Wellspring Attack

[npc_kun]

Characters:NPC Nothing, NPC Charger, NPC Steve and OPEN
Date/Time: Friday, September 23rd, midnight
Location: Wellspring Island
Rating: PG-13 and up
Summary: The beginning of the end.

Questions and general plotting can be done on this post. You can also page the NPC muns on that page or on our mod contact post. Please remember to forward date

Comments

※RESCUE TEAMS※

[npc_kun]

liberal arts majors need no hard sciences :P (also feel free to have Paladin give a final blow)

[crimson_seeker]

There! Though Hawk had no sight of Paladin right then, he felt the creature still in its writhing for a moment. Instead, it seemed to focus its efforts, the slope of its back tensing with strain. Whatever Paladin had done, he'd halted the monster. Hawk had his opportunity.

He planted his feet as securely as possible and stabbed his spear down into the "head" of the creature, hoping to perhaps pierce into the gaping maw. The skin was softer nearer to the roots of the tentacles, and the spearhead bit deep. Dragging it free with a fierce wrench, he thrust the weapon downwards again, and once more, dark viscous something welling up from the wounds as the creature thrashed and keened

rawk on Hawk

[mythgravenblade]

He had gotten as clear of the tentacles and the creature's jaws as he could after pinning it, watching with his heart pounding. It was a gamble, doing this, as there was no guarantee he could get his sword back soon enough after the monster pulled free--or even at all. So it all rested on Hawk

:D

[crimson_seeker]

When he found his feet again, his first perception was of Paladin hovering next to him, apparently ready to haul him out of harm's way if it became necessary. Then, raising his head, Hawk saw the monster slump, piecemeal, into a tumbled heap of dark tentacles. For a moment, he just stood, shaking subtly as the spike of adrenalin ebbed from him.

"Or a mad one," he replied, his voice croaking through a suddenly parched throat. "But it worked, so I reckon this counts as a victory. You're unhurt?" He glanced at Paladin, looking his friend from top to toe to make sure he had escaped unscathed. "I... was out looking for anyone still caught out here. The Watch has people posted at the bridges. Good thing it was you I happened across, or I'd be... Well, best not to think where I'd be without you." He managed a smile, somewhere between grim and relieved, as he went to retrieve his spear from the body of the fallen creature.

Haaail the conquering herooooo

[mythgravenblade]

"Probably where I'd be without you," Paladin said, the smile he offered shaky but genuine, before he took on a more serious expression. "I went to see what happened at the clinic, and I mean to make it there still. I need to know what happened." He stepped away, then nodded once. "I shall see you once this is over?"

Maybe Hawk would be obliged to stop him--he sincerely hoped not, but those were possibly his orders. And while he would not cause him unnecessary trouble, neither would he sit by idle and useless.

pffffft

[crimson_seeker]

"There were notes--from a medic, and Miss Rosalind--in the journal," Hawk said hastily. "The Clinic is under some sort of attack. The Commander's seeing to that. I'm just here to make sure everyone who can't fight is out of Wellspring."

There was precious little information as to the true state of things. The woods were aflame, and scores of monsters had sprung into being all over Wellspring Island, most likely so the defenders of Edensphere would be diverted from the true threat to the Clinic.

"You're a Guard, and I know you can handle yourself," he went on, his tone matter-of-fact. "And right now, I'm a Watchman and if there's someone still lost on this island, I have to see them safe. Yes. I'll see you later."

OPEN

[wayofflowers]

Bellflower had been working in one of the back rooms when she heard the explosion - and then Lezard's shout. Attack. Why here? And why had there been no warning at all this time?

No matter - she had her blade with her, which meant there was only one thing to do. She dropped her current task, and headed straight for one of the exits. Easier to fight on open ground - and she could protect those inside who could not fight themselves.

Re: OPEN

[marrymarajade]

Ben had been feeling a crawling, unspecific unease for a few days, which had only intensified as time went on. He spent a great deal of his free time - and there was plenty; his ability to 'see' with the Force wasn't so great that he could just return to all his old duties - meditating on it at a site outside of Wellspring, trying to coax up more details. The ones he got were few and, without context, didn't make a great deal of sense

[wayofflowers]

It took her a moment to identify the figure just outside the door, backlit by the burning trees - and a moment of tension, her hand going to the hilt of Minazuki, before she realized he was not the foe. A name didn't immediately spring to mind, but that mattered far less at the moment than what he'd just just said.

