Fantasy Fading Flame (In Character)

[QizPizza]

Taryn the Exile

Location: The Dark Forest
Status: Annoyed
Disposition: Slightly Evil
Interacting With: Midrick
Mentioned: Pilgrim59

"Of course... and your company, is more than warranted for our august body of heroes. While it troubles me that you both have failed in your endeavor to retrieve your share of the prize. Please, await my return, perhaps my words will beg for the better, and if all is well, you might get your shield."

"Thank you, kind Druid. You do not have to trouble yourself with..." Sashi left her bag with Taryn and went to speak with the commander. Being brushed off like that, Taryn let out a guttural growl before catching herself. With her free hand, she covered her mouth in embarrassment. At times, it was difficult to restrain some of her other primal characteristics. Such growls were one such characteristic. It was animalistic to growl in the face of annoyance or anger, but many juvenile Succubi tend to do such. Taryn balked at the sign of immaturity. but she knew that what Audun said earlier was correct: she was barely an adult.

Frustrated, the Succubus looked into the satchel that Sashi handed her. Inside were the shards of bone she had requested and several scales, all cleaned and ready for application. Taryn gingerly took out one of the shards and examined it. She didn't have any particular use for the shards, but she imagined that Audun would be able to come up with something. She replaced the shards and put the satchel onto her shoulder. Not exactly the most fitting accessory to match her dress, but Taryn wouldn't have to hold onto it for long.

Taryn wanted to head back to Audun, but if the Druid was intent on obtaining the bone plate for Audun, it would be best to wait. If the succubus left without a word, the druid might take it that Taryn had stolen the satchel. The would only increase the infamy she and Audun have gained thus far. An angelic paladin married to a succubus raises more than just a few eyebrows. One would wonder why a paladin would defile himself with a creature that feeds using extremely unsavory methods and how he has not died from it. It was better to leave people to their current assumptions and not add fuel to the fire.

Standing was never interesting, so Taryn walked around the dragon's corpse. There was no harm in wandering the relative area and shooting a few intentional glances at the guardsmen. She was a quarter of the way around the clearing when a scoutsman was thrown out of a tent, landing just feet away from Taryn. Following him was a screaming man with two guards on him. Two more followed and attempted to restrain the relatively large man, but failed to do so. The Succubus did not want to get involved, but she wanted to make sure that the group trusted her.

Taking the man down would be easy, but hurting him would not exactly instill trust. Taking the more barbaric route, Taryn threw herself against the man. His name was Pat, if Taryn recalled correctly. He asked about the relationship between her and Audun back at the town. The Succubus used her strength to push the delirious berserker onto the ground. "How about we calm down and have a civil conversation before anyone gets the wrong idea? I'm not exactly used to or fond of wrestling anyone outside of bed."

 

[Kabboom]

Jericho

A gracious bow to the Mage, and the duo went on their way again, this time towards the troops, the ones who took a beating. Jericho was looking forward to this visit, and seeing as there wasn't really anything else to do whilst they waited for Margot to finish work. Resting within a dark corner, beneath an overturned, scorched wagon chassis, lay the bruised and burnt. Caring for the wounded guardsmen were the lady, Lunala, and the dullahan, Evie. The healing magic aura put down by the headless woman seems to benefit everyone, if not unsettle the ones who still have a working eyesight. A female with her head strapped on her waist is not something a sane guardsman would like to see.

Lunala on the other hand was doing good. She may not have any substantial healing magic after all, but a helping hand is still a helping hand, and the men seem to appreciate the tender touch. Bandages being applied, painkillers administered, comfortable resting pillows and other fancy stuff; it was beginning to look more like a resort than a field hospital. Audaton would've approached her and probably spark up another conversation, but seeing as she was in the middle of using some holy magic spell to slowly heal a guardsman's charred fingers, it was better to leave her alone. The dullahan, however, was relatively open to 'conversation', seeing as all she had to do was mix some Light vials into a concoction.

"How are they holding up?" He lightly patted Evie on the shoulder, with the latter shrugging slightly from the sudden cold touch. Her hands moving to write another note, Jericho simply stood around and looked at the men. Most of them were resting, some laying their eyes on him. He couldn't really tell if they recognized him as the leader or not, but they were watching. 'Good. Burned Face, Crushed Elbow, Twisted Ribs won't live past tonight. Eye Cut & Crisp Leg lives, thanks to the girl. Where did you find her?', read the note.

"I found her hitching a ride in one of our wagons. Decided to keep her around. Might not be standard operating procedure but..." Jericho whispered as he looked at the girl, her blood-stained dress draped on the ground as she spoke inspiring words into a nearby delirious casualty. "...Hopefully she'll be of use." The hollowed stump of the dullahan's neck craned slightly, as if rolling her eyes in a dramatic manner, scribbling a tiny bit onto the note, before going back to mixing the liquids. 'Hopefully.'

As he stood upright, trying his best to ignore the three mangled and disfigured men who would not live to see tomorrow's sunrise, he tapped Maria on the shoulders lightly. She slowly stood up, giving a final pat on a wounded's hand, before perking up to her natural demeanor. At least, her natural demeanor around him. "Where to now?" She asked with a slight smirk.

"Back to our quarters. Check for anything else we need to worry about. ... And maybe get a little bit drunk when no one's looking." He filled her in while they walked, but before they could do anything of the sort, Jericho narrowly walked right into Sashi's face, stopping bare inches before critical impact.

"Good work, you two! Say, how about a drink? And possibly talk about the very thing that troubles my mind, perhaps not spawned from my self-interests, but perhaps out of sympathy... Which in turn would go against my very nature... Ah! I will just be out with it. Will you, with your hearts and love for the world of Light, kindly permit me, your humble servant of Femosis, to take into possession - the serpent's plate? T'is not for my well-being of course, but out of my.... colleague's need, how bleak it may seem that he had bypassed his voice for it. Like all men, he has his pride, especially that of the winged knights. I believe, with all my heart, that... perhaps it may not be just for his sake, but for us to all recognize in ourselves, that benevolence are taught and learned from each other, and not just passed down by words. That is all I have to say about that. Will you now, share that light in you and plant the seeds of benevolence in the angel's heart?" The druid spoke, almost as if singing to the Guardian and the ex-general.

As Jericho begun piecing together a coherent response in his mind, Maria was the quicker one. "As much as we would wish for your... colleague to get what he wants, it is imperative that a degree of discipline is maintained within the group as a whole. We do not wish to make it any more disorganized and chaotic than it already is." Picking up from there, Audaton continued with a flow that could almost match Sashi's. "It is not a matter of benevolence, nor is it to deny the winged paladin of his pride or anything of the sort. It is discipline, cold hard discipline to get us through the daunting night. Might I add, with no means of disrespect, they were most definitely not assigned to our group with the benign intent to sit on the sidelines. They shall get everything they want... if they pull their weight in combat and survival."

With a light bow and tempting smile, he finished. "The light within me will have to be shared another time, dear druid."

​

On their way, the two spotted a minor commotion going on at the medical tent, set up by the medics near by the serpent itself to treat the especially dire. Upon further approach, it was clear the succubus Taryn was pinning down one of the fighters, Pat. Activating his Clarity to prevent further damage, Jericho attempted his best to put on a calm, commanding voice. "What's going on here?!"

Trappy Pilgrim59 QizPizza Midrick

 

[CrowOuttaHell]

Gaheris Agramar

The giant's eyes grew heavier still with each passing minute.

By the time Karl and Lyle were done with their looting- or perhaps just taking a break- he had fallen against the body of the Serpent, slumping into a sitting position on the ground and wrapping his good arm around his greatsword. The loud rumbles coming from within the cowl alerted both guardsmen to the current state of their giant comrade- he was definitely caught in the throes of sleep. Hopefully, not deeply enough. It was almost impossible to wake a sleeping giant and not have it be angry.

