[Chapter 1.06] Ravaged? More like SAvAGeD

[Rainbae]

Character Name: Koko Gero
Date | Time: 12.31.1322 | Late Afternoon (~4pm)
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Pinewatch | Grassland - No Resonance
Wearing: Red Overalls, White Blouse, Faded Blue Leather Trench Coat, Goggles, Heavy Work Boots
Tagging | Lyra, Estelle, Chee, Savaged
Koko practically scrambled as the group made its way away from the clearing. She was rushed and skittish with her movements as they made distance at first. Her mind raced. Luckily the normalcy of the system and the mundanity of the cycle of leap frogging each other through the forest brought her back to a sense of center. She took a few deep breaths as they moved and slowed the chaos in her brain. It was hard all things considered. The amount of tangents and lengthy trains of thought that Koko could go on at the moment was debilitating. Her mind wanted so badly to try and sort through all the information she had just been exposed to. So much so that it was overwhelming. It was only by the grace of the fact that there were simply too many potential things to think about that she stayed calm. So many possible trains to ride she couldn’t get on them all at once. Still, she was distracted to say the least.

So distracted that she didn’t notice the rustling until it was too late. Not that there was much she could have done. It was barely a split second between her hearing the sound and feeling the impact of the beast against her body. She tried to react and bring her arms up to block the blow but the Hispo was just too quick. It tackled her to the ground as they slid a few feet in the dirt. Her goggles flung back and fell off her head into the dirt behind her. She tried to twist out but before she could get up her momentum she felt the hot pain of its fangs stabbing into her shoulder. It took everything Koko had left not to scream out in pain and alert the whole forest of their location. Still, she couldn’t stop herself from grunting loudly and writhing in pain. She stopped herself from flailing too hard as she looked to her left. She could already see Chee moving in to take the beast out and she could assume her other teammates were doing something to a similar effect. She knew she had to leave it to them. And importantly from her position she knew she wasn’t going to be able to take this thing out without a lot of noise. She trusted her friends and instead thought of another idea.

Koko twisted underneath the creature. A plan was unfolding in her mind as she formed it. Like she was walking forward on a platform that was forming beneath her feet. She did each action as it came to her. And yet somehow she was so sure of herself. That this idea she had barely formed yet would succeed. Perhaps it was the adrenaline of the moment. Or perhaps it was the knowledge of what was behind them but she pushed on. She felt the searing pain as she tried to move her arm and the jagged teeth embedded into it tore through more flesh. She ignored it as best she could and reached around the beast. Instead of trying to rip the creature off her she moved for the opposite. It was the only way she could think to keep the beast from signaling its allies. This was going to hurt, she knew. But with the monstrosity just a few clearings back she wasn’t about to risk getting found out. Koko turned to her team and nodded.

She flung her lashers out to either side and then threw her arms tightly around the beast body and hugged it close against herself. The whips crossed across Koko and the Hispo’s body and dug into the dirt on either side. It wrapped them up like they were a leg of lamb wrapped in butcher’s twine. She bit down hard on her gums trying to muffle the scream of pain as the creature’s teeth went deeper into her shoulder. She could feel her soul shake and flicker. She was trying her best to strengthen that single spot while she held the beast down. She attempted to pull down on Devotion’s lines with her shimmer, dig them deeper into the earth and pin the beast down below it. She heard the tell tale thwick sounds of knives hitting the creature which she could only assume was Estelle. Its movements got weaker as they landed making it easier for her to hold it down. She trusted her team but someone really needed to kill this thing now.

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Marlowe “Lolo” Ashe
Date | Time: December 31st | Late Afternoon (~4pm), |
Location:  Johtan Wilderness - Pinewatch
Wearing: Lolo in Wonderland
Tagging | Mentioning: Hulta |
The death was unreal. Marlowe had no words for it. She didn’t even have an emotion for it. Was it sickening? Numbing? Infuriating? Terrifying? Saddening? It was too much for her brain to process on any level. She couldn’t make sense of it. And the deeper they got into Pinewatch, the less she could wrap her mind around it. Destruction on this level was… Unfathomable, even though she was right there looking at it. She was alert, aware of her surroundings, on guard, protective, and distantly very concerned for Lyra. But she was also detached, disembodied, dissociated, because she didn’t know what else to be. The circumstance robbed her of her personality. No quips or flirty comments, just the movement of going forward.

Until they came to the Hispo. Lolo’s eyes were drawn to the ice. She moved to ashing corpse and crouched. Blood soaked into the fabric of her dress on all sides, but she didn’t notice. “Lyra was here…” her bare finger tips stroked the icy shaft. It brought her back. Lyra had been in danger. This had come for her. “I shouldn’t have let her go.” Lolo murmured. Damnit. She wasn’t there. Again. Her attention snapped to Dari. Maybe he was right, maybe they weren’t that far. Hulta was for sure right, they needed to keep going. If there were survivors they weren’t as important to Lolo as Lyra was. Without questioning it, Lolo popped up and followed after Thessa. “Then the others might be in more trouble… We should hurry.”

[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
The quiet of the forest around them did not cease to unsettle her. With all of the tracking and observing they'd done, they had seen plenty of Hispo and even other more natural creatures within the trees. But there was this eerie silence that surrounded them. Stella could still feel the prickling of anxiety and fear from that strange creature that she could only assume was the Alpha. Two heads... the spikes along its body. Even when she closed her eyes momentarily, its shape impeded on her vision. It was permanently etched in her mind's eye. Terrifying.

While their small group matched the volume, there was only so much they could do to completely mask their movements. There was still the rustling of leaves and shifting of branches as they crept through the brush. But there had been no warning signs, no curious Hispo that she could see even as she craned her neck this way and that. So her heart practically leapt out of her chest when the Hispo broke through the greenery. It had been Koko's move, so it must have been the sounds she'd made that had the beast targeting her specifically.

Stella staggered back with her breath hitching in her throat. It was a jump scare to trump all others, her pulse immediately quickening as her hand reached for her belt, pulling three knives from their notches. There was a moment of hesitation as Koko seemed to wrestle with the thing. She had to shift to the side to get a better angle as Chee stabbed at it. With a steadying breath, she flung the knives forward, being extremely careful with the aim. Her fingers were incredibly adept with those trajectories, aiming one to the opposite side of the neck, one for the abdomen, and one for the hip. 

While she wanted to cry out, she knew that if there was one, there would certainly be others near. Were they already coming? She had to rely on the rest of the group to completely free Koko. They might be in more imminent danger than they realized. So she looked around them, throwing her senses outwards to try to track any other Hispo that might be near.

[FyreFoxx]

Character Name: Lyreilynn "Lyra" Xyrven Myalis
Date | Time: December 31st | Late Afternoon (~4pm)
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Pinewatch
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: Chee, Estelle, Koko |

Despite her clear desire to remain behind and observe this strange Alpha, Lyra also knew that staying by herself was the worse decision to make in this situation, instead choosing to escape with the rest of her team. But that did not stop the want to learn more, see more, to understand what was going on. The fear hadn’t gripped her the way it had the others. Sure, she had been scared, the anxiety creeping into her very pores and filling every inch of her. It made her hands tremble and her knees weak, but the drive to know more, to figure out what was going on, had been stronger than the urge to run away.

And yet, running away is exactly what she was doing right now. Casting another glance over her shoulder towards the rapidly disappearing clearing where the half dozen or so large Hollow were sitting around an impossibly large and grotesque creature made of nightmares, Lyra burned the image into her retinas, the vision of those two heads looking around independently refusing to leave anytime soon. A part of her wished Vesper were still with them, with his intrinsic knowledge of Hollow. Would he have been able to give them more clues about this situation, or would he have been just as helpless as they were now?

With thoughts of what-ifs swirling around in her head, Lyra didn’t have the proper reaction time needed to defend against the sudden assault on Koko. They had been making good time in retreating to Pinewatch, avoiding problematic areas in relative safety and that had made her lax in her judgement. She and Estelle were playing the lookouts while Chee and Koko had been moving to a new position. The words to call out to the blonde died on her lips the second Lyra opened her mouth to speak them. The less noise they made in this denser part of the forest, the better off they were. She knew that, and yet, she desperately wanted to call out to the girl.

It seemed even Koko was of similar mind, gritting her teeth even as the Hollow sunk its own into her flesh. Lyra had to give Koko some credit in being able to withstand an assault like that - she was sure that even in the same position, the little elf wouldn’t have been able to keep half as quiet as the other girl.

But Lyra hesitated too long. Already Chee was moving towards Koko to rally to her defense, sinking his weapon into the Hollow as Koko did her best to hold on - figuratively and literally! The Hispo was being prevented from moving away, dealing more damage to herself, but giving them a prone target that couldn’t possibly signal more. Estelle dashed around her and threw a series of small knives that penetrated the hide of the creature, before focusing her attention on their surroundings, in case more arrived. Where there was one Hispo, there was certainly more to follow.

