Horizon Walkers (Game Thread) Dead

[Josh123914]

Caked in dust, Alex bolted through the door while Sal untangled himself from the soldier's body, as the third guard was knocked off-balance.
Keep moving, keep moving, He thought, as he scrambled upwards behind Alex.


Lucia finished the last of the soldiers as the last of the nobles and merchants ran with whatever goods they could carry.
The large black skinned man moved away from the staircase and stopped at Lucia's handiwork. "Oh, Gi? She's good. Glad you're with us." he said, smirking. The smaller ginger woman then moved past both of them and leaned out the broken window. "It's total chaos down there" the girl called Gi then warned, with more troops rushing inside, and bodies littering the steps of the Tower. There were fires in the distance, and the plaza all but deserted.
"If we're gonna live, then we need to move now."

Alex overheard them, sprinting towards and into the elevator. "Up." he stated.
Gi moved into the cubicle and tried to magick up the stone slab, looking at them all, "I don't know if I can lift all four of us."

Sal then emerged in the distance from the corridor, before letting out a yelp and collapsing onto his stomach.
A blue-armoured soldier stood over Sal, shooting two more bolts into the body, before aiming at the elevator.

"Move!" Gi let out a strained noise as the slab swiftly moved below their feet and away from danger.

------------

With the assassins dealt with, Dalrel, Kyras, Trah and Nettil moved swiftly out the atrium and into the light. They found themselves crawling from a small pipe onto the cobblestones a street lined with tall wooden houses, and in the distance they could hear shouting and explosions. Locals paid no notice to the four of them, as they were too busy gathering their belongings into carts and baskets, obstructing the way.
After a minute of fumbling, Nettil dragged the group through a few alleyways and towards clean streets.
"What are we doing?" Dalrel demanded, after the third left turn.
"Looking for access to the roofs." She had expected the puzzling response. "Those Snow Elves are heading to the Towers, no doubt. But we need to as well if we're gonna regroup with Sal and the others. We'll be able to traverse the city faster if I know the full scope of their damage."
She then grinned for a moment, before dropping it. "Besides, if the city's getting sacked I want to save certain valuables."

She then glanced at the others. "Any other questions?"

------------

While Des, Zuria and Kes were positioned in and around the warehouse, the slaves either ran in-land or scuffled against the locals with whatever weapons they could muster.
To their left was the Bay, the large southern Bridge, and several dozen ships that appeared ready to pull in, while in the distance several locals were bickering outside a large workshop in their harsh mother language, and nestled on the steep hill the three had arrived on was a storefront advertising what could only be medicine on a lime green sign in some strange S'tharn language.

------------

The lift stopped at a floor with a large '41' stamped to the side of the wall. Gi was sweating profusely, and needed her partner to drag her off the platform and slump her against the nearest wall.
They found themselves in a room much more lavish and opulent than anywhere else in the Towers, with large paintings and tapistries adorning the walls. The floor was now a furry brown carpet, The right hand-side had a glass wall, making the city seem even smaller. While to the left was a long tube that seemed to connect this tower to the next. On the far side was a double-door, that must have led somewhere important.

It was quiet for a moment.
The ground then shook violently beneath them, which prompted the black guard. "You don't know us, and that's fine. In the meantime, is there anything we should talk about? Names?"
Gi looked up, her breathing less harsh. "Hundreds just died." she blurted, glancing back down at the chasm they had left.
"I'm sorry about your friend." she told Alex.

 

[DarkRawen]

"Keep pressure on the wound and try to get her to a medic or healer or herbalist. I'll buy you and the liberated a little time to disappear then meet you... where we stayed last night."

Des nodded, and did as Kes said, even catching Zuria when the woman tried to stand up and failed to do so.

"Okay, I'll do it," he said, and lifted Zuria up into his arms rather easily. He ignored the dagger that nearly hit his face, and simply shook his head when Zuria asked about who had stabbed her. Instead, he kept addressing Kes. Des didn't like the idea of leaving without her, but she did say they would meet up again, hopefully soon.

"Stay safe, okay? You don't need to buy us a whole lot of time, just run when you can," he continued, before taking off with Zuria, running away from the docks and slaves.

"I'm sorry Zuria," he said, as he thought about what she had wanted. "I don't think revenge is a good idea now."

Starting to run up the hill, not even breaking a sweat, Des noticed what seemed to be a strange medicine place, or, at least he hoped that was what the pictures and text meant, and ran inside, speaking to the first person he saw.

