[IC] TotMV:G2: The Battered Hero

[Strider]

"Well done, I suppose. I'm not really sure what these things are...Has anyone else seen their like before?"

Edmond was rather amazed that his improvised weapon had functioned so well. He hadn't even been attacked once.Speaking of which...

He hurriedly made his way over to the man who had been struck down. He's severely wounded... can he even make it?

"Do we have any form of medic? This man desperately needs help!"

Edmond sat there staring. He could do nothing for this wounded man, this man whose life, and hope, and dreams were slowly ebbing away in front of him. He barely knew this man, but he had had enough of people dying in front of him. Please.

((He is dying right? If not, I'll edit this post ))

Edited November 23, 2016 by Strider

[S34N1C]

"Man, that was weird as hell! What were those things?"

[Aurorix]

Jade O'Duffle

Once Jade checked that all the beasts were dead he flicked the cylinder of his revolver open and reloaded his gun. After which he spun his revolver multiple times for a couple seconds before tossing the gun into the air, catching the gun by the grip and plopped it back into it's holster. He spit out the piece of grass that was in his mouth and replaced it with another. Low quality grass like that only lasts one skirmish before they start going bad. He looked over towards the sliver armored knight who stood triumphantly. "Well us 'Mortals' did just as well as you did cupcake. Ha ha ha. But ya did good, we all did good and by good I mean no one has kicked the bucket." After which he turned to Hikari who was offering some healing for people who needed it. He was no idiot, not getting to peak condiion before the next encounter would just be begging for death. "Well little lady I think I'll take you up on that offer. I got scratched on the back of my left shoulder, mind doing a little patchwork for me?"

[Twinwolf]

"No problem." Hikari said, tapping Jade on the shoulder with the end of her spear - not the bladed end!. "Dia..."

The injury glows blue for a moment, before seeming to just... close. In less than thirty seconds, it looks like no wound had been there in the first place.

[Chevaleresse]

Heo doesn't seem to be in danger of dying immediately - particularly now that he's had some magical first-aid. He wakes up slowly, standing and grumbling under his breath about the injury while he clutches the place where it had been located. It seems he'll need some more attention to be at full fighting strength. He waves Edmond's attentions off in a rather irritable fashion.

When Pluck checks the corpses, he mysteriously finds a few green and blue gemstones - of a somewhat depressingly common variety, sadly - and an empty glass bottle with a stopper. Pluck obtained Glass Bottle! Pluck obtained 12 Rupees.

The Hellfire Knight stomped over to where their discarded shoes and and cloak laid - to be fair, it didn't look like that bulky, robotic chassis was capable of movement that was a whole lot more graceful than that when it was grounded - and bent over slightly. The clawlike left hand reached down, draping the cloak over the metal plating before it seemed to collapse inward on itself. The figure stepped into the discarded shoes as quickly as possible, nearly losing their balance in their hurry. "That went well," the artificial voice grated. "It was w- strange fighting as part of a team."

Anyone standing near the passage entrance could hear the distantly echoing sounds of more fighting.

[Code: PIRULUK]

Kagari contemplated cancelling her transformation, then thought better of it. If those things came out again, this form would be far more helpful.

"Oh? Sounds like something else is happening in the distance. We should probably check it out. But before that..."

Kagari took in a deep breath and struck a pose.

"Listen to my song!"

As the slow, calming, soothing song reached the ears of the party, their wounds began to close up, their energy restored to their bodies through the magical power of song.

[Strider]

"Oh thank goodness." He backed away from the injured man, relieved.

Singing. Huh. Wait... is that the person who was attacking the creatures by flying towards them butt-first? Everyone here strikes me as odd, but...she may very well be the strangest.

"Well, I'm rather glad that that's over with."

A pang of hunger struck Edmond, and he realized that he hadn't eaten for at least fourteen hours according to his timeline. He checked through his pockets, but found nothing of substance.

