DIRECTORY
* Clown in the Moon
* And Death Shall Have no Dominion
* Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night
---
* Trieste
* The Leaf
* Ulysses
The Final Hour Looms Near
The Final Hour Looms Near
Last edited by Jent on Fri Jul 29, 2016 1:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
The Final Hour Looms Near
Clown in the Moon
The warmth cast off by the setting sun lingered on through the summer night. Drausus stepped out from his home with a briefcase in one hand as the other slowly went to shut the door. “Be back before midnight. Going to take the longer walk to the building,†he called over to a woman wasted-out-of-her-mind on top of a cushioned chair, tiredly squeezing a whiskey bottle in her grasp.â€Â
“... 'Kay... Watch out for fridges,†she spoke right back with a slur. Stacy could handle the strong draconic-lased beverage rather well for human. She only wore a plain dark nightgown as she planned to hit the sheets rather soon. Despite the appearances of the two living together, the two had a mutual respect as friends without benefits.
Adjusting his suit and tie as he walked out to the main street, the Jentil ventured down the main road to the edge of town. It definitely be simpler if Aznar Tech set up a closer outpost in the Encampment to reduce the distance for regular folk. Drausus himself on a normal day would had teleported right to the steps of the building by distorting the fabric of space, though not everyone had the luxury to do so. Still, the soothing sights of the serene path eased his mind of worry. To a degree, that is.
From the day that incident happened, the thought of who transformed his sweet young Kara into a likeness of the Sorceress-the said woman that had forced him to summon her beforehand months prior, plagued the immortal's brain whenever his thoughts drifted too far away. None of it made any sense. The Collector herself wouldn't let loose a being with that much power and freewill into the town without a purpose; not to mention the Alignment kept her fiddling of mortal lives away from the Encampment as far as he could tell for awhile. Nor would any other of the 'villainous' folk he heard of bestow such agency to someone so young and impressionable with the degree of sorcery...
"... I'm 99% sure you're fighting yourself."
Drausus disagreed with his reasoning from the start when she mentioned the idea. Stopping in place to break off a dead twig from a branch, he silently twirled it between his fingers. The only Jentils that came to Pax besides himself were the 'original' that left this world to stay together with his true love, and a one himself had restored back to life for an alternate Split that came to him in dire need.
"Think about it. We're dealing with a Distortionist powerful enough to alter reality. Someone who can turn a little girl into a fully grown, fully powerful alternative version of herself."
No, it felt completely illogical for someone with such power to be hiding in plain sight. Even that Goddesss 'Zaphira' mentioned by a well-known huldra on one occasion wouldn't do something so reckless either...
"Who else could it be? They had no qualms getting me hurt, because they probably didn't have a 'Kara'. But since they are 'you' they knew how much it would mess you up."
The soon wooden debris drifted from his hand in a crumble of dust, scattered off into the wind as both feet carried him onward. “She said it felt like Distortion,†the Jentil muttered under his breath. High above Drausus, murky clouds above obscured most of the stars out in the sky, giving off the sense if debating on what to rain on the immortal's already grim mood. “... What are the chances of yet another of myself... Knowing exactly how to stab me right in the heart?â€Â
Question unanswered, he looked ahead of the path taken, just nearly half-way to dropping off his latest project with Vitrum Flexile. The package unfortunately would never reach its destination, stopped by silent bullet in the back of the carrier's head.
The warmth cast off by the setting sun lingered on through the summer night. Drausus stepped out from his home with a briefcase in one hand as the other slowly went to shut the door. “Be back before midnight. Going to take the longer walk to the building,†he called over to a woman wasted-out-of-her-mind on top of a cushioned chair, tiredly squeezing a whiskey bottle in her grasp.â€Â
“... 'Kay... Watch out for fridges,†she spoke right back with a slur. Stacy could handle the strong draconic-lased beverage rather well for human. She only wore a plain dark nightgown as she planned to hit the sheets rather soon. Despite the appearances of the two living together, the two had a mutual respect as friends without benefits.
Adjusting his suit and tie as he walked out to the main street, the Jentil ventured down the main road to the edge of town. It definitely be simpler if Aznar Tech set up a closer outpost in the Encampment to reduce the distance for regular folk. Drausus himself on a normal day would had teleported right to the steps of the building by distorting the fabric of space, though not everyone had the luxury to do so. Still, the soothing sights of the serene path eased his mind of worry. To a degree, that is.
