Fantasy The Last of Us Among the Cosmos

[Galaxy_730]

“If we start exploring, what’ll we be looking for?” Galaxy asked, rather curious

 

[Yaruzaru]

Yaru refrains from pointing out how Ragna agreed to help him already, but had immediately switched his tune upon seeing the monster, despite having it outnumbered and on the run. He certainly didn't expect a different result a second time, already consigning his thoughts to be content in just getting a better working knowledge of what he was dealing with. Another day under more solitary conditions would serve his needs better, the only real problem at the moment being that he still had to lug his wheelbarrow around. He didn't have much in the way of resources to get more chains if his equipment were to get misplaced after all. With a simple nod, he offers a very low expectation inspired glance at Jin and especially Ragna, fully prepared for a repeat performance of 'kill first and learn about it later'. Though, he was more disappointed than actually annoyed at the thought.

 

[Many Weapons Guy]

Jin shakes his head, looking just as uneasy and uncomfortable as ever.

- Probably a giant walking humanoid mushroom, I guess. Everything's just fair game at this point, I wouldn't be surprised at just how sickening mother nature's sense of humor can be anymore.

He replies to his daughter, while gently pulling her close to him. At times like this, the only comfort he can find is the feeling of the wolf pup's soft fur coat gently slide in between his fingers. But it's still the much-needed comfort to ease up the stressed-out father, if just a bit.

- Let's keep heading south-west, see where this place goes to. But, we fall back when it's near night-time... if you folks can see past these trees, cuz I can't. I'm not a predator so all I see is pitch-black darkness like it's midnight.

Ragna follows Jin's suggestion and looks up, directly at the sky. An odd sensation comes to him with what he sees.

- ... I feel like I'm looking at the sky while wearing sunglasses. Extremely dark sunglasses. But yeah, I can still see the sun, so we're good.
- Alright, you and my daughter can help keep an eye in the sky, and keep us updated on the time.
- You got it- wait what ? Your daughter ?
- Yeah. Adopted. Found her in a forest on my way home, 7 years ago. She was my only family back then and she still is now.

The dragon glances at the wolf pup. He feels like he can see a whole galaxy of stars in her bright purple eyes.

- Such a beautiful wolf she is.

Galaxy_730 Yaruzaru

 

[Galaxy_730]

Galaxy nods and sticks close to her father. She looks up at Ragna as he asks about her.
"Yeah, I don't know where I'd be if he hadn't found me that day."
Upon reciving the compliment, she smiles and wags her tail, a light pink dust coming from her fur that has a pleasent scent to it.
"Heh, thank you."

 

[Yaruzaru]

"Didn't they give you more to go on than that? It feels like we're being thrown into the dark here," Yaru would ask in regards to what Galaxy and Jin had been out searching for. It was concerning to think that people were being sent out into the forest with little to no information on what they were facing. But that was probably just an inherent aspect of how bad things had gotten. Still, he was afraid to think of what may have happened if Ragna or himself hadn't shown up.

 

[Many Weapons Guy]

- We just decided to go in ourselves, really. Not like anyone gave us this "mission" in the first place, anyway. We just wanted to do something about those abominations, and we figured this list of the late caretaker might be a good lead. At least better than... literally having no idea what to do, other than just surviving through the days in a town in the middle of nowhere.

Jin explains while walking on, his hands holding the flashlight and the hammer.

- I see. Then, at least you got supply items prepared well for this ?
- We got some rations, cloths, bandages, a lot of water, and even more batteries. Mostly for the flashlight.
- That sounds OK to me.
- What about you two ?
- Uuuuh... we didn't really plan on a long expedition or anything, so we only have with us some first-aid kit, just in case. That, and since this dude wants to capture one of those monsters, he's occupied with some iron chains, and a pretty big pole-arm weapon... held in his mouth.

Jin and Ragna glance at Yaru and his items.

- It's OK, we'll take our leave once we're getting low on supply items. Gotta save some for our way out too, just in case.

Galaxy_730 Yaruzaru

 

[Yaruzaru]

"Hey, it was the only way I could get here quickly without having it fall out of my wheelbarrow, stop looking at me like that! Besides, my glaive is a valuable weapon, not a supply item." He seems almost offended to have his glaive's worth degraded to that of being on the level of basic necessities, though he sounds even more surprised that Ragna was lingering on the shock of seeing him running with the pole-arm in his mouth.

