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Post by Dain Sincara on Jan 20, 2019 7:56:12 GMT -5
——————————————————————————————————————————— Ancient Info: TimelineFrom Dain’s research they lived roughly between three hundred thousand and two hundred fifty thousand years ago. Or at the very least that is the age when he first found traces of their existence and the last evidence they existed. Of course it is very well possible that they are much, much older. On the other hand it is also possible some still exist. Fact is though that Dain found the first evidence of them in this universe on a remote planet near the edge of the east quadrant and it dated nearly two hundred and ninety two thousand years. Or so Petey calculated. The fact that the oldest trace was found at an outer edge was weird though and it was only a small settlement. Despite weeks of scanning and digging, no more traces were found. No trails of technology before them, making it look as if they merely popped up into existence right there and then. It leaves for countless questions. Most importantly: did the ancients originate from this universe/galaxy at all? Timeline: -300.000 till -50.000 years ago. ———————————————————————————————————————————- Dain found himself once more into a weird ass forest, searching for a treasure. In this case a fabled energy source he had come across on a mission. While hunting a `runner´ for a hefty bounty he had stumbled across an ancient ruin. It had been a ruin for eon´s, but some systems still worked and he found out it belonged to a race that lived eon´s ago. From their records he could not find out much about who they were, but it became clear they possessed technology that was rather superior. The one thing that piqued his interest was a power source called a ZPM, that seemed to be able to generate a nearly infinite amount of power from subspace or something. If it was real, it would definitely be useful to enhance his spaceship. Till now he had to provide the energy for the shields and weapons mostly. If this device was, as described, small enough to fit into the palm of his hand, yet capable of powering entire cities… let´s say it was enough of an incentive to dig deeper into the fable. That and once in a while he felt like taking a pause from the life as a bounty hunter and just take it easy, playing an archaeologist. This time it had led him to a planet on the outer edge of the western quadrant that did not even seem to have a name. It had taken him a long time to track down and even longer to find, as it was hidden within an asteroid belt. There was some radiation surrounding it that rendered radar and technology useless. Even when he could see it with his own eyes, all the instruments on his ship still did not recognize it and showed merely a black dot in space. Whether it was by design of the ancients or perhaps the reason they settled there in the first place, he could only take a guess at. As soon as he had teleported onto the surface though he found himself in one of the most mystical, beautiful, yet also creepy forests he had ever set foot on. It was covered in a thick mist, yet through it shone purple light that seemed to come directly from the plants and trees. More though, it seemed the plants were an mix of technology and nature. Vines were running all over the ground and through the leaves, pulsating with the same purple light. The first thought he had when he saw them were they were energy cables, yet upon closer look Dain determined they were actual roots and vines. After a bit of investigation though he found that all vines generally seemed to be going in a single direction. A theory formed in his head, that albeit unlikely, could have happened. He had already deduced the ancients technology was as much natural as technological and perhaps the plant life had learned to adapt itself. The world seemed to lack a sun, so perhaps they tapped into some power source that helped them grow. It was a wild theory, but all Dain had. So he strapped his backpack over his gray robe, fastened his sword to his side and put on his combat boots. Normally he tended to wear his wooden sandals, but he had no idea about the plant life and/or animal life on the planet, so he decided to play it safe and not expose himself too much. He did miss the feeling of his toes brushing through the soft grass, but at least his boots were warm and comfortable. Progress was a bit slow as he tended to stop every now and then, to examine his surroundings and look for clues, yet it was steady. Until he heard a noise in front of him and suddenly he realized something. His ability to sense energy did not seem to work either. Normally he detected life all around him, yet here it had felt blissfully silent. He had thought it was just the lack of life, but now that he thought about it, he did see birds in the sky, plus there were countless traces and tracks of animal life to be found in the soil and trees. The sound he heard though seemed to come from a biped creature. Not very heavy, moving straight towards him, yet still obscured by the mist. Suddenly the Saiya-Jin mercenary felt very nervous. Without the ability to see or sense what was around him, he felt naked. “Is someone out there?” He asked loudly, his right hand moving nervously to the hilt of his sword, as he began to carefully move towards the sound. Nervous and naked he might feel, but he was still a soldier and he had learned to run towards danger, not from it. “If there is something there, know that I am not here to harm you. I am simply exploring.” He continued as he hopped over a fallen trunk, his hand resting reassuringly on his sword. Word Count: 1,000 Lilith Nevermore
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Post by Lilith Nevermore on Jan 20, 2019 11:03:32 GMT -5
Somewhere far, far away... On a different planet actually... A shady silhouette toiled around an onyx black gemstone. Thirteen candles had been arranged in a tidy circle around it, burning with flickering flames. A fine and feminine voice chimed in the air. "Oh spirits of ages past, open the path to a world abandoned and long forgotten. Lead me to the grand discoveries of my deepest desires." The flames twisted from orange to blue. Arcane energies crackled in the air. Slowly, a swirling vortex opened above the gem. Much like the surface of a lake suspended sideways, it rippled gently. A mystical forest appeared on the other side. Without further ado, the silhouette stepped through and the portal closed in her wake.
Stepping onto the soft grass, Lilith took a moment to taste the air. The mysterious mist didn’t feel toxic, nor did the gravity try to crush her bones. Off to a good start. The plant life seemed rather fascinating as well... However, just as the young witch was about to begin her research, loud hollering shattered the silence. At first she was eager to believe, well, wish that she was just hearing things... But no. There really was someone else on this forgotten rock. An annoyed groan escaped her lips. Ancestral spirits could have such a twisted sense of humor sometimes. She really should have specified the abandoned part better...
Emerging through the mist, the small and slender silhouette stopped before the stranger. Now the closer look revealed a young woman. Long, mauve hair framed sickly pale features. Crimson eyes held an eerie gleam. Dressed in long robes and donning a pointy hat, she certainly matched the classic image of a witch. Though maybe she was bit too young and frail to be called wicked. But appearances tended to be deceiving... Unlike the man though, she seemed to carry no weapons or even rations. Instead she hugged a thick tome against her chest, its midnight black cover adorned with a mystical crest. Her only other possession was a tiny metal wand hanging from the sash at her waist. Those were the only tools she needed at hand.
The little lady regarded the explorer with a disinterested stare. "If you want something from someone, it is proper to introduce yourself first." Her voice resembled a silver bell, calm and refined, yet so very cold in its chime. After getting a better look of the stranger, she let out a tired sigh. "Then again, I shouldn’t expect too much from a scruffy hayseed." Obviously she didn’t see him as any sort of threat. Even if she had been able to sense him, her opinion most likely would’ve stayed the same. As she turned and crouched to inspect one of the glowing plants, one more surly mutter escaped beneath her breath.
"Bloody tourists..."
