Graded [Frontier] - Amidst the Memories They Once Had - Escape from the Madman

[upscalerat]

CODE BY SEROBLISS

Kyra Graves

Grade E | Human | Envoy of Ancient Dragon Crysanthara

Branches whipped at her limbs as they ran through the forest, and Kyra was exhausted- but it didn't matter. The moments may have felt like hours, but it didn't matter; Eeriel eventually led them past a treeline, and into a village, into something that was- well, maybe it wasn't more safe than the woods had been, but it was something far more comforting. Once they had emerged, Kyra saw Suwa playing her instrument again, and sighed in relief. She squeezed Lauren's hand tightly, and only realized when the cold metal bit into her skin that her companion might not have been able to feel the gesture. She corrected the action by hugging the other woman, relief palpable in her ragged breaths.

"Christ," she murmured, not quite cognizant that the name was likely meaningless in this world, "I was sure we were done for there." It took a moment for her mind to truly catch up with the situation: she and Lauren had followed Eeriel to the village and found Suwa and Walnet, but where was Solaris? Weren't the monsters still approaching? They hadn't seen their rescuers since they had left the labyrinth- had they been doomed? Were they all doomed?

With wide eyes, Kyra drew away from Lauren, and looked towards the closest villagers. "There's..." She felt a hard, dry lump in her throat. How was she supposed to aptly warn these people? Her eyes grew bleary; an attempt at tearing up, she was sure, without the resources to spare to make it happen. She swallowed, hard, and tried again. "There are ruins out there- and there's evil things coming out of it. You need to evacuate!" If they were lucky, the sound of Suwa's playing and of the villagers moving to flee the impending robots could attract Solaris yet. Kyra didn't want to consider what being unlucky would entail, but looked back out at the woods with foreboding, never letting go of Lauren's hand.

 

[Parrot Parfait]

Suwa
As Suwa was guided closer to the village, a worry ate at her heart as she continued walking through the forest, her tune dying down from a frantic song to a somber, eerie tune. When they finally arrived at the village, she ceased not playing to lament her companions, still clinging onto the hope they somehow found their way back to the village. After being ignorant of the suspicious whispers of the villagers, Suwa heard familiar voices. Immediately, she stopped her playing and turned to face the companions that were left from their flight.

"You're safe!" Suwa chirped joyfully. She felt immediate relief, but within a few moments, she realized someone was missing. "But where's Solaris?" Suwa didn't need an answer. She guessed Solaris was also separated from the group. Suwa grew silent as she realized there was nothing she nor anyone could do but imagine Solaris's safety.

When Kyra reminded everyone the machines were still out there, Suwa realized she'd forgotten about the imminent danger. These villagers were in danger, and the looming danger needed to be conveyed to everyone. Still unaware of the villagers suspicions, Suwa lifted her Biwa to begin singing. However, before she did, she remembered Walnut's prudence, and first turned to him for counsel.

"Walnut, I want to sing about the dangers to warn the villagers, but I wanted to ask you first before doing so. I trust you more than myself on the matters of danger... May I?" Suwa asked Walnut, fully ready to follow whatever he suggested.

Spoiler: If Walnut Says Yes

Suwa uses her [A Personal Retelling - Grade F] in order to alarm the villagers of the machines.

Spoiler: If Walnut says no

Suwa decides to follow the lead of the group instead of acting alone.

 

[II-CinderRadcliff-II]

TRAVERSING SOMEWHERE

Lauren was quick to give a sigh of relief that Eeriel had successfully lead them to the village, too busy on thinking about what their next step is to hear the hushed gossip about them. However, she did catch the question Eeriel tossed her way... Was Eins really dead? She wanted to believe that he was due to the memories about Lilan, but with some of her memories having seemingly become outdated she couldn't be sure. Regardless, they'd very likely find out in the future whether or not he kicked the bucket, though for her own ease of mind she hoped that the monster he had become was truly dead.
"I wish I could say for certain that he is, but right now all I can do to keep what little composure I have is believe that he is." Lauren spoke softly to Eeriel as they approached Suwa, the muscles in her left arm trembling enough to be visible. She had to believe that he died in the ruins, because otherwise... She glanced back to the forest to try and see if Solaris was close to arriving, seeing only the buildings at the edge of town and a sea of trees. "I'm hoping Solaris is still alive out there..." Lauren added in a quieter tone, looking towards Suwa and Walnut as they finally reconvened with her and their companion.

For the moment their group of four and Walnut was gathered in a safe space, though how long the village would remain safe was what concerned her and the others. Lauren knew that the more distance they put between them and the monsters the better, looking towards Kyra as she tried warning the villagers of the looming threat. She could see Suwa had the same idea, though they decided to talk to her companion for a second opinion. Despite her desperation to escape she decided to wait to see if their attempts worked, though leaving all of their fates up to the decision of the village didn't sit well with her. Her eyes took in their surroundings to see if a wagon was in sight, though she didn't see any within view. Turning to Kyra and the others she decided to speak her mind.
"I'd be fine with sticking around to try and convince the village to evacuate if it weren't for the fact that we're probably still being chased, so it might be a better idea to find a wagon and start putting distance between us and that hoard of monsters." Lauren spoke up rather loudly in an anxious tone, aiming to convince them to leave while also informing the townsfolk within earshot of what's to come. "We've come so far already, and it all would be in vain if they caught us again - or worse we get dissected like lab rats and turned into 'those'..." Lauren paused for a moment as she felt herself trembling uncontrollably, fear and sorrow plastered on her face as the horrors of one of her memories began to play out in her head. The sight of all of the bodies littering the ground made her sick to her stomach, recalling the smell of burning flesh and the taste of mud. She was practically reliving the memory of the screams of her friends and comrades as they were mercilessly slaughtered, as the recent horrors of the ruins eerily matched the memory her host had of a war they had participated in... And that war had ended up taking both of her legs and her right arm. As she snapped back to reality she tried wiping away the tears flowing down her eyes, only for more to fall in their place. "We've already lost Solaris in the chaos, and I'm afraid that this second chance at life will have been wasted if the hoard catches up and corners us... If you need me, I'll start searching for a wagon. It's going to be a long travel to Ryke, and I don't have the strength or winter clothes to walk on foot." Lauren finished speaking her mind before turning away from the others, slowly walking away to try and find a wagon they could use to start their travels.

