EVENT: HERE THERE BE MONSTERS

[initiatesnpc]

Date & Time: October 24 - October 31
Location: Throughout Exsilium
Characters: ALL; tag yourselves in
Summary: The Transports return from their mission to find the island crawling with monsters.
Warnings: Violence, possibly injuries (notify a mod if there's cause to add a particular warning!)

The Transports return from their mission to Medieval Russia, but the Initiative Hold is eerily deserted. Normally, their would be a number of Initiative personnel prepared to meet the Transports at the end of their mission for debriefing.

Instead, there is only silence.

That is, until a distant thumping sound can be heard. It is growing closer, and suddenly the beast is bursting into the room. It lets out a roar and charges. Within minutes, it is easily defeated, but damage has already been done -- it collided with the Transporter machine, which is now making a low fizzling sound and lets off a couple sparks. The commotion is enough to draw the attention of the few remaining Initiative personnel who still inhabit the Hold, who arrive immediately afterwards. They are able to tell the Transports two things: that the machine is broken and currently unable to sent anyone back in time, and that the island has been overrun with aggressive, mutated beasts sent by the United Earth. They have been under siege for months, with the island's population reduced to a mere fraction of what it had once been.

Comments

[fintastic]

"Don't think of it as being ridden!" Even if there's not much to grab, Feferi manages to scramble up and flatten herself against his neck. "Think of it as teamwork! I would do the same for you, if I could."

[draconic_historian]

Dragonscale felt more like metal than anything else, and was hard enough that she was in no danger of chocking Ricasthix no matter how hard she held on. Despite having scales, the dragon was most assuredly warm blooded; it was almost uncomfortably hot on Feferi's perch.

"Just so long," He said, as he crouched down in a motion surprisingly similar to a cat preparing to spring on something, "as I am not thought of as some common steed. Hold on tight."

With a single spring, he leapt into the air, wings flapping to get elevation until in short order they were above the rooftops and the ruined city spread out around them.

[fintastic]

"I would never think of a friend as a steed! That's just dumb." Not being a dragon, she couldn't really understand the point of contention, but shrugged it off and concentrated on keeping herself flat against his warm body. She was actually quite thankful for the heat, instead the cold-blooded one in the current scenario.

[draconic_historian]

Ricasthix circled upwards until they were high enough that Feferi couldn't see people on the ground save as little dots, then flattened out his flight and banked towards the skyscraper. Truly, there was a joy in flying, and he just closed his eyes for a moment to enjoy the feeling of the wind.

The moment passed, and business came back to mind as the skyscraper started looming close. "There it is. I'll drop you off at that hole in the superstructure towards the top. The crystal is just a straight shot down the hall towards the middle of the building, but the floor doesn't look very stable, so you'll have to be careful."

[fintastic]

This was almost as fun as flying with Sollux! Almost, but not quite. She does let herself be lulled a little, but once he addresses her, she snaps back to reality.

"Okay! I'm ready whenever you are!"

[draconic_historian]

As he swoops in closer to the building, Feferi's ride becomes much less smooth. It's far easier to stay level when you're just sailing along than it is when you're practically hovering. Sure enough, the crystal is visible, glinting down a corridor. The other end of the corridor is a great gaping hole in the side of the building that looks like something alarmingly huge took a bite out of it a few years ago. Now it's overgrown with vines and half the floor has rotted out, leaving only narrow, rusty girders to walk on for a good chunk in the middle.

Ricasthix killed his airspeed just in time to land on the edge of the hole, but as soon as he landed the building started to groan ominously. "Get off, quick, I'll circle around until you get it."

[fintastic]

Feferi won't be bucked that easily, though it does catch her off guard just a little. She doesn't need the instruction to know it's her turn to jump off, and with a half-calculated leap, she flings herself to the ledge and stumbles into safety.

"Okay! I won't take long!" With the reassurance flung over her shoulder, hurries down the corridor as fast as she safely can.

[draconic_historian]

Ricasthix pushed off, with a bit of alarm as the bit of skyscraper he'd been perched on collapsed beneath him, but he was once again airborn, and started circling the tower.

Feferi, meanwhile, found the path to the crystal precarious, but relatively safe. When she reached the crystel, however, it became clear that the vines were all connected to some central body, which was now looking down at her from the ceiling of the room the crystal was in with a single, crazed, bloodshot eye.