Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » Bloodied Shards IC (CLOSED!)

Lisa is so mesmerized by the 3D model of her home planet, and also anticipating (dreading) the prospect of being dropped in or near a city as grand (crowded) as Telmarune, that she almost doesn’t notice the ramp rise and snap shut behind them, sealing them inside the shuttle.

When she does realize their only exit has been cut off for the tome being, her heart starts pounding. A completely irrational but nagging fear that they’ve been played or fools through this entire ordeal creeps slowly back into her mind. She falls back onto a bench and closes her eyes, counting to ten under her breath, and in minutes, the anxiety passes. Not fading completely, but being shoved aside while she focuses on the task at hand.

She assumes they’re going to land by Telmarune. Why else would the shuttle’s maps be focused on that city. While finding Raven is their key objective, they might as well visit the University while they’re there and gather information. Where the other shards went, how they work, what they do. How to put the vase together, even...not that she has any intention of doing that, but maybe there is a specific ritual that the enemy needs to do it, and they could hide that from them. Evil magic artifacts tend to work like that.

She leans back against the smooth interior wall of the shuttle and folds her arms in her lap, waiting patiently for another request or for the spacecraft to start moving. She glances at Adriannu, wondering how she’d take to the idea of a short but absolutely necessary- in her opinion -detour.

Adriannu watched as the other three black armored individuals disembarked from the ship before nodding at their "guide" who then heading up the ramp while gesturing for the two of them to follow. The child was only too happy to follow after and quickly made her way up the ramp and into the ship. Once inside, she started walking around in order to take a good look at well everything really, but would be fairly well behaved about doing so as she kept her hands to herself. Now while the benches would only be given a quick look, the hologram of the planet and the Agate Breeze in its approximate position relative to said planet would manage to capture her attention for a little while.

Eventually however, she made her way to the hybrid topographic map and 3D model showing the city of Telmarune. Yet unlike Lisa, she didn't recognize the city as she had never actually been there. One the rare occasion one of her parents needed to travel there, she was simply kept at home with the other in order to help mind the house. The way, Adriannu could do chores around the house and the traveling parent wouldn't have to keep an eye on her.

As such, she quickly pointed at the map of Telmarune and asked Lisa about it. "Lisa what is this place? I don't recognize it. Is this where we are going?" That last question was directed to whoever seemed to be in charge as she knew that Lisa wouldn't actually have the answer to it.

She stiffens a little, caught off-guard by the way Adriannu just asked her a question in a perfectly innocuous, child-like way.

She smiles. "That's Telmarune, a great city. It has everything from the hall of the Inquisition," she names the hall with a slightly bitter note invading her tone which she catches mid-sentence and quickly corrects, "to a grand University. I..." she looks askance, rubbing her neck awkwardly as she decides to go ahead and ask for the girl's opinion.

"...I think they're sending us that way, or else why'd they have that specific map pulled up? But I can't say for certain. If we are, uh, how would you feel about visiting the University's library? I know, I know. I don't want to delay finding Raven more than we already have to, but we should research these shards and hope we discover a way to defend ourselves from that sorceress. Your thoughts?"

She waits patiently for a response, hoping that she's right in believing Adriannu to be a pragmatic young lady.

Unbeknownst to either Lisa or Adriannu, the shuttle has already left the Agate Breeze and is hurtling toward the world below. The small vessel's gravatic compensators killed any feeling of acceleration in the cabin, and the lack of windows meant there was no way to see the outside change. They would be planetside very soon.

Telmarune, Liliath already disliked it. Since Liliath had decided that searching for Jules and Alastor here was the best idea and had decided that it was the best way to do it on her own, she hadn't find anybody.

"Jules, Alastor this was not the deal. You guys were supposed to be in the woods not in a huge city!" The child was yelling angry.

She was trying to find them for atleast an hour and she hadn't seen them. "Its not fair!"

Liliath then walked into the Inquisition's Grand Hall and looked around in there, but she didn't saw anybody who looked even close to Jules or Alastor. So now was Liliath sitting on the ground, hugging her knees and crying again.

"Yeah, pretty sure. That way I don't hurt anyone in the process."Neo said. But his thoughts. He really didn't know what would be happening if he went back, but he still has the shard and he could live there. Plus...they would have a really hard time trying to get through the Storm System."So...I guess I'll see everyone, at a later time I guess..."And with that, he summons Rudra and uses him to flying to the Lost Contient where he'll lose contact with the group and be alone...even if he didn't want that.

"Neo...you dont have to go..." she says a bit sadly as she watches him already fly away. "NEO! YOU... cant leave..." she could feel water falling from her eyes. "What is this?" She says softly "Why am I leaking!" She says as she pays her cheek.

