Graterras Chapter 4: Shattering Realities. [IC]

[Notus]

Marcus was almost relieved that the fighting started to take him out of that weird situation with Boney... In the end, talking with blades was what he was really used to.

The Templar remebered Brass fighting in a stone armour, and realized this could be well the same case. If so, maybe it was a fellow Templar there, and one they could get some help from.

"Ok, don't rush in without me Xavier!" The young man shouted excitedly, following his comrade to the battle field.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

It was clear now the foes were orcs, their blades clashed against the stone figure, sending sparks flying everywhere. It seemed it were some sort of golem made entirely from flint, a strange material to choose. It wordlessly attacked the orcs, trying to block and attack all at the same time.

((you guys have the initiative, the foe is occupied, so the first strike is up to you guys.))

[Supernovae]

Oarloff kept stumbling behind the group, too occupied with the beauty of the area to really take note of anything going on. He had even done his best to ignore the creepy boney guy, despite the inert feeling of dread the skeleton had given him, Oarloff thought that he still may be a good guy.

But, now their was a fight up ahead, something that had always made the Ogre uncomfortable. Some of his companions started charging ahead and despite his fear he knew he had to help them. "Me is coming!" he called ahead with a crackled voice, laden with fear. The ogre then charged ahead trying his best to catch up to Marcus.

[Chevaleresse]

Marcus darted toward the nearest bunch of orcs and swung his blade in a wide arc, the tip of his blade trailing a stream of flames while the edge glowed a dull red. You could feel the heat radiating from the Cinder Knight as he charged; his pent-up anger and frustration fueled his attack.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Chucks of viscera and crimson fluid flew from the gut of the Orc Xavier's Blade met. The others barely managed as dodge as the Golem only so happened to swing at them right before Xavier's attacks. Shocked at the new arrival the Orcs backed off a bit, trying to reaccess what was happening.

The golem's arms fell to it sides, realizing the orcs broke off their attack for a brief moment. "Ho? A New ally? And A Cinder Knight way out here....not a common sight. Perhaps you can help out an Old Dwarf in his battle. This Golem's name is Anchor Flint, he will be willing to help you." as the voice stopped the Flint Golem rushed towards the Orcs.

It was clear now to Dru at least who this was. It was indeed one of his Masters, Flint Rockshatter. Well, not actually him but one of the puppet golems he controlled. This one was Anchor Flint, the one who fought to protect. It was the most defensive of the Puppets, so it would be hard for it to win in this battle with the Orcs alone. But how? After his training.....Dru remembered Flint being one of the ones elected to go into the Mountain.....and one of the ones said to have died on that trip.

An arrow also whizzed by, it sung in the air like a ghostly siren call. It buried itself in the skull of one of the orcs, popping his head like a balloon. Jupiter had fired it straight and true. Her face covered in a seriousness none of the Party had seen in the battle at Passtrough. Her eyes burned intensely, intent to protect the group. Nemesis could be heard faintly in the distance, her calls intense and fierce echoing the will of her master.

[Chim]

Sigurd was walking a few meters behind the group. He was doing a bit of sightseeing and decided to let the rest get comfortable around Boney. He got hungry and was looking inside one of the provision bags for a little snack when he heard the metal clashing.

“Leave some of the good stuff for me!” he yelled while sprinting past the non-combatants, leaving the provision bag behind. He finally managed to catch up with Oarloff when the Orcs were within range and concentrated on the wind around his blades. A faint blue glow could be seen around the edge of the sword before he launched it at an Orc.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Sadly, Anchor Flint was aware of Sigurd's Blade, leaping up to smash the Orc he threw it at. The Blade collided with the Golem's posterior, and stuck into it due to the flint's softness. It seemed like it didn't even notice, as it smashed the orc in the face, teeth flying every direction.

((and yes a Golem got hit in the butt with a sword, and then proceeded to smack an orc in the face! What of it? XD.))

[Zephyrus the Priestess]

Another arrow whizzed through the air, right past the Golem's head and into the Orc's. This person was a Dwarf? From here? She'd deal with that thought later. Dashing around the entire fight to get the best angle, she fired one arrow after another, both flying towards the napes of two orcs. Not too long after, the snarls of a battle-furious wolf could be heard as Hunter leapt onto another Orc to tear at his throat.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Another right next to the one felled by Hunter screamed in pain as Nemesis collapsed onto it, the bird crushed it under her weight, holding it in place with her wretched talons. The rest of the orcs started to flee, their friends now splattered all over the road. Orcs weren't very courageous, and it only took felling a few of their numbers to make them turn tail and run. The cowards ran for their lives, screaming in terror. Anchor Flint smashed another as it ran by, this time breaking it's ;eg, terrified, it tried crawling away as fast as it could. "Get offa me Rocka Monster!" it screamed in horror.

