Residual (Chapter Seven)
Sunday, April 12th, 2015 12:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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mindcrackloveIn which Vechs gets a weird dream, the group splits up, and I leave you with a cliffhanger.
Love you guys.
Chapter list: http://tanadin.dreamwidth.org/382.html
Map of the continent: http://tanadin.deviantart.com/art/Monstrous-Residual-map-526465833
Chapter Seven
Sunspire, Minecraftia. September 9, year 373. Time instance 483Z.
It was early in the morning, just before dawn, when Vechs’s dreams were infiltrated. He was sleeping heavily due to his exhaustion and normally would not have really been dreaming, but something forced his mind into enough activity to form a dream.
Within the haziness of the dream, Vechs could see a thick dark oak forest, with the leaves of the trees forming a roof overhead with almost no room for light to fit between them. He found himself running, running between the trees, as something chased him, panting, growling, but he couldn’t see it. He found himself slipping down a sudden cliff, slamming into a river’s surface. The glassy reflections of the river shattered around him, leaving him standing alone in a void of darkness.
“There is no time.” a voice hissed to him, urgently, quietly. “There’s no time! Quickly, you must listen to me. The Shadefang Skullblades must be warned. I have overheard your enemies planning; you must warn them before their home is burned to the ground just like Ashwatch and Skullspire.”
Vechs wanted to respond but he found himself incapable. The voice wasn’t familiar in any way- it was female, for one, and he only knew Aoxdorren and Aureylian in the way of females and it sounded like neither. There was no way it was Norazdomu either, for obvious reasons.
“You must hurry.” she insisted. “Go! Now!” The darkness shattered and he got a brief look at the dark oak forest from above- as if on a mountaintop- before his eyes snapped open.
Vechs blinked a couple of times before sitting up.
He was getting really, really tired of mystery people telling him where to go and what to do.
He also had this burning need to know who the hell this woman was.
And dark oak forests…
He only knew of two places like that, unless he was wrong. He got up and went to find Paul to take a look at his map. He found the older man helping a small child change the bandages on a nasty cut on his leg. Vechs waited until Paul was done before tapping his shoulder.
“Can I take a look at your map?”
Paul nodded and sat, taking the map out of his bag and unrolling it. “Why do you need to see it?”
Vechs sat beside him and looked it over. “There are only two dark oak forests in Minecraftia, right?”
“On this continent, yes. Here and here.” Paul pointed first at the island of Skullbit, south of the main continent, then to an area west of the Dragonlands.
Just as Vechs suspected.
The Vicious Wilds. A place filled with darkness and creatures unknown to humanity.
“I had a dream right before I woke up. I was running through a dark oak forest being chased by some kind of creature before it changed and some woman was talking to me. She told me that the Shadefang Skullblades needed to be warned. The…the hostiles are going to burn Skullbit to the ground. Then I got the impression of the dark oak forest from above- like on a mountain- and then I woke up.” Vechs explained.
“A mountain? There aren’t any mountains anywhere near Skullbit.” Paul frowned. “There are by the Vicious Wilds, though.” He traced the mountain range to the east of the Wilds that made up part of the Dragonlands.
“So you’re telling me that I was having a dream about the Vicious Wilds and then some woman wanted me to run off to the OTHER dark oak forest? What gives?”
“She may have been in the Wilds.” Paul muttered. “Do you have any idea of who she is?”
“No. I didn’t even see her.”
“You don’t recognize the voice?”
“Paul, the only two girls I know are Aureylian and that one dragon, and it was neither.”
“Right.” Paul rolled up the map. “So what are you planning on doing?”
Vechs sighed and looked up at the sky. “She was right that we do need to warn the Skullblades. But I really want to know who she is.”
“Your curiosity can wait.”
“I feel like it’s important, Paul. I really do.”
Paul frowned. “Are you saying that because you really want to know, or do you really feel like it’s essential?”
“It’s essential.”
Paul groaned. “I was afraid of that. So, what, we split up into two groups?”
“Three. I feel like some of us need to go try and find those three dragons from before.”
“Why would they help us?”
“They helped up last time, didn’t they? Dragons live in this world just as much as we do and they deserve to know what’s going on, at least.” Vechs stood as he spoke.
Paul nodded and stood up as well. “Guude’s not going to like this.”
~~~
“No, no, and no again!” Guude protested. “We are not splitting up!”
“It’s necessary.” Vechs argued. “We need to know who the hell is able to get into my head, we need to warn the Shadefangs, and we need to enlist the help of the dragons.”
