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It bothers you that the gun thing hasn't worked out, but there's always other weapons. Bows, Spears, maybe there's some other kind of bizarre future-weapon you can find hidden away in the armory.

You will explore the possibilities in due time, but first, lunch.

Cody sits across from you at the table. You both quietly eat in peace.
Until he decides to ask another invasive question.

"Hey kid, Do you even like this girl?"
You don't dignify that with a response.

"What about your princess? She was all over you last time I saw you two together."
Again, no good can come from answering this.

"..Do you like girls?"

>WHAT?!
>No answer.
>Get mad.
>Calmly reaffirm your heterosexuality.
>"Yes, okay? I think Kayda and Princess Eileen are pretty."
>"Okay, fine! I think I like Kayda."
>Other?

>>48974514
>"Yes, okay? I think Kayda and Princess Eileen are pretty."

>>48974514
>Calmly reaffirm your heterosexuality.
>Other?
"Beyond that I have no idea what I want or what I'm doing."

>>48974514
>Get mad.
>WHAT?!
>Of course I do! I like Kayda and Princess Eileen!
>At least… I think I do.
>Wait. What are you implying?

>"Yes? Okay? I like both Kayda and Princess Eileen, I think they're pretty."
>"At least, I think I do."
>"Beyond that I have no idea what I want or what I'm doing."
>"Wait, what are you implying?"
Writing!

>>48974978
>tfw no yaoi time

File: Cody.jpg (354 KB, 444x970)

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"Yes! Okay?!"
You can feel a light blush on your cheeks.

"Good, we can work from there." Cody takes another bite of his food.

"I think I like both Kayda and Princess Eileen. They're both extremely pretty, but-"
You look down, onto your empty plate.
"-Beyond that, I have no idea what I want or what I'm doing."

"That's what it's like being young, Dorje. Enjoy it." Cody takes a drink from, what you're guessing, is alcohol. "First love is always the sweetest."

"Wait." Something about that catches your ear. "Are you saying, there's more than, just one?"

"Pft." Cody downs the whole glass. "Dorje, you've started down a very long and painful path, but you'll be closer to being a man when you take this first step."

You don't like this, not one bit.

"Hey, earlier when you asked if I liked girls. What were you implying?"
"-A very painful path, Dorje." Cody ignores you, and eagerly eyes the waitress. "A very painful path."

The girl walks over, a new glass in-hand. Cody immediately reaches out and gooses her tail. The young lady squeaks; nearly dropping the glass.
Cody pays little mind to her embarrassment. Instead, he focuses on running the soft strands of her tail between his fingers. The white-hair mats, and twirls between the palm of his hand.

The waitress immediately sets the cup down on the table, spilling some in the process. Her legs carry her like the wind away from the table, and safely away from Cody's fingers.

Maybe you picked the wrong guy to get advice from in a number of different ways.

You sigh and turn your attention away from Cody's womanizing.

>Cont.

File: Out_in_the_town.jpg (91 KB, 600x381)

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Oh great, you're in perfect view of the shop that Kayda is in across the town square. Louise and Keiko happily grab dresses and accessories from the shelves. Kayda speaks with an old woman, holding a measuring stick. The hag leads Kayda away into one of the back rooms, and the two silly girls continue fawning over accessories.

Then another woman comes out, this one much younger than the previous attendant. The two girls turn their attention to her, and start talking so loudly that you can almost hear it from all the way over here.

>..Is it wrong to spy on someone?
>Wait, Cody, did you bring me here to spy on these girls?
>What other weapons should I be thinking about?
>What else could I do if someone I knew was in danger?
>Other?

>>48975556
>..Is it wrong to spy on someone?
it's fine if it's just a peek, riight?

>>48975556
>What other weapons should I be thinking about?

>>48975556
>What other weapons should I be thinking about?
>Other?
Reconsider magic. The way we used it was nearly useless as a ranged attack, are there other ways to do it? We could try different things, but talking to experienced magic users and looking up books would be smarter.

>>48975772
Also, even if we can't manage to launch spikes into people, we still use the magic so the research will have some benefit.

Alternatively, maybe Dorje already did his research and is just doing what he can.

>>48975556
>Wait, Cody, did you bring me here to spy on these girls?
>…Is it wrong to spy on someone?

>..Is it wrong to spy on someone?
>What other weapons should I be thinking about?
>reconsider magic?

Writing!

Now that I think about it, Dorje probably has trouble le with guns because of its lack of connection to physical action, it's just point and shoot. Maybe he needs to be more hands on - I'm thinking throwing daggers. Maybe we can find magic returning daggers. Maybe we can imbue said daggers with earth power so they hit with the weight of a truck.

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"Hey Cody." You realize, suddenly, that watching girls in a clothing shop might be a little.. wrong. "Is it really wrong to spy on someone?"

You turn your head at a clattering sound.
Cody has thrown his sugar-spoon onto the brick-laden ground.