The Dwarf's voice came back on through Anchor Flint. "Oh boy lucky day! We got one that knows common boys. Perhaps we figure out who sent them..."

[Zephyrus the Priestess]

Catching up to the frightened orc easily, Hunter pinned him down, snarling and spitting. "Good boy, Hunter," Helze said, briskly, following suit to point an arrow at the crook's forehead. "Now, state your business. Hunter's feeling hungry and a bit mean, so you know what'll happen if you don't cooperate."

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

The one Helze had grabbed didn't know common, it screamed words in orcish, but she couldn't understand it. For those that could it yelled let me go, among other obscenities and phrases with similar meanings.

"Hey lady, we got the one we need, you can kill him if you want, or just let him go, the poor lad wet his drawers." said the voice coming from Anchor Flint.

[Zephyrus the Priestess]

Turning her head towards the sentient rocky creature, Helze frowned. The whole time she'd somehow managed to keep her hood on, one hand securing it until she'd stopped moving about so that she could fire. It was probably time she got a better hood... people could seem to discern her gender immediately without her removing her robe. "... Hunter," she started, after some consideration towards their Half-Orc companion, Dru. "Release him."

Reluctantly, still snarling at the monster-like man, the wolf stepped off of him. How dare you scream such foul words to my friend, his eyes, brimming with fury, seemed to say. I let you go now only because she wishes me to. The wolf took the liberty of waiting till the Orc got up before moving as if he were going to chase after him, which in turn sent the Orc running. For the heck of it, Hunter did chase him off, returning to Helze's side as soon as the bloody bastard was far enough.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

"Now then, I saw a bunch of things fly past Anchor Flint, and i still have no idea if you guys are hostile or not, but I assume you are friends. How many of you are there?" the voice said. It was evident he realized something...though the golem didn't seem to look around, it's master must have been else where nearby. "Wow, an Elf, and a Half Ogre! You guys really are a strange group, I am glad you guys came across me, poor Anchor Flint might have been done for otherwise." then the voice gasped, like he couldn't believe his eyes about something. "Is that you Earth-Shaker? You look so grown up it brings tears to my old eyes. And you have friends, oh it is so cute.......My boy is growing up! Now I feel very very old....."

[Notus]

"Eh? You know that guy Dru?" Marcus asked. He was a bit annoyed that the Orcs fled this quick... Dang, the others were so fast that he didn't even get any fun!

[Jory]

Dru stood speechless, gazing up at the golem. When they'd first arrived, the half-Orc had simply assumed that his eyes had played a trick on him from afar. However, hearing the voice emanating from the creature cemented the speaker's identity. Especially the way he still calls me his little boy... the sorcerer grumbled inwardly. I've been around far too many seasons for this. Still, having friends return from the grave is always a welcome surprise.. "Yes, I know him," the half-Orc said, sighing as he approached the golem. "The lunatic who controls this golem and I know each other quite well, actually." He then turned his attention to the golem, extending a palm toward it and grinning. "You've gotten sloppy. If we hadn't come by, those savages might've picked Anchor Flint apart."

[Chim]

Sigurd face palmed. The new technique he came up with, not very original but he didn’t care about that, backfired. That was probably the last time he would try to throw his sword in a crowd. He walked over towards the golem. “Yo, buddy, you got something of mine,” he said walking around it. He grabbed the hilt and tried pulling it out. After a small struggle he fell on the ground with his sword intact. He cleaned of the dust like nothing happened and completely ignored the fact that one of his precious swords was stuck inside the golem. He walked passed Marcus and rubbed the blade on the Fire Templar’s clothes. “Just in case, I can’t let my sword be… stained by that thing. Thanks man!” He gave Marcus a pat on the shoulder and walked back to the group non-combatants, still ignoring what just happened. For once he would let the others deal with whatever that thing was.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

"Yea, you are right there Dru. The other 3 Hammer Flint, Sling Flint, and Breaker Flint were all damaged in pretty nasty scrap down at the Encampment. I am not used to fighting with 1 of them. Anyway since you are here, I assume you heard of the Dire Wolf attacks? Don't worry my Boy, the rest of them are uninjured, mostly only the Flints took any hits." said the voice emanating from the golem. The party then heard a loud thump nearby. Looking around would have revealed the Dwarf tried to leave his hiding spot, however his execution must not have been very good, since it looked like he fell out of the tree he was in. "Ow, maybe I shouldn't have tried to frontflip out of a tree at my age." said the Dwarf. He was on the smaller side for a dwarf, somewhat thin though thin dwarfs were still pretty chubby. His head was balding, with a ring of Flint grey hair around the sides. He had a double braided beard of the same Grey colour. He leapt up, dusting himself off. "Nice to met you lot, I am Flint Rockshatter." he said with a bow. "If you are traveling with Little Druie you can't be bad folks."

