Open Chronicles Monster on the Loose!

[Zulryn Oknu]

“Be careful, okay? If you need anything send us a letter. Don’t forget to eat. Also—”

“Dad, I get it. Don’t worry, I will send you a message as soon as I arrive at an inn. Fal’Addas is a peaceful city, and I have been there before.”

“I know sweetie, but I will always worry for you. Now, hurry along or you won’t get an inn at night.”

“Okay, bye mum and dad. Love you!”

“Love you too sweetie, stay safe.”

“If anyone bothers you, shoot them with your bow.”

“Haha, I will.”

Saying this, Zulryn turns around and exits the gate, looking back and waving until her family can’t be seen anymore. It’s early morning and the sun shines gently as she walks on the desire-path, straight to Fal’Addas. A group walks in front.

Finally, she comes to the wooden statues that mark the ‘gate’ of the city. As soon as she enters, she’s greeted by one of the most beautiful sights in Aerithil.

Fal’Addas is known to take people’s breath away, no matter how many times they see it. Zulryn walks along the road, admiring the city and keeping out of the crowd. However, that’s stopped by a commotion around the notice board.

She skips over. A crowd has gathered by now, all whispering to themselves and pointing to a single, large paper pinned on the board and written with red ink. It reads :

Warning : Unknown Monsters Spotted Around Fal’Addas

Civilians are hereby warned of an unknown creature seen in the north of Falwood, near The Gates and requested to stay indoors until the matter is resolved.

The creature was last seen with green skin, large, deer-like horns and two reddish tails, growing aggressive when spotted by a guard and lashing out. No further information has been gleaned by the time of this writing, and security has been tightened around the city for now.

The government requests any skilled hunter who is able to lend their services in hunting down this creature. They will be rewarded with twenty gold coins for their hard work.​

Signed,
The Head-Guard

A whisper of a conversation catches her ears. “I heard that it almost killed the guard!”

“Since they are offering so much gold it must be very dangerous. God help anyone trying to capture it.”

“A curfew will be imposed too. Here I was, planning to go for a drink tonight!”

Zulryn furrows her brows. What a weird creature. Hopefully she won’t have to see it.

 

[Magus Debekatuta]

Magus stood among the crowd, those around him were bothered by the size of his hat, looking at it with a clear look of impatience in their faces, but the Mage didn't notice, he was too busy reading off of the paper placed on the notice board.

"This looks like a great opportunity to obtain some funding for a possible expedition in the future, but there is no way I will be able to take down such a monster on my own" he mumbled to himself, still staring at the poster as if hypnotized by it. "Lets see if anyone else is interested"

Looking around he could only see people worried, no one who seemed fit to make a good partner, until a young orcish girl came along, she carried a bow with her, that was still better than what the other members of the crowd brought with them.

Waiting to see what she did, he noticed her stop to read what the warning had to say, yet when she finished she didn't seem alarmed or moved in any way, he didn't have much of a choice but to assume she was interested.

Making his way through the crowd, he reached the young orcish girl.

"Excuse me, are you interested in taking down this monster? I think together, with your bow there, and my magic we might be able to take it down and take the prize money, which if you are not interested in at all I ask nothing from you." He said with a slight nervous tone in his voice.

 

[Garrod Arlette]

"Not the best odds," Garrod said two the two who conversed taking on the contract. Armored, and well armed, the monster hunter loomed tall behind them, greatsword at his back, side-sword and dagger at his belt. There was a greedy gleam in his green eye, and a hungry sheen in the jewel of his strange white gauntlet. "For one so old, and one so young," added as he idly scratched at his chin. He shook his head as he looked at each in turn. Then he showed his teeth, straight and white, and devilish.

"But I can add my help," he said easily. "Six a piece, and two extra for the one who lands the killing blow?" He smiled easy, and let his hand fall to his side as he shifted his weight to the right, thumb hooked at his belt. "Course, could turn it into a race if your not interested in jolly co-operation," his eyebrows bounced, and his smile only grew more impish.

Yes. The demon in his relic spoke within the sanctum of his mind. co-operation is for the weak, oh bearer mine. Take the monster. Take it and let me feast upon its soul. It laughed. But it was a sound only he could hear.

