Stasolya stands off near the hospital tent after Ereni wanders off, a far off look in her eye and the AURYN grasped in one hand. "Atreyu?" She seems to be talking to someone who isn't there.
Finally she turns back to rejoin her colleagues. "We may not have long to wait."
"So you have an AURYN," Lelith stated as she looked at the Centaur. "I suppose that makes things easier. Though I do not remember seeing any of you at the Ivory Tower. What is your affiliation?"
Thea, carefully listening and watching this exchange flinches at the word ‘mutt’ and takes a step back from Lelith in surprise. She doesn’t know what else to do for planning- she will go along with the group. Her eyes do drift over to the other sick people and looks at them with sad, compassionate eyes. “Isn’t there something to be done for them? Won’t Stasolya’s spell help them?”, she says quietly to herself. Then glancing at Skot, she whispers, “I’m not sure why she thought I was different. Maybe chasing after a princess will help me to understand why…I -“ she cuts off as more planning talk is happening- this time concerning the mysterious Atreyu and the mythical Auryn. She clears her head of doubting talk and goes back to listening and tending to those in the camp as best she can.
The world begins to shimmer. There's a moment where Andromeda's Answer can hear words around them, mumbled words that sound like an incantation of sorts. The world, the oak forests of Hylia, begins to fade away, disappear from reality, and then, for the briefest moment, they are awash in darkness. Darkness so thick and black they cannot see each other. Darkness that swallows sounds and voices. Darkness that engulfs and drags, drags and drags, until emerald light begins to break the barriers.
Darkness that makes Ereni feel at home, wraps her in its cold embrace...
Then they're somewhere else. Them, their equipment, their mounts; and there, before them, is a Luck Dragon, and next to the Luck Dragon is the man some of them remember from their original encounter at Argos...
Atreyu, the AURYN Medallion still in his hands as he stands at the top of the steps of the Hall of Celestials, the Owlin Elders behind him, Gandalf the Gray amongst the crowd of the other AURYN summoned standing in the courtyard before them...
Thea only has eyes for the luck dragon….she tries desperately to keep in focus…even Skot tries to be the adult here and keep her on track. But wow! Luck dragons? She wasn’t even sure they existed! Much like unicorns…it always felt like myth or a distant memory more than anything truly real. What an amazing world this is indeed!
Malenia, an Eladrin herself did not agree with Lelith's harsh words. In fact in the short time she had known Ereni, The two had found common ground and kindled the beginnings of a friendship. Albeit this may be a side effect from her self imposed solitude before their meeting, Perhaps this is how the Eldrin truly saw those who were considered Half breeds. If so, she was thankful for stealing herself away from her kind.
Malenia watches the quiet words exchanged between Stasoyla and Ereni, a benefit to the decades of solitude in which she had imposed upon herself. Watching the lips of other from afar and understanding what is being said.
Immediately the mechanism concealed within her Prosthesis whirred to life, ejecting her hilt into her open palm at the sight that was now before them. The long amber blade of focused light hums lowly, while she does indeed recognize the man from Argos. It does little to soothe the surprise appearence of such a creature.
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Malenia - [Monk - Way of the Jedi] - Auryn: Princess of Destiny
The return from Hagsgate, from the combined efforts of the AURYN Heroes to gain a better foothold in the battle for Hyboria, had passed nearly a week ago. In that time the heroes had returned to Skyloft with the refugees of Hagsgate and had tried to make sense of everything that had changed. They had watched all week as the Three Brothers, now eclipsed as one dark orange celestial entity, no longer trekked across the sky; instead, they seemed to circle around the rim of the world like a marble in a bowl. They dipped below one horizon to create a normal night, and the rest of the day they came up over the horizon and crawled along the edge of the world, leaving the sky dark enough to display the moons and stars brightly overhead, and just enough light to bathe the world in reds and violets.
The refugees from Hagsgate were camping in the courtyard of the Hall of the Celestials, lining up three times a day for meals the Elders were graciously able to provide while they sought for them a new way of life on Celestia. King Lir, crushed by the weight of his guilt and grief and his role in all this, had done what he could to help, but had denounced his title; with no kingdom, no realm, and great shame, he said, there was no reason for him to hold such a high title.
With all these developments came another that was, without a doubt, very distressing; Gandalf reported that his magic...and the magic of the Elders of Skyloft...seemed to be fading. While it none of the heroes had been effected yet, Gandalf's power had begun to go near the end of the Battle of Hagsgate, and the Elders were losing the magical abilities quickly.
Master Piccolo had been storming around the Hall of the Celestials for days being vocally upset about it.
They were fortunate enough to be blessed with a week of training, rest, and resupply before Atreyu had mustered them all for redeployment.
They found Atreyu, Gandalf, Lir, Falkor, and Man at Arms assembled in the broad courtyard as the Eclipse came up over the horizon, with a veritable squadron of Death Hawks and three Rocs waiting for them. Atreyu greeted everyone as jovially as possible, directing what had previously been four teams back into three, and slowly he separated them out into their groups and got them ready for departure.
"The Roc will take you to King's Landing." Atreyu said as he walked past the enormous bird, letting his hand slide along feathers like sails as he went. "We're still tracking the Tarrasque through the Gerudo Desert. As predicted, it's heading straight toward Argos. You should be passing Argos as it is intercepted by Godzilla. I would ask that you confirm its destruction. We're trying to convince King Kephes to evacuate, but they've been through a lot lately and he's resisting. A second giant monster attack in a month...seems downright cruel, but I don't pretend to know the will of the fates.
I would ask you to ensure the creature's death, but I understand you've already seen Argos pummeled once, so if you bypass, I understand. I can ask another band.
You'll be on to King's Landing from there, and then the Roc will leave you. The failing magic is making it hard to confirm the state of the city. It would be good to know if the city is still surviving. There were theories that King Hyrule may have escaped to the city but...it seems you all met a soldier that confirmed he was dead. A shame.
While you're there, I'll ask you to see if you can make contact with a ship that should be docked there. The Scorpion. The captain is Alwyne Saewulf. He brought the Twilight Embers to Zora's Domain and promised to pick them up at King's Landing but...things have quickly changed since then. I'd like to reestablish our relationship with him. Make sure he's still on our side. His vessel could be useful in the future.
You'll have to head south from there and search the Great Grass Sea. They say that the Princess is hiding with the Dothraki now. The horse lords are nomadic, so there's not telling where she is. You'll have to search the whole peninsula. We'll determine what to do with her from there."
Judal snapped a quick bow to Atreyu as he concluded his briefing. "If it is in my power to see to it, it will be done," he assures in an earnest and forthright manner. He then turns to the others that seem to be on the team he was foisted upon.
"I am Judal. I have been called the Sladdbarn and the Disappointment, Gauntel of Galladoorn and the Grim Knight of Guilder, Brother and The Forgotten Relation. The truth is I am just a man with some skills and perhaps more determination than is healthy for me. A mentor, Miracle Marv, referred me to Gandalf as he knew I sought after the Fleeing Prince of Floren and word of my sister Sorsha. The journey has been long and... Well, quite frankly a bit weird at times... But Gandalf assures me he will alert me once he has words of either of those I seek. In the meantime I aim to be of some use. Gandalf believes I can be of use on this task. As such I am yours, if you will have me," Judal speechifies to the companions he has just met.
