| Welcome to Imythess, the border between dreams and reality. We hope you enjoy your visit. Imythess is a creative writing board where you narrate the story of a character in the medieval land of Imythess, on the planet Chaon. Each topic is an opportunity for your character to interact with the world and its peoples by cooperatively writing pieces of a story with other members, one post at a time. We call this role-playing, because you assume the identity of your character as if it were your own. In order to play, you must register an account for each character you would like to write about, and begin their tale by filling out their basic profile information: Race (human, elf, demon, etc.), class (warrior, mage, etc.), physical appearance, and any other personal details you would like to describe. You are also encouraged to come up with some background history information for what your character's life has been like up to the point at which their story in Imythess begins. There is no approval process or application required to join, so long as you follow the rules then you are free to write whatever character details you choose. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free. Create a character now! If you're already a member, you can log into your account below: |
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| Larger than Life [Complete]; [P] Keelin | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Wed Mar 6, 2013 4:37 pm (947 Views) | |
| Keelin | Thu Mar 14, 2013 2:52 pm Post #16 |
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When Keelin returned from her brief trip down the road to retrieve her weapon-covers, she bowed her head back at the giant. "The pleasure is mine. My name is Keelin." They couldn't exchange many pleasantries as Atastalaz rushed them out of the village. The elven man grimaced as he stepped around the trampled bodies of deer on the road, which only made Keelin snort in amusement considering the far more gruesome state of his own body. He tossed her a glare but didn't say anything. It didn't take long before the village dissolved into the trees, and not much longer still for the covered tree buildings to disappear completely. The road no longer was paved and they found themselves yet again in the midst of the biggest woodland in Imythess. It had taken Keelin initially some getting used to when she entered Norwood. The covered canopy made the mountain-dweller feel hemmed in. The hunter wrapped her hooks together on the way, but frowned at them first. She thrust the blades in Atastalaz's face, making him flinch and cry out with a sudden gah! "Do you know how I could get this off my weapons?" "Get that out of my face, you idiot! That's holy blood!" Keelin lowered them. "Oh. Right." She finished wrapping them in silence, then hooked them back onto the loop in her baldric. Pure silver was a soft metal, so she figured she could probably scrape it off with something later. Atastalaz led them a short distance off the beaten path before settling his body on a mossy tree stump, giving a dramatically loud sigh of exhaustion. "[removed]. I could use a smoke. Keelin, can I--" "Don't bother asking." Other than her weapons, Keelin's cigars were the only personal belongings she had that she considered valuable. "Fine. Then let's get down to business. Drustan and Keelin, I need your help. This clearly is a job that needs two of you. My name's Atastalaz, the Salamander Bathing in the Pyre." "She's a demon, in case you hadn't guessed," Keelin added, leaning against a nearby tree with her arms crossed. While Atastalaz preferred to possess mortal men in order to exist in the material world, she insisted on being called a 'she' and was offended when referred to otherwise. Sometimes Keelin wasn't sure whether she was intentionally screwing with people or just genuinely didn't know the difference between mortal genders. Or neither. It was hard to tell with demons. Atastalaz frowned. "Apparently more than one Celestial thought Norwood was a good place to hide from their buddies. Zaladon is a high-profile exile -- from the Celestial society of Azhas, if I recognized that dialect on the sigils correctly as I was getting my suit completely ruined." She looked to Keelin, who nodded in verification. "One of those engineer sort of castes, I don't know. Anyway, he got exiled to material because his golems were a little too alive, if you catch me. I guess that violates the traditions or some [removed]." "Why did Zaladon try to kill you? And why did his golem start attacking the whole town and eating the random people?" "[removed] if I know! I was just doing some research on him when half my house got ripped to shreds! Bastard was teleported right into the middle of the town. Just kill Zaladon, okay? You'll make everyone happy if you do. He's hiding in the forest. Probably posing as a kindly hermit like they always do." Atastalaz grinned at the hunter. "See, Keelin? Even you can be a hero sometimes!" The elf girl chuckled, standing up from her leaning position. "Alright. I wouldn't mind. Drustan, you're good with nature. You have any way to find a disturbance around here? ...Moreover, do you need those hands healed? I could heal them if you want." Keelin herself was still limping a bit from her bad leg, but she planned to work on healing that more later. "While you do that, I'm gonna work on finding a new suit. This one is unbelievably dead. Feels like I'm dragging around a heavy [removed]ing puppet..." The demon trailed off mumbling. |
