Aervana #1 - Group 1 (IC Thread)

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

"About as long as the rest of our shift." Olrien blurted out. He began sipping on his tea. First time I have brewed the Famous Galessong tea in a long time. He thought to himself. It was the perfect balance of Sweet and Minty. The Mint didn't overstay it's welcome, and the Sweetness wasn't too overpowering. And it smelled Fantastic. Olrien sat getting lost in his own little world.

[Flux]

"Kozuto, if you don't mind me asking, what was life like among your group of the Vanda? I don't mean to offend you, but I know next to nothing about your people." He paused. "I... assume their must be some differences based on location, since your people are so... scattered." He looked back at the tent. "After all... you seem to have been raised very differently than Kho."

He awaited the response, hoping he hadn't said anything to offend the shaman. His ignorance of their ways made him unsure of what was considered polite to ask, but at least with this, he could remedy some of that ignorance.

[Arkhi]

It was simply a matter of time before the question was popped. Kozuto should have been more prepared to handle it when it came. He turned his head, staring away for a second. "The Vanda Nomads... We are a fractured people. You're correct in saying we have no home. Only a few times before now have I met colonies of other Vanda. Others- assassins, rouges, thieves- they seldom ever stay with a group. My father ruled it too unsafe to stay in a single place for a long time. In the end, he was right about that..." his last line a whisper. He looked up, speaking understandably of the man. "I touched on this earlier, but the source of my power is not magic. It is spiritual strength, passed down through totems at a time when the first Vanda Nomads used magic. One such item is this staff of mine," he lifted his staff up from the sand, showing it to Gillem and, rather reluctantly, to Olrien for a second. The top of the staff was a thin loop that curled back around the body of the staff and grabbed around a small stone at the bottom. "I've heard plots to steal the small gem on the bottom of this staff. It's simply an accessory. Instead, the staff responds to the body of a Vanda, who can then pilot the power. This particular staff yields to me power of nature. Of course, it isn't quite my forte."

Kozuto closed his eyes, tapping into the Green Phoenix, which rested on his shoulder. As he entered consciousness into the creature, the Phoenix's eyes changed from orange to Kozuto's green eyes. Being the Phoenix, he cawed softly, then returned to his Vanda body.

"That right there, that was one unique trait I posses. I am great with animals. Depending on the heritage of a nomad, they can tap into some aspect of nature." He was about to talk about how his sister could tap into day and night to making thievery easier for her. But that story was too painful. He swallowed.

"Getting back on topic, I cannot answer why the other Vanda is unlike me. I had the intention of helping him and he turned out to be a foe."

[Flux]

"Getting back on topic, I cannot answer why the other Vanda is unlike me. I had the intention of helping him and he turned out to be a foe."

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Gillem sighed. "I couldn't tell you, either. He seems to have experienced some sort of troubles in the past, but he rarely speaks at all, so I have know way of knowing even a hint of what they were. I'm trying to get to know him, to get him to open up to me, but... well, you know." He looked out over the empty desert. A small breeze was blowing, causing the top layers of sand to shift.

"I suppose we'll just have to give him some time. I do believe he will open up eventually." He gave a small smile. "Don't give up on relations with him. I certainly won't -- not with any of you."

Gillem began to think of how strange it was that he trusted Koz so much already. Most people would be suspicious of a man who had followed and nearly attacked their group that very same day, but most of the group seemed to trust him. Perhaps it was due to his help in the battle with the scraeth. Gillem's mulled over these things while he waited for Koz's remedy to be finished.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

"Kho is a Warrior." said Olrien. "We aren't typically willing to sit down and talk about feelings." He sighed. "He reminds me a lot of myself, before Eleri set me straight. I was so blinded by my honour, my pride, that I wouldn't let anyone near me. I thought it was weak to show that I was merely mortal, like we all are." Olrien thought back to his days in training. An interesting time, indeed. "I remember I almost killed a kid, back when I was training to be a knight. He was crying about loosing a practice fight, so I forced him to fight me to toughen up. After that I realized what I was becoming." Olrien sighed. "That is why I like to take pride in arts that create, rather than destroy. I don't want to take pleasure in something that can take everything away from somebody." Olrien went back to sipping his tea. "There is some tea left in the Pot if you Gents want any." He said a small smile on his face.

