[Chapter 1.03] Quoth the Heroes "Forevermore"

[Intimate Ink]

Character Name: Vesper Cabello
Date | Time: November 6th, ~11:45
Location: Johtan Wilderness Campsite - Anachem Outskirts
Wearing: As pictured
Tagging: Haimehen, Everyone | Mentioning: Lyra, Meena, Ocareena


Vesper felt on edge. It was no surprise after the revelations. He looked ahead and behind, trying to figure out where the next strike would come from.

He hadn’t expected, yet again, for it to come from among his own traveling party. This time in several unknowing blows dealt by Ocareena. His eyes focused on Haimehen, less accusatory than trying to read upon his face what was misinformation and not, what was known and not known.  He felt a sinking, if transitory, sense of failure as his partner went to confirm facts about fallen family members and reasons for joining the academy. On an ordinary day, perhaps, other than Lyra’s name abruptly surfacing as a relation Vesper would have likely absorbed the revelations easily enough as an inclination towards privacy; today, though? Today he felt the gulf of the person he had thought his partner was and whom Haim apparently actually was. Vesper felt a bite of guilt. Should he have known? He should have known.
Furthermore, Haimehen’s exceptional glare back at him with the revelation of Lyra had him vaguely squinting. Were the others not supposed to know… did Lyra herself know? Given what had surfaced by the fireside, the new revelation made it all the more uneasy.

Vesper waited until he had a moment alone to talk to Haimehen. It was likely a stolen moment, less formed with the luxury of walls and more by a hushed voice and fate of others standing elsewhere. His voice came out low in pitch and whispered.  ”I know that compared to others, myself and Meena have not been here for long. None the less, I can’t help but feeling like if I had done my duties for you that some of these things I am hearing would not feel quite so sudden.”

”I clearly missed a better way some how.” It was Vesper’s turn to glance warily at Haimehen, as if warning him to not bother placating his feeling during what fleeting amount of relative privacy they had. ”I won’t linger on that, especially not here and now, because it won’t do any good. But if something comes to you that you need to share for the duration of our mission, you should know that you can come to me. I might not keep secret about it, I might not agree with it, but I will treat it with the consideration and respect that it should coming from my partner. I’ll be an ally… a partner as best as I can.” Vesper hesitated, finally giving breath to what felt obvious, ”Beyond this mission is out of my hands, but lies with the Academy.” 

He glanced towards an approximated Lyra in the distance of the caravan, asking softly but in a flat tone, ”Does she know?”

There were, of course, very limited opportunities for any private communications between people on the journey, even with the hushed whispers that Vesper spoke with. He retreated back into relative quiet, not adjusting his subtle position of guard. As much as it pained him to think it, the revelation of the elven women just added another layer of reason to why he needed to be nearly attached to Haimehen and all that he was doing.

He joined the others with the uneasy stare down Rishi chasm. Still, as if feeling it was a distraction as much as the parties fracturing was, Vesper forced his primary attention to remain up ahead, behind, and above them. Right or wrong, he believed that plenty of focus would exist already on what could possibly come up from those bowels. Especially given the journey so far, he was far more concerned about the threats that would originate from the unexpected, falsely familiar directions.

[Aethyrium]

Ocareena Min’Uet de Foarist

Jayce Enmraz

S T O R Y T E L L E R
November 6th, (~9:15pm) | Johtan Wilderness - Rishi Valley - Needlepass | Mountain & Desert - Lightning & Sonic Resonance
Next Post: 4.11.24 | Farrah, Marlowe, Lyreilynn, Haimehen, Meena, Vesper, Chee, Irona, Velvet, Doya, Azir, Artanis, Cub | AlcornisThe alchemist, Mr. Tallo, an going on elderly man, was entirely too happy to answer Meena’s questions, invite her into his wagon and show her what he had. Half a dozen four foot tall urns filled with a sticky sweet liquid that he called Juilib Nectar, harvested from a shrub native to Anachem. He was fortunate and had an impressive harvest this season! When mixed with Elyite Essence, a milled flower infused with a slight amount of Green Arcanite powder - and a small handful of other ingredients - the concoction would thicken to a chowder like consistency and stabilize. Juilib Nectar has a relatively short shelf life, Mr. Tallo explained, and goes inert once harvested. Unfortunately the Elyite won’t grow in Anachem, making production of Juilibthine - the name of the final product - difficult at best. But, according to him, it’s useful in a wide variety of medical applications. Perhaps more importantly to the man, these urns represent his entire year's livelihood - if they get lost for whatever reason, he’ll lose everything.

When approached by Haimehen, Jayce gave the small elf a shrug as he peered off toward the pass. “Whenever your teams are ready is fine by me.” At this point the difference between right this second and even two hours from now was ultimately very little - both were in the dark. Sitting still in the valley didn’t seem like the best option to him, but Jayce felt pretty comfortable with twelve Champions on the scene. “I’m going to check in with the drivers, make sure they’re all good. Last thing we need is something breaking down on the pass.” He grunted, clapped Haim’s shoulder roughly and gave the boy a nod, “Tell Meena I’ll be ready within thirty.” Looking to the other convoy, Jayce also wanted to get a feel for who these others were - he didn’t recognize them, and how they had piggybacked onto his call for assistance was something yet on his mind. As gravity’s convoy came to its final resting, Jayce did exactly as promised and began going one by one to each. Every driver was asked the same questions, and he did a quick examination of the wagons.

With the stop, Ocareena disembarked from her wagon, flanked by her six attendants. They briefly stopped to chat with Jayce, before heading for the second convoy. Ocareena paused when she noticed Farrah up top and offered the woman a small wave with a chuckle. That must have been a fun way to travel, she imagined. It didn’t take her long to note that the other convoy had not an elf among them, which was disappointing - but she was interested in learning about the trucks. So she made conversation with one of the drivers about his vehicle.

Alcornis, the owner of mockery’s convoy, had not wanted to wait for the second convoy. He was one made nervous by the stillness of the valley, but more than that he was driven by his desire for profit. Sitting still cost him time, and time was money, friends! He wasn’t foolish enough to rebel against the champion escorts, though. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t blame someone. Jayce became his target. Once people dispersed to talk - more sitting around in Alcornis’ opinion - he broke away from the lead truck and tracked Jayce down three wagon’s deep into his examination. “You done holding us up yet? I got places to be.”

Jayce stood up and glanced around, trying to find where this guy got off talking to him like that, and met Alcornis’ eyes as he stood up after checking a wheel. “We’ll be on our way soon, friend.” Jayce was a bit dismissive in his tone, “World runs on the clock of Hollow.”

Scoffing, Alcornis rolled his eyes, “Only for the undisciplined. If you can’t keep time, maybe you’re looking to sell?”

Sighing heavily, Jayce shook his head, “Got nothing to sell, just protecting these folk.”

“Ah, a mercenary. Well that explains it then. Not all of us make a living doing whatever we feel like, whenever we feel like.” Alcornis grabbed at a small pouch on his belt and tossed five or six cor to Jayce’s boots, “There, now your paid. Go tell your master’s you’re ready to get moving.”

Glancing at the cor, Jayce stepped forward and ground them into the dirt. Sneering, he grabbed a knife at his leg and pulled it free taking a few threatening steps toward Alcornis.

[Aethyrium]

Azir Venris Kil-Mitter

Wearing
As pictured

Cub Coran

Wearing
This

11.06, 9:15pm | Johtan Wilderness - Rishi Valley - Needlepass
Meena, Chee, Lolo, Lyreilynn, Haimehen, Alcornis, Vesper, Artanis

“Velvet for sure. She can cover the crossing from the far side as well.” He started, Meena was right, he had been thinking about this, “Marlowe, Doya, and Farrah.” Azir hadn’t spent a single thought on the ease of his and Meena’s mission - that was, in his opinion, something they needed to figure out around the rest of what was going on. And, well, it had just been made incredibly difficult with the lack of the courier’s presence. The courier being on Meena’s convoy seemed unlikely, a longshot. Since these two things were unrelated, there was no reason to suspect he’d be coming from a different direction. He frowned that she hadn’t, “I was worried about that.” He crossed his arms and glared into the darkness. She was right, he could have been hiding, if not on her convoy, then his. “I think as long as we need. Alcornis won’t like it, but he’s just a lot of bark.”

The convoys getting into position was something he agreed with. “I think we should stagger the convoys. Cross mixed. Try to position something high roofed every other position or so. It won’t be much but it’ll help if we need to get from one end to the other. Plus it’ll give us somewhere to post up Haimehen, Vesper, and Cub.” He wanted the ranged among them on the highest ground, and in the middle so they might deal with anything that came from either end. “We can split the remaining six, two leading, four following. Since we’ll have the vanguard already on the other side.” Taking a deep breath, Azirchewed on the air, “Headcount is good, but we’ll need to get into the wagons if we’re going to look for stowaways.” Which was now his biggest concern.

“I have an idea, but you’re not going to like it.” He glanced at her, and grimaced. With a subtle nudge he gestured toward Artanis’ position over the convoy. “If you and I get everyone’s attention, he could get into the wagons.” Because of course, he already knew what was up, so they weren’t really telling anyone anything new. Azir didn’t like splitting that hair, but it wasn’t wrong and a third body would be useful. People would notice if he or Meena weren’t present at a big gathering, but Artanis? No one would care, and it’d be normal for him to go elsewhere.

Of course that idea died a little, when Chee popped up. Azir flinched and turned sharply, despite the new familiarity of the voice. He wasn’t used to being snuck up on, how had… Azir squinted at Chee. To say that he didn’t like being spied on, no matter the half-hearted justification, was an understatement. For a moment he considered what to say, but it seemed pretty clear the mouse had heard most of what they’d said, so what was the point now, “This man, how do you know him? He was carrying a package, and it’s important Hammer business.” Azir glanced at Meena, nodding, “Do you know if it made it onto the convoy?”

“More than a mile!” Cub called from the darkness, strolling leisurely up the chasm side, nearly right into Marlowe’s face. He walked over the edge and frowned at Lyra, “And doesn’t seem to be anything interesting down there at all! It’s just a giant hole that goes forever.” Well, maybe not forever, he did only go the first mile. Cub grinned then, patted Lolo’s arm, “But she’s right, don’t fall, you’ll splat."

[Crash]

Character Name: Meena Tor
Date | Time: 11.06.1322 | 11:45am
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Anachem Outskirts | Grassland/Woodland - Water Resonance
Wearing: Green camo cargo pants, black long-sleeved synthetic weave zip-up over a black crop top and puffy black vest with snap on fur trimmed hood and hidden pockets, and Black combat boots
Tagging | Mentioning: Chee, Azir | Artanis, Marlowe, Lyra
Meena frowned slightly while Azir laid out his plan for the crossing; it wasn’t that she didn’t like his thoughts; it was the gnawing feeling that she had missed something she shouldn’t have. Meena didn’t know who Alcornis was, but it didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things.
If it meant finding the hidden courier, then it would take as long as it took. This was too important to leave unresolved. 

“Good idea,” Meena said of staggering wagons and trucks so the teams could traverse the convoy as needed during the crossing. The breakup of the teams wouldn’t have concerned Meena at any other time, but with tensions the way they were, she knew Marlowe was not going to like being separated from Lyra—not one bit. 

“I think I can make that work,” Meena agreed, grunting at the need for wagon access. “Maybe. I should be able to sniff out anyone hiding. It’s not like they can be downwind of me if they have been holed up in a wagon. If they have had to hide for a day or two, they should be pretty easy to smell. 

The mention of Artanis brought a huff. “I don’t like him, but I can work with him,” Meena affirmed. It should be easy enough to get everyone’s…wait,” The slightest waft of pineapple tingled her nostrils. She was unslinging Heart of the Mountain as Chee stepped out of the shadows. Meena’s brow furrowed, but the tension that appeared almost instantly fell from her, and she settled the giant hammer back over her shoulder. 

“Hold on, Azir.” Meena held her hand up to slow his questioning down. She could see the furtive glance and tense muscles. Chee was ready to bolt at any moment if his spying was met with any aggression. “Chee, can you describe the man? We need to be sure he is the one we are looking for. Azir is right. He and I have been tasked by the Academy to find this package and return it to Hammer. If your friend is not the man we are looking for, we will still need to delay passage to find him unless you know where the package is and can lead us to it. We were told it would be in a small brass tube. No bigger than say…” Meena started to hold up her hand but decided instead to ask Azir to hold out his. “…Azir’s palm.” Meena raised an eyebrow. “The Academy would be grateful, and I bet it would go a long way toward helping your application if you helped us get it to them.”

An outsider might have thought Meena was lying, but anyone who knew her would know she believed in the goodness of the Champions and truly thought the Academy would look upon any help Chee could provide favorably.