Words: 476 [Total = 476] Dain Sincara
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Post by Dain Sincara on Jan 20, 2019 12:15:03 GMT -5
Dain was rather surprised by the person he encountered. Or rather the way she looked. Or was it the way she looked? He was a bit unsure himself, but he had to admit it was a pleasant surprise. His mind had already been playing tricks on him, imagining the most horrible monsters to come through the mist. Instead it was a girl. It would have been a stretch to call her incredibly beautiful, but she was rather cute. A sight of relief washed over Dain and he let go of the hilt of his sword. “My apologies, I was simply not expecting someone to be here. My name is, Dain, I am merely exploring the planet.” He said with a friendly smile, raising his hands into the air to indicate he posed no threat. Although he doubted someone with her build would be able to pose a threat to him, he had no reason to create an incident. Still there was something wrong about her. Well not wrong, but he could not help the nagging feeling that he was missing something obvious. “They are wonderful plants aren´t they? It seems they seem to draw their energy directly from their roots, which all seem to be connected.” He continued friendly, feigning an interest in the plants as he came closer. To be honest he did find them interesting, yet it was not something he would normally have said to someone else. He figured though that if she was an inhabitant of the planet, it would not be a bad start to compliment her. “So are you from around here? Is there a village around here somewhere or a place where you live?” He asked still friendly as he closed the distance to the point where he could have almost touched her with a long stick, before stopping and squatting down to seem less threatening. If she was from around here, she might have additional knowledge of the area and might have information regarding the device he was after. As he squatted down though, suddenly his eyes twitched for a moment, followed by a small tremble, as he finally put the clues together. A pointy head, gleamy eyes, tome and wand… “W-wait are you a witc-! Practitioner of magic?” He blurted out, barely able to bite his tongue and preventing him from using a descriptive turn he knew could be taken as an insult. Before she could respond though Dain´s attention was suddenly drawn to a moment just above them. Lowering itself from one of the branches of the tree, came one of the most hideous spiders Dain had ever seen. He was no fan of them anyway, but this was one half mechanical and half natural. It´s eyes and leg´s seemed to be made of a kind of metal, while it´s hairy body looked swollen and made of flesh. The Saiya-Jin had no idea what the spider was, but his disgust for the creatures was enough. In the blink of an eye his hand shot up, releasing a tiny metal blade with perfect timing, piercing the spider directly. “… sorry… it startled me!” Dain said apologizing, just as he witnessed -to his disgust- the spider jumping back upon it´s feet and scurrying off, seemingly ignoring the blade piercing it. Word Count: 550 Total Word Count: 1,400 Lilith Nevermore
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Post by Lilith Nevermore on Jan 21, 2019 5:36:01 GMT -5
The haughty girl rolled her eyes at the hasty apology. So quickly men changed their tune upon realizing that they were talking to someone fairer. How typical. Well, neither of them had been expecting to encounter anyone, but the similarities ended there. Where the man was, in his own words, merely exploring, she was on an important expedition to discover long lost secrets. ...Yes, there was a difference. Unlike some aimless wanderer, she was looking for specific things, such as intriguing plants for instance. Like the ones right here. She carefully grasped one flower by stem the and observed the glow pumping through it. As the man pointed out, they did indeed seem to feed on some shared energy source. Fascinating...
A flash of steel cut the line of thought. Shadows seemed to shift around the woman’s robes, though it might have just been imagination running wild... While the strange spider scurried away, the little lady scoffed at the explorer’s excuse. "My, what a brave adventurer you are..." Her flat tone dripped with sarcasm. Judging by his jumpy reaction, he was more accustomed to bloodshed than exploration. Only certain kinds of men carried a sword with them after all... She was not exactly fond of the type. Still, he might prove useful. That alone was reason enough not to antagonize him. ...Too much.
Lilith straightened her back and idly brushed few stray locks of hair aside, back into their flawless order. "To answer your tactless question, yes, I am a witch." She puffed her petite chest, wearing the label like a badge of pride. It wasn’t an insult, simply a fact. Grasping the hem of her robes with one hand, she dipped into a polite curtsy. "I am Lady Lilith Nevermore, the heir of the illustrious Nevermore witch clan. Charmed, I’m sure." Her voice held a noble air to it, befitting the title. Sadly, the name didn’t exactly mean much anymore... Especially not in the galactic scale...
The girl’s gleaming gaze returned to sweeping the surroundings. "As enchanting as this forest is, no, I do not live here. I have my reasons to believe this planet is abandoned." She flicked her free hand upwards and one of the luminescent flowers was plucked from the ground by an unseen force. However, the glow quickly faded and the plant withered. Studying it closely, she voiced an idle thought. "If the plants truly are all connected, then one would expect there to be an origin point..." Her inquisitive gaze shifted onto the traveler. "Dain, was it? How much do you know about this world?" If she was going to use him, first she needed to determine if he was even worth the effort. Words: 456 [Total = 932] Dain Sincara
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Post by Dain Sincara on Jan 21, 2019 6:25:34 GMT -5
“Yes well you see, uh, well you never…” Dain stumbled over his own words, trying to find an excuse, yet could not find one that did not seem ridiculous. After all he had just thrown a knife at a spider in a reflex. Very manlike. Instead he let his voice trail off before letting out an embarrassed laughter, holding the back of his head as he continued to laugh. She was right though, he was by far a better fighter then an explorer. It was strange though, normally he was never this nervous, he could simply rely on his senses and stre-!- My strength! Dain suddenly noticed, his eyes shooting wide open. He felt none of his KI running through his body. Even as he low key tried to summon his strength, he felt nothing. Well or rather it was there, but he could not reach it? He could not explain it properly… like a lid had been put over the well that contained his energy? Luckily he was distracted by her comments of being a witch. “Neat!” Was all that Dain responded, genuinely pleased to have met a witch. According to what he could remember, he had no grudge against witches, sorcerers and the likes. In fact he knew quite a few spells himself, although he would never call himself accomplished in the field. Merely tricks that helped him in his adventures. Like how to turn of the lights or open locked doors. “The honor is mine, milady. It is a pleasure to meet you.” Dain replied, following the old form of etiquette, bowing, head down, the whole shebang. She was right though, the name Evermore did not ring a direct bell, yet it did not fade either. Perhaps the name was buried in his written memories. Dain made a note of it, to look it up once he returned. For some reason he had the feeling he knew that name from a very long time ago. Though of course he could be completely mistaken. The problem with a mortal memory in a body that just kept living. Even his own memories escaped him like like fleeting dreams and often his mind tended to play tricks on him. “In fact, I believe it is courtesy, that when meeting a noble lady, you present them with a gift.” He said with a grin as he extended his hand, opened his palm and mumbled a few words, causing a small necklace to appear in his hand. It was a small golden necklace, the chains finely braided together, with at the heart a small ruby necklace. With a smile on his face he offered it to her, although it was a bit deceiving. He had taken the opportunity to test whether magic still seemed to work here and to his delight it still did. Meaning that having a witch at his side was a good thing indeed. The fact that she was not an inhabitant of the planet was a shame, but at least he did not have to play any games with her either. “Okay I might not have been entirely honest with you. I am not merely an explorer, I am looking for an ancient device. According to legends this planet belonged to an ancient race that had mastered technology to the point they could combine nature and technology into a perfect harmonic state, reaching a whole new tier of existence and power. I am here to see if that is true and find an… object.” He said with a smile as he looked upon the petit girl. “I know a bit more about the legends regarding the planet, but about the actual planet I know very little. As you saw by the spider… it startled me.” He said with a grin, still amused by his own reaction. “How about we try following the roots together. I am by no means suggesting an alliance or working together, but… it might be beneficial if we walked together for now.” He said with a friendly smile, followed by a simply nod. Deep inside the forest though the spider had reached what it was looking for and crawled inside the cracks at the socket of an ancient statue. It was the statue of some kind of armored alien, complete with shield and sword. Word Count: 700 Total Word Count: 2,100 Lilith Nevermore
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Post by Lilith Nevermore on Jan 22, 2019 4:22:12 GMT -5
Much to Lilith’s pleasant surprise, the vagabond wasn’t utterly without manners. On this day and age it was rare to meet men who followed any sort of etiquette, least of all the old form. She lifted a curious brow when he materialized a little gift into his grasp. "Conjuration? How quaint." Though she sounded nonchalant, surprise still shined through her cold mask. First court manners and now traditional magic. Perhaps he was more than just a simple mercenary... Well, she wasn’t going to hold any hopes, however.
