The locked door dashed the hope that had been building in Sable, and she groaned in frustration, kicking at the base of the wall.
"Things like this don't just happen," she mumbled. "There's a reason for this; we just don't know what the hell it is!"
Then the howl came. She whipped her head around in unison with Raphael's, foolish as that was; they ought, now that there was no way into the building, to run. It was not as though they would be much help to the fighter, her with only a dagger and him weaponless. Neverheless, she turned.
The fighter swung, but the wolf-beast, in an unprecedented act of intelligence, had feinted (what was this thing?), and he leaped forward under the arc of the fighter's sword.
Sable's breath caught in her throat as the beast collided with the man, crushing their defender in an instant. And then...
Bile rose in her throat, and she swallowed it, her gaze transfixed on the sight of the monster annihilating the corpse. For all she could see was a winged beast, tearing her sister apart...
That was ridiculous, of course. She had never seen her sister die. The beast had carried her off, that was all. And yet...
She stumbled backwards, wrapping her hand around Raphael's wrist and tugging on it, knowing they had to run. But she couldn't move. She couldn't move, and she couldn't look away, and if she had to watch any longer she would vomit what little nourishment was left in her.
An Opportunity, A Manipulation, and a Terror
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Raphael Quinn
- Outsider
- Posts: 44
- Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 7:02 pm
- Race: Human
Raphael was a fairly self-confident person. He had made it his whole life on his own steam, playing and beating the odds and the long shots and either coming out on top or being sly enough to get away without suffering the consequences.
But his blood froze and his heart stopped at the sheer violence and savage carnage this monster displayed. He felt sick, knowing he had asked this stranger for help. It was more real and more horrifying than anything he had ever witnessed before in his life. There was so much blood, all over the stones. In the split-second that he watched, he could hear muscles and flesh ripping and bones crunching meatily. The monster's maw and mane were smeared bright red, steam pouring from the corpse into the cool night air.
Sable's pleading tugging pulled him from his shock. It somehow reminded him that they had to stay alive. Abruptly and vividly he saw in his mind's eye Sable devoured like this, her lifeless body torn to shreds.
And he spun, grabbing her hand with his his, and sprinted. He was hurting and the stride was a bit hobbled, but he ran like a man possessed. There was nothing worse in the wide world at that moment than be devoured alive by that monster- than to see Sable torn open by that beast. Nothing could be more horrifying.
He would not let it happen. He would not let it get them.
"We're going to make it. We're going to live." he murmured the words aloud, to hear himself say it, to make himself believe it. He had to believe it.
Gripping Sable's hand tighter, he ran toward the end of the block, fighting the sick feeling his stomach at the image still plastered across his mind of the man being torn open and devoured.
But his blood froze and his heart stopped at the sheer violence and savage carnage this monster displayed. He felt sick, knowing he had asked this stranger for help. It was more real and more horrifying than anything he had ever witnessed before in his life. There was so much blood, all over the stones. In the split-second that he watched, he could hear muscles and flesh ripping and bones crunching meatily. The monster's maw and mane were smeared bright red, steam pouring from the corpse into the cool night air.
Sable's pleading tugging pulled him from his shock. It somehow reminded him that they had to stay alive. Abruptly and vividly he saw in his mind's eye Sable devoured like this, her lifeless body torn to shreds.
And he spun, grabbing her hand with his his, and sprinted. He was hurting and the stride was a bit hobbled, but he ran like a man possessed. There was nothing worse in the wide world at that moment than be devoured alive by that monster- than to see Sable torn open by that beast. Nothing could be more horrifying.
He would not let it happen. He would not let it get them.
"We're going to make it. We're going to live." he murmured the words aloud, to hear himself say it, to make himself believe it. He had to believe it.
Gripping Sable's hand tighter, he ran toward the end of the block, fighting the sick feeling his stomach at the image still plastered across his mind of the man being torn open and devoured.
Life is just a mind game.
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Sable Corvi
- Outsider
- Posts: 42
- Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 4:53 am
- Race: Human
She stumbled after him again, reeling with the suddenness of the acceleration. She wasn't sure what had spurred him to action so abruptly, but she was glad to be putting distance between the beast and themselves, though she doubted it would last long.
"We're going to make it. We're going to live."
She looked over at him, squeezing his hand in response to his tightened grasp. "Of course," she gasped, her lungs heaving in search of an adequate breath. She just hoped the beast wouldn't turn them into liars. As much as they were determined to make it out of this alive, their situation was undeniably desperate.
