[[ we could publish a book with all the long posts everyone's making XD
BTW, would it be alright if we tone down the blood level a little bit? I know the nature of thios rp is asking for a lot of blood and gore but my mentality could really prefer a slightly reduced level of graphic imaginations D:
Edit 2: since majority of you would prefer to keep the bloody aspect of the RP intact, i have withdrawn my request ]]
OOC: Lies, James, your posts are always epicly long. =D Very, very good stuff. Loved it.
Also I doubt a lowered blood level would be possible. Our band of adventures are all sinners, murderers, liars and cheats. I don't envision many of them having a pleasant ending, if any! Which is why I think this is such a fantastic rp so far.
Also your use of Nathan was spot on, Rex! I'm gonna post an IC a little later.
OOC: Posts are 'Wuuunderbar' (wonderful), everyone. Nice to see people fledging out with their posts rather than me leading everything- though I think it was necesarry for me to do that at the beginning to get the ball rolling. . Not that I mind that but it's nicer to see people post their own stuff. Like Pach's pub brawl, Rex's peasant town shopping (I'd prefer London shopping myself XD), and yes... Nocturne's point horror post. Creepy man. o.O Oh and Lani's group plan.
Let me dedicate some thought to the rules. We're all different I guess. I personally love violence and gore. Cool with harsh language. But I hate sexual content for example. However I wouldn't want anyone to be put off so maybe is it worth having a warning for violence in the beginning of the OOC? Would that help?
Also Rubycored has plans for the antagonists in this circle so be prepared. Anything you want to liase that you think might affect that front, please msg him.
Xell nodded at Lani’s plan. He also looked on intrigued as Lani managed to change her own appearance by changing her hair brown and converting the outstanding and noteworthy sword to something a little more rudimentary.
“Very well, I’ll keep Wraith out of sight,” Xell said, forgetting that it was only him as of yet that had heard his name given their earlier conversation “and I agree, the more striking individuals of our group should don disguises. As of yet you two stick out like sore thumbs.” The dragon raised his eyebrows and nodded towards Serenity and Sigil.
Xell, turned his head and looked at some old wooden crossroad signs.
“Uhm… how about we meet at the ‘Bard & Troll Inn’?” Xell said as he analysed the road sign, the ludicrously of the name almost making him doubt what he was reading “you know, meet and hopefully get some rest for the night? It’s already dusk.”
Xell noted that the white hedgehog and salamander had already departed the scene.
“Let our other good friends know the rendez-vous,” Xell forced a smile, before walking off with the cerulean hedgehog still limp in his arms.
With that, Xell snagged a monk’s robe off a passing cart and draped himself with one hand whilst supporting Wraith with the other. As poorly and shabbily clothed as he looked, at least he had some form of disguise, until he get hide in that Tavern.
As Xell entered the Inn and tendered his payment for one night stay for two people, he is then greeted by what appears to be a carnival-like atmosphere as he passed through the lounge to the rooms. There were to be seen roughly 75~120 people inside this little lounge constantly cheering and clapping at what appeared to be a young girl making a show for her audience. [[ Leaving out the descriptics, you can see her directly here: http://skyph.deviantart.c...m-1-10-Magical-131389845 ]]. Seconds after seconds she performed verious tricks and showoffs that only served to further excite her audience.
Although Xell was initially intrigued by the events, before he could finally get a better view the magician announced the end of her road-show and now she must quickly leave to her next destination. As everyone got up and made their way to their rooms or out of the inn altogether, Xell sees this magician girl sitting there drinking some refreshing beverage (and signing autographs for some of her fans) before she, too, got up and started packing her things and calling her pigeons.
Just as she passed Xell and about to check out at he reception, one of the pigeons she has suddenly flew off and landed on Wraith's head.
"Hey!" she quickly yelled "Come back here!"
But the pigeon didn't listen, instead it only started to peck Wraith on the head, this only surved to infurate the magician girl as she had to leave what she was going, come over to him and manually remove the pigeon from his head while apologising intently to Xell for the trouble her somewhat disobedient pigeon just did to Wraith. But the pigeon only continued to furiously coo at Wraith and trying to shake itself from her grip.
This somewhat left the magician girl perplexed, what did her pigeon just see to show such angry reaction to? She somewhat tried to get a closer look at Wraith but freezes there once she finally saw his face from behind Xell's shoulder - as if she recognises Wraith from long before.
Eventually, Xell decided to enquire about the happenings that fell on the magician girl too, but she quickly shook her head and returned to reality. "Oh, nothing", she said cheerfully as she continued her checking out and out of the inn.
Xell, now feeling slightly confused at the magician girl and her pigeon, simply let off a sigh and continued his way to his room.
OOC: I'm sorry, everyone, but I'm going to have to pull out of this one. I just can't keep up with it. I may rejoin at a later date.
[[ sorry to hear that >: hope you can come back soon ]]
Nathan paced back and forth outside of the armoury. He was surprised to find there even being an armoury if what he was led to believe was true and this was a game that hell had spawned to offer the players a chance of redemption. Yet at the same time he couldn't really believe he was actually in some sort of game or that he had been to hell, but it was in the notes he had written on his own phone, so he surmised it had to have been true.
He eventually stopped and sighed, leaning back against the wall of the shop and trying to catch his breath. It had been a while since he had gotten some rest, he deduced. Although he had no idea when the last time might have been... needless to say the sky had already set to dusk and it would be nightfall before long.
Suddenly, everything became white, before everything in Nathan's perspective came back into focus. He blinked, and looked around himself. He was wondering where exactly he was and why he was there.
'A weapon shop...?' Nathan thought to himself as he inspected the shop sign. He wasn't sure why he would be outside a place such as this. He also began to look around himself and take note of the village around him. It didn't feel right, it wasn't at all natural. He forgot new memories but even then he could remember everything before the incident, and so he knew for a fact that he didn't belong in medieval esque world such as this. Where on earth was he and how in the world did he get there?
Following an almost religious tradition he pulled out his phone and began to inspect the photos and notes. He could see none of the unfamiliar people in the photos anywhere near him. And the notes didn't make much sense at all. A game to win a chance of redemption from hell? What on earth did that even mean?
Nathan frowned. He was sure he wasn't going to get any answers just standing around here. He began to walk off in the first direction he found; which was the obvious path to the village's highstreet. He wasn't sure why but he figured an inn or a pub, places where people would be would be the best destination since he could ask around and find out the answers he would need.
As he walked out of sight of the weapon's shop, he finally found a curious little inn in the distance. He could read a sign saying "Bard and Troll Inn", which only served to add to his confusion somewhat. He pulled out his phone and took a photo of the place. He might intend to stay the night here, he was tired afterall, so a photo of his lodgings would be helpful.
He began to walk towards the inn, still focusing on the phone's camera in his hands, and was then completely oblivious to the rushing girl he walked into. Both of them collapsed onto their behinds.
"Ow...!" whined the girl, rubbing her behind.
"Oh, er, um, sorry miss," said Nathan apologetically, rising to his feet quickly and then offering a hand to the strangely dressed girl on the floor. "I wasn't watching where I was going. Sorry to just walk into you like that!"
[[ So it's the Magician Girl that I just used in post #104 that Nathan bumped into? Or some other random village girl? Just so i know i got the right person 😛 ]]
OOC: Yeah it's your character.
OOC: Sorry about that Ramza
IC:
Raverwar fire palace
Blood splattered through the looking glass as Julien observed the diabolical proceedings dealt by Ren who had finally touched down upon the peasant town in the first circle. The soul-suctioning parasitic abomination of a hellion certainly didn’t hold back in decapitating a father and son rat of their lives and bleeding them white.
“Hmn... so much fun a dog can have at near nightfall... isn’t that right boy? Especially if you’re a blood sucker,” Julien spoke as he closed his eyes and a delighted smile ran across his mussel.
“Look at you,” Julien said, standing up tall and broad-shouldered from his throne “feeding off dirty inbred ratbags. Don’t you feel any shame? I thought even scum could feel shame. ” the overlord snorted, a jagged smile dominating his daemonic face as he spoke with an air of confident dominance.
“I own more souls from smutty heathens then you’ll ever come to learn. You should give it up now you son of a fiend...” he drawled. He turned away from the looking glass and started to make stalking footsteps towards the open veranda door from which the black dragons and ravens could be seen soaring through the hellish skies.
The Patriach locked eyes with one, pupil less red eye raven from hundreds of others who flew down and perched on the marble stand of the veranda wall. The raven spread its jagged wings in a feral like manner and crowed caustically- as if it was drawn to Julien’s presence against its will.
Julien seized the bird with a claw like hand, causing feathers to fly all over the place. He then placed a blood vialed chain on the raven’s neck with the other hand and ensured it was secured in place.
“When the time comes, break the vial and unleash your supremacy my dear,” Julien spoke, clasping the raven with both hands and then seemingly thrusting in up in the air- causing it to take flight towards the direction of the protagonists’ whereabouts. Its peculiar eyes flaring with sinister intent.
Before the dark bird had vanished from sight, Julien considered the other protagonists. What he was particularly looking forward to were his dark plans that would soon set into motion. Try as they might, the protagonists were not safe.
As an aside he also secretly chuckled at the prospect of Glitch accepting a sword from the armoury off the Tiger so easily. 1000th customer indeed. How sadly mistaken could people be? It was all too much fun to watch and to think about.
The patriarch’s gave off a thunderous laugh which echoed through the sky, a resonating tone of evil mania and psychosis infiltrating the wake of its distance.
_______
Bard & Troll Inn
“So it’s just you and Snooze-head for tonight?” the Inn caretaker spoke as he lead a robe carrying Xell to his room up some creaky wooden stairs. The Inn caretaker was a green dog who had introduced himself as Zacharias Maynard and was donning some pageboy clothes, a black cloak and some slippers. Zach was carrying a burning candle in a candle holder. Although it was still relatively light outside given the dusk hue, it was beginning to get dark indoors.
“Well, actually there are others,” Xell said, supporting the weight of Wraith carefully as he took each foot step on each wooden plank of wood with a creek. He refreshed his memory on the number of people. Excluding the extra scary face of a rabbit-looking feral beast on the ‘Wanted’ poster he had seen earlier. In fact he was only thinking about him now. Whoever he was he hoped to hell he was a separate being sought for whatever reason separate to the rest of the protagonist group.
“6 others... no wait...” Xell corrected himself, stopping to a standstill now that himself and the dog stood outside the door of a dorm “5 others.”
“Oh?” Zach enquired, holding the candle right up as if to get a better look of the dragon’s face.
“There’s been a phantom type creature following us around...” Xell hesitated, only just wondering how stupid he was beginning to sound to the Inn keeper. Or how much suspicious he might be raising, more to the point.
