Queen of Shadows

[Lunamor she/her]

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I shall never quit godmodding, so long as it is allowed!!!

Wow, that sounded like a KR oath.

 

Edited March 26, 2019 by Lunamor

[RoadWalker he/him]

Road followed close behind Ghanderflaffle, summoning Whistle.

Here's some quick sketches I did of my weapons.

 

Edited March 26, 2019 by RoadWalker

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Road, those are gorgeous!

[RoadWalker he/him]

5 hours ago, Shard of Thought said:

Road, those are gorgeous!

Aaaaw thanks! I've finished myself and my take on Xino's sword too...

 

 

Edited March 26, 2019 by RoadWalker

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

You have such an interesting style. I love it! You should post more of your stuff. My days are pretty packed right now otherwise I'd have started on Astral. I may be able to start today though. 

Edited March 26, 2019 by Shard of Thought

[xinoehp512 he/him]

Very nice! That's the kind of stuff that makes me really, really wish I could draw. Thanks for helping me out!

Deep in the shadow realm, a figure waited.

Its time was not yet. But yet it soon would be.

[RoadWalker he/him]

4 hours ago, Shard of Thought said:

You have such an interesting style. I love it! You should post more of your stuff. My days are pretty packed right now otherwise I'd have started on Astral. I may be able to start today though. 

Thanks! And same, I just got a job and haven't had the time to draw like I used to, but yeah I enjoy it and I'm trying to get back into it!

2 hours ago, xinoehp512 said:

Very nice! That's the kind of stuff that makes me really, really wish I could draw. Thanks for helping me out!

No problem! I usually just doodle random designs and shapes, but I have the most fun with weapons and symbols. I'm absolutely terrible at drawing humans, but I'm getting better. I can never seem to get body proportions or facial features right, but Roadwalker turned out pretty well since he's faced the other way lol.

[Ghanderflaffle she/her]

12 hours ago, Lunamor said:

“Hey Ghanderflaffle!” he called, “I think I know how to take down this thing.”

"Then do it, I'll try to keep it distracted!" Ghanderflaffle rode into the beast's shadow and then underneath it, using the urumi to strike at its legs and underbelly.

[RoadWalker he/him]

Road ducked under it and banked left, noticing a scale missing from its hind leg. He jumped and stabbed the monster in the soft spot, agitating it and causing it to turn and roar at him. Road winced at the sound and pulled himself up, grabbing the monster's scales and using them as a ladder to climb on its back.

Road quickly inspected the black scaly armor. Impenetrable, he thought, bringing his sword down on it with a whistle and clang. It did nothing. A little higher up its back, a plate lifted slightly on one end as the fiery monster turned, exposing a layer of unprotected skin. Road saw his chance and ran up the armor.

He slid Whistle underneath, stabbing its shoulder and prying the scale off. The monster reared and grabbed Road from behind, throwing him over its head and giving him a terrifying bellow. Road flew in the air and fell with a thud. His leg hit hard, forcing the Sentipede barbs deeper in his flesh.

He grunted, the wind knocked out of him. Whistle fell a short ways away from him. He rolled to his side, his left arm bruised and his nose bleeding. He spit blood on the ground and pushed himself back on his feet. He watched as the monster took a swipe at Xino and missed.

Xino still seemed off about something. The worry in his eyes wasn't coming from the monster. If Xino created you, why aren't you dead yet? Road wondered. He watched him score a blow on the monster's horn, but that only made it angrier. There's something strange going on here...

Edited March 26, 2019 by RoadWalker

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Astral punched the rat in the face, her fist bleeding into her black essence the moment before it hit, piercing the rat's red eyes. She smiled. This felt good.

Her bat had been gone when she'd come back for it. It didn't really matter to her, but she did wish she could fly. Well, she could, technically. She could do anything she imagined and was bold enough to write. A spider approached her and she blew a stream of air at it, throwing it backward against the wall. Continuing to blow, she walked confidently up to it and stabbed it in the chest. It slid to the floor as she walked away, its blood staining the wall. For as fun as this was, she did wish that it wasn't all the same. Fighting enemy after enemy. This would end eventually anyway, and what after that? Did it matter? Did any of this matter? The smile left her face and she ran off toward Road.

[RoadWalker he/him]

Road bent down and picked Whistle blade off the ground, dismissing it and reaching his mind out to the surrounding evil. A Narrator was not the only one to help create these beings, he thought. He expanded his view. To his surprise, there were several different kinds of emotions present. Pain, pleasure, doubt...

Plot Twist:

...the same things driving each Narrator to fight.

Star had lost Marsh.

Xino created the monsters for his enjoyment.

Road wasn't sure this war could even end.

The monsters were feeding off their energy, their emotions...them.

Shocked at the realization, Road noticed Astral running towards him in the distance. He had to tell her now.

