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Sabra Knight rolled 1 20-sided dice:
16
Total: 16 (1-20)
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 Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2022 1:51 pm
16 - 20: Earthquake Tendaji doesn't get too many earthquakes, so it's surprising when the ground begins to shake. Not terrible enough to split the ground, this quake was still strong enough to shake up the community and cause some problems. Explore the damage and see if you can find any way to help out the community.Well they were almost in Zena. Katori let out a curse as the peaceful afternoon turned into pure chaos as the ground beneath them decided to rebel. It had been years since she had last felt anything even remotely like an earthquake and this was worse than anything she had ever witnessed before. The little rumble she had experienced as a youngling hadn’t been big enough to move actual buildings like this one! The first few rumbles had been cause of panic as the village the caravan had stopped in for the day was sent into a flurry as earthlings ran about for shelter. How did one hide from the earth though?! All Katori knew was that there was a group of younglings who had been playing nearby, her gaze focused on them as a girl’s scream cut through the mess of noises. “Dammit.” She already knew her decision when her feet carried her forward, the young woman darting around the crowd so that she could try and help the girl who was trapped beneath some rocks. The world was still shaking beneath her and Katori didn’t know how much more the rocks above the youngling could take. A building had already fallen down across the way, the small hut at the edge of the village not able to handle the earth’s anger, and Katori was not about to let some child get squished in front of her.
“Move!” A yell left her lips as she used her momentum to toss the youngling to safety before the earth gave a final dramatic shake, the rocks tumbling down from the cliff around her and blocking out all light.
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Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2022 2:57 pm
The only time in his life that Finn had ever experienced an earthquake was when he was the one causing it. When the first tremors started to move the ground Finn assumed it was his own body rebelling against him. After all, he'd gotten shaky plenty of times in the past when he was exhausted and hungry. However, this time the movement got worse and others around him were experiencing it too. It didn't take long for the shakes to turn serious and within moments Finn was darting around a collapsing building just to avoid getting trapped himself.
"Help! We need help over here!"
Finn cursed and looked around. The harsher tremors hadn't lasted long, but lessor vibrations still rocked through the village. Rescue efforts were already being plotted out which meant he needed to get himself in order. Calls were being sent out for those who could lift - either through strength or magical means - which meant him.
"-saved my daughter...still trapped under there...white hair..."
Nope, no she hadn't. Surely she wouldn't have...? And yet, Finn found his steps moving faster until he was at the site of a collapse. Unlike the thatches buildings around him these were stones and would take far more work to move.
"Miss! Miss can you hear us?!" A windling man was trying his best to find a hole in all the rocks and lifting those he could out of the way.
Shoving past him, Finn raised his voice to a near bellow; "KATORI, YOU BETTER NOT BE DEAD." If she was alive she would answer, right? The man at his side paused to look at Finn, but Finn never took his eyes off the pile.
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Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2022 3:07 pm
Her arms were crossed in front of her face, Katori's breath coming out in soft pants as she focused on keeping the rocks from completely crushing her body. She was kneeling, her runes glowing faintly in the darkness as she caught herself just in time before allowing the collapse to completely bury her in the earth. There was a larger rock that she was keeping pushed back with her bracers acting as a shield while she tried to scoot back into a small corner of space that she could find in the darkness of the rubble. Her focus was on keeping the rocks from slamming further down even though she couldn't tell how big the pile of stone was, there were too many in face which blocked her vision and muffled any outside noises.
One noise however did manage to cut through...
KATORI, YOU BETTER NOT BE DEAD
A quiet laugh left her lips at the sound of the words. It was strained, her body tense from effort and it took a long moment before she could finally find her voice and shout back a response. "Trying to avoid that!" She yelled, the reverb from beneath the rocks making her wince. "Can't really move right now though!" Normally she would try to punch her way out of this type of predicament but she was afraid that one false move would only worsen the situation. If she lowered her arms then that would give the pile of rubble plenty of time to come crashing down on her face. What a mess. There was a sense of relief though strangely enough now that she knew Finn was on the other side of this mess. Somehow this would work out, right?
[2/7]
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Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2022 3:19 pm
"Good." Finn murmured, taking a step back with a relieved huff. For a moment he wondered if he would get anything back from her at all under all that stone, but that insufferable woman was made of stronger stuff than most. As foolish as she was to charge into this no one else could have done it, and now he needed to get her out.
"I'm going to move the rocks!" Finn called out with a crack of his neck. "Start yelling if it gets worse!" There was a real risk of shifting with each stone he intended to move and while the intent was to get her out he needed to be careful.
