Esper Shift: The RPG, Part II

[Ptrvc]

"Dammit.....God...Damn...Monsters!" Brett cried as she collapsed on the ground.

Joseph eyed Brett.

Despite his often odd behavior, Joseph was not stupid, he knew what Brett was grieving, it just set him at an unease.

He began to 'inspect' the a few week old tracks some ways away from the main group.

[Ghost]

As Galena and Sulin rushed the haku commander behind him down. Dryden exalted as the Margrave's sword found its mark...or close enough, anyway. The weapon cut through the air like an awkward but heavy arrow, slicing through the side of the haku commander battling Viir, producing a gratifying shriek from the facelss abomination as it lost its footing. Then the blade careened into the ravine beyond. Oops.

The wrestling between the two combatants reached a crescendo of frenzied movement, ending with both toppling over the edge to their deaths. After travelling all this way, they'd just lost their entire allied contingent in a single battle. The Margrave's mission would end with a whimper before he ever reached the country he'd gone to scout. For all their power, for all the blood and sweat they'd shed, they'd been unable to save even one of them.

Well bugger that.

Dryden was running before he fully realised it, feet pounding as he ate up the distance to the precipice. A few of the others, nearer to the meelee and perhaps a tad fitter, reached there first. Brett seemed to be trying to do something, but what he couldn't tell. Tabitha and Edan held their gazes downward, and even in his haste he could tell from the set of their shoulders and jaws that they were listening to something. Was Viir still there? No time! He'd find out once he got down there.

Not pausing for a heartbeat, he leapt over the edge, the ravine's chasm yawning like an endless abyss below him. And there was Viir, sleeve torn, already nearly gone from sight. In that moment, just as gravity started to claim him, he hollered for aid.

"Boost me down!"

Dryden plummeted into the ravine but almost instantly lost sight of Viir. With the darkness of night still lingering in the deep crevice, it was all but impossible to see anything.

Next moment he fell into the river below. The cold of water, only a few degrees above freezing, hit him like a sledgehammer and nearly paralysed his body. Despite his phasing, the strong current threatened to pull him along. And he still couldn't see a thing.

[Ghost]

"Don't touch me. Just....just leave me alone."

Linne removed her hand. "As you wish."

"Personal, eh? I will not ask if you do not wish to divulge any secrets." Tabitha said calmly.

"It's not really a secret," Linne said with a nervous chuckle. "I decided to travel the land conducting taxonomical research and I happened to borrow with me some of my master's notes. Knowing him, I'm surprised we haven't heard him cursing all the way from Hazda." She made a small circle sign over her heart. "Trinity bless the old badger."

"As for the situation with the Haku, it appears they grow more intelligent with each day. It makes sense they would choose to kill us first. We are not exactly an ordinary group, given that we have Esper powers."

She immediately went over and touched Linne's face with a bare finger. She withdrew it without a problem, then pressed it to the priestess' skin again. This time she activated her aura around the digit, pulling it back enough that the girl could feel her cheek being yanked lightly.

"A minor demonstration, for we are tired out from the battle. Perhaps you may see something more substantial later."

She turned her aura off and put her hand back at her side.

Linne looked surprised. "Espers, you say? You are a rare breed these days."

[Eternal Torment]

"It's not really a secret," Linne said with a nervous chuckle. "I decided to travel the land conducting taxonomical research and I happened to borrow with me some of my master's notes. Knowing him, I'm surprised we haven't heard him cursing all the way from Hazda." She made a small circle sign over her heart. "Trinity bless the old badger."

"Oh? Intriguing, Venerable Kalafona. You have much knowledge of the various fauna in this land." Tabitha gave a great big smile. "Normally, I would not ask such a thing of you, but we have need of your expertise. Would you accompany us to our destination? If you were to help us survive, I doubt your master would be displeased at your unasked appropriation of his notes."

She chuckled lightly.

"Indeed, you would be probably be praised for your actions."

Linne looked surprised. "Espers, you say? You are a rare breed these days."

"Oh?" The smile grew a little wider. "How rare, might I ask?"

[Tami]

Galena's breathing was still ragged, her eyes closed but fluttering occasionally as if trying to waken, but she still with them. The glows from her crystals faded, but they had done enough.

With a soft, horse groan, Galena slowly opens her eyes. Struggling to focus, her mind foggy from pain and oxygen deprivation, she tries to move her head slightly to look around.

[Ghost]

"Oh? Intriguing, Venerable Kalafona. You have much knowledge of the various fauna in this land."

"Flora and fauna," Linne said. She had cut open Sulin's leggings with a small knife and bound a piece of embroidered cloth to the wound with bandages. "Not that I know as much as I would like. Botany and zoology aren't very popular fields, probably because they aren't very useful for magical purposes."

Tabitha gave a great big smile. "Normally, I would not ask such a thing of you, but we have need of your expertise. Would you accompany us to our destination? If you were to help us survive, I doubt your master would be displeased at your unasked appropriation of his notes."

She chuckled lightly.

"Indeed, you would be probably be praised for your actions."

"Praise is a worldly reward," Linne replied. "I seek only spiritual fulfillment. As for your desitination, it wouldn't happen to lie beyond the border? I'm no fool, Esper Lady. If Lord Ikine was involved with this, I can only assume you were sent on orders by the Crown."

"Oh?" The smile grew a little wider. "How rare, might I ask?"

"Rare enough that most of us no longer believe in your existence," Linne said, tightening the bandages. "How is that fire coming along?"

[Eternal Torment]

"Flora and fauna," Linne said. She had cut open Sulin's leggings with a small knife and bound a piece of embroidered cloth to the wound with bandages. "Not that I know as much as I would like. Botany and zoology aren't very popular fields, probably because they aren't very useful for magical purposes."

