[Southern Desert ~ Old Mine] (Omar, Cynthia, Rin)
Omar continued to watch Cynthia, his eyes fixed on her hands and charged with an unsettled concern. "Like I said," he spoke to Rin, "the way we came in isn't this mine's actual entrance, if the knocked-in wall didn't say as much. Whether or not we can get to the actual entrance, or whether there are any other escapes besides..." he looked back down the tunnel and clicked his jaw, "I can't be sure."
Turning to look at Rin directly, he held his arms out in a shrug, "Unfortunately, I've never personally been in here before now. I was informed of this section, and of the..." he hesitated for only a moment, then continued with a sigh, "...the gateway hidden within. The layout of the greater mine is beyond me. Unless either of you have a better option, I think we might just have to feel our way out."
The man's gaze returned to Cynthia, alert with cautious interest a she spoke up. "Cynthia... if he was knocked unconscious over there all by himself, then there's little chance he's still with us. That problem of his has little in the way of lenience. Enough disconnects and he's gone." Worried that she might fall into another fit of anguish, Omar quickly added, "But listen, there also remains the chance that he went on by himself. I gave him instructions, and if he heeded them in time, then by all ways of looking at it, he should be home."
When she expressed her desire to somehow get past the cave-in to check, Omar sighed deeply. "Just promise me you're done punching the thing, all right?"
this place needs me here
Attitude is prohibited
[Old Mine]
"I don't want you exhausting yourself again," Rin said, giving Cynthia a stern look. "You can barely stand. You're in no position to start stressing yourself out again."
Rin looked over at the rubble. It would be awfully nice to know for sure, though...
Looking back at Cynthia, she sighed. "Promise me you won't overexert yourself. If you faint again, I'm just gonna carry you the whole way out of here, whether you're conscious or not."
Standing up, she looked over at Omar. "I can't say I like the idea of having to guess which way is out... But I can't say I know much about navigating through tunnels, either. I could try scouting ahead by myself, I suppose. I can move the fastest, after all."
Not entirely dead.
Southern Desert ~ Abandoned Mines (Cynthia; Omar; Rin)
Cynthia averted her gaze as Omar talked to her, reflexively clenching her healing hand now that the bleeding had stopped. "Alright, I promise," she said quietly.
Turning her head towards Rin, the young knight began moving her hand towards her gauntlet, "Don't worry, I recover quickly, and besides, I've, uh, got a trick up my sleeve for situations just like this." Fumbling with the latches, she managed to get the incongruous piece of armor off before handing it off to whomever would be willing to hold on to it for now.
Rolling her shoulder, Cynthia shivered as a fierce tingling sensation spread up her arm and throughout her body. Moments later, a stylized wing composed of long 'panels' of glowing aether flickered into existence behind her right shoulder. Twitching her nose for a moment, she turned to Omar and Rin, "You guys might want to step back a bit and shield your eyes; there's gonna be a lot of bright light in here in a moment."
Floating of the ground a few inches with her left arm outstretched towards the rubble heap, a band of white sigils instantly formed around the young knight's wrist, followed by a complex mandala of rather arcane looking symbols. A moment later, a bluish beam of luminous aether flared into existence between the mandala and the wall, followed by a rather grating screech as the rubble was essentially being vaporized.
The gays have returned
[Main Street]
Oddly enough, the rest of the evening went without a hitch.
In fact, it seemed that the whole shenanigans from earlier that day was a surreal dream. What were those zombies in the desert? Where did the tanks come from? These questions still lingered, but at the end of the day, it was pointless to hope for an answer. They left as quickly as they came.
Besides, with everything now settled down, John and James finally got the do what they came here for; spending time with each other. It was short, but it was better than nothing. Hand-in-Hand, the two of them walked in the direction to the hotel.
"Thank you, hon." John said, "I needed something like this. This walk was the best thing thats happened so far."
"You feel better?" James asked.
