first verse Augury: Ten of the Void

[AonEne he/him]

Izzy focused hard. If ever there was a time, instinct, now is it...Looking up, she finally said tentatively, "Entropy's camp? They went that way," and pointed.

[I think I am here. he/him]

On 26/08/2019 at 9:03 PM, Sorana said:

“And preferably some armour as well."

She offered the knife to Price, if only to hold it, until she had her hands free again. Besides she doubted that he would be fine with her having an actual weapon.

Price’s eyes went wide at the roar. A Forestlynx. They usually stayed away from moving carriages, thinking they were big creatures instead of complex contraptions, but once a carriage stopped and the illusion was broken? It was good hunting.

Price was about to deny the knife, he had his own, with a poison tip. But some weapons were best left secret, and so he accepted the knife to keep up appearances. He wasn’t in the mind to deny Sagitta weapons and armour, judging by her skill in battle and by the thigh injury the other guard faced, she was probably the best defence they had.

“Take his armour,” Price pointed to the dead guard and his leather gear. Walking over he took a tomohawk and put it beside her. “And that could be a weapon. I don’t know, it should be enough, I think.”

The formally dressed man, the plainly dressed woman and even the crazy man all paled at the roar. They were Tühinine, and they had all heard stories or reports of what hid in the jungle.

——-

21 hours ago, Lunamor said:

The blood from the horse’s head had covered her shoes, and now she left a series of bloody footprints on the ground.

Soon, the carriage was in sight again, and the beast resumed chase. Somewhere along the line the Forestlynx had climbed a tree, and was now probably chasing her from the upwards treetop canopies as well, unseen and ready to strike.

[+Sorana she/her]

3 hours ago, I think I am here. said:

“Take his armour,” Price pointed to the dead guard and his leather gear. Walking over he took a tomohawk and put it beside her. “And that could be a weapon. I don’t know, it should be enough, I think.”

Sagitta nodded and limped over to the guard. She quickly removed the armor and raised an eyebrow at Price when he pushed the Tomahawk over.

"That is a playtool fit for a child."

Her foot touched the axe-like weapon. She was used to a sword about as long as she was tall, wielded with two hands, devastating because of its length and weigth. The tomahawk was short, light and intended to cut the enemy, not to smash their bones to pieces. While she donned the armor she considered to explain the fundamental difference between what she had trained with and the weapon he thought, that would be enough, but then just stayed quiet. She wrapped the man's belt around her hips and then hung the tomahawk into a leather strap that looked like it might be there for that reason. Only leather. She needed to keep in mind, that while it would help to avoid some cuts and it wasn't able to catch a part of the impact of a weapon.

Returning to his side she picked up the branch again. As long as it was in one piece, she prefered it because of its range and the change to break some bones. She only needed to adapt her usual style slightly, and remember that it was a branch and no steel sword. She wasn't that trained when it came to moving quickly to get a chance to slash at your enemy.

"That's the woman from earlier."

She noted Zura running towards them. Running for her live.

"Care to tell me, what that thing is?"

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In my head canon she usually wields something like a claymore, or a medieval long sword (= sword that you need two hands to wield; not a longsword that you can wield with one). Just in case anybody in interested.

 

Edited August 27, 2019 by Sorana

[I think I am here. he/him]

22 hours ago, Sorana said:

"Care to tell me, what that thing is?"

"A Forestlynx," Price said, looking at the running woman. Cahayan. For a second, Price wished the animal would pounce on her, feed on her and be satisfied enough to leave. But Price knew these predators only craved more flesh when blood was drawn, like sharks. And judging by the bloody footprints, it was already too late.

"They usually leave carriages alone. They're the apex predator of our country's forests. They eat meat, and they are very dangerous. Maybe you have a similar sort of dangerous animal to compare it with in Ta'e'ilo?"

[Lunamor she/her]

On 8/27/2019 at 7:33 AM, I think I am here. said:

Soon, the carriage was in sight again, and the beast resumed chase. Somewhere along the line the Forestlynx had climbed a tree, and was now probably chasing her from the upwards treetop canopies as well, unseen and ready to strike.

Eyes wide with terror, Zura finally approached the carriage. She stumbled to a stop, panting and out of breath. She could run fast, but that speed couldn’t be maintained for very long. Somewhere overhead she heard another roar. The monster had moved to the trees. She knew that her chances of successfully outrunning that thing were very low. Her only chance at survival was to fight it. But that would be impossible alone. Entropy and Intensity would be very useful in attacking that thing. Zura put on her best “I’m just a harmless, frightened 17 year old” face. It wasn’t hard.

”Help! Please!”

She appealed to Sagitta.

