Return to the Valley (Gryphon Bonding) CLOSED

Nessa - ok no idea why my magic smells like fruit and was pink but hey it still worked!

After blinking away the dazzlement from the pink lightning and dealing with the wall she'd hit basically crumbling around her; Nessa looked at the dilapidated training field. Littered with rotting wooden dummies and rusted weapons stabbed in a few as well as some still on the racks. The noise of something a good deal bigger than her flits made her look up with a thought of 'oh shi-' before the entity bespoke her mind. She wasn't familiar with the feminine voice but she nodded thinking back Fine, whoever ya are, be careful though! I'm tryna help people here not get someone hurt saving my hide!. Before long she focused back on the eight targets remaining now that whoever had Spoken to her mind lured the others away. Grinning ferally as she spotted one having a tough time staying cohesive "ya thought I was easy picking's did ya? how about another shot! MAZIO!".

What was supposed to be a 'multi target lightning spell' of middling strength compared to the first one came out as...bubbles? and soap? that still crackled somewhat. As the translucent glowing orbs floated around the area the scent of bubble gum further confused the situation. Then one came in contact with a sword close to another shadow and popped with a massive burst of static and light while coating the area in bubble gum pink fluid that seemed to zap the devil out of the unfortunate shadow. That was enough for Nessa to try grabbing a rusty spear and hurling it through a second bubble aiming at the faintest shadow hoping it ended the thing. The problem with floating bubbles and the fluid popping them creates is if you don't watch your six you can get hit too.

Which is what happened to Nessa in the next instance as she felt another bubble hit her back with an ominous crackle of static "ah hellfi-AGH!". Sure she was mostly resistant to her own magic but 'resistant' didn't mean 'immune'. So she was stuck kneeling trying to fight the paralysis the lightning hit her with as she also tried to clean off the mess to rid herself of the effect sooner than 'a round*'. Meanwhile with Nec Aogami and Miyazu had arrowed to his shoulders and grappled on as soon as he shouted in response, working to reduce drag they might cause as he tried to get to their person fast. The feedback from Nessa getting hurt made both flits creel in shared pain however followed by concerned looks at Nec when Nessa stifled the connection to spare them. All over the ground as the bubbles floated more of the sparking fizz seemed to light up the area with a crackling pink shine. Hopefully whoever was coming to assist could deal with a little lightning.

(A round basically being a round of posts, so after the next Kay post strong likelihood the Shadows coated with the ooze zapping em are either weakened and get loose or outright ended while Nessa will possibly be able to stand up albeit still sore)

(Shy/Frisk) - Damaged Village

Frisk's words had a result on the gathered people; they looked sheepish and chastised.

"I didn’t mean anything," the spokesman said, and though his voice was firm it was also apologetic at the same time. "I just don't know what to call… well, to call the tyrant other than a monster. The things he did, what he made us do… it's stuff of nightmares, looking back on it. Worse because we were willing at the time. Blinded us, he did. Though if it makes up for my upsetting you I don't think you're a monster. Though we're mostly human here we're not like that. We know that people come to Teragaia from all over, and they're not always human. Whatever he was…. that was just something else."

"A living nightmare we can't seem to wake up from," one woman spoke up with a shudder and a haunted look in her eyes.

"Anyways, he ran off that way," the spokesman elaborated, pointing towards a thick copse of trees that the village likely used as a source of lumber and hunting; even at a walk it would be scarcely a ten minute trek. Then with soft farewells the crowd did disperse back to the damage buildings.

Well said, the Rose Gryphon complimented. I utterly detest violence - so messy and boorish. Diplomacy is so much more elegant and sophisticated. I mean, just about anyone can swing a stick and hit something, even if unskillfully. But it takes talent to use words to disarm the hostile. He spread his white and gold wings to shake them out a bit. That is a wise course of action as well, my lady unicorn. I will indeed watch from the air, in as much as I will be able to see through the foliage. Thankfully the canopy doesn't look terribly thick as the trees are small. Should I cry out and circle that will mean I've seen something. Good luck! With that and a bow the Gryphon took a running start and leapt into the air, flying in the direction of the forest.