From the day that incident happened, the thought of who transformed his sweet young Kara into a likeness of the Sorceress-the said woman that had forced him to summon her beforehand months prior, plagued the immortal's brain whenever his thoughts drifted too far away. None of it made any sense. The Collector herself wouldn't let loose a being with that much power and freewill into the town without a purpose; not to mention the Alignment kept her fiddling of mortal lives away from the Encampment as far as he could tell for awhile. Nor would any other of the 'villainous' folk he heard of bestow such agency to someone so young and impressionable with the degree of sorcery...
"... I'm 99% sure you're fighting yourself."
Drausus disagreed with his reasoning from the start when she mentioned the idea. Stopping in place to break off a dead twig from a branch, he silently twirled it between his fingers. The only Jentils that came to Pax besides himself were the 'original' that left this world to stay together with his true love, and a one himself had restored back to life for an alternate Split that came to him in dire need.
"Think about it. We're dealing with a Distortionist powerful enough to alter reality. Someone who can turn a little girl into a fully grown, fully powerful alternative version of herself."
No, it felt completely illogical for someone with such power to be hiding in plain sight. Even that Goddesss 'Zaphira' mentioned by a well-known huldra on one occasion wouldn't do something so reckless either...
"Who else could it be? They had no qualms getting me hurt, because they probably didn't have a 'Kara'. But since they are 'you' they knew how much it would mess you up."
The soon wooden debris drifted from his hand in a crumble of dust, scattered off into the wind as both feet carried him onward. “She said it felt like Distortion,†the Jentil muttered under his breath. High above Drausus, murky clouds above obscured most of the stars out in the sky, giving off the sense if debating on what to rain on the immortal's already grim mood. “... What are the chances of yet another of myself... Knowing exactly how to stab me right in the heart?â€Â
Question unanswered, he looked ahead of the path taken, just nearly half-way to dropping off his latest project with Vitrum Flexile. The package unfortunately would never reach its destination, stopped by silent bullet in the back of the carrier's head.
Last edited by Jent on Sun Jul 24, 2016 11:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
The Final Hour Looms Near
And Death Shall Have No Dominion
“I've told you to aim for the neck...â€
A disgruntled woman knelt down next to the corpse, glaring at another conspiring in the murder of Drausus. Neither of the two, or the other pair crouched in the bushes close by could be easily recognized given their combative camouflage uniforms. The man quietly shifted his rifle to hang loosely on a shoulder strap before reaching for the briefcase. “Does it really matter? Whatever this guy was carrying, it must be quite valuable to leave town in the middle of the night.â€
She shook her head in objection. “We stick to the plan, not some stupid idea that pops up in your thick head,†the fellow thief scolded him, signaling the rest to assist in lifting up the brain-splattered corpse. “You had the perfect shot back there. Don't expect to get much of a share in the loot.â€
Furious, the apparent underling soon relented. They managed to scope out people that generally appeared right after the Celestial Winds dropped them off in the insane real, sniping valuable targets immediately to draw less attention to the nearby townsfolk that might notice someone important gone missing. Though from recent scouting reports, a certain company by the name 'Anzar Tech' were planning on developments in the Encampment. Providing a potential goldmine for the resident bandits.
The group slipped back into the veil of darkness once they confirmed no one witnessed their criminal misdeeds. Hardly anything apart from wild beasts ever took notice the trails of blood, so the lack of need for clean-up hastened their return to the reclusive hideout. Only a soft trickle of light given off by a campfire barely illuminated a few of the remaining eight in the traveling band. Each of the personalized tents were composed of synthetic fibers and materials, allowing for quick dispersal if things got ugly suddenly.
“Why would a business man arrive alone in the woods?†a gruff voiced asked them, sipping at a cup of bitter coffee. “Unless he is some goddamn lawyer, probably could have let that one go.â€
Unaware of who they shot and bagged, the silent expressions were dispelled by their leader emerging out from his tent. The rare one in the bunch to be augmented by cybernetics, his bulky frame made him less apt to engage in the covert operations. However, the fact those arms could rip apart anyone of them in half gave the brute the unanimous vote of approval in decision making.
