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 Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2018 7:58 pm
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xxxxxTakkar stirred from his sleep, roused by a most unusual dream. In his dream, he had come upon a foreign village where seven old prisoners were kept hidden from sight. He had tried to approach the bound, murky forms but sensed something behind him and turned around. Three village elders greeted him, their forms also bound and murky but they stood on their feet, taller than the village itself. They urged him not to approach the prisoners, that they were deserving of their punishment but their time was coming. Takkar watched the village idiot toss a large bone before the elders, and they turned to standing pillars of salt before his eyes. The prisoners were freed and stood taller than the village itself, spreading out throughout the village and corrupting everything they touched. Finally, one of them swarmed into the sky and descended upon Senua.
xxxxxTakkar felt a form pressed against his back. It was Senua, still deep in her restful sleep. He touched her shoulder lightly to prove to himself that she was real, then left the makeshift bed as gently as he could so as not to disturb her. He stepped outside to get a breath of fresh air when he was met with the sight of the kindly old lady sitting on her porch, admiring the beauty of the sky. She turned to him with a quiet smile and patted the spot next to her. Takkar obliged the old woman and sat down next to her. "Thank you for your hospitality," he said.
xxxxx"The pleasure is mine," the old woman assured him. "It is not often that I get to speak to others as well versed in the language of nature. A truly rare occurrence, indeed."
xxxxx"How have you managed to live as long as you have in this village?" Takkar asked. "Senua and I find it...difficult to adapt to a new language."
xxxxxThe old woman laughed. "Oh, it is not just one new language that you are learning, but several that you are hearing. You just can't tell the difference. But the most important language for you to learn is Common. As for how to live, well...you do what you have to when in a hostile country." Her face turned thoughtful as if remembering an old adage from her youth. "Be a dear and go fetch your friend for me, will you?"
xxxxxTakkar obliged the old druid, getting up and returning to the rented room. He gently reached for Senua and shook her awake. "Senua," he grunted, "the old woman wants to speak to the both of us."
xxxxx"Mmm?" Senua yawned. "What is it?"
xxxxx"The old woman," Takkar repeated. "She wants to speak with us. Come on." Senua got up begrudgingly and followed Takkar to the front of the old shack, but Takkar stopped her suddenly. The old woman was not alone anymore. She was on her knees in her front yard, surrounded by several much younger individuals all dressed in black animal skin tailored to properly fit their bodies. They were speaking to the old woman, but their language was foreign.
xxxxx"Dra tnietc," the one standing before the old woman said. "Fa ghuf drao yna rana. Bnutila dras."
xxxxxThe old woman laughed in his face. "You will never find them," she said in druidic. "Oui femm hajan veht dras."
xxxxxThe chief sneered. "Dryd ec fryd oui drehg. Fa ymnayto ryja ed uh kuut yidrunedo dryd dra tnietc cbahd dra hekrd rana. Drana ec hu haat du bnudald dras. Un ryja oui palusa cu vaapma eh ouin umt yka dryd oui lyhhud ihtancdyht dryd ouin funmt ec ymnayto naylrehk edc aht?"
xxxxxThe old woman squared her shoulders. "Oui femm hajan veht dras. There is a small opening in the fence out back that leads to the main road.
xxxxx"Eh Lussuh!" the chief shouted, producing a sharp stone-like protrusion and jabbing it into the old woman's shoulder, causing her to cry out in pain. "Un yna oui cbaygehk mega dryd cu silr palyica drao yna haynpo yht lyh rayn ic? Ec dryd ed?" He looked up in Takkar and Senua's direction, but Takkar leaned further into the darkness. The chief chuckled. "Caynlr dra bmyla."
xxxxxSeveral pairs of footsteps made their way towards the shack, prompting Takkar and Senua to retreat to their rented room and escape through the boarded up window. |
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Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2018 8:27 pm
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▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂
Horrin Lambell
▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂
xxxxxHorrin's trip from the sixth Temple of Brahman to his old abode in the Land of Distal would be a long one, given that he was carrying a Void Vault with him. Well, he wasn't carrying it as much as his Nether Ravagers were, but the real problem lay in his inherent paranoia. He looked at the screaming stone effigy in his possession. As much as he tried to put the events of the last few hours behind him, he couldn't help but feel that the curse of the item that had killed his expedition team was now hounding him. He couldn't see it. He couldn't sense it. He sent out Ravagers that returned empty-handed.
xxxxxAnd yet he knew. He knew it was there.
xxxxxHorrin's party continued on through its paranoia all the way to the Land of Distal. He could almost make out the familiar smell of damp moss and bloodied rock that used to be his practice room. Just one more corner to turn - What was that?
xxxxxHorrin turned around and finally saw it. It was...well, it was beyond explanation. His mind could not fathom what he saw, so much so that he began to froth at the mouth and feel his mind boil. Reflexively he turned away, knowing that whatever it was, was an impossibility, and yet it existed all the same. It must have followed him for miles, waiting for just the right time to show itself...but why? Never mind that, he needed to get home. He could feel something in his brain - no, his body - building up, threatening to release in an explosion of pain that would nearly cripple him if he did not calm down but he could not calm down what the ******** was that thing and how could it follow him he thought he had left it behindinthesixthtempleofbrahmanhewatcheditscreamandbegformercybuthegaveitnomercyandwatcheditgetconsumedandnowitwasafterhim -
xxxxxBloody spikes exploded from Horrin's body, causing him to cry out and fall to his knees, but then the spikes were not there - a figment of his imagination? But they were so real! Horrin looked up to see a woman on an unusual steed approach. She had created a ball of light to illuminate the land and was calling to him. Wait...was it him she was calling to? Two more women had appeared from a different direction. No matter, he needed to pass off the atrocity following him on them and make his escape. The Nether Ravagers continued to carry the Void Vault past their summoner, oblivious to his condition. He reached up and grabbed a corner of the coffin-like treasure chest, using it to pull himself up to a standing position and stagger towards the women. Whether or not the spikes were real, he knew he was gravely wounded, and he dare not risk leaving the Void Vault with the abomination. "H-help," he tried to say in a weak voice; his voice, however, was muddied with the blood that poured out and choked his tongue. What was happening? Oh no, he could sense it. The unspeakable was closing in on him. Even as he struggled to move, struggled to speak, it continued tirelessly after him.
