[Chapter 1.06] Ravaged? More like SAvAGeD

[shengami]

Character Name: Chee Tortious
Date | Time: 12.31 | ~4pm
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Pinewatch | Forest - Water
Wearing: Tracksuit, comfy shoes, Weapons per CS
Tagging | Mentioning: SAvAGeD 1e |
Note: Bang
The landscape was broken and breaking. Chee's knees and ankles rolled with it. His hands worked nervously on his tools. He felt the sweat on his palms. He felt the sweat on his neck. The air was slick with moisture. It had been part of what confounded him a moment ago. Chee felt his lungs writhe.

Movement caught his eyes and they flicked right. He snapped up against a tree as two Hispo went tearing past him. His eyes narrowed, tracked them. His breath came slowly. They were locked onto something. He raced ahead of them with his eyes. A flash of blue and black had him hissing: Estelle.

Two more came from the south. He pushed off the tree. Even as the quartet mobbed the dagger-wielder, Chee's foot kicked up dirt again and he tore off toward her. His teeth grit as he pushed worn muscles into action once more. His chest threatened to freeze as the tiny human disappeared among the bulky shadowy bodies. He pushed.

Chee was meters from the knot when it exploded. He grinned as he watched Estelle twirl a Hispo about like a battering ram. He saw the knot scatter and her bolt east. His eyes flicked that way and saw flickering Souls in the distance. Was that flash of aqua blue Spitting Cobra? But the snarling Hispo pulled his attention. If left alone, they'd chase Estelle down, attack from behind, go for the hamstring. That was no good. Luckily, he was in a place to do something.

His left snapped forward and he fired the grapnel. The bit meant for punching through rock and concrete made easy work of a Hispo's calf. He hit the arcanite fueled reel and saw it stagger. It lost no more than a step, but it was enough. Chee foot planted, his leg bunched, then he leaped. He hit the things hip, stepped along its spine, then channeled his lessons with Doya and lunged. Darklash entered that slot at the back of its skull, skewed it brain, and jutted from its mouth. He dropped the grapnel gun.

He thumbed the collar-switch the released Darklash's chain and spun into it. The hard-light wrapped around his torso and added to the force to pull the blade free. A spray of ichor flew into the air. He felt the other dark attentions pulled to him. He planted a foot on the dying Hispo's skull and spun into the air. Darklash formed a tornado around him. He twisted. Horizontal with the ground, he used an ankle to catch Darklash and send the blade spearing toward the left Hispo. It danced back. He hissed and kept Darklash going. It arced up high, caught a bit of light, then arced down. The Right Hispo darted aside.

Chee grinned. He was at the center of the world now. Everything else was still. There was just him, the Hollow, and death waiting. There was only peace. He landed. Stepping lightly on his left toes, he pivot-stepped, and Darklash speared into the left Hispo as it darted toward him. The blade lanced through its foreleg. He twirl-tugged and it stumbled. The blade went flying back to stab at the right enemy's nose. Chee reeled it in. He snapped a hand out, the chain slip between his middle and ring fingers. He gripped the blade along its base. Pivoting, he side-stepped the left enemy's snapping jaws. He felt unnatural breath and slaver on his nape. He slammed the blade into its neck. He felt the ichor spray over his fingers.

His lungs burned with need to breathe. He inhaled a sharp, tiny breath.

Sliding along the Hispo, he choked up on the chain so he had it a few centimeters below the blade. He jumped up and kicked against the Hispo's neck. This sent him somersaulting back. An arc of ichor splayed up into the sky again. The last Hispo slid along its former ally. He noted its red eye tracking him even as its jaws snapped where he had just been. Chee grinned. A giddy sensation flowed through him. Not today!

He hit the ground again and thumbed the ring-switch; Darklash reeled in. He darted forward. The Hispo twisted, its claws digging into the dirt. Chee locked eyes with it. He defied it. He denied it. Every time. Each moment, second, minute he existed was defiance. Every time was proof he deserved to live. It proved he wasn't trash. Death launched at him. He ducked, slid on knees. Darklash stabbed up into sternum and then dragged along its body. Its own weight eviscerated it. Chee felt the ichor flow over him like a dark shower. He screamed his victory up at it. He felt the foulness fill his mouth.

He pivoted, twisted, and came up. Darklash flourished. But the creature slumped dead. His eyes flicked to the other two, also still. The first was even starting to dissipate. He looked toward where Estelle had run just in time to see her disappear over the edge. He grinned past the dark mask he wore. He released his breath. Ichor spluttered away from his face. He darted to his grapnel and reeled it in before heading for where Estelle had just been.

A clod of dirt fell over the edge as he surveyed the wild combat spread out before him. Something dark in him wanted only more prey. More proof. More moments. He saw the alpha with its spikes and twin heads. His lips skinned off his teeth. Then, something caught his eye. "Kiki?" The ichor on his face was flaking off now. He blinked at the tableau. "KIKI!" His hand snapped forward to fire his grapnel at a column of ice. He jumped off the edge and flipped the arcanite powered reel.
N O T E S
Chee starts battle at Section 3 (+4)
Eliminates Hispo 1, 2, and 4
Moves to Section 1

[TheFluffyOne]

Character Name: Hulta Elderfond
Date | Time: December 31st | 4pm
Location:The Wall Command Centre
Wearing: Uniform, Jacket, Harness with staff
Tagging | Mentioning: Team Savaged
The flurry of air skidded from her staff as she slid it behind her. An annoyed growl rattled free from her molars as the Hispo ducked free away from the strike. It managed to kick out at her but she skidded as it did. Glaring at the creature as her staff rounded to protect herself. She could bring this one easily and then head towards Dari. Too much was happening over her shoulder, the angry rage fuelled yells of Lolo…and someone screaming. The noise tore through her chest and her head snapped towards her right. Koko. One eye remained on the Hispo as she slipped a foot back and then turned to sprint towards Koko.

Flying over the disrupted ground, she slipped and kicked off the roots that threaded through the land like a mangled zipper. The smell of iron drifted towards her as Hulta made sure to keep distance between her and the hispo that had turned towards her. Her fingers expertly flipped the staff into two pieces which were slotted into their holders as she started to use her hands to help her ping off tree trunks. Zigging and zagging her way to stop the Hispo from landing upon her. Digging her fingers into the small pouch on her waist, she retrieved a piece of white arcanite. Holding it tight in her fist as she leapt down to the same platform that Koko was on.

Hulta could feel her heart lodge itself firmly in her throat when she finally spotted Koko. Rolling on her shoulder, she picked herself up to keep running towards the bloodied woman. Flinging herself towards the closest Hispo, she frog leaped over the creature and landed at Koko’s side. “Can’t let you have all the fun, blondie!” Hulta managed to scramble out between harsh breaths at having sprinted to her. Crumbling the crystal into a fine powder with her fingers, Hulta pushed her soul down to tingle through her fingertips and then cracked her palms together. Clapping a single time.

The air around them vibrated with the noise and an almost wall of razor spark air was intended to push the creatures even further back. Give Koko some more space and allow Hulta to lunge at the next one that tried to attack Koko. As the dust fluttered from her palms, Hulta threaded her staff ends back out and pressed her back against Koko’s. The blood on her back started to seep through Hulta’s clothes but she didn’t care. She needed to know that Koko was still standing while keeping her eyes on the targets ahead.


Hulta moves from Sector Nine to Sector Seven.
Hulta uses white arcanite to try further push back and damage Hispo 3,8 and 9

[Envious]

Character Name: Thessa
Date | Time: 12.31.1322 | Late Afternoon (~4pm)
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Pinewatch | Grassland - No Resonance
Wearing: Uniform
Tagging | Mentioning: Dari, Hulta, Marlowe
The roar of adrenaline-fueled blood rushing through her body wasn’t enough to drown out the cries of pain echoing around her. She grit her teeth and blocked a bite with her shield and reached out with a fist to grab onto the ear of the creature and pull down hard. The hispo was yanked to the side and Thessa slammed her spiked shield into the creature twice more before she saw the life fade from it. She let go and pulled out her weapon and the enemy slumped to the ground.

With a moment of reprieve, she looked around her. The early trembling of the earth had tumbled free more dirt that dusted her pearl hair brown. She shook the earth from her and wiped at her eyes to clear her vision and then she heard her name.

”Here!” she cried out to Estelle. With a direction and new purpose in mind, she followed the voice to icy pillars. She launched her chain and felt a thrill of success as the anchor took hold into the crystalline structure without crumbling. Frozen so solidly, she was able to easily ascend the freezing heights.

”Estelle!” The relief she felt caused her to double over for a second and then bounce back up and close the distance between them. ”There an alpha,” she said. ”Marlowe went for it.” She looked around. The landscape had changed so much that she almost wasn’t sure where her comrade had went, but she felt it. Like a poisonous miasma, its distinct wrongness permeated her to her bones. She still felt the claws of paralysis scraping inside her, threatening her sensibilities. She turned to the alpha, though it was unseen. Then she heard Koko.

There was no hesitation - she started running to the cliff - but Chee sailed overhead and the streak of lightning that was Darius caught her eye to the right. Man, she couldn’t wait to see the look on his face when she one-up that! She tilted her head, hearing Hulta. Koko wasn’t alone. Her team assembling put the pep back into her step. She paused a second to take a breath and then moved to the cliff edge where she could see the alpha. ”We ain’t killed but maybe a dozen hollow. More is gunna come.” They hadn’t had enough time together as a team, but Thessa believed they could overcome this together. She took out a red crystal. ”Lets see iffin’ we can get the drop on the alpha. After first jab, mine job’ll be ta keep them little hispo offa yer back so you can give the big beast the ol’ choppa choppa.”

N O T E SThessa kills Hollow 7.
Thessa moves from zone 2 to zone 1.

[Aethyrium]

S T O R Y T E L L E R
December 31st, Late Afternoon (~4pm) | Johtan Wilderness - Pinewatch | Forest - Water
Next Post: 4.26.25 | Dari, Thessa, Hulta, Marlowe, Chee, Estelle, Koko, Lyreilynn
The shifting of the earth made Lyra’s legs wobble. As much as the pillars of ice helped, she recognized that the bigger problem was the instability of the area. Maybe she could fix it? “Do you have green?” It was dawning on her now the value of carrying everything. As the team's specialist when it came to this sort of thing, even if it was her weakest element, simply having the option was valuable. And this scenario was ideal. Empowered as she was by the resonance, surely if ever there were a time for her to do something grab with the Arcanite, it was now. “Go, I’ll cover you,” she’d have gone with him, but time wouldn’t allow it. She took the offered Arcanite and hoped it would be enough. As Dari bolted off to help Lolo, Lyra turned her attention to the pair of Hispo. She tapped into that green gemstone and called the earth beneath their feet to life. Mimicking something she’d seen Meena do, a series of vines sprung from the earth like lashes and grabbed at the two Hispo. Like her partner, Lyra tightened the grip and pulled them down to the earth with those vines until they squeezed and shattered the bones within, crushing the Hispo. Then she turned her focus to the greater area. Lyra looked down at the crystal in her hand. She’d never tried something like this, but how different was it from what had happened on the bridge in the Rishi Valley, really? All she needed to do was bring stability to the chaotic earthen element. She took a breath and closed her eyes to begin focusing.

And as Lyra began to feel out the elemental energies, tapping into the crystal, and trying to find the source of the chaos, the world around all of them shifted again. Huge sections plummeted into the earth. The gyrations of the area were becoming more violent. Each pass they grinded the walls down further to make sliding easier. Others shot into the air - like the plateau with the alpha on it. In the center of the area, where so many were perched on icy pillars, they had to hunker down to avoid being rattled. The violence of the shaking caused a couple of unused pillars to crack, shatter, and crash - thankfully, not enough to disrupt the advantage created over the area.

It also shook loose a new wave of Hispo charging into the area. The one left by Hulta leapt across the break and charged right for her and Koko. The three that they had dislodged, Koko’s flailing and Hulta’s airy assault, lay battered and disoriented on the ground. That one was definitely following Hulta, and it came right for her, taking a bap on the nose to keep its jaws from catching her. It swiped, however, and its claws tore heavily at her thigh - her Soul barrier unerected, in favor of making use of that Arcanite. Another came charging, this one for Koko, but Hulta’s defensive stance over her allowed her to intercept it as well, smacking it back, but not before taking a couple of teeth to the arm. Among the new entries, a third came charging again for Koko! But Hulta’s vigilance paid off, and she brought herself up and over the blonde squire, placing herself in line of the tackle. She took a claw to the shoulder, but launched the Hispo off her and got easily back to her feet.

Across the way, Lyra, focusing on her Arcanite, yelped as an entire pack of Hispo came blitzing across the space. But one moved ahead, grabbing her by her ankle and ripping her down - left alone, with no one to cover, she was particularly vulnerable. She toppled forward, the Arcanite flying out of her hand and dropping into the space ahead of her. The Hispo growled and tugged, yanking her quickly away from the edge, and behind more trees, where it was joined by the others. Also without her Soul barrier, Lyra became the quick victim of a savage flurrying of claws and bites. They tore into her in a way she’d never known, and prone all she could do was roll and try to endure. There were just too many to avoid, or get out from under on her own.

Light bounced around the trees, and the steak of hot lightning seared into the Alpha’s flank, drawing its attention momentarily - enough to create the opening for Marlowe to act. The horrendous creature howled in stubbornness as Lolo plowed into it. Its hind legs steeled. All of its claws extended and it dug into the earth, ineffectually preventing being pushed back. It snapped at Marlowe as she drove it back, sinking terrible fangs into her arm and squeezing. Her Soul flickered red before snapping, gone. It shredded her as she pushed up and exposed it - but then it was open. Fist after fist slammed into its chest, and the Alpha roared in terrible anger as its insides were jellied beneath the assault. Over her, Dari’s glaive made a clear cut, slicing through the meat of a neck - not severing it, but ichor rained down onto Marlowe’s mop.

And then, just like that, her power was gone. The assault that kept it pinned was done, and it lurched forward. Two strong paws came crashing down on Marlowe’s shoulders. Claws dug into her and it forced her onto the ground, trampling her. The unslashed head tossed upward and howled - that same bone chilling howl as before. The second echoed it. The colder, phantom howl. But it was stifled, wrong, weaker than before - Dari’s throat slash had diminished it somewhat. The sound was still awful, it still made fear dance in the minds of everyone, but where it latched on, it did so less extremely. For Hulta and Chee, this meant a distraction, as a primordial sort of fear, something unavoidable, unlike any other fear, crept in. It shook them, but it didn’t debilitate them.

All around Savaged, a cacophony of howls loosed - the Hollow declaring their victory.

As Dari took a pass at the Alpha to try and free Lolo from beneath it’s prancing paws, it snapped back at him, catching the glaive in one hand and giving him an unpleasant snap with the other - he managed to avoid suffering the same fate as Marlowe being picked up, but only by dodging back. The creature seemed frenzied, unlike before, angerier, meaner, faster, perhaps even stronger as it fought for life - no, as it fought to destroy. The second head bent down and snapped Marlowe up, tugging her out from beneath its claws before tossing her into the air. It lunged forward, swatting her down, smashing her into the ground. Grabbing her between the teeth of the other head, the Alpha whirled around, slapping away Dari’s second attack with that spiny tail. And as it came around, it loosed Marlowe, throwing her ragdoll-like body over the cliff edge and focused on its next victim - the elf.

Marlowe’s… Corpse? Went sailing over the high edge, visible to those on the pillars of ice. She wasn’t moving, there was no spin or deliberate action in her at all. She twirled out of control, smashing into one of the far pillars and bouncing lifelessly off of it, dropping unceremoniously to the ground far beneath it. She was still…

And red with blood.

N O T E S

Stats

Thessa (53%)

• Vitality: 65/70
• Soul: 72/85 (Green)
• Resources: Full

Estelle (70%)

• Vitality: 128/135
• Soul: 35/55 (Yellow)
• Resources: Full

Marlowe (52% | 28%)

• Vitality: 0/80
• Soul: 0/40 (Broken)
• Resources: Low
• Shimmer: .7 dots

Lyreilynn (70% | 32%)

• Vitality: 13/100
• Soul: 100/100 (Green)
• Resources: Full

Hulta (53% | 26%)

• Vitality: 20/70
• Soul: 33/55 (Yellow)
• Resources: Full

Dariaq (60%)

• Vitality: 61/80
• Soul: 29/70 (Orange)
• Resources: Full

Koko (33% | 12%)

• Vitality: 16/70
• Soul: 0/25 (Broken)
• Resources: Full

Chee (50%)

• Vitality: 57/60
• Soul: 34/40 (Green)
• Resources: Full

Hulta takes 35 damage to Vitality.
Lyra takes 87 damage to Vitality.
Marlowe takes 6 damage to her Soul, and 56 to Vitality. Her Soul breaks, and her Vitality runs out; she can no longer contribute to this fight.
Dari takes 17 damage to the Soul, and 9 to Vitality. His Soul degrades to Orange.

