Encounterlogs
Victorias Odd Encounter Sr Keith 250224
Victoria finds herself plunged into a dire situation when she receives a distressing video message that reveals the infiltration of her allied faction by the Black Flame cult. The video showcases soldiers, swayed by the cult's nihilistic ideology, engaging in secretive rituals and sowing discord from within. Notable amongst the footage is a soldier, identifying herself as Stiletto Morrison, who informs Victoria of the cult's intentions to perform a ritual to open a gate to the Void, threatening cataclysmic consequences. Propelled by a sense of duty and urgency, Victoria leaves the comfort of her rustic bedroom, embarking on a mission to the outpost near the Wilds where the cult's manipulations are unfolding. The serene beginning starkly contrasts with the emerging threat, setting the stage for Victoria's intervention.
The climax unfolds with Victoria's arrival at the compromised outpost, revealing a scenario grimmer than anticipated. The once familiar and lively barracks are now chillingly silent, overtaken by the cult's influence. The eerie quiet is shattered by a confrontation with mind-controlled soldiers and a monstrous, otherworldly spider manipulated by the Black Flame's dark magic. In the ensuing chaos, Victoria and Juniper, who arrives to assist, courageously battle the spider and its puppet soldiers in a desperate bid to thwart the cult's apocalyptic agenda. With a blend of strategy, bravery, and sheer force, they manage to defeat the spider, avoiding the catastrophic ritual. The encounter leaves the outpost in ruins but signals a temporary reprieve from the machinations of the Black Flame, highlighting the relentless struggle between the forces of order and the harbingers of chaos. In the aftermath, the focus shifts to recovery and contemplation, with the protagonists considering the battle's toll and the looming threat that the Black Flame still poses.
(Victoria's odd encounter(SRKeith):SRKeith)
[Sun Feb 23 2025]
In a serene master bedroom
This room combines rustic decor, warm lighting, and a welcoming atmosphere that invites relaxation, making the space the perfect blend of nature and warmth. Walls are created of rich wood, and the main feature within is the bed.
A large bed with a frame made of oak dominates the space and is covered in several plush blankets, making it the ideal place to curl up and unwind. A fur throw has been laid at the foot of the bed, and several fluffy pillows rest against the headboard that is made from the same oak, featuring a black velvet backdrop.
It is night, about -3F(-19C) degrees, There is a waning crescent moon.
(A member of the Black Flame cult has infiltrated your target's allied faction, spreading their nihilistic ideology and sowing discord within the ranks. Your target must find out who the infiltrator is and reveal their true intentions before the group falls into chaos. This could involve a combination of investigation, persuasion, and possibly a confrontation with the infiltrator once they're discovered.)
Victoria relaxes in her room, scrolling through her phone absently.
While Victoria sat in her dimly lit bedroom, Her phone buzzed, an unknown number flashing across the screen. She hesitated for only a second before answering. The screen flickered to life, displaying a grainy video. The footage showed a small garrison deep in the outer forests of Haven, one of the Forged Fortune's outposts nearby to help keep tabs on the southern forest. At first glance, everything seemed normal. Soldiers in black tactical gear moved through the encampment, going about their duties. But something felt off. The camera focused on a group of Legionnaires gathered around a fire, their conversation barely audible. Then, one of them spoke, his voice eerily calm "We fight for coin, for survival but what if none of it matters? What if this world is already lost?" The others listened, some nodding, their expressions uncertain, as if under a spell. The video cut to another clip, this time inside one of the garrison's barracks. A different soldier, one Victoria recognized as an Aspirant, stood before a small, makeshift altar. Black candles flickered, casting shadows that danced unnaturally along the walls. At the center of the altar, a strange, twisting symbol had been carved into the wood. The Aspirant whispered something under his breath, too low to make out. The video resumed, flickering back to life with another grainy clip. The camera, shaky and unfocused, captured a dimly lit tent within the garrison. Inside, a small group of soldiers sat in a circle, their faces partially obscured by the flickering light of an oil lamp. The same Legionnaire from the first clip spoke again, his voice measured and deliberate. "You've all felt it, haven't you? The weight of this world crushing down. The endless wars, the suffering, the futility of it all. We bleed, we fight, we kill for what? A few more years of order before it all crumbles again?" One of the soldiers, a younger recruit, shifted uncomfortably. "We fight to survive, we fight for the family." he muttered, but his voice lacked conviction. The Legionnaire leaned forward, his shadow stretching long across the tent canvas. "Survival? Thats just delaying the inevitable. The world is sick. And we, we are the cure. The Black Flame doesnt fear the end. We embrace it. We usher it in." The video cut abruptly to another scene, outside this time, near the treeline of the forest. A soldier stood alone, facing away from the camera, his head tilted toward the sky as if listening to something. His body swayed slightly, unnaturally. When he turned, his eyes were hollow, vacant. His lips moved, but the words were barely a whisper.
Time and time again, several videos appear, showing the same Legionaire convincing several of the Forged mercenaries into the creed of the Black Flame. Finally the camera focuses on a face, the one holding it. A young woman in her early twenties, she too clad in the uniform for the Forged Fortune, "Stiletto Morrison, our outpost has been compromised by the Black Flame. I fear they are going to perform a ritual, opening a gate to the Void. I wasn't sure at first, but now I am. We need to stop them."
Victoria blinks as she watches what comes across her phone, her lips twisting into a frown the longer the footage plays. Her eyes narrow, but they never leave her phone screen as she slowly pushes herself to an upright position, reaching absently for her keys on a nearby nightstand. "Shit," she sighs, before flicking her fingers on the screen to send a text, before sliding the phone into a pocket and heading for the door. "How long has this been going on?" she wonders to herself, drawing a hand through her hair and shaking her head.
