Fantasy Hunter's Moon: The Sin & Sentence [IC] [CLOSED]

[Viper Actual]

"Seriphine, what are you doing!?"

Slowly, Seriphine turned to look at Loque. "This is a personal matter. Fear not Loque, you need not to get involved."

In response there was a very sarcastic laughter which echoed across the water. Looking back at the workers one of them had stopped whatever it was he had been previously doing and was now facing Seriphine directly, though still at a great distance.

"The mighty Huntmastress of Clan Ironwind. Here? Allied with demons and low-lifes?" Faelnir spat on the ground and uttered a curse in his and Seriphine's ancient Elvish.

Seriphine pulled out her swords. "The ever-wise Faelnir, condemned to an eternity of servitude for your sins." By now Seriphine looked as if she was ready to pounce.

"I did not know of your betrayal right away, Faelnir. In fact I thought my host to be searching for me as I was returned to the land of the living once more. By chance and luck I was gifted with some of my former memories and it was only then I learned of your betrayal."

Seriphine spat on the ground. "I also learned that I would encounter you sooner or later."

Faelnir raised his chin in a defiant manner and shook his head slowly. "Looks like fate has spoken then. A pity it won't serve you any good." The elf extended his arms outwards. "I am already dead, as you can see. My punishment is to live the life of a slave. A cruel irony, considering how many I forced into your army of degenerates when I was still alive."

"I can only hope that you too will be forced to endure an equal punishment for your own sins," muttered the elf before looking over at Loque.

"Are you aware that you have allied yourself with a murderer of the lowest-grade? A being so foul she should not be allowed to wander the earth?" Faelnir chuckled. "I did everyone a favor by striking you down."

Seriphine narrowed her eyes and growled.

 

[ANIMAL MOTHER]

Loque tugs at Seriphine's arm to pull her away from this man. This is no time for fighting or catching up on old business. They've got a job to do and they shouldn't be wasting time on petty personal feuds with soon-to-be hollows. "Forget him, Seriphine. Let the Abyss handle him. Trust me, he'll wish you've killed him."

 

[Viper Actual]

Faelnir chuckled even more as Loque tugged at Seriphine. "Yes Seriphine, go! Listen to the demonic abomination. Then again, you never were much for listening, were you?"

"Imagine how many years of conflict you could have saved us. Imagine how much hatred you could have spared the Queen and the descendants of our kin. Do you know what I have learned down here? Your mistakes- your selfish acts of hatred- laid down the foundation to an empire that would grow so large and powerful that it would later topple and destroy itself."

Seriphine stared at Faelnir with an absolute hatred in her eyes. Her chest was slowly heaving back and forth while her knuckles whitened by the seconds.

Faelnir shook his head. "This is what you gave us, just to make a point."

He narrowed his eyes. "You deserved what you got. I wish the Men that killed your village had taken some more time with you. Perhaps you would have become more humble."

As Faelnir's words were laid out in the open Seriphine closed her eyes. Her breathing was surprisingly calm considering what she had just been told. At the same time a lone tear was slowly descending across her right cheek until it reached her jawline where it clinged to itself for a mere second before splashing down on the armored pauldron below.

Faelnir's smile grew wider. "What? No wise remarks or inspiring words from our chosen champion? Did your newfound companions muzzle you?"

Seriphine was silent though she was slowly starting to look at Loque. "Give me a gun."

 

[Infab]

"Give me a gun."

Kassidy drew one of her pistols, then handed to her. "Here ya go." she said, almost cheerfully.

 

[SniperComZero]

Gwen dug her heels into the ground as she made her way to the gathering group. Seriphine's obviously upset, and whoever this one is obviously knows her. Still, she can't help sparing a couple glances between the two of them with a... displeased frown.

"...I don't see how building an empire is that bad of a thing." She turned her head between the other members of the group. "What's he talking about?"

 

[ANIMAL MOTHER]

"Seri, let's just go already-"

"You deserved what you got. I wish the Men that killed your village had taken some more time with you. Perhaps you would have become more humble."

