Fantasy The Nature of Ice

[Thanny]

The others seemed to match Glacier's movements, but some of them rather wet behind the ears when it came to surveillance and espionage. Origin took cover behind a poor hiding spot of a brace of bare-bones bushes, but it was at least mildly obscuring and profitable. The stealthy Chiron approached low and readied a knife, scales blending with the dimly lit environs, and Snapjaw who had followed along took to the skies. Astrid did not care much for hiding but ducked along within dense grass. There did not seem to be any real road on the outside, or rails inside leading from the mouth of the cave in, but the most dilapidated anchoring equipment and partially preserved rail ties still remained while the rail was salvaged for some other purpose.

From Glacier's vantage point, she was easily able to hear what was being discussed within the mouth of the cave, as was Chiron who glanced in her direction and nodded in recognition.

"--ave your neck protected. Some guard might try to close in and take a firm chomp. Area's brimming with venomdragons and other biters."

"All due respect, this was someone more fleet."

"That old geezer Sanctus told us about, maybe? Hah! But no! You told us it was--"

"I know what he said and you have Sanctus over there to tell you again!"

"Well, be glad that it was not poison but your throat. One I can't help you with. The other I can."

It seemed that Merrimac was conversing with someone who healed his wounds, and Sanctus was further in. He was more able to speak than before, a true miracle if not for the sake that healing magic existed. Someone existed on the side of the rebels who was able to patch him up, but it was unknown how many lay inside, and how skilled they were.

Snapjaw seemed to patiently wait, his silver eyes resting on the top of the entrance as he quietly watched from a higher point.

 

[Dragonborn1]

Glacier smiled slightly underneath her hiding spot. They were talking about Merrimac being bitten in the throat by her. She still swore she had bits of his scales in her teeth. It didn’t matter though…

She was debating on having Chiron blow out the torch lights in an ambush.
She didn’t know if it’d work though. Glacier gestured to Chiron then pointed to the torches, making a blowing gesture with her lips.


As she waited for Chiron’s response she continuously listen. Maybe they’ll say something useful..

 

[Thanny]

As the shadow dragon caught what was gestured by Glacier, Chiron's eyebrow rose at the thought, and next a smile formed on his scaly lips. He returned his gaze to the cave and studied the situation before approaching closer, daggers fully drawn.

From his new vantage point he could see of the speakers further into the tunnel that was braced by multiple rods of sturdy metal that, if appearances can be trustworthy, were there for some time. All could see that the torches were close to the woven net of gloom that obscured the inside of the cave, but Chiron noticed that the speakers from before were not paying attention, and with an extension of his dexterous tail followed by a flick of the lower half both torches were tossed to the ground, growing dim from the damp ground and the half-deteriorated and creosoted railroad ties.

"I wonder how progress is going inside," sighed Merrimac, employing effort to steer the conversation elsewhere. "This place is different, vengeful, as if we should not be here."

"Oh, come now, it is no different from other abandoned sites. Besides, the place is mostly explored. It is only a matter of--"

The light was snuffed then, and scuffling happened within the tunnel. Outside, Origin ducked down lower, as did Chiron as he slipped further down from the mesh fabric. Snapjaw did not move, seemingly concentrating purely on the sounds of what was happening within, his eyes closed meditatively.

"That is freaky."

"Not to mention unnatural," commented Merrimac, his voice hushed to a whisper so that Glacier would have to strain to hear it. "No breeze took them. Someone knows we are here. Friend or foe, I don't know, but let's go further in."

All would be quiet after that, all words ceasing. Chiron cursed under his breath, unable to hear them anymore, and looked at Glacier with the following words: "They're spooked, Glacier. Do we follow?"

 

[Dragonborn1]

Glacier watched from her hiding spot. Chiron snuffing each torch’s light in an instant. She too smiled when the dragons got spooked once she couldn’t hear them anymore she slowly crawled out but kept her eyes on the entrance. She was at an impasse. Do they follow? What if their was a trap waiting for them.


Snapjaw staying quiet worried her. She snapped her claw at him.
“Snapjaw, what do you think? You think they have a trap waiting for us?”

 

[Thanny]

Snapjaw descended from the slope above the entrance, half-gliding and half-grinding across a blend of till and rocky outcropping without fear of getting overheard. For an oldster, he moved rather well and dropped gracefully like a cat beside Glacier.