xxxxx"H-help...."
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Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2018 1:31 am
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I am the lifeblood of the Empire! Rubra Victorium!
The women could clearly see and hear Eristelle, as one of them showed a look of irritation before speaking to her companion.
'Come now, Lumis. Let's continue our walk.'
Eristelle's eye flinched and she strode her massive lion mount towards them, deliberately stopping in front of the two girls, though not so close as she was still wary that they could be threats.
'EXCUSE ME.' Eristelle commanded at the two, the small 'sun' following her as she did. Despite her small frame, assisted by her leotau she towered over the two women. She gave them a quick look over.
The woman who threw her aggitated look was beautiful. Eristelle adored beauty and she was a perfect specimen. The glow from her flame highlighted the seemingly flawless features of her skin, giving breath to the curves of her form despite the less-than-appealing garment she was wearing. The Empress-in-training was almost jealous of the stranger, except something about her beauty seemed off. It was subtle, but she did not like the look of her eyes. Everything about her radiated warmly in the light except her eyes. They were cold. Cold and piercing, like steel arrows dipped in frost.
For her companion, she stayed very close. She looked young, perhaps no older than her? The dress she wore was beautiful, almost like a formal dress but the lacing and material in the light made it seem more like a battle gown. Her posture and expression gave a feel of someone lonely. Or rather, someone with only one important person in the world.
Eristelle quickly composed herself. It would be wrong as an Empyrium to pass judgment on people whom she just met. But she assured herself that she should not be so quick to trust their words either. She sat erect on her mount and smiled confidently. 'I am Eristelle, princess of the Red Empire, and future Empress of these lands. And who might you two be?'
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Rafiq quickly picked up the scent of another group. Not wanting to throw Eristelle off, he instead stamped his large front hooves against the ground, the earth vibrating as he did. 'R-Rafiq, what is it??' his master asked him, annoyed that his movement would take away from her vibrant appearance. But he knew that she would understand.
'H-help...' the leotau picked up a sound mixed with the smell. He almost made a 90-degree turn and trotted towards the moving creatures just shy of the sunlight she had manifested. They were some kind of shadows, minions, and they were carrying something large with them. Their hideous forms almost prompted Eristelle to attack as the creatures looked like some of the evil forms in Aventhium. But just behind them was a man holding on for dear life to the item they were carrying.
'H-help....' he called again. Although he appeared to be uninjured, she could see fluid pouring from his mouth, she assumed blood. She immediately dismounted and approached him, remaining wary of the creatures.
As he and his entourage broke into the illumination, Eristelle could see that he was young, though perhaps older than she was. He looked to be in great pain and was in fact bleeding profusely from the mouth. 'You there, stranger!' She said to him in alarm. 'What happened to you?'
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Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 2:11 am
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X
X
☾||Location: The Wild Lands - The Temple of Brahman ||Currently With: Lady Ichka, Eristelle, Rafiq? Injuried man ||About: Lumis ||Currently Wearing: New Dress ||OOC: N/A
♟||Lumis could feel the heat rise to her face as her cheeks gleamed a faint shade of silver. Ichka's complement giving her a surge of happiness and along with the pat to the head which gave her warmth. "Th-thank you Lady Ichka." As usual the Vita followed the golden-haired vampire, without question. If she had a location in mind, she would gladly travel with her.
The silence that lingered between both women had been something normal. Lumis wouldn't dare to break it, in case her Mistress was currently in her thoughts. Even with curiosity of the structures they passed by, but it seemed that they were nearing their destination as her Mistress's voice rang wonderfully in her ears. Treasure? She wondered to herself. "I don't care for such things. Although I do find their lore more appealing than the actual trinkets themselves." Lumis took note of the warning her words were meaning, but she had no need to warn her. Lumis had already been on high alert; loathing the fact that the area hardly bared any light. It didn't take long after Ichka's warning for them to stop so suddenly. Had she not been paying attention she would have surely crashed right into her. Apparently, a new presence spotted both women as their feminine voice called out to them.
A woman with flaxen hair riding on top of a massive feline appeared before them, stopping right in front of their path. Ichka obviously wanted nothing to do with the woman and it seemed that the stranger didn't like the way Ichka reacted. Lumis's grayish eyes remained on the young woman, curious at the fact that she gave off the same air as her Mistress. Perhaps in the way that they both seemed to carry themselves? 'I am Eristelle, princess of the Red Empire, and future Empress of these lands.' It seemed that they were in the presence of royalty.
Before Lumis could answer the heir to be, a noise, something similar to a gurgle? Or a stifled voice? Caught her attention, but also the attention of the giant beast the princess saddled. It hadn't been until the light, that followed both new figures, illuminated the area where the sounds had been coming from that Lumis became startled. A man with dark hair, barely hanging on to an odd looking chest, appeared to be in critical condition.
