Fantasy Hunter’s Inn || Holes

[Genii]

Percival took a steadying breath in an out before racing after Ramirez. The heat coming off the glowing monster was stifling, but he didn’t waste any time as he got closer and carefully stabbed at the creature’s softer side.

Ramirez’s sword appeared to be doing the most damage, as massive as it was.

The Shaelmaar continued to thrash and shriek. The noises echoed through the creature’s tunnels and out of the holes to the landscape up above, possibly concerning some of the locals.

 

[Lost Echo]

Meg only had a few moments to realize, huh it worked, before the dragon breathed fire! Even expecting it, the gush of flame made her scream, drop to the ground and curl in on herself. She couldn’t hear anything over the squealing of the rock, so she forced herself to uncover her head and look toward the monster. Both Ramirez and Percival seemed to be unharmed. The mud on Percival’s armor hadn’t fully dried out, though it did as he neared the boulder, intent on stabbing it. The noise it made was awful, causing Meg to cover her ears again, pinning the soft flesh to the sides of her head. Tears poured down her face and she couldn’t tell if it was because of the pain in her ears or how long it was taking for the monster to die. Its suffering was hard to take.

 

[Genii]

It was bit of a bodge job all round, but finally the party’s combined efforts paid off. The beast faltered and gargled out it’s last bloody growl.

The Shaelmaar was dead.

Percival, slightly deaf and full of adrenaline, panted from the effort as he continued to whack and poke the poor beast.

 

[Gwenymoo]

Ramirez rested a hand on Percy's shoulder. "its done lad... you can stop now."

 

[Genii]

A startled Percival almost turned his sword on Ramirez. “It is? … we did it?” Percival lowered his weapon and backed up a few steps before sitting down. He was about the size of one of the Shaelmaar’s rocky back legs.

“That was exhausting.” The muddy teen needed a minute. “Are all the quests as tough as this?”

 

[Gwenymoo]

"Sorry ta say but thats a pretty everyday sorta hunt. Be glad there wasnt more of them." Ramirez Hefted the creature's carcus over his shoulders and gazed up the the sky above em. "Mind helping us out Ivan?"

DualDragons

 

[Lost Echo]

The shrieking stopped first, but the slick pounding kept going. Meg started to rock, hugging her knees, in time with the hits. The rocking continued for a few beats after the silence, before Meg forced herself to stand. It was just like that time she’d been caught in that alley, but had to pretend to be normal at the tavern. This had to be easier than that. Listening to Ramirez’s lack of comfort for Percival, she couldn’t help but murmur, “I’m definitely learning more before going out again.” She had no idea which mage could teach her, but she was definitely going to find one. She watched Ramirez actually lift the monster over his shoulder and couldn’t help but gape, How was he so strong? More importantly, “Why?” It was enough to distract her from his last question, and more importantly its recipient.

 

[Genii]

“More of them?” Percival pushed himself back to his feet, afraid there might be more, but surely if there were they would have come rolling to join the fight.

“Are you alright Meg?” He asked as the woman quietly muttered something. “Did… you…” The teen completely lost his train of thought as Ramirez popped the deceased Shaelmaar on his shoulder.

 

[Gwenymoo]

The hunter looked back at the staring duo and coughed. "I uhh work out a lot." He explained poorly. His expression softened as he trudged over, "ya'll did good for ya first quest, no one is badly hurt or dead, ya all worked well together too. When we get back yall can have a nice soak in the baths and get a quick check up at the clinic.....and maybe tell the boss this matter was a tad more serious... cos.. I doubt this one beastie did all of this..."

 

[Genii]

Percival had a hard time believing Ramirez’s strength was just down to exercise, but if people could turn into wyverns he supposed anything was possible.

“Those tunnels must lead back to the Wild Lands…” Percy pondered, facing northwards. “I suppose King Baylin didn’t account for things going under his wall…”

In truth, the wards placed upon Baylin’s Wall would have prevented anything from passing both over and under it, but those magics had long since faded.

 

[Lost Echo]

Work out a lot. That was probably as big as cook’s stove. She was almost distracted by the baths--which he made sound like a pleaant thing, not just necessary. Most baths she took didn’t have enough water to cover her knees, let alone soak. And the water turned cold fast.

But then he mentioned there were likely more. “That thing was focused on the noise we made--surely it made enough to call its fellows.” She shivered for a moment, then remembered to pull the water out of her clothes again. “Are you saying more’ll come now?”

Percival pondered on their origins, and she had to agree, there was nowhere else they could have come from. “But why come now? Giles has been planting turnips forever."

 

[Genii]

Percival pulled his eyes away from the black burrows. He turned to go and make a start on climbing back up the rope, but something crunched under his foot. He crouched and squinted trying to get a better look at what he’d trodden on.

“I er… don’t think it was eating turnips…” The teen said as he stood back up with skull in his hands.

 

[Lost Echo]

Meg paled and stumbled backward into a wall. Pressing her hand against the dirt, she breathed out, “Is that a human?” Maybe it was beastfolk. Though it didn’t seem like it cared when attacking them. “We’ll have to ask Giles who’s missing. And how many? Maybe it’s old?” Though why the miners would have left them in a cleared tunnel made now sense. She pulled her hands away from the wall, wrapping them around herself for a moment, before straightening again. “But that doesn’t answer my question of why now. This isn’t like rats and mice coming in every winter. This is new, so what made them come?” She turned to look back down the endless darkness of the tunnel. “Or what made them leave?”

