>>18107565
>She's charming you, brother.
He kind of has a point. How did we get from "she's a treacherous lying manipulative bitch who killed us" to "I want to snog her face off" in three days?

Hot damn I get to catch one of these from the beginning.

We've learned what's at stake in this conflict. We can't turn our back on knowing the truth now. Simply rejoining the Fae and acting like nothing's wrong isn't going to happen.

"There are truths I found that require me to stay here, Fear."

[[Such as?]]

"This city is a seal against something terrible - possibly an Archmage. To destroy it is to release one uf them upon the world."

[[Can you say that with certainty?]]

"... Almost. I still need to find why the seal weakens now. But I'm almost sure that the Seal is what the wrongness is."

[[The Seals were erected ages ago. One of us watched it occur. We have looked upon this world for many ages, brother. War was here when the final blows were struck, when the pits yawned open, when Sanguinus and his brothers and sisters fell into them once more.]]

He pauses.

[[Decide, brother. If you cannot take a side, then I will have to take measure to ensure you are not assisting the humans.]]

>>18108659
You want to stop the wrongness, I want to stop the wrongness. I'd say we're on the same side. You said that you only kill humans who willingly defend the wrongness, so you obviously realise that humanity as a whole is not our enemy. Do you not think that the problem would be easier to solve from here at the source?

You had my excited by the Soul Reaver symbol, OP.

For shame.

>>18108659
"I seek to end the conflict, brother. I do not wish to help either sides. I fear what might happen if the. I fear that attacks by the fae on human cities, every small act of destruction dealt to the walls and streets, erodes the seals further. I cannot allow this war to continue - man must be made to stop fighting fae and fae must be made to stop fighting man. If this doesn't happen, both fae and man are doomed. Fear. Help me, brother. I'll need all the help I can get."

>>18108659
"There are those who I believe are attempting to release the archmagi. It may be that they corrupted or amplified the seal in a way that makes us sense the wrongness. If they did, or even if they did not, they are the true foe here."

>>18108976
The wrongness could be the archmagi. They're humans corrupted into being fey-like so they would feel 'off' to a fey, and we know the fey don't like them. It would make sense that the seals weakening would allow fey to start detecting their presence. EGO, can we remember if the wrongness has got stronger/weaker/stayed the same between the two times we went to that room?

>>18108659
Explain that based on what you read, the seals are only to last six centuries. The rule of six. Explain that you think the wrongness is the archmagi about to be released and that damaging cities only worsens it.

Maybe we should kiss Fear too, to convince him that we're not against him.

Or we could just disclose all of our information on the seals and that conversation we overheard, about us being taken care of. And whatever the six centuries actually meant.

>>18109093
Obviously I'm joking about the kissing though. Just so Ego doesn't take it seriously for some reason.

"The wrongness may be the very archmagi I suspect."

[[...]]

"The seals will only hold for so long. Their corruption and taint may be that which we feel. Attacking the humans is not the right way to handle this. Listen."

You explain the events of the past few days, omitting the details of you and Ceran's interactions.

[[...I see. I understand why this troubles you so, brother. Perhaps you should talk to someone with a bit more strength among us than myself.]]

"Will Ceran be allowed to come with? I fear for her safety."

[[You realize, brother, that she is the one who pulled you apart, and I may have some rather strong feelings about that to this day.]]

"She is my..."

You pause.

[[Your what, brother?]]

You shake your head.

"We go together or not at all. Trust my judgement."

[[Very well. She may attend you. Are you ready to go now?]]

He's not going to let us bring any more humans, so unless Ceran needs something, we're good to go.

>>18109322
"I would like to leave a note, signed by both myself and Ceran, to the man hosting us, Damien. He is a trusted friend and I hope he'll serve our interests here in the land of Men while Ceran and I are away. Aside from that, we've both been prepared for a while now, as evidenced by her armor and my cloak."

>>18109394

We need a way to secure that note to make sure if can't be read by anyone involved in the conspiracy. For Damien's eyes only.

>>18109474
I wonder if there's a method of encoding that only he would be privy to... Or perhaps secure it in such a way that only an amazing marksman would be able to see/get it...

>>18109474
Let's fold it up and write on the front "4 Dameen ONLY!" in crayon.

