[ORP] Firestorm Manor

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Quixote

Re: [ORP] Firestorm Manor

Post by Quixote »

Quixote was immeasurably relieved that the battle was over and everyone was alright. He castigated himself for not listening very well when the lycan form thing had been explained to him before. He had been thinking of other things, and what he wanted to say, and was not sure what lycan meant exactly, but had been afraid to ask.

As it turned out, his instincts of what to do had been right, and Texas Knight complimented him on it, Nikola seemed pleased with him also. All was right with the world. He wiped off and then sheathed his sword and waited for the others to decide what to do next saying non-commitally: "That certainly was exhilarating, I'm glad everything worked out alright in the end."
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Nikola
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Re: [ORP] Firestorm Manor

Post by Nikola »

She scarcely dared to breathe as he reached out and took the pouch from her hand, noting how careful he was not to scratch her. That encouraged her and she breathed again, more easily now. Something in his eyes changed from questioning to knowing and part of her was certain that at least he recognized her as a friend. She did not move away from him as he held the pouch to his nose and breathed in the scent of whatever was in it. He spoke and she knew he was coming back to himself. That became even more evident as he chewed on the mixture after emptying the pouch and placing the contents in his mouth.

She nodded at his explanation and watched him leave, moving back into the woods away from their sight. She wondered what the change might entail, and then decided she probably did not want to see it unless he bade her watch. As he moved away, she visibly relaxed and moved back to stand beside Quixote, patting his shoulder in thanks and approval of his actions both with the boar and with the Lycan form of TK.

They did not have long to wait before he returned. She smiled and nodded as he spoke approvingly of Quixote’s actions. Her Knight Errant had indeed comported himself bravely and honorably. For the first time since she had known him, she realized that he was much more than just a bumbling friend in a suit of armor who saw enemies and adventure in every shadow. He did know his craft and for all his endearing quirks, he was good at it. She was grateful that TK saw fit to commend him for his actions. She knew that would stay with the Knight for a very long time.

Then he turned to her and she was surprised to watch him take a knee. It took her a moment to realize he was simply trying to look her in the eye without her needing to strain her neck to greet his gaze. That made her relax as she listened to what he had to say. When he had finished she reached out her hand, brushing her fingertips across his cheek before resting the hand on his shoulder.
“I’m not sure what I actually believed, but you are my friend and that is what held me to my path. Had you struck me down, still I would have seen you as my friend and would have forgiven you.” She chuckled as he spoke of her scent. “Well, I’m glad my scent served a useful purpose. Better than sending you running away from the stink of it,” she quipped, not knowing quite what to say.

After a moment, she looked over at the dead boar. She nodded at the beast.
“I don’t know whether that thing would even be safe to eat, let alone whether it is edible. I propose that we dig a trench, toss it in and burn the carcass, then bury the ashes. I can dig the hole and start the fire with my power unless either of you has a better idea?” She glanced over at Quixote to include him in this last question.
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Quixote

Re: [ORP] Firestorm Manor

Post by Quixote »

"It does seem a most evil and foul beast," Quixote opined. "I think that would be the best way to proceed. Too bad, as I dearly love bacon."
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Texas_Knight
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Re: [ORP] Firestorm Manor

Post by Texas_Knight »

TK nods in agreement. "Aye, the beast will have to be burned and buried. Something foul about it."
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Nikola
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Re: [ORP] Firestorm Manor

Post by Nikola »

Nikola nodded as both Quixote and TK agreed with her plan. The first question would be where to bury it? She considered trying to move it closer to the lake where the trees thinned out providing more space for the task, but it would require moving the beast some distance. The thought of polluting more of the wood with its blood as it was being moved had her looking around the space they were in. Finally, she decided where to dig. It was not ideal, but it would do.

Concentrating on the ground immediately next to the boar’s carcass, she concentrated her power into a single shaft of light and sent it into the ground, her hand guiding it to carve a line into the ground through underbrush and debris, purposefully steering clear of the trees and sending the light underneath to separate a chunk of the land from the earth. The result was an irregularly shaped block of earth slightly larger than the boar and about five feet deep which she lifted with her power, both hands now working to separate it from the earth and move it to one side, setting it to rest a little way down the path, still mostly intact except for the dirt and debris that separated and fell from the block as she moved it through the air.

The effort used up a good bit of her energy and she was glad to release the block of earth and rest while her companions moved the boar into the hole she had created. As she lowered herself onto the ground next to the tree that had been her and Quixote’s staging ground for the battle, she indicated the carcass with a nod of her head.


“If you boys will dump that into the hole, and anything else that it may have fouled, I think I have enough energy left to set it aflame. By the time it has burned to ash, I should be recovered enough to move the earth back into place.”

After that, she would likely need help getting back to the house, but she would cross that bridge when they came to it. She had worked with her power enough to develop the stamina to keep at a task for some time without flagging, but what she had just done had required a lot more of her energy than she normally expended. Already her body was recovering, and she was pretty sure she would be able to complete the job, but she wouldn’t know for certain until she tried.
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Quixote

Re: [ORP] Firestorm Manor

Post by Quixote »

When it came to magic, Quixote generally kept his mouth shut. He didn't really understand it, and was continually surprised or awestruck. But he understood grunt work very well. When it was time he took his sword and wedged it at an angle underneath the beast so that he could use it as a lever. The beast was quite large and he waited for Texas Knight to take his place at the other end of the beast so they could roll it into the hole together. If that didn't work, he would suggest hooking the beast to the horses and have them drag it the short distance.

He wondered if Texas Knight was wounded, he was covered with blood, but it was impossible to tell if it was all the boar's or not. Nikola looked strained and tired. Quixote knew he would have to be especially vigilant as the party returned to the Manor. Quixote looked over at the orc and waited for a signal to move the dead beast.

