Author: Dala, Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2019 6:43 PM, Post Subject: Letters During War [Event][O][R]

Dala listened to Lucina but didn't say anything. Though she didn't know about his theft after she left, the girl could piece together that he had been an asshole after she left. It didn't surprise her. Most people would try to comfort Lucina or tell her that it isn't all that bad but…he WAS an asshole. He did terrible things! They had every right to hate that man after what he did. Nobody had the right to say calm down or to try to stop them from being angry. The captain started to approach them and started complaining about the lost prisoner and the lost chest.

Dala suddenly remembered the whole reason why she had come to the camp in the first place. She pulled out a couple of letters and began handing them out to the people that they were labeled to. Soon she had only two letters left. One of the letters was going to a man that had received a fatal injury upon his chest from the claws of one of the monsters towards the beginning of the battle. She realized that the man was going to be unable to read the letter, she reached into her bag and pulled out a potion. It was one of the greater heal potions that she had earned a long time ago. Dala had been saving it for when she needed it but. The child looked towards the man and let out a small sigh. 

"Fuck it." She said as she took out the bottle cork. 

Dala pushed her way through a couple of other soldiers who were trying to help him. Then the child began pouring the health potion into the soldier's mouth. He started drinking it and his injury began to slowly close up, though it remained as this was only a greater health potion. But the injury was no longer lethal and more like a somewhat medium sized cut. The child didn't even wait for a thank you, instead she pushed the letter into his hand before standing up to leave. 

"W-wait! You saved my life. I have to repay you!" The soldier insisted. 

Dala waited for a moment and turned to the soldier. 

"Then do your best and get back home alive. I'd hate for my efforts to be wasted." She said. 

The little girl turned back and headed towards Lucina and the others. There was one letter left to give but she wanted to make sure that this was the right time to give it. Suddenly, Lucina was about to leave but then turned back to Dala, offering her a present along with asking for her name. 

"My name is Dala Asher Nesca!" Dala said with pride, "As for clothes…"

Her eyes suddenly lit up with delight as she had come up with something. She lowered herself to her knees before Lucina and clasped her hands together. There was one thing that she had always wanted ever since she had gotten free…

"I wish for a fluffy pink princess dress!" Dala exclaimed with sheer childish excitement, "Please please please please please please please can I have one?!"

Though she had pride, she wasn't against lowering herself for something that she really wanted. 

Author: 00Anima, Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2019 4:56 PM, Post Subject: Letters During War [Event][O][R]

Dala approached in that somber atmosphere, equally curious and cautious toward the summoner she once knew. In her timid attempt at empathy, she offered assistance to that formerly peppy individual, yet was turned away with little more than a gentle smile and explanation.

“You’re sweet, but I don’t think that any potion can help me.” Lucina sighed while lowering herself in the air, for once hovering mere inches from the ground. There, she addressed Dala directly. “It’s just that… people don’t make sense to me sometimes. That man had so many opportunities to turn his life around in such a short span of time, but he was incapable of seeing them let alone taking them. All he saw was the silver in front of him, not the person it belonged to nor the hand stretched out to help. Others who held no obligation toward his life saved him. Not just once, either. Thrice; and he still repaid them by stealing from them! It’s just… disappointing how little things have changed since this blindfold went on. People still exhibit such cruelty; and it makes me despair that I'll never see the sun again.”

No one in camp knew about the theft just then, so Lucy’s mentioning of it to Dala probably confused her. However, it was not long after that that a soldier called out from the captain’s tent with just that news.

“Captain! Our war chest is gone and so is the prisoner!” Understandably, the captain mentioned became visibly irritated once he heard of Xurelius’ escape.


“What?! That damn- Where did he go?! Find him!” He stomped toward his tent to take stock of the damage, but Lucina’s voice stopped him before he could reach the blood spattered tarp.

“You won’t find him, captain,” she told him. “He’s already lugged his prize to a tributary west of here. He’s gone.” Sure enough, the sounds of the thief wading through water were ringing clearly in the genie’s ears right then. Yet she did not seem the slightest bit interested in tracking them down: a fact that did not escape nor please the captain in front of her.

“Oh, and how do you know that? Better yet, what are you suggesting? That we just let him go?” He turned around from the tent, scowling so deep as to accentuate the already deep wrinkles in his face. Apparently, he had forgotten all about the reapers, and had chosen anger instead of fear in Lucy’s presence. She, however, did not respond in kind.

“I heard him leave after the little one killed the chomper impersonating his guard,” she began, “But I didn’t stop him because I thought it was more important to save this camp and the people in it rather than go after a single thief. Now, though? The monsters are gone, and I know giving him anymore chances to redeem himself will amount to nothing more than suffering for others. All I can ask is that you wish for your funds back so that he will not be rewarded for the harm he has caused today.”

Ridiculous, or so the captain thought. “You want me to wish for the war chest back,” he scoffed? “What? Is a genie supposed to suddenly plop down from the sky and say ‘Wish granted! Job done!’?” And yet what choice did he have? His soldiers couldn’t abandon the camp to go looking for a thief so soon after a Twisted attack. He was stuck there, and pretty much the only way he was going to get those war funds back other than a desperate scouting party attempt was to hope for a genie. So he made his wish, though not without a fair bit of reluctance. “Can’t believe I’m entertaining this, but I wish that I had that goddamn war chest back and that the thief who stole it got what he deserved.”

Maybe he expected a flash of light after that, or perhaps he expected nothing at all. What he did not expect, however, was for the chest he so desperately desired to suddenly reappear in front of him after a brief snap from the floating woman beyond.

“What the-” He was flabbergasted, unable to form a full sentence before immediately diving to the item. There he remained, taking stock of the silver whilst Minerva explained what had happened to his kneeling personage.  

“M’lady is no ordinary woman,” she began, “as you have no doubt guessed. She is part djinn; and, with that lineage, comes the ability to grant wishes.” The dragon secretary adjusted her glasses just then, and wrote the contents of the captain’s wish down inside of an immaculate journal. Meanwhile, she confirmed with Lucy exactly what had happened to the former thief so that she could fully document what had happened.  “All of your silver, as well as your chest, has been returned to you. The thief himself has also been dealt with, I presume?”

