Fantasy As the World Burns

[Solirus]

Rodal​

Hearing back the words of the youth were not gratifying or in any form satisfying, it simply demonstrated the potential willingness the boy had for victory. He'd be valuable and if possible Rodal would want him alive for as long as possible, so he'd need to come up with missions that would minimize risk. For now, however, Rodal paid attention to the twins before him. His initial request was a test to see how they would react. The boy answered with confusion, a curious mind, but a hesitant one, meanwhile the girl acted decisively, assuming his words meant for the twins to fight each other. Such decisiveness was reflected on the gap in skill between the two, yet all Rodal could see was the blade of the commander cutting right through them like fodder.

Though a harsh assessment in his mind, this war would not wait for the twins to grow into warriors, and judging by what he'd seen yesterday, warriors weren't enough to survive out there. "Have you both only spared with each other?" Rodal questioned, he wanted to see first if they'd halt their sparing or continue while answering his question. Additionally, he was curious, sparring against a live opponent was a good way to become accustomed to fighting, however fighting the same person would only prepare one to fight that single person. He expected them both to have sparred with Sohaa before, but based on current circumstance, it was likely they didn't have any other partners to spar with.

 

[Juju]

• Battlefield
• Markets
• Healing Chamber
• Training Yard
• Silly Date??
• Teleport Time

• ThatWhichShouldBe AriAriAbabwa November Witch
  Oshaka’s snarled as she was pressed against Han in the tangle of black chains, thought his time her fangs bit uselessly onto the chains rather than her previous foe. It did little. A black ichor pooled beneath them both, sapping all warmth and energy of anything it touched.
  
  Mercy has a price.
  
  Autumn could feel the chill that threatened to consume Han the moment she grabbed his arm. It spread along her fingers and up her arms, sinking deep into her bones as if to dissuade her from her current course. Deep within her chest she could feel her blessing stir, shuddering, yet as she called upon the wings she could feel the warmth return.
  
  Han would also feel it, his fading blessing growing brighter at the presence of Autumn’s, like one candle being lit by the flame of another. With each wing beat, the chains shifted and warmth slowly returned, radiating from the chest and outward.
  
  It was Cynthora’s cries that finally caused the chains to loosen. They retracted back into the earth, their inky links rattling eerily as they slunk back down into the puddle and disappeared. All that remained was a small pool of black ink upon the ashy earth, one that would look familiar to all the dreamers.
  
  Oshaka fell to the ground as soon as the chains retracted from her. The wolf Matriarch laid on her side, flanks rising and falling slowly. Every breath was a wheeze, the puffs of frozen air from her frozen maw nothing more than tiny clouds. She still bled a dark ooze from where she had bitten into her own side, though for the time being she was alive. Not a single sign of her metamorphosis remained.
  
  Still unsure what to do, her remaining pack members kept their distance in a circle around the group, completely silent as they watched. Not a single growl or howl was offered to the Starfallen now. If any were to approach they would back away, tail between their legs.
  
• jmann seasonedcat
  Wren only snorted at Zareth’s attempt at insulting her, seeming more amused than offended. Light had engulfed her arms and legs, oozing across her body until it was almost consumed. “Incompetent? Easy there, Zarenth! I’m JUST a girl!”
  
  Without asking for permission, she plopped Flub into Zareth’s arms and stepped forward, placing herself between the approaching bird and the skinny elf mage.
  
  The enormous avian did not seem to notice or perhaps care as Gammariah crept to its side to flank it. Its porcelain, expressionless mask remained facing Wren and Zareth, muttering some comprehensible garble in its raspy, parrot-like voice. Despite Zareth’s hypothesis, the murderer it sought did not seem to be the resurrected warrior. It continued to approach Wren and Zareth, their closeness making it difficult to tell just which of them was the true target.
  
  “M u r d e r e r.” the bird repeated, picking up its pace into a charge. It beat its wings, crushing a nearby stall and sending baskets of fruit and cloth flying in all directions.
  
  Wren’s form was finally engulfed in light, and with a flash of sparkles and pink, the metamorphosis was complete. Frilly skirts and an obnoxiously large hat emerged, along with an irritatingly upbeat voice. “Alright folks, it’s showtime! Time to finish where we left-off last episode! VVitch’s adventure record no. 2 starts now!”
  
  VVitch stood her ground and snapped her fingers. In a burst of pixels, a floating object neither Gammariah or Zareth would recognize appeared in the air beside her, floating just above her head. Despite the rapidly approaching danger, she focused her attention on this floating object. “Hey wait a second… is this thing on? UGH! No way! What do you mean, no connect--”
  
  Her words were cut off as the bird lunged forward and chomped VVitch in its fanged beak. Pinned between its teeth, VVitch was slammed to the ground. Glittery goo splattered everywhere, a mix of hot-pink and green stars. Some might have even splashed onto Zareth.
  
  “Oww! You’re not supposed to attack before I’ve finished my monologue!” VVitch protested as she struggled to free herself from the beak. You’d think she would be screaming in pain as her torso was impaled by teeth, but when she shouted she sounded only deeply annoyed.
  
  “Gamma! Zareth! A little help please~!” she called to them as she slammed her fist against the bird’s head.
  
  The beast had its back to Gammariah now as it slammed VVitch onto the ground. He could see that the creature had recent wounds on its side, a particularly nasty one on its chest and left wing. It looked to be claw and bite marks, respectively, made from some large creature. Perhaps another spirit?
  
  Zareth was only a few feet away from the centre of the carnage, given a front row seat to VVitch’s beating. Flub squirmed in his hands, his little jaws chomping on air as if to mimic the bird. The mysterious slime creature was not an arcane focus, but Zareth could feel a pull on his mana as he held him. It seemed that while Zareth wouldn’t be able to control his mana, it might be possible to let Flub absorb it.
  
  Thinking back to the time he fought the corrupted spirits at the ruins, he would recall that Flub had managed to ‘eat’ one of his spells and mutated from it. Perhaps something similar could be done if he fed the little guy some of his raw mana? Or maybe he would just be giving away his already limited mana supply for nothing. Regardless, he would remember how Wren flung Flub around like a blunt weapon. Perhaps he could do the same? Then again, it might be smarter to run.
  
