Plotlogs
The Wudang Mountains Gonthorians Cry Sr Selina 240523
In the lush, mystic terrain of the Wudang Mountains, an enigmatic story unfolds, featuring Autumn Lynx and Meridith, whose paths cross in a striking blend of destinies and undisclosed quests. They find themselves allied against a foreboding figure known as Cultist Steve, a seemingly benign individual with an odd charm, marked by his attire—a mix of casual and occult. Their initial encounter within a command post tent stirs an uneasy alliance, shadowed by the foreboding presence of Gonthorian's malice.
As Steve discusses the disturbances in the mountains linked to Gonthorian, a plan forms to investigate the source, hinting at a sinister presence at a temple. Steve's humbling comedic relief—his quirky fascination with dragons and lack of romantic endeavors—contrasts sharply with the grim turn of events as the team arrives at the temple. There, a grisly scene awaits with signs of a macabre ritual and the clear mark of Gonthorian. The atmosphere shifts dramatically, charged with dark magic, igniting a fierce battle against Gonthorian's agents. Amidst this chaos, Meridith's cold resolve and Autumn's mystical summonings shine as they fight valiantly.
The unexpected turn of events sees the temple collapsing, a last desperate attempt by Gonthorian to bury his secrets and the interlopers with them. In a thrilling escape, Meridith's telekinetic leap and Autumn's determined effort barely outpace the temple's demise, saved only by the skillful piloting of their awaiting helicopter. Their narrow escape, accompanied by the unconscious Steve, marks a bitter moment of survival against the overwhelming darkness of Gonthorian's domain.
Back at base camp, the resolution sees Steve, the unlikely survivor of his ordeal, receiving care from a devoted attendant, hinting at bonds formed in the most dire of circumstances. The resolution is tentative, with the shadow of Gonthorian's wrath lingering, a reminder of the enduring battle between light and dark, and the personal costs entwined within.
This narrative, set against the backdrop of China's spiritual heartland, weaves a tale of courage, mystic battles, and the quest for redemption in the face of unspeakable evil. It speaks to the strength found in alliances, the weight of sacrifices, and the enduring hope that even in darkness, light prevails.
(The Wudang Mountains: Gonthorian's Cry(SRSelina):SRSelina)
[Wed May 22 2024]
At The Wudang Mountains, Hubei Province, China
Hubei province, located in central China, boasts rich cultural heritage and stunning natural landscapes. The Wudang Mountains, a prominent feature of Hubei, are renowned for their Taoist temples and as the birthplace of Tai Chi. These mountains attract pilgrims and martial artists worldwide, seeking spiritual and physical enlightenment. Wudang's serene environment, characterized by mist-covered peaks and ancient forests, offers a picturesque escape from urban life. The architectural splendor of the Golden Hall and the Purple Cloud Temple showcases exquisite ancient Chinese craftsmanship. The mountains' significance extends beyond their beauty, symbolizing the profound cultural and spiritual traditions of China.
It is afternoon, about 79F(26C) degrees,
[OOC: Welcome to The Wudang Mountains: Gonthorian's Cry. I will be your Storyrunner for the evening, and I just want to make a special mention that I love seeing when people use Think, Recall, Feel, Internal, and Attempt to try to do things. I will try to go slow to allow each person to do one decent post per 'round.' If you slide into some Banter, I may stay quiet for a bit, if it is appropriate. If you see a message in all this color, that is a private message, directly to you, which you may act upon, and others may not know any information from it. If you're ready, let us begin...]
However the pair arrives in China, they eventually find their way to a small encampment at the base of the Wudang Mountains, with tents scattered around inside of a chainlink, razor-wire-topped fence. The guards at the gate recognize both Autumn and Meridith and open the gate to allow them in. A semi-straight, yellow spraypainted path leads straight to the largest of the tents, likely the command post. Guards outside of it open the flaps to allow the women past to go inside. Inside, they find a scene not unlike what they encountered in Zambia before, though this time, the center of the tent revolves around ... Cultist Steve. He is a young, blond man with green eyes. His hair is short, parted on the right, and he wears a silvery cloak with a Covenant scale badge on his chest. He is otherwise dressed in jeans, a Star Wars t-shirt, and combat boots. A holstered pistol and a sheathed knife hang from his belt. He has several Chinese people with him in the tent, discussing several maps on the table. One of the Chinese people is acting as an interpretor, because naturally, Steve does not know Chinese. Maybe some Japanese based on his general Otaku aura though.
Meridith gazes at Autumn. "I don't know that we've met before," she offers to them. She nods to Steve contentedly, dork as he may be, she's content with Steve present. She doesn't speak the language either, but, there are apps for that.
Upon arrival, Autumn finds Meridith and waves one hand before she joins her in entering the tent. While her head tilts in confusion upon hearing the Chinese language, but she politely nods her head towards Steve before she looks at the other woman. "Pretty much true. I am Autumn Lynx," she tells her.
Meridith blinks. "Why..." She hesitates some.
Meridith shakes her head. "Sorry, I thought so but something just didn't seem familiar," she explains apologetically.
"It is alright," Autumn replies with a smile towards Meridith before she looks back to Steve, her hazel gaze lingering at him.
Steve finally gets a pause in the hushed conversation with the Chinese people and looks up at Autumn and Meridith. "Oh, hey guys, we were just talking about all the different disturbances that have been taking place and trying to pinpoint where they came from," he tells the women before nodding toward the interpretor who shares that with the other Chinese people. They all bow toward the women, then to Steve, and prepare to shuffle out. One of the women in the departing group gives Steve a longing look over her shoulder. Then the interpretor follows the group out of the tent. Steve is blushing a little as the group leaves, but then clears his throat and looks back to the maps.
"So we're pretty much set for defining where the disturbances stop, but we're gonna need to actually go up there to see what is the cause. Odds are, after fighting with Gonthorian's agents in Ulaanbaatar, he's probably involved some how," Steve says, pointing to the path that will lead to the temple on the map. "This is where everything started, according to the survivors. So it stands to reason that is likely where Gonthorian did something," he says, looking between Autumn and Meridith for a moment. "Anything before we get started?" he asks, apparently prepared to go with them, unless they decide they don't need him along for the trip.
"If Gonthorian has presense in mountains, perhaps his agents must have set up some kind of altar inside," Autumn speaks to Steve, walking towards the map to examine the path. "There is also chance that his agents are also there." With a glance at Meridith, she then nods her head.
Meridith nods towards Autumn. She looks have towards Steve. "Do they know we're here?" she asks. "Have we had much dialogue with them yet?>" she asks Steve.