[Arkhi]

After the elf's commentary, the wind resumed its silent howl. Kozuto slowly churned the potion three more times with a small spoon before announcing. "Alright, here we are," he said, as he removed the spoon and poured it into an empty glass bottle of his. On him, he always carried three glass bottles. One contained a small bit of healing potion, one contained water, and the last was empty. The ingredients he carried were in the packs around his waist. Being a field alchemist, Kozuto had to be prepared to perform any sort of procedure with what he had, so he traveled light and with only the more effective ingredients.
After it was all poured into the bottle, he handed it to Gillem. Just then, he had a sense of unease come upon him. He recoiled slightly, frowning. One of his visions (of five: his, the two sandial owls, and the two sphinx falcons) felt some creeping presence.
He handed the sour potion to Gillem, then turned to the elf. "You manipulate the wind, no? Can you feel anything out of place?"

[OOC]

If I remember correctly, Flux said we can initiate conflict on night watch. This is my way of asking if you two are up for it.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

"Hmmm, I don't feel anything too out of the ordinary...." the Elf replied. "I think we are fine, but keep your guards up just incase. I think I may stay up next watch with Eleri, just to make sure we have more eyes around."

[Flux]

"Hmmm, I don't feel anything too out of the ordinary...." the Elf replied. "I think we are fine, but keep your guards up just incase. I think I may stay up next watch with Eleri, just to make sure we have more eyes around."

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Gillem turned to Koz, unnerved by the question.

"If you felt something, don't simply brush it aside. It's important to trust your instincts sometimes." He paused, looking to Olrien. "But if you say it's nothing, then I guess our watch is over. I appreciate your staying up with Eleriese, though. I wouldn't want her to be the only watch if something were to happen."

With that, he walked back to the tent, giving the dancer a small shake on the shoulder to wake her up.

"Your watch."

[Arkhi]

Well, the watch was over. No action, so that was a good thing. Instead of sleeping like the rest, Kozuto would spend his night meditating, as to both stay awake effortlessly and keep several sets of eyes in the air. He crossed his legs, sat down, and closed his eyes, and sat, talking with his ancestors within his head.

[Flux]

Gillem raised a hand over his eyes to block the sun. The previous night had gone well. The group was mostly well-rested, and nothing had occured during watches. They had been traveling for a few hours now, and they seemed to be getting closer to the capital. The group had passed the windblown tracks of a trading caravan earlier, but the fact that they were still visible showed that they had happened no more than a day before. However, there was something troubling him. Things didn't seem right in the desert. Yesterday they had seen a large horde of scraeth in the daytime. They normally hunted in small groups and only during the night. Furthermore, there were no Sand Vultures in sight. They were almost always visible circling in the sky, looking for something to scavenge. Finally there were the tracks they had passed only a few minutes ago. They were giant hoofprints, as large as Gillem's shield, and he could think of no creature they could possibly belong to. He had alerted the group and they had all taken a look, but none could name a possible creature. These were the reasons that Gillem was worried. He dropped back next to Koz.

"Can you sense any wildlife nearby?" he asked. "The desert seems unusually... deserted." He ran a hand through his untamed hair. "Those hoofprints from before have me worried. Judging by their size and depth, whatever left them was big. And they seemed fairly fresh as well."

Edited May 23, 2014 by Flux

[Code: PIRULUK]

Eleriese glanced around, slightly disturbed. Something about the harmonies around her seemed off. Discordant. Discordant was usually bad. She spoke up.

"I don't like this. The area has a lot of jarring chords. I think we should increase our pace."