• YsFanatic
  Sarah’s sleep was filled with the sound of water. She couldn’t see anything, but she was somewhere dark and deep, far underwater. Yet strangely, she felt not even the slightest weight of this unseen ocean.
  
  All around her was the sound of flowing water, and yet none of it touched her. After a few moments to gather her bearings, she would realize she was not the one moving, but inside of something that was moving. Like a submarine, but fleshy and cold; the bowels of an enormous leviathan. A heartbeat, steady and deafening, vibrated through the walls of her vessel.
  
  The brief vision was interrupted as Sarah was unceremoniously awoken by the prodding of a… paw?
  
  A tiny creature with fluffy white fur and a painted mask in place of a head was sitting on her chest, batting at her face. “Awaken, fallen thing. Thou reek of the unknown, unholy. Corruption and forgotten things. Perhaps Elder Haavi is mistaken. Weak is the will of mortal, blind is the eye that turneth skyward to seek false stars.”
  
  Motes of light, like trapped fireflies, dancing in its mane, bathing Sarah’s face in a soft, dappled glow. The creature remained where it was seated, tilting its head in consideration. “Would thou explain why thy soul is besmirched with the touch of that which can never be named? Speak only truth, or this one shall smite thee down to eternal slumber.”
  
  
• Solirus
  The two twins continued their sparring, their inexperienced stance and manoeuvres painfully obvious to Rodal. They had received the basics, though it seemed to be a rather recent skill the two of them had picked up. Then again, it was possible that they were only little children whenever the war itself started.
  
  Sohaa was the one to answer Rodal’s question, his arms crossed as he watched the two spar. He stood beside Rodal, voice calm. “I have sparred with them whenever possible, though my duties have made it difficult to find time for the younger recruits. When we are given moments of peace, such as this, I do my best to train our youth how to defend themselves.”
  
  Having overheard Rodal and the conversation, the boy halted in his fighting and shot Rodal an indignant look. “We killed an elf warrior before!”
  
  The moment’s distraction was all his twin needed to slam the practice spear against his chest and send him into the dirt, landing on his rear. “Hey!”
  
  “Your fault for letting your guard down!” The sister chided, a smug grin on her face. She pointed her practice spear down at his chest. “You’re dead!”
  
  “Am not!” Her twin growled, swatting away the spear and hauling himself back onto his feet.
  
• AriAriAbabwa
  Mealladh did not seem immune to flattery, or perhaps she was just playing along. It was difficult to tell by the way her lips curled into a delightful smile, wolfish and shining like her gold-trimmed eyes. “Oh, I very much believe we shall get along, you and l! A kindred spirit, mayhaps!”
  
  She plucked a candied berry from the table of delicacies and plopped it into her mouth, grinning as she chewed and swallowed the treat. Her eyes never left Doi as she spoke, considering this offer to spare Rishii.
  
  “Oh my… are the two of you friends? Seems the choice of cellmates was a fortuitous!” Mealladh purred, her eyes falling upon Rishii with the same amount of curiosity as a wolf might have to the lamb. The girl squirmed nervously beneath it, which only made the red-haired elf grin wider. Even though Doi introduced her, it seemed that the she-elf was already familiar. “Didn’t I tell you before little Rishii? Do what you are told and everything will be just peachy~! No need to be afraid, dearie. If Lady Murakami here speaks the truth, you will be in no harm at all! ”
  
  Her eyes flicked back to Doi at the compliments to her choice of refreshments, a glint of pride in those inky scleras. “You have a refined taste, dearie! Those pastries are a delicacy from the province of Trenish! Specifically the port city of Westerbrooke. A shame the city was turned to ash after a failed rebellion about 150 years ago now. Alas, the heritage of the city lives on in the bakeries of Xi'shira'a.”
  
  Dusting off her scandalously short skirt, she rose back to her feet. “Right, then! Without further ado, let’s begin!”
  
  A red mote of light sprung along her fingertips, bursting in a glittery bloom as she snapped her fingers. One of the nearby cages of the menagerie sprung open, and as if being drawn by the strings of a puppet, a feathered creature was pulled out by the chains that bound its neck, limbs and tail. It collapsed onto the ground as soon as the chains slackened, looking closer to death than life.
  
  “Tonati!” Rishii cried out, rushing from her seat over to the creature. She hugged the Spirit’s head, closing her eyes as tears welled up. “Hang in there just a bit longer. My friend is going to help us!”
  
  Unconcerned with the touching reunion, Mealladh turned her attention to Doi “You see, after learning of your gifts I was struck with a curious hypothesis, one I believe I can only test out with your aid! Think of it as killing two birds…”
  
  She snapped her fingers again, though this time the red energy appeared just behind Rishii in the form of a delicate butterfly. Softly, it landed on the girl’s head. The sound like a ringing chime echoed through the chamber, and not a second later Rishii fell over, limp and lifeless beside her spirit friend. The creature managed only a small, pathetic whine, then fell silent, closing its eyes.
  
  “... with one stone!”
  
  Dusting off her hands, Mealladh gestured over to Rishii’s corpse. “Go on, I’d like to see this blessing from the goddess!”
  
  Now that Rishii was dead, the butterfly fluttered over to Mealladh, resting on a finger as she held it out.
  
  Spoiler: tonati

  
• seasonedcat YsFanatic Firelie
  Lucille wrapped her arms around Valleni, clinging tightly to her friend. She lowered her head and pressed it closer to her friend, cowering within the small bubble of protection she offered. Though Val sent signals to reassure her blind friend, the waves of electricity she recieved back clearly showed the fear running through her friend.
  
  Arcane winds whipped up, stirring fallen leaves and dust in a vortex around the small party in a wide circle. The ranger squad consisting of Liliana, the green-haired elf, her feline and the broody swordsman arrived within the portal's boundaries a mere second before the last call was made.
  
  Perhaps Mallory knew too much, or maybe because of some divine intervention, the moment he spoke his question was the moment the portal activated. Arcane energy whooshed up around them all, engulfing all sound in the crackling of magical energy. Conveniently, his question was drowned out and cut off right as he asked about his tummy hurting.
  
  Just as Liliana dashed for her sword, the portal snapped closed, trapping her in the fold.
  
  The spell lasted for a second, and yet that moment felt longer than it should have. Everything was consumed in bursts of violet light. There was no ground, no sky, no stars, only an endless expanse of darkness flecked in streaks of transparent light.
  
