9
[Initiative:]Golden Flare (Lenglon): 88+20=108
Skylord (Devastator): 93
Heavenly Clerk (Fluffe9911): 40
Ignorance's Witch (Egan_BW): 39
Luna's Vestige (syvarris): 20
Outsider Mantis: 78+10=88
Can't let it get away, need to finish it off quickly.
"Magic is confusing. Maybe... hrm. Hey, guys! Don't kill it yet, I need to do another test! It'll just take a moment!"
Risky, but fine.
I run in the direction the mantis is going, attempting to catch up to it or hopefully actually get past it. I am not willing to risk it getting away.
As I run, I perform a couple quick spell-tests, aiming for the mantis's legs.
lets see which of those was the hornet-word.
"Versnold"
If I get a hornet-based result:
"Magi Verle"
If I get a non-hornet-based result:
"Magi Versnold"
Your teammate wants to use the mantis for further testing. Alright, fine. You'll see if you can hobble it a bit. You're the quickest to act, and soon enough you're in hypothetical testing range.
(Power: 6)
(Control: 2)
A huge hunk of glossy, shiny black stone breaks apart in front of you, sending your sprint to a halt as you quickly prevent yourself from running into what looks to be some wickedly sharp-edged rock.
Obsidian, even.
No hornets, though. Well, you're still in range.
(Power: 6)
(Control: 3-1=2)
A similarly sized hunk of... what did you just create? Whatever it is, it lands in your path in much the same way, though this one doesn't break apart. Your stride halts once again.
You examine the brass-colored, oddly metallic obsidian.
Well.
That's a thing. Shame it didn't launch itself, for whatever reason. Probably would have hurt, to have a big hunk of rock that goes up to your waist in height, slam into those fragile-looking legs.
Wait, it's getting away! You quickly move around the rock and make chase.
The mantis has used the opportunity created by your stony fumblings to make a good bit of distance, but you're still the quickest of all your team.
You keep chasing, and keep at least a moderate distance between you and the fleeing, suffering, mantis-beast.
"Huh, that was sweet."
Looks like the spell has the Mantis. I'm just going to sit tight. I think the arrow and everyone else will kill it.
I'll just run one more spell test instead, just concentrating on some sand in front of me. Gotta figure out which word is homing and which word is arrow.
Qunnai Rihitnorfongotfyu
Yeah, everyone else definitely has this. You figure you have the time for some more testing.
(Power: 5)
(Control: 6)
A primal shiver runs down your spine as a furred bear made of vivid green energy emerges into existence in front of you.
It looks down at you. It... doesn't seem particularly inclined to cooperate, really.
At least it's not actively trying to murder you.
That, and it should dispel eventually. Hold on.
You look at it again. It's definitely made of raw energy, but it doesn't show any of the signs that it's beginning to destabilize. Not even in the slightest.
It gets down on all fours and begins to wander off.
Flee! Scurry from the defenders!
(Mobility: 5)
The mantis desperately throws itself forwards unsteadily.
(Evasion: 4,3=3+1=4)
An arrow clips it in the arm, passing by, but doesn't manage to embed. The green-user's work.
(Resilience: 6)
It barely notices, however. It's completely focused on escape.
Heavenly Clerk breathes heavily "That... that sucked! Im... im just gonna practice some of those... word things now..." Heavenly Clerk continues to catch her breath "Im... im sure you all can handle the Mantis I just... I just need a breather!"
While everyone bullies the Mantis im gonna go to a safe location and get a breather probably practice some of those words that keep showing up in my head like Tallen or Buggleberry! Err wait that aint a magic word... I mean Llaw!
You
definitely need to practice your magic. And not chase after that blade-bug thing. It looked like it could take you apart so easily! Better leave that to the other combat therapists.
You duck behind one of the convenient monoliths.
(Power: 5-1=4)
(Control: 2)
The first Word you manage to pronounce right makes a flickering, tall shield out of dull brown energy, which falls over onto the sand. Doesn't look like it'll last very long, but a stronger one of those could be really helpful!
(Power: 6-1=5)
(Control: 3-1=2)
A brown-energy wall fades into existence. Definitely feels like you have a control issue - the wall doesn't look like it'll last more than a minute or two either. At least it's high enough to easily cover behind. You might get a lot of use out of this one.
Ignorance's W̸͕̾̓i̷͔̅t̶̖̘͈̏͗̆c̸̟͖͗̀̐̑h̵̥͓͎͔̄̚
"Haha! You feeling lucky, punk!? Nek Floppa Izx!"