 

[Zulryn Oknu]

“Oh, hello!” She smiled at the man. He looked like one of the wizards that would come to their tavern.

"Excuse me, are you interested in taking down this monster? I think together, with your bow there, and my magic we might be able to take it down and take the prize money, which if you are not interested in at all I ask nothing from you." He said with a slight nervous tone in his voice.

“Me? Are you sure, I—” She thought it over. While she was skilled with her bow, she had never hunted anything like a monster, just some animals. That being said, it could be a good use of her magic and she could earn money from it.

She decided to be honest. “I would like to, but I have never hunted a monster before. Just a few wild animals.” If they still wanted to take her along, then she would go.

"But I can add my help," he said easily. "Six a piece, and two extra for the one who lands the killing blow?" He smiled easy, and let his hand fall to his side as he shifted his weight to the right, thumb hooked at his belt. "Course, could turn it into a race if your not interested in jolly co-operation," his eyebrows bounced, and his smile only grew more impish.

“Help’s always appreciated!” Zulryn had to crane her neck to look at this man. There was a strange look in his eye, but she chalked it up to the sun gleaming behind them. “A friendly competition even more—as long as we focus on the monster and not each other, of course.” She joked.

“By the way, I am Zulryn! Nice to meet you both.”

 

[Magus Debekatuta]

“Me? Are you sure, I—” She thought it over. While she was skilled with her bow, she had never hunted anything like a monster, just some animals. That being said, it could be a good use of her magic and she could earn money from it.

She decided to be honest. “I would like to, but I have never hunted a monster before. Just a few wild animals.”

"Hm, the notice says 'one skilled hunter' so I think with the two of us we'll be more than enough" He said enthusiastically, trying to convince her.

"Not the best odds," Garrod said two the two who conversed taking on the contract. Armored, and well armed, the monster hunter loomed tall behind them, greatsword at his back, side-sword and dagger at his belt. There was a greedy gleam in his green eye, and a hungry sheen in the jewel of his strange white gauntlet. "For one so old, and one so young," added as he idly scratched at his chin. He shook his head as he looked at each in turn. Then he showed his teeth, straight and white, and devilish.

"But I can add my help," he said easily. "Six a piece, and two extra for the one who lands the killing blow?"

He turned around to see the tall, strange looking man. At first he was startled, but then he saw something in his right arm, a jewel of sorts, something he had never seen before, that entire arm was strange enough on its own, after this first rush of emotions from first seeing this man, he heard his offer to help, this strange looking hunter was going to be the ace in the hole, despite the reward money looking slimmer and slimmer, especially with the new 'killing blow' offer.

"Course, could turn it into a race if your not interested in jolly co-operation,"

"No no no, jolly co-operation was exactly what I was looking for, the three of us would make a great team"
This was all said out of fear of what was standing before him, this man was something else, savage looking but also fitted with fine armour, this was no average hunter. The 'killing blow' offer now started to seem like a bargain.

“Help’s always appreciated!” Zulryn had to crane her neck to look at this man. There was a strange look in his eye, but she chalked it up to the sun gleaming behind them. “A friendly competition even more—as long as we focus on the monster and not each other, of course.”

He knew this had been meant as a joke but was still to scared of it being said seriously.

“By the way, I am Zulryn! Nice to meet you both.”

"I'm, Magus, formerly from the College of Elbion but I now stay temporarily in Maraan, after what happened..."
"What about you, hunter?"

 

[Garrod Arlette]

The hunter nodded at the two, then idly rubbed his jaw with his gauntlet-ed hand. "Garrod," he said with a nod. "Monster hunter, and sometimes mercenary," he bowed his head slightly to Magus. "A pleasure to be working with such a learned man," and he looked to Zulyn and bowed his head to her in turn. "And with you as well, Zuiryn, One so agreeable is just as rare, if not finer company than most scholars," there was some warmth in his voice, enough to hint at humor.

As they spoke, the gauntlet's eye would seem to watch. Pale and milky as it stared.