"...Just a bit. I still miss Joesph, but I can't keep dwelling. Omar's right; there's nothing else we can do but just hope he made it home." He then sighed, "I'm not looking forward to packing up tomorrow. There's so many things I wish we got to do here!"
"Well," James said, "Hopefully our next vacation will be a lot calmer."
Just as they made another step, they saw someone—or something—also walking down the street. It looked like a person...with a tail. Already, this scenario was all too familair; it seemed that there were more humanlike creatures here than they originally thought. Also, their clothes were rather filthy—it looked like they were in the desert for quite some time.
James looked at John wearily. "Are you gonna—"
John furrowed his eyebrows, "If we were able to help one person, why can't we help another?" He gently let go of his fiancé. "I'll be back, ok?"
"Wait! I-I should come with you..."
John kisses his cheeks. "I'll be fine. You just wait here."
"J-John! Hold on!"
Without waiting for him, John started to walk to Oswald, then gave a polite, "Excuse me, do you have a minute?"
I'm assuming he's wearing his hood. If he isn't I'll edit this.
[Southern Desert ~ Old Mine] (Omar, Cynthia, Rin)
"If you can manage with the light being as it is, then be my guest," Omar said, dusting his eyes and casting a long look down the tunnel behind them.
When Cynthia, permissions granted, began setting into whatever plan she had in mind, the man turned back to watch, though bearing only the mildest curiosity. He expected little from the end result of this endeavor, but some persistent ember of hope kept his eyes keen nonetheless.
He held onto the knight's armor and took careful heed of her warnings. His eyes were closed and head turned away, but he had only one hand to cover his ears, leaving him to grimace as Cynthia's loud beam did its job. When it was done, he looked between Cynthia and her handiwork and murmured, "Well that is... could be... it's... quite- it's quite useful," before pressing onward into the path she had created.
The red light that had shown through the rubble before was completely gone. Its absence wasn't inherently worrisome, but the quiet crunch of glass under Omar's boots was enough to rob the man of any fleeting hope. He closed his eyes for a few seconds, bracing for the pain of unmistakable failure. He didn't move, didn't speak. He didn't even breathe.
The tunnel was left eerily silent.
"...he's not here." Omar said at last. His voice was quiet, the way one spoke a reluctant admission. After a few more seconds, he glanced back at Rin and especially Cynthia, before adding, "It's... it's possible that he made it home." But his words arrived with none of the same firmness as they had earlier. It didn't sound possible.
"We should get out of here." He raised his head, "Cynthia, that ability of yours, the one you used just now: would it be possible for you to use it again?"
[Town ~ Main Street](Oswald, John)
The figure John had taken notice of—distinguished only by the aforementioned tail waving beneath the ragged hem of its cloak, and the pair of horns sticking out from its hooded head—didn't seem to notice the two men at first. Even when John called out to the figure, it took two steps and hesitated on a third before finally stopping. And even after stopping, it took a few moments longer to speak.
"...I should hope so," it said, finally.
The voice sounded male, and curiously reserved, as though there was a great deal of energy just below the surface. Its owner turned around to face John directly, though between his hood, the darkened evening sky, and shadows cast from nearby buildings, it was difficult to see anything past the tip of the stranger's boxy muzzle.
"May I be of assistance?" he asked.
this place needs me here
I'M AN IDIOT
[Main Street]
Once again, John found himself being taken slightly aback by what he saw...though, by this point, considering all he's been through, a minotaur didn't completely throw him off guard. He did wonder how long he's been here without anyone noticing a minotaur was in town. Best not to comment on it.
Instead, he cleared his throat.
"Well," he said, "I saw you traveling, and it looked like you could use a bit of help. My fiance and I are staying in the Frontier and we'd be more than happy to help."
James blinked, then walked over to him. "He means he saw your clothes and figured out you didn't have a place to stay."
John turned away,embarrassed. "D-Don't say it like that...you'll make me sound like a dick."
"Name's James." James continued, extending a hand, "That's John. If you don't mind, can you tell us your name?"