Judal is of a size and build of a typical human knight but perhaps a bit on the smaller size. His features are clasically handsome and perhaps too unweathered to be what one clasically expects of a knight but his words and his intentions ring with truth and honesty. He wears half plate armor which seems lighter and more flexible than most, and definitely well tended to. (Mithral, if one would recognize such.) His clothes otherwise are well tailored and of the best materials one could ask for when not living the comfortable life. He carries a longsword and a shield, as one would expect of a knight, but both glint in a way that seems to indicate these are not a simple knight's tools. He has several daggers located strategically about himself but the one that stands out is strapped to his chest above his heart with the hilt down so it could be easily grabbed by his sword hand but it also looks almost more decorative than like it is wielded... ever. The only rough item about his person is Judal's cloak. It is a dark cloak that appears to have been fastened from the pelt of one or more beasts of some kind. The quick assumption would be a dark wolf or such but if one knows their animals and looks closely they can determine it is more hound but too close of an inspection can give some people a the shivers. Otherwise the cloak has been adorned by a series of nice but unspectacular brooches which circle it from one side of the clasp around to the other...
One of the last to arrive in Skyloft through the mirror from Hagsgate, Ereni does not bother to clean the ashes off her face and cloak.
But she does clean Joy, the faithful old dog that Lir had abandoned, giving her a bath, applying ointment concocted from her Herbalism Kit to cure her mange and brushing out her coat until it looks healthy again. Giving her a good drink of clean water. Playing and wrestling with her. Keeping up her own fitness by doing a parkour route around Skyloft, improving her speed, climbing, swimming abilities alongside Joy. Almost smiling.
I must find some good meat and roughage for the poor old mutt to eat. Ereni finds herself half uncertain whether she means the dog or herself.
"King Haggard was the lucky one," she mumbles to Joy. "No more worries about bulls or unicorns or skeletons, or a sky that looks worse than a poorly lit latrine pit. Carefree as a bird now, that king. A bird with three arrows through the throat, true, but lucky nonetheless to be so carefree."
Speaking of shooting King Haggard full of arrows... Ereni is somewhat shocked at the lack of substantive discipline handed out for her too-quick trigger-finger when Ward and Lady Kaede had provoked the King and Ereni had reacted, ending the monarch's life. Will they call me the Kingslayer now? Not a compliment, I think, though better than Kinslayer. Dead and gone all the same, my kin and the King.
Bemused, Ereni accepts the Longbow, +3 from Gandalf after the stern talk. Doesn't really discourage me from shooting early now, does it?
She approaches the rest of Andromeda's Answer over the course of the week. She introduces them to Joy, now her steadfast canine companion wherever she goes. A wink for Cinder, a hug for Thea, a bow for Stasolya. She listens to their stories and tersely tells her own.
And a tentative, tremulous smile for Malenia. Solemnly, shouldering her new Longbow, +3, Ereni offers her Eladrin friend the Longbow, +1 that had once belonged to Ereni's archer mother along with a quiver of 20 Arrows, +1. "I... I thought you could use it in case you find yourself out of range for your preferred weapon. I can show you how to relax into your shot as you line it up. Just as our sparring has helped me shake off my rust in melee. I... I was hoping we could take up the sparring where we left off?" Ereni looks at Malenia with a hopeful expression, at odds with her usually downcast face.
----- Fresh Mission, Fresh Blood -----
Ereni slouches impassively as she listens to Atreyu speak of the Tarrasque and Godzilla, of waning magic, waiting ships and wandering horse lords.
She shrugs. If she recalls anything from her final months with the Ivory Infantry, it is the telltale signs of commanders losing their way, clutching at straws, trying desperately to control a situation which is by nature uncontrollable. At least maybe no army of undead or fiery inferno like Hagsgate.
As Judal introduces himself, Ereni nods placidly, accepting him to their ragtag group. "I'm Ereni. Anyone called 'The Disappointment' is all right in my book. If I had a book," she drawls. "My condolences on being assigned to... whatever this job is. Not to worry, though. We stick together in The Answer. No leaving you to rot. So the good news is that if we die, it'll likely be quicker than 'Take the Under' Talman would sprint. Old Talman back in the Infantry who borrowed from us all and gambled it away. Never did see anyone scamper as fast as Talman when he owed you and saw you coming..."
Ereni trails off as if she has forgotten why she began speaking. In fact, she has just remembered that she herself owes the other existing members of Andromeda's Answer 150gp each, and still has nothing to pay them back with (though she knows none of them would ever demand it).
Ereni is a lanky wood half-elven archer with dirty blond hair, a damaged soul, green eyes, green leathers and a tendency to fade into the darkness...
Malenia, Steping through the mirror after a series of battles. Wearing a few new scars and feeling weary from her fights. Does not stay long in the area, Instead the Eladrin finds a quiet place filled with foliage to take a few moments to truly think over exactly what has occured in the short amount of time since the Answer had disbanded. Crossing her legs and removing her posthetic arm, laying it beside her. She thinks on her first experience with flight over a great crater, the deafening roar of the Tarrasque. The betrayal of Slade. Unconciously she rubs her afflicted shoulder, examining her flesh and grimacing at the spread of her disease.
Then of Gandalfs urgency, The battle with the Sith Lord and witnessing the fall of Thea. The power Vader wielded as he tossed Malenia aside, forcing the arrival of new companions to best the Sith. Her brow furrowed, she was too weak to even protect herself. Let alone her companions.
Finally and most recently, her place in the frontline as the so called Heroes faced down a skeletal army. Of her temporary companionship with the one called Adam, he was a skilled warrior and a worthy companion.
Of course of the week, Not only does she learn exactly how to wield two weapons efficiently enough to wield a pair of lightsabers but thanks to the gift bestowed by Gandalf, a valuable skill to prevent an enemy from moving on her allies. Of course she does acknowledge the rest of the Answer.
Giving Cinder and Staoyla a firm handshake, expressing her gratefullness that they are both still alive. Embracing Thea and thanking her for saving her life.
Lastly, She hesitantly accepts the gift bestowed to her by her Half elven friend, Ereni. Albeit with a hint of trepidation, while expressing the honor she felt that Ereni would entrust her mothers weapon to her. She was concerned that the weapon would would be better used by another, yet vows to keep it safe until Ereni has need of it again. "O-Of course! Im honored that you would lend me it and I would gladly take you up on that offer, I've missed our sparring sessions as of late."
Back in the present:
Malenia provides the newcomer with a welcoming nod of approval, stepping beside Ereni to great him. "As Ereni has already expressed, We of the Answer are glad for your companionship, and I am more than grateful to have another stand on the frontline with me." She examines the weapons of the new member of Andromeda's answer. "Although I have to ask, do you prefer Sword and Shield over your daggers?"
Malenia Grunts at the mention of the Tarrasuqe, having witnessed the moving mountain firsthand she was in no rush to encounter it once more. Yet she understood the gravity of ensuring the creatures the demise at the claws of Godzilla, another moving mountain. This world was proving to be far larger than the quiet corner she had spent most of life in, The Haligtree. Perhaps they would venture close enough to its location for her to check on it.
