Will repost the last comments in a moment--

Radiant Raindragon
19 Jul, 2020, 12:27 pm - delete
@Alk

'Really?' said Mason dubiously. //What exactly are this boy and his friend up to? Are they stealing for their own gain, or for another purpose?// He was puzzled, but decided now wasn't the time to question Den.

They arrived outside a small, friendly-looking convenience store. 'Alright, pick out anything you'd like,' said Mason, stepping through the automatic doors. 'I'll pay for you.'

Radiant Raindragon
19 Jul, 2020, 12:32 pm - delete
@Alk/ @Xeno

Stal just made a 'hmph' noise. Extending his wings, he barged past Dianne and entered the village first. 'You'd better...'

Loch and Pyre also hurried through the village entrance, the latter throwing a concerned glance at the dark beasts creeping down the mountainside.

The village consisted mostly of wood and straw huts that were haphazardly arranged. A few flaming torches stood around, casting an amber radiance that seemed slightly more welcoming than the eerie glow from Beyond's sky. The guards continued leading them through the village, seeming to head in a particular direction.

Radiant Raindragon
19 Jul, 2020, 1:23 pm - delete
@Xeno/ @Alk

Luxia just smiled. 'Do tell me if you see any monsters, won't you? My eyes aren't what they used to be.'

She started ambling off towards the distant mountains, humming 'Thriller' under her breath.

Xenoceratops
19 Jul, 2020, 9:27 pm
@Rad/Alk
{Dianne looks at Stal with absolute loathing.}

Dianne: "Careful, Stal, 'lest I reconsider my kindness once this is over..."

(That should be everything of note.)

*breathes in*

RAINBOWWWWWWWWWWW

(*snorts the rainbow*)

Taste the rainbOw

(AyyYY
Are you planning to write something with Shepherd? If so then I'll wait for that before I reply with my guys. XD)

@Rad
Den trotted up to a tower of potatoes and sweet potatoes. He grabbed a couple from the bottom of the triangular tower. This was a mistake ofcourse as the whole thing came tumbling down, an avalanche of potatoes had befallen upon the dragon.

Den jumped and made a small noisr in surprise before getting buried in potatoes.

What did I just write

(What was he doing last? He's kinda just taggin along atm so if you want to write more that's fine x'D

I don't really have anything planned for him here other than getting a heart attack from the chaos.)

@Alk

Mason entered the store more slowly. He was pausing to examine some discounted chicken when a strange noise prompted him to quicken his pace. As he rounded a corner, he found Den buried under a pile of fallen potatoes.

His mouth twitched as if he were trying not to laugh. Then he reached down and pulled Den out by his tail. 'I didn't realise collecting potatoes was this hard,' he remarked.

Several bystanders eyed them oddly in passing. Luckily, no employees seemed to have seen them... yet.

(He was just following the others into the village, so if you don't have anything important for him to say then I'll just move things along. XD)

(Colors botched my comment.

And not at the moment x'D )

(Luxia needs to tell Stellarus that they have to find Althea before leaving, too. XD
Though knowing Luxia, she'll forget until the last moment.
Do you want to do anything with Althea? Like get her chased by monsters or something? XD)

@Rad
Den looked almost upset.
"Awe man, now they're everywhere and all ruined." He said sadly

"I didn't want the whole pile, especially since some of them were touching these smelly root rocks."
Den Sneers and points at a normal but rather dirty potato.

(I think she's just angrily trying to figure out magic, so there's probably something explosive and colorful happening somewhere in the field x'D
Maybe Eu or someone else notices and a monster? )

@Xeno/ @Alk

Stal completely ignored Dianne. //Like she thinks she can get us out,// he thought scornfully.

The guards led the group towards a row of huts. Each one was no larger than a camping tent. 'You can stay in these. They're the guest houses,' said one guard, sounding amused, as if he were enjoying a private joke.

Loch surveyed the huts. 'There's enough for each of us to have one. Good.'

(We should probably wait for xeno before we continue much stuff in the beyond *thinking*

We can do vamp malfia tho ;))))) )

(Hey, I'm here. I'll write something rn.)

@Alk

Mason eyed the potato pile. 'You know, it doesn't matter if they're dirty. We can wash them when we get back.'

Just then, a member of staff came around the corner and spotted the potatoes all over the floor. 'Excuse me, sirs, what do you think you're doing?' she said, not looking happy.

(Ayy Xeno.)

@Rad

Den's ears flattened as staff member approached them. "I only grabbed a few, the whole thing just came down" He stated defensively.