"I think that is a possibility. There may be traps ahead already prepared, like tripwires. The slightest nudge may wound any of us inconveniently, but if they are running blind chances are there are no tripwires. We may have them on the run."

He seemed relatively certain about this, though he was still mellow, as if he suspected that there would be something else planned for intruders. Could it be that there were more resistance members inside, ready to fight to the death if need be? His mind swam with possibilities.

"Anything can happen," he concluded. " 'Be on your guard and do not make any sudden decisions' is my advice, preferably lit up by one of those torches. Chiron and your black dragon friend will prove very useful in that manner. While you explore with a torch, the others can catch other things hard to see from the sides. My eyes are not that sharp, but I can help form the rear and defend from the front or behind."

Origin popped out of the bush beforehand, stepping out beside Glacier and Snapjaw as well and offering a look of assurance toward her female friend, even if swimming in uncertainty. This was perhaps the most danger she had ever found herself in, but she was managing to quell the majority of her worry.

Chiron claimed a torch that was close to its final embers and brought it back to life with an inner flame from his throat. The torch roared back to life as the pitch-soaked rag making up its fuel reignited.

 

[Dragonborn1]

Snapjaw descended from the slope above the entrance, half-gliding and half-grinding across a blend of till and rocky outcropping without fear of getting overheard. For an oldster, he moved rather well and dropped gracefully like a cat beside Glacier.

"I think that is a possibility. There may be traps ahead already prepared, like tripwires. The slightest nudge may wound any of us inconveniently, but if they are running blind chances are there are no tripwires. We may have them on the run."

He seemed relatively certain about this, though he was still mellow, as if he suspected that there would be something else planned for intruders. Could it be that there were more resistance members inside, ready to fight to the death if need be? His mind swam with possibilities.

"Anything can happen," he concluded. " 'Be on your guard and do not make any sudden decisions' is my advice, preferably lit up by one of those torches. Chiron and your black dragon friend will prove very useful in that manner. While you explore with a torch, the others can catch other things hard to see from the sides. My eyes are not that sharp, but I can help form the rear and defend from the front or behind."

Origin popped out of the bush beforehand, stepping out beside Glacier and Snapjaw as well and offering a look of assurance toward her female friend, even if swimming in uncertainty. This was perhaps the most danger she had ever found herself in, but she was managing to quell the majority of her worry.

Chiron claimed a torch that was close to its final embers and brought it back to life with an inner flame from his throat. The torch roared back to life as the pitch-soaked rag making up its fuel reignited.

The group entered the mineshaft the way they were instructed. Glacier marched in front with the others. The darkness of the mine lit up with the blazing torch casting their shadows along the wall.
The mineshaft was tiring to walk through it was seemingly endless all of them keeping their eyes peeled for traps.

Finally they reached an opening, a rather large one, a drop in which they had to fly down from. Once landing it seemed the long shaft lead lead to another shaft, or maybe a tunnel? Whatever it was it was made of metal all around them was metal. And far behind them was a large propeller. Although it wasn’t empty there were platforms in which to fly up to and carts right by them. Easy enough to carry things or whatever their purpose was..

 

[Thanny]

Origin had a challenge getting from place to place as they stepped in a loose but somewhat organised fashion, peeping around to find odd things here and there that she had never seen before, at least intact. The strange vehicles with rotted tires as if they were made of something other than wood and metal had surprised her in that they still remained upright. It had been ten years since she had last approached this mine entrance, and three years since the fair had last been active. She wondered how this place must have looked when it was in its prime, and how the people must have acted. Perhaps it was just the same as they did now, only with more specialised jobs available.

The walls changed from dark and rocky to white, as if cave-ins had collapsed the entrance, and overhead she could see the whorls of generations of spider webs desperately hoping for something to grab. However, nothing could be more different from this amazing overlarge room, almost circular in cross-section and with giant contraptions like that giant propeller. Everything else seemed relatively normal in comparison to Originmaw. Perhaps some things that were made in recent years have been brought down here via treadmill crane or by sheer muscles? Either way, it was impressive.

"I don't like the smell of this," said Snapjaw with a visible frown in the light of the torch. He would have crossed his arms had not one been prepared on the hilt of his sword.

