Fantasy The Deadlands

[Cartoonicat]

Manir's mood seemed to brighten and he gave her a grin in return. Meanwhile, Helen simply let out a long sigh. She appeared to be having a rough time with the idea of fighting in the arena. "Yes, I... I will not be reckless," she said. Yet, despite the promise, she did not look any less uncomfortable than before.

Wendel uncrossed his arms only to plant them on his hips, lips pulled into a frown. "I won't if you won't," he said.

***

"Father!" Helen broke from the group the second they were inside and practically shoved a female warrior out of her way, who scowled. Upon following her, the group would find a man hunched against the wall looking ashen, grimy, and rather half dead. Helen crouched beside him. Cupped his face and brushed tangled dreadlocks out of his eyes. "Father, it is me. Helen. Oh, gods, you are burning up..."

"At least finding him didn't take long," Manir said quietly, "it's like she has an extra sense." There were a handful of different people in the room.

Some looked more intimidating than others, some more friendly. The warrior Helen had pushed past wielded an axe and shield, looking rather irritable; a man in the far corner of the room had some sort of short sword, nearly a cross between that and a dagger, and looked antsy; and closest to the door stood a tall woman in black, in her hands a long broadsword. She didn't look friendly, but she didn't look hostile, either. The door closed behind Dynis and the group, shutting everyone inside. Two contestants she'd missed stood there, draped in robes of similar design. Another team?

One of the guards spoke, quieting the room: "Here, you will fight until incapacitated; killing each other in the ring is discouraged, but not prohibited. You have two minutes until the battle begins," he said. Then he was gone, back through the door. Dynis heard a click from the other side.

She could use this time to get a feel for the competition, prepare herself by practicing with Manir, altering the initial plan, or helping Helen heal her father.

- Talk to the warrior woman
- Talk to the man in the corner
- Talk to the woman in black
- Talk to the robed pair
- Talk to Wendel
- Practice with Manir
- Revise the plan
- Help Helen

 

[ArcticFox]

The woman with a broadsword looked like the most capable of the lot, so Dynis headed in her direction. She threaded carefully, not wanting to provoke her.

"Greetings. I am Dynis. Can I ask you what brings you to the arena?" She really wanted to ask her if she would consider not attacking them when they were in there, but she could not do that openly.

 

[Cartoonicat]

The woman looked up from the hilt of her unsheathed sword. Regarded Dynis with what seemed cold eyes but, then, she gave her a light smile. "Hello, Dynis," she said. Extended a gloved hand. "Nilah. I'm here to win, of course," she explained. Glanced towards the others in the back. "I could be wrong, but it looks like you're teaming up with other contestants." Up close, her hair was braided and decorated with shining metal ornaments. Brushing back a red lock, Nilah also revealed small, pointed ears. They were nowhere near as prominent as Helen and Kailu's, but they stood out in comparison to Dynis'. She also had strange, yellow eyes and several deep scars across her face.

There wasn't much time left; only about a minute, now. Whatever Dynis decided on doing next, she'd have to be quick about it.

- Offer her to join the team
- Ask about her ears
- Ask/talk about something else
- Talk to the warrior woman
- Talk to the man in the corner
- Talk to the robed pair
- Talk to Wendel
- Practice with Manir
- Revise the plan
- Help Helen

 

[ArcticFox]

The woman looked intimidating up close as she did from afar, but Dynis could not help but notice that underneath all that, she was also very beautiful.

"I am." She admitted. "It's a long story, but don't you think it would be much easier to team up with us, until the others are out of the way. What do you say? It would quickly dispose of some of the competition for you."

 

[Cartoonicat]

Nilah's smile grew into somewhat of a smug grin. "I appreciate the offer," she said, "but I don't need a team to win." The doors to the arena opened, washing the room in the last rays of sunlight from outside. Nilah dipped her head before heading toward the doors. "Best of luck to you, Dynis."

At that moment, Wendel popped up beside her. "Our lovely elven friend is having a bit of a problem," he said, passing her. "Just thought you should know." True to his word, Helen still sat crouched beside her father, hands glowing on either side of his head. She was muttering something panicked and strained to Manir who looked at a loss for what to do. He motioned for Dynis to look at the door the guard had left through; a peeping slot was open, and someone looking through, eyebrows narrowed directly at the pair of healers. Everyone else, by then had entered the arena.

"Get in the arena," the person outside the door ordered, "or we'll come drag you in."

Helen, however, did not listen to them.

- Convince Helen to enter the arena
- Drag her yourself or with Manir's help
- Let the guard do it
- Do something else

 

[ArcticFox]

"Helen!" Dynis hurried to the elf. She looked down at what she was doing, then back at the guard. "Please just give us a moment. One of the contestants is hurt and that would make this fight unfair." Then she crouched down to help Helen out, if she was able to do anything before they were all dragged out of there.