All the while, in the back of her mind. The image of Vader lingered, of the sheer power the Sith wielded. Could she hope to acquire that much power if......
Stasolya, shaking the ashes of the burning village from her mane, tail, and plaid, clattered around Skyloft helping calm the refugees. Haunted eyes and looks of terror stood frozen on the faces of many of the Hagsgate refugees, and Stasolya would find these, take out her lute, and sing and play softly to them.
"Twisting, burning, all is ending Left alone with no one sending Help enough to stop the terror Who am I? You? AURYN bearer?
Nothing could you do for us Lost and burned and nothing left Though here we are in halls so quiet Inside, the fires burn and riot
I'll find my peace again one day After sorrow's storm assay Inside my tears and emptiness A new seed waits in readiness."
While hearing news and greeting her old companions of the Answer, Stasolya seems pensive and quiet. She often stands out over the balconies, watching the dark, horizon-muddied sky. Vader is dead. But so is the unicorn. The red bull is dead. But so is the royal line of Hagsgate. In our destruction of our enemies, have we come too close to the mechanisms of the agents of Chaos?
In the present:
Stasolya nods to her companions, including the new knight. "Welcome to the Answer... may you find your purpose in Hyboria's service, then."
The centaur then bows to Atreyu in acknowledgement of their mission. "I would be pleased to see Argos again, as it was where we first met you, and were set upon this path to fight for Hyboria. If there is naught we can do for the city, loath would I still be to turn my eyes from the misfortune of others, since none of us will escape sharing it in this fight." And a light smile touches her lips. "Oh, the old lore keepers of my tribe would have longed to see the great Apex battle the Tarrasque. He fights for all of us and for Hyboria." The smile grows a little more at mention of the Great Grass Sea. Surely a homelike environment for the nomadic centaur. "If she may be found, the order in the stars will help us find her."
Upon returning to Skyloft from Hagsgate Cinder is coated in ash, perhaps more so than some of the others due to her proximity to the fires she started in the town. And though still injured, she is in a particularly good mood. She got to set things on fire. And she didn't get yelled at for it either! Well there was the weird tiefling but that didn't count.
During the week in Skyloft she spends a lot of time continuing to hone her magic. Increasing the speed of her reactions, and improving her ability to keep her concentration on her spells, even during a battle. Especially in a battle.
When reunited with the rest of the Answer, she greets them all with her usual high level of energy. She listens to the tales of what had occurred and excitedly tells her own. She tells of the caverns on the way to Godzilla. The Gmork and his undead. How she almost died to poison in that same fight. And of course of Godzilla's awakening. She also tells of Dageron having her set fire to part of the town to make a blockade and of the tiefling that she encountered that was weirdly not okay with fire. She barely tells the part about the fire having a purpose, viewing the actual making of the fire as the most important part of the whole thing.
The Present:
Upon meeting Judal, Cinder greets him her trademark level of enthusiasm and excitement. "Ooh we got a newbie! Hi Newbie! Name's Cinder! I set things on fire!" She doesn't elaborate on her place in the Answer much more than that. Looking at the others she says, "Were gonna watch the monsters fight right? I can't be the only one excited to see a giant monster fight right?" There is a gleam of childlike excitement in her eyes that is almost concerning.
She will turn to Atreyu, "We'll give finding Zelda another shot, I guess. Thanks for not making us go back to that gross forest down though. My plan A for that mess was fire and brimstone."
Breaking from her stupor, Malenia takes a moment to breathe in while looking around at her companions. She felt relief that they had all survived the tasks set to them, That once more the entirety of Andromeda's Answer stood as one, Plus one. With the addition of another member. Stepping back, Her prothesis whirred to life. The concealed mechanism within the construction humming with the soft metallic sounds of gears clicking as two hilts ejected from her newly modified arm.
Grasping both hilts in either hands, she swung them around without igniting her weapons. Now with a much more comfortable grip, Thanks partyly to the Gift bestowed on her by the Wizard. She stepped further back and began to practice, Fighting an invisible opponent. Her movements were graceful and elegant, as if she was performing some sort of deadly dance with a Highly skilled adversary. Both weapons swinging in Unison, while paired with a spinning kick or a high Roundhouse. She was obviously MUCH more comfortable using two weapons at once than she had been during her sparring sessions with Ereni.
With each kick, her foot left behind a soft trail of amber light. Showing that not only had she mastered the ability to use two weapons, but also another aspect of using her own body as a weapon. Spinning on her Heel, she concealed the hilts once more within her Prosthetic arm. Before stopping to face the Answer. "I can punch Ghosts now." Bluntly, without a hint of levity in her voice. "Have any of you picked up new skills?"
As Judal introduces himself, Ereni nods placidly, accepting him to their ragtag group. "I'm Ereni. Anyone called 'The Disappointment' is all right in my book. If I had a book," she drawls. "My condolences on being assigned to... whatever this job is. Not to worry, though. We stick together in The Answer. No leaving you to rot. So the good news is that if we die, it'll likely be quicker than 'Take the Under' Talman would sprint. Old Talman back in the Infantry who borrowed from us all and gambled it away. Never did see anyone scamper as fast as Talman when he owed you and saw you coming..."
"Yes, I have collected more names than one needs," Judal allows and gives Ereni what he hopes is a self deprecating smile. "I prefer 'Judal' without the flair, but some do enjoy the pageanty."
"I'm sure condolences aren't neccessa..." he starts to respond nefore realizing Ereni was still talking.
"We could get you a book," Judal says, a bit perplexed and confused, yet earnest. He pulls his pack off his back and opens it, starting to dig in while saying "I don't have a spare journal or anything but I do believe I have some blank parchment paper which may be a start..."
Malenia provides the newcomer with a welcoming nod of approval, stepping beside Ereni to great him. "As Ereni has already expressed, We of the Answer are glad for your companionship, and I am more than grateful to have another stand on the frontline with me." She examines the weapons of the new member of Andromeda's answer. "Although I have to ask, do you prefer Sword and Shield over your daggers?"
"Oh, hello! Yes, indeed... the frontline," Judal answers, standing quickly up from his digging in his pack. "The sword and shield are indeed my forte, so to speak. I have some magics I throw in now and again for added offense or defense when needed... I am no wizard, mind you, but I know a few dirty tricks, as it were. The daggers are mostly for emergency situations. Easier to carry around a multitude of small blades than swords, no?"
"If I may... Andromeda's Answer... What is the question?" Judal asks. "Or rather the meaning of the name, as it were. Neither Atreyu nor Gandalf would answer that, just smirked and told me to worry about that later..."
Stasolya nods to her companions, including the new knight. "Welcome to the Answer... may you find your purpose in Hyboria's service, then."
The centaur then bows to Atreyu in acknowledgement of their mission. "I would be pleased to see Argos again, as it was where we first met you, and were set upon this path to fight for Hyboria. If there is naught we can do for the city, loath would I still be to turn my eyes from the misfortune of others, since none of us will escape sharing it in this fight." And a light smile touches her lips. "Oh, the old lore keepers of my tribe would have longed to see the great Apex battle the Tarrasque. He fights for all of us and for Hyboria." The smile grows a little more at mention of the Great Grass Sea. Surely a homelike environment for the nomadic centaur. "If she may be found, the order in the stars will help us find her."
