The Raven King


 
​


 


Dusty's Subconscious
-Unkown Location-
​


"I'm really not up for this"
"You don't have a choice"
"I would've had one if you let me run"
"Then the they would've taken you"
"Im not scared of Yokai"
"But Its not the Yokai im scared of"
"don't tell me your scared of grownups"
"I am.... so much that i cry too many times because of them.."
"...."
"You wouldn't want me crying again now would you?" 
"Dont say that, it makes me feel bad"
"I'd feel worse if you wont stay still this time.."
"..."
"And done.... here, how does it look?"
"Like a Yak"
"An adorable Yak"
"Why does this have to happen?"


"Its the Law of the Land.."
"Its a dumb law, its a dumb land"
"Its your land child, and your people, this is for everyone after all..."
"after they treat us like dirt, now they think were gonna help them all... i dont like everyone.. i hate them.."
"It's how the world works.... "
"I wish i could change how the world works.."
"Maybe you could, maybe you can't... we've been through so much together that you know we could never find an answer to that"
"I could've found it... i could've if i got out of here..."
"I wish you found it too.... but here we are... 


-Aidan-
​


 
​


Lost in an odd velvety dream Aidan had lost consciousness. the memories prior to his capture have long since faded from his memory, what he could only remember was the sharp pain to his head and the pain of his muscles and limbs contorting uncomfortably as he was bound hand and foot from the arcane locks. his mind was ebbing in and out of sense, his eyes picking up the patches of weave as the sack pressed on his face and hands feeling the coarse and itchy feeling of the cloth. he wasn't able to realize where he was, or the situation he was in, simply that the present feelings and sights only ebbed and faded along with his mind. It wasn't until Chills sudden poke on his face that Aidan had successfully lost himself to the grip of his own shaky dreams which then took him to a long forgotten memory that played back like a scratchy old record. his tail that once and almost had twitched to signal Chill or Blanca, merely fell flat like a dusty old rag.


Dusty was out cold again...


..but something was welling up inside him, something was becoming impatient. 


From the inside the pockets of his sleeves, tufts of smoke slowly poured out and crawled their way like phantasmal worms inching out of their hiding places and into the outside. the smoke "felt" around dusty, touching the boys face and his current effects and almost "Sniffing" around wiggling and touching whatever they could reach. If chill and Blanca had seen what was going on, it would've looked like a scene from a parasite documentary, "worms" of smoke spreading out and thickening as all of them touched and poked at the itchy cloth sack. soon enough all of them latched on to the dirty cloth starting to burn tiny holes in between its weaving's, Smoke soon wafted inside the sack as the worms fed on the burning embers, which made the worms grow thicker, and the burning even faster. without Dusty's control, his body slowly shifted and twisted around as space soon presented itself as the sack burned to ashes and smoke, all of the residue sinking deep inside the boy's body as Aidan slowly sat up still. He was propped almost like a doll, like his body lost coordination and hadn't used its muscles to even try and keep balance, Dusty's eyes slowly opened up as his head creaked to his shoulder, showing two dark orbs glinting with a slight golden shine. It may have been the Tokoyami who was doing this, or maybe something more. whatever it was moved closer and closer to Blanca and chill, a patch of smoke slowly following in the boys clumsy steps. 


it had this curious look, and perhaps that was due to Aidans features, but it definitely had a curious gaze towards chill, blinking slowly as it walked toward him as Blanca attempted to analyze the poison that had been pierced on his nape. he was especially interested in that... or at least, showed peculiar interest on it




@Zer0 @Ensig
 
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- Ethan Milson -
​


" Slums Hideout, Lazim Docks "
​




"Dusty hasn't been radioing back since the attack." Klaus told Brandon, shaking his head. "I can't find him, Blanca, nor Dyani. But don't worry, no one has . . . truly died. Aaron did, but he switched bodies with an Arabian dancer. My brother's still confirming that, he's out right now. I thought you'd know where Dusty was?" he added, giving Brandon that look people would give someone's friend if said someone cannot be found.


When Ethan came back with Aaron the dancer, the topic changed to gathering information.


" I'll leave the coercing to you . . . two." said Ethan, nodding at Aaron and Serena. He was going to include Nona, but the little vampire girl was sleeping. "I'll do the talking." he added as he went over and picked her up carefully so as not to wake her up. Some of the white stuffed bunnies clambered on to him and clung to his hair, but he didn't pay them any mind.


"We need two things," he continued seriously as a bunny swung from his belt sash happily, "where the assassins took Chill and why they took him. We all heard through the comms how one of them asked him about Magnus and the stone."


"Ethan, the assassins guild's fortress is in the Hasna Canyons, west of Lazim." said Klaus, looking up from his book. "Fortunata has the soul and memories of one of the assassins in her body. She said that the Sphinx that kidnapped Chill was a man named, Rais, and that the guild is headed by an old man named, Razul. They're looking for  Magnus so that they can have the stone, but according to the soul's most recent memory, they haven't found him yet and they were arguing whether to destroy it or use it for themselves.


"There are about four hundred assassins in their fortress in the Hasna Canyons --- mostly fire warlocks and shadowmancers who know good deal about posions--- and the fortress is constantly surrounded by a sandstorm, probably a defensive enchantment. That's all she told me, all we need to know now is how to get inside without notice."


"It follows that she should know that too if she has the memories of the soul. Where is she?"


"Outside. Didn't you see her?"


"No." said Ethan, frowning.


Mordecai's head popped out of the cellar trap door. "She went off with her camel." he said to the group. "You didn't send her out, Klaus?"


"No, I didn't. I'll look for her right now." said Klaus, about to climb the stairs.


"Carry Nona upstairs too." said Ethan placing the sleeping vampire into Klaus' arms. The younger Milson brother looked apprehensive, as if he was holding a bomb that could explode. "She won't bite." assured Ethan, winking. Klaus just nodded and went upstairs, the little bunnies following and clambering all over him.


"While they look for Fortunata, let's get this guy to tell us how to get in without notice." said Ethan to Aaron and Serena. "The rest of you get some sleep."


(OOC: @Maeve Valor , @Gilzar, @OverconfidentMagi, you can have the interrogation go however you guys want. I'll time skip after this portion of the story the day after tomorrow in real time. When we get to the lair, Aaron and Serena will know the patrol routes of the guards. @Orpheus, @CoconutLeaves)




- Chill Sandell -
​


"Assassin's fortress, Unknown  prison location "
​




"What the?!" said Chill, suddenly standing up and instinctively placing himself between the leper and Dusty who had gone all alarmingly eerie. But his sudden movement to this aggressive protective stance only made his whole world dizzy and he stumbled forward again, face first in front of Dusty's feet.


Chill's skin was burning with fever, sweat beads forming on his forehead. He was paler than usual and his lips and the edges of his fingers had a bluish tinge. He seemed to be fighting to stay awake, and was making drunken wiping motions at the smoke at Dusty's feet.


Outside, the sand tiger golems suddenly stared at the three and sprang to life. Then they roared ferociously, their calls echoing in the underground prison. It was an alarm, assassins will be coming down soon. The sand tigers couldn't seem to pass through the enchanted wooden bars of the cell and were prowling outside, waiting to pounce on the Jomyaku-ko.


The arcane seal on the cell prevented arcane energies from entering or escaping the enchanted area. It works like an invisible cage of threads charged with energy that makes it work. Just like Chill said, one needs to counter the spell by cutting the spell binding to channel the arcane energy somewhere else so that the wooden bars of the cell will be unprotected. One can then use heavy physical force to break the wood.


(OOC: @Orpheus, @Ensig, as of now, all our characters have been stripped of their items)
 
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Fortunata, Desert


-------------------------


"And therefore, you are from the future?" Fath asked, his voice telling of his disbelief. The fact that he was in the soul of another person he found believable. After all, his own brethren fought with magic that came from the elements. The magic was both terrifying and awesome, and Fath had been disinterested about the topic yet could not tear his eyes away from the display. This girl, though. When they crossed blades, he had accepted death and even welcomed it. There was an honor in her when he knew his death would be quick and painless; he was thankful for that. 


But the future. 


"It's very much true," The slim and beautiful woman besides him spoke, "We have come from the future." It was odd. He can see what the girl saw, but he can also see the other woman beside him spoke, the surroundings around them just shades of gray, black, and white. He wasn't in disbelief really. Just more of shock. The moment he realized where he was and what happened, memories of the girl -Fortunata- flowed through him. 


"I'm sorry but I cannot apologize for what I did." Fortunata spoke as she traversed onwards, the pale, shining moon above enthroned and surrounded by its many servants, the stars. "Everything had gone wrong, and I needed to know of your hideout and its whereabouts." 


Fath fell silent. He was dead now, or in a state where no one knew of his existence. His duty or his role as an assassin has now vanished, now he was without a physical shell. Could he even allow himself to watch his brethren fall by her blade?