[Town ~ Main Street](Oswald, James, John)
The stranger's mouth—all that was visible, at least—opened slightly, then closed again, setting into an almost flat line as James approached and amended his partner's words with something of an explanation. Then the stranger smiled.
"Sir," he began, nodding to James, then John, "sirs, I am a tried wayfarer. I elope with the wind, my home cast far behind me. I haven't had a place to stay in weeks; it's no unfamiliar prospect." He placed a hand against his chest, bowing his head briefly, "I respect your kindness, but I've already worn deep upon many other charitable hearts today. I need no more."
When asked for his name, the stranger hesitated, as though giving it would countermand all his initial refusal. But he relented moments later, due perhaps to some unspoken dedication to courtliness, or just because he thought it would speed things along.
"Oswald Orozco," he answered, shaking James's hand, the reservations of his visible face slowly unfolding back into a smile.
this place needs me here
Attitude is prohibited
[Old Mine]
Rin shot a sidelong glance over at Cynthia. "Didn't we already talk about how vaporizing large piles of rocks was dangerous?" she muttered.
In the ensuing silence, she stepped forward, next to Omar, who once again posited that Joseph might have gotten home alright. The tone of his voice, however, suggested otherwise. "At least we know he wasn't killed here..." Rin offered, quietly. "It's possible he got home," she repeated, looking over at Omar. "But you don't sound convinced."
She shook her head. There wasn't much light around, but she'd heard the glass crunch under Omar's boots. "By the way," she said. "That red light that was here. Did it mean anything?"
Not entirely dead.
[Main Street]
John frowned.
"A...are you sure?" he asked, "The desert isn't really a good place to wander, and we're not sure if there's gonna be another dustbowl tonight."
A tiny squeak was heard, and James's hat started to slightly move. James smiled and removed his hat, revealing a tiny orange kitten looking around her surroundings.
"Decided to join us, huh girl?" he said, gently lifting her off his head and into his arms.
Pancake looked at Oswald and sniffed him.
"W-well," John continued, "If you ever decide to change your mind, we'll be here. I just didn't want you to be lost in the desert."
[Town ~ Main Street](Oswald, James, John)
"Oh, I wouldn't worry," Oswald replied, then gestured down. "I'm putting my traveling on hold and residing here for the time being. I'll likely hunker down in one of these fine alleys for tonight, and then take things from there. As for dust, I'll just hope that my dear friend the wind still keeps me somewhere in its heart. Beyond that..." he tipped his hooded head to one side slightly, holding his arms out in a shrug, "I've got a mighty pair of lungs."
As though to demonstrate, he pulled in his breath quite suddenly as James took off his hat, revealing his head's tiny passenger. Oswald became very quiet and very still, as though he was facing off with a grizzly bear. Slowly, he let his arms drift back towards his sides, while his hands came closer together, fingers moving uncertainly, but never touching.
"Is that a ca-cat- k-kitten?" He stammered cautiously, suddenly struggling with every word. The answer was, of course, self-evident, yet he paused all the same, scratching a finger lightly against the side of one of his horns. "Can..." he began, extending his free hand slightly, before clearing his throat and speaking more clearly, "May I... pet it?"
[Southern Desert ~ Old Mine] (Omar, Cynthia, Rin)
Omar glanced back at Rin, a sideways frown on his face. However, he didn't speak until she asked him directly about the red light. Even then, he hesitated, as though just talking about it threatened to wear him down.
"The red light was part of a lantern," he explained, "it was a key, of a kind." He thumbed back into the small area that Cynthia's power had opened up. "At the other end of this cave, there's a spot of wall that vanishes under that red light. Behind it was Joseph's ticket home. It was only a small diversionary measure; something to hide it from wanderers who might otherwise accidentally happen upon it, if all other safeguards were to fall through. It's a delicate and dangerous thing. Difficult to study. Difficult to rely upon," he shook his head. "But I doubt it's even there anymore, so there's little harm in discussing it."
this place needs me here
Southern Desert ~ Abandoned Mines (Cynthia; Omar; Rin)
The quiet that followed Cynthia's laser removal of the debris was unnerving to the young knight; fortunately that quiet was short lived.
