Sojaveña Wilds Twilight Quarry

[RJr3:2]

Aige looked up and down the creature.

"This reminds me of those movies Xocri made me watch... disgusting," she said, watching carefully to see if the Floatzel made any sudden movements.

She glanced at Grace. "Before anyone attacks or anything Grace, would you still like to try and help this... thing?" Aige groaned. "Sorry, I could have used a better word there."

 

[Sinderella]

Odette felt the Shadow churning in her gut, like a heavy drink on an empty stomach. She felt buds of annoyance starting to sprout at the edge of her mind, and Jawile's stem twitched with a slowly growing urge to gnaw on something.

This place was gross.
Happening upon a floatzel didn't startle her as much as it should have. At this point, anything and everything felt expected, despite the fact she felt chills running relay races up and down her spine. It looked far too tangible to be a Shadowy illusion, but something about it had her fingers twitching for something. Whether it was an escape orb or her gun, she couldn't say yet.

She wasn't sure when she stepped into a horror flick, but when the strange 'mon's head turned with the same conviction of Regan MacNeil in The Exorcist, she frowned. Not out of fear; more out of that budding annoyance. The fact that this almost didn't frighten her scared her more than the floatzel now walking ominously toward them.

"Jesus fucking Christ," she scoffed, grabbing for her gun anyway and taking a step back. "Well someone better do what they need to do; I'm giving you five seconds before I take a shot at this Grudge-Exorcist-Omen bullshit."

 

[Inkedust]

Bellatrix hopped back a couple metres, hissing at the sight. "Strike, then flee," she commanded, allowing Radiance to pool at the tips of her claws before sending a warning strike the floatzel's way. She stepped back further into her illusion, waiting to see what would happen next, eyeing the dungeon around her for any particular reaction.

 

[Namohysip]

Before Grace or Mhynt could respond further, the Radiant strike from Bellatrix reverberated off the ground. Notably, it seemed to fizzle against the red mist, neutralizing it, but depleting itself at the same time. This place ate away at Radiance... and while perhaps that would have been a good thing, in such huge quantities, Radiance would only be snuffed out at higher concentrations of mist.

Floatzel stopped immediately. "Oh?" he said. "Is that... light? Is that the light of spirits... the light that the Void King spoke of... so bright... so painful... just to look at..."

He twisted his body around so he was properly facing the Wayfarers. And he walked onward--

Odette's shot rang out next, silencing all other ambient noise. Like the Dungeon itself was listening and fell quiet. The bullet struck the ground--a warning shot--and Floatzel stopped again.

He smiled. It went a lot further than it should have, nearly meeting his eyes.

"You've done it now," he said. "The whole Dungeon can hear you."

Black shapes seeped out of cracks far away on all sides of the Quarry...

"A shame the Void King is away. He only said for us to stay put..."

Mhynt cursed and looked around, one claw already on one of her Escape Orbs. Was now a good time? They weren't quite surrounded, but in this open quarry, they could be seen from all over, too... They weren't advancing. Just... watching. They didn't seem to care that one of their own was being threatened.

As she looked around, though, she spotted someone--a Charmeleon. A very familiar Charmeleon on the upper level, watching them. He was too far to see his expression.

 

[Sinderella]

"Yeah and it's gonna hear me blowing your fucking head off if you get any closer," Odette seethed, reeling back to take another shot, this one aimed at its body. She didn't like how quiet the dungeon got, but if that thing even swiped in her direction, she wasn't going to hesitate.

She wanted to stay focused on the floatzel, but black matter began to seep out from all corners of the quarry. Hers eyes flicked frantically between one spot, then another, then another. But gods forbid she took her eyes off the floatzel for too long, especially with the way it was smiling now...

But nothing was getting closer. Everything was just lingering. The longer she sat and waited for something to fly out and attempt to strike, the more restless she got. Annoyance exploded into rage, and she grit her teeth.

"Well? What the fuck are you waiting for? Are you gonna do something or not?"

A peculiar shape momentarily caused her to break her line of sight on the floatzel. It was higher up, further away, but it was very clearly there. Just standing there. Menacingly.

She couldn't help but laugh bitterly. "Hey! Enjoying the fucking show, assface?"

 

[RJr3:2]

"Mm, unfortunate," Aige murmured, glancing around. "If we hang around and take some of these shadows out, maybe it'll make it easier on us in the long run."

She hesitated. "That said, if Alexander isn't around right now, then that's enough actionable intelligence that id suggest we just surround the perimeter of this place and catch him on the way in. Though I doubt it would be that easy..."

"Per your suggestions as usual though," she added, nodding at Bellatrix and Mhynt.

 

[Namohysip]

Mhynt seemed hesitant to do anything, but Owen still had her attention. Odette took action first.

