Saviorfoxowlis's Journals
Came, Assorted Night: All Travelers Are Sisters
2023-04-01 21:04
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"The night in Voto followed two individuals: A fox and a bird. What transpires next is an event that leads to rough fights and unlikely friendships. In the city of Ascalon, a grand and mysterious city with lots of history, the fox has just solved a major issue with some rogue cultists, but still has some unfinished business with a cleric. What she doesn't know is she is about to encounter an alien lifeform on the beach. The night is different for either of the two. And so came, assorted night." - JAC.
Static roiled. "Lilu, I spot the cleric, inbound the seafood restaurant. Cleric will approach circa two minutes. Position, 45 feet northwest of Foxtrot."
Over the Walkst-Whilst-Talkst, Lilu answered, "Cyras, that's not what circa means. Also, I'm not helping you stealth attack the cleric, I'm eating." And Cyras heard her smacking on some shrimp.
"Seriously, you don't want to take out a cleric? I just want him to know, I'm not playing his game, so I'm going to jump him and make him eat dirt." The cleric took his first steps of the sandy beaches of the coast of Ascalon, stepping onto dry, patchy grass growing through tiles.
Cyras saw silhouetted figures in windows, but kept underneath the ancient arches of the various brick buildings, clinging to the shadows. As she heard clacking on tiles, she turned and spotted an alien, good, and tried to relocate the cleric, then did a double take at the alien. Cyras froze.
Just a couple minutes earlier, the alien to the world, was walking along the beach. To her left were boat lights that gave the horizon a halo, and to her right the city of Ascalon.
Azu, the bird's name, felt the night was calm and therefore, they were at peace in the desert, figuring there wasn't much to worry about. Azu thought, with structures like this, I guess there'll be at least a few rich people to make money off of. Hopefully something I can actually exchange for credits, too.
That was right before they met Cyras.
As Azu wondered about money, Cyras wondered if the bird overheard her plan. Her visor issued for the mission kicked in, scanning the creature for information, as they looked like a gargoyle. They definitely a bird in terms of wings and general body shape, however, they had a canine-like face or even a dragon-like face with two winding horns.
Species, as known in Voto: Silasicus Avis
Name: Probably something weird like, Bob.
Gender: Female?
Edible: Worth trying.
Options:
-Engage in polite talk. Chances of success 60%
-Attempt eating. Chances of success, 100%
-Challenge to a game of Towers. Chances of success, 120%.
Cyras said, "What, in the hell."
The literal space alien said, "Huh?" Ah. A local. "Yes, I'm from far away." They thought about how this dire was sienna red and dark blue, and how their species exhibited spectacular diversity. "Don't worry, I'm not looking for trouble . . . " and then added, "just some credits, really."
New Information:
Goal: Seeks credits
Home: Far Away.
Well, if she wants a job, Cyras thought. She held out a pawful of scraps that Azu eyed. The fox once had a credit card, however Owlis ripped that up after she was caught committed cute little frauds with Ahmond.
Azu, who still hadn't realized they slipped up when talking about currency, therefore postulating that must be a symbol of money, listened as Cyras said, "I've got credits. Can you help me with something I'm trying to handle? There's this cleric I'm pursuing who basically wants to treat me like I'm a goddess because my mother as Sumhyr, and supposedly she was a goddess and her mother before her and her mother before her. And then, she died."
The bird lit up at the offer of the credits. How easy to get a job! Strange affair. Must just be some local thing. Whatever. "Okay, I'm in. So what do we do about this guy?"
Cyras said, "Here's my thoughts. As you can fly, you can land in front of him, while I sneak up behind him. Keep him in place, then I can give him the ole' one, two."
"We're fighting?" Oh yes, we're fighting. Azu didn't know how dires fought, but that's okay. Keep him in place—Simple enough for someone like me. "Got it. Now?"
"Now," Cyras said with a grin. She pointed out the little yellow twerp who had a purple star around his eyes. The symbol was meant to represent his faith, however she was pretty sure he stole that from a clown.
Azu jumped up, a pink energy trickling from their hands, providing additional lift in the form of a weak telekinesis. Well above the ground, they glided over the fox silently. Their shadow swooped over him.
Fifteen feet from the restaurant. Azu sped up, and landed with a twirl of wings and claws, their claws kicking up sparks. The cleric reeled back. Wordlessly, they proceeded to his face—risky to get this close, but psychic magic dissipated quickly with distance, so necessary. Azu fired a telekinetic burst.
The cleric gasped and narrowly sidestepped, and as his brush hit Cyras, she alerted him with a cough. "Oh, my goddess—"
"We're not playing with you. Nobody's playing with you." Her fist flew into his vision.
Smack. He backed up, but Cyras grabbed his wrist while Azu hopped back and forth, waiting for an opening. The cleric instinctively pulled back to break her grip, but she went slack. He would've fallen on his rump if she'd released. She didn't though. Instead, she pulled the off-balance fox in towards her, and drove her side into his gut, letting him hit hard bone with his own momentum. She flipped him onto unforgiving brick.
He writhed. Cyras pinned him with her paws, but the cleric brought his feet up against Cyras' face to kick her off, making her growl and sit on him.
Azu kicked at the pinned cleric, but missed the squirrely creature, too close to striking Cyras who was bouncing his skull on the tiles. The bird creature unsheathed their blade, that glinted in the moonlight.
The cleric covered up for the punches. Annoyed, Cyras ordered, "Get his backside, get his tailbone. I'll take his face."
"Right!" Azu whacked between the vertebrae of the tailbone with the hilt of the blade while Cyras pinned the arms. The cleric was stunned. Azu slashed at his tendons, but he kicked the knife away.
Cyras' face flashed with shock, but she reserved her glare for the cleric who was trapped, and she unleashed a blast of flames from her paws. The lively flame ate up the night.
The smoke rose up as they could smell burnt fox.
Cyras told Azu, "Thanks for the help." And she gave her the credit cards that Azu inspected thoroughly, ready to trade them for currency.
"Yeah, good trade." They looked for a moment at the knocked out fox. "Hey, let's get out of here."
Cyras said, "You think maybe we should toss him into the ocean so no one will find hm?"
"Yeah. Maybe I can drop him in." Azu hefted the fox onto their back and lifted off- with a great deal more effort this time- but after getting steady in the air, they quickly flew over the water, and they flipped midair to drop him in. Done! He sunk to the bottom like a sack of gold with a delightful plop. Azu landed back on the beach. All in all, the first job here went smoothly.
Cyras said, "...I'm going to go into the restaurant now and get something to eat."
As she turned tail, she heard a reply. "Hey, wait," Azu says, "What's your name?"
Cyras lifted her visor, revealing her blue eyes, that had a bit of feralness to them, and her whiskers that were longer than most others'. "My name is Cyras." The c was hard, like a "kuh". The sound was similar to "cure us".
For a moment, Azu felt impressed by something about Cyras. And then the next moment, everything was normal again. They give a nod. "I'll remember it. I'm Azu."
"Um . . . You want something to eat, Azu?" She gestured to the seafood restaurant she was about to meet the rest of Team N:Era up at, only about twenty feet away.
How kind. "Oh. Yes, that'll be good." Azu was luckily omnivorous too. They stepped back towards Cyras. "Here right?", they say, gesturing at the restaurant.
Cyras said, "Yeah. They serve seafood like fish and shrimp around here." She took them inside, and fed her new pet bird.
"Don't Pray For Me, Argentina"
Written by Cyras and Azu. Slaughterhoundstudios does not admit to endorsing any of the following messages.
I see you preach your faith like you're spitting the gospel
You'll be spitting up teeth on your way to the hospital
I'm going to shove you to get you out of my face
Otherwise they aren't going to find a single trace
I'm about to be on your ass like a case of fleas
You can name the book page, oddly number as you please
I've got claws that go to two inches, must be big for you
I've got a blade that's six inches, just enough to end you.
A force of nature, I wonder why you say this world's broken
Wouldn't that mean you're insulting the creator I'm about to send you howling back to?
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Discord down?
2023-03-03 18:40
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Having problems getting onto Discord. Is anyone else have the same issue?
I know the issue will likely be resolved by the point anyone sees this, but here's hoping, right.
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N:Era: Fangs of Liberty Part 3: The Sylvan Wilds 2
2022-12-04 07:45
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Day 2.
As the first fish flew up, an earth shard nailed them against an underwater log.
The dires stood by the brink of the river, while Rosod stuck a sharp stone at the end of her staff for a spear.
Cyras soon got herself a few fish while the other girls hadn't gotten anything. Lilu said, "Okay this sucks, how are we gonna eat?"
"You aren't going to get most of the animals you hunt for, and if you get anything, think of yourself as lucky. You're all still new."
She threw a fish at Lilu, who caught and stared at the dead eyes. "Am I gonna cook this?"
Cyras narrowed her eyes and saw Ahmond looking revolted at the fact the fish was still writhing.
She escorted the army forward, as they began their movement near a hill, in a place known as the highlands. Cyras said, "If we follow the trail down, we'll arrive at Traveler's Wayward Trap."
The team walked past even more mushrooms and flowers, and underneath the thick cover of trees. The trees grew even bigger now.
"I swear, this forest is gaining levels," Lilu said ominously.