There was a moment of silence as the dog’s bleak face simply stared at Xell in a bleak, if not enigmatic and yet bored manner.
“Well if he’s a ‘spook’ then he won’t need a bed to sleep on will he?” Zach asked somewhat sarcastically, leaving Xell dubious as to whether he believed him or not.
Zach opened the dorm door with a rusty turn of an old large key.
As the oaken door croaked on its hinge and slithered open, Zach jested for Xell to come inside.
He found he was standing in an attic looking dorm. A large spacious area supported by multiple beams and had some open windows to look out into the skies of the inclined ceilings.
Xell looked at the inn keeper and nodded with approval, before placing Wraith onto one of the two beds that had been set up. At the same time, Xell yanked off the monk type robe he had been carrying in attempt to disguise himself.
“I’ll set up 5 other beds then. But I expect you to settle the account by tomorrow...” Zach spoke out loud holding the candle, which was getting lighter given the contrasting night sky that was rapidly approaching. The dog turned and looked Wraith, frowning somewhat.
“Hum, what’s his problem anyway? Doesn’t look like he’s having some peaceful REM there...”
“REM?”
“Rapid eye movement. Deepest soundest sleep,” Zach elaborated “actually he looks ill. Maybe we should get the village doctor...?”
“He’s fine. Too much at the local pub earlier today.”
“Really?” Zach questioned “I was there earlier today. Saw a brawl started by a fox in unusual attire. Certainly no signs of anyone else significant or any foreign looking people, like yourselves, if it’s the same pub we’re thinking of...”
“Funny, you don’t sound or look too local yourself,” Xell interrupted, getting agitated by the dog’s inquisitive nature “what’s your story?”
“I don’t owe you my story. I’m just an inn keeper,” Zach stated plainly and indifferently.
“And I am just your lodger,” Xell justified “though I am curious to know about the girl you had doing magic tricks today. She around here often?”
“If it’s all very well with you I like to safeguard peoples’ information,” Zach answered with the same bleak look on his face. The dog looked out at the window and noticed the stars started to shine in the night blue sky.
“Well well, better make haste and prepare the dorm for your other guests,” Zach said turning around to make his way towards the door. He then stopped.
“Might want to go outside and find your friends? That ‘hedgehog’ will be safe here.”
“Thank you...” Xell said, nodding his head.
As Zach walked out the door, Xell ran over to a nearby window. Opening the glass panels, he put his head outside to look at the streets below. People continued to wander around, with their horses and carts and the sounds of steel manufacturing in the blacksmiths was still loud and clear. There was also a social atmosphere given off from nearby pub gatherings in the distance which were lit up in yellow and orange.
On further lookout, he was delighted to see Lani and Serenity down below, who were being followed by Sigil. And then there was a lost Glitch, with a sword in his hand and a confused looking Nathan who appeared to be conversing... yes it was the magician from earlier. But why wasn’t Nathan and Glitch together...? Unless Nathan had amnesia spell and ran off?
There indeed still no signs of Ken.
Before Xell could whistle out, his heart suddenly stopped. Up ahead was a purple, monstrosity of a creature. Even from this height he gave Xell the absolute creeps. He didn’t look normal and resembled a nightmare mesh someone would rather forget. However, he also seemed familiar. Where had he seen his face before... the... Poster?
Xell wanted so bad to cry out and warn all the divided protagonists to gather to the Inn and avoid gaining that creature’s attention.
Xell quickly ran to a nearby wooden study desk. A few scrolls, feather pen and ink pot was available. He quickly scribed the following notes;
“Glitch, come to the ‘Bard & Troll Inn’. Sincerely, Xell Rhinestone. PS nice sword. Can I have one?”
“Nathan, come to the ‘Bard & Troll Inn’. Ask the magician girl if she wants to come too. Sincerely, Xell Rhinestone.”
“Lani and Serenity, come to the ‘Bard & Troll Inn’. Sincerely, Xell Rhinestone.”
Xell then got to the window and threw the scrolls to the respective people. For every scroll he threw outside, he’d hide his face back in, in case he had caught some unwanted attention.
He had also hoped that that purple monstrous rabbit had disappeared. As it was it looked like he was going to confront a group of those rhino guards so if they fought each other off that would’ve rendered and ideal situation to his mind. How lucky would he be though?
OOC: Sorry to hear that Ramza! It was great RPing with you though. Looking forward to you rejoining~ ;D
Oh && uh... slight graphic warning?
------------------------------------------
IC:
Glitch, now twirling the sword in his single hand as he walked, casually glanced side to side, eyes peeled for the salamander. "Goddammit, I turn around for five seconds and he's gone. He's worse than a child. At least Jill knew how to wait..." He came to a stop when a scroll had smacked his head from the side. Grunting, Glitch knelt down and snatched it up. After reading the crude handwriting, he turned to the direction the scroll had been tossed from -- sure enough, it was the inn. The window had been opened, but Xell was nowhere in sight.
"Meh. I'm sure the lizard's fine. The village doesn't look too big anyway. He can't be that lost."
As he continued to approach the inn, he took a haphazard turn into a detour alleyway -- a seventh, rather drunken, rhino guard had slipped by the inn, wobbling about. He neared the apple stand and the vendor still advertising his fetid stock, and swiped a green fruit. Before he could take a bite, the walrus bawled back, complaining that people should stop stealing his food. The rhino, immediately aggravated, let out a curse and stabbed the vendor through his awkwardly shaped head. "Yee-hah, don't tell me wut to do... ya hear, bub?" The walrus fell back as the rhino yanked his lance out of the carcass and returned his attention to his snack. He slouched against the stand and swallowed the apple whole.
"Geez, belligerent, are we." Glitch muttered as he cruised alongside the alley, catching a glimpse of the rhino before completely vanishing out of sight. He peered through every crack and crevice between the rotting buildings, keeping an eye out for the inn. He came to another stop when his footsteps began to produce an odd squishing sound. He looked down -- blood. Lots of it. "...eck."
Glitch backed out of the puddle and eyed the two pale rodents that lingered within them, their heads completely severed from their necks. Maggots had already began to infest their open necks. Glitch grinned at this, "Seems like someone here had a little too much fun." He scanned the surrounding area; no one else was in sight. "But there doesn't seem to be anymore left for me, so..."
He stopped suddenly, dropped the sword and scroll, and clasped his hand against his grumbling stomach. Glitch's eyes remained on the two fallen bodies now, his stomach still grumbling. A brief silence had elapsed before Glitch finally let out a comment, "Ugh... I need something to eat." He watched the maggots feast on whatever remained in their necks---and shook his head rapidly at this sight. He swiped his belongings from the ground and continued down the alley, darting now.
It wasn't long before Glitch caught sight of the inn. He burst through the door, nearly breaking it down.
"Whoa, whoa, watch the door," Zach sneered as he passed by, "You break it, you fix it. Geez..."
Xell jolted from behind the window and turned to hedgehog. "...Glitch?"
"You said to meet here, right?" Glitch said, dropping the unraveled scroll in front of him. "Well. Here I am. Now where the hell is the food?"
Lani blinked as a scroll lands near her, and she discreetly picked it up. "Well, Serenity," she told the now-brown hedgehog, "Looks like we should head to the Bard and Troll Inn. It is getting late." The two had not had luck finding weapons. She lead the way to the inn, and up the stairs. "Glitch. I see you've acquired a blade. Good." She looked around. She didn't see Kenneth, but then, she hardly expected to. However....
"Where's Nathan?" she asked, dropping the disguise on Serenity once the other is in the room but maintaining her own. "Glitch, you didn't let him wander off on his own, did you?" She sighed. "Alright. I'm going to go find Kenneth and let him know where we're staying. I'll also keep an eye out for our lizard friend."
(OOC: Yipe! This took off without me again! Spent all weekend sick and didn't really feel up to RPing, but I'm back now. Also, slight ick warning.)
IC:
As the group had emerged into the town, Serenity had stared, awestruck. Trees! Grass! Blue sky and sunshine! It had been so long...Entirely too long since she had seen those things. Although...There WAS a palor over it all, and a fetid reek of evil...an unsettling feeling of unreality. We're still IN Hell... She reminded herself, glancing in paranoia at the townspeople.
And then there was that wanted poster. She wasn't entirely unfamiliar with being on a wanted poster...what with being in the resistance back at home before...whatever had happened to bring her here. But...it was still unsettling. She had nodded distractedly at Lani's suggestion of illusory disguises. Anything was better than being enslaved again...Again?! When was I...? She shook her head. Oh yeah...the caves...before this whole escapade... But there was something in the back of her mind saying it was from before that...She shook her head.
Mind in the present, Ren... She thought as she narrowly avoided being doused by flying offal being discarded out of a window. "Euyugh...Watch it!" She exclaimed in annoyance at the window. She didn't consider herself the most fastidious person in the world...She could traipse through mud without batting an eyelash, but...That wasn't mud... "I'm already brown...you don't have to make it worse..." She muttered under her breath.
Before too long the two of them were entering an inn...and then a room, where Lani dropped Reni's disguise. "I uh...didn't mean that to you..." She said awkwardly, about the 'I'm already brown you don't have to make it worse' remark.
TBC
OOC:
Just a quick post. Shlyarah, your last post seems to have advanced things very far ahead without much input from the others. If i'm understanding your post correctly, Lani walked the rest of the group to the Inn, met Glitch along the way, stopped at the Inn, then Lani herself backtracked to go back to the pub and is already having another conversation with Kenneth? It seems a bit disjointed to me, personally.
Let's also not forget about that group of burly rhinos that were eyeing the party the whole time.
((According to Bentleee's post, we were already close to the Inn. Glitch arrived first, so he's in the room. I didn't think that it was a problem to have Lani then continue to the pub, but if you like I can edit it.))
[[ I think the last few posts has thrown everyone to a slight state of confusion, so I'll try clarify things a bit so we're on the same boat (let me know if I myself misunderstood your post!
Xell - inside the Hotel, as of #111 he is greeting Glitch who just arrived
Wraith - Sleeping inside Xell's room (post #110)
Glitch - Just entered the inn after getting his "free" sword and missing Nathan while doing it. (Post #110 & #111)
Nathan - Just had a memory-wipeout and in his state of confusion bumped into my Magician Girl (Post #107), He was overlooked by Glitch (Post #111) and Lani (Post #112)
Kenneth - Just involved in a barbrawl and has not yet left the said pub (Post #93)
Sigil - Owner dropped from RP (Post #105), right now just silently following Lani and her team (Post #110 & #112), it's unknown whether it has actually entered the Inn
Lani - Entered the inn but left again looking for Ken and Nathan (Post #112)
Reni - Inside the inn already? (Post #113)
Ren - Somewhere in the village still away from everyone else (Post #110)
Welcome back, Violet 😀 ]]
----
No IC here, wanted to post one earlier after Pach's post but the plot gotten too far out for it by this stage.
