Fantasy ~Valiance~

[SkyGinge]

The end has come. Darkness has one. Valia has fallen.

But when all else is lost, hope still remains...

Valiance
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[SkyGinge]

Prologue: The Calm Before the Storm

Summer in Alsiere, the sleepless city. Even at such a late hour, the central courtyard was full of merchants bartering away their wares to the evening traffic. Music spilled from taverns on every street, tunes conglomerating into a discordant chorus. Still, if you listened closely with well trained ears, you could distinguish the laughter of young Mages on their way to some social gathering. The last rays of a glorious golden sunset crept through the gaps between the mountains of the Crown of Valia, bathing the tallest buildings with a regal glow. The iconic Palace of Light was always the last to bear this lingering light, white walls gleaming as if to establish its majesty, its holiness.

King Lyram, the Hero King, saviour of the kingdom and victor of the Great Crusade, looked down on the city from his throne room one final time.

From the outside, the face of the palace was defined by a large stained-glass window, a monument to the previous heroics of the Valiarum dynasty. From the inside, however, it provided the perfect watchtower for the king to gaze down upon his subjects. It helped him, watching their lives above; it reminded him of his duty to protect, of the people whose lives he held in his hands. Many had petitioned for the Great Crusade to be commemorated within the window, suggesting it would help to consolidate his rule, providing a constant reminder of the heroics of the people's ruler. Lyram had seen no need; the peace and prosperity in the villages proved testament enough.

Over the past forty years, Lyram had lost track of the amount of time he had spent here, letting his thoughts race across the city as he lounged upon his throne. He had never been one for unnecessary splendour, and the interior was almost entirely devoid of decoration, save for a couple of rugs - a compromise towards the advisers who insisted that a king must flaunt their riches. The rest? Sold at the dawn of the crusade to fund the needs of the burgeoning army. The throne, however, was special, an heirloom passed down since the dawn of the dynasty. It was without compare in all the kingdom, constructed out of a jet black marble and draped with white robes. He'd always intended to inquire about its origins but, well, there'd never been enough time. There was always more pressing matters to contest with.

Once a bundle of youth and energy, the burdens of the royal court had eroded him. The endless political bickering of the noble houses, the constant appeals for funding from the university, the petty power-mongering of his advisers... all had robbed him of his youth far too young. Yet even in his old age, he retained a silvery mane of hair, and his robes rippled with muscle. Sat still, stiff and silent, he almost seemed as old and set in stone as the throne on which he sat.

His time was nearly up.

Lyram clenched and unclenched his fists. The signs were clear, though it had taken him a long time to accept them. And tonight was the night. And if he was wrong, there was still the boy. All he could do was trust that he would have the wisdom to uncover the meaning of the text, to see what Lyram himself had already stumbled upon.

There - footsteps outside. The nights upon the battlefield on Raven's Plains had given him warrior's ears, alert and cautious to the subtlest disturbance. As the doors began to creak open, he was already on his feet, auranium burning as his palm glowed. But then he stopped, the magic dissipating away.

"Ah, it is only you..."

At once, the hooded figure thrust their arms forward. Dark energy flew from the stranger's fingertips, hitting the startled king with force. The throne toppled back, white robes stained black, as Lyram was launched into the air. The king smashed through the window, plummeting in a cloud of splintering glass down towards the courtyard below, the last light casting a spotlight on his fall as it sparkled off of the shards around him. Even as he fell, he heard a wave of cries ring out across the courtyard. The weight of his thoughts made time sluggish; guilt and doubts pressed against his consciousness. If he was wrong, then...