"Please, help Zuria," he said. "She's been stabbed, and she's bleeding."

 

[Lunar Templar]

"Lucia" was her reply tot he question about her name.

Lucia had slipped back into 'Captain' mode and was currently surveying the situation below, they one they where in and how one will effect the other. "We shouldn't stay in the tower. We'll be over run before long, assuming they don't just try to bring this tower down to." Lucia Started "Ether way, lingering here is not in our best interest."

 

[DarkRawen]

Luckily, the people inside were willing to help, and soon they were tending to Zuria's wound. Des couldn't help but worry about Kes too, and slightly about the slaves, though he was very aware of that he could only help Zuria right now. He kept the pressure on the wound till they started tending to it, then stood a little away, not wanting to be in the way. First when he was addressed, did he speak.

"Do you know who she is? If she's here there's trouble especially in a city like this. Cisk, can you get me the antiseptic?"

"She's Zuria, and that's all that matters. Why would her being here be an issue, though?" Des asked, unsure of what this antiseptic was. Hopefully it would work, and he watched as they put the icky smelling liquid on the wound, making sure that there wasn't any signs of it being poison.


"You got her here quickly, that could make a big difference, pressure please."

"Oh, of course," Des replied, and went over to Zuria again, putting pressure on the wound as the lady bandaged it. "It's not bad, right? She's going to be fine." Des had seen wounds before, even if those kinds of things were the first ones he tried to forget, and mostly managed to do just that.

"Do you feel better now?" he then asked Zuria, leaning down so that his head was more on her level. "Does it hurt a lot? I can help with the pain, if you'd like me to." He couldn't make it disappear, but at least he could provide some pleasure alongside it. "It'd be very simple."

"Tea anyone?"

Des simply shook his head.

 

[Josh123914]

"We shouldn't stay in the tower. We'll be overrun before long, assuming they don't just try to bring this tower down too. Either way, lingering here is not in our best interest."
Lucia ordered them all in an authoritative tone.

Gi looked back down the chasm again. "I'd be surprised. We just climbed over thirty floors."
The black man stood and responded "I agree with her though, but there's no way down-- in this Tower at least, and I'm weaponless, not to mention if the Empress is still alive she'll be in her Penthouse above." He said, lamenting the loss of his scepter on the stairs earlier.

He then moved around the beige coloured lobby, occasionally taking in the view of the dust cloughed area where a tower once stood. "We can take the bridge that way" he pointed to their left, "That would lead us out of this tower and into another. Or we could keep moving upwards" He said, nodding to the double doors at the end of the room. "It's your choice Lucia."

------------

Suddenly there was a loud crash outside, Bead left Cisk, Zuria and Des inside and poked her head out the door. There were plumes of smoke and rubble in the Bay, as the first of the fleet of ships began docking in the port.

The beaded lady stopped and looked at the group. "There are rogue slaves and strange ships in the port, not to mention something with the Southron Bridge." she looked towards her helper, and then to Zuria. "How long do you think this one's gonna last?"
but Cisk only scoffed. "Don't scare her, she's fine."
Bead looked around her store, then back outside before assessing the situation. "If we need to leave, and by that I mean leave, then we take the back door, and follow the usual route to the main streets." She said, moving into a back room to get clothes and bags.

------------

After more walking Trah, Kyras, Dalrel and Nettil arrived at a familiar street.

Indeed, following the street and turning right brought him to a small market, that once appeared to sell anything. Books, to clothes, to food to weapons.

Most merchants with any sense had already packed and ran, with several stalls burnt to a crisp from the oil of the lamps that once illuminated them
Dalrel came across a stall ripe with fresh produce, lots of spices, nutmeg included. He stuffed whatever he could into his bag before moving on.

They passed a torn broken tapestries, and a dead man in armour, rotting in the afternoon sun.

"Hold on a minute." Said Dalrel. this was the market from last night.
"Nettil, take a right down here, it'll be your shop." Nettil only smiled, as the group hurried down the now abandoned street.

As they neared the store, more houses were burnt out, and there was a smell of charcoal in the air. There was no one left, and before being dragged behind a set of steps, Nettil had to bite her lip to stop herself from shouting out in anger when they found the Herbology store being looted by a small group of bandits.
two were hauling expensive vases into a cart outside, while another stood watch looking towards the opposite end of the street.

