|
Post by Myst on Oct 27, 2019 14:07:04 GMT -5
Kiran lead them off the palace grounds easily, pulling her hood on and the mask up. She didn’t want her people to stop and ask her questions, not when they seemed to be recovering well. The inner city was crowded, teeming with people and shops, people yelling across the streets to each other, horses and camels alike being lead through the crowds of people to make early morning deliveries, and then there was them. She didn’t bother keeping an eye on the three traveling with her - the demon was bound to her, Oswald was oddly loyal for a new ally, and she had already told the thief that she could do as she pleased. So long as she herself reached Ereva, she wasn’t sure she cared what the others did.
Aside from shops, people lived out here, nobles, and lower class families a like. The area was bright and generally tropical, palm trees growing where space allowed and other botanicals making their homes on the land. As they travelled through the city, the princess found it was larger than she remembered... or maybe she just wanted to get there already. As the moved the buildings thinned out as the oasis did, and while people were still lively, it was clear that they were coming upon the towns.
The towns of Zaestro were where people lived more freely. Nomadic families tended to make ‘homes’ here, and those who lived off the land rather than buying supplies liked it out here better as well. There weren’t as many trees in the area, however general greenery was still about the ground below them. It took maybe two hours to each this part of the land.
In another hour, they group had reached the edge of the oasis where Kiran stopped just outside a hodhe with a large fenced off area behind it. The area contained a decent amount of grass that tapered off towards barren grounds that only just began to give way to sand at the opposite end of the fence. There were several water troughs, and another, notably, larger building towards the back. ’Must be where the horses’s stalls are,’ Kiran thought, taking in the site.
A man no taller than Oswald stepped out of the house, greeting the four with a slight bow. “Good morning.” He stood up straight, looking at each of them in turn before his eyes settled on the cloaked woman. “The horses you requested are saddled and ready.”
“Good,” was all Kiran responded with. She approached the fence, climbing it and jumping down on the other side with ease despite there being a gate maybe 20 feet down the line. Cruva, on the other hand, approached and paid the main, who looked intimidated by him, then surprised by the weight of the pouch placed in his hands. Without waiting for a response from the man, he turned, walking down the fence and opening the gate for the other two. In the field, there were four horses ready for travel, just as the stable owner had said. Each horse
|
|
|
Post by Amber on Oct 27, 2019 15:46:26 GMT -5
The scenery changed from the familiar buildings of the city to small nomadic towns until they reach the edge of the oasis. There was very little on the outskirts of the oasis except for the house and what Oswald assumed the pasture where the horses were kept. It didn't look like much, but the prince knew not to underestimate the place. A man stepped out from the house and greeted the group. He addressed Kiran directly, gestering to the fenced area. Oswald followed behind the Zaestro royal and only watched as she scaled the the fence. Cruva opened the gate for the remaining travlers.
Four horses stood in the pasture ready as the man had described them. Kell nodded, impressed with the animals. They were a good size and well taken care of. She walked up to one of the steeds and patted its neck before getting in the saddle. She was a but wobbly with her movements, not having ridden a horse in a few months. After a moment the thief steadied herself and glanced at the others. She paused for a moment when she glanced at Oswald. He dragged her into this mess. She greatly disliked him, but didn't hate him. That would involve thinking about him more than she wanted. Kell was silent as she waited for the others to lead the way.
Oswald walked up to one of the larger beasts. He wanted an animal that could carry him, even though he wasn't the heaviest person. He took a moment of looking the animal over and checking the saddle. It wasn't that he didn't trust the man, it's just he wanted to check it for himself in case something was missed. Okay so maybe he didn't have the most faith in the security of the saddle, he wasn't bothered if someone was insulted by that. Once safely on the animal, he glanced at Kiran.
"Ready?" He asked, though he really didn't need to. Of course she was ready. She had been since she made the decision to leave for Ereva three days ago. It was the thing she had spoken to him about most before they were set to leave. However he wanted to be sure. He wanted to know if she was getting cold feet. If she was, well he would support her. Oswald dobuted that was the case, however. He didn't know the princess well, but could tell once she put her mind to something there was little anyone could do to convince her otherwise.
As he waited for the woman to reply, he glanced towards Cruva and then towards Tempest. He barely caught her averting her gaze elsewhere. Although he didn't believe he would end up with a knife in his back from her, he also knew to keep an eye on the thief. She didn't hide her dislike for Oswald. He didn't really care anyway. Turning away, he looked back towards Kiran with the reins gripped tightly in his hands.
|
|
|
Post by Myst on Oct 27, 2019 16:38:27 GMT -5
She had hardly waited for the others to join her in the field. Once she was on the horse, sure, she could wait. She approached a sand colored mare, smiling up at the animal. Once she was close enough, she pulled down her mask long enough to kiss the animals nose. She earned a snort in return for her efforts, which drew a chuckle out of her. Glancing behind her, she found the others approaching their steeds good - she wanted to leave quickly. Pulling her bag from her shoulder, she attached it to her horse’s saddle, patting the animals shoulder as she did so. Once that was done, she mounted the animal without too much of a hassle. Riding in her kingdom was very important, so her mother had made riding lessons a requirement. That, and she’d been known to sneak out at night and take a horse for a joy ride.
Cruva, on the other hand, didn’t have a large amount of experience with the beasts. Sure, he’d ridden before, but demons didn’t really have a need for them. Thankfully, he had years of watching the princess up his sleeve. The grey and tan dappled he approached only looked at him, ears swilling gently with all the new sounds. He had to admit, he respected them. The guard knew the damage they were capable of, and it seemed to him that they didn’t have to try very hard to inflict it. Mounting the horse, it moved forward a bit as if preparing to buck. Pulling back on the reigns, he smirked a little. Oh, he definitely liked this horse.
The freckled woman looked over at the other three, finding that they had mounted the horse of their choice. When asked if she was ready, Kiran’s eyes settled on the half-orc. Ready? She was more than ready, although she was unsure if she knew a word for that. Still she smiled, nodding. “Let’s go.”
With a flick of the reigns, and a gentle but insistent kick, the Zaestrin was off, horse galloping towards the fence. Cruva followed suit, however quickly realized where she was going - she was going to jump the fence. And she did, the horse just clearing the top of it. The demon could hear her laughing as she landed - it was a joyous sound, really, and part of him was happy to hear it. On the other hand, he wanted no part in jumping the gate. So, just as he had earlier, he went through the gate. The only difference now was that he was mounted on a horse as he did so.
|
|
|
Post by Amber on Oct 27, 2019 17:47:55 GMT -5
Amusement danced in her eyes as the thief watched Kiran with her horse. It seemed the princess had a soft spot for the animal. The woman mounted much more gracefully than Kell had, which indicated that she had expierence with horses and likely road them often. Her guard on the other hand seemed less familiarity with horses. That was something to note. Oswald appeared to have some expierence with riding. He didn't appe ar to have as much training as the princess, but enough that he could control the horse easily. If she were going to escape, it would be diffcult if the half-orc asked Kiran for help.
Kellan secured the bag in front of her. If she had to make a quick get away, she didn't want to deal with taking the time to mess with undoing anything that held it down. Her attention was quickly drawn back towards the Zaestro royal as she got the horse going. The beast galloped towards the fence and with a mighty leap barely cleared it. The thief frowned. What of the sandy mare didn't make it? That would be a dead animal and lost profit for the stable owner. Not able to do anything about it, Kell followed behind Cruva and was followed by Oswald. The group were set out on their journey into Ereva.
