Spirits of the Earth

Essyrn => Moraki Desert => Topic started by: Jiaolong on January 04, 2018, 10:46:50 PM

Title: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on January 04, 2018, 10:46:50 PM
"Where are those blasted potions?"

Ruby retraced the path he had taken from the last town, occasionally stopping to look for a faint green glow in the sand.

He couldn't believe he had lost the healing potions he'd bartered all that jewelry for. And to only find out now--half a day's journey from the last town. Just an hour before, his heart had sunken upon finding the tear at the bottom of his pack. A quick search through the goods he'd recently obtained-silks, bracelets, and perfumes-confirmed his fears. The potions were missing.

Surely they couldn't be too hard to find. It was dark, and the potions glowed!

Ruby continued walking and finally spotted a faint green glow. Finally! He'd been searching for an hour! His potions had rolled off to the side of the road and down a large sand dune, coming to rest far below him--and far off the designated path. As a frequent traveler to Essyrn, Ruby knew the dangers of leaving the road, and he had never once ignored that warning. Until now. Those potions were in extremely high demand, and one of his closest trading partners had requested it of him. He wasn't going to make this trip all for nothing.

Ruby started to walk down the long embankment and then slid the rest of the way.

"There you are!" The vials were unbroken, and after a quick check to see that they were still sealed, he placed them safely in his newly-mended pack.

A presence from behind made the white-haired man jump. He turned to face a menacing figure that had seemingly risen up from the sand.

"Oh dear..."
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on February 07, 2018, 11:09:32 AM
Wonderful.

Looked like she'd add "saving an idiot's life" to her list of things to do before she made camp.

With an annoyed huff, Maka slid silently down the sand dune. The creature, humanoid in form but insectoid in detail and scent, loomed over the traveler with a menacing hiss. It must have been sleeping beneath the sand, waiting for prey. The white-haired man's disturbance had woken it.

A sharp twist and her staff split apart in her hands, twin blades glinting in moonlight as she whipped them around in front of her, then cut them sharply apart.

The sand creature froze, then fell apart into three segments that she picked her way over, shaking black blood off her blades before linking them together and twisting them back into the shape of her staff. She looked down at the traveler, eyes black and cold.

"Idiot." She extended a hand. "Come on, get up. Sandcrawlers tend to live in packs, there'll be more of them soon."

Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on February 07, 2018, 05:26:46 PM
Ruby watched with awe as the woman made quick work of the Sandcrawler. The fight-if one could even call it that-ended as quickly as it had begun. Ruby's gaping mouth turned into a smile as he reached up to grab the stranger's hand.

"Ah, thanks for that," he said, standing quickly. He adjusted his pack and slung his long braid back over his shoulder.

Ruby glanced down at the severed parts of the monster, wondering if any of it's parts were valuable. But there were more important things to do right now-like escaping.

Ruby snapped his fingers, casting a small illusion around the two. To anyone else, they would look like sand blowing in the wind. "They'll probably still find us, but that should help a bit," he muttered, taking off into a run.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on February 08, 2018, 07:32:29 AM
Hm. Nice trick.

With a sharp nod Maka took off after him, her staff gripped at the ready. "Unfortunately those things hunt mostly by vibration in the sand," she murmured as she caught his arm to slow him down. "Running isn't going to do us much good. Walk soft."
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on February 08, 2018, 09:40:32 PM
Ruby slowed down, trying to pick his way more carefully over the dunes. Light thoughts. Think light thoughts. He quietly took out his weapon, a circular object with a long, pointed tip and a handle on the other side.

Apparently, his light thoughts weren't working: a Sandcrawler burst out of the ground, opening it's seemingly human mouth to reveal rows and rows of jagged teeth. It's jaw unhinged, ready to swallow Ruby's head whole. He flung the side of his weapon into the creature's face, shattering its jaw and sending dozens of teeth flying in the process. The Sandcrawler wailed, raking its elongated nails across Ruby's arm.

Ouch. This was so not his day.

Ruby jabbed the sharp end of his weapon into the creature's chest and watched it sink to the ground. But it wasn't the last of them...it seemed like the two were surrounded.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on February 09, 2018, 07:51:20 AM
"Well fuck." Maka separated her two blades again and spun to put her back against the stranger's, hopefully preventing the Sandcrawlers from sneaking up on her that way. Insectoid eyes glittered in the faint starlight and that awful clattering hiss seemed to vibrate through the air.

"Don't suppose you've got any good tricks up your sleeve?" she muttered out of the side of her mouth, blades crossed in front of her body in a defensive stance.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on February 09, 2018, 03:57:05 PM
Ruby's red eyes flashed in the moonlight as he looked at the surrounding silhouettes. He backed up closer to the woman behind him.

"Let's see if this works..." he lifted his arms, wincing from the deep scratches in his arm. He hoped that wouldn't leave a scar.

What was the most intimidating thing he'd ever seen? He tried to imagine a beast he'd seen a long time ago...and as quickly as he thought it, it appeared, looming over the Sandcrawlers with a devilish look in its eyes.

Ruby didn't know what the creature was called or what it even was. But it did the trick. The Sandcrawlers took one look at the scaly mass of fangs and spikes and scurried away, diving under the sand. Ruby relaxed his hands and the illusion disappeared. "Whew...that one was kinda hard to do...what's- he stopped abruptly as the ground beneath him suddenly shifted. The sand caved in, as did everything else in a ten foot perimeter.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on February 09, 2018, 05:29:12 PM
"Fuck!" Maka swore again as the sand was suddenly sucked beneath her feet. On instinct, she grabbed the man around the middle and twisted her body so as they fell she landed under him, connecting with what was probably stone with a sharp, painful, "Huff."
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on February 10, 2018, 10:12:41 PM
Ruby had closed his eyes as sand came raining down in every direction. The fall to the ground hurt, but it wasn't as painful as he would've thought. He tentatively blinked and looked down.

Oh.

"Er, thanks for breaking my fall," Ruby said, scrambling off the stranger. He looked up at the newly made hole they'd fallen through, the opening far too high to reach. Upon closer examination of his surroundings, he could tell he was in a long hallway of sorts...dilapidated stone walls disappeared into darkness, and there was no sign anything had been here for a long time.

Ruby held out his hand to the woman who was probably hurting from the not-so-pleasant fall. "Need some help?"
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on February 11, 2018, 07:10:22 AM
With a groan, Maka pushed herself up onto her elbows and glared at him, but she took his hand. Staggering to her feet, she looked around.

"Alright. Where the hell are we?" She rubbed at her hip, which seemed to have taken the brunt of the impact of the fall, then glanced at her companion. "You alright?" she asked- a little belatedly perhaps, but it had been a long time since she'd really done more than basic social interaction.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on February 11, 2018, 02:13:10 PM
"I'm fine, thanks to your wonderful cushioning ablitites," the white haired man joked. "As for where we are...I have no idea. But it sort of reminds me of a story I heard along the road...that there's some sort of ancient city beneath the sand."