“... That man is Drausus... A well known philanthropist in the Encampment,†he explained out loud, the glowing red eye drove shivers straight down their spines. “Surprised he fell to something as mundane as a bullet. 'Some Mystic man he turned out to be.â€
Nearly cowering in fear, the four presented the stolen goods right in center of the camp, propping up the corpse against the stone well. “B-but, we took him out... N-no one was a-around that could r-rat us out,†the shooter attempted to defend his actions earlier ago. The feeling of adrenaline surged throughout his body in worry of his own hide after sniping away that of another.
“Do... You... Think... They... Won't... Notice?â€
Heavy feet plodded closer to the statue of a man, frozen in fear of the giant whose gazed fixated itself straight down his way. The terrorizing visage brought forward a meaty hand to hoist the man up by scruff of his uniform, shoes danging above the dry ground that might very well soon be soaked in blood. “People... Will... Notice HIM missing,†a deep growl resonated from the leader's titanium jaw, leaving no time for the underling's retort as he was flung harshly into a tree. The sound of branches and bones cracking hopefully would be the only signs left for the man if he were to join the Jentil in death today.
“... Leave him be and just clear the corpse of valuables,†the massive figure ordered the rest, watching them scramble hurriedly to do as he demanded.
Besides the stained suit, there were some trinkets of interests still intact on Drausus's remains. A coin pouch full to the brim in gold, records of important contacts and meetings the Jentil had planned for the month jolted down in a nifty 'smart-phone' like device, as well a hidden locket stashed away in one of his pockets.
“... Huh, what kind of gibberish is this?†one of the looters whispered, holding up the aforementioned time-keeper as the rest divided up extra goods for later. “Kinda fits his theme as a 'Jentil-man' I guess...â€
Quietly lifting it closer for further examination, the dull sheen of the locket from the cast off light of the campfire showed nothing discernible for the man. They all here knew of Common and a few other tongues, but nothing of Basque. “This could fetch a pretty penny on the black market-OUCH!â€
He instinctively dropped the strange object upon trying to open it open. The yell alarmed the bandits, wondering if this idiot might draw out someone to spot them in the aftermath of murder-Yet all such notion vanished when they witnessed the locket roar in a radiant wave of cascading energy.
“WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?!â€
All except for the strongest and weakest among them in panic rushed back several feet. Few understood the mechanics to magic, a field of trickery the rather ignore whenever possible. Tonight, however, would not be that night. The locket rushed in a blitz to the forgotten corpse, diffusing the intensity of its power straight through to the core: breathing in the hidden flame of life back into it once more.
The leader struck into action first before them all, revealing an opening in his metallic palm charging a bolt of plasma. “Idiots! Take him down now,†he shouted in frustration at the pathetic formation of a band he had on hand. A fiery round shot out towards the revived target, forcing the bandits to rearm themselves in preparation for who knows what lay in store for them.
“I've told you to aim for the neck...â€
A disgruntled woman knelt down next to the corpse, glaring at another conspiring in the murder of Drausus. Neither of the two, or the other pair crouched in the bushes close by could be easily recognized given their combative camouflage uniforms. The man quietly shifted his rifle to hang loosely on a shoulder strap before reaching for the briefcase. “Does it really matter? Whatever this guy was carrying, it must be quite valuable to leave town in the middle of the night.â€
She shook her head in objection. “We stick to the plan, not some stupid idea that pops up in your thick head,†the fellow thief scolded him, signaling the rest to assist in lifting up the brain-splattered corpse. “You had the perfect shot back there. Don't expect to get much of a share in the loot.â€
Furious, the apparent underling soon relented. They managed to scope out people that generally appeared right after the Celestial Winds dropped them off in the insane real, sniping valuable targets immediately to draw less attention to the nearby townsfolk that might notice someone important gone missing. Though from recent scouting reports, a certain company by the name 'Anzar Tech' were planning on developments in the Encampment. Providing a potential goldmine for the resident bandits.
The group slipped back into the veil of darkness once they confirmed no one witnessed their criminal misdeeds. Hardly anything apart from wild beasts ever took notice the trails of blood, so the lack of need for clean-up hastened their return to the reclusive hideout. Only a soft trickle of light given off by a campfire barely illuminated a few of the remaining eight in the traveling band. Each of the personalized tents were composed of synthetic fibers and materials, allowing for quick dispersal if things got ugly suddenly.