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| Drustan | Thu Mar 14, 2013 8:03 pm Post #17 |
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Drustan watched the two elves interact with interest. They didn't appear to really like each other, which made him wonder why they shared each other's company. There was also the fact that the bloody one should be dead. The druid had some experience with injuries and mending them and knew that it was impossible to survive such a grievous blow. The drake had apparently killed this man, yet he didn't seem too worried about it. In fact, except for the gruesome state of his flesh, the elf didn't seem to notice the injury at all. That made the giant nervous. There were plenty of entities that could possess a body like this and none of them were exceptionally friendly. The answer to the mystery was provided when they finally reached the forest. The mortally injured elf was in fact a demon. Drustan's fingers tightened on his quarterstaff, one foot sliding back as he prepared to move. Demons were not of this plane and did not belong here. The archdruidess had shared stories of the horrors that such creatures could inflict on the earth, sulfurous and malignant patches of ground that would remain barren for decades without special care. He kept his eyes firmly locked on Atastalaz throughout the entire conversation, never relaxing. "I will help bring the bringer of such calamity to justice, but not for you demon. For Chaon." He leaned down, literally towering over the much smaller being. "If you leave even a trace of your foul taint on the earth I will do the same to you." His voice was gruff and deadly serious. He glared at Atastalaz for almost a full minute of tense silence before straightening and nodding to Keelin, indicating that they should start walking into the forest. Only when they had put some distance between them and the demon did he stop and turn to the elf. Drustan folded his legs beneath him and sat on the ground, twisting his ankles so his tattoos were still in contact with the soil. "I would appreciate help with healing." He held out his lacerated fingers. Although the wounds had closed, the inside of his hand was covered in bands of thick scars that were quite painful. "Norwood can try and find a disturbance for us." The plant-creature crawled out from behind the giant, rubbing one vine affectionately along his forearm before disappearing into the verdant undergrowth. The giant watched the elf as she started to work on his hands, his expression serene. "How did you come to work with such a creature?" |
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| Keelin | Tue Mar 19, 2013 8:38 pm Post #18 |
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Atastalaz kind of looked like she was smiling, but it was more of a baring of teeth, like one might see in a frightened animal. She probably wasn't afraid, per se, but the giant's frank statement put her off saying anything further. Keelin left alongside the giant, not even bothering to say goodbye to her employer. They went a good distance before Drustan sat down and offered his hands for her to heal. She took them in her own -- humorously tiny by comparison -- and worked on them with her palms that glowed with a soft holy light. "I hunt angels. So... things just kind of turned out in this. After all, the people that care most about angels to track them are demons." It took repeated castings to mend the severed tendons just beneath the surface, and even more to flatten the scars and remove the pain he no doubt felt. When she was done, Keelin took a couple steps back and pulled down the front rim of her wide-brimmed hat. "Sorry I made you hurt yourself like that way. To heal you is the least I can do." Keelin came around alongside Drustan and sat herself down on the soft leaf-covered forest floor, giving a sigh of relief to not be putting weight on her bad leg. She stretched the shredded limb out, wincing. Her trousers were covered in blood, with big lacerations where the golem's sharp wing had skipped across like some giant straight-razor. Keelin felt low on mana, but worked on her wounds regardless. By the end of it, she was breathing as fast as if she'd been running, and beads of sweat were forming on her face. The hunter flopped down onto her back, disturbing the leaves with a great puff of air. "Norwood, huh? You communicate by the forest? I notice you like to have your feet on the ground. Must be unpleasant going into the towns." |
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| Drustan | Wed Mar 20, 2013 3:07 am Post #19 |