Fortunata took that moment to speak.


"I see a pool of water in the distance." Her eyes held on to the vegetation in the distance, reachable in minutes. Palm trees grew around it, and she could see the moonlight reflect on the surface of the clear water. Fath knew the place and thus Fortunata knew as well. She would stay here for the night. The journey of the morning will come soon. 
 

a-2.png


                                Nona Usagi




Being moved around wasn't enough to wake Nona, at least not all the way back to being alert.  She did crack open one eye just a sliver to catch a glimpse of Klaus' white hair after he was handed the sleeping vampire.  Thankfully, Nona associated white hair with Mars instead of Klaus and assumed that was who was carrying her.  Why Mars would be in the past in the desert or carrying her didn't really register in her sleep-clogged mind.  She let her eyes fall back shut and just curled up tighter against the source of body heat that was carrying her.


When Nona's rabbits got bored of molesting Klaus, they started fighting amongst each other over... something.  How they figured out who won is a mystery, but one of the rabbits wandered away from Nona's side and jumped perilously back down the stairs, each short drop making the stuffed rabbit fall flat on its face.  It got to the bottom and scurried across the room to sit itself in front of the captured assassin like it was about to watch a pleasant show.  It kept turning around to look at not-master-Vampire and other-person like it was impatient for them to get on with it.  


@Zer0@Maeve Valor@Gilzar
 
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Blanca
​


- Lair of the Assassin's Guild, Prison -
​




'Should we call upon the assassins...?' Blanca continued to think of the best choice of action while her mecha diagnosed the poison. Chill had managed to handle the pain so far, so she could only hope that he could continue to do so. 'They'll undoubtedly have the cure, but what will they request in return?' Unlike Chill, Blanca didn't have much social skills. The odds of her accidentally ruining the scenario he had presented in the previous interrogation and accidentally leaking the truth behind Libra's actions was high. '-- No, that doesn't matter much, does it? If there's a chance that he can be saved, then --'


Before Blanca could finish that thought, the edge of her vision caught smoke leaking out of the animal-sack. For a moment, she wondered whether the assassins had placed a Heating Rune inside the bag to cook the animal, only to forget to deactivate it once the preparations were complete. As Dusty emerged from the now-burnt sack as though he were a puppet with invisible strings, that suspicion was shattered. Blanca had seen many scary movies, and had thus gained a good resistance to 'horror' type things, but... A (literally) smoking young boy with golden eyes and a puppet-like position was a bit much.


Blanca shifted away from the Jomyaku-ko just before Chill moved forward, but his action was in vain as he seemed to lose all semblance of balance and collapsed onto the ground. Following him with her eyes, Blanca noticed that he had become a bit paler than he was a moment ago, and his fingers had taken a slightly blue coloration -- similar to the web-like design that stemmed from his wound. It didn't take a doctor to know that that wasn't a good sign. Biting the lower end of her mecha's lip, Blanca looked at Chill, then to the eerie Dusty, then back to Chill. Dusty was a doctor -- or so she had been told. He did aid in Dyani's recovery, after all. That being the case, part of her felt that she could leave Chill in his hands, but... Another part of her wondered whether or not that would be the best choice in the boy's smoke-clad condition. He did just burn through the sack he was in after all...


*GROOOOGH!*


Before Blanca could figure out whether or not to leave the injured Chill to Dusty, or take Chill and move away from him, several roars echoed within the cave-like prison. As the noise reverberated in her mecha's ears, Blanca cringed slightly. The volume alone was enough to cause her mecha's hearing programs to purposely tune down their sensitivity, but within the moments that followed, the sudden realization that their roar would no doubt to alert the Assassins came to Blanca.


If the Assassins came, then perhaps there was hope for Chill... Maybe that was Dusty's plan all along?


@Zer0 @Orpheus
 

0372e9f77db9cb8ff53955c87185ec5d.jpg


- Rub' al Khali Desert -
​


" July 23, 1250, Hasna Canyons "
​




On the second day after your character, @CoconutLeaves, left Lazim. She finally saw upon the distant horizon, the towering and jagged cliffs of the Hasna Canyons. True to the assassin's memory, the entire land from north to south as far as the eye could see was enveloped in a mighty sandstorm that raged and billowed continuously.  Even from this distance the wind that coursed through the canyons  swept through the desert dunes, sending flecks of dust and sand into your character's face..


Your camel gave an uneasy, "Nuur." and took some anxious steps backwards, looking behind it towards the safer quiet sea of sand to the east.


Inside, the sun barely shone through the cloud, the wind howled and nothing could be heard. Vision was very limited to about twenty feet at best ---- it was so easy to get lost here. In places nearby, the rocks cracked and crashed and large serpentine figures with rocky scales wormed their way through the sand and stone. The assassin's memory revealed that these were Deathworms, gigantic sand burrowing worms as thick as tree trunks and can grow as long and as big as trains. They can sense the area around them even though they are blind, and discharge great volts of electricity from their bodies that can stun or kill other creatures upon touch, hence the name.


There are cases of camels with their riders suddenly collapsing dead on the desert for no apparent reason. It's said it's because they accidentally stepped on a Deathworm hidden in the sand. These creatures weren't active hunters, rather, they were scavengers attracted to the smell of blood or food.


The memory pointed a safe passage though, away from the worms that ran for less than half an hour, but the trail was perilous. It was a passage through the blinding storm, narrow spaces, and thin trails on the high walls of the cliff that only people with dexterity can pass through safely. After about twenty minutes, your character spotted the sand just ahead was writhing and shifting beside a narrow steep bridge of some ancient weathered tree that had fallen over. Three deathworms were in the way feeding on some corpse.
 
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- Lazim-
​


" July 21, 1250, Slums Hideout "
​


 
​


Klaus looked down in mild surprise when Nona snuggled closer to him and felt something akin to warm protectiveness. She felt like a little sister . . . that can kick his butt. But that aside, he never had a little sister and briefly wondered what that would feel like as he laid the little sleeping vampire on the least smelliest part of the floor he could find, where some mats made of woven reeds had been laid out for the members of their team who were sleeping here on the ground floor.


Mordecai raised an eyebrow at Klaus as he tucked her in, the trail of rabbits wandering around the house to the surprise of the fisherman's family who were sleeping in early for the night in another room. "You're very normal around her." he said.


"Why wouldn't I be?" said Klaus, surprised.


"People normally make sure there's a healthy three miles distance between them and a vampire."


"What about you then?"


"I'm not afraid of them." said Mordecai, showing Klaus a wooden stake hidden in his person.


"Why do you have that?" said Klaus frowning belligerently.


"In case she and that other one ---" he pointed a thumb downstairs, "--- goes all crazy. What if something happens to their blood packs and they end up hungry?"


"Psh, they're alright." said Klaus, and sat down at the dinner table to resume looking for Fortunata, Dyani and Blanca. Usually at times like these, it was better to assume the last two got caught, but Fortunata, though. Why would she leave without telling anyone? Where would she go . . . with a camel?


His first thought was to go rescue Chill, she did look very upset about the whole ordeal. But the city gates were closed, there was no way out of the city assuming she wanted to go into the desert , unless you climb over the wall. There's the sea, but the port's closed. He looked out from the shabby open clay windows and on to the loud racous streets where all sorts of rogues and low lifes were slinking about. There was no way around it, he'd have to ask around.


"Mordecai, I'm going out to look for Fortunata. I'll be back in two hours." he donned his cloak, tucked his book in his tunic, then was hesitating between carrying a knife or a short stick.


"Take a sword." said Mordecai offering him his.


"I don't . . . like weapons." said Klaus, choosing to take the stick. At least with this he's less likely to kill someone.


"Really? In a rough place like this? You should have someone with you."


"I'm not a kid. I'll be fine." said Klaus and stepped out into the cold night.


"Suit yourself." shrugged Mordecai, and resumed his post guarding the shack.


 @OverconfidentMagi


　


- Rub' al Khali Desert -
​


" July 22, 1250, Oasis "
​




Later that night, Klaus came back to tell Ethan that a lady that matched Fortunata's description who had a camel had been seen going inside the house of a man and didn't come out.


The man turned out to be the home of a smuggler who had a tunnel that led down to the maze-like sewers underneath the city. There was a tunnel here that led out into the desert and the man said that he led her through it.


After the interrogation of the assassin that lasted four hours, Ethan decided to push the group to forgo sleep and make the trip towards an oasis while it's still dark. If they decide to do this by morning, the guards on the walls would see them and might give chase.


And so it was on the morning of the next day that the sleepy company, guided by the map Fortunata left behind, finally stopped at an oasis to camp and rest. Some of their supplies were with them; Blanca's box was left behind with Mordecai who stayed in the city in case there was word of Dyani or Blanca's mech's whereabouts.