The devil must have possessed the ashen haired woman to leave Ichka's side for a stranger. A bad trait of hers, being blinded so foolishly that not even the demon like creatures beside him gave her any worry; mainly due to the fact that she had just noticed them. Nor did the princess and her intimidating creature. She had been merely driven on the idea that someone needed assistance.
Excusing herself as she moved past the princess; her platinum eyes mixed with determination and worry matched the adrenalin that streamed through her body. "An internal injury perhaps?" The words were muttered more to herself. He had no sign of any physical damage on the outside, at least from what she could take notice. But it didn't matter to her solely for the fact that she had confidence. Hesitating she gazed at her Lady for just a second before turning back to the injured male. "Please hold on a little longer. I'll do what I can," her voice became soft, wanting to calm the raven-haired man. Swiftly, Lumis pulled a flat and tiny dagger from a pocket hidden inside her boot. The blade had been no bigger than her pinky, but it hadn't been meant for fights. With another quick gesture she sliced the palm of her left hand, easily cutting through the fabric of the glove and quickly drenching it with a silver liquid. Although she felt the pain, she did not show it. As plenty of the warm liquid pooled in her cupped palm, she lifted her hand and ever so gently placed it on the right side of his face. Lumis knew that skin contact would be enough for her blood's healing property to help him. It just seemed a bit psychotic to those that were not aware of her capabilities. ‘Please work’ she silently prayed to herself.||♟
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
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Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 7:17 am
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════════════════════════════
☽ † ☾
Ichka's golden eyes stared deeply's into the princess' She was debating whether she wanted to be frank and threatening or perhaps play the sweet card and apologize for her behavior. Could the princess be of any use to her as she is now? Perhaps a future ally? It was always a hassle dealing with royalty. She was young though. Perhaps her naiveness could be of use to Ichka. "Her Royal Highness, Princess of the Red Empire, I apologize, I did not know who I was in the presence of, please forgive My ignorance" Her whole persona changed. Her aura felt friendly. Her voice sweet and apologetic. She turned towards Lumis to tell her to show some respect when the fresh scent of blood hit her. She turned towards the direction of what looked like a dying man. It didn't take long for the princess' attention to move towards the strange man. Ichka got an uneasy feeling about the whole situation and she wanted no part of it. She was going to continue finding her task at hand when Lumis left her side. This surprised the vampire. Lumis seldom left her side.
What exactly is Lumis doing? Ichka reminded Lumis constantly that her abilities must be kept secret. So she wasn't too worried. Perhaps her kind heart wanted to end the man's life swiftly? Or at least she hoped so. Lumis looked back towards Ichka. It was just a second. Yet that second told Ichka everything. The young vampire had given the child too much credit. "Lumis!" Her voice was stern. The air gave way to a very familiar scent as it mixed with the strangers rotting blood. Ichka's blood boiled. She was definitely going to have to deal with the vita's ineptitude and disregard of complying with simple stipulation.
As much as Ichka wanted to be no part of whatever this man had done. Her possession had gotten involved which meant she now too had to be. She walked towards the silver haired woman and pulled her away. She knew it was too late. The deed was done. She now had to spin the ability to make sure they didn't think it was her, but the tool that she used. She twirled Lumis around and roughly took the small dagger away from the girl's hand. "How many times have I told you about using this...." Her golden eyes let the young lady know she was extremely disappointed in her. Ichka turned towards the dying man and the princess. She began to bandage Lumis' hand. "A word of advice princess.... I would not trust one with creatures such as those.... Whatever he was up to could not possibly end well with you" Her voice was stern yet a hint of well intentions could be heard. "I'd hate for you to get hurt on trying to help someone with ill inent." Ichka didn't know what the man had done, but she was sure he was better off dead. Her golden eyes laid warmly upon Eristelle. Her eyes glowled slightly as she tried her best to put the princess at ease. "Please, whatever is going on...Is definitely not in your best interest your highness."
♔┊Location, Location, Location: The Wild Lands - The Temple of Brahman
♛┊Who I'm annoying: Lumis, and now a loud princess; dying vermin?
♔┊How I'm feeling:Very Pleased
♛┊OCC:
☽ † ☾
XX════════════════════════════
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Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2018 5:16 pm
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The large man glanced between the two, being weary now. He wasn't going to give them a chance to strike, and he will surely crush them both. He noticed the masked girl making a move, their eyes locking. She pulled out some needles with strange liquids, having no clue what they could contain. Then thick gray fog arose, blinding his view of the girl. He noticed a shadow coming towards him and swung his arm towards the girl as she rushed to him, but he missed as she dove and slid beneath him, feeling a slight pain in his leg from the needle puncturing. He tried to move, but he barely could due to the poison working its magic. "Urk! What... did you.... do!" He grunted with clenched teeth. He then felt another slight pain as the girl stabbed the other needle into his backside, causing him to wince and grunt. Then he started screaming out in pain. His entire body jolted with pain. "DAMN YOU B***H!" He screamed as he collapsed, writhing in agony, continuing to scream.
Shift had jumped back when the gray fog was released, his eyes glowing a light blue, reading the aura around him. With this, he could see the large man and the girl in the mask, and he watched as she made her move towards the man. With two quick jabs from the needles, he watched as the large man was curled up on the floor, screaming. It was deafening to his ears. With his aura detection, he noticed the two other goons recovering, but had ran out in terror, not wanting to fall prey to whatever was happening to their boss.
