Vault Hunters (Finished~)

[Katsuya]

- ??? -

’That doesn’t make it any better.’ Jesper replied, sighing. There’s a slight grin to his face. ‘Feels like I’m a doomed in-law, should I cross my fiancée.’

Was that a joke? From the serious Spartan, of all merfolk.

’I’m surprised of how supportive he is of you. Does he know of your past?’ Jesper asked, now curious as he keeps an eye on the licking dragon.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

Moss, who began laughing again, stiffened immediately. He looked at Jesper, wondering if he was starting a fight. But then it was him . . . Moss would let him put in some blows . . . 'He does . . . He's known and heard everything . . .' Moss signed slowly, looking down.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- ??? -

‘I see.’ Jesper nodded slowly, sighing out bubbles. ‘. . . He really loves you, huh?’

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

Moss smiled tenderly at the sand. "He does." he whispered, a quiet warmth in his gaze. "He is . . . if I could show you Leor . . . he is the sun in my life, just as the sun makes everything bright there. It's like our twin moons, only brighter and warm." his hands touched his own cheek where Isa had snuggled him. "I won't be staying here in Atlantis, I'll be living with him in Leor if that makes you feel better, doomed-in-law."

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- ??? -

‘No, it doesn’t.’ Jesper replied suddenly, however his expression softened a bit. Taken in of Moss’ actions. Words don’t mean anything to the merman, actions however . . . That’s different. How gentle he signed as they talked about Isa, how he smiled, how he touched his cheek— even before when Isa was here, how Moss would always keep his hand on him.

Moss is a love-sick fool . . . And Jesper can‘t fault him for it. Not when he feels the same for Thera.

’ . . . But I know Thera will be happy to know that.’ Jesper signed. ‘At least, she’d stop worrying about you being alone.’

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

'She worried about me being alone?' perked Moss. 'I thought she was angry at me, and was glad she had me out of her hair.'

@kats

 

[Katsuya]

-??? -

‘Of course, she is angry and bothered. Who wouldn’t feel that way?.’ Jesper replied. ‘But that doesn’t stop her worries for you. You are her family, Lysander.’

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

Moss looked down looking like a little brother for the first time. Surprised, hopeful, and happy. He just looked up and smiled humbly. 'She's great . . . she really is . . .I want to be better for her.'

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- ??? -

‘Finally feel that way, huh?’ Jesper asked. Next thing Moss knew, a fist lightly hit his shoulder. ‘Then you better count it this time-‘

’I’m close by, guys.’ Isa’s voice cuts in, causing Jesper to jump.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

Moss smiled at him warmly, like some barrier between them had fallen away just a little to see Jesper as a friend and not someone he should tip-toe around. "I will." he said with his voice. "Oh! Isa is near. Well . . . Wish me luck, Jesper." And then to Isa he replied. 'Talking to the dragon now, I'll send a message if it goes wrong, also, please tell me where you are with Capellini.'

And with that, Moss crushed a piece of bone and his teal runes swirled up his arms and he timidly swam out, before deciding he should be bold and puffed his trembling chest out instead. 'Hail great one!' he guttered out in the infernal tongue of Black Speech. 'May the tides bring you glad . . . t-tidings. I am the Prince of Atlantis, Lysander Adamaris, brother of Queen Thera, I am here to bring the Heart back to our home.'

Spoiler: Moss' Gear

Health: Fresh | Toughness: 18 | Spell Power: 17 |Manna: 10/22
Condition: 0​

Main Hand: Golden Kunai
+1 crit | +1 combat | Sealing Obsidian | Light, "Dual-wield"
Attachment: Retractable Chain
Spoiler: Sealing Obsidian and Gold

Off-Hand: Kunai
+1 crit | +1 combat | Light, "Dual-wield"
Attachment: Retractable Chain

Armor: Oyster Armor
+4 Toughness
Attachment I: Blue-teal Ring
Attachment II: Assistant Servant Belt

Alchemical = 700 | Metal = 400
Roleplay Points: 3

BAG OF FOLDING:
*Any clothes you put inside will come out clean, freshly ironed, pressed, and folded. Backpack +20 carrying capacity.​

