Private Tales The Voe-d Trip

[Voe]

The look on Ispir's face wore away the edges on Voe's own.

"I know. I know."
His hand went to Ispir's wrist as he spoke, to better drive home his sincerity.

"That's what heroes do, they help!"

Otho crooned and nudged him then, eager for more reassuring attention.

"That thing, I don't even know how to describe it. It spoke to me. Words in my head almost like a voice but it knows me. It's after me."

His hand rubbed again on Otho's thick neck and gave two soft pats.

"So help me save him. It won't follow if I'm not with you and Otho will only come back if I send him away on his own."

This horror had chosen him. Something about cursed blood.
Voe let out a short self hateful laugh at that notion. It was not an unknown idea to him that he'd been cursed or unwelcome. Maybe the like of Karsk were right, maybe he really was from hell. That thing certainly looked like it was.

And if he was going there, he wasn't dragging anyone else with him.

Ispir Sione

 

[Ispir Sione]

Ispir would blush a bit at being called a hero again, though he did nod at Voe 's words this time, huffing a bit poutily before looking down a Otho a bit sadly. His voice sullen, firm, oddly transposed between sadness and determination before he looked up at the sky. Arethil itself on the precipice between night and sunset where they stood. The stars barely visible overhead but Ispir recognized the constellations, memorized them, before giving a nod.

"Okay. Okay just...."

Extending a hand Ispir would summon a very gentle light after a few moments of chanting, something that wouldn't hurt Voe's eyes but also push away the darkness from consuming him.

"..... please be here when Cassiane and I return?"

Offering Voe a hand to shake for the promise, and assuming he gave it, Ispir would hunker down on Otho and whisper to him.

"Okay Otho, let's ride. Fast we can, okay?"

As Otho took off, Ispir would glance back at Voe's vanishing form, then back up at the stars, squint one eye, before smiling to himself a bit.

"Besides.... we're not nearly done helping our friend....."

For now Voe was left in silence, alone, the creature not yet approaching from the darkness of the trees, for Ispir and Otho could still be seen in the shrinking distance.​

 

[Voe]

Voe gave his word, his best word and turned away to face the dark and the thing he knew was out there. It was somehow easier than watching them leave.

The light spell would last for a while but he knew no spell was limitless. Just as one could not run forever.

With a dreadful certainty he scanned what little he could see in the gloom.

The dead of night it had said, when he was alone. That shouldn't be long now.
He shook out his cloak and wrapped it about himself for something to do with his hands and to keep him from breaking his word.

He did not expect them to be back before it came to get him, Ispir was clever and a good judge of the distance. Otho's best day might see it there but back... that would be too much for almost any creature.

Midnight would have come and gone by then.

At least Ispir and Otho were not in danger, of that he was certain. Calmly and deliberately he drew his sword, short and straight and sharp. Holding it up he caught his reflection in it. The green skin, sickly yellow eyes, sharp teeth and horns mocked him from the weapons gleaming edge.

"You're an ugly coward and you're going to die alone tonight."

Some part of him, a bad part of him that he had wrestled with all his life, was relieved to hear himself say it.

Not long after that the magical light faded and blinked out, letting his eyes adjust to the dark.

Ispir Sione

 

[Ispir Sione]

As Ispir rode away he would glance back a the horizon and sigh, planting his hands down on Otho's back. He would lean down to hug the huffing, panting Otho around the neck before smiling.

"Alright Otho, keep as steady as you can in your running okay? I'm sorry to ask so much of you...."

Ispir would then gently, slowly, turn himself around and sit backwards as Otho slowed down just a bit. He would then squint up at the sky, muttering to himself.

"Tovelos no longer overhead."

He blinked rapidly as he craned his head back and then closed his eyes, feeling the tingle of everything his conjured light touched. Voe , the grass, the gentlest brush of the trees. As it waned and he frowned, thinking he had put enough power to keep it active during Voe's fight to help keep the darkness-loving creature blind he grimaced. He only caught a faint tremor of the beast as it stalked forward with the dying of his light, meaning this was going to be much, much harder than he had originally thought. Adjusting his cap, pulling up his harp, Ispir would extend a hand and huff as it turned into a gleaming bow in his grip.

"Right. If it approaches slowly then this should work. If it charges Voe then.... then...."

He winced a bit, but only a moment, and took a deep breathe. Slowly drawing a bowstring that, for a moment, wasn't there, Ispir would draw back his shot and let the aquamarine arrow SURGE into existence. Feeding his own magic into the thing as he gave a faint smile. Whispering something like a prayer to it as he adjusted his aim, and murmured.

"You're not alone Voe, even if that thing thinks you are, my friend."

Spoiler: Not Alone

Ispir would then grunt, letting the arrow gorge on his magic, flare with power, burning with flickering aquamarine flames and then..... he let it go. It cared not for air or other impediments to it's flight path. Flying true even as it streaked across the sky like a shooting star, a shot from beyond the horizon.....

And then Ispir flopped back onto Otho, panting, he had put as much magic into the arrow as he had ever put into one. Sweat beaded his forehead, his eyes filled with stars overhead, as he felt his eyelids droop and muttered.

