(set: $POWER to 3)(set: $DOMIFRIENDSHIP to 3)(set: $SOULSHARD to 2)
“It doesn’t matter what you think of me. It doesn’t matter how you remember me. In the end, I die as I always have – saving your lives.
But I only get to do that if I do things my way.”
The burning rage she saw in her parents’ eyes did not deter her. They always preferred anger to fear.
She couldn’t blame them for that. Living from one raid to the other. One curse fended from town only to be swept away by another. Tragedy after tragedy with no end in sight.
And through all of that, always in the back of their minds, how small they were.
They fought for survival, but never for a better life. That was left for the god-like creatures who warred amongst themselves with little if any care for the small every-day lives of their people.
But Juliette was different. Whether blessed or cursed she did not know. All she knew was that so long as her people lived in fear, danger and oppression, she could not die. Not permanently.
Every time she came back, however, another piece of her went missing. And this is why she was having yet another argument with her parents over going back out, to fight this latest threat.
“You’re already so cold.” Her mother had told her. “How much more of this before you become the monster?”
[[Stay silent]]
[[At least ''this'' monster is saving you]]
Silence befell their lavish home. Descendants of the ancient protectors of the realm, Juliette’s family had inherited the solemn responsibilities that came with it. It was why her father could no longer walk on his own, why her mother had lost both her wings and her sword arm. It was why none of her siblings remained.
"YOU'RE IT!"
The high pitch screech from outside the door abruptly cut through the tension and Melvin came bursting through the door seconds later. Laughing maniacally he raced through the door holding his little sister Tamalia's favorite dolls in his hands.
Juliette’s cousins had lost their mother to the daylight curse two years ago. With their father, they moved in with her parents soon after.
Melvin ran as hard as his 6-year-old legs could carry him. Juliette could see exactly where this was going. Did she care?
[[Stand aside]]
[[Block his path]]
Her parents’ faces contorted with pain. Descendants of the ancient protectors of the realm, Juliette’s family had inherited the solemn responsibilities that came with it. Her father could no longer walk on his own. Her mother had lost both her wings and her sword arm. Her siblings all gave up their lives to it. Only she remained. They relied on her. And they all knew it.
"YOU'RE IT!"
The high pitch screech from outside the door abruptly cut through the tension and Melvin came bursting through the door seconds later. Laughing maniacally he raced through the door holding his little sister Tamalia's favorite dolls in his hands.
Juliette’s cousins had lost their mother to the daylight curse two years ago. With their father, they moved in with her parents soon after.
Melvin ran as hard as his 6-year-old legs could carry him.
[[Stand aside]]
[[Block his path]]
=|=
(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)+(corner-radius:8)[You have $POWER power]
=|=
(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)+(corner-radius:8)[You have $SOULSHARD Soul Shards]
|==|
Straight for her mother’s shelf "Wall of Wonders” with all her most prized possessions. Tamalia skidded to a stop with a self-satisfied grin that spoke of a dangerously devilish plot to get back at her big brother for stealing her dolls yet again.
Juliette’s father rolled his chair, tipping it just so as to give him momentum to fly between Melvin and her mother’s treasures. Her mother twisted around to reach out her good arm and plucked Melvin out of the air, holding him like he was nothing more than a stuffed toy.
In that moment, watching her parents like that, Juliette couldn’t help but laugh. Love filled her body to the brim. Her chest swelled with pride as she witnessed something that had happened countless times before.
Her parents lost so much to their family’s duties. But nothing could keep them down. They weren’t victims. They relied on her, but they would not sacrifice her. Except, they had to. They had to or they stood to lose what was left of their family.
“No one should live forever. Not even me.” She whispered as she began to back away toward the door.
[[Move on silently]]
(align:"<==>")+(box:"=======XXX")+ (text-style:"bold","wavy-strike","superscript","smear","condense","flat")[[RESTART->BEGIN]]=|=
(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)+(corner-radius:8)[You have $POWER power]
=|=
(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)+(corner-radius:8)[You have $SOULSHARD Soul Shards]
=|=
|==|
(dialog: "Your decision has changed you", "You've gained a soul shard!")
Seeing you move, he quickly shifted his trajectory from your mother's "wall of wonders", where she placed all of her most prized possessions. Instead, he was making his way around you.
Usually, you would hug him toward you and lift him in the air. Not this time. Not in this mood.
“Stop,” You said in a cold authoritative tone. And he did. For a full 20 seconds, before running on, forgetting that he was in a closed room, straight for your mother’s small shelf of porcelain “wonders” that didn't make it to the wall.
Tamalia stopped short at the threshold the moment you spoke up. Now she was standing there with a self-satisfied grin that spoke of a dangerously devilish plot to get back at her big brother for stealing her doll yet again.
Juliette’s father rolled his chair, tipping it just so as to give him momentum to fly between Melvin and her mother’s treasures. Her mother twisted around to reach out her good arm and plucked Melvin out of the air, holding him like he was nothing more than a stuffed toy.
In that moment, watching her parents like that, Juliette couldn’t help but laugh. Love filled her body to the brim. Her chest swelled with pride as she witnessed something that had happened countless times before.
Her parents lost so much to their family’s duties. But nothing could keep them down. They weren’t victims. They relied on her, but they would not sacrifice her. Except, they had to. They had to or they stood to lose what was left of their family.
“No one should live forever. Not even me.” She whispered as she began to back away toward the door.
[[Look back one final time]]
[[Move on silently]]
(align:"<==>")+(box:"=======XXX")+ (text-style:"bold","wavy-strike","superscript","smear","condense","flat")[[RESTART->BEGIN]]
Tamalia stepped immediately aside, not daring to look her in the eyes. She was always a little afraid of Juliette. Or perhaps resentful. Juliette and her twin sister, Tamalia’s mother, shared many features.
There was nothing more to say anyway, Juliette thought. They didn’t approve of her stated plan, and they definitely would never approve of her real ones.
To remove magic from the land. To wipe away the gods, and take away the blessing, or the curse, that was keeping her alive.
The world would be a better place, where people like her family would not be so small. Where god-like beings wouldn’t exist and the giants that swayed fate would have a chance at accountability.
All she had to do was cross the fairy realm at White Raft River, pass through shifter territory to reach The Black Tavern, then make it past the burning oceans, defeat the undead hordes of the Night Realm, and burn the unburnable trees. Simple.
Outside the sky was bright green, and the pathways empty. Perfect conditions for flying. With the right amount of momentum, she would be able to fly despite the Grounding Curse.
[[Clear your head before takeoff]]
[[Idly think about this latest curse]]
They were busy with Melvin, who, while he will never stop trying, will never get free of their grasp. They would scold him, and he would apologize. Then he would ask “why keep such delicate things around, anyway?” and then he would get punished more severely. And through all of that – there would be a joy in his eyes, a joy they salvaged.
“A wounded joy, ladled with guilt and yearning. And I can stop that from happening again.” With that somber thought, and her sister’s beaming face in her mind’s eye, Juliette slipped out of the room, using the distraction to her advantage.
Tamalia stepped immediately aside, not daring to look her in the eyes. She was always a little afraid of Juliette. Or perhaps resentful. Juliette and her twin sister, Tamalia’s mother, shared many features.
There was nothing more to say anyway, Juliette thought. They didn’t approve of her stated plan, and they definitely would never approve of her real ones.
To remove magic from the land. To wipe away the gods, and take away the blessing, or the curse, that was keeping her alive.
The world would be a better place, where people like her family would not be so small. Where god-like beings wouldn’t exist and the giants that swayed fate would have a chance at accountability.
All she had to do was cross the fairy realm, pass through shifter territory, make it past the burning oceans, defeat the undead hordes, and burn the unburnable tree. Simple.
Outside the sky was bright green, and the pathways empty. Perfect conditions for flying. Juliette prepared for takeoff, setting her path ahead. She pumped her legs,
[[Clear your head before takeoff]]
[[Idly think about this latest curse]]
Taking a deep breath, she let it all go. Taking to the air was an easy win. Still, it was an easy win she needed.
[[Prepare for liftoff ->NOTICE ON FLIGHT SEQUENCE]]
This was the latest in a string of curses plaguing the Fairy realm. An annoying curse, to be sure...But far less deadly than the ones that came before it.
The royal family had classified this a lesser curse, giving the people tools to live with it. But living with it meant so many of the great warriors of the realm were severely handicapped, while the lesser were entirely useless. It could even isolate fairies from the rest of the world considering the geological features that surrounded the territories.
Fairies belonged in the sky. And yet, now //they couldn't simply spread their wings//. she had to run and //pick up considerable speed before// it was possible to //liftoff//. She felt like a walrus going up rather than a fairy.
Taking a deep breath, she let it all go. Taking flight was an easy win. Still, it was an easy win she needed.
[[Prepare for liftoff->NOTICE ON FLIGHT SEQUENCE]]
(dialog: "Silly mistakes can cost you!", "You've lost POWER!")
(set: $POWER to it -1) (b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)+ (corner-radius:8)[You now have $POWER power]
[[Run for takeoff ->noPower: Run for takeoff]]
[[Spread wings]]
Juliette stumbled forward, scraping her knees. Shaking her head, she looked around, hoping no one saw that, and tried again.
[[Try Again->Prepare for liftoff]](dialog: "YOU MUST GET THE SEQUENCE RIGHT TO MOVE AHEAD!", "OKAY")
(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)+(corner-radius:8)[Depending on your choices, the story can provide you with hints as to the right choices to make! ]
[[Run for takeoff]]
[[Spread wings]]
[[Pick up speed]]
[[Spread wings]] [[More speed!]]
[[Spread wings]] [[Pump those legs!]]
[[Time for liftoff!]]Fancy a run? Not quite the time for that...
[[Try Again->Spread wings]]
(dialog: "Impressive performance!", "You've gained POWER!")
(set: $POWER to it +2)
(set: $DOMIFRIENDSHIP to 3)
(if:(history: where its name contains "Spread wings")'s length >= 1)+ (b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)+(corner-radius:8)[Due to your blunders, you did not gain power!]
(else-if:visits is 1) + (b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)+(corner-radius:8)[You've gained +2 POWER!, and now have $POWER POWER!]
Juliette stretched out her wings and soared to the sky.
She made it all but three wing flutters away before a sweet, familiar voice stopped her in her tracks.
“Forget something?”
Turning around, Juliette saw her best friend sporting a challenging grin, and a travel bag that could only mean one thing.
“You’re not coming, Domi!”
“Like Darks, I’m not! You wouldn’t make it to the edge of the territory without me. Not with how fast things are progressing.”
“Domi…”
“I won’t hear it.” Domi interrupted. “Sure, you can come back to life a bazillion times. But that won’t do you any good if you come back trapped in a cage, tied and subdued, unable to move another step, and just end up dying on the same spot – over and over again – to the frantic delights of a deranged maniac”.
“So, you’re afraid I’ll replace you with a shiny new savior?” Juliette’s tone may have been light, but Domi would not be fooled. In fact, Domi was already by her side, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.
“There’s no reason to do this alone. And before you say another word, remember that to show respect, is to allow a fellow warrior the honor of making their own choices. Yes, even if it gets them killed. Permanently.”
Juliette was about to make one last attempt to convince her friend to stay home, but Domi interrupted with one last message: “No one lives forever. No one should. And I’m tired of not having a say about my own path.”
“You know!” Juliette gasped.
Domi smirked. “Of course I know. You can never hide anything from me. You’ve been grumbling about magic and the ‘great ones’ long enough… I happen to agree.”
There was no fighting this… Domi was coming.
[[If you die, I will find your soul and torment you forever.]]
[[Domi... you're my rock]]
(set: $DOMIFRIENDSHIP to it +1)
(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)+(corner-radius:8)[Domi Friendship $DOMIFRIENDSHIP]
“Understood”, Domi said with a smirk. “But not…”
“Yes.” Juliette confirmed, “Corda Patelle’s, ‘Flutter your wings’ on repeat for eternity. I’ll even sing it myself since I know how much you love my voice”.
Domi gulped hard and theatrically before the joy of friendship was subdued by reality.
“So… where to?” Domi asked.
“The Black Tavern. It’s on the edge of our territory. That’s our first step.”
The blood drained from Domi’s face. If Juliette hadn’t known him better, she would’ve thought he’d abandon the quest right then and there. She wondered if she wished he would.
The Black Tavern was more than its name suggested. Once, it was a place where the dangerous outcasts of the 7 territories came together. It used to be a safe haven for powerful beings to relax and loosen their guard. A place where their powers would not consume and destroy everything around them if they weren’t careful.
The Goddess of Mirth herself had placed the powerful protection spell to prevent harm, for that very purpose.
But then the Order of the Dark decided to take advantage of the consequences of such a spell. They used the Dark Arts no one could defend against to make it their home. Everyone who was there was corrupted to some extent. It was the beginning of many bloody battles of survival.
There was a reason Dark Magic was terrifying to the peoples of all nations. It was the magic of the Great Corruptor himself.
“Why there?” Domi asked, surprise and fear cracking his once-confident voice.
Juliette wondered how much she should share with her dear friend. She hadn’t told anyone about her visions. Not even Domi.
Every time she came back to life, she would see two things: The unburnable tree, and his face. His magnificent, beautiful face that pulled at her soul and set her heart racing. Then came the dreams that echoed her visions and consumed her sleep, making her long for it.
There was a sense of blissful finality that increased every time she saw him there. That was what both thrilled and terrified her. Despite the fear, it was that overwhelming feeling that washed over her during her latest death that sparked the idea for this, hopefully, final quest.
The problem was, of course, that she didn’t know who he was. Only that he wielded the Dark Arts.
“It’s a recruitment trip. There’s someone there we need to pick up.” Juliette said, trying to sound confident and casual. And, yet… even so… Domi suspected immediately that there was more to it.