Novama Parrot Parfait upscalerat DarkKitsune Spoiled Bread

IN ISEKAI HELL

 

[Novama]

Mentions: II-CinderRadcliff-II upscalerat DarkKitsune Parrot Parfait Spoiled Bread
OOC: good job making it to the end. Grades to come.
Time: evening
Weather: freezing
Cooldown:
TLDR: the end
Post Listening:

Village

​

As the village murmured with the aftermath of the travelers' arrival, the air was thick with tension and anticipation. Walnut, ever the protective companion to his mistress Suwa, nodded solemnly in response to her intent to use her music to warn the villagers. "Do what you must, mistress Suwa," he said, his deep voice laced with the gravity of their situation. "But let us be swift; danger lurks closer than we think." His beastman instincts, sharp and unerring, sensed the encroaching peril even amidst the relative safety of the village. His hairs stood on end, sensing something.

Lauren would be able to rally those willing to depart with her in search of a wagon. The search was frantic but fruitful; they found an old but sturdy wagon at the edge of the village, ready to embark on the arduous journey to Ryke. As they prepared to leave, the villagers watched with a mix of awe and apprehension, their whispers fading into the cold air. The travelers' departure was marked by a sense of urgency, a collective understanding that to linger was to invite doom. Most villages would not leave, however. The village was all most of them had.

Meanwhile, Solaris's plight only grew in despair. The biomechanical monsters, relentless in their pursuit, cornered her in an open clearing. Exhausted, injured, and with nowhere left to run, she faced her end. Her last fireball was well timed and properly located to damage one of the lumbering machines closing in on her. However, another one of the creatures closed in and raised its club for the final blow. Time seemed to slow and Solaris's memories passed before her eyes, but then the air charged with a palpable tension.

Seemingly stepping out of nowhere, a figure appeared—a dark-skinned fae with long silver hair, dressed in a dark business suit, his eyes and crystal flower catalyst glowing with a violet light. It was Malik, the person Solaris and the others had met and lost within the labyrinth. With a fluid motion, he unleashed a wave of pink magic that knocked the horde of hybrid machine creatures unconscious and the horde fell backward like a sea of dominos. "This almost turned into a bit of bad business," Malik quipped, his voice carrying a note of amusement amidst the chaos. He then turned his attention away from Solaris, calling out to unseen allies, "Clean this mess up, will you? We've got a guest to attend to."

As darkness claimed her, Solaris's last sight was of Malik appraising the experimental creatures that littered the forest.

Solaris would awake to the sounds of the village. The nightmare of the chase, the fear of imminent death, all would be like distant memories, yet the sense of danger would linger. The mechanical menace that had pursued the party so relentlessly was nowhere to be seen. The village was never attacked by what the party had warned them of. Solaris would assume it was resolved by Malik's intervention unless she thought it all a dream.

But peace was a fragile thing. Unbeknownst to the party, mechanical eyes watched them from afar, hidden within the dense foliage surrounding the village. A wheeze, malicious and inhuman, echoed quietly. The laughter, devoid of joy, hinted at unseen forces still at play, biding their time until their next move. The village, for all its tranquility, was not a haven but a temporary respite in a world that harbored darkness in its shadows.

The End



​

 

[Novama]

Isekai Hell Grade​

Novama DarkKitsune II-CinderRadcliff-II Orikanyo Parrot Parfait Spoiled Bread Uasal upscalerat

Wake up in a dark dingy place? Hunted by something dangerous? Running against overwhelming odds? Splitting up and reckless heroism? Feels like most of the pieces came together. A start for stuff and things, but clearly not yet done. Thanks for the invader assistance Good job most of you getting to the end. Hopefully, it was somewhat educational on some elements of the system too despite it not really being focused on teaching mechanics.

Aftermath:
N/A

Points

Malik - 76pts
optional asset acquired [F grade Ruin] - came into sudden possession of a ruin in eastern ryke/western east empire wilderness. bit of a fixer upper. prior tenants need cleaned out.

Solaris - 84pts

Lauren - 80pts
optional title acquired [Survivor] - You have seen and experienced terrible events, being lost even. You have clawed your way out of the pits of death, to people they see you as a strong person, a survivor.

Ko - 7pts
optional asset acquired [Merchant guild +1 faction renown] - character is associated with a member of the merchant's guild.

Suwa - 26pts

Kyra - 40pts

Nox - 14pts
optional asset acquired [Merchant guild +1 faction renown] - character is associated with a member of the merchant's guild.

Eeriel - 28pts
optional title acquired [Kitty] - cat do cat things.