“We need to defend the crystal as well.” Nebris said breathlessly as he ran up to the group from where he had been sleeping. “We need to get there and we need to not let those damn monsters get it.”
“What? Who says they’re after-“
“Well, considering that bronze guy just informed me that they want to absorb all the worldbuilder power sources we can, I’d assume they’re after it!”
Silence fell across them.
Blame groaned. “I can’t believe this. We have two mystery people popping up telling us what to do and then we come up with two more things we need to get done?”
“Splitting up isn’t too bad of an idea. There are thirty of us.” Paul said mildly. “A few of us could head north into the Wilds, and sizable groups could head south to Skullbit, back east to the mountains, and northeast to the Dragonlands. These are all important missions.”
“I need to go south, then.” Blame said, sighing. “You’ll need someone who can speak Skullspeak for the Shadefangs to listen to you.” He clearly hated the idea. Something in his voice told them that there was a reason he did not want to go south, and Guude seemed to understand.
“Are you sure? There’s got to be someone else that can go.”
“Excuse me. I hate to interrupt, but-“
“What the literal hell do you want?” Blame demanded, turning to Wind.
“I can speak Skullspeak. It would take less explanation from a Sunspine anyway- they think all Ashenhorns are dead. Please. I want to help.”
Blame’s dark eyes narrowed. “How can we trust you?”
“O nhea Mrewwpwola qabah tiam poxr iq nyauh zihl.” Wind said quietly.
“A true Skullblade never goes back on their word.” Blame translated under his breath. “Fine. You get one chance. I’ll head north with Vechs on his stupid trip instead of south.”
“Why do you want to avoid the south so badly?” Vechs asked, curious.
Blame shot him a venomous look and he shut up.
“I’m going with as well.” Aureylian piped up. “I’m on babyguarding duty, remember?”
“I’m the only one that’s been in there for any length of time. I’m coming along as well.” Paul announced.
“You’re not ditching me.” Zisteau said, grinning.
“That’s five.” Guude said, unnecessarily. “And twenty-five divided by three isn’t an even number.”
“Pause! Why don’t you come along with us? Then twenty-four can go evenly.” Vechs called suddenly.
“What? I’m not going to the Vicious Wilds! No way!”
“Paaaaause. We need someone who’s a really good shot and good at hiding up trees.”
“No!”
“You’re experienced in survival almost as much as Paul is.”
“No way. I’m not-“
“Paaaaause.”
“Come on Pause, get out of here.” Guude said, laughing. “Go with them. They need you.”
“They don’t need me! I-“
“Let’s put this better, they don’t need you less than we don’t need you. We REALLY don’t need you.” Nebris told him, earning laughs all around.
Pause muttered bad-temperedly and walked over to the group that would be his traveling companions. “I’m going to regret this.”
“Yeah. You will.” Vechs grinned widely at him, and Pause found himself already regretting this.
~~~
Once the groups had been sorted out, they all said goodbye to each other and to the Sunspines and set off in their respective directions.
Vechs, Aureylian, Blame, Paul, Zisteau, and Pause started heading northwest through the remains of Sunspire to cross Illian to reach the Vicious Wilds, curiosity and suspicion driving them on. Anyone that could reach into their dreams and heads was bad news, Blame reflected, and as he thought this the familiar step, clank rang quietly in his ears. Damned Norazdomu.
Chad, Sevadus, Coe, Etho, Nebris, Doc, Jsano, and Millbee went north and slightly east to reach the mountain pass into the Dragonlands, hoping to find one of the dragons they had talked to before- of which only three remained. (Kaldron had been slain in the battle for the nether portal.)
Beef, Generik, BdoubleO, Pak, Baj, Pyro, Kurt, and MC went with Windstripped Branch southeast through a small strip of the desert and the plains to the port city of Ahnrak in Orvex to get to Skullbit to warn the Shadefangs about their impending doom before it was too late.
The others- Guude, Thejims, Adlington, Avidya, Mhykol, Seth, Arkas, and Anderz- went northeast (more east and less north than the Dragonlands group) back to their mountain shaped like a dragon’s claw in order to protect the crystal. Seth thought he knew how to bypass the door that only allowed worldbuilders in so they would be able to set up a defensive position there. They would likely reach their destination first and have the most time to work.
“I never thought I’d be willingly heading into the Vicious Wilds.” Aureylian remarked after about fifteen minutes of walking.
“Me neither.” Vechs admitted. “Part of that was because I was born in Valtarion- what’s now eastern Traz’madar.” He was still wondering what happened there.
