Dice Our Shenanigans

[Katsuya]

- Katulu Camp -
"Ravine Ruins, Heart of Windshear Mountains "​

“One is coming. The head felt my magic.” Isa whispered, urging Moss to follow him and they hid behind a pillar. They stayed quiet as the looming shadow came inside and searched without a light. This is their chance to—- but as the redhead was about to point Moss to the exit, he spotted the charred bone staff. His frown deepened into a silent snarl as his eyes glued to the green soul stone inside.

He has to think. As much as he would love to grab that staff, the pair has their own agendas to attend to. They can’t exactly just go in to use the forge either; Isa doubted the Kutulus and whatever the head honcho is, will share any of the forges. He can’t help but wonder though: why are a bunch of kutulu creatures doing up in the mountains to have enslaved drows dig in the ruins? There was something important here that they are after and Isa is curious as to what.

He still needs to use that forge and grab a ragnite though-!

Thinking it might be safer to stay where they are, Isa waited until the scarred Kutulu being left the cave. Staying still and quiet until they know for sure, it wouldn’t hear the pair talk.

”. . . Stealing a ragnite would do, but I don’t know how to use the forges without the head honcho being on to us.” Isa told Moss his findings, including how every kutulu is connected through some spiderweb link in their minds and the strong link of all is inside of the spider automaton. “It felt like it was one of the demons in the Badlands, old and malicious. It would be bad if we got caught by it.”

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Katulu Camp -
"Ravine Ruins, Heart of Windshear Mountains "​

"Can you use your magic to look like one of the drows? Maybe then you can use their forge?" whispered Moss when the coast was clear. "I can, well, try to sneak in, look for extra ragnite, or if worse comes to worse, I can try to take out one of those clockwork bulls?"

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Katulu Camp -
"Ravine Ruins, Heart of Windshear Mountains "​

Isa pondered at the idea. “I can try, but the head felt my magic. It might know that I’m an intruder the moment it searches again.” The plan wasn’t a bad one.

“Well . . . This is better than not do anything. Shall we get going? How do we signal each other if we got what we need?” He asked.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Katulu Camp -
"Ravine Ruins, Heart of Windshear Mountains "​

"Hmmm, can you conceal your magic?" said Moss. "That'll make it harder for them to spot you, and you can send me a message. As for me
. . . " He crawled back out towards the ledge and looked about. "There. Those lanterns hanging at the front of that slanting ruined building with wings engravings on the stone wall to the northeast, if you see a red cloth tied on the lamps or a cloth tied here on the ledge, it means I got the ragnite. If there's no cloth by morning then it means something went wrong on my end."

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Katulu Camp -
"Ravine Ruins, Heart of Windshear Mountains "​

Crawling behind him to see where he is pointing at, Isa nodded. “Yea, I can. Alright, we have a plan then.” Then he patted his shoulder gently as he took a deep breath.

”Come back alive, okay? I’ll do the same.” His voice trembled a bit. Very worried, but determined to continue.

And so the plan begins...

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Katulu Camp -
"Ravine Ruins, Heart of Windshear Mountains "​

"Yeah, don't worry, Isa, I got this." He smiled confidently. He left behind most of the things in his bag, carrying only his battle gear, Isa's toolkit, a few light essentials, and burrying the rest in the cave. He watched the red head take on the guise of a drow, memorizing his ilusory face and clothes, before letting his friend go down the ravine first. Then he followed.

Isa passed on unchallenged and unnoticed among the scores of ragged, emaciated slaves. The drows were sluggish, muttering incoherently to themselves, and looking off into the distance as though dazed. They smelled and their silver hair were disheveled, thinning. Every now and then a katulu with a staff would sieze a slave, yank up their heads and glare into their eyes. They would shove them back with the others, but sometimes, there would be a drow who would struggle and fight, only for the katulu's green staff to glow, hissing out a green ethereal smoke that the katulu would inhale, and then it would wrap its tentacles around the drow's muffled screaming face, then release it, green smoke trailing from the mouths of the drows, their eyes blank and dazed just like the rest, before they are shoved back to the rest of the slaves, no longer fighting just sluggish.

It wasn't hard to find a forge. Near the bridge were dozens of them, stone smelters bellowing huge stacks of smoke as drows hammered and shaped metal into what looked like weaponized mechanical spider limbs. Isa was able to slip among them, take their tools without contest and use their own steel to forge parts for the portal.