"I hope it hits it's mark......"

Meanwhile......

The creature would stalk from the darkness of the branches. Eldritch, monstrous form undulating and writhing as the humanoid torso atop it's.... head tore the flesh of it's arms free from the torso and that voice would sound in Voe's mind yet again. A husky, dark whisper of hunger, a promise of death as it slowly plodded toward him.

"Someone is....."

As the creature increased it's pace, letting out a feral hiss of inhuman, intiefling, desire for Voe's flesh..... a streak of aquamarine from beyond the horizon would briefly flash overhead. The magical arrow had lost most of it's power on the journey and since the light spell had faded the shot was not completely as devastating as it could have been....

But as the beast came within fifteen feet of Voe the arrow would slam into it's humanoid torso, causing the creature to reel and stagger in it's approach. Foul, yellow-black blood would ooze from it's wound before the arrow would then burst into flames and the creature would thrash it's head about, slamming it's own monstrous visage into the dirt to extinguish the flames.... and give Voe the upper hand in the opening moves of the encounter at least.​

 

[Voe]

"Bless you Ispir!"

Voe thanked his friend before springing into action himself and running his hand over his blade.

He did not know spells and had no gift for them but he kept his sword well oiled and shining which sparked in the presence of his own hot blood.

So his sword became alight with bright yellow and orange fire as he approached the flailing monster.

Striking like a hunter for the kill he aimed his short blazing blade for the beasts flank, where the thing might conceivably have a lung and drove it in hilt deep, dark blood sizzling as it entered the rancid flesh.

This thing wanted him, well now it got him.

Though it didn't die, it already barely looked alive. The arrow from Ispir had given him hope but Voe had no idea how to kill something like this.

Ispir Sione

 

[Ispir Sione]

Ispir's eyes would fall shut on Otho. Near enough to exhausted and unconscious that he simply let the rhythm of Otho's running lull him into a peaceful, if not exactly comfortable, rest. Not asleep but oblivious to the world around him as he continued to pant for a minute or two. Mumbling to himself as his bow turned back into it's harp form.

"Geez, magic can be tiring stuff eh Otho?"

Meanwhile.....

The creature would hiss and let out an unnatural noise as Voe 's blade sank into it's putrid flesh. Kicking it's back legs and beginning to buck and thrash around the clearing. Shaking the blade free in the process and rolling along the ground to extinguish the flames. It's flailing, powerful limbs a danger even in it's wounded state and it would lean the humanoid torso back, giving Voe the smallest glimpse of the massive centipede in it's depths which suddenly spit a wad of acidic bile at Voe the size of his head!

The creature would now try and kite Voe around the clearing, spitting acidic bile at him in long, fetid streams as it used it's abominable form to outrun and avoid facing him directly.​

 

[Voe]

Otho ran on, galloping for a good long while, not yet fully aware of the greater meaning of things and setting his mind to return to the Keep.

Meanwhile Voe held firm against the horror but it was stalling, making him go where it wanted, if he was one ofr gambling he would have guessed it was leading him into a trap, much easier to let a thing cripple itself than tangle with it, even when it is small it can have a nasty bite. This thing had tasted Voe's bite and it made it cautious but he needed to know more, if it could die, why it sought him out.
"So, you can bleed and feel pain, that's good. Tell me monster, what do you want with me?"

He stepped away from the acid even as it splashed on his boot and ate away at the leather, enough to damage but not fully penetrate. His skin would me just as easily melted. His sword, now doused in the things gore was wiped by his cloak. It would not cut air if it was too slick to have a blade especially if he ended up where the beast wanted him, which was not anywhere he wanted to be.

Ispir Sione

 

[The Narrator]

The monster would emit a horrid mixture of a gurgle and a hiss. Stalking around Voe in a wide, plodding circle. Still maintaining it's distance the creature would shake it's "head" while the antler-tipped 'arms' of it's humanoid form began to weave a spell. Darkness would coalesce around the head of the creature as it gave Voe an answer.

"I am here, for a price, a price yet to be paid by your lineage."

The humanoid torso, gaping wound in it's chest, would then fan out it's antler-clad "arms" and a series of javelins made of pure shadow would begin to hurl themselves at Voe. Six in total, one after the other, thrown only a second apart. Intent on skewering him in place and claiming his life.

"You cannot escape the sins of your blood, child."​

 

[Voe]

Voe dived, a haphazard attempt to flee the deadly things he just about caught sight of before they came at him and rolled but caught himself on his cloak which one of the deadly skewers had pinned to the earth. With a deft motion he unfastened it and stood before the creature again.

"My blood? What of my blood matters? Who could have possibly pinned anything on me eh? Not many with my blood in these parts, in fact, I'm about it."

Keep it talking, get it to explain itself, learn about it.

"You could at least tell me who damned me, give me a name monster before you send me on my way."

It was worth a shot and Voe was really starting to miss his bow but it was left on Otho so he was really just stalling until he could make a break for the roadside, the edge dropped to a slope but it seemed to want to keep him there.

