Fantasy A P O L L Y O N

Semblance · May 12, 2016

GENRE

Medieval Fantasy | Survival | Post-apocalyptic | Action adventure

STATUS

Open & Not Accepting

LEVEL

Detailed

GAME MASTER

Semblance

Semblance · Jun 1, 2016

A rooster crowed into the morning dawn as the sun just barely peeked over the horizon. Xerxes stepped out into the crisp, morning air, his piercing blue eyes surveying the town of Elmore and trying to imprint this city into his memory. After all, this could very well be the last time he stepped foot in this place. Excitement and fear coursed through his veins at the thought of the long journey ahead of him. Today was the day he and the others finally embarked on their quest to vanquish the Shadow Lord. They had all trained under the talented wing of Saint Tybalt, the High Priest of Holy Light, in preparation for this very day. He clutched his faithful spear in his right hand, observing the two sharp crescent blades attached to the end, and ensured that all of his throwing knives were strapped to his body.

Xerxes made his way down the road towards Holy Light, which was a rather short walk. After all, everyone was careful to live within a close distance to the church to make sure they stayed within range of the building's emanating light magic. Due to the abundant mages that had congregated here, this church became a popular safe spot for those who sought shelter from the relentless Shadow spirits and Shadow humans. As he neared the establishment, he saw the familiar face of Saint Tybalt patiently waiting for them in front of the church doors. His long, white beard and his balding scalp were evident even from far away. Xerx was apparently the last to join the group, as the seven others had already formed a loose ring in front of the priest. "You ready guys?" he asked them when he joined the group, hiding the nervousness that he was feeling.

"Good morning everyone," Tybalt greeted in his usual deep voice. "Today is the day we have all been preparing for. I have faith that you will return to Elmore as heroes of the Island and vanquishers of the Shadow, but it is more important that you have faith in yourselves and in each other. Trust your abilities, your judgment, and most importantly, trust each other. This quest requires every single person to put forth their best efforts and to work together, taking into account each other's strengths and weaknesses. You will encounter situations and events that you have never experienced before, and only through a group collaboration will you be able to overcome these challenges."

As Xerxes listened to Tyablt's parting speech, his piercing blue eyes scanned the others who were standing next to him. Some were much closer to him while others were merely acquaintances, and yet he was supposed to trust them with his life. Doubt began to surface in his mind, but he managed to suppress his growing feelings of anxiety.

When the High Priest concluded his final words, the Saint approached each of them and placed his hand on their shoulders. Xerx felt a rush of light energy from Tybalt's arm into his own body, feeling more vitalized with every second that passed. When the priest had completed this energy transfer, a sad, parting smile appeared on the man's face, coupled with a farewell wave. With one last look at the city of Elmore, Xerxes nodded a farewell to the High Priest and turned around to head towards the wilderness that lay beyond the city. It was time.

sunshineintoveins · Jun 1, 2016

ASRA SAHAR

Asra retreated back under her covers as the sun shone through her window, returning to her sweet slumber. Her eyes shot open and she jolted awake realizing what today was. It was her last day at Holy Light. She fumbled her clothes on, her mind racing. This was the day the last two years had led up to. She was to vanquish the Shadow Lord along with her companions. Asra sheathed her daggers, running her fingers over them giving her a sense of safety. She strapped her crossbow on her back then left her small cottage on the outskirts of the city for Saint Tybalt's departing gathering.

Asra enjoyed the walk to Holy Light, there was nothing but countryside and peace. Peace was scarce these days. The church was a grand building that stood proudly and served as refuge for those who needed it no matter who they were or where they came from. Saint Tybalt and a couple of the other warriors waited at the church doors. Tybalt smiled when he saw Asra and she returned it.

Even though she hadn't known most of these people for very long, she trusted them since they were all united one common goal. They had all lost something or someone and now they banded together to avenge it by defeating the Shadow Lord.

"Good morning, everyone," Tybalt greeted as Xerxes became the last person to arrive.

Asra wiped her sweaty palms on her beige pants and shook her head. She never got nervous and she couldn't afford to, especially not now. When Tybalt had concluded his speech, he approached each warrior and placed his hand on their shoulders. When it was Asra's turn, she felt all her anxiety and fear flow out of her, being replaced with a surge of courage and confidence.

"Give me strength, Apollyon," she whispered under her breath as Tybalt removed his hands.

The group stood for an while longer, taking in their last moments in Elmore. Asra breathed in deeply, focusing on the Tybalt's power surging through her and joined the group as they trekked into the wilderness where anything was possible.

hyakinthos · Jun 1, 2016

Vaime Sparway

At the very crack of dawn, Vaime gave up. Long resigned to the idea that sleep simply was not going to happen, she stretched her arms and slid out of bed, feeling the stagnant blood start to move again through her veins. This, she told herself, is the reckoning day.

She’d been telling herself that quite often over the past five years. It had become something of a personal mantra, and it spurred her on that morning. It rushed through her mind on endless loop as she dressed, assembled her pack, tied up her hair. As she took one final look in her mirror, it struck her how, of all the times she’d said it, this time it was actually true. Setting out on this journey was not the first step, no—many things, many hours of practice and nights spent alone had fed into this. But it was, empirically, objectively, emotionally, and on a worldwide scale, the most important thing that she had ever done.

Vaime Sparway, hero of justice!

Unless, of course, she got killed.

She did her best to file that grim thought away as she walked the halls of her family’s home. It wouldn’t stay down, though, and was quickly followed by the idea that this might be the last time she would ever breathe within these walls.

Still. This thing that she was doing was undoubtedly the most important. More important than any location-based identity she happened to be holding. With all the force of a precocious child ripping off a bandage, Vaime took that one terrible step out through her front door, into the chill air of the silent street.

Five minutes took her to the doorstep of the Holy Light, and she recognized the priest standing on the stairs. She held up her hand to him, flashed him an apologetic look. She would be but a minute.

Just this, she thought, clipping around the wall of the cathedral. It was nearly muscle memory that took her through the cemetery gates, right to her fathers’ gravestones. Weather-beaten, side by side, there they stood. It had been a pretty penny to have them interred here, and a scramble to save them from the mass grave outside the city, but all well worth it.

As Vaime sank down to press her hands against the ground, she found her mind exceptionally blank. For all the time she had spent thinking about just what she would want to say to them, all the words that had been crowding her head for weeks, there was nothing now.

She kissed the palms of both her hands, pressed each to a carved name, and stood.

No matter what happened now, she reckoned, she would come back to them in some regard. Vaime sighed, making her way back to the front of the church. There she stood alone, too early, settling in to wait the mere hours that separated her from the thing they’d all been waiting for.

This, she told herself, is the reckoning day.

Javax · Jun 2, 2016

Alistair Ryder

"The Blind Rogue"

Mood: Neutral
Tagged: @Everyone, ye

Mentioned: Everyone
Outfit:
Notes: First terrible post! Yay!

[CHARACTER SHEET]

A wooden staff struck the dummy one more time, creating a heavy thunk. The training grounds was occupied by one lone man, and he had been passing the time since before first light broke. Well, he supposed it was still dark out judging by the still coldness on the air.

Another thunk resonated through the grounds as Alistair did a spin and hit the dummy with a full on blow to the head. He did another spin and hit the dummy's chest on the other side. He spun the staff around and hit the dummy on the shoulder. These sudden movements continued on until the blonde could feel the steady warmth of the morning light's rays on hid back.

The blind man stopped his combat training, relaxing his stance. Steady vibrations were approaching him, hitting the ground in a steady interval like footsteps. However, they were lighter than that of a human's, like an animal's. When the vibrations were close enough, Alistair reached a hand down and buried his fingers into the soft fur of his companion.

The wolf whined softly. "I know," the blind rogue responded. He was supposed to meet with the others in front of the Holy Light Church so that they could begin their journey. It's been a lot of work since he first arrived, but he was ready. The others were as well, and he was prepared to spend a long, treacherous journey with his companions. He brushed Fýlax's fur and squeezed his scruff gently. "Let's go."

The black-furred canine began padding in the direction of the Holy Light, guiding the blind man to the last meeting. Once there, he waited patiently as the others arrived, Xerxes being last to arrive. Tybalt gave his parting speech, and Alistair found trusting the other's to be a difficult task. He was to work alongside them in defeating the greatest evil ever created, but he didn't think he'd go as far as trusting them wholeheartedly. That was not going to happen as far as he knew.

Afterwards, Tybalt came and laid a gentle hand on each of their shoulders. Once contact was made with the blonde male, he could feel the rush of energy enter his system. He felt rejuvenated and found that his anxieties and nervousness had ebbed away. When the Saint finished, Alistair followed the vibrations his companions created to begin their journey, his faithful wolf by his side. This was going to be dangerous, but Alistair was ready.