OOC: Nathan && the magician didn't collide right in front of the inn though, right? Just somewhere nearby it? Cuz if the latter's the case, then it's still plausible that Glitch and Lani had overlooked them. I'm sure there's more than one way to get to the entrance, anyway; && I think we all have different visions in mind for the setting in general lol.
Regardless, I can always edit my post to make Glitch too hungry to notice the two, if I need to / if it'll help make more sense. c:
OOC: Yeah, Nathan didn't bump into the magician girl directly in front of the inn, just a short distance away from it. So yeah it's possible for Lani, Reni and Glitch to have all missed him, although there's still the fact that Xell had thrown a scroll to him. He's probably got a good throwing arm. =D
IC:
"Here miss, let me lift you up," Nathan offered, his hand still outstretched. The strange girl gingerly took the salamander's outstretched hand, and with his help pulled herself up. She dusted herself down and continued to rub her sore behind. "I'm so very sorry about that..." Nathan continued. "I should pay more attention to where I'm walking. My name's Nathan. Have we, uh, met before?"
"Met before?" The girl asked in confusion. No, she was quite certain she had never met someone like him before, especially the wierd style of dress he was wearing.
"Hmm... I-I have a condition, you see. I can't make new memories. After every so often, I completely forget about what just happened so I might have met you before and then forgotten you again." Nathan explained, scratching the back of his neck. It almost looked as if he was slightly embarassed. The magician girl was confused at Nathan's explanation, not entirely certain if he was telling the truth or just speaking an elaborate lie. "Oh! I almost forgot to ask! What's your name, miss?"
The magician girl was just about to answer when a scroll came flying inbetween the two standing individuals, catching both of them by surprise.
"...do scrolls normally come falling from the sky?" Nathan asked. He didn't really expect an answer although he would have certainly appreciated one for all of the many questions he held. He picked up the wrapped parchment and unravelled it, reading the text enscribed upon it.
“Nathan, come to the ‘Bard & Troll Inn’. Ask the magician girl if she wants to come too. Sincerely, Xell Rhinestone.”
Come to the Bard and Troll Inn? Well, that was the inn he had just taken a photo off, and the one where he was standing a few minutes walk away. That was simple. Ask the magician girl if she wants to come too? What magician girl? Was the parchment referring to the girl he just bumped into? He had no idea whether or not she was actually a magician, but he figured he looked the part at least. Couldn't hurt to ask her, perhaps? Also, Xell Rhinestone? Who on earth was that?
Nathan searched his pockets for his phone and came up blank. Had he.. had he lost it?! If he had, he couldn't begin to explain the amount of trouble he was now in. Searching around him eratically, he looked towards the strange girl with a desperate expression.
"Um, m-miss? You w-wouldn't have happened to h-have seen a phone anywhere around here, w-would you?" Nathan asked. He must have dropped it somewhere when he bumped into her, but if that was the case then it shouldn't have been that far away.
Then a discouraging thought entered Nathan's head. She probably didn't even know what a phone was.
-----
Pub
The pub's bar brawl was coming to a close. All around, unconscious and wounded patrons littered the ruined remains of what was once a somewhat fine establishment. Okay, so it wasn't that fine, but in comparison to the rest of the village it was a small haven for the residents. Now it looked like the site of a war zone.
"Looks like your place needs a new lick of paint now." Kenneth noted as he surveyed the quieting scenes of chaos.
"Eh, I was thinking about scrapping this place and moving away anyway." The bartender shrugged his shoulders, pouring Kenneth yet another drink. "And with your generosity I can definitely do that now."
"Always happy to help." Kenneth tilted his invisible hat to the bartender. "Say, I don't suppose you'd know the way out of this place, would you?"
"The way out? Oh, so you are a traveller then." The bartender acknowledged, handing the suited fox his drink to which the white fox readily began to down it. "Hmm... now that you mention it... ahem." The bartender was struggling to reason the answer. This piqued Kenneth's curiosity. Did it mean there wasn't any actual means of leaving the village, or did it just mean something else...?
"Nevermind, nevermind. You got a backpack or anything? And a couple more bottles of your finest." Kenneth asked.
"Oh, certainly sir! Sorry I couldn't be of anymore help!" The bartender left for a minute, returning with a crude backpack but at least it'd do the job of holding the bottles. Kenneth recieved the items and slung the pack over his shoulder and sheathed the small knife into his belt.
"Well I'm off, been a real blast here, pal." Kenneth began walking to the exit. At the same time, the brawl had concluded, and the only one left standing was a panting and exhausted wolf that had attacked Kenneth earlier. Standing admidst the fallen unconscious bodies, the wolf didn't even seem to notice or acknowledge Kenneth as he walked past him. He did instead, however, collapse to the ground after Kenneth smacked him hard in the jaw, draining the wolf of any further vitality. He then continued on his way and left the building.
He had a number of questions about this whole affair. He also recalled the demon overlord's words earlier on about there being three trials, the first of which was to escape a slave camp. This was probably the medieval realm he had spoken of, but he wasn't sure this was a slave camp. And he was pretty sure he wasn't a slave either. Kenneth was about to ponder these intriquing questions further when he just suddenly shrugged to himself and decided to ignore it completely. He was curious but he couldn't work out any of the answers so why bother. He'd do what he'd always do and he'd find a way out that way.
And with that, Kenneth dissapeared into the night and into the maze of village buildings, for what was as of yet unclear.
((Oh noes, Nathan's phone!
Thanks for sorting things out, Ruby.))
OOC: Sorry about that Ramza
IC:
Raverwar fire palace
Blood splattered through the looking glass as Julien observed the diabolical proceedings dealt by Ren who had finally touched down upon the peasant town in the first circle. The soul-suctioning parasitic abomination of a hellion certainly didn’t hold back in decapitating a father and son rat of their lives and bleeding them white.
“Hmn... so much fun a dog can have at near nightfall... isn’t that right boy? Especially if you’re a blood sucker,” Julien spoke as he closed his eyes and a delighted smile ran across his mussel.
“Look at you,” Julien said, standing up tall and broad-shouldered from his throne “feeding off dirty inbred ratbags. Don’t you feel any shame? I thought even scum could feel shame. ” the overlord snorted, a jagged smile dominating his daemonic face as he spoke with an air of confident dominance.
“I own more souls from smutty heathens then you’ll ever come to learn. You should give it up now you son of a fiend...” he drawled. He turned away from the looking glass and started to make stalking footsteps towards the open veranda door from which the black dragons and ravens could be seen soaring through the hellish skies.
The Patriach locked eyes with one, pupil less red eye raven from hundreds of others who flew down and perched on the marble stand of the veranda wall. The raven spread its jagged wings in a feral like manner and crowed caustically- as if it was drawn to Julien’s presence against its will.
Julien seized the bird with a claw like hand, causing feathers to fly all over the place. He then placed a blood vialed chain on the raven’s neck with the other hand and ensured it was secured in place.
“When the time comes, break the vial and unleash your supremacy my dear,” Julien spoke, clasping the raven with both hands and then seemingly thrusting in up in the air- causing it to take flight towards the direction of the protagonists’ whereabouts. Its peculiar eyes flaring with sinister intent.
Before the dark bird had vanished from sight, Julien considered the other protagonists. What he was particularly looking forward to were his dark plans that would soon set into motion. Try as they might, the protagonists were not safe.
As an aside he also secretly chuckled at the prospect of Glitch accepting a sword from the armoury off the Tiger so easily. 1000th customer indeed. How sadly mistaken could people be? It was all too much fun to watch and to think about.
The patriarch’s gave off a thunderous laugh which echoed through the sky, a resonating tone of evil mania and psychosis infiltrating the wake of its distance.
_______
Bard & Troll Inn
“So it’s just you and Snooze-head for tonight?” the Inn caretaker spoke as he lead a robe carrying Xell to his room up some creaky wooden stairs. The Inn caretaker was a green dog who had introduced himself as Zacharias Maynard and was donning some pageboy clothes, a black cloak and some slippers. Zach was carrying a burning candle in a candle holder. Although it was still relatively light outside given the dusk hue, it was beginning to get dark indoors.
“Well, actually there are others,” Xell said, supporting the weight of Wraith carefully as he took each foot step on each wooden plank of wood with a creek. He refreshed his memory on the number of people. Excluding the extra scary face of a rabbit-looking feral beast on the ‘Wanted’ poster he had seen earlier. In fact he was only thinking about him now. Whoever he was he hoped to hell he was a separate being sought for whatever reason separate to the rest of the protagonist group.
“6 others... no wait...” Xell corrected himself, stopping to a standstill now that himself and the dog stood outside the door of a dorm “5 others.”
“Oh?” Zach enquired, holding the candle right up as if to get a better look of the dragon’s face.
“There’s been a phantom type creature following us around...” Xell hesitated, only just wondering how stupid he was beginning to sound to the Inn keeper. Or how much suspicious he might be raising, more to the point.
There was a moment of silence as the dog’s bleak face simply stared at Xell in a bleak, if not enigmatic and yet bored manner.
“Well if he’s a ‘spook’ then he won’t need a bed to sleep on will he?” Zach asked somewhat sarcastically, leaving Xell dubious as to whether he believed him or not.
Zach opened the dorm door with a rusty turn of an old large key.
As the oaken door croaked on its hinge and slithered open, Zach jested for Xell to come inside.
He found he was standing in an attic looking dorm. A large spacious area supported by multiple beams and had some open windows to look out into the skies of the inclined ceilings.
Xell looked at the inn keeper and nodded with approval, before placing Wraith onto one of the two beds that had been set up. At the same time, Xell yanked off the monk type robe he had been carrying in attempt to disguise himself.
“I’ll set up 5 other beds then. But I expect you to settle the account by tomorrow...” Zach spoke out loud holding the candle, which was getting lighter given the contrasting night sky that was rapidly approaching. The dog turned and looked Wraith, frowning somewhat.
“Hum, what’s his problem anyway? Doesn’t look like he’s having some peaceful REM there...”
“REM?”
“Rapid eye movement. Deepest soundest sleep,” Zach elaborated “actually he looks ill. Maybe we should get the village doctor...?”
“He’s fine. Too much at the local pub earlier today.”
“Really?” Zach questioned “I was there earlier today. Saw a brawl started by a fox in unusual attire. Certainly no signs of anyone else significant or any foreign looking people, like yourselves, if it’s the same pub we’re thinking of...”
“Funny, you don’t sound or look too local yourself,” Xell interrupted, getting agitated by the dog’s inquisitive nature “what’s your story?”