"Miss." Cody flags down a waitress. "I believe I dropped something, could you give me a hand?"

The waitress, none the wiser, turns and bends down to pick it up. Exposing just about everything under her too-short skirt.

You save this question to ask someone else later, and consider your options on weaponry.

The way you used the ground attack earlier, didn't seem very effective for helping people. Maybe there's other ways to use ground magic?
You know, this would seem like the perfect question to ask someone who is trained in magic.

Well, not just trained in magic, but maybe trained in magic offense.

The two girls in the store happily hop out and move on to the next store. Whoever is paying their bill is going to be upset.

Maybe you could try throwing something? Yeah! You remember someone who was really talented with stones.
Of course, throwing stones and maybe throwing magic are two completely separate things.

You think they are, at least? You're not sure.
Oh! Knives! You could try throwing knives.
Right?
Maybe?

You know what, this is hard. This is way harder than you first gave it credit for.

Across the street, the young lady that was once helping the two girls picks up an object and eyes it suspiciously. It's a hairband. She disappears into the back room.

Louise and Keiko have already hit the cake shops. They bark out orders and send chefs running in each direction. Mountains of snacks start being piled onto the table.

Why doesn't Kayda act like this? This is how girls are supposed to act, right?

>Speaking of Kayda..
>Go stop the little rampage occurring throughout the town square.
>Save the waitresses from Cody.
>Order something else to eat and consider your options.
>Other?

>>48976385
>Go stop the little rampage occurring throughout the town square.

actually, if we git gud at throing, can't we pick up and throw stones/pebbles and use magic directly on them?

>>48976385
>Go somewhere isolated and just start doing what comes to mind with magic.

>Go stop the little rampage occurring throughout the town square.
>Go somewhere isolated and just start doing what comes to mind with magic.

Writing!

>actually, if we git gud at throing, can't we pick up and throw stones/pebbles and use magic directly on them?


only if you want the power of throwing stones and pebbles at people.

>>48976710
I was sorta hoping we could go full teen titans Terra

Rolled 3, 46 = 49 (2d100)

Rolled 42, 28 = 70 (2d100)

Do me a favor and roll 1d100, best of three.

Rolled 41 (1d100)

>>48977316

Rolled 55 (1d100)

>>48977316

Rolled 9 (1d100)

>>48977316
let's do this

Rolled 47 (1d100)

>>48977316

File: Keiko_eat.jpg (296 KB, 751x697)

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Okay, you're not sure how much more of Cody's womanizing you can take today.
He's busy trying to cope a feel on another waitress' tail. You take this moment to quietly slip away.

You have something else in mind.

The chaos surrounding the town square continues to build. Now the girls are ordering from a pizza shop, and now they're ordering tea, and now- Okay. How are they holding all of this? They're very clearly collecting each and every one of those boxes. Yet, they seem to just disappear before your eyes. Is this some kind of magic trick that one of them know about?

Can they just store anything, infinitely?

You decide to get some answers, and then maybe put a stop to this.

"Excuse me, you two." You approach with a more confident demeanor.
"Oh hey Dorothy!" Louise beams when she sees you.
"Yeah! Hi Dorey!" Keiko munches on a doughnut.

"Hi." You respond, dryly. The joke is getting old, now. "But listen, you two are making a mess, and-"

"Oh, by the way. We're SO SORRY that Kayda treated you so badly earlier!"
"Mm hmm, she acted like such a jerk." Keiko finishes the doughnut in a single bite.

"..Really? You're sorry? How does Kayda feel about it?"

"Who knows. Look-" Louise leans in close, to whisper. "Kayda has had a lot on her mind lately. Can you please be, um-"
Keiko magically has another doughnut in her hand. "She doesn't want to talk to other people right now, so try not to push her, okay? She wants to be alone."

'Let her alone'?
"Where is she right now?"

"Getting fitted for a dress." Louise smiles. "I think she's grumpy because her old clothes were like leather armor. So we're getting her a nice new outfit!"
"If there's something you want to tell her, we can just go ask."

"No, no. I'm just.. worried."

Louise smiles, and you turn to walk away. That's when they start giggling and gossiping to each other in that really-fast tone.
You can almost feel the rumors physically spreading with every step you take.

>Cont.

File: Louise_Fencer_2.jpg (67 KB, 380x590)

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"UREYAH!"
Another spikey-stone flies toward the bottles lined up on the fence.

Cody never found you again, and that's probably just as well.
This could work out. You're not sure how strong it could be in the long run, but maybe you could make it work.

They're like stones, but they're jutting with quartz. When thrown as hard as you possibly can, they're like tiny cannonballs which crack through the air.

Merely scratching against one of the bottles is enough to break it down into a glassy powder.

Maybe it's not much, but it's a start!
Right?

You reach into the Earth and pull out another lob of dirt. With some forming, and mashing in the palm of your hand; they become another quartz projectile.