Lyra is vulnerable.

Hispo 8, 9, & 3, are vulnerable and may be eliminated safely as well as two movements being taken at no risk.

The Alpha’s howl fills Chee and Hulta with dread, and both lose control of their Soul. They have no Soul Barrier this round and they cannot activate Arcanite. They are vulnerable.

Marlowe and Dariaq deal 106 damage to the Alpha. Its condition seems wounded.

[Dove]

Character Name: Estelle Dawn (Android #16)
Date | Time: December 31 | Late Afternoon
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Pinewatch
Wearing: Red-brown sweater, dark green corduroys and brown boots.
Tagging | Mentioning: Savaged
Reuniting with Thessa quelled some of the nerves that sat in the pit of her stomach. But it didn't last long. She nodded quietly. While she hadn't hadn't seen the Alpha, she definitely knew it was near. "Yeah - I can feel that thing from what feels like miles away," she huffed, catching her breath now as the scene continued to unfold around them. Fingers rose to rub at her head, shaking off the pain that lingered from the Hispo that had gotten too close before she got up here to the pillars.

"Yes - we can do this," she began, ready to assist with the Alpha in any way she can. Maybe if they killed that thing, the Hispo would scatter. But the ground lurched and she gasped as the icy surface beneath her threatened to slide her right off its edge. She got low again, and her breath caught in her throat as a couple of the other pillars shattered, the sound like glass eventually swallowed by the trembling earth and howling of the beasts around them. She could hear cries all around of her team, and everything seemed to be going wrong at once.

First, Lolo was thrown off the edge. She saw the blood, saw the lifeless quality to her movements as she hit an ice pillar - hard. "Lolo!" she screamed, eyes wide and nearly ready to pounce. But then a cry from her right, and when she turned her head, there was Lyra being overcome by a group of Hispo from whence she came. The Alpha would have to wait. Turning to Thessa, she grabbed at her upper arm, expression focused and urgency clear. "I'll take care of Lyra. And I'll hold here unless I can't anymore. This will be the most defensible spot for now, OK? Get the Alpha to low ground if you can!" A squeeze of her arm, and she let go, not waiting any longer before she darted towards the edge of the ice pillar and threw herself through the air to the next. And another, until she was right on the edge looking down at the Hispo.

At this angle, there was a tree in her way, but... she had an idea. Looking over at an ice pillar on her left that was a bit higher than the one she stood on, she jumped up, sticking a knife into its side so she could use it as leverage to rain down three knives on the Hispo closest to her that had Lyra pinned. The knives rotated perfectly in the air, all three spinning in tandem. With the way that the Hispo were snapping and thrashing towards Lyra, it might be almost comical - and terrifying - to see the way that they suddenly stopped. One of the angles of the knives had its point sticking out its open mouth, and the three would slump to the ground almost immediately. "Lyra!" she shouted, throwing her arm up in the air to get her attention. "Get up here now!"

That was all she could spare. Lolo was still behind her. Her mission here was clear. Protect her downed teammate. Anchor and hold this middle section. If Lyra could get up here, they had a chance to fend off Hispo that were coming this way. But in the meantime, she dropped from the taller ice pillar and wasted no time in crossing a few more to Lolo's body. As she did, she could hear Dari above her, could feel the tendrils of the Alpha's nasty aura dripping down and curling around her. Once again she could feel the hairs standing straight up on the back of her neck, goosebumps rising over her arms and a general chill touching her all over. Gritting her teeth, she moved to crouch by Lolo, looking up in paranoia. But while she could feel the Alpha near, she couldn't very well see it yet. She'd have to trust that her teammates above - if there were any up there - would cover her.

"Lolo?" she called, almost hushed as her hands moved to the woman's arm. Pulling her over to face up, she could see the extent of her wounds. And it was clear almost immediately that she was unconscious. "Fuck, fuck, fuck..." she hissed. She hooked her arms under Lolo's armpits and began to pull her away from the edge, as far as she could manage towards the center of this pillared area. Brows furrowed and she looked around her. She stood right above her, knives drawn now and ready to protect and defend.
N O T E S
Estelle takes out Hispo 5, 17 and 18.
Estelle tries to move Lolo from edge of Section 1 towards center of Section 1.

[shengami]

Character Name: Chee Tortious
Date | Time: 12.31 | ~4pm
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Pinewatch | Forest - Water
Wearing: Tracksuit, comfy shoes, Weapons per CS
Tagging | Mentioning: SAvAGeD 1e |
Note: Heartbeats
Chee triggered the reel function of his grapnel even as he braced for impact. He slid a bit as the head of the thing snaked back into the tube. He was glad he'd bought this new toy. It was proving deeply useful. He shivered a second as the chilled air of the ice forest rolled along his shoulders and back. Then he stood slowly and looked to Adulate. But this was no time to dwell in the past or regrets. There were things that need to be done. Their teammates were grunting, yelling, and screaming all around them. They needed to gather their strength, form a base, organize. The ever-present howls and snarls of Hispo grated against his ears.

The predator in him snarled; Chee's lips twisted murderously. His tail thrashed. At the same time, his guts turned to soup. The back of his neck stiffened. He felt his Soul shield dribble out of him like the runs. He shuddered. And yet, he stepped in close to Thessa and Estelle. Or he would have if a dark form hadn't come hurtling over the edge of a cliff, slam into a pillar of ice, then slump motionless. He'd recognize that hive of hair anywhere. "Marlowe!" He looked up to see aqua flashes and knew Dari was still contending with the Alpha.

Almost on instinct, even as a pillar of ice nearby shattered and collapsed, he looked to where Koko had been. He saw the familiar shape of Hulta nearby. Twisting at the sound of desperate screams, he spotted Lyra being mobbed as Estelle had shortly before. He took a step. Then he stopped as Estelle moved into action. He bit his lip then looked at Thessa. He had to trust Estelle; he did trust her to help Lyra. He looked back to Marlowe. As much as he wanted to engage, bury Darklash in Hispo gore, his mobility was needed even more. Dari needed help, Estelle needed help setting up a base, and Marlowe could use some triage. He could do that. His team needed him to do what he could do.

So, he acted. He brought his grapnel online again and fired it at the lip of the ridge nearby the Alpha. He felt the bit sink into the rock. He turned to look evenly at Thessa, to warn her, then he stepped in close and wrapped an arm around her waist. it was a bit awkward due to their differences in height, but not by much. It had the quality of hard professionalism to it; that was comforting. "Hold on." Then he activated the reel function on the grapnel. It was weighted for two people, luckily. Lyra had helped him pick it out and suggested that. It proved worth it now as the Arcanite powered motor inside jerked them forward.

Wind whistled past his ears as the rock face loomed closer. His practiced eyes noted its rugged surface, good for climbing. As they arced up, they got a better view of Dari fencing with the massive, two-headed beast. He twisted his body and felt Thessa move in tandem. His legs shot out to brace their impact. He hissed a breath as another wave of fear rolled through him. He was getting sick of that Alpha. Shifting adeptly, he push-pulled Thessa up a bit and passed the grapnel gun toward her. "Go, I'll help Stella."

Then he wiggled, collapsed himself, and dropped down. Catching a jutting bit with his fingertips, he swung and then pushed with his feet to backflip out into the void. Twisting, he tore his pistol from its holster and drew a bead on a Hollow heading towards where Koko and Hulta fought. He saw the beast stagger as he emptied the clip. It tumble head over heels then lay still. The range had eaten ammo, but it was one less beast.

He then looked down to see Estelle near Marlowe. He smiled. "Incoming!" This time, in practiced timing, he spun and sent Darklash out to bite into the rocks. It slowed him and sent him in an arc before breaking free. He flipped once more and landed lightly nearby the, hopefully, unconscious squire. He bolted to her and started running his practiced eye over her. Everyone on the team knew he had first aid training, so he didn't bother saying it. He just started checking Marlowe for life response (tugging open her eyelid), checking her airway, breath, and pulse. Then he moved on to injuries if that was all fine. "We'll need to guard dis position. She can't move right now." He spoke it into the air calmly and firmly.
N O T E S
Chee uplifts Thessa to location 6
Eliminates Hispo 15
Moves to Marlowe, performs triage

[Eye of Horus]

Stats

Strength: 1
Stamina: 3
Speed: 3
Shimmer: 2
Soul: 3
Brawl: 1
Melee: 4
Ranged: 1
Preparation: 1

Terrain Affinity: Desert
Terrain Weakness: Aquatic, Swamp
Element Affinity: Lightning (black arcanite)
Element Weakness: Earth (green arcanite)

Weapon Bonus:12

Character Name:Dariaq Syvanios
Date | Time: 31.12.1322 | Late afternoon
Location: Bristlewood
Wearing: Hammer uniform, combat webbing
Tagging | Mentioning: Savaged squad
Notes: Everything changes when the sun goes down
Smoking black blood rained from the savage cut, and Dari rolled clear as Marlowe continued to batter the alpha backwards. He regained his feet, willing the monster to fall. But black claws hooked into the ground like anchors and now he could see that Marlowe was flagging, the power of her Shimmer-burst running out. The alpha slammed back down onto its front paws, dragging Marlowe with it. One of its heads was hanging and spitting blood, but the other bared its teeth and howled. Once again the sound hit Dari like a physical force, and this time the earth itself seemed to respond. Dari flailed his arms, fighting for balance as the earth below them punched upward like a fist - up and up again, until they were above the surrounding trees, the sun’s last light spilling blood across the canopy. Below them, dozens of hispo bayed in triumph.

Dari threw himself at the monster. Ne jamais se rendre. He lunged for the howling head, the more active threat, but that was a mistake - the wounded head snapped bleeding jaws closed around his glaive and almost wrenched it out of his hands. He twisted it free, Hollow teeth screeching against the metal, and barely avoided a scissoring bite from the second head that would have ripped his head from his shoulders. He saw red as the monster tore into Marlowe’s pinned body - not Soul light but blood, shockingly bright against the crumbling earth. A glancing blow from the alpha’s spiked tail sent Dari reeling back against the trunk of a felled tree, causing his Soul to sputter a deep, warning orange. But Marlowe’s Soul was gone, and Dari could only watch as the alpha scooped her up between bloody teeth and threw her.

It all happened in an eyeblink. All the same, it seemed to take Marlowe forever to fall through the air, twirling like a broken doll, until gravity claimed her and dragged her down, through the trees and out of sight.

Dari felt his lips forming Marlowe’s name, but he didn’t hear himself shout it. Hey, don’t you die on me. He could almost hear the sirens, and his own desperate laugh. You can’t die. You’re too awesome. He was up, running, stumbling. You saved me. Except this time he hadn’t. Please don’t be dead. Please. Piss off, Marlowe. Go and punch things. It’s what you’re good at. She couldn’t be gone with that still hanging between them.

She couldn’t be gone right after she had given Hulta hope again.

The alpha was in his way, red eyes burning above lowered jaws, beneath hunched shoulders. Its lips were peeled back, sickle teeth baring murder. Dari didn’t challenge it - he willed his Shimmer echo forward as he broke left, letting the alpha’s jaws snap closed on the phantom, himself sliding through black clods of earth that broke and tumbled from the cliff as he skidded to a halt at its edge. And then he heard the shout.

He looked down. He couldn’t see Marlowe. But Thessa was there, clinging to the rock face, eyes bright with determination. She was challenging him - to keep fighting, to end the threat. Action, not reaction. Wordlessly, he thrust his glaive down towards her.

Thessa’s chain blade whipped out like a striking snake, snapping tight around the haft of Dari’s glaive. Dari hauled up and over with all his strength, at the same time as Thessa let go of the cliff and reeled in the chain to send herself rocketing upwards. As the squad leader arced over his head, Dari spun and threw himself towards the alpha already bearing down on him. Steel Cobra flashed as he drove the glaive towards the hollow between the alpha’s throat and its muscled shoulder, in perfect sync with Thessa’s strike from above. The Hollow snarled, wheeling round to snap at Dari’s rival, its barbed tail scything towards him once again. Dari dropped back, letting himself fall almost horizontal before catching himself on one hand, and slashed his glaive around with the other as the alpha’s tail swept over him. The blade cut a silver arc through the air, straight towards the alpha’s heel tendon.

The monster surged around again as Dari sprang up, and this time it caught him a savage blow with its foreclaws. Dari felt his Soul splintering like glass, and the rakes across his chest and shoulder were as hot and sharp as acid. He let out a bark of pain and instinctively clutched the wound as Thessa jumped clear. The dying sun behind the alpha cast its shadow across Dari and Thessa like an executioner’s sword. The monster’s feet clawed at the earth, dislodging sloughs of rock and soil from the cliff edge where it stood. Dari glanced at his best enemy, then back at the Hollow. He fumbled at his shredded webbing, yanking out a silver cylinder striped in black - a reload canister for the black arcanite that powered his glaive. The glaive he could now barely hold steady. Passing the canister to his good arm, he snapped back his shoulder and threw it.

Not directly at the alpha - off to the side. Off to the side where it was snatched from the air by a crackling blue echo as Dari focused his Shimmer for one last push. The ghost dived and slid, skidding beneath the alpha’s snapping jaws; between its clawed feet and the disintegrating cliff edge, twisting the canister open to expose the volatile arcanite within, and holding it up. Giving Dari just enough time to spin his glaive, and aim the caster at the bomb in his Shimmer echo’s hand.

Dari pressed the trigger rune.
NOTES
Dari executes a COMBINED attack with Thessa against the Alpha
Dari uses an ITEM to make a second attack against the Alpha, intended to damage it and / or blast it from Sector 6 (+4) down to Sector 7 (-4)
Rainbae confirms that they are gifting their Advantage to MITIGATE the second Risky action
TBC by Envi if this second action is COMBINED with Thessa’s red arcanite move

[Rainbae]

Stats

Strength: 0
Stamina: 0
Speed: 0
Shimmer: 5
Soul: 0
Brawl: 0
Melee: 2
Ranged: 5
Preparation: 5

Terrain Affinity: Urban
Terrain Weakness: Artic
Element Affinity: Lightning
Element Weakness: Fire

Weapon Bonus:12

Character Name: Koko Gero
Date | Time: 31.12.1322 | Late afternoon
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Pinewatch
Wearing: Red Overalls, White Blouse, Faded Blue Leather Trench Coat, Goggles, Heavy Work Boots
Tagging | Mentioning: Savaged
Notes: N/A
Koko looked across at the creatures as they prowled around her. She heaved heavy breaths as the pack and her stared each other down. She swung her whips wildly keeping the creatures at bay. Aggressive grunts and roars emanated from her chest. If anything she felt like the real beast right now. Blood soaked and in a frenzy it took her a moment extra to recognize Hulta’s face. Her own rabid visage softened as she heard the quip from her elven friend and she let out a shaky breath as the creatures were pushed back. Koko felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up as Hulta’s Arcanite effect went off. It felt like pins and needles all over for a moment. The sensation was immediately soothed however as Hulta pressed herself against Koko’s back. She felt a tear come to her eye at that. Hulta just kept having her back, this time literally. She wanted to bawl but she pushed back any kind of sobbing that might come. Now was certainly not the time for that. “I suppose I can share.” Koko replied. There was an odd sort of half twang to her words. Like the sounds were there but the vernacular wasn’t the same as usual. Something to be sorted out later. She slapped her lashers on the ground now almost like a baseball player might do some practice swings. She felt rejuvenated with Hulta by her side, she wanted to kill the sons of bitches.