"I wonder if the wagons still have food supplies," Lyle groaned. "Or if everything got burnt to a crisp."

"Aye. Now that the adrenaline's gone," Karl breathed through his teeth. "Those surviving must be famished."

"I've nothing but ale on me currently," Lyle produced a flask, turning to Karl. "I'd assume you brought your own supplies?"

"Some bread. A bit of cheese." Karl shook his head. "I'm not going to carry anything heavy into a cave full of...only the light knows what."

"Well, that's just fantastic. Dinner is practically the heaviest meal of the day."

"Now where in the hell did you grow up that you'd believe that?" Karl shook his head at his friend's supposed...barbaric beliefs. "Never mind that. Perhaps Agramar has anything to share."

"Giants can't own," Lyle murmured under his breath, though Karl was already moving towards Gaheris. As the armoured guardsman came closer though, he noticed the side of the Serpent Gaheris had been leaning on. The scales had been mostly ripped off to show the flesh underneath.

"Man...if we'd been able to hunt anything big, we could cook them," Lyle had been saying- though Karl was already staring at something they...technically hunted.

"Agramar," Karl ordered quietly. "Move aside."

Surprisingly enough, the giant stirred to wakefulness, moving aside slowly with a yawn. As Karl checked, he lightly tested his gauntlet on the exposed flesh. Nodding to himself, he straightened up and stared at Lyle.

"Lyle, have you ever wondered what dragon meat tastes like?"

Lyle's brow furrowed. "Karl. You can't be serious. The flesh of that thing will never come free with us alone."

Karl motioned to Gaheris.

"Better be thankful we have a Giant, eh?"


"Great. We have a slab of serpent meat, a fire, and no idea whether it's even going to cook or not."

Lyle stared at the small fire they had made to- hopefully enough- roast the Serpent meat. Gaheris was already holding a torn off piece of the loaf of bread Karl had brought, taking small bites as if to ensure it would last him through the night.

Lyle took a long swig of his flask. "It's a relative of the dragon, Karl. You'd think their meat would be resistant to fire."

"Their scales are, but that never said anything about flesh."

"What'll the consistency be like? A burnt steak, that's what," Lyle sighed. "Ten times harder too."

"Well, Lyle, there's literally nothing else we can cook in this area. Unless you mean to eat the charred wolfhorses."

"I can't. Might be someone's pet."

Karl sighed heavily. "If we had any vegetables or fruit we could have made a stew."

"Fruit? In a stew?" Lyle commented drily. Karl ignored his friend's ramblings and turned to Gaheris.

"Weren't you eating a potato when we found you? Lucky bastard."

"Not...mine..." Gaheris rumbled. "From...druid."

"We'd kill to have any vegetable right now. Even potatoes." Lyle shook his head. "Never thought I'd be saying that in my life."

"Boil 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in a stew." Karl remarked. "But for now all we have is serpent meat, Lyle, and you will eat it if you don't want to go to bed hungry."

"If we catch any sort of disease from this," Lyle sighed as he stared at the meat. "I'm blaming it all on you."

 

[Trappy]

Hearthfall Season - Nightfall
Maria
The Clearing, Darkwoods​

• Reality Sequence
• Interacted / Mentioned

• 
  
  Jericho Audaton immediately fired his inquiry and the duo arrived on the scene. One of the guardsmen, who was on the ground, was helping a nurse who seemed to have suffered some hand injury from god-knows-what happened there, looked up and fired an answer at the commander in a similar, hastened fashion: "That prick over there lost it!" Quickly assessing the situation, and having heard what the guardsman had to say, Maria decided to intervene with force. The guardian resolved to the quickest choice of action to break off the fight, as she noticed nearby guardsmen were starting to draw arms. Mustering her powers, Maria pulled the wrestling couple apart, putting extra force on the man on the ground, pinning him down with the enhanced weight of his own armour. The other turned out to be the succubus from before, who didn't leave much positive impression in Maria through their brief experience together in this company. And so, to the Vileborne, Maria only softly grunted to the fact that it had made its appearance twice today before her, and both were hassles.
  
  Despite her intervention, tension in the tent was never higher, as the guardsmen turned somewhat paranoid and hateful of the armoured man, readying to take him out in his miserably drugged state. And so, leaving Jericho with the questioning, the guardian dragged the armoured man away from the scene, out into the clearing where they'd recently defeated the fire-breathing serpent. The windy clearing was full of light from the cosmic entities, excitedly sparkling from the sky high above. It would have been a somewhat artistic scene, one worthy of a canvas to be presented in the Marble Halls of Drakenfort and admired at by the respected elites, if not for the girl, and the somewhat out-of-place work of hers: dragging the struggling hulk of a man on the grass. She had put extra force in the man's armour, so if he was foolish enough to try anything with her, it'll go pop, and the insides will come out, like an egg.
  
  Maria marvelled at the excellent analogy she'd come up with. Come to think of it, she did not have a chance for supper, as the Serpent attacked before they had time for anything. And speaking of eggs, the girl was brought back to Drakenfort for a moment, where the large tables in the Royal Hall would be filled with extravagant amounts of food during feasts. There was always one dish that caught her attention every single time, an egg dish enjoyed by commoners and the nobility alike. A baked egg in a cosy nest of spiced shredded pork, cheese and just finely dressed with Ephrano sauce*. Before the girl knew it, her stomach was on the verge of a protest. Coming back to reality, and the troublesome situation she was in, the girl decided to give the man a warning, however it may help, knowing the warrior's been badly drugged. "Don't try anything, or it'll get dirty, okay? Don't hold any grudges for me either . . . You brought it upon yourself, and trust me, staying away from the soldiers is good for you."
  
  On the way, she came across Sashi, the peculiar druid from before. Realising the warrior on the grass by her side was still somewhat injured from their previous fight, the guardian decided to come to the druid for help once again. Approaching the young lady, Maria greeted her. "Hello again, fair druid. Would you find generosity in your heart to treat this miserable fool here? Frankly, he's quite the troublemaker, this one . . . Having caused that hassle in the medical tent . . ."
  That said, the girl dragged her prisoner towards a large boulder nearby, and pinned his back onto it. The force was still maintained onto his armour, weighing the warrior down onto the rock, but just to be sure, Maria jumped on top of the man and positioned herself onto him. Should he try anything, then . . . egg.
  
  
  Translation Notes:
  Ephrano Sauce: A condiment made from the Ephrano, a type of anchovy that tend to travel in hordes. They are particularly abundant along the Regalian shorelines during Summergaze, their breeding season. The sauce is made by from the fish, coated in spices and processed from weeks up to five months. It is both added to dishes as a seasoning and used as a base in dipping sauces in Regalian cuisine.
  
  
• 
  Interacted: Midrick Pilgrim59
  Mentioned: Kabboom QizPizza
  

 

[-robert-]

Leafa

“Youngyin! Sorry bout that, had some hardship! You aight?”

Never in her life had she been happier to hear a simple "Are you alright?". As soon as she heard the lady's voice, a huge and bright smile spread across her face, all the worry, all the fear, it just melted away, out of pure joy she pulled the lady into a tight hug, she felt like never letting go. Her eyes were filled with tears of joy. The rest of the world could go to hell for all she cared.
Overwhelmed by happiness, Leafa didn't notice the events that ocurred outside the reunion, a small and grey mouse crawled up her body and took shelter in her quiver.

"Y-You're alright! Rock Lady! Don't ever leave me again! You have to promise! No more scary serpent fighting okay!? I missed you so much!"

Sybil

 

[Sybil]

Spessartite Phos
​

The living statue took the hug like one would assume a rock would, easily but not comfortably. She did pick up the small girl in a hug, a bit confused on why she was so upset but nonetheless welcoming to affection. This was actually the first time she has been touched like friend or family member in all her years of being reanimated for a reason other than bewilderment and curiosity. She would softly squeeze the elf, chuckling.