"I am Legionnaire Evelyn Graves... My friends call me Evie." The Legionarie's voice came through low and tense. "It started small. A few weeks ago, maybe three or four. It wasn't obvious at first. Just little things, soldiers questioning orders, pulling away from the rest of the unit. At first, I chalked it up to fatigue, boredom, the usual." She took a breath before continuing. "Then, about two weeks ago, I noticed a shift. The late night discussions, the way some of them started talking in hushed voices, looking over their shoulders like they had a secret. I confronted a few of them about it, but they just laughed it off or gave me vague answers about 'thinking beyond the contract.'" A pause. Then her voice, quieter but firm. "One week ago, I found the altar. Black candles, the symbol, whispers in the dark. I destroyed it, but I think that just made them more careful. I didn't know what else to do. That's when the dreams started." Once more, she let out a shaky breath. "The ones who are in too deep... They talk about seeing things when they sleep. Shadows moving, voices calling them. And the worst part? Some of the others are starting to believe them." Her voice grew even quieter. "It's worse. Theres something coming, ma'am. They're planning something big. I overheard them talking about 'opening a gate.' If that means what I think it does, we dont have much time." Then there is a sound of snapping twigs in the background and a few loud bangs, the line goes dead. For Victoria, she knows where this Forged outpost is, it isn't far from the gate to the Wilds, but it is on Haven side of things, roughly twenty Forged mercenaries that function as a quick reactionary force to assist Forged interest within Haven. If this outpost fails, it could set back the Forged here months.
Another sigh from Victoria, and she plucks her jacket up on her way through her foyer, pulling it on while muttering to herself. She barely looks to the road before starting her bike, heading off toward that outpost near the Wilds, a glare crossing her features momentarily.
Victoria's tires rumbled against the gravel as she cruised toward the outpost, the chill of the forest creeping into her bones despite the warmth of the bike's engine. The road seemed longer than it should have been, the trees pressing closer, their shadows swallowing the light. She flicked her eyes to the sky briefly, a sickly pale hue, almost like the world itself had fallen ill. When she saw the outpost in the distance, something in her gut twisted. It wasn't just the usual quietness that made her uneasy, it was the emptiness. The flickering floodlights had always been a constant at the perimeter, but tonight they sputtered, throwing an unsteady light over the ground like ghosts trying to escape. As she approached the gates, her eyes narrowed. The iron gates, normally locked tight against the unknown dangers lurking beyond, were ajar, a single soldier standing guard, but his posture was slack, almost lifeless. He stood there, his vacant stare fixed on some distant, invisible point. But for Victoria, she felt as if she is being watched by a thousand unseen eyes. The once familiar outpost to Victoria, looked like a place forgotten by time. The hum of life that should have echoed in the barracks, the fireside chatter of mercenaries preparing for missions or cleaning weapons, was missing. Instead, the camp was eerily still, only shifting shadows in the corners of her vision and the occasional muttered word cutting through the air, as though whispers drifted between soldiers without a source. On a nearby building, her eyes caught a symbol carved into the wooden door frame, crude but deliberate, something that wasnt there the last time shed been here. The air around it felt heavier, darker, and for a moment, she thought she saw something flicker beneath the wood, a deep, unholy pulse. Her breath caught in her throat. This wasnt just an infiltration. This was something far worse something ancient. A faint screech coming from the treeline like a crack in the world itself. It felt otherworldly, but it was a feeling Victoria had felt before.... When she was around Elias' relic, the Eye of Darkness.
Drawing a dagger from a sheath, Victoria spins, frowning. "Not good," she whispers to herself, palming her phone into her other hand as she glances about, looking for anyone that might remain. She looks a bit pale, and she draws a measured breath, attempting to pick up any scent in the air.
A dozen Forged Fortune mercenaries, their faces hollow, eyes blank, stumble forward, but despite their disjointed motions, theres an unnerving fluidity to their advance. They shouldve been marching with discipline, but instead, their motions are erratic, like marionettes pulled by invisible strings, synchronized yet chaotic. A black creature lingers near by them, barely visible, gliding through the forest's edge like a predator stalking its prey. Its dark, shimmering body glistens under the dim light, its legs moving with the grace of something unnaturally patient, as if calculating its every move. The silken threads trailing from its body connect directly to the soldiers, pulling their strings, guiding their every step. Victoria can feel the shiver of malevolent power threading through the air as she watches the spider's subtle movements, its legs gliding over the ground, laying down new threads to bind the soldiers tighter, manipulating them like puppets on a string. She can almost sense the dark energies pulsing from the creature, an aura that thickens the air with each passing moment. The soldiers' eyes snap toward her, their blank stares eerily focused. Their movements are slow at first, but soon, they start to move in sync, closing the gap between her and them. The metallic glint of their melee weapons, axes and swords, catches the dim light, a reminder of the danger closing in. They dont look human anymore, not with the way they move, not with the way their soulless eyes follow her every shift.
Victoria backs up promptly, heading back into the cover of trees a few paces with worry flitting over her features. "Why in the hell do I always get the messed up situations?" she heaves a sigh, tightening her grip on her daggers. "Evie?" She ventures calling out for the woman who sent the video message, since she's already been spotted. Eyes turn toward the spider guiding the soldiers like puppets, and her nose wrinkles.
