A Brave New Rock

Mystic Elder Rep! : 31

The moon, a large island of sparkling debris among a sea of sparking debris, cast a ghostly light over the land of Terra. It was a different world beneath the moon's pale gaze, a world that those humans who huddled, frightened in their homes in primal fear of the darkness would find an absolute terror, and for good reason. The overgrown ruins took no prisoners, and crouched in the shadows were monsters from the very darkest edges of human reckoning, hungry and brute, hunting and hunted, warred on and perpetually raging war. The cycle was as ceaseless and immutable as the very path of the sun through the sky.

But a human-like figure did walk among the vine-covered walls that stood, their broken windows reflecting the moonlight with a scrutinizing glint as hidden beasts sized up the newcomers. After all, it's said that evil walks, and though they had no fear of humans, they respected a higher-order spirit when they sensed one, though should this one before them show any signs of weakness, they had no qualms about swarming.

This bipedal figure, Iskra, had a vague sense that something beheld them in the shadows. After all, only a few months ago she'd often crouched the same way. Now she walked boldly, her spotted hair waving in the wind like a banner in the warm breeze of the summer night. Dawn would come soon. She looked behind for her companion.

[ EXP: 277 || +1 TEXP (2nd thread) ]

Mystic Elder Rep! : 26 Location : Behind you

Once again in the human realm. Addmittedly it was far more pleasing to the eye than the vast untamed plains of hell. However it lacked that homely feeling, mostly the smell of blood in the air. The roasting of corpses as they flowed down the molton lakes of fire. Ah yes. Home sweet home indeed. Theere hadn't beeen much time for Jack to rest or recover from the fight in which Iskra had almost killed him. However. The rest that he did have was sufficent enough for him to make the journey from hell to Terra. And in doing so. The walking seemed to have done him more good than anything else would have. For on the trip, he went from slip limp. To full on strut his stuff. In fact, now he was feeling more powerful than ever. Perhaps it was the whole, survival of the fittest thing. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Maybe there was some truth to that mentality. Regardless. He had come here with one task. To aid Iskra in setting up her little business. That is. Enslaving human women and throwing them into a building for mating purposes. Opening a brothel in shorter terms.

It seemed that Iskra had changed from her beastial form to her humanoid one. Probably a better idea considering the nature of this world. Planning something as opposed to running in would be the better option. And they'd be less challenged if they looked human-ish. Jack's humanoid form was one that could pass in a crowd. However if they looked closely enough at him, ashen skin and red eyes. Then it would not be hard to tell there was something. Off. About him. That and the radiating demonic aura that seemed to pulse from him did nothing to eliviate that.

" Ah. Terra. Here once again....".

He stepped out from behind Iskra. " Now, shall your little knight be joining us...or is this a dance for two?".

EXP: 360

Mystic Elder Rep! : 31

The woman scratched her speckled mane, staring perplexedly off into the darkness. "I would invite him, but I'm not quite sure where he is right now. He has his own ambitions, but I'll catch up to him soon."

The woman's blue eyes darted around the clearing. As far as resources went, it wasn't a bad spot. This was a wooded area that apparently had once been paved. Chunks of asphalt were still visible between mighty tree roots, and a short distance away she could see a body of water not much larger than a pond, but it had fresh water flowing in from somewhere. A hollowed out shell of a building to her left might be perfect for her purposes with a little bit of exploration and work, and the inclement ground made the spot very defensible in case of assault.

"I like this spot, actually," she announced, running a hand along a piece of the building that caught her eye. Vines grew thickly up the sides, but beneath the foliage she could see glimpses of cement and bricks. "If people were living here, you'd see some lights or some commotion or some trash. I don't see any of that, so it might be abandoned."

She grinned for a moment, relieved somehow that she wouldn't have to face some monstrous beast as she walked a wide perimeter around the building...

...and tripped over a "rock"

However, the rock immediately began to "sing", and the woman's foot had gotten caught in some strange crook of it designed to trap feet. It shouted out its quickly spoken gibberish, and birds rose into the air from the trees, startled from their slumber into flight.

Now Iskra perceived several things in a very short span of time and made a lighting-quick set of assumptions. First of all, the thing was alive. She could tell from its incredible volume at having caught her. Secondly, it intended to kill her. She could tell this from the way it looked at her with its wide, staring eyes, its strange, blunt teeth all showing. It had some sort of a cold, unnatural shell about it that threw her into an immediate panic, as she wasn't quite sure how effective attacks against such a thing might be, but she had to leap free of its malicious grasp before it tried to do further harm. Yes, space was necessary so she could evaluate the situation.

The result was several clumsy, panicked leaps that Iskra made in absolute silence before finally the creature-contraption fell free from her foot, still singing its song.

"What is THAT?!" she yelled over the noise, her hair standing up on end from the sheer fright of it all.

