[oflowersandlight]

If Poe Has A-Rank Faith Then Why Doesn't She Just Entrap Niamh? Is She Stupid?

Continued from here thread game: Every 400 words cumulative, the current writer's muse takes 1 damage. Both muses start at 5 HP. If Poe loses all of her HP, or the thread reaches 15 cumulative replies without either losing all HP, Niamh escapes. If Niamh loses all of her HP, Poe catches her.

[oflowersandlight]

"You and I both know that isn't true~!" Poe calls down the hall, unafraid to speak at full volume as she continues her pursuit. Strategically, would it be better for her to use the darkness to her advantage, as Niamh can? Likely. But this doesn't matter to her enough to overpower her insatiable desire to assert her truth. "Boundless Chaos doesn't care about who it hurts. It consumes indiscriminately!"

And, of course, you are much the same goes unspoken but nonetheless clearly implied.

The woman sidesteps rubble—surely not from her relentless assault. Likely from a prior passer-through, or from the natural, earned wear of time. For a moment, she considers firing again, but she holds off for the moment.

"No matter how successful you are in hurting me, you won't stop me anyway."

wc: 134

[boundlesschaos]

And this is what made her most dangerous of all.

Everything had the means to put them to a halt. To cease movement, to prevent them from continuing onward. It can be permanent, with the right tools. Both Niamh and her have fought many, and stopped them in their tracks.

With each other, however...

It is true that she can Hurt and Hinder the other. But their chase would not end. It would not be over here. She would return anew one day, and resume her neverending desire to seek Niamh's own life.

No matter the pain, Poe would endure it, and treat it as a stepping stone towards her own desires.

This time, the magic she places down is obvious. There is no trick to the colour of these spheres, and though they are easy to avoid, their magical might is far greater.

"You won't stop me either." Niamh finally voices.

For just as Poe will not falter to her spells, Niamh has always, and will always, be just out of her reach.

wc: 174

[boundlesschaos]

It's Never to Late to be Festive!

[January Mission Board - Riding +1]

[fauxgado]

“She wants to see it!” He comments as though to a third party, shaking his head after the partial shock wears off—only partial, because he’s already clocked her as a little out of the ordinary. They are, of course, completely alone unless one counts the horses they ride on. “You’re talking about this like there’s no chance that we’re going to get kidnapped if we run into this thing. Bold, bold.”

On one hand, it’s risky. He’s pretty confident in his proficiency with a bow, and she certainly doesn’t seem worried about the possibility of getting into a fight herself, but the fact that they know almost nothing about their potential foe can’t be understated. The size of the beast could be gargantuan. The speed of the beast could be faster than either of their horses. In the back of his head, he’s always running these calculations, and the odds of success aren’t nearly high enough for him to confidently say they’ve got a chance.

On the other hand, for as long as this cat continues to exist solely in unknowns, it will continue to exist in the back of people’s minds in its worst possible form. And fear was insidious. It’s the exact reason why he was never a fan of the pastime of the telling of scary stories—they wormed their way into people’s heads, eating away at their sense of safety and security.

So he can’t say he doesn’t see the appeal of dispelling the mystery.

“It’s not exactly a short trek where we’re going. On top of that, there’s a non-zero chance we won’t even find what we’re looking for, there.” he offers as an explanation as he runs through his own considerations. “Demand is pretty high right now, after all. We might come up short, if others have beaten us to it.”

[boundlesschaos]

Hearing the possibility that the supplies could be low, or non-existent, at their destination? It doesn't surprise Niamh completely, if so many were purchasing the fabric in the hopes of warding the creature away. It did mean, though, that they would need to make haste. They'd have to hope that by getting there quickly, they'll be able to snag what they need.

But the point still stands. What if they can't?

She wants to see it. Nothing will change her mind about that, and she has a few ideas as to how to go about it. But it would be important, too, to minimize the number of people it may go after. She'd want it to focus on her, and with luck, her alone.

"Let's get there quickly..." She advises. "We'll buy what we can. I'll see what else they have there, too. If there's not enough, then we'll have people that the creature will want to take away. So we'll want to plan around that, too..."

Namely, setting up traps and keeping an eye on the potential targets. Niamh will aim to keep them safe, sure. But in turn, she can use them to lure the creature in. She doesn't see anything wrong with a trade like that, when the numbers are known. The only uncertainty would be how the creature would approach them.

"If we stick around after..." she ponders. "Would it be curious about us...?"