@Maeve Valor@Gilzar@Orpheus@Cosmic Cobalt
 

July 21
​


Slums Hideout
​


"A Worried Wolf"
​


Brandon
​


 
​




"Well that was what i trusted you guys for i mean... im not in any way brandons keeper but... " The young man's voice crackled a bit as he began to worry a bit more. his words and his gaze, Klaus' gaze was almost an insult to him. he trusted dusty, and knew he wouldnt put himself into any harm, but his way of just looking at him was just.... juust cause he let dusty off without his help doesnt mean that he should just look at him like he was irresponsible..


"I.. Gah!.."


he didnt want to talk anymore, the ill feeling in his heart, the anxiety, he'd rather much DO something than keep asking, bit where was he gonna get answers, where was he gonna find him? He clenched his pants with his fist as Klaus took nona Upstairs, he was worried what Dusty would do should he find himself in more trouble. If he got captured, if their interrogating him... if.. If he suddenly lost himself again.. if that THING comes out of nowhere.. if....


He shook his head trying not to think about it right now. He noticed Serena's eyes as they carried over the man that was bound... Must be one of the attackers, Might have some info... If thats the case then Brandon decided to "Chime in" to what the interrogation could be. a soft growl, a low click, and a wipe of his hair so his bangs wont cover his forehead. He followed Serena about the interrogation




Eve of the Second Star


???


"No names"


Dusty


"hello..?"


"......"
​


"Hello?"


"....."
​


"I was supposed to meet the spirits here?"


"...."
​


"Hellooooo..."


"..."
​


"sigh... I knew it, i wasn't good enough i guess.... Just like almost everytime"


"....?"
​


"They were wrong, theres no way this can work, I mean theres literally nothing here... just... Black nothing... how was i supposed to help..?"


"...."
​


"Sigh... Maybe.. maybe it wont be so bad.... i mean... we're all meant to go away anyway right? There wasn;t anything in my life anyway. that mattred
"... sorry mom... guess theres no hope in me after all....."


"..!"
​


"Ow! Woah!"


"!!!"
​


"What wait.... what are you?"


"..!?"
​


"Your.. wait are you a spirit..?"
".....!..*"


"You look wierd.... Like.. a firefly in tar..."


"...."
​


"...Do... do you have a name or... wait do i ask for spirit names first or....?"


"...."
​


".......You don't?"


"...."
​


"That's okay, i dont have a name Either"




July 21
​


Assassin Brig
​


"Standard Medical Procedure"
​


Dusty(???)
​


 
​


The Black orbs that were Dusty's eyes Drew closer to Chills nape. The puppet didn't mind the Screaming, all it focused on was the poison Coursing through the young Magus' veins 


Its jaws had dropped and its mouth had opened as its head clicked side to side. dark Inky worms latched onto Dusty's cheeks as smoke clouded its mouth, there was an irregular shaking on its lower jaw as something started to lump up the Boy's throat. then, almost like a frog, a large tendril shot out from Dusty's mouth piercing itself onto Chill's wound. what followed was an odd eeire glow inside of the undulating tendril that slowly but hastily moved up from Dusty's throat over to the edge of the tendril and spreading beneath Chill's nape. 


The glow seemed to flow within his veins as his arteries shined a bright red pulsating along with his heartbeat and spreading further and further down his limbs and torso. It took a few minutes or so until there was a reaction to the black tendril. The glowing veins that spread throughout Chill's body receded back to their origin point, the Tendril itself started jerking and undulating until finally the glow positioned itself at the end of the tendril and with it the poison in Chill's body, leaving only a few spurts of blood and an open wound. 


@Zer0  @Maeve Valor  @Ensig
 

- Chill Sandell -
​


"Assassin's fortress, Unknown  prison location "
​




"BLOODY TROLLS!" gasped Chill, staring fearfully into Dusty's eerie looming eyes. If there was anything, ANYTHING he was scared of it was friggin'  frick-frack horror bolognas. "Mother fathers!" he yelled as the tendril pierced his neck, making him arch his back. He wasn't sure if it was the poison or the fear, but his arms were like lead, and no matter how much he tried to grab the Jomyaku-ko or try to punch him all he gave was a weak swipe.


"Sunny piddles! Shiznit tater sauce! #@%!" he struggled. It was so alarming, the feeling, like fire was spreading all over inside his neck and body, wriggling all over like little worms.


Perhaps it was because of Dusty's face, exhaustion, the bloody wound on his side from a javelin throw, or a combination of both. But before the Jomyaku-ko was finished, Chill fainted. He had an expression as though he had just seen a ghost. It would have been funny except that he looked like had gone into shock.


"Demon!" yelled a voice.


Outside, the assassins had arrived. There were about fifteen of them, their wrist blades and swords were out, the hands of four were holding writhing fireballs in their hands,  and two were chanting something that made the sealing runes in the prison glow. The six sand tigers crouched, ready to pounce. The magic that enveloped the area was weakening, they were undoing the hermetic seals.


@Orpheus, @Ensig
 

July 21
​


Assassin Hideout
​


"Defense Measure"
​


Dusty(???)
​


 
​


The tentacle dangled from the boys mouth dripping with a coat of poison from its tip. somehow and successfully the thing was able to keep Chill from dying all to suddenly that very moment, whether or not its purpose was to heal its comrade or was a failed attempt at feeding may as well be left to speculation as Dusty's puppeteer no longer seemed interested in the magus. However the bad times didn't start to let up as the assassins and began undoing the hermetic seals and the golems stood ready to pounce at the prisoners the seals kept. The thing could feel the animosity in the air, the feeling of ill intent surrounding itself as the enemies shouted commands and the golems growled in anticipation. Animals tend to have a sense for danger, especially ones who have long histories of being attacked and preyed upon by those stronger than them. The Tokoyami may have looked insidious with its latching inky worms and black fuming smoke, which evidently started increasing in volume, but it felt attacked like any other hounded prey.


It responded to this feeling, the large tendril slowly inching itself back inside the mouth as Dusty's body cracked and snapped in many a direction around it, the dark orbs scanning the prison like a mouse trapped in a cage. It was scared, that was obvious, its body was shaking and smoke thickened around its undulating body like a cat would lift up its fur. it backed away with every turn finding some mode of escape from the harrowing situation, but with each investigation yielding no results, no exit, no time. There was no escaping this easy, and it knew one way or another it had to fight its way out of this. and with that knowledge the Tokoyami, upon instinct, challenged its fate. 


a bulbous mass jutted from dusty's lungs, slowly rising up with Dusty spasmodically pushing the bulb upwards its throat as if it were to upchuck. The large mouth tendril extended again this time upwards in the air as the bulb rose higher and higher away from The Yomko's body which fell limp and kneeling on the ground, the bulbous mass stopped halfway through the tendrils pipe as the elongated appendage split in three sections of itself all bound by some kind of inky viscera, a tiny mouth inside the now "flowering" tendril opened up and gave an ear splitting scream around the area power by the large mass that slowly shrunk as the unholy wailing continued.










Followed by the wail was a cloud of black smoke that spiraled from the boy and whipped out from his extremities. It enveloped both Blanca and Chill in an embrace of dark and dust, keeping them from the now haunted eyes and ears of their enemies. the problem now lies in what could happen in this darkness, as an uneasy shifting of the smoke and dark silhouette in the night  meant that the Tokoyami was on the move the cloud of dark.


@Zer0 @Ensig @CoconutLeaves (If she hears it)
 
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"I understand if you needed your hideout to be well fortified, but did this mean you had to make things equally difficult for yourselves?" Grandmother Ritosh questioned Fath again as Fortunata kept her ground, unsure which path to take.


"You wouldn't understand..." Fath replied with exasperation.


"Fortunata, are you sure you don't want to wait for the others? This may be very dangerous."


Fortunata looked at the deathworms before her, the path being the only way to rescue Chill. When she awoke, she felt the potency of the poison linger in her veins, weakening her. If she could feel this weak while slumbering in the oasis, she couldn't imagine how Mr. Sandell was faring. Her eyes looked towards the expanse of the desert, and it became clear that she could take the dangerous path or she could take this equally but have a better chance of surviving path. She looked towards her bag and found what she continued to carry: potions, dried meats, spices, and Chill's things. Thinking, an idea formed in her mind and she took the spices and rubbed it on the dried meat. She threw it to a distance that the worms would smell but allow her to get through narrow entrance safe.


"Please tell me Fath, that what I did works. If not, you can tell me how to easily incapacitate these creatures so I can get through." She thought as she watched the three deathworms.