The fog began to clear out some more, all the while the large man continued screaming, sweating profusely and foaming out of his mouth and tears rolling from his eyes. He could hear the man screaming how much it hurt. "Tch!" Shift was getting very annoyed by this man, and threw one of his daggers, hitting the man's forehead dead in the center. The man died instantly as the sound of his screams were silenced. He stared at the masked girl for a moment, before turning around and walking towards the counter. One of the servers hid behind the counter in fear, and gasped as he saw Shift right there. From beneath his cloak, he pulled out a bag of coins, and plopped it onto the counter in front of the server. The bag contianed 3 silver coins and and the remaining 9 bronze coins he had just received as payment earlier in the day. "This should help cover some of the damage." He spoke up, then walked away. He didn't like having to use up the rest of his money, but he can always make more by taking on some more jobs requests.
Location: Shield's Tavern in Maldria
Status: Agitated
People I'm with: A girl with a gas mask.
Out of Chikafusa:
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Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2018 3:31 pm
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xxxxxHorrin could not speak further, but Gremzal appeared to be his aide. "My master has suffered a grievous affliction of the mind," he explained to the regal woman that approached first. "It is causing hallucinations of such great impact that it is physically affecting him. The true name of the disease cannot be spoken by the mortal tongue, but it is commonly known as the 'Frenzy'."
xxxxxHorrin leaned heavily against the Void Vault. "G-Grem...zal," he shuddered, staring wide-eyed at his servant demon. Perhaps it was the hypovolemic shock setting in, but he could have sworn that Gremzal was speaking calmly but urgently, traits the imp was not known to have. There was nothing to make of it, nor could he translate it in any way to the woman standing before him.
xxxxxA silver-haired woman ran towards the three of them and excused herself onto the scene. She muttered her own diagnosis and pulled out a flat and tiny dagger. Under any other conditions, Gremzal would have thrust himself in the way of the impending attack, but he knew better. He recognized the concerned face and stance of a healer when he saw it, and this woman was a healer. Horrin's eyes went wide at the sight of the dagger, or maybe they were wide from the blood loss? Well, it hardly mattered at the moment. What mattered is that he get the attention he deserved and not die. Yet.
xxxxxThe woman cut her left palm and dabbed some of her silver blood on Horrin's cheek, but just as she did so her own mistress swept in and removed her from the situation. As she bandaged the healer's hand she glanced at the royal woman and sternly intoned that she should avoid Horrin completely and let him succumb to the madness that ailed him. He grew infuriated at the idea of that blonde woman speaking about his master so, but there was nothing he could do at the moment. He was not a combat demon or even much of a scout. He was a servant demon, and he could not trivialize himself with the matters of others when his own master's life was at stake. Even so, he could not stand by and do nothing. "Why, you...!"
xxxxx"A fine gesture of misleading intentions," Horrin said, spitting out his blood onto the side of the Void Vault. The woman's curious blood was replenishing his own and clearing the fog from his mind, although this was far from over. "That would seem almost genuine were it not coming from a denizen of the night...a vampire." He looked to the healer. "I thank you for your help, and I truly do appreciate it." He then turned his attention to the royal woman. "I am a member of the Shadows of the Forerunners," he declared wearily. "Our expedition ran aground of an unknown entity and I lost the rest of my team. I'm to return to Dragon Castle and make a full report at our headquarters in Maldria." He held up one arm and brandished a summoning knife with the other, then cut his wrist as deep as the pain would allow. He gritted his teeth as the blood spilled freely, but the wound closed just as quickly as it was cut. "Do you see this?" he nearly laughed at Gremzal. "How insane is that!?"
xxxxx"One can't help but wonder," Gremzal agreed, "what a vampire would be doing with a healer of such immense power." He gave a wide, nonchalant shrug. "But I'm sure it's none of our business, is it Master?"
xxxxxHorrin continued to be mesmerized by the blood stain on his arm. "No, I suppose it isn't," he murmured after a while.
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Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2018 4:14 am
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I am the lifeblood of the Empire! Rubra Victorium!
The woman gave Eristelle a pause, staring straight into her eyes in what felt like icy arrows poised to shoot straight through her soul. She fought the urge to shudder as she felt that would show a moment of vulnerability, and instead held the stare, remaining in her confident pose atop her leotau. The stare in reality lasted less than a couple of seconds but almost felt like minutes passing.
'Her Royal Highness, Princess of the Red Empire, I apologize, I did not know who I was in the presence of, please forgive my ignorance,' the woman said, her eyes suddenly became warm and kind. Her posture became more polite and her voice carried a sweetness to it. Normally Eristelle would still be on guard from this. A dramatic 180-degree in manners and atmosphere has been taught among the Empyriums to be taken as a red flag, as someone does not want to make their true intentions known. However the erasure of the coldness completed the aesthetic beauty of the woman and sent Eristelle's heart aflutter. It was a beautiful warmth she could not just ignore. She laid her right hand over her heart, her sword still in the left, and nodded approvingly.
'Yes, this is a forgivable transgression,' She said to the woman. 'It is understandable that you would not know of the Red Empire, seeing as how we have left these lands untouched. But I also see that you have a keen eye for recognizing TRUE nobility, which is why you would not know of me but know that I am of the truest royal bloodline, who's burning passion and strength can only be comparable to the sun itself!' She smiled at her own monologue. To her, it was poetic.
Rafiq suddenly began to stamp his hooves against the ground, causing what felt like small tremors in the earth and let out a grunting half-roar. 'R-Rafiq!? What is it??' Eristelle asked her companion. She was irate as his stamping and movement broke her pose of confidence and forced her to grip the reins. He then spun around and trotted towards a group of figures in the darkness.