Frisk and Elanti would find their first clue as to the boy's whereabouts almost immediately upon leaving the village: footprints in the dirt and a few spots of blood. It wouldn't look like enough to be from a serious wound but still it would show he was either soaked in blood that wasn't his own, enough to drip from him, or he was injured. This trail would continue straight to the trees, also telling that the boy was likely running near-blind as he went in a beeline for the first shelter he saw.

Inside the forest the trail would get much harder to follow. The groundcover would eliminate footprints and blood would be much more tricky to spot, landing on roots and leaves rather than open ground. Occasionally through the leaves the Gryphon could be seen looking from above.

"…hel…or y…."

The voice would be indistinct from distance, snatches of syllables coming on the wind. Pauses in the sounds and a change in pitch would indicate a conversation.

Had someone found the boy first?

((Just giving you time to make any preparations before heading into the forest while still giving you info on what you find. Frisk can get whatever they think they'll need from the villagers within reason in thanks for helping and healing them.))


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(Nessa) fortress Ruins

Bubbles, bubbles everywhere!

Typically, ghostly undead things like this would be immune to things such as tar, nets, tanglefoot bags, and other things designed to ensnare them by being sticky. But these bubblegum-bombs were magic, and the IF was having a field day with them. So pop, pop, pop! The unwary things were snagged one by one. Some were only caught by a few tendrils - the same as being caught by a foot or a hand - but others were all but coated in the stuff. They wailed and screeched in ways that would make for a good haunted house soundtrack, reaching out with spectral hands to claw at the air in utter futility as they tried to reach her with single-minded focus. The best any of they could do was stretch the stuff about a foot more before it held fast. Lightning crackled around them and though it didn't seem to hurt them terribly certainly the restraint was a boon.

Certainly Nessa had, unintentionally or intentionally, bought herself a bit of time to hit them before they could hit her, once she shook herself out of her own spell.


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(Nec) Mysterious Cave/Ruined Fortress

The creature leading the wraiths on a chase screeched in surprise when Nec made his attack, diving past her into the pack behind her.

Are you crazy?! she screeched in shock, twisting almost sideways to avoid the Changeling.

But the attack, while classically reckless for Nec, would bear fruit. The dagger would catch first one, then a second Wraith as he passed. It was a grazing blow, the kind of thing that would scarcely make a proper warrior take notice.

But the dagger, that Soul-Eating dagger, was magic. And it was desperately hungry.

With wails that would ring in their ears the two were drawn into the dagger and vanished! Then Nec was back on his hybrid friend's back and winging towards Nessa, firelizards in tow.

The wind from Giethre's wings would blow a wave of bubbles away from the trio. It also had the bonus of drying the gunk holding Nessa in place and making it far easier to get free faster than their foes could.

Time for a strike before the wraiths could advance!

((Of the seven Wraiths facing you, Nessa and Nec, 2 are Partially Stuck and will break free in my next post. The remaining 5 are Fully Stuck and will take two posts to get free. And Nessa, you can get free as a 'free action at the start of your turn' as it were to use DnD terminology lol.))

Nessa - oh for the love of...WHY IS MY MAGIC MAKING MUSIC!? (her lightning sounds like these two songs at the same time: Spooky Scary Skeletons: youtu.be/bT9jZfgRVvA and Megalovania: youtu.be/99aLrgk-uqs ) 

Despite muscle soreness Nessa wrenched herself free of the clinging mess as it had dried enough to become brittle for herself. Breathing hard but still willing to keep at it as she snarled "ok you ghosts and ghoulies still wanna piece of me!? lets see how ya like an even bigger spell! MAZIONGA!". Downside to this larger scale lightning spell...while it was good for hitting EVERYTHING that could include ones team mates if you weren't careful. Like say the hind end of the Pegasi above her head while it was arcing off her hands to hit each trapped phantom to the tune of a strange song or duo of them that she didn't know...probably the fault of the IF again. 