[reddragonprincess]

trust and cure | Minerva + Niamh

  ⤷   mission task: epidemic

[reddragonprincess]

Covering their faces was definitely a good option, especially since the strange disease seemed to spread among each other through air and breathe, as it was some sort of invisible dust hovering lightly in the air around the zone of contagion. And that could actually be an optimal clue to where to start their operation; as much as she heard from her men, the area of contamination was somewhat circumscribed around the source of origin, since all of them managed to fly over the area without encountering any problems or evident reactions to their health.

Niamh also mentioned a very good question too: were animals affected by it? from the reports Minerva read, any animal which happened to cross the contamination zone by ground was affected, while animals in flight (such as birds, pegasi or wyverns) did not appear to have suffered any obvious consequences –that could be their keystone to approach the area and study it while keeping at a safe distance.

“From several reports I’ve read, the contamination zone seemed quite limited, although there are favourable winds to spread it” she explained, nervously tapping her fingers on the table, realizing that the wind might cause them a bit of trouble if not properly controlled. “But my flying units reported no harm or injuries, so as far as I understand, we can try to approach the source while mounting Freyja” she freely referred o her as Niam was quite familiar to her by now. “It’s not our safest option, but it’s a bet I’m willing to take to discover a way to put that thing down” she concluded, stopping the tapping on the table as she stared at the brunette with an intense glance.

“Are you willing to come with me for this risky mission, once again?” the last part of the phrase was an obvious reference to their latest mission, which actually has been as risky as this one, but together she was sure they could accomplish the impossible. “I’m trusting you for this, you are the only one who can do it with me”

[boundlesschaos]

What Minerva presents does give Niamh pause, before she takes a few more notes regarding what she's learned. If those on the ground suffer, but those in the air do not, than there was a critical difference they would need to observe and determine. From there, they would hopefully be able to understand the root cause - and remove the source from causing anymore trouble.

She takes note of her belongings. Niamh has a few spells, a couple of flasks containing experimental cures. She has an array of herbs, some that can be used if they find themselves injured. And with Freyja to keep them airborne, they'll be safe from immediate trouble.

"That sounds like a plan..." she nods towards Minerva. "I'm ready when you and Freyja are..."

Though there is some sense of urgency, especially in regards to the illness itself, she also does not want to rush into this head on. If they prepare right, and watch from the air, hopefully they will learn something that can bring them closer to the truth of this strange ailment. They needed to take advantage of this for as long as they could.

She remembers to keep the notebook on hand. More than anything else, she needed to make sure to document it, regardless of the outcome.

[licehn]

subject of curiosity

         ⤷     starlight dreams:   daytime phase  ( cont from here. )

[licehn]

    Even if this stranger's horns weren't a part of her, it seems like she still knew of dragons. In a continent of people who have looked upon him strangely, not even with the malice he expected but just as odd for being what he is, it comes as a small relief to know that some things still are shared knowledge. If not himself, if not the features humans typically have, then the kin and retainers of Naga at least was something he could latch onto.

(How powerful and revered Naga must be, for her legacy to hold even when the Demon Wolf fails seemingly.)

But the knowledge isn't all-encompassing, as evidenced by the multitude of questions the masked person sends his way. Though startled a bit at first, Joachim's initial surprise at the wave subsides and he earnestly tries to answer as best as he can.

“Yeah, they'll react to all of that. Uh, how do I put this?” He considers it for a moment before he extends one of his hands out, palm down, before his other hand strikes the back of it. “Anything your hand feels, you'd feel it too.”

His hand then traces down to the fingernail of his index finger.

“Even down to your nail. Their horn might be more like these actually,” he taps his nail to further emphasize it. “If you were to touch a goat's horn suddenly, it'd back away. That's why you have to get friendly first. You'd feel the same if something new touched your nails too, wouldn't you? Because it's a part of you.”

[boundlesschaos]

Niamh's eyes follow along as Joachim presents his hand. She brings one of hers out as well. Her left, gloved...and shortly after, her right is placed above. Encased in armor, neither show her fingertips. Even so, she stares down thoughtfully.

"...it's true..." Understanding, she lowers her hands, returning them to her sides. Niamh hides her hands behind equipment. Her mask keeps her face unknown. If someone were to remove them, she'd be...

The idea causes her to bristle slightly.

But, this sensation allows her to recognize how another might feel in her shoes. She silently nods, confirming that the comparison, to her, makes a lot of sense.