“Why would a business man arrive alone in the woods?†a gruff voiced asked them, sipping at a cup of bitter coffee. “Unless he is some goddamn lawyer, probably could have let that one go.â€
Unaware of who they shot and bagged, the silent expressions were dispelled by their leader emerging out from his tent. The rare one in the bunch to be augmented by cybernetics, his bulky frame made him less apt to engage in the covert operations. However, the fact those arms could rip apart anyone of them in half gave the brute the unanimous vote of approval in decision making.
“... That man is Drausus... A well known philanthropist in the Encampment,†he explained out loud, the glowing red eye drove shivers straight down their spines. “Surprised he fell to something as mundane as a bullet. 'Some Mystic man he turned out to be.â€
Nearly cowering in fear, the four presented the stolen goods right in center of the camp, propping up the corpse against the stone well. “B-but, we took him out... N-no one was a-around that could r-rat us out,†the shooter attempted to defend his actions earlier ago. The feeling of adrenaline surged throughout his body in worry of his own hide after sniping away that of another.
“Do... You... Think... They... Won't... Notice?â€
Heavy feet plodded closer to the statue of a man, frozen in fear of the giant whose gazed fixated itself straight down his way. The terrorizing visage brought forward a meaty hand to hoist the man up by scruff of his uniform, shoes danging above the dry ground that might very well soon be soaked in blood. “People... Will... Notice HIM missing,†a deep growl resonated from the leader's titanium jaw, leaving no time for the underling's retort as he was flung harshly into a tree. The sound of branches and bones cracking hopefully would be the only signs left for the man if he were to join the Jentil in death today.
“... Leave him be and just clear the corpse of valuables,†the massive figure ordered the rest, watching them scramble hurriedly to do as he demanded.
Besides the stained suit, there were some trinkets of interests still intact on Drausus's remains. A coin pouch full to the brim in gold, records of important contacts and meetings the Jentil had planned for the month jolted down in a nifty 'smart-phone' like device, as well a hidden locket stashed away in one of his pockets.
“... Huh, what kind of gibberish is this?†one of the looters whispered, holding up the aforementioned time-keeper as the rest divided up extra goods for later. “Kinda fits his theme as a 'Jentil-man' I guess...â€
Quietly lifting it closer for further examination, the dull sheen of the locket from the cast off light of the campfire showed nothing discernible for the man. They all here knew of Common and a few other tongues, but nothing of Basque. “This could fetch a pretty penny on the black market-OUCH!â€
He instinctively dropped the strange object upon trying to open it open. The yell alarmed the bandits, wondering if this idiot might draw out someone to spot them in the aftermath of murder-Yet all such notion vanished when they witnessed the locket roar in a radiant wave of cascading energy.
“WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?!â€
All except for the strongest and weakest among them in panic rushed back several feet. Few understood the mechanics to magic, a field of trickery the rather ignore whenever possible. Tonight, however, would not be that night. The locket rushed in a blitz to the forgotten corpse, diffusing the intensity of its power straight through to the core: breathing in the hidden flame of life back into it once more.
The leader struck into action first before them all, revealing an opening in his metallic palm charging a bolt of plasma. “Idiots! Take him down now,†he shouted in frustration at the pathetic formation of a band he had on hand. A fiery round shot out towards the revived target, forcing the bandits to rearm themselves in preparation for who knows what lay in store for them.
Last edited by Jent on Sun Jul 24, 2016 11:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
The Final Hour Looms Near
Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night
The inhuman figure struggled against the first volley of bombardment, scorched flesh and bullet wounds painted him thoroughly. Encircled from all corners left Drausus only the choice to dodge while coming to terms with how he ended up center of attention by a band of thieves. Only his grip on life's thread by the constant pulse of rejuvenating energy kept him from knocking at the doors of death. The Jentil had to draw a better hand to deal with the cards at play.
He skewed the spatial frame in his next stride, deftly evading a fired round as it grazed hurriedly along the comically flattened body. Sticking to the defensive with internal Distortion wouldn't work in these intersecting streams of bullets, already having to resort to formulating scars to keep in what blood pressure left in the tank. The Jentil cursed mentally to himself as his dark orbs for eyes burned bright with powerful light.