Knowing the drill by now, my daughter assented. She kept her explanation brief and listened to the strokes of Minerva’s quill.

“Yes. He was swallowed by the river to be transported elsewhere, far away from here. Whether or not he survives is up to him, but he will definitely not profit from his deed’s today.” Forsooth, the strange river behavior that Xurelius had encountered upon leaving the camp was not a natural phenomenon. It was the captain’s anger given physical form by a wish; and the reason the chest had seemingly disappeared into the depths was because it had been whisked away in the same instant. Eri documented this in her journal, but had barely finished before Lucy yawned quietly. “I'm tired, Eri,” she said while hovering closer to her personal knight. “I want to go home and rest now.”

The request was a seemingly reasonable one, even though Miss Hoshiro knew better. “That may be difficult, M’lady, but I will try.” Around that time in Revaliir’s history, our home was under mandatory lockdown. Azhizheth and his army were just too dangerous, and everyone in New Salem had already been on high alert since before the war broke out in earnest. Going home in that situation would be challenging, even for Minerva.

Still, the dragon treated Lucy like her own daughter when it came to requests like this. She wanted to do what she could, and so she assented while bidding the strangers in front of her farewell. “We must take our leave now. Captain. Messenger. I wish you luck with the wounded and the rest of the war effort in this area.” The two of them were about to leave then. Minerva opened a portal back to New Salem, and almost stepped through until her charge temporarily ceased on the threshold.

“Before we go,” Lucina said on the edge of the gate, directing her voice squarely to the little one who had given her the only gift she received that day. “Could I have your name and perhaps a wish? Something small, like a gift, will do. Perhaps even clothing?”

Author: Dala, Posted: Mon Nov 4, 2019 11:55 AM, Post Subject: Letters During War [Event][O][R]

Dala had no idea what Xurelius was up to and couldn't care less. He had proven his lack of worth the second that he refused to listen to reason. She still didn't know why she saved him. It was instinct but she realized that allowing him to live would only cause more trouble in the future. But for now, she was more focused on the eldritch monsters and what they were doing. Suddenly, she heard a soft haunting melody rising through the air, causing a chill run up Dala's spine. From four different directions, children slowly walked into camp. It didn't take long for Dala to realize that they were the ones who were making that creepy melody. She tried to see their faces but they were hidden underneath overcoats.

Confusion ran through her mind as she wondered what kind of Eldritch Beasts these beings could be. But it didn't take long before she realized that they were not one of the twisted but against the twisted. The child let out a sigh of relief once she saw that they were not hurting other soldiers and only after the Eldritch. It would have been extremely difficult to fight those beings. Dala continued to watch as the four children went through camp, eradicating the enemy with just one touch. They then began to head towards her tower, which tempted Dala to climb higher but they vanished before she had to do so. The child began climbing down the tower, eager to investigate what had just happened and to find the source of those creatures. 

When she got to the ground, she went over the spot that the creatures vanished from and looked for any sign or clue that would help her identify the phenomenon. After finding nothing, she decided to try to find Princess Lucina and Minerva to see if they were alright. She spotted them and a captain talking to the straight-faced genie along with a few other soldiers who were still recovering from the attack. Dala happened to overhear the captain talking with Lucina about how she summoned the beings and Dala's eyes grew wide with surprise. Lucina didn't even seem to make a move. Was that how much power that this lady wielded? But what was the cost for such power? Lucina didn't appear to be happy in any sense. 

"Lucina?" Dala asked, "You okay? Do you need….a potion or something?"

Dala wasn't the best at the whole comforting or talking about feelings things. She was much better at just punching the problem in the face than helping emotions about it. 

"And where do you keep those mini reapers?" Dala asked curiously, "Do you summon them or something?"

Author: 00Anima, Posted: Mon Nov 4, 2019 12:51 AM, Post Subject: Letters During War [Event][O][R]

Alack, though, for t’was not to be. Xurelius did not have the common sense to take what he could get. Instead he chose the headsman’s ax with glee, pushed over the edge by a sharp-tongued child lording over his mistakes.

In the end, he did escape, but his departure was naught to do with skill. Soon after his fate was visibly sealed by the presiding officer, a pack of Twisted descended upon the camp. The commander who was to pass judgment had to forestall his word, distracted by the change in fortune that had brought ruin upon his charge. The soldier he called to restrain Xurelius during that reprieve was set to be the man’s final end, and none spared a thought to consider his oddities before he accosted the brigand to an ultimate destination.

Oh there were certainly those who noticed. They simply didn’t bother to stop death’s slow advance. Both Lucina and Minerva, for example, knew the exact nature of that “soldier” before he even entered the camp. They had heard the death screams and skittering at the ambush site, and were preparing for the inevitable clash while Xurelius’ trial was ongoing. In the end, however, only one of their number, Lucina, tried to prevent the chomper from taking the brute away. It was her retainer that stopped her.

“Don’t,” Minerva whispered into the girl’s ear with one hand on her shoulder. “You can’t fix this. Let his ignorance, as well as his fate, be his own. For even as you wish to show him mercy, he will spare you none.” She had said this to Lucina as the woman was caught reaching out toward the man who had yet to show any good in his soul. The poor child still didn’t feel right about leaving him to die even if he was a murderer; and so she was preparing to kill the chomper before it could consume him. But deep down she knew the truth in her friend’s words: a grim truth that she loathed as much as accepted.

Someone had to die in that camp: Xurelius or everyone else. Lucina, despite all her desires to prevent unnecessary death, could not deny that reality. Trying to do so would inevitably be a painful, fruitless endeavor for her; for she would have to answer for a crime as well if she moved even an inch in his direction. Ultimately, the witch with a heart could only stew in her frustrations whilst Dala acted in her stead.

The small, vicious gremlin managed to slaughter the chomper before it could strike Xurelius down in that tent. Uninterested in the consequences of her actions, however, she left his side shortly thereafter without a single word. It was like an angel of mercy and salvation descended upon someone who deserved neither. And what did this man do with his freedom that the child brought? He robbed the soldiers outside. Robbed them blind whilst they were fighting the Twisted for him.

