[Nexus] Outside XXVII

[Murkus]

Temple of Dalechrech - Percival

Percival seems mildly surprised. Mildly amused, too. The demonazi decides to play along, curious about Eericka. "And just what did you do?"

[The Alexandrian]

[Temple of Dalachrech - Percival]

This is a mean-spirited trick Percival is playing on Eericka! I don't think that his actions will be much appreciated by Eericka, not that it matters all that much.

Eericka bites her lip as her troubled gaze drifts to rest on the cold floor once again.

"He was just in so much pain. Nobody could ever link me with it. Killing another isn't always such a bad thing."

"If the action I took was wrong, I'm still not sorry, though I do apologize that you are forced to serve such an awful being."

Eericka is wringing her hands and speaking in a soft whisper. She seems very small when she decides to be fearful of something that she trusts is truth.

[Murkus]

[Temple of Dalechrech - Percival]

"You don't have to explain yourself. I killed people for a living. I still do." Percival looms over Eericka, smiling mildly. Does she think he's serving her? What a strange thought. "Who was the man you killed?" Time for his tricks to get a little meaner.

[UncleWolf]

Spoiler

Show

Carl and Sunny's Honeymoon

The first night they didn't go far. It had been a long day after all, and the newlyweds hadn't yet had a chance to be along together for longer than a few minutes. Stheno, the sapient tech/magic hybrid motorcycle, drove them along the coast to a sheltered cove. It wouldn't normally be accessible by motorcycle, but Stheno simply shifted into panther form and leapt down the rocky cliff.

As if the lovers needed any more of an adrenaline rush.

The site had been already prepared with a tent set up and blankets laid out on the sand. Carl and Sunny tumbled off the bike laughing together, and Stheno quickly departed to give the lovers privacy and mark out a defensive perimeter.

There was no thought of taking the time for special lingerie or rose petals or any other of the trappings of romance. Starlight took the place of candles, and the crashing of waves was better than any music. There was love, urgent desire, and deep joy, and it was close to dawn before the couple began to think of sleep.

"I love being your wife," Sunny said sleepily.

"I love being your husband." Carl answered. "I'm glad you asked."

"I'm glad you said yes."

They slept most of the following day, and spent another night at the cove. When they were ready to move on, Stheno returned. They still had more to see together.

Carl and Sunny's Honeymoon

Several days after leaving Remnant, riding along the coast and forests, Sunny will feel that they're arriving at a familiar place, and when they get there, will see exactly why.

Hallowmere Lake.

It was the first place they had gone on a real date to. A picnic. The first place they'd went after she finally said that yes, she could call him her boyfriend. It was a place that neither of them would ever forget.
"Come on, I have something to show you, but you'll have to close your eyes."
Sunny smiles, completely trusting, and at his behest gets off Stheno and closes her eyes.

He leads her slowly on the familiar path, taking his time and keeping close to her warm body. After what seems like an eternity, he floats up behind her, wrapping his arms around her neck and plants a kiss on her neck. "Open your eyes." He whispers to his love.

When she does, she'll see that they're on a small island in the middle of the lake, in front of a small wooden cabin. The place is well built from fresh lumber and brick and connected to the land by a small bridge. The entrances of the house face East and West, allowing anyone who sits on the decks to watch the sunrise or sunset. There's a garage attached to it as well, just in case vehicles need to be brought in.

The most important detail however, is a small metal sign hanging under the mailbox near the front entrance. On it, a pair of names is etched in by ornate laserwork.

Sunny and Carl

Carl smiles at the sight and kisses her cheek gently. "It's ours. All of it." He tells her.

[bladescape]

EtherAin Manor

"Oh! This is your house? Does your mate live here?" Molodai looks around with fresh wonder, suddenly curious again. "Where do you keep your children?"

The girl laughs again, amused by the curious fey creature. She grew up in Fey-lands, and as such is probably used to similar creatures, although this one knows a lot less about her style of life than the ones from her home. "I am one of the children." She replies, her voice still reflecting her high humour.

EtherAin Manor

Quinn seems a little relieved at the thought of not attacking.

"I can probably make an illusion of the house being somewhere else, if that'll be helpful. I can also attempt to read the minds of our enemies, or set up a psychic wall of some sort.

"The illusion won't fool them for very long, but this 'psychic wall'. What does it do?"

[ZarethG]

EtherAin Manor

"Well; it's not so much a wall as a ward. I can make one that makes a loud noise when crossed, one that wakes up specific people when crossed, one that stuns for a few seconds, and, my personal favorite, one that creates the illusion that inside the barrier was an illusion, rendering it invisible and creating an illusion of it a few dozen yards away. They do take a while to construct, though.

[Lady Serpentine]

[FeyClaw Manor]

"If there's nothing else I should know at the moment, I believe that I would like to scout the area we will be attacking."