Thinking back on it, there really isn't anything stopping you from doing this with any normal weapon. Just douse it with some very sandy Earth, and you could form layers of quartz all along the blade.
Maybe not very useful, but you could impress Fritelli with that!

"Hey!" You hear a familiar voice, ring out behind you. "Dorothy!"

"It's 'Dorje'!" You shout, almost by instinct. "Not Dorothy, Not Dorey, Dorje!"

It's Louise and Keiko.
Instead of the happy, smiling faces they wore only an hour ago; they seem almost worried.

"Whatever! Dorme! Have you seen Kayda?"

"Seen Kayda?" You repeat the question back. "I thought she was with you. What happened to the dress thing?"

"Strange thing about that. When we got back to the shop, the attendant was knocked-out, cold. Do you think she did that?"

"What about the other attendant?"

"What other one?" Louise looks downright scared. "It's a family business, there's only the mother there this time of day."

>Oh no
>Ohhhhhhh noooooooo
>Take off past them, investigate for yourself.
>Find Cody, right. now.
>Okay, okay, don't panic. No alarm.
>Other?

>>48977459
>Oh no
>And now they're going to eat me
>Ohhhhhhh noooooooo
>Take off past them, investigate for yourself.

>>48977459
>Oh no
>Take off past them, investigate for yourself.

>Oh no
>Take off past them, investigate for yourself.
Writing!

Rolled 33 (1d100)

Could I get 1d100, best of 3? If 3 are still reading, I mean

Thanks.

Rolled 66 (1d100)

>>48977895
of course

Rolled 92 (1d100)

>>48977895
sure, why not?

Rolled 55 (1d100)

>>48977895
Wahaha

>>48978080
Yay!

File: detective.png (406 KB, 785x821)

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Oh no.

You were careless, and it's put another comrade in danger again.
It's put HER in danger again.

Immediately, you take off past them. The town almost seems gigantic, and menacing from atop this hill.
With every step; the town grows in size. The feeling of dread pools in your stomach, and the city becomes like a colossus.

--

"KAYDA?!" You shout as you enter the store.
The town guard is already on the case, but they're more interested in searching for stolen things than searching for Kayda.

"Hey buddy." One of them approaches you, "We got this under control, just-M MPPH"
Your hand shoves the dumb looking guard out of the way, and you zip past the confused riffraff.

"Kayda?!" You shout, much to the confusion of a lady holding her head. She's being interviewed by a black-haired girl in a plaid outfit with a long cat tail.

"Who are you?" The girl asks.
"No time! Listen, my friend was in here when the lady was knocked out. Have you seen her?!"

"Oh, that's right, there were customers in here." The lady groans, "I remember picking up a headband, and then walking into the back room, and then-"

Headband?!

You search along the floor, and find it. Definitely one of Kayda's headbands. Covered in multicolored beads and colored leather.

You dart past both of them and into the back room. The door is hanging wide open into the back alley.

"Kayda!" You leap out into the alleyway. It's silent, but you can still sense a vague presence remaining.

You drop to your knee, and your hand starts to comb the nasty, oily dirt of the alley.

There's an indentation, here.
One here, too.

It feels like a single person.
Here, the person took a huge jump, but-

They landed, right over here.

And here, is-

You stop, and look up. In front of you is the oily, filthy form of a cat-ball.

In front of you, the footsteps continue off down the alley.

>Continue down the alley
>Yell Kayda's name again!
>Inspect Cat
>Continue the search from the roof
>Take another route
>Other?

>>48978339
>Continue down the alley

>>48978339
>Continue down the alley

Rolled 73 (1d100)

Writing!

File: Kayda_sad.jpg (91 KB, 564x473)

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Without a moment to waste, you leave the cat-ball behind and continue down the alleyway.

This is bad, this is terrible!
Oh man, Jack is going to kill you if he finds out that you left Kayda to rot again!

You snap to your senses and stop inches away from a paster-covered wall.

A dead end..

At least, it would be, if you didn't smell the faint odor of burning wood.

"Burning wood?" You repeat to yourself, once more.

Gently, you scrape the plaster before you.
It's not in this house, but a nearby house is rapidly heating up!

You step out of the alleyway, and notice something that you missed before.

Outside, a pitch-black ashen cat-ball lays stunned. A huge hole is smashed in the side of an adjacent building. It's about Kayda's height, and-
And it's glowing inside!

Quickly, you rush to the opening when-
FROOOOSH!

You hit the dirt, and a pillar of flame arcs straight over your head!

A cough ejects some of the mud from your mouth.
Then, you see her.

She's inside of a house, coated in flame. She's standing upright, not moving.
What's more disturbing are her eyes, they seem to be staring straight past you and out into the void.

She stands, motionless, her hands outstretched. She doesn't even acknowledge that the building she's in has erupted into flame.

"Kill." She states, emotion drained from her voice. "Them."

