Having such an enormous continent to keep secure, B.A.I.T.R was forced to place a tele-zone for the baiters in the far sections of the continent in order to protect it as best they could. Japan, being a massive metropolis for technology, was hit hard by the A.I. enemies when they began attacking, and the major cities of Japan are some of the most extremely populated places for the enemies on Earth. However, in the rural areas of Japan, like the Kamikatsu Region, there are little to none of them. These rural sections of Japan were vastly unpopulated even before the disaster, and as such technology, though present, was not a massive industry. The industries here were made almost entirely of agricultural avenues. The mountainous areas are breathtakingly beautiful, but Japan is one of the few areas that has experienced the volume of missing persons that it has seen. Very few people who are reported missing after leaving the Kamikatsu region are ever found, though the few who have returned are almost incomprehensible, and most of them are taken for having gone mad.
Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2016 10:15 am
Sarah Hartwell
۩…………………………………………………………………۩
Sarah walked along with Acel, listening as he chattered about his past. She didn't mind listening, hearing a person's voice change as they spoke about different things. Speaking quickly and more high pitched when they were excited about what they were talking about. Then just as quickly get low and deep when talking about something serious. Her eyes went up to the sky in thought when he mentioned that the man that helped raise him said that A.I.s had souls of their own and not all of them were bad. Her thought going back to the Quazzar she had fought. It certainly thought that she was the villain, not the other way around. She wondered if there was more to it's thoughts than she had originally concluded.
He didn't completely talk through their walk. He did ask her a few questions. He asked her about kind of foods she liked. She told him she enjoyed Italian, mostly due to all the pasta they had and just made it taste wonderful with all kinds of flavors. She told him she mostly read through her childhood, it was the only thing she could really enjoy since reading subtitles and watching a movie was really difficult. She told him about what it was like in Chicago, which was very different to his village it seemed. She never realized it, of course she never really met anyone outside a city. She told Acel about Jenny, her only friend who she met because she got smacked in the face by a ball at a park and lost a tooth. She laughed at the memory, since it happened when she was six. Jenny wasn't sure how to talk to Sarah at first since she couldn't hear Jenny, being deaf and all. She told Acel that Jenny was when he interupted, asking about her, apologizing almost immediately. She smiled happily, looking out the train window as she spoke. “Jenny is my complete opposite, very out-spoken and not afraid to tell anyone her thoughts.” She looked away in embarrassment. She was use to people saying it sounded like they shouldn't be friends at all since they were so different. But Sarah didn't agree, Jenny learned sign language so she could talk to Sarah because they went to the same park a lot. Sarah would spend a lot of her time swinging and watching the other kids play. Without her hearing, she couldn't hear the laughter, or the screaming. She couldn't play hide and seek, she tried that once and no one could find her, which lead to a big search since she couldn't hear that the game was over. Her mother was very freaked out when she finally came out of hiding after waiting for so long. She didn't tell this to Acel, keeping that to herself.
Though Acel's reaction wasn't one she was expecting again. She looked at him in shock, she gave a small laugh. “I-I-I guess p-p-people from villages ar-are different than o-o-ones from ci-ci-cities.” She mumbled to herself. Her face became completely red when Acel asked her how they were different because of where they came from. “I-I-I ….. I'm so sorry... I wasn't.... I was just..... I'm so sorry.” She didn't think Acel would have heard her, she obviously needed to keep her thoughts inside her mind. She didn't often speak her thoughts, or mumble them anyways. Soon she found them in an apology war, saying sorry to each other over and over. It took the rest of the walk back to headquarters before they finally stopped, Sarah's face still red in embarrassment. She wondered if that was a fight or not. Her first fight with someone that wasn't Jenny, she couldn't help but feel a little happy, underneath the humiliation. She was maybe making friends outside the media. Though she wasn't so sure that she should call Acel a friend, since they only met and started talking.
Sarah followed Acel inside headquarters, becoming quiet as they made their way to the offices. She felt her face get pink all over again when the Secretary ask them if they ever took a break. She looked at Acel, feeling like she should say something to him when he said he was less than human. She wasn't sure what to say though, so kept quiet. She listened to the mission details, feeling her heart break a bit when she heard a man lost his family heirloom. She followed Acel, giving a nod when he said thank you for joining him on the mission. She gave Acel a small wave as he went into the portal, then felt silly when she remembered that she was going to see him a few seconds, quickly putting her arm back down. She took a deep breath before stepping onto the portal, feeling the blast as she was teleported away. She opened her eyes to see an area a lot like the area she had been against Dal during the tournament. Her jaw fell a bit as she took in all the green in place, that was actually natural, not cleverly placed like the city gardens she was use to. It was so beautiful, then there was the sounds. She could hear insects and birds, of all kinds. Not just the pigeons and robins that lived in the city. “Wow, never seen anything like this before. Neither have you it seemed princess.” She could only shake her head in response. She was use to gray and black, hard concrete and busy people. She was soon snapped out of her trance when Acel spoke up, pointing to a hill. A village was in that direction. She was actually excited to see what the village looked like. Would it be like Acel's village?
Sarah looked at the village, her eyes widening at the sight of their homes. They actually lived like this? How did they keep warm in winter? And wouldn't those houses get blown away if a strong wind came through? She looked at the people, seeing that they kept busy, almost like the cities. But there was such a difference, that Sarah felt like a fish out of water there. She wasn't sure how to respond to all of it. She felt her first thoughts were rude. If the village was still there and had been there a long time, they obviously found a way to survive without concrete and cars. She asked Acel nervously if this was what Acel's village was like, of which he said they had more pre-existing buildings while this village seemed to have made their own homes. She nodded, looking at the village again. Sarah followed Acel's lead, letting him do the talking. They found the man they were looking for, feeling sorry for the man when she heard that they had burnt his house down. That was just mean. Steal then destroy what he had left. She listened to the man as he said he only wanted his cane back.
She looked at the jungle, wondering how they were going to find them. She didn't know how to navigate through a forest. Get her in a city and she could find her way no problem. But nature, that was out of her league.
۩…………………………………………………………………۩
Outfit:Day clothes Headphones: Attached: Can hear Line Count: 65 OOC: Song: Translation:
Quote:
Sarah
B.A.I.T.R Standing: 170 Health: 1070/1500 Control Limit: 1364
Skill: 141 [165] Strength: 85 Defense: 115 [125]
Quote:
Tactical Advantages
Tank - Level 1 - You gain 10 extra Defense. However, you also receive a -5% to your defensive chances.