Gritting her teeth, Lyra wracked her brain, fingers twitching as she wasted precious seconds trying to formulate a plan of action. Every second she stood there frozen in place was another that Koko had to suffer through. There was a soft grunt from Koko as she held on tighter, using the weakening hold of the Hispo to her advantage. That sound was enough to get the elf moving, silent footsteps racing to her side as she took hold of the knife in the side of the Hollow with one hand, yanking it viciously along its flank and ripping into it like one might cut into a slab of meat. It was certainly very uncharacteristic of her, but she had little time to act. With the other, fingers were delicately tracing a symbol in the air, focusing her Soul into the golden bracelets as the red stones started glowing softly, the flicker of a small flame being coaxed to life, before she slammed an open palm against the freshly created wound, intent on burning the Hollow from the inside out.

[Aethyrium]

S T O R Y T E L L E R
December 31st, Late Afternoon (~4pm) | Johtan Wilderness - Pinewatch | Forest - Water
Next Post: 3.15.25 | Lyreilynn, Chee, Koko, Estelle
Koko, Lyreilynn, Chee, & Estelle…
The whips crossed once over the back of the Hispo, but with being on the ground there was no way to knot them, to give them any anchor to squeeze and hold the monster tight. Fortunately, with a maw full of Koko, and an unwillingness to release her, the creature was at both signaling and defensive disadvantage. Less fortunately, dispatching it while being careful to not alert all of Bristlewood was its own disadvantage. As one of the whips wrapped around it, Chee had to abandon the first advance, refoot, and then come for the creature again. Large claws tore into the ground and the Hispo shifted - its weight leaving Koko and giving her space to breathe - to avoid the attack. It swiveled its backend around, teeth tearing against Koko’s Soul as it moved, causing the Yellow barrier to crackle and spark. And in the end, it only delayed Chee’s attack, Darklash penetrating through the monster’s chest.

Flying blades whipped through the air, expertly penetrating through its exterior and sinking deep into the places Estelle had targeted - taking advantage of the opening created by Chee. And Lyra’s follow up was excellent, taking that second dagger and running it down the side. The Hollow wriggled, holding Koko in its jaw, flinging her around like a ragdoll, before releasing and sending her flying - colliding with Chee and bowling them both over, Chee unharmed, but Koko’s Soul cracked to the brightest of Oranges. The Hollow opened its mouth to howl, but all that erupted was a small gout of flame - just like burned out of the wound, and poured out from around Estelle’s knives, and Darklash’s puncture. Cooked, it slumped and silently hit the ground.

They had done well, but fate was not on their side. It conspired against them. Thankfully, in her effort to become a sentinel, Estelle had the awareness to see the second Hispo just soon enough to avoid ending up sharing Koko’s grappled fate. It had circled behind them, lunged, and took a wide swipe at her intended to grab her. But quick thinking and that warning let her move to avoid the worst of it. Claws scraped against her Soul, teasing the green barrier, as the Hispo landed in front of her and set its eyes on Lyra.

* * * * *

Dariaq, Thessa, Hulta, & Marlowe…
Passing from the carnage of Pinewatch into Bristlewood was easy. There were signs of the destruction - people who had tried to flee into the woodlands - but they quickly became less and less. Filtered by the smell of nature, even the more repugnant signs of the massacre vanished from sight - if not the mind. And despite the clear indications that many Hollow had been involved in the force that overran Pinewatch, there was no immediate wall of the destructive force as soon as they set in - though there was evidence of them. Unfortunately, no such evidence of their compatriots except for that vague notion of east.

Well beyond the forest’s edge, surrounded by the density of the Bristlewood, there were no clear landmarks to navigate by. And there was the potential for danger around every corner. But their first encounter with said danger wasn’t around a corner - it was above it. As the group pushed forward, it was Dariaq in the rear who took notice of strange claw patterns along the trunk of a tree. An inquisitive glance following it upward saw his eyes meet two emotionless red eyes of a Hispo sitting in a tree watching him discover it. It had been there, watching. And as instinct told him to say something as the others continued forward, a flick of his attention took note of a second above them on the other side in a tree not far ahead - just above Marlowe.

N O T E S

Stats

Thessa

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

Estelle (70%)

• Vitality: 134/135
• Soul: 51/55 (Green)
• Resources: Full

Marlowe

• Vitality: 80/80
• Soul: 40/40 (Green)
• Resources: Full
• Shimmer: 2 dots

Lyreilynn

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

Hulta (53%)

• Vitality: 70/70
• Soul: 55/55 (Green)
• Resources: Full

Dariaq (60%)

• Vitality: 80/80
• Soul: 70/70 (Green)
• Resources: Full

Koko (48%)

• Vitality: 68/80
• Soul: 20/40 (Orange)
• Resources: Full

Chee

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

Koko takes 8 damage to the Soul, and 6 to Vitality. Her Soul becomes Orange.
Estelle takes 4 damage to the Soul, and 1 to Vitality.

The scouting group has another Hispo to deal with. Again, they can dispatch it quietly, but that’ll give it an additional turn of action. Or they may kill it quickly, however this will have an increased chance to alert any other potential enemies.

The backend group is flanked by enemies out of immediate reach! They can surely dispatch the Hispo with a quickness, but not without absolutely giving away their location and signaling their presence to anything else that might be nearby. However if they take the slow and quiet approach, they are surely going to feel the disadvantage they’re at. Observations around them do not indicate there are any other Hispo in the immediate area - but visibility is limited.

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Marlowe “Lolo” Ashe
Date | Time: December 31st | Late Afternoon (~4pm), |
Location:  Johtan Wilderness - Pinewatch
Wearing: Lolo in Wonderland
Tagging | Mentioning: Hulta, Dariaq, Thessa |
Getting away from Pinewatch was a relief, a much-needed reprieve from the suffocating weight of death that clung to the town like a heavy fog. As Marlowe stepped into the depths of the Bristlewood, she felt a measure of sanity return, like a tight band around her chest had finally loosened. The forest, though not one she knew intimately, was still familiar in a way that soothed her nerves. She understood the language of the wild - the rustling of leaves in the wind, the snap of a twig underfoot, the distant calls of unseen creatures.

This was her element, even if she lacked specific knowledge of this particular stretch of woodland. What she did know was how to move through it, how to trust her instincts, and how to respond when things went wrong. The only drawback was the sluggish drag of the very air around her. The element here in the air pressed against her movements, sapping some of her energy, dulling the sharpness of her reflexes. It was a constant, irritating resistance, like trying to wade through waist-deep water.

Still, compared to the oppressive atmosphere of Pinewatch, this was bearable. Here, at least, her mind could breathe. She took the lead without hesitation, setting the pace as they wove their way through the underbrush. Marlowe was no scout - stealth and reconnaissance weren’t her strongest suits - but she was something just as valuable: a first responder. She was the one who stepped in when things turned dire, who acted without hesitation when others froze. That, more than anything, made her an asset out here in the unknown.


Getting away from Pinewatch was nice because it offered some sanity back to Marlowe. The forest was familiar, known, and understandable. Even though she wasn’t particularly knowledgeable about the Bristlewood specifically, this was her element. If only she didn’t have to compete with the sluggishness that the actual element in the air had on her. Still, when it wasn’t tethered with the mentally overwhelming death in Pinewatch, it felt much more bearable. So Marlowe had no issue taking the lead as they navigated the woodland. She didn’t make for a great scout, but she was an excellent first responder.

Of course, when she missed the threat it made responding difficult.

But who needed to keep track of every little thing when you had someone like Dari watching your back? Lolo had never been the type to think too far ahead - planning wasn’t really her style. She focused on what was in front of her, and what she saw now was the Hollow, right where they had been pointed out. That was enough. She didn’t need to hesitate, didn’t need to strategize. She was pretty sure she knew what Thessa would want, and that was all the direction she needed.

Without a second thought, Lolo spun on her heel and sprinted straight for Thessa. The elf had already anticipated her move, crouching down and raising her shield just as Lolo reached her. With a practiced ease, Marlowe leapt, landing firmly atop the shield just as Thessa threw her weight upward. The force launched Lolo into the air, sending her soaring toward the far-side tree where the Hollow lurked.

She twisted mid-flight, adjusting her angle with precision as she hurtled toward the creature. At the last second, her arms shot out, locking around its thick frame in a vice grip. The momentum carried them both off the branch, tearing the beast from its perch as they plummeted toward the forest floor. But Lolo wasn’t about to take the fall with it. As they fell, she planted both feet against its ribcage, muscles tensing before she kicked off with explosive force. The impact sent the Hollow hurtling through the air in the opposite direction, sailing like a ragdoll straight toward Dari. Ideally, the thing wouldn’t even have a chance to react before Dari took care of the rest.

