Horizon Walkers (Game Thread) Dead

[Josh123914]

"Ah, nevermind, I suppose. What's your name, by the way? If you haven't heard me say it before, I'm Des.''
''Dalrel, if its alright'' He had hoped the lion would be sorted out by now, but at least it wasn't his direct concern.

What was however, was the angry snow elf coming his way.
He dodged one ice spike, rolling, dashing out of the way of a carpet of snow. He righted himself, shooting a fireball straight at the witch as she danced around it, streaming icicles and a ruined dress around her.
The two of them glared at each other for a moment, ''Why do you fight alone?'' Dalrel shouted at the elf. It was genuine, why fight alone when so many factions already formed?
''Its last person standing, I intend to be that person'' She shouted back, arms suspending a small hailstorm around her. Dalrel detected the thick accent of an elf from the Northlands, back in his own world.
''You're from Shi'gara, I had hoped to meet another from the homeworld, although under better circumstances.''
''As did I.''She said, smirking, ''Die, Ilyaran''

Dalrel ducked, narrowly avoiding another hail of ice shards, all the while glaring at his new friends for assistance.

 

[Anti-American Eagle]

Kyras watched as the lion had its eyes burned out and as it was tossed against the wall by the feline creature.

Taking a second to survey the situation, the manticores were mostly dead, the fighters were grouped up, and an ice thrower was attacking the fire thrower. He automatically decided she was the aggressor as she dealt in the cold of death and he dealt in the fire of life.

He drew Maiar again and approached her, ready to stab and torch and consume unless she stopped.
It was his first fight here but this wasn't the way, if he was going to taste freedom he needed others.
And if there needed to be a last man standing it was going to be him.

 

[IFS]

"Oh... it's blind now. That should be help a lot, yes? Looks like we don't need to paralyze it either way, that's a relief. Serragish did a wonderful job too, for the fire to leave the ashes as dust."

"Blinding it might just make it angry," Alex commented "We still have to finish it off, though it should make things easier. Good work."

It seemed the Ranglie had been underestimating herself earlier when she said she couldn't wrestle the lion, though of the individuals attacking it his interest was more drawn by the robed figure. It had cast away its apparel, revealing a body of light, a ghostly demon of some sort? Dangerous, weapons may not work against it, and if its possessing the lion as it seems to be... His expression darkened for a moment, possession was not something he had fond memories of to say the least.

Whatever progress they were making against the lion seemed not to have gained the notice of the ice mage who had attacked Dalrel earlier.

"Its last person standing, I intend to be that person"

"You know, my hearing isn't the greatest but as I recall it was us against the beasts not every man to the death," he commented, loud enough to be heard over her assault of ice and hail "If you want to fight among yourselves be my guest, but there is still a large magical lion out there, perhaps a bit miffed at the loss of its eyes."

With that he set off towards the side of the arena Ranglie had thrown the lion towards, reloading his crossbow as he went. Its eyes, or what remained of them, seemed to be a vulnerable spot and if he could sink a shot into them it might kill or injure the beast. He had no desire to let the robed thing do whatever it was doing, possession seemed most likely in his experience though for all he knew it could be tearing the beast apart from the inside, or even nothing at all. While he held no particular emnity for Dalrel he also didn't have any stake in his fight with the ice mage, and held the lion as a more important priority. He drew closer to the beast and stopped, he was in range now and his crossbow was reloaded, getting any closer would be too risky. He took aim and waited for an opening to fire.

 

[Terratina.]

Id felt it: the primal will to live.

'Twas a strange thing that was normally buried in the subconscious of the more sentient beings - they were probably more interesting to take hold of, being full of desires and whatnot - but here it was in full force. Id felt it swipe after swipe and roar after roar. Though, the Lion seemed to be clinging into images and the ground within the mindscape shook again, though that happened without another roar. Id couldn't be sure what was going on in the physical realm but it appeared that the rest of the gladiators were now focusing their efforts on slaying the beast - something that irked Id.

This heap of muscle and flesh was its.