Cyras said, "We're nearing the end of the edge, and we're getting towards the center. This is where we have the basin. Here, lemme show you."
She scouted ahead. With a grunt, Lilu hoofed up some rough ledges. Going uphill was sucking out her oxygen, but soon both were on a cliff.
For miles stretching out, a brownish river curved around trees, quickly cloaked by a sea of green. The aspens and oaks closer to the horizon became blue.
The hyena sat on the mud mound and said, "That's a big trek."
"That's the jungle part," Cyras said. "That's what will take us the longest to get through."
Lilu said, "This is honestly amazing." She, at one point, wished to live out in the forest, but she had no idea how complex, harsh, or intense the wilds were.
Cyras hopped down three mounds, before landing back on the trail, as she took note of how the army walked. Very rigid. "Um, what are you all doing, walking like this?" She stiffened her shoulder and did a facsimile. "Are you all trying to get murdered?"
As a bunch of offended hyenas looked at her, Cyras said, "Firstly, you're trying to get through her. Keep your shoulders and rump low, and twist your shoulders and hips as you're walking."
One guard said, "I thought foxes lived in forests, not jungles."
Cyras shot back, "If you live here, you're going wherever the food is. Anyway, I thought a hyena was supposed to be in a desert, not walking up and down, in leather, saying, 'fight, fight, fight!'. Wait, what's that smell?"
As they proceeded, they heard shouting. Sounds of fighting. Even the injured guards began hoofing themselves forth.
Lilu's eyes lit up as she ran up. "Karv! Karv!"
The warrior turned around while General Bloodstone shook his head at them. Several caravans stood, getting arrows flicked at them by crimsons. Some arrows burned, setting off smoke, while the Fangs of Liberty howled.
Cyras hid behind a caravan, friends coming with her, as cover. She lobbed several fireballs at the trees, setting them ablaze.
One soldier said, "Sir, Rikochey here. These girls found us. They showed us hospitality and gave us food when they barely had any."
"Good enough, you're on the team," Karv said.
Cyras stepped from the wagon and shot several mounds of earth, knocking out an archer.
In action, the Sandrun Army ran forward, biting at any of the rogues, then spun so any attacks they received would hit their guarded flanks. Then they'd keep spinning, and buck with their hind legs, pushing away an enemy. Sometimes, they'd whirl with a sword or a spear.
Ahmond said, "Sandrun is known for the art of the spinner warrior. I've only ever heard of them, and seen pictures, but I've never seen them in action. Amazing."
Lilu knew they couldn't get close enough and reasonably battle adults. "Any idea on what we should be doing? This isn't like zombies, these have thoughts."
Rosod spoke over the flames and arrows, "We just try to survive. They can only have so many arrows, and they don't look well-armed, so we just have to hold out for a few minutes."
Three hours passed. Then they began retreating.
"Press on after them," Bloodstone said.
"The time is getting dark," Karv told him, however they already couldn't see the sun as is.
Cyras said, "I can stalk through the night and follow their trail. I already have their scent."
Ahmond's put a paw on Cyras. "No. There could be a trap."
Lilu shook her head. "Yeah, but, maybe she can go with an army?"
General Bloodstone wouldn't agree, but Karv said, "Yes, you should go along with a unit of soldiers, at least twenty."
"I won't need many for a mission. I'll be fine." She looked at the girls. "So, who's coming with me?"
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N:Era: Fangs of Liberty Part 3: The Sylvan Wilds 1
2022-12-04 07:44
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Act 2: Welcome to the Jungle
Part 3: The Sylvan Wilds
The footprints of the army scarred trails.
The girls stepped over mushrooms and leaves, being led either by a muddy path or by the trees scraping each other. Even in the day, darkness pervaded the woods.
When they recruited Ahmond, the coywolf informed her family she might be spending a few nights over at Cyras', just she never specified whether she meant the palace of the wilds.
Lilu bought most of the supplies with her card and stuffed them in Ahmond's little red wagon. Altogether, they had eleven gallons of water, bags of chips, smoked meats, rope, pocket knives, and repellants. They were set for at least a week.
"Shh," Lilu said, "I can hear footsteps."
"Yeah that's Rosod, she's coming up behind us," Cyras said.
"You knew?" Rosod asked as she stepped up, though Lilu glared at her.
Cyras said, "Rosod, your species is literally a type of mustelid. You're so musky I could smell you a mile away."
Lilu laughed. "Last time we saw you, you were being a major jerk, and now you think you can just waltz right in here."
"Actually I was tapdancing, thank you very much," Rosod shot back. "Look, I know I ran away, and didn't give any explanation, but I had to clear my head. Now I'm back. Focus on that and how I saved you yesterday."
"Whatever." The hyena stepped on a log that bridged over a creek. "How'd they all cross this tiny little stick?"
"They probably walked through," Ahmond said, looking at the clear water, where every twig and stick floating within was visible. "You can see lots of hyena footprints."
Rosod said, "That's gotta be the worst choice they could make. They all wear leather armor. That's going to get moldy."
Cyras said, "We only have a couple week's worth of food and water. Do you have your own food, Rosod?"
Rosod rolled her eyes and said, "I'm not selfish, I brought enough for myself."
Lilu came across a bundle of cut-up bushes in the way of a trail. "Cyras, this is where we first met. A little, uh, tunnel of love." She blew in Cyras' face, coaxing a giggle.
Ahmond's wagon bumped about. "There are lots of marks on the trees. I bet they were leaving trail markers they could follow back if they got lost."
"Great, we can follow those." Lilu saw some of the gashes in the tree and figured Ahmond's assumption correct.
"Can we all stop for now?" Ahmond asked. "I'm getting hungry, my legs are aching, and I'm sweaty."
Cyras said, "Ahmond, we're barely two miles in the walk."
Ahmond puffed her cheeks. Cyras hadn't hiked herself in a while, but she had run up and down thousands of stairs in Owlis' palace. Rosod and Lilu had a stunning lack of exercise but just weren't as whiny.
"This is honestly pretty boring," Lilu said, now getting whiny. "I feel suspenseful and everything, but like, this is boring."
Cyras said, "You can sing war songs. Or you can tell us what crazy Aunt Jazmyn did today."
Lilu raised a brow. "I think we all know what crazy Aunt Jazmyn did this time."
"My mom yelled at me," Rosod said and double took at the girls. "She says that I'm busy sleeping all day. I don't know if you know this, but Winter's an important break time from school, and she said, 'if you're only going to be awake at night, then you can start cleaning this kitchen'. I said, 'how is cleaning the kitchen related to being awake at night'."
"I hate that. My mom does the same thing, where she's like "you misbehave, so do this."
"Right. Because the point isn't that what we're doing is wrong, but they hate the behavior anyway, and they want to punish us."
"They don't like you breaking rules if that makes them seem like they're raising kids wrong, because they care so much about what society thinks. They don't care about us. They care about what makes us look good so they can impress people they don't like."
Ahmond argued, "There are rules for a reason and we can't just disqualify everything your parents say. There's reasons. Your parents are doing what's best for you."
"No, they aren't," Lilu said. "Who told you that? How old are you? Ten? Your parents are people just like you, just like me. They don't want what's best for you. They have the same foibles that you and I do. They're selfish, greedy people as well."
Cyras wasn't one for the current topic. "Why are you sleeping all day, anyway?"
"Sometimes I can't get out of bed," Rosod said. "There's days where I feel like I have more weight, like gravity is crushing me."
Cyras' eyelashes fluttered at a few thoughts of Rosod's life.
The forced march resumed for a while. Finally, Cyras said, "We can stop now."
Everyone collapsed.
"How are we gonna keep up with an entire army?" Lilu said. "We should just go back now."
"We're almost at the highlands," Cyras said. "There's a part coming up near we call the Traveler's Wayward Trap because that's where a lot of Civics, um, aren't alive much longer."
"Oh, great," Lilu said. "We haven't been attacked yet, at least. Ahmond, pass me some water."
Ahmond gave Lilu the bottle and the hyena bit the cap off before chugging.
Rosod pulled out a pot. Ahmond and Lilu glanced at each other, wondering what type of fanciness Rosod was going for. Cyras fetched sticks and lit them up as Rosod poured in some water, got a spatula, and stirred up some mashed potatoes.
Everyone held out paper plates, getting a couple spoonfuls each of potatoes.
Lilu muttered, "That's all?"
"We can't eat everything immediately," Rosod said, and she opened a bag of chips. "Just mix a few things in."
"You better believe I will." She smothered those potatoes in jerky and began eating.
Ahmond had gummy worms and wondered if those could go well with the mashed potatoes, so she swirled them together. As she began eating, she winced but resumed smacking on some gummy potatoes.
Cyras pulled out a burger.
The other three looked at her. Smoked meat patty with bacon, ketchup, no wait, two patties. With cheese above each layer. And lettuce, onions, and tomatoes.
"Cyras. Where. Did you get that," Lilu asked.
Cyras said, "I bought this from a fast food place before I came here. I figured you all would."
"We were looking for non-perishables," Ahmond said. "Are you going to share any of that, Cyras?"
Cyras' eyes darted over to Rosod who also had hungry eyes. Reflexively, she jerked her burger away from a snap of Lilu's teeth.
"Are all of you acting crazy?" Cyras asked.
