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Post by Executus Gira on Jun 15, 2018 2:30:28 GMT
The shot fired into the night, and the bullet flew through Ayesa's small frame.
But, that was all it did. It flew through her, instead of punching through her flesh or even coming into contact with her. For but a moment, the fairy's giggling, snickering frame had become transparent, and the bullet had harmlessly passed through. Immediately, she became solid again.
"GEEEEZ, aren't you no fun." Aseya rolled her eyes. "You must be a real joykiller at parties..."
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Post by Stage on Jun 15, 2018 3:00:44 GMT
"Leave me, imp," growled Zander as he began reloading his pistol. It was unclear if it was in case of the wolves returning or another trick from the fairy. "You said you did not wish for trouble, and you lied. Sp be gone with you, deceiver."
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Post by Executus Gira on Jun 15, 2018 3:05:00 GMT
"It's not trouble!" Aseya finally managed to regain some control over herself, and wiped a tear out of her eye. "If you call a simple slip on the ice me wanting trouble, then dare I shudder to think what an actual offense to you would be. It's a harmless prank, a simple jest. A good time for me, and it should be for you... After all, what better way to alleviate the pain of the past, and the loss of everything you know and love, than with a little fun?"
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Post by Stage on Jun 15, 2018 3:21:27 GMT
Seeing that both his weaponry and pleads were useless on the little fiend, Zander tucked away his pistol and gripped Giruy's saddle. With a grunt, he pulled himself onto the powerfully built horse.
"Go torment someone else, dumuvuj," he spat at Aseya as he motioned for Giruy to continue down the road.
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Post by Executus Gira on Jun 15, 2018 3:38:44 GMT
Aseya rolled her eyes as Zander went to leave. "Fine. Go be stuck up and boring somewhere else. If humans aren't murderous savages, they're BORING murderous savages!"
She flew back, and faded from view. Zander, it seemed, was truly alone now...
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Post by Stage on Jun 18, 2018 19:59:47 GMT
After stopping briefly to collect the bodies of the wolves he had killed, Zander continued down the lonely forest road. Though he planned to clean his armor as he rode, it would be unwise to appear before the Eastern Watchers with no explanation for why he may still be smudged with or smell of blood, especially when he carried a brooch with the symbol of their northern counterpart. Besides, it would be cruel to let them die in vain. Perhaps they could offer a meal or hide. Hopefully both so as to avoid wastefulness. He only prayed there was no law against hunting on this territory. There was such a law in Alisdre, but it was leniently enforced. Firebird would claim it was enforced only when convenient for the throne, but she had grown more and more cynical since the displacement. The king and queen had seen it fit to send her away- not into exile, for she was too valuable, but to defend their territory from sea. He hoped the open ocean would clear her head. She was a good solider.
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Post by Executus Gira on Jun 18, 2018 20:07:34 GMT
As Zander and his ride vanished down the forest trail, the tiny frame of Aseya manifested once more, hanging far behind him and up in the trees. Like she would really just go away and leave such a rude, inconsiderate man alone. Wherever he was going, he was heading to with a purpose, and most likely, it would be a more interesting, lively place than this lonely forest.
She trailed after him, making sure to stay up in the leafs to remain out of sight and detection. Perhaps... she could find out more specifically where she was at, and how this world worked if she trailed him, wherever he was going. It was becoming impossible for her to hide just how lopsided her smile had become.
And possibly, she could get retribution for this jerk's overreaction to her harmless, jovial prank. A thousand plans rushed through her pinhead sized brain, yet a select few she picked out, and her grin only grew larger...
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Post by Orcus on his Throne on Jun 18, 2018 20:41:16 GMT
Several minutes passed in complete silence, save for the occasional tweeting of birds and the sound of wind rustling the leaves. Nothing but the steps of his horse's hooves and the stench of blood from the wolves accompanied Zander on his journey towards the eastern watchers.
But it was quickly becoming evident that he was, once again, not alone.
Not too far from his location, Zander could hear the sounds of something stomping through the underbrush. Something very, very big...
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Post by Stage on Jun 18, 2018 20:47:35 GMT
With a word, Zander commanded Giruy to stop. It would be easier to hear exactly where the thunderous footsteps were coming from without the horse's heavy hooves falling onto the road. As he listened, wondering what could be coming- his only guesses were a southern variant or relative to the czorol- he drew his pistol, holding it at the ready...
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Post by Orcus on his Throne on Jun 18, 2018 21:09:33 GMT
The footfalls grew ever closer, until after a few moments, they stopped. A feral growl resonated through the area near Zander, sounding akin to a mix between a large cat and a hissing snake. Hidden amongst the foliage, Zander could make out the shape of something large and red moving about. Thick scales seemed to adorn the shape's body as the heavy footfalls continued, seemingly circling around Zander now. In the darkness, Zander caught the glimpse of a vicious, orange-hued eye that glared at him with an intensity he could not hope to match...
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Post by Stage on Jun 18, 2018 22:12:24 GMT
Zander tracked the circling threat with his snaphaunce. When the glowing eye revealed itself, an evil lantern in the thick brush, he used it as his bullseye. He would not usually target the head of an animal, normally too small a target, but this creature appeared to be plenty large enough. Even if he did not hit it, he hoped the gunshot would scare it away. Calming Giruy with his other hand, trying to leave himself with the steadiest plot possible, he let out a slow breath and squeezed the trigger...