>>18109490
Genius.

>>18109490
This plan is FOOL PROOF!

>>18109597
I agree. It's proof of a fool.

"I need to notify my host, Damien..."

[[He has been informed.]]

"...?"

[[I had to speak with him to enter. It is somewhat complicated.]]

"He knows we're leaving, with Ceran."

[[I understand your suspicion, but he is abreast of the situation.]]

"...Very well. We are prepared to leave."

[[Excellent. Let us leave this city. Take my hands.]]

He holds out two hands, and you each take one. [[One thing - Fae use their element to move about rapidly, if they have the skill.]]

"What - " Ceran manages, before you're suddenly outside the city walls, and she is curled into a ball.

[[Our matters are now settled, Ceran.]] he says smoothly.

>>18109664
Crippling fear, I take it. Shoot Fear a private, deadpan glare, then help Ceran up.

>>18109685
It could just be that fae teleporting is disorientating for humans. I'm more interested in what these matters are which are apparently settled. I'm assuming some sort of deal they made when he kidnapped her?

>>18109664
"Giving her a little more time to realize what she was about to go through would've been appreciated fear. I understand you're upset with her for her part in my disassembling, but she was neither fully to blame nor without cause and remorse." After this, help Ceran to her feet.

>>18109717
"Fae use their element to move about rapidly."

He moved us by means of Fear, meaning I think Ceran was exposed to huge amounts of fear. I think he's saying their matters are settled because, in his mind, he just took his revenge on her for what she did to his brother. Make sense?

So is teleporting via patience just walking there anyway?

>>18109726
This one was mine, just stating so I don't get accused of samefagging.

>>18109685

No. This goes beyond a glare.

Shoot Fear a deadpan single-eyebrow raise.

>>18109775
I think teleporting via Patience may be getting there instantly objectively, but having it subjectively seem like it took you the same amount of time as walking there? I.E. teleporting via Patience is pausing the world and strolling to your destination calmly, then unpausing the world. Like how we create a private bound space around us when we go deep into thought which causes the world to move in slow motion.

You raise an eyebrow at Fear, then kneel beside Ceran, placing a hand on her shoulder. Instantly, she embraces you tightly, shaking, and you hold her close. It takes some time for her panic to subside.

"Giving her a little more time to realize what she was about to go through would've been appreciated fear. I understand you're upset with her for her part in my disassembling, but she was neither fully to blame nor without cause and remorse."
You help her up and Fear nods.
[[Let us pray she is prepared for the future.]] he says, cryptically as you follow him. [[First I would like to visit Madness on the way. He's been lonely, and may have some insight. His word is somewhat unclear at times, but he has proven to be reliable.]]

You pick your way through the forest that Fear moves through, and you notice something - the clothing he wears has been replaced with rippling blackish fur, his bandages now a mess of scars on his face and hands. He even moves with more of a loping gait than before.

[[Truthfully, what is she to you, Patience? Color me curious.]]

>>18110023
"I'm not sure yet, Fear. I know that I'm quite fond of her. Beyond that, I'll wait and see where my relationship with her develops."

PATIENCE.

>>18110023
>the clothing he wears has been replaced with rippling blackish fur, his bandages now a mess of scars on his face and hands. He even moves with more of a loping gait than before.

Methinks he killed another fae in the three days since we saw him last.

>>18110023
"She is a friend who helped me, then was forced to make the choice to either kill me or shred me open to save my life. She is a woman who carried me, worried that I might find out what she was forced to do and that I would grow to hate her for it. She is a companion who restored me to my form despite the risk it posed to herself and her human friends. She is the human form of rash decisions, opposite in everyway to me. And for all that, she is the one person I cannot face the coming storms without."

>>18110113
I think he just embodies something terrifying in whatever environment he's in. So, in the forest he takes on the fur and scars of a forest beast.

>>18110134

Oh yeah, that makes sense too.

"She is a friend who helped me, then was forced to make the choice to either kill me or shred me open to save my life. She is a woman who carried me, worried that I might find out what she was forced to do and that I would grow to hate her for it. She is a companion who restored me to my form despite the risk it posed to herself and her human friends. She is the human form of rash decisions, opposite in everyway to me. And for all that, she is the one person I cannot face the coming storms without."