"Ah, I'm Ruby by the way." He stared at the woman's hip. Maybe he had something in his pack that would help with that.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on February 11, 2018, 05:51:45 PM
She scoffed and turned in a small circle. "You got a light?" she asked brusquely, not bothering to answer his question as she took two steps cautiously out of the circle of moonlight cast down through the hole they'd opened up in the ceiling when they fell.

"Maka," she added without so much as turning her head. She prodded the sand and stone with a toe, testing the ground. "My name is Maka."
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on February 12, 2018, 11:08:01 AM
"Well, Maka, I do have a light." Ruby dug through his pack, which he was happy to find completely intact, for his small lantern and some flint. He struck the rocks together and lit the tiny wick, hoping it would be enough until they got out of this mess. The flame slowly grew, lighting up the stone walls around them.

"Wow," Ruby breathed, red eyes glinting in the fire light. "There are tons of carvings in these walls...I have no idea what they mean, though." He shook some sand out of his boot and dusted the rest off his clothes, pulling the pac over his shoulder once again. "Should we explore that corridor?"
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on February 12, 2018, 11:45:21 AM
"Mmm..." Maka frowned as she peered into the gloom, then back up at the hole over their heads. Eventually, she shrugged and huffed, "Well, we're certainly not getting out the way we came in. May as well look for another exit."

Blades bared and held at the ready, she jerked her chin over her shoulder at Ruby. "C'mon, and stay behind me."
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on February 12, 2018, 12:32:26 PM
Ruby held up his lantern to the walls, examining them as he followed closely behind Maka. A stinging pain on his arm reminded him of the scratches from the Sandcrawlers. With a sigh, he grabbed the lantern's handle between his teeth and reached in his pack for some spare cloth. "So...what were you doing out in the desert tonight?" He asked, voice muffled as he wrapped the cloth around his arm. Blood slowly soaked through, and he frowned.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on February 12, 2018, 01:12:04 PM
"Walking," she responded curtly. The muffled quality of his voice had her pausing and glancing back at him.

She felt a rather unwanted twinge of guilt and turned toward him, taking the lantern and setting it on the ground. "Lemme do that. You're just going to pull it wrong the way you're going about it." She unwrapped the rather sloppy bandaging and started winding it more tightly around his arm, careful of the wound.

"What were you doing out there, then?"
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on February 12, 2018, 06:41:06 PM
Ruby let out a small laugh and watched Maka wrap up his arm. "Thanks. I've never been good at this kind of stuff." He sighed. "You've already helped me three times today. If any of the potions or things I'm carrying are to your liking, you can take something as thanks."

"Anyway, I was just coming back from Essyrn. I had to pick up a few things—they have the best spices, you know—and I dropped some rather important things on the road. I find them an hour later and then I ran into you. Or, I guess you ran into me." He glanced down at his arm, now expertly wrapped up. "It's a beautiful place, but not so pleasant a stay. They don't really like people who look like me," he shrugged. He wondered if he was saying too much, but it was nice to talk to someone other than his trade partners.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on February 12, 2018, 06:48:52 PM
Maka smiled a little ruefully. “Don’t much care for people who look like me, either,” she said softly.

A little louder, she added, “I was escorting a merchant caravan to the city gates. I don’t linger in the oasis if I can help it though.” She tilted her head at him, paused for a moment, then turned and continued back into the darkness of the ruins.

“Keep up- you’ve got the light.”
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on February 13, 2018, 07:57:55 AM
Ruby quickened his pace to match that of Maka's, holding up the lantern a bit higher.

He couldn't shake this bad feeling he was getting...like something else was with them in the darkness. Faint footsteps confirmed his fears. But it sounded more like claws against stone.

"Hey," he whispered, "something's behind us."
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on February 13, 2018, 09:25:50 AM
Maka froze. She turned slowly, blades crossed defensively in front of her body. "Unless you've got a hidden weapon, get behind me," she whispered.

There was death here. She could feel it.

Damnit.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on February 13, 2018, 05:03:29 PM
Ruby tensed, quickly shuffling behind her. He did have a weapon, but he would only get in the way of Maka's superior fighting skills. He readied his weapon anyway and tried to pinpoint the source of the "footsteps."

He shuddered. He now knew what that feeling he had was: it was when something truly evil was present. His type of magic had no effect against them. "I sure hope you have a trick up your sleeve," he whispered.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on February 14, 2018, 01:29:40 PM
The necromancer paused. Then, with a sigh, she closed her eyes and reached out. Time seemed to slow around her as her power dove into the sand and stone around them, searching, searching...

There.

"Try to back away slowly," she whispered to Ruby, sliding her foot back. She still couldn't see...whatever it was that was hunting them. "We just need a few more seconds..."
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on February 15, 2018, 09:36:32 AM
Ruby obeyed, slowly stepping backwards into the darkness. He really hoped Maka had a plan, because he definitely didn't. But it seemed like she knew what she was doing...

Another chill went up his spine, and the footsteps grew louder. He heard a painful howl come from somewhere down the hallway, the wail making him cover his ears.

Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on February 15, 2018, 12:43:51 PM
Maka hissed and flinched back from the noise. "What in all hells is that?"

The sand beneath her feet began to shift and she skittered back a few steps, knowing what was coming. "Ruby, is anything behind us?" she snapped over her shoulder.

They probably needed to run for it.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on February 15, 2018, 03:13:02 PM
"Nothing but more hallway. I can't sense anything else," he whispered. As if reading her mind, Ruby grabbed Maka's arm and dashed into the darkness, the small lantern only lighting up a few feet in front of them.

More screeches erupted from behind them.

"Does it sound like something we can fight?" Ruby panted, only half-joking. He had no idea what lay before them, and if they met with a dead end, he wanted to know they at least had a chance.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on February 16, 2018, 07:50:23 AM
"Us? Maybe. Them-" she jerked her head over her shoulder, back the way they'd come- "Probably."

It was too dark to see clearly, but her death sense told her what was happening; it was like the vision of a snake, she could sense the moving bodies as easily as though they were picked out in softly glowing light in the darkness behind them.

Some dozen desiccated corpses, lurching and shambling as they attempted to block whatever was making that gods-awful screeching noise. It would buy them time, but she didn't know how long she could hold the reanimation. Where before sprinting through the sand had seemed easy, now she was flagging, panting and her steps weaving slightly as she tried to keep up with Ruby.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on February 17, 2018, 04:07:38 PM
Ruby looked behind him as he realized Maka was slowing. "You okay?" he asked. He hadn't seen her get injured before—what was wrong?