"I'm not exactly sure I have a purpose," Judal replies with some thought. "Or if I do I am not sure I want to find it. But purpose or no, I intend to serve Hyboria as best I can."
Judal tries not to stare but he does listen intently, fascinated by the centaur. He knew such existed, and much more... But his life has been mainly sheltered from much besides a small handful of races.
Upon meeting Judal, Cinder greets him her trademark level of enthusiasm and excitement. "Ooh we got a newbie! Hi Newbie! Name's Cinder! I set things on fire!" She doesn't elaborate on her place in the Answer much more than that. Looking at the others she says, "Were gonna watch the monsters fight right? I can't be the only one excited to see a giant monster fight right?" There is a gleam of childlike excitement in her eyes that is almost concerning.
She will turn to Atreyu, "We'll give finding Zelda another shot, I guess. Thanks for not making us go back to that gross forest down though. My plan A for that mess was fire and brimstone."
"Oh!" Judal exclaims automatically to the enthusiasm and offness.
"Umm, deliberately?" he asks, his voice trailing off in wonder.
"It does sound like it would be an awe inspiring thing to see," Judal admitted. "I saw some beasts pitted against one another for sport in Floren once. I can't say I approved of the barbarity for nothing else than entertainment but it was quite the spectacle."
"I can punch Ghosts now." Bluntly, without a hint of levity in her voice. "Have any of you picked up new skills?"
Judal watched this member of the Answer's performance with a bit of a jealous eye. Her skills were impeccable, her movements precise. He knew he would never be quite as skilled. Sure he had other tricks and such to perhaps make up for it but it was still amazing to watch.
"Is that a need that comes up often?" he asks curiously. He knew he was signing up for much more than he could have ever expected when Atreyu and Gandalf told him he would be joining Andromeda's Answer but... Ghost punching? That's a thing?
And just why was he joining this particular team, he wondered. He had seen that there were others. They all seemed much more... Much more than he was used to. But as he looked from one of the Answers to another to another it was impossible to not notice they were all women... He swallowed audibly with the noticing and hoped he'd be able to keep up - His own sister was a far superior warrior than himself. Not that he'd had a chance to see for himself in almost a lifetime...
"Umm... wait a minute? Did he say he wanted us to ensure the monster's death?" Judal suddenly asked out of left field. "Which monster? And if the other couldn't kill it how are we...." Judal paused and then sighed. Ok, ok... Things are going to be very different from here on out, it seems. He took a moment to steel himself and put a smile back on his face. "No worries. We'll find a way!"
"We are the Answer, to whatever question we choose. Be it a Krakens assault on a port town or a Politicians corrupt grip on a small village. If there is a question as to Who or What will stand when other's turn a Blind eye. We are the Answer."
Malenia takes note of the newcomers strange glances to her companions, Of course she had not yet realized precisely what this Judal was thinking. However she did follow his eyeline as he cautiously examined each member of the Answer.
"It hasnt arisen as of yet, But strangely. I am looking forward to when it does." Her prothetic hand clenches and relaxes as she ponder just what it would feel like to punch something with no physical form.
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Malenia - [Monk - Way of the Jedi] - Auryn: Princess of Destiny
"We were in Argos when the Princess Andromeda was taken by the Kraken," Stasolya says. "Atreyu was there, and his commissioning of us was our answer to the attack on the Princess. Our band was formed in response to this terrible event and what it foretold of the war and the darkness that now shakes Hyboria in its furious grasp. That is why we are called Andromeda's Answer. Some have left our band since, and some have joined, but we stand, as Malenia says, in Answer to the atrocities that chaos has wrought."
Stasolya takes out her lute, and sings and plays a much softer and slower rendition than the song she originally sang of the fateful event, though the words are the same.
"The highest wave you've ever seen Drew back from scuttled shore Fish beached and gasped and struggled vain As darkly screamed the storm
A tidal wave! A mountain! But it did not stop at shore! A thousand slimy arms and fins Struck the town and roared…
Bring me the Princess Andromeda! The squall and gale screamed. The sky and sea wept bitter tears And chaos won, it seemed.
The Princess stood alone and tall To face the stormy sea. Behind her Argos in the squall, She went for you, she went for me…"
It wouldn't be quite accurate to say Joy looked resplendent after a decent bath and ointment for the mange, but the old dog certainly did look better. She actually had started to look happy, something that she certainly hadn't been during the whole fiasco at Hagsgate. She now followed Ereni like a loyal and obedient servant, never too far from her new friend's heel.
And her tail was actually wagging...
"The corruption." Atreyu whispers in reply to Cinder. "Burning it is probably your best course of action. When you find it, anyway. But the world is changing. I think the spread will be further and more complete than we would have previously estimated. But please. Burn as much as you can."
The Roc stretched its big wings nearby, arching its back and yawning with a beak that could swallow one of them whole. An Aarakocra sitting atop the thing on massive, bizarrely built saddle, leaned way forward and patted the feathers of the great beast's neck before saying something low and even. She then gave Atreyu a knowing glance.
"Right. It looks like it's time for you all to go." He says pointing to a door in a odd wooden compartment underneath the big bird. "A bid you all good luck. Keep the AURYN near, as the AURYN will be near to you."
They spent the first couple of days gliding down from the lofty elevations of Skyloft to the northern most coasts of the Gerudo Desert before the bird was finally able to land and allow all of them a chance to emerge from the compartment and stretch their legs and actually sleep on solid ground while it rested itself. Then it took roughly two more days to cross the desert. They found the massive footprints left by the Tarrasque the second day, finally intercepting its path across the desert.
They caught up with it on the evening of the second day. Evening, they had learned, was a loose term; the light didn't really change. It simply denoted the latter portion of the 'day', before the sun (sun? Suns?) would dip below the horizon and night, what was really just a darker part of the day, would fall. They found the monster lumbering ahead, roaring, its deep calls piercing the darkness of the world like thunder.
It was already on the northern outskirts of Argos by the time the Roc was close enough that they could make out the shape of the spiked monstrosity, with the Tarrasque starting to carve a path into the Blackridge community. Between the thing's roars there were bells, so many bells ringing all over the city, but no screams that would indicate the en masse flight of civilians. Just bells and quiet; the sound of a well formed military action unfolding.
There were no lights in Argos either; just the burned orange light of the sun glancing off the buildings. Purple light illuminated things only a few miles ahead of them as the Tarrasque fired some sort of purple beam weapon into the city...
And then, a few miles further away, near the coast, a shimmering of blue light...
Malenia folds her arms and patiently taps her foot, while stealing glances towards the distant mountain range are her home. "I think it's best we keep out distance for this, Something that size. If we attempted to engage, It would be like throwing a pebble against a steel wall." She squints against the shimmering blue light.
"Last time we were here, We faced a beast beyond us. This time is no different." She locks eyes with Stasoyla and Cinder, With the three of them being the only remaining members of the Answer who were present for the Krakens attack on Argos. "Huh.....Havent thought about Ventris and Pag in a while....I wonder where they are now." He voice trails off as she reminices on the temporary allies they had when they had all first met within Argos.