"Well, I can't promise no more scary fights, BUT, I can assure you I won't die easy! I ain't goin nowhere!" She let down the child, patting her head as she looked around at the bustling camp, witnessing infighting near a far-off tent die down and others talking amongst themselves. "So, 'ow you feelin? None uh that dark mess screwin wit cha?"

-robert-

 

[Pilgrim59]

Sashi

Hearthfall Season - Nightfall
Sashi
Forest Clearing, Darkwood​

• Reality Sequence
• Interacted/Mentioned

• 
  
  Dragging herself across the field at Maria and Jericho's urgency, the druid made her way towards her raging patient.
  
  "Hello again, fair druid. Would you find generosity in your heart to treat this miserable fool here? Frankly, he's quite the troublemaker, this one... Having caused that hassle in the medical tent."
  
  "Apologies for leaving him unattended, leave this to me." Sashi replied, acknowledging her role to calm the paladin.
  
  Sizing up her gloves, the druid launched herself at the man like a dart ejecting from a crossbow, locking his neck in between her trained thighs, gradually robbing him of his strength. Sashi made her exit by temporarily ceasing her passive aura - Pillar of the Weeping Willows.
  
  "Let your mind be tranquil, and your heart reinforced." the druid whispered, as she navigated towards the man with her palm open for a strike - unleashing her charged up aura against the man's chest - with hopes of her overcharged aura would wear away the Motrino intake.
  
  "Shhhh... " Sashi pressed her hands against the grunting Guardian, with her soft hushes enticing the man's ears with the ancient lullabies.
  
  "Pras nyat ah, yiblanye ih grushi. Obly ani, toma ni nah rekroii..."
  
  The druid sang a short verse of the ancient texts, attempting to lull the man into his former tranquil state. She swung her idle hands into action, securing his leg's bandages, all the while pressing her forehead against his - like a mother brushing away the troubles of her child's mind with nothing but melodies of the ancient tongue.
  
  
  Translation notes:
  N/A
  
• 
  Interacted: Trappy Midrick
  
  Mentioned: N/A
  
  
  

 

[Vyseryx]

Margot

The weapon was finished. Calm, methodical work soothed Margot’s mind and let her regenerate and get rid of the lingering sleepiness, left after sudden awakening in the middle of the night. The mage now wanted to pass the bardiche to its owner and start planning her next action.

Margot raised from the ground, wiped the magical circle off the earth around her and started walking back to the centre of camp. She looked quite peculiar, with bardiche in one hand and staff in other – double-wielding mage was not exactly a common view. But the sorceress felt quite mighty, feeling a weight of weapons in her hands.

‘Is this why man like their swords so much?’ she wondered, as her legs carried her in the proximity of the cave, that the Serpent had come out from earlier. In the darkness of night, it seemed like if the pit had not end, and was an endless abyss of shades and… Margot’s eyes bored into the darkness, but she could not distinguish any shapes inside. She felt that something was not quite right with that place, so she spun her staff and poked the ground before the entrance of pit.

“With mind I look; with soul I listen,” she chanted and let her senses extend into the cave. And while Margot could not detect anything for certain, her spell told her that there was something there worth of her attention. So, as any normal person would, she decided to travel into the heccing dark cave in the middle of Darkborne territory.

Before that though, she had decided to get some company for that little trip, so the mage quickly made her way into the camp, searching for Maria and Jericho. They seemed competent enough to take them into the cave, which infiltration may had required a stealthy approach and carefulness.

‘ "My magic tells me, there is something unusual about the cave. I believe there may be a point to investigate it". Yes, this is definitely what I will say to Theodosiel when I find her’ Margot thought to herself, as she approached Maria. ‘Oh, and I will certainly give her the bardiche first.’

Trappy

 

[Midrick]

He saw them, they were back, the elves. But they were dead but somehow they were alive, heads split open, entrails dragging on the ground. They were trying to surround him, pull him down to the depths of whatever hell they lurked in. Obviously to an outsider he was freaking out due to the drugs wearing off, but they had made his deepest fears come to life. Unbeknownst, the one who pinned him down seemed to be the paladins wife, but still he struggled against the forces, all he saw was dead people. Eventually the woman who he had talked to on the trail into the forest had used some magic to pin him down for good, using a rock to keep him on the ground. He heard people around him, but couldn't move due to his armor being locked into place by whatever magic she was usuing.After being secured to the rock his head started lolling, the final effects of the drugs still wearing off.

After a minute or two the druid came over and started doing something to him, it was weird, she kind of choked him with a leg lock, he couldn't breathe, and found his vision narrowing to two small dots in a corridor of darkness before she eased off allowing him to breathe once again. Despite being on the verge of unconsciousess, he could still hear, and suprisingly she started singing. He could barely feel anything, his vision had returned and even though he could barely move he looked around same people, same place, but he had been moved to a sitting position, then she did something he didn't expect in the least, she put her forehead up against his, he recoiled but didn't go anywhere, the most he could muster was a slight twitch in his neck that moved his head barely three inches backwards. He felt that the whatever the druid had given him had worn off, he decided to test his ability to make coherent sentences. "Stop..." He said in a whisper, it had been more than awhile since he had physical contact that wasn't an attempt to end his or someone else's life. He didn't know how to cope, and when he couldn't find a solution, he usually just walked away. Due to his current situation he literally couldn't relocate to mull over the best way to deal with his feelings about the situation, if they weren't negative usually he just bottled them up and locked them away, but instead he had to deal with what was transpiring currently before he could think about anything he might have seen while tripping out of his mind for the last 3 hours.

Pilgrim59 Trappy

 

[-robert-]

Leafa

Hugging a rock was an... interesting experience, the surface of her body was cold... but the elf could feel warmth while the living rock held her in her arms. Eventually, they let go of eachother. The lady's words reassured her, knowing her friend would be more careful from then on definitely made her calmer. The question was a no brainer, whenever she was with the lady, her happy spirit would never break. In response, she nodded and put on a bright smile.

Now back to the real world, the young elf felt something moving inside her quiver, what she discovered immediately filled with happiness. A small mouse with grey fur jumped out of the quiver and landed on her hand. It was so cute, she absolutely needed to keep it.

"Look Rock Lady! This mouse is so cute! Can we keep it, can we keep it? Pleeaaaase let me keep it!"

Sybil

 

[Sybil]

Spessartite Phos​

The Elemental bent over some and looked down at Leafa, who now seemingly gotten another pool of energy after her crying, as she talked about the small animal now in the her own elven hand. It was indeed adorable, as the rock would notice, the small stature and sporadic movements proving to be quite pleasing aesthetically. It was strange the small animal was in her quiver, but Spess rarely questioned things that weren’t a danger in her eyes.

“Well ain’t he sumthin, little guy wanderin intah the wron side of tha forests.... I don’t see why not!” She stood up straight and let out a hearty chuckle, admiring the small thing. “Nah I want ya to keep on eye on dat thin, he ain’t no fighter!”

Responsibility is good for the kids! That’s what they taught me!

-robert-

 

[Kabboom]

Jericho

The camp was now almost devoid of joyful life. Morose, sullen men and women, the remainders of the 12th Cavalry legion huddling around the infantry Group of the 1st Legion. The perimeter of rocks and stones were thankfully unbroken, but now it would seem they were proving to be unnecessary, as most of the adventurers now felt dark emotions coursing through them, mostly through anger, hate and fear. If it weren't for the masking 'stench' of the dead serpent and the constant efforts of the few inspirational men left, the Darkborne would've been all over them by now. Taking no respite, most of the infantrymen begin digging holes, along with slight inclines in the dirt linking their holes to others. The 1st Legion training taking over them, the infantrymen soon dug a series of multipurpose holes that interlock as a trench line facing outwards from the cave, while also positioning defenses pointed into the cave itself.