Unlike before she tried to keep the spell going till the ghosts stopped screaming but the fact some remained squealing and twitching said she and Nec had at least 5 still raring to fight while the two nearest her were potentially dead if not 'mortally wounded'. But all these back to back spells were wearing at the female as she shakily forced herself to remain standing and finally registered the flapping above her head. Looking up at the underside of Geithre "OI! sorry if I zapped ya and yer here to help me!". Miyazu and Aogami chattered reproachfully down at her as they peeked past the pegasi's wings to glare at their person for scaring them like this. Now causing Nessa confusion "wait...you two were supposed to head HOME for help!" ending in her facepalming as the flits sent images of Nec and his companions being much closer by "ok ok thank you both I'm sorry the feedback hit scared you both as well". Miyazu of course going full naggy mother hen in the tone of 'you BETTER be sorry!' despite the current situation around them. Then she found out the fizz around her feet was still loaded with lightning the hard way when her tail ended up slapping a pile of it...and zapping the hell out of her own hind end "GAH! ok apparently the ground right around me is still electric...ow my arse...". 

(Shy/Frisk) - Damaged Village

The voices wouldn't seem to immediately hear Frisk calling out but their words, or at least pieces of them, would continue to reach them. The pair would find the speakers just in time to hear an 'ow!' that was crystal clear and obviously the voice of a young male.

They'd be standing in a small clearing. One would be a middle-aged man dressed in moderately fine clothing. By his clean appearance he was not of the village or at least hadn't been there during the disaster. He would be holding in one hand a purple crystal about two inches long suspended from a silver and gold chain. The crystal would be glowing vibrantly, like a small candle. In the other hand he would be carefully and gently holding the wrist of a boy. About seven years of age he would be dirty and with scratches here and there, including a bad on along the back of one leg. His black hair would be wild, uncombed, and shoddily cut; how long had it been since a mother tended to him? He would be a bit thin for his age but thankfully not malnourished. His clothing would definitely have seen better days, torn and worn. But despite all this there would be an undeniable handsomeness to him, a comeliness that now only spoke to his parents having been quite a handsome pair but that were he to be cleaned up and properly groomed he would be incredibly beautiful. His eyes, a vibrant emerald even in the shadows of the leaves, were slightly squinting in the light from the gemstone.

"Ah, you see?" the man was saying. "The gemstone shines in the presence of your blood. This proves you are our lord's kin, his son, one we have been searching for, for so long." The man was about to speak more when he caught sight of Frisk and Elanti out of the corner of his eye and turned his head to look at them, clearly annoyed with the interruption. The boy turned his head as well, gasping in surprise. "Who are you, and what are you doing here?" The man would sound a lot less pleasant and friendly when addressing the goat-monster than he had when addressing the child. If there was any boon to this scene it would be clear that the child was unharmed by the man as there were no apparent implement to have caused harm.

Though that wouldn't mean in the slightest that he was unarmed entirely.

***********

Nessa and Nec (Ruined Fortress)

The wraiths wailed and struggled under assault from the lightning and dagger. By this point they scarcely cared for Nec's presence, nor did they even pay the scantest attention to Geithre in his retreat. They wanted Nessa and Nessa alone, but oh, for five of them reaching her would be impossible! For the other two her spell would spell (haha) their demise; they would dissipate with a high-pitched sepulchral cry into nothingness.

The shadow that Nec rushed, one of those still entangled but in threat of breaking free at any second, did turn towards him as the Changeling drew near. An arm snapped out, narrowly missing grazing blue stony hide and that close would be enough for Nec to feel the deathly chill that accompanied such creatures. Surely a more concentrated touch would be more than a little painful; it was the kind of thing that would pull at the very soul. But Nec's dagger would make a much stronger connection and his target would be sucked in like its predecessors.

The remaining four were struggling with even more fury, three reaching towards Nessa in their rage while one had in its injured state turned towards Nec, just about a yard out of reach, seeking his lifeforce to restore its unholy energy. Mouth falling open far wider than was natural it screamed a stunning shriek that promised worse than death.