--


@Zer0
 

Blanca
​


- Lair of the Assassin's Guild, Prison -
​




'Or... Maybe not.' Blanca blinked in shock as the smoky being seemed to attach onto Chill's wound with some sort of... Dark tentacle? Well, whatever it was, it latched onto the epicenter of the young man's poison, and seemed to inject something of its own into his skin. At first, alarm bells rang in Blanca's head. What if Dusty had been posessed by some form of Familiar lurking in the Prison -- sent to finish Chill and Blanca off as they were no longer needed? Or, what if Dusty had been infected by a different poison, causing him to go berserk here? With such thoughts flowing through her head, Blanca's eyes became drawn to the magma-like glow Chill's veins took the longer the Jomyaku-ko remained in contact. Quickly, Blanca came to Chill's side -- throwing caution of the smoky creature to the wind. She pressed her hand on one of the many small cuts he had taken in the sandy desert-trip they had coming here to analyze the situation, even though she didn't know just what she would do with the information. As a result...


"It's... Cured." she muttered in disbelief, looking up at the odd smoky being as she did. She wasn't sure what sort of methods it had used to do so, but... Regardless, it had healed her companion. For that, she opened her mecha's mouth to thank it, but...


"Demon!" an Assassin shouted from outside the cell. Without noticing, they seemed to have crowded in front of the bars at the call of the Golems. As two of them chanted in an ancient tongue, Blanca noticed the runes lining the Cells beginning to weaken... Undoubtedly to allow the Golems outside to enter the cell and participate in the bout against the 'demon' without powering down. Unfortunately, Blanca couldn't find fault with that reaction, as the smoky Jomyaku-ko in front of her did, in fact, look like a Demon. Still, he didn't mean any harm, so Blanca began wracking her brain on a way to explain that the smoky-tentacle-creature-that-looks-like-it's-posessing-a-child wasn't actually evil, and that there was no need to panic.


Once again, however, her thoughts were interrupted. This time, from a monstrous howl within the Cell. Once again, 3CH4RP3 lowered its auditory receivers, and then raised its optic sensors' sensitivity as the area around her became clad in pitch black smoke. The moment before her vision was completely clouded, Blanca noticed the origin of the smoke: Dusty. When the Assassins questioning mutters reached her ears before fading out, she couldn't help but wonder just what Dusty was thinking with such an action. At that point, it was clear that persuading the Assassins of Dusty's non-harmful nature would be nigh impossible -- not that Blanca's persuasive powers would have been a guaranteed resolution, of course. That being the case, she had to think of a different way of alleviating the situation.


Fight back? No, they were outnumbered and lacked weapons and Magic. They were at a severe disadvantage in a direct conflict. Then, should they sacrifice the source of the panic? No, that was also unacceptable. While giving up Dusty would bring an immediate resolution, Blanca refused to sell out a fellow Libra agent so long as other solutions were available... But what other solutions were available? Blanca shifted slightly while racking her brains for a solution... As she did so, her shackles clinked slightly, their runic carvings glowing ever so slightly in the darkness... Wait, Runes?


Immediately, an idea spurred to life in the ghost's head, and her eyes darted in the direction of the bars... Or, where she thought the bars were. With a light *Crkk*, Blanca broke off her left hand's ring finger, crouching in front of one of the ancient Runes that were powering down at the Assassins' continued chant outside. One line, two lines, six lines, strike, dot, eclipse... With the steps flowing out of her mind and into the rune through her etching mechanical finger, Blanca modified one rune after another, working at high speed while she could. The runes wouldn't wouldn't be her best work, but... They'd have to do.


Thinking so, a small *thnk* came from outside the cell. Not minding it, Blanca continued to work. Another sound came, and she continued. When three more were heard, she stopped her hands, and when what sounded like several piles of metal and wood falling to the ground could be heard combined with a couple of groans in Arabic, Blanca stopped her etching. The Runes she had been making were 'Incapacitation Runes' -- ones with a short lifespan, and limited strength. She had to cut a lot of corners, and lamented her defiling of Runes she had yet to study, but it couldn't be helped.


"Dusty, we don't have a lot of time... The Assassins will wake up in a minute or so." she said, not exactly knowing where the Jomyaku-ko was, but figuring he had to be somewhere within the Cell. Whether because they were makeshift, because the Assassins' chants still had an effect on their depleted power supply, or a combination of the two, the Runes wouldn't last long. Because of that, the Assassins (who were now unconscious outside) would wake up soon. When they did, Blanca wouldn't be able to buy any more time for Dusty, so they had to make use of this chance.


@Zer0@Orpheus
 
???


???


"The Lost Mountain"


Aidan


"So what are you, exactly?"


"That's not a very polite question..."
​


"Ah s-sorry i mean, its just a- ive never seen someone like you?"


"So im weird to you?"
​


"No!.. no! its just, You dont look like a faunice nor a human.."


"...I'm a Jomyaku-ko.... or at least, was... im the Mountain Lord now"
​


"Ah! so you must be of high stature to be a Lord"


"I wouldn't say that, if it means being abandoned by the people you used to call a people..."
​


"....Oh so... then.... why do they call you mountain lord?"


".........To make it easy for me.."
​


"....w-well! i won't pry on the matter hehehe"


"....."
​


"Whoah, hey no need for the scary smoke cloud"


"...Sorry..... it just happens..... its not me doing it though its someone else...."
​


"Someone else..?"


"Yeah, an evil spirit"
​


"...Oh... hmmm.. does the spirit have a name..."


"Toko"
​


"Weird name..."


"I like the name"
​


"...Did you name it?"


"yes.."
​


"huh... did it give you a name back?"


"It can't talk...."
​


"...well thats a shame"


"..."
​


"mmmmmaybe we should give you a name..."


"why?"
​


"why!? w-well.. if we're traveling together we may as well have names to refer each other by"


"Ive never had a name in the first place....."
​


"......"


"..."
​


"......Dusty.."


"what?"
​


"Im going to call you Dusty, cause of all the dust in your clothes..."


"Thats a dumb name"
​


"Its better than Smoky really...."


"......"
​


"...ehehhhh?....."


"....."
​


"..*Gulp*.."


"Hehe... Dusty... i guess that makes sense..."
​


"YEAH!!! D-Doesnt it!? Henceforth on this day, your name shall be. Dusty!"


"Dusty.."
​




Dusty... Dusty...


July 21
​


Assassin Hideout
​


"Wake Up"
​


Dusty
​




"Dusty, we don't have a lot of time... The Assassins will wake up in a minute or so." 


"w-wha..."
​


 
​


                  The mind that once lay dormant in the now puppet of the boy soon started to shine itself awake from the sound of its own name, his name spoken in such a dire tone. Aidan's mind was just as cloudy as it was before quickly shifting in and out of nightmarish reality and blissful dream, this time however the boy chose to struggle itself awake from the dreams. though he felt more comfortable in his blissful thoughts than in his waking life he'd rather taste whatever bitterness was about to come to him instead. someone was calling out to him, someone needed him that they called out his name and try as it might sirens call of his subconscious would not find its tune with Aidan any longer. the boy's heart started palpitating, his veins and his nerves shocking his very limbs awake as he struggled to get above his own sea of unconscious. the systems of his mind and his body slowly awoke, starting to grab the senses of reality from the mute and numbing silence. the smoke in the air, the dust and the sand, the feeling of stone on his hands and his feet, and the sense of being upside down, all of his bodily functions and controls soon returned to him, his ears and his tail twitching and swaying to brush up even more of his surroundings. what he would feel next was a familiar alien feeling he's felt before, and the alien had come to realize this. The puppeteer was slowly losing the reigns on it's puppet, slowly getting its own strings getting tangled and broken with ease. Aidan knew the puppeteer, he didn't need to wrack his brain on this odd feeling that surrounded his body, Aidan felt worried but not of himself, though his own situation seemed to look dire, he didnt care about how contorted his limbs had become, he was more focused on the black inky worms that shot up his body in large tendrils and the elongated black trunk of a mouth that shrilled in fear. he was worried for the Tokoyami


                 The spirit however was even more anxious than before, the Host had come back to reality, and not that it was angry that it was, but the fact that it had felt attacked and alone, losing its grip and foothold from its own self, it was fearful of its life. With the last of its control the Tokoyami skittered on the cieling to a dark corner, the smoke continuing to flood the cell as its cry kept intimidating any who would dare try and touch it. Aidan felt the spirits fear, felt its need to stay alive, and felt its anxiety like a mouse trapped in a cage.... Aidan remembered the feeling, this very same feeling before.... once in himself. with a gentle voice and tone, he tried to comfort the Spirit, speaking in his minds voice, as they both share a head together.


"T-toko...."


"....!?"
​


"...Toko... it's me..."


"...!!!..creee.."
​


"you sound so scared... what's wrong"


"...*Click..Click*.."
​


"You know you didn't have to.... we're not alone remember...?"


"......Krrrr.."
​


"It's okay.... let's find a way out together..."


"...!!..."
​


"You can stay inside me where its safe... don't worry, ill be here...."