With the general conclusion being that Joseph was indeed not here, Cynthia relaxed a little; though, the young dame could pick up on the tangible, disappointing feeling that their little endeavor to these mines had been all for naught. "I hope he made it home, but if he didn't, I hope he's safe wherever he is..." she said quietly as the enthusiastic glow of hers dimmed.
Scuffing her shoe against the ground, she made eye contact with Omar, "Yeah, I'm more than capable of pulling that off again right now." She paused for a moment, glancing over to the Rin briefly before returning her gaze towards Omar. "You mentioned a gateway; was that the glow we saw?" she asked.
[Southern Desert ~ Old Mine] (Omar, Cynthia, Rin)
Returning his attention to Cynthia, Omar nodded with a tight, affirmative smile. "Good," he answered, "then maybe we can still leave the way we came in. Just have to be on watch for those maniacs."
To her question, he shook his head, "No, the glow was the lantern I was just talking about. The lantern opens passage to the gateway. It might seem redundant, a gateway to a gateway, but only one of them can be controlled and—in doing so—you can contain and predict the other. To an extent."
He paused for a long moment, looking into the rubble-cleared space one more time. "I can't know for sure where Weller is now. But if everything worked as it was supposed to, and if he followed my instructions, then... he should... he should, he should be home." Omar blinked slowly, then sighed a quiet little sigh and muttered, "It's where he needs to be."
this place needs me here
[Main Street]
John noticed Oswald's reaction to Pancake and let a huge smile grow across his face. It seemed that this kitten had some sort of magical effect on people—which was being too cute.
"Go right ahead!" he said, "She's very friendly."
As if on cue, Pancake rubbed her head against Oswald's hand, inviting him to pet her.
"Don't worry," James said, "She won't scratch or bite; John trained her to be respectful. The most she does to strangers is hiss, and that's rare." He chuckled, "Looks like she likes you already!"
He did wonder why he seemed so nervous. It wasn't like they were aggressive to him at all, and all Pancake did was try to get his scent. Was he just not used to that?
[Town ~ Main Street](Oswald, James, John, Pancake)
Exuding the same cautiousness—or perhaps care—as he had before, Oswald slowly brushed his hand over the kitten's head and along her back. As he did so, his mouth broadened into his own open smile, even bigger than John's.
While he continued to stroke Pancake with one hand, he reached to one side of his hood with the other and unfastened one of the few remaining buttons that kept it tied around his horns. Then he drew his hood all the way off, allowing him to get a better look at the furry little creature in James's arms. And he laughed a quiet, amazed little laugh when he did.
For a moment, it actually looked as though Oswald might cry. Instead, he spoke.
"I've never seen one before," he said, offering only the briefest glances in the two men's directions, "Not in person. Not up close." He slid his finger down the side of her tiny head, letting it stop to continue rubbing under her chin. "The... some of the towns I've visited have had alley cats, but they all kept their distance, and... none were so... so small."
He broke into another smile. "But my god, she's such a dear."
this place needs me here
[Main Street]
John chuckled.
"She is, isn't she?" he said, noticing Pancake starting to climb onto Oswald, "She's in love with you, too!" He then tilted his head, "You sure you don't want to go to the hotel with us? At the very least, we can give you some cash so you can get some food."
Pancake rubbed against Oswald's snout.
"Besides," James said, "I think she made a new friend."
[Town ~ Main Street](Oswald, James, John, Pancake)
Oswald adjusted his posture, doing his best to maintain his own balance while supporting Pancake as the kitten climbed on him. When she rubbed against him, smiled and rubbed back,humming quietly.