Alastor looked on, putting on a remorseful face. It was an honest expression, though for a different reason to Jules. Damn, there goes one o' the shards, he thought to himself before turning to the other two.

For once, Alastor had to actually think about what to say. Lifting people's moods was simple enough, but explaining what tears were was a conversation he never expected to have. "So uhh... this is a first for you, huh?" He said in a somewhat solemn tone. "Those are tears. They just kind of... happen, when you're upset." Alastor shook his head, feeling like this wasn't going well already. "Look, I'm not the best at explaining this. But it's not harmful in itself."

"Neo's going ter be fine. The guy knows how to stay alive, he's done well at that til this point. And nothin' says we can't go find him later down the track. I'll give yer a bit teh clear your head, but we should be movin' soon. After all, who's going to keep me in line if yer not up for it!" He rested a hand on Jules' shoulder. "This team's nothin' without you."

Adriannu listens as Lisa explains that it is a map of Telmarune and does notice the slightly bitter note in the Chimera's voice upon mentioning the Hall of the Inquisition. However this only elicits a slightly confused expression from her as her parents had never talked about the Inquisition as they didn't consider to be an appropriate topic for a young child. Yet she doesn't ask about it and instead allows Lisa to continue her explanation without interruption. She also seemed to think that that was where they were going and the child did have to admit that her reasoning seemed sound.

Yet Adriannu would look rather displeased when the Chimera suggested that they visit the library before they search for Raven, but at least she hadn't rejected the idea out of hand. Instead she posed a question of her own. "Even if this library does have useful information, how long would it even take to find it? I can't read, so you would be researching alone. Wouldn't it be better to find Raven first and then go back so you can research without worry? Then maybe Raven and I can figure out something useful to do in the meantime, unless Raven knows how to read."

(Yeah as a young girl in the Renaissance tech period, I don't think Adriannu would have been lucky enough to learn how to read.)

Surprisingly, this is about the point that their silent guide stands up and walks over to the closed ramp, unslinging their rifle as they do.

A sleek shape hurtles into view over the map of the city, going from not being shown to stopped in place over a narrow street between the masons' guild headquarters and a cluster of dwellings for some of its leading members in mere instants. Then, it lowers to the ground

Almost immediately after, the ramp lowers to let in pre-dawn light, very different from the engineered evening-like cool, smooth glow of the Agate Breeze's hanger. Sound also leaks in. Birds, a distant clop and clatter of a horse drawn cart, and other sounds of the very early morning in a peaceful city.

"He was... just the first person who didnt exactly make me feel like a monster." She sighs and wipes the tears away.

"But yeah... you're right. I do have to keep you out of trouble." She chuckles as she cuddles Raven. "I'm okay... I've always been okay. Today is no different. And nooo I've leaked before... just never have a name for it..." she laughs as she leans into his touch.

Raven jolts totally awake when Jules starts to cry. "Wha…?" Oooh…A girl in distress; she knows what to do.

Raven shifts around in her arms so she can rise up and rest her front on Jule's shoulder. A loud purr rumbles deep in her chest and she presses her soft head against the demon's tear-streaked cheeks.

"Sssh...it's okay, you're okay." She can't draw on any clever quips or inside jokes for Jules like she does with Lisa, and unconsciously she resolves to make that change.

"Hey," Jule's response, drawing her up into a cuddle, makes her laugh. "Name one time you caught me in trouble!"

Lisa hadn't thought about the fact that between the two of them, only she can read, but Adriannu's reminder didn't do much to sway her.

"I...was thinking, more like hoping, we could get to this information before you-know-who reaches it. I'm aware that for all we know, she's already gotten what she needs, but if she hasn't- you know, we could take it from her."

"To do that, we need to get to the information as fast as possible, before we start looking for Raven." Because who knows how long that will take. The sneaky little- She pinches the bridge of her nose, suddenly frustrated. "She can wait, trust me. My familiar might be reckless, but I swear whatever god up above gave her a soul threw in double the nine lives she's supposed to have."

"Besides," she adds with a low laugh and uncharacteristically mischievous smile. "Wouldn't you like to a chance to get ahead of the sorcerous- huh?" She jolts upright in her seat as the officer takes up a new position beside the ramp. Eyeing the rifle warily, she waits as the ramp lowers itself to reveal the early morning light and the sounds of a city awaking from slumber. Her eyes widen and a small, bemused smile on her face grows into one of immense relief.

"That was fast," she mutters as she stands and fights the urge to sprint out the exit. And I'm not complaining.

She smiles as the tears stop. She practically purs herself as she hears Raven. "Oh how I love kitty cuddles and purs!" She giggles and hugs her lightly. "One time huh? Well when that dragon came. I wouldnt say in trouble but more like in danger." She smiles warmly and pets her.