He landed in a crumpled mess upon the courtyard, the former monument to his ancestor's successes raining down upon him and puncturing his flesh. The once infallible Hero King was now history.

~~~
Chapter One: Hope in Numbers

Whilst the kingdom lay in ruin, nature spared no time to wait and mourn, the elements continuing in their cycles as if oblivious to the tragedy that had swept across the land. Grey clouds cloaked the undulating hills, sprinkling rain upon the dense forestry. Birds continued in their daily song and trees swung lackadaisically in the wind as if nothing had changed across the eons past where artists and philosophers alike would gaze upon the glade and wonder. The only signs of civilisation were the charred remains of old campfires and the mysterious huts found within the forest clearings, the homes of ancient hermits that had long since fallen into disrepair.

A hooded, emerald-clad figure sprinted from the foliage into a clearing on the hill. He moved the wind behind him, taking some of the weight off of his tired legs. If I known I'd be regularly running for my life, I'd have taken the opportunity to train with the knights, Skyre thought to himself, cursing his lack of athleticism. His magic provided some respite, but he knew he could not run forever. He had spotted the hermit's hut from the elevation of the other side of the valley - here he would make his stand.

Skyre reached the hovel and slammed the door shut behind him. He sighed, catching his breath as he observed his new surroundings. The hut obviously hadn't been lived in for centuries judging from its emptiness; the windows had been smashed in, the staircase had crumbled in a number of places, and even his untrained eye noticed places where the wooden walls were beginning to rot away. It wouldn't take much to take this house down, he mused. And should circumstance necessitate it, I may have to. For a moment, his curiousity got the better of him - imagine the life of a hermit mage, out here in the wilderness with nothing but his element for company. But the snarls from the woods below snapped him out of his daydream and drew him to the broken window.

Out of the woods darted a number of shadowy forms. Mere months ago, such creatures were the product only of a wild imagination, their canine frames formed of an unnatural purple flesh that squirmed as if something inside were trying to break free. Such beings had not existed prior to the fall, but he'd always called them Shadow Beasts. Though faceless, they had somehow caught his scent. Skyre had a number of theories about how this could be possible, but not was not the time to voice them. They would be upon him in a second, and he didn't fancy himself ending up on the wrong side of their fangs and claws.

This is it, Skyre, voiced his internal monologue. This is do or die.

Splinters of dead wood shook from the door as the beasts flung themselves against it. Again and again they battered the door, the whole hut shaking with each impact. Then the door split apart, flinging large chunks of wood across the room as the beasts started to pile into the room. Shielding his eyes from splinters with one hand, Skyre burnt auranium and thrust forward his other hand. At once, the beasts were flung from the doorway, buffeted backwards by a blast of air. With nothing to anchor him, Skyre was launched backwards by the power of his blast; twisting midair, he stretched out his other hand and slowed his momentum, stopping himself cleanly on the back wall as the wind blew down his hood, revealing his fiery hair.

Physics, he smiled to himself. But he had no time to gloat; more beasts were already piling into the space their brethren had just vacated. As a beast leapt towards him, Skyre drew his blade and prepared for impact...
​

Chapter One: Hope in NumbersA sudden attack by a large number of shadow creatures forces our characters out of hiding. But their battle to stay alive has the positive consequence of making the lone survivors aware that there are others like them. Yet despite being united in circumstance, perhaps they are not united in ideals as the seeds of the impossible plan to topple the Anarquesse are planted... Objectives: ~ Fight off the threat of the shadow creatures ~ Make camp and recover from combat ~ Establish a plan going forward. ~ Freedom for subplots!

Kharmin Dalamus Ulom Trappy thefinalgirl Epiphany swamp fairy WalkingDogo MToki Kabboom Shotgunpenguin Archon
​

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[Kharmin]

The drizzle had truly set in. What had started as a light sprinkle, with a teasing hint of moving on, had now settled in and started to slowly drench everything.

Aeryn sat with her back against a modest maple tree whose foliage did its best to keep the rain from directly falling on her and her companion; however, with this change in the weather, the leaves were simply unable to keep most of the drops at bay.

The large dog that sat next to her laid his muzzle on her outstretched leg and breathed a heavy sigh. Grey, she had named him after she befriended him with her magic to keep him from mauling her brother when they were kids. Now, over a dozen years later, the canine remained her one and only true friend and all of the family she had left after the Fall.

She reached down and scratched between Grey's rain-soaked ears as she swept her red hair back from her eyes with her other hand. The large wolf-dog closed his eyes and reveled at the attention that Aeryn was giving him. Together, they allowed her magic to blend their consciousnesses and they comforted each other.

All was quiet in their small part of the Southern Valley, where they had bolted from Alsiere and the utter destruction of the city that had been brought upon them from the shadow forces. Aeryn had barely managed to escape with her very life, her skill at stealth being the determining factor. Her companion had found her scent and tracked her down the next day and the two of them had been on the run ever since.

Aeryn had been on assignment when the attack came. She had been traveling light as was her way when she set out to assassinate her mark. She had fled with only the clothes she had been wearing and the weapons of her trade. Now, with no other humans to be found, Aeryn scavenged for survival. Having been city born and bred, many of her skills and talents were of little to no use in the wild. Had she not her gold magic ability, she would not have been able to coerce the smaller woodland creatures close enough to strike down and share with Grey.

She leaned her head back against the wet bark of the maple tree and closed her eyes. The Fall had happened without warning, without quarter and seemingly without survivors, save for her and her companion. She recalled, from her earlier rooftop vantage point, seeing the section of the city where her parents and brother lived collapse upon itself and shuddered at the loss of her kin. It would have been suicide for her to have tried to reach them, such was the violence and destruction that had overcome the capitol.

For a brief moment, she wept at her loss.

Several minutes passed in their brief interlude from flight until Grey opened his eyes and raised his head. He turned to their left, south, with his ears perked high and his nose strained to bring in as much scent as possible.

"What is it?" Aeryn asked in a whisper.

:: Movement :: she sensed from her companion. :: Movement ... and another human ::

Another human? Aeryn thought. Out here? They had been on the run for the better part of a month as they weaved between scouting packs of shadow creatures. With her affinity and skill with gold magic, Aeryn and Grey stayed one step ahead of the beasts as the woodland creatures offered them plenty of warning.

:: Fear. The human is in fear ::

No shit, Aeryn snorted with derision and Grey turned accusing eyes to her. Everyone was running in fear of these shadow things.

The hound turned back to the south. :: Just one human ::

"Well, better they chase him than us," she whispered and glanced around their hidden place at the base of the tree. The wildlife was hushed, more than the rain would have explained. Damn. "They're close, aren't they?"

The question went unanswered. Aeryn knew from the shared bond. We should help whoever it is, she thought. It isn't like we've seen another person since ....

Aeryn stood and Grey moved to a sitting position. She swept the hair again from her eyes where the rain had draped it back down. "Ok, but we do this my way, got it?"

The hound stood and led them south. The damp ground made for quiet steps so they were able to take a more hurried pace and maintain their stealth.

Several minutes later, they stopped and crouched at the edge of a small clearing, at the center of which stood a sorry excuse for a shack or small house. Shadow creatures were throwing themselves at the door and were thus far oblivious to their arrival. Aeryn counted at least four, but their undulating forms at the door made it difficult to verify exactly how many.

:: More coming ::

Aeryn acknowledged the sense with a curt nod as she studied the assault on the shack. Then, the door finally surrendered and was shattered. She knew that time was of the essence and that hopefully whoever was inside could help in their joint defense.

Silently, she darted across the small clearing as she whisked her short sword from its sheath. Grey charged along side of her as he matched her gait.

As one, the two fell upon the dog-shaped beast at the rear and began to take liberal strikes at it. With her blade and Grey's jaws, the beast was quickly subdued. She ran it through where she thought its heart might be and it stopped moving.

They had no time to spare as their attack had gathered the attention of the next closest creature. It stood like a bear and uttered a menacing growl. Aeryn drew her stiletto in her off-hand and stood her ground as Grey bared his teeth and barked at the beast.

 

[Trappy]

[div class=fyuriwrapper][div class=main][div class=charaname]Theodor and Elerina [/div][div class=text][div class=smheader][div class=smimg]

[/div][div class=smheadtxt]The Ambush[/div][/div]
The drizzle of rain was pleasant for Elerina. The Markovo girl liked rain, for reasons other than being a Blue Mage; the staccato tapping of the water drops onto the roof of her shop was always pleasant to her ears and psyche, with how oddly soothing it was. Maybe it was less enjoyable when the rain was pouring down right on top of them, but the girl and her… temporary teammate had taken refuge beneath a pair of trees, with her hammock strung between the two beings, forming overhead cover enough for a campfire. It was odd, feeling so serene after the Fall.
“Wake up, armor-man,” she finally prodded the dozing Knight with the stick end of her glaive. “Sun’s up. You gonna lay there forever?”