"I gave you some of my potatoes," Rosod pointed out. "Least you can do is let me have a bit of that."
"Potatoes aren't equal a burger," Cyras said, scooting away from the other three and getting her back against a tree.
"Come on, split with us," Ahmond said.
Lilu told her, "We're not waiting."
Cyras said, "...What do you have to offer."
"A game of Towers," Lilu said. "Winner gets the burger." Cyras wasn't sure why she'd even agree to that bet, she only stood to lose.
"No no," Rosod said. "I'll tell you what. You can look in my stash, and we split half of the burger."
Cyras muttered, "You all haven't been away from fast food and burgers for only three hours." She wasn't sure how they'd react when they were three days in and she pulled out another burger.
Rosod said, "If we're without a burger for this long, we want a burger."
"I'm getting burger," Lilu said, "and I don't care how."
Cyras honestly wasn't a fan of sharing. That meant less burger for her, when she never had burgers for 29 years of her life, meanwhile they never not had burgers.
However, Cyras was a negotiator. "Ahmond, I want your camping marshmallows. A bag of the really big, fluffy, pink ones. Rosod, I want some of your energy bars. And Lilu, I want your portion of potatoes and a bag of chips."
Lilu narrowed her eyes. "I'll agree to the portion but not the bag."
"Bag or no burger."
"Half a bag."
"We're talking party size right?"
Lilu gave a guttural "ugh" because she thought she could get away with a mini-bag. "Yeah."
"Two granola bars for the other half?" Ahmond asked.
Lilu said, "Uh, maybe four, if you got any with chocolate drizzle. I want the ones with drizzle."
"I'd like a few of those," Rosod said. "I'll give you a couple extra portions of potatoes, with some salt. Also got a few herbs and spices from home, can make them real spicy."
"I'm not a big fan of spicy." Ahmond stared up, mulling the idea in her head. "But sure."
The girls openly traded foods as Cyras cut the burger in fourths, getting her own bounties. Honestly, she got way more from everyone for one-fourth of a burger, an entire bag of marshmallows, half a bag of chips, and a bunch of energy bars.
Lilu, honestly, got way more from everyone else. She got a fourth of a burger, a very rare commodity, and also got four granola bars, and all she lost was a bag of chips, and she felt sluggish after having those anyway.
Ahmond, honestly, got way more from everyone else. She only lost eight granola bars. They were calorie-packed but weren't very big, and meanwhile, she got spicy potatoes and half a bag of chips. She definitely traded up.
Rosod, definitely, got way more than anyone else. She only lost some potatoes and energy bars, but got granola bars and a burger.
A few hours later began the next march.
Ahmond had fallen asleep between, so she had to be nudged awake. By nudged, Lilu sank some fangs into her foot.
Cyras said, "You know, I was thinking of a few card combos in Towers. There's one card known as Cleric of Light, where he gets 1000 Strength whenever you gain life. Meanwhile, there are a couple cards that give you life when you Call a creature."
"That's a popular strategy already, known as Community," Rosod said. "The only problem is the reliance on combos is stopped pretty easily by stopping any part of the combo."
Lilu said, "Community is pretty good."
Within three more miles, Ahmond felt like the pain in her legs was starting up again, but then they saw a couple of weak soldiers.
Lilu ran up. "How are you two, what happened?"
"We couldn't continue on," one soldier said. He had cuts all over his arm and smelled wet and musky.
The other guard said, "We were attacked by the Wilders and we couldn't stop them."
Cyras' eyes narrowed. "Quick, we need some way to support them."
Rosod flicked a pink string at one of the guards and lifted him with her psychic energy. "I can carry him like this temporarily, but this isn't going to work for a long time."
Cyras told the other soldier, "Get on the wagon, and we'll carry you."
All four harnessed themselves as they got the march going. Cyras asked, "What do you remember?"
One soldier said, "I remember that there was a Crimson giggling in the trees as she fired arrows with potions on them, and then, explosions and acids."
"We aren't sure where everyone went as they scattered."
Cyras sniffed at the ground and said, "I think I've got a trail."
Within a few minutes, they saw a fallen wagon, one much bigger than theirs, covered by flames, smoke, and more guards.
"Looks like the wilds have really done a number on everybody," Rosod said.
The solution wasn't simple. With more guards weakened, Cyras said, "We're all sleeping here for tonight. In the morning, anyone who's too injured will be escorted back home."
"No," one guard said, "we can never go back. Or else we'll be known as cowards and our names will never be said with dignity again."
Lilu said, "Sandrun runs in their vines, Cyras. These guards will fight tooth and nail."
Cyras said, "Fine, then we'll make an outpost. We've got at least eight guards. That should be capable of keeping us safe from any Wilders for now. I doubt the Fangs of Liberty is still following a pack of fallen soldiers."
"They don't have enough food," Ahmond said as she examined the interior of the caravan. "We only have enough for four girls, not for a bunch of army men."
"We'll sleep and figure everything out in the morning." Sleeping on something sure helped. Cyras took first watch, as she was a night prowler. Later, she woke up a couple of guards and fell asleep herself.
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N:Era: Fangs of Liberty Part 2: The Battles Begun
2022-11-23 01:41
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Part 2: The Battle's Just Begun
Content warning: Spanking. War. And politics.
Cyras entered Summer's Meadow, glancing over at the undergrowth surrounding a fallen signpost. She sat on the log opposite Lilu.
The girls began a game of cards.
Cyras said, "Owlis scolded me yesterday and said I had to sit in a corner and think. So I thought about ripping her nose off."
"Sounds like a good way of spending time. I think my mom is still preparing for war. There's been a bill passed last night she's calling the Art of War act. Art supplies, museum tickets, concert venues, have all been taxed one Drakilver."
Ahmond muttered, "That will hurt artists. That's a lot of money, and some people can barely afford a box of crayons."
Lilu said, "She already has the funds, this is just to regain financial ground. Sadly, my country hates culture."
Ahmond said, "I mail in orders from Rosaberg. Even with shipping, they cost less than in Sunnyvilla and are better quality. You can probably do that in Sandrun."
Lilu laughed as she leaned back. "Yeah, my mom is not a very smart woman. There's also an automatic five Drakilver increase for all criminal fines."
"Art and law," Ahmond said. "Not very intuitive."
Cyras examined her cards. "I'll bet a bag of Chedarros."
"You think two sweetbars counts as a call?" Lilu asked.
"I'd call that a raise," Ahmond said.
Cyras nodded her head at the call, and said, "Yeah, two sweetbars will do as a call, but I don't think they're a raise. Your move, Ahmond."
Lilu and Cyras put their bets on the stump but the coywolf furrowed one of her brown-furred eyebrows. "Oh, I fold."
"Unlike my mom," Lilu said before laughing.
Cyras caught glimpse of a mass from the corner of her eye and shifted in her seat as hyenas poured in from the horizon. The flood of warriors carried spears, swords, and shields at their sides. A white wolf led them. As he got closer, Cyras saw how the color red filled his entire eyeball, with no visible whites.
"General Bloodstone," Lilu muttered.
Several children moved away as Karv announced, "This is official military business. Part now."
Ahmond ran up and said, "Wait, this is Sunnyvilla, this isn't your area."
Bloodstone growled at her.
Karv said, "What he means to say, is we have important business within the woods and getting in the way counts as interfering with official Sandrun business."
Lilu stood with Ahmond. "This is Princess Lilu of Sandrun. Step away, Karv."
"With all due respect, I don't have to follow your orders when I have your mother's."
Cyras stepped up. "I'm the cousin of Empress Owlis. Therefore, I should overrule Jazmyn, and I say, you all need to turn your pretty tails around, and leave."
"We serve a queen, not an empress," Bloodstone said, then walked through.
As the wave of Jazmyn's army entered the woods, Cyras said, "They'll get mauled."
"We survived a night," Lilu said.
"You survived in one of the least dangerous parts of the wilds. The further you go, the more untamed."
Ahmond said, "We need to tell Owlis."
***
Cyras knocked on Owlis' door. A mature female voice said, "Please enter."
Ahmond shuddered as she entered the room, Cyras remembering the last time the coywolf entered was for punishment, so she and Lilu took the lead.
The purple fox sat at a writing desk in a corner, hunched over cursive lettering on white parchment. Without looking up, she asked, "Tell me what you girls need, and I'll see what I can do."
"Queen Jazmyn's army has entered the Wilds," Cyras said.
Owlis' pen stopped mid-scratch. In a measured voice, she said, "I had a feeling this would occur. Although I always give someone a chance so they may surprise me, Jazmyn remains... predictable."
"I think we should join," Cyras said. "I know the wilds and I can at least tell them how to survive."
"Cyras, I can't trust you to go out there."
Lilu scoffed. "We're experienced."
"No, that's not what she means," Cyras said, lowering her head so the bangs covered her eyes. "Is that right?"
Owlis hopped off her chair. "How you've behaved for all of the past week, the way you screw up plans, the fact you're an aberrant element?" She pranced around Cyras, her body shading the younger fox. "You're emotional and volatile."
"No, I'm not!" Cyras said, however, Owlis stalked by her tail now, so she tried to turn to face the taller fox. "I'm loyal!"