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'My master has suffered a grievous affliction of the mind.' Someone had piqued up near the dying man. Stepping into the light revealed a small being, human-looking but with bluish pale skin and unnaturally small in stature. He looked much like a child, but his face held a more adult air about it.
'It is causing hallucinations of such great impact that it is physically affecting him. The true name of the disease cannot be spoken by the mortal tongue, but it is commonly known as the 'Frenzy'.'
'... I see,' Eristelle took pause. Could her Light Arrows cure the man of his affliction? She had only ever used them in combat, and to rid the possessed of unwanted spirits. Before she could attempt it to determine this the ashen-haired girl ran up to the man. She had done so without a second thought, ignoring the creatures near him and focused only on him.
'An internal injury, perhaps?' the woman could be heard muttering to herself as she examined him. She took a look of approval towards her mistress before turning her attention back to her patient. No, it was more of an apologetic look.
'Please hold on a little longer. I'll do what I can.' The girl then pulled out a dagger and cut herself, rubbing her strange-colored blood against the young man's face.
'You have no reservations helping a stranger?' Eristelle asked the girl. She was smiling though, a warm smile. She was impressed at this girl's determined nature to help someone in need, no matter how little she knew of them.
'Lumis!' The blonde woman said in a chastising way to her companion, moving briskly to the one she called Lumis and snatching away the knife. She bandaged the bleeding hand and continued in a disappointed tone of voice. 'How many times have I told you about using this....' She spoke to Eristelle as she finished dressing the wound. 'A word of advice princess.... I would not trust one with creatures such as those.... Whatever he was up to could not possibly end well with you. I'd hate for you to get hurt on trying to help someone with ill intent.' As she turned to Eristelle, she wore a look of geniune concern on her face. Her now warm eyes rested upon the princess, they seemed to glow with the ball of light. Did she know him?
The... attendant of the young man, the bluish human-looking thing, furrowed his brow in anger as the blonde woman spoke. 'Why you...!'
'A fine gesture of misleading intentions,' the young man spoke up before spitting blood against the large item that his servants were carrying with them. 'That would seem almost genuine were it not coming from a denizen of the night...a vampire.' He then looked to Lumis. 'Thank you for your help, and I truly do appreciate it.' From his statement of thanks he looked to Eristelle.
'I am a member of the Shadows of the Forerunners,' he declared wearily. 'Our expedition ran aground of an unknown entity and I lost the rest of my team. I'm to return to Dragon Castle and make a full report at our headquarters in Maldria.'
'Maldria? You're from Maldria?' Eristelle asked excitedly. She had to intake quite a bit of information at once, to avoid Migranes she tried to let the thoughts simply pass without mulling over them too much. Vampires... creatures such as those... silver blood and a knife... these people... Maldria... It was at the mention of Maldria that she brought herself back to full attention. 'You're from Maldria!? Then this meeting must be fate, as I am trying to get there--!'
'Please, whatever is going on... is definitely not in your best interest, Your Highness.' the blonde woman, warned her, voice still laced with concern and well-intent, her eyes filled with care for the princess' well-being. Eristelle calmed herself again.
'Yes, I see...' Eristelle said softly, considering her words as well as the man's. This whole event seemed to be happening before her so quickly. But she was an Empyrium. This was hardly overwhelming.
'Yes, I have seen what I need to see and heard everyone's concerns,' she said as she looked to the others. 'I agree that everyone here may seem less than reputable at face-value. You, young adventurer, claim to be part of an expedition and lost your team, and yet you are master to these creatures of the abyss. In your life you must have walked a dark path to get there, yes? As for your attendant, you have genuine concern for your master, so you must share the same path.' She moved her gaze to the blonde woman. 'And you. Your beauty and warmth beguiles a coldness. This adventurer here thinks you to be a vampire, which would explain the air about you.' She finally turned to Lumis, the only one of the few here that she now knew by name. 'And you. Lumis, yes? You show yourself to have a pure heart, one that any Empyrium can admire. And yet you also find yourself in suspicious circumstances.' She finally turned to face them fully as the light once again finding a position with which to enhance the radiance she gave off as she spoke in her Empyrial Voice.
'You all have some dark secret, something that warrants the tragic decision that I cannot bestow upon you all of my trust.
And yet! And yet fate has transpired that we all meet together this night!' She placed her hands on her hips and smiled. 'Yes, then this night you will all be tested in your worth! Can you earn the trust of the future Empress? You, adventurer, allow me to accompany you and your servant to Maldria and the Dragon's Castle. Do this, and you will have earned an Empyrium's trust.' Eristelle looked back to the blonde woman again. 'You. Follow us as an escort. The fact that you were out here with only a single attendant must mean you have confidence in her strength or your own. Do this, and I will know your warmth to be true, and you will have earned my favor.' She looked again to Lumis last. 'And you. Well, your heart has already won my faith in you.' Eristelle stabbed her sword into the ground, placed her left hand over her heart and held her right hand outstretched towards Lumis. Lumis herself would not know this, so Eristelle accepted that she might not take her hand, but it was an Empyrium's gesture to acknowledge one they could trust. 'I ask of you not to break this gift you are given, the faith of an Empyrium.'
After her little speech (of which she praised herself inwards about it) Eristelle took a step back from everyone. 'Now, before we head off, there is one more important thing to take care of. I can't very well just address you without knowing your names.' She cleared her throat. 'Ahem. I am Eristelle Augustus Grandall Rubra Empyrium, Princess of the Red Empire! You may address me as Your Highness, Princess, or Empyrium, as what suits you. Lumis, you are allowed to call me Eristelle or Eris to your preference.'