  For those without knowledge of the arcane, which happened to be ALL of the summoned, it felt as if their entire body had been deconstructed and flung down an unstoppable river. Then, right when all sense of self and reason had been muddled, their body reconstructed itself. In a burst of sensory overload, they found themselves in an entirely new location; the middle of the Astellian Camp.
  
  As the group regained their bearings (and recovered from the intense nausea!) a group of concerned Astellian troops surrounded them. Lord Fenian was the first to speak, standing up on wobbly feet.
  
  “Fear not, dear friends! I, Lord Fenian, have brought with me a band of steadfast allies to join our cause! Treat them with every respect for they have saved my life and I owe them e--”
  
  He was cut off by a sharp, commanding voice. “Lord Fenian.”
  
  It cut through the murmurings of the growing crowd, and they fell silent in an instant. An unusually tall elf in white armour strode through the crowd, hand resting lazily on the hilt of his sword. He halted in front of the group, his pale eyes scanning them with a clear look of disapproval and disgust by their human appearance.
  
  Fenian offered an awkward greeting. “Ah! M-Marquis! I was not aware you had returned to--”
  
  Once again his words were cut short by the seemingly impatient knight. “You would have known of my return had you remained at camp, as directed. I expect a full report within the hour. Until then, I want you to explain to me why you brought outsiders into our camp using an unregulated spell.”
  
  The green-haired elf and the swordsman stood at attention to the side, looking rather nervous under the watchful eye of what was obviously a clear figure of authority. Meanwhile, Lord Fenian looked about just as eccentric as ever.
  
  “Yes, of course! You see, as I was out examining the leylines for signs of distortion, we witnessed yet another celestial anomaly. Stars falling from the sky, just as it was recorded the previous night. These allies, you see, emerged from the fallen stars! Just like those strange combatants reported on the frontlines!"
  
  “Is that so?” The Marquis finally seemed to take interest in the group of newborn Starfallen. Resting both hands behind his back, he watched them expectantly.
  
  Lord Fenian turned to them, gesturing wildly, “Go on, introduce yourselves!”
  
  Spoiler: Marquis

  

 

[YsFanatic]

A loud, amused, snort was Sarah's initial response before she crossed her arms over her stomach. "If you are talking about the memory eater, it wasn't by choice. I turned down the first two gods, or whatever they were, and that's when that damn fish showed up. Unlike the others it actually asked a question directly and me answering it and the thing apparently though that was consent enough to fucking swallow me and force a connection between us. I'd much rather it had just left me the hell alone."

The elderly woman's eyes narrow at the critter sitting on her chest. "But its feeling like all you various entities are rather... eager to lay claim to those of us who got summoned to this world and that's bringing back some unpleasant memories. At this point though I supposed I should just ask you what you plan to do."

An eyebrow was raised. "And really? Using smiting and eternal slumber as a threat? On someone who's likely only a few years away max from dying in her sleep again? That doesn't mean shit to someone in my situation. If you want to be intimidating, you'd have to try much harder than that."

Juju

 

[Firelie]

YMG' PH'NGLUI AH'MGLW'NAFH FHTAGN
HEAD SPINNING
STOMACH CHURNING
Lilliana Yankovich ​

---

Lilliana cursed under her breath as her feet were swept from the ground and into the chaotic, ethereal jumble that was teleportation. This wasn't her first teleport, so she had experience enough to focus on keeping from vomiting on arrival. Lilliana squeezed her eyes shut as she was ripped from the arcane whirlwind and shoved back onto her feet fighting off the wave of nausea with clenched teeth. "ебаный, that's pleasant." Lilliana remarked sarcastically. "Is everyone o-"

Lilliana froze as she finally gazed about her new surroundings. The witch froze, hand falling to Zakat. They were entirely surrounded by soldiers. Where was she? How was this possible? She didn't recognize the insignia's on the soldiers armor. Were they hostile? Had they been brought into a trap? No, this was obviously wasn't an expected arrival by the group of soldiers. A horribly miscalculated teleport? No. What was most likely was that this was the intended destination, that everything had gone just as planned.

What was this tightness in her chest then? The horrible gnawing in her stomach? She was shaking, why was she shaking? Breath in. Breath out. The eccentric began to flap his gums as Lilliana refocused herself, then a man of some stature emerged from the group of soldiers. As the two spoke, the gears began turning in her head, and by the time introductions were prompted Lilliana burst into a grin. She wiped the blood from her face and casually walked up to the knight. "Lilliana Yankovich. A pleasure, Lord Fenian." She chimed cheerfully. Then she took another step toward him and extended a bloody hand for a handshake, looking up at him with a pleasant smile and eyes filled with pure, unadulterated hatred. She leaned closer and whispered to the knight, still grinning, "I used to kill people like you for living. While they sleep." Then she winked at him and waited expectantly for her handshake.

She didn't expect the slimy bastard to shake her hand, but she didn't really care anyways.

---

MENTIONS: Juju seasonedcat YsFanatic

 

[ThatWhichShouldBe]

Han Liuyang

The King laughs as the flame and the chill battle each other, a full-hearted chuckle as his strength surges in opposition to the forces of the chains. He has his answer for that voice. He gives Cynthora and Autumn his signature toothy grin as they rush to help him- refusing to show weakness, or despair. It was a natural part of being a god or king. One's countenance sets an example. One stands as a guiding star. And as Cynthora's cries pull the chains back, drawing them down and away, he whispers back, amused.

One that cannot afford mercy's price- how can they bear the weight of Divinity? How can they wear a crown with such poverty of the soul?

He rises to his feet, his own breath cold and frozen in the air. He looks over the fallen Oshaka, then looking to her pack as they shake before the Starfallen. Han bends down and takes hold of the massive wolf gently, before straining himself to lift her up, half-resting her upper body on his shoulder. He looks to the other two, shrugging- this would be a hard, difficult task, one that was a right pain in the ass... But they couldn't exactly leave her here.

"Help me bring her back to the city. I imagine she's an appointment with the healers."

He then looks to the rest of the pack, raising an eyebrow.

"You lot come along now too."

