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The Broken Seal



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Fri Jun 13, 2014 5:08 am
Shadowlight says...



Helios/Elder Tree forest:


“The plan is simple,” David affirmed. “We find the source of this...poison...and return to Norcaster.” the boy fidgeted self consciously “Agreed?”

"We already knew that Skippy." Helios said walking up the riverbank- eyes darting about, something was very off, you didn't need special abilities to know that... something foul was going on, he wrinkled his nose. "Oh god I just love the smell of rotting flesh in the mornings." He shouldered his pack and looked back at the others, "Okay kids- be on your guard, I'd suggest making sure your weapons are loosened in their sheaths."

"Wait why?"

"Because most likely somethings going to attack us and I've seen enough people get ripped in half because they weren't ready for an attack- always be on your guard."

Helios didn't like this set up- yes all these kids had impressive abilities- or so the queen had said but as for warriors? Every single one was wet behind the ears and not seasoned fighters- they knew how to fight, that was clear but they had no real experience at it.

"Come on everyone." David their self appointed leader squared his shoulders and started into the forest, thankfully he looked ready for a fight. The others fell into step behind him- Helios himself taking the rear place, if they were attacked, whatever was attacking would go for the person in the back, and Helios intended to make sure these kids got home in reasonably good shape- they had reasons to go home.
"D*** the torpedoes! Four bells! Full speed ahead!"~ Admiral David Farragut





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Sat Jun 14, 2014 2:39 am
Bloo says...



Brutus ??? The Third and Foremost Formal | tree thing

Bart was leading the way, fire in one palm and dagger held tight in the other, his years of hunting allowing him to cut a path through the woods. There was very little talk, whoever knew each other had been split up in the line’s formation. The moon was high in the sky, casting a decent amount of light through the crumbling forest leaves.Honestly, if it wasn’t for the smell of rotting feces, and the fear that some magical creature of death would pop out at them, it would have been a rather pleasant stroll. Then the wolves attacked.

There were half a dozen of them, and they didn’t look nice either. Their fur had become rotten, streaks of dull purple running across their gray coats, ,stains of blood aided for color, if they had fur at all, one of them was nearly bare. Bits of bones jutted out of the skin, which was already stained with blacks and and greens from infection, pus clinging to the bones and fur as it leaked. The faces were even worse, eye sockets caved in, holes in the cheeks and jaws, teeth hanging to the gums by a single thread.

A wolf skidded past Bart as he dove to the ground, it’s fangs snapping at his legs as he scrambled for cover. Bart rolled onto his side, summoning a snap of fire as the Wolf closed down for a crunch. The beast didn’t hesitate, closing down on the flame. Bart winced, ready for the worst as the teeth closed on his tender flesh. The wolf bit down like a clamp, it’s rotten teeth too dulled to cut the flesh. Bart raised his Titan’s Tooth, burying the pointy end into the wolf’s skull, flames burning the thinned hair as the dagger ignited. The wolf merely growled, oblivious to the cause of death sticking out of it’s head.

Brutus swore under his breath, kicking wildly as he crawled his back up the nearest tree. Whatever kind of magic was twisted up in these animals, well Bart wanted to be nowhere near it. Unable to keep it’s grip, the wolf reared backwards, Bart taking the moment to unsheathe his spare dagger. With his free hand he summoned a flash, blinding the wolf as it charged in for the second round. As the wolf attacked the air, Bart ran around it’s rear, snatching up his Titan’s Tooth and fleeing to his nearest ally. The dagger came out unsettlingly easy, almost as if it were warm butter in the wolf’s head.

Bart nearly crashed into David as he fled, stumbling into a back to back position with him. David had done a number on one of the wolves, it’s flesh torn away in jagged streaks, bits of bone exposed like spots. Bart grinned weakly. “I was hoping you had better luck.”

“We can do it, I know we can.” David said through heavy breaths. “I don’t plan on being a widower, that’s for sure.”

“Oh, like I would let you? Have you forgotten, you swore to find me a lady of my own. If you think a few wolves could get you out of it, you are wrong.” The two exchanged a quick laugh, their spirits refreshed for battle. “Now do'ya have any idea how to kill these?”