Chiron dropped to a knee and picked up a second torch from the ground, its fuel mostly spent and the smallest of flickering flames on its head. He listened intently and showed his findings, then dropped his voice to a whisper, saying, "I know what you mean. It is as if we were led here. Is this an ambush?"

Snapjaw breathed through his nose, tasting the air as if there was more here than centuries of dust stirred up from the windfall lingering.

"No, I don't--"

Snap. Shift. Turn. Whirl.

Most eyes shifted to see the propeller from before start, tips turning in massive rotations that steadily turned faster . . . and faster. It took an educated mind to know what was happening, but Origin was not one such person.

"What is happening?" she voiced timidly, looking for guidance from any of the other dragons.

"Nothing good, my dear," returned Snapjaw calmly. "An old fossil like me has come back to life, but I have no idea what it does."

 

[Dragonborn1]

Wind started whistling through the massive tunnel. It then started picking up speed making it hard to keep in one place. The wind increased in speed as the propeller did.
“Grab hold of something!” Glacier yelled over the wind.


She grabs onto the carts barred exterior. Before she and the other knew it their legs have flown out from under them. They dangled in the air as the wind pulled at them.

Glacier looked for a way to turn it off. But with the wind gusting they couldn’t fly at all!

 

[Thanny]

The company quickly started to fidget when the wind started picking up, people quickly trying to regain their bearings as the wind kicked up about them. Most were lucky to be next to something at the time their feet were swiftly removed from beneath them. Snapjaw and Chiron were swift to clamber onto sturdy items. Astrid, who remained mostly solid, started to slide as the wind became too much, and reached out at the last second onto something firm, popping her arm out of socket in the process. Yelping in pain, she put the remainder of her weight on the other, uninjured shoulder and arm, and there she hung like a flag half-pinned.

Origin was neither keen of mind or body, but she was one for understanding orders. As she slid she managed to get behind a cart and root herself by holding tight and sitting behind it, preventing it from dislodging. She looked about in the stinging wind, hoping that everyone was all right.

 

[Dragonborn1]

The company quickly started to fidget when the wind started picking up, people quickly trying to regain their bearings as the wind kicked up about them. Most were lucky to be next to something at the time their feet were swiftly removed from beneath them. Snapjaw and Chiron were swift to clamber onto sturdy items. Astrid, who remained mostly solid, started to slide as the wind became too much, and reached out at the last second onto something firm, popping her arm out of socket in the process. Yelping in pain, she put the remainder of her weight on the other, uninjured shoulder and arm, and there she hung like a flag half-pinned.

Origin was neither keen of mind or body, but she was one for understanding orders. As she slid she managed to get behind a cart and root herself by holding tight and sitting behind it, preventing it from dislodging. She looked about in the stinging wind, hoping that everyone was all right.

The wind continued to increase in strength their legs dangling off the ground. Glacier hung on looking back at the large propeller spinning then looking above to the upper decks.

“There has to be a way to turn it off!”
Glacier’s claws were beginning to slip on the rounded surface of the bar.

“Hold in tight! Someone needs to fly up there! Maybe theirs a way to turn it off!”

The wind whistled in their ears making it hard to hear. The cart itself began to shake and wobble screeching loudly. It was possible it wasn’t made for this much strain..

 

[Thanny]

Glacier's words had reached Origin, who looked over to the lady guard with a sensation of panic as things rapidly spiraled out of control. She looked up in the slicing winds toward what was being discussed, and her heart sank. That was way too tall for her to reach. All she could do was hope for someone else to be able to reach it as she engrained herself as best as she was able, pushing with all of her might and mass into the cart to hold it in place, roots attempting to find a weakness in the floor. While a doomed effort alone, it helped allow others to think up their own actions.

Astrid was in no position to help, her injured arm threatening to be torn off in the impressive winds as shenclung for dear life onto a more heavy structure. Chiron was the lightest, while Snapjaw was probably able to make it. Snapjaw dug his feet in hard and motioned with his head for Chiron to handle the situation. The shadow dragon nodded, took one final calculation of the distance, and sprung upward, unfolding his leathery wings at the last second to produce a strong updraft.

