Fantasy The Chosen of Seven

[KiKi Kitsune]

Adruo

Adruo listened carefully to what the elven man had to say. While she wanted to disagree with him about her errors during the scuffle, she didn't particularly want to start an argument. Especially with both of them in their current states. Her interest was piqued more when he spoke about the large tree that she had seen tattooed to his back. She couldn't remember the exact details of it, but could picture what Romon spoke about. The mark of the great bear. The dragonkin made a note to learn about what the other marks were and what they did. It may prove useful during battle if she knew what to expect from her companion. "A pitstop? To the master who says she would kill you if she learnt of what happened?" Adruo gave a small smirk. "She sounds quite interesting." Incredibly skilled too. To be able to even make a single rune mark like Romon had would take years of learning. To do multiple variants... His master was probably old and grey.


Adruo followed Romon's line of vision. "Kiara did?" She could believe that Leafy healed them, despite its injuries. She had heard so many tales of the elemental walker's actions that she had no doubt in them. But Kiara? Such a small child with enough power to stop a fatal wound from killing someone? Adruo furrowed her brow as she tried to figure out how that would happen. It seemed impossible. Her thoughts were yanked away to solve that mystery another time when Romon changed the subject.


The dragonkin looked at the floor, her brows knotted together as she thought. A full minute passed before she looked up to answer Romon. "Perhaps they did not see it as dangerous as attacking other elemental walkers. Semino is known to be a passive and caring god. There are close to no records of him harming any mortals. The same goes for Leafy. She is a creature of healing, not harm. Perhaps they believed that there would be no trouble from the walker or its respective god." She paused, eyes widening as a new thought came to her mind. "Or... they had a worse threat."


@TerraBooma

 

[KiKi Kitsune]

Chilali

"Horses?" Chilali looked over her shoulder. "Oh, no. Hamelings are far faster, so I managed to get us a pair. We can use them with half a day's notice so they can be saddled and we can get the necessary supplies." She furrowed her brow as she thought of something. "You aren't afraid of flying, are you?" She had ridden a hameling a fair amount of times and always enjoyed it. The feeling of speed and freedom was exhilarating. But is Sylvanus wasn't fond of heights, there were plenty of horses and other mounts at the school. Mage achools always liked to show off to the other schools. Who had the most students with official titles, or the nicest grounds. Best equipment, housing, kitchen, stables, etc. At least it meant that all the schools were great places to stay.


Frost lions were faster than horses, but difficult to control. Phorus were pretty much pack mules, but very docile. Hamelings seemed like the best option in terms of speed and ability to ride. Then again, you needed to learn how to ride them or you would be likely to plough into the ground... Perhaps they should stick to horses.


@minismurf

 

[TerraBooma]

"A worse threat? You have something in mind then?" Romon's mind had been working overtime from the moment he had even started fighting the mercenaries. He was confused and frustrated with the whole thing after all, he couldn't think of who would have the finances to go after the elemental walkers while also being willing to risk the god's wrath, none of the usual political figures made sense, he had admittedly reached a stumping block. The motive behind the attack still escaped the elf, and there were few things that Romon hated more in this world than being stumped in some kind of logic problem. It hurt his pride in a way, puzzles that he had always been great at sometimes seemed to lock up and stop his thought process in his tracks.


"I've been trying to crack this since last night...before I passed out anyway." Romon chuckled, but winced in pain. "I've run through everyone I can think of, the underworld doesn't have connections to the right people for this, not worth it to risk the manpower or the price...the kingdoms and leaders could pull it off, but they're wise enough to know how important the walkers will be in the upcoming battle...plus I can't see any of them sanctioning this." Romon cursed, obviously frustrated. "And the thing is there had to be some sort of powerful backing! There had to be a serum or something...a heavy tranquilizer, Leafy was way too out of it in that fight...it didn't do anything, as peaceful as the walkers can be, getting shot at typically means they'd fight back, but it was acting odd...I can't even think of what would afflcit it like that.'


Romon sighed, leaning back in his bed after realizing he was leaning forward and causing himself a fair amount pain, he winced and stared up at the ceiling, he was breathing hard, and without realizing it the Elf had been raising his voice. His fists were clenched as were his teeth, and it took him a second to control himself.


"Sorry, I just...I hate when I can't figure something out, it eats at me and the like."

 

[SepiaInk]

Eavesdropping was one of those bad habits she’d picked up from working in the Library.


At first it hadn’t been a conscious behaviour, but rather a simple case of being in the wrong place at the right time, coupled with a slight hearing advantage. Remaining as inconspicuous as possible was almost a necessity in her position and, therefore, a skill she made sure to hone. After all, that was how she had gotten her job in the first place. So she figured it was only natural for people to dismiss her presence or forget about it all together, resulting in them laying down their guard near her. But what started out as the occasional incident soon became not only part of her routine, but a game. An exciting game of hide and seek, not so unlike the one she often played as a child (or fawn), though one only she knew about and where everyone was a player.


So here she was, yet again, having heard what had never been meant for her ears. Every word. And not for the first time, she sort of wished she hadn’t.


There was a sense of deja vu as she sat on that sofa, a new cup of not quite as scalding ironwort tea in her hands. Only there was only her and Nayeli. The woman’s smile was a candle in the otherwise cold, lifeless room, but that flame was but a distant dot of light in the restless sea of her eyes. It was distressing to look at, like watching an animal drown, and it only made it that much harder to hold the harpy’s gaze.


That left her with no choice but to stare at her beverage. Though there wasn’t much tea left in her cup, it was getting increasingly hard to swallow and she couldn’t, for the life of her, manage to drink the last of it. In the end she gave up any attempt and laid down the cup on the table as carefully as she could. That’s when she noticed it.


Her hands were shaking.


Rubbing her hands together to hide the trembling, Phoebe gulped and cleared her throat. “Thank you for your hospitality, madam.” She tried to say something else, but nothing but air came out. The awkward silence that followed made her cringe, but it was the dull throb in her head that made her clutch the bridge of her nose and lower her head down, hair falling between her legs.


What was she supposed to do here? What was there to say? Her first instinct had been to go after Kito (it’s Fekitoa, still) when he rushed off, to make good on her resolve to never leave her new partner alone. But something in that woman’s expression kept her there, like a hand clutching the hem of her shirt. The moment passed, the awkwardness grew, and she found herself moving to sit in front of the harpy, door forgotten.


And now she was here, face to face with a parent that was getting ready to bid her son goodbye. Forced to face the reality that it might very well be her last goodbye, yet somehow still supportive and hopeful. Was she really hopeful though? How did she feel exactly? Weren’t people supposed to cry in these situations? Would she cry later, when no one was there to witness the tears? Or would the tears never fall? Was it because she was proud of her son, because he was “doing the right thing"?