“I have something.” Helios twirled his sword, stabbing it through the nearest wolf’s throat. “If you can’t kill them,” Helios twisted the blade, cutting an arc through the neck’s flesh, the head still snapping as it dangled in the air. “Immobilize them.”
That User Who Changed Their Name A Dozen Times And So No One Ever Knew Who They Were Half the Time and When They Did Only Used Bolt.

The tragic tale of losing all #Brand for nothing in return.

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Sat Jun 14, 2014 5:30 am
VampireSenshi says...



Kazran | Norcaster Market

The party entered the Norcaster market and immediately disbanded to the different booths that surrounded the open-air plaza. The Astronomer, Bryan, accompanied him to some of the various booths. Something that caught his eye was a booth selling swords and weapons that looked very odd, the blades were curved. The merchant had a thick accent that Kazran couldn't place.

"Yess, theez are call'd scimitars. Veyree good for hecking end sleshing. Meed with ownlee zee finest meterials." he said.

"And what of that one?" Kazran pointed out a peculiar blade, almost like a sickle but longer.

"Zet ees Khopesh. Vedy uld, us'd en encient times. 'specially good for sleshing end chopping. Vedy complicated wvepon. Yuu laik to see?" Kazran nodded enthusiastically. The man handed him the sword, the grip felt strangely comfortable in his hand. He brought it in an arc around him, bringing it down in a slashing motion. It cut through the air with a satisfying swish. He ran his hand along the face of the blade slowly, discerning the physical properties of it. It was some sort of combinations he hadn't come across before but it was very very strong, he sensed a very reliable weapon.

"How much?"

"Vell cunsidring zat tis ees te lest off ess kaind, ees not cheep. 800."

"Sylvasen what a price! I'll pay 700 at the most!"

"Ees vedy rer wvepon! I tell you wut, you buy somting els. I cut price to 600."

Kazran scanned around the booth for something else he wanted. His gaze fell on some throwing knives.
Perfect for long range Alchemical transmutations? Perhaps, I'll have to experiment.

"How much per blade for the throwing knives?"

"30"

"I'll take five." Kazran said quickly.

"Ees a deel!" I'll reeng you up. 750"

Kazran grabbed the gold patch from his packpack and gave 750 gold pieces to the man.

"Ees been a plesure dowing beesnis wit you, sir." Kazran nodded.

Bryan and him walked a bit further before he had his eye on something, a very detailed and intricate star-map. While he was bartering with the salesman, Kazran wandered a bit to the next booth over. Where he saw a magnificent armor shirt, made of what looked like interlocking black dragon scales. It had sleeves that would protect down to his wrists, which was unusual.The merchant let him have a feel of it, he divined that it as a very sturdy yet light material. It would serve him much better than the leather armor he was wearing, without sacrificing range of movement. So he purchased it for 750 gold. When he finally returned to the booth, Bryan was waiting for him. Whether he had bought the map, Kazran didn't know.

"You bought something else?" Kazran nodded.

"How much?"

"750."

"My god! How much have you to spend? That's 1500 gold pieces!"

"I'm quite well indowed. My family comes from substantial wealth, after all how do you think I was able to study at the most prestigious alchemical academy in Anglanar?" Kazran laughed. The two of them met up with the rest of the group and left the market shortly after.

Spoiler! :
Transaction:
Khopesh - 600 gold
Throwing Knife [x5] - 150
"Dragon Scale" Mail armor - 750
Total: 1500
Current Balance: 1500



Kazran (again) | Elder Tree Forest

Bart led them all through the forest slowly, a firelight guiding them along. The trees and foliage was eerie at night, it was frightening to imagine what lay among the shadows just a few feet in any direction of them. He lead them into a clearing, but stopped abruptly. There was rustling all around them, eight wolves appeared out of the brush slowly. Their bodies were mangled and decrepit, flesh and bone exposed. Kazran drew his new khopesh and held it out in front of him, keeping his curved dagger in his other hand. It seemed that a wolf was around for each of them almost.