He managed. Snagging the maintenance railing he hoisted himself up to the maintenance catwalk. Up there he found a case that looked particularly promising and approached it with a cautious, sliding grip on both rails until he finally made it. Down below everyone would be relieved that the propeller was undergoing a decline in speed, and the force on the crates and surrounding areas would be lessened.

That was a good judgement call. Thankfully no one seemed too highly injured except for Astrid with the dislocated shoulder and Chiron whose palm had been ripped open by a sharp tear of metal. Up above a slow, steady stream of blood flowed from his wound and twisted in the air. It did not matter to him, though. They were alive. That is what mattered.

 

[Dragonborn1]

The wind slowly died down. Anyone still suspended in the air fall onto the ground. Behind Chiron the door slid open behind him opening up access to more of the labs.


Glacier gave a thumbs up to the shadow dragon. She looked at Origin, helping her up. Giving her a smile.
“Everyone ok?”

She glanced over to Astrid who still had their arm dislocated. She motioned to Origin.
“Can you do anything for Astrid? Or for Chiron by chance?”
She asked Origin.

 

[Thanny]

Originmaw issued a relieved sigh as the wind died down and the objects stopped moving, friction overcoming force, and smiled sheepishly but happily as her newly good friend had assisted her upright. She had been used to doing much alone, but it was nice to have a helping hand many a time within, what, the same day cycle? It was astonishing how much can happen in a single day after years of day-to-day monotony broken up by miniscule events.

Others were in obvious pain, though, Astrid groaning as she fought for a position to keep her arm from paining her, and Chiron dripping crimson from the upper levels as it oozed from the punched sheet metal catwalk.

"Uh, of course! Of course," she replied to Glacier, worry mingling with shame as she trotted over to Astrid and looked the guard over. The arm was very badly tweaked in a certain direction, but all that could be remedied with the right nudge.

Astrid seemed distrustful of the situation, withdrawing her arm from Originmaw's touch, but relented in time. The pain was sharp and intense for a brief moment as Origin pushed hard, but the pain was soothed to a dull ache as the arm was shifted into a proper position. Astrid nodded in thanks before turning her head to avoid others from seeing that she was crying from the pain. Faint rivulets of tears could be seen from the others, but they said nothing.

"Chiron? You are next," Origin offered, taking off her satchel which miraculously held its shape from the intense winds instead of scattering. Chiron frowned intently, but heaved a note of a breath as he leapt over the railing and flapped his wings to the safety of the ground.

The wound was grisly, and Origin feared nerve damage. Adding a strong curative to the wound that Chiron winced at, she commanded that he should try to move his middle finger. He was able to do so, for which she sighed relievedly. Once this healed, he would be able to do things normally, but with a nasty scar all the same.

The assessment and a root stitching took time, and through the pain Chiron identified to the group that there was a door that had opened up upstairs. Snapjaw took special interest to this, who darted away to look at this entrance.

"I am glad that everyone is fine for the most part," brought up Origin, looking at Glacier mostly, "but do you think someone can start this up again? The windmill, I mean, or whatever you call that."

She was referring to the propeller.

 

[Dragonborn1]

“T

Originmaw issued a relieved sigh as the wind died down and the objects stopped moving, friction overcoming force, and smiled sheepishly but happily as her newly good friend had assisted her upright. She had been used to doing much alone, but it was nice to have a helping hand many a time within, what, the same day cycle? It was astonishing how much can happen in a single day after years of day-to-day monotony broken up by miniscule events.

Others were in obvious pain, though, Astrid groaning as she fought for a position to keep her arm from paining her, and Chiron dripping crimson from the upper levels as it oozed from the punched sheet metal catwalk.

"Uh, of course! Of course," she replied to Glacier, worry mingling with shame as she trotted over to Astrid and looked the guard over. The arm was very badly tweaked in a certain direction, but all that could be remedied with the right nudge.

Astrid seemed distrustful of the situation, withdrawing her arm from Originmaw's touch, but relented in time. The pain was sharp and intense for a brief moment as Origin pushed hard, but the pain was soothed to a dull ache as the arm was shifted into a proper position. Astrid nodded in thanks before turning her head to avoid others from seeing that she was crying from the pain. Faint rivulets of tears could be seen from the others, but they said nothing.

