Fantasy [Closed] A nation in havoc

[Duke of Doge]

Nia was about to head inside when she spotted Ru and Samuel, with her makeshift mask tied tightly covering her mouth, she waited outside the vault like door for them to get to safety. Glancing to The Red Mountain as it then became less like a mountain, and more like a giant bomb. As almost half of it exploded, sending a wave of searing hot ash racing in all directions, magma soon to follow behind. She looked back to Samuel and Ru. A look of concern and fear as she stared at them. "Run faster!" Nia yelled to them.
Rhaine TheCountryWarrior Caffeine Freak SirGrey

 

[Caffeine Freak]

Samuel's legs finally gave out as he and Ru crossed the circular door into the caverns, debris had pounded down on them like artillery fire. "C-Close it!" He hacked, pushing himself up on his hands and knees as he practically coughed his lungs out onto the ground. Sam wiped at his mouth with the back of his wrist, collapsing onto his back. No part of his body had been spared from injury; gashes, cuts, scrapes, bruises, the works were tattooed upon his flesh. Blood thrummed in his head to the beat of his racing heart, and Samuel found himself unable to lift his head from the earth. Even within the cave, the rock rattled as if the outside world were being struck by missiles. "What..."

He passed out.

Rhaine TheCountryWarrior Duke of Doge SirGrey

 

[Rhaine]

Ru finally collapsed to her knees as she and Samuel made it into the cavern, her grip now too faint. Her breath came so shallowly that she could barely feel the scrapes and gashes her skin now wore. She was trembling like a leaf, her eyes closed to the dimness of the cavern. It felt like her bones were on fire, scorching her from the inside out. She felt her lungs gradually continue to close up, and her breathing now more so resembled a faint wheeze. It wasn't the first time she had had an episode like this, but it had never been so violent. Her shortness of breath had always been easy to cope with, as she had learned since her youth how to treat it.

Her warbling thoughts stilled.

Oregano and ginger

She had a concoction in her satchel for these exact moments, and she had been too distressed to remember until it was almost too late. With ineffective, shaking hands, she reached into her satchel, searching desperately for the familiarly shaped bottle. Mercifully, she found it quickly, bringing it close to her body. She fumbled to open it, taking a small handful of the extracted oil and dabbing it under her nose and over her neck and collarbone. Her limbs fell with abandon, and she focused on breathing, her senses now overwhelmed by the sharp scent of the concoction.

She prayed with her last semblance of will that it wasn't too late.

Slowly, her breath began to come deeper ever so slightly. Tears of relief made tracks in the ash that was smeared over her face.

((PSA: Asthma is not conducive to disasters that rain ash through the air. ))

-

Cassander was startled as he heard Nia cry out to someone outside the cavern. He rushed to the entrance, watching as a man and an Elven girl collapsed through the door. The dark haired man didn't last long before he seemed to drift out of consciousness - at least, Cassander hoped that was what had happened. The man certainly wasn't in the best looking condition, but then, none of them were. He crouched to where the man lay on his back, and he placed a hand to his pulse point.

"He's alive!"

Cassander gave a nod, straightening up to cast his dark gaze over the others that inhabited the cavern. The man may be alive, but how many countless lives had been lost today? It weighed heavy over his shoulders, and guilt cut him like a knife. He assured himself that nothing would have changed if he had spoken about his dream before the event took place, but it placated him little. Time seemed to move slowly for him.

Caffeine Freak Duke of Doge TheCountryWarrior SirGrey

 

[TheCountryWarrior]

Dan, coughing up a lung at this point, rushed over to Sam and wrapped his arms around Sam's armpits and started dragging him further into the cave, yelling back to the royal people. "Grab the Songbird!" Pointing to Ru.
Duke of Doge Caffeine Freak Rhaine

 

[Duke of Doge]

Nia slammed the door closed. Bolting it in place. Her hands felt around the side of the door before finding a lever, upon activation, the room lit up in a blue light, caused by small gas pipes which burned gas protruding from the walls. Pulling her mask down as she took a breath of clean air. Panting as she rested her hands on her knees for a few seconds. Before helping Ru up, and moving her towards the back of the cave.