“Right let’s get to-” Her words were cut off suddenly as she heard the crash and the roar. Immediately her ears were overwhelmed by the blustering boom of howls that filled the forest around them. Her head snapped to the side just in time to see Marlowe’s Soul crack. She watched in fear as the creature demolished her for a moment before her body went sailing off the side. Part of her really wanted to jump out and grab her but her attention was wrenched back to the fight she was currently in as the Hollow swarmed them some more. Her brain was trying to process the field around them as she defended deftly from the bites and claws torrenting down on the pair of them. She was distracted as her brain tried to take in the overload of information. So much so that she let a few get past and strike at her friend. She cursed herself in her mind as she watched fresh blood, elven blood, seep into Hulta’s clothes and mix with her own. They needed to get out of this predicament and regroup. But her brain couldn’t come up with anything on the spot with so much going on. There was a moment where Koko paused and then it came to her. Something they already knew how to do was the only answer. No time to come up with a plan right now, and not with her brain like this. They had to fall back on training.

Koko called back to Hulta as she brought both her whips down in an X forcing three Hispo to jump back. “Twiggy, ‘member that thing we practiced?” She fired off a shot from her wrist cannons, missing the Hollow but hitting a tree and downing a large branch to block their path, giving them a second more to scheme. “Let’s go for it yea?” The pair of them had never done this in a real battle before but they had practiced it. Koko had made Hulta stay late several times since Goaden. Repeatedly working on this one move, over and over until Koko worked out the kinks in it. It had taken them so many tries but their improvised move at Goaden had become a proper technique and flourished into a deadly combo. “Ain’t no time like the present to try ‘er out.” She said as she dove back a bit and got into a set stance on the ground.

Koko nodded to her friend now and snapped both of her lashers over towards her. They both landed around her staff and bound it on the end. She immediately activated her shimmer over the staff and lightened it until it floated at about waist height. She had what was essentially a weightless kite now. And then Koko began to spin. With one heel as a pivot she kicked off the ground and began to pick up speed as she whipped the staff like a deadly flail. As they picked up speed it took Koko and Hulta coordinating their shimmer perfectly to increase it even more than her legs could cause. With the intense gust of Hulta’s wind and Koko’s periodic increasing of its weight it turned into a hammer spin of death. The first Hispo who lunged for them but were immediately met by the whirlwind slam of Hulta’s staff approaching mach speeds at the end of Devotion’s lashers. The first three met their fate immediately with the first hit. The others saw this and tried to go high to avoid it. But they had planned for this too, with a keen change of the staff’s weight Koko was able to shoot the staff up into a higher arced circle and catch the wolf-like creatures by surprise. All three were blown back by the titanic centrifugal force and blasted away.

The group of six Hispo lay defeated on the ground. Their bodies all with large imprints of Hulta’s staff head seared into their sides. Their bodies hissed and the black dust drifted away as they disintegrated. Koko felt a smirk overtake her as she kept spinning. The largest failing of this move that had been discovered in practice had been how to stop it at the end. And the only solution they had come up with had been to slowly let her speed fall. However Koko caught out of the corner of her eye the edge of the cliff. She watched as Dari and Thessa attacked the beast. She saw the glow of the Arcanite canister being opened. She knew in seconds what they were going for. Without a second thought to the consequences of it Koko deactivated her shimmer on herself with the right timing and flung up towards the cliff. Without the added gravity keeping her pinned to the floor she went flying outwards as the powered up staff carried her off like a rocket towards the wall.

She landed with a grunt a few feet below the Hispo and snatched Hulta’s staff out of the dirt wall it had lodged into. Thinking fast she pulled out two set explosive charges she always carried on her and placed them in the wall. Immediately she jumped back knowing whatever idea Dari and Thessa had cooked up was going to be explosive. Her charges wouldn’t have been able to blow the cliff’s edge on their own but if she could give a bit more oomf to her friend’s attempts at crumbling the thing she would. Koko fell in space for a moment, enjoying the feel of the wind across her fresh wounds. It was a nice soothing effect. But it only lasted a moment as she came back to ground level and used a tre to swing back down past Hulta and went for the center. She landed on a pillar of ice and slid down it to catch up with Chee and Estelle. She just kneeled as she caught her breath and watched Chee work. Marlowe didn’t look dead, but she was close. She clicked her tongue, this was such a mess they had gotten into.

N O T E S
Koko and Hulta's combo move take out Hispo 3, 9, 8, 10, 11 & 12
Koko and Hulta's Advantage is used to assist Thessa and Dariaq's risky move
Koko moves from section 7 to section 1

[TheFluffyOne]

Stats

Strength: 1
Stamina: 2
Speed: 3
Shimmer: 5
Soul: 2
Brawl: 0
Melee: 3
Ranged: 1
Preparation: 2

Terrain Affinity: Forest
Terrain Weakness: Aquatic
Element Affinity: Air
Element Weakness: Water

Weapon Bonus:12+2

Character Name: Hulta Elderfond
Date | Time: 12.31.1323| 4pm
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Pinewatch
Wearing: Uniform, Jacket, Harness with staff
Tagging | Mentioning:Team Savaged
Notes:
Her staff rolled over her shoulders to jab at the Hispo that followed her. A harsh note to the creature that she had not forgotten about it. She was swift enough to stop its teeth but not the claws that tore through her trousers and skin. She cried out as pain flashed through her, the adrenaline in her body only dulling the sensation slightly. Her wits were still about her as she lashed out at the next that lunged. Her reactions slowed so teeth tore through her. Another got her shoulder but she managed to push herself up to her feet over Koko. Pain fluttered through her body, fear wanted to etch into her ribs, but she tried to fight it.

Koko was standing. They could do this. Koko gave instructions, only for the words to falter. Another howl bounced off the trees around them and Hulta felt it grab her by the throat. It was not the same as before. This time, the dread pin prickled over her arms and legs. It soared up and into her chest. It didn’t stop her movements, but it felt like something was missing. Something important. Amber eyes followed movement as something…no someone flew through the air. That was Marlowe. Her fingers tightened around her staff to the point that she thought she may break it. Her soul had cracked and there was blood…everywhere.

Her attention was focused on the slumped body of Marlowe as she could almost feel tears gather at the back of her throat. Koko cracked her whips and brought Hulta back to the moment. She needed to get rid of the threat before she could save Marlowe. She needed…to do something. ‘Member that thing we practiced?’ They had practiced a few things but none as many as they had this. The Flying Arrow of Death…working title of course. Hulta held her staff out with a single hand on the centre as the two lashers curled around the ends. Channelling her shimmer as much as she could, she coated the staff in a fine layer of razor sharp spinning ribbons. Forcing the staff to whizz around in the air tunnel. Hulta lowered herself down to allow Koko full reign and concentrated on keeping the staff turning.

“Well…I think that worked well.” She told Koko with a grin as the woman kept spinning. The creatures were smoking on the ground and Hulta felt a fleeting moment of pride that it had worked. It was a team effort, but it was something that they had succeeded at. Training for it and then actually watching it work in the field was something different entirely. Koko flew off like a blonde kite of her own…and with Hulta’s staff. With no Hispo’s currently at her position, she snapped her attention towards Marlowe. Estelle and Chee were with her. She had people. She would be okay. She would be okay. Flicking her attention over the group, Hulta could see white hair plastered with red on the opposite side of this twisted arena.

A harsh swear left her lips as she sprinted for the trees on the centre platform, bouncing off one and trying to fling herself onto the platform that Lyra lay on. Rolling onto her torn shoulder, she cried out in pain but kept running. With her staff somewhere else, Hulta gripped the first freed branch that she could grab on her run. Flipping the knotted wood up and catching it in her hand as she slid towards Lyra. The branch high and ready to be slotted between the next jaws that tried to snap at Lyra.

[FyreFoxx]

Stats

Strength: 0
Stamina: 5
Speed: 1
Shimmer: 6
Soul: 5
Brawl: 0
Melee: 0
Ranged: 0
Preparation: 2

Terrain Affinity: Aquatic, Arctic
Terrain Weakness: Mountain, Urban
Element Affinity: Water
Element Weakness: Earth, Sonic

Weapon Bonus: 12+5

Character Name: Lyreilynn "Lyra" Xyrven Myalis
Date | Time: 12.31.1322 | Late Afternoon (~4pm)
Location: ohtan Wilderness - Pinewatch | Forest - Water
Wearing: Teal Arcanite pendant, blue wrap blouse with gold trim and half skirt, matching blue pants, dark blue sash, black knee-high boots
Tagging | Mentioning: Hulta | Estelle
Notes:
Lyra had never been very good with green Arcanite. It rebelled against her, pushing her away. It was like touching a hot stove and recoiling the instant the connection was established. It just simply rejected her. It was different from yellow, but similar in ways. But if Rishi Valley had been any indication, then she could do it if she concentrated. She’d stabilized the bridge over the pass back then, so surely, she could do something similar here to calm the raging earth beneath her feet? The dainty elf clasped the green crystal between her hands, holding onto it tightly as she began to pour her Soul into it.
 
She could do this.
 
Little by little, Lyra could feel the energy of the earth, the way it shifted, rebelled, raged. It was pure chaos around them. She had greater mastery over Arcanite than most, but with this being her weakest element, she had to focus. Closing her eyes, knowing she was putting herself at risk, Lyra focused on locating that chaotic heart, intent on calming it. But before she could, wicked sharp jaws latched onto her ankle, sinking into pale flesh even through her boot. Instantly, her eyes flew open as her entire world shifted. Up was down, down was up.
 
As her feet were dragged out from under her, Lyra lurched forward, getting a faceful of dirt. The crystal rolled out of her hands. “No!” she screamed, clawing into the soil as she tried to get leverage to escape the predator and reclaim her lost prize. But it was stronger than she expected and it dragged her further and further away from the edge, away from the Arcanite. In quiet desperation, she kicked at its head, trying to dislodge the Hispo, but to no avail.
 
Pain seared through her leg, long fangs tearing the leather of her boots apart. Crimson soaked through, staining the blue fabric of her pants. At first, she tried to suffer through it all in silence, like Koko had earlier, biting down on her lower lip. If her cries called more Hispo to her location, then she’d really be in trouble! So she endured, pulling her good leg back enough to finally deliver a hard enough kick to the jaw of the wolf-like creature that it finally let her go.
 
But instead of being free, she found herself in real danger.
 
No sooner had it let go than it pounced on her prone form, joined by others. Panic flashed through her eyes, looking up at not one, not two, but five pairs of red eyes, all staring down at the little elf. It was less than a heartbeat before they descended upon their prey - and that’s all she was to them at this point, defenseless prey - claws raking across her skin, ripping open her blouse, leaving large red gashes along her arms as she flung them up to cover her head, tearing into her legs. Teeth sunk into her shoulder and she screamed bloody murder. There was no flicker of green, no dampening effect. She had focused so intently on activating the Arcanite that her barrier had been dropped and every tooth and nail that connected felt like liquid fire dripping onto her skin.
 
She’d never felt pain like this before, and hoped she never would again. Lyra tried to roll away from them but one of the Hispo jumped in the way, blocking her path. Instead, she curled in on herself, laying on her side as she brought her knees up, her hands clutched behind her head and arms to either side of her face as she curled up in a fetal position. It did little to stop the assault, but at least it’d protect her more vulnerable spots a little bit longer, and every second counted.
 
Lyra flinched as she felt claws rake across her back, and felt the trickle of blood following in its wake as it sliced through fabric and skin alike. She could feel the sting of the fangs that sunk into her arm, trying to yank it from her face to expose her head. Another had latched onto her injured ankle, shaking its head from side to side as if she were just a hunk of meat and it wanted to tear off a piece. She cried out again, pulling against it with all her might, in a tug-of-war with her own limbs. It was laughable at how she found herself in this position, thinking herself strong enough to take a few hits while she channeled the Arcanite, but she had underestimated these Hispo.
 
Never again.
 
All too soon, three of them suddenly stopped their mauling. For a long moment, Lyra lay still, breathing deeply, too afraid to move. Then they dropped and the other two were momentarily caught off guard by the sudden annihilation of their companions. It was enough time for the dainty elf to hear her name being shouted, powder blue eyes flicking towards the sound and seeing Estelle waving her arm, coaxing her over to her position. Was the woman mad!? Did she not see her being mobbed by Hollow?
 
With an angry huff, she wrenched her arm free from the now-dead Hispo, fresh blood coating her arm from elbow to fingertips. It was worse the second go around, having encountered a similar fate just some time ago. Lyra quickly rolled away from the snapping jaws of one of the two remaining Hispo, having been given a bit of breathing room by Estelle. Scrambling to her feet, she remained in a crouch, still breathing hard from the exertion. Everything hurts. She felt weak, sluggish, aching. It felt like just doing this much movement was going to tire her out. 
 
She needed to get back to the others, but she had two more Hispo to deal with. As one of them lunged for her, Lyra let herself fall backwards, sinking back to the ground as it started to overshoot its target. Knees bent, she was essentially bent in half backwards, using its momentum against it as she roughly shot her palm upwards, launching it over her and away. It landed a mere few feet away, skidding to a halt, but it was enough clearance that Lyra could get back on her feet.
 
The arrival of Hulta was like a weight being lifted from her, who stopped a fresh pair of fangs from sinking into her from behind as it munched on bark instead. Despite the aching in her muscles, Lyra snatched one of the small knives from the dissipating Hispo and attempted to slam the blade through the eye of the one Hulta had distracted, sinking it deep into its skull. Instead of pulling it free, she simply left it there. Spinning around, Lyra grabbed another knife from yet another dead Hispo, twirling around just in time to meet the one she launched earlier. This time, the blade met its neck, but it wasn’t enough to put it down. Leaning into the attack, she forced it to the ground, laying her right hand against its side. “Incendo,” she angrily hissed. Beneath her palm was a shattered glass vial of red Arcanite, the fine powder sparking to life as she breathed life into it, igniting the Hollow in flames as she took a step back.
 
“Thank you for coming to help,” Lyra said softly when she could catch her breath again, giving the redhead a soft smile. “But there is still more.” Turning her head, she used the back of her hand to wipe a trail of blood from a fresh cut on her cheek, yet only smeared more of it across her face, covered in it as she was from head to toe. Lyra was a little worse for wear, her pants ripped and torn in numerous places, pale skin starting to show through where she wasn’t plastered with blood. One sleeve was completely detached from her top, hanging loosely around her forearm, multiple puncture wounds lining the length of her arm, like she’d been used as a chew toy. The other merely had new holes torn into it, ripped bandages coming loose as the white cloth was stained red. Her back was almost completely exposed, a vicious series of claw marks marring the delicate skin.
 
“We should go.” With a nod of her head, indicating which direction that the other elf should follow, she started off towards the center area, hopefully with Hulta in tow, slow at first, testing her damaged limbs and her pain tolerance, before speeding up with each step, heading for Estelle’s last location to regroup. The resonance was still empowering her, urging her on. She wasn’t out of the fight yet. Time was of the essence, and if that dread she felt earlier was any indication, things were only going to get worse.

N O T E S
Lyra and Hulta combo takes out Hispo 20
Lyra takes out Hispo 19 with Red Arcanite
Lyra moves from Section 4 to Section 1

[Envious]

Character Name: Thessa
Date | Time: 12.31.1322 | Late Afternoon (~4pm)
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Pinewatch | Grassland - No Resonance
Wearing: Uniform
Tagging | Mentioning: team
’Please be okay.’

As Dariaq tossed her into the air, her chain rattled back into her shield and she reached out with the opposite hand for a thick bough that had snapped diagonally from the trunk of a tree during the quakes. The splintered wood formed a sharp spear.

’Please be okay.’

The terror of the alpha had hollowed her out. It was nothing compared to the despair of seeing Marlowe’s prone form. The familiar squeeze at her chest was no less easy to endure. She didn’t want to add Marlowe’s name to the list of lost loved ones. She could not allow her life to be a new death each month.

’Please be okay.’

She had sent Chee off after his assist to check Marlowe and then regroup; Estelle could handle Lyra and it looked like Hulta would be there, too. She needed Chee on offense as soon as possible. A shouted request relayed Estelle’s plan of disabling the Hollow to get Dariaq and Koko on board had succeeded. Now she needed her head in the game to execute.

’Please be okay.’

Just as she reached the apex of her ascent, the bough found its way to her body. She had the height, but not the force. That’s what her muscle was for. She used her strength to hurl the wooden spear at the creature in an attempt to halt its advance on Dariaq. The two-headed beast had plenty of mass to choose from and Thessa aimed between the front shoulders in an attempt to impale the savage alpha. As the wood left her palms with a push, she flipped so that she landed near Dariaq.

’Please be okay.’