"Chiron? You are next," Origin offered, taking off her satchel which miraculously held its shape from the intense winds instead of scattering. Chiron frowned intently, but heaved a note of a breath as he leapt over the railing and flapped his wings to the safety of the ground.

The wound was grisly, and Origin feared nerve damage. Adding a strong curative to the wound that Chiron winced at, she commanded that he should try to move his middle finger. He was able to do so, for which she sighed relievedly. Once this healed, he would be able to do things normally, but with a nasty scar all the same.

The assessment and a root stitching took time, and through the pain Chiron identified to the group that there was a door that had opened up upstairs. Snapjaw took special interest to this, who darted away to look at this entrance.

"I am glad that everyone is fine for the most part," brought up Origin, looking at Glacier mostly, "but do you think someone can start this up again? The windmill, I mean, or whatever you call that."

She was referring to the propeller.

“The bandits must know were here then. If so then we need to be cautious. Once we’re done here the empire will destroy this place..”

She stated. Watching Origin help her fellow guards out with their injuries.
She even glanced back at the propeller anxiously.
“We’ll make sure to definitely destroy the wind making machine.”

Meanwhile the hallway in which Snapjaw was investigating, a long dark hallway with two signs leading to a lobby. The other sign leading to the labs.
It was an eerie sight with the overhead lights switched off forever, and plants growing out of the flooring.

 

[Thanny]

Snapjaw looked at the signs with interest as he struck up fire from his maw and walked into the tunnel, radiating little spurts of flame before they diffused into nothingness. He wondered where the dangerous little deviants to the Empire could be. Could they be in the area to the left which seemed more civilian or could they be in a place more industrious and scientific which, to his understanding, meant the possibility of technology being researched? The latter simply cannot be allowed to be used against them.

"We have come across a fork up here," he stated to the others as he came out of the hallway and gripped the handrail with one hand, his eyes still looking into the dark room as if to penetrate its mysteries just by that angle. "Everyone, come up, quick as you are able."

Originmaw blinked in interest and, looking around to the others who had seemingly went ahead to fly up there -- at least Chiron and Astrid -- smiled at Glacier before clambering onto the platforms leading up to the catwalk. For all of her slowness due to her shell of earth, she had a strong jump.

Down below in the wind tunnel, everything stood silent. Nothing besides the five or six dragons stirred.

Snapjaw turned toward the group when they all were gathered, his snaggletooth showing through his old man's smile.

"I do believe we have them cornered. My guess is that they are in the left door down there, which you all can handle on your own, I feel. I can take the right and see if I can find any others that are hiding or lying in ambush."

 

[Dragonborn1]

Snapjaw looked at the signs with interest as he struck up fire from his maw and walked into the tunnel, radiating little spurts of flame before they diffused into nothingness. He wondered where the dangerous little deviants to the Empire could be. Could they be in the area to the left which seemed more civilian or could they be in a place more industrious and scientific which, to his understanding, meant the possibility of technology being researched? The latter simply cannot be allowed to be used against them.

"We have come across a fork up here," he stated to the others as he came out of the hallway and gripped the handrail with one hand, his eyes still looking into the dark room as if to penetrate its mysteries just by that angle. "Everyone, come up, quick as you are able."

Originmaw blinked in interest and, looking around to the others who had seemingly went ahead to fly up there -- at least Chiron and Astrid -- smiled at Glacier before clambering onto the platforms leading up to the catwalk. For all of her slowness due to her shell of earth, she had a strong jump.

Down below in the wind tunnel, everything stood silent. Nothing besides the five or six dragons stirred.

Snapjaw turned toward the group when they all were gathered, his snaggletooth showing through his old man's smile.

"I do believe we have them cornered. My guess is that they are in the left door down there, which you all can handle on your own, I feel. I can take the right and see if I can find any others that are hiding or lying in ambush."

‘Why did they smile at me like that..’

She wondered flapping her wings and leaping into the air. She met with the other dragons in the hallway,in which, she glanced at the door Snapjaw wanted them to inspect. It had no handle for them to turn. She wondered how they’d get in.

Glacier motioned for the others to follow her, her shadow warped over the door. She raised her claw waving it infront of the door. She bit her lip looking stumped, until the black dragon stepped up.
“Grab the side of the door with me. Pull!”
The two pulled the door it made an ear splitting screech. It was pulled along its rail until fully open. Glacier gasped on what she saw.