---
Drausus panted heavily, bodies rendered unconscious by him laid on the ground suffering from the blows dealt in the quarter hour of conflict. The numbers mattered little to him when staring at the final bandit showing hardly a few signs of exhaustion. It didn't bode well for the Jentil if things kept going like this...
“Drawing out your last breaths?â€Â
The cyborg took a calculated step forward. He utilized a deceptive play in the early turns of combat, only to ramp up his true potential hidden beneath layers of man and machine. Plasma-charged legs matching the strained immortal's own agility, internal nanobots self-repairing bruised tissues readily upon release, and that monstrous flexibility of neurons meshed with circuity allowed the beast to maneuver away from whatever Drausus threw in his direction. For a mortal, the guy stood prepared for the worst in Pax.
“... Surprised you lasted this far,†the Distortionist gave off wryly smile in exchange. Ignoring the fact the cyborg got the drop on him more than few times already, even a fair fight it would still prove to be a challenge regardless. “Guess we can't call this a draw?â€Â
“'Afraid not.â€Â
He continued to run outcomes in the mental working at the back of his mind, nothing delivering high promise of escape since a metal rod laid plunged from one side of the skull out the other. A gasp of alert to his allies bore pointless in midst of this death-match. Delegating too many resources away from his opponent would only render the Jentil back into a corpse shortly afterwards. Not a pleasant night out in the woods, to be frank.
All the while pair talked to themselves in secret, the grim crimson eye analyzed ahead its next move. Energy reverses dipped below half their tank's worth in the heat of the trading blows. The cybernetic man planned what he imagined to be the final strike necessary as his hulking frame surged with fury. Hand out-stretched, the daring clutch wrenched off an arm poised to block his charge. The brief expansion of said limb withered back to its original size when thrown to the side like meaningless garbage.
Pain... Excruciating pain traded off as the disarmed Jentil stumbled weakly to scar over the brandished area of a stump. Certainly not helpful by depleting more of the dwindling blood supply left intact in his body.
“What sort of man are you? … Defying reality even when he knows that his fate is about to come to an end...â€Â
Drausus gazed slowly up to meet the stern eyes of his probable executioner. The physical provisions of the body were severely drained, running on just fumes with consciousness struggling to keep awake in the tired brain. He began to relent to the call of fatigue, propped up by single knee struck on the ground. “... I know what I am,†he muttered as the cyborg, bearing a wide smile of victory walked up in front of him. Sweat glistened off the exposed sides of skin against his body in anticipation for defeat.
Not bothering to let the fallen finish their dying words, the mechanical brute hung high a club in above himself, plowing its full force in a downward arc to shatter the crown of the would-be-immortal... Only to be greeted by a sudden palm staving off the end as it endured the stress of the attack. Bewildered, the cyborg felt the unnatural strength shove aside the arm. “Witchcraft,†he growled in frustration, face seething with steam as Drausus stood upright to face the mortal. The darkness seated in the newfound glare broke out with a bright flare cast out from a single eye.
“Jentil.â€Â
The immortal rammed the regenerated fist into the dead center of the robotic hybrid's glowing core. A whirl of sparks and crackles roared in protest to the projectile maiming numerous delicate wiring nestled in the cyborg. Not even the marvelous nanobots could repair 'Dumpty' back together again.
A violent explosion of guts and gears spewed out of the humanoid bomb. Years upon years of studying human physiology made Drausus a deadly match for anyone living off such 'blueprints' if he gave it his all. The sheer over-kill took the last reserves of spiritual might lingering in the the Jentil. Without much of a pause, he staggered over to a nearby tree, careful not to bang around the metal rod he sported through his head.
“... Eleven-o-one... Sorry Stacy, gonna get home late...â€Â
The inhuman figure struggled against the first volley of bombardment, scorched flesh and bullet wounds painted him thoroughly. Encircled from all corners left Drausus only the choice to dodge while coming to terms with how he ended up center of attention by a band of thieves. Only his grip on life's thread by the constant pulse of rejuvenating energy kept him from knocking at the doors of death. The Jentil had to draw a better hand to deal with the cards at play.
He skewed the spatial frame in his next stride, deftly evading a fired round as it grazed hurriedly along the comically flattened body. Sticking to the defensive with internal Distortion wouldn't work in these intersecting streams of bullets, already having to resort to formulating scars to keep in what blood pressure left in the tank. The Jentil cursed mentally to himself as his dark orbs for eyes burned bright with powerful light.