MrBossMan · Jun 2, 2016

Tonight was the night of nights.

And Lukas couldn't sleep worth a damn. Tossing and turning under his fur sheets the boy was sweating up a storm. Every time he closed his eyes their faces appeared in the darkness behind his eyelids. Pushing his face deep within his pillow he shut eyes hard, an effort to fight away the pain he felt at all times. The boy tried to think of happier thoughts, the feel of his mothers touch on his shoulders. The way his younger sister smiled at him after they played in the yard. The spot by the lake him and his older brother used to fish. The lessons his father taught him everyday.

It didn't matter in the end however. Darkness always crept inside the boys memories, creeping its way through his pure spirit. No matter how hard the boy tried he could never unsee their faces as he rode away on that horse, leaving them to the shadows. He could never forget that smell as he lost control and burnt that barn down. Hearing the screams as innocents begged for a life that'd soon end.

The boy cried while his face was buried in that pillow. Biting down hard on his own tongue as he let his weakness out. Feeling his fist clench tightly around nothing at all. Unaware that he wasn't breathing as he punched his soft bed over and over and over again. Wanting to scream but not wanting to wake the others. Whispering the words "I'm sorry" over and over and over again in the loneliness of his own company.

Then his eyes opened and it was over. Laying down for a few more minutes Lukas watched his single candle flicker in the room. Pushing against the darkness as it made shadows dance along his walls. Letting out a sigh and wiping his hazel eyes he stood to his feet. The young man looked in the mirror at his naked self. His eyes glancing at his hidious burned flesh that flawed his body and left a constant reminder of what he is capable of.

The teen then opened his drawers and removed his necessary clothing. Dressing quickly in his usual black and grey attire. Slipping on his well worn boots and grabbing his sword, Nights Bane, then attaching it to his side. Then he blew out his candle and left his room. Silently he made his way out of the old wooden building he's called home for the past month. He opened the door and walked outside into the cool morning air, the sun just barley pushing its way over the horizon.

It was a fast walk to the prearranged meeting place. Lukas walked alone for now but others would be there waiting for him. His new companions he was supposed to call friends. The people he was supposed to trust and fight the Shadow Lord with. To Lukas, they were only obstacles blocking his path. People he would end up hurting in the end. The young man spat as he remembered his last conversation with Tybalt.

Lukas told him he would rather go alone, and of course Tyword or refused him. Saying there is strength in numbers. Tybalt didn't understand though, he didn't know. Lukas did.

In the end it didn't matter, he made it to his destination and walked in. Others were waiting and he approached them without a word. He found his seat and waited for the others to arrive, the last one being Xerxes. Apparently this man didn't care to be early, maybe he thought he could show up whenever his heart desired. Again, Lukas should have been sent alone, the others would only slow him down.

They all stood when Tybalt spoke, his words an attempt at inspiration. Lukas didn't care though, it was over soon enough and Tybalt went to every person in turn. Lukas being the last one for Tybalts light transfer. When the man put his thick hand on Lukas's shoulder instantly his father's face appeared in his minds eye. And a gentle smile made its way across the boys hard features. Then he heard Tybalts voice bring him back to his cold reality. Lukas's eyes darted down to the stone floor, not wanting to look the Priest in the eyes.

"Lukas," the priest whispered his tone soft and compassionate "you can not fight all your battles alone. No matter how hard you try." The priest then smiled and brought his finger under Lukas's chin, forcing the boy to make eye contact. "Remember this." Is all he said.

When the Priest was done Lukas turned back towards the door and walked away.

He didn't look back.

raspberryrose · Jun 2, 2016

Rowan Lloyd

the beginning of the quest

She breathed in the fresh air of Holy Light and closed her eyes in contentment. Around the church, it always felt as though the air was purer, the colors brighter. She always spent as much time around the church as she could, especially so now that she would be going on a journey straight to the Shadow Lord. She listened carefully at the whistles of birdsong and the rustle of leaves in the wind. She wanted to remember this moment, this peace, forever. Hopefully, she would be alive to see it again.

"...You will encounter situations and events that you have never experienced before, and only through a group collaboration will you be able to overcome these challenges"

Rowan zoned back in as Tybalt finished his parting speech. It wasn't anything new that he hadn't already said at one point or another. She looked at the group that would be her travelling companions and resisted the urge to sigh. She was fairly worried about their compatibility as a group, not to mention she had never fought besides any of them. Heck, she had never even seen some of them! It would take more than a few fights before they would actually be able to fight cohesively. She grimaced as she thought of the arguments that would inevitably occur.

It was a rather ragtag group of companions and was that a wolf? She eyed it warily, animals were much more likely to succumb to shadows and she didn't particularly want to be attacked by a wolf in the future. The man seemed to need it though as she turned to look back at Tybalt. Hopefully, having the wolf would not come to bite them in the ass. Literally.

When Tybalt clasped her shoulder, she jolted as energy surged through her from the hand. She felt as though she had been pumped with adrenaline and felt the urge to run or use her ability to drain it off. She fiddled with her earring and bounced on the balls of her feet as the energy settled somewhat, a comfortable warmth settling into her bones. When she released a breath, all her nervousness seemed to flow out of her and her shoulders loosened and dropped down.

As the group headed towards the woods, she paused to look back at Elmore, imprinting the city into her head. She doubted that this was going to be an easy journey but she had come too far to turn back now.

sealdust · Jun 3, 2016

Seren N ox

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Seren's tilted her head reverently at the priest. It was not a want to prove herself to Apollyon that had spurred her actions to join the group hoping to restore peace to the world, but instead a primordial desire for revenge that drove her. However, she didn't wish to earn the ire of a god, so Seren inclined her head slightly to show her respect.

Unseen, her emotions churned wildly below the surface. Logically, she knew the chances of her parents being fine was quite low, however that did not stop Seren from attempting to go on such a foolish journey. She wondered whether they would be fine with her going on this adventure, knowing that she was disadvantaged greatly by her unique condition.

Stormy blue eyes stared intently at the other individuals within the group. Upon arriving to the meeting, she'd taken care not to be too late. Absentmindedly, she fiddled with her staff, running her anxious fingers over the grooves of metal as though it were an instrument to be played. Music had never been her strong suit, not in the way that dancing had been, but it still provided some level of enjoyment to her. It accompanied her in her dances, allowing her to keep rhythm. Her heartbeat also did the same, but there was something about the nature of music that made it enjoyable.

It was a motivational speech, though listening to Tybalt speak provided no comfort. The pressure of being a 'last hope' was more than a little unfair - even if she did have training, she didn't have the ability to manipulate the outcome of events. None of them did. Yet somehow there was this expectation that the Shadow Lord could be defeated. Or perhaps the speech bothered Seren because it felt like he was pressuring them all to succeed, placing the lives of humanity on their shoulders... so that if they all died in this journey, the last one left alive died knowing that everyone else would die because of their failure. It was an unpleasant thought.

Though the energy transfer was nice. She could feel the difference instantly, since the sensation of being filled with surplus energy was almost like being struck by lightning with its intensity. She was almost sure it would radiate warmth from her skin, as though Seren was a miniature sun, except it didn't.

Then it was over, and Seren shared a single smile with Tybalt, before turning and preparing to leave Elmore. The city had been a lovely home for her, however it seemed that she had always been fated to leave it. Elmore had brought her dancing career to great heights, and Seren had created many wonderful memories within the city boundaries. The crowded streets and sociable people in Elmore, already so used to performances, had been host to a plethora of wonderful moments for Seren.

She wouldn't deny the fear bubbling up in her chest at the thought of going on a proper adventure - categorized as such because of the levels of danger involved, but in a way, it was the only choice she had left. Seren needed to save her parents. She needed to defeat the Shadow Lord.

Seren would either succeed, or die trying.

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ShadyAce · Jun 4, 2016

Cierra almost always rose before dawn. It had been a habit for a long while, it just became a part of her routine. Especially today, it was doubtful she was going to get much sleep anyways. She sat outside, alone, with the cold breeze carrying a scent of rosemary, and occasionally, a rotting corpse, but still, the air had always seemed fresher than anywhere else.

As the mute woman sat in the silence, she sharpened her weapons, and always checked she had enough and every single one of them. Every now and again, an echoing thud made it's way to her, and she presumed it was one of the others training for today, along with her few screeching noises of metal against metal.

Finally, the sun rose, letting loose its tendrils to crawl into the windows and doors to alert those that it was indeed day. Cierra took one quick glance at the sunrise, which was a beautiful combination of dark skies with a few flickering stars left, with oranges, yellows and purple beginning to claim the sky as their own.