He chuckles.
[[I can hardly rebutt such eloquent reasoning. Neither, I think can she.]]

You look to her, and find that the hood of her cloak is up, her visible face awash in red as she follows you.

Eventually, you come across a man in a wide cap, with goggles resting upon it. His face is shrouded in darknessm and his limbs appear to shift between being there, or being shadowed, or being long, muscular, clawed things, or human limbs, so gradually you barely notice it.

=Another brother from another time. Hello, Patience, and woman who desires.=
He bows his head/hat/goggles at you.
=Ask of me whatever you please, and answer I shall make. But ware, for answers given, may just make thou quake. Also know that while answers go, I cannot gaurentee - that knowledge, understanding so, will also follow pace.=

Fear chuckles.
[[Greetings, Madness.]]

=Fair tidings and supple women to you, hunter of the coward.=

>>18110425

Ok, so questions. We need to know who is at the heart of driving the war effort. The diplomatic attempts between the fae and humans fell apart conspicuously, which led to the fighting going on now that threatens to collapse the cities and the seals with it. But we don't really know who is behind the conspiracy yet.

>>18110454
We also need to know more about the seals and the rule of sixes. We know some, and suspect even more, but we don't have enough confirmed knowledge either way. Also, we need to ask more about the "Imposters."

"Do you know whether the wrongness is a result of the degrading, intentional modification, corruption, weakening, or similar effect of the seals of the archmagi, as I suspect it is. If so, which if any of those things is the cause?"

>>18110425
"Who is at the heart of the war effort?"

=Truth and falsehood often stand
on the edge of a coin. Not sides, as many think, but closest brothers.

You shall find both whom you suspect most and least within the inner circle of conspirators. A man with a red horse, a woman with a red rose, a demon true and true, a brother, a lover, a loser, a victor.

Fear not the loss of those held dear.

Furious be not at those who are responsible. A thousand and a hundred men will walk at his command, a thousand and a hundred die by their own hand.

Remember, always remember, that six is he number true. Remember, always remember, that brothers, comrades, lovers true will come to end you, when you fail.=

>>18111307
Huh. Am I the only one suddenly a lot less sure of the conclusions we've been drawing?

>>18109808
It's probably more like this
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jaunt

>>18111440
Talking with a prophetic madman will often cause that feeling. I don't feel like going back through all the archives again, does anyone recall any reference to horses in relation to someone? The woman with the red rose might be the plant fae who killed that kid.

>>18111440
Meh. It's a load of riddle-y shit and it says we're going to fail and die. Not the kind of thing I'd prefer to base our conclusions off. On the other hand, our current conclusions aren't much more than guesses anyway.

>>18111549
>The woman with the red rose might be the plant fae who killed that kid.

Or whoever set up the kid to deliver the rose in the first place.

>>18111799
Since that's what set off the war, yeah. So, the woman who gave the kid the rose. That might be a lead, but it's a bit of a stretch. Still, best one I can think of that we have so far.

The loser and victor may refer to the previous wars. There may be an orc and a member of the family of Rust among the conspirators. Of course pondering the riddle for too long will just have us sitting on our ass, so unless we want to ponder to completion, being patience and all, we may wish to continue with meeting those Fear wishes to see.

We can save pondering for the night, when Ceran needs to sleep.

"That... doesn't explain much."

=Never never say that I do not warn as such. The clues are freely given, the solution, it is not. Or did you expect me to understand it too?=

You shake your head.

"We should be going, Fear."

[[Naturally. Good day, Madness.]]

=Good eve and gentle kisses to you both.= he replies as you walk.

[[A man with a red horse.]] Fear comments. [[Can War really be involved in this?]]

"It's entirely likely. He has everything to gain."

[[But we know we cannot defeat the Pretenders ourselves. Why would he endeavor to release them? It makes no sense.]]

You shrug as you all continue to walk. There is little idle chat during this march. Soon, night falls, and Fear, now half-again as tall and wide and thick as before, with four glowing eyes, stretches.

[[Do you grow weary, Ceran? This is a fine place to stay.]]

She nods, listless. [[Lucky you that I brought a tent. Shall you watch with me, Patience, or with her? I am quite fine patrolling the night.]]

