driftfleet | /muffled dragonforce in the distance

[The dragon is visible to anybody who has the misfortune of running across it. Though it travels often through the air sometimes it lands on high peaks or cliffs and scales down, snatching up livestock and digging up swathes of destruction through forests and meadows. Occasionally it thrashes without warning, shattering mountainsides with its powerful body and laying down fire and ice, calling down heavy rains with its roar.

For the most part there will be a boy either riding with the dragon or walking alongside it; they’re hardly ever far apart, the boy always clutching at its scales or spines, turning to observe the world around them and siccing it on anything he deems dangerous. Those with moderate spiritual power will see that the boy’s face is mottled and expressionless, eyes two empty holes and mouth completely missing, as if he were born without it.

Anyone with significant spiritual power will be able to detect a fiercely powerful domain, weighty and packed with negative energy bearing down on the landscape and poisoning the earth. While not stationary long enough to significantly affect the wildlife, occasionally some weaker animals will succumb and transform into monstrous versions of themselves, which will attack anyone who wanders too closely. It may or may not be obvious that while both the boy and dragon are generating similarly venomous domains, the boy’s feels more sickeningly heavy.]

(( The dragon (Mikleo) will be godmoded to streamline tagging! ))

Edited 2016-09-07 18:18 (UTC)

[If anyone is unlucky enough to catch Sorey without his dragon, he’ll become immediately hostile. Those with high spiritual power will see that he's deformed, with holes for eyes and a missing mouth, while those without power will just see a regular boy.

He has with him a sword that’s largely used as a medium to command elements; the sword itself isn’t sharp but can still pierce and cut when he wraps it with ice or wind. He's unnaturally strong and fast. He calls down rain and wind, summons up rivers and ice and can throw waves of fire like it’s nothing.

Though corrupted, Sorey still has some of his mind and can easily recognize people. He still has a sense of self, though twisted and darkened by malevolence, so talking to him will affect him, though he’s too far gone to save with just words.

He’ll be resistant to elemental magic and techniques using water, fire, wind and earth or any variations of. Physical attacks work as well as anything else, and an excess of holy magic will likely make him retreat or call for his dragon to save him.]

Edited 2016-09-07 18:19 (UTC)

( a: please do not pet the dragon. )

[There is a deep, unsettling chill permeating the area. It's out of season - or perhaps merely too early - but there is snow on the ground, light patches at first, and if one were to follow the trail, the level of it would only grow until the snow is thick enough to cover half of a boot. Up a hill a good distance away from an unremarkable town, ice shards pepper the landscape, unnaturally flawless and unaffected by the temperature outside.

Curled up in the center of it all is a dragon, seemingly asleep. It looks quite cozy. It's a shame that its presence is creating quite a stir down below.

Dragons cast a domain of their own, so even those without resonance should feel a sense of dread when approaching the hill, although it's easy to play off on the fact that hey, you are approaching a dragon. It can also sense when someone has entered their domain, so it might be tricky to sneak up on it, but maybe...]

( b: oh no. you pet the dragon. )

[Forget the ice, forget the nap. Either it was disturbed by an attack, or the malevolence and natural aggression of its kind has kicked in without its master nearby to redirect it- whatever the reason, the dragon is in the middle of terrorizing a local town. Collapsed buildings, ruined landmarks, scattered livestock, plenty of noises-- someone poked the bull, and now they get to deal with the fallout.

It seems more interested in making a mess and scaring people off rather than actively killing anyone, so that's... nice... but there's still plenty of property damage, and the residents are freaking out, so a few dragon-hunters might be welcome.]

( c: butterflies in the sk- nope, sorry, it's still a dragon. )

[Mortals sure are inconvenient. Trying to escape all the fighting, the dragon has moved to the sky now, circling overhead a territory it has temporarily claimed for itself. It's not at an outrageous height, but it's still out of reach for most, and it doesn't seem particularly inclined to come down and play. A good long-ranged attack might draw its attention, if someone is foolish enough to try.]

