[Nexus] Outside XXVI

[Lost_Deep]

Devan Mountain

Thankfully, the weather stays clear. Given his natural abilities, he should be able to get to the top sooner or later... But some of the ways are treacherous, and even a skilled mountaineer would have a degree of trouble.

Of course, if Fade can fly that shouldn't be too much of a problem. He could just soar straight to the top.

One way or the other, as he (eventually) approaches the summit, there will be four individuals there. They are talking, discussing something...

[Zefir]

Devan Mountain

Fade can't really fly. But he has a giant shadow that could help him. He will just go to the persons there.

"Hello there I search something maybe you can help me."

[Lost_Deep]

Devan Mountain

This particular choice of action may be re-thought when Fade sees that the figures are, in fact, trolls.

...That is not very informative, is it? There are so many trolls across the universes, that the word "troll" is really next to no help. Some places, Trolls are kinds of fairies, others, they are giants, or weird toad things, or a profession...

The figures are, in fact, Homestuck Trolls.

((Not any of those individuals, but the same race. Spoiler alert! If you have not read the story, I would recommend you do so. I can wait as long as you need to take.))

In addition, they are talking as he walks up. They are all wearing cold-weather clothes.

"Are you Sure this is Stardust?"

"ArE yOU lOOkIng At It? EvEn If It's nOt quItE whAt wE wAnt, wE cAn sEll It fOr a prEttY pEnnY."

"I f-f-f-feel p-p-power..."

"we do NOT have any amount of time to WASTE. we need to do this NOW before we start LOSING digits."

[Murkus]

[Town]

Once they get into the room Sakura turns to face Adir, her worry much more clear on her face now. "I don't like this, Adir. I'm scared. We should leave. I can still walk for a while, and we can always take a break once we're away fro here."

"What, you wanna go walk in the dark? What if there're really monsters around here?" Adir says, visibly creeped out himself.

[Gullara]

[Town]

"I-" Sakura breaks off. She bites her lip, trying to think of what they should do. "We can't just stay here though. Can we? What if they do something when we sleep? Or what if they won't let us leave in the morning or something? We can't be away from home for too long tomorrow. I need to get back to Sarget."

[Rebonack]

The gloomy darkness is pervaded by a mapley, bacony stench as they plunge deep into the blackness of the spooooooky woods. It's not rough going, and they don't encounter any major impediments before they see the looming black square shape of a hut amongst the trees. The sun has fully set, though. Good thing it's a bright, starry night out, with a full moon hanging high.

Full moon...

Bit by a moose...

Amil briefly considers the possibility that they're about to be attacked by a weremoose, but she quickly dismisses that idea. It's just far too silly to be a legitimate concern.

Because the Nexus is never silly, right?

Right?

Amil points at the squat hut with one of her non-weaponized hands!

"That must be the place. We just hand of the medicine and then our job's done. I'm sure nothing surprising or dangerous will happen to interrupt us."

To the hut!

[Lex-Kat]

[Caravan]

"More xp." They've hardly gotten any! Those bowbolds were way below the groups level.

Of course, this is one of Vincent's primary driving points in life, so I wouldn't concern myself with it.

Caroline smiles to the Caravan Master. Don't worry about it. That's just one of those things I find adorable about him. She smiles back at Vincent, giving him a wink.

[Lost_Deep]

Spooky Forest

"Yeah, right."

Sober Darst does not talk much. Nor does he expect for this to be easy. He fully expects to have to break some bones and lacerate some muscles before the night is done. Of course, he has this expectation most of the time.

He's paranoid that way.

[Murkus]

[Town]

"I-" Sakura breaks off. She bites her lip, trying to think of what they should do. "We can't just stay here though. Can we? What if they do something when we sleep? Or what if they won't let us leave in the morning or something? We can't be away from home for too long tomorrow. I need to get back to Sarget."

"Well, how long do you have? Before we need to get back to Sarget, I mean?" Adir asks, glancing at the door worriedly. His voice lowers. "Well, I brought my gun. We'd probably be okay just leaving..."

[Shadowcaller]

"Okay, this is just starting to get trippy. I feel like I'm back in college." The Neon Knight checks his armor over. Hopefully, it would be alright. Then he stands for a moment, pondering the eights. "Hey, can you understand me?"

[Home on the range]

There isn't a reply, at least not at once.

Instead it would seem as if Sam along with the rest of the world is starting to fall into tiny pieces, tiny eights. Daniel can feel the ground grow weak underneath him as the grass and the very earth start to crawl with the eights.

He notices how the sky itself start to fall apart as more and more of it is taken up by eights.

Suddenly he will feel the ground, now eights, crumble underneath his weight as he falls into a world, a whole reality of eights where he soon can feel his own body being converted into them...

He wakes up yet again, but this time he's in a old looking room. There is a made bed, a closet, a calender hanging on the wall showing it's august as well as a bench with a radio playing eight days a week.

There is a singular window letting in an almost lime light.

"You aren't afraid." Comes a voice from nowhere. It sounds quite annoyed, not much more then a hiss. "Why not?"