[Stalkerkain]

"Grah," she grunted, as the larger creature began to target her. While she didn't feel conventional pain like the living did, she was acutely aware of the physical damage done to her vessel. Everyone else had finished up their business, clearing out the rest of the strange creatures. They seemed to be gone for good, as they remained permanently dead. As if reacting to the other Shadow Beasts dying, Magna recalled the souls she had trapped in her summons, to make it seem like they died alongside their comrades. In turn, she then absorbed the souls into her own body to heal herself. The corpses slumped to the ground, the light from their eyes disappearing. As much as she'd like to keep her minions around, remaining low about her abilities would help her out in the long run. None of them had reason to trust each other yet, and there was no promise that they would remain allies. Shrugging her shoulders, she looked towards the path that was now clear.

A restorative ability started being applied to Magna, as she leapt back a little. Most healing with divinity properties would harm her, but it appeared that the girl's healing wasn't of the sort. Despite not needing the extra healing, Magna was going to thank her, but Hikari had already run off to treat the next patient. "Despite not knowing me.... what a strange mortal," Magna mused. As if that weren't the end of it, another one of them began singing, being able to feel the quality of Kagari's voice even through her bones. Strange abilities they had, that was for sure.

"The path seems to have opened up for us. We can chat as we walk, as there isn't much point to hanging around here much longer," said Magna, as she started walking towards the exit. She could hear the faint sounds of combat in the distance. "Though, it appear we'll be having more company soon. Shall we move on then?"

Edited November 23, 2016 by Stalkerkain

[rustytengo]

"All is clear My Lady." the voice of Mornings Arrow said as the last beast fell to Snow. "That's good we should be fine for a b....or not." Bridgett responded as she started hearing the fighting going on further ahead.

Bridgett was surprised at the girl who was running around healing everyone magic. it felt a bit weird to be healed by other magic other then Mid or Belkain. She turned to the girl a curtsied.

"Thank you for the healing, you have a lovely voice." She paused and then continued "Are you a mage as well? I mean you look like one you have a barrier jacket and a device right?" She said blushing a little not sure if she should be asking such questions or be heading towards the sound of fighting.

Edited November 24, 2016 by rustytengo

[Yours Truly]

The grey cloaked man smiles widely as the last weird cyclopean black tree creature falls.

"Heh, Knowledge is power"

The grey cloaked man picks up his flashlight and checks to see if it still works.

And he walks inside the cave with the flashlight in his hand

(Is the cave dark? And are there water dripping from the ceiling?)

[Sutoratosu]

A grin as menacing as sin incarnate graced from one ear to another as she dashed her way over to the corpses of the beasts, ignoring the singing she heard of idle conversation, even the vibration of other living heartbeats that were carried through the earth and air. All she could think about was her prey; the demons... the masked ones.

But just as quickly as she had closed the ground from the other side of the clearing to where their bodies lay, a mere blur of black and silk as she practically glided atop all eight legs, so too had her hopes of eating been crushed by the scent assailing her. It was... horrid. Putrid... and not in the purely biological breakdown sense, oh no, no... she'd eaten rotten things before without issue. No. Now this, this rot... it went beyond the mere flesh. She leaned a bit closer, not that it was needed. But sure enough, something in the back of her mind began to stir... something in her spirit recoiled against the very idea of consuming them as they were. These beings, whatever they'd been, they were tainted down to their very essence. And honestly, as hungry as she was, expelling the energy to try and drive some of whatever had taken hold of their existence away... there was no way she wasting anymore than she already had.

This entire fucking hunt had been bust. She simply stared down at the ruined remains, unable to will herself forward. She'd finally found it, the prey not even she would consume. But no sooner had she accepted that fact than her eyes drifted up to the strangers...

yes, yes the strangers... the fleshy ones. They were heading through a chasm, weren't they? A dark place, somewhere that would've provided excellent cover... a place one of her kind could've easily called home. It would make a nice hunting ground indeed. The change in her eyes was subtle, but quick. Like a vat of color breaking forth from it's container, so too did the silver of irises expand to fill the entirety of her eyes, smothering whites and irises alike... nothing like in their wake but pools of inhuman quick-silver, and with it, so too did her sight change. Sharper, far more intense, the vibrations the humans gave off no longer simply relaying to her through her legs and ears, but radiating outwards from each and every last one of the specimens as pulsating waves. The twin mandibles she'd been hiding thus far deployed with little preamble, barely a subtle shifting of hair as she backed into the shadows of the cliff and out of sight, practically becoming one with the shade... venom dripping from the razor sharp implements at the ready before her primary jaws...