[Arkhi]

Gillem posed a question that caught Kozuto rather off guard. Until that point, he had been having conversations in his head with his ancestors, learning about their history. It could bring some answers to light about the other Vanda.
Then, Gillem asked about wildlife in the area. Kozuto slowed to a stop, an inquisitive look on his face. "Come to think of it..." he said, focusing his senses to create a dome, like the night before, to scan for life. Besides several burrows beneath the land, there was very little, if any, life on the surface within their area. The only creature of importance, to himself anyway, was his Green Phoenix. Several seconds later, he turned to Gillem. "I don't feel much. Typically, there should be Sand Vultures in the sky, scavenging for remnants of meals. They like to eat what Sand Surfers don't. Not much of fighters, those birds," he said with a laugh, awkward in the tense atmosphere of the group. "Sorry," he quickly piped. "No, something is definitely off."

[Flux]

Gillem nodded at Eleriese and Kozuto.

"Both of you have confirmed my suspicions. I agree that we should pick up the pace. We've made good progress so far, and if we hurry, we should be able to make it to Sakiiri by nightfall."

****

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Gillem held up a hand, signaling the others to stop. It had been about an hour of walking, and they had made good distance. He could just see the outline of the city on the horizon. They had reached the final checkpoint of the desert before entering the "safe area." Most stone pillars stretched into the sky, as large as twenty to thirty yards wide and taller than you could see from this close to them. This section was known by human travelers as the Pillars of Cre. Believed to be erected by the god of balance himself, the massive stones stood as a reminder that they were close to their goal. Gillem paused before entering the stone "forest." He turned to face the group.

"This is the last place we need to cross before we reach the city." He paused, the wind whispering between the pillars in the silence. "However..." he trailed off and turned to face the Pillars as if expecting something. He pointed at the ground a short distance into the area. They were difficult to see, but easily recognizable once your eyes found them -- the footprints. He turned back to the group again.

"I do not expect this to be easy crossing. Whatever has scared off the wildlife most likely lurks inside the Pillars. Be on guard, and keep your eyes open. There are many places it could hide here, and we have no idea what "it" may be." He sighed, giving them a hopeful look. "For all we know, it could be harmless; some new species of herbivore perhaps." He tapped his sword with his fingers.

"I believe it's safest for us to expect the worst though." With that, he took the first step into the Pillars of Cre.

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They were nearly halfway into the Pillars now, with no sign of conflict. The hoofprints had disappeared, leaving them all at least a little more at ease. Gillem pushed ahead, eager to reach the safety of the city.

Thump.

His heart skipped a beat. One of the pillars ahead shook. The massive column of stone vibrated as the impact happened again. Gillem quickly spun to the others.

"Draw your weapons!" he shouted. "It's h-!"

The earth shook as the creature landed behind Gillem. It had jumped from the top of the shaking pillar, and it towered over the group as it stood to it's full height. It walked on two legs, each shaped like that of a bull, covered in dark brown fur with two massive hooves at the bottom. It bore the chest and arms of a humanoid, completely covered in the same dark fur. It's hands ended in sharp claws. Around the creatures neck was a mane of lighter brown fur, forming a collar upon that which led to the creature's head. It's face resembled a ram, surrounded by the mane of fur and bearing a menacing gaze. Four curled horns were mounted on its head, two on each side. Flames sputtered from its mouth, as its glowing eyes locked on the group. It was easily 4 or 5 times the height of Gillem, and it stood slightly hunched.

Gillem turned as the ground shook, taking his first look at the creature. He drew his sword and unclipped his shield, raising them for whatever defense they may provide against such a foe.

Edited May 23, 2014 by Flux

[Arkhi]

The stone column fell as a large creature jumped down, flames trickling from its mouth. Never before had Kozuto encountered this... thing. It bore resemblance to a bipedal Centaur, what with its furry humanoid appearance, but had the head of a ram. His best description of it could be a bipedal, humanoid, only ram-headed Chimera and Centaur hybrid. The Vanda Nomad had no idea what this creature before him was, but it did not look friendly- or herbivorous, as Gillem had hoped earlier. Taking a defensive stance and instructing the Phoenix to take to the skies, Kozuto stood at the ready, one foot forward pointing toward the beast, the other pointed right and back far. He donned his hood, as to soften the impact of any falling rubble with its enchanted properties. Prepared for the fight, Kozuto had his eyes on the creature- both from the ground and from the sky.