It seemed that the wails and screeches were getting farther away. That was good. Ruby turned a corner, holding Maka's arm tightly. The circle of light his lantern shed illuminated what looked to be the first few steps of a staircase. "Up we go," he muttered, trying not to slip on the sand that had accumulated on the steps.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on February 17, 2018, 06:54:07 PM
Maka staggered along behind him, the reanimation was dragging at her like a physical weight, dogging her steps.

She nearly ground aloud as they started to climb the stairs. "I can't- can't keep up the distraction much longer," she panted.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on February 17, 2018, 10:46:57 PM
Distraction? So Maka was probably using magic to do something...that explained her exhaustion.

A stir in the air alerted Ruby to the top of the staircase. Could there possivly be an exit up there? He hoped so, because it sounded like that monster would catch up to them otherwise.

Ruby glanced back at Maka and crouched. "Here, get on."
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on February 21, 2018, 07:14:29 AM
"Wh- what?" Maka panted, staring at him in confusion. "Are you..serious? You can't be serious-"

Her tenuous connection to the dead she'd raised trembled and she gritted her teeth. They were running out of time.

"Fine!" Awkwardly, hating it, she wrapped her arms around Ruby's shoulders and let him take her weight.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on February 22, 2018, 11:53:03 AM
Another screech erupted from somewhere behind them, this time sounding closer. Ruby stood with a grunt and ran up the stairs, hoping he was right about there being an entrance up ahead. The staircase led to a hallway, then to another staircase. "There...should be...an opening up ahead...I hope."

But the smell of fresh air grew stronger. Ruby stopped abruptly at a the top of the stairs which seemed to end in the ceiling. Was it the ceiling...or a door? Upon closer inspection, there was a circular cut-out in the ceiling, but it was sealed off from lack of use. However, the air coming through the cracks meant it definitely led to the outside. "The ride is over! Can you help me lift this up?" Ruby asked, setting Maka down on the floor.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on February 22, 2018, 04:07:42 PM
Too tired to respond properly, Maka nodded as she slid onto her own feet and staggered toward the sealed door. Grunting, she braced her shoulder against it and shoved.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on February 23, 2018, 12:11:30 PM
Ruby pushed as hard as he could, and with Maka's help, the opening budged. Sand and dirt fell down with the movement. Another scream from the monster gave Ruby a surge of adrenaline, and the two were finally able to lift the cover off.

A cold wind blew, and Ruby welcomed the fresh air it gave. He hoisted himself out of the stairwell and looked around, trying to get his bearings. The sky was cloudless, of course, and stars dotted the night sky.

He turned around a grabbed Maka's arm. "Let's seal this thing before that monster catches up to us."
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on February 23, 2018, 08:00:14 PM
"Good plan." She scrambled out of the strange trapdoor and quickly twisted to shove the stone slab back over the opening. Her strength was returning, but slowly, and she was still panting almost embarrassingly.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on February 26, 2018, 08:11:30 PM
Ruby squinted at some lights he saw in the distance. "It looks like there's a tavern over there," he pointed, wiping some sweat from his forehead. And even better, it was the place he had originally intended to go to before he'd lost his potions. He turned back to Maka who seemed in need of a place to rest.

"What did you do down there?" Whatever it was seemed to have really taken a toll on her.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on February 26, 2018, 08:36:50 PM
A tavern? In the middle of the desert?

Whatever, she was too tired to really question it.

Getting to her feet with a groan, Maka panted, “Trust me, you probably don’t want to know.”
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on February 28, 2018, 02:44:56 PM
Ruby shrugged, dusting some sand off his pack. Everyone had their secrets, he supposed.

He climbed to the top of a nearby sand dune, eyes widening in surprise. "It seems those tunnels took us right near one of the main roads to Essryn. We aren't quite in the middle of the desert anymore," he added with a smile. "Let's rest at that cavern. I can pay for food and board for you if you'd like...it's the least I can do for dragging you into this mess."
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on March 01, 2018, 07:31:11 AM
Getting her breath back a bit, Maka nodded and gave a noncommittal grunt. "Hey, as long as we're far away from...whatever that was, I'm game."

Carefully, she twisted her twin blades back into a staff and slung it over her back. Her eyes were still wary, but she seemed to have relaxed at least a little as they started toward the lights. "Come on then."
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on March 03, 2018, 10:41:01 AM
Ruby followed, running a hand through his white hair that glistened in the moonlight. His braid had somehow gotten unravelled during all the action. It would be a pain to tie it up again.

The sounds of the tavern—laughter, shouting, footsteps—became louder as the two approached it. The building was more of a tent, the walls being thick pieces of fabric stitched together. He lifted the cloth that covered the entrance and stepped inside. The smell of food made his mouth water, and he singled out an empty table in the room. "Let's sit over there. I'm about to die of starvation."
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on March 04, 2018, 09:42:40 AM
The noise and the light and the sense of life had her instantly on edge, but Maka nodded and made her way warily toward the table he'd indicated. Her eyes flickered around warily and she made sure to angle her chair so she had a better view of the entire tavern.

"So. We get some food, hopefully aren't chased by whatever was down there. Then what happens?"
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on March 05, 2018, 07:59:12 AM
"Well..." Ruby flagged down one of the workers, who nodded and went to fetch some plates of food. "I suppose we part ways. Unless you're traveling in the same direction I am," he said, voice rising a little to be heard over the chatter inside the tavern.

The worker returned with two enormous plates of food, the smell of spices wafting from each platter. Ruby eagerly took a bite after it was set down on the table. "Finally, something other than stale bread!" He sighed, red eyes sparkling.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on March 05, 2018, 03:47:33 PM
Real food was certainly welcome. "I guess that really depends on the direction you're going," she commented over the plates of food, quirking an eyebrow.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on March 05, 2018, 04:10:10 PM
Ruby took another bite of his meal, savoring the strong taste. "Adela," he said after a while. "I'm going to Adela next."

"What about you?"
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on March 07, 2018, 08:06:09 AM
She shrugged, picking absently at the food. Necromancy always left her stomach queasy. "Depends, I suppose. I go where coin takes me."
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on March 08, 2018, 03:10:27 PM
Ruby simply nodded at that, finishing off the last of his food. Being so hungry, he'd scarfed it down rather quickly.

Music began to play from somewhere across the room. A few men and women were holding instruments, playing a loud and upbeat tune. The people in the tavern turned to watch, some clapping along and smiling while others even got up to dance with their companions. Ruby drummed his finger to the tune, smiling a bit as he watched. "Good food and free entertainment. Desert travels can wait—I'm never leaving this place," he joked.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on March 10, 2018, 07:54:34 PM
Maka snorted quietly, not even glancing over at the musicians. "Something tells me the whole atmosphere would get old quick," she muttered. She'd never liked crowds, and the people were packed in here so cold it almost deadened her death sense.