[Notus]

Marcus was gotten by surprise when Sigurd cleaned the sword in his clothes. "Hey! Those are family relics you know?" he said in a protest, but before anything else could happen a... Well, a Dwarf apparently fell from a nearby tree, distracting him for good. Welp, no use in getting fired up against Breeze Head now anyways, later he would think of a way to retribute the kindness...

"Oh, uhmn. A pleasure to meet you Mr. Flint, I'm Marcus Arthai of the Cinder Knights." The young templar presented himself, still a little annoyed and trying to shake off the earth from himself. "Eh, you mind telling us what exactly was going on here when we arrived?"

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

"Not much, I was just out here gathering flint to repair the other Golems. These Orcs probably thought they could easily take me, which they could have if you didn't arrive." Flint said, with his hand on the back of his head. His cheeks got all rosy, a clear sign that he was embarrassed. "Spindal wanted to come along, but I didn't want inconvenience the little guy." Flint added, seemingly only for Dru as he turned his gaze towards the Half-Orc as he said it.

((Spindal Tinkerbottom is another of Dru's Teachers, Spindal taught him how to use Earth as projectiles. He tends to be a bit of a prankster but can also be cold at times. He is the intellectual type at the camp. He is also the only Gnome there. Spindal is fast friends with Flint.))

[Chim]

Sigurd’s intention of staying back was tempted when he heard the words ‘Little Druie’. He ignored Marcus’s protest and walked over to Half-Orc with a big grin on his face. “Little Druie,” he gave Dru a pat on his arm, “why don’t you introduce us to your friend? I’m sure he has a lot of juicy stories about you growing up!”

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

All of a sudden Flint started to glare daggers at Sigurd. "Only I, Flint Rockshatter may call him that, and you best remember that."

[Chevaleresse]

Xavier laughed. "Relax, friend, I'm sure the airhead didn't mean anything by it. I fear I've also been rude, however: my name is Xavier, and as you have seen I am a Cinder Knight." He finished his short introduction off with a polite bow. "It's good to meet a friendly face."

[Flux]

Nero returned to the back of the group, his body slowly becoming visible once more. He listened to what they were saying, though he didn't have much to say himself, like usual. He stole a glance at Abraham, wondering just how much the man actually knew about him.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

"Aye, I am sure am glad. Might have been Dwarf Casserole right about now if you guys hadn't have shown up." Flint said, chuckling to himself. He seemed to switch emotions super quickly, and seemed like a rather flighty individual. He seemed to be one of good character at least, even if his judgement seemed a bit lacking. After all he did venture onto an abandoned road all by himself not at full strength. "We should get moving, they might bring friends soon." Flint said as he picked up a few burlap sacks sitting on the side of the road. They were full of flint, so it was clear he had already gotten some of the flint he needed to repair his other golems. He carefully slung the bags around Anchor Flint, and carried one himself.

[Supernovae]

Oarloff took a deep breath. He was still breathing incredibly heavy, not due to exhaustion but due to how close he had come to being in a fight. The poor Ogre had never been in a fight and did not even have a weapon to his name yet, not unless one were to count his harp. Still, despite the Ogre's foolish nature he knew that he would have to fight sometime soon. He was an adventurer now and that's what adventurers did. Well at least that's what the men in the pub would say adventurers did.

The ogre had decided to ask one of the other adventurers to teach him how to fight, but wasn't quite sure of who to ask. Mister Akuma seemed strong, but he didn't seem to like him. Mister Nero wasn't really a fighter, Miss Helzebeth and Mister Dru were too busy leading the group to teach him, the elderly gentlemen, were well elderly and Miss Jupiter was more of an archer, something Oarloff didn't think he could really learn. Mister Sigurd would have likely been Oarloff's choice, however the creepy skeleton was still near him so Oarloff decided to avoid him for the time being.

That left Mister Xavier and Mister Marcus. The choice between those two was really irrelevant to Oarloff, they both seemed to be nice and strong, however Marcus was standing nearer to Oarloff at the time and so Oarloff decided to ask him.

"Umm, Misturr Marcus?" the ogre said while walking over to the fire templar, "Does ... does you think you could teach me how to fight? Me doesn't really know how to."