EVENT #14: ANOMALIES - IC EVENT LOG

[abraxasmods]

Event #14 - Anomalies

OOC event plotting | Coordination Post | Wrap-Up

---

Over the last several weeks of summer, leading up to AUGUST 20, the appearance of rifts, and the subsequent creatures, has become a disturbingly common appearance. The average citizen has taken the changes in stride. Some have even integrated these creatures into communities as pets or beasts of burden. Nonetheless, these unprecedented appearances have resulted in rumors. Is the cause the Summoned? Have they carried a dark curse back from the Feywilds? Are the Old Gods offended?

A Coordination Post will be available for communications between mods and players. Report notable actions and events, or track Developments. Though we encourage you to take advantage, using the Coordination Post isn't required to participate in the event.

Anomalous Threats

Dubbed Anomalies throughout Abraxas, suspicion and curiosity turn to terror when much greater threats - called Anomalous Beasts - begin to fall through large rifts. Where did these creatures come from? Why have they arrived? And is this only the beginning of something far worse?

Arrival of the Beasts

The Anomalous Beasts tumble through open rifts that appear in set locations throughout Abraxas. You won't know where those rifts are at first, but it steadily becomes obvious as reports from locals come in. The beasts won't stay put, either. At random intervals, the rifts will suck the Anomalous Beast back through it and spit it out at another location somewhere in Abraxas. It might be in another city or in another faction altogether. It appears these beasts are not limited by borders.

Fortunately, each rift area only holds one Anomalous Beast at a time - so you won't have to face multiple threats at once.

Tracking the Beasts

Soon, you discover that the rifts are in stable locations. The beasts can go into one rift and out the other, but the area where the rifts appear doesn't change. You can use this to your advantage. Officials will set up portals to identified rift locations, allowing you to focus on an individual area - even if you can't predict which Anomalous Beast arrives from the other end.

Many of these locations are important to the locals. While confronting the threat, you'll want to minimize damage and casualties.

If you're tempted to try and go through a rift, you'll get a nasty shock that sends you flying back. Of course, if you happen to witness a native Abraxan attempt the same - whether out of fear or by accident - you might not want to try yourself: upon contact with the rift, any native Abraxans will be vaporized in front of your eyes. You should probably stick to travel via portals.

Arcanum Effects

Each Anomalous Beast bears a glowing Arcana sign on its flank. Be careful if you match its Arcana - you may begin to take on the beasts' animalistic traits, absorbing its aggression, hunger, or fear. These sensations can overwhelm you, causing you to mimic its behavior. Is your will strong enough to resist? Or will you succumb completely, becoming one with the beast?

You can get help from another Summoned of a different Arcanum. They'll feel compelled to make physical contact, absorbing some of the effects into themselves and lessening its severity by sharing it with you. This effect will remain while you're near the Anomalous Beast - as long as it's alive - but with effort and help, you can mitigate it and overcome the powerful sensations.

Types of Beasts

The types of Anomalous Beasts arriving might be familiar to you. Maybe you heard stories from another Summoned. Maybe you remember seeing it from your home world.

If you know what it is or its weaknesses, you can share this information using the Network or by word of mouth to help others defeat it. As for the beasts you believe have no way of being defeated? That may be true to your world. But you're in a different world now with strange powers, abilities you've never heard of, and spells you might've never seen before. These factors can change much. No matter the beast, there will be a way to defeat it.

To review what characters will be facing and each beast's Arcana sign, see the List of Anomalous Beasts on the OOC Plotting Post.

Faction Assistance

While the factions have asked for your help given the overwhelming number of threats that arrived at once, the factions can hold their own in many battles. They'll be able to assist you, and familiar officials may even arrive on the battlefield. General NPC actions are outlined below. You can assume they'll come to your aid based on those descriptions as needed.

Portals to each rift location will also be established within the first 24 hours. While the portals won't take you directly into the fray, they'll be near enough that you'll have the chance to arrive on time to mitigate damage or confront the threat.

You can request more significant aid or resources from an NPC using the Coordination Post.

There is no influence requirement to make a request, but influence and your character's relationship with faction NPCs will be taken into account to determine the outcome.

Thorne

In Thorne, assistance will come from the following:

◎ Jolene Sybell. Jolene will arrive at the front lines as needed. She has offensive spells but specializes in healing and medical magic. If you're wounded, she can mend you quickly or stabilize any grievous wounds so someone can take you to the infirmary.

◎ Soldiers & mages. Thorne's soldiers are concentrated in Borrel, while Castle Thorne has skilled mages. They'll be able to offer shields, offensive magic, and wards to help in any battle.

The Free Cities

In the Free Cities, assistance will come from the following:

◎ Marlo Reiner. The Prime Minister is as much a soldier as she's a politician. A former military captain, she'll direct the soldiers under her command on the front lines. She can provide cover in a fight or strategic advice. Her weapon of choice is a sword and a sidearm.

◎ The army. The Free Cities has the largest army in Abraxas. They'll be out in full force, providing combat assistance, protecting citizens, and offering medical aid. Any soldier will readily give you a hand on the field. If you aren't sure where you're needed, they'll direct you.

Solvunn

In Solvunn, assistance will come from the following:

◎ Isar Hart. Deeply devoted to the commune, the newest Council member will arrive with his ever-present companion Skaldi. A fierce and protective herding dog, she will fend off any threat. He's also followed by a few sheep that cast an unusual shadow. When attacking, they grow powerful ram horns and sharp teeth. Their muzzles elongate, resembling a wolf in sheep's clothing. Word is, Isar has a pact with Spyndlveiss, Guardian of the Flock.

◎ Elders and the Gods. Solvunn may not have a strong army or powerful mages, but they do have the Gods on their side. Elders will lead offerings and sacrifices - and the Gods will answer. While facing a threat, you might find something invisible blocks a blow or a wound suddenly appears on the beast. Though no physical presence arrives, you nonetheless feel the helping hand of something.