Dalrel began by quietly warning. "There's three of them outside, all flame slingers. I don't know if it's worth the risk, there could be more inside, and you can't carry everything out with you Nettil."
"Fuck off, that's my livelihood." she blurted.
"We could drag you to the Towers?" Dalrel responded encouragingly.

 

[hiei82]

Des and Zuria left ans the ex-slaves began to scatter. Perfect. With no one but guards around her, Kes no longer had reason to hold back. Turning to face the slavers, she unleashed her terrible roar into the air and striking fear into the hearts of her enemies. When she quieted, She gave the guards a single chance. "Drop your weapons and leave." she ordered. She mostly hoped they'd listen; she didn't want to take lives.

That said, the important word was mostly.

Kes took a wide, low stance while standing on the balls of her feet. She'd be ready to charge anyone who got it in their heads that she was easy prey.

 

[IFS]

"I'm sorry about your friend."

"I hardly knew him," he replied "not that it makes his, or any of the other deaths less of a tragedy."

Lucia seemed quick to take charge though and he was more than happy to follow her lead while assessing the situation. Whatever the political realities of the horizon they were in were he couldn't say, for all he knew this attack was done by those with legitimate grievances against the empress. Not my world, not my place to say, though I can never condone the unnecessary deaths of civilians. Personal survival is currently the goal then, as it often is I suppose.

"It's your choice Lucia."

"How exactly did they bring down the previous tower?" he mused aloud, "they might not have the resources to attempt it again, though either way we should probably attempt to distance ourselves from the situation."

If they can bring down this tower with the empress, hm...

"How well loved is the empress anyways?" he asked "that is, do you think this attack is directed at her?"

What purpose does it all serve, what group launched the attack and why, knowing that will tell me how safe this tower is. Though I suspect the answer is not very.

 

[Anti-American Eagle]

Kyras watched as men ran through the burning streets murdering and looting as they went. He didn't want to involve himself in this, it wasn't his business. A people were invading another people, for all he knew this land deserved what they were getting. But this was wrong, this reminded him from the raiders his tribe fought back in the old days.

Kyras looked at Nettil and spoke "If they're relying on fire, I can fight them unharmed. Nettil, if there's a fire is there anything you want saved?"

 

[Josh123914]

"How exactly did they bring down the previous tower? They might not have the resources to attempt it again, though either way we should probably attempt to distance ourselves from the situation." The black man looked over at Alex. "I didn't see any explosion, but the southern tower was the oldest. I don't know if that matters, but I've never heard of a Tower collapsing." Gi coughed at that, nodding in approval.

"How well loved is the empress anyways? That is, do you think this attack is directed at her?"
The two guards looked at one another, and Gi took over. "Well enough on the island, but there are Millions in our nation, and there's bound to be people on the edge of our lands that disapprove with so much wealth streaming into these six- well, five buildings.
As for the attack? I don't know. I just don't. There would've been hundreds in that Tower alone, and hundreds more that were trapped in that Ampitheatre with you. Whoever's orchestrated this can't be some petty rebel. You saw the soldiers in blue. This is war."

------------

"If they're relying on fire, I can fight them unharmed. Nettil, if there's a fire is there anything you want saved?"
Nettil looked at Kyras. If there's a fire, then we're doomed without Sal..
"Well-if it hadn't spread, I could gather clothes, jewellery, it would only take a minute. I could fight anyone inside." She assured them. She was disgusted that people were looting her property, but at least they weren't in the slums...

 

[Lunar Templar]

"If it was the oldest then there was some structural weakness they found to exploit, ether way, one's down now" Lucia said while pondering what to do about the Empress. "I'm inclined to error on the side of caution. Secure the Empress, then extract her from the tower to safer grounds. It's not that far out of our way and the long term benefits out way the risks, besides if they're relying on this much 'shock and awe' the bulk of their forces likely can't take your forces head on." Lucia said

"Or their just cowards, that's a possibility." She added, as a poor stab at humor, as she pulled out both pieces of her spear and connected them and handed it to the unarmed solider. "It's rated for Dragon Scale, should do just fine going through the tin foil this idiots wear" she said to him before turning toward the double doors "Up we go"

 

[DarkRawen]

The situation went from bad to worse, and Des wasn't entirely sure why. He'd known about the slaves, having helped getting them out and all that, but what was this about ships? Had he entirely ignored them? Des didn't worry about that, though, his instinct was to get away. If he had been alone, he'd already be elsewhere, safe and sound. Though, he supposed it was a bit different now, especially so because they had to meet up with Kes too.