[Eye of Horus]

Character Name: Dariaq Syvanios
Date | Time: December 31st | Late afternoon
Location: Bristlewood
Tagging | Mentioning: Team Savaged
Dari crept through the dense forest like a mouse, glancing down every few steps lest his boots scrunch on a twig, or a patch of fallen, frozen leaves. The trees loomed around them, silent sentinels with gnarled branches tangled in a web of shadows, casting long, twisted shapes across the ground. The air felt heavy, as if the forest was holding its breath even as his own breath wrote small white ghosts in the air.

Faint whispers of wind rustled through the underbrush as he brought up the rear of the column, stepping in his partner’s bootprints. The setting sun barely pierced the canopy, casting a faded orange glow that merely threw the shadows into sharper relief. Dari had already unslung the two parts of his mother’s glaive and snapped them together, the rune-etched metal comforting but cold against his hands. Each step took them further east, deeper into the ominous heart of the woods. There was still no sign of the others, and the light was already fading. He glanced up, trying to gauge how much time they had left before sunset.

Two pairs of murder-red eyes glared silently back at him.

“Above!” Dari hissed sharply, his heart punching the inside of his ribs. “Two of them, look up!”

As Marlowe and Thessa reacted, Dari spun his glaive around to bring the caster to bear. Above him the thing of smoke and shadow billowed larger, its hackles springing up like knives. Dari fired. Arrowheads of blue arcanite slashed up through the shadows and burst against the foliage, only winging the hispo but causing it to scrabble aside, towards the thinner end of the branch it was balancing on.

“Hulta, knock it down!” Dari snapped, and it was all he had time to say as Marlowe tackled the second hispo from its tree and sent the shaggy, clawed fiend hurtling through the air straight towards him. Dari wheeled, his glaive sweeping up and around to slash through the Hollow, and then completed the spin to drive the blade down into its neck as it crashed to the ground at his feet.

[shengami]

Character Name: Chee Tortious
Date | Time: 12.31 | ~4pm
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Pinewatch | Grassland - No Resonance
Wearing: Tracksuit, comfy shoes, Weapons per CS
Tagging | Mentioning: SAvAGeD 1e |
Note: Eep! Grr!
Chee's chest expanded as the Hollow's defeat seemed sealed. Quick action had seen Koko take damage, but they'd stayed quiet. A moment to spare was fine, so Chee moved to his partner's side and looked at the damage. Luckily, thanks to Soul, the shoulder would function. "Bet dat hurts lik-"

His ears pivoted before his attention caught it. His head snapped around even as two more glowing red eyes leapt out of the forest. "Stella!" The hissed syllables streaked across the space. Luckily, she must have heard it, too. He sighed as the Hollow's jaws closed on air.

"Dis's gettin-" But he was moving again. A part of him wanted to scream, howl, unleash. A part of him told him that stealth wasn't working. He shook his head clear of the nagging thoughts. Long practice told him it was worth it. As he passed Lyra, he mused that he wouldn't be opposed to someone else choosing that route. And that it paid to have the little elf's powerful sorcery with them. This was a space where they had to trust one another. Chee's tail flowed out straight behind him as he darted in low. He shifted his grip on Darklash into one more like what Doya had showed him: a pistol-grip. He flexed his wrist.

He ought to consider a silencer for his pistol. "Ridiculous."

But until then, he had his weapon. Hollow didn't have anatomy like people, but there were vulnerabilities. Chee's eyes locked in on the glowing red orbs. Within range, he planted his feet. First the left, aligned to push off the earth, his hips and waist pivoted along that line. He felt the power building along his form. What he lacked in mass and muscle, he made up for in physics and elastic potential. His spine and shoulders were the next pieces to click in place. Elbow, wrist, snap. He thrust the end of the short sword into the beast's eye. A straight line of power connected his back foot to the blow. It felt like Toil itself was attacking the Hollow and Chee was just the conduit.

Even as he sprang back, recoiling the spring, he looked to the others, "We gotta get movin or da whole forest will find us."

[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
Hulta kept her staff in hand. The woods were normally her happy place. She would scramble up trees, find pinecones to collect and root around like some strange red headed pig looking for shiny stones. But this place felt cold. Like something evil was drifting around the trees. Blood-stained bark. Bodies were slumped in the undergrowth. Like people had tried to flee and hide. Their paths so harshly sliced through by the hollow that hunted them. They were nothing more than sheep to those creatures. What were the squires then? Hardier creatures…Goats.

The elf tried to keep her attention on the trees around them. She was placed in the middle of the marching order. Somehow the squishiest out of their group. Normally, she would protest and say that she was worthy of taking up the back and protecting everything. But she wouldn’t protest this time. Not when the stench of death clung to the trees. The elf was paying attention to the way before them when Thessa dropped to a squat with her shield on her shoulder. “W…W” She started to say when Marlowe whizzed by her, flying like a boulder for maximum impact.

‘Above’

Two of them. Hulta spun around and ignored the one that Marlowe was handling. Dari’s arrows lit up her target and her staff was gracefully split into two as she spun them in her hands. ‘Hulta, knock it down’ He didn’t have to tell her twice, she channelled her shimmer through the staff ends. The polished wood slipped against each other as she crossed her arms and then cracked them forward. One razor sharp ribbon of air heading directly for the thin branch end. The other for the Hollow’s flank closest to the tree trunk. Aiming to sent it spiralling to one side rather than jump towards the tree to get to safety.

The hispo that came barreling towards Dari was swiftly dealt with so Hulta moved out the way. Her gaze following the second, waiting for it to fall. Only when it tippled from the branch did she smile and send of another razor blade of air to try and maim it even more before it landed to the ground. If they could handle this as swiftly as possible, there would hopefully be a chance that they wouldn’t be able to alert the others. She would rather be with Lyra, Koko, Estelle and Chee before the pack arrived.

[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
As she turned her attention outwards and into the forest, she could still hear the struggle behind her between the others and the first Hispo. But after several beats, it slowed, confirming that they had been able to finish it off. Despite her being alert and ready, she still wasn't fast enough to completely dodge the next Hispo as it jumped from the brush. It appeared as if it had manifested out of nothing. As it leapt through the air with intention to take her to the ground, she jumped out of the way. She could feel the claws just barely brush over her, her breath hitching in her throat.

Hands caught the ground, rolling off to the side as she heard Chee call her name. She held up a hand with wide eyes, trying to show she was OK. But she was also half expecting the Hispo to already be whirling back around after her dodge. Chee was on it, though, aiming his weapon towards the Hispo's eye. The move placed the beast's back to her and she ran towards the two, fingers reaching for a knife at her belt as she threw herself on the beast's back. She aimed the knife, tucked between both of her hands, into the back of the creature's neck, then let her body slip downwards as if to slice through its back if she had enough momentum.

Either way, the move was risky, throwing herself on her ass to the floor and essentially removing the knife. The whole move rocked her body backwards. And she'd scramble back in case the creature was still 'kicking'. But her eyes would search for Koko now that she had the opportunity. Brows furrowed when she caught sight of the woman's injuries, but they were not out of the woods yet even if they did manage to take out this second Hispo as quietly as possible.

She was nodding her head in agreement with Chee, pushing herself to her feet with a soft huff as she looked around still, now even more paranoid and anxious that there were more Hispo coming this way. "We need to pick up the pace." Quiet, but quick. Now that they'd started getting attacked, they couldn't afford to go as cautiously as before. Could they?

[FyreFoxx]

Character Name: Lyreilynn "Lyra" Xyrven Myalis
Date | Time: December 31st | Late Afternoon (~4pm)
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Pinewatch
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: Chee, Estelle, Koko |

There was a sort of triumphant look in her eyes as Lyra grinned, seeing her spell take successfully, even as the Hispo wriggled beneath her touch. It tossed Koko like a ragdoll that weighed almost nothing, but there was little it could do to defend itself from being roasted alive - were Hollow truly considered alive? - from the inside out, little bouts of flame escaping wherever there was an open wound. Lyra was breathing hard, taking deep breaths as she calmed her nerves. That had been close, and they’d actually managed to defeat it with as little noise as possible. In a forest like that, with all the underbrush and movement they had to make, that was a feat in and of itself, part of it being aided by the Squeakers on their feet, and how each of them acted together, as a team, without the need for words. If they’d made any more noise, then the stillness of the forest wouldn’t be quiet for much longer.
 
But it seemed their one shining success was all they were going to get, as Chee shouted for Estelle in warning. Lyra whipped around to face him, shushing him with a finger to her own lips, a slight hissing sound escaping past the digit. They’d managed to stay quiet for the first one, and now Chee couldn’t shut up! They weren’t out of danger yet, and any sound made - by any of them - would only draw more attention to themselves.
 
