fake water all across the road

[monomachy]

WHO: Diana & Inej.
WHEN: September.
WHERE: In the desert along the southern trail between Solvunn and the Free Cities.
WHAT: Protecting the supply caravan.
WARNINGS: Possibly some bandit fighting.


[A few days in Libertas was all it took for Diana to see that there were plenty of people to help with the search and rescue efforts. Almost all of the large rubble has been moved by that point, and the hounds are more effective at finding survivors than any one person. So it is that when the call goes out for Summoned to escort a supply caravan across the desert, Diana has to only briefly weigh her options before volunteering. She has trained in tactics for most of her life, and knows how important supply lines are to an ailing city; she has also been in this world long enough to know how dangerous the desert can be.

Being paired with Inej is a stroke of luck and a blessing, and despite the wreckage left behind in Libertas, she finds that the first leg of the journey is fairly easygoing. The portal got them close to the supply drop, but the rest of the journey must be made on foot--or, in their case, on horseback. Diana's steed is a dapple gray mare, beautiful and sure of foot, and hardy for the desert clime. Her name is Quicksilver, and she's easy to ride, mostly able to manage the route on her own, which allows the Amazon to keep an eye on their surroundings.

Much of the journey is made at night in order to avoid the desert heat, so it is near the end of the day, as the sun sinks towards the horizon, that they prepare to set out. Once her own supplies are gathered and packed upon Quicksilver's back, Diana makes her way over to Inej to check in with her.]

How goes it?

Comments

[shadowthief]

[She mutters something in Suli under her breath and takes in all of Diana's instructions, watching her sink low to try to catch some sense of the beast underground.]

What about you? [She keeps her voice soft, unsure how well a basilisk can hear, but it seems to be in her best interests to call as little attention to herself as possible.]

[monomachy]

[Her heart is pounding, her grip on her weapon tightens; Diana's anxieties are not for herself, but for the people behind them, the person beside her. She knows she is not invulnerable, no immortal is, but she knows in her bones that she would not die to this beast. So she turns her head slightly so she might smile at Inej.]

I will be fine. [There is such conviction in her tone. Her eyes catch the slight trembling of leaves on a dry bush a few yards away though there is no wind, and turns towards it.]

There, it is coming--be ready to move. If you can throw that dagger well, aim for its eyes.

[shadowthief]

[She nods and her attention focuses where Diana's gaze shifts. Her breath catches in her throat, distantly aware of her companion's instruction but letting her focus narrow down to the beast alone.

The slight rumble of the ground turns rapidly more violent before the basilisk finally moves to strike. The first thing that runs through her mind is:

It's bigger than I thought.

The next is automatic reaction and reflex– her dagger thrown with practiced precision, landing in the right eye of the basilisk.]

[monomachy]

[The two of them are as ready as they can be, and all they can do is wait for the attack; the few moments that pass feel more like an eternity. But then the basilisk is bursting up through the sand, claws and jaws reaching, and Diana throws herself to one side just as it exhales a toxic cloud of paralyzing poison at her. The scent burns her nostrils, and she tries to hold her breath.

Inej's throw lands true, and she'd congratulate her companion if the danger wasn't so imminent.

She gives a shout, drawing its attention towards herself with noise and a swing of her blade. Its hide is tough and her weapon is sharp, but it's a glancing blow at best, the creature twisting its reptilian body just in time to avoid a more direct strike. Luckily, it twists towards her, and she shouts again, raising her arms up and trying to make herself look bigger than she is. The creature hisses in return, and lunges for her, apparently undeterred by her tactics.]

[shadowthief]

[This thing is a demon of lore brought to excruciatingly dangerous life before her. That malicious maw is a thing of nightmares, and Inej is uncertain how they can fight something with a poison with such a vast reach. She’s certain if they’re affected by it, there is no getting out of this in a favorable way.

She recalls Diana’s earlier suggestion to get behind the beast, and tries to slink carefully in a wide circle. If she can get close enough, perhaps she can take out the remaining eye— surely if it was blinded, it would retreat?]