"This is my fault, I'm grateful for everything you've done but you two should go. We'll be fine and I've got someone I need to see. If you can keep holding the bandages to my wounds and carry me in your arms my top half should be fighting fit."

"Why?" he asked, though he supposed she had a plan. Even so, he didn't like it, not at all. Finally, he agreed. "Okay."

"If you must fight promise me you tell him everything when this is over. He deserves to know who he might have given his life for."

Des tilted his head. He didn't particularly feel a need to know whom he might have died for, especially because he didn't think he was going to die.

"Ah, no, that's fine," he replied. "I'm durable, so I'll be fine." Even if his instinct and mind got completely conflicted. This was... stupid, in his opinion, and there wasn't a whole lot Des thought of as stupid. He didn't know why mortals couldn't just run. Des didn't even understand Zuria's reasoning, yet he lifted her up, holding her bandages in place. He'd already given her the offer to make the pain go away, though if she wanted to fight, he couldn't, since it would tire her a lot.

"Ready?"

"Okay," he muttered. "But if we find Kes..." what would he do if they found Kes? He couldn't protect both of them if they were fighting, and even though Kes didn't need his help, he still wanted to make sure she was fine. Running away was the best thing to do, it was how he had survived about 400 years. Des spoke again.

"If we find Kes, we'll run away. All of us, together."

We have to.

 

[Anti-American Eagle]

"Well-if it hadn't spread, I could gather clothes, jewellery, it would only take a minute. I could fight anyone inside."

Kyras looked at Nettil and smiled "Okay then. Nettil once I've taken care of the men outside follow me in and gather what you can. Dalrel..." Kyras briefly and hesitantly paused as he decided upon what to call the other man he hadn't bothered to learn the name of "Hunter watch the street unless running away is more important."

And then Kyras charged at the men on the street. He felt fire try to envelop him, but it failed to catch on him or even properly burn him. The watchman was the first to go, left confused and bleeding on the ground. The second was the one to charge him, stabbed in the gut for his troubles. The third looked confused so Kyras yelled at him to run and so he did.

 

[IFS]

"Well enough on the island, but there are Millions in our nation, and there's bound to be people on the edge of our lands that disapprove with so much wealth streaming into these six- well, five buildings.
As for the attack? I don't know. I just don't. There would've been hundreds in that Tower alone, and hundreds more that were trapped in that Ampitheatre with you. Whoever's orchestrated this can't be some petty rebel. You saw the soldiers in blue. This is war."

"I'm inclined to error on the side of caution. Secure the Empress, then extract her from the tower to safer grounds. It's not that far out of our way and the long term benefits out way the risks, besides if they're relying on this much 'shock and awe' the bulk of their forces likely can't take your forces head on."

"Err on the side of caution," Alex muttered to himself as he thought, then spoke up louder than before "It might be war but it's not our war, I don't know that I see sufficient reason to risk ourselves saving an Empress when this tower could collapse as well."

Her private quarters no doubt have their own defenses anyways, so if it doesn't collapse and we leave her she might survive anyways. That said splitting our forces makes for an even worse play, have to commit to one choice or the other even if its the wrong one. Of course saving her could draw attention from the attackers which would be bad, and if her quarters have defenses then we run the risk of encountering them.

He shrugged and turned to Lucia "Whatever our choice we should make it quickly, if you wish to save the Empress then I will follow," he said "though I think you could easily be underestimating the risks involved and the strength of our current enemy."

She's already taken charge here so challenging her leadership would waste time.

 

[Josh123914]

"Up we go"
Ordered Lucia. The two soldiers exchanged glances, as one got up from her slouched position, while the other approached their de facto leader and took half the spear. "Thank you, and my name is Navdeep Rajparanuvporava-" "Just call him Raj!" scoffed Gi from a distance.

"Whatever our choice we should make it quickly, if you wish to save the Empress then I will follow, though I think you could easily be underestimating the risks involved and the strength of our current enemy." Piped the fourth member of the group.
"Agreed," stated Gi. "If we're lucky we can reach the Empress quickly, and escort her secretly out of the city."
Raj then took the lead through the double sided doors. "And don't underrestimate them Lucia, these assassins are clearly skillful. They killed your companion, remember?"
He continued as they climbed higher and higher, venturing past decadent room after decadent room, including one dedicated to housing exotic creatures for the gentry's amusement.
And the clouds of billowing smoke in the south didn't go unnoticed, as Gi pointed out it was the Southron Bridge collapsing, while many plumes of fire carried in small bursts throughout the cityscape.
Eventually they reached an impasse. In a room filled with frilly cushions and table after table designed for meals separated only by large marble pillars, the latest pathway upstairs had been demolished, with the wooden staircase being nothing but a crumpled mess, and the ceilings now too high for anyone to jump up to.
"Well? We could try the next set, or-"
Suddenly they heard a rush of footsteps coming from a corridor to their right. To their left was another bridge connecting this Tower to an adjacent one, as the group had only a few moments to prepare for whoever was about to meet them at this altitude.