She glanced at his arm. “Having trouble keeping it up?” The innuendo was delivered without mirth. It was difficult to be light with the state Marlowe was in. Her shield lifted in defense. She didn’t yet know how to get the hollow down, but Dariaq was miles ahead of her. “I stand corrected.”

’Please be okay.’

Her intentions weren’t difficult to visualize. She coaxed out the warmth of the element, fighting the resonance, not just for Marlowe’s sake, but for the entirety of Savaged. She couldn’t let them face ruin before they had even had a chance to be a team. She could feel the heat coalescing at the tip of her pointer and middle that were held out as if a gun. Just as the light sizzled out in arcs of electric mayhem from Dariaq detonating his canister, Thessa fired her arcane shot directly at the chest of the beast and then braced for what came next.

’We’ll make it okay.’

N O T E S
Thessa executes a COMBINED physical attack with Dari against the Alpha (yoink, tree spear)
Thessa supports Dari's ITEM attack, COMBINING it with a red Arcanite CRYSTAL attack (finger guns)

[Aethyrium]

S T O R Y T E L L E R
December 31st, Late Afternoon (~4pm) | Johtan Wilderness - Pinewatch | Forest - Earth
Next Post: 5.1.25 | Dari, Thessa, Hulta, Marlowe, Chee, Estelle, Koko, Lyreilynn
Marlowe was, largely, unresponsive as she was taken by Estelle and then assisted by Chee. Pulled to the center of their defensive position, the brawler was in and out of it. Her eyes rolled around behind lids that she couldn’t quite make open - alive, but she’d taken a solid blow or two to the head in hitting that ice pillar and falling to the ground. There was a brief moment where she seemed aware, coughing up blood that came from somewhere inside, and she muttered something that sounded like, “Go. Get them.” but she was hardly lucid enough to be giving instructions, and her head dropped to the side. An examination of her body saw that she was torn up, the Alpha had gotten its claws and teeth into her viciously - but provided she didn’t become the victim of another assault, Marlowe was going to survive this.

Above them, as Lyra crossed over onto one of the ice pillars, the detonation went off. Dari and Thessa’s joint strike was successful. The monster seemed ready to retaliate, but the combination of their efforts in conjunction with Koko’s explosives saw an entire section of the cliff they were on give way. Unfortunately, the thing had good reflexes and a keen sense. It lunged, avoiding the most severe damage from the explosion. That, however, didn’t stop the ground beneath massive paws from sliding away, and the Alpha charged for the pair, but was swept up in the fall. And nothing it could do could save it from that fall and the collapse of rocks around it.

But as the others had a chance to square up and take not, watching it slowly pull itself out, the world around them shifted worse than it had. The violent shuddering felt like the world beneath them was going to shatter - dropping nearly everyone to the ground. Tremors reverberated up Lyra’s icy pillars, cracking, and ultimately shattering them. Large shards of ice plummeted into the ground around those in the area, nearly squishing several of them. Lyra was tossed from the one she was on, thrown to the ground far below. And all around them the shifting escalated. The areas dropped and rose in new ways, the ground resplitting itself and connecting in entirely new patterns as the cracks reformed. All around them the elemental energy shifted and swayed, the watery resonance was sucked into the chaotic maelstrom of earthen energy which, as the world settled, exploded around them and left a dusty-feeling miasm all around them.

The world settled, but behind the actual dust upheaval from the shaking, the Hispo were not. Coming in quick from abandoned territories, the foul creatures descended on the squires from all directions - reinforced by more, undeterred by the quivering earth. A pair of claws drug dawn Koko’s bare, unSouled back. Snapping fangs grabbed at Thessa’s arm, trying to wrench her shield free. One Hispo tackled Estelle, and rolled with her, until clawing until she flung it from her - only to be pounced on by another that tried to bite her face off. Beside her Chee was grabbed on the ankle by one, and with no Soul, those vicious fangs tore into him and pulled it out from under him, sending him face first into the dirt while another trampled over Marlowe to get at him and went for the soft and yummy ears of his. Two more lunged from the cluff above, and both tried to tackle Lyra - who avoided with a grace twist between them, but had no balance left to stop their quick turn and the flurry of claws flying at her. Dari, had another one of the monsters, this one tackling him like it wanted a hug, and holding on by biting into his neck. Whereas Hulta had the opposite, one springing out and swiping again at her legs, clawing her but failing to topple her.

Clawing its way from the collapsed earth, the Alpha lunged back onto the plateau with Dari and Thessa - and no Koko once more. But it didn’t advance, it lurked on the edge, focusing on Thessa. The strange spikes on its shoulders launched like rockets attached to its body by a gooey substance - like its body was made of jello. Four of the spiny, blade like tendrils whipped around with control, slashing like knived whips at Thessa. They cut deep into her Soul, assailing her while she wrestled with the Hispo, digging deep and slicing grooves into her body before retracting. But instead of pursuing, the creature took a tactical retreat. The Alpha bounded back to the ground they had dropped it, graceful, and then lunged up another cliff - it was trying to vanish back into the forest, disappear, no doubt so it could attack again from a blind spot - it was making use of an advanced hunting tactic.

N O T E S

Stats

Thessa (53%)

• Vitality: 44/70
• Soul: 37/85 (Orange)
• Resources: Full

Estelle (70%)

• Vitality: 121/135
• Soul: 17/55 (Orange)
• Resources: Full

Marlowe (52% | 28%)

• Vitality: 0/80
• Soul: 0/40 (Broken)
• Resources: Low
• Shimmer: .7 dots

Lyreilynn (70% | 32%)

• Vitality: 10/100
• Soul: 93/100 (Green)
• Resources: Full

Hulta (53% | 26%)

• Vitality: 18/70
• Soul: 29/55 (Yellow)
• Resources: Full

Dariaq (60%)

• Vitality: 59/80
• Soul: 27/70 (Orange)
• Resources: Low

Koko (33% | 12%)

• Vitality: 7/70
• Soul: 0/25 (Broken)
• Resources: Full

Chee (50% | 26%)

• Vitality: 26/60
• Soul: 34/40 (Green)
• Resources: Full

The resonance has shifted to earth. The squires can all sense a stability in the elemental forces now, the elemental chaos has stabilized on its own and the landscape will not continue to change. The ice pillars are gone, and thus their enhanced movement is also gone.

If no character ends their turn on the same plateau as the Alpha, it will gain an advantage the next round for its attack - you can safely assume that allowing the Alpha to get the drop on anyone would be very bad.

All characters, except Hulta and Chee, are shaken by the violent shifting of the earth and are considered default risk factor 1 this round, and lose 1 movement which can be ignored by increasing risk factor by an additional 1.

Thessa takes 35 damage to the Soul, and 21 to Vitality. Her Soul degrades to Orange.
Estelle takes 18 damage to the Soul, and 7 to Vitality. Her Soul degrades to Orange.
Hulta takes 4 damage to the Soul, and 2 to Vitality
Dari takes 2 damage to the Soul, and 2 to Vitality
Koko takes 9 damage to Vitality.
Chee takes 31 damage to Vitality.
Lyra takes 7 damage to the Soul, and 3 to Vitality.

Hulta shakes off the Alpha’s fear, her Soul barrier is restored/her Soul can be used again.
Chee fails to shake off the Alpha’s fear, his Soul Barrier is inactive and he cannot use Arcanite. He is vulnerable.
Dariaq’s Resources are Low.

Thessa and Dariaq deal 52 damage to the Alpha. Its condition seems injured.

[Envious]

Stats

Strength: 3
Stamina: 2
Speed: 0
Shimmer: 4
Soul: 4
Brawl: 2
Melee: 1
Ranged: 0
Preparation: 2

Terrain Affinity: Grassland, Desert
Terrain Weakness: Aquatic, Urban
Element Affinity: Lightning, Fire
Element Weakness: Earth, Water

Weapon Bonus: 12+2

Character Name: Thessa Almentis
Date | Time: 12.31.1322 |
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Pinewatch - Forest
Wearing: Uniform
Tagging | Mentioning: Dari, Koko
Notes:
There was a fire in her muscles as she screamed and slammed her knife down on the cranium of the hispo. Its weight went limp against her and Thessa stumbled back on unsteady legs, letting go of her blade as the creature fell. She gave a half-hearted tug of her shield in an attempt to dislodge the blade attached to the end of the chain, but it was comfortably stuck. Consternation overwhelmed her features. Couldn’t she get a break and have one thing be easy? She gave the chain a rattle and then gasped as the eyes of the hispo rolled in opposite directions as its form quivered and then began to rise. Eyes wide with shock, she clicked the mechanism that would reel her chain back in and the line went taught, but her blade stayed true.

Then the alpha leapt back on the platform. There was a moment of unpleasant clarity - this was not a good position for her to be in - before her body began reacting. She yanked viciously on her chain, but the hispo attached to the other end was already lurching forward. She side-stepped the first rake of claws and ducked under two spiked tentacles, but two more were waiting for her. She grunted in pain and grit her teeth as they struck true. She deflected the tentacles whipping around again, but it left her open for another attack from the hispo. Her soul flared in an angry response, but it didn’t stop her skin from being split open. Frustrated, Thessa wrapped her finger around the trigger of Chee’s grapnel gun hanging at her hip and shot it off at the hispo’s chest. The creature reared back in pain and Thessa slashed her shield at an angle so the shallow blades could slice through fur and meat. There was a shudder and then the creature finally died. Thessa let out a sigh of relief as her blade finally reeled back in and scanned their platform; Dari and Koko were engaged. Thessa gasped she realized there was no crackle of Soul around her teammate and reached out to yoink the back leg of the hispo, unbalancing it to allow Koko to go in for the kill. Where was the rest of the team?

”Can’t let it get ‘way,” she said, trying to track where the alpha had disappeared as the grapnel gun reeled back in. She saw it leap up to another platform and disappear into the treeline. Its agility made her nervous, but it was definitely wounded. Was it wounded enough for them to finish off…?

She turned to Dari and Koko as she flicked open her arcanite case and took out a large, black crystal. She ran her thumb across an unblemished plane as she took a hard look at Koko. ”Y’alright? You is doin' good.” The response was tired, but optimistic. Thessa nodded.

”Sent Chee ta look at Marlowe ‘n regroup the team. Estelle said she holdin’ the line, but with that ground quake…” She shrugged. ”If y’all can keep our backs clear, Dari ‘n I will keep on the alpha. Send who ya can to help. Can’t let ‘im put that fear inta us again. We get stunned, them hispo gunna get an easy kill.”

”Ready?” she asked Dari. His smile was infectious and Thessa felt some of her energy return. ”Will signal where that alpha at. Don’t worry, ya won’t miss it. Now lemme show you how ta use black arcanite!” She began to run backwards towards the cliff edge to give them space before she broke the crystal. Small crackles of lavender and white-hot light zig-zagged across her arm, fanning across her body, leaving behind black veins of power before she transformed into a primordial element. Thunder cracked as she sailed to a new existence. She felt the familiar strain on her Soul as it worked to keep her consciousness from drifting off into the universe. Her awareness spread throughout the forest. She saw the peril of her team as they struggled with a swarm of hispo in a low spot in the terrain. There was a fleeting regret that she couldn’t help; her explosive return to the battle field would not only injure the hispo, but her team. She had to trust they could handle themselves. They would need to. She saw more hispo running in the forest, snarling for the opportunity to end more life. They, too, would have to wait. Dari was on the move and catching at least three of the eyes of the alpha.

The electricity in the air hummed with intention, denying the earthen resonance and flickering so fast it seemed instantaneous to the location of the alpha. A deafening crack of thunder exploded through the forest as Thessa rematerialized in a bolt of lightning that struck the elder hollow on its left neck in an attempt to sever it from the creature. As she hit the ground and became fully aware of her body as she crouched low and then lifted up again in a powerful lunge towards legs that were longer than she was tall to continue the advance as Dari moved in to back her up and work in tandem.

N O T E S
Thessa kills Hollow 10.
Thessa assists Koko with Hollow 6.
Thessa uses fusion technique to move to platform 8 and attack Alpha.

[shengami]

Character Name: Chee Tortious
Date | Time: 12.31 | ~4pm
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Pinewatch | Forest - Water
Wearing: Tracksuit, comfy shoes, Weapons per CS
Tagging | Mentioning: SAvAGeD 1e |
Note: The Eye of the Storm
Chee exhaled a moment of relief as Marlowe responded to life sign checks. She was dazed and confused, but she was still around. As long as they resolved this situation, things would be fine. He huffed a second breath of relief. There also had not been another soul shattering howl yet. That was a good sign, right?

He was just shifting, when something clamped onto his ankle. A muffled scream tore from his chest as he ate dirt. Pain lanced into his brain and he scrabbled at the earth a bit as he was dragged. Then instinct took back over. He twisted and tore his pistol from its holster. Lurching, he contorted and grabbed the Hispo's ear to jam the barrel against its head. The gun went click-click. He blinked and recalled emptying the clip seconds before. Curses rattled inside his skull.

The Hispo tossed its head and he went flailing into the air before slamming back down. Grunting as air escaped him, he saw the second one tripping over Marlowe. Red bled in at the edges of his vision. She was injured, she was incapacitated, it seemed cruel of nature to make light of her vulnerability. He twisted on the ground as the thing snapped at him. Luckily, his gear pinned his ears down. Otherwise, he shuddered.

Reaching, he grabbed a clip, flicked the spent one from he weapon, then slammed home the new one. Twisting once more, he pointed the weapon down his own body. He felt the percussion of its use, felt the heat on his skin, saw the shells arc up through the air. The Hispo's head flipped up, releasing his leg, and ichor sprayed from the holes in its forehead. Not waiting, he twisted onto his belly and brought the pistol online once more. The second one was coming for him again. He exhaled slowly, fired into its chest. It stumbled, kept going one more shaky step, then collapsed. Chee spun and sprang to his feet.

Wincing as he put weight on his ankle, he looked down and saw blood. Mentally, he checked and felt his Soul back in place. They were dying by a thousand cuts here. Dozens of Hispo had died, but there were dozens more. He'd seen them. Chee felt the panic bubbling inside him. Marlowe was down, Koko was soul-broken, everyone he'd seen was bruised and battered. There were scores of Hollow coming for them. The alpha, the sub-alphas. It all piled atop his head. His eyes flicked up to the ledges surrounding them. His fingers twitched towards Darklash. Someone needed to get back, right? Someone needed to report what was happening. They needed to send in two or three full teams, mentors, real champions. He could make it. He'd avoided Hollow before. He'd survive. Something in him shifted. He turned and looked around him. His friends needed him. There were worse ways to die. But, not today. Not here. Chee never backed down.

He looked to Estelle and stepped up to fire into the Hispos atop her point-blank. He shouted his frustration and anger with each of the shots. He felt calm bleeding back into his mind. He stopped to save ammo. He looked down at Estelle's form and reached down with a hand, "Where's Hulta? Lyra? We need to rally." He looked to where the Hispo she'd thrown off was twisting back to its feet. He grit his teeth. The pistol went away and he drew Darklash. "Go, I got dis one."

He squared off with it, but something caught his vision. A Hollow attacking his partner. He grit his teeth, "Kiki!!!" Everything went into the two syllables. He couldn't help her, protect her, get to her up there. They were treading water down here. They needed her shimmer to help them get out of this shit hole. They needed Lyra's magic and Estelle's knives and Hulta's razorwinds. Everyone needed to do their part or this would end with all of them in bloody chunks. He grunted and grinned as he recalled his conversation with Thessa the other week. They had to hold on while Thessa and Dari hunted the alpha. Then they'd have to hold on through way more Hispo than they'd already seen. But Chee knew, in the very core of his being, knew they could handle it if they operated as a team, a collection of individuals that added up to more than their parts.
N O T E S
Chee stays on 1
Eliminates Hispo 13, 14, 16

[Eye of Horus]

Stats

Strength: 1
Stamina: 3
Speed: 3
Shimmer: 2
Soul: 3
Brawl: 1
Melee: 4
Ranged: 1
Preparation: 1

Terrain Affinity: Desert
Terrain Weakness: Aquatic, Swamp
Element Affinity: Lightning (black arcanite)
Element Weakness: Earth (green arcanite)

Weapon Bonus:12

Character Name:Dariaq Syvanios
Date | Time: 31.12.1322 | Late afternoon
Location: Bristlewood
Wearing: Hammer uniform, combat webbing
Tagging | Mentioning: Savaged squad
Notes: Together, to victory
Dari was flung sideways, losing his footing and crashing into the splintered remnants of a tree. Another hispo was on him, it’s jaws clamped around his neck in a bite that would have been instantly fatal if not for his Soul. Orange light washed over him, screeching in time to his own jagged heartbeat. His glaive was pinned against his chest by the Hollow’s weight as its claws scrabbled at his aramid-weave jacket. Choking for breath, Dari twisted his hands and screwed apart the two sections of his weapon, giving him just enough space to drag the caster end free, reverse it, and drive the metal goads into the side of the hispo’s head. With a thunderclap flash the wolf-demon fell away, stinking smoke rising from its nose and mouth.