Ending the Threat

Resolving the threat involves not only defeating the Anomalous Beasts but also closing the open rifts. Fortunately, accomplishing the former will contribute to the latter.

Defeating the Beasts

Taking on the Anomalous Beasts is no easy task. You'll be faced with several obstacles while you fight them that might prevent you from defeating the beast: the rifts might suck the creature away before you can finish the job, you might be overwhelmed by your mind merging with the beast's, or you simply lose the fight.

In the end, one team will successfully defeat the beast. If you're one of the victorious, how you approach and finish the job is up to you. Take advantage of your surroundings, seek help and knowledge from other characters, and make creative use of your environment and skills.

And remember - defeating it doesn't mean killing it. The beast only needs to be subdued as a threat, whether through death or capture. Of course, once subdued, what happens to it may be out of your hands...but there's a chance that not all of them will be put down.

Requests for a victory roll will be accepted until AUGUST 23 at 11:59 ET. Only characters who win the roll can kill or defeat the Anomalous Beast. Please see the OOC Plotting Post for more information.

Closing the Rifts

With each Anomalous Beast dispatched, you'll notice that the rifts in the world start to shrink. The effect is subtle at first, but with every victory, it's undeniable that the key to closing the rifts is to bring down the Anomalous Beasts climbing through them.

Not every beast must be killed, but the majority of them should be for the rifts to close completely. By the end of the event, all of the rifts will have closed.

Across the Rifts

Each rift opens in a particular area. Each Anomalous Beast will have a "first sighting" at a specific location. Reports will surface as rumors, victim statements, and witnesses. Regardless of how the information comes to you, it likely catches your attention. Perhaps you hear a description that sounds chillingly similar to a monster you've encountered in your past. Maybe you're worried that the area has innocents who need to be protected. Or, maybe you're merely excited about a potential new species.

The beasts will move from rift to rift - not by choice. You might catch the one you're chasing when you arrive, or you might find yourself facing something unexpected. Your task isn't just to kill the beasts - the areas will need protecting, too. You'll have to work with others to do so. You could, for example, decide to have someone distract the beast while you evacuate an area.


[ Click the image for a larger version. ]

Each location is assigned a number that corresponds to an area labeled on the map above. Characters will have access only to their faction's territory on the rift map.

Kingdom of Thorne

◎ Castle Thorne (1) | IMAGE

Security in Castle Thorne has always been paramount. The thought that something could get within the castle walls is unheard of. Fortified by the kingdom's military and strongest mages, and boasting the host of the majority of Thorne's Summoned, it should be ready for any threat. That is, until something monstrous appears right outside the city's borders. Locals claim it slinks by on large tentacles with a single massive eye and a sense of foreboding.

◎ Frostwurm Tunnel (2) | IMAGE

Located northeast of Hayle, the snow-covered peaks are the perfect habitat for the Giant Frostwurms that provide valuable healing crystals. They burrow deep into the rock, creating a labyrinth of large tunnels. While the last time the Summoned were in those tunnels was not by choice, this time, you're asked to help protect the Frostwurms from what witnesses are claiming is a dragon or a very large wyvern. Except...dragons haven't been seen in Abraxas for many decades.

Due to the crystal's hallucinatory properties, the Summoned will be provided protective shield to prevent them from breathing in the air. The shield is invisible, causing the air around them to shimmer slightly. Be careful not to damage it in any ensuing fights.

◎ Whitehill Village (3) | IMAGE

A quaint village, Whitehill is an insular community established for many generations. Well-read despite their economic class, residents of Whitehill pride themselves on their magical knowledge used to help cultivate the Snow Petal, a rare flower that blooms only in their valley. Highly sought after for potions and elixirs, a small garden patch has already been destroyed by what appears to be a corrosive substance left behind by a large black wolf or wildcat. Residents fear this strange blight could devastate the elusive Snow Petal.

◎ Dukewood Lumber Mills (4) | IMAGE

Deep in the forests east of Nott sits Thorne's most profitable lumber mill. The sparkle of magically powered saws keeps the mill running at all hours. Although the land is owned by an aristocratic family, its residents are working-class. They earn a meager living for their families and fear not only for their livelihoods but their lives. Whispers of a shadowy figure with sharp claws spread through the workers, who remain on guard as they try not to let superstition get the better of them. Unfortunately, a few may be too far gone. They're even beginning to insist that the figure is...wearing a hat?

◎ Southern Farmlands (5) | IMAGE

The rolling hills east of Borrel are some of the most fertile land in Thorne. With harvest season drawing near, fields of green turn to amber for the most plentiful of crops: wheat. However, an unexplained fire in one of the fields has raised the alarm. Talk has arisen of a strange silvery creature wearing a crown. Witnesses claim it sits on wagons and anything that looks remotely chair-like. Or perhaps...throne-like? What could it be? Does it have anything to do with the fire?

◎ Southern Mountains (6) | IMAGE

This winding path between the peaks is an important trade route that cuts towards Borrel for those unable to cross the waters. While dangerous, many seasoned merchants will take this path to save precious time. Lately, though, the dangers seem to be much greater. Injured men stumbling out of the mountains claim their friends were torn apart by a multi-limbed insect the size of a full-grown gryphon. One describes black horns, while another insists it had hands grown over its torso. Whatever it is, it's hungry.

◎ Fishing Docks (7) | IMAGE

Home to dozens of fishing boats and trawlers, the docks and its nearby fish market are the lifeblood of Nott. These fishermen are skilled at traversing the lake - so it's unusual that one of them has gone missing. Whispers say the man was dragged under the waters by lurking black tentacles. Many are afraid to venture out again, claiming that something in the lake is watching them.

