and then he would pull slightly, his silent way of asking for a few moments to ease the pain away. Soren worked fast and efficiently, like he had done this many times before. All the things he had said earlier, he must have gotten from books and first hand experience. But to him he looked young. As he hoped Soren was about done he grunted to get his attention. When he had it he unfolded his hands and pointed to himself first before holding his hands up twice. The first time all ten digits where up and the second only 7. Just how old are you, you know a lot about this stuff for looking kinda young? he was hoping that he would pick up on his question from himself as he then pointed at soren. If not maybe he would pick up the curiosity in his eyes. Soren read the motion clearly as Link stating his age. He sat quietly as he continued his movements, next pointing to him with a like inquiry. He withdrew his Mend and considered his answer. It wasn’t as if Soren had forgotten. The actual day and month was unknown, but he’d calculated the approximate year some time ago, when he’d roamed the countryside and villages in his youth. If there was one thing he’d found of value besides discovering the barbarism of children, it was that, if he listened closely and kept alert, he could deduce his age by watching them. Their motor skills, their language, body size and status in the family...though he was exponentially more learned than his peers--if he could call them that--with these details he had calculated his age at the time as being six. From then on, he’d kept track of his age out of necessity. Lacking a surname was the norm for lowborn like himself; lacking an age drew undesirable attention, especially with his affliction. “Twenty-two,” he said, then hesitated, recalling the day it had happened. The day he had truly become aware. The closest thing to birth he would know. “As of August 16th this year.” Simple mentioning rose a flutter through his chest. He flexed and steadied his hands on his staff, ignoring the nervous thud jittering through them. “Be still. The sensation of your flesh regenerating will be unsettling at first.” Soren brought the staff up and down in front of himself, the butt nudging the stone below with a blunted tnk. His eyes slowly closed, cutting off any further discussion, and the world around him was blotted out by the growing sensation of magic pooling in his core. He focused on the unaligned energy, pulled from it, minded its ebb and flow, and when he had secured a steady grasp, his lips parted and began to move, uttering a silent oration of some long-forgotten prayer, partly imbued within the staff and imparted by the spirits there within, partly drilled into his vocabulary by the monastery that had melded it. In this instance, like some stray others, he wondered why the staff even bothered to comply, given how richly his contempt for the goddesses laced his words. But disregarding his cynicism, and with barely even a suggestion to guide it, the magic flowed outward, invisible yet substantial, lying like dust in the ragged depressions and tugging them tight. Healing was the realm of the otherworldly, but perhaps it lacked the partisanship of its matriarchs. The orb resting atop the staff, glowing brightly with channeled magic, slowly began to fade when his canting ceased. Soren swept the staff out from himself, gliding up onto his feet in a single motion. It was done. 22? , this kid - no man, is 22. You have got to be joking. It was not possible was it, he looked younger than Link, in his opinion, even though Soren was a little taller. Maybe it had something to do with where he came from. It was something he would have to ask about later as Soren looked like he was concentrating. He also got the slight impression that Soren didn't like to talk about it but he could quiet put his finger on why he thought that. When Soren started to speak Link could feel something building, a very eerie presence to him that built around the man in front of him. The fine hairs on his arms stood up and the hair on the back of his neck prickled. The sensation that filled the wounds and pulled them closed was… Odd.. It almost reminded him of the same sensation you get when you're so cold you feel wet. And just like that it was gone. Glancing between Soren and the wound he smiled as the bite marks had vanished, and soren having stood. Pulling the pant leg down he stood slightly and tested it with a few steps. It was like he had never had it in the first place. ”HAHA” A laugh escaped him as he nodded his appreciation at Soren. Glancing back at the stairs, he thumbed to them for permission to leave. “Think nothing of it,” he said, and waved slightly to relieve Link from his presence. It had been tenuous at first, but he’d come out of their little engagement with something borderlining on respect. For the first time since being in this confounded world, someone hadn’t tried to overtake him while simply being in their presence. He didn’t watch for him to leave; his leg was in walking standard and his shoulder had been mended. Now, there was only one thing left to do. Soren went to the stairs. Edited May 30, 2017 by Sugar-Free Share this post Link to post
Posted May 3, 2017 Owain reached past Severa and grabbed Ascension, pulling him into his own lap. Severa was shaking uncontrollably. "She uh... doesn't much like to be touched without a bit of consent first..." Owain apologized, patting Ascension's head. "But I'm surprised she didn't punch you first! She did that to me once!" "His... legs... were near..." Severa began, trembling. "....That's... not..." "LET'S GO SEVERA!" Owain quickly interrupted, pointing forward. "NO TIME TO WORRY ABOUT THAT! YOU CAN YELL AT ME LATER! ONWARD, TO SOLAR!" Severa shook her head to clear her thoughts. "What?! After it just LEAPED on me? I don't care HOW cute it is!" Severa said nervously, uncertain. "You keep it off me, if it's so dear to you!" "....It's not as dear as you, Severa. This is a temporary arrangement. We need to go. Please, dearest." Owain whispered, leaning close to her ear. "I love it when we fly." Severa immediately grabbed the reins, pulling on Caeldori. "FINE THEN! FINE! UGH!" Severa yelled, as the horse took off rapidly into the sky. Owain held one arm around Severa's waist and the other around Ascension, taking care not to hold him too tightly. The rattle of armor echoed as the riders flew off into the sky, in search of Solar. (( Next post, I'll have us be near Solar. But I thought just time skipping the flight would be kind of rude. )) Share this post Link to post