Kazran looked around as the others began to combat the wolves, Bart managed to stick one of them right in the head with a dagger but it just came back at him. Kazran swung around just as a wolf jumped up at him. Reacting quickly, he swung his sword up at the beast; the blade cutting through it's skin like butter. A gash on it's stomach opened up as it fell to the ground, still growling. In the heat of the moment Kazran heard a voice.

"If you can't kill them. Immobilize them!" Helios yelled, cutting the neck of one of the wolves. It fell limp to the ground, still alive, but thus immobile.

Kazran readied as another wolf ran at him, lunging with great ferocity. Not having enough time he threw his arm up to defend himself. The wolf's claws raked along the dragon scale armor, doing no damage. Kazran was knocked the the ground with the beast on top of him, he just barely kept it from sinking it's maw into his neck by holding it back with his sword. It's breath smelled like rancid death, bits of spittle came out as it bared it's teeth. It was enough to make Kazran gag. He forcefully took his dagger and plunged it deep into the back of the wolf's neck and tore it violently across it's collar, rolling while doing so. Snapping it's neck with his weight and momentum. Stinking black blood covered his tunic as he pushed the monstrosity off of himself.

He had only a moment to gain his composure and stand before the first wolf jumped at him again. In a blind fury, he swung his khopesh across his whole body with two hands. The curved part of the blade met it's neck, lopping it's head right off of it's shoulders.

Well, I guess that'll definitely immobilize you won't it. He thought to himself.

He wrenched his dagger out of the neck of the fallen wolf, scanning his surroundings. He saw that a wolf had pinned down someone a few feet from him, he couldn't see who it was in the darkness, but he quickly flipped the dagger around and threw it into the back of the wolf. It yelped and doubled back, long enough for them to throw the wolf onto it's back. They sunk a knife into it's neck, severing it's spine.

Kazran stopped right in his tracks, looking around at the others. There was a moment of respite as everyone around him had rendered the majority of the wolves motionless or dismembered. Writhing bodies and spare limbs were strewn about the clearing like a bizarre scattered jigsaw puzzle of broken, zombified wolf parts. Some small patches of grass (and dismembered body parts) were lit aflame, the orange glow made the entire scene even more macabre. Each of his fellow party members breathed heavily, respectively covered in blood and sweat. In the glow Kazran finally saw whom he'd helped, Judith. She handed him his dagger. He nodded. And walked closer the center of the clearing where everyone had gathered.

Helios stood closest the Kazran, he looked at him.

"Well that was almost fun!" he announced the the group, then he looked at Kazran.

"That was halfway decent fighting, schoolboy. You even beheaded that one. That's damn impressive." Kazran only nodded. He excused himself, then took a few steps back, turned, and vomited. Helios huffed, like he was laughing.

Someone handed him a bag of herbs when he returned to the circle. They discussed what they're next plan of action was going to be.
<YWS>
<NE1>

NIGHT is always watching...





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Mon Jun 30, 2014 1:45 am
Leahweird says...



Paige

Paige played with the handle of her whip as she listened to the others debate what to do next. Simply wandering the area until they found the tree wasn't looking like a good plan if they were going to have to face monsters like those too.

"I think we should split up," she said. The others looked over. "Cover more ground faster, then double back."

"Hell no."

Like her, Helios had been hanging back from the discussion. Apparently her suggestion was enough to make him participate. He was glowering.

"Why not?"

"It's stupid." He said. "You don't divide your forces. That's basic."

Paige raised an eyebrow at him. "I thought the whole point of this little force was that we could handle ourselves."

Helios just glowered, but a couple of the others voiced their opinions. Paige only half listened. In her opinion, they were wasting enough time with this stupid little errand to begin with. She turned on her heel, interrupting David.

"I'm gonna go kill some monsters and find the damn tree. Anyone who wants in on that can follow."

And with that she marched off, splashing through a puddle on her way deeper into the infected lands.

Spoiler! :
(Ooc: I know this isn't much, but I've been lagging. If no one else posts by the time I've caught up with everything ese I'll post something more meaningful with Judy)





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Thu Jul 31, 2014 1:41 am
Bloo says...