...Maybe not such a bad thing after all.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on March 15, 2018, 07:47:41 AM
Ruby snorted at that, once again turning his attention to the the festivities. A man sauntered up to their table, probably a bit drunk from the way his cheeks were tinged with pink. "Would you two ladies like to dance?" He asked, sporting a toothy grin.

Ruby turned to face the newcomer, lowering his voice a little deeper than usual. "Sorry, we're a bit busy at the moment." The man blinked and shook his head, grunting as he walked away to ask someone else. Ruby sighed at once again having been mistaken for a woman.

"Geez, that guy reeked of alcohol. Dancing with a drunk person who's falling all over you is only fun when you're drunk too. So...do you wanna dance?"
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on March 17, 2018, 06:29:42 PM
The necromancer snorted into her drink. She couldn't help it- she'd thought the guy was pretty, sure, but that was hilarious.

"Stuff like that happen often?" she asked teasingly, her eyes glinting. A bit of the harshness around her edges seemed to fade, something of what might have been a more playful personality shining through.

And, well...she was feeling better, stronger; more connected to the world of the living. Why not connect a little more?

With a soft chuckle, she stood and grabbed Ruby's hand, tugging him to his feet. "Come on then, show me what you can do."
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on March 17, 2018, 08:59:39 PM
Ruby stifled a laugh of his own. "Happens enough that I've considered a haircut," he said, twirling a silvery lock around his finger.

He was surprised when Maka actually agreed to dance with him—he'd been trying to get her to lighten up and couldn't believe it'd actually worked. "As you wish. I'm a wonderful dancer. At least, that's what I'd like to think," he said, rising to his feet with her.

The music became more festive-if that was even possible-as more people joined the dancing. Ruby took Maka's hand and placed his other one on her waist, leading her in tune to the music.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on March 17, 2018, 09:14:15 PM
She allowed him to lead her through the steps of the dance, not interested so much on the movements themselves but rather observing how well he could adjust and work with her body. It was surprising sometimes how well dancing could translate to martial skills, worth noting.

Maka was certainly no slouch herself, feet light and hips swaying easily to the music. She allowed herself to twirl lightly away on Ruby's arm before spinning back into his hold- then smirked. She reached back to shift his hand a little higher up on her waist as she settled back into his arms. "Easy there, tiger," she chuckled. "Moving a little too far south."

Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on March 19, 2018, 04:03:04 PM
Ruby visibly blushed at that, pale skin turning a bright shade of pink. It hadn't crossed his mind before, but now the thought suddenly struck him—he was dancing with Maka of all people, and she actually seemed to be enjoying it. Gone was her cold demeanor—she was practically glowing. Her dancing wasn't bad either.

"To think you seemed so uninterested in the dancing before... you're pretty good at it," he laughed, giving her a twirl.

Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on March 19, 2018, 04:05:46 PM
She shrugged as she allowed him to spin her, then swayed back into the easy side-to-side motions of the dance. "Dancing isn't all that different from fighting, really. Moves are a little less lethal and you do it to music, that's all."
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on March 20, 2018, 05:15:26 PM
He snorted at that. "I never thought of it that way..." he said, moving along with her. The music finally stopped, the musicians wanting to retire for the night. Ruby smiled. He didn't remember the last time he had spent so much time with someone else. Sometimes he grew tired of traveling in isolation.

"So, you said you were an escort before. I will be traveling through some rather dangerous parts to get where I need to go...how much do you charge?"
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on March 21, 2018, 07:50:17 AM
Maka's eyebrows crept up as she considered it. She wasn't used to being a personal guard- normally she wound up traveling with merchant caravans...or sometimes less favorable work.

"Usually that depends on the job." She tilted her head a bit to the side. In the candlelight, the black of her eyes was revealed to be deep violet. "How far exactly are you planning on traveling?"
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on March 21, 2018, 03:34:16 PM
Ruby almost didn't answer, noticing Maka's true eye color. How pretty. He blinked, realizing she had just asked him a question. "It will take a week at most to get to my next trading partner on the outskirts of Adela. My main concern is running into slave traders...and whatever other strange monsters are out there..." he added, shuddering at the memory of what had happened not too long before. "One minute, we're running for our lives. The next, we're dancing," he laughed.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on March 21, 2018, 03:50:17 PM
The necromancer smirked and spun away from him again, then back into his arms, so close their noses almost brushed for a moment.

"Welcome to life in the Moraki," she chuckled, swaying from side to side. Gods, it felt so good to cut loose- she couldn't remember the last time she'd been so carefree.

"Alright, for a week of work I normally charge about fifty sovereigns." She shrugged. "But I'm willing to negotiate." After a moment's hesitation, she wound her arms around his neck and smirked. "Later. I haven't had a night of dancing in ages, and I don't wanna waste it."
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on March 23, 2018, 03:24:00 PM
Ruby smiled, swaying with her to the music. "I can do 50," he murmured, moving in closer. His eyes widened slightly before a sudden crash from outside the tavern made the musicians stop playing to see what was going on. Ruby whipped around to see what was going on, backing up from the door with his arm still around Maka's waist.

A couple of screams rang out, and another crash sounded before the door of the tavern was ripped open. Ruby felt a chill go up his spine as he laid eyes on the monster that had been chasing them in the underground ruins. "No...I thought we'd lost that thing!" He whispered in horror.

And horrified he was. The lamplight fully illuminated the monstrosity. It stood up on what appeared to be hind legs, covered in fur that wriggled and looked like worms. It seemed to scan the room before zeroing in on Ruby and Maka, letting out an ungodly screech before charging at them.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on March 23, 2018, 04:29:15 PM
"Gods!"

Maka's eyes widened, but almost before she realized what was happening she'd lunged for her staff and was twisting it open, twin blades glinting in the firelight.

The creature swung its head toward the glint of steel, snarling and clicking in an insectile way, and she bared her teeth. "Come on then. Let's dance."

Over her shoulder, she barked, "Run!"
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on March 23, 2018, 08:26:51 PM
Ruby jumped out of his momentary shock, hesitating before dashing away to the right. Maka had told him to run, but he wasn't going to leave her to fight the beast on her own. He cast an illusion over himself, blending into the shadows of the walls. The monster had probably followed their scent here, so he didn't know how much being invisible would help.

He slunk against the walls, creeping farther and farther until he was almost directly behind the growling beast. He held his breath as it lunged for Maka, baring an enormous set of fangs. Gosh, why did all these monsters have to have such pointy teeth?!
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on March 23, 2018, 08:39:36 PM
Throwing her blades up in a crossed guard, Maka dug her heels into the ground and gritted her teeth, gagging as the fetid breath of the creature washed over her.