Posted May 3, 2017 (edited) Watching severa and owain as he followed Lightweaver he smiled. He hadn't thought severa was the kind to not like being touched, in any way. It was a piece of information he would store for later use. With them leaving though that left the two new comers that owain had brought with them. Were they friends of theirs, it didn't seem so. Either way he didn't have a problem with them coming as long as they didn't do anything detrimental to the advancement to the group. He may not have like severa and owain's fighting style, but that wasn't enough for him to dislike the two. So far he couldn't find any faults in them, so he would trust their judgment until they proved otherwise. ”You two coming?” He asked in passing. It was about as close to an invitation they would get. Turning back to the others, Ascension's companions, he gestured quickly to Dylas and then to the front. ” If you wouldn't mind leading the way, we may be traveling a little slower because of him. You can lead us to water, then we will head to the spire. Ascension will meet us there so let's not take to long.” Glancing around at the small group again he took in the party. Without Ascension, severa, and owain the party consisted of the mystery couple, a dragon with a passed out dylas and some human and odd animals. If they came across an enemy they should be fine, although he preferred to keep his luck and not run into any. Pausing he let the silence slide pleasantly around him before addressing Lightweaver again. He had a few questions to ask but he wasn't sure how to go about it. Link Before he hadn't paid much attention to it because he could still walk but after soren had taken care of the wound he felt a lot better. It wasn't just the wound being gone, he felt as though he had a lot of energy now. It could have just been the wound sapping his energy or I could have been the stick but he didn't care now. Following the group up the stairs he glanced back, smiling at soren and whoever else was back there. In the future he would have to make a point of trying to talk to him more, well to talk to everyone. woah Pitching forward he felt the floor give out from under him. The stairs moving as whatever he stepped on snapped away from him. Catching himself on dark bluish black skin his heart froze in his chest. Shooting of the backside of Stormcatcher he held his hands up in a non threatening and apologetic manner. Oh goddess, I'm dead. This giant lizard is going to kill me! He had seen what Stormcatcher can do, he had seen what he tried to do to soren, Cyil and just about everyone else. He didn't want to be fried or flayed. ”Haha he gave a breathless laugh as he took a step back and away from him. Edited May 4, 2017 by Acornia Share this post Link to post
Posted May 4, 2017 (edited) "Naga BE! I musta been on something earlier, because HOT DAMN you are tall! How did I not notice this before?!" Alex's burst of enthusiasm was so strong, even she took a step back in surprise as Alex pushed past Link and reached up to Tyrande. As the shock slowly wore off, she couldn't help but sweatdrop at Alex's behavior. Was it really a good idea to make such sudden moves near a towering lady of unknown combat potential? What if—what if the lady turned around, and without seeing accidentally knocked her over? Or worse, knocked ALL of them over? What if the large lady happened to be jumpy? What if the lady GREW in size when startled? Eheheh... that last one might be a bit far-fetched... but the point still stands! Tall people are dangerous when you're short! "Forget some red-riding turkey! Pray to your god and make me a giant woman!" Though Alex's phrasing was... different... from what she'd use, she couldn't help but agree with the sentiment. Her genes had cursed her with a less than impressive height, and she couldn't help but wonder what life was like from the top. There was definitely a direct relationship between height and perceived power, right? "I suppose that in this company, it is true that I am among the tallest people, but honestly, for my race, I'm not that far above average. Furthermore, my goddess, Elune, is not responsible for my length. And even if she were, I can't reach her from this realm, so praying to her... is useless. Even her blessings... can't protect me here." E-eh??? A whole race of giant ladies?!? She did recall a Night Elf race from World of Warcraft that the lady resembled, but she'd never paid particular attention to their height, nor their god. The elf lady did sound awfully sad about not being able to reach her goddess though... She almost felt bad for her, but she wasn't sure whether the so-called goddess Elune was good or evil. Seeing as the elf lady seemed like a pretty respectable person, she would hazard a guess as to the nature of Elune being good. "But yes, Link was trying to ask if you've seen a giant red loftwing in this area. It seems he didn't need my help to convey his question this time." Whether her goddess was good or evil, the elf lady was still quite intimidating when she was speaking. Link seemed to be slightly exasperated at her though, and she couldn't help but wonder what power let her convey Link's questions. Sadly, even though she'd understood him correctly, she hadn't been able to help Link. He offered her a shrug of gratitude anyway, a sorrowful expression on his face. She was about to reassure him she'd do her best to let him know if she saw any loftwings before a great scream tore through her eardrums, causing her to flinch and slam her hands on her ears for the second time that day. Erk... whatever that was, it didn't sound good. "I think we've stood around long enough. Whatever that was, it didn't sound happy, and the quicker we deal with it the quicker we leave. Let's get a move on." Ike seemed to know what he was doing as he unsheathed his blade and started up the stairs, pausing only to hand Soren a satchel. She decided that if whatever was up there ended up being hostile, she'd be safest around Ike, so she scrambled behind him, brandishing her dagger nervously. Ugh... stupid Breidablik, why can't you shoot actual bullets too instead of just heroes? It'd sure help me feel a lot safer. She found herself wishing for Breidablik to be an actual gun double time when Stormcatcher came up behind her, snarling and growling. Her hair instantly rose up at his mere presence, clinging to her face irritatingly and blocking her sight. Great. The grumpy dragon's behind me now, as if I wasn't in enough danger from that mystery noise. I'm practically an Aine sandwich! Edited May 4, 2017 by Silverphoenixx Share this post Link to post
