But I can't stop staring in those evil eyes

[white_disciple]

Characters: Rauxes (white_disciple), Fayth (song_of_fayth), Cephiro (andcountry), and Mindelan (of_mindelan)
Date/Time: February 4th 2011, most of the day
Location: Silent Hillderness
Rating: PG13 progressing to R for gore/violence/bodysquick
Summary: 4 people walk into the Wilderness, one won't be walking out on her own power. This wilderness provides your worst nightmares come to life, and

Comments

All together now~!

[song_of_fayth]

"Rauxes!" As soon as Rauxes tumbled, Fayth had collapsed next to her. Her hands immediately flew to Rauxes' side, gripping her shoulder. "Rauxes! It's Fayth!" She shook her, trying to grab her attention. "Listen to me, okay?! It's okay... it's okay..."

No answer. Rauxes had gone silent. Not even a scream or a cry.

Fayth felt her heart skipped a beat. The hysterics had been one thing. The silence was something completely different. With a hesitant hand, she placed two fingers on her neck. Immediately, she let out a breath she hadn't know she was holding. She must have passed out... "Oh, Rauxes..."

Fayth pressed her lips together. She'd have to keep her wits about her; those things were still about. It was on her now to get them out of this place. Still... Rauxes' condition had her worried. What was it her medical training said to do? Preliminary medical attention; making sure the patient was alright and secure. Right, focus on Rauxes first. Everything else was secondary. And if it came down to it, she'd protect her with everything she had.

It might have been that sincere wish, to protect and to aid, that caused a tiny spark of light in the air. However, it went unnoticed; Fayth's attention was on the contents inside her bag. She dove into it, looking for smelling salts or something that could help Rauxes. But the odd phenomenon didn't stop there. Words were forming on her tongue and her hands felt warm, as if she were cupping her hands around a small flame. But they slipped away from her memory just as quickly as they came.

Just as she found the bottle she was looking for, she tensed. Were those footsteps? For a moment, she didn't call out, still unsure about the 'Mindflayers' and her own hearing. But Rauxes' safety... it was worth the risk, just in case. "Is somebody there?" She bit back her words, listening for an answer, before calling out again. "I-I need help!"

Re: All together now~!

[of_mindelan]

Mindelan was soaked to the skin and filthy and shaken, holding together in part because forgotten training would not permit otherwise, partly by telling herself, sternly and repeatedly, that none of this was real. This was all the Ordeal's test; outside, she was missing nothing, because no matter how long it took inside, outside hardly any time would pass at all.

Mostly because she had a duty - she had to protect Cephiro. She padded along in wet boots, her hand never leaving the hilt of her longsword, eyes everywhere, ears everywhere, feathered band over her brow, ignoring the prickling of her wet clothes. If it meant anything, Cephiro would notice and tell her.

Another voice. She pulled her sword, not all the way clear, but close enough that it could come free in an instant. "Who are you?" she called strongly, an edge in her voice.

[conductmyself]

"A mage," Cephiro uttered. He didn't remember what it felt like to be in the presence of active magic, but somehow he knew that was what this was. It was faint and inarticulate, but not malevolent - which was more than he could say for anything else they had run into so far.

Regardless, they found their path blocked by what appeared to be a wall of webbing. It must have been at least twenty feet deep, and was thick to the point of opacity as it blocked all sight of what was on the other side. Cephiro walked right up to the obstacle to inspect it. The individual strands didn't look too thick, but when he stopped to consider it he could only imagine Mindelan's sword getting stuck after the first few slashes. No, if they were getting through here it was going to have to be by magic.

He stepped back a bit nervously. Hopefully this would work - he had yet to use any kind of magic other than his light spell except in situations where his own life was in danger, and he had no practice whatsoever with fire magic. He had had no problems so far with any of the elements he had tried, but every mage had a weak element - and there was a first time for everything. That in itself was no reason not to try, though - eventually he would have to learn to cast spells on demand if he ever intended to recover his former abilities. He turned and gave Mindelan a brief, silent look that seemed to say, 'This might be stupid, so I hope you're ready.'