"Mmmhm... no bounds for this one, I see," he murmured, before returning his attention to the men in front of him. "I'm afraid I must stand by my word. I've relied too much on the charity of others already, and incurring debt to break free of debt is a fool's game." He straightened up slightly. "I trade in labor and lean only upon my outdoorsmanship. If I cannot rely on these in generous times, then in the tumult I will die, begging for mercy."
He paused, eyes stony and solemn, before his face softened back into a smile. "Forgive me. I've been given a good shaking recently and stripped down to little. I need to know that I can survive with little. That I can get by on my own merit. And..." his smile faltered, "while I don't doubt your sincerity, I've been taken in by the kindness of others before. Taken for a fool. Played. Hung out to dry. I haven't lost faith completely in the morality of others," he gestured politely to the two men, "but that experience won't be leaving me any time soon."
He turned his eyes back towards the kitten, which brought the far edges of his mouth blooming back into a smile. "If only we all had such an angel over our heads."
this place needs me here
Attitude is prohibited
[Old Mine]
Rin stared into the newly-opened area, silent and unmoving. So, the lantern had been crucial to accessing whatever it was that would have taken Joseph home, lest he disappear to somewhere else entirely, possibly for good. And yet, there it was, broken and useless, with Joseph nowhere to be seen. It wasn't hard to put two and two together from there. She shook her head and passed another moment in silence before turning around to the others.
"I guess we've done all we can," she said. "Let's get out of here. Cynthia, remove the rocks, if you please. If there's anyone over there still gunning for us..." She slowly drew her sword out of its sheath. "Just leave that to me."
Not entirely dead.
Hi I'm an idiot.
[Main Street]
It seemed that Oswald had made his mind—not like John could blame him. If he had been taken advantage of constantly he would be weary of other people too. Still, it worried him that his man was going out in the desert at night with no money and no shelter. Who knew what was out there? What of those...things came back?
But it seemed that he wasn't going to convince Oswald to change his mind no matter what.
"Well," he said, "If you ever change your mind, we'll be at the hotel." He gently took Pancake and rubbed her back, "And she would be more than happy to see you again!"
Pancake squeaked.
James then slung an arm over John's shoulder, "Be safe out there, ok?"
Short because I'm running out of ideas x_x
Southern Desert ~ Old Mine (Cynthia; Omar; Rin)
Cynthia gave a grim nod as she took in what Omar said, before giving a more cheerful, but still subdued nod of approval at the plan they had hashed out. "Right, I can do that," she said, nudging her chin. She then headed back towards the section of tunnel that she had collapsed, though slow enough for the others to keep a decent pace with her this time.
Upon arriving at the aforementioned collapsed tunnel, the young knight took position, floating front and center, preparing another spell. She tossed back another warning before unleashing another beam of light, this one much bigger than the one before. A few seconds later, the sheer brightness faded out, replaced by the warm glow of the newly reformed tunnel.
Cynthia performed a few more hand gestures, generating a veritable light show as she covered the glowing areas with barriers, and an additional one floating directly in front of her. Tapping the side of her head softly, the knight became slightly embarrassed at having given herself temporarily hearing loss from repeatedly generating loud noises in such a closed environment. "You can go through now," she told Omar and Rin rather loudly.
And then she took a bullet to the foot, causing her to cry out in pain and drop to one knee.
Town ~ The Tipsy Toad —> Main Street (Mari; Oswald; James, John)
Mari had taken her jolly sweet time ambling after the others after they had departed The Tipsy Toad. She figured she take in the sights of the town; it wasn't everyday that one has the opportunity to visit an Old West town such as this. As such, she noticed the trio of people chatting down on Main Street. Normally, she probably wouldn’t have paid them any mind, except one of them was a travel-weary minotaur. And she heard the distinct mew of a kitten.
Putting on an amiable smile, she gave the group a wave as she approached. "Fine evenin’ t’night," she said.
[Town ~ Main Street](Oswald, James, John, Pancake, Mari)
"And if needs must," Oswald said, bowing his head to let John retrieve Pancake before bringing it back up, "there I'll be."