[shengami]

Character Name: Haimehen
Date: Nov. 6 | Time: 11:45-21:15 |
Location: Rishi Vallet -> Needlepass
Wearing:  Outfit, orange toque, bandolier of cartridges, Feu and Fureur, Boots
Tagging: Vesper | Mentioning: Lyra, Namid, Lolo, Meena|
A moment of peace existed in a long day that had followed a long night. And Haimehen just wanted to do his job. Focus on the task, complete it. The conversation with Ocareena had awoken things in him that he mistrusted deeply. He felt a desire to flee; he hated himself for cowardice. But there was a relentless weight on him now and one that he did not think would ever lift. Not really. Not that it should. But to live under it? That seemed impossible.

Still, Vesper was not a part of that weight. Not entirely. He smiled gently and rolled his shoulders as the man spoke up. Haim listened with his head cocked and nodded along. "There's a lot of possible alternates to what happened, Vesper. Too many to count." He chuckled and looked up at the sun, "At this point, I've known you a bit over a month? That's twice the time I knew Namid and, yet, you're right." He grimaced as he felt the distance that still existed between them. What would it have meant had he and Vesper spent more time bonding? Perhaps, just maybe, things would have gone better. But they hadn't. He nodded, "Perhaps things would have been better. Different." But Haim, too dismissed dwelling on it over much. What was done was done.

He bit his lip and exhaled, "The Academy's decision? Do you think so?" He chuckled darkly, "And if the Academy does not see fit to expel me? Which team would have me? Hmm? Would Lolo allow me in the same room as Lyra? The dorms? How would team logistics work and individual practice? I would be a team of one." He barked derisive laughter. "I have destroyed my place, Vesper. There's no fixing it. There's accepting it and moving forward. I have to live with the consequences of my actions." He shrugged and chewed the air. He looked toward the Jade Summer wagon and saw a path forward. One that would require his to make some honest confessions but a chance to start over. He could only do what he could do; use the limited resources that he had left himself.

He looked to the rest of the convoy. The bigger part of him still wanted to push forward that way. Lolo might mellow in time. He might be able to earn some amount of trust back over time. A climb that would challenge his willpower and tenacity. He wanted to prove that he had made errors, terrible errors, in judgement but that he was not a terrible person. He was no Hollow; he was not Ocean. He believe it and wanted to show the others. He smiled and shrugged, "The god of light himself and the first elves alone know my fate. I'll trust them with it for now and put in the work. As for Lyra, I do not think she is aware of it. I only just found out myself. There's enough elves, at least, for not all of us to be related that closely yet."

He moved to extend an arm to the archer and a small smile, "For whatever time I may have left, I'll give you the trust that we should have shared before. May I be worthy of it the partnership you have just shown me. You're an honourable man, Vesper. I hope that-" He bit his lips and shrugged.

Then they were pulled out of their moment.


Haim felt the weight of Jayce's hand on his shoulder long after it left and the man faded from visual notice. It was an odd feeling interacting with more people who had no knowledge of the events of the other night. He felt a conflict in his heart about that. He chewed his lip a bit and then turned to look out into the darkness. There was work yet to be done and a tension still sat between his shoulders worrying his mind. Why was an area known for Hollow activity so devoid of it? What could possibly have driven Hollow away?

He pressed his lips together and sighed. He needed to relay the message to Meena. He had work to do, a duty to perform, and a future to divine. He moved to start looking for the tall Silenus woman with the message and a desire to know what the plan was.

[shengami]

Character Name: Chee Tortious
Date | Time: 11.06 | ~21:15
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Rishi Valley - Needlepass | Mountain & Desert - Lightning & Sonic Resonance
Wearing: Camo, crop top tee, Loose, drab green, army surplus jacket unbuttoned, Black cargo pants and Combat boots
Tagging | Mentioning: Meena, Azir |
"Fer what it's wort, I don make a habit of eavesdropping. You'd have never known I was nearby if not for de... er, topic dat came up. Sorry." He smirked, then he flinched though. Velvet, along with several other of his brothers, sisters, and even most of the Headmen, hadn't always appreciated how quiet he was capable of being. He'd been the cause of more than a few jump scares in his life. They were funny at times, but he was not Finn. He knew when too far was too far. "Er, but again, sorry. Didn mean ta goose yer gander, doncha know."

He took another cautious step toward the two team leaders and eyed them before looking to the chasm. He bit his lip as he considered the tactics he had overheard. Commenting on them was more than he was willing to attempt at the moment, but he still thought about them. He wanted to be in the Vanguard with Velvet. Someone with good nightvision and an ability to operate in the dark quietly as a scout. He'd make a suggestion later; neither captain knew his capacities well yet. Some advice on how to use him might be warranted.

He looked slowly back to the two and smirked. He made sure his hands were visible as he said the next part, "I respect Hammer Academy, ya sure. An I want ta make a good impression, doncha know. Sure. More, I believe champions're good folk. Dat said-" He looked form one to the other carefully. His eyes shone with a desire to trust. But he felt a deep wariness as well, "So'll say dis. I saw dat tube. Ya. Saw it clear as de nose on my face." His hands remained out at his sides. His eyes stayed locked on the two captains. He'd learned a lot of things from the Headmen that Mathilda probably would not have approved of and among them was how to bluff. Velvet trusted her colleagues; specifically, she trusted these two. So he wanted to help them, he did.

But he'd been paid to do work. He'd given his word and Chee didn't break his word. Even if it was important Champion business. Not unless someone showed him that he'd been unknowingly caught up in nefarious business.

"I never said dis guy was my friend." He tried to put weight to those words, to impress that he was not with that guy. He pressed his lips together and decided a show of good faith was in order. So, slowly, he gave a brief description of the man's features. He focused on the face since he expected that would be the description they had.

He was quiet for a time after that though. It had been a lot more words than he liked using at one time with those he didn't know well.  Even if it had been little more than a series of short, clipped statements and a few responses to questions.

"Leastwise, dat's what I saw of him, ya. So, dat him? An, if dat's him, I can say dis, for sure. He weren't givin dat tube up willin, no how. So, what was you plannin fer dat, eh?" He watched them closely as they answered his questions. His weight was shifted to the balls of his feet where the squeakers still in place kept him unnaturally quiet. And still, his eyes wanted to trust.

[Envious]

Character Name: Farrah Tinkerspan
Date | Time: 11.06 | 9:15
Location: Campfire | Johtan Wilderness - Rishi Valley - Needlepass
Wearing: as pictured
Tagging | Mentioning: Haim, Jayce, Alcornis | Vesper
Haim had come looking for Meena, but the silenus wasn’t there. She had gone to strategize with Azir about the crossing. Haim mentioned that Jayce would be ready in 30 after a wagon check and wandered off. Farrah wondered if Vesper was still guarding their rear while internally bemoaning her diligence to duty in watching for Hollow when she wanted to wander off, too. She could see Lolo and Lyra next to the scar and she desperately wanted to take a peek! She settled for sighing into the night air and counting her blessings that she didn’t feel as on edge as everyone else. The lack of Hollow had been a curious anomaly, but one she didn’t overthink. If anything, the danger was the false sense of security; the terrain was comfortable and the resonance energized her.

Eyes fixed on an imaginary target in the distance, it wasn’t the words so much as the tone that brought the elf out of her imaginary world. She glanced over her shoulder, recognizing Alcornis as the leader of Mocerky’s convoy from how their group had come in. She looked around. Meena had gone off to look for Azir. Haim had come looking for her, but had already departed. Marlowe and Lyreilynn were near the scar, and she couldn’t see Vesper.

She could feel the tension starting to rise, even though voices hadn’t.

She looked around again - maybe Velvet or Doya were nearby? But she couldn’t see either of the Squires. She did see Artanis from his perch, but dismissed that immediately. She looked from the horizon to the two men. The lack of Hollow had been a curious anomaly, but one she didn’t overthink. If anything, the danger was the false sense of security; the terrain was comfortable and the resonance energized her! But not everyone shared her vibe; many of the people she had spoken with were anxious and on edge after the fatalities earlier in the trip.

Any other time and place, she would have enjoyed the live show that was ramping up, but this was just a distraction in a dangerous place. She equiped her boomerangs to her belt and gave the area one last look before taking a leap from the top of the wagon and clearing the distance to land just a few feet from the convoy leaders.

She landed purposefully with a stomp to draw attention to herself and gave a smile. ”You drivin’ a hard bargain, but I knows a deal when I sees it!” Farrah said, pointing to the coins at Jayce’s feet. The cor flew up from around Jayce’s boots to her hand and she closed her fists around the money. She gave it an appreciative jiggle. ”Master said it’d take 30 to get ready,” she replied conversationally, knowing full well that Jayce had told Haim it would take 30. She looked at Jayce and nodded her head towards the wagons he was checking, suggesting he continue about his business so they could get moving. She said nothing of the blade. ”I reckon we can shave some time offa that. M’name’s Farrah.” She pocketed the cor and took a step between Jayce and Alcornis, attempting to separate the convoy leaders and distract Alcornis with conversation. ”You bringin’ in a shipment of goods or somethin’? I’m always lookin’ fer a reason ta lighten my corpurse.” She stepped away from Jayce’s convoy, attempting to shuffle Alcornis back to his.

Why was no one present to witness her diplomacy? What a waste!

[Intimate Ink]

Character Name: Vesper Cabello
Date | Time: November 6th, ~11:45
Location: Johtan Wilderness Campsite - Anachem Outskirts
Wearing: As pictured
Tagging: Haimehen, Everyone | Mentioning: 


Haimehen’s words put a visible crumple in Vesper’s walk; it was momentary but his feet suddenly felt heavier, which was aided all the more by the knowledge of the chasm’s narrow path. Despite his own feelings of needing to exist between Haimehen and some of the others - feelings that had bloomed with Artanis’ tantrum - resignation had not been the flavor that he had expected to see worn by his partner.

Vesper cast his amber eyes ahead for a moment, finding it easier to find words focusing on their forward momentum rather than focusing on Haimehen. ”There was a man about the same age as my brother back in Gorren’s Point… his name was Jarren.” Vesper swallowed heavily, questioning the path of his words as if they were in the same precarious position of a caravan traversing a narrow line over a maw-like pit.

”He… couldn’t handle his alcohol well. It got him in trouble, it caused him to make some choices that got him banned from patrols. That’s next to unheard of there, because it may as well be seen as a mouth to feed with no hand to farm. It’s not about being a hero, it’s everyone working to survive together…”

Vesper frowned, glancing over to Haimehen briefly. ”I myself spoke quite ill of him, but my brother cautioned me to hold my tongue about such a judgment that Jarren was all vice and no virtue. Sure enough, one day Jarren saw a Hollow in the distance attacking traveler’s bringing much-needed supplies; he occasionally came by the area because he had identified it as a weak spot in our patrols… Going at it alone made him still feel like he was contributing something, even when he had been officially excluded from that. He was, after all, a good strategist even though he lacked some basic decencies otherwise. Jarren managed to thwart the Hollow long enough for help to arrive, losing an eye and becoming crippled in the process. The patrols were amended after that thanks to him and the people looked after him; he wasn’t wholly forgiven but he was never stripped of the capacity to be appreciated, not cared for.”

Vesper turned to regard Haimehen again with an uneasy shrug. ”I’m not here to give you false hope. I do not know what the Academy might say. I… shouldn’t have been a part of this. Not like this.” Vesper frowned, still unsettled that the timing and manner of the revelations felt more like a sabotage to the team and the mission more than anything. ”This should never be something to be dealt with in the field. Even now our attention is now diverted from everything that should matter.”

Vesper sighed heavily, moving to stare ahead again. Yes, that definitely felt easier. His tone stiffened. ”Your place is not destroyed, not here and not now. You owe it to me, you owe it to us for it not to be so.What happens to that place at the end of the mission is not mine to say. I would caution you about letting others’ worst expectations for you define you, though.” Vesper stole another sideways glance, ”Among the other things that I now see about him, I believe that I am looking at the elf who wished to uplift my home with his remarkable gifts. Regardless of the restrictions put upon us, we all owe it to others in some way to help others…" Vesper paused, adding with an uneasy flicker up to Haim’s eyes, ”... and when needed, to seek and accept help from them.”

Vesper relaxed into Haim’s returned words, for a moment feeling at ease. It was a sense of relaxation that became somewhat more uneasy as Haim moved first out of step and then out of eyesight from him. He gave the elf a questioning glance and shifted as he could. Ultimately, though, caught between two duties Vesper stayed at the rear knowing that there were other sets of eyes that might take note of Haimehen, but his were the ones on the team that still had visibility at the rear.