"What do you need us to do?" He turned to not only see the man from before, but a few more who had joined the group. His immediate reaction was to tell them to get away, though each looked as frazzled as the last. One had their hands on the shoulders of a child - presumably the one Katori had saved - and Finn took a deep breath to steady himself.
"We need someone posted as close to the base of the cliff as possible to watch for another round. Everyone else start lifting." Raising his hand, Finn chanted a few words under his breath and a faint purple aura started to surround a larger stone. Those that were manageable he left to the men while the larger ones, those that would have cost Katori valuable time, Finn tackled head on.
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Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2022 3:57 pm
"Got it!" Katori replied as she braced herself to deal with any of the shifting rocks. Spirits knew that if they moved the wrong one on the outer pile that the rest would try to keep tumbling down. Still, Katori realized it was the only choice that they had in this matter and so she endured. The hybrid pushed against the rocks again, her bracers digging into her flesh from the weight but she continued holding her position as she relied upon Finn to pull the rocks away. Ouch. Katori winced as some of the moving rocks caused fragments to rain down around her, a few sharp edges cutting into a cheek.
But then despite everything there was a gleam of light in the distance. Katori found herself smiling, the pain in her cheek quickly forcing her lips back down again, at the sight of the sunlight as the rocks continued to get pulled away. "I see light! You have to be close!" She called out, her boots digging deeper into the earth as she continued to push back against the remaining rocks that were trying to shove her into the ground. A few weeks ago Katori would have never relied upon someone else like this to help her out but she was surprisingly patient since she knew that it was Finn on the other side. As tempting as it was to just try and punch her way out of this mess despite the dangers the hybrid had her faith placed in that obnoxious Yaeli man.
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Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2022 4:20 pm
Tuning out the not-so-distant cries of those around him was harder than Finn let on. He strained against the pull of his magic; less so from the weight of the stones, but rather the instability of what was inside him. Everything in his body said to go fast and hard. To rip the rubble up all at once, but this required precision which was something the sorcerer wasn't known for. It took far more concentration and Finn did his best to keep things moving as seamlessly as he could.
"She's says we're close!" If the other men could hear her then she must be right.
His muscles ached with every pull, but Finn never stopped. When he got to a particular big stone, one that very well may have been blocking her escape or at the very least making it harder, those around him help to unearth it so that Finn's magic could encase it. Once they'd stepped away he lifted it gingerly away from the rubble, making sure not to knock against anyone he could see, and moved to set it aside.
She's fine; she's talking, so she's fine. Why the hell was he so nervous then? Was it the strain of magic making his arms tremble or something more?
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Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2022 1:12 pm
If it wasn't for that little beam of light then Katori would have surely suffocated. At least that was what her fear was telling her since the hybrid was finding out quickly that she was surprisingly claustrophobic. Her fingers ached from the weight of the large rock that was pinning her beneath the rubble and acting as her shield at the same time. How much longer did she have to hold on? Would she falter and be squished before they even managed to dig her out? No, surely not! Katori closed her eyes tightly against the ridiculous worry. Finn was there and he was helping her out of this.
Strange.
He could have walked away, called Katori an idiot for risking her life to save a child and never worried about being bothered by the hybrid ever again, but instead he was helping her. The very realization made Katori's gaze burn as she refused to crumble now, not when she could see more light as they continued clearing away the collapsed rocks. "Almost." She whispered as she spotted an opening and the larger rock above her started to slip back into the pile of debris that was digging into her back. A loud rumble similar to the earthquake echoed around them as the rocks started to slide again, but thankfully this time Katori could see an opening. It was risky but she didn't have time to think before shoving up against the rock that was acting as her shield, knocking it upwards now that some of the weight had been moved away, and after pushing upwards from the ground the hybrid dove through the opening that the group had created for her. Without thinking her arms went straight around Finn as the rocks fell again behind her, the small pocket that had been her space completely disappearing as more of the cliff collapsed in the after shock of the earthquake.
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Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2022 1:42 pm
Through the entirety of his rescue Finn was cursing the very air Katori breathed. As he lifted a larger boulder and jerked a little too fast, nearly knocking a windling off his feet, Finn felt the tension in his jaw grow. He snarled as he held it aloft, raising both hands as if he could choke the stone before shifting it over to the pile they'd created at his side.