The wagons have since been relocated to suit the 'fortification and sleeping place' vibes the guardsmen were now letting off, suitably nesting the few remaining Wolfhorses alive as they finally doze off, lulled asleep by the idle yawning and gentle petting of their caretakers, some still wearing half-bloodied bandages. As precaution, all the cargo within the wagons that can be taken off have been taking off and distributed evenly among the men, with some holes amassing as many as 20 swords, with other holes harboring 13 shields, with only 3 men residing within. A few small campfires have also been made, the crackling of the huddled flame serving as some respite from the eerie whispers of the night. A few guardsmen swore they heard someone, or rather, something, speak their name in a hushed voice, calling them into the depths of the forest. The more seasoned guardsmen know better than to actually listen.

The horsemen found their own home, huddled around together in their own quaint fires inside the wagon areas. With almost all cargo taken off and accounted for, the tarps can safely be pulled from the frame and used as tents for both the men and the horses to comfortably sleep in, and spring out of if needed. Such is the duality of everything made in the Empire: if something doesn't have at least 3 uses, then that something is useless. With what wooden materials they could salvage from the destroyed wagons serving as furniture and firewood, the men hesitantly cook their meals: the dead Wolfhorses. A few tears were shed, both in memory of the beloved mount, and their rider if they also perished; a few hushed prayers and late goodbyes whispered by the weary riders, as they chomped on crispy Wolfhorse meat. The smell of cooked food remind the normal infantrymen of their own bellies, and how painfully empty they were.

Loaves of Soldier's Bread are quickly passed around, to ease the starved stomachs of the men, clawing at itself in its pleas for sustenance. Miracles of Imperial agriculture, Soldier's Bread was synthesized from Poor Man's Bite, being nothing more than a Light-sensitive handful of flour, infused with some palatable additives, springing to full size with the addition of some water. It wasn't very delicious or desirable, but in times of need, especially like these, the soggy loaves were all the men needed. Clamping down on them, some chatter emerged, the first few conversations standing out in the gloomy atmosphere of the group, but soon, the entire camp was filled with nonchalant conversation and boisterous laughter once more. For the Sergeants, and for those who cared, the Darkborne-arriving-and-killing-everyone crisis was averted. For now, at least.

​

Jericho

The woman was... temperamental, at best, with how she tore the two tussling individuals apart with her gravity powers, and dragged the male warrior out of the tent, leaving a bunch of bewildered medics, half-drawn swords lying on guardsmen's belts, and Jericho staring down the succubus. Things were one-part tense, and two-parts awkward: Jericho was never good with women, let alone those that actively feed on the sexual desires of men, and usually kill them afterwards, either with weapons, or by just going too hard. Taryn didn't seem like one to talk properly either, at least not in his eyes: the woman was just as dangerous and childish as any other succubus he'd encountered, and some part of him made him tighten his grip on the Halberd, should she be too similar to her kin, and try to claw him apart.

The better part of him prevented that, with yet another burst of Clarity, calming down the men, and hopefully, the woman. Rubbing his exhausted brows, the man soon took a seat on one of the vacant tables, hastily erected by the medics during their scramble to get the tent up. Their position in relation to the cave entrance and the rest of camp was a bit far, with the little enclosure teetering on the forest edge, but it was no big matter at the moment. Foregoing his usual stoic leader attitude, he adopted the demeanor of an exhausted parent scolding their misbehaving child. A horribly misbehaving child.

"Taryn... I know it must be hard for you to be here, among men you can't kill with sex, or charm with your stupid body and all, but, I insist, you must fit in. For the sake of the team, if you even know what that is. Swear to the high heavens, you and Audun keep this shit up, we'd all be dead in a week or less. Then you'd finally be able to feast on our corpses, huh?"

Taking a deep breath, Audaton regained his posture. This was certainly not a good thing to do. "Forgive me for those words, I am... tired at the moment. Now, if you won't mind, what happened back there? With that warrior, Pat?"

QizPizza

​

"Fuckin' finally, some food!" exclaimed Kwelek, grabbing an extra soggy piece of Soldier's Bread.

"Careful, Kwelly, you know what they say in the Ol' Faithful*: assholes eat twice. Try to be humble for once, and maybe you'll be full." spoke Umak in response, hands rubbing in front of the small campfire, kindling the burning wood with his feet.

"Ah, says the oldsacks. Say, old timer, what else did they teach in the Faithful back then, how to wipe your ass?" came the response, slightly muffed by a mouthful of Light-infused bread.

"Damn reinforcements. Ruining the Legions..." Umak grimaced, shifting his body as to make him more secluded and closed-in. Growing older meant that his body was less resistant against the elements, and the cold winds tonight were unforgiving.

"What was that, old-timer? Ran outta ancient wisdom?" a teasing Kwelek persisted, playful and teasing, before a crackling of knuckle joints from Umak stopped the conversation dead in its tracks. "No fun. How 'bout you then, greenie?" he turned to Erik, gulping down his bite before chomping down on another. Erik was preoccupied with something in his mind, staring intently into the crackling campfire, focusing on something within him as his eyes centered on the slowly fading flame, kept alive only with the occasional nudge from the seasoned veteran, Umak. Such was his concentration, his focus, his will, that Erik completely missed Kwelek's hails, making the latter slump back onto his ass. "Guess everyone's gonna be quiet tonight then. Assholes." he quietly murmured, as the Soldier's Bread filled him somewhat.

​

Clanus

Clanus had been doing the rounds in the camp, making sure everyone was well stocked and all the wounded tended to, the necessary goods accounted for, and everyone sufficiently alive. Yawning and stretching one last time, he decided to make one last patrol around the quarters, just for the sake of checking. There probably wasn't anything he didn't already check on, be it either the guardsmen or the horsemen or the actual horses themselves, the rigorous Vainlight training ironing out the boredom in him, as he carefully walked and inspected the men for what seems to be the thousandth time, with many men hollering their status in advance, before Clanus was even within their vicinity.

But with everything done, he could finally relax now. Chomping down on a piece of Soldier's Bread as he went around, he felt like conversing with some of the more... specialized members of the group would be good. Starting with... ah, the elfling and the rock elemental girl. As he approached, he could hear the thick accent of the rock girl, and the farmboy within him felt like coming out from the thick 'Vainlight scout' shell he had on the outside.

"Ey there! What'r y'all up to?" Spotting something in the elfling's grip, Clanus slowly bent down, trying his best to mean no harm. "Whatchu got there, uh... what's yer name?"

-robert- Sybil

*Ol' Faithful: common nickname for the 1st Guardsmen Legion, referencing their long existence.

 

[QizPizza]

Taryn the Exile

Location: The Dark Forest
Status: Defeated
Disposition: Slightly Evil
Interacting With: Kabboom
Mentioned: Trappy Midrick

The Hellion was indignant as Maria used her gravity to throw her off Pat. It wasn't even with gentleness. It was like former general was trying to hurt her in trying to deescalate the conflict. She received a few cuts and scratches, nothing that wouldn't heal by the morning, but it hurt her pride more than anything. She got back up and brushed the dirt and gravel from her dress and hung around the general area until Jericho moved towards a table and gave a look as if he wanted to talk. As the man took a seat at the table, Taryn reluctantly took the seat across from him to entertain whatever he had to say. She wanted to just be done with this group, but her greater aspirations would require the artifact that they were retrieving. She needed to cooperate as much as possible to ensure that she could reach her end goal.

"Taryn... I know it must be hard for you to be here, among men you can't kill with sex, or charm with your stupid body and all, but, I insist, you must fit in. For the sake of the team, if you even know what that is. Swear to the high heavens, you and Audun keep this shit up, we'd all be dead in a week or less. Then you'd finally be able to feast on our corpses, huh?"