[Crash]

Character Name: Meena Tor
Date | Time: 11.06.1322 | 11:45am
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Anachem Outskirts | Grassland/Woodland - Water Resonance
Wearing: Green camo cargo pants, black long-sleeved synthetic weave zip-up over a black crop top and puffy black vest with snap on fur trimmed hood and hidden pockets, and Black combat boots
Tagging | Mentioning: Chee, Azir | Artanis, Marlowe, Lyra
Meena wasn’t sure she believed Chee’s assurance that eavesdropping wasn’t a habit of his. She hadn’t sniffed even a hint of him until he revealed himself, and where he was standing now meant that he had circled around or purposefully stayed upwind of him. How he knew she could smell him, she had no idea. Her sensitive sniffer was passive. She never had to inhale deeply or make any outwardly exaggerated effort to catch scents; it was just a part of who she was. 

Chee’s coyness was understandable, if a little annoying, under the current circumstances. He was Velvet’s brother, though, and that gave her fellow Silenus a long leash, whether Meena should give it or not. 

“Good, so you know where it is then?” Meena asked. Confirmation was important. From all indications, Meena believed not only had Chee seen the package but was, in all likelihood, carrying it. Chee’s description of the man certainly fit the picture she and Azir had been shown. With the original courier out of the picture. Chee was their only connection to their primary mission. 

Meena glanced at Azir, gauging his reaction. Meena had no intention of hurting Chee in any way. She had come to a decision that barring self-defense, she would not have taken the courier’s life had he been in the convoy. But that didn’t mean Azir felt the same way. If Chee was the new courier, he might not realize how much danger he was in if Azir decided to follow their mission to the letter. He was making no move of indication of aggression, to which Meena silently thanked the Wild One.

Meena nodded, confirming that the man Chee described was the man they were looking for. The small man had clearly figured out that taking the package from the man could have led to physicality. The tension Chee held in his light frame indicated a willingness to bolt at a moment’s notice, and that would be a terrible situation on so many levels. 

“Without violence, if possible,” Meena admitted candidly. Azir’s answer might have been different, which was why Meena gave her answer before he could talk. “But our mission came directly from the Headmaster of Hammer Academy. Ettinus Maro Lin Oscoro.  Whatever is in the package is a danger to him and the Academy, possibly to Onyx as well. If the courier gave the package to you or someone you know, he willfully put your life at risk. 

“I am asking you. Let us verify that the package is here and come to the Academy with it. The three of us are the only ones who know about the package. It would be risking our mission to do this, but I am willing to let you carry the package all the way to the Academy, and we…” Meena said, pointing to Azir and herself, “Will make sure you and it get there safe.” Meena knew she was going out on a limb here.

Azir might disagree. It wasn’t the express direction they were giving. Still, circumstances had changed, and a champion was supposed to be able to adapt. The important part was getting the package to Ettinus. They could still complete the mission…with Chee’s help. “But we really don’t have long. We need to start the convoy moving again, and the longer we talk this out, the more danger we put everyone in. So, what do you think?”

[Aethyrium]

Azir Venris Kil-Mitter

Wearing
As pictured

Cub Coran

Wearing
This

11.06, 9:15pm | Johtan Wilderness - Rishi Valley - Needlepass
Meena, Chee, Lolo, Lyreilynn, Artanis

Glancing between the two women, Cub folded his hands behind his head and looked out past them, “Still not ready to go? How long did you guys take anyway?” He didn’t seem upset, just bored. “Is Azir having a fit?” He asked, peeking around for his partner with a wry grin, “He can be such a killjoy.”

In Azir’s experience, when people felt the need to preface their actions with how it was abnormal it was usually a sign that it was, actually, completely normal. For as much as he disliked how Artanis behaved, he at least respected that he never attempted to say ‘no offense’ or otherwise dismiss his aggressive communication style. On the other hand, it didn’t matter much if Chee made a habit of it or not - sneaking was a practical skill to have. Really what irked him more was Chee’s belief that they wouldn’t have noticed him - it seemed awfully cocky, and there was no evidence to support it. Azir never liked those kinds of claims.

Despite his ties to Velvet, that amounted to little in Azir’s opinion. People could be tied to all sorts - hell, he was tied to Artanis, but that association wasn’t condoning or supporting him. Azir watched Chee and judged him for what he saw, which seemed like someone unsure of what to do. Someone who was tiptoeing around a line, looking for an excuse to cross it. Honor was a complicated subject, and though staying true to one’s word was honorable, doing the right thing was more so. Meena made good points, and Azir nodded along with them. He had been prepared to do what was needed - there was no good reason to refuse the order they’d been given, even if killing wasn’t his first or second instinct. People who knew the situation better had determined that was the best course of action, and their reasoning for it was sound. Killing to protect mockery, gravity, and the convoys? That was an easy decision.

But this situation was more complicated. If Chee was now the courier, as Meena suggested, did that make him liable to the same fate? Azir wasn’t sure he should be making that decision. So even if he disagreed with the idea that Meena proposed, he wouldn’t cut her feet out from under her. Nodding, this seemed like a reasonable compromise… At least insofar as theory. What was to prevent this self proclaimed sneak from wandering off? Someone was going to need to be assigned to him. Meena might’ve been willing to trust the word, he was not. He’d task it to Irona, not to let him out of her sight. “Returning the message to Hammer is the important part. If you’re willing to detour with us to settle this there, then I see no reason we can’t get a move on.”

[shengami]

Character Name: Chee Tortious
Date | Time: 11.06 | ~21:15
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Rishi Valley - Needlepass | Mountain & Desert - Lightning & Sonic Resonance
Wearing: Camo, crop top tee, Loose, drab green, army surplus jacket unbuttoned, Black cargo pants and Combat boots
Tagging | Mentioning: Meena, Azir |
Chee's eyes were small as Meena talked. Their rich, butter color darting back and forth. His teeth and tongue played over his lips in darting motions. But as she spoke, he slowly relaxed. Meena's assurance that she would avoid violence saw some of his tension deflate despite the harder look in the elf's eyes. His butter-colored eyes darted still but he rocked off the balls of his feet and settled onto his heels. It would delay him by fractions of a second, but the overture of it was probably noticeable.

But as she continued, his eyes grew wider. The fact that champions were not mercenaries was something he held as fact, but the practical nature of that difference had not registered. he had not considered how champions got their missions. He guessed, from television programs, that most just did what they wanted. In that way, they were like mercenaries. They took the work they wanted for agree recompense. It hadn't really occurred to him to consider they received orders from the organization they belonged to. Or, at least, sometimes. And this mission had felt similar to mercenary work. Heck, the other convoy had hired mercenaries to escort it after all. He chewed his lip and his eyes went blank as he considered the situation carefully in the light of information that the squires acted on orders from the Headmaster of the Academy himself.

And, they were offering him a path to meeting the man, making an impression. He glanced at Azir and surveyed the man. The offer to delay resolving this matched Meena's offer for Chee to carry the message and turn it over to the Headmaster. If he was going to abandon the mission, he didn't feel a particular need to retain the message. But, the offer of turning it over himself to the Headmaster benefitted him. But, perhaps, he was thinking too much like a mercenary and not a champion?

Well, he couldn't help that. He was a mercenary. He wouldn't pretend to be something he was not. It was something to consider as he prepared to take the entrance exams next year.

Chee rocked back on his heels and glanced back and forth between the larger warriors a few times. He felt the decision falling into place, "Well, if de Headmaster... K."

He reached behind him to one of his pouches and opened it. Chee traveled light, so every thing was on him. Even if that hadn't been true, something as important as this would stay near him. He brought it around and then stepped forward to let Meena see or take it if she wanted. He understood they'd need to verify the thing. "If ya need ta open it, dat's ok. Contract broken is contract broken." He huffed as he didn't like it, not really. "An, I don't mind holdin onto it, ya. But, like I said, contract's void. I'd like ta deliver it myself dough. Sure. I'd like ta meet De Headmaster. You betcha. Also don't mind seein ta da ting. But I ain't attached ta it neither."

[Aethyrium]

Nevermore

S T O R Y T E L L E R
November 6th, (~9:15pm) | Johtan Wilderness - Rishi Valley - Needlepass | Mountain & Desert - Lightning & Sonic Resonance
Next Post: 4.17.24 | Farrah, Marlowe, Lyreilynn, Haimehen, Meena, Vesper, Chee, Irona, Velvet, Doya, Azir, Artanis, CubIt hadn’t been difficult to stop Jayce and Alcornis from getting after one another - Jayce didn’t like being insulted, and Alcornis just wanted to get a move on. Farrah resolved the tension rather handily. Once Azir and Meena, with Chee in tow, reemerged from their secret meeting and saw that Cub was present, everything was set for them to get moving. The plan was pretty straight forward. Doya, Velvet, Marlowe, Farrah, and Chee would act as a vanguard. They would cross Needlepass on their own, get to the other side, ensure that it was clear and then use some red Arcanite like a flare to signal that it was safe to cross. Meena, Lyra, Irona, and Artanis would bring up the rear, and Azir would actually lead the convoy across at its front. Meanwhile Vesper and Haimehen were positioned on top of the convoy at nearer the front and back respectively, and finally Cub was assigned with them near the middle.

While the vanguard made their way across, the convoys were shifted around and slowly put into groups that could thread onto the pass easily. Both were mixed - despite Alcornis not liking the idea - to ensure that there were no unnecessarily huge gaps between rooftops that could be jumped to, in case the champions needed to get mobile on the bridge that would otherwise be entirely impassible. It wasn’t a perfect solution, and it’d be slow and tricky, but it’d be something. And things went, more or less, according to plan. The vanguard crossed, scouted a bit, and sent up their flare. As soon as confirmation was had, Azir bid farewell to the others and started out across Needlepass - Jayce and Alcornis with him. One by one the vehicles of the convoy carefully lined up and started the slow crossing. More than one of the actual trucks was wide enough that parts of their tires on either side dangled over the edges of the pass - there was no room for error in this crossing. Within five minutes every vehicle was on the pass, and the entire double convoy was inching across.

And there was only stillness and quiet.

About twelve minutes into the crossing, well before the convoy’s first vehicles were near enough the end of the pass to try and speed ahead, and far too distant from the starting point to try and back out of the crossing, all of that changed. Trapped, more or less, in the middle of Needlepass, a shocking screen broke the relative silence of the night. It came from the front, the mountains of the valley the convoy was headed toward. It was high pitched, and echoed in the chasm, distorted by the rushing wind below. It drew all eyes toward the shadows of the mountains - it was too dark to see anything at first. But as the cloud cover parted and light of the moon filtered down, a shadow rose up above the peaks. Enormous wings spread, and the creature’s fifty-or-so foot wingspan cast a grim shadow over Needlepass. Its head turned toward them and large, person-skull-sized blood red eyes opened and stared down at the crossing convoy, before its massive form tucked and it swooped overhead.

Vesper (Hollow Studied)

Despite their formidable reputation, the Nevermore has a hidden vulnerability that can be exploited by cunning hunters. Vesper is aware that these creatures are highly sensitive to certain frequencies of sound, particularly those in the ultrasonic range. Prolonged exposure to such frequencies causes extreme discomfort and disorientation in the Nevermore, disrupting their ability to fly effectively.

Furthermore, Vesper knows that one of the deadliest things about the Nevermore is not their own power, but that their call is like a beacon that attracts other Hollow and whips them into a frenzy. It’s not that the Nevermore commands the Hollow, but it will lure nearby Hollow inadvertently to its location. It’s a very real possibility that what they are seeing right now is only the beginning of what they’ll need to face.

A Nevermore, but not like the twelve-foot wingspan Hollow they had studied in class. This was no ordinary Hollow, but an alpha specimen. It crossed the chasm in a hurry, flying overhead toward the back of the convoy, and made a slow, wide circle. And that’s also about the time that the people in the convoy started shrieking in panic - the entire bridge sounded in a fearful cacophony.

It took a few moments from the Nevermore’s initial screech, but as it circled behind the convoy, a veritable horde of Hollow emerged from hiding in the mountains ahead, driven into action by its call. Hispo and Crinos alike - more than two dozen, easily.

R E C A PTo be clear on positioning: Doya, Farrah, Marlowe, Chee, and Velvet are on the far side of the bridge. There is several hundred feet between them and the front of the convoy still on the bridge. They are being approached by a pack of Hispo and Crinos. If they get through and onto the Needlepass, the convoy is more or less doomed - and probably everyone on it.

Haimehen, Vesper, and Cub are ontop of the convoy. Because they are already stationed up on top, they are capable of moving to either the front or back of the convoy in this round.

Lyra, Meena, Irona, and Artanis, are at the rear of the convoy. The Nevermore circled around behind them and is approaching from that direction - but it is airborne. Movement from one end of the convoy to the other is not easy, and cannot be accomplished in a single round - though you may get onto the top of the convoy and begin relocating if you so desire.