That cold, indifferent boy (and the other?) was leaving for a noble cause, not for selfish reasons. Did that make it okay? That was it, wasn’t it? She was the one who had been selfish, was that what you were trying to say!


And it was her fault. Her fault that Semino needed a new chosen in the first place. Her fault, her failure. What if it happened again? What would she say to this woman then? Supposing a demon hasn’t killed her as well at that point. Would Nayeli cry then, blaming them all for her loss?


The vision of the female harpy floated up in her conscious. But it wasn’t the slightly older version of Lynn she saw in her mind anymore. It was her moth-


It was her-


Never mind that.


Nayeli was calling her name and there was a clear note of concern there. “It’s alright, just a slight headache.” Phoebe assured her, lifting her head to give the barest of smiles.


“Actually, I would like to start over. I feel our introductions were a bit rushed. I’m Phoebe Silva, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” At this she gave a slight bow of her head, aware that the usual handshake was not an option. She then proceeded to give a brief introduction of her job, the god that had chosen her and how, as well as other important details. It was short, simple yet informative, but most of all it served as a distraction from her own thoughts. And indeed, her head felt much clearer in the end.


“I understand if you don’t wish to discuss such things with someone you’ve only just met, but would you be willing to tell me more about you and your son?” She paused here, considering something before deciding to continue. “I’m aware of his condition. It’s not something I’ve ever read about and I would like to understand it a bit better. For his sake and mine.”

@Jayus​

 

[Jayus]

Nayeli watched curiously at the girl's antics. She tried so hard to keep the conversation professional and serious, yet came off as awkward more often then none. In most other circumstances it would've entertained Nayeli to no end. Yet in this instance it worried her. Especially how she couldn't seem to get Phoebe's attention. Finally after what felt like years she saw recognition in her onyx eyes. Phoebe reintroduced herself with a bow, finding it charming how she already adapted to their custom, Nayeli chuckled softly and bowed once more. Reintroducing herself for good measure too. At the back of her mind she made mental notes on every little detail of what she was telling her. Determined to not let a thing slip from the grasp of her memory. Hearing who her God was sent a wave of sympathy washing over her. She knew the stories and the legends far too well and from what she had heard she wouldn't wish him to pester anybody.


Nayeli blinked at the sudden shift in conversation topics.


"Me and Fekitoa? What would you like to know?"





Hearing her elaborate further she nodded in understanding. A gnawing pit growing in the bottom of her stomach. Surely she wasn't referring to her son mentally. No, she decided it had to be his physical appearance.





"I'm surprised if you managed to find anything at all on The Black Condor syndrome. Harpies generally try to dismiss harpies with hands even from the stories themselves. Hmmmm... let's see." It took her a moment, truth be told there wasn't much information for his condition, but she was willing to say all she could.





"A 'Black Condor' is a condition that strikes harpies, one in every hundred thousand or so and it causes no real disadvantages to his health. It's seen as an omen of misfortune, spirits and death so it's only natural harpies avoid them. There is no substantial evidence to back up this belief if I recall. In any case, once harpies see FeKitoa they avoid him. They don't throw stones, they don't name call. They simply run. Run and scream. He's believed to be cursed by a demon and whoever angers him angers the curse holder. So people leave him alone. But even though he's told me he doesn't mind being alone... I always worry he'll be lonely." her last words were odd to say aloud given his situation, but she always did fret over it. Being alone together was still alone after all.


"Oh, but look at me I'm rambling. I don't suppose you shapeshifters have one of those do you? A species or condition that's considered a misfit?"


The door creaked and whined as Fekitoa walked in, shaking the colder night air off him. He looked up to see the two women hunched together and stared at them sceptically.





"What have you both been talking about?"





"You of course. How was Calandra?"





He gripped his hands into a tight ball for barely a moment at the thought of his visit down to her home. Sure of the fact neither saw it he quickly relaxed his grip.





"Oh you know, charming as ever. The kids have grown up too. She'll visit tomorrow. But otherwise-" He looked between the two girls and headed round a corner, calling out the moment he was out of sight.





"I'm off to bed!"





Nayeli shook her head in disbelief of his antics and sent Phoebe an apologetic grin on his behalf.





"It is rather late and I'm also going to turn in for the night. I hope I answered your question."





Standing up she tripped slightly, but reassured Phoebe she didn't have to worry. Rousing her feathers into a more acceptable fashion she gave a small yawn.


"I'm off to bed, but is there anything you'd like before I retire?"





In the other room lay Fekitoa face down into his pillows. He had become familiar with the head indentation it now left and the comforting scent of home. Being unable to sleep on his back and having trouble falling asleep this was always considered Fekitoa's and Kito's time to reflect on the day. Neither had much to say or rather neither knew what to think. Kito had one thought though.





'She won't end up hating us right?'


Fektioa scoffed into his pillow, a muffled sound escaping his lips.





'What makes you think she'll hate us?'


'Like Aunty Calandra, her kids, everyone. She won't hate us like that will she?'





Fekitoa contemplated this odd thought. He thought, or spoke in this case, hard and seriously. Finally he came to a conclusion and with it the two drifted off to sleep.





'No Kito... I doubt she'll hate you.'


@SepiaInk

 

[KiKi Kitsune]

Romon & Adruo Collab

Adruo sat quietly even after Romon asked his question. She could see that he was deep in thought. Her speaking might disrupt that, and she wanted to see what the mind chosen by Animus could do. When he carried on speaking, she was shown exactly how well Romon could handle such complex situations. It was impressive, to say the least. The dragonkin doubted she would have even thought of half that much in double the time.


Surely Akina would have said if the blot was poisoned. Poison always leaves a mark on the weapon, even if it’s been embedded in flesh for a while. Even if it had rubbed off, the healer was proficient. She would have noticed that Leafy was acting odd, right?


Adruo looked at the elf with concern. He was clearly frustrated with himself and she could think of nothing to help. Even with all his explanations, nothing came to her mind as an answer. She was just as - if not, more so - clueless as him.


“I’m afraid I have nothing to add, be it details or answers.”


“Then are we stumped?” Romon sighed, clearly frustrated. “I’ve run the facts in my head thousands of times by now...and there’s no way any person could orchestrate this.” Romon paused, mind quickly following the same thoughts Adruo had had only a few moments earlier. “Akina surely would have picked up on any sort of poison...she’s a great healer, knows the tricks of the trade. But their had to be something dammit!”


Romon paused again, mind racing. “Unless…” Romon’s voice trailed off, as if a new line of thinking had appeared. “Adruo, what if I’m thinking about this wrong? They still would have needed a serum of sorts...but what kind of serum could both escape the detection of a modern medicine woman, and what kind of organization could provide it? It all makes sense now!”


Romon grinned, having solved the problem.


“It was the Demons, Adruo! It all makes sense!”