 

[YsFanatic]

To say that the teleportation was disorienting would be an understatement, but thankfully Valleni had some training and experience in pushing aside physical discomforts as part of her training to be Lucille's bodyguard. As such she was able to stay on her feet, mostly stable, and support Lucille. After realizing they were surrounded by soldiers she flashed the signals for 'many' and 'possible danger' to help inform Lucille of the situation. Only the fact that the soldiers seemed to be caught off guard and not actually waiting for them kept her from acting. Instead she simply examined them for weaknesses and dangers with the cold eyes of an experienced killer.

When the Marquis stepped forward to address the scholar and take charge of the situation, the lightning savant held Lucille closer as she tried to determine what his intentions might be for them. When the matter of introductions came up, she simply emitted a bio-electric signal for Lucille to take the lead. As Valleni's ability to read the bio-electric signals of others didn't seem to be working correctly on the strange pointy eared people, many of the signals were not following the expected pathways, she was going to have to keep alert for signs of danger the conventional way and didn't want to be distracted by having to introduce herself. Plus she would most likely just end up with going along with whatever Lucille decided to do anyway, so it was better to let her speak first.

Juju Firelie seasonedcat

 

[AriAriAbabwa]

Elvish Prison
Juju​

What a true delight this conversation has been! Mealladh has been nothing short of amiable, and Doi got to learn bits and pieces of this realm's rich history. If it weren't for her divine mission here, she might've wished to take in this world's customs like a doe-eyed tourist. But fate was fate, and she had a reason to be here.

A reason that, unfortunately, put Rishii in the crossfire.

Doi watched without emotion as the girl she swore to protect fell dead. There was only a flutter on her eyes, and a twitch to her smile. As if she had been inconvenienced. Then a second later, an amused grin as she turned to the elf. "So that's what you meant when you spoke to her." Doi giggled. "You have quite a way with words, Mealladh."

Rising slowly, Doi appeared to float over as her pearly white dress trailed across the floor. She lowered beside Rishii and her hapless spirit friend. Moving her body carefully, she rested the girl's head on her lap. She took a breath. Her hand rested on Rishii's chest. The other grabbed her hand. Doi shut her eyes and muttered a prayer. A brilliant yellow light shined from Rishii.

The moment life and color returned to the girl's veins, she shushed her. "It's okay," Doi uttered in a soft voice, gently pushing hair strands away from her face. "You're safe. I promised, I wouldn't let any harm come to you."

 

[AriAriAbabwa]

Battlefield
Juju ThatWhichShouldBe November Witch​

Cynthora almost stumbled, suddenly out of breath now that the danger was seemingly over. She looked at her trembling hands. What happened to her? That black crater in what she thought was the afterlife... What did it do to her? "I'm sorry." She couldn't stop the words from flowing out. "I'm so sorry. I don't know how I did that... I-I don't even know how I got here! I..." Cynthora slowed her breath. The memories of her 'final' moments resurged. "I died."

But now she was here. For some reason or another, some being decided she deserved a second chance. And, looking at Oshaka, she didn't want it to be for ending more lives. Trotting up to Han, she said, "Yes. You're right. I do not wish for her to die, despite everything. I would appreciate tagging along."

 

[November Witch]

Autumn Ichor

Status: Relieved & Sorrowful
Location: Battlefield
Interaction(s): Juju ThatWhichShouldBe AriAriAbabwa

Autumn groaned with the force of her exertion. With how hard she was pulling on Han, and how focused she was on channeling her blessing.

“Hrnng! Come on!”

She twisted her body, and pulled, trying to find the best leverage to pull him from the mass of chains and mottled fur. She didn’t expect the chains to simply fall away, the sudden jolt causing Autumn to lose her grip on Han and propel herself backwards. After an accidental mid-air backflip, she righted herself, touched down onto the now dried mud, and approached the group once more. She was glad the mud had dried since yesterday. Cleaning it all off had been a pain the night before.

“It’s alright, I think we’re all grappling with new abilities right now.”

Autumn told the deer girl, placing a hand on her shoulder, and spoke up again.

“We all did. Well, at least those of us who arrived like you did, from the sky. We are all coming to grips with our deaths. Just take things slow, and it’ll be alright.”

She watched Han pick up the large wolf and turned her gaze away. It was a sorry sight to see. When Han spoke up about getting the wolf back, she spoke up.

“You two can handle it, I’m sure.”

Autumn turned away from the two and crouched down next to the mage’s body that was miraculously spared from the small bout of fighting earlier. She’d originally come back to the battlefield to find her, and her staff. Autumn wanted to right her wrong, no matter how small of a right it would be. She reached one hand out to touch the cold body while her other hand balled into a tight fist.

“I still have something to do…”

Her voice showed a great deal of resolve and conviction, even if it trembled slightly.

 

[seasonedcat]

• gay elf
• broke gay college student

• 
  Zareth | Cloud-Home
  Zareth opened his mouth to retort, but the words died in his throat as he made a sound of confusion upon being passed Flub. Zareth stared down at Flub as it stared back, still giggling slightly from the movement. They held eye contact for a few seconds before Zareth broke it and glared at VVitch, "Excuse me, you can't just hand me (your son)your slime thing and expect me to take care of it!" Zareth's words fell on deaf ears as he was left grumbling in annoyance.
  
  the sour look on Zareth's face only got worse as he noticed the mysterious rectangle cube that VVitch held, assuming it was some sort of arcane focus. How dare she casually discard his when she knows just how important they are to mages. As VVitch got pinned to the ground by the bird-like creature, feeling only brief satisfaction that the other got some sort of punishment for her many crimes against him. This satisfaction was short-lived, however, as a splat of glittery blood hit his cheek and clothing.
  
  at VVitch's words, Zareth scoffed, "You want my help now? I will get right on that; oh, wait. MY STAFF IS INSIDE THE BIRD. I guess I will have to get back to you another time." Zareth continued to watch the beating, completely helpless. This lack of ability to do anything annoyed him far more than the loss of his staff and book. He loathed being looked down on and, in turn, being useless. He could basically hear the scorn of his peers already.
  
  it was then that Zareth noticed Flub's strange movements, raising an eyebrow at it, "what are you-" Zareth cut himself off with a deep frown as it clicked in his head what Flub wanted. Disgust filled Zareth at the mere thought of being no good than his abysmal mana powering someone else. Embarrassment and rage filled him as he could imagine his peers snickering as he walked in the hallway. After all his work and sacrifices, was he really this useless? What if he never got his staff back? Who even is he without his magic?
  