Judal peered out and tried to comprehend exactly what he was seeing but it was so foreign to him that it was difficult. Just being so high up and looking down at buildings and mountains was new to him, how small it made everything look was almost dizzying. Add to that the sight of the Tarrasque and he was rethinking his life choices which brought him here... Still, here he was.
"Well our task was to ensure it dies, not to kill it ourself. Getting up in it's face does seem unwise but perhaps once the battle between the two is engaged we could get close enough to take some potshots?" Judal asked. "If we could get within 100 feet or so I could at least perhaps sting it a bit..."
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Stasolya stands off near the hospital tent after Ereni wanders off, a far off look in her eye and the AURYN grasped in one hand. "Atreyu?" She seems to be talking to someone who isn't there.
Finally she turns back to rejoin her colleagues. "We may not have long to wait."
"So you have an AURYN," Lelith stated as she looked at the Centaur. "I suppose that makes things easier. Though I do not remember seeing any of you at the Ivory Tower. What is your affiliation?"
Thea, carefully listening and watching this exchange flinches at the word ‘mutt’ and takes a step back from Lelith in surprise. She doesn’t know what else to do for planning- she will go along with the group. Her eyes do drift over to the other sick people and looks at them with sad, compassionate eyes. “Isn’t there something to be done for them? Won’t Stasolya’s spell help them?”, she says quietly to herself. Then glancing at Skot, she whispers, “I’m not sure why she thought I was different. Maybe chasing after a princess will help me to understand why…I -“ she cuts off as more planning talk is happening- this time concerning the mysterious Atreyu and the mythical Auryn. She clears her head of doubting talk and goes back to listening and tending to those in the camp as best she can.
The world begins to shimmer. There's a moment where Andromeda's Answer can hear words around them, mumbled words that sound like an incantation of sorts. The world, the oak forests of Hylia, begins to fade away, disappear from reality, and then, for the briefest moment, they are awash in darkness. Darkness so thick and black they cannot see each other. Darkness that swallows sounds and voices. Darkness that engulfs and drags, drags and drags, until emerald light begins to break the barriers.
Darkness that makes Ereni feel at home, wraps her in its cold embrace...
Then they're somewhere else. Them, their equipment, their mounts; and there, before them, is a Luck Dragon, and next to the Luck Dragon is the man some of them remember from their original encounter at Argos...
Atreyu, the AURYN Medallion still in his hands as he stands at the top of the steps of the Hall of Celestials, the Owlin Elders behind him, Gandalf the Gray amongst the crowd of the other AURYN summoned standing in the courtyard before them...
Please proceed to posting here-
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DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
Stasolya, looking at Lelith, grasps the AURYN around her neck, but before she has time to reply, the shimmer and the darkness fades around them all...
Thea only has eyes for the luck dragon….she tries desperately to keep in focus…even Skot tries to be the adult here and keep her on track. But wow! Luck dragons? She wasn’t even sure they existed! Much like unicorns…it always felt like myth or a distant memory more than anything truly real. What an amazing world this is indeed!
Malenia, an Eladrin herself did not agree with Lelith's harsh words. In fact in the short time she had known Ereni, The two had found common ground and kindled the beginnings of a friendship. Albeit this may be a side effect from her self imposed solitude before their meeting, Perhaps this is how the Eldrin truly saw those who were considered Half breeds. If so, she was thankful for stealing herself away from her kind.
Malenia watches the quiet words exchanged between Stasoyla and Ereni, a benefit to the decades of solitude in which she had imposed upon herself. Watching the lips of other from afar and understanding what is being said.
Immediately the mechanism concealed within her Prosthesis whirred to life, ejecting her hilt into her open palm at the sight that was now before them. The long amber blade of focused light hums lowly, while she does indeed recognize the man from Argos. It does little to soothe the surprise appearence of such a creature.
Malenia - [Monk - Way of the Jedi] - Auryn: Princess of Destiny
I thought this song may be fitting...
https://youtu.be/3kmL0p5D24o
AURYN
Princess of Destiny
Part II
How...
...how did it come to this?
The world had fallen into twilight.
The return from Hagsgate, from the combined efforts of the AURYN Heroes to gain a better foothold in the battle for Hyboria, had passed nearly a week ago. In that time the heroes had returned to Skyloft with the refugees of Hagsgate and had tried to make sense of everything that had changed. They had watched all week as the Three Brothers, now eclipsed as one dark orange celestial entity, no longer trekked across the sky; instead, they seemed to circle around the rim of the world like a marble in a bowl. They dipped below one horizon to create a normal night, and the rest of the day they came up over the horizon and crawled along the edge of the world, leaving the sky dark enough to display the moons and stars brightly overhead, and just enough light to bathe the world in reds and violets.
The refugees from Hagsgate were camping in the courtyard of the Hall of the Celestials, lining up three times a day for meals the Elders were graciously able to provide while they sought for them a new way of life on Celestia. King Lir, crushed by the weight of his guilt and grief and his role in all this, had done what he could to help, but had denounced his title; with no kingdom, no realm, and great shame, he said, there was no reason for him to hold such a high title.
With all these developments came another that was, without a doubt, very distressing; Gandalf reported that his magic...and the magic of the Elders of Skyloft...seemed to be fading. While it none of the heroes had been effected yet, Gandalf's power had begun to go near the end of the Battle of Hagsgate, and the Elders were losing the magical abilities quickly.
Master Piccolo had been storming around the Hall of the Celestials for days being vocally upset about it.
They were fortunate enough to be blessed with a week of training, rest, and resupply before Atreyu had mustered them all for redeployment.
They found Atreyu, Gandalf, Lir, Falkor, and Man at Arms assembled in the broad courtyard as the Eclipse came up over the horizon, with a veritable squadron of Death Hawks and three Rocs waiting for them. Atreyu greeted everyone as jovially as possible, directing what had previously been four teams back into three, and slowly he separated them out into their groups and got them ready for departure.
"The Roc will take you to King's Landing." Atreyu said as he walked past the enormous bird, letting his hand slide along feathers like sails as he went. "We're still tracking the Tarrasque through the Gerudo Desert. As predicted, it's heading straight toward Argos. You should be passing Argos as it is intercepted by Godzilla. I would ask that you confirm its destruction. We're trying to convince King Kephes to evacuate, but they've been through a lot lately and he's resisting. A second giant monster attack in a month...seems downright cruel, but I don't pretend to know the will of the fates.
I would ask you to ensure the creature's death, but I understand you've already seen Argos pummeled once, so if you bypass, I understand. I can ask another band.
You'll be on to King's Landing from there, and then the Roc will leave you. The failing magic is making it hard to confirm the state of the city. It would be good to know if the city is still surviving. There were theories that King Hyrule may have escaped to the city but...it seems you all met a soldier that confirmed he was dead. A shame.
While you're there, I'll ask you to see if you can make contact with a ship that should be docked there. The Scorpion. The captain is Alwyne Saewulf. He brought the Twilight Embers to Zora's Domain and promised to pick them up at King's Landing but...things have quickly changed since then. I'd like to reestablish our relationship with him. Make sure he's still on our side. His vessel could be useful in the future.
