The Sergeant tugged her dented helmet, catching a little bit of blood from her orange hair. She wiped it off and packed a bit of dirt on the oozing cut.
“Ah’ve had worse now,” she answered, before she showed an apparent limp in her walking back to the cart, “I had two or three on me while I was cuttin’ the berserker loose. Feel a bit knackered now.”
Shnk! The sound of Bjorn’s sword settled into its sheath, and he straightened himself up. He kept an eye on the edges of the path, still looking a little weathered.
“It’s not… my fault,” Helen continued to chant, unmoving under the cart, “It’s never my fault. It can’t be my fault.”
A screech broke the reverie short, and another wraith broke from the shadows ahead to attack Thaler. The creature didn’t get far until Ghyslain leapt into the air, ripping it from its flight with his teeth. He crushed the deathly creature in his jaw, causing it to burst into nothing, and then turned to forest.
“A tree’d land,” said Ghyslain with deep hunger in his voice, “infested with the darkness. I will go. I will purge every lackey of vengeance.”
His mad grin widened as he looked to make for the shadowy tree-line.
[The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
"Cuttin'... yup, nope, that is the logical way to handle that," Willow said back as she held up the severed rope. She could try to mend the rope, perhaps? Maybe do some knot-work and... ope, Ghyslain was already looking to run off into the wilds. Realistically, she'd never actually agreed to take Ghyslain, more so he was pressganged into the group by the other quarrids. That said, he was useful in a fight, and could probably use his help in the long run.
"Wait! Vengeance!" the Brit shouted up the path to get Ghyslain's attention as best she could. He was a berserker; a barbarian. Now wasn't the time to talk circles, or the time to talk fancy. Now was the time to appeal to baser instincts.
"Come with me! After my meeting with Diligence I'm gonna go punch Vengeance in the face personally! You wander off on your own and you might fight wraiths, but stick with me and I can guarantee it! Bang! Boom! Biggest battle you can imagine!"
All the while, Willow was hustling back up the slope to collect her saber, and potentially tackle a berserker that bit a wraith to death. Fun times.
"Wait! Vengeance!" the Brit shouted up the path to get Ghyslain's attention as best she could. He was a berserker; a barbarian. Now wasn't the time to talk circles, or the time to talk fancy. Now was the time to appeal to baser instincts.
"Come with me! After my meeting with Diligence I'm gonna go punch Vengeance in the face personally! You wander off on your own and you might fight wraiths, but stick with me and I can guarantee it! Bang! Boom! Biggest battle you can imagine!"
All the while, Willow was hustling back up the slope to collect her saber, and potentially tackle a berserker that bit a wraith to death. Fun times.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Quarrids were a strange lot, they could look a bit like kobolds, or have the appearance of dwarfs. Their physique walked a fine line between the two. When Ghyslain turned, he looked harrowed, like a small, rocky devil. His eyes were bright, his teeth glinting, and his hands trembled with anticipation.
“The source of the blight,” Ghylsain intoned, with a voice that told Willow he more than understood, “it is ordained by he who set the world in motion.”
He began to laugh a tired, bitter laugh. In the light of the mid-day sun, Willow could see how tired he was. His eyes were heavy under the glow, the crags of rock that was his mane of hair was thick over his back, dappled with dirt. One of his fingers was broken, but he did not seem to notice. His face was still dented from what Phyllis had done to him.
In a few steps, he stood at her feet, staring up at her, “You are the end. One way, or the other. This is what my sight is for.”
“The source of the blight,” Ghylsain intoned, with a voice that told Willow he more than understood, “it is ordained by he who set the world in motion.”
He began to laugh a tired, bitter laugh. In the light of the mid-day sun, Willow could see how tired he was. His eyes were heavy under the glow, the crags of rock that was his mane of hair was thick over his back, dappled with dirt. One of his fingers was broken, but he did not seem to notice. His face was still dented from what Phyllis had done to him.