(( before tagging please note my hiatus, just as an FYI that I will be slow.

For larger groups or those in a hurry, feel free to NPC the dragon using this info in your own top level! ))

[Nightingale never really thought of her magic as spiritual. But it seems to be close enough, and just approaching makes her feel like she's going to be sick. Even moreso when her path to find the source takes her through animals that have been corrupted, their attacks met with huge plumes of fire to dispatch them. It's not purifying flames, but just fire enough to kill the animals. It's regrettable, but she can't just let herself get attacked.

It's when she catches sight of them that she feels even more like she's going to be sick. Not just because she's used up all her MP just getting to them, though that doesn't help her. It's when she sees Sorey's face, or lack thereof, that she really gets that she's in over her head. And she has to wonder- Did she do this? Her harsh words to Sorey, her pushing Mikleo to find him... Was this her fault?

But she won't just give up on her friends. Not again. Even if it kills her.]

Sorey! Mikleo!

[She has her staff stowed in her inventory, and her arms are raised. She's unarmed, or so she wants them to think- She wants to talk before fighting.

... Of course, then she realizes she has no idea how to start this off. What should she even say here?]

... Fancy meeting you here?

[Nailed it.]

[Lots of things have been wandering in and out of their domains all day, so when Nightingale stumbles into their territory Sorey pays it no mind, and Mikleo likewise seemed content to ignore it. Once her presence started drawing deliberately closer, however, well. That's telling. Someone's looking specifically for them, someone who can sense the epicenter of the turmoil.

The dragon digs his claws into the ground in agitation; Sorey rubs a hand idly over his muzzle as Nightingale walks up, completely unafraid. She speaks and it's her, it is her-

you're my friend

-and Sorey hesitates, ashamed. He's seen himself in a puddle. He knows what he looks like, but, if she- if she hadn't sent Mikleo after him, then maybe-

His heart tugs at terror remembered and Mikleo growls in agitation, shoving his snout hard against Sorey's hand. Right. He's already decided on his path, more or less. This way is just better.

Sorey turns to face her and slowly draws his sword. Fighting here will probably mean they'll have to move again, but Mikleo gets aggressive so easily like this. Maybe eating her will make him feel better.]

[Nightingale's blood runs cold at the sight of that sword. She knows already she can't win, and that makes it more obvious. Her only possible course of action is to stall him, but... What can she do? If he won't listen, if he won't talk to her?

She lowers her arms, and rather than her staff, what appears from her inventory is... a green bottle?]

Wait, hold on! I want to talk. Please. I brought drinks?

[THIS IS NOT GOING AS PLANNED.]

[Mikleo snarls but Sorey presses a hand onto his nose, like scolding and errant dog. The look he gets is decidedly warning, so Sorey pats his neck and takes a couple steps forward, sword still in hand.]

I don't want to talk.

[Where tf did that voice come from, he's got no mouth]

Leave, before Mikleo decides to eat you. [Mikleo puffs smoke from his nostrils and curls up a lip. He would, too. Unlike Sorey, he's not even aware enough to tell her apart from any other creature that's wandered up to them today.]

[Nightingale takes a couple of steps back. Her mind is racing- She can't fight. She really doesn't want to get eaten. But she can't run away. She can't leave her friends.

All she can do is talk.]

Does that mean if Mikleo decides not to eat me, you'll talk? Please. If I can say my piece, you can kill me or eat me or whatever afterwards, so...

[... She doesn't mean it, though. She's hoping someone will arrive if she can keep talking long enough.]

You want to leave it up to him? [Sorey leans aside and Mikleo pokes his huge head over his shoulder, snarling. Sorey hugs his snout like a child, hiding his face from Nightingale before looking back over her way.]

He'll really eat you. He doesn't recognize you. [Why is he giving her so many chances to run? He should just chase her off himself, but...]

[Choose your words carefully, Nightingale. She can tell that this is going to be the line between life and death here.]

... Aren't we already leaving it up to him? After all, whatever the relationship between you was, I always got the impression you were equals... You care about him, you don't control him.