She shouldn't have been thinking that way. She should have focused on the goal rather than the possibility of failure...of death...but it was hard, with the gory image of the monster (winged or otherwise) shredding the corpse of (the fighter? Or of Clare?) lingering in her mind, haunting her both with its gruesomeness and with the unsettling way her mind blurred its reality with the uncertain memory of her last day as an acceptable human being.
"Of course we'll make it," she repeated, more to herself than to Raphael, her mind on the silent pledge she had made to herself earlier that night: that nothing could happen to Raphael. And it wouldn't, even she had to throw herself into the beast's jaws to ensure his safety.
Such things, of course, are easier said than done.
"We're going to make it. We're going to live."
She looked over at him, squeezing his hand in response to his tightened grasp. "Of course," she gasped, her lungs heaving in search of an adequate breath. She just hoped the beast wouldn't turn them into liars. As much as they were determined to make it out of this alive, their situation was undeniably desperate.
She shouldn't have been thinking that way. She should have focused on the goal rather than the possibility of failure...of death...but it was hard, with the gory image of the monster (winged or otherwise) shredding the corpse of (the fighter? Or of Clare?) lingering in her mind, haunting her both with its gruesomeness and with the unsettling way her mind blurred its reality with the uncertain memory of her last day as an acceptable human being.
"Of course we'll make it," she repeated, more to herself than to Raphael, her mind on the silent pledge she had made to herself earlier that night: that nothing could happen to Raphael. And it wouldn't, even she had to throw herself into the beast's jaws to ensure his safety.
Such things, of course, are easier said than done.
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Raphael Quinn
- Outsider
- Posts: 44
- Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 7:02 pm
- Race: Human
Her affirmation gave him confidence. It gave him drive.
When they cleared the corner of the Fighter's Guild, the buildings abruptly dropped away. Before them stretched an untended field of some kind, with tall grass and weeds, waist high. It was eerily odd, because Raphael knew they were still within the city- and yet, this was an empty lot, several hundred yards across.
But to the northwest, peering through the dark, he saw a short wall running nearly the width of the lot, and beyond it piles and piles of indiscernible objects, looming in the darkness like slumbering giants.
Raphael skidded to a stop at the edge of the lot, stilling clutching Sable's hand, his breath coming raggedly as he glanced around for another option. Further down this street there were some buildings, but if their doors were locked they'd be trapping themselves, losing time. And further flight down the streets would be, he was absolutely confident, suicide. He had seen the beast's speed. They both had.
He looked at Sable, pausing. Where could he lead them that would be safe? Where could they go that the creature wouldn't follow and smash through whatever doors they locked?
"I don't think we're going to find help, Sable." his face was haggard, tense from the pain of his injuries, but his eyes were focused and did not waver as he spoke the conclusion as it came to him-
"We're going to have to kill it. Ourselves."
Raphael glanced toward the northwest again. Something drew him- maybe the sight of the wall and the inherent idea of a wall being defensible, or the wide open space between the wall and the beast so they could see it coming. Whatever it was, instinct pushed him.
"Come on."
And he gathered himself and ran off across the deserted lot, pulling Sable with him. The tall grass swished and swirled around them as they ran breathless toward the short wall, the giant piles still undiscernible in the gloom.
Further north, drifting through the Industrial District, a bank of fog began to roll down from the river Ofriyu Mar.
When they cleared the corner of the Fighter's Guild, the buildings abruptly dropped away. Before them stretched an untended field of some kind, with tall grass and weeds, waist high. It was eerily odd, because Raphael knew they were still within the city- and yet, this was an empty lot, several hundred yards across.
But to the northwest, peering through the dark, he saw a short wall running nearly the width of the lot, and beyond it piles and piles of indiscernible objects, looming in the darkness like slumbering giants.
Raphael skidded to a stop at the edge of the lot, stilling clutching Sable's hand, his breath coming raggedly as he glanced around for another option. Further down this street there were some buildings, but if their doors were locked they'd be trapping themselves, losing time. And further flight down the streets would be, he was absolutely confident, suicide. He had seen the beast's speed. They both had.
He looked at Sable, pausing. Where could he lead them that would be safe? Where could they go that the creature wouldn't follow and smash through whatever doors they locked?