The small talk helped silence the thoughts in the back of his mind. It eased them away like a cup of warm milk eased away your wakefulness at night. He slipped into it, like a warm bath, enjoying every moment as they walked. He felt...normal. Even if it was for just a few fleeting moments. She seemed to think about the concept of A.I. not all being bad, the look of contemplation etching its way across her features. It brought a smile to his face to think that she might believe it, as well.
When she told him that she liked Italian food, he nodded along. She explained that she really liked the different kinds of pastas and sauces that they combined to make different flavors. "I can get behind that. I definitely like a good pasta, so I guess I will be looking for 'Italian' restaurants from now on, when I get the craving." He said with a light chuckle. After she had told him about his love for books, she mentioned that she mostly read when she was young, and he related to it immediately. "Me too, trust me. I was usually alone, so I just devoured the information, like candy. I couldn't help but crave more and more. My parents could barely bring back enough to sate my thirst for it. I would read them a dozen times faster than they could bring new ones back for me." She explained how it was, growing up in Chicago.
She started by explaining that she had to keep watch diligently while she traveled,as there was always a constant hustle and bustle around the city. He had been extremely thankful for Midas' watch, making it easy for him to get used to so many things happening around him at once, and avoid stumbling into one of the many people or cars. He explained how there were no vehicles or anything like that in his village. That over the generations they had cleared the concrete layer beneath their feet to get to the soil beneath it, and that's how they had slowly create farmland. She spoke of visiting the gardens in the city, while he family practiced their music, and the ghost of a smile pulled at the corner of his mouth. Gardens...he loved gardens. It was nice that they would create them within such a city as well. He would have to look into them.
Afterwards, they began discussing her friend, Jenny. She told a story about being smacked by a ball and losing a tooth, and he laughed with her about it as they walked, though he had to ask who this 'Jenny' was. Sarah explained, however, and by the end of it, Jenny sounded like she might be some sort of crazy, partying loose cannon at times...but also a really sweet girl, who really cared about Sarah when it came down to it. The fact that she had learned sign language just so she could communicate with Sarah was such an enormously kind thing to do. She seemed like the kind of friend you would want around in life.
She mumbled, after he had spoken, about people being different from villages versus from cities, and he quirked a brow, asking how he was so different. But she seemed flustered by the question, as if he had been offended by it, and he smiled softly and shook his head, reaching out and touching her by the arm to show her it was okay. "Nothing at all to be sorry for. I was just curious is all. I'm sorry for making you feel bad about that. You really don't need to." And soon, they were apologising back and forward for making the other person feel they had done something wrong. They ended up, however, just laughing off how ridiculous the situation had been by the time they had arrived at headquarters.
When he was going through the portal to their mission location, in Asia, Sarah waved to him as he was walking through, as if she were saying goodbye, and as she held her hand out waving, and he watched her disappear while he was sucked through the portal, his body was filled with existential dread. His mind began to play once more, the image of his wife holding her hand out toward him, pleading him to stop. Asking him why he was doing it? It was going further this time, though. He felt the weight of the greatsword in his hand. He felt the resistance as he pushed it through his wife's body. And he remembered leaning in close to her.
"Because I never loved you...because our family was a lie. Because I have been waiting for this moment all of my life. To be free. Free of these farms and this piteous, meaningless existence."
He had watched the hope fade from her eyes before she died...everything she had ever loved, or believed in had been taken from her. By him. By Pesagniyah. As Acel came through to the other side, he had a few moments as Sarah was admiring the scenery around her to clench his teeth and swallow the emotions bubbling back to the surface. He couldn't let himself show it right now...if he did, that meant explaining it...and he couldn't do that right now, either. However, by the time that she had managed to take in her surroundings, Acel would have managed to suppress most of the thoughts boiling up. Sure, he might seem a little quiet, or off for a moment or two, but she likely wouldn't read too much into it.
It didn't take long before they had reached the village. By the time that they had reached the top of the hill it was already in view a short distance away. As they approached it, Sarah seemed almost shocked by the appearance, and had he not been clawing his way away from his memories, he might have even laughed at it, or made a jest with her about it. When she asked if it was what his village was like, he shook his head. "The buildings in my village were constructed out of the old, broken homes or structures of Bergerac. They were much more advanced homes, but they were still repaired with bits and pieces. It looks like these people built all of this from the ground up. It's quite impressive." He stated with a curt nod as he looked around. It was likely that they homes were quite warm with the way that they had been built, but the only way to truly know was to actually spend time in one...he wondered what that would be like. Perhaps one day, he would come up to this secluded place and spend some time.
They got a few looks as they entered in through the village, but the smoke that was rising up from the far side of it told them enough about who was calling for the help. Either way, though, he wanted to be sure, so he stopped a villager in the street, holding his hand up and asking if the man knew who had called for B.A.I.T.R. The man merely nodded and pointed toward the smoke, as Acel had expected. He thanked the man and him and Sarah were on their way. After they found the burnt down home, the man rushed from inside, covered in soot and ash.
"Are you the people from B.A.I.T.R?" Acel nodded to him. "Please...please you have to help me. You're the only chance that I have. I-I called their bluff...refused to tell them where it was...they burned my home to the ground because they knew the cane would survive...and then they sifted through the ashes until they found it. F-F-five of them. They took it and ran off into the jungle." The man began to weep, smearing black across his face as he attempted to remove the tears. "It's all I have left of my father. Of my family." Acel nodded again, stroking his chin as he looked at the man. "Which direction did they go in?" The crying man pointed out the direction, and Acel nodded to him, slapping his hand down on the man's shoulder. "We'll get it back for you. Don't worry."
Acel nodded to Sarah, and he followed the man's pointed hand to the direction that they would need to go into the forest. He immediately began to head out in that way, making sure not to go too quickly, as he knew that Sarah didn't have the observational advantages that he had. He just moved at a comfortable pace as they made their way into the jungle. It didn't take Acel long to track them, finding their impressions in the jungle soil. Within a half hour, there were signs that they were getting closer to them...though they were not the kind of signs that you wanted to see. There were claw marks across the tree trunks, there were traces of blood on the ground and on the leaves...it looked like a massacre. Had they found more victims? Or perhaps it was them?
