Tarkur draws his fire bow as he sees morrus approaching them from above. The gukko was still in a frenzy but its decent was getting slower like if the bird was getting a grip on the situation.
“I don’t know but I’ll bet you it will get messy” Tarkur replies, taking aim.
“Focus on getting the gukko under control, I got this.” Streke said.
Hoari pointed his sword at the maybe cannibals “Names! All three of you!” He ordered as he moved to their isle “And one of you better tell me why you’re here at midnight and why there’s a dead body at the entrance!” He finished as he looked over his and their shoulders checking if the ‘thing’ that stole the severed hand was anywhere nearby.
“Why are you here?”
If he couldn’t see the Soil before now, he might notice something pointing at him from the corner of the room by the entrance - namely, an arm bone. “This is a library so keep your voice down son, I’m trying to recollect.”
“You think I want to be in a building with at least 4 cannibals.” He answered honestly before promptly seeing a bone, maybe from an arm, gesturing at him. Hoari looked the maybe cannibals over, one had Snow White and pale blue armor she most likely belonged to the ice tribe(@TheMightyObsidianDude) . The one now holding the light source was lanky and belonged to the element of stone(@rainsong) , and last but not least was a villager who had spiked armor and a pair of scopes on his mask, he would almost be threatening if it wasn’t for his small and wiry frame (@meepinater) . Each one appeared to shake as he looked at them, well that was until Hoari realized he was the one trembling. “Answer me you cowards.” He commanded “I have elemental powers and I’m not afraid to use them!” He bluffed as he steadied himself.
“And you! You said you were trying to recollect! Recollect what exactly?” (@Ghid)
“Ugh… fine, kid” Tarkur says a bit reluctantly before putting away his bow. To get control of the Gukko
Creath stared at Hoari. "Can you be quiet, I’m trying to help these people. Geez, the nerve of the people in this town.
Streke frowned. “I’m not even that young.”
He hefted his sword, watching the enemies carefully.
The Soil looked around with his incredible blindness. There didn’t seem to be any cannibals.
Weird.
There was a sudden clatter of furniture from the corner, and behind him rose the Soil, his tattered garments flowing with the extremely slight movement of air from him getting up. He couldn’t see his opponent, but he had relearned enough fighting prowess from those he ingested to know this kid wasn’t a match for him.
“I said,” He hissed, brandishing his shovel like it was a legendary blade of smiting evil. “SHUT UP.”
“Hang on, I’ll talk to him,” Jaspar murmurs.
“Hey, it’s okay, no need to shout. My name’s Jaspar, and I’m here with my friend Ilza. We just happened to stumble upon our… mutual acquaintance here.” He gestures to the Soil. “And no, we aren’t sharing his meal.”
Risa throws her arms in the air, cheering like she was on a roller coaster. If she’s noticed the weapons being drawn in her general direction, she doesn’t show it.
“We’ll just take it one stroke at a time, okay?” Tathel watches Bramble, deciding to adjust to his partner instead of waiting for Bramble to adjust to him. “We’ll be there before you know it.”
Creath nodded, returning to his perusing of the shelves.
Hoari lowered his blade but kept it in his hand in case anyone decided to attack him. “If you’re not cannibals then what are you doing in the cooking isle?” He said quietly before he looked at the end of the isle, plastered on a sign was the word “history” Hoari facepalmed. “Oh my- I’m an idiot.” He whispered as he turned and glanced down at the soil.
They looked young, maybe around thirteen to fifteen, and was brandishing a well-worn shovel, what was even weirder is that they looked indescribably ancient “What’s their deal?” He whispered to jasper gesturing to the soil. “Can he see me?” The more he observed the soil holding his shovel like a sword the more he realized they weren’t looking at him, they were more glaring in his general direction. “Last question. Why are you here at midnight? Isn’t a bit late, is the library like restricted during the day?”
Jaspar lets out a breath, a small chuckle accompanying it. “One question at a time, kid. Yes, I think he can see you. I think he can also hear you.” He flashes the Soil a grin.
“As for the time of night, well, I think each of us have a different answer to that question. Speaking for myself and Ilza, we just got into the city and I was showing her around. Thought the library might be a good place to start, since we’re both scholars.”
“Does that answer everything… you know, I don’t think you’ve introduced yourself.” Jaspar offers a hand to shake.