"I don't think we're going to find help, Sable." his face was haggard, tense from the pain of his injuries, but his eyes were focused and did not waver as he spoke the conclusion as it came to him-
"We're going to have to kill it. Ourselves."
Raphael glanced toward the northwest again. Something drew him- maybe the sight of the wall and the inherent idea of a wall being defensible, or the wide open space between the wall and the beast so they could see it coming. Whatever it was, instinct pushed him.
"Come on."
And he gathered himself and ran off across the deserted lot, pulling Sable with him. The tall grass swished and swirled around them as they ran breathless toward the short wall, the giant piles still undiscernible in the gloom.
Further north, drifting through the Industrial District, a bank of fog began to roll down from the river Ofriyu Mar.
Life is just a mind game.
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Sable Corvi
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- Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 4:53 am
- Race: Human
"I don't think we're going to find help, Sable."
Was he giving up? She scowled; that didn't seem like him. It was true, of course. It was the middle of the night, not exactly the best time for rallying support from anyone other than stumbling drunkards, and she had seen as well as he had the carnage which the monster had made of the man she'd thought would save them. But did that mean things were hopeless?
"We're going to have to kill it. Ourselves."
Kill it. Themselves. "How?" she muttered. She very much doubted that the monster would quiver at the sight of her dagger, and Raphael no longer had his sword.
She had, however, trusted Raphael so far, and this didn't seem the time to stop. He was right; the beast didn't seem inclined to give up its chase, and they would most likely tire before it did. The only way they could come out of this alive was if they stopped trying solely to lose the beast and started taking some offensive.
She squeezed his hand as they took off running, as if to tell him that she did trust him, wild as the situation was. Whatever it was they were running toward, she just hoped it would offer them some way to slaughter the wolf-beast, or at least some form of refuge. For beyond that, they seemed to be out of options.
This was madness.
Was he giving up? She scowled; that didn't seem like him. It was true, of course. It was the middle of the night, not exactly the best time for rallying support from anyone other than stumbling drunkards, and she had seen as well as he had the carnage which the monster had made of the man she'd thought would save them. But did that mean things were hopeless?
"We're going to have to kill it. Ourselves."
Kill it. Themselves. "How?" she muttered. She very much doubted that the monster would quiver at the sight of her dagger, and Raphael no longer had his sword.
She had, however, trusted Raphael so far, and this didn't seem the time to stop. He was right; the beast didn't seem inclined to give up its chase, and they would most likely tire before it did. The only way they could come out of this alive was if they stopped trying solely to lose the beast and started taking some offensive.
She squeezed his hand as they took off running, as if to tell him that she did trust him, wild as the situation was. Whatever it was they were running toward, she just hoped it would offer them some way to slaughter the wolf-beast, or at least some form of refuge. For beyond that, they seemed to be out of options.
This was madness.
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Raphael Quinn
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- Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 7:02 pm
- Race: Human
Something feral inside of Raphael seemed to be awakening. Something primitive and instinctual stirred inside of him as they ran through the grass, rasping against them as it hissed in the night breeze. He felt the aches and pains in his body and the now cold blood smeared across one side of his face from the gash on his head. The sight of a man ripped open was not as horrifying to him now as it had been moments ago, as this foreign view came over him.
And as he and Sable reached the waist-high stone wall and began to climb over it, it was like he was an ancient tribesman, on the run from a predator with his mate, her pressure on his hand her assurance of his ability. His will to survive and overcome was guiding him now, was pumping adrenaline and focus through his blood, converting his fear into fuel.
"How?"
The question did not even give him pause as he helped her across the wall. "How" was an abstraction, an over-complication of a simple process. They would kill it. They had to.
"Anyway that we can." he answered in a quiet voice, looking in her eyes. Beautiful, feminine eyes that held pain, fear, but also survival and drive as strong as his own. They were survivors, both of them, and they would find a way to stay alive this night.
In this entire ordeal, he realized, they were both vulnerable. Their raw emotional sides that even they themselves rarely ever saw had been utterly exposed and visible this entire time, revealing more of themselves than they had ever meant to show. How afraid they were of dying. Of falling. Of anything that expressed power greater than themselves over their lives.
And she was beautiful to him, in her strength, but even more so in her vulnerability.
"Sable..." and he stopped, still looking at her- taking a moment of purely senseless pause that their circumstance did not broker.
He smiled a little. "Come on." And he turned into the approaching fog.