"Even if you are, how about the fact you attacked Daybreak? Or that you pulled that entire Lie Detector stunt."
"I do what I do for the best of this kingdom."
"Really? Because when you scammed me, you scammed our people, so that you could protect Ahmond when she was lying to my face." She brought her nose against Cyras'. "Your principles have nothing to do with loyalty to Wysdom, they don't even have to do with loyalty to me, but loyalty to your friends."
"I told Kryyk I wasn't going to join him even if he let my friends in. He did offer to Unleash them, but I refused."
Owlis put a paw on Cyras' shoulder, her eyes softening, a rarity. "I believe you." She tilted her head. "Don't doubt that. I still trust that you're on my team, I truly do."
She sighed. "However, after some of your actions, I can't trust you will do the right things, and I believe you will be a hindrance."
"A nuisance," Cyras corrected as she sat.
Lilu stood by Cyras and said, in her favor, "This is crazy. Cyras has always led us right even after Ryvoh betrayed her, and Kryyk betrayed her, but now you can't trust her? She's the only one who can calm Kryyk and you're not letting her just because you're afraid."
"Know your place," Owlis said.
Cyras slapped Owlis with the same fury and force she did with Kryyk.
Owlis didn't block the blow, letting the blood trickle from her face.
A bolt of nervousness ran through Cyras' veins, making her lips quiver, and she took a few steps back from the glowering empress. She heard the pattering of the others' footsteps, fearful scents being their only lingering traces.
"My turn," Owlis said.
***
"Eins!"
The sound ricocheted off the bedroom walls. Cyras had thought the process peculiar, the first time she was about to be paddled, and felt inanely amused. She had learned her lesson quickly.
"Zwei!"
Wood slammed against Cyras' rear end. Anger flowed and she grit her teeth, wondering why she never grew any calluses against this type of punishment.
"Drei!"
In a bewildering state of lucidity, the little fox realized one reason Owlis gave this paddling was so Cyras literally couldn't run away.
"Vier!"
Well yes, Cyras felt very afraid right now.
The Empress stood on her hind legs before swinging her neck in the perfect, precise movement to get maximum speed. After the slap, Cyras gave a final squeak.
Owlis rested the paddle on the nightstand, her head shaking. "Now, lay there and think about how... impudent, you've been acting."
Cyras groaned as a yes.
This wasn't fair. Cyras blew the whistle for Wysdom meanwhile Owlis lied. Normally, you got spanked for lying, not for telling the truth! Her situation was completely a- uh, just regularly backward.
Afterward, her older cousin told her to slink back into her own room, "Two guards posted at every window and door."
Unfortunately for Owlis, Cyras prepared for imprisonment a couple of months ago.
Several rooms, chambers, and cubbies formed her tower, the bottom floor her sleeping quarters. The theme "primal" fit this room. She laid over her grassy green bed, then rolled over on the guts of a few stuffed toys - all of whom she mauled one by one, clawed up, fanged up. When had she first seen them, she thought they were just really fluffy intruders. So she butchered them.
Stairs led up to an entertainment alcove. Toys, a television, and even a couple of instruments adorned the chamber, along with a phone sitting by the window, but calling for an escape wouldn't work, as Owlis could overhear the landline. One time, Cyras tried helping Ahmond break out of the royal prison, but Owlis listened in on their talk.
Finally, the highest part led to the ceiling overlooking several miles of Lavandar. However, if she went up, a few guards would force her away.
Owlis was a Coder. She could sense magic and worked with portals, enchantments, disenchantments, and runes.
Owlis ruled over Nature, Lightning, and Fire. Therefore she also ruled over Glass, Obsidian, Volcanic Glass, and storms.
Owlis could sense anything happening in the building related to fire, lightning, and nature. So Cyras couldn't just go knocking away at bricks or glass and expect to escape. She couldn't even use her own magic theoretically.
Escaping via magic or physical means mayn't work, but, she figured out everything after looking at a mapping of the architecture.
Cyras went to her shower room, pushed past the plaster, and slipped through the walls. Turns out the shower room was built of wood and Owlis didn't have the right combination of magics for sensing the material.
She slid down a bunch of pipes and came out through another, vacant bathroom in a guest room. Come to think, Cyras wasn't even aware of any guests that visited regularly, and as far as she knew, the other main tower of the palace was unoccupied until her arrival.
Maybe some people just needed lots of space. This place had to hold a whole lot of angry fox.
“You’re only as smart as my wit allows,” Cyras called back tauntingly, as she took her final steps from the palace, her burlap sack being blown by the wind. In the chilly, winter air, she still felt a few pangs from her previous engagement with the empress. She ran for about a mile away from the palace, that way she wouldn’t be seen through a window, and sat. The cold was invigorating and healing. She became meditative as she plotted her next course of action.
***
Lilu heard a knocking at her window. Cautiously, as no one she knew knocked on windows, she filled her pillow with a sandstone brick, expecting to nail a potential psycho or traveling salesman. She hopped on the windowsill.
She saw Cyras' face.
"Ah, that explains how the guards didn't see you." She opened the window with one paw, and Cyras jumped through. "I'm so glad my mom built this place horizontally instead of vertically."
"Don't you have to build horizontally and vertically?" Cyras asked.
Lilu said, "What I mean is that the palace expands outwards, instead of having several stories like the palace."
Cyras jumped through, flipped over, and landed back first on Lilu's bed. A sack floated down with her. "So your mom built this place?"
"Well a bunch of workers built this place from the remnants of an older castle, but that's not important. So, you seeking asylum?"
"I'm seeking shelter since Owlis grounded me." Cyras flicked her brush in Lilu's face. "This place is smaller than my room, you know." The pink room was about the size of Ahmond's room, however she didn't share with any siblings or cousins.
Lilu said, "Yeah, my mom didn't expect I'd spend my entire life in my room. Anyway, I'm sorry about what happened at the tower."
Cyras opened her sack, and spoke, less emotional and chipper than usual, "I'm ready for the invasion of the invasion, we've gotta stop the armies of Sandrun."
"I see." Lilu felt like she ignored the apology, but wasn't sure if the fox was angry with her.
"Short preparation time, I know," Cyras said with a frown.
"Not at all," Lilu said as she pulled out a burlap sack with packaged foods.
"You know me so well." Cyras giggled. "Let's get Ahmond and then let's get rolling."
|
N:Era: Fangs of Liberty part 1: The Wild Child 2
2022-11-14 20:00
|
When night falls.
I see my breath, becoming fog.
Yet yours is still.
As I walk
I see the edge of city trees
But I'm still so blind!
I see the girl who walks the forest road
And through the snow (Oh brother.)
The cold betrayals chill at even burning souls (My Brother.)
Who could hold such grace (Fall near me)
When carrying such a hateful trace? (I'll drown within you.)
You're still a wild child.
You're still, a wild child.
***
At the rear of the palace stood the theatre, a raised platform surrounded by curtains. The endless flowers of Owlis' gardens stretched as far as the eye could see, underneath illustrious arches.
Cyras stood by a podium where she remembered giving a rousing speech post the lie detector incident. Owlis had her paws on the podium, stacking papers, while reporters and journalists held up clunky cameras and scribbled notes.
Owlis told reporters, "Right now, we are still investigating the sources of the attacks on the palace, however, we are aware that the acting agents may have internal ties with someone of royalty."
Cyras shook her head. Ahmond leaned in to ask her a question but Cyras politely gestured for her to step away.
Owlis said, "Right now, several leaders are gathering and we're talking about our next course of action."
One reporter said, "This is Minterberry of Oakshade, Sunnyvilla. I was wondering if you could shed any light as to the damages on the palace."
Owlis said, "Right now, that damage is still being investigated, however we don't have to allocate any extra resources to the repairs of the most important building in Wysdom."
"This is Harwoof, from Sylvania, Glacialane. I was wondering if you could tell us if this attack will have any rippling effects and if other kingdoms should be worried."
"According to a scout, this attack was aimed specifically at the palace, and for the Imperial Title of Empress, and her owner, Owlis the Fallbringer. I cannot take further questions as I must retire and discuss a course of action with royalty."
Owlis stepped off and half a minute later, Cyras hopped up. She knocked a few papers together like she saw
Rosod (where did she go she ran away again after the incident what was going on with that girl)
do sometimes. Then she cleared her throat.
"Ahem, we were attacked by classified infected, mutated classified, from the island of Doctor Vinograd, classified. Blood drinking redacted may be on top of us at any moment. Top secret experiments from blah blah swamp have mauled blah blah team, and we are thinking of sending classified warriors at them with their classified and redacted monsters of war from bloodclassified island - not to be mixed up with the island of Doctor Vinograd. And should the ethereal king rise once more, we will send classified signals to the blacklinemen."
Owlis stepped up, grabbed Cyras by her wrist, and dragged her away. "The truth will be revealed! Owlis isn't a god, you shouldn't pay for drinking water, and the government is lying to you about the civil war!"
With a cough, Ahmond stepped up. She grabbed the documents and said, "Not to panic everybody. All this really is is-" Her eyes turned to pinpricks as she read over the writing. "My gods."
As Owlis got in the kitchen, she asked Cyras, her eyes narrowed venomously, "What are you thinking, stirring up panic?"