The Kzin will wait long enough for a response, and if there isn't one, turn and head out to his fighter.

[Zefir]

Devan Mountain

"I-i-i-i-it's a fake."

The blistering bombard of attacks comes to a screeching halt.

"I can feel him... there."

Wait, she has weird sensing senses?

Devan Mountain

Well fade has ended his preparations for now and prepares for the next round. he will still wait where he is, there may be a chance that they don't belive her and the illusion is still there.

On the other side don't forget that his shadow is watching them and Fade can see through his shadow so he knows when they come.

[Earl of Purple]

Hermitage of Dalachrech- Elezibethele

No, normal giant flies grow from them. It's the scavenging maggots that grow into killer flies. And burning rubbish results in less food for the creatures of Dalachrech.

"Excellent. Now, follow me. There's more for you to know." Elezibethele will turn and walk away, expecting to be followed without looking to make sure. She'll lead the slaves up a level, to the floor above the kitchen. It's a floor below the quarters of Elezibethele & Azurelle as well.

Hermitage of Dalachrech- Azurelle

Azurelle smiles cruelly and goes to lock the door of her bedroom, motioning for the triplets to follow her. "I'll show you. You two, stay there." That's the two slaves that didn't ask the question, and she points near the area where the door to the straw-filled room is. The third slave, she beckons over. "Get on the bed." She'll then try and pull the black curtain with the slave.

[Lost_Deep]

Devan Mountain

A slight pause.

the gloved female then throws herself into the cover, smashing the rock, trying to get to Fade by the most direct route. She's a bit to the left, but still a threat.

[Zefir]

Devan Mountain

The idea is still good, not common but good. It just got bad when the enemy knows what she is going to do. Fade prepares himself, the sword ready to slash her the moment she pops out, what he will try.

[Lost_Deep]

Devan Mountain

Slash!

Fade gets a mark on the troll as she comes through the rock. It's a pretty deep slash. She does not seem to care as much as she should. She proceeds to attempt to punch Fade on the face. With her spiked glove. Her friends seem to be trying to get into a better position...

[Zefir]

Devan Mountain

Well quiet not expected, but after all Fade knews who is coming and could imagine that she will try to do so. He didn't really expect that she survived this. She succceds hitting him in the face but und eer what price? Since she won't have a defence up Fade will try to hit her heart. She might know that the hit (for her strength) seem to have a lesser effect then imagined.

fades shadow in this time tries to get near the chakram thrower and the illusion runs after the energy bolt thrower.

[happyturtle]

Hallowmere Lake

Sunny is delighted, and, as often happens when her emotions are high, has a bout of aphasia.

She doesn't have any trouble letting Carl know how she feels though.

((It wasn't their first date - it was Valentine's day))

[Lost_Deep]

Devan Mountain

It is surprising that she survived. She is bleeding a lot of blue blood... especially when fade hits her in the heart.

She still does not die. She tries to swing at him, but it is much weaker. How is she still alive?

If Fade pulls the blade out, she will topple over the edge of the mountain.

The others are distracted by the illusion. The zapper tries to zap it. No one notices the shadow.

And, yes, Mr. Chakram has a shadow.

[The Alexandrian]

[Hermitage of Dalachrech - Elezibethele]

Spoiler

Show

Hermitage of Dalachrech- Elezibethele

No, normal giant flies grow from them. It's the scavenging maggots that grow into killer flies. And burning rubbish results in less food for the creatures of Dalachrech.

"Excellent. Now, follow me. There's more for you to know." Elezibethele will turn and walk away, expecting to be followed without looking to make sure. She'll lead the slaves up a level, to the floor above the kitchen. It's a floor below the quarters of Elezibethele & Azurelle as well.

Hermitage of Dalachrech- Azurelle

Azurelle smiles cruelly and goes to lock the door of her bedroom, motioning for the triplets to follow her. "I'll show you. You two, stay there." That's the two slaves that didn't ask the question, and she points near the area where the door to the straw-filled room is. The third slave, she beckons over. "Get on the bed." She'll then try and pull the black curtain with the slave.

The floor below the quarters of both Elezibethele and Azurelle. That sounds like an area where bad things would lurk, anxiously waiting to nab the first trespasser to appear who didn't have proper clearance to be on afore mentioned floor in the first place!

The slaves follow Elezibethele very closely. That is nothing less than the concepts of self-preservation being applied in their entirety.

-----
[Hermitage of Dalachrech - Azurelle]



Azurelle's action was expected by the girl, but unwelcome nonetheless. Two of the triplets remain where Azurelle left them, huddling in a corner for greater protection from whatever might thrive in this abhorrent environment. The other might be curtained against her will.

Where is Spartacus when the slaves truly have need of him?

