Rory!pR.BaFF/uk 12 Nov 2015 8:30:43 PM No.41146154>>41146155>>41146185
>>41145441 >>41146104 >Rory let out a long, heavy sigh. This has all gone to hell in a handbasket, and he really didn't want to stick around to find out if it got any worse. Plus, with that crazy cat thing going on a rampage, the only safe place was the other side of the fire.
>Best to jump away while he could, then. With a tip of his hat to Elias, he attempted to make his own leap.
Leopon-dji 12 Nov 2015 9:28:35 PM No.41146185>>41146518
>>41145440 >The sickening crunch of bone as her paw sunk further to the ground set her mind aflame. If she could do that to one bone, she could do that to all of them. She could crush her prey beneath her like the apex predator she was and drag him off to--no, breathe, stay in control.
>He was out cold with potentially fatal injuries. That wasn't what she needed. She needed information.
>But the scent of his fear mixed with the ash-laden air and the metallic liquid dripping from her jowels and staining her teeth was so... intoxicating...
>>41145441 >>41146154 >Her ears swiveled. The other two escaped through the flames. She had no business with them.
>>41146104 >Was there another? The beast's massive head turned and her lips curled for a snarl that died on her tongue. It was a friend. She was fine, and he was right.
>The dire beast lifted the bone-crushing paw and placed it on the bare earth. Gradually, she backed away. Once fully removed from the mountainous man, she lifted one, two pairs of paws off the ground and into the air, and roared. The same wild magicks of indescribable iridescence spread from her jaws, as if powered by the sound itself, and washed over her form. It shifted, shrank, and stitched itself up all over until it was a fraction of the size. The prismatic energies burst outward like a popped balloon and revealed the figure beneath.
>Two-legged, two-armed Leo stood in the monster's place. She wore all the same gear as before. Blood that wasn't hers dripped from her claws and covered her mouth and chin. She took a few meditative deep breaths.
...
>She opened her eyes and looked at Elias.
Thank you.
>Ashes and embers floated onto her ears. She strode past Elias as nonchalantly as possible, despite the shaking of her knees.
We must retrieve Boulder and escape as soon as possible.
>She picked up the items she dropped pre-transformation, including the sack.
I do not wish for the last taste on my tongue to be a dirty man's lifeblood.
Elias Katai!Ren/VL7f/Q 13 Nov 2015 11:34:13 AM No.41146518>>41147088
>>41146185
>The mage nods back to Leo, glad that she'd managed to come out successfully. At the very least, it meant that he hadn't needed to fight her, and that would have gone very poorly. For who, he couldn't say. He was simply pleased it never came to that.
I'm no good at medicine, and neither are you, I don't think. So we need to get him to a professional and fast.
>Elias eyes the unconscious form and sighs.
Problem is, carrying him through Rayfield is definitely going to attract attention...Not to mention what kind of questions they might ask at the Inn.
>He turns back to Leo
We don't have much choice though. Who are the medical experts in Rayfield and how would we find them?
!FlamehpHHA 13 Nov 2015 5:34:59 PM No.41146807>>41147041
>>41143677 >That hesitation made it rather explicit that there was something going on here, and while he was head of security and likely to know, that also meant it wasn't all that hidden. Sloppy work.
>Brushing aside the man's speech, the mage continues his fairly believable act of, well, acting entirely uninterested and bored. A typical bureaucrat.
I've no need to speak with him. I'm simply here to provide a cursory inspection of the mines, make sure my employers made the right decision in picking this place, and be on my way. If you are security, I would appreciate your cooperation and assistance in the matter. I'm sure we'd both like this to be over shortly.
>Suddenly turning fairly grave, that impatience and desire to be out and away from this hole in the ground back, the man remarks,
I've no desire to be here, and I know you would like me gone as well. Do not keep me from my task for too long, and there won't be any problems.
Bolven / Logan!pR.BaFF/uk 13 Nov 2015 8:02:42 PM No.41147041>>41151097
>>41146807
Oh. Ye're one o' those. His, I bet.
>A deep sigh from the dwarf as he shook his head. All these words tended to ring warning bells, and as much as he would've liked to provide competent security for the mines, providing adequate safety for the citizens of the town was a much more important task, and if this glassy-eyed fellow worked for who he thought he did, better to just get on with it than try to argue morality or semantics.
