[Nexus] Outside XXIX

[Slii Arhem]

Spooky Forest

"You sure? You took a pretty hard hit from the weredoor. If whatever we run into next goes after you first, it could really hurt!" Logic! Also irrelevant. Misha knows exactly why he's offering to go ahead.

"So, should I bother putting on the skirt? I think the shirt is a goner." Poor shirt, you served your mistress well at your thankless task.

[Rebonack]

[Spooky Forest ==> Aldercreek]

"Oh no, no. I'm sure I'll be just fine. Archon Vitas is protecting me. I'm sure he knows what he's doing," Fredrick laughs nerviously as he pushes his way through the underbrush back toward the village. "When we return I'll gather some actual clothing for you. None of these silly leaves. I'm sure everyone in the village will be relieved that you helped slay the weredeor and a respectable set of clothes will be the least we can give you in thanks."

But no sacrifices.

They won't be giving her any sacrifices.

Especially not virgin sacrifices.

They just don't roll that way.

"So I... umm... I couldn't help but notice that you're made of... water? Is that normal for your people? And besides that, where do your people even come from?"

[Slii Arhem]

Spooky Forest -> Aldercreek

Oh, she doesn't want the vigrins themselves, she just wants their virginity!

...

Misha has weird priorities these days.

"Well, alright, so long as the cloths aren't too stuffy. I hate being too warm." Being warm is uncomfortable. Misha can't imagine anyone who'd prefer it to the cool comfort of liquidity.

"I don't really have people, but being made of water is normal for nereids. We're water that learned to think, and shape ourselves, and take human form if we want. Most of us are kind of lazy, so we sleep a lot, which is why you've probably never met one before!" Or if he had, he wouldn't have been able to tell it apart from normal water.

[Rebonack]

[Aldercreek]

Unless it was trying to drown him.

Then Fredrick probably would have noticed. Normally water doesn't come leaping up out of a pool and ram itself down one's throat.

The barrel-maker's apprentice considers what 'stuffy' might mean. He would imagine that it's probably synonymous with 'virtually non-existent' given the way Misha was dressed to begin with. He's not sure how successful he'll be at finding something like that, but it's the least he can do.

Y'know.

For the good of the other villagers.

"I've heard of Infernals taking over a pool of water or a well or a pond before. But I don't think they can make the pool like like a person," the youth reasons. "And Priest John would have been able to tell if you were an Infernal..."

Seems he's still trying to puzzle Misha into the cosmology he's accustomed to. Which is a pretty reasonable course of action, all things considered.

"And there are some kinds of Celestials that don't wear any clothes... But it sounds like you aren't that either. You're just... water."

Sort of like how humans are 'just meat'.

"I haven't ever heard of anything like that being in The Book before. You're a real puzzle, lady Misha. But regardless of what you are I'm grateful that you helped our village by slaying the weredeor."

Oh hey look! The outskirts of the village!

There are a bunch of children waiting to see if the heroes would return. And now they're giggling about how very naked Misha is.

[Slii Arhem]

Spooky Forest

Misha shakes her head, "Infernals and Celestials are completely different. Nereids are fey, like other nature spirits. There are some places with no fey at all, and some places where all the fey hide from people, so maybe this is one of those places?" Makes sense to her.

And then, Misha is struck by the giggling of children, her only weakness! Well not really, but it doesn't hurt to pretend. The nereid puts a hand to her forehead and collapses backwards into a puddle with a splash, as if struck dead.

Then she reforms, as if nothing had happened, and continues on with following Fredrick. Theatrics can't get in the way of her meeting with the priest again.

[Rebonack]

[Not Spooky Forest, This is Aldercreek!]

The children gasp and laugh at the water-antics. They haven't ever been told to watch out for living puddles of water before so this strikes them as kind of strange and neat rather than horrifying.

Fredrick pulls one of the kids aside, "Annie? This is Misha. She helped to slay the weredeor, but her clothing was all ripped up."

"Oh no! Is she okay?" the snooty-nosed little girl asks, eyes wide with wonder.

"Yes, she's fine," Fredrick replies. "But she needs some new clothes. Go tell your mommy, okay?"