"Fuck off and die," she spat at it, and spun into an almost unsettlingly elegant kick, catching it in the side of the head, before she used to momentum to complete the rotation and swing both blades down toward its neck and midsection as she came around again.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on March 24, 2018, 12:51:10 PM
Fighting really was like dancing, Ruby observed. The monster wailed in obvious pain, throwing its head back as yellow blood dropped from its wounds. However, it's tendril like fur wriggled, slowly covering the wounds.

It was healing...but not fast enough. He quickly grabbed a torch off the wall, using its flame to ignite the end of a jagged strip of wood that had once been part of a table. Ruby charged at the beast's back, jumping and grabbing onto the beast's back. He stabbed the thing in the neck with the burning piece of wood, but to his dismay, it didn't die. Instead, it screeched again, bucking and sending him flying into some tables and chairs.

He felt something sticky run down his face and touched it. "Oh...red..." he muttered. The last thing he saw before blacking out was the flames spreading across the creature's back from the embedded piece of wood.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on March 24, 2018, 03:15:11 PM
Maka nearly shouted for the stupid mage to back down, but it was too late. She dodged Ruby's flying body- don't have time to check on him, just react.

Her blades swept in again, an X beneath the creature's neck. With a snarl she jerked the blades apart, cutting into its throat from either side.

Its head went flying, and she spun to check on the mage. "Ruby!"

Oh wonderful. He was unconscious.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on March 24, 2018, 05:04:29 PM
Ruby blinked slowly, his eyes settling on the severed head of the monster lying in a pool of blood on the floor.

"Yuck."

He slowly stood, wobbling a little. His white hair was now streaked with red. "Well, it looks like you took care of that thing...are you okay?" He asked, voice small.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on March 24, 2018, 05:47:36 PM
She was panting lightly. Something...something about that creature was tugging at her death sense. Not in the way that she was familiar with, almost like- like dozens of ghosts were calling out to her, tugging at the edges of her consciousness.

"I'm...fine." Maka frowned and reached up to brush his hair back from his brow. "You're hurt."
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on March 24, 2018, 06:57:08 PM
He grimaced as he felt a sharp pain on his forehead. A quick touch confirmed there was a large gash there.

"...I probably should've thought that last attack through a bit more," he said, smiling slightly. "But, it'll be fine; I heal fast anyway. See?" He lifted his arm that had been scratched by the Sandcrawler and undid the bandages: the wound had healed, leaving behind a faint pink scar.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on March 25, 2018, 08:17:11 AM
"Mm." She nodded, satisfied that he at least didn't need immediate attention. "Head wounds bleed a lot, we should get that wrapped up, but we should probably get out of here first."

She glanced back over her shoulder at the slowly devolving chaos, the previously panicking patrons slowly converging around the body of the creature.

Which was still...twitching.

Maka's eyes widened and she grabbed Ruby's arm, hoisting him to his feet. "Get back!" she shouted at the people gathering curiously. She tried to shove Ruby ahead of her out of the back of the tavern, hissing, "Run, run now!"
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on March 25, 2018, 12:33:17 PM
Ruby stumbled, half falling, half running out the tavern door. Outside, the air was still. The sky seemed to turn a shade of blue at the horizon—it was almost dawn. Behind him, he heard the screams and shouts of frightened and surprised people as they realized the monster was still moving.

"I thought you killed that thing," Ruby shouted, ripping off a piece of his shirt to hold to the gash. He felt lightheaded, but now was not the time to collapse. A distorted wail rose up from the tavern as the head of the creature reattached itself to the body. "That thing is...really...goddam persistent..." He panted, kicking up clouds of sand as he ran.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on March 27, 2018, 08:31:39 PM
Make nodded. She didn't have the breath to respond. Which was downright embarrassing. Gods, had using her powers really taken that much out of her?

Whatever, she didn't have time to bitch about it, even mentally. She threw herself forward, feet pounding across the sand.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on March 29, 2018, 09:37:53 AM
The creature wasted no time in bursting out of the tavern after them. The thing looked almost good as new, to Ruby's disappointment. Though it was slower now, it would have no problem catching up to the two floundering in the sand.

Ruby noticed the beast squinting it's beady eyes as the sun came over the horizon—was it one of those creatures that couldn't go out in sunlight? It wasn't surprising—there were many such monsters. But the sun wouldn't rise fast enough to find out. Ruby took a deep breath and snapped his fingers. He sure hoped this would work.

Almost immediately, the sun seemed to appear over the sky. There was no warmth from it as it was an illusion, but the bright light from it was real. The monster stopped its pursuit abruptly, looking up at the sky before screeching. It turned tail and scampered away over a sand dune, burrowing itself in the sand.

"I can't believe that actually worked," Ruby breathed, dropping to his knees. He illusion vanished, revealing the real sun still making its way above the horizon.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on March 30, 2018, 08:00:18 PM
Maka skidded to a halt, kneeling beside Ruby. "Not bad," she panted. One hand on his shoulder, she shook him gently and added, "Come on, we don't know how long it'll stay gone. Or if it can track us under the sand or something. We should keep moving."
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on April 01, 2018, 10:27:25 AM
He sighed, rising to his feet. "Okay."

Suddenly, an all-too-familiar wail rose from the tavern. Ruby's blood turned to ice—there couldn't be another one! But the screech was suddenly cut short. "What was that?" He whispered, frozen.

No more screams were heard. Suddenly, a figure appeared on top of a nearby sand dune. As it came closer, Ruby saw it was a tall man with long black hair and blood red eyes. He carried a nasty looking sword on his belt. Ruby wondered why he was approaching them until the man spoke:

"I watched you two fight. A necromancer and a Fae couldn't even kill that thing?"

Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on April 01, 2018, 08:27:00 PM
The necromancer in question narrowed her eyes, sliding back a step. "Stay behind me," she hissed at Ruby, baring her blades so they glinted in the slowly strengthening sunlight.

She didn't say anything to the stranger, just stared him down with a grim, tight line drawn between her brows.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on April 02, 2018, 04:32:56 PM
How had the guy known he was part Fae? And wait, Maka was a necromancer? Ruby stepped a little behind Maka, raising an eyebrow at the newcomer.

"If killing that thing was so easy, why didn't I see you helping us?"

The stranger rolled his eyes. "Uh, because I was taking down the other one." He must've seen Ruby's confused look and said, "those things always hunt in pairs. The other one was still outside the tavern. Now, it's scattered all over the ground," he added with a grin. "Anyway...you two better get back to the tavern. Last I saw it, someone was stealing some expensive looking potions that I believe belong to you," he said, nodding at Ruby.