1. Demon Hunter Spear
   +1 combat
   "Cleave". Once per turn, you can make an area attack with -2 to hit, to damage a number of foes = Combat Skill that are clustered around you.
2. Triton Lance
   +2 combat
   "Cleave". Once per turn, you can make an area attack with -2 to hit, to damage a number of foes = Combat Skill that are clustered around you.
3. x2 Lashings
   Advantage to Overcoming Difficult Terrain when set up. Rope or similar that's 50 ft. in length.
4. x1 Trauma Kit : +2 to Healing rolls. DC 12 Knowledge check removes one affliction or improves health by 1. DC 14 stabilizes dying character. If affliction DC is less than 12, affliction is automatically removed. Every extra 1 hour performing the medical operation gives +1 to Trauma Kit rolls. Uses up a major action when used during battle.
5. x3 Expensive goods
   Spoiler
6. x1 Sealing Cuffs

REBEL BASE:

1. Obsidian Stove| Uses heat runes instead of fire. Popular among merfolk who set up floating food stalls in the sea.
2. Blue Crockpot|+2 Cooking, potion brewing, and making medicine. Contains a mess kit and comes with a collection of containers for monster parts, unknown liquids, and acid. Gift from Isa.
3. Food, 1 week| Enough for 2 people + Okami. Contains rations that restore +1 Mp when eaten during a short rest. When used on pets: +1 Pet Condition, +1 Animal handling. Seafood pasta, cured meat, spices, and other ingredients Isa likes, crystallized in ice.
4. Ocean Knife Set | Gift from Isa.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- ??? -

‘I’m close to the den above ya.’ Isa replied.

As Moss swam up to the dragon, whom immediately growled at him and causing the whole den to shake, Jesper didn’t listen and followed behind. Then they introduced themselves. ‘I’m Jesper, King of the Spartans and fiancé of Thera.’

The dragon growling lowered as he stared at the pair before talking back. At least he won’t kill them.

‘You May call me Neroli, son of Theasus and Meril. Keeper of this den.’ His large red eyes narrowed. ‘So you are Lysander…She mentioned you and Jesper …’ He moved his tail, giving just enough space for them to swim through.

’Pass through, young ones.’

Getting close, that urging to come see it grew stronger like a moth to a flame. Once inside, the duo will find the crystal high above, slowly orbiting are the large slabs of rocks, faces of the lost kings and queens carved in. The crystal looks like the same as how Moss remembered it: beautiful and seemingly peaceful.

Moss can feel the crystal being happy to sense him again like a family reunion that needed to happen.

’So . . . How do we getting it down?’ Jesper asked.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

"Thank you, great Neroli." Moss gave the fishy equivalent of a dipping bow, hands and fins open sideways.

When they had entered the cave, Moss let out bubbles of relief. 'That . . . was so easy.' he signed to Jesper, eyes alight with the giddy fear he had been hiding. He could laugh. 'I thought there was going to be some kind of complication.'

The moment he saw the Heart, he swam towards it, touching the crystal and felt a familiar warmth he had almost forgotten, like a friend lost that he learned to live without, but has now met again. "We're going to bring you home." he whispered to it. He then turned to the Spartan king. 'I think now is the time we get Isa? I'll explain to Neroli that he is a friend.'

He took out something from his component pouch and crushed it, sending a message to Isa. "Isa! We're in! It didn't kill us, we're at the Heart! Is there a way for you to come inside? Though don't come in yet."

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- ??? -

Jesper simply nodded, swimming next to Moss and hesitated to even go close to the crystal. Letting it feel his energy and presence as translucent flares of blue and white spiked from him being too close.

’Okay, love. I’ll come down now.’ Isa replied.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

'Wait! I said not yet!' Moss quickly swam out to Neroli.

"Great Neroli, my companion is coming to help us bring the Heart back to Atlantis, he-he dwells within a serpent, not as great as you. He is a friend, and will help us carry it. May he come inside your chamber?" Moss asked quickly.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -

Neroli, who was curled and tucked in his rolls, popped his head up once more to listen to Moss and nodded. Then he laid his head on top as he saw a . . . Stone serpent come slithering in. The dragon scoffs silently before closing his eyes to rest. Nudging his body a bit to give the goliath some space to go through.