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Drustan shook his head. "It was no fault of yours. These injuries came from defending the earth. I would take much more grievous wounds than this to protect it." His lips curled up into a broad smile as the healing energy coursed through the wounds, completely mending the tissue and flesh. His own efforts had done little but make them functional again; they would have been left as twisted, gnarled claws if he had not received further treatment. He had expected to spend several days completely healing his fingers, but Keelin had managed it in only a few minutes. He wriggled the digits, chuckling deep in his throat. "Thank you. I greatly appreciate your help." The elf sat down heavily, only turning her healing arts on her own injuries after his were taken care of. It appeared as if it was more difficult this time, her face covered in a thin sheen of sweat by the time the lacerations were closed. She laid out on the soft forest floor, completely reclining on the grass. "That being... is the avatar of the elemental in charge of this region. It has no name that can be spoken, but Norwood is what we have chosen to call it, and it does not find that title offensive." It was not something that he had attempted to explain before. Most of the people he interacted with on a regular basis understood the process better than he did; they had taught him, after all. "The earth is always communicating with us. I have simply been given a gift that allows me to converse with it." He raised one foot, showing the tattoo that stretched from his heel to his toes. He had made those markings himself, a painstaking process that had taken months, in constant communication with Chaon itself. "If you ever meet one who claims to be versed in the druidic arts, they should have markings similar to these. It allows us to borrow the planet's strength." He pressed the tattoo back into the loam. Although he had already returned to full strength, he preferred keeping in contact with the earth whenever possible. "For example..." He knit his forehead, sending a request down through his tattoos deep into the earth. It responded a few seconds later as a flower grew out of nowhere, blooming in seconds and spreading its petals. The giant gingerly reached down and plucked the lily from the earth, handing it to Keelin. "Eat this... It should help you recover some mana." The lily was not native to this region of Imythess, but one of the benefits of his calling was being able to call upon the planet and ask for its aid in situations such as this. "How does one become a hunter of angels? There are few residents of Celestia who visit this realm. It is... odd to me that you would work with beings from the Abyss." His voice was pensive, his voice soft. "Are they not different sides of the same coin?" There was a genuine of undercurrent of curiosity in his tone, but he did not seem willing to press the issue if Keelin did not wish to discuss it. Edited by Drustan, Wed Mar 20, 2013 3:15 am.
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| Keelin | Tue Mar 26, 2013 6:20 pm Post #20 |
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Sitting up, Keelin eyed the lily warily, but took it nonetheless. The petals tasted surprisingly refreshing, spreading a sensation of coolness through her body. "Thank you." Drustan's answer to her previous question had been interesting. If his use of the word 'we' had anything to do with it, he wasn't the only tattoo-footed druid around here. Perhaps not even the only giant. It was kind of amusing how beings so large could live in total seclusion in Norwood. It said a lot about how expansive and unsettled the forest really was. Keelin twisted her body, scooting so she could lean with her back against a tree trunk facing Drustan. She folded her arms in front of her, head tilted so her hat cast a deep shadow over her missing eye. "Depends on your cosmology, but most of the time, yeah, they are both sides of the same coin. But don't misunderstand. The Abyss is not my friend. I'm not on anyone's 'side.' Most demons can't suffer me. Ata is unique. We go back several years." It left one of his questions unanswered, and Keelin took a second to consider how she'd respond. "Becoming takes... a lot." Once their conversation died down, Keelin let out an exasperated sigh. She gripped the front brim of her hat and pulled it down to cover her eyes. "How long is Norwood taking? Long enough to take a nap, I hope." |
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| Drustan | Wed Mar 27, 2013 1:33 pm Post #21 |