-----
[Hermitage of Dalachrech - Percival]

Spoiler

Show

[Temple of Dalechrech - Percival]

"You don't have to explain yourself. I killed people for a living. I still do." Percival looms over Eericka, smiling mildly. Does she think he's serving her? What a strange thought. "Who was the man you killed?" Time for his tricks to get a little meaner.

Nope. Eericka is about as distant from being under the impression that Percival serves her as is mentally possible. She does believe that Percy is the thrall of some sort of devil, which indirectly denotes that she is also a servant of something far more evil than should ever exist. It is that which she apologizes for, not for some silly notion that her master is her slave.

Eericka's body grows quite rigid, and her tone gains a very intense, emotionless quality. It's like she is doing everything in her power to prevent herself from bursting out in tears.

Who could it be that was so important to Eericka? The person was so cherished by Eericka that Eericka would kill her out of her love, tossing aside all thoughts of her own health, safety, and quality of life in taking the life of another slave in a most underhanded, cunning manner.

"My brother."

[bladescape]

EtherAin Manor

"Well; it's not so much a wall as a ward. I can make one that makes a loud noise when crossed, one that wakes up specific people when crossed, one that stuns for a few seconds, and, my personal favorite, one that creates the illusion that inside the barrier was an illusion, rendering it invisible and creating an illusion of it a few dozen yards away. They do take a while to construct, though.

"Well, we already have warning and alertion barriers. Stunning wards would be appreciated, and your favourite."

[FeyClaw Manor]

"If there's nothing else I should know at the moment, I believe that I would like to scout the area we will be attacking."

The Kzin will wait long enough for a response, and if there isn't one, turn and head out to his fighter.

Lord FeyClaw nods dismissively. "When you get back the forces should be ready to attack."

[Lady Serpentine]

[FeyClaw Manor -> EtherAin Airspace]

In that case, Apprentice-Pilot will head out to his ship, unless stopped, and head for the other house's airspace, where he probably encounters Jakob, for their game of tree tennis.

[BladeofObliviom]

[FeyClaw Manor]

Jacques stands straight, offering a parting salute to the Kzin, before fishing something from his bag and tossing it toward Apprentice-Pilot.

"Take this. It's antimagic spray, used for bypassing wards and such. You can probably find a use for it."

[ZarethG]

Quinn nods at the lord and flies out to start casting the ward, which shouldn't take long--at most twenty minutes--unless stopped.

For future reference, this ward causes anyone of weaker mind that bears I'll will to the manor or any of its inhabitants to be completely stunned, unable to move for ten or so seconds. Those with stronger minds will only see a large flash and be stunned for a quarter secnod or so. Anyone passing through the ward is dizzied slightly for the next hour or two. This ward is weak, and a simple antimagic spell or anything that can hide from wards such as these can bypass it.

[Zefir]

Devan Mountain

It is surprising that she survived. She is bleeding a lot of blue blood... especially when fade hits her in the heart.

She still does not die. She tries to swing at him, but it is much weaker. How is she still alive?

If Fade pulls the blade out, she will topple over the edge of the mountain.

The others are distracted by the illusion. The zapper tries to zap it. No one notices the shadow.

And, yes, Mr. Chakram has a shadow.

Devan Mountain

Fade does indeed try to free his new blade from her. The last spell he used on himself is gone. It has saved him from most of the damage she caused but he still has scrape in the face... well the places visible. He tries to kick her off from his sword and if she looks right the wound of the chakram is healed. Strange isn't it? ((Indeed it's the blade, still the effect isn't strong enough to heal him full, but it stops bleeding.))

The shadow doesn’t need to find another shadow that’s a thing only necessary for the special sword he just needs to come close to him and in a moment of distraction will cast a spell that throws him into pillory for some time.

The illusion is hit by the energy bolt thrower. I don’t know how the energy bolts take effect, but the illusion will continue to reach him as long as the energy bolts don’t tear him apart.

[Lost_Deep]

Devan Mountain

One down, the fall will kill the gloved troll. Well, it will probably kill her. There's no way to guarantee it, but she was stabbed with a magic sword in the heart and fell off a mountain. That's pretty lethal.

The electric bolts were designed to cause internal electric burns, but when the illusion gets close enough the troll starts using his secondary fire. That's a constant stream of electricity specifically designed to paralyze. The girl with the lantern, however, is trying to dispel the illusion. With fire. I don't know how that works. Magic, presumably.

I'm not sure what you mean by 'pillory.' Wikipedia says it's a old fashioned whipping post, so I presume it is not a nice place. In any event, the spell should work.

[Lady Serpentine]

[FeyClaw Manor]

Jacques stands straight, offering a parting salute to the Kzin, before fishing something from his bag and tossing it toward Apprentice-Pilot.

"Take this. It's antimagic spray, used for bypassing wards and such. You can probably find a use for it."