Evie doesn't actually seem to be among them, but the 'fallen' Forged mercenaries seem to quick their pace as they advance upon her with the clear intention to do harm. And then it happens. The air cracks with deafening rumbling, is it magic? No. It is the wounded Legionnaire Graves... or Evie. The sound of the rumbling machine gun fills the air, shaking the ground beneath her feet. The thundering roar of the fifty caliber rounds slices through the eerie stillness of the forest, a weapon of destruction that shatters the tension with brutal efficiency. The first wave of fallen mercenaries are torn apart, disintegrating into gory mist and pulses of blood, their bodies reduced to nothing more than splattered remnants in the air. The gunfire continues, a steady rhythm of chaos, and the soldiers are mowed down in an instant. Victoria can feel the force of the rounds even from a distance, the power behind them a ruthless, unrelenting wave that leaves only destruction in its wake. She grits her teeth, not surprised by the sheer raw power of the weapon, but still taken aback by the speed and efficiency with which the mercenaries are obliterated. And then silence... Three of the merceanries remain, but the glossy otherworldly spider advances chittering as it does, letting out a sound that does not belong in this world. The chittering sound of the spider reverberates through the trees, an otherworldly noise that raises the hairs on the back of Victoria's neck. It's a sound too alien, too unnerving to be from anything natural. The air feels heavy as the creatures glossy legs click and scrape across the forest floor, its red eyes gleaming with predatory intent. The threads of silk it produces quiver in the air like lines of fate, tethering the remaining soldiers to its will.
Whirling in surprise amid the sound of bullets, Victoria spots the Legionnaire and relief is evident on her features...for a moment. The spider's advance causes her eyes to widen, and as it advances, she does the only thing that she can think of- she arcs an arm, sending a dagger before her toward those strands of silk that tether the soldiers left to the spider. She watches where it flies, hoping to recover it later perhaps, before pulling her bow and letting an arrow loose toward the advancing creature.
Victorias dagger slices through the air, the whistle of its flight cutting through the tense atmosphere. It catches one of the silk strands, severing it with a clean snap. The webbing shudders briefly, and for a moment, the mercenary it was tethered to stumbles, as if the connection was briefly severed. The mercenary freed from the strand, it drops like a sack of potatoes. Evie, who emerges from the cover of the machine gun position, her movements fluid despite the jamming of the powerful weapon. Evie's shots ring out, but the bullets seem to sink harmlessly into the advancing mercenaries. The soldiers continue their advance, like puppets, their faces hollow, eyes void of any recognition or humanity. The spider hisses, its mandibles clicking sharply as it snaps its attention to Victoria once more, its form a looming, nightmarish mass. It seems intent on her, its eyes glowing with that same unnatural red light. Evie, now on her feet, moves with purpose, closing the distance between herself and the advancing group. Her .45 pistol fires again, sending more rounds into the mercyless soldiers, but it's clear without cutting the threads, these mercenaries won't stop.
"Hey, Evie?" Victoria calls, sending a text as fast as possible with hopeful fingertips. "Cover me, please." Then with nothing more than an intake of breath, she darts forward, flicking her wrist in an attempt to sever the other strands left by the spider, ducking and weaving in an attempt to stay out of harm's way. She doesn't dare to breathe, not until she sees if her efforts pay off.
Still advancing firing her pistol at the advancing mercenaries. Firing the last shot, she throws her empty pistol at the nearest one. Evie, whos now fully in the thick of the fight. The gunfire has ceased, and Evie with her knife flashing as she blocks an attack from one of the last remaining mercenaries. With each cut, the soldiers seem to grow slower and less coordinated. But still, the spider advances, a terrible presence in the air, its mandibles clicking in frustration. Whether her texts reach June, it is unknown.
With Evie helping, Victoria arcs upward, driving a slice toward one of the limbs of the spider before ducking away again momentarily to breathe. She sees Juniper in the distance, and waves an arm. "Giant....insects," she manages.
When Juniper arrives an outpost of the Forged Fortune which sits near the Wilds gate, it functions as a Quick Reactionary Base for the Forged's mission within Haven. But for now, it lies in disrepair with parts of bodies every where. There is one female Forged Mercenary fighting with another with two others advancing on her, but one of the advancing drops as Victoria cuts the silk strand connecting to him. What insect that Victoria is talking about isn't immediately obvious to Juniper, but what is, the hairs on the back of her neck rise as she feels as if she is being hunting. It is a cold, otherworldly feeling that she is the prey and a predator is lurking nearby. A feeling she has felt before, with the Eye of Darkness. Then she sees it, is glossy shell, red glowing eyes as it starts skittering towards her at rapid speed.
"Oh NO, NOPE," Juniper states very loudly as a feeling skitters over her spine and she hurries those steps from where she's abandoned her bike to book it over to Victoria. Already drawing her knife from her boot sheathe in a smooth movement as she advances she continues to talk out loud to the glossy shelled, red eyed opponent. "You can crawl back into whatever ass hole of hell you came out of." Her features set sternly, bracing herself for melee combat with this thing. Lowering herself just slightly and centering her weight, she's ready to do damage in the way she excels at.
Retrieving her other dagger, Victoria turns toward Juniper, and the skittering insect, and she echoes the words of the blonde. "Nope!" Without another thought, she sends one of her daggers flying, aimed directly for the spider as it skitters. Somehow, she manages to break into a run, in heels no less, moving just in case the blow does nothing save for upsetting the horribly large creature.