Once she set her down Nia shook her hair and face free of ash and took off down one of the hallways. She had practically memorized this place, being an emergency bunker/exit for the castle. She had to see it for herself. She rounded the corner, and where the door leading to the palace would have been, there was nothing but rubble. She slowly walked over to the pile of stone, and laid on top of the flattest one, curled into a ball, and cried. It was all she could think to do. Her life was over, her country in ruin, her home and all her belongings were gone. Her family, was now all gone. She was now the last person living who had Davion blood. She was alone, and totally powerless. All she could do was cry. Her sobbing, although quiet, echoed through the hallways.
Rhaine TheCountryWarrior Caffeine Freak SirGrey

 

[TheCountryWarrior]

Dan pulled Samuel next to Ru and laid him down. He'll recover, surely. Dan leaned against the wall, hunched over and coughed profusely for a minute. "Ahgg. I've got all the lung diseases now." His cough/laugh was cut short by the sounds of sobbing, and seeing as everyone save the princess was accounted for, he had a good idea who it was.

Well?
Well what?
You seem so keen on helping her. Why not now?
I figure I'll let that boy help her. She seems to know him, and probably hasn't witnessed him kill people in cold blood.
Do you feel guilty about that?
No. I do feel that could've been handled better though.
What better way to solve any problem than by killing the one causing it?

Dan moved to the corner on the turn to the passage she was in, just out of sight. And waited.
Duke of Doge Caffeine Freak Rhaine

 

[Rhaine]

At the edge of her perception, Ru thought she heard Dan's voice, pulling away past her. She didn't want to be left behind. She breathed his name out as if he would hear her. She kept her focus on the laborious inhale and exhale that moved stiffly through her. Someone with refined cadence helped her to stand, and Ru was grateful, so grateful she felt weary in it. Though she didn't open her eyes, Ru soon realized it was the Princess that helped her forward, setting her down gently after a while. "Thank...Thank you, Pr-...Princess." She held tight to the small glass bottle in her hand.

Her eyes flickered open, and she found Dan and Samuel beside her. She wanted to ask Dan how Samuel was faring, how Dan himself was faring, but Dan moved from her side before she could manage it. Her glassy, green gaze lingered over Samuel, tracing the scrapes and gashes that she could make out from where she lay. Exhaustion touched her features, yet concern still made its appearance in her eyes. "Mr...Mr. Weiss?" She spoke with what volume she could muster, still retaining the courtesy of referring to him by his surname even in the wake of their circumstances. The closing of her lungs had abated a good deal now, yet her breath still came short. Her worry increased substantially when there was no reply. His body remained lax. She reached out, giving his arm a gentle shake. Still nothing.

Panic held Ru's form in its hands. She came to a sitting position with what strength she could muster, inspecting his form. His chest rose and fell, and the sight of it made her want to sing. She let out a slow, relieved breath. Ru regained herself further with every minute that passed. She closed the bottle in her hand, slipping it into her satchel, which she left open, pacing herself as she gathered her equipment to begin tending to a few of the more serious looking gashes that spread out over his skin.

((Cassander's post is coming in a sec. Give me a moment ~ Caffeine Freak Duke of Doge TheCountryWarrior ))

 

[Rhaine]

Cassander focused on nothing and no one. He looked as if he was studying the wall, though he hardly saw it. It wasn't like him to be the pensive sort, yet he couldn't shake the haze that held on to him with unforgiving grip. A sob broke through his silence, and he looked up, not finding Nia where he had last seen her. He followed the warbling, shuddering sound, moving as if he were still in a dream, and in a way, he was. Passing a few souls on his way, rounding a corner, he found the scarlet-haired Princess, curled in on herself at the end of the tunnel among the rubble.

Taking a few steps forward, he sat down near her, yet not near enough to touch. His cautious quality made a rare appearance. He didn't want to upset her, but he certainly didn't want her to be alone either. "Nia, I'm so sorry." The quiet utterance was firm. He hoped she knew that he meant it - that he could really mean it. It wasn't a jest.

I dreamt this. I could have warned you. I could have warned your father, but I didn't.

He attempted to shake the thought away, but the echoes of it resounded through him still. She would think him mad if he gave it voice, and worse - she would hate him for it.