"You know," he opined, "I think I failed to grasp the full extent of this armor's new abilities. Its stronger, but its also lighter and therefore faster. In my heavier armor, particularly with the ill fitting parts, I'd never have dodged that boar coming full speed at me. I'll bet he'd have knocked me twenty feet."
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Texas_Knight
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Re: [ORP] Firestorm Manor

Post by Texas_Knight »

TK looked at Quixote and nodded. "Whenever you're ready."
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Nikola
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Re: [ORP] Firestorm Manor

Post by Nikola »

She watched the two of them prepare the boar for its burial as she leaned back against the tree. When she used her power, her senses became acutely aware of the forces that pulsed inside her and her body’s reaction to those forces. Although she had stopped using that power, it was not dormant, but roiled within her much like a caged lioness whose cubs are just out of her reach. She had learned enough control to keep it from spilling over without her permission, but it could not be said to be at rest. In this state of heightened awareness, she could almost physically feel energy being drawn into her body from the earth upon which she sat and the tree against which she leaned. She was not pulling the energy into herself, so much as the earth and the tree were feeding it into her. She wondered whether they perhaps sensed her kinship to the Lord of the Summer Realm or perhaps Zhaneth had somehow touched this wood during the many lessons he had taught her in this place. As her thoughts touched on him there was a noticeable increase in the flow of energy for just a moment, as though they sensed her thoughts and answered her unspoken question. She smiled at that, adding it to the ever-growing list of things she wanted to ask of Vaelen or Zhaneth if she ever saw either of them again.

Quixote’s words made her smile and she look at TK approvingly. She was glad for both of them. For the Knight that he had the armor and had already had the chance to utilize the advantages of the spells that TK had placed on it for him. For TK, because he was able to see the fruit of his labors and know that the workmanship was solid. She knew that it was one thing to know one’s craft is worthy. It is another to see it being used and its worth demonstrated such that there is no question as to the quality. So she felt a sense of pride for both of these men, Knight Errant and Orc
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“I am glad you had the armor, then, my Knight Errant,” she said to Quixote in response. “Particularly since I might have been behind you when he knocked you back that twenty feet.” She grinned at him good naturedly as she made the jest.

As they made ready to heave the beast into the hole, she prepared for the fire that would turn it to ash. She wanted it done quickly but did not wish to make the fire so hot that she would harm the wood around them. No, they would need to spend a little time here before the fire could complete its work. She patted the earth beneath her in thanks and rose to her feet, leaning against the tree to thank it for the gift of its energy before stepping carefully over to the hole. She wanted to be ready to begin as soon as the thing was in its grave.
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Quixote

Re: [ORP] Firestorm Manor

Post by Quixote »

On three the two males heaved and the beast tumbled into the earth. The hole was just the right depth and it had fallen reasonably flat and looked peaceful, like it was resting, and somehow less evil. Quixote wondered what other evil magic was about in these woods, but he was rather hoping he didn't meet any more of it today. He stood back so Nikola could light the blaze. He removed his helm in a moment of somber reflection and respect for the dead.
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Nikola
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Re: [ORP] Firestorm Manor

Post by Nikola »

Once the beast lay still in its grave, she studied it for a long moment. It occurred to her that she still thought of it in terms of beast, as though it still lived, rather than simply a body or corpse. She noted that on the untorn areas of its hide, it bore a number of deep scars, visible signs that it had been through many battles in its life and had somehow managed to survive until now. She almost felt saddened by the loss of its life, knowing now how very long it had managed to survive in what must have been hostile conditions. Whether those scars were gained through its own aggression or because it had fought for its life one too many times, she would never know, but there was a hint of sadness about this death.

With a sigh, she summoned her power and sent a tendril of light into the grave, withdrawing the liquid from what remained of the body, offering it to the elements as nourishment before setting the remaining now dried corpse aflame. To Quixote and TK, it would appear as a shaft of light covering the body as it collapsed in on itself with the removal of blood and bodily fluids, leaving only bone and dried flesh behind. Tendrils of smoke would have begun to drift from the body as the shaft of light warmed it from the inside out. After several minutes, the body began to glow, and she pulled back the flame, not wanting for it to explode from heating too quickly. The body smoldered, and small flames became noticeable, licking hungrily at the body now being consumed. The fire was not a roaring flame, although that might have been quicker, but she wanted to be thorough, turning it to ash without harming the land surrounding them.

The effort took some time with Nikki adjusting the flame, a little more here, less there, until at last there was nothing left but a smoldering heap of ash. Only then did she withdraw the tendril of power that pulsed as a shaft of light. The effort had taken much of her energy, but the control she had learned had also taught her to control how much energy to expend in these uses of her power. She was weakened, but not depleted and the earth on which she stood even now began to replenish that spent energy. She walked tiredly back to the tree and leaned against it once more as she sagged to the ground. The earth continued to replenish her energy and now the tree lent its own life force to renew her strength and would continue to do so as long as she remained in direct contact with both life forces.


“We wait now until the ash has cooled a little. We will bury that and then we can return home,” she told her friends, her voice sounding weary and perhaps a little forlorn. Since she had come into her power and learned how to attune to it, she felt such losses more deeply. This boar had been vicious and there had been no other choice left to them but to take its life to preserve others. Yet something about the last vestige of life that left the beast had reminded her of the deep fear and sorrow of a lost child and a part of her mourned its lost innocence.

She heard the gentle thud of hooves on the earth behind her as Starr returned and lowered her head to snuffle at her mistress. Nikola reach up to stroke the mare's nose and then remembered the picnic Cook had packed for them.
"Might be a good time to eat that lunch Cook prepared while we wait," she suggested to the men.
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