"I hail from Alliria, originally, but, go where work takes me," He nodded to the youngest of their small party. "You look like the tracking sort, what would you advise our course of action be?" he asked with a genuine curiosity.

 

[Zulryn Oknu]

"Hm, the notice says 'one skilled hunter' so I think with the two of us we'll be more than enough" He said enthusiastically, trying to convince her.

“Hmm, okay then!” She agreed.

She noticed the wizard-like man looking at the tall man’s arm—it was then she noticed the gauntlet and it’s pure white jewel, shining brightly in the sun. It looked beautiful and she was transfixed by it.

Zulryn found it strange that he seemed to almost fear him so much. Sure, he looked intimidating, but he seemed courteous and—so far—harmless. Did they know each other?

"Garrod," he said with a nod. "Monster hunter, and sometimes mercenary," he bowed his head slightly to Magus. "A pleasure to be working with such a learned man," and he looked to Zulyn and bowed his head to her in turn. "And with you as well, Zuiryn, One so agreeable is just as rare, if not finer company than most scholars," there was some warmth in his voice, enough to hint at humor.

She grinned at the compliment. “I come from a town outside Fal’Addas, it’s a short while from here.” Saying this, she bowed to them, hands clasped in front. “Nice to meet you both, Sir Magus and Sir Garrod. I hope we have a great experience together.”

"I hail from Alliria, originally, but, go where work takes me," He nodded to the youngest of their small party. "You look like the tracking sort, what would you advise our course of action be?" he asked with a genuine curiosity.

She looked back at the notice. “The notice says it was near The Gates, so it must not be far out. It injured a guard too, so it must have left a blood trail running away. I have never heard of a creature like this, though. Since they say it’s “unknown,” either it wasn't seen clearly enough or it’s really not recorded anywhere. There’s not much information.”

She thought and said, “Someone should have witnessed it. Maybe we can look in the forests for clues, and see if a guard or witness is willing to share more information.”

 

[Magus Debekatuta]

She looked back at the notice. “The notice says it was near The Gates, so it must not be far out. It injured a guard too, so it must have left a blood trail running away. I have never heard of a creature like this, though. Since they say it’s “unknown,” either it wasn't seen clearly enough or it’s really not recorded anywhere. There’s not much information.”

She thought and said, “Someone should have witnessed it. Maybe we can look in the forests for clues, and see if a guard or witness is willing to share more information.”

"Yes, I was thinking of asking guards first before we go looking for clues" He stopped for a moment to think, "If we went looking for clues now, the monster might get a jump on us and everything would go downhill from there... How about we ask the injured guard, he might still know the whereabouts of the monster, or maybe we find some of his partners taking care of him..."

Magus lost attention and started looking at something passing by, it was a guard,

"Excuse me."

He pushed his way through to the guard stopped the guard to ask a few questions.

"Excuse me, do you know, by any chance, where the guard injured by the monster is?"

The guard seemed confused, then looked like he realized what the wizard was talking about.

"Oh! Yes, I believe he is in his home recovering, he is very injured though so I advise you not to go meet him, but if you're looking for information you're out of luck, everything known about the monster is written on the warning poster on that notice board" He says pointing at the notice board where Magus had just read from.

"I see, thank you, I appreciate your help" He said with a tired tone in his voice, slowly walking back to Zulryn and Garrod.

"It seems all the guards know about the monster is whats already written in the poster, that means... going out... and searching for it..."

Magus dreaded exposing himself like that, very few times had he been in combat, and when he had been fighting an opponent, it was always either from a safe spot or with an advantage.

"Lets go in with a plan, to avoid any surprises, what do you think?" Looking at both hunters, of which he was not.

 

[Garrod Arlette]

A plan seemed to be forming. Interrogate the guards, but the Magus reported they had no further information to share. Garrod nodded, taking in the news, and agreed with the big hat's summation.

"Always good to have a plan," he looked to the younger hunter. "Keen eyed as you are, when we make it to the wilds, it would be best for you to take the point," he showed the both of them the flat palm of his right hand, the white gauntlet shimmered with a sickly iridescence, but the eye no longer stared at them.

