Stormy Thorncastle [Invite]

[Weegee]

I GET ALONG WITH THE VOICES INSIDE OF MY HEAD

Legend tells of a tree deep within the Windsor Greatwood that lurks where the sun never shines. Gaining life and sentience for its many years among its brothers, taking the life of fallen trees into itself to become the terrible creature known as Nepenta, the Thorn of Xhaal. Weegee had attempted this dungeon once before, in search of that mysterious tree in order to obtain a sample of its wood. He still had that old map from back then, though it probably was nowhere near as useful now as it was back then. The dungeon moved with the fog, which traveled wherever it was willed by the creature within.



Weegee stood at the edge of the town, waiting for the other person who had taken the quest to slay the ancient being. It was a two person quest for a reason, the dungeon was said to be a labyrinth in its own measure, twisting and turning with the land. For Weegee, this wouldn't be a problem if there was access to the open air above it, but sadly there were tales of the walls of thorns forming tunnels. With a sigh he adjusted his coat, letting his scarf ruffle gently in the passing breeze. The early morning sun rose over the horizon, illuminating the region as he looked towards his destination. The Windsor Greatwood. A place he had probably spent more time in than Londinium or any other region. It was like a home to him now, the branches and trees his pathways and roads.



His placid expression betrayed none of the emotions within him as a darker voice echoed in the halls of his mind.



"So, going there again, are we?"



"You didn't even exist back then Zeek."



The dark voice laughed, he could feel a small pressure inside his head almost like his other self was pressing against him.



"I'm basically all of your old selves wrapped into one pretty little package mate. All those emotions you want, but lack because we exist. Come on, give me a smile Luigi. Show me you can actually give a true emotion."



He let out an audible sigh as he turned his attention back from his inner thoughts to the sunrise in his view. The purple and orange rays began to break over the treeline, as he quietly muttered to himself.



"Every day is another sunrise, another chance to see a brand new day."

Word Count: 403| Green= Weegee, Blue= Zeek
Tags: Faded

by requiem of <remoor>

[Faded]

Had this been a bad idea?

Looking around, Faded double checked his meager belongings before pushing in the chairs to the two chairs to the table. He had just finished a quick snack before starting to head out of town. It wasn't that he didn't want to go out, he did, he wanted to socialize. It's just that now that he was in the moment of leaving, he was second guessing himself. There were plenty of quests, but he didn't want to have to deal with too many people in something like a five person adventure, that was far too much. His main goal wasn't to slay the monster or search for rare items, it was mainly to gain experience with socializing with other people. He was a guardian after all, he wanted to protect people and would have to be able to at least talk to them to communicate plans.

'Yes.' he decided after a brief argument with himself, 'This was a good idea..' It wasn't exactly a convincing statement in his head so he didn't bother trying to say it again out loud. People might start talking anyway; he wasn't crazy. Maybe. Sighing, Faded hurried on his way to search for his newest companion. It wasn't difficult to find him, mostly due to the fact that the man looked like he was waiting for someone. While he supposed it may be a coincidence, this was as good a time as any to work on his social skills.

"H.. Hi..." Oh yeah. Totally nailed it.

Word Count: 256

[Weegee]

I GET ALONG WITH THE VOICES INSIDE OF MY HEAD

It wasn't too long before Weegee heard a voice from not too far behind him. He turned on his heel, his hands tucked away in the pockets of his jacket as he looked the newcomer over. The man wasn't as tall as himself, though that was partially because Weegee was what most would have referred to as a 'bean pole' with his physique. He gave a nod to the man as he ran a hand through his own hair.



"Hello. I believe you are the one who is to be joining me on this adventure? Searching for the lair of Nepenta, yes?"



He looked at the man as his spoke, his flat, toneless voice echoed in the surrounding air almost as if it were as hollow as his expression. Once he had confirmed that this was indeed his companion for the quest he would turn once more, bringing up his inventory as he quickly flipped through the menus.



"My name is Weegee, a pleasure to meet you. I am glad you were willing to tag along, I had attempted this same dungeon one, maybe two years ago and had lost my last travelling partner in the fog where the dungeon spawns. Hopefully this time things will be different."