"We have not spotted any, but we also have not sent anyone back to the shrine since the Sentinel team went," Steve tells the pair, shaking his head in general after that. "They certainly know we're here though," he says, pinting around at the tent walls, though probably referring to the tents outside. "Which means we probably do not have the element of surprise. But at least we got Fire and Heart!" he says, pointing to Autumn and then himself. "Everyone always forgets that before the Fifth Element existed, there was already Captain Planet," he says to help bring others along for the reference.
Steve then asks, "Anything else? The helicopter will be ready to lift us as soon as I make the call." He picks up the radio to prepare to call it in, unless they have more for him.
Meridith shakes her head some. "I'm not asking because I want to ambush them, but when I show up, whether or not they've been given a chance to surrender," she exhales harsh. "I suppose Shemra doesn't want me to kill them anyway. I'll do my best, but I'm not going to hold back for their sake," she complains. She rolls her eyes at Steve's goofy nonsense but doesn't look all that annoyed. "What's the overall goal? Physical control of the location?" she asks.
Autumn lets out a small giggle at Steve's comment. "I doubt I have nothing else to say," she replies to the man and adjusts herself under her clothes. "Yes, we would like to know."
"Yeah, funny thing that. She wants us to be free, but if someone does something wrong, she wants them punished and imprisoned. But not killed. It's like a weird mixture of humane, cruel, and neutral all at the same time, right?" Steve replies to Meridith, lifting his hands helplessly before going ahead and radioing for the helicopter. "Mission is find out what's wrong up there, and try to fix it," Steve says after the quick bit of radio chatter. "If they resist, prisoners are easier to interrogate than ghosts," he points out with a grin. "Can't really torture ghosts. You know, because they are already torturing themselves," he explains, just to make sure everyone came along.
"Alright, let's go," Steve says, motioning for everyone to follow him out to where a helicopter is starting. He gets in the back and puts on a headset to talk to the pilot a bit briefly before Autumn and Meridith get settled. But he does offer them each a headset to be able to communicate over the sound of the rotor blades. And shortly thereafter, the helicopter takes off to fly the team up to the temple at the top of one of the Wudang Mountains. [OOC: This is an acceptable place to banter or ask further questions, with each other or with Steve. The pilot is probably not big on Banter.]
Meridith shrugs gently. "She's a naive child born of an alien, I don't fault her for having a strange perspective," she tells Steve. "I think she's too fascinated by people and strange to realize yet that people die. Old age is alien to an immortal spirit," she offers some. She alongside nodding. "I'll make sure there's someone to ask," she assures Steve. She slips the headset on. "First time in a helicopter," she admits.
"Got it," Autumn replies and turns to find the helicopter. There is a slight moment of awe on her face until she receives and puts on her headset. "I don't think I ever even seen one where I come from," she comments while she boards the helicopter.
Meridith nods along. Closing her eyes. "They're an interesting machine, I prefer flying under my own power."
Meridith says "Steve, you get a girlfriend yet?"
The helicopter takes off, and while it is a little rocky to start, once it gets above the ground a ways, the turbulence tapers off a bit for a smoother ride. Steve tells Meridith, "Not all of us can fly yet. That's cool though. One day, maybe I'll become a dragon. Then I can fly on my own." He nods a couple of times to this and then adds, "I wanna be a silver dragon, like Shemra." He has been somewhat of a liaison to the Eidolon in terms of teaching her about the modern world, given her Voice certainly could not do so.
When the question lands, Steve holds up his hands and says, "Oh, no. I'm saving myself for marriage. Maybe to a dragon lady. I kinda have a thing... You know, for... Dragons. But not like a furry scaley thing, like dragons, specifically." And yeah, he blushes again. Maybe that's why the girl earlier looked at him with longing, knowing she can't have him until she can become a dragon.
Meridith nods. "I can't fly in this world, only in the Wilds. Magic here is too thin for that, at least until I gain more of my own," she notes. She stretches out some and nods. "I'm not sure I want to become a dragon or not," she admits to the helicopter. "Guess this is a quest for love for you, huhn?"
"Quest for dragon love, to be exact," Autumn muses towards Steve with a glance around. "But I will not judge you for that."
Meridith says "I'll judge a little."
"I'm just saying. I don't know how to talk to girls really, so probably not gonna be getting with any of them any time soon. Studies show fifty percent of men under 30 right now are still virgins, so I figure I'm just not screwed any time soon anyway," Steve says, waving it off a little bit. "But a dragon lady? I'd like to think I would know how to talk to them," he says a bit more confidently. He cannot see it, but the pilot and co-pilot are both just shaking their head in disdain at him.
Outside the windows, once the helicopter gets to the right altitude, Autumn and Meridith would be able to see the full span of the Wudang Mountains, and maybe even be able to see the temple out the front at some point. The pilot tips the helicopter controls forward, and the back lifts to start propelling the machine forward, toward the destination. Once more, through the windows, down below, the landscapes starts to race by about then, as the pilot gains speed.
Meridith raises a brow. "Seems like an easy excuse to put off dealing with your social anxiety to talk to girls," she tells Steve quite plainly. As the helicopter levels some, she pivots some, perhaps readying herself for some expected conflict. Her body coils, muscles tightening
"Whoa," Autumn says in awe at the scenery that is growing close. "Looks like we're almost there."
Steve stays silent, stewing in Meridith's comments for a bit. The pilot circles the temple to make sure no one is going to shoot at the helicopter, a wise precaution, given the circumstances. After two passes, the pilot brings the helicopter in for a landing in a courtyard area large enough for it to land. Dust and leaves and debris get flung up by the blades and their wind, but eventually everything settles back down as the blades are put into stand by to allow the team to disembark from the vehicle. Steve takes a radio from the pilots to be used to call them back after the team is done, then takes off the headset and jumps out onto the ground of the temple. He looks around, but waits for Autumn and Meridith to join him and decide how they want to tackle the situation at hand.
Meridith slips off her helmet and sets it in the seat, slipping out of the helicopter, a hand over her head to keep her hair from flitting about in her face. She doesn't push the sentiment with Steve, in truth, she doesn't really care much about it but it had to be said. Poor Steve. She turns her focus to the area around them, moving steadily away from the helicopter so they can properly speak.
Rising up from her seat, Autumn takes off the headset and sets it on the seating before she turns to follow Steve as they exit the helicopter. She holds on to the backpack that is slung on one shoulder while she surveys the area around them.
The team moves toward the main building of the temple, the closest real source of shelter. The pilot kicks the helicopter into gear once more, and the noise level rises proportionately with the speed of the blades. It takes off, and heads back the way it came, leaving the team there to explore, find what's going on there, and try to put a stop to it. Steve moves to open the door to the building for the women, like a gentleman should. But he is already doomed, generationally speaking. And may not even live long enough to get out of it by the current doom's day count down.