Its to control, its to show the arena patrons what they sowed. Even as the Lion resisted, Id endured, reforming after every swipe and every roar; sinking into the deeper sections of the Lion's mind, forming roots, anchors and even sewing mild hints of how siding with the mind-melder was the only key to survival; and, finally, projecting its own will to wind its way around that of the Lion's - in short, a multi-pronged attack. Id had to admit that the beast had quite a bit of mental fortitude along with the obvious formidable physical strength. It was pity, a proud beast starved for days just in order to be goaded into fighting smaller scraps of meat...

Ah, there was another initiative, another carrot to dangle: revenge.

 

[DarkRawen]

"Dalrel, if its alright''

"Of course," Des replied. "I'll try to remember it. Althoug---" Before he got the chance to finish what he was going to say, a rather hostile woman attacked, using ice as her power. She appeared to believe they were supposed to fight each other, and not the beasts, at least that was what she said.

Poor girl, must be confused.

"You know, my hearing isn't the greatest but as I recall it was us against the beasts not every man to the death. If you want to fight among yourselves be my guest, but there is still a large magical lion out there, perhaps a bit miffed at the loss of its eyes."

"Well, it was rather angry earlier, so it's not like it could get more so," Des remarked, not looking at Alex. After all, the ice-lady was still there. "Besides, it's probably not angry, but scared, lashing out as a means of surviving. Just like all mortals do," he spoke as he got closer to the woman. While he walked out of the way of some of the hailstorm, he didn't avoid everything, though he was left mostly unscathed save a few cuts here and there. What would have caused greater injury to a man simply left a slight mark on him.

"It's not like these beasts wish to be here either, after all. None of us do." Taking the woman by surprise. Not because of his speed, but simply because of how he had walked up to her, confidently and calm, with no trace of hostility. For what it was worth, it had stopped her from trying to run away, though she didn't stop using her powers completely. Des reached out and touched her, her knees growing soft as he closed the distance and grabbed her, lifting her now up carefully and holding her like one should hold a fainted lady, even if she was only paralyzed.

"The difference is that we cannot, sadly, reason with the beasts. As much as I'd like to avoid harming anything, we never really had a choice, it was this or die." He walked back to the group, still carrying the woman, not taking his eyes off her.

"I do hope you'll forgive me for doing this, dear you," he told her, his voice soft as if he was fond of her already. "But I don't want to see you throw away your life because of a hasty misunderstanding. You'll be up and walking in no time, so just rest for now, okay?"

 

[hiei82]

[HEADING=2]Kes[/HEADING]

"Ah, thank you kind... er... lass." the dwarf said. She nodded and began to speak. "You're welcome. Any idea how to fight the lio-" she started to say, before witnessing the lion be tossed. She stood in awe for that was something she'd never seen before in any battle.

These gladiators were very interesting.

[HEADING=2]Arena[/HEADING]

The toss was indeed great for it launched the creature further than even the thrower expected. The lion slammed into the wall at great force. All at once they had their way out. As the lion smashed into the magical wall its claws dug through the magical barrier. When gravity took hold - dragging the lion down toward the ground - it's claws made a mighty rift in the protective seal about the width of a man. For a moment, it seemed like everything was going their way.

The next moment, the wound in the barrier began to bleed deep crimson and the arena shook as though in anger. Wherever the blood landed, the stone seemed to smoke and dissolve. Those people in the stadium unfortunate enough to be sprayed with the magical "blood" met a grizzly fate. The spectators in the stands, seeing both the potential danger of the loose lion and fearing the earthquake the beast had unintentionally caused, began to flee - stampeding through the vomitoriums in the Colosseum walls.

Though the lion was covered in the blood, it seemed unaffected; protected by its strange fur.

[HEADING=2]The Lion's Mind[/HEADING]

Inside the lion's mind, the beast began to calm. While Id's earlier prodings seemed to affect it little - even as the roots drew deeper into its mind - this new note of revenge it understood. It liked revenge and wanted it. At this point, Id had command.

 

[Terratina.]

Look at Id, it was doing so much to take hold of a blind old feline. But at least the struggle was over now.