Dari rolled onto his front, gasping for a breath that felt like dragging glass shards down his throat. Raising his head he saw another of the alpha’s pack bearing down on Koko. Thrusting the caster end forward with his good hand, he fired a burst of arcanite bolts that cored through the second hispo and sent it crashing and rolling over itself into the dirt. Dari staggered to his feet, just in time to witness Thessa toe to toe with the two-headed alpha. It was fast. Brutal. So was Thessa. Without warning the Hollow broke off and bounded across the slab of land that had just punched up to join their own above the trees, and then onward to another that stood even higher, and vanished from sight. The realisation that they had the elder Hollow on the run brought a savage grin to Dari’s face.

“Can’t let it get ‘way!” Thessa shouted as the monster disappeared between tilting, cracking trees.

“What about the team?” Dari rasped, his throat still raw. He looked from Thessa to Koko and back again. Marlowe. Hulta. “Where are they?”

“Sent Chee ta look at Marlowe ‘n regroup the team. Estelle said she holdin’ the line, but with that ground quake…”

Dari looked around. The sun was almost gone. They stood atop a crumbling spire of rock, like the last people left alive in the world. He could hear the battle still raging below, but how were the others supposed to make it up the newly-formed cliff while being swarmed by the Hollow? And with the alpha up here with them, ready to strike…

Blood trickled down Dari’s arm beneath his sleeve. His other hand gripped the caster end tighter as he snapped it back together with its blade half.

“Ready?” Thessa asked Dari as Koko darted back down the cliff. “Will signal where that alpha at. Don’t worry, ya won’t miss it. Now lemme show you how ta use black arcanite!”

As she broke the black vial in her hand, snaking bolts of lightning engulfed her. For a moment, she appeared almost like Dari’s Shimmer-echo - blue, translucent, raging - and then with a bang that sent a shockwave through the treetops she was gone, flickering high into the air. Dari focused his gaze on the ragged plateau ahead of him, and began to run.

Adrenaline surged, spurring his battered body onward as he leapt over rocks and fallen trees. Something in the resonance of the forest had changed - he could feel it as a sickness in his stomach and a blurring of his eyes, so that he had to blink rapidly to keep his vision clear. Or perhaps the alpha had hit him harder than he had realised. His glaive felt heavy on his injured arm. That was alright - he only needed to carry it long enough to kill the alpha. A champion never gives up.

Driving himself onward through the smashed and toppled trees atop the plateau, he caught sight of the alpha once more. It was a coiled shadow, blood-furnace eyes fixed on the collapsed ground below. Following its gaze Dari saw the rest of his squad, twenty metres below him - all fighting for their lives against the hispo pack. The alpha gathered itself, teeth bearing as it prepared to leap. Dari roared his family name as he hurled himself into a jump - a defiant challenge, a desperate distraction.

Spitting Cobra flashed red in the dying sun as it rose high over Dari’s head. The alpha’s molten eyes snapped towards him and it jinked aside, the head of Dari’s glaive smashing into the earth between its front paws. Its jaws hinged wide to bite.

A bolt of lightning flashed down from the darkening sky.

Dari blinked away the flash and suddenly Thessa was there with him again, crouched low but now rising, driving into the alpha. As it staggered back, Dari called on the last of his strength to rip his glaive free of the soft earth. Raining soil from the blade, he lashed into a spin, a silver arc singing through the air as he swung straight for the Hollow’s gaping jaws.
NOTES
Dari eliminates Hispo 4 in melee, and Hispo 1 as his additional discretionary action
Dari moves from Sector 6 (+4) to Sector 7 (+3) using 1 movement (basic) and then to Sector 6 (+4) using 1 movement (speed bonus)
Dari executes a COMBINED attack with Thessa against the Alpha as an additional RISKY action
As everyone is already at risk level 1 this round, this elevates Dari’s risk level to 2

[Rainbae]

Stats

Strength: 0
Stamina: 0
Speed: 0
Shimmer: 5
Soul: 0
Brawl: 0
Melee: 2
Ranged: 5
Preparation: 5

Terrain Affinity: Urban
Terrain Weakness: Artic
Element Affinity: Lightning
Element Weakness: Fire

Weapon Bonus:12

Character Name: Koko Gero
Date | Time: 31.12.1322 | Late afternoon
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Pinewatch
Wearing: Red Overalls, White Blouse, Faded Blue Leather Trench Coat, Goggles, Heavy Work Boots
Tagging | Mentioning: Savaged
Notes: N/A
Koko wobbled on her feet, she could feel her body screaming against her intentions. Every step, every movement hurt right now but she pushed forward. With timing she was proud of she clicked the trigger button on the explosive charges the moment Thessa and Dari’s attack went off and watched as the Alpha began to tumble. She was about to smile at the victory, small though it might be, before the creature deftly avoided falling into the lower section. She let out a cringed hiss of air at the outcome. It was annoying to say the least. Koko echoed the same sentiment that Thessa was feeling. Nothing seemed to want to go their way right now and it was starting to irk her. They needed just a bit of luck right now. Koko held her hand over a wound on her arm as she took stock of herself. Perhaps she was lucky to even be standing at the moment, she thought as she saw the gruesome state of her body. Her left arm looked like a dog toy at the moment and her clothes were in tatters. Everything was stained red but she didn’t have time to worry about fashion right now as more Hispo descended on them.

Koko ducked left and then rolled right as a bite and then a slash of claws came at her. She came up behind the Hispo and made to turn to slash at the beast but before she could even move her body the creature was faster. Its claws dug into her back. Three jagged lines of torn leather and flesh were cut down her body. The red streaks immediately exploded with pain. She yelped loudly as once more her body was cut up and mauled. She stumbled forward but quickly got to her feet and got square with the creature just to see it already barreling at her to finish the job. She lifted her weapon but the whips felt heavy, like weight had been tied to the end of them. She felt it, like this was going to be her end. But instead of jaws snapping closed around her neck she watched as the creature’s legs were pulled back and it flailed on the ground for a moment. Koko took advantage immediately. She brought one whip up and snapped it around the neck of the Hollow. The creature howled as the electricity surged through it but still somehow pushed forward towards her. She was ready now though. As the Hollow dashed towards her, neck burning from the sparks flying around its neck, Koko snapped her lasher around a rock nearby. She grunted as she pulled both arms together and pulled the Hispo to the side as it collided with the other whip and had its head caved in by the weight of the rock. She let out a shaky relieved breath as it finally stopped moving and began to dust away.

Koko nodded with knit brows at Thessa. “I ain’t done yet. But I ain’t got much left either. We gotta end this, soon preferably.” Koko yanked a pouch from her jacket and downed the contents as she listened to Thessa. It was just water but it felt like the nectar of the gods right now with the state she was in. She felt her parched lips moisten and the water slick her throat. It was nourishing to her battered body. She nodded to her team leader. “Right, I’ll scope out the situation and rally the troops, yall go keep that Alpha runnin’. Sum bitch thinks he gon’ get away, I don’t think so.” Koko expected the pair to dash off but she watched as Thessa sparked and then ascended into the sky. She had heard tale about this from Chee but she hadn’t seen it herself. She hooped and hollered at the transformation. That combined with the water made her feel rejuvenated as she latched onto a tree and swung down towards the rest of the party. She saw them engaged with Hispo as well.

Koko surveiled the scene from above as she fell from the cliff. Landing in a roll Koko came up beside Lyra. She used the momentum of the landing to shoulder check a Hispo off the smaller elf. It went back a few feet but Koko was faster on the trigger this time than earlier. She brought her arm up and immediately shot a round off that exploded into red flames as the shell erupted with red arcanite. The Hispo was torched with fire as it yelped and simmered. She called out for her team. “Y’all call for a friendly neighbourhood Koko?” She smirked at her team and did a second once over to make sure no one was in the middle of dying. Seeing Marlowe’s body so limp and lifeless made her shudder. She thought back to what she and Maria had looked like as they laid on the ground at that theatre. Not too dissimilar she imagined. That was not a good sign. “I reckon we gotta get outta this here pit and back up to where our meatheads are bonkin’ away at the Hispo. Their noggins are hard but we shouldn’t keep ‘em waiting, yall gettin’ me?”

There was a moment where Koko was looking around at her teammates for understanding. She noticed at that time the state of Lyra’s blouse. Her scars were clearly on display. Probably not something the rest of the team were really concerned about right now but Koko and Lyra had an understanding. It would mortify Lyra to be revealed like this to her new team. And with Marlowe down her main support would be out of the picture for the moment too. Koko felt the need to step in. Koko rolled once more as chaos erupted around her. She came up back to back with Lyra and deftly and swiftly slipped her jacket off and put it around the shoulders of the dainty elven woman. “Arcanite’s in the left pockets, every colour you could want. Soft and Hard. I reckon I ain’t doin’ much with it now anyways.” She said as she held up a hand and stared at it, soulless. She gave Lyra a knowing nod and dashed back towards the rest of the group to try and figure out a plan.

N O T E S
Koko eliminates Hispo 6 with Thessa's aid
Koko moves to section 1
Koko eliminates Hispo 2

[TheFluffyOne]

Stats

Strength: 1
Stamina: 2
Speed: 3
Shimmer: 5
Soul: 2
Brawl: 0
Melee: 3
Ranged: 1
Preparation: 2

Terrain Affinity: Forest
Terrain Weakness: Aquatic
Element Affinity: Air
Element Weakness: Water

Weapon Bonus:12+2

Character Name: Hulta Elderfond
Date | Time: 12.31.1323| 4pm
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Pinewatch
Wearing: Uniform, Jacket, Harness with staff
Tagging | Mentioning:Team Savaged
Notes:
Yellow rotten teeth were firmly embedded into the branch as the Hispo lunged towards Lyra. Hulta let out a woop of success as Lyra’s blade was cleaved deep into its skull. She kicked the creature off and felt claws dig into her leg as she tried to stand up. She fought back saying the elvish swear word she wanted to, not wanting Lyra to look down on her. Fire ate the Hispo with Lyra’s skill and Hulta managed to stand and hold herself ready beside her. “I got you.” She gave her a beaming smile and glanced over the creatures still left to handle. Chee and Estelle hadn’t turned around and alerted them all to carry Lolo to get her immediate aid, that told Hulta that Lolo was stable. She didn’t want to leave the woman alone but at least she wasn’t seconds away from death.

Hulta could feel the rancid breath of the Hispo closest to her and she reared back her torn branch to hit it soundly in the skull. It didn’t fly away from her or even whimper, but she managed to daze it momentarily. That gave her a brief second to kick the creature in the jaw hard to try and knock it out. Not even pausing to see if it had succeeded, she skipped back a step and ran towards Lyra. Cleaving her branch at the back end of the Hispo between her and Lyra, she tried to give a distraction to the white-haired elf. “I…We need to help people get up there.” She told Lyra frantically. Her gaze snapping over the group and the terrain. “I can bring the trees down….can you force them to fall towards the Alpha?” Hulta asked Lyra, already sourcing another clump of white arcanite from her pouch.

Crumbling it frantically into her hands, she slapped her hands together and dragged it back to create a thick band of razor-sharp air which was sent directly towards the tree that Estelle, Chee and Marlowe had lingered before mere moments ago. The shimmer was determined to saw through the thick tree trunk and hopefully Lyra could send it towards the other platform to give them a way to sprint up towards the Alpha. “I’m staying down here with you.” She told Lyra as the white dust still clung to her palms. “We aren’t leaving Lolo.” She confirmed with a simple nod.

Lunging over the other Hispo, Hulta clung to the still standing tree to shimmy her way up…Koala style. Once at a certain level, she tried to use the last remaining remnants of white arcanite to send an additional hefty air slice towards a tree in the next platform. If she could give them the ‘ladders’ that they needed, perhaps they could bring this thing down for good.

Hulta tries to subdue Hispo #8
Hulta tries to give advantage to Lyra's attack on Hispo #5
Hulta tries to bring down a tree within Sector 1 and a tree within Sector 9

[Dove]

Character Name: Estelle Dawn (Android #16)
Date | Time: December 31 | Late Afternoon
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Pinewatch
Wearing: Red-brown sweater, dark green corduroys and brown boots.
Tagging | Mentioning: Savaged
Getting to Lolo had been her primary objective after she laid out what assist she could to Lyra. So she was grateful when she saw not just Lyra appear, but also Hulta with her. To say that the team was looking worse for wear was likely an understatement for the most part. And with that in mind, she realized she'd been lucky to not endure too much of a massive attack here. It told her it was her turn to up the risk to protect her team and maintain the best strategic positioning possible.

But with the ground shaking again, this time she went plummeting to the ground. The pillar beneath her feet cracked and splintered and she hardly had time to react. But she was able to bend her knees, absorb some of the fall with good timing as she watched the forest floor rise up around her. And her worst nightmare came true, most of her team finding themselves on this ultimate low ground. She was struggling to catch her breath as she began to rise to her feet again, but as she tried to take stock of where her teammates were, her feet were swept from under her as a Hispo tackled her to the ground. She huffed, the wind knocked out of her a moment as she let out a yelp and used her forearm to stave off the beast until she could get her legs under it. Once she did, she pressed up with her feet and shot the thing backwards in a little whirl behind her.

But there was no rest as another took its place, her forearm and core straining as she stared up at the thing with her teeth bared in effort. It snapped its jaws, dark and silvery looking jagged teeth aimed for her button nose. "Gah!" she yelled, staring up at it with furrowed brow and shoving at it. But this one had its hind claws buried in the ground around them, anchoring it in a way the other hadn't had time to. It was much harder to fend off.

Suddenly, the Hispo went slack and slumped over to its side. Chee. Taking his hand that was reached down for her, she stood up with some effort, shaking it off and looking around. "They're here. They're all here!" She gestured behind him, catching sight of Lyra, Hulta and now Koko that came jumping down towards them. Her eyes were bright and they had little time as more Hispo were shaking off their attacks and returning to the fight. With a curt nod to Chee, she wasted no more time. Hulta was climbing up a tree and it gave her a perfect bridge that would provide any kind of height for her. She could defend from above, help everyone up to the next level and rain hell down on any Hispo that tried to stop them. And if the Alpha situation grew more dire, she'd be in a better position to help there, too, right?

No time to think. "Nice, Hulta!" she exclaimed, lunging low and leaping up onto the tree, landing with a small hop on the trunk and sending a knife flying through the air to sink into the Hispo's head that was left next to Lyra. Darting up the trunk towards a plateau above them, she shouted for the team. "This way! I'll do my best to cover!" A Hispo had begun to tear up the trunk behind her, but she catapulted herself forward onto her hands, kicking feet over her head in a front handspring before kicking it off the trunk. But as she flipped over herself, a hand grabbed one of her knives and had it shooting through the air in the same fluid movement, the Hispo falling to the ground with the hilt of the knife right between the eyes.
N O T E S
Estelle takes out Hispo 5 and 7.
Estelle uses the advantage created by Hulta to move from Section 1 to Section 2.

[Aethyrium]

S T O R Y T E L L E R
December 31st, Late Afternoon (~4pm) | Johtan Wilderness - Pinewatch | Forest - Earth
Next Post: 5.4.25 | Dari, Thessa, Hulta, Marlowe, Chee, Estelle, Koko, Lyreilynn
The chaos of it continued to evolve. Though the earth itself finally remained still, the battleground they were on was an unrecognizable hellscape. Trees toppled over. Huge chunks of ice cluttered the ground. Jagged cliffs dozens of feet tall made the immediate area both impassable and largely imperceptible. Dust hung in the air, choking every breath from the violence of it all. That aura of malice tickled the back of their brains - all of them - stroking something in them that man had long forgotten, something uneasy that made their teeth ache and hearts race. It wasn’t just adrenaline, it was creeping fear - worse for some than others.