[monomachy]

[Diana grew up hearing stories of heroes facing monsters and emerging victorious to fame and fortune; she does not feel as if this is one of those battles. Right now, there is only survival, for herself and those she was sent to protect. The beast crashes into her, and she manages to wedge her blade between its jaws to keep it from clamping down on her head. Her free hand presses into its chest, and she shoves; her divine strength is the only reason she's able to push it back even a little, its razor claws clipping the sides of her leather armor and tearing it to shreds as it slides back across the sand. Unfortunately, it takes her weapon with it. A sharp pain lets her know that at least one of its talons met flesh.

She sees Inej trying to get behind it, and knows she has to keep its attention until she can. It's already enraged by the pain from its one bleeding eye, and maybe inflicting a second, similar wound will be enough to drive it off. Diana widens her stance, and bellows a challenge cry at it; the creature meets her in kind, flinging its head back, dropping her sword, and screeching at the sky--leaving its face open to attack.]

[shadowthief]

[Arguably, none of the stories of legend felt like they would end in victory and infamy when those heroes were in the heat of battle. They can only hope this will turn out the same in the end.

Diana's challenge serves as enough of a distraction to give Inej her opening for her next attack. She casts a spell she's been perfecting and from it, a blade made of shadow forms in her hands, which she drives into the remaining eye of the beast- and in something of an impossibly smooth, acrobatic sort of movement, grabs the dagger she'd first thrown, the blade tearing further into the soft tissue of the eye as she pulls it sharply down and out.

She knows how to fall, it's innate as she goes down to make herself as small as possible, tuck and roll as far as the momentum might carry her and immediately scramble to her feet to flee the serpent's reach.]

[monomachy]

[From the corner of her eye, Diana sees Inej leap for the basilisk--she also watches the basilisk's head come down, and it exhale a cloud of its paralytic venom towards her. Though Diana holds her breath and tries to move out of the way, she can feel a numbness start to spread through her arm just where the poison touches her bare skin.

But Inej's attack seems to have done the trick; now blinded by its own blood, the creature screeches in pain and frustration, and dives back into the dune beneath them. Panting, Diana scans the area, following the trail of crimson it left in its wake, but the creature does not emerge again, nor does she spot any signs of its return.

Right arm hanging limp by her side, she finally turns her gaze to Inej and smiles, a little lopsided. It seems part of her face has gone numb, too.]

I think it's safe to say it won't be coming back for us.

[shadowthief]

[The silence in the wake of the beat's exit is oppressive, broken by Diana's comment. Her voice pulls Inej's eyes away from where the creature had burrowed to escape.]

Good. [She nods and makes her way back to where Diana stands.] Are you all right?

[monomachy]

[Diana is able to stand on her own two feet, which is more than she could have hoped for after an encounter like that. She's just lucky that Inej was quick enough with her blade to disable and disorient the basilisk so quickly. She gives a jerky nod, and exhales a slow breath. She tries to offer another reassuring smile.]

Get me on my horse and I will be just fine. We should be able to make it to the meeting point and portal by dawn if they've managed to fix the wheel. And if the gods are good, this will wear off by then.

["This" being the numbness, which she demonstrates by awkwardly shrugging the shoulder of her numb arm.]

[shadowthief]

[She nods, and sends a silent prayer to Sankt Ilya for a speedy recovery for her friend.]

All right. I hope you’re right. The sooner, the better.

[With that, she takes lead but lingers close to Diana in case she needs more help than she first thought.

It’s a quick assessment and back on the road after that. The wheel is fixed and they have time to make up for now.]

[monomachy]

[Getting on to the horse is something of a trial, but she manages all the same. She thanks the gods that the members of the caravan didn't stop their repairs on the wagon; continuing on is the safest bet for them now.

During the hours they travel, the shallow cuts on her sides close, though her armor is ruined. She isn't looking forward to having to replace it. By the time they actually reach the checkpoint and the portals, it's nearly dawn. Diana is tired (her body has spent a lot of energy repairing itself), but once more whole and able to move every part of herself as she should.

Diana and Inej are the last to step through the portal, and it feels good to be back in Cadens, in familiar territory. She just hopes that their efforts will bring even a little bit of relief to those in Libertas.]