A snap of his right fingers sparked to life a little ball of flame, no bigger than a candle flame, it float about the tip of his middle finger. Another snap produced a second flam, only as large as a silver coin, it flickered and waved about his palm. "I'll keep to the center of our little formation," a third snap saw a third flame, about as big as the first, and it float behind the larger fire, about his wrist. He nodded to Magus. "You support from the rear," he wasn't sure what sort of tricks the man had up his spacious sleeves, but he had a feeling with this lot, the bit of structure would help.

"If either of you encounter the beast," he let his hand hover over the flames, and with long digits, he turned the front flame in a wide arc around the one in the center. "Fall back to me," with forefinger and middle and thumb, he twist his wrist, counter clock wise, and the three little orbs of fire turned with the gesture to put the back line in toward his finger tips. "Plan should be flexible though," he twist his fingers clockwise, and the flames shifted again with the gesture.

"Sound enough?" he asked, and clapped his hand over the flames to put them out.

 

[Zulryn Oknu]

Though a little disappointed with the guard’s answer, she didn’t mind it too much. She said, “Let’s go now then, before sundown.”

She watched in awe as Sir Garrod conjured up three flames. Would she, too, one day be able to do the same with earth? She hoped so.

Though a little disappointed with the guard’s answer, she didn’t mind it too much. She said, “Let’s go now then, before sundown.”

She watched in awe as Sir Garrod conjured up three flames. Would she, too, one day be able to do the same with earth? She hoped so.

"Sound enough?" he asked, and clapped his hand over the flames to put them out.

Zulryn nodded, and they left for the outside.


—-X—-
The area seemed deserted. Only the soft steps of their legs could be heard—not even the animals made a sound. A fishy smell came closer, and soon they came upon the still-bloody scene.

Zulryn cringed in horror. The ground was dyed red, with some splatters on the trees nearby. A stark trail of blood could be seen from the clearing to some distance from The Gates, and the air felt colder than before. Scratches were gouged into the ground, both human and something else.

“Goddess—”

A rumble seemed to come from the ground, and she stilled. It felt wrong, that rumble. Zulryn started, “Get back, it—”

The ground stopped rumbling, and instead slowly raised upwards instead. It shivered and turned into a humanoid shape, with two antlers and glowing eyes which stared straight at them. A small tail whipped behind it, and she finally knew what the “second tail” was : A long tree root, thicker than the moss-covered hand that held it.

She had heard tales of this creature from guests in their tavern, each of whom having scrunched faces as they described it. It was a leshy.

It took a step toward them, raising it’s hand.

Magus Debekatuta Garrod Arlette

 

[Garrod Arlette]

Garrod grit his teeth at the sudden arrival of the creature. "Bloody hells," he cursed, and stepped before the younger adventurer and the mage, the runes upon his greatsword aglow. "Get behind me, Zulryn!" he shout as he scraped the claws of his gauntlet along the length of his sword, the motion set sparks along the black road of steel, and magick flame enwreathed its edge.

Oh, not as common a foe as we expected now, is it, bearer mine? Belephus teased the swordsman.

At the ready, Garrod watched the leshy with his own killer intent. "We must try and spot its heart," he drew in his magick, focued it more and more with each breath. "It regenerates, and will draw greater strength from the woods around us," he didn't like this.

You could always let me handle this. Garrod could feel Belephus' smile.

Magus Debekatuta Zulryn Oknu

 

[Calvin Kane]

Cal heard a roar as he walked through the forest, followed by the clanging of metal and a flash of light that glowed dimmer until it was just noticeable. he tore off his cloak and rushed through the forest with a grin: FINALLY an adventure!
Cal closed in on the roars and light before unsheathing his daggers and crouching to investigate. suddenly his daggers glinted in the light of the flame-coated sword and the bearer of said sword glanced over at him, causing the monster to charge. Cal quickly threw a dagger into one of the Leshy's eyes, causing it to emit a pained roar.

"ATTACK IT NOW! Before the bloody thing regains its senses!"

 

[Zulryn Oknu]

She barely managed to not scream as the monster stumbled towards them. Hearing Sir Garrod, she got behind him and withdrew her bow, keeping an eye on Sir Magus at the same time.