The Narrator

 

[The Narrator]

The creature would undulate from the monstrous torso up, the flesh twitching and contorting as it finishes casting its spell. Voe's string of questions would receive the same answer to both questions. A hoarse, rasping chuckle filled with the inhuman click of mandibles.

"Yeeeees. Your parents were the only others to consume. Tell me, lost babe, what do you remember of them? Those that damned you with your very creation? Who laid the weight of their sins upon you with your conception?"

The creature would still a moment before leaning backward and letting out a sound that was mixture of a moose's below and a shrill, piercing shriek. Loud, louder still, enough to hurt ears and disorient the mortal.

Voe​

 

[Voe]

Well that was unhelpful.

"Consume...?"

He hated looking at the thing but the noise it made was far worse.

"Aaaaah!"

It was like a sharp stick with thorns being worked past his ears into his brain.

"Stop! I don't remember anythinnnng..."

Bringing his free hand to his ear it helped nothing so he gave up and focused on not dropping his sword.

Again he considered the gorge, the drop would carry him far but in the dark he could not control himself to avoid serious harm or even death.

"They were just, lost or stupid or they didn't carrrrre nnnngh."

The noise was relentless and he had to make it stop or he would collapse under its weight which was when he remembered his knife, it wasn't a very elegant thing but he could throw it and throw it he did with a desperate grunt hoping to stop the monsters noise.

The Narrator

 

[The Narrator]

Even the creature, as foul and unnatural as it was, could not keep up such a wail forever. Soon enough the noise would die down to something Voe could stand. Then die out altogether as the creature lurched forward and stared at Voe with those unnatural, shadowed eyes that glinted like smoldering embers in the depths of it's carcass. Even as it's hide gave an unnatural quiver.

"I do not need you to remember, child. Only to know."

It would take a step forward.

"Only to understand that the stain of your ancestors upon this world has run it's fetid course into your very veins."

Another heavy, stalking step.

"That when I tear into your corpse and peel your heart apart only there will I find the quill that will spell your salvation. A price paid for the sins of the past."

Another heavy step forward. And the creature.... stopped. Still well outside of a sword's length as it's voice lowered, becoming almost husky, conspiratorial, in Voe's mind as it murmured.

"Or.... you could pass this sin to another. Let the price fall upon more able shoulders. Let another soul pay the price. It would be.... the most likely way to save yourself, after all."​

 

[Voe]

"What really?"

Voe lowered his weapon and stood up straight.

"Seriously? I just say the word and you go after someone else and leave me alone?"

To buy a bit more time he pretended to think on it. Bringing his finger to his chin in thought and pacing a short distance, towards the edge of the road.

"I'm tempted, I mean I certainly don't want any of... this!"

His free hand gestured to the monster before rising to its "head" rotating and flipping it the bird.

"But now I know you'll follow me

And with that he jumped down the ravine. A dangerous and terribly foolish fall, tumbling over dirt and rock again and again. In the disorienting darkness and then silence for a moment as he went right off the edge and then cold and shocking splash of water.

"BWAAAGH!"

Breaching the surface was painful cold relief but he managed to reach the rocky shore. His body making steam of the water in his clothes in seconds but it still took its toll. His sword hand ached, he probably broke a few fingers keeping the sword but over all he reasoned that the creature would fare worse than he to follow him and if it was half as intelligent as it seemed then it knew it too.

Then again he might get lucky and in a moment it's body would fall into the ravine after him, broken and spent.

Voe arched his head to look at the glimmering moonlit water and waited, catching his breath.

"Your move monster!"

The Narrator

 

[The Narrator]

The creature knew that Voe wouldn't accept the bargain, nor would it have honored it anyways, even had the obstinate tiefling have brought someone to it like a pig to slaughter. It didn't seem to care for the rude gesture or his childish demeanor either, calmly stalking after Voe as he flung himself off the road down a ravine. As Voe sputtered and shouted from the water the creature would remind Voe that it had displayed adept skill at umbramancy and begin to fashion for itself a descending bridge of darkness for it to walk leisurely down.

Step by step, cocky and confident to a fault, the creature stared with rapt attention at it's quarry. Darkness rippling out from each hoof-fall as it crooned in a guttural telepathic whisper.

"Foolish. Now you will simply die tired."

The creature's hooves would settle on the bank of the river and it would stalk along the riverbank for a moment. Goading Voe with guile instead of spells now.

"Come, face me with the bravery you play at possessing. I am wounded. Your blow struck true. You held the advantage....... you could do so again."​

 

[Voe]

He had a moment or two, the slope was steep and long.

He had a moment to get up, gather himself, swap sword hands and try to think.

Think.

It walked upon a bridge of darkness itself.
Shadow stretched to impossible length but it was only darkness and if his guess was right he could break it but he didn't know anything about magic really.

He just had to cut himself again.

"Courage?"

Again his sword went alight.

"No, just desperate."

And he threw his flaming weapon at the bridge hoping the light would banish it and send the foul thing tumbling to the unforgiving earth slope. It sailed in a slow spin towards it and Voe held his breath praying he had not just sacrificed his weapon for nothing.

The Narrator