"Because we all know the real truth. Kryyk attacked you and he also attacked me, and he's at the edge of the meadow and will likely attack the rest of the land. And he's after Dewdrop Top. But no, you'd rather lie to everyone and risk everyone's life instead of telling them whether they're safe or unsafe."
"You have to tell the people what you want them to hear."
Cyras' ears flattened as she glared at Owlis.
Owlis rolled her eyes. "Whatever. They know you were joking." Owlis turned tail.
Proceeding to the red drawing room, also known as the war room, the foxes and Team N:Era, met with delegates. Hyenas took the primary demographic of those present. Mostly Sandrunians.
Owlis sat in the chair with the tallest back. "Now everyone, we are here today to talk about the attack, not only a few weeks prior but now one on Cyras and her friends at the outskirts of Summer's Meadow.
"I spent the day alone because my governor hadn't marked anyone to come in to work. I later found out that someone mimicked her form and posed as her - and likely murdered her prior. This gave an opening for Kryyk, the brother of Ryvoh, to make an attempt on my life."
One hyena stared at Cyras and asked, "Does this run in the family?"
Cyras grinned and wagged her tail. "If you want, I can show you."
"Regardless," Owlis said, regaining order. "Kryyk and his team attacked me and I warded them off. However, while playing near the Wilds, Cyras said she got attacked. Cyras said they called their team the Fangs of Liberty."
Cyras said, "Yeah, they mentioned Dewdrop Top."
A mayor crimson said, "That's near Whitefront Dam."
Owlis said, "Yes, and I speculate that's intentional. They'll probably attack the dam, that way they can shut down electricity to nearby settlements, and perhaps also affect the flow of water."
Murmuring ran throughout the room, as Queen Jazmyn said, "That river runs all the way into Sandrun. We need to stop them from causing a flood, or a drought. Or whatever they're doing."
Owlis said, "We have no major portals in that area and none that would carry mass transportation. Also, the forest becomes jungle very quickly."
Cyras quipped, "Quickly becomes thickly."
Lilu's mouth flirted near a smirk.
Owlis said, "Yes, moving on. There's no way to get there quickly."
Queen Jazmyn smirked. "I say we launch a military campaign against them."
Karv finished dabbling on a calculator. "As the official main guard of the Queen, I have the math prepared for a two-week venture."
"That's quick," Ahmond said, a bit loudly.
"We have a team of a hundred guards we can easily mobilize. Mainly Spinner guards, whose agility should help with the dense fungles, with the Warlord known as General "Sculacciare" Bloodstone.
"The main costs would be about 25000 Drakold. The objective is the capture of the criminals, and providing protection for and securing the dam. Upon providing patrol, additional costs may vary. This will not take up much money overall."
Owlis said, "You wouldn't be able to hunt any of them as Sandrun guards have no official jungle training. I am not funding an expedition."
One hyena spoke. "I am Count Von Vermice. Ruler over the county of Scrubgruff. I would like to say I pledge 1000 Drakold for war."
Owlis arched a brow. "Alright, you're 1/25th to your already empirically stupid goal, Jazmyn."
Lilu leaned against Cyras and whispered, "Your mom can beat up my mom."
Cyras snickered.
"What is she laughing at?" Jazmyn asked Owlis. "Is she not aware of the seriousness of this matter? Is she rooting for the enemy? Or is she still uncouth as ever? Oh, by the way, she prank-called me."
Cyras blinked and said, "When did I do that?"
Owlis flicked a brow guiltily at a memory.
"She literally said, and I quote..."
Owlis shook her head. "I don't really care. Your measure is ruled out. The dam only supplies power to a very small portion of the kingdom anyway, and that part is literally under the ground. What I will do is call for them to evacuate within the next fourteen days, and have guards flown near the dam."
Jazmyn said, "I will do what I think is necessary, not only for the protection of my people but of the others."
"The west coastal wilds is really belongeth Sunnyvilla," Owlis said, "so your campaign is overruled. Goodbye."
Jazmyn narrowed her eyes. "Alright."
Karv was about to speak against Owlis, but Jazmyn said, "Come with me."
As everyone left, Cyras tried to casually leave but got bit on the ear. Cyras yelped, whined, and even pleaded as she was dragged into Owlis' room for her misbehaviors tonight.
|
N:Era: Fangs of Liberty part 1: The Wild Child
2022-11-14 19:59
|
Bombshells laid scattered across the palace.
A few days prior, invaders attacked with bomb arrows, however they were warded off by the Empress of Wysdom, the goddess of Autumn, Owlis. Owlis requested Team N:Era to reappear so she could tell them the full truth. Pushing the button in the drawing room, the Empress resigned herself.
Lilu and Ahmond stood behind Cyras the fox, knowing this was most important to the fox as the palace was her home.
Owlis said, "Cyras, there's no choice left. I wanted to save the full explanations of everything until you were ready. Society must be hard to adjust to. However, as you can tell, plans have gone awry." The projection began. Lilu and Ahmond gasped as the walls and floor melted away.
"I ruled over the center of Wysdom. Ryvoh ruled Glacialane. Snofall ruled Wyrmhome. And finally, your mother ruled the kingdom near the ocean." A gold silhouette stood in the middle of them. Sumhyr. With her stood a white fox and a blue fox. "She conspired with Ryvoh and Snofall to have me overthrown."
The vision morphed once again as Owlis stood against a golden fox who had a thousand tails. Cyras was somewhat surprised to see her mom had similar fur tufts to her own, while Lilu noted she had the same bright blue eyes, while Ahmond realized she looked a bit fat.
Vision Owlis led an array of hundreds of guards, all trying to impede upon the castle fortress of Sumhyr. However, her eyes dilated.
"Sumhyr, no!"
A surge of light and flames came down, blowing apart buildings and warriors. An overview look of the kingdom showed the entire area being absorbed by flames, then by darkness. The merciless darkness of the ocean smothered the heat.
"Between flames and water, we thought we lost everything in a civil war. However, she was beaten, I had believed."
A golden fox ran through the fields of Wysdom. "However, she still walked amongst the kingdom." Owlis was shown trapped in her palace, metaphorically, as the gold fox talked with the white and blue foxes. Then, both ran by her tails.
"Sumhyr was supposed to have been sent back to the Celestial Realms, but she came with some shocking news about her pregnancy with Cyras. Ryvoh ran with her and stole Kryyk from her parents. Snofall's fate is still unknown."
Cyras said, "So Kryyk was stolen."
Lilu stared at Ryvoh again. "Owlis, this is weird, but, I would have met Ryvoh at some point, right?"
"As a baby," Owlis said.
Lilu said, "Well I didn't even recognize her with Cyras. I feel weird because I think I should have."
Owlis explained, "Ascended have the ability to blend in with their surroundings with a simple spell. You perceive us as commoners. Interestingly, the spell isn't supposed to work as well if you know them, but as we said, you were only a pup."
Lilu realized that must be why no one ever recognized Cyras, but she wasn't gonna speak up because then Cyras might turn off her protection, and then Lilu wouldn't be thought of as the leader anymore.
Cyras said, "Okay, but this isn't relevant. Why are you showing this?"
Owlis said, "Because, the one who's attacking us is Kryyk."
"Huh?"
Owlis showed a vision of Kryyk running through her palace, attempting to murder her, when she stopped him. But he ran off while his army set off explosives.
Lilu stepped up next to Cyras and said, "That's your little brother, right?"
"Cousin," Cyras said, numbly.
Owlis told Cyras, "Now you know everything you need to."
Cyras fell to her haunches.
Owlis said, "I'm sorry that I had to reveal this, but I believe Kryyk is carrying out the mission of Ryvoh and your mother. At the end of the day, they're planning on taking over Wysdom."
"We'll figure something out," Cyras said adamantly.
"I know you will," Owlis said as she walked past. The door shut.
After a few minutes, Ahmond asked Cyras, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, just, I can't believe he's still alive." She smiled lightly. "Even better, he seems to be doing well for himself."
"That's not a positive takeaway," Lilu said.
"Yeah, but think about everything we've been through. We've had to deal with a violet trying to sell lie detectors and people literally get their heads ripped off. We've dealt with a train full of ghosts. We've dealt with parasites, vampires, dancing competitions, and writing competitions. We've even dealt with Ahmond's shop running out of hot fudge."
Ahmond mumbled, "That was a dark day."
Cyras said, "So all I have to do is knock some sense into Kryyk and we return to our lives as normal. And I know better how to integrate him."
Lilu asked, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"I mean I won't be feeding a Wilder chocolate," Cyras said, pointing at Ahmond who puffed her cheeks. "Or showing off how a bidet works," she pointed at Lilu who rolled her eyes. "And he won't be seeing flossing." Both admitted that was fair enough.
***
Eighteen days later.
Winter spread across Wysdom as Cyras' cards spread across Lilu's. "And that's game," she said.
Lilu gave an "ugh". "Remember when we first did this?"
Ahmond said, "oh yeah, that was the first and only time you actually won," earning a laugh from Cyras as Lilu rolled her eyes.
This was the fox's first time seeing Winter. Where she lived, she had very little snow in the forest tropics. Meanwhile, sleet ran across the endless hills of Summer's Meadow.
Their cards had protective sleeves, except Ahmond's, making her the designated bystander.