@Sorana

Edited August 28, 2019 by Lunamor

[+Sorana she/her]

"No, we don't."

Sagitta shook her head, observed as the woman came closer. She was panting, running towards them. Asked for help.

"I am bound by honor to offer her protection."

She informed Price and shook her head at Zura. She was playing the harmless girl. Fake. But she obviously was no match against the Forestlynx. Sagitta knew, that she could have let her die, she had attacked her, but she decided against it.

"Leave that theater aside and try to help. You instinct could be what decides this fight."

She ordered without moving her eyes from the direction the thing would most likely come from.

@I think I am here.

@Lunamor

[Lunamor she/her]

14 minutes ago, Sorana said:

"No, we don't."

Sagitta shook her head, observed as the woman came closer. She was panting, running towards them. Asked for help.

"I am bound by honor to offer her protection."

She informed Price and shook her head at Zura. She was playing the harmless girl. Fake. But she obviously was no match against the Forestlynx. Sagitta knew, that she could have let her die, she had attacked her, but she decided against it.

"Leave that theater aside and try to help. You instinct could be what decides this fight."

She ordered without moving her eyes from the direction the thing would most likely come from.

@I think I am here.

@Lunamor

Zura internally sighed in relief. Sagitta hadn’t bought the act, but she was still willing to help. Her expression hardened from innocence to focus.

”Fine. How much force at one time can you handle? And we’re going to need that guy’s Instinct too.”

She pointed at the Tühine man with Entropy. 

“I can guarantee that any hits you both strike against that monster will hit in the right places, and that it will miss all of its hits.”

She paused for a moment.

”Just please don’t kill me afterwards, and I promise that I won’t kill you.”

@I think I am here.

Edited August 28, 2019 by Lunamor

[Lunar Blessing she/her]

On 8/26/2019 at 5:21 PM, AonEne said:

Izzy focused hard. If ever there was a time, instinct, now is it...Looking up, she finally said tentatively, "Entropy's camp? They went that way," and pointed.

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Okay, what am I going to see there?

 

[AonEne he/him]

8 hours ago, Lunamor said:

“I can guarantee that any hits you both strike against that monster will hit in the right places, and that it will miss all of its hits.” 

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That might be a bit more than the instincts are supposed to be able to do. Some hits, yes. All... 

@BringerofShadows

[Lunamor she/her]

10 minutes ago, AonEne said:

@BringerofShadows

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Yeah, I know. I mostly had her say that so they wouldn’t sacrifice her to the monster 

 

[BringerofShadows she/her]

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Hmmm?

 

[AonEne he/him]

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Ah gotcha. 

Po wants to know what she’ll see when she gets to the camp. 

 

[I think I am here. he/him]

17 hours ago, Lunamor said:

She paused for a moment.

”Just please don’t kill me afterwards, and I promise that I won’t kill you.”

“You are in no position to attempt a bargain,” Price said, hate sleeping in his voice. He walked forward, beside Sagitta and looking towards where he had last seen the creature. The thing was, neither was Price. And as much as he detested the Cahayan, he knew there was only way he was going to any of them would survive, and that was by working together.

He looked at the attacker one more time and sighed. Kill her, no. The Tühinine usually had other ways of dealing with captured Cahayans. As evident by the Cahayan test subject still tied inside of the carriage. Speaking of the carriage, the other people who had been inside were walking towards them now, the crazy man muttering and the formally dressed man glaring at Zura.

“If you had not attacked us, we would not be in this mess,” the man said but Price raised a hand to quieten him.

“Whatever, all of that’s already happened. Now we just have to find a way to live.”

The trees above them rustled, and pouncing from a branch the Forestlynx roared, class extended, jumping at the group, especially Price, Sagitta and Zura, as they were at the frontline.

[+Sorana she/her]

11 minutes ago, I think I am here. said:

The trees above them rustled, and pouncing from a branch the Forestlynx roared, class extended, jumping at the group, especially Price, Sagitta and Zura, as they were at the frontline.

Sagitta heared the trees rustle and prepared herself. It was this moment, the moment before everything exploded. The last quiet breath, when your body was tense with excitement, when you existed for nothing but the fight.

It jumped at the groad, roaring, it's large jaw open, and she screamed as well, set one end of the branch on the ground and placed her foot next to, securing it in place. She moved it, so that the branch pointed towards it, to catch its momentum, to impale it. She counted at bit on the fact, that it might know a branch, discard it as harmless. It might work, or not. It was worth a try. She would have to use the playtool sooner than later. Sagitta concentrated on her hands holding the branch, on her foot next to its end. She couldn't reduct the impact of the thing on the branch, needed its momentum. But she might be able to reduce the impact of the branch on her own body. Strings, no a net. Maybe. Whatever happened, it would leave her face to face with the thing. And then she would see who was the most stubborn of them.