Posted May 4, 2017 (edited) Stormcatcher continued up the stairs, before something crashed into him. He stumbled forwards a step, claw slipping on the cold grey stone... and heard something laugh behind him. Whipping around, the grey dragon snarled, baring his teeth. The Beorc had decided to raise its hands. He eyed it, trying to determine whether it was plannng to cast magic. Soon enough he stopped trying to discern such with the anger bubbling up. The cool air pressed down on the angry dragon. He hissed. A moment later, Stormcatcher's maw snapped at the Beastclan. --- ” If you wouldn't mind leading the way, we may be traveling a little slower because of him. You can lead us to water, then we will head to the spire. Ascension will meet us there so let's not take to long.” Leon addressed the new group of Beastclan, and Lightweaver looked around. Then Leon called to her, apparently wishing to speak to her. She turned to acknowledge him. Let's see what he wants... Her claw dug slightly into the overly springy grass, and once again she was reminded of how peculiar this place was. Edited May 4, 2017 by Dusky_Flareon Share this post Link to post
Posted May 4, 2017 (edited) Eeeeeuuuugh. Alex's ears were aching. That sound, that roar, it was a chainsaw to her psyche, an inbalancing cacophony that threw her sense and self to the hardest right. She stumbled and twisted out a leg to make do, and when the world stopped shifting she eased her hands down, eased her lids up. Sound trickled back in as a spreading aura-- Where was Aine? And where was everyone? She looked past Tyrande and saw the group ascending again. They were gong toward the sound? That sound like something she'd heard before? Her bottom lip crinkled, tucked in between nervous teeth. She didn't want to go. She stood rooted. Anxiety held her fast and her knuckles went white. This didn't feel right. Monsters were to be expected--she'd heard monsters. Monsters were nothing to her. This was not monsters. And in the space left by her waning excitement a deep dread welled, exacerbated by her realization that she'd been left behind without so much as a goodbye. Maybe that's just okay...she scrubbed her foot against a rough spot in the floor. She didn't need to feel bad about that. She just left. Nothing else. That was okay. ... "...hm." Alex glanced at Tyrande, the only one left nearby. "'spose I should get going, too." She took a step, her stomach lurching in time, and with struggle, she pushed toward the steps, foot over foot. Something was at the top of this tower. Something terrible. A phantom dragon gnawed at her throat. The hollow tap of her boots was lonesome besides each other. ============= Another long stretch of stairs welcomed Ike as he made his way up again, now for the second time. This set was forgivingly short in comparison to the prior, but it was still quite the haul. But, if nothing else, Ike certainly wasn't a stranger to exercise, and getting in his fair due was invigorating and welcomed. For that, he ascended at a much quicker pace than he realized, focusing solely on reaching the top floor. He didn't slow his pace until he heard something like a panicked scrambling just behind him. Moving to the side and dropping his speed, he was surprised to find none other than the black-haired girl from before. She had the knife out in front of her again, but just like before, she didn't appear to be trying to threaten him with it. She looked too preoccupied with what was behind her, anyway, which turned out to be of greater concern--that being Stormcatcher, as amicable as always. She was seemingly too distracted to notice him, so he waited until she'd caught up beside him before speaking. "Might want to watch where you're going. You won't be impressing anyone if you fall on your own knife." A light tease, but harmless at the core. In her rattled state, being any more abrupt could cause her to freak out. Maybe he could get to know her better than just her face now that things were somewhat settled. ================ Ascension wiggled in Owain's arms, being unceremoniously dragged from Severa's lap into his with such speed he hardly had time to consider why. Obviously, he'd upset her, which Owain was quick to elaborate on, but as to why was a mystery. She didn't enjoy being touched? But she was fine being practically straddled by the human behind her? As the two bickered back and forth, Ascension dug his nails into Owain as the horse took flight. He was used to riding, but flying was rare, and he had to shove down the sensation of dizziness that came with it. Just seeing the earth fall out from under his feet so suddenly made him queasy. As they rose, the sensation passed, feeling more secure in Owain's hold now that their flight had leveled off. Severa still seemed peeved, but Ascension decided not to needle her on it. If this woman was prepared to destroy space itself out of inconvenience, he wasn't prepared to give her the chance to use him as a shotput. He angled his head back to look up at his seat. "Keep your eyes out for any sight of red you see. She'll want to get as far away and as hidden as possible." Ascension squinted against the wind as they headed for the treeline, his thoughts chasing after her through the unknown. Solar...please don't hide...please let me find you... Edited May 4, 2017 by Sugar-Free Share this post Link to post
Posted May 5, 2017 If the hissing snarl was anything to go by then the look in Stormcatcher’s eyes was. At first he sat there looking link over and for a moment, the briefest of moments, link though maybe he would get away Scott free. What were the chances of storm catcher wanting to start another fight - they couldn't be that high, could they? The way storm watched him should have been a warning for the jaws full of sharp teeth that snapped at him. The look and posture reminding him of a snake before it strikes. ”AAAHHH The most undignified scream came from link as he scampered back and away from the jaws of death. This stupid thing just tried to bite me! Upset at the near death experience from stormcatcher link points a finger in his direction. You dang dragon, it was a accident, a ACCIDENT!!! huffing he gestures from himself to the stair and back. Finally when it looks like he's getting nowhere he let's his arms fall to his side as he stares at stormcatcher. GRRRRR Backing up some he puts a little more distance between himself and stormcatcher, getting out of reach of his neck. Pointing up the stairs he glanced that way before back to him. How about I go first and you stay, here! Like a good dragon. Leon-- Following the group of people and animals he glanced over at Lightweaver. Her temperament didn't seem overly aggressive, if anything she was pretty laid back. He figured that to make her mad he would have to ask something extremely personal and rude. He would save those kinds of questions though for when he got to know her better. ”How did you end up here, well more like did everyone get dumped here?” Share this post Link to post