The armoured man flinched at the touch, immediately sitting up where he lay. Shaking himself awake, Theodor grimaced at the cold and the general moisture in the rain, before dabbing himself dry. The plates scraped against each others as he stretched. The weather could use some improvement, but he wasn’t expecting much as a refugee on the run, and it was actually alright - all things considered. Theodor was in fact mildly impressed that his throat wasn’t slit by the crook in the night.
“You had breakfast yet?” He asked, looking over at her. The man had no concern for the bandit, but he wasn’t one to let a lady simply starve. “We’ve got rations, but I can put something together if we have a few.”

“Cook something up for us then, noble knight. I’m famished.” The girl responded, with a hint of scorn. The Markovo girl had nothing but contempt for those who disobeyed their duty and fled to save their own skin. This Knight came to her alone, with shiny, mostly undamaged armor, and that was evidence enough for his cowardice. But regardless, they were now surviving together, if only for a bit. Using her power to filter the rainwater that was caught up on her hammock, she brought clean water down like a snaking stream in the rain, before pooling in her empty canteen. “I got us water.”

Theodor set the water to boil over the fire that they’d kept over the night, and began chopping up various spices and roots. It was going to be a simple meal, but it would give them the strength to march another day. Theodor grunted as he tossed away some herbs that’d gone bad. There weren’t a lot left out here, and he’d managed to save so few of it. The nobleman missed fine dining and quality ingredients aplenty, but then again, he missed many things.
“Seems to be pouring today.” He said, disinterested. “The weather seems to be in your element. Feel anything?”

As the water boiled and the herbs went in, cooking it... sufficiently for human consumption, Elerina took the first few hot bites. She’s not one to eat at night, and her stomach still operated on the Alsiere schedule of breakfast-by-dawn, much to her disdain. “Well, for one, I feel wet and cold. Figure you don’t feel much in your suit of armor, huh?”
Preposterous of the man to ask her if she felt anything in the rain. What was she, the water-whisperer? Sure, she could use water to “sense” things in an ethereal way, but if she did, then did he really think she would just be sitting here? Preposterous, she thought. Absolutely preposterous-

Now, she thought that in her mind,but once certain vibrations made themselves clear to her through that ethereal “sense” she felt, she thought that the Knight must not have been so preposterous after all. Hastily gulping down her bite and putting her canteen down, she reached for her glaive in one hand and a stick of firewood in another.

“We got incoming.” was all she managed to say, before a Shadow Wolf broke the cover of foliage and sprung itself at the two. A burst of water later, and the otherworldly elements that held the Creature together were weakened greatly, as a few hundred droplets of rainwater punctured the thing’s ribcage at great speeds. A small pouch made from coiled leaves held the water that she’d prepared, and they had paid off with that kill.

Falling but still propelled by twitching limbs, the Wolf growled and scraped its paws against the grounds, working to regain its bearings after having its entire lower body reduced to cheese. A quick glaive blade directly to the head, followed quickly by a slash directly along the spine remedied that, as the thing fizzed and begun to evaporate.

Theodor got up immediately at the sound of alarm from his companion, blade unsheathed and shield close to his chest. Instinctually, he circled around the fire towards Elerina, towering behind her, and moved towards the front. They were here, the fiends had delivered themselves upon the slayer, and they were his. If one had listened closely enough, Theodor’s heart was absolutely racing, but his mouth curled up into an expectant smile and small bolts of electricity began to build up along the longsword he grasped.

“Your traps will get some of them, gather our things.” He spoke with authority. “I’ll handle anything that gets close.”

In no mindset to argue, Elerina complied silently, unhooking her hammock by pulling off a few purposefully tied knots and dropping the thing down into her hands, exposing them to the rain. She could expend some auranium to block the rain out, but she needs all she can get in this fight, if these things traveled in packs like the regular wolves. Grabbing her canteen, she “heard” more movement to the Knight’s immediate left, and set off another pouch of rainwater right on target. The droplets pierced a Shadow Wolf through its head, while dealing enough damage to the second Wolf to sever one of its front limbs, but the two were still very much alive, and headed towards the Knight.

“Spineless Darklings, come get me!” Theodor bellowed, and with a fierce cry in the face of shadowy evils, he turned and took a large step forward to meet his opponent, slightly leaning on one side. In one swift motion, the Knight bashed his spiked tortoise shield across the Shadow Wolf’s skull. An audible thud was heard as the metallic spikes planted themselves deep across the creature’s head and neck. He yanked hard, and bashed again, this time sending the thing flying to the side. The nobleman followed up with a quick thrust towards the other Wolf, who was just a tick ahead of him, as it jumped backwards, just out of his reach, taunting him with its demonic growl. The thing appeared to be on the defensive and buying time, possibly waiting for more of its kind to get here and outnumber them. Well, Theodor wasn’t just going to let that happen.

Spending some auranium to charge up the blade, he dashed and went in for a slam with the shield, followed by another thrust. The second strike caught the Shadow Beast just left of its ugly face, the blade sinking into its form as shadow matters begin to leak out in significant chunks, which begin to dissipate. The Knight put his might into the arms and thrusted the blade even deeper into the Wolf, then used this to slowly reel the beast closer to him. Upon retrieving the sword, Theodor quickly planted his heavy shield upon the Wolf’s head, crushing it.
“More might be here soon, we need to leave!” He hollered back to Elerina.

“Way ahead of you, come on!” Elerina responded, before veering off to an unclear escape route, hoping that he’d follow. As the two made their escape, more growling echoed close behind. The pack of six Shadow Wolves had been reduced to three, and with one final water pouch that was hung over one of the tree branches in their campsite, there were two Shadow Wolves on their trail. Running in the woods was no good, and the rain around her wasn’t enough for any major damage-dealing, but perhaps she could still do something. Won’t be able to do it alone.

Pooling all water from her canteen, coupled with whatever rain there was around her, she concentrates while running, which wasn’t the best idea of all time. With her plan fully formulated, a small, perfect clearing came up next on their path, and she hollered over to the Knight, just a single meaningless yelp that notified him that she had a plan. With one smooth dive, she drove herself to the ground on the clearing, sending the water back into the bushes towards the nearing Wolves.

A thin filmy layer of water erected upright, blanketing the two Wolves’ line of approach completely. Bursting through the water barrier with ease, the Shadow Wolves unknowingly dove right into the Knight’s blade. Their death was fortunately quick.

Elerina Markovo stayed on the ground, panting out of breath. She’d strained herself with the pouch-mines, and that layer was stretching her limits. She was perfectly content with staying on this damp, wet ground perhaps for a minute longer. Or a lifetime longer. To her side, catching his own breath, Theodor stumbled over to check on his partner.

“That was smart. You alright-” was all he managed to utter, as in the corner of his eye, Theodor could see a dark shape came charging at them. Instinctually pushing Elerina aside, the Knight took the brunt of the impact, and was sent rolling down a decent slope from where they stood. The sky and earth were rolling from his perspective: twirling and swapping places like the couples of the balls he attended. They all felt like a lifetime ago. Theodor landed on his back and stared at the sky and screamed in horrible pain as he felt several things cracked from the impact. But, he was alive, the dark shape was nowhere to be seen, and not too far away, he could just make out the shape of a small shack amidst the trees.

Mentioned: N/A
Interacted: (written with) Kabboom
[/div][/div][/div][div class=fyuricredit]code/design by @Fyuri[/div]

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[Shotgunpenguin]

Tai'yang Long

Tai'yang cringed as a twig snapped underneath his foot, quickly scanning the area for signs of movement. When nothing burst from the foliage he allowed himself to relax, lowering his bo-staff and breathing a sigh of relief. Ever since those things had found him it was a constant struggle to keep himself out of their jaws. They looked like something out of a child's nightmare, their forms so similar to canines yet warped in such a way to be unnatural. He'd been on the run for the past few hours, every time he thought that he had lost them they would always seemingly appear from nowhere to start the chase all over again.

It's obvious that I'm not going to be able to lose them, not on foot at least, Tai'yang thought with a grimace as he started to walk again. He could only travel for so long before he would need to stop, either to rest or relieve himself, while those shadow things could probably go without rest. He would either need to fight them off and kill them, something he was uncertain he could do himself, or try and get them to focus on someone else and escape. He didn't like the second option, but he would rather live to regret it than die because of his bleeding heart. His thoughts were interrupted as a rustling came from a group of bushes a small ways behind him. Instantly snapping to attention he turned and brought his bo-staff low, ready to strike out at a moments notice.

The first beast burst from the bush, slipping slightly on the muddy ground before correcting itself before leaping at Tai'yang with a snarl. Taking a quick step back he jabbed the end of his staff right below the beasts open maw, allowing the beasts momentum to do most of the work as he scored a direct hit on it's throat as it flew backward a foot from the impact, landing on it's side. Normally a blow like that would have been the end of a fight, as even the biggest of animals would buckle if their air-flow was cut off. Unfortunately, nothing about this situation was normal. The beast which should have been out of the fight simply stood up as if the blow had no affect on it as more of it's pack emerged from the bushes. Cursing, Tai'yang turned and broke into a dead sprint as the beasts gave chase.

