Horizon Walkers (Game Thread) Dead

[IFS]

Alex followed the others, he wasn't reassured much by the man's promises to handle the problem but there wasn't much else he could do. They reached the horizon, losing the snow elf along the way, gaining the cloaked figure who he resolved to keep an eye on, and quickly made it through into a new world. The first two things he noticed were the heat and brightness, his black clothes absorbed the light all too well and as he squinted and blinked to make his eyes adjust he noticed the odd shade of the sun. Blue. Well you see something new every day.

Serragish unclipped something her clothing becoming a robe, and her skin beginning to sparkle oddly. From her words and demeanor of familiarity it was clear this was her home. She seemed quite pleased to be back, and Alex had to admit it was already nicer looking than the arena though he didn't much care for the heat. The scenery was interesting, a large chasm giving a clue how the place got its name, large bones giving an idea of what wildlife to keep an eye out for, and a tent city that Serragish seemed confused by.

"Wait when since when was that there?"

"Tents are hardly permanent structures, so likely not long," he remarked "But then I've never been here before."

"GET OVER HERE NOW IT'S NOT SAFE OUT THERE!"

A figure yelled from out of the tent, Alex wondered if his warning had anything to do with the similarly dressed man sitting on a column and chanting. Could also be a trap, only one way to find out though.

"When is it ever?" he said with a mock shrug, he smiled "I don't know about the rest of you but I could go for some shade."

With that he moved after the armor, walking at a steady pace and keeping his eyes and ears open for signs of trouble.

 

[Josh123914]

Dalrel hazily remembers the past hour or so, something about armour, and the nearest Horizon being guarded. Regardless, he didn't really care about an old man's troubles, and Dalrel's learned how to hear people, but not necessarily listen.
What he did know while his brain switched back on was that the Horizon led to a world of searing heat, and as the group shuffled into welcoming shade, he made his way into a surprisingly civilized dining area.
Savouring the relative peace, he sat on the nearest chair, slouching.
''Hello everyone, my name is Dalrel, pleasure to meet you all. Who's next?'' He asked to anyone and everyone, hoping for some sort of reaction. As he scanned the room, he noticed the unconscious Snow Elf was no longer with them, probably for the best, he thought, she'd be baking in this heat.

 

[Lunar Templar]

She simply walked along with the others, apparently they planned to fool the people there into letting them pass by dressing like they do, she did not understand this, but went along with it, by remaining silent as well as beating back the urge to bury a claw in the head of one of the humans that tried to lead her away, to where other beasts where kept.

The pen she was put in, was a marked improvement over the cell she was in, which she found amusing, so, for the time being she simply lay down and wait for 'the plan' to get going.

 

[hiei82]

Kes barely noticed the heat; there was little in the way of environment the world could throw against her or her people. That said, she had to admit the world had a certain beauty to it. Though it lacked the same abundance of life that her homeworld had, the world felt like home; wild, untamed, brutal, and deadly. She liked it for that.

After several minutes, the group drew the attention of a robbed man. After being waved in to a tent. Evidently, the man thought they were Liemian soldiers. Kes remained quiet though inside she wanted to tear the man to pieces for what Liem had done to her.

Eventually, he lead them to an eating area of sorts. "Dig in and don't be shy, these people are in the same boat you are, and I'll be happy to answer any questions you have. I assume you've seen our little garden gnome." Despite the words, Kes remained distrustful of the man; did he really think they were soldiers? She waited until she saw others partake of the food before she took her own portion.

Hello everyone, my name is Dalrel, pleasure to meet you all. Who's next?' one of the former gladiators said. Never one for words, she said one word - "Kes" - than continued to eat.

 

[Mr.Ivebeenframed]

Vearys was weary and a bit tired of all the travelling but when they reached the camp, his senses told him to stay alert. The place looked dangerous with all the battlements. One wrong move and the whole place could erupt with activity. Vaerys didn't mind at all since it would certainly wake him up and get his blood flowing. He saw the Horizon as well but it was well guarded. He followed the group inside the tent axe at the ready but there was no need to use it just yet. Just holding his axe made him feel safe and confident. There was food that was being served and that was a good thing. Vaerys carefully took a slice of bread, sniffed it then ate it. The bread certainly didn't taste like poison but what would he know anyway?

"Hello everyone, my name is Dalrel, pleasure to meet you all. Who's next?" One of the ex-gladiators said. He eyed the man up and down before answering.

"You can call me Vaerys or dwarf... doesn't mind me much. I've been called worse." He grumbled.