The inside of the building is a grisly sight however. Dozens of dead bodies strewn about the place, blood painted on the walls in runes, sigils, and glyphs. Steve immediately turns to go back outside and puke up whatever dish he had on his stomach. Cultist he may be, but he is certainly no hero in the face of grotesque horror like this. This team in particular is also uniquely familiar with how it feels to be inside an Eidolon's domain. And they definitely passed into one when they crossed the threshold. Everything starts to feel hot. Super hot. Flames licking flesh hot. The sensation passes after a few moments, but it was certainly not pleasant.
Meridith holds her rapier in hand, a bow set over her shoulder. She nods to Steve. "I think you should stay back, Steve," she offers as he goes to open the door for her. Not that she minds the gesture, something of it being something she appreciates as a human gesture than a gendered one. So, he's fine according to her. "You're not much of a fighter and I don't need someone I need to protect inside, no?" She steps inside and takes in the sight of the bodies. She tilts her head some, assessing it but no anger, or indignation, or sickness passes her expression. There's no part of her that shows discomfort. The heat however makes her almost laugh. "Do you think..." She stops the thought
Upon entering the temple, Autumn's face turns to one of much grimace and took a small step back. Beads of sweat run down her face and she proceeds to take off her cloak. "It's hot like Hell," she speaks with a glance at Steve, and then at Meridith. "But it doesn't feel like home."
After retching his guts up, Steve gets himself gathered enough to come back to the door way. "The first rule of dungeon delving is NEVER split the party!" he claims with some degree of authority that is only mildly undermined by the fact he's wearing a Star Wars t-shirt and just puked in the first room of the dungeon. He gets out his pistol, flicks off the safety, then racks the slide to put one in the chamber. He also has enough discipline to keep the pistol pointed to the floor and keep his finger off the trigger.
The bodies on the floor are a mixture of monks and a few Sentinels scattered amongst them, the second team of investigators. The smell finally hits everyone, like fetid bodies left in the sun too long, but contained within the one room, multiplied by the number of bodies present. Puddles of dried blood dot the floor under each of the bodies too, which suggests each of them was alive when the dedications on the walls took place. Pillars hold up the ceiling and line a walk way toward a raised platform. The wall behind that is covered with a blood-drawn depiction of Gonthorian breathing fire on a small world. A door is just under that particular blood mural. Other doors lead off to the side, but instinct suggests that the off-beat-path options are less likely to have been given sanctifying treatment.
As the team lingers, they can feel weight on their shoulders, as they sense Gonthorian's gaze turn toward them.
Meridith groans gently. She gazes at someone and nods some, perhaps there's a quiet mathematics in her mind about his survival that she is comfortable with. She strides slowly about the room, examining, listening, keeping her senses open.
Meridith groans gently. She gazes at Steve and nods some, perhaps there's a quiet mathematics in her mind about his survival that she is comfortable with. She strides slowly about the room, examining, listening, keeping her senses open.
Autumn finds her gaze lingering at the pillars and grimaces even more. "Gonthorian isn't only dragon around here," she speaks in a hushed voice while she walks towards one pillar. "They are trapped here..."
Meridith says "We could desecrate this room, provoke him to sending his men to us."
Autumn says "That would be risky. What if he decides to roast us with his fire?"
Meridith says "He isn't real."
Autumn says "Oh, right."
As the team stands around considering their options, one voice manages to weakly tear through the veil from beyond. "Run! While you can!" comes a gravelly growl, disembodied for most, though Autumn seems to be closest to it, since she stepped toward the pillar with the source. Steve jumps and points his gun toward the top of the pillar, but his finger is not on the trigger still.
"You think it will be that easy?" comes another disembodied voice, this one, for Autumn and Meridith, matches the one they heard the last time they encountered Gonthorian. The door slams shut behind them, and scraping noises followed by a thump indicate something has been put in front of it to block egress. Then a pair of cannisters of gas get thrown in from the ceiling. One lands near Steve, and after just one whiff, he falls over unconscious.
"Cover your face!" Autumn tells Meridith as she quickly puts on her gas mask upon noticing the unconscious Steve. Opening her backpack, she gets out her gear and readies her bow while she quickly scans around the room.
Meridith scoffs softly. "We will," she insists to the voice. "What do you think you will do?" As the canisters drop she hisses, she's forgotten her gasmask once more, attempting with telekinesis to hurl the cannisters away from them and move to one side away from them swiftly.
Everyone always forgets gas masks, but at least for the moment, Meridith is safe on the other side of the room from the cannisters she has knocked back toward the door. That leaves Autumn next to the unconscious Steve. Even with just a whiff, if he does not get somewhere safe and get revived, he could die from that.
"I won't do anything," comes the draconic response, a rumbling snarl from a snout. "But I have agents of my own. They've been waiting for you," the dragon continues in a taunting fashion.
On cue, several ceiling panels plummet to the floor, followed by ropes, then red scalemail clad soldiers rappel down to the floor. They break out rifles and ... Combat begins! [OOC Combat Order: Meridith, Gonthorians, Autumn, Steve. Up Now: Meridith.]
Meridith begins the fight with a yank of her hand drawing a cultist to her as she twirls about, bringing her blade down in a decisive strike.
The Gonthorian pulled toward Meridith is able to deflect the blad and counter with the bayonet on his own rifle, trying to thrust it at Meridith like a spear. The other Gonthorians are spread out and they first seek cover from Meridith primarily, while being able to shoot at Autumn and poor, defenseless, unconscious Steve. Thankfully, he is laying on the floor, so most of the bullets sail over him without even getting close. [OOC Combat Order: Meridith, Gonthorians, Autumn, Steve. Up Now: Autumn. Up Next: Meridith.]
"Come, Ifrit!" Autumn speaks through her gas mask, chanting words of power with narrow eyes. "Take down our enemies, but do not kill them!" While a puff of black smoke starts to appear, she covers Steve with her cloak before she starts drawing and firing arrows at the Gonthorians. A hiss heralds the fiery-winged glowing salamander's arrival and the familiar starts spewing small fireballs.
In the flow of combat, summoning a minion does take a few moments for them to materialize. But once the salamander forms up and inhabits something, he is able to start doing the fireball thing toward individual Gonthorians. Steve, under the cloak might be alright in a bit. But the gas is still coming out of the cannisters near the door. All the Gonthorians are wearing masks, currently, so they only have to outlast the team! [OOC Combat Order: Meridith, Gonthorians, Autumn, Steve. Up Now: Meridith.]
Meridith lifts one into the air and springs towards them, attempting to rip the mask off their face.
The Gonthorian that Meridith was fighting turns to start shooting at her, even as she lands near his companion. She rips off the companion's mask, which will leave him to succumb to the gas in time. The other two Gonthorians stay in cover trying to shoot toward Autumn and steve. The gas will reach the pair at the end of next round. [OOC Combat Order: Meridith, Gonthorians, Autumn, Steve. Up Now: Autumn. Up Next: Meridith.]