Powder blue eyes shifted to the smaller girl as the second Hollow came into her sights, watching as Estelle dodged the initial attack. Brows were furrowed as Lyra moved away from the decaying Hispo, now understanding Chee’s shout, but there was something about the way it moved that severely unnerved her. It didn’t follow up on the attack on Estelle. Instead, those crimson eyes were focused on the little elf.
 
It was like watching a horror movie in slow motion, the Hispo ignoring its first target and instead choosing a new one. Was it seeking revenge for its fallen comrade? That was a ridiculous thought! But why else would it choose to abandon the prey closest to it? Already the gears in her head were trying to turn, but they weren’t moving fast enough. Which element should she focus on? Which negalu did she need to sketch out for the best results? Her arm was extending, fingers trembling as she couldn’t make up her mind in time - quick death or quiet? Which was more advantageous?!
 
Lyra grit her teeth together to muffle the sound of her cries of pain as much as possible as large fangs sank into the tender flesh of her arm. She could hear the crunch, see the flicker of her Soul flare up, even as blood began to stain her clothes. She tasted copper on her tongue again, having taken her bottom lip between her teeth and bitten down, the metallic smell in her nose from her arm. She couldn’t cry out, not like this. If Koko could keep quiet with a massive Hispo pinning her down, latched onto her shoulder, then Lyra could silence her own cries for something this small.
 
She let out a gasp as just as quickly as it had attacked, it let go, the pain causing her to stagger back a step as Chee rushed forward to slash at its eyes. Estelle followed up with a leap onto its back, attempting to slice it open in a similar fashion to what Lyra had just done to the previous one. With her right arm injured, she let out a tiny grunt as she yanked the bracelet off her wrist, using the fingers of her left hand to unfold it into its spherical shape. Without the need to draw her negalu, she was free to focus solely on weaving her Soul through the tiny black Arcanite crystals embedded in the metal, lightning sparking at her fingertips as it gathered around the sphere. "Back!" One word. Just one word. That's all she needed. The less she spoke, the less attention she'd draw. Hopefully. The moment Estelle was free of the beast and no other teammate was nearby, Lyra had every intention of frying the damn thing.

[Rainbae]

Character Name: Koko Gero
Date | Time: 12.31.1322 | Late Afternoon (~4pm)
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Pinewatch | Grassland - No Resonance
Wearing: Red Overalls, White Blouse, Faded Blue Leather Trench Coat, Goggles, Heavy Work Boots
Tagging | Lyra, Estelle, Chee, Savaged
Koko roared in her heart but let none of the noise leak outwards. She wanted to scream but she kept it all in. Her heart may have been on fire but she was keeping her mind cool. Instead she hissed through clenched teeth as the Hispo had its way with her. It stabbed into her shoulder and flung her body around like a chew toy. The pain was intense and despite being very accustomed to pain Koko was on a razor's edge. Perhaps it was the fact that she was so used to pain that allowed her to have the willpower to withstand. No matter why she managed to win out until the creature finally threw her to the side to collide with Chee. Her instincts tried to grab onto him as they fell m, to try and cushion his blow, but her head was spinning too much to even tell which way the ground she was protecting him even was. Instead they landed in a tangled mess of a pile with Koko mostly on top of Chee.

Koko whipped her head up to see fire jets stream out of the Hispo's body before the creature fell to ash. She let herself relax for one mere moment, letting a sigh of relief escape. Everything hurt it felt like and she groaned on top of her friend. But before she could even ask him if he was ok things popped off once more. Thinking fast Koko rolled across the ground and used the centrifugal force to throw Chee up onto his feet. She ended up face down in the dirt and breathed out a shaky breath. It felt like the world slowed down for a moment. Like time extended and she was just there breathing. She couldn't even tell what parts of her were injured. Koko pushed her muscles and everything burned. Still, she fought through it. She stumbled to her feet to see things already in action. She watched as Chee took swipes at the creature and watched it dive past Estelle for Lyra. Why it wanted her Elven friend was beyond her but she was about to let that happen. Not only cause she was her teammate now but because she knew that if she didn't protect the elf, Hollow was the least of her worries.

Scrambling up Koko whipped the slack of Devotion that lay limply against the ground up so she had better tension on it. She tried to survey the scene as quickly as she could. Information flowed into her brain as it began a calculation. She saw the attacks Stella and Chee were landing, effect but not enough. They needed a killing blow and a quick one. She looked to Lyra and saw the energy growing around her sphere. Whatever she was planning was big. She locked eyes with the elf and immediately understood. Koko considered using her whips to hold the creature down for Lyra's blast to eliminate it. But the pain in her shoulder told her she probably wasn't holding down a Hispo right now. Not without a moment's breather. She'd just have to trust the Elf's magic was true. Instead she did the only other thing she could think to do to help.

Snapping the lashers on Devotion Koko whipped them forward and watched as they landed true on her two teammates. Both Chee and Estelle would feel a slight thump against their chests as Koko’s lashers flicked around their torsos. It would hurt but not enough to cause any serious damage. Without the electricity activated they weren't deadly and she hadn't flung them very hard. With both of her teammates caught however she would call out to Lyra. “Let ‘er rip your majesty, your royal procession is-” Koko grunted loudly as she pulled back with all her force on the lashers. “High tailin' it outta here!!” And with that Koko would dig her heels back like she was playing tug of war and heave both squires back towards her off the Hispo suddenly giving Lyra a perfect moment to let her spell unleash.

[Aethyrium]

S T O R Y T E L L E R
December 31st, Late Afternoon (~4pm) | Johtan Wilderness - Pinewatch | Forest - Water
Next Post: 3.26.25 | Lyreilynn, Chee, Koko, Estelle
Koko, Lyreilynn, Chee, & Estelle…
Darklash pierced through the creature’s eye. The Hollow snapped forward, unconcerned with its own life. It lunged, plunging Chee’s weapon further through its head and snapping at his arm. Koko’s whip slapped around him as he sprung back, and with her aid his retreat saw him free from any potential grapple. Meanwhile Estelle landed firmly on the creature’s back, plunging the knife into its back and tearing down its length with her back spring. As she caught sight of Koko, about to land, the whip coiled around her as well, but the yank on her had almost no effect whatsoever. And then came the lightning - a crackling flash sparking from the core of the sphere in Lyra’s hand. The bolt arced between the creature’s teeth, and sizzled whatever it had inside causing the faint aroma of cooked meat to ooze from the gash along its back as it slumped, lifelessly, to the ground.

A small pause, the scouting group regrouped and surveyed the area. This pair must have been alone, or otherwise their actions were a success. Likely, by Chee’s approximation, they were moving together and as pack hunters were often to do, one drew attention while the other found an angle of attack - it had just been slow. Standard Hispo tactics really. They hadn’t failed, the two were probably just one. Seemingly in the clear, the quartet resumed its careful withdrawal from Bristlewood toward Pinewatch and their friends.

They continued for another ten, maybe fifteen minutes, before Estelle had to bring them to a stop. A group of Hispo - with one of the large pack leaders - was on the move. Upon noticing them, it didn’t appear as though the Hollow had picked up on them, but they were going to pass right over them if they didn’t find somewhere to quickly hide and get out of the way. The Hispo were headed south, southeast - possibly toward the clearing where they had discovered the large gathering of Hispo.

* * * * *

Dariaq, Thessa, Hulta, & Marlowe…
The hispo tossed by Marlowe didn’t even have a chance to howl before Dari’s blade went slicing through it. The decisive action saw the creature bisecting, before pinned to the forest floor, dead. The second was dislodged just as easily by Hulta’s attacks, and the creature rolled in the air while the final razor-ribbon tore across it like some kind of malicious reverse screw. It hit the ground with a thump, quick to its feet - but not quick enough to stop Thessa’s approach, shoving the spike of Legacy into its jaws and firing the spiked chain, causing it to erupt out of the back of the creature’s skull. Its weight slumped, and it ceased moving.

A quick regrouping, the four waited for their action to bring the rest of the forest upon them. But nothing came. After giving it a fair shake, the best course of action was to not be there, and so they started off again through the woods in search of the other half of the team. Still with no clear direction. Not until Hulta found what looked like tracks in the right number - their first clue. Following them, the four pivoted slightly and continued through the forest…

Dariaq, Thessa, Hulta, & Marlowe

Elsewhere…
The right head of the creature lifted. The large Hispo-esque creature drew the attention of the others who all seemed to wait. Sizable nostrils twitched against the forest air, but it was taking in more than just scents. It detected life. Suddenly both heads were snapping, guttural growls and snarls barked at the others, provoking them all into action. The gathering of larger, older, Hispo pack leaders spurred to action, fleeing this clearing and rushing through the forest, splitting in a myriad of directions. And even the alpha began to move, tromping through the forest - southwardly.