Magic itself was not hard to call upon, and in a way the burn he had received from his own light spell earlier was a blessing. Constantly reminded of what fire could do, he did not have trouble centering himself in the element. A picture formed in his mind, and then words.

"DELTA FLAME!" It seemed that he could not cast any spell without being at least somewhat showy - an arrow of flame shot out from in front of him as two brief puffs of black smoke rose and dissipated on either side behind him. It hit the webbing, which immediately went up in a blaze.

[of_mindelan]

She backed away at the glance and visually swept the shadows again, trying not to stare out into the mist. Look too long and something always appeared.

At least outside there wouldn't be anything dropping down from the ceiling.

She blinked away afterimages from the fire and drew her sword, using the blade to bat away falling burnt web strands. "Hello?" she called quietly.

Guess I'll play these guys since I know WTF they can do lol

[npc_kun]

The three conscious Dopplegangers immediately noticed the blaze and turned their attention towards it. The one dressed in fine robes to resemble a Slaadi was the closest to both Fayth and Rauxes still. He held up a lanky arm and gestured to the other two - the "Illithid" with a high-necked cloak and the "Drider" in light armor - in that direction. The "Drider" took that opportunity to retrieve his sword, but the "Illithid" immediately started walking that way. The "Drider" was still moving quickly thanks to the "Illithid's" spell, so he managed to confront Mindelan and Cephiro first, raising his sword high in wordless answer to Mindelan's call. The "Illithid" hung a few feet back and raised both hands, small crackles of energy appearing in them. Sparkling blue lines then shot out in Cephiro's direction.

Near Rauxes, on the ground, the fourth Doppleganger stirred and also looked in that direction, then up at the "Slaadi" leader. The leader nodded to him, and the "Chaos Beast" Doppleganger headed towards where his two fellows were confronting the new people. He didn't quite make it far enough to do anything except glare menacingly, still under the delusion that Mindelan and Cephiro were deceived by their illusionary façades.

That done, the Doppleganger leader turned to Fayth. Like his fellows, he was still under the impression that she didn't know what he truly was. And so, he reached out to try and touch Fayth's head, arm, anything to send her into the same fit as had just befallen Rauxes.

Thanks <3

[song_of_fayth]

The sudden burst of fire shocked Fayth. Impulsively, she caved over Rauxes' form, protecting her from whatever attack maybe be coming. But that fear was short-lived; the sound of a person's voice only brought relief. "Hello?" Fayth echoed in return. "It's Fayth! Over here!" Tentatively, she smiled and squeezed Rauxes' shoulder. It would be all over soon, wouldn't it? And then this nightmare would cease.

Or so she thought.

The hazy feeling at the corners of her eyes returned at full-force just as the creatures began to stir. And for one brief, horrifying moment, Fayth saw them again, the grotesque beings Rauxes must have seen. She called out to warn the newcomers. But, just as quickly as before, they were gone and in their place stood the Doppelgangers.

As the Doppelganger reached for her, she squirmed backward, bruising her knees and tearing the hem of her skirt in the process. Instinct told her to get up, to fight, but leaving Rauxes' side was just not an option. Not until they made it to safety.

And safety came with their rescuers, or so she hoped. Prying her attention away from the Doppelganger, she shouted toward them. "Your eyes! It's a tri- AH!" was all she managed to get out before she had to dodge again.

Re: Thanks <3

[of_mindelan]

The feathers held over her eyes filtered the scene. The figures she saw flickered a little, at some moments seeming like armored immortals, sometimes more gray.

She almost laughed in relief. Simple foes. All right, part of the time they were shaped oddly and were sort of odd and melted-looking, but compared to what she and Cephiro had had to get through earlier? Frankly, it was a relief to see anything that was ugly in a straightforwards way. That had to pick up its weapon; that wasn't in pain that could only cease in death.

Min didn't, of course. She raised her blade, held it steady, and watched them, particularly the spidren-centaur shaped one. She knew how to fight centaurs and spidrens; both in one beast was new, though.