“You realize we’re not going to get to the Wilds for at least a week or two, right?” Blame brought up. “We’re in Sunspire, in the center of the continent. We’re heading to the very northwestern corner of this continent. We could literally have not chosen a further destination unless you’re planning to sail across the seas.
“At least we have each other!” Vechs said, grinning and putting an arm around both Blame and Aureylian.
“I regret my entire life leading up to this point.”
“I thought you didn’t hate me anymore!”
“I don’t. I hate walking.”
“Awww. Do your feet hurt?”
“Yes.” Blame snapped. “Quit reminding me.”
“Fight nicely, children.” Paul called back from the front, where he was navigating via the map and a compass.
Pause laughed at them and Vechs let go of his friends, letting Blame walk ahead to walk closer to Paul for awhile. Vechs walked alongside Aureylian with Pause and Zisteau a little ahead of them.
“It’s kind of nice, hanging out with you a lot again.” Vechs admitted to her quietly. “We haven’t had time to do a lot due to building the town and whatever.”
“Yeah.” Aureylian smiled at him. “It’s nice.”
The group walked companionably, quiet except for the occasional short conversation between Vechs and Aurey, for another couple of hours until the fireball rocketed out of the charred remains of a tree.
Always the interruptions.
Draemae shot out of his hiding place and flew once around them, quickly, fire dancing between the spikes covering his body.
“Finally, I get to kill someone.” he hissed joyfully. “Who wants to die first?”
His eyes scanned them as they drew their weapons before they set on Aureylian.
“You’ll do.”
Love you guys.
Chapter list: http://tanadin.dreamwidth.org/382.html
Map of the continent: http://tanadin.deviantart.com/art/Monstrous-Residual-map-526465833
Chapter Seven
Sunspire, Minecraftia. September 9, year 373. Time instance 483Z.
It was early in the morning, just before dawn, when Vechs’s dreams were infiltrated. He was sleeping heavily due to his exhaustion and normally would not have really been dreaming, but something forced his mind into enough activity to form a dream.
Within the haziness of the dream, Vechs could see a thick dark oak forest, with the leaves of the trees forming a roof overhead with almost no room for light to fit between them. He found himself running, running between the trees, as something chased him, panting, growling, but he couldn’t see it. He found himself slipping down a sudden cliff, slamming into a river’s surface. The glassy reflections of the river shattered around him, leaving him standing alone in a void of darkness.
“There is no time.” a voice hissed to him, urgently, quietly. “There’s no time! Quickly, you must listen to me. The Shadefang Skullblades must be warned. I have overheard your enemies planning; you must warn them before their home is burned to the ground just like Ashwatch and Skullspire.”
Vechs wanted to respond but he found himself incapable. The voice wasn’t familiar in any way- it was female, for one, and he only knew Aoxdorren and Aureylian in the way of females and it sounded like neither. There was no way it was Norazdomu either, for obvious reasons.
“You must hurry.” she insisted. “Go! Now!” The darkness shattered and he got a brief look at the dark oak forest from above- as if on a mountaintop- before his eyes snapped open.
Vechs blinked a couple of times before sitting up.
He was getting really, really tired of mystery people telling him where to go and what to do.
He also had this burning need to know who the hell this woman was.
And dark oak forests…
He only knew of two places like that, unless he was wrong. He got up and went to find Paul to take a look at his map. He found the older man helping a small child change the bandages on a nasty cut on his leg. Vechs waited until Paul was done before tapping his shoulder.
“Can I take a look at your map?”
Paul nodded and sat, taking the map out of his bag and unrolling it. “Why do you need to see it?”
Vechs sat beside him and looked it over. “There are only two dark oak forests in Minecraftia, right?”
“On this continent, yes. Here and here.” Paul pointed first at the island of Skullbit, south of the main continent, then to an area west of the Dragonlands.
Just as Vechs suspected.
The Vicious Wilds. A place filled with darkness and creatures unknown to humanity.
“I had a dream right before I woke up. I was running through a dark oak forest being chased by some kind of creature before it changed and some woman was talking to me. She told me that the Shadefang Skullblades needed to be warned. The…the hostiles are going to burn Skullbit to the ground. Then I got the impression of the dark oak forest from above- like on a mountain- and then I woke up.” Vechs explained.
“A mountain? There aren’t any mountains anywhere near Skullbit.” Paul frowned. “There are by the Vicious Wilds, though.” He traced the mountain range to the east of the Wilds that made up part of the Dragonlands.