---
Drausus panted heavily, bodies rendered unconscious by him laid on the ground suffering from the blows dealt in the quarter hour of conflict. The numbers mattered little to him when staring at the final bandit showing hardly a few signs of exhaustion. It didn't bode well for the Jentil if things kept going like this...
“Drawing out your last breaths?â€Â
The cyborg took a calculated step forward. He utilized a deceptive play in the early turns of combat, only to ramp up his true potential hidden beneath layers of man and machine. Plasma-charged legs matching the strained immortal's own agility, internal nanobots self-repairing bruised tissues readily upon release, and that monstrous flexibility of neurons meshed with circuity allowed the beast to maneuver away from whatever Drausus threw in his direction. For a mortal, the guy stood prepared for the worst in Pax.
“... Surprised you lasted this far,†the Distortionist gave off wryly smile in exchange. Ignoring the fact the cyborg got the drop on him more than few times already, even a fair fight it would still prove to be a challenge regardless. “Guess we can't call this a draw?â€Â
“'Afraid not.â€Â
He continued to run outcomes in the mental working at the back of his mind, nothing delivering high promise of escape since a metal rod laid plunged from one side of the skull out the other. A gasp of alert to his allies bore pointless in midst of this death-match. Delegating too many resources away from his opponent would only render the Jentil back into a corpse shortly afterwards. Not a pleasant night out in the woods, to be frank.
All the while pair talked to themselves in secret, the grim crimson eye analyzed ahead its next move. Energy reverses dipped below half their tank's worth in the heat of the trading blows. The cybernetic man planned what he imagined to be the final strike necessary as his hulking frame surged with fury. Hand out-stretched, the daring clutch wrenched off an arm poised to block his charge. The brief expansion of said limb withered back to its original size when thrown to the side like meaningless garbage.
Pain... Excruciating pain traded off as the disarmed Jentil stumbled weakly to scar over the brandished area of a stump. Certainly not helpful by depleting more of the dwindling blood supply left intact in his body.
“What sort of man are you? … Defying reality even when he knows that his fate is about to come to an end...â€Â
Drausus gazed slowly up to meet the stern eyes of his probable executioner. The physical provisions of the body were severely drained, running on just fumes with consciousness struggling to keep awake in the tired brain. He began to relent to the call of fatigue, propped up by single knee struck on the ground. “... I know what I am,†he muttered as the cyborg, bearing a wide smile of victory walked up in front of him. Sweat glistened off the exposed sides of skin against his body in anticipation for defeat.
Not bothering to let the fallen finish their dying words, the mechanical brute hung high a club in above himself, plowing its full force in a downward arc to shatter the crown of the would-be-immortal... Only to be greeted by a sudden palm staving off the end as it endured the stress of the attack. Bewildered, the cyborg felt the unnatural strength shove aside the arm. “Witchcraft,†he growled in frustration, face seething with steam as Drausus stood upright to face the mortal. The darkness seated in the newfound glare broke out with a bright flare cast out from a single eye.
“Jentil.â€Â
The immortal rammed the regenerated fist into the dead center of the robotic hybrid's glowing core. A whirl of sparks and crackles roared in protest to the projectile maiming numerous delicate wiring nestled in the cyborg. Not even the marvelous nanobots could repair 'Dumpty' back together again.
A violent explosion of guts and gears spewed out of the humanoid bomb. Years upon years of studying human physiology made Drausus a deadly match for anyone living off such 'blueprints' if he gave it his all. The sheer over-kill took the last reserves of spiritual might lingering in the the Jentil. Without much of a pause, he staggered over to a nearby tree, careful not to bang around the metal rod he sported through his head.
“... Eleven-o-one... Sorry Stacy, gonna get home late...â€Â
-
Swix
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The Final Hour Looms Near
Having sensed a disturbance in the life energies around here, a life of a particular person she considered a friend had faded... and then come back. The founder of the Dragon Knights had left her Tower in Dragon form with great haste, flapping over to the scene as quickly as she could, just barely missing the fight.
Rather than skim too close to the treetops in her large golden Dragon form, the Knight changed forms into her human one above the trees and landed on the ground from a great height.