"The price of magic, it seems. Still, you are more versed than us." Tabitha confirmed.

"Praise is a worldly reward," Linne replied. "I seek only spiritual fulfillment. As for your desitination, it wouldn't happen to lie beyond the border? I'm no fool, Esper Lady. If Lord Ikine was involved with this, I can only assume you were sent on orders by the Crown."

"Ah, yes. Pardon my mistake. I made an error in my assumptions." She replied humbly. "And yes, you are indeed correct. In Tanisa our search begins, a journey for the missing Princess Marisol."

She paused.

"What is your opinion on that, Venerable Karafona?"

"Rare enough that most of us no longer believe in your existence," Linne said, tightening the bandages. "How is that fire coming along?"

"Poorly, given that most of us have started lazing about."

Tabitha knelt down and started clearing the ground to build a campfire on.

[Ghost]

"The price of magic, it seems. Still, you are more versed than us." Tabitha confirmed.

"Ah, yes. Pardon my mistake. I made an error in my assumptions." She replied humbly. "And yes, you are indeed correct. In Tanisa our search begins, a journey for the missing Princess Marisol."

She paused.

"What is your opinion on that, Venerable Karafona?"

"I will, of course, pray that providence be with you on this quest," Linne said. "I've met the princess and she is certainly worth saving. However, I must decline your offer to accompany you. While I do not fear death, I belive I have my own purpose in life and would rather not risk it until that purpose is fulfilled."

"Poorly, given that most of us have started lazing about."

Tabitha knelt down and started clearing the ground to build a campfire on.

Linne turned to the rest of the group. "Actually, you all better start looking for any firewood you can find. We'll need it for the funeral pyre."

[Tami]

With a soft, horse groan, Galena slowly opens her eyes. Struggling to focus, her mind foggy from pain and oxygen deprivation, she tries to move her head slightly to look around.

Not seeing anyone close by but hearing voices, she closes her eyes again and drifts off..

[Eternal Torment]

"I will, of course, pray that providence be with you on this quest," Linne said. "I've met the princess and she is certainly worth saving. However, I must decline your offer to accompany you. While I do not fear death, I belive I have my own purpose in life and would rather not risk it until that purpose is fulfilled."

"I understand." Tabitha clapped her on the shoulder. "I cannot divert you from your path, for I would not heed those who would try to do the same to me."

She chuckled.

"Your aid here is enough. Maybe if we survive all of this, you will be pleasantly surprised. When they speak of us, the Foretold, they will also remember what you have done, Venerable Karafona."

[Ghost]

"I understand." Tabitha clapped her on the shoulder. "I cannot divert you from your path, for I would not heed those who would try to do the same to me."

She chuckled.

"Your aid here is enough. Maybe if we survive all of this, you will be pleasantly surprised. When they speak of us, the Foretold, they will also remember what you have done, Venerable Karafona."

Linne paused for a moment and looked at Tabitha. "The Fortold? Are you shaving my head?"

[Eternal Torment]

Linne paused for a moment and looked at Tabitha. "The Fortold? Are you shaving my head?"

"No." Tabitha said casually. "Why would the Crown send us on a mission of such import, and send the esteemed swordmaster Viir Ikine with us? And why would Espers such as us be gathered in such a great number?"

She chuckled mirthlessly.

"It's only too bad we haven't grown into our roles yet. But even in this stage, where we are but infants compared to the figures that this prophecy demands us to be, we can still do good by ourselves. As I said before, I would not interfere with your path in life. Your destiny need not be engulfed by ours, Venerable Karafona. Perhaps you would serve the Trinity better following your own way."

[Ghost]

"No." Tabitha said casually. "Why would the Crown send us on a mission of such import, and send the esteemed swordmaster Viir Ikine with us? And why would Espers such as us be gathered in such a great number?"

"Well," Linne said. "Sounds like I picked a very bad time to leave the capital."

She chuckled mirthlessly.

"It's only too bad we haven't grown into our roles yet. But even in this stage, where we are but infants compared to the figures that this prophecy demands us to be, we can still do good by ourselves. As I said before, I would not interfere with your path in life. Your destiny need not be engulfed by ours, Venerable Karafona. Perhaps you would serve the Trinity better following your own way."

Linne smiled. "I have faith that if the Trinity wishes it, our paths will cross once more."

[Eternal Torment]

"Well," Linne said. "Sounds like I picked a very bad time to leave the capital."

"Indeed. The Haku's movements have been much more intrusive. They even chased the Vampires out of the Black Mountains. We should know, a pesky swarm of them attacked us a while back. Luckily, we killed the Alpha before we were overwhelmed by their numbers."

Linne smiled. "I have faith that if the Trinity wishes it, our paths will cross once more."

"Heh. Indeed." Tabitha returned the smile. "There is another we have met and parted ways with. Kikime Atema, a skilled warrior who was part of Margrave Ikine's forces. The Haku had attacked Vima a short time before we arrived there. We interceded and fought them off, at which point she chose to stay behind. After all, she had to help rebuild her hometown."

She looked back towards towards the horizon, almost as if to try and see their friend in the distance. Her smile was softer now.

"Perhaps you will meet her on your journey. If you do, tell her that we wish her well."

[Cleric of Hell's Brigade]

Edan began moving through the bodies of the fallen Pilgrims, scavenging any weapons, supplies, or coinage they had on them. It was a grim but needed buisness before they could be buried. As he did this he kept his ears open and listened to the priestess and Tabitha speak, absorbing what was being said for later use. When he was done, he moved over and joined the two as Tabitha started the fire.


"Our thanks for the aid. I'm afraid my own medical skills are somewhat limited, as you can see."