Undeserving and downright shameful in his actions, the thief roused Lucina’s earthly vexations; the same that had tormented her for centuries before. Even amongst the din of steel and flesh that permeated the encampment, she could hear him lugging the chest of silver away, beholden only to his greed. The feeling that stirred in her chest at that moment was one of despair: a despair that was all too familiar and always ended the same.

In the end, Minerva didn’t have to raise a finger to end that intrusion near the border of Jasumin Lake. A soft, haunting melody fell upon the camp before she did, striking fear into soldier and Twisted alike. And from the cardinal directions came the sources: four “children” no taller than Dala that hummed a synchronous dirge above the carnage. They tread slowly into camp, their faces – if they had any – hidden beneath overcoats of varying colors. The one closest to the captain from before wore yellow, and received an uneasy stare even from him. It was no wonder either, for, despite their small size, these entities drained the lifeforce from every Twisted they came across.

The soldiers of that camp had already killed a fair few of the invaders by the time the infant horsemen arrived, but none could deny the chill in their spines when the others were quietly extinguished. Wisps of black flowed out of their as they twitched in proximity to the little nightmares, until all four individuals met in the center of camp and vanished under Dala’s tower.

Lucina had ended the incursion, though she was devoid of happiness at the fact. The captain saw her floating there straight-faced, and ventured a guess with gripping hesitation while his men took stock of casualties.

“You summoned those things, didn’t you,” he asked, and my daughter gave him a nod? “Well, I can’t fault you for helping, but I tell you this: even after fighting these creatures and experiencing a new form of hell o'er the last few weeks, I can say I apparently still have room for new nightmares.”

Author: Xurelius, Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2019 1:40 AM, Post Subject: Letters During War [Event][O][R]

As fast as it had split in two, the soldiers corpse collapsed in front of Xur, a small blood-stained child left in its wake. Her silence was deafening, exiting the tent without making eye contact with the pirate. Under normal circumstances he would have been ashamed of the events that had just taken place. But an opportunity to accomplish his goal had just presented itself in the midst of the chaos. He found himself back in the commanders tent, alone, and free to ransack its valuables without any supervision. Time was of the essence however, even though there were no immediate eyes on him in the tent, there were plenty that were fully aware of his presence.


The pirate rummaged through the commanders belongings, hoping to find something more than weapons. There were a variety of different weapons, including a rapier, that the pirate attached to his belt as a replacement for the one that he had discarded. Out of the corner of his eye, a half-open chest grabbed his attention. Xurelius shoved his hand into the chest and quickly pulled out several silver coins. A grin formed on his face as he started shoving the coins into his pockets. 


There was clearly more coins than he could carry in his pockets, so he opted to carry the entire chest. It was the perfect crime, but the pirate needed the recognition for it, so he signed his name in the place that the chest lie, using the remnants of the blood that the girl had caused to splatter over him when she saved him. All of the commotion was occurring at the front of the tent, so Xur forced his way out through the back of the tent. The camp was still a warzone, but since everyone was preoccupied with the threat of the enemy, he found it relatively easy to escape by heading northbound from the camp and into the forest. The biggest issue for Xur, was that his skiff was moored near the west end of the river.


The sounds of the battle faded the further he went into the forest, until eventually the commander, the little girl, the witch, and the evidence that he had invaded the camp was nothing more than a fleeting memory in the back of his mind. Xurelius lugged the chest into the river, then jumped in afterwards. He intended to grab onto the chest and use it as a buoy that he could steer towards the west end of the river, but a curious thing happened. The chest was swallowed to the depths of the river, while the current suddenly came alive and carried Xurelius further north into the Zujiuchu Mountains.


(OOC: Xurelius has left the thread)

Author: Dala, Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2019 9:19 PM, Post Subject: Letters During War [Event][O][R]

Annoyance ran through Dala's mind as she realized that the idiot was not paying attention to a single word she was saying. His mind was closed and he would never open it to anybody. He was destined to become a close-minded fool who would never understand the importance of empathy. Words were only wasted on a bastard like him. The child had tried to reason with him. She had given him the benefit of the doubt and assumed that he didn't know about the war since he was uniformed. But it was very clear from his own words that he was uniformed because he didn't care about anybody but himself. Suddenly, screams rang out and Dala realized that the Eldritch beasts had made it to the camp. She was about to find a safe place to hide, as she assumed that most of them would be stronger than her, but something had caught her eye. The soldier that had past her was strange, though she couldn't quite understand why. 

Instead of sticking around with the others, she opted to follow the soldier and Xurelius to the tent. Dala had been sneaking around things trying to kill her for a very long time, so she was able to follow them without being noticed. Before entering the tent, she quickly used a strength spell on herself in case any monsters popped out at her. She entered the tent to see the soldier's torso split open. Without hesitation, she snatched a nearby sword and plunged it into the backside of the chomper. Then she grabbed her knives and stabbed the monster repeatedly until it stopped moving. Blood flew everywhere and splashed all over the child, though she didn't seem to mind for some reason. Once it stopped moving, she began to pull all of her weapons out of the creature, except for the sword. Dala left that for Xurelius. He would need it just as much as anybody else. 

Dala knew that he would never listen to a word she said. He had already ignored her twice. This guy was just like everybody else who ignored her, everybody else who tried to kill her, everybody else who wanted to hurt her. She had no idea why she bothered saving him. The child had done it without thinking. Dala, covered in the blood of the Chomper and gripping her daggers tightly, left the tent without a single word. Her next focus was on finding a way to help against the fight while staying out of danger. An idea popped into her mind and she began climbing up to the top of one of the look out towers and made it to the very top of it. She sat down and began to throw knives at any approaching monsters. It was far easier to hit them when they started to climb up the tower since she could just drop them in their eyes. The smaller ones were harder to hit but she managed. Most of the monsters were going after the soldiers and more important prey. 