"If I ever see someone like that, I'll ask first..." For permission to poke at them? Maybe. But she'd ask if they're doing ok, too. Depending on where they might find someone like that, maybe it's a place where their horns might not be happy. Maybe she can help them if that's the case.

She stares at Joachim's hands a little longer, before looking to his face. He, too, has features that make them a little different. Not only does she expect the ears to be something that might not like to be touched - certain sounds would catch in ways that might effect Joachim's ears differently than Niamh's.

Niamh stares at the game that she had fumbled earlier. There were still a number of prizes left, be it because of the difficulty, or maybe something a little more underhand. "This helped. Thank you..." A hand points to the coveted bow.

"I could try again...do you still want it?"

One half stubbornness, the other, a way of expressing thanks for the knowledge that the other's provided her.

[boundlesschaos]

Can't we settle this over Rock-Paper-Scissors?

[June Mission Board: +1 Flying or Riding]

[breidatactics]

It was easy to see the underlying frustration and animosity lying with each petty quip, though Kiran had assumed it was something lighthearted. The kind of arguments that arose from competitiveness but like any argument right before a game, it should’ve gone by the wayside by now. But, of course, nothing was quite that simple. 

Looking over at their riding equipment, they furrowed their brows. Either the gods hate me or someone tampered with our stuff… honestly, both sound pretty likely right now. There went lighthearted, competitive banter. It was only now, with this new lens to look at the situation through, that Kiran grew to see the actual disdain the others held for each other. You’d think they’d understand it a bit better, what with them being a tactician during the War, but that was their mistake. Still…

It’s not like we were even involved in this whole thing… Niamh doesn't seem like the type to incite anything either…

Which probably meant it wasn’t a targeted attack on either of them (considering Kiran didn’t know anyone else here and all). Maybe something about that rivalry? If it was… they glanced at the glaring units. At their friend’s question, they hummed and shrugged. 

I think it’s too early to say. I doubt we are the only ones who were targeted, maybe we can ask for info as we help others out? You might need to explain what I would need to do to help, though, haha…

Hopefully, their lack of wyvern knowledge wouldn’t be their demise...

[boundlesschaos]

"That's a good plan..." She speaks, quiet and slow. It's true that they had information regarding their wyvern companion. But there were others, too, who may have been targeted as well. If there was a pattern, they could narrow down the source of the problem.

First, she looks back to their wyvern. Aside from being wary, she doesn't spot any serious injury, suggesting that whoever or whatever interacted with their belongings, it had not done harm to the creature. She takes a look at what had been taken as well. The flowers they had been tasked to bring back were still among them, but their rations? Picked apart, or gone altogether. They'll survive on what they have left, but it won't be easy.

This leaves the others who have flown along with them. They'll have to ask a few questions. Namely, the state of their flying companion, as well as how their supplies were doing. Which means...

"Let's record what we find..." she stares at the others in the distance. "We can ask if anything's missing, if they've seen anything strange...and make note if they're acting odd, too..."

Niamh returns her glance towards Kiran. There's a silent understanding that she can speak their question, if the people they encounter don't understand their signing. It's not a bother for Niamh.

There's a duo nearby, who appear mid conversation. Would they be interrupting them if they asked?

"They might know something..." Niamh doesn't see any problem presenting any questions to them.

[oflowersandlight]

If Poe Has A-Rank Faith Then Why Doesn't She Just Entrap Niamh? Is She Stupid?

Continued from here thread game: Every 400 words cumulative, the current writer's muse takes 1 damage. Both muses start at 5 HP. If Poe loses all of her HP, or the thread reaches 15 cumulative replies without either losing all HP, Niamh escapes. If Niamh loses all of her HP, Poe catches her.

[oflowersandlight]

Fortunately, Poe does not rush. While unexpected enough to startle her, the faint glow of the magic traps Niamh has left behind catches her eye once it is mere feet away from her. She could sidestep them, but that wouldn't be very thorough, would it?

She envelops her hand with a seraphic light, swiping the one in front of her down. Squinting at the ensuing flash.

"How wicked!" She chastises, loud clicking of her tongue reverberating up and down the tower's innards. Faintly, she thinks she can see more of these; Poe fires a shining spell to meet each. "You know, I am not the only member of the staff patrolling these halls tonight."

And then, a couple more for good measure, in case she has missed any. Including one in the direction she presumes her target has fled, her own steps following in its path.

