Fantasy Void of Worlds

[Melon Bomb]

Spoiler: Prologue

Helven, Etian Calendar Year 844

Under pale moonlight, a ruined cathedral crowns a small hill in eerie silence.

Walls etched with nicks and scars, carpets darkened with waves of muddy footprints and smoking braziers - all signs of a recent, hard-fought battle. One by one, robed figures file quietly into the hallway, circling around a vacated altar where a strange symbol is marked onto the floor. Here, the summoners of Helven gather to begin the ceremony of calling, wherein a heroic soul is chosen from a realm beyond their own. With their palms stretched outward into the circle, a low, rhythmic chant begins. Their robes flutter lightly beneath them, caught in a swirling gust of wind as loose gravel and debris tumble and roll around them. The floor symbol glows faintly at first, then fiercely as the gust turns to cyclone - broken windows rattle in place and the very foundation of the earth seems to tremble, the chanting grows louder and louder still.

Then, a flash of light, and there is silence.

The robed summoners close in, looking down upon the fruit of their work. In the center of the marking, a figure kneels. Even from the cut of her cloth, it is immediately apparent that she does not belong in this world. The unnamed hero opens her eyes, her lids fluttering weakly as her sense of space returns to her. Confused, her fingers absent-mindedly drift toward the hilt of her weapon, but a gentle hand guides it away.

"Do not worry, young hero," the summoner says softly, gazing into the girl's face with a tender smile. "You are in good hands now. Welcome to Sheol."

The summoner's face splits open like a blooming flower and an indescribable, slithering mass of tendrils ejects itself from his face, viscous ooze dribbling down his throat. Before the girl could even react, the thing pounces onto her and instantly fuses with her flesh. She staggers backwards and shrieks, lashing out at nothing and writhing spastically on the floor. Gasping and wheezing, she struggles to pry the creature from her face, but to no avail. It didn't matter where she grabbed, or how hard she kicked and squirmed - her skin felt like quicksand, and its tissue sank deeper and deeper into her body. And the more she tried to fight it, the more numb her body began to feel.

At length, she stops resisting altogether. The summoners say nothing as they gaze down upon the fallen hero.

A minute passes. Then another. And another.

Then, the hero stands up.

Wyngard, After Sheol Year 1 (Present Day)

It was a beautiful day in the city of Yonah. As summer rolled around, traveling merchants and performers busily set up station in celebration for the empire's military victory near the border of Moontree. While details of the event were scarce, one could surmise that an attack on the Terrarium of Magic had been bravely thwarted by their allyship, summarily being rewarded with a handsome supply of arms and produce - a bounty that would surely last the coming seasons. Oh so proud of his knights, the ruling lord decided to throw a festival on their behalf - of course, to congratulate them for their efforts as they returned on their march back to Wyngard's mainlands.

In Lord Anthony Tyne's chambers, high up in the tower of his castle, a different kind of celebration occurred.

"So... miss Nadira," Lord Tyne began, one hand silently snapping at his butler to pour his bodyguard another glass. "I hear you've gotten engaged. Should I be jealous?"

The woman named Nadira belched loudly, scratching her belly as she lounged back into her cushion and kicked a leg up on the table.

"With all due respect, just because you sent your wife to the festival, doesn't mean she don't exist anymore," she answered, taking a sip from her cup and peering over the rim. "Speaking of which, you sure you want me up here instead of down there? I know you sent some guards to go with her, but they don't look like they put up much of a fight."

"Tsk, tsk, always worrying about the lady," he shook his head with a smile. After a small pause, he leaned into his elbows and stared out into the open balcony, where a cool breeze swept into the room. Outside, the vague sound of bustling and preparation could be heard for the coming celebrations. "Never mind that. A man can have many wives, but only one love, you see?"

"Right," she said dryly, raising a brow and swirling her glass.

Tyne turned back to his bodyguard and laughed. "All in good jest, my good Nadira. Who is the lucky man, might I ask?"

"No one you know." She took another sip.

"Well, how am I to plan a party for you?"

"You're already throwing one out there," Nadira said, pointing out the balcony. "Honestly, you should've just gone with the lady. If you're bored enough to ask me about my sex life then clearly you'd rather be somewhere else than here. I don't like being cooped up either."

As the lord motioned to respond, a series of knocks at the door interrupted their pointless conversation.

"Hallelujah," she said flatly, standing to her feet. "I'll go get the door."

"Be careful--"

Nadira turned the knob and swung the door out to reveal a young boy standing before her. Clean, fancy robes with intricate trimming. Maybe a size too big. Judging from his garb, he seemed to be a visitor from the Terrarium of Magic - and a high level one, at that. Looking a little dopey-eyed though.

"Ah," Lord Tyne said with a smile, joining his guard in standing. "From the Terrarium... you must be here to congratulate us on our allied victory, yes?"

"Wrong." The boy pulled over his robe collar to reveal a button-sized badge in the shape of a bird, warm candle light dancing in its glossy reflection. "My name is Verre Aslin, I'm with--"

"The Doves," Nadira finished with a frown, leaning her weight into the door frame. "What do you guys want with us now?"

"Normally this isn't my business, but..." Verre, produced a scroll from his robes and straightened it out for both of them to read. "One of my birds just picked up a report from one of your outposts west of here. Not sure about the exact details, but your watchmen said that Uryans were coming this way - slipped past the front line. Might be two or three, but there's at least one"

Despite his calm delivery, the air became frigid with shock. Neither the lord nor his aide knew what to say for a full ten seconds. Everyone has heard the stories. Just one, small escaped Uryan could annihilate an entire city if a team wasn't brought together to deal with it in time - not only that, but it would grow bigger and stronger the more it killed, until it snowballed and reproduced an army of itself. That was how the entire nation of Leucinine was overrun, which had only recently been taken back one territory at a time.

"I need your stamps on evacuation orders," the boy continued, rolling the page back up and tossing it onto the table. "If we don't ring those bells soon, people are going to die. If you know any summons, let me know - we're going to buy time until help can arrive."

"I-I'm a summon," Nadira said, holding her hand to her chest. "I can help."

"No," Tyne snapped. "You come with me, your job is to protect my family."

"Fine, then cut me loose," she shot back with a fire in her eyes. The lord briefly recoiled at her words, but recovered enough posture to add on to his statement.

"Okay, okay, but you HAVE to come back, alright? Promise me!"

"So dramatic," Nadira rolled her eyes, turning to the butler. "Get us some parchments, and quickly." She turned to Verre. "You're a... bird person, or whatever, right? We need to contact the belfry, the city guard, and whoever else - how many letters can you send?" Verre spread his arms and a swarm of crows suddenly emerged from beneath his robes, clambering atop his body and perching on him like a scarecrow.

"As many as we need to," he said.

"... Got it."

Verre lowered his arms and the crows seemed to vanish seamlessly, black feathers drifting around him as he walked toward the balcony. Behind him, Lord Tyne and Nadira barked orders to their staff, shuffling papers around and rifling through drawers. The boy rested his arms on the rail as he looked down upon the city below, letting out a deep sigh.

I just wanted to enjoy the festival...

 

[Fred Colon]

Marina plunged her blade into the man's breast, and he cried out in surprise, his eyes widening, his body going rigid, expecting pain. But there was none.