"....."     
​


 
​


               The spirit was hesitant, but it trusted Aidan's words more than anything, They were bonded together as one so it isn't a surprise that they relied on each other to be safe, hearing Aidan's calm and reassuring words, it was enough for the spirit to give back Aidan's body, despite its anxiousness it knew Aidan knew what to do. after the small conversation and the spirit consigning itself in dusty's hands the black tendril's had receded back inside the boy's sleeves and the large tendril on his mouth slithered back inside his throat like a turtle hiding back in its shell. the process was certainly unnerving to the body but Aidan had gotten used to it. Still upside down on the ceiling though his tiny anthropomorphic feet couldn't hold on to the stones and the tendrils that once coiled against the ceiling no longer kept their posts, so in the instance that the Tokoyami returned inside dusty's sleeves Dusty himself fell on the ground with an audible thud


'Aggh!! That smarts!"


              It was painful, but thankfully it didn't break any bones, still it gave evidence that Dusty had once again gained control of his body, both the good and the painful parts. He wanted to at least get a breather from the pain as he started heaving through his teeth but now needed to find whoever tried to call him, as everything seemed evidently dire with all the smoke about cause of the Tokoyami. Though it didn't take a second for Dusty's golden eyes to see Blanca carrying a worn down Chill in her arms, and it didn't take a second before he knew that they were the ones calling for him. though his ribs had a twinge of a prick after the fall, he ran towards the two, no longer a puppet to his spirit.


@Zer0 @Ensig
 

Blanca
​


- Lair of the Assassins' Guild, Prison -
​




Blanca had been unwrapping the bandages Chill had covered her now-repaired eye with, and reusing them for the young man's own wound when she heard the Jomyaku-ko shout out behind her. Momentarily, she looked in the direction of the sound, but as her vision was still clouded by smoke and she didn't wish to use any more of her mecha's constantly-declining power levels on locating him, she simply continued tending to Chill.


"The Incapacitation Runes... Won't last much longer. Still. Be cautious." Blanca said, referring to the fact that if Dusty moved closer to the Runes, he might just end up like the Assassins (and Chill). A moment after her warning, a small *snap* could be heard near the bars of the cell, a sign that her Runes had outlived themselves and used their own physical bodies as the final fuel for their usage. Still, the number of broken runes resonating was more than she had suspected for her created runes... Which must have meant that the Mana-Depletion Runes in the cell had also run out of power -- likely due to the drain from the Assassins persisting indefinitely without their controlled chant.


'At least we won't have to worry about those getting in the way--' 


*CHAAACCCK*


Blanca slowly turned her head towards the source of the large crack released in the direction of the cell's bars. The sound itself was something akin to a cement block being smashed by a sledgehammer, so it was blatantly obvious that it hadn't originated from a broken Rune. For a moment, Blanca wondered whether one of the Assassins had awoken and broken through the bars, but... Even if an Assassin managed to shrug off his/her incapacitation so soon, they would be far too groggy to break through the bars... No, the source of the noise was something else.


*CRRCK* *CHAAACRCHACK*


"... This... Isn't good." Blanca muttered, silence returning to the cell for a moment... Before a Tiger Golem leaped through the smoke. With a *BAAN* it arrived directly in front of Blanca, its stone paws standing atop the now-broken bindings on Chill's legs. Thankfully, its weight ended with just the shackles, freeing the boy's legs without crushing his ankles in the process. For a couple of seconds, Blanca stared right into the front eyes of the Golem, her mecha's face taking on an expression of shock and awe at the details inscribed on the stone beast.


After those short few seconds elapsed, the Golem turned its head and emulated the motion of sniffing the air as its paws moved off of Chill. As it moved through the smoke and out of her vision, it became clear that it had seen Blanca, but... It simply wasn't interested in her. That being the case, its purpose for entering the Cell was clear.


"D-Dusty... I think the Tigers... Are aiming for you." Blanca said, interrupting the sound of stone-joints shifting within the thick smoke before slowly putting Chill's arm around her shoulders -- minding her volume, as she was unwilling to test her theory that they were only attracted to Dusty, and attract unnecessary attention from the stone felines which continued to shuffle into the empty cell one after another. "We should... Make our way to the exit of the cell. Then: run." she said, standing up with Chill's feet dragging slightly across the stone and sand underfoot, moving towards the now-broken bars of the cell without waiting for Dusty's response.


@Zer0@Orpheus
 
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- Chill Sandell -
​


"Assassin's fortress, Unknown  prison location "
​




Chill weakly woke up after Blanca had carried him out of the cell and they were now stealthily making their way across the smoky corridor. The sand tigers had been sniffing about, but the smell from the smoke that swirled around them masked their scent.


For a split second, Chill thought he was back in the mountains, camping again with his friends at night with the smoke from the fire pit wafting into his face, when he wondered why someone was carrying him . . . Then he remembered. Horror Dusty. Sucking his blood out. He gasped, looking up wildly around him, but all he saw was Blanca and smoke that for some reason was actively avoiding being breathed by him, so he wasn't suffocating like he normally would in a burning building.


He was confused. Was he dead? Did he get eaten and his soul taken into the dark Shikegami world? Was it his fault that Blanca got eaten too? This wasn't how he wanted to die, he still hasn't fulfilled his life-long dream of completing his master gallery: The Quintessence of Life, a collection of his most precious and strongest photos that spoke of how he saw the world. He still lacked seven more . . .


Chill began to sob, attracting the attention of the sand tigers, four of which snapped their glowing eyes at his and Blanca's direction. A medical examination of Chill would reveal that the oxygen saturation of his blood was lower than normal and that he was having cerebral hypoxia, or a lack of oxygen in the brain, but it wasn't critical, he'll be back to normal in a few hours.


"I'm so sorry." he suddenly blubbered at Blanca, patting her head in apology. "I-I shouldn't have gone into the palace --- sniff --- then this wouldn't have happened, a-a-and we wouldn't have been eaten by Dusty . . . He'll probably be traumatized for what he did . . . I-I --- sniff --- I didn't know he had a demon inside him, like in Harry Potter, I can't believe that stuff is real . . ."


The sand tigers roared and began to make chase, three after Dusty and three after Blanca and Chill, who was really out of it and disoriented.


Chill's depression made his ability fluctuate. One moment he was as light as a cat, the next he was as heavy as a chair, then it was back to his real weight, then he was as light as a feather so that he actually fluttered in the air like some huge kite on Blanca's back as she ran through narrow spaces with the sand tigers getting chipped off as they bumped and collided against low ceilings and narrow corners.


"A-and poor Rose and Thorin, nobody knows they're in my warehouse." he sobbed in an anguished voice, "they're going to starve to death --- argh, I should have asked Mrs. Belladona to look after them!"


@Ensig, @Orpheus
 
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July 27
​


Assassin Hideout
​


"Cornered"
​


Dusty
​


 
​


Dusty tried to run towards Blanca and Chill, he knew however that they weren't able to see him in this dense smoke as he could see them, and he was worried as to what could happen to them as the Tokoyami had also felt the presence of danger in the area. Aidan decided to stick to the walls, making sure that the only thing vulnerable was his sides and not his front, its unconventional but in his mind it works, sort of... desperate times call for desperate measures after all, and if Toko was scared enough to hide inside him, he'd rather not take any chances getting flanked. The dark orbs for his eyes reverted back to their golden iris glow as the white had returned to his orbs, now in full control he quickly ran towards his left until he reached a wall and headed straight for where chill and Blanca were.


he found himself in audible within audible distance of them, his ears perking around to any anomalies that he could sense and could pose a danger to him as he skittered his way over to the two. as he ran towards them he was able to hear chill, and well.. His voice was worrisome. he sounded like he just experienced death or that maybe he was dying.. did they do something to him? what happened when he was gone? had they tortured him? traumatized him? this is a kidnapping after all. Thoughts had raced in Aidan;s head as he attempted to puzzle together the events that had happened, of course he had to make effort for an escape, but the more he knows about the situation the better. he kept tuned into them until Chill continued to speak


"...Demon inside him.."


those words he said, he didn't much enjoy them nor how he referred to Dusty as a demon, and many times before he had a similar moniker. he knows he was referring to Toko, but he's as much a part of the spirit as the spirit is a part of him.. it still kind of hurt


"he'd probably feel guilty bout what he did.."


demon.. accursed.. evil... call it whatever... its not the first time he heard it, but to hear it from someone he thought would be a comrade... no-no something must've happened between Toko and chill. Toko wasn't exactly the looker, and most people misunderstand his intentions, so Aidan had though that it must be same case. it took him aback however making him stop in his tracks as he listened too Chill's nigh traumatized voice... about Thorin and Rose, he was surprised at him thinking he might've been dead, at his hands no less. Dusty wanted to let him know that isn't the case, he's no monster... not anymore..


his ears then honed in to Blanca's mechanical voice, the same voice that called out to him. she was obviously in dire need of help, however she mentioned about the tigers might be after him..