Loque gasps as she twitches to look back at Faelnir with nothing but shock all over her face. It then turns into a disgusted sneer as those words ring around in her head more and more. Hearing something so low almost made her tear her mask off and leap on him, tearing his face to shreds with that prehensile mouth of hers. But she won't do that. That's Seriphine's right, not hers.

"Give me a gun."

"No."

Instead of handing over her rifle, Loque instead hands over her borrowed trench club. It's not seen any action ever since they took out the priest, but Faelnir's sickening taunt has turned this into a very special occasion worthy of bringing it out again. "Take as much time as you need on this thing." she says.

 

[Viper Actual]

Ignoring whatever questions Gwen might have Seriphine carefully returned her blades to their respective sheathes. For a couple of seconds she only stood in one place with her eyes on Faelnir and without a single word uttered.

Suddenly her head twitched and she half-clumsily grabbed hold if Kassidy's gun, cocked it, aimed it at Faelnir and pulled the trigger. Unlike Kassidy or Gwen this was no expert marksman standing behind the gun and the shot struck Faelnir right above his left knee, causing blood and bone to splatter to the ground.

Meanwhile the other workers in the back either dropped down to the ground or scurried away for cover. There was no help coming for Faelnir.

By now the male elf had fallen to one knee, dropped his tools and lost his arrogant smile. He looked up at Seriphine. No words were spoken.

Another shot.

This one tore through one of his shoulders. It was better, though still no sharpshooting.

Seriphine returned the gun to Kassidy and grabbed the trench club offered to her by Loque. It was a crude and brutal weapon.

Good.

Faelnir continued to remain silent even as Seriphine approached him. She raised the club and delivered a arcing strike from the side, audibly crushing bone and sending the wind out of him. Next up was a hard kick followed a backhand blow.

"Just kill me," said Faelnir while struggling to keep his head up.

Seriphine just looked at him before using the club's blunt handle as a battering ram, crushing Faelnir's nose and dislocating his jaw. By now he had no choice but to collapse and his wheezing breath could be heard faintly as Seriphine returned to the others.

"Let us move."

 

[Doomevil]

Senya waited for a few minutes until the shots in the distance echoed and saw Seriphine return. "Let's move to the others," She said as she caught up with Vince and the rest.

 

[Infab]

As the others turned about, moving back towards those that had stayed by the truck, Vincent remained where he was. Peering down at the battered elf struggling to breathe as he lay on the ground. He moved over and squatted next to the elf, still peering down at Faelnir. "...You place all the blame on Seriphine when you yourself could have fixed things. Instead, you played the role of the coward." She glanced back to where Seriphine had gone, before gazing back down at Faelnir once more. "You were her second in command, from what I understand. You could have convinced her to let things go. To see that there were other ways. A peace with man could have been brokered, if you had only tried. Instead, you played along. And then when the situation suited you, you stabbed her in the back like a gutless wretch and assumed control. Everything is on your head."

He continued to squat there, gazing down at the elf. "You being in the land of Envy speaks volumes, Faelnir. Don't pass your trite off as facts."

 

[ANIMAL MOTHER]

Before Loque returns to the others however, she still wants to show just what she thinks of Seriphine being insulted in that particular way. So, she walks over to Faelnir and plants a very strong kick between his legs. With that done, she walks over to Seriphine and places a hand on her shoulder to let her know she isn’t alone with what she thinks has been revealed.

“You know, half of me wanted to tear him to ribbons and eat him. The other part wishes we’d take him alive so we could bring him to Zalmakul and watch it feed on him down to the bone. But please, don’t dwell on that disgusting thing’s words. You’re better than him. Better enough that you were given a second chance to make things right, something he’ll never get. Don’t ever forget that you still have good in you and you’ll never make his slander true, ok?”