And as he and Sable reached the waist-high stone wall and began to climb over it, it was like he was an ancient tribesman, on the run from a predator with his mate, her pressure on his hand her assurance of his ability. His will to survive and overcome was guiding him now, was pumping adrenaline and focus through his blood, converting his fear into fuel.
"How?"
The question did not even give him pause as he helped her across the wall. "How" was an abstraction, an over-complication of a simple process. They would kill it. They had to.
"Anyway that we can." he answered in a quiet voice, looking in her eyes. Beautiful, feminine eyes that held pain, fear, but also survival and drive as strong as his own. They were survivors, both of them, and they would find a way to stay alive this night.
In this entire ordeal, he realized, they were both vulnerable. Their raw emotional sides that even they themselves rarely ever saw had been utterly exposed and visible this entire time, revealing more of themselves than they had ever meant to show. How afraid they were of dying. Of falling. Of anything that expressed power greater than themselves over their lives.
And she was beautiful to him, in her strength, but even more so in her vulnerability.
"Sable..." and he stopped, still looking at her- taking a moment of purely senseless pause that their circumstance did not broker.
He smiled a little. "Come on." And he turned into the approaching fog.
Life is just a mind game.
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Sable Corvi
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- Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 4:53 am
- Race: Human
She didn't, couldn't understand why he was smiling, how he could do so when they were in such danger. Not that she minded; it was heartening, somehow, to see him, his face caked with blood, doubtlessly weary...smiling. At her.
And so she returned the smile before turning with him, peering into the fog as if something there could help them, as if all they needed was to find the one thing, hidden in the mist, that could save them from the beast which pursued them.
She was surprised, perplexed, by the sight which met her. Piles of metal...things...towered before them, bits glinting gently in the moonlight. There were shapes within the piles, but none that she could make out; things that had once had form, but were now flung limply across other broken masses.
From the piles spread trails of splintered, silvery parts, broken off from a once-larger...something. She glanced down, watching her step; those edges looked as though they could slice.
"What is this?" she asked aloud, looking around. And how could it help them?
Movement. She jumped slightly, squinting her eyes at a pile to their right. "Did you see that?" she whispered. A shadow, a small one, flitting from one stack to another...
A soft clatter echoed through the space, and objects toppled from a nearby pile, falling to the ground and rolling in various directions as a short, strange creature darted across their path. It had a vaguely human shape, she thought, but was much squatter, its proportions slightly off; it shot them an exceedingly suspicious look before disappearing behind a heap.
The thing hadn't seemed dangerous, but there was no telling; still, it couldn't be more threatening than the beast which pursued them. Taking a few steps deeper into the odd place, she asked, "What now?"
And so she returned the smile before turning with him, peering into the fog as if something there could help them, as if all they needed was to find the one thing, hidden in the mist, that could save them from the beast which pursued them.
She was surprised, perplexed, by the sight which met her. Piles of metal...things...towered before them, bits glinting gently in the moonlight. There were shapes within the piles, but none that she could make out; things that had once had form, but were now flung limply across other broken masses.
From the piles spread trails of splintered, silvery parts, broken off from a once-larger...something. She glanced down, watching her step; those edges looked as though they could slice.
"What is this?" she asked aloud, looking around. And how could it help them?
Movement. She jumped slightly, squinting her eyes at a pile to their right. "Did you see that?" she whispered. A shadow, a small one, flitting from one stack to another...
A soft clatter echoed through the space, and objects toppled from a nearby pile, falling to the ground and rolling in various directions as a short, strange creature darted across their path. It had a vaguely human shape, she thought, but was much squatter, its proportions slightly off; it shot them an exceedingly suspicious look before disappearing behind a heap.
The thing hadn't seemed dangerous, but there was no telling; still, it couldn't be more threatening than the beast which pursued them. Taking a few steps deeper into the odd place, she asked, "What now?"
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Raphael Quinn
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- Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 7:02 pm
- Race: Human
When the creature dashed out in the opening, Raphael had recoiled with a quickness of over-stressed nerves. It was too hazy to see well, and perhaps it was just because he was reacting to the general circumstance of that night, but he did not like the look of the little beast. There was something malicious in it, to his eyes.
So when it darted away, Raphael did not feel any relief. To the contrary, not being able to see it now only served to heightened his edge.
"I saw it." He confirmed, his voice grim and strained at once. When Sable took further steps into this... place, he followed, within touching distance of her. The idea of her wandering further from him than that was not one that he was, at that time, even considering. Her nearness was enough to keep him focused on her, so he could ignore his own fears and doubts.