[What a ridiculous idea. Of course he-

...does. He does? He didn't used to. They were partners before- no, they're partners now, of course they are, Mikleo just needs- he just needs direction sometimes.]

...you wanted to be my Squire, didn't you? [Sorey lets go of Mikleo and stumbles closer to her, sword tip dragging a rut into the mud.] Once I find Lailah, I can make you one. Is that what you want? You'll be strong enough to stop yourself from getting hurt. You want that, right? You always look like you're in pain.

[She almost laughs at how ridiculous this is, suddenly. Did it work? He's approaching her with his sword out, but he seems to be willing to talk? If it's a bluff- He might be using her plan. Get in close by talking, then sneak attack. Or is it true? If he's being honest, and she backs away now, that's the end.

It's scary, but she holds her place this time.

And she smiles, though as he says, it's a pained smile. She didn't think it was always, but... He's not wrong. She does hurt a lot. Physically, and emotionally. Even if it's getting better, it's still there. But right now, what pains her the most is not being able to help her friend.]

... I would like that, I think. If I became your 'Squire', I could help you, right? You two wouldn't have to suffer like this. That's the kind of power I want, it's true.

But Lailah's not here. [That we know about, anyway.] It doesn't matter, right? So now I just have to think about how I can help you with the power I have. Because... I can tell. You're in the same position I used to be in. But you're still you under there.

So, please... Will you let me try to help?

Help...yes... [Mikleo makes a sound of displeasure behind them but Sorey ignores it. He does need help. And Nightingale, she tried to help him before; she's his friend. She wants to talk. She wants to understand.

Sorey slips closer across the mud, reaching for her with his free hand. It trembles where it hangs in the air; the domain around them thickens, pulses with his indecision, his willingness to hope clashing with what he already knows is the truth.]

I need help. I need to- to find Dezel and Zaveid. They're still out there. They're in pain.

[The bottle she had out gone, she reaches out to take his hand with both of hers.]

"Dezel" and "Zaveid"... I don't know who they are. Are they friends of yours? I'll call them for you.

... Are you in pain, too?

It's not so bad. [Grips her hand back, sword still hanging loosely in his grip. Mikleo growls warningly behind them, possessive in his own right and Sorey casts a look at him over his shoulder.] You get used to it. You'll get used to it too. Malevolence just needs some time to settle.

[He turns back to face her even as Mikleo's claws rake across the ground behind them; this close, the holes of his eyes are faintly red and wet on the inside, horrific wounds just past the shadows of malevolence.] Dezel and Zaveid are scared. I need you to get them here; it only hurts for a minute. Mikleo's fine now, see?

... Okay. Let me get my communicator out, okay?

[She lets go with one hand to pull out her communicator, as she says.]

But... I don't know them, and it seems like this domain of yours wreaks havoc on wireless signals.

[Does it? Who knows, but she's lying about it. If she pretends to be looking while talking to Sorey, she can probably extend this for a bit longer...]

So it'll take me a few minutes to find their numbers, okay? And... It'll take time to settle, right? It'll take a bit to get them this close, that's all.

... Hey. Did I ever tell you about Bluebird?

[Sorey withdraws back to Mikleo's side, cradling his head and petting his scales. Mikleo hisses at Nightingale, shifting closer like a cat eager to pounce. They've never let someone stick around for so long, but- but Nightingale's an exception. If it turns out she's here to hurt them, Sorey will let Mikleo eat her. But if they can save her, they have to try.]

Concentrate, [he insists, nodding to her communicator. You wanna tell him stories? Focus on finding his seraphim first. Prove him right. Prove you're not here to hurt them.]

Edited 2016-09-08 04:53 (UTC)

It's not a matter of concentrating.

[She holds it up to show him, with the spinning circle showing. She's trying not to show how on edge she is, though the sweat forming on the back of her neck is as good an indication as any.]

No matter how much focus I pay to it, I can't make it load any faster.