Posted May 6, 2017 (edited) “...I suppose I do owe you that. Thank you.” His reply came, none too easily. “If you hadn’t stepped in either time, my life would be forfeit…however...” Of course, he wasn't done yet, and she'd hardly expected such. At least she'd managed to extract some ounce of thanks from him, even if his tone was far from warm. “Without sounding ungrateful, you’re far too impulsive. Reckless.” Impulsive? Reckless? For acting quickly? Did he want her to waste precious seconds planning out every move before she acted? There was no time for that on the battlefield! Hesitation meant death or injury, yet here he was, reprimanding her for her quick reflexes. Was his goal for her to let him be taken by surprise? It certainly seemed like it! Accounting for every variable in a plan was impossible, and the previous battle had been an excellent example of that. After all, how was one supposed to prepare for monsters coming out of the ground? “Worse yet, you lack any sort communication during these bouts. I’m surprised you’re no worse off for it yet. Or, perhaps you enjoy throwing yourself under the blade?” Enjoy... throwing herself under the blade??? How preposterous! How insulting! How - how- How correct. “Though your recklessness is the reason I’m still standing, you cannot save everyone. There is nothing commendable about self-sacrifice.” "..." “Nothing at all.” All at once, the fire drained out of her. He couldn't have known... yet he'd been so accurate. How...? Why? --------- "Azura!" She called out a warning as an enemy tore through the ranks, spear heading straight towards Azura. The singer looked up just in time, blocking the point with her lance as an enemy behind her jabbed close enough to cut off a few strands of hair. With an expert twirl, she slammed the first enemy into the second, knocking them both out before leaning on her lance to catch her breath. Her muscles told her that the battle had gone on forever, yet she knew it had really only been a few minutes. As commander, she'd been responsible for a tactical error that had cost them time and positioning, resulting in their separation from the main group. They'd been forced to hold their own against a swarm of enemies, barely able to take breaths between attacks. Yet with all things said and done, they'd been faring surprisingly well so far, even making a decent headway towards the rest of their allies. She held out hope that they'd be able to escape without any serious injury. Oh, how wrong she was. As she finished off yet another enemy, she heard Azura scream from behind her. Instantly, dread gripped her heart, yet she forced herself to dispatch the soldiers in front of herself before turning around. It would be a waste if she rushed to save Azura, only to let an enemy sneak up on them both. The moment her sword ripped through the body of the last enemy, she whipped around, taking in the scene before her and desperately hoping she hadn't been too late. On one hand, the situation was better than she thought. On the other hand, it was about to get much, much worse. A wyvern rider had managed to disarm Azura, throwing her lance far to the side. Too far to reach in time for the attack that followed. Too far for the allies that waited just below the horizon to save her. Too far for anyone... but herself. Her choice was made in an instant. With her sword in front of her, she shot herself forward with a jet of water, putting every ounce of power she could into it. As she watched, the wyvern rider's axe seemed to fall in slow motion, slicing through the air towards Azura's defenseless body. Just a little further... She willed the water to give her one last burst of speed, putting her in front of the blow just in time. The axe struck true, sliding off the metal of her blade and tearing a gash through the armor on the left side of her torso. A scream rose up in her throat, but she swallowed it down and gritted her teeth, forcing her arms to move and retaliate. She'd barely finished off the wyvern and its rider before falling to her knees, painfully aware of the horde still surrounding them. I'm... not strong... enough... A cooling sensation penetrated through the burning on her left side, and she turned her head to see Azura applying a salve to her injury. Already, she was beginning to heal, but it wasn't enough. Not when the injury was as severe as it was, not when she was such a woeful excuse for a commander and friend. Not when she was... a dragon. Related... to him... an excuse... ...weak... ...it hurrrtttssss...... ...prOtecT.............. ...................... ................... .............. "rrRrrRRRRAAAAUUUuuuUUUGGGhhhh-" Azura flinched back as a fierce burst of purple energy flared out around her, undimmed by the blue light of her dragonstones. The intense, primordial energy consumed her, imbuing her with power and adding to the roaring still echoing in her mind. Without noticing, she began to transform, the wound on her side searing with pain that only served to fuel the fire in her heart. She would kill them all for threatening Azura. She would snap their puny necks beneath her claws and make them pay. She would be strong enough this time, strong enough to protect Azura. There would be no mercy, only blood, rivers and rivers of it, staining the world red, coloring her vision till there was nothing but crimson... ----- She awoke in a bed, side aching but healed. What... what did she do? Her mind was foggy, but she remembered getting hit, falling... then a roar. Blood. Everything was covered in it... There had been Elise at the end, face stricken with panic and fear. Something... a feeling... then nothing. The pieces were beginning to fall into place. She'd gone into a rage again, hadn't she? For the second time, the sheer strength of her emotions had overwhelmed her dragonstones. Had she hurt anyone? Were they forced to take her down? And Azura... what