"Until...?" What his answer was would determine her next move, it seemed.

[marrymarajade]

"Until the first hostile contact." He'd phrased it like he'd been military once, part of Ben recognized. Not important right now. "The first of many, I'm afraid."

With a great crackle, one of the nearest burning trees tipped towards them and crashed to the ground in a welter of sparks. It wasn't close enough to hit either of them with anything but trivial ashy particles. What it was close enough to do was provide a brief, semi-opaque cloud of incandescent matter for a particularly quick ogre to charge through, a display that was, sadly, quite lost on Ben.

[wayofflowers]

Bellflower pulled her blade fully, now, slipping into a defensive stance. She wasn't sure what was coming - she could only feel Hollows, really, so she could be fairly certain it wasn't that. But this place seemed to specialize in the unknown, and she would keep her guard up.

The man - Ben, that was it... she had never seen him fight, or heard of him fighting from others. Which put him in danger here.

"I'll hold off what I can - it should be safer inside." There was a steady, commanding tone to her voice - not an order, quite, but taking charge none the less.

[marrymarajade]

"For now. They're everywhere." A faint smile crossed his face. "Don't worry about me."

Quickly enough that it all seemed like one motion, Ben drew the pistol he kept on him and tossed it out and away, calling on the Force so that it stopped before it hit the ground, barrel pointing up. As the ogre charged over it, it went off, and the creature ran an automatic half step farther before collapsing.

He wasn't able to see to aim well, and this didn't work any worse than manually aiming.

That first, fastest ogre was down, but winged shapes shot overhead, and new humanoid creatures were passing out of the burning woods.

[wayofflowers]

She started, caught off-guard by that little display of power. She'd never seen anything like it - to be able to move objects like that. She had misjudged him, it seemed.

She composed herself, and gave him a small nod. "We fight together, then." Someone at each other's back - it would be safer that way. The winged creatures above were out of the reach of even her nodachi, but she could see new creatures coming out of the fire, and she moved, sweeping her blade to cut a swath through the first row.

Ginko and Sniper

[iattractmushi]

It wasn't uncommon for Ginko to have trouble sleeping, especially with the current troubling signs that all was not right with Edensphere keeping him thinking long into the night. Nor was it uncommon for him to slip out of his room and go for a walk on those nights

[longnosedliar]

Evidently, Sniper chose a bad day to test out his brand new firework, a huge, bright green ordeal with a capacity to go horribly wrong, considering how he wanted to light to trail along the ground. He didn't mean to wait til midnight to do it, but that was just how it turned out once he finally prepared. He was always a bit nervous going out in the dark like this, but he had a lantern with him and he was well prepared. He'd test out a couple of his fireworks, and go home, easy as that.

Somewhere far behind him, there was an explosion. He quickly turned around to take stock of his fireworks, panicking that he had accidentally lit one, but everything was there. He shoved his fireworks back into his pack, and stared up.

Fire.

Oh. He wasn't freaking out. He wasn't freaking out. He totally, totally, totally wasn't freaking out because he was just so in control and he was a brave warrior and oh my god why is the forest on fire they were all going to die. He whimpered and began to run back to the bridge where it was safe

[iattractmushi]

He heard Sniper's yell just before something exploded overhead. Worried it was more fire, he skidded to a halt--just as a huge snake fell out of one of the trees in front of him. Taking a few steps back, one hand automatically reaching for the pouch of throwing knives he wore constantly these days, he stepped back from the thing as it reared up on its back half, shaking its head and flapping its...

He paused, blinking. Were those wings sprouting from the creature's hide?

No time to think about it now. He brought up his weapon to a 'guard' position, the tiny blade looking woefully inadequate against the snake-thing, which was hissing menacingly at the two of them now.

"Good to see you," he said, as calmly as he could, considering the circumstances. "But I don't think that thing liked your present very much."