Angry store staff

@Alk

'Ah... We're very sorry about this. I'm sure I can compensate you for the spoiled produce,' said Mason smoothly. He began to pull several banknotes out of his pocket. 'Denarius, do you still have the ones you grabbed?'

The staff member just stood there, arms folded in an unimpressed manner, waiting for Mason to hand over the money.

(She not happy
Many unsellable potatoes)

@Rad/Alk

{Dianne just eyes the guard, not quite understanding why he'd be amused.}

Dianne: "Very well. Thank you."

{As soon as the guards were out of earshot, she approaches Stal and Loch.}

Dianne: "So, you want to listen to how we might be able to get out of here, or are you too busy passing judgement?"

@Xeno/ @Alk

Pyre watched the guards walk away, looking unusually thoughtful. Outside the village, further up the mountain, numerous dark jagged shapes could be seen, including something that resembled an enormous, grey wasp. However, they didn't seem to approach the village.

'I want to hear,' said Loch, turning to Dianne. 'Hell, I don't care if it might not work. I wanna hear it.'

Stal just grunted and gazed around, listening to Dianne but pretending not to.

@Rad

"Uh" Den looked around frantically for the ones he grabbed. Searching through the pile he pulled up a bag full of the ones he grabbed.
"Here they are!" He said as he handed them to Mason.

(Den is gonna make Mason go bankrupt jfh ffg hg over potatoes)

@Alk

Mason took the bag, giving Den a mildly exasperated look as he did so. He then handed the staff woman a bundle of money. She thanked him briefly, before politely asking him and Den to get out of the store - clearly not trusting them.

'Let's go,' Mason muttered, hurrying for the exit.

(Mason: I hate potatoes now)

@Alk/Rad

Dianne: "So, I'm sure you've noticed by now that I'm a necromancer. Funny thing about that, I have an innate sense of where my minions are at all times. When I first ended up in here, I couldn't feel my minions, because we're obviously in another realm. But, about thirty minutes ago, a number of them popped up in here."

{She turns towards the horizon, looking into the distance.}

Dianne: "And since then, they've done nothing but get closer. I think Stella found a way in here, and brought my minions with her to get me out."

(This lady is the exact opposite of the ppl at the store I go to x'D
I dropped a sushi sampler (well my sister dropped it) and the whole thing spilled onto the floor, I had already paid for it, but they gave me a new unbroken one x'D. )

@Xeno/ @Alk

Loch glanced in the same direction Dianne was looking, as if she somehow expected to see something. Of course, she didn't. 'So, they're gonna be able to find us and get us out?' she said, suddenly feeling a lot more hopeful about the situation.

Stal growled deep in his chest. 'That's assuming they can /get/ here before some freaks kill them...'

Pyre looked at Shepherd. 'Hey, are you hearing this?' he said, hoping to cheer the boy up a little. 'We're gonna be getting home soon!'

(Aww, nice store staff. XD)

@Rad

Den followed behind Mason, looking rather guilty at the whole thing. Or at least he felt guilty.

@Rad / @Xeno

Lighting up a bit Shepherd exclaimed "Oh man really?"
He then looked to Dianne and said "How much longer will they be here? Do you think she'll know where Euterpe is?"

@Alk

'Well... now that you've successfully spent all my money...' said Mason dryly, 'let's get on our way.'

He led them into a deserted, dimly-lit alleyway. A pile of cardboard boxes and other junk lay in the middle of it; he started pushing them aside with practised motions, as if he'd done this many times before.

@Rad/Alk

Dianne: "Look, you're all safe here, and my minions from back home aren't exactly equipped to deal with the larger monsters here, so I'm going out there to intercept and escort them here. Also, Shepherd, I'm pretty sure Euterpe is still back home, so you won't need to worry. At their current pace, they should be here in...Oh, three hours, maybe. I'll basically be going to escort them here."

(''Euterpe is still at home''

Euterpe: nO i FiGhT)

F fh ng ffg mg gn bh

(I imagine here saying that in really rough derp voice x'D

@Rad

"I'm sorry.." Den said quietly "I really didn't mean to cause that much trouble."

@Xeno/ @Alk

'Are you sure you'll be OK going out there on your own?' questioned Loch. 'This place looks like it's crawling with weird creatures.'

@Rad / @Xeno

"You're leaving already? But you had only just arrived!" Said Shepherd.

@Alk

Mason grumbled incoherently under his breath as he moved the boxes. However, he seemed to have a hard time staying angry with Den.

'Don't worry about it. I have more than enough money that your little mishap won't really inconvenience me.'

When he finished shifting the boxes, a square hole was revealed in the ground beneath them. Mason knelt down beside it, peering down. It was too dark to see the bottom of the hole - if there was one.