The trail of broken branches, marred trunks, and blood spatters led them on into the forest, until it opened up into a clearing where there were twisted human bodies, on the ground and stuck in the branches where they had likely been hurled. Acel's eyes darted too and fro as Midas' worked as well. They looked for the staff, any sort of cane-like object, but they could not find it. Had it been taken? By the clothes that the dead men wore, they had been the bandits.
"We have to be prepared...I think...they might have been attacked by the A.I...though I can't be sure. It might have been anything." Acel said as he looked around, placing a hand on the hilt of his sword.
Line Count: 153
OOC:
Quote:
B.A.I.T.R Standing: 194 Health: 1500/1500 Control Limit: 1552
Battleground Proficiency - Level 5 - You gain +10% to all defense chances, and your opponents receive -10% to their defensive chances against you.
Accupuncturist - Level 3 - When you deal damage, the foe suffers a -6 to their Strength stat for the rest of the fight.
Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2016 7:03 am
Sarah Hartwell
۩…………………………………………………………………۩
Sarah could only give the man a sympathetic look as he cried, trying to wipe the tears away, only to smear the soot that covered him more on himself. She tore a bit of a cloth that was just merely hanging by a thin piece of her shirt, handing it to the man to let him use instead of his dirty hands. She didn't think soot in the eyes would help matters. The man seemed to cry more at the gesture as he used the small cloth to help clean himself. Sarah glanced down, glad to see that hole didn't go far up her side, turning her attention back to the man.
She sighed inside, not wanting to the man to see she wasn't happy to hear she had to walk through the very dense forest place, thing. She gave the man a reassuring smile before following Acel. She looked everywhere she stepped, keeping her eyes down to keep an eye on the roots on the ground, only to smack into a low branch. She held her forehead, groaning a bit. Seriously? She took a deep breath, doing her best to keep an eye above as well as below. Though it really didn't do well. She was tripping on roots, quickly grabbing the nearest trunk, scrapping her hands a bit. She was going to get killed by nature before the bandits, she was sure of it. She noticed that there seemed to be more broken branches than usual, making her wonder what would cause bandits trying to hide from getting caught would cause so much destruction.
Her face paled at the sight of blood among the broken branches, her mind wondering if it was more victims of the bandits or the bandits themselves. She lost track of keeping an eye on the roots and branches, she tripped, tumbling into Acel. Though he was quick to grab her, catching her by surprise. “So..sorry.....” She stuttered, slowly getting back on her feet with his help, looking away in embarrassment. She looked at him when he explained that it was Midas that helped him keep from tripping over things like her. “Well then, thank goodness for Midas then.” She smiled a bit.
She couldn't help but giggle when Acel told her not to encourage him, his ego already too big as it is. The Guard snickered in her head at that. Sarah followed Acel into a clearing, where Sarah could only put her hand to her mouth in horror at the scene. There were human bodies, mutilated and twisted. Sarah had to look away, but her mind still held the image of the scene. She barely heard Acel as he told her to be careful. God, that wasn't right. She felt her stomach clench in a threatening manner. She had to run a bit away from Acel to get behind a tree so she could let out the food she had just enjoyed with Acel not too long ago. It was horrible. It was worse than in the tunnel. She gasped and choked, almost crying. Sure they were bandits, but dear god to have to see their end in such a way. She put a hand on the trunk of the tree to help her keep balance as she waited for the nausea to pass. She felt something drop on her head, making her blink a bit as she slowly lifted her hand to where she felt the drip, pulling it back to see red on her finger tips.
She felt her entire being shake as she slowly lifted her eyes up, her eyes meeting the horrified face of a bandit, handing upside down in a tree by his feet. Sarah's face could only almost match the horrified look the bandit had as she stared at him, seeing the blood dripping from his fingers as it ran down his arms from the cuts on his body. The body was high up in the trees, Sarah's eyes moved, seeing that he wasn't the only one. She couldn't help it, a scream ripped from her throat as she stared at the multiple dead faces that seemed to stare down at her as if they blamed her. She tore her eyes away again, stumbling away from the strung up bodies. She couldn't take much more, she couldn't. She felt her sanity seem to start to slip away as she breathed quickly.
Princess! Princess! Calm down! You need to calm down! Hey! Listen to me! The Guard yelled in her head as she knelt down, her head held in her hands as the images ran in her head. It was a horror movie in reality. Sing, sing something dammit. Baa Baa Black Sheep would work. The Guard said, almost frantic. If she lost her mind, she wouldn't be able to recover. The Guard didn't think she would come across this any time soon, but apparently he was wrong.
She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times before able to let something out. “Sweet dreams are made of this.... who am I to disagree.” She choked out, her voice shaking as she sung those three lines. She took a few deep breathes as she continued. “I travel the world and the seven seas.... Everybody's looking for something......” A simple song. No thought to it really. She wondered if this was how it would always be with her. She couldn't stand scenes like this from movies. She wondered if she could ever look the dead in the eyes without feeling the horror she just felt. It didn't seem possible, but how could she not. Soon she would get use to it. It wouldn't be for a while now though, she knew that. It would take time, but after a few more missions just like this one, she could look at it like Acel was. But it wasn't because he was heartless, he just knew how to hide it. Maybe. She couldn't say how he could look at them without hesitating.
It took her a few minutes to actually collect herself as she sung the small rhyme. She realized she felt a hand on her shoulder, she didn't have to wonder who it might be. Who else could it be? She was just surprised that he was standing with her while she sung to herself like some crazy person. He had been saying something, she was pretty sure. Maybe that it would be okay. How could it be? Those men had been killed. She wouldn't have killed them, just knock them unconscious and take back the cane, maybe turn them in if that was possible. She didn't know, but anything but being torn into by an AI, one that thought it be good to take the time to hang a few of them up. God it was horrible. These creatures were much worse than she thought, she was sure they just killed and moved on, but here it seemed there was more.
She slowly stood up, turning her back to Acel. She wasn't sure how to face him. She broke down, over something that she honestly shouldn't have. She was here to fight afterall. And there she went, threw up then screamed at the sight. “S...sorry.” She said finally. She wasn't sure what else to say, she kept her eyes averted from the bodies the best she could. “Wh...where should we go?” She asked him weakly.