>>18112266
"With her. I have a feeling she could use some Patience while taking watch."

We should take the night watch with her. If Fear does wish to play more tricks on her it's best that we be with her while she's conscious. If she has a nightmare because of him it's on thing. If she hallucinates a monster and hurts herself running from it, that's another matter. And if we patrol with her, we can ponder the riddle once she's asleep without any worry that something will get to us, due to Fear's claim that he's good at prowling the night.

I don't get the question. Ceran's the only one who needs to sleep, so we should let her get as much as possible. If Fear wants to go wandering then we'll stay and keep watch I guess, it seems silly to leave her unguarded.

>>18112371
I figured it was either that Fear was just lazy and didn't want to spend all night watching over a human and a thinking Fae, or that we still need rest, just not sleep.

If we don't need rest then you've got a valid point. But if we do I stick with my previous post.

>>18112436
We can rest while watching, right? It's not exactly a strenuous activity. We kept watch over her all night when we were a rifle. Even if getting our body back suddenly means we need proper rest, surely we can take one watch and Fear the other - we can't need that much sleep. Ceran watching just seems pointless. If she's up, there's nothing to guard and we may as well be walking.

"...What?"

[[My apologies. I meant where you wanted to be. Ceran will not be on-gaurd.]]

"I'll stay with her, then."

[[Very well. Before I go...]] he reaches down and taps Ceran's forehead. [[An apology.]]

He trundles off, and Ceran watches you for a few seconds near the tent. She's smiling, slipping closer to you. Her expression reminds you of... A drunk? No, not quite. She simply seems blissful and unaware of the current situation. her hand slides atop yours.

"What you said earlier was touching." she says softly. "Did you mean it?"

>>18112599
I think she's still in shock from that fear jaunt. She's been uncharacteristically silent during the journey.

"Yes, I did."

...do we have genitals? I honestly hadn't considered that before.

>>18112599
>Her expression reminds you of... A drunk? No, not quite. She simply seems blissful and unaware of the current situation.
So this time he's removed all her fear? I'm not sure that's much of an apology.

>>18112691
Hopefully (and presumably) it is temporary.
I don't think his effects are permanent, either way.

>>18112599
"I could not have been more sincere."

>>18112691
Eh, if she's going to sleep, then a complete guarantee of no nightmares is a good thing, especially since she went through pure fear earlier today. It's nice that he's keeping her subconscious from ripping itself apart.

>>18112599
"I meant every word."

"I meant every word."

She nods, grasping you hand and turning to the tent. "Tonight, then." she says softly. "I... The Fae could turn on me, or something. I... Before we go..."

She blushes, looking at her feet.
"Please..."

>>18113078
...seriously, do we have genitals?

>>18113078
Unless Fear has consumed a fae of lust or some sort, we know that she actually wants this, regardless of if he's amplifying her fear of tomorrow, decreasing her fear of being with us, or whatever, so other than Fear laughing at us for falling for a human and losing time to ponder the riddles from Madness, I don't see anything AGAINST doing what she wants. And she'll have to sleep eventually, so we can riddle ponder then.

I don't think now is the time to get so... intimate. We're neck deep in a conspiracy in the middle of woods at night and I STILL don't trust Fear enough sulking around out of sight to go in and get busy with Ceran and let our guard down.

>>18113394
To be fair, the middle of the woods is probably less dangerous than her room right in the middle of the city at the centre of the conspiracy where everyone knew where we lived.

>>18113452
This might be the only safe, private moment we have with her until the conspiracy is defeated, for all we know. Now would be a good - possibly the only - time for this.

>>18113118
All Fae are capable of siring with mortal creatures - you know this inherently that Fae are hyperfertile.

So yes. You do have genitals.

You take her hand, and move with her into the tent. Fear spared little expense - the inside is dimensionally disjoined, leading to a comfortable room in an inn in the Ether. It's warm, the bed is large. She pushes away your hood, pulls away your glasses, and looks you in the eyes as you move towards the bed.

(See email/subject)

>>18113533
You don't need to skip it, but leave out any details that would make it sufficiently NSFW. We don't want you getting banned on a blue board. As for style, I'm going to suggest slow and sensual. It suits our nature.

