The Allomancer gave the berserker enough pause to allow a few more quarrids to grab on to his rope. His hands gripped into the ground, and the rope creaked in the tautness and resistance required to hold him back. His black and orange eyes stared up at her with a hunger, his arms bulged and his black teeth sported a feral grin. Through the gaps of the ropes, Willow could make out that he wore the same drab tunics of the others, meant for work.
Yet he had the strength of many of his kind, and with one last pull of his arms, he sat himself down at Willow’s feet.
“Eyes of grass and hair of gold; a dark revenant guarded within. Eyes. Six, when there should be three,” answered Ghyslain in a daze, the glowing iris seeming to look past her and into the skies, “your greatest triumph, seen with greatest shame. Screams among the tropical trees. Shadows, black as sin, red as blood. Carelessness breeds pain, a wound in the stomach that will never truly heal in the mind.”
The quarrid’s eyes finally drifted just so, so that Willow knew he was speaking to her, “Are you really up to this?”
[The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
"Finally, a sensible quarrid," Willow commented with a pointed look towards the other quarrids. In part, to deflect from how uneasy the berserkers comments had made her. Doesn't matter how flowery a seer phrases things, hearing intimate details like that felt like an invasion of privacy. The point of the saber drifted as Willow let the blade rest idly in her hand.
"Little late in the game ta be worryin' about being ready or not. You willing to have some ground rules... Ghyslain, was it?"
"Little late in the game ta be worryin' about being ready or not. You willing to have some ground rules... Ghyslain, was it?"
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
”Somewhere deep inside answers to that name,” was all Ghyslain said before he devolved into a fit of giggles, as if he found that fact funny, “what would Ghyslain say if he saw himself now…”
Suddenly, the berserker was at his feet, the madness that was inherent to his gaze in full force, “AH! There are two of us!”
Ghyslain began to laugh again, shuddering with the pull of the rope behind him. This only seemed to egg him on, and he turned, leaping on his fellow quarrids again. They tried to restrain him, but he was slippery, fast and violent, kicking and biting his way through several guards. One of the quarrids tried to swing their axe at him, but his jaw opened wide and his black, quarrid teeth sank down into the iron. He ripped it from the hands of the attacker, and then began to beat them with the haft.
“You talk with the berserker like he can still think,” said Pascal, returning to Willow and the others, on somewhat friendlier terms, “Yer’ tough, I respect that. Maybe he does too. His eyes are sick; they see too much now and it’s made his head sick, made him a berserker. Whatever we see, he sees more of, and whatever that is, is not meant fer our minds.”
The broad quarrid sighed, watching Ghyslain go ham on the others, “At any rate, he’s not going anywhere while he’s worked up like this, not til he gets this next bout of madness out of his system.”
Suddenly, the berserker was at his feet, the madness that was inherent to his gaze in full force, “AH! There are two of us!”
Ghyslain began to laugh again, shuddering with the pull of the rope behind him. This only seemed to egg him on, and he turned, leaping on his fellow quarrids again. They tried to restrain him, but he was slippery, fast and violent, kicking and biting his way through several guards. One of the quarrids tried to swing their axe at him, but his jaw opened wide and his black, quarrid teeth sank down into the iron. He ripped it from the hands of the attacker, and then began to beat them with the haft.
“You talk with the berserker like he can still think,” said Pascal, returning to Willow and the others, on somewhat friendlier terms, “Yer’ tough, I respect that. Maybe he does too. His eyes are sick; they see too much now and it’s made his head sick, made him a berserker. Whatever we see, he sees more of, and whatever that is, is not meant fer our minds.”
The broad quarrid sighed, watching Ghyslain go ham on the others, “At any rate, he’s not going anywhere while he’s worked up like this, not til he gets this next bout of madness out of his system.”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Simply staring, Willow processed the further deepening madness of her time here in the Elementia. For what it was worth, she felt like, if only slightly, she could sympathize with Ghyslain; at the very least, she didn't feel right for a couple days after she'd used Gold.
"Well, I am tough, to toot my own horn, but I'mma abstain from my usual method of threatening to try and get people to fall in line; with him it'd probs just make him want to push the boundaries," Willow said as she sheathed the saber. "Don't s'pose y'all might be willing to lend me a rope? And any pointers of ways to pick up the pace on the madness phase?"