With a gracious nod and a small smile, the little lady accepted the necklace and studied it against the ambient light. Hm, an adorable little thing. However, instead of putting it on, she slipped it inside her sleeve, into a magic pocket hidden away. Many charlatans tried to trick unsuspecting souls into wearing cursed jewelry. With just a word, they could make it seal the wearer’s powers. Or simply strangle them. She wasn’t naive enough to drop her guard around a stranger, no matter how friendly he appeared.
Distrust paid off, once again, as Dain admitted he had been lying. Not that Lilith minded really. Only utter fools wore their heart on their sleeve. She let go of the tome, but instead of falling it fluttered open and rose to float before her eyes. The pages turned on their own until an empty spread appeared. She clicked her fingers and an inky quill appeared. It started dancing on the page, making notes of everything the man mentioned. A planet once inhabited by an ancient race... Nature and technology combined... Brief descriptions of the flora and fauna... So far the surrounding wilderness supported his claims.
While the young man carefully circled around the subject of helping one another, the little lady quietly mused. After a moment of pensive silence, she snapped the book shut and nodded. "You do make a fair point, Sir Dain." Wearing her most charming and disarming smile, she stepped to his side. A hint of honey laced her tone. "I would be glad to have a strong and handsome bodyguard accompanying me." ...Not to mention acting as a beast bait if it came to that. Though she had no interest in any ancient devices, there was undeniable benefit to having someone else between her and anything trying to kill her.
The witch swept her gaze along the visible roots. "Lead the way, Sir Dain." She already had some idea which way to go, but she wanted to see if the adventurer reached the same conclusion. While walking, she prodded him for information under the guise of idle chatter. "I hope you don’t mind me asking, but... Where did you learn magic?" Usually it took years of studying and discipline to learn even a single spell, aside from certain races with natural affinity. Most mercenaries rather focused on their silly martial arts, which made this young swordsman rather peculiar indeed... Words: 495 [Total = 1427] Dain Sincara
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Post by Dain Sincara on Jan 22, 2019 8:26:49 GMT -5
`Smart!´ Was all Dain thought as he watched her put the jewelery in her sleeve. Perhaps he could have been offended she did not accept it, but then again, neither would he. Not from a stranger he just met in a mysterious forest. He had learned his lessons the long and hard way around. Of course he had done nothing of the kind with the necklace, but he found it prudent she was careful. “Just a little trick. Don´t worry though, I am not nearly skilled enough to place curses though.” He spoke with a friendly, enchanting smile as he raised his hands into the arm, trying to show he meant no harm. “I comment you though, It is very wise never to accept gifts without minding them.” He said still smiling to her. The rest of the conversation seemed to be turning out quite favorably as well, to his surprise. It was rare meeting went this well. Lilith agreed to accompany him and even better, it seemed like they were not competing for the same item. “… and I could benefit from having a fine lady, such as yourself, at my side.” Dain replied graciously, knowing very well the two of them were simply using each other. He was pretty sure he could outrun her if need be, considering his legs were longer and he always could rely on his physical prowess. It was not something he could actually do though. His pride would not allow him to run away. At best he could run towards danger and leave her behind, which he did not like either. There was something about the young witch he liked and he did not like the idea of her getting hurt. `Although in all fairness, without my energy, I am merely a martial artist. It is more likely I will get hurt.´ He thought slightly amused to himself as he looked over her cute, petit form. It was a rare feeling, needing someone. Not entirely unpleasant either. “Then I would suggest we follow the roots. From the looks of it, it seems they are all originating from a singular point, suggesting there is a center to this forest. Now it might not mean anything, yet I always find the center of a place to be the perfect place to start.” He said with a grin as he straightened himself out and began to follow the roots. The next question did catch him a bit off guard. Nobody had ever asked him how he learned it. He guessed it came from him generally hanging out with people and beings that considered it to be normal. For a moment Dain was silent as they walked, thinking about the reasons she could have to ask, in the end deciding it might have been normal interest for a witch. “Oh it is something I learned many, many years ago. One cannot live to be my age without picking up a trick or two.” He replied with a grin as he extended his senses and reached out to several pebbles lying on the ground. “For example this little trick.” He said as his mind reached out, picked up the pebbles and began circling them around his head. “It are merely tricks and some minor spells, I could and would never call me a mage or something.” He said with a faint smile as he shrugged and the pebbles fell back to the ground. He had often wished he had the time to study magic… well granted the time he had, but sadly not the affinity for it. He could spend hours chanting complex spells, nothing would happen. “If I may ask, how far are you along? When I learned it, magic was still divided into tiers and I barely reached the third tier.” He asked curiously, having the feeling that this young witch had already surpassed him by miles. A few miles away from them though the statue suddenly began to hum and tremble for a moment. A root on the ground lit up and pulsated for a moment, before everything turned silent again. The spider stumbling out of the crack, before finally collapsing to the dagger still in it´s body. Finally allowed to rest as it´s job was completed. Word Count: 700 Total Word Count: 2,800 Lilith Nevermore
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Post by Lilith Nevermore on Jan 23, 2019 7:20:59 GMT -5
While Dain assured his innocence, Lilith merely smiled and nodded. Suspiciously specific denial... If his intention was to lull her into a false sense of security, then it backfired spectacularly. Hearing his reasoning for following the roots solidified her suspicions. There was more to him than he let on, clearly. The crimson eyes watched carefully as the man demonstrated his so-called little trick. Telekinesis and similar supernatural powers were rather common, she had noticed. "Oh, I see..." Tinges of disappointment colored her cold tone. In hindsight, it had been naive to hope someone like him would be intricately interested in the finer aspects of magic. Trick or two... Hmph.