What now, indeed.
"This is... some kind of..." Raphael stooped and picked up a bent and twisted piece of metal, like a mechanical appendage of some sort, "... machine scrapyard?"
That raised plenty of questions. And, he thought, scenarios. He kicked at an empty cylindrical piece as they walked on the winding path between two massive heaps from which protruded innumerable pieces of ruined machinery, like limbs in a pile of battlefield corpses.
He did not like the fog. It muffled sound and reduced their visibility to less than thirty yards. It made him feel more hemmed in, and it made this place see more like a maze than the semi-refuge he had envisioned.
There. Something scurrying, further ahead on the path. It did not allow itself to be fully seen- but Raphael did not need to see anything else. He put his hand on Sable's shoulder to stop her.
"We're not the only things in here, and I don't like the idea of walking around a blind corner and have a little monster hamstring me." his tone was flat and his eyes wary, taking turns looking at her and darting around the area surrounding them.
"This whole place..." he again glanced around, feeling his pulse in his neck. "... is dangerous. We need to move carefully."
So when it darted away, Raphael did not feel any relief. To the contrary, not being able to see it now only served to heightened his edge.
"I saw it." He confirmed, his voice grim and strained at once. When Sable took further steps into this... place, he followed, within touching distance of her. The idea of her wandering further from him than that was not one that he was, at that time, even considering. Her nearness was enough to keep him focused on her, so he could ignore his own fears and doubts.
What now, indeed.
"This is... some kind of..." Raphael stooped and picked up a bent and twisted piece of metal, like a mechanical appendage of some sort, "... machine scrapyard?"
That raised plenty of questions. And, he thought, scenarios. He kicked at an empty cylindrical piece as they walked on the winding path between two massive heaps from which protruded innumerable pieces of ruined machinery, like limbs in a pile of battlefield corpses.
He did not like the fog. It muffled sound and reduced their visibility to less than thirty yards. It made him feel more hemmed in, and it made this place see more like a maze than the semi-refuge he had envisioned.
There. Something scurrying, further ahead on the path. It did not allow itself to be fully seen- but Raphael did not need to see anything else. He put his hand on Sable's shoulder to stop her.
"We're not the only things in here, and I don't like the idea of walking around a blind corner and have a little monster hamstring me." his tone was flat and his eyes wary, taking turns looking at her and darting around the area surrounding them.
"This whole place..." he again glanced around, feeling his pulse in his neck. "... is dangerous. We need to move carefully."
Life is just a mind game.
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Sable Corvi
- Outsider
- Posts: 42
- Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 4:53 am
- Race: Human
Whether it was for her safety or for his own comfort, he was definitely making an effort to remain close to her. She slowed, matching her step to his. It made her feel better, to be close to him, as though he was protecting her, and she him.
She glanced curiously at the piece of metal he picked up. "A machine scrapyard. That makes sense, I suppose. But...it's odd. I've never seen anything like most of the things in here." She looked down at a piece between her feet, a thick hunk of metal with silver tendrils stretching out from it in all directions. "Who do you think made all this?"
She saw it again, the flitting of a creature across an opening between two metal towers. As Raphael's hand moved to her shoulder, she froze, her muscles tense. How many of those things were there?
She nodded in agreement. "Careful. Right." But what were they to do if one of the "little monsters" leapt at them? Whether they were careful or not, they were pretty much helpless.
She moved one hand to her dagger, drawing it and holding it out in front of her. It would not have given the wolf-beast pause, but against one of the little creatures, it might do them some good. Perhaps. Her other hand went to his on her shoulder, brushing against his fingers in what she hoped was a reassuring gesture, as she glanced backwards, peering through the fog. She didn't care to be attacked from behind.
"We can't just stand here, though," she said, taking another step forward. "If that...thing...is still following us...we'd better keep moving, and look for something to...to..." To help them? How? "We'd better keep moving," she repeated finally, feebly.
She glanced curiously at the piece of metal he picked up. "A machine scrapyard. That makes sense, I suppose. But...it's odd. I've never seen anything like most of the things in here." She looked down at a piece between her feet, a thick hunk of metal with silver tendrils stretching out from it in all directions. "Who do you think made all this?"
She saw it again, the flitting of a creature across an opening between two metal towers. As Raphael's hand moved to her shoulder, she froze, her muscles tense. How many of those things were there?