"We've done a lot of great work this past year," Cyras said. "Owlis passed laws so the lie detector incident never happens again. Meanwhile, the trains are more secure than ever."
Lilu grimaced. "I haven't heard from Rosod this month."
Cyras felt a twinge of anxiety. She was the only one who Rosod told she was running away. While everyone knew the news by now, no one heard her reasoning. She wasn't even particularly close with the weasel, not compared with Lilu, but she was the one given the news.
Lilu's ears rose. "Yo, some kids are playing season ball. Let's join Autumn."
Game: Seasonball
Objective: Get all 4 balls.
Rules: Each team has a ball. Each team must try to throw a ball at their base. Anyone who gets all four balls wins.
The Autumn ball swerves when hit.
The Summer ball is quick but heated
The Winter ball is slow and can freeze,
The Spring ball moves opposite of how struck.
Cyras raced for the spring ball. She pounced down, making the ball bounce up. The four spring players ran after her, but Lilu and Ahmond backed her up.
With a whack of her tail, Cyras got the ball in their base. Ahmond ran up to her.
Cyras expected an embrace, however Ahmond went around and smacked Cyras' butt.
Eyes widening, the fox turned at the coywolf.
"Uh, did I do something wrong?" Cyras asked, wondering why Ahmond punished her.
"Oh, I guess that isn't a wildborn thing," Ahmond said. "Um, slapping butts is how we say good job in sports."
Cyras arched a brow. She pounced on Ahmond.
Meanwhile, Lilu built snow bricks that would hold the balls. However, she saw one of the winter players on the horizon. A crimson who looked rather familiar.
The otter girl grabbed a ball with a pink string. She threw the ball of Summer in the air. A flying twayt planned on swooping from the back. However, she saw two eyes on the back of the psychic's head. Terrified, she stopped and squawked, only to get blasted out of the sky.
Lilu gazed, then heard Ahmond struggling. "No, Cyras, only after a goal."
Cyras was trying to hold Ahmond against a snow bank, but while her getting held for a good spank might be hilarious, in reality, Ahmond was a head taller and fat. If Ahmond just kept moving, Cyras lost grip.
Lilu barked, "Stop the whack, Rosod's back."
Ahmond, annoyed and on her right flank, kicked Cyras' cheek with her foot. However, Cyras, hearing the news, perked up, her cheek smushed by coywolf paw. In the snow, they couldn't make anything out.
"I'll get closer," Cyras promised, and she went towards the edge of Summer's Meadow.
She caught a scent, a musky, Rosod-like scent. The trail took her to a sign, reading, "Answer the Call," in red block letters. Cyras hesitated. She never went an inch past the sign for almost an entire year, but she felt ridiculous. Obviously, a few feet deeper wouldn't hurt.
She kept trudging through the snow and kept her eyes open. Her ears maneuvering, when she could hear someone in the bushes.
"Rosod." She entered but saw a blue fox instead.
Kryyk and Cyras locked eyes. Her mouth opened.
In that moment of stillness, he walked towards her. His legs, longer than hers even though he was shorter, pushed past the sands of time.
He nuzzled her. "Cyras."
Cyras felt a sense of surrealness she had never felt before, as she hadn't moved back or forth, but she embraced him. She absorbed all of his smell, and all of the new smells with him. "Kryyk."
Kryyk took a few steps back. "Seems like we keep getting separated. Sooo... how have you been?"
"I've been doing well," Cyras told him. "Also, look, I don't know how to say this, but you really ought to stop bombing the palace. Owlis isn't a big fan of attempts on her life, as you saw when I returned home."
Kryyk narrowed his eyes. "What has she done to you? Has she been hurting you?"
"I mean, sometimes. But, I think this is better we go with her, as Ryvoh is kinda... not very good."
"Yes," Kryyk said, "I'm sure Owlis told you that Ryvoh was completely evil. But look, that doesn't matter because we can finally be together again. Turn our backs on the Civics, and finally enter the Wilds."
"That's not my home anymore," Cyras said, curtly.
Kryyk pouted before saying lightly, "Look, I understand. These Civics have things different than us."
"Majorly. Because Civics have been my allies and acquaintances."
"You're still a Wilder," Kryyk said. "I've seen society as well, and look at how awful the place is for all of us. They have all kinds of insane rules and laws, and they've gone far beyond what we're supposed to be like, and for what, to be even angrier. There are all kinds of studies."
"Studies?" Cyras asked.
"Yeah, they don't eat the right diets, they eat these highly processed foods," Kryyk said. "Whatever, that's not the point. Anyway, if you wanna keep your friends, you can just bring them here. We'll unleash them."
"Unleash?" Cyras asked. Unleashing was a term that meant rewilding a Civic and untaming them. A much ruder or more offensive term was known as a "Fera", slang for feral.
Kryyk said, "Civics turn us Wilders into pets. Fair trade, right?"
Cyras stared back out into the Civics.
"Cyras, if you're going to start thinking, why'd you have to pick now?"
Cyras slapped Kryyk across the face. The much less charismatic fox stumbled from the slap.
Blood leaked from his face. He glared at her.
She informed him, "Come with me, and we'll get this whole Owlis mess settled-"
Water speared into Cyras gut, knocking her back against vines as a tripwire. Several stones fell at her and on her.
Kryyk was trained well in traps, having learned from Ryvoh.
Flames burst from underneath, blasting the earth in many ways as she jumped after him. He sidestepped her pounce, and bit at her, getting cheek fluff.
She growled and yowled, slapping repeatedly at him, until he got his arm around her and slammed her on the ground.
Kryyk went for a bite against her throat, but she bucked at him with her feet, scraping against his stomach. He stood atop her, but she rose her legs up around one of his arms before pressing her paw against his throat.
Owlis' lessons on fighting were paying off well.
She got her tail between his knees, letting her appendage burn ablaze. As he felt the burn, she rolled back on her shoulders, and with leverage threw him off of her.
He sprawled behind her, and she flipped up. As she approached him, an arrow fell in front of her.
A Crimson ranger said, "We've got her surrounded, boss."
Several more enemies crawled out from the undergrowth, as Kryyk said, "Lemme reoffer you a choice."
"Who are you?" Cyras asked as she saw everyone.
Kryyk said, "We are the ones who answer the call of the wild. Where we lie is beyond the edges of society and nature. We have redeemed ourselves by going off the track. We are the Fangs of Liberty!"
Several wolves came near her rear. A couple of archers stood above her.
A blast of pink hit several wolves, throwing them away. Kryyk's attention snapped to a crimson who jumped in, throwing spells.
A hyena bowled over and into a couple of the wolves, before a Coywolf sent mocha-colored waves in the crimson, letting her amplify her powers.
Kryyk launched several balls of water at the hyena, thoroughly dousing her. Then arcs of electricity and arrows flew.
Cyras lost focus of anyone during the fight. She knew they'd lose the onslaught, so she said, "Girls, run!" With her flames, she burned away at the underbrush, tossing up ashes.
She kept herself low and stalking. Several arrows still flew, and she heard the thwicks. However, instead of running off, she followed Kryyk and his friends. She wasn't aware of time passing anymore.
Kryyk entered a sort of camp, a clearing with a leaf canopy they built over a deep creek. Kryyk stood on top of a fallen tree. "The Civics will investigate this area pretty soon. Cyras isn't coming by willingly. We will be getting her on our team. For right now, we can break the Civics by breaking what they cherish the most, their electricity."
Kryyk pointed north. "We're going to Dewdrop Top."
A shard of earth blasted at him, but he broke the shard with the surrounding water. Kryyk stared out in the shadows and saw Cyras skulking away.
Slaughterhound Studios presents:
N:Era: Fangs of Liberty
Act 1: The Green Flag
Part 1: The Wild Child
|
N:Era: All We Wanna Do Is Drink Your Blood
2022-11-11 21:14
|
Ahmond mopped up the yellow and pink tiles of the ice cream shop, as Cyras stared out the window, tail wagging, waiting for Lilu's arrival. The fox always had the weirdest little reaction toward the hyena.
As Lilu pushed the door open, the bell ringing, Cyras jumped from a booth. She ran around her. While she was a Wilder, she should have known about personal space by now.
Lilu held up a videotape. "Good news, I brought the movie."
For tonight, they promised they would all be watching a movie, one that Ahmond dreaded. A vampire movie. She wasn't sure what really got her about vampires other than the fact they were unholy bloodsuckers who fed on wolves like her and left them as dried-out pale husks. Something like that.
Lilu asked, "Where's the stepstool?"
Ahmond said, "Oh, um, actually we lost that a few days ago."
Cyras mentioned, "I saw the stepstool behind the counter, just underneath."
Ahmond narrowed her eyes.
After two minutes, closing time came, and as Ahmond was entrusted with the role of shopkeep this evening, she locked the doors.
Lilu got up and put the film in the little television in the corner, rewound the tape, and pressed play.
Cyras and Lilu were more casual about their entertainment, hosting a forum of debate during the film. Cyras ate fries with ice cream and said, "This is so unrealistic."
Lilu said, "I'unno, my mom likes this movie."
Ahmond, however, shivered and shuddered on the counter, ruining the ladies' night.
Ahmond and Vampire Movie
Cyras pointed at the screen and said, "I bet if we were in this situation, we would survive."