"You don't worry that you might hurt someone else?"

wc: 155

[boundlesschaos]

Up until this point, she's been quiet. No reason to entertain her conversation, yet this one gives Niamh pause. She shouldn't say anything, but-

"I won't. They're for you."

She knows that there are others wandering about. But she also knows that Poe knows. That she would take the time to remove the threat if it meant safety for others who, in her eyes, deserved that safety.

Niamh grimaces. It hurts more than the magic to know how easy at times it is to predict her move.

wc: 87, -1HP, Niamh 4/5 leftover wc: 58

[oflowersandlight]

If Poe Has A-Rank Faith Then Why Doesn't She Just Entrap Niamh? Is She Stupid?

Continued from here thread game: Every 400 words cumulative, the current writer's muse takes 1 damage. Both muses start at 5 HP. If Poe loses all of her HP, or the thread reaches 15 cumulative replies without either losing all HP, Niamh escapes. If Niamh loses all of her HP, Poe catches her.

[oflowersandlight]

No response.

Such a rude girl! The least Niamh could do is confirm or deny.

Well, Poe doesn't much mind it—when Niamh doesn't offer up anything in the way of words, it gives her plenty of room to fill in the blanks. A lack of denial is an admission of guilt, no?

(not that Poe would have believed a denial anyway. her mind had been made up from the start)

Even without her sight, Poe can hear her footsteps up the stone staircase, which leaves her with a path to pursue. She follows, strides long, but not hurried. "Always a chase with you, isn't it?" She asks.

wc: 108, -1HP, Poe 4/5HP leftover wc: 46

[boundlesschaos]

The staircase's dark, gloomy atmosphere was occasionally interrupted by the slow glow of moonlight. Drawn from the tiny windows, it is small, only catching a part of Niamh's face before she's brought into the darkness once more.

She had come to know the language of the chase. How one fixates one the other - how Poe carries herself as she follows Niamh along. Her appearance suggests that she has this in control. Her footsteps, too.

But she knows how to mess with the foundation that Poe has placed herself on.

If Poe isn't afraid to light flames by her feet, then Poe surely can handle something magical in return. She sets a couple of round, inky black spheres, the kind that'll activate if Poe gets too close to them. They float in the air, their color difficult to notice in the darkness - but have a shine to them that Poe may be able to catch and avoid in time.

If that doesn't get her, then Niamh hopes it'll slow her down.

wc: 170

[oflowersandlight]

If Poe Has A-Rank Faith Then Why Doesn't She Just Entrap Niamh? Is She Stupid?

Continued from here thread game: Every 400 words cumulative, the current writer's muse takes 1 damage. Both muses start at 5 HP. If Poe loses all of her HP, or the thread reaches 15 cumulative replies without either losing all HP, Niamh escapes. If Niamh loses all of her HP, Poe catches her.

[oflowersandlight]

Poe takes the bait. She always would. Her face darkens; her eyes narrow. “Dearest Niamh, I am a humble servant of the church,” She justifies, although no member of the church in particular asked her to be here. A hand moves to her heart. “It is my job to be here. Who else will catch all the naughty little rats that skitter about while the lights are down?”

She takes another step forward, and then another. The path from the Goddess Tower to the rest of the ball is, effectively, blocked by her one-woman stronghold. 

Niamh is such an odd girl, and an infuriating one, at that. She must know that these grounds are off-limits—she is too cunning not to have realized. Therefore, that she mouths off at her is an act of direct defiance, isn’t it?

My, my…

The holy woman swipes a hand, sending a fireball to impact at Niamh’s feet. It is difficult not to wonder whether or not she had missed in the lowlight of their current location, or whether it is a warning shot. “Could it be—” She wonders aloud herself. “—that you want me to take you back by force?”

wc: 196

[boundlesschaos]

Despite the warning that Poe delivers to Niamh's feet, her expression does no waver. Perhaps, seeing the colors that she knows has a comfort for her - not for safety, but a recognition that she would no longer be. There's no guesswork, no trying to determine her motivations behind flowery language.

If Poe were trying to set her off in return, the results are mixed. Niamh does not hop back at the flame, but once it dies down, and returns them to darkness, she slips by and sets foot on the steps.

She has no reason to speak, even if she knows that Poe will make chase. She knows where she is, and the staircase will not provide her means to hide.