“I don’t owe you my story. I’m just an inn keeper,” Zach stated plainly and indifferently.
“And I am just your lodger,” Xell justified “though I am curious to know about the girl you had doing magic tricks today. She around here often?”
“If it’s all very well with you I like to safeguard peoples’ information,” Zach answered with the same bleak look on his face. The dog looked out at the window and noticed the stars started to shine in the night blue sky.
“Well well, better make haste and prepare the dorm for your other guests,” Zach said turning around to make his way towards the door. He then stopped.
“Might want to go outside and find your friends? That ‘hedgehog’ will be safe here.”
“Thank you...” Xell said, nodding his head.
As Zach walked out the door, Xell ran over to a nearby window. Opening the glass panels, he put his head outside to look at the streets below. People continued to wander around, with their horses and carts and the sounds of steel manufacturing in the blacksmiths was still loud and clear. There was also a social atmosphere given off from nearby pub gatherings in the distance which were lit up in yellow and orange.
On further lookout, he was delighted to see Lani and Serenity down below, who were being followed by Sigil. And then there was a lost Glitch, with a sword in his hand and a confused looking Nathan who appeared to be conversing... yes it was the magician from earlier. But why wasn’t Nathan and Glitch together...? Unless Nathan had amnesia spell and ran off?
There indeed still no signs of Ken.
Before Xell could whistle out, his heart suddenly stopped. Up ahead was a purple, monstrosity of a creature. Even from this height he gave Xell the absolute creeps. He didn’t look normal and resembled a nightmare mesh someone would rather forget. However, he also seemed familiar. Where had he seen his face before... the... Poster?
Xell wanted so bad to cry out and warn all the divided protagonists to gather to the Inn and avoid gaining that creature’s attention.
Xell quickly ran to a nearby wooden study desk. A few scrolls, feather pen and ink pot was available. He quickly scribed the following notes;
“Glitch, come to the ‘Bard & Troll Inn’. Sincerely, Xell Rhinestone. PS nice sword. Can I have one?”
“Nathan, come to the ‘Bard & Troll Inn’. Ask the magician girl if she wants to come too. Sincerely, Xell Rhinestone.”
“Serenity and lady warrior..."
'Lady warrior...'
It was then Xell wondered to himself, why had he NEVER asked for a name? She seemed trustworthy enough. Or was it more she was reluctant to reveal it?
He wanted to dedicate more thought to it... but then panicked as he realised he didn't have that much time.
“Nathan, come to the ‘Bard & Troll Inn’. Ask the magician girl if she wants to come too. Sincerely, Xell Rhinestone.”
“Serenity and lady warrior... come to the ‘Bard & Troll Inn’. Sincerely, Xell Rhinestone"
Xell then got to the window and threw the scrolls to the respective people. For every scroll he threw outside, he’d hide his face back in, in case he had caught some unwanted attention.
He had also hoped that that purple monstrous rabbit had disappeared. As it was it looked like he was going to confront a group of those rhino guards so if they fought each other off that would’ve rendered and ideal situation to his mind. How lucky would he be though?
IC:
Before the cat that was acting as server had left, Serenity had grabbed his attention briefly. "You got any pizza?" To which the cat had given her a puzzled look. Sighing, she mumbled, "Nevermind." Was she EVER going to taste her favorite food again? It sure didn't look like it. "I'll, uh...just have the special I guess..." She sighed, though she had NO idea what this 'haggus' was...and she knew she'd probably regret it. The cat hurried off, and Glitch was joking obnoxiously. She eyed the other hedgehog with a mixture of distrust and incredulousness.
TBC
(OOC: Meh post is meh. *shrug*)
While the group were enjoying their long waited meal inside the Canteen. In Xell's haste he had completely forgotten to lock the room where Wraith has been sleeping.
The rusty door opened to a shadowy figure standing on the doorway - it was the armoured and scarfed knight named "Scar" who had earlier passed the scroll to the other protagonists in the cave. He made a number of careful steps towards Wraith's bed before stopped and observed intently at the "sleeping beauty" [[ oh god where did that come from? ]]
Nothing unusual was to be seen from Wraith, other than the heavy breathing and occasional twitching of his body parts. Having a bad dream? Perhaps. But whatever it might have been, Scar looks like as if he found whatever he has been looking for.
He turned around and nodded at what appears to be a second person standing at the doorway, but since the camera angle [[ ]] was looking in from outside, this figure was thus not seen. He then turned around and quickly made his leave while turning back once to look at Wraith again, and away from the scene altogether.
---
[[ No update for the Magician Girl part just yet, still thinking ]]
OOC: Thanks Rex That is nice to hear. Well obviously Glitch is adorable so yeah I'll make the most of it XD
Quick post. I really should be finishing off a Dental powerpoint and audit for tomorrow *big mumble grumble* Will pull in other scenes this weekend hopefully.
Wraith a sleeping beauty? xD Eek! I was so scared Scar was gonna capture him!!
IC:
The Bard & Troll Inn
Xell drummed his fingers on the edge of his mandible as he was just ‘waiting’ for the meal to arrive. Not out of hunger, but out of expectations of the high expectations of the other two to be quashed.
‘Pizza? Donuts? Not gonna happen…’ he frowned gloomily, as he looked from Glitch to Reni.
“Aye! Laddys and laaaaaaydies… ourrrr tahdaze spezial… Haggis on the hoose!” the cat waiter announced, rolling the food on the table plate by plate to accommodate a large looking buffet as ordered by Glitch.
Xell, Glitch and Reni gawped at the food warily. Some of it looked fancy. The rest looked a bit dodgy to say the least.
Glitch began right away, picking up a knife and fork and digging into a sausaged type meal packed with meat. He gobbled it up noisily, not bothering to close his mouth which earned a raised eyebrow from Xell.
Xell simply picked up a worn, metal goblet of Ale that was served as their drinks and slowly drank it. He also picked at some cheese and grapes, deciding to play it safe for starters. Literally.
“So… er…” Reni began, picking up the worn fork and poked the haggis in front of her “guess I’ll try it…”
“Yeah yeah! Do it… it’s great…!” Glitch spoke with his mouthful.
Reni cut off a small piece and put it in her mouth, beginning to chew it slowly at first. But then a bit faster.
“Hey, this isn’t too bad actually…” Reni said, managing to swallow it “so I just went out on a limb with this… haaag- hag…”
“Haggis.” Xell answered.
“Right. Yeah. That,” Reni grinned sheepishly “but what is it? Huh? Can’t be anything bad that tastes pretty cool huh? What’s the mystery of it all?”
“Oh, only the heart, lungs and liver of a sheep. Boiled in its own stomach,” Xell answered blankly, putting another grape in his mouth and chewing it carefully as he got ready to study Reni’s reaction.
Streets
The Raven Julien had set loose swooped down and landed on a nearby street lamp. The vial of blood still around his neck.
It gawped down at the ground below. Staring at the six rhinos that were being approached by a purple freakish rabbit creature who began to approach the guards.
The rhinos turned to face one another. The circle comprised of Victor, Claudias, Scorpan, Ogre, Stix and Lewd.
“Oi oi oi! Hyuck hyuck! It’s dat nutter wabbit on dat poster!” Stix chortled.
“Yeah yeah yeah! Dat be ‘im alwrite hyuck hyuck hyuck!” Claudias agreed.
“Well then mateys! ‘ow about we cook us some wabbit stue then eh? Hyuck hyuck!!!” Scorpan cacklesnorted, being the first to turn around and face Ren with an evil grin.
The rhinos all stood in line: Victor, Claudias and Scorpan simualtaneously cracked their whips against the street, whilst Ogre, Stix and Lewd unsheathed their maces- which dangled by chains.
“I tought I taw a wabbit!!!” Stix bellowed, smashing his mace against a barrel which splintered it into a million shards of wood.
“Pe’er wabbit has gone and upset Mr. McGregor!! You naugh’y naugh’y bunny!!! The land lord needs ‘im anotha slave mister wabbit!” Scorpan said, smacking the whip against the ground which sent a flurry of dust and stone in the air.
“Prepare toooooo diiiiiiiiieeee!” Lewd hollered, coming in with the other five rhinos with a full on charge towards Ren. A chaos of swinging maces and whips threatening to severe his form and rip apart within seconds.
(OOC: Scorpan, huh? XDXD Sorry, longtime MLP fan. And the first show had a character by that name. XD; XD Also...spit-take time! XP)
IC:
Reflexively, Serenity spat her mouthful on the ground. "W-WHAT?! Euwgh!" She looked at her plate in horror, to the sound of Glitch's immense amusement. It...was...ok though...And I HAVE to eat... Her stomach confirmed this by growling at her. Ignoring Glitch's laughter, she poked the food with the fork again. Curse my superfast metabolism... She started eating again, making faces.
TBC
(OOC: Must...resist...urge to put in another character...)
Lani located Nathan not too far from the inn after a bit of searching. He was with some girl, a strangely dressed young rabbit with a short staff. "Hey, Nathan. We found an inn for the night. I noticed you got lost, so I figured I should come and find you." She got closer, and noted the expression on the lizard's face. "Nathan, is something the matter? Everything okay?"
A step in the right direction
OOC:
Just a quick shoutout, thanks Rubycored for clarifying everyone's whereabouts. Ramza, feel free to come back whenever you're ready.
One more thing to say for you, Rubycored. when writing your posts, try to keep everything 'in narrative'. What I mean by that is, try not to have any 'notes from the author' placed inside of your IC posts. If there's anything you want to describe to everyone or a thought you want to convey, try to do so through your writing. Think of what you're writing as a chapter in a story book.
Okay, time for me to get moving!
---
Town Square
"Yee-hah, don't tell me wut to do... ya hear, bub?" The walrus fell back as the rhino yanked his lance out of the carcass and returned his attention to his snack. He slouched against the stand and swallowed the apple whole.
Ren swallowed the last bite of his apple and tossed the core aside, turning to face the rather oblivious rhino leaning on the fruit stand beside him, giving the crumpled body of the shopkeeper a short glance as he did so.
“Good job, idiot. You got blood on the fruit.”
Between mouthfuls of whole apples, the rhino turned to Ren and spat out a reply, “Pish off! He wash giffin’ me att’et’ude.”
There was a short pause before the rhino spat out a repulsive glob of apple seeds and wiped his mouth rather nonchalantly across his whole arm. He teetered from side to side, still drunk, but kept his eyes fixed on Ren as he did so.
“Hey, ish yoush one o’ dem faces from the postersh?”
Ren shrugged, “I don’t know. Am I?”
The rhino paused again and appeared to be thinking hard, “ah dangit. I can’t re’ember.”
