Graterras Chapter 4: Shattering Realities. [IC]

[Zephyrus the Priestess]

"Help would be appreciated; we might as well gather what other resources we might need." The half-elf nodded at the badly beaten Kenku, masking her grimace-- she understood that Berserkers went blind and saw only red in the heat of battle, but thank the gods, he hadn't gone too far so as to get himself or any of the rest of the group killed. All the bruises and swelling on his body showed how much of a fight he put up, and boy, that overgrown bird sure could pack a punch.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

"Let me get a look at ya Beaks" Cookie said coming over. He inspected Akuma's wounds. "Nothing too serious, most of it will heal pretty quickly on it's own. Just keep an eye on it, make sure it doesn't get infected. When we get the herbs together I will be sure to apply some, will dull any pain you are feeling for today so you can get some rest." ((and Cookie could have totally looked him over in the tree lol.))

Curfew got out a huge pot, like super huge...It could probably feed a small army. "Oi, any of you got some wood? Need ta start a fire." The chubby Gnoll said. He looked even more silly now, as he had a chef's hat on. It looked odd, a brilliant white that harshly contrasted with the Earth Tones he was wearing for the rest of his clothes.

"If you need some we would be happy to help." said Bjorn flexing his muscles. Chauff didn't look happy about it, but he followed after Bjorn. "There should be plenty around here."

Blue sat down, heaving a great sigh as he did so. His armour was quite a bit singed on the chest where the Magical Bolt had hit him. He strecthed his legs and his arms, and then laid back. He stared up at the sky for awhile, not making much noise. He must have been tired, after all, the others didn't know how much fighting he had done today. The Battle before they arrived, and running from the city, it had been a lot for him. But he didn't complain, they were safe now, he doubted Lord Violet would return anytime soon, he didn't seem the type to be so bold.

[Zephyrus the Priestess]

"Sir," rang Helze's voice. The ranger stood by the Illithid, looking him over. "I'll be gathering some medicines for you as well. Is there anything that you'll need me to look for?"

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

"Nothing special is required." He said into her mind, smiling as best an Illithid could. "Just some rest, I am very tired, much harder flinging water around than it looks that is for certain." He put his head back down into the soft grass and closed his eyes slowly drifting into a soft sleep,

[Zephyrus the Priestess]

The half-elf watched the Illithid for a while, remembering how the mental connection abruptly snapped apart and how Blue had already been battling alongside the Gnoll band when they had arrived. Rest well, she thought, before going around to see if anybody had anymore requests before she and Marcus set off for the woods. "Jupiter, my sister? Mister Odin?" Helze looked around in search of the archer and the Dwarf-father.

[Ragnar]

"why are you helping me? once we're out in this forest.. we will be enemies you know." Akuma was quite surprise as Cookie aided him, he doesn't expect this treatment from one of the death angel's lackeys.The kenku sit still, as he tries not to strain himself.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

"That eye of yours works right? We helped you fight those bastards, we aren't with them. Maybe if Ishmael was here you would understand not all of us fight for the same reasons under that regime. Some of us are there to try and reason with them, show them that if we want respect, we have to act in a way deserving of that respect. People don't respect those that use a weapon to devour an entire town of people. They only look on us like the monsters they already believe us to be, and will never change with ones like Ashnard running the show. We seek to change this cycle of hatred begetting more and more hatred. We aren't your enemies, and we certainly aren't their friends. We are the small few who cry out trying to stop the madness. Not all of this is that Black and White Beaks. Not everyone that works under Ashnard or any of the others is your foe. Things aren't that cut and dried. I want the world to change, to understand that just because I am a gnoll doesn't mean I habour hatred for them. Too many of the other races look upon the others and see only beasts, mad creatures, that slaughter innocents. We aren't all like that, we aren't all. Remember, there was time they weren't fond of your people either."

He sighed as he crossed his arms. He cracked his neck. "We fought against our own kin there, but we don't feel remorse or regret for doing it. They wish to only carry on the legacy of violence. We will surely be branded as traitors, and possibly hunted, we are probably in an even worse situation then you. You didn't have to fight today, but you did. Ye best hope they don't target you as well. I guess there is luck in one thing, whatever the hell these bastards are looking for is taking up most of their time, it spreads them thin, they won't be able to spare people to hunt us down, at least not yet."