The desert sun had risen into the sky for the day. Already Oswald could feel the heat getting to him. He wasn't used to the dry heat of the desert. He missed the cool, seaside capital of Mithra where the sea breezes helped keep the area cool during the day. It was especially lovely during the summers. But he wasn't in his home kingdom. He was currently on a trip to find answers about the massecur from three days before. He was glad to see Kiran happy. The woman hadn't appeared like that in a few days, so it was a good sign that she was doing better. Of course the start of their journey likely had something to do with it, which wasn't a bad thing.
The prince watched wide-eyed as Kiran headed straight for the fence. For a moment he thought she would crash into it before the steed flew up in the air and landed safely on the other side. He stared for a moment, impressed with the display. When Cruva and Tempest began to leave the field, the man quickly followed behind. His bag was securely attached to the saddle as he road away. Silence had settled over the group. They only seemed to be focused on riding for the moment. Oswald didn't mind the silence. It was better to save conversations for when they were growing tired later in the day.
|
|
|
Post by Myst on Oct 27, 2019 18:24:05 GMT -5
If he were to be honest, he had more experience possessing horses rather than riding them. Sadly, this was not an option for two reasons - the ability was not available to him in these appearance, and there were two outside parties with them. He knew the inner works of a horse, how they moved and their general range of mobility. It was much easier to control them from the inside rather than the outside. Still, he wasn’t completely useless when it came to riding horses - he just didn’t favor it when it came down to traveling. Despite this, he followed the young woman with ease once he was through the gate. It was going to be a long ride for the group.
Kiran hadn’t been worried about clearing the fence. Well, okay, maybe a little, but she trusted the mare. Rather than take palace horses, she came out to the stables when she wanted a joy ride. The sandy mare was trusty when it came to clearing the fences, it seemed, so she’d made it a habit to take her out jumping if she had the time. Once out in the open, she took off towards the the east. They would come upon a much smaller oasis soon, and rest there. Well, soon was relative - it was a two or three hour ride depending on the speed they kept. Speaking of speed...
A full gallop to cover that distance wasn’t ideal. It was nearly mid-day, meaning it would get too hot for the beasts to continue on like that. So, she pulled back on the reigns a bit, bringing the mare to a trot rather than simply letting her run. By then, the stables behind them had turned into nothing more than a discolored blob on the horizon. They would travel through the Dunes of Julko, named after the goddess of wind and change. The dunes stretched on for miles, but she always loved the sight of them. What she didn’t love was the possibility of wild cerberus in the dunes. While they were a quick fix, it was annoying and they risked themselves and their mounts getting injured.
Cruva followed her lead, brining the steer to a trot. While not exactly tome efficient, it made sense considering the heat. He glanced at the other two, noting how the thief kept her back on her person. Interesting, but not enough to comment on it. Looking forward once more, he noted their current path. If he was correct, they were heading for the dunes. It was where most of the cerberus had come from, as they seemed to be most abundant in this area. It was interesting to see the three headed creatures in their natural habitat - or their new, natural habitat, that is. The animals had a demonic origin, however a large portion of that ebbed away over time considering their evolution a few had escaped to this plane of existence about 600 years ago, and since then adapted and evolved with the land.
Now they were one of Zaestro’s unique animals.
Kiran did finally cast a glance back at the others, wondering if three hours would turn to four at a trot’s pace. “We’ll be making stops at a few small oasis - we likely won’t make it out of the dessert until mid-day tomorrow at the earliest.” There was a lot of desert, and a lot of heat they had to get through. If the horses passed out this far away from any kingdom, then they would have to travel on foot. Any extra stops she had planned were mainly for the horses. It was just convenient that they would also be able to stop and rest.
Hazel eyes turning ahead of her once more, she took in her surroundings. It was all sand, and in the distance, she could see the deity’s dunes waving with the heat. As they grew closer, she knew the imagine would solidify, but it was still interesting to watch. “If anybody needs anything speak up - the sands aren’t kind to the quiet.” The dessert would claim anybody that didn’t go after the necessities. She’d watched it happen with guards who didn’t express what they needed.
|
|
|
Post by Amber on Oct 27, 2019 19:47:33 GMT -5
The riders were at a steady gallop as they left the stable behind them. When Oswald looked back, he barely noticed it out in the distance. By the time he turned his attention back on the group ahead, they were all slowing down their mounts. As he forcefully pulled back on the reins, Oswald found his shoulder hurting. His injury had been healing well, but that didn't mean there wasn't any pain. After a moment, he signled for the horse to go at an even trot. He felt his arm stiffened slightly as the animal began to move. It would likely continue to be that way for a few days, which was something he dreaded.
Kell had been following the speed of the riders ahead. She wanted to protest about going that fast, but didn't have the chance as the pair ahead slowed their pace. She carefully followed their movements, not wanting to run into them by mistake. She briefly glanced behind her as she heard the last horse get close. Moments before there could be a collision, she watched the prince pull forcefully on his steed. The thief lightly snorted and rolled her eyes as she focused her attention back on the path ahead. In thedistance, dunes dotted the land. Kell had never seen any paintings of the Dune of Julko, nevermind ever visiting the area. She could help but look on in awe at the scene ahead. It was a truly spectacular sight, especially because she had never seen anything like it before. She was used to the oceans of Mithra and the mountains of Ereva. Of course those features were impressive, but she was also used to them.
Kiran talked about the stops they would make at future oasis, Kell nodding in agreement. It would be good to make stops along the way, giving them chances to fill up on water. It would especially be helpful if they weren't going to leave the desert for nearly another day. The thief had heard stories of people who died because they were ill-prepared or unsure of how long their trip in the tretrous land would be. The fact Princess Kiran knew the path was promising to the thief. She continued to listen to the woman as she mentioned the land being 'unkind to the quiet'. Kell wasn't worried about the desert. She had brought her own food as well as a canteen full of water. She knew how to ration both.
Oswald nodded to Kiran's words. "That's sounds like a good plan. We can resupply at the oasis if we need to. How long do you think it'll take to reach the Ereva capital? I'm not familiar with travle times from Zaestro." He probably should've asked that before they left, however the thought never occurred to him. He, of course, knew the travle time from Mithra. It was important to him to find out the time. It would give a good perspective on what ideas the woman had.
When she mentioned the desert being unforgiving, he gulped slightly. He would be safe with the group, but also was concerned what exactly she meant by it. Was it the strange creatures that lurked out in the sand? The unpredictable weather? The glaring heat? He wasn't entierly sure which it could be, but they were all prevalent dangers. "What kind of animals can we expect out here?" He asked curiously. Zaestro had many animals unique to the region or specially adapted to survive in the dester. It would be good to know what they may face in the wilds.
|
|
|
Post by Myst on Oct 27, 2019 21:33:04 GMT -5
(I’ll get a reply up soon!!)
|
|
|
Post by Amber on Oct 27, 2019 21:39:19 GMT -5
(Sounds good.)
|
|
|
Post by Myst on Oct 27, 2019 22:47:02 GMT -5
The Dunes of Julko were interesting to her – while other dunes typically traveled with the winds over time, often only remaining in the same region of the dessert for a few months. The sandy slopes of Julko’s creation, however, never moved. It was part of the reason her people came to the conclusion that the deity had something to do with them – it was quite some time ago since the area was named, and it seemed there were no plans on changing it. After all, it seemed the god reigned there happily. It was also where a lot of sandstorms originated. When sandstorms approached the main oasis of the kingdom, nine times out of ten they appeared to be coming from the dunes. Over time, people learned to amount this to the god being upset with a wanderer or a bandit.