had she done? "Cyil! Don't ever do that again!" As if by magic, Azura stepped into the tent just as she thought her name, eyes filled with concern. She quickly made her way to the bed, sitting down on a conveniently placed chair and turning to face her. A quick breath later, Azura's expression was stern, though still laced with worry. "You could have died. A simple scar is lucky enough, especially considering-" Azura suddenly stopped short, closing her eyes and taking another breath. "A simple scar is lucky enough, especially considering the severity of your injury-" "What did I do?" She knew Azura was hiding something from her the moment she stopped, eyes flickering from her face to a point just beyond it. She wasn't upset - she wanted to know. It had to do with her transformation, didn't it? Why else would Azura look so uncertain? Even now, she shifted her gaze away from her eyes, choosing to look out the window instead. "You... killed." As she watched, Azura took a shaky breath, as if remembering pained her. "No. You did more than kill. You slaughtered. Even when every enemy was dead, you ripped their bodies to pieces. It was all we could do to get Elise to heal you, and even then it was hard to tell what was your blood and what was the blood of the enemy." A strange intensity seemed to come over Azura as she finished her sentence, tearing her eyes from the window to gaze steadily into her own. "But you never lifted a finger against us. It was only the enemy that suffered. When they decided you were too big of a target and tried to attack us, you hurt yourself on their weapons trying to defend us." With a sudden move, Azura grasped her hands firmly, shaking them empathetically in an attempt to make her understand. "You almost died. But you never hurt us. I know what you've been doing recently, and you don't have to do it. You're worth just as much as the rest of us and the most important thing you can do is stay alive. Don't sacrifice yourself anymore. Anankos or not, we need you." She hesitated, on the edge of protesting, but Azura shook her hands again, silently begging her to agree. "Please, just stay safe. For me, if no one else." --------- A cry shattered the thoughts in her head, replacing them with base instinct. It sounded all too much like Anankos, and a chill ran through her bones as she unsheathed her blade immediately. Maybe her earlier suspicions were correct... but she hoped not. She had no wish to face the Silent Dragon again, especially not without Azura. Curiously enough, the Robin seemed to dread the noise too, stilling from her earlier excitement and animation. With a personality like hers, she would have expected the Robin to continue right on, regardless of the noise. “Here. Take these; I’d rather not put myself in your debt any further.” Soren came up to her from the side as she observed the Robin, handing her Thunder and Ragnarok. She gave him a nod of thanks as she stowed them away, starting up the stairs slightly to the side of Ike. It didn't take long for the silence to be broken by a commotion from behind her, punctuated by Link's scream. Though she'd missed most of it, she'd turned in time to catch Stormcatcher retracting his snapping jaws, followed by Link's intense gesturing. An accident, from the looks of it, probably something minor that had incited Stormcatcher's temper again. No matter what it was, it certainly wouldn't do to start a confrontation again. She caught Stormcatcher's eye as he turned back, raising a hand and summoning a band of water as a warning. Hopefully, he wouldn't feel inclined to push his luck a second time. Edited May 6, 2017 by Silverphoenixx Share this post Link to post
Posted May 7, 2017 (edited) ”How did you end up here, well more like did everyone get dumped here?” Lightweaver considered, recalling the pain. A claw twitched on the springy ground. She replied with "I was dragged here from my world by some magic. In the process, I was weakened from godhood, losing much of my magic. I cannot speak for the others myself." Her ears twitched upwards slightly, listening for the Beastclan's response. --- Stormcatcher snarled as Link scampered back - and then the Beorc shrieked. The grey dragon's head recoiled at the sudden unholy noise, and he hissed, opening his mouth again. As Link commenced jabbing his fingers at the grey and making noises, Stormcatcher stepped towards him as the Beastclan backed -- And then the water mage caught his eye as she summoned a strand of water. The dragon hissed quietly, before backing up and narrowing his eyes, watching the mage's water band as he turned, sparking. He snarled in pain as he returned to ascending. --- Xker heard a commotion. The snapping of jaws. A horrible screech, which caused Xker to whip around and shoot the stink eye at the screamer, before aer noticed WHO was antagonising yellow-fur in green. The Volt flashed aer teeth at the noisy dragon's back as he confronted yellow-fur, before the dragon noticed Cyil with a strand of water. Finally Stormcatcher backed down. Xker clicked, irritated by the constant ruckus. Aer turned on the cool, smooth stairway, and returned to climbing. Faint beeps occasionally emanated from aer machinery as the Volt climbed the stairway. Edited May 10, 2017 by Dusky_Flareon Share this post Link to post
Posted May 7, 2017 Wings spread wide, Caeldori flew closely over the forest as instructed by Severa, but high enough that the peaks of the trees did not graze against her underside. Owain looked over the side of the horse as much as possible while Severa focused on flying. For a long while, their search bore no fruit. The dense foliage of the forest trapped light and offered no easy spotting. Minutes passed with no sign of Solar. Owain seemed troubled, then patted Ascension's head assuredly. "We'll find her. I promise." Owain muttered, returning to his previous duties. He put a hand over his eyes at one point, squinting. And that's when he gasped, pleased. "SEVERA! TO THE RIGHT! 