The shadow beasts were right on his tail, to slow down for even a moment was inviting death. His breath came out in pants as he forced himself to speed up, trying desperately to break away from the pack. A pained scream echoed out from somewhere ahead just past the treeline. Shit it could be more shadow beasts, his mind screamed at him to get away, too much of a risk if it were more shadow beasts. The only thing keeping him from ignoring it was the possibility that it was someone from one of the tribes. If it was one of them, he couldn't just leave them to die. Cursing under his breath he broke through the treeline to find the prone form of a man in armor staring at the sky. He wasn't anyone that he recognized, at least not anyone from the tribe at least. The beasts burst forth from the treeline, stopping just shy of him and the man.

Tai'yang turned to face the pack, at least three shadow wolves with maybe more on the way. He had a choice to make, either abandon the man to the beasts or stay and fend them off. He looked back to the man, he was conscious at the very least which meant he could hear him. "Hey, if you don't want to be eaten by these things I'd suggest you should get on your feet." The beasts began to spread out, surrounding the two of them as his eyes flicked between them. It's now or never, Taking a deep breath, he readied his bo-staff for the coming attack.

Mentioned: Trappy
Interacted: N/A

 

[thefinalgirl]

Maria Estrella Valinco

Rain, weather that Maria didn't like that much. She was out for a stroll, trying to keep herself hopeful in a hopeless situation. Living with no one around you takes a toll on your mind. You'd become desperate for company, seeking a companion in any place. 'Father...' The gypsy had started to lose her light, her sense of happiness that others would love to have. In a time of darkness, she'd be her father's light that keeps him moving, striving to do better for her daughter. Maria took out her mother's scarf as she held tightly, closer to her. It was the last thing that her mother gave to her before she was brutally murdered by the village chief. It made her feel comfortable when she's stuck in a problem. The gypsy wraps the scarf around her neck as she continues to walk.

Maria stumbles upon what appears to be a single shadow wolf. She stops her movement for a moment as she realizes that she may have walked herself into a trap. The girl walks back slowly as the wolf starts to get near her. She proceeds to run fast as the heel of her shoes clacking to the stones underneath her feet. The wolf proceeds to chase her, Maria had already dodged Death's hands multiple times, she can avoid this easily with no sweat. She hides behind a tree as she gets a dagger from her small bag. The shadow beast was searching for her, Maria looks up to the raining skies and prays. She wants to live, not die by some random shadow beast.

The wolf was getting closer to her as she proceeded to jump out from the tree and stab the wolf on the head. The wolf stepped back, stumbling with pain as it tried to run away. Maria proceeded to grab the knife and drag it as the wound gets larger, from his head to his back. The beast tries to bite Maria but she lets go of the dagger as she steps back to avoid the bite. It became more angry, wanting to kill Maria more as its eyes flashed signs of aggression. The wolf let out a large scream as it proceeded to dash towards Maria and pin her to a tree. The gypsy's eyes widened as she barely got out of the way, it caused the dagger to slightly loosen which gave Maria an idea. The gypsy proceeds to grab the knife that stuck on the wolf's back as she stabs it again on the head. The wolf lets out another scream as Maria positions herself on a tree. The wolf dashes towards Maria, trying to head-butt her. Maria dodges in the right moment as the knife got deeper within the wolf's head, killing it. "Kalos, forgive me..."

The gypsy panted, it was her first time slaying a shadow wolf. Most times she would just hide until they got tired of searching for her. Maria crouches and puts her hand on the fallen wolf as she says, "May Kalos bless your darkened soul..." She proceeds to step back and stare at its corpse. It reminds her of her father's corpse, Maria sheds a small tear as she wonders, how could the gods have done this to their creations? Shouldn't they be more mindful of the humans that have worshipped them for centuries? The gypsy's mind is clouded with questions that she doesn't have the answer to. Maybe, in time, her questions will have their answers, just not now.

A scream was heard, Maria turns her head towards the direction of the scream. "A shadow beast?", she muttered to herself. "No, it sounded too human. I must help!" The gypsy proceeds to run. If it was an actual living and breathing human, she'd be relieved that she isn't just the only one in the world left. After the Fall, she hasn't seen anyone except for a few animals that managed to keep themselves hidden from the view of the shadow beasts. The woman arrives at the scene, spotting a man with a mask and a possibly injured man laying on the ground. A trio of shadow wolves try to surround them but Maria is not letting anyone die in her sight. She proceeds to grab her dagger and throws it towards one of the wolves. "Over here!" The dagger lands on the body of one wolf. The beast screams in pain, giving a small opening as Maria uses this chance to slide in between the wolves and stop near the pair of men. "Sir, are you alright? Where does it hurt?", she asks the man in armor. Maria looks around as the wolves are still getting ready to pounce. If the man can't fend them off, she may have gotten herself in a situation she'll die in but, does it matter if the world is already in ruins?

Mentioned: Shotgunpenguin (Tai'yang Long)
Interacted With: Trappy (Theodor Teldarinas)

 

[SkyGinge]

At once Skyre pivoted on his right foot, shifting him away from the beast's trajectory. As the monster's momentum carried it past him, he swung his blade and sliced the creature clean in half. So that one night I spent dancing at the Deer's Crown did prove useful. Still turning with the force of his swing, he saw another two beasts clambering over the broken planks of the ex-door, some foul liquid drooling from their mouths. Mind racing, he thrust his spare arm forward and cast wind that slammed and pinned the creatures against the wall, the hut shudderingly dangerously. Then, still forcing air against them with his outstretched arm, he stabbed again, pulling his sword up through their grotesque flesh as easily as if slicing through water. Without even a whimper, their carcasses slide to the floor and began to dissipate into a cloud of purple gas; just in case it proved poisonous, Skyre covered his mouth with the hood of his cloak as it faded into the atmosphere.

He exhaled with relief, catching temporary respite from the assault. Though he had been happy to discover that his mind churned just as quickly on the battlefield as in the lecture theatre, the redhead was far from a natural warrior; the empty feeling inside his chest told him that his usual tactic of making a magic-boosted getaway had left him low on auranium. In a nowhere forest like this, the atmosphere would be dense enough in auranium to make Drawing worthwhile, but he knew he only had a few more uses left before he'd be left dry. And I've only the one magic potion left, he frowned. Even the thought of using it seemed strange - he'd developed an almost personal relationship to it, his only hope should disaster strike, having clung onto it with caution for the past month. What if he used it and left himself worse off in a worse situation?

His bubble of introspection was popped by the sound of something barking outside. One of the beasts? No, impossible - it sounded far too lifelike for that. Perhaps a wild animal had come to his aide, perhaps this was the cause of his current respite? Yet even from what little he knew about the creatures, he'd observed that they follow only humans - it wouldn't make any sense for the creatures to turn on an animal. And through the crumbled frame of the doorway, he spotted a flesh of red hair and the glint of summer sun against a blade.

His heart immediately swelled with elation. He was not alone, there was another! It had been weeks since he'd last seen another human, ever since the incident with Raikan. He'd forgotten the sound of his own voice, and even his own thoughts had began to sound like the voice of another. The thought of this figure being some sort of unsavoury character didn't even cross his mind - united by tragedy and locked together in battle, surely they would work together.

Then his smile fell into a frown as another beast jumped over the wreckage - for now, the joy of company would have to wait. As the monster leapt at him, Skyre stood his ground. Gripping his blade with two hands, he skewered the creature, a buffet of precautionary air against his back holding him steady against the force of the impact. The shadow beast squirmed, a stray paw catching him in the face; startled and straining under the creature's weight, the young man stumbled back, dropping the beast and blade to the floor with a thud that shook the rafters. Clambering to his feet, Skyre backed away as the beast crawled towards him, his weapon captive in the creature's back...

Kharmin

 

[Kharmin]

The creature dropped to all fours and charged at Aeryn with reckless abandon. The red-headed assassin held her ground even as her internal voice was screaming at her to RUN! At the last moment, Aeryn stepped aside and plunged her stiletto into the beast's midsection. The momentum of the shadow bear's attack wrested the small weapon from her hand as it passed by her.

Grey launched himself at the beast and clamped his jaws near the thing's throat just as it spun around to resume its assault. The canine's teeth embedded deep in the essence that constructed the creature, but it paid the wolf-dog scant attention. Having Grey attached to its neck was of little concern as its baleful eyes honed in on Aeryn.

For a heartbeat or two, the combatants sized each other up. Rain continued to drain down Aeryn's face and draw locks of her hair down with it. She ignored the weather; instead, Aeryn focused and channeled some of the ambient auranium at the bear in an effort to alter its intent. The attempt appeared to yield little if no effect at all.

The shadow beast charged her again as it ignored both Grey and the stiletto still lodged in its side. Grey dug in his feet as he tried to slow the creature's progress toward his companion, but the unearthly strength of the manifestation dragged him with ease.

"Let go!" Aeryn commanded Grey as she readied her short sword for the next exchange. Grey obeyed and as his weight was suddenly removed from the shadow bear, it stumbled and slipped on the rain-soaked grass.