He looked over his shoulder as he clicked the last menu, causing a rather basic looking spear to appear on his back. Sure, he was of the Monk class, but that didn't stop him from learning how to utilize a spear in his repetoire.



"Our destination lies within the deepest areas of the Windsor Greatwood, within a large area of dense fog thick enough to blot out the sun. Visibility on the ground will be reduced to around three meters from your position and an aerial view will offer nothing on the location of the Dungeon due to its construction."



He walked as he spoke, leading the pair closer to the edge of the Windsor Greatwood as they went.



"Perhaps you have some questions regarding strategy, the creatures within or any other topics that might exist?"



He figured a little conversation would help the time traveling pass by a little quicker.

Word Count: 359| Green= Weegee, Blue= Zeek
Tags: Faded

by requiem of <remoor>

[Faded]

Scratching the side of his head, Faded couldn't help but think that he had actually found the perfect companion for his current goal. It seemed that Weegee was straight to the point and didn't get too deep into idle conversation, instead he was interested in questions that the Wolf Hair might have about their current mission. That suited his personality just fine and put him a bit more at ease. His new companion didn't seem terribly shy or brooding, just... complacent maybe? That didn't seem like the right word, emotionless sounded like a better fit. Perhaps it was just in the tone of voice.

Raising an eyebrow at the spear that appeared he admitted to being curious, but wasn't about to question it; he couldn't recall what sort of class favored the spear. Faded's own weapon of choice was quite odd for his class though, what sort of Guardian went around with a dagger-like weapon? It made him realize he wasn't able to take a guess based on the weapon of choice. "That I am, and the pleasure is all mine, my name is Faded." Picking up his feet as Weegee started to move, Faded followed after him at a short distance, preferring the space from new people. Given the new information about the dungeon they were traveling into, it seemed that was going to be a problem though.

Scratching at the white hair where his ears lay hidden, he nodded a bit solemnly. "I see.." If it's just the fog hindering sight, he didn't think it would be too difficult keeping track of where Weegee was as long as he could hear him, but some sort of plan would be best. "Guess I never thought of fog being so dangerous, but we should be careful the same thing doesn't happen as last time." Somewhere in the back of his mind, Faded wondered just what had happened to the other person Weegee came in here with. "The simplest thing would be to tie a rope to connect us right?" He didn't have any sort of rope on him himself, but hopefully his partner either had some, or a better idea. Faded was sort of straight-forward with his thinking, not the most creative sort when it came to such things.
Word Count: 379

[Weegee]

I GET ALONG WITH THE VOICES INSIDE OF MY HEAD

The guy introduced himself as Faded, an interesting name to say the least. The voice of Zeek echoed softly in his mind before he muffled the sound with the noise of his current reality. The guy had offered the suggestion of tying a rope to each of them in order to prevent the possibility of getting lost, however Weegee had to shake his head in slight protest.



"Sadly such an idea would be more hindrance than an assistance due to the style of combat I employ. I can use some ground based skills but most of my combat relies on me being aerial with jumps in order to deal the most damage while minimizing my loss of health points. I sadly have not invested in many of the Monk skills that are useful for land combat. My best suggestion would be the infamous game of, Marco Polo, if you are familiar with the term. If we get lost allow me to try and locate you via aerial recon using sounds you make while standing still. Per example, calling out such phrases as 'over here' or 'Marco' would be acceptable."



He hoped the explanation would suffice as he stopped just before the treeline. A small collection of briar bushes blocked the way in from the area they had arrived, but such a blockade didn't really bother him. He snapped his fingers, causing his hands to glow with a light, forest green aura. Without a hint of concern in his mind he swing his hand into the bush, almost as if he were performing a karate chop. Amazingly, his hand cut through the brush, before he began to perform a few kicks and chops in order to clear them a path through the thorns. As he finished, he turned to Faded with a simple nod before turning around and continuing on his way into the forest.



"I trust you have no issues with me leading the way in order to deal with such obstructions as we have just seen?"



It would be a long walk ahead of them, and he knew more blockades would meet their path before they reached even the fog itself. His fox-like ears twitched side to side as his twin fox tails lazily hung behind him. He was focused on the world around him, knowing of the many creatures lurking this area of the world.

