middaeg | [closed] just as the light begins to fade to dark

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[closed] just as the light begins to fade to dark

Who: Lightning Farron & Zack Fair
When: When the thread happens
Where: Outside the city
What: Lightning takes on Wilde Quest #1, but there must have been some kind of mistake because why did she get paired up for the quest with this guy????
Warnings: N/A

[Having only been here less than a month, Lightning is still trying to find her bearings. Finding a suitable place to live hasn't been easy, nor has finding a job that pays well enough for the work. And good luck finding something she would enjoy doing. Needless to say, she's become a touch restless in the past few weeks that she's taken up some quests because might as well help where she can, despite the lingering sourness she feels towards the Coven.

It is what it is, though, and she's stuck here whether she likes them or not. So, after reassuring the very fussy Witch that she'd be just fine on her own and firmly stating that she didn't need or want to be supervised, Lightning set out to the Outer City with a face mask and a pair of gloves stuffed into her bag in case she'll need it.

It's not the infected she's interested in – there isn't a whole lot she can do to help them – but whatever it is that lurks outside of the city. It's dark out here, and quiet... so Lightning's steps are lighter than usual. She keeps her eyes sharp and her ears sharper, staying alert to anything that seems out of place. It was probably a bad idea to leave without waiting for whoever she was paired up with, but she's sure they'll find her in due time.

But as she's walking, she hears the snap of some dirt under a shoe, and she spins, gun drawn and aimed at whoever – or whatever – is coming up behind her.]

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[Oh, for Etro's sake.

Lightning's finger twitches on the trigger when she hears that voice, but she immediately drops her weapon to her side, even though the rest of her body fiercely tenses up. The fact that it's him registers quickly, but she doesn't turn away. No, instead she stomps over to him, dirt kicking up under her heavy steps, and she presses a hand to his chest, giving him a (gentle) shove back.]

No one ever teach you to not sneak up on people like that?

[She could have shot him!!!]

[Zack might really be smiling now. His hands go up in mock-surrender the moment she starts stomping her way over to him and although he doesn't take a step back when she shoves him he does pretend to huff out a sigh.]

Sorry, I've never been that great at entrances.

[He glances at the gun that nearly shot him and he reaches out to poke it. Boop.]

You're out here looking for issues the cwyld has made, isn't that right? Just so you know... Your magic is going to be more effective than that.

[Here he goes again... helping!!]

Edited 2019-11-04 23:09 (UTC)

[Don't!! Touch!! Her!! Weapon!!!!

She wrenches it away the moment he boops it, and sheaths it in its holster so he can't do it again.]

Yeah, I am. And no, it's not. I'm a lot more trained with my gunblade than I am with the stupid magic. What good is it if it doesn't even work?

[Sure, it might be more effective for someone who does know how to wield it, but for someone who is far more skilled in hand-to-hand and weapon combat, it's much more comforting to have a gunblade in hand than it is nothing, and hoping that magic is going to work.]

I didn't come out here to write my death sentence, so what are you doing here?

Don't get me wrong, that weapon will help in a pinch but killing shit that's been infected with dark magic needs counter-effective magic sometimes.

[Some creatures are certainly susceptible to bullets and blades but that doesn't account for the clouds of dark cwyld or even creatures that gain dark magic because of it. It's a weird plague that does weird things to whatever it infects. And it's not always textbook hack-and-slash.]

And I'm out here several times a week, actually. Mercenary work always suited me better than a desk job. I'm out here clearing out cwyld just like you. [He grins.] I guess that means we should team up.

Three steps ahead of you.

[Literally. Lightning starts to walk away from him towards the deeper, darker part of the woods. As much as she abhors the situation she's found herself in, she isn't going to argue when there's work to be done. She'll never admit to it, but it sounds like Zack knows his stuff.]

Just don't get in my way.

[That's her one condition.

Her weapon is already back in her hand as she goes off the path and into the trees, leaping over small bushes until she finds her footing on even ground, all under the assumption that he's following behind her. Seems like the kind of guy who would, whether she liked it or not...]

[Honestly? He does stand there for a second to watch her walk off. He wonders if he stood here if she really would just wander off on her own without anyone to back her up. It's so stubborn. And it's so dangerous.

It's annoying...

There's this empty feeling that he has deep inside his chest. Just seeing a witch walk away from him like that has a gap deep inside of him feel like it's three times as big. He feels hollow. And he's not sure how to get rid of that feeling.

Is this what it's going to be like... with no bond. This emptiness. This irritation with someone who doesn't even deserve his irritation.]

Yeah, whatever. That'll be the least of our issues out here.