Author: Xurelius, Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2019 2:39 AM, Post Subject: Letters During War [Event][O][R]

A party of four were dispatched to deal with the "witch menace" that Xurelius had been rambling about. A waste of their time, after all they were commissioned to kill the twisted, not be spared for some random witch hunt. But orders were orders, and they had no choice but to follow them. There was no epic encounter or fight amidst chaos. No hint of glory or untold riches, for this ragtag group of scouts. The scouts simply found a discarded, yet bloodied rapier. But it was the blood-stained blade that led the group to their downfall. One scout reached down to claim the rapier, and in an instant, he felt a slight sting on his leg. Soon, the party was swarmed by infesters, each member bitten before they could draw their weapons or defend themselves.

They retained their memories as their bodies began to tear themselves apart, a transformative venom coursing through their veins ultimately converting them into chompers. They retained their humanoid forms, and the rapier-wielding scout turned his posse back towards the camp, with their infester army in tow. 

There was an immediate expression of confusion that formed on Xurelius's face when a woman's voice suddenly shouted at him. Her voice was stern and judgmental, but Xurelius was uncertain as to who or what she was referring to, until she gestured over towards her companions. His cluelessness washed away as a wave of anger and hatred burned within him at the sight of the witch. Just as before, his vision was clouded by that of his own memories, and the witch before him manifested the appearance of the mage of his memory. Being in a state of submission, he swallowed his pride and shut his eyes as the woman continued to speak. 

All of a sudden, a tiny, familiar voice pierced his skull. Xurelius reopened his eyes to find the midget chewing him out. Most of her words fell upon ignorant ears, as he was only able to retain a few of them. His gaze slowly drifted from her to the green-haired vixen that accompanied her. The little girls words rattled his brain, and for the first time, his mind was able to process more about the witch than before. Curiously enough, she looked less and less like his trauma, and more like a unique individual, blindfolded and all. War, Void, Azhizeth, Gods, Jackass all of these words floated in his mind, but the context was lost in translation. Eventually the girl said her last spiel, right after a suggestion for Xur's fate had been provided.

"FUCK THE WAR! FUCK THE VOID! FUCK AZIZHETH! FUCK THE GODS!" he shouted, further proving himself to be a fool to his audience.

Like moths to a flame, the infesters began swarming the camp, scouring towards any soldiers they could surprise while they were scattered throughout the camp. Screams of the soldiers loitered throughout, until they reached Xurelius and company. One such infester managed to infiltrate their group, only to be crushed quickly and thoroughly beneath the commanders heel. "We dont have time for his treason. Lock him up, we'll decide his fate after the twisted are disposed of."

At the commanders order, a lone soldier walked past Dala, where he made a slight but curious tick, and dropped the bloodied rapier. Without hesitation, he grabbed Xurelius by the shoulder and took him into the tent, away from the commotion and hidden from view. As soon as they were out of view, the soldier shoved Xurelius to the ground next to his victim. Xurelius eyes watched in horror as the soldier's torso split in two, baring fangs intent on sinking into its prey.

Author: Dala, Posted: Sun Oct 20, 2019 10:21 AM, Post Subject: Letters During War [Event][O][R]

Dala tried her best to hide her disappointment as Minerva explained that they didn't need any help. The child really wanted to travel with the magical princess and her knight person. Her disappointment didn't last as Minerva explained that they ought to go to the camp in case the man was causing trouble. She especially liked it when Minerva called her Miss Courier. 

"Hey don't worry about it." She said, "I don't mind you two tagging along. Oh and yeah we should probably figure out what to do with that idiot back at the camp." 

The child began walking down the path, looking back to make certain that the two were with her. Soon, they had arrived to the nearby camp and could hear the loud commotions that the man had caused. When Dala saw him begging for his life while trying to push the blame off himself, the scene reminded the child of many pirates and thieves back in Vilpamolan city. But the thing that bothered her the most was the fact that he had killed one of the soldiers. Every soldier counted in this war and yet here this guy was, going around and killing them despite the fact that these soldiers are the only reason why any of them lived. A grizzled man approached the three, asking about the amalgam that the man mentioned. The child let Minerva explain the situation while she focused upon the idiot at hand. Dala was careful to not get too close to Xurelius and ensured that there was a solider in front of her in case the fool decided to attack. But she made sure she was close enough so that he would hear her words. 

"What do you think you are doing?" Dala asked Xurelius, "You do realize that we are in a goddamn war, right? I don't think you understand the importance of this situation so I will clarify for you. This is not just any war. This is a war against the void, against a being who has already destroyed other worlds. And when I mean destroy, I mean this thing wants to destroy all of Revaliir. Every single person in Revaliir is going to be killed by this thing. That includes you. There is no crook nor cranny that you can hide in where this Azhizheth can't find you. Even the gods, you know immortal beings, fear this monster. The only reason why we aren't all dead right now is them. These soldiers are the only reason why a prick like you is able to breath. If it wasn't for them you'd be dead." 

She wondered if her words was getting through to Xurelius. 

"I don't expect you to have any gratitude. But I do expect you to have the self-preservation skills to know that if you kill them, that's basically like stabbing yourself in the foot later." Dala explained, "Not only did you kill a soldier but then you expect mercy from the people who are fighting against the monsters that could tear apart your ugly ass. So maybe next time, don't kill the people who are saving your and everybody else's life. Unless you want to be remembered as the jackass who ended up causing more trouble than your worth." 

The child turned away from Xurelius and looked to grizzled man. 

"In my opinion, you really shouldn't use him as a soldier." Dala said, "He'd be utterly worthless. First off, he couldn't fight one amalgamate and probably has no real fighting skills. Second, the moment you turn your eyes off of him he will be running away. He was willing to use me as a decoy. Putting him into a battle is like putting a chicken in a pit of dogs, you'll just end up with a scared AND dead soldier. The most I could think of is using him as bait for the monsters." 