Hispo are easily taken down, and you can remove a number of Hispo equal to your SPEED in a single post. Alternatively you may remove ONE Crinos in a single post. There are a total of 22 Hispo that must be dealt with, and 6 Crinos. And they will try to get by and get to the convoy.

As always non-basic/creative actions will be adjudicated appropriately.

[shengami]

Character Name: Chee Tortious
Date | Time: 11.06 | ~21:15
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Rishi Valley - Needlepass | Mountain & Desert - Lightning & Sonic Resonance
Wearing: Camo, crop top tee, Loose, drab green, army surplus jacket unbuttoned, Black cargo pants and Combat boots
Tagging | Mentioning: |
He bounced on his feet as they stood at the far end of the pass. The tension in the air was thick enough to taste. It made that spot between his shoulders itch. He rolled his neck and shrugged his shoulders. The light of the moon turned amber as it reflected off his eyes. He stuck close to Velvet and glanced at her occasionally, but there was never any temptation to speak. Chee had always been like that: words dried up when it was time to act.

On top of that, the air felt like it danced along his skin. Despite the inconvenience, his jacket was down to expose his shoulders and arms as much as possible and his fingers kept dancing over his abdomen. He recognized that the resonance was aligned to his energy. That made him think of the two chunks of precious black arcanite he possessed. He licked his lips hungrily. His ears flicked constantly, alert.

Then the silent world went quiet and still.

He watched silently as the massive, winged thing rose above the mountains. A slow, hissing breath drew through his teeth as its wings snapped open and it hung there. He'd heard of them, even seen one's shadow once: a Nevermore. That shadow had sent him squirming into a crevice barely big enough for a badger for three days. And this one. It explained the surreal status of the area. He'd heard of Alphas. He felt the dual sensation of his blood chilling and, at the same time, electricity pouring into him. He vibrated audibly and visibly. He bit his lip so hard he tasted copper. "Wild One's breath..."

His eyes tracked it as it flew over the chasm and he felt the bottom threaten to drop out of his stomach. He realized at once that he would not be able to confront it easily and that it was bypassing much of their security to threaten innocents. He was not so crazed to test himself that he'd wish others to suffer. His eyes flicked to the rest of the vanguard. There was a tension stretching out.

Then his eyes snapped to where dozens of hispo and crinos poured into the valley leading to the pass. His breath hitched and his pupils dilated. "Yeeesss..." He glanced at the other four once more then at the front wagon of the caravan. They couldn't let the mob onto the pass. Hollow would go for the concentration of life, the hundred or so souls there. He looked at Velvet then the tall warrior woman from MoCKerY.

"I can handle de Hispo, if Velvet supports me. Can you tree target de crinos?" He didn't want to make demands or give commands here, just suggest what he could do. Taking on large groups was something his speed allowed him to excel at. To prove it, he shot forward. He felt the energy gather are he crouched and his calves coiled. His arms flashed and then the world blurred to either side of him. He grinned; his teeth shone in the night. His eyes were wild and he felt himself energized.

He reached behind him and touched the grenade gun, but Velvet needed line of sight. So, he hand pulled Darklash from its home. His eyes scanned the pack, noting where Crinos were. He saw a beast skid and fall, whether felled by Velvet's rifle or it's own clumsiness, he didn't know. He picked one out of the front of the group. He bit his lip as he locked eyes with it. Darklash danced in his fingers. They closed and he jinked in and below its massive, slavering jaws. He watched in slow-motion was it's teeth snapped where his shoulder had just been. saliva glistened wetly on red jaws and against bone-white teeth. He felt the audible click of its bite in his bones. Adrenaline surged into him. His hand jammed the business end of Darklash up into its jaw, through flesh, into its brain.

Then they were passed. He grinned and his ear flicked. His lips formed the words one... But there was no time for too much show-boating. His off hand flashed to his pistol and he fired three rounds, point-blank into a Hispo's chest. His lips formed two... He pivoted, then repeated the triple-tap on the other side. A thud from behind him announced the first Hispo's hitting the group. He laughed as more closed on him

He leaped back, again, a third time as jaws closed in the air he had just been using. He eyed the rabid maw of a Crinos and then darted sideways, under its claws. He twisted the switch on Darklash with his thumb. Step, swing. The blade flew out on a chain of hardlight. He pulled it back to wrap around his chest. It flashed out again, faster, in a cutting arc. Ichor spilled into the ground. He stepped again to make the blade swing around the limb and then it speared into the dark and lanced a Hispo eye. His pistol fired a shot into the other eye. Blinded, it went down under the jaws of one of its own.

Chee felt his chest heave as he took a ragged breath. His lungs burned, his veins were fire, his muscles screamed. And yet, his eyes only sought the enemy. His mind raced out into the dark. Shuddering, he glanced back and saw the knot of light that was the reason to fight. Gritting his teeth, he leaped back again. Darklash flashed out to cut a throat. He pushed back again. The blade arced and flashed, it cut and sliced, but it was covering his each step back to the group. For now, though he ached to test himself, he regrouped and treasured the bit of chaos and death he had brought to the Hollow.

Feeling the light against his back, he looked to see what the others had managed. His mind, briefly, thought of the Nevermore and those even further back.

Sum Total: Chee kills 5 Hispo

[Envious]

Character Name: Farrah Tinkerspan
Date | Time: 11.06 | 9:15
Location: Campfire | Johtan Wilderness - Rishi Valley - Needlepass
Wearing: as pictured
Tagging | Mentioning: Haim, Jayce, Alcornis | Vesper
”What in the black gate is that?” Farrah questioned, gaping at the bird. The Hollow looked like a Nevermore, but it was far too large. It couldn’t possibly be! Her weapons were held in slack arms as she watched the bird soar gracefully towards the back of the convoy.

”Meena,” she whispered. She looked to Marlowe, knowing she must be thinking about Lyreilynn. ”They’ll look out for each other,” she promised. And that was all the time she had - Hispo and Crinos were emerging. Instantaneously, she understood several things at once.

The civilians on the convoy were in a panic. If they didn’t keep moving forward, they’d all die. They would not want to move forward if Hollow were ahead.

As much as she wanted to support Meena by being with her, Meena needed her right where she was to clear a way for the convoy to move forward. All these Hollow needed to die. There were a lot, but nothing unmanageable. She took a deep breath. No worries, they had this.

”Reckon I need me a battlecry,” she said loudly to the women - Chee had already darted off to be a whirlwind of death in the hispo suggesting that they take out the crinos. She adjusted her grip on the axe handle and looked at the galloping crinos. The rhythmic thump of their claws scraping against the floor became her countdown. Two in particular caught her eye leading the pack.

”You take the ugly one?” Farrah questioned, bracing her shield for Marlowe to run up and jump on. Farrah would then push upwards, propelling the brawler high into the sky to arc and land on the Crinos slightly behind the first to give it it's own problem to worry about instead of assisting the beast Farrah would be taking on. As soon as Lolo left the shield, Farrah was running behind to launch herself at the nearest Crinos. Her axe spun in a powerful swing, but the fur prevented the blade from cutting true. The creature reared up to slash at her with powerful claws.

”Should I roar?” she asked stepping back as the Hollow retaliated. ”Too cliche? Maybe a phrase!” she shouted as the beast descended upon her with drooling jaws and wicked teeth. It opened its massive maw, leaning in to bite through her metal shield and soft flesh, and Farrah unleashed her chain whip. It shot out and into the open mouth of the creature with a vicious force, puncturing vulnerable tissue. There was a choking sound as it crumpled. Farrah yanked yard to remove the whip before the creature could chomp down and destroy it.

”Hey! Another one bites the dust!” she yelled triumphantly, trying to overpower the cries of distress behind her lightheartedness. The destruction of the Hollow gained the attention of another Crinos and as the noxious vapors evaporated into the air, Farrah pointed her axe at the giant creature.

”Gunna get you, too!”

[shengami]

Character Name: Haimehen
Date: Nov. 6 | Time: 21:15 |
Location: Needlepass
Wearing:  Outfit, orange toque, bandolier of cartridges, Feu and Fureur, Boots
Tagging: None | Mentioning: Cub, Vesper|
The wagon shivered as it crept along the too narrow pass. Haim had rarely ever wished that his eyes were not what they were, but he did right then. He could see with excruciating clarity just how wide the ledge was and how deep the chasm was. It would take nothing, a strong wind, to see them plummeting forever. He stared up at the sky to avoid staring into the void. There'd been too much heavy thought on his mind lately.

And that's why he saw it early, that massive form lifting up from the mountain. His mind calculated it easily and then stumbled at the fact. He grit his teeth. That was far, far more than a strong wind. That was a typhoon, a disaster. He wished for a horde of Hispo or even a pack of ravening Ursoc. Anything but that. It had to be an Alpha.

His fingers moved to unload the regular rounds from his guns and replace them with a tracer and Farshot round. His eyes tracked it as it crossed the chasm. Blinking, he listened to the call and then leveled Fureur and fired the tracer round. He watched as the tunnel of sound traveled the world. It threw things into even starker relief. This wasn't good; it was far far worse than bad.

He blew out a sharp breath of air. His torso pivoted as he brought Feu online ad aimed. The bullet tore out into the dark leaving a line of yellow in its wake. It screamed a bit as it spun and the arcanite acted to propel the bullet further than it would normally go. He watched it streak for the beast.

But his chest was still numb with fear. He knew that Alpha's exuded such auras, but he felt it was more than that. This would have been a dangerous encounter in any other circumstance. But in this circumstance? It would not be anything short of a miracle if they survived this. They would certainly be losing life this day. That idea boiled his blood and started to shake the fear off. Life was at stake, at risk. If they did not do everything they could, then more life would be lost than needed. He licked his lips and glanced forward. He saw the echoes of fighting there. Some of their strongest warriors were in the vanguard. But him, Cub, and Vesper were in a position to target it. That tactical decision had proven solid.

His feet moved slowly at first, but he picked up speed as he headed for the the back of the wagon and then he pushed off and jumped to the next vehicle. They had arranged it this way for just such a reason. Haim started to move toward the back of the convoy while he reloaded Feu with a wave round and tuned the settings of Fureur to his unique sonic rounds. There were lives to consider.

[FyreFoxx]

Character Name: Lyreilynn "Lyra" Xyrven Myalis
Date | Time: November 6th | Evening (~9:15pm)
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Rishi Valley - Needlepass
Wearing: Black long-sleeved top and matching skirt, with white overshirt with blue trim, black sash, flat ankle boots
Tagging | Mentioning: Meena | Marlowe, Cub, Azir, Irona, Artanis, Vesper, Haimehen

Lyra seemed rather shocked by the appearance of Cub, taking an involuntary step backwards, further into safety, as he effortlessly walked back upright. She had only seen his Shimmer in action one other time, but it was still fascinating to see… if it wasn’t being used at such a dangerous place. Nervously, she gripped her skirts as she eyed the edge of the chasm warily. “I think the leaders are trying to figure something out. Jayce left a little while ago to check on his convoy. We got delayed by some Hollow on our way over here.” She answered Cub as much as she could, keeping her eyes on Marlowe lest she actually move too close.

It wasn’t long after that moment that Meena had reconvened with their group and relayed the orders she had come up with using Azir’s help. Marlowe was being sent to the vanguard while Lyra was to bring up the rear. A majority of their frontliners were sent across first, and although she disliked the idea of being away from Marlowe right now, the little elf let out a deep sigh, nodded and obeyed the command she was given. She gave Marlowe’s hand a squeeze before they parted, watching as her partner left with the others to prepare their crossing. Lyra assisted where she was needed, helping to ease some of the worries of passengers and keep things organized as they staggered and mixed the convoys together.

It was a painfully dull and nerve-wracking job. The air was unusually still, and it unnerved her for all the wrong reasons. It was too quiet, and something in the air just didn’t agree with her. It sent tremors down her body. She was already at a disadvantage in this mountainous terrain, but something in the air made it feel so much worse. The wagons and vehicles were moving at a snail’s pace for safety, since some of the motorized vehicles were almost too wide to cross. Once they were all in place, Lyra fell into step with the rest of the rear guard; Meena, Irona, and Artanis, whom she had not been fond of being near. She hadn’t gotten the chance to ask him how he learned about what happened, but right now, that was neither here nor there. They had a job to do, so like before, she tucked that little bit of info into a box and put it away.

They were nearing the halfway point of the supposed time frame to cross. Jayce had mentioned it took about twenty minutes to fully cross, but Lyra estimated at least thirty to account for the extra wagons and slower pace for safety considering the sheer size of the trucks. It had barely been half of either estimate when the shadow first appeared in the distance. It was the screech that was first noticeable, the sound reverberating within the canyon and echoing at almost a deafening volume. Lyra covered her sensitive ears, eyes squeezed shut instinctively as she ducked her head. As the moment passed, she lifted her head, seeking the source of the sound. How could a would-be Champion cower from just the sound of a Hollow? It was unbecoming!