Two dragons, dead, lying in a pool of blood. Their heads were mangled and their throats cut. Investigating further tge room was storing humanoid creatures. They’re made of metal with their heads triangular slanted with no eyes anywhere. They had two wings on either side of their head.
Almost everyone of them was accounted for except for three of them…

 

[Thanny]

Out of all of them, oddly it was Chiron who was disgusted with the scene the most, the dragon not used to carnage like this. A slit throat, sure, as he participated in that once or thrice, but the head being like this . . . that was too much for him, and he heaved his dinner further down the hall. Origin was shocked and horrified, and Astrid concerned but not showing much beyond the ever serious expression on her face. Of Snapjaw there was no trace, the door opposite already open and spilling cold wisps of off-coloured, dark fog from its portal.

"What happened here?" uttered Originmaw, holding her hand to her mouth. "Was this . . . did Snapjaw do this?"

"Not at all. This looks far worse and looks older than fresh," voiced Astrid, taking her main weapon free from the strap looping behind her, as well as her swordcatcher. She looked around warily, not paying attention to the three missing humanoid metal beings, suspicious that maybe it was a trap that destroyed these dragons' faces and made them borderline unrecognisable.

"What even are those things?" continued Origin, licking her dry lips regardless of the moist air. "They look like suits of armor, or dolls. What are they doing here?"

"We will need to investigate. What are your thoughts, Glacier?" voiced Chiron, wiping pale fluid free from his lips. "Shall I go in first?"

 

[Dragonborn1]

Out of all of them, oddly it was Chiron who was disgusted with the scene the most, the dragon not used to carnage like this. A slit throat, sure, as he participated in that once or thrice, but the head being like this . . . that was too much for him, and he heaved his dinner further down the hall. Origin was shocked and horrified, and Astrid concerned but not showing much beyond the ever serious expression on her face. Of Snapjaw there was no trace, the door opposite already open and spilling cold wisps of off-coloured, dark fog from its portal.

"What happened here?" uttered Originmaw, holding her hand to her mouth. "Was this . . . did Snapjaw do this?"

"Not at all. This looks far worse and looks older than fresh," voiced Astrid, taking her main weapon free from the strap looping behind her, as well as her swordcatcher. She looked around warily, not paying attention to the three missing humanoid metal beings, suspicious that maybe it was a trap that destroyed these dragons' faces and made them borderline unrecognisable.

"What even are those things?" continued Origin, licking her dry lips regardless of the moist air. "They look like suits of armor, or dolls. What are they doing here?"

"We will need to investigate. What are your thoughts, Glacier?" voiced Chiron, wiping pale fluid free from his lips. "Shall I go in first?"

“We keep moving forward no matter the danger.”

Glancier breathed a sigh even she didn’t want to enter. The metal things made her shiver. Looking at their handiwork they brutally killed those scout’s…
One claw infront of the other Glacier moved along the wall right by the door. The room itself was more gigantic with rows upon rows of those metal men stacked on shelves. They were locked in place by bars lowered down from over their heads. Glacier’s eyes ran along the row they walked through, examining the humanoids one by one.


To her this place gave her the creeps…
She stopped, startled by a noise. It sounded like scrapping from somewhere, metal upon the flooring, they’re close, the killer that did this..

“I want everyone to go in a group of two. Astrid, Chiron, move down to the next isles. Me and Origin will check the next room over.”

Glacier pointed to a large blast door.

 

[Thanny]

Chiron nodded his head, also shaken by the grisly deaths in the other room, but determined not to die in such a place. He followed Glacier's movements first, padding behind her with quiet footfalls, and the others moved in a hesitant conga line behind her, Astrid next, then Originmaw. They all slipped past the door and into danger's path. Origin looked around, feeling more terrified than before. This mysterious killer . . . was it a dragon or something else?

Glacier kept order in marvelous fashion, commanding the group with her leadership skills while Snapjaw was away. What was the old swordfighter doing, Origin had to wonder? This was the greater threat in her eyes, and she wondered if someone should call him back. To divide their forces like this left them in greater danger than before.