The Free Cities

◎ Fomalhaut (1) | IMAGE

Though the port city is a fixture in the Free Cities, no one is granted permission to approach the heavily guarded barricade that leads into Fomalhaut. A large sign reads NO TRESPASSING! Official Travel Only Beyond This Point! Another reads Deadly Force Authorized. A third states simply DISEASE. Fortified walls and barriers protect the valuable machinery powering the shields that enforce the quarantine. Lately, tensions have heightened due to heavy bipedal tracks and reports of a moving metal statue. A breach in the shield could devastate not just the Free Cities but all of Abraxas.

◎ Northeastern Mountains (2) | IMAGE

These sharp peaks span past most of the Free Cities' territory. The smaller mountains near Aquila are popular for mountaineers, geologists, and engineers looking to test their newest inventions at higher altitudes. Finding abandoned equipment is not uncommon. Recently, many travelers have fled the mountains, escaping an invisible entity that haunts the area. One scientist who returned injured insists that he doesn't believe in spirits but says that "an unseen force" caused him to slip and fall.

◎ Andromeda Bay (3) | IMAGE

A popular destination for rest, the waters of Andromeda Bay are a welcome reprieve during the hot summer months. Except, the crystalline blue waters have grown tainted with a pungent stench. People are fleeing the shores, warning each other that the a tentacled swamp-fish with a gaping maw has overtaken the bay. Locals fear this disruption to tourism will impact their livelihoods. Meanwhile, biologists are concerned the foul waters will disturb the delicate ecosystem.

◎ Cadens Barracks (4) | IMAGE

The barracks are familiar to most of the Free Cities Summoned. Now, the usually bustling and tightly run military hub is in a state of high alarm. Few soldiers are out in the open. Barracks and rooms feature hastily boarded windows and doors. Here and there are splashes of blood. Any soldiers out and about have their weapons at the ready. Injuries appear to be bites and vicious claw marks. There are ominous whispers of, We can't even see them.

◎ The Badlands (5) | IMAGE

With frequent dust storms, difficult rocky terrain, and extreme heat, the Badlands are the last place you want to be. Most know better than to venture towards its heart. Bandits occupy only the more habitable edges around the area. The few souls who brave the landscape are hardened survivalists or soldiers on patrol. You should take their grim reports of a new fearsome creature seriously. They say it bursts out of the ground and spits deadly acid - melting one individual to the bone. Though the Badlands houses some of Abraxas's most dangerous beasts, this one appears to be new...and it might be coming closer to the city.

◎ Farhill Mining Camp (6) | IMAGE

The Farhill Mining Camp is the largest mine in operation. Rows of cheap housing are pressed together with little care, sitting dangerously close to the mines and the fumes that come with them. Jagged hills of varying height and stability make traversing the mining area tricky. Citizens of all ages work the mines daily, with children able to quickly squeeze through small crevices. The ground often shakes with the rumbling of machinery, but recently something else burrowed beneath has been sending quakes throughout the mine. Unusual dragonfly-like insects, glowing green, have also swarmed the area. With operations refusing to cease, a collapse could be disastrous for everyone involved.

◎ The Red Path (7) | IMAGE

Named for its iconic red sand on the surrounding hills, the Red Path leads to and from Libertas. Known for being relatively safe, merchants, travelers, and hiking enthusiasts frequent the Red Path for its beautiful scenery. When reports of frequent animal attacks begin to surface, word spreads quickly. Merchants now take the road warily, and many refuse to hike it. Surviving witnesses say the creature's enormous white bulk stands out starkly against the red landscape. Most injuries consist of burns, and scorch marks mar the area.

Solvunn Commune

◎ Tertiary Settlement (1) | IMAGE

The Tertiary Settlement is a rough place to make a living, but skilled fishermen have learned to thrive. Rundown wooden houses dot the shoreline as boats row out in the hopes that this day's catch will be the one to feed several mouths at once. Lately, the fishermen claim that an unusual leviathan has been spotted in the waters, something massive and grey. Unlike most leviathans, its teeth are blunt, and it doesn't seem to dive deep under the sea.

◎ Shrine of The Maw (2) | IMAGE

This wooden path lined with dark runes leads to a foreboding tree on a hill. This tree sprouts no leaves and sheds no bark. At the base of its trunk are lit candles. Old and new wax alike stains the tree's roots. This tree is the central shrine to Dyvoraetiir, Herald of the Maw. Dyvoraetiir consumes hopes and dreams, sending those who offend into despair. Intriguingly, the reptilian rock-like creature spotted here is not the threat it should be. Instead, witnesses say it's sluggish and disoriented...and other beasts who arrive through the rift will exhibit similar symptoms. Commune elders fear this is a sign of an angry god. They're desperate to protect the area from further disruption.

◎ The Offering Grove (3) | IMAGE

East of the Secondary Settlement is a popular ritual site. A winding spiral leads to the grove's center, where a large offering bowl sits. Offering bowls are common in Solvunn, but the Offering Grove hosts the largest bowl. Made from sanctified metals, it never rusts or erodes. Many travel to this site to make crucial requests or as a show of penance. Because rituals may take several days or longer, many are reluctant to undo their work and refuse to leave the site, despite the glowing pink light that shines from the shadows.

◎ Mountain Ritual Site (4) | IMAGE

Halfway up the cliffs is a small rounded platform. Crafted to divine truth and one's true path, this is where many seek their answers. The mountain air is said to provide a person with clarity and even visions. Elders have grown concerned by returning visitors who say they've glimpsed the face of a new God, a hulking figure with a decorative mask of hanging tassels.

◎ Forest Shrines (5) | IMAGE

Several shrines make their homes in the Solvunn forest, dedicated to Gods you might've encountered or heard of. The most popular shrine caters to all Gods of the land. Sacrificial bones rest beneath the arched altar, bones that locals whisper are moving. Elders fear not only upsetting the Gods but damaging precious and ancient shrines that served the commune for centuries.