Stumbling up from his slouch, the rhino began swaying over toward the poster-covered tree in the center of the square, calling out to Ren as he did so, “You wait dere, yeah? I’ll be ‘ight back.”
“I’m not going anyware!” Ren called out, mockingly.
“…idiot.”
Something caught Ren’s attention out of the corner of his eye, something incandescent. Emerging from the shopkeeper’s form came a glowing wisp of pale light; Ren had almost forgotten that he’d be able to see souls emerging from bodies in a realm where no-one else can, unless of course they too were in tune with the arcane workings of life force.
Intently he watched as the shopkeeper’s soul gracefully drifted upward into the air. The topmost extension of its ghostly trail moved about on its own, like a head ‘looking’ about in different directions, unsure of what to make of its current state, somehow aware of the passing of its mortal coils.
The head stopped moving when, what can only be called its ‘gaze’, fixed itself on Ren. Somehow, it knew that Ren was watching it from the other side, as much aware of Ren as he was of it. It seemed confused by this.
Had he not been in a densely populated area, Ren would not have thought twice about taking the lonely soul, but this free meal was far from opportune in a location like this.
“You’re very fortunate.” said Ren, under his breath. “Perhaps another time.”
Unable to respond in kind, the disembodied spirit began its ascension, floating upward into the sky before dispersing into nothing, shifting onward to the beyond.
The kaleidoscope of energy was beautiful to behold, but went unappreciated by Ren, who only looked on at the display with a sense of lost opportunity. ‘There will be others.’ He assured himself, ‘this is only the beginning.’
The slight smile he had formed at his own optimism faded immediately once his view descended back down onto the centre of the town square. Surrounding the tree, under which the brightly coloured individuals had been standing earlier, was the burly group of rhinos, standing in a huddled circle.
Ren looked around rapidly, unable to spot any trace of the others’ whereabouts. Where the others not able to stand their ground? Could it be that the rhinos had already moved in and overwhelmed them while he was distracted?
Cursing his own carelessness, Ren began to move toward the hostile group, hoping to get a better look past the rhinos to see if anyone else was there. He shoved through the thinning crowd, taking note of how dark it was starting to become outside.
The crowd thinned out quicker than he’d originally perceived, until Ren found himself to be the only one left besides the burly assailants ahead of him. A quick glance forward explained everything, as Ren noticed the rhinos advancing on his position. The sound of the courtyard died down until all that could be heard was the flutter of a perhaps a single bird.
The calm tranquility of the ambience was extinguished the moment the rhinos began talking out aloud and drawing their weapons. They were all muttering something about a ‘naughty rabbit’ and other such nonsense, no doubt talking about Ren.
With only the rhinos and himself left in the courtyard, it became immediately clear that the other Trial runners had already since departed. Ren didn’t even get a moment to curse himself again before all six of the burly rhinos, plus the seventh drunken one he’d talked to before, all came charging toward him, weapons raised and menacingly flailing in the air.
A sudden onset of panic sparked a rush of adrenaline in Ren as his eyes raced for an escape route. He was not prepared for a fight against so many large assailants, he had been fortunate with the rats as they were isolated and unsuspecting, but this was beyond Ren’s current capabilities. How the tables would have been turned had there been some backup present.
In a hurried motion, Ren tipped the fruit stand and shot off in the direction least susceptible to interception from the menacing advancement.
A colourful cascade of fruit rolled onto the cobblestone floor of the courtyard, causing a few of the rhinos to lose their balance momentarily, giving Ren a fraction of a second more time to evade. This was especially fortunate for Ren when one of the rhinos fumbled his attempt at grabbing him by the ears and instead tripped over and fell.
Ren ran without direction, the only objective in mind being to somehow lose his pursuers. He made every effort to confuse them by taking as many odd turns as possible. He must have made a few circles of the town square before formulating anything close to a plan.
Turning a corner into an alleyway, Ren found himself facing a dead end, he could hear the loud, boisterous rhinos approaching from a mere corner away. His darting eyes fell on a ladder leaning against the left wall, leading up to a broken balcony. It didn’t appear very stable, but it was certainly within the allowable bracket of risk Ren felt right now.
Hurriedly he scampered up the ladder, footholds breaking off as he did so, until he could leap up to grab hold of the balcony’s edge. Dangling from his position, he kicked at the ladder, sending it crashing down to the floor and snapping in two as it landed on a tall stack of buckets.
The rhinos arrived just in time to see the broken ladder hit the ground and the purple rabbit hanging from his heightened position.
“Oh, you li’le devil.” mused the rhino named ‘Ogre’, motioning for one of the others to hand him a small axe.
Unable to find any footholds, Ren’s feet dangled uselessly in the air as he struggled to find the right grip with his hands to hoist himself up completely. With a loud crashing sound caused by the collision of iron and stone, a part of the balcony crumbled away underneath his left arm. Frantically Ren managed to get a firm hold with his right hand, preventing himself from falling to his doom. He looked down to see the rhinos all gathered around one of their ilk, eagerly watching his next move as one of the others handed him another throwing axe.
Ren only narrowly dodged this next one by tilting his head as far back as he could, catching a glimpse of a twirling blade pass overhead with a rush of wind accompanying it. Throwing aside everything in the name of survival, Ren transmogrified his left arm into the form of a terrifying jaw once again, biting it down into the stone balcony, securely embedding it in place.
Ogre lowered his arm from its reeled position as he and the others caught a glimpse of what the rabbit was doing.
“What’a hell’s ‘at?” exclaimed one of the others.
Ogre snapped back into focus and re-prepared his next throw, “dunno, but it don’ make no dif’rence! Say g’night, rabbit!”
Another axe was hurled into the air with that same stone-shattering level of force behind it, loudly embedding itself in the balcony where Ren had just been, only a fraction of a second too late as the dark rabbit contorted his body upward and made a mad dash along the rooftop, out of sight.
Stix slapped the back of Ogre’s head, “nice throw, smeghead.”
Ogre responded by punching Stix in the face, bringing him to the ground.
“Was nuthin’ wrong with my aim ya bastard, you lot distrac’ed me, ‘ats all!”
“He’s on da roof a’ da inn, he is! We shu’ go roun’ an catch ‘im!” said Lewd, helping Stix to his feet.
“Ah, tat’s a loverry ideash! Dey gotsh wine dere, an’ I coul’ ushe anudda drinksh!” slurred the drunken Rhino of the group, already stumbling in the general direction of the inn.
Ogre shook his head as he led the others to follow.
“Gavin, you been drinkin’ on yer own again?”
---
Inn Rooftop
Ren changed his arm back to normal and sat down, taking a brief moment to catch his breath. Once he’d gathered enough of his strength to carry on, he stood up and growled to himself, how humiliating it felt to have been chased by a group of slovenly oafs such as those, under different circumstances, those muscle-bound idiots would have been the ones running for their lives. Ren contented himself by focusing on the task at hand, finding a direction.
As he approached the edge of the rooftop he caught a glimpse of the a signpost hanging from the front of the building.
“The Bard and Troll?” he read out aloud. It appeared to be some kind of inn, if the other Trial runners were to be found anywhere, it was safe to bet that at least some of them would be inside, getting some much needed rest after whatever scuffle they had found themselves in back at the cave leading to this realm.
As much as he would’ve preferred learning more about the others externally before meeting up with them, his encounter with the rhinos convinced Ren that the best thing to do right now would be to establish safety in numbers. So with that thought in mind, Ren lowered himself into an open window on the second floor, taking great care to make sure none of the rhinos were around to see him from below.
Climbing through, Ren found himself inside an unoccupied bedroom. What an utterly mundane room it was, obviously the sort of thing one could afford on a peasant’s wage. The door to the room was locked but Ren managed to break enough of the old wooden door to emerge out into the corridor beyond it. He thought he caught a glimpse of red scarf trailing after an armoured foot at the very end of the corridor. Ren walked past a series of other closed bedroom doors to where he thought he’d seen a figure, but at the end of the corridor he found only an empty stairwell.
Ren’s eyes narrowed as he took mental note to watch out for similar occurrences. He descended the stairwell, following the sounds of laughter and conversation, as well as the smell of food, arriving at a mess hall of sorts.
He scanned the crowd intently but didn’t find any sign of the colourful individuals from before. He growled in frustration, had he just missed them, again?
He decided to get a better look around by wading through the tables himself. No-one took much notice of him and everyone was too focused on their meals and drink to care that there was a stranger shoving his way across the room.
This was hopeless. None of the brightly coloured strangers could be seen anywhere, just a wide expanse of brown and grey garments.
Ren noticed a man at one of the tables of loud drinkers pull a hood over his head as he shook hands with his friends in preparation for departure. This got Ren thinking, perhaps they were here after all, but in disguise.
A wiry, charcoal hedgehog was about to bite into a neat little forkful of haggis, when he was suddenly yanked aside by a pair of fuzzy purple hands. He almost yelped as the first thing that entered his vision was a glaring pair of orange eyes locked into a scowl alongside a set of sharp, jagged teeth.
“Julien’s game. The first of three trials. Are you one of the runners?” the teeth said.
“W-what?” the hedgehog whimpered in confusion.
“Useless.” grumbled Ren, shoving the hedgehog aside. The hedgehog rubbed his throat nervously before he began looking around for the fork that he dropped.
A lizard wearing a brown garb was pulled away from his table as he received the same treatment.
“Julien’s game. The first of three trials. Are you one of the runners?”
Whatever the lizard had said, it wasn’t to Ren’s satisfaction, as he too was pushed aside, landing face-first in his food, but grateful nonetheless that he hadn’t angered the menacing rabbit somehow.
Ren’s disruptive escapades continued, unkowingly gaining the attention of a dragon sitting at a table alongside two hedgehogs.
The dragon’s jaw dropped when he realized what he was seeing.
Serenity held her nose as she prepared to bite into another forkful of haggis but stopped when she noticed Xell’s reaction to something.
“Something wrong?” she asked, setting her fork down.
---
In front of the Inn
The group of rhinos stood out the front of The Bard and Troll, exchanging glances and trying to keep Gavin from tripping over himself.
Ogre slapped the handle of his weapon against his other hand in preparation.
“Time tah get stuck in, boys.”
OOC: @Nocturne: omg your description during the scene with the drunken rhino. It was so bloody perfect, his speech and everything. XDD
&& Zach is no longer with the three protagonists at this point, right? Just wanted to check ~ I'm making my post under the assumption that he's not.
Also, blood warning. Not sure if you guys still want us to leave behind warnings on our posts for this, but I will anyway here, just in case.
----------------------------------------------
IC:
Xell rose to his feet. "We should go."
Glitch, still chewing the sheep liver, narrowed his eyes at Xell. "What? You," he swallowed down the chunk, "you can't be serious."