"Well, I am tough, to toot my own horn, but I'mma abstain from my usual method of threatening to try and get people to fall in line; with him it'd probs just make him want to push the boundaries," Willow said as she sheathed the saber. "Don't s'pose y'all might be willing to lend me a rope? And any pointers of ways to pick up the pace on the madness phase?"
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
“A Beserker goes berserk,” explained Pascal, “he goes until he can’t see, or is overcome.”
“We’re supposed to have him near my wagon!?” Helen piped in a disapproving buzz, “He could go off at any moment.”
“STOH HIDDIHNG YOUR’SEL,” roared Ghyslain, still chasing and whacking the former axeman. A small train of quarrids chased after the berserker, trying to get to the rope again. There were distinct groups among the guards, one that was desperately trying to contain their wild kin, and the other watching it unfold.
It was at this point that Phyllis shot into the fray, leaving her poleaxe where it stood. The canidaer kept her head low, her four legs ripping a path that curved toward Ghyslain. She snatched up the rope and pulled, pressing her paws into the dirt. It was enough to slow the wild quarrid, who reflexively turned on the canidaer.
With a snarl, Phyllis shot under Ghyslain, who slammed into the ground behind her, face first, with a mouth full of ax. The sergeant then pulled the rope and yanked the quarrid the other way. He flew, ax free now, and smashed into the earth again on the other side of her. Phyllis did this about four more times, whipping Ghyslain over her head and bringing him down hard.
When the dust settled, Phyllis was dragging a hopefully unconscious quarrid by his rope back to Willow. The canidaer offered the line when she returned.
“Cannae go mad,” reasoned Phyllis, “if he’s out cold.”
“We’re supposed to have him near my wagon!?” Helen piped in a disapproving buzz, “He could go off at any moment.”
“STOH HIDDIHNG YOUR’SEL,” roared Ghyslain, still chasing and whacking the former axeman. A small train of quarrids chased after the berserker, trying to get to the rope again. There were distinct groups among the guards, one that was desperately trying to contain their wild kin, and the other watching it unfold.
It was at this point that Phyllis shot into the fray, leaving her poleaxe where it stood. The canidaer kept her head low, her four legs ripping a path that curved toward Ghyslain. She snatched up the rope and pulled, pressing her paws into the dirt. It was enough to slow the wild quarrid, who reflexively turned on the canidaer.
With a snarl, Phyllis shot under Ghyslain, who slammed into the ground behind her, face first, with a mouth full of ax. The sergeant then pulled the rope and yanked the quarrid the other way. He flew, ax free now, and smashed into the earth again on the other side of her. Phyllis did this about four more times, whipping Ghyslain over her head and bringing him down hard.
When the dust settled, Phyllis was dragging a hopefully unconscious quarrid by his rope back to Willow. The canidaer offered the line when she returned.
“Cannae go mad,” reasoned Phyllis, “if he’s out cold.”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
"I mean, I was jus' gonna hog tie 'em... been practicing..." Willow said a little dejectedly as she looked at the offered rope. With a new sense of respect the girl looked at the canidaer before testing the rope to gauge how heavy the quarrid was, while noting she should be a bit more careful antagonizing the canidaer smallfolk. Shrugging, she took the rope and tied the quarrid's arms and hands together in a tight knot; not holding back as she figured he probably didn't need to worry about circulation.
"Mind if I slap him in the cart, Helen? S'pose I could also tie him behind the back and we can drag him."
"Mind if I slap him in the cart, Helen? S'pose I could also tie him behind the back and we can drag him."
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
“In the cart,” Helen hissed, “are you mad?”
Ghyslain was about as heavy a gallon of milk, much like most smallkin, save for Bjorn, who was part bird. He limply shifted in the dirt at each test of the rope, safely unconscious.
“Dinnae think it’d be ethical to drag tha’ poor whelp by his legs fer bein a bit peel-wally in the head,” challenged Phyllis.
“And whipping him around like broken yo-yo was fine?”
For once, the Sergeant was silenced by the golem. Despite the zest and gusto at which she had beaten down the quarrid, she looked genuinely ashamed by the accusation. While the canidaer spent some time trying to come up with some sort of excuse, the Golem addressed the Allomancer with all the severity she could.
“Th-this is n-not what we agreed on, but I-I am puting my foot down, sister!” shook Helen, pointing at Willow with a stony finger, “No one gets into the cart! The cargo is too sensitive, and he shouldn’t be even near it! Strap him to Phyllis!”