The little girl nods and runs off!

Hopefully this shouldn't take too long.

[Slii Arhem]

Aldercreek (Spoooky!)

"I'll just stand around here then? Nothing else you guys need dead, right?" This is interesting, sure, but Misha is starting to bore of the sleepy little town where everyone thinks she's something different than she is. The weredoor was a nice momentary diversion, sure, but she just wishes people didn't react so obviously to her.

[Rebonack]

[Aldercreek]

"Well... Not that I can think of right away at least..." Fredrick admits whilst still practicing the art of talking to someone without looking at them. It isn't too terribly long before the little girl's mother returns with sufficiently loose attire!

She gives Misha a rather disapproving look before handing the clothing over and heading off.

"I don't think we can thank you enough for helping us out here. It was probably only a matter of time before that monster started stealing people instead of just sheep," Fredrick says. "I'm sure Priest John will want to thank you personally-"

Suddenly Priest!

Woah!

When did he show up?

"Indeed I shall," says the nice man with the big glowing halo. "You have done a great service to the people under my care. To that end I should like to offer a service gift at your request, given that it is within my power to grant it."

He then gives a rather knowing smile.

"I can not, however, grant you what you were contemplating when last we met."

Aaww... No virginity sacrifices...

[Slii Arhem]

Aldercreek

Well of course he can't, Misha hadn't thought of it until she was well into the forest.

Silly priest.

"Hm, right. Well, I don't really know if I want anything other than that. Are you sure I can't just have one? Not even Freddy?" It's only fair that Freddy gets something too, after all. He helped kill the monster, kind of.

She doesn't bother putting the clothes on yet, wanting to savor the breeze on her skin while she can until someone asks her to. The clothes remain bundled in her arms.

[Rebonack]

[Aldercreek]

At this the Priest chuckles. "It would be up to Fredrick whether or not he chooses to accept such an offer."

Fredrick just blinks, glancing back and forth between the two in a rather confused fashion. He's pretty sure he's missing something here. And he has an inkling of what it might be...

Making a barrel for Misha.

Obviously.

Because that's what he does.

He makes barrels.

Though he honestly isn't sure what the water elemental would need one for. Maybe to sleep in?

[Slii Arhem]

Aldercreek

Oh no, that's not what she meant at all.

Misha turns to Fredrick, and tries to step into his line of sight. You can't avoid looking at her forever Freddy!

"What do you say, do you want me to tear your clothes off in some dark alley and ravish you until your entire world is full of endless pleasure?" Suddenly that husky, promising tone in her voice is a lot more appropriate, as is the smouldering look in her half-lidded eyes, and the come-hither look that slips over her face.

Geeze, where did she learn to be so sultry? She's certainly never shown this side of herself before.

[Rebonack]

[Aldercreek]

Fredrick suddenly feels kind of funny. Like all the blood is rushing out of his head and leaving him somewhat tipsy. His eyes begin wandering to places that he knows they probably shouldn't and he hears himself saying, "Okay, that sounds good," as if he were a distant observer rather the one talking.

Seductive presence vs post-puberty human male?

Hmm...

I wonder who's going to be the victor in that contest?

Should Misha take Freddy by the hand to lead him he'll follow her to wherever the aforementioned ravishing is going to be taking place.

Weird that the Priest isn't objecting to this...

[Slii Arhem]

Aldercreek

Misha shall lead the way, looking for some place nearby where she can be afforded a bit of privacy. For Freddy's sake, of course.

And then clothes ripping and curtain pulling will likely happen. Lets just hope Misha doesn't completely spoil him for all the frumpy, normal, non-fey enhanced women he's sure to meet after she leaves.

After the curtains are back up, another problem presents itself. What's Fredrick going to wear? Misha may have been a bit... enthusiastic about unclothing him.

[Rebonack]

[Aldercreek]

Not out in the open.

Somewhere discrete.

Like...

Ummm...

Over there! Behind those trees! Far enough away that curtaining noises wouldn't be too terribly obvious!

When all is said and done Fredrick's clothing looks like the remains of an exploded balloon. Or a rabbit that got itself nommed by a litter of hungry fox kits. Regardless of analogies his poor pants have been obliterated.