Edited March 26, 2019 by RoadWalker

[Lunamor she/her]

22 minutes ago, RoadWalker said:

Road ducked under it and banked left, noticing a scale missing from its hind leg. He jumped and stabbed the monster in the soft spot, agitating it and causing it to turn and roar at him. Road winced at the sound and pulled himself up, grabbing the monster's scales and using them as a ladder to climb on its back.

Road quickly inspected the black scaly armor. Impenetrable, he thought, bringing his sword down on it with a whistle and clang. It did nothing. A little higher up its back, a plate lifted slightly on one end as the fiery monster turned, exposing a layer of unprotected skin. Road saw his chance and ran up the armor.

He slid Whistle underneath, stabbing its shoulder and prying the scale off. The monster reared and grabbed Road from behind, throwing him over its head and giving him a terrifying bellow. Road flew in the air and fell with a thud. His leg hit hard, forcing the Sentipede barbs deeper in his flesh.

He grunted, the wind knocked out of him. Whistle fell a short ways away from him. He rolled to his side, his left arm bruised and his nose bleeding. He spit blood on the ground and pushed himself back on his feet. He watched as the monster took a swipe at Xino and missed.

Xino still seemed off about something. The worry in his eyes wasn't coming from the monster. If Xino created you, why aren't you dead yet? Road wondered. He watched him score a blow on the monster's horn, but that only made it angrier. There's something strange going on here...

Luna tried desperately to get an arrow down the beast’s throat while it was roaring at Road, but it was turned the wrong direction. By the time Luna got in front of it, its mouth had already closed. However, a scale missing near the shoulder looked like as good a place as any to strike. Luna notched an arrow and aimed at the beast. He pulled back the string, and what seemed to be only a stream of light left his bow, soaring directly into the exposed patch of flesh. Instead of stopping quickly, however, the arrow went all the way through the monster until it was stopped by the scales on the other side. The monster, however, was smart. It turned away from Luna impossibly quickly as it roared in pain, preventing him from getting in a good shot. He had no idea how to had managed to move so fast- it was nearly a blur despite its size. It seemed too quick. Suspiciously quick. Something was wrong. However, that fast movement had luckily seemed to damage its shoulder even more, as it was now noticeably slower than before. 

[xinoehp512 he/him]

Xino stopped fighting.

What had that been?

It had been adding to the story. Nothing unusual there; he felt it all the time from the other Narrators. No, the unusual thing was that this had come from him.

And he had no memory of it.

At that moment, the huge six legged beast roared and brought its sword down. Xino barely managed to get his sword up in time to block. Besides, what monster was this? Were the other Narrators fighting this, or some other beast? He was so confused. By everything.

No time to worry about that right now, he thought. He kept swinging, landing hits all over the dark creature's body. The beast might be faster, but his stone skin resisted all of the blows of the dark sword. The dark scales were not quite as effective; he could feel them cracking with each hit he managed to get in.

Then he noticed something. That scale, he thought. It's weaker than the others. He angled the sword carefully, sending his next swing down on the weakened scale. It shattered.

Revealing another scale underneath, identical to the one on top.

Xino stepped back, barely managing to repress a curse. It looked like hacking and slashing would do no good. He would have to try something different.

The figure stirred. Its time was almost. It could feel it.

Xino stumbled in surprise. It was happening again. Where was it coming from?

He looked around, to no avail. This was worrying. Very worrying.

The monster roared, and his attention was dragged away. Back to the fighting. How would he defeat this beast?

I suppose it depends on whether they're the same beast or not, doesn't it? He'd have to have get that decided before he did anything else.

[Ghanderflaffle she/her]

Ghanderflaffle hadn't yet found a great soft spot, so she decided to try her hand at the shoulder spot. Running at the monster's leg, she flicked her wrist and sent the urumi curling around its knee. Yanking hard, she managed to fling herself up onto its back. With another wrist flick, she uncurls the urumi from the beast's knee and starts running towards the soft spot.

Ghanderflaffle curls the urumi around her upper arm while running and pulls out a pair of long daggers. Upon reaching the proper shoulder, she leaps off the side of the monster and plunges both daggers into the soft spot, her weight dragging them down through the flesh. It roars and she pushes off, leaving the daggers behind, and landing on Jaci. The weight does NOT break her back as ghandercorns are much more resilient than horses.

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Wax needs a ghandercorn.

 

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Astral bounded up to Road. "We should stop this," she said. 

[xinoehp512 he/him]

 

Xino backed up. Too many confusing perspectives. He looked back and forth between the monsters, suddenly deciding that there had to be two. It was easier that way.

He lit the sword up. Regardless, he had to find a way to deal with this seemingly invulnerable beast. Its scales had proved impervious to everything that he could throw at them.

A thought came to him. The other monster had a weak spot down the mouth. Might this one as well?

It was worth a try. He stepped closer, shooting a few blasts at the six-armed beast to get its attention. It turned, but didn’t open its mouth. Instead, it hissed.