Word Count: 397| Green= Weegee, Blue= zeek
Faded

by requiem of <remoor>

[Faded]

A monk, that was a new one. Though the assassin Metro was one of the only other classes he could confirm that he's worked with, as far as he could tell, there weren't many others he had seen passing through town. He should probably get out more too. "Interesting. We make quite the combination then, my skills as a guardian don't require much movement and some require that I'm forced to stay in one place on the ground." Faded mulled over the thought of Marco Polo in the maze, and it didn't sound like a bad idea. If they ended up being on opposite sides of a wall it may get a little confusing but hopefully they could be lucky enough not to run into such a complication. It made him feel a little childish to be accepting such a think since he hadn't played it in years, but he agreed none-the-less, "That sounds fine. As I said, I tend to stay in one position once I get up to something, so you'll be the troublesome one." He didn't mean it to sound as rude as it probably did, he just meant that with all the jumping around Weegee said his skills needed, it would be hard to keep track of his position.

That... worried Faded. If he couldn't see his partner or know where he was, how was he suppose to tell when they were in trouble. The hairs on the back of his neck bristled slightly as his normally cloudy eyes flashed a brief shade of yellow. Stepping after Weegee gave him a go ahead, Faded traversed the rugged terrain with little difficulty in his plate armor. "I don't mind you taking the lead, though I don't know if my weapon would be more efficient at cutting through the bushes or not." Pausing slightly, he went on to give a voice to his distress, "And um.. you'll be sure to call out to me if you find yourself in trouble right?" Re-spawning might be a thing, but if he lost his new companions along the line, the regret would gnaw at his conscious.
Word Count: 355

[Weegee]

I GET ALONG WITH THE VOICES INSIDE OF MY HEAD

Weegee lead the way through the winding pathways of the forest, following the easiest of the paths for his teammate's benefit. He listened to Faded's concerns, before voicing his response to them.



"Indeed, keeping track of my position once we have made way into the fog will be nearly impossible during the times when I am airborne, though with your immobility I'll be able to keep a decent track of my location compared to yours as my memory of forested areas is, above average after having been lost and living in them for the last year or so. As such I will do what I can to keep myself as audible for you as I can while not giving myself away to the enemy. Thankfully due to the nature of the location we are heading for, most of the creatures within utilize vibrations for their prey detection, such as the Nepent Snatcher and their ilk. Have no fear that I plan to do anything more reckless than taking a monster for a skydive utilizing one of my skills known as Suplex which causes more damage the higher my opponent and I fall, as well as how long I hold on. It is indeed a double-edged sword, but is the strongest skill I possess currently. As for your weapon being more efficient, I may have to disagree. The reason I am able to do such to these bushes is due to my crafting class's first skill, Timber. I spent a large amount of my free time focusing on honing my skills as a Woodcrafter, thankful that they paid off enough for me to be able to build myself a home back in Londinium's housing district."



He had explained a bit more than he had planned, though he knew of no real reason any of that should have been a secret in the first place. His attention was more quickly attracted to the sound of snapping twigs coming from the party's left side. Weegee stood still, looking towards the sound's source to find a pair of squirrels quarreling over a stray acorn. His body relaxed as he noted the lack of danger and began making his way once more turning them down another small, tree-laden path.



"We should arrive at the edge of the fog by noon. I normally arrive much quicker but the ground paths are not nearly as expeditious as the treetops are."

Word Count: 403| Green= Weegee, blue= zeek
tag: Faded

by requiem of <remoor>

[Faded]

Appreciating the fact that Weegee was taking the ground path for his benefit, Faded understood now how it was indeed easier for the other man to cut through with his bare hands. Truth be told, he wouldn't have minded if the lad went ahead of him to wait after heading through the treetops. Surely it would take him awhile before he caught up, but it wouldn't have bothered him if that's what was preferred. Still, he was starting to appreciate his companion a little more with each little thing he learned about him, from the fact that they were going to be working together, to the most reason piece of information of his profession in wood crafting. Speaking of which, how nice it must be to have made his own home, though he couldn't imagine how long it must have taken.