"Put mask on Steve!" Autumn tells Meridith with a gesture towards the covered Steve. As Ifrit continues to shoot fireballs, Autumn lifts her left hand while she winces from the shots and points it towards one of the Gonthorians behind cover. "Let's charge, Ifrit!" She then runs towards her enemies, firing arrows before she readies her blade for melee.
The single target that Autumn and Ifrit have focused on falls to the bladed onslaught, smoldering, but not dead at least. That leaves one Gonthorian behind a pillar, the original Gonthorian that Meridith tried to cut down, and her current target without a mask. [OOC Combat Order: Meridith, Gonthorians, Autumn, Steve. Up Now: Meridith..]
Meridith dances between the shots, trying to provide an agile target. Her speed and movement is vastly above what she's had before, doing her best to control the distance and expose them to crossfire, disrupting aim. She pivots to her bow, pulling back a shot, and aiming for heads. For the...mask of course.
An arrow from Meridith is enough to shatter the glass on the original Gonthorian that she hit, and he falls over from the impact. The second one she got the mask off of brings up his rifle to start shooting at her as she dances away. The last one behind the pillar does something behind the pillar out of view, which involves several beeping noises. Then he rushes out and charges toward Autumn, trying to tackle her to the ground, possibly on Steve! [OOC Combat Order: Meridith, Gonthorians, Autumn, Steve. Up Now: Autumn.]
Noticing the incoming Gonthorian, Autumn takes a step back before she aims her arrows towards his legs. "Ifrit, stop him with your fire!" She commands her familiar, moving to protect Steve before she fires.
The Gonthorian on Autumn may have missed with the tackle, but the gas moves in to envelop him and Autumn. One breath is enough for Autumn to fall unconscious beside Steve. That leaves the whole fight hinging on Meridith finishing off the two remaining enemies or breaking the last one's mask! [OOC Combat Order: Meridith, Gonthorians. Up Now: Meridith.]
Meridith stares at the man. Her blade twirls a bit, studying up, she pulls on the mask she stole from the other and rushes forward uses her blade primarily, it is her primary fighting method. She keeps up her speed, springing between the two to keep them on the backfoot, becoming a whirlwind of steel.
It does not take long for Meridith, with a mask on, to mop the floor with the pair of Gonthorian's agents. Both are possibly still alive. The one without a mask may not be for long though. But Autumn and Steve in the gas are at serious risk of death from inhaling those gases. Even as the agents to the floor from Meridith's blade, the entire temple rumbles from the sudden roar from Gonthorian. The mountain starts to shake, and pieces of the temple's walls and ceiling start to fall around the room like small meteors. The gas starts to dissipate through some of those holes, but the earthquake now has the entire temple ready to fall on the team and slide them down the side of the mountain to their deaths!
Even with her mask on, Autumn lies unconscious next to Steve as Ifrit disappears in a puff of black smoke.
[OOC: Oops! Autumn did NOT fall unconscious! And she helps finish off the Gonthorians with Meridith. Issues otherwise still outstanding: Steve is unconscious, temple is falling around the team, and they may all fall and die.]
Recovering herself, Autumn's eyes widen upon seeing the crumbling room around her. "We have to get out of here," she speaks in a muffled voice while she pulls the unconsious and covered Steve up. "But we can't leave these trapped spirits to their doom," she then says with a glance at the pillars.
Meridith pulls the mask free and slides it over to Steve swiftly, hauling him over his shoulder. She pivots some, dancing between the falling pieces, and checks which pathways are clear.
Most of the doors are probably clear, but how many of them lead outside is a different story. The only door guaranteed to lead outside is the one the team came into. However, it sounds like it got barred in some way and may be difficult to open. Autumn does not seem to want to leave just yet though, not with the spirit dragons still trapped against the pillars. Also, none of the Gonthorians will live if the whole temple falls off the mountain. But then, the problem of it being haunted will be somewhat fixed. All the issues to solve, very little time to solve them in. Tick tock, tick tock, rumble rumble, more pieces of building falling around Autumn and Meridith.
Meridith scowls at Autumn. "They're DEAD! I don't intend to join them!" She motions for her to follow and one swift kick is the extend she tries to unbudge the door behind them before racing down the nearest and least unstable path, hoping to keep Autumn with her.
Frowning behind her mask, Autumn sighs quietly before she turns to follow Meridith, dragging Steve along with her. She moves to avoid the debris while she catches up with the woman. "And I thought they are just spirits who aren't real yet!"
The door bursts outward, barred by an iron band across it that gives way under Meridith's force. The pair are able to run back out into the courtyard. The dragon's roar apparently alerted the helicopter to come back, but it is still a ways off. As the team makes it a little ways away from the building, it suddenly lurches to one side, and part of the mountain beneath it collapses. The entire building goes sliding down the mountain, and the ground beneath the pair also starts to fall. Cracks form even under their feet as they run toward the path. The helicopter turns and gets as low to the ground down the path as it can safely manage. But it's a good hundred yards down the path, and the mountain is literally crumbling in their wake.
Meridith exhales harsh. "Autumn! Jump after I make it, okay!? Jump with everything you have!" She bellows. She races forward, carrying Steve. The air around her trembles as if on a hot summer day as she focuses her latent telekinetic power and her own natural bodily power and races to leap toward the helicopter once she gets close enough. Once in, if she can manage it, she pivots and tries to yank Autumn towards her once she begins her leap to aid her
"On it!" Autumn nods her head, having retrieved her cloak while she continues to run. As soon as she sees Meridith jump, she too jumps with all her energy.
Piloting a helicopter over ground that is trying to collapse without landing takes great skill. Thankfully the helicopter pilot seems to have that level of skill. He has managed to give Meridith her best chance to telekinetically leap toward it and almost land inside it. She is able to clamber in and dump Steve into a seat. Autumn has a little bit harder of a time without such fun super powers at her disposal. Her first jump is ... almost comedic. But after Meridith has a chance to recover from her own telekinetic propulsion, she is able to grab Autumn on a second jump to pull her into the helicopter just as the path crumbles beneath where she was standing.
The helicopter takes the team back to the base camp. Steve is treated for whatever knockout gas was used in the enclosed room. He should be fine, but any more exposure might have meant his death. The Gonthorians assuredly died, unless Gonthorian summoned them out of the building. He does not seem the sort to be that kind or considerate however. No one is exactly happy with the results, but at least no one that actually mattered died. The Chinese lady from before in the tent is the first one to Steve's bedside, even though she does not seem to understand English.