 

[Anti-American Eagle]

Liemian's, of course there had to be more Liemian's. His eyes started to glow a bit as he looked at them, anger boiling under his skin.

"You know I'd given up on help coming, you're the first troops we've had through in ages. Glory to the empire. Sir you'll want to speak with our senior officer, Pragma will escort you. Yes sir. This way."

Images flashed in his mind of him being captured again, here and now. He began to draw energy into himself.

"You've probably got a lot of questions, chances are the higher ups failed to mention exactly what you were in for. The empire appreciates you're being here. You're lucky in one respect at least, it's meal time and the foods not been better in a long time. If you'll come through with me we're just setting up."

He sat down with the group as Images flashed in his mind of him doing their work again.

"Dig in and don't be shy, these people are in the same boat you are, and I'll be happy to answer any questions you have. I assume you've seen our little garden gnome." He pauses for a second catching himself "don't tell her I said that, she looks all tranquil and meditative but when she's not chanting she knows how to shout."

Images flashed in his mind of being in their damned arenas again. He began to focus himself for what he was to do.

"Hello everyone, my name is Dalrel, pleasure to meet you all. Who's next?"

He stopped as he realized there were others in the room, he doubted he'd be able to stop them from burning to death.

"Kes"

Killing them would be wrong, for all he knew they were in there as long as he was.

"You can call me Vaerys or dwarf... doesn't mind me much. I've been called worse."

If they can manage restraint for now so could he.

"I'm Kyras."

He allowed the energies to flow back into the Ether and Earth around him, slowly and carefully so that it wouldn't take shape.
He watched as the others took food and carefully picked from the table, taking some pieces of fruit and slices of bread.

 

[IFS]

"Dig in and don't be shy,"

Alex smiled and sat down, quickly inspecting the food before beginning to eat and drink what was available. Mostly drink, he could tell from the heat that staying hydrated would be important here. They seemed to think they were reinforcements, something Alex was willing to play along with for now, though he wasn't sure he liked where it might lead.

"Hello everyone, my name is Dalrel, pleasure to meet you all. Who's next?"

One of the others started introductions, Alex swallowed what he had in his mouth and looked up to reply "Alexander Ginshell, Inquisitor of the church of the Healers," he said cheerfully, then paused for a moment before continuing "But please, call me Alex, I know your names already, or at least how you were announced."

The others seemed to be doing fairly well so far, though he couldn't help but notice how tense Kyras was. The glowing eyes certainly made it more obvious than it was with most people. He suspected it was the Lieman's around them that were making him so ready to strike, though these ones had done them no harm. Alex remembered the arena though, and doubted that mattered to Kyras. Yet another one to keep an eye on, wonderful.

 

[Josh123914]

Dalrel witnessed the spectacle unfold as others ran bleary eyed into the sunlight. If Dalrel wasn't imagining if it was him at the bottom of that abyss, he would have ran with them.
Around the time he stopped with his dreaming he was on his feet. Adjacent him was Serragish, bent over some poorly drawn lines passing for a map, while those that didn't leave the room were all backed up against the walls.
The room was silent, until the new commander sauntered in, eyeing anyone daring to look him in the eye.
It was after several moments noisily making themselves known through the commander's exhasparated breathing that Dalrel approached him positively.
''....Anything you'd like to know?'' he asked. The group he joined were total strangers, and best he try and cement a position for himself if he's to have any hope of survival.
''Please, by all means, what do you need?'' he said, hoping not to come across as sarcastic.

 

[DarkRawen]

Des followed the mortals as they walked through the strange, new horizon. He hadn't passed through a lot, so each one was different, a new experience. Part of him wondered if he should find a way home, and if all of this had been because of a rather silly and not well-thought action. However, he looked at the women in the group, and decided that he certainly had found what he was looking for, exotic women, all beautiful in their own way. He thought of the ice-user again, and felt mixed feelings, regret, of course, but there was also the vitae inside of him, delicious and energizing.

I'll just have to try to remember her.

How often had he thought something like that? He couldn't remember, he never could. His memory wasn't exceptional in any way, barely a good as a mortals, and most of his 400 years consisted of women, loving every single one of them, seducing them, sleeping with them... how could he ever hope to remember one of them more then the others? Deep in thought, he didn't say anything when they sat down, though his attention was more there when people started introducing themselves. He knew who most of the others was, and he was sure most of them knew his name, but still, he smiled.