“So you’re telling me that I was having a dream about the Vicious Wilds and then some woman wanted me to run off to the OTHER dark oak forest? What gives?”
“She may have been in the Wilds.” Paul muttered. “Do you have any idea of who she is?”
“No. I didn’t even see her.”
“You don’t recognize the voice?”
“Paul, the only two girls I know are Aureylian and that one dragon, and it was neither.”
“Right.” Paul rolled up the map. “So what are you planning on doing?”
Vechs sighed and looked up at the sky. “She was right that we do need to warn the Skullblades. But I really want to know who she is.”
“Your curiosity can wait.”
“I feel like it’s important, Paul. I really do.”
Paul frowned. “Are you saying that because you really want to know, or do you really feel like it’s essential?”
“It’s essential.”
Paul groaned. “I was afraid of that. So, what, we split up into two groups?”
“Three. I feel like some of us need to go try and find those three dragons from before.”
“Why would they help us?”
“They helped up last time, didn’t they? Dragons live in this world just as much as we do and they deserve to know what’s going on, at least.” Vechs stood as he spoke.
Paul nodded and stood up as well. “Guude’s not going to like this.”
~~~
“No, no, and no again!” Guude protested. “We are not splitting up!”
“It’s necessary.” Vechs argued. “We need to know who the hell is able to get into my head, we need to warn the Shadefangs, and we need to enlist the help of the dragons.”
“We need to defend the crystal as well.” Nebris said breathlessly as he ran up to the group from where he had been sleeping. “We need to get there and we need to not let those damn monsters get it.”
“What? Who says they’re after-“
“Well, considering that bronze guy just informed me that they want to absorb all the worldbuilder power sources we can, I’d assume they’re after it!”
Silence fell across them.
Blame groaned. “I can’t believe this. We have two mystery people popping up telling us what to do and then we come up with two more things we need to get done?”
“Splitting up isn’t too bad of an idea. There are thirty of us.” Paul said mildly. “A few of us could head north into the Wilds, and sizable groups could head south to Skullbit, back east to the mountains, and northeast to the Dragonlands. These are all important missions.”
“I need to go south, then.” Blame said, sighing. “You’ll need someone who can speak Skullspeak for the Shadefangs to listen to you.” He clearly hated the idea. Something in his voice told them that there was a reason he did not want to go south, and Guude seemed to understand.
“Are you sure? There’s got to be someone else that can go.”
“Excuse me. I hate to interrupt, but-“
“What the literal hell do you want?” Blame demanded, turning to Wind.
“I can speak Skullspeak. It would take less explanation from a Sunspine anyway- they think all Ashenhorns are dead. Please. I want to help.”
Blame’s dark eyes narrowed. “How can we trust you?”
“O nhea Mrewwpwola qabah tiam poxr iq nyauh zihl.” Wind said quietly.
“A true Skullblade never goes back on their word.” Blame translated under his breath. “Fine. You get one chance. I’ll head north with Vechs on his stupid trip instead of south.”
“Why do you want to avoid the south so badly?” Vechs asked, curious.
Blame shot him a venomous look and he shut up.
“I’m going with as well.” Aureylian piped up. “I’m on babyguarding duty, remember?”
“I’m the only one that’s been in there for any length of time. I’m coming along as well.” Paul announced.
“You’re not ditching me.” Zisteau said, grinning.
“That’s five.” Guude said, unnecessarily. “And twenty-five divided by three isn’t an even number.”
“Pause! Why don’t you come along with us? Then twenty-four can go evenly.” Vechs called suddenly.
“What? I’m not going to the Vicious Wilds! No way!”
“Paaaaause. We need someone who’s a really good shot and good at hiding up trees.”
“No!”
“You’re experienced in survival almost as much as Paul is.”
“No way. I’m not-“
“Paaaaause.”
“Come on Pause, get out of here.” Guude said, laughing. “Go with them. They need you.”
“They don’t need me! I-“
“Let’s put this better, they don’t need you less than we don’t need you. We REALLY don’t need you.” Nebris told him, earning laughs all around.
Pause muttered bad-temperedly and walked over to the group that would be his traveling companions. “I’m going to regret this.”
“Yeah. You will.” Vechs grinned widely at him, and Pause found himself already regretting this.
~~~
Once the groups had been sorted out, they all said goodbye to each other and to the Sunspines and set off in their respective directions.