“Juliette,” Domi said. Just her name, but it was enough for her to know he wanted her to open up.
The Black Tavern was the best guess. It was where all Juliette’s dreams were telling her to go. So, despite every instinct in her body telling her to stay away, this had to be the first stop. Of that she was sure. But how much she should tell Domi… that was a different story.
“Still want to come?” Juliette asked, not knowing which answer she was hoping for.
“Of course.” Domi said. “But now you better tell me everything. Or if I die, it really will have been partly your fault.”
“I..” Juliette began to protest.
“I WILL haunt you for it. And you don’t want angry poltergeists at the tree.”
“Fine,” Juliette said, wondering how much of the truth she should tell her best friend. Domi does deserve the truth, but something inside her wanted to keep it all to herself.
[[Share your thoughts with Domi]]
[[I simply can’t. It’s not the time.]] [[Pick up speed ->pickup Speed2]]
[[Spread wings]]
[[More speed! ->MoreSpeedV2]]
[[Spread wings]] [[Pump those legs!]]
[[Time for liftoff! ->liftoffv2]]
(dialog: "That was a slightly embarrassing takeoff", "You did not gain power")
(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)+(corner-radius:8)[You have $POWER power]
Juliette stretched out her wings and soared to the sky.
She made it all but three wing flutters away before a sweet, familiar voice stopped her in her tracks.
“Forget something?”
Turning around, Juliette saw her best friend sporting a challenging grin, and a travel bag that could only mean one thing.
“You’re not coming, Domi!”
“Like Darks, I’m not! You wouldn’t make it to the edge of the territory without me. Not with how fast things are progressing.”
“Domi…”
“I won’t hear it.” Domi interrupted. “Sure, you can come back to life a bazillion times. But that won’t do you any good if you come back trapped in a cage, tied and subdued, unable to move another step, and just end up dying on the same spot – over and over again – to the frantic delights of a deranged maniac”.
“So, you’re afraid I’ll replace you with a shiny new savior?” Juliette’s tone may have been light, but Domi would not be fooled. In fact, Domi was already by her side, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.
“There’s no reason to do this alone. And before you say another word, remember that to show respect, is to allow a fellow warrior the honor of making their own choices. Yes, even if it gets them killed. Permanently.”
Juliette was about to ake one last attempt to convince her friend to stay home, but Domi interrupted with one last message: “No one lives forever. No one should. And I’m tired of not having a say about my own path.”
“You know!” Juliette gasped.
Domi smirked. “Of course I know. You can never hide anything from me. You’ve been grumbling about magic and the ‘great ones’ long enough… I happen to agree.”
There was no fighting this… Domi was coming.
[[If you die, I will find your soul and torment you forever.]]
[[Domi... you're my rock]]
(dialog: "Could there be more than just friendship here?", "It's complicated...")
=|=
(set: $DOMIFRIENDSHIP to it +1)(set: $DOMIROMANCE to 1)(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)+(corner-radius:8)[Domi Friendship $DOMIFRIENDSHIP]
=|=
(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)+(corner-radius:8)[Domi Romance $DOMIROMANCE]
|==|
Juliette flew straight into Domi’s arms, knocking the air out of Domi’s lungs. After a moment to orient himself, Domi hugged Juliette back just as tightly. After a few moments, Domi pulled back, and cupped Juliette’s face with his hands.
They locked eyes, their deep affection flowing between their gaze. “Always,” Domi said. Juliette could no longer hold his gaze. She smiled softly, feeling warmer than she had in a while.
Taking a deep breath, they left the moment of safety and refocused on the task ahead.
“So… where to?” Domi asked.
“The Black Tavern. It’s on the edge of our territory. That’s our first step.”
The blood drained from Domi’s face. If Juliette hadn’t known him better, she would’ve thought he’d abandon the quest right then and there. She wondered if she wished he would.
The Black Tavern was more than its name suggested. Once, it was a place where the dangerous outcasts of the 7 territories came together. It used to be a safe haven for powerful beings to relax and loosen their guard. A place where their powers would not consume and destroy everything around them if they weren’t careful.
The Goddess of Mirth herself had placed the powerful protection spell to prevent harm, for that very purpose.
But then the Order of the Dark decided to take advantage of the consequences of such a spell. They used the Dark Arts no one could defend against to make it their home. Everyone who was there was corrupted to some extent. It was the beginning of many bloody battles of survival.
There was a reason Dark Magic was terrifying to the peoples of all nations. It was the magic of the Great Corruptor himself.
“Why there?” Domi asked, surprise and fear cracking his once-confident voice.
Juliette wondered how much she should share with her dear friend. She hadn’t told anyone about her visions. Not even Domi.
Every time she came back to life, she would see two things: The unburnable tree, and his face. His magnificent, beautiful face that pulled at her soul and set her heart racing. Then came the dreams that echoed her visions and consumed her sleep, making her long for it.
There was a sense of blissful finality that increased every time she saw him there. That was what both thrilled and terrified her. Despite the fear, it was that overwhelming feeling that washed over her during her latest death that sparked the idea for this, hopefully, final quest.
The problem was, of course, that she didn’t know who he was. Only that he wielded the Dark Arts.
“It’s a recruitment trip. There’s someone there we need to pick up.” Juliette said, trying to sound confident and casual. And, yet… even so… Domi suspected immediately that there was more to it.
“Juliette,” Domi said. Just her name, but it was enough for her to know he wanted her to open up.
The Black Tavern was the best guess. It was where all Juliette’s dreams were telling her to go. So, despite every instinct in her body telling her to stay away, this had to be the first stop. Of that she was sure. But how much she should tell Domi… that was a different story.
“Still want to come?” Juliette asked, not knowing which answer she was hoping for.
“Of course.” Domi said. “But now you better tell me everything. Or if I die, it really will have been partly your fault.”
“I..” Juliette began to protest.
“I WILL haunt you for it. And you don’t want angry poltergeists at the tree.”
“Fine,” Juliette said, wondering how much of the truth she should tell her best friend. Domi does deserve the truth, but something inside her wanted to keep it all to herself.
[[Share your thoughts with Domi]]
[[I simply can’t. It’s not the time.]](dialog: "Some choices can affect your relationships!", "Your friendship has strengthened!")
(set: $DOMIFRIENDSHIP to it +1)
(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)+(corner-radius:8)[Domi Friendship $DOMIFRIENDSHIP]
“Every time I come back to life, I see someone.” Juliette said. It was a start, but it was hard to get the rest of it out. How does she describe this? The emotions entangled in this were so strong they felt more real than her real life. It was hard to bring out all that fire within without completely melting her on the way. And this was not the time to melt down.
“You see someone?” Domi said back, quizzically, when Juliette fell silent. Juliette thought she heard a tinge of jealousy as well, but quickly dismissed it.
“Yes…” Juliette answered after a beat. “I don’t know who he is, or why I keep seeing him. But he always appears right beside the unburnable tree. I can’t explain it. But he is connected to this.”
“What does that even mean?” Domi demanded. “You see him there. Is he the one reviving you? Is he the guardian of the tree, perhaps? Is he an obstacle or a boon? You obviously think the latter. Why?”
“I don’t have all the answers. Not convincing ones. It’s a feeling. It’s one I am betting my life on. You don’t have to come.”
“Ahh… is that what this is about? Convincing me to abandon my friend?” Domi was growing more and more furious by the second.
“No! Domi. Enough!” By now so was Juliette. Funny how out of all the emotions left to her, anger was left untouched. “I didn’t want to tell you, because I didn’t know what to tell you. If that sounds terrifying to you. Well… join the guild. But this is what I am doing. That is where I am going.”
Domi backed down completely. “Very well” he said, without a trace of emotion in his voice. It scared Juliette to see Domi like this. But it also gave her the reprieve that she needed.
For a long while, they flew on in silence. Neither of them spoke a word to the other.
It was only when the anger subsided that a stray thought flitted across Juliette’s mind,
“I really hope he’s real.”
[[END OF CHAPTER 1]]
(dialog: "Some choices can affect your relationships!", "Your friendship with Domi has weakened")
(set: $DOMIFRIENDSHIP to it -1)
(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)+(corner-radius:8)[Domi Friendship $DOMIFRIENDSHIP]
“You can’t!?” Domi seethed.
Domi was furious at being kept in the dark about such visions for so long. Betrayed. And Juliette knew she should feel ashamed. She knew this should hurt her so much deeper than it was. But her mother was right. She was colder now.
“I don’t have all the answers. Not convincing ones. It’s a feeling. It’s one I am betting my life on. You don’t have to come.”
“Ahh… is that what this is about? Convincing me to abandon my friend?” Domi was growing more and more furious by the second.
“No! Domi. Enough!” By now so was Juliette. Funny how out of all the emotions left to her, anger was left untouched. “I didn’t want to tell you, because I didn’t know what to tell you. If that sounds terrifying to you. Well… join the club. But this is what I am doing. That is where I am going.”
Domi backed down completely. “Very well” he said, without a trace of emotion in his voice. It scared Juliette to see Domi like this. But it also gave her the reprieve that she needed.
For a long while, they flew on in silence. Neither of them spoke a word to the other.
It was only when the anger subsided that a stray thought flitted across Juliette’s mind,
“I really hope he’s real.”
[[END OF CHAPTER 1]](enchant:?page,(bg:(gradient: 0, 1,#ffffff,0.7802,(hsl:0,0,0,0.7),1,#ffffff)))
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:orange)+(text-size: 3)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''DARK DESTINY'']
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:orange)+(text-size: 2)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''CHAPTER 2: DARK PREY'']
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[Juliette and Domi face an unexpected challenge that will force them to make some very hard decisions. Will they come out of this stronger than ever, or will these dark struggles come between them?
]
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:white)+(text-size: 1)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''[[Start Chapter 2]]'']
Juliette and Domi flew in silence, deep in thought as the fairy territory slipped by them. They weren’t the only travelers, just the only ones on this particular trajectory. But they could see groups flying together. It was just another ordinary day, afterall.
It was hardly the longest the two had gone without speaking. But Juliette couldn’t help but wonder whether this time was different.
To be fair, this was a recurring thought. It was hard for her to truly feel like she used to. This forced her to question it. It was a habit at this point, questioning the emotional aspect as part of her routine assessments. This was either a normal silence between two beings with nothing more to say, or a tension-filled moment between beings who care for eachother but disagree.
Juliette battled with this question, looking deep inside her for a hint at what she should be feeling. She wasn’t entirely gone, after all. The emotions were still there, just muted. So, what would they be telling her to do now? To…
[[say something]]
[[let it be]]Juliette took a deep breath. Whichever it was, she had absolutely no desire to get into a wordy conversation. They would be fine. They were always fine. No use for unnecessary words.
Juliette resumed watching the forest beneath them. Eventually, they would have to land somewhere to rest. Her wings were not as powerful as they once were. With every resurection she came back a paler imitation of who she once was. Now, even without this silly Grounding curse, she had trouble flying like she used to.
The Grounding Curse. The excuse for the excursion. Juliette had to admit that her parents’ reluctance for her to go out for it made a bit of sense. If she hadn’t had these ulterior motives, she actually may have sat this one out. And yet, something about this curse didn’t quite sit right with her. It just didn’t make any sense. Sure, it was annoying to have to gain momentum, but it didn’t actually stop anyone from flying - just hindered the take off.
Other than that, it seemed quiet. Nothing else was happening. There was no news of any troubles, any attacks. Nothing. Even travel hadn’t changed a bit considering the amount of fairies she saw around her in the sky. So, what was this about?
The familiar drag of the curse blasted through the sky [[brace yourself!]]
(set: $DOMIFRIENDSHIP to it +1)
(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)+(corner-radius:8)[Domi Friendship $DOMIFRIENDSHIP]
“Why are you coming? And please don’t tell me it’s just for me.”
At first, she thought Domi would simply ignore her. But then he stopped flying forward, instead hovering in front of Juliette, looking at her intently.
“You know full well what I am, Juliette. You’re the curse breaker, after all…”
“Don’t call me that!” Juliette hissed. Somehow, just like it did for her family, anger came easily. Even more easily now that the rest of her emotional spectrum was so muted.
Domi smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes.
(if:$DOMIFRIENDSHIP >= 5)[I need to break this curse, and despite all our attempts, all your contacts and friends, it won’t happen in the fairy kingdom. Hell, maybe it can’t happen unless magic really is taken out of the world.
"I heard what you’ve been mumbling these past few months. And… not just me, by the way. But unlike the others, I’m not scared of this. I even believe in it. I have to]
(if:$DOMIFRIENDSHIP <5)[I have my own suspicions, and my own need to leave your lands.]
Even if it sends us to the Black Tavern?” Juliette sounded cheeky, maybe a bit sarcastic. But she was dead serious. And more than half hoped his answer would be “no”.
“Yes,” Domi said, looking Juliette dead in the eyes. His nostrils flared. This would be the last time he tolerated that question.
Juliette resumed watching the forest beneath them. Eventually, they would have to land somewhere to rest. Her wings were not as powerful as they once were. With every resurection she came back a paler imitation of who she once was. Now, even without this silly Grounding curse, she had trouble flying like she used to.
The Grounding Curse. The excuse for the excursion. Juliette had to admit that her parents’ reluctance for her to go out for it made a bit of sense. If she hadn’t had these ulterior motives, she actually may have sat this one out. And yet, something about this curse didn’t quite sit right with her. It just didn’t make any sense. Sure, it was annoying to have to gain momentum, but it didn’t actually stop anyone from flying - just hindered the take off.
Other than that, it seemed quiet. Nothing else was happening. There was no news of any troubles, any attacks. Nothing. Even travel hadn’t changed a bit considering the amount of fairies she saw around her in the sky. So, what was this about?