"You sure like to make a lot of assumptions, Audaton." She was not pleased with the way Jericho was speaking to her. Like a damn child? She almost could smell the blood on the man's hands. Countless Succubi dead at his arms 'for the sake of the people.' The Hellion could give less of a crap about those jerk offs, but when someone begins to assume that she is the same? They don't know why she has to do half the things she does. Everyday she doesn't take the life force of someone, is another day she goes without feeding. Sure, a single person can satiate her hunger for months, but she could never know how long that one "meal" lasts, especially when she has to constantly maintain this illusion to "fit in". "I don't kill for pleasure and I sure as hell am not a cannibal. I'm doing my best to 'fit in', but I'm not sure you understand what that entails, do you? I'm not like the others you've killed. Every moment I spend keeping up this 'act' only makes me die faster, and everyday I go without 'killing with sex' is only going to bring me closer to my death. But I'm sure you would appreciate it if I died, wouldn't you Audaton?"

Taryn sighed at her outburst. She was a child and what was worse was that she acknowledged it. The Hellion does her best to be as mature as possible, to the extent Audun does. After all, Audun is older than her, but sadly, he's still like a child himself. None of this was either of their faults, it is only a matter of age. It just frustrates her how little control she has over anything, especially
her own emotions and actions.

"Forgive me for those words, I am... tired at the moment. Now, if you won't mind, what happened back there? With that warrior, Pat?"

"Forgive me also. I am, admittedly, still the age of a child for my race, so I am prone to immaturity. I will do my best to control myself, but that's usually Audun's job." Taryn became a bit more relaxed when she go that out. She needed to finish the conversation, but the illusion spell she was keeping up was going to take a toll on her. If she wasn't going to have to feed on any of the soldiers, then she would have to use her armor's spell as little as possible. She lessened up on some aspects that wouldn't particularly be noticeable. He wings became animated to a slight degree, her skin reverted to it's normal, deathly pale complexion, and her fingernails grew into talons. The man in front of her would most likely be alarmed or on guard from her change in appearance, so she went for a joke of sorts to reassure him. "Don't stare, I get insecure when men stare at me like this. But seriously, about Pat. He was in a crazed state, throwing normal men around like it was nothing. I acted because I knew I would be able to hold him down with my weight and strength better than the medics could. I was holding him down until someone else could come and drug him. I had it mostly under control before Maria threw me off like a child fighting with another child."

 

[Pilgrim59]

Sashi

Hearthfall Season - Night
Sashi
Woods, Darkwood​

• Reality Sequence
• Dream Sequence
• Interacted/Mentioned

• 
  
  "Rough dream, mistress?" a familiar voice reached out to Sashi, along with a canteen of water.
  
  "I suppose so..." Sashi replied as she took a sip out of the canteen.
  
  "You're one hell of a fighter, a corpsman, and a mother-figure, ain't ya?" Boar said as he un-lodge his axe from the trunk of a fallen tree.
  
  "Only the necessities, Boar. Sometimes, I dwell in my own role and purpose. Perhaps it is not enough."
  
  "It was, is, and will never be enough, mistress. We do what we can and with what we've got. And out here... each other is all we've got. Come on, lets take a walk."
  
  Sashi got up from the ground and accompanied the pathfinder on his walk towards the far side of the treeline. All was coming back to her now, as she had taken a quick nap from her exhausting encounter with the serpent and the repercussions of her patient's ordeal. She had let him off after his state of mind was cleared, and applied a cast to accompany his leg's recovery. Sighing with great relief, the druid caught up with Boar, as the two continued their conversation under the shades of the towering oaks and yews.
  
  "The rest of the crew is still shipshape, yes?"
  
  "Aye. They're catching their share of the moonlight's embrace."
  
  "And yourself, good Boar?"
  
  "Naw... sleep is a luxury I can't afford. I only do naps during the day, mistress."
  
  "Intriguing. I suspect this walk is about Edela, yes?"
  
  "Heh... nothing goes past your eyes, Druid. Aye. Fifty-ninth Pathfinder Legion, ninth group, detachment Edela. That's us. We started shop in the south, been in the backyard of this boggy shit hole for about a few months. Edela was one of the best scout you could ever wish for in the entire legion. But she was always ahead of herself and others, never asking for help or needed our support. I'd say it wasn't the audacity or risks that got her killed... but feelings. One moonlit night like this, she threw herself into the swarm of Darkborne and blew the whole sector to kingdom come. All to cover our retreat. I told myself I'd never ask for a female candidate for our detachment's replacement, but I suppose Saint March has other plans. Heh, how ironic too, that your eyes resembled that of the poor lass. Hiker ... Rook, and the rest of the lads, including myself, we never ask for what we couldn't give. We play by the book, and by sheer luck, we've made it thus far. Normally, I wouldn't care for anyone to get too comfortable with the boys, but you seemed capable of handling yourself and us. And to that, I drink. Thank you, Sashi."
  
  "Just doing my job, Boar."
  
  "Hell, you even sound like Edela too. Better cut that, or the rest of the boys will be devastated with your death."
  
  "I'll make do, but no guarantees. On that matter, what is the Edela that the rest of the gang has been passing on about?" the druid smiled, as she inquisited the pathfinder.
  
  "An instrument, a makeshift musical arm. We've had the blueprints for ages now, but not the appropriate talents for it. Say, you're on good terms with the boys now. Why don't you check in with them? I'm sure a lady of your skills can sort it out for 'em."
  
  The two chuckled, as they make it back to the pathfinder's lair, of which were filled with snoring scouts. Studying their worn out faces and lax manners, Sashi felt a sense of pride and comfort in their rest. Boar turned to Sashi, tapping lightly on her shoulder with a smile, before settling down with his alcohol, to which the druid would oblige his procedures.
  
  
  
  Translation notes:
  N/A
  
• 
  
  
  
  
  The young Tsarina found herself in the meadows of an unfamiliar outskirts in the Springfield season. The pollen and wild dandelions took flight in the wind, while a voice called out to her. She turned her head to a familiar visage - a man in his grey dungarees and a beige vest that overlapped his wrinkled white shirt. His squared-away brown hair and unshaven beard showed the Tsarina a sense of security and intimacy, with his cold ocean eyes harassing her amber shades of youth.
  
  "Mornin' my sleepy lady."
  
  "... mor.... ning."
  
  "What's wrong, little Tsarina? Your eyes betray you of your calm gestures."
  
  "Hanzel..."
  
  "Yes, that's me. Come now, what troubles you so much, my dear Tsarina?"
  
  The young Tsarina tucked the young man against her chest, pinning him into the grass of white and green. She fell into his arms, and laid above him, as his arms reached out and held her close against his robust chest. Sashi tears drenched his linen vest, as her clenched teeth grasped firmly onto it.
  
  "There, there, little Tsarina... I've got you. But you've got to stop biting like that. I just spent my month's pay for this sweater."
  
  "Please stay with me, Hanzel. I'm not letting you out of my sight..."
  
  "I ... always and will be with you... in this life..."
  
  "H-Hanzel...?" she lifted her gaze to the gloomy knight, whose vest had turned into hard steel, of which were laden with dirt and blood.
  
  "... or the next..."
  
  
  
  
  The man smiled, as he covered Sashi in his torn cloak of blue, dyed with ashes and blood stains. He smiled, brushing aside the flowing tears upon his Tsarina's cheeks, smearing the trails of blood across her cheek. His hand fell to his side, as he exhaled his last breath. His comatose visage was burnt into the minds of the young Tsarina, as she looked on in horror, while the fields of green had been replaced with crimson flames and pitch-black smokes. A few voices of their younger time manifested in Sashi's mind, as she laid beside the lifeless paladin.
  
  "When I grow up, I wanna be your personal bodyguard! I shall protect you from all harms, my lady!"
  
  "Your gallant aspirations inspires me, Hanzel. Pinkie promise?"
  
  "Pinkie promise! From Simeria and back, I shall be worthy and loyal to my horrid, future-Tsarina!"
  
  The playful, childish voice faded in the smothering flames and smokes.
  