The smaller oases also had names, however, she had trouble recalling their names unless she was looking at a map (labeled or unlabeled) or was looking at the location. She did know that she planned to stop at Nyla’s Rest. This oasis was the second largest of the kingdom, however, didn’t compare to the one that the city resided in. Nyla’s Rest was beautiful, and she planned the spend the night there. There were small settlements there, and it was better than risking a storm kicking up in the night.
Cruva didn’t respond when she explained what would be happening. It was logical, and he would’ve made her stop if she hadn’t decided to do so on her own. When the Mithran spoke up, however, he cast his eyes towards him. How long it would take to reach the capital? That was a fair question. It was rather important to know how long it would take them to get there and back. Then again, this would account for the time that they would spend in the kingdom. “It takes five days,” he commented, recalling the last time he felt himself wasting away on the way there. It had been one of the least entertaining travels he’d made.
The princess nodded, humming a little. “I’ve estimated for a week in case anything happens, however it should only take us four days to get there. That’s only if we don’t stop for excessive periods of time in any one given place. It can take up to a week and four days if the weather becomes unkind.” It had one taken her and her mother nearly two weeks to get to the kingdom. There had been two sandstorms, and the weather in the mountainous regions had been unforgiving. They’d wound up staying at an inn for nearly three days before even being able to make it to the inner city.
The demon hummed in acknowledgement. Luckily, he hadn’t been around for that. This happened a year before he was brought to the kingdom. Meanwhile, he could feel the nerves of the prince growing. He couldn’t have been scared of the desert, despite how fair that would be. When he posed another question, he answered first. “Sand serpents of varying sizes, basilisks, wild cerberus, possibly a sphinx or two, common foxes, sand snakes, desert mice and the like.”
“The serpents are docile unless you go out of your way to annoy them, which I don’t suggest because most of them are bigger than us,” Kiran added. “Also, don’t look a basilisk in the eye – it will paralyze you. Their spines are lined with spines that give way to bright scarlet feathers, so you’ll know it when you see it. Look down and move away.”
|
|
|
Post by Amber on Oct 28, 2019 0:13:21 GMT -5
Five days. Oswald nodded. It wasn't too long of a ride. Kiran confirmed the time, but also mentioned it could take longer if they ran into any storms. At most it could take a week and a half. That wasn't too bad. He had gone on longer trips before and he was sure they could manage the extra time if they needed. Of course the prince hoped that wouldn't be the case. He wanted to get to Ereva in the least amount of time possible so they could get everything sorted out. The man remained silent as Cruva answered his question about the animals around. Kiran continued on explaining the dangers of basilisks. So long as they left the creatures alone, he would be alright. "That's good to know. Thank you."
Kell quietly listened along. She had no interest or intention in speaking with anyone, however the information was good to know. She had been to Ereva before and its capital. However she had never travled from the Zaestro capital to the one in Ereva. She also didn't know much about the wildlife in the desert region, which could be deadly for her. In the distance, she saw the waves if heat that danced along the dunes. Small shrubs dotted the area and she could see the tiny movements of various animals within the sands. She was thankful for the smooth ride, she wasn't sure if her side could handle a bumpy road. The prince behind her spoke again, but she paid little mind to him.
"So bandits, storms, the heat, and wildlife are all we really have to worry about then, right?" It was still a lot to keep an eye out for, but the group could manage. They were all vigilant and had two magic users with them. The likelyhood of running into any of those dangers was uncertain to the half-orc, though he hoped it was a slim. Of course that was wistful thinking on his part. He wouldn't be surprised if they ran into something.
Oswald was silent for a while as the group made their way through the sandy dunes. He didn't mind the quiet, though thoughts if the coming meeting swarmed in his head. Many things could go wrong if they weren't careful. He also didn't want to know what would happen if they found out Ereva has everything to do with it. At the party, Kiran had changed. He didn't want to see that change again. "Do they know we're coming?" That was something else he probably should've discussed with Kiran before they had left. It was probably foolish to ask, she would've told him if she had contacted them. However he wanted to know if she had said any thing beforehand. "I apologize for all the questions. I probably should've said something earlier, especially when it's a topic like this."
|
|
|
Post by Myst on Oct 28, 2019 9:43:46 GMT -5
When he asked for clarification on what exactly they had to look out for, the princess only shrugged. Hypothetically, yes. These were the only constant dangers they had to look out for, but she was well aware that anything could happen on their travels. “For now, yes.” It was the only answer she could give - the deserts her kingdom resides in were unpredictable, unknowable, really. She had no way of telling the exact dangers lurking in the sands, but this was a decent estimate.
As he fell silent, the demon looked ahead. A good amount of time passed, and judging by the sun he’d estimate that they had been riding for almost two hours now. By then, the games Dunes of Julko finally appeared to be growing closer rather than constantly looking as if they were on the horizon. Good - likely another 30 or 40 minutes before they reached them. They weren’t making terrible time, and it was about two in the afternoon now. They were making it through the hottest hours of the day without much of a problem.
Soon enough, another question was being posed and he couldn’t help but frown a little. Was this all he did? Did he only ask questions? He’d done a lot of asking when they sparred as well. Even so, he supposed this was a fair question. He just knew the answer already.
“They know something is coming, just not what or who,” Kiran answered smoothly, smirking a little at the thought. Cruva had told her he sent the watch back, something she likely would have asked him to do anyway. They show up at her party uninvited, she sends back a token of failure. The two royals were still breathing, and while the blow to the kingdom itself had been devastating, it wasn’t enough. While they traveled, she could only imagine what they were doing. Panicking? Preparing another attack? Or perhaps setting up defenses? Whatever it was, she was the cause of it, and she’d get there before they could set anything else in motion.
She didn’t say anything else, watching as the dunes ahead grew to their true size as they got closer. They were gigantic, something not to be trifled with. “We’re almost at the dunes - about 20 minutes more. They stretch on for about an hour at this pace.”
Cruva watched the sands closely, noting how a breeze picked up the closer they got. It wasn’t what he was looking for - he was looking for movement. After about five minutes, he picked some up. The cerberus were out to play, then. An easy thing to take care off - they stood at about four feet at their shoulder once full grown, and they were stubborn. They’d track and hunt a chosen target for days unless they were scared off or were hunted themselves. After all, it wasn’t as if they were at the top of the food chain. Basilisks and the larger serpents hunted them.
|
|
|
Post by Amber on Oct 28, 2019 12:20:46 GMT -5
Oswald nodded. So the dangers he asked about were mostly those few. It wasn't too bad, just a lot to watch out for in the sands. Of course there were likely other things the group couldn't account for or even didn't know about. That thought concerned the man. He didn't like going into things blindly, especially in the unfamiliar lands of Ereva. Instead of dwelling on that fact, the man took in the scenery around him. Of course 'scenery' was putting it kindly. The region was mostly sand with the occasional rock or shrub. It was rather boring and lackluster. With a soft sigh, he looked towards the dunes ahead. They were the only notable feature in the area. With a small sigh, Oswald continued the journey in silence until he asked about what to expect when they got to Ereva.