***

Helze quickly found the two. Jupiter was picking an arrow out of Nemesis, and treating the wound. Nemesis would only let Jupiter do such a thing, so she had to be the one to treat the mighty bird. Odin was sitting nearby whittling on something. ((relatively, they aren't in the same area, but both would be closeish, like they are easily within earshot of Helze.)) He seemed to be preparing tinder to use to light the fire for whatever Curfew was going to make. He used one of his hatchets making small cuts into the wood. He shaved off tiny bits collecting them in a small tin.

"Oi, what's up Helze?" Odin said, lifting one of his ember coloured eyes to see her. He tried to keep one on his work as to not cut himself.

Jupiter didn't say anything, though Helze got the feeling that she was paying attention. Jupiter was probably busy trying to make sure she didn't hurt Nemesis in anyway while working on her wound.

***

Dru felt Dia stirring again. "So, your battle is over now, is there anything you know about what is going on? Is this, your body I am in?" she seemed to have calmed down quite a bit, but was clearly still shaken. How did she even get here?

[Ragnar]

"I believe you" Akuma said to Cookie. The kenku is in a much lighter mood than he was a moment ago as the gnoll enlighten him. "pretty bold move for a small gnoll in a big world, perhaps you and i do not differ from one another, i mean we're both prepared to loose our sanity just to see the world change." Akuma wheeze out a hearty chuckle as he feels a sharp pain in his gut, at to the point he has to stop laughing.

"So what's the deal with Ishmael? cause the way your telling me, he is some sort of a saint amongst all of the death angels."

Edited December 17, 2014 by typhlosionrulez

[Zephyrus the Priestess]

Watching Jupiter treat the Stilfe, Helze said in reply, "Oh, I was just going to ask if any of you need some herbs and whatnot from the forest. The Fire Templar Marcus has offered to come along and help." The ranger looked at her sister knowingly, aware of how the two seemed to get along so easily.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

"He believes that we shouldn't be using this amass of people to fight and kill. He wants us the Forsaken races to put our best foots forward so that the Free races may see we are not the monsters they wish us to be." Cookie said. "I don;t know how true his cause is, I will be honest, but he is worth more damns than any of those Death Angels put together. He actually cares, he wants the downtrodden to rise up, and not kill those that oppress us, but try to better our standing with them. Sadly, he is forced to work with them, I only hope he can hold onto his lofty ideals and not be corrupted by those monsters. It is hard to be a Saint when surrounded by devils."

***

"There is nothing i need Helze, Nemesis will heal just fine." Jupiter said. "However, I will come with you to help look." she turned her head and smiled like always.

"Aye, and I will wait for ya to get back then. Gotta get the tinder read for our new friend to cook whatever it is he is going to cook." Odin said with a hearty laugh. "I hope it is going to be good...." he said patting his tummy. "Cause, I am bloody starving. I could probably eat a whole horse."

[Zephyrus the Priestess]

Nodding, with a little smile on her face, she said, "Glad to know that none of you are hurt too much. Nemesis won't have any further trouble flying, will she, sister?" The ranger sat on her haunches to get a closer look at the beautiful oversized reptilian bird.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

"No, she may hurt a bit when walking though." she said. The wound didn't look that awful, it was just a stray shot, probably one a Gnoll didn't even think he would have hit. It did enough damage to call it a wound, but otherwise it seemed rather minuscule.

[Chevaleresse]

Xavier shook his head. "It's sad, really. It seems that any spark of good in this world is dwarfed by the vast darkness surrounding it." He fell silent for a moment, thinking about what the gnoll had said. "Why does Ishmael work with the others, then, anyway? You mentioned he was forced. If we could stop the others from influencing him, it would be a step toward ending this eternal conflict."

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

"He is forced not by actual force, but by duty. He feels he needs to guide them. Ishmael....he only remembers being a knight in a past life and that is what binds him to duty. He believes the overall goal of the Gentleman is peace....and that he can move them towards that goal even if it isn't....He is a rose amongst thorns." the gnoll mused. "He might be a terrible foe as well. To those he believes will always refuse the races being equal....he is a terrible foe. I hope he never sees you lot as one... Why do you ask so much of the Death Angels, passersby don't normally even know of them let alone ask this much.....are you up to something?" the gnoll said, a spark flashed in his eye as he all of a sudden caught on. The puzzle pieces all of a sudden clicked for him.

[Chevaleresse]

"I think it is best for both of us if we do not discuss our purpose here overmuch. Let it suffice to say that while the plight of the downtrodden races is unfair and unfortunate, we cannot allow them to rise if that means the destruction of our own." Xavier cursed at himself. He did not want to lie to the gnoll - Cookie had shown himself to be honorable and noble - but continuing down this path could lead to a conflict between them.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

"I see, that is your business then. But I think I know what you are doing, and I won't stop you." Cookie replied. He sat back on his haunches. "You need any healing done? I don't know how nasty that fall was definitely didn't look like a fun choice for sure."