Duke of Doge TheCountryWarrior Caffeine Freak

 

[Duke of Doge]

Nia shot up and threw her arms around him. Crying into his shoulder as she just cried, filled with nothing but negative emotions. Her life as she knew it was gone, and she couldn't do anything about it. "I-It's all gone..." she said with a cracky voice, hugging him tighter. She litteraly and figuratively needed a shoulder to cry on right now. "I just want to stay here forever. And never leave."
Rhaine TheCountryWarrior

 

[SirGrey]

"Oj is anyone else down here," Decarcy asked as he wandered through the tunnels. He had fallen deeper at points leading to other tunnels. He seemed to have now ended up now in a tunnel with blue tinted gas lights. "Well someone definitely been here" he mutters as he keeps walking on. The thief had many visible cuts and scrapes on his face and arms, the trickling blood hinting at how recent they are. His torch had reached about halfway on its life, with the fire and nudge towards Decarcy's bleeding hand.
Rhaine TheCountryWarrior Caffeine Freak Duke of Doge

 

[TheCountryWarrior]

Dan switched corners, now visible to the two. Leaning on wall he looked over sadly to the two. He sighed, with so many unspoken words in his mind.

You've grown soft since you've arrived in Dalania. Why are you sad? This will help her. Now she can achieve her true potential! They will fear us! The Queen and the Scientist that gave her the power to own the world! People will fear you! This is what you wanted. Use her to get what you want.

No.

Dan looked back to the sobbing princess, flaming scarlet hair still patterned with ash. "For now, you don't need to leave. Rest your majesty." He seemed like he had more to say with eyes that had softened at the sight of a destroyed girl, from the cold, cunning of before the Shattering. Ooh! That's a cool name. He was about to speak when another voice spoke up, an unknown voice and the soft look faded and was replaced with the cold glare as he spun around and drew his weapon, pointing it the stranger. "Who are you?"
Duke of Doge Caffeine Freak Rhaine SirGrey

 

[SirGrey]

"A Frigin Nun of the light come to bless ye souls before you all die from lava that is coming boy, now put you bloody weapon down I ain't gonna kill you or her majesty," he said almost immediately recognising the sorrowed princess from paintings and the like. "I erm am sorry for what it is worth" he mutters trying to as cincere as a random stranger can be.to one in grief. "Decarcy Renton is me name had it since I were born if that helps, if feel down a big hole the earthquake made, feel for about six years and walked for two before I found you lot" he sighed. Looking back to the angry stranger he says "Abbondanzio Carbonaro the Second, tenth one of the big fella himself, I do believe I did a bit of work for him, may of meet you back when you were younger though I doubt you would recognise me" in a rather wistful manner. "So we safe down here?" he asks after all when the ground break and further rains ash you start to worry about that.
Duke of Doge Caffeine Freak Rhaine TheCountryWarrior

 

[TheCountryWarrior]

Dan paused and held the mans gaze for a second. "Ah yes, I remember you." Holstering the weapon, he smiled a cold smile. "I also remember you helping yourself to a couple of our guards coin purses. Leave the princess alone." Dan looked around the cave. "This place is as safe as we can be given the current situation." Duke of Doge Caffeine Freak Rhaine SirGrey

 

[Duke of Doge]

Nia merely glanced up at the other two males briefly "yes." She sniffed "Leave the princess alone. Cass is the only one even remotely close to a friend that I would want with me." Nia wiped tears from her face. "I'll be out there." Another sniff "When I feel." There was no 'better' she was just numb, unfeeling. She laid back onto the stone, near the wall, hugging herself. "I'm just... gunna lie here." Her voice was rough, cracky, and high pitched.
Rhaine TheCountryWarrior Caffeine Freak SirGrey

 

[Rhaine]

"I-It's all gone..."

Cassander was struck through when Nia embraced him, crying into the crook of his neck. There was only half a second's pause before he had wrapped a comforting arm about her waist, his other hand soothingly following the fall of her hair. He made to speak, something poignant rising through his chest, yet he was stilled as a man spoke. He looked up, dark eyes clear and open as he took in the man's appearance. He had noticed him earlier, and more specifically, the odd looking device he carried. Cassander didn't know him, but the man's gaze was softened toward the crying girl in his arms. He figured they must be acquainted, and further, he wondered if the man had formed an attachment for the Princess.

Another stranger's voice sounded, and the man drew his odd device on him like a weapon. Cassander's attention was fixed on the ornate mechanism in the man's hand.