The sunset turned to night, and at around ten in the evening, Isa was finished. It seemed that the drows and the katulus were nocturnal, as they showed no signs of sleeping, and mostly used the fires to warm up or fill the air with hot steam. It did little to stave off the snow and cold wind from the Windshear Mountains, but it was something.

It was almost time for Isa's illusion spell to run out. If he checked the lanterns Moss had pointed at earlier or the ledge, he would see that there was no red cloth there.

Katsuya

Spoiler: Isa Gains

• x2 Portal Parts
• x33 Metal
• x1 Toolbox
• x1 Clockwork Parts

 

[Katsuya]

- Katulu Camp -
"Ravine Ruins, Heart of Windshear Mountains "​

The female Drow sighed in relief when she managed to hide within the crowd, acting as if she was dazed like the rest. Having a short distance to reach the forge and started to hammer away the pieces the pair needed, Isa carefully not looked at the ever watchful —-sarcasm included—- floating kutulus. Just as five hours past, she slipped past the guards and hid within the ever growing shadows. She ate a piece of jerky as she rested for an hour, staying still as to not alarm anybody, and continued to wince at the disturbing sight of kutulus hypnotizing the poor drows.

With her second piece done, Isa packed them, a few more metals, and tools in her bag; then left to search for the merman’s signals. To her horror, there was no red cloth. As she was searching for Moss, carefully keeping her head down, she heard a loud commotion by the bridge. Screeches from the guards lets her know that it’s something big for more to float over in one spot and so, she followed. That’s where she spotted Moss.

Crazy, crazy Moss, riding on a wild mechanical bull with the kutulus trying to stop him. Her eyes narrowed. Her full lips stretched into a familiar devilish smirk as she became ashes and blue flames, appearing next to Moss, and growled-

“SURPRISE!”

BANG! CRAKLE! POP!

Flashes of white blinded, the loud noises deafened, and Isa saw what Moss was doing. Her eyes widening in fear and desperation and her smirk grew wider. Almost menacingly. He is planning to fall of the cliff.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Katulu Camp -
"Ravine Ruins, Heart of Windshear Mountains "​

Moss looked so happy to see him, surrounded by all the shrieking floating katulus that clenched their eyes in pain. Then he hauled the bull down with him off the cliff.

The blinded tentacle-faced monsters tried to follow them, two bumped into each other, screeching angrily, bursts of venom green fire shooting out of their staffs, whooshing past the two men's heads and bursting upon the icy cliff face; wind rushing past his ears, Moss wrapped his legs around the falling clockwork bull and tried to yank and pry the metal off as they spun like pinwheels down, down the dark abyss.

"Argh! I can't get it out, Isa!" he yelled in frustration.

The jagged river was coming closer, closer ---

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Katulu Camp -
"Ravine Ruins, Heart of Windshear Mountains "​

Hearing the roaring crashes of the river coming closer, Isa squeezed Moss’ waist and yelled. “Later then!”

Feeling a familiar heat wrapping itself around them, the merman will see that they tumbled on the banks of the river just as the bull splashed into the waters. The trembling redhead lets his disguise burn away, face digging into his back. Moss can feel Isa’s heart pounding hard against his back.

“ . . . A-are you okay, Moss?” Isa asked quietly, barely audible from the river currents.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Katulu Camp -
"Ravine Ruins, Heart of Windshear Mountains "​

"No, I almost died!" said Moss. His hand touching Isa's arm, it was shaking too, and his heart was thumping hard as well. Upon closer inspection, Moss smelled like cooked shrimp and blood was spreading from cuts through his pants and a stinging burn on his shoulder. He looked over the dark river, the bull had not come bobbing up, it had likely sunk down the bottom."O! They're coming, we have to hide!" he whispered as the dark silhouettes of the katulus, no longer blind now, came quickly floating down towards the bottom, their tentacles writhing angrily.

And he urged Isa up and away into the shadows and rocks.

There were now a dozen of them, floating over the river, looking for them.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Katulu Camp -
"Ravine Ruins, Heart of Windshear Mountains "​

Isa nodded and stood up, helping Moss get up so they can slink into the shadows. Hiding behind the rocks. The redhead placed Moss to sit up and against one of the rocks, before sitting close. Shoulder to shoulder as he peeked over his hiding spot to watch the angry silhouettes hover over the river. He couldn’t stop trembling, curling his fingers into fists.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Katulu Camp -
"Ravine Ruins, Heart of Windshear Mountains "​

Moss stowed his shield behind his back, and drew out his seraph blades. He was kneeling at a crouch next to Isa, ready to strike out if any of the katulus came close. He noticed his trembling, and gave him a bracing one-armed hug. "We'll be alright." he whispered. "Let's wait until they move on?"