[Chevaleresse]

Xavier waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. "I'll be fine. As a Cinder Knight, you take worse falls. Thank you for the offer, though." He didn't think that he had seriously injured himself in the fall, but he was definitely going to feel that for the next week or so. The elf didn't want to accept healing from Cookie because of a sense of guilt. Working at this cause felt like he was somehow betraying the gnoll, despite the fact that he didn't know the one existed until just recently. This conflict was fairly clearly evident on his face before he looked away from Cookie.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

"Fine by me, but don't come calling when it festers and falls off Rocket." Cookie said. ((and the nicknames continue!))

[Zephyrus the Priestess]

"You're a real toughie, a real fighter, y'know that, Nemesis?" Helze said to compliment the tough ol' bird. The respect and awe she had for the Stilfe shot up after the sight of her ending the battle by snatching the culprit-- a Victonari, of all things-- and exposing him.

But what was that? All the lights, the explosions... "Just what was that thing...?" the befuddled ranger muttered, appalled yet mystified by this entirely new information.

[Chim]

Sigurd walked over to Curfew with a rumbling stomach and his arms loaded with wood. “Here you go,” he tried to take a peek in the massive pot, “I don’t think I ever had gumbo… it sounds delicious…” The Wind Templar was almost salivating as he casually tried to start a conversation with Gnoll chef.

[Notus]

Marcus approached Helze and Jupiter quietly, but spoke up at the ranger's question. "Not sure, but I think that was a Steam Caster. It's a weapon from the Shifting Sands, hella rare and strange... Actually, I never expected to see one of those here, let alone being used by a Victonari." That was indeed very weird, but the Templar decided to push the thought aside for a moment. He then turned the silver haired archer. "Glad to see you're OK Jupiter... And Nemesis too, she really did a fine job there!"

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

"It is a hearty meal for hearty people!" Curfew said his belly bouncing a little as he moved. He seemed to be dancing a little as he thought of the meal he was talking about. He started the fire, and seemed to be excellent at it. It had to come with how good a cook he was, as he would have needed fire to cook on the trail. He expertly controlled the levels of the flame, keeping it growing, but not going out of control. He must have done it many times before. He gathered all his ingredients into a giant pot that he put onto a folding table. The amount of things he pulled out of his bag were staggering. One began to wonder how important cooking was to the gnoll, considering he had to carry that giant pack with him after running off. He began to cut the vegetables for the gumbo cutting thin slices of carrots, onions, green peppers, spring onions, and all sorts of other fresh produce. "Could you watch the fire old bean?" he asked Sigurd politely.

His paws were a whirling hurricane of speed. He expertly prepared everything quickly and yet beautifully as well. It was like watching a ballet of ingredients, and it's cook make them dance. He whistled a fine tune, probably one of gnoll origin, while he cooked. It sounded sweet and like the rolling wind. It had a rather ethereal tone to it as it lolled into the air. It made the spectacle even more the pleasure to watch. To think the simple act of cooking could be a show all on it's own.

***

"Thank you, Nemesis did what she thought was right." Jupiter said. She blushed a little. It was nice of Marcus to care that she was ok. Most of the people she fought with didn't care. It was like they wanted her to get hurt back in the village. Not out of spite, but as an "I told you the battlefield was no place for a lady". She felt relieved that this group didn't think of like that, and accepted her help. "We should hurry up and get those herbs to help the others recover quickly."

[Zephyrus the Priestess]

"Steam... Caster?" repeated the ranger. "What exactly are they? I've not read about them in any of the books I've come across," she said to Marcus as they began to move, the trio being complete.

[Flux]

Nero stood leaning against a tree, a short distance from the others. His eyes were closed and his arms crossed as he listened in. So that was a Steam Caster. It was powerful homing magic, able to sense him through invisibility and even able to guide itself around the tree to hit him. He would have to look into that someday, to find out exactly how they worked. For now, he would simply wait until the group was moving again.

[Notus]

"Well, I don't know that much about them either... Even in the Sands they are quite hard to find." Marcus made an effort to try and remember what he had heard on the subject while he walked along with te ladies. "I think it is something like a Magic shooter, it uses steam to propel magic in some way. No idea how it manages to do so though."