This snapped the sergeant out of her doldrums.
“Hey now, a’hm no mule.”
“You beat him senseless! At least Metal-eater was just going to trip him up! Take responsibility!”
Bjorn squeezed Willow’s shoulder while the small-kin began to argue, with Pascal joining in for good measure on how canidaer should keep to ‘their business’.
“Few creatures are hardier than quarrids,” explained the odinkine, pointing a talon at Ghyslain, and then at the others he had been beating upon. Despite the savagery, every single one of them were getting up, and going on about their day as if nothing happened, “if you are Metal-eater, they are metal-chewers. I do not think he would mind the road much; it is like carpet to a quarrid.”
Then, looking at the path ahead, leading towards the ascending mountains, “But, I do not know how other quarrids will feel, seeing one of their own dragged over the ground by… strangers in a strange land, as you would say.”
Ghyslain was about as heavy a gallon of milk, much like most smallkin, save for Bjorn, who was part bird. He limply shifted in the dirt at each test of the rope, safely unconscious.
“Dinnae think it’d be ethical to drag tha’ poor whelp by his legs fer bein a bit peel-wally in the head,” challenged Phyllis.
“And whipping him around like broken yo-yo was fine?”
For once, the Sergeant was silenced by the golem. Despite the zest and gusto at which she had beaten down the quarrid, she looked genuinely ashamed by the accusation. While the canidaer spent some time trying to come up with some sort of excuse, the Golem addressed the Allomancer with all the severity she could.
“Th-this is n-not what we agreed on, but I-I am puting my foot down, sister!” shook Helen, pointing at Willow with a stony finger, “No one gets into the cart! The cargo is too sensitive, and he shouldn’t be even near it! Strap him to Phyllis!”
This snapped the sergeant out of her doldrums.
“Hey now, a’hm no mule.”
“You beat him senseless! At least Metal-eater was just going to trip him up! Take responsibility!”
Bjorn squeezed Willow’s shoulder while the small-kin began to argue, with Pascal joining in for good measure on how canidaer should keep to ‘their business’.
“Few creatures are hardier than quarrids,” explained the odinkine, pointing a talon at Ghyslain, and then at the others he had been beating upon. Despite the savagery, every single one of them were getting up, and going on about their day as if nothing happened, “if you are Metal-eater, they are metal-chewers. I do not think he would mind the road much; it is like carpet to a quarrid.”
Then, looking at the path ahead, leading towards the ascending mountains, “But, I do not know how other quarrids will feel, seeing one of their own dragged over the ground by… strangers in a strange land, as you would say.”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
"Relax, relax," Willow said with a dismissive wave of one hand to all parties involved. "Joking, mostly, since I didn't want to commit to carrying something that could have weighed eighty pounds."
Following this, Willow knelt and adjusted some of the knots in the rope. After a minute or so of fussing with the cords, she stood up and presented the quarrid; now slung over her shoulder like an insane knapsack.
"Stylish. All the Artisans will be wanting one with Spring's next clothing line. Plus it's functional; can do the hammer throw and toss him at people," a single laugh punctuated Willow's joke as she began walking. "Now, come along ladies. Still a ways to go."
Following this, Willow knelt and adjusted some of the knots in the rope. After a minute or so of fussing with the cords, she stood up and presented the quarrid; now slung over her shoulder like an insane knapsack.
"Stylish. All the Artisans will be wanting one with Spring's next clothing line. Plus it's functional; can do the hammer throw and toss him at people," a single laugh punctuated Willow's joke as she began walking. "Now, come along ladies. Still a ways to go."
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Both Helen and Phyllis were quieted by Willow’s declaration; seeing her taking Ghyslain herself. Pascal even stopped his jabs at the Sergeant long enough to admire the Allomancer’s grit. Even the rest of the quarrids were looking on in a manner of genuine respect of the stranger. Bjorn turned his head to look at them all as Willow strode onward, breaking his grim demeanor with a knowing smile.
The Yormundyaws opened before them, stretching high above the treeline at the edge of the outpost. There were several mountains, but even at this distance, Willow could make out the smatterings of society that stretched up the sides of some. Several peaks stood over others, wearing blankets of green over their slate skin, but one stood higher than the others, wearing a crown of smoke.