 

[Genii]

“I think so?” He’d seen a human skull before because Soren had one in his study back home. Percival placed the skull back down where he found it, feeling sorry for the poor soul that met their end down here.

“… we should head back… tell Mr Giles what we found down here, and talk to the Guild Master about the tunnels. She’ll know what to do.” Percy suggested.

“It’ll be alright Meg.” He reassured. “… so… how do we get Ivan to change back?”

DualDragons

 

[DualDragons]

After the dust had settled and the battle was over, the wyvern was once again consumed in a purple energy. He began to shrink until Ivan had returned to his human form again.
"It's over...hatchoo!" He sneezes from the dust.

 

[Gwenymoo]

"aww was hoping ya give us a lift out Ivan" Ramirez poted playfully, "climbing it is then." He got to work climbing back up the rope and setting the beast to one side. "all yall grab on n i'll pull ya all up!" he shouted back down

 

[Genii]

Percival watched in awe, mouth agape, as Ivan transformed back into his human-ish self. "How does he do that?"

The teen walked after Ramirez to the rope that led back to the surface. He shielded his eyes from the light that streamed down from above as he watched the Veteran climb.

When Ramirez called down to them to hold onto the rope, Percy moved aside for Meg, because Ladies first after all. He picked up the slack at the back and waited for the others to grab hold.

Topside, Samira was uneasy and fidgety after hearing all the horrendous noises earlier, but Thunder was doing a great job of looking after the show pony.

 

[Lost Echo]

Meg stepped back behind Ramirez, away from the purple glow. It hurt her eyes to see, the sparkles causing spots in her vision. All magic seemed to be visible to the halfbreed: there was just a glint for a quick trick or spell, but the more powerful the magic, the brighter it seemed. And turning back from a wyvern took a lot of magic, even if it was easy for Ivan to do. How she missed it¹, she couldn’t tell. The entire fight was a blur of panic to her.

Looking down at her shaking hands, she squeezed them into fists. Keep it together. She turned around, taking a moment to search for her staff. It was readily visible, broken in half, with one end stuck into the dirt at an angle. With a sigh, because of course it was, she stepped closer, picking up the loose piece. Trying and failing to wiggle the other, she opened her waterskin, threading a thin stream around the wood. After a few careful tugs, the piece came free, allowing her to return to the group, where Ramirez was teasing--hopefully teasing, she had enough monsters for today--Ivan.

Tucking the pieces into her tied apron as she'd done on the way down, she stepped in front of Percival and wrapped her hands tightly around the rope, making sure the one in leather was against the scratchy surface. A part of her doubted the veteran could pull them up, but the reminder of the ease he hefted the boulder kept her from speaking up.

1. Easy, I'd forgotten I'd given her mage sight.

 

[Gwenymoo]

One all three where on the rope he started to gather it up, slowly pulling the trio up foot by foot till they got to the top of the hole. "I'll go inform the farmer of the situation then we can head back and get cleaned up. Have a word with the boss too... I think sumit bigger is a foot ey."

 

[Genii]

“Thank you Ramirez.” Percival said once they’d made it back to the surface. Whilst the Veteran went to call on Giles, Percy ran over to check on Samira and Thunder.

It took a while for the farmer to answer the door, and when he did so it took him a moment longer to remember who the muddy strangers were.

“Ah, ‘unters… any luck?” The elderly man asked, completely missing the giant rock beast that Ramirez had placed by the hole.

 

[Lost Echo]

Meg didn't think she'd seen anything more beautiful than the sky. It was huge, even more than at home. The forest loomed in the west(?) but in every other direction, it felt like she could see forever. "Is there a way to request no more underground missions?" She tried to joke, uncapping her waterskin once more, then reaching into her belt. She gasped, patting around her layers, but it was gone. Biting her lip, she tried to keep it together. But it had been so nice of him to give it to her, and she'd lost it.

 

[Genii]

“-or quests involving mud.” Percival added as he joined Meg. He watched her patting herself down as if searching for something.

“Everything alright? Did you lose something?” He asked. Hopefully they didn’t need to jump back into the hole to find whatever Meg may have lost.

 

[Lost Echo]

Her lip trembled, before she swallowed, turning to look at Percival. “I lost his handkerchief.” She attempted a smile, “It was so nice of him to give it to me. But I lost it.” Meg looked down at her hands, “I’d never gotten one before.” Shaking her head, with a heavy breath, she nodded toward Ramirez, “We should ca-catch up.” Her eyes were still a bit watery and her voice caught before she could stop it.

 

[Genii]

“It’s ok. Don’t worry. Ramirez seems the friendly sort, I’m sure he won’t be cross.” Percival smiled, attempting to cheer Meg up.

“Here, I have another...” The teen searched through his pockets and pulled out a very fine cotton handkerchief which had surprisingly survived the mud fest. It was neatly folded and had a stag crest embroidered in one corner. “Please take it.”

 

[Gwenymoo]

Ra.irez had finished talking to the farmer and had picked up the beast to strap it onto Thunder's back. "Heya gang looking forawrd to the nice bath" he grinned... "hey why the long faces?"