The familiar drag of the curse blasted through the sky... [[brace yourself!]]
(set: _result to (random: 1, 5) + $POWER)
(dialog: "POWER and Luck will determine your fate!", "OKAY")
(if: _result >=5)+(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)+(corner-radius:8)[SUCCESS]
(if: _result >= 5)[Juliette and Domi looked at each other, disoriented and confused. The other fairy travelers all fell to the ground.
Something strange was happening. Juliette’s duties were clear to her.
Domi’s sense of justice and the need to protect were ingrained deep within his nature - even if he couldn’t entirely change into his true form anymore.
Without needing to say anything, they both flew to the ground, weaving their way through the ancient silvertrees, knowing the other would be doing the same.
[[Inspect the forest ->notinjured landing]]
]
(if: _result <5)+(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)+(corner-radius:8)[FAIL]
(if: _result <5)[The blast was so powerful it sprained her shoulder wing. Shivers went down her body, making it impossible to keep flying.
The rush of air from her plummet to the ground knocked the wind out of her lungs. Whhen she broke through the treelines, Juliette was unable to fold her wings around herself. She went through with a sickening crunch as her left arm broke protecting her face from the branch.
She refused to scream.
Domi’s large, rough hands grabbed her by the armpits a moment later, saving her from further serious injury.
“Guess it’s a good thing I came,” he said with a humorous smirk. It disappeared quickly into deep worry as he saw her injuries. Juliette hated when he looked at her like that.
It hurt to fly on, but there was no room for Domi to fly down with her in his grasp. He was clearly trying to be careful of her arm, but every movement sent shivers of pain through her body.
Juliette snickered, scrunching her nose with distaste. “Meh. At least if I’d died my arm wouldn’t be broken.” She rolled her eyes. Anger was so easy to feel…
“Thank you”. Juliette said at last when they had landed together beside two ancient silvertrees. She said it with her best feigned softness, despite which Domi probably still knew it was fake. He probably even felt guilty for not catching her sooner. She probably should be feeling guilt for being so callous to him for it as well. But she didn’t, and she did not have the energy for even more pretending.
[[Inspect the forest ->injured landing]]
]
(set: $SOULSHARD to it +1)(set: $DOMIFRIENDSHIP to it +1)
=|=
(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)+(corner-radius:8)[SOULSHARDS $SOULSHARD]
=|=
(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)+(corner-radius:8)[DOMI FRIENDSHIP $DOMIFRIENDSHIP]
|==|
(dialog: "Your decision has changed you", "You've gained a soul shard!")
Taking a deep breath, Juliette pointed to the treetops even as her other hand began unfastening her tool belt pouch. It was too much of a coincidence that these monsters would be doing this just as a “random” hit of the curse came to be. Therefore, they are likely behind it. They won’t be looking up, and likely won’t know how to handle attacks from above.
Juliette pulled out her magic rope, the whisp of flight, which her friends had crafted for her years ago.
“What is that?” Domi asked, hoping for an answer that would be worth this delay now spanning 2 seconds long. Every moment counted. And so, Juliette knew that to explain its purpose would take too long.
This rope would help mimic flying, and was great for close quarters where flapping wings were more nuisance than boon. Juliette’s expression firmed as she inspected the trees and branches further. Another second passed. This was a good place to sow chaos. She was already seeing three moves ahead, calculating their possible reactions, and her fallback positions if she was wrong.
In times of decisive action, thoughts didn’t pass through her mind as they usually did. They passed through instinct. They were simple truths by which she would live or die. It would have been great if they had time to coordinate their strikes. But there just wasn’t time. She couldn’t trust Domi not to break their agreement when something angered him on the battlefield. They were good friends, she trusted him to an extent. He in fact did save her a life. But they had never really fought together before. All this became instinct.
Juliette smiled dangerously, looked at Domi and whispered “attack!”, as she flew up to the treetops.
Slightly shocked to see Juliette zip up into the trees caused Domi to delay. Juliette did not wait for him. There were thirty unconscious fairies that she could see. Three creatures were carrying the bodies of the slain into a huge cauldron, which currently held five dead fairies. Two monsters were sitting by the cauldron, filling it up with vegetables and roots. Another two monsters were roaming around, seemingly choosing the next ones to go in the pot.
How many are they going to eat? The monsters were big, but this was insane.
There were ten fairies placed inside a cage wagon. Four creatures were bringing in more, while three monsters were scouting the perimeters badly enough to have missed Domi and her. Juliette assumed that Domi was planning to move through the expected path and cut through the patrollers. Considering his inclination to just rush in, that made sense.
As for Juliette, she was here for chaos. It was time to choose where the first strike went. The ones…
[[Selecting the next victims ->NotIjured Selecting the next victims]]
[[Caging the “leftovers” ->NotInjured Caging the “leftovers”]]
[[Carying the bodies ->NotInjured Carrying the bodies]](set: _result to (random: 1, 3) + $DOMIFRIENDSHIP)
(set: $DOMIFRIENDSHIP to it -3)
(dialog: "Some choices can affect your relationships!", "Your friendship with Domi has weakened")
(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)+(corner-radius:8)[Domi Friendship $DOMIFRIENDSHIP]
(if: _result < 8) + (b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)+(corner-radius:8)[Your relationship is not strong enough to convince Domi to abandon the fairies to their fate!]
(if: _result >= 8) + (b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)+(corner-radius:8)[Your relationsihp is close enough to make Domi listen!]
(if: _result >= 8)[Domi gave Juliette a disdainful look, rounding on her,
"Explain yoursellf!"
Taking a deep breath, Juliette responded coolly.
[[It's simple]]
[[Please understand]]]
(if: _result < 8)[Domi gave Juliette a disdainful look, and went ahead without her. Biting back a curse, Juliette knew she could not let him go alone. She pulled out a sticky rope her friends had invented for her years ago and zipped up to the treetops.
This rope would help mimic flying - especially valuable with this damn curse. It was also especially great for close quarters where flapping wings were more nuisance than boon. Juliette’s expression firmed as she inspected the trees and branches further. Another second passed. This was a good place to sow chaos. She was already seeing three moves ahead, calculating their possible reactions, and her fallback positions if she was wrong.
In times of decisive action, thoughts didn’t pass through her mind as they usually did. They passed through instinct. They were simple truths by which she would live or die. It would have been great if they had time to coordinate their strikes but Domi was already making his way to his battlefield.
There were thirty unconscious fairies that Juliette could see. Three creatures were carrying the bodies of the slain into a huge cauldron, which currently held five dead fairies. Two monsters were sitting by the cauldron, filling it up with vegetables and roots. Another two monsters were roaming around, seemingly choosing the next ones to go in the pot.
How many are they going to eat? The monsters were big, but this was insane.
There were ten fairies placed inside a cage wagon. Four creatures were bringing in more, while three monsters were scouting the perimeters badly enough to have missed Domi and her. Domi was charging toward them, not even knowing they existed.
As for Juliette, if she was going to do this, then she would do it right. That meant it was time for chaos. It was time to choose where the first strike went. The ones…
[[Selecting the next victims ->NotIjured Selecting the next victims]]
[[Caging the “leftovers” ->NotInjured Caging the “leftovers”]]
[[Carying the bodies ->NotInjured Carrying the bodies]]
]
The forest was eerily quiet. Considering the blast, and the fairy travelers they had seen all falling, there should have been a commotion. Fairies were notorious for their loud cursing. It was the beautiful irony of their constant streams of curses. But now, after being felled to the ground there was nothing?!
Juliette and Domi both fell into combat positions, peering through the trees, stealthily moving from one point to the other.
A rustle of the leaves, followed by the sounds a spear makes when it penetrates flesh. Juliette and Domi’s instincts kicked in, both warriors alert. Silently, they sprinted toward the sound, folding in their wings tightly around their bodies. Their wings were the most powerful armor a warrior could hope for. Of course, ground forces inexperienced against the sky folk always did try to hit the wings first. That is why sky fold usually won in altercations. That, and they were more nimble, and had the advantage of flight.
Ahead, beyond the green and purple thicket, they spotted a group of mesmerizingly beautiful alabaster humanoid creatures, with snouts instead of noses, feathers for hair, and claws rather than fingers. They were walking amongst a group of unconscious fairies, spearing them as they still slept on the ground.
Domi’s anger flared instantly. So did Juliette’s. But then it dawned on her. There were several groups of travelers, all of which were close to enough to hear, yet made no sound. That meant that these creatures were likely everywhere. To make noise now would attract everyone’s attention.
They didn’t know their abilities. They didn’t know their numbers. They needed to find a way to take flight and get across the river.
“I’ll take the left, you go right,” Domi said, as though that in itself was a battle plan. Juliette grabbed his arm and shook her head.
“I’ll take the left, you go right,” Domi said, as though that in itself was a battle plan. Juliette grabbed his arm and shook her head.
[[Plan an attack]]
[[Plan a retreat]]
The forest were eerily quiet. Considering the blast, and the fairy travelers they had seen falling, there should have been a commotion. Fairies were notorious for their loud cursing. It was the beautiful irony of their constant streams of curses. But now, after being felled to the ground there was nothing?!
Domi fell into combat position as Juliette raised the katana in her still-good arm. They peered through the trees, stealthily moving from one point to the other. It took a lot from Juliette to both stay focused on her surroundings and stay so utterly silent. But this was not the first time she had been injured. It won’t be the last.
A rustle of the leaves, followed by the sounds a spear makes when it penetrates flesh. Juliette and Domi’s instincts kicked in, both warriors alert. Silently, they sprinted toward the sound. Domi folded his wings tightly around his body. Their wings were the most powerful armor a warrior could hope for. Of course, ground forces inexperienced against the sky folk always did try to hit the wings first. That is why sky fold usually won in altercations. That, and they were more nimble, and had the advantage of flight.
That’s what made Juliette falter and fall behind. She couldn’t fight in her usual manner. The unknown variables were growing at a pace she was entirely unhappy with. It made the world seem too narrow, too small.
Ahead, beyond the green and purple thicket, they spotted a group of mesmerizingly beautiful alabaster humanoid creatures, with snouts instead of noses, feathers for hair, and claws rather than fingers. They were walking amongst a group of unconscious fairies, spearing them as they still slept on the ground.
Domi’s anger flared instantly. So did Juliette’s. But then it dawned on her. There were several groups of travelers, all of which were close to enough to hear, yet made no sound. That meant that these creatures were likely everywhere. To make noise now would attract everyone’s attention.
They didn’t know their abilities. They didn’t know their numbers. She was fighting with a significant handicap, and they still needed to find a way to take flight and get across the river. They couldn’t be battle tired and even more injured if they hoped to do that.
“I’ll take the left, you go right,” Domi said, as though that in itself was a battle plan. Juliette grabbed his arm and shook her head.
[[Plan an attack->injuredattack]]
[[Plan a retreat->injuredretreat]](set: $POWER to it +1)
(set: $FAME to 1)
(dialog: "Your choice has increased your POWER!", "OKAY")
(dialog: "Your choice has brought you FAME!", "OKAY")
=|=
(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)+(corner-radius:8)[You have $POWER power]
=|=
(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)+(corner-radius:8)[You have $FAME fame]
|==|
With practiced precision, Juliette dove down like an arrow with her left-hand katana pointing to her victim. The monster didn’t have time to complete his thrust, and to ensure it didn’t happen accidentally, she skewered him with her katana and pulled back hard to ensure the monster fell back.
It didn’t even have time to scream before its death - just the way she likes it. Juliette was back in the trees, the sound of alarm rang through the battalion of monsters. That is when a single one of the three patrollers came back, injured, to alert them an attack had begun. Of course, they already knew.
The monsters were scared, looking everywhere, unsure where to look. With so much confusion, Juliette managed to sail through their ranks unnoticed once more. The second of the selectors went down before they managed to catch a glimpse of Juliette.
When the monsters saw another of their number die seemingly spontaneously, they roared in fear. An echoing roar came from three different directions, echoing throughout the forest floor.
[["Shit" ->shit]](set: $POWER to it +2)
(dialog: "Your choice has increased your POWER!", "OKAY")
(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)+(corner-radius:8)[You have $POWER power]
With practiced precision, Juliette dove down like an arrow with her left-hand katana pointing to her victim. The other monsters had already turned around to collect the other fairies, so no one saw Juliette’s killer dive. The monster had no time to scream, and the fairy’s unconscious body fell silently to the forest floor.
To maintain her stealth, Juliette took the monster’s body and placed it just outside of view. She wasn’t in time to save the three new fairies the monsters selected as their upcoming meal, but at least this way she could pick the monsters out without fuss - until it was too late for them.
The fairies’ souls were leaving their bodies, looking around in dismay. They cried, understanding their fates and watched, waiting to see the fate of their loved ones.
Juliette carefully timed her next dive, and just like before, the monster died within seconds and was thrown out of view of its comrades. The monsters didn’t even notice something was wrong yet, when she went in again.
It was easy to kill this way, and by the time a single one of the three patrolling monsters came, injured, to warn of an attack, all four of her targeted monsters were down. The monsters in the camp didn’t even have time to react, however, as Domi came barging in like a hurricane, cutting the patroller in half. Juliette watched in fascinated horror as he danced with his two-handed sword, sparks of electricity flying through the air. The monsters that were selecting fairies, stopped mid-task leaving their prey alive and rushed Domi simultaneously. His sword sent a powerful electric force into them, but it only slowed them down. Juliette made a mental note of this. Domi wasn’t surprised. Clearly he had discovered this while fighting the previous monsters. But he did take advantage, Juliette noted approvingly.
[[Help him?]]
With practiced precision, Juliette dove down like an arrow with her left-hand katana pointing to the monster nearest to the treeline. He fell silently, but the “cooks” immediately noticed, catching Juliette’s shadow.
