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

"I would not bother looking for the final shard," Kylarion says, politely shaking his head, "We cannot even detect it yet, at least not since the last report I recieved. Something is actively concealing it with an impressive level of sophistication. I am almost certain it is not on this continent, however. It is likely safe from her for now."

He nods to Alastor before continuing, "I agree. As I said initially, though the situation has changed it has not done so in a way directly impacting you so far. Staying the course is still valid."

"Anaesthetic?" Victi asks Lisa with, surprisingly, a broad grin, "No wonder that almost worked! I have a bypass in place for those!" She laughs briefly before saying, "Not sure if that was lucky or smart on your part, but nice job."

She' in a surprisingly good mood, and it's shamelessly obvious on her fluffy face. She puts the second vial away and shuts the compartment while the chimera mulls over whatever thoughts she's having.

"So, okay, honestly I'm not super interested in who it is right now so much as what they are. I just need a species, and maybe a title if they ever mentioned one. If we're lucky I'll have an idea if the kiddos are safe. I'm not completely heartless," Victi says in some semblance of answer. It's true, she mostly hopes that this benefactor is from a species she knows, and ideally that they'd have enough honour not to execute children.

Raven looks up at Jules and her cherry-red cheeks. Is she embarrassed? Flustered? Crushing on the orc guy? OK, probably not that last idea, but the thought makes her giggle. Her tail twitches a little and in a surge of mischief, she paws the demon's and lunges forward, nipping playfully at her fingers.

"He looked like you," she answers immediately, sitting straight up with a wide, pleading stare. Please tell me that your kind generally don't go after children.

"And he was a Magistrate." That, and the fact his name started with a "K" sound, is all she remembers as far as names go.

She sits there in silence, then her eyes narrow, her lips pull into a tight, slightly quivering frown. "If they're not safe- even if you say they are; I can't take your word for it -please let me go back for them." She pulls herself to her feet, leaning on the tree for support. Her body shakes, but she pushes herself off the tree after a moment of deliberation and stumbles before she gathers enough constitution to stand. She sways slightly on her feet like a drunkard after polishing off their one-too-many pint.

She jumps a bit. "Woah! Hey there! My fingers are not food." She giggles as she pulls her fingers away. She then moves her other hand for her to pounce on.

The truth of why her cheeks were so red is because she has been holding in her demon form for a very long time but even she has never had this happen so she didnt know.

"If he's kitsune, they're fine," Victi replies, waving a hand in lack of concern, "Especially if he's got that kind of position of authority. Ancestors know he'd have a rough time legally if he ordered a child dead, assuming his people would even be willing to carry that out. It would all get found out somehow."

Lisa's request to go back to them is met with a derisive snort before Victi says, "Yeah, you'd be real helpful to them with your head blown off. Think they'll give up just because you left the city? I can guarantee they'll start shooting again if you go back in, and might even be working on finding you now.... though being with me might make them a bit nervous for a while."

"Look, this isn't just a skilled bowman or crossbowman with a bit of magic to stop their hands from trembling as they hold the string, or even with a well-enchanted bow," she explains with a degree of sincere seriousness she usually doesn't show, her concern for making sure she gets the information Lisa has showing through, possibly presenting it as concern for the young woman herself, "They've got weapons you can't even think of yet, with no moving parts or combustion sources, but that can still split a skull from a few kilometres away. Precision machined barrels and slugs, advanced optics letting them actually aim properly, and tech and magic to help adjust for wind and drop over distance... I've worked with and against these kinds of snipers before. We might actually still be within range of them while standing here."

"I'm honestly sorry to have to say this, but they seem capable enough that I think they might be safer without you right now."

Adriannu heard Lisa screamed out no as she ran to jump onto a nearby by roof, but completely ignored her as to her it just seemed as yet another instance of the Chimera treating her like a kid. She needed to see exactly what was going on and the best way to do that was from above. From her vantage point on the roof, she quickly scanned her surroundings. While doing so, she spotted Victi and Lisa together for a split second before they both...just disappeared. At this, the child unleashed a nasty stream of expletives she had overheard over the last two years that would make even a sailor blush before jumping back down onto the ground and heading to Liliath. With the Chimera gone, she was the only one left who could protect the kid which was a duty she begrudgingly accepted.