Anyway, you'd like Bluebird. She was a teammate of mine, back at the castle. She liked ruins and old things too. She especially just liked adventure, I think. Then again, it turned out she was like a thousand years old herself, so you'd definitely like her... She had so much history to her, you'd never get tired of her. She was part of this underground city.

[ Hawke doesn't wait to think, doesn't wait to strategize. She rushes in head long, weaving through the crumbling buildings that were once homes. It has never been her strong suit and today she doesn't like the idea of waiting, not today.

Something isn't right. The air feels thick, almost putrid, simply breathing leaves a bad taste in her mouth. This isn't your average run of the mill 'raw-I'm'-hungry-let-me-snack-on-puny-mortals' dragon. There is something that makes Hawke's skin crawl, her stomach churn. A feeling that builds the closer she gets, slick and uncomfortable, like she's been standing near red lyrium for too long. It might be too much for her and yet she runs in, staff drawn.

Climbing on top of a pile of rubble she twirls her staff around, lips curled into a tight grin, knuckles white around the wood. Bile rises to her throat but she swallows it down, summoning flames to the focus crystal of her staff. Another spin of the staff and the flames go hurtling towards the dragon's head, a second follows quickly as she yells: ]

Hey! Big ugly and scaly!

[ Come play with her pretty dragon. ]

[The town is nothing but a distraction for the dragon, but it's entertaining, at the very least. The feeling of malevolence swells in his domain as people see him and flee, as pain and wonder and hate and fear come together like a fine wine for him to drink in. It's all instinctual, of course- there are no clear thoughts in his head anymore, but he knows that when he roars, people scream, and when he breathes the world burns. That's enough for him.

The fire has minimal effect on him; it bounces harmlessly off of glistening scales built to repel the element, and as he turns to face Hawke, he catches the second one between his jaws, huffing out half a breath of ice-fire to put it out. The fire does have the intended effect of getting his attention, however, and with a snarl he returns the favour, releasing a strong, steady gust of his own flames. Shoo, fly, he's busy.]

[That Sorey isn't perking up immediately at the mention of history and old ruins is probably indication enough that he's pretty far gone, no matter how much like himself he sounds.

He tilts his head at her before giving Mikleo a good hug and pat and leaving his side again. He approaches Nightingale to loom over her and watch the screen of her communicator closely, draping an arm over her shoulders as casually as anything.

Go on. What about Bluebird?]

[That lack of a reaction honestly breaks her heart more than anything else here. She's just going to slowly bring up the index of communicator numbers. she's flicking through them, but pausing from time to time to gesture as she talks.]

I bring her up because... After a while, it turned out Bluebird was a vampire. I fed her, from time to time, but she was always worried she'd attack someone, or that she was a monster now... But none of us really cared, you know? Vampire or not, she was still her, and we could tell. She was still a weirdo who liked wrestling dinosaurs and could probably punch me in half if she tried, undead super-strength or no.

Did YOU think she was a monster? [His arm around her tightens, just a touch.]

Edited 2016-09-08 16:31 (UTC)

[That actually gets her to look up from her communicator, giving Sorey her ever-familiar 'are you an idiot' look.]

If I thought she was a monster, I wouldn't have fed her my own damn blood all the time.

... Or kissed her that one time, but that was more about trying to win a fight. And I probably shouldn't have, since her boyfriend was right there. But she was ridiculously attractive, vampire or not.

Anyway, no, she was still herself. She was a dumbass who wanted to be a superhero and save everyone she could, no matter what it did to herself.

[yknow buddy for being so hung up on monogamy u sure do kiss a lotta girls]

Y'know, I think you're wrong. [Sorey taps his sword against his leg.] People who wreck themselves trying to save everyone, those ones are monsters. It's unnatural. Self-preservation's the most normal thing there is.

/muffled dragonforce in the distance

SOREY & MIKLEO

SOREY - ALONE

MIKLEO - ALONE

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( B ) HELLO MY HAWKE AND I WILL BE YOUR CHEW TOY TODAY

( B ) roasted bird is my favourite

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