Which is too bad.

He really liked those pants.

So now here he is.

Exhausted. Pantsless. Bewildered and laying on a large patch of moss just inside the edge of the forest.

"That was... wow..." he comments dreamily.

[Slii Arhem]

Aldercreek

And here she is.

Satisfied, unclothed, covered in cooling sweat and most likely draped overtop of Fredrick as well, if he doesn't mind.

"It really was wow, wasn't it? I think that was a good reward for slaying the mighty beast, for both of us, right?" A scaled finger may just find itself trailing down Fredrick's chest teasingly. Misha isn't quite insatiable, but she's darn close.

[Rebonack]

[Aldercreek]

Thankfully she isn't totally insatiable.

Poor Freddy is only mortal after all. And of course he finds every touch from Misha absolutely electrifying. He's... pretty sure he isn't in love here, though. Just caving in to his desires. Which was a ton of fun!

But they aren't married. So...

Why one earth had the Priest been okay with this?

There's something vaguely troubling about the whole situation.

Though he can't put his finger on it...

"It wasn't what I was expecting at all. Though... I suppose maybe I should have as soon as I saw you on the road," Fredrick muses. The elemental certainly wasn't dressed like a nun, that's for sure.

[Slii Arhem]

Aldercreek

She wasn't dressed like anything anymore, and aimed to keep it that way. No matter what Cessie said, everything is like a hundred times better when you're naked.

"Maybe, but I wasn't really all that interested in you specifically back then. It took a while before I realized you were kind of swell, and pretty cute when you're flustered." Misha fails to mention that he's been almost constantly flustered since he realized she wasn't going to nom his soul. That part was obvious.

[Rebonack]

[Aldercreek]

That statement makes Fredrick flustered!

He blushes a bit, turning away slightly.

But at the same time... What is there to be ashamed about anyway?

If this was wrong then Priest John would have objected to it. Neither of them were married so no Law was being broken. And he's pretty sure a pool of water can't be pregnant, so that isn't potentially a problem either.

So... why is he feeling so awkward about this?

With that line of thought much of the awkwardness creeps away to bother someone else. Like, say, the people in the village who are aware that Freddy scored with that weird naked chick.

"Thank you. I... think. But what are you going to do now? Find more weredoors to drown to death?"

[Slii Arhem]

Aldercreek

Looks like they didn't choose a far enough away stand of trees. Or maybe people were just too nosy for their own good.

"I don't think so. I was just kind of wandering down the road, since the people up in the tower by my lake said there was a city this way, although it turned out to be less of a city, and more of a village, I think. I mean, cities are supposed to be huge, right? Maybe I'll just wander somewhere else now instead." That sounds kind of nice actually, travelling far away from her pond and seeing what all has changed since her last nap. It's as good a plan as anything else.

[Rebonack]

[Aldercreek]

Fredrick wrinkles his nose a little.

"Tower? I don't know of any tower around here. You must have come from a really long ways away..."

Unless someone built a tower in the last year or so. That's... Well. That could have happened. Lord Archibald doesn't get along very well with Lady Priscilla to the south. Maybe he had a watchtower built?

"The nearest city I know of is Strawsbarrow. I've been there a few times with my father to sell our barrels. It's a pretty big city. Probably the largest in the province?" he doesn't sound totally sure of that though. "I... umm..."

He smiles a sheepish smile and reaches out tentatively to stroke Misha.

"If I could get permission from my father, maybe I could show you the way there?"

Ha!

Now he's getting adventurous!

[Slii Arhem]

Aldercreek

Misha leans into the touch, pleased that Fredrick is getting the hang of intimacy.

She considers his offer, but after a while shakes her head with a small frown, "I think I'll start with somewhere else. Now that I've been here, another city doesn't sound all that interesting. I'll just go off in a random direction and find something fun, like usual." Normally that would be a horrible idea, but this is the Nexus.

"So, looks like this is goodbye. I might come back later, if I don't take another nap first, okay?" If she does take a nap, he'll probably be long dead before she wakes up again. That tends to happen to normal people she meets.

The ones she doesn't kill herself.