"What the..." she said as she looked around, before spotting the injured Jentil by the tree "Drausus! What happened-are you alright-oh" she held her hands over her mouth at seeing the rod through his head "By Ouroborous... Do you need any help?"
Rather than skim too close to the treetops in her large golden Dragon form, the Knight changed forms into her human one above the trees and landed on the ground from a great height.
"What the..." she said as she looked around, before spotting the injured Jentil by the tree "Drausus! What happened-are you alright-oh" she held her hands over her mouth at seeing the rod through his head "By Ouroborous... Do you need any help?"
Last edited by Swix on Sat Jul 30, 2016 1:43 am, edited 1 time in total.
The Final Hour Looms Near
Drausus struggled with keeping his sight aligned, feeling himself go cross-eyed in the disoriented state. "Bit... Of a brawl," he wheezed out in response to the worried Dragon Knight. The aches and pains radiating through his battered body branded the Jentil with limited mobility. However, he rather try to do whatever possible first, considering the delicate procedure already running along step-by-step in his brain.
"Just... Let me... Take care of this..."
Ever so slowly, he drew both hands at either side of the metal rod protruding outwards. Last thing Drausus needed would be accidentally bumping one end and further risking an aneurysm bursting from the unwanted pressure. Fortunately, the Distortionist quietly clipped away the excess metal off from the central shaft, allowing his skin to stretch over to seal the iron-filled gashes for now.
"Just... Let me... Take care of this..."
Ever so slowly, he drew both hands at either side of the metal rod protruding outwards. Last thing Drausus needed would be accidentally bumping one end and further risking an aneurysm bursting from the unwanted pressure. Fortunately, the Distortionist quietly clipped away the excess metal off from the central shaft, allowing his skin to stretch over to seal the iron-filled gashes for now.
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Swix
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The Final Hour Looms Near
The Dragon Knight smiled uncertainly at this. At least Drausus was alive somehow. "... Some brawl" she said, indicating the carnage with a wide sweep of her arms "A pretty serious one, having to leave so many dead to defend ones own life. Do you need any help at all? Anything at all. You helped me so much before"
The Final Hour Looms Near
"... A hand getting up be nice..."
*The Jentil coughed out specks of blood, stubbornly coaxing himself into stand until a thought broke to the surface. Bodies? Only person Drausus knew he dealt killing happened to be that Cyborg. The rest of the bandits should be unconscious...
"Mina... The rest shouldn't be dead," he spoke in a coarse voice, sensing ten humans around him left in a vegetative state.
*The Jentil coughed out specks of blood, stubbornly coaxing himself into stand until a thought broke to the surface. Bodies? Only person Drausus knew he dealt killing happened to be that Cyborg. The rest of the bandits should be unconscious...
"Mina... The rest shouldn't be dead," he spoke in a coarse voice, sensing ten humans around him left in a vegetative state.
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Swix
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Level 18
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The Final Hour Looms Near
"Oh. Right, of course" the Dragon Knight responded, offering her hand to grasp the Jentils and help him stand. Mina frowned a little at the second comment, focussing her senses more. Just the raw abilities she wielded were showing her no souls stood over the bodies, like they had left in death, or... no, wandered off. But... A small unfurling of the wall around her own telepathic skill explained what had happened to their minds, and a focussing of the taught skills revealed life there..
"You're right, still alive bar one. My worry must have clouded my senses for a moment" she would allow Drausus to use her strong shoulders as suplort, if need be.
"You're right, still alive bar one. My worry must have clouded my senses for a moment" she would allow Drausus to use her strong shoulders as suplort, if need be.
Last edited by Swix on Sat Jul 30, 2016 7:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
The Final Hour Looms Near
Drausus gratefully took the Dragon Knight's assistance, resting some of his weight against her while trying to process the confusing details of the aftermath. The lone thief still stuck in a tree from an engagement he had no part in showed lack of sentience as well. Clearly there appeared to be some factor in play, given his self-resistant for the normal humans in the fight, and the Jentil intended on finding out the cause of this situation.
"Likely... Could you bring one of them over here? I want to check something."
"Likely... Could you bring one of them over here? I want to check something."