"Kayda?!" You shout at her. Her mouth opens to say something, but is cut off by a beam falling right at her feet!

>Rush in and grab her
>Try to incapacitate her somehow before moving in!
>This is too risky, put the fire out first!
>But how? With sand? Stone?
>Other?

>>48979159
>Rush in and grab her

>>48979159
>Rush in and grab her

File: Dorje_Foxhand.png (240 KB, 764x974)

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Every
Single
Bone
in your body
Is telling you to not go in and get her.

Put the flames out first!
Knock her out somehow!
Use some kind of blanket!
Knock the walls off the building!

Do ANYTHING but run into the burning house, with the burning fire-hero, and lay your bare hands on her before running outside. All the while she's stating her mindless intention to kill.

Don't do it.

Don't even THINK about it.

So, why are you doing it?

Why are your legs moving you toward the building?

Why are you now standing inside of this raging inferno?!

Why aren't you running away?! Who thought this was a good idea?!

"Murder..."

Furthermore, why did you just grab the very person who is stating her intention to murder! Are you insane?!
Your feet pass the precipice of the ruined wall. The heat slowly edges off of your back.

Yet, the heat on your face remains.
Staring you, right in the eye, is another ball of flame forming in Kayda's hand.

"I want.."

Your hand immediately counters with a big ball of sand! The sand rushes over the tiny ember and smothers it.
You drop Kayda, and then step back. She nearly tips over into the mud, but is held aloft by a wall behind her.

She really has no idea what is happening right now!

Everything about her seems fine, except.
There's a tiny rune, that's glowing on her forehead.

"I got to get her back to the castle."

In the distance, there's a yell. It seems that fire has ignited the curiosity of the guard.

>Never mind, I got to get her out of here!
>But, where do I go!?
>What do I do?!
>I can't leave her alone like this!
>She could scorch me again at any time!
>Who cares, just run you idiot!
>Other?

>>48979385
>Never mind, I got to get her out of here!
>I can't leave her alone like this!
>Who cares, just run you idiot!

>>48979385
>try to scrub the rune off her forehead

>>48979413
Wait, scratch the who cares line, I misread

>Never mind, I got to get her out of here!
>I can't leave her alone like this!
>Who cares, just run you idiot!
>Try t o scrub the rune off her forehead

Writign!

>>48979589
Got it. Writing continues.

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The sound of yelling is getting louder, and the structure behind you is burning brighter.

You approach Kayda, but her words make you stop in your tracks.
"Where..."

This is bad. This is really bad!
You can't let them know that a hero just burned down a building. Worst yet, the hero of a nation that has declared war on Biscotti!

You got to get her out of here!

"Why..."

What is going on?!

Is it..

Your eyes fixate on the tiny, blue rune on her forehead.
Cautiously, you approach her and pull her hair back.
It's such a bright rune, it's almost burned its way into the skin.

Your fingers rub the tiny emblem, and nothing happens. Your palm rubs the spot, and it remains as bright as ever.

Soon, your hand is rubbing a red rash on the head of the poor girl.

The rune, however, hasn't budged.

"Hey! Who's there?!" You hear from the end of the alley.

Forget the remedies, it's time to go.

--

You flee the town, and notice several more of the houses are bellowing with smoke.

Water pours onto and into the afflicted structures. Wizards and mages all battle the flames, and they even seem to be winning!

If only you could say the same.

You knock the smoke out of your robes. Kayda managed to give you a good searing on the way over. You just hope no one noticed the pillar of flame which erupted from her hands.

Now, even more worriedly, she's chanting. You almost wonder if her eyes have blinked recently.

>Who do I look for?!
>What do I do?!
>I can't take her to the castle like this!
>Where the hell did Louise and Keiko go?!
>..I need help.
>Other?

Everyone, this has gone on longer than I anticipated, if you guys can keep the thread alive until tomorrow we can have a two-day thread. If not, I will clear a day out this week to run a proper conclusion (promise!)

Next story post is going to be the last one for the night

>>48979915
>>Who do I look for?!
>>What do I do?!
>>..I need help.

>>48979915
>Who do I look for?!
Aligot! he know about magic and stuff
>I can't take her to the castle like this!
Gag and tie her! that'll make things better...right?

>>48979927
sure thing.

>>48979915
>I can't take her to the castle like this!
>Where the hell did Louise and Keiko go?!
>..I need help.
Metagame wise, keiko should lead us to atsuko to depossess her. Or whatever is happening, she should have some clue.

>Who do I look for?!
>A-Aligot, I think?!
>I can't take her to the castle like this!
>..I need help.

Writing last post of the night!

File: Kayda_sleepy.jpg (213 KB, 1500x1246)

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"Who do I look for, what do I do?!"

This is all too much, far too much responsibility being given to you.
You don't know anything about magic! Or curses! Or anything, really!

How are you supposed to fix this...
Aligot.

That's right! Biscotti's archmage. He's smart! He can fix things!
You just need to.