[Gullara]

[Town]

"I'd probably be fine until later tomorrow morning." Sakura says, following his gaze to the door. "I don't know, Adir. I just want to get out of here." The mention of his gun only makes her more worried.

[Murkus]

Town

"Then let's go. They might still be eating." Adir says, starting for the door. He peeks out briefly, glancing down the stairs. "All clear." The stag offers his hand to Sakura before starting down the way they came. Seems he needs no more convincing.

[Gullara]

[Town]

Sakura takes his hand, her grip on it very tight. She stays very quiet and close to Adir. She doesn't want to alert them that they're going through.

[Murkus]

Town

With that, the pair slips out the door, Adir making sure to close it quietly. Of course, he manages not to notice the small shape slipping out after them moments later. I doubt Sakura will either.

Provided Sakura has no issues, they'll likely make it through the night without any issue. No monsters, the way they're going. At least, none they can see.

[Gullara]

[Town]

If Adir doesn't notice Sakura sure doesn't he's the one that can see well at night and has much better senses overall after all. She keeps his hand in hers at all times. It'd be too easy to lose him in the darkness. "Let's slow down a bit." The dryad suggests, panting with the exertion. She glances back the way they came.

[ThirdEmperor]

River

Jasper and Legion should appear here, standing about knee-deep at the edge of the stream. It's pretty darn deep, about ten feet at the center, less so by the riverbank, but the current is about as strong as molasses in January. Jasper, upon realizing he's teleported them both into the rather cold water, yelps and jumps back onto the shore.

[The Bushranger]

[Caravan]

Spoiler

Show

"Mare Infinitum. Specifically, one of the platforms, where we can get a ship and escorts."

[Caravan]

"Aren't we your escorts?"

[Caravan]

"Normally, yes. But unless you can fend off a Lamp Mouth Leviathan..."

[Caravan]



I think I'd rather not try. Caroline says, not stopping the Caravan.

[Caravan]

"They're fairly nasty, yes."

Presumably, since no-one was stopping the caravan, they arrive at Mare Infinitum.

They're on a platform, something like an oil rig with places to live on it instead of machinery.

In all directions, there is deep purple water surrounding it. Above, there are three moons.

"Weirdest caravan I've ever escorted..." Vincent says.

Also, the only one, but what can you do?

"What did you expect when the person hiring you looked like a winged naga, and told you you were going to be doing interdimensional travel?"

The caravan, probably, is moving toward an area of the platform where they can hire a ship and escorts.

[Caravan]

"More xp." They've hardly gotten any! Those bowbolds were way below the groups level.

Of course, this is one of Vincent's primary driving points in life, so I wouldn't concern myself with it.

[Caravan]


Caroline smiles to the Caravan Master. Don't worry about it. That's just one of those things I find adorable about him. She smiles back at Vincent, giving him a wink.

Jamie giggles at noticing the wink. "So far it's been pretty nice as far as I'm concerned," she says, looking around the platform with interest.

[bladescape]

EtherAin Estate

Jakob won't follow the servant just yet, "I suspect if they are as beautiful as the rest of your homestead that you will have a hard time convincing the men to leave the barracks and fight!"

Now Jakob takes his leave, laughing uproarously as he follows the servant out.

Lord EtherAin just looks bemused as the man is led out, turning to the other members of the room just before the mercenary disappears down the hall.

(You mind overly much if I leave it sort of hanging there while I work out the other Mercenaries? You could take him to the quarters, which are just the similar white rooms that I think I've already described.)

[BladeofObliviom]

The hallways inside the house look like a bonus to security, considering they twisted and twirled around each other. The fortress was almost like a maze on the inside.

After a little while of walking, the steward brings the tactician into a rugged rock room, with a map of the nearby Outside on the table, enchanted to have figures and landmarks almost pop out of the map. The Thicker Built Elf standing in the center of the Elvish generals appears to be the Lord, His eyes quickly rising to the new entrants.

"Ah. This must be the Tactician that Reserus found. Welcome to FeyClaw House, Strategist." The Elf seems to be sizing Jacques up.

The map shows that the forces themselves seem to be tipped in your opponents favour, as well as that the other Estate is situated on the higher ground, and will have a better chance at seeing approaching squads.

(Any further tactical information will be supplied upon request.)

FeyClaw Manor

Jacques nods, offering a respectful bow.

Lord FeyClaw, I presume? I am Jacques Dreyfus, and it is excellent to make your acquaintance.

If Lord FeyClaw is looking closely, he'll note that Jacques is about 5 and a half feet or about 1.66 Meters in height. He's fairly thin, though not unhealthily so, and has a slightly jaded look to him. He has the occasional scar here and there, hinting that he's seen battle before.

He's wearing full combat paraphernalia, with an Automatic Rifle, a Semiautomatic Combat Shotgun, a Revolver, and a belt of Grenades. He's also wearing Combat Armor, which is a dark blue in color and is composed of hundreds of thin resin layers with steel plates over vital areas for additional support. He looks like he could take a few bullets without slowing down.

[ThirdEmperor]

Hamlet

Fade does indeed manage to rend the gate, pulling it right off it's hinges, but not without making a dreadful amount of noise. People begin to poke their heads out of windows, doors begin to open, the sound of someone racking a shotgun can even be heard.