The monsters cried, raising the alarm throughout the camp. Alert, the other two carriers dropped their “prize”, scanning the trees above instead. The selectors joined in the search. Everyone was watching the sky in dismay. Juliette had no doubts now that they were responsible for the Grounding Curse that dropped them from the sky.
Anger and rage easily rose to the surface, as usual, but Juliette didn’t fight with emotions. With so much attention, Juliette had to be careful how she approached them. She could no longer dive down discreetly. Instead, she used her rope to fly through the trees, just above the monsters’ heads, throwing daggers into their eyes. As soon as the dagger left her hand, she changed positions.
To the monsters it would seem like there were a dozen attackers rather than one. Unfortunately, the daggers weren’t able to pierce deep enough to kill - even through the eyes. The monsters that weren’t hit began to huddle around the injured, a move that surprised Juliette.
But at least like this their superior numbers gave a much weaker advantage. Watching them from above, she spotted an injured patroller running toward the camp. Smiling evilly, she dove down to meet him with her katana.
[[He never made it to camp. ]]
(click-goto:?page,"He never made it to camp")
Juliette hissed in silence. “So much for secrecy”.
Domi came barging in a moment later like a hurricane. Juliette watched in fascinated horror as he danced with his two-handed sword, sparks of electricity flying through the air. It seems the beasts are not very susceptible to electric attacks. However, they do slow them down. Juliette made a mental note of this.
With his initial inertia and the element of surprise, Domi took down another two of the monsters. That meant six down, and eight to go.
With Domi there, the monsters had a focal point for their rage and fear. They were powerful creatures. Fighting close quarters suited them just fine. Domi had to both hold them off as well as navigate the fight so the fairies on the ground wouldn’t get crushed. It was time to change tactics.
Juliette threw some traps on the forest floor behind the monsters. These would stop them from trampling the fairies Domi worked so hard to lure them away from. Then she flew half way down, throwing daggers into three of the monsters’ backs. They roared in pain. It didn’t kill them, just hurt them. She had hoped the daggers would kill, but considering their size and might, she knew it was possible they wouldn’t. The traps, however, could slow down a god. A weak one, but still. These were no gods. They would stay in a painful stasis for a very long time.
The monsters behaved as predicted once they spotted Juliette and her dazzlingly infuriating smile. The traps worked as expected too. These traps didn’t kill, but they could hurt. With the monsters howling in pain drawing the attention of another two, the pressure on Domi lessened even further. He had managed to slay two beasts, and the third Domi killed as it began to look behind, unsure whether to stay or to go.
[[Just two more now]]
They had managed to save all thirty of the unconscious fairies, and now they were all waking up. Juliette cursed to herself. Chaos was great, but only when she was the one controlling it. With 30 frightened fairies added to the mix, this was bound to get a lot messier.
“To the wagons!” Juliette yelled. The fairies were frightened, and when they saw the trapped monsters, their eyes bugged out and they began to scramble. Juliette jumped off the tree trunk with a skilled assemblé, landing just before the frightened fairies who were trying desperately to take off into the air. “The wagons. You’ll be safe there, please.” She extended her hands, directing the fairies there.
Just then one of the monsters came close to the fairies’ backs, bringing up his ax over his head. Juliette sped through them, and her katana met his giant ax mid-air as he was bringing it down. Anger boiling within, she raised her right-hand soul sucking katana, changing her mind mid-stroke, diverting her killer blow to instead chop off his hand.
There was no way she was helping this soul transcend. If she killed it now with the soul sucker katana, it would become her sacred duty. There was no way she was willing to do that. The creature wasn’t even slowed by the loss of its limb. It began to draw out a sword with its remaining hand when Juliette swung her left-hand katana through the creature’s neck.
[[The battle was done]]
But it wasn’t over. The sounds of monsters rushing to their position were growing louder. They were fast. Juliette had to think faster. They had to get the fairies out of here.
Juliette called back the unsprung traps to her using a unique device she had created with her friends years ago and quickly assessed the situation.
Juliette didn’t have the type of magic to generate movement. All she could do was acknowledge the fairy spirits now walking gloomily among their families. This fallen group must have been three families traveling together. They had saved most of them, for now, but if they couldn’t make it out of here fast that would change.
Domi, on the other hand, had experience moving such carts around. Thanks to their quick work of these monsters, he was uninjured with enough energy to do it too. With the fairies finally acknowledging they cannot fly away, they agreed to get into the prison-turned-escape carriage.
Domi strapped the wagon to himself, idly wishing he could shift into full thunderbird, and began to thread electric currents through the steel and wood wheels. The wagon sailed off, with Juliette holding onto the back.
When the shouts were far enough, Juliette nimbly leapt over the carriage to speak silently to Domi.
“Domi,” Juliette said, sitting behind him on the bench reserved for the whipping master. “This won’t work.”
Domi didn’t have to look. The smell of burning tree bark was thick in the air, and the dead leaves on the ground were smoking as well. The sound of cracking branches echoed through the forest too. It was an open invitation to follow them. And at the end of it, there was White Raft River. Uncrossable by foot, this raging river would not permit them to continue. They’d be trapped.
“I know,” he said. “What do you want to do?”
“Hold on,” Juliette said, and turned over toward the fairies in the cage. She inspected each one of them for injuries and any visible physical impairments before speaking. “Are you nimble?”
As much as they could with so little room, the fairies backed away from Juliette like she was crazy. Being nimble, to fairies, meant able to do complex jumps. At the moment, with no ability to fly if the jump is unsuccessful, the notion would be terrifying to most. Juliette took a deep breath.
“My name is Juliette Torno,” the name caused a shockwave of hope to go through the fairies. The famed protector was among them. She had saved them! It lasted for all of 3 seconds before the doubts returned, albeit less hardened.
“Please, High Torno, we..” The fairy who stuttered at her had so much fear in his eyes that Juliette began to wonder whether this would work. “We can’t fly like you can…”
Juliette smiled. She tried to make it as warm as possible. “I’ll go with each of you who cannot go on their own.”
The faces of fear were immediately replaced with willing excitement. Of course, Juliette tried not to show her frustration. This would take forever, and would definitely be very tiring.
“Slow down,” she shouted over to Domi, “but don’t you dare stop!”
In the end, their tracks would carry their trackers to them easily and they can’t carry the fairies with them across White Raft river like this.
They had just one option left...
[[END OF CHAPTER 2]]
He didn’t need her help. Domi took down the two selecting monsters with ease. That meant nine down, and five to go.
With Domi there, and her still undetected, the monsters had a focal point for their rage and a very dangerous blind spot. They were powerful creatures. Fighting close quarters suited them just fine. Domi had to both hold them off as well as navigate the fight so the fairies on the ground wouldn’t get crushed. It was time to change tactics.
Domi was now fighting all five monsters simultaneously, and Juliette found it hard not to stop and watch with fascination as he held them all back, scoring attacks while remaining uninjured himself. Domi was clearly a more remarkable force than she had previously known. Still, his movements were getting slower. He couldn’t keep this up for long.
[[Scatter traps]]
Juliette scattered traps on the forest floor behind the monsters. These would stop them from trampling the remaining fairies Domi worked so hard to lure them away from.
Next, she flew half way down the tree, positioning herself just above their heads, and threw daggers into three of the monsters’ backs. They roared in pain. It didn’t kill them, just hurt them. She had hoped the daggers would kill, but considering their size and might, she knew it was possible they wouldn’t. The traps, however, could slow down a god. A weak one, but still. These were no gods. They would stay in a painful stasis for a very long time.
The monsters behaved as predicted once they spotted Juliette and her dazzlingly infuriating smile. The three monsters she had tagged left Domi alone with just the other two. These traps didn’t kill, but they could hurt. The monsters’ departure not only lessened the pressure on Domi, it distracted those that remained.
By the time the unconscious fairies on the ground began to wake up, the monsters were down.
The fairies were frightened, and when they saw the trapped monsters, their eyes bugged out and they began to scramble. Juliette jumped off the tree trunk with a skilled assemblé, landing just before the frightened fairies who were trying desperately to take off into the air. “It’s okay, please.” She put up her bare, unarmed hands, in a placating gesture. “You’re safe now.”
The trapped monsters growled angrily, not reacting to the pain at all. Then they began to howl. Juliette recognized the raised alarm, but by the time she silenced them it was too late.
“Shit,” Juliette hissed in silence. “So much for secrecy”.
“Why didn’t you just kill them?” Domi asked angrily.
“Why didn’t you?!” Juliette spat back. “You’ve had plenty of time to do it!”
The remaining fairies began to cry. They cried for their dead, they cried out of fear. Their cries were mirrored by the cries of the dead that only Juliette could hear.
[[The battle was done]]
By the time Domi ran past, Juliette was back to herding the remaining monsters.
Upon seeing Domi the herded group of ten rushed to meet him. Juliette flanked them from behind, diving in with her katana to take down the monsters from the back, one by one.
Domi moved deftly, guiding the monsters into his desired position through graceful and powerful movements of his greatsword.
By the time the monsters all joined in, they were a group of seven. They didn’t even notice. But now, fighting side-by-side, things would be different.
Domi took down two of the monsters in one fell swoop, as he tricked them into lining up. Juliette couldn’t help but admire his cunning and power. Domi deftly controlled the battle, leading the monsters back into the forest. His eyes were white electric force, and electric currents flowed from him through to all of the monsters, slowing them down, enabling him to dodge and repel their attacks with ease.
Behind them, Juliette could hear the surviving fairies begin to rise. Their frightened cries multiplied as each one rose. The ones in the cage began to shout for release, drawing the “free” fairies to them. All of them naturally made as much space between them and the fighting.
[[How are these monsters ignoring that voltage?!]]
It was a shame that in addition to their brute force they seemed unable to die from high voltage. Still, Juliette profited from this as well. By the time the monsters noticed they were fighting two enemies at once, there were only two of them left.
Juliette faced the last monster face to face, blocking his huge ax with her right-hand katana, and supported the block with her right wing. With her left, she thrust deep into his abdomen. The monster roared in pain and, driving the blade further in to get her closer, roared loudly into the forest. It was an unnaturally loud roar that dazed her for what would have been a fatal moment if not for Domi decapitating the creature.
When the monster went down, Domi and Juliette lowered their weapons. Breathing heavily, Domi looked Juliette up and down. His hand moved to her cheek as he looked her in the eyes. The intensity in his stare took her breath away.
“Good thing I came, huh?” In an instant, his expression changed into the mischievous snarky, smarmy attitude she knew so well.
It broke the spell.
Julliete snickered in mock disgust. “Please. I did most of the work”.
They both turned to the fairies, assessing what more needed to be done. Before Juliette fully absorbed herself back in the mission, a moment of confusion as to her emotional response toward Domi consumed her. As much for the notion of feeling much beyond anger as for the fact that she was beginning to see Domi in a new light.
Shaking it off, Juliette was back in the moment that counted.
[[The battle was done]]
CHAPTER 3
"THE CROSSING"
(set: $SOULSHARD to it +1)
(set: $DOMIFRIENDSHIP +2)
=|=
(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)+(corner-radius:8)[SOULSHARDS $SOULSHARD]
=|=
(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)+(corner-radius:8)[DOMI FRIENDSHIP $DOMIFRIENDSHIP]
|==|
(dialog: "Your decision has changed you", "You've gained a soul shard!")
Taking a deep breath, Juliette pointed to the treetops with her good hand, then unfastened her tool belt pouch. It was too much of a coincidence that these monsters would be doing this just as a “random” hit of the curse came to be. Therefore, they are likely behind it. They won’t be looking up, and likely won’t know how to handle attacks from above.
Juliette rolled her shoulders, testing the limits of her movements. She winced slightly in pain when she found it. If it didn’t take her so long to come back to life these days, she’d just kill herself now to save the pain. Or maybe she’d just jump in, let them believe they won another prize and then kill a few through sheer shock of the return. That wasn’t an option, however.
Juliette pulled out her magic rope, the whisp of flight, which her friends had crafted for her years ago, and began fastening it like a tourniquet to her arm and body. She hoped it won’t restrict her further.
This rope would help mimic flying, and was great for close quarters where flapping wings were more nuisance than boon. Juliette’s expression firmed as she inspected the trees and branches further, continuing to tie the rope around herself by instinct. This was a good place to sow chaos. She was already seeing three moves ahead, calculating their possible reactions, and her fallback positions if she was wrong. Most of them wouldn’t work without full mobility, she’d have to rely on luck.
“What is that?” Domi asked, hoping for an answer that would be worth this delay now spanning 10 seconds long. Every moment counted. And so, Juliette knew that to explain its purpose in addition to all the mandatory delays would take too long.
In times of decisive action, thoughts didn’t pass through her mind as they usually did. They passed through instinct. They were simple truths by which she would live or die. It would have been great if they had time to coordinate their strikes. But there just wasn’t time. She couldn’t trust Domi not to break their agreement when something angered him on the battlefield. They were good friends, she trusted him to an extent. He in fact did save her a life. But they had never really fought together before. All this became instinct.
Juliette smiled dangerously, looked at Domi and whispered “attack!”, as she flew up to the treetops, hissing through her teeth at the jolt of pain.
Slightly shocked to see Juliette zip up into the trees caused Domi to delay. But Juliette did not wait for him. Three creatures were carrying the bodies of the slain into a huge cauldron, while another two were roaming around, seemingly choosing the next ones to go. Those they had already selected for later were being placed inside a cage wagon by another four creatures, while three were scouting the perimeters badly enough to have missed her and Domi and two were sitting by the cauldron, filling it up with vegetables and roots.