۩…………………………………………………………………۩
Outfit:Day clothes Headphones: Attached: Can hear Line Count: 217 OOC: Song: Translation:
Quote:
Sarah
B.A.I.T.R Standing: 170 Health: 1070/1500 Control Limit: 1364
Skill: 141 [165] Strength: 85 Defense: 115 [125]
Quote:
Tactical Advantages
Tank - Level 1 - You gain 10 extra Defense. However, you also receive a -5% to your defensive chances.
Acel saw the tender, kind way that Sarah dealt with the man who had his family heirloom stolen from him. It seemed that she treated anyone she encountered with the same level of acceptance and care. She was a regular Mother Teresa. He smirked to himself, though he kept the expression hidden. He liked that she was like that. That she was so unconditionally kind.
As they moved their way through the forest, he kept his pace generally slow, already knowing that Sarah had the bit of a handicap when it came to traversing such thickly overgrown areas. He could hear little exhales of frustration or sharp intakes of breath in surprise when she would stub her feet, or catch her hair in the twigs, though she did not speak to curse or become angry at the snags and prods. However, there was a moment where she got tangled up and her foot was snared by some roots, causing her to fall. Acel immediately heard the sound of her body being thrown off kilter. The sound of the strain against the roots. The sound of the dirt being quickly stirred as her feet were swept from beneath her.
He turned almost instinctively, lashing out and grabbing her gently around her shoulders to stop the fall, bracing her back with one arm around her and the other at her waist to fully support her. She seemed surprised about it, and as he helped her to her feet, she looked away from him, and he looked away from her at the same time, both of them understanding the close proximity and becoming quickly embarrassed of it. "Don't worry so much about the trips and falls. Believe me, I used to be an absolute mess when it came to things like that. Midas is really the only reason I have changed so fast." He said with a light chuckle.
When she said 'thank goodness for Midas' the A.I. reared its head inside of his mind. "You see!? She know's what's up. The real brains of this operation. She knows I'm the only thing that really keeps you moving, Acel. You know it, too." Acel placed a hand on his forehead and told her she shouldn't encourage his already over-sized ego. At this point, Acel could hear the laughter from the Guard in Sarahs' head.
They moved forward from there, soon winding up in the clearing, and when they bore witness to the mutilated corpses that were strewn about, Sarah rushed off to the side to lose her lunch. Acel could not blame her, of course, because she had never seen these sort of twisted horrors before...Acel lived them in his mind over and over again. He watched the people he cared most about be torn asunder like these bodies...by himself. He was going to give her some time to herself, when a blood curdling scream ripped through the clearing and he turned and immediately ran to where she had been.
She looked absolutely horrified as she was looking up at the treetops, and when he looked to see what was there, he too backed away a few steps, surprised by the brutality of their enemies. Usually A.I. just killed their opponents...these ones had purposely arranged them to send a message...quite horrifying. The were murdering and mutilating not for their own combat needs, but just to show humans something horrific. Something told Acel they were not going to be dealing with a particularly nice set of enemies this time around.
As Sarah sang to herself, keeping herself wrapped up in a bubble--a reality that blocked out the horrors that were around her, Acel stood beside her, vigilantly. Waiting for her to collect herself, and to be okay. It was not easy for anyone to see those kinds of things, and some people bottled the horrors up until it was too late, and then they exploded. However, Sarah was dealing with it, she faced it head on, and even if it incapacitated her momentarily, it was less likely to affect her long term. When she apologised for it, however, he just held a hand up to her and shook his head.
"Don't be sorry for that, Sarah. It's because you're human. Because you care. Horrible things aught to disturb people...that's normal, and not at all shameful." He said with a grim nod, as he thought about the second thing she had said. The cave...would seem to be their best opportunity to find the things that had done this, but then again, that could also have been a very obviously laid trap for them. If they went inside, who knew, they could seal the entrance, or they could all just be waiting there for an ambush. He stroked his chin, and then he looked over to Sarah.
If these enemies of theirs were in the cave waiting to ambush, it was also possible they would have laid a secondary trap, in case their enemies recognised their trap, and they could then trap them in an unsuspected second trap...it was a lot of what ifs, but Acel was learning after his many encounters, never to trust that things are at face value. He looked back behind him at Sarah and took a deep breath, speaking in hushed tones. "Okay...I think this whole thing might be an elaborate trap, making us rush into the cave and be caught from behind by the enemy. So, what I suggest, is that I go inside the cave to check it out, and you can stay out here. Just hide for now, out of site. That way, if you notice any of them coming from out here to block me off, you can come in from behind them instead. Also, if you hear me call out for you from in there, to come running in after me. I will definitely need your help, either way."
Sarah seemed nervous about the whole thing, wondering if it might be better for her to be the bait instead. "W... wouldn't it b...be...better for m...me to be bait.... I... I am we....weaker than.... than you..." Acel just shook his head and smirked as he placed a hand on her shoulder once again. "You're just as capable a baiter as I am. You're not weak. Stop treating yourself that way, it's not fair to yourself. Besides...they might expect something is off if we send the weaker looking one of us in there first. If I go, they will think I am scouting it out before I let you follow with me, we can hope, and then when they try to snare me in their trap we will destroy them. Together."
Sarah nodded, swallowing hard before piping back up. "O...okay.... it makes b-better sense... so-sorry for dis.... disagreeing...." Acel sighed slightly, seeming ever so slightly frustrated, though she would understand why in a moment. "No." He stated simply. "No more sorries. You should feel comfortable coming to me with your ideas. Disagreement breeds discussion, and discussion breeds the best, solution between two minds. Offering your own thoughts is always a good thing, and I will always appreciate it. Deal?" He said with a toothy smile, this time, holding his hand out to her to shake on it. Sarah didn't seem fully in belief that what he was saying was true--that she should absolutely let herself freely think and offer her opinions. However, she raised her hand slowly, allowing Acel to clasp it in a shake. It was a deal now. They would be able to talk to each other, and she would hopefully feel a little more at ease about discussing things with him honestly. He wished it could have been that easy with Dal...he hadn't seen him since the tournament.
Either way, he took a deep breath and he stood up, walking back out into the clearing before he moved forward toward the cave, hoping to dear god that they didn't get completely destroyed by their enemies. One could only hope. As he entered the caves, he could hear noises--shuffling coming from the deeper insides of the recess. They became louder and louder, and Acel began to back toward the exit, hoping nobody was closing in from behind--or if they were, he hoped Sarah had his back. He knew she would.