“Dyrnwyn,” Bjorn revealed, looking at the smoky edifice, “named for a weapon that was used to slay the gods of this realm.”
“Mighty Dyrnwyn! The greatest a’five mountainhomes,” boomed Pascal, following the group to the perimeter, “From left t’right; Turraing, Babylon, Dyrnwyn, Colt, and Lightning. The Grand Foreman will be working at Dyrnwyn, that is where you should take your charges to be handled. Ah… and…”
A chillingly familiar screech split the ambience of the range, Wraiths in the far distance. Willow would feel Ghyslain’s body shuddered and tense at the noise; a low growl bubbling in his throat.
“... the beserker; he’s possessed by unnatural antipathy to tha’ damn wraiths. He can smell them, hear them further and seek them better than a mutt with a fresh kill. –”
“Dinnae miss a beat, do ye, ye bloody–...” growled Phyllis.
“--... Mind him should ya should come near any of the beasts,” warned Pascal, “Something in him hungers for whatever their blood is.”
“Blood,” Ghyslain said, in his sleep, “unites us all… blood dooms us all… A dark man… steps from the portal… he silences the boy… breaks the girl… The soul in the bottle…”
“Poor whelp, cannae even sleep sound,” commented Phyllis, putting her poleaxe over her shoulder as she helped the cart move forward to the hill, “Nae wonder he’s daft.”
“Do you think we could gag him? My nerves can’t take much more of this,” buzzed Helen, pushing Thaler onwards, “Do you even know what he’s speaking about Metal-eater? It sounds like he’s talking to you most of the time.”
The Yormundyaws opened before them, stretching high above the treeline at the edge of the outpost. There were several mountains, but even at this distance, Willow could make out the smatterings of society that stretched up the sides of some. Several peaks stood over others, wearing blankets of green over their slate skin, but one stood higher than the others, wearing a crown of smoke.
“Dyrnwyn,” Bjorn revealed, looking at the smoky edifice, “named for a weapon that was used to slay the gods of this realm.”
“Mighty Dyrnwyn! The greatest a’five mountainhomes,” boomed Pascal, following the group to the perimeter, “From left t’right; Turraing, Babylon, Dyrnwyn, Colt, and Lightning. The Grand Foreman will be working at Dyrnwyn, that is where you should take your charges to be handled. Ah… and…”
A chillingly familiar screech split the ambience of the range, Wraiths in the far distance. Willow would feel Ghyslain’s body shuddered and tense at the noise; a low growl bubbling in his throat.
“... the beserker; he’s possessed by unnatural antipathy to tha’ damn wraiths. He can smell them, hear them further and seek them better than a mutt with a fresh kill. –”
“Dinnae miss a beat, do ye, ye bloody–...” growled Phyllis.
“--... Mind him should ya should come near any of the beasts,” warned Pascal, “Something in him hungers for whatever their blood is.”
“Blood,” Ghyslain said, in his sleep, “unites us all… blood dooms us all… A dark man… steps from the portal… he silences the boy… breaks the girl… The soul in the bottle…”
“Poor whelp, cannae even sleep sound,” commented Phyllis, putting her poleaxe over her shoulder as she helped the cart move forward to the hill, “Nae wonder he’s daft.”
“Do you think we could gag him? My nerves can’t take much more of this,” buzzed Helen, pushing Thaler onwards, “Do you even know what he’s speaking about Metal-eater? It sounds like he’s talking to you most of the time.”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
"Yeah..." Willow sounded atonal, and didn't turn to look at Helen as she spoke. "He's still on the nose."
No one could see the slight rise of the corner of her mouth as she tried to make a joke that likely only Ghyslain would get; all things considered. All she was focusing on was walking; and as much as she was sure the area was pretty to look at, all she could think of was getting to Diligence and offloading the quarrid slung under her arm. She barely even flinched when the cry of wraiths carried over the wind.
"He's sleeping better than I did after seeing some of that stuff," the words sounded almost envious. "What happened to him? What made him this way?"
No one could see the slight rise of the corner of her mouth as she tried to make a joke that likely only Ghyslain would get; all things considered. All she was focusing on was walking; and as much as she was sure the area was pretty to look at, all she could think of was getting to Diligence and offloading the quarrid slung under her arm. She barely even flinched when the cry of wraiths carried over the wind.
"He's sleeping better than I did after seeing some of that stuff," the words sounded almost envious. "What happened to him? What made him this way?"