[Flux]

The creature roared, a deafening and horrible sound, before charging towards the group. Gillem jumped in its path, shield raised, only to be flung aside by its giant, clawed hand.

"Scatter!" he shouted as he hit the dirt. The beast reared back and let loose a jet of flame towards the group.

[Chevaleresse]

Braius called to his companions as he scrambled for cover. "I need that thing distracted or dazed somehow before I go in, because once I do, I'm not leaving until one of us is dead!" The berserker was using every ounce of his control to not charge at the great beast, though very little showed through his voice.

[Flux]

"I need that thing distracted or dazed somehow before I go in, because once I do, I'm not leaving until one of us is dead!"

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Gillem nodded to the berserker as he stood.

"I'll try to distract it from the ground!" he called out, before turning to Kozuto. "Koz, can you hit it from the air? If we can attack it from both areas, it will have a difficult time fending both off!"

He rushed in at the creature's legs, which were taller than he was. He brought down his sword in a downward swing, the blow connecting with the beast's right leg. It hit a clump of thick muscle, barely penetrating the beast. It roared in pain, eyes aglow with its rage. It brought a hand down at Gillem, grasping him tightly and raising him into the air.

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Kho rushed in as Gillem was lifted from the ground. He sprinted towards the creature's leg, grabbing hold of it before pushing of into the air towards the clawed hand holding Gillem. He slashed at the fingers swiftly, cutting into the flesh and causing the beast to drop Gillem. He landed lightly with his back turned to the beast. Gillem crashed to the ground beside him. He stood up, breathing heavily.

"Thank you, Kho... You very well may have just saved my life..."

Kho turned to face this creature, speaking quietly.

"There will be time for thanks afterwards. For now, we fight."

With that he rushed in once more, sword raised in challenge.

[Arkhi]

"Koz, can you hit it from the air? If we can attack it from both areas, it will have a difficult time fending both off!"

I can do this, he thought. Kozuto took a defensive stance as a Nomad and, as the Green Phoenix, flew up a ways to gain momentum. Suddenly, he dropped from the sky, easily reaching a hundred miles an hour, using the aerodynamic form of the bird to approach the beast. He flew next to the ear, using his talons to slash it off, leaving the beast in immense pain.

He prepared to attack the other ear. Unbeknownst to the Vanda, a large piece of rubble was approaching him from above, only catching his notice within a few seconds, leaving him just enough time to jump out onto the ground. Kozuto lay sprawled out there, a sitting duck until he would get up, the Green Phoenix still at the ready to attack.

[Flux]

The beast cried out in pain, lunging at the now-vulnerable shaman with an arm. It dropped to a knee, bringing its clawed hand down from above at the same time. Flames sputtered out from the corner of the creature's mouth as it brought the full weight of its body down into the swing.

(((OOC: Do not assume any major blows land on the beast. Nobody has broken this yet, but I want to make sure you all know before it does happen. Things like shallow slashes and the ear are fine, just wait for me to verify blows that would hinder or kill the creature. Also, would you guys prefer if I supply theme music for battles like this or not?)))

[Chevaleresse]

A roar echoed across the battlefield to match the beast's wail as Braius released himself, letting the rage guide his actions. The brutish Shantii warrior leapt at the monstrosity's exposed back, katar angled for deep wounds.

[Flux]

Eleriese could feel the beast's pain and anger as the katar sank into its back. She almost felt sorry for it, were it not trying to kill them. She begn an intricate dance, weaving her feet among the sand, the steps familiar. She had a feeling they would need the strength she was about to give them.