They fanned out in groups of two, Chrion and Astrid separating from Glacier and Origin, and all four seemed on edge. Astrid took out her swordcatcher and trident at the same time, just in case the killer had a blade, and readied to lash out if something popped out. Chiron had daggers, but doubted in himself after looking at the two bodies. Origin was tensed, her roots quivering from the encasement of earth, ready to spring out defensibly if need be, and yet she wondered if even all four of them would be enough.

"Right behind you," she whispered after swallowing hard, keeping her ears trained all around her even if her eyes were focused before her. That blast door seemed menacing, or rather it potentially held something menacing.

 

[Dragonborn1]

Chiron nodded his head, also shaken by the grisly deaths in the other room, but determined not to die in such a place. He followed Glacier's movements first, padding behind her with quiet footfalls, and the others moved in a hesitant conga line behind her, Astrid next, then Originmaw. They all slipped past the door and into danger's path. Origin looked around, feeling more terrified than before. This mysterious killer . . . was it a dragon or something else?

Glacier kept order in marvelous fashion, commanding the group with her leadership skills while Snapjaw was away. What was the old swordfighter doing, Origin had to wonder? This was the greater threat in her eyes, and she wondered if someone should call him back. To divide their forces like this left them in greater danger than before.

They fanned out in groups of two, Chrion and Astrid separating from Glacier and Origin, and all four seemed on edge. Astrid took out her swordcatcher and trident at the same time, just in case the killer had a blade, and readied to lash out if something popped out. Chiron had daggers, but doubted in himself after looking at the two bodies. Origin was tensed, her roots quivering from the encasement of earth, ready to spring out defensibly if need be, and yet she wondered if even all four of them would be enough.

"Right behind you," she whispered after swallowing hard, keeping her ears trained all around her even if her eyes were focused before her. That blast door seemed menacing, or rather it potentially held something menacing.

The door itself stretched high almost touching the ceiling. It stood taller than either of them. Beside the door was some sort of system with square buttons on a board, infront of it a large screen in a box. She had no idea what it meant or what to do.
Glacier took a glance back at Orgin, she was tense and she knew it. She gave a nervous smile to her.

“Hey, don’t worry, when we get out of here we’ll finally get to travel together.
You’d like that Huh?”

Behind them another noise of scrapping. A menacing shadow above the two dragons. Right behind Glacier, it stood holding a sword or something like one in its metal hand.

 

[Thanny]

Originmaw renewed herself when Glacier had spoken up, relief flowing over her tensed nerves at the relaxing subject of her dream of travelling. A smile flickered across her lips at the thought of going to distant mountains and discovering different towns, but nothing that can last because she saw it, or at least its shadow. The sharp and angular outline of the moving destroyer of life brought an unspeakable dread to her as she saw the new shadow wash over Glacier's and hers.

"Watch out!" called out Astrid loudly from further down the rows, and Origin could hear both of their footfalls as the two guards started approaching.

Feeling that she did not have much time to react, the civilian brandished her roots and had them pop free from their restraining earth in loud crunches. She attempted to get between the monstrous machine and Glacier, praying that if it decided to attack that it would not hit her friend. These winding roots should be able to prevent most threats from getting close to her, but it could only defend against cutting attacks and was not strong at blocking a thrust except for binding the blade.

 

[Dragonborn1]

Originmaw renewed herself when Glacier had spoken up, relief flowing over her tensed nerves at the relaxing subject of her dream of travelling. A smile flickered across her lips at the thought of going to distant mountains and discovering different towns, but nothing that can last because she saw it, or at least its shadow. The sharp and angular outline of the moving destroyer of life brought an unspeakable dread to her as she saw the new shadow wash over Glacier's and hers.

"Watch out!" called out Astrid loudly from further down the rows, and Origin could hear both of their footfalls as the two guards started approaching.

Feeling that she did not have much time to react, the civilian brandished her roots and had them pop free from their restraining earth in loud crunches. She attempted to get between the monstrous machine and Glacier, praying that if it decided to attack that it would not hit her friend. These winding roots should be able to prevent most threats from getting close to her, but it could only defend against cutting attacks and was not strong at blocking a thrust except for binding the blade.