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The Norcaster Slaughter
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“Two guards at each end of the town, maybe a sentry patrol somewhere in the streets.” Lord dropped silently from the sprawling oak overhead and knelt beside Marla in the soft underbrush. “These defences are a bad joke, Anglanarans are too confident for their own good.” He stifled a laugh with his pointer finger pressed against his upper lip. “And to think I was worried about being two men down.” He turned his head towards the town on the near horizon, his back set against the tree. “An hour. At most.”

Marla shrugged, and turned her head to survey their surroundings. “Don’t get too confident,” she said, not making eye contact. “There might be more out of sight, and I don’t want to finish up this job on my own.” She shifted from foot to foot, testing her stance, and tightened her fingers around her staff.

Lord drew one of his curved swords and turned it to view the moonlight in the flawless steel. “The Princess, sweet girl she is, swore that their mayor would tear me to bits, says he’s an old war hero” .” He turned the sword and slid the blade between the fingers of his glove, the light causing an almost fulminous glow about it. “We can’t afford to underestimate him, not while the good doctor is away, so hold him off as long as you can. Understood?” Marla nodded. “Then let’s start.”

Marla rose off the ground, ripples of fabric falling around her as he coat straightened out . “Wait for my queue.” She pulled a piece of cloth off her neck, a black mask that wrapped around her mouth, and took a step out of the bush they were hid behind.

Lord reached out his hand. “You’re forgetting something.” He pulled a cross out of his pocket, placing it around Marla’s neck. The silver glistened under the night’s light, the words engraved in it, a simple “Let Light Guide”, glowing under the moon. Without a second word, Marla left the brush, Lord alone as she ducked into the shadows. Lord waited a few seconds, using the time to stretch and yawn, before moving out the brush himself, strolling towards the gate.

“Hold.” One of the guard spoke. Lord glanced up and down, and decided “Guard” was not a very appropriate title. No, this was merely a boy, probably stuck with the night shift because he was fresh out of training. At least he was awake, Lord noted, which was more than he could say for the second part of the duo, who was snoring lightly as he leaned against the wall. “Please move...on. Please move on.”

Lord glanced up, pulling down his hood to greet the pair. “Nice to meet you, my name is Alexander, and I wish to purchase a bed in one of your fine inns, if you will allow. Maybe more, if the mood strikes.” Lord took a step forward, grabbing the boy by his shoulder and stuttering the two of them towards the gate.

The boy shut his eyes tight. “Please remove your hands. The town is on lockdown. Entry is permitted- I mean no entry, no entry is permitted. Turn away now, or we will be forced to take action.” The sleeping partner let out a snore, and the young guard’s face tightened as he tried to stay calm. “Please leave.”

Lord nodded towards the boy, but his eyes were elsewear, a grin crawling across his face as he watched a shadow dart across the top of the gate. “All is well, but if you cannot let me, could I at least stay the night here? I would feel so much safer, with the news of a lockdown having some guards around seems ideal.” Lord lifted his coat, making sure the boy caught a glimpse of the leather sack hanging from his belt.

The boy turned his way, droplets of sweat pouring down as he shook his head in answer. “I have instructions, I’m supposed to, um-” The sword went quick, swinging in from the boy’s open side, slicing through into the center of his chest. “I, Um….” The boy fell limp, his weight sliding off the sword as Lord tilted it down. As the boy hit the ground, the gate’s door swung open, revealing Marla on the other side, her own guards sitting peacefully at their benches, their cards and ale still gripped tightly as the blood stained their backs. “Do you want the honors?” Lord asked, pointing his sword towards the still sleeping guard.
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Thu Jul 31, 2014 1:41 am
Lumi says...



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The Norcaster Slaughter
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It didn’t take Lord long to get into the quiet dance that was, without a doubt, their handiwork. Granted, it was murderous handiwork, but Marla tried to focus on the near-artform of her staff swings, of the paintings made by blood spatter. Make no mistake: Marla had her reservations about so freely killing, but if Lord had his hands on the hilts of his blades, she knew it was

1. unavoidable, and
2. for a greater good.