The Charmeleon noticed he was addressed. He crawled closer, though he was still at least a hundred feet away, while Floatzel kept his uncanny grin.

"Are you going to wait for him?" Floatzel asked as Owen drew closer.

"They are... here... to learn," Charmeleon said.

Mhynt's body language suddenly gave off all kinds of conflicting signals. The first time she'd heard Owen... and it was in that state.

But at least he wasn't berserk and feral. In fact, in this domain, he seemed... nearly lucid. Nearly. But something was still off--aside from the black flame on his tail, that is.

"Do you want to kill me?" Owen asked, staring at Odette. He looked... hungry, but not for food.

 

[Inkedust]

Bellatrix had elected to remain hidden - largely out of instinct - but she was paying close attention to everything that was happening. Not that it mattered much any more as they had made themselves known. Of course they did. Unless they were willing to brute force their way through (an inadvisable prospect), it seemed that their investigation would be cut short here. It seemed that Bellatrix would need to discuss the definition of "stealth" with this team after all was said and done.

She growled, pointing her sword at the floatzel. "Unless you wish for me to stop bluffing and strike with that same light, you will stay where you are." Her gaze indicating that she was thinking of aiming for the head. Her other paw gripped an Escape Orb in her bag, ready to break it the moment the Dungeon attempted to strike her.

At Owen, her eyes narrowed. "Do you want us to?" she asked matter-of-factly.

 

[Sinderella]

"Do you want to kill me?" Owen asked, staring at Odette. He looked... hungry, but not for food.

Odette's barrel remained trained on the floatzel as the stranger drew closer. It wasn't long before she recognized the shape of a charmeleon. That fucking...

"If you have intent to kill us," she said icily, "then absolutely."

Her eyes then narrowed, and the finger around the trigger throbbed with the urge to flex. "But all things considered, I could be convinced to do it just because. You've fucked with us enough already, why give you more time to keep doing it?"

 

[Magyk]

Oh no. This was going bad very very quickly. Very, very bad.

Grace had been focused on trying to get a better look on this Owen-- she doubted that he even remembered her, but she certainly remembered him. She flew up a little, waving her arms in an attempt to placate the situation. "Uhm, they're not attacking yet! We should be careful, but let's not start blasting without talking! We walked into their base, and we're not in total danger yet!"

She didn't want to bust out the Radiance yet, but if her own teammates were going to jump on the aggression route immediately... then she'd have to try and defuse the situation.

"Charmeleon..." she said slowly, deciding it might be weird to suddenly call him by his name. "Are you their leader, of sorts...?"

But even the ever-hopeful Grace was feeling anxiety trickling in. The more she looked at him... the more she couldn't help but think of that encounter so long ago. He seemed so different to the ferocious creature that mauled her...

 

[RJr3:2]

"All shadows aside, we technically are the aggressors here," Aige said, "They haven't said anything about explicitly stopping us from leaving either."

He'll know we came either way. Maybe we can just ask them to look around.

"I'm with Grace on this one." She looked at the shadows. "Can't say I'll be much good for a fight here. That's my fault."

 

[Namohysip]

"What's your name?" Mhynt asked. While her voice was even, there was a hint of urgency in it that wasn't there before.

"...Owen... And you're..." He tilted his head abnormally far. "It is you..."

"Owen... can you fight this?"

Owen tilted his head again. "Why would I fight this?" he said. "I can finally be how I want. I don't have to deny myself anymore. I can finally... enjoy... that... amazing feeling, Mhynt. Of feeling every heart beat get weaker and weaker... knowing I was the one who made that happen..." He clenched his claws at something invisible. His eyes were wide and manic. "It's so powerful. I'm in total control at that moment. I was the one who made them die. And I could watch... and FEEL... every... second. And the best part...! The best part... is that final gasp...! I want to do it again... I need to feel that again...!"

Mhynt looked ill and unable to find her words. But it was clear to Mhynt that this was hardly Owen anymore--just someone who'd so thoroughly tainted him with corruption that the primal worst of him had been brought out. Some twisted monster slathered over his soul like tar. Was he already too far gone?

But in that moment, Mhynt couldn't think of vengeance or trying to fix it, even now. Her mind had... stopped. No 'thoughts' went through them. She just stared, catatonic yet vaguely attentive.

Before Owen got carried away, he held his breath and took another look at the Wayfarers. "I am their leader," Owen told Grace, "while the King is gone..." He stared at Odette again.

"Shoot me."

 

[Magyk]

While Grace wasn't all that familiar with Mhynt or Owen, she could definitely see that they had history. Probably a lot.

As she stared at Owen and listened to his words, Grace couldn't find any remorse. No sadness or guilt. Was that because of the Shadows that had taken Owen, or something else...? She didn't know.

Was she wanting to help someone that couldn't be helped?

Was it too late?