 

[Cartoonicat]

"If he's unable to fight," the guard said from the door, "he'll not be able to participate."

That seemed to make Helen panic even more. "He will be taken from us," she breathed, "he cannot, he-"

In one quick movement, Manir scooped the ill man into his arms. "No need for that, he's just a little out of shape!" Helen opened her mouth to protest but Manir shot her a look. Began carrying her father towards the arena quickly, for the doorknob with the guard behind began turning. "Well, come on!"

Helen looked frantically between the opening door and the arena. Grabbed Dynis' hand and ran towards Manir. The entrance to the arena closed just in time to lock out the guard, though it didn't seem likely he'd be joining them in there to begin with.

​

Stepping into the arena, which was close to three times the size of Verona's, Dynis looked up to see rows upon rows of spectators. Once the doors closed behind her the otherwise quiet stadium erupted in cheers, hollers, and screams. It was near deafening and, beside her, Helen covered her ears.

"What do we do with him?" Manir asked, Helen's father limp in his arms.

Wendel lifted a brow. "He's damn near dead. Who is this guy?"

"That is my father," Helen hissed in Wendel's direction, "and he is not going to die. Not if I can help it. Bring him here; I am having trouble fighting his fever, but I am going to keep try-"

"Ladies and gentlemen... let the battle begin!"

The three looked up quickly as dyed paper shot into the sky and floated to the floor of the arena. Quickly, Manir set Helen's father down beside her and drew his sword. Beside him, Wendel prepared an arrow. The swordsman looked to Dynis: "I guess we're playing defense, then? Helen needs to heal him but the other contestants are going to try and eliminate her."

"Then we'll be a distraction. Take them out before they even notice she's still up," Wendel said, taking aim at one of the contestants across the way. Fighting had already broken out and, so far, their opponents hadn't looked their way.

- Offense
- Defense
- Propose another idea

 

[ArcticFox]

"He's right." Dynis said, gesturing to Wendel over her shoulder. "Attack is the best defense." She gripped the sword she held. "But I'm probably the worst fighter here. I'll hang back in case someone goes after Helen. You two should pick one person and eliminate them. Don't risk splitting up, please." She said, though she knew neither of them had any reason to listen to her, she was not going headfirst into battle despite all her talk.

 

[Cartoonicat]

"Hopefully," Manir said, not looking too pleased she'd sided with Wendel but surprisingly not making a fuss. He looked to the archer, then, and motioned for him to follow. "Cover me. I'm going for that man - the one by himself, there."

Wendel snorted and drew back an arrow. "You're as bossy as those two."

"Yes, we're all quite fond of being in charge. Now come on!"

The two set off, then, doing exactly what they'd planned. Manir went after the man. It seemed to have taken him by surprise. Meanwhile, the two robed individuals squared off against Nilah and the unnamed warrior woman. She broke away from them not long after, though, and started towards Manir - only to get shot at. Dynis could hear Wendel laughing at her scowl, even from a distance.

As the battle waged on, Helen continued healing her father. She frowned. "Dynis, I may need you. I do not know why he is not healing, but I am... I am barely keeping him..." Helen shook her head, as though finishing the sentence was too distressing, and wiped her eyes with her wrist.

Together, Dynis may be able to help Helen get her father on his feet, but it would leave them both vulnerable to attack. She could decide not to help her, however; Helen seemed to be doing alright keeping her father at least alive, as it were.

- Help Helen
- Stay on defense
- Do something else

 

[ArcticFox]

Dynis hesitated for a moment, before rushing to crouch next to Helen, still holding the sword in her right hand. "What do you need me to do?" She asked, but she threw an anxious look toward the others in the arena.

 

[Cartoonicat]

Not much had changed in the arena except one of the robed contestants appeared injured and Wendel had disappeared completely - though arrows shot out from seemingly nowhere whenever the warrior got too close to Manir, forcing her back.

"Help me heal him. Remember how we healed Manir, together?" Helen instructed her to place a hand on his temple, as she was doing, and then take her own. "I do not have any herbs left, so perhaps that is why I am struggling. I hope we can do this without them." To heal the man as Helen instructed would require Dynis letting go of her sword. Should she not want to do that, she could try to improvise by not linking her hand with Helen's and hope for the best.

- Follow Helen's instructions
- Improvise and do not hold her hand
- Go back to defense
- Do something else

 

[ArcticFox]

"I need to keep an eye on others, Helen." Dynis explained with a wry grimace. "I'm sorry. I do want to help you, but if I focus on doing that fully, we will both be exposed to attacks. And we are of no use to father dead." She said, but she offered her her left hand, keeping the sword in the right. "Can you use me instead of the herbs? Can my healing energy be transferred to aid yours?"