Domi will move through the expected path and cut through the patrollers. As for Juliette, she was here for chaos. It was time to choose where the first strike went. The ones…
[[Carrying the bodies ->carrying bodies injured]]
[[Selecting the next victims ->Selecting injured]]
[[Caging the "leftovers" ->Caging injured]](set: _result to (random: 1, 3) + $DOMIFRIENDSHIP)
(dialog: "Some choices can affect your relationships!", "Your friendship with Domi has weakened")
(set: $DOMIFRIENDSHIP to it -2)
(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)+(corner-radius:8)[Domi Friendship $DOMIFRIENDSHIP]
(if: _result < 8) + (b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)+(corner-radius:8)[Your relationship is not strong enough to convince Domi to abandon the fairies to their fate!]
(if: _result >= 8) + (b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)+(corner-radius:8)[Your relationsihp is close enough to make Domi listen!]
(if: _result >= 8)[Domi gave Juliette a disdainful look, rounding on her,
"Explain yoursellf!"
Taking a deep breath, Juliette responded coolly.
[[It's simple ->Injured simple]]
[[Please understand ->Injured understand]]]
(if: _result < 8)[Domi gave Juliette a disdainful look, and went ahead without her. Biting back a curse, Juliette knew she could not let him go alone. She pulled out a sticky rope her friends had invented for her years ago and zipped up to the treetops.
This rope would help mimic flying - especially valuable with this damn curse. It was also especially great for close quarters where flapping wings were more nuisance than boon. Juliette’s expression firmed as she inspected the trees and branches further. Another second passed. This was a good place to sow chaos. She was already seeing three moves ahead, calculating their possible reactions, and her fallback positions if she was wrong.
In times of decisive action, thoughts didn’t pass through her mind as they usually did. They passed through instinct. They were simple truths by which she would live or die. It would have been great if they had time to coordinate their strikes but Domi was already making his way to his battlefield.
There were thirty unconscious fairies that Juliette could see. Three creatures were carrying the bodies of the slain into a huge cauldron, which currently held five dead fairies. Two monsters were sitting by the cauldron, filling it up with vegetables and roots. Another two monsters were roaming around, seemingly choosing the next ones to go in the pot.
How many are they going to eat? The monsters were big, but this was insane.
There were ten fairies placed inside a cage wagon. Four creatures were bringing in more, while three monsters were scouting the perimeters badly enough to have missed Domi and her. Domi was charging toward them, not even knowing they existed.
As for Juliette, if she was going to do this, then she would do it right. That meant it was time for chaos. It was time to choose where the first strike went. The ones…
[[Carrying the bodies ->carrying bodies injured]]
[[Selecting the next victims ->Selecting injured]]
[[Caging the "leftovers" ->Caging injured]]
]
Juliette switched her swords around. Her right hand usually wielded the soul sucking katana. Not something she used for deadly strikes lightly. With practiced precision, Juliette dove down like an arrow with her left-hand katana held tightly in her right hand, pointing to the monster nearest to the treeline. He fell silently, but the “cooks” immediately noticed, catching Juliette’s shadow.
The killing blow sent shudders through her body as her left arm protested against the pressure and sharp movements. But she made it out of sight.
The monsters cried, raising the alarm throughout the camp. Alert, the other two carriers dropped their “prize”, scanning the trees above instead. The selectors joined in the search, dropping their tasks mid-action. Everyone was watching the sky in dismay. Juliette had no doubts now that they were responsible for the Grounding Curse that dropped them from the sky.
Anger and rage easily rose to the surface, as usual, but Juliette didn’t fight with emotions. With so much attention, Juliette had to be careful how she approached them. She could no longer dive down discreetly. Instead, she used her rope to fly through the trees, just above the monsters’ heads, throwing daggers into their eyes with her one good hand.
[[Throw dagger]]
Juliette flew from treetop to treetop, stealthily peppering the ground with traps, making sure they landed in a way that would protect the unconscious fairies sprawled on the ground from being stomped on. The traps themselves were invisible to the eye until they latched to the ground.
She was too late to save the two fairies that had been skewered while she laid the groundwork, but at least the others still had a chance. When the traps were well placed, she zoomed around the trees, cursing at her arm that throbbed with pain despite being tightly secured.
Juliette used her good arm to throw explosive sparks into the beasts’ eyes, making them both stagger right into her traps. The monsters would stay in a painful stasis for a very long time, but the noisy explosions served as a blaring alarm causing chaos and fear throughout the camp. Just as the monsters left their tasks to find the attacker, an injured patroller came staggering through the treeline.
The beasts howled unnaturally loud, sending their call of alarm throughout the forest.
[[Shit->injured shit]]
Juliette switched her swords around. Her right hand usually wielded the soul sucking katana. Not something she used for deadly strikes lightly. With practiced precision, Juliette dove down like an arrow with her left-hand katana held tightly in her right hand, pointing to her victim. The killing blow sent shudders through her body as her left arm protested against the pressure and sharp movements.
The other monsters had already turned around to collect the other fairies, so no one saw Juliette’s killer dive. The monster had no time to scream, and the fairy’s unconscious body fell silently to the forest floor.
To maintain her stealth, Juliette used her wings to hold onto the monster’s body, cradling it within until she could use the momentum to launch it just outside of view. Three more fairies were selected and killed as the monsters’ upcoming meal while she worked silently. It hurt her to see the bodies drop, and the spirits rise up in anguish but at least this way she could pick the monsters out without fuss - until it was too late for them.
Zipping back up, Juliette hissed through her teeth, trying to calm her body’s instinctive response to convulse. Pushing through the pain she took deep breaths to subdue the pain and ready herself for the next opportunity for attack.
The fairies’ souls were leaving their bodies, looking around in dismay. They cried, understanding their fates and watched, waiting to see the fate of their loved ones.
Juliette carefully timed her next dive... striking in...3..2..
[[NOW!->timed strike]]
uliette hissed in silence. “So much for secrecy”.
Domi came barging in a moment later like a hurricane. Juliette watched in fascinated horror as he danced with his two-handed sword, sparks of electricity flying through the air. It seems the beasts are not very susceptible to electric attacks. However, they do slow them down. Juliette made a mental note of this.
With his initial inertia and the element of surprise, Domi took down the injured monster, then another two with swift decisive motions. That meant six down, and eight to go.
Juliette used the diversion to rush up the nearest tree, one of the beasts on her heels. She ran vertically up the trunk, spun in the air and, jumping over its head, she threw two daggers into its eyes as it looked up at her.
Her left hand throbbed with pain when Juliette landed, leaving her momentarily distracted.
A beast closed in.
With its ax poised to strike, a wail of pain escaped its lips instead.
One of the fairies had woken up and stabbed the beast in the heels, saving Juliette.
Juliette scanned the face of her rescuer, memorizing it for later, even as she drew her left-side katana with her right hand. Looking her rescuer in the eyes, she sliced half way through the beast’s neck.
[[To the wagon!]]
Her voice was even and calm. In that moment, it seemed her rescuer was placed in some sort of stupor. He stood there, shocked and motionless.
“To the wagon!” she called out louder, but still calmly. Her rescuer snapped out of it, and alongside his family memebers, began to follow Juliette's direction.
With Domi and the beasts on the east side of the camp, and the wagons on the west side, it wasn’t hard to convince them.
As she planned, her call attracted the beasts’ attention as well, giving Domi some much needed reprieve. She turned toward them, standing her ground, positioning herself between the beasts and the fairies she was determined to protect.
Of the four remaining beasts, two decided to peel away. That was good, if Domi could hold off so many at once, he could now pick off the other two with ease. Which he did. The departure of the two beasts coming her way distracted those who remained. Fighting someone like Domi, you can’t afford distractions. He had quickly cut off one of the beasts’ arms, leading to a fight with renewed vigor. It seemed that these creatures fight even more ferociously when wounded.
Juliette smiled mischievously at her would-be attackers and, pulling out the itching powder pouch, blew it onto her assailants. She preferred to keep this powder for dire need, after all, there weren’t that many brave souls willing to extract the essence of a fire wasp. That said, dying now was not an option, and she could hardly fight both of them “fairly” with one hand.
She hardly even wanted to.
The beasts’ abilities to withstand pain astounded her. They barely slowed down. Juliette was preparing herself, getting into position, when one of the beasts suddenly twitched, sending its warhammer into its compatriot’s head. Realizing what it had done, the creature roared in anger and charged Juliette, turning his jog into a sprint.
Just as he was about to reach her, Juliette pulled on her rope, and flew to the air. The creature looked up, and she threw her katana into its head with all her might.
Looking over at Domi, he had only minor scrapes. Juliette looked at him with new eyes now. She had always known he was a talented warrior, but this… How was he ever bested? How powerful he must have been as the thunderbird!
[[The battle was done ->injured escape]]
But it wasn’t over. The sounds of monsters rushing to their position were growing louder. They were fast. Juliette had to think faster. They had to get the fairies out of here.
Juliette didn’t have the type of magic to generate movement. All she could do was acknowledge the fairy spirits now walking gloomily among their families. This fallen group must have been three families traveling together. They had saved most of them, for now, but if they couldn’t make it out of here fast that would change.
Domi, on the other hand, had experience moving such carts around.
Domi came over to Juliette, there was respect and gratitude in his eyes. As if it were his people they had saved. His hand hovered over her broken arm, then moved to her cheek as he looked her in the eyes. For the first time, Juliette saw an intensity in his stare that took her breath away.
“Good thing I came, huh?” In an instant, his expression changed into the mischievous snarky, smarmy attitude she knew so well.
Just like that, [[the spell was broken]]
But it wasn’t over. The sounds of the alarm were heard and sent back by monsters throughout the forest. These monsters were clearly rushing to their position as their howls were growing louder. They were fast. Juliette had to think faster. They had to get the remaining fairies out of here.
Juliette called back the unsprung traps to her using a unique device she had created with her friends years ago and assessed the situation.
Juliette didn’t have the type of magic to generate movement. All she could do was acknowledge the fairy spirits now walking gloomily among their families. This fallen group must have been three families traveling together. They had saved most of them, for now, but if they couldn’t make it out of here fast that would change.
Domi, on the other hand, had experience moving such carts around.
Julliete smiled wickedly at Domi. “[[You know... it really is good you came]]."
They both turned to the fairies, assessing the situation. Before Juliette fully absorbed herself back in the mission, she allowed herself a moment to get lost in confusion as to her emotional response toward Domi. She was surprised as much for the notion of feeling much beyond anger as for the fact that she was beginning to see Domi in a new light.
Shaking it off, Juliette was back in the moment that counted.
Julliete snickered in mock disgust. “Of course, who else could draw a carriage half as well as you?”.
Domi’s laugh was so sincere, so hearty, the Juliette could forget their lives were still in danger.
“Domi the pack bird, at your service”. Domi gave a quick humorous bow, and without another delay walked over to the wagon, with the fairies cowering nearby.
“Get in!” Juliette commanded them as Domi began strapping the wagon to himself, idly wishing he could shift into full thunderbird.
It took hearing the monsters’ roars from the forest getting louder as they drew closer to convince the group to get in and not just huddle around.
It was too close. They were cutting it too close. Juliette’s heart thudded in her chest despite feeling cold and numb. Juliette called back the unsprung traps to her using a unique device she had created with her friends years ago and sat on the bench reserved for the whipping master, watching as Domi began to thread electric currents through the steel and wood wheels. The wagon sailed off.
“Domi,” Juliette said as Domi made his way through the forest. “This won’t work.”
Domi didn’t have to look. The smell of burning tree bark was thick in the air, and the dead leaves on the ground were smoking as well. The sound of cracking branches echoed through the forest too. It was an open invitation to follow them. And at the end of it, there was White Raft River. Uncrossable by foot, this raging river would not permit them to continue. They’d be trapped.
“I know,” he said. “What do you want to do?”
[[Hold on]]
Juliette turned over toward the fairies in the cage. She inspected each one of them for injuries and any visible physical impairments before speaking. “Are you nimble?”
As much as they could with so little room, the fairies backed away from Juliette like she was crazy. Being nimble, to fairies, meant able to do complex jumps. At the moment, with no ability to fly if the jump is unsuccessful, the notion would be terrifying to most. Juliette took a deep breath.
“My name is Juliette Torno,” the name caused a shockwave of hope to go through the fairies. The famed protector was among them. She had saved them! It lasted for all of 3 seconds before the doubts returned in full. It wasn’t hard to notice her broken arm. They all saw how it impaired her in battle.
“Please, High Torno, we..” The fairy who stuttered at her had so much fear in his eyes that Juliette began to wonder whether this would work. “We can’t fly like you can…”
Juliette smiled. She tried to make it as warm as possible, then looked at her toolbelt. She would have to resupply later, but for now there were enough traps. Hopefully.
“I’m going to need you to be brave, my people. We’ll make it as safe as possible. But I cannot save you alone. You’re going to have to save yourselves too.
The faces looking back at her were full of fear. Juliette searched for the brave fairy from the battlefield who had helped her. When their eyes met an understanding was silently reached.
The young fairy spoke up. “What do you need us to do?
“Wait for my signal, then be nimble.” Juliette said, then turned to Domi without waiting for a response.
“Slow down,” she shouted over to Domi, “but don’t you dare stop!” Then she jumped out to the trees using her special rope, which was still wrapped around her, serving as a tourniquet for her broken arm.
“Wait…” Domi yelled, but Juliette was already gone.
[[END OF CHAPTER 2 ->End of Chapter 2 V4]]
As soon as the dagger left her hand, she changed positions.
If she had both hands, she could make it seem to the monsters that there were a dozen attackers rather than one. Unfortunately, She had just the one, and the pain in her arm slowed her down despite her attempts to ignore it. The daggers disappointed her too. They weren’t able to pierce deep enough to kill - even through the eyes. The monsters that weren’t hit began to huddle around the injured, a move that surprised Juliette.