His mind flashed to the watch from a few days before. It had disappeared from Cruva's hand and he never found out what happened to it. Could that be what Kiran meant? He didn't press for answers, just nodded. "Ah, alright."
The prince didn't know what to expect from the kingdom then. They could be preparing for an attack or they could be making preparations for a meeting upon the group's arrival. The thought of an ambush filled the prince with dread. There were only four of them and they likely couldn't handle a fight with Ereva forces. For a moment, he wished they had brought more people with them. Unfortunately it would've been expensive, slow, and brought too much unwanted attention. Beyond that, if Ereva were somehow innocent they wouldn't want to show up with a small army at their door. That could ultimately lead to even more problems.
Oswald asked a lot of questions. That was one thing made unintentionally clear to Kellan. He seemed to be a worrier and it seemed asking questions did something for him. She wasn't entierly sure what it was, but she also didn't care. The only thing that concerned her was the man hung her freedom over her head and she disliked him for it. She ignored the prince and instead took a look around her.
Up ahead the dunes were growing larger as they approched them. She didn't know how long the trip through them would be, but hoped it would go smoothly. The quicker they reached the kingdom, the quicker she could be done with the job. Or escape if she went with those plans. Her attention turned to the princess as told the group they were twenty minutes away from the Julko Dunes. It would take around an hour to pass through them. An hour wasn't that long. They would reach the dunes and leave through them soon enough. Assuming nothing got them while they were in there.
Oswald simply nodded, but said nothing as he kept his gaze fixed ahead. The half-orc mindlessly followed behind them on his red mare. His shoulder was still stiff from earlier and the ride wasn't helping. He didn't pay much attention to his companions as they all silently road through the desert. The next time the young man actually focused on something, the scenery had changed. They had entered the dunes.
|
|
|
Post by Myst on Oct 28, 2019 16:05:27 GMT -5
After the question had been answered, Kiran had nothing left to say. It wasn't as if she could accurately guess what was to be expected when they finally did reach the mountains, and she didn't know exactly what would happen when they reached the palace and she confront the royals. As for talking in general, she just didn't want to bother with it right now. Sure, she had a question or two of her own for the blonde, but she wasn't concerned about it right now. She just wanted to reach the first oasis, then travel to Nyla's rest. Besides, it was an unwelcome distraction right now.
They had finally entered the dunes.
Heaving a quiet sigh, she glanced around. Right, just the dunes. Nothing but one or two wild packs of cerberus and maybe a sand serpent should be in the sands right now. This made the only real threat at the moment the hounds. So, she pulled her bow from her back just in case. Now, she was unsure of how her archery would be. She was highly skilled with the ranged weapon, however the stab wound in her forearm would be a hindrance. She'd refused stitches entirely in favor of just keeping it wrapped up. It was an odd sentiment, but she wanted it to scar. As proof, as a reminder. So, she washed and wrapped it herself, occasionally unwrapping it so that it could breath. It'd only just closed on it's own yesterday, and surely straining her arm to properly load use a bow right now would risk reopening it. Still, if something happened then it needed to be done.
"Watch your backs - for a beast with three heads, cerberus are rather quiet." When they wanted to be, that is. He only listened as the freckled woman warned the rest of the party, but the demon couldn't help but huff. The hounds raised quite the commotion when they wanted something. Despite this, they were still skilled hunters that had adapted to the silence of the sands around them.
In the distance, however, there was a notable howl, one that he recognized easily. The pack had found a target. Wine and near white eyes glanced around, unable to see any of the animals around. It was the one thing he didn't like about the dunes - the ground was no longer level, which limited visibility. Whether it was a good thing or a bad thing, the group was now on an incline, heading towards the peak of one of the sand dunes.
(are we feeling a pack of hounds or basilisk?)
|
|
|
Post by Amber on Oct 28, 2019 17:23:40 GMT -5
They entered the Julko Dunes. On either side of their path were the mountains of sand. It made visbilty diffcult compared to what they had earlier. Their surroundings were mostly the same, only there were no rocks or shrubs dotting the land. The dunes, of course, didn't allow any plant life to grow on their sides and any rocks would eventually sink through the sand. Somehow it was even more boring than the desert had been earlier.
Oswald glanced up towards the sky. No clouds were up there to shield the group from the sun's rays as the heat beat down on them. There weren't even birds around. It was probably because they were in the hottest part of the day. Back in Mithra, there were birds everywhere all throughout the day. They were a beautiful sight to see with their bright, colorful plumage and their captivating songs. The prince smiled fondly as he thought if the kingdom. The Mithran was missing his home and although he knew he was doing something important, he wouldn't be lying if he didn't wish he could be back there now even for just a moment.
Kiran pulled out her bow. That meant there were dangers in the dunes. Kell didn't make a move for her weapon, she was quick enough to not worry out it. However she kept an eye on the surrounding area and the two people ahead of her. They would likely spot the first signs of danger, assuming it came from the front. Her thoughts were further confirmed as the Zaestrin royal mentioned Cerberus around. Kell focused on the lands around her, keeping watch for anything strange or out of the ordinary. At least anything that she could assume to be unusual. She hadn't been to the desert much and didn't have the greatest idea on what to look for.
For a moment the thief kept scanning the area. Nothing caught her eye. Then in the distance, there was a howling. She turned her eyes on the path ahead. The beast could pop out from one of the dunes and ambush them of they weren't careful. She tensed up slightly, as to prepare to grab her daggers if they were needed. Her attention turned further ahead towards one of the dunes. In the distance, she could see a dark-colored figure running up one of the dunes. She assumed that was what made the sound. It appeared distracted, so she wasn't worried.
Unlike his companions, Oswald drew in a sharp breath. He was still no use in a fight and had no way to defend himself. Even if the creatures seemed occupied with something else, there were other things out within the dunes that could attack. A feeling of nervousness washed over the half-orc as they quietly road along.
(Good question! Uh how about a basilisk?)
|
|
|
Post by Myst on Oct 28, 2019 21:12:30 GMT -5
(basilisk it is!)
As they continued forward, Kiran kept an eye out. She spotted the one running up one of the dunes away from them. Alright, so they weren't the target of the hunt today. At least for now... Still, she kept her bow in hand just in case, deciding it was better to be prepared rather be caught off guard. She glanced behind herself as they ascended one of the dunes themselves. Coming upon the stop of the sand-built ridge, hazel eyes drank in the sight below. A few cerberus were standing in a circle around one that was likely injured. Well, they were loyal to their pack members.
Cruva looked on as well, glancing at the other dunes as they began descending the one they were on. The dunes themselves seemed to be disturbed, some of the sand displaced oddly. Bicolored eyes slid towards the group of hounds, listening to the faint sounds of growling and the occasional bark. They were looking for something while protecting their fallen member. As they steadily grew closer, he couldn't help but stare at the hound that was circled. There was no blood in the sand, and he couldn't see any injuries. It was then he realized it wasn't moving.
At the same time he realized this, Kiran had taken to watching the sands surrounding the beasts. There, she saw the rise and fall of a serpent's back. It seemed to be circling the dogs... It was likely too big for them to hunt and was now hunting them. It wasn't uncommon, really. They could just go around the event then. Or, she thought they could until the creature briefly surfaced again. It's further surfacing revealed spines that gave way to red feathers and she cursed as the cerberus's barking picked up.