>>18113533
If you're uncomfortable writing it up, then skip it, it's not really necessary for the story. If you want to include it to add details, then just go with what >>18113572 said. Keep it sfw and patient.

>>18113533
Fade to black if you want.

And slow and attentive to detail.

>((I just realized blue board applies to text too
Awwww, nutbunnies. I'll pastebin it or put it in the /tgchan/ discussion thread later, or something, depending on demand.))

The night passes wonderfully slowly.

You slip out of the bed and away from a very satisfied Ceran, slipping your robe back on. You consider more deeply the riddle, and settle on several things.

| War is one of the people involved in the Conspiracy. He rides a Red Horse, and you are almost sure he was the Fae in the room with the other Conspirator.

| The Rose offering was almost certainly the act of a human Conspirator.

| Finally, that conspirator was female.

Other than that, there's little you can draw on. 'A man with a red horse, a woman with a red rose, a demon true and true, a brother, a lover, a loser, a victor.'

Who else... More accurately, what else?
Something about his phrasing bothered you. They way he painted the inevitability of your failure...

>>18113869
>The way he painted the inevitability of your failure
Concentrate on that.
Why would our failure be inevitable?
Is it not a matter of people working to undo the seals, but rather that the seals being broken is a foregone conclusion as they wear out?

Whatever you want ego. I'll enjoy reading it either way.

Arrg I missed the thread! A lady with a rose is likely Damien's ex, her symbol is a ruby rose, and her minions wore the same on their robes. Ummm... email is empty to me.

>>18113906
If, after our concentrating, this turns out to be true, wouldn't it make more sense to stop trying to stop the seals being broken, and just sit and wait for them to do so. Then, since we've been just sitting and waiting, release our unbounded field to destroy the archmagi.

>>18113959

Oh son of a bitch, you're right. And we already mentioned that the first diplomatic meetings feel apart after a child gave a rose to a fae who took offense at it, and killed the child. I bet they were behind that.

>>18113869
According to a modfag in maidquest (a self pronounced 'thinly veiled fap-fic'), pornography of the written variety is alright. Reasoning that you have to actually spend time and effort to notice, as opposed to a glance for pictures. It's sad I know these things after just a year of lurking.

>>18113959
I was wondering where you were. I totally forgot about her and the rose symbolism. And since it was the offering, not the receiver that was a conspirator, there's no evidence to suggest it isn't her.

>A lady with a rose is likely Damien's ex, her symbol is a ruby rose, and her minions wore the same on their robes. Ummm... email is empty to me.

You almost palm your face. The conspiracy begins to take shape.

War, the horseman, wants there to be war, for it is his nature. The Delarosa family, lords and ladies of arms and armor, would see massive profit and importance with the coming of conflict. A case begins to form. Two or three other individuals, motivated by revenge, by jealousy or love... And one by simple, pure madness...

The Lover. The Loser. The Brother. The Lady - Lady Delarosa. The Rider - War himself. The Demon.

And, above them all, the Victor. Six conspirators, and one to tie them all together. That still leaves five unknowns. If you can learn who they are, and strike at the conspirators...

And then there's the feeling of loss that the whole thing painted - an inevitable tone that made it feel like this was something that would come to pass no matter your action.

Six cities. Six conspirators. Six hundred years on the seal.

Something isn't adding up...Ceran is starting to stir.

>>18114281
"I know who two of the conspirators are, Ceran. Damien won't be happy."

>>18114281
Is there a Fey of Lust/Sex? The brother...that could mean one of our brothers, or it could mean one of Damien's Son's, if I'm not mistaken one of his sons had a particular fondness for his mother. As for the Demon, I don't know.

>>18114281

I'm wondering why the number 6 is so important.

I mean, 3 is a holy number in most traditions, so 3 doubled increases that, but 6 is also seen as a flawed number - being one less that 7, which signifies completeness and perfection...

...wait. Were the seals made to be imperfect in the first place?

>>18114281
Hang on, I need to go back and find out if Old-man-who-fired-us-in-the-very-beginning-at-a-fey-grunt-then-was-set-on-fire-a-few-threads-ago left us any hints in that letter of his.