The Alpha seemed to expect much, but it did not expect Thessa to materialize from a bolt of lightning. The surge of elemental energy hit the ground and scorched it beneath her feet. It radiated a burst of power, and the lashes of lightning reached out like the Hispo’s own tendrils, grabbing it and searing it. Its whole body tightened beneath the paralyzing force, and sparks flew from its fur. As though the lightning had been solid, it sliced through the sinew of its neck, creating a deep oozing gash that spilled ichor from the Infinite Black onto the soil of the Bristlewood, staining it - but the head remained attached, however limply. The nearly decapitated head moved to roar. It’s fearsome jaw opening to loose another one of those Soul-quaking howls. But the noise that came out was guttural and bloody, wet. It caught the whirling arc of Dari’s blade. Spiting Cobra cleaved threw the stretchy flesh beside its face, severed the Alpha’s tongue, and bisected the well wounded head on the horizontal plane. The second head howled, but its effect was nil, as the other dropped lifelessly and flopped against its paw.

It sent the creature into a frenzy. Dari’s feet hit the ground, and the Alpha’s tail came whirling around, a dark mirror of the glaive. It smacked him with such force that he was thrown and toppled to his ass. One snarling head left shot forward with blinding speed, catching Thessa by surprise and grabbing her by the side. Its teeth punctured her protective aura, and it lifted her from the ground while two tendrils split forward and entwined her throat like chains, strangling the air from her lungs.

And all around them all, the rest of the forest came crashing down on them. Those left alone from the high rises came barreling down the cliff face, leaping skillfully from rock to tree to ground, navigating the broken terrain with a natural sense of it - coming with swiftness, aggression, and high ground enabled advantage, for those at the area’s lowest point.

One Hispo tackled Koko. Its teeth sunk into the crook of her neck, and as pain lanced through her, there was nothing left to be done. The creature pinned her to the ground and shook her like a toy, before launching her, discarding her. Her small, limp body toppled over itself across dirt and ice, poking and jabbing into her. If there was consciousness left, it was blurred with pain and soreness - there was no fight left in her.

Two came for Chee, and they grabbed his wrists in their jaws. Without his Soul to protect him, even his nimbleness couldn’t couldn’t save him. Like dogs with a tug toy, the Hispo growled, snarled and dug in their heels. They pulled the silenus in two ways, sharpness digging into him as they tried to rip him in two.

Then there were three who descended on Hulta and Lyra. As razor winds chewed through the wood of trees and felled them to create bridges, Lyra’s own mastery of elemental sorcery called winds to spiral them in the right places. Together they created ramps. But those actions made defenses suffer. One came for Hulta, tackling her and pinning her to the ground - but ineffectually snapping at her as she defended herself. Beside her, however, two more moved for Lyra. They swiped, bit, and pulled her down. Her Soul struggled to ward off the attacks, but already her body was weak. They cut through the jacket that Koko had gifted her. Raising a ward of ice, Lyra tried to defend herself, pushing one away, but took a swat from another right to face. The large paw crushed against her nose, spilling blood dribbling down her face - and she too fell, incapacitated.

Above them, Estelle got up the oaken bridge to find high ground to use against their enemies. She swerved past a tree, only to come face to face with one of the larger, scarred Hispo. A pack leader lept and collided with her. They hit the ground and bounced. She rolled, and tried to detangle herself from the angry flurry of sharp bits, but it ripped into her Soul before she could manage to dislodge it. Tossing it a few feet, both of them scurried to their feet. The Hispo rose and hunkered like it was ready to pounce… But it didn’t. Not right away.

Around them the forest erupted in a cacophony of howls - the Hispo were here en masse. Shadowy forms charged in on them. This fight wasn’t over - and even if the Alpha died, this did not deter the Hispo in the slightest, if anything it emboldened them, loosed from whatever spell it maintained over them.

N O T E S

Stats

Thessa (53%)

• Vitality: 28/70
• Soul: 20/85 (Red)
• Resources: Full

Estelle (70%)

• Vitality: 116/135
• Soul: 14/55 (Orange)
• Resources: Full

Marlowe (52% | 28%)

• Vitality: 0/80
• Soul: 0/40 (Broken)
• Resources: Low
• Shimmer: .7 dots

Lyreilynn (70% | 32%)

• Vitality: 0/100
• Soul: 71/100 (Yellow)
• Resources: Full

Hulta (53% | 26%)

• Vitality: 18/70
• Soul: 29/55 (Yellow)
• Resources: Full

Dariaq (60%)

• Vitality: 54/80
• Soul: 19/70 (Orange)
• Resources: Low

Koko (33% | 12%)

• Vitality: 0/70
• Soul: 0/25 (Broken)
• Resources: Full

Chee (50% | 26%)

• Vitality: 4/60
• Soul: 34/40 (Green)
• Resources: Full

Koko takes 28 damage to Vitality. Her Vitality runs out; she can no longer contribute to this fight.
Lyra takes 22 damage to the Soul, and 11 to Vitality. Her Soul degrades to Yellow, and her Vitality runs out; she can no longer contribute to this fight.
Thessa takes 17 damage to the Soul, and 16 to Vitality. Her Soul degrades to Red.
Dari takes 5 damage to the Soul, and 8 to Vitality.
Chee takes 22 damage to Vitality.
Estelle takes 3 damage to the Soul, and 5 to Vitality.

Chee cannot shake the fear, his Soul Barrier is inactive and he cannot use Arcanite. He is vulnerable.

The Alpha can safely be defeated by anyone currently engaged with it - Thessa or Dariaq. Taking down the Alpha will be all that character can accomplish this round, but they are free to narrate its defeat however they like.

This will be the final round of posting. Movement doesn’t need to be tracked at this point, nor does strict limits of how many Hispo are killed. At this point, the squires are descended upon by the remaining masses. There are at least twenty Hispo, including the larger ‘pack leaders’ to deal with. Posts this round should be written with the spirit of a steady swarming happening, it’s just a tide of them. You are free to narrate that how you like, and consider any of your actions successful. Be awesome! Be cinematic! But also try to highlight the attrition of it - the feeling of being overwhelmed by numbers.

Each character individually will need to determine how much risk to take on. At this point the characters will be successful in eliminating the horde of Hispo - but they do not know that, and the state they leave this fight in will be determined largely by this round. You may dial your risk anywhere from 1 to 6. In the following, final, GM post that brings the chapter to a close, the amount of risk taken by the squires at this point will directly inform how punishing and the consequences of this final battle. To be blunt, if the squires play this safe, the consequences will be dire. So you are gambling taking risks individually against extremity of consequence as whole - more risk taken increases individual liability, while decreasing the likelihood of a “catastrophic finale”.

[shengami]

Character Name: Chee Tortious
Date | Time: 12.31 | ~4pm
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Pinewatch | Forest - Water
Wearing: Tracksuit, comfy shoes, Weapons per CS
Tagging | Mentioning: SAvAGeD 1e |
Note: I'm Chee Tortious!
A form blurred past Chee and he just registered the blue on black as Estelle before the Hispo he'd been squaring off against dropped like a sack of potatoes in Esther's storeroom. He smiled weakly. Then he forced himself through his growing weariness. A veteran endurance athlete, Chee recognized true fatigue creeping in. Not the body's first limit or even the second. He'd broken through that already. No, he recognized the depths of his reserves racing up at him; he was in free fall.

He relaxed for just a second. It should cost him nothing. A ragged breath drawn in against its will; an explosive sigh. He felt his lungs, chest, heart, stomach relax. His brain was fuzzy with adrenaline and lactic acid. This time, his grin was real. There was nothing, nothing at all, like riding this edge. His form vibrated.

Then the echoing howl came again. All the excitement trickled out of him like ice cream through the bottom of the soggy cone. His knees buckled and his arms dropped. His ears flexed under the covering and his tail lashed once. The sound rattled his brains. The adrenaline leaked out but the fatigue grew. He dragged in a breath laden with darkness. His mind screamed at him to run, flee, hide. Find a crevice or crack to jam himself in. Leave the battlefield. Be the one to report back. Survive. Chee was a survivor. He'd survived his mother, he'd survived Sea Breeze. He'd survived the Eastern Quarter. His head lolled back to stare up at the trees. They jerked back and forth as the world rocked. His head felt barely attached. The world was pain. Rishi Valley, the battle with Adir, Haymurk, the Paige incident: he'd done nothing but fail and fail and fail. What did it matter this time?

He pulled idly. His left shoulder felt ragged, it exploded, his arm was tearing.

The howls stopped, choked off. Chee blinked. The trees above shook; no, he shook. His head snapped right. A Hispo was chewing on his arm. He felt its throat; he felt the grip of his pistol. His brain fired. His heart leaped into action. His finger pulled the trigger: once, twice, thrice. The Hispo's backlit eyes went out. He snatched his fist free even as his left shoulder screamed. Twisting, he saw a twin to the other Hollow sinking its teeth into his forearm. He twisted, ducked under, brought the pistol to where jaw met neck and squeezed until click-click. He pointed the gun down at the still form and screamed empty shots at it.

Slumping again, Chee's right hand flicked the clip out, laid the gun down, fetched the last clip of ten rounds, then slid it in. He slammed the butt down on his thigh, tucked it under his left armpit, and racked the slide. It went into the holster. Gripping his left sleeve with his right fist, he jerked once, twice and it tore away. It was awkward, but he secured his left arm against his chest. The shoulder was, for sure, dislocated. His brain floated in a sea of calm at the eye of a storm. It knew that though. He shifted into lotus position and looked at his left calf. He saw torn muscle twitching beneath a tide of blood. There was no pain though, just a distant throbbing. His training told him, distantly, he was in shock. But his training also told him shock served a purpose. He rocked his neck, it popped. He might be battered, bruised, and bedraggled, but he was still operational, barely. Others weren't.

He stood and hobbled to scoop up Darklash. His calf bore his weight. Licking his lips, he saw Marlowe staring at him blankly. Turning his head, he saw Lyra and Koko and Hulta. It was looking bad. His eyes went up, slowly, to the crestline of the ridge. Shadows pooled there. He saw Estelle dancing with them. The back of his head felt big. "Dat's just great."

He turned and started to hobble. "Hu-" He choked and spat bloody phlegm on the ground, "Hulta!" He limped to Marlowe's still form. As he arrived, a shadow form slipped over the ledge and raced toward him. He quickdrew the pistol, waited until it was close, then fired. It skidded to a stop near his feet. Grabbing Marlowe under her shoulders one-handed, he pulled. He slipped and crashed into blood-soaked mud. Growling, he scrabbled and pulled again. The mud slicked the passage. Marlowe moved. "Hulta! Get Koko!" He focused on a tree near Lyra. it was big, round, still standing. They could put their backs to it, hold the ground. There were too many injured to use the ramp now. He couldn't get Marlowe and Lyra up. He grit his teeth and pulled. His calf screamed. His shoulder throbbed.

Speed was his shield. The idea rattled in his head. His Soul had fled. But he was still fast. He still had a shield. He still had his sword. Until it dropped from his numb fingers, until the jaws clamped around his skull, until that last bit of light he had was snuffed, he'd be the wall. That's what he promised. That's the promise he'd keep. His gait strengthened. He set Marlowe against the tree and patted her shoulder. Then, standing, he jogged for Lyra. Each step rattled his shoulder and evinced a wince of pain. He felt some of his remaining strength bolstering. He grabbed Lyra next and pulled her to the tree beside Marlowe, "Dere, Lolo. I did my best. Lyra's here." He moved their hands atop one another. If they died, at least they'd die together.

Standing, he saw another form coming over the ledge. Larger and battle-scarred, he recognized one of the sub-alphas. He licked his lips and chuckled. Drawing the pistol, he aimed. His hand shook. He pulled the trigger and it jinked left and right. He growled. The empty pistol hit the turf. The thing kept coming despite its bleeding chest. Thinking sluggishly, his brain went to one place. His Soul had abandoned him, but that wasn't the only way to use Arcanite! His fingers slid along his waist, found a cannister of soft Arcanite, and ripped it free. He glanced; the black powder glinted. Smiling, he whipped it at the beast. Then he ripped Darklash from its sheath.

He charged behind the ampule. If he had to go out, let it be spectacular. He inhaled. He had to suck the air into his tired lungs. He forced his eyes to focus; he made his mind recall the motions he'd learned. A proper swordsman's thrust was the goal. He saw the jaws engulfing the ampule. He stepped, planted his off-foot, his thumb activated the ring-switch, and Darklash's blade stabbed out. His calf threatened to give way. he forced it steady. The lunge was just about 6 meters long: Darklash's full length plus Chee's own extended form. The blade of the weapon flying straight forward hit the ampule, pierced it, then shattered it. The jaws snapped shut.

There was a moment, a second's delay, then lightning arced out of the thing's mouth to wreathe its body. Chee's eyes burned watching the corona of white-hot light eat the thing. Chee had no idea if the blade had triggered the Arcanite or if it was reacting to the Hollow's body, but it burned the thing. Chee held his pose for a moment longer then collapsed. His thumb hit the reel on darklash. It snaked through the mud. He choked on dust then spat another bloody gob of phlegm into the dirt. The blade snicked home. He giggled deliriously.

A growl pulled his gaze up. The large form had slumped; he frowned at it. Then, coming over it, was yet another sub-alpha. This one had some unique features, saber teeth. Chee giggled again. He pushed the point of Darklash into the earth and made to stand. His injured leg collapsed under him and the hilt struck his diaphragm. He puked pure bile. He grit his teeth. He pushed again, got his good leg under him. He looked back at Lyra and Marlowe. His eyes went to Lyra's form, noted the many many weeping wounds and and some older things. Marlowe's hair was a bloody, muddy mess. "If I survive dis? I'll help you wash your hair, bot of you." He turned, flicked the ichor from his blade, and brought Darklash on guard. "Come on, you don't even rate as da Wild One's dingleberry. Come get me. I'm Chee Tortious. I'll fuck you up!" There really really was nothing like running this edge. More Hollow poured over the ledge behind the larger pack leader.

N O T E S
Kill three Hispo, move Lyra and Marlowe, kill an sub-alpha, take a last stand. What risk that accrues, I'm ok with it. If there needs to be strong consequences, let me know

[Eye of Horus]

Stats

Strength: 1
Stamina: 3
Speed: 3
Shimmer: 2
Soul: 3
Brawl: 1
Melee: 4
Ranged: 1
Preparation: 1

Terrain Affinity: Desert
Terrain Weakness: Aquatic, Swamp
Element Affinity: Lightning (black arcanite)
Element Weakness: Earth (green arcanite)

Weapon Bonus:12

Character Name:Dariaq Syvanios
Date | Time: 31.12.1322 | Late afternoon
Location: Bristlewood
Wearing: Hammer uniform, combat webbing
Tagging | Mentioning: Savaged squad
Notes: Arrogance
Dari rose - slowly, haltingly, but insistently - from where the Alpha’s tail had thrown him. He coughed on dust and dirt, his Soul flickering the same colour as the dying sun. His fingers barely held onto Spitting Cobra. Ahead and above him the Alpha raged, blood trailing from its half-shorn head, one face dead, the other snarling - hatred incarnate.

Thessa thrashed in its grip, still fighting, even as her Soul guttered red. The forest burned with arcanite flashes where their friends screamed and reeled and fought on. Dari saw it all and heard none of it. He began to run, picking up speed, flinging out his Shimmer one last time before his strength gave out. On streamers of light his echo surged out of him, quick as lightning as it leapt and corkscrewed through the air, its phantom glaive windmilling through the tendrils that held Thessa fast. Dari himself surged upward to plant one foot on the Alpha’s heel, the other on its haunch, and struck downwards with all his might.

The Alpha wheeled, a snarling black flash. Dari leapt away as Thessa wriggled free, but he felt the Alpha’s claws savage his back as he rolled clear. An unaimed volley from his glaive’s caster sent the Alpha dodging back warily into the splintered trees, and Dari almost collided with Thessa as he rolled to a halt. He could feel himself grinning manically, though he wasn’t sure why. At first he thought that the Alpha’s claws had only grazed his back, but as he focused on it the pain began to bite - as sharp as if not worse than the pain in his arm.

“Go help the others, Thessa.” he urged. Even talking was painful, the words tinged in red. “They need their leader. And like I said,” In spite of everything, his manic grin widened. “The big bastard is mine.”