Romon’s grin was met with Adruo’s distraught expression. “Romon… If it was demons, that means they’re already breaking through the Core!” She leapt off the bed, ignoring her screaming muscles. She couldn’t just sit anymore. Pacing did nothing to help their situation, but it calmed her somewhat.


“Hopefully it’s still the cannon fodder. Even so, if they have enough power to poison an elemental walker, we’re in trouble.” Adruo’s voice rose with her level of hysteria. She hadn’t expected for the Core to be that weak already.


Romon sighed, realizing the gravity of the situation. “Well, here’s the thing. We don’t need to focus on when they’re coming, but what. The fact that there’s poison isn’t a big deal...any old demon blood can kill most people. But...there’s always a mastermind. The thing that concerns me Adruo, isn’t that they have the poison...but who would be smart enough to start targeting the walkers using humans?”


“The Demon Generals would be my guess. They have powerful minds within them. Supposing they’re still the same as a thousand years ago, that is.” Adruo answered easily. Even if she wasn’t as quick thinking as Romon, she had a vast array of knowledge she could call on concerning the events of the past. “If that is true… I have no idea.” She looked back at the elf. “Do you have any ideas?”


“Well...there’s my master, she used to tell me tales of them.” Romon frowned. “I’ll be honest, they weren’t quite as good as your stories.” He chuckled softly. “Of the generals...this sounds like one of them would be up for it. Caecus...a tactition and planner, sounds like something just up his alley. The only problem is how did the generals get out already? We haven’t even been attacked by any underlings, yet the generals are already free? It doesn’t make sense….or things are much worse than he realized.” Romon winced as he forced himself to sit up. “Whatever the case, I think our time in Pagus is at an end...we need to get moving, quickly. If the generals are out in force then we’re running out of time.” Romon forced himself to stand up, breathing quickened.


Adruo shook her head. “If we’re lucky, Caecus gave the instruction before the underlings left and he’s still trapped in the Core. It will also mean that they can’t get information back easily.” Adruo paused in her pacing. “If they were out already, I’m sure we would have heard of far more mayhem being caused. Have you been told of the tactician's brother?” The dragonkin shuddered slightly as she recalled the tales she had been told.


“His brother? Somewhat. He’s more violent right? Closer to a berserker than a fighter, from what my master told me...some of his battles were more akin to massacres. They never stood a chance." Romon sighed “We need to go talk to Akina and Crowley, and Amos.”


From behind Adruo, a young voice called out. “You...you’re leaving already?” While Sammy was still out like a light, it had appeared Adruo’s movement has woken up Kiara.


The woman’s eyes softened from the hard edge they had gained as she and Romon discussed how the world was ending. She looked to Romon again, an almost pleading look on her face. She couldn’t tell the child anything that might upset her.


Fortunately for the both of them, Kiara spoke up first. “It’s okay...I knew this was coming, Sammy told me you have to save the world, so I shouldn’t expect you here for long.” She smiled softly, as if not wanting to say goodbye.


“I think Momma and the others are at Old Man Crowley’s...I’ll go get them for you.” Wordlessly, she stood up, then gave a glare only a medical giver could get to Adruo. “But you gotta sit down. You're still injured you know.”


Romon rose a brow after Kiara left, a laugh breaking out even with the somber mood. “Gods help whoever she gets married to, especially if they get hurt. She has a point though, you should at least sit down.”


Adruo also chuckled, but did as she was told. “I don’t think even the gods would be able to aid whoever provoked her.” The dragonkin looked to the small boy who still lay sleeping. She caught Romon’s eye, pointed to Sammy, and then to the door which Kiara had just exited. She had been around enough youngsters to tell when one had a crush.


Romon smirked. “You noticed it too huh? I wonder if they even realize it. They’ll make a cute pair one day, that’s for sure. They’re pretty cute kids…” Romon’s voice trailed off, before he shook his head and refocused. “Kinda reminds me of what we’re fighting for huh? To give them a future.” Romon smiled at the sleeping Sammy. “For people like them...that’s why I fight.” He coughed sheepishly. “A-Anyway. Uh...how do you feel anyway? I’m mostly good to travel, but you took some nasty hits last night.”


Adruo tilted her head curiously at Romon’s sudden stutter. That didn’t seem like him at all. In fact, she couldn’t recall hearing him stutter at all during any of their previous conversations. She tried to ignore it and focus on what he actually said, which was fairly important. She had to smile. Romon fought with a noble cause in mind. It was truly admirable.


“Travel… I should be fine, but I doubt I would be much use should we encounter another fight.” While she was also eager to get on the road, she knew that denying her current status was not a good choice.


Romon nodded. “We’ll just have to hope that that sorta thing doesn’t happen...and if it does, I’ll be dammed if I let them get to you, so don’t worry about it.” He grinned. “I got your back.”


Before Adruo could respond however, Amos, Crowley, and Akina entered the room with Kiara following soon after. Akina wordlessly began to inspect the two, checking for any life threatening developments on either of them, she turned and then nodded to Amos, confirming something or other. The old mage stepped forward, staff in hand and Beatrice on the other. “I’m under the impression you wish to leave?” Amos said, voice full of concern and worry. “You understand that you are far from back to full strength, correct?” Akina then butted in.


“You need more time...I still need to apply the salve to Romon, and Adruo...your not doing well, are you sure you want to go so soon?” From behind, Crowley was silent, as if appraising the two of his own means. Beatrice let out a caw, and flapped a bit on Amos’ shoulder. “I will not stop you if you wish to go….but allow us at least to give you some things before you go.” He stopped Romon’s protest before it could start, the elf barely opening his mouth. “If not of charity, then consider it a thanks of sorts, for saving our village, those brigands...they would have moved on to here after taking down the walker, you have our thanks. Crowley also wanted to speak to you.”


The old huntsman approached the pair, and took a knee, bowing down before Adruo. “Miss Adruo, I must beg for your forgiveness, it is of my fault that you were attacked and injured by the demon wolf, and I can only ask for your forgiveness, I failed you, and for that I am truly sorry. If I had acted faster, you would not have had to go through such torment.” Crowley stayed on one knee, eyes down at the floor, afraid of making eye contact.


Adruo had silently watched the proceedings. She wasn’t going to argue with a practiced healer unless necessary. Instead, she thought of all the responses she wanted to say, and stored them until everyone was finished. However, she wasn’t expecting Crowley’s words. Her hand instinctively went to the arm that had been caught in the jaws of a demonic wolf. It began to sting when she thought of the event.


The dragonkin offered the aging man a soft smile. “Please do not blame yourself for that. I was at fault for my own injuries. If not for you, I most likely wouldn’t be alive.” Now it was Adruo’s turn to bow despite still being seating. . “You have my humblest thanks. I do not feel that I can properly express my gratitude.” She rose to sit straight. “Not to mention… I kinda thought you were the one after Leafy.” Clawed hands rubbed the back of her head as she laughed nervously. It wasn’t exactly something she was proud about.