Nia spoke again, and he loosened his grasp on her as she untangled herself from him, brushing the tears from her face. She indicated that the man Cassander had wondered about was not her friend, and this somewhat surprised him, given the man's cadence towards her. Still, people said many things in grief they did not mean. Nia took residence back on the stone he had found her on.

"You're wrong, you know," He found himself speaking. "You said it was all gone, but you're wrong. You're still here. You're alive, and so Dalania is as well." It was a gentle notion that rung true. He cast his eyes down, away from her. He wanted to ease her pain somehow, but was at a loss.

Duke of Doge TheCountryWarrior SirGrey

 

[TheCountryWarrior]

Dan's gaze softened ever so slightly as the princess's voice cracked with fatigue. "We need water more than anything right now." Dan finished his thought with another bout of coughing and hacking. "Any idea if there's some sort of spring or stash of water, your Majesty? This is, after all, an emergency tunnel. That's where I'd stash water."
Duke of Doge Caffeine Freak Rhaine SirGrey

 

[Duke of Doge]

Nia scoffed "Yes because a prince- queen I guess now. Without a kingdom is soooo useful." She slowly stood up dusting herself off "yeah, follow me" she said devoid of emotion and lead them through the halls to a large square room with a column of water in the center, to the right were two large pools of water, used for bathing. And the left used as drinking water. She bent over at the waist and reached out her hands, cupping water out of the main column and drinking.
Rhaine TheCountryWarrior SirGrey

 

[Rhaine]

Cassander's brow perked up slightly at her dismissive response. "It's still better than a shattered kingdom without an heir to speak of." The man leaning against the wall spoke again, and Cassander stood with a nod, following after the Princess. He was worried about her, more than worried, and his dark gaze lingered over her frame. He turned his attention to the man beside him. "I don't believe you and I have met properly."

Cassander hadn't made many exhibitions outside the castle grounds, and those he knew were mainly nobility, save for servants and the like. All the same, he doubted the real worth of nobility when residing in a cavern to stay safe from a natural disaster that had decimated the kingdom. "I'm Cassander - of the Holy Calcian Empire." He offered the man his hand in a pleasant gesture.

TheCountryWarrior Duke of Doge

 

[TheCountryWarrior]

Dan shook the fellows hand and introduced himself. "I am Abbondanzio Gesualdo Primavera Alessandro Donadio Carbonaro the Second from the Askary Republic. If you'll excuse me, I need water." Dan followed the princess and, getting on his knees, cupped his own water. "Ah water! I can already feel further from death." He turned to the... Queen at this point, and saw something that gave him a start. It was the same face he saw when he looked at himself in the mirror: emotionless, cold, just alive but dead.

What? That's what you wanted isn't it? For her to see things your way? She would probably welcome a bloodbath! Anything to take her mind off her dead family!

And yet... in the garden she seemed so cheerful. Then her world crumbles around her and she shuts down. The contrast is immense. It's like it's not her anymore.

Like you've ever paid attention to anything besides yourself.

I suppose... you're right. But screw you anyway.

Dan spoke up. "Your Majesty, please take into consideration that you saved our lives, except the new guy, despite having only like three conversations with us. So... well done I suppose. I'll leave you to your friend now." Dan started towards the other room with Sam and Ru, who were currently unconscious.

Duke of Doge Caffeine Freak Rhaine SirGrey

 

[Rhaine]

Ru had slowly begun to clean Samuel's wounds. She wasn't up and functioning to her usual efficiency, but her efforts were effective none the less. Her now bloodstained hands only shook a little now, and her breath came increasingly easier as time slipped forward. A few bloody cloths were discarded at her side. She stayed each cut's bleeding, removing the harmful debris. She brought forth certain herbs and extracted oils from her satchel, applying them where they were needed. Once she was satisfied, she would begin to bandage the more ghastly abrasions.

As she gently brushed Samuel's hair back to gain better access to a cut on his forehead, Dan returned to the room. She looked up, only a glance, before her attention was back on her work. "Mr. Carbonaro...I wanted to tell you -" She drew a breath, considering her words. "I'm sorry for treating you so harshly last night. I may not agree with your outlook, but you made a decision all the same, and I respect that." She paused, thinking as she worked. She gave a small shake of her head that was almost like an afterthought. "I cannot truly believe that you have no regard for life, as you did care enough to save her." Her voice was faint and weary, yet sincere.