He raised his head, fighting the stiff ache in his neck and shoulders. Past the Alpha the sun was gone, and in its place was a band of fire-light; red, fierce, ancient. Around them on all sides the treetops were painted with blood and shadows. They could have been alone on the top of the world.

The alpha paced back and forth, its dead head lolling, its living one watching him for an opening. It bled smoke and shadow, blotting out the sun’s final defiance. Dari wasn’t sure if the feeling surging in his chest was terror or euphoria. He remembered the old tales, of how champions were not crowned, but chosen - in moments when no one else could rise. When nothing was left. When the world burned, and when the Brothers and the dragons both looked away. He jammed Spitting Cobra into the dirt and rose to one knee, steadying himself. The glaive’s arcanite was nearly spent, and so was he.

But not quite.

Gritting his teeth, Dari brushed a thumb over the glaive’s trigger rune. Teal sparks flared as the last reserve of black arcanite began to siphon into the weapon. Dari stood. His mother’s weapon rose with him, hissing, spitting arcs of lightning into the dirt.

Dari almost imagined he saw the Alpha flinch.

It knew. This was not a fair fight, and it never had been. He was his mother, standing firm in defence of their enclave. He was Tandaleon of Tabor, arriving exactly where and when he was needed. He was Zandis Goldeneye and he was lady Arakysse, screaming to the rescue atop Velesia.

He was Dariaq Syvanios of Le Havre, son of Ivleen and Jenevelle.

The Hollow snapped toward him, tendrils lashing. Dari threw himself forward, ducking, flipping his glaive into a reverse grip as he slid beneath it. He stabbed upward, right into the Alpha’s exposed heart-space, the barbs of the caster punching deep. As the black arcanite detonated the Alpha froze, mid-lunge, spasming. Its howl became a wet choking snarl. Then another blast - a second discharge, tearing through it from the inside. Its body contorted, ballooned from internal explosions, smoked vaporised blood. Dari, screaming wordlessly, shoved the caster end deeper, levering the massive creature up and over as he rose. The Alpha dropped like a thunderstruck titan. One paw clawed once at the rock, then stilled.

Dari dropped to one knee, gasping. Below him the others were surely still fighting, but all he could hear was the blood roaring in his ears. The Alpha twitched once more and began to crack, its flesh splintering like dry earth and the Infinite Black leaking out like smoke, like something not meant to be in this world at all. Dari turned away from it, leaning on his glaive. The caster was unusable, even if he hadn’t drained its arcanite reserve. Its barrel was clogged with the Hollow’s ichor.

Slowly, haltingly, but insistently, he stood.

His Soul stuttered, flickering in time to his jagged heartbeat. He could feel every injury - his arm, his back, his neck - and if anything they hurt worse than before. And yet, he felt a laugh clawing up his chest and into his scorched throat. Once he started he couldn’t even stop. He staggered to the edge of the shattered plateau, above them all, and looked down at his squad still fighting amid a whirlpool of Hispo. He raised his glaive in both hands, the blade catching the last red light. The light of legends.

Witness me.

“SYVANIOOOOOS!” he yelled, and drove the blade into the loose earth of the cliff face, dragging a furrow to slow his descent as he slid down to join the fight with the others.

[Dove]

Character Name: Estelle Dawn (Android #16)
Date | Time: December 31 | Late Afternoon
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Pinewatch
Wearing: Red-brown sweater, dark green corduroys and brown boots.
Tagging | Mentioning: Savaged
Watching the carnage from below, she suddenly wondered if she had made the wrong decision. Guilt wracked over her as she stood on the cliff's face, looking over as she watched Koko go down, then Lyra. Her face contorted, knowing it was far too late to save them here. In the moments she was caught up with Hispo on her own level, more Hollow had surged down onto that low ground. If she had stayed there, would things have been different? Eyes squeezed shut, but only for a moment. There was nothing regrets could do to make things better here.

Turning on her heel, she was ready to turn and face any Hispo that were sure to be coming this way, attracted by the commotion of the fight underway. But she came face to face with one of the larger Hispo. No time to react, once again, the wind was knocked out of her. She grunted, this creature definitely one of the more powerful, larger pack leaders. It was stronger, mightier, and far more vicious. Finally able to hurl it from her frame, there was an eerie thing about the way that it looked at her, poised to pounce but holding still and fast.  The ominous nature of it combined with the ooze of discomfort from the Alpha was horrific.

There was no time to waste. The howls of Hispo from all around echoed around them, and she heard who she thought was Dari shout in the distance. It was a sound that she could only describe as positive, and she took that to mean that the Alpha was dead. It was a victory cry. But this did not feel like victory. Not yet and not really.

The pack leader jumped at her and this time she was ready. She leapt, rolling forward underneath its jump before hopping back in the direction it tumbled in to land on its back. Pinning it to the ground for a moment, she grabbed two of her knives and stabbed them into its head, ripping them down its back before jumping back to her feet. There were more. One, two, three. Knives flew threw the air faster than she could imagine. But it wasn't enough. A Hispo came up behind her, slashing across her back and sending her tumbling into a nearby tree. She shouted in pain, her elbow flying backwards to catch it in the neck, the body crumpling to the ground.

More howls. She leaned against the tree, her breath coming in heavy gasps now as fear bubbled beneath her skin. She had to hold this side of the forest, had to see the rest of this through for the sake of her teammates both downed and still fighting alike. That is when she spotted them. A group of Hispo sprinting her way, just visible as they disrupted the dirt around them. It was impossible to tell exactly how many. 6... 7...? More? They were not quite clumped and with the tree cover there was no way she could take them all down before they overwhelmed her. She could hear Chee's voice muffled slightly behind her. It was instead the sound of her blood rushing, her pulse, that filled her ears. Time seemed to slow as she stared down this reality.

She'd have to try something different. Something big, something risky. So she shouted, throwing her arms in the air to hopefully guide as many Hispo that were left in the area her way. Perhaps this would be her largest regret. Perhaps it would be her strongest decision. There wasn't enough time to wait and corral any more this way. Reaching deep into one of the pockets of her pants, she procured an emerald colored stone, the color sparkling against her pale skin. It was smooth, cool, and somehow soothing to the touch. She brought the stone to her lips, a silent hope or prayer sent up to... someone or something or just the universe as a whole.

Then, with a cry that matched her fervor, she cradled the arcanite between two hands and brought herself to the ground, her hands colliding with the earth in front of her. She directed all of her energy, her Soul and intention into the green. Into the earth. The ground rumbled and in the blink of an eye, originating from her hands, the earth rippled like a wave. Trees fell, rocks flew into the air, the earth split and shifted. And the wave of sorts pushed the Hispo back, scattering them. Some would fall so hard that they were put to a quick end. But others would only be delayed.

And she was ready. The green gem back in her pocket and knives at the ready. One after the other, she shot them through the air even though she could barely see a thing with all the dust settling from her move. Another tree would fall and she'd jump over it, running now in the direction they were coming and spinning knives in perfect precision to take them down. They'd all be dead if she had anything to say about it, sweat dripping down her forehead and sweater stretched out from some of the attacks so it hung off one of her shoulders. Hair was smattered across the sides of her face, and she had a combination of hers and others blood on her neck and the backs of her hands and forearms. Only when this side of the forest was clear did she hustle back towards the center, looking to aid any survivors and protect those that were downed.
N O T E S
Estelle takes a big risk here, realistically a 5 or higher.

[TheFluffyOne]

Character Name: Hulta Elderfond
Date | Time: December 31st | 4pm
Location:The Wall Command Centre
Wearing: Uniform, Jacket, Harness with staff
Tagging | Mentioning: Team Savaged
Koko was down. Her limp body shaken like she was nothing more than a bloodied white flag weakly waved for mercy. Chee was caught between two creatures, snarled jaes snapping into his wrists and tearing him apart. Hulta’s back hit the ground and she was pinned by a Hispo that tried to lunge for her throat. She held her branch high and in its jaws to hold it back. Her head hit to one side as she watched Lyra be pinned. Attacks slicing through her cleanly, fabric torn like it was nothing more than mist. Marlowe lay as a crimson mess beside them. Hulta’s body froze for what felt like minutes dragging into each other but was barely seconds. She couldn’t lose anyone else.

Her feet rose and landed in the hips of the Hispo above her, in one fluid movement she flung it backwards and off her. Estelle utilised the tree ladder and she saw amber flecks dance from the small woman’s body. The howls no longer radiated through her with terror. Not when her own fear dwarfed anything that they could throw at her. Hulta couldn’t see Dari…She couldn’t see Thessa. She had to hope that the two were still standing. They would have each others backs. Standing herself, she had the severely splintered branch in white knuckled grip. There were still too many of them. They were creeping closer. They were in trouble. They were…Chee’s voice sliced through her fear and cold amber eyes snapped to him. An order was flung to her and she nodded once before sprinting towards the last place she had seen Koko slam into. Flinging her branch into the section of the parcel of land, she used it as a ledge to haul herself up the side of earth.

She didn’t stop even as her lungs demanded relief. The creature that attacked Koko was creeping towards her, ready to pounce. Hulta didn’t look at it, she concentrated on the mess of bloody blonde curls that lay in a heap. Her right hand flung out to her side and a torrent of air ribbons left her, aiming directly for the closest tree to the Hispo. Slicing easily through the bark like it was nothing more than butter, the shards of sharpened bark fluttered free and were picked up by the air ribbons.

In one fluid movement, Hulta gripped one of Koko’s legs and rolled. Flinging her onto her shoulders and pushing herself up onto both feet. The ribbons moved when Hulta rolled, sharpening their edges and slicing into the Hispo. No mercy. The bark and ribbons tore through the creature, aiming for the throat as it wrapped around its neck. There was no escape. No fighting air. Only death.

The elf didn’t even glance back to see if her attack landed, she moved as quickly as she could with Koko. Her alert eyes watching as Hispo crowded in on them. Estelle was cornered, she could try to help her when she got Koko down to Chee. There were so many variables rattling through her head that it stung her skin. She was slowed down but she managed to hobble her way down the tree trunk and deposit the body of Koko with Marlowe and Lyra. She turned to head back up the tree towards Estelle when a war cry from the smaller woman pierced through her. Earth went flying and Hulta skidded back down the tree.

Okay. Estelle needed no help. Chee was standing strong. Dari was screaming something, probably his own name, from the top of the land parcel. Hulta tried to search for a weapon of sorts, anything, something. She wanted to scream out of frustration as nothing looked right. And the Hispo kept drifting closer, stalking them like the pack of wild dogs that they were. One Hispo launched forward, powering towards Marlowe. Not a single sane thought flicked through her skull. She rolled towards the creature and ran head on at it. Her right hand curled into a fist and reared back directly for the open maw of the Hispo.

At last moment, she managed to form a whistle from dry lips. Ribbons wrapped around her knuckles and wrist as she launched her fist directly into its mouth. Tearing at flesh as she tried to grab its tongue. The sensation reminded her of that man Lolo and her had felled. The torn tongue. The mouth filling with blood and destroyed pieces of flesh. A guttural growl left her lips as she brought her other hand to try and rear its head back. Snapping the jaws out of place and prying the creatures face apart.

Covered from head to toe in blood, Hulta could feel teeth embedding into her wrist and arm. Sacrificing some of her precious soul, her ribbon sliced through her flesh and gathered up every one of the torn free teeth. Canines floated in the ribbons as she snapped her gaze to those that still approached the three felled team members and Chee who was fending off others. The ribbons waved before ricocheting out. Teeth and flesh flying with them. Each one aimed for a different Hispo. Eyes, tongues, neck, soft belly. It didn’t matter. She was cleaving through them in a blood thirsty manner. Pain was now a familiar companion as she wrenched the Hispo’s tongue cleanly free from its mouth.


Hulta tries to do a lot!
Essentially, fling her Hispo off, move Koko, deal with Hispo by Koko, attack Hispo near Marlowe and Lyra. Before trying a risky move to attack any other Hispos down on their platform.

[Envious]

Stats

Strength: 3
Stamina: 2
Speed: 0
Shimmer: 4
Soul: 4
Brawl: 2
Melee: 1
Ranged: 0
Preparation: 2

Terrain Affinity: Grassland, Desert
Terrain Weakness: Aquatic, Urban
Element Affinity: Lightning, Fire
Element Weakness: Earth, Water

Weapon Bonus: 12+2

Character Name: Thessa Almentis
Date | Time: 12.31.1322 |
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Pinewatch - Forest
Wearing: Uniform
Tagging | Mentioning: Dari, Koko
Notes:
Saved by Dariaq!? She was both thrilled and devastated as she retreated next to him to regroup for another assault. She lifted her shield and balled her fist at the ready, but whipped her head in surprise at his words. The brazen confidence of his claim as he stood panting and bleeding was infuriating. How dare he send her away! Had he learned nothing from watching Marlowe be laid low by the hollow? The Alpha might have been wounded, but it was folly to think it would be easy to finish off! She glared at him with every intention to rebuke his arrogance, but there was a fire in his gaze that made her snap her mouth shut. It resonated with her. It was the look of a man who wasn’t about to let someone tell him no and she recognized it because it was one she wore often. There was no arguing with him.

“Tch! I do this only because I have weakened it so thoroughly that even Dariaq Syvanios cannot possibly fail,” she shot back, turning to the Alpha. The team should have been here by now. What was happening that they weren’t? But she didn’t immediately leave. Even as she disengaged the alpha, there were still hispo lurking in the trees; she had seen them in her primordial form and she wasn’t leaving Dariaq just yet. She retreated as the Alpha began to pace, its malice locked on to her newest teammate. There was a twist in her heart at the thought of leaving him alone against the foul creature. They were better together! But even if they weren’t on the same path, they were moving towards a common goal. Her part would be to make sure he could engage the beast without distraction and then assist the rest of the team. She shrugged off her jacket. The shirt underneath was torn, revealing patches of bleeding skin.

It took no time for a monster to engage her. There was a snarl and then a hispo launched itself from the branches of an ancient oak with such force that it cracked the limb. Thessa raised her shield to resist the razor claws outstretched towards her and grunted at the weight as they scratched down Legacy’s surface.

’Is this what it is to be a Champion?’

The hollow landed and its slavering maw huffed warm, acrid air against Thessa’s face as it attempted to bite her. She grimaced as she reeled back and countered with the blades of Legacy cutting deep into its bristly fur. She sucked in a breath of air as she fought exhaustion and lifted her leg to kick out at the knee of the creature. There was a sickening snap and the hispo careened forward and Thessa met it with the spike of her shield.

’I hurt so others do not have to?’

The pain threatened her to consider cowardice. She had never been subjected to such consistent brutality and the never-ending horde of hollow was becoming death by a thousand cuts. It hurt and she did not like it, but… neither had anyone else at Pinewatch. The mutilated bodies of the people would be a sight that stuck with her forever. The wonton, wide-spread gore from creatures that took pleasure in prolonging the terror and suffering had occurred because no one had been able to stand up to the beasts.

She could.

The elf saw a hollow leap from its perch on another tree and sail towards Dariaq’s exposed back, but Thessa yoinked it at the rib cage and it veered off course, hitting the ground on its side. It rolled over its back to snap at Thessa who had already started to backflip out of range, but as she was vertical and upside down, she released the chain to Legacy and it thunked into the meat of the creature. Thessa reeled the chain in and it forced her body to rocket towards the hollow. She tucked in and pulled her body so she would land feet first and as she neared the torso of the creature she cracked an ampoule of sound arcanite and stomped into the creature. A low hum exploded from the soles of her feet causing the fur of the creature to ripple as a sound wave blasted through its body with devastating force. She pushed off the creature and landed a safe distance away as it wobbled and then fell.

’I hurt Hollow so it does not hurt others,’ she amended, just as a hollow landed by Dari. She thought for sure it would attack him, but it galloped forward at a frightening speed past both of them and towards the rest of the team. It was followed by another. Thessa gasped in shock. The creatures sensed weakness. Something was wrong. She spun on her heel and charged after the creatures, chastising herself for her own moment of weakness. Yes, she hurt, but the Brothers did not put anything in her path she could not handle. She might not understand their plan, but she knew she was a part of it.