"I am." Xell began to back towards the corridor, away from the monstrous sight, pondering on what other actions he could take. He turned but halted immediately upon catching sight of the rhinos coming in. "Oh boy. This doesn't look good." He backed once more, towards the table now and away from the corridor entrance.
Glitch eyed the hallway. He saw nothing, as the rhinos were nowhere nearby it. "If something is about to interrupt our feast, I swear to God, I could kill a--"
He stopped. The rhinos had entered.
Xell said nothing. Glitch licked his lips clean of the sheep remains. "Looks like we've got ourselves a party tonight."
"Don't say that," Reni muttered under her breath, eyes not leaving the cluster of rhinos.
"'ay... 'ay lookit over thar!" Gavin cried out, pointing -- not towards the nuisance Ren was causing, but at the dragon standing across the room from him. "Et's... et's one a' those guys on the posta..."
One of the two rhinos struggling to hold their teammate, Ogre, noticed this immediately and smiled widely. "It is! M'ah! We seem'ta be purty lucky tonight, fellas!" he roared. All of the surrounding dining guests halted at Ogre's words and turned to him simultaneously. Ren glanced over at the rhinos shortly, letting loose the hamster he was strangling moments ago, who then scattered to his feet and gasped for air. The rabbit slowly turned toward the direction Ogre and the others faced, and, sure enough, there stood the familiar dragon, alongside two other hedgehogs. He smirked, just slightly.
Breaking free from his friends' hold, Gavin charged forward, followed by three others. Glitch immediately snagged his weapon from the chair beside him, dove out from his seat, and thrust the wheeled table forward. Reni hastily exited from the other side of the table as Xell moved towards the direction opposite her.
Gavin continued to dash forward, ramming into the table and slipping in the process. Plates were thrown about left and right from the collision, their glassy material shattering all over the floor. The bowl of remaining haggis had flown upward and splattered all over one of the rhino's faces. He began screaming like a child at the thought of bloody sheep intestines spread across his face and waved his arms about frantically. With eyes glued shut, he tried to make his way back to the corridor, but failed to do so; he had bumped into three of the other rhinos trying to pry around their bloated ally, and he eventually fell over along with them.
The dining guests let out their ear-breaking screams as they scrambled throughout the room. The wave sped towards the exit, knocking over their plates left and right, some tripping over others, others bumping into the protagonists and other rhinos. The rhinos spread across the floor were trampled over, and they attempted to roll themselves away from the oncoming flood. Glitch kept his stance, leaning onto his table. His eyes bounced back and forth between the seven rhinos, who at this point all began to scatter - either to target and attack the other three familiar wanted faces, or to avoid being knocked back by the other residents.
After scrambling to his feet, Gavin lunged towards Glitch, nearly topping over again. The hedgehog immediately darted from his grasp, and his former dining table snapped in half as the rhino's weight crashed atop it. Luckily, the other frenetic diners were still cautious enough to avoid this mayhem in their flight, and Glitch was able to approach Gavin without others crossing his path. "You interrupted my dinner," the hedgehog sneered.
Without warning, the rhino jabbed his lance behind him, missing Glitch entirely, as he spun to face the white rodent. Dizzy, Gavin lunged towards him once more, lance held straight before him. Glitch chuckled as he stepped to the side, cupping the incoming spear with his sword's curved blade. He drove Gavin into a different direction.
Watching the helpless fool collapse once more, Glitch approached him yet again, calmly, and stepped atop his unarmored head. Gavin continued hysterically slicing towards his side nonetheless, completely unaware of what exactly was going on. His eyelids fluttered with every swing. Glitch held his sword's tip to the rhino's open neck. "You... interrupted my dinner..."
He lifted his sword and rapidly swung it, as if he were a golfer. Before it could reach his victim's neck however, the blade had morphed instantaneously -- the steel widened and molded into a black, concave circular shape. A pan. A frying pan. Of all the things--
Glitch, with widened eyes, missed Gavin's neck completely. I called it. I knew it was a bloody trick--
The rhino below him guffawed, not at what happened seconds ago, but at the insanity of the entire situation as a whole - completely unaware that he was on his deathbed. Glitch cracked a wry grin, twitching with aggravation at the morph. "It's okay. This should still be good enough."
Glitch plunged the newly formed weapon down into the crevice of his armor until the pan's metal had reached Gavin's neck. Securing his foot atop the rounded plate--"At least you'll die laughing, maggot."--he forced it down strong enough to send numerous cracks rippling throughout the room. Gavin had stopped laughing. The hedgehog proceeded with the pan until the rhino's head had been completely severed from his neck. Blood sprayed from the decapitation, speckling Glitch's already bloodied shoes. The hedgehog then withdrew his pan and swung his foot onto the lolling soccer ball, sending it flying across the room.
One down, six to go.
He turned his head towards Reni, who Stix had targeted, wielding his axe high above his head. And behind Reni stood the perturbed violet rabbit who Xell had eyed moments ago - Ren.
OOC: Good lord Glitch is psychotic. We've not got a very friendly bunch of characters, have we? xD
I'm waiting for Rubycored to post for his magician character before I proceed with Nathan and Kenneth's going to be gone for a short while, SO...
Also:
Stix slapped the back of Ogre’s head, “nice throw, smeghead.”
OOC: Ohhhhh boy...fight scene. I'm not sure if I can do this...I am TERRIBLE at fight scenes...XD;
IC:
Right now, Serenity was wishing Lani HADN'T released the illusion that she'd given her. The purple hedgehog stuck out like a bruised thumb. And that rabbit...It was all his fault for bringing the guards in here in the first place. "Oh good going, Genius, because of you, they found us!" She shot acidly at the purple rabbit, despite how much he creeped her out, she could not resist cracking the sarcastic remark.
She could almost feel the chains of slavery materializing around her again...suffocating her free spirit. Panic started to set in. No...not again...! I'll never go back to that! NEVER!
The rhino named Stix advanced on her, a somewhat lewd expression on his face. "Well now...what have we here? How 'bout youse come wit' me real quiet, an' we can have some fun, before you go to Milord's slave camp, eh?"
Serenity made a face. "How about...not." She ducked to the side as the rhino came carreening by. Desparation seized control of her, and she grabbed a nearby chair and slammed it down over the rhino's head. The chair shattered, but Stix was unharmed...the move had only managed to annoy him.
"Hey, now...that ain't verrah ladylike."
"Well...I ain't yer typical lady, stinkbreath."
With a roar, the rhino charged at her. She dodged again, and he plowed through a timber pole.
TBC
OOC: Red dwarf picture FTW XD
As for the rest of the posts, I'm in disbelief as to how everyone has followed up the action SO well. It was so exciting to read everyone's IC. For sure. Nice one James! You're a fountain of vivid literature and inspiration.
Gosh, the Rhino gimmicks had me in such stitches- it's not even funny XD
To answer your question VW, yup, Scorpan be inspired by MLP. The rest of the names I made up on the spot.
It was wicked to see Glitch in action too!
Anyway, gonna dedicate some thought to a longish IC and post later on this evening. However, this shouldn't stop anyone else posting in the meantime if you're desperately inspired and want
to post.
Ah, hope Kenneth isn't gone too long either. I'll miss him!
OOC: So I DID call it then? XD Anyway, no post for now, as it's 5:30 in the morning and I should be sleeping, but...
I just had a Lightbulb Moment. XD Dunno why I didn't think of this before. Unfortunately, I seem to have establised this Reni as closer to her usual self....when...it would have been better had I used Dark Reni...or rather Anti-Reni, if you will...the one from the nega-verse.( top-far-right in THIS: http://violetwhirlwind.deviantart.com/gallery/6215620?offset=24#/d8yhwk ) *sigh* Oh well. Maybe I can figure out how to turn her into that version?...Nooo...the two are WAY different...hmm...)
OOC:
You could always develop this Reni into a different entity altogether that fits better with what you'd like to accomplish in this roleplay. The story has barely begun, and there is always room for more character development. Keep in mind that you've mentioned that Reni can't remember much of her life before the underworld, maybe there's more about herself that is yet to be 'unlocked'?
She can change as drastically as you want as the RP progresses, roll with it!
OOC: Sod it, I'm writing a Nathan post. Shall edit this post!
[[ Pachamac: I'm actually already in the process of writing a catch up post with Niume and Nathan, but if you prefer to work away on your own that's fine by me , let me know what you prefer ]]
OOC: Oh, no, go ahead and be my guest then, didn't have anything special planned, just fancied writing something xD Looking forward to what you write!
Also have to share James' sentiments, Vi. Don't feel that you have to purposefully stick to our predefined notions of your characters, because they don't always have to remain exactly the same in each rp. They can always share the same template but be allowed to grow in various ways as per the nature of the rp. Afterall if they remained exactly the same in every single rp, that would get a little boring to write, wouldn't it? I find it more fun if I'm using a same character in another rp (although I tend to create new ones for each rp) to see how my characters react and grow differently to what has gone before.
OOC: *waves a beckoning hand* come to the RP discussion thread at your earliest convenience everyone 🙂
Glitch Ref
OOC: Hey guys~ Just thought I'd say that I finished an updated ref of Glitch yesterday. I'll upload part of it here, so I don't completely stretch the thread, lol. It's shrunken some && a bit messy here too. If you're interested in the full ref && his profile, it's right here: http://rexcalibur.deviant...ference-anthro-204994768
Btw, he's 29. But I can't draw orz lol, so he looks somewhat young here. But he's still short ~ shorter than Sonic, anyway XD.
wargh wargh
Catch up post only
[[ Wheeeeeee, finally it's up x_x.
[[ I am also making an archive (into Word) of all IC posts on this RP so far, anyone would like a copy e-mailed to them? I just did it so it'll be easier to reread the whole RP when i'm bored and/or internetless ]]
----
[[ This part should actually fit betwen posts #118 and #120, and comes BEFORE #123. It shouldn't affect the plotline. But the post has been edited to accomodate this post. ]]
"...phone?" The Magician Girl looked at Nathan rather puzzled, before quickly realised what he was referring to and started looking around the nearby vincinity for it. Nothing. The Magician Girl could see there's a increased sense of urgency on Nathan's face, as if he was completely dependant on it, which is understandable considering Nathan just explained to her his medical condition.
"What does it look like?" The Magician Girl asked Nathan, as if she was trying to recover it as quickly as she can so she can head off for the night. But as search went on, there are nothing what Nathan described her to be found. "Oh, I know this isn't the time for it but... name's Niume Gorman. You can just refer to me as "Niume"".