20 DEGREES!" Owain exclaimed, causing Severa to jump slightly. "You're right behind me, you idiot! I can hear you!" she berated him, turning Caeldori slightly to obey the directions. Sure enough, a red glimpse was visible in the trees, running quickly. "Can you bring us down into the forest?" Owain asked, concerned. "Ugh. I don't like flying through trees, but it's not impossible." Severa stated. "Just keep your arms close to your body and lower your head." "Roger!" Owain obeyed, taking on a different posture than before. Severa pulled Caeldori into the forest, the horse pulling her wings closer to her body as they flew, to avoid hitting trees on either side of them. Limbs rushed past them, some smacking against faces but many being missed. Caeldori was trying hard to protect her riders. Solar was in full view now. Caeldori began to gain pace on her, and Severa pulled on the reins, grinning. "To the ground!" she shouted, Caeldori's hooves touching earth and keeping speed. "She can't use the trees against us then." "You make it sound like we're pursuing her for something OTHER than helping her." Owain said, concerned. "Hey, Caeldori's a hunting horse." Severa replied, shrugging. As they gained ground on Solar, Severa pulled alongside her, Owain looking down at her. "Salutations! We bring gifts of a small, fox beast." Owain said, patting Ascension. "Now would you care to slow down or do you want to ride for a bit longer? Severa's really enjoying this." "I WOULD ARGUE.... But you're right!" she admitted, pleased. Share this post Link to post
Posted May 8, 2017 (edited) As she continued up the stairs, she became aware of a decrease in static, followed by a shrill scream. Instantly, she whipped around in alarm, but she relaxed somewhat when she saw it was "just" Stormcatcher snapping at Link. It wasn't a monster ambush, thank goodness, but her proximity to Stormcatcher made her more than a little nervous about his attitude. At least the Corrin seemed to have it under control as she summoned a band of water, causing Stormcatcher to back down. He probably didn't want to be bound again. Probably. Hopefully. "Might want to watch where you're going. You won't be impressing anyone if you fall on your own knife." Ike's jest caught her by surprise as she drew up next to him in her attempt to put some distance between herself and Stormcatcher, but she soon composed herself and managed an air of light indignance. "As Summoner of the Order of Heroes, I'm proud to say that I know how to use this dagger! Sort of! Okay, maybe I just got Jakob and Felicia to teach me, but that's better than nothing! They're great butlers and maids!" As she realized her volume, she rubbed the back of her head with her free hand slightly sheepishly, before piping up again. "Eheheh, sorry, I got a bit carried away, but I'm not completely helpless! Not that you should leave the fighting to me or anything, especially since you're Ike. The tanky Ryoma! The mobile sword-Hector! The Radiant Hero! The-" She cut herself off abruptly as a look of realization dawned on her face, causing her to open and close her mouth wordlessly a few times. Drat. She'd let it spill by accident that she knew Ike. Quick - how do I recover from this - ugh, that was so stupid of me. Alex and Link might have brushed off her somehow knowing people, but Ike was definitely going to notice. What was she supposed to say anyway? Hey, I know you because I shot you out of an interdimensional gun? She had to do something. "Um - ignore that! I... got you confused with someone else! Yeah, I have a friend who's tall and blue haired and looks just like you!" Ohgodohgodohgod that was so bad. Why did I even try - he definitely knows something's up. What are the chances of two people looking exactly the same and being called Ike anyway? Edited May 8, 2017 by Silverphoenixx Share this post Link to post
Posted May 8, 2017 (edited) "Now that you say it, Kali, this indeed isn't exactly the group we entered the castle with." Valerie said to her friend, as she and Blossom were waiting for the Pokémon to give them a sign they found water. Before they got a reply to these questions, however, Severa, Owain and Ascension left to look for Solar, and one of the new people turned towards them with a question, or request, rather, of their own. "If you wouldn't mind leading the way, we may be traveling a little slower because of him. You can lead us to water, then we will head to the spire. Ascension will meet us there so let's not take to long.” "Very well, we just need to wait for... oh, there they are!" "Sprriiit! Spitz-zzeee!" "Klef! Klefki! Ki!" "Alright, can you lead us the way? Sprrrr Zeee? Klefk-kii?" "Spriit!" "Klef!" "A... Are you talking with them? You can understand what they say?" Shawn said, noticing she was probably finished right now. "Yes, you see, since I was litte, I have always wanted to be a pokémon myself, haha. So I learned how to talk with them. I can't talk with all pokémon, though, but most fairy types, I can understand." "I see.." He responded, not really having understood much about what she had just said, although he did get the impression he could conclude this lady was somewhat nuts, but she seemed to be kind, so it probably wouldn't be too bad working together with her. "So what did they say?" "They found a river on the way to the spire. The water is clean enough to drink and they can show us how to get there." Valerie answered, smiling. "C'mon, let's go!" Kali commented. "I'm getting thirsty!" "Me too!" Blossom said. "Let's get moving." "Sprrittt!" the Spritzee proclaimed as it floated forward, looking back repeatedly to see if everyone was coming along and waiting when it wasn't the case. "Everyone, this way!" "Klefki, come back!" Blossom shouted as she returned the Klefki to it's Pokéball. "You've done well, now take some rest." EDIT: Fixed a broken color tag. Edited May 8, 2017 by Felixr2 Share this post Link to post
Posted May 9, 2017 (edited) The girl’s reaction was priceless. It was always endlessly funny to watch kids get defensive about their skills when pressed. She may have been a child—not that he knew, but she looked significantly younger than him—but he wasn’t so quick to dismiss her in light of her bumble. He didn’t know these people she named, a “Jakob” and a “Felicia”, and he questioned why servants would have any experience outside of kitchenware when it came to knives, but well, she hadn’t had the chance to prove that she didn’t know how to handle the weapon. Even if it was only some rudimentary training, which it had to be considering how she grasped it like the only spare candle on a dark, stormy night, there was potential there. Everyone had to start somewhere, after all. It could be fun, learning exactly how good she was, maybe even putting in his own advice if she'd like. Not to mention, it was an excuse to get back into the swing of things, and he was in desperate need of a reason to move more than this limiting staircase allowed. The girl paused her rambling only long enough to vocalize her embarrassment, continuing into a long diatribe