Her expression, however, tells Poe all. I don't think you can. Her eyes read, as she glances back to the other.

wc: 142

[boundlesschaos]

June Activity

Skill Points 52 -> 53

Reason S -> S [Activity]

Here are the threads that Niamh owes vs not ( you can also take a look at her Thread Tracker).

I owe a reply to…

Win, Place, and Show - Don’t you want to Know? [Poe]

Can't we settle this over Rock-Paper-Scissors? [Mission Thread][Kiran]

If Poe Has A-Rank Faith Then Why Doesn't She Just Entrap Niamh? Is She Stupid?[Poe][TOAball]

subject of curiosity [Joachim][TOAstarlight]

It’s Never to Late to be Festive! [Fogado]

Awaiting…

An idiot sandwich [Dimitri]

Beyond the Boundary[May Mission][Nanna]

oh boy 3AM! (gets out my tackle box) [Linhardt]

Hall of Mirrors [Darios][TOAstarlight]

Trust + Cure | Minerva & Niamh

Spill the Tea (But not This Tea, Please) [Sephiran]

If I’m missing your thread or I actually DO need to reply to you, let me know through DMing here or on discord. Thanks!

[boundlesschaos]

Finders Keepers, right?

May Mission - Any Skill +1

[shiningfalcon]

She half expected this outcome. Of course Niamh would want to see it through to the end—she was maybe the only person whose curiosity held a candle to Emma's own. Beat within an inch of her life, she'd probably still want to stick around to see things through to the end. Otherwise, it's kind of a waste, isn't it?

Lately, Emma has a hard time thinking of things that way.

"I'm beat, though," She says, scratching her now-messy head of hair. She's not entirely lying; she's not confident she could pull all this off a second time. "If this time is anything like the last one, we're just going to get another fight, aren't we? I already pulled out all the stops on this one. Every super move I've got."

A rare breeze blows through. Sunlight begins to shift through the trees' leaves overhead. Day has arrived.

"So, I was thinking..." she introduces her idea as enthusiastically as she can with what she's got left in her. "Maybe we could keep the key, and you could research it? You're a genius, so you could figure out what it's all about. I bet you're the only one who could!"

[boundlesschaos]

Emma has a good point. The odds were 50% - one right, and one wrong. They had picked wrong the last time. One might think they have stronger odds of getting it right this time, but it's still 50%. It's still one right, and one wrong door. Nothing about their decision last time should have effected how the choice might be made this time...

So, Niamh find a good place to keep the key, and turns away the temptation of what it might open for the time being. Studying at home would provide them an advantage for the next that either might encounter one of these. Perhaps it might even give a clue to how to face these ever changing threats next time, too.

"I'll look into it..." she confirm as well with her voice. she's truly fortunate that the two of them made it out of that mess in one piece. She looks to the rising sun, the light providing more clues about what exactly had went on while she was knocked out.

"...and, you'll tell me about those super moves. Ok?"

Niamh can tell that this will be a story to remember.

-End

[boundlesschaos]

Finders Keepers, right?

May Mission - Any Skill +1

[boundlesschaos]

Niamh doesn't understand.

She hears Emma's voice just fine. Concerned she sounds, and she doesn't blame her. She thinks...yes, Niamh knows that she had been knocked out. Injured by an archer, if she recalls right, though her mind still seems to be catching up to all that she missed.

As she does, Niamh silently remarks about the quiet. Emma's not a quiet person, and if she were trying to hide them both, this risked revealing their location. But as her vision adjusts, she pieces together that they haven't moved far from where she had fallen.

Which begs the question: where were the enemies that had surrounded them?

"Emma..." her voice is hoarse, forgotten for a moment how to be used. But she brings a hand towards her face, coughing into her sleeve to have it sorted out.

"You're...ok..." Not a question, but relief.

An actual question, though. "...what happened..." Her injury sends a jolt of pain through her body, and she winces.

[shiningfalcon]

Niamh wakes up, and Emma lets out a breath, wiping the sweat from her brow.

She'd already known she was still alive—the girl didn't know that much about healing, but she knew how to check a pulse. Still, it'd been long enough that Emma had begun to commit herself to the possibility of carrying her back herself. She might still have to, but at least if she does, she'll have someone to talk to.

"They kinda got you." She responds, with a sheepish smile.

