Fantasy Valsena Chronicles: Rise of the Hunters

[A Not So Wonderful Story]

Severynd Whinstek
Severynd kept his steady gold gaze on Alyssa as she spoke, listening closely, mostly to hear any emotion behind her words to see if this was her mind or her heart speaking. His chest slowly raised into the air before falling as he sighed, realizing that she was right. He would have to swallow his pride, he just hated pretending that everything about this was okay, that they were all happy and go-lucky people on a picnic trip. But Alyssa made the clear factual point that focussing on that problem rather than the one at hand was foolish. Severynd nodded towards Alyssa and took his seat. Danidify

"I am c-content with that decision."

He seemed to give Alyssa a last look that was more respectful than anything. He admired people who could answer his questions without being dramatic, which was much more common than not. He then looked over to Arlech, clearly waiting for his introduction. If he didn't, well, Severynd wouldn't care to hunt him down to ask him who he was after the meeting. Quillicious
​

 

[ApfelSeine]

Vijay Kulkarni
The Council Room
​

Vijay placed one hand on top of the other, leaning back in his chair slightly with his hands pressed tightly together for just a moment before relaxing. He said nothing, but his lips remained pursed together as his attention refocused on the original subject of his concern. He was not, in fact, the type to fuss or show undo concern. Or at the very least, that would not be how he described himself. Still, as he worked the cracked green stone between his thumb and index finger, slowly smoothing out the surface as he slid his fingers over it, he considered why a well intentioned interjection from Colt had irritated him so. Evangeline herself had waved off Vijay's show of concern, and it was a sign of arrogance to remain frustrated over something minor. His expression relaxed, hints of emotions buried beneath an appearance of passivity.

In truth, he couldn't blame Colt for being more concerned with potential side effects or harm that the experiments had caused. It was only natural given the traumatic nature of what each of them had likely experienced. Vijay most likely should be more concerned, or perhaps even resentful, after what had happened to him. It was easy to empathize with what the others were undoubtedly going though, though at the same time he knew he had no idea about the full extent of their circumstances. As he listened to the stammering introduction of Severynd, and took stock of the new arrival to the group, he found himself thinking once more about just what he had gotten himself into. He had known, going into this project, that the experiments were something which he might not have survived. Perhaps he had been too assured of his own resilience, or perhaps his desire for a greater autonomy, for a life with more meaning, had led him to disregard the risks. Even now, he convinced himself he was unaffected, yet his hands continued to fidget with the stone in his hand, mending superficial cracks. Vijay could not disregard the possibility that while pursuing something greater than himself, he had walked into a cage that others, perhaps more wise than himself, had struggled to avoid. It was clear from Severynd's words that this place was very much a prison to them. For Vijay, who had chosen to come willingly, that sentiment was shared.

"I am inclined to agree with Alyssa as well," Vijay commented, his hand curling around the stone he held. "Though I must admit, I find referring to myself, or anyone else, as merely a weapon to be rather distasteful. I would like to make it clear I am my own person, and shall be treated as such. Naturally, I extend that courtesy to each of you as well."

He looked to Severynd, his smile calm and sympathetic, though not excessively so. Vijay's gentle tone of voice did not appear to match well with his firm objection. His intention was not to be harsh after all, merely to make his stance clear. And in the end, he could understand where such a cynical perspective arose from. They each, from what Vijay could tell, had good reason to be resentful of the forces which had brought them here. Even those who came willingly would have good reason to reevaluate their loyalties. In Vijay's case, he had still not reached a conclusion. Only time would tell if his sacrifice was worth it.

 

[LumaThePhoenix]

Maya Misako

​

The red-haired lady paused for a moment after she spoke, not sure how those around her would react. Surprisingly, her plea for everyone to try to get to know each other did not fall on deaf ears. The silence was quickly broken by a response from Alyssa in regards to Maya's question about privacy. She felt a hint of sarcasm threaded in her words. One thing was certain, the blonde had a sharp tongue. That would definitely come in handy in situations where mind games were needed. It's likely she would be able to easily get in the minds of her enemies, and probably her friends as well. A prime example of how dangerous knowledge can be. However, when Alyssa introduced herself, it was in an honest, friendly tone, it caught Maya a bit off guard. Honestly, it gave her a sense of relief hearing the blonde speak with such benevolence. While she can't just jump to calling them best friends, there doesn't seem to be any animosity between the blonde and redhead, which is perfectly fine. As for the nobleman, Maya can somewhat understand Alyssa's disdain towards him, so she chooses to not get involved with that.