Author: 00Anima, Posted: Fri Oct 18, 2019 11:34 PM, Post Subject: Letters During War [Event][O][R]

Regardless of that man’s ultimate fate, however, the interaction between the three girls he had abandoned continued in his absence. Dala, the childling of the trio, fed off of Lucina’s earlier remarks about her family resemblance. More out of pride than anything else, the rambunctious child complimented me: a woman she had never met. And this was all while she was strutting about like some halfling queen. Minerva noticed her arrogance, but the woman's infatuation with me blinded her to this girl’s self-comparison. And Lucina… well it wasn’t like she could see anything anyway. For all she knew, Dala actually was a halfling: one in need of acknowledgment.

“She is awesome,” the floating djinn responded to the compliment with great enthusiasm, but then her guest did something unexpected. Taking the language of the redheaded Amazonian at face value, the young messenger came to the conclusion that Lucy was of royal blood. She became jubilant and ecstatic at the prospect, even if it was a mistaken one. “I-” My daughter started to correct her, of course, but she couldn’t even get past the first syllable. She didn’t have the heart to do it, and her guardian, who was supposed to help with these kinds of things, just made the situation worse.


“Allow me, m’lady,” the would-be knight interjected with familiar but foreboding zeal. “Lady Lucina is the daughter of the Yamauchi Clan, a noble family that is not well known in these lands. I am her family’s guardian, Minerva; and I can assure you that I am perfectly capable of managing Lady Lucina’s defense on my own.” She really didn’t need to add that last part, but the woman always was a tad too zealous when it came to the protection of her own pride and joy. There was no telling how Dala would react to that attitude, either, since she was the one who made the comment about Minerva and Lucy requiring protection in the first place. Yet one thing was certain in that uneasy environment: the taller of the two adults present recognized the importance of moving on. “That said,” Minerva continued without missing a step, “we should go to the camp and make sure that that man doesn’t cause anymore trouble. We promised her majesty that we would prevent infighting among the defenders where we could, especially around this area. Therefore, unless m’lady objects, we will accompany you, Miss Courier. I apologize in advance for any inconvenience that might cause.”

Lucy was more than grateful to take that chance that had been provided to her and move on. “No objections here,” she pipped up in haste, and with that her tiny group finally departed for the camp over yonder; just before the scouts from it arrived to find Xurelius’ rapier that had been left behind.

You Take What You Can Get

Just after Lucina and company had started making their way to the nearby camp, the seafarer they had been chasing after got himself into quite a spot of trouble. By the time the three girls arrived at the entrance to said camp, they could already hear the loud commotion their target had caused. He was begging for his life after a botched attempt at escaping and an accidental murder; yet, once again, he was also trying to blame them for his own actions. Unluckily for him, however, Minerva was there to shut down his nonsense this time before it could take root.

“You barely escaped with your life because you were a brazen fool.” She minced no words with the criminal, her harsh tone drawing even the attention of the sergeant who had given the execution order. He emerged from his tent at the gasps of his company, and instantly regarded the sight of Lucina with a raised eyebrow.

“Well, I see why this man said he saw a witch now,” the grizzled man remarked while directing his men to stay their blades with a single motion. “Who are you three and what do you know about this amalgam the bastard mentioned?” And so Minerva answered him promptly.

“A messenger, a noblewoman and her escort,” she began while motioning to each individual along the way. “We killed the amalgam that this man lured to the messenger, no doubt thinking it would find her to be a tastier meal than him. Clearly, though, he was inexperienced on matters of the Twisted. That aside, might I suggest you spare him? A hapless murderer and a fool he most certainly is, but manpower is in short supply for this war. Perhaps you could whip him into shape and gain a soldier at the end of his punishment instead of just wasting his life? You could even put him in a gaes if you don’t trust him enough to follow through. Either way, he'll be filling in for the blood he stole from your company.”

A most unusual request that line was, especially coming from someone like the dragon secretary herself. Or so you would think. Minerva was not known for her mercy, especially to those who drew weapons against her family. But that day she thought death was the easy punishment. She didn't want to give Xurelius that kind of escape. Oh no. She wanted him to regret, to live with the consequences of his actions; and, for that singular moment, the sergeant was entertaining her this idea. He was simply waiting for anyone else to make their case, especially the convict himself.

Author: Xurelius, Posted: Sat Oct 12, 2019 2:32 AM, Post Subject: Letters During War [Event][O][R]

The pirate clasped his hand in pain, coming to the realization that if he didn't treat it soon, it could become
infected. His worries amplified when he noticed the soldiers began scurrying about the camp in a frenzy, instead
of leaving like he anticipated. The situation was more chaotic that he expected, and the fact that they did not
fall for his ploy meant that his loose ends were an even larger liability that would expose him further. To make
matters worse, without his trusty rapier, he didn't have the option to defend himself properly. He still had his dagger,
but it would only be useful as a preemptive strike, not a full-scale conflict.

He pondered his options as the soldiers tore through the camp, his presence waiting to be exposed like a prisoner
awaiting the guillotine to drop on his head. Stay hidden and hope for the best, try to make a run for it and not
die along the way, or expose himself and pray to the gods that he's not killed where he stands. Truth be told,
all of these options were unfavorable. Xur noticed that the nearest soldier to his hiding place was moments away from
detecting him. His mind silenced itself, and his body acted on its own. His left hand unsheathed his dagger, and pressed
it against the soldiers throat as he forced themselves into the tent. Unfortunately, Xurelius misjudged the amount of pressure
of his action, inadvertently shoving the blade through the soldiers throat as they fell to the floor.

By sheer luck, Xur and his victim had made it into the tent without being followed in. But when he looked up from the body, his eyes met with
those of the commander, whom was clearly unimpressed by the sight that was before him. The commanders glare was colder than Xur's,
a clear indicator that he was more seasoned and numb to the horrors of the battlefield. In a panic, Xurelius pulled the dagger from
his victims throat, which caused blood to erupt from the wound that he had caused. He kept his eyes locked with those of the commander,
not wanting to show any signs of weakness despite the gravity of the situation. The silence between them made awkward by the gurgling
of the soldier choking on their own blood in their midst.

The commander reached for his weapon to avenge his soldier, and in that moment, Xurelius retreated through the same way he came. The voice from within the tent thundered, "Kill The Bastard!"