Agitation held itself over her shoulders, and she poured herself into her work. She couldn't focus on the destruction, the death. She hoped Samuel would wake soon. His prolonged unconsciousness troubled her to no end. Still, she was relieved to have apologized to Dan, and she supposed it was something pleasant among her distress. Ru had to speak truth now. In the wake of the disaster, she wasn't sure how much time any of them would have left. She winced slightly as a movement of her wrist agitated a long cut on her arm.

Ru thought briefly of Fenwood. She prayed that the damage wasn't too catastrophic. Her thoughts only lingered that way for a moment.

Caffeine Freak TheCountryWarrior Duke of Doge SirGrey

 

[Caffeine Freak]

Samuel woke up in a white room.

Startled, he scrambled to his feet, his head snapping round in all directions. Nothing but the endless void greeted him. "H-Hello?" He called anxiously. The silence gobbled up the sound.

"Hello, Samuel."

Sam whipped around, a figure he immediately recognised with a choked noise entered his field of vision. "M-Mother?"
The figure turned to ash and blew away in a silent breeze, the void around him turned red, Sam cried out. He was burning, gasping for air, and there was no one there to save him-

"Ghaa!" He shuddered, the burning sensation vanishing as he woke up with a jolt. His eyes quickly accustomed to the dimly lit crevice, taking in Ru and Dan. "I just had the worst nightmare." He breathed, curling his knees to his chest. "The whole of Dalania was destroyed in this giant earthquake and- ...and..." The memories crept back as he took in his surroundings. "..and we hid out in a.. cave." His forehead dropped to his knees. "What do we do now?" He said plainly.


Rhaine TheCountryWarrior Duke of Doge SirGrey

 

[TheCountryWarrior]

Dan's head bowed in what he could assume was shame. "You have no need to apologize. It is I who may have acted to hastily. The Weapon doesn't just kill, like with any weapon if applied to a targets leg, for example, it would not kill them, simply immobile them. I didn't need to kill them, and I'm only now realizing that this place doesn't work like where I grew up. I guess-" Dan was cut short as Samuel jolted upright. Dan eyes lit up with surprise. "Oh look he's not dead! Good work Songbird. Sam my friend, now we wait."

Duke of Doge SirGrey Rhaine Caffeine Freak

 

[Rhaine]

Ru listened intently. She was taken aback by Dan's behavior. She had expected detachment, a cold smile at best. Yet, it was remorse she found, and it stilled her hands. Her eyes remained trained on the cut, however, and she saw a small tremor in Samuel's features occur - a shift in his brow.

Ru jumped slightly in her place on the floor when Samuel woke with a shout, a small, startled noise leaving her. He sat up rather quickly, furthering her nerves. However, he was awake, and she held on to what blessings she could. A small, sad smile crossed her mouth at his words, and she rested what she hoped was a comforting hand on his shoulder. She gave a nod toward Dan. "Yes, Mr. Carbonaro is right, we wait. You, however, need to rest. ...Mr. Weiss, would you allow me to continue tending to your wounds? I have to dress some of them, or I'm afraid you'll fall victim to infection."

Caffeine Freak TheCountryWarrior Duke of Doge SirGrey

 

[SirGrey]

Decarcy had followed the group to the lake, his face was still covered in dust, using the lakes luscious blue water he cleaned off the dust away from his eyes that shined like that of cat and his chin that had been shaved with the accuracy of a blind man. He merely listened to them. He didn't consider this place home merely just a land he was in, yet he could give his sorrow their grave woes. After cleaning off he followed Dan back out of the part of the cave with the other two. He sat on the cold rocky ground with a thumb, playing with a piece of gold, sliding it between his fingers with effortless ease. He bowed slightly before sit. showing respect and concealment in his actions. "I hope you would too wait to long for I assume you all know the danger you are all in with the princess around now," he says in a hused tone that could still be heard. A trick he learned during his many excpades.
Duke of Doge Rhaine TheCountryWarrior Caffeine Freak

 

[Duke of Doge]

Nia turned around and left the water room, slowly shuffling around the halls, eventually ending up in a armory. "Here we go" she sighed walking through vast array of weaponry and armor. Pausing at a door that lie at the end. It was flat as the wall, the hinges perfectly snoothed with the stone. No door handle. But it was definitely a door. "I know whats back here, and I want it" she sat on the floor. "I just don't exactly know how to open it"
@whoever followed Nia