Fantasy Sorcery!!! (Completed)

[Yokai]

>> Continue <<
​

Shadowed waters stretched out from the treeline, a peaceful setting for rest that Aquila would have loved to enjoy and view. Unfortunately she had lost a lot of time by backtracking to Elthera's home and now she couldn't avoid to lose more. There were Serpents that needed to be hunted after all and her hunt was time sensitive if she wanted to stop them. Aquila sighed, having paused for a moment to enjoy the beautiful scenery before she turned away from the view and continued onwards.

 

[ArcticFox]

When she stepped back through the woods, a small red snake slithered in front of her. It looked very similar to the one she saw a day ago. It stopped in the path for a moment, then it turned around and rose its head a little. It looked like it was looking straight at Aquila. There was something intelligent in its eyes. Then it turned away and continued toward shrubbery off the path.

- Follow the snake.
- Continue on the path.

 

[Yokai]

>> Follow the snake <<​

Aquatic eyes followed the snake's journey as it ventured onto the path and into the foliage, it looked eerily similar to the red snake she'd witnessed before. An unusual intelligence had flashed in the creature's eyes when they'd locked gazes and it sparked Aquila's curiosity. She debated trailing after the reptile -- there were Serpents in these woods, after all -- but it looked so strangely familiar, and if it happened to be the same snake from before, well, then Aquila could hazard a guess that it was following her. With that in mind she stepped off from her original path and shadowed the small, crimson snake.

 

[ArcticFox]

The snake had slithered between tree trunks. The further Aquila approached it, the deeper into the Forest it went. When Aquila stopped to catch breath or if she lost sight of the snake, the creature would stop, raise its head again and wait for her. It was leading her somewhere.

Finally the crimson snake stopped in front of a thick trunk of a tree. Its branches were entwined, making an impenetrable roof above. In failing daylight Aquila could not see if anything was up there, but the snake slithered up the trunk, stopping a little way off the ground and looking back at Aquila. It very obviously wanted her to follow. There was a branch low enough for her to climb onto.

- Climb up the tree.
- Turn back.
- Cast a spell.

 

[Yokai]

>> Climb up the tree <<​

If Aquila had any reservations about following an unfamiliar snake through the woods, they were immediately discarded when it first stopped to wait for her. It quickly became clear that this creature was intentionally leading her somewhere, whether it could be trusted was another question. Still, Aquila's curiosity drove her forward until the snake ultimately led her to a large tree, which it subsequently began to ascend. Blue eyes flickered up to the canopy above, though the failing light provided little to no visual aid. Once again she'd be stepping into the unknown, though Aquila felt she'd already come too far to turn back. With soft, muted sigh she began to climb the lowest branch in order to scale the tree.

 

[ArcticFox]

The tree top illuminated as she climbed up. She could now see it, coiled around the trunk high up... a Serpent.

It hissed ferociously, its scales lighting up, fire unfolding around it like wings. Fire Serpent! It was a trap all along.

Aquila was reminded of Elthera's words - the best way to fight the Serpents was to use the spell opposite of its element. The Fire Serpent needed to be doused with something. She had no water spell, however, sand could be used just as effectively.

- Draw your sword.
- Cast a spell.
- Run.

 

[Yokai]

>> Cast a spell <<
​

Terror raced through the red head's veins at the sight of the Fire Serpent before her. Her fears that this had been a trap were suddenly proven correct and Aquila shuddered at the realization of the battle before her. And yet this was something she had to accomplish in order to move forward. This was part of her quest and one day she would need to overcome the Archmage, let alone his servants. There was little time to think about such matters however and instead Aquila reached for the only spell that could counter such a creature. Live sand: and she only had one of them so she'd better make it count. Aquila lashed out quickly, feeling for the strength and focus of her magic as she attacked first. She would suffocate it's flame in sand.

 

[ArcticFox]

As she threw the sand at the Serpent and murmured a spell, it started growing, enveloping the creature, dousing its fires. It shrieked in frustration more than pain, but its light died out quickly. With a lash of its tail, the Serpent pushed Aquila down from the branch, making her hit the ground painfully.

It leapt at her, though she was able to roll away from its path in the last second. Fire Serpent was on the ground now and would be easier to fight. It was also weakened and not so ferocious as before now that her fires were extinguished. It would take one good hit for Aquila to bring it down.

- Attack with the knife (Roll die, Difficulty 16, Bonus 3).
- Attack with the bow (Roll die, Difficulty 15, Bonus 4).

 

[Yokai]

>> Attack with the bow: Rolled 18 <<
​

The flames of the Fire Serpent were extinguished by the sands of her spell, dousing its power and leaving it vulnerable. But it was still fighting her, unlike the Moon Serpent which had been terrified by the battle this one continued to push forward. There was nothing to do other than to stand her ground. Once she had narrowly rolled to the side, and avoided the attack which had come for her, Aquila swiftly drew her bow. Naturally she fell into an archery stance, raised an arrow, aimed between the creature's eyes and let it fly.