Rather than feel dismay, Juliette saw the advantage. Huddled as they were, their superior numbers gave a much weaker advantage. Their focus was scattered as well. Some looked for attackers on the ground, while a few had understood the danger was above. They tried to throw knives and shortswords at her. Some even picked up bows, and began firing arrows. They practically all missed, with the most accurate hit scoring a superficial scratch.
It burned, but it was easily ignored next to the pain of her broken arm, and submerged within the raging adrenalin flooding her blood.
Watching them from the treetops, she spotted an injured patroller running toward the camp. Smiling evilly, she got into position above the terrified patroller. Juliette switched her swords around. Her right hand usually wielded the soul sucking katana. Not something she used for deadly strikes lightly. With practiced precision, Juliette dove down like an arrow with her left-hand katana held tightly in her right hand, pointing to her victim. The killing blow sent shudders through her body as her left arm protested against the pressure and sharp movements.
[[He never made it to camp]]
Zipping back up, Juliette hissed through her teeth, trying to calm her body’s instinctive response to convulse. Pushing through the pain she took deep breaths to subdue the pain and ready herself for the next opportunity for attack. Meanwhile, Domi was already running past like an arrow launched.
Upon seeing Domi the herded group of ten rushed to meet him. Juliette flanked them from behind, diving in with her katana to take down the monsters from the back, one by one.
Domi moved deftly, guiding the monsters into his desired position through graceful and powerful movements of his greatsword. When he saw Juliette swoop down from the trees with her katana, he glowed white with electric charge, making it impossible not to focus on him.
By the time the monsters all reached him, they were a group of seven. With such focus on the humanoid thunderbird, and the slowing effect his electric attacks had, they didn’t notice Juliette picking them off one by one. But now, fighting side-by-side, things would be different.
Domi took down two of the monsters in one fell swoop, as he tricked them into lining up. Juliette couldn’t help but admire his cunning and power. Domi deftly controlled the battle, leading the monsters back into the forest. His eyes were white electric force, and electric currents flowed from him through to all of the monsters, slowing them down, enabling him to dodge and repel their attacks with ease.
Behind them, Juliette could hear the surviving fairies begin to rise. Their frightened cries multiplied as each one rose. The ones in the cage began to shout for release, drawing the “free” fairies to them. All of them naturally made as much space between them and the fighting.
It was a shame that in addition to their brute force they seemed unable to die from high voltage. Still, Juliette profited from this as well. By the time the monsters noticed they were fighting two enemies at once, there were only two of them left.
Juliette faced the last monster face to face, blocking his huge ax with her right-hand katana, and supported the block with her right wing. Then, using his own strength against him, she propelled his body over her head, sending him head first into the ground. The monster roared loudly into the forest as Juliette quickly twirled around, and struck him with her katana. It was an unnaturally loud roar that followed. So loud that it dazed her for what would have been a fatal moment as the monster raised its body up the shaft of her katana, ready to strike with its ax. Domi took Juliette by her good shoulder, assertively moving her aside. Grabbing the ax from the creature, he used it to decapitate the monster.
When the monster went down, Domi and Juliette breathed out, letting the tension leave their bodies. Breathing heavily, Domi looked Juliette up and down. His hand moved to her cheek as he looked her in the eyes. The intensity in his stare took her breath away.
“Good thing I came, huh?” In an instant, his expression changed into the mischievous snarky, smarmy attitude she knew so well.
It broke the spell.
Julliete snickered in mock disgust. “Please. I did most of the work”.
They both turned to the fairies, assessing what more needed to be done. Before Juliette fully absorbed herself back in the mission, a moment of confusion as to her emotional response toward Domi consumed her. As much for the notion of feeling much beyond anger as for the fact that she was beginning to see Domi in a new light.
Shaking it off, Juliette was back in the moment that counted.
[[The battle was done ->carryinginjured retreat]]
Domi looked at Juliette with suspicion and surprise.
"Who else could draw a carriage half as well as you?” she said with a wide grin.
Domi’s laugh was so sincere, so hearty, the Juliette could forget their lives were still in danger.
“Domi the pack bird, at your service”. Domi gave a quick humorous bow, and without another delay walked over to the wagon, with the fairies cowering nearby.
“Get in!” Juliette commanded them as Domi began strapping the wagon to himself, idly wishing he could shift into full thunderbird.
It took hearing the monsters’ roars from the forest getting louder as they drew closer to convince the group to get in and not just huddle around.
It was too close. They were cutting it too close. Juliette’s heart thudded in her chest despite feeling cold and numb. She sat on the bench reserved for the whipping master and watched as Domi began to thread electric currents through the steel and wood wheels. The wagon sailed off.
“Domi,” Juliette said as Domi made his way through the forest. “This won’t work.”
Domi didn’t have to look. The smell of burning tree bark was thick in the air, and the dead leaves on the ground were smoking as well. The sound of cracking branches echoed through the forest too. It was an open invitation to follow them. And at the end of it, there was White Raft River. Uncrossable by foot, this raging river would not permit them to continue. They’d be trapped.
“I know,” he said. “What do you want to do?”
[[Hold on]]
Just like before, the monster died within seconds and was thrown out of view of its comrades. The monsters didn’t even notice something was wrong yet, when she went in again despite her left arm screaming in protest.
It was easy to kill this way, and by the time a single one of the three patrolling monsters came, injured, to warn of an attack, all four of her targeted monsters were down. The monsters in the camp didn’t even have time to react, however, as Domi came barging in like a hurricane, cutting the patroller in half. Juliette watched in fascinated horror as he danced with his greatsword held menacingly in his broad arms, sparks of electricity flying through the air. The monsters that were selecting fairies, stopped mid-task leaving their prey alive and rushed Domi simultaneously. His sword sent a powerful electric force into them, but it only slowed them down.
Juliette made a mental note of this as well as noting that Domi wasn’t surprised. Clearly he had discovered this while fighting the previous monsters. But he did take advantage, Juliette smiled approvingly.
He didn’t even need her help. Domi took down the two selecting monsters with ease. With the four monsters she had already removed, that meant nine down, and five to go.
With Domi there, and her still undetected, the monsters had a focal point for their rage and a very dangerous blind spot. They were powerful creatures. Fighting close quarters suited them just fine. Domi had to both hold them off as well as navigate the fight so the fairies on the ground wouldn’t get crushed.
[[Time to change tactics]]
Domi was now fighting all five monsters simultaneously, and Juliette found it hard not to stop and watch with fascination as he held them all back, scoring attacks while remaining uninjured himself. Domi was clearly a more remarkable force than she had previously known. Still, his movements were getting slower. He couldn’t keep this up for long.
Juliette scattered traps on the forest floor behind the monsters. These would stop them from trampling the remaining fairies Domi worked so hard to lure them away from. They would keep the monsters in a painful stasis for a very long time.
Next, she flew half way down the tree, positioning herself just above their heads, and threw daggers into three of the monsters’ backs. They roared in pain. It didn’t kill them, just hurt them. She had hoped the daggers would kill, but considering their size and might, she knew it was possible they wouldn’t. The traps, however, could slow down a god. A weak one, but still. These were no gods. They would stay in a painful stasis for a very long time.
The monsters behaved as predicted once they spotted Juliette and her dazzlingly infuriating smile. The three monsters she had tagged left Domi alone with just the other two. These traps didn’t kill, but they could hurt. The monsters’ departure not only lessened the pressure on Domi, it distracted those that remained.
Being distracted around Domi doesn’t leave one much time to live, it seemed.
By the time the unconscious fairies on the ground began to wake up, the battle was over. Juliette had called back the unsprung traps to her using a unique device she had created with her friends years ago and the only remaining monsters were those within the traps.
Domi came over to Juliette, there was respect and gratitude in his eyes. As if it were his people they had saved. His hand hovered over her broken arm, then moved to her cheek as he looked her in the eyes. For the first time, Juliette saw an intensity in his stare that took her breath away.
“Good thing I came, huh?” In an instant, his expression changed into the mischievous snarky, smarmy attitude she knew so well.
It broke the spell.
One of the monsters managed to push through the pain to howl unnaturally loud, sending an alarm throughout the forest. Upon hearing this, the other trapped monsters howled as well.
“Shit,” Juliette hissed. “So much for secrecy…”
“Why didn’t you just kill them?” Domi asked angrily.
“Why didn’t you?!” Juliette spat back. “You’ve had plenty of time to do it!”
The remaining fairies began to cry. They cried for their dead, they cried out of fear. Their cries were mirrored by the cries of the dead that only Juliette could hear.
[[The battle was done ->carryinginjured retreat]]
"We just don't have the time."
She could feel her heart trying to break out of her chest, but she wasn't sure why.
"We don't know how many of these beasts there are. We don't know anything about them or their capabilities...
Domi looked at Juliette in dispbelief. Fairies are dying! YOUR PEOPLE! And now, all of the sudden you act on fear?! Who are you??
[[Who says we save them?!]]
[[I'm not afraid of dying, you fool]]
"This is not where we do the most good."
She could feel her heart trying to break out of her chest, but she wasn't sure why.
"We don't know how many of these beasts there are. We don't know anything about them or their capabilities...
Domi looked at Juliette in dispbelief. Fairies are dying! YOUR PEOPLE! And now, all of the sudden you act on fear?! Who are you??
[[Who says we save them?!]]
[[I'm not afraid of dying, you fool]]
"We could just die in the process and fail to save THE WORLD because of a distraction we knew nothing about."
Domi looked at her coldly. "Shut off your brain. I don't want to hear it. Tell me your instincts. Tell me you don't want to go in there right now."
[[I do]]
[[I don't]]
"I'm afraid of what happens if we don't get rid of magic before whatever happened here starts happening all over the place!"
Domi looked her in the eyes. His gaze was hard to hold without breaking.
[[Keep looking]]
[[Look down]]
"Please" Domi pleaded. "It's not too late"
[[Plan an attack ->Plan an attack V2]]
[[Domi... If we get rid of magic, we get rid of all of it. We save all the fairies who didn't happen to drop right in front of is]]
Domi looked down. Disappointed.
It took so much strength for him to not simply walk away.
"We'll attack the beasts patrolling. Get a sense of them. But I am not leaving real, living, fairies for possible hypothetical ones."
Juliette grabbed his arm and shook her head.
[[I'll back you up from above ->Plan an attack V2]]
"And if we still fail? If we don't do this impossible thing we have no actual idea how to do, and could have succeeded here?"
Juliette nodded silently, absorbing his words. Taking a deep breath, she had to admit he was right. She could even admit she might be happy about it.
[[You're right ->Plan an attack V2]](set: $DOMIFRIENDSHIP to it +1)
(set: $SOULSHARD to it +1)
(dialog: "Your decision has changed you", "You've gained a soul shard!")
(dialog: "Domi is proud of you!", "Your friendship has strengthened!")
(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)[Domi Friendship $DOMIFRIENDSHIP]
(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)[Soul Shards $SOULSHARD]
Taking a deep breath, Juliette pointed to the treetops even as her other hand began unfastening her tool belt pouch. It was too much of a coincidence that these monsters would be doing this just as a “random” hit of the curse came to be. Therefore, they are likely behind it. They won’t be looking up, and likely won’t know how to handle attacks from above.
Juliette pulled out a sticky rope her friends had invented for her years ago.
“What is that?” Domi asked,
Juliette looked him in the eye while continuing to fasten the sticky rope, "you want a rescue or an answer?"
This rope would help mimic flying, and was great for close quarters where flapping wings were more nuisance than boon. Juliette’s expression firmed as she inspected the trees and branches further. Another second passed. This was a good place to sow chaos. She was already seeing three moves ahead, calculating their possible reactions, and her fallback positions if she was wrong.
In times of decisive action, thoughts didn’t pass through her mind as they usually did. They passed through instinct. They were simple truths by which she would live or die. It would have been great if they had time to coordinate their strikes. But there just wasn’t time.
Juliette smiled dangerously, looked at Domi and whispered “attack!”, as she flew up to the treetops.
Slightly shocked to see Juliette zip up into the trees caused Domi to delay. Juliette did not wait for him. There were twenty five unconscious fairies that she could see. Five creatures were lounging about next to a huge cauldron, which held ten dead fairies. Two monsters were sitting by the cauldron, filling it up with vegetables and roots.
Ten fairies for a singly meal?! Juliette knew fairies were considered "delicacies" among some, but this...
There were fifteen fairies placed inside a cage wagon, some of which were beginning to wake up. Four creatures were bringing in more, while three monsters were scouting the perimeters badly enough to have missed Domi and her. Juliette found Domi walking straight toward the patrollers.
[[I really hope we won't regret this]]
She couldn't quite identify her emotions anymore. She had lost that a few ressurections ago. But this wasn't something she could stand aside from before. Perhaps she shouldn't now.
"This is wrong" Domi said through hushed tones that remembered where they were and delivered an urgency that she couldn't help but be moved by.
And still, emotions alone cannot make the decisions. Only guide them.
[[You're right ->Plan an attack V2]]
[[It might feel that way...]]
The entire world disappeared. She could hear her blood rushing in her ears.
[[Keep looking->Keep looking 1]]
[[Look down]]
But he was right.
[[Look down]]
Domi looked down. Disappointed.
It took so much strength for him to not simply walk away.
"We'll attack the beasts patrolling. Get a sense of them. But I am not leaving real, living, fairies for possible hypothetical ones."
Juliette grabbed his arm and shook her head.
[[I'll back you up from above ->Plan an attack V2]]
Juliette was focused on controlled chaos, and for that it was best to focus her first attacks on...
[[The ones caging the fairies]]
[[The big group]]
With practiced precision, Juliette dove down like an arrow with her left-hand katana pointing to her victim. The other monsters had already turned around to collect the other fairies, so no one saw Juliette’s killer dive. The monster had no time to scream, and the fairy’s unconscious body fell silently to the forest floor.