Frustrated, pale silver eyes found the growing shadow that drifted towards the convoy as the moonlight gave them visuals. Those large wings were unmistakable, but something was wrong. It just kept getting bigger and bigger as it drew closer and closer! “…Nevermore,” she breathed out slowly, shock etched onto her face as she tried to calculate its size. It was more than four times the supposed size of a typical specimen, according to their textbooks. An Alpha?! Here!? Her eyes tracked its movement as it circled around behind them. A quick glance over her shoulder had Lyra staring off at the front of the convoy where the vanguard was stationed. Were they safe? But she had little time to spare them any more worry as she had to refocus on the giant bird overhead.

She shifted her stance, looking from one person to the next, trying to formulate a plan of attack. Meena was a close combatant. Irona she wasn’t too familiar with, but she was pretty sure she was also close quarters, as was Artanis. Was she the only one capable of ranged between the four of them? Lyra twisted around, her eyes seeking the tops of the wagons. Cub, Vesper, and Haimehen were all stationed up top as their ranged support, with Haimehen being the one furthest back. Biting her lip, she pushed aside personal feelings for the sake of the team. Just like she had during the field trial. Even though this one was a bit more brutal to deal with, it wasn’t the first time she shoved aside her own feelings.

“Meena!” she suddenly shouted at the tall Silenus to get her attention. “Help me up!” Lyra pointed to the top of the closest wagon, indicating her intention to get to higher ground. Grabbing fistfuls of her skirt, she made a short dash towards her captain, jumping towards her and using the created handhold as a step to propel herself higher with assistance of the Silenus, landing on the top of the closest appropriate wagon with a gentle thud. It would be easier to have all their ranged stationed up top where they could make use of the added mobility, especially since that huge monstrosity was headed their way.

Lyra glanced down at her wrists, biting down softly on her lower lip once more. While it would make things easier and faster if she took them off and opened them up, she just couldn’t risk losing her mobility by needing to hold onto them, or, worse case scenario, losing them altogether if she happened to drop them. They were far too precious to her for that. So, while it might cost her a few added seconds, Lyra decided she’d just have to stick to drawing her Negalu as quickly as she could manage. Fingers gingerly touched her waist, where she kept a few vials of soft Arcanite stashed away hidden beneath her sash, knowing that if she ever planned on using them, this fight would be the time to do it. And it wasn’t something she liked the idea of. But the trade-off in power was worth the risk to protect the others.

With some swift hand movements, she drew out the symbol for lightning with her right hand, adding the appropriate accompaniments as needed to get her desired effect. The darkened sky lit up briefly with the crackling of electricity being shot like a bolt towards the massive avian, putting as much power as she could muster into her first strike. This was no time to be holding back. With an opponent that large looming overhead, it was an all or nothing fight that began now.

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Marlowe “Lolo” Ashe
Date | Time: November 6th | Evening (~9:15pm)
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Rishi Valley - Needlepass
Wearing: White button down, Plaid slacks, Suspenders, w/ glossy purple bowtie, Simple black beret
Tagging | Mentioning: | Azir, Meena, Haim, Lyra, Velvet, Chee
Convincing Lolo to join the vanguard and cross the chasm ahead of the others? Easy.

Convincing her to leave Lyra behind in the process? Relentlessly difficult.

Lyra might’ve been willing to follow instructions, but Lolo was not. She made a whole scene about the ordeal. At first, she flat out refused. It simply wasn’t going to happen. They weren’t going to be separated right now. On any other mission, Lolo might have been convinced fairly easily, but this one? After what had happened? She wasn’t having it. Lolo wasted likely more than ten minutes in protest, unwilling to budge on the topic. There were only a few stipulations that eventually made it possible. Haim was positioned as far away from Lyra as possible and that Meena specifically was with her the whole time. And Meena was given her own set of orders - if Haim came within twenty yards of her, she was to knock his ass off the Needlepass. It was only once she had those promises from her friend that she relented - but still not without complaint. Why couldn’t Lyra come with her? Why couldn’t she stay back and Artanis take her place on the vanguard? There were probably reasons, and Azir tried to explain them but they all sounded like weak excuses to her.

Once she was crossing with the others, she let it go. At the end of the day, Lolo trusted Meena, and that was good enough. It wasn’t even about protecting Lyra so much as it was ensuring she wasn’t alone. Well, and making sure that she didn’t have to deal with Haimehen, that was still a very forward thought in her mind. She got the quick introduction from Velvet to Chee, and that went over well - she seemed reasonably excited to meet him. Like others, a friend of Velvet’s was positive in her book. Plus she was generally excited to meet people. Lolo stayed near Farrah on the crossing, the least she could do was make sure that Meena’s elf got back to her in one piece. Not that she feared for Farrah’s ability to take care of herself.

The screech pulled her attention, and Lolo looked to the sky. Brave though she was, even Lolo froze at the sight of the Nevermore. Her eyes widened in horror, shock, and fear. When was the last time she had felt actual fear like this? She couldn’t remember at that moment. “What… What is that… Farrah…” She watched as it swooped over the canyon, and suddenly she could hear the blood rushing in her ears. She needed to… Farrah anchored her with words. Lolo looked back to the oncoming horde. Lolo’s fingers flexed anxiously. This wasn’t like anything they had fought before. How was she to focus on this when that bird… “They’re all ugly.” She remarked, finding the light heartedness easy when it was brought out. Really, that single comment helped diffuse her tension. This problem was just as bad, and Lyra and Meena could handle themselves, Farrah was right.

Leaning forward, Marlowe charged at Farrah and lept up onto her shield in a crouch. She grabbed the sides and prepped, letting Farrah push her up, and leaping at the last second to get as much air as possible. Lolo went sailing through the sky in an arch. She thought about activating her new weapons, but decided against it. She laced her fingers instead and brought them up over her head. When she came crashing down, she brought her hands down with the momentum of her fall, and all of her strength like a hammer, smashing the Crinos’ skull so hard that it toppled forward into the dirt. “That’s a good one!” She called back, amid the noise of the Hollow. The Crinos started pushing itself back up, snarling at her. Lolo brought her hand back and boxed it square in the snout - feeling its cartilage and bone crush beneath her. And also cutting up her hand nicely, with a small flicker of her Soul. It fell again and Lolo shoved her foot into its mouth, “This one won’t be…” And pinned its lower jaw. She grabbed its upper and heaved as hard as she could, till she ripped its skull in two that way, “Biting anything!”

[Intimate Ink]

Character Name: Vesper Cabello
Date | Time: November 6th, ~11:45
Location: Johtan Wilderness Campsite - Anachem Outskirts
Wearing: As pictured
Tagging: Everyone, Meena, Irona, Artanis, Lyra, Haim Everyone | Mentioning:


Though Vesper had feared a threat boiling up from the chasm itself, the sight that came down from the mountains was no less suffocating for him. Nevermore. Not a smalls specimen with some photo in the texts with a casual mention that the alpha varieties exist; nothing that people might quibble with the identification on an exam because the distant photo in the sky left some question of features. This was not the case study, but the wild one; the type that likely had been exempt from photograph because those who tried often died.

The threat of their positioning was obvious, yet there was nothing to help that now. Vesper looked around, shouting out less to those who most wanted to see and those that he could. ”Nevermore. We need to focus on it, or else its calls will simply bring more. We need to blast it with ultrasonic sound. I lack those abilities, but some of you may not?”

Vesper glanced uneasily at Haim, knowing at least one of the ingredients for such an attack, but lacking the ability to close communication in order to do so. ”Haimehen has ability in that regard, but I don’t think I can get to him. Perhaps if any do have the attack in their ability though, we can help him get the hint. I have… a potential solution, but I have no idea if it will work.”

Vesper hesitated. Considering his reserve of Negalu-inscribed arrows was already depleted thanks to his tantrum, he hated using yet another. Did he have a choice, though? Was it worth using on such a half-cocked idea? Vesper felt he had to, if there was one thing that he valued in battle it was information and strategy. He may have feared that much about what he knew about his partner was a lie, but he maintained the belief that Haimehen and he were bound by that.

Grabbing one of his two precious, remaining air Negalu arrows from the quiver, Vesper turned back, and lifted it to fire in the direction of the huge Nevermore. He braced – hoping, waiting for the blast of air to come rushing in from behind him. If he felt that kiss of air, Vesper shouted, attempting his voice to carry across space that might not otherwise be attainable. ”Ultrasonic attacks to the Nevermore. Ultrasonic attacks to the Nevermore! Ultrasonic attacks to the Nevermore!” Vesper attempted to shout through the wind that blasted, hoping it would carry his voice. Through it he tried to not think about the grim tidings repeating a ‘nevermore’ mantra in the context of a damned bird brought.

He was aware that the burst of air would likely not be a pleasant introduction to other ranged combatants, but it was a calculated risk. Vesper expected the air disturbance to be a matter of seconds, and if it got his message carried, or disrupted the Nevermore’s flight patern via air disruption or Vesper’s shimmer… it was a calculated risk that may be worth it. Maybe.

[Aethyrium]

Nevermore

S T O R Y T E L L E R
November 6th, (~9:15pm) | Johtan Wilderness - Rishi Valley - Needlepass | Mountain & Desert - Lightning & Sonic Resonance
Next Post: 4.22.24 | Farrah, Marlowe, Lyreilynn, Haimehen, Meena, Vesper, Chee, Irona, Velvet, Doya, Azir, Artanis, CubThe noise didn’t fail to catch Azir’s attention. He wanted to pause, but there was no way to signal the entire convoy to stop at the same time. That only meant that anything was going to be that much more complicated with the slow forward march. Made worse if anyone in the line got it in their head to stop on their own. He looked up as the silhouette dominated the sky and frowned. “Don’t stop for anything.” He commanded Jayce and Alcornis. He took several steps to the left of the Needle pass, and then sprinted for the right before flinging himself off of the rocky bridge crossing the chasm - much to the combined shock and horror of the convoy leaders. Azir twisted in the air, the Nevermore flying by at a distance, and brought Hurricane around, tip pointed at the rear of the convoy. He took a deep breath and activated two sections of Arcanite within the hilt of the mighty lance - a jetstream of air propelled him forward, and then fire erupted, igniting it like a rocket and sending him flying alongside the length of the convoy, covering its distance impressively quickly.

Velvet looked up from the scope of her staff in its sniper mode, going wide eyed at the arrival of the Nevermore. Doya’s hand flexed along the hilt of Excalibur. “That’s not good…” Velvet whispered, as the howls of the Garou pack drew her attention forward. “Wait what? Chee!” She called as her little brother decided to get fancy and get involved. She didn’t doubt him, but she was better suited at trying to support the convoy from afar - they were so limited in ranged options. “Damnit,” She stood up and clicked her staff, it began it’s rapid conversion, and she made up for lost time by blinking into the fray, vanishing from the edge, and reappearing beside a Hispo. She slid her staff under its legs and with great effort launched it up into the air, “Chee, catch!” Dislodged from the earth, the hispo was no challenge for her rat-brother to dispatch.

Cub, who had taken awkwardly walking in a diagonal orbit around the convoy as it went, passing under the Needlepass before climbing up the side of the same vehicle, hunkered down - literally dropping to his stomach - at the sound of the bird. Grabbing his pistols, he went about connecting them to form the longer rifle-like gun. As the Nevermore passed, Cub took aim and fired a full clip of spray at it - over Azir’s head as he rocketed past - but if the hollow was phased, it didn’t seem to show it. Before long it was out of his range, and Cub, to stay out of Haim’s way, rolled off the side of the convoy, caught himself along the side of Needlepass, and ran horizontally along it to join him near the back.

Doya skid forward, letting a hispo lunge at her shield. She repelled it with a shove and a swift wide slash of her blade ensured that it wasn’t going to bother anyone else. The expert fighter jumped and somersaulted over another, which she skewered in its back and ripped through its spine as she landed on the far side of it. It put her in a position to see several of the Hollow bypassing the vanguard and making for the Needlepass. “The throat, I’ll get the throat.” She called over the battle, bolting towards the mouth of Needlepass. Doya whipped her shield forward and used it to crack into the side of a Hispo already on the bridge, knocking it off and into the chasm. She caught the shield as it rebounded toward her, spinning around just in time to meet the claws of a Crinos that’s brute power dropped her to one knee. Doya shoved backward, and started fighting while slowly back pedaling, working to keep ahead of those things that tried to get ahead of her, slowly them as she tried to hold the bridge.

An inward tilt of the lance carried Azir back over Needlepass as he got to the end, and he dropped back down onto it maybe thirty feet behind the others, skidding with his momentum to stand at the forefront of them when the Nevermore circled back around. Just in time to see the sky light up and Lyra’s bolt of lightning come down like a hammer from the heavens, smashing into the Hollow - who shrieked in pain, blasting the canyon with another of its horrid screeches. It veered to the left, before catching itself on the wind and righting itself - hurt, but still quite capable. With a mighty surge of its wings, the Nevermore got close to the Needlepass and jolted forward, claws extended forward to collide with Azir.