In a few steps, he stood at her feet, staring up at her, “You are the end. One way, or the other. This is what my sight is for.”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Watching. That's all Willow could really do as Ghyslain spoke. They was something distinctly melancholic about him. While certainly not the same, she felt like she had seen the look before on Mister Flynn. The Headmaster gave the impression that he didn't care for his job, the Keeper part not the school teacher part, but did his duty regardless. Ghyslain here looked exhausted, but even when sleeping was troubled, and yet he focused on a goal. What was the phrase? Willow hummed as she remembered. The Burden of Purpose. As it's also been said, most purpose is more burden than glory. Now, the more Ghyslain spoke, the more Willow was coming to understand this.
You are the end.
While her's was a willfully accepted burden of purpose, and one she fully recognized as being harrowing; something about Ghyslain speaking prophetic added weight to her own Burden of Purpose.
"Right on," was all Willow offered in return as she grabbed her saber; cleaning it before sheathing it. Turning back to Ghyslain, she crossed her arms and stood how she'd seen Miss Smith stand when giving directions back on the ranch.
"It's gonna take me a bit to get this rope knotted secure enough to hold you again, but I'll admit I'm not keen on keeping you strung up like a beast. There's more to you, I can tell. Y'don't need t'act civilized, but don't run off 'n' don't break the cart. Do that, and ya can walk on yer own two feet."
You are the end.
While her's was a willfully accepted burden of purpose, and one she fully recognized as being harrowing; something about Ghyslain speaking prophetic added weight to her own Burden of Purpose.
"Right on," was all Willow offered in return as she grabbed her saber; cleaning it before sheathing it. Turning back to Ghyslain, she crossed her arms and stood how she'd seen Miss Smith stand when giving directions back on the ranch.
"It's gonna take me a bit to get this rope knotted secure enough to hold you again, but I'll admit I'm not keen on keeping you strung up like a beast. There's more to you, I can tell. Y'don't need t'act civilized, but don't run off 'n' don't break the cart. Do that, and ya can walk on yer own two feet."
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
“Ha ha ha!” Ghyslain laughed in a way that didn’t fit the state of mind or body he was in, “THEN EVERYTHING ELSE IS ACCEPTABLE!”
Phyllis came back by, holding the reins of Thaler, who had miraculously not run off in the several bouts of action. Instead, the porcinepine looked a bit fatter, after having fed on a little bark from a dead tree at the edge of the pass. The beast didn’t pay the beserker much mind, but the Sergeant did.
“Do ye think that’s wise, word-bearer” asked Phyllis having hooked her helmet to her waist. She squinted her eyes, trying to interpret the mischievous glances the quarrid gave her, “Consistency dinnae seem his forte.”
“Can someone help me with the merchant?” hollered Bjorn, who was clawing at the spherical barrier that Helen kept herself ensconced in, “She isn’t coming out.”
Phyllis came back by, holding the reins of Thaler, who had miraculously not run off in the several bouts of action. Instead, the porcinepine looked a bit fatter, after having fed on a little bark from a dead tree at the edge of the pass. The beast didn’t pay the beserker much mind, but the Sergeant did.
“Do ye think that’s wise, word-bearer” asked Phyllis having hooked her helmet to her waist. She squinted her eyes, trying to interpret the mischievous glances the quarrid gave her, “Consistency dinnae seem his forte.”
“Can someone help me with the merchant?” hollered Bjorn, who was clawing at the spherical barrier that Helen kept herself ensconced in, “She isn’t coming out.”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
"Don't break my people, don't break my stuff!" Willow scolded Ghyslain as she turned to go help Bjorn, moving along side Phyllis. "And I'm sorry Phyllis, I need ta get my hands on another length of rope before I can tie him up again; seeing as someone was too impatient to untie the bindings rather than cutting them."