Making progress through the forest, the of movement off to their left caused his attention to shift along with Weegee's, but only while his partner seemed to be on alert. Faded took things in stride, and unless something actually came out and attacked him, he didn't usually take the time to investigate, or be on edge himself. It was only when Weegee looked like he was going to jump into action that he would take up a more aggressive stance, he would be ready when his partner was. There was no apparent need for the alarm though as it was only a pair of squirrels quarreling over some food. Letting out a short breath of relief, he wasn't looking forward to getting into a fight before they entered the dungeon, they would need most of their strength go get through it and to the boss. Likely this wasn't a two person quest for no reason.

"That is quite the feat. If I ever start to gather materials and need someone to help me put together a house of my own, perhaps I should keep you in mind?" While he did have a place to stay at the moment, it technically wasn't his, just a part of the game he had filled with things a normal home would have. Anyone was able to invade it or take something if they actually thought anything was worth taking. He didn't have anything valuable he didn't keep on hand in his inventory. Shoot, the only real thing he valued was the armor on his back, shield, and kunai. Starter things he needed to survive. "I don't mind if you want to go ahead of my, it might take me a bit longer to catch up but I am confident in my ability to do so. I don't wish to hinder you."
Word Count: 448

[Weegee]

I GET ALONG WITH THE VOICES INSIDE OF MY HEAD

Weegee shook his head, he had no intention of abandoning Faded, even if it allowed him to travel faster. Not only was it a bad idea, along the lines of splitting up the group in a dungeon, it would have been incredibly rude of him.



"No, it is of no trouble that I remain on this path with you, splitting our power in this area, especially with you being grounded, would be quite hazardous. As I mentioned earlier, the monster known as the Nepent Snatcher hunts based on vibrations along the ground. As such, footsteps, tripping or even so much as tapping the ground with a stick could attract their attention. I have a lot of practice fighting creatures of their type, which has lead to my somewhat mastery of this form of aerial combat. As for the idea of a house, if you are in need I do work for a small fee based on the work, as per usual for many crafters. But, I shall be back momentarily, if you continue along this path I shall catch up quickly, I merely plan to check our current position in relation to our destination."



Once he had made sure Faded was ready to go, Weegee would quickly leap into the branches of the nearest tree, leaping higher than most could even in this game. He quickly disappeared into the foliage above, the only sound being the sound of his boots tapping on wood here and there, before the sound of him bursting through the treetop echoed through the area.



Weegee looked around, noticing the dark clouds rolling in before spotting their destination off to their east. It wasn't much further, but he needed to turn their expedition, as he had Faded currently heading South. Keeping his bearings he leaped down through the trees, heading for the lowest branches as he sped along the path, quickly gaining ground on his party member. As he landed a few feet in front of Faded, he pointed to the east with a single hand.



"My apologies Faded, but we need to change bearing. Our location is about a half-mile to the east, as I have had us forging a path south. We should arrive soon, however..."



As if to speak for itself the loud crash of thunder rumbled through the forest, followed by a slight sprinkle of rain.



"The weather is turning foul, but should not hamper us much, if you are still willing to travel, of course."

Word Count: 414| Green= Weegee, Blue=Zeek

by requiem of <remoor>

[Faded]

"Of course." Faded hadn't expected anything for free. In fact, if the monk offered even a little discount since they were helping each other out here he wouldn't have been pleased and argued the case. This dungeon wasn't any sort of favor after all, they were together as mutual comrades. Though they were still basically strangers to one another, he would give the man his trust based on the fact that they both needed the other to get in and out of this dungeon. It didn't matter if Weegee was perhaps one of the people who would kill him once they were done or out of the dungeon, he'd probably kneel down and accept his fate because he didn't believe himself capable of outrunning him. "I'll keep in this direction." He assured the object of his musing as Weegee soared off to scout ahead.

Left to himself, he trudged onward at the same pace, taking out his own kunai and slashing away at any green obstructing his path. Usually he kept the rope at the end tied around his wrist and arm so it wouldn't be in his way while attacking, but occasionally it did help him climb up to places to sunbathe or nap safely. Faded could be a little lazy now and then, but if he didn't just relax and take a break from this crazy world he found himself in now he might just go crazy himself.