Line Count: 293
OOC:
Quote:
B.A.I.T.R Standing: 194 Health: 1500/1500 Control Limit: 1552
They had waited and planned meticulously. They had gotten the cane from the measly human, in the village. Though, thankfully for them, they had not needed to get it themselves. That would have involved facing off against an entire village of people, and perhaps having B.A.I.T.R. called on them. That would be a hell of an issue. For a cane and some bandits, though, there was no way that they were going to send any baiters out in force. Maybe a couple of low leveled folks to see what was going on--and that's exactly what they got. When the man and woman arrived on the scene, the first Daggerspine shuddered in excitement.
"Oh, my, brother Davin. It would seem we've got ourselves some guests. It took them long enough." The Daggerspine spoke, formulating a plan along with the second Daggerspine, as they lay in wait inside of the cave. The man seemed to take the reigns, allowing the female to stay hidden whilst he marched right into their trap. Send the strong one in to scout it out...just like they had planned. It would leave him all alone--and by the time his lady friend had made it to his side to help him, he would be long dead.
The Daggerspine giggled as Acel marched through the front entrance, and as he seemed to sense their presence, looking around carefully, he began to back away from them. Perhaps they had been caught! "Now, brother Davin! NOW!" It was time to set this thing off!
Quote:
Daggerspine
B.A.I.T.R Standing: 111 Health: 1107/1107
Skill: 60 Strength: 77 Defense: 85
Tactical Advantage:Flash Strike: Your body is meant to move with speed, and you have trained to the point that when given the chance, your speed will shine in battle. If your initiative roll to determine turn order in combat is higher than all of your enemies, you gain an additional attack per turn for that battle.
Rolling Initiative
It had been a good day, indeed. He had managed to get a hold of what his boss wanted from him--that stupid Cane. He heard it was an old code core of sorts...housing some sort of A.I. that the higher ups needed. Maybe it was an ancient warrior of some kind that might be able to massacre this race of thieving bigots. It didn't really matter at the end of the day, of course. All that mattered was that his bloodlust was sated--and that the trap they had set seemed to be bearing fruits. He heard the other Daggerspine call out, and Davin turned to his brother as he spoke. "Oh yes, brother Gavin. We do indeed. These fools have stumbled right into our trap. We can flay them, Gavin. Flay them good. When the man comes inside...we merely need to give the signal. Then, then Big Brother will take care of the rest."
It all came together just as it was supposed to. Acel walked into the cave, and the two Daggerspines waited patiently for him to get far enough inside before they started shuffling toward him, hoping to catch him off guard. However, as he moved in close, the man detected them, beginning to back up toward the exit. At that point, Gavin gave a cry for them to execute the plan! It was premature! They weren't even ready, damnit! "Damnit, Gavin, I wasn't ready! I needed to tie my shoes!""But, Davin, you don't have any shoes!" Davin looked down at his feet and shrugged...his excuse for why he had not been ready was not the best, that was for sure, but he had to use something, or he'd look foolish!
"Big Brother! NOW!"
Quote:
Daggerspine
B.A.I.T.R Standing: 123 Health: 1427/1427
Skill: 80 Strength: 86 Defense: 80
Tactical Advantage:Flash Strike: Your body is meant to move with speed, and you have trained to the point that when given the chance, your speed will shine in battle. If your initiative roll to determine turn order in combat is higher than all of your enemies, you gain an additional attack per turn for that battle.
Rolling Initiative
They were all waiting very patiently for someone to come...they didn't need someone to come...they just needed their superiors to pick up the damn cane. However, they could use the distraction. Someone to tear up while they waited would be nice. The bodies they had ripped to pieces were all hung up or tossed around the area in a big bloody mess already, so what were they to play with in the mean time? He could hear his two idiot subordinates below him, bickering most of the time, or having strange conversations that it didn't bother to try to understand. The Scraptor knew that they were both insane...but they did kill very efficiently, and that was enough for him to keep them around.
When the baiters showed up, the two Daggerspines set their trap up, and he waited patiently once more. He watched as the man went inside the cave, and he waited, the hairs prickling on the back of his neck as he did. Then, all of a sudden, their voices chimed in, saying it was time. The Scraptor barrelled through the foliage above the cave and it jumped down, directly in front of the cave entrance, blocking Sarah off from Acel, and pinching Acel between the Scraptor and the two Daggerspines inside.
Quote:
Scraptor
B.A.I.T.R Standing: 166 Health: 577/577
Skill: 70 Strength: 142 Defense: 120
Tactical Advantage:Deleter: You have studied hard in the art of combat, and you have become exceedingly proficient at the destruction of your foes, both human and A.I. alike. Your final damage (after defense reductions) is increased by 5%.
Line Count: 334
OOC:
BlankCaption Captain
Intellectual Smoker
Offline
BlankCaption Captain
Intellectual Smoker
Offline
Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2016 12:24 pm
Turn 1
Acel took a deep breath as he heard the noises--the things scurrying about within the cave. He moved backwards, but when he tried to escape, they put their plan into full motion--likely hoping to catch him off guard and take him out before he had a chance to do anything about it. Acel was not ready to give up, or to let himself fall into such a trap so easily. He bit his lip, however--the sudden sound of their voices filling the cave around him managed to spook him a bit, and when he let his senses focus on the entrance of the cave, the large Scraptor that jumped down in front of it was certainly not a good sign. However...it was not the Jailer. That was all that mattered. Immediately after scoping out his enemies, he could already tell that they were not nearly as strong as the jailer had been. They could beat them.
"Alright Sarah! Let's do this!" Acel bellowed out from the caves--signalling Sarah to jump into the fray whenever she could. For now, though, Acel prepared himself, his right hand dropping down to his left sword, preparing to unsheathe it when he needed to cut through these enemies. The Scraptor guarding his exit would be the first to go--it had to be. With that massive bugger clogging up the entrance, there would be no way for Acel to make it through to the other side and get back to Sarah. He wouldn't fail her, now, too, when she was out here trying to help him get away from his own thoughts. He wondered if she would ever want to do that...in other methods. Perhaps less fighting and killing, and more...he didn't know. Fun?