>Stepping out of his workshop, he shut the door and pulled an old bronze key from his pocket, locking it tight with a shifting of gears. With Logan still on the ground, Bolven gave him a cursory glace, unsure what to make of the toppled merc.
Ne'er thought you could spoil yer reputation further, Faust, but now you're protectin' bullies and vagabonds. Might as well be spittin' on yer mother's grave. So much fer 'at least I've still got my honour' eh?
>Grumbling, Logan finally pulled himself to his feet from the earlier blow, wiping what dirt he could from his equipment. Shrugging, the mercenary tried his best to make it look like he wasn't hurt by those accusations, but definitely didn't seem to appreciate the comments.
You know how this works. We take a job and we see it through.
Sure, you an' every other bloody pissant who sees coin o'er everythin' else.
>Bolven pushed past the two, beginning to walk in a direction that seemed to head towards the large hills at the top of town.
Come on then. I'd rather you an' yer 'employers' take yer look an' get the fuck out o' this town.
>It seemed that, for now, Bolven believed the implications Tai had spun, though the fact that he did raised a lot of questions - what exactly had been happening with these mines for even a dwarf to act against what he thought was right?
>Logan, meanwhile, finally caught up to Tai, preferring to whisper rather than speak aloud.
you really do enjoy looking like a villain, don't you? Did it occur to you that we're supposed to be the good guys, here?
Leopon-dji 13 Nov 2015 8:55:55 PM No.41147088>>41147140>>41151282
>>41146518 >Leo was a little surprised he wasn't overreacting or really reacting at all to her transformation. Most people she met at least said "oh my gods", but then again, Elias had faced some before, so perhaps he wasn't phased.
>The beastkin stuffed her goods into the canvas sack, and handed it to the mage before stepping back towards Boulder.
We managed all healing ourselves. >She kneeled, and wiped her bloody paws on the ground. As such, I have no idea, but I know we must at least leave this area before we are set aflame.
>The beastkin slid the man's massive arm around her slight shoulders and wrapped her arm around his waist. With a strained growl, she rose, ready to drag Boulder along if need be.
Leopon-dji 13 Nov 2015 9:34:17 PM No.41147140>>41151282
>>41147088 >It took a minute for her to get the right footing, but Leo stood, supporting the massive man's entire weight with her own. She looked ahead to the flames. Now they just needed to find a way out...
!FlamehpHHA 17 Nov 2015 3:25:44 PM No.41151097>>41151547
>>41147041 >Simply giving Logan an unhappy look, as if he'd just been told something he didn't quite enjoy, the man makes a small sound of disgust, before following after the dwarf. He'd explain later, but for now, Logan would just have to trust him. Though the fact the dwarf, perhaps more than anything, had someone to connect his spun story to, was less than ideal. Either the dwarf had reasons to suspect the something similar was really going on, or, perhaps terrifyingly, the quite fake story he'd cooked up might be true.
>It certainly seemed like he'd only connected two things together, and while discarding one lie, believed the other. This could be troublesome if he ever took the initiative. Right into the hornet's nest.
Elias Katai!Ren/VL7f/Q 17 Nov 2015 5:22:25 PM No.41151282>>41151284>>41151310
>>41147088 >>41147140
>Right. Leaving before they burned to death was probably a good idea. Leo managed to hoist the gigantic man with a little effort, and now, they should be making a speedy exit.
Let's get moving then.
>Looking for an exit would take too much time, time they might be spending on fire, so better to just move ahead. Elias takes a running start and attempts to barrel straight through the flames
Leopon-dji 17 Nov 2015 5:40:11 PM No.41151310>>41152957
>>41151282 >Leo took a deep breath in as she watched Elias barrel through the flames. She had to somehow make the same jump while weighed down by the huge man.
>Yeah, no. Her best bet was to run right through. The soles of her paws ached just thinking about it. And she thought she'd never have to do a fire walk again...
>The beastkin shook her head, put on a brave face, and dashed forward.