 

[Galaxy_730]

“Whatever the case, I think we should get moving. Don’t think it’s wise to sit around.” She mentioned, looking around for any other threats

 

[Many Weapons Guy]

The four press on further into the forest, towards the south-west, weapons readied for any kind of hell-spawn abomination and horror that may come their way.
While walking, Jin is slightly startled when he hears something moving from a distance far away.

- Shhh !

He stops and holds his hand up to signal the team, as he keeps his ears up.
The sounds echo again, from far away. Loud, low-pitched rumbles, and rather slow too. Kind of like a feral elephant walking by.

- Did you hear that ?
- ... I think so. What was that ?
- I dunno... but whatever it is, it seems pretty big.

Galaxy_730 Yaruzaru

 

[Galaxy_730]

Galaxy perks her ears and tries to scan, being the predator of the group she’s better at sensing other beings.
“You’re right that it’s big, but I think it’s fairly far away.” She says, not seeing anything within eyesight

 

[Yaruzaru]

Yaru would continue to push his wheelbarrow along a pace behind the others, while constantly making note of good spots to set it down by in case they ran into anything. It took some skill to keep the old cart silent, but he seemed to manage it somehow, mainly by not bumping into anything.

 

[Many Weapons Guy]

- Let's continue... and if it's as big and loud as I think it is, at least it can't sneak up on us... hopefully.

Jin takes point and keeps the flashlight aimed forward as he presses on. Galaxy is between Jin and Ragna, and Yaru is just next to Ragna with the cart.
As they continue on, the forest seems to be clearer and clearer, the trees and bushes less packed together. There is a rock wall on their right as they keep heading south-west. It seems to be the only thing not covered in fungi and flowers now.

- Hey... I've been wondering, where're your weapons ? Other than... that.

Ragna looks at Jin's small hammer, obviously seeing that it's outright useless against any possible monsters in a place messed-up and twisted like this.

- Hm ? Oh this ? It's my hammer tool. I'm a blacksmith and enchanter, specialized in summoning weapons. I can also forge pure magic energy into weapons, see.
- That's great but we're in the middle of a forest, no equipment or- wait... did you just say you can forge magic into weapns ?
- Yeah, I can. Even pure, raw, intangible magic energy, such as lightning, fire, acid, frost, etc. can be made into physical, solid, tangible weapons, and you can hold them like normal.

Ragna perks his ears up when listening to Jin, then just says it out loud.

- Can you make me a sword or something ? Out of fire, lightning and frost. They're my elements.
- I can, but it can only last for a certain duration before it's gone. Without my... "secret equipment", it can't last forever.

Galaxy_730 Yaruzaru

 

[Yaruzaru]

Seeing as Ragna and Jin were busy talking amongst themselves, Yaru would focus on keeping his equipment from making too much noise. It's true that they could hear a larger one roaming around, but that didn't mean there weren't sneakier abominations lurking about, not that he'd ever seen the monsters co-ordinate an attack before.

 

[Galaxy_730]

Galaxy stays alert, yet also listens to the two talk. She’s quite interested in learning about these two, as she hasn’t seen anyone else new in awhile.

 

[Many Weapons Guy]

The team keep on heading south-west, not taking any turns... until the loud, distant rumble comes up again. Jin abruptly stops on his track.

- There it is again ! Did you hear that ?

Zodiac's ears perk up as soon as the rumble comes in.

- ... There's no mistake this time... we're definitely not hearing things anymore.
- Where do you guys think it is ?
- I... don't know. I think forward ?... What do you think, Galaxy ?

The dragon asks the wolf, thinking that her canine hearing sense might be more accurate.

Galaxy_730 Yaruzaru

 

[Galaxy_730]

“Yeah, I think it’s probably forward... I can’t quite tell what it is though...”

 

[Yaruzaru]

It was a waiting game to see if they'd spot whatever was stalking them first or if the creature would make its move before then. There was little any of them could do otherwise by the looks of things, even with the wolf's ability to detect the presence of other creatures. The numbers advantage they held would lend to the confidence required to walk about without feeling overly threatened though.

"I wonder if it knows that four on one is poor odds."

 

[Many Weapons Guy]

- ... A part of me kind of hopes that it doesn't, so that it'd show itself and try to take us on all at once. Then we can just focus fire on it until it's dead. Easier for me to breathe than fearing that it's stalking and watching us like this, I hate it.