 

[Infab]

It wasn't long after that there was another gunshot. A rifle shot this time. Vincent had planted a bullet into Faelnir's head. Effectively killing the elf where he lay. Vincent stood afterwards, moving back over to where the others had gathered. "Let's go back to the boat." he said, before looking to Seriphine. "There's a reason he's here of all places in the Abyss. Don't let what he said eat at you. You're a better person now than you were before."

 

[Emperor Sagan]

Inari eyed the dark waters dubiously as they dismounted, Seriphine running off to meet with some slaves nearby. She didn't like large bodies of water. Not after the things she had done to offend the water spirits. They had it out for her up in the real world, and there was no telling what they were capable of done here. The water was already devious and evil in the way it clung to mortal flesh.

The first gunshot caught her attention and she glanced over to the small group confronting some slave elf. Seriphine was beating them up pretty well. Inari placed one hand over her eyes as she watched from afar. "Shit, I not know there is party," she said, watching with some interest until people began to filter back. Vincent had finished off the elf in one shot after the brief, violent episode that had occurred, almost seemingly at random. Seriphine had taken off like a hound that smelled blood.

She didn't much like hounds, either.

 

[Damian0358]

Though his pupils were dilated no more, Takato remained consumed in thought since their encounter with the natural shadow demons. Though following the encounter his mind was set in trying to figure out answers in relation to them, soon enough his mind wandered back to where he didn't want it to be, speculating on the things he wished to ask Tariun. It was in those moments that that one potential factor once more began to rear its head... that of family. As per the ethics he had been taught, he maintained filial piety towards his parents, his elders, and his ancestors. Such was what eventually led him to meet his master, and would even contribute the "Taka" (孝) in his name. However, despite the cosmic nature of this value, there was but one aspect that impedes him, though others may see it as a benefit; he knew not his family. Of course, one's own family was less important than the family of all beings, and one's own ancestors could become obstacles to one's hermitdom and attainment of immortality. However, care for the parents in this life and those of future generations was deemed as karmic good. So he continued the practices taught to him, and yet, he knew them not. Could this failure have been another reason?

His thoughts dissipated as the truck sputtered to a stop. As he got out of the truck, he looked over the stretch of water. Were this a solo affair, he could probably make way through flight, but there were likely things which could hamper that idea, such as whatever might be lurking within the waters. He made his way over to the large rowboat, as he overheard sprinting and commotion from the others. Getting closer to the boat, he decided to look back, as to see what was going on. The affair with Seriphine brought a frown to the hermit's face, especially given that the elves are surely going through a lot right now.

 

[Viper Actual]

As Loque delivered her kick and Vincent spoke his mind Faelnir did nothing but stare at the two from his bloodied eyes. No words escaped his mouth as blood continued to pour out of his injuries.

When Vincent shot him his wheezing breath was replaced with a sigh-like sound as he collapsed.

Seriphine offered Faelnir's distant corpse one final glance before looking at Loque, Kassidy and Vincent. "Thank you."

"I will not waste any time on his words. I know better. Some of his words were not false however- I was indeed a monster back then."

She sighed and looked out to the water. "My only path to redemption is the task that has been placed before us. I can only hope it is enough."

 

[joshuadim]

Somewhere in the Land of Wrath

"Are you certain of what you saw?" Azathor asked with caution as he questioned one of his subordinates, who was bloodied and exhausted from what seemed to be a chaotic fight. "Yes! I swear it! I saw the Icon of Vainglory move with his son and his elite soldiers, they slaughtered our forward base in Pride! I barely made it out with my own life..." the demon spoke in fear, shaking in place where he stood. Azathor remained quiet as his lieutenant, Corpo, strode back and force in the war tent, muttering to himself as he paced himself rather quickly. "This is bad... very bad." he stated aloud as he rubbed his head with anxiety, "They're moving in on us, we need to act quickly sire."