  Zareth did his best to smother the growing hate inside him and the urge to throw Flub to the ground in an attempt to hurt the creature. It was lucky it was so cute, and VVitch was dying literally a few feet away, but honestly, Flub is more important (this ain't about you Wren). "Fine, but don't be a glutton, I don't exactly have much to spare," Zareth grumbled before he closed his eyes, feeling the unnatural and uncomfortable feeling of his mana activating only to be absorbed by the adorable slime. He just hoped Mr. Leading Light was ready to help him out because he doubted his mana would supply Flub for long.
  interactions | jmann Juju
  
• 
  Mallory | ???
  thankfully, the intelligent and super cool writers decided to cut off Mallory at a comedic point as he was yoinked into another plane and then thrown back out of it rather unceremoniously. "Oh fuck me sideways," was all Mallory managed before the overstimulation made him dizzy enough to fall to the ground. "Oh fuck, I am going to puke, someone hold my wig." Mallory groaned as he screwed his eye shut, trying to hold back the vomit.
  
  thankfully for all involved, Mallory managed to hold back the vomit for a few seconds that the nausea debuff lasted. As Mallory was able to think again, he realized that he and the others were surrounded by a crowd. Mallory side-eyed the conversation as he stood up, clutching his camera to his chest, trying not to get yelled at by the authority figure as well... and trying not to laugh.
  
  as the attention was turned on them, another stepped forward to introduce themself first. Mallory gave the intense girl another side eye, eyes wide as he looked from her to the elves. "Before I say anything, I just want to let you all know I am not with that one; in fact, I, the blind girl and the Goku lightning girl, have never met her before. Please keep any smiting to her, thanks. Anyway, where was I? What's up, I am Mallory... I am a third-year Art major, also minoring in English... mmm, some things about me... I like cats, I am in a band and a YouTuber slash streamer, and oh! Once I ate so much cheese puffs, I got hospitalized for a week!" Mallory offered the group a wide smile, ignoring how insane he sounded.
  interaction | YsFanatic Juju Firelie
  

 

[jmann]

GAMMARIAH | MARKETPLACE seasonedcat Juju

Gammariah broke into a charge. As the beast attacked the newly transformed girl, it left itself open. The new girl was a sight that dazzled the eyes, entirely alien to anything Gammariah could even imagine. He had to look away lest he get lost in the colours and shapes defying his knowledge of worldly objects and fashion.

He glanced over for only a second. The more pressing concern was Zareth. He was hesitating. No. He wasn't doing anything at all. Did it frighten him too much? Was he stupid?
Gammariah slid under the creature's spread wings and scrambled to keep up and out of the way of its pounding footsteps. Every step shook him, but he pushed down anything that could resemble fear. He'd slain beasts before, nothing this big, but if it could bleed it could die.

Gammariah risked another glance and confirmed his worst suspicions. Zareth was standing there as the bird continued its approach. He would be trampled if he didn't move.
Gammariah growled, bared his teeth, and improvised a new plan. He leapt through its legs and landed kneeling in the space between it's opposite wing and it's body. He shot up from his position with his blades outstretched, aiming to pierce into the creature's wing as it ran overhead.
Gammariah lunged out from under the beast. Catching himself low on the stones. He was breathing hard, but his muscles were buzzing for more.

"Hey!" he was unsure if he should talk to it like a person or a beast. It was far from human but had a face and spoke like one. It also resembled some spawn of darkness. Was this a sign of the threats they would have to face on their new journey? He could only pray not.
"Here, beast!"

Gammariah readied his swords and dropped back into a low stance to assess its movements. Should it move, he could run. Should it turn, he could lure it away. They could come up with another plan when it wasn't bearing down on Zareth.

 

[Solirus]

Rodal
Juju ​

"You're quite a capable warrior, I'm sure their sparring sessions with you have been fruitful then." Rodal commented. Sohaa was indeed a capable warrior and a resourceful leader, any experience that could brush off into the young ones would be most valuable. But fighting your allies alone would not truly prepare you to fight the enemy.

Rodal kept observing the duel between the two. His comment had gained the attention of the young boy, poor concentration, but quick and eager reflexes. The girl countered well enough with a jab to the chest, sending the boy to the dirt. Targeting vital points was a good move, but she aimed for the chest. The chest was one of the first places one covered with armor, she could've instead aimed for the next. But such are the limitations of sparring.

Well, well, well, looks like you have tough competition ahead.

They're rather inexperienced.

Careful now, one wrong move, and they'll surpass you in no time.

Then what, you'll bother them instead?

Leave you? No, never, you're my favorite because you suck so much and need me so desperately. Unlike you, I'm super nice.

Right.

Although Rodal was somewhat annoyed, he was glad Leva was talking again.

"Right, well, you two seem to know a thing or two." Rodal slowly stepped towards the two young kids, "I'll try to copy how the enemies fought to really gauge your experience against the enemy. How's that sound?" Rodal proposed calmly, raising his arm up like he was holding a manner of invisible spear.

 

[Juju]

• Training Yard
• Markets
• Healing Chamber
• Gates/Battlefield
• Astellian Camp
• Silly Date?

• Solirus
  The two trainees hesitated for a moment, wondering if it was truly alright to ‘harm’ a guest. Sohaa nodded his head encouragingly, “Go on, show him what you've got.”
  
  It was the boy who jumped at the opportunity first, an eager glint in his eye. Perhaps he wanted to redeem himself after his previous performance.
  
  Before the new training could begin, a lone figure was spotted running up the path. They carried a spear and a shield, sporting some recently bandaged wounds. A warrior, by the looks of it.
  
  They came to a halt in front of the group, voice raspy and out of breath from sprinting up the winding hill of the ruins. “Sohaa, there is trouble in the market. Gloom has been spotted attacking the sky-strangers in the Market.”
  
  “Gloom?” Sohaa echoed, his expression one of shocked concern. “Did you alert elder Haavi?”
  
  “She is still recovering!”
  
  "Ook-so?"
  
  "We couldn't find him!"
  
  Sohaa swore under his breath and then turned to the two trainees, who at this point had stopped their sparring to look at him for orders. “Stay here.”
  