The mare she'd picked was getting ansty, almost unwilling to continue forwards. Still, she couldn't help but look on as the reptile surfaced with a sound that could only be interpreted as a roar to her. It had two rows of teeth, and despite it being light green in color, it's bright yellow eyes were hard to miss. Luckily, it wasn't looking at them. Rather, it had caught another cerberus with it's paralyzing gaze as the rest of the pack went for its sides. Unfortunately, they weren't enough to bring it down.
She didn't want to talk and draw attention to themselves, however as the cerberus scattered, seeming to realize they didn't stand a chance, it seemed it was inevitable. The basilisk made quick work of consuming his two previous targets, eyes tracking the one heading towards the group. She cursed again, coming to a sudden stop. "Eyes down!"
|
|
|
Post by Amber on Oct 28, 2019 22:54:14 GMT -5
The thief quietly followed the pair ahead up onto the dune. Once they reached the top of the sand, Kell found herself looking towards where the cerberus had run off to. Below the party was a whole pack of them. The canines were defensively circling around a fallen pack member. Something seemed off about the display. They seemed to be uneasy. Of course the thief wouldn't know if it was truly what she thought. She didn't know much about the wild beasts, so perhaps something that seemed odd to her was something perfectly natural. She narrowed her eyes with interest towards the animals, though kept an eye on her companions ahead.
Oswald had noticed the cerberus ahead. He could hear the pack below them and began to get a little nervous. They were ferocious animals who enjoyed the hunt. Of course that was just things he had heard about the beasts, however that didn't mean the accounts weren't true. The group had begun to slow their pace as they began to descend the dune. Oswald couldn't see that far ahead. Part of it was because he was in the back. The other part was the sun glaring down on the land making the ability to see quite diffcult.
Up ahead, the half-orc noticed Kiran had gone into a complete stop. Carefully, he trotted just ahead of the thief to get a better look at what the princess saw. The cerberus were standing in a circle, growling at something just below the sandy's surface. He glanced towards Kiran and then her guard, hoping either of them would know something. As he glanced towards the predators below, a flash of red captured his attention. It was a basilisk as Kiran had described earlier. The prince drew in a breath and backed up his horse some. Of course they just had to encounter some animalistic danger. Of course the party couldn't leave through the dunes without a problem. Of course they just had to run into scaley beast that turned living things to stone.
The serpant let out a mighty roar-like vocalization as it revealed itself from the sand. Kell's eyes widened as she watched the beast emerge to the surface up ahead. The body was a pale green with scales that gleamed in the sunlight. Bright red feathers caught the thief's attention as she looked ahead. The dogs barked frantically as the basilisk petrified one of them. The cerberus weren't strong enough to fight the larger creature. The canines scattered and the sanke-like beast began to eat the paralyzed cerberus. It made quick work of the animals before trying to track its next target. Unfortunately, that one was the dog headed straight for the party.
Kiran yelled for everyone to look away from the creature as she finally stopped her horse. Oswald barely noticed the others follow the order as he stared towards the beast dumb-founded for a moment. He was in awe of the creature and also rather terrified of it. For a moment he was frozen.
Kell noticed the prince and glared at him. The half-orc was going to get them killed. "Look away," she quietly hissed. The prince seemed to snap out of his trance as he forced himself to stare at the ground.
"What do we do?" The prince whispered as he focused on the sand. They were sitting targets and he was eerily aware of the serpant approching.
|
|
|
Post by Myst on Oct 28, 2019 23:20:44 GMT -5
Cruva averted his gaze immediately, unwilling to be rendered useless by a creature that he thought to be lesser than himself. He was a demon, there was no reason he even had to be dealing with the scaled beast other than the fact that he was summoned and was physically unable to leave until his task was fulfilled. Even when the creature roared, he felt nothing other than irritation. This was just an inconvenience as far as he cared - he just wanted to reach at least the first oasis with no problems, but he couldn’t have that, could he? No, it would be too nice for the universe to cut him a bit of slack. Not that he really deserved it, but still, it would be nice.
Kiran, on the other hand, had immediately become anxious. She knew how quickly the beasts were able to wipe out an entire party. Even those who had the knowledge of their abilities were far too vulnerable to it. Rather than look down, she turned to look at the rest of her group. It seemed two of them were quick to avert their eyes, however, there was one person of concern - the Mithran prince. He’d come closer to her, however, he was still watching it.
In fact, he was getting closer still.
Before she could speak, Tempest threw hissed words his way and he seemed to come back to his senses. As the serpent approached, Oswald spoke up. “I don’t know - we risk being frozen if we attack it, which means hitting its eyes is nearly impossible.” She was clearly distressed, her voice a bit rough as she spoke.
The beast was steadily coming towards the group, however, took a sudden nose dive into the sand, burying itself.
Kiran’s head shot up with the sound, looking at the party. She had a small idea, but it wasn’t the greatest and put everyone at risk, though herself more so than the other three. “Split up - they’re bad at tracking separate targets in close proximity. You must look away when it comes back up. Cruva, take Oswald to the left.” If they could disorient it enough, she had a chance to take out at least one of its eyes. This, however, would either drive it off or make her its sole target.
The demon nodded, taking this chance to redirect his horse and head left as instructed. If it came down to it, he could attempt to possess the basilisk. It was entirely possible that it wouldn’t end well, as he didn’t have a large amount of experience in possessing such creatures, but it was better than nothing.
Then again, he ran the risk of being fatally injured. Not that he was extremely worried about it due to the creatures sheer size, but it was always a risk.
|
|
|
Post by Amber on Oct 28, 2019 23:57:10 GMT -5
Okay so there was almost nothing they could do. That was the last thing Oswald wanted to hear. His hearted thundered with fear and he could hear every shaky breath he took. They were in a dangerous situation that could easily end in their deaths. Despite his fright, the man had to stay focused. They were all uneasy and none of them, as far as he knew, really had a plan. It was especially concerning because the two people with the most expierence with that kind of thing didn't know what to do. As his thoughts ran wild, he heard shifting sand ahead of them. Drawing in a deep breath, he took a quick look up. The serpant was gone, heading back underneath the surface of the ground.
The thief glanced up as the basilisk disappeared. They were quite unsafe at that moment. The scaley beast could pop up anywhere beneath their horses and they likely wouldn't see it coming. Keeping her eyes glued to the sand, she listened to Kiran's plan. It was crazy and also risky. However it was better than nothing. As the woman finished speaking, Kell was off. Running was something she was good at. With a flick of her wrists, she got the stallion moving into a gallop. She didn't have to be told twice to start going. Through great bounds, the thief reached the base of the dune and began to ride away without taking another look behind her.
Kiran wanted to split up. They had a chance of escape, which was good. The princess had barely finished before Tempest was off. He briefly watch as she headed down the side of the dune. Turning his attention away, he looked towards Cruva then at Kiran. She seemed to be planning something. Something likely very dangerous. He didn't have time to ask before he had his horse begin to follow the guard. He would be in the way of whatever the princess decided. The half-orc began to guide his horse towards the left, following Cruva.