---
Meanwhile, outside the borders of the village where the protagonists were currently staying, a small group of characters could be seen in the sparsely wooded fields beyond, but since it was now nightfall they were drowned in shadows of the trees illuminated only by the moonlight and some of the street lights coming from the village.
One of Niume's pigeons, the same one that originally pecked Wraith in the head, came fluttering to the group of characters. IT looked very exhausted, as heard by its labourious flappings of its wings. Which as it came closer it was clear that it was carrying something in its beak - a small technological gadget or something. It finally landed on one of the character's hands while she took this said gadget off its peak and examined it. As it turned out from the pigeon's constant cooing, that it appeared to be one of the protagonists' item; namely Nathan's Phone.
This person became perplexed by the photo gallery that is visible inside Nathan's phone. He took snapshots of all the characters he had encountered until this point; including, but not limited to, the Patriarch of The Underworld Julian, Xell Rheinstone, Glitch, Kenneth Lay, Serenity, Lani and...
"Hey, ther'd be me!" One of the familiar Rhinos that the protagonists encountered way back spoke behind this character as he had been peeking at what she was reading. "It read... "Not a nice person, AVOID"...?"
"Ha!" Another Rhino said beside him mockingly "Ye see? Yer "Mr. Not a Nice Person" Flint!".
"Shaddap, Exeter, t'wos my job not to be nice!", Flint shoved him aside.
"Cut it out you both!" This character spoke for the first time, an authorative, female gendered tone of voice. This alone made the two fighting rhinos to immediate halt and bowed their heads in shame. She continued flicking through the photos wasting no time to learn about the protagonists. "Oh hey! there's a snapshot of you!" She said of and to Scar, who was to be seen standing next to her looking into the Village, although he did not react to her observation.
And lo-n'-behond, there's the snapshot of Wraith, seen completely psychotic and the supporting text that he wrote on it. "There he is!" She said to Scar, who turned around to see this lady holding up the snapshot for him to see. "Isn't he the one that "He" wanted us to keep track of?".
Scar didn't reply, instead he started to head off back into the village. "Hey, where you going?" She asked Scar. Scar briefly stopped, turned around to face the lady and the Rhinos and gestured them to come along, and started heading off again.
The lady quickly followed Scar, but she needed to return the phone to its owner before s/he got suspicious about his/her missing phone. She gastured the pigeon to return the phone, who took it by its peak and fluttered off back into the village.
"Oh, and...! Exeter! Flint!" She commanded the two rhinos, who stook up upright waiting for orders. "Prepare the group!" We have things to do soon! hurry up!"
"Yes Ma'am!" The two rhinos slauted and took off in the opposite direction to perform her orders. "Avange Danny's death!" One of them can be heard as they departed.
---
The now exhausted Niume and Nathan sat down on the bench, their hunt to recover Nathan's phone has been a massive failure, and Nathan was starting to look greatly concerned and emotional.
"We'll find it" Niume tried to calm him down, "It shouldn't be far from here", she asserted.
Shortly later she heard something thudding down into her bag, she turned around to see what it is, and there she saw one of her missing pigeon with Nathan's phone sitting innocently by its feet. Although it's now in Low-Battery viberation warning mode.
"...say, isn't this it?" Niume picked it out of the bag and showed it to Nathan.
---
[[ Anyone left perplexed at how Flint got out - the lady character carried him (as well as the other antagonists) out back in Post #57 ]]
((where's the RP discussion thread?))
YES!
OOC:
Just a quick post to say that i've contributed a post to the Roleplay Discussion Thread in-case anyone wants to check it out.
@Rubycored
I have to say Rubycored, that was a cool post! I'm liking what you've got going on with Scar and the mysterious lady who both seem to be operating behind the curtains, very interesting stuff! And the little low battery warning you've placed on Nathan's phone is something i've found myself wondering about before, it's really interesting to see it introduced into the story, it's actually got me rather suspenseful!
I also have to applaud your use of descriptive language, you painted a beautiful picture in my mind with your passage about the way the forest around the characters appears at night and the way you described the conversation was well done also. Good to see that you conquered your writer's block and in such a verbose way!
@Rexcalibur
Holy moly, Glitch is nuts! I like the way you described the chaos happening inside of the inn, and the bit about Ren strangling that hamster put a smile on my face. I also feel like you've got a pretty good handle on the way other people's characters behave, as I felt that your dialogue for Xell and Reni was very true to their characters. You've also handled the rhinos pretty well, too. Writing for a drunken character is particularly entertaining in it's own way, wouldn't you say so?
The ref for Glitch is interesting, too. He certainly looks like he's been in a few scraps, which plays very well into the way you've got him behaving in the story.
--
Everyone's doing really well, keep it up, guys!
Oh man oh man, i'm so looking forward to more posts. I'm checking this RP like a madman.
OOC: Was not aware there was an RP discussion thread. x__x; I'll keep tabs on that too, haha. Thanks for the link, Pach!
@RC: Yeah, I'm equally excited about the low-battery thing. I wonder how that'll play in the rest of this.. (x
@Nocturne: Haa, I'm really glad you approve of those! Thank-you so much! <33
&& yess, drunken characters are super fun to mess with! I just hope I'm getting the behavior done correctly, lol.
And same here, I subscribed to it, so I check my e-mail for updates often.
@Everyone else: I agree with Nocturne on this too, everyone's doing fantastic. It keeps getting more and more exciting with each new post! I seriously get giddy every morning I wake up and there's a new post. XD
OOC: Thanks James! Well spoken 🙂 Couldn't have said it any better myself and am delighted you shared your thoughts.
I'm writing the next IC to roll the action on. Nocturne, I am pming you too. I have a deal to make with you.
OOC:
A deal, huh? Okay, let's see what you got.
Discoored eyes
OOC: Lyrics taken from Velvet acid Christ's 'Thought criminal' for Wraith's thoughts.
OOC2: Oh gosh, I was thinking about Reni and Nega-Reni VW. Let me think about it. I'll pm you rather than jump in with an IC against your will and final decision XD
IC:
The Raven mock-laughed in its raspy crow-like tone of voice. Its red eyes pierced the darkness after taking in the figure form of the Ren rabbit, that had made a mad escape following an attack from the group of 6 burly rhinos that had been joined by another. The purple rodent had clearly been outmatched.
It had a mental image engraved in its mind of the target Julien had wanted. There was no turning back now. The rabbit would be sought and hunted. A taunting game that would hopefully drive him insane enough to die through any means necessary. What an entertainment that would be for the Patriarch.
The raven spread its wings and flapped erratically through the night, almost as if its mind was being strung along by an invisible like force. It eventually glided downwards and found itself situated within the interiors of a dark attic, lined with beds and a faint glow towards the door that lead downstairs.
However, it was not the downstairs area the raven was interested in.
It was more the lone figure that lay sprawled across the bed that had locked its interest. Wraith.
The dark bird shook its neck which gave a temporary chink sound as the blood washed inside the vial.
Every so often the hedgehog, would twitch, with a momentary frown on his face. It was almost as if he was drowning in a pool of dark dreams, and was desperately swimming to the surface so that he could enter the wakeful world.
The raven narrowed his eyes, a beam of narrow red slits fixed on the hedgehog. Almost as if analysing the thoughts in his head:
Darkness again
Sleeping upside down
On a pillow of nails
Push it, smile
Oh talk, talk, talk, talk, talk for a while
Blinded
Blinded
Can't see a door in front of me
You open up, and walk all over me
A bolt of lightning was suddenly seen streaking in the skies: resounding a thunderous quake which shook the Inn. The next turn of events transpired at a rapid pace:
“Arrrrrrghhhh…” Wraith spontaneously shot up from the bed, his body drenched with sweat and his irises a morbid pale colour which correlated with his blinded and panicked state of mind.
“KREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKKKKKK!” the rapid raspy screech pierced the air, followed by a flurry of claws and wings which smacked into Wraith’s face. The erratic bird began to peck and scratch at his face whilst the hedgehog desperately tried to guard himself with flailing hands.
“Get the *%£ off of me!” Wraith shouted, eventually attempting to cease its throat with his hands. The creature dodged, and instead Wraith found the vial of blood squashed in his grasp. The vial cracked open in his hands: an outbreak of blood spraying on his face, forehead and even penetrated through his eyes.
Whilst the raven made a flustering, flapping getaway through the attic windows- shock had left an awakened Wraith stunned and still.
So still. Kneeling on the bed: his open palms baring blood and splinters of glass. His face contaminated with crimson fluid and his perfused irises vibrating and reverberating with insane shock.
After a morbid few minutes of static, still-born seeming death Wraith’s mouth suddenly formed in a collected but stern manner. His sapphire-lit eyes constricted and his eyelids narrowed. An expression of vengeance suddenly dominated his facial features.
As the hedgehog stood up in a tall and dominating stance, the last thing that washed over was a change in eye colour. A firey red ember-like hue infiltrated the former sapphire eyes that belonged to him. They shone almost as brightly as Julien’s did.
He began to take his leave; emerging from the shadows of the dark attic room and walking down the lamp lit steps towards the dining room of the Inn.
But with a single die-hard motive etched in his mind.
KILL REN.
________________________________________________________________________
Xell could not believe his eyes. In a matter of under 1 minute it seemed, all hell broke loose and it was almost all too much to gain a sane grip on.
He looked around frantically and helplessly, wondering where to start.
His gaze suddenly hardened as the side of his face noted an approaching Ren.
“Hey you,” the rabbit said, a hoarse and stern whisper that sounded like lingering rusty nails escaping his lips.
Xell’s eyes widened with disgust and shock. He instinctively turned around on the spot and began to wade through the chaos. His only thought in mind to slither away stealthily from the bedlam and anarchy. However, more importantly, to get away from this sullied being seemingly born from an entity of black and hate.
“Hey YOU! I’m talking to you!” Ren called out, a mocking and crazed cackle riddling his voice straight after “heh.”
Xell pulled his head up in an agitated manner, as if trying to croon his neck through the crowds to find a means of escape. He mentally cursed himself when he found that his efforts where simply futile given everyone who was fighting and screaming and where simply in his way. If he maintained his position any longer… he would find himself…
“Gottcha!” announced Ren as he slapped a hand on Xell’s shoulder and spun him around.
“Get off!” Xell hissed, retracting his arm and stepping back.
“Hey hey. Calm down. I just need to ask you something… you can do that for someone new here, can’t you? Can’t you?” Ren implored, with threatening undertones which served to accelerate Xell’s heartbeat. His expression almost looked delirious and impatient as he awaited Xell’s answers.
“I have nothing to do with you. Just leave me alone…”
“Oh that’s where you’re very VERY wrong… my friend… heh…” Ren said, a shaky smirk forming on his face as he pulled Xell within whispering distance.