She figures that's not a very good explanation on its own, though. "But I got them all! All three of them," she elaborates, holding up the appropriate number of fingers. She sounds more relieved than proud. Now that the adrenaline has begun to leave her, it almost feels like a distant memory. There's a disconnect between the Emma that could do things like that, and the Emma here. "They must've been pretty tired after all the chasing us around that they had to do, eheheh. I popped a couple arrows in 'em and it was lights out!"

She pauses for a moment, before retrieving something from her satchel.

"The last big guy dropped this when I got him, too." She holds out an ornate key in her palm. "But..."

[boundlesschaos]

Niamh looks to the key that rests in Emma's palm, and then to the surrounding area. That's why it's so quiet? Had she really taken everyone else that posed a threat down while she was out?

It's less a matter of whether or not Emma could. Niamh knows Emma can bring the best of herself when it counts the most. But her, alone, fighting them off while ensuring that Niamh did not sustain further injury was not an easy task. Niamh has to express her thanks in some way once they're out of here.

And speaking of, she looks again to the key. It's similar to the one that they saw before, and had two different doors it could be used on.

So what was causing Emma to pause?

"But...?" She repeats back, slowly sitting up. "There has to be a place somewhere...you can be the one to use it, if you want..."

She pauses, looking herself for any sign of a door, or anything that might have a lock fastened to it. "I'll be ok...thank you for stopping them..."

A part of her does wish she could have seen this in action. A simple curiosity from a researcher curious about how those adversaries might have handled the losing fight.

[boundlesschaos]

Finders Keepers, right?

May Mission - Any Skill +1

[shiningfalcon]

She is easily reassured—even if not confident in her own abilities, Emma is confident in her friends, in their ability to evaluate situations and perform. Each and every one of them she looks to in some form as who she would like to be, someday. It followed, then, that when Niamh reassures her, she feels a flow of confidence,

except that the statement never comes to its conclusion.

"Niamh!!" Emma cries out, and Niamh doesn't respond. For a moment, the girl panics, returned to another situation in which she alone could escape at the sacrifice of the one she came here with. In this situation, she is positive she could escape. She has the advantage of speed and distance.

The thought of it clears her mind. She sets her little jaw, tightens her grip on her bow, and takes flight.

The only sound left is the rustle of dead leaves under Emma's knees. Trying to straddle the line between gentle and firm, she shakes her friend's shoulder. "C'mon, wake up, wake up..." she says, more than herself to anyone else, given no one else is here or conscious enough to hear her, as far as she can tell. A bottle of her own salve sits open beside her, propped up against her thigh for stability.

All else is quiet.

[boundlesschaos]

Niamh doesn't understand.

She hears Emma's voice just fine. Concerned she sounds, and she doesn't blame her. She thinks...yes, Niamh knows that she had been knocked out. Injured by an archer, if she recalls right, though her mind still seems to be catching up to all that she missed.

As she does, Niamh silently remarks about the quiet. Emma's not a quiet person, and if she were trying to hide them both, this risked revealing their location. But as her vision adjusts, she pieces together that they haven't moved far from where she had fallen.

Which begs the question: where were the enemies that had surrounded them?

"Emma..." her voice is hoarse, forgotten for a moment how to be used. But she brings a hand towards her face, coughing into her sleeve to have it sorted out.

"You're...ok..." Not a question, but relief.

An actual question, though. "...what happened..." Her injury sends a jolt of pain through her body, and she winces.

[boundlesschaos]

Finders Keepers, right?

May Mission - Any Skill +1

[shiningfalcon]

Emma's not stupid—she can tell the battle is wearing the both of them down. This is kind of bad, isn't it? She finds herself thinking the moment she hears a characteristic whistle that she instinctively recognizes as sharp steel through air.

By a hair's breadth, she manages to dodge it with a yelp. She's quick on the draw, but she's too flustered, and she honestly has no idea where both arrows she fires end up. Certainly not in the ethereal, maroon haunted suit of armor swinging at her right now. Emma turns to put distance between herself and the opponent in front of her, because distance is just about the only thing she can leverage right now, only to find—

"Two!!"

—she half gasps half yelps, met face to face with blue. "Um, I think things are kind of going sideways!" Emma acknowledges a little belatedly, recognizing the sight of more than just these two enemies in her peripherals. She grabs another arrow and fires it at the former of their two most noteworthy enemies, this time at least managing to land the shot, even if not to great effect. "But things are darkest before dawn, right?"

She doesn't sound too sure herself.