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Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2018 9:32 pm
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Jodan pondered Zuki's next question for a moment, holding his chin with his index finger. "Mmmmm.... Honestly I'm not sure if she has any special abilities. Unless you consider sneaking into my shop a secret power!" He jokingly said as he shrugged with a goofy grin on his face. "She hasn't told me about any abilities she would have, and I haven't seen her use any abilities. Though she does know of the abilities I possess."
They finally reached the Marketplace square. It took a few seconds for Jodan to realize they just reached their destination. People were bustling about around them, tending to their needs, and a lot of chatter. It was getting a little noisy for his liking, and he didn't expect it to be fairly crowded. It made him feel a little uncomfortable.
Jodan motioned for Zuki to stay close as they navigated their way to a less crowded area. A pair of wings appeared at the sides of his hips and he began to hover a bit. He wanted to survey the area around them over the heads of everyone to get a good idea of where certain shops are that they would need to get supplies from. After he was finished, he allowed the wings to disappear and landed on his feet with a light tap against the pavement. It would have been a lot easier for him to use his Foresight and scan the area around him, but he didn't want to use that ability in such a public place, given the warnings his father had given him several times. It was a pain to have to hide his ability, but he understood that there could be those that would want to take that ability away from him.
"Alright, found a few food stalls for food supplies, as well as some hunting supplies. Thinking we can hunt for our food when we need to. We'll also need some camping stuff as well. I saw one shop for that." He explained to Zuki. He wondered if they should tackle each shop together, or to separate and regroup after they've gotten everything. Splitting up would be the faster option, though he is worried they'd have a hard time regrouping.
My feelings: Somewhat claustrophobic
My location: North Maldria - Marketplace square
People I'm with: Zuki Steeler
Current Weapon Form: Short Length / Stored on the backside of his belt
Out of Conscious:
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2018 8:30 pm
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════════════════════════════
☽ † ☾
Ichka was amused by the creature's reaction to her words before the man stepped in. She watched him cut himself. No....
It seemed he knew exactly what he was dealing with. Her eyes widened slightly before returning back to normal as his wound healed quickly he boasted to his servant. Ichka's fist balled up. It seemed he knew something about Vita's. If she could she would destroy both him and the princess. However she knew she was outnumbered. The princess and her mount, she wasn't even too sure how strong the princess really was once you isolated her personality. Then she'd have to deal with the male who's body was recovering and his little group She'd have to wait. Her mind raced with anger as the strangers taunted her. She'd have her time to take care of them sooner or later.
Ichka couldn't help but be very irritated by Lumis' mistake, however, it was already done and she had to run with it. It seemed the princess was lost in thought for a while. She hoped she would heed her warning and leave the man be.
As the princess begins to speak she begins to spout out her observations of each person. Ichka wanted to roll her eyes, but she stopped herself. The princess voice just annoyed her. Still, it seemed she trusted Lumis and that could be used to their advantage. Lumis turned towards Ichka. The Blonde could tell Lumis was afraid of making yet another mistake. Her gold eyes projected themselves as gentle as she smiled and nodded giving her the okay to take Eristelle's hand.
Ichka wasn't sure if she wanted to take the princess' offer. It would throw her off the purpose of coming to the temple of Brahman. However, it gave her an opening to snatch her trust and learn what the man had been doing out there. It seemed he was willing to sacrifice a lot for it. She glared at the male. However, she wasn't sure if the sacrifice was worth it. Her attention turned back towards the princess. She guessed it wouldn't hurt to tell Eristelle her name, however she bit her tongue as the young princess told them how to address her. She wasn't sure how much of her she could stand.
♔┊Location, Location, Location: The Wild Lands - The Temple of Brahman
♛┊Who I'm annoying: Lumis, and now a loud princess; just some vermin?
♔┊How I'm feeling:Very Pleased
♛┊OCC:
☽ † ☾
XX════════════════════════════
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Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2018 7:34 pm
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Shift walked out the entrance of the tavern, adjusting his cloak a bit. He wondered what he should do next. Not much really though, considering he doesn't have any money now. He gazed up to the sky, pondering what sort of jobs he'll take on based on the ones he's seen on the job board the last time he checked it out. He wondered which ones got taken, if any at all. Or maybe some new jobs got posted. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps behind him, followed by a 'hey'. He turned to face the girl in the mask. He blinked a few times when asked for who he was. Given how she was acting in the tavern, he didn't think she woulld try striking up a conversation with him. In fact, not many people would come talk to him in the first place, given that he tends to give off an intimidating aura. "Shift." Came a short and quick reply. If she didn't catch it the first time, he wasn't going to repeat himself.
He heard the sound of metal clanking against the pavement as a small group of the guards approached the two, asking what the commotion was about. Someone must have gone off and alerted them. Shift gave them a quick and short response about what transpired in the tavern. The guards understood, warning him and the masked girl not to cause any more trouble. Then they entered the tavern to retrieve the dead body and carry it out. Shift turned and began walking away, heading towards the direction of the castle to find some jobs.
Location: Outside the Shield's Tavern in Maldria - Heading towards Dragon Castle
Status: Agitated
People I'm with: A girl with a gas mask.