Spoiler: Options

What do you do? Hide? Prepare an ambush? Run away? Other suggestions?

------------

Nettil took the opportunity Kyras gave her to bolt inside. Heat seared around the room as the two thieves did their best to burn Nettil. Dalrel came closely behind her as she used the marble floor as a means to shoot Dalrel upwards. He managed to kick on in the face and landed sprawled on the second. Nettil bolted up her spiral staircase with her dagger, and after some dirty business, Nettil was in her room with Trah, stuffing dresses, money and personal treasures into her bag with shaky hands.
She called the others up and pointed to the bathroom.
"There's a ladder to the roof through the bathroom" she informed them, grabbing more food and stuffing it in haphazardly.
Within the small candle-lit room lay a stepladder, which gave Dalrel and Kyras a chance to slip through a large hole left by unstable tiles.
The air was smoky, while dust billowed around the 5 Towers in the distance, and to the north a large blaze threatened any house made out of wood. Nettil was correct about the roofs though, as the streets were cloughed, the roofs were smooth, and the terrace gave a clear route to the Towers.
This was brief, as Kyras and Dalrel were knocked back by a burst of energy. Sparks flew as from below the bandit Kyras had allowed to slip past arrived with reinforcements. Of the dozen or so there, most were common looters with makeshift weaponry, along with an odd archer or two. However the standouts were two fighters, with arms glowing with white light. One of them scratched their arm and pointed, as another beam of light was blasted into the store,
"Now what?" Dalrel shouted over the loud bang caused by the mage.

Down below, a large plume of hot dust flew over the balcony while the foundations shook violently beneath them. The wall in front of them tore open into the other building, revealing a spacious bedroom, as Trahaearn had only moments to decide where to go.

Spoiler: Options

What do you do? Run along the rooftops to escape, or try to fight them all? Will you try and follow the others (running into danger in the process), or do you dash through the wall in a bid to escape?

 

[Lunar Templar]

Lucia found it hard to believe these guards believed 'shooting some one who was fleeing in the back' was any display of skill, but she didn't have time, or the inclination to argue the point. She heard a group rushing down the hall toward their position. Lucia quickly motioned every one to take cover, pulling Gi a side with her as she did "I'll need you to confirm if they are friendly when they get here." Lucia said in a low tone and made a 'stand by' sign to the others.

 

[hiei82]

Needless to say, in the battle between a handful of guards expecting only poorly-feed, broken-willed slaves and a former gladiator, bet on the former gladiator. Within a few minutes of the guard's attacks, Kes had disarmed them and beaten them to a bloody mess. She'd taken only mild wounds from lucky or unavoidable blows which she bandaged roughly once the fight was over. She'd spared their lives only because she had more important activities to see to - namely Des and Zuria. Still, she'd taken the time to ensure they would not be trying anything against them in the immediate future by knocking them out and locking them in one of the slave cages. She took the keys with her, save one she broke in the lock for good measure.

From there, she made her way back to the herbalist's shop by way of roofs and back alleys.

 

[DarkRawen]

"I'm the reason they were locked up. Their right to fight me, can't be denied. Need to be fair, give him a chance, face to face."

Des had a hard time feeling dislike for anyone, especially a woman. He could see that Zuria had... intentions with some sort of moral merit to them, but, quite frankly, he was increasingly becoming less fond of her. She wanted to risk his, and possibly Kes' life because some slaves, whom they had saved, had a right to fight Zuria? Des only nodded, smiling like nothing was wrong, and started walking.

We have to meet up with Kes and run away.

He thought to himself. Des didn't like feeling like this, he didn't like not liking a lady. However, it couldn't be helped, he had to preserve Kes and himself, and, if they ever met up again, the rest of the group. For now, however, he had to go against his own words.

Because this lady is crazy.

"We're meeting up with Kes," he said, and started walking, almost running, towards the herbalist's shop, hoping that they would find Kes there already.