She nodded in agreement. "Careful. Right." But what were they to do if one of the "little monsters" leapt at them? Whether they were careful or not, they were pretty much helpless.
She moved one hand to her dagger, drawing it and holding it out in front of her. It would not have given the wolf-beast pause, but against one of the little creatures, it might do them some good. Perhaps. Her other hand went to his on her shoulder, brushing against his fingers in what she hoped was a reassuring gesture, as she glanced backwards, peering through the fog. She didn't care to be attacked from behind.
"We can't just stand here, though," she said, taking another step forward. "If that...thing...is still following us...we'd better keep moving, and look for something to...to..." To help them? How? "We'd better keep moving," she repeated finally, feebly.
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Raphael Quinn
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- Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 7:02 pm
- Race: Human
She was right. Staying here was the worst option of all, perhaps. They were exposed on all sides with no advantage to be gained. What if those little creatures had weapons? Bows, maybe.
So Raphael nodded and walked forward, on Sable's right, shoulder to shoulder. "Watch the left. I'll watch right."
The fog was fully settled, and heavy enough that his shirt was beginning to get damp, which was in turn beginning to make him cold. Added to the continued pain of every step he took as his right ankle felt positively on fire from the continued swelling and his left shoulder still throbbed. The bleeding from the gash on his head had mostly coagulated and was beginning to feel stiff on the side of his face. Really, there wasn't much of him that didn't hurt somehow.
But he had to focus.
The path they were on bent to the left, walled in by piles and heaps of debris. After a few dozen yards of limping along, Raphael stopped and stooped to pick up metal pipe. It was light-weight and about six feet long, and although Raphael had no way of knowing that the green corrosion on the outside signified that it was a copper pipe, he could see that it was thin and not very strong.
But still- it was something to lean on.
As he straightened he became immediately alert to the sound of muted voices, grumbling in some foreign cadence, coming from up on the stack next to him. A stack which was primarily composed of large, ruined carriages of some sort, haphazardly piled together. His eyes darted upward, glancing for their source.
He saw nothing, but as his gaze went up, the voices silenced.
It made his stomach tighten.
And then he heard that howl- the damned, blood-freezing howl. Not close by, but there. Reminding them that the beast was still alive, still hunting.
He looked at Sable, his eyes grim. "We need to find a place we can defend."
So Raphael nodded and walked forward, on Sable's right, shoulder to shoulder. "Watch the left. I'll watch right."
The fog was fully settled, and heavy enough that his shirt was beginning to get damp, which was in turn beginning to make him cold. Added to the continued pain of every step he took as his right ankle felt positively on fire from the continued swelling and his left shoulder still throbbed. The bleeding from the gash on his head had mostly coagulated and was beginning to feel stiff on the side of his face. Really, there wasn't much of him that didn't hurt somehow.
But he had to focus.
The path they were on bent to the left, walled in by piles and heaps of debris. After a few dozen yards of limping along, Raphael stopped and stooped to pick up metal pipe. It was light-weight and about six feet long, and although Raphael had no way of knowing that the green corrosion on the outside signified that it was a copper pipe, he could see that it was thin and not very strong.
But still- it was something to lean on.
As he straightened he became immediately alert to the sound of muted voices, grumbling in some foreign cadence, coming from up on the stack next to him. A stack which was primarily composed of large, ruined carriages of some sort, haphazardly piled together. His eyes darted upward, glancing for their source.
He saw nothing, but as his gaze went up, the voices silenced.
It made his stomach tighten.
And then he heard that howl- the damned, blood-freezing howl. Not close by, but there. Reminding them that the beast was still alive, still hunting.
He looked at Sable, his eyes grim. "We need to find a place we can defend."
Life is just a mind game.
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Sable Corvi
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- Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 4:53 am
- Race: Human
Sable glanced at Raphael in concern as he leaned on the pipe; he must have been worse off than she'd thought. Gradually, she slowed her pace, not wanting him to overextend himself.
She almost sped up again as soon as she heard the sickening cry of the beast that pursued them. It was a surprise that the creature hadn't awakened the entire city yet. Or perhaps it had, and nobody cared; that was more likely. If she were in the citizens' place, in a warm, comfortable home, she certainly wouldn't have helped...not that she was a paradigm of philanthropy, but still.