"Indeed. It will be only a matter of time before they successfully track down our base here, we need to evacuate quickly and move to a new location." Azathor then spoke, facing towards Corpo with a grim look. "But sire, if we move now we won't be in a position to effectively disrupt the warfront! And without that ease of access, it will be much harder to aid-"

"I understand the consequences of such an action, Corpo. But I will not risk our entire movement and everything we've worked for." Azathor replied, cutting off his lieutenant before he could finish his sentence. It was then that another demon, a scout, entered the war tent and saluted Azathor. "Sire, I bring news from the warfront." she spoke, delivering a scroll of parchment to her commander, who unfurled it and read its contents. As his read down the paper's text, Azathor's eyes narrowed in concern upon what had been written and shook his head. "What impeccable timing." he muttered, "Elementals are being moved to the front."

The news caused Corpo's eyes to go wide in shock as he put a hand atop his head. The scout and the battered soldier inside the tent looked at each other nervously as well as Azathor quietly pondered the bad news. "As I said before, we're evacuating. And I want all our outposts in other regions to be on high alert."

"Where are we to go, sire?" Corpo asked with apprehension, but Azathor did not have an answer at the moment.

 

[Infab]

The group soon returned to the boat, loading their equipment and other valuables in before pushing it down the sandy beach to the waters. As they had been told before, the water felt like a thick sludge for those that stepped into it. Save for Kassidy and Loque, which appeared to just be regular water. Once in the water, the group climbed in and were soon on their way. Rowing out away from the shore and across the lake towards the center isle.

---
​

Elsewhere, three hours later...

Azgon's Palace
Abaddon
The Land of Wrath


"Well, this one's dry. Go get another. I'll make sure the chains are nice and tight." said the demon, glancing back to his fellow guard as he tossed the large pitcher wooden pitcher aside. "How much blood does this fucking pureblood need?" muttered the other guard, turning about. "She needs a lot to fully heal. And Lord Azgon prefers her at her best." responded the first demon, tugging on the chains which were wrapped around Cassandra's legs.

The second guard mumbled a bit more, before departing from the dimly lit room. Leaving the pair alone. "...You seem to be losing that edge you had before." muttered the demon, glancing to Cassandra's face as he checked the chains on her left arm. He tugged on them a few times, which gently shook Cassandra as she continued to face the floor. Her hair was matted and in her face, so it was difficult to see if she was even paying attention. When she didn't answer, the demon stepped before her. "Now you don't even have any snappy comebacks. Not even an insult to toss at me." he said, looking her over.

She was practically naked yet again, her clothing destroyed during the numerous times that Azgon had ripped her apart and destroyed her. Her hair was a mess, and she was covered in splotches of blood and wounds that were healing rapidly thanks to the blood they had been feeding her. "...I bet you wouldn't even struggle if I decided to have my way with you." he said, a twisted grin forming on his face as he stepped closer to her, pushing her head back with his rough hand.

​

And that's when he noticed she was fully alert and awake, eyes blood red and locked onto him. He hesitated...but that's all she needed. Her right arm came loose from its chains, as they shattered from the extreme jerk she gave them. As his head snapped about to look towards her arm, his gaze met her incoming knife-like hand. Which pierced through his face and head, and exploded out the back. His body went limp almost immediately, and she gave her arm another jerk which ripped the demon's head clean from its shoulders. Slinging it off her arm and across the room as his body dropped to the floor. She gazed down at his body for only a moment, speaking one word. "Pathetic."

The other guard came back a few moments later, carrying two jugs of blood. "Got two more. The rest we'll have to get fro--" he managed to get out, before he saw his fellow guard's corpse on the floor. And Cassandra now stepping over him. Free from her shackles. He went to yell out, but only gurgles flowed forth. Cassandra had darted across the room, and sank her fangs deep into the demon's throat. She clamped down before jerking her head back, ripping out most of the demon's neck. "Not. A. Peep. Demon." she said, catching the two jugs he had brought as he dropped them to clutch at his throat wound.