Aeryn leaped toward the creature as it scrambled to regain its footing. With a quick strike, she sliced at its head. Her sword found its mark and dug deep. In rage, the creature stood and swatted at Aeryn.

She ducked under the first swipe, but didn't see the second. The large bear-like paw slammed into her left shoulder and she was thrown to the side. Training and instinct took over and Aeryn rolled with the momentum and skidded to a halt.

There was no time to react. The bear was on her again. It charged and raised up with both front paws again. Aeryn dove to the side to avoid the strike and landed on her wounded shoulder. Pain lanced down her left arm and a numbing sensation quickly followed.

Grey jumped and grabbed the shadow-bear's other arm and used his weight to yank it down to the ground. The creature turned its attention away from Aeryn to deal with the distraction. It returned the favor by biting Grey. The large jaws grasped Grey at his shoulder and dug in.

Grey released his hold and howled in agony. The bear shook its head from side to side and then flung the wolf-dog away. Grey was tossed through the air and landed on the turf with a thud. He didn't move. The shadow-bear lumbered toward his fallen adversary.

Fury seethed in Aeryn at the injury to her companion. Grey was the only family that she had left and she was damned sure that she wouldn't lose him to this foul beast. She took a pained breath from her earlier fall, and schooled herself in patience. A frenzied attack was never warranted.

Her footsteps matched the creature as she crept behind it and used her lessons of stealth drilled into her by her merchant benefactor. When the bear rose up in victory over the wolf-dog, Aeryn plunged her blade to the hilt in its back.

The beast howled in rage at this attack, but Aeryn would not be denied. She withdrew the sword and plunged it in again and again in rapid succession. The beast tried to turn around to deal with this attack to his back, but Aeryn deftly moved to maintain her position while she continued to stab without quarter. After several successive strikes, the creature collapsed to the grass and dissipated in a cloud of purple vapor.

She turned immediately to Grey who regained consciousness. He looked up at her as his eyes returned to focus.

:: I'm ok. Help the human :: The wolf-dog glanced toward the shack which shuddered with the battle being waged within.

Aeryn could sense Grey's sincerity. He wasn't badly injured but would need some time to recuperate from the shadow-bear's attack. She nodded and retrieved her stiletto and started to move toward the shack from an angle difficult for anyone inside to see her.

SkyGinge MToki

 

[Dalamus Ulom]

The oak swayed in the winds brought by the rains, whispering it's secrets to the forest around it in a tongue with no name. Carrow listened to the whispers from the place he had taken for himself in the branches of the tree, watching the beasts that had been following him for sometime now. He'd already waded through three different rivers, had smeared himself in mud, hidden his tracks, and placed himself downwind of the damn beasts, yet still they persisted in somehow following him. It seems they use no natural method of tracking, otherwise I would have lost them ages ago Carrow thought to himself. Perhaps they use magic, or are able to sense auranium in a person? That thought troubled him. If that were the case, then these mockeries of nature doubtlessly wouldn't rest until he was dead. But was he even able to kill them? He had no idea how such monsters worked, let alone if any weapon cold hurt them. But there was no point in thinking further on this. Either he would die, or they would. There was no in between.

As one of the shadowy beasts would pass under the trees great limbs, sniffing at the ground and air, doubtlessly following whatever had led it to him, Carrow would strike. One, two, three arrows into it's head through it's eyes, then another three into the second beast. Three was a good number, but Carrow knew that he'd quickly run out of arrows like this. Three per beast, including misses, meant that he'd at most kill five considering the amount of arrows he had, but the man doubted his arrows would last long enough to kill five. He kept shooting anyway.

When he finally ran out of arrows, he had taken down another two beasts, and had pierced the side and shoulder of another that looked more like a bear. Not that it seemed to care, as it lumbered it's way towards the tree. Quickly sliding his blade from it's scabbard and timing the beasts approach, he would leap from the limb of the oak, blade held ready in his hands as the leap would bring him to meet the creature half way, it's head rising up in a vain attempt to snap at Carrow, before his blade would pierce through it's head before burying itself into the muddy ground below, with the beast struggling for a moment before finally dissipating.

A quick moment spent retrieving his arrows from the much that had been left behind, he found that the three he had shot into the last beast had been damaged. As he examined the damage, hoping that they might be fixable given his limited resources, he heard what sounded like a man screaming a short distance from him, and closer, what sounded like a dog howling. Carrow doubted the man would survive based off of his cry, considering the beasts that had just attacked him were doubtlessly connected in some way. But the hound seemed interesting. He hadn't seen the monsters hunt anything other than himself, never even batting an eye when animals crossed their paths, which seemed to indicate that the dog was probably defending someone, someone who seemed to still be alive, judging by the lack of more screaming.

Following that line of thinking, he would make his way towards the where he had last heard the animal, before finally coming to a small clearing with a small hut near the center. There was the hound, injured and alive, and there was what seemed to be the hounds master, a rather young looking fiery haired woman, who was approaching the hut in a purposeful manner. Maybe someone else was inside the hut, but the way she held herself, and her weapon, seemed to imply that there was another opponent nearby, perhaps even in the hut itself. Whatever the case may be, Carrow decided to keep his distance until he knew just who and what he was dealing with.



Mentions: SkyGinge Kharmin ​

 

[MToki]

Sitting under a sturdy oak tree, Jorg stared as rain drizzled down. He wasn't opposed to the rain or getting wet in general, but going in it meant that his body temperature would lower significantly. Which would need a fire, which would be very difficult to accomplish in a damp forest. He'd have to go searching for a cave or abandoned building soon, if he didn't then he'd have to face the trouble of making a shelter. The weather certainly wasn't doing him any favors. Jorg released a shallow sigh as he got up from his short rest, it would be best to search now, and along the way he'd search for more food. From his bag, he retrieved a green cloak and wrapped it snugly around himself. Then the search began, like it had many times before.


He walked along what was left of trails and followed any trace of human activity. As he searched for food and shelter, he also searched for survivors and corpses. He hadn't encountered any humans that were alive, but had found a few bodies. There was a hope that his family was safe, even though he knew that that was not likely. With the bodies that he'd found on his journey, he gave them a proper burial and a headstone made of molded rock. A shame how their families, if they were still alive, weren't able to do that for them.


Jorg trotted around, keeping an eye out for movement or towns. If the search failed, he would have to make shelter in a tree, which wasn't preferable. Usually, he would be able to make a small hut or make a space underground, but the muddy forest floor comprises the whole plan. At least the animals were still active. Deer and rabbits roamed around in bunches, if he couldn't catch one of them, he might have to find a river or have apples for dinner.


As he thought about his predicament, an ear splitting screech echoed behind him. He turned fast enough to see a shadowy eagle flying above him. A burst of wind nearly knocked him off his feet, as the winged beast dove straight for his head. Jorg dodged, feeling rough feathers scrape against his cloak. The monster flew up again to regain momentum and with this chance, Jorg ran. He ran as fast as he could into the dense forest, slipping down slopes, jumping fallen trees. Above the bird screeched again, preparing for another dive. He unsheathed his hunting knife and turned to face the approaching enemy. For a second he saw into the soulless eyes of his foe as the beast quickly came for him. And just as sharp talons closed in, Jorg dodged and stabbed his knife into the shoulder of the wing as far as he could. The eagle screamed in pain as the wing faltered and it fell onto the muddy ground.


Working quickly, Jorg wrapped ropes of mud around the wings and talons, trying to trap it as much as possible. The eagle struggled, crawling and flapping uselessly. He approached it slowly from behind, crouching to get on level with it. If it wasn't for the fact that his trusty knife was lodged in its wing, Jorg probably would've ran off by now. Once he was within range, he snatched his knife out from its side, causing the eagle to release a screech. Deciding it to be the best course of action, he brought the knife to its head and stabbed repeatedly, until all struggle stopped and the eagle was nothing by shadowy dust.


He released a hefty breath, as the adrenaline died down and the exhaustion set in. On unsteady legs, Jorg stood at full height again. Hopefully that was his last encounter with those shadow beasts. The wolves were easy enough to handle, bear was definitely harder, but still manageable. However, the eagles were by far the hardest. He had no range weapons, and unlike the previous animals, the eagle didn't even need to touch the ground, which was where his magic was most useful. This time he was lucky.


Just as Jorg retrieved his knife from the head of the bird and sheathed it again, the cry of another eagle interrupted. Then an echoed cry followed behind. He looked up to see two more eagles flying toward him. Immediately he knew that this was a fight he could not win, and so he was off again. Twisting and turning his way through the forest, hoping to lose the eagles. The beasts, however, were determined to catch him. They pursued in the skies, watching him through the canopy of the forest. Until Jorg came upon a small clearing with a flimsy looking hut and red-haired woman with a dog.