..tigers.. where? and can thy even find him in this smoke..? He wouldn't be surprised if there were tigers in this hideout but golem tigers? 


before Blanca could even say the last objective Dusty's fur stood upwards in the air as they felt a disturbance. something was wrong, and in that split second Aidan did not have time to react, what happened next was in his perspective a series of sharp pains, and blurred visions as one of the tiger golems successful pounced onto pounced onto Dusty, its stone claws smashing at the walls as its large maw gashed deep inside the Yomko's shoulder. The Golems prey was wide open just standing there by the walls so a sudden ambush was easy enough to make, thankfully dusty's small stature allowed him to be saved from the beast but it didn't save part of his limbs. the golems successful attack rewarded it with a spurt of blood onto its stony maw and the Aidan's own howl of pain as its fangs dug deep into his muscly sinews. Dusty was mentally discombobulated fangs had torn his fibers and caused him to bleed profusely from the gash, and in response the boy attempted to create a large flash of light with his palm hoping to be free, however Dusty was still bound by the arcane runes on his hands and arms that didn't present itself to him until this dire moment of all times.  instead of a bright blinding flash the tiger was smacked several times in the face with a palm, it responded by attempting to wrench off Dusty's shoulder causing the boy to scream even more and attracting another one of the tiger's that quickly ran towards the wounded prey


"GAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!""


Aidan was in trouble, if he didnt get out soon, he;d be eaten alive by the damn golems. The pain was so sharp in his mind and adrenaline had just rushed all over his body. His heart was palpitating and his lungs slowly crushed itself out from the constant screaming.


"CHILL!!! BLANCA!!! GO WITHOUT MEE-AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!"


It was a horrible scene, and the other golem was there just ready to pounce as the first one nearly tore off Aidans arm. However fearing for its life as well as his hosts the tokoyami Sprung up once more, Coiling its black tendrils around the Vice chomped arm to keep it from getting torn. The tendrils coiled from dusty's torso and enveloped all over his arm clamping themselves onto the tiger golem in kind. The tiger golem wrenched and pulled and Toko pulled equally so, It became a tug of war between the Golem and the spirit, Toko screeching intimidatingly at the golem who growled in kind, The snarling becoming more aggravated until a tendril snapped at the Golems face and spiked straight into its eye. Caught by surprise the Tiger had howled its own scream of pain as it backed off from dusty, making the boy fall down to his knees as they shook from the trauma. The other Golem however quickly lunged to take a bite at the prey once he found him kneeling on the ground, more only for its face too meet stone as its fangs missed its target planting its face into the concrete and opening itself up for a punch. Aidan quickly took the opportunity and smacked his wrist straight towards the planted Golems face breaking the runic binds in the process, he wasn't giving up because of the pain, not just yet, they wanted a fight he's giving it to them alright.


*BASH*


Aidian quickly got up from his position after dodging the lunge all too closely. gritting his teeth he felt his back wide open for an attack and quickly vaulted above the wall smacked golem and true to his senses the now one eyed golem lunged again after flinching from Toko's last attack, this time however its bite smacked into the wall smacked tiger which in turn flinched in pain, and reacting to it bit the one-eye only to make the same mistake one eye had made. Now both golems had damaged each other pretty badly and with wall smacks sudden turn, Dusty had been flung backwards on his butt as the Golems attempted to bring themselves back to their senses. Dusty quickly got back on his feet and quickly smacked the discombobulated one-eye on the same damaged eye, breaking apart its stone face as his runic brace broke off, freeing him from the arcane binding that keep him from his magic. but that only left him open for another bite from "wall smack", sinking its fangs onto dustys hip and then flung him with ease farther from them causing his body to smack on the floor and tumble around. Aidan didnt wanna let up.... no... he wasnt gonna die here, He's never going to let himself die... not again..


Aidans Tendril coiled hand Grabbed the floor he tumbled on, scraping the blood soaked dirt with his tendrils as he hunched himself towards the beasts, by now the assassins had woken up and they were still unsure as to what had happened, they only saw a young boy's back, gashed, bloodied and dirty, yet they recognized his large tail, and knew he was a demon.


"Grab The DEMON!!!"


The assassins screamed in rally as they all ran towards the boy... but it was their mistake.... their mistake for calling him a demon.. in a way that simple word alone was a trigger for the boy. He wasn't a demon, He will never be a demon... he is his own man... and no one could tell him otherwise. never again.. Aidan's eyes looked straight at the Tiger Golems flashing their bright golden glow as a large tendril had shot up of Dusty's wrenched up arm. He stood there waiting, just at the right moment... the right second... the right distance... his guts screaming unto him as he stood their with the Golems starting to lunge and the assassins readying their swords. The tendril quickly opened up once more and Dusty dashed in between The golems. As Toko screamed Smoke had puffed itself around the boy's body denser than fog and all that was left of dusty's original placement was the afterimage glow of his eyes streaking between the golem's legs as they rushed forward and fell down. The Tokoyami's scream was ear piercing and echoed all throughout the room causing the Golems and the assassins to flinch in their place as the air grew thick with black smoke. after 2 seconds or so the assassins got themselves out of the flinch and found themselves in a sea of darkness, they were then met with a glowing light before them, 8 Golden shining orbs had shone from the darkness of the cloud coupled by Aidan's own fiery eyes. The smoke had suddenly coalesced into a single sphere in front of the boy but the Golems didn't take chances and started to lunge again... It was too late. The assassins who were outside the smoke radius as it condensed into a small sphere noticed the Jomyaku-ko and its tendrils extending with the Yellow orbs in the tendrils body. The tigers where only inches away, and the assassins couldn't make out what Dusty had lipped. 


"Lucien Irae..." 


A bright flash sparked in between the Golems and the Assassins, an explosion, The flash happened first only to be followed seconds later by a large Booming sound that echoed all around. Dusty was flung backwards from the large Golden shock wave that broke the ceiling above the cell and causing debris and dust to fly off where the epicenter had hit. Dusty then seconds later had his spine kiss the stone wall he originally skidded on, and soon after fell to his knees, the tendrils enveloping his torso to keep him from bleeding profusely


@Zer0 @Ensig
 

princeofpersia2008_environment_34.jpg


- Assassin's Fortress -
​


" Hiding Spot"
​




The sound of someone moving through the rubble and coughing out sand was nearby. His voice was unfamiliar. There was a loud clang of metal and something like shackles hitting the stone floor, then a silhouette emerged from the dust cloud with an assassin's sword. A big hand was feeling Dusty's back, then his neck for a pulse  through the shadowy tendrils.


"Oho." said a deep voice when he felt a heartbeat, and the Jomyaku-ko was immediately picked up. "Fret not, shadomancer, for thou art in the safe arms of Sir Popernickle de Mimsy." said the man as he hurried along the corridor, feeling his way by touching the walls. "I too was a prisoner, but now no more! Come, we must hasten to thy comrades!"


They emerged from the dust cloud where Blanca and Chill were running up ahead, chased by three sand tiger golems. The man followed. He wasn't fast, but his endurance was good.


The man had a matted mane of blonde hair and a tangled beard. He was wearing a dirty tunic caked with dry blood and dust. His bruised face looked like he had gone through torture, but his grey eyes were alert and steady. Sir Popernickle de Mimsy was a bear of a man with a beefy neck, broad back, big shoulders, and a barrel chest. His hands were calloused and rough, a warrior's hands; and in one he carried one of the assassin's swords.


"Thy prowess are commendable," said he, "together we shall escape the lair of these foul knaves, or else perish bravely in the charge. Speak, little friend, what say you?"


@Orpheus


Meanwhile, Chill was now going on about how he wanted to try donating blood, but never got around to doing it because he didn't like needles. "I'm not saying I'm scared of needles --- getting stabbed is no big deal since you're not expecting it. I just don't like knowing that they're going to stick it in me. It's okay if I don't look and they don't tell me they're about to do it." he said from Blanca's back. He had settled to a piggy-back ride and just kept on talking about random things, not paying attention to what was happening around him. "Helsalem is so hot, today."


The running through narrow passages was working. After losing the last sand tiger by tricking it into crashing into another prison cell with sealing runes, it stopped working and collapsed into sand and stone. A crystal engraved in runes that powered the golem lay on top of the sand heap, sealed, but still full of manna.


Following the two was a prisoner. A blonde bearded man big and tall who was carrying Dusty. He was clearly on their side, and after an hour of ducking out the roving assassins looking for them, they were finally able to find a hiding spot in a place where there were empty hanging manna lanterns. And here they rested.