In an instant, all barriers dropped and Id fully embraced the Lion's mind. It felt... heavy. However, Id could feel the power behind the beast's muscles, from the intercostal muscles that made the hulking chest rise and fall to the quadriceps which gave the feline its pounce. This was only exaggerated in the blind darkness; touch, taste, hearing, smell - when one sense fell, the others arose. Cutting through all of that was the bloodlust, the beast had taken Id's idea of revenge and filled its mind with the idea; it was almost like a virus infection. The Id-Lion rose and roared. The arena combatants were irreverent now, both to the Lion's plans and Id's, so the soulbonded gestalt exited the arena. First, it kicked off and turned around then leapt into the rift, making sure it was big enough with a swipe of its own claws. The problem of being blind was a large obstacle, but that could be fixed.

'Eye eye eye eye eye eye eye eye eye eye sight sight sight sight sight sight reform reform reform reform...'

 

[Mr.Ivebeenframed]

"You're welcome. Any idea how to fight the lio-"

The giant said before there was a loud roar of something tearing. Vaerys turned his head to see the lion claw... something that protected the audience from the show. Now that had been rendered asunder by the lion's claws as a crimson began to bleed from the torn barrier. Vaerys hadn't seen a building bleed before but some lingering part of him it wouldn't be the last strange sight he saw.

"An exit!" Vearys shouted in astonishment. "I may have an opportunity to repay you after all!"

In an instant, Vaerys sped off towards the exit but as he drew closer, he saw the blood sizzle and crackle wherever it dropped making his advance falter into a cautious jog. Then he saw the lion once more, appearing to be unscathed by the blood unlike the spectators in the crowd unlucky enough to be caught in its splash.

"And here I thought I'd seen the last of ya!" Vaerys grunted as he readied his battleaxe. He stopped in his tracks even though the exit was close by. The lion was the only thing standing between him. Why was he hesitating?

 

[IFS]

Alex's eyes widened briefly as the barrier began to bleed, the lion had turned away from them and torn through it. That cloaked thing must be directing it else it would turn against us, but the barrier poses larger issues. It bled and burned, and the sight and smell of it was all too familiar. Perhaps not the same, but it reminded him of a source, blood and disease and pain desiring more of the same so that it might grow faster. And if it was like a source... it might be influencing or even controlling others, this spectacle, these people watching might only desire it so much because of this thing.

"Dalrel! Burn the edges of the tear, where it bleeds, it might widen the gap or at least make it safe for us to pass through," he commanded, "Everyone else, stay back and don't let the blood touch you, we don't know what it might do."

Or if it might carry some infection, it burns if nothing else. This is a path out, but the lion should be stopped to stop others from dying, and we must put an end to this barrier, maybe this arena itself. It may not be a source itself, but the resemblance... I can't take any chances.

 

[Josh123914]

"Dalrel! Burn the edges of the tear, where it bleeds, it might widen the gap or at least make it safe for us to pass through,"
Dalrel ran at the tear and had fire streaming at the barrier before he even realised what he had agreed to do.
He remembers the blinded lion create this tear, before running through it, but Dalrel was less concerned with that, and more concerned by a potential attack from behind.
''I doubt the arena guards will just stand by while we escape'' he yelled towards anyone and everyone, still blazing a torrent of flame at the tear, with little progress to show for it.

 

[Anti-American Eagle]

Kyras watched as the barrier began to bleed and the ground began to shake.
"What in the hells."
He heard one of them yell to the fire thrower to burn it. One of them seemed to think it was diseased.

Kyras sheathed Maiar and moved to beside the fire thrower, Dalrel.
"I doubt the arena guards will just stand by while we escape."
Kyras began streaming his own flames at the opposite ends of the tear in an attempt to speed up the process.
"They're probably more concerned with stabilizing their barrier than chaining us right now."

 

[DarkRawen]

Des looked with a mix of sadness and relief as the large lion attacked what seemed to have been an invisible barrier around the area. While he certainly wanted to get out of there, the sight of mortals being killed and harmed by what looked like blood was sad. However, he followed the others, carrying the girl as he did, taking care of that he was careful enough to not do her any harm. The others decided to burn the parts of the barrier that was bleeding, and then discussed whether or not the guards would try to take them.

"Does that really matter now?" he asked, confused. Wouldn't it be better to worry about that after they had gotten out, when they could still use the panic of the running mortals to their advantage? He looked behind him, at the people who wasn't there yet.