 

[ArcticFox]

She managed to hit the Serpent, the tip of her arrow finding a way through the scales and to the soft tissue beneath. Aquila could see it burying into the flesh of the creature, just above its abdomen, as it tried to reach her with its clawed wings. It howled out and flapped its wings in one final try, sending Aquila stumbling backward. Then it toppled, its fires now completely gone.

With two Serpents dead, Aquila had six more to find. She knew the location of at least one and knew the weakness of one more. And she also had the orb with the Sun Serpent, which was rendered harmless, but still quite alive. She needed to figure out how to dispose of it.

She had the Beacon with her, which she could use at any point if she wanted to see the area as it once was and perhaps learn some more useful clues about her targets. That is, if she was able to find them.

- Go south, to the edge of the forest.
- Go north to the broken bridge.
- Use the Beacon.

 

[Yokai]

>> Go south, to the edge of the forest <<
​

Another Serpent had fallen at her hand, another servant of the Archmage and obstacle in her path had been eliminated. Aquila took a long moment to compose herself, blue eyes fixed on where the creature had met it's end as she leaned forward, palms pressed to the heights of her knees. That made two of the Serpents that she had killed, and that left five that she still needed to hunt down. Aquila took a deep breath and straightened up, brushed off her person, and recollected herself. She turned South, intending to continue in the direction that she had followed for the Air Serpent, and toward the possible temple that would offer some knowledge on the Serpents. Aquila still needed to be careful with her use of Beacon, attracting more unwanted attention wasn't on her priority list.

 

[ArcticFox]

She moved on between shadowy trees, until the Steppes appeared on the edge of the Forest. It was very dark now and her travel would be difficult, her progress slowed.

The first few stars appeared overhead. In front of Aquila stretched another plain, more rock and dust this time, built of layers and layers of stone, stacked like scattered papers. These were the Klatta-Bak Steppes - said to be the home of strange, half-human, half-Dwarf creatures. As she walked on she encountered a rare sight. A small village, huts made in a circle and villagers prowling around fires, dressed in animal skins.

The men and women looked strong and stocky. By the village's gate stood two burlier men with clubs - Klattamen they were called.

- Go into the village.
- Go around it.

 

[Yokai]

>> Go into the village <<
​

Vermilion hair was pushed back from curious eyes as Aquila peered into the night-drenched desert before her. While the darkness slowed her progress the sorcerer was glad for the absence of sun, the desert could be a harsh and merciless environment during the day. Behind her the forest loomed, a reminder of what she'd done and what lay ahead. If Aquila wanted to rest somewhere for the night she supposed it would be best to enter the village, though the less-than-desirable welcome she'd received from the Elves had made her wary. It was with this caution that she approached the village, tensed for a confrontation but undeniably curious, and a little bit awed, as she stared at the structures that rose from the barren sands.

 

[ArcticFox]

The two Klattamen guarding the entrance to the camp greeted her with nods. They did not speak anything, but one held out a hand to stop her. The man was about Aquila's eight, so not awfully short, but broad shouldered an stocky like a Dwarf would be. Their faces were wide and bearded and eyes small and sunken. Bright and intelligent, so they must have had a language, yet they still did not say anything to Aquila as one of the guards circled her, like he was doing an inspection.

After a couple of moments, seemingly satisfied, he nodded and the other guards waved her ahead, pointing to a big fire in the center, where an animal was a roasting on a spit.

The other villagers did not pay her much attention as she entered their settlement. Most of them were busy with their own work. There was a large cottage on one side with the sign of the anvil and hammer, a village's blacksmith. In the opposite direction she could see rows of hammocks stretched beneath the open sky, between wooden poles. Some were occupied, though most of them were empty. Could be a possible place to sleep.

- Go to the firepit.
- Go to the hammocks.
- Go to the blacksmith.

 

[Yokai]

>> Go to the firepit <<​

The settlement wasn't what Aquila had expected upon entry and she drifted inside with a quiet look of wonderment. The lack of attention given to her arrival was a welcome surprise, it wasn't often that the sorcerer was free to wander without the intrusive gaze of strangers. Almost immediately she was tempted to approach the blacksmith, the memory of her own father was strong in her mind. And then she remembered her lack of coin. Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea after all, Aquila pretended not to feel disappointed at that. It was doubtful she'd be able to work for money here either. With that decision made for her Aquila approached the firepit, curious of the people that surrounded it. She'd have to check out those hammocks later.

 

[ArcticFox]

Several men and women were sitting around the fire singing songs that consider of barks and squeaks and words spoken in a weirdly sounding language. There was a Roach Pig roasting over the fire.

One woman stood as she arrived, placing a fist over her chest and then touching her brow with two fingers in a greeting. Then she pointed to the Pig on the fire. The people here did not talk, but they seemed welcoming enough. It was a nice change from the whole day of walking.

- Eat then go sleep.
- Eat and try to talk to the people.