[OOC: And that brings us to the end of this chapter in the Shemra-Gonthorian story. Give me a moment to do SR stuff. If you want to spend Adventure XP for awards, STalk/tell/reply now. Otherwise, lemme know which stop to drop you at. Thank you for letting me SR for you tonight, and I hope you enjoyed.]
As Steve discusses the disturbances in the mountains linked to Gonthorian, a plan forms to investigate the source, hinting at a sinister presence at a temple. Steve's humbling comedic relief—his quirky fascination with dragons and lack of romantic endeavors—contrasts sharply with the grim turn of events as the team arrives at the temple. There, a grisly scene awaits with signs of a macabre ritual and the clear mark of Gonthorian. The atmosphere shifts dramatically, charged with dark magic, igniting a fierce battle against Gonthorian's agents. Amidst this chaos, Meridith's cold resolve and Autumn's mystical summonings shine as they fight valiantly.
The unexpected turn of events sees the temple collapsing, a last desperate attempt by Gonthorian to bury his secrets and the interlopers with them. In a thrilling escape, Meridith's telekinetic leap and Autumn's determined effort barely outpace the temple's demise, saved only by the skillful piloting of their awaiting helicopter. Their narrow escape, accompanied by the unconscious Steve, marks a bitter moment of survival against the overwhelming darkness of Gonthorian's domain.
Back at base camp, the resolution sees Steve, the unlikely survivor of his ordeal, receiving care from a devoted attendant, hinting at bonds formed in the most dire of circumstances. The resolution is tentative, with the shadow of Gonthorian's wrath lingering, a reminder of the enduring battle between light and dark, and the personal costs entwined within.
This narrative, set against the backdrop of China's spiritual heartland, weaves a tale of courage, mystic battles, and the quest for redemption in the face of unspeakable evil. It speaks to the strength found in alliances, the weight of sacrifices, and the enduring hope that even in darkness, light prevails.
(The Wudang Mountains: Gonthorian's Cry(SRSelina):SRSelina)
[Wed May 22 2024]
At The Wudang Mountains, Hubei Province, China
Hubei province, located in central China, boasts rich cultural heritage and stunning natural landscapes. The Wudang Mountains, a prominent feature of Hubei, are renowned for their Taoist temples and as the birthplace of Tai Chi. These mountains attract pilgrims and martial artists worldwide, seeking spiritual and physical enlightenment. Wudang's serene environment, characterized by mist-covered peaks and ancient forests, offers a picturesque escape from urban life. The architectural splendor of the Golden Hall and the Purple Cloud Temple showcases exquisite ancient Chinese craftsmanship. The mountains' significance extends beyond their beauty, symbolizing the profound cultural and spiritual traditions of China.
It is afternoon, about 79F(26C) degrees,
[OOC: Welcome to The Wudang Mountains: Gonthorian's Cry. I will be your Storyrunner for the evening, and I just want to make a special mention that I love seeing when people use Think, Recall, Feel, Internal, and Attempt to try to do things. I will try to go slow to allow each person to do one decent post per 'round.' If you slide into some Banter, I may stay quiet for a bit, if it is appropriate. If you see a message in all this color, that is a private message, directly to you, which you may act upon, and others may not know any information from it. If you're ready, let us begin...]
However the pair arrives in China, they eventually find their way to a small encampment at the base of the Wudang Mountains, with tents scattered around inside of a chainlink, razor-wire-topped fence. The guards at the gate recognize both Autumn and Meridith and open the gate to allow them in. A semi-straight, yellow spraypainted path leads straight to the largest of the tents, likely the command post. Guards outside of it open the flaps to allow the women past to go inside. Inside, they find a scene not unlike what they encountered in Zambia before, though this time, the center of the tent revolves around ... Cultist Steve. He is a young, blond man with green eyes. His hair is short, parted on the right, and he wears a silvery cloak with a Covenant scale badge on his chest. He is otherwise dressed in jeans, a Star Wars t-shirt, and combat boots. A holstered pistol and a sheathed knife hang from his belt. He has several Chinese people with him in the tent, discussing several maps on the table. One of the Chinese people is acting as an interpretor, because naturally, Steve does not know Chinese. Maybe some Japanese based on his general Otaku aura though.
Meridith gazes at Autumn. "I don't know that we've met before," she offers to them. She nods to Steve contentedly, dork as he may be, she's content with Steve present. She doesn't speak the language either, but, there are apps for that.
Upon arrival, Autumn finds Meridith and waves one hand before she joins her in entering the tent. While her head tilts in confusion upon hearing the Chinese language, but she politely nods her head towards Steve before she looks at the other woman. "Pretty much true. I am Autumn Lynx," she tells her.
Meridith blinks. "Why..." She hesitates some.
Meridith shakes her head. "Sorry, I thought so but something just didn't seem familiar," she explains apologetically.
"It is alright," Autumn replies with a smile towards Meridith before she looks back to Steve, her hazel gaze lingering at him.
Steve finally gets a pause in the hushed conversation with the Chinese people and looks up at Autumn and Meridith. "Oh, hey guys, we were just talking about all the different disturbances that have been taking place and trying to pinpoint where they came from," he tells the women before nodding toward the interpretor who shares that with the other Chinese people. They all bow toward the women, then to Steve, and prepare to shuffle out. One of the women in the departing group gives Steve a longing look over her shoulder. Then the interpretor follows the group out of the tent. Steve is blushing a little as the group leaves, but then clears his throat and looks back to the maps.
"So we're pretty much set for defining where the disturbances stop, but we're gonna need to actually go up there to see what is the cause. Odds are, after fighting with Gonthorian's agents in Ulaanbaatar, he's probably involved some how," Steve says, pointing to the path that will lead to the temple on the map. "This is where everything started, according to the survivors. So it stands to reason that is likely where Gonthorian did something," he says, looking between Autumn and Meridith for a moment. "Anything before we get started?" he asks, apparently prepared to go with them, unless they decide they don't need him along for the trip.
"If Gonthorian has presense in mountains, perhaps his agents must have set up some kind of altar inside," Autumn speaks to Steve, walking towards the map to examine the path. "There is also chance that his agents are also there." With a glance at Meridith, she then nods her head.
Meridith nods towards Autumn. She looks have towards Steve. "Do they know we're here?" she asks. "Have we had much dialogue with them yet?>" she asks Steve.
"We have not spotted any, but we also have not sent anyone back to the shrine since the Sentinel team went," Steve tells the pair, shaking his head in general after that. "They certainly know we're here though," he says, pinting around at the tent walls, though probably referring to the tents outside. "Which means we probably do not have the element of surprise. But at least we got Fire and Heart!" he says, pointing to Autumn and then himself. "Everyone always forgets that before the Fifth Element existed, there was already Captain Planet," he says to help bring others along for the reference.