As more people introduce themselves, Maya elects to stay quiet and listen. The next person to speak up was Colt. He sounded like a kind, yet confident individual. Very confident, actually. To say that after the experiments he's even more, he's either arrogant or determined. Her guess was the latter by the way the rest of his words were spoken. He seemed like a great frontline soldier, always ready to take on the next challenge, no questions asked.

Following Colt's bold statements came words from another man. Vijay was his name. In that moment, Maya couldn't tell much about him other that he was a bit of a tactical gentleman. He spoke softly, but elegantly. His statement about being outnumbered could easliy just be dismissed as stating the obvious, but she felt there was a bit more to it. Perhaps she could piece together a bit more about him as time progressed.

The next to be known was Ezekiel. Well, by name at least. The man had already made his presence known by casually tossing out an open threat. This caught Maya's attention immediately. She wasn't afraid of him, but she was worried that he could snap at any moment and try to go on a ravenous killing spree. When he introduced himself, it was loud and proud. Oddly enough, his statement about everyone suddenly becoming friends made her laugh inside. He appeared to be a loose-cannon, but his intimidation factor could very well be vital.

Things seemed to be going...well? That is, until Evangeline spoke. She had initially come off as a bit menacing. Perhaps still upset about the procedures. Understandable. However, she seemed to suddenly fall ill. Was this a side-effect? Has this woman always been sick? Maybe her powers were already kicking it. Maya was worried for her safety. When she saw Vijay and Alyssa showing concern and offering assistance, Maya couldn't help but smile inside. Here they are, almost complete strangers, yet they still at least show some care for each other. Eva's stubborn toughness was on display as she waved off the assistance. Maya is impressed, but still concerned.

The next person to greet the room was Severynd. His speech came with a stutter, but it was still understandable. Though he seemed a bit shy, it was clear that he was protective and caring. However, it appeared that he saw the group more as imprisoned weapons rather than teammates. On one hand, it's entirely possible that some of these people were forced here. Plus, even Maya wasn't aware that the Bastion would be her new home. On the other hand, that doesn't mean that they can't try to make the best of the situation. Just as she was about to speak, Alyssa responded to his words. Maya nodded in agreement with the blonde girl's valid argument. She also listened to Vijay's statement and took into account his point of view.

As side conversations started to break out, a new person entered the room. He was...late, but better late than never. Maya titled her head slightly when she saw him cover his head. Not wanting him to feel left out, but also not wanting to put him on blast, Maya walks up to him and kneels beside him. She speaks softly.

"Hey, I'm Maya Misako. Pleased to meet you. Are you okay?"

 

[Danidify]

>Alyssa Durand​

Upon hearing Severynd's response, Alyssa's expression sparked with happiness. Being from a family of purely stubborn souls, she wasn't used to people agreeing with her making it a very pleasant experience for her. "Great. I'm glad we're on the same page then." She would reply, sending a playful wink into Severynd's direction with a smile still gently placed on her face. Her eyes would wander off afterwards, straight in the direction of yet another person that agreed with her. The young blonde was caught by surprise when Vijay did, mostly since she hadn't agreed with him beforehand. Nevertheless, she appreciated it.

What came next made Alyssa hold back the urge to roll her eyes. She could've further responded by going into detail as to why it did not matter what they called themselves, but what was the point? Alyssa did not care for simple words, but the inquiries Vijay made gave away that he clearly did. Back at the farm, only actions and hard work mattered, so she had always been rather insensitive to the use of more rough ways of communication. Alyssa's way of interaction was a mix of her father's boldness and her mother's gentle touch, so she sometimes knew it was best to adapt. Hence why, although she disagreed with Vijay, she wasn't going to cause for unnecessary drama by starting a debate about the strength of said words. As a result, she merely stated "Understood." as a reply to quickly move on.