That was not the time to think about things like that...fun...how did he deserve such things anyways? He didn't. Acel immediately launched himself forward toward the Scraptor--putting more distance between him and whatever the hell was behind him. He knew there were forms, but even in this darkness, he could not accurately tell what they were. He was, though he could usually see through most things, blind. As he approached the exit, though, the light allowed him to easily make out the form of his enemy, and he unsheathed his blade, slicing upward toward the Scraptor's midsection as soon as he was within range. Immediately afterward, Acel tumbled forward, his second hand grabbing his second sword so that as he came out of the roll he was unsheathing it and swinging it across toward the back of the Scraptor, having managed to dive between it and the wall for his roll. Then, as soon as he stood up from the maneuver, a third strike came down like a hammer, aiming to strike the Scraptor right on the top of the head. He was not going to let this thing be drawn out any longer than it needed to be.
Attacking Scraptor x3
Line Count: 386
OOC: Okay! So, the double lines begin.
Quote:
B.A.I.T.R Standing: 194 Health: 1500/1500 Control Limit: 1552
Davin was quite surprised by how well this man was able to detect them so easily, even in the dark. Sure they had been moving around a little bit, but who would automatically assume that it was a murderous creature inside the cave, versus, lets say, a kitten? Who could really make that judgement? Remember, Davin, there are dead bodies in the trees outside, and insides all over the place. Right, Davin...right, that there are. "Brother Gavin, I must say, this man is peculiar. I'd like to take his scalp off, I think. Perhaps I could wear his hair for my own!" The man had already made his way backwards, trying to escape them, and run into their roadblock. Their Big Brother was a massive Scraptor, ready to tear this puny human to pieces. However, as soon as it landed in front of him, Acel jumped into action, smashing forward into the enemy and trying to cut the thing down to size.
Davin could only hope that his Big Brother would be able to avoid anythign too dangerous. Besides...this guy was just a man, there was no reason that they should believe that he would actually win against their Big Brother. They might be baiters, but they were just low levelled scouts at best! But then it all happened...so fast that he could almost not even believe his own eyes. He couldn't! The man flew toward Big Brother, and with the first slash, carved him across his midsection. Then, with a dive forward, he popped up behind him, carving him from the back, and then immediately bringing the sword down on top of the Scraptor's head, splitting the thing in half. It lasted only a moment before it was over, and Davin immediately looked down to his shoeless feet.
"Brother Gavin! I believe Big Brother has passed away quite prematurely. This...this...man...HE. MUST. PAY." Davin shrieked before charging forward. Davin gripped a length of metal protruding from its spine before it hefted it out of its back and then hurled it straight at the enemy, hoping to send the javelin like projectile through his stupid blonde face. "Perhaps you should go for the she-man, Brother Gavin!"
Quote:
Daggerspine - Davin
B.A.I.T.R Standing: 123 Health: 1427/1427
Skill: 80 Strength: 86 Defense: 80
Tactical Advantage:Flash Strike: Your body is meant to move with speed, and you have trained to the point that when given the chance, your speed will shine in battle. If your initiative roll to determine turn order in combat is higher than all of your enemies, you gain an additional attack per turn for that battle.
As the Scraptor landed in front of the cave, it had no idea how bad an idea this entire thing had been. It was, in fact, a complete s**t show. The Scraptor had left the cane in the Daggerspines' possession within the cave--something he was sure the baiters would find if they managed to defeat them all here. One hell of a big 'if'. It almost laughed to itself when the man creature started to run towards it as if it had a fighting chance. "You might as well quit while you're ah--" The sword came flashing up in an instant, carving through the monster's abdomen, before it moved all the way to the shoulder, killing it instantly. Though, Acel did not know it was dead, so as he dove past the dying A.I. a second attack severed the spine in half from behind. The third, and final strike, cutting the head in two, served to ensure the death was guaranteed, and the creature fell forward into the dirt.
The Scraptor had no time to truly think or actually DO anything at all. Instead, it was just going to fade away, and the body began, immediately to deteriorate into code, forming the floating mass above where it had died.
Quote:
Scraptor
B.A.I.T.R Standing: 166 Health: 0/577
Skill: 70 Strength: 142 Defense: 120
Tactical Advantage:Deleter: You have studied hard in the art of combat, and you have become exceedingly proficient at the destruction of your foes, both human and A.I. alike. Your final damage (after defense reductions) is increased by 5%.
Gavin watched as the man seem to detect their presence. So interesting, this man. He couldn't help tilt his head in interest. What made this man realize that they were enemies instead of just some wild animal that lived in the cave? There had been one, but Gavin and Davin had taken care of the animal long ago. Gavin looked at his brother as he said he would like to wear the man's hair as his own. “The yellow would look very good on you, Brother Davin.” He told him as he moved along side with his brother toward the man.
Much to his surprise, Big Brother passed away, rather quickly. It caused Gavin to actually stop in his steps as he stared down at the heap that was his Big Brother. That shouldn't have been possible. They were weak baiters, how could that man just take down Big Brother so quickly? He felt his anger begin to boil along with his brother's. “It would seem so, Brother Davin, it would seem so.” He looked as his brother as he lunged at the blonde man. “Yes he must, brother Davin.”
Gavin readied to attack the male, when his brother told him to go after the other baiter. He looked at the entrance, where the look of shock was on her face as she stared at her partner and what was left of their Big Brother, a large scythe in her gloved hands. She was weak, it would much easier. Get her out of the way, then gang up on the male without any problems. Good plan. “She won't last long, Brother Davin.” He said, turning fully toward the female.
Gavin reached behind him and pulled out one of the metal spikes that protruded from his back, swinging it once to test it's weight before lunging at the female, pushing his arm forward, aiming the sharp end toward the she-man's neck. Gavin pulled his arm back and thrust his arm once again, aiming for the girl's stomach.
Quote:
Daggerspine
B.A.I.T.R Standing: 111 Health: 1107/1107
Skill: 60 Strength: 77 Defense: 85
Tactical Advantage:Flash Strike: Your body is meant to move with speed, and you have trained to the point that when given the chance, your speed will shine in battle. If your initiative roll to determine turn order in combat is higher than all of your enemies, you gain an additional attack per turn for that battle.
Sarah didn't respond to Acel's attempt to tell it was alright that she reacted the way she did. It didn't seem alright. She was here to fight, not feel sympathy. She couldn't really call herself a fighter if she kept throwing up and screaming at every horrific scene she saw. Something you definitely wouldn't think when you thought of someone fighting for their lives. She took a deep breath, looking at the cave with Acel. It seemed the most obvious place to go next for their mission. The bandits were all here it seemed, so that surely meant that whatever killed them, would very likely be hiding in there.