Capellini landed on the sea floor and easily noodled through the entrance. Curling into a spring with the head on top of the rolls with the head tilted up. Moss can hear Isa’ wonder and amazement. ‘Woooooow! The heart is beautiful ~’ he can already see Isa’ eyes spark in stars.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

It was quite something to hear Isa's voice from a dragon. Then again, Isa to him was something like that, grand but in the body of an everyday human. He stifled a chortle. No, he wasn't even your everyday human at a glance. He smiled fondly at the goliath, glad Isa liked the Heart.

He swam to the crystal, touching it once more. "This is Isa, he is inside that serpent. He will bring you home, don't worry, he has a great respect for old gods and ancient things." he rubbed the smooth glowing surface. "He is afraid of drowning, he cannot breathe or swim in the water like me, so please do not attack the serpent, it is his safe place."

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -

The crystal heart hummed gently inside of Moss’ head, feeling relief flowing through his body as it trusts his words.

‘Love, how are we taking the heart? Should I open the mouth so it can come inside?’ Isa asked him quietly.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

"Yes! Me and Jesper will guide it in. The Heart's okay with Capellini! ---- come help me push it, Jesper."

Moss created a shifting air pocket that slowly adjusted, as he and the Spartan king, carefully pushed the crystal into the jaws of the waiting goliath. Moss asked Isa if he could use his shadow claw to pull the heavy crystal inside, all the while whispering reassurances that the dark magic touching it was the hand of a friend.

"You can come inside, Jesper. Okami, come here boy, this is Jesper, he is a friend now, okay? Wait, let me get my merman saddle, Jesper, so that you can ride him."

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -

Capellini’s mouth opened as soon Moss was ready with his spell to keep the water at bay.

As the crystal heart fluctuate it’s light at the feel of shadows wrapped around it, Jesper gently pushed the crystal by the carved rock of a lost king. Knowing that if he touched it, his skin might start to crystalize. Isa trusted Moss to keep the water out as he carefully pulled the crystal in with his shadow claw.

Once the crystal is inside and comfortably floating by the ceiling, Isa closed the mouth after Jesper and Moss came inside too, Okami transforming back into his usual self. Then he looked at the crystal, drawing shadow claw back.

”Wow~” The redhead cooed, starry eyes staring at the glowing crystal with a warm smile. Remembering that the crystal heart is somehow a living entity, Isa walked underneath it’s light and introduced himself. “My name is Isa. Nice to meet ya~”

Moss can see the heart‘s flares of blue and white feeling Isa’s presence as well. Wanting to identify him. However . . . Was Isa breathing heavily? His eyes looked a bit dazed too…

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

Moss grinned, as he adjusted the straps of the saddle to make sure Jesper was comfortable. "So, this is my Ancient." he said with the tone of introducing someone's revered grandpa, as he walked underneath with Isa. "We actually --- Isa?"

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -

“Hm?” Isa sluggishly turned his head to look at Moss, smiling like normal—-that is, if he didn’t include the white-blue light where his pupils should be. He took another deep and shaky breathe. The little sprout bending and wiggling weirdly with it’s leaves curling up as if it’s hugging itself.

”Waaat’s ’rooong, luuuv?” He slurred, sounding drunk. Taking a staggering step towards the merman and reaching out with a hand. His eyelids were getting heavy too. What’s going on?

”Shum’tin burrrrns ‘ereeeee.” Isa raised his other hand to point on his chest; his fingertips bouncing from the movement. It seems like he lost his sense of movement and speech. He took another shaky breathe.

”Lysander, I think it’s best to have him out of the crystal’s light?” Jesper suggested, though confused as well. Thera never said anything about it’s light affecting others like this. Is it because he is human? That can’t be. What could it be? The moment Isa is close to Moss, the merman can see a thin blue-white vein peeking out of the redhead’s swimsuit on the left side of his neck that trails down to his chest.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

Alarm bells went off Moss' head. And even as Jesper spoke, he was already half-hugging, half- herding Isa away from the crystal's light. "Er, let's --- let's move away Isa. Here, back inside our caravan." He looked back at the crystal, angry. "Okami, come, Jesper, please help me, I don't know what's going on."