@Ensig
 
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Blanca
​


- Lair of the Assassins' Guild, Prisons -
​




'I... Didn't hit his head on something, right? was all that came to Blanca's mind as Chill started breaking down and petting 3CH4RP3's head. It was when the pair had reached the outside of the cell, and Blanca had only just picked up one of the unconscious Assassins' blades when his blubbering began... And he simply didn't stop. While praying that this was only temporary -- some sort of relapse from Dusty's emergency medical procedure -- Blanca ran while the three Tigers behind the pair made chase. When she turned a corner, Chill became light making her think that he had recovered... Only to almost get thrown with the momentum when he returned to his regular weight again. She turned again, a tiger lunging at where they had been a moment ago... And he became light again. Another turn: heavy. Another: light, a dip under a Tiger's maw: really light, a slide over what appeared to be a food stand: heavy, a dodge by mere millimeters: light, a dodge into an empty corridor after leading a Tiger through a broken wall: Blanca used her Scarf's still-limited functionality to shift him to a piggyback position, as to make his weight changes stop messing with her mecha's auto-balance procedures.


Little by little, Blanca began mapping the interior of the Prisons, turning the Tigers' chase into something akin to a high-risk game of Pacman -- one where the only means of destroying a 'ghost' was to trick it into breaking through a wall and land inside of a Sealing-Rune Cell. There was also the matter of a weight-changing man speaking about God knows what, physics being applied not only to the 'Ghosts' but also to Blanca's mech, and... The fact that there were no revives.


Needless to say, this wasn't the type of game Blanca would like to play.


"GAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!"


'...?!' Blanca paused momentarily when she heard Dusty's scream resound against the stone walls-- an almost fatal mistake with two functioning Tigers in pursuit of the one who 'killed' their brother. While Chill said something about how he never got to try the Rotten Egg flavoring from some odd brand of Jellybeans, the left side of 3CH4RP3's jaw was struck by a stone paw, sending her hurdling into a pile of wooden boards. While another scream echoed throughout the chasm, Blanca closed the warning messages and struggled to stand back up as her mecha's jawbone hung on only by the synthetic skin that made up its face. Picking up the thankfully-light Chill, Blanca rolled to the side as the second tiger made for a follow-up attack, launching itself into a Sealing cell.


Only one to go...


 
​


Blanca
​


- Lair of the Assassins' Guild, Hiding Spot -
​




"....." Blanca sat cross-legged as she looked up at the ceiling -- or, at least appeared to be looking up at the ceiling. In reality, she was deep inside of 3CH4RP3's code, restarting programs and allotting remaining power (which was thankfully stable, as she had picked up some form of ancient Runic Power Cell from the final fallen Tiger Golem, and harnessed it to act as her own battery for the time being) to recovery programs. Next to her sat Chill, who remained in his... Odd state of being, and across from them sat Dusty, whose condition seemed worse than even Chill's was, and a burly old man.


*Chh... CHkkCKK*


With the sound of metal grinding and snapping together, 3CH4RP3's face was returned to its original form. Blanca, who had moved its chin back in place, decided that it was for the best to keep her vocalization programs muted while she dealt with the pain that followed. And so, silence descended upon the room while the shuffling of Assassins could be heard in the distance.


@Zer0
 
July 21


Hiding spot


"Respite"


Dusty


"Ugnhhh.."


Dusty merely gave out a pained groan as the odd man driveled on about things and stuff he didn't really get a chance to listen to. his entire body was pained, and his stamina blinking away as Toko weakly covered his wounds. The spirit was equally drained, its black smoke starting to whiten into a spectral cloud, and unlike its usual flagrant stream of whisp, it was "quiet" its smoke floating in a tranquil trail. for the most part, after the fight, Dusty was lost to his dreams again, his ears ringing and his mind screaming as blood had continued to pulse on his open wounds, he felt a someone carry him, take him somewhere, and he didnt like it, but he had no strength. his arm was almost dislocated and his body numb to almost everything, he let himself be brought to whatever fate may befall on him soon after


maybe the assassins found him... maybe they caught him again.... did Chill make it out? Blanca?


Aidan swirled in thought as he closed his eyes worried, afraid, but yielding. it wasn't until after a bright light started to shine on his eyelids that the darkness of his mind freed itself from its cloudiness. where was he...? what day is it? what's happening. Questions had followed by more questions as his head turned side to side to evade the light and keep it from cooking his eyes. Toko in kind slithered into Dusty's back as it lay on the floor hiding from the sun and exposing dusty's bloodied front. He couldn't make out anything yet but he tried calling out... even if it could be assassins... he still needed to know..


"Hey... where am i? where is this?"


the boy spoke weakly.....


@Zer0 @Ensig
 
Fortunata breathed a sigh of relief as the sandworms moved out of her way. Taking the chance, she went forward, the camel unusually docile as if it realized the danger it was in. Deathworms neither cared for human or animal, just that they were morsels of meat. Fortunata looked at the path and saw the jagged, narrow, and steep path before her. She could feel the gentle protestations of her grandmother at first, but her voice fell silent as her newest occupant, Fath, began giving directions. It seemed that this trip would be much safer than she had thought. Her eyes continued to look at the endless desert sand dunes that lay before her, threatening to merge with the clay colored path she tread on. 


"Don't lose focus. The elements will be a greater enemy than any living creature can." Fath voice echoed.


"That still means the undead are a bigger problem." Her grandmother Ritosh chimed in humorously.


The path was indeed dangerous. Some parts, Fortunata had to dismount and guide her camel to the next ledge, steep, and foothold. It was only when the sands had left and she had landed once more on even ground did she know she had made it through the dangerous lane. She looked around, using Fath's memory and his voice as a guide as she continued onward to rescue Mr. Sandell.
 

- Assassin's Fortress -
​


" Hiding Spot, July 23 1250"
​




The burly bearded man with mane of yellow hair just gaped at Blanca as though he had never seen anything quite like her before. "By Jove, thou art a golem of steel." he said in wonder as she snapped parts of 3CH4RP3's face together. He carefully placed Dusty on the ground and introduced himself with knightly grace, "I am Sir Popernickle de Mimsy, my lady" he whispered, bowing respectfully. "would that warlock be your master, perchance?" he looked over at Chill who was counting sand grains before he fell asleep from exhaustion.


The man would then say that he was a Templar Knight who had been ambushed by the cowards and separated from his charge. The "knaves" as he called the assassins were after the man he was guarding and proudly said that he didn't tell them a whit about him. They were nice at first, trying to bribe him, but when he wouldn't budge as it was against his code they resorted to torturing him. It's been three days since he had anything to eat and would ask Blanca if they had any water. He would then sit quietly by the entrance of their hiding place and leave the three alone so that they could rest in peace, telling them that he will watch over them.


On the second day the assassins would still be looking for them; Sir Poprenickle would shave his hair with his stolen sword, sneak out, and then come back hours later with water, clothes for bandages and ointment for Dusty and Chill, and some meager food. Chill was back to normal when he woke up and was embarrassed at how he acted, but just laughed it off. He did though thank Blanca and asked her if she could keep the things he said and how he acted a secret.


The third day was when Dusty woke up.


"Hey... where am I? where is this?" he said.


"Dusty?" said  Chill's voice. "We're still in the assassin's lair. It's our third day here. Its almost noon. You want water?"


Meanwhile, 3CH4RP3 was picking up some static in the comms. Someone tuned in to their frequency was nearby. Fortunata too, who was actually about five hundred meters away from their location would also pick up the static.


(OOC: @Ensig, @Orpheus, @CoconutLeaves, there is a narrow fissure above the area where the escaped Libra agents are hiding. Sun is streaming through it, but also the raging sand of the ever continuous sandstorm above. It is impossible to see anything properly for a long time in the sandstorm, that is if one could keep their eyes open. But Fath's memories would know how to get up there without getting lost or falling down into some deep hidden in the storm.)
 
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Blanca
​


- Lair of the Assassins' Guild, Prisons -
​



"By Jove, thou art a golem of steel." the bearded man said just as the pain from 3CH4RP3's facial-repair was finished. In regards to the contents of his bewilderment, he wasn't wrong, but he wasn't right either. Blanca's mechs were a combination of engineering and arcane, so in reality they were closer to a 'Hybrid Machine'. That being said, as Machines were far and few in between in the current age, there was no need to explain that to him -- in fact, doing so would have been overstepping Blanca's allowed actions as a time traveler. Preserving the man's oddly-childlike expression despite his grizzled appearance was also a boon that Blanca would be willing to accept for keeping her mecha's mouth shut. "I am Sir Popernickle de Mimsy, my lady" he continued with a court bow.


"I'm... Emma." Blanca replied, trying her best not to mind his name being the polar opposite of her expectations and adding a light nod in response to his bow. Chill had used 'Emma' as her name earlier, and despite him being loopy at the moment (the reason for which was still unknown, as Blanca was more preoccupied with granting herself the ability to speak without revealing her artificial nature to any more civilians) Blanca decided it was for the best to introduce herself as such. That being said, it couldn't really be helped if Chill revealed her true name...