Marina saw a river shaded by the green boughs of old trees. A group of children, one of them looking exactly like the first man, albeit younger by a decade. She knew him now. Raulus. He was smiling. A young girl was clinging to his leg and laughing. His sister, Weiss. She knew her, too, and loved her like an older brother, and felt a sense of loss that threatened to suck out her heart. She took the memory, that feeling, and spun it into her blade.

Marina whirled around, pivoting on one heel to meet the blade of a second man, Belen she knew his name was, swinging wildly, reeling from when she had cut him the first time.

The first man fell to his knees, no wound on his chest, eyes glassy as if he was suddenly deep in thought.

She kicked the second man's legs out from under him and took Raulus' memory and slid it, and her blade, into his sternum. The man gasped, and tried to push the blade away, but a moment later his eyes, too, turned glassy and dull, like he had gone somewhere else. Not dead.

Marina took a few steps back a sheathed her white blade. After a moment the two men's eyes focused, and they got to their feet. They eyed each other warily, but their will to fight had melted away. They knew each other now. Knew each other in a way no one save Marina could.
"Are we alright now?" Marina asked, giving them a small smile.

Belen steadied himself on an alley wall.
"I... What?" Belen was part of the red feathers gang. Raulus was a member of the green fangs. The groups hated one another with a virulent, unreasoning passion. "What did you do to me?"

"I shared Raulus' most treasured memory with you. And I shared yours with him." Marina said quietly. "I was hoping if you could see each other. Really see each other, perhaps you wouldn't fight anymore. I know it's a little Trite to say that you're both people with hopes and fears, but it's no less true for all that."
Both men looked at her with an expression of mingled fear and that dazed, starstruck expression the Dreamblade left it's victims with that Marina knew so well.

"I... So what?" Raulus said, "He's still a white feather! I don't care about his... His sick mom."
Marina knew that wasn't true. Her sword forced them to BE the other person. He felt the full extent of feeling Belen had for his mother. All the love, all the fear of her finding out how he had been getting the money for her medicine.

"I'm sorry about your sister." Belen said, rubbing his nose with the back of his hand. "I... That must have been hard."

"Don't talk about her!" Raulus snarled, but his mouth was twisted in a way that meant he was trying to stop himself from crying. "She... She would hate me now."
"I don't think that's true." Belen said after a moment if thought. He shook his head. "This weird lady got her wish. I don't want to fight you, Raulus."
They stared at each other, each unsure what to do next.
"I... here." Raulus tossed a few coins into the mud at Belens feet. "She'll get out of her funk soon, I'm sure. So you'd better not come around here again or I really will kill you!"
Belen picked up the coins and smiled.
"Understood. "
Both men retreated, glancing from each other, to Marina, until they were out of site.
Marina sighed and smiled slightly. She might not have changed their lives, but maybe they'd think the next time they tried to kill a rival gang member in the street.
She walked out out of the alley and into a thoroughfair in full festival swing, patting a second sword on her waist.
"That went well, didn't it Fleurette?" Marina asked.
The blade murmered darkly in response, the shadows of the alley seeming to cling to it. "Hopefully nothing else will go wrong tonight. I'd like a night to enjoy myself with a friend, hmm? I wonder if they have something like the Yudal Stouts from back home."

 

[EmeraldSplash]

Business is the king. Deals which are made, keep the world in the state it is. Constant. Although these ‘’dealers’’ have seen better days, the income still flows. And that’s the life. The life Tracey lives for. Money. Lots of it. Since the death of her father she was with the Seven Arrows in order to make a fortune while living free. Without any restrictions.
The life of a person proud of their freedom is one spectacular thing. Not many understand it.
These thoughts were going around in the brown-haired girl. She was holding a box full of small firearms which are to be sold to the Wyngard empire.

There had been a higher intake of these weapons by the Wyngardians since the ‘’incident''.

The Tracey’s group was made out of three members. There was Edward, David and she. Why was it specifically three people? Well, Sapphire did not care as long as she had someone to tell her jokes to.

They walked slowly for they were not in rush. Looking around they saw people, buildings, nothing out of the ordinary.
Finally they came to the building the deal was to be made in. A small establishment, ‘’barracks maybe?’’ Tracey thought.

Shortly after arriving, ten soldiers of the Wyngard Empire showed up.
So Sapphire put down the box and opened it. ‘’Satisfied boys?’’ She said and winked at them letting out a big smile.

‘’So we have twenty-five small firearms all functional?’’ One soldier asked. He looked like he could be their boss.

‘’Yea, they are big boy toys, so be careful not to hurt yourselves with them’’ The green-eyed woman joked around making her ‘crew’ laugh.

Soldiers stood quiet which unnerved Sapphire. No one laughed. That’s what she hated the most.

‘’Argh, it was a funny joke. You are not allowed to have fun? Or?’’

‘’Miss there are reports of these firearms failing to function properly.’’ The main soldier said. ‘’Taking that into consideration, I’m going to have you fire three weapons from that box you brought into this target.’’ He said pointing at a small haystack figurine in a corner of the room. ‘’If even one of them does not fire. We will be forced to call off the deal. We just can’t allow to be in possession of a dysfunctional equipment.’’

A cold tingle caressed Tracey’s spine. However then she realized that there is no way those weapons would not work. ‘’Who the fuck do you think I am?’’ she said calmly.

‘’You need these fucking weapons and I am the one who provides them for you’’ she gestured all around, getting more and more annoyed.’’Now I have to waste ammo because you little boys don’t know how to shoot a weapon’’ she yelled as she picked up one of the firearms and aimed them at the figurine. ‘’So now excuse me you cocks while I strike this perfect fucking headsho-... *click* -...t’’ The gun did not fire… Tracey stood motionless thinking about what could have caused this. A manufacturer error? A sabotage? No! She handled the crate the whole time… There’s no way. It must have been the error of the manufacturer.

She turned to the soldiers, with one hand scratching the back of her head. ‘’Heh, how’s that for comedic timing… ehm. It’s not what it looks like. Our manufacturer has been probably hitting the booze too much if you catch my wind hehe’’

 

[AsterRose]

“My Lady? Can you still hear me?”

Larque waited patiently in the darkness. He was used to his patron taking so long to arrive upon his request, but at times like this it was concerning. It wasn’t the first time he was flung into an unfamiliar situation, expecting to adapt. But before his mind was a blank slate. Somehow, it felt more concerning when he knew what he came from, how dangerous this might be.

Alas, a white glow emanated from the darkness, drawing Larque closer to it. Purple eyes opened from the entity he stood before, and he bowed before it, thankful for her presence. A welcoming chill filled his chest.

“Forgive me, Larque,” her voice echoed through the void. “It took me longer to find your calling than normal. You know that I would never turn you away, though.”

“I’m humbled, Lady Meda,” he replied. “You say I’m your most trusted vessel, yet I am nothing compared to you.”

If Media could smile, Larque would have seen it. “You are far from home. Is that why you called?”

“Did you bring me here?”

“I would’ve found you sooner if I did. I don’t even know the name of the plains you walk on. I may have to seek Meda and see what he has to say…”

Larque was troubled, but kept his face straight and head bowed. “Can you return me home, My Lady?”

Her eyes shot daggers. “You know I don’t ask favours, even from you.”