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The elf did not seem too willing to divulge information about herself, and Drustan did not intend on prying. After all, they were virtual strangers, and simply fighting against an Celestial-crafted mechanical abomination did not mean that they trusted each other. In fact, the giant probably trusted this woman less now that he knew more about her. Not many mortals dared interact with beings from other planes except in the most desperate circumstances, but Keelin seemed devoted to seeking them out. "Go ahead and rest. I will wait for Norwood's return." He rose to his feet as she settled in, flexing his fingers to get rid of any soreness that remained from his injuries. He was tired as well, but did not plan on sleeping when another magitech creature could be lurking in the woodlands nearby. Instead he drew replenishing energy from the earth, returning himself to full alertness. It was no substitute for actual rest and he could not maintain this state indefinitely, but the druidic arts could keep him active and alert for days on end. It was three hours before Norwood's avatar returned, dropping out of the canopy and landing softly on the forest floor. Drustan was leaning against a nearby tree, scraping the hardened silver substance off of his arrowheads that was all that remained of the fallen drake. The plant creature made several soft, moist chirruping noises. The giant reached out and laid his hand on its flower-like torso, getting a sense of what the avatar was attempting to communicate. Images and emotions flashed through his mind, a true stream of consciousness that he had been trained to interpret. He spoke gently to awaken his companion, voice gruff. "Keelin. Norwood reports that there is something abnormal two miles east of here. The terrain... will be rough." Although the underbrush would be relatively clear for the first half of their journey, after that they would be forced to travel through an area that was thick with brambles and tangleweed. It was a good place for someone to try and hide. There were very few paths through that pocket of wilderness, as hunters tended to avoid the area and search for game in more friendly locations. "I mean no offense, but it might be simpler if you were to... ride on my shoulder." Edited by Drustan, Wed Mar 27, 2013 1:34 pm.
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| Keelin | Mon Apr 1, 2013 3:40 pm Post #22 |
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Keelin felt a stinging pain cutting into her eye socket. That and Drustan's gentle, low voice managed to rouse her quickly. If the terrain was rough, Keelin thought it was convenient that she was in the company of a giant -- he could just carry her. She wasn't sure how to broach the subject, so thankfully he was the one who came out and suggested it. "That's well. Better than trying to hike." Keelin pushed up the brim of her hat and waited for the opportunity to either climb on or for the giant to place her on his shoulder. No use waiting now that they knew where Zaladon was, after all. Once the elf was in a good comfortable spot on Drustan's shoulder, she held onto his tunic with both fists and braced herself for their journey. Wasn't there some human platitude about riding on the shoulders of giants? Ah, whatever, Keelin dismissed those thoughts when they started moving. It was incredibly fun, the hunter finding herself letting out an enthusiastic laugh at first. She ducked her head under the occasional low tree branch, after a while even getting balanced enough to place one hand on her hat while she grinned ear to ear. Keelin hoped that Drustan didn't take his height for granted. Being small meant she couldn't usually see anything like he could. Not long after they descended a sharp slope covered thickly in vines and brambles. Keelin kept a sharp eye on the blur of browns and greens around this heavily shaded, kind of spooky region. It was far too quiet. Not even insects were chirping, much less birds. Occasional shafts of light managed to pierce the dense canopy. After a few minutes, Keelin expressed a sneaking paranoia. "I feel like we are being watched..." |
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| Drustan | Wed Apr 3, 2013 2:21 pm Post #23 |
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Thankfully, the woman agreed to being carried rather than trying to struggle through the underbrush herself. Still pulling strength from the earth, the giant reached out a hand for her to hold on to so he could lift her to his shoulder. He had often carried his primary instructor in this manner, an ancient archdruidess that had preferred being close to his head so she could flick his ears if he was being insubordinate or disrespectful. Drustan set off at an easy lope, his long legs eating up the distance as he ran through the forest. He was careful to keep his upper torso as upright as possible so that Keelin would not be dislodged and sent falling to the ground. He also made sure to avoid any low-hanging branches that might knock her from her lofty perch. She seemed to enjoy the trip, laughing almost directly in his ear, a bright sound that seemed incongruous with the rough, gritty angel-hunter he had interacted with thus far. Once they reached the rougher portion of the forest the giant slowed down, raising his right hand and humming deep in his throat. The noise reverberated through his core and into the earth, magic building up in his hand and begging to be released. He allowed it to drain out of him slowly, bending the plants away from his feet as he began to ascend the slope. Thorny vines and bristly branches twisted out of his path with every step, moving back to their natural shape as soon as he moved on. Drustan noticed