You'll have to head south from there and search the Great Grass Sea. They say that the Princess is hiding with the Dothraki now. The horse lords are nomadic, so there's not telling where she is. You'll have to search the whole peninsula. We'll determine what to do with her from there."
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
Judal snapped a quick bow to Atreyu as he concluded his briefing. "If it is in my power to see to it, it will be done," he assures in an earnest and forthright manner. He then turns to the others that seem to be on the team he was foisted upon.
"I am Judal. I have been called the Sladdbarn and the Disappointment, Gauntel of Galladoorn and the Grim Knight of Guilder, Brother and The Forgotten Relation. The truth is I am just a man with some skills and perhaps more determination than is healthy for me. A mentor, Miracle Marv, referred me to Gandalf as he knew I sought after the Fleeing Prince of Floren and word of my sister Sorsha. The journey has been long and... Well, quite frankly a bit weird at times... But Gandalf assures me he will alert me once he has words of either of those I seek. In the meantime I aim to be of some use. Gandalf believes I can be of use on this task. As such I am yours, if you will have me," Judal speechifies to the companions he has just met.
Judal is of a size and build of a typical human knight but perhaps a bit on the smaller size. His features are clasically handsome and perhaps too unweathered to be what one clasically expects of a knight but his words and his intentions ring with truth and honesty. He wears half plate armor which seems lighter and more flexible than most, and definitely well tended to. (Mithral, if one would recognize such.) His clothes otherwise are well tailored and of the best materials one could ask for when not living the comfortable life. He carries a longsword and a shield, as one would expect of a knight, but both glint in a way that seems to indicate these are not a simple knight's tools. He has several daggers located strategically about himself but the one that stands out is strapped to his chest above his heart with the hilt down so it could be easily grabbed by his sword hand but it also looks almost more decorative than like it is wielded... ever. The only rough item about his person is Judal's cloak. It is a dark cloak that appears to have been fastened from the pelt of one or more beasts of some kind. The quick assumption would be a dark wolf or such but if one knows their animals and looks closely they can determine it is more hound but too close of an inspection can give some people a the shivers. Otherwise the cloak has been adorned by a series of nice but unspectacular brooches which circle it from one side of the clasp around to the other...
Perhaps similar but not quite:
----- Return to Skyloft -----
One of the last to arrive in Skyloft through the mirror from Hagsgate, Ereni does not bother to clean the ashes off her face and cloak.
But she does clean Joy, the faithful old dog that Lir had abandoned, giving her a bath, applying ointment concocted from her Herbalism Kit to cure her mange and brushing out her coat until it looks healthy again. Giving her a good drink of clean water. Playing and wrestling with her. Keeping up her own fitness by doing a parkour route around Skyloft, improving her speed, climbing, swimming abilities alongside Joy. Almost smiling.
I must find some good meat and roughage for the poor old mutt to eat. Ereni finds herself half uncertain whether she means the dog or herself.
"King Haggard was the lucky one," she mumbles to Joy. "No more worries about bulls or unicorns or skeletons, or a sky that looks worse than a poorly lit latrine pit. Carefree as a bird now, that king. A bird with three arrows through the throat, true, but lucky nonetheless to be so carefree."
Speaking of shooting King Haggard full of arrows... Ereni is somewhat shocked at the lack of substantive discipline handed out for her too-quick trigger-finger when Ward and Lady Kaede had provoked the King and Ereni had reacted, ending the monarch's life. Will they call me the Kingslayer now? Not a compliment, I think, though better than Kinslayer. Dead and gone all the same, my kin and the King.
Bemused, Ereni accepts the Longbow, +3 from Gandalf after the stern talk. Doesn't really discourage me from shooting early now, does it?
She approaches the rest of Andromeda's Answer over the course of the week. She introduces them to Joy, now her steadfast canine companion wherever she goes. A wink for Cinder, a hug for Thea, a bow for Stasolya. She listens to their stories and tersely tells her own.
And a tentative, tremulous smile for Malenia. Solemnly, shouldering her new Longbow, +3, Ereni offers her Eladrin friend the Longbow, +1 that had once belonged to Ereni's archer mother along with a quiver of 20 Arrows, +1. "I... I thought you could use it in case you find yourself out of range for your preferred weapon. I can show you how to relax into your shot as you line it up. Just as our sparring has helped me shake off my rust in melee. I... I was hoping we could take up the sparring where we left off?" Ereni looks at Malenia with a hopeful expression, at odds with her usually downcast face.
----- Fresh Mission, Fresh Blood -----
Ereni slouches impassively as she listens to Atreyu speak of the Tarrasque and Godzilla, of waning magic, waiting ships and wandering horse lords.
She shrugs. If she recalls anything from her final months with the Ivory Infantry, it is the telltale signs of commanders losing their way, clutching at straws, trying desperately to control a situation which is by nature uncontrollable. At least maybe no army of undead or fiery inferno like Hagsgate.
As Judal introduces himself, Ereni nods placidly, accepting him to their ragtag group. "I'm Ereni. Anyone called 'The Disappointment' is all right in my book. If I had a book," she drawls. "My condolences on being assigned to... whatever this job is. Not to worry, though. We stick together in The Answer. No leaving you to rot. So the good news is that if we die, it'll likely be quicker than 'Take the Under' Talman would sprint. Old Talman back in the Infantry who borrowed from us all and gambled it away. Never did see anyone scamper as fast as Talman when he owed you and saw you coming..."
Ereni trails off as if she has forgotten why she began speaking. In fact, she has just remembered that she herself owes the other existing members of Andromeda's Answer 150gp each, and still has nothing to pay them back with (though she knows none of them would ever demand it).
Ereni is a lanky wood half-elven archer with dirty blond hair, a damaged soul, green eyes, green leathers and a tendency to fade into the darkness...
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
While within Skyloft:
Malenia, Steping through the mirror after a series of battles. Wearing a few new scars and feeling weary from her fights. Does not stay long in the area, Instead the Eladrin finds a quiet place filled with foliage to take a few moments to truly think over exactly what has occured in the short amount of time since the Answer had disbanded. Crossing her legs and removing her posthetic arm, laying it beside her. She thinks on her first experience with flight over a great crater, the deafening roar of the Tarrasque. The betrayal of Slade. Unconciously she rubs her afflicted shoulder, examining her flesh and grimacing at the spread of her disease.
Then of Gandalfs urgency, The battle with the Sith Lord and witnessing the fall of Thea. The power Vader wielded as he tossed Malenia aside, forcing the arrival of new companions to best the Sith. Her brow furrowed, she was too weak to even protect herself. Let alone her companions.
Finally and most recently, her place in the frontline as the so called Heroes faced down a skeletal army. Of her temporary companionship with the one called Adam, he was a skilled warrior and a worthy companion.
Of course of the week, Not only does she learn exactly how to wield two weapons efficiently enough to wield a pair of lightsabers but thanks to the gift bestowed by Gandalf, a valuable skill to prevent an enemy from moving on her allies. Of course she does acknowledge the rest of the Answer.