[Rebonack]

[Aldercreek]

Maybe the oddest thing about this whole encounter is the fact that Fredrick's performance was not what would be expected from a novice. It all seems strangely familiar and natural to him. Though given that he has nothing to compare the experience to this doesn't strike him as odd.

Oh well.

Fredrick looks a little disappointed that Misha is going to strike out on her own. But... that probably shouldn't have surprised him at all. She doesn't seem to like being tied down by anything. Whether that be clothing or people.

"Alright, well. I wish you well in your travels. May the Emperor be with you. Not that the blessing of a barrel-maker's apprentice is good for much of anything," well that isn't a very positive attitude!

...

"I don't have any pants. How am I supposed to go back into town?"

[Slii Arhem]

Aldercreek

"Just wear those clothes the lady gave me. I won't need them." Misha cares not that they're made for a womanly form, since she knows about enough about clothes to fill a thimble.

Literally, if she took that part of her brain out and turned it to water, that's how much it'd be.

"I'm gonna go then, bye Freddy, I hope you stay awesome!" And with that cheerful thought, Misha collapses into cool water, while still on top of Fredrick of course. Time to slither away to parts unknown!

Hopefully he won't be too mad at him for the little prank.

[Rebonack]

[Aldercreek]

Ohgeezecoldwater!

Well.

Fredrick is certainly awake now.

With Misha gone he decies to... just... sorta wrap the dress around himself and head back into the village. He knows people are going to be talking about this forever but for some reason he just doesn't seem to care one bit!

...his back itches a little though. Must have been laying on something pointy. Ah well.

As he nears the village Priest John meets him on the way, raps his staff once upon the ground, and spirits the both of them into the temple. Probably to save Fredrick the trouble of tromping through town with a dress wrapped around his loins.

[ThirdEmperor]

[Outside Trog's]

A yelp is heard as the base of the pick-axe strikes Grendar's furry muzzle. He turns his head to the side, two or three drops of blood hitting the snow, and lashes out blindly with his front claws, one after the other in rapid succession. Kale's right in front of him, isn't he? The inebriated elf shouldn't be too hard to catch with a good hard swing.

The snow begins to swirl faster. While the gnoll can still see Kale and vice versa, the rest of the battlefield becomes screened. Well... there goes his plan of casting two of them at each other to knock them out. New plan: smash with claws.

Kale's not hard to hit at all. Sleet's healing spell might have lessened the worst effects of his inebriation, but even so Kale's hardly some dodgy ninja speedster. In fact, he subscribes more to the bar brawling school of martial combat, which pretty much boils down to suppressing any self-preserving instinct with copious amounts of cheap booze and slugging away till you or your opponent can't stand anymore.

Which is just a rather longwinded way of saying that, yes, he does most definitely does get caught by the gnoll's flailings, the first assault gouging painfully but mostly harmlessly across the back of his arms and the second set of claws managing to find purchase on the miner's face, sinking into vulnerable flesh and tearing.

The elven miner outright screams in pain, but this time there's no retreat from him, just a grimace of agony and rage formed with ruined lips and another furious swing of the pick, from overhead downwards towards Grendar's chest, as though the gnoll before him was just another inanimate lump of earth slated for destruction.

Drychalk

"Nope." The smirk can almost be heard in the necromancer's words, even if any physical expression is entirely concealed by the opaque plastic shield that covers his face, the hazardously suited man snapping the locker shut and taking a seat upon it. "Fore I, hhsh, bring ya into the operation proper, I need ta get a few things, hh, straight. How much do ya know about, hhh, ectothermic dynamics? Cause I ain't wasting' my time explainin' **** 'less I know it ain't all gunna go right over you're pretty little head."

[orb_of_blood]

[Outside Trog's]

Talnissa & co

Spoiler

Show

The lizardwoman tosses up her hands in a universal 'I surrender' gesture. If you're looking for a plan than look to ssomeone intelligent. The mage. Oh wait, she gestures to the dead girl who's blood is staining the snow a deep red, she'ss dead.

Wow, bitter.

Is she not even slightly concerned that she's talking to a cloud of steam?