◎ Feintak Ritual Site (6) | IMAGE

If you were here last June, you might've taken a journey to the hills just outside the Primary Settlement into a small wooded area that hosts a plethora of unsettling statues. Called "Feikinstaftaka" in the old tongue, locals refer to it as "Feintak" to avoid invoking the power of its true name. Used to remove high-level curses, performed only under the guidance of the Solvunn Council, this sacred area keeps a tight lid on dark magic - magic that could spell disaster should it be unleashed. Unfortunately, that might've already happened: a walking figure shrouded in shadows has been spotted in the area, and no one knows what it means.

◎ Abandoned Settlement (7) | IMAGE

A popular trading route skirts the edge of this swamp. Well-worn and overgrown, the few homes still standing are in disrepair. Despite its foreboding appearance, the swamp hosts small creatures said to be servants of all nature gods. Playful and harmless, they emerge to seek treats from visitors. They might be recognizable to a group of Summoned who undertook a delivery quest several months ago. Locals say the spriggans won't come out anymore, as if they're hiding. A small pile of crushed pebbles suggest a few have met an unfortunate end. Witnesses report stomping and a disturbing growl from deep within the swamp.

The Horizon

The world outside is not the only realm in chaos. Anyone who enters the Horizon, whether to retreat, recoup or connect with allies, will find unwanted visitors. Anomalous Beasts will appear here as they do across Abraxas. Their presence might damage your domains or cause unwanted environmental changes that you must contend with.

Unwanted Visitors

The Horizon is an unfamiliar landscape to the Anomalous Beasts. Unlike the Summoned, the beasts won't have the sentience to understand it. Their entrance is involuntary. They won't know how to leave on their own and will wander through the domains as if those spaces are real, reacting how they normally would to any sudden appearances or threats.

Of course, as the Summoned, you have full control of the Horizon. As you observe the Anomalous Beasts that appear, reports from outside begin to make one detail clear: when an Anomalous Beast is active in the Horizon, they're asleep in the real world - and will stay asleep unless they "die" in the Horizon or are disturbed outside. Maybe you could use this to your advantage?

You can use the Horizon however you wish, but some possibilities are:

◎ Coordinating with teams outside the Horizon to keep the Anomalous Beasts occupied and asleep in time for an ambush.

◎ Killing the Anomalous Beast in the Horizon will force it to wake abruptly. If done correctly, this will be advantageous, but if done incorrectly, it might cause more chaos.

◎ Studying the strengths and weaknesses of the Anomalous Beasts in a contained environment before approaching it in the real world

The Domains

The arrival of the Anomalous Beasts will impact your domains as they travel from place to place. Important fixtures or buildings might be broken or torn. Created animals or pets might be crushed or injured. Ominous wisps of malice linger like a foul friend amidst the wreckage.

Direct damage is not the only possibility. The Horizon is constructed from memories and influenced by emotions. As a result, the presence of the Anomalous Beasts can cause unwanted shifts and changes to your carefully constructed space. You may find a once peaceful area of your domain has grown twisted and dark from a hellish Anomalous Beast. Maybe a beast associated with fire has manifested pools of magma.

As is the case under all circumstances, any involuntary effects on your domain will cause a sense of unease, and you'll feel compelled to fix it. If you have a weaker connection to the Horizon - either because you don't go in often or don't create much inside it - you'll find these changes harder to mitigate.

On the other hand, if you have a stronger connection to the Horizon, you'll have an easier time retaking control of your domain and reversing the damage.

This aspect is optional. Impacts on your character's domain, if any, are entirely up to players. Characters can also help each other rebuild their domains.

---

Comments

[godshattering]

You think?

[ If there's a time for sarcasm, it's absolutely after that confirmation Sylvain gives that they've angered the dragon even more if that was somehow possible. A joint effort even if it was the other man who upset it more (this time), though if they were fighting something far smaller and far less deadly he would've laughed. That's the kind of calm head in battle he respects and the sort of antics he would've unleashed upon bandits in another life.

It's not until Hilda calls out what sort of spell that was supposed to be, how it was nearly asleep while flying, that something - clicks. Something in the back of his mind abruptly comes into focus, and if there was time to do anything besides send Sylvain a sharp look he might dwell on it.

Now it's all about moving. Claude darts out from behind the boulder he'd crouched by near Hilda to keep going, though this time it's to fire an arrow in the wake of her strike as they run. The air still crackles around them in a way which piques his curiosity because it's not fire or lightning along, but no time for that either as he grabs another arrow and aims for the wound. This shot strikes true if the rageful roar which drowns out almost all other thoughts is anything to go by, and Claude curses under his breath at first and then louder when a shadow crosses over the ground alerting them all to another dive. ]

Strike again when it's close!

[ Which it will be in seconds if the past attacks it's made are anything to go by, and Claude stashes his bow. Another spell this time, something bordering on desperate to send their flying enemy up into the sky again to buy them a better chance to get to their destination. How is it he always forgets things are so much farther away when on foot? Then again, maybe it's the mounting concern as he shuffles through strategy after strategy looking for the right one for now which adds to that.

Claude waits for the dragon to come in range of their weapons before pulling forth Sagittae to send a spray of arrows, some of which almost look oddly ice tinged compared to their usual state but with how quickly they launch skyward towards their target he doesn't notice. Nothing else matters so long as they land. ]

[philancer]

Hey, it almost worked!

[ It was worth a try, in his mind. It would have gotten the thing down on the ground, at the very least. But it also told him the thing might be succeptible to some of the other magics he’d picked up, if he could get closer. Not tnhat he particularly wanted to do that, but it was an option. A distraction technique, at worst.

He could lob another fireball at it, he thinks as he watches it approach, his mind racing. But this is also an opportunity to try something else he hasn’t gotten to use outside of his own personal training just yet. He stays out of the range of the dive - it seems to be focused on either Hilda or Claude at the moment, he thinks, although he’s not sure which and he doesn’t have time to look.