"........"

[Twinwolf]

"All is clear My Lady." the voice of Mornings Arrow said as the last beast fell to Snow. "That's good we should be fine for a b....or not." Bridgett responded as she started hearing the fighting going on further ahead.

"Oh? Sounds like something else is happening in the distance. We should probably check it out. But before that...""Listen to my song!"

Bridgett was surprised at the strange girls magic it felt a bit weird to be healed by other magic other then Mid or Belkain. She turned to the girl a curtsied.

"Thank you for the healing, you have a lovely voice." She paused and then continued "Are you a mage as well? I mean you look like one you have a barrier jacket and a device right?" She said blushing a little not sure if she should be asking such questions or be heading towards the sound of fighting.

"Thanks for the compliment! And don't worry about it, I've got healing magic, so it's my duty to use it, isn't it?" Hikari said cheerfully. When Snow asked the question, Hikari frowned a bit, thinking about it. "I recognize the word 'mage', but I get the feeling that means something different to me than it does to you... What's a 'Barrier Jacket' and 'Device'?"

Hikari's spear at this point seemed to move of it's own accord, making Hikari stumble towards the sounds as she tried to keep hold. "Hikari, focus. I do not think we are done yet." said a voice... that sounded like it was coming from the spear?

[Strider]

Edmond slowly made his way to the cave entrance, all the while attempting to sort out his thoughts.

He leaned against the rock face to the right of the cave, and surveyed the valley. He was amazed at how little damage the cliffs appeared to have taken. I would have expected some danger of falling rocks or similar after what that...presumably robot did. He was still rather astonished that none of the erratically launched missiles had harmed any member of their group.

As the strange song wound to its close, Edmond carefully regarded the lone figure in the vicinity of the creatures which they had so recently killed. The half arachnid creature was staring back. Well, i suppose we're working together, but I can't say that isn't more disturbing to me than the creatures we just fought.

Edmond felt a cold shiver run down his spine, and he turned to follow the grey-cloacked man who had entered the cave, glancing back every now and then.

((I must have missed something...I have no recollection of a cave))

[Code: PIRULUK]

Kagari felt a prickling along her spine and glanced at its source, looking the spider thing, who had shown its fangs- or, well, mandibles.

She knew that look. She was hardly a stranger to hunger. In fact, until a short 25 years ago, she'd thought of nothing but eating. That was an embarrassing 740 years, before she learned that there was more to life. Still, it seemed that their arachnid was hungry.

She contemplated taking some form of action, but decided against it. She wasn't in any particular danger, and if this lack of control was going to cause them trouble later, it would be better to get it out of the way as soon as possible. Instead, she finished her song, letting the last notes die out, and bowed to nobody in particular. For ease of carrying, she transformed her microphone into its hands-free mode, clipping it securely to her ear. When she did, she telepathically wrote her microphone a note of appreciation.

"Good work."

A female voice sounded in her head, telepathically sent by the microphone.

"Well then. What kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into this time?"

"...You say that like I have a penchant for getting into trouble."

"You say that like you don't. Remember three months ago?"

"Hey, the succubus was an old family friend who said she needed my help. How was I supposed to know she wanted to usurp the Demon King position?"

"Her family friend status certainly didn't stop you from gobbling her up, did it, you monster?"

"I mean, I am a monster, so that doesn't quite work as an insult. You still haven't gotten over me eating your old master, have you?"

"What do you think?"