Steve then asks, "Anything else? The helicopter will be ready to lift us as soon as I make the call." He picks up the radio to prepare to call it in, unless they have more for him.
Meridith shakes her head some. "I'm not asking because I want to ambush them, but when I show up, whether or not they've been given a chance to surrender," she exhales harsh. "I suppose Shemra doesn't want me to kill them anyway. I'll do my best, but I'm not going to hold back for their sake," she complains. She rolls her eyes at Steve's goofy nonsense but doesn't look all that annoyed. "What's the overall goal? Physical control of the location?" she asks.
Autumn lets out a small giggle at Steve's comment. "I doubt I have nothing else to say," she replies to the man and adjusts herself under her clothes. "Yes, we would like to know."
"Yeah, funny thing that. She wants us to be free, but if someone does something wrong, she wants them punished and imprisoned. But not killed. It's like a weird mixture of humane, cruel, and neutral all at the same time, right?" Steve replies to Meridith, lifting his hands helplessly before going ahead and radioing for the helicopter. "Mission is find out what's wrong up there, and try to fix it," Steve says after the quick bit of radio chatter. "If they resist, prisoners are easier to interrogate than ghosts," he points out with a grin. "Can't really torture ghosts. You know, because they are already torturing themselves," he explains, just to make sure everyone came along.
"Alright, let's go," Steve says, motioning for everyone to follow him out to where a helicopter is starting. He gets in the back and puts on a headset to talk to the pilot a bit briefly before Autumn and Meridith get settled. But he does offer them each a headset to be able to communicate over the sound of the rotor blades. And shortly thereafter, the helicopter takes off to fly the team up to the temple at the top of one of the Wudang Mountains. [OOC: This is an acceptable place to banter or ask further questions, with each other or with Steve. The pilot is probably not big on Banter.]
Meridith shrugs gently. "She's a naive child born of an alien, I don't fault her for having a strange perspective," she tells Steve. "I think she's too fascinated by people and strange to realize yet that people die. Old age is alien to an immortal spirit," she offers some. She alongside nodding. "I'll make sure there's someone to ask," she assures Steve. She slips the headset on. "First time in a helicopter," she admits.
"Got it," Autumn replies and turns to find the helicopter. There is a slight moment of awe on her face until she receives and puts on her headset. "I don't think I ever even seen one where I come from," she comments while she boards the helicopter.
Meridith nods along. Closing her eyes. "They're an interesting machine, I prefer flying under my own power."
Meridith says "Steve, you get a girlfriend yet?"
The helicopter takes off, and while it is a little rocky to start, once it gets above the ground a ways, the turbulence tapers off a bit for a smoother ride. Steve tells Meridith, "Not all of us can fly yet. That's cool though. One day, maybe I'll become a dragon. Then I can fly on my own." He nods a couple of times to this and then adds, "I wanna be a silver dragon, like Shemra." He has been somewhat of a liaison to the Eidolon in terms of teaching her about the modern world, given her Voice certainly could not do so.
When the question lands, Steve holds up his hands and says, "Oh, no. I'm saving myself for marriage. Maybe to a dragon lady. I kinda have a thing... You know, for... Dragons. But not like a furry scaley thing, like dragons, specifically." And yeah, he blushes again. Maybe that's why the girl earlier looked at him with longing, knowing she can't have him until she can become a dragon.
Meridith nods. "I can't fly in this world, only in the Wilds. Magic here is too thin for that, at least until I gain more of my own," she notes. She stretches out some and nods. "I'm not sure I want to become a dragon or not," she admits to the helicopter. "Guess this is a quest for love for you, huhn?"
"Quest for dragon love, to be exact," Autumn muses towards Steve with a glance around. "But I will not judge you for that."
Meridith says "I'll judge a little."
"I'm just saying. I don't know how to talk to girls really, so probably not gonna be getting with any of them any time soon. Studies show fifty percent of men under 30 right now are still virgins, so I figure I'm just not screwed any time soon anyway," Steve says, waving it off a little bit. "But a dragon lady? I'd like to think I would know how to talk to them," he says a bit more confidently. He cannot see it, but the pilot and co-pilot are both just shaking their head in disdain at him.
Outside the windows, once the helicopter gets to the right altitude, Autumn and Meridith would be able to see the full span of the Wudang Mountains, and maybe even be able to see the temple out the front at some point. The pilot tips the helicopter controls forward, and the back lifts to start propelling the machine forward, toward the destination. Once more, through the windows, down below, the landscapes starts to race by about then, as the pilot gains speed.
Meridith raises a brow. "Seems like an easy excuse to put off dealing with your social anxiety to talk to girls," she tells Steve quite plainly. As the helicopter levels some, she pivots some, perhaps readying herself for some expected conflict. Her body coils, muscles tightening
"Whoa," Autumn says in awe at the scenery that is growing close. "Looks like we're almost there."
Steve stays silent, stewing in Meridith's comments for a bit. The pilot circles the temple to make sure no one is going to shoot at the helicopter, a wise precaution, given the circumstances. After two passes, the pilot brings the helicopter in for a landing in a courtyard area large enough for it to land. Dust and leaves and debris get flung up by the blades and their wind, but eventually everything settles back down as the blades are put into stand by to allow the team to disembark from the vehicle. Steve takes a radio from the pilots to be used to call them back after the team is done, then takes off the headset and jumps out onto the ground of the temple. He looks around, but waits for Autumn and Meridith to join him and decide how they want to tackle the situation at hand.
Meridith slips off her helmet and sets it in the seat, slipping out of the helicopter, a hand over her head to keep her hair from flitting about in her face. She doesn't push the sentiment with Steve, in truth, she doesn't really care much about it but it had to be said. Poor Steve. She turns her focus to the area around them, moving steadily away from the helicopter so they can properly speak.
Rising up from her seat, Autumn takes off the headset and sets it on the seating before she turns to follow Steve as they exit the helicopter. She holds on to the backpack that is slung on one shoulder while she surveys the area around them.
The team moves toward the main building of the temple, the closest real source of shelter. The pilot kicks the helicopter into gear once more, and the noise level rises proportionately with the speed of the blades. It takes off, and heads back the way it came, leaving the team there to explore, find what's going on there, and try to put a stop to it. Steve moves to open the door to the building for the women, like a gentleman should. But he is already doomed, generationally speaking. And may not even live long enough to get out of it by the current doom's day count down.
The inside of the building is a grisly sight however. Dozens of dead bodies strewn about the place, blood painted on the walls in runes, sigils, and glyphs. Steve immediately turns to go back outside and puke up whatever dish he had on his stomach. Cultist he may be, but he is certainly no hero in the face of grotesque horror like this. This team in particular is also uniquely familiar with how it feels to be inside an Eidolon's domain. And they definitely passed into one when they crossed the threshold. Everything starts to feel hot. Super hot. Flames licking flesh hot. The sensation passes after a few moments, but it was certainly not pleasant.