She spun on her heels, and strode towards the meeting place, with haste and impatience clearly shown in each of her steps. It had only taken a short amount of time to reach the place, which kept things happening, much to Cierra's happiness. But she was one of the first few there, and they had to wait for the rest of the group to come join them, before embarking. And probably listening to a speech of some sort. It was quite cliche, and most likely to happen.

Cierra fidgeted around with whatever she could, fingers delicately running over her blades, hands grasping and twisting anything she had on her, and other things the mute woman couldn't even remember doing. It felt as if years to Cierra when Xerxas arrived. She shot a quick glare, her emerald eyes becoming piercing as ever, then returned her gaze towards Tybalt.

He began his speech, which Cierra payed little to no attention to, and instead looked over the others in the group. She was curious to see if they seemed determined or scared beyond belief, as it could be used to Cierra's advantage. She finally adjusted her eyes onto Tybalt, as he concluded. Working as a group? Unlikely. Trusting her life in these people? Thoroughly unlikely. Doubt was pretty much the only thing resident in her head.

As Tybalt laid his hand on Cierra shoulder, her body seemed to invigorate itself, more intense blood flowing around, carrying a new found energy throughout. A dead-pan look was given in return, despite being thankful for the energy. She turned away, and walked off along with the others, whom had each received the same gift she had.

If Cierra made it out alive, great. If anyone else died, whatever. But what was for sure, this was going to be one hell of an adventure.

Extra Information: |Tags|

@everyone

|Interacting|

--

|Mentioned|

The Whole Group

Xerxas

|Location|

The Holy Light, Elmore.

|Mood|

Neutral

Semblance · Jun 4, 2016

Their first two days of travel were oddly peaceful, as if the entire world were in harmony. The weather had been surprisingly moderate, with clear blue skies and the perfect amount of sunlight. If he didn't know any better, Xerxes would have thought that they were simply taking a stroll to the outskirts of the city rather than on a dangerous quest to defeat an evil and all-powerful being. Their scenery had mainly consisted of thin undergrowth and copious amounts of shrubbery as they made their way through the wilderness.

Over the past two days, Xerxes realized that he hadn't interacted much with a few of them even though he had spent the past year training at Holy Light, mainly due to their contrasting personalities. Lukas, Vaime, and Alistair, for example. On the other hand, he had become quite close with Asra and Seren, due to their shared adventurous, curious, and bold personalities. Others, such as Rowan and Cierra, had certainly earned his respect and admiration, but they were more good acquaintances than friends.

On the morning of their third day, they had exited the small forest that separated the city of Elmore from the Jagged Peaks. As if on cue, gray, ominous clouds covered the usual light blue sky when they began to venture into the treacherous mountains. Sunlight failed to pierce the cloudy barrier as a slight drizzle began to patter down onto the island, allowing the humid air to only grow more moist. Xerxes' entire being was on high alert. He had heard stories of the deadly bandits and greedy mercenaries who roamed these mountains, and it could only have gotten worse since the onslaught of the Shadow spirits.

The terrain grew more rocky and unstable the further they trekked into the mountains until Xerxes noticed a thin stone ledge ahead of them. When they neared the edge, however, he saw that the fragile-looking rock ledge extended over a large chasm that connected them to the other side of the mountain. He carefully peeked over the edge to look at the deep never-ending rift below him. "Well let's try not to die before we even encounter any Shadow spirits," he nervously joked, keeping his voice even. The thought of falling hundreds of feet to his death did not appeal to him, and it didn't help that the drizzle was turning into a light rain, which only made the rocks more slippery. "I'll go last and use my Earth magic to strengthen the rocks in the ledge while you guys walk over," he suggested, his piercing blue eyes looking back at the others before they focused on Rowan. "Perhaps you could stay back as well and use your Water magic to soak up the rain from the rocks. It'll make the ledge much less slippery," he told the Water mage.

raspberryrose · Jun 5, 2016

Rowan Lloyd

travelling

Nothing particularly of note happened on the first couple of days. Whether the rest of journey would be as peaceful, Rowan wasn't quite sure. As nice as the peace was, it was rather boring. Even the scenery was nothing special. After the end of the first day, she had taken to quietly whistling to herself to help ward off the quiet. Considering that she had only passingly heard of her companions, she was glad that none of them were inclined to argue all the time. Of course, it was still fairly awkward as she couldn't think of anything to say and the silence only stretched.

When they crossed in the Jagged Peaks, everything seems to change rather abruptly. The bleak stone and gray clouds was a far cry from the green shrubbery and clear blue sky. Well, the world seems to have a great sense of drama. She though wryly. If to prove her thought, the group reached a thin ledge over a chasm. Of course, it was the only way to get across. She peered over the edge, making sure to keep her body from leaning too far. It would be pretty awful to die by accident by literally falling off a cliff. Of course, falling to death wasn't her only worry considering the bandits that roamed the area. Fighting on a ledge, in the rain nonetheless, was not a very good idea.

"Well, this is certainly precarious. You'd think that someone would have built a bridge by now." Even if the Peaks were filled with bandits, they should have allowed a bridge to be built, if only to make their own travel easier.

She cursed as her foot slipped a little in the rain and consciously made the water around her feet evaporate, drawing the water from the stone into a sphere which she threw into the chasm. "Hmm? Oh, sure. I'll stay behind. I can dry the rocks but I can't prevent the rain from soaking you so try to be quick about getting across." She tapped her chin thought, "I'll dry your clothes first so you don't drip everywhere and slip"

Drying things by drawing out the water was a fairly basic skill. It was a little harder in the rain as she had to keep them dry by drawing out the water continuously. The patch of stone that she had dried earlier had already been soaked again without her maintaining her focus. Evaporating the leftover water took much more energy though so she preferred to just get rid of the water by tossing it somewhere else. She could do it without physical touch but control was much easier to maintain with it. She held up her hands, "So who wants to go first?"

MrBossMan · Jun 5, 2016

"I reckon I will," Lukas said as he pushed past the others and volunteered himself. The rock ledge seemed dangerous enough but in a strange little way Lukas knew he'd be fine. He did not survive through all the hell he's been through just to die from a fall. Walking to the ledge the boy knelt down and grabbed a wet stone. As he rubbed his thumb across its surface the boy sighed and tossed it into the pit below.

Rising to his feet he wiped his hand through his dark wet hair. Then he looked at Rowan and Xerxes, giving them both a nod in turn, then Lukas put his back to the edge of the cliff and started to shimmy his way across. The first few steps were cautios and controlled, but, apparently his two companions weren't lying, he could feel the dryness of the stone, and he trusted that it could hold his weight. A smirk made its way across his face as he neared the halfway mark.

Lukas felt a bead of sweat form by his hair line. Even though it was raining, that only made the weather feel hot and humid, plus he had on his thick fur coat. He could feel the rocks behind him catching onto the wet fur and making a small amount of resistance with each side step. He didnt know if Rowan stoped focusing on the coat or what, but then again she said the rain would only make it wet again. Lukas was looking straight out in front of him, not paying attention to the small ledge that was keeping him alive. It was a mistake on the boys part.

Taking a small side step Lukas's right foot didn't meet the ledge, instantly his foot began to sink in the open air and he lost his balance. Instinctively pushing his body forward Lukas realised to late he was to far forward. In a split second the boy scanned out of his peripherals and saw a small root hanging outside the rock behind him, in an act of calm desperation Lukas clutched the root and maintained his balance. He then took a few moments to catch his breath and slow his breathing. He glanced down at his feet and saw the problem.

"The ledge has a small gap here," he told the others loudly "do not make the same mistake I did." He then looked at the root that had saved his life and he knew it shouldn't have. The root looked weak and old, barely held in at all. Weather it was a miracle that kept him alive, or one of his companions quick thinking, he didn't know. Lukas just kept on, this time lifting his right let over the gap and stepping sadly on the other side. He then pulled his left leg over as well and kept walking across. This time being a bit more careful than he had previously. It took only a few more steps until he was safely across and on the other side. Instantly the boy scanned his surroundings and saw only a long winding path that made its way behind a mountain ahead. The clouds were dark, very dark for some odd reason. They also seemed a bit lower than the other ones.

Lukas simply shrugged it off as nothing and focused his attention back onto the others.

"It's safe on this side," he said loud enough for them all to hear "come across and don't forget about the gap."

"And hurry up," he whispered to himself "I don't want to soak in the rain."

Javax · Jun 5, 2016

Alistair Ryder

"The Blind Rogue"

Mood: Bored Cautious
Tagged: @Semblance | @raspberryrose | @MrBossMan

Mentioned: Xerxes | Rowan | Lukas
Outfit:
Notes: N/A

[CHARACTER SHEET]

The journey thus far was boring. Alistair expected some sort of action at least within the first day, but instead he was met with silence and serenity. He couldn't necessarily complain because it was a nice change of pace from his hectic life, but it wasn't like he could enjoy the scenery because... Well... He's blind.