Afterwards, the plant lover found herself once again caught by surprise by the red-haired girl who had introduced herself as Maya. Aside from having a cute name, the girl also seemed to be rather sweet in nature considering she was the first to speak to the new face. Alyssa wasn't sure why the stranger hadn't said a word or attempted any way of alternative interaction, but maybe he was just a little nervous. She internally decided to attempt lightening the mood a little more for the stranger, after Maya asked him if he was okay. "There's no need to be shy, we're all in the same boat here," Alyssa added, her golden eyes aimed at him as she spoke. She was obviously not implying they were connected to the guards and the odd nobleman, simply the oddballs sitting at the table.

​

 

[Quillicious]

Arlech​

All was going according to plan for Arlech until the chilly girl made a scene. Not that being noticed was a surprise or anything. He was just hoping for the prior discussion to continue without skipping a beat, however they might've been introducing themselves already. In that case, Arlech's plan was completely denied. Unfortunately, this all meant bad news for the timid Hunter. Now there was a social expectation for him to go right along with the flow and actually speak to everyone. What a bother this whole thing turned out to be. Arlech expected a briefing about a couple incidents involving some villages along the countryside, accompanied by a growing sense of urgency as they realized some pattern in the attacks, then a heroic speech would follow. This normal sequence required little to no contribution from Arlech at all, so it was definitely a considerable disappointment that it wasn't really going to happen.

After waiting for the second girl to finish her greeting, there was really only one thing to do. Thankfully his hood masked the curl of his lip in disgust as he prepared himself for speaking out loud. Silently taking a slow, deep breath, the adolescent parted his lips. "I'm Arlech," he quietly said, blunt and sharply cut off. As he finished the final syllable, he slightly lowered his head in an attempt to signify that he was finished. If that didn't do it for those at the table, then they would be insatiable. The strange kneeling needed to be ended as soon as Arlech could make it so. Quite the strange and completely unnecessary gesture, if you asked him. After his eyes left the two girls who greeted him, they quickly flitted from face to face around the table. Soon satisfied with the familiarization of each person...companion...ally thing sitting around him, Arlech resigned to a passive listening for the remainder of the meeting's duration.

LumaThePhoenix Danidify

 

[A Not So Wonderful Story]

Severynd Whinstek
Severynd would fidget slightly at the playful wink. He was never used to, well, friends. It seemed that the two of them would get along quite well though. They even both came from a farm, but he didn't know that quite yet. He nodded to Vijay's agreement, and let his gaze settle on the newcomer. Once he heard his short response, he simply excused the man entirely. Loners aren't going to make friends, simple as that. A warrior who doesn't desire allies is a foolish one in Severynd's eyes, so he would wait for the hunter to come to him. Severynd looked around the table, seeing as though everyone who was present had introduced themselves, he looked to the nobleman before anyone could make a fuss of the situation.

"Wh-What are our i-instructions, Valtur?"

Severynd saw no need to call him nobleman, and he had given them his name, hadn't they? He just wanted to end this meeting, seeing as questions have been answered and people were fainting. His appetite was growing as well. Ya Boi ​

 

[NextGenRolePlayer]

Colt Lionel​

While waiting for the answer from the nobleman, Colt thought about the creatures they were all going to be facing. Were they simple-minded like animals? Were their brains on par with the average human or not? It'll be difficult if the creatures surpassed human intelligence; there's no telling on what they could do. What about their defense? Are each creature different in terms of defensive capabilities? If not, how much force can their armor take? Now for the last branch of questions. how powerful are these monsters? If they are really strong, is the fortress enough to take on the pressure?

While these thoughts may seem concerning to others, Colt was excited to face these monsters. It made him all the may determined to beat the ravenous monsters. His expression tried to hide his eagerness. He quietly coughed and kindly spoke, "Ahem, I know that I may sound a bit impatient. But, when will we facing these monsters of your concern?" Everyone got to know each other quite enough. Colt also thought like it'll be better to get know each of his teammates through battle as well as an understanding of their capabilities. "As a side note, it'll be extremely beneficial for us to know anything about them."​