Was Owen going to finish the job this time?

"Before we get to shooting..." Grace nervously said, hoping Odette heard her plea. She felt herself swallow, but she had no time to think about her fears. "Why do you side with your King, Owen...? Did he save you, or something...?"

She had no idea if any line of questioning would even work here.

Slowly, she started to focus on her desire to help. Her need to heal away the Shadows and save the ones blighted by them. Grace had to do her best to save everyone. Her eyes started to glow as she sucked in a breath.

If she could just get one chance... maybe she could try to heal Owen. It calmed the prisoners... so what if she poured more Radiance into her one attempt? All she needed was an opportunity... and a way to get closer.

 

[Sinderella]

"Shoot me."

Odette's eyes were unmoving off of Owen. For the darkest second, her urge to turn and pull back on that trigger intensified. He admitted to wanting to maim some more, she'd be doing the world a favor.

Do you really want another body on your hands? You've probably killed more people than the average person.

Would Drungfield condone this? She'd have to; it's self defense.

But is it worth the risk? You know he's up to something.

Do you want another body on your hands?

She inhaled sharply, trying to settle her thoughts. Then, she bared her teeth.

"You come at me first. I insist."

 

[Inkedust]

"Be careful," Bellatrix whispered to Odette. "We know what he is capable of and we have no clue if he has gotten stronger since the wagon incident, especially in this domain."

The zoroark remained still but ready for now, waiting to see what would happen next now that Odette had invited the first strike.

 

[Namohysip]

"Why?" Owen repeated to Grace. "Why not? Why not do it all? Don't you ever get tired of being nice? Don't you just want to... go nuts, and let loose? Once you do... there's no going back... You can't deny your feelings anymore, not after that..."

Mhynt had enough shreds of lucidity to step back, watching Floatzel instead, who, perhaps by some implicit command, stepped back so Owen could take the lead.

Owen locked eyes with Odette next. Slowly, he slid down the hill of the top level, skidding to a gentle halt until he was merely ten feet away from the Wayfarers. He continued to watch the gun, tilting his head with intense curiosity.

"Why are you here?" he asked. "I can feel your fear..."

It was hard to tell who he was talking to. So far, though, there were no hostilities. That led to... several questions. None of them occurred to Mhynt for more than a few moments' time.

 

[Magyk]

"Why not? why not let loose? Don't you ever get tired of being nice? Don't you just want to... go nuts, and let loose? Once you do... there's no going back... You can't deny your feelings anymore, not after that..."

Grace shuddered as a strange feeling crept into her. She felt her wings tingle, and her body shiver when she locked eyes with Owen. In a single second, she wanted to shrink and hide, as if Owen would lurch forwards at any second and attack her. Grace didn't want to be seen.

...Was this fear?

But it wasn't something she could focus on.

Owen was closer.

Another breath. Grace's eye shone brighter as she channelled an orb of healing water in her paws. She had someone to help.

"You don't know me... and I don't know you, Owen. Your feelings are irrelevant until the Shadows have left you. We'll see if you're still as violent afterwards. You should have ended me when you had the chance."

The watery orb shone and she launched it at the charmeleon.

Grace used Radiant Life Dew on Owen!

 

[Namohysip]

Owen wore a wry smile, tilting his head up at the incoming Radiance. He didn't detect any malice, perhaps, which was why he didn't bother dodging it.

"That's cute," Owen said as the light washed over him. "Do you really think... that..."

Silence. Floatzel turned his head to look at Owen with a curious expression. The other shadows stopped their movements as well.

Owen seemed... puzzled. Everything was still. It was like the Dungeon itself had stopped breathing.

 

[RJr3:2]

Aige looked at Grace with a little wonder.

"As good a sign as any to continue," she said in a low tone. She looked around behind the group, checking to see if any of the shadows had moved to corner them from behind. "Be prepared anyway, it could always be the quiet before the storm."

 

[Magyk]

Grace stopped breathing.

Did it work? Grace knew she couldn't just expect Owen to be saved immediately, but she certainly couldn't ignore the way everything stopped.

"So... it is enough to give even a Shadowed One like you some pause. I'm sorry I can't do more... So I'll have to try harder! I'll be getting stronger until I can save you from yourself, Owen."

Yes. Stronger. She HAD to get stronger. Grace had to save them all.

Another life dew formed in her paws, and her whole body started to glow. Grace gritted as the pain crept in once again, just like in the Cipher base. If she kept going, she'd surely put herself and others in danger... Was it okay to keep going?

Silver's words flashed in her mind, and she sucked in a calming breath. Then another. The glow surrounding her body died down, but she still had more Radiance left.

"Let's try one more. Be ready, Wayfarers," she said firmly, and again, she tossed her technique towards Owen.

Grace used Radiant Life Dew on Owen!