The spider's legs churn forward like a nightmare in motion, its speed unnatural. As the creature advances, the air feels heavier around Juniper, thick with that unnerving presence that feels of a predator. someone dagger sails through the air, aimed at the spider. It lands with a solid thunk into one of its legs, momentarily staggering the creature. The spider's screech of pain echoes through the trees, an unnatural, guttural sound that sends a chill down the spine. But the beast doesn't stop, it simply lurches forward, angered but still relentless, its mandibles clicking with venomous intent. Evie, the female Forged Fortune soldier takes an axe blade into the shoulder as she cries out in pain. She leans into the blow, looking as if to hug the other mercenary, but her blade slides up his back, plucking the strand of silk, causing him to fall to the ground motionless. She joins him though, falling to her knees as she just sits there for a moment, bleeding from the fresh axe wound in her shoulder, axe still embedded.
The spider's legs churn forward like a nightmare in motion, its speed unnatural. As the creature advances, the air feels heavier around Juniper, thick with that unnerving presence that feels of a predator. Victoria's dagger sails through the air, aimed at the spider. It lands with a solid thunk into one of its legs, momentarily staggering the creature. The spider's screech of pain echoes through the trees, an unnatural, guttural sound that sends a chill down the spine. But the beast doesn't stop, it simply lurches forward, angered but still relentless, its mandibles clicking with venomous intent. Evie, the female Forged Fortune soldier takes an axe blade into the shoulder as she cries out in pain. She leans into the blow, looking as if to hug the other mercenary, but her blade slides up his back, plucking the strand of silk, causing him to fall to the ground motionless. She joins him though, falling to her knees as she just sits there for a moment, bleeding from the fresh axe wound in her shoulder, axe still embedded.
Swapping daggers for her bow, Victoria takes a moment to aim, eyes swiveling between Juniper and Evie. She frowns, shaking her head once, and then lets an arrow loose toward the spider. Another follows, and then a third in rapid succession as her eyes squint with concentration.
Juniper's eyes narrow, trying to focus past the oppressive darkness weighing down on her and transforming her human fire into something more lupine as she taps into strength from within against the unnaturalness. She shifts her stance, her muscles coiling once more to be ready to spring into action. The screams around her only seem to capture the attention of her wolf further, and with a fierce snarl that is meant to sound untouched by fear, she lunges into the fray with fluid and sharp movements. Juniper whirls with her practised precision to strike out in a combination of kicks and stabs aimed for the spider's legs in order to cripple it. Each blow is delivered with purpose and is fueled by adrenaline and her fierce protectiveness over her team. In these moevements, the rest of the outpost becomes a backdrop to her more single-mindedness as she allows her wolf to become the predator and not be satisfied remaining as prey. She will defend her pack, no matter the odds.
The spider's abdomen suddenly cracks open, releasing an ear splitting sound, like a ribcage breaking under immense pressure. What had once been the size of a dog, a threat in its own right, now morphs into something far more terrifying, something monstrous and unnatural. From the cracked abdomen, chitinous armor bursts outward, expanding at an alarming rate. The spider's body elongates, stretching its limbs until they seem to tower above the two women, its glossy black shell glistening with an unnatural sheen. The red eyes grow larger, and now they seem to glow like embers in the dark. Its legs stretch longer, more spindly, and covered in a sticky, webbed substance, each one coming down like towering columns, their movements jagged yet unnervingly swift. Its mandibles, previously enough to crush bones, now seem to grow to grotesque proportions, opening with a sickening snap that echoes through the air. The creature's body seems to expand beyond reason, now towering over them like a nightmare made real. Tendrils of webbing unfurl from its newly formed abdomen, swirling through the air like strands of a spiders trap, ready to ensnare its prey. The beast lets out a blood curdling screech, a sound that tears through the air, an echo of pure malice and hunger. How the Black Flame could think things like this would be the world's savior is unknown.
Victoria, firing off arrows in quick succession they find their way into its eyes, bursting them in black ichor which sprays about as it screeches. Juniper, hitting the creatures leg like a bus, its already injured leg snaps like a twig under her massive size, causing it to stumble, blinded and flailing out with its strand-like whips.
"Absolutely nope," Victoria states, with an entirely blank expression. She bounces over toward the injured insect, before stopping suddenly to aim another arrow, right at its torso. She lets it fly, before narrowing her eyes, watching.
WELL. Good thing these two powerhouses were here then, or this outpost would have become like Shelob's Lair in Cirith Ungol. Juniper isn't wasting any time or hatred or energy into anything other than the total decimation of this creature before it can get up again. When it stumbles she throws herself towards its head, stabbing her knife between its mandibles and RIPPING with force backwards to just separate one hemisphwere from the other.
Letting lose Victoria sends an arrow at the Void creature, the shaft sinks deep, and the creature lets out a bone rattling screech as the black ichor seeps from the new wound, piercing chitlin and flesh. Meanwhile, Juniper is already in motion, not even waiting for the spider to fully react. Hurling herself at the head of the creature, her knife ready. The moment she lands, she drives the blade between the creature's mandibles, her muscles straining with the power of her strike. She rips backward, using her full strength to tear the spider's head in half. The chitin splits, and with a sickening crunch, the two halves of the spider's head fall apart, the creature letting out a final, dying screech before collapsing entirely. The spider's body shudders and falls still, its limbs twitching spasmodically before it is reduced to a lifeless heap. The darkness that had hung over the battlefield lifts, the oppressive feeling of being prey dissipating as the threat is extinguished.
Evie remains where she is, sitting on her knees looking down at her blood covered hands, giving all the signs of being in shock.
Juniper shakes out her arms and her knife, trying to rid herself of the bodily fluids of the creature before she looks over to Victoria with a little bit of heaving from the exertion when she breathes. "Sorry I was late to the party," she pants out with some attempt at mirth. Then, hazel eyes slip towards Evie. "We'll have someone take her to White Oak to be seen to."