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Katulu Camp -
"Ravine Ruins, Heart of Windshear Mountains "​

“O-okay.” Isa whispered back, slightly leaning in the hug before leaning back. He took out his staff, ready to blind any of the Kutulus that might approach them. He waited until the angry figures left, leaving the wounded pair on the bank.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- 3 Days Later -
"Frozen Mine, Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains "​

The wait was long. Night turned into morning, and still the monsters were still looking for them. Moss kept whispering encouragements to Isa, putting an arm around his shoulder, and humming-whispering songs from the sea. The second night came, and still there was a guard floating around keeping watch above them, but on the third day a blizzard struck, and for the first time Moss was grateful, for the tentacled katulus retreated to take shelter from the harsh cold.

Here was their opportunity. Moss braved the blizzard and the waters that were now too cold even for him to bear, and he came back to Isa, shivering, but grinning wide, the ragnite core in his hands, and a clockwork gear that was exactly what Isa needed to complete the parts for the portal.

The two hiked through the blizzard. They followed the river, far, far away from the katulu camp, then spent another day circling back around the entire mountain to get back to their camp.

Relief, sweet relief flooded Moss when he saw the portal ruins, and they trudged back to their warm camp in the mines, where Smoky lay undisturbed under the stairs. Moss just flopped onto the floor and fell asleep immediately. That night, he ventured back into the mines, making his careful way through the river where he and Isa had fallen, fought his way around the bone pit, then retrieved the stuff that he left behind from the ledge, and then returned to camp safe and sound.

It was now the morning of the third day since they escaped the katulus, and Moss was just sleeping heavily on his cot, bruised and burned from their adventures, but healed and healthy.

Spoiler: Team Gained

• x1 Ragnite Core
• x1 Portal Parts

 

[Katsuya]

- 3 Days Later -
"Frozen Mine, Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains "​

When they reached their camp site, Isa stiffly rolled out their sleeping bags and princess-carried the sleeping Moss to his; tucking the merman in before starting a fire nearby. Coughing quietly as he searched and took the oriental teapot to fill it up with water in hopes to make warm tea. They need it. He needs it. The blizzard was freezing for the redhead and Moss made sure he continued to walk through the storm with comforting words of brewing hot tea. “We’re almost there! Push through, Isa!” And Isa clung to every word Moss said.

He couldn’t be more happier to be warm again and more grateful towards Moss.

The next time Moss woke up, there was a torn purple cloth wrapped around his bleeding leg; gentle pressure but firm enough for the cloth to not move around. Isa’s coat folded and underneath his head like a pillow as the redhead dazedly sat close to the fire. Just playing around with the sparks that eventually jump out of the flames with his bare hands. It was like watching a pen twirl around the fingers, but without the pen. The night Moss left to search for their items, Isa covered himself with his sleeping bag, checking on the dinner that he is making. He watched Moss’ method and thought of trying it out himself. Surprise the merman with something warm when he comes back, is what Isa thought.

The first thing Moss heard was Isa’s scratchy voice. “Welcome back, Moss.” He smiled, cheeks flushed pink. After finishing dinner, the redhead fell asleep, coughing a few times. He woke up sweating when it was his turn to night watch.

The next morning, Isa is watching over the camp fire, waiting for Moss to wake up. He had placed a cooling wet purple cloth over Moss’ burns so it would sting less. He was drinking hot tea as he waited on breakfast to finish cooking. Trying to keep his cough down, once again covered by his sleeping bag as he played with the fire’s sparks.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Frozen Mine -
"Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains "

Spoiler: Campfire

His hands were numbed frozen, the roar of the rushing river all around him, as he braced himself against the black bedrocks and pushed against the current, prying apart the metal ribs of the clockwork bull underwater. . .

Moss shivered uncontrollably, as he reached inside, feeling for the ragnite core. A sudden shock of electricity --- bubbles escaped his mouth; he lost his hold on the omnitool, then he dived, alarmed, feeling for it on the river bed.