Bolven/Logan!pR.BaFF/uk 17 Nov 2015 9:43:23 PM No.41151547>>41154654
>>41151097 >Talk was scarce on the rest of the walk. Logan didn't want to speak up in case it happened to irritate Bolven further, which was likely the smartest option given what happened during the greeting before. The dwarf, meanwhile, didn't seem to have many words for the pair other than his distaste in what seemed to be their objective here, only raising his gruff voice to help direct them as they moved further out of town and up toward the hills.
>The mines themselves were particularly extensive, as though they'd almost dug through the entire hillside - which was true, so true in fact that the mines themselves were running low on crystal, with no new veins being found in the last year or so. As interesting as the entire operation might have been, however, Bolven skipped past the main outposts, heading further upward still to a small calling point. It seemed that most of the crystal had been retrieved from this area so it now served as more of a depot, shifting new crystal crates to where they needed to head down the hillside.
This'll be yer stop. Ye'll ask fer Supervisor Bellamy, an' you won't say a bloody word 'bout me showin' you here to anyone with an ounce of self respect in this town.
>An oddly specific set of instructions for something like this, particularly when it had been so vague before. Had this kind of thing happened before? What exactly were they getting into? Whatever happened next, it was clear Bolven Eistabink wanted nothing to do with it, as he simply turned without giving them so much as a look, opting to start heading home.
Hey, Bolven-
>Logan tried to call after their guide, unsure whether to try to make amends or try to just talk this through in some way, but the dwarf simply gave him an aggressively dismissive wave.
Shut it, Faust, I don't want yer excuses. If ye've even half the bleedin' sod you used to be, ye'd best think twice before takin' up a job fer scum like Python.
Elias Katai!Ren/VL7f/Q 18 Nov 2015 9:46:07 PM No.41152957>>41153049
>>41151310 >>41151284
>Unfortunately for Elias, he was not quite so fireproof as Leo. As he attempts to charge through, the blast of hot air from the flames catches him full in the face. He stumbles and falls, the fire catching onto him. Not only was his cloak partially singed into a charred black, but he could feel the tang of something that was probably going to require direct application of an ice crystal.
>He nurses the small burn, thankful that it had been the total of his injuries, but none too impressed he had to have it at all, usually he was better about this sort of thing. He looks back at Leo, and then back to the HQ.
...We should keep moving. People will come, and we can't be seen here, they'll get the wrong idea.
>Elias makes his way back at a brisk pace, lord knows they needed to make a plan of action, and it's remarkably hard to think when you're near something on fire.
Leopon-dji!uvadBiRdiE 18 Nov 2015 10:39:47 PM No.41153049>>41154655
>>41152957 >Leo didn't look back until she was out of the flames. She had to much to keep track of, between her own clothes, minor scrapes, and the giant rock of a man she half-carried, half-dragged. Unfortunately, he was no worse for wear.
... agreed.
>The beastkin patted out a few embers on Elias' shoulder, and allowed him to lead the way.
I know not where we can take him--or yourself, for that matter, but I do know we should hurry. Once the night fully falls, we will be in much more danger.
!FlamehpHHA 20 Nov 2015 8:30:51 PM No.41154654>>41156388
>>41151547 >A name? Python? Good.
>Hopefully whoever they ran into would have less of a spine, and be a bit of a pushover with that bit of information in their pocket. It was a dangerous game he was playing, no doubt about that, but they had a job to do, here.
Indeed, Mister Faust. I've been very lax so far, but this is no personal visit. I expect more professionalism in the future.
>Leaving with that biting, and convincing remark, the man strides forward into the depot, searching out the nearest authoritive-looking person he could find. He knew better than to look out of place and start shouting the name of Bellamy about if that was the man's reaction.
Elias Katai!Ren/VL7f/Q 20 Nov 2015 8:31:03 PM No.41154655
>>41153049
>He removes his hand from the burn, continuing to touch it would only aggravate it. Elias keeps his pace, but moves forward more gingerly.
The only thing I can suggest is that we do what we did with you. Cover him up and take him back to the Inn. I don't know how long Logan and Tai will take, but I doubt he'll wake up before then. But covering him up is the priority here. People will ask questions about an unconscious man.
>He aims a withered smile at her
And I'm fine. It's a little burn, nothing too harsh. If it really acts up, I'll get Logan to lend me an ice crystal to soothe the pain.