The nearby soldiers that previously passed by the tent turned their attention towards their commanders order, instantly alerted to Xurelius as he
attempted to escape. He immediately dropped the dagger and fell to his knees. "IM NOT A CHOMPER! IT WAS AN ACCIDENT! THE DAMN WITCH MADE ME DO IT! I SWEAR IT, I SAW IT WITH THE 8 LIMBED BEAST IN THE FOREST!" He held up his right hand in a desperate attempt to reason with his pursuers, forcing them to take note of his wound. "I BARELY ESCAPED WITH MY LIFE, AND I'M CERTAIN THAT THEY ARE COMING HERE!"

Author: Dala, Posted: Fri Oct 11, 2019 9:45 PM, Post Subject: Letters During War [Event][O][R]

Dala was surprised and happy when one of her knives actually hit Xurelius, as she hadn't expected for that to happen, she was just angry. The child watched as the rude mean man started to run away into the forest. After he was out of sight, Dala began to climb down the tree. She struggled at some parts as climbing up a tree was far easier than climbing down one. When she was a few inches off the ground, she slipped and fell right on her backside. The child quietly cursed as she pushed herself to her feet before heading towards Lucina and Minerva.

"If your mom is anything like me then she must be pretty damn awesome." Dala said with confidence, putting her hands on her hips and having a cheeky smile. 

She was pretending that the whole, falling on her butt thing never happened and that she was the most amazing thing in the world. Dala then listened to Mirvana and Lucina's conversations and she heard one interesting part. This woman was LADY Lucina. The child's eyes grew wide as her mouth opened into a small o shape. 

"Wait a minute. You're a princess?!" Dala squealed. 

Dala was under the understanding that lady, princess, and queens were all essentially the same thing. They were beautiful powerful ladies who always had servants and money. If there was one thing that calmed Dala's anger was when one of her idles were in front of her. Anyone who was a princess, or any lady with power was automatically an idle figure of hers. Suddenly, Lucina mentioned the sweaty man and how he was framing both of them. He was framing Lucina as a monster and herself as a helpless hostage, which was really the part that made her made.

Dala was not a hostage. If she ever became one, she would not stop kicking and biting until her captors freed her. Then Dala realized that Lucina had just called her the great potato provider. The child smiled with confidence as anything that was great was sure to be epic! Dala wanted to continue hanging around these two, especially if one of them was a princess, but she had a letter to deliver. 

"Well I have to go deliver a letter at the camp." Dala said with a sigh, "I suppose you guys ought to go to the camp too. Not that I want you to come with me or anything! I just figured it would be safer if you guys went with somebody like me. Somebody who can protect you!"

Dala secretly hoped that they would come with her. 

Author: 00Anima, Posted: Fri Oct 11, 2019 8:24 PM, Post Subject: Letters During War [Event][O][R]

Alas, neither of those two had the patience to endure Lucy’s attention deficit. While she was going over every scent that her delicate nose had picked up in that place, Dala and Xurelius began the fight of the monkey and the ape. The monkey – Dala – had attempted to visually halt my blindfolded daughter, shortly before launching into a tirade against Xurelius, her counterpart in this tale. Such biting words exited that little girl’s mouth in those moments that I dare say they were sharper than the blades she eventually tossed at him from a high-rise tree.

“Wow,” was all Lucina could say as the string of insults came out of that tiny but fierce mouth of hers. “I feel like you just channeled the spirit of my mother for a second there.” And, indeed, Dala was quite skilled in the art of verbal thrashing for one so young. She even managed to disarm Xurelius with her throwing knives, preventing him from attacking their collective savior with that rapier of his. For this, as well as the offer of potatoes, Lucina was extremely grateful.

Alack, no sooner had the young genie moved to express her enthusiasm – saying, “Ooo! Spuds!” -  than had her retainer appeared to catch the potatoes thrown at her. A net prevented every single one of them from ever reaching the green-haired lass, leaving her without any spuds to speak of.

“Aw. Minerva,” the disappointed Lucina lamented while lowering herself to the amazonian redhead that had joined her; but Minerva brushed off her complaints.

“No objections, Lady Lucina.” Eri brought the potatoes up to her eyes when she was finished catching every single one, and she inspected them diligently. Eventually, she was satisfied that they were nothing more than ordinary potatoes, and so emptied the net into a portal destined for our pantry. “Everything appears to be in order. We gladly accept the potatoes you offer.”

To this allowance, Lucina cheered in jubilance. “Yay,” she squealed! Yet, of course, the happy mood was soon to change, for the Ape that had fled in the wake of steel had decided to get revenge. Lucina could hear him quite well even though he was far removed, and she was most disappointed in what he was saying. “Unfortunately, the sweaty man from earlier is being mean now. I can hear him shouting about me being a witch and how the great potato provider is my hostage.”

Minerva saw the frown that quickly developed on her girl’s face, but she, herself, was grinning quite smugly.

“Oh, I wouldn’t too worry much about him,” she replied in a manner that surprised the young genie. “Just from looking at him, you can tell he’s up to no good, and that really won’t end well for him around here if continues to be such an obvious knave. Especially not if he’s at the camp I just passed by earlier.”

Sure enough, Xurelius’s actions proved to bring about the opposite effect of what he had in mind. He absolutely startled the soldiers, but the voice of the commander he had woken up issued orders that most likely taught the liar a lesson.

“Search the camp! We got ourselves a potential chomper!” Yes, the presence of those mimicry masters on the current battlefield had made these people especially suspicious of sudden warnings and calls for help. Xurelius’ tactic may have worked in any other circumstance, sure; but not this one. Soon enough, the camp crawled with mercenaries and soldiers combing for the one who had issued the warning about witches, and only a small scouting party actually headed back toward Lucina and crew just in case the warning was true. The would-be thief had just made his goal far more difficult to achieve.