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The beast's strike towards Kozuto shifted to the side as it twisted in pain, the large palm landing next to the shaman. It reached behind it with its other hand, tearing off Braius and throwing him to the ground. It stood to its full height, blood dripping from its back and severed ear. The beast reared back its head and let loose a blood curdling roar. The flames in its mouth intensified, and its eyes glowed a bright red. It released a giant ball of fire towards the downed berserker, the heat more intense than the desert sun.

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Olrien release the spell he had been preparing. Originally intended to be an offensive attack, it would have to serve as a defense for Braius now. Just before the fireball reached the Shantii, it slowed against a large funnel of wind, the fire spinning to the sides. It was a battle as to which element would dissipate first. Eventually, the fire faded, and Olrien bent to a knee, panting from exhaustion. That had been a more powerful spell, and he'd had to draw much of the mana required from his own body. Perhaps it was simply because of the desert, or perhaps their quest was true, but there was not a large supply of mana available here.

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Gillem watched the beast go into a rage, feeling helpless to stop its wrath. It charged towards him, its shoulder breaking right through one of the giant pillars in its path.

"How... how can we stop such a beast...?!" Gillem thought as the pillar tumbled to the ground, the giant mass of stone breaking into pieces as it hit another pillar. He raised his shield as the clawed hand came towards him, but he could not stop such strength. He was flung into one of the broken stones pieces, and he was sure he had felt ribs crack.

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Kho ran at the beast, leaping towards its back, hoping to inflict more pain. However, it swept an arm back, catching him mid jump with the back of its clawed hand. He skidded across the sand, landing near Braius. Thankfully, he had set his shortbow and quiver down earlier, or they would have broken in the tumble. He felt his ribs, checking for any breaks, but there were none. He ran to retrieve his shortbow, hoping to distract it with a few ranged attacks.

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Olrien watched helplessly as the group was battered. He stood up, sword in hand, and used some of his dwindling mana to increase his speed. He could feel strength seep into him, likely from Eleriese's dance. He arrived at its feet and looked up at the monstrosity. Its face was twisted into pure rage. He began to speak, his words directed at Gillem behind him.

"Gillem, I fear this is not a battle we can win. To stay and fight would be folly, and a waste of lives. If you do not want your journey to end here, I would ask that you press on. I shall serve as a distraction." He turned to look at Gillem, giving a sorrow-filled smile. "I'm afraid this is where my journey ends. Go, and do not look back." He looked down at his sword, focusing on the old man's face. Soon, it would be crying tears of blood. He nodded solemnly. No sword should be drawn if not to defend the lives of others, and that was just what he planned to do.

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Eleries ran to Olrien's side. She gave him a small smile.

"You know I can't just leave my childhood friend to die. We'll fight this beast together."

Olrien opened his mouth as if he wanted to protest, but then closed it with a defeated look.

"I know there is no arguing with you, Eleri. Come, let us make our last stand."

He charged at the beast with the speed of the wind behind him. Eleriese gave Gillem one final look, a sad smile on her face.

"Go now, do not let any more lives be wasted here. The journey ends with you, so live on." She said the next part with a hint of sarcasm. "Save the world, if you really belive it is in danger."

And with that, she began her final dance.

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Gillem began to protest the two elves, before slowly dipping his head with a look of helplessness. When he looked up again, only determination remained. He spoke to the entire group.

"I have failed you all as a leader." He shook in anger at himself and at his helplessness at the threat they faced. He met eye contact with Olrien one last time.

"I expect to see you both in Sakiiri."

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With that, the group of four ran -- Gillem, Braius, Kozuto, and Kho. They never looked back, just as Olrien had asked, despite the cries of pain they heard coming from both elf and beast. They ran and ran, passing pillar after pillar, running through the day and night, until they finally reached the gates of the Shantii capital. It was then that Gillem let his tears of sorrow flow as he fell to his knees, pounding at the gate, angry with himself and his failures, and grieving the lives of his fallen comrades.

End of Chapter One

Edited June 29, 2014 by Flux