Running a hand through her sweat-matted hair, she looked around. A place to defend? In this dump? Frankly, it seemed hopeless. An enraged wolf-beast behind, a group of nasty little creatures nearby, and the two of them stuck in the middle...how did one defend against such a ridiculous situation?
"Right," she answered, her lack of confidence masked by her brisk tone. "So...surely there's something in one of these piles we can use. All this metal, and some of it's sharp..."
She almost sped up again as soon as she heard the sickening cry of the beast that pursued them. It was a surprise that the creature hadn't awakened the entire city yet. Or perhaps it had, and nobody cared; that was more likely. If she were in the citizens' place, in a warm, comfortable home, she certainly wouldn't have helped...not that she was a paradigm of philanthropy, but still.
Running a hand through her sweat-matted hair, she looked around. A place to defend? In this dump? Frankly, it seemed hopeless. An enraged wolf-beast behind, a group of nasty little creatures nearby, and the two of them stuck in the middle...how did one defend against such a ridiculous situation?
"Right," she answered, her lack of confidence masked by her brisk tone. "So...surely there's something in one of these piles we can use. All this metal, and some of it's sharp..."
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Raphael Quinn
- Outsider
- Posts: 44
- Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 7:02 pm
- Race: Human
Raphael nodded, glancing around again. "Right. Maybe we can find some larger pieces and make barricades-"
And he stopped talking abruptly as a piece of metal broke loose from higher up on the tall pile next to them, clattering down and sending his eyes darting upward- where two of the short little creatures stood, their outlines visible through the fog.
A brief second passed where Raphael could imagine their beady little eyes looking down at them and somewhere in his mind he processed that these were probably some kind of little goblin. Not that he'd ever met one, but the squat posture and general appearance was fairly tell-tale.
And then they both started screaming something angrily, and little hands began plucking up pieces of rubbish and hurling them down with alarming force and, Raphael noted as he immediately went into motion and narrowly avoided a projectile aimed for his head, accuracy.
Across from the pile their assailants were perched was a smaller pile, but it appeared to be composed mostly of ruined machines of some nature, not simply loose scrap. And haphazardly piled as the wreckage was, Raphael saw gaps that could be crawled under and between.
A hurled missile struck him in the back, with a solid thud that made him yell in pain and frustration, solidified his course of action. This pile offered some manner of cover. And the idea of escaping a monstrous wolf to be pelted to death by a horde of nasty little goblins seemed absolutely too ridiculous for him to handle.
"Under the machines! Find some cover!" Raphael shouted, running toward the heap of machines.
And he stopped talking abruptly as a piece of metal broke loose from higher up on the tall pile next to them, clattering down and sending his eyes darting upward- where two of the short little creatures stood, their outlines visible through the fog.
A brief second passed where Raphael could imagine their beady little eyes looking down at them and somewhere in his mind he processed that these were probably some kind of little goblin. Not that he'd ever met one, but the squat posture and general appearance was fairly tell-tale.
And then they both started screaming something angrily, and little hands began plucking up pieces of rubbish and hurling them down with alarming force and, Raphael noted as he immediately went into motion and narrowly avoided a projectile aimed for his head, accuracy.
Across from the pile their assailants were perched was a smaller pile, but it appeared to be composed mostly of ruined machines of some nature, not simply loose scrap. And haphazardly piled as the wreckage was, Raphael saw gaps that could be crawled under and between.
A hurled missile struck him in the back, with a solid thud that made him yell in pain and frustration, solidified his course of action. This pile offered some manner of cover. And the idea of escaping a monstrous wolf to be pelted to death by a horde of nasty little goblins seemed absolutely too ridiculous for him to handle.
"Under the machines! Find some cover!" Raphael shouted, running toward the heap of machines.
Life is just a mind game.
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Sable Corvi
- Outsider
- Posts: 42
- Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 4:53 am
- Race: Human
Sable had hoped, illogically, that perhaps the little creatures were harmless. There went that notion, she reflected as she ducked out of the path of a particularly sharp-looking projectile. What had they done? They were just walking; they hadn't disturbed anything. Well, true, it was quite possible that they had also led a vicious, man-eating beast into the area, but the...things...couldn't possibly know that, could they?
Maybe the beasts were just using them as target practice. For the fun of it. How sweet.
"Damn it!" she yelped as the heard the thunk of something striking Raphael. "Are you..." she broke off her inquiry as he instructed her to duck under the pile of machines.
In another situation, she would have balked; the stack looked less than reliably stable. But what else was there to do? And the impact of the projectile had looked like it hurt.