the unusual silence of the woods immediately. This area, unsullied by civilization, should be rife with birdsong and the chirping of insects... yet not a sound could be heard. Keelin noticed this oddity as well and murmured softly about feeling watched. "Yes." The druid closed his eyes to better focus on one of his preternatural senses. Through the earth he could sense vibrations that indicated movement in the area surrounding him. Now he could feel several small presences approaching them from every direction. "There are many hidden beings approaching. They don't seem too large, but they're... heavy." The giant reopened his eyes, gently lifting the elf off of his shoulder and placing her on the ground. The brambles pulled further back from the pair, leaving them in the middle of a clearing roughly twenty feet in diameter. He did not like straining the plants to this degree and knew that some of them would be harmed by his request, but it was preferable to letting whatever creatures stalked them hiding within the thick vegetation. Through the earth, Drustan could feel a series of stronger vibrations from directly behind him. Using their path to guide his actions, the giant turned and swung his quarterstaff upwards with both hands. The metal-banded end of the shaft caught the creature right as it pounced out of the plants, knocking it upwards into the air. The druid caught a flash of a squat, powerful shape reminiscent of a badger before it was thrown out of sight, clanging and rattling as it tumbled down the incline. A series of angry hisses sounded from the surrounding thicket. "I believe we have found your angel." |
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| Keelin | Tue Apr 23, 2013 8:53 pm Post #24 |
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Keelin removed her hook-swords from her baldric as soon as she was placed on the clearing. The blades were tightly wrapped together with a thick ribbon, but this covering unfurled as soon as her hands were prying apart the handles. Thin lines of light broke from the steel and ran across the whole length of the hook-swords' flat sides, blowing out of the way behind her grip. Normally the attack on Drustan would have caught the angel hunter's attention, but hers was fixed in the opposite direction as that brief confrontation. Finally, noises filled the quiet forest. "Listen now. Here is what you do when you face a wright. You fight past the constructs and then you kill the master. Okay?" Keelin stalked toward the tiny little house as she spoke. Each step was firm and disciplined. Mid-step, she propped together her hooks and reached down to her pantlegs. They were loose enough for her fingers to pull up slightly and reach under. Something unclasped, and a strap lined with weights fell from one leg. Then the other. Those were just from her lower legs, but already the reduction in weight had a significant effect on how Keelin moved. Keeping her head constantly in motion in order to mitigate the loss of peripherals from her missing eye, she crept downhill and around the side of the house. She felt surrounded. Twigs cracked in the thickets all around her. Her only "safe" side was the side that faced the wall of Zaladon's house. What she didn't convey was how suspicious she was of this area's every inch. Shutters burst open and a creature from nightmare leaped out of the window that Keelin stood in front of. Almost no one would have guessed that a woman of Keelin's height and build could avoid getting tackled and dying right then and there. The blur leaped across the short distance, Keelin spun around and her leg came up with such shocking speed that it intercepted with a devastating kick. Her hooks latched the blur, throwing it down. It landed on its back. A creature of holy white carapace, Azhasian sigils, but it was incomplete. Its chest was opened up. Pulsing organs were visible behind a thin, sinewy body. It was long and spindly-looking. It struggled and bit at her weapons as she pinned it, keeping her eye out for attacks from other directions. Parts of its neck and headcap were missing, too; Keelin spotted a distinctly human or elven jaw in the process of fusing with white muscles and metal teeth. Keelin smiled. "Of course." She gutted the half-opened creature until it died. "Of course! Ahahaha! No wonder, Zaladon!" Her voice had elevated to a shout directed at the sky. Constructs emerged from the brush. They surrounded her. These ones were more complete, with well-made armor carapace and smooth movements. Much, much better craftsmanship than Inael the Stargazer's limited, unintelligent creations. "Your constructs were a little too alive? Because you made them from real living things." |
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| Drustan | Wed Apr 24, 2013 2:11 am Post #25 |