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So what's the plan? Have the thing eat the other four and we escape? Just for me, to write Sagitta accordingly.

@Lunamor

[John Flamesinger he/him]

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Uhh… the problem with leaving for a month means that a Thread that already left you behind left you behind more *grimaces*

Ene, do you have an idea on how to get our good friend John back in the action? Because I checked, and he's still sitting in the clearing, pretty much dying.

@AonEne

[Lunamor she/her]

17 hours ago, Sorana said:

Sagitta heared the trees rustle and prepared herself. It was this moment, the moment before everything exploded. The last quiet breath, when your body was tense with excitement, when you existed for nothing but the fight.

It jumped at the groad, roaring, it's large jaw open, and she screamed as well, set one end of the branch on the ground and placed her foot next to, securing it in place. She moved it, so that the branch pointed towards it, to catch its momentum, to impale it. She counted at bit on the fact, that it might know a branch, discard it as harmless. It might work, or not. It was worth a try. She would have to use the playtool sooner than later. Sagitta concentrated on her hands holding the branch, on her foot next to its end. She couldn't reduct the impact of the thing on the branch, needed its momentum. But she might be able to reduce the impact of the branch on her own body. Strings, no a net. Maybe. Whatever happened, it would leave her face to face with the thing. And then she would see who was the most stubborn of them.

@Lunamor

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It probably is going to end up eating the other four, for logistical reasons  Zura was going to explain a plan to everyone, but now that the monster has attacked she’s just gonna do whatever, probably helping the others with her instinct and throwing knives at it when possible.

Zura bit back her retort to the Tühine man as the monster leapt from the trees. She could negotiate later. She stepped a distance away from the current fight, focusing on Sagitta’s attacks. She upped the chances that she would deliver a devastating blow, that the monster would hit the stick. It was harder doing it intentionally, but was still possible. It didn’t do much, though. Despite her tampering, the creature was too agile to succumb to something like that so quickly. It twisted itself in the air, somehow managing to sustain only a deep scratch on its side. Zura growled and pulled out one of her knives, readying it for when Sagitta was out of the way.

@I think I am here.

Edited August 30, 2019 by Lunamor

[I think I am here. he/him]

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Yeah, the plan is for the other four to die

The Forestlynx shrunk back at the cut in its side, eyeing the seven potential meals. It looked at the stick Sagitta held and stepped forward, tried to swipe a claw at her. Hesitantly, Price raised a hand and looked up. He used his Instinct on a tree branch high up and severed it from the tree. The Forestlynx dodged the main branch but it crushed its tail.

Roaring in anger, the Forestlynx turned towards Price and pounced at him, but because of the recent injuries its pounce was slow and Price ducked. The creature salesman over its head and instead landed behind the three, right within striking range of the four others. With a pounce it jumped at the formally dressed man, biting into his neck and staining its green fur red.

The plainly dressed woman yelled and backed away, but the Forestlynx was between her and the main group. The crazy man stepped forward to try and pet it, and with one swipe of its claw his hand was sheared straight off. The Cahayan captive was still bound to the van, so he could do nothing but beg for help in Cahayan.

[+Sorana she/her]

Sagitta tried to evade the claw, that swiped at her, but there was no room to move. Instead she softened the blow, still ended up with a painful scratch on her arm. She whirled around when it jumped, saw how it killed. Without thinking about it, she threw the branch away, grabbed the tomahawk instead and freed the Cahayan prisoner, by reducing the part of the carriage he was bound to, to a piece of rubble. Meanwhile the animal turned on the plainly dressed woman, gutted her with its claws.

The stench of bowls filled the air and Sagitta stopped thinking. The stench, the blood, the screaming. She was trained for situations like that. Had survived them for years. Without hesitating she stepped forward, swung the tomahawk and it's head. Her blow felt weak, one-handed weapon as it was, but there was no changing that.

@I think I am here.

@Lunamor

[Lunamor she/her]

3 hours ago, Sorana said:

The stench of bowls filled the air and Sagitta stopped thinking. The stench, the blood, the screaming. She was trained for situations like that. Had survived them for years. Without hesitating she stepped forward, swung the tomahawk and it's head. Her blow felt weak, one-handed weapon as it was, but there was no changing that.

@I think I am here.

@Lunamor

Zura sighed with relief as Sagitta freed the Cahayan kid. She wouldn’t have been able to get to him in time, had it not been for the warrior’s help. She tried not to think about the others who had been killed.

As Sagitta swung her tomahawk, Zura focused hard enough to give herself a headache and the blow connected with one of the monster’s eyes. The weapon being as weak as it was and the creature being so fast, the wound wasn’t very deep. It still was half blinded, though. It roared in anger and tried to shake off the blood gushing down its face.