The team proceed with caution, but still moving forward.
The rumbles start to get a tiny bit faster... but definitely louder. Until they see a very fainted and blurry, moving silhouette passing by in the shadow. What little part visible in Jin's flashlight, when it passes through, briefly appeared to be moving tree barks of sort. And, judging by how the range and radius of the flashlight can't cover the whole thing, it's easily a towering monstrosity manifested from the worst of nightmares.
Jin gulps in absolute terror, his tail slightly shaking in between his legs. His other hand, holding the gun, is shaking just as bad. He grits his teeth and shakes his head awake, as he takes a deep breath.
Ragna prepares his fists as well, as they light up with energy of the three elements. He doesn't make much facial expression, as a way to keep himself focused.
Without a single word, they continue the walk... the rumbles get slightly louder and louder, and the silhouette clearer in view.
It looks to be a massive monstrosity, possibly about as large as a wild elephant, walking on four legs.
As the team close the distance, they could somewhat hear faint groaning and growling sounds from the direction of the moving creature...
Jin and Ragna prepare themselves for the worst... or the worst that they'll have to face yet.

Galaxy_730 Yaruzaru

 

[Yaruzaru]

From what Yaru could glean it looked and felt a lot larger than he was expecting. He slowly pulls his weapon from his wheelbarrow to hold in one hand while using the other to slowly move his cart forward.

"Just out of curiosity... did you two come with a plan to fight these things?"

Considering Galaxy and Jin had planned to clear the area on their own before, Yaru began to assume they must of had some sort of idea as to how they'd deal with the monsters. He'd take a quick moment in their slow advance to visually measure the length of the chains he had brought along. A disappointed expression covering his face when he realises that they were likely nowhere near enough, for the length he'd need to subdue a beast as huge as they were facing. He'd halt moving his luggage when confronted with the looming shadow ahead, instead taking his weapon by both hands, though his lax readied stance left something to be desired in how prepared he looked.

 

[Galaxy_730]

“Well, we’ve been doing alright with our magic so far. It seems to be working, but we never really sat down for a plan,” Galaxy admitted

 

[Many Weapons Guy]

Jin takes another deep breath.

- As for me... feed 'em with iron... or pump 'em full of lead. Or... both.

He replies, trying to speak normally, but he's rather distracted by the surroundings in general and that moving thing in particular at the moment. So much so that he noticeably pauses a few times, in the short sentences.
The rumbles and the groaning become a bit clearer. So is the thing's appearance in view. It seems to be covered in leaves.

Galaxy_730 Yaruzaru

 

[Yaruzaru]

Yaru was patient and courteous enough to wait for the creature to make a move, his expression leaning more toward curiosity than fear. There was an urge to get close enough for a better look but he found the thought unwise, that and he didn't want to get in the way of his predominantly ranged party members, especially not at the risk of getting shot in the back.

"Ah yes, of course, the usual approach. Don't let me stop you, my abilities are less than effective at doing much other than impeding these creatures."

He'd prepare to act as a back-line defence for the others if needed, otherwise appearing content with simply observing the battle and watching out for any other such abominations. Being ambushed in an already precarious situation would probably be the worst possible outcome, he thought.

 

[Galaxy_730]

Galaxy stays on edge, her paws beginning to glow and ready to strike at any moment

 

[Many Weapons Guy]

As the team try to follow the beast, it slowly but still somewhat abruptly comes to a stop on its track. The rumbles pause... and the groaning replaced with low-pitched growling.
Its silhouette clearly shows that it's stopped.
Jin and Ragna instinctively lower their breathing down to as quiet and slow as possible, without even knowing it. They remain as still as they can too, keeping an eye on that monster.
Something grows from its side... something dangling to the ground, moving like a snake.
Then, the rumbles again, but at a different pace... as the thing, whatever it is, seems to be turning around.
The growling is a bit louder.
Eventually, coming into their sight, in clear view, with Jin's flashlight... is a snake, frantically moving around. It's covered in barks and leaves, letting out hisses.
It seems to be suspended in the air and connected to whatever that monstrosity is... and just when the team wonder if the thing is friendly at all, they get their answer when they see two green, alien-like eyes glowing in the dark from afar, followed by an unnatural growling.
The snake's eyes glow too, but it still thrashes about and hisses wildly. It's as if the snake and that towering abomination are partially separated or something.
Ragna gets in position, charging up his elements :

- No offense, Jin, but I have a feeling it's an elephant, judging by its look... and if I'm right, then it's the nastiest elephant I ever have to deal with.

Jin frowns a bit.

- Heeeeeyyy.

Galaxy_730 Yaruzaru

 

[Galaxy_730]

"Elephant or not, I don't think it's too happy to see us." Her paws shine an firey red, and she prepares a Nebula attack.