Twenty minutes later…
Making their way through the forest was a pretty simple matter, and with the tracks and signs of passage to follow it was pretty focused. And after about fifteen minutes of tracking they found what they were after. Only what they had been tracking wasn’t their four teammates, it was four Pinewatch locals who had fled into the forest. They had gotten this far before being found by the Hispo and torn apart. What the group came across was the purest show of Hollow brutality. There was no distinguishing one corpse from another. It wasn’t four bodies, but four bodies worth of gore haphazardly strewn about a twenty foot area.

Thankfully, of course, that it wasn’t their four people, it did leave them without a clear plan of where to go. They were far from the ‘straight east’ that the note had sent, with no way to accurately get back to that line. Though they could definitely work their way back to Pinewatch if they so choose - where, probably, the scouting group would eventually want to rendezvous with them. But if that was their plan, why leave directions to head east in the first place?

Regardless of choice, once the squires started in their chosen path, they only continued for about another five minutes. Careful as always, but apparently not careful enough, because as they proceeded they fell into an ambush. A Hispo emerged from the side, snarling and looking like it might attack. Pulling attention was all that it needed though, as two more emerged from the opposite side, both charging Dariaq. One lunged, bringing a set of razor claws down across his back, causing a flinch that left him open for the other to grab his calf in its jaws and bite down. And yet a third came from another direction, this one lunging and tackling Marlowe to the ground, a flurry of vicious swipes and snaps that flickered the green of her Soul.

And if that weren’t bad enough, it wasn’t four Hispo but more. As Hulta and Thessa, unassailed for the moment, caught up to what was happening, they noticed that they were surrounded. More Hispo lurked in the woods around them. Not a few, dozens. And moving through the trees behind them all, at a speed and distance they couldn’t make out, something large stalked them. There was a tickle in the back of their minds - Dari and Lolo’s too - something that stroked the back of their primitive monkey brains. A primordial instinct of anxiety. A foreboding, looming, death sense - the feeling that prey feels when stalked by predator.

N O T E SDariaq takes 11 damage to the Soul, and 5 to Vitality.
Marlowe takes 7 damage to the Soul, and 3 to Vitality.

Marlowe gains 4.6 dots of Shimmer

N O T E S

Stats

Thessa

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

Estelle (70%)

• Vitality: 134/135
• Soul: 51/55 (Green)
• Resources: Full

Marlowe (52%)

• Vitality: 77/80
• Soul: 33/40 (Green)
• Resources: Full
• Shimmer: 6.6 dots

Lyreilynn

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

Hulta (53%)

• Vitality: 70/70
• Soul: 55/55 (Green)
• Resources: Full

Dariaq (60%)

• Vitality: 75/80
• Soul: 59/70 (Green)
• Resources: Full

Koko (48%)

• Vitality: 68/80
• Soul: 20/40 (Orange)
• Resources: Full

Chee (50%)

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

Chee takes 6 damage to the Soul, and 3 to Vitality.

[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
Shir had once made a remark about composure on the field. Thessa had heard it and nodded along, but it wasn’t until this moment that she understood it. If she let herself feel anything too deeply, she was bound to get lost in it. She did a visual check of her team. They were disturbed by the intensity of the gore as was she, but they weren’t clouded by it. She opted to forgo saying anything, because the others knew as well as she did that these people wouldn’t even have a name to their grave with what had been done to them. 

A dark cloud hung over them as they continued their eastwardish travel that was made worse as they walked into an ambush. Something seized in her chest as she heard the attack; she turned to Dariaq where two hispo had already begun their assault, but she moved towards the third that was in the process of knocking Marlowe down as Hulta assisted her partner. She charged forward and as she came to the duo, she lunged forward. Both hands splayed as they hit the ground and she balled up her body and twisted, releasing her legs towards the ribcage of the hispo. She felt a crack under the pressure as she forced the creature off of Marlowe. Her lower body landed clumsily on top of the brawler, but they detangled quickly as the hollow snarled and snapped back to its feet. Thessa raised her shield.

”Circle,” she demanded, shifting her body so that Marlowe was on one side and Hulta on the other in a wide, loose circle. ”Gotta stick together. Sixty some-odd his-” Her voice cracked as she felt it. Was this the feeling of an alpha? Was it the effects of a horde of hispo bearing down on them? ”Hispo out here ‘bout ta mistake us fer an easy target.” There was just enough battle history between the four that Thessa didn’t feel uneasy about their teamwork, but after what had happened with Chee and Koko, the elf wasn’t feeling as confident as she usually was. A wave of nausea overcame her and her eyes darted around in suspicion. It felt as if something was looming over them.

”Got yer ba-agh!” The words turned to a shout as she punched her shield forward at the hispo who had just crouched to pounce. She clicked her chain and it rattled out at speed towards its legs to hopefully wrap around the limbs so Thessa could pull and trip it up.

[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: A Tiny Aftermath
In the immediate wake of the second Hispo, there'd been a moment of tension. It had crackled in the air as all their senses extended, waiting, sweeping for more. The ghost of the pain of the creature snapping at him was fading even as that moment did though. He rubbed idly at his midsection where Koko's whip had tugged him. The bright shock of lightning was still fading from his retina. Then he moved to Estelle and Koko in that order. He moved his eyes over them. He still had less idea of what he could do for Koko than he liked. He felt that panic from when she'd collapsed on that dark road the other night like a phantom haunting him.

He met her eyes. Without hesitation, he gripped her upper arm firmly. "You good, Kiki? We gotta hoof it." He wanted to stop for her; he wanted to keep going. He knew the second thing was the more pressing need. He stood and moved to Lyra, "You? Lyra. You. are. amazin. I don't tink we'd all be standin if you weren't here." Still, they needed to be moving back to their other allies: Hulta, Dari, Marlowe. Even Thessa. Especially Thessa.

And that was what happened. Back to their leapfrogging movement through the forest. Except there was a tightness in his stomach now. A tension had been broken. Since leaving the boundaries of Pinewatch, they'd been successful in avoiding the hispo. But that was done now. And Koko had been hurt badly. He struggled under the weight of it. He shook his head and scanned the dark forest as Stella moved forward.

Maybe he was focused on the forest, maybe he was watching Stella: but the forest and Stella both had a shiver run up his spine. That weight twisted on his shoulders. His eyes went to Koko briefly. Then he caught his breath as if even exhaling would give them away. His eyes tried counting the hispo, but they wove among one another too fluently. He could spot the large, unique hispo though. It wasn't the alpha, but it was intimidating. Things like that were supposed to be rare! He licked suddenly dry lips.

His eyes flicked up, the branches, but even if hispo couldn't climb they'd be trapping themselves. He scanned his comrades quickly and came to the same conclusion as before, they'd not outrun hispo. His brain fired at meters per second until he noticed something. The hispo had not clocked them. They seemed intent on something else. He blinked and looked to confirm with the team.

Curiosity shone from his eyes. Whatever they had witnessed in the clearing behind them was done, the conclave had broken up. The hispo were on the move. There was an urge to see what was going on. He chewed his lip. Unerringly, his eyes oriented on where he knew Pinewatch was. By now, the other half of the team was there. Or worse, had followed them into the forest. The longer they went without knowledge of the alpha, the worse things could get. He looked at the Hollow again, then his team, and he quickly shook his head. They needed to report back. They could range out again if need be. But the information they had was valuable and needed to link back. More important information was tempting, but not worth the risk.

Chee'd risked too much recently. He looked at Koko then Stella. He pointed with two fingers in the direction of Pinewatch and their allies. But he waited a half a breath to see how the others felt. He wasn't the leader; he was a teammate. Whatever his friends decided, he'd support.

[Eye of Horus]

Character Name: Dariaq Syvanios
Date | Time: December 31st | Late afternoon
Location: Bristlewood
Tagging | Mentioning: Team Savaged
There was a growl, and all their other concerns - the failing light, the torn-apart survivors, the absence of their team-mates - became secondary. Dari spun towards the new contact, and realised his error as something slammed into him from behind, knife-claws shredding into his back through the kevlar weave of his Hammer jacket. Another Hispo darted in, jackal keen, and snapped its jaws closed around his ankle. Soul light rippled up Dari’s leg, keeping the teeth at bay, but he still felt the crushing pressure as the Hispo wrenched its head back and forth, attempting to pull him off his feet.

Dari grunted in pain as their hot reek of blood and smoke washed over him, and squeezed his eyes shut as he willed his Shimmer into being a step to his left. A forward slam of the phantom glaive, and the weight on his back tumbled away with a whine, allowing him to raise his real weapon and ram the blade down into the Hispo worrying at his leg. It let go and Dari stumbled away, his Soul still sparking as Thessa called for a defensive ring. As they formed up the Hispo closed in, prowling a seething circle around the four squires. There were a whole pack of them - a dozen, a score, more. Something else lurked near the back, its form broken by the trees, the slanted slits of its burning eyes the only thing that could be seen clearly. Dari could feel his lips peeling into a rictus grin, his heartbeat bursting in his temples.