While the animal was momentarily distracted, she ran past it and grabbed the arm of the Cahayan, trying to pull him away from the battle and to safety.

@I think I am here.

Edited August 30, 2019 by Lunamor

[Archer he/him]

On 8/28/2019 at 0:43 PM, Blessing of Potency said:

Okay, what am I going to see there?

The General’s Camp. Early Afternoon.

In direct contrast to Tion’s clouded mind, the brilliant blue sky was clear. A light breeze wafted along the dirt trail that led into the General’s camp, pushing past the short barrier of sharpen sticks that had been set up on either side of the road to serve as a checkpoint for those entering. Beyond there stood tens of rows of olive-green tents, all of them erected with military precision, save one, tucked away near the back of the encampment: the Infirmary Tent, with was noticeably half-collapsed.

A few soldiers milled about its entrance, including some whose uniforms marked them as having an officer rank. An keen observer might have even noticed the muscular form of the army’s General Victoria, walking briskly by. What they would not have seen was the other gods, Truth, Sensation, and Negation, who were busy being accosted inside of the tent by a dozen soldiers. They were trying to escape, but having a difficult time doing so.

If only I had my Powww, Tion was thinking forlornly, the drug in his system starting to kick in. I cod slay yous so bafly.  

[I think I am here. he/him]

The Cahayan boy let himself be pulled, looking to the corpses with wide eyes. He looked to Price and Sagitta, and finally to Zura.

“Please don’t give me to them,” he pleaded. From up close he looked about two years younger than Zura. “They’ll torture me.”

Price didn’t care the Cahayan had been saved. All hate he would have felt normally was directed now at the Forestlynx. The predator roared at the group, only one yellow eye glaring at them. The other one was a mess of red and green and had a long bloody scar running vertically down it. In addition, it’s tail was crushed and a long streak of red cursed its side.

Baring it’s teeth, the creature prowled side to side, trying to find a vulnerability to exploit. The crazy man had fainted from the pain of his hand being clawed off, and the creature wasted no time in finishing him off. That should be enough, Price thought. It had to be enough. Three humans and a horse would be a meal for any predator, but Price new the Forestlynx didn’t think like that. They were irrational.

The carnivore rushed ahead in a sudden burst of speed, but not at Price, Sagitta or Zura. All three of those people had their eyes trained on the creature, no doubt ready for an attack. But the Cahayan kid, he was staring at Zura, pleading to her, that he wasn’t prepared when the Forest lynx thrusted its claw out and struck his leg, digging its claws deep inside.

He screamed, and the Forestlynx tried to walk back, to drag him behind.

[+Sorana she/her]

Sagitta's scream mixed with the scream of the young man. She took the tomahawk with both hands and stormed forward. The weapon smashed a shoulder of the animal to pieces and it let go of its victim, slashed at its back. The screaming of the Cahayan stopped and Sagitta attacked again. She aimed for the head, poured every bit of strength she had into that last blow. Hopefully it would be over soon.

[AonEne he/him]

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On 8/29/2019 at 10:16 PM, John Flamesinger said:

Ene, do you have an idea on how to get our good friend John back in the action? Because I checked, and he's still sitting in the clearing, pretty much dying.

He shouldn't be dying - what is he dying from? And Infinity just walked in/Izzy is panicking, so that's a good way to jump in. (I'd recommend just reading the whole thread.)

On 8/30/2019 at 8:44 AM, I think I am here. said:

The creature salesman over its head...

I love salesmaning.

 

[Lunamor she/her]

Zura has started to reply to the Cahayan kid when the monster attacked him. She didn’t even have time to throw a knife as Sagitta ran at the creature. She managed to crush its shoulder, but the beast still hit the Cahayan again, this time on his back. He wasn’t moving. She couldn’t focus on him right now, though. Sagitta was swinging her tomahawk again. Zura channeled all of her thought, all of her anger through her instinct, guiding the weapon to the right spot. It pierced the other eye, sinking in deep.

@Sorana

@I think I am here.

Edited August 31, 2019 by Lunamor

[John Flamesinger he/him]

9 hours ago, AonEne said:

He shouldn't be dying - what is he dying from? And Infinity just walked in/Izzy is panicking, so that's a good way to jump in. (I'd recommend just reading the whole thread.)

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I had his symptoms from the Augry progressing much faster than the others since I knew I was going to be gone for a while (1.5 Months in all, with some breaks).

John's eyes snapped open, and he took a deep breath as he regained his Power and sat up. He saw the battle and gasped. What's happening?! What in Entropy is that... thing?