>>18114345
Six is also a number that occurs a lot in nature.
Hexagons and whatnot. Could be something related to that.
A ritual requiringa hexagram, seals being in a certain shape, etc.

>>18114420
Not to mention heptagrams and stars of David.

>>18114345
The idea of seven being special mainly comes from the Abrahamic religions, I don't see why it should apply to this world.

>>18114464
That's not true, actually. Prime numbers have mystical significance it all faiths and regions.

Six has a structual significance which probably extends to magic in some way. The ritual that created them to begin with likely relied on it.

>>18114464

I realize that, but it's possible that Ego borrowed the idea when writing this up.

I mean, a leaky seal, a whole bunch of 6's associated with it, makes sense to me.

There are also 6 Archmages. Tracked down Argyles last writ. 'the fae must learn of the treachery of War. You must reinforce/find the 6 seals. Trust no one but your closest friends'

I remember hearing somewhere that 6 is the perfect number. Something about divisors, I don't care too greatly as I hate math.

>>18114480
Prime numbers are cool and all, and everyone likes grouping stuff into them, but seven isn't the only prime number. The idea of 7 specifically representing completeness and perfection specifically comes from there.

>The number six
It seems significant... somehow. You can't quite pin it.

>>18114306
"I know who two of the conspirators are, Ceran. Damien won't be happy."

"mmmfwhy?" she mumbles, rising. she dresses herself quickly, a shame.

"It's his ex."

She sighs, throwing the cloak over her shoulders, picking up your former container. "And the other?"

"War." you say with a chuckle. "Shall we go?"

"Can we...?"

"For once I must advocate haste." you say, taking her hand and stepping outside -
To a scene of carnage.

Fear stands, bleeding, but unbroken, before the assault of a great creature. It wears dozens of pelts, blades slung on its back and huge, long-handled axes in both hands. Fear seems to step out of every attack, but each assault nicks him just slightly. The monstrous humanoid turns to look at us, then grins. Ceran vanishes into the forest as the monstrous thing begins to charge at you.

>>18114602
If our name were Paranoia I'd say the Lover to be Ceran and the Brother to be Fear, as they truly are those we suspect least. But if it is them, we are already boned (heh). Not good to let such possibilities color our judgement.

Damn phone losing my name.

>>18114745
Gun reloads after every shot, right? Just start firing as fast as we can move our fingers. If we work this right, this gun can become a machine gun.

>>18114782
Ceran has it and she booked it. This is how I intend for us to fight. When we think hard, the world start to exponentially slow down around us, the longer we think. What we do is we start hyperfocusing on this combat. We step out of the way of his attacks. We Patiently wait for the perfect moment. Then we use our calm, cold Fury to land a single, perfect killing blow.

>>18114745
Ceran has Westing, right?
She's probably gone to find a good sniping position.

We should concetrate on analyzing the thing as it comes at us, stepping out of the way of its charge.

>>18114772
The bit about the ones we suspect least and the bit about the loss of those held dear and not to be mad at those responsible because a thousand follow his command and die by their own hand makes me think mind control.

>>18114831

This. Dodge its attacks and constantly be on the lookout for weak points that we can take advantage of.

Hopefully Ceran is taking up sniping position right now.

Suck out his anger, his bloodlust. All of it. That might give him pause in the least. Then start contemplating every possible attack he can make and how we will counter each. Is it still dark out? If it is, assassination in the gun is all we really need.

>>18114745
Avoidance and stalling are our greatest goal here. We can't take this by our selves, but if we wait and avoid its blows long enough for Ceran to set up and Fear to recover, those two can take it down.

>>18114906
Especially since the longer we focus, the more extreme our bullet time will get.

Holy crap...

We should totally fight like Sherlock Holmes.

>>18114973
Exactly. Plan three steps ahead and keep so calm that it's like the entire world moves in slow motion.

>>18114849
I'm banking on that line making sense later. When I first saw the War comment I thought we were to teach them about the effects of war, not the betrayal of a person. Mind control is possible, but using it to gather conspirators? Doubtful. Too risky if the control breaks. The dying by their own hand could mean ritual suicide to power... something. Magic, a cause, to break all the seals at once, I got no clue. Like I said, should make more sense late.