He followed the departing kitten with a fond gaze as she traveled away from his shoulders. "If nothing else, perhaps we'll pass ways again tomorrow. Unless a sandstorm carries me away, I'll be in town."
He began bringing his hood back over his head, meeting James's parting concern with a confident, "Of course," then, "And you two take care of yourselves just the same. And keep an eye on this one," he gave Pancake a gentle tap on the bridge of her nose, just below her eyes. "She is far too irresistible for her own good. For her own safety."
He fastened the one and only remaining button that held his hood together, then raised his hand for a wave to go with a proper "farewell", before he was cut off by the sound of someone else inserting themselves in the nigh finished conversation.
Oswald turned his horned and hooded head towards the stranger and found himself, rather unusually, looking up. His wave goodbye became a wave of greeting.
"Ah. Mm. Indeed it is," he affirmed, turning his shrouded head this way and that. "A finer evening than the morning had ever suggested, at least in my case."
He put a hand to his chest, fingers splayed out and pressed against it. Then he paused, hesitating, as though a proper introduction would seal him into some invisible contract. A moment later, his urbane sensibilities won him over, and he bowed. "I am Oswald Orozco," he said, giving a flick of his tail, like a living signature. Then he gestured to his earlier company, "These fine sirs are James and John; they possess an immensely powerful charm." He put a hand up, blocking his face from one side, "Beware your eyes, for that's how it seizes you."
With a playful smile, he dropped his arm and pretense, returning his gaze to the tall redhead. "And yourself?"
Off in the distance, the rumble hum of an engine became faintly audible.
[Southern Desert ~ Old Mine](Omar, Cynthia, Rin, Rat with a Gun)
Omar only nodded as well as his unfortunate companions came to grips with the situation. As they proceeded ahead of him, back towards the freshly collapsed entry tunnel, he aimed one last look at the way behind him. Where Joseph had run to. Where he had crawled through. Where he'd nearly gotten stuck, straining against the pressures of time, fear, and stacked tons of solid rock. Where he'd broken free, and where he'd vanished.
In the dim, retreating light, Omar thought he could glimpse the remains of a shoelace. He wired his jaw shut, and tried hard not to knock himself in the head. You slipped. Now it was all for nothing.
Down the tunnel, he was greeted by a bright, continuous flash of light, signalling the restoration of their entrypoint. He caught up in a few quick steps, then poked his head around the corner, eying the ceiling for any lingering weak areas.
TCKRCKKCRCKK
The roar of gunfire reset the mood, pulling them all out of gloominess and into urgency. Omar jumped back, nearly slipping as he hugged the wall. Cynthia's pained cry made him wince, his instinct blocking out any memory of seeing her hands heal right before his eyes.
Frantically searching for Rin, he yelled, "You- you take the shooter! I'll get her!"
At the other end of the tunnel, in the lightless space of the underground shelter, a shaky hand gripped a rifle, steadying it against the floor. Blood leaked through her chattering teeth, longing for another stolen cigarette as she lay there, like a marine, tucked under a low obstacle. With a vengeful sneer, her finger found the trigger again.
edited 29th Aug '17 12:01:44 PM by Ryuhza
this place needs me here
[Main Street]
Just when they were about to leave, a newcomer came by. Already, Oswald introduced them, so all John and James did was an extend to hand.
"Pleasure to meet you." John said, before noticing Pancake climbing onto him. He chuckled, "He's right; once she sucks you in, you can't get out. Her cuteness will trap you."
Pancake squeaked.
James could hear the sound of an engine, and for a brief moment, looked away to find the source. It probably wasn't much of a big deal; cars came and went here. Still, other than that one jeep an otter chased and the tanks, he hadn't seen anyone else arrive.