Once she made it to the screaming kid, the Cathera promptly attempted to backhand her, but not too hard as the idea was to snap her out of her screaming panic in the fastest way possible. "Lisa is gone, details later." With that she pointed to the wall of a building that wasn't on fire, preferably one that was made of something like brick or stone so it couldn't catch on fire. "Get over there and get your back aginist it. I'll keep you safe, but it will be much easier to do so if I don't have to watch your back. If you can use your shard on these monsters, then do it. If not keep quiet and regardless stay behind me."

With that, ideally Liliath headed to the wall on her own, but if need be, Adriannu would start trying to push her to the wall, making it clear that she wasn't asking her to do it. Assuming they made it to the wall, the Cathera would get in front of the girl and unsheathe her new daggers. It looked like it was time to see just how well they tore through flesh and any goblins or any other potential threat that came too close would become her test subjects.

Liliath still was screaming and crying like a maniac until Adriannu showed up "Gone!" Liliath yelled "I can't use my shard now, I need water for it." She explained as she huried over to the wall. "Adri will Lisa come back soon?" She asked scared

Kuro was still on the rooftops, looking at the people go into the stone building. Which was a good choice. Stone is hard and to burn. However, one girl was just screaming her head off. Which gained his attention, but then again...it's fire. People will lose things faster than they expected, so really wasn't his problem. His job was to help people get away from the fire- not help them find people. However, he decided to watch. Just to make sure she doesn't do something stupid.But then she saw another grab her and carry into an empty house, he decide to travel to said rooftop.Just to make sure that nothing else goes in.

Ren hovered outside the entrance to the main cavern where the rest of the group waited, listening to Drake apparently threatening the others and recalling what information Naida had passed on to her. At this point, she just wanted to go back to the days where no one even knew about her home besides Naida, which seemed like weeks ago. Had it really only been two days? She sighed. Her best option, she realized, would probably be to pretend she hadn't heard anything, at least for now; maybe she could relieve the tension for a little bit.

"Okay," she sighed, bracing herself as walking through the entrance to see Isabella whisper something to Drake. "Okay, food's here!" She hoped her excitement didn't sound too fake, but she was so tired of people. She walked over to a fire pit at the side of the room, quickly lighting it with her powers. She took a seat on a cushion around the fire. Naida got up, grabbing Geoff's hand to try to drag him along with her; she took a seat on the opposite side of the fire as Ren. Ren looked over to Drake and patted the empty cushion next to her. Assuming Isabella, Drake and Geoff would gather around, she passed around the basket filled with dried meats, vegetables and fruits, along with several pieces of peppermint candy.

The first stone building Adriannu and Liliath find is Talmarune's messenger bird roost. It's a two story building with a tall steeple that the birds take off from and land in. Most of the birds used are a variation on familiars, animals from magically endowed bloodlines with the capacity for higher thought. For major cities, these were important as fast, safe couriers which could be trusted with sensitive documents, letters of credit, important ordinances, and other things that were urgent and important, but not worth the expense of a mage opening a portal or teleporting them, and which could not just be sent as a magical missive.

Inside the door was, appropriately, a moderately large waiting area of roughly ten meters deep by fifteen wide. There weren't many people in here, most had either fled the scene in general or were helping manage the fire in some capacity, but there were a few mothers with small children who had been out shopping, as well as an elderly man who was presumably too frail to help safely. A counter/desk was tended by one of the birds' handlers, who seemed torn between manning his post and going out to help with the situation outside.

Adriannu got Liliath into the building which turned out to be Talmarune's messenger bird roost. Honestly what what she was expecting, but it would do. During this, Liliath turned her that she couldn't use her shard because she didn't have any water. Well in that case, she wasn't going to be of any use dealing with the goblins, but maybe she could be useful in another way. Pointing at the people managing the fire, she said. "See if they have any water, since if they keep birds here, they need to have something for them to drink. If they have something, then use your shard to help with the fires. I'll be outside making sure that no goblins can make it inside, so whatever you do, stay inside here. I don't know when Lisa will be back so for right now, you have to listen to me."

Now hopefully the girl would follow her instructions and would be safely tucked away where she wouldn't have to worry about her. Adriannu quickly exited the roost and closed the door behind her. Standing in front of it, the Cathera eased into a fighting stance, prepared to fight with everything she had to defend the door from the goblin attackers. Her daggers with gleaming with the light from the flames and her golden eyes were blazing with killing intent.

"Alright then, but they birds won't have anything to drink." Liliath shrugged and at first had decided to do what was told, however before Liliath started searching for water. She noticed the birds and watched them with excitment and decided not to do her task "It's much more fun to look at birds than steal their water."