((New tally: The two partially stuck are destroyed. One fully stuck is destroyed. Four remaining, and they will break free at the start of next 'turn.' Nec, use any random number generator you wish and if it's under 10, you are frightened the next turn and may not move any closer to that Wraith. 15 or over and you resist. Feel free to ask me if you have any questions.))

Nessa - oh hell no you knock off Dementor! 

As the wounded spectre tried to reach for Nec the sword she'd almost forgotten she possessed was pulled off Nessa's back "hey squeaker you ain't touching my friend!". Followed by gripping her sword tighter and rushing the wounded monster "Zio!" trying to ignore how the sword itself lit up with a strange Vmmm instead of the crackle of lightning. Sure the less hurt ones were gonna get loose shortly but she was not about to let someone cop whatever these things were trying to do. So she stabbed the thing through its gaping maw with her now 'lightsaber'. Ignoring the weird ghostly words 'do or do not, there is no try' as she internally hoped this would end the thing she stabbed in the face as she looked back at Nec "do you often try to draw the aggro of everything in a fight or was this a special occasion?". 

From Nec's back two flit heads dazedly weaved into view as Miyazu and Aogami recovered from the earlier tossing. As soon as the pair could see straight however they flew right to Nessa chattering angrily at the remaining ghosts. Finally causing Nessa to turn to the remainder "you take the two on the left and I got the two on the right? they seem scared of my lightning now at least". Then she looks back at Nec "I can try n see if the trick I just did to my sword works on your dagger too? unless its dangerous to touch that thing period or something". After all the chaos and fighting she was just glad the sparking fizz on the ground had subsided to a faint buzz every so often, even if it made her bare feet tingle with electrical current. Which became the least of her problems when the sword in her hands overloaded because it was not meant to hold lightning, ending in a massive ZOT that sent her flying behind Nec smoking slightly. 

After a second or two she shakily raised a hand "not dead I swear...ow my everything...". Miyazu and Aogami were only spared being shocked because they hadn't been touching the metal as the pair sat on her chest chatter yelling at their person for being such a huge idjit. Nessa patting em when she tried to sit up "did the feedback blow the one I stabbed up at least? c'mon you two chill with the cussing till after we get outta here". 

(Shy/Frisk) - Damaged Village

Though they had initially been alarmed, Frisk's signed words and Elanti's Mindspeech would garner a completely different reaction. The man's expression shifted to pleased surprised and he did indeed let go of the boy's wrist; it seemed he wasn't holding very tightly to begin with.

"Ah, fate is kind tonight, my dear boy! Yes, please, healer, see to my prince's wounds, I beg. If you can treat him I will reward you, this I vow. We could not bear the thought of his suffering sickness just now, after he has been found." The boy looked at Frisk with understandable hesitation, though he looked between the goat-monster and unicorn, and the man he'd been speaking with, with the same expression. He clearly didn't know who to trust though he did have a question.

"P-prince?"

"Of course! You are the only confirmed son of our master, and thus you are our prince whom we have searched for long and hard." He put a hand on the boy's shoulder and turned him towards Frisk. "Now, please my prince, let the healer see to you." Slowly the boy nodded and moved towards Frisk, limping a couple of steps before the man murmured a soft "Ah, permit me to.' and picked the boy up to carry him over to Frisk, carefully seating him so they could see to the wounds. Thankfully none of them would be terribly serious, and the one on the leg would look worse than it was. No stitched needed though it was long and likely painful, and might scar without daily treatment.

Through their examination and treatment the boy's eyes would dart back and forth and everywhere in between. It was pretty clear that he was nervous and quite likely had lived a life of being mistreated or at least had only rarely been treated with true kindness. Like the street hound kicked and yelled at too much, avoiding attention was his boon and instinct.


***********

Nessa
Well, one thing to be said for Nessa's magic: though it was as harmful to her and her new allies it certainly was being effective against the Wraiths. Thanks IF for that first part.