They quickly rounded a corner out of the junction between the goliath's head and the rest of its body and into the colossal long hallway where their caravan was parked in the first ship dock. When they were inside, Moss drew Isa gently to sit on their couch. "Erm, Isa, uhhh, what- what else are you feeling?" he drew out his spell book and began flipping the pages for something he could use at this moment.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -

Moss can feel the heart fluttering, confused for a moment but then it calmed. As if it realized something about Isa and was happy?

Isa heavily leaned into Moss’ hug, their voices became muffled as if someone stuffed cotton in his ears. Jesper spoke something. Something in him didn’t want to go to the caravan. He didn’t want to go inside. He wanted to-

“Yeah. Let’s.” Jesper replied, letting the dog carry him anywhere, following behind Moss and the dazed redhead. At least he is still walking though he seemed to grow more and more heavy in Moss’ arms.“I…Thera told me the crystal heart is usually peaceful unless threatened and I haven’t seen anything Isa did that ticked it off. Lysander, does it hurt others out of nowhere?”

As they reached the caravan and have Isa sit on the couch gently, he hummed quietly. Squinting his eyes a bit. “Waaaat? I ‘an’t ‘ear ya weeeellllll.”

’What else are you feeling?’ Jesper quickly replied in sign.

”Ohhhh~” Isa groaned, guttural sounds came out at the end as he just let his head lolled back. Leaning against the couch’s back as he stared at the ceiling. “Shleeeeepy…..und…I wanna….” He paused for a moment before looking at Moss. Frowning as he sluggishly pleaded to him. “I … I wannah guuu. Som’here closhhh.”

”I wannah go outshide. In water. Plesh?”

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Admaris -​

"Well, no, but it did something to him." frowned Moss.

Inside, Moss stopped at the page of his dispelling spell. "You want to go outside in the water?" he repeated, in disbelief. He remembered the sensation that the Heart gave him: confusion and then happiness? Moss exchanged a glance with Jesper. "Alright? If that's what you need right now, Isa." Moss still didn't understand, but stood up and offered his hand. "Just so you know, I'm going to turn you into a sea slug if you do something." he continued to look at him with worry.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -

Jesper shrugged his shoulders, not knowing what to do here.

Isa nodded blearily, confirming Moss’ disbelieving words. “Jush wannah guu.” He reached up to touch Moss’ hands— a shock of electricity zapped into the merman’s hand as Isa clutched him tight. Pulling himself up to stand and stumbled a bit. He would feel a sense of urgency from Isa. It was an intense version of him needing to swim underwater again, only this time he knew it was Isa that’s feeling this way.

Suddenly, the trio with Okami would find themselves back in the water, indigo flames licking their skin and hair before it steamed out with a sizzle. Jesper quickly transformed Okami into a sea bunny and placed him on Moss’ head. The sea bunny slowly bobbed it’s head.

The redhead’s shaking breathing relaxed and he seemed more awake. He smiled alluringly, grateful towards Moss—-again, Moss knew. He can…feel what Isa is feeling at the moment. Then he swam away from the goliath, going further down of the den and went through a crevice that was big enough for one merman to swim through at a time.

Spoiler: Music

While the merfolk can see in the darkness, they could tell it was darker than what they are used to. The colors seemed to dim in the shades and there was a soft glow coming from the bioluminescence underneath and above. After some time, around an hour, the walls began to smoothed down, not as jagged as the entrance. There were broken vase pieces on the ground, scattered about and several carved pillars holding the ceiling up in a row, one on each side of the now obvious hallway. Fossils of old creatures and minerals that Moss and Jesper never seen but only heard from legends and tales appeared before them, jutting out of the walls and pillars. Some of them lighting up in a soft glow of the same blue-white light that crystal has as Isa passed by them.

Moss would feel a tug on his tail. Jesper furrowed his brows, weary and worried. ‘Where is he taking us?’

Zer0