[boundlesschaos]

The uncertainty wasn't good. Actions hesitate and falter when there is uncertainty. Neither could afford that, not now. If for Emma's sake, Niamh needed to focus, and remain strong despite the oncoming danger.

She counts the number of threats left. Two armed with bows, that could spell trouble if either made a wrong move. Two armors, with a spirit housed inside, who threaten to block their path and whittle their energy down.

She compares the armors. The one in blue had a bright, glowing ember. But the one in purple was flickering - the damage it had sustained from Emma's attack, even small, had made a difference.

So, Niamh takes the risk.

She heads forward, drawing her lance against the armor in purple. It attempts a spell, but she weathers the blow, a twirl of her lance as she delivers the ending blow. The purple spirit fades, and the armor, unable to keep itself stable, collapses to the floor.

"Dawn will come..." she reassures Emma. "I know it will-"

Her final word is cut short when an arrow finds home in her shoulder. She veers back, dropping her lance in the process.

She had taken out one of those that remained. But this injury was one too many. She can't find the energy to get back to her feet.

[boundlesschaos]

Finders Keepers, right?

May Mission - Any Skill +1

[shiningfalcon]

"Awawawa!"

She is thrust into the thick of it without warning, so quickly it almost feels like Boundless Chaos had a part in it. Emma fumbles to regain her grip on her trusty bow, pulling an arrow from her quiver hurriedly enough that a couple others tumble to the ground. She searches for the it Niamh is talking about, eyes darting to and fro.

A flash of green catches her eye.

And she doesn't have time to question it, so she aims, and fires—before the arrow has even cleared her bow, she's already reached into her quiver for another, nocked it, and fired. She's further out of range than she likes to be. She's further out of range than she has any confidence she can land one shot, let alone two twin strikes in such short order.

Maybe Niamh's confidence is enough to make up for it, because both do.

The green spirit explodes definitively, into a flash of light rather than blood or soot. Emma, while proud, still finds reason for uncertainty. "...I hope that's the one you wanted me to take care of!"

[boundlesschaos]

The fading embers of the green spirit are a short-lived relief. Niamh had figured that with the removal of the peculiar wisp, the mysterious army that tagged alongside it would diminish in number, too. But her assumption is wrong. While she senses that the reinforcements have stopped for the time being, the number that approach her and Emma far exceed what they begun with.

So, Niamh can only provide Emma with a thankful glance before the new threats draw upon them. Not all new, she realizes - that crafty purple spirit had returned in armor, readying itself for battle as well.

She watches as it attempts a spell on Emma. In its frustration, it turns to Niamh next, concentrating a bright, white magic to rain down upon her. A Pegasus knight sees this as an opportunity and goes for Niamh as well - quickly, Niamh retaliates, and her lance grounds the flier permanently.

"They have to end..." She tells herself, seeking some sign that the numbers will dwindle.

The armor in blue, and the nimble archers, both deny this possibility as they, too, close in on her and Emma.

[boundlesschaos]

Finders Keepers, right?

May Mission - Any Skill +1

[shiningfalcon]

Emma’s ears have not betrayed her, and soon enough within sight are those they herald—eerie, white-winged fliers, less like angels from heaven and more like specters from a realm she really never wants to be a visitor to. Her adrenaline has long since stopped her from trembling at the sight of them by now, and so with a steady motion she takes aim and fires, letting loose a flurry of arrows that fell the tandem flier and mount before it can even resemble a threat.

Nice job, Emma.

Too bad there are way more than just the one.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spies purple amongst the legions of white. “Another one?!” She asks, flabbergasted. Is there going to be one for every color of the rainbow? The girl sure hopes they aren’t going to get into shades and tones. A bead of sweat travels down the side of the girl’s brow, and she doubles down, taking aim and firing at another target that’s made its unfortunate way into her range. Her first arrow lands true right through the socket of its eye, saving her the effort and the arrows of any further shots. Its distant shriek sends a shudder down her spine.

Quickly, her head pivots, trying not to lose sight of that purple she saw before.

She spots it, and tries to take aim, but too no avail. “It’s—it’s too close!” She calls out. “Unless you’ve got a lance you can toss me, ahah, hah…”

[boundlesschaos]

The numbers were increasing, and fast. Niamh's thankful that Emma was able to handle some of the oncoming threats, but she was only one girl. Even Niamh recognizes that she only can handle things for so long - putting her through this much strain would quickly take a toll.