Nodding to Juniper, Victoria smiles faintly. "Thank you," she says, flicking some unknown substance off her daggers. "I think that's wise." She glances at Evie, chewing her lower lip. "And somehow, all I can think about is a shower."
It doesn't take long for medical personnel to arrive and take her off to White Oak, where Juniper and Victoria later will get notification she is expected to fully recover.
The climax unfolds with Victoria's arrival at the compromised outpost, revealing a scenario grimmer than anticipated. The once familiar and lively barracks are now chillingly silent, overtaken by the cult's influence. The eerie quiet is shattered by a confrontation with mind-controlled soldiers and a monstrous, otherworldly spider manipulated by the Black Flame's dark magic. In the ensuing chaos, Victoria and Juniper, who arrives to assist, courageously battle the spider and its puppet soldiers in a desperate bid to thwart the cult's apocalyptic agenda. With a blend of strategy, bravery, and sheer force, they manage to defeat the spider, avoiding the catastrophic ritual. The encounter leaves the outpost in ruins but signals a temporary reprieve from the machinations of the Black Flame, highlighting the relentless struggle between the forces of order and the harbingers of chaos. In the aftermath, the focus shifts to recovery and contemplation, with the protagonists considering the battle's toll and the looming threat that the Black Flame still poses.
(Victoria's odd encounter(SRKeith):SRKeith)
[Sun Feb 23 2025]
In a serene master bedroom
This room combines rustic decor, warm lighting, and a welcoming atmosphere that invites relaxation, making the space the perfect blend of nature and warmth. Walls are created of rich wood, and the main feature within is the bed.
A large bed with a frame made of oak dominates the space and is covered in several plush blankets, making it the ideal place to curl up and unwind. A fur throw has been laid at the foot of the bed, and several fluffy pillows rest against the headboard that is made from the same oak, featuring a black velvet backdrop.
It is night, about -3F(-19C) degrees, There is a waning crescent moon.
(A member of the Black Flame cult has infiltrated your target's allied faction, spreading their nihilistic ideology and sowing discord within the ranks. Your target must find out who the infiltrator is and reveal their true intentions before the group falls into chaos. This could involve a combination of investigation, persuasion, and possibly a confrontation with the infiltrator once they're discovered.)
Victoria relaxes in her room, scrolling through her phone absently.
While Victoria sat in her dimly lit bedroom, Her phone buzzed, an unknown number flashing across the screen. She hesitated for only a second before answering. The screen flickered to life, displaying a grainy video. The footage showed a small garrison deep in the outer forests of Haven, one of the Forged Fortune's outposts nearby to help keep tabs on the southern forest. At first glance, everything seemed normal. Soldiers in black tactical gear moved through the encampment, going about their duties. But something felt off. The camera focused on a group of Legionnaires gathered around a fire, their conversation barely audible. Then, one of them spoke, his voice eerily calm "We fight for coin, for survival but what if none of it matters? What if this world is already lost?" The others listened, some nodding, their expressions uncertain, as if under a spell. The video cut to another clip, this time inside one of the garrison's barracks. A different soldier, one Victoria recognized as an Aspirant, stood before a small, makeshift altar. Black candles flickered, casting shadows that danced unnaturally along the walls. At the center of the altar, a strange, twisting symbol had been carved into the wood. The Aspirant whispered something under his breath, too low to make out. The video resumed, flickering back to life with another grainy clip. The camera, shaky and unfocused, captured a dimly lit tent within the garrison. Inside, a small group of soldiers sat in a circle, their faces partially obscured by the flickering light of an oil lamp. The same Legionnaire from the first clip spoke again, his voice measured and deliberate. "You've all felt it, haven't you? The weight of this world crushing down. The endless wars, the suffering, the futility of it all. We bleed, we fight, we kill for what? A few more years of order before it all crumbles again?" One of the soldiers, a younger recruit, shifted uncomfortably. "We fight to survive, we fight for the family." he muttered, but his voice lacked conviction. The Legionnaire leaned forward, his shadow stretching long across the tent canvas. "Survival? Thats just delaying the inevitable. The world is sick. And we, we are the cure. The Black Flame doesnt fear the end. We embrace it. We usher it in." The video cut abruptly to another scene, outside this time, near the treeline of the forest. A soldier stood alone, facing away from the camera, his head tilted toward the sky as if listening to something. His body swayed slightly, unnaturally. When he turned, his eyes were hollow, vacant. His lips moved, but the words were barely a whisper.
Time and time again, several videos appear, showing the same Legionaire convincing several of the Forged mercenaries into the creed of the Black Flame. Finally the camera focuses on a face, the one holding it. A young woman in her early twenties, she too clad in the uniform for the Forged Fortune, "Stiletto Morrison, our outpost has been compromised by the Black Flame. I fear they are going to perform a ritual, opening a gate to the Void. I wasn't sure at first, but now I am. We need to stop them."
Victoria blinks as she watches what comes across her phone, her lips twisting into a frown the longer the footage plays. Her eyes narrow, but they never leave her phone screen as she slowly pushes herself to an upright position, reaching absently for her keys on a nearby nightstand. "Shit," she sighs, before flicking her fingers on the screen to send a text, before sliding the phone into a pocket and heading for the door. "How long has this been going on?" she wonders to herself, drawing a hand through her hair and shaking her head.