"Hello, my name is Des, it's nice being able to greet each other without being pitted against hostile creatures." Just as he spoke, more people arrived, and started being... well. Mortal. Speaking of fighting and war. He tended to just shut out those noises, and so he did, besides, the others could just deal with it, he wasn't much for speaking to mortals who tried to make themselves better than other mortals. It seemed a little silly to him, was all. Des kept eating as the whole ordeal went on, and suddenly he found that a lot of people had gone outside, or left their seats. Was he supposed to do that?

The mortals will sort it out,

he shrugged, and spotted Serragish. "Hi," he smiled, warmly, as if there was no one else in the room. "Serragish, do you need help examining that?"

"....Anything you'd like to know? Please, by all means, what do you need?"

That made Des even more sure of the mortals were taking care of it.

 

[Lunar Templar]

She listened to the happenings from where they put her but did nothing for now, deciding it was best to just stay still and let the humans handle the situation, besides, even if she did try and 'help' she'd likely only make things worse by simply talking, so for now she lay down and closed her eyes, and kept a ear on the happenings around her case something needed a response from her.

 

[Terratina.]

Names flew around as the others ate and drank their full. A Leimian in the corner of the room also joined in with the feast, savouring each bite. Though, one might say that the person was enjoying the food a little too much. The glutton pushed aside feelings of dizziness, grogginess and fullness just to cramp more food in, like the Leimian hadn't eaten in decades. At least, until all of those lovely things were put away. The gormandizer was busy with the matter of picking teeth as the goings on when on and on. It was really quite droll. All that mattered was escape, anyway, and this charade was pretty demeaning. It would probably been more fun to stick a nose somewhere else or stay and watch and perhaps participate in the carnage near the arena.

And to top it all off, some lout was trying to play leader.

The Leimian sighed and stood up.

A speech was made, "My name is Tarquin - short for Tarquinius. And dear me, this 'Daldrel' doesn't seem to know anything."

Spoiler: OOC

For those who don't seem to get what's going on, things happened thusly:

1.) Lion carnage.
2.) Id-Lion sees a very blurry image of its arena friends walking away, including Miss Mind Touch.
3.) Id release its grip on the Lion.
4.) Possesses a citizen of the Leimian Empire, Tarquinius. (I'd figured one frightened fatso is pretty weak-minded so an easy target, possession/puppetry details are in Id's sheet as its major power thing.)
5.) Solid Snake it up and follow the band of misfits through the Horizon and what not.
6.) Chill around the camp, etc.
7.) Present time.

 

[IFS]

Alex had kept an eye on the cloaked figure, and noted it taking control of one of the Leimans, he only observed for a time though as all it did was make the man gorge himself. It did the same with the lion, a gluttonous spirit then. But then it left to join others at a meeting. He had previously been happy to let Dalrel claim leadership, such a claim was meaningless and insubstantial but he was not about to allow some toxic being to speak for them.

He approached the group quickly and quietly, stopping alongside the possessed lieman "Leave him now, you have no right to his body or mind," he said, directing his voice to the Lieman but loud enough that others could hear.

Without turning his attention from him he addressed the others "This 'Tarquin' does not speak for us either, rather it is a controlling spirit having taken possession of one of your men."

 

[Anti-American Eagle]

Kyras listened intently, they had been found out.
He moved to near the other one, Kes, and sat beside her. He began speaking in a hushed tone.
"You don't know me and I don't know you, but it's clear to me you were held by them for awhile as well. They know we aren't them. If you help me get out of their territory, I'll help you get where you need to be. I could make a run for it on my own, but I don't know the territory and walking into it alone sounds like a fast way to die."

 

[hiei82]

"You don't know me and I don't know you, but it's clear to me you were held by them for awhile as well. They know we aren't them. If you help me get out of their territory, I'll help you get where you need to be. I could make a run for it on my own, but I don't know the territory and walking into it alone sounds like a fast way to die." Kyras said.

Kes raised an eyebrow at the statement. She'd been listening to the conversation of "leaders" and what not. Truthfully she didn't much care who was chosen; all this talking was meaningless to her. The only thing which had meaning to her was action. The alternative offer Kyras raised was an intriguing one if without benefit.

"I don't need to be anywhere; my people are gone-" she said between bites of food. "-and I think there's still safety in numbers." She took a moment to think before continuing. "However, when things turn bad I'll be ready to run; if we stick together, I'll work with you." She waited for a reply before turning back to the conversation on leaders. After a few seconds she returned to Kyras and asked "So how long were you in the arenas?"