She glanced as Acel, listening to his hushed tones. Her headphones automatically focused on his voice so she didn't need to lean in close to hear him. She glanced at the cave, knowing he had to be right. It would obviously be a trap. She wouldn't have thought of that, making her frown at herself a bit. She glanced at him when he said he would be bait to lure whatever might be in the cave. She asked him if it wouldn't be better for her to be bait, since she was weaker than him. She stiffened a bit when he put his hand on her shoulder. She relaxed quickly when she saw he wasn't mad her. Though she couldn't really agree that she was just as capable as him, but she kept quiet as he listened to him. She realized he was right, they might think something is going on if she went in instead of Acel.
She apologized for disagreeing with his plan, which to her confusion actually seemed to make him a little angry. She shrunk back a bit, once again surprised by Acel words. How many times was he going to do the opposite of her expectations? She couldn't be sure honestly, as she stared as his hand that he stuck out to shake with hers. She wasn't sure how he expected her to suddenly speak her mind when she had kept her thoughts to herself for years now, but he seemed to have some belief that it was possible. She slowly lifted her hand, letting Acel take it and give it a firm shake. She glanced at the cave then at Acel as he made his way toward the cave. Sarah followed his suggestion and hide behind a tree with low leaves, so it would cover her head when she wanted to peak around the tree to see what was going on. She pulled on her gloves that were connected to her knives, in case she needed to switch to them from her scythe. She didn't have her other sword, she had realized that she had forgotten to see about another sword to be ordered for her to replace the one that had gotten melted by the Quazzar on her last mission. She whispered the activation word for her weapons, pulling out her scythe and changing it out of it's travel form.
Sarah felt the ground shake, quickly looking around the tree to see a large AI blocking the way to the cave. Her first thought was hoping Acel was okay, hearing him call out from the cave. She took a deep breath before running across the way to the cave. She had planned to try and strike at the Scraptor to hopefully to get it move out of the way so she could at least get to Acel, but before she reached it, she saw Acel appear behind it then above it, killing it with only a few strikes. She stopped where she stood, watching as the large AI fell to the ground dead. She could only blink, wondering what help she would provide if Acel could take down this monster in just a few swings.
She looked up hearing a voice saying about going after the she-man. She was both confused and a little annoyed. Was she just called a she-man? Seriously? She looked inside the cave, seeing identical AIs, one going right after Acel, the other looking right at her. She felt a shiver go through her when she heard it say that she wasn't going to last long. If that wasn't creepy, she didn't know what was. She held her scythe ready as it lunged at her, quickly moving, using her scythe to push the metal out of it's path. She smacked the metal away the staff of her scythe with ease during the AI's second attack. She spun the scythe in her hand, before swinging it toward the AI. She aimed for it's side first, though it's side was only just it's spine and ribs, the blade pointed right at it, twisting it and swinging it once again, aiming for the other side of the spine. Sarah took a step forward and swung the scythe up and quickly pulled it down toward the Daggerspine. She rushed forward, pulling the weapon out of the ground and tried to jam the butt end of her scythe into the Daggerspine's midsection, between it's metallic rib cage. She gave her scythe a quick spin to bring the bladed high before slashing it once more toward the AI's neck.
۩…………………………………………………………………۩
Outfit:Day clothes Headphones: Attached: Can hear Line Count: 522 OOC: Song: Translation:
Quote:
Sarah
B.A.I.T.R Standing: 170 Health: 1070/1500 Control Limit: 1364
Skill: 141 [165] Strength: 85 Defense: 115 [125]
Quote:
Tactical Advantages
Tank - Level 1 - You gain 10 extra Defense. However, you also receive a -5% to your defensive chances.
Acel watched everything play out around him--he was secure now, with Midas by his side. He knew that he would be able to quickly and simply dispatch his enemies, and that he and Sarah would be able to move forward from this without much worry...at least it seemed like it, so far. As he went through the motions, combating their first enemy, the foe dropped and formed into its code-egg and then, as he was looking it over, he breathed a heavy sigh. He had come so far...only a few days ago he was a farmer. They put something into his body, and look at him now? Midas...the angel inside of him, the A.I. he was learning to wield. It all happened so damn fast that Acel could barely even understand how it was possible for him to undergo such a drastic alteration so fast.
But he had...and he was not the man that had done those things to his family...that wasn't who he was, that was something else...someone else. And he would change--learn to control it...to use the strength to his own benefit. "That's a hell of a tall order, Acel...you know who you're dealing with. He's not likely to ever want to help your a** out, you know. Pesagniyah is not known to be the nicest fellow. He's had to deal with a lot of twisted s**t, and it must have just...changed him." Midas spoke into Acel's mind, and Acel bit his lip. Well...damnit...he would not let it change him. He had to rise above it...if he let it destroy him from the inside out, his family would never forgive him. He had to live for them...he had to live three lives worth...hell...dozens of lives worth if he counted all the villagers.
A sick feeling rose in his throat as he thought about the people who were dead because of him, but he had to force it down for now. There was no point in falling prey to his past once again...he had to rise above it...he had to repent. He took a deep breath as he tried to concentrate on his enemies, he found himself having an internal dialogue--fighting with himself on what to do and where to go. Whether to segregate himself from those around him in favour of their own safety...or to risk it. To fight it...to fight for a better life. A life he could be proud of...if ever he could feel proud of himself again. At this point, Brother Davin was tearing a long piece of metal out of his own back, the hard material grinding against his back as it was pulled free creating an eerie music, almost. Then, the A.I. hurled the piece of metal at Acel with all of his strength, and as if a switch flipped in his mind, Acel immediately tore himself from his thoughts and brought his sword up in a flash, cleaving the metal shaft in half and sending the two pieces scattering to the sides. The A.I. seemed to get nervous upon seeing the man so easily deflect his projectile.
At this point, Acel launched himself forward toward Davin, gripping his blades tight. He spun his body, pivoting on his forward leg and holding his swords out form his body, becoming a full circle of spinning death. The blades would come diagonally toward the demonic thing's chest, the first blade, followed by the second so fast it would almost seem like one single attack. As soon as he had halted from the spin, Acel narrowed his eyes as he looked at the poor b*****d. "You've underestimated both of your opponents quite severely." Acel stated, looking over to where Sarah was, hoping to see her giving the b*****d that she was dealing with a lesson in humility. Acel hefted his sword one last time and he looked at Davin with a shake of his head. "It's the start of a new Era, friends. Your time is at an end." And with that he brought the sword down for the final strike, aiming at the top of the Daggerspine's head as well.