'Tell me, how often have you been into the tunnel network beneath Caelum, if at all?' he asked.

@Rad / @Xeno

Euterpe snorted and began to fill her ears with whatever she could find. Luxia's humming had been bothering her unusually. Though it was more a symptom of her growing anxious mood.

Out somewhere in a field a burst of magical fireworks could be seen. They were ofcourse loud, and very colorful.
The explosion was followed by a sound of cussing and fumbling.
"Hey uh old lady? There's something over there in the distance." Pointed out Euterpe.

@Rad

"Well Althea goes down there a lot more often than I. I don't like the tunnels, She says I'm better at surveying the streets. Though I've been down there a few times, quite recently actually." As Den explained the dragon peered down into the hole and look a bit dizzy. "We never came in through this way though. How far down is that?"

@Rad/Alk

Dianne: "Yes, I'll be fine. Don't worry, Shepherd, I'll be back as soon as I can."

@Alk/ @Xeno

Luxia appeared completely oblivious to the fireworks until Euterpe pointed them out; even then, she gazed around stupidly for a while before 'noticing' them.

'Oh! Hohoho!' she cackled, clapping her hands. 'Those are magical fireworks. Created by a spellcaster. Oh, I have an idea! Let's signal our presence to them!'

With that, she focused for a moment before pointing her finger at the sky. A green and yellow firework exploded from her finger, twisting upwards into the sky where it proceeded to crackle and spit noisily, lasting much longer than a normal firework would.

@Xeno/ @Alk

'Well, alright, good luck...,' said Loch, hiding her slight doubt. 'Actually... you got all the way here on your own, so I guess you'll be fine. We'll just wait here.'

'Yeah, you'd better come back,' growled Stal. 'If these people really are our best chance of escaping...'

Pyre glanced at Shepherd. 'Hey, you should probably take Marco into your hut with you. Just to keep an eye on him.'

@Rad/Alk

{Stellarus looks up at the colorful display.}

Stellarus: "Hm. That's odd. The voidspawn have fireworks?"

@Alk

'Not too far,' Mason replied. 'It looks deeper than it is. You can jump down without hurting yourself.' He started to lower himself into the hole, hanging onto the edge briefly before letting himself drop.

After a brief period of silence, there came a thud from the bottom of the hole. 'Come down,' Mason called back. 'It's quite safe.'

@Rad / @Xeno

Euterpe ducked as Luxia spouted out fireworks into the air. The owl dragon was surprisingly good at concealing herslef in the tall grass. Though she didn't stay hidden for long.
With a burst of temoer she yelled out. "What are you doing?!?! We don't even know who's doing that, why let thrm know we're here?!?"

@Rad / @Xeno

"Ok just be careful." Shepherd then turned to Pyre and nodded before making his way to the tent. "Right I wonder if they have any actual food as well."

@Rad

With some hesitation Den dove into the hole. He was extended his wings to help with landing, though it turned out that he really didn't need to as the landing was soft and smooth, just as Mason had promised.

@Alk/ @Xeno

'Not voidspawn!' Luxia exclaimed. 'Spellcasters! The voidy monsters do not cast spells.' She threw another firework, this one pink and purple. It struck a nearby tree, which immediately caught fire.

The old woman threw a grin at Euterpe, her face illuminated by the bright neon colours. 'Because there's another person I'm supposed to be searching for, Loopy, and this /might/ be them!'

{Dianne nods at Shepherd and begins to walk away. However, she turns back for a moment.}

Dianne: "Oh, one last thing. Could you all keep this quiet? I'm not sure how these people will react if they realize that there's a way out of here."

@Rad/Alk

@Rad/Alk

{Stellarus eyes the burning tree with concern.}

Stellarus: "Hm. You sure the light won't attract the viodspawn? Seems like a really bad idea."

@Alk

After Den dropped into the hole, he would see, lying ahead of them, a long narrow tunnel illuminated by weak LED lights. Mason had also shifted into his beast form. He barked at Den, sounding no different to a large dog, then took off at a leisurely run down the tunnel, encouraging the young dragon to keep pace with him.

@Alk/ @Xeno

'Yeah, I'm gonna ask around and see if anyone has food,' said Loch decisively. She then wandered off to explore the village.

'Be careful!' Pyre called after her. He then turned to Dianne, looking surprised. 'Oh... sure, we can keep it quiet,' he whispered. 'But why don't you want these villagers to know about it?'

'They said they're exiled, remember?' Stal grunted. 'They probably got sent here for committing horrific felonies or something.'

@Alk/Rad

Dianne: "Exactly. They're here for a reason. This place is basically a prison colony. Just stay quiet and out of trouble, ok? I'll be back as soon as I can."