Well do you punk? (Chase after it and kill it if I can.)
You move to chase after the mantis and - oh wow, it's really far away.
(Mobility: 4)
It's a hard chase, and the fire-specialist has already slowed herself down by conjuring big shiny rocks in her path.
That thing took off the first chance it got, and it's not stopping, not even for the arrow that nicked it.
You're not close, but you can still see it. Still aim.
(Power: 5)
(Control: 4+1=5)
You thrust out fingers and -
Power expels. Control binds.
The magic does nothing, but it remains present, waiting.
"Ahh... huh." mutters Luna's Vestige to herself. "Magic is confusing. Maybe... hrm. Hey, guys! Don't kill it yet, I need to do another test! It'll just take a moment!"
First things first--go grab the dagger that missed the mantis. Then stab it into the mantis, whether it's dead or alive. I want to see if it steals the mantis' blades in some way.
Then, two more spells. Burn Steady Soul on the second one. Target them towards the mantis, I guess, but it's not really important.
"Beqquel Tarle"
"Unoct Diaboldatact!"
You ponder the situation, then run over and grab your fancy knife. Alright. You turn to the mantis and -
It's a good ways away, desperately trying to escape. And nearly everyone else is closer to it than you are.
There's no way you're getting in melee range.
(Mobility: 4,4=4!)
You burst into an agile sprint, moving with absurd speed and dexterity. If you can just get a bit closer, though.
Around a monolith. Bounce on a rock. Flip over.
Land, keep running. A
bit closer.You can't catch up, not exactly. This isn't sustainable. The mantis has too much of a head start.
But you can get into casting range, or close enough, at least, if the spells go well.
(Power: 1)
(Control: 4+1=5)
The spell pops out of existence after you can't secure even the slightest of motes for it. Blast.
Another.
(Power: 6)
(Control:
5+1-1=5)
Reality unfolds. A lithe cat made of petrified wood settles into its new home. It's hardly a small cat. No, this thing is a full-sized panther. Maybe even a little oversized.
It looks at you, then
growls. Wait. Wait, no.
(Will:
N/A)
You don't have the capacity to bind it to service. And naturally, it leaps at you.
(Accuracy: 4)
(Evasion: 2+2=4)
You're caught off guard by how readily it leaps after your leg, but something inside you feels rather averse to this encounter, and you
twist, just so, and the panther barely misses you.
In the distance, the Outsider mantis is still running, bouncing from needlepoint leg to needlepoint leg, feeling greater and greater pain.
Greater and greater hate.
There's still an arrow chasing after it, but it estimates it can dodge the persistent projectile.
There's still the burning caster, chasing, but it has some space. She'll get tired eventually. Granted, so will it, but it's made of primordial soup, it knows it can last. Uncertain.
The blood-thief has stopped, and is casting spells, commanding the defiant dream to eradicate the Outsider's presence.
Both prove useless. The first does nothing, and the second fabricates a wrathful, uncontrolled creation.
The mantis would laugh, if it was capable of such.
Then. There is a trembling.
A quaking.
Someone has done something very wrong. A contained, bound, spellform unravels, and unleashes what it was compressing.
A pair of cat ears made of DOOR settle on the mantis' head.
They embed themselves.
The DOOR has been provided with a direct connection to the mantis' pseudo-brain.
It stops.
It falls over.
It
screams endlessly.
It explodes into glitter.
The DOOR cannot hold for long, and flickers from existence.
The glitter remains, burning the very sands it lands upon.
Ignorance's W̸͕̾̓i̷͔̅t̶̖̘͈̏͗̆c̸̟͖͗̀̐̑h̵̥͓͎͔̄̚
"Haha! You feeling lucky, punk!? Nek Floppa Izx!"
Well do you punk? (Chase after it and kill it if I can.)
(Resilience: 3)
Something strains within you as the mantis, far in the distance, starts screaming, then explodes into glitter.
You really, really don't feel too good.
In fact, you can't seem to stand up.
[Heart Capacity 2/2 at Exhaustion. Minor Crest damage inflicted.]
Description:
The thing has four wicked blades, two needle-legs, four glowing eyes, and one oozing core. The mind of a predator that only wishes to strike once. The will to fight even when it is outnumbered, but not necessarily outmatched. The fury that drives it to ruin your world.
Outsider Traits:
--Fast-Twitch (+1 to all Evasion rolls, +10 to Initiative)
Status:
Eradicated by DOOR exposure.
Author
Topic: The Gate of Dreams - Wretched Nest (5 / 5) - 13 - Guest Update (Read 24591 times)