Anyway, she trusted Raphael, didn't she? At least she trusted him more than she did most people. Is there such thing as relative trust?
She scrambled to the tippling stack of wreckage, finding a spot at the base where two hunks of metal were wedged together, leaving a small triangular opening. Dropping quickly to her hands and knees, she wriggled inside, then twisted herself around to watch for Raphael, hitting her head against the top of the makeshift tunnel as she turned.
This night just kept getting better.
Maybe the beasts were just using them as target practice. For the fun of it. How sweet.
"Damn it!" she yelped as the heard the thunk of something striking Raphael. "Are you..." she broke off her inquiry as he instructed her to duck under the pile of machines.
In another situation, she would have balked; the stack looked less than reliably stable. But what else was there to do? And the impact of the projectile had looked like it hurt.
Anyway, she trusted Raphael, didn't she? At least she trusted him more than she did most people. Is there such thing as relative trust?
She scrambled to the tippling stack of wreckage, finding a spot at the base where two hunks of metal were wedged together, leaving a small triangular opening. Dropping quickly to her hands and knees, she wriggled inside, then twisted herself around to watch for Raphael, hitting her head against the top of the makeshift tunnel as she turned.
This night just kept getting better.
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Raphael Quinn
- Outsider
- Posts: 44
- Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 7:02 pm
- Race: Human
Raphael dropped his copper pipe and sprinted, in his own staggering way, a short distance behind Sable. While she crawled through, he chose to dive through the small opening as more missles richocheted noisely off of the metal shell they were ducking under.
He realized the huge mistake diving was as he clipped his already injured shoulder violently against one side of the opening, sending red hot spikes of pain stabbing through his exausted brain. Biting back a stream of curses, he dragged himself the rest of the way in.
It was incredibly dark in the accidental tunnel. Out in the open air, even with the fog, there had been a degree of visibility. But in here-
So when he bumped into Sable as he crawled further in, despite that he knew she would be nearby, it still startled him and he grasped her arm tightly in reaction- and then released it as soon as he percieved it was her.
"Sorry," he exhaled through clenched teeth, trying to sit up to relieve the pressure on his shoulder but failing to find sufficent head room. He glanced back toward the opening they had come in from, and noted that the pelting sounds had ceased and there was now a faint, but very distinctive laughter. High-pitched and mocking.
Something fused in Raphael's brain at that point. The pain and discomfort and exhaustion, when added to the feeling of overwhelming anger and resentment at this situation, served to produce a kind of boiling rage that made his jaw muscles hurt from clenching so hard. It was bad enough being pursued by some kind of demon-wolf. But to have a bunch of half-creatures laughing at him...
He turned to Sable, or to where he knew she was. Their proximity was close enough that he could feel her breath and sense her small motions.
"If we die huddled under a pile of rubble, I'm going to be pissed."
The statement was humorous, but in the moment, Raphael's rage blinded him from the fact.
"Let's kill one of these little bastards. Please?"
He realized the huge mistake diving was as he clipped his already injured shoulder violently against one side of the opening, sending red hot spikes of pain stabbing through his exausted brain. Biting back a stream of curses, he dragged himself the rest of the way in.
It was incredibly dark in the accidental tunnel. Out in the open air, even with the fog, there had been a degree of visibility. But in here-
So when he bumped into Sable as he crawled further in, despite that he knew she would be nearby, it still startled him and he grasped her arm tightly in reaction- and then released it as soon as he percieved it was her.
"Sorry," he exhaled through clenched teeth, trying to sit up to relieve the pressure on his shoulder but failing to find sufficent head room. He glanced back toward the opening they had come in from, and noted that the pelting sounds had ceased and there was now a faint, but very distinctive laughter. High-pitched and mocking.
Something fused in Raphael's brain at that point. The pain and discomfort and exhaustion, when added to the feeling of overwhelming anger and resentment at this situation, served to produce a kind of boiling rage that made his jaw muscles hurt from clenching so hard. It was bad enough being pursued by some kind of demon-wolf. But to have a bunch of half-creatures laughing at him...
He turned to Sable, or to where he knew she was. Their proximity was close enough that he could feel her breath and sense her small motions.
"If we die huddled under a pile of rubble, I'm going to be pissed."
The statement was humorous, but in the moment, Raphael's rage blinded him from the fact.
"Let's kill one of these little bastards. Please?"
Life is just a mind game.