that, while coaxing a smirk out of him for how unnecessarily adulating it was, tickled at a part of his mind that something here wasn’t exactly right. His name that he’d never said to her, the way she was talking, with these descriptive comparisons with names of people he had no clue about...a title similar to the one all the people of his world insisted upon bestowing to him, but not the same... And even then... ...she wasn’t from his world. She didn't even look like it. No one besides him and Soren was. Even Alex, with what little time she’d spend there, was not present after a time when that name had developed on people’s lips. Ike certainly didn’t say it—he didn’t care. It wasn’t anything but a combination of words and letters used to popularize and solidify his name in history books, a nice subtitle for a statuette or whatever. How then, he wondered, dawningly, could this girl know of it? Of him? And just as it came to him, it came to her, and her face drained to white as she stuttered her way through the answer: "Um - ignore that! I... got you confused with someone else! Yeah, I have a friend who's tall and blue haired and looks just like you!" “Oh, let me guess: his name’s ‘Ike’, too, right? That’s not suspiciously specific at all." The words were rife with sarcasm, and he did little to stop them before it was too late. Even reasonable doubt wasn’t feasible for this. The girl did know him, and him as in “he”, not some imaginary twin of him. But he didn’t know her, and he knew just about everyone at this point in his life; there was no way she'd slid under the radar. He had to know. ”Come off it—how do you know me? And don’t say Alex because we both know that’s not true.” ============ The forest was a blur under Caeldori's hooves. Owain's reassurance was accepted, but did little to ease the guilty ache in his heart for the little wounded feline. They rode for some time in near silence, gliding just above the branches of the tall trees while the wind whistled on, but Solar remained obscured. His focus was so intent that he nearly jumped out of Owain's arms when he screeched out an abrupt redirection. Severa followed through with Owain's command, which led to a noisy round of banter between them that only served to distract him further. Ascension did find the glimmer of red between the flicks of leaves and brown, but even as they descended it was clear to him that she was no longer running out of just desperation, but fear. To make matters worse, the landing, while careful and obviously skilled, thudded against the tamped dirt, and Owain's proclamation of their arrival was followed by Severa's assertion, both serving to startle Solar even more. Before he could berate them, she shot off again. Ascension growled and writhed out of Owain's lap, just barely righting himself before tumbling onto the ground. The look of admonishment was clear on his vulpine features. "Agh, she'd been scared off! I appreciate you carrying me here, but this requires a certain level of delicacy. I must ask you to remain here while I head in further. Please." Without awaiting a reply, he dashed off, eager to rejoin his friend and bring her back. Not just to him, but back from this darkness that threatened to take her forever. --------------- After moving in at a run, he quieted his pace by slowing to a jog. His ears trembled and swiveled as they searched for anything, any footfall or mewl or anything denoting Solar's presence. Maybe in her haste she may have scorched nearby foliage? I must keep my eyes steady and my mind open to any possibility. He kept to the underbrush as he scoured the more trodden outcroppings, and within a few minutes his patience and diligence was rewarded in spades. The red and black striping of her coat was clear against the green and tan, and by the look of it she had either given in or finally exhausted herself. Ascension stopped to watch her movements, examine her mindstate. He took just a few steps out to make himself known in the light. "Solar." Edited May 9, 2017 by Sugar-Free Share this post Link to post
Posted May 10, 2017 "I was dragged here from my world by some magic. In the process, I was weakened from godhood, losing much of my magic. I cannot speak for the others myself." Leon frowned, deep down he had expected something like this but he hadn't wanted to admit it. He had kept it buried until now. Sighing he glanced over to her, ” I'm sorry to hear that, would you ascend back to godhood when this is over?” He didn't feel the need to pry to much more. If she had lost most of her powers then she wouldn't be sending anyone back, if she had her power still he couldn't see her being here period. "Very well, we just need to wait for... oh, there they are!" Leon turned from lightweaver to address the newcomers. It appeared that they were doing there own thing while leading the group to water. "Sprriiit! Spitz-zzeee!" Raising a brow Leon watched the interaction between the odd animal and the human. It... Appeared that she could talk to it. Watching them for a few moments longer before his attention returned to lightweaver her heard the mention water. Good… Leon could clean up, look dylas over and possible look over lightweaver side. He had no doubt that it was healed but he still wanted to check it. Even if it was for his peace of mind. ”looks like they found water”. --- Share this post Link to post
Posted May 10, 2017 Owain shrugged as Ascension ran off. His face was apologetic. "..As you wish, fox beast. We shall remain here, I suppo-" "Ugh... More waiting. He better come back for us." Severa crossed her arms, uncomfortable. Caeldori simply began to eat grass. "It will be fine, Severa. I'm sure he'll return." Owain embraced her, hugging her close to himself on the back of the horse. "And you still have me." "Wonder how much better this situation is for that?" Severa smirked, placing a hand on one of his arms. "....You always get us in the worst messes." "And you always help me out of them." "W...Who else would?!" "I have no idea." ------ Ciel hefted Lu more comfortably in his arms as the two began to follow the group. True to Lu's world, Ciel seemed unburdened by Lu's weight. He walked silently, and if the group didn't keep an eye on him, it was as if he had become invisible - a shadow. "What a marvelous new world this is, dearest Ciel... So many weird creatures.. So many weird things!" she laughed, pulling herself closer to his face. "So much is odd, here... isn't it?" "We are just as strange." Ciel stated flatly. "But does it make you happy?" "Very. Very happy!" Lu exclaimed, almost as a child. "Then I am overjoyed." Ciel said, his tone emotionless. "No matter where we go, I will ensure that your smile remains." They walked with the group, keeping pace, yet Ciel still stayed on an imaginary boundary behind them. He did not seem on edge, but at the same time, it could be assumed if something were to happen... Share this post Link to post