Crowley paused for a second, confused. As he worked out the events however, he started chuckling. “Do not worry girl, I can see how you came to that conclusion, we’ll call it mutual forgiveness then.” He laughed quietly and stood up, his wincing revealing he wasn’t nearly as young as he used to be. “Very well. I suppose my gift is the first then, here.” The old man reached into a bag beside him, and pulled out an old leather book, bound by a red cover, without a title. “This...was made by my wife, many years ago. I have studied it countless times, and I hope you find it useful.” As Adruo glanced inside, Crowley continued. “It’s a log of herbs, animals, and useful bits of information to find in the wild. My wife...she was a herbologist, couldn’t stop her from studying new plants and life.” He smiled, but a tear came to his eye at the memories simply talking about her surfaced. “I...excuse me, I need a moment.” A few moments later, he stepped out of the room.


Romon spoke next, after letting silence fall for a few seconds. “While we understand that we’re injured, we’re still on a time limit, and...we think we’re running out, we have to go soon.”


“Wait, what’s going on?” Sammy’s voice called out, groggy and tired. It appeared the boy had finally awoken. “Sammy! Come here dummy, they’re talking big stuff!” Kiara huffed, and Sammy confusedly went to her side, wondering what it was exactly that he had done wrong. Amos sighed and turned to Adruo. “Are you sure?”


Adruo looked at Romon for a moment, but finally gave Amos a nod. “We can’t afford to take any longer. The current state of the Core is unknown, but we are expecting the worst if the information we have is anything to go by.” She didn’t want to say too much since the children were there, but the others needed to know. “The faster we get to the weapons, the better.”


“Very well, we do have one condition however. Akina!” Amos stepped back, allowing the healer to step forward, and present her own gift of sorts. “Adruo. Romon’s back, although healing quickly, is still injured. I cannot follow you two..the village needs me here, but I am giving these to you.” A pouch of medicines and a tube of red paste were quickly given to Adruo, meanwhile Akina kept speaking. “I’ll need you to apply this ointment to Romon’s back for the next couple days, at least until there’s no risk of infection or injury. Can you do this for me? I would really appreciate it...and although he doesn't’ look like it…” Akina’s voice trailed off, and leaned forward, whispering to Adruo. “Injuries like that...Romon must be in excruciating pain, I don’t know how he’s able to hide it.”


Adruo nodded with a small, knowing smile. She had been around elves all her life. She knew how stubborn they could be. Even if Romon was quite relaxed for an elf, he still had their blood and culture. “I understand. I will do my best.” She hoped that was enough to calm the hybrid somewhat. It was understandable that Akina was worried. Adruo had seen some of the blows Romon had taken.


“There is...one more thing.” Amos said, wearily. It seemed the old man had not yet slept after fighting, as if his thoughts had kept him awake. “I would like you to take Beatrice with you, if you would be willing.” The bird cawed, and flew forward, to Adruo’s side. “She won’t be a burden, and if there ever comes to be a problem, she can fly here for aid...though we cannot promise much.”


Romon shrugged and looked at Adruo. “I’m not about to object, so long as she stays out of the way. Thoughts?”


Adruo let the bird land on her forearm, scales protecting her from any damage the crow’s talons may have caused. Adruo stroked the bird’s head. “I think she will prove more use than hinderance.” If anything, Beatrice could provide surveillance of the surrounding area. While dragonkin and elf were still injured, that could prove highly useful. “Thank you Amos. I will do my utmost to make sure she stays safe.”


Romon nodded. “We’ll make sure she does well. And thank you, all of you, we apreciate it.” The elf smiled, and looked to Adruo. “Shall we head off then? We can’t be that far from the Great Library, might as well get moving.” Amos then bowed to them, smiling. “Very well then friends. May the gods guide your path, we’ve prepared some food for you, it’s in your packs already my friends. For...everyone’s sakes, may the gods be with you.”

 

[The J]

"That's... that's right... a demon." Severis wheezed from the floor. "But I can't stop. I have to get to Swift Drinker as fast as possible to give us the best chances of stopping the Demon King. There's no other choice. I have to keep... going."


Severis pulled himself up on the wall, and slowly made his way to his possessions, on the table nearby. He was weak, but if May had tried to stop him, he would have snarled at her and made his way past or through her, and leaned heavily on the table where he took back his equipment, summarily shuffling through the door, too weak to close it behind himself.

 

[KiKi Kitsune]

Mayweather

May was getting irritated with Severis' stubbornness. Even so, she was intent to help him. Despite his protests, May insisted on trying to get him to sit back down. however, it seemed her efforts were fruitless. Severis instantly continued despite barely being able to stand. "Severis, please stop. Your wounds haven't healed enough!" She followed right behind him, wringing her hands on her dress skirt.


However, Severis' progress was halted by something in his way. In front of him stood an elven woman, taller than the channeller and far paler. "You aren't very bright, are you?" Her words were more of a statement than a question. She had a large sack slung over her shoulder which she readjusted. "Why do you refuse to listen to the words of a healer? She clearly knows more than you on the topic." The elf shook her head with a sigh. "Stubborn human boy. You think you are so wise, yet you ignore what your own body is telling you." In a single, swift movement, she kicked the back of Severis' knees, forcing his legs to buckle. "Now stop moving around and making our job more difficult." Before the human could complain, the elven woman grabbed his wrist and dragged him inside.


During the entire encounter, Mayweather could only stand and gape. Ezi sat on her shoulder and flicked his tail a few times. May stroked her companion's head. "She's quite impressive, isn't she Ezi?" She whispered to the raccoon. The elf was far more sure of herself. it was an admirable trait, to say the least.


"Get your arse on that seat, or I'll glue it there." Mayweather blinked a few times while Ezi snickered the way only a raccoon could.


@The J

 

[minismurf]

Sylvanus put on a questioning expression. "I've never heard of these hamelings you're talking about, and as for the flying part, sure I've swinged myself from a couple of trees to another, however I can't say that I've ever properly flied like birds or those miniature dragons or whatever they are" He'd never during his travels heard of the species "Hamelings" He'd seen many races and animals, not even half he knew the name of. However the thought of flying through the air, either with wings, which he now started thinking about attempting with his string, if he would make a thin layer of it between his limbs he maybe would be able to catch the wind and let him float on the windstreams. However that was something he'd have to try later, the thought of riding a mount and using that to fly made him very unsettled, relying on a different being to not fall 5000 about feet, give or take, made him nearly nauseous only by thinking about it.


@KiKi Kitsune

 

[SepiaInk]

All things considered, Phoebe was none too surprised to find herself waking up on the floor. She was, however, surprised and mildly disgusted by the pool of drool beside her face. Groans and incoherent mumbles that might have sounded like curses dripped from her mouth, joints popping and muscles whining as she lifted herself up into a sitting position. It took a while for her eyes to adjust to the sunlight, but as soon as they did she put them to good use by glaring a hole in the bed sitting not even two feet away from her.