Despite his lack of sight, Alistair knew immediately when they stepped into Jagged Peaks. The air changed from light and tranquil to heavy and overbearing. A chill traveled down the rogue's spine. He remembered when he lived with and worked alongside the bandits here, and he wondered if his companions and he would encounter any. It was extremely possible, so he silently pleaded that he didn't come across any that recognized him. Being identified by those who are despised by a majority of the good world in front of a group of aspiring heroes would most likely be a terrible thing.

Alistair knew that they were coming across an unstable ledge long before they arrived to it. However, he couldn't tell how deep the chasm actually was until he was closer due to the vibrations being unable to reach far down. But even when nearby, there seemed to be no end to the chasm. He knit his brows together in worry; would they have to turn back and find another way around, or were they going to risk trekking over it and hope it doesn't collapse underneath them?

Judging by the fact that no one was making a move to turn around, he figured that they were going to continue on, and Xerxes' words confirmed it. Xerxes and Rowan ended up staying back to aid in making the ledge traversable, and, before Alistair could do anything, Lukas already began his careful trek across. Alistair listened closely as he "watched" the male's movements. He couldn't tell how weak the ledge actually was because of the vibrations of the rain obscuring his "vision", but he would knew when the other would begin to slip.

Like he anticipated, Lukas' foot missed the ledge. His body began to leave the safety of the ledge, and Alistair thought quickly. He felt through the vibrations of the ground and allowed them to travel through the earth around Lukas. There was a disruption in the earth: a root, though weak, but a foothold nonetheless. He commanded the root to grow through the earth and emerge to allow a spot for Lukas to step and maintain his balance. Lukas' foot found the makeshift foothold and steadied himself, and Alistair let out a shaky breath that he hadn't realized he's been holding. It would be a shame if they lost a member just a few days after beginning their journey.

Once Lukas announced he was on the other side, Alistair began making a move to go across. The black-furred canine beside him let out a fearful whine, and the blind rogue knelt down. He felt Fýlax's head and turned his head towards the wolf, though it was unnecessary on his part. Fýlax turned his head towards him and Alistair leaned his head down to connect their foreheads together, letting the wolf know that they were one by the simple action. "Is uhr ahi'ail,"[1] he whispered in his wolvish tongue.

The man stood up and began stepping across the ledge, his loyal companion following him cautiously. Alistair used his staff as a guide as he ingrained the image the vibrations were creating in his mind. He was careful to step over the gap, and Fýlax did the same. Soon enough, the blind man and his canine friend were on the other side alongside Lukas.

Translations

1. "Is uhr ahi'ail." "It is okay."

sealdust · Jun 6, 2016

<div style="text-align:center;">Seren Nox</div>

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Three days of adventure, and so far nothing of importance had happened. She would have doubted that this was a serious mission, if not for the constant reminders. Xerxes' joke about 'trying not to die before meeting shadow spirits' did not seem to fall too humorously among the group, though Seren chalked that down to nervousness. She smiled anyway, more at the attempt to try to put everyone at ease than the joke. The joke wasn't that funny at all.

 

Seren looked at the ledge, tilting her head thoughtfully, but being careful about keeping her face composed, then she turned to Rowan. "You'll make me super dry, right?" Heights didn't bother her, but the idea of the ground giving away under her feet did. As someone who had spent most of her life dancing, she thought that she'd have one of the highest chances of leaping over the gap if she had to. She knew from experience that her staff could vault her into the air - it had become an overused trick of hers during her performances, especially as she decided to balance her entire weight on the weapon. But if her reflexes were slow, or her judgement wrong, the consequences would still be dire. 

She did not want to be remembered as the cautionary tale for ledge-travelers. 

Not that she needed those extra couple of years that she could have lived without going on this adventure, either. Sure, she'd have a longer life expectancy, but how long would it be before seeing another human became rarer than uncharacteristically hot weather in Florin? How long would it take for the shadows to take over everything and everyone and complete their apparent mission to take over the world? Dancing wasn't as fun without an audience. 

It was a relief to see that two of their group had already made it over now. It was a good choice to have them go first too, since the rest of the group would be likely to weigh less. Seren liked to think of her balance as infallible, since she trusted it so much. While other members of their group would probably be disadvantaged by the rain, it didn't bother her nearly as much. Seren was used to slippery surfaces, especially as the stones in the streets of Florin would be slick with moisture from all the morning fog - the fact that her foundation in dance had started there gave her a bit of endurance for situations like these. 

As emotionally unattached as she liked to think herself to her companions, Seren's full attention was on whoever was crossing that thin ledge. After seeing Lukas nearly fall, she felt a little nervous. It wasn't that she didn't have faith in herself, or her abilities... or the team (okay, another lie - but she was still warming up to them, she'd get there eventually). Seren just didn't like entrusting her life to the steadiness of an uncompassionate (and unstable) rock. 

Of course, she'd deny not wanting to go over next because that would put her in closer proximity to Alistair's companion. In fact, she finally had a comfortable distance between them. Seren would enjoy the momentary break from her own anxious heartbeat whenever she couldn't see where the wolf was, or when she could see the wolf, but it was too close. 

But it was her turn, so dutifully she started her way over the ledge. She took slow careful steps, not wanting to fall, her arms outstretched in an attempt to balance herself more. It was exhilarating, but not in the way that Seren usually enjoyed. She paused for a second in the middle of the ledge, lifting up her head to scan the faces of her team. If she could forget about the unstable surface, this would actually be fun. But the rock seemed stable enough at the moment, which meant she could relax a little. So, like the performer she was, she gave a confident smile to those behind her - the 'this is easier than it looks' expression that non-dancers found so deceiving. Perhaps they might find her confidence encouraging.

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Semblance · Jun 6, 2016

Xerxes nodded as Lukas offered to carefully cross the ledge first. He placed himself close to the edge and extended his hands towards the ledge, his fingers curved in a unique position, feeling the earth communicate with him through the ground. He crushed his hands into a fist, as if physically pressing the rocks together to keep them stable enough for his companions to safely cross. His piercing blue eyes briefly shifted to Rowan, giving her a nod of confidence. It would be up to them to make sure the team didn't fall to their deaths.

However, it turned out that they weren't the only ones who could offer magical support. Xerxes' heart pounded when he saw Lukas slip, but the man quickly regained his balance by latching onto a root. The Earth mage glanced over at Alistair and saw his arms extended out in the air, clearly having just extended the root. Xerx nodded at him, but realized that the blind man wouldn't be able to see his gesture, so he shifted his attention back onto the ledge when Alistair and his wolf started to cross.

When the Nature mage and his animal safely reached the other side, Xerxes let out a breath of relief he didn't realize that he was holding. Perhaps the seeds of attachment to the others had unknowingly planted themselves in him over the past couple of days, although he had to admit that there was something about Alistair that put him off.

His gaze watched Seren begin to cross the fragile ledge with confidence, her balanced and agile feet dexterous from years of dancing. Still, he found his pulse racing to see her over such a deathly chasm, as he had grown quite close to and protective over her during the past year. Xerxes' nerves eased slightly when the Ice mage turned around to flash them a confident smile.

However, his adrenaline skyrocketed when he saw shadowy figures begin to emerge in the distance on the other side of the ledge. Two Shadow humans, clearly bandits who had been possessed from the looks of their tattered clothes and sharp weapons, jumped down from the rocks and headed straight towards Alistair and Lukas. "Look out!" he instantly called over to the two men.

As the words left his mouth, a flutter of movement in his peripheral caught his attention. Xerxes turned his head and saw another four Shadow humans headed towards them from their side of the mountain. They were about to get sandwiched from both sides onto a fragile stone ledge over a deep chasm. The odds certainly did not look in their favor, and it didn't help that the rain had picked up into a moderate downpour, making the rocks even more slippery.

Suddenly, one of the Shadow humans launched a dark blast of energy towards Alistair and Lukas, threatening to push them over into the chasm. From the look in the bandit's eyes, it was about to induce psychological pain onto one of the men.

Before Xerx could react, he whipped around to find a ball of dark energy headed right towards him. He instinctively caused a rock wall to form in between him and the blast, safely protecting himself from the attack. Expecting one of the mages to succumb to a psychological attack, he saw one of the Shadow bandits look past the group on their side of the mountain and straight at Seren instead, who was still standing precariously over the chasm. "No!" Xerxes shouted, but it was too late. He heard Seren's scream as she was consumed by mental pain, no doubt about to lose her balance at the sudden attack. The other two bandits took this as their cue to induce their own psychological pain.

sealdust · Jun 7, 2016

Seren Nox

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One moment she was smiling, focused on her comrades - trying to encourage those that might need it. The next moment Xerxes was shouting a warning, and she'd whipped her head back to see what the danger was on Alistair's and Lukas' side. The fast turning movement nearly unbalanced her, but she recovered and was fine.