[ EXP: 537 ]

Mystic Elder Rep! : 26 Location : Behind you

It seemed that she was quite happy with the spot she had chosen and. All too right to be. It did seem a rather nice spot. Jack himself moved over to the water source and poked around at it a bit. Again, one of Jacks odd quirks. Despite living in hell of all places and spending most of his time in the infernal dimension. Jack couldn't for the life of him like the heat of the place. It didn't bother him as much anymore. But every time he came to the human world and it rained. Well he enjoyed just sitting out there and letting the water fall onto him. It was a refreshing change. Sccoping up a hand ful of water and then splashing it onto his face, he immedietly felt relaxed. The cold wet feeling as opposed to dry as a bone and hot as a desert. Lovely.

And just as Jack thought he was going to get some relaxation, thats when the panic started. Iskra seemed to have awakened something. By the sounds it was making, it seemed to be some kind of Siren like creature. Which to Jack would have made a slight bit of sense considering the proximity of the water. Perhaps they had choosen a spot already inhabited by another spirit? Not that it much mattered, Jack was well enough equipped to deal with anything that came their way. He turned towards the paniced Iskra. And outstretched his senses. Yet oddly. They picked up nothing in the proximity of this strange device. Jack approached it and bent down. Poking its strange outcasing with one finger, at first tenatively. Then with more precision. He looked up at the Hyena girl. " Hm...not sure...but I don't sense any life....so...its not alive...I can tell you that much...". Jack tilted his head, and wondered.

" Its possible that this is one of those...old things....that came before the dawn....there are quite a few of them in the ruins of this world....not that anyone knows what they were used for.....or how to use them again for that matter".

It seemed that, if indeed his guess was correct. Then She may have stumbled upon something valuable. What use it could have besides for blaring out this strange noise however was completely lost to the demon of pride. His immediate temptation was to merely smash the thing. To make it stop singing. But then Iskra had been talking about things to trade. This might be good for her. Yet. He couldn't see anyone really wanting something like this that wouldn't shut up.

EXP: 480

Mystic Elder Rep! : 31

Iskra's fright lessened gradually until she was no longer bristling, but the singing thing still put her on edge. After all, it still stared ahead through those huge, soulless eyes, and if it really was a relic from before the world was born, then it could harbor any array of unknown dangers or hurts. It could have been a shoggoth for how she treated it and its noises, stiffly putting distance between herself and it, eying it with suspicion.

She opened her mouth to say something else, but she was immediately interrupted with a sound not unlike thunder in the midst of the din, and a voice that may have come from a prepubescent boy.

"I know what it is!" The voice shouted before its owner leaped protectively in front of the device. "It's the voice of the gods, and you'll do well to leave this sacred place!"

Well, now. This thing was flesh and bone. Iskra knew how to deal with such a thing, especially as intimidating as it looked. The thing was yellow and furred, formed like a rather large rat, but still only a solid two feet or so off of the ground. Its long tail had a shape suspiciously like a lightning bolt at the end, and as it thrashed the appendage about, she could see lightning sparking off of the tip. It wore a headband, and had a cocky expression across its yellow, furry face as it pointed a two-foot wooden pole in their direction, as though such a thing could keep them off.

The tail curled once and came across a button, instantly silencing the monstrosity so that the rat-thing could continue to speak without raising its voice. "This is the village of the Thunder Rats. State your business, trespassers."

The glow of the sparks lit up the night, and Iskra frowned, confused by these new developments. Firstly, there was this strange singing rock, and now there was this weird little demon asking them why they were there. She wondered if perhaps suddenly the trees would begin singing as well and cause them to begin some strange song-and-dance number in the middle of the night.

Such an odd world she lived in. "I'm taking this building," the female demon announced bluntly.

[ EXP: 464 ]

Mystic Elder Rep! : 26 Location : Behind you

Iskra still seemed oddly wary of this device, and well she should be. Relics of the old world, if indeed this was one of suhc items. Were dangerous, and to be handled with caution. Whilst Jack was still trying to figure out just what it was, thats when the strange voice jumped out from over the rest. And...thats when one of the stranger sights Jack had ever encountered popped up. Some strange kind of...rat...creature...thing. Proclaiming that the device was the voice of his or indeed. Her god. Jack..couldn't really tell at this stage the gender of the creature. Not that it much mattered. It asked just what they were doing here and before Jack could get a word out. Iskra. Blunt as ever had already proclaimed her desire to take this place for her own. Jack stolled over to her and tilted his head.

" Do you want me to kill it or?...".

Jack then rubbed his chin. A dasterdly expression appearing on his face. As if he'd just thought of some sort of evil little scheme. " Well. Killing might not be neccisary....they don't look very powerful do they?.....could always just enslave them". Twas Jack's mindset that tools that could be useful should never be disgarded unless said tools were too dangerous to be kept as such. This creature hardly looked dangerous. " I doubt their females would be much good in your buildings but, could use them to serve food and drink...or possibly a petting zoo?". Jack said so willfully as if the creature wasn't just standing there listening to the whole song and dance of enslaving its people.

EXP: 310

Mystic Elder Rep! : 31

The little critter's whiskers curled with electricity and wrath as it felt this trespasser speak of insulting things.

A number of bright eyes peeked out from various crooks on the building in a rainbow of colors. Some of them belonged to mothers holding wide-eyed infants. Some of them belonged to grizzled, elder rat warriors with scarred faces, scowls, and primitive weapons. Some belonged to subadults with rocks to throw. But only a small percentage of the vast number there appeared to be warriors.