"What?! Maka, let's go!" He broke off into a mad dash towards the tavern.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on April 03, 2018, 09:34:29 AM
"Wha- hold on!" Maka started after him, giving the stranger a wide berth, her blades still raised in a protective guard stance. "Who the hell are you?" she barked, backing slowly after Ruby.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on April 03, 2018, 09:47:12 AM
The stranger folded his arms across his chest. "Anything you want me to be, for the right price, of course."

"Yulsin!"

The man started at his name, turning to see another figure appear over the sand dune. It was a woman this time, but she seemed like a carbon copy of the man. "Did my brother say something stuck up again?" she asked, adjusting the deadly looking spear on her back to rest more comfortably. Blood was splattered across her boots, but it certainly wasn't her's.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on April 04, 2018, 09:18:53 AM
Maka remained silent, even more on edge now that she knew there were two of them. She crossed her blades deliberately in front of her body, staring them down, daring either one of them to make a move.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on April 04, 2018, 03:46:20 PM
The woman rolled her blood red eyes. "Now, we aren't here to fight. I don't know what this guy said," she paused to elbow him in the ribs, "but we just finished up with the other one and came out to see if the other had eaten you two yet," she added with a grin. "Ah, I'm Yurel, and this is my brother Yulsin."

Some angry shouts came from the ruined tavern. The woman turned back to it, placing a hand on her hip. "It would seem your...companion is having some trouble getting his belongings back. Let's go back. To be honest, you look exhausted."
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on April 05, 2018, 01:43:33 PM
"You first," Maka replied curtly, blades still bared. No way was she putting her back to these strangers.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on April 05, 2018, 03:19:06 PM
Yurel laughed at that. "Oh, don't be so uptight." She spin around and headed back towards the tavern, Yulsin in tow.

Back at the tavern, Ruby had finally gotten all his belongings back. "I can't even leave for one second..." he muttered, but stopped abruptly when he realized Maka wasn't behind him. He hadn't felt that the newcomer was particularly threatening, but he felt guilty for leaving her there. He emerged from the tavern to see three figures on a nearby sand dune.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on April 05, 2018, 08:36:18 PM
The necromancer followed the strangers with a frown and bared swords, stalking silently over the sand. She caught sight of her companion easily and jerked her head at him. "Ruby, over here. Carefully."
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on April 06, 2018, 09:55:10 AM
Ruby obeyed, shifting the weight of his pack on his shoulders as he made his way over to Maka and the two strangers. "Who are they?" he muttered, giving them a wary glance.

He wondered how the two hadn't had any trouble killing the other monster. He and Maka both had...special abilities, and even that wasn't enough to take the thing down.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on April 06, 2018, 08:32:19 PM
She shook her head and shrugged briefly. "Don't know, don't really care. If you have what you need, we're leaving."

Her tone practically dared the strangers to argue.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on April 09, 2018, 01:26:41 PM
Ruby nodded, beginning to walk in the direction of the road. He glanced back at the two devilish-looking strangers just as the man, Yulsin, began to laugh.

"Good luck out in the desert, you two. There are much worse things than that monster out there."

Ruby frowned, hoping they wouldn't encounter anything else.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on April 12, 2018, 08:18:57 PM
Maka snorted. She certainly didn't need to be told that twice. "Come on," she muttered to Ruby, grabbing his arm and towing him out over the sand.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on April 12, 2018, 11:27:12 PM
As the two traversed the sand dunes, the sun overhead grew hotter. Ruby frowned, tugging a scarf from his pack over his head. It was a wonder he hadn't burned—perhaps it was due to his Fae blood, or the fact that he kept every inch of his skin covered during the day.

The desert was truly a formidable place.

A fork soon appeared in the road, and he stopped. "Well, I'm really hoping it's this way..." he muttered, realizing his map must've dropped somewhere during all the action.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on April 23, 2018, 10:02:35 AM
"You don't know?" Maka blinked at him, suppressing a groan. "Do you at least know if you're supposed to be heading east or west?"
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on April 23, 2018, 10:51:47 AM
"Hmm...West..." he muttered. He snapped his fingers and a blurry image appeared in front of him. It was the map, or at least what he remembered of it. "I'm pretty sure it's west. So this way should be right," he said, trying to sound more sure of himself as he started down one road. It was definitely a road less traveled, but with Maka there, he didn't feel as worried as he would have about any dangerous encounters.

The sun was now high in the sky. A single man hid behind a rocky outcrop that overlooked the narrow road. The road was too small for large caravans, but frequented by those that were traveling alone. He lay in wait, ready to signal his fellow slave traders should someone come along.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on April 25, 2018, 09:00:50 AM
Maka sighed and rolled her eyes. At least he'd picked the westward road-- she just had to hope he was right and this was direction he wanted to go.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on April 27, 2018, 06:21:33 PM
The two approached a deep canyon, the path going right through the middle. "This place is notorious for robbers, but unfortunately it's the only path. We'll have to be careful."

Ruby looked up at the enclosing walls with unease.

He was unaware that far above, the same man who had been watching them earlier was watching them once again. The man moved to get a better look at the two, and a small rock clattered down the canyon walls. The man cursed under his breath, hoping the two hadn't heard him.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on May 02, 2018, 06:33:22 PM
"Oh, wonderful," Maka muttered as they started down the path.

They'd only made it a few steps when she froze, head snapping up. "Hold on." She raised a hand, tilting her head. "Did you hear something?"
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on May 03, 2018, 03:39:46 PM
Ruby stopped abruptly, looking down at the rock that had fallen. Perhaps it was just chance that it had been dislodged...

Suddenly, ropes were tossed down from the tops of the canyon walls. People descended them soon after, quickly surrounding Ruby and Maka on the ground. They unsheathed nasty looking swords and knives, bundles of rope attached to their waists at the belt.

"Slave traders...!" Ruby whispered, turning so he was standing back to back with Maka.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on May 09, 2018, 09:42:22 AM
Again?

Fucking again?!

Growling under her breath, Maka swung her staff off her back and separated it into the twin blades, metal glinting in the desert light. "Back off!" she snarled at the slavers, eyes darkening to jet black. "You don't know what you're dealing with."
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on May 11, 2018, 09:19:20 PM
One or two of the men backed off, but the rest stayed in place, having plenty of experience with...unwilling victims. The group moved forward, enclosing on Ruby and Maka.

Ruby snapped his fingers, casting an illusion of invisibility over himself and Maka. The slave traders wouldn't be able to see them, but it would still be hard to break out of the circle. "Maka, let's go!"