The leshy walked towards them with increasing speed, bringing down a clawed hand upon them.
Before they could act, a dagger flew towards it’s eye and the leshy screamed, holding it’s eye. Zulryn nocked an arrow and sent it flying towards the monster, making it stagger before continuing it’s attack with greater speed. She glanced towards whoever did it and noticed the grinning man who crouched behind a tree.

At the same time, she subtly tried to nudge the earth around them, hoping against hope that something would happen to stop the leshy.

Garrod Arlette Magus Debekatuta Calvin Kane

 

[Garrod Arlette]

A knife, an arrow. The creature staggered, its initial attack broken as it screeched, arrow and knife in its eyes. Yet leshy didn't need eyes to see that around them.

Baring grit teeth, Garrod drew in his magick with a pull of breath and a coiling twist of his torso, the flames of his sword turned small, their light dimmed, but the runes that run down the center of his weapon burned white hot. With a shout he thrust the large blade forward, the weight of his whole body snapped forward as drove the weapon at the monster.

Pale flame shot out in a molten ball of pyromantic magick that seared the very air about it in a tail of white steam. The fireball crashed against the leshy. Flames spilled off its bark in a wash of red and gold and the creature screamed in anger as some fires licked into its bark. Garrod swung his hind foot forward, his sword still enflamed, his hands shifting the weight of his weapon as he angled for his next attack.

The creature raked its tendril claws forward. Its tempo off, fire still eating at its wood-flesh, the monster hunter was able to counter with an upward cut. Long whip-like fingers fell away, and the creature recoiled its exposed body. beneath the earth something snaked. A root erupted from the soil and wrapped itself around Garrod's foot. A hard yank threw his balance, and the swordsman cursed out as he crashed to the earth with a hard thump.

Zulryn Oknu Calvin Kane Magus Debekatuta

 

[Zulryn Oknu]

“Sir Garrod!”

With Garrod fallen, the leshy then turned it’s eyes on her. Her trembling form curled in on itself as she panicked and nudged the earth even more, willing it to do something.

The enraged monster went to strike her, when one of the tree’s root shot out and wrapped itself around it’s empty wrist. Taking the moment of distraction, Zulryn took out her knife and worked on the root still tying down Garrod, keeping an eye out for the leshy and as it tried to free itself.

Garrod Arlette Magus Debekatuta Calvin Kane

 

[Calvin Kane]

Cal pulled out a makeshift "smoke bomb" but what it really was was gunpowder, pollen, an overwhelming amount of incense, and dirt. he lit the bomb and chucked it at the Leshy. the bomb exploded and finished its senses off.
"Where am I now, you bloody twig?!" Cal Shouted happily, playing a game of Marco Polo with the creature to give the archer a chance to help their friend. Suddenly, the Leshy lashed out and slammed Cal into a tree, which promptly wrapped its branches around him. "Great..." Cal maneuvered his head to bite down on a strange whistle around his neck and flipped it into his mouth before blowing on it. The Leshy roared and a tree branch covered Cal's Mouth. "MMMMPH!"

 

[Garrod Arlette]

Hard falls never felt great. Knocked the wind right out of your lungs, even with good armor and padding. Still, when Zulryn called out, it helped the Monster Hunter find his focus all the quicker, his eye witnessing how she cut frantically at the roots that tangled about his ankle.

A grunt escaped his mouth and he adjusted some as an explosion went off. An earthy smell flooded the air about them, and a new voice shouted out as the creature shrieked. Branches whipped out, slammed the newcomer against a tree and a shrill whistle pierced the air.

"Thanks kid," Garrod said to Zulryn, and focused his eye on the roots that seemed to slow their re-growth some. He snapped his fingers, and a small ball of white flame plopped out of the air before his hand, arched across the air, and splashed onto the roots. The fire was hot enough to dig into the bark. Just enough to cause it to retreat, to cower back into the earth.