It didn't take too long for Weegee to return, but Faded had to admit he was glad to have him back. Cutting through the brush really wasn't as easy as he made it seem. Hearing of their need for a change of course he nodded, "Welcome back, and that's fine. I enjoy the rain anyway." Given the various races, monsters, and ability to respawn, he usually considered they were in the game, but it was moments like being out in the rain or a particularly hot day he couldn't but think that perhaps this was just another reality they were spirited off to. Everyone had a different opinion he was sure, but he just didn't know where he stood all the time.

Lifting his head to look up at the darkening sky, he let himself feel the light drops against his face for a moment, enjoying the smell of the fresh start of rain through his sharp senses before turning back to Weegee. "Give me warning if you decide to kill me." He ended up blurting out, having a habit of saying what's on his mind. "I'd like to enjoy the feel of the rain a moment more once we're done." Perfectly serious, Faded turned towards the each to continue their journey, his mind now wondering if it would feel more freeing or sickening to respawn.
Word Count: 466

[Weegee]

I GET ALONG WITH THE VOICES INSIDE OF MY HEAD

Weegee gave a nod as the man mentioned he enjoyed the rain. It was nice to find another individual who didn't mind a little foul weather. He turned and began cutting through the woods as a light mist began to rise from the ground. What caught Weegee off guard though, was the man asking him for a warning before he decided to kill him, just so he could feel the rain once more before he was sent back to spawn. Weegee stopped and blinked, turning to look at Faded before his face contorted in sheer anger.



"What the actual hell kid? You honestly think that guy was going to kill you or something? Why the heck would he even dream of that when he would dive in front of an attack for even a Lander?"



Weegee's attitude completely changed, along with his voice shifting from monotone to a dark, deep tone.



"That guy is too nice for his own good, would give the shirt off his back for anyone he met even after a few minutes if he thought they needed it more! When he comes back out you better apologize to him or I'll personally make sure he doesn't remember what I do. Got it?"



The voice would stick around long enough for confirmation from Faded before Weegee's body suddenly collapsed to its knees. He would blink a few times before looking around, his face back to its placid expression from before.



"Did... did I fall? My apologies Faded, my head started hurting and I blacked out. I... I didn't say anything bad, did I?"



He looked up at Faded, his head tilted slightly with his blank expressionless face.

Word Count: 280| 
Talker Colors: Weegee, Zeek, NPCs
Notes:

by requiem of <remoor>

[Faded]

Faded didn't actually see anything wrong with his request. He was simply considering all options so he could do what he wanted today, and he wanted to enjoy the rain. Whatever Weegee might seem to him, the man was rather bland and unreadable so he didn't know what he was or wasn't capable of. That... well, that changed, rather drastically actually. A sudden rage overcame his features as he all but glared death into the Wolf Hair's soul, yelling at him about apologizing to some guy, not himself, but someone else. Honestly it was all highly confusing, and he didn't know what to make of the situation. Weegee seemed to be talking about himself, since he was the only one spoken too, but at the same time he wasn't referring to himself. This was going to give him a headache later, he was sure, especially with the sudden change in the sound of his voice even with the change of tone.

It took a moment for Faded to listen to who he believed was Weegee before the guy paused. Was he done being scolded? It seemed that way. He wasn't exactly sure what to do, but it seemed the other person was looking to him for something so he went ahead and nodded. Jumping slightly at the collapse right after, he leaned forward to give Weegee a concerned, quizzical look. He wouldn't touch his companion out of concern, his fear of contact still very strong, but he still got closer willingly than he had ever before. "You don't remember?" he inquired, even more confused by the minute.

Was this a test of some sort? Was he testing Faded's mettle or sanity before going into the dungeon? Or was this more punishment for him voicing how unsure he was of what Weegee was really like? Shaking his head, Faded just went with his brutal honestly like always. "I'm not sure. You told me to apologize to someone because they were the nicest person who would give the shirt off their back for a stranger and dive in front of a Lander, though I don't see why that was mentioned." To Faded, the People of the Land were more important than his own life as well because they only had one here. "I am highly confused though. Am I suppose to apologize to you, or someone else? And was it so wrong for me to want to doubt someone who I don't know?"
Word Count: 411