Attacking Brother Davin x3
Line Count: 594
OOC:
Quote:
B.A.I.T.R Standing: 194 Health: 1500/1500 Control Limit: 1552
The blonde man seemed to be slightly distracted while he was standing there--as if defeating the Scraptor had somehow confused him in a way. He just stood there--motionless--looking around but not really doing anything. Perhaps this was the perfect opportunity. Or it could also be a trap...but either way, the last thing that Davin wanted to do was to disappoint Gavin. They had been on a bit of a rough streak as of late, and they needed to do something about it, surely. They weren't the toughest folks around--and they didn't really get a lot of respect from anyone. Big Bro had been the first one to give them the time of day, and then this...this a*****e had to come around and ruin it all. "Brother Gavin...I must say...I am rather distraught about our Big Brother. I...don't know how to explain. I would rather not die, Brother Gavin. This whole situation seems rather unfortunate. In a way--I might even understand how the humans feel." Davin rambled, seemingly enlightened by his realisation that he would soon die.
But it was too late for that. Acel was already before him, and his blades came up in a blur. The first cleaved through a few of the things' ribs, as well as a large portion of the chest. The second blade cleaved through the rest of the way as well, tearing the body in half--though it was not nearly as gruesome as it sounded. The body fell to the ground in separate pieces, though the head / upper torso was still very much functioning until Acel brough his sword down one last time, skewering the skull of the Daggerspine. Acel immediately pulled the blade out, and the Daggerspine reached out for his partner. "It's been fun...Brother....Gavin...." And with that, the Daggerspine went limp, deteriorating into the code ball and hovering in the air. The code cores resonated with it, but Acel had no interest in taking the thing. He was happy, for now, with what he had. Even if the other one was quite annoying. It was useful.
Quote:
Daggerspine - Davin
B.A.I.T.R Standing: 123 Health: 0/1427
Skill: 80 Strength: 86 Defense: 80
Tactical Advantage:Flash Strike: Your body is meant to move with speed, and you have trained to the point that when given the chance, your speed will shine in battle. If your initiative roll to determine turn order in combat is higher than all of your enemies, you gain an additional attack per turn for that battle.
Gavin wasn't too happy to see his attacks miss the girl, she seemed to dodge them as if they were merely little pokes rather than actually strikes of a metal weapon. She wasn't as weak as she seemed, she could keep alive during a fight easily it seemed. Her speed was notable as well. Gavin blocked each attack she threw at him, hearing his brother behind him speaking. He looked at his brother, watching as the male tore through him, feeling fear creep inside his wires as he watched his brother fall to his death, saying his good-bye. “Brother.....” Gavin stared at the orb that was once his brother, actually understanding what his brother was saying, that he understood what the humans felt. The fear of death, the horror of watching their own dying so easily as the hands of enemies. All of that was what the humans they slaughtered must have felt. He never thought he would ever feel something like this.
He returned his attention back to the girl, holding up his metal piece. “I'll join you soon Brother Davin.” He said quietly before charging at the girl. He hoped he could at least take a piece of one of them before he fell to his death as well. He was as strong as his brother, and big brother was stronger than both of them, and that man tore through them like they were nothing. Gavin was sure the male would come to help the female in finishing him, surely he would. She wasn't able to hit him at all even though she could throw out a lot of attacks. Gavin lifted his metal piece and swung it at the girl's head. Maybe disorient her a bit so his second attack could hit easily while she was out of it for a second. His second attack was a lunge at the girl's chest, where her heart sat and beat under her skin and a few bones. No point in trying to be nice anymore, not with Death creeping close to him.
Quote:
Daggerspine
B.A.I.T.R Standing: 111 Health: 1107/1107
Skill: 60 Strength: 77 Defense: 85
Tactical Advantage:Flash Strike: Your body is meant to move with speed, and you have trained to the point that when given the chance, your speed will shine in battle. If your initiative roll to determine turn order in combat is higher than all of your enemies, you gain an additional attack per turn for that battle.
Sarah clenched her teeth as her attacks missed, all five of them. If that wasn't irritating. She glanced at Acel, seeing that he had taken out the other Daggerspine quickly. She could only blink once again. He was so strong. Was she lagging that far behind from the others? It took her a while to kill the Quazzar, she knew that. She stayed alive in the fight though, surely that meant something right? Or was she just that lucky? Was she just surviving so long because of chance? She gripped the staff of her scythe as she tried to figure out what the truth truly was. She wasn't sure. She couldn't honestly tell. Maybe she was that far behind and only got lucky to only be fighting weak enemies. That could be a possibility, a very likely scenario. She turned back to the Daggerspine she was fighting as it spoke, saying it would soon join it's brother. She was a little surprised that it still kept it's sights on her, she couldn't hit the thing, why look toward her? Unless he wanted to at least take a small bit of revenge before turning into code by Acel's hand.
Sarah raised her scythe, blocking the metal from hitting the side of her head. She didn't need her headphones to be destroyed again in a fight. The fight with Dal was hard enough when that happened. She twisted her upper body so the metal piece was parallel with her, missing it's mark completely. Sarah finished the twist by swinging her entire body, bringing the scythe down a bit, positioning it so the blade was aiming for the AIs shoulder. Sarah snapped her head quickly back to face the Daggerspine, avoiding the possibility of feeling dizzy. She swung the scythe up, bringing it down toward the Daggerspine. She stepped forward, flipping the scythe so the blunt end of the staff was pointing at the Daggerspine, jabbing it toward the thing's face before flipping it back over, and swung it from right to left then turning it and swung it back. She wasn't confident that she would hit the AI, but surely she could keep it busy so that Acel had a clear shot in hitting it himself, ending the fight quicker than Sarah was use to.
۩…………………………………………………………………۩
Outfit:Day clothes Headphones: Attached: Can hear Line Count: 712 OOC: Song: Translation:
Quote:
Sarah
B.A.I.T.R Standing: 170 Health: 1070/1500 Control Limit: 1364
Skill: 141 [165] Strength: 85 Defense: 115 [125]
Quote:
Tactical Advantages
Tank - Level 1 - You gain 10 extra Defense. However, you also receive a -5% to your defensive chances.