Five houses through, Marla encountered the first man to try and defend his family. He took up a shield against her, but one stab from an electrocutor had him paralyzed, on the floor, and watching his wife and children lose their skulls. Marla didn’t think of it in terms of people and bones and blood, but instead threw her mind in a place back home where she harvested wheat the same way; swinging a sickle left and right, tugging in the stalks and moving lightly on her feet. It was no different than harvesting blood. It was possibly one of the first lessons Lord had taught her--behind always trust in the Lord. And so it was with this mindset that Marla swung through the houses and leapt from window to window. Each spatter of blood was insurance that her family would never hunger under the Lord’s protection. Every crack, snap, gasp, and shattered scream: they were reminders that a greater good would blossom from the organs.

In half an hour, Marla had swept half the city.

Body Count: 94.

She stood at the Terranoran gate and stared into the unlit streets of Norcaster awaiting a signal from Lord. He may have exceeded her in strength and speed, but his priestly nature and compulsive need to calm his victims with scripture slowed his process.

Minutes passed, and a Lunar Flare rose into the black sky, signaling the time to assault the Mayor. She took to the rooftops, leaping to and fro seamlessly. She stopped on the largest house where Lord stood, swords sheathed. Marla kept her staff ready, but in precaution held the head across in front of Lord.

“I think we should heed the girl’s warning and be as cautious with this man as possible. If my fear doesn’t really translate, I’m asking for a blade.”

Lord cocked his head, but smiled all the same. “I have a strong feeling that your fear is justified. Why don’t you take this blade, Marla, and be my reaper from this point on? In the legends, men will call you Death, and will respect you beyond fear. Let this future comfort you in the fact that there will be a future.” Lord nodded. “No man will strike you down.” He clasped his hands together and blew luminous breath into them. The billowing fog between his palms coalesced against the staff and quickly materialized into a shining white sickle at the head of her staff.

Marla stared at her no-doubt blessing and recognized the adrenaline of courage rising in her blood. “Will this act the same as Casius’ explosives?”

Lord nodded and touched the blade, admiring the light’s handiwork. “Yes. The light will obey only your will. The same goes for The Doctor’s goggles. Now, Marla.” He peered down into the street as lamp light splashed out of a window below them. “Let’s finish this.”

Marla gripped her scythe and pulled her mask over her face, wordless as she dropped into the shadows of the street below. Lord drew his blades and followed suit, landing on the edge of the window’s light. He audibly gasped, nabbing Marla’s attention, as a luminous seal appeared beneath his feet. The light intensified as he attempted an escape, but before he could slip away, the trap erupted in a steaming geyser, tossing Lord against the building, dazed and weaponless.

Marla slipped through the shadows towards her master, but stumbled at the last moment as a war hammer swung between them. She only half-dodged the sweep, leaving a throbbing swell on her off-hand. She cursed under her breath as she caught gaze of the mayor--and guardian--of Norcaster: a man with exaggerated muscles, hair as long as a pirate’s, and a hammer the size of Marla’s entire torso. She leapt back nimbly as the man began swinging for her head. She recognized the technique as taught by the Anglanaran military: Hammer To The Head. She ducked backwards from an upward swing at her jaw and threw the soldier off-balance by kicking the hilt of his hammer with her heel. Marla took advantage of the opening and slid beneath his hulking frame, slicing through the plate coating of his chain armor with the dull edge of her new scythe. The warrior fumbled away from her, pressing a hand to the minor-yet-searing wound on his ribs.

In the lull, the soldier closed his eyes and, apparent to Marla, regained a level composure. “Why have you come here? What could possess a woman to slaughter innocent women and children?!”

Marla turned her scythe from one hand to the other, adapting a crouched offensive stance. “Our actions are for the betterment of humanity.” She paused, realizing how her speech had evolved to be so much like Lord’s. “We guarantee that your loved ones will be recorded in history as the first crest of blood.”

Lord, in the shadows, began to rise, a light smile on his lips. “Admit it, Marla. One blessing, and suddenly your entire character changes.”