 

[Cartoonicat]

Helen frowned at that, looking at her with pleading eyes. Chewed her lip before taking Dynis' free hand. "I-... I do not know, but we can try."

And so, Dynis turned towards the battle once again. Wendel still taunted the warrior from the shadows and one of the robe contestants had definitely fallen. They laid in a heap on the sandy floor while their ally evaded Nilah's slow, but heavy attacks. Dynis watched as, at one point, her sword fell out of her hand. The standing robed contestant appeared as though they slapped her across the face, but then Nilah let out a pained howl and clutched her cheek. It looked like she was bleeding.

Manir, who had somehow managed up on the complete opposite side of the arena, went head-to-head with the nervous man from earlier. Both were quick in their movements, neither one looking as though they'd been hit yet.

"Positivity, positivity," Helen murmured quietly, seemingly to herself. Similar to before, an elated feeling flowed through Dynis and her hand glowed a light green. The mage across from her fell quiet. Seemed to relax.

Another cry from the arena, this one much closer: Wendel. He fell to the ground, visible, bow tossed several feet away. Approaching him, the warrior. The two were close enough for Dynis to intervene but at the cost of letting Helen's hand go.

- Help Wendel
- Help Helen
- Do something else

 

[ArcticFox]

They couldn't do anything properly. Why did she need to run from one to the other constantly. She was only one woman. "Sorry, Helen." Dynis disentangled from the elf. "I'm coming back in a moment." She said over her shoulder, running toward the man, ready to deflect the blow of the warrior should she try it.

 

[Cartoonicat]

The warrior's axe crashed down on Dynis' blade, a loud clang ringing into the air. The impact sent a shock through Dynis' arms; her opponent was strong. Strong but rather short. Perhaps even petite.

Wendel stared up at her with wide eyes. He was bleeding from a long but thin slice to his chest. It seemed his leather armor had done its job well. When the warrior pulled her weapon back, Wendel scrambled to his feet and put distance between himself and the two.

"You defended him?" The warrior snarled from behind her helmet, "You'll regret it." She pushed off of Dynis' sword and swung her axe in a downwards arc.

- Parry & Talk
- Dodge & Attack
- Dodge & Run
- Something else

 

[ArcticFox]

Dynis did her best to parry the attack, knowing well that her strength was far lesser than the woman's and that she would need to get out of there soon.

"I'm trying to." She hissed through gritted teeth. "Get your damn bow, Wendel!"

 

[Cartoonicat]

The impact made her arms buckle, especially when the warrior took a heavy step forward. Dynis felt her back touch the arena wall. "You're weak," she observed, sounding amused now. "Weak and- Ahhhh!" She dropped her axe and gripped at her dominant wrist, where an arrow had gone clean through and landed in the sand a bit away. Blood began staining her hands.

"Be glad that wasn't your throat," Wendel said coolly, "you talk too much."

Despite the wound, the warrior growled and swung the edge of her shield at the nearest person: Dynis. Yet, by time it actually hit Dynis, it felt nowhere near as strong as the warrior's normal attacks. If anything, could liken it to a determined child's punch. From there the warrior's knees buckled and she dropped to the ground, looking ashen. Blood loss.

Wendel made a face. "Perhaps shooting her in the wrist was a bad idea," he murmured.

Dynis could try to heal the warrior enough to ensure she lived through Wendel's attack, or she could go back to Helen, who was still unguarded.

- Heal the warrior
- Let her die
- Do something else

 

[ArcticFox]

Dynis thought for only a brief moment if she should heal the warrior. But then she remembered that she had every intent on chopping off her head just a moment ago and had almost finished Wendel too. So the thought was driven out of her mind quite fast.

"Can you still fight?" She called out to Wendel, but she was already running back to Helen.

 

[Cartoonicat]

"I just did, didn't I?" Wendel called after her. "I've got Manir-whoa!" Nilah had appeared with her broadsword, the blade caked in blood. Her attack narrowly missed Wendel, only just grazing the feathery scales of his headdress. Behind her, Manir was limping in their direction.

By time Dynis reached Helen, she'd find the woman no longer using her healing magic. Instead, she held her father's hand tightly and stared down at him in silence. Her shoulders were trembling. Something had gone very wrong.

The only opponent remaining in the arena was Nilah - everyone else had fallen. Some were in pools of blood, like the warrior Wendel shot, while others appeared simply unconscious, such as the man Manir had gone after. Oddly enough, all that seemed to remain of the robed individuals were their robes; there appeared to be nothing underneath them, as they lay in two piles on the sandy floor.

Dynis could try talking Nilah down or she could help the men finish her off. She could also try to comfort Helen.

- Talk Nilah down
- Attack Nilah
- Comfort Helen

 

[ArcticFox]

Dynis looked at Helen and froze. Her father did not make it. Perhaps he would have if she stayed with her. She bit her lower lip, but decided to push those thoughts out of her mind for now. They had other pressing matters.