Momentarily, anyway.

Overwhelming pain echoed through her skull, accompanied by the shockingly loud whispers of her parent's enraged snarls. Seren wasn't prepared for it, her hands rushing to the sides of her head in her own instinctive attempt to suppress the pain. But this wasn't an ordinary migraine or a headache. Was that roar the sound of the world spinning around her? The pressure on her skin felt stronger. The rain? Seren honestly couldn't tell. Frost started forming around her fingers as they tensed tighter in her hair, the rain supplying everything she needed for ice.

'Betrayer. Murderer. You killed us both! Our blood is on your hands!'

No! That wasn't what happened!

The vicious accusations of her parents undid her, and Seren let out an agonized cry, unable to prevent the tortured sound from leaving her lips. Seren was especially vulnerable to pain, and this was no exception to that. Dark spots appeared in her vision, and her eyesight went blurry, from tears and rain and her own inability to focus properly. She closed her eyes to try and keep herself from sobbing. Seren's position on the rocks felt slippery, and her usually agile feet seemed clumsy in their attempt to find a more stabilizing spot. Sweat beaded on her forehead, disguised by the pouring rain.

'How many others have to die? Worthless! You must have wanted us to die! Everything is your fault!' Their voices echoed together, and even if Seren logically knew that her parents weren't present, her disorientation was such that she was only aware of the pain, their voices, and the fact that one wrong step lead to her death.

Fear. Crushing and oppressive. It had never been so present in her psyche as it was now, and this mission - this suicide mission - had never been as scary or intimidating as it was right now. Her head was pounding, the fierce pressure unceasing. The whispers were getting louder. The certainty that this was how she would die was creeping in.

Seren swayed unsteadily on the ledge, unable to keep her balance in the midst of such chaos. Her head was hurting so much; it throbbed louder and more painfully than her fearful heart, and the pain was upsetting her ability to balance properly, distracting her from the danger of the fall. She doubled over, loosing her balance entirely. She'd failed.

She would fall.

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raspberryrose · Jun 7, 2016

Rowan Lloyd

opponents: 3

Both Lukas and Alistair made it across fine, though she would be the first to admit that her heart jumped into her throat when Lukas nearby fell. Sweat gathered on her forehead as she concentrated on keeping them somewhat dry. The strain doubling when Alistair made his way across as she split her focus between him and his wolf. With both of them across, she let out a breath she didn't even know she had held and shifted her focus as Seren started across.

It wasn't until Xerxes called a warning that she noticed the shadow bandits approaching them. Her concentration broke almost immediately and the rain drenched them, making the ground much more treacherous to fight on. She took a deep breath, her arrows wouldn't fly in such a downpour which left only her knives and magic. Her breaths came faster and she could almost feel the adrenaline that was pumping through her veins.

"Shit," she muttered as she reached down to grip her knives. "this is not good." Jumping behind the rock wall that Xerxes pulled up, she gathered rainwater in her palm and threw it at the shadow bandits. The heavy rain only allowed her to control it easier and the ball grew larger as it shot through the air. The water only served to push them back a few steps but it gave her a few seconds to recuperate and she used the time to manipulate the water on the ground. It pooled at their feet, slowing their movements.

A piercing scream rang out behind her. She nearly dropped her knives in surprise and whirled around to see Seren clutch her head. Her inattention was caught by the bandits and a dark bolt clipped her side. Her breath was knocked out of her and she gasped as her fear abruptly doubled, feeling as though her blood had been replaced with ice. Her head was pounding with pain but when she opened her eyes - when did she close them in the first place? - she saw Seren tilting precariously on the ledge, swaying alarmingly.

With a shout of alarm, she threw out her hand and used the rain to briefly form a thin wall that slammed against Seren, pushing her back into ledge. Having to respond so quickly, gentleness was out of the question and she could only hope that Seren would be okay. Injured was better than dead right? The effort took energy and despite dropping the wall as soon as it hit Seren, she was panting.

The shadow bandits spread out, trying to circle around them and the wall. With the position they were in, the chasm was at her back and the shadows were slowly closing in. It this kept up, she would be forced off the cliff. No choice then. She coated a dagger in a layer of water so she could manipulate it in the air and threw it at one of the figures circling around them.

As the knife thudded into the leg of one of the shadows, it stumbled and she grabbed her two remaining knives and charged forward. Getting trapped would be a death sentence and if she could break through to the other side, then their positions would reverse and she could probably force the shadow bandits into the chasm. Charging was risky though and she could feel fear crawling up her throat at the prospect of getting so close to the shadow bandits, especially after being skimmed by a bolt. Her head seemed to pound even harder at the reminder.

"This is probably the worst idea" She had little choice though and tucked her arm close to her, lashing out with a knive as she got closer. The blade slashed at the bandit's side, deep enough that the bandit would bleed out in a couple minutes. Her hand trembled at the thought and black spots were edging her vision. Hopefully, that would be one down. Only two more left right? she though with grim humor. She knew that she wouldn't be able to fight any longer and pressed her back to a wall, hoping to keep from collapsing.

ShadyAce · Jun 9, 2016

Cierra couldn't stand the boredom that had come with this journey so far. A few days in, and all they'd done was walk, even the scenery wasn't that amazing. With each step, she felt as if she walking closer to her sanity's demise. And it wasn't as if she could whine about it either, she just had to go with the group and attempt to deal with it. Which was certainly something Cierra found difficult and abnormal, since she worked alone, there was no need to 'deal with it'. She just did whatever she so pleased, but she didn't think her methods of procrastination and time-wasting would be too accepted on the trip. They slowed to a stop, and Cierra's whole body slumped when she took a glimpse of the dark void they had to cross. Somehow, falling into nothingness didn't seem like the way she wanted to go.

It almost seemed as if she was gaining respect for the companions, as when they suggested ideas and ways to make it safely across the chasm, she agreed and was... slightly impressed. Although, if it was up to her, she would just sprint across and hope for the best, but it wasn't as if she had a say, literally. Lukas offered to go first, and no one opposed him, thus he began shuffling his feet along. Cierra payed little to no attention, instead studying the weather which had so eerily and miraculously changed almost immediately as they entered the Jagged Peaks. It almost seemed supernatural, but then again, her soul was supposedly pure enough to harness light magic. That was surely due to supernatural intervention, or something along the lines of.

She had to hold in a twisted grin forming on her face, when Lukas so carelessly fell. Luckily for him, a root was formed in the perfect position for him to regain his balance. It would've been quite unfortunate if they'd lost one of the group so quickly, not to her so much, but to everyone else, probably. He hurriedly made his way across once he had steadied, and was followed with haste by Alistair, and of course, his furred companion. You'd think that with common sense he would've left the thing behind, after all, it wasn't just humans who could be invaded by the spirits. Next, Seren seemingly danced her way across the chasm with ease, clearly, her nimble feet would and will serve her well on this trip.

Cierra was readying herself to make her way across next, until, across from her, Xerxas yelled to the ones whom already crossed. Shadowy figures pounced at them, and the situation seemed to sky rocket from there. More men came on her side of the canyon, finally, she had a reason to get excited, and get her hands dirty. Dark energy was fired from a few directions, some blocked, one hitting Seren, followed by an excruciating scream, her balance quickly falling out. Rowan's quick thinking stopped her from imminent doom. It probably sucked to be her at this particular moment. Yet Cierra would much rather Seren be stuck there than herself.

That was followed by Rowan pouncing in and ridding the first enemy. Now it was Cierra's turn. With no second thoughts, she jumped up to a height not capable of any normal human, with the aid of air around her, cold wind currents rushing at her will. She dashed forward, as she unsheathed her dual daggers, sinking them into either side of one of the bandits' neck. Once she had, Cierra landed on the ground with a light thud. If she was correct, the one she'd just hopefully slain was the same one which had attacked Seren. If fortune was in their favor, that would begin to diminish the pain. She let out a light breath, that she didn't even know she was holding, which was followed by her pulse slowing slightly. Was she scared? Cierra certainly didn't hope so, but, these shadow people were much different to those she'd battled before. Plus, the scream of agony let out of Seren after being hit by a singular bolt of energy rattled her to the bones. That hadn't happened in a... very long time.