Marla closed her eyes and laughed. “You’re not fooling me, Lord. I can feel the change in my blood. Every minute I hold my scythe...is another moment of my life bound to you. Clever, how you don’t give disclaimers.”

The soldier was clearly thrown off, grasping for rationality. “Will you two speak like human beings?! I asked you why you killed them!”

Marla refocused her eyes on the man and glared. “In the simplest words: we needed a sacrifice.”

The mayor gripped his hammer with more purpose, holding it at an odd angle for his head technique. Marla noted the difference almost too late: the caster’s stance.

He swung across the street, pounding Marla with a wave of chilled water. She held her staff defensively as the torrent knocked her across the street, nearly disoriented. Exchanging glances with Lord, she sprung back into action alongside her master, overtaking the soldier from the sides. The man blocked half of their strikes with his hammer, taking the less brutal cuts and contusions on his bulky arms. The soldier broke away from their assault and turned to Lord, swinging the hammer against the street. Lord held his dual blades as a shield in front of him as a blast of water eroded his defense. Marla slipped between the two men and sliced the soldier thrice across the chest plate, completely dismantling it.

Lord always had a certain calmness in his killings, his blade went only where it had to go, but there was no rush in the movement. It went slow and smooth, the blade almost creeping through the skin, resting at the heart, the tip of the blade pressed against the organ, and took a moment to look into the victim’s eyes, to make them as calm as he was in their final moment. With his free hand he would hold their head up. “I want you to know this: there is purpose in your death, Norman. If nothing else, please take solace in the fact that your life, the precious thing it is, will be used for a greater good. Every life taken here, they will save the lives of thousands upon thousands more; they breathe life into generations to come.”

Norman jerked his head from Lord’s hands, flinging a wad of bloodied spit as his head fell. “You say you need a sacrifice? Then why not point that blade the other way.”

“Norman, please, all comes in good time.” Lord shook his head. “I do not ask you to do anything I am prepared to do myself.”

“Good. Cause If I die knowing one thing, I die knowing that I’ll see you whatever sick hell awaits me.” With a roar of rage Norman struck, his hammer barrelling up into Lord’s gut, sending the priest stumbling backwards. The mayor swung, a surge of water sucking Lord in and sweeping him face first into a wall of bricks.

Marla cast her eyes onto the dark streets as both men crumbled. Norman continued to breathe for two minutes after the final strike. As his lungs gave up, the flickering light from inside the house ceremoniously vanished, leaving the scene in vast darkness, save for the stars and moon above. She tied her scythe to her back and knelt beside Lord, holding his head up in her lap as blood trickled from his nose. Retrieving a capsule of ammonia from her bag, she snapped it beneath Lord’s nose, bringing his eyes wide and back to consciousness. He coughed and spat blood, but mostly curled in on himself and held his ribs--or at least the places in his side where his ribs were supposed to be.

“The smellingsalts seem to work.” Marla half-smiled, tossing the used capsule into the dark street. “My compliments to The Doctor.”

Lord took in a jagged breath before nodding. “I think we should pay him a visit.” He held a glove against his nose and closed his eyes.

“Where was his mission?”

“The desert. He is recruiting Sajanians who blame Terranore for the constant warring on the borderlands.”

“Then we’ll track him down. I’ll leave a message for Casius.”

Lord slowly sat up, reaching for his tetraform pendant. “Something subtle. Nothing that pursuers could understand.”

Marla nodded. “Yessir.”
I am a forest fire and an ocean, and I will burn you just as much
as I will drown everything you have inside.
-Shinji Moon


I am the property of Rydia, please return me to her ship.





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Mon Aug 04, 2014 7:14 pm
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Bloo says...