"We should hurry!" Des then continued, voice raised so that everyone inside could hear him. "If we're lucky, we'll get out quickly and without anymore fighting! Be careful when walking though, the blood will harm you!" Des waited for Alex and the rest in front of him to continue walking, reassuring the mortal in his arms quietly, telling her he wouldn't leave her behind, and that they were soon out of there. Safe.

I hope so, at least.

 

[Lunar Templar]

She hadn't expected to throw the beast that far, still the effect was agreeable, they had a way out. She dropped back to all fours and waited for the others to make it safer to pass through, as the barrier fragments seemed to be harmful, though the fact the people in crowd where the ones being harmed, not just by the barrier, but the lion as well made her smirk "Not So Amusing Now Is It?!" she roared at the wounded in the crowd, and in her own way, encouraging the lion to continue.

 

[IFS]

"Damn," he swore, seeing the effect of the flames on the barrier, they stopped the bleeding but did no further harm to it. That means only the lion can hurt it, guess I'll have to try and steer it back to it. He darted forward out through the hole and into the stands, motioning for the pyromancers to follow him.

"Not So Amusing Now Is It?!"

He heard the Ranglie roar, he frowned finding such vindictiveness distasteful. But if it was seeking vengeance for being forced to fight, and if the arena and its barrier were truly influencing the crowds as he suspected, then perhaps he could motivate it to help him further. It was a safer idea than trying to appeal to the cloaked figure, he couldn't be certain what motives it had or how much control of the lion it possessed.

"These people may not be to blame for this!" he yelled, mostly towards the Ranglie but loud enough for others to hear "The barrier itself may be affecting their minds, making them seek such blood sport, if we set the lion on it though we may be able to destroy it!"

His usual smile had faded, and he considered his options quickly. He doubted any of his weapons could draw the lion's attention, though perhaps the others fire could and the Ranglie had proven itself strong enough to throw the beast, in spite of its earlier protests regarding holding it. The cloaked figure itself might even heed his words, though he couldn't be sure. If no one listens I will be forced to flee for now, he thought regretfully leave this world and its people to deal with it themselves. If it was influencing them though then they might already be lost, but his pursuit of the Tall Man was paramount, and he had learned long ago the impossibility of saving everyone.

 

[Anti-American Eagle]

"These people may not be to blame for this! The barrier itself may be affecting their minds, making them seek such blood sport, if we set the lion on it though we may be able to destroy it!"

Kyras walked through the barrier while keeping his flames on it and yelled at the man.

"It's not the barrier! Their whole empire is like this! They're monsters! If they die they've earned it with their sins!"

Kyras stopped burning the barrier as he thought he saw the rest of the others escape. One of the women ran into a shop, so he followed her in from a distance assuming she knew something he didn't. Silk, pots, clothes, jewels. He realized she must have went into the back room as there was hushed talking. He took a look around as he assumed whatever was happening wasn't for him and saw a ruby bird shaped necklace he could swear was from his tribe. He pocketed it quickly out of a combination of homesickness, anger, and shame.

He began walking back and forth in the tent, watching for guards.

 

[DarkRawen]

The mortals had started leaving the coliseum, which was good. He followed them, and was soon enough behind the barrier. What was not good, was that they sounded like they were bickering, some blaming the people who had watched, and some not. Des sighed, this wasn't the time or place to do that.

"We should just leave," Des said, though he wasn't going to argue about it. As much as he wanted to help the mortals, as soon as he had crossed the barrier, they were free to do what they wanted. It was their choice. Besides, he didn't think either was correct, he certainly didn't want to harm anyone, but would destroying the barrier really help? How had Alex even known that?

I can't really see anything off about it.

Des looked from one part of the group to the other, then tilted his head.

"What could we even do about it? Or about all these people, what can we really do? Wouldn't it really be better if we just left? Else we could get hurt, or even captured again." He noticed that Serragish had gone ahead, and chose to follow her, finding her talking to someone in front of a shop, of all things. The ice-user in his arms was getting a bit heavier, moving a little more.

"What are you doing, Serragish?" Des asked, confused. He then looked at the girl in his arms, and muttered to her. "Are you okay? Do you want to be let down now?" He spoke friendly and caring to both of them, charmingly and clearly not paying much attention to what was going on around him.