Giving Cinder and Staoyla a firm handshake, expressing her gratefullness that they are both still alive. Embracing Thea and thanking her for saving her life.
Lastly, She hesitantly accepts the gift bestowed to her by her Half elven friend, Ereni. Albeit with a hint of trepidation, while expressing the honor she felt that Ereni would entrust her mothers weapon to her. She was concerned that the weapon would would be better used by another, yet vows to keep it safe until Ereni has need of it again. "O-Of course! Im honored that you would lend me it and I would gladly take you up on that offer, I've missed our sparring sessions as of late."
Back in the present:
Malenia provides the newcomer with a welcoming nod of approval, stepping beside Ereni to great him. "As Ereni has already expressed, We of the Answer are glad for your companionship, and I am more than grateful to have another stand on the frontline with me." She examines the weapons of the new member of Andromeda's answer. "Although I have to ask, do you prefer Sword and Shield over your daggers?"
Malenia Grunts at the mention of the Tarrasuqe, having witnessed the moving mountain firsthand she was in no rush to encounter it once more. Yet she understood the gravity of ensuring the creatures the demise at the claws of Godzilla, another moving mountain. This world was proving to be far larger than the quiet corner she had spent most of life in, The Haligtree. Perhaps they would venture close enough to its location for her to check on it.
All the while, in the back of her mind. The image of Vader lingered, of the sheer power the Sith wielded. Could she hope to acquire that much power if......
Malenia - [Monk - Way of the Jedi] - Auryn: Princess of Destiny
While within Skyloft:
Stasolya, shaking the ashes of the burning village from her mane, tail, and plaid, clattered around Skyloft helping calm the refugees. Haunted eyes and looks of terror stood frozen on the faces of many of the Hagsgate refugees, and Stasolya would find these, take out her lute, and sing and play softly to them.
"Twisting, burning, all is ending
Left alone with no one sending
Help enough to stop the terror
Who am I? You? AURYN bearer?
Nothing could you do for us
Lost and burned and nothing left
Though here we are in halls so quiet
Inside, the fires burn and riot
I'll find my peace again one day
After sorrow's storm assay
Inside my tears and emptiness
A new seed waits in readiness."
While hearing news and greeting her old companions of the Answer, Stasolya seems pensive and quiet. She often stands out over the balconies, watching the dark, horizon-muddied sky. Vader is dead. But so is the unicorn. The red bull is dead. But so is the royal line of Hagsgate. In our destruction of our enemies, have we come too close to the mechanisms of the agents of Chaos?
In the present:
Stasolya nods to her companions, including the new knight. "Welcome to the Answer... may you find your purpose in Hyboria's service, then."
The centaur then bows to Atreyu in acknowledgement of their mission. "I would be pleased to see Argos again, as it was where we first met you, and were set upon this path to fight for Hyboria. If there is naught we can do for the city, loath would I still be to turn my eyes from the misfortune of others, since none of us will escape sharing it in this fight." And a light smile touches her lips. "Oh, the old lore keepers of my tribe would have longed to see the great Apex battle the Tarrasque. He fights for all of us and for Hyboria." The smile grows a little more at mention of the Great Grass Sea. Surely a homelike environment for the nomadic centaur. "If she may be found, the order in the stars will help us find her."
Skyloft:
Upon returning to Skyloft from Hagsgate Cinder is coated in ash, perhaps more so than some of the others due to her proximity to the fires she started in the town. And though still injured, she is in a particularly good mood. She got to set things on fire. And she didn't get yelled at for it either! Well there was the weird tiefling but that didn't count.
During the week in Skyloft she spends a lot of time continuing to hone her magic. Increasing the speed of her reactions, and improving her ability to keep her concentration on her spells, even during a battle. Especially in a battle.
When reunited with the rest of the Answer, she greets them all with her usual high level of energy. She listens to the tales of what had occurred and excitedly tells her own. She tells of the caverns on the way to Godzilla. The Gmork and his undead. How she almost died to poison in that same fight. And of course of Godzilla's awakening. She also tells of Dageron having her set fire to part of the town to make a blockade and of the tiefling that she encountered that was weirdly not okay with fire. She barely tells the part about the fire having a purpose, viewing the actual making of the fire as the most important part of the whole thing.
The Present:
Upon meeting Judal, Cinder greets him her trademark level of enthusiasm and excitement. "Ooh we got a newbie! Hi Newbie! Name's Cinder! I set things on fire!" She doesn't elaborate on her place in the Answer much more than that. Looking at the others she says, "Were gonna watch the monsters fight right? I can't be the only one excited to see a giant monster fight right?" There is a gleam of childlike excitement in her eyes that is almost concerning.
She will turn to Atreyu, "We'll give finding Zelda another shot, I guess. Thanks for not making us go back to that gross forest down though. My plan A for that mess was fire and brimstone."
Breaking from her stupor, Malenia takes a moment to breathe in while looking around at her companions. She felt relief that they had all survived the tasks set to them, That once more the entirety of Andromeda's Answer stood as one, Plus one. With the addition of another member. Stepping back, Her prothesis whirred to life. The concealed mechanism within the construction humming with the soft metallic sounds of gears clicking as two hilts ejected from her newly modified arm.
Grasping both hilts in either hands, she swung them around without igniting her weapons. Now with a much more comfortable grip, Thanks partyly to the Gift bestowed on her by the Wizard. She stepped further back and began to practice, Fighting an invisible opponent. Her movements were graceful and elegant, as if she was performing some sort of deadly dance with a Highly skilled adversary. Both weapons swinging in Unison, while paired with a spinning kick or a high Roundhouse. She was obviously MUCH more comfortable using two weapons at once than she had been during her sparring sessions with Ereni.
With each kick, her foot left behind a soft trail of amber light. Showing that not only had she mastered the ability to use two weapons, but also another aspect of using her own body as a weapon. Spinning on her Heel, she concealed the hilts once more within her Prosthetic arm. Before stopping to face the Answer. "I can punch Ghosts now." Bluntly, without a hint of levity in her voice. "Have any of you picked up new skills?"
Malenia - [Monk - Way of the Jedi] - Auryn: Princess of Destiny
"Yes, I have collected more names than one needs," Judal allows and gives Ereni what he hopes is a self deprecating smile. "I prefer 'Judal' without the flair, but some do enjoy the pageanty."
"I'm sure condolences aren't neccessa..." he starts to respond nefore realizing Ereni was still talking.
"We could get you a book," Judal says, a bit perplexed and confused, yet earnest. He pulls his pack off his back and opens it, starting to dig in while saying "I don't have a spare journal or anything but I do believe I have some blank parchment paper which may be a start..."
"Oh, hello! Yes, indeed... the frontline," Judal answers, standing quickly up from his digging in his pack. "The sword and shield are indeed my forte, so to speak. I have some magics I throw in now and again for added offense or defense when needed... I am no wizard, mind you, but I know a few dirty tricks, as it were. The daggers are mostly for emergency situations. Easier to carry around a multitude of small blades than swords, no?"
"If I may... Andromeda's Answer... What is the question?" Judal asks. "Or rather the meaning of the name, as it were. Neither Atreyu nor Gandalf would answer that, just smirked and told me to worry about that later..."