A survivor? He thought, anxiously. People survived? However, his joy over finding another person, did not change the fact that he was still being hunted by two bloodthirsty eagles. And while he basked in the thought that he wasn't the only one to survive and how he wasn't going to be alone anymore, sharp talons dug into his shoulders. A pained shout roared from him, as the force of the eagle's attack pushed him face first into the ground. Fortunately, Jorg was too heavy for it to lift him away. Unfortunately, it decided to try and just kill him right then and there. It pecked relentlessly any skin or muscle its beak could hold onto, sinking its claws deep into his shoulders. With shock now dissipating and the fear of death now eminent, Jorg imbued what energy he had left to the earth beneath him. The muddy grass around him shot up into two tall towers, shoving the eagle back.


Breathing heavily, he rose from the ground. His clothes now wet and muddy, his face and back dripping blood, pain drumming along with his heavy heartbeat. With stuttered movements, Jorg readied his hunting knife again. The eagle was pushed a few feet away, but the second eagle had arrived. The second, much like its brethren, charged for him. He had definitely gotten lucky with the first guy, and now he was unsteady, injured, drained of energy. His hands quivered, his wounds radiated pain, exhaustion was taking its toll on him. Still he positioned his unstable legs and he steadied his knife for a strike.

Mentions: Kharmin
Interactions:

 

[Archon]

A clandestine evil blanched the world in terror as the remnants of civilization twisted shamefully amidst the haunted landscape, their failure - and the failure of man - held in shameful display to taunt those who remained among the scorched home they once inhabited. Belina's eyes scrutinized the distance with a suspicious melancholy; an array of battering emotions struggling for mental dominance over her ransacked uncertain soul. "We'll need more fire wood." Her voice, sharp and direct, affixed her familial kin with distance and scorn. "And better shelter if it's to survive this rain." She continued again with a nod to the fire. Belina pivoted on her feet, anxiously resting both hands atop the great pommel of her zweihander, the enormous blade embedded in the ground as she lazily leaned atop it.

Her mind drifted to the desolation surrounding them, and the peculiar dynamic of Elisheva and herself as two crowned survivors struggling for dwindling scraps of life. When Belina made the decision to betray everything she believed in, to desert Bleaksword, she knew she was the worst person to have ever lived. A daughter who condemned her father to die; an heiress who abandoned her people in their darkest hour; a knight who fled the battlefield. In that moment, her mind was at peace, a path of her own forging now open to creation. Only for Elisheva, the errant sorceress, to happen upon her just hours after the battle. A haunting idol of her misdeeds sent to punish her unforgivable cowardice. Their relationship before The Fall was non-existent, they did not play and laugh in their youth, nor did they speak and jest with age; Belina's time was occupied with suffering and expectation, the crushing fist of legacy weighing down upon her. Her resentment of the wayward dove who was free to spread her wings was immense, but weighted by the crushing guilt of betrayal. Elisheva fought the darkness, whilst Belina ran.

It was a tantalizing dynamic that tarnished her every waking moment.

The former knight-to-be pulled her lips back in an indignant sneer at Elisheva's acute focus, the other woman buried in books and words. Here. In the end of all things.

"What in damnation are you doing?!" Belina accused, removing her weight from the buried sword, she marched viciously towards Elisheva's studious gaze, emblazoned with purpose, she snatched the book from her cousin's grasp with a belying strength.

"Reading this bloody book won't bring the world back." Belina hissed, voice laced with unprovoked aggression. The tension stretched for but a moment, and the older cousin scoffed, before cruelly tossing the bundle of paper into the fire. Her nostrils flared, her fists tight with a whitening grip, Belina's harsh gaze bored in on Elisheva with a unique oppressiveness. "Now it's useful." Eyes possessed of fury danced in the fire's light as she spat the words, sparkling with the same intensity of the heat they reflected, daring Elisheva to react, to give the former heiress the excuse she wanted. Belina was headstrong, ruled by temper and possessed of bitterness. Rueful pride demanded she recover her self-integrity for fleeing the field of battle. Elisheva knew the truth of the occasion, so it was a common occurrence for the fire mage to be on the receiving end of Belina's volatile wrath and dominant assertions of authority, ruled by insecurity and imagined grievances. As if bullying could prove strength; but it's how she was raised. A coping mechanism for the shame writhing within her kin.

Then, a chilling aura gripped the camp like a clamp; an unnatural breeze jostled the creaking trees, their cumbersome forms groaning as the beating downpour of rain was crescendoed by a striking flash of brilliant blue lightning. The air remained cold. Something stirred in the bowels of the woods, simmering on the edges of human sight with predatory intent, Belina's sharp eyes snapped from the distance for but a moment. "Eli..." She asked slowly, grip tight on her sheathed longsword. "Did you hear tha - " the impactful force of what felt like being smashed by a battering ram struck Belina's side with a swift and terrible aggression, she let out a guttural yelp as the pain in her left side ricocheted throughout every nerve in her body, a giant matted beast of black and dark shadow clamped it's enlarged teeth down upon her armoured gauntlet. Belina's eyes widened with fear. They'd used the deafening roars of the storm to sneak up unhindered. Despite the beast ragging her around with imposing force, Belina hissed aggressively into its evil gaze; off-hand drawing her dagger, she began to stab the creature relentlessly even as its iron-hard grip locked on her off-hand refused to falter, its movements becoming more erratic and violent at her resistance. Try as she may, a dagger would not fell the dark creature.

Interactions - Epiphany

 

[Epiphany]

The sputtering campfire they'd made their own barely held off the chill that'd settled into her bones. If someone had asked her what the temperature actually was, Elisheva Franz couldn't have even guessed. But then, there was only one person to ask her anything anymore.

Belinda's sullen petulance made her difficult company, though. Elisheva's distant cousin had been distant all their life together, for reasons the Mage couldn't possibly fathom. She read once that horrors could bind people together but the utter destruction of everything they'd known had failed to bring about that promised solidarity. Instead, the knight spoke little, spoke bitterly and was generally unpleasant to be around.

One more reason to bury herself in this book. Possibly the last she'd ever read. Thankfully, it was on the history of magic in these lands, especially what's been around before the King's reign. Perhaps something-

"We'll need more fire wood." Belina's sharp voice drew Elisheva's attention away from the pages she'd just begun researching. "And better shelter if it's to survive this rain."

"I can help collect some," Elisheva offered, a bit hesitant still despite a month of practice of surviving in the wild. Most of that practice had been 'do everything her cousin told her to do because she had no idea what she was doing'. A part of her hoped to learn more practical skills but, like now, Belina had sunk back into the moody introspection

So Elisheva sunk back to her book. At least up until her cousin suddenly marched on her and seized the priceless text.

"Reading this bloody book won't bring the world back." While true, the accusation stole the Mage's breath and she could only gape openly at her cousin's unprovoked outburst. Her shock grew by an order of magnitude when Belina threw the book into the fire.

"That book could have had a secret to the shadow monsters!" Elisheva shouted, rising with both hands clenched. "You think fifteen seconds of extra heat were worth it, do you?"

Practically nose to nose, the cousins faced off. If Elisheva lacked Belina's constant temper, she was just as capable of incinderary rage when roused and was she ever roused now!

Yet again, it took a second or two to react to Belina's sudden change in expression. Still seething at the loss of her only book, Elisheva shook her head sharply at the beginning of the question. But the sudden swift attack by the giant shadow beast put an end to the argument as desperation once more took precedence.

Belina went down, knife in hand, stabbing into the monster. Elisheva breathed in, lifted a hand to aid her cousin, then gasped as another shadow beast lunged in from the other direction, bounding over the two struggling figures and barrelling through the air straight for her.

Thank goodness for the years her grandfather spent drilling her. Drawing upon the power in her lungs and blood, Elisheva spread all ten fingers out in a fan and sheets of flame billowed forth, throwing the shadow monsters wide of her. Circling, the Fire Mage gestured once in Belina's direction and suddenly the knife was haloed in crimson flames.

Elisheva brought her attention back to the shadow wolf she'd blasted back, only to find it smoldering and joined by another. With a grim expression, the Red Mage conjured more flame around her hands, praying this time it's be enough.

 

[Kabboom]

[div class=fyuriwrapper][div class=main][div class=charaname]Elerina [/div][div class=text][div class=smheader][div class=smimg]

[/div][div class=smheadtxt]The Descent[/div][/div]

Elerina Markovo laid flat on the ground, her breath still nowhere in her grasp. The months of exertion while traveling through the forest, the constant usage of auranium to defend herself and the people she traveled with, they've all extracted a heavy toll. Perhaps too heavy. The ground was like a temptation, its soft and damp muddy texture drawing her in for more rest. If she could only stay for this a bit longer...

The screaming of the Knight woke her ears, and the susurrus of deadly combat stirred her soul up. The Shadow beasts linger near, and her uncomfortable companion remains alive- nay, there are more people there. Honing her senses and using her raindrop "sensing", she could grasp a better picture of the battlefield that her Knight had fallen into down below. The unnatural black matte 'fur' of Shadow eagles, brushing against the rain; the harsh, sporadic breaths of human combatants echoing through the raindrops as they fall; the inkling of flame roasting the occasional dripping raindrop somewhere far away; splattered water trickling down the length of a cold steel blade lodged in a Shadow creature's back...

Elerina Markovo was currently down for the count, but the battlefield was very much alive. Need to remedy that immediately.