The fairies in the cage, however, had begun to wake up. Their shock kept them silent just long enough to let Juliette throw the monster's body behind the treeline and zip back up to the trees, but then they began to sob uncontrollably.
"Shit" Juliette hissed. This is how you get more dead fairies.
The fairies' souls that had just left their bodies were sobbing as well. For themselves, for their loved ones. Only special kinds of spirits can see and be seen - even by their own kind. Juliette went cold inside, seeing the isolation these fairies felt amidst those that once gave them warmth and solace.
Maybe if she hadn't waited, it wouldn't have been like this.
The lounging monsters began to pay attention, meaning Juliette could no longer pick them off without the group noticing. Their skin is very thick, to kill that one off took a lot of power.
Complete stealth was not an option. Taking out her special pouch of itching pouder, she began to assess the wind. She preferred to keep this powder for dire need, after all, there weren’t that many brave souls willing to extract the essence of a fire wasp. But Domi cannot face all these assailants on his own.
Once she was sure of the height and direction from which to throw the pouder bag, true mayhem could begin. She just had to time it just right.
She threw it at...
[[the big group of lounging monsters]]
[[the monsters caging fairies]]
Complete stealth was not an option. Taking out her special pouch of itching pouder, she began to assess the wind. She preferred to keep this powder for dire need, after all, there weren’t that many brave souls willing to extract the essence of a fire wasp. But Domi cannot face all these assailants on his own.
Once she was sure of the height and direction from which to throw the pouder bag, true mayhem could begin. She just had to time it just right.
Juliette managed to throw the pouch right in the center of the group, dispersing it among all the monsters there.
They went crazy with rage and pain. Out came the daggers, which she flung at them from a distance.
The daggers didn't kill the monsters, but it did send them into a rage that inspired them to pick up their weapons. Trying to subdue the pain of the pouder while holding massive weapons proved a deadly task for three of them.
The monsters caging the fairies stopped mid-task to look for the source of the chaos. To look for Juliette. They were holding on to their prisoners tightly now, as the fairies had woken up. Trying to run away, one of the fairies got an ax in the back.
That's when an injured patroller came rushing to camp. The monsters roared unnaturally loud. An alarm that reverberated throughout the forest, and came back with an answer. Reinforcements were coming.
[[Shit.Shit.Shit]]
Juliette managed to throw the pouch right in the center of the group, dispersing it among all the monsters there.
They went crazy with rage and pain. Out came the daggers, which she flung at them from a distance.
The daggers didn't kill the monsters, but it did send them into a rage that inspired them to pick up their weapons. Trying to subdue the pain of the pouder while holding massive weapons proved a deadly task for three of them.
The monsters caging the fairies stopped mid-task to look for the source of the chaos. To look for Juliette. They were holding on to their prisoners tightly now, as the fairies had woken up. Trying to run away, one of the fairies got an ax in the back.
That's when an injured patroller came rushing to camp. The monsters roared unnaturally loud. An alarm that reverberated throughout the forest, and came back with an answer. Reinforcements were coming.
[[Shit.Shit.Shit]]
Looking over to the monsters caging the fairies, she shook her head and decided against it. Aiming at them would harm the fairies. she was trying to save. And they would suffer much more than the monsters.
Instead, Juliette took aim at [[the big group ->the big group of lounging monsters]]
An instant later, Domi was there, cutting the patroller in half with his greatsword.
With Domi there, the monsters had a focal point for their rage and fear. They were powerful creatures. Fighting close quarters suited them just fine. Domi had to both hold them off as well as navigate the fight so the fairies still on the ground wouldn’t get crushed, and those. waking up wouldn't get in the way. It was time to change tactics.
The monsters rushed him, but Domi controlled the battleground Juliette watched in fascinated horror as he danced with his two-handed sword, sparks of electricity flying through the air. It seems the beasts are not very susceptible to electric attacks. However, they do slow them down. Juliette made a mental note of this.
With his initial inertia, the element of surprise, and very itchy monsters Domi took down another four of the monsters. That meant eight down, and six to go.
Now that the movement on the ground was more controlled, Juliette decided it was time for traps.
[[Scatter the traps]]
Carefully, Juliette aimed her magical traps toward the forest floor between the monsters and the fairies who were fleeing in the opposite direction. Then she flew half way down, throwing daggers into three of the monsters’ backs. They roared in pain, and took the bait running toward the waiting traps.
The traps wouldn't kill them, however, theycould slow down a god. A weak one, but still. These were no gods. They would stay in a painful stasis for a very long time.
With the monsters howling in pain drawing the attention of another, the pressure on Domi lessened even further. He had managed to slay the two beasts, and the third that was on his way to Juliette.
The remaining fairies had run away during the commotion. Judging by the roars of the incoming monsters it was good that they did.
Judging by Domi's expression, Juliette knew that the action was just getting started.
[[You want to stick around here?]]
[[Ready to go?]]
"No," Domi said through clenched jaws.
[[Then let's go... we have some beasts to detain]]
[[Then let's go... we have a mission to complete]]
Domi looked at Juliette with tired disappointement.
"Yes, let's go"
[[END OF CHAPTER 2->End of Chapter 2 V2]](set: $DOMIFRIENDSHIP to it +1)
(dialog: "Domi is proud of you!", "Your friendship has strengthened!")
(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)[Domi Friendship $DOMIFRIENDSHIP]
Domi smiled with a glint of pride in his eyes. "We can't keep them waiting, after all..."
[[END OF CHAPTER 2->End of Chapter 2 V2]]
Domi looked at Juliette with tired disappointement.
"Yes, let's go"
[[END OF CHAPTER 2->End of Chapter 2 V2]](enchant:?page,(bg:(gradient: 0, 1,#ffffff,0.7802,(hsl:0,0,0,0.7),1,#ffffff)))
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:orange)+(text-size: 3)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''DARK DESTINY'']
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:orange)+(text-size: 2)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''CHAPTER 1 STATS:'']
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:orange)+(text-size: 1)+(box:"X")[''
=|=
POWER:
=|=
$POWER
|==|
=|=
SOUL SHARDS:
=|=
$SOULSHARD
|==|
=|=
DOMI FRIENDSHIP:
=|=
$DOMIFRIENDSHIP
|==|
=|=
DOMI ROMANCE
=|=
$DOMIROMANCE
|==|
=|=
FAME
=|=
$FAME''
|==|
]
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:white)+(text-size: 1)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''[[CHAPTER 3: THE CROSSING->The CROSSING V2]]'']
(text-style:"bold","wavy-strike","superscript","smear","condense","flat")+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[RESTART CHAPTER 2->CHAPTER 2: DARK PREY]]
"We just don't have the time."
She could feel her heart trying to break out of her chest, but she wasn't sure why.
"We don't know how many of these beasts there are. We don't know anything about them or their capabilities..."
Domi looked at Juliette in dispbelief. "I understand that you're injured,but... Fairies are dying! YOUR PEOPLE! I've seen you fight injured! And whatever you cannot handle, trust me. I can."
"Condescension and ego aside," Juliette said with much more anger than was warrented,
[[Who says we save them?! ->can't save them all/injured]]
[[I'm not afraid of dying, you fool ->fear of death/injured]]
"This is not where we do the most good."
She could feel her heart trying to break out of her chest, but she wasn't sure why.
"We don't know how many of these beasts there are. We don't know anything about them or their capabilities...
Domi looked at Juliette in dispbelief. "I understand that you're injured,but... Fairies are dying! YOUR PEOPLE! I've seen you fight injured! And whatever you cannot handle, trust me. I can."
"Condescension and ego aside," Juliette said with much more anger than was warrented,
[[Who says we save them?! ->can't save them all/injured]]
[[I'm not afraid of dying, you fool ->fear of death/injured]]
"We could just die in the process and fail to save THE WORLD because of a distraction we knew nothing about."
Domi looked at her coldly. "Shut off your brain. I don't want to hear it. Tell me your instincts. Tell me you don't want to go in there right now."
[[I do ->I do injured]]
[[I don't ->I don't injured]]
"I'm afraid of what happens if we don't get rid of magic before whatever happened here starts happening all over the place!"
Domi looked her in the eyes. His gaze was hard to hold without breaking.
[[Keep looking ->injured looking]]
[[Look down ->look down injured]]The entire world disappeared. She could hear her blood rushing in her ears.
[[Keep looking->Keep looking 1-injured]]
[[Look down ->look down injured]]She couldn't quite identify her emotions anymore. She had lost that a few ressurections ago. But this wasn't something she could stand aside from before. Perhaps she shouldn't now.
"This is wrong" Domi said through hushed tones that remembered where they were and delivered an urgency that she couldn't help but be moved by.
And still, emotions alone cannot make the decisions. Only guide them.
[[You're right ->Plan an attack V2-Injured]]
[[It might feel that way... ->It might feel that way injured]]
"Please" Domi pleaded. "It's not too late"
[[Plan an attack ->Plan an attack V2-Injured]]
[[Domi... If we get rid of magic, we get rid of all of it. We save all the fairies who didn't happen to drop right in front of is ->Rid of magic-injured]]
Domi looked down. Disappointed.
It took so much strength for him to not simply walk away.
"We'll attack the beasts patrolling. Get a sense of them. But I am not leaving real, living, fairies for possible hypothetical ones."
Juliette grabbed his arm and shook her head.
[[I'll back you up from above ->Plan an attack V2-Injured]]
But he was right.
[[Look down ->look down injured]](set: $DOMIFRIENDSHIP to it +1)
(set: $SOULSHARD to it +1)
(dialog: "Your decision has changed you", "You've gained a soul shard!")
(dialog: "Domi is proud of you!", "Your friendship has strengthened!")
(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)[Domi Friendship $DOMIFRIENDSHIP]
(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)[Soul Shards $SOULSHARD]
Taking a deep breath, Juliette pointed to the treetops with her good hand, then unfastened her tool belt pouch. It was too much of a coincidence that these monsters would be doing this just as a “random” hit of the curse came to be. Therefore, they are likely behind it. They won’t be looking up, and likely won’t know how to handle attacks from above.
Juliette rolled her shoulders, testing the limits of her movements. She winced slightly in pain when she found it. If it didn’t take her so long to come back to life these days, she’d just kill herself now to save the pain. Or maybe she’d just jump in, let them believe they won another prize and then kill a few through sheer shock of the return. That wasn’t an option, however.
Juliette pulled out a sticky rope her friends had invented for her years ago, and began fastening it like a tourniquet to her arm and body, hoping it won’t restrict her further.
This rope would help mimic flying, and was great for close quarters where flapping wings were more nuisance than boon. Juliette’s expression firmed as she inspected the trees and branches further, continuing to tie the rope around herself by instinct. This was a good place to sow chaos. She was already seeing three moves ahead, calculating their possible reactions, and her fallback positions if she was wrong. Most of them wouldn’t work without full mobility, she’d have to rely on luck.
“What is that?” Domi asked,
Juliette looked him in the eye while continuing to fasten the sticky rope, "you want a rescue or an answer?"
Juliette smiled dangerously when she was done, looked at Domi, who had been waiting anxiously, and whispered “attack!”, as she flew up to the treetops.
Slightly shocked to see Juliette zip up into the trees caused Domi to delay. Juliette did not wait for him. There were twenty five unconscious fairies that she could see. Five creatures were lounging about next to a huge cauldron, which held ten dead fairies. Two monsters were sitting by the cauldron, filling it up with vegetables and roots.
Ten fairies for a singly meal?! Juliette knew fairies were considered "delicacies" among some, but this...
There were fifteen fairies placed inside a cage wagon, some of which were beginning to wake up. Four creatures were bringing in more, while three monsters were scouting the perimeters badly enough to have missed Domi and her. Juliette found Domi walking straight toward the patrollers.
[[I really hope we won't regret this ->I hope we won't regret this-injured]]
Domi looked down. Disappointed.
It took so much strength for him to not simply walk away.
"We'll attack the beasts patrolling. Get a sense of them. But I am not leaving real, living, fairies for possible hypothetical ones."
Juliette grabbed his arm and shook her head.
[[I'll back you up from above ->Plan an attack V2-Injured]]
"And if we still fail? If we don't do this impossible thing we have no actual idea how to do, and could have succeeded here?"
Juliette nodded silently, absorbing his words. Taking a deep breath, she had to admit he was right. She could even admit she might be happy about it.
[[You're right ->Plan an attack V2-Injured]]
Juliette was aiming for controlled chaos. She had to do something big and surprising. Something her arm could handle. And she had just the thing.
However, she couldn't help but think she might be able to do a bit of stealthy damage first. By attacking the ones bringing in the fairies she could, theoretically, take some down before the big shabang. Or maybe it just wasn't worth the delay. Perhaps it was time to hit big...
[[Take down the ones caging the fairies ->The ones caging the fairies-Injured]]
[[Hit big ->The big group-injured]]
Juliette switched her swords around. Her right hand usually wielded the soul sucking katana. Not something she used for deadly strikes lightly. With practiced precision, Juliette dove down like an arrow with her left-hand katana held tightly in her right hand, pointing to her victim.
The other monsters had already turned around to collect the other fairies, so no one saw Juliette’s killer dive. The monster had no time to scream, and the fairy’s unconscious body fell silently to the forest floor.
Juliette used her wings to
The fairies in the cage, however, had begun to wake up. Their shock kept them silent just long enough to let Juliette cradle the monster within her wings and zip back up to the treetops, using the momentum to launch it just outside of view.
"Shit" Juliette hissed. This process hurt. With the fairies waking up and ruining her plans... "This is how you get more dead fairies."
