Post by Heron on May 16, 2021 2:24:47 GMT
With permission granted, Keldos had a new friend. A terrible shambles of a skeleton -- really, Evolution had not gotten around to neatening the union between the feline and the avian in Gryphons -- that crawled closer in supplication.
Master, the Gryphon acknowledged Keldos. My name is Useless. Unless you don't like it, then I guess you could give me a different one.
Lamia and Melonwei cringed in unison. A name like that hadn't clued that Gryphon in about the nature of his old master? Perhaps he truly was...special needs. In that case, a protector like Keldos was exactly what he needed. If he wasn't just naive, if he genuinely lacked the faculties to make decisions for himself, he needed someone with the honor not to take advantage of him and the wrath to maul anyone who did.
Cain remained floating in the air for a little longer than logical physics should have allowed. But this is Teragaia, and logical physics only apply when it's inconvenient.
Mildred was also finding that the mustard was unaccountably thick and sticky and extremely difficult to wipe out of her eyes. Which made her a sitting duck for a flit with an infinite paintball gun.
Little Missy didn't get to stay on the attack for long, though, and Mildred, Dust, and Kemori found themselves a bit of a reprieve when Missy had to break off her strafing run to deal with her new attacker. And this one wasn't playing, either! It kept Kemori's counter-attack from hitting the mark, but on the bright side, literally, he managed to spatter Lamia with three vivid splashes of paint. Once to the back of her immaculately-groomed head and twice to her well-dressed back. The senior thanaturge yelped and turned, glowering in Kemori's direction.
Kemori's gaffe was not Little Missy's problem, however. He Shui had just announced his intent to attack! Little Missy popped between and reappeared behind him, letting loose another spray of brightly colored glitter paintballs in every shade.
Yo, greeted the dead Mistwatcher at the gate when addressed by Gabriel. Might not wants get too close. Unicorn aaaaangry. Things he say not nice. Hit hard. Maybe witch-lady shoulds let him stay dead.
Speaking of Mehros, he was listening to Taki. Small creature, if you desire to fix me, strike me dead, the Unicorn told her. Though he almost sounded mollified by her offers of gifts and things. She really was a rare kind of sweet and considerate that he wasn't used to dealing with.
And then Percival and Vex joined the small crowd around the dead Unicorn. I seem to be what now? Bothered? Whatever gave you that idea? The cesspit of sinners that surrounds us now? Maybe it's the fact that I'm dead and still talking to blithering numbskulls like you!
Lotta bite left in that one, eh, Kid? The Illaro tilted his skull, allowing himself to be pet. I dunno, maybe a hunt would be good again. And it'd get me away from Spike-Face McSnotty. Dominic certainly wasn't alone anymore.
"A thanaturgical array rather than a necromantic one," Melonwei explained to Hei Bohai, noticing the newcomer studying her work. There was something...not quite right about him, but this was Teragaia, so Melonwei cut that train of thought off before it could go too far. "A demonstration, perhaps?"
Since the Hellhound had climbed out of her own accord, Melonwei was free to put the skeleton of the Hippocampus into the sarcophagus. She stepped up behind her podium, recited her rote chant, pulled the energy of the land up through her circle and into the sarcophagus. It was the power of the earth raising the bones. Melonwei was just a channel, or part of one.
A flash of light, and then the bones in the sarcophagus moved. Not gracefully. The lower half of the skeleton was cartilage and fishy, the back end of a reef shark, not meant to navigate fleshless and on land. The Hippocampus' equine front half maneuvered out of the ritual box by force and unceremoniously fell skull-first into the grave soil.
One usually advises against taking candy from strangers, Mehros observed acidly of Raeneth trying to tempt Taki. Thief, murderer. Witless drunkard. What brings *you* to this cemetery at this hour, hmm?
As for Cobalt, well, she was having a complicated conversation with a complicated personage.
I think you do know what it is to feel alive, the Kitsune countered. It clearly terrifies you, or you would not describe the sensation so. Grasping life means grasping those moments that make you forget you were forged for war. That make you forget you were forged at all. Such moments as would make me forget that I am dead, that I am Earthbound. Although there is no escape from undeath, so perhaps I make a very poor example.