Brutus-Retirement Home For Trees

A forest, with big tall trees and precious little bunnies and squirrels, picture them running around, nibbling on nuts and berries. Now, take that sweet forest scene, and let the trees grey and decay, the branches are weighed down, wood bent, with the leaves peeling, their color sickening neon shades of green and purple. Those sweet forest creatures, their coats are splattered in blood, at least the fur that is still there, with open wounds and pus leaking out, their berries and grass replaced with rotting flesh. Brutus stumbling through the rotted roots,his heavy stride squashing the bark into puddles of goo. His tunic torn apart, bits of ash in spades around his body. Picture fire, fire leaking out of his nostrils as he panics, bits of it catching on his clothes and hair, burning bits away before he pats it out with the blunt of his daggers. And his daggers swaying at his sides, occasionally slicing behind him as he feels a leaf scrap the back of his neck.

Brutus stops, ducking under a few low hanging branches. “Helios!” He calls in a muted tone, as he glances around his area, making sure to crouch low. “This is not time for brooding! I know you’re here I followed your tracks.” [Crack Brutus dove to the ground, retreating into fetal position under the leaves. With a gulp he brings his hands to his heads, covering his ears and shutting his eyes tight. The world around him shuts away, which might not be smart, but it is the only thing that keeps the panic from overwhelming him. He starts counting down from fifteen, every number coming slower than the last, only opening his eyes when he arrives at zero.

“What are you doing?”

Brutus shoots his eyes up, catching Helios standing over him, a sword in one hand and a bundle of sticks in the other. Brutus hops off the ground. “I was looking for you.”

“Uh-huh. And how does looking for me end up with you on the ground?”

“That’s a long story, uh, things got a bit messy after you left.” Brutus froze, his thoughts a jumble in his head.

Helios rolls his eyes. “I don’t have time for this.” Helios slaps Brutus, pinning him to a tree as he snaps into focus. “Cut to the chase.”

“Right, right.” Brutus nods, though it is more like squirming under Helios’ tight grip. “Well after Paige, is it Paige? I’m stilling learning names.” Helios shrugged. “Well she ran off, which you know because that made you all pouty and you stormed off.”

Raises his arms in protest, Brutus falling to the ground in the process. “Pouty? I was trying to lead you...kids!”

“Choose whatever adjectives you like, that’s not the important thing.” Brutus shakes his head, trying to get back his focus. “Paige and you leave, David went to get Paige, he sent me to get you. Fiona stayed back to keep the others in one place, I’m glad it was her and not me, that place was a mess when I left. I would have been with them, but I have David and Fi to lean on, must be hard to be out here all alone, you know?”

Helios took a breath, pushing past the rambling. “And when did you end up curled up like a baby on the floor?”

“There was a...thing.”

Sigh.“Can you describe this ‘thing’.”

“I don’t have the life experience or the word wisdom to describe it.” Glare. “But I can try. It’s was like some kind of metal monster, it has really dark skin, but half of it is covered in like gold plate, and the plate is massive. Like a living machine, it pumps out steam when it walks, and makes this humming noise with every step. Plus it is some kind of Pyro, but way more...fancy maybe, then anything I know, it hurls these golden orbs, kind of like mini suns, and they explode when they get near you.”

Helios nodded. “Dark skin, mechanical augmentations, and wielding grenades?”

“I only understood about three of those words, and one of them was ‘and’.”

Helios waves Brutus away. “From what you’re describing, I think I might know who we’re dealing with. He’s a Mercenary from the Elona, I’m no expert, but I know he is bad news.”

Brutus nods absently as Helios speaks. “Wait. He? That thing was a person?” The color in Brutus’ face drains. "This sucks."

“Yeah, and if he’s in the forest we need to get out. I’ll explain more on the way, think you can lead us to the pack?” Helios holds out a hand for Brutus.

Brutus grabs on, Helios pulling him up with ease.“I got a bit turned around, but I should be able to follow his tracks back to mine. He wasn’t exactly light on his feet.” Brutus pushes out of the trees, turning towards the deep footprints he was fleeing from a few minutes ago. "I just hope David got back alright."
That User Who Changed Their Name A Dozen Times And So No One Ever Knew Who They Were Half the Time and When They Did Only Used Bolt.

The tragic tale of losing all #Brand for nothing in return.

The Take Away Is You Probably Know Me As Bolt








The things you are passionate about are not random, they are your calling.
— Fabienne Fredrickson