Vesper’s call sounded across the chasm, able to be heard even by the vanguard on the far side, for all the good it would do them.

Irona hunkered forward and went charging as fast as she could - which was considerable - towards Azir. The small woman jumped up onto his crouched form, running along his back, then across the length of Hurricane, and used it as a springboard to shoot herself up into the air. Irona twirled over and over, twinblade held horizontally, turning her into a sideways falling spinning top of doom. She sliced straight down and sliced into the Nevermore’s wing. Not enough to disable it, but sufficient that she curbed its attack. Screeching into the night, the Nevermore fell to the left of the pass, leveling out and continuing its flight, planning to pass under them and then likely circle back.

That was when Meena, seeing her opportunity, smashed Heart of the Mountain into the ground and weighted the head. Shaft over the edge, Meena used the maul like a swing to launch herself toward the Nevermore’s back as it passed below. Only, while she was falling, the great bird opened its mighty beak and unleashed a scream pitched unlike any of the others - so sharp and so loud that it assaulted the Soul of people nearby and made their skulls ring, momentarily making them entirely unable to act - Vesper, Lyra, and Meena all shaken into inaction for a few seconds. In that time the Nevermore did a barrel roll, and swatted Meena with its wing, knocking her off course and sending her flying like a silenus shaped baseball under the width of Needlepass and haphazardly into the chasm.

Shaken, but not disoriented, Artanis was the only one in the immediate area able to both witness and act as Meena plummeted. “Fuck me.” He growled, his ears still ringing. Moving to the right right side, Artanis dropped to his hands, supporting himself dangling over the edge, and curled up. He leaned forward to put his feet flat on the side of the bridge, a feat so easy for Cub, and then used it to push himself off and lunge at Meena. Right about the time her overwhelming disorientation wore off, Artanis tackled her midair, and wrapped his arms around her. “Don’t waste it, idiot.” Artanis grumbled, unintentionally being handsy with her as he finagled himself to her back. Letting go of the underhandles of his fist weapons, Artanis flipped them upside down so the blade ejection area was facing down. He clicked something that caused two hooks on either side of each weapon to eject - climbing hooks, likely, and without asking, Artanis pushed them forward, stabbing Meena with them and latching them onto her shoulder blades. Aside from the pain, her Soul immediately flared in the dark, the bright green like a lantern as they fell.

Then she no longer felt artanis attached to her - in fact, she felt him shove off. Immediately following it she could feel the low vibration of the weapons now embedded in her back as they activated. White Arcanite filled the port and where normally elemental blades would form, both erupted a powerful current of air. Meena’s Soul once again flared, constantly dragged on, as these weapons, flipped the way they were, acted like a makeshift jetpack, carrying her back up while straining against her physical form the whole time - green, orange, yellow, before they ran out of energy and dropped her high above Needlepass - not quite in line with it, leaving her to figure out how she was going to safely land.

Artanis, meanwhile, vanished into the dark of the chasm below.

On the far side of the valley, the horde of Garou smash into the squires. A small handful break off immediately, moving past the initial fray and engage Doya on the bridge, trying to get past. Otherwise, however, they are momentarily contained by a locking tooth and claw with the quartet.

Continuing after its roll, the Nevermore slid gracefully under the Needlepass, past the rearmost vehicles where Vesper and Lyra were shaking off their daze. It leaned hard to the right, swooping to that side of the pass, and then doing a shallow circle. Rapidly picking up speed with increased wing flaps, once again the Nevermore angled it’s claws forward - but this time it aimed for the Needlepass itself. Its hulking form smashed into the bridge with such tremendous force that the earth began to crack. Cub, right next to it, nearly got smooshed by it’s attack, and the force was sufficient to send him falling off the side - fortunately, he pulled a small gun from his belt, and fired a tether that anchored into the stone and supported him, leaving him dangling from the pass. Less fortunately, the vehicles right above where the Nevermore hit rocks to the side and rapidly tilts over the edge… If the Nevermore had been even five feet to the right, it would have been Ocareena and her entourage. The screams of people quickly fade, drowned out by the wind. The Nevermore released the bridge and let itself drop, catching itself with its wings and then flying forward, crossing back under the bridge and heading straight out - very much like it was about to repeat the same action, only from the other side.

R E C A PThere are 11 Hispo remaining. 2 have bypassed the group and are engaged with Doya on the bridge.

There are 4 Crinos remaining. 1 has bypassed the group and is engaged with Doya on the bridge.

Same general rules for removing them as threats apply - Hispo up to speed or one Crinos per post. If nothing stops them, 3 more Garou will move past the group this round and make for the bridge.

The remaining Garou are engaged with Farrah, Chee, Lolo, and Velvet. Farrah suffered moderate damage, and her Soul has been reduced to orange. Chee suffered moderate damage and his Soul has been reduced to Yellow. Lolo suffered heavy damage, and her Soul has been reduced to red. Velvet suffered minor damage, and her Soul remains green. Please narrate how you got injured by the various garou!

Doya will be overrun, allowing things to close with the front of the convoy, if even one more Hollow gets to her, unless she gets some kind of support.

Vesper, Meena, and Lyra were impacted by the Nevermore’s disorienting attack. This prevented them from being able to interact with Meena’s fall. Its effects will linger through this round and reduce their effectiveness, but they may still act more or less freely. Meena is currently falling and must spend (unless otherwise assisted) at least part of her post finding a way to make it back to the Needlepass so she doesn’t fall into the chasm.

Cub is currently dangling, secure, but vulnerable and out of position. Haimehen momentarily has the highground on the bird before it flies too far away from the pass and out along the chasm.

Haimehen’s, Lyra’s, and Irona’s attacks all did damage to the Nevermore, but it still seems in a relatively good position. It’ll take more than that to defeat this Hollow.

Everyone, including the Vanguard, is able to hear Vesper’s echoing advice about how to deal with the Nevermore.

[shengami]

Character Name: Haimehen
Date: Nov. 6 | Time: 21:15 |
Location: Needlepass
Wearing:  Outfit, orange toque, bandolier of cartridges, Feu and Fureur, Boots
Tagging: Cub | Mentioning: Lyra, Vesper|
Haim leaped across a gap as he watched the great thing circle over the far end of the pass. He thought he saw a figure leap through the air, but who it was eluded him. He heaved a breath as his feet beat a tattoo across the metal roof of a van. There, that figure had to be Meena. His breath caught at the size of the sonic event she made and then his eyes went wide and he skidded to a halt as her form went sailing into the void. He saw arms flailing; his mind chastised him for not having sorted that pulling bullet yet. Yet another piece of gRAVIty’s soul being torn out on this mission. He felt sick.

Then a figure darted out after her. He watched, bitterness burning a hole in his stomach, as Artanis did some fancy maneuvering and Meena shot toward the chasm wall. He watched impotently as the thrice-cursed man fell for several long seconds into the darkness and chaos. His fingers twitched but the man was far beyond Haim’s help. He hated that he didn’t know how to feel about that. He’d talk to Connie about it later.

Still airborne, the Hollow’s voice drew his eye and his ire. It was out over the chasm now and he grit his teeth. How dare it! Without mercy or thought, it destroyed happiness and homes. Not even hate drove it, not even malice, just pure destruction. He hated them. He hated all of them. They took and took and took. They were unnatural, a plague, filth. Hollow deserved only their own brand of mercy. He brought Feu online and aimed at its wing. One. Good. Shot and it would follow Artanis. He licked his lips and started to shape his Soul into the sonic booming attack he could manifest via his weapons. But a part of his brain always active nagged him. His eyes flicked to the pass and he calculated the trajectory. The beast was heading for the convoy. He was not confident his shot could cripple it. Even if it did, there was a chance it would crash into the pass or vehicles.

He jumped to his feet and tracked it again. This time, his eye lit on the Jade Summer wagon and his heart leaped into his throat. His mind panicked and he darted along the caravan. As he moved, he tracked the thing with Fureur and sent a wild shot careening into the void. He sheathed the gun as he leapt another gap. His eyes kept calculating and he pushed himself faster. Another gap. Its wings beat heavily. Another gap. It shifted for attack. It was at the pass, he took a risk and leaped into the Jade Summer wagon. He saw Ocareena's eyes flare wide and Tandaleon shifting to let his flow between them. He landed just as the whole bridge quaked. He shook and stumbled; he felt hands stabilize him, smiled thanks, and threw himself blindly out the back opening.

Even as his feet crossed the distance to the next vehicle, he saw it sliding, tilting. He landed on the bumper and climbed-fell to grasp the windshield of the jeep. His feet scraped the hood seeking purchase and he looked through the pane of glass at people: a Silenus man with wolf ears, a human woman, a child in the driver’s lap with quivering tufted ears. The car slid and started its descent. Haim’s brain fired, time slowed, the wide open emptiness of the chasm’s unseen depth yawned beneath them. Gravity pulled him; he floated. His hands kept him glued in place as his legs moved up. His fingers’ grip swung his form around, his body twisted, the car’s form knocked the wind out of his stomach, and his feet hit the running board. Watering and squinting, his eyes flicked to the girl. She had to be about three. The father’s eyes followed Haim’s. Haim grabbed the child by her collar; the man helped.

He really should have called his father one more time.

Pivoting, Haim said prayers to the God of Light, the Dragons, and the First Elves. Even as the car plummeted into open air though, he had seen it. The quivering note of the taut cable, the grunting of the slight man, the strain of the grapnel gun’s gears. He knew Cub was there. He also knew the massive, black form was rocketing toward them. He had no choice but to trust the trickster. He hauled the girl by scruff and belt and released the truck to pivot. His brain told him how to do it, how to use the forces of the world to give her momentum, how to hook his foot there and twist so. It was the most important throw of his life, the most important ranged target to ever be hit. He put everything he had into it and heaved the girl.

For a moment, he lost balance. Something grabbed the back of his shirt. He looked back into the hard, grateful eyes of the couple. The man pulled; Haim nodded. He saw the success of his gambit in the woman’s eyes. He heard the beating wings of the Hollow.

He spun again and pushed. It was hard to move along a falling object, almost impossible, but the front of the jeep was spinning up toward the receding pass, pushing into his steps. He watched the dire bird bank in the air. It was angling slightly for the suspended form of Cub and the girl, but it was too late. It could not correct in time. Still, that brought it closer to the falling vehicle. The world was molasses as he stepped once, twice, thrice along the car’s side. It was rotating crazily; he corrected his aim. His heart was deafening loud. His brain was on fire. He pushed off the tire even as the Nevermore passed the falling object. It felt like he was shoving the transport down into oblivion, like it was lifting him up to hope. Blindly, he grasped with his off hand. He felt something and gripped. He slammed into something furnace-like. He jammed Feu into the hot form and pulled the trigger even as he flopped sideways. His arm flailed; his left hand’s fingers slid.. Instinct gripped him and he grabbed with his right hand. Feu and its blue line spun away from him. He watched it for a long second as it followed Artanis into the depths. His fingers ached in their death grip. His heart died a little. His eyes squeezed shut and he exhaled pure loathing. For himself, for this beast, and for the fate the world seemed to have chosen for him.

Then he was climbing. Handfuls of feathers, kicking his toes into ribs, growling his defiance into the wind: he slowly ascended the massive form with the thunder of wingbeats in his ears. Hate boiled his brains as he mounted its back and noted the emptiness around him. The pass was behind him. He reached into his pouch and pulled out his best shard of yellow arcanite. He felt it thrum in resonance to his anger, his hate, his venom. The very air vibrated. The wind howled. A girl would have no parents now, Artanis was almost assuredly lost, Feu was gone, and they’d be lucky if that was it. Why was such reckless destruction allowed in the world? What manner of god wished that on someone? A scream ripped from his throat. He stabbed the shard or arcanite into the back of the Hollow’s neck. He felt himself unstable; it didn’t matter. He held on and hammered his palm into it to drive the shard in like a nail.

He looked forward as the thing banked and saw forms jumping and running along the pass. Shifting his view, he saw a familiar archer taking aim. He squinted and saw a petite form in blue hopping wagons and nodded. Of course, the others were aiming to take this thing down. And if they did, he would go with it. But that was ok. It was worthy to save lives, make the world better. He looked to the far end where the vanguard would be. It was little more than a mass of riotous sounds ejecting jaggedly into the world. Something warm and liquid flew up into his face.