Walking along, the witch quietly mulled over the mercenary’s question. "Tiers, hm...?" Rather archaic thinking, wasn’t it? Old-fashioned even by her standards. Still, despite her opinions, she adopted a more diplomatic tone. "My clan approaches magic a little differently. We believe that any type of magic, regardless of tiers or limits, can be learned with enough knowledge. It is simply a matter of unraveling the forces that hold the universe together." She lifted her wand and gave it a gentle wave. Each main element slowly cycled between the prongs. A spark of fire, traces of earth, streaks of wind, droplets of water and finally a flash of lightning... "Some called us mad, others declared us heretics. People fear what they cannot understand." She had neither patience nor pity for such fools.
Pushing the past aside for the moment, Lilith cleared her throat. "Ahem, anyway... To put it in terms of tiers, I believe my magic has reached the sixth tier." She had spent all her life learning it after all. At this point she was simply estimating though. It had been a long time since she had studied anything related to spell tiers and the last time had been in regards to history of magic. "However, any spell I see, I can replicate... given enough time..." The last part was only a bitter mutter. She loathed to admit that some magic was beyond her immediate expertise. One day, however, she would learn to mimic and reverse any technique immediately. She silently swore it.
The young noble fell silent and allowed her gaze to simply wander. Despite being so far away from Earth, she felt at home in a forest like this. Everywhere she looked another fascinating plant caught her attention. It was a shame traces of technology had tainted everything... She couldn’t use any of these as potion ingredients or portal catalysts. However, that didn’t mean there wouldn’t be something of value here. Favors, for instance, could be more valuable than gold... Words: 446 [Total = 1873] Dain Sincara
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Post by Dain Sincara on Jan 23, 2019 13:15:41 GMT -5
Immediately Dain noticed the error in his words. It was not one he had made intentionally though. Rather it was his own form of guarding himself, never revealing what he was truly capable of. He was proud of his abilities and the numerous skills he had acquired over the many years. He remembered a friend saying that it only takes ten thousand hours to master a skill. With a hundred thousand you are the best and with one million, you are the best there has ever been. While he had not spend that many on most skills, he had time and thus hours enough to learn quite a lot. The problem was that he did not like to talk about himself, his immortality or draw attention upon himself. So it had became kind of standard for him to refer to all his skills as little tricks. Once in a while though he was reminded though that a single skill set meant everything to them and their whole pride was in it. “My apologies, I did not mean to belittle magic. It is one of the most amazing skills and powers to have. I just meant that compared to a true witch, what I can do must seem like children's play.” He quickly replied, genuinely sorry for having mispoken. There was an irony though in it all. “Funnily enough I was considered a heretic by my masters.” He suddenly said as a memory popped into his mind, seemingly from out of nowhere. A memory he did not even know he had anymore, as he could remember nothing from that entire century. “I believed as you that magic was unraveling the basic, but that the same was true with technology. I dreamed about combining the two at the basic level and…” Dain spoke, when suddenly his voice broke, the memory faded like a bad dream. He could just feel the bitter aftertaste, although he had no idea why. “Wait seriously? That is amazing!” Dain said honestly astonished, as that was the highest tier his masters had been able to achieve in their entire lifetime and they barely managed to master a single spell. For such a young witch to achieve that… “My apologies, it seems I have underestimated you and lied to you again…” He said once more, though the last part was muttered softly under his breath. It was true he never managed to learn normal spells above the third tier, however there was one part of magic he excelled in. He just hated to use it, as albeit useful at times, they had been labeled since ancient times dark magic, dark arts, necromancy, etc. Etc. “I wonder… can you mimic this?” He said as he began to weave a sigil into the air with his finger, leaving fire traces in the misty air, as he began speaking words in an ancient dark language. For a moment nothing happened, aside from the air slightly trembling, before suddenly bones began to pop out of the ground and assemble themselves into a shield. Once it was formed the sigil worn off, yet the shield held together, firmly grasped by Dain. “Just curious, I have never met a prodigy like you.” He said with a friendly smile, albeit a thought popped in his mind at the same time. If what you say is true. It was not that he doubted the girl… more that he had never seen anyone having grasped magic to that point. To be able to replicate it after seeing it, meant that in one grasp the girl was able to look directly into the magic, see the different elements… to see the basic coding of the spell in a single moment. He honestly hoped she could do it. Suddenly the ground underneath their feet trembled though. It was only for a mere moment, before fading, but for some reason Dain did not feel like it was natural. Nor did he like it how it seemed the forest seem to grow darker around them and the mist stronger. It was as if the blue light emitted by the plants and trees was growing dimmer. What he did not notice though was the rustling of the leaves, of the small swaying of the trees. Or rather the fact that they seem to do so without their being even the tiniest bit of wind. Word Count: 700 Total Word Count: 3,500 Lilith Nevermore
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Post by Lilith Nevermore on Jan 24, 2019 16:21:14 GMT -5
As much as the young noble wanted to scoff and roll her eyes at the hasty apology, she suppressed the urge. He sure seemed to suffer from slips of the tongue... It was obvious he was just trying to flatter her. ...Buuut he was right. A smug, little smile slipped past her cold mask. Magic was indeed amazing. Few people realized the true potential it held.
The mention of being called a heretic as well caught Lilith’s attention. She gave Dain an odd look, raising a quizzical brow. Surely there was more to it than simply wanting to combine magic and technology. Traditionally, in witch circles the three heretic arts were considered to be Blood Magic, Void Magic and... "Ah, Necromancy." The bones popping into view were a dead giveaway. Few were the witches who willingly dabbled in that particular dark art. Not only did it run the risk of bringing back something that should have stayed dead, but both heaven and hell didn’t look kindly upon those who defied the natural order. King Yemma especially could get so surly about missing souls...
Many had asked the young witch to prove her skills, so the mercenary’s question came as no surprise. She nodded without hesitation. "Of course I can. Observe." As she spoke an incantation, mystical runes appeared in the air around her. Savvy observer could recognize symbols for each element, magic type and more. "Through knowledge may all boundaries be broken... Magic Mimicry." The symbols twisted and turned, until they formed a sigil identical to the one he had drawn. While she had no knowledge of the ancient spell he had cast, she could always substitute it. "Gather, fallen bones, and rise again to protect thy mistress. Bone Shield." Right on command, more bones erupted from the ground. They gathered into a circular shield in front of her.
Dismissing the swirling symbols, the noble glanced smugly towards the adventurer. Her finger twitched and the shield turned around slowly. "A fine replication if I do say so myself." It was clearly thinner and rougher than the one manifested by the mercenary, but quite sturdy for someone’s first ever attempt. She had seen right through his flow of magic. Perhaps now her new acquaintance would take her claim slightly more seriously. It wasn’t every day one got to meet a real prodigy. Ah, how a simple word could warm her soul so...