“And I will give you whatever payment you seek!” Larque blushed, not meaning to raise his voice. “I offered you what I could for transport across Corryn. I can do the same if you take me home!”

“I’m not even sure if that’s possible.”

Larque’s heart dropped. He was stuck in this new world?

“I do not have a hold of your new world like I did with Corryn. I may not be able to help you in such a way until I can, I’m afraid…”

“What can I do?” He didn’t hesitate to serve his queen.

Meda’s eyes softened. “You’ll have to remain there. I will seek what can be done. But in the meantime, see what you can find about this world. Do not let it be known who I am. Yet. I will need vessels in this land, just as you are. First, I need to know its people.”

Larque’s body went numb, pins and needles watching over him as Meda’s face faded. All he could feel was his chest. A pain surged within it, wanting it to break open, tear his mortal body apart. For hours, that was all he could feel. Tears pricked in the corners of his eyes, joining the rivers of cold sweat streaming down his face.

Sun glinted in his vision as he woke up with a throbbing headache, as usual after encounters with his patron. He flung of the mound he formed as his bed, letting it sink back into the ground along with the walls of a crudely made hut. He back his belongings just as quick, relaxing as soon as the Voidbreaker weighed him down.

Find out about this world, Meda had said. His eyes scanned his surroundings, finding a city. He was unable to see it the night before, not being of a species with darkvision. If he was to bring more vessels to his queen, he figured it would be best to observe the people of this land first. He set his way to Yonah on foot, eyes out for any dangers that could pass.

 

[Ramjammer]

"Alright. Gather 'round and listen up, you lil' shits."

Anyone listening to Band'lur address the group of small children in front of him, would be naturally inclined to assume that he didn't like them. His voice was coarse, and even when squatting near the ground, his hulking form towered over them. A scarred face seemed to scowl more than anything down at the little orphans, and the man's eyes glinted keenly as he stared at them. The Lizardman seemed ready to make the gaggle of children his next meal, and worse still, not a single adult in the cramped and bustling street seemed poised to stop him.

None of that mattered to the children, however. They trotted towards Band'lur at the sound of his voice, tumbling over each other like a band of puppies.Bright smiles and gleaming eyes met Band'lur's gaze, and one little girl made it a point to climb on the man's back. She sat up there with her chin propped in both hands, knowing that her elbows would do nothing to harm the Beastman's thick skull. The other children crowded closer. A pair reached out to hold each of Band'lur's large hands, mindful of the claws that adorned them. Another held tightly onto his tail like a doll. The children knew what adults of the kingdom did not. At least adults that chose to remain blind to the world around them. There was no danger when Band'lur was around, not for them. Certainly not for anyone that truly knew the man.

Which is why each one of the assembled children did their very best to annoy Band'lur.

"You shouldn't say shit." The little girl perched on his back said. "That's a bad word."

"It IS a bad word." Band'lur replied. "And you just said it right now, so shut your tiny mouth and listen. I got somethin' important to say."

Another child's hand shot up, the boy looking unbelievably smug for someone that was essentially homeless. "Bandy, you said we were allowed to say one swear word each!" The Lizardman stared at the boy with exasperation written clearly on his scaled face. "On your birthdays! Is it Lucille's birthday?" He paused for a moment, looking thoughtful before reach back and around to pull the girl off of his back and hold her up to his face. "Lucille, is it your birthday?"

The girl shrugged as she dangled there in Band'lur's hands. "I dunno."

The man set her down with the rest of the children, and shook his head. "I'm gonna have a talk with your school teacher before I leave. Now listen. Bandy is takin' you all to the fair today. 'aint that excitin'? You know, the one the King is throwin'."

Another girl piped up, eyes gleaming bright with excitement as she stared at the Lizardman. "The same King who you say you're going to kick his ass one day?"

Band'lur pointed a claw at the girl. "That is not the endgame for today's excursion, but it is absolutely on the table." The man's statement was punctuated by a small 'Yes!' from the girl. "Because as you all know, Band'lur can, and will beat anyone's ass. And if you kids come across someone that says otherwise, they're a liar, have poor taste, and are not to be trusted under any circumstances." All of the children nodded sagely, as if this was the most reasonable thing in the world to them.

"Alright, now listen. You all need to stick close and don't go runnin' off." The Lizardman said. "The last thing I want to do is waste my damn time runnin' here and there after you lot." At that, another child's hand shot up and he waved it around excitedly. "The man that lives under the bridge says that time isn't real anyway, and that every action we take is just another step in the long march towards death."

"Yer gonna stop goin' to visit the man under the bridge. And if you see him, you take a long march in the opposite direction." Came the Lizardman's stern reply. The boy only huffed in mild consternation amidst giggles from his peers and lowered his hand.

Band'lur was fairly positive that the children weren't complete fools. They lived in the Orphanage and the Matron took care of them as best she was able. The streets weren't the safest place for a child, but all of them were quick and fairly clever. While homes and parents could not be afforded to them, the little Shanty town's adults kept a close eye on them. Offering a meal in exchange for errands and chores completed for them. It wasn't an ideal system by any stretch. But it was far preferable to what they'd had when Band'lur had first arrived.

Unfortunately children had a tendency to pick up habits from all sorts of places, and Band'lur didn't want them to start getting any weird ideas. Or at least any ideas that were weirder than what a child would normally conceive.

The Lizardman stood with a sigh, and an audible creaking of his knees. A few of the children laughed at the signs of Band'lur's advancing age, and the Lizardman hushed them. "Be quiet, else I'll start puntin' you. A man's age is no laughing matter. C'mere. Everybody hold hands. There we go." He chuckled gruffly as a the children stumbled together awkwardly to fall into line and he patted their heads one by one. "There we go. Now hold tight to Bandy's tail, and let's go to the fair! Come on now." Band'lur trundled down the street with a small gaggle of laughing children in tow, content to see what the day held for them all.

 

[Alta]

"Hello?"

Adaline's voice echoed in the desolate meadow, void of any human activity. She could feel a chill running down her spine. This was not Athera. She fumbled around with her Lumen Sancta ring, her fingers stiff from the cold. "Hello Apollo? Can you hear me?" She waited for a response, but was met with the eerie chirping of the crows. This was not good. He never took this long to respond. Adaline sat down on the dry grass and brought her knees to her face, trying to keep warm.

After a few more minutes, the ring finally began to buzz.

"Adaline! Where are you?" a hologram of Apollo appeared before the champion.

"I don't know, but this doesn't feel like Athera. Yesterday I was meditating at the Lapidosa Mountains, and when I woke up I was here." Adaline could feel a lump beginning to form in her throat. She had no idea where she was, and she missed Jeremy.

Apollo's face immediately softened. "I almost forgot that you're 14. Looking at the situation, I believe you must be in Sheol."

"Sheol? The void of worlds?"

"You know of it?"

"Yeah, it was mentioned in a passage of a book I was reading about prophecies. More importantly, why am I here?"

"It must be those good for nothing champion-snatcher council of magistrates at the Wyngard Empire. My godly brethren were complaining about their champions disappearing from Athera to another world." Apollo furrowed his eyebrows, clearly annoyed at the fact that his champion was taken right out of his hands. "For now, travel to Wyngard to learn more about your situation. Familiarize yourself with the land and its people. There is a road to the west of this meadow; follow it and you should come upon a city. Ask for directions from there. I wish you luck." The hologram of Apollo disapparated, leaving Adaline alone in this foreign world.