[Murkus]

Lost

The way they came is almost completely invisible in this darkness. Not even the lights from the town are visible.

Beyond the sound of their own panting, strange things echo through the forest. A great pallid thing flutters across the path about ten feet ahead, moaning to the sky. Mocking birdcalls or deep wails echo through the black expanse, and unseen things walk amongst the trees. Their footsteps grow louder and louder, then pass on.

Adir slows to nearly a standstill, trying to hold Sakura with both arms. "You feeling okay?" His eyes drift to the forest around them, skittish and hesitant.

River

Legion gives a start at the sudden rush of cold, but doesn't hop out. She adjust her footing, squelching the riverbed with her toes, breathing deeply. The Lady shivers, crouching to wash her face a little. "Good spot, Jasper." She hears him splashing out and turns to smirk at him. "What, too cold?"

[Gullara]

[Lost]

Sakura clutches Adir close, a part of her wishing they'd stayed back at the town. Her senses strain to detect something, but everything she can see and hear only frightens her further. She never would have thought she could be so afraid in a forest.

The dryad jumps at yet another haunting bird call, one hand twisting Adir's shirt in her balled fist. "I'm scared, Adir. Tell me we're going to get away from here soon. Please."

[ThirdEmperor]

River

"No, just... Wasn't expecting that." Jasper says, laughing a little as he sits down on the shore, feet still in the water, watching Legion. "I was sorta meaning to teleport us to beside the river, not into it." His teleportation has a pretty wide margin of error if he's trying to teleport very far, or isn't entirely familiar with where he's going. He's actually teleported into a wall a couple times, but with his other powers it was easy to get out. Not something he'd want to repeat though.

[Murkus]

Lost

It's not just the sounds, but the smells. There's a chemical in the air, some hateful fume that teases the senses and poisons the mind. If it doesn't smell like a forest, sound like a forest, or look like a forest...

As for the calls, they don't sound like any bird Sakura will be familiar with. Any bird at all.

Adir holds Sakura more tightly, for her and himself, looking around at the trees a little wildly. "Sakura, just relax, okay? As long as we stay on the path, we'll be fine..."

They've been walking in a straight line since leaving town.

That path had an awful lot of twists and turns.

To their right, orange orbs flicker on in the dark, each the size of a basketball, their glow sudden and harsh. Like floodlights dangling in space.

River

"Not so good at this, are you?" Legion says flatly, standing and turning sideways, running the water through her hair before wringing it out. Droplets of water trail down her sides. The Lady's a vision of beauty, and she very well seems to know it. She turns her head, and her eyes fall to Jasper again. "Well? Getting in? You said it's not too cold..."

[ThirdEmperor]

River

"Well, I did teleport us about fifty miles in the blink of an eye." Jasper says, sticking his tongue out childishly, before wading back into the river towards Legion. "You look like a regular siren, you know that? If there were any ships about, they'd be crashing into the rocks about now."

[Gullara]

[Lost]

Sakura nods slowly, almost letting Adir reassure her. Almost. "Everything is just so wrong. It-" Sakura breaks off, grinding to a halt when the lights suddenly appear. She looks at them, wide eyed and fearful.

[Zefir]

Hamlet

Fade does indeed manage to rend the gate, pulling it right off it's hinges, but not without making a dreadful amount of noise. People begin to poke their heads out of windows, doors begin to open, the sound of someone racking a shotgun can even be heard.

Hamlet

"Well not like I imagined it to go, but since there was a grenade, I assume the guards already know that we are coming."

Fade will then go and step inside, his shadow switching to a more fitting shape.

[Murkus]

River

"Fifty miles? Wow." Legion can't help but be impressed. "I gotta wonder where you're keeping that coin."

The Lady smirks a little, clearly pleased with Jasper's assessment. She brushes her hair down with her hands, letting it fall around her face. Legion's been letting it get pretty long lately, even down past her shoulders. "That sounded like a compliment. I thought sirens had to sing, too."

Lost

The lights start to move, rearing up to touch the sky, rolling toward the pair like a force rather than some great and terrible creature.

It's passing makes no sound, and shatters no tree. In fact, there don't see to be any trees to shatter anymore.

Adir freezes like a deer in the headlights, unsurprisingly. Oh dear.

[Gullara]

[Lost]

The lights are coming right at them. Why isn't Adir moving? "Adir." She sounds scared. The lights are getting closer. Sakura pushes the stag, trying to get him to move out of the light's path. "Adir!"

[Slii Arhem]

EtherAin Estate

Jakob gets settled in his quarters and waits for the servant to depart. After he's gone, the giant's form begins to melt sublimating skin and muscle away until he's no larger than a teenage boy. He now stands at 5'6", and has a well groomed head of short black hair. Unless the manor is shielded against teleportation, a pair of knives and a set of six footlong spikes shimmer into being on the ground in front of him. Even if he doesn't have his new weapons, he'll still lay down on the now more appropriately sized bed and begin to hibernate until he's needed. Unless his door is opened, he won't wake for anything short of a full scale attack.