Lilu laughed. "Yeah." She whispered, her eyes lurking on the coywolf, "But Ahmond would be the first who wouldn't survive if you're asking me." With a quick glance at Cyras, then at Ahmond, she dropped off the stool. She snuck around the counter.
Cyras hid the sound of Lilu's footsteps by sliding a cup of root beer from one paw towards another against the counter.
Lilu bit Ahmond's tail.
The coywolf shot up with a yelp, making the other girls laugh.
Ahmond puffed out her cheeks. "I'm glad you two are having such a great time. I’m going to be taking inventory now, you two can, like, go to your sleepover.” The girls organized a sleepover at Lilu’s house for the night.
"Very well," Lilu said. "Come on, pretty foxy."
Ahmond hated how she was always teased. As the door rang, she said, "Just because I'm a pudgy scared fluffball doesn't make me less of a coywolf! In fact, the pudgy part technically means I'm more."
The sun cut through the sky, leaving red gashes. Pink clouds hung over Ahmond as she followed the path to the portals that led to Sandrun. However, she heard footsteps and got a sneaking feeling.
Ahmond looked around but saw no one. No one in all of Sunnyvilla. Inhaling deep in her nostrils, she trotted forth.
She heard more footsteps.
Instead of trotting, now she was running.
The footsteps got closer.
Ahmond's lip trembled. She shouted, "I'm not joining your religion!"
The wolf, a member of the Raven's Order, paused and said, "This will only take a quick candlelight baptism-"
Ahmond shrieked and cut through wooded path, avoiding the psychopath.
She never went down this road before, and now the sky was bruised purple. Late autumn plucked the trees until only bones were left. This was a shortcut, but Wall Road had been a known site for fights, graffiti, and streakers.
Ahmond sung to herself. "I stand a castle in your ground."
She saw a shadow fall over her. She gasped before looking up. A Twayt-looking creature, or at least a bird, specifically a yellow one with bloodshot eyes. His feathers looked weak and withered.
"Oh! Um, sorry, you startled me, sir."
"My presence does that. I am Count Von Coppersworth."
Ahmond and Vampire
Ahmond sat. "Oh, my friend has a few cousins who are Counts... more than you can count."
"I only come down here in Sunnyvilla in the summers, but I have a winter home up in the country of Silence."
Ahmond said, "Well, um, I've gotta get a move on." She stood and kept walking.
"I should join you." He flapped down near her. "You shouldn't be alone at this hour."
"My family believes in independence at this age, as do most dires," Ahmond said. "I guess that's not for Twayts."
"Is that so?"
"Yes." Ahmond spoke, curtly.
However, as he kept following, she began walking quicker. As she passed by a puddle, she realized only her reflection showed.
Ahmond took a stray path as she ran. The count kept flying, and Ahmond went for a bunch of branches and brambles, thinking she would be able to break through. She tripped and went head over heels.
She got herself back up, rubbing her injured arm, but tripped and slid in mud before slipping through a trail. So she got as stable as she could before jumping through another set of brambles. However, she found herself stuck. Trapped. Her body stuck in a permanent leap.
She couldn't see anything. The night was black as death. She took several breaths. She warming the air with her own hyperventilation and halitosis.
"I am Count Von Coppersworth, and I feel like we're about to become blood partners." He politely moved her tail up with his wing and bit.
***
Cyras sat in front of the palace and looked at her forearm.
Lilu asked, "What's the time?"
"I dunno, I don't wear a watch."
Ahmond finally showed up.
Cyras said, "You look pale."
"Yeah, I just need something to drink," Ahmond said. "I think that walk took something out of me. Excuse me, Lilu, may I enter?"
Lilu rolled her eyes. "Yes, Ahmond, I hereby grant you a royal invitation to enter the ballroom of Sandrun."
Ahmond shuffled in the room.
Cyras said, "Come on, we'll start making some cookies."
"Mm, make me extra," Lilu said.
"You're not gonna do any of the work!"
Lilu said, "You're borrowing my kitchen."
Cyras stuck her tongue out, but entered the cookery, with Lilu dismissing the chef.
Ahmond walked past a steak, and bit down. She shook the slab of meat. Blood flew everywhere, spraying Cyras and Lilu on the face.
Lilu scrunched her nose up, while Cyras said, "Alright, Ahmond!" in approval. The wilder licked her own face.
"Bloody fantastic," Lilu said as she got out a bottle of soda.
Ahmond snapped at Lilu, and the hyena couldn't pull the bottle away in time as Ahmond sunk her teeth within the glass, and sucked up all the liquid within. Lilu's eyes went wide, and she glanced at Cyras who observed the events with a raised brow.
"Nope, now that I don't support."
Lilu said, "Okay, we're just moving on from that." She brought out the measuring cup and said, "Ahmond, how about you start measuring. No bitey the glass."
Ahmond brought out a fourth of a cup of flour, before pouring. "One-fourth... Two fourths... Three-fourths."
"There's a 3/4th measurement on the cup, Ahmond," Lilu said.
"I find this method is more exact."
Cyras said, "We're making 72. That requires 3 cups, or 12/4ths, then 6/4ths of sugar, and 7/4ths of brown sugar.."
Lilu said, "Are you serious?"
Ahmond said, "One ounce," pouring in one ounce of chocolate chips with fifteen more.
Creating cookies after all of Ahmond's little quirks wasn't very easy or quick, but they ended up with a few batches. Ahmond refused any, and that was fine, as the girls weren't gonna let her have any after her baking spectacle.
As Lilu and Cyras fell asleep, a shadow arose from her blanket. Ahmond opened her eyes, once pink but now dark red. Her prominent canines became sharper, shaped like a crescent moon, while the full moon silhouetted her.
She lingered over Lilu. She lifted up the blanket, her jaw unlatched like a snake, as she aimed for her throat.
Lilu's eyes burst open. "You bite me and I'll end your afterlife as well."
Ahmond paused and said, "Oh, uh, you know I'm a vampire?"
Cyras said, "Well we saw the bite, and how you counted everything, and how you needed permission for entrance."
Lilu said, "I knew one of my friends was an unholy, blood-drinking monster. But we already knew that about Cyras. I had a feeling, Ahmond, you might be leading a gritty, upsetting, and empty life, and worse, you're also a vampire."
Ahmond said, "Oh. Well, I'm gonna have to eat your life forces now." She jumped after them.
Lilu burst through the bathroom entrance. As Cyras slid in, Lilu slammed the door. "Okay, what do you know about the undead?"
Cyras said, "They're stupid."
"No, we already knew that about Ahmond." Lilu said, "Uh, they can't take wood in the chest, they don't reflect in silver or water because of the purity. Um... well they can't really die and feel no pain."
"Oh, that's good." Cyras opened the door.
Ahmond hissed as she ran through.
Cyras punched her in the nose.
"Ow!" Ahmond grabbed her snout. "Hey!" But she got hit with some more of Cyras' jabs and straight hooks.
Cyras got on top of the shower. With a flip, she fox-jumped on her big belly and dismounted with perfect accuracy. Then she laid over Ahmond and counted, "One, two, three!"
"Wait," Lilu said, scratching her mane. "That's zombies who don't feel any pain."
"Oh," Cyras said as she stopped beating up on Ahmond. "You coulda told me that before I beat her into a bloodthirsty pulp."
Lilu shrugged. "Even weirder is that you don't have to count rice as a vampire. The only real thing you do is drink blood."
"Huh, I guess Ahmond never got that memo," Cyras said. "Probably because of her more superstitious upbringing, meanwhile you and I were raised more scientifically."
As they locked her in the bathroom, Cyras went scavenging for food from the kitchen, that way they could feed their little oh-so-positive pet on o positive bloodlet. However, she paused as she thought she saw something in the fields. She peered through, her eyes becoming slits.
Cyras snuck back with another steak, before dropping the slab at her paws. "Lilu, is the whole invitation thing just a stereotype?"
"Yeah."
"Oh."
Banging came from the bathroom door, then from the palace doors.
"Good thing I have a bunch of guards," Lilu said.
Hallway doors opened as a bunch of vampire hyenas stepped forth. All of them with red, bloodshot eyes.
"Good thing they're terrible at their jobs?" Lilu asked. "Oh hey, maybe Mom got bit!"
Cyras tsked, before biting Lilu's wrist. They ducked through into a drawing room, then through a billiards room.
Ahmond ran in front of them. "Where are you girls going?"
The guards came from behind as Ahmond encroached upon them.
"All we wanna do is drink your blood."
Lilu grabbed a chair and smashed a hyena guard over the head. She pushed her way through, as Cyras blew a raspberry at one's face.
Lilu and Cyras ran into the kitchen, then out into another kitchen, but that's when they saw a vampire, so they ducked into the trophy room. Eventually, they got out into a hallway before slamming open the door opposite them was Ahmond. However, their exit was blocked by hyenas.
Ahmond approached the girls before she pounced at Lilu, however, Cyras got in the way.
Ahmond stood over her, revealing the sharpness of fangs and the depth of the mouth. The vampire hissed, saliva clinging to her teeth. Pupils shrinking, Cyras stared up at her friend, the warm breath on her. Then some slobber dropped off on Cyras' face.
The fox bucked at Ahmond's stomach and pushed with her arms, but the vampire bit her wrist.