Enhancing the sword was a good plan. Without it the weapon was likely to be ineffective against the ghostly creatures. Wrapped in magic it made the one she struck howl and recoil. Clearly there had been some harm done even if it wasn't a visible wound. But it certainly wasn't down for the count… that is until the explosion that followed caught it. Even as the Cambion was thrown backwards the wraith was destroyed, and the second one that Nessa had claimed as her own target, finally breaking free of the stick-bubble and racing towards her, was struck by its edge. Seeing its target prone it forgot its plan to scream at her and instead rushed to take advantage, swiping down with a life-and-soul-draining hand. But would it hit her, her flits, or miss utterly?

((Roll 1d20.
1-5 is a miss.
6-9 hits one of the flits and causes a collapse; not dead but very weakened.
10-18 hits Nessa and causes weakness; your next round it will be harder to move and attack and everything will feel heavier as well as harder to catch your breath. Heart pounds.
19-20 Critical hit: Your heart stops for a few seconds and you black out, coming to at the end of the 'round.')



Nec

So long as it works indeed! Just like Nec's dagger, which was proving to be very effective against these things. The throw was a devastating success - that is, devastating to the wraith, which was summarily sucked into the dagger as if it had never been. The second of his chosen targets finally broke free of the sticky bubble that had held it fast and was quick to take up chase as the Changeling went to retrieve his weapon. Even as Nessa landed nearby and her Wraith took a swipe at her Nec's took a swipe at him, having seen how resistant he was to their Scream. The pair had been lucky this far, but it was in melee that the Wraiths were most fearsome!

The flapping of feathered wings and a pass of a shadow might be visible out of the corner of either's eye as the unmet ally completed a circuit of the keep. Thankfully she was flying and the Wraiths closer to the ground at the moment as some of the lingering ground-static was enough to stagger her pursuers. Briefly a Gryphon was visible - steel-gray with some red on her, perhaps injured? - as she landed on the remains of an adjacent tower to catch some of her breath, then as the Wraiths recovered took off again to continue playing the distraction. She had none of their magic to actually harm the things so her only recourse was to fly as fast as she could until someone with magic could get free to offer aid.

((Roll 1d20.
1-5 is a miss.
6-18 hits and causes weakness; your next round it will be harder to move and attack and everything will feel heavier as well as harder to catch your breath. Heart pounds.
19-20 Critical hit: Your heart stops for a few seconds and you black out, coming to at the end of the 'round.')

Nessa - oh hellfire not letting you touch me! (rolled a 3 so Nessa and the Flits are ok...just Nessa did a foolish and is now way more out of it) 

About the same time she could see straight Nessa leaned up enough to look toward Nec "yeah been better but I'll li-OH SHI". Seeing the second ghost rushing her and her flits made her forget how sore she still was as she not only wrapped her arm around her chest to protect her flit friends as she tumbled under the thing. But used her free arm she thought to strike with her sword, instead charging her fist with lightning magic "ZIO! eat lightning you freaking gho-ACK!?". Now her right arm was tingling and numb from the shoulder down but she somehow used a literal thunder punch on the attacker thanks to the IF literally giving her a 'thunder glove' at the same time. Downside was her vision was now swimming a bit, she definitely pushed it a bit much this fight. But hopefully wherever she had punched the ghost that tried to steal her life force had been successful. 

Mana drained and pain addled as she was the female looked up hearing flapping again, squinting at the red and steel colored flash "so hope that ones not hurt since they're helping us here". Sheer stubbornness was all that seemed to be keeping Nessa on her feet at this point, even as she muttered a quiet expletive being nipped by Miyazu "ow, blast it sorry I scared you two...where's m'sword...". She didn't yet see the ghostly monster still around for Nec let alone if the one she'd hit died or was still a problem. Which also meant she was unaware if Nec was in worse danger now as she tried to stumble toward where she thought her sword was. Letting go of her flits as they climbed to her shoulders, chattering confused because one arm was inactive right now; so how did she think she was gonna keep fighting?. Nessa smirking drunkenly "I got a working hand left you two, I ain't totally done". 

When she finally found the sword however she almost fell on her own tookis trying to yank it out the ground "well...this is aggravating".