Eh, she's seen a lot of weird things in the Pits. Wouldn't be surprised if this didn't even make her top ten.

She walks over and helps up a fellow slave, a young Elven woman wielding a scimitar across her back and an expression of fear in her eyes. But brushing down the frightened young lady and assuring her she'll live through this, it's all just something to buy her a little time as she thinks.

There really aren't a whole lot of options actually. If you can dissrupt hiss sspell fasst enough... we should all be alright... maybe.

That's it? That's your plan?

Brilliant. But taking into account that she's scared out of her mind and trying not to show it, that someone's trying to kill her and that she's rebelling against the masters who've threatened this action with death for many years... well, then maybe you have to give her credit for being brave enough to give up her cover after all.

------
AM4:

Spoiler

Show

That is definitely the sickening crack of the gnoll's skull as AM4 scores a hit between it's eyes. The poor thing is almost pathetic the way it writhes and gasps, not quite bleeding, but definitely dieing from that huge dent. A steady whimper as it twitches, fading to quiet as it stills.

The other gnoll attacking AM4 has lost the chance to retreat, and views it's only hope as a solid punch aimed for the robot's center as it tries to knock it away so that he can escape. His partner, who had been standing behind the robot not moments before has already deserted him, fleeing into the snow, fearing a violent death for an amount of money that is a lot until you compare it with the value of your own life.

-----
((Again, all actions on Marty are attempted.))

Marty:

Spoiler

Show

Drift continues to drag Marty through the blizzard. Several times he stops, sighs, looks at the blonde half-elf.

Should he?

He didn't like the thought of betraying them. Especially Sleet.

He liked the thought of having his ears cut off even less.

He drags the half-elf right the way back until...

What have we here?

One of the ones who caused this mess, Master.

Kordak reaches down and brushes the hair from Marty's face. So it is... tie him up, we'll make an example of him.

Marty will wake to find himself trussed up rather thoroughly, with his legs and knees tied back to a rope around his neck, so that he's curled outwards in a completely vulnerable position. Standing around him, completely ignoring him, is Kordak, one other Greater gnoll, and a few lesser gnoll guards. And Drift.

------

Crazy elf and giant gnoll:

Spoiler

Show

Blood has seeped into Grendar's right eye from a cut across his temple. Through his red blurred vision he makes out the shape of the miner stumble a little and he guffawed as his claws bit into the elf's skin. Really, he'd have to be a fool not to expect retribution.

But hey, that's Grendar. Who knows what the gnoll had been thinking. Perhaps he decided that Kale would recognize when to back down? Or that maybe his claws had done more damage than that? Or maybe he was just so proud that he believed nothing could hurt him.

Whatever train of thought the gnoll had going on in that underdeveloped brain of his, he completely misses the latest swing, which hits his large furry chest, somewhat to the right as his head would have been in the way otherwise.

Which happens to be right where he'd been hit earlier with the phaser blast.

A giant cut over a huge burn?

...ouch...

Yeah, the only sound audible over the entire battlefield is an insanely loud wail of agony from the idiot gnoll as several of his ribs are cracked from the sheer impact, and the axe tears a deep gash in his flesh over the burn as he rips back and away from the miner, howling.

But that's not the end of Grendar. It's a horrible wound, and the miner probably received a nice big spurt of warm blood in his face after the attack, but he's still on his feet. Er... paws.

Well... there's no cleric. Unless he can get Sleet back. Which means that the only way he can survive is to find her in the snow. He backs away from the dangerous elf, ears back and a warning snarl painted on his face, before turning and trying to get the hell away from the insane creature, leaving an almost solid red line on the ground from his wound.

-----

Wolf vs. Gnoll:

Spoiler

Show

"DAMN IT!" Chez roars, being torn apart by the other Two Hyenids. Out of Ammo with only one Firearm left, the Wolf is in a Pretty *****y Situation, especially considering the only weapon that's fully loaded is his Assault Rifle, which was much to long to be effective in Close Quarters. His back is completely flayed, and he's lost so much flesh you can actually see the wolf's bloody spinal cord.

The Beast growls, coughing blood.