No, no, no, where is it? Time stretched, Moss started to despair. He couldn't find it. Did it get washed downstream? He swam along the currents, grasping the rocks so that he wouldn't be swept away.

Then he saw something, a fleck of gold, a familiar amber ethereal tail swishing behind a rock. He followed it, and there behind the rock was the omnitool . . .

Moss' eyes blinked awake. He felt something soothingly soft and cool around his shoulders. His pillow smelled like Isa, and the scent of roasting meat wafted by.

Isa was gently draped with his purple coat. "Good morning --- or is it afternoon? --- filos mou." Moss hand ruffled his hair. He sat beside him, yawning, pouring himself some tea. "You're making breakfast!" He exclaimed pleasantly. "How's your cough?"

Yesterday, Moss was surprised that Isa had been taking care of him, though not that surprised, since he knew Isa is a caring person. He remembered he fell asleep on the hard floor not on his plush sleeping bag and wondered if Isa carried him and tucked him in bed too. His cheeks reddened at the memory, and a trying-to-deny smile grew unbidden. He immediately tried to frown, casually avoiding eye contact with Isa and focusing on his tea.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Frozen Mine -
"Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains "​

His ‘pillow’ smelled like oil, smoky Pete, and a hint of ... oranges? The redhead must have cleaned his coat before giving it to Moss as a pillow.

“Hm?” Isa twitched, dazed eyes becoming clear again as he heard Moss’ voice breaking the silence; surprised to feel and see the tanned fur of his hooded coat. He looked at Moss and smiled as the taller ruffled his hair. “Good mor- *coughs* morning. It’s late morning, not that I blame ya for sleeping so much. You did a lot.”

The redhead chuckled as his fingers spun around the sparks between his fingers, peering at the cooking pot. “Yep! Thought maybe you should take a break after yesterday and the day before. You need it. I’ll handle the cooking—- my cough is the same as yesterday: annoying.”

”How’s your burns?” He coughed after asking. “How did you get them anyways? I didn’t see you have burns before we fell off the cliff.” Was his eyesight going bad or was the escape so stressful that he hadn’t noticed until now? Regardless, Isa is happy that Moss is doing better, moving around and such. The redhead focused on the sparks he’s playing with, breathing on it to watch it spark brighter like it was annoyed and he chuckled at the thought. Then he peeked at Moss and chuckled again, coughing through his laughter.

“Y-you look constipated! Hahah- *cough cough!*”

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Frozen Mine -
"Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains "​

'Constipated for you.' thought Moss. He immediately flung that ridiculous thought away. "What? No, I . . . I just. I had a dream." And the redness on his cheeks faded as he told Isa about seeing the ghostly amber tail. " I thought it was dappling sunlight then, but on hindsight it looked like the dorudon's tail. I think she helped me."

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Frozen Mine -
"Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains "​

“A dream?” He asked curiously. The dancing sparks faded away as Isa lowered his hands on his crossed legs, paying rapt attention to Moss as he described his dream. At first, the redhead frowned at how he gained his burns, guilty for being useless and not being able to swim or resist the cold well. His sad eyes stayed at the burns until the merman mentioned seeing a golden trail of light.

His worried frown softened to a tender smile, a corner of his lips curving up more than the other. His cheeks flushed pink and plumped. His mysterious deep blue eyes gleamed warmly from the fire pit, contrasting pale orange and shining bright. Head tilted to the right similar to a puppy. His wild red hair swayed gently from the fire’s heat.

“She wanted to thank you.” Isa said in a silent awe and relief, relaxing under his cocoon of comfort. “For freeing her spirit from the stone. I wouldn’t be surprised if she decided to be your spirit guide in your journey.” His smile grew.

”If she is your spirit guide, you will be seeing her in your dreams again. Be it by warnings, showing you an important item or person, or advising you to take a certain path.“ Then he reached out to wrap an arm around Moss’ shoulders, squeezing him close—- their heads bumped lightly. “Congratulations, Moss.“

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Frozen Mine -
"Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains "​

Moss blushed furiously, looking away from Isa. Panic, panic, panic, but this wasn't so bad, having Isa this close to his face. Wait, wait, no, he's so obvious like smoky backfiring --- don't be obvious! He did not know what to do, he should have prepared for this. "Thanks, I'm Isa too, glad --- I mean, I'm glad too, Isa." he clapped a hand to his forehead. "I'll take your offer on that break." he stood up quickly and walked over to rummage in his bag, his back facing Isa.