@Xeno

'Alright,' said Pyre, though deep down, he felt a twinge of disquiet. //I can't imagine being trapped in this horrible place. Do these people really deserve it? Does anyone?// But then he imagined the kinds of crimes they might have committed to warrant exile, and grimaced slightly. 'Yeah... I think I'm gonna go and... check out my hut... good luck, Dianne.'

@Rad / @Xeno

There wasn't a response. The person who had seemed to start the fireworks had creased their noisey magic.

Euterpe gave Luxia a look of disbelief. "Oh great" She snorted. "Now look what you did, they got a big blazing beacon to come amd find us. And I bet that's exactly what they're doing."

@Rad / @Xeno

"Prisoners?!?" Shepherd said looking shook. "What did they do?!?" He now eyed the tent he was about to enter warily as if there was sometimes even more sinister infront of him."

@Rad

Denarius was quick to make haste and began bolt after Mason. Using the LED lights as faint guides in the dark tunnel.

@Alk/ @Xeno

'I'm not trying to attract Voidpawns, I'll have you know!' Luxia yelled. 'I'm supposed to be finding a lost person! An elf girl with orange hair and green eyes, I think. Yes, that was it. A young dragon came to me and told me that she'd fallen into a portal too.'

While she rambled, the dead tree continued to crackle and burn behind her. Some of the grass around it was beginning to catch fire, too.

@Rad/Alk

Dianne: "Don't worry about it, Shepherd. Just stay with the group and keep Marco close. I'll be back."

{With that, Dianne walks for the village front.}

@Rad/Alk
{Stellarus just watches where the magical fireworks appeared from, looking to see if anyone appeared.}

(So, when do we meet Octavius?)

@Alk

The tunnel eventually branched into several different paths. Mason took a sharp left turn, then a right, then another left. No matter how many times the tunnel branched, he always seemed to know exactly where to go.

However, after a few minutes, they came to a section of tunnel where there were no LED lights. Mason continued running, seemingly able to navigate using his sharp sense of smell and spacial awareness. He didn't pause to make sure Denarius was able to manage in the darkness.

( @Xeno - I'm planning on bringing him in soon, just trying to find a good moment for it.)

(Ok)

@Rad / @Xeno

There was a large rift from the previous battle. On the other side stood Althea a bit confused as to who had shot those fireworks in response to her mishap in magic. Cautiously she approached the rift and shouted. "SHOUT YOURSELF YOU UGLY SUCC MONSTER"

@Rad

Den had a bit of trouble navigating the tunnels but was able to manage until it grew pitch black. He slowed down a bit and began to listen for Mason.

{With a motion of their hand, Stellarus signals the undead host to follow. Stellarus then approaches the rift and calls out.}

Stellarus: "Hello there! Are you lost?"

@Alk/Rad

@Alk/ @Xeno

'ELF GIRL!' Luxia yelled. She walked right to the edge of the rift, looking like she was in immediate danger of falling in. 'DON'T CALL ME A MONSTER, OR I'LL TURN YOUR STAFF INTO A TOOTHBRUSH!'

@Alk

Mason had reached another tunnel up ahead. This one was well-lit and had a nice high ceiling. In the wall of the tunnel stood a metal door. Mason shifted back to human form and called out to Den, letting his voice echo down the tunnel.

'This way. Just keep walking straight ahead until you see the lights.'

@Rad / @Xeno

"Ok" Shepherd said reluctantly.

@Rad / @Xeno

Euterpe immediately runs foreward to hold Luxia back so she wouldn't fall.
"Who's that orange stick girl?" Euterpe's face sours, unimpressed.

"AH heY, YOU'RE THAT WITCH FROM THE POTION SHOP." Althea yells shocked. "Don'tyou dare! Lady this stick is probablyworth more than the majorityof your spell books!"

She then turns to adress Stella. "Lost? Well maybe, but I think most people finding themselves in this goforsaken wasteland would be lost yeah. Let me guess you guys got sucked in to?"

@Rad/Alk

{Stellarus grins deviously.}

Stellarus: "Actually, we opened up a portal so we could come and go as we please. We're here to collect our friends and leave."

@Alk/ @Xeno

'Your stick is naught but a cheap piece of sandpaper!' Luxia declared, unaware (or uncaring) that nothing she was saying made any sense. She then glanced over her shoulder at Euterpe, surprised. 'Oh, Loopy? You stopped me from falling in? That's nice of you! I didn't think you cared about me,' she said, smiling toothily.

(I gotta leave this for tonight, mother is asking me to leave the computer. XD
As always, I will reply through the week in the event that anyone else does.)

(Ok cool)