As he fell over and bled out, she ravenously consumed the blood from both jugs before slinging them down. She brushed her hair back, leaving streaks of blood across her head and hair. "Finally, a decent meal." she said, with a hint of a chuckle. She then glanced back down at the demon's corpse. On his hip was a blade, made of a hellish looking material. It resembled a messer, oddly. Her expression changed to one of surprise, when she reached down and picked it off the demon's body. "Excellent." she said, a smile forming on her face. "Now I just need...clothes." she said to herself, looking down. Most of the demons she had seen were wearing clothes far too large for her. She'd have to hunt down and kill a nicely dressed hollow.

She glanced back over to the headless corpse near where she had been chained up, gazing at it for a few moments before shaking her head. She had wanted to skin him for a new coat but... "Nonono...you just won't do! Not enough flesh on that little carcass of yours...I'll skin one of your friends later."

​

And then she heard noises above, up the stone steps leading out of the dark hole they had put her in inside the dungeon. Likely coming to check on their friends. "Well, time to go slaughter some more. Then I'll make my grand exit from this despicable place...then try and find a way out of the Abyss." She then thought for a moment. "Or...perhaps I should find dear Jakob and his friends. Maybe tag along and leave when they do." Eventually she shrugged. "But one thing at a time, Cassandra!" she said, nodding to herself before turning her attention to the stairs. And with a blur, she darted up them.

Moments later, roars, screams, and violently bloody deaths began to fill the halls of the dungeon...and then the palace itself.

---
​

Back in the Land of Envy, on the central Isle of Zalmakul...


The island was fairly large, featuring a massive mountain at its heart and several sharp rocks jutting out of the waters near the shore. It seemed that the island moved quite often, and it had disrupted the stone and rocks that the island sat atop of. The mountain seemed to be a volcano, a plume of black smoke wavering up into the dull grey overcast sky. There was another plume of smoke, however, that caught the group in the boat's eye. It was on the shore, and as they grew closer to the island, they noticed a burning wreckage and the corpses of several demons.

Vincent looked to the others, before drawing out his binoculars to get a better look. And what he saw through the binoculars confirmed his fears. "...The field gun has been destroyed." he muttered, handing the binoculars around so that the others could see as the boat grew closer to the shore.

 

[SniperComZero]

Gwen took a look through the binoculars, her lips covering the fact that her teeth were gritted together. Once she'd passed it on, she began clapping, building an increasing tempo and exasperation to it. "Goodie good goodie good good. I guess we're going to have to go hunting through the woods for this thing. I--... at least it'll be... interesting?" Gwen struggled to find the positives in their current situation. "...At least it's better than fishing, which I thought we'd be doing."

The elf's elbow leaned, as did much of her torso, against the boat's rim, a dour look on her face. Though, one that seemed to gradually give way to one of deep concentration. "...Wait. That-- uh, whatever it is. It's burning, right? And the corpses from what I saw seemed... intact. Ish. Hmn. If this thing were some big, dumb, lumbering ape thing, like notre ami." She briefly cut a look towards Henderson. "...then we wouldn't have seen any smoke, it'd just be a metal pancake with giblets around it-- after all, I don't know what business it'd have igniting it. Either this thing's smarter than we-- or perhaps just I, give it credit for. Or, we're not alone..." Sigh. "...Part of me hopes it's the first one, but the other figures that it's the second."

 

[Doomevil]

Senya observed the Isle of Zalmakul, thinking about what might happen during their time there. If they needed a field gun to tear this monster down, she couldn't imagine how much of a giant it was. When it was clear Vincent mentioned the field gun being destroyed, their plans changed significantly. She grabbed the binoculars and stared at the wreckage, her mouth frowned at this. She passed it to someone else and heard Gwen's comments.

"We don't know what the beast is capable of so far. The best thing we can hope for is to find out what is Zalmakul in the island and how we can defeat it without the field gun." Senya stated, remaining hopeful despite the wreckage. Though she had to admit, their options were limited. "I know we've all went through a lot for the past few days, but we can get through this. We will kill Zalmakul." She turned to her rest, making sure they were ready for their next challenge. May the Dragon Gods give them strength.