Instead he keeps his gaze locked on the dragon, calling on his fire magic until it coats the spear in his hand, heating the metal and flickering along the slim line of it. Imbuing it with his magic. When the dragon gets within range, he draws back…

…And lets the spear fly, launching it like a javelin directly at the joint where wing meets body, all his strength behind it. He keeps his focus unwavering, willing it to hit its target, to sink deep despite the protective scaled hide the creature has.

And it seems to work, because the creature suddenly lists sharply to slam into the ground with a pained roar that echoes in the air around them. He can’t see it, it’s kicked up too much dust around it, but he can hear it, and he calls out to the others, even as he’s already racing towards it. ]

It’s down!

[theidlemaiden]

[ Ranged fighting has never been Hilda's forte. The weapon she's most comfortable with only offers so much reach which means she needs to be up close and personal to contribute anything in a battle (although she'd go to the grave claiming that her best contribution is cheering from the sidelines) and she can't help but feel somewhat useless striking and running as Claude lets out a volley of arrows even as the dragon takes another nosedive towards them.
 
The arrows soar towards the dragon. Some bounce harmlessly off the tough hide and scales but most of them hit their mark, lodging themselves in-between its scales. That doesn't stop its pursuit of Hilda and Claude however and she readies herself to veer out of the way again when all of sudden another object flashes in her periphery. There's no time to comprehend exactly how Sylvain had managed what he did let alone marvel about it because there's suddenly a gigantic creature plummeting out of the sky towards them at a terrifying speed. Hilda moves without thinking, dragging Claude to the ground and out of the path of the dragon.

It's not the most graceful way to avoid it but it does the trick (and it's probably the gentlest way she's bodied him to the ground recently); she pushes off him coughing, choking slightly on the dust that has been kicked up, and grabbing a hold of her axe again. There's only a fleeting glance between them to ensure that there's no more harm done than just the wind being knocked out of him before she whirls around on the dragon. 

She follows the piercing screeches and the sound of Sylvain's footsteps. By the time she reaches it, the dust has settled enough that she can see the dragon clearly. Its wings splay out, straining to push itself off the ground to take flight again, but the wound that Sylvain left behind makes that a difficult endeavour. She darts underneath its body towards its hind leg. With a two-handed swing she cleaves into its hamstring channeling some of that thunderous force from before into it. The head of her axe doesn't slice clean through it - it's too thick for that - but muscle and sinew are hacked through like butter. Blood sprays across the dirt and her clothes as the dragon lets out another furious roar. ]

[godshattering]

[ There's - finally - the familiar feeling of tiring from using so much magic so quickly tugging at the edges of everything. Adrenaline overrides it, however, and he's ready to raise his hands again when suddenly he's being pulled to the ground and not because of the dragon's aim at them or its trajectory to the ground to land for seemingly good this time.

With a grunt of exhaled air on the impact, after Hilda gets up herself he quickly rolls himself back to a crouching position to get up and move from long practiced dexterity - and because he's not going to let Hilda or Sylvain face this while he stands around. Now it's his sword concealed in his sash he withdraws, snapping the retractable blade to full length in one fluid motion to ready it. A quick glance through the still flying dust determines where the other two are as Sylvain dashes forward to retrieve his spear and Hilda takes a swing with her axe to land a mighty blow.

Another second of calculation of what to do and how likely it is his blade will land, and then Claude makes his move. With a brandish of the blade Nader would be proud of he dodges the swipe of that injured wing now functioning as yet another threat for them to be wary of, even with another pained roar accompanying the movement which bodes well for this being in their favor, and sinks the sword into the opposite side of the joint where Sylvain had struck. ]

Someone take a better shot! [ Called out as he yanks the sword free, not that any of them need any encouragement to strike while as war-honed as they are, but this goes mostly to Sylvain and wherever he is as the dragon moves and stirs up yet more sand along with a screech which makes his ears ring. ] We have to make sure it stays down!

[philancer]

[ They beat him to reaching the beast, but that’s because it had crashed in their direction on the way down and away from him in the suddenness of its plummet. He sees Hilda’s powerful strike and Claude’s following it, an attempt to keep the thing grounded so they can deal with it on more equal footing.

Well. As equal as they were likely to get when fighting a fucking dragon.

With Claude’s yell ringing in his ears, he focuses again, able to feel his weapon down the length of the strange bond he’s had with it ever since he returned from the Pit and picked it up once more to start training. It pulses at the edge of his awareness and as he darts in close on the opposite side of the beast, he holds out an outstretched hand in it’s direction.

The lance almost seems to vibrate and twitch - something that is uncomfortably familiar to him and something he tries not to think about too much every time he sees it happen, or react to his call. The dragon gives another pained screech as the metal buried in its hide shifts and then the lance is flying free, in reverse, returning to Sylvain’s hand as if he’d never thrown it in the first place.

When the dragon wheels around to face him, he dodges to the side, under a vicious swipe of a wing that slices so close to his head he can feel the way the air moves his hair. But he lifts his spear at the same time, bladed end up, and manages to catch the thin layer of sinew and webbing between the wing joints, slicing a deep line all the way back the length and rendering the wing completely useless in the process.

Skidding, he has to drop into a roll to avoid another heavy stomp of a clawed foot as the thing roars its fury and pain, the sound echoing off the rocks above them. He’s winded but not a pancake, so that’s a plus. ]

It’s staying down now, unless it knows how to fly with only one wing!

[ He barely gets those words out before his skin prickles in sudden awareness and he rolls back to his feet to look up…

…only to see the dragon had followed in it’s turn to face him, feral dark eyes fixated on him. It almost feels like it’s in slow motion as he sees that fanged maw spread wide, thinks he might see a flicker of flame deep in its throat.