“Ne jamais se rendre!” he promised as he reversed his glaive and held down the caster rune, sweeping a tracer-trail of arcanite bolts across the circling pack.

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Marlowe “Lolo” Ashe
Date | Time: December 31st | Late Afternoon (~4pm), |
Location:  Johtan Wilderness - Pinewatch
Wearing: Lolo in Wonderland
Tagging | Mentioning: Hulta, Dariaq, Thessa |
When they found the dismembered villagers, Marlowe was sad of course. Disturbed by it even. But more honestly she was becoming increasingly on edge. Where was Lyra? That they hadn’t found them yet bothered her. And with this visual of people unsafe in the woodlands it was hard not to get it in her head that they might find the others like this. That she might see Lyra like this. So after they continued on, Marlowe was less perceptive and more uneasy. No doubt playing into getting snuck up on - not that she was likely to be one to have caught that ahead of time anyway.

“Oof-gh!” Marlowe grunted as the weight of a Hispo slammed into her and she fell to the ground. Lolo dodged her head to the side to avoid a snap of jaws and struggled to get a stable grasp on the thing. Discombobulated, that didn’t seem to be going well until she felt the weight lift and saw Thessa standing above her. “My hero,” she chimed, rolling onto her stomach and pushing up behind the guardianship of Legacy. Lolo’s eyes immediately flew to Hulta - she was fine too. Then she saw Dari, but no surprise he had wrestled himself free. Lolo fell into position to create the circle. It wasn’t the best stance for her personally, but it was good for the group. She positioned so that her back would be to Thessa’s, forcing Hulta and Dari’s to be together - if only to ensure the two long weapons weren’t going to be interfering with one another.

That was when she took in just how many of them there were. There was a natural fear there, a sinking feeling of being cornered. There had been a lot of Hispo on the way to the Rishi Valley, and in it, but they had met those challenges head on. They were surrounded, the Hispo had the high ground so to speak. And while the forest would normally have encouraged Marlowe, there was that elemental dredge in the air that outshined her familiarity and comfort in operating in this space. A sort of mire that made her feel like she was fighting with weights on her ankles and wrists. And then something else weighed on her. The dread that amplified this experience. Marlowe felt her mouth dry out. There was a tremble in her that she didn’t understand.

Marlowe pulled out a chunk of green Arcanite and closed it in her hand, squeezing the crystal tightly. To engage she’d have to break this formation and leave them open, but maybe she could create an arena that would favor them a bit more. Maybe she shouldn’t make use of Arcanite at a time like this, she felt unsteady, but what else could she do? Marlowe channeled her Soul into the shard, and pushed its magic into the earth beneath their feet - if she could lift them up, even just a few feet, they would have the literal high ground.

[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
Her staff was turned to a cane as they followed the tracks to a sight that had her stomach turning. Hulta concentrated fully on not bringing up her dinner as the fact that these were once people floated around her skull. The staff inched into the moss covered soil under her feet as she relied on it to stop herself from heaving forward. As Thessa moved them swiftly onwards, Hulta tried to return her attention to the trees and branches around them. But every glance brought only the possibility of finding another torn apart corpse.

Dari was the first choice for the Hispo that had been hiding in the trees with Marlowe a quick second. Spinning the staff in hand, she slotted it apart and gracefully caught the other hand. She was preoccupied with the view of Dari and Lolo being attacked that she didn’t notice that they were being steadily surrounded. Slotting herself into Thessa’s side, she felt that horrid sensation flutter through her spine. Something big was watching them. Something big was hunting them.

As much as fear was eating through her ribs, she knew to focus on the facts. The four of them were squires. They were strong and could bring down any foe if they worked together. Keeping Dari to her side, she flicked the staff ends against each other. The sharp hum sliced forward to try and force the Hispo back a few paces. Bright amber eyes drank in the numbers that surrounded them as she slotted the staff back together. Her fingers brushing the spine and prompting her shimmer to coat where she wasn’t gripping. She had supplies. But there was always that worry…what if they needed them later? Placing the staff before her, she braced it to use as a razor air like chainsaw against anything that lunged to her.

[Rainbae]

Character Name: Koko Gero
Date | Time: 12.31.1322 | Late Afternoon (~4pm)
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Pinewatch | Grassland - No Resonance
Wearing: Red Overalls, White Blouse, Faded Blue Leather Trench Coat, Goggles, Heavy Work Boots
Tagging | Lyra, Estelle, Chee, Savaged
Koko heaved heavy breaths as the fight ended. She watched as her green eyes flashed turquoise with the sharp blue of lightning that exploded outwards. She grinned madly at the intense show of force from the tiny little elf. Koko appreciated the firepower more than most. She gave her an appreciative wink and a thumbs up as she untangled herself from her partner. She stumbled a bit as she rose back up from the crouched position she'd gone down in to heave her friends from the Hispo and snapped her fingers into a point towards Lyra. “Blammo! Nice shot, your highness. Knew bringin’ you along was a good idea.” She smiled at Chee through the pain as he gripped her arm. With the other she reached over and rustled his hair and gave it a few pats. “Bah I'm just fine! A few bites ain't stoppin’ me any time soon you hear me.” Koko used her free arm again to flex her bicep and smirk. “These guns can take-a bit of-a beaten’ no prob. But I reckon you're right, how are yall two doin’?” She looked to the duo of shorties across from her. “Good to move cause I ain't lookin’ to sit ‘round while more show up.” Koko reeled in Devotion with a push of a button and a snap. Despite her protests there was more sweat on her brow than there should be considering how little movement she'd done. Whether that was due to her injury or just anxiety at this situation was impossible to tell.

She followed behind Estelle now more closely. Koko’s ability to stealth was probably the worst amongst the scouting group and she knew it. That was more than likely why she'd been attacked. So she figured staying near Estelle with her superior senses would be the best place for her. Even if guilt still wracked her at their encounter the other night. She'd already said her apologies, no reason to say them again. There wasn't much she could do but prove she meant them now at this point. She was the first to stop at her signal. Immediately Koko readied her weapon's. A slight wincing grunt came out as she brought both arms to the ready. Her shoulder was burning with a hot pain at this point. It was more distracting than debilitating though. Her soul had protected her from most of the damage. The pain distracting her made her notice them last, the pack of Hispo striding across from them.

Part of Koko wanted to take them, as it always did. That part of her was even louder now after everything that happened. It was emboldened by a want to avenge the people of Pinewatch. It was also emboldened by the fact that Koko had spilt blood here now herself too. It felt odd for her to have to grapple with that part of herself. Normally she just let Maria shut that part of her brain down. She hadn’t been forced to make these judgement calls herself before. Luckily Chee made it for her and although unlike Maria he left the door open for her to make the call she decided to listen to her partner. Not only cause he was probably right but because he was certainly a lot better at this stealthing thing than her. Koko gave a small nod towards Chee and then shuffled around in the brush to head in that direction. Unless Lyra or Stella objected she'd make her way back towards the town. Koko was thinking the same thing Chee was. They really needed to find their friends.

[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
To say she was on high alert was an understatement. If the Hispo wasn't enough, there were these larger Hispo that seemed to be leading them around and helping to organize their numbers. And if those larger Hispo weren't enough, there was that absolutely atrocious Alpha that was unlike anything she might have been able to cook up in any of her nightmares. And that's what it was. It was a thing from a nightmare, a horrific vision that she was sure would follow her no matter what went down today - whether they were able to take it out as a group or not.

And if that Alpha wasn't enough, she also had Koko and Chee behind her and in front of her and all around her. She caught some looks to each other and some looks to her. It was weird. Of course it was weird. Yes, she'd forgiven them, but it still took time to process things. Trust was a fickle thing and ultimately, she could not completely trust them. At least, she didn't feel like she could. And with the scouting group, she was away from Thessa. She didn't know Lyra as well as she might have liked, but she felt like the elf would certainly have her back if push came to shove.

What it came down to was that this was their mission, they were a team... and no matter what had happened in the past, they needed to move forward. It just meant that she needed to watch her back. And her front. And her sides. It was all so fresh.

She hadn't responded directly in a verbal sense to Koko's question, simply nodding to avoid making too much noise. It might have been a small case of paranoia, but soon enough they were making their way back towards Pinewatch again. And she was lucky to have spotted that group of Hispo coming right for them. At the front of the group, she'd held out both her arms abruptly, still below the top of the brush so as not to draw attention to them. Turning her head and twisting some to be sideways, she could look back at her teammates to gauge their expressions and choices for moving forward and also track the Hispo to ensure they didn't just run right into them.