Cierra's back was turned to the other bandits, both the injured one by Rowan, and the untouched one, yet, due to her ill-fate, and failure to study the situation before ramming it head on, she was oblivious it. It wasn't very advantageous that she'd be thinking about why she could be scared either, rather than keeping her head in the battle. Or that'd she had used more magic than she usually preferred to just to jump high. Cierra was like a sitting duck, all due to her rash nature. Oh, and how she hated to have a target pinned on her back. If she or someone didn't act fast, she'd be another victim of their psychological attacks.

Extra Information: |Tags|

@everyone

|Interacting|

--

|Mentioned|

Seren, Rowan, Lukas, Xerxas, Alistair

|Location|

Somewhere in The Jagged Peaks

|Mood|

Bored -> Excited//Slightly Afraid

sunshineintoveins · Jun 11, 2016

Two days in and the journey so far had been irritatingly peaceful and uneventful. Asra hated that a part of her wanted something to happen, anything. She should have been grateful for the serenity so she had tried to enjoy the quiet forest as the group walked through it. What Asra hated more than the dullness was the painfully uncomfortable silence that loomed over the eight mages. Every once in a while she would talk to Xerxes or Seren to keep herself from going insane from the unbearable quiet in the group. They eventually got out of the woods and found themselves peering over the abyss of the Jagged Mountains. The sky grew cloudy and showers began to fall so she covered her long black hair with her shawl.

Lukas went first across the rocky passage and almost slipped to his death making Asra wary of crossing the path. Alistair and Fýlax then began to cross and made it with more ease than Lukas. Asra grew particularly anxious when it was Seren's turn to cross the slippery stones. She moved like the dancer she was with superb balance and grace. Seren was about to leap to safety when Xerxes cried out. Then she saw the bandits, their bodies consumed by shadows and their fight fueled by the undying goal to stop the mages. Rowan took advantage of the downpour and used the water to slow the bandits' pace. Asra unsheathed her knives ready to strike when a scream rang out from the rocky ledge. Seren's eyes were shut tight as her once graceful feet swayed off balance in danger of falling to her untimely death but Rowan thought fast and used her water magic to safely place Seren back on the ledge. Rowan leaned over panting, looking pale, and Asra feared that she would collapse in exhaustion but she kept going stopping one bandit and injuring the other. Asra shot her a small smile out of admiration of her relentlessness as Rowan leaned against the rocky wall.

"We got this, stay put," she said to Rowan who looked to be fighting unconsciousness.

Cierra, using her magic, leap over Asra her dual daggers ready to pierce the creatures. Asra watched as Cierra took out the bandit whom had attacked Seren and landed with her back to the oncoming enemies. Asra smirked happy to off of the sidelines and in the battle as she twirled a blade back into its sheath replacing it with a fiery ball. She ran towards the bandits that were hovering over Cierra and threw the fire ball letting out a grunt. The fire engulfed the bandit who was already injured, flames consuming the shadow. A rush of pain jolted through her head and she did her best to shake it off.� Asra positioned her dagger and finished off the bandit by stabbing it in the neck. A wave of guilt rushed over her when she remembered that this creature was once a person but quickly faded as she reminded herself that they were already consumed by the shadow, a fate worse than death. Asra turned to fight the other bandit ready to summon a fire ball to launch when a spur of dark energy flew towards her colliding into her chest. She cried out in pain as she hit the ground hard, her dagger falling out of her hand next to her. Asra pulled her strength together and fought through the pain to stand up, wobbling to one side ready to fall again. She turned her gaze to

Cierra preparing a fire attack to save her but her body along with her magic was weakened by the shadow attack and by the time she managed to summon a flame she was too late.

"Cierra!" Asra yelled knowing that it was far too late to warn her.

The shadow human was upon Cierra and it was all Asra's fault.

MrBossMan · Jun 12, 2016

The rain was starting to pick up a bit more as Lukas and Alister watched Seren cross the chasm. The boys eyes wandered all around, examining everything he could and hating the rain that soaked him. That's when Lukas smelled it, smoke. Instantly he reeled his head back and walked a couple paces back from the chasm. Scanning his enviorment Lukas then put it all together.

What he thought was dark clouds off in the distance wasn't clouds at all. It was smoke, bandits, was where his mind went, burning something. Immediately his heart rate began to rise steadily and he put his right hand on his swords hilt. Looking behind him he called for "Alister," he said with a hushed tone, trying to catch his attention. But before he could communicate further with the blind man, Xerxes voice rang in his ears.

"Look out!" Xerxes screamed from across the chasm and Instantly Lukas had his sword drawn and took in his surroundings. Two shadow humans jumped down from the rock wall and landed ten feet from Lukas, roughly twenty from Alister.

One of the men was huge, a giant of a man and he even made Lukas himself look tiny. The mans skin was dark with the corruption of the shadow. His body was built like a rock, his muscles bulged out with ease. The other Shadow was completely different, skinny as a twig and nimble on its feet. Lukas could see the bandits bones he was so skinny.

It was the smaller shadow who sent a blast of purple energy directly for Alister. In a split second Lukas's brain processed what would happen next. If that blast hit Alister, he'd almost surely fall into the Chasm below, and Lukas doubted Alister could even see the blast coming. He was an earth mage, and a blind one at that, thus he saw through the ripples people made when they walked on the earth. A blast of pure dark energy did not make any vibrations when it flew through the air.....

Without hesitation Lukas jumped directly in front of the blast. A violent scream of pain escaped Lukas as he was hit square in the chest and sent flying through the air, even past Alister. The warrior tumbled and rolled through the wet ground of the Jagged Peaks. He looked up through foggy eyes at the battle before him. Everything was a daze, Xerxes making a protective wall, Cierra jumping in the air, Asra being hit in the chest, Rowan to tired to move. He noticed his sword, Nights Bane, was behind him laying in the grass.

Suddenly a massive boot slammed into Lukas's ribs and he was again sent in the air. This time not so far of a distance but the wind was knocked out of him and he struggled to find his breath. Coughing and gagging Lukas spit out dirt and mud. Then he saw the massive shadow spirit slowly walking towards him. The Shadow then held out his hands instantly Lukas was on a horse.

"Don't leave us!" His family screamed "Lukas we love you, don't leave us here to die!"

He could only shake his head, still to dazed to move. He was faintly aware of the Shadow Spirit walking towards him. His boots seemed to make the sound of thunder as they squished in the wet mud and grass. Anthoni began to slowly crawl over to his sword, wiggling himself in the dirt as fast as he could in his shaken state.

"Lukas!" He heard the screams behind him. They seemed to come from all over. Then he heard fire and the crisp crackling of burning bones. The awful screams for help. "Ahhhhhhh! Lukas! Help us." He could smell the burnt flesh, the ash as half their faces were burnt away. He couldn't take it anymore.

"YOU'RE NOT REAL!" The boy screamed in defense. But he could still see their faces in his minds eye. Then he felt an enormous hand wrap around his ankle and squeeze, Lukas's hand was just inches from his blade. Suddenly he was dragged through the ground and dirt.

Then flipped over like a rag doll and the Shadow Spirits boot was at his throat. He looked up at the creature, his face was completely blank as he stood on Lukas's throat, choking the life out of him. His eyes were dark and his teeth yellow.

Lukas instinctively put his hands over the boot that was choking away his precious oxygen. He looked to his left and saw his sword, a few feet away, much to far for Lukas to reach. Instantly his hands went back to the boot but he couldn't budge it. No matter how hard he pushed the Shadow Spirit was way to strong.

Instantly he was 17 again. Inside a barn that had caught on fire. The wooden braces collapsed on his back and burned his flesh away. He was screaming and crying for help that wouldn't come. Lukas was then lost in his trance, looking deep into the Shadow Spirits black eyes.

"You left me to die boy," his mentor's voice said. "I saved you from the Shadow and how do you repay me?"

Lukas's voice was cut off, his face now turning red, his fight leaving him. His arms growing weak as he trued in vain to push the boot off of him.

"Follow me, Lukas. Follow me into the dark...."

"My sword," Lukas said as he waved his hand for his blade. It was his last attempt for life, maybe Alister would know what he meant. Maybe.

Maybe he could finally rest.....

Javax · Jun 12, 2016

Alistair Ryder

"The Blind Rogue"

Mood: Cautious Energized, Fearful
Tagged: @sealdust | @MrBossMan | @Semblance | No one else was mentioned, but ye.

Mentioned: Seren | Lukas | Xerxes
Outfit:
Notes: Here's a lengthy post because I love combat scenes so much. ^^

[CHARACTER SHEET]

Alistair paid close attention to Seren's movements as she made her way along the ledge. Unlike he and Lukas, the female was graceful and light. The dancer was made for careful trials such as this, so Alistair didn't worry too much about her missing a step; he only made sure that he'd be able to provide support if the ledge gave way underneath her, similar to how he'd saved the young fire mage beside him.