Kellan was quite far from the dune they had been on. They were far enough away that she felt comfortable enough to change her speed. The woman began to slow down the painted stallion and looked behind her. It was a bit foolish as she had no idea where the basilisk was. However she didn't see any signs of the serpant around her. She noticed Oswald and Cruva veer off to the left, just as the Zaestro royal had ordered. Meanwhile the princess herself was still on the dune unmoving. The blonde thief narrowed her eyes curiously. What is she doing? Kell kept moving forward, but continued to watch Kiran with interest.
|
|
|
Post by Myst on Oct 29, 2019 0:16:45 GMT -5
Kiran was running on a myth. It was all she had to defend the group from the creature. People said that the basilisks had trouble tracking several close range targets because they tracked movement, vibrations in the sand m, and sounds because their sight wasn’t the best. She was relying on this rumor being true and her own archery skills. If she made herself the main target, she’d have a split second to estimate where it’s eyes would be when it turned around and lead the target. If she missed, she’d have to ride blind through the dunes until the beast went back under. As the thief took off, she gave a slight nod as if to assure herself that this was definitely a logical plan.
The demon glanced behind him, noting that Oswald has followed. Good. He didn’t know what the freckled woman was planning, but he quickly realized they weren’t on the same page, which had become a rare happening. He’d become very good at reading her, but right now, he didn’t know what she was thinking. All he knew was that it was probably extremely dangerous.
Rather than focus on it, however, he lead the prince across the top of the dune that slowly began to slope downwards. The slope was quickly interrupted as the murderous reptile burst out of the dune, quickly turning to face them. The demon pulled back in the reigns a bit more than he needed out of sheer instinct, and rather than stopping pulled a hard right as he turned his eyes to the ground. This wasn’t going to end well.
The basilisk, despite what was previously thought by the guard, was quickly distracted by an arrow impaling the side of its head. The creature roared in pain and aggravation, head whipping around to face the general direction of the impact. By then, Kiran has shot a blind arrow to where she thought one it’s eye should have been. Unfortunately, all she did was target herself as the arrow lodged itself in the creature’s upper jaw. It dove once more, creating rifts in the sand as it moved towards her.
Opening one eye, she quickly realized what her fate would be if she didn’t move. With a quick flick of the reigns, the dappled mare was taken off in a gallop in the opposite direction of the Mithran and her guard. Alright, that wasn’t fantastic. She was also out of ideas, unsure if trying again would change the outcome.
Even better.
Still, it seemed the rumor held some truth to it - the desert beast aimed for moving targets. Unfortunately, she just so happened to be it’s latest fascination.
|
|
|
Post by Amber on Oct 29, 2019 0:56:14 GMT -5
The monster burst from the sands in front of the guard and the prince. Oswald pulled hard on his reins, his shoulder throbbing and the horse coming to a stop in the confusion. He had a moment of panic as the basilisk faced them. He watched Cruva guide his horse to the right in a snappy motion. Quickly regaining his composure, the half-orc followed right behind the man. He barely escaped the path of the serpant as his horse followed Kiran's guard. He didn't notice the arrow lodge itself into the basilisk's face as he road away.
The prince had no clue where he was going. He continued to follow Cruva in hopes he could lead him somewhere safe. As they galloped along, he glanced back towards where he had last seen Kiran. He caught the tail end of her running away from the creature as it turned its attention towards her. Oswald wanted to run back and help, though wasn't sure what he could do. Instead he called after Cruva.
"We have to do something to help Kiran!" Of course when he said we, he ultimately meant the guard. The prince had no formal training in combat and already wasn't the best horse rider. Beyond that, he knew he would make things worse if he tried to help himself.
Kell watched everything unfold behind her. The serpant almost got to the guard and the prince, but they had been careful enough to avoid it. Princess Kiran was able to let off an arrow, which distracted the beast long enough for the Mithran and Zaestrin to make their escape. The arrow stuck in the side of the beast's head and brought its attention to the princess. The thief watched it dive back into the sand and head towards Kiran at an alarming rate. For a moment, it appeared the woman wasn't going to move. With a snap of her wrist, she began to ride in the opposite direction of Oswald and her guard. Of course that made her the sole target for the thing.
As she sat on her stallion, who had come to a complete stop by that point, a twinge of guilt began to rise. The princess was risking her life for the group. It was likely done out of some kind of duty for the party. Even if that was the case, the thief couldn't help but admire Kiran's bravery. As she looked towards the creature chasing the princess, Kell wracked her brain for anything about basilisks. She, unfortunately, didn't know much about them other than their deadliness. Her mind drifted towards the way the serpant glided through the sand like a fish in the sea. Perhaps the creature relied on movements on the surface to track its pray like most sea predators. It was astretch, but perhaps she could work with that idea. Kell began to quickly search her bag for something that could help.
|
|
|
Post by Myst on Oct 29, 2019 11:33:39 GMT -5
The demon was beginning to feel the true toll of his injuries. He could only ignore the pain for so long, and right now, most of it stemmed from his back. While he was able to ride with the reigns only in one hand to avoid straining his shoulder while also giving him full access to his weapons, there was nothing to avoid to stress he was putting on the stab wound. The turn had been jerky because of this, but it was enough to get him away. He didn't risk looking up until the creature let out a guttural sound, finding that it had been struck twice and was on the move again.
It took a second too long for him to register exactly what it was going after. When it did, it seemed Oswald was already speaking up. He was right, they needed to help her. By then, the freckled woman had taken off, glancing at the raised sand behind her every now and then. Right, they wouldn't have too long. "Get to Tempest, see if she can cast some sort of magic." At this point, he didn't care what kind she did, as long as it was something. Cruva started off towards the serpent and his summoner. He'd either die, or this summons would come to an end.
Kiran was essentially nothing but panic at this point. She was out of ideas, and officially on her deathbed as far as she cared. The basilisk covered ground faster than the poor mare she was riding, but its size meant it had to take larger turns. Even still, she couldn't think to do anything else other than ride straight out. "Julko, be kind to my soul, please..." The short prayer was a mere whisper compared to sound of shifting sand behind her. Oh gods, it was so close.
At the bottom of a dune she hung a left, unsure of what she was meant to do now. She was essentially a lone target at this point, which normally didn't bother her. However, she herself had no knowledge of a person defeating one of these beasts. Without knowing if the other three could hear her, she just yelled. "Guys! I'm really sorry you're out here with me! And this thing!" Her sentences were broken up oddly, however, she did manage to gain a small amount of distance from the reptile.
This was her fault, really. She'd made the rash decision of traveling, and rather than say she was going alone she gave them options. She should have known which option the two boys would have picked. The thief, however, was still surprising to her, though it didn't make her feel any less guilty about having dragged her out here. Twisting at the waist, she readied her bow again on the chance that it would surface while she was on the run.
And surface it did.
When the basilisk appeared once more, it was much loser to her than she or her guard had thought. He'd ridden in on a curve, watching as the creature attempted to catch her eye. Another arrow flew, sticking between it's eyes this time. The reptile roared out in pain, driving itself back into the sand suddenly. While Kiran had come to a full stop, Cruva continued moving against his better judgement. The creature, after a brief moment of odd circling, came after him instead.
Right. He was really doing this then. He came to a sudden stop, watching the sand shift as the beast approached him. He had maybe five second do this, and less than a second to attempt possession once it surfaced. Dismounting, he'd already called upon the closest shadows to him, that being his own and of the horse besides him. The dark figured wrapped around him, enveloping his sole being and building on top of him. After about two seconds, they dissipated, leaving the guard in his natural form.