Chee and even Koko seemed ready to continue to Pinewatch. And while she did look to Lyra to ensure she agreed, she wouldn't hesitate in beginning to guide the team off to the left some, careful to look underfoot at the quietest route possible to ensure they could be out of the way to wait for the Hispo to pass. And if and when they did, she was ready to continue moving, a bit faster this time with the group, now on the lookout for the other half of their team. Her crude finger painting on the wall had to have caught their attention, right?

[FyreFoxx]

Character Name: Lyreilynn "Lyra" Xyrven Myalis
Date | Time: December 31st | Late Afternoon (~4pm)
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Pinewatch
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: Chee, Estelle, Koko | Marlowe

Lyra huffed out a small noise of annoyance as the Hispo collapsed to the ground before it even had the chance to howl to alert more of its kind. While the dainty elf tended to be fairly accommodating to others, sometimes, even her patience could be pushed too far. She acknowledged the praise from her teammates with a small smile and nod, averting her eyes. It was still strange to hear people compliment her. Once she was certain they were in the clear for the moment, she looked down at her arm, the blue fabric turning crimson as time passed. A frown tugged her lips downward, flexing her fingers slowly to estimate the amount of damage done. It still hurt, but it wasn’t too severe. The bite had been quick but relatively minor overall. Still, it was best to treat it as soon as possible.
 
With her good arm, she curled her fingers inward on the sphere, forcing it to collapse back into its ring form, then carefully slid it back into place on her right wrist. Using the same good hand, she pulled her pack around, dug out some bandages, and quickly got to work wrapping the strips of cloth around her forearm after pushing up her damaged sleeve. Another test flex of her hand before Lyra checked on Koko, refusing to let her get very far until she could quickly wrap her shoulder. It was a patch job at best, but the padding of gauze and tightly bound bandages should at least stabilize the wound until they could get back to base.
 
The four of them started moving back towards Pinewatch, but they didn’t get very far until the next pack of Hispo were in front of them. They were still unseen, but they had little time left to act. A quick glance over her shoulder back the way they had come, back towards the clearing they had seen earlier with the mass gathering of Hollow. Was this group trying to join them?
 
Lyra looked back towards the others, blue eyes drifting over the other three squires. In all this time, they’d gone into the forest at a snail’s pace, quietly tracking a large Hispo. They’d found the clearing, traveled past it, found an Alpha, and doubled back… and still not come across their teammates? There was no way they’d miss the letters EAST that Estelle had painted across the wall. There was a chance they might have stayed in the town, but it was unlikely. The instructions were clear. And if that was the case, surely, they’d have met up by now? Unless… Unless one set of squires had veered off course. They had Chee to help them maneuver through the forest, but who did the other team have? Or worse, what if some of the Hollow they had ignored had found them first?
 
Suddenly, Lyra wanted to be by Marlowe’s side that instant. She wanted her partner with her, to make sure she was safe. She didn’t like being separated like this, not one bit. Biting down on her lower lip, she looked back at the approaching Hollow with disdain. They’d already been found once. They couldn’t risk being found again, not when the information they had was important to disclose to the others. Curling her fingers into loose fists at her sides, Lyra nodded towards the others. They already had an inkling of where this pack was headed, there was no need to follow them. They needed to regroup with the others as soon as possible. She only hoped they’d run into them soon, or meet them back at Pinewatch.
 
If not… Lyra had every intention of burning this damn forest to the ground in search of her partner.

[Aethyrium]

S T O R Y T E L L E R
December 31st, Late Afternoon (~4pm) | Johtan Wilderness - Pinewatch | Forest - Water
Next Post: 4.4.25 | Lyreilynn, Chee, Koko, Estelle
Koko, Lyreilynn, Chee, & Estelle…
The pack of Hispo stormed past the hidden squires, and just as quickly as they had come, they were gone. It was a tense moment, but it last no more than a few seconds. Clawed paws tore across the ground like a small stampede. The most unusual thing was that the squires *hadn’t* been discovered. Though it was possible Chee’s direction at taking hiding - a speciality of the young silenus - was just that good, the Hollow’s ability to sense life certainly felt like it should have alerted them. Perhaps then a combination of the hiding and their own focus. Of course the only thing that anyone could think of that could cause a Hollow to focus so intently was exactly what they had passed up by moving past them - life.

The remaining trek to Pinewatch was easy - strangely easy actually. Even on their initial entry they had seen stray Hispo here and there. Hollow moving randomly through Bristlewood. But not now, their path was empty. It made the quicker pace that Estelle desired easier to achieve - after the passing of the far pack, there was seemingly nothing in the wood. And before long they spilled out of the edge of the woodland, not far from Pinewatch, slightly along the northern edge of it. It took no time at all to get back into the city and come face to face with the brutality inflicted on the dead village. And less time from there to trace their way back to the point they had entered Bristlewood initially, and Estelle’s bloody signal of EAST.

But what they didn’t find was the rest of their team.

A quick bit of recon, maybe five minutes splitting up, showed that there was no sign of the other four anywhere immediately noticeable. But no matter how they calculated it, unless they had been intercepted, there was no way they hadn’t reached Pinewatch by now. Before long they had regrouped at the bloody writing on the wall with no clear sense of direction.

* * * * *

Dariaq, Thessa, Hulta, & Marlowe

The Hispo prepared to lunge, and Thessa’s chain grappled its front paws, tugging it down to its side - but while its advance was momentarily paused, another Hispo stalked forward to take its place. Meanwhile, at her side, the bolts from Dariaq’s caster sizzled, hitting Hispo and tree alike - nothing struck down, but the suppressive fire bought them time to all gather and form their full defensive position. And Marlowe’s Soul channeled into the Arcanite and sparked its core just like she desired. The magic of the stone seeped into the earth around them and took hold of the earth like a god-hand, lifting a wide circle around them up. The earth beneath their feet rumbled and shifted as a pillar slowly split away from the surface of Toil and rose erect from it, nearly three feet up, giving them a positional advantage over their foes.

As the stone shifted and grinded audibly into the woods, the Hispo circled, half a dozen in the open space around the circle. They yipped and howled - cruel sounds of intimidation - fighting for all of their attention, pulling each of their senses in different directions, while more moved around beyond the clear of their sight within the woods. And while they were doing so, one Hispo came barking and lunging for Hulta! The creature’s claws smashed into the edge of the rise Marlowe had created and its teeth got hold of Hulta’s foot, with a quick yank and tug she was pulled right off the rise, stumbling forward - able to catch herself on her staff to avoid falling prone, but still dislodged from the safety of the defensive circle and the rise. Not the mention face to face with one of the Hispo, and another angling right for her.

N O T E SHulta takes 3 damage to the Soul, and 1 to Vitality.

Marlowe gains .3 dots of Shimmer.

The characters can safely take out 1 Hispo each, without fail, and without fear of taking damage given their position. Two characters working together can safely dispatch 3 Hispo without fail. Any character may individually dispatch 2 Hispo, without fail, while also suffering a counter attack. Any character may attempt to make a bigger play and deal with additional Hispo, but this will be a risky action and could come with additional consequences. Of course any character can attempt any other action - but note that fleeing in the current scenario is functionally impossible - which will be adjudicated when seen.

It is not currently possible to note how many Hispo they are facing - best guess anyone can make is north of two dozen.

Hulta is vulnerable. She may act normally and take her position back up onto the rise, but doing so will result in a counter attack of some form which may or may not disrupt the attempt to reposition. She may safely move back up onto the position, which will succeed but should be written as her defending herself only and not making any other action. Because of positioning, either Thessa or Marlowe can assist Hulta in retaking her position, negating the vulnerability and allowing her to succeed and take a basic action (such as eliminating a singla Hispo), but will also limit that character to a basic action. Of course Hulta may choose to remain on the ground, sacrificing any benefits of being on the rise, but act and behave normally, effectively negating the vulnerability.

N O T E S

Stats

Thessa

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

Estelle (70%)

• Vitality: 134/135
• Soul: 51/55 (Green)
• Resources: Full

Marlowe (52%)

• Vitality: 77/80
• Soul: 33/40 (Green)
• Resources: Full
• Shimmer: 6.6 dots

Lyreilynn

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

Hulta (53%)

• Vitality: 69/70
• Soul: 52/55 (Green)
• Resources: Full

Dariaq (60%)

• Vitality: 75/80
• Soul: 59/70 (Green)
• Resources: Full

Koko (33%)

• Vitality: 68/70
• Soul: 5/25 (Orange)
• Resources: Full

Chee (50%)

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

The scouting group needs to make a decision about what they want to do. None of the characters are able to immediately determine any details. However, if they collectively spend the next round doing a detailed investigation they will surely be able to find something that a preliminary look around did not reveal. If there is debate about how to proceed, it should happen ICly, as time the characters spend doing that matters. Please feel free to post twice in a single round if inclined/needed, but if more than that is needed, please wait until following rounds to continue.