"HeE-"
With a burst, Kayda glows once more and ejects a fireball. This seems to emerge directly from her skin!

You can't take her to the castle like this. You need to-

Oh! You have an idea!

You reach onto your robe and grab a thick layer of cloth from the sleeve.
With a rip, it easily comes off.

"S-sorry Kayda, but I really think this needs to be done right now."

You take a strip of cloth and bind her arms closely behind her back. Then, with the thickest piece you have, you gag her mouth.
The fact that she whispered for help before you did that does not put you at ease. Not one bit.

You heft Kayda onto your shoulder, and start the long trek to Biscotti castle.
That is, until you start to feel a rapid heating sensation against your skin.

Immediately, you set her down and jump back. Just in time for her entire body to glow orange, and for the thin strips binding her to burn away into ash.
That's when another pillar of fire erupts.

That is also the time that you realize something about her clothes. She wasn't wearing a barrier jacket when this happened.

What was once probably a pretty dress, is now ashen rags. Of which only cover half of her body.

So, you're left with a half-naked girl who is erupting with fire at random. Plus, Biscotti guards may or may not want her for arson.

You need help, and you're not sure how to get it. You certainly can't leave her here, now.

"Dad.." She whispers, "Dad, I'm sorry."

Of all the things she has said; this has to hurt you the most.

You pick up her barely-conscious form, and hug her closely. You don't know how, but you're going to fix this.

>Thread Pause

Okay, definitely time for bed.

Everyone, thanks for the thread. If thread is here when I get home tomorrow, we will continue. If not, then I will make a day to finish this up.

See you then!

>>48980505
thanks for running, see you soon

>>48980485
Dorje put your barrier jacket on her you twit.

Bump

bump

Bump

Bump

I wonder if he'll show up?

>>48989614
Maybe Thor brought drinks.

>>48989635
Hope not.
I missed this thread yesterday so I'd like to continue.
Plus, getting nervous over what happened to the poor girl.

File: Dorje_2.png (341 KB, 600x660)

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In the distance; this might come off as a very romantic scene.

An unconscious maiden, valiantly being carried back to safety by the aid of a noble hero.
FWROOOSH!
..Until the fire erupts. Then the romantic atmosphere burns away, and is left with a much more tense atmosphere.

Wait, who would ever call this 'romantic'? Certainly not you.
Certainly not after Kayda suddenly fell unconscious and abruptly started spitting fire everywhere.
All the while chanting and moaning, as if she's in intense pain. As if she's completely unaware to the world around her.

Who would ever call it that?

You are Dorje, and today has made you a mixture of disturbed, scared, angry, and worried. Sometimes you feel as if you're completely under control, and other times the tide is whisking you away to yet another situation that you are ill-prepared to deal with.

Maybe this is why that Jack fellow drinks as much as he does.

Oh man, when Jack finds out about this; he's going to be so mad at you.

You wait for Kayda's body to cool before picking her up and making another break for the castle.
Maybe. Maybe you could set her down in the training yards.

This all still depends on if she's wanted for starting a fire in Biscotti. One that seemed pretty serious and maybe burned a few shops down.

With a hop, you leap over to Kayda and wrap your barrier jacket around her once more. You grab her and start your dash toward the tall structure in the distance.

That is, until you smell smoke once more.
You tried covering the charred tatters of her clothing with your barrier jacket, but-

FOOOM!

..It keeps getting blown off. Plus, it's the only thing that's protecting you from becoming somewhere between medium-rare and extra-crispy right now.

>This isn't working. I need a new strategy.
>I can control Earth, right? Maybe I need some Earth armor right now.
>I'm close enough, I don't think anyone will bother her if I run to get help.
>Set her down and try to understand her babbling.
>Other?

>>48991118
>I can control Earth, right? Maybe I need some Earth armor right now.

>>48991118
>give her your barrier jacket
>I can control Earth, right? Maybe I need some Earth armor right now.

>>48991118
>>I can control Earth, right? Maybe I need some Earth armor right now.

>>48991118
>I can control Earth, right? Maybe I need some Earth armor right now.

>>48991264
Oh ad the barriet jacket thing to my vote.

>>48991335
ADD the barriet jacket thing to my vote.

So hey, announcer, how ya doing?

>>48991264
Dude, we already tried giving her our barrier jacket, did you read the last couple lines?

>>48991451
ah, nevermind what I said here >>48991335
>>48991420
then

>>48991451
i meant, try to attach it better or something

>>48991118
>This isn't working. I need a new strategy.

>>48991439
Pretty good, I wish I started a bit sooner. Today was my last day at my old job.

But eh, oh well.

>I can control Earth, right? Maybe I need some Earth armor right now.
Writing!

File: Kayda_tribe.jpg (1.06 MB, 2308x2000)

1.06 MB JPG

This is starting to grind on your nerves.
You're so close! You're almost in yelling distance of the castle!