"I am Legionnaire Evelyn Graves... My friends call me Evie." The Legionarie's voice came through low and tense. "It started small. A few weeks ago, maybe three or four. It wasn't obvious at first. Just little things, soldiers questioning orders, pulling away from the rest of the unit. At first, I chalked it up to fatigue, boredom, the usual." She took a breath before continuing. "Then, about two weeks ago, I noticed a shift. The late night discussions, the way some of them started talking in hushed voices, looking over their shoulders like they had a secret. I confronted a few of them about it, but they just laughed it off or gave me vague answers about 'thinking beyond the contract.'" A pause. Then her voice, quieter but firm. "One week ago, I found the altar. Black candles, the symbol, whispers in the dark. I destroyed it, but I think that just made them more careful. I didn't know what else to do. That's when the dreams started." Once more, she let out a shaky breath. "The ones who are in too deep... They talk about seeing things when they sleep. Shadows moving, voices calling them. And the worst part? Some of the others are starting to believe them." Her voice grew even quieter. "It's worse. Theres something coming, ma'am. They're planning something big. I overheard them talking about 'opening a gate.' If that means what I think it does, we dont have much time." Then there is a sound of snapping twigs in the background and a few loud bangs, the line goes dead. For Victoria, she knows where this Forged outpost is, it isn't far from the gate to the Wilds, but it is on Haven side of things, roughly twenty Forged mercenaries that function as a quick reactionary force to assist Forged interest within Haven. If this outpost fails, it could set back the Forged here months.
Another sigh from Victoria, and she plucks her jacket up on her way through her foyer, pulling it on while muttering to herself. She barely looks to the road before starting her bike, heading off toward that outpost near the Wilds, a glare crossing her features momentarily.
Victoria's tires rumbled against the gravel as she cruised toward the outpost, the chill of the forest creeping into her bones despite the warmth of the bike's engine. The road seemed longer than it should have been, the trees pressing closer, their shadows swallowing the light. She flicked her eyes to the sky briefly, a sickly pale hue, almost like the world itself had fallen ill. When she saw the outpost in the distance, something in her gut twisted. It wasn't just the usual quietness that made her uneasy, it was the emptiness. The flickering floodlights had always been a constant at the perimeter, but tonight they sputtered, throwing an unsteady light over the ground like ghosts trying to escape. As she approached the gates, her eyes narrowed. The iron gates, normally locked tight against the unknown dangers lurking beyond, were ajar, a single soldier standing guard, but his posture was slack, almost lifeless. He stood there, his vacant stare fixed on some distant, invisible point. But for Victoria, she felt as if she is being watched by a thousand unseen eyes. The once familiar outpost to Victoria, looked like a place forgotten by time. The hum of life that should have echoed in the barracks, the fireside chatter of mercenaries preparing for missions or cleaning weapons, was missing. Instead, the camp was eerily still, only shifting shadows in the corners of her vision and the occasional muttered word cutting through the air, as though whispers drifted between soldiers without a source. On a nearby building, her eyes caught a symbol carved into the wooden door frame, crude but deliberate, something that wasnt there the last time shed been here. The air around it felt heavier, darker, and for a moment, she thought she saw something flicker beneath the wood, a deep, unholy pulse. Her breath caught in her throat. This wasnt just an infiltration. This was something far worse something ancient. A faint screech coming from the treeline like a crack in the world itself. It felt otherworldly, but it was a feeling Victoria had felt before.... When she was around Elias' relic, the Eye of Darkness.
Drawing a dagger from a sheath, Victoria spins, frowning. "Not good," she whispers to herself, palming her phone into her other hand as she glances about, looking for anyone that might remain. She looks a bit pale, and she draws a measured breath, attempting to pick up any scent in the air.
A dozen Forged Fortune mercenaries, their faces hollow, eyes blank, stumble forward, but despite their disjointed motions, theres an unnerving fluidity to their advance. They shouldve been marching with discipline, but instead, their motions are erratic, like marionettes pulled by invisible strings, synchronized yet chaotic. A black creature lingers near by them, barely visible, gliding through the forest's edge like a predator stalking its prey. Its dark, shimmering body glistens under the dim light, its legs moving with the grace of something unnaturally patient, as if calculating its every move. The silken threads trailing from its body connect directly to the soldiers, pulling their strings, guiding their every step. Victoria can feel the shiver of malevolent power threading through the air as she watches the spider's subtle movements, its legs gliding over the ground, laying down new threads to bind the soldiers tighter, manipulating them like puppets on a string. She can almost sense the dark energies pulsing from the creature, an aura that thickens the air with each passing moment. The soldiers' eyes snap toward her, their blank stares eerily focused. Their movements are slow at first, but soon, they start to move in sync, closing the gap between her and them. The metallic glint of their melee weapons, axes and swords, catches the dim light, a reminder of the danger closing in. They dont look human anymore, not with the way they move, not with the way their soulless eyes follow her every shift.
Victoria backs up promptly, heading back into the cover of trees a few paces with worry flitting over her features. "Why in the hell do I always get the messed up situations?" she heaves a sigh, tightening her grip on her daggers. "Evie?" She ventures calling out for the woman who sent the video message, since she's already been spotted. Eyes turn toward the spider guiding the soldiers like puppets, and her nose wrinkles.