She leapt up into the air after the other two hollow and there was a moment of panic as she realized just how high she was now falling from, but her instinct took over. With one hand she flicked a vial of white arcanite up from her shield, grabbed Chee’s grapnel gun from her waist, yoinked the vial to catch it in her palm under two outstretched fingers, and crushed the dust against the handle of the grapnel gun. A white swirl surrounded the weapon as she pulled the trigger. It exploded with force that sailed over the first hispo, then the second, and then the weapon defied the laws of physics and curled under the second hispo and shooting towards the belly of the first again. It made a single loop around the two creatures and the metal bit wrapped around the first hispo before Thessa pulled the trigger. As the last of the soft arcanite evaporated, the two hispo were caught in its lasso and pulled tight together. Beneath her, Estelle was blasting a frontal cone of earthen energy outwards, disrupting the gang of hispo that had attempted to rush her spot. What she saw made her heart lurch in fear. Three downed teammates.

The trajectory of the hispo had been ruined and Thessa dropped the grapnel gun as the two creatures went crashing into the canopy of a tree. Thessa’s own whip extended out to hit a branch, slowing her descent so that she could land next to her team. To their right, the two tangled hispo crashed to the broken ground amidst ruined ice and crumpled bodies of their dark brethren as the dust attempted to settle around them.

”Got yer back,” she rasped at Estelle, Chee, and Hulta as her partner took off to finish what she started. Then Dariaq cried out victoriously. It rallied her own spirits, but there was only so much enthusiasm to be had on the steps on death’s door. How often in the months since joining Hammer had she toed the edge? The thought of death used to horrify her, but the more she became acquainted with it, the more comfortable it became. Already, the edge of fear that had come with pain was dulling and transitioning from base instinct to survive to thoughtful strategy.

’I have many years until I walk the steps to Amnesty.’ She told herself, manifesting the outcome. To enter the domain of the God of Light now would only disappoint those who were waiting for her on the other side. She put soft arcanite in each fist and charged towards the two downed hispo. She leapt up in an attempt to crash down fist first on a creature, but it scrambled out of the way as she cratered the ground. She was already spinning to strike again, but the other hispo bucked out with its back legs. It would have caught her in the arm if she hadn’t snapped the air arcanite and a shield of wind swirled around her bicep, taking the brunt of the blow instead of her Soul. The force of it sent her skidding backwards giving enough time for the other hispo to strike. She snapped the other container of arcanite and an aura of energy radiated out from her forearm where teeth had attempted to chomp. The hollow struggled to snap down, its jowls rattling with vibration as it attempted to force its way through the yellow arcanite, but Legacy disrupted the attack. The spike of her shield went into its eye. As she pulled her blade out, black ichor following, she surveyed the area around them in what felt like slow motion.

Those of her team who could stand were fending off attacks, dismantling the hispo with violence, but more continued to stream from the broken forest around them. Thessa breathed in deep and sighed heavily. Her clarity and concentration didn’t waver as her muscles screamed for respite. There would be none until this was over and it would be over when they had killed them all. This was not her time.

The lifeblood of the hispo splat noisily on the ground as she pressed the attack, keeping Legacy and arcanite between her and the life-seeking onslaught of these abominations. She shouted less, her body too tired to expend the energy to make her displeasure known as she moved from one hispo to the next. Soon, even the sounds of combat faded away. The snarls, the sundered earth, the cracking limbs, the howls of pain, the explosive activation of arcanite - everything around her went numb leaving only the rush of blood in her ears and the quaking breaths in her chest.

’I live. I live. I live.’ Each death she secured brought her more time, but she could feel the diminishing returns. Her body was slowing down. Her reactions were stalling. She yoinked a creature charging for Hulta and never noticed the beast at her flank. Teeth rend through her Soul with a spark of red before bursting completely and pierced her flesh, gouging her deeply. Its rough tongue lashed out along her stomach as if savoring her blood. One of her teammates - she couldn’t see who - did something to make the creature shudder and then slump. Its jaw went slack against her and as the creature fell sideways, the teeth painfully scraped against her body as gravity pulled them out of her.

She couldn’t power the arcanite anymore and one less tool in her arsenal frightened her. So did her growing injuries. If she didn’t stop to address the wound, she would bleed out. If she stopped to address it, she’d be caught in another death grip.

“Not today.” The words were brittle. She used what little saliva she had and spat the mud from her mouth. ”Ain’t dyin’ today,” she clarified, stretching her arms wide in the brief moment she had. Her muscles pulled painfully, but there was relief. She squared up again, shield raised defensively and took a labored breath in. Never in her life had talking been so strenuous. ”They mess with the wrong team! Show ‘em what it mean ta be Savaged!”
N O T E S
pew pew

[Aethyrium]

S T O R Y T E L L E R
December 31st, Late Afternoon (~4pm) | Johtan Wilderness - Pinewatch | Forest - Earth
Dari, Thessa, Hulta, Marlowe, Chee, Estelle, Koko, Lyreilynn
Though they were not Champions in the truest sense, there was no mistaking the formidable power each Squire possessed. A single one was a force to be reckoned with; together, a team of them became something greater - an engine of will and war, capable of turning the tide of nearly any conflict. Their presence alone carried weight, and in moments like these, their strength served as a stark reminder of the world's fragility. It underscored the importance of figures like Colonel Early, and the tireless military presence stationed at the Wall - the last barrier between civilization and oblivion.

What approached now was nearly double the size of the Hispo assault that had come for Onyx not long ago. That previous force had already pushed the defenders to the brink, and even then, they had the fortune of Brighto - a true Champion - standing among them. Without her, and without the desperate resistance of countless others far less gifted than even a single Squire, the Hollow would have swept through Onyx unchecked. And from there, it would not have stopped. It would have devoured everything across the breadth of Toil.

This moment offered more than just a lesson in military necessity - it cast into sharp relief what it truly meant to be a Champion. Not glory. Not power. Not certainty. To be a Champion was to hold the line knowing it would eventually break. It was to pour everything into a single moment, and to do so with no expectation of victory - only the hope that it might buy someone else one more breath, one more heartbeat. Against the Hollow, there were no tomorrows promised. Only moments wrestled, inch by inch, from the teeth of annihilation.

Their attack began not as a charge, but as a cataclysm. The Hollow came like a tide loosed from a shattered dam, surging down upon Savaged with unrelenting fury. They seemed unending - monstrous, mythic, more force of nature than foe. For every one struck down, two more emerged from the shadowed reaches beyond sight. It became a battle of endurance, of will, of raw survival.

This was not the kind of fight where names and titles mattered. It was the kind that chewed through legends and spat out bones. Even a Champion could fall here, not from a single mighty blow, but from a thousand small ones - an endless grind of claws and hunger. And if even the lowliest Hollow could bring a Champion to their knees, then what did that say of the rest? These were the creatures that birthed the warnings carved into stone and etched into song. These were the terrors that demanded a Champion’s presence - not out of honor, but necessity.

And even then, it still might not be enough.

But such was the calling. Whatever reasons had brought them here - duty, vengeance, desperation, hope - none of it mattered now. This was their purpose: to fight, to endure, to bleed in the space between survival and extinction. The Hollow bled black ichor, thick and glistening like oil, spilling across the battlefield as freely as the blood that had once soaked the streets of Pinewatch. It seeped into the soil, clung to ruined stones, and smeared across torn fabric and shattered armor. The ground itself seemed to mourn, groaning under the weight of so much carnage. Around them, death became something more than absence - it was a spectacle. Wisps of black ash lifted from the remains of fallen Hollow, peeling away in coils as if their bodies could not endure this world long after their death. Eventually, nothing of them would remain. No corpses to bury. No trophies to collect. Only the land - ravaged and ruptured - would tell the story. A war etched into dirt and stone. The terrain itself buckled and broken, torn open as though the world had tried to swallow the violence it had just endured. And at its center, Estelle’s aftermath - the echo of her power - had reshaped the land like a giant’s hand plunged into a still lake. The surface had frozen mid-disaster, ridged and wild, an immortalized ripple in a sea of devastation.

But there was no rest. No breath between horrors.

More came for them - always more. A pair of Hollow surged toward the redhead, as synchronized and relentless as Hulta and Dari themselves. They moved like dancers of death, twin shadows slicing through the chaos. In a heartbeat, she was down - face-first in the muck, grappling with the wet, shuddering breath of panic. One of the creatures loomed, its blade arcing through the air to finish her. And then… impact. A knife struck the Hollow’s throat, driving deep and pinning it to the earth beside her with a wet, choking sound. A second blade buried itself in the creature’s eye. The first fell twitching. Estelle, from afar, had not missed. Her overwatch had saved a life.

But such was the calling, regardless of why they had come here, this is what they were here to do. Ichor flowed from the Hollow like blood from the villagers of Pinewatch. It stained the ground, and clung to clothes and remnants of the shattered landscape. All around them, flecks of black ash rose from the fallen Hollow, peeled away from where their remains were. Eventually, nothing of the Hollow would remain and the only evidence that a great battle here had been fought would be the weeping land’s upheaval - the chaos that had splintered, fractured it, and then Estelle’s following ripple that made it look like a great stone pond disrupted and frozen in time.

Hulta was already moving. Scooping up the fallen dagger slick with enemy filth, she spun in a blur and rammed it into the gut of the second attacker. The creature shrieked, black tar erupting from the wound, splashing across Hulta’s clothing and face. But even as it died, another threat took shape. Chee never saw it coming - not at first. It launched from above, a blur of limbs and claws, like a lion pouncing from the brush. In the reflection of its gleaming eyes, he saw his own end. Time stilled. Then, motion, again. Salvation, sudden and strange. The beast was yanked backward mid-air, halted by an unseen force - a spectral lasso of energy, cast from Thessa’s outstretched hand. Above him, she flipped in a graceful arc over the stunned creature, descending with the edges of Legacy’s curved blades singing through the air. She carved it open in mid-flight, fur and sinew spilling in a blur of silver and red.

But victory came too late for peace.

A final Hollow lunged from high above - one that had lingered, waiting. It crashed down upon Chee, claws tearing into his side. They rolled together, locked in a spiral of violence. With one final, desperate motion, he drove Darklash into the creature’s gut - but it wasn’t enough. Its talons had already sunk deep. The damage was done. Hulta turned just in time to see it. She hurled Estelle’s dagger - now wreathed in wind, a ribbon of slicing air trailing behind it - but she was a heartbeat too slow. The blade struck true, but the cost had already been paid. Chee fell still. He joined Dilemma. He joined his partner.

Another light dimmed.

In the seconds that followed, the world became a blur of chaos and motion. It felt as though another dozen Hollow had surged forward, materializing from the smoke and ruin like phantoms called by blood. Some were slowed - snared in the creeping spread of Estelle’s arcanite, their limbs trembling the beating of stone’s wrath. Others were untouched, stalking at full speed through the battlefield’s frayed edges, relentless and unyielding. There was no time to think, only to survive. Forced by sheer necessity, the three women fell into an instinctive rhythm, fighting back-to-back-to-back in a desperate triangle of defiance. They moved with urgency, covering one another’s blind spots, parrying with speed, slashing with fury. It was a frantic, imperfect kind of unity - effective, but strained. There were no practiced maneuvers here, only the raw sync born of shared desperation.

Still, the Hollow pressed in.

Claws, glistening with tar-thick ichor, raked not only at flesh but at the very Souls of those who still clung to life. Where those ethereal defenses burned out - torn away and exhausted - the claws found skin, muscle, and bone. And where they found that, they pulled life out with every tearing motion. And while the trio fought to stay upright, the greater threat unfolded just above them - beyond their view, on the edge of the battlefield’s fractured cliffside.

Dari stood alone, his chest heaving with the labored rhythm of a man who had just slain the Alpha. Sweat ran down his brow, mixing with the soot and blood that coated him like armor. Below him, the battlefield was a canvas of carnage - he found his partner’s breaking form, the unrelenting movement leader, the friend he'd helped before. And in that moment, his guard down, they came. The pack leaders - those terrible Hispo with sinew like stone and eyes like bottomless wells - descended upon him with silent wrath. The first struck with the force of a battering ram, its massive frame slamming into him, launching him from the ledge. He was thrown into the air like a discarded weapon, spinning as the wind was torn from his lungs. Then came the others. A half-dozen more leapt after him, silhouetted against the scorched sky like monsters birthed from a nightmare. They fell with him, crashing to the ground in a brutal, bone-cracking impact. Dari’s Soul surged in reflex, flaring like a star, throwing up a shield of pure energy that absorbed the brunt of the fall.

The first Hispo rose, one limb twisted grotesquely beneath it from the landing. It didn’t care. It didn’t even pause. These creatures didn’t know pain, didn’t seek preservation. It dragged the shattered leg behind it like a loose chain, then, without hesitation, ripped it free from its own body with its jaws, tossing it aside in a grotesque display of ruthless indifference. That gave Dari a window. Before the beast could advance again, he raised a hand and sent a spear of shrieking lightning straight into its snarling face. The bolt cracked the air, igniting its skull from within, and the creature dropped like a felled statue, twitching as smoke coiled from its ruined jaw.

But that was all he got - one more kill.

The rest were upon him in the next instant. They struck from every side, crashing into him with gnashing teeth and flailing limbs. He fought like a storm: blades flashing, Soul burning, fists hammering whatever he could reach. He was good - better than many - but it didn’t matter. Not here. Not now. They overwhelmed him, tearing into him with animal savagery. Claws shredded flesh. Fangs found purchase. His Soul flickered and failed. They mauled him until no light remained. Until nothing stirred. His eyes dimmed as darkness crept in, and in that final moment, before he lost even the pain, he did not know how his story would be remembered - only that this was where it ended.

And then the great monsters, the towering Hispo, twisted behemoths of muscle and malice, turned their gaze upon the others. They descended into the heart of the battle, charging toward Hulta, Estelle, and Thessa with singular purpose. These three remaining lights, flickering in the storm of ruin, were next. Three more to extinguish, and with them, the final resistance that stood between the Hollow and the obliteration of the Eight.

Pressed to the edge of exhaustion, to the fraying limit of flesh and will, they stood back-to-back, blood-slick and breathless, yet still unyielding. This day - this nightmare of fire and blood - pushed them harder than anything that had come before. It tore at them not just physically, but spiritually. And still they fought. There were moments when hope wavered. When the sky itself seemed to fold in around them, and every strike felt like it might be their last. Moments when the flood of Hollow felt eternal. When survival felt like a myth, and victory an illusion.

The largest of the remaining Hispo, massive, hulking, second only to the Alpha in stature and ferocity, thundered toward Thessa. It struck Legacy with a blow like falling stone, driving her to her knees. She grunted under the weight of its power, the shield shuddering in her grasp. The beast loomed above her, eyes burning, breath steaming with savage hunger. Estelle didn’t hesitate. She vanished in a flicker of motion, reappearing at the creature’s flank with both knives bared. She drove them into the sinew of its neck, twisting hard, black ichor spilling in thick, oily gouts. It howled, rearing, but that was the opening they needed. From the side, Hulta surged forward - Spiting Cobra in hand, recovered somewhere amongst the chaos of it all. She didn’t slow. She didn’t blink. She drove the weapon into the beast’s exposed side with a scream of fury, burying the blade.

The monster staggered, shrieking, its limbs faltering. Thessa, seizing her chance, raised Legacy’s chainblade, her eyes burning with grim resolve. With a grunt of effort, she fired. The chain rattled through the air and struck true. It pierced the Hispo’s throat with a wet, splitting crack, punching through and trailing the blade out the other side. The momentum carried it back, dragging the creature’s body with it until it was slammed and pinned against the charred remains of a tree. It convulsed once. Then fell still.

Estelle dropped beside Thessa in, new blades already in her grasp. The chain snapped back into place with a sharp metallic clatter, coiled and ready. Hulta pulled back, on Thessa’s other flank. They rose together, shoulders squared, weapons raised - ready for the next wave.

But none came.

There was no charge. No shriek. No thunder of paws or war cry in the blackened air.

Only stillness.

Only silence.

The battlefield, moments before alive with violence, now lay quiet in ruin. The shattered terrain, the fallen bodies of monsters and comrades alike - all of it held in a breathless, unnatural calm.

There were no more Hispo.

They had won.

All around them the Hollow bled away. This was normal. Hours from now, perhaps days, there would be no trace. But much sooner something else would be gone. Above them, the Alpha’s form disintegrated at a pace they’d never seen. In mere minutes, the only knowledge of it would exist in the minds of Savaged. This creature, this unique, strange monster was young. Very young. New.