Maybe if you can flag down some guards, they can go get Aligot.

Or maybe..
Maybe..

You can control Earth, right? Earth is almost entirely fireproof.
At least, you've never seen the ground catch on fire spontaneously. That's reserved for trees and grass.

Could you.. maybe use your magic to keep from being blasted by fire?

You think about earlier, and the quartz crystals. Those crystals seem fairly resilient to heat. Heck, they make glass out of that stuff!

Maybe, just maybe..

You take your shirt off, and lay down on the sandy dirt.
Then, you start rolling like a dog.

The dusty, filthy Earth starts to cake onto your skin. A few globs of soil stick to one another. Those globs start to harden into something much stronger.
It starts with the almost painful feeling of something stabbing you along your skin. By the time you're done; you find difficulty standing. The entire topsoil layer of where you were rolling is now clinging tightly to your body. The dust hardening into something like a protective skin.

Perfect.

You walk over, and pick the unconscious girl up again.

FRARRSSHHH!

A wave of heat rolls over you, but not unbearable heat! It feels very much like a wave of warm water.

"Dad... help."

FWROOOM!
"YEEOW!" You shriek, before setting the girl down. It feels like an army of bees just stung the back of your neck!

What the hell? The armor should have protected you! Why didn't it-
Dampness.

You feel dampness dripping onto your pants.

You're sweating. Sweating profusely. This armor isn't very cool, and the water from your skin is clinging tightly to your body.

Water, clinging to your body, being exposed to a flame. Water, plus flame, equals steam, which would go straight through your earthen covering.

>Just keep going! You're almost there!
>I need better armor.
>I need a break.
>Other?

>>48991840
>Just keep going! You're almost there!
>Other?
Let the armor fall away, unless we come up with a better design it'll do us no good, and we don't have the time.

>>48991840
>Just keep going! You're almost there!
>Use earth to move her.

>>48991926
If we can use Earth to move her instead of carrying her, then that might work, but I'm not sure our control is that great yet?

>>48992009
Yeah, no, I don't think that trick is in our tool box, and we shouldn't be spending more time experimenting.

>>48992009
is it that good announcer?

>>48991840
>I need a break.

>>48991879
>>48991840
Pretty much try this I guess. I don't know, this is a rough situation we're in.

Man it'd be good if we had a counter to this with our earth stuff...

>>48992124
Yeah, but that's something we need to worry about later, we can just tough the rest out for now.

When we get to the castle let's yell for aligot, magic users in general and curse breakers. Maybe save time if aligot would need to call in a specialist.

>>48992151
Hope you're right.

>>48992175
Or at least when we send out for him, we mention the mark so he knows what he's dealing with.

>Just keep going!
>Let the armor fall away

Writing!

Hope we can get at least 100 posts here before it's over.

File: dorje3.jpg (652 KB, 600x835)

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Okay, you can do this! You don't need caution when you're so close that you can almost taste it!

With another sharp breath; you run and grab the half-conscious girl. Then you sprint.
You sprint harder, and faster, than you have ever sprinted before.

FROOSH!

A layer of dirt peels off your skin. You wrap Kayda even tighter in your barrier jacket. With any luck, that will deflect the heat from the areas that are peeling.

FWOOM!

Almost there, almost there. Just keep going. Just a little futher.

The running is starting to wear on your dirt-armor. Every bounce causes precious few specks and flicks of dirt to flake off your body. This isn't even counting the hammering you're taking from the girl's flame.

But, you're so close! The practice fields feel as if they're RIGHT HERE!
You feel another wave of heat wash over your back.

Yikes.

It certainly causes the knights training in the courtyard to stop and pay attention to you.

You set Kayda down, just in time to avoid another boil of heat.

"HELP!" You yell at the clueless figures in the practice field. "SHE'S HURT! GO GET ALIGOT!"

Some of them uneasily drop their practice swords instead of listening. Others are already halfway across the field by the time you give them the command.

--

"What is it?! What's wrong? What's happening?"
"Dorje, stop." Aligot commands.

FWOOM!

Another wave of fire erupts from Kayda's body. Fortunately, both you and Aligot are standing a good distance away from her.

"I'll need some way to have a look at her. Could you maybe restrain her somehow?"

>Cover her body in sand.
>Try hugging her really tightly with your barrier jacket.
>Dirt armor, again?
>Ask Aligot what he suggests
>Other?

>>48993262
>Cover her body in sand.

>>48993262
>Try hugging her really tightly with your barrier jacket.
>>Ask Aligot what he suggests

>>48993262
We gave as much info as we could, right?
He knows about the mark and all that, doesn't he?

>>48993311
Is covering her in sand really a good idea?

>Try hugging her really tightly with your barrier jacket.
>Ask Aligot what he suggests

And 100 posts.

>Try hugging her really tightly with your barrier jacket.
>Ask Aligot what he suggests

Writing!

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"What do I do?!"