  His eyes shot back to the warrior who had brought the news, “Find a greater spirit and ask for their aid. Gloom must be driven out if he has turned aggressive, lest he infect other spirits sheltered here.”
  It was then that he addressed Rodal.
  
  “Forgive me, it seems our session must be cut short.” Sohaa said as he took the training spear from the white-haired boy's hands, “Another time, perhaps.”
  
  He then sprinted off in the direction the messenger had come from, leaving Rodal and the two trainees. The latter looked at the former, their eyes wide and unsure.
  
• seasonedcat jmann
  “Oooh right, I totally forgot about that! My bad!” VVitch giggled at Zareth as she held her hands between the beast's fangs. Her arms shook from the effort of prying the jaws apart, even if her voice remained chipper. “Oh, hey, but you have mana so just--”
  
  Her words were turned into a jumbled mess when the bird began to swing her around like a dog’s chew toy. It was unclear if she heard much, if any, of Zareth's other excuses for his inability to assist.
  
  Meanwhile, Flub ‘looked’ up at Zareth expectantly, despite his complete lack of eyes. He also lacked a voice, but somehow the elf mage managed to understand him perfectly and donated the much-needed mana. It was drawn from Zareth as quickly as it was given up, the creature greedily absorbing as much as it could. The creature took a lot more mana than Zareth was probably ready for in a short time, but its effects were near instant.
  
  Flub's form expanded like a balloon, steadily growing in size until he was too big for Zareth to hold in his arms. Before long, he would be bigger than Zareth, enough to easily carry the skinny elf instead. Chunks of ice-like crystals began to grow on his chubby sides, and his colour began to darken into a deep blue. Puffs of cold condensation drifted up from his mouth.
  
  As Flub digested Zareth's mana and grew, the giant bird continued to chomp on VVitch, who was babbling about birds and fried chicken as she was shaken from side to side. Locked in the dizzying attack, she was unable to do much other than scream in annoyance until Gammariah took action.
  
  His swords bit into the underside of the creature's wings, cutting through its matted feathers and slashing into the old wound that was already festering there. The creature screeched in pain, dropping VVitch in the process.
  
  VVitch fell to the ground with a cry of alarm, a thud, and some stream-friendly swearing. Glittery pink blood pooled beneath her, seeping out from her mangled abdomen. The wound looked fatal, even though the outlandishly dressed girl was smiling as she held onto her gut with both hands.
  
  “Talk about ouch! Got me good, folks. Oh what a drag…” She winced, laughing like it was just some minor setback, “So embarrassing! This will definately hurt in the morning!”
  
  Zarth could feel a pull towards VVitch, something warm like a tiny flame within his chest. His mana was critically low, but he could feel something stir as if to replace it. The blessing. It hummed whenever he looked closer at VVitch's brutal wounds.
  
  By now, the overgrown bird had recovered from its own wounds and whipped around to Gammariah instead. Falling to the taunt, it turned its back to VVitch and Zareth and targeted the warrior instead. Glittery blood dripped from its beak as it parted its awful maw and took in a deep breath…
  
  Dirt and rubble stirred into dust clouds as the winds began to pick up, born of an unnatural force created by the spirit. It flowed to the beast's mouth, condensing into a wispy, mirage-like ball before it was unleashed at Gamma in one powerful blast.
  
  The force of the wind was enough to send stalls and debris flying in its wake. It surged towards Gammariah in a massive projectile that, once collided with, would explode.
  
  It was a magical attack, yet the sheer potency of the magic was one that would possibly overload Gamma's current capacity. Wind was difficult to parry, and its volatile state made dodging a tricky manoeuvre. Yet even when faced with all of these challenges, there was a small glimmer of hope. Warmth flared in his chest, a power waiting to be tapped. To challenge reality itself.
  
  All he had to do was reach for it, bind it to his will; to stand, to flee, to deflect, or to absorb this power as his own. To bend this blessing to his will.
  
• YsFanatic
  The creature tilted its head inquisitively. “Memory-eating fish? Hath one sippeth too deeply of one’s drink?”
  
  A sound like the rattling of far-away leaves emitted from the creature. Was it laughing too? Its tail twitched as it sat on Sarah’s chest like a hungry cat, listening to what she had to say. Little motes of light, which had been trapped in its fur, drifted outwards like floating fireflies.
  
  “Entity be too simple a term, god too broad. Mortals, in their shortsightedness, hath watered down what was once pure.” It leaned its masked face closer to Sarah, peering at her eyes closer. Once again, there was the sound of sighing branches and rustled leaves. “Thou art wise to disregard what thou saw at first glance, and question what thy knows. Yet…”
  
  It hummed thoughtfully, “Thou reeketh of the unspeakable all the same. Cursed blood. Thou shine with obtuse light, born beyond false stars.”
  
  The creature seemed content with its examination, and somehow pleased by Sarah’s lack of fear. Or perhaps it could just see the truth? Its temperament seemed to be greatly determined by its own amusement, and at the current moment it was greatly amused.
  
  Its tail wagged softly, “Thou art most curious, for an elder. Thine state is pitiful, but thy fortune shines. This one would tend to thy wounds. May it act as gift for such amusement, and catalyst to extend one’s dimming life.”
  
  Without really asking for permission, the golden motes of light swirled around Sarah. Slowly, her wounds began to knit together and the energy she had been lacking began to flow back into her tired old limbs. For all her age and woes, she was about as good as she could get.
  
• ThatWhichShouldBe AriAriAbabwa November Witch
  The response to Han's laughter and words was nothing but silence. That voice that had spoken in his head had vanished, though he could still feel the subtle flame of his blessing lingering within.
  
  Oshaka's eyes were half closed and hazy, though when Han touched her fur they opened and sharpened. Her ragged breaths turned into subdued growls, until the giant wolf choked and coughed once more on her black blood. After that, the growls subsided and the beast went limp, begrudgingly accepting the assistance.
  
  Oshaka's remaining pack lingered in a wide circle around Han and their injured leader. They seemed hesitant to approach, but when Han called to them, they were quick to follow.
  
  As Han approached the gates of Cloud-Home, he would see that there was a group of traders huddled outside, talking to a set of warriors who were barring their entry. From the distance he was at, he could overhear a bit of the conversation.
  
  “Trouble in the markets.” said one of the warriors, “Gates are closed until it is safe to enter.”
  