Meridith holds her rapier in hand, a bow set over her shoulder. She nods to Steve. "I think you should stay back, Steve," she offers as he goes to open the door for her. Not that she minds the gesture, something of it being something she appreciates as a human gesture than a gendered one. So, he's fine according to her. "You're not much of a fighter and I don't need someone I need to protect inside, no?" She steps inside and takes in the sight of the bodies. She tilts her head some, assessing it but no anger, or indignation, or sickness passes her expression. There's no part of her that shows discomfort. The heat however makes her almost laugh. "Do you think..." She stops the thought
Upon entering the temple, Autumn's face turns to one of much grimace and took a small step back. Beads of sweat run down her face and she proceeds to take off her cloak. "It's hot like Hell," she speaks with a glance at Steve, and then at Meridith. "But it doesn't feel like home."
After retching his guts up, Steve gets himself gathered enough to come back to the door way. "The first rule of dungeon delving is NEVER split the party!" he claims with some degree of authority that is only mildly undermined by the fact he's wearing a Star Wars t-shirt and just puked in the first room of the dungeon. He gets out his pistol, flicks off the safety, then racks the slide to put one in the chamber. He also has enough discipline to keep the pistol pointed to the floor and keep his finger off the trigger.
The bodies on the floor are a mixture of monks and a few Sentinels scattered amongst them, the second team of investigators. The smell finally hits everyone, like fetid bodies left in the sun too long, but contained within the one room, multiplied by the number of bodies present. Puddles of dried blood dot the floor under each of the bodies too, which suggests each of them was alive when the dedications on the walls took place. Pillars hold up the ceiling and line a walk way toward a raised platform. The wall behind that is covered with a blood-drawn depiction of Gonthorian breathing fire on a small world. A door is just under that particular blood mural. Other doors lead off to the side, but instinct suggests that the off-beat-path options are less likely to have been given sanctifying treatment.
As the team lingers, they can feel weight on their shoulders, as they sense Gonthorian's gaze turn toward them.
Meridith groans gently. She gazes at someone and nods some, perhaps there's a quiet mathematics in her mind about his survival that she is comfortable with. She strides slowly about the room, examining, listening, keeping her senses open.
Meridith groans gently. She gazes at Steve and nods some, perhaps there's a quiet mathematics in her mind about his survival that she is comfortable with. She strides slowly about the room, examining, listening, keeping her senses open.
Autumn finds her gaze lingering at the pillars and grimaces even more. "Gonthorian isn't only dragon around here," she speaks in a hushed voice while she walks towards one pillar. "They are trapped here..."
Meridith says "We could desecrate this room, provoke him to sending his men to us."
Autumn says "That would be risky. What if he decides to roast us with his fire?"
Meridith says "He isn't real."
Autumn says "Oh, right."
As the team stands around considering their options, one voice manages to weakly tear through the veil from beyond. "Run! While you can!" comes a gravelly growl, disembodied for most, though Autumn seems to be closest to it, since she stepped toward the pillar with the source. Steve jumps and points his gun toward the top of the pillar, but his finger is not on the trigger still.
"You think it will be that easy?" comes another disembodied voice, this one, for Autumn and Meridith, matches the one they heard the last time they encountered Gonthorian. The door slams shut behind them, and scraping noises followed by a thump indicate something has been put in front of it to block egress. Then a pair of cannisters of gas get thrown in from the ceiling. One lands near Steve, and after just one whiff, he falls over unconscious.
"Cover your face!" Autumn tells Meridith as she quickly puts on her gas mask upon noticing the unconscious Steve. Opening her backpack, she gets out her gear and readies her bow while she quickly scans around the room.
Meridith scoffs softly. "We will," she insists to the voice. "What do you think you will do?" As the canisters drop she hisses, she's forgotten her gasmask once more, attempting with telekinesis to hurl the cannisters away from them and move to one side away from them swiftly.
Everyone always forgets gas masks, but at least for the moment, Meridith is safe on the other side of the room from the cannisters she has knocked back toward the door. That leaves Autumn next to the unconscious Steve. Even with just a whiff, if he does not get somewhere safe and get revived, he could die from that.
"I won't do anything," comes the draconic response, a rumbling snarl from a snout. "But I have agents of my own. They've been waiting for you," the dragon continues in a taunting fashion.
On cue, several ceiling panels plummet to the floor, followed by ropes, then red scalemail clad soldiers rappel down to the floor. They break out rifles and ... Combat begins! [OOC Combat Order: Meridith, Gonthorians, Autumn, Steve. Up Now: Meridith.]
Meridith begins the fight with a yank of her hand drawing a cultist to her as she twirls about, bringing her blade down in a decisive strike.
The Gonthorian pulled toward Meridith is able to deflect the blad and counter with the bayonet on his own rifle, trying to thrust it at Meridith like a spear. The other Gonthorians are spread out and they first seek cover from Meridith primarily, while being able to shoot at Autumn and poor, defenseless, unconscious Steve. Thankfully, he is laying on the floor, so most of the bullets sail over him without even getting close. [OOC Combat Order: Meridith, Gonthorians, Autumn, Steve. Up Now: Autumn. Up Next: Meridith.]
"Come, Ifrit!" Autumn speaks through her gas mask, chanting words of power with narrow eyes. "Take down our enemies, but do not kill them!" While a puff of black smoke starts to appear, she covers Steve with her cloak before she starts drawing and firing arrows at the Gonthorians. A hiss heralds the fiery-winged glowing salamander's arrival and the familiar starts spewing small fireballs.
In the flow of combat, summoning a minion does take a few moments for them to materialize. But once the salamander forms up and inhabits something, he is able to start doing the fireball thing toward individual Gonthorians. Steve, under the cloak might be alright in a bit. But the gas is still coming out of the cannisters near the door. All the Gonthorians are wearing masks, currently, so they only have to outlast the team! [OOC Combat Order: Meridith, Gonthorians, Autumn, Steve. Up Now: Meridith.]
Meridith lifts one into the air and springs towards them, attempting to rip the mask off their face.
The Gonthorian that Meridith was fighting turns to start shooting at her, even as she lands near his companion. She rips off the companion's mask, which will leave him to succumb to the gas in time. The other two Gonthorians stay in cover trying to shoot toward Autumn and steve. The gas will reach the pair at the end of next round. [OOC Combat Order: Meridith, Gonthorians, Autumn, Steve. Up Now: Autumn. Up Next: Meridith.]