Sadly, there was no time to bask in success. Feeling the very earth trembling was rarely a good sign. Neither was the mystical mist intensifying. Lilith didn’t need divination to know something was off. She stopped on her tracks, eyeing the shaking trees suspiciously. "I do believe we have company..." Clutching her wand, she silently hoped it wouldn’t be a giant spider... Eugh. Just the thought made her shudder. Well, whatever it was, she would make sure to keep Dain between her and it. Words: 492 [Total = 2365] Dain Sincara
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Post by Dain Sincara on Jan 25, 2019 7:21:49 GMT -5
Dain whistled impressed as he saw the young wish conjure up the bone shield. It was more then impressive. It made him wonder if magic itself had reached entirely new heights in the last centuries or whether this young noble wish was truly this impressive. Well the last one actually was true, regardless. “That is an amazing technique.” He said with a slight tremble in his eyes as he watched the shield, extending his arm so the tips of his fingers could peruse the smooth exterior of the shield. There was no further time to spend admiring it though as the hairs on the back of his neck were beginning to stand up. It was rarely a good sign and he trusted his instincts in such situations. Automatically he reached for the bracelet on his arm and pressed the button, expecting his signature black armor to appear. Only for there to be nothing. There was a soft humming sound coming from the device, before that sizzled away. Dain rubbed his eyes as he wondered about what he had seen had really happened or whether it was a trick his mind just played on him. He could have sworn that the moment he pressed the bracelet he saw some of the mist move and enter the device. Nah can´t be… He thought wearily to himself, dismissing the notion, replacing it forcefully with the theory that his hand movement must have shifted the mist and that caused the attack. “So miss Lilith, do you know any spells that can help us identify what is going on here? I know some spells, but mine are mostly offensive in nature.” Dain asked as he carefully positioned himself between the girl and whatever was there. Or at least he hoped. He could neither sense nor see anything. He just figured that it was most likely to come from the center, so the direction of the roots. Or rather it was the only clue he had. “To be honest I am in a bit of a predicament. Neither my energy nor technology seem to respond to me.” He continued as he placed his hand carefully on his sword as he began moving towards the center. Slowly progressing, carefully placing each step, watching the ground he was walking on. His gaze moving rapidly through the forest, hoping to see something he could identify as a threat. At least if he found something, he could focus on it. This not knowing, was killing him. A part of him even wanted to retreat. However that would be the worst they could probably do. Turn their back at the treat. If experience had taught him anything it was that running towards danger was almost always safer. At least if you could see it, you could react adaptively. Speaking about seeing, just at that moment the blue light coming from all plants began to fade, flickered a final time and then a darkness set it, that was absolute. “Please tell me you brought a flash light.” Dain said, a sense of humor in his voice, as he clenched his fingers even tighter around the blade. —————————————————————————————————————— Meanwhile at the center of the forest and ancient device/being received the energy required to wake it up. When it was first created, it had been able to operate for centuries at a time. As time passed though the source of his energy had degraded slowly, causing him to start shutting himself down at times to recharge. It kept getting worse and worse though, until it got to the point where he had to shut himself down completely. It had not expected to be ever woken up again, yet suddenly he felt energy running through it´s body again. Within a moment his senses adapted, despite the countless years of sleep. “So the forest used all it´s energy to wake me… why? … oh that is new… now where are those… ah there we go and… of we seem to have… no that is not quite right… did I not use to have toes?” It mused softly to himself as more and more of his systems began to start up. It seemed that although his sleep, his body and powers were fine and-! “I SEE! WE HAVE GUESTS! That actually makes sense. That is why… OH MAGIC! Is that why you woke me? Ah never mind. LET´S GIVE THEM A PROPER WELCOME!” It said, it´s voice thundering so loud it could make the ground shake, maybe even loud enough to reach the two intruders. A moment later two bright yellow round lights/eyes appeared in the darkness, piercing them like the headlights on a car, as the being pushed himself out of the throne he had been residing in, cracking the floor as he got up. Word Count: 800 Total Word Count: 4,300 Lilith Nevermore
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Post by Lilith Nevermore on Jan 26, 2019 8:31:19 GMT -5
The mention about both energy and technology failing didn’t even surprise the little lady. "Ah, so your little toys betray you. How typical." She had no patience or pity for anyone who relied them. "Fortunately my expertise extends far beyond mere violence." Every apprentice witch started their studies with mundane utility spells. From there their repertoire grew according to preference. However, she had no intention to elaborate beyond what was absolutely necessary. Her trust was not easily earned. "I merely need you to guard me so that I may cast in peace. My magic requires careful focus." It was especially true in total darkness where she couldn’t rely on her eyes at all.
Lights faded away, a certain sign that something sinister was afoot. While the mercenary dabbled with his devices, the witch kept an eye on the surrounding shadows. The wisps around her robe grew darker and longer, coiling protectively. If something stalked in the darkness, it would find her a dangerous prey. Quickly the creeping darkness swallowed everything.
As Dain joked about their situation, Lilith scoffed smugly. "I have something far better. Behold..." She gathered her focus and began casting a dark spell. "From Hell’s heart I summon thee..." A trail of sparks burned an infernal symbol on the ground. "Come forth, devil’s deceiver, Stingy Jack." A flash of hellish flames illuminated the area. From the center of it emerged a hunched figure carrying a lantern. His grinning, twisted features burned with a ghastly light, like there had been a candle within his skull. A raspy laugh echoed out. As if on command, eight blue flames manifested in a circle around him, twirling and dancing playfully.