Blasted things didn’t agree with her. Should it be embarrassing that she couldn’t remember the last time she slept on one? Forget it. People can keep their tinny, soap smelling rectangle boxes. She’d much rather doze off among the tall grasses of her safe woods. Only, there was no such place nearby, and there were worser things in life than being forced to sleep on a bed. Like being eaten by mountain lions.


Whipping the drool off the side of her face, Phoebe glared half heartedly at each and every little thing in the room, trying to decide wether any of it was familiar or not. Finally, the train of thoughts left the station and everything came rushing back to her. Leaning against a wall, she sprung to her feet and raced to get herself ready and proper for the day. It was an odd experience as her body attempted to fall back into the routine she had built up over the years, only to find that everything around her was way too off for that to be even remotely possible. Splashing water on her face and then breathing in the cold mountain air coming through the open windows was the closest she got to feeling more like herself that morning.


Her boots made little sound as she slowly walked down the corridor with eyes shut, letting her nose take in the smells clinging to the very walls of this cold house. There was one in particular that she wanted to commit to memory. It got particularly strong as she stood in front of the door to one of the bedroom’s, confirming Nayeli’s words.


For a moment, that’s where Phoebe stayed, forehead resting against the wood, stilled hand on the doorknob. The house was quiet, safe for the wind blowing over the roof and the soft breathing she could hear through that door. Again, this didn’t surprise her. Though it never failed to bring a tinge of confusion as she wondered how other races could sleep so much and for such long periods of time. No matter how safe she felt, her animal side wouldn’t allow it. Forcing her sleeping patterns to budge just the tiniest bit to accommodate her duties as a librarian and the long hours she spent as a human had been hard enough as it was.


Lips parted open to speak, only to close shut once more and slip into a frown at the realisation that she had no idea what name to call out for. After a few seconds of thought, she came to a decision and knocked lightly on the door. Her voice remained in a monotone, despite the slight tug at her lips, as she called.


“Rise and shine, Fekitoa. It’s time to go.”

@Jayus​

 

[KiKi Kitsune]

Chilali

Chilali frowned slightly at the hybrid's answer. If he didn't even know what they were, he definitely didn't know how to fly one. "Those miniature dragon things are hamelings. Quite possibly the fastest creatures that can be trained as mounts." She had heard stories of other mythical creatures who could traverse the entirety of Pangeros in a single day. However, mythical beasts such as those weren't exactly happy to be ridden. She took a breath to return her mind to the current issue. She was quite eager to use a hameling. They would get to the dock near the Blue Isles in no time. Maybe two days if they got mounts with high stamina as well.


The mage looked at Sylvanus, as if studying him. "I won't let you ride a hameling by yourself if you have no prior experience. That would just end badly for both of you. However..." Her brow furrowed as she considered their options. "One could carry both of us. I am good enough of a rider." The ice woman tugged on her face mask while she thought. "How about we go to the stables and look? If the hamelings don't appeal, you can decide on something else based on what the school has to offer." She gave a shrug. "If you are unsure in my flying abilities, I can give a demonstration." Chilali tried to remain as nonchalant as possible, but she couldn't quite hide her excitement at the prospect.


@minismurf

 

[minismurf]

Sylvanus nodded as Chilali informed him about the name of the flying dragons and made sure to put the name to mind. He knew very well how fast they could be, and flying would certainly make obstacles way less trouble, however he still was very unsure about the concept of being in the air on a mount. "It's not that I don't trust you Chilali, it's just that I'm not sure if I can trust something that's carrying me potentially thousands of meters above the ground, especially not a mount of some kind" Even though he didn't like the thought he still followed Chilali as she said they'd go to the stables, he could as well see what the creatures looked like when captured and if they could be trusted or not.


@KiKi Kitsune

 

[Jayus]

The rapping on the door sounded like nails running down a chalkboard. For whatever reason the harpy had struggled to fall asleep and had finally managed to make it passed a solid hour of unconsciousness when it was time to leave. Slowly and with great strain he pushed his hands down onto the soft mattress and rose to stretch his wings, only to collapse once again onto the bed. Fekitoa is by no means, and never will be, a morning person. Somehow finding his feet on the ground he made his way to the door. Eyes barely open he swung and missed a couple of times until finding the door handle. His bedhead still sticking up into odd angles he let out a great yawn and slumped on the door frame. With one crimson eye able to see through the grogginess he called sleep-deprivation, he finally spoke in a lower hoarse voice.


"I gotta put another shirt on."





Without another word he shut the door in her face. Nayeli heard the commotion and let out a small laugh knowing quite well how difficult it was to wake him up, but a sharp shooting pain stung her chest at the thought of when she would hear that again. Shaking the fears from her mind she called Phoebe to the kitchen.


"I wasn't quite sure what you eat, but I thought berries would be the safest bet. Don't worry they're fresh. I've got the kettle boiling. You can't leave here on an empty stomach now can you, Phoebe?"


Fekitoa spent quite a while getting dressed. He wasn't entirely sure if he should pack anything for the trip, but luckily he had a larger satchel for his rather bold trips to the bookstore. Carefully placing his herbs, sashes and dagger into the bag first he then lay a few clothes on top of that. Looking around the room he was revising his mental checklist to the more peppy half. Adding a few more items and a journal to the satchel and satisfied it wasn't too heavy on his shoulder he finally left the room. The smell of freshly brewed tea was floating gently down the hall and in a few short strides he was in the kitchen and picking at a few fruit still left around the area.





"Fekitoa, is that any way to interrupt a conversation? Sit down I'll get you a plate now."





"No time."





"Make time!"





"I will when we get back."





Trying to shoo him to the area where Phoebe was currently and failing to settle him she finally accepted the fact Fekitoa was going to not stop until he devoured the very few fruit he liked around the kitchen. She let out an exhausted sigh as she has done a million times before and looked at Phoebe in a sympathetic 'he's your problem now'.


Walking outside the time finally came when it was time to leave and Nayeli would not let go in her embrace of her son despite the awkward bend from the height difference. Kito wanted so desperately to say goodbye, but new just as well if he came through for even a moment it would set back their recovery time another day. So instead he told Fekitoa exactly what to say and he in turn complied with some inaudible mumbling.





"Mom, for the last time yes I have the elderberry powder. Are you crying?"





She shook her head violently, but didn't speak. Eventually she found the strength to let go and Fekitoa reminded her Calandra would be visiting in an hour. Thanking him once for the reminder, she called Phoebe over. A small sash with a silvery powder kept gently in her grip.


"This is heather, it's for protection." As soon as Phoebe reached for it Nayeli pulled her into a hug. She felt the girl flinch underneath her grip and regretted not double-checking if the girl had issues with touch like Fekitoa did almost always. Yet just like Fekitoa she paid it no mind.