He used the blunt end of his weapon to jab one man in the stomach. The confused slave trader doubled over, but more quickly filled his spot, swimming their swords randomly to try and catch the attacker. Ruby backed up, bashing another one over the head.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on May 21, 2018, 02:24:35 PM
Maka's expression fell into stony professionalism as she began to cut her way through their assailents. Blood sprayed from her blades as she carved a path, calling sharply, "Ruby, here! Move!
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on May 26, 2018, 01:19:42 PM
Ruby watched in awe at Maka's expertise—it never failed to amaze him how well she could fight. But he hurriedly obeyed her instructions and followed her through the bloody path she'd cut. The slave traders were unaware that the two had escaped, thank god.

After the two made it a ways away, Ruby pulled Maka behind a large rock. He sat to catch his breath, but it wasn't just the running that made it hard to breathe. "W-what now?" He asked, voice small. He hated slave traders.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on June 01, 2018, 02:38:03 PM
Maka spun to place her back to Ruby, blades crossed automatically in a defensive position in front of her body.

"Shhh," she murmured, eyes narrowed as she peered out over the desert. "I'm not sure we've lost them yet..."
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on June 16, 2018, 07:09:22 PM
Ruby once again placed the cloaking illusion over the two, but his anxiety was making him unsure if it was working or not.

Footsteps could be heard echoing across the rock walls, voices shouting. They were getting closer, but they didn't seem to have located the two.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on June 17, 2018, 12:33:07 AM
Maka pressed back, then suddenly turned and rocked up onto her toes in an effort to arch her body over Ruby's, her arms caging him in against rough rock.

"The spell. How foolproof is it?" she whispered, eyes closed as she cast her senses out, searching, searching...
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on June 25, 2018, 10:30:19 PM
Ruby pressed himself closer against the rock, feeling heat creep into his face with Maka being so close. Wait! Now was not the time to be thinking about this!

"The illusion makes us invisible to their eyes, but if they've got something that can smell or sense us...it's pretty useless." He knew some slave traders trained dogs to search for people. He hadn't seen any with the attackers, but it would be just his luck that there were some dogs on their trail.

((OOC: Sorry for the late reply!))
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on July 04, 2018, 11:24:53 PM
Evidently oblivious to her companion's discomfort, Maka pressed a little closer, trying to keep them as close to the stone as she could manage. If something went wrong, it seemed like climbing might be their best bet.

"Okay, then we keep quiet. And pray."
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on July 05, 2018, 12:10:46 AM
Ruby managed to calm his breathing until it could scarcely be heard. His illusion seemed to be working fine, too. The sounds of the slave traders seemed to be getting farther away...perhaps things were starting to look up. Ruby almost let out a sigh of relief until he heard a loud bark echo across the canyon walls.

No.

The sound should have been normal to anyone else, but it practically made him choke. After all, it was the dogs that had sniffed him and his father out so many years ago and—no! He swore the same thing would never happen again.

"Maka, we need to go now while they're still far away. Got a plan b?"
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on July 05, 2018, 04:32:09 AM
The mercenary swore softly when she heard the hounds, and by the time Ruby spoke she was already moving. "Yeah. Keep the illusion up as long as you can and start climbing," she ordered sharply.

Without further warning, she grabbed the mage under his arms and hoisted him as high up the rock face as she could manage, hoping he'd managed to get a handhold before she let go and jumped to begin climbing herself, hauling herself hand over hand.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on July 09, 2018, 03:51:43 PM
Ruby scrambled to get a grip on the scraggly rock cliff, thankfully managing to get a hold. The illusion seemed to be holding up fine, but the sounds of the dogs—and the slave traders close behind—were getting closer. Ruby hoisted himself up with a grunt.

Why were these damn walls so high?

He was about halfway up the cliff when the dogs rounded the corner. They wouldn't be able to see them, but he had displayed this illusion trick to the slave traders before. It wouldn't be long before they figured out the two had started climbing.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on July 10, 2018, 05:22:16 AM
Maka easily overtook Ruby as they climbed, and she'd nearly reached the top when she realized the dogs were almost right on top of them.

Just a little longer, come on...

Hauling herself up over the edge of the cliff, she twisted and reached back for Ruby, beckoning as urgently and silently as she could.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on July 12, 2018, 05:30:32 PM
Ruby grabbed her hand, not really caring if she had meant to help him up or not. With that anchor, he used his last bit of strength to heave himself on to the top.

"God...did we...did we lose them?" He whispered. He tried not to breathe too loudly, but it was quite a challenge after climbing a cliff with a heavy pack on his back.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on July 13, 2018, 08:18:21 PM
"Shh." Maka hauled him up beside her and peered down into the small ravine, eyes narrowed. "I don't know. Depends on how good their dogs are..."
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on July 24, 2018, 08:55:56 PM
The sounds of footsteps and dog barks echoed up the ravine. Ruby didn't even want to look down, sitting obediently beside Maka without making a sound. The wait seemed to last an eternity until one of the slave traders broke the silence with a string of curses.

"Shit, we lost em."

"But the dogs were following their trail until..."

"We've scoured the canyon already and the dogs are tired. They could be anywhere in the time we've been searching. An easier target will come along soon enough. Let's go back."

Some sounds of approval followed, and the footsteps faded into the distance. Ruby relaxed his shoulders which he hadn't realized he'd been tensing and let out a sigh of relief. "I think they really are gone. But it pains me to know 'easier targets' will get caught with these guys roaming around..."
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on July 24, 2018, 11:29:42 PM
Maka's eyes narrowed. Slowly, she stood, watching the retreating slavers make their way back through the ravine.

"Don't worry." Her voice was soft, and cold as a midwinter night on the tundra. "They won't."

Her eyes closed and she extended one hand, reaching with her power. Twice in as many days she'd used this cursed ability, and part of her hated.

Another part, a part that honestly scared her more than a little, reveled in it.

She grit her teeth and furrowed her brow with effort as she intoned, "Rise."

For a long moment, nothing happened.

Then, all at once, the sand of the ravine floor erupted. Slavers shouted and dogs scrambled for safety as dozens, hundreds of bones burst through the desert's crust, bleached white by the sun and sand. Shuddering and creaking, the bones drew together into haphazard skeletons, lurching toward the group, reaching with sharp-tipped fingers and gnashing teeth.

Not all were human, but every last one of them was out for blood.

Maka's breath left her in a sharp exhale and her knees gave out, her whole body shuddering as she sank to the sand. She just barely had the energy to send out another pulse of power, ordering the revenants to leave the dogs in peace.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on July 25, 2018, 01:12:25 AM
Ruby only stared at Maka following her rather eerie statement, sitting backwards suddenly when the ground in the canyon below began to rumble. Shouts and screams could be heard not to far away—he recognized the voices as those of the slave traders.

He was about to look over the ledge when Maka collapsed to her knees, looking utterly exhausted. Ruby grabbed her shoulders to steady her.

The cries of the slave traders could be heard no more—the only sound being an ominous crunching noise. Ruby could only guess what Maka had done, remembering some stranger mentioning she was a necromancer.