With a new source of light secured, the witch reached for her sleeve. "Now then, let’s take a look at our gracious host." She pulled out a small crystal orb, one that fit snugly in her palm. A gentle whisper woke it. "Nevermore orb, awaken and share thy secrets..." Beneath the surface mystical smoke began swirling. Parting like an ethereal curtain, it revealed an imposing sight. She squinted at the mechanical behemoth. Combined with the thunderous shout from the distance, it was becoming rather clear what they faced. She showed the orb to her bodyguard as well. "Say, how confident are you in facing an opponent several times your size?" Well, at least it wasn’t one of those disgusting spiders... Words: 404 [Total = 2769] Dain Sincara
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Post by Dain Sincara on Jan 28, 2019 8:30:26 GMT -5
Dain watched the young witch with interest as she summoned a hunched figure, only for blue flames to spread and light up the area. Although familiar with magic, he had no chance to keep up with the skill and speed Lillith seemed to conjure. It certainly was practical to be able to wield magic and for a brief moment he wondered whether he should take it up again. The thought was instantly obliterated as she magically showed what they were about to face. For a moment it froze his blood, watching dozens of stone statues march upon them. They were at least several feet bigger then Dain and from what he could tell they looked solid. They were made of a black type of shiny stone, complete with glowing eyes and two stone swords in their hands. What made them creepy though, where the vines running through their bodies, seemingly growing through their stone bodies, pulsating brightly with same glow the forest had. The ground thundered as they continued to march upon them. From what Dain could tell they looked strong and without a doubt they could overpower him in raw strength. Without his KI to back him up, he wondered whether he could actually cut them. “Well at least I might be able to sharpen my sword on them…” Dain said with a grin as he shrugged his shoulders and drew his blade. There was only one thing he could think of that might give him a chance. With the statues ever coming closer and the fact that he was unable to fight properly… he no longer had the option of being careful. “Please be careful Lillith.” He muttered as he extended his left arm and summoned his new weapon. The weapon his mistress Amatricina had forged from Katchin, especially for him. Made from her demonic essence, enhanced by magic and specially made for his lightning… it was the weapon he had been given to tear down the gods themselves and cut the heavens, when given the command. He had not intended to use it upon anything but the gods themselves, but he had no choice. Sadly for the statues. As soon as the blade materialized in his hands, dain felt it resonate with his power. The muscles in his arms automatically swelled up and lightning crackled around the blade. A hollow moon shaped blast/slash released from the blade as he swung it, carving it´s way through any trees in it´s path, through any rocks and everything else in it´s path till it hit the first statue. As it hit a small light lid up around it and the next moment the slash bounced off harmlessly into the air. Dain felt a wave of dissapointment, though he did notice a small gash in the statues chest. “Oh I am very confident.” Dain continued with a grin as he let go of the blade, which disappeared in a moment. If that was not going to work, he was quickly running out of options. The only thing he could think of was summoning his own guards. The grounds already had proven to be rich of bones. Yet he despised the art of necromancy and he doubted skeletons could actually hold of the statues. Perhaps he could summon a skeleton dragon though, but those proved to be difficult to control. Otherwise he could equip his skeletons with magical artifact, enchanted swords and shields. Even that though he doubted could stop these statues, seeing they deflected a blast from his own sword. As Dain was contemplating, he suddenly noticed movement on the ground. “WATCH OUT!” He suddenly yelled to Lillith as he felt something wrap itself around his ankles. In a reflex he swung his sword, cutting through the vines that had slithered across the floor toward them. The next moment he was dragged away, as more wrapped themselves around his other feet and started pulling. A quick slash made an end to it, but suddenly he was very much aware of all the movement around him. It seemed like the entire forest was crawling with moving vines. Not only the floor, but from the trees as. Countless vines moving towards them like, slithering like snakes. “WELL HELLO THERE! IT SEEMS I FOUND YOU!” A thundering voice suddenly pierced the darkness, two bright yellow lights showing before Lilliths spell registering the new presence. Word Count: 700 Total Word Count: 5,000 Lilith Nevermore
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Post by Lilith Nevermore on Jan 29, 2019 4:14:57 GMT -5
With a hefty sigh, Lilith rolled her eyes. "Your sense of humor seems to be intact at least..." Unfortunately she very much doubted Dain could just annoy the foes to death. She was admittedly tempted to simply open a portal and walk away. His fate was none of her concern after all. Still... The secret of these statues intrigued her... Was their power source technological or magical in nature? Oh well, no harm in sticking around for a little longer to find out.
The witch watched with faint interest as the bodyguard summoned a new weapon. She could feel it resonating with ancient magic, definitely demonic in nature. It felt oddly familiar too. All that magical energy employed in the service of... slashing. Her curiosity deflated into a flat stare. Seeing the flying slash carve its way into the distance, only to stop into one of the statues didn’t exactly inspire awe.
Dain’s warning came a bit too late. Lilith already got caught in the slithering... eugh... vines. They wrapped firmly around her ankles and yanked. Like living shackles they suspended her precariously upside down. Her hat fell to the ground. As the gravity then started tugging the hem of her robes, her hands quickly reached up to guard her dignity. How troublesome... Meanwhile, her summoned servant deftly sidestepped past the assaulting vines. Even when some managed to wrap around his ankles, somehow he slipped free. It was like trying to trap a wisp of smoke with a rope. "Heh heh heh... Gonna need more than that to catch ol’ Jack..." His ghastly rasp drifted in the flickering light.
With escape options seemingly limited, the young noble resorted to something she had employed often... Courtesy. "Greetings, good sir. So you have indeed. My friend and I were exploring when the darkness surprised us." Despite her awkward position, she retained the air of nobility in her tone. In fact, she could use the vines to her advantage. Shifting meekly, she pretended to struggle with her slipping robes. "I’m afraid the forest is being rather invasive at the moment. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?" From experience, she knew it never hurt to try the polite path. All manner of fools were so quick to fall for a pretty face. And if the behemoth proved stubborn, well, there was a reason she had summoned a particularly shifty helper... Words: 404 [Total = 3173] Dain Sincara
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Post by Dain Sincara on Jan 30, 2019 12:30:40 GMT -5
Dain could not help it but chuckle as he heard Lillith´s remark. “I think I would be dead, before my sense of humor dies. Unless we run out of food, then it dies quicker then a Yamcha.” He said with a grin, completely forgetting she might not even know the aforementioned. Still the situation was nothing to grin at actually. In the darkness he was having a lot of trouble seeing and he got caught quite a few times. Luckily with his sword he always managed to break free. At least until the forest learned and adapted, catching both his wrist and pulling him up. “Well luckily I already had a god complex…” He said a bit wearily as his arms wear pulled apart and he hang in the air, struggling to break free, but to no avail. His sword fell helpless to the ground. Dain was just about to summon his last weapon, when he was surprised by the bright lights in the dark. Perhaps it was a good thing, as his last weapon was a lot of overkill. Like throwing a nuclear bomb to kill bacteria. Not to mention, some bacteria actually could withstand that, but that was a different story. What surprised him even more though was the little girls response to the danger. She was… polite. Yet her word count made him grimace. He had seen enough anime to know he really, really, really did not want the forest to get truly invasive. Meanwhile the statues were getting closer and closer, the first one almost close enough to start giving him a haircut. Still he was more worried about the invasive forest, some body parts already clinching together. He was just about to point that out, beg her not to give the forest any clever idea´s when suddenly everything changed. “Well thank you. Of course I know everything about that, I am the one who told it to welcome you an-HEY! What is going on here?” It said pleasantly, only to seem genuinely surprised as it appeared from the darkness and stood in front of the two. However due to the lack of real light, Dain could only see the outline of a big figure standing in front of them. “STOP!” It bellowed at the golem, that was just about to strike at Dain, causing it to freeze instantly. “My apologies, I honestly meant to welcome you.” It said apologetic, seemingly shrugging it´s shoulders. “Bloody subsystems… commands… too much time has passed… now where was it… ah! There we go!” It seemed to mutter as it froze completely. Then suddenly the entire forest lit up. The blue light returned, but this time it was much brighter and the fog vanished completely. Moreso the fruits in the trees -till now Dain had not even noticed them at all- began to shine with a bright orange colar and flowers began to sprout everywhere, shining their own beautiful light upon the forest. Next animals appeared. At first a few butterflies, but soon fireflies, lady bugs, birds, squirrels and even a few deer appeared. All filling the forest with a sweet symphony of life and colors, also revealing the new presence in front of them. “My apologies. It seems my systems have degraded a bit and the forest mistook my command to welcome you. So what brings you here?” It asked with a pleasant, almost childish happy voice as it waved his hands and both were slowly lowered by the vines. Word Count: 600 Total Word Count: 5,600 Lilith Nevermore
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Post by Lilith Nevermore on Jan 31, 2019 15:00:12 GMT -5
More eye rolling ensued. "I do not know what this Yamcha is, but it sounds disappointing." The wicked witch couldn’t fathom why for these heroic types the sense of humor was always the last to go. Some smart mouths would even wisecrack at the brink of their doom. Point in case being the shamelessly quick-witted swordsman...