[His wings tighten and he follows after her after that. The woods are thick and dark this way. There is a thin lining of mist on the ground and he can smell the dank aroma of cwyld within it.]

[She would absolutely wander off and attempt to take care of this job all on her own. Lightning is pretty sure she hears him say something, but she keeps on walking. Maybe it was the wind, or her imagination.

She goes deeper and deeper into the trees until the mist is so thick that she can barely see five feet in front of her, and she glances back over her shoulder for Zack, or his silhouette, at the very least.]

So, if magic's what's gonna work against these things, then what are you supposed to do?

[She tries to maintain the sharpness in her voice, but as the tingling feeling creeps up the back of her neck, she's beginning to wonder if him being out here with her is even a good idea.]

[Well, that hits him hard, too. If he were bonded to a witch his body would literally amply the witch's power. And that would help here. But he's not. Luckily, his skills can still be useful and Zack lowers his head a bit as he sniffs the air.]

I can lead you in the right direction. [He can smell the dank rot of cwyld. And something sulfuric.] There's a bloom of cwyld this way. If we take it out from its roots it should clear the entire area out.

[Monsters are also notoriously known as meat shields for witches but he leaves that part out. He steps in front of her, taking the lead towards the root cause of the stink.]

[She clicks her tongue in protest at him stepping in front of her like that and will let him lead... only for a little while. As the trees grow taller and begin to devour the light from the sky, Lightning jogs a few steps to get ahead of him. It isn't that she doesn't trust him with leading the way, but if all he's good for is smelling things, then she doesn't want Zack to be the first thing any creature sees should they be attacked.

By now, the stench is so pungent that not even Lightning can stomach it without bringing a hand to her nose. It's nothing like she's ever smelled before, and honestly, nothing she ever wants to smell again.]

Take it out from its roots? What exactly are we dealing with?

[If Lightning has to cover her nose then Zack is legit suffering. The dark and foul-smelling rot of cwyld isn't new to him but he's still never going to get used to it. It leaves a bad taste in the back of his throat and makes his head ring.

He's starting to get used to the way Lightning wants to stand on her own so when she runs ahead this time he merely follows closely after her. He's still on high alert.]

Dunno, yet. We have to get closer.

[It's not long before they come across what appears to be a bog of some sort. Bubbling pools of green and black that are popping smoky black gas into the air. The trees in the immediate area are all dead or dying. There's no more wildflowers or bushes or green here either. It's like the bog is sucking away any life and colour away from anything that's trying to grow.

Zack steps up closer, his boot catching on a dead root. He kicks it lightly with a lift of his toe and it's as if it melts away into black sludge.]

There's something living in the bog.

[The black sludge has its own foul smell, like a mixture of flesh and rotting meat, and Lightning can feel her stomach turning. She has to power through it, though, because if there's something living in this disgusting place, then it would without a doubt use that human weakness to its advantage. With her hand still pressed over her nose, she flicks her sword out from its sheath and extends it at her side, the blade cutting through the thick air.]

Then let's kill it.

[Without giving Zack much time to respond, Lightning whistles out loud to try drawing out whatever is hiding beneath the roots.]

We know you're there, so stop wasting our time.

[There's a popping noise, followed by another, and then more, as the ground beneath their feet begins to slowly melt away into the same smelly black goo that got all over Zack's boot.]

[The rumbling gets worse and the ground starts to break up, black sludge starting to overflow over the remaining mounts of earth. It makes the stink in the air even worse as the bubbles pop and erupt. It seems that her intimidation wasn't well received but at least they're getting a response!

What appears from the bog is a lurching black mass that at first glance doesn't really have a shape. But it quickly forms into something shaped like a dolphin or a whale with tentacles for a head that splashes up from the black water, spattering the stuff all over the place.]

Get back!

[Where the black sludge hits it will sting with dark magic. Eating away like acid at clothing and leaving black burns on the skin. It's cwyld.

The fish-like creature dives into the bog and erupts again but this time aiming to spit acid at them. Zack pulls Lightning's arm down to dodge.]

[Lightning falls back several steps as the ground seems to give out underneath them, making way for black ooze that sizzles as it touches the earth and eats everything that gets in its way. In the dark, the silhouette of something disgusting emerges from it, its long tentacles reaching out into the air in all directions as if searching for them, and Lightning feels herself being yanked downward by Zack.

Some of the sludge catches on the tail of her coat, immediately burning it away into nothing.]

Tch.

[Excuse you, she likes this coat!]

Can we even get close to this thing!?

[Lightning stands up again, flicking her sword and bringing up the barrel of its gun to aim right for its head. Or where she thinks its head is... Pulling the trigger, she lets loose a single bullet, but when it hits, it oozes and spurts more of the sludge from its wound, screeching in pain.]