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Drustan nodded slowly, still keeping the majority of his attention focused on the brambles. "Understood." Although his instincts were screaming for him to attack the abominations and crush them into nonexistence, but Keelin seemed like the expert when it came to matters regarding battling angels. He followed after her, walking backwards and keeping his quarterstaff firmly gripped in both hands. The elfin woman drew her own weapons, the entire length of the hook swords shimmering with light. No more of the constructs attacked from the vegetation, but he could still feel the vibrations that accompanied every step they took. The giant paid close attention to the reverberations, making sure that none of them were attempting to charge forward or leap at either of them. They reached the small structure and began to edge around the exterior of the hut. They were inching along the second wall when one of the windows exploded outwards, a blur of white and gold slamming into Keelin and knocking her aside. The druid raised his staff to strike at the being, but found it weighed more than he expected. Drustan glanced up and saw that while he had been focused on the elf's plight, another one of the creatures had crawled onto the roof of the structure. It had leapt off and wrapped its claws around the polearm when he attempted to swing it down, throwing off the attack. The druid growled and slammed the end of the weapon into the wall of the building with all of his strength. It crashed against the planks, splintering the wooden boards and its armor simultaneously. The druid reached up and plucked the stunned automaton off of his staff, throwing it aside and staring at the surround forest as a small army of constructs rose up to take its place. No two were the exact same shape or size. Almost all of them were altered copies of the native fauna, deer and wolves and other animals that had been transformed into the Celestial's puppets. Keelin confirmed his suspicions a few moments later when she stopped hacking at the automaton she had overcome, straightening and revealing that its mechanical innards were intermixed with flesh and blood. Drustan's expression darkened. "Unforgivable!" He stamped his right foot on the ground, sending a request deep into the earth and humming in the back of his throat. Ripples spread out from the point of impact, quickly followed by a series of fast-rising spikes made out of solid stone. They moved forward in a straight line, stabbing upwards through the carapace of an unaware automaton and spilling its golden fluid across the nearby plants. The next creature in line was nimble enough to avoid impalement but was unable to similarly avoid the blunt end of his quarterstaff. It flew away with a sharp report, moaning piteously as its comrades closed on the giant and elf. |
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| Keelin | Sat Jun 15, 2013 12:59 pm Post #26 |
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"So you won't come out? Hah! Try hiding, coward!" Keelin vaulted over smaller constructs and dodged past the larger ones, in a hurry to some spot whose function wasn't obvious -- she was actually running away from Zaladon's hut. Any creature she blazed past had a tendency to either bump against and fight the ones next to it in an attempt to continue pursuing Keelin, or lose interest and change the direction of their attack to Drustan instead. Keelin shunted some horror away with the brunt of her shoulder and started to climb up the steep slope of the valley surrounding them, taking shallow cuts all the while. "Drustan! Tear off the roof!" she screamed, repeating the same sort of message a few seconds later just to make sure he heard her over all the fighting. She pointed her hooks out to either side as she passed between a pair of trees. Celestial glyphs burned into both trunks, bursting with power. Constructs were hot on her heels. The angel hunter wheeled around, grinning as the light of her missing eye flared up. A wall of chaotic light energy blasted between the two trees, forming a wall that made the creatures scream and growl when they got close. There's a drawback to using living flesh, Zaladon... None of them wanted to brave the searing pain by passing through the front. They tried to flank her, but a third glyph formed on a tree nearby. A second wall of light created a corner around her. This gave her the precious seconds she needed to launch her real attack. Keelin banished her swords, took a deep breath and gripped her orarion in one hand. Her fingers traced along the enchanted threads. A reassuring feeling, but practical too. The motion was the catalyst that allowed huge stores of power to flood her body. A resplendent halo of interlocking Celestial glyphs formed around her head like the crest of a flame. Her eye, glowing brighter than anything else, burned her. She held out her free palm. "Hear me, that when the wicked are irredeemable..." Sunlight crept behind the leaves of the canopy. It became a fluid, twisting thing. There was an opening above Zaladon's hut that would be big enough, but if the constructs didn't attack -- if Drustan could get that roof off... "There is no choice but to clean the slate and banish them to the beginning of the Cycle." The might of the sun itself came down on Zaladon's hut. Keelin collapsed to a kneel, putting a hand over her painful eye. Too much. Constructs flanked her on the other side. The walls of light faltered. Then, at the end of the huge beam's lifespan, it exploded. The whole hut was obliterated. Keelin's glyphs dimmed and the walls disappeared. Literally inches from being mauled to death, the constructs around her slowed down. Some stumbled on top of the ones in front. They weren't dead yet. That meant Zaladon wasn't. |