"You need to keep her restrained, okay?" Aligot flips a piece of paper in his hand. "If what you're saying is true, I need to trace the rune on her forehead so I know what kind of charm was placed on her."

"About that-" You interrupt him, "You said before this was a charm, the same thing that someone put on Yuuki?"
"That's what I think it is."

Aligot turns around, nodding to a brown-haired girl standing just down the hill. Fritelli holds a protective blanket, ready to smother someone lest they catch ablaze.

Which is going to make this next suggestion sound even crazier!

"I'll run up and hug her."
"Seriously?"

"Well, I was holding her all the way here." You adjust your voice, hoping to not draw attention to the fact that she is half-naked. "I can use my barrier jacket to restrain her for a short while. How long do you need?"

"Just long enough to trace this rune."

"Got it."

On the count of three, both you and Aligot run up the hill toward Kayda.

With a dive; you land right on top of her and wrap your barrier jacket around her upper body. Aligot wastes little time pulling her bangs back and tracing the rune on her forehead.

Except, he's sure taking his stupid time with it. Your arms are almost numb from hugging Kayda so closely, and Aligot is taking his time with every tiny dash and line.

You want to tell him to hurry the hell up.

"Help.."
"It's okay Kayda! We're getting you help! Just hang on!"

"The voices. They won't stop."

Voices?

"They're telling me to do things."

What things?

Suddenly, Kayda starts to glow again.

"There! I got it! Run!" Aligot springs up and starts to dart away.

You try to do the same, but are caught with a problem.
Her arms are now wrapped around you!
The extremely powerful hug is keeping you from moving anywhere!

>Try to break from it!
>Earth armor! Now!
>Cover both of you in sand!
>Hug closer, you can take it.
>Other?

>>48993987
>Hug closer, you can take it.

>>48993987
>>Hug closer, you can take it.

>>48993987
>Hug closer, you can take it.
I don't know, it doesn't really seem like the best idea, but neither are the other ones.

>Hug closer, you can take it

Cute!

Writing!

Rolled 26 (1d100)

File: Fritelli_Oh.jpg (147 KB, 850x1076)

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"I- I can't-" She mumbles.

Her body is glowing, warmer, and warmer.

You could try to break from the hold. That would probably hurt her arms, but you would be free! Or, or you could apply some Earth armor really quickly. No, no, that might stab into her. Oh! How about cover both of you with sand! No, what if she inhaled some of it. She's not exactly in her right mind at the moment.

Warmer, and warmer, oh man it's burning hot now.

There's only one measure you can safely undertake right now, without hurting Kayda.

You squeeze her tighter, and close your eyes.

FRROOOOOWWMMMM!

Flames dance across your back. The barrier jacket does its job from deflecting the majority of the fire away from you, but is little help in diverting the fire which happens to slip through.

A part of you wants to yell, another part of you wants to scream.

The more sensible part of you is extremely thankful that Fritelli is much faster than she looks.

"I'm...Sorry...Help." Kayda whispers, once more.
"It's okay! I'm right here!" You keep hugging the poor girl, "I'm not going anywhere!"

"Dorje! Up!" Fritelli commands you.
She pulls and tugs on your arm, but is little use against Kayda's strength.

"I'm fine! Just figure out how to fix this!"

"Dorje! You have to get away! This is a charm!" Aligot yells at you, "You can't cure it, you can only wait for it to wear off!"

"There has to be something you can do! You cured Yuuki's charm!"

"I can give it to you and take it away from Kayda! But that's about it!" Aligot seems increasingly worried. "We should just leave her alone until it wears off!"

"What kind of charm does she have?!"

"It's the same one that Yuuki had! It should have put her to sleep, but for some reason she's acting strange! I don't know, but now is not the time to be thinking about it!"

"Dorje! It's time to go!" Fritelli orders, once more.

>No, Let me take the charm
>Fine, Carefully escape the grip
>Keep hugging, Maybe you can talk her down?
>Other?

>>48994754
take what charm?

>>48994796
The one on her forehead that is doing that.

>>48994796
Sorry, it's just like with Yuuki in that the rune on her head can be transferred to someone else.
Unfortunately, Dorje is the only one close enough to do that right now.

Any votes?

>>48994754
>No, Let me take the charm

>>48994754
>No, Let me take the charm
Though wait if it works the same on Dorje, won't we crush people instead and be even more dangerous than Kayda?

I don't know I feel like we should know the answer to this, but honestly I'm still catching up

>>48995097
Close enough! Writing!

>>48995151
>>48994754
So I don't know, I feel like all three options are really bad. Like taking the charm could replace one threat with something much worse, escaping the grip might not be managable and might make Kayla worse/she could risk burning herself out, and I don't really think she's lucid enough to be talked down.

Which makes me think the "right" answer isn't listed, and I have no idea what it is.

>>48995164
Oh well.

>>48995185
I'm sorry if I made it seem that way. I don't think any of them are particularly 'wrong' answers. Hopefully the next post clears that up.