  
• 
  Interacted: N/A
  
  Mentioned: Midrick
  
  
  

 

[-robert-]

Leafa

"I can keep it? Thank you so much! And don't worry one bit, I'll take care of it! I did a great job with Ko, what's going to be different?"

Very carefully, the elf raised her hand slightly and admired the creature's eyes. "Your eyes are very beautiful sir! I have a question for you... would you like to join me and Rock Lady? Don't worry, you'll also have animal friends! Ko will keep you company!"

Suddently, the mouse snapped, out of nowhere, it seemingly began to... "trust" the little girl. It moved around her arms and legs freely, as if it saw no danger in Leafa. It ended up settling on her right shoulder.

A man approached the two girls, Leafa had seen him before, but she couldn't recall from when exactly. His way of speaking was similar to Phos's way of speech, awkward but comprehensible at the same time. After greeting them, the man bent down next to the young elf, asking the name of her new companion, the small and grey mouse.

"It's name? ... hmm, I don't know. Why don't you decide it's name sir? You seem pretty nice, I'm sure you'd pick a great name!"

Sybil Kabboom

 

[Trappy]

Hearthfall Season - Nightfall
Maria
The Camp, Darkwoods​

• Reality Sequence
• Interacted / Mentioned

• 
  
  As the druid operated on the drugged warrior with her peculiar techniques, Maria decided to leave the two to their business. After going through her mind in search of anything that may require her attention, and having found none at the moment, Maria headed off to find a corner to settle for the night. From the holes recently dug around the cave's mouth, fires were made, as guardsmen settled down around them for warmth and cooked up supper. The smell of the cooking allured her, but the thought of the guardsmen tugged her heartstrings.
  
  Past the crackling fire and the hot meals being prepared, one may find the guardsmen's gloomy face as they grieved over the comrades they had lost to the fire-breathing beast, and thought about their future. Maria could relate to the men, as she herself was once infantry. She too experienced the loss of beloved comrades, and she understood the frustration of guardsmen, whose lives were cast aside so easily in face of flesh-melting flame, steel-tearing claws, and other horrors the world had in store of them and even sometimes at the hands of their own kind. The guardian had long harboured great resentment for those who abused powers to act as superior to the common men, such is why she was rough with the drugged warrior. Had it been her who was in command, the man would most likely be chained to a boulder, forced to march carrying the very boulder and flogged every five steps until the company reaches the first outpost on their route. However, the girl knew her place. It was also no coincidence that she despised Seraphs and Succubi, whose god-complexity and arrogance are off the roof. Thankfully, they were both dying breeds.
  
  The guardian settled herself among a group of senior riders around a small fire, where a couple Dream Lilies* were being cooked in an iron pot. As the lilies dissolve themselves, the boiling water started turning green, and a faint, herbal smell filled the air. As guest courtesy, Maria was offered the first portion: A piece of Soldier's Bread and a cup of Lilies soup, topped with a lightly flavoured mushroom roasted over open flame - a special serving the riders improvised with additional ingredients they stocked up on in Frontierville, which she reluctantly accepted. Supper went on quietly, with only occasional chuckles at jokes being made about the uses of different parts salvaged from the serpent's corpse. Maria was quietly eating the portion she was given in response to her empty stomach's demand, until the mage - Margot, arrived at the hole and presented her with a modifiedversion of her bardiche.
  
  The guardian admired the result of the mage's enhancement of the pole-arm. The bardiche seemingly put on a more aggressive look, wearing colour and the hard texture of the serpent's carapace, while a spear-tip was fashioned at the point with the very same material. The pole-arm resembled some halberd - bardiche hybrid, but what Maria thought mattered was its ability to cut through the hard hides of beasts, so that she could be of better help to the company in future encounters. Even the mage seemed quite satisfied with her work, who then spoke up.
  
  "My magic tells me, there is something unusual about the cave. I believe there may be a point to investigate it."
  
  The suggestion piqued Maria's interest. The guardian proceeded to apologise to the riders, and chugged down the soup, which was not at all elegant and certainly not expected of a lady, but the girl did not want Margot to have to wait.
  
  "If you think so, mage. I shall accompany you on this little expedition. If we do happen to run into something unfriendly, I shall have a chance to see the result of your work in practice." With that said, Maria hopped out of the hole with a piece of bread in her mouth. She continued. "Eager for adventure so soon? Aren't you having supper, mage?"
  
  
  Translation Notes:
  *Dream Lilies: Essentially bouillon cubes. These lilies come in dried sheets, as part of Imperial senior troops and officers' rations. They dissolve quickly and hot water, and produce a savoury, herbal soup. The taste isn't exactly set and aim for five-stars, but it's relatively filling.
  
  
• 
  Interacted: Vyseryx
  Mentioned: Midrick Pilgrim59
  

 

[Sybil]

Spessartite Phos​

"Ey there! What'r y'all up to?"
The manner of speech caught the elemental's ears, like a correct outside cog finally connecting to the already running machine to only make it work that much smoother. She gave the soldier a smile as she patted the head of the elf, who seemed to capture the attention of the aforementioned soldier now along with her new mouse friend.

"Nuthin, jus hangin round." Just as she finished answering, Leafa began to talk with the man, seemingly putting faith in him to even name her new companion. She would chalk this up to childlike wonder and trust, a rare commodity to find in anything but young children. She gave the girl's hair a light rustling before leaving the poor girl's head alone finally.
"I bet he could make a good name yeah?"

-robert- Kabboom

 

[Kabboom]

Clanus

"It's name? ... hmm, I don't know. Why don't you decide it's name sir? You seem pretty nice, I'm sure you'd pick a great name!" Clanus fumbled, as it seems the elfling has misunderstood his question somewhat. He cracked a small smile however, amused by the benign naivety of the elven girl. A child's laughter is always a good thing to hear, with the exception of hearing it when there isn't one around. She was still an Elf, sure, but Clanus never truly understood why they were hated so much. To him, it seemed they are just misunderstood friends, who just have a hard time fitting in. The Imperial commanders taught him to be ruthless to the Elves, as part of his scoutsman training, but who could ever hate this?

Nodding at the rock girl's acknowledgement, Clanus spoke. "Oh no, I meant like, what's yer name. But uh..." As he paused for a while, his brows furrowed as he thought about a name for the little rodent. Somehow, the word 'pipsqueak' had come up, and he figured that was a good name for squeaky little mouse. Although the 'squeak' part does sound a bit... insulting, somehow. "...would Pip sound good? Sorry, but I ain't that good wit' names an' all." Clanus gave the answer.

​

Jericho

Seeing the succubus transform in front of him was... worrying, at the very least. Memories of his previous succubus experiences flash by, their spine-chilling howls of death as they plunge into battle, their rending claws and fangs painting red across the canvas of the night, with the spilled blood of Audaton's comrades staining his mind until now. His Halberd standing upright, ready to swing at a moment's notice, should Taryn turn on him, like almost every other succubus he'd known. He relaxed, however, as the girl soon smiled with a joke.

Staying quiet for a while, he then finished up. "Well then. I guess that's that." and then begun to walk out. His hand lifting the veil of the tent, he turned back once more. "You're off the hook, but do try to participate more. We'd appreciate it." And without another word, he walked outside. The guardsmen shot him strange looks, peering in through the fabric in a curious manner. In response, he utilized a nifty trick, to simply bypass all the boring retelling of stories, with utilization of Experience Drip. One by one, the guardsmen relax their facial muscles, as they nod and continue on with their tasks.

'Well, that's done with. What next?' Jericho thought to himself as he eyed the camp. Out of the whole crowd of people all over the place, he somehow spotted Maria. His feet carrying him to her, he pondered on what next is going to happen. Seeing as the ex-general was now conversing with the mage, things are going to get interesting soon.