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| Drustan | Tue Jun 18, 2013 2:43 pm Post #27 |
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The giant spun his staff above his head, lashing out at any construct that attempted to get closer. His long arms and longer weapon effectively kept them at bay, but he was unable to do major damage to any particular member of the horde. Those he had struck once fell back, allowing their fresh comrades to take the field. It seemed like a stalemate would ensue; bolstered by the planet, Drustan would not tire or weaken, but that mattered for little if the angel had an inexhaustible supply of constructs. He was trying to think of a way out of the situation when Keelin shouted a desperate command at him, indicating that he should remove the roof of the hut. He grunted in acknowledgement and let go of his staff for a moment, one hand reaching to his belt and snatching up a pouch. Before the constructs could swarm over him the giant tore open the drawstring and shook the pouch in front of him. Seeds fell out of the leather bag, making a half-circle between Drustan and his foes. "Grow!" Power pulsed through the earth at his command, infusing the seeds with life and energy and fueling their growth. Sprouts pushed out of the soil within moments, the plants growing impossibly quickly. Those constructs that attempted to cross the line of seeds found vines tightly wrapped around their limbs. The vegetation hardened into a bark-like substance upon contact, firmly holding them in place. More of the constructs began to hack their companions out of the trap, but the flora's purpose was to give him time. Drustan turned and swept the staff at the roof, grunting as the blow slammed into the wall with earth-shaking force. The uppermost plants splintered and cracked, giving him a handhold. The giant dropped his polearm and gripped the edge of the roof with both hands, setting his feet wide apart and straining with all of his might. The muscles in his arms bulged, veins sticking out in his neck as he used all of the strength inherent to his large frame and the power that resonating with the planet beneath his feet. With a series of sharp cracks and groans he tore over half of the roof off of the hut, hefting the mass of wood and shingles above his head. The giant spun and slammed the roof down on the crowd of constructs that were still struggling to work their way past the creeping trunk. It broke into three large pieces, each wide enough to crush half a dozen of the abominations underneath. Drustan had just picked up his staff again when a column of light descended behind him. The giant was simply glad that he was not still looking at the hut, for the brilliance of the beam was enough to almost blind him when it was just in his peripheral vision. The attack was accompanied with a tumultuous roar that drowned out all other sound as fiery waste was laid upon the structure. When it finally faded he turned, staring at the ruins of the hut in mute awe. The portion of the roof that remained had been completely incinerated, along with an entire wall of the house. All that remained of the structure within the circular area struck by the beam were small pools of molten metal which could only be the nails that had once held it together. In the center was a heaving form that had been burnt beyond recognition. Drustan gasped when it heaved itself up, struggling to breath with deep wheezes. This must be the angel who has sullied Chaon with its touch... The giant moved around the the obliterated wall, stepping within the smoking ruins of the house. "The planet rejects you." He began to beat the shivering remains of the Celestial with his staff, rage overcoming his normally placid features. He attacked the prone form with sheer brutality and strength. When the polearm eventually fell out of his fingers Drustan fell to his knees, continuing to pummel its form with his bare fists alone. He lost the next several minutes, only returning to his senses when he heard a clattering noise from outside. The druid stared at his broken, bloody knuckles for a few seconds before turning to look out into the forest. The constructs had all collapsed where they stood as if they were puppets with the strings cut. He stood up slowly, pointedly not looking at the pulverized remains of the Celestial. |
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| Keelin | Sun Jul 14, 2013 1:32 pm Post #28 |