"But not so much that it'll make your cough worse, alright?" said Moss, busily moving things around his bag for no reason. "Ah, and the burns. So, I was sneaking behind the bull we got the ragnite from and I didn't see that there were four Khlûl′-hloo underneath those wooden ladders between the quarry and that pit where they caged the rest of those poor drows, and next thing I knew I got hit by three firebolts right here!" he emphasized his shoulder where Isa's purple cloth was tied. "My eyebrows got singed!"

He shook his head, remembered something, then chuckled. "When they caught me, they were speaking freely, thinking I didn't understand them, and they were wondering how to kill me best. One of them suggested hanging me, or infecting me with a disease and watch me die slowly, and I said in Sindarin: 'That depends on whether I'd like to embrace your principles or your Theosebia.' I think they didn't get it, but at the mention of their master, they got mad." he smirked.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Frozen Mine -
"Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains "​

His brows rose, staring at Moss as he facepalmed himself, watching as the merman’s neck turned red. He can tell that Moss’ face went red too. Then Isa stuffed his face into his furred hood, muffling his laughter and coughs. He felt Moss move away from his one arm hug. “I’m Moss too, glad—- heheheh!”

Ahh~ he couldn’t help it~ Moss was so cute-

The thought made Isa glance over to Moss’ back. Once again, dazed as memories flooded his mind. He really couldn’t help this feeling, could he? Taking a deep breath, the redhead nuzzled his face back into the fur. His pointed ears turned red as he listened to Moss’ tale and-

Isa snapped his head up, eyes wide with furrowed brows. Clear anger and worry morphed on his face. “They were suggesting to do that to you?” He growled, sounding feral. Not realizing a hint of sickly bright yellow vein appeared within his indigo blues. “They didn’t do anything else to you, did they?” Sleeping bag and coat fell off his shoulders as he stood to mildly jog over to Moss before crouching down. Hands pulling out Moss’ arms and holding onto them to check if there’s any other injury, a tiny sign of a needle, or a cut—- anything that is out of place.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Frozen Mine -
"Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains "​

Moss' looked back at Isa surprised. His shoulder burn looked like it was healing alright. Isa's tending to it had helped greatly, what was an angry welt before was now turning pink and shiny.

"Apart from trying to kill me, nada~" said Moss distractedly. He bent to to look at Isa more closely. "Isa, your eyes? A yellow vein is popping."

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Frozen Mine -
"Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains "​

Isa‘s quiet snarls soothed over when he didn’t see anything off, pleased that Moss’ burns are recovering. Gently caressing the sensitive edges with a dark thumb as if to comfort the overridden nerves. Unlike his own disgusting scars, the merman’s pink ones will eventually disappear within time. Then Moss looked at him closely, causing him to flinch back; surprised. Didn’t the merman dislike too-close head contact? What is he- oh . . .

His companion had a good look of the yellow vein, a single strand cracking across the indigo color with a smaller arm going in a different direction. Like a tree’s branch having thinner branches or fissure under water and revealing the magma below.

The redhead immediately shut his eyes, grinning wide and tense. “I’m sorry if that scared you, my anger just- well . . .” Isa cleared his scratchy throat, turning his head to the side. Trying to think of what to say about the yellow in his eyes as he coughed. Moss did say he’ll accept him. He did-! But still, the teen hesitated, opening his lips for a moment before closing them.

“I got angry.” He lamely added, knowing full well that he had repeated.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Frozen Mine -
"Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains "​

Moss looked at Isa for a while, then placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's alright, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to, Isa." he smiled. "You can tell me no in anything. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable around me."

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Frozen Mine -
"Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains "​

Isa turned his head towards Moss, revealing his wide eyes in his shock. Then his tense grin relaxed. Branching yellow mellowed and faded in the indigo blues. “I’m not uncomfortable around you. I’m just scared - tsk.” Frustrated with himself, he ruffled his own hair, tousling around as he explained.

”You already know about this-“ He raised his other scarred hand. “What you don’t know is that the yellowing in my eyes are a part of this. Demon miasma affects the brain through the air flow, thus your emotions too. It acts like an amplifier. So the angrier I get, the more feral I become. The dead giveaway to my anger is the yellowing in my eyes.“ Isa huffed.

”I can control my anger to an extent now.“ He muttered at the end.

Zer0