[The sound of the gunshot rings in Zack's sensitive ears and he ducks his head down a moment before snapping his gaze back at the floating mass of black and sludge. He's seen a few of these bastards before but nothing this ... slimy looking.]

We need to get to higher ground, first!

[Because the ground under them is sinking into sludge fast and Zack's boots are almost completely submerged. He pulls a foot out and then makes for a few rocks and broken tree trunks just ahead.]

Come on! Keep shooting, make it come this way.

[If they can get it away from these pools of black liquid... They might have a better chance. Even if Lightning shoots it seems to recoil and splatter and it starts making large floating strings of goop anyway. But it starts to float after them.]

[He may be leading her away, but Lightning keeps her hand on Zack's back, pushing him along further and faster while her other hand continues to shoot. Bullet after bullet, it continues to squirt out its black liquid as it follows them, making ungodly screeches as it twitches through the air. She isn't even sure anymore if she's doing any damage to it, or if it's absorbing every hit... She's never fought anything quite like this before, and has no idea how to handle it.]

Hope you've got a follow-up plan. I don't think my gun's doing anything.

[In an almost aggressive way, Lightning tries to shove Zack up onto the rocks.]

And don't say magic.

Like I said--

[The bullets are doing a minor job annoying the damn thing but they really aren't doing any significant damage. Zack knew that would be the case since this thing is more than likely made completely out of dark magic and thick cwyld. Magic. She needs to use some sort of spell. Even if it's something that stuns it.

Zack pulls himself up on the rocky outcropping and he pulls her up with him. Up here they don't have to worry about the sludge climbing up their legs but it's not a lot of room to work with. The creature squeals and rears its head which shows off several razor-sharp teeth somewhere inside what appears to be a mouth (?).

And he's about to tell her exactly what she needs to do when one of those long tentacle-like appendages goes flying at them and Zack takes quick action with pulling Lightning out of the line of fire. It only takes a second but Zack grabs the limb with his clawed hand and searing smoke appears where Zack's claws dig in.]

-- It's gotta be magic-!

[His claws sink in sharply which do cause some damage. He holds it there and growls heavily with exertion-- But in a fraction of a second a spike appears out of the tip of the tentacle and it stabs right through Zack's right shoulder. Blood and black spatter up and he hisses in pain.]

Tch!!

[At least it wasn't her.]

[Lightning almost stumbles right off the rock when he pushes her aside and it's only when she straightens again that she sees the tendril struck through Zack's shoulder. The pit of her stomach sinks, but she doesn't freeze in fear. The complete opposite, in fact.]

Shit...

[It spurs her into action. She lifts a foot and kicks the face of the monster with the heel of her boot, breaking the spike lodged in Zack's shoulder off its arm and sending it flying into its pool of black sludge. There's no time for her to check on him though, because it resurfaces, somehow moving faster than it did before that all Lightning can do is block its incoming onslaught with her sword, another spike clanging against the metal as it tries to get her, too.

Magic... It has to be magic. But she has no idea how to use it, or if she's even capable of it. She's never had to try, or even bothered to test it out. She had l'Cie magic before coming here that likely could have taken it out, so what happened to that? Why did she have to bend to the whims of this goddamn world, too!? She doesn't even want to be here, and it's because of this place that someone else got hurt on her watch. Whatever it is that brought her here is gonna have to answer to her, but for now, she needs to do something.]

Get the hell out of here!

[There's a brief flash of purple light then – a single spark of lightning that strikes the tendril of the monster, stunning and pushing it back while it screeches in pain at its arm burning off.]

[The action of Lightning kicking the creature back pulls the spike from Zack's shoulder and with it spatters blood and black sludge. Zack falls to a knee momentarily as he grips his shoulder and tries to staunch the wound. He's been through much worse so he barely makes a noise besides a pained grunt. Zack has seen the edges of his life, has had his body riddled with bullets... so this is alright. It's fine.]

You really think I'm just gonna leave you here?

[That's the wildest thing she's ever said. Zack stares as he watches the lightning magic erupt and explode, sending chunks of the creature in to the air. It's effective. But it's still not going to be enough. She can't do this on her own with the levels that her magic is at right now.

Bond or not... Zack isn't leaving her here.

With a flash of black wings, Zack lifts himself and glides for the creature. Strong claws grab at it and without any regard for the poison in his open wound he shoves his claws right into the creatures flesh and rips it like wolf would rip at prey. It squeals and burns from Zack's touch and then he throws it down again. Black sludge is everywhere.]

Cast again, damn it!

[It's attempting to get up, more of those spiky tentacles flailing.]