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OOC Fighting the throbbing pain of her missing eye, Keelin took up her swords and pushed through the horde of constructs. Her hooks flew every which direction in strong flowering motions, and she wrenched them hard whenever one caught a plate of metal or other covering. She punched any creature that got too close with the crescents in front of the swords' handles. Little stopped her forward motion. Once she broke from the group -- which took a couple minutes, admittedly -- she flew into a sprint down the hill and through the brush. The whole place was a wreck. Keelin had to avoid a wall of impenetrable plant matter ringed with huge pieces of the hut's roof, which if the blood was any indicator had squashed several constructs. She could see Drustan in the ruins of the hut, pummeling the crap out of something. "Hey!" she shouted. "That's my kill!" Her pace quickened, but the deed had already been done by the time she skidded into the one-room building. Flakes of grey dust still floated in the air, pieces of charred leaves from the forest canopy. Chunks of the building were scattered around the room. Near the center was a bloody pile of holy silver blood, body parts and guts. She had never seen Zaladon's face, but didn't find that a loss at all. Keelin did look at the giant in a different light, though. Note to self: don't piss off druids. Her attention turned to the room around them. Only one room, the area visible from the front entrance, was populated with things one would normally find in a hermit's hut. The rest was repurposed. Keelin walked the laboratory, running her fingers over half-melted equipment. She studied the mounts on surgical beds where straps had been inserted to tie patients down. Lots of piles of metal melted beyond recognition, too. Keelin didn't want to know what those things had been. Broken glass and charred bits of mystery meat were common in the ruins, too. Her gut twisted and she wanted to throw up a little, thinking about it too much. Keelin turned to Drustan. "We can both agree that this place should be forgotten forever. Can you make the forest reclaim?" That probably went without saying. The angel hunter banished her swords into thin air and resettled her hat on her head. The other hand slid into the pocket of her longcoat. "I need to go. I'll just use your trail from coming in to find my way back. ...Sorry, Drustan." With those unusually sad-sounding words, she slipped out. |
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| Drustan | Mon Jul 15, 2013 12:15 am Post #29 |
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Drustan was still breathing heavily when he heard the angel hunter approaching. He did not turn to look at her. The anger was slow in fading, as it always was. The archdruidess had spent years working on his emotional control, encouraging the giant to accept everything with patience and composure... but he was still a novice of the copse and had not mastered all of the lessons. He let the rage and pain flow out of him and back into the earth, leaving him feeling tranquil once more. Only then did he open his eyes and look at the elfin woman, nodding. "No sign of this place will remain, Keelin. I shall erase it entirely. No one shall be able to recreate the work... no, the damage done by that horror." When Keelin apologized he blinked in surprise, not sure of her meaning for several seconds. "You have no need of apologizing. This was not any fault of yours. Indeed, I should be thanking you for the service you have rendered unto Chaon. The planet will not forget." She left soon after, following the trail he had left in the underbrush and back towards her demonic contact. Drustan moved to the exterior of the house, placing his bare feet on the loam outside and drawing power through it. He hummed as he shaped the energy, healing the cuts and aches he had accumulated battling the Celestial and its horde of constructs. When his body was whole once more he redirected the magic, reaching out to the flora nearby. Flowers blossomed and plants writhed as their growth was accelerated by an order of magnitude. Vines pushed up from the grass, snaking their way up the walls of the hut and pushing through the cracks in the lumber. More and more of the plants grew up and around the supports until almost every inch of the structure was covered in vegetation. The vines thickened and strengthened, tearing the building apart by their mere presence. The plants grew over Drustan and covered him as well, but the druid did not move out of their embrace. Next he pulled apart the earth underneath the corpses littering the area. They sank within the soil and stone as if it were quicksand, disappearing underneath the earth completely. It took hours, but eventually the hut and the laboratory had been reduced to nothing more than overgrown rubble. Drustan opened his eyes and willed the plants off of his frame. The vines twisted to allow him to stand unencumbered. He took up his staff and swept his eyes over the area. There was no sign that a conflict had occurred her. Only a skilled woodsman would notice that there had been a building here, and even they would think that it had been abandoned for decades. The druid nodding and moved though the forest, leaving this place of nightmares behind him. |
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7:29 PM Jul 11