Out of Chikafusa:
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Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2018 1:50 am
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X
X
☾||Location: The Wild Lands - The Temple of Brahman ||Currently With: Lady Ichka, Eristelle, Rafiq? Injuried man ||About: Lumis ||Currently Wearing: New Dress ||OOC: N/A
♟||Before Lumis could turn to respond to the woman's question her body had been jerked away. The silver stained hand that caressed the man's cheek laid there for less than a second, but it had been enough to do what it needed it to.
Her name that had been shouted by the vampire continued to ring in her ears. One single gaze became efficient enough to keep Lumis's head low and her body still as she kept her now bandaged hand pressed against her chest as the other laid on top of it. She could not bring herself to give out any sort of sound, or any sort of response, she had disappointed her Lady and the glance she received from Ichka cut the ashen haired woman down.
Her line of sight didn't pick up until she heard her name come from the Princess. 'A pure heart? Suspicious circumstances?' she repeated the words in her head with slight confusion. 'Is it because I am with Lady Ichka, who is a vampire?' It seemed to be the reason, at least from what she understood.
Just for an instant a spark lit in her silver eyes, it showed for a second a sort of joy that lifted her spirits, still Lumis couldn't help but glance over at the golden-haired vampire. Upon getting her mistress's approval, the lass moved forward and outstretched her hand, cupping her digits carefully around the royal woman's fingers. Despite how she appeared and her current feelings she gave her a firm shake wanting to show her appreciation, wanting to tell her without words that it meant a lot. Lumis gave her a small smile before returning back to Ichka's side, listening to the conversation that followed. It seemed that they would most likely follow the princess back to Maldria. As they decided on the matter, Lumis's gaze wandered over to the raven-haired man curious on his state, it seemed at that point she realized that the other voice she had heard before belonged to a young man that stood beside him. She felt a bit ashamed that she did not notice him sooner, but decided to keep it to herself at the moment. As she tore her sight away from them, her fingers gently traced over the bandages tied to her left hand. The woman contemplated if she should look into his well-being or not, but if she did and Ichka found out that wouldn’t be wonderful. On top of that Ichka didn’t trust him and giving him any sort of insight would be betraying her mistress.||♟
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
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Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2018 2:28 pm
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xxxxxLiam and Zeus watched Hiyama's gaze drift between them both. He cleared his throat as if to get their attention, then bowed. "If you'll excuse me," he said to no one in particular, "it appears I have some business I must attend to. Shall we meet again later." He whipped around and walked away, the library doors closing lightly behind him.
xxxxx"What do you think you're doing?" Zeus asked, not turning away from the books she had put away. "Picking fights with higher-ups is a surefire way of getting us kicked out of Dragon Castle. Then we'd have nowhere to go. We'd be homeless."
xxxxx"We could always return to Eagleview," Liam scowled stubbornly, knowing that that was not true.
xxxxx"No, we can't," Zeus countered predictably. "Our land was returned to the kingdom and we were evicted because we don't count as 'living tenants' and the place was considered inhospitable, remember? If we ever try to return, there's a garrison of troops waiting to take us to jail or kill us. Probably the latter. This is our home now. It has been for some time now. Don't ******** it up."
xxxxxLiam lowered his gaze. "I just don't get how they can do that to us after we've lived there for so long," he protested. "It's just...not fair."
xxxxx"Grow up," Zeus barked. "The world is not fair. People are not fair. Our lives, the fact that I'm a ******** doll and you're a vampire, is not fair. People make decision, people higher up than us, and it's our duty to abide by their decisions." She crossed her arms. "If Sir Aeros decided on a whim that he wanted us out of Dragon Castle because you wanted to call him 'Secretary', it doesn't matter how right you are or how wrong he is - he is the one with power, and we have nothing. We have no right to complain or pout or talk about how unfair it is. So stop being a child." She shook her head. "Honestly, I don't understand how the one with the artificial body is the one who is always maturing and thinking about the bigger picture and others, and the one who is closer to living has the maturity of a pouting toddler."
xxxxxLiam scowled again, but this time he said nothing. He hated it. He hated having to report to someone. He hated knowing that someone had the power to kick him out at the drop of a hat. He was bitter about Eagleview, and it had clouded his perception of how good they probably had it here in Dragon Castle. Was it so bad that a person expected him to use a specific title when addressing him, and that he was expected to be subservient to that person? Was there no reason he could not just push aside his own pride and become a yes-man, someone who existed for the sole purpose of doing someone else's bidding? His genius, his intellect, his skills - none of it meant a thing to anybody here, and it was something he would have to come to terms with if he wanted to continue living here. As much as he hated it and wanted to have some more time to stew in contempt over the idea, he knew that Zeus was right, and that made it sting him even more. He hated being wrong, especially when he felt he was right. "Fine," he relented. "I'll put more effort into watching my attitude and kissing a** so we can stay here."
xxxxx"That's all I want," Zeus said. "Just...you know, get over your ego, and everything will be fine. It's easy." She uncrossed her arms and picked out a book she'd been eyeing during the argument. "Well, what do you think of this book? I'm thinking we can try to explore some more of the lore behind the Red Talon Coven and see if there are any weaknesses we can glean from their history." Liam didn't respond. "What, so now you're going to give me the third degree because I'm telling you the truth about you acting like a big baby?"
xxxxxAt that moment, a young girl fell from a mass of shadows in the ceiling on Zeus's back. It was Karin, Zeus's apprentice. "Madam Zeus!" she squealed as she wrapped her arms around her master's neck. "Will Madam Zeus play with Rinrin now?"