When the stones started to shift once more he changed tactics and instead went on the defensive. Finn used his magic to brace what rocks he could see, even going as far as to send out tendrils of glowing purple mana into the pile to get to those he couldn't. It was a long shot, one he hoped would pay off even as his worry doubled as the noises intensified-
-and all at once there she was! Finn let out a surprised yelp, his magic dropping in an instant, and the yaeli fell back against the ground. "K-Katori!"
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Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2022 2:38 pm
Katori squeezed Finn tightly, her heart racing against her chest as she listened to the rest of the rescuers cheer before dispersing to help with other areas of the village. Most of the villagers were worried about another earthquake that could send more things falling down and so they wanted to be away from the pile of loose rocks just in case. In the moment though Katori couldn't hear any of the concerned murmurs or questions, her head shaking as she rejected any offers of help and instead focused on the warmth of Finn's body. Her fingers were curled into his shirt, but after a long moment the hybrid realized how tightly she was holding onto him and finally let go.
"That...uh..." She started slowly before falling backwards onto the ground next to him, her chest relaxing as she tried to calm down. "That was a bit crazy, right?" Katori refused to look at Finn and forced her flustered gaze on the pile of rocks next to them. "I should probably go see if there's anything else we can help with..." Her words trailed off as the mother and daughter came forward to thank her, but Katori simply shook her head. "It's fine. No harm done." She assured them with a smile, even taking a small flower from the girl before watching them disappear to find the rest of their family in the chaos. While she offered a confident expression there was a moment where she had to catch her breath again, the fear of being trapped underground squeezing her chest once more into a painful knot.
"No time to waste." She started to get up, her hands brushing off the layers of dust and grime that clung to her clothing and hair from the rockslide. Katori was determined to put on a brave face, trying to ignore the fact that she had latched onto Finn for support (surely he would tease her or think she was a fool for that!) and so she instead started glancing around to see what she could help with in this situation. It didn't even matter to her that her cheek was still covered in her own blood, the fresh cut still stinging or that her arms were bruised and battered from catching rocks that surely would have crushed a normal earthling.
[5/7]
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Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2022 3:05 pm
Admittedly it took him longer to react than it should have. He'd been stunned by her sudden appearance, more so when she'd wrapped her arms around him, but once the shock wore off Finn wrapped his arms around her in turn. The yaeli held Katori close as if to protect her from another round; either from nature or the woman herself. He didn't realize how hard his heart had been pounding until he saw lips moving from those around him without actually hearing the sound.
So that was it? A bit crazy?! Finn's gawking face turned from Katori, to the mother daughter pair, then back to Katori...only to curl downward at the edges when she tried to get up. He rose up just enough to catch her face with both of his hands and turn it toward his. "Sit. Down."
If he ached something fierce then he knew she must have felt it so much worse. He kept here there for a moment, his eyes boring into hers, before pulling away. "I'm going to find something to clean your wounds." Finn groused and moved off to do just that.
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Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2022 3:16 pm
Katori's silver gaze widened in surprise as Finn suddenly caught her face. What? Even more surprising than Finn's sudden action was how her body sank slowly to the ground as she actually listened to Finn's command. "But they need help." She murmured in weak protest as Finn walked away, her fingers slowly going up towards her cheeks to touch where his hands had been. Katori winced at the stinging cuts, but honestly it was the lingering warmth that startled her the most and not the injuries.
She glanced about at the village, her lips pressed tightly together as she tried to make sense of the recent events. Everything had happened so quickly but she didn't regret diving in to save the child. It wasn't in her nature to simply let someone get hurt in front of her without Katori at least trying to help out. Her gaze shifted guiltily though when she thought about Finn's expression whenever he had grabbed her face. Normally she would fight with him tooth and nail but...this time she simply sat down. "What am I doing?" She shook her head at the thought before moving to stand again, the hybrid dusting dirt from her bracers despite the ache in her limbs. "I'm fine enough to help out." Surely there were others who were injured worse than she was and several huts and other buildings had shifted during the earthquake which could cause even more disaster if they didn't move quickly enough. What if there were others that were trapped?
Katori bit her bottom lip thoughtfully before turning to glance about. She took a step forward before hesitating again as if waiting for Finn to appear again. Had she worried him so much? Why did she feel so...Katori's chest ached, her breath hitching as she tried to sort through the confusion and fear. Surely though the ache was just from the strain of holding those rocks at bay. Her fingers curled into fists at her side at the thought of it, the hybrid's chest heaving as she forced herself to take a deep breath of fresh air. Even if she didn't want to admit to it there was a moment when she had been truly terrified and worried that she wouldn't see the light again. Katori's gaze dropped as she stood still, her expression conflicted as she battled between the desire to help others and the exhaustion she currently felt.