Oh shit is all he can think as he tries to make himself move, get out of the way again, but he already knows he’s not going to be fast enough. ]

[theidlemaiden]

[ Blood and gore has long lost its effect on her. Warm blood splatters like painted freckles across her face barely make her blink. The roiling boil in her blood to keep Sylvain and Claude safe, even if she knows that she is no match for a dragon, is more important than any dissenting voices in her head at that moment. With one more hack for good measure, she darts to the other hind leg, hearing the two men join the fray. Another piercing screech shakes the ground and her bones, quickly followed by Claude's voice shouting making it through the noise with instructions to aim for the wings. 

Despite the dragon well on its way to being grounded, Hilda knows that Sylvain will have an easier time reaching it than she will, which leaves her to find other ways to keep it permanently grounded. The dragon stomps furiously, trying to shake off whatever pink gnat is biting at its leg but she darts between it and its tail and then away from her and towards Sylvain causing her to narrowly avoid getting clipped in the side of the head by the tough scales protruding from its body. She doesn't see what Sylvain does in order to enrage the dragon further but she hears it just as she arrives at its other leg. Without hesitation she swings down, slashing vertically into its hard, sinewy muscles spraying more blood around and onto her. It will be enough, she hopes, to keep it preoccupied as she takes a wide swing around it to where Sylvain is.

But while it seems like they've succeeded in keeping it from flying, they had momentarily forgotten that it had another weapon at its disposal: fire. Hilda rounds the corner to see Sylvain hesitate and the dragon's gaping maw stretch. She can feel the heat from where she is, knowing full well what's coming. Hilda's eyes widen in fear and she can feel her heart catch in her throat. ]

Sylvain! 

[ Her feet move without thinking as a single thought screams in her mind: she has to keep him safe. They have limited options when it comes to avoiding this, she realizes - even ducking low to the ground won't help. Which means the only place that would be safer from its flame is under it. Hilda's hands grasp tightly around Sylvain's wrist. With a sharp yank, she pulls him under its body just as a fiery torrent rips from its mouth. She can feel the flames hot on their heels and she hopes to gods that she had gotten to Sylvain in time before he got singed too badly, but she doesn't stop moving until the heat fades leaving nothing but charred landscape behind.

Before either of them can do anything the dragon cranes its neck catching sight of her pink hair underneath it. Its claw darts out towards them and her Crest thrums. She barely has time to shove Sylvain out of danger again. Her shield bracer hums to life a moment too late but it's enough, preventing the claws from sinking too deeply into her side - but it still hits its mark. A small cry of pain quickly turns into one of rage as she whirls on the retreating claw, charging for it again with her axe. It rises to meet her and while she manages to slice at the thin flesh between its claws, the dragon pushes through the pain, wrapping around her slight frame and squeezes. ] 

[godshattering]

[ Sylvain answers the call first, something he can sense from the edges of his vision while trying to dodge another close strike and a blur of pink goes by he knows is Hilda. Claude spares a second to look before he goes to strike again, intent on distracting the dragon enough for the other two to get some distance and consider their next move. If they're lucky, they can fall back before the scratches and scorches on them get any worse. There's so little time between each, no time to decide what to do before having to do it, and he has to hope checking won't be a tactical error when they know not to do that until the threat's abated. Doing so could irrevocably set them on the path to disaster.

But what feels like worse is already unfolding: Sylvain calls out and then the dragon opens its mouth. He goes to dodge but it's not quick enough when the air is already smoldering before the flames begin, and as Claude whirls his blade he can't look away as Hilda dashes to grab the other man. There's something in her tone he knows from battlefields, and it's that something propelling her forward like a shield.

Something he can't properly identify with a name before the fire obscures them both from view and it sends his heart to his throat, forcing him to hold his breath until things clear enough he can make them both out again. That's my whole heart right there, he thinks fleetingly but the thought doesn't stay when with horror he realizes the damage done - from the fire to Sylvain, and that Hilda's in the dragon's grasp. ]

No!

[ That cry rips out of him without even being aware he's spoken as it's flung like another weapon and this time against what the gods are working to set as fate. Though he hadn't slowed, now Claude's movements become faster. The harm already done to them can't get worse, he won't allow it. But 'allowing' anything is out of his control when all he has to prevent it is a sword which breaks through skin and scales, another blast of a wind blade that only stalls the next time it snaps teeth too close to each of them in turn, and those aren't enough for the dragon to turn its attention away from two people he holds dear and back to him instead.

Having to dodge claws, bites, and the occasional heavy smack with a damaged wing obscures his way. He stretches out a hand, the healing spell glowing at his fingertips, but it lingers there and goes nowhere. Not when he can't get close enough to either of them, and not when it feels like the seconds slip away like they never have before.

Claude switches from relying on combat training, plans, and instinct to something tinged more with desperation as he counters each strike the dragon takes towards him. At some point his Crest flares to partially heal a deep gash across his shoulder, but he doesn't register it or the wound. The onslaught fueled by the thought of losing either one of them has him edging his way closer to where Hilda and Sylvain are one step at a time, and all he can do is hope it'll be enough. ]

[philancer]

[ It happens so fast and yet every excruciating moment seems to play out before his eyes in horrifying detail. The spark of flame he can see ignite, the yank of a slim hand around his wrist as he stumbles out of the way. Sylvain feels pain flare and scorch along one shoulder and down his back and hisses out a sharp sound as his jaw clenches. It has him off-balance, which makes him too slow to react when he spots movement out of the corner of his eye. He can’t move to counter in time and Hilda pays the price, caught and squeezed in wickedly sharp claws.

His cry echoes Claude’s so closely that it might have been uttered in one voice, her name falling from his lips a moment later as he launches himself forward, still dancing as much as he can beneath the great beast. His lance scores deep dragging wounds in between the scale but it doesn’t make the monster relinquish its prize.