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Post by Orcus on his Throne on Jun 18, 2018 22:23:43 GMT
In a flash of heat and a sickening meaty thunk, the pistol struck true into the soft flesh of the crimson-hided beast's eye. A hideous bellow filled the night, sending plant matter and dirt blasting outwards towards Zander and Giruy like projectiles, before the crimson shape emerged from the shrubbery. The creature appeared akin to a great lizard, but nearly the length of four horses. Its body was adorned in rows of vicious spines, and its tail ended in a series of massive edged spines.
The creature howled in fury as it rushed recklessly towards Zander, jaws agape to grab both man and mount in a single swoop...
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Post by Stage on Jun 18, 2018 22:35:51 GMT
Though he was cowed by the size of the beast, larger than even the greatest carnivores he knew, Zander reacted quickly, giving Giruy's haunch a slap to send him barreling forward. The pale steed, who needed little encouragement to flee the jaws of the slobbering giant, pounced forward, clearing nearly twenty feet before any of his hooves hit the ground.
"Odto!" shouted Zander with his heart in his throat, nearly bounced from his saddle by the tremendous landing.
Giruy ran as hard as he could, and Zander turned his head to see if they were being pursued...
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Post by Orcus on his Throne on Jun 18, 2018 22:45:50 GMT
The jaws of the crimson titan snapped together with enough force to create a cracking sound that echoed through the silence of the forest. With another angry snarl and a jet of mist from its nostrils, the massive reptilian quickly resumed giving chase. Though it was slower than Giruy in its chase, its strides were significantly longer, allowing the behemoth to keep pace with the nimble steed of the Paleback.
Eyes glowing with a mixture of desperate hunger and unbridled fury, the creature lashed out with another bite, this time aiming for Giruy's haunch in an attempt to cripple it...
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Post by Stage on Jun 18, 2018 23:02:09 GMT
Zander barked a curse as the creature lunged. They had the head start, but its reach was too great. He did not think its bite would fully connect, but Giruy would not be unscathed either.
Determined not to allow the beast to harm his steed unchallenged, the Pale reached for his second firearm: a blunderbuss.
The sharp teeth of the scarlet giant plunged down into Giruy's backside. Though the bite was shallow and quickly lost, its lower jaw hardly even scrapping the horse, Giruy screamed. The already furious pace of the pale stallion picked up, blood flying from its lacerated rump as a fine mist. They began to inch away from their pursuer. While they were still in close quarters though, Zander lowered his blunderbuss towards the bloodied jaws of the beast.
"Dlye Giruy."
The paleback pulled the trigger and blasted the crimson reptile with the powerful, short-range weapon..!
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Post by Orcus on his Throne on Jun 18, 2018 23:11:05 GMT
The creature, in a dazed drunk-like state at the sight of further blood, lunged toward the steed once more, jaws agape to bite down on its quarry.
Big mistake on the beast's part.
The creature's maw was suddenly blasted with shrapnel and black powder, causing a cascade of blood to spill across the ground - its own blood. The creature stumbled from the blast and the pain, losing its footing before flipping over onto its back. As the creature's own mass worked against it, the titan's spiny thagomizer spun about wildly, very narrowly avoiding decapitating the Paleback in the process.
As Zander sped off into the night, he could see the predator get back up onto its feet and glare at him angrily in the distance. With a final, defeated bellow, the crimson terror limped back into the underbrush to live another day...
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Post by Executus Gira on Jun 18, 2018 23:18:42 GMT
Watching the entire time from the trees, Aseya couldn't help but be impressed with what she had seen. This man's weapon, this hand held device he had... it had soundly held off a draconic creature.
She had been wise to make herself intangible to the rounds the man had shot. They were far more dangerous than a bow and arrow. If she had let it hit her... she would have still been feeling the pain days after reviving.
But, now she was very, VERY interested. What else did this man have up his sleeves? What other unique aspects did he have that the humans of her time and place lacked? There had been the suit designed for her to use... but where that was, she had no idea.
For now, it would be best for her to slowly follow after Zander, and see what other oddities the man had...
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Post by Stage on Jun 18, 2018 23:47:07 GMT
Though his pained wheezing made the Pale's heart pang, Zander had Giruy pound on, and he planned to continue doing so until he was sure the giant predator had been left far behind.
Once the Lexian was comfortable with the distance between it and them, he would stop and clean his wounds, though not without caution.
This forest had proven in just a few minutes to be full of treachery.
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Post by Orcus on his Throne on Jun 19, 2018 0:00:49 GMT
The wound on Giruy's haunch was quite deep, and it was visible that the bleeding was quite profuse. Blood dripped down the length of Giruy's leg and did not show any signs of stopping any time soon. Thankfully it seemed as though the reptilian beast's presence had frightened off possible enemies, as the forest had well and truly fallen completely silent. Not even birds were chirping anymore.
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Post by Stage on Jun 20, 2018 22:33:33 GMT
Bringing Giruy to a stop, an easy task considering the stallion's pain and exhaustion, Zander slid off the saddle and examined his wounds.
"Ye prusha prushchinoye," he whispered mournfully. "I am sorry. This will hurt."
Keeping the pale steed as calm as he could, stroking and patting his haunch gently, Zander began cleaning the wounds with his water flagon. Giruy whinnied and kicked, but did not flee, enduring the discomfort.
"Khurushoy mel'chok," Zander said proudly. He continued to douse the terrible lacerations. Czorols were known to carry disease in their mouths. He worked under the assumption the scarlet giant was the same.
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