"I should follow Apollo's directions," Adaline whispered to herself. She began her long journey to the city, praying to the gods to meet a friendly face or two in this lonesome world.

 

[Melon Bomb]

"Hoh, step right up! Step right up! Have we got something for you all today! Here is our second game - swingshot! I need two lovely people and a good throwing arm, all you need to do is hit the target twice. Score high, and you will both receive a gold coin, offered to us by Lord Tyne himself! This is one of his favorite games, after all. Not only that, but if you can challenge Lord Tyne and his partner Nadira's top marks of seventy two meters, you will receive FIFTY - yes, you heard me - FIFTY gold coins each, such is his confidence!"

A well-suited man with an obviously fake mustache drew in a crowd of curious onlookers, waving around his cane as he directed their attention to the contraption next him. Behind the man was a large open field normally used for archery practice. For now, it was the backdrop of a festival game in which an extremely small target was hooked onto a zip line. Person one would attempt to hit the target with a ball, knocking it back. Person two would then attempt to shoot the target with a crossbow. The further back the target reels, the higher the score - but it also makes it harder for the crossbow shooter to strike the small target.

The game master pointed his cane to the back.

"Why, I think I see some new faces! You two beautiful young ladies, might you give the game a whirl?" he called out, addressing Marina and Adaline with an echoing voice. "It doesn't cost anything to try!"

Fred Colon Alta

***

The arms deal taking place inside of the militia outpost was not going too smoothly. The Wyngard soldiers exchanged awkward glances before one handled the faulty weapon, giving it a once over as he pointed it dangerously in the opposite direction.

"Bastards always trying to sell us the cheap shit," he muttered, fiddling with the contraption as he gave Tracey a side glance. "We know they've got good guns... they're just keeping it all to themselves, don't want anyone getting their paws on their trade secrets..."

The pistol discharged without warning, which Edward narrowly ducked in time to avoid. A glass window shattered and passersby walking down the road stopped to look around, startled by the sudden bang. The other man, David, leaned over to the window and whistled.

"Nice shot," he joked, waving calmly at the festival-goers. Squinting for a moment or two as he peered outside, the man eventually turned back around. "Didn't really notice it until now, but it seems like there's more elves around these parts than usual. Rare to be seeing their kind all the way out here."

"W-well, you've got yourselves a bigger problem than elves on your hands now," the soldier said. "Take these back, we don't want 'em. And tell those dirty cheapskates that we don't want their defective junk!" He held up his gun in the air with a smirk. "I'll be keeping this one, though. Maybe if we tinker around with it enough, we can get the damn thing the work. Anyway, deal's over. You all go home."

EmeraldSplash

***

As the children accompanied Band'lur, one girl wandered off ahead, as though carried off by the scent of something awfully delicious. She bounced and weaved through the people walking around her, coming to a stop not too far up - still in perfect view of the towering lizardman whose head poked up above the crowds.

"One of these please!" she said, repeatedly slapping the vendor's table with her tiny hand, her wide eyes latching onto a plate of meat of some kind. She couldn't tell what it was, but it sure smelled good!

"Young lady, where are your parents?" the vendor asked, slightly turning his head as he kept his hands busy cooking. "I can't give you anything unless you can pay for it."

"They're gone!" she blurted out. "They're gone, they're gone! Gimme one!"

The man paused, trying to figure out what she was trying to say. Gone, huh? He'd definitely been in those shoes before. After some contemplation, he reached over and sliced off a portion of the meat and stabbed it with a wooden pick, handing it to her.

"This is all you're getting, alright? Go on now, and don't drop it!"

The girl nodded furiously, snatching the food with a thank you and skipping her way back to Band'lur with her prize.

"Hey, look what I got--!" Before she could take another step, the thunderous crack of a gunshot rang out from the other street, followed by the clattering of glass. Unmistakably, it was the same misfire that had occurred in Tracey's deal...

Specks of wet blood stained the girl's shirt as what morsel of food she had dropped to the floor. With a squeal, she hunched down and clutched at her bleeding fingers, immediately feeling that some of them were broken. Through tears, she huffed and puffed to keep her mind off of what was probably the second worst pain she'd felt in her life. She didn't understand what was happening to her, but something in mind told her that it was her fault for not listening...

Ramjammer

***

As the festivities continued, a tattooed man with a hunting bow on his back walked hurriedly through the waves of faceless citizens, determination sharp on his face. While passing through the gates that led into the city, he shouldered past Larque, briefly making eye contact as he studied his features before ignoring him and moving on. Gazing up at the rooftops, he made silent signals to the shadows who seemed to be watching him from above - the shadows signaled back and disappeared behind the edges.

He found his way to the bell tower, ushering himself inside and closing the door behind him. One of the tower keepers blinked in surprise, motioning to stand up - but was seated again by a fast arrow to the neck. He slumped over and lolled his head to the side, lifeless. Without missing a beat, the bowman shuffled through the dead man's clothes and grabbed his key, locking the door from the inside. Then, he scaled the winding stairs to the top, twirling his knife in his hand. Another man stood looking out at the city below, smoking his pipe with the great bell behind him. Wordlessly, a blade dragged across his throat and - from an outside perspective - he vanished from the tower.

Keeping watch from atop the belfry, the bowman spotted the same shadows from before. He made another hand signal and watched them slink between rooftops, drawing his weapon in the mean time and observing the sheep to the slaughter on the ground, a wicked grin spreading across his lips.

This would soon be a day to remember.

AsterRose

 

[D1.Live]

Emerging from the pond Uze, reassess his situation. He's been stuck in this new world for about 12 hours now and is guessing he's been summoned to destroy evil, as the nature feels no where near as calm as his home. "Home... yes, I wonder... no, they know this day might've come, they're prepared." His deep voice echoes against the ripples in the pond as he reminisces about his old world. "I have everything I need anyway and if I don't, I'll just make it," he says, shaking the water off of his body and heading toward his small shelter. When he gets to his small campfire set up, he picks up his clothes and gets dressed, pulling the large top jaw of the wolf high over his face so it's rather hard to see unless you pull it up some. He pulls out the fish he was making while bathing and eats them all in one fell swoop. "Fresh fish for breakfast always puts a warm feeling in my chest." He smirks a little. He then starts climbing the tallest tree near him till he can see the kingdom and mumbles to himself. "A quick three minutes." He then dashes off into the trees.

Walking through the front gate of the kingdom, he notices a festival is going on and smiles. "Seems peaceful enough, I wonder if they have anything like tea in this world?" He wanders off into the crowd, ignoring some looks for his caveman appearance. He then hears a loud shatter of glass followed with a gunshot and turns in the direction. Seeing the somewhat unnerved reaction of the crowd, he walks hastily to the area to check it out.

Arriving, he can't see much because of the large crowd stopping and looking before moving on. He gets through to the building, but honestly can't see much and thinks about moving on. He stops suddenly when he hears sobbing and moves towards the noise until he sees the small girl crying and covered in blood. He comes over to her and asks what's wrong. Through her blubbered cries she just lifts her fingers and he focuses his energy and small bright specks start to form around her fingers as he slowly squeezes them back in place. The girl stops crying and tries to move her fingers. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, they aren't completely healed yet." He pulls out some wrap and wraps her fingers in place. "Now don't take this off until the end of the day, understood?" She nods, still somewhat teary eyed. He smirks a little and pats her head. "Good girl, now get back to your family." He shoos her away as he rubs his head and looks at the shattered window.