Happy Update, everyone! A couple of bonds, a couple of new character arrivals, and Mehros is still an asshole!
Master, the Gryphon acknowledged Keldos. My name is Useless. Unless you don't like it, then I guess you could give me a different one.
Lamia and Melonwei cringed in unison. A name like that hadn't clued that Gryphon in about the nature of his old master? Perhaps he truly was...special needs. In that case, a protector like Keldos was exactly what he needed. If he wasn't just naive, if he genuinely lacked the faculties to make decisions for himself, he needed someone with the honor not to take advantage of him and the wrath to maul anyone who did.
Cain remained floating in the air for a little longer than logical physics should have allowed. But this is Teragaia, and logical physics only apply when it's inconvenient.
Mildred was also finding that the mustard was unaccountably thick and sticky and extremely difficult to wipe out of her eyes. Which made her a sitting duck for a flit with an infinite paintball gun.
Little Missy didn't get to stay on the attack for long, though, and Mildred, Dust, and Kemori found themselves a bit of a reprieve when Missy had to break off her strafing run to deal with her new attacker. And this one wasn't playing, either! It kept Kemori's counter-attack from hitting the mark, but on the bright side, literally, he managed to spatter Lamia with three vivid splashes of paint. Once to the back of her immaculately-groomed head and twice to her well-dressed back. The senior thanaturge yelped and turned, glowering in Kemori's direction.
Kemori's gaffe was not Little Missy's problem, however. He Shui had just announced his intent to attack! Little Missy popped between and reappeared behind him, letting loose another spray of brightly colored glitter paintballs in every shade.
Yo, greeted the dead Mistwatcher at the gate when addressed by Gabriel. Might not wants get too close. Unicorn aaaaangry. Things he say not nice. Hit hard. Maybe witch-lady shoulds let him stay dead.
Speaking of Mehros, he was listening to Taki. Small creature, if you desire to fix me, strike me dead, the Unicorn told her. Though he almost sounded mollified by her offers of gifts and things. She really was a rare kind of sweet and considerate that he wasn't used to dealing with.
And then Percival and Vex joined the small crowd around the dead Unicorn. I seem to be what now? Bothered? Whatever gave you that idea? The cesspit of sinners that surrounds us now? Maybe it's the fact that I'm dead and still talking to blithering numbskulls like you!
Lotta bite left in that one, eh, Kid? The Illaro tilted his skull, allowing himself to be pet. I dunno, maybe a hunt would be good again. And it'd get me away from Spike-Face McSnotty. Dominic certainly wasn't alone anymore.
"A thanaturgical array rather than a necromantic one," Melonwei explained to Hei Bohai, noticing the newcomer studying her work. There was something...not quite right about him, but this was Teragaia, so Melonwei cut that train of thought off before it could go too far. "A demonstration, perhaps?"
Since the Hellhound had climbed out of her own accord, Melonwei was free to put the skeleton of the Hippocampus into the sarcophagus. She stepped up behind her podium, recited her rote chant, pulled the energy of the land up through her circle and into the sarcophagus. It was the power of the earth raising the bones. Melonwei was just a channel, or part of one.
A flash of light, and then the bones in the sarcophagus moved. Not gracefully. The lower half of the skeleton was cartilage and fishy, the back end of a reef shark, not meant to navigate fleshless and on land. The Hippocampus' equine front half maneuvered out of the ritual box by force and unceremoniously fell skull-first into the grave soil.
One usually advises against taking candy from strangers, Mehros observed acidly of Raeneth trying to tempt Taki. Thief, murderer. Witless drunkard. What brings *you* to this cemetery at this hour, hmm?
As for Cobalt, well, she was having a complicated conversation with a complicated personage.
I think you do know what it is to feel alive, the Kitsune countered. It clearly terrifies you, or you would not describe the sensation so. Grasping life means grasping those moments that make you forget you were forged for war. That make you forget you were forged at all. Such moments as would make me forget that I am dead, that I am Earthbound. Although there is no escape from undeath, so perhaps I make a very poor example.
Happy Update, everyone! A couple of bonds, a couple of new character arrivals, and Mehros is still an asshole!