Against all of Lilith’s pessimistic perfectly realistic expectations, the behemoth actually turned out to be friendly. She watched closely as the guardian creature commanded the entire forest around them. The idle chatter didn’t give her much hope however. Wielders of magic didn’t need to concern themselves with subsystems or technical commands. Well... Aside from those oddballs calling themselves the Install Wizards, but she tried not to think about them... Ahem, regardless, her interest shifted towards another topic. Managing something so vast required an extraordinary power source. Perhaps it was the ancient device Dain had mentioned. If so, she might be quite interested in it indeed... She just needed to figure a way to convince her... fellow adventurer... to forfeit his claim for it.
After brief consideration, the witch cast a glance at her summoned servant. "Jack, your services are no longer needed. Return to your realm." She clicked her fingers dismissively and the infernal symbol appeared again. The old fiend didn’t seem to mind though, at least not if the unwavering grin was anything to go by. "Whatever you say, witch... But don’t come crying to me when your little venture goes sideways... Heh heh heh..." Leaving behind the ominous laugh hanging in the air, the cursed soul was dragged back to the realm of fire and brimstone. The blue flames vanished as well, leaving the surrounding nature thankfully intact.
Now that the young noble had her feet on solid ground again, she donned her sweetest smile. "Ah, thank you kindly, good sir. Worry not, mistakes happen to the best of us." She quickly shuffled next to her bodyguard, meaning to jab him with her elbow. "Isn’t that right, Sir Dain?" She just needed a quick, white lie out him before she continued. With a well-practiced court curtsy, she introduced herself as well. "I am Lady Lilith Nevermore. Charmed, I'm sure." Manners first and foremost after all, especially after what she had told Dain earlier. "To answer your question, my friend and I-" Eugh, the word still didn’t sit quite right in her mouth. "-are quite fascinated by this forest. The plant life is unlike anything we have ever seen. In fact, we would love to learn more from a local expert like you." Flattery and honey-laced tone had gotten her far when dealing with stuffy noblemen. The underhanded tactic was certainly worth a try here as well. Words: 462 [Total = 3635] Dain Sincara
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Post by Dain Sincara on Feb 1, 2019 8:11:53 GMT -5
Dain actually felt relieved and surprised. Not before actually letting out a hearty laughter though. She might not have known the man, but she expressed the sentiment perfectly. “Well said Lilith, well said!” He said heartily, resisting the urge to slam his hand on her tiny back. It was well known that magic users tended to ignore their bodies and the elegant, yet fragile body of the with seemed to confirm the rule. Plus he did not want to spend life as a toad again. He had already done that for a few months, before finally figuring out a way to undo it. Once was enough for him… -Ironically though the only living relatives he has, that are still alive, actually came from that time though- “That is a rather interesting technique. Do you specialize in summoning magic?” Dain asked the witch with a smile as he watched the creature disappear. He wondered what else she could summon. The Saiya-Jin was willing to bet she knew a ton more cool stuff. Just at that time Lilith seemed to want to connect to him with her elbow. He did not mind, his muscular chest could handle it, but he still did not like being jabbed with something as sharp as her pointy elbow. “Yeah… sure…” Dain said, carefully not to wheeze or gasp for air, as the sharp elbow somehow managed to find the sweet spot between his ribs and dig into it. Point made I guess… He thought to himself, humoring himself with the fittingness of the situation. Just at that moment Dain received a direct message from his ship, through the chip in his brain. “Ah good, it seems I finally have a connection. Dain I have managed to adapt our shields and begun pushing through the asteroid field. There is some kind of radiation that causes all this. Or I believe. Frankly I have never seen anything like this and whether it is natural or artificial… I can´t even detect what it is that is causing it. In any case at this rate I shall be above the planet in a day or something. I will keep searching for causes and a way to get around them. Try to stay alive… … … oh right, one way communication. I am able to push this message through by using most of the ships power to encase it in a field. Your brain and suit simply don´t have the power to send return messages. I will contact you once I have more information.” Petey said emotionless, before she disconnected. It was completely useless information, but at the very least Dain was happy to hear from her. “Forgive my bluntness, but I don´t have time for politeness. Please follow me as I lead you to wear you are needed. I can talk on the way.” It said with a friendly voice, yet something about it made it clear it was not a question. Dain shrugged however and began to follow the being. Now that he could observe it from up close and in better light, he began to see the patterns. The design was definitely ancient. Now that he could see it though, everything seemed to resemble the ancients. From the design of the trees to the insects crawling over them. Ancient, yet animal like. He could not even imagine what technology could do this, but it seemed to have happened anyway. Suddenly he realized he was almost sprinting to keep up with the stone giant. Simply due to it´s massive size it was moving very rapidly, despite moving seemingly sluggish. “By the way you are both free to ride on top of me, so we can make better time.” It said as it stopped for a moment, having noticed the two were barely keeping up, despite the fact that he was already treading slowly. He lowered it´s gigantic hand, placing it on the ground for Dain and Lillith to get on top. Wow… Dain thought to himself as he saw the hand in front of him, making him realize how big the giant really was. The hand was over 5 feet high and could fit at least a dozen people, while still giving them ample time to dance. What he actually wondered though was how big the forest was. He had noticed the giant was not even above the trees, making them at least several miles high. Or was it? He could have sworn that when they, the giant was perhaps, tops sixty feet high. What is going on? He wondered, as he looked to Lilith. “Well what do you think? Can we trust this thing?” He asked her softly, hoping the giant could not hear them. Word Count: 800 Total Word Count: 6,400 Lilith Nevermore
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Post by Lilith Nevermore on Feb 3, 2019 7:23:12 GMT -5
As the fiend vanished and the portal sewed itself shut, the witch smiled smugly. "Oh please. I seek to master all types of magic." It could hardly be called boasting when she was already making good progress. Ah, but she was getting ahead of herself... Brushing few unruly locks back into order, she sighed. "But right now, I suppose summoning is indeed one of my stronger arts." Ever since she had learned the proper way to open portals, her summoned servants had started coming out far stronger and sturdier. If their gracious host stopped being gracious, she might show him just how strong and sturdy...