The fairies' souls that had just left their bodies were sobbing as well. For themselves, for their loved ones. Only special kinds of spirits can see and be seen - even by their own kind. Juliette went cold inside, seeing the isolation these fairies felt amidst those that once gave them warmth and solace.
Maybe if she hadn't waited, it wouldn't have been like this.
The lounging monsters began to pay attention, meaning Juliette could no longer pick them off without the group noticing. Their skin is very thick, to kill that one off took a lot of power.
Complete stealth was no longer an option.
It was time for the big shabang.
Taking out her special pouch of itching pouder, she began to assess the wind. She preferred to keep this powder for dire need, after all, there weren’t that many brave souls willing to extract the essence of a fire wasp. But Domi cannot face all these assailants on his own.
Once she was sure of the height and direction from which to throw the pouder bag, true mayhem could begin. She just had to time it just right.
She threw it at...
[[the big group of lounging monsters->the big group of lounging monsters-injured]]
[[the monsters caging fairies->the monsters caging fairies-injured]]
Complete stealth was not an option. Taking out her special pouch of itching pouder, she began to assess the wind. She preferred to keep this powder for dire need, after all, there weren’t that many brave souls willing to extract the essence of a fire wasp. But Domi cannot face all these assailants on his own.
Once she was sure of the height and direction from which to throw the pouder bag, true mayhem could begin. She just had to time it just right.
Juliette managed to throw the pouch right in the center of the group, dispersing it among all the monsters there.
They went crazy with rage and pain. Out came the daggers, which she flung at them from a distance.
The daggers didn't kill the monsters, but it did send them into a rage that inspired them to pick up their weapons. Trying to subdue the pain of the pouder while holding massive weapons proved a deadly task for three of them.
The monsters caging the fairies stopped mid-task to look for the source of the chaos. To look for Juliette. They were holding on to their prisoners tightly now, as the fairies had woken up. Trying to run away, one of the fairies got an ax in the back.
That's when an injured patroller came rushing to camp. The monsters roared unnaturally loud. An alarm that reverberated throughout the forest, and came back with an answer. Reinforcements were coming.
[[Shit.Shit.Shit->shit.injured]]
Juliette managed to throw the pouch right in the center of the group, dispersing it among all the monsters there.
They went crazy with rage and pain. Out came the daggers, which she flung at them from a distance.
The daggers didn't kill the monsters, but it did send them into a rage that inspired them to pick up their weapons. Trying to subdue the pain of the pouder while holding massive weapons proved a deadly task for three of them.
The monsters caging the fairies stopped mid-task to look for the source of the chaos. To look for Juliette. They were holding on to their prisoners tightly now, as the fairies had woken up. Trying to run away, one of the fairies got an ax in the back.
That's when an injured patroller came rushing to camp. The monsters roared unnaturally loud. An alarm that reverberated throughout the forest, and came back with an answer. Reinforcements were coming.
[[Shit.Shit.Shit->shit.injured]]
Looking over to the monsters caging the fairies, she shook her head and decided against it. Aiming at them would harm the fairies. she was trying to save. And they would suffer much more than the monsters.
Instead, Juliette took aim at [[the big group of lounging monsters->the big group of lounging monsters-injured]]
An instant later, Domi was there, cutting the patroller in half with his greatsword.
With Domi there, the monsters had a focal point for their rage and fear. They were powerful creatures. Fighting close quarters suited them just fine. Domi had to both hold them off as well as navigate the fight so the fairies still on the ground wouldn’t get crushed, and those. waking up wouldn't get in the way. It was time to change tactics.
The monsters rushed him, but Domi controlled the battleground Juliette watched in fascinated horror as he danced with his two-handed sword, sparks of electricity flying through the air. It seems the beasts are not very susceptible to electric attacks. However, they do slow them down. Juliette made a mental note of this.
With his initial inertia, the element of surprise, and very itchy monsters Domi took down another four of the monsters. That meant eight down, and six to go.
Now that the movement on the ground was more controlled, Juliette decided it was time for traps.
[[Scatter the traps ->Scatter the traps-Injured]]
Carefully, Juliette aimed her magical traps toward the forest floor between the monsters and the fairies who were fleeing in the opposite direction. She then flew half way down, throwing daggers into two of the monsters’ backs. They roared in pain, and took the bait running toward the waiting traps.
The traps wouldn't kill them, however, they could slow down a god. A weak one, but still. These were no gods. They would stay in a painful stasis for a very long time.
With the monsters howling in pain drawing the attention of another, the pressure on Domi lessened even further. He had managed to slay two beasts, and the third that was on his way to Juliette. The fourth found himself unable to avoid her traps, just as his friends couldn't.
The remaining fairies had run away during the commotion. Judging by the roars of the incoming monsters it was good that they did.
Judging by Domi's expression, Juliette knew that the action was just getting started.
[[You want to stick around here?->You want to stick around here?V2]]
[[Ready to go?->Ready to go?V2]]
(enchant:?page,(bg:(gradient: 0, 1,#ffffff,0.7802,(hsl:0,0,0,0.7),1,#ffffff)))
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:orange)+(text-size: 3)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''DARK DESTINY'']
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:orange)+(text-size: 2)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''A NEW HOPE RISES'']
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[The world of Esteria is mired in curses and wars brought on by powerful gods who have long abandoned their duty to protect their people. Their bloody feuds fuel their power as they twist reality, minds and spirits to gain supremacy.
But hope is not lost, not as long there are those who are still willing to fight!
Plot your course in this adventure-packed story, following the fairy warrior and defender, Juliette Torno.]
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")+(text-colour:orange)[
* Gain'' POWER'' and ''FAME'' through marvelous deeds!
* Gather ''SOUL SHARDS'' to repair your tattered soul
* Build up your ''FRIENDSHIPS'' and find ''ROMANCE''
It is all up to you!
The choice is yours!
]
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:white)+(text-size: 1)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''[[BEGIN ->Chapter 1 cover]]'']
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:orange)+(text-size: 3)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''DARK DESTINY'']
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:orange)+(text-size: 2)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''CHAPTER 1: THE JOURNEY BEGINS'']
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[Juliette has made up her mind. It is time to end the cycle of endless curses - before her soul is too far gone for her to care. But how will she handle it when her loved ones stand in the way of her solo adventure?]
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:white)+(text-size: 1)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''[[BEGIN]]'']
(enchant:?page,(bg:(gradient: 0, 1,#ffffff,0.7802,(hsl:0,0,0,0.7),1,#ffffff)))
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:orange)+(text-size: 3)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''DARK DESTINY'']
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:orange)+(text-size: 2)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''CHAPTER 1 STATS:'']
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:orange)+(text-size: 1)+(box:"X")[''
=|=
POWER:
=|=
$POWER
|==|
=|=
SOUL SHARDS:
=|=
$SOULSHARD
|==|
=|=
DOMIF RIENDSHIP:
=|=
$DOMIFRIENDSHIP
|==|
=|=
DOMI ROMANCE
=|=
$DOMIROMANCE
|==|
=|=
FAME
=|=
$FAME''
|==|
]
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:white)+(text-size: 1)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''[[CHAPTER 2: DARK PREY]]'']
(text-style:"bold","wavy-strike","superscript","smear","condense","flat")+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[RESTART CHAPTER 1->BEGIN]](enchant:?page,(bg:(gradient: 0, 1,#ffffff,0.7802,(hsl:0,0,0,0.7),1,#ffffff)))
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:orange)+(text-size: 3)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''DARK DESTINY'']
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:orange)+(text-size: 2)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''CHAPTER 3: THE CROSSING'']
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[Juliette must find a way to save the fairies from the mysterious beasts that are savagely hunting them. Can she find a way to save the curse-struck fairies and make it across White Raft River while being hunted by scores of powerful monsters?
]
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:white)+(text-size: 1)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''COMING SOON'']
(enchant:?page,(bg:(gradient: 0, 1,#ffffff,0.7802,(hsl:0,0,0,0.7),1,#ffffff)))
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:orange)+(text-size: 3)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''DARK DESTINY'']
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:orange)+(text-size: 2)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''CHAPTER 1 STATS:'']
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:orange)+(text-size: 1)+(box:"X")[''
=|=
POWER:
=|=
$POWER
|==|
=|=
SOUL SHARDS:
=|=
$SOULSHARD
|==|
=|=
DOMI FRIENDSHIP:
=|=
$DOMIFRIENDSHIP
|==|
=|=
DOMI ROMANCE
=|=
$DOMIROMANCE
|==|
=|=
FAME
=|=
$FAME''
|==|
]
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:white)+(text-size: 1)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''[[CHAPTER 3: THE CROSSING]]'']
(text-style:"bold","wavy-strike","superscript","smear","condense","flat")+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[RESTART CHAPTER 2->CHAPTER 2: DARK PREY]](enchant:?page,(bg:(gradient: 0, 1,#ffffff,0.7802,(hsl:0,0,0,0.7),1,#ffffff)))
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:orange)+(text-size: 3)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''DARK DESTINY'']
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:orange)+(text-size: 2)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''CHAPTER 3: THE CROSSING'']
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[Juliette must find a way through the forest despite the mysterious beasts that are savagely hunting them. Can she find a way to cross White Raft River despite the curse preventing them from taking flight?
]
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:white)+(text-size: 1)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''COMING SOON'']
"No," Domi said through clenched jaws.
[[Then let's go... we have some beasts to detain->Then let's go... we have some beasts to detainV2]]
[[Then let's go... we have a mission to complete->Then let's go... we have a mission to completeV2]]
Domi looked at Juliette with tired disappointement.
"Yes, let's go"
[[END OF CHAPTER 2->End of Chapter 2 V3]](set: $DOMIFRIENDSHIP to it +1)
(dialog: "Domi is proud of you!", "Your friendship has strengthened!")
(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:orange)+(corner-radius:8)[Domi Friendship $DOMIFRIENDSHIP]
Domi smiled with a glint of pride in his eyes. "We can't keep them waiting, after all..."
[[END OF CHAPTER 2->End of Chapter 2 V3]]
Domi looked at Juliette with tired disappointement.
"Yes, let's go"
[[END OF CHAPTER 2->End of Chapter 2 V3]](enchant:?page,(bg:(gradient: 0, 1,#ffffff,0.7802,(hsl:0,0,0,0.7),1,#ffffff)))
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:orange)+(text-size: 3)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''DARK DESTINY'']
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:orange)+(text-size: 2)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''CHAPTER 1 STATS:'']
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:orange)+(text-size: 1)+(box:"X")[''
=|=
POWER:
=|=
$POWER
|==|
=|=
SOUL SHARDS:
=|=
$SOULSHARD
|==|
=|=
DOMI FRIENDSHIP:
=|=
$DOMIFRIENDSHIP
|==|
=|=
DOMI ROMANCE
=|=
$DOMIROMANCE
|==|
=|=
FAME
=|=
$FAME''
|==|
]
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:white)+(text-size: 1)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''[[CHAPTER 3: THE CROSSING->The CROSSING V3]]'']
(text-style:"bold","wavy-strike","superscript","smear","condense","flat")+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[RESTART CHAPTER 2->CHAPTER 2: DARK PREY]](enchant:?page,(bg:(gradient: 0, 1,#ffffff,0.7802,(hsl:0,0,0,0.7),1,#ffffff)))
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:orange)+(text-size: 3)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''DARK DESTINY'']
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:orange)+(text-size: 2)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''CHAPTER 3: THE CROSSING'']
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[Juliette must find a way through the forest with the mysterious beasts savagely hunting them. Can she find a way to make it across White Raft River alive despite her injuries?
]
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:white)+(text-size: 1)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''COMING SOON'']
(enchant:?page,(bg:(gradient: 0, 1,#ffffff,0.7802,(hsl:0,0,0,0.7),1,#ffffff)))
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:orange)+(text-size: 3)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''DARK DESTINY'']
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:orange)+(text-size: 2)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''CHAPTER 1 STATS:'']
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:orange)+(text-size: 1)+(box:"X")[''
=|=
POWER:
=|=
$POWER
|==|
=|=
SOUL SHARDS:
=|=
$SOULSHARD
|==|
=|=
DOMI FRIENDSHIP:
=|=
$DOMIFRIENDSHIP
|==|
=|=
DOMI ROMANCE
=|=
$DOMIROMANCE
|==|
=|=
FAME
=|=
$FAME''
|==|
]
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:white)+(text-size: 1)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''[[CHAPTER 3: THE CROSSING->The CROSSING V4]]'']
(text-style:"bold","wavy-strike","superscript","smear","condense","flat")+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[RESTART CHAPTER 2->CHAPTER 2: DARK PREY]](enchant:?page,(bg:(gradient: 0, 1,#ffffff,0.7802,(hsl:0,0,0,0.7),1,#ffffff)))
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:orange)+(text-size: 3)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''DARK DESTINY'']
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:orange)+(text-size: 2)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''CHAPTER 3: THE CROSSING'']
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[Juliette must find a way to save the fairies from the mysterious beasts that are savagely hunting them. Can she find a way to save the curse-struck fairies and make it across White Raft River despite her injuries all the while being hunted by scores of powerful monsters?
]
(text-style:"bold","expand","tall","fidget")+(text-colour:white)+(text-size: 1)+(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''COMING SOON'']
↶↷
DARK DESTINY
A NEW HOPE RISES
The world of Esteria is mired in curses and wars brought on by powerful gods who have long abandoned their duty to protect their people. Their bloody feuds fuel their power as they twist reality, minds and spirits to gain supremacy.
But hope is not lost, not as long there are those who are still willing to fight!
Plot your course in this adventure-packed story, following the fairy warrior and defender, Juliette Torno.
- Gain POWER and FAME through marvelous deeds!
- Gather SOUL SHARDS to repair your tattered soul
- Build up your FRIENDSHIPS and find ROMANCE
It is all up to you!
The choice is yours!
BEGIN