[She can feel it in her arms – a burning unlike anything she's never felt before. Her veins feel like they're made of fire that's trying to burst through her skin. It downs her for a moment, and she suddenly feels more out of breath than she would after a long run, bringing her to her knee as she breathes through gritting teeth.]

I can't... [is all she's able to manage between her breaths, and she wraps her fingers around the searing pain in her arm.

She has no idea what's going on, but she isn't sure she wants to do it again, or even can. Not even l'Cie magic was like this. What kind of sick punishment is this!?

She pushes herself back up just in time to catch sight of the ugly creature trying to squirm its way out from under Zack's claws, and even in the dark, she can see the spreading wound in his shoulder.]

Tch...

[Lightning gives it another try, this time attempting to put all of the electricity surging through her into her sword, but nothing happens. She has to think fast now.]

Zack. Throw it this way.

[He can feel the poison burning thicker in his wound. It makes his vision blur for moments at a time. But he continues to grip the creature with claws that are searing into the black flesh. He knows they have to make this quick and easy because both of them weren't ready for this kind of attack. His ears catch her whisper and he knows they've got to kill this thing and fast. Lightning is already at her limits.

He growls deeply and rips a piece of flesh out of the creature with his bare hands (claws?) and throws it down with a splash. His body aches with cwyld poison but he grunts through the pain and then turns to chuck the squealing fish-thing down between both him and Lightning. Zack keeps his grip on the tail end of it. He's not letting this thing squirm away. But it should be closer to her now, hopefully, that's enough for her to blast it with whatever she can manage.]

Edited 2019-12-08 21:45 (UTC)

[Lightning leaps from her spot on the rock, sword at the ready, and plunges the blade right through its body. The smell is more pungent now, thick and heavy as it fills her head, but she has no choice but to power through it as it bleeds out at her feet.

She twists her wrist to reveal the barrel of her gun just far enough to pull the trigger and shoot, hitting it point-blank in the head. And in case that isn't enough, she tries to focus all of her energy into the blade, attempting to conjure more of that magic from earlier. She's only mildly successful as a small spark injects itself into the beast.]

Finish it, damn it...

[Zack jolts and his ears ring with white noise when the bullet fires again. Zack wavers for a moment, barely standing on his own two feet. It's strange to think that he can usually handle a lot more pain than this. It must be the cwyld getting into his bloodstream.]

Hn...

[But with that last spark of magic the creature twitches. It tries to whip a tentacle at Lightning but before it can Zack's claws dig into black flesh again and it squeals. He tightens his grip and rips. Then it lets out a wheezing sort of noise before going limp.

It's over. Finally.]

Ugly bastard...

[Zack drops to a knee as his grip goes slack. The black sludge all around them starts to turn into white smoke like it's evaporating into thin air.]

[Lightning kicks the body out of the way and stomps across the smoke-covered ground towards him, and rather than kneel next to Zack, she stretches out a hand to offer him. He's hurt, and she's going to help him, but they really shouldn't be lingering for much longer.]

Get up.

[It's barked at him like an order, through clenched teeth, but there's some desperation and pain in the way she gives it. She can hardly look at them right now, but as she beckons to Zack for him to take her hand, she sees the dull veins of purple light pulsing beneath her skin, burning her insides. She has no time to dwell on that, however.

He looks like he's in a lot more pain which only pisses her off more, but she's not going to yell at a man while he's still on the ground.]

[Zack lets out a wheezed cough before he tapers to his feet. He takes her offered hand because he's not hurt enough to let his pride show as such either. He staggers slightly before he gets his weight right with a flap of his wings. After a small, pained smirk in her direction...]

See what I mean about the magic?

[He probably shouldn't be playing 'i told you so' right now. Not when he can smell the burning sting of magic coming off of her like it is.]

... Let's get back to the wall.

[He reaches for her out of protective habit, arm going for hers to help support her too. Time to hobble back...]

[She is the worst person to play the 'I told you so' card with. She doesn't react to it, minus the annoyed click of her tongue because as far as Lightning is concerned, that's as much a response as it deserves. She realized quickly that magic was the best way to defeat it and she tried – goddamn it she did – but how the hell is she supposed to do anything about the pain it inflicted on her?

Fang's voice rings quietly in the back of her head, and she tries to push it away, distracting herself instead by slinging Zack's arm over her shoulder.]

And you to a hospital to get that looked at.

[The rest of their journey back to the city won't be an eventful one, and should he try to protest in any way against seeing a doctor, Lightning will have Words for him. At any rate, she'll stay by his side until they're both certain that he'll be okay.]

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[closed] just as the light begins to fade to dark

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