  Still outside the gates, Autumn would find the elf mage in a poor state. Her white robes were stained with blood and mud, and she had lost one of her hands in the fight with Gammariah. As for the staff, it was missing. Seemed that Oshaka had no use for the thing when carrying around her prize. It was most likely still laying where she had fallen.
  
• seasonedcat Firelie YsFanatic
  Lord Fenian tensed up when Liliana approached the tall, pale elf. He held out a hand as if in an attempt to hold her back, “Not Fenian, he's--"
  
  “Marquis Aquilan Dareth. High Knight of Xi'shira'a and acting lord of Wightfell.” He responded coldly, his grey eyes shining with an equal amount of unfiltered malice and disgust. They narrowed dangerously as she leaned forward, listening to her ‘confession.’
  
  There was about one second's worth of hesitation, which was enough for Mallory to speak his disownment of Liliana. The Marquis’ now bloodshot eyes flicked over to Mallory, and the sheer weight of his gaze was almost felt as they bored holes into Mallory.
  
  He listened just long enough for the smiting comment, and acted before Mallory could continue his yapping. There was no smite of magic, yet there was a blur of white as the marquis struck Liliana in the chest with enough force to send her flying backwards into the soil.
  
  The strike would leave a lingering discomfort, like battery acid running through her blood. Part of her mana had been drained away, but that was not the most concerning effect of the strike. Something had happened to her, which would only be realized the moment she tried to call upon her twisted magics; it had been blocked.
  
  “Arrest them and have them questioned.” He ordered, turning away from Liliana and the group both.
  
  Lucille gasped, moving behind Valleni. “We swear, we know nothing of this place! Ser Mallory was not lying! Up until less than an hour ago I had never met any of these people except for Valleni! We don't even know where we are!”
  
  She tried to reason with the soldiers, though her pleas went unheard by both the Marquis and his men.
  
  A few magi in blue robes stepped forward, conjuring up cages made from arcane magics. They surrounded each of the Star-fallen, forcing Valleni and Lucille apart by the crackling, orange barriers that encased each Star-fallen. Much like the Marquis’ strike, these cages had a suppressing effect on magic.
  
  “But my Lord, they fell from the sky an-” Lord Fenian objected before being silenced with a steely glare.
  
  “They will be examined for the truth,” The Marquise said in a deceptively calm tone. “As will you. Now follow me.”
  
  With that, the pale elf stalked off. Fenian, however, called back as he followed the scary elf knight, "Have faith my fine fellows! Lord Fenian shall prove your innoccence this day!"
  
• AriAriAbabwa
  “See, you get it now!” There was only delight in Melladh's eyes at the compliment, followed by a bright giggle. “Well, words are sharper than swords here in the empire. They can keep you alive a lot longer too! Which I am sure you are already aware of, dearie!”
  
  She sat down on a conjured stool and picked up a pastel pink ball of something sugary, smiling as she plopped it into her mouth and watched Doi. Gold-on-black eyes traced her every step as Doi glided across the floor to kneel beside the fallen girl, anticipation glinting as brightly as the light Doi summoned.
  
  Rishii awoke gently, eyes cracking open and breaths slow. The first thing she saw when her eyes refocued was Doi. She began to tear up, “Doi? What happened? I remember hugging Tonati and then everything went dark and cold…”
  
  “My, my… what a curious gift…” Melladh muttered, her lips curling into a pleased grin. Slowly, she clapped her hands in lazy, polite applause. “Bravo. Color me impressed.”
  
  Beneath the questions and the praise, Doi would feel something quiet calling to her. It started the moment she approached the pathetic spirit, and steadily grew the longer she stayed close to it. The sensation was like a loose thread, begging to be pulled. Doi could sense a power in it, one that flickered like the blessing hidden within her.
  
  

 

[November Witch]

Autumn Ichor

~{A Gritty Reality...}~​

Status: Regretful & Sorrowful
Location: Battlefield ---> Kingdom gates
Post Theme: Disintegrating
Interaction(s): Juju

Autumn watched, standing still as the gentle breeze ruffled her fur and hair. The figures of both human and canine slowly faded into the distance until they were specks. Until her sharp foxian eyes couldn’t pick them out anymore. Her hands balled into fists and the silence of the battlefield settled over her. A heavy, smothering emptiness. There was no noise. No movement. No grass, and no living things. Just the remains of the dead littered about and the stale stench of death. She tore her eyes away from where the others had disappeared to, and looked around herself. This land, this battlefield. The events of the day prior were still fresh in her mind. The pang of guilt and regret sharp in her chest. Like a brand being seared into her chest. This setting. The desolate dirt filled field of death around her. It was a nightmare. She knew even now, it would never leave her mind, instilled by the traumatic moments of the day before.

Like those dark chains from earlier, her emotions threatened to shackle her and bring her further down into darkness if only given the chance. If only ruminated on for a little more time. Autumn couldn’t allow that to happen.

She steeled herself as best as she could, and reached down to pick up the cold, limp, lifeless body, and proceed to bridal carry her. Autumn needed to find the scepter the other had. So off she went…

It wasn’t difficult to spot things in the brown ground below her feet from afar. Devoid of any grass, and littered only with corpses, weapons, and other commonplace battlefield items, it didn’t take long. The scepter that belonged to the white mage was spotted. Autumn walked over, set the lifeless body down gently, and picked up the scepter. She would wipe away what caked on mud and blood she could. With a sad sigh, she would turn around and place it on the center of the mage’s chest. She would then place the human’s hands onto it as if she was holding it against herself.

She’d then look around again at the dreary landscape. The sky was clear, but even the sun’s rays felt uninviting, hollow. In the distance, over the lake, a storm still surged. Muted thunder could be heard echoing off of the open landscape around her, and flashes of light occasionally lit up the dark. The tides were far from calm. Everything seemed so pointless…

In reality, everything was pointless, right? Everyone would only die someday. But even so, it was people, consciousness, that gave everything meaning…

Autumn turned away from the sight and to the lifeless body on the ground before her… It made her very soul tremble, just looking at those lifeless dull eyes. She now knew what people meant when they described the light leaving someone’s eyes… Autumn turned away suddenly. She had to in order to keep everything in her stomach. It was starting to catch up to her. The smells, and sights of the battlefield. She had to focus on her task. A grave.