Garrod yanked his boot free and grabbed up his sword as he stood. He let out a huff of air and then sucked in a deep breath as he put his sword before him, full run of the blade aimed at the outstretched arm of branches and vines. He grit his teeth and twist his body about in a half-circle turn, his heavy-bladed sword swung with the movement in a crescent, runes lit up with a pale green light.

The sword came down and a blade of wind shot out from its magicked edge, slicing through the Leshy's tendril-branch arm. But Garrod was not done. Behind the wake of the blade-wind spell, the Monster dashed with wind-swept speed. The Leshy tried to track him, branches and roots lashed in search for vengeance, ever-just a moment too slow as they sprout from the earth and fell from its twisted mass.

All the while, Garrod cant his next spell.

Zulryn Oknu Calvin Kane Magus Debekatuta

 

[Calvin Kane]

Suddenly a guttural birdlike screech mixed with a catlike roar sounded and a juvenile gryph appeared, swiping at the leshy. "MMMPH MMPH!" Cal tried to yell, obviously happy to see the creature. as the gryph and leshy fought, Cal struggled to break free of the branches. he bit down on his gag, snapping it in two due to it being relatively thin, and yelled: "Get 'em, Griffith!" The gryph promptly screech-roared in return, slashing at the leshy's face and chest. The leshy roared in pain as sharp claws raked against its wooden hide, Cal struggled, but as he did, the wood seemed to heat up around him, smoke started to sneak up into the air from his struggles, and suddenly, the branches retreated as his fire talisman glowed faintly around his now uncovered chest. Cal fell to the ground surprised, looking at his hands. He got up and pulled out a sword hilt with the letters AK engraved on it. he flicked the sword hilt and the segmented blade began to form from the rocks around him, sharpening magically as it formed into a Xiphos-like weapon. a purple spark danced inside his necklace as he ran to help the gryph fight the leshy.

 

[Zulryn Oknu]

Zulryn felt a waterfall of relief wash over her as another person joined the party. Confidence surged by her magic’s effectiveness, she concentrated more on it, roots and thin whips from the earth grabbing the leshy in it’s feeble grip which the monster easily cut off, only to re-grab a second later.

What was that Sir Garrod said? “Spot it’s heart?” Zulryn drew her bow and added to the damage down by the others, trying to go for it’s chest this time. Quite obviously, the leshy didn’t like that, and made his displeasure known with an earth-shaking screech and jumped around, clawing at thin air or the soil.

It seemed to be growing weaker, but that means it could lash out even more now.

Garrod Arlette Calvin Kane Magus Debekatuta

 

[Calvin Kane]

Cal and Griffith continued to tag-team the leshy when it lashed out again, knocking Griffith senseless. Cal roared in anger and he threw a Smoke bomb at Garrod (what that his name?) to distract him, causing him to lose focus and make his flames disappear. after this, the shadows around the clearing seemed to elongate and form into small humanoid shapes, running at the leshy and attacking it. as they did so, Cal began to quiver, struggling to stay conscious against the strain of his shadowcraft, which were slowly being picked off one by one. The leshy was smart! Cal began to tremble more, he needed help, but he also needed to keep up his own attack... "Zulryn Oknu, Help me!" Cal strained to get the words out, while somehow knowing the archer's name. "Shoot it in the chest!" Cal was desperate at this point, his stamina was wearing thin, sooner or later the amount of shadowkin he created was going to be the death of him if the bloody thing couldn't die.

Zulryn Oknu, Garrod Arlette, Magus Debekatuta

 

[Garrod Arlette]

He could feel it. Crackling about him. His hair stood on end, rising as the charge of storms swirled about him, and the runes along his sword glowed a searing white. He would get one blast, if he timed it well.

A screech, birdlike and large. Gryphon. Even a wild gryphon would take on the Leshy before it took him on. He went on with his run around the creature, sword long and low, his arms cocked back. He had hunt leshy before. Though two were never quite the same, their shape remained... similar.

So, even with the crash of a smoke bomb at his feat, and the choking vapors that exploded out from the broken container, Garrod could still see where the leshy was. Even as so many little shadows danced and a magic blade formed, and his own lungs coughed and his eye did tear, he knew where to aim his thrust.