"Put mask on Steve!" Autumn tells Meridith with a gesture towards the covered Steve. As Ifrit continues to shoot fireballs, Autumn lifts her left hand while she winces from the shots and points it towards one of the Gonthorians behind cover. "Let's charge, Ifrit!" She then runs towards her enemies, firing arrows before she readies her blade for melee.
The single target that Autumn and Ifrit have focused on falls to the bladed onslaught, smoldering, but not dead at least. That leaves one Gonthorian behind a pillar, the original Gonthorian that Meridith tried to cut down, and her current target without a mask. [OOC Combat Order: Meridith, Gonthorians, Autumn, Steve. Up Now: Meridith..]
Meridith dances between the shots, trying to provide an agile target. Her speed and movement is vastly above what she's had before, doing her best to control the distance and expose them to crossfire, disrupting aim. She pivots to her bow, pulling back a shot, and aiming for heads. For the...mask of course.
An arrow from Meridith is enough to shatter the glass on the original Gonthorian that she hit, and he falls over from the impact. The second one she got the mask off of brings up his rifle to start shooting at her as she dances away. The last one behind the pillar does something behind the pillar out of view, which involves several beeping noises. Then he rushes out and charges toward Autumn, trying to tackle her to the ground, possibly on Steve! [OOC Combat Order: Meridith, Gonthorians, Autumn, Steve. Up Now: Autumn.]
Noticing the incoming Gonthorian, Autumn takes a step back before she aims her arrows towards his legs. "Ifrit, stop him with your fire!" She commands her familiar, moving to protect Steve before she fires.
The Gonthorian on Autumn may have missed with the tackle, but the gas moves in to envelop him and Autumn. One breath is enough for Autumn to fall unconscious beside Steve. That leaves the whole fight hinging on Meridith finishing off the two remaining enemies or breaking the last one's mask! [OOC Combat Order: Meridith, Gonthorians. Up Now: Meridith.]
Meridith stares at the man. Her blade twirls a bit, studying up, she pulls on the mask she stole from the other and rushes forward uses her blade primarily, it is her primary fighting method. She keeps up her speed, springing between the two to keep them on the backfoot, becoming a whirlwind of steel.
It does not take long for Meridith, with a mask on, to mop the floor with the pair of Gonthorian's agents. Both are possibly still alive. The one without a mask may not be for long though. But Autumn and Steve in the gas are at serious risk of death from inhaling those gases. Even as the agents to the floor from Meridith's blade, the entire temple rumbles from the sudden roar from Gonthorian. The mountain starts to shake, and pieces of the temple's walls and ceiling start to fall around the room like small meteors. The gas starts to dissipate through some of those holes, but the earthquake now has the entire temple ready to fall on the team and slide them down the side of the mountain to their deaths!
Even with her mask on, Autumn lies unconscious next to Steve as Ifrit disappears in a puff of black smoke.
[OOC: Oops! Autumn did NOT fall unconscious! And she helps finish off the Gonthorians with Meridith. Issues otherwise still outstanding: Steve is unconscious, temple is falling around the team, and they may all fall and die.]
Recovering herself, Autumn's eyes widen upon seeing the crumbling room around her. "We have to get out of here," she speaks in a muffled voice while she pulls the unconsious and covered Steve up. "But we can't leave these trapped spirits to their doom," she then says with a glance at the pillars.
Meridith pulls the mask free and slides it over to Steve swiftly, hauling him over his shoulder. She pivots some, dancing between the falling pieces, and checks which pathways are clear.
Most of the doors are probably clear, but how many of them lead outside is a different story. The only door guaranteed to lead outside is the one the team came into. However, it sounds like it got barred in some way and may be difficult to open. Autumn does not seem to want to leave just yet though, not with the spirit dragons still trapped against the pillars. Also, none of the Gonthorians will live if the whole temple falls off the mountain. But then, the problem of it being haunted will be somewhat fixed. All the issues to solve, very little time to solve them in. Tick tock, tick tock, rumble rumble, more pieces of building falling around Autumn and Meridith.
Meridith scowls at Autumn. "They're DEAD! I don't intend to join them!" She motions for her to follow and one swift kick is the extend she tries to unbudge the door behind them before racing down the nearest and least unstable path, hoping to keep Autumn with her.
Frowning behind her mask, Autumn sighs quietly before she turns to follow Meridith, dragging Steve along with her. She moves to avoid the debris while she catches up with the woman. "And I thought they are just spirits who aren't real yet!"
The door bursts outward, barred by an iron band across it that gives way under Meridith's force. The pair are able to run back out into the courtyard. The dragon's roar apparently alerted the helicopter to come back, but it is still a ways off. As the team makes it a little ways away from the building, it suddenly lurches to one side, and part of the mountain beneath it collapses. The entire building goes sliding down the mountain, and the ground beneath the pair also starts to fall. Cracks form even under their feet as they run toward the path. The helicopter turns and gets as low to the ground down the path as it can safely manage. But it's a good hundred yards down the path, and the mountain is literally crumbling in their wake.
Meridith exhales harsh. "Autumn! Jump after I make it, okay!? Jump with everything you have!" She bellows. She races forward, carrying Steve. The air around her trembles as if on a hot summer day as she focuses her latent telekinetic power and her own natural bodily power and races to leap toward the helicopter once she gets close enough. Once in, if she can manage it, she pivots and tries to yank Autumn towards her once she begins her leap to aid her
"On it!" Autumn nods her head, having retrieved her cloak while she continues to run. As soon as she sees Meridith jump, she too jumps with all her energy.
Piloting a helicopter over ground that is trying to collapse without landing takes great skill. Thankfully the helicopter pilot seems to have that level of skill. He has managed to give Meridith her best chance to telekinetically leap toward it and almost land inside it. She is able to clamber in and dump Steve into a seat. Autumn has a little bit harder of a time without such fun super powers at her disposal. Her first jump is ... almost comedic. But after Meridith has a chance to recover from her own telekinetic propulsion, she is able to grab Autumn on a second jump to pull her into the helicopter just as the path crumbles beneath where she was standing.
The helicopter takes the team back to the base camp. Steve is treated for whatever knockout gas was used in the enclosed room. He should be fine, but any more exposure might have meant his death. The Gonthorians assuredly died, unless Gonthorian summoned them out of the building. He does not seem the sort to be that kind or considerate however. No one is exactly happy with the results, but at least no one that actually mattered died. The Chinese lady from before in the tent is the first one to Steve's bedside, even though she does not seem to understand English.
[OOC: And that brings us to the end of this chapter in the Shemra-Gonthorian story. Give me a moment to do SR stuff. If you want to spend Adventure XP for awards, STalk/tell/reply now. Otherwise, lemme know which stop to drop you at. Thank you for letting me SR for you tonight, and I hope you enjoyed.]