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Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2022 12:36 pm
Finn needed the break away from Katori to gather his thoughts. The village was still alight with activity as souls shuffled from one disaster to the next, but thankfully he didn't hear any other cries about trapped children. If he had then he would have worried about Katori diving straight in for them. And what if she did? She'd never hidden her nature so why now did he have issues with it? Finn found his breath coming out in an almost exhausted huff as he raised his hands to run them over his scalp.
His hair snapped back and forth behind him with each pointed step like the tail of a beast. The yaeli took a few steps forward, then as he walked he made a half turn to look behind him before righting himself and going on. While he couldn't see her anymore he knew she was back there or rather he hoped she was. He'd never been this worried about someone since-
-Well, since ever. Tacrith didn't go running about like that and since he was the only other person in Finn's life that was still living it was easier. Finding the water came mechanically, as did gathering supplies from a nearby home that was conveniently vacant for the time being. By the time he came back to Katori the magus had already heated the water to cleanse it, then cooled it for healing and now...now he was at a loss as to what to say to her.
Just seeing her slumped figure told him he'd done the right thing by making her stay. She could have helped, probably would have if he hadn't said something, but.... "The best help you can do for them is to help yourself." He murmured and sat the bowl beside her. Finn dipped a cloth into the water and raised it to cautiously touch the wound on her cheek.
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Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2022 12:34 pm
Katori twisted her fingers together as she glanced about the village and observed the destruction from the earthquake. Her lips were pressed into a tight line as she debated her options but thankfully there were no cries for help that got her attention. Everyone else seemed focused on just checking the situation, the villagers probably already trying to figure out how to rebuild once they found their neighbors and made certain that there weren’t any missing bodies. Her expression shifted when she heard Finn approach and even though she stayed still enough for him to take care of her, the hybrid pursed her lips in protest again as she started to gather her thoughts.
“I suppose though I still feel that being too cautious can cost a life.” She replied finally with a wince as the wound was touched. “I don’t regret it.” Katori began before daring to look towards Finn. “But I am sorry if I worried you, Finn.” It was a rare apology, something very unusual for the hybrid and she found her gaze darting away again at the thought of it. Why did it bother her so much that Finn was upset at her? She hadn’t expected him to…to what? To save her or look like he cared about her well being in that moment? Not when he had always been like a feral man focused on only his survival! Maybe her presence just benefited him that much….no that didn’t seem right either. Katori chewed the inside of her cheek before wincing again as the cuts in her flesh shifted with the movement. Damn habits. Either way she shifted as she waited patiently for Finn to take care of the wound (a situation she never thought possible before!) and after a moment she dared to speak. “Though you almost had a quiet journey without me bothering you through Zena.” She joked lightly despite the way her heart twisted in her chest at the potential response. “Maybe I'm just a mess still from the adrenaline rush but it did seem like you were worried or something.”
Was he worried about her? Did it matter? If so...then Katori wasn't even certain what to make of it. Maybe traveling together had made them better companions than she had ever thought possible. A soft chuckle left her lips almost like a quiet exhale as the tension and fear started to lift from her shoulders now that she was safe again. "Well, at least the valley is still lovely." She managed as she glanced down towards the field of flowers nearby that had somehow kept intact despite the rumblings of the earth. "I wonder if the caravan will want to help the villagers or simply move along. If the inn is damaged we can always camp out nearby. I can help out some more after I catch my breath here."
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Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2022 1:25 pm
Finn kept himself busy cleaning her wounds the best he could. While he wasn't a healer in any sense he'd spent enough time around Tacrith to pick up the basics. At the very least she wouldn't get an infection while waiting on someone more experienced. As she spoke he raised his eyes to meet hers, teeth pressed firmly against one another, without speaking. There was too much going on in his head to focus on words, but his body language was as clear as the sky.
The joke was ill timed and wholly unappreciated, as he made abundantly clear by the snarl it brought out. Even if they went their separate ways this very minute he wouldn't hope for her to die. Did she think that poorly of him? "Do whatever you want; you're going to anyway." When he tugged a piece of cloth around her arm he was a little sharper than he should have been, but soon enough Finn was standing with the bowl in hand.
The longer he looked down at her the more the emotions inside of him grew. His teeth ground against one another, tension pooling down into the fingers that had a death grip on the bowl, and every line of his body was taut. With a huff, Finn turned on his heel and started to walk anywhere that wasn't there.
"I'm going to check on the caravan," Finn grumbled and disappeared into the throng.
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