Xino felt the panic rise in him again, but he quashed it. He was a Narrator. He did not fear this beast. Instead, he raised his arm and made a fist with his non-sword hand.

Runes lit up along the side of the giant fist. It began to glow with the same red light that burned in the sword. He focused on them for a brief moment, then forced power down his arm into the hand.

A brilliant red shield made of light erupted from his hand. He grinned. This would prove useful, in more ways than one. It acted as a shield now, but it could be so much more.

He raised his sword in a challenge to the black monster. “Dᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ɴᴏᴛ ᴅᴀʀᴇ ꜰᴀᴄᴇ ᴍᴇ, ʙᴇᴀsᴛ?” he called, in a voice that shook the ground. He shot a blast at the monster, aiming for the eye this time.

That got its attention. It turned towards him, face dark. It hissed once. Then it roared.

Finally, thought Xino, shooting a blast down its throat.

The figure inched towards the portal. Not yet time, indeed, but he need not go through. Only watch, waiting. Waiting for his time...

[RoadWalker he/him]

3 hours ago, Shard of Thought said:

Astral bounded up to Road. "We should stop this," she said. 

Road turned to Astral, desperation in his icy blue eyes. "But how? If the Narrators cannot stop their own Narrations, what good are we? These monsters have become our worst selves; if we can't defeat our own demons, how can we expect to defeat them?"

Road sagged against a large rock, exhausted.

Edited March 26, 2019 by RoadWalker

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

1 hour ago, RoadWalker said:

Road turned to Astral, desperation in his icy blue eyes. "But how? If the Narrators cannot stop their own Narrations, what good are we? These monsters have become our worst selves; if we can't defeat our own demons, how can we expect to defeat them?"

Road sagged against a large rock, exhausted.

"What if we were to contain them somehow? Or simply will them out of existence?" 

[RoadWalker he/him]

2 hours ago, Shard of Thought said:

"What if we were to contain them somehow? Or simply will them out of existence?" 

"We could will them away, but whose to say we won't bring them back in the future? They could pop up in another thread, perhaps even this one again. No, we must allow them to exist, but we don't have to let them win. What can we contain them with?"

Edited March 27, 2019 by RoadWalker

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Astral looked down. She licked her lips. "What if..." She swallowed, unsure of herself. "What if we were to trap them... within ourselves?"

[Ghanderflaffle she/her]

Quote

Harness your demons, it's a summary of life! 

 

[xinoehp512 he/him]

The beast jerked, and its eyes burned red. A glow shone through through from deep inside as the bolt destroyed whatever lay within. Then it faded

The creature keeled over, spilling scales across the barren ground. Off to the side, he saw the other beast fall from some damage the other Narrators had given it. But he barely even noticed.

The figure looked out eagerly. Was it time?

He shuddered as he felt it again. What was happening?

The figure saw the fallen beasts.

He collapsed to his knees. It was getting stronger...

It felt joy fill it. It was time.

It was taking over. He could feel it.

The figure stepped through the portal.

Xino moaned, a long sound that made the earth vibrate. With a mounting sense of dread, he saw a figure step from one of the dark portals. Or rather, didn't see- and by not seeing, saw.

The figure sensed his confusion, and knew it. That was the way of all when they laid eyes upon one of the Masters of Silence.

He stood up, slowly, clutching his sword with two hands. Such a small figure- and yet, he knew it was far more dangerous than any of the giant fiends he had battled.

This was something that scared even him.

[Lunamor she/her]

The figure stared at the... abominations dotting the field. In his eyes, they were the ugliest things he had ever seen. They were too powerful, too different. They didn’t belong. Only one people could rule the universe. Only was people was worthy. These creatures were a blight on the endless perfection of normality. They were like an infestation of termites that was slowly chewing away at the foundation of everything. They desperately needed to be exterminated. Dealt with. He had come to fix that.

Edited March 27, 2019 by Lunamor

[xinoehp512 he/him]

The figure suddenly paused. What been had that? It was almost as if-

With a sickening jolt, reality reasserted itself. The figure blinked momentarily. Dared they godmod this thoroughly? thought it. Daring a move, indeed. But close, close indeed they had been. It may not desire its people to rule, but ‘dealing’ it had certainly come to deliver.

A Narrator it was, albeit an unusual one. For it, rules were. Arbitrary they may be, but rules they still were. Fade its power would, if it broke them. But if broken by others, power they would give it.

Noted the godmodder would be. Such actions as they had taken broke the Cardinal Rule. Power that gave it. But to act now, not. Now was for other things.

Edited March 27, 2019 by xinoehp512

[Lunamor she/her]

13 minutes ago, xinoehp512 said:

Noted the godmodder would be. Such actions as they had taken broke the Cardinal Rule. Power that gave it. But to act now, not. Now was for other things.

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Uh oh...