Vechs, Aureylian, Blame, Paul, Zisteau, and Pause started heading northwest through the remains of Sunspire to cross Illian to reach the Vicious Wilds, curiosity and suspicion driving them on. Anyone that could reach into their dreams and heads was bad news, Blame reflected, and as he thought this the familiar step, clank rang quietly in his ears. Damned Norazdomu.
Chad, Sevadus, Coe, Etho, Nebris, Doc, Jsano, and Millbee went north and slightly east to reach the mountain pass into the Dragonlands, hoping to find one of the dragons they had talked to before- of which only three remained. (Kaldron had been slain in the battle for the nether portal.)
Beef, Generik, BdoubleO, Pak, Baj, Pyro, Kurt, and MC went with Windstripped Branch southeast through a small strip of the desert and the plains to the port city of Ahnrak in Orvex to get to Skullbit to warn the Shadefangs about their impending doom before it was too late.
The others- Guude, Thejims, Adlington, Avidya, Mhykol, Seth, Arkas, and Anderz- went northeast (more east and less north than the Dragonlands group) back to their mountain shaped like a dragon’s claw in order to protect the crystal. Seth thought he knew how to bypass the door that only allowed worldbuilders in so they would be able to set up a defensive position there. They would likely reach their destination first and have the most time to work.
“I never thought I’d be willingly heading into the Vicious Wilds.” Aureylian remarked after about fifteen minutes of walking.
“Me neither.” Vechs admitted. “Part of that was because I was born in Valtarion- what’s now eastern Traz’madar.” He was still wondering what happened there.
“You realize we’re not going to get to the Wilds for at least a week or two, right?” Blame brought up. “We’re in Sunspire, in the center of the continent. We’re heading to the very northwestern corner of this continent. We could literally have not chosen a further destination unless you’re planning to sail across the seas.
“At least we have each other!” Vechs said, grinning and putting an arm around both Blame and Aureylian.
“I regret my entire life leading up to this point.”
“I thought you didn’t hate me anymore!”
“I don’t. I hate walking.”
“Awww. Do your feet hurt?”
“Yes.” Blame snapped. “Quit reminding me.”
“Fight nicely, children.” Paul called back from the front, where he was navigating via the map and a compass.
Pause laughed at them and Vechs let go of his friends, letting Blame walk ahead to walk closer to Paul for awhile. Vechs walked alongside Aureylian with Pause and Zisteau a little ahead of them.
“It’s kind of nice, hanging out with you a lot again.” Vechs admitted to her quietly. “We haven’t had time to do a lot due to building the town and whatever.”
“Yeah.” Aureylian smiled at him. “It’s nice.”
The group walked companionably, quiet except for the occasional short conversation between Vechs and Aurey, for another couple of hours until the fireball rocketed out of the charred remains of a tree.
Always the interruptions.
Draemae shot out of his hiding place and flew once around them, quickly, fire dancing between the spikes covering his body.
“Finally, I get to kill someone.” he hissed joyfully. “Who wants to die first?”
His eyes scanned them as they drew their weapons before they set on Aureylian.
“You’ll do.”
no subject
Date: Sunday, April 12th, 2015 05:56 pm (UTC)G.C. (::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)
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Date: Sunday, April 12th, 2015 06:08 pm (UTC)fLEE AUREYLIAN BEFORE HE BURNS YOUR FACE OFF
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Date: Sunday, April 12th, 2015 06:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: Sunday, April 12th, 2015 06:20 pm (UTC)By the way, guys, themysteriousm and I have been working on a spreadsheet with all the different characters to keep track of their status. I think it's done but I could be wrong? It'll updated every chapter as well.
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Date: Monday, April 13th, 2015 10:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: Monday, April 13th, 2015 11:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 02:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 06:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 07:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: Sunday, April 12th, 2015 09:24 pm (UTC)On another note, Aurey is in deeeeep trouble...
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Date: Sunday, April 12th, 2015 09:35 pm (UTC)Yes, yes she is.
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Date: Monday, April 13th, 2015 08:54 am (UTC)cookies. (::)(::)(::)(:)(::)(::)(::)
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Date: Monday, April 13th, 2015 11:20 am (UTC)c;
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Date: Monday, April 13th, 2015 10:35 am (UTC)do i even need to say anything anymore :P
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Date: Monday, April 13th, 2015 11:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: Monday, April 13th, 2015 11:29 am (UTC)no subject
Date: Monday, April 13th, 2015 02:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: Monday, April 13th, 2015 10:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: Monday, April 13th, 2015 11:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: Monday, April 13th, 2015 12:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: Monday, April 13th, 2015 02:38 pm (UTC)