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Swix
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The Final Hour Looms Near
"I can... though perhaps better to bring us to them" she affirmed, the Knight then ever so steadily moving the pair of them towards the nearest vegetative body. At least this way she didn't have to worry about him potentially collapsing when she was retrieving one of these for him.
Mina bent down as far as she dared, and with the other arm hoisted the bandit up for the Jentils examination. "Here you go"
Mina bent down as far as she dared, and with the other arm hoisted the bandit up for the Jentils examination. "Here you go"
The Final Hour Looms Near
"Right," the Jentil understood, carried along to the near-corpse laying flat on the earth. Drausus weakly extended out a palm to rest softly on the bandit's forehead, his sense of Distortion peering through the body in the examination. First conjecture would lead the immortal to believe there had to be higher concentrations of foreign elements if the reason came about from the Cyborg implanting a suicidal chip in each one of them. That be what he expect from someone as ruthless as that brute.
No... It can't be that...
Frowning, there appeared to be same ratio of natural occurring elements in the human's brain, though not that alone perplex him. Complete fusion by presumably from hyper division of the glial cells rendered the frontal lobes beyond salvageable. Drausus couldn't discern any prior wiring patterns due to the hay-wire destruction, only knowing it had to be human in origin earlier given the surrounding neural tissue. Yet, the hidden damage also took out most of another region in the brain. The limbic system suffered from much of the same issues like the frontal lobes, barely enough of the tissue remaining intact to keep the homeostasis functioning.
"... The frontal lobes are completely destroyed... As well most of the limbic system," he explained briefly to the Dragon Knight, pointing a finger towards a piece of mechanized debris on the ground. "... Can't detect... Any likely interference from the deceased Cyborg..."
No... It can't be that...
Frowning, there appeared to be same ratio of natural occurring elements in the human's brain, though not that alone perplex him. Complete fusion by presumably from hyper division of the glial cells rendered the frontal lobes beyond salvageable. Drausus couldn't discern any prior wiring patterns due to the hay-wire destruction, only knowing it had to be human in origin earlier given the surrounding neural tissue. Yet, the hidden damage also took out most of another region in the brain. The limbic system suffered from much of the same issues like the frontal lobes, barely enough of the tissue remaining intact to keep the homeostasis functioning.
"... The frontal lobes are completely destroyed... As well most of the limbic system," he explained briefly to the Dragon Knight, pointing a finger towards a piece of mechanized debris on the ground. "... Can't detect... Any likely interference from the deceased Cyborg..."
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Swix
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The Final Hour Looms Near
'I really need to go study more about the biology of the physical humanoid brain...' *Mina lamented to herself in her own mind, the terminology somewhat confusing for the Dragon Knight. She recognised just enough to know it was the brains that were abnormal.
"If the cyborg can't have caused this, do you have any idea what might have? Seems odd for their souls to have gone away from their bodies like that..."
"If the cyborg can't have caused this, do you have any idea what might have? Seems odd for their souls to have gone away from their bodies like that..."
The Final Hour Looms Near
"... I'm not sure... My mind is still jostled from the brawl earlier..."
Drausus casually looked around the trees that surrounded the pair, not picking up anyone else in the grove. "... Even the bandit stuck up in that tree, who was too incapacitated to fight, also lacks their soul... Heh, I think Pax is getting to me..."
He exhaled slowly, neurons working around the ferrous rod lodged inside to process what might be going on. Souls snatched from humans after the group of them were defeated? Sounds something like master manipulator would pull off from behind the scenes. "... Mina... Can you sense any trails from theirs souls?"
Drausus casually looked around the trees that surrounded the pair, not picking up anyone else in the grove. "... Even the bandit stuck up in that tree, who was too incapacitated to fight, also lacks their soul... Heh, I think Pax is getting to me..."
He exhaled slowly, neurons working around the ferrous rod lodged inside to process what might be going on. Souls snatched from humans after the group of them were defeated? Sounds something like master manipulator would pull off from behind the scenes. "... Mina... Can you sense any trails from theirs souls?"
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Swix
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The Final Hour Looms Near
"Yes, I can. I'm a little... rusty with the technique though, only recently had the ability unveiled. Seem to be going... that way" The Dragon Knight pointed after the pause to sharpen her senses. "Do you want to go after them in this condition?" She sounded concerned.
Last edited by Swix on Mon Aug 08, 2016 9:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.