 

[Alta]

Adaline gazed at the contraption with wonder. She had thought that technology in Sheol was severely behind in comparison to Athera, but this game showed promise of some complexity. Plus it looked fun.

They probably think it's impossible for us to land that target, Adaline thought. After all, I look so small that I might actually get trampled to death. She calculated the odds of her shooting the minuscule target with the barely functioning crossbow. She smirked. A champion of Apollo would have no trouble with this child's errand.

"I'll shoot if you think you have a good enough throwing arm," Adaline said confidently to her chosen partner, smiling brightly. What was her name- Marina? Adaline began to worry that she was having a bit too much fun, but then quickly disputed that thought. It was a nice way to take her mind off things, after all.

Fred Colon

 

[EmeraldSplash]

An awkward silence that struck the room filled up the air. The air thinned and no one moved. At all. Suddenly a gun was pointed at the shady group.
Tracey immediately grabbing her blue sapphire from her back pocket. A signal. She held it out of the way of soldier's vision.
However it was in the clear vision of those accompanying the brown-haired woman .
They got ready by slowly placing their hands on their weapons. They did not come there to die.

"Bastards always trying to sell us the cheap shit." Those words carried a great value in Tracey's ears.
She knew that this statement is a signal that something will happen.
She learned that if a person starts throwing words at another. It's always followed by an action.

"We know they've got good guns... they're just keeping it all to themselves, don't want anyone getting their paws on their trade secrets..."
''Aw, c'mon... Give me a break. We did not know.. I told you, okay? It was an error!'' Yelled Tracey in a desperate attempt to get out of the situation.

The gun fired at random shooting into a window. The glass shattered. A loud sound. David rushed to it trying to cover the situation by making fun of it.
Tracey's reaction was more of a calmer one ... ''Nice shot'' she said at the same time as David ... ''David! The feck? I was going to say that'' Sapphire said frowning at her company.

"Didn't really notice it until now, but it seems like there's more elves around these parts than usual. Rare to be seeing their kind all the way out here." David uttered.

The woman turned to David visibly annoyed. ''David this is not the time for yer observations!'' She yelled at him slowly but surely losing her temper.

"W-well, you've got yourselves a bigger problem than elves on your hands now," the soldier said. "Take these back, we don't want 'em. And tell those dirty cheapskates that we don't want their defective junk!"
How dare they offend us? Do they any idea of how much they need me? I should just kill them all and take the money... Tracey thought as she looked straight into the soldier's eyes. A hard cold look.

"I'll be keeping this one, though. Maybe if we tinker around with it enough, we can get the damn thing the work. Anyway, deal's over. You all go home."

''You goddamn degenerate...'' Tracy said to her self, however it was said quite loudly. Edward noticing her hands going for the red piece of cloth tucked into her pocket. ''You have no idea how you fecked up right now... '' She said ominously while grinning like a psychopath.

As she was about to pull the red cloth a gentle whisper caressed her ear. A whisper only she could hear. ''Don't'' She stood frozen. Fighting with her self to calm down.

All of a sudden, Edward stepped forward grabbing Tracey's hand. ''We will leave immediately and we will surely relay your message!'' He said in order to make things end faster.
Tracey turned rapidly and stormed out however before that she kicked the crate closer to the soldier's legs. ''Feck you, dipshit'' and spitted on the ground.

Outside she told Edward and David to get the hell back and say what happened. She was not coming with them. She needed to vent.

Making her way to a rooftop she suddenly started punching the wall. She punched hard and she did not stop until she was calm. Her knuckles bled and bled but she did not care.
She said down and looked at the festival. All the people made her uneasy.
It was a weird thing to happen for being the center of attention was her thing. The thing she wanted the most.

Tracey looking at the rooftops saw something that caught her attention. A shadow? No. Wait. Three shadows? What? she thought. ''What do we have here.'' She stood up. However the sudden whisper came again. ''Blood will be shed and you won't be able to stop it.'' Sapphire sat back down, now more cautious. ''You are in danger my dear. Fear not. Stay and observe.''

 

[Fred Colon]

Marina blinked, surprised at being suddenly addressed. She'd been content to watch. Usually, her older face and heavy armor and weaponry put people off from talking to her, even in her home world.

"Young Lady? You flatterer. " She said, stepping forwards. She ran a hand along Bloodbiter at her waist. Fleurette used to be wonderful at these sorts of games. She accepted the ball and resolved to win at least the coin.
"I'm sorry, do I know you?" She said to the young girl who had picked up the crossbow. She couldn't have been more than fifteen, but somehow she had known Marina's name. "I don't recall your name, if we've met before. I apologize. As to your question... Yes. I'm quite confident in my throwing arm."
To prove her point Marina lobbed the ball at the target. Not very hard, so it wouldn't go very far and make the shot impossible for the young girl. Marina felt no need to compete with this Lord Tynr, a single gold piece was enough for her. She wasn't sure if the girl would be able to hit the target regardless, she was quite young, though Marina noticed she held the crossbow with some level of familiarity.

 

[Topless]

"Stop, thief!" A pair of knights yelled as they chase down a teenage girl who apparently stole a couple of bread. Judging by the dirty rags she is wearing, she must be homeless and have no one to turn to. They chase her around the city, the girl's stamina close to depleting, and then they finally corner her in an alleyway. "Please! I just wanted to eat!" The girl pleaded as the knights closes in on her, forcing her to back up until she hits the wall. She closes her eyes, knowing that this will be the end of her. As one of the knights reaches his hand, from out of nowhere, a crow swoops in starts pecking the knights, turning their attention to it. The girl was confused by what transpired, but not until she felt a touch from her shoulder.

She turns around and sees a young woman standing before her. "Who are you?" The girl asked nervously, but woman did not say anything other than gesturing her to hold on her shoulders. The girl reluctantly abides, wrapping her free arm around the woman's neck and leaning firmly onto her bare back. The girl would take note of a few things; she is slightly taller than her, wears nothing but a tattered skirt and a few golden accessories, and has blue markings all over her body. The woman makes a large leap, surprising the girl. She latches on the dents of the wall as she starts to climb up until they reach the top. The crow stops pecking the knights and flies off, leaving them confused and realizing that the girl they were about to capture is gone. They soon left the alleyway.

The girl lets out a sigh of relief. She looks at the woman who saved her, now accompanied by a large brown wolf and the crow from earlier. She is seen watching down the city along with them. "Hey..." The girl called as she approaches her "Um...thanks for sharing me. My name is Serah. What's yours?" The woman turns to the girl and goes over to her to sniff her hair. Serah felt weird, but once she is done, the woman replies in a deep voice "Morga..." She walks back to the ledge and continues to watch the city. Serah followed and would do the same while she eats the bread she had stole. She offers some to Morga, she takes the bread, and starts eating it along with her. "So, where you come from? Judging by the way you dress, you look like you came from the wilderness." Serah asked. Morga stops eating, turns to her, and say "Morga different world. Morga not belong here." Serah was confused, but regardless, she accepts her answer.