Willow looked a little frazzled, but she forced her tone enough to where it would, hopefully, come across as clear sarcastic humor. The Brit jogged on past, puffing lightly. It hadn't been all that long since her two-fold Race Across the City, and all the cardio was catching up to her. Pewter would hit the spot right now. Sighing, she weighed the options of eating some of her nuggets. Three of each she'd been given, she should probably just go ahead and eat one of the Brass; if nothing else, it could help her with Helen, while still having a fair amount for talking with Diligence. Pewter made her a bit more hesitant; ideally she'd have all three in the event she had to fight an Artisan.
Nodding to herself, Willow reached into one of her bandolier pouches and withdrew one of the Brass nuggets, and her other hand withdrew one of the alloy nuts Clever had giver her. Popping both in her mouth, she swallowed hard to get the objects down. Relishing the familiar warmth, she hurried to the cart. Now, the tricky part; figuring out what Helen was feeling so Willow could Soothe the right emotion. Opting for the straightforward plausibility, Willow Soothed Panic and Fear as she reached the cart and knelt to look at the golem.
"Hey Helen, it's alright to come out now. Those things were likely after me; not my first tango with Vengeance, nor the first time she's sent wraiths at me. Notice how the big one went for me? This here's my fault," Willow fibbed, but a good natured kind of fib. "Your companions just panicked is all. Don't take what they said personally."
Willow looked a little frazzled, but she forced her tone enough to where it would, hopefully, come across as clear sarcastic humor. The Brit jogged on past, puffing lightly. It hadn't been all that long since her two-fold Race Across the City, and all the cardio was catching up to her. Pewter would hit the spot right now. Sighing, she weighed the options of eating some of her nuggets. Three of each she'd been given, she should probably just go ahead and eat one of the Brass; if nothing else, it could help her with Helen, while still having a fair amount for talking with Diligence. Pewter made her a bit more hesitant; ideally she'd have all three in the event she had to fight an Artisan.
Nodding to herself, Willow reached into one of her bandolier pouches and withdrew one of the Brass nuggets, and her other hand withdrew one of the alloy nuts Clever had giver her. Popping both in her mouth, she swallowed hard to get the objects down. Relishing the familiar warmth, she hurried to the cart. Now, the tricky part; figuring out what Helen was feeling so Willow could Soothe the right emotion. Opting for the straightforward plausibility, Willow Soothed Panic and Fear as she reached the cart and knelt to look at the golem.
"Hey Helen, it's alright to come out now. Those things were likely after me; not my first tango with Vengeance, nor the first time she's sent wraiths at me. Notice how the big one went for me? This here's my fault," Willow fibbed, but a good natured kind of fib. "Your companions just panicked is all. Don't take what they said personally."
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
The dome on Helen’s shoulder’s opened, and her head rose just enough so that her eyes could look out from the recess it retracted within. Her eyes looked strained, as strained as golem’s could with the stone body. Phyllis, Bjorn and Ghyslain all stood alongside the Allomancer, looking at her, and all she could do was look back. Helen checked the path back down to the divide, back towards Floating Hills and then at them. When she finally began to move, she was shaking terribly; she shook like Drysi had in the couple of weeks after the incident with her grandmother.
“Y-y-ou sh-sh-ould ha-ha-ave,” gibbered Helen, putting on some weak act of spite, “TOLD me. I w-w-would have kept w-wa-wa-w– going. I s-should have kn-known; being l-l-et…”
The golem held her arms, “It doesn’t matter. The c-cart is stuck. One of– One of the wheels… The spokes are broken.”
She pointed to a far wheel behind her, where a couple of spokes were cracked, and the axle bent.
A whistling sound could be heard around then, something small, and diminutive. In truth, the sound of another wagon was more evident, with the rattling of wheels. It came from up the path, rather than from behind them.
“A tree bearing the fruit of wheels comes,” piped Ghyslain, staring at a rock. Phyllis struck him in the arm with her fist.
“Ye ninny, we’re not bandits,” growled the Sergeant. In response, Ghyslain punched her back, in probably the most sane response he had shown thus far.
She growled something disdainful and hit him back harder. “Word-bearer’s right, I should’ve spared the cuts and bruises t’preserve the rope.”