"Nilah!" Dynis called out. "I know you want to win this, but we simply want to get out of here with all of our limbs still attached. It's five against one so the outcome is pretty certain here, but it doesn't need to end in bloodshed!" Though she was ready to attack if the woman was intent on fighting.

 

[Cartoonicat]

Nilah swung her sword at Manir, who'd come up behind her and gotten a strike in at her calf. Her leg buckled, but the woman seemed strong enough to endure what injuries she had so far. She didn't seem to have heard Dynis - or, perhaps, she ignored her - until one of Wendel's arrows shot past her face, barely grazing the side of her cheek. She froze. Seemed to have realized that she was indeed outnumbered. Slowly, she stood straight and looked at Dynis.

"They're not going to let us out of here, I hope you know," she said. "Not until there's only one person standing. It's in the rules.; how they ensure an audience every time."

Manir's eyes flicked towards her feet and he took a wary step back. "We didn't want to participate, actually."

Nilah looked confused at that. "Then why-Gah!" a sharp, solid spike of sand pierced one of her feet and she dropped her sword. It snaked around her ankle like a vine, rooting her there. Around them, spikes shot from the ground. Manir stumbled away, narrowly getting stabbed, while Wendel let out a shriek and stared at Dynis.

"What are you doing!? Stop!" Wendel yelled at her.

But it wasn't Dynis.

Behind her, Helen's hands had fisted in the sand, the whites of her eyes gone completely black.

- Knock Helen out
- Talk Helen down
- Do something else

 

[ArcticFox]

Dynis turned around quickly and without giving it much thought scrambled toward Helen, crouching down to her. "Helen, I know you are in pain and I know that nothing I tell you now will ease that pain. But this is not the way to do things. We need to get of there if we don't want to end up killing eachother. And neither of us want that. You don't want that, right?" She certainly hoped so. "I'm sorry I failed you." She knelt down on the sand beside her. "Please stop this."

 

[Cartoonicat]

Helen opened her mouth but only a choked sound came out. Her bottom lip trembled. "I-..." her voice was quiet when she finally did talk. Shaky. "I only-... we were so close. He was h-here, but I-..." From the background, Dynis heard someone yelp in pain. "...I could not save him. I could not-... he-..." The mage looked from her father to Dynis, then. "Revenge. Promise me it."

An arrow shot past Helen and embedded in the wall, but it came nowhere close to hitting her. Her sand vines had grabbed Wendel and Manir and begun dragging them towards her and Dynis. Meanwhile, Nilah stared on in horror as she was singled out: "What are you doing? Don't- Don't kill me. Gods, I'm sorry! I'll help!"

One of the vines snuck its way around one of Dynis' wrists and squeezed quite tightly. "Promise me."

Dynis could promise, or she could say no. Or she could take the handle of Manir's scimitar and use it to knock Helen out.

- Promise
- Don't promise
- Knock her out
- Do something else

 

[ArcticFox]

"Oh, Helen." Dynis took a deep breath. So much pain, so much death, so many people seeking revenge. The Deadlands were indeed a horrible place. "I promise." She said, knowing full well that she made too many promises already. "Now let go of us. Focus your anger on the guards. Let's get out of this place."

 

[Cartoonicat]

The mage looked at her for a long moment. Very slowly, the vines let them go. Nilah let out a pained growl as the sand sifted through her wound, teeth gritting. The men sat up, chests heaving and hair disheveled from having been dragged to the floor. The arena quieted. Then, in the next second, erupted in cheers. The audience apparently quite liked the show that had been put on. None of the few guards atop the wall had moved; instead, they looked as intrigued as everyone else.

Until one of Helen's vines, these ones smaller and less thrashing, grabbed two by the ankles and yanked them into the arena.

"You mages are terrifying," Wendel breathed, letting loose an arrow into one of the guards that Helen had missed. It gripped at the wooden shaft before falling backwards, unseen. Nilah winced when she moved to help them, so ended up staying in place and adopting a fighting stance. Meanwhile, Manir made his way towards a grounded guard and swung his sword.

Chaos ensued.

After ten of the guards were dispatched, the arena master ordered the doors open and begged them to leave.

***

Upon leaving the arena, Nilah slowed to a stop just as they entered the Deadlands. "Well, fun as that was, the next time I see you lot I'll probably run-" she looked down at her foot and grimaced. "Hobble, in the opposite direction." Helen had wandered off a ways to give her father's body a proper burial, so no healing would be coming from her any time soon.

Wendel seemed like he agreed with Nilah, yet he made no move to leave. Manir just looked tired.

- Offer to heal Nilah's foot
- Explain what happened
- Apologize
- Leave
- Do something else