He looked down and saw black blood mingling with his own crimson. One hand gripped feathers, the other pressed against the jagged end of the crystal. He focused his soul. He felt the crystal hum. It was easy. There was no need for weird effects or strange tricks. He reached through it and drew from the world around him. The howling wind, the screams of the people, the shouts of his allies, his own heartbeat, the beast’s very scream itself. He drew them through the crystal, tuned them, and amplified them. Sound had always been second nature to him. He’d always understood it like a second skin. He pulled and the crystal sang. With the voice of a thousand engines it roared across a dozen dozen frequencies. The sound pierced the world. He felt it pierce himself. His bones ached, his heart shuddered, his mind shattered. Then it all stopped.

A moment crystalized as the world went quiet. He knew his ears were shattering. He floated though. His head rocked back and he smiled. His body hurt but still he pulled through the crystal. The edges of the world started to go fuzzy and black.

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Marlowe “Lolo” Ashe
Date | Time: November 6th | Evening (~9:15pm)
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Rishi Valley - Needlepass
Wearing: White button down, Plaid slacks, Suspenders, w/ glossy purple bowtie, Simple black beret
Tagging | Mentioning: |
Another hispo lept up, tackling Marlowe as she discarded the Crinos skull. It got its wicked fangs into her shoulder, and her Soul sparked as she lost her footing and toppled to the ground. It brought a claw up and swiped at her, she deflected with her forearm. She swung at it, but it wasn’t enough to dislodge it. Just then she felt another sharp pain as yet another one of the hispo grabbed her ankle and tugged her backward, beneath the original. She yelped in surprise and pain as the attack penetrated her Soul and sank into her skin. A third set of claws tore at her stomach, slicing her suspenders and ruining them, while scratching across her abdomen. At the front of the little assault, Lolo was the first to get overrun by the horde. Beneath their dark bodies, her Soul spasmed and degraded with each attack, until the energy pulsed red.

After some frantic flailing, Lolo got herself free from the creatures for a moment. She rolled onto her side and pulled a small shard, a crystal no bigger than the tip of her finger, from her pocket. It glinted green between her fingers and she dropped it to the ground. Flat palmed, Lolo lifted her hand and slapped it down, shattering it and infusing it with her Soul and will. The elemental magic rippled out from her and created more than a dozen columns of solid earth that erupted skyward - the smallest of which was easily eight feet tall and three feet around. They were all spread out, and without aim, no doubt likely causing some of the others in the vanguard the need to dodge. As the earth rose up, it jostled and disrupted many Hollow, though it itself didn’t do much.

Lolo rolled onto her stomach, pushed down on her hands and kicked off the ground. She spun around like a top, legs flailing wide to keep the hispo at a distance, long enough for her to rotate twice, get to a handstand, and a final push that sent her into a small flip, landing in a crouch. She winced at the pain in her ankle, and huffed at the ruination of more clothes. Bloodied, but not out. Sprinting forward toward the nearest pillar of earth, Lolo ran and jumped up its side, three steps, before pushing off and back flipping over the hispo that chased her. It didn’t stop in time and skid, turning and slamming into the solid stone on its side. Lolo landed, and ran forward again, this time at a slight angle. She caught the hispo by the neck, under her arm, in a headlock. Dragging it in her grasp from that pillar toward another, Marlowe grunted as she whipped around, spinning the hispo wide, and slamming its side into the pillar - shattering its spine.

She avoided the lunge of another creature by scrambling up the pillar that she’d weaponized, scaling it effortlessly. Only instead of staying safe, Lolo jumped long diagonally for another. She caught the pillar and swung around it, whipping around and cracking into another hispo with a sort of twirling-drop kick that sent it flying over the edge into the chasm. And when another - the one that got her ankle, she could tell because part of her pants were still in its teeth - came at her, she caught it by the flanks and turned around. With all her force she shoved it back into the pillar, yanked it toward her, and then shoved it back again and again she repeated this, bludgeoning it to death against the rock.

[shengami]

Character Name: Chee Tortious
Date | Time: 11.06 | ~21:15
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Rishi Valley - Needlepass | Mountain & Desert - Lightning & Sonic Resonance
Wearing: Camo, crop top tee, Loose, drab green, army surplus jacket unbuttoned, Black cargo pants and Combat boots
Tagging | Mentioning: |
Note: Killed 1 Crinos (plus Hispo served by Velvet or no?)
Chee grinned at Velvet like an imp. He wasn’t as bad as Finn had ever been, but he could be a mischievous monkey at times. Still, he hadn’t expected Velvet to charge in like that. He’d sort of thought she might stay back and support with that wicked looking rifle. He frowned as he considered the matter but had little time to do so. A Crinos charged at him, the same one he’d ducked earlier. He recognized the scar on its face. ”Vee…” He ducked a wicked claw and glanced at his sister, ”Support…” He skipped back a handful of steps just ahead of a flurry of swiping cuts and then ducked a bite to spin away. ”Back.” He was glad she was there though. Her and the other two from the other team, Gravelly or something, were making this a ton easier. He was able to just cut loose. The flanks were pretty opaque. He grinned. What did it matter if Velvet was up here instead of sniping from the back?

She flipped a Hispo up and he grinned. He twisted back away from the Crinos to unleash Darklash again. The blades flicked like a hungry tongue opening cuts on the Hispo body before it stabbed the throat. Chee smirked.

The smirk died. He tugged and the blade did not come loose. The Crinos closed and his eyes flared. He stepped to the side but was forced closer to the Hispo body holding his weapon as it thumped to the ground. ”Dangit ta da Infinite Black.” He ducked again and the Crinos came on strong. It sensed his weakness. He spun under a bite and tugged again and again. Darklash jerked this way and that in the wound but remained stuck. A claw came in from one side, his hard-light chain caught his heel, he saw the jaws coming and knew what was about to happen. He planted his feet and braced. He felt hot breath as his Soul sparked brilliant green, crackled, and then faded toward yellowish-green. His eyes glowed a moment. Though actual hurt had been prevented, he felt pain and pressure. That’d probably be sore for a bit. He tugged his weapon futilely again and hissing curses slid from his tongue.

He saw the charging Hispo out of the corner of his eye. He felt himself leave the earth. His brain had just enough presence as the world spun and his shoulder exploded to note that a forest of earthen pillars was growing around them. Huh, dat’s pretty darn useful. Then he was hurtling through the air. He curled and tried to shift his weight. His shoulder throbbed. He spasmed as he hit the ground and rolled. Something jagged ground into his ribs, his Soul flared, and then he slammed into a pillar, a yellow glow flared around him. The air left him and his vision blurred with tears as pain flowed through him. The back of his head throbbed. The world pulsed around him

He scrambled blindly to his feet and shook his head. He looked forward and saw… nothing. He blinked and then his vision slid. He saw the Crinos and two Hispo heading for the pass. He saw the tall warrior woman holding off a similar complement of Garou. He hissed again and shouted, ”Vee! De bridge!”

He couldn’t wait for her to hear; to check in. She understood or she didn’t. He stood up and tested Darklash. It reeled in. The tumble had dislodged the blade. There was copper in his mouth. He grinned and rocked back onto his heels. Air whipped past his face as he leaned back forward; feet dug into the rocky terrain and fired him forward. His blood raced, his vision narrowed, his hands moved. He quick drew his pistol, mentally checking the clip, and then brought it around. The first bullet ripped into the Crinos’ thigh. The second collided with its back. He slammed it back, empty, into the holster and flourished his blade.

The Crinos had turned, leaving the Hispo to charge the warrior-woman, and Chee closed rapidly. It swiped again and he went over this time. Its massive paw moved through the air and he just jumped, skipped off it. One foot planted into tis shoulder while the other delivered its heel to the back of the Crinos’ head. Of balance, gravity drew it forward an awkward step. Chee pirouetted in mid air and kicked with both feet. They connected with the middle of its back. It stumbled again. He somersaulted and landed like heroes did in the movies. He grinned.

The Garou caught itself finally and whirled snarling. Chee chuckled and hopped back. Darklash flashed out into a net of light surrounding him. He licked his lips as he watched it look on in confusion at the illusory cage. He shifted his weight and the blade flicked out to slice its chest. Another shift, another line of blood on its thigh. It snarled in rage and reached for a line of light. But Darklash was already not there. Chee sent it again and again to open wounds. He spun like a top, winding the line’s full fifteen meters up, and then shifted again to send it spearing forward. The Crinos snapped at the blade but it was too fast. Over the lips, past the gum, through the throat, and out the back of the neck.

Chee stepped back, pulled his pistol, flicked the clip out, reloaded, then sent a double tap into its chest. The big beast blinked and looked stumped for a second as its brain caught up to its death. Chee reached down, grabbed Darklash’s handle, and snapped it back to him. The massive beast slowly tilted and then crumpled to the ground. He stepped up to it and put a final round between its eyes.

His nostrils flared once. His eyes were wide with adrenaline. A second later, he spun to check on Doya.

[Envious]

Character Name: Farrah Tinkerspan
Date | Time: 11.06 | 9:15
Location: Campfire | Johtan Wilderness - Rishi Valley - Needlepass
Wearing: as pictured
Tagging | Mentioning:
Note: Killed 3 hispo, engaged with 2 crinos
The crinos had charged her and Farrah had readied herself for attack. She realized at the last moment that the massive creature wasn’t going for a melee strike, but to ram into her. She braced for impact with her shield with her axe flat behind it to push and she felt her arms bend to the pressure as the Hollow slammed into her with its neck and then lifted up. Her feet left the ground as she was flung upward, but she was ready. She arced her shield arm and her chain whipped out and it wrapped around the neck of a second crinos who was galloping past. Farrah switched the control and the chain retracted, pulling her forward. She manuevered to hit the Crinos feet-first. Successful, the beast fell over on its side and skidded perpendicular to the mouth of the narrow land-bridge where the elf landed to take up residence and block the path of any more Hollow making it past. Behind her, she could hear Doya and Chee engaged with more beasts.

She took in a deep, calming breath through her nose as a Crinos stepped towards her. To her right, she could see the fallen Crinos she had kicked getting back to its paws. That rankling arua of ferocity exuding from the creatures hadn’t sent her running, but the fine hairs on her arms and the back of her neck started to rise in response. This was a bad place to be. She spared a glance towards Lolo at the pillars - mostly because two made it past the death trap she had produced.

Her heart squeezed in her chest as she held her ground. She had two teammates behind her. To teammates in front of her. She’d be fine. They’d be fine. Everything was fine. Fine, fine, fine.

She didn’t blink; there seemed to be some sort of primal understanding between the four creatures, about what to do, because they fanned out evenly before her, readying themselves for a coordinated attack.

”Ultrasonic attacks to the Nevermore. Ultrasonic attacks to the Nevermore! Ultrasonic attacks to the Nevermore!”

She had arcanite. She had plenty of arcanite! The sound crystals wouldn’t do her any good at the distance she was at, but she had other tricks up her sleeve. Before the garou could launch their coordinated attack, Farrah was tossing up two vials of soft black arcanite. They twirled in the air and she chopped downward with her axe to cut them open and electricity sparked outwards. Her axe continued downwards, slamming into the earth and the electricity on her super-charged weapon fanned outwards to the enemies. As the energy danced across the ground, she saw a third hispo leap up over the garou, completely bypassing the attack.

”Got me sound arcanite, but too far fer me to do anything good,” she communicated loudly, offering the tidbit up for anyone who could use it and would be willing to toss it their way if requested.

She heard the four monsters in front of her howl and whine as fur and flesh sizzled and the creatures became momentarily paralyzed and one turned into black smoke as it died. Farrah let go of the axe - there wasn’t enough time to heave it out of the ground - and lifted her shield to block the initial attack. It still sent her sprawling backwards and as she fell, the beast pounced. She moved her shield in time to block the claws tearing into her chest, but not shoulder. Then there was the weight of the beast on her, causing her to wheeze out a strangle breath. She saw the flash of her soul and ignored the pain. She curled her feet under her and kicked up, flipping the creature over her as she clumsily backwards somersaulted to her feet. She whirled around and flung out her whip again, letting the chain circle around the neck of the beast, and then she used her strength to spin.

With a cry, she spun 540 degrees, the first 360 to get the hispo properly off the ground and the last 180 to send it like a blugeon into the face of a crinos. One was still there and it took the haunch of the hollow to the maw, sending it careening into the hispo at its side, but the other crinos had recovered from the paralyzing attack and had launched forward. Farrah tugged, forcing the chain back to her so she could lift her shield to defend, but the metal links resisted retraction while wedged between the two beasts. In horror, Farrah lifted her unarmored arm to block her face being bitten off, and screamed as her sould surged and flickered around the teeth of the creature. The chain refused to come so she released the lever, letting more slack fall to the line and giving her the opportunity to use her shield as a weapon. The thin blades slashed into the snout of the beast, cutting keep and causing the creature to let go.