Evie doesn't actually seem to be among them, but the 'fallen' Forged mercenaries seem to quick their pace as they advance upon her with the clear intention to do harm. And then it happens. The air cracks with deafening rumbling, is it magic? No. It is the wounded Legionnaire Graves... or Evie. The sound of the rumbling machine gun fills the air, shaking the ground beneath her feet. The thundering roar of the fifty caliber rounds slices through the eerie stillness of the forest, a weapon of destruction that shatters the tension with brutal efficiency. The first wave of fallen mercenaries are torn apart, disintegrating into gory mist and pulses of blood, their bodies reduced to nothing more than splattered remnants in the air. The gunfire continues, a steady rhythm of chaos, and the soldiers are mowed down in an instant. Victoria can feel the force of the rounds even from a distance, the power behind them a ruthless, unrelenting wave that leaves only destruction in its wake. She grits her teeth, not surprised by the sheer raw power of the weapon, but still taken aback by the speed and efficiency with which the mercenaries are obliterated. And then silence... Three of the merceanries remain, but the glossy otherworldly spider advances chittering as it does, letting out a sound that does not belong in this world. The chittering sound of the spider reverberates through the trees, an otherworldly noise that raises the hairs on the back of Victoria's neck. It's a sound too alien, too unnerving to be from anything natural. The air feels heavy as the creatures glossy legs click and scrape across the forest floor, its red eyes gleaming with predatory intent. The threads of silk it produces quiver in the air like lines of fate, tethering the remaining soldiers to its will.
Whirling in surprise amid the sound of bullets, Victoria spots the Legionnaire and relief is evident on her features...for a moment. The spider's advance causes her eyes to widen, and as it advances, she does the only thing that she can think of- she arcs an arm, sending a dagger before her toward those strands of silk that tether the soldiers left to the spider. She watches where it flies, hoping to recover it later perhaps, before pulling her bow and letting an arrow loose toward the advancing creature.
Victorias dagger slices through the air, the whistle of its flight cutting through the tense atmosphere. It catches one of the silk strands, severing it with a clean snap. The webbing shudders briefly, and for a moment, the mercenary it was tethered to stumbles, as if the connection was briefly severed. The mercenary freed from the strand, it drops like a sack of potatoes. Evie, who emerges from the cover of the machine gun position, her movements fluid despite the jamming of the powerful weapon. Evie's shots ring out, but the bullets seem to sink harmlessly into the advancing mercenaries. The soldiers continue their advance, like puppets, their faces hollow, eyes void of any recognition or humanity. The spider hisses, its mandibles clicking sharply as it snaps its attention to Victoria once more, its form a looming, nightmarish mass. It seems intent on her, its eyes glowing with that same unnatural red light. Evie, now on her feet, moves with purpose, closing the distance between herself and the advancing group. Her .45 pistol fires again, sending more rounds into the mercyless soldiers, but it's clear without cutting the threads, these mercenaries won't stop.
"Hey, Evie?" Victoria calls, sending a text as fast as possible with hopeful fingertips. "Cover me, please." Then with nothing more than an intake of breath, she darts forward, flicking her wrist in an attempt to sever the other strands left by the spider, ducking and weaving in an attempt to stay out of harm's way. She doesn't dare to breathe, not until she sees if her efforts pay off.
Still advancing firing her pistol at the advancing mercenaries. Firing the last shot, she throws her empty pistol at the nearest one. Evie, whos now fully in the thick of the fight. The gunfire has ceased, and Evie with her knife flashing as she blocks an attack from one of the last remaining mercenaries. With each cut, the soldiers seem to grow slower and less coordinated. But still, the spider advances, a terrible presence in the air, its mandibles clicking in frustration. Whether her texts reach June, it is unknown.
With Evie helping, Victoria arcs upward, driving a slice toward one of the limbs of the spider before ducking away again momentarily to breathe. She sees Juniper in the distance, and waves an arm. "Giant....insects," she manages.
When Juniper arrives an outpost of the Forged Fortune which sits near the Wilds gate, it functions as a Quick Reactionary Base for the Forged's mission within Haven. But for now, it lies in disrepair with parts of bodies every where. There is one female Forged Mercenary fighting with another with two others advancing on her, but one of the advancing drops as Victoria cuts the silk strand connecting to him. What insect that Victoria is talking about isn't immediately obvious to Juniper, but what is, the hairs on the back of her neck rise as she feels as if she is being hunting. It is a cold, otherworldly feeling that she is the prey and a predator is lurking nearby. A feeling she has felt before, with the Eye of Darkness. Then she sees it, is glossy shell, red glowing eyes as it starts skittering towards her at rapid speed.
"Oh NO, NOPE," Juniper states very loudly as a feeling skitters over her spine and she hurries those steps from where she's abandoned her bike to book it over to Victoria. Already drawing her knife from her boot sheathe in a smooth movement as she advances she continues to talk out loud to the glossy shelled, red eyed opponent. "You can crawl back into whatever ass hole of hell you came out of." Her features set sternly, bracing herself for melee combat with this thing. Lowering herself just slightly and centering her weight, she's ready to do damage in the way she excels at.
Retrieving her other dagger, Victoria turns toward Juniper, and the skittering insect, and she echoes the words of the blonde. "Nope!" Without another thought, she sends one of her daggers flying, aimed directly for the spider as it skitters. Somehow, she manages to break into a run, in heels no less, moving just in case the blow does nothing save for upsetting the horribly large creature.
The spider's legs churn forward like a nightmare in motion, its speed unnatural. As the creature advances, the air feels heavier around Juniper, thick with that unnerving presence that feels of a predator. someone dagger sails through the air, aimed at the spider. It lands with a solid thunk into one of its legs, momentarily staggering the creature. The spider's screech of pain echoes through the trees, an unnatural, guttural sound that sends a chill down the spine. But the beast doesn't stop, it simply lurches forward, angered but still relentless, its mandibles clicking with venomous intent. Evie, the female Forged Fortune soldier takes an axe blade into the shoulder as she cries out in pain. She leans into the blow, looking as if to hug the other mercenary, but her blade slides up his back, plucking the strand of silk, causing him to fall to the ground motionless. She joins him though, falling to her knees as she just sits there for a moment, bleeding from the fresh axe wound in her shoulder, axe still embedded.