The two began trading harder and harder, until it became apparent they were about to break out into a brawl.
“Y-y-ou sh-sh-ould ha-ha-ave,” gibbered Helen, putting on some weak act of spite, “TOLD me. I w-w-would have kept w-wa-wa-w– going. I s-should have kn-known; being l-l-et…”
The golem held her arms, “It doesn’t matter. The c-cart is stuck. One of– One of the wheels… The spokes are broken.”
She pointed to a far wheel behind her, where a couple of spokes were cracked, and the axle bent.
A whistling sound could be heard around then, something small, and diminutive. In truth, the sound of another wagon was more evident, with the rattling of wheels. It came from up the path, rather than from behind them.
“A tree bearing the fruit of wheels comes,” piped Ghyslain, staring at a rock. Phyllis struck him in the arm with her fist.
“Ye ninny, we’re not bandits,” growled the Sergeant. In response, Ghyslain punched her back, in probably the most sane response he had shown thus far.
She growled something disdainful and hit him back harder. “Word-bearer’s right, I should’ve spared the cuts and bruises t’preserve the rope.”
The two began trading harder and harder, until it became apparent they were about to break out into a brawl.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
"That'd be a weird thing ta just roll into, conversation wise. Now, jus' take a few steady breaths, and we'll get this mess straightened out," Willow said to Helen as she turned to the growing tussle between the canidaer and the quarrid. "You two! Knock it off! Ghyslain! First warning! Phyllis! Act like a sargeant, not a private."
The Brit took a second to take a deep breath, vowing never to have kids. How long did it take to mend a cart? Could they possibly trade with the approaching cart? What if that cart didn't have anything to trade? As Phyllis said, they weren't bandits. Could the Shard potentially be placed in, say, a sack for Willow to just carry so they could leave the broken cart behind? All of this was wearing on Willow. Was this a normal part of an adventure?
"Bjorn. Keep an eye on things. I'm gonna approach the comin' cart an' see if they happen to have any of the supplies we need to make repairs," Willow started as she turned to her original companion. "I'd send Phyllis, but if its a quarrid cart that might cause problems. An', truthfully, going alone will probably make a better impression than if they rolled up and saw the entire gaggle."
Taking off her hat and wiping her brow, Willow turned back up the road and once more moving up the slope.
"Holler if anything happens," the words carried from over her shoulder, as she deep down considered pulling a dad left to get smokes.
The Brit took a second to take a deep breath, vowing never to have kids. How long did it take to mend a cart? Could they possibly trade with the approaching cart? What if that cart didn't have anything to trade? As Phyllis said, they weren't bandits. Could the Shard potentially be placed in, say, a sack for Willow to just carry so they could leave the broken cart behind? All of this was wearing on Willow. Was this a normal part of an adventure?
"Bjorn. Keep an eye on things. I'm gonna approach the comin' cart an' see if they happen to have any of the supplies we need to make repairs," Willow started as she turned to her original companion. "I'd send Phyllis, but if its a quarrid cart that might cause problems. An', truthfully, going alone will probably make a better impression than if they rolled up and saw the entire gaggle."
Taking off her hat and wiping her brow, Willow turned back up the road and once more moving up the slope.
"Holler if anything happens," the words carried from over her shoulder, as she deep down considered pulling a dad left to get smokes.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Bjorn nodded his head grimly to the Allomancer as she walked off to try and secure them better transit. The quarrid and the canidaer watched as well, seething at each other. Right as Willow was far enough, they looked to turn on each other.
A weighty SHNK! halted the exchange as the blade of Bjorn dove into the ground at their feet, splitting the earth and kicking up a small puff of dust. Phyllis and Ghyslain looked up at him, and their looks of defiance withered into wary silence.
“W-what are you,” asked Helen, trying to climb back into her cart.
“What she needs me to be,” growled Bjorn.