"Would that warlock be your master, perchance?" he continued, causing Blanca to pause for a moment. Golems had become able to become 'sentient' creatures in current day Helsalem, so she had regretfully lacked the preparation to answer his question. Surely, Golems of this time would need something like a Master... Someone to grant magic power to cores -- much like the ones that fueled the Stone Tigers. "No, he's not. But an acquaintance of his is." she replied after a moment of thought, purposefully leaving it vague. If he had pressed further, she would have probably deemed Klaus as her master, as he was the only one around that could back up her story using knowledge of Golems in general. A 'she's built like this, which I know because I made her' sort of story. Luckily for her, he didn't ask, and instead spoke more about himself.


At the mention of Templars, Blanca would have the feeling that luck was on Chill's side, as Sire Popernickle's very presence might have been what had spared Blanca and Chill from the Assassins. Replying every so often to his tale, Blanca would pay proper attention to his story, adjusting Chill and Dusty's sleeping positions in the process to aid in their recovery. Alongside that, she would request Sir Popernickle to break her bindings with his blade -- assuring him that she could repair any damage so long as the bindings were fully disposed of. Once they were broken, she would immediately tend to Dusty's more serious injuries while analyzing Chill's condition. Once Dusty was no longer at death's door, Blanca would rest to recover her mecha's depleted magic supply -- it wouldn't be good if she completely ran out and was forced back to her body in the Slums of Lazim. 


In response to Sire Popernickle's query regarding food and water, Blanca would reply that they had neither with them, as they had only been imprisoned earlier that day and... Well, there wasn't much time to gather such things during their escape. And with that that, the first day passed with Sir Popernickle keeping watch, and Blanca recovering her Mecha's mana supply.


On the second day, Blanca continued working on the rest of Dusty's wounds, and also mentioned Chill's debilitation to Sir Popernickle. When she did so, she mentioned several food items that could aid him in case there were lingering effects when he woke up, and when the Templar returned from procuring items from the Assassins, he seemed to have found a couple of the items mentioned. When no effects from the day prior appeared on Chill when he awoke, Blanca remained gratefulness to the burly now-shaved man, and made proper use of the curatives he had procured to aid in Dusty's recovery. When Chill requested that Blanca kept what he had said a secret, she responded "Only if you take me to see Rose and Thorin when we get back... Provided they're pets and not people, of course." with a straight face. She was, of course, joking, as the two names were likely just a creation of Chill's addled mind.


On the third day, Dusty was fully cured, and awoke... But despite being a joyous occasion, there was something even more important than his recovery. "Dusty, 'Burke'... I'm receiving a signal from an 'acquaintance', but... It's vague." she said, paying careful attention not to blatantly say 'there's another Libra Agent nearby'. As Sir Popernickle still believed she was a Golem of sorts, he would likely believe that Blanca was picking up on a Mana frequency of someone she knew.


"What shall we do?"


@Zer0 @Orpheus @CoconutLeaves
 
"Y-yeah Sure..."


Dusty tried to keep himself upright, his body was sore bitemarks and scars still all over him as he heaved himself to sit up. Like before he had so many questions now, especially with the man that carried him. He didn't know who he was and he knew he had to ask, he opened his mouth trying to say something but somehow he couldn't. no matter how he could mouth the words all he could muster was a silent thrown voice, and an embarrassing expression towards the man who simply stared and smile waiting for a reply only to get a weak 


"Thanks"


Whatever came over dusty certainly kept him from talking, in fact he coughed and wheezed a bit, sand particles blasting out of his mouth as he sighed a pained expression on his face...


"We are.... safe here...?"


again he spoke in his own silent voice, he didn't know why or how, and he couldn't explain why his voice was so low right now, he was scared that something mightve happened to him.. crushed lungs maybe...? Laryngitis.? hopefully it was the latter. The boy then looked for a shady area to sit for now setting his back on some cold stone as he looked at teh sandstorm from the clearing above...  how are they gonna get out now? as he moved his head his body winced in pain as it was still recovering from the fight, his frame wasn't durable, and if anything he would've died right then and there.... his hands quickly swiped at his abdomen and he was surprised that they were properly tended to. Bandages, proper dressing.. or at least what could suffice, it wasnt perfect but it was alright, and he wondered who he would thank this time for the patch-job. in any case, he wasnt walking until a few more days or so... but this was never a time for respite..


"Dusty, 'Burke'... I'm receiving a signal from an 'acquaintance', but... It's vague."


"ungh.. vague?"


he had hoped he could keep his mind still from questions, but he never really got answers did he? he also wondered how brandon was doing... where are they... and how will they find them in the storm?


@Zer0 @Ensig
 

- Chill Sandell -
​


"Assassin's fortress, Unknown  prison location "
​




"Good guess, they are my pets." said Chill, surprised. He looked to the side as if recalling the events of yesterday, but he seemed to have a bit of a hard time remembering.


"Thorin's my big dog. He's a really shaggy bearded collie, with Thorin Oakenshield's hair and eyebrows. Rose is my sister's rose-colored pipe-fox, that's a magical beast that floats. She's this long and looks like a small furry snake from afar, " Chill emphasized with his hands, "she's intelligent and has a really long tongue which she uses to eat my boogers when I'm sleeping at night. And yes, for saving my life, Blanca, you can visit them." he added smiling. "A visit, and I'll do a free job for you. I gather information for Libra and keep tabs on people, so if you want some dirt or any kind of information on anyone, or if you lose something in the future and you want it back, just come to me and I'll help you." he said confidently.


Sir Popernickle was out when they were talking about this on the second day, so Chill just used Blanca's real name. When they were first introduced, Chill actually blurted out laughing at the mention of his name, but quickly turned it into a coughing fit. The knight wasn't convinced, though, and still looked affronted before he left their hiding spot to look for food and medical supplies. The impalement wound on Chill's side had been cleaned and treated and he had learned of what the Jomyaku-ko actually did to him. He used his magic to suck out the poison, not Chill's blood. And here he thought he got eaten by Dusty.


When Sir Popernickle returned, Chill had a blast mimicking his accent. But when he learned that he was a Templar and that the assassins were looking for his charge, something clicked in his head and he straight up asked. "Your charge, good sir, would not happen to be Albertus Magnus, would it?"


Sir Popernickle was startled up his feet. "By jove, what kind of sorcery do you possess?! Or are you seeking my charge for your own vile purpose as well?" he said suspiciously, drawing his sword.


"Nay," said Chill, lifting his hands up in peace, "nay, nay, nay. We are only the companions of a scholar who wishes to know more about The Raven King."


"Not many are privy to that lore. . ." said the knight, "Why do you wish to know more about the god?"


"Because he is a god." lied Chill simply. "How many gods have ever appeared to man face to face? His appearance and the gift of the stone is intriguing. Why did he do it? Where did he come from? What is he? What is the world he's from like? We want to ask Magnus those questions, and in return, we will help both of you escape Lazim and return safely back to your homeland."


Sir Popernickle stood awhile in thought, then he lowered his sword. "It's not my decision to make, but I can guarantee you an audience with Magnus at least."


"That'll do." nodded Chill.


***
​




On the third day, the mention of static in their comms perked Chill up and he immediately went into a stance as though communing with spirits. "Hello? Hello, can you hear me?"


@Ensig, @CoconutLeaves, @Orpheus


Pipe Fox
​


 
​


pipe_fox_by_najal-d39ow8q.jpg
 
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There was something different that Fortunata needed adjusting to. When it was her and her grandmother, she could travel and work in peace. Her grandmother was a patient woman who spoke only when she couldn't contain her excitement or when she wanted to impart some advice to her daughter. When those two conditions were not met, she was merely content with watching the world through her daughter's eyes: the birds chirping, the flowing rivers, the scurrying squirrels. It was a peaceful co-existence that Fortunata relished.


However...


"Be careful of the Sand! No, don't shift, you'll fall! Have you ever ridden on a camel before? What is this airplane in your memories, how do you keep afloat? Wow! You can see..."


Fortunata had to mentally block the words inside her mind. Fath hadn't stopped talking ever since he saw more of Fortunata's memories while also criticizing her actions as she traversed the desert. They were out of the dangerous part of the area, and were heading closer and closer to the hideout Fath's memories held. Her eyes kept alert as she searched for Mr. Sandell. When she felt a vibration, then a cracking noise, she realized that search would end earlier than she had thought.


"Mr. Sandell?" Fortunata asked as she calmed her beating heart. He was alive? Please, let him be alive! "Mr. Sandell, I will go to you know, just stay still!" She shouted with concern as she began to trust her instincts and continue forward.
 
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