He desperately casts out a Physic - no where near as potent as some of the other healing spells he knows, but the only one he can easily cast at range. It had always been his emergency go-to, usually when Felix or Ingrid had been too far out of reach on the battlefield. He had to hope it would be enough until he could get to her. His own shoulder throbs in pain with each movement, but he ignores it, blocking it out in a way he hasn’t had to use in too long.

Sylvain swerves, dodging a hard bash of the dragon’s remaining wing and it takes him too far out of range. He can’t see her, and the fear that causes has something welling up in him in desperation.

His lance hums in his grip, magic igniting around it in crimson flames that outlines both him and his weapon. He has no idea what his magic’s doing, has never had this happen in his training with this new power, and he spares a moment to hope that whatever his magic’s about to unleash, it won’t harm Hilda or Claude in the process.

The flames swirl around him with a sense of illusory heat, almost as if he were standing in the midst of a firestorm or a swirl of flames. He braces one foot back, adjusting his weight, and then launches himself forward, keeping all his strength pushing into his lance in one devastating blow. He’d executed similar when he had his mount’s strength beneath him to add to the force, but this… this was all on him and his magic and he had to hope it would be enough.

He feels the moment his spear makes impact and for a split second he thinks, it’s not enough. But then there’s a give and he feels the hot splash of blood on his face as he drives the blade home, sinking it between the scales on the dragon’s massive chest. The thrust is deep and flames scorch along the length of his lance, both inside and out, as he impales it deep in the beast’s body.

It thrashes with a choked, gurgling sound, telling him he’d punctured something important. He can’t see if it has released Hilda, but he assumes so when the thing staggers to the side with him still clinging to his spear against its side. There’s one more vicious snap of fangs in his direction as the dragon tries one last time to muster its defense, but it’s too late and the beast is too unbalanced.

His grip tightens in a white-knuckled grip as he feels the thing collapse beneath him with one last weakening roar, hanging on for dear life and hoping the thing had fallen away from Hilda and not onto her. ]

Hilda?! Claude, can you see her?

[theidlemaiden]

[ Hilda writhes helplessly against the dragon's grip as the axe clatters uselessly to the ground. Her muscles strain against iron vice grip and her lungs strain to suck in whatever air she can. A momentary, comforting knit of warmth hits her that she recognizes as healing magic but it's quickly dispelled as the dragon squeezes – hard.

The bracer shield still hums furiously as if it's taking all its effort to stay up for as long as it can to prevent the inevitable break of her ribs. All the while her brain desperately tries to come up with something, anything to get her out of this. But grappling lessons with Holst and then Balthus had never prepared her for what to do when you were trapped in the clutches of a dragon.

At least in its grasp she knows that it isn't faring well. It thrashes, livid about whatever it is the two men are doing. The dragon readjusts it's grip on her, claws piercing into her body breaking through her shield, scraping against the soft flesh of her throat splitting it open like a peach. Whatever cry she would have given is bogged down by a distressed gurgle. It's right about now she wishes she had paid more attention to healing spell, but maybe, just once, it would help her out to close some of that wound.

She's lost sight of Sylvain but that's probably a good thing, she thinks even though the fear that had been sticking to her stomach now flows freely through the gaping smile in her neck. Everything in her vision becomes liquid and spotty, intangible. She sees a bright flash of light, feels a white heat somewhere above her followed by a furious, dying roar. The dragon teeters and crashes, the claw holding her loosening leaving her mangled body bleeding in its palm like some offering to the sky.

Her last conscious thoughts are of them. They'll both be okay so long as they don't do anything dumb which, actually, isn't guaranteed. The thought makes her laugh so weakly it's barely more than a wheeze. What is guaranteed is that they'll look after one another and that brings her comfort, wraps around her as she feels her grip on her consciousness slip. They're so lucky to have one another. The sound of her breathing is wet and whistling as she resigns herself to the quiet pressing in. Darkness closes in on her vision. Despite everything she's lucky too. Lucky that she got this time with them, lucky to have held them close to her heart.

So lucky.

[godshattering]

[ There's no answer from Hilda and as the dragon goes into its final throes there's even less of a chance to catch sight of her in the frenzy as Sylvain strikes the ultimate blow. No pink blurs around them but she has her axe, her armor - surely it's kept her safe. None of them are strangers to battle or even opponents far larger but apprehension grows. Shouldn't they be able to hear her somewhere cheering?

It's when the beast finally falls that Claude sees what's happened, and the weapons fall from his hands to the ground below unheeded even if the threat may not be over with. ]

Hilda!

[ The anguish in that will have to serve as an answer to Sylvain's question when he's too busy running to where she is. The sight before him is something out of a nightmare, one he'd had repeatedly during the war and on the nights before battle, as those battles started and he lost sight of her between smoke and blasts of magic, and a dream that'd come to him still even after the war ended. But this is nothing they're able wake up from, and it feels like his heart stops when he drops to his knees next to her.

Sometimes there's a brutal kind of efficiency in being able to compartmentalize feelings so quickly. Claude allows himself to feel that visceral fear for all of a second before shifting into outward calm and a confidence he doesn't truly feel anywhere near on the inside to let it numb everything else. There'll be time to fall apart later; there's no time for anything but this now.

It takes his mind another second to remember spells exist, then how to form them, all of that information coming through from rote memorization as he presses a hand to her neck, desperate for the healing to work even though that mysterious boost to his magic's disappeared. Maybe it's because it feels like his mind can't work at the sight of her, at the state of her, even as he uses his other hand to drag the claws away to scoop her up to cradle her close while minding all those injuries as best he can.

Or maybe that's not how she ends up in his arms at all when it feels like every breath turns the scene around them into one still portrait after another like something animated only through flipping the pages of a book. Maybe it'll make sense later as he lifts a hand to pat her cheek insistently. ]

Hey, Hilda. Hilda, my love. Can you look at me?