“Like it or not, we’re together. We.Are.Bound.Together… in Julien’s game. Aren’t we… AREN’T WE?!?” Ren demanded in a hoarse whisper, which earned scared pinprick eyes from Xell who stared back at him in disbelief.
iHe knows. He knows. Dammit. Dammit.
“…but hey… if you’re going to be a little uncooperative in teaming up with me pal, I can think of some other uses for you,” Ren said with an almost sultry look on his face. With one hand he held his neck and began to lift him off the ground, whilst his other hand began to form into something sinister.
A helpless Xell’s eye turn to look at the free arm. His heart skipped a beat as he saw his hand manifesting into something horribly terrifying. Beyond his nightmarish dreams. A mauled… hand? How was that possible.
What’s-going-to-happen-what’s-going-to-happen-what’s-going-to-happen-what’s-going-to-happen?
His thoughts scattered in a blind panic as he found himself suffocating.
“Heeeel…”
A vision of red and black suddenly flashed before Ren’s eyes as a flash of cerulean scurried across the format.
The creature suddenly his found mandible wrenched backwards and his body catapulted towards the air as an uppercut was dealt within seconds before he devoured Xell’s soul.
Xell was consequently dropped to the floor with a thud and the monstrous Ren creature was seen to be flying across the room, smashing into tables and knocking glasses and plates. Causing them to splinter into a million pieces with deafening clattering and clanging.
The rabbit groaned, clawing the floor as he dragged himself up on his feet again, his hand reforming to its normal anatomy. But pissed nonetheless as he cast an infuriated gaze towards the scene ahead of him.
“Who… who dare…” he drawled, a growl resonating from his breath.
From the flickering lights of the dining room and the dust of the broken tables and chairs, an approaching cerulean spined creature emerged.
His expression was contorted with a defiled smirk as his current pupiless eyes burnt with a firey-ember like blaze.
“I’ve… seen those eyes before… heh…” Ren nodded confidently as he pointed a jagged finger at him accusingly.
“Oh have you now?” the cerulean hedgehog spoke, showing his front teeth in the assemblage of his confident but dark smile. His eyes continued to blaze with a firey and blood-like wrath.
“I could care less for that vermin. I am my own.” Wraith gleamed as he tilted his head downwards, as if to look down upon him.
“What kind of dirty scumleech feeds off souls for a living? Deprived monstrosity. You’re not even worthy of the dirtiest pits of hell. Ha!”
“Are you sure 'you are your own' ?” Ren spoke, beginning to take some intimidating steps forwards “heh. Funny. You sound EXACTLY like a certain amethyst, demonic wannabe you and I know.”
Wraith scowled, beginning to take steps himself towards Ren. In what would begin as a potential explosive dual. The tension lingering in the air like a suspended hangman.
“Perhaps you’re someone’s pretty toy to play with? Is that correct…?”
Before Ren could talk any faster, Wraith suddenly jumped towards into the air and aimed a thrusting roundhouse kick towards Ren’s torso…
__________________________________________
Xell in the meantime had made a mad dash towards the others. His fleeting and scurrying mind with a need to escape the scene as soon as with the rest of the protagonists.
“Glitch, Glitch… where’s Reni? We have to get out of here!” Xell cried out.
Glitch turned around from a defeated Victor, who too had been dealt a death-wounding blow from the courageous hedgehog. The white hedgehog by now was stained from head to toe with blood.
“She’s over there…” Glitch said, pointing towards Stix. The two gasped as they found Stix had gained the upper hand and thrust a sack over Reni. Hence picking up the sack and hurling it across his shoulder to carry.
“Quick… quick!” Glitch said, running in to where Stix was, who was beginning to make a getaway.
“Hyuck hyuck hyuck!!!” Stix bellowed as he ran out of the dining room “gotcha now girly girl!! Hyuck hyuck!!”
Before he could escape the door however:
“Ooooooof!!” Stix groaned, dropping the sack and falling onto his knees as he found his head got pounded by a pan delivered by Glitch from an attack up above.
“Ha!” Glitch cheered, landing on Stix’s head and jumping off it again with the pan in his right hand “now that ‘panned’ ass!”
“Whatever…” Reni managed to utter as she scrambled out of the sack and jumped back from the Rhino Stix. She’d be dammed if she was to be taken captive again like that. Or nearly so. She hyperventilated, before looking at Glitch and Xell.
“C’me on! Let’s go let’s go!” Glitch motion with his pan holding hand, causing Reni and Xell to follow suite.
As they all made a dashing escape, unaware to the two hedgehogs who went running into the night- a victimized Xell found himself seized with his mouth covered and his body pulled back by an unsuspected Rhino. Claudius.
“Mister draggy puffed hiz last puff’o smoke. The naugh’ee naugh’ee draggy pahahahahhahaha!!!!” Claudies chuckled menacingly.
Xell narrowed his eyes with frustration, his voices supressed and completely muted by Claudius firm grip across his mouth.
What happened next was a flurry of chains that shackled his wrists behind his back, the ankles on his feet, and a rope that was forced in his mouth and tied around his head to stop him from uttering any words. Merely enough room to mumble.
“Ha ha ha!! Looks likes we gots ourselves a dawgy bag tooooo!” Lewd cried jubilantly, as he dragged out a contemptful looking Zacharias Maynard from the inn by a chain and collar. Zach too, hand his wrists bound behind his back and his ankles shackled.
“Woohoo woohoo! We gots promotions for dis one fer sure fer sue!!!” Stix said, having recovered from the boil on his head served by Glitch and joining his mates.
“…but imma gonna keel that dumb white vermin ratty hedgie next time we meet! That bastard… gaaaaaaargh!!” he cried, soothing his boiled forehead.
“Ah shaddup!!! Bonehead!!!” Claudius shouted back, clupping him on the ahead and causing him to collapse.
Whilst a detained Zach and Xell stared at each other helplessly, the rest of the Rhino clan began to bustle with incoherent and idiotic talk about promotions and what they would do with their current captives.
Nathan was beginning to panic. This wasn't good this wasn't good this wasn't good. He needed that phone, without it he'd be lost. It's not so much that he doubted he could take care of himself in a situation without it, it's just that it made things an awful lot more confusing and dangerous than with it. He had come to rely on it as if it was a part of his body. Without it he'd be in trouble.
Nathan and the magician girl Niume had seated at a bench by this time, taking a break from their exhaustive and fruitless search.
"We'll find it," Niume tried to reassure. "It shouldn't be far from here."
By this time, the swordswoman Lani had arrived in her search for the missing salamander. Her face showed one of concern for Nathan. "Hey, Nathan. We found an inn for the night. I noticed you got lost, so I figured I should come and find you." Nathan wasn't sure what to think. Had he met her before? He must have done, otherwise how would she have known him? But even if they had met before, what was the context of it? Was she a friend or was she someone dangerous to him? The sword didn't inspire any confidence at all. "Nathan, is something the matter? Everything okay?"
Nathan didn't know how to respond. He was still busy trying to gauge the young looking woman. But just then, in a wash of relief, Niume had reached into her bag and discovered Nathan's missing phone. "...say, isn't this it?" she asked.
Nathan took the phone with great relief. He quickly and abruptly embraced Niume, surprising the girl by his somewhat forward expression. Nathan then began quickly scrolling through the photos and notes. He found Lani's details.
Name: Lani
Strong fighter
Scary sword
Nice person
He had little reason to doubt it was his own texting. He sighed in relief, considering her an ally. He found no details for Niume though. He wasn't too surprised by that, she did just tell him her name, so this must have been the first they had met. He quickly took a photo of her, surprising her by the suddeness of it, and then texted another entry into his notes.
Name: Niume
Magician Girl
Very helpful and kind
Nathan felt satisfied now. But, whilst he knew who these people were, he had to admit he was still a bit confused about why he was here or what he should be doing next. He scratched his head, about to ask Lani what they should be doing next, when he noticed the large throngs of people vacating the Bard and Troll Inn in a mass panic.
"Wait, weren't we supposed to go there?" Nathan asked, remembering the scroll that had been thrown to him earlier. He had seen Xell's photo in his phone and guaged he too must have been a friend, so he was willing to take the scroll's request at face value. "What's going on there?"
All three of them could hear the sounds of chaos and bedlam coming from its direction. Lani gripped the hilt of her sword, ready to react in an instant if anything untoward should begin to occur, whilst Niume herself also seemed to react cautiously. As if by instinct, Nathan stood up to his feet and moved in front of both of the women, almost as if he was willing to protect them from anything that would come their way. Despite his rather odd and awkward manner it seemed pretty clear he was willing to help protect people when the need arised. Lani recalled the moment that Nathan stood up to be the one to retrieve the scroll from the mysterious being earlier.
At that moment, Nathan's eyes lit up as he spotted two familiar hedgehog forms heading in their direction. He had just a moment ago seen their photos on his phone, although one of them was a bit more... red than his usual white. Why was he covered in blood?
"...Glitch? Serenity? That's your names, right, if I'm not mistaken?" Nathan asked. "What's happened to you two? What's going on?"
((I have a little note. In post 110, Xell used Lani's name in a note even though (at that point) she'd never revealed it to anyone. Pachi and I have modified so that Nathan has her name to fix another inconsistency, so now he has her name as of post 67, but no one else. Bentleee, I'll pretend that Xell didn't actually write down her name, and he didn't have a chance to ask her afterwards because she left so quickly.
I find it odd that no one has thought to ask her for her name. I think this may be because so many times it has been used as an identifier in actions that it has been assumed to have been revealed, but in fact I deliberately left it out of even my very first post.
At some point, people are bound to get curious, yes?
I've actually thought about bringing this up several times, now.))
OOC: Should've told me earlier Shylarah xD. I'm actually quite ditsy for the most part and sometimes goof up but I am really honestly happy to be reminded.
I have editted it as appropriate.
This is where some of us are different. I'll pay attention to detail to certain things and forget others. Like, I goofed up in my own post. I talked about lights in the dining room and this is the medieval realm! Nathan's phone is probably the only thing resembling anything electronic *facepalm* will edit that tomorrow...
I'm a bit of an activist type personality and jump without thinking.
People like Rubycored are more analyst thinking and take account of every single detail. I envy that trait.
Anyway, sorry for the ramble...
OOC: Hey everyone! For those of you who have been here a long time, you might remember me: I used to go by the name "ShadowLady." Been so long since I've RPed that I had to make this new account... But yeah, it's me again! Kate asked if I would like to join this RP and honestly, I would love to, if you guys don't mind that is. I'm almost done on my catch-up reading, and from there I'll have to decide which character to use and how to insert them into the plot without causing too much upset....
For now I must retire, though. Been sick the whole weekend so I must take a break from the computer and rest. Until then, happy posting everyone!