"Bring my son back safe." She whispered quietly, like a secret she had only just found the courage to confess.





"And you as well, Phoebe. You're just as important." Moments passed although it felt longer than that when Nayeli let go. Her legs shook underneath her and she decided it was a sign to go back inside. Giving Fekitoa one last hug she slowly made her way back. He tried to help her, but she assured him she was quite alright. Fekitoa tsked. Looking over to Phoebe he pulled out a map he had lying around his room and spread it open in his grip.





"Point out the direction and we can start flying."





@SepiaInk

 

[KiKi Kitsune]

Chilali

Chilali was worried about having to take Sylvanus travelling on a hameling. She shook her head as they walked towards the stables. If he was uncomfortable with the aspect once she had shown him how they flew, then surely he would say so. They could always land if he felt unsafe. Well, as long as there was enough space to land. She did her best not to dwell on it and focus on the upcoming ride instead. It had been a good few years, so she was probably a bit rusty.


As she walked along the familiar corridors, she became lost in her thoughts. Riding a hameling was somewhat like riding a horse, except now you had an extra direction to worry about. The mage's thoughts wandered back to the days when she was still learning to ride. It caused a small, almost sad smile to tug at her lips.


They reached the stables without any difficulty, thanks to Chilali leading the way. The mage was greeted by her title by everyone they passed which she was clearly used to. Once she had requested for a hameling to ride briefly, stable hands scurried about, finding an available one and then the gear for it. While they waited, the ice woman stripped off most of her armour.


"I'm going to have a very short ride so you can see how it works yourself. You can also see if you are happy enough with me as a rider." While her voice was fairly monotone, her pulled down face mask did nothing to hide her wide grin. She was almost bouncing in excitement as they waited for her mount.


After another minute, a hameling with deep blue scales that were speckled with black was brought into the courtyard. Chilali nodded to Sylvanus, smiling from ear to ear, before rushing towards the dragon-like creature. She went through the usual procedure with ease. Checking all the necessary straps and buckles before mounting and adjusting the stirrups. Once satisfied, she nudged the hameling into a walk. It circled the courtyard, slowly picking up speed to a trot. In what seemed like an instant, there was a gust of wind and they were in the air.


Chilali forgot about that she was supposed to show Sylvanus that the creatures were safe and there was no need to worry about the height. The wind whipped her shaggy hair back as she leaned forward. The hameling moved faster, snaking through the air in an upward spiral. There was a pause.


A blue streak plummeted downwards, leaving visible trails in the air. The hameling pulled up before it connected with the earth, but caused a fair bit of wind. As the creature continued, it spun over itself. A loud shriek from Chilali could be heard, followed by her laughter. The mage seemed to finally leave her own world enough to remember what she was meant to be showcasing. The hameling slowed to a normal, long-distance travel speed. As they approached the group, it slowed further until it was hovering nearby.


Chilali released the reigns and showed her empty hands to Sylvanus. She kept them up as the hameling circled the courtyard before landing, trying to show the level of control she had. The stable hands rushed over once the duo were grounded. The ice woman spoke to them briefly, patted the hameling's head, then walked over to Sylvanus. She tried to school her face into a more neutral expression, but the smile plastered on her face just wouldn't leave. Instead, she decided to just pull up her mask.


"So... Um..." She scratched the back of her head sheepishly. She knew that all the manoeuvres she had just preformed quite possibly damaged the hybrid's thoughts on riding a hameling. "Those fancy things are only ever used in training, exercising the hameling, and battle, not long distance travel like we're doing. Every movement that it preformed, I was in complete control of." She racked her brain for other useful bits of information that might aid her. "We don't fly very high for long distance either since it's a lot of strain on our lungs. If you feel uncomfortable during a ride, we can always land and rest for a while. They aren't as fast as some other mounts, but they're still pretty fast on land." The mage looked over her shoulder to the stable pens. "With two of us riding, we'll need to give the hameling more rest breaks anyway."


She looked back to Sylvanus, her excitement clear in her shining blue eyes. "So what do you think?"





@minismurf

 

[KiKi Kitsune]

Adruo

Their travel from Pagus had been slow and lumbering thanks to their wounds, but at least it was progress. Adruo’s hand often went to her arm that was destroyed by the demonised wolf. It wasn't sore, just… strange. As if it wasn't her arm but she was in control over it. Then again, there was that other thing that was niggling at the back of her mind.


Whenever she thought about it, a section of the battle was quite fuzzy. Shortly after when they defeated the wolf, she had a surge of strength. Mr. Crowley had told her about the herb he had given her. Had the demon poison mixed with the herb to have a strange effect? That was the only thing she could think of. It had given her too much adrenaline.


Now her memories were evading her. Refusing to show her exactly what she had done. Adruo breathed out a sigh. There was nothing to do about it now. It was all in the past and it had ended well. She didn't have access to the herb, so at least it wouldn't happen again. Since she was proud of her memory, an event like this was one she would be more than happy to prevent in the future.


As they trudged along, the sun reached its peak in the sky. It was warm enough to cause a loss of energy while they walked. Adruo looked around. Due to their condition, it would be best to avoid a fight before it started. Resting would make that rather difficult, but Adruo could feel her muscles protesting at the thought of going much further without a break. She tilted her head to the bird that perched on her shoulder. Luckily, her scales went high enough up her back to prevent damage from the bird’s sharp talons.


“Beatrice, would you mind checking if there are any others nearby? I think we need to stop for a short rest soon.” She remained polite to the crow. Amos had treated Beatrice as a normal person. Adruo would do the same, especially since she was helping the two travellers.


Adruo looked to Romon to see if he had anything to say about the subject. Akina’s words rang in her mind on a continuous loop. The dragonkin knew how much difficulty she had just placing one foot in front of the other. Akina had seen her wounds, but warned her about Romon's. It caused her a fair bit of worry about her elven companion. Her hand went to the satchel where she kept the slave given to her. She couldn't help but send the healer a silent thanks for giving her the opportunity to study the runes on Romon's back more. Her curiosity was eating at her. After seeing one in action, it had only made it worse.


@TerraBooma

 

[The J]

Severis looked up at the elven woman, tall and slender, but was too disoriented to understand her words. He tried to move past her but found himself dropping to the floor before she caught his wrist. How could that have happened? His instincts kicked in as he reached for his dagger, his hand limply grasping its hilt.


He was being dragged inside, but his venom-addled brain wouldn't let him go quickly. Stumbling behind her weakly, his hand loosely dragged the dagger out of its sheath, and with little force -but enough to break skin- he threw his arm up and out, aiming for the chest of the elf. He snarled as he did so, "LET GO DAMN YOU!"

 

[SepiaInk]

It took a while for Phoebe to realize she was staring quite intently into those ruby eyes. But even as she averted her gaze and turned to contemplate the sun rising above the horizon, something urged her to hold onto that silence for a bit longer. Closing her eyes, she painted a mental image of the mountainside and stored it in he safest place she could find in the front of her mind.