"I'm not exactly sure I have a purpose," Judal replies with some thought. "Or if I do I am not sure I want to find it. But purpose or no, I intend to serve Hyboria as best I can."
Judal tries not to stare but he does listen intently, fascinated by the centaur. He knew such existed, and much more... But his life has been mainly sheltered from much besides a small handful of races.
"Oh!" Judal exclaims automatically to the enthusiasm and offness.
"Umm, deliberately?" he asks, his voice trailing off in wonder.
"It does sound like it would be an awe inspiring thing to see," Judal admitted. "I saw some beasts pitted against one another for sport in Floren once. I can't say I approved of the barbarity for nothing else than entertainment but it was quite the spectacle."
Judal watched this member of the Answer's performance with a bit of a jealous eye. Her skills were impeccable, her movements precise. He knew he would never be quite as skilled. Sure he had other tricks and such to perhaps make up for it but it was still amazing to watch.
"Is that a need that comes up often?" he asks curiously. He knew he was signing up for much more than he could have ever expected when Atreyu and Gandalf told him he would be joining Andromeda's Answer but... Ghost punching? That's a thing?
And just why was he joining this particular team, he wondered. He had seen that there were others. They all seemed much more... Much more than he was used to. But as he looked from one of the Answers to another to another it was impossible to not notice they were all women... He swallowed audibly with the noticing and hoped he'd be able to keep up - His own sister was a far superior warrior than himself. Not that he'd had a chance to see for himself in almost a lifetime...
"Umm... wait a minute? Did he say he wanted us to ensure the monster's death?" Judal suddenly asked out of left field. "Which monster? And if the other couldn't kill it how are we...." Judal paused and then sighed. Ok, ok... Things are going to be very different from here on out, it seems. He took a moment to steel himself and put a smile back on his face. "No worries. We'll find a way!"
Yeah... Sure we will...
"We are the Answer, to whatever question we choose. Be it a Krakens assault on a port town or a Politicians corrupt grip on a small village. If there is a question as to Who or What will stand when other's turn a Blind eye. We are the Answer."
Malenia takes note of the newcomers strange glances to her companions, Of course she had not yet realized precisely what this Judal was thinking. However she did follow his eyeline as he cautiously examined each member of the Answer.
"It hasnt arisen as of yet, But strangely. I am looking forward to when it does." Her prothetic hand clenches and relaxes as she ponder just what it would feel like to punch something with no physical form.
Malenia - [Monk - Way of the Jedi] - Auryn: Princess of Destiny
"We were in Argos when the Princess Andromeda was taken by the Kraken," Stasolya says. "Atreyu was there, and his commissioning of us was our answer to the attack on the Princess. Our band was formed in response to this terrible event and what it foretold of the war and the darkness that now shakes Hyboria in its furious grasp. That is why we are called Andromeda's Answer. Some have left our band since, and some have joined, but we stand, as Malenia says, in Answer to the atrocities that chaos has wrought."
Stasolya takes out her lute, and sings and plays a much softer and slower rendition than the song she originally sang of the fateful event, though the words are the same.
"The highest wave you've ever seen
Drew back from scuttled shore
Fish beached and gasped and struggled vain
As darkly screamed the storm
A tidal wave! A mountain!
But it did not stop at shore!
A thousand slimy arms and fins
Struck the town and roared…
Bring me the Princess Andromeda!
The squall and gale screamed.
The sky and sea wept bitter tears
And chaos won, it seemed.
The Princess stood alone and tall
To face the stormy sea.
Behind her Argos in the squall,
She went for you, she went for me…"
It wouldn't be quite accurate to say Joy looked resplendent after a decent bath and ointment for the mange, but the old dog certainly did look better. She actually had started to look happy, something that she certainly hadn't been during the whole fiasco at Hagsgate. She now followed Ereni like a loyal and obedient servant, never too far from her new friend's heel.
And her tail was actually wagging...
"The corruption." Atreyu whispers in reply to Cinder. "Burning it is probably your best course of action. When you find it, anyway. But the world is changing. I think the spread will be further and more complete than we would have previously estimated. But please. Burn as much as you can."
The Roc stretched its big wings nearby, arching its back and yawning with a beak that could swallow one of them whole. An Aarakocra sitting atop the thing on massive, bizarrely built saddle, leaned way forward and patted the feathers of the great beast's neck before saying something low and even. She then gave Atreyu a knowing glance.
"Right. It looks like it's time for you all to go." He says pointing to a door in a odd wooden compartment underneath the big bird. "A bid you all good luck. Keep the AURYN near, as the AURYN will be near to you."
They spent the first couple of days gliding down from the lofty elevations of Skyloft to the northern most coasts of the Gerudo Desert before the bird was finally able to land and allow all of them a chance to emerge from the compartment and stretch their legs and actually sleep on solid ground while it rested itself. Then it took roughly two more days to cross the desert. They found the massive footprints left by the Tarrasque the second day, finally intercepting its path across the desert.
They caught up with it on the evening of the second day. Evening, they had learned, was a loose term; the light didn't really change. It simply denoted the latter portion of the 'day', before the sun (sun? Suns?) would dip below the horizon and night, what was really just a darker part of the day, would fall. They found the monster lumbering ahead, roaring, its deep calls piercing the darkness of the world like thunder.
https://youtu.be/EvNpRhcWL0g
It was already on the northern outskirts of Argos by the time the Roc was close enough that they could make out the shape of the spiked monstrosity, with the Tarrasque starting to carve a path into the Blackridge community. Between the thing's roars there were bells, so many bells ringing all over the city, but no screams that would indicate the en masse flight of civilians. Just bells and quiet; the sound of a well formed military action unfolding.
There were no lights in Argos either; just the burned orange light of the sun glancing off the buildings. Purple light illuminated things only a few miles ahead of them as the Tarrasque fired some sort of purple beam weapon into the city...
And then, a few miles further away, near the coast, a shimmering of blue light...
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
Malenia folds her arms and patiently taps her foot, while stealing glances towards the distant mountain range are her home. "I think it's best we keep out distance for this, Something that size. If we attempted to engage, It would be like throwing a pebble against a steel wall." She squints against the shimmering blue light.
"Last time we were here, We faced a beast beyond us. This time is no different." She locks eyes with Stasoyla and Cinder, With the three of them being the only remaining members of the Answer who were present for the Krakens attack on Argos. "Huh.....Havent thought about Ventris and Pag in a while....I wonder where they are now." He voice trails off as she reminices on the temporary allies they had when they had all first met within Argos.
"Let them Fight."
Malenia - [Monk - Way of the Jedi] - Auryn: Princess of Destiny
Judal peered out and tried to comprehend exactly what he was seeing but it was so foreign to him that it was difficult. Just being so high up and looking down at buildings and mountains was new to him, how small it made everything look was almost dizzying. Add to that the sight of the Tarrasque and he was rethinking his life choices which brought him here... Still, here he was.
"Well our task was to ensure it dies, not to kill it ourself. Getting up in it's face does seem unwise but perhaps once the battle between the two is engaged we could get close enough to take some potshots?" Judal asked. "If we could get within 100 feet or so I could at least perhaps sting it a bit..."