"This is your last chance, devils. Flee now..." lightning sparked in its eyes dramatically. "...while you still have use of your faculties."

Iskra wrinkled her nose, unsure of what to make of this thing. No doubt they'd make cute pets or... something. They could maintain the building if nothing else.

However, her time with Nori the merchant taught her a bit about negotiation, and she quietly took a few steps forward, a large grin on her face as she attempted to negotiate with the lead warrior of the ThunderRats. "Did we infringe upon your territory? Ah, what is your name?" She knelt down so she was eye level with the sparking rat.

"I am Lion-O!" He shouted, taking a few steps back and pivoting so the stick remained between them.

"Lion-o, ummm... look. This is a pretty big building, yea? Looks pretty run down, though." She gave a short nod towards the broken windows. "I could help you. Food for days and a fixed-up place. Want to hear more?"

"You vile creature!" The little thing all but shrieked, making a short lunge with his stick to smack the demon across the cheek. She ducked just in time. "I will hear none of your lies! You just spoke of enslaving us!" He planted the stick in the ground immediately afterwards, swinging around it with a kick that left an arch of electricity in the air. She was forced back.

"But that was--"

And then there was an explosion. A beast broke through the trees with a primal roar.

Iskra's immediate reflex was to take a short hop that took her behind a particularly tall piece of debris. The thunder rats, however, bowed before the creature, shivering in fear and murmuring words of reverence.

[ EXP: 473 ]

Mystic Elder Rep! : 26 Location : Behind you

It seemed that Iskra was going to go along mor eof the political phase rather than drive out these creatures. She was actually offering to fix up the building and feed them, treat them like employees of sorts rather than slaves. My my, how unassumingly kind of her. Perhaps it was something about that human form that made her slightly more human in her thought processes. It was a possibility, after all. Jack himself was far more beast like when he took on the form of the dread wolf. It seemed however that her words were useless, as this " Lion-O". And his fellow thunder ca-Rats, were quite decided on resisting them. Well. It may have had something to do with the whole talk of slavery but honestly. Jack Wiseman saw this as a much better method. " See Iskra, you give into the mob, you are ruled by the mob". And then. An explosion. Jack stood there, no moving at all as debris and wind blew by his fae. Kicking up dust. He merely coughed. And looked up at the large creature that was now before the two of them.

The thunder rats seemed to worship this creature, or at least fear it so much as to show it reversence. Perhaps once they had torn out its insides and shown it to them, they would hold the same ammount of fear and respect for them. If not. Well. He knew an awfully good recipe for weed rat stew that'd he'd learned from an ogre. He turned around and looked at Iskra. Thumbing over to the creature. " Hey, this thing looks pretty strong, cargo hauling?....hm...nah...probably better off just killing it". With that, Jack flicked out his cane sword.

" Lets have some fun".

EXP: 321

Mystic Elder Rep! : 31

Atop the blind beast that ostensibly caused the explosion was a rather aged-looking one of the rat-creatures, clothed in bandages and draped in a red cloak.

"Yea, it does look pretty strong..." Iskra murmured, peeking out from behind the wall to eye the tremendous beast.

The elder rat-thing's eyes glowed ominously red as it raised its arms. "I represent the ancient spirits of evil that defend this place," he began slowly. "My legend begins forty years ago before the event that wiped out the world. I recreated the world, and as a god I demand sacrifice from my people. You cannot enslave or harm them, for I, Mumm-rat, have bought their loyalty with their own blood. Daily sacrifices of sumptuous infants for my dining and dark magics. I hold infinite power in my hand. You intruders cannot hope to stand against me. I have survived the voids and countless centuries, surpassing death itself! Such a force guards this village. I can show you pain and horrors that you couldn't possibly guess. See how my people tremble before me? You two will tremble precisely like that. I don't even really need this beast, but it's a manifestation of my power that I can control it! I control all! I am a god! Foolish little demons you are for hoping to stand against my might. You will be struck down like the--"

Iskra at first appeared surprised, then she noticed Jack's blade and decided that perhaps she should help with the fight in some way. Quickly, she murmured a spell while the talkative creature continued on and a small blast of ice occurred where Mumm-rat stood, knocking him off of his feet.

He stood back up slowly on his aged bones and coughed. "Nevermind! I see that you elude my vengeance!" The large beast began to lurch back from whence it came, it's progress marked by the continuing voice of the fiend. "Yes! Flee from me! I see you getting further and further away! Curse your cowardice! For if I caught up with you, I would show you varieties of pain you didn't even know existed! I'd show you a whole new spectrum of pain... like a rainbow! I..."

His voice faded further and further into the distance, eventually overcome by the sound of the lumbering beast.

The little electric creatures stared off after the other large thing that had shown up, and as soon as it was out of earshot a great cheer rose up.

"Our heroes!" "Our saviors!" "Our new gods!" They shouted, dancing and celebrating and lighting up the night with fireworks that they'd mysteriously pulled from somewhere and lit with sparks from their cheeks.

[ EXP: 540 || +1 TEXP (5th post) ]

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