QizPizza Trappy Vyseryx

 

[Soviet Panda]

Buras had found a barrel of water that he was more than willing to use to wash the gore off him with. He was surprised no one else was lining up. He doubted anyone wanted to sleep covered in blood, let alone blood that wasn't their own. Luckily for him, the worst of it was on his arms, with only a few specks having gotten onto his chest and face. And what's more, since the blood didn't have much time to dry, it came off rather easily. Of course, the small drops had already hardened, but it was nothing a fingernail couldn't get rid of. And as he washed, he had time to think.

He could fight, and he could fight well. That had been proven many times over already. But Inuin were not meant to fight without a partner. He had managed by including others, but they did not know what he was doing and made things more complicated. He could only make do for so long, and it would seem that he was reaching his limit. But who here would be best suited for becoming his battle partner? He would have to have a look. He had seen some promise in a couple, but he needed to make sure.

 

[Midrick]

After being lulled back into an uneasy sleep in the medical tent he remembered his time in the reaper company back when he was younger but brushed it aside and decided to get some real sleep.

Three years ago: "Well, another job done, and more money for us." Arcturus Claymont said as he walked over to the new guy, his name was Pat, at least that's what Arcturus thought, he had seen so many come and go. But this kid had some promise, he fought like one of the elite formations but had never been in a standing army. He was removing a savage looking axe from the back of one of the elves that the reapers had been hired to kill after they had raided a couple of villages. "Hey, you swing that thing pretty good. Where you learn?" He looked over his shoulder and went back to removing the implement. "I learned on my own." He said in a curt tone, Arcturus had now found a new pastime, trying to learn about this guy's past. Back when they first accepted him, they put him through a training, excelled in all weapons, but showed an affinity for Heavy axes and flails despite his lack of formal training. Arcturus shrugged and sat down on a pile of rocks. He was perplexed, Pat had taken out a good amount of elves by himself, and that was no easy feat. "So, how did you like your first taste of the job?" Arcturus had now internally made a note to pay special attention to this guy, he was a gold waiting to be mined, and Arcturus would be damped before he let this amount of money slip through his fingers. "It doesn't matter to me." He said "As long as I get to kill these bastards and get paid." He spat on one of the corpses after he finished, so he hated elves, this could be utilized. Arcturus had plans for Pat. They would have a literal mountain of gold by the time he was finished. "Kid, I got a feeling we're gonna make lots of money, you and me." He grinned under his helmet as he said it. A few more years of this and Claymont would be a household name in the nobility of Regalia.

Present: In his drowsiness he forget to bandage his large right bicep to hide his tattoo, if anyone were to see it, it could easily get him into trouble within the group, his reputation was already called into question by some of the men and women in the group. He stayed in a dreamless, deep sleep. With his tattoo easily seen without his shirt on. For it was the mark of a reaper.



Trappy Kabboom Pilgrim59 Vyseryx

(Anyone who wants to build some character relationships)

 

[QizPizza]

Taryn the Exile

Location: The Dark Forest
Status: Frustrated Cucked
Disposition: Slightly Evil
Interacting With:
Mentioned:

"Well then. I guess that's that. You're off the hook, but do try to participate more. We'd appreciate it."

Taryn nodded and watched as Jericho got up and exited the tent. She was nervous when Jericho used his ability on the guardsmen. The Hellion received a potion of the Experience Drip, and knew that the man had gave his soldiers the story. The more people that knew about her, the harder her life was going to be. Later on, Taryn would have to reenchant her armor to ensure that she will not be recognized later on. It was all a hassle, at least they would trust her in a bit more. Perhaps enough for her to be able to work with everyone else and achieve her goal.

After a few moments, the Hellion fully restored the illusion spell so that she would appear more or less human once again. She stepped out of the tent to a slightly less chaotic scene that what was there before she entered. The fires were almost all put out and the injured were tended to. The faint smell of smoke still lingered and stung her eyes. It wasn't pleasant, even for a demon, but it was bearable. With little else to do, Taryn retreated to the tent she constructed, and to Audun.

The Nephilim was sitting on a rock outside of the measly tent with his armor off and polishing rag in hand. He was scrubbing away the grime, ashes and blood from the steel until it shined again. He was trying to be the shining paladin he was fooling himself to be. An illusion like Taryn's own armor, but instead of deceiving others, the paladin's plate was for deceiving himself. Maybe that's why she was attracted to the fallen angel. A sense of pity for the man that cannot see himself as he really is. That, and other...things. The Hellion wondered if Audun was back to his normal state of mind. "Hey, angel boy, you up for more?"

"Not in the mood, Taryn."

"No demeaning names, no demand for me to get into bed immediately, no move to get on top of me? Are you alright?"

Audun signed and threw his rag down. He looked at Taryn with eyes clouded with darkness. "No. And you are the only one I will ever say that too. I have to be a shining paragon of truth and justice. Anything less, and I won't be able to earn my way back to Oasis."

"Audun...you aren't going to get back to Oasis. It's just like how I'm not going back to Styx." Taryn softened her tone. This was a sensitive topic for the Nephilim.

"No. I am going to get back to Oasis. It's not that you can't go back, you won't You may have been banished from your home like me, but unlike you, it was for a good cause."

"A good cause? You tapped into..."

"I wasn't the one who tried to overthrow an entire society for the sake of power!"

Taryn stepped past the line. But it was too late for either one of them back down. Her blood was boiling and his was coursing with the Darkness. "A little society is nothing compared to tapping into the Darkness! The Seraphs and the Succubi could screw off for all I care. Your intentions were kind at best, but what the hell were thinking when you choose the thing that wants to destroy all Lightborn!"

Audun had no reply, only anger. It didn't take someone with the Dark grafted into them to feel the anger emanating from the Seraph. His veins were now jet black, and his eyes were clouded. It was these moments that Taryn was almost scared of Audun. He was unpredictable with the Dark, and Taryn regretted pushing him to this point. It was dumb. It was childish. But she wanted the last word when she should've just dropped it. It was bad time, place and topic all together. One of the rare, rare opportunities where Taryn actually felt genuinely sorry. "Fu...sorry, Audun. I...didn't mean to...bring..."

Audun suddenly slapped Taryn. The force of the strike sent the Hellion staggering, almost to the point where she fell over. She deserved it, but it still hurt like heck. It was enough to break the illusion that her armor granted. The talons, wings, and pale skin came back. All of that, along with her cut horns, yellow eyes and fangs came back. She was alarmed at the very least and retreated into the tent. The Hellion was scared, though not of what Audun would do. Audun would never kill her. Taryn was afraid of her demonic form being exposed for all to see. There weren't any particularly logical reasons for why she was afraid of such, only that she was afraid of the prospect. An irrational fear so to speak.

Seeing his partner terrified, Audun relented and the Darkness subsided. "Taryn? I apologize..."

"No. I'm sorry. I apologized first. Don't you take that away from me."

Audun managed a meager laugh. "Still as childish as ever. You're going to pay for bringing that topic up again."

Taryn was relieved that Audun had calmed down. Well, not entirely. His veins were still black, at least his eyes were no longer clouded. He had still anger to release, so it only meant that tonight was going to a rough one. Taryn batted her eyelashes and let her dress reveal more of her skin as she purred, "What do you want me to pay you back in?"

The fallen angel crawled up close to Taryn. He was close enough for the Hellion to feel his breath on her neck. She had half a mind to enjoy tonight, but to her surprise, Audun did not react in his typical fashion. Instead, he reached behind Taryn's back and pulled Daemos right out from the dress strap where she held it. "Wha...?"

"I'm borrowing this for the while. I'll give it back to you later if I remember. You can spend the rest of the night by yourself."

"Aren't you going to...? Are you just going to...?"

"I'm not going to give in to my desires. You are a distraction right now, so I'm going to spend the night alone. Feel free to use my lance in the meanwhile."

Audun left Taryn with a peck on the cheek and went outside to find a nice tree to sleep on. Perhaps the cave would make a nice place to stay the night. Taryn would spend the night alone and without her primary weapon.