He heard the other male begin wandering a few paces away, most likely to observe their surroundings and keep an eye out. The Jagged Peaks was no place to sit idly for too long; Alistair knew too well of the dangers that surrounded them. The memory of the years spent under the influence of the bandits was enough to make him cringe as if he'd just been stabbed through the heart. The amount of innocent blood he spilled, the large sums of gold and valuables he wrongfully stole, the lives and families he ruined... Surely, he had good reason? He was weary and exhausted at the time, and they were the only ones who accepted anyone from any background, no questions asked. He couldn't risk living amongst the crowds, not with his face plastered on every corner. It was a mistake on his part, but one that he'd never truly forgive himself for.

Fýlax had padded away from his companion to stand beside Lukas. The large wolf was gazing in the same direction as the fire mage, and a low growl rumbled in his chest as his ears laid back and his razor sharp canines were bared. "Alistair," Lukas called in a hushed tone, trying to get the male's attention. The blind man tightened the grip on his staff, finding Lukas and Fýlax's defensive tones unsettling.

The rogue opened his mouth to inquire what they saw, but Xerxes' voice already rang out over the chasm. "Look out!" Then everything happened all at once. The two shadow-infected bandits bounded towards him and Lukas. Three other shadow humans were converging on the group on the other side of the chasm. Seren was losing her balance on the ledge.

Alistair could tell by the weight behind the two bandits' footsteps that one of them was much larger than the other, and he was larger than Alistair and Lukas combined. Alistair figured that he must've been a bandit chief before he was infected. It would take a lot of muscle and energy on their end to take down the brute.

Moments after the energy blast had been sent towards the two males, Alistair's faithful companion let out a gruff, aggressive bark and lunged at the lanky shadow human. His teeth tore into the bandit's flesh, but the wolf already knew that it wouldn't really faze the infected human; Fýlax simply wanted to create a distraction so that Lukas and Alistair could take down one bandit at a time. A smart animal, indeed.

The blind rogue heard the pained grunt of the fire mage as he was hit by the blast, and Alistair realized that the blast was meant for him, not Lukas. It seemed they were even, now. Alistair gripped his staff and advanced on the large brute, blocking the way to Lukas to allow the male some time to recover. The large shadow human let out an unnerving chuckle as the bling man readied himself into a defensive stance. They stood still for a moment, only a couple feet away from each other, as they waited for the other to make the first move.

The shadow-infected man made the first move. He stepped forward to build up momentum as a clenched fist was headed for the rogue's head. If his fist connected, Alistair would be knocked out cold, simple as that. So the rogue followed the vibrations up the man's body and created an image of the bandit's movement. He sidestepped out of the way and rotated the staff quickly, landing a hard blow on the shadow human's leg. The bandit faltered but quickly regained his footing. Alistair, however, had already spun the staff back around and landed another blow on the brute's side. Then another blow landed on his shoulder. Then Alistair jabbed the end of his staff into the bandit's gut, and he stepped back in retaliation, holding an arm over his gut.

But the brute was also fast. Before the blind man could react, the bandit gripped the staff and ripped it out of his hands with ease. The brute held no mercy as Alistair's own weapon collided with his side, knocking him out of the way like he was a baseball being hit by a bat. Fortunately, his staff didn't break at the impact, but there was no doubt that some of his ribs had snapped. He cupped his side as stinging agony screamed through his body, hissing out a string of curse words. He struggled to control his breathing as he tried to focus on getting back up.

The brute now had the young male pinned, cutting off his air supply. Alistair forced himself to get back up, despite the pain screaming at him to stay put. He needed to save the boy. He unhooked his bow and grabbed and arrow, notching it and aiming with precision. He let the projectile fly and it embedded itself into the brute's shoulder. The brute let out a pained cry as the light magic imbued within the arrow singed his flesh, but he was hardly fazed.

Alistair continued to let arrows fly as he staggered towards the brute, but the struggled "My sword" that escaped Lukas' lips made him pause. Nights Bane! The sword was the fire mage's enchanted weapon, meant to deal damage against the shadow humans. He stomped the ground to create ample vibrations and searched the ground for the mage's sword. It was right next to him, so he leaned down and gripped the sword by the handle.

The blind man put his bow back and gripped the sword with both hands. He advanced on the brute, his back turned away from Alistair, and, with desperation, plunged the weapon into the back of the shadow human's back. The blade was only halfway into his flesh as the brute reared back, removing himself from the young mage. Alistair, with a grunt, pushed the sword further until the guards met with the bandit's flesh, keeping the sword from being plunged any further. The light magic inside the sword was doing its job, but not quick enough. The bandit whirled around and sent an elbow into the blind man's cheek. It was as if he'd been hit by a wall as he stumbled to the ground, dazed by the impact.

Meanwhile, Fýlax continue to hold off the lanky bandit, keeping the small shadow human away from the ongoing battle by ripping his flesh and dragging him away from the two males and the large brute. He was quick and avoided each attack sent towards him, his sleek body even harder to catch due to his water-soaked coat. But the wolf knew he couldn't hold the bandit off forever. The lanky bandit's mace connected with Fýlax's side, and he was sent sprawling off to the side, a pained yelp escaping him.

sealdust · Jun 15, 2016

Seren Nox

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A strong force knocked Seren onto her knees, preventing her from dipping forwards or backwards, but the ground seared her knees with a pain that the ice specialist had learned to fear. Not a major injury - on anyone else. Sometimes Seren found it a miracle that she'd ever survived past her childhood. Though the magic and her accepting parents probably helped. The sting on her shins meant that Seren would have to conserve as much of her energy as possible for healing.

However, pressure still licked at her frontal lobe, her brain threatening to combust or turn into mush. Her thoughts were filled with the sombre empty promises that the pain would end - one way or the other. Even kneeling, this was a dance with death, and Seren knew that sooner or later, death always had a habit of stealing the life from it's partners. Fear was choking her. Stealing her breath away.

The power of the Shadow attack subsiding came with the force of a desperate gulp of fresh air after having stayed underwater for far too long. But instead of her lungs burning, it was her eyes, and they brimmed with all the tears she'd had the intense desire to shed. This wasn't the time for crying. Seren willed herself to come completely to her senses, opening her eyes and cautiously standing with resolve.

Emotionally raw, Seren forced herself to observe her surroundings, noticing with blurry vision a body on the ground. The Shadow Bandit that had forced Seren into mental anguish lay dead at Cierra's feet. Asra prepared a neck strike for another Bandit, and with the certainty that the fire mage would not miss her target - that the remaining members could pick off the final Bandit on their side - Seren twisted her body to reacquaint herself with Lukas and Alistair. And that dangerous wolf that Alistair kept for company.

Seeing that the two individuals might need a hand, Seren reached to her hips where her weapon swung loosely from both sides. There was a click as she applied pressure the metal locking mechanism to the blades on her right hip, merging her two weapons into a single blade-less staff. Drawing strength from her desire to see her goals achieved, Seren forced herself forward. One step. Another.

Lukas on the ground. A glancing blow by an elbow to Alistair's cheek. The wolf kicked off to the side.

Anything battle-heavy she chose to do at this point would be reckless, so Seren figured buying for time would be the best strategy. At least until she had verification that Alistair or Lukas were able to immediately get back into fighting. She spread her hands over the staff, clenching her fists as she directed the rainwater to form solid icicle spikes. Swinging it over her head, she used it to stab the giant slightly further away from the two people from her team, even if those actions were possible only through the element of surprise that the two men (that she didn't know all that well, to be honest) had created for her in their fight. Seren may have succeeded in creating some space between the two groups momentarily, however she had also painted another target on her back for the Shadow Bandits through calling herself out as still able to fight.

Which wasn't helpful, considering she was already injured. But what other choice did Seren have? The more people fighting against the enemy, the more likely that they would succeed in their already-hopeless suicide mission.

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What if this torment never ended? Was this how she died?

Semblance · Jun 15, 2016

Everything happened so quickly, the world moving at a blur before his eyes. One second, Seren was crossing the ledge in perfect balance and the next, she was swaying precariously, threatening to fall into the deep chasm below. Xerxes saw Rowan use the rain to create a wall to restore Seren's balance before turning her attacks onto one of the Shadow bandits, effectively killing it. His attention shifted to watch Cierra leap into the air with her dual daggers, slicing another bandit's throat. Asra followed closely behind with launching fireballs and stabbed another Shadow in the neck.

Three Shadow beings were now down, and one remained on their side of the ledge. His comrades, however, had drained most of their magic energy on the three Shadow bandits. The remaining one was much larger and more fierce than the others, sending a ball of dark energy towards Cierra. Before Xerxes could react, the Shadow human had inflicted a psychological attack onto the mute bounty huntress.