>>18115024
>Furious be not at those who are responsible. A thousand and a hundred men will walk at his command, a thousand and a hundred die by their own hand.

That likely means that despite the fact the thousand and hundred are following his orders they are neither being forced nor coerced into serving him. Like how you can't get off of war crimes for "I was just following orders"

>>18114745
Fear takes the chance to rest as you Focus, for the first time in a long time. It's not much, but your unbounded field blossoms around you as an axe scythes for your head. You step to one side as it slams into the earth, cracking it, the creature lifting off the earth and flipping through the air.

Even to your slowed perception, he moves effortlessly fast, and you barely manage to leap away as he comes down - hard, sundering the earth with the power of his landing. Leaving the axes in the earth, he draws his swords, stubby flat cleavers.

Fury.

It pumps into your arms and chest as he rushes for you. You move to his left, carefully. He leaps again. His shadow falls over your body, and you feel the plan come together. You rocket towards him, his blue eyes widening in shock as one fist slams into his belly. Tight muscle and thick skin ripple beneath your fist, and you drop suddenly, out of his parabolic leap. He falls in a heap, struggling to rise.

You send Assassination to Westing as he rises and roars, the sound dialed so low it sounds completely demonic. Swords hurtle forth, spinning in the air, one after another, and you turn sideways, grasping one from the air lazily.

He pulls something from his pocket as you pull back your arm and throw with all your might.
He uncorks the bottle as the sword spins through the air at him and he backs against a tree.

He drinks, then smiles, one hand rising - as the sword slams into the tee behind where he once stood. His middle finger vanishes last as the ground to his left thumps and some sod kicks up. The axes have also vanished, but not the cleavers.

Fear chuckles.
[[I once called you boring, brother. My apologies.]]

>>18115056
But it says they're not responsible.

>>18115081
Shit. Pay careful attention to the dust from his footsteps and the sounds his movements make.

>>18115056
We have NO clue who the fuck 'he' refers to either. In that context it sounds like the puppetmaster, but it might not be, its so damn arbitrary. And true, the only proper response to an order to perform war crimes is to murder said superior and never get caught.

>>18115081
If we're unable to visually track his movements then amplify his fury. Sure its risky, but hopefully if we cause him to go berserk entirely he'll start to roar more, so we can track him that way. But still focus on avoidance and stalling.

Gather loose rocks and spread them around us, so he makes a sound when he moves over them. If the ground is dry, gather some dust to fling at his eyes when we think we know where he is. And all 6 eyes should be on the grass to see where his weight pushes down the grass/dirt. Invisible does not mean unfindable.

>>18115356
Doesn't matter either way, he'd be blinded by dust and the dus dissapears, so we know we got him, or it marks him and we've turned the tables. Win/delay possibilities, almost as good as win/win.

>>18115500
Yeah... dust if it's an option is obviously better than tracking by fury.

You wait for a moment to enact your battle plans, only to note his fleeing footsteps as the cleavers both vanish from sight as well.

You relax.

"What was that?"

[[An orc. Not seen one in some time...]]

Ceran returns, grumbling to herself - something about having trouble finding a good spot.

[[The question then, is, will he return?]]

>>18115733
Who cares if he returns? We won't be here. We should probably make a bit of effort to cover our tracks though, or a short teleport or something.

>>18115825
If Ceran thinks she can handle another Fear teleport, or if we know how to patience teleport then we should probably do so. If not, we should high tail it out of here, and possibly lay down a trap or something in case it's working with the conspiracy and is actively after us.

>>18115825
This.

So the orcs aren't dead. By this point, we should just ignore the sum of human knowlege of the world, scholars are pointless huddling in cities when races you though dead are picking fights with campers.

>>18115825
Agreed. Let's get out of here.

>>18115883
It strikes you that it's entirely possible that there would be a tribe or two hidden away - the histories note that their civilization was wiped out, not their race.

>>18115854
I look to Fear and he shakes his head.
[[Nay, not just for expediance.]] he says. [[We walk, swiftly. It will still take time.]]

You nod to him, and together, you trek further into the forests.

((END OF THREAD.))

(( See you guys TUESDAY AFTERNOON. ))

>>18116800
Damn it OP now I'll be distracted while working on my last minute project for Wednesday.
Anybody archive this yet?