Meanwhile, the weariness of the road bore a bit more heavily on Willow as the road grew steep. Leaving the tension behind her, she could see up to the crest of the hill. Heralded by the creaking wheels from before, a lone wagon appeared. This one had less people on it, rather, none at all. A light danced around a headless, mechanical beast of burden, towing a seemingly empty cart behind it. The broad, frog-like bull slowed to a stop as it approached Willow.
The light floating around it bounced a couple times.
“Hello!” greeted a small, feminine voice, “I didn’t notice you there.”
Judging from the intricately wrought frame of metal and stone wrapping the mote of light, she was a construct, one of Smart’s smallkin. The lattice containing the light turned one way, and then another. A set of tiny, stubby arms with little hands came forward, and one of them waved. “You look tired. Are you okay?”
The lattice turned again, like a rubix cube, and a small beam of red light projected at Willow’s feet, “And could you move? My bullfrog is programmed to stop if anyone is standing anywhere within ten feet of its fifteen degree cone of detection.”
A weighty SHNK! halted the exchange as the blade of Bjorn dove into the ground at their feet, splitting the earth and kicking up a small puff of dust. Phyllis and Ghyslain looked up at him, and their looks of defiance withered into wary silence.
“W-what are you,” asked Helen, trying to climb back into her cart.
“What she needs me to be,” growled Bjorn.
Meanwhile, the weariness of the road bore a bit more heavily on Willow as the road grew steep. Leaving the tension behind her, she could see up to the crest of the hill. Heralded by the creaking wheels from before, a lone wagon appeared. This one had less people on it, rather, none at all. A light danced around a headless, mechanical beast of burden, towing a seemingly empty cart behind it. The broad, frog-like bull slowed to a stop as it approached Willow.
The light floating around it bounced a couple times.
“Hello!” greeted a small, feminine voice, “I didn’t notice you there.”
Judging from the intricately wrought frame of metal and stone wrapping the mote of light, she was a construct, one of Smart’s smallkin. The lattice containing the light turned one way, and then another. A set of tiny, stubby arms with little hands came forward, and one of them waved. “You look tired. Are you okay?”
The lattice turned again, like a rubix cube, and a small beam of red light projected at Willow’s feet, “And could you move? My bullfrog is programmed to stop if anyone is standing anywhere within ten feet of its fifteen degree cone of detection.”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Humming to herself as the construct spoke, Willow filed the note on how to stop this new cart away in the back of her mind; just in case. Stepping to the side to leg beast of burden move again, Willow fell into step alongside the cart before showing her electrum coin.
"Livin' the dream. I'm doing fine, but my cart has broken down a bit further on. Heard ya comin', an' wanted to see if you happened to have a spare wheel I could procure. Got a bent axle to boot, but I've got less hope for findin' one'a those. So, yeah, got a spare?"
Tentatively, Willow also burned Brass to Soothe Hesitation and Animosity. She was still practicing with her emotionally allomancy to figure out what counted as an emotion she could influence, and on top of that she wasn't even sure if this brand of Smallfolk could have their emotions influenced.
"Ooooooor," Willow let her tone trail as she hooked her thumbs in her belt and tried to look bashful, "Perhaps could even haggle for your wagon itself? The Artisan Smart an' I are practically best friends. She can pay you for the cart on my behalf, an' next time I'm in the city I'll repay her."
"Livin' the dream. I'm doing fine, but my cart has broken down a bit further on. Heard ya comin', an' wanted to see if you happened to have a spare wheel I could procure. Got a bent axle to boot, but I've got less hope for findin' one'a those. So, yeah, got a spare?"
Tentatively, Willow also burned Brass to Soothe Hesitation and Animosity. She was still practicing with her emotionally allomancy to figure out what counted as an emotion she could influence, and on top of that she wasn't even sure if this brand of Smallfolk could have their emotions influenced.
"Ooooooor," Willow let her tone trail as she hooked her thumbs in her belt and tried to look bashful, "Perhaps could even haggle for your wagon itself? The Artisan Smart an' I are practically best friends. She can pay you for the cart on my behalf, an' next time I'm in the city I'll repay her."