Cyras slapped Ahmond against the ear.
Ahmond stumbled and began coughing. The red blood of Cyras was unlike the yellow blood of most dires.
"She's choking on your godsblood," Lilu said.
"I'm not a god, probably just the steak entering her body!"
"Oh yeah, the unholy being who just took a taste of god is dying because of high cholesterol!"
Ahmond rose up.
"See, she's still undead." Cyras revved up a punch.
"Wait, no, I'm good now!" Ahmond said, less pale than before, "I think I'm a normal coywolf again."
Lilu said, "But we still have all my guards. Who drank your blood so you became a vampire, Ahmond?"
Ahmond said, "Oh, uh, some bird named Coppersworth."
A bunch of zombies were upon them when a big hyena walked down the hallway. A pink hyena specifically, just like Lilu, except she had frizzier hair. "What in the world is going on in my palace!"
The hyena guards, Lilu, Cyras, and Ahmond stared at Queen Jazmyn.
The Queen said, "What if I told all of you about becoming unholy archetypes in my common area, and is that bloodstains on my fine settings?"
With that, Cyras, Ahmond, and Lilu ran.
***
Count Von Coppersworth never saw anyone crossing his woods willingly. However, he saw a light in the night, a blue flame within a lamp, carried by a fox.
Cyras shouted, "Hey there, big bird, I hear you like the blood of children, but I guess you didn't really expect we'd find out." She threw her lamp up before catching with her tail, then she shook her bottom at him.
With a glare, the bird dove down after her.
Cyras took off in a mad dash. "Let's play a game. How about if you catch me, you can drink my blood, and if you lose, you don't."
"I promise you, no one has ever escaped my clutches before."
"Oh, so braggadociosous." Cyras blasted a fireball at him, however he sent a wave of black magic, dissipating the fireball.
Cyras scrambled up onto a tree, taking several leaps, but he slashed with his wing, sending a dark cut across the limb, and Cyras fell into a wood shack.
He landed within and looked around for the fox. He felt a rumbling.
Two stone pillars trapped his wings.
He cursed, "What is this?"
Cyras stared in through a hole in a window. "Gotcha!" she winked. Her bangs seemed just a bit darker as was the shade underneath her eyes which almost glowed blue. Perhaps they did glow.
With her flame powers, she formed eight new tails, before slamming and blowing the immediate area up.
Flames filled up the room. The bird coughed and tried flitting around. "My flames harm the unholy and they will melt your curse. As you can’t die from anything other than wood, silver, and sunlight, you will burn forever.”
Ahmond and Lilu took a few steps back.
The undead shrieking filled the sky with a hollowness. The blaze was amorphous but occasionally seemed like a crying phoenix.
Cyras giggled before she burst laughing. "Game, over."
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Little Owlis' Utopia
2022-09-14 14:27
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(Testing out how this site handles longer literature.)
Words could be powerful, quite literally.
A gryphon rubbed the fresh ink on the parchment several times. Within, he tried infusing an element of flame. However, the paper burned up.
He had cast the spell several times, trying to enchant the letters, figuring he had a theory. He was known as Ramseas, the poet. One of the greatest Weavers of his generation, and Knowledge's primary student. Having learned under the dragoness for many years, he wasn't sure why he failed this often.
However, as he now scoured a grand library, he wasn't sure what book held the information he wanted. Sitting in the middle was a pink dragon, who shaded the books with her wingspan.
"Ramseas," Knowledge said, "I am pleased to see you." Cradled in her arms, was a purple fox who's paws reached and slapped at the beads around Knowledge's neck. The little fighter was biting down on the beads, trying to break them.
Ramseas never asked about the Fall Goddess. He knew that Knowledge was attempting to educate the young vixen.
"I have finally figured out the problem with the puzzle, so I may learn more than four elements."
Knowledge's eye ridge furrowed. Her pupil was far bigger than Ramseas, even while slit. "Ramseas, you barely have a good grasp on any element other than Water. Most are lucky if they learn two elements. But better learn those elements and learn them well than learn nine and learn them poorly."
Ramseas said, "Think about spells in words."
"Such as books. That is known as a spellbook," Knowledge said.
Ramseas grimaced, a vein pulsing, his talons flexing. But in the same moment he did that, he also took a breath. "No, my thoughts are that if we all weave the spells in words, we can access those spells later."
Weaving was a certain type of magic, focusing on hexes and enchantments, putting spells within armor and artifacts.
Ramseas knew Water, Fire, Lightning, and Earth. However, he could never get the grasp of Psychic magics despite how intelligent he was. However, if his master would seal some of her psycho magic, perhaps he could become a psychic magician.
Knowledge smiled gracefully. "I will await your results."
***
Owlis sits with Knowledge, not anymore a baby, but still a young girl. She has been on the mortal plane for a while now, after sneaking away. Ryvoh wasn't speaking with her because of an incident with Knowledge's sibling, Despair. The great beast holds a lot of physical similarities with his sister, both having eye patches, long trident like horns coming from their heads, and thick tails. However, Knowledge held serenity. Instead of a hidden anger, she hid peace.
Thousands of threads come from Knowledge, each one grabs a piece of rubble, which all fit together for the structure of a library. They are within a Skyless kingdom, reassembling broken pieces of a school that Owlis has started classes in. The classes are short and are introducing potential materials until the real semester starts, as is Skyless customs.
"I wish I knew some of that magic," Owlis says, though she only speaks up because Knowledge looks serious during these meetings. "I already know, Fire, Lightning, and Earth. Ryvoh knows Water, maybe I'll learn from her."
"Please Owlis, I'm focusing on this for now, alright Sweetie?" The sternness of her expression is hidden with a light smile, however Owlis knows that lacks genuiness.
Owlis says, "This library has been ruined ever since I was born."
"Try a little later than that," Knowledge says.
"I just wish I saw the place."
Knowledge tells her, "You did when you were younger."
Owlis raises an eyebrow, as Knowledge explains, "This is where I taught some of my best students. Your mother let me watch over you, and admittedly, not one of her best judgments as you were always running about, sniffing people, biting books. Buttnaked."
Owlis scrunches her nose up. "I'm always 'buttnaked'."
Knowledge says, "Skyless wear loincloths. You refused pretty often, however now you're part of a Skyless school, and get to wear a uniform."
"I don't even get clothes." Owlis rolls her eyes.
Knowledge tells her, "Think about this. You're a Weaver who could learn how weaving clothes works in school."
"I'm so focused on building a society, and I want to do that, I don't even want to learn here." Owlis double glances at Knowledge, hoping that isn't offensive. However, this academy was built on Knowledge's intelligence and as a temple for the grand master.
Knowledge joylessly smiles. "Never rush. Always test a theory a few times. Learn fundamentals."
Owlis says, "I already have a bunch of kids waiting for Utopia. We've built the place up several times, but we keep getting wrecked, and I keep trying to build each part. I've found out this place has like healing pools. That is amazing! My empire should have one of those."
"Kingdom, Owlis. An Empire is several kingdoms."
"Yeah, that's my plan." Owlis nods. "But I feel like I'm in over my head about all of this Utopia stuff. I've this idea on how we'll share power, and who gets what. Also an idea about farming. But as soon as I work on the farming, I have ideas on developing the libraries. We already have the criminal justice figured out, however. We get a giant, really big paddle, and we WHACK butts until the eyes pop out. So far no one's eyes have popped out yet but they have engineering classes in school."
Knowledge muses, "I've heard that one little fox is actually only a few infractions away from a school paddling for being a smarty-no-pants and brat. Perhaps she should workonherhomework."
Owlis gasps and runs off while Knowledge giggles. She looks on at a distant tower known as Archivists' tower, which is where her student Ramseas was sealed away after his spells burned books, then libraries, then people.
She wonders how far away Owlis is from being the next Ramseas.
Author’s Notes: This weird little tale was, thought of, written, and published within a few hours and is about overextending. Perhaps there is a moral here, but there is definitely a rant. Yup. Not revised at all.
I normally never upload extremely raw drafts. I will admit that a chapter of N:Era Where We Lie only got like three drafts, but yeah, this is fresh off the press plus some quick grammar looks.
So Ramseas is actually gonna be a main villain of a side story expansion. So are the Skyless, they're gonna be in Owlis Fall of Dragons. I feel like this tale is mostly about all the stuff that will happen.
I dunno if you'll enjoy, but I figure I haven't uploaded in a while.
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Cyras' Theme: Sour Grapes
2022-09-13 19:45
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(This is a test of the Journal Function.)
You're living in a fairy tale
About to trespass into hell
You're hiding in your silver castle dwelling
Now pull yourself together, sail
Or I am gonna chase your trail
I see you dropped o'er the railing!
The time has come you learn your place
Unless you like the taste of mace.
Disguise ain't gonna work, so start retreating.
Maintain pace, better show good face
Slow and steady wins no race
You'll break your throat wide open, bleeding
Sour Grapes
May make you whine
Fire Japes
Make them divine
For this burning willed soul
Will refuse to be restrained
I have an inner nature
Which you cannot out-train
So empress strike me down
The lightning gold like crowns
And burn my woodland home
In anger you will foam
I'll ash your wonderland
You'll watch this
Wild Child
Spark!
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