Author: Xurelius, Posted: Fri Oct 11, 2019 2:26 AM, Post Subject: Letters During War [Event][O][R]

Xurelius came to a screeching halt at the sight of the abomination that manifested itself before him. The chaos behind him had mysteriously subsided, no doubt the handiwork of the humanoid devil. He gritted his teeth, a clear sign of discomfort, as he watched it change its orientation while floating in mid-air. A voice chimed in at him from his side, but the words fell on his deaf ears. Even the words of the witch had escaped him, quickly trapped in the innerworkings of his own mind. Clouded by his anger, Xurelius didnt even notice the true appearance of the witch, instead his mind processed a familiar face that he had sworn to kill. More noise followed, unbeknownst to Xur that the child was intending to strike against him. His right hand twitched and unsheathed his rapier. In the instant that he had swung his blade outward, a knife impaled him through the back of his palm. The sudden impact caused him to drop the rapier and clasp his hand in pain. It wasnt until he heard the child mention the word potatoes, that he acknowledged her presence and realized what happened.

Damn brat, knives aren't playthings! he angrily spat as he glared at the child.Rather than stick around at the mercy of the witch, Xur ran into the forest, continuing to the camp that he previously located. The rapier lay on the ground where it was dropped, but with the knife in his dominant sword hand he would not be able to use it properly anyway. A trail of blood from his palm marked his path, so he figured he would return to the item later.It wasn't long before the man encountered the barracks of the camp, the warriors inside mentally preparing themselves for the battle that lie ahead. Xur needed them to vacate the barrack so he could ransack them without suspicion, but he would also need to make sure that he wouldn't be recognized during his escape. Unfortunately, he had two loose ends that had already seen his face, and he could only vaguely remember the child's appearance. And thus his plan was born. "WITCH!" He shouted at the top of his lungs. THERE IS AN ARMY OF WITCHES IN THE FOREST SUMMONING DARK CREATURES TO ATTACK US IN THE NIGHT! THEY EVEN HAVE A CHILD HOSTAGE!"The pirate pulled the knife from his palm and smeared the blood on the opening of the barrack door before hiding from view. He hoped that the trail of blood and his cries would be enough to spur the soldiers to investigate. He would be sacrificing his rapier if they followed the trail all the way back and discovered his treachery, but he assumed there was enough silver to steal to buy a new one, and fulfill any additional desires he may have.

Author: Dala, Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2019 4:50 PM, Post Subject: Letters During War [Event][O][R]

Dala spotted the Amalgamate coming for her and the bastard that had led it to her in the first place. She snatched her dagger belt and stood, ready to slash at the monster then run away. But before she even had to, the ground came and ate it up, just as the creature had duplicated itself. Suddenly, she spotted a woman flying in the air above. Realizing that the woman was the one who had saved them, Dala decided to treat the lady with respect. As for the bastard who had brought the monster to kill her….well he was a different matter. The child held up her hand to Lucina to give her the signal to stop.

“I respect you miss but I need to deal with something first before I answer any questions.” Dala said.

Then the child went stomping over to Xurelias with a pissed off expression on her face. She stood a few feet from him with crossed arms and large angry eyes.

“Really?! That was your bullshit of a plan?! Even a fucking monkey could come up with something better. You do realize that I am bite sized, right? I barely have any meat or fat on my bones. You can literally count my ribs!” Dala exclaimed with furious anger, “I’m a one chomp chump! It would have taken that monster two seconds before it killed me and went after you. If I’m going to die, I want to die by somebody respectable. And the only respectable thing about you is the fact that your mother put up with a mindless tool like you.” 

Dala then ran over to a tree and quickly climbed up a tree. Typically, insulting a person resulted in that person trying to murder her. So she decided to get higher ground before the battle began. She was lightweight but strong so the child was able to get much higher in the tree than most adults would be able to. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out some throwing knives and began to chuck as many of them at Xurelius as she could before stopping. She had run out of knives. Dala looked over to Lucina and decided to give her a present for saving her life.
“You saved my life so you will get potatoes!” Attie shouted, still getting over her anger.

She began chucking potatoes at Lucina as fast as she could until she ran out of potatoes. 

Author: 00Anima, Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2019 3:58 PM, Post Subject: Letters During War [Event][O][R]

[OOC: Heron form used.]

The Witch of Jasumin Lake

Witches have always been a common scapegoat for the unexplained tragedies of the world, especially during war. Is there a sudden pestilence sweeping through your camp? Witch. Did madness suddenly strike your commanding officer? Witch. It is always thus that fear needs a subject, something to make it less terrifying for those gripped by it; even if that subject is not truly responsible.

The war against the World Eaters, however, was slightly different than the norm. Fear already had a name, a form; several, in fact. There was no room among the masses for a faceless witch to calm them, not when said witches were attacked by the same creatures as everyone else. It seemed unconscionable that any among their rank could be responsible; and yet still there were those fearful reports of one such individual that people had deemed “The Witch of Jasumin Lake.”

‘She floats through the air like a ghost,’ they would say, ‘and hides her eyes behind cloth!’ Others would remark on her green hair, or the fact that the Twisted always seemed to disappear around her. The gossips were too scared to even walk up to her; otherwise they wouldn’t have been so foolish as to start rumors like these, certainly not about my dear ol’ Lucy.

Yes, Lucina was the supposed “witch.” She had only been in the area of Jasumin because of its proximity to her favorite gambling halls: all of which had been closed for the duration of Azhizheth’s invasion. With nothing interesting to hold her attention, she wandered the landscape; and the only reason the Twisted weren’t around her for long was because her summons as well as Minerva kept killing them. Such was the only amount of sport available in the pre-apocalypse: a rather bloody and gut-filled one at that.

Even so, the young, eccentric woman was not one to revel in hunting like others might. She took the opportunity to interact with strangers whenever it presented itself, which was probably where the rumors about her really came from. The young child Dala and seafarer Xurelius were no different, but they first had to endure a most irritated Amalgam before they could meet with the "witch."

The screams of that beast reached far as it pursued Xurelius relentlessly, seeking to add his corpse to its master’s army. Contrary to what he thought in luring the creature to Dala, however, it was also not about to settle for a choice in prey. Whence the little girl came into sight, the Amalgam’s wails grew even louder. It tore off one of its limbs in a gruesome display and threw the severed implement after its initial target. The main body then went for the girl, while the arm quickly formed a duplicate to pursue the cheeky sailor.