 

[Anti-American Eagle]

"I don't need to be anywhere; my people are gone - and I think there's still safety in numbers. However, when things turn bad I'll be ready to run; if we stick together, I'll work with you. "

"Fair enough."

"So how long were you in the arenas?"

He took a moment to think about it, a small amount of happiness crept into his voice as he thought about it being over.
"I think it had been three Ides out of a Deck."
He paused and realized out of every Horizon he had been on, his tribe was the only one to use that system. He figured it would be easiest to use what he knew of the system his keepers used. The happiness seemed to leave his voice as he remembered his tribe.
"From what I gleaned, over three of their year cycles. How long has it been for you?"

 

[hiei82]

"From what I gleaned, over three of their year cycles. How long has it been for you?"

Kes didn't answer right away; instead focusing on the conversation at hand. Or rather pretending to. Truth was, she was counting the number of years. After a few seconds she spoke again. "Around fifteen I think. I don't know for certain." she said pensively; she tried not to think of the past and it reflected in how she spoke of it.

 

[Anti-American Eagle]

"Around fifteen I think. I don't know for certain."

"I'm sorry to hear that." He sighed and shook his head "The gods'll cut those monsters down some day."
He downed the rest of his glass of water and turned his head back to the "leader" / "execution" debacle that would determine whether the plan turned into a gut and run or a peaceful walk away.

 

[Mr.Ivebeenframed]

Vaerys watched what happened with growing interest but that interest went down the hole as the little spectacle broke up. He looked at his plate seeing it empty which made him a little anxious. He loved rest just as much as anybody but staying down for too long made him feel uneasy. It made him think and remember thoughts that he wanted to throw out into that dark abyss. He was walking back, partially looking out the tent when he caught himself nearly walk into one of the ex-gladiators who seemed to be napping on the floor. He chuckled before curiosity got the better of him.

"So, where are you from?" Vaerys asked the creature. He remembered one of the other ex-gladiators mention her name but the memory eluded him except for when the arena, the creature had a muzzle on. "I imagine that lion throwing is a past time, isn't it?

 

[Lunar Templar]

She perked her ears up, letting them twitch as Vaerys spoke to her, then briefly considered ignoring him. Then the thought crossed her mind she might be stuck with these people a bit longer then just this check point/base thing, at which point she opened her eyes and give a quick look around before replying.

After all, she was 'laying low' to keep the trouble to a minimum.

"We have no 'lions' to speak of back home, nor do we have humans." She said as she sat up "Which I'm starting to think might be a good thing" She then paused, and pondered a moment "As to your first question, much with my name, your human language lacks the sounds needed to speak them. Unlike my name, which has no accurate translation, the forest I came from does have a reasonably close translation. 'The Nine Trees'."

 

[DarkRawen]

"I think I can manage reading a map, nothing wrong with my sight or anything."

Des chuckled as well. "Of course, I was just curious, to be honest. Just wondering what a beautiful woman such as you wanted with the map, surely something fun and interesting." He leaned closer in his seat, trying to see the map a little better, but not managing to.

"So---" before he got the chance to ask about something else, Serragish started talking with one of the mortals from this world, discussing the map. Kes was busy talking to... what was his name again... Kyras? Yeah, Kyras, and their conversation didn't sound very pleasant. Des couldn't think of anything encouraging to say, and so, he didn't speak, just listened around from a conversation he'd be interested in. Luckily, Alex provided that rather quickly.

"This 'Tarquin' does not speak for us either, rather it is a controlling spirit having taken possession of one of your men."

Des tilted his head, looking at this Tarquin. He didn't think he had seen him in the arena, nor when they got through the horizon. Was Alex speaking the truth then? Then again, Des didn't remember most of the guys of their group, their faces all sorta looked the same to him. Des wasn't sure what he thought of possession, a little of it wasn't bad, as long as the mortal was treated well, and it didn't last for very long. Some creatures needed to do that to survive, after all. Besides, sometimes mortals needed to be led, else their own lack of experience would ruin them.

Is Alex speaking the truth, I wonder? Or rather, does he know for sure?

Des listened to some of the other mortals speak, they were talking about proof. Proof would be needed, yeah, though Des didn't particularly either way, just the possibility was... curious. Not as interesting as if it had been a woman, -or as a female in any situation- but he sat closer to the two.

"How do you tell if someone's possessed or not?" he asked Alex. "He looks like a normal mortal to me." He was still smiling, not unnerved by the thought of the possibility of a spirit capable of possessing people, nor bothered by the heavy atmosphere in the room because of the military people.