Gathering her hands, the girl pushed herself upright. Gathering her legs, the girl knelt upright. Gathering her strength, she firmly put her feet on the ground and stood upright once more. Firmly reasserting her glaive in her hand, the Markovo girl walked up to the edge where the Knight had been punched off and took a peek down. Not exactly a long way down, but not a short one either, judging by the Knight down there, squirming in pain--

Squinting closer, she spotted two more silhouettes. They couldn't be Shadow creatures, no, they would've dug into the Knight and put him out of his misery. A girl hunched over him, seemingly patching him up, while a cloaked figure defended the girl from other Shadow beasts nearby. A little bit further than that, a dilapidated hut could be sighted, with some sort of combat going on near there too. People. People! She had to get down there immediately.

Without a further moment to think, another Shadow bear burst from the clearing behind her. Panicking, she went down the slope, although not nearly as uncontrolled as the Knight did. Staying close to the ground as much as she can, with some aid from her glaive, she bounced from tree to tree, bruising herself greatly after each impact. The result is definitely not satisfactory, but at least it won't break her bones like the Knight down there. Probably. Glancing back, the bear was in hot pursuit, diving down at her with wild abandon, uncaring for pain or for stopping. It's going down faster than her, and at that rate, it'll--

Elerina Markovo was mauled to death by a bear speeding down a slope. Or at least, she would be, if she hadn't felt a searing pain on the back of her head after the fact. The creature had rammed into her with no control, unable to get its maw or claws around her, and had knocked her off her stable stance and bumped her head onto the slope's ground. Hand still firmly dug around her glaive, she stuck it into the next tree she passed, almost bending the blade irreparably. Her arms felt like they were being pulled apart, as she halted her descent, pulling herself to one side, letting the bear continue its fall unhindered.

With a quick pull leveraged by her foot against the tree, she unlodged herself, and pointed the glaive's business end downward, continuing her slide down onto the bear. Closing the gap, her steel met the bear's neck, and yet again using her legs to leverage herself, she stabbed it again and again, trying as best she could to kick away the deadly claws failing to reach her.

As the slope finally ended and the flat ground appeared again, Markovo landed with a slam, almost crushing her ankles and legs despite the Shadow bear cushioning her impact. With one last stab, the vile being finally succumbed to overwhelming damage, and the bear slowly dissolved starting from the gashing neck wounds. The masked figure and the girl were near her now, and the extent of the Knight's damage was now made apparent to the Markovo girl. Taking position near his body, Elerina fended off a few Wolves with some overarching swings, quickly inquiring the girl on his status. Annoying as the Knight may be in conversation, he was a good combat asset nonetheless.

"How's he doing? Is he alive?!"

Mentioned: Epiphany Archon Kharmin MToki
Interacted: Trappy Shotgunpenguin thefinalgirl
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[SkyGinge]

The beast staggered towards him, the blade sticking out of its chest slowing it as it dragged against the rotting floorboards of the hut. It can't have a heart, then, Skyre mused. However, now was not the time for biological musings, or else his wandering mind would lead him to his death. Now was the time for action.

Think, Skyre! You're too weak to wrangle back Galeforce without getting hit again, so it's just you and your wits. Did his eyes deceive him, or did it look like the creature's flesh was... shimmering? With only small reserves of auranium and time left, the sparks of his intuition ignited an idea.

Still sat back on the damp floor, Skyre tried to tune out his natural fear as the monster lumbered towards him, focussing instead on the sound of the rain pelting the hut. Closer and closer it crept, until he felt the raindrops shaken from its steps. As the wolf opened its teethless jaws and lumged towards his neck, he instead thrust his hand into the creature's open mouth, closed his eyes out of a concoction of habit and fear, and flared the last of his auranium. Even as the beast's mouth began to crumple his hand, he channeled the magic from his thumb as powerfully as he could muster whilst comcentrating the blast to a small radius.

The raw power of the air pierced through the beast's body like a dart through paper. At once, the young redhead was sent flying backwards through the wall of the hut and onto the hill outside, the aged wood shattered against his back and showering him in splinters. His momentum slowed by this obstacle, his body twisted into a backwards somersault and to even his own amazement he landed perfectly on his feet. The exhiliration of a successfully completed plan temporarily blurred out the pain in his back, and a beaming smile erupted onto his face. Stood straight and sturdily, his fiery hair somehow still styled perfectly, he had characteristically made one of his riskiest misfires look like a cool intentional entrance.

His moment of internal gloating was immediately scuppered however as the hermit's hut, having stood the test of time for centuries, finally succumbed to its fate and collapsed in on itself with a loud crash that echoed out across the valley. That's a double-whammy of bad, Skyre thought, covering his mouth against the rising dust knocked up from the fallen building. I've just demoloshed a piece of Valian history, and I didn't even find out whether my plan bested the beast.

A pain like a mixture between stomachache and a stitch burnt suddenly from somewhere unfathomable within him, forcing him down to his knees - soulstrain. That last attack had rapidly emptied him of his remaining auranium, auranium that he had been pretty much burning constantly for the last hour - the sudden weakness of being left without it felt overpowering. He knew that in the likely event that he had to face a beast again shortly, he would be forced to drain his final potion.

To ignore the pain, Skyre tried to focus on his surroundings. Everything seemed quiet to him without his auranium - normally he'd use the wind to heighten nearby sounds out of caution. Nevertheless, he could just about distinguish the sound of nearby combat from underneath the patter of the rain against the treetops. So there are more, he thought, a hopeful smile returning to his youthful features.

As the dust finally cleared on the hilltop, he finally caught proper sight of the figure from earlier. But before he had the chance to scrutinise her properly, he saw the man at the bottom of the hill struggling against a massive bird-like creature. Sans sword and sans magic, he was left with only one weapon with which to assist the newcomer.

He locked eyes with the woman and then, looking beyond her, pointed and bellowed: "Save him!"
Kharmin MToki

 

[Kharmin]

Grey stood on three good legs as he watched his companion approach the small house. His left shoulder hurt terribly where the creature had bitten him, but he would survive. His companion had saved him again and for that he was grateful. The two of them had watched over each other for years and the arrangement suited him.

He hoped that she would be careful for if he had to run to her aid, he wasn't so sure that he would be able to make it in time. She carried herself with confidence that he could sense which eased some of his worry.

Then, from below down the hillside, another human stumbled into the area with a flying beast that continued to attack him. Grey's brow furrowed at this intrusion and he was uncertain what to do. He shook his head to clear more of the grogginess from the tumble when he had been so violently tossed aside.

His companion looked back as she stood near the edge of the doorway to the house. She had her weapons ready but would be of no use to the man below as she was too far away and already committed to her action at the house. A nod from her, and he understood.

:: I'll take care of it ::

Grey launched himself toward the fray – well, inasmuch as his wounded shoulder would allow. He decided against a howl, lest it attract the flying beast's attention. Like his companion, surprise would be his advantage.

He took a slight circuitous route as he closed in on the combatants. Then, when the flying beast dove toward the human, Grey used his powerful hind-quarters to leap up and snap his teeth into one of its wings.

The inertia from the creature's flight, coupled with Grey's awkward angle, tumbled the two of them to the ground in a heap. Pain shot through the wolf-dog from the impact with the ground, but he kept a death-grip of teeth on the beast.

The shadow creature tried to regain the air as it clawed and pecked at Grey, but the wolf-dog was too much weight and muscle for it to break free. Grey found his footing and shook the beast with such force that its wing broke. He then pounced on it and dug his teeth into its neck and continued his assault. The beast fought back in vain for a moment before it became still and then dissipated.

With fresh scratches that complimented the earlier trauma to his shoulder where his fur was soaked in his own blood, Grey turned to the newcomer and stepped back a few paces. He hoped that this human would be as grateful as his companion, but past experience had taught him that not all humans were alike.

* * *

Aeryn watched as her dutiful companion acquiesced and set off for the bottom of the hill and the melee there. She turned her attention back to her task at hand with full concentration as she peered around the splintered door frame.

The shadow hound was approaching the tall, flame-haired man who appeared weaponless. Aeryn stole in behind it as she prepared to strike --- and was hurled back with a force of air that tore through the beast. With instinct taking over, she regained her footing with ease having now gotten used to the rain-soaked grass that covered the exposed hilltop.

The shack collapsed in a heap with the man standing opposite of it. A wind mage, she guessed, as that was the most obvious explanation. He appeared none too worse for the experience.

Aeryn followed his gaze as he pointed down the hill at the combat below them just as Grey finished off the flying shadow creature. She sheathed her sword and stiletto with practiced motion and turned back to him.

"Done," she said with her sea green eyes and a slight smirk hidden beneath her rain-plastered hair.





MToki SkyGinge

 

[Shotgunpenguin]

Tai'yang Long