Nah, he was probably just over thinking things. It was just a car.
edited 30th Aug '17 7:10:31 PM by Masterofchaos
Town ~ Main Street (Mari; Oswald; James, John)
"Name's Mari," the woman said after Oswald the vagabond minotaur finished introductions. She then chuckled at Oswald's description of the fluffy kitten, "I'm used t'dealin' with adorable things, and besides, I've got a powerful charm of me own," she said as her bosom jiggled.
Mari smiled at the tiny bundle of fur. "Well, ain't she just the cutest," she said before glancing up at the two men, "May I 'old 'er?" she asked.
Her ears twitched as she too heard the sound of a far off engine, but she didn't seem to pay it any mind at the moment; there were kittens to be held.
Attitude is prohibited
[Old Mine]
Rin grabbed Omar by the arm and pushed him back against the wall, out of the line of fire. "Don't be stupid!" she snapped. "I can take a bullet — you can't!" With that, she dashed towards Cynthia, grabbing the young knight and shoving her out of the shooter's sight, even as bullets flew through the air around her. She held still for a brief moment, looking out towards the direction of the shots, seemingly unfazed by the hail of gunfire. This wasn't her first time being shot at, after all.
She was crouched by where Cynthia had been shot, and then in the next instant, she was gone, leaving only rushing air and kicked-up dust behind her. The muzzle flashes coming from the darkened room had given her a pretty good idea of where the shooter was - or at least, where the gun was - and she was there and past it almost immediately, sailing through the air at near-sonic speeds, her sword still in-hand from earlier, the tip of the blade barely an inch above the concrete floor of the underground shelter, slicing cleanly through the air... and, quite possibly, cleanly through a certain someone, delivering a gruesome demise...
Not entirely dead.
[Town ~ Main Street](Oswald, James, John, Pancake, Mari)
"Oh yes?" Oswald asked, when Mari mentioned having a powerful charm. He looked away from Pancake and back to the woman, watching with eager anticipation, like a child about to be shown a magic trick. His gaze, however, never left her face.
When she asked to handle the kitten, he took a short step back and threw his arms up, "Well, forsake my warning and you forfeit your will and being to the whims of that kitten. But if none of that bothers you, then..." he folded his arms behind his back, smiled, and shrugged, " who am I to judge?"
The engine in the distance went quiet, still a ways off. It was quite possibly just a passing vehicle, looking for a place to park.
[Southern Desert ~ Old Mine](Omar, Cynthia, Rin, remnant)
Omar scowled, before his reasonable side broke through the din, and considered that Rin really did have a point. So he remained behind, though he reached his hand instinctively beneath his jacket, clawing for something that was no longer there.
Omar hurried over to Cynthia after she'd been sent out of the line of fire. He put his hands on her shoulders to steady her, and looked her over to see where she had been shot. Depending on the state of the light she'd conjured up earlier, this may have proved more difficult than anticipated.
At the other end of the tunnel, the shooter emptied her rifle's magazine. She dropped the box to the floor and rolled onto her back, slightly out of the tunnel's direct path. She fumbled to fish another out of her bandolier, only for the shoulder strap to slip off. In reaching up to realign it, her hand was met with something warm and wet right around where her left shoulder should have been.
A choked cry grew into a series of agitated screams as she flailed her limbs around, her hand smearing blood around like a grotesque finger-painting.
edited 10th Sep '17 1:38:26 AM by Ryuhza
this place needs me here
Southern Desert ~ Abandoned Mines (Cynthia; Omar; Rin)
Cynthia felt sick to her stomach. She had promised to get Joseph home, and then she lost him. She had failed. Yet again. What kind of knight was she if she kept having repeated failures like that? Still...
Sniffing slightly, she brought herself up to a sitting position, watching as the skin on her hand slowly knit itself back together. The young knight spoke her mind, "Joseph could still *hic* be over there, knock— *hic* —ed out." She paused to take a few deep breathes to calm herself before continuing, "I might— I might be able to do something about that," she pointed towards the caved-in, "and it shouldn't take me too long to make sure he isn't over there."