"Most likely. Thank you."

With that, he starts to head out. He should arrive before Quinn finishes, so the ward will probably hit him in the air.

[Slii Arhem]

"Most likely. Thank you."

With that, he starts to head out. He should arrive before Quinn finishes, so the ward will probably hit him in the air.

EtherAin Manor

Oh boy... Well on top of any description bladescape can give you, Apprentice-Pilot should be able to see a massive pile of felled trees stacked high beside the wall of the Manor, with two more staked into the ground parallel to the wall so the pile doesn't avalanche downward. Jakob is standing atop the pile, the axe he was lent in one hand and one of the smaller trees resting comfortably in the other, looking for all the world like a short walking stick next to his massive form.

The axe... has seen better days. The blade is dull and chipped over almost its entire length, and the haft looks to have bent at an acute angle, only to have been bent roughly straight, giving it an odd zig-zag look.

Other than that, there should be a significant swath of cleared land around the Manor, exactly how much is to be determined by bladescape.

As soon as the ship is within his sights, Jakob lobs the tree in his hand up at it in an easy underhand toss. Because of the weight of the root ball, it spins vertically around that end, spiraling towards the ship in a shower of dirt and leaves.

It's fairly slow moving, as Jakob doesn't know whether this new person is friend or foe, but if not dodged it could do some serious damage.

Even as the tree leaves his hand he brings the axe down to lodge it in one of the stakes in front of him, before arming himself with two more of the smaller trees.

((And first serve, let the games begin.))

[Lady Serpentine]

[EtherAin Manor]

Apprentice-Pilot shifts left, grabbing the tree out of the air with the gravity planer.

He then hurls it back at Jakob, moving it at least half again as fast as it was before.

[Slii Arhem]

EtherAin Manor

Jakob grins darkly, well A.P. may not have been a foe before, but now...

He whips both his arms towards his chest, loosing his two trees in a tight horizontal arc that leaves them scything up towards the ship at nearly his full speed, at least four times as quick as his first throw was. He manages to pick up and hurl one more, this one overhand and slightly quicker, so that the three should all hit within a half second of one another from three converging angles.

While he's picking up the third tree, he hefts the axe in his other hand and swings it almost lazily up at the incoming projectile. His blow knocks it back towards the ship, although at significantly reduced velocities.

Then he rearms with new foliage and waits for the next volley. The entire incedent may have taken ten seconds, if that.

[Lady Serpentine]

[EtherAin Manor]

Apprentice-Pilot grins, and launches a wide, fanning spray of lasers at the third tree, while catching the others with the gravity planer, and orienting them so that the pointy ends face Jakob, and hurling them with somewhere near the same force that the giant did.

He also wonders about those two holding up the pile. Maybe if he could pull them out of the ground?

[Slii Arhem]

[EtherAin Manor]

Apprentice-Pilot grins, and launches a wide, fanning spray of lasers at the third tree, while catching the others with the gravity planer, and orienting them so that the pointy ends face Jakob, and hurling them with somewhere near the same force that the giant did.

He also wonders about those two holding up the pile. Maybe if he could pull them out of the ground?

EtherAin Manor

That depends on how strong the gravity planers are. I assume they measure their force in G's, so if they can reach a certain number of G's then perhaps he could, not that it would do much more than shake up Jakob's footing.

The smile on Jakob's face just gets wider and more maniacal as he sees the lasers. It seems he may consider this a worthy fight after all.

He'll hurl the two trees he's holding in the path of the two headed his way, roots first. They barely brush past the points of those A.P has thrown, knocking them off course so that they land away from the pile without affecting their flight plan any.

Two more immediately follow behind them, and another two after that, one underhand and another lobbed high so that it should land on top of the ship.

(Two to either side, one up high, one straight ahead.)

[Lady Serpentine]

[EtherAin Manor]

Apprentice-Pilot catches the one above him and holds it there, diving down, and, when he gets under the other three, forward.

The tree he caught, meanwhile, is being boosted to extraordinary heights, and manuevered so that it should be straight above Jakob.

[Slii Arhem]

[EtherAin Manor]

Apprentice-Pilot catches the one above him and holds it there, diving down, and, when he gets under the other three, forward.

The tree he caught, meanwhile, is being boosted to extraordinary heights, and manuevered so that it should be straight above Jakob.

EtherAin Manor

Jakob notices the tree hovering directly above him and tosses the next two one handed, correcting his aim so that they should be directly in the ship's path, rather than where he is at the time they're thrown.

Next he grabs one of the larger trees in his arsenal, this one the size of a large oak. This one he sends up with both hands, flinging it faster than a bullet directly between the first two. Finally he picks up his axe and waits for the bomb to drop.

(Three in a vertical spread, the one in the middle coming up fast and hot.)