The spider's legs churn forward like a nightmare in motion, its speed unnatural. As the creature advances, the air feels heavier around Juniper, thick with that unnerving presence that feels of a predator. Victoria's dagger sails through the air, aimed at the spider. It lands with a solid thunk into one of its legs, momentarily staggering the creature. The spider's screech of pain echoes through the trees, an unnatural, guttural sound that sends a chill down the spine. But the beast doesn't stop, it simply lurches forward, angered but still relentless, its mandibles clicking with venomous intent. Evie, the female Forged Fortune soldier takes an axe blade into the shoulder as she cries out in pain. She leans into the blow, looking as if to hug the other mercenary, but her blade slides up his back, plucking the strand of silk, causing him to fall to the ground motionless. She joins him though, falling to her knees as she just sits there for a moment, bleeding from the fresh axe wound in her shoulder, axe still embedded.
Swapping daggers for her bow, Victoria takes a moment to aim, eyes swiveling between Juniper and Evie. She frowns, shaking her head once, and then lets an arrow loose toward the spider. Another follows, and then a third in rapid succession as her eyes squint with concentration.
Juniper's eyes narrow, trying to focus past the oppressive darkness weighing down on her and transforming her human fire into something more lupine as she taps into strength from within against the unnaturalness. She shifts her stance, her muscles coiling once more to be ready to spring into action. The screams around her only seem to capture the attention of her wolf further, and with a fierce snarl that is meant to sound untouched by fear, she lunges into the fray with fluid and sharp movements. Juniper whirls with her practised precision to strike out in a combination of kicks and stabs aimed for the spider's legs in order to cripple it. Each blow is delivered with purpose and is fueled by adrenaline and her fierce protectiveness over her team. In these moevements, the rest of the outpost becomes a backdrop to her more single-mindedness as she allows her wolf to become the predator and not be satisfied remaining as prey. She will defend her pack, no matter the odds.
The spider's abdomen suddenly cracks open, releasing an ear splitting sound, like a ribcage breaking under immense pressure. What had once been the size of a dog, a threat in its own right, now morphs into something far more terrifying, something monstrous and unnatural. From the cracked abdomen, chitinous armor bursts outward, expanding at an alarming rate. The spider's body elongates, stretching its limbs until they seem to tower above the two women, its glossy black shell glistening with an unnatural sheen. The red eyes grow larger, and now they seem to glow like embers in the dark. Its legs stretch longer, more spindly, and covered in a sticky, webbed substance, each one coming down like towering columns, their movements jagged yet unnervingly swift. Its mandibles, previously enough to crush bones, now seem to grow to grotesque proportions, opening with a sickening snap that echoes through the air. The creature's body seems to expand beyond reason, now towering over them like a nightmare made real. Tendrils of webbing unfurl from its newly formed abdomen, swirling through the air like strands of a spiders trap, ready to ensnare its prey. The beast lets out a blood curdling screech, a sound that tears through the air, an echo of pure malice and hunger. How the Black Flame could think things like this would be the world's savior is unknown.
Victoria, firing off arrows in quick succession they find their way into its eyes, bursting them in black ichor which sprays about as it screeches. Juniper, hitting the creatures leg like a bus, its already injured leg snaps like a twig under her massive size, causing it to stumble, blinded and flailing out with its strand-like whips.
"Absolutely nope," Victoria states, with an entirely blank expression. She bounces over toward the injured insect, before stopping suddenly to aim another arrow, right at its torso. She lets it fly, before narrowing her eyes, watching.
WELL. Good thing these two powerhouses were here then, or this outpost would have become like Shelob's Lair in Cirith Ungol. Juniper isn't wasting any time or hatred or energy into anything other than the total decimation of this creature before it can get up again. When it stumbles she throws herself towards its head, stabbing her knife between its mandibles and RIPPING with force backwards to just separate one hemisphwere from the other.
Letting lose Victoria sends an arrow at the Void creature, the shaft sinks deep, and the creature lets out a bone rattling screech as the black ichor seeps from the new wound, piercing chitlin and flesh. Meanwhile, Juniper is already in motion, not even waiting for the spider to fully react. Hurling herself at the head of the creature, her knife ready. The moment she lands, she drives the blade between the creature's mandibles, her muscles straining with the power of her strike. She rips backward, using her full strength to tear the spider's head in half. The chitin splits, and with a sickening crunch, the two halves of the spider's head fall apart, the creature letting out a final, dying screech before collapsing entirely. The spider's body shudders and falls still, its limbs twitching spasmodically before it is reduced to a lifeless heap. The darkness that had hung over the battlefield lifts, the oppressive feeling of being prey dissipating as the threat is extinguished.
Evie remains where she is, sitting on her knees looking down at her blood covered hands, giving all the signs of being in shock.
Juniper shakes out her arms and her knife, trying to rid herself of the bodily fluids of the creature before she looks over to Victoria with a little bit of heaving from the exertion when she breathes. "Sorry I was late to the party," she pants out with some attempt at mirth. Then, hazel eyes slip towards Evie. "We'll have someone take her to White Oak to be seen to."
Nodding to Juniper, Victoria smiles faintly. "Thank you," she says, flicking some unknown substance off her daggers. "I think that's wise." She glances at Evie, chewing her lower lip. "And somehow, all I can think about is a shower."
It doesn't take long for medical personnel to arrive and take her off to White Oak, where Juniper and Victoria later will get notification she is expected to fully recover.