The Wolf tries to Pry the closest Gnoll off of him with his bloody left arm, aching with bodily injury. If he succeeds, he'll start pounding on the Hyena's snout with his right paw, balled up in a fist.

"DIE, YOU ****!" He roars, trying to pummel the Hyenid's snout and send it's bone fragments into it's Brain.

If he succeed's with this, he'll triumphantly roar "YOU'RE TERMINATED, ******!"

Chez pushes, so the gnolls push back. There may be a major difference in size between the two species, but there are also twice as many gnolls.

The one Chez has hoisted off it's feet dies rather quickly from the sheer force of the punches thrown. The others still believe they can bring down the wolf however. Just look at all the damage they've done already!

Seeing as his back is flayed, that's where all the gnolls have begun aiming for, tearing at him with their huge teeth. Only two of the critters left now...

[Hattish Thing]

Gnoll Cave of Dooooom

Well, Marty is dragged there easily. But now his large chest wound is bleeding out on the floor. His left leg is burned up beyond recognition. No boot, just a disgusting mix of melted flesh and leather. His foot's toes are burned and long gone. There's nothing there but a lump. It's frightening...now he's merely surviving by determination. His white shirt is ripped where that viscous whip tore his flesh near to the bone in one area. He looks bad. He turns to Drift in a fever of death, "H-help... M-me...l-l-leave....L-let me.....m-me....g-go.... He's tired up now.

[Terumitsu]

[North Forest]

The pixie cowers for a moment longer, but then it becomes evident that the demon dog isn't going to eat her. Well... what now? She flits up above the tree branch she'd been sitting on and sits on it, swinging her legs back and forth. "Can you talk?" She asks.

((For reference, more complete pixie information here.))

Riss shrank away somewhat from the pixie's inquiry. Not quite recoiling nor exactly jumping on the defensive but her body language would definitely speak of discomfort. All things considered, her normal response wouldn't be nearly this pronounced but the muse wasn't feeling very 'open' at the moment either. "...Yes." the muse said as she ineffectually brushed at a few scarlet strands of hair that seemed intent on getting in her eyes. And this is the part where I should say something but inevitably choke at the last moment and just mumble out something stupid. Hell, why even bother at this point? I'm just gonna do the same thing as I do every time so why not just quit while I'm ahead? the muse let out a heavy sigh and lightly tugged at Imp's chain, trying to pull her away from the base of the tree.

"Um...Sorry." she half-whispered as she began trying to lead the hellspawn away from the tiny winged humanoid. Success in this venture was rather limited, however.

[Gullara]

[North Forest]

The pixie glances down nervously at the infernal hound. He's scary. =x But she can fly! That's gotta count for something. Just as long as he can't jump very high...

The pixie launches herself from her branch and shoots forward to hover in front of Riss. She doesn't get too too close, and is sure to stay well above Imp. "Who're you anyway? This isn't a very safe place to walk, you know?" There are deranged pixies for one, apparently.

[Ashen Lilies]

Cole looks at his bare feet, standing in snow. His skin did look pale, as if frostbite was setting in, but there was no numbness or pain. It felt perfectly natural to be standing barefoot in the snow.

"I don't know. I think I should be dead," Cole says. He remembers now what the crash before had driven from his thoughts - that he had collapsed in the snow, with the blizzard still raging. Mori had whimpered and tried to get him to his feet again, but when he didn't, she'd curled up with him. Cole had clung to her and apologized for leading them to their deaths.

Then there was blankness. And then morning. "Maybe we are dead. Are you angels?" He realizes how stupid that idea is. "No, angels wouldn't have destroyed so many trees. by crashing into them."

[Cylon Crash site]

This worries the Cylon. He's no expert in human physiology, but he's pretty sure that that's a sign of hypothermia. Or something. The Cylon thinks that Discovery or Fixer probably know more about it, if Discovery weren't busy and Fixer actually cared about humans.
"Every action has a space within God's plan. Even the such seemingly senseless destruction as this."
Yes, discuss religion. You're so much better at that.
"For now, I think it's best to decide where you are to go next. I am sure there is space among us to provide you with temporary shelter from the cold, however we are not equipped to provide for your long term needs. Is there a nearby settlement?" He asks.