 

[KRIY]

When it was his time to look in the binoculars, The masked ninja merely lets out a sigh, staying with his stone cold tone as ever, saying his words under his breath, "..We always have to do things like this the hard way huh?..." Before clearing his throat and speaking in some formal tone, "Well... Evidently, we would need a change of tactics if this beast is more than we can imagine. Although, we can't say for certain since we haven't seen what this.. "Zalmakul" can actually do." He then passed the binoculars to one sitting next to him, "Your thoughts, Vincent?" His head motions towards him.

 

[Breadman]

Henderson grabbed the binoculars as they were passed to him with one hand. He got a good look at the remains of the gun and the corpses strewn about. As Gwen began to ramble he noticed a change in the air. It was hard for him to pinpoint it what it was at this range, but as the boat got closer he could feel it. It wasn't good. Passing them along to the next person he spoke.

"Nothing here works as we know it as above. We know this from the moment we stepped foot here. The beast being able to do that, I wouldn't be surprised, but why leave the corpses intact?"

 

[ANIMAL MOTHER]

“The beast being able to do that, I wouldn't be surprised, but why leave the corpses intact?"

“Because it didn’t do it.” responds Loque. “Zalmakul would never leave ‘delicious morsels full of blood’ around. Someone or something else was here.”

She checks the amount of bullets she has in her rifle as she raises it up to her eye, and begins looking around just in case whatever did this is still lurking around.

“...I hope to the gods it wasn’t Taranoch.”

 

[Damian0358]

After getting his turn on the binoculars, Takato wasn't sure what to think, aside from the fact that now he won't be finding out what a field gun exactly is and looks like. Listening to the others, an idea popped to mind.

"...perhaps scouting ahead through flight would be a good idea?" he proposed, "If there is something or someone, I could look ahead and find it from a safe distance."

 

[Infab]

Vincent glanced back to Takato, eyeing him for a moment, before nodding. "Alright, circle around the area. See if you can spot anything." he said, motioning with his finger towards the sky. He then looked to the others. "Stay alert." he said simply, before taking his binoculars back.

The boat eventually made it to shore, the group hopping out and dragging it onto the dull colored sand. On the beach, they got a better view than what they had through the binoculars. Scattered about the beach were large boulders and rocks, just like out in the water, and a few trees and bushes were scatted about the upper portion of the beach. The trees and underbrush grew thicker as they went on, eventually stopping as they reached the base of the large volcano. Over near the burning wreckage of the field gun, the corpses lay scattered around it. The ammunition seemed to be what was burning, all of it tossed onto the field gun which was now in pieces. The bodies were mangled, beaten to death but otherwise still intact. Each body apparently a different demon, ranging from succubi to wrath demons to others the group hadn't encountered before. One seemed to even be an elemental, though its fire had gone out and all that remained was a blackened corpse.

Vincent motioned for the group to check it out, moving closer with his rifle raised. There was a large path cut through the trees and bushes nearby, leading up towards a large cavern in the side of the volcano. Likely the main path in. There were several other entrances that the group could make out, however, which were scattered along the side of the volcano. In the sand around them, footprints. Some belonged to the demons, while others belonged to something a bit larger.

 

[Damian0358]

With a nod in return, Takato patted himself, making sure the talisman-like cards of flight were still on him, before leaping into the air from the boat. Noting the surrounding area of the field gun, he began circling the perimeter, hoping to find something of use to them. With their ace gone, they needed to get all their cards in order against the threat ahead, and that requires finding out new info. From up high, surely they could gather something new.

 

[Doomevil]

Senya hopped off the boat, scanning the area while Takato did air patrol for further scouting. The wreckage along with the boat made it seem like they were the ones who crashed, stranded on an island with one monster out there.

“The island would have been nice to make camp without the abyssal water...” Senya muttered, walking to observe the bodies from wrath to succubi. Even a fire elemental. So what happened here? A battle ending with the demons killed or other people they have yet to meet? She shook her head, moving on.

When they approached the path up ahead, she raised her shield and emitted a glow from her free hand to make some light in the cavern.