"You know, there is the festival that is happening, and I think I want to have some fun there. You're probably new to this place, so maybe I can teach perhaps the sights around here. How's that sound?" Serah offered. Morga thought about it for a while until she accepts with a nod. "Great!" Serah is happy "And I'm sure people wouldn't mind about what you are. They'll think you and me came from the lowest district." After the two finished eating, Morga gesture Serah to hop on top of her wolf companion. Serah complies and Morga does the same. The girl wraps her arms around the wild woman's waist and the wolf jumps off the ledge of the building rooftop and lands safely. "To the festival!" Serah yelled as they make their way to the festival.

 

[Melon Bomb]

The bowman in the belfry kept a lookout, planting his hands on the chest-high wall. In the distance, he caught notice of something coming his way - something that flew like a bird. As it neared the tower, he saw that it carried a message of sorts in its claws, presumably intended for the tower guard. Allowing it to perch, the crow fluttered its wings and looked aimlessly around. The man took the parchment and opened it to reveal an order stamped by Lord Tyne.

I, Lord Tyne of the city of Yonah, hereby declare a state of emergency. I order that this bell shall be rung five times to alert the public the presence of a Uryan threat in or near our community, and for our citizens to evacuate as quickly as possible with the guidance of our most noble militia. Godspeed.

The man smiled, and ripped the page in half, tossing it away. He then drew his knife and shanked the crow in its side - to his surprise, there was no blood. Instead, it simply crumbled into dust, scattering in the wind. A magician's work, then. They always were getting in the way...

***

Verre tripped and stumbled as Nadira led him around by the hand with the grace of an angry gorilla. Once they had finished sorting out the paperwork, she had taken it upon herself to protect the people in some manner, but hadn't quite gone through the trouble of explaining how yet.

"Um, miss... miss, where are we going?" he asked, adjusting his hat every so often.

"The bell should have been rung by now," she answered quickly and breathlessly, shoving her way past festival-goers. "Something happened, your bird never reached the tower." Verre thought about it for a moment, thinking to contest her conclusion, but as he tried to hone in his focus on his crows he realized that one of them wasn't picking up anything. "That's why we're going to ring it ourselves, okay?"

"Why do I have to come with you?"

"In case I die," she said, jostling the handle of the belfry only to find it locked. "Stay behind me." Nadira unholstered a flintlock pistol and blasted apart the hinges, igniting brilliant sparks as lead struck copper. A light grey cloud of smoke billowed from the muzzle of her gun, instantly blinding Verre who pathetically swatted away at it with his sleeve. The woman drew a second pistol, sweeping the room and training her sights on the two bodies in the room - one slumped over in a chair, and another who seemed to have been thrown from a great height, leaving a bloody mess on the floor. Pocketing the gun, she began to reload her other spent weapon and nodded with her head for the boy to follow.

Verre looked down at the corpses and immediately regretted it, covering his mouth as he felt bile threaten to rise up. Nadira snapped her fingers and angled his head to face her.

"Hey. Don't look. Focus. Okay?" She spoke strongly, but also kindly. He nodded slowly. "Watch the door, and don't move. If I need help, I will call you." With that said, the pirate lady began her trek up the stairwell, cautiously aiming her gun skyward. With her shot she fired earlier, anyone still inside definitely knows that they were here now. Meanwhile, Verre did as he was told, steepling his fingers together nervously as he kept his eyes on on the doorway.

Should I... should I close it?

***

Two of the shadows traversing the rooftop continued on their path, while the third simply sat and stared back at Tracey. It was unclear if it was attempting to threaten her in some way or sizing her up, but clearly its interest was piqued for some reason. Certainly, it would be hard for them not to be - they were hazy and blur-like, difficult for the average person to perceive even when in broad daylight.

EmeraldSplash

 

[Xcelgamer]

Yama slowly woke up from her drunken slumber, only 24 hours ago was she fighting a dangerous yokai, defending her land from it's frigid breath. As she used Willbreaker to beat it into the ground a portal opened up underneath her and as soon as she dealt the final blow to the creature, she was sucked away to a different land entirely one that had no resemblance to her beloved Nippon. At first it frustrated her about being unwillingly ripped from her home but as the situation was explained to her, Yama was glad that she was chosen to come here it gave her new enemies to fight and new friends to drink with.

As she stretched and yawned she slowly got up, standing tall on the rood. she spotted a black bird causing her to lick her lips as her stomach growled in hunger. She took a swig from her gourd, picked up her club and shield and began following the bird, jumping from roof top to roof top eagerness to eat that bird. Eventually she hit a snag, it flew into the tower. But that didn't stop her for long as she began using her horns and hands to scale the stone tower using her hunger and rage as incentive to continue climbing the tower. She managed to reach one of the windows and climbed through with a bit of difficulty due to her weaponry but as soon as she got through. She saw the bird turn to dust

Her rage started building up even more than it was already "YOU!" She said pointing at the guard who had stabbed the bird "YOU KILLED MY BREAKFAST" She announced as she readied her weapon and began charging at the guard attempting to ram into and through the wooden door as she yelled an enraged war cry

 

[AsterRose]

Larque moved through the festivities slowly, cold blue eyes scanning each person he came across. A tattooed man bumped into him as his eyes lingered on some children enjoying the festivities, and of course he noticed the man taking him in as well. It wasn't as if he was a regular sight, Larque knew. The white markings on his chin and cheeks, the choppy nature of his black hair, and even the weapons he held.

Even so, why did his gaze linger longer than most?

Larque unsheathed a simple knife from his boot and pricked his calloused finger. Ghostly white blood beeded out. His gaze returned to the man as he wove between the crowds he sent a signal up. To whom, Larque wondered.

He caught a glimpse of a shadow on a rooftop. Larque crept into an alley as he watched their every move, being sure to stay close to them.

This behaviour was uncharacteristic on any world being walked on. Larque swiped his blood on the ground.

"Hostiles, My Lady?" As he waited for his answer, expecting it to take a little longer than most times, being away from her domain and all, he kept a close eye on them. He would be ready to intervene as soon as Meda would signal their intent.

 

[spookie]

—Mori—​

Soft. The air was soft this morning, still heavy from a storm's fading grasp. This suited Mori just fine. He liked watching thunder and lightning perfectly well, but the feeling reminiscent of a fluffy cloud expanding in his lungs was pleasant in its own way. Clouds were pretty and the fact they were too high up to poke at still disappointed him. Sure, temporary levitation was possible for Mori and even rather easy when taking on his intangible form, but that was a far cry from the gift of true flight. Perhaps one day a staircase could be built that would allow him to pet clouds as though they were the fluffy and decidedly overweight cats of his previous village. That, Mori thought, would be most satisfactory.

As his head daydreamed idly of the skies above, Mori's slender fingers were swift at work weaving together a chain of delicate purple flowers. Soon enough they would serve as both a sweet-smelling crown and treat for the many large and beautiful moon moths that liked to follow him around. Mori did not particularly like or dislike human companionship, but the soft fluttering of iridescent wings as pale as his own complexion was quite agreeable. Far better than a reanimated bird or rodent skeleton, though he had to admit the dead were always more reliable. Unfortunate that most of them smelled so terrible, really.