 

[Yokai]

>> Eat and try to talk to the people <<
​

Surrounded by strangers who spoke another, completely foreign, language, Aquila supposed she should have been frightened or at least wary. Instead she felt awed by their different lifestyle, it must be difficult to brave the desert after all, and touched that she was allowed to eat among them. It was vastly different in comparison to the welcome she had received from the Elves. The sorcerer offered the stocky woman a warm, grateful smile and attempted to mimic her greeting though it was clumsy and a flush of embrassment was quick to follow. She settled among them to eat, still unsure of her welcome and their seemingly genuine openness. When she had eaten her fill the red head turned to the closest, unoccupied person and opened her mouth as if to speak. "Hello?" She offered lamely with a small wave to punctuate her point -- maybe there was somebody in the village who spoke the same language?

 

[ArcticFox]

None of the people she turned to or tried to speak with, said anything to her, either in Common or in a different language. Among themselves, the Klattamen communicated with gestures more than anything.

Upon seeing her fidget around the fire, the woman that invited her to take part of the roast before, now squatted down next to her and opened her palm to reveal some sort of a circular dial with a spinning needle. It was a compass of sorts, though very old and rusty. The Klattawoman gestured at the compass and then at Aquila's pack. Perhaps she wanted to trade it for one of Aquila's items?

- Trade with the woman, let he pick what she wants.
- Offer something to the woman in exchange for the compass.
- Don't trade and go find a place to sleep.

 

[Yokai]

>> Trade with the woman, let her pick what she wants <<
​

Steady eyes tracked the woman's movements as she came to squat beside her, an ancient and rusted compass seemingly held out in offering. For a moment Aquila was sorely tempted to trade: not because the compass was particularly striking in appearance but more so out of the pure curiosity that it had been offered in the first place.

However, when she'd pondered on the idea for longer she struggled to think of what this woman could want. Aquila did not carry anything with her that she did not already consider valuable. But... it couldn't hurt to show her what she had, right? If the woman chose something Aquila was particularly attached to then she'd protest. With that in mind she offered a considering smile and shed her pack, placing in front of her and opening it up for the woman to peer inside.

 

[ArcticFox]

The woman nodded and then looked inside the backpack. Soon enough her hands were elbows deep into it as she rummaged around investigating everything with her long, supple hands and occasionally pausing to turn the item over and inspect it further.

At last she settled on Aquila's ornate daggers. While she did not use them for anything, they carried a sentimental value. However, there was something about that compass that was not quite ordinary.

- Trade.
- Don't.

 

[Yokai]

>> Trade <<
​

Silvered blades with intricately carved handles were pulled from the bottom of her pack from where they'd undoubtedly been pushed into some forgotten corner, untouched since she'd first packed them in a moment of sentimentality. Aquila was ashamed to admit that they'd completely lapsed her memory. Blue eyes blinked down at the ornate daggers for a long moment: her father had given her those when she'd started her training and it was all she had left to remember him by.

But what use was ornate and sentimentality to her now? Aquila didn't need daggers to remember her father anymore, she was going to complete her mission and return to him. The compass, however mysterious and unknown that it was, could offer some assistance. The present and the future were more valuable than the past to her right now.

"Take them," Aquila said softly and was surprised to find her voice thick with emotions. She exhaled a low breath and gave the woman a warm, albeit wobbly, smile alongside an affirming nod. "May they bring you happiness and use than they did for me."

 

[ArcticFox]

The Klattawoman nodded and took the daggers, before quickly placing the compass in Aquila's hand. The moment she touched it, the needle started spinning like crazy, until it settled in the direction of what Aquila knew was south. It was broken it looked like. Or it was not meant to point to north.

The villagers soon dispersed to the tents and cots and hammocks out in the open air and Aquila was able to find a an empty hammock for herself. No one bothered her until morning.

--

The path out of the village led through more dust and gravel. The wind picked up in the morning, making her squint so she did not get sand into her eyes.

Some half an hour later as Aquila made way further off the village, she reached a strange object jutting in the middle of the desert. It was an upright pole with a sort of a platform on it some five meters up from the ground. It provided a little shade if she wanted to take a breather out of the sun.

- Rest.
- Continue.
- Try to climb up the pole.
- Look at the compass.

 

[Yokai]

>> Look at the compass <<
​

With one hand raised to shield her sensitive eyes from the harshness of desert sun Aquila blinked out across the blank sands contemplatively. From what she recalled the temple she was looking for resided in the South, which was also where another Serpent lay in wait. The needle of the compass she'd traded yesterday appeared to point South too, though she carefully extracted it to recheck her bearings. Perhaps it could help in leading her in the right direction?

 

[ArcticFox]

The needle of the compass spun around once again. It wasn't as still this time as it was when she first held it. It looked like the needle could not decide between two directions. One pointed southwest from the platform and the other pointed southeast. In both directions, all Aquila could see was more sand, with occasional tufts of dry grass and shrubbery.

- Proceed south over the plains to inspect the surroundings further.
- Rest at the platform.

 

[Yokai]

>> Proceed south over the plains to inspect the surroundings further <<​

Feeling conflicted over her options Aquila breathed out a low breath and pocketed the compass once more. For now she'd continue to travel south, the distinction of southwest and southeast would have to come later. Hopefully she'd come across the temple before she discovered the Serpent.