Perhaps those two souls would have been able to escape from this surprise in the end, but that, as they say, is something we’ll never know. As soon as the Amalgam had duplicated itself, both entities were consumed. The earth collapsed underneath them as two holes opened up, and the beasties fell into something that was making audible chittering noises. A guttural squish quickly followed, ending all previous wailing before the burrowing creatures retreated to their tunnels.

Whatever nightmare Lucina had summoned in that instant was earth related and very hungry. They were patrolling the area for more Twisted, allowing the ethereal woman to float above the two she had just rescued in peace: specifically in front of the scalawag that had started the chase. 

“That’s nice of you, but I’m not really convinced their food stays with them,” she said while lounging just out of reach. She was clearly bored, laying down in mid-air, but seemed to perk up at the prospect of company. She even sat upright just to greet them, which was most unusual considering how her days had been going lately. “Hello! What brings you two out here? I smell letters and… ugh, sweat. Lots of sweat. Maybe some treachery and… mint? No, that's just a plant nearby.”

Author: Xurelius, Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2019 3:27 AM, Post Subject: Letters During War [Event][O][R]

Xurelius moored his skiff on the outskirts of the forest. He heard a rumor that there was a military camp stationed in the forest, so the thought crossed his mind that he would be able to sneak in and out undetected. He planned to steal anything of value that he could sell on the mainland. There were many ins and outs to the lake, so he was certain that by mooring just far enough out of view, he would be able to make his escape and profit. He reviewed his compass to confirm that his skiff was in the west, and started travelling northeast.
He kept along the coastline as he walked, careful to avoid travelling deep into the forest, not wanting to encounter any patrols, but also because he could collapse into the lake and let the current carry him back to his skiff if needed. However, this turned out to be a mistake, as he noticed a creature quickly emerge from the forest and walk towards the coast. The creature was likely wanting to quench its thirst on the lake, but suddenly the scent of the man had caught its attention. Xurelius hesitated to jump into the lake, because the creature had more limbs than he did, so it was likely a more adept swimmer than he was. His only hope was to run into the forest and hope that the creature didn't catch him. He quickly darted through the trees, with the beast roaring and clawing its way behind him. All sense of guile was lost on him, as he fled for his life. The creatures wild movements slashed through the bushes and left a trail back to the coast, that would be easy enough to follow as an exit point if needed. He ran for what felt like forever, but it became evident to him that this creatures presence could thwart his attempt to sneak into the camp if both he and it were detected. In order to avoid bringing the creature towards his destination and risk being exposed, Xur latched onto a tree and climbed upwards as fast as he could. The beast leaned against the tree and began clawing at the base, attempting to swipe at the man and enjoy its feast. He had climbed just enough to be out of reach, but its weight would eventually be too much for the tree to handle. Xurelius took out his spyglass to check on his location and make his next plan. He was able to  see the camp, but it was still far enough that they couldn't hear the creatures roars. He noticed that there was a small silhouette between him and the camp, and it was far enough away that if the creature caught wind of it, it may draw its attention to that person instead. Xurelius jumped off the tree and dashed towards the small silhouette that he had seen with the beast in tow. It was a kill or be killed world, and he didn't plan on being killed just yet. Enjoy your meal!" He smirked as he led the beast to his substitute.

Author: Dala, Posted: Mon Oct 7, 2019 11:09 PM, Post Subject: Letters During War [Event][O][R]

"Of fucking course I get the goddamn letter that sends me into the fucking war." Dala quietly cursed as she continued sneaking around the forest near the lake, trying to find the military camp. 

She was being paid to send a letter to one of the military soldiers but she didn't realize that they were on the front lines. The soldier's husband had been looking for somebody to send to Jasumin Lake and was paying extremely well just for one letter to be delivered. Now Dala realized why the husband was paying so much. Nobody would be going straight to a battlefield for a cheap amount of silver. It also explained why she was able to get the job first, nobody else was wanting to take a job that would sent them one of the most dangerous places in all of Revaliir.  But the money was good. Unlike so many others, Dala couldn't refuse the silver. It would be enough to last her for an entire week! With this amount of coin she would be able to pay for food, clothes, and even be able to save a bit of it if she avoided thug tolls. Besides, her life was just as dangerous in Vilpamolan as it was here. Everywhere was dangerous for a friendless kid like her.

Dala had taken the necessary precautions for a trip like this. If she got killed then she would have only herself to blame for it. Earlier, she had rolled around in the dirt to blend in her scents with the rest of the forest. She had learned this little trick after spying on a conversation back on the streets. Somebody had mentioned that so many people could hide themselves in forests by rolling around in the dirt. Dogs and beasts would have a hard time identifying them. So she was using this tactic as she sneaked through the forest, hoping that it would prevent any of these monsters from tracking her scent. Not only did she have dirt on her but she was also wearing a simple tunic and pants. There was one satchel around her shoulder but that was all that she was wearing. Dala didn't mind though, as she felt she didn't need shoes. Her feet were tough after her many years of shoe less labor. 

While she was still muttering curses, she heard a snap of a branch behind her. Quickly she ducked into a bush and waited to for whatever it was to pass. She watched as a creature with eight limbs all fused together walked out of the trees and began to draw closer to Dala's hiding place. The monster was horrifying and Dala had to keep her hands over her mouth to prevent any gasping. There were three feet and two arms on the bottom, being used as legs to travel. There was a head on the top and another pair of arms. The torso was in the middle to act as the connecting points to all the other limbs. Dala kept still as the creature walked past her hiding spot and to the left of the path before vanishing into the forest. The child didn't dare move from her position for two minutes until she decided that it was safe. 

Crawling out of the bushes, she looked to where the monster had gone off to and carefully walked around the area. She was careful to stay on the past and to keep walking as quickly and quietly as possible. It was only until she had been walking for ten minutes that she finally felt safer. Though Dala knew that if there was one monsters, there were probably many more. She had weapons but she knew that she probably wouldn't be able to fight off monsters if they were like that. Yet she still kept her dagger nearby in case anything else was going to jump out at her. 

"No wonder everybody's so desperate to win the war." Dala muttered to herself.