xxxxxLiam made a face at the nickname. Karin Yohg, a fifteen-year-old shadowmancer with a lot of promise, and she still liked to refer to herself in the third person with the moniker of "Rinrin" to make herself seem youthful and childlike. It was kind of annoying to Liam to watch a girl her age act like a child, knowing full well the dual implications of the fact that she was, in fact, a child and that he himself was constantly being reminded about his own immaturity. And while a master alchemist and a master enchanter had little of actual value to teach a shadowmancer, Karin had latched onto Zeus and begged to be an apprentice alchemist until the woman finally gave in on a whim and took her in.
xxxxxKarin looked at Liam and momentarily stuck her tongue out at him. He was strongly reminded that she latched onto Zeus and not him, and loved to remind him that she did not like him at all. On some days Liam wondered if Karin was trying to break them up, and then he remembered that they were married and couldn't simply "break up", and that false sense of confidence would be enough to keep himself from lashing out at a kid and proving that he himself was just as immature.
xxxxxDust was beginning to fall from the ceiling of the library, indicating the presence of some people in the alcoves above looking for tomes of knowledge normally out of reach for those who didn't have the patience or the gall to make the climb up the stacks. "You want to play?" Zeus repeated. "We can play. I think we're done here anyway." She glared at Liam and began to walk away. "Playing" was Karin's way of asking to spar with Zeus, shadowmancer versus thundermage. She never wanted to spar with Liam. But maybe that was for the best, as they were always at ends with each other in some way.
xxxxxThe group left the library and entered the attached Cloister Wards, a batch of attached neighborhoods-turned contained training areas for aspiring combatants regardless of their preference for magic or physical weapons. The Wards had been blessed with a null death spell some years ago to keep the patrons - usually mages - from actually killing themselves from testing out new spells that they had developed for their theses in classes. It would not heal anyone - instead, the null death spell kept patrons on the verge of death by forcibly tethering their souls to their bodies regardless of the condition of their bodies. This was perfect for clerics and healers in general, as they always had a fresh supply of targets to practicing their Restoration spells on.
xxxxxLiam bitterly admired the Wards as the group descended the pristine, hellish marble stairs to the Wards plaza. Beautiful stonework and masonry, blood red grass, local prayer sites roped off with signs in unfamiliar tongues, rivers filled with fish and tainted with blood, monuments to forgotten deities and cultures, and the occasional spiritual aberration. It was a surreal location to even think of as nothing more than a "training area", and it had all been donated by Eleanor Hawke, a master enchanter and the leader of the now-extinct Red Talon Coven. Yes, despite her notoriety in the region at the time of her reign, she was still allowed in Dragon Castle and made important contributions to the residents to maintain friendly relations between her vampire horde and the secluded forces of Dragon Castle; honestly, it was no different then than it was now, what with Red Wing Coven trading with Maldria and Dragon Castle to maintain friendly relations.
xxxxxLiam shuddered to himself as they reached the Wards Plaza. Sometimes he could still hear Eleanor's voice in his head, urging him to embrace his vampiric powers and weaknesses, guiding him to fresh blood in the hopes that he would bite, her pull causing him to question his very sanity and whether or not he was the one making the choices. It was not something he could ever fully explain to Zeus, how intimately ingrained their minds were or how close it came to destroying the Northstars.
xxxxx"This seems like a good place," Zeus said, pointing down a path to a fairly secluded Ward with lots of shade from towering statues and trees. "Why don't you get set up for your surprise attack and we'll begin?"
Location: Mystic Ward Library
Characters in area: Liam Northstar, Zeus Northstar, Hiyama Aeros, Karin Yohg
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Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2018 9:53 am
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xxxxxHorrin suppressed the combination of a scowl and laughter behind his cool facade. Was this chick serious? Princess? Empress? All those flashy words and that holier-than-thou persona? She was going to be quite the pain to be around. She still maintained a measure of doubt about his and the vampire's origins, which wasn't ideal but could be worked with. After all, she was ecstatic about the fact that he and Gremzal were headed to Maldria. She would probably spend extra effort to protect them both, which was nothing to sneeze at if he took into account her sword and steed.
xxxxxThe vampire, on the other hand, was the overt threat to them even arriving at Maldria at all. She was reasonably suspicious of the Void Vault and of Horrin himself, which meant that they would have difficulty working together towards mutual survival. She'd probably sacrifice him to gain an extra foot of ground - not that he wasn't above that if he thought he could get away with it. And judging from the look on her face, there was certainly something about that healer that she wanted to keep to herself - not just that she was a healer but...something else. Was it worth killing for? The only way he could find out was to travel with them, in the end.
xxxxxAs for the healer herself, Lumis seemed to be heavily under the vampire's thumb. He could only theorize at their professional and personal relationship, but it hardly seemed like something that could be shaken by the sudden appearance of an individual on an exotic steed or carrying a forboding cargo. Like Gremzal, she was bound to a master that cared less about her as a person than about her usefulness. This only served to further outline how much Horrin and the vampire were alike, and so was quickly pushed out of mind. Such thoughts would get him nowhere unless he ever decided to try to find a way to - no, never mind. Perish the thought.
xxxxx"Horrin," Horrin introduced himself to the group. "Horrin Lambell. And this is my servant, Gremzal. Been in the family for decades."
xxxxx"At your service," Gremzal spoke mechanically, as he was instructed to do when introduced to influential people. "I look forward to traveling with you all."
xxxxx"Your Highness," Horrin continued, "I humbly accept your charge to lead you to Maldria, and shall do everything within my knowledge and power to make sure that we arrive safely and with minimal delays." He cast a quick glance in the vampire's direction. "No harm shall come to any of us."
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