She would be coming back to this place. And she wouldn’t come back alone. That was a promise. The Gods be dammed.


Taking in the fresh mountain air for one last time, she opened her eyes. Sneaking a hand under her tunic, she fished out a map of her own. After swivelling around on her heel, she stepped into the harpy’s personal space and stretched out her updated map on top of his rather poor one.


“Semino’s Claymore, your weapon, is here.” She pointed at the red cross painted over the densest area of the Grand Forest. “I … I believe it’d be four to five days worth of walking to get to the coast from here,” there was a slight pause as she rummaged her mind for the scattered knowledge she had of those paths, "and at least a half-a-day’s boat journey from there to the Grand Forest’s dock.” There was an almost questioning tone in her voice as she said this. Tilting her chin up, she gave the harpy a brief look before shifting her gaze to the side. “I apologise for my uncertainty on this. I … I'd assumed I would no longer travel there.”


So you didn’t even bother to research. The truth was, you hadn’t been planning on going anywhere, were you?


Phoebe coughed into her hand once before grabbing her map to roll it up. “Regardless, flying would shorten our journey immensely. We won’t see any inns till we get to the coast, so when exactly we land for breaks I’ll leave up to you. My only request is that we avoid flying at night.” She gave him a pointed look for emphasis. A sudden and embarrassing urge to add “and that you don’t ever leave my sight” came up before she stomped it dead. That was the very definition of unnecessary.


And speaking of unnecessary things. “Also, there are things I have yet to deliver to Dr. Silas back in the Hyperion Woods. If you don’t mind, can you drop me at his house? It will only take a minute or two to bid him a proper farewell. And then we are truly free to leave.”

@Jayus
​

 

[KiKi Kitsune]

Mayweather

"Tsk" The woman seemed to roll her eyes before swiftly disarming the boy. "You are looking more and more stupid." In another movement, the elf threw Severis away from her and halfway across the room. "You are rash. You never use that tiny brain of yours. How humans are the dominant race with people like you is beyond me. You may breed like rabbits, but their intelligence is superior to yours." As she stalked closer to the channeller, an almost visible aura surrounded her. Dark but powerful. "Your actions will not only get you killed, but any loved ones you may have. If you carry on as you are, that bastard you all call Demon Lord will easily take over this world as well. With someone like you wielding the dagger, he won't have any competition." The elf's voice dropped several decibels yet it felt as if she was screaming.


Ezi tried to hide in May's hair, the power radiating off the elf frightening him. Mayweather did her best to calm him with little success. However, her attention was averted when the elven woman raised her hand which seemed to glow. "Such recklessness is how that excuse for a demon lord wins. That's how he's won in the past!" Her eyes flashed with anger before everything died down. Her eyes, the glow, her aura. She let out a sigh. "You don't take this task seriously enough, you mule of a human." She folded her arms and closed her eyes. "My guess as to what will happen for the remainder of your travels: Mayweather will save your sorry ass more times than you deserve, you will never show her gratitude, and eventually be the cause of her death one way or another. You will then continue for a short while longer before something attacks you, you get poisoned, and then die as well."


Mayweather was stunned into silence. This woman barely knew them, but she was being quite rude. "Ma'am, I don't think Severis is like that. He may be stubborn, but he wants to protect this world just like the erst of us. The gods wouldn't have chosen him otherwise." She stated as confidently as she could. Even so, the elf had scared her a bit as well.


@The J

 

[Jayus]

Glancing over her more modern map he was a little bothered by just how far the distance was. He would have to cover as much as he could today in order to give Kito some leeway when he was able to fly tomorrow. Ever so gently he grazed a clawed finger over from where they stood to where they were supposed to be not wanting to break the fine paper. If he started now and stopped at least twice for breaks and for Phoebe to take a breather to find food they should be able to cover half the distance by nightfall. Kito would take a bit longer and possibly not make the other half of the distance, but in any case it would shift a five day journey on foot to only three days by flight. He was confident in his ability to fly over a large body of water yet he would have to discuss with Phoebe if she was alright with that after all if they were over an ocean by nightfall he would have to continue flying and there was no way Kito would fly over water if they waited a day. Stroking his chin he was finally happy with his own plans of how to get to his weapon when Phoebe piped in suddenly.


His wings slumped down and he tilted his head over to Phoebe with a side-on glare.


"What, Silva, you couldn't say goodbye to him while we were at the Hyperion woods yesterday?"





Irritated now with the detour he clucked his tongue and looked over her head back to the map, scanning over it rather quickly. Looking at the time they had now to get to the Hyperion woods, speak to what he was picturing as an old man with greying hair and leave he was definitely going to have to fly over that water regardless if it was at night or not and regardless if either party disagreed to cut the distance time shorter. He ran his hand through his hair and it flopped neatly back into place, or as neatly as unbrushed hair could look.





"I'm going to hold you to that minute or two you mentioned. Now make sure your things are packed so I can fly."





He folded his hands over his chest and waited for Phoebe to put her map back where she had retrieved it from. A small voice piping up from the back of his mind.





'You don't have to be so mean, Fekitoa. Phoebe is trying her best. Maybe you should apologize?'





'Or maybe I could not.'





'We have to get along she is our friend now.'





Fekitoa ran his hand up and down his arm, clearly not amused by his thoughts. What had he done to qualify as a friend in any case? As soon as Phoebe was done and she gave him the go ahead he wrapped his hands around her waist and took upwards. Lingering up in the sky above the mountainside for a split second to look on at his home he journeyed back to the Hyperion woods. With Fekitoa inflight the time he took to get back was a great deal shorter than with Kito.





"Tell me when you see his house."





@SepiaInk

 

[The J]

Severis groaned as he sat up, having been thrown to the floor on the other side of the hut from the woman. She was stronger than she looked.


Looking at her, his mind cleared somewhat by the thud and the chance to look around and breathe, he spoke, in a rare moment of humility, "I... am sorry for attacking you. I was not myself. But do not think that I do not take this seriously. I was raised to worship the blood god Caedis, and to carry out his will. I dreamed of attaining that dagger, even though I thought that I would never had a chance. Now I do, and I will not let it slip from my grasp. Not until I go to my grave."


That said, he looked over to May. She had taken his side, like a true ally. He told himself he said what came next out of defiance to the elf, whether it be true or not.


"May, I am sorry for my actions. Thank you. You saved my life."

 

[TerraBooma]

Beatrice cawed and raised her wings, seemingly giving confirmation of Adruo's orders. The Bird had taken well to Adruo, content to follow her orders. Flying up into the sky, Beatrice let out another caw before circling overhead, dipping in and out between the clouds, before eventually scouting further from the group, leaving Adruo and Romon alone as a pair again.