Tarkur didn’t respond he was busy trying to control the bird. The bird had stopped decending at this point.
“No I can’t.”
The Soil replaces his shovel and begins to walk up to Hoari, stopping with a start exactly ten feet away from him. The eyes on his mask glow. “Now I can.”
“Well? Stop looking at me.” The Soil waved his hand in a swiping motion at Hoari. “Look back at them so I can see what they’re doing.”
The Gukko finally manages to catch itself mid-fall, and Morrus reeled himself back to slow his descent as well… Is that a sword?
At this rate he would drop right past them before he could ascend again. If Streke wanted to take a swing, he totally could.
Bramble sighed, looking down at the water as he rowed. I can’t even see where we’re going; how do I know when we’re there? When we crash?
“So, uh… Hunt anything lately?”
Streke glared at Morrus, pointing his sword at him. “Leave us alone!” He yelled.
Hoari whipped around and glared at the soil, they were about ten feet away from him.
Hoari decided to heed the cannibal’s ‘advice’ and turned back around to face jasper, he hand clamped so hard onto his blade it hurt.
“Yeah pretty much, I’ve got a few more questions, but they can wait. The name’s Hoari by the way, And yes before you ask, like the title? Yes like the title my parents thought that it ‘sounded’ nice.” Hoari shook jasper’s hand “it’s nice to meet you.”
Hoari gave a nervous glance towards the soil. “Would you mind if I accompany you for awhile?” Hoari considered his next move. “Certain parts of the city are pretty dangerous, take here for example, you look like you could use a-“ he paused grasping for the right word to use, “protector. And all I ask for in return is Accommodation and an interesting adventure to write down into my journal.” Hoari said in a friendly tone as he retrieved a well-worn book from his bag several missing posters fell out in the process. “Ignore those!” He whispered harshly as he picked them up and quickly shoved them into his bag.
Morrus dropped past, then furiously flapped his wings to reach their height again, angling to come alongside the irritated Gukko.
“What?”
The Soil sighed as audibly as possible.
“Kid.” He began, looking at his wrist and feeling the cracked and wrinkled skin that lined it. “Your offer is garbage. You want to accompany them, receive food and lodging on their tab, document anything that happens, and what- scare off potential muggers with your training sword?”
“I can outpace your offer.” He folded his arms behind his back, still keeping the exact minimum amount of distance necessary to see. “I have extensive combat experience dating back to…” The eyes on his mask fade before suddenly brightening. “Seven hundred years, I require no sleep or proper lodging, I can go without food for ten days, and I can read the ancient tongue.”
He began to inspect his other wrist. “If I absolutely must, I suppose I can wear some more… Modern robes to mask my crystalline protrusion, and I am willing to abstain from the vice you seem so distressed by… For a time.”
“Also, I can’t ignore those. Rolled three times over themselves, made out of a heavy parchment, printed in a particularly heavy ink, and all cut at nearly the same size.” He glanced at Hoari. “The soil is blind, but not unseeing.”
“Great job… kid, you get a 10 in pissing it off.” Tarkur remarks as he makes sure to keep the bird steady. “First rule of interspecies communications, kid, don’t piss off the other party” Tarkur continues as he looks down besides, “If he decides to knock us off this ride it will be a bumpy ride down but what do I know the trees might break our fall” he concludes adding that last part a bit jokingly.
“Then why don’t you and I work together two guards are better than one unless you’ve got some” Hoari said ignoring the soils last comment before he put on a gruff voice. “I work alone complex, then we’ll be in business And hey to seal the deal I’ll even pay for the new robes!” He offered. “Plus I really think the decision is up to them.” He said finishing the brief squabble. Hoari grabbed a book off the shelf and flipped through it before he sat down and wrote something into his journal. “And who’s to say you won’t eat them like you ate that poor Okotan?” He added @meepinater @TheMightyObsidianDude @rainsong
Morrus glanced out of the extreme corner of his eye at Risa.
“What are you talking about?” Morrus tried to be heard over the wind. “Interspecies what?”
The Soil looked in the general direction Jaspar had been and gave a confused shrug.
“I ought to slap you,” He growled. “For speaking with such disrespect on topics you have no knowledge in and for daring to insinuate I eat living people.”
“Disgusting.”