”That all you got!? she yelled, hacking down one more time. The beast reared back fast enough that she only got the tip of its nose that was sliced clean off. That aura of malice was intensifying and she felt an unshakeable fear quake inside her as she looked into those enraged red eyes. Still, she attacked. She stepped into an uppercut, forcing the creature to rear back. She finally felt the line of her chain go slack and activated the mechanism to have it reel in. The crinos snapped forward again, but Farrah danced out of the way as a hispo attempted to ignore her altogether and get to the bridge. Farrah reached out with her shimmer to yoink. The creature slowed, but it fought against her with its claws in the ground. Farrah pulled harder, causing it to slide an inch back, but when it turned to lunge, Farrah let go with her magic and rolled out of the way. She reached for her axe which came sailing to her hand just in time for her to lift it up as the second crinos bit down. To her horror, it forced its way through the metal of her weapon, locking its teeth in her blade. It was ripped out of her hands and tossed to the side. Before Farrah could reach for it again, she was forced a step back as it snapped at her.

She pulled one of Mila’s boomerangs. A wobbling crinos to her front right. A slobbering crinos to her front left. A hispo at her left. The one that she had sent sailing had disintegrated. Two down. Three to go. She flicked her wrist and the boomerang elongated into a scimitar. She slashed as the hispo snapped at her ankles and then kicked it. She raised her shield against the mouth of a crinos and stabbed outwards. When the faster hispo attacked again, her blade struck true, embedding into its fur in a death strike. The crinos snarled and Farrah roared in laughter, pulling a red arcanite out of her belt and smashing it into Mila's blade.

"You gunna join it soon 'nuff!" She yelled and attacked again.

[Crash]

Character Name: Meena Tor
Date | Time: 11.06.1322 | 11:45am
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Anachem Outskirts | Grassland/Woodland - Water Resonance
Wearing: Green camo cargo pants, black long-sleeved synthetic weave zip-up over a black crop top and puffy black vest with snap on fur trimmed hood and hidden pockets, and Black combat boots
Tagging | Mentioning: Artanis, Vesper
The world spun. An ever-shifting landscape of starry sky and inky dark spiraling her view. Static-like white noise her only sound. She was weightless. Unbound. Maybe her head shook to clear it, but awareness was fleeting, thoughts ephemeral. The sensation wasn’t bad, not entirely. This unknowing disconnect. This solitude of the scattered. There was pain. A dull throbbing behind the kaleidoscope of velvet black and speckled sky. It threatened a reality apart from the welcoming white noise.

She winced. With each twist of vision, something ate the sparkling stars. A blot, growing so quick, consuming…there was color now, not much. Pale spots among the blemish. Familiar?  More pain as clarity brought the sharpness of a knife’s edge to the world. Spinning shades of black and not-black. Now nauseating in their spiral. The white noise felt louder, buffeting, and blustering; it screamed at her, and she screamed in return as her mind snapped back to reality. 

It was no battle cry. No ululation of pain. It was the horror of knowing you were going to die.
The realization that your final moments were the deep, all-consuming knowledge of fear. It was a scream of abject terror, sharp and shrill and lost in the jet-like roar of empty air as she passed through it. 

Meena didn’t care about the pain of Artanis’s body crashing into hers. She didn’t care that he had a handful of breast as he clung to her or that he was her friend’s greatest tormentor. Only that she was not alone and that somehow that meant hope. The rushing wind scoured tears from her eyes as the man scrambled to her back. She had no idea what he was doing, only that the thin strip of Needlepass was receding at an alarming rate. Ribbon-like in the light of the convoy. Her scream of terror became one of white-hot pain as razor-sharp metal slid through her back and under her shoulder blades. Her soul flared a brilliant and vibrant emerald. Meena tried to look over her shoulder, but her hair had come undone, making it difficult to see anything.

“Wait! What are you doing? Artanis?!” Meena began to panic. Something wasn’t right? What had he said before? She felt his arms release. Then his legs kicked off, just below the gauntlets embedded in her back.

 “Artanis!  No..No! ARTANIIIISSSSSSSSSS.”

Meena reached for the dark leather disappearing behind her. Just a little more….the white arcanite activated as her fingertips brushed boot leather, rocketing her away from his disappearing form.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!”

Meena thought she knew pain. She had broken bones, been punched, stabbed, even hit by a car once, but never had she felt pain like being dragged through the sky by metal hooks, straining against bone, tearing at muscle, trying to tear her shoulder blades from her body. Her cry carried Meena from the canyon depths, past the Nevermore and the convoy, but her eyes never left the spot Artanis had been, a speck of pale in the dark. Even as her accent faltered. The white arcanite puffing and sputtering and true weightlessness overcame the rainbow of her dying soul. Her eyes remained fixed on that point. 

“nononononononononononono,” was the only sound she made, a whimpering, pathetic noise of pain more deep and harsh than what had torn at her body. She wasn’t over the pass, she slowly realized as gravity slowly reasserted itself. Could she control her fall? Was there time? Had she wasted Artanis’s sacrifice? In a panic, Meena looked to the convoy. Fear and sorrow made everything blurry as if she were trying to look through a pair of binoculars on the back of a charging oxamel. As she began to fall, she saw a figure, arms waving, on one of the trucks. Vesper. He was swinging something. It could have been a rope or a cable; she didn’t know. Didn’t care. He threw it.

She reached. Somehow. Someway. Meena felt her hand grasp the rope. There was no way Meena could hold it when she reached its end. As she fell, she looped the rope around her arm, coiling it around her wrist and forearm. She didn’t have time to put Heart of the Mountain on her shoulder. It was a miracle she hadn’t dropped it in her fall. The cable pulled tought. With a pop, Meena screamed as her shoulder dislocated. Muscles straining to hold the rope as the coils around her wrist jerked tight, threatening to cut off her circulation. She was yanked forward, momentum taking Meena under the pass at a wicked speed. She could see the other end of the rope, Vesper dangling from it, approaching her just as fast.

“Thaaaaaaank Youuuuuuuuu!” She called as they swung by one another, smiling maniacally amid the pain and grief, thankful beyond measure to be alive.

Meena didn’t think she had the momentum to make it back up the other side, and as she passed Vesper, she let Heart of the Mountain slide through her hands until she was holding it by the end of the haft. As she swung up from under the bridge and felt the pull of her centripetal force gathering as she passed a falling vehicle, Meena circled Heart of the Mountain over her head with her one good arm, letting the combined force of her natural swing and the increased pull of her hammer complete the loop. Arching her back, Meena flipped backward, landing on the back of a truck with a BANG! Heart of the Mountain crumpled part of the roof, but Meena left it heavy and unmoving. She didn’t let go of the rope until she knew Vesper was safe. Meena watched as the Nevermore turned towards a truck nearby. 

“No,” Meena uttered, grabbing Heart of the Mountain and sprinting towards the truck, leaping effortlessly over a gap. Her soul was gone, twin blades still embedded in her back, but she turned to face the alpha horror and dropped the head of Heart of the Mountain onto the top of the truck. With grim determination, Meena rammed her separated shoulder into the haft of the unmoving hammer, snapping it back into place with a grunt. She rolled it one, testing the pain, and lifted Heart of the Mountain, preparing to defend the convoy with everything she had left.

[FyreFoxx]

Character Name: Lyreilynn "Lyra" Xyrven Myalis
Date | Time: November 6th | Evening (~9:15pm)
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Rishi Valley - Needlepass
Wearing: Black long-sleeved top and matching skirt, with white overshirt with blue trim, black sash, flat ankle boots
Tagging | Mentioning: Azir | Vesper, Haimehen, Marlowe, Meena, Artanis

Lyra craned her neck as she whipped her head around at Vesper’s voice. It was loud, louder than it should have been, and hard to ignore. Sonic attacks against the Nevermore? She bit down softly on her lower lip again, a red mark appearing as her teeth gnawed at the same spot over and over. That was something she shared with that giant monstrosity, then – a weakness to Sound. But it was also one of the only elements she couldn’t control. She didn’t even carry any arcanite of that property since it was so unreliable in her hands. Haimehen would have better luck there. Or maybe even Vesper?

However, she had little chance to act upon this new knowledge or formulate a plan of action, as the Nevermore swooped under the pass and let out a piercing shriek of such intensity that no small number of people were left crippled in its wake. Lyra herself let out a scream of her own, shutting her eyes tightly as she raised her hands to clamp over her sensitive pointed ears. Her body crumbled and she hit her knees against the top of the truck she was perched on, folding in on herself as she gritted her teeth. The pain lanced through her body and her head felt like it was going to explode. Ever since reaching the pass, there was always that lingering pounding in the back of her skull. This area was ripe for Sonic resonance and she could feel it in her bones, leaving her aching with every step. But this shriek… it felt like nothing else before. Not even that sonic boom from Shir’s attack just weeks prior had felt like this. And this time, she didn’t have Marlowe to shield her. No, she was on her own here.

Blearily, she opened one eye slowly as the sound started to fade, but it left her ears ringing and her head pounding. There were spots of white in her field of vision, blinking rapidly to try and clear them away. It took another few moments before she lowered her hands, palms flat against the truck beneath her as she pushed herself back up to unsteady feet. Shaking her head, she cleared the last of the spinning world from her mind, trying to reorient herself and taking stock of her surroundings. Where was the Nevermore? Who was still standing? A few people were missing and a few others appeared. That disorienting attack from the Hollow had kept her from noticing the movement of her peers, like how Azir had shown up and she couldn’t see Meena or Artanis.

She had only just righted herself when the earth beneath her rumbled and shook. Her legs still trembled, but she forced herself to stay standing, despite the ringing that persisted in her ears. Whirling around, Lyra had just enough time to see one of the wagons sent over the edge of the pass. Could she help them? Would she even make it in time if she moved now? Lyra counted the wagon tops between her and the one that was careening off the pass, quickly doing the mental math, even as her feet started moving in that direction. She jumped over the gap between two wagons, landing in a crouch just as she pushed off to continue sprinting forward, hoping with every ounce of her being that she’d reach them in time. But no, it wasn’t enough, she’d never make it in time, and that mere thought felt like a knife to her gut, the knowledge that they were beyond saving. Maybe if she had been closer… Or even just a little bit faster. Maybe she could have saved them.

With a grimace, the elf turned back towards the great Hollow that was setting itself up for another attack. It was now or never. She refused to let any more people get hurt or die because of her inaction. Lyra dropped one hand to her waist, fingers slipping under the wide sash belt, and pulled free a vial of soft black arcanite. Her thumb popped free the little cork stopper as she brought it to her waiting lips, but then paused, hesitating as the first few grains of powder slipped free and landed on her tongue, her eyes gaining a blue sheen to them. How long had it been since she tried this? But was this worth the risk? Her mouth closed. What if it wasn’t enough? What if she took herself out of the fight instead of helping? They’d be down a Champion, debilitated as she would be after ingesting the powder. Sure, the power boost it could give her would be intense, but it was like swallowing poison that was fighting to literally break free of the body. She had enough scars from that already, and while she was willing to risk more, she wasn’t willing to risk being a burden for just a chance.

However, Lyra couldn’t keep hesitating or more people were going perish. What else could she do? What else was there?! Her eyes frantically travelled across the makeshift battlefield and they landed on Azir at the front, someone who hadn’t started the fight there but had come to help them when the Nevermore attacked the rear. The gears in her head started moving as her feet carried her forward. “AZIR!” she shouted as loud as she could, raising a hand as she pointed at the stupid bird. “Throw Hurricane! Please, trust me!”

“By the Light, let this work,” she muttered, using the free hand she had just pointed with to withdraw a second vial of soft black arcanite. That first lightning strike had worked, but it hadn’t been enough to do much damage. But what happens when lightning strikes a conductive rod? Holding both vials in the same hand, she clenched her fist tight enough that the glass vials were pressed so closely together that cracks started to appear, compromising the containers as she began to channel her Soul into them. As the Nevermore circled back around towards them, Lyra glared at the gigantic avian with fierce hatred, setting her jaw as she flung the cracked vials into the air towards the Hollow, where they shattered into a cascade of broken glass shards and formed a crackling cloud of electricity.

Lyra drew in a large breath and held it, then exhaled deeply, hoping that Azir listened to her and threw his lance. When he did, she signed the last part of the Negalu she needed with her right hand, sending bits of her soul through the arcanite-laden bracelet to draw out its inherent element, directing the bolt towards the cloud of crackling black dust, and sent as much power as she could manifest into it. As her strike collided with the ignited arcanite powder, the lightning crackled and grew in intensity, like a miniature storm cloud rolling in, before tendrils of electricity sought out the closest target, hopefully wrapping around Hurricane like wire coiling around a rod. With luck, his weapon would strike true and the lightning would all but fry that feathered giant. “Morietur stultus avis!”

And if this didn’t work, she was willing to use her last resort, but she hoped it never came to that.