“You’re in v-violation of tre-tres-trespassing…trespassers will be el-elimin-ated”

The automaton stated with a twitch. It leaped down from the shelf but did not safely land. It was tackled by Glacier,it was slammed into the rack. Grabbing it by the neck it raised its blade the dragon grabbing it trying to wrench the weapon from its hand. The automaton’s free arm gave a powerful punch to her stomach the blade ready to swing downward.

Glacier dodged out of its way. Delivering her own punch to its head. She screamed in pain the punch hurting her more that it. Her opponent approached swinging the blade wildly from side to side then giving the blade a thrust forward.

 

[Thanny]

Astrid and Chiron, not quick enough to catch the automaton before it jumped to attack Glacier and Origin, managed to rush in for the assist, adrenaline kicking in and overwhelming the fear response.

Astrid aimed to catch the enemy's blade with her swordcatcher, attempting to snag the weapon and prevent the machine from pulling it back with forceful movements.

Chiron tried a different approach. While Astrid did her thing, he tried to sneak in an attack from the rear of the enemy, with aimed, angular blows for the the weaknesses of its neckline, thinking it more dragon than anything mechanical. In his haste, he did not bother to assess whether this would work on anything other than the living. He merely wanted it dead and gone.

Origin looked on as Glacier fought this thing, hesitant to jump in when she did not have the training for any of this, but when she saw Glacier get her hand hurt and forced to defend she charged in, trying to knock the automaton to the ground with a full-body shove with her elbow. The branched roots would provide some protection if it attempted to attack her, but metal was far more superior. A few blows in machete-like fashion would easily destroy the roots.

 

[Dragonborn1]

Astrid and Chiron, not quick enough to catch the automaton before it jumped to attack Glacier and Origin, managed to rush in for the assist, adrenaline kicking in and overwhelming the fear response.

Astrid aimed to catch the enemy's blade with her swordcatcher, attempting to snag the weapon and prevent the machine from pulling it back with forceful movements.

Chiron tried a different approach. While Astrid did her thing, he tried to sneak in an attack from the rear of the enemy, with aimed, angular blows for the the weaknesses of its neckline, thinking it more dragon than anything mechanical. In his haste, he did not bother to assess whether this would work on anything other than the living. He merely wanted it dead and gone.

Origin looked on as Glacier fought this thing, hesitant to jump in when she did not have the training for any of this, but when she saw Glacier get her hand hurt and forced to defend she charged in, trying to knock the automaton to the ground with a full-body shove with her elbow. The branched roots would provide some protection if it attempted to attack her, but metal was far more superior. A few blows in machete-like fashion would easily destroy the roots.

The automaton’s sword was caught. It pulled attempting to slice at Glacier.
“Automaton #180479 in need of assistance.”

The cuts made on the thing did not go as Chiron planned. It bounced off leaving only sparks and scratches on the metal plating. The single blow from Origin stumbled the metal beast but didn’t knock it over. It slashed at the roots,before grabbing Origin by her neck and raising her up.


Behind them more automatons have activated and are about to surround them.
“Origin!”
Glacier grabbed the automatons arm trying to make it let her go. Her next attempt was kicking it in the thin legs it had. Then forcibly rip its head off..

 

[Thanny]

Chiron's eyes narrowed at the sight of his weapon only scratching at the creature and not making any progress, even thoigh the blade was honed quite sharply. What is this thing made of? he wondered. Perhaps it bounced off armour, or was it all this solid? He will have to come up with a different option.

Origin choked as the automaton's arm ensnared her throat, raising her high above the ground. Glacier came in to support her, but she was not without defense herself even in this state. Originmaw tried her best to position her lower body so that she could help Glacier by kicking it in the chest or torso with her powerful legs, striving to get free or at the least topple the machine. If escaping from its clutches, she would get to her feet and try to hold the mechanical being to the floor, pinning the sword arm as best as she was able. She fought to control her breathing and the thing below her, and doing both was a struggle when one has an bruised throat.

Chiron next stepped up to the plate, assisting Glacier in trying to tear its head from its body. Perhaps with two bodies it would be easier.

Astrid, when she had caught the enemy's weapon, rejoiced at the momentary victory, but the joy did not last for long. New automatons joined the battle, and she now worried about them rather than the one her companions, especially Glacier, had been whittling down. She will stave off the opposition as long as she is able to allow the others time.

((One more turn until Snapjaw returns or resistance interjects?))