Her head moved from side to side to anything she could use as a shovel. There were some massive swords, but she would barely be able to lift them, let alone add the weight of dirt on one end. So how…

Autumn laughed aloud at how dumb she was being. The answer was right in front of her. Literally. Off in the distance, walls stood high and menacing. This mage didn’t deserve to be buried alone by the stranger who helped in getting her killed. She deserved to be returned to the people who loved her. Family and friends. The kingdom she fought for. Autumn crouched down and gingerly picked the cold body up once more. She handled it like a fragile newborn. It made her cringe. Knowing it should be warm. She should have soft skin light in those eyes. Her body should be moving to nature’s rhythmic heartbeat, and the soft, sweet sound of breaths… But none of it was there. It was scary. Terrifying even… She didn’t want to touch the mage.

But Autumn knew she owed her at least this much. An eerie sense of calm washed over her as she trudged towards the walls off in the distance. She didn’t care about what the elders said about her going there anymore. She didn’t care if she would be locked up or let go. Autumn didn’t care what happened to her. Just that this random girl she didn’t even know the name of, made it safely back home.

Well, what was left of her…

Her emotional turmoil and pain churned within her brain and heart. Like an ocean of burning hot anger and regret. Like lava. The chilling guilt and sadness. Like the arctic water. They raged, an ocean of extremes fighting over her very soul. Autumn would keep walking until she arrived at the gates to the kingdom this mage had been fighting for. Or until someone called out to her. Either way, she was stuck on autopilot for minutes, hours, days, or even weeks. This tumultuous trek had seemingly robbed Autumn of her sense of time. Not only that, but her strength and tears. She didn’t realize her face was wet, her eyes were puffy, and the mage’s chest was damp from her tears. How long had she been crying for? How long had she been walking for? How long had she been stuck in her own inner battlefield for?

 

[YsFanatic]

As soon as the native mages moved in to cast their spells, Valleni spun around and grabbed hold of Lucille. Not having enough mana of her own to resist directly, she opted to instead shield the other woman from whatever was about to happen... or at least that was the plan. Instead to her surprise the cage spells started to push them away from each other as they formed, but the lightning savant already had a grip on Lucille's clothing with her right hand and held on with all her might. There was a gradual increase in pain as she resisted the spell's effects before it eventually surged of horrific amounts and she lost her grip, letting out an involuntary gasp before she was finally caged.

The way the one finger was bent clearly indicated a dislocation, but what Valleni didn't know was that the blood pooling under her skin and causing her hand to swell was from muscles tearing. She had ignored the pain that she had been feeling in her hand, not caring about an injury if it meant they would stay together, but ended up instead paying for her efforts with an injury that likely would magical healing to fully recover from. However, instead of letting the pain overwhelm her, Valleni took note that her hand was likely useless before turning her head to glare at the Marquis' back.

While the elf would remain oblivious, any soldiers who happen to look at Valleni's anger-filled face at that moment would catch a glimpse of something ancient and powerful in her eyes, possibly getting the feeling that their boss may have just fucked up without knowing it.

Juju seasonedcat Firelie

 

[YsFanatic]

"Guess it was too much to hope for that you'd know of the damn thing," Sarah starts off with a heavy sigh as her body was mended. "Thanks for the healing though, that's much appreciated." Good rule of thumb was always show your appreciation to your healer, never know when you'd come across one petty enough to not heal you again because you didn't say thank you.

"Fun fact, in some worlds its the gods, spirits, or whatever that use those terms to introduce themselves to mortals.... but in some other cases, yeah, it plays out like you said." She gives a small shrug before clasping her hands behind her head, mostly to raise it up just a tiny bit more to make it easier to look at the creature. Left unsaid was that there were worlds that didn't have anything like that at all.

"But more importantly, I'm curious about the bit about cursed blood?" The swordswoman had been subjected to many, many kinds of healing over her long life ranging from the more mundane like medical nano-tech and a variety of generic supernatural sources to being healed by holy and divine powers including a purification to deal with that one time... Every test before and since then had shown her to be completely human, so unless her body had been fucked with between dying and waking up here, there shouldn't be anything 'cursed' about her. Unless it was referring to her soul... while not cursed it did have a flaw due to something that had happened to her grandfather on her mother's side long before she had been born.

After a brief pause the old woman spoke up again. "And if you don't mind, would you be willing to offer your opinion on a dream-vision I had after arriving here? Felt like a message, but I clearly don't have enough information to figure it out on my own. I'd be better off asking some of the natives..." A grin appears on her face. "And what do you know, one is using me as a chair right now!"

Juju

 

[AriAriAbabwa]

Elvish Prison
Juju​

Doi hushed the poor girl, cradling her gently in her lap. "Everything is okay, Rishii. You are safe with me. I promised, didn't I?" This should've been enough to convince Melladh, if her applause and praise was anything to go off of. It was a mostly expected outcome; Doi had no doubt in her own capabilities, and Melladh was an absolute pleasure to be around.

She was about to ask what would happen next when a sensation stirred within. And just like before, she got up and left Rishii with a mind only for those sensations. Doi slowly approached the spirit, her prophesized dream replaying over and over. "There is more," Doi uttered. "The Guiding Star... spoke to me in my sleep." She rose a hand to the spirit. "She said: The prize they seek is no arcane keystone."

Find one of the creatures they name 'spirit', and call upon my gift.

"It is something more." Her eyes fluttered shut, and she called for Her gift.

 

[AriAriAbabwa]

Battlefield > Gates
Juju ThatWhichShouldBe November Witch​

There was tremendous relief, seeing Oshaka leave at last and with her life to boot. But only when the danger settled did the weight of it all come crashing down. The cruel mistress that was fate threw her back into the hellish landscape she suffered—and immediately into jaws of death. The fox girl mentioned that she and several others had died and rebirthed, but why? What else could Cynthora bring to this world, that she tried to in her first life?

She watched the aforementioned foxian excuse herself, taking to the deceased. Offering a reassuring smile, the least she could do, she said, "Take care, Autumn." Then it was to the gates.

However, entry into Cloud-Home was no easy feat. Soldiers had taken to blocking it off, and their reasoning was "trouble in the markets." Cynthora, eager to do something helpful with her new life, trotted forward. "Is there any way we can help?"