Anger flooded through his veins and he pushed his arms out into the air, willing the earth beneath him to send out a sharp, stone pillar towards the Shadow. The bandit flew against the stone mountain behind it, but it quickly stood up and shot a large ball of dark energy straight at Xerxes. He stumbled back at the sudden impact and felt his foot slip over the edge, stumbling over into the chasm. He instantly shot out his hand to create a small rock platform that protruded from the side of the chasm, landing safely onto the surface, but not before a sharp jutting rock cut his forearm during the fall. Blood began to spill down his arm, but he barely noticed due to his pumping adrenaline.

Xerx climbed back over the edge of the chasm and he was greeted with another ball of dark energy. This time, however, he was prepared and instantly created a stone shield to ward off the attack. Without waiting another second, he willed the earth to rise once more, creating rock handcuffs around the Shadow bandit, effectively anchoring it to the ground.

He proceeded to encase himself in a rock armor and tightened his grip around his faithful polearm, a spear with two crescent blades. Xerx raced towards the last Shadow human, holding his sharp spear in front of him, and using the ground to speed up his movements. The bandit managed to shoot another ball of dark energy towards him from whatever limited range it still had as a result of the rock handcuffs, hitting Xerxes in the shoulder. His rock armor, however, successfully blocked the attack, but he still let out a loud grunt from the impact. As he neared, he swiftly impaled the Shadow bandit with his enchanted spear straight into its heart. The Shadow human fell to the ground in a motionless clump of flesh and dark energy.

Panting, Xerxes' piercing light brown gaze rested on Cierra to see how she was faring with the mental pain. He felt significantly drained from the recent attacks, but he forced himself to stay alert. His attention shifted over to the other side of the ledge, where he saw Lukas on the ground, screaming out as a result of the psychological attack. Alistair was locked in combat with one of the Shadow bandits while his wolf tried to keep the other one occupied. His eyes diverted to the sky as a group of icicles rained down onto the Shadow bandits, no doubt a result of Seren's ice magic.

He felt slightly relieved when he saw Seren join the battle on the other side of the chasm. Lukas and Alistair would have a much higher chance of defeating the two Shadow bandits with an extra person. Xerxes' first reaction was to rush across the ledge and help them, but he knew that he had used up most of his own magic energy. With a glance at Rowan, Asra, and Cierra, Xerxes knew that they felt the same way based on their tired expressions. They would most likely do more harm than good if they tried to help the other half of the group by becoming vulnerable to the psychological attacks.

He could, however, try to help from across the chasm. Xerxes narrowed his eyes as the lanky bandit slammed its mace against the wolf's side, sending the creature sprawling to the ground. The bandit started to make its way towards the larger brute to help its companion, who was still locked in combat with Alistair. Xerx swiftly lifted both his hands into the air, raising a tall rock column around the lanky bandit, keeping it trapped to give the others time to deal with the larger bandit. However, he felt his energy slowly draining by the minute, and he knew he wouldn't be able to keep this up for long. "Come on guys, hurry your ass up," he muttered under his breath as beads of sweat began to drip down his face.

raspberryrose · Jun 23, 2016

Rowan Lloyd

recovery period

It had been a long time since Rowan had used so much energy with her ability. She leaned back against stone and closed her eyes, expected her companions to handle the rest of the bandits. Working on regulating her breathing, she could feel energy trickling back, warding off the threat of unconsciousness.

When she finally opened her eyes, the shadow bandits on their side of the chasm were all dead and the only one left was being restrained by Xerxes. Judging by layer of sweat on his face, he wouldn't be able to hold it back much longer. She braced her arm against the stone, using it to stabilize herself as she pushed off the wall. Her knees felt like they were about to buckle but she gritted her teeth and stood firm. She let the rain soak her, cooling her down, and felt her heartrate going back to normal.

Now that the adrenaline had worn off, she could feel a minute tremble running along her body and despite having just begun, she was more than ready for this quest to be over. If this was how every battle was going to be, she needed to be much more prepared. If a single shadow bandit made her so exhausted, how was she even going to stand a chance against the Shadow Lord? She would need to get stronger if she wanted to survive.

For now though, there was little she could do without making her even more vulnerable than she already was. She took a few deep breaths, trying to regain her energy quicker. At the very least, she wasn't unconscious which was something. She flexed her fingers, noting that the trembling had disappeared. Eyeing the battle across the chasm, she realized that Lukas had been hit as well as Alistair's guide dog, or rather, guide wolf. Seren was also fighting and Rowan was glad that her last minute push hadn't injured her too badly.

They didn't seem to be faring too well though, even with Xerxes' help. She palmed one of her daggers and threw it across the chasm. It was a pitiful throw, wobbling in the air and with not enough force to make it across. Fortunately, guiding her daggers had never taken very much energy, especially since the rain already provided a source of water. She used the rain to straighten out the dagger and give it enough boost to make it to her target.

She was still tired though and the dagger only managed to score a shallow gash across the larger bandit's arm. However, it worked well enough as a distraction and the bandit whirled around to face her. Out of some sort of subconscious, childish urge, she stuck her tongue out and quickly crouched out of the bandit's sight before it could try to blast her. Her crouch quickly turned into a sprawl as she closed her eyes and rested for a bit. As little energy as it took to guide the dagger, it was still more than she should have used in her state. Hopefully, the rest of the group would be okay if she took a small break.

sunshineintoveins · Jun 26, 2016

Everything hurt. The bandit's dark energy still flowed through Asra and the strain of that fireball attack was not helping. She had to get away before her mind became engulfed by the shadow's hellish attack. Bent over, she panted gripping her dagger and preparing herself to fight again. It was too late to help Cierra, she was in her own personal hell and if Asra did not move, she would be next. She glanced over at Rowan who leaned against a rock, too drained to do anything but her mind was safe, for now.

A dagger flew past Asra's face, the sharp air hitting her cheek, and then grazing the bandit. She turned to find Rowan struggling to her feet and lowering her arm. Rowan stuck her tongue out at the shadowy creature staring her down ready to strike. Asra couldn't help but smirk at her, even faced with danger, Rowan could still be a child at heart. Her attention whipped back to the bandit and she prepared the largest flame that she could manage and gripped he knife in the other hand. She bolted towards the shadow crossing the chasm, a flame flickering in one hand and a sharp bade in the other, her long black dreadlocks flowed behind her like a cape. The flames left her hand and encased the bandit's chest, burning what was left of the human skin. Asra could smell the flesh burning as the smoke rose �from his heart. The bandit retaliated with a poorly aimed burst of dark energy. Asra winced as it brushed past her shoulder, the keen energy crawled through her muscles but she fought on. Her dagger rose when she was upon the shadow and Asra stabbed the bandit in the heart, her knife piercing his skin. The shadow bandit tumbled to her feet, defeated and she took her dagger from the bandit's chest, the blade covered in deep red blood. Asra smiled to herself but her rejoice was met by an intense pain worse than before. Her vision blurred and she stumbled, almost collapsing. She remembered Rowan by the rocks on the other side of the ravine, they needed to leave. They were both hurt and terribly weak but at least Asra was on her feet. Asra trudged towards her, not able to walk in a straight line or even keep her focus. With a hand pressed against her should and the other to her chest, the pain from the previous attack still alive and lingering, Asra keep walking, one foot in front of the other. The blurry image of the mage leaning on the rock getting bigger.

"I can do this," she thought to herself. "I'm almost there. I can get us out of here."

What she was going to do next did not cross her mind in the slightest. She couldn't carry Rowan much less support her on her feet, but Asra knew that she couldn't leave her. She leaned over to the left, her vision getting fuzzy and dark, shaking her head she regain her view and took a deep breath to stabilize herself. Rowan sat with her eyes closed and her head tilted. She looked so peaceful and beautiful, like she was in her own world of serenity on this battlefield.

"Rowan," said Asra getting her attention.

She removed the hand clutching her shoulder and extended it out to Rowan, her lips creped into a small smile. She had done it, she made it, now they could retreat to safety on the other side.

"Let's get the hell out of here," she said sounding more proud than intended.

Before she could answer, Asra's world went dark again and she couldn't regain control so, she collapsed onto Rowan. Asra's unconscious body laid sprawled on Rowan who was still leaning on her rock. She had almost made it.

Fantasy A P O L L Y O N

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Doubtlessly human

That's Mister BossMan to you.

The Shadow

chasing little dreams

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chasing little dreams

Doubtlessly human

♥ memes ♥

That's Rough, Buddy

That's Mister BossMan to you.

The Shadow

chasing little dreams

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Doubtlessly human

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