 

[Unwavering Knight]

Pryonn & Kaatl

Having fulfilled his reasonably-scheduled courtship of Lady Terra for the hour, the knight found himself aimlessly strolling about camp, fairy on his shoulder with hand underneath her chin and one finger rythmically tapping her lower lip in thought. Culling the beast was an adequate group-activity, and he had hoped that the inevitable process of looting would go by without too much trouble, but then the peculiar Seraph and Hellion had injected themselves into the matter. Though the conflict was done away with quickly enough thanks to some diplomacy, the knight was left wondering just how aware these attendants of their Quest were of the risks their task posed.

Theirs was not a venture that warranted profitability.

They were walking into the night as lone lights. Longevity should not be considered, all that mattered was to shine as bright as allowed by one's stalwart might.

Buried in his meandering strolling as he was, the knight still picked up some shreds of conversation here and there, and one in particular made him halt and turn towards the source. The Lady-Mage, Margot, conversing with the Princess-Commander, Maria, the former speaking of a peculiarity resting in the depths of the monster-cave. Driven by the curiosity fitting for one used to entertain a gaping void, the knight redirected his path towards the converging duo.

"Something in the cave? Adventure, questing to be done?" he called over to them, announcing his approach with a carefree tone, Kaatl on his shoulder giving them a friendly wave "Ho ladies! If searching's to be done in the deepest dark and cleft, count us in, for our lance and flail have sturdy heft!"


Vyseryx Trappy

 

[Vyseryx]

Margot

Weird feeling of satisfaction filled Margot’s stomach, as Theodosiel looked at her upgraded bardiche with admiration. As Enforcer, sorceress had barely ever made anything with her magic, as her line of work revolved around spreading controlled destruction rather than creation. As it turned out, the latter was equally if not more satisfying.

“If you think so, mage. I shall accompany you on this little expedition. If we do happen to run into something unfriendly, I shall have a chance to see the result of your work in practice." Maria said, and a thought of that summoned a little smile on Margot’s face. The sorceress was pleased with how quick and decisive the other woman was – it was good to have somebody like that around. “Eager for adventure so soon? Aren't you having supper, mage?"

“Ahh…” Margot put hand over her stomach. The drain from her spellcasting was slowly fading away, but only now had she realised, that her body was in desperate need of food. “Yes, that could be a decent idea actually.”

Before she had a chance to act on it though, In the corner of her eyes the sorceress noticed Jericho coming their way. He would also possibly be willing to join, as he seemed to had formed some sort of a bond with Maria.

"Something in the cave? Adventure, questing to be done?" Another voice sounded next to Margot, and she turned her head to see a knight in shining armour next to her. "Ho ladies! If searching's to be done in the deepest dark and cleft, count us in, for our lance and flail have sturdy heft!"

A profound enthusiasm sounded in his voice, making Margot cringe a little inside. She had seen Pryonn in action before, and he seemed cable, but sorceress just couldn’t shake off the long-built impression, that the men who talked the loudest, usually amounted to least work done. She hid her emotions, though, and said calmly:

“Deepest, darkest cleft that probably won’t be, but I feel like there is something worth of our attention there. Even if it turns out just to be another monster, it would be wise to take care of it now, not when we will be retreating.” She elaborated, feeling somewhat obliged to explain her interest in the cave. She looked at Maria. “With a little bit of luck, there might also be something of worth there.”

Sorceress pointed at the camp with her staff and continued:

“We probably could use gathering few more of our capable companions for the trip. Perhaps our winged friends would like to join us well. I also need a little bit of time to finish my preparations.”

‘AKA eat something before I starve to death,’ the sorceress thought.

“So,” she looked at the people before her, to whom Jericho had probably joined. “We meet in hour before the cave’s entrance?”

Unwavering Knight Kabboom Trappy

 

[-robert-]

Leafa

Pip. Short and sweet. Leafa liked it. And seemingly, the mouse, now named Pip, liked the name as well. It started to waggle it's tail. Due to the awkward speech of the man, the elf misunderstood his question, but after realizing her mistake, she planned on answering the original question.

"Pip, I like it! It's decided! How about you Rock Lady? Do you like it too? Oh and my name is Leafa! And your that man who hangs out with Pigtails aren't you? Are you like, best friends?"

The man was obviously very well mannered and respectful toward other individuals, sometimes he would show signs of insecurity and shyness, but wasn't a total introvert. Nevertheless, she was happy to befriend him. The more the merrier, Phos was an incredible friend and person, but it was always refreshing to have someone new to talk to. ... ... ... Memories of Sulevi came to mind, but they withered away as quick as they came.

Kabboom Sybil

 

[Kabboom]

Jericho

As he walked, Jericho looked around at the men he passed by. Some of the guardsmen give him a half-hearted salute, or a drowsy acknowledgement, while the rest simply either ignored him or have already gone to sleep. Some slept with their heads on wooden boxes carrying medical supplies or food, while others were playing a game of cards, using a stack of shields as the table. The cavalrymen seem drowsy enough, and have voluntarily taken up patrol duty, much to the relief of the infantrymen. Half the riders go to sleep or to banter with the guardsmen, while the other mount their drowsy horses and lightly gallop around the perimeter, making sure to stay within the circle of protective stones. With no apparent origin, alcohol had been passed around, and a pair of guardsmen are forcibly dragged away from each other by a Sergeant and his Lieutenants, most likely due to a booze-inspired scuffle.

Joining the amassing group at the cave's doorstep, Jericho arrived just in time to hear the Mage's words. 'An hour, hmm?' He entertained the thought within his head. A shining knight, a Regalian ex-general and a Guardian are not very likely to wait one hour for a mage to finish dinner before going adventuring in a cave. Catching sight of Maria instead, the girl greeted him.

"You're back. So, how was the succubus? Did you find out what happened?" Maria asked, leaning her new and improved bardiche. The serpent-scale blade tilted around slightly, reflecting some moonlight into Audaton's eye, making him wince slightly.

"Yup." He answered shortly, using just enough Experience Drip for only Maria to sense it. He made the mistake of using it without restraint with the guardsmen, and that might not work well after all, so this time, only she needs to hear of the incident. Her eyes glance off in one direction suddenly, before returning back to him, but that was enough to pique Jericho's attention. Turning around, he caught sight of a lightly dozing off Pat, with a Reaper tattoo.

Reaper Company. Jericho should've known, with how the warrior acted and fought. They were the biggest mercenary group around in the Empire, doing all sorts of jobs, from Elf control to political eliminations, he's heard. Jericho himself has had a few experiences with this blasted mercenary band, back when he still had a Team. Stupid boys with issues, running around killing defenseless things as an excuse for their own weakness, was all Jericho ever thought of them. And plus, the Dark emotions they usually harbor or generate make them the absolute worst partners around, save for a Darklight, perhaps.

"Now I'm gonna go ask the guy." Taking quick action, Jericho parted from Maria and made his way to the man. Trying his best to stand conveniently in the way of any potential onlookers, Audaton poked the man on the arm, noticing his wounds. "I recommend you hide your tattoo better. Alot of the folks don't like having a Reaper among them, so unless you don't fancy keeping your head, wrap those bandages up tighter." He whispered in a low voice, as he was rather serious about this. Clearing his throat, he spoke in a more natural tone. "So, care to explain why exactly you went crazy in the med tent?"

​

"Oh, well, not best friends but uh..." the scoutsman scratched the back of his head as the Elfling, now Leafa, shot him a question about 'Pig-tails', which he presumed to be Jericho. It was quite astonishing to him, peering into the mind of a naive Elven child. She didn't think of him, or the Guardian leader, as Imperials, or even soldiers, opting instead for simple characteristics as nicknames. A small smile snuck onto his cheeks, fond memories of childhood innocence flooding his mind for a short while. "...we take care a' each other. Me name's Clanus."

-robert- Vyseryx Unwavering Knight Midrick Trappy Sybil