And to think she was powerful enough to take them all out in one go... "That was...amazing. But, hey, are you alright?" He returned his attention to her, concern filling his eyes.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on July 25, 2018, 06:43:50 AM
Amazing.

Ha.

Maka struggled to focus on him, blinking up through the glare of the sun off the sand. "I'm...fine."

No sooner were the words out of her mouth when she pitched forward into a dead faint.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on July 25, 2018, 01:09:59 PM
Ruby caught her before she hit the ground.

"You call this fine?! Oh, wait, you're really out cold..."

He couldn't get back down with Maka unconscious like this, and he certainly didn't want to run into whatever was down there. He finally decided to walk along the tops of the ravine walls—at least there he had a better view of any attackers.

Ruby held Maka up, dribbling some water from a canteen into her mouth. The canteen felt dangerously light...the slave traders had caused a huge detour. Ruby grunted as he hoisted Maka onto his back and began trekking through the sand.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on July 25, 2018, 07:44:24 PM
Maka was a complete dead weight, limp against his back as he trundled them along across the sand.

The moment she'd lost consciousness her risen creations had collapsed, dozens of skeletons no longer bound by magic and will once more just piles of bone, bleaching under the desert sun.

She didn't know how much later it was when she finally opened her eyes, but...they were moving.

What?

She coughed and struggled to pull away-- and quickly realized she was on Ruby's back, and that pulling away probably wasn't her best plan. "Where-- what happened?"
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on July 26, 2018, 12:31:58 AM
"Woah! Don't move too much or I'LL fall too!" Ruby adjusted his grip on Maka, thankful she had finally woken up. He resumed his trek before answering her question.

"What happened? You might be able to explain that better than me. You used your powers and then it was lights out. But, you've taken care of the slave traders, so we're safe now. Thanks."

He paused. "We'll be at the next trading post soon—I've been dying for a hot meal all day."

A moment of silence passed. Ruby realized that despite going though numerous life or death situations with Maka, he really knew nothing about her. They had navigated underground tunnels, escaped death multiple times, shared meals, and even danced...

"So, uh, you got any family?" The question was out of the blue, but it was a start, right?
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on July 26, 2018, 12:43:04 AM
Thanks.

She gritted her teeth and waited until there was a minute break in his stride, then slipped down from his back. She wobbled a moment, then managed to find her balance. "Don't thank me," she muttered as she started trekking along beside him. "Not for that."

She was about to make a snarky comment about wanting a hot meal in the middle of a desert-- but his question caught her off guard. She blinked and cast a wary glance at him sidelong. "No," she replied bluntly after several long moments.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on July 27, 2018, 01:29:07 PM
The lighthearted mood was gone in an instant. Ruby mentally cursed himself for asking the question.

"Guess that makes two of us," he muttered with a sad smile.

The canyon wall they'd been walking on suddenly took a downward slope, and some smudges of tents and structures could be seen in the distance. "Oh, we're almost there."
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on July 28, 2018, 07:29:50 AM
"Almost...where, exactly?"

Maka peered out over the small settlement. "What is this place?"
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on August 01, 2018, 06:30:11 PM
"It's a trading post of sorts. The tents and people here come and go, but this has always been a place for travelers to rest. I have someone I'm meeting here who runs a tavern."

Ruby checked his pack, making sure some of the smaller potion vials were still there. It would have been unfortunate to lose the one thing he had promised his trading partner.

Soon enough, a shock of greenery came into view, a little speckle of blue in the middle of it. Various tents were scattered about, and as the two got closer, voices could be heard. For being in the middle of a desert, it was quite a lively place.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on August 05, 2018, 07:01:57 AM
"Who?" Maka was already looking around-- still stumbling and fuzzy-headed, but refusing to allow herself to relax. "Do you trust them?"

IT would be just her luck to get set up to run into slavers. Again.
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on August 22, 2018, 08:32:24 AM
Ruby pondered her question for a second, remembering events long past. He nodded with a smile. "I trust him with my life."

He made an abrupt turn and lifted the flap of a rather run-down looking tent. The inside, however, was very different. Vibrant tapestries covered the walls, the light from the hanging lamps reflecting bits of golden thread. Stands held various potions, some even glowing faintly. At the far end of the tent sat a gruff looking man at a counter, brows furrowed as he read a scroll.

"Thomas."

The man looked up, his old face lighting up in a smile. "Its been awhile...I thought you weren't coming this time."

Ruby laughed. "Well...I was held up by a few things. But your potions are safe and sound," he said, taking them out of his pack and placing them before Thomas. The man's eyes sparkled as he put his scroll away. He glanced up at Ruby for a second.

"Hey, you're not as red as a lobster anymore! What, was the sun not shining this time around?"

Ruby blushed. His pale skin and the desert sun did not get along well, and past trips to Essyrn left him with a terrible sunburn—but not this one! "I just learned a little bit of magic to help with that," he explained matter of factly.

Thomas laughed, finally noticing the person standing near Ruby. "And who might this be?"
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on August 27, 2018, 01:52:06 PM
The mercenary hung back, eyes flickering about warily, taking stock of entrances and exits, the proximity of other tents.

She only glanced to Ruby's friend when she seemed to be addressed, quirking an eyebrow. "Name's Maka. Who the hell are you?"
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on August 27, 2018, 05:51:36 PM
The man answered with a hearty laugh. "Call me Thomas." Ruby smiled awkwardly—he could tell Maka didn't quite trust this man yet, but hopefully she would come to a little.

Thomas gestured with a hand towards the various potions in the tent. "Feel free to look around, I've got the rarest potions in the desert."

He took out another scroll and a quill pen, dipping it in a pot of ink nearby. He glanced down at the scroll and scribbled things down—orders, calculations. He glanced up once more. "So, tell me, Maka, how'd you and Ruby meet? In all the years I've seen him, he's never traveled with someone else."
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on August 30, 2018, 01:59:52 PM
Maka simply stayed by the entrance, arms folded and eyes darting around the small space. She shrugged in response to Thomas's question. "Bit of an accident, really. Just sort of...ran into each other."
Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: Jiaolong on September 20, 2018, 11:07:52 PM
Ruby gave a soft chuckle. "More like saved my life. But anyway, I know it's been short, but we need to get going if we want to make it to Adela tomorrow."

He could tell Maka was a bit off in the small, dark tent. Thomas simply nodded, having finished whatever trade he was making with Ruby.

"Well, that's one thing checked off the list," Ruby said as he approached Maka at the entrance. "How about we get some food? The stands here have some local specialties."

Title: Re: Desert Encounter (DragonSong)
Post by: DragonSong on October 01, 2018, 07:16:33 PM
"Sure." Maka shrugged, still eyeing their surroundings warily. "I'm following you here, mage. After you."