[ Why hadn't he taken those lessons on healing magic seriously to learn better ones? How badly is Sylvain injured? Why hadn't they brought horses with them? How far is the portal from here? Too many thoughts all competing for precedence means there's no careful selection of words anymore. No time for that as he looks to Sylvain with a sort of grim determination. This won't be enough, and he knows it, but they have to do something alongside magic before moving her. ]

Sylvain. In my bag there's some elixirs - get them, quickly.

[philancer]

[ His hands feel numb from the force of the grip he’d maintained on his lance in order to not be thrown off as the dragon thrashes and finally crumples to the ground, going still beneath him.

It’s only then he hears Claude calling Hilda’s name in that tone, and it sends icy tendrils of dread down his spine. No, he thinks, already scrambling free of the fallen beast, trying to get back to the ground, even as he hears Claude talking to her. Hears there’s no response. No! his mind babbles in denial, the word picking up like a desperate chant in his thoughts as he rushes towards them, following the sound of Claude’s voice as he rounds the dragon to find him cradling her against his chest, trying to get her to wake.

There’s so much blood and she’s not moving and he feels his heart stop in his chest as he stares. He’d been too slow, the blow had come too late. If only he’d…

Claude’s order snaps him out of his horrified spiral of thoughts and he desperately glances around for the man’s belongings. He has no idea where that might have ended up in the chaos of the fight, but luckily he spots it not far away, scrambles in that direction to dig through in search of the potions. Gripping several of them in his hands, he rushes back, shoving them at Claude. ]

You deal with these, I’ll do what I can.

[ He had to hope he had enough magical reserves left. Enough to make a difference.

Looking down at her, he sees the garish wound in her throat, the punctures in her side and arms. He curses, wishing not for the first time that it was Mercy here for times of crisis like this instead of him.

One hand slides up to cover her throat with his palm while the other comes to rest over her chest, making sure to monitor her pulse at the same time. He could feel it, it stuttered and struggled, but it was still there. He would keep it there. Closing his eyes, he focuses on that sound, the beat of it beneath his hand, and summons his magic again to cast a heal, feeling it tingle through his fingers and into her too-still body between them. He casts it again, and again, and again. As many times as he has the magic to fuel it.

It’s enough to seal the wound in her throat closed. Enough the close the punctures in her torso. There’s no longer a wet, rasping sound when she breathes, even though it still sounds pained and labored. But it’s there.

He looks up, meeting Claude’s gaze over her limp form, his own face pale and streaked with blood. He sways a little, but his expression is fierce and determined. ]

We need to get her to a healer. One that’s better at this than me. I’m spent. It should be enough to get her back to the city, though. Go. Take her. Hurry. I’ll be right behind you.

[godshattering]

[ He can't allow himself to think. Not consciously about all the thoughts still whirling around his mind, not when there's a step to focus on and it's staunching the bleeding still happening while Sylvain goes to find the vials of medicines. There's so much blood around besides what's coating them but Claude doesn't even register it or whose it is - his, Sylvain's, the dragon's, Hilda's - or what's happening when he can't take his eyes off of her. If he does, the worst might happen, and he can't let it even as what little magic he can offer is barely enough to serve as triage.

When the elixirs are handed his way Claude takes a second to scan them until he finds the one he's looking for, and places the cork between his teeth to yank it out. With the bottle uncapped and Sylvain getting to work, he tips it down Hilda's throat as carefully as he can in both avoiding injury and choking with murmured reassurances he's not even sure she can hear. Another elixir follows as the magic does its work in closing wounds enough to stabilize her, but not without a cost to the person casting the spells and worry only compounds underneath crisis management.

There's a hesitation after Sylvain speaks. Leaving is the right thing to do - he knows this, and every fiber of his being still screaming to get Hilda help echoes it. But he can't go without pressing a hand to that burned shoulder first for a quick spell to offer as much as he can against that and what he knows has to be exhaustion in between the fear and worry mirrored on Sylvain's face as much as his own; it won't be enough either as Claude tries to avoid cursing his lack of magical adeptness again, but hopefully it can take the edge off before he places that same hand on the side of the other's face when the spell ends. ]

You did everything you could from the start to - now. Don't for a second think you've done anything but that.

[ He's gotten to know Sylvain well enough, Claude thinks, to guess exactly where the other man's thoughts are going if they're not already there. As for whether he's believed - well. Only time will tell, and they don't have enough time to spare to wait for what response he'll get. My whole heart, he thinks again with the thought much louder this time as it refuses to be ignored while he reaches for another vulnerary-equivalent from the remaining pile and tosses it to Sylvain.

There's nothing else either of them can do at this point. Claude stands with Hilda still cradled as gently in his arms as he can when he also takes off running as fast as he can manage, cursing internally when the portal still seems so far. It'll send them to a street not far from the same hospital they'd been in after the pit, something Claude silently questioned to himself, but now? Now he's grateful when it means there's less steps to get Hilda there. ]

[philancer]

[ Sylvain catches the potion with his off hand, even if its a little clumsy. Sluggish. He just nods, though, giving Claude’s shoulder an urgent nudge. ]

I’ll be fine, don’t worry about me. Just get her to a healer. Go!

[ He sags back on his heels as Claude takes off, his worried eyes locked on the diminishing figure until it’s lost from sight. And then it’s just him and what’s left of the dragon. He lets his hands fall to his knees, the potion unopened and rolling down to the ground beside him. He stares into the distance a moment longer before letting himself fall forward, hands fisted in the charred dirt as he presses his forehead to the ground, eyes stinging from the smoke and the unshed tears.

He’d never been very religious, never one to devoutly follow the tenets of the Church. Maybe it was because so many of his desperate pleas as a child had gone unanswered that he’d given up on asking for anything. Convinced no one was listening. But now?

Now it was the only words that would come to mind. Choked out into the uneasy silence of the charred battleground as he willed Claude to be fast enough, for his magic to hold long enough. For just once, to let it be enough. ]

Goddess, please.