Posted May 10, 2017 (edited) Solar heard the rustle of leaves and froze. What is... no, no.. familisr brown fur. The Eevee... why hadn't he just left her alone? "Solar." Name. Name. Her name. Solar drew back. He left her. Why did he leave? Like all the others. Oh, she knew why. She was a murderer. The Torracat staggered back, her bell-flame dimming in colour. What did he want now? To chase her? And for what purpose? Her mind made the connections to her past, and she shuddered, eyes darting. She was ready to flee. --- ” I'm sorry to hear that, would you ascend back to godhood when this is over?” Now Leon asked of her godhood. Lightweaver tilted her head as she contemplated, before delivering her response. "I believe it likely, as I would ascend once I regain my power. Whatever took me here... took it." Her ears pricked suddenly. She heard something. Steps. A voice calls out. "Very well, we just need to wait for... oh, there they are!" A Beastclan's voice. Four Beastclan come over, along with some curiously odd creatures. The golden dragoness wondered precisely why these creeatures had come along, as they seemed like mere familiars. Soon, one gestured to water. Leon made a comment about them finding water. To the river the new Beastclan headed. Lightweaver followed, noting the grass getting coarser as she went. Less unnatural. Her ears twitched, listening for footsteps and hearing them. When they had gotten to the river, she observed it. It seemed fairly clear, and if she squinted she could make out shapes flickering in the flowing water. She shifted her wings to shift the load on her back, sorely tempted to give the creature on her back a soak in the river. It wasn't as if he didn't need one - rather, in her judgement, quite the contrary. The gold huffed, before returning to her usual expression. She leaned over, the beast on her back sliding, and lapped at the water for a few moments, before a dark yellow claw shot out and splattered water over herself. Edited May 10, 2017 by Dusky_Flareon Share this post Link to post
Posted May 10, 2017 Link stepped back a little more, the farther away the better. It didn't seem though that that was going to help him as stormcatcher took a threatening step in his direction. He had to admit, stormcatcher was intimidating. Even if it was merely caused by his attitude and power. Then for some reason stormcatcher was stepping away, his eyes narrowed before returning to his journey up the steps. A few Sparks lighting the air here and there. Ha that's right, leave. As I said it was a accident. Stupid! Resuming his March up the stairs he bolted past stormcatcher. He was almost in a straight path to Ike and the rest, and it was probably safer near them than with the rest of the party. And as a bonus, he was nice. So it worked! -- Leon walked along side lightweaver till they were at the Water's edge. It was crystal clear and reminded him much of the water that ran through town back home. Small shadows darted back and forth just under the surface, now would have been a good time to have his fishing pole. Taking the turban he dipped it in the water watching as it tainted his shallow area a light pink. Leon glanced to the side at lightweaver, watching as she contemplated what to do. She hadn't put Leon down yet and something told Leon it wasn't that she couldn't. Then he seen it, a spark of temptation in her eye. He was fairly certain it was aimed at the one on her back. Instead of giving in she shifted and splashed herself with water. Maybe she needed a reason, ”lightweaver, Dylas needs a cleaning but I don't feel like cleaning him. He's a big boy and can swim, dump him in”. Leon smiled gleefully from where he was at. Wringing his turban out he waded through the shallow water to her side. He couldn't see the bottom but he was fairly certain that it wasn't that deep. ” Dylas is pretty hard headed, I don't think he will drown”. Share this post Link to post
Posted May 10, 2017 (edited) ”Lightweaver, Dylas needs a cleaning but I don't feel like cleaning him. He's a big boy and can swim, dump him in.” The golden dragon raised her head to look, catching a glimpse of Leon's grin... before she turned back, having received all the encouragement she needed. A wing lowered from keeping Dylas still on her back, snd she leaned down to get a better taste of the water... and to let him slide. The weight slid down and off, the water splashing. "...whoops." The look on Lightweaver's face indicated that even if it looked like an accident, it may not have been one. She shook herself before pacing back in case of immediate retaliation. Edited May 11, 2017 by Dusky_Flareon Share this post Link to post
Posted May 11, 2017 ... ....... ............. "GUH-HUH!!" Dylas clawed himself upward, fighting against the suffocating force pressing against his airways and threatening to strangle him. His mouth gaped and spat as it refilled with fluid, and he struggled toward the glowing figure on the shore--? Shore? Where-- He splashed and smacked at the water--it was water???--and dug his feet into the muddy lake bottom, and with plenty of noise and fervor he finally made it onto the embankment. collapsing and coughing out the burn stinging in his lungs. In the midst of this, he caught sight of what the glowing was finally--the big angler-fish faced lizard, with none other than the blue-furred b*stard from before not far off. As angry as the sight made him, and as ready as he was to jump up and give him what-for all over again... "Uroogh..." His body just wasn't feeling it. His head was throbbing, his face and jaw aching, and he had an overall feeling of being airsick. What happened to him? He tried to pick himself up but was forced back down by a pang through his ribs and back. Whatever it was, he felt like he'd been dumped on a field full of rock spires. The encroaching cold was no better, and he curled in on himself to shield himself from it. He felt a heat source nearby and tried scooting closer to it, stopping once he made impact. This would have to do. He couldn't move. "...sh!t..." Share this post Link to post
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