Mori yawned lazily as he leaned back into the soft grass of the small meadow he'd stopped to rest in, his expressionless teal eyes squinting as they adjusted to the
sudden brightness. It was not unheard of for the boy to go a week or more without sleep, but sunlight's warmth had a way of making his young body grow comfortably heavy. And so, after placing his floral crown upon his head with another yawn, Mori drifted away into into a pleasant nap.

When he awoke, it was not wrapped in the soft embrace of meadow grasses and butterfly wings that he remembered so clearly. No, his head was resting on hard stone and much noise could be heard from the surrounding areas. Upon rubbing the remaining dazedness from his eyes, Mori paused for a moment to take in his surroundings. He was under a bridge of some sort, one made out of rock rather than the simple wood he was used to. How strange. Beside and even above him, life bustled about loudly and without any regard for his sensitive hearing. It had been months, perhaps even years since Mori had heard a voice that was not his own. Now he could be certain he hadn't missed them one bit.

A young man approached him soon after, asking if he was homeless. "Perhaps, but perhaps not," Mori answered in his usual flat tone. "All homes are temporary anyway. Even our bodies are just a boarding room. Only the grave is a permanent destination. So silly when you think about it that way, isn't it?" Though he had ended the sentence with a monotone giggle, his acquaintance left wordlessly and wearing an expression that reminded Mori of concern.

The next few days were spent beneath this bridge with his cloak pulled high so as to conceal any unique features that might hint at his being from somewhere very different. It wasn't that Mori felt nervous. He was understandably perplexed, but thinking too much about what had occurred made his head hurt. It wasn't as if Mori was any stranger to odd occurrences, however. Spending hours debating with himself over it was pointless.

At least the rats made decent company. Mori discovered that they greatly enjoyed tales of both pirates and princesses, but found philosophy agonizingly dull. He couldn't blame them, really. Occasionally people of different ages would approach him too, but none stayed to talk for very long and soon enough Mori grew bored and left his dingy little hideaway behind.

He wandered aimlessly for a bit, the flower crown on his head only just beginning to wilt. Mori didn't want to remove it until there was no beauty left to be admired, and so there it remained in all its fading glory. Great crowds of people and the occasional odd creature or two had gathered up ahead for what appeared to be some kind of celebration, and so Mori followed them and soon his slight form had disappeared within the mass of strange bodies.

So many unfamiliar sights and sounds, the boy mused. Perhaps the most standout one had been a loud sort of crack like compressed thunder, though it happened far enough away that Mori couldn't hope to properly identify the strange noise. Instead, he meandered up to a vendor's stall that was hawking fine baked goods. Many of them looked tasty, but his faraway eyes were drawn to one variety of cookie in particular.

"Lah-ven-dar," Mori sounded out flatly in his usual whisper-like tone as he ignored the merchant's rambling sales pitch. "Lavender tastes kind of like dreams, don't you think?

 

[Ramjammer]

He'd been distracted. He knew that it was imperminissable, given that he was supposed to be looking after the children, but it wasn't often that Band'lur got to visit a faire.

It was loud, it was cramped and moreover, there were too many smells for him to properly sort through. Vendors stood at every stall in sight, hawking their wares and vied for the attention of everyone in sight. The cacophony made the Lizardman's head hurt and he shuffled through the crowd with the children close behind. He tried to seek out some games that they might enjoy. Band'lur often took part in games with children back home to keep them all occupied, and greatly enjoyed it. The kids were sure to like games that might net them prizes. Once the kids had tuckered themselves out, a meal would be in order.

Band'lur paused and pivoted around to ask the children if anything in particular had managed to catch their eye. The faire was large, and the day was long, he was sure that they'd have the time to do something that each of them wished.A cursory glance and a quick headcount left the Lizard man's already cold blood running colder. One of them was missing.

Band'lur craned his neck this way and that as he attempted to catch sight of the wayward girl, doing all that he could to hide his growing nervousness. He was Band'lur. The strongest and bravest! If the kids saw him worrying, they'd start to worry too. He knew that they'd be inconsolable once that happened.

"Shit. All right, calm down and think. If I were an orphan, where would I wander off to?" He thought frantically.

The obvious answer was anywhere, because the only thing stopping an orphan was the length of their stumpy little legs and the Gods themselves. Barring that, everything was fair game.

He was considering shouting the girl's name, positive that she hadn't wandered that far. A faire offered plenty of distractions for a wide eyed child to consume. Surely she was glued to a vendor somewhere nearby and he was overreacting. Or perhaps, he hadn't been worried enough. Shrill screams overlaid the sound of breaking glass and Band'lur's head whipped around as he tried to discern the source of the noise.

A wave of panic rippled through the throng as those closest to the disturbance tried to vacate the area. Band'lur cursed aloud, struggling to spot the missing girl in the mass of bodies while he pulled the remaining children close, so that they didn't get swept away. The coppery smell of blood assaulted his nose and the Lizard man's gut clenched in trepidation. The crowd, having thinned somewhat gave him a clearer view and Band'lur immediately caught sight of his lost child.

She was visibly crying, her shirt stained with blood and a Strange man knelt in front of her while inspecting her mangled fingers. Band'lur's concern flared immediately into rage and he pushed the remaining children behind his sturdy bulk before storming towards the hapless man. A fearful scowl split the Lizardman's face as he loomed over the Stranger and he inhaled mightily, preparing to tear into the man verbally and physically if need be when a small voice snapped him out of his anger induced haze.

"Bandy look! The nice man fixed my hand!"

The little girl held up her bandaged fingers, beaming proudly. A sudden shift in mood, given that she'd been sobbing mere moments ago. The Lizardman put aside his rage for a moment as concern washed over him once more. He crouched down, taking the girls hand in his own gingerly.

"What happened? "He rumbled, relief plain on his features.

"I dunno. I wanted to look at something and there was a bang and then my fingers hurt real bad. I'm sorry."

The child looked far too apologetic for Bandlur's liking given that she'd been injured under his care. He shook his crested head vigorously and gave her a shaky smile.

"No, no. Don't go apologizing to ol' Band'lur. I should have been keepin' a better eye on you!

The little girl reached up to pet the Lizard man's nose and giggled.

"It's okay. Look, the nice man fixed it for me. See? "She held up her bandaged hand for the Beast man to inspect and he cocked his head while casting the stranger a sidelong glance.

"Did he now? And does this nice man have a name?"

 

[Melon Bomb]

The tattooed bowman in the bell tower calmly gazed out toward the gates into the city with his arms folded, as though he were waiting for something to happen. The travelers passing through were thinning in number but continued to trickle in regardless - nobody appeared to be in a hurry to get inside just yet. Part of him felt impatient, and another part felt relieved. Left with nothing but his own conscience to keep him company, his mind occasionally drifted to old places, and old acquaintances, everything that led up to him standing where he is now. Once, he was known as 'Tano'roth' to his peers - a wise, capable leader who always looked after those who could not help themselves - but things were different now, and besides... of what use is a name to a dead man?

A moment later, his impatience was rewarded. First he heard it, and then he felt it - someone, or something was climbing the tower from the outside. Slowly backing away, Tano kept his eyes forward, wondering what was about to appear before him. He was expecting resistance, but this was much, much too soon. Had they been waiting for him the entire time to get the jump on him? Did they already formulate a counter plan?