Curiosity and annoyance made a strange mix. The little lady was curious about why the stone creature was in such an awful hurry. Aaaand annoyed because it dared to hurry her along too. How rude. Beneath her robes, shadows skittered like spider legs, carrying her swiftly across the forest floor. A lady did not run after all.
When Dain whispered his hesitation, Lilith cast a sly glance his way. Her eyes shined with a strange, blue glow. Though her lips didn’t move, her voice still chimed through his ears. Or perhaps through his head was was more accurate. "Trust is a strong word, Sir Dain. I’m simply accepting an invitation." Her scrutinizing gaze turned back onto the giant. Better to pretend she was lost in thought, considering the offer, lest the creature got suspicious at the silence. "This thing just so happens to be our most useful clue so far. Nothing more, nothing less." She had no intention to lower her guard just because the guardian happened to be so helpful. Anyone could hide their intentions with a friendly mask.
Finally the young witch found her smile again. "Very well then. Take the lead, kind sir." Daintily she stepped onto the open palm, taking care not to trip over anything. She shuffled all the way to the side, as if to give Dain all the more room. Well, mostly she was just keeping her exit near in case the giant decided to close the hand. Along the way, the noble continued ever so tactfully prodding the giant guardian for information. "Kind sir, you happened to mention we are needed somewhere." A peculiar word choice, especially since they knew practically nothing of each other. At least she hoped so... "Who is it that needs us?" Every name, every fact, every bit of information she could squeeze out of this talking stone would help her closer to the forest’s secret. ...Oh, and Dain too. Sure. Words: 431 [Total = 4066] Dain Sincara
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Post by Dain Sincara on Feb 3, 2019 14:08:22 GMT -5
Dain responded in flavor and replied using the same trick as Lilith, speaking directly in her mind. He had to admit she was a crafty one, he had not even considered it. Instead having whispered where he simply could have done this. “Very well, then I will accompany you.” Dain said, trying to sound pleasant and friendly, but even at his best try, his voice was distant and cold. It was a trick he so rarely got to use, it was unpolished. Yet effective. Or so he thought. “I am pleased to see you have accepted my… invitation.” The being said friendly, although almost seeming to put an emphasis on the last word. Dain found the creature very hard to read though. It looked like the being had just heard them, yet meant nothing by it. Which was weird in itself, as most would have taken offense to such secrecy. As he jumped on the hand and scuttled to the middle, Dain was lost in thought as he had recalled something from his studies. There was one possibility though. He had heard the legends. Well actually everything about the ancients was a legend, but this one had seemed so ridiculous he had ignored it. Scientists have always believed there were more then the three dimensions most beings could see. Time for instance was supposed to be one of them. The legend said though that these ancient creatures could perceive more then the normal three. In fact the legends said there… “…that the ancients could see all thirteen and a half dimensions. Well it is a bit of an exaggeration. They could merely see eleven of them, the other two and a half they could only measure with their instruments. Sadly they only granted me six of the dimensions. It suddenly said, in a sad tone of voice, finishing the sentence Dain was thinking. “I wish I could have seen the eight dimension. From all of them, that is supposed to be the most beautiful and spectacular one. It said, sadness still imbued deeply into it’s words, as if it was one of the things he regretted the most in life. It was unearthing to say the least. Before he could think more about it though the giant had begun lifting them up and moving forward. To his surprise Dain found himself standing on a hand not wider then a few feet and he was not merely sixty feet up or something, while he could see the top of the trees around him. Before he could speak again though the being spoke again. “My apologies miss Lilith. Perhaps I might have acted rashly, but I am failing. Or better the entire planet is failing. When the forest senses your presence and the presence of magic, it woke me up. Doing so however took almost every bit of energy reserve there was left and as we speak my power and thus the forest is dying. You are going to fix that for me.” The giant spoke without hesitation of seemingly anything in his voice but the truth. What he spoke about though both worried and excited Dain. It was exactly that power source he was looking for, but if it was empty it would be useless. Especially since the rumors said it could run forever. What was more worrying though was the fact that he had no idea how they were supposed to fix it. Nor did he get the idea that negotiating was going to be an option. “Well I hope you have a masters degree in fixing ancient batteries…” Dain said, forcing a watery smile on his face as he walked towards Lilith, placed his hand gently on her shoulder and looked down. The forest shot past them, yet even from there he could see that the further in they got, the more dense and beautiful it seemed to got. What was more though was that at it’s center it seemed to become more natural. So many questions, so very little time to think about it or plan things. “Do you have a way out?” He asked Lilith, this time not wasting his energy to speak softly or in her mind. Word Count: 650 Total Word Count: 7,050 Lilith Nevermore
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Post by Lilith Nevermore on Feb 4, 2019 12:39:44 GMT -5
The oddly specific emphasis left the young witch alarmed. She had dealt with enough trickster spirits and other troublesome types to know the meaning of ironic echo. It was never a good sign. Worst case scenario, this tactless creature had been prying into her private thoughts... The mere possibility gnawed away at her patience. Her eye twitched as she listened to the behemoth’s incoherent rambling. Ancients? Thirteen and half dimensions? Twitch twitch... The sharp teeth gritted together, biting back the words that welled within. Tch, if she wanted fairy tales, she would go read about Gods of Destruction and similar fantasy creatures.
However, hearing the apology was the famous last straw. The young noble snapped sharply. "That’s Lady Nevermore to you." Dropping the pleasant mask entirely, she glared at the giant. The faux warmth faded from her voice. "I will not have a complete stranger speaking my name so casually." This drivel it was trying to present as the truth didn’t amuse her either. Arms folded, she puffed her petite chest with a frustrated huff. "Furthermore, I do not appreciate your tone. You dare to command me? Fool." The only person worthy of commanding her was dead and buried... So she certainly wasn’t going to take orders from some uppity golem.
While Dain kept joking around, Lilith cast a scornful glance at his hand. Using the sharp prongs of the wand, she slooowly pushed the offending digits away. The dismissive gesture was accompanied by a cold mutter. "...Don’t touch me, peasant." She didn’t even want to know where the vagrant’s filthy hands had been prior to this. Hearing him even jokingly suggest that she would waste her talents on some failing battery irked her as well. "You are making an awful lot of assumptions right now..." Unlike him, she wasn’t some traveling do-gooder. If there wasn’t something worth her precious time involved, she wasn’t even going to bother.
The young noble countered the question with a haughty scoff. "Hmph, of course I have a way out." Her suspicious stare flitted onto the gargantuan guardian. She just wasn’t going say it. Or even think about it! Instead, she turned her attention to the vast forest and watched it stretch far into the distance. Anywhere she looked, she saw wasted potential... So much flora and fauna fueled by a grander power, yet serving nothing. How very typical. Still, seeing it all like this gave her some... perspective. "You know what?" She kept gazing into the distance, calmly sharing her little realization. "I think I am simply going to watch this planet die and pry that so-called battery from its corpse." The morbid idea was spoken with haunting indifference, as if the death and loss of countless species somehow wasn’t her problem. Words: 471 [Total = 4537] Dain Sincara
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