Cruva Xuleiphir Bakilas, third son of the King of Wrath, in all his glory. While it felt good to exist like this again, the feeling was short lived. Both sets of eyes focused on the growing mound of sand that quickly gave way to the basilisk once more. As it surfaced, it was clear that it was losing at least some blood due to the three now broken arrows that had impaled it. Before it could turn it's head downwards to face him, both sets of eyes lit up as the demon turned to smoke, entering the vicious serpent through it's open maw.
This posession wasn't smooth like most others. No, the creature was large, didn't have limbs to control, and did fight back. While most fought back, it was usually an easily won battle. This creature, however, put up a larger fight than expected when he attempted to take control of it. After a few moments, however, the demon won out, however, it then became a question of how long he could maintain control. After all, the creature had put up quite the fight, and he was injured. The two didn't mesh well together, and while he personally could maintain the possession of a human for about four days, this would likely only last a minute.
On the outside, the creatures eyes faded from yellow, taking on Cruva's mixed eye colors instead. It feel to the sand, seemingly unconscious. On the outside, that's what it seemed like anyways. Internally, the demon was trying to figure out how to get the damn thing to move. In this moment, he decided that serpents were useless because they didn't have limbs. The basilisk was still, then it began to move slowly. The demon refused to dive, however, until it's eyes were taken out. The movement was clearly unnatural, but it turned to face the general area where Tempest had stopped. He was, however, mindful of where he was looking from inside the basilisks body, unsure if the creature's innate ability would still be active while he was in control.
The demon had learned three things so far: Basilisks did have poor eye sight and relied on movement, the shot between the eyes was making it hard to detect said movement, and he took having arms and legs for granted.
|
|
|
Post by Myst on Oct 29, 2019 11:34:17 GMT -5
(omg i didn't think i wrote that much I'm so sorry)
|
|
|
Post by Amber on Oct 29, 2019 12:11:08 GMT -5
(I'm writing a reply up now. Anyway don't worry about the length it's perfectly fine.)
|
|
|
Post by Myst on Oct 29, 2019 12:12:12 GMT -5
(Ahhh take your time my dude!)
|
|
|
Post by Amber on Oct 29, 2019 13:07:08 GMT -5
Cruva wanted the prince to get the thief. "I'm on it!" Oswald shouted back. He didn't wait for a reply as he began to gallop towards the blonde woman. She made no moves to help, instead watched everything. She couldn't be bothered to help, the prince bitterly noted. He swiftly reached Tempest on his red mare. The woman was searching for her bag for something. Oswald narrowed his eyes. "Trying to escape?"
"No. Also is now really the time for this?" The thief gestered towards the basilisk and Kiran. The prince sighed but said nothing more. "You are a distraction so stay here and only run when you need to." The woman didn't stick around for a reply. She was already heading towards the serpant and the others in their party. Oswald watched the woman head off towards the beast. In the distance he could barely hear Kiran yell something. He couldn't understand what she was saying but cast a sympathetic look towards her. He wanted to help, however he would just get in the way.
The prince watched Kiran knocked another arrow. She came to a stop and managed to shoot it into the monster's face. Behind her, Cruva quickly approch with a cloud of sand following him. He was impressive. The serpant dove back into the sands and began targeting the guard. It first circled the man from beneath the surface. Instead of fleeing, Cruva got off his horse and stood still. What is he doing? Oswald watched the man. Details were hard to make out, but the scene was clear. He was controlling the shadows around him. They engulfed his figure and after a moment, he took on a different form, larger than what the prince had grown accustomed to.
Kell caught Kiran's words. She was apologizing for bringing them out there. The thief snorted. They had all agreed to go despite the risk. Well Cruva and Oswald did at least, Kell just showed up. The princess got another shot off on the basilisk and managed to hit it between the eyes. The thief smiled and nodded to herself. Her gaze drifted from Kiran to her guard as he came up upon the beast and the Zaestrin royal. He managed to bring its attention towards him, which would give Kell a good opportunity to attack.
Or so she thought. The man dismounted and just watched the creature for the moment. She narrowed her eyes, wondering what the man was planning. As she got closer, she saw the shadows wrap around the man. After a moment, he transformed into a demon. Kell blinked in surprise. So that's how she got caught. The serpant resurfaced and was ready to strike. Before it could, Cruva turned to a puff of smoke. The thief didn't know what was happening as she watched the yellow eyes of the beast match the guard's own. She didn't know what the demon was doing, as the creature fell to the ground. That gave her the opening she needed.
Kell carefully road up towards the basilisk and hesitated. She wasn't entierly sure how safe it was to approch the down beast. Shaking her head, she dismounted and avoided look at the eyes. She pulled out one of her daggers out of her boot and gripped it tightly in her hand. Drawing in a breath she walked towards the creature's head and felt around for the eye, hoping if she thought it she wouldn't be affected. Once she found it, she shoved the dagger into its face before jumping back. It moved. She watched the creature for a moment before heading towards the other side. She hoped the beast wouldn't get up as she walked towards the other side.
|
|
|
Post by Myst on Oct 29, 2019 14:21:00 GMT -5
The princess had watched it go down after she'd shot it. The beast dove again, circling for a moment before going after Cruva, who she hadn't even known was riding to her aid. Before she could even call out to him, he'd reclaimed his natural form. It was something she had been avoiding for the past six years, however, it was bound to happen at some time or another. In a situation like this, she wasn't sure that she cared. She could only watch as the demon possessed the basilisk, realizing what he was doing. He was going to sustain the damage.
Cruva was having a rough time. Despite the sensation being a bit fuzzy due to the arrow between the eyes, he could feel somebody approaching. He could just barely feel as their feet touched down on the sand, and they approached. He didn't know who it was, the reptiles vision wasn't good enough to distinguish the person's features. As he kept the body subdued, he felt a hand on it's, or 'his', head. Surely whoever it was, they were looking for the eye. Right... Well, he chose this, so he'd sustain the damage and its after-effects.
When the blade was driven through his eye, he couldn't help but cry out. Through the body he currently inhabited, the sounded translated to roaring hiss. The serpent jerked a little, though he didn't move away. He was breathing a little hard, and the creature was beginning to fight his control once more. Still, the demon held his place. What was a bit of blindness, right?
He could feel the entity moving to the other side of the beasts head, and part of him was silently hoping for it to be over quickly. The same process was repeated, and it wasn't long before the blade was driven through his other eye. Another hiss like cry escaped him, but this time he recoiled. It hurt. Sure, the demon had been stabbed before, but never in the eyes, and definitely not what he was possessing something that relied so heavily on its oddly unseeing eyes.
Kiran road towards Tempest slowly, watching at the demon-possessed creature thrashed around wildly. The amount of blood it was beginning to lose was decent, however, not enough to kill it. After maybe thirty seconds, the basilisk fell still and smoke exited its nostrils. The demon reformed quickly, clawed hands immediately going to his eyes. Both sets of eyes were bleeding depite there being no physical injury. Even still, he couldn't see.