The old man, having not much better to do, had listened to their exchange, curiosity piqued.

Once Adriannu left, he pushed himself up from the wooden bench he had been sitting on, and hobbled toward Liliath.

"Lovely creatures, aren't they?" he sighs, leaning against the counter and booking back into the aviary, "Most of 'em are as smart as you or me, too, all like familiars or some-such. You know.... if you have water magic like that girl seemed to think you do, maybe walk over to near where the aqueduct comes in." he smiles with that mischieviously good-natured old man smile before continuing, "Not to give her too much of a scare, but I don't think the wizards would mind an extra hand. Go up the bucket line and you might find a good spot to grab a lot more water than they have here. If she comes back, I'll cover for you."

He chuckles warmly as he says, "Why, I bet people'd think you a right hero!"

At first when she noticed the man, she wanted to walk away. "Yes they are very cute." Liliath smiled. "How can I help them with my magic?" Liliath decided that it was better not to talk about her shard. "But indeed I should go." She gave the man a hug "Thank you." She then quickly hurried herself over the aquaduct and stood in line

"That's great! I'm glad you didn't get hurt," he says, smiling. He leans forward as she steps closer, turning his head to the side so she can whisper straight into his ear.

"Oh, I think your little fae friend took a liking to him- eh, tried to arrest you, did he?" Drake clicks his turn and makes a point of looking up, past Isabella and straight at Geoff, who stops dusting off his robes- which really doesn't need any dusting -to stare back. Drake grins- well, more or less bears his teeth at the man, and raises his voice a little to make sure he hears. "Don't worry; he won't try that again, I'm sure."

He casts a look over his shoulder as Ren reenters the room, bringing with her the scent of heavily salted meat and dried fruit, which immediately seems to soften his prickly disposition toward her. Still, he straightens his spines and watches her cross the room and light a fire with an ice-cold glare fixed on his face. He scoffs and refocuses on Isabella, again smiling. "'Ey, kid, what's your name? Just realized I never got it."

Geoff laughs weakly as Naida tugs at his sleeve and he follows after her. He looks over his shoulder at Isabella and the...rather unscrupulous looking Chimera. Something's not right about the way he's so interested in her. With what little context he's got, he assumes, and almost hopes, it has something to do with her blood magic artifact.

Oh, that reminds him: "Seriously, you aren't all blood mages, right?" He pulls his arm out of Naida's grip, starting to look a little nervous. None of these people, even the apprentice necromancer, seem the type and a quick looksee at their auras suggests no regular use of blood magic, but a verbal affirmative of as much would be nice.

There's a long line of people passing buckets along toward the fire. When Liliath reaches the end, she finds a gushing spout of water being used to fill the countless containers. Above it is a large cylindrical reservoir that can easily contain a hundred cubic meters of water. How full it is at the moment isn't immediately obvious, but more water is flowing in along the large stone aqueducts coming down from the mountains, as well as to other reservoirs throughout the city.

Naida stopped when Geoff let go of her hand, confused at the question. She wasn’t very experienced with blood magic, and knew very little about the topic in general. She shook her head slightly and said, “No, I’ve never done any blood magic. Honestly, I haven’t done much magic at all.” She grabbed his hand again, determined to get over to the fire for some candy.

Before moving on, however, Naida looked back to her friend. The child was too young to see how... creepy... Drake was being. “Hey, friend!” She called over. “Come sit with me and eat! We have candy!”

Lisa flinches as Victi very bluntly tears apart the logistics of her demand to return. Then it gets gets worse. The sorceress explains that she can't fathom the power of the weapons they have set on her. That they can kill her from leagues away. That she might still be in range well beyond the city borders...

Oh, she hates to admit it even to herself, but Victi's right. She can't help them if she's dead.

And if they're so set on killing her that they'd send a sniper with pinpoint accuracy and miles of range, does she really have a chance of surviving to the end of this?

"God..." Victi'll make them nervous, sure, she might be safe if she stays with her, but Victi's also using her; there will come a time when she doesn't need Lisa anymore and...what then?

Lisa buries her head in her hands and sinks to the ground, muttering, "God, no...no, please. This can't be how I die. This can't be, this can't be..." she trails off as her shoulders heave with a quiet, dry sobs, overcome by a crippling sense of hopelessness she hasn't felt in a long, long time.