Writing continues.

File: ThisGIrl.jpg (498 KB, 1280x1365)

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"The charm!" You yell. "If there's no time, then put the charm on me!"

Aligot doesn't say anything, but Fritelli certainly seems angry.

"Are you nuts?! What if it starts doing the same thing to you! Then we'll replace fire with throwing rocks and bolders everywhere! How is that an improvement?!"
"Stop." Aligot steps in front of Fritelli. "It's fine."

A small fireball erupts from Kayda's mouth. Fortunately, her head had lulled off to one side when it happened.

"If I start acting like this-" You interrupt Aligot before he says something, "Just knock me out, okay?! I won't be spitting fire, so it should be much easier!"

"That's-" Fritelli starts to say something.

Aligot pays it no mind, and instead gets started on the inscription.

"Dorje, close your eyes."

You keep Kayda restrained, and obey Aligot's command. Right now, you want to think about literally anything except what you're about to do right now.
It seems crazy.

No! It seems downright stupid!

Why are you doing so many stupid things in one day?

Someone, you're guessing Aligot, is scribbling on your forehead. You can feel his hand guide your head gently downward.

Your forehead just pressed against something hard, and round. The pressure against your neck continues, and your face mashes against a strange collection of features.
Did you just accidentally kiss-

--

-Kayda?

Your eyes pop open, and you spring to attention.
"EEK!" A voice shrieks and drops whatever it was she was reading.

You're far away from the training field, now. You're in a room.
No, you're in Eileen's room, in the castle.

"Dorje!" Immediately, the fluffy-haired princess practically pounces on you. "Oh thank goodness, I was worried you would never wake up. I almost sent a message to my father, and tried to get the doctor-"

"..How long was I out?"

Her wide, green eyes meet yours, "About an hour."

>Eileen I'm fine.
>Please, I can take care of myself.
>Fall back asleep.
>Wait! Kayda! Where did Kayda go?!
>Other?

>>48995723
>Wait! Kayda! Where did Kayda go?!

>>48995723
Damn, I want to make a joke about how her thinking we'd never wake up when we were only asleep for an hour could indicate a lack of confidence, but I don't think it makes sense for Dorje.

>>Wait! Kayda! Where did Kayda go?!
>I can get that joke in there, I have my ways

Writing last post of the night!

File: Eileen.jpg (263 KB, 850x929)

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Your mind races, of what you maybe missed. Were you turned into a mindless Earth-casting monster? Did Aligot's plan work? Is everyone okay? IS THE PRINCESS' HAND RUNNING ACROSS YOUR BARE CHEST?

"P-Princess, Please."

"What? I just wanted to make sure my hero wasn't hurt."

You have the sneaking suspicion that she was tracing around your muscles the whole time you were asleep. You've caught her doing that in the past.

"Princess.."

"I know, I know. Princesses can't marry peasants." She huffs, "Which is why I'm going to run away with you when we get older."

"No you're not, your dad would kill me." You mumble.

Kill.
Dad.

Wait! You remembered something!

"Where did that other hero go?!"
"The tan one? I saw a team carting her off the field. But that's not important. Let's get some shut-eye."

The princess tries to climb into bed, but you hop off the other side.

"Sorry Eileen, important hero business. I'll be back in a few!"

She pouts, but smiles as you walk out the door.

You don't know what you're going to do with her.

--

You enter the place where Kayda is being kept in secret: The armory.
According to Aligot, it's probably best to keep another attack on the heroes a secret for the time being. He doesn't want it getting out that there's a tactic that has proven success against them.

Something else seems to be bothering Aligot, as well.

"So what's the problem?" You ask Fritelli, who appears to be keeping cold ice on Kayda's head.
"She hasn't woken up, and she has a fever." Fritelli states, coldly. "I put some string up, but I don't think it's from an illness. I think that stint we saw earlier was the result of some type of foul play."

"Foul play?" You state, cautiously.

"Mind control." Fritelli states once more. "I think someone is trying to mind-control Kayda."

>Thread End

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Shit I forgot to put the joke in there. Damn it, I'll get it next time. I'll put it in my notes to have someone make a snide remark about it.

This is what happens when I stay up until 1AM writing a quest, I guess.

Anyway. Thanks everyone for the thread, Please let me know what you thought of it.

And let me know if you want more of these interactions in the future. I like looking at the other heroes, it's why I put them in the quest.

Thanks for the thread everyone. Be sure to watch my twitter if I suddenly have a schedule change.

>>48996251
Needs less serous, could use more fluff and puff.

>>48996251
Thanks for running, and it's really fun seeing the other heroes do stuff, really makes the world seem more alive if that makes sense.

I especially like how every hero's narration is very distinct from each other so even if it's still part of the same story, tonally it's almost like a different quest.

I don't know, I'm pretty tired myself but I'm trying to say I very much like stuff like this.