The basilisk remained still for a few more moments before it began to move. As the beast came to its senses, it cried out in pain, whipping its head around wildly. It was official - its eyes were out of commission. While it wouldn't starve, it would no longer be able to paralyze its prey. So it took off, diving into the sand once more and vacating the area, likely taking itself back to what it called home.
|
|
|
Post by Amber on Oct 29, 2019 15:56:20 GMT -5
The creature let iut a bone-chilling hiss when Kell stabbed it through the other eye. She jumped back and held the dagger at the ready, half expecting it to attack her. She was barely aware of the princess riding up behind her as the beast began to violently squirm around from the wounded it recieved. After the creature hissed and thrashed about, a black smoke began to come from its nostrils. Cruva regained a solid form leaving Kel to eye him for a moment. His face was bleeding from his eyes. The thief realized she might've injured the guard in the process.
Her attention moved from the demon to the large reptile as it let out another hiss. The basilisk began to move again. She prepared for a fight, but none came. The serpant dove for the sand and began to travel beneath its surface. It wouldn't cause them trouble again. As she watched it go, she glanced towards Cruva. "Sorry about your eyes," she mumbled after a moment. She pulled out a cloth and began to wipe off the blade. Despite the fact there was a demon in their midst, the thief was surprisingly calm. She said nothing as she headed back towards her mount. Up ahead, she could see the half-orc prince joining the group. Unlike her, he seemed a bit freaked out by the situation.
Oswald road up to the group wordlessly. He was shocked after everything that happened. Despite the chaos that ensued, there was one thing on his mind. "Cruva's a demon?!" He glanced between Kiran and her injured guard. He blinked in surprise and really didn't know how else to react. Some odd things about them finally made sense. It explained why the guard came whenever Kiran called. His sudden appearence six years ago was explained away with being summoned. Of course that brought more questions to the prince's mind. Why and how did Kiran summon him? And what was the nature of their contract?
"Sorry for my bluntness I just...Sorry." Oswald was speechless. He didn't know what to say. He now wondered how much he really knew about Kiran really. It wasn't that he trusted her any less, but he couldn't help but be a little more cautious around the woman and her guard now. Oswald didn't know a whole lot about demons other than they had a contract that binds them to their summoner and were extremely dangerous. As long as things between the group remained calm, things wouldn't get out of hand. At least that's what the half-orc was hoping.
Kell had already gotten back on her horse as the prince asked his questions. Her gaze briefly flickered over the other members of the party as they slowly began to moved. She wasn't liking the Dunes of Julko, concerned about what else could be lurking out in the sands, watching them. "We should get going. The sooner we can get out of here, the less likely we'll run into something else. And I'm sure that's something we can all agree on."
|
|
|
Post by Myst on Oct 29, 2019 17:29:10 GMT -5
Kiran was honestly thankful that the blonde didn't have a strong reaction to the new information. Honestly, it was part of the reason that she didn't like people knowing exactly what he was. They had a strong reaction due to their culture and stereotypes, and it wasn't like all demons were bad. The fact of the matter was that they lived among the people, often taking on the typical life of a human. It just so happened that the one she had summoned wasn't one of those kinds of demons. Even still, she liked to think he had developed a sort of soft spot the human existence.
It was when Oswald reached them and exclaimed that Cruva was in fact a demon, she gave a slow nod. "Yep... Good ol' demon guard," she responded, hazel eyes sliding over the prince for a moment. "We can discuss it in further detail later." She was sure he had questions judging based on his reaction alone. Still, this wasn't the time for that. They at least needed to get to the first oasis before they stopped to rest. The first, and smaller, oasis was always free of bandits and was treated like a little safe haven.
The guard only gave a low hum of acknowledgment to the thief's apology, not personally finding any fault in the event. He'd known the risks and taken them anyways. Rather, he focused on attempting to cope with the pain stemming from his previous injuries and now his eyes. As for his eyes, the pain was there, but the actual injury was not. To top it all off, he didn't have much energy left. Possession took a lot out of any demon, however, to attempt to possess a creature that he had no experience with had been too much, even for that short amount of time. The heat was finally beginning to get to him, and he decided it was because he was so fatigued.
He looked in Oswald's general direction as he spoke, realizing that he was truly blind for an indefinite amount of time. Right, nobody else really knew. It would explain the half-orc's sudden surprise towards the revelation. Still, Kiran had taken care of it for him. As the blonde spoke up, the pale-purple demon nodded a little. She was right - the sooner they got a move on, the better it would be for everyone involved.
"I'm sure we can," Kiran agreed, patting her guard's uninjured shoulder. "Stay here, I'm getting your horse." And true to her word, she remounted her mare, riding off briefly to retrieve the steed the demon had been riding. It had galloped away some during the last portion of the incident. The freckled woman grabbed its reigns as she trotted by with a click of the tongue, and the horse fell into step beside her. As she rode back, she fastened the other's set of reigns together. It would just be better for several reasons; he couldn't see as far as she knew, but she also knew how much energy possession took. She'd asked once, curious of his abilities, and he'd told her everything she'd wanted to know.
And he stood there, waiting until he heard a second set of hooves approach through the sand. He mounted with a bit of difficulty, but mount the horse he did. It did take him a moment, but he realized that his reigns were tied to another. He assumed it was Kiran - it was likely she understood at least a portion of what he felt like right now.
"If everyone has everything, let's continue." The princess didn't quite wait, getting her mare to pick up a light trot with Cruva's following beside her. Hopefully, this was it for the duration of their time in the desert. Basilisk was territorial, so she at least knew there were no other serpents in the area.
|
|
|
Post by Amber on Oct 29, 2019 18:43:46 GMT -5
Oswald slowly nodded. When Kiran mentioned talking about it later the man dipped his head. "Yes, yes, of course." It would be better to chat about Cruva when they were safely at the first oasis. The prince had many questions he wanted to ask. He also didn't want to come across as rude. They would reach the first stop soon enough, he didn't have to worry about it. Perhaps that would give them a chance to find out more about Tempest. The thief had, unsurprisingly, been the quietest during their journey. All Oswald knew about her was her name, rather nickname, was Tempest and she was a thief.
The thief watched as Kiran grabbed her guard's horse and headed back towards the man. He seemed to have trouble mounting the animal, which Kell noted. Maybe her stabbing the serpant in the eyes had something to do with it, she wasn't entierly sure but also didn't care enough to ask about it. When the princess gave the go ahead to leave, Kell took the back letting Oswald go ahead. He glanced at her, his eyes with an unmistakeable look of suspicion. The thief simply shrugged, not paying much mind to the man.
The party headed on in silence. Kell was perfectly fine with that. She had nothing to say and the less the others knew about her, the better she felt. They already knew too much in her opinion. She kept a look out for any other dangers that could be lurking within the dunes. The last thing she wanted was another fight with a creature like the basilisk. With one fighter who appeared to be down, the party would have difficulty surviving another fight. That was something she was sure about. The heat still beat down upon the group as they road along. It would likely remain that way for a while.
The young woman glanced up ahead towards Kiran and Cruva. She smirked to herself as her mind drifted to the party some nights before. The thief realized how much danger she had truly been in back at the palace. When he talked about serving he heart on a platter, he likely meant it literally. She had gotten lucky. She didn't dwell on it too much as her mind drifted back to scanning the desert.
Oswald was lost to his thoughts as they roamed through the dunes. It was mostly questions and wondering about the demon. He heard dangerous things about the creatures. It made him uneasy. Of course it wasn't like he hated Cruva or didn't trust him. However he looked at the guard in a different way.
(Sorry for the shorter reply.)
|
|
|
Post by Myst on Oct 29, 2019 19:28:49 GMT -5
(Shhh it’s totally fine!! I’ll reply later tonight!)
|
|