Tai'yang gasped, his breath coming out in quick bursts as he swung his staff like a club at the nearest shadow wolf. The trio of wolves were probing him, taking their time as he kept them back with wide swings, quick jabs and the occasional blast of air when needed. The constant swinging, not to mention the use of his auranium, was taking its toll on his already tired body as he clumsily backpedaled back into position. The wolves could afford to wait while he tired himself out, either he would slip up and make a mistake or the rest of their pack would arrive and overwhelm him with sheer numbers. It frustrated him to no end that he was only in this situation because of his curiosity, and now it seemed that it would be the death of him.

The man on the ground was still out of commission, perhaps even permanently if his wounds were bad enough. Tai'yang knew some basic first-aid, enough so that he could treat minor injuries, but he had the feeling that it wouldn't be enough to help the man."That is, if we even make it out of this" He grimaced at the thought, eyes roaming as he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. Cursing under his breath, he turned and prepared to strike only to find a woman dressed in revealing clothes to dash past one of the shadow wolves, now with the addition of a dagger in it's flank. She stopped short of the man in armor, inspecting him for wounds as she asked him where he was injured. Did this woman know healing magic? "He's conscious at the very least. I think he was knocked down the hill by one of these things." He didn't turn to face her as she spoke, he needed to focus on the shadow beasts.

The wolves seemed to recognize that their numbers advantage was dwindling, no longer content to wait for their pack they began to growl and approach the group. Damn, if defending the man weren't already hard enough now he had to worry about the woman as well. Two of the wolves charged towards the group from his front, the third circling around to try and attack from his blind side. Gripping his staff tightly in one hand he spun on one leg, doing a 180 as he faced behind him and swept his palm out and forced a large amount of auranium to blast the beast back. The wolf was launched back as a gust of wind slammed into it, landing on its side as Tai'yang continued his spin, using the momentum of it to deliver a devastating blow to the side of the first wolf's head. The beast crumpled to the ground as the last wolf leapt at him, jaws gnashing as he just barely managed to get his hand up in time.

His staff was knocked out of his hands as he pushed with all of his might, his hand settling around it's throat as it attempted to rip him to pieces with it's claws. He could feel his strength fading, he couldn't handle much more before his arm would give out. Letting out a cross between a cry and a yell he reached back and grabbed the hilt of one of his daggers. There was no grace in what he did next, driving the dagger into the beasts underbelly as many times as he could. He kept stabbing, even as the light left the beasts eyes he kept going until it's carcass looked like a butcher had taken a cleaver to it. His lungs burned, his arms felt like they were going to fall off and every breath felt like shards of glass were being poured down his throat.

"Need to get up" His body protested as he reclaimed his staff, the two wolves that he had knocked aside were getting up, although the one he struck with his staff seemed dazed. At least he knew that blunt force would work against these things now, every time before they would always show no reaction when he struck them. Not that it would do much good now, Tai'yang could barely get himself to his feet before the wolves recovered. He had barely managed to kill one of them, and even that had taken almost all of his energy. A dull thud sounded behind him, and for a moment he feared that more shadow beasts had arrived from the slope. With a quick glance behind he was glad to see that it wasn't more shadow beasts, but another woman. This one armed with a large bladed staff, which she used to keep the wolves at bay with large arching swings. She seemed to know the man in armor if her concern was any indication. "He's alive, not sure how serious his injuries are."

Tai'yang inched himself backwards, moving closer to the new arrival and away from the wolves. Her arrival meant a lot to him, another person to fend off the beasts meant that he could focus on recovering as much as he could. A loud crash caused him to cringe, the sounds of wood snapping under weight came from not to far ahead of them through a clearing of trees. A voice cried out, yelling at someone to save someone else as for the first time Tai'yang began to hear the sound of combat. "More people?" A small well of hope began to swell up inside of him. If there were more people, then there would be more hands to help kill the shadow beasts, which would increase his chances of getting out of this alive. "Did you all hear that? There's more people past those trees." It was a long-shot, but if they could get past these wolves then they might be able to group up with the other people.

Interacted: Trappy , Kabboom , thefinalgirl
Mentioned: SkyGinge

 

[thefinalgirl]

Maria Estrella Valinco

The girl put her ear to the man's heart as she listened to his pulses. She removes her head from his chest as she takes note of what the man with the bo-staff said to her. "He's conscious at the very least. I think he was knocked down the hill by one of these things." The girl turns her head to the other girl with red hair, "He's still alive, just unconscious." The wolves were starting to increase in numbers as Maria thought of something to do. She puts her hands on top of each other as she proceeds to spin while letting her hands touch the air above her head and her feet keep her constantly spinning. "Stars, give us strength!,", she shouts as loud as she can. Her hands proceeds to form a bright light that shot out of her hand and into her allies. The light created a barrier around them that when it was hit, it will give a small shock to anyone that decided to harm the person with the shield. The man with the bo-staff, the injured man in armor, and the red-head girl received the shield that Maria cast onto them. Some of her auranium was drained but, she can still manage to fight and have a clear mind.

Maria wasn't sure if she can grab her dagger but she did thought of another way to defeat the shadow wolf that she stabbed. "Hey, over here!" The gypsy proceeds to throw a rock as she positions herself in front of a tree. It was far away from the injured man and from the others who were in combat. The shadow wolf sluggishly ran towards Maria as it tried to body-slam her to pin her down. The gypsy rolls away at the right moment which made the dagger in the wolf's torso lodged in deeper. It slightly whimpered in pain as Maria managed to grab the dagger from his stomach and stabbed him multiple times in the head, leaving him dead. "One down, one more to go." The girl proceeds to dash toward the final wolf as she leaps and stabs it directly in the stomach. Maria pulls it, making the wolf howl in pain as it tries to fight Maria but can't as she already manages to finish him off by piercing him through his right eye, making him slightly stumble and die. It splattered some blood on her face but this didn't surprise Maria. She turns her head to the group and says, "So, shall we save them or not?" She puts a hand on her hip as the gypsy proceeds to dash toward the other battleground.

The gypsy arrives at what appears to be a group of humans trying to fend off a bunch of shadow creatures. Maria proceeds to get near a man as she manages to dodge the shadow creatures and stop near him. "Are you alright? Do you need help?" As she was evaluating the ginger-haired man on where to heal him, a large shadow bear and a pair of shadow deer with what appears to be some antlers that have a dark aura surrounding them arrive at the scene. She eyes the group that she followed earlier as she gives signals to protect her as she tries to heal the ginger-haired man and the armored man. "What's your name?," she asks to the ginger-haired man as she proceeds to prepare her white magic. Small yellow sparkles fly off of her hands and her eyes glow a slight yellow. "Kalos, bless him with your star light..." She slightly whispers her words as a small white feather lands on top of the ginger-haired man's head. The feather melted onto him as it surrounded him in a small white aura that disappeared, it should make him feel slightly better. The girl proceeds to turn her head to the group of shadow creatures, when will they stop?

Interacted: Trappy Kabboom Shotgunpenguin - (Gave small shields) SkyGinge - (Small heal)
Mentioned: Kharmin MToki

 

[Archon]

The great amalgamation of slimy blackened fur was ceaseless in its aggression, but the snap of its jaws halted as the angled dagger erupted into a deadly pillar of flame. Eli, Belina thought in a brief moment of calm. Soon interrupted by the continuation of her perils. Her foe, now acclimated to the sudden heat assaulting its frame, moved to trike for her jugular once more, but Belina hissed and leapt forward with a valiant thrust, the accursed wolf howled in pain as fire soared its now-wrenched vitals, Belina's eyes flashed a brief gold and she channeled the essence of Yellow Mana into the blazing steel, with a great crash the sky suddenly split and a great lightning bolt crashed upon the great wolf's pack, sapping it of life in an instant. The weight of the deceased brute collapsing on her frame still elicited a pained gasp, only now did she truly grasp how massive these canine beasts were, twisted and malformed, nothing like normal wolves of the old world. Even so, their trials were not yet done, the sounds of clattering and combat continued just outside her peripheral vision.

Elisheva, she needed help.

Wrenching herself up lightly, she focused her mana once more, this time on the great zweihander still embedded in the mudded ground, with studious precision, she angled the blade up with magnetism before willing it forward like a raging hyena; the massive sword pierced the unharmed shadow creature's stomach. A cruel howl, possessed of dark anguish, assaulted the forest's ears before vitality fled from the shadowed beast for time eternal.

Belina put her mind to forcing the carcass that still buried her away as Elisheva remained locked in combat with the immolated monstrosity. Attempting the move, she could do nothing more than inhale sharply through clenched teeth as her very breath was held hostage. With a desperate glint playing in he reyes, she glanced the sword still-sheathed at her side. Grim resignation settled painfully on her face, between the weight of the wolf and the sharp agony piercing her side, she knew she'd broken a rib - perhaps multiple. Setting her mind to the task at hand, the longsword zipped from its buried host at the warrior's side.

"Eli!" Belina cried with urgency, "take the sword!" The sword sprang to its target pulled by mystical forces, cackling with radiant thunder.
Epiphany