What happened next was a blur - the words, "YOU KILLED MY BREAKFAST!" bellowed in his ears and he found himself face-to-face with a massive, red object hurtling towards him. Casting a silent spell, Tano's body evaporated into smoke, transforming him into a moving shadow. The oni smashed through the door like it was wallpaper and hit nothing, phasing right through the bowman who now stood behind her some meters away. Materializing swiftly, he drew his bow and aimed his arrow straight to the back of her head.

"Don't move," he said without thinking. A stupid mistake. He should've just taken the shot, instead he had to open his mouth and play pretend with diplomacy - old habits die hard, and he could tell he was about to pay for it. Though, it was only now he began to register what was actually said to him. Breakfast? What was this thing talking about?

Xcelgamer

 

[EmeraldSplash]

The festival was loud and simple. Tracey noticed a lot of specifics from her viewpoint. A big lizard-man, people playing around the attractions and games.
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. She was waiting for a signal as the dagger told her.
But nothing was happening which made her nervous. Something hangs in the air.. She thought to herself.

A red creature climbing up a tower wall caught her attention. She noticed horns and a big weapon. Is this the signal? What is that? Should I go?
The dagger stated ''Left.. A shadow..'' then she turned her head to the left noticing a shadow of some sorts looking at her. She was as confused as she'd never been.
And so she smiled at the shadow and waved at him.
While smiling and waving the dagger spoke .. ''Now!''
Suddenly, she vanished into a blue smoke, becoming invisible. Brown haired woman stood up and rushed towards the tower using her agility and light armor to get on the top as quick as possible.
Once there she analyzed the situation... A red creature standing with her back turned to a man with a bow aiming at it. What to do? What to doooo?

''The man...'' Dagger whispered and Sapphire moved silently. Sneaking behind the man she put a dagger on his throat and held an arrow in the other hand.
Just to be sure . Afterwards the green-eyed woman appeared, canceled the invisibility. ''What do we have here?'' she said putting more pressure at the man's neck with the dagger.

''And more importantly... What the feck is that creature?!'' She looked at it for good five seconds. ''Anyway, you look like you have some money judging from the way you look and from your bow... and from the fact that you killed a guard. Why would a poor person do that? Ye.. you definitely have money. So gimme what you have and I'll let you go.'' Sapphire smiled.

Melon Bomb AsterRose Xcelgamer

 

[Melon Bomb]

Tano felt cold metal press against his neck.

"Sorry if I'm not amused by the world's worst robbery," he said, keeping his bow trained on the brute in front of him. Despite the knife at his throat, he showed no sign of concern or faltering confidence. "There's a lavish castle up on that hill you know, not sure what you were expecting to find up here in this dusty old tower. I'm as poor as they come, miss." Had he not heard the woman speak, he would've assumed the two were working as a pair. "By the way, you, neanderthal with the club - if you make any sudden moves, I really am going to kill you."

The man went quiet for a moment.

"And to the wonderful lady behind me, that goes for you too. I don't want to make a scene here, so I will ask that you both leave quietly. Otherwise..." He trailed off, allowing their imagination to do the work.

Xcelgamer EmeraldSplash

 

[Alta]

"Ah- uh," Adaline stumbled, a red hot blush spreading over her face. Is she telepathic? I used my fairly weak powers of prophecy to find out her name, but I never said it out loud. Adaline examined Marina with newfound curiosity. Her eyes ran over the woman's pristine armor and weaponry, something only true warriors would wear. Could she be a champion? Or perhaps more?

"My name is Adaline Lucastia," Adaline introduced herself and curtsied. She weighed the crossbow in her arms, trying to figure out its quality. Typical. The bowstring is about to snap, and the wood is rotten beyond repair. Anyone would have trouble shooting even five meters with this piece of junk. Adaline smirked. Of course, I'm not anyone. She nodded at Marina, cueing her to throw the ball. She watched her throw the ball on the target bullseye with ease, though with much less force than she anticipated. Well, this is what I get for being 14 years old and still 4'7". She wasn't buffing her throwing arm though- and her control is off the charts. Adaline loaded and readied her crossbow and shot without a second thought. The arrow propelled forward and hit the bullseye of the small target with ridiculous speed. The game master stared at her open-mouthed.

"Uhm, mister. Is it okay if this lady and I go again?" Adaline smiled at Marina. "And this time, give it all you've got."

----

Fred Colon

 

[Melon Bomb]

The zip line was quite friction-less, so even with a light toss the target was knocked back quite a bit. The game master measured it out to around fourteen meters - the gold coin prize was at nine meters, so they'd definitely won the game already.

"I see you got... quite lucky on the first try," the game master said, scratching the back of his head. Almost nobody ever hit the target on the first try - not even the ball thrower, much less the crossbow shooter. What was the point of going again? It couldn't be that the little one had her eyes on breaking the record, right? "But yes, each pair does get two tries, so if you wish to try and score higher you are very much free to do so."

Alta Fred Colon

 

[AsterRose]

Yes.

Excellent. Hands raised, a purple glyph formed around Larque's wrist as he stared at one of the shadowy figures on the roof. He willed the roof to split apart, forming a gaping hole beneath this suspicious figure's feet before shutting it once they fell through. To others it looked like the building swallowed them up. Stairs jutted out the back of the building for Larque to climb, and the wall to the room the figure would have fallen into parted. Larque walked through the gateway, hands pressed together. Should any citizens remain in that storey, he gestured brashly with his head for them to exit behind him.

"Now," he said. "I'm not a fan of making things difficult. Though it would be more so for you rather than me. So I highly suggest you tell me what it is you are up to..."

Larque unsheathed his greatsword from his back, letting it casually rest on his shoulders. "... unless you think you will be incredible fond of what happens next."

A purple glow emitted from the sword's hilt and travelled up the blade, illuminating ghosts of blood stains. They practically painted the blade. "But I doubt that."

 

[Melon Bomb]

The shadow stared silently at Larque for a few seconds before walking backwards into a wall, phasing through it like a ghost and disappearing from sight.

AsterRose

 

[D1.Live]

After heading out to continue the celebration of the festival, he could hear a lot of movement coming from the roofs as it sounded like something was watching him or the people. This uncomfortable feeling made him look up to see what he thinks looks like shadows move. “Now that is slightly unnerving.” He continues to look around as he sees a red figure climbing a tower. “Such strength, is that an orc?” He walks towards the tower but stops and scratches his head. “So much going on, maybe I should go investigate the shadows first.” He turns in an alleyway and finds a place where he can grip and climb up on the roofs. Getting up on top, he’s slightly taken aback by the view and stares out into the horizon for awhile.

“Enough sightseeing, I had a reason I came up here,” he says as he snaps out of his sightseeing trance and looks around. He then sees what looks like a cloaked man talking to the shadow and pulling out a long sword. He moves over to look behind them as silently as he can before he notices the shadow disappearing. He rushes out and then sees it fades away in his vision. He then curses and walks up to the man. “So, something tells me you saw that too.” He looks coldly at the wall and then turns to the man. “You look somewhat lost. I’m guessing you're not from this world, like me.” He observes the man’s tense expression. ”Uze is what you can call me, and until we figure exactly what’s going on I think we should stay in contact, Mr...?”

He extends his large hand to shake the man’s.

AsterRose