The Monster Hunters
Isra climbed slowly, careful of her footing (oh did she miss her Gravity Boots), and poked her head above the treeline. Cornelius huffed on her shoulder, filled with the same sense of dread. It was treetops as far as the eye could see, in all directions.
An endless expanse of jungle, filled with giant monsters, sentient plants, and toxic water. And that miasma in the sky, stopping all forms of communication available to her -- including magic. She couldn't even Skip, implying that the barrier was more than just a spell. She'd seen a starship pass overhead yesterday, but she wasn't able to get its attention. They'd heard an explosion in the direction it went a few minutes later, implying its landing had not been smooth... They'd been heading that way ever since, but still no sign of the ship's intended destination.
Her stomach growled, and Cornelius' answered.
It'd been over a week since they'd found each other -- nearly two since Isra had arrived on Safarae. They'd been surviving on what they could find, but most of the plant life here was poisonous to them. Despite being their birthplace... Isra still hadn't wrapped her head around that bit.
Isra: "Let's go."
Cornelius "Cheep..." (Okay...) It took about an hour to climb down the tree, which was easily 1,000 feet tall (the Gravity Boots must be getting lonely, perhaps they would teleport here?). All the trees were like that on Safarae -- capable of rivaling buildings in height, laden with nests and nooks for all manner of wildlife. A climber had to worry just as much about falling as they did running into some sleeping predator, and there were more than a few different kinds. Isra and Cornelius had taken care of most of them so far, but the Kaiju were another matter. Those you ran from, unless you wanted to be dinner. Isra: "Let's just try to stay positive."
Cornelius "Cheep." (Yeah, yeah.) Isra decided to take a break, and headed over to a nearby polyp. She didn't know what they were called, but they were full of some noxious fluid. Nothing a little magic couldn't fix! Specifically a churn fluid spell, and it was full of water instead. She made sure to drink her fill, and held the plant in place for Cornelius aftewards. Then she let the rest pour into a makeshift bottle at her hip, made of the outer shell of a strange nut. Isra: "It could be worse. We could be in Absalom right now..." That brought them both pause. The dream they'd had the other night had been... Unnerving. But there was nothing to do about it now. They were a long way from Ezorod, and Tesin was locked up inside it. She wondered if the Access Beacon even worked, with Alistair all around it. Cornelius "Cheep." (Hungry.)
Isra: "Me too... Let's see what's on the trail. Maybe--" They both went still, and Isra got low to the ground, the Astral Flintlock sliding into her hand. They'd heard a branch snap somewhere out in the undergrowth. Isra couldn't pinpoint where (Mist did have his uses) but she knew it was close. She murmured under her breath as Cornelius climbed into her pocket, and then the two disappeared. Not gone, just invisible. They waited, hoping the source of the noise would reveal themselves... It was an Android. Isra perked up, but then stopped herself. Familiar didn't mean friendly. He was tall, closer to six feet, with a wiry build created by a lifetime of running and dodging. Isra knew the type. He had sunshine hair and dark freckles, unlike anything she'd seen on the Forge, but she recognized the marking under his left ear. Numbers -- a manufacturer's ID -- like she used to have. Before the Children of the Forge had removed their's, and begun the rebellion. He looked about, but as far as Isra could tell, he couldn't see her. After a few seconds he relaxed, and waved a hand. Isra had to stifle a gasp. Eleven other Androids stepped up out of the grass behind him, releasing held breaths. They gazed about, double checking the scout's work. The eldest among them jumped, shouting in a language Isra didn't know, and pointed straight at her. His eyes were glowing with enchantment. A Witchwarper? His fellows all drew ragged-looking spears, made up of junk metal and hardwood, and Isra dropped the invisibility, pointing the Flintlock right at them. Instead of rushing her, like she had expected, they went silent. They looked to the Astral Flintlock, and then to Isra. Spears tumbled to the ground, followed by hands and foreheads. The Androids bowed to her, and chanted as one. Androids: "Shepherd."
Cornelius "Cheep..." (Okay...) It took about an hour to climb down the tree, which was easily 1,000 feet tall (the Gravity Boots must be getting lonely, perhaps they would teleport here?). All the trees were like that on Safarae -- capable of rivaling buildings in height, laden with nests and nooks for all manner of wildlife. A climber had to worry just as much about falling as they did running into some sleeping predator, and there were more than a few different kinds. Isra and Cornelius had taken care of most of them so far, but the Kaiju were another matter. Those you ran from, unless you wanted to be dinner. Isra: "Let's just try to stay positive."
Cornelius "Cheep." (Yeah, yeah.) Isra decided to take a break, and headed over to a nearby polyp. She didn't know what they were called, but they were full of some noxious fluid. Nothing a little magic couldn't fix! Specifically a churn fluid spell, and it was full of water instead. She made sure to drink her fill, and held the plant in place for Cornelius aftewards. Then she let the rest pour into a makeshift bottle at her hip, made of the outer shell of a strange nut. Isra: "It could be worse. We could be in Absalom right now..." That brought them both pause. The dream they'd had the other night had been... Unnerving. But there was nothing to do about it now. They were a long way from Ezorod, and Tesin was locked up inside it. She wondered if the Access Beacon even worked, with Alistair all around it. Cornelius "Cheep." (Hungry.)
Isra: "Me too... Let's see what's on the trail. Maybe--" They both went still, and Isra got low to the ground, the Astral Flintlock sliding into her hand. They'd heard a branch snap somewhere out in the undergrowth. Isra couldn't pinpoint where (Mist did have his uses) but she knew it was close. She murmured under her breath as Cornelius climbed into her pocket, and then the two disappeared. Not gone, just invisible. They waited, hoping the source of the noise would reveal themselves... It was an Android. Isra perked up, but then stopped herself. Familiar didn't mean friendly. He was tall, closer to six feet, with a wiry build created by a lifetime of running and dodging. Isra knew the type. He had sunshine hair and dark freckles, unlike anything she'd seen on the Forge, but she recognized the marking under his left ear. Numbers -- a manufacturer's ID -- like she used to have. Before the Children of the Forge had removed their's, and begun the rebellion. He looked about, but as far as Isra could tell, he couldn't see her. After a few seconds he relaxed, and waved a hand. Isra had to stifle a gasp. Eleven other Androids stepped up out of the grass behind him, releasing held breaths. They gazed about, double checking the scout's work. The eldest among them jumped, shouting in a language Isra didn't know, and pointed straight at her. His eyes were glowing with enchantment. A Witchwarper? His fellows all drew ragged-looking spears, made up of junk metal and hardwood, and Isra dropped the invisibility, pointing the Flintlock right at them. Instead of rushing her, like she had expected, they went silent. They looked to the Astral Flintlock, and then to Isra. Spears tumbled to the ground, followed by hands and foreheads. The Androids bowed to her, and chanted as one. Androids: "Shepherd."
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