[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
The scouting team made their way quickly back in the direction they came, retracing their steps more easily than she would have thought possible. But it was just that. Once the group of Hispo was past them, the rest of the distance was traversed smoothly. It was as they reached the outskirts of Pinewatch again that she started to feel off. Her footsteps slowed and her vision went hazy. Fingers rose to the bridge of her nose, squeezing at it in the hopes that adding pressure would smooth this away. But it didn't.

She gestured for the others to move ahead of her, the scouting team now out of the trees and back to the wall that would lead them back to carnage and bloodshed. All the way they followed their tracks until Estelle's bloody message came into view. But the rest of the team did not. Blinking the haze away, she looked around. "They're not here," she said, stating the obvious but mostly to express her confusion than 'inform' the others. "Did they even come through? We should look for signs they've been here. To make sure they even made it here at all." Looking around, she didn't see anything at first. The piling of bodies and excess of blood and guts and who knew what else actually made it far more difficult to track. And besides, how would she have been able to tell apart their group's footsteps or movements from that of the group in the rear?

Frustration was welling up inside her, and there was a strange sense of dread rising up in her throat. Splitting up was the last thing they should have done. It had all seemed at least relatively harmless, maybe even started out a smart idea to scout and ensure all could be as prepared as possible for what was to come. But now their group knew about this Alpha. In all of its spiny and terrifying glory. And not just the Alpha, but the several groups of Hispo led by a larger creature each. And the rear group knew... nothing? She tugged at the roots of her hair, the tension feeling oddly comforting as she looked around, the others having spread out at least a little to determine if the group could be tracked or spotted.

But there it was again. That haze. She was seeing double as if her eyes were crossing and her surroundings grew vague, blurry. A flash of motion - a silhouette - darted across her vision. "What the fuck--" she hissed, throwing her hands up to her face and squeezing her eyes closed. She hunched over some, willing some sense of control over herself. But this was the last thing she needed now. Was she dehydrated or just going crazy?

Slowly removing her hands, there it was again. Another flash. And then the silhouette slowed right there in front of her blood-painted direction. EAST, it said. The rest of the scene was blurred, in shadow. But right there... right there was... "Thessa?" Squinting, she stepped up, her eyes straining to make sense of what she was seeing. And sure as can be, she recognized the back of the woman's head. The braided hair, the ears, the broad and strong shoulders. Estelle reached forward, looking to place her hand on the woman's shoulder. But before she could make purchase, the vision fizzled away. "Wh--"

The shapes and colors were more erratic than before, the sights almost painful. But there were more silhouettes now. She couldn't make out faces. More looking at her sign. But Thessa. Estelle stumbled forward a step, eyes blinking closed and then open purposefully now to try to push past this discomfort. Her head pounded, temples pulsing and heartbeat quickening. Thessa was there. Estelle continued on in her footsteps, following in the silhouette's trail to the wall again. And out into the forest.

One more flash, and her vision was back to normal save for a gentle pulsing of discomfort in her eyes. What was that?

Intuition told her either way, whatever it was, that they should follow. Or at least that she had to follow. She turned back, crunching through the dirt back to the walls and trying to collect their group. "This way. I think they went this way." She pointed in the direction that she last saw Thessa's silhouette, not offering any other explanation... because she just didn't have one.

[Rainbae]

Character Name: Koko Gero
Date | Time: 12.31.1322 | Late Afternoon (~4pm)
Location: Johtan Wilderness - Pinewatch | Grassland - No Resonance
Wearing: Red Overalls, White Blouse, Faded Blue Leather Trench Coat, Goggles, Heavy Work Boots
Tagging | Lyra, Estelle, Chee, Savaged
Koko felt a release as they slipped out of the tree line and found themselves before Pinewatch once more. It was a sudden and strong feeling, tension she hadn’t even realized she was carrying slipped out of her without warning. She felt herself huffing for breath even though they hadn’t been running. She realized in that moment how much fear had gripped her. She’d been taking small tiny breaths without noticing since they saw that alpha. She’d been treading so incredibly lightly. All her muscles had been bunched up, ready to spring at any moment. She wanted to be mad at herself for letting that kind of emotion over take her on a mission. However she figured she’d give herself a bit of slack considering the circumstances. Even full blown champions would probably stop to breathe after seeing that monstrosity they’d run into. She put her hands on her knees and just caught her breath for a moment as they reached the site they’d left behind for the others. With no sight of them nearby though Koko got nervous. The plan to scout hadn’t been hers exactly but separating the group into two groups had been. She clicked her tongue at herself for not thinking things through further.

Thoughts spilling through her mind Koko like a rapid river made Koko slow to move. As such she had traveled the least distance from the site and Estelle when she heard the girl groan. Her head whipped up, expecting enemies but saw no immediate threat. Instead she saw Estelle keeling over in pain holding her head. Had they missed something? Poison? Some other lasting effect? Either way Koko didn’t care. She dashed over and tried to get the girl’s attention. She put a hand on her shoulder and tried to wave a hand in front of her face. “Woah there Starlight, you good little miss? Look like you might pass out. Water you need water?” But there was no immediate answer. It was like Estelle wasn’t looking at her. She was staring off at something else. Koko tried to follow her eyeline but saw nothing in particular in that direction. "I getcha, I sweated my ass off out there, and not just from hoofin' it. That sight the kinda thing to make ya sweat. that's for damn sure." Koko reached for canteen, and was about to offer it to Estelle. She opened her mouth again to try and speak but she was cut off by the smaller girl. Had she said Thessa? Was she seeing things, some sort of hallucination from some kind of bug or something? Maybe something had bit her and she didn’t know. Koko was about to check when the girl started to wander off towards the forest once more.

“Chi-Chi, Lyra get out here!” Koko called out for friends who were nearby as she watched her. She wasn’t sure what was going on but Estelle seemed to be trying her best to focus on it. Whatever it may be. Clearly she was seeing something Koko didn’t. She just stayed close, being ready to catch her if she went down. She stopped when Estelle finally stopped, right at the edge of the wall. She watched the colour come back into the girl’s features and that glassy distant stare she had faded. Koko breathed a sigh of relief, whatever it was didn’t seem permanent. “What? How’dya reckon? I ain’t see no tracks or nothin’, you seein’ somethin’ I ain’t seein’ Stell?” Koko’s brow was raised and skeptical. That being said she was the type to follow feelings and her gut. If Estelle’s nose was telling her where to go she was willing to follow, she just wanted to see if she could pick up on what the girl was too. She tried to survey the ground and the area around them for any signs of the other group but she saw nothing super immediately visible.

[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: Tracks and Instincts
Chee's attention had been split. He did his best to ignore that niggling voice in the back of his skull telling him something was wrong. Everything was wrong. What could possibly be right? Even as they broke the treeline and made for Pinewatch though, his brain wouldn't shut off. Those Hispo should have been able to sense them. They'd been too close. It shouldn't have been that easy. It should have been more like in the village: tense moments of hiding. Maybe? Maybe being in the forest and surrounded by life helped? It bothered him.

But getting back was more important and being alert for his team was more important. And they should have thought of a system for communicating with the other team when they split.

He clicked his tongue loudly and stared at the bloody message. He started to cast about carefully, putting his experience with woodcraft and tracking to use. The streets were a mess though. Hispo tracks, their own tracks, fleeing people. His ears flicked and his tail swayed as he slowly moved toward the outer wall and the forest edge. Was that Marlowe's boot? He found himself thanking the Wild One that Marlowe refused to wear sensible footwear in the wilds. It made her stand out against the rest of the impressions. He traced them towards the exterior wall, but surely they had waited for them here. They were the scouts. He crouched down, fingers tracing the impression of the heeled boot, when a noise whipped his head around.

Koko and Stella were coming his way. He looked past them and saw Lyra moving that way as well. "Wha-"

His eyes went wide at Stella's words and his head whipped around to the trees. He grimaced. He wasn't sure what was going on with Stella, but he looked down to the tracks he'd been trying to make sense of. The information added context that opened them up. They had gone into the woods. He looked up slowly. "We shoulda told dem ta wait." Scouting was a good idea. The split had been sound enough. He shook his head. There was no use crying over what was done.

"Dey'll need us." Everyone there knew what he meant. They hadn't known the extent to which when they'd left the message. They'd gambled and gone deeper rather than coming back. And now they knew why, the extent of why, the Bristlewood was dangerous. To Chee, there was no debate, they had to go and fast to catch up. Luckily, maybe, they could move faster this time. He felt a chill distilling into his guts. The idea of the others facing down what they'd seen.

He hopped the low wall once more and started to cast the field they'd crossed earlier for the newest set of tracks to find where they entered the wood. "Lyra! Can you use da Green ta track like a Graboid?" He shouted it and sensed the panic in his voice. He pushed it down and focused.