"I'll take that as a no. I- No, never mind, I'm not having this conversation again. I don't care if you believe me. I promised her I would fulfill her duties, so as long as our interests align in that respect, it's fine."

Apocalypse Collider did not respond. Kagari sighed. She wished the weapon would open up to her a bit more. They were contract-bound now, after all.

She turned in the direction of the the fighting sounds, frowning. This whole place was rather desolate, very empty. Almost depressingly so. Again she wondered what on earth had brought them together in this place.

Edited November 23, 2016 by Code: PIRULUK

[ElfCollaborator]

Sachi sticks close to Hikari, her shield up as the small fairy-like humanoids floating on her shoulder seem to peer around.

"So....you have magic? But I've never seen a Hero like you before. Where's your Fairy?"

[S34N1C]

"Well, I guess the cave is the best way forward. "

Theo puts his headphones back on and follows the rest if the group into the cave.

[Twinwolf]

Sachi sticks close to Hikari, her shield up as the small fairy-like humanoids floating on her shoulder seem to peer around.

"So....you have magic? But I've never seen a Hero like you before. Where's your Fairy?"

​"Well, I like to consider myself a 'hero', but that sounded like a proper noun..." ​Hikari says, a bit confused.

"And I am not a fairy. I am a knight." said the voice from the spear.

​"Well, right now you're a spear."

"That is irrelevant."

[Shamitako]

Katsuo

Though the enemies had fallen, Katsuo waited until the barriers had dissipated to return to his normal state. It would be quite a mistake if another enemy were to jump them while they celebrated their victory. Gwaedu, now an earring once more, happily spun about in triumph.

"Seriously." Katsuo grumbled, "There's no need to be so hyper."

Gwaedu bounced indignantly.

"Yes, we won, but if you weren't so busy being excitable you'd be able to hear that there's some kind of fighting further ahead."

Gwaedu swung apologetically.

"Don't be like that, you're allowed to celebrate, just don't let your guard down."

Gwaedu perked up slightly but mostly stayed silent. It seemed some of the group were already charging forward. After what happened with the barrier and now with the whole sound of fighting thing, Katsuo decided to hold off on that until the full party was ready to explore. He chose a spot nearby the exit and sat down to wait.

[ElfCollaborator]

"A Hero. Like, a magical girl. You know what that is, right?"

[Twinwolf]

"Magical girls, yeah. There's a ton of anime about them, and arguably I am one! Never heard them referred too as capital-H Heroes though. They call people like me Mirage Masters."

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Snow, the Lady Ashford.

"Oh, gurgle Tectaniteus's grundle...You know, idle gossip is nice and all, but we've got more fighting up ahead. I know your human life spans are short so you need to get in all your idle chatter in that time, but your lives aren't that short. Let's GET MOVIN'!"

Daaaaaamn do they talk so much. Snow never was a fan of humans, mortals... or anything that felt the need to talk incessantly especially in a time of utmost importance. It wasn't like they were at their local tavern, or somewhere less dangerous than this. It was an unknown world. She hoped that ones pulled with someone of her calibre would understand that fact. But for every tiny speck of something Snow would hesitate to call respect that they accrued, an ocean of disappointment was right around the corner. It felt like talking to Ignacio...

She charged off in the direction of the fighting. Not really paying much mind to those already on their way. She intended to get there first this time as to access what was happening.

[Hal Henderics]

"Looooot! Yeah!"

Pluck Cheers. He follows the group.

[Aurorix]

Jade O'Duffle

"Thanks lass," Jade tips his hat to Hikari after she closed up his wound. "Now lets do as that sliver armored cupcake said and get moving." He then follows behind the group going ahead.

[Strider]

Edmond considered his options, and came to the conclusion that following the path would be ideal. He could put some distance between himself and the arachnid, and determine the origin of the ruckus.

Edited November 24, 2016 by Strider

[Yours Truly]

The grey cloaked man walks inside of the cave with his flashlight in his hand.

"So does anyone else have a source of light? I would hate it if the eldritch horror that I just know is lurking inside, leave you all in the dark after it eats me".