Garrod ground his feet into the earth as the smoke cloud billowed away, and he emerged with his greatsword crackling with blue lightning. Low, with its point angled at the Leshy, he waited till the creature and the Gryphon came apart before he thrust his magicked sword forward with a whole body thrust. Blue-white light arced and webbed and danced across the run of his sword, and bolt out from its tapered point.

The lightning flashed forward in a blink. Struck against the bark of the Leshy's chest and split open its wooden armor, revealing its amber heart.

Zulryn Oknu Magus Debekatuta Calvin Kane

 

[Zulryn Oknu]

Zulryn drew another arrow, driven by Calvin’s cries. As Sir Garrod flayed open the monster’s chest, revealing the trembling heart beneath, she channeled all her magick, breathed in, and released it at the heart. It embedded itself firmly, making the leshy finally fall down amid rolling dust.

She coughed and slid down, panting from exhaustion. The leshy’s increasingly weak cries still echoed through the clearing, and in the distance guards could be seen rushing towards them. They halted at the sight of the charred forest and the creature lying down.

“...What is that?” The younger one exclaimed. Zulryn looked at the leshy, then up at the sky.

“The monster you were looking for, sirs.”

Garrod Arlette Calvin Kane Magus Debekatuta

 

[Calvin Kane]

"bloody thing almost killed us..." Cal huffed, exhausted. Griffith limped over to him and nuzzled the side of his head. Cal's Sword hilt was already attached to his belt. he was ready to leave, but it would be rude to do so without saying goodbye.

Zulryn Oknu, Garrod Arlette, Magus Debekatuta

 

[Garrod Arlette]

Garrod let out a quick sigh, felt the ache in his muscles, and the pain in the joints of his knees.

Getting old, are we? Belephus laughed from within his jewel. His voice a thing that only sounded within the depths of Garrod's mind. Creaky and dry, oh bearer mine.

The monster hunter grit his teeth, his brow furrowed. Still, he huffed and raised his sword up to rest its long blade against his shoulder. He looked to the guards. Always late to the action.

He smirked at Zulryn's comment. "Sharp with wit, as you are keen with bow," he gave an approving nod, and looked over at the other young looking adventurer who had... helped? (Garrod was pretty sure the young man had thrown a bomb at him.) "You don't want your cut?" Garrod put forward.

"Cut?" Asked one of the bewildered guards, as the others of his squad moved to secure the weird corpse.

"Aye," Garrod let out and walked over to the leshy's weakened self The Guards that crowded around it parted before the Hunter as if doves disturbed from the rush. Garrod wasted no time in clambering up to the Leshy's exposed heart. The creature wailed weakly, some roots stirred about it, but whatever Zulryn had done, it had kept the thing from restoring itself.

He turned his sword, raised up the great blade, and plunged it down into the heart. The monster wailed wildly with one last desperate gasp, and Garrod ripped his sword out of its chest once its flailing had ceased. Its blood stained his weapon, the color of pine sap and amber.

"Twenty gold," Garrod called back to the guards, stabbed his sword into the earth as if some tombstone, and yanked out his carving knife from its sheath on his belt.

The guard who had stayed back by Zulryn looked to the younger adventurer with large and confused eyed. "What's this then?"

Wet snaps and crunches popped from the leshy's corpse as Garrod worked his knife about the opened heart.

Zulryn Oknu Calvin Kane

 

[Zulryn Oknu]

Zulryn blushed at Sir Garrod’s compliment, before coughing and replying to the guard beside her, “It’s called a leshy.”

She pointed to the slain beast. “It derives it’s power from trees and plants. Unless you get it’s heart like we just did it will keep getting up.” She remembered Sir Garrod’s words from the beginning of the fight and what their tavern’s guests had told her the best she could, and repeated them to the bewildered guard.

The man scratched his head, but nodded. “Well, I suppose congratulations are in order. Please come with us to receive your rewards.” His voice was polite, but he still shuddered at the heart in Sir Garrod’s hands.

Zulryn nodded and got up, before approaching the stranger who helped them. She smiled and thanked the man, saying, “This wouldn’t have been possible without you, sir…?”

Garrod Arlette Calvin Kane