This goes the same for Niamh, but she shrugs it off in favor of finding an opening. She needs to figure out a way to ease the dangers that had surrounded them, and it started with the purple wisp-

Or, it would, were it not for the fact that after one swipe of her weapon, the wisp disappears.

It's different from the one that they fought within that armor. Her weapon didn't destroy the purple spirit - it had found an opportunity to flee. And when Niamh looks for where it's gone? She spots another relic shamble to life. Both the purple and the blue spirits had successfully claimed what they desired as their own, and had joined the ever increasing number of knights in their quest to surround and take her and Emma out.

"Not good..."

There had to be some way to stop them. Something to use to their advantage. But what?

A fourth, green spirit ignites. She looks to Emma,just out of firing range of the newest danger, and something clicks. She rushes forward, towards where Emma is, and quickly sends her forward.

"Quickly!" She urges, "Before it finds it, take it out...!!"

She knows Emma can. She just needs to aim, and land true.

[boundlesschaos]

Can't we settle this over Rock-Paper-Scissors?

[June Mission Board: +1 Flying or Riding]

[boundlesschaos]

There had been something brewing over the past few months. Little things, quips and acts that had stirred dark clouds amongst the people at the academy. Nothing serious had yet to have come from it, but with everything, if left unchecked? A snowball can grow to a size far to large to stop.

Perhaps Niamh should have been aware of this petty argument. She had taken interest in riding a wyvern for some time, and her time watching others guide the creatures through the air made it easier for her to pick up the basics. Even she could tell at the time that something was off with the riders, too, when she had taken on this mission.

But, the thing is...Niamh never was one to pick on subtle cues like this. She had no reason to see the wyvern as superior - liked, perhaps, by her, but not the best. She had watched the horses as they barreled down the racetracks during those illegal races. She's seen the precision that a pegasus knight flies with, encountered in combat both as an ally and as an adversary. Each had their strengths, and she was enamored by those differences.

So, when their belongings had been toyed with, Niamh stares puzzled as some of the others prattle off about sabotage from the other riders. Were they really the only ones who could?

So, she decides to ask the person who travels with her. 'What do you think?' Of everyone here, she sees no reason for Kiran to sabotage the wyvern that's given them a ride all the way here. From what Niamh understands, Kiran hasn't had a lot of experience riding, either. They had come along with a shared interest in the flower - something Niamh could relate to.

So, she seeks their opinion, both with the matter at hand, and the timer that eats at the glow that the flowers have.

@breidatactics

[boundlesschaos]

Spill the Tea (But not This Tea, Please)

August Mission - Any Skill+1

[thelightofcreation]

Sephiran glances in the direction that she does, and shakes his head. "Unless you know how to operate them, best to stick to what we're familiar with. What does the recipe say?"

Though he asks, he still heads over himself to take a look. It would have been enough, he thinks, to have just read it as necessary- line by line- but he decides to instead look over the entire page. Just in case. It seemed standard enough, and rather simple, though he hadn't much faith that he'd catch anything that wasn't. All they would need in terms of tools, at least, are those he expects - a whisk, spoon, and rolling pin. The rest can be done with the cookie cutters she had found earlier.

He glances at one of the tools lining the corners of the kitchen again. What in the Goddess' name is that meant to do?

But contemplating it will not bring him any closer to answers, nor would it bake the confectioneries, so he simply shakes his head free of such thoughts and continues,

"At the very least, we'll need a bowl. Could you find something large enough to hold everything? I'll search for the ingredients."

That way he can at least control what goes inside the cookies- or try to.

[boundlesschaos]

Niamh doesn't know how to operate the strange contraptions that have been placed throughout the kitchen. Her curiosity absolutely has her wondering how they might, though. Trial and error lead to discovery. Can't she do the same with baking?

The goal regarding the cookie does give her pause, and prevent her from putting her hands where she shouldn't. Maybe she can entertain the idea once the cookies they do have planned are safely in the oven. So she searches for a bowl that fits their needs, and returns with two of different sizes.

"Here..." she holds them out, one in each hand. One of them is definitely the right size - the other is smaller, but could be useful for separating the wet and dry ingredients until they need to be mixed together. "I found these...have you been able to find ingredients?"

She asks because of the size of this place. There's plenty of different sized jars and shakers, most labeled with what they are but some that have lost some their text with age. Some hide behind others, and some look to be placed fairly high up. She only hopes that theirs are in a reasonable spot.

For now, she places the bowls by the cookie cutters. Probably best to keep everything in one place.