Romon himself was glad to rest. He could force himself forward as much as he liked, but even the elf knew when he was reaching his limits. The fact that they were traveling at all spoke to the gravity of the situation with the demon lord rising, even with wounds as serious as they had. They just had to keep moving...they were slower, but Romon refused to weaken. If Adruo's injuries became too great, he'd stop on a dime, but his own injuries could be dealt with later, he was a savior now...he didn't exactly have time to bleed in a room somewhere being waited on hand and food, not that he hadn't appreciated Kiara and Akina's diligence, it was rather that they had no time to be looked after.


Nodding firmly to Adruo, Romon began to wordlessly set up camp, as if talking took too much energy. He even made the fire as Adruo finished setting up her own bedroll, before taking out some of the rations and eating quietly. When Adruo came over to the fire, Romon pulled out another meal and started to walk over to Adruo to hand her her food. "Thank the gods for Akina's home cooking eh? "He said, finally speakling with a smirk. "Small game gets boring after awi-oh!" As Romon neared Adruo, his wounded and exhausted legs finally gave out on him, the nimble elf moved to catch himself, but unfortunately hit Adruo's head with own on the way down, causing temporary disorientation. When he realized where he was, he was holding his head in Adruo's lap, lying forward and legs screaming at him to rest, if only for a short while. Chuckling sheepishly, Romon turned his head to look up at Adruo, eye's glinting in the firelight. "Sorry about this...I uh...seem to be in a bit of a pickle, I must have pushed my body too hard. I'll get out of your way."


Slowly and in apparent pain, Romon began to move away from Adruo's lap, grimacing all the while.

 

[KiKi Kitsune]

Mayweather

The elf scoffed at Severis' apology. May, on the other hand, was stunned into silence. She had not expected the channeller to not only apologise to, but also thank her. After blinking owlishly a few times, a huge smile spread across her face. She was so glad that Severis seemed to be opening up slightly. They were small, but each step was a step forward. "Don't worry about it Severis. I didn't actually do that much. She healed you." The small girl gestured to the tall elven woman who looked smug. "She may accept your apology, but I just think you're making excuses." The woman folded her arms across her chest. "How were you not yourself? Were you possessed by a demon? I doubt that. The core isn't weak enough to let those guys out yet." She looked between the two humans. "You can count yourself lucky for that." She picked up the sack she had been carrying earlier and dragged it over to the wall that was covered in different herbs. "Mayweather, change his bandages. His wounds are susceptible to any traces of demon right now. They would have quite easily have gotten worse during that."


"But there aren't any demons here."


"Extracting demon poison leaves trace amounts in the air, even with the correct disposal methods. Usually, it's not a problem and is too diluted to do damage to a normal person. Just go change his bandages." The elf quickly cut off the girl's chances of asking anything else. Mayweather frowned slightly but did as she was told. She swiftly had a new bandage with a fresh salve applied to it. She had undone and redone Severis' bandages with practised ease. "That's not too tight, is it?" She asked him, her voice clearly showing her worry and concern.


@The J

 

[The J]

Severis winced slightly. His normally dull sense of pain was amplified by yet another of the myriad effects of the Demon's poison, but he hid it well as Mayweather tightened the bandage on his face.


"That's fine. Now, I want to leave as soon as we can, so tell me, what do i do to make this heal faster? I despise being weakened like this while the demon lord comes closer to breaking through the seal. Will a spirit I summon to enhance myself be of use?"


Severis spoke true of hating his weakness at this time, but not of the severity. He was built, raised, indoctrinated to strive to be the greatest that he possibly could, to go to his own limits and surpass them. An elite assassin and warrior, the best that there could be. Now, he was reduced to a snarling wreck that could just about walk and blindly swing a knife. He was nothing to what he could be, and it was excruciating, more excruciating than any poison could be.


He hid it though. Showing his emotions was a sign of weakness. He was already low, and would not lower himself further by sharing his pain.

 

[minismurf]

Sylvanus



​

Sylvanus couldn't help but to smile over the show that Chilali was putting on in front of him, he wasn't sure if it was with intention or if it was just adrenaline, since she was supposed to show him that the creatures were safe he assumed that it was the latter. As he looked at her riding the creature he saw that not only did the creature seem to bend to her any wim, but it seemed to enjoy it. The, hameling was it, seemed to thoroughly enjoy being ridden and controlled by its rider, almost like there was some kind of bond between the two, he'd have to ask Chilali about that once she landed.


And once Chilali was back on the ground Sylvanus couldn't help but to laugh a little over the near childish smile she had on her face, it was clear that she thoroughly enjoyed riding these creatures, "Well, like you said, they certainly are fast, and while your little show might not really have shown any real safety behind it, I can tell that you have enough control over them to make sure that we won't crash down in the middle of our travels" He agreed as well with her idea of them both riding on one hameling, Sylvanus would most likely never learn how to ride a hameling properly anyway.


@KiKi Kitsune

 

[KiKi Kitsune]

Adruo

Adruo's eyes followed the bird for a while, watching as she only became a dark speck against the azure sky. She followed Romon's lead and helped set up a small camp. It would be easy enough to break should Beatrice return with a warning. She smiled at Romon as he spoke. "I'm looking forward to tasting it." She replied. Unfortunately, her tired mind and body weren't able to register and react fast enough. Instead, skull knocked skull, causing the dragonkin to fall on her backside. She tried to get back up, but quickly realised that it was a fruitless task with Romon's head on her legs and all.


When the elf looked up and spoke, Adruo couldn't hold back the side-splitting guffaws that shook her entire frame. "Perhaps I'm rubbing off on you." She joked but quickly sobered when she noticed the pain that Romon was experiencing. Her brows knotted together with concern. "Don't worry about it. Just rest for now." An idea came to her. "I need to apply the salve that Akina gave us anyway. Might as well do it now."


Any complaints the elf may have wanted to give were stopped before they even started by a look that clearly said: I'm stronger than you right now; don't make me use force. Once he was settled, the dragonkin retrieved the salve from one of her pouches. After a bit of thought, Adruo decided it was best to have Romon move his shirt by himself.


With his back revealed, Adruo could clearly see the tattoo that engulfed it. Just as he had said, one of the roots were missing. It was fascinating to see the change. The other runic markings didn't seem to have changed. The female admired the handiwork of Romon's teacher for a while longer before remembering her task. She opened the salve, but froze.


She was suddenly acutely aware of her hands. Or rather, her talons. The dragonkin was always careful when shaking hands or something similar. Her claws were sharp and had proved useful in battle on multiple occasions. She had been assigned the task of helping Romon heal, not hurting him more. Her clumsy nature didn't exactly put her mind at ease in this situation. What felt like hours passed as she struggled with herself.


Adruo took a deep breath. "Just tell me if I hurt you." She did her best to apply the slave as carefully and gently as possible, keeping the tips of her talons off the skin.


@TerraBooma