[WORLD ONE | UVI ATTACK]

[spellbindmods]

Who: The Uvi and coven members
Where: In and around the city land of Aimintas
When: Day 32 & 33
Open/Closed: Open to All

For coven members who haven't been in Aimintas very long, the panic of the Palai the past few days may seem like overkill. The day goes by rather quietly and Aimintas looks like a ghost town throughout the morning and most of the afternoon. Not one Palai can be seen, with shops closed and the roads virtually empty, aside from coven members. It isn't until the sky is turning a nice shade of pink that things begin. Observant people who may be gazing up at the ocean will see the very small dots in the sky that begin to approach at a very quick speed. If you're outside, you may get to see the Uvi up close -- but perhaps not for very long. The Uvi have rubbery bones, and they hit the dirt in a curled up position, unrolling themselves and leaping up on long, scaled legs. The shortest Uvi might come in at five feet tall, but most range from six to seven. They're lithe and gilled -- you may think they want to rely on stealth, but the sound coming out of their gills is very loud and raspy. There's no way you can't hear them coming as the ominous and rapid noise follows them everywhere. Some of them are walking around empty handed, eyes scanning and striding up to buildings, banging on the outside and observing the inside of the house as much as they possibly can. Others are carrying large, bleached tools made of fish bone and teeth. Some look like long blades, while others look like long axes. These are used for cutting into doors and other violent tasks they feel the need to complete. A ▢ If your character is wandering the streets, whether of their own ignorance or because they're part of the team trying to protect/negotiate with the Palai, they're very likely to run into one of the Uvi. While left to their own devices they'll only be focused on sniffing out Palai, but they're committed to going after anything they see alive and moving. If your character confronts the Uvi, they better be prepared for an attack. B ▢ Alternatively, maybe your character is caught outside and ill-equipped to handle the Uvi. Running is an option! ...But they better be able to run fast. Maybe your character gets lucky enough to run into someone who can help them, but they'd best hope they find each other fast. C ▢ Your character may also be committed to love and justice, fighting the forces of evil with good. It's very unlikely that Palai blood goes unspilled tonight, but your character may be able to prevent it as much as possible. Just be warned: if they confront the Uvi who are trying to break into a Palai house, they're going to be in for a fight. D ▢ Other characters may already be hiding, whether in the coven house or with Palai in their own homes. They'll hear the Uvi's harsh, gasping breathing before they see them, but if they do hear that raspy noise, they'd better be quick thinkers. Whether the Uvi visiting turns into a brawl or a blood bath, eventually the Uvi will return to the ocean with Palai bodies in tow. At around 4 AM, the Uvi begin to shriek, some making noises that are too high pitched for most ears to hear. From the sky, large flying fish descend from the sky and find their masters. The Palai are hoisted onto the back of these creatures and they take off, flying back into the ocean. E ▢ If your character is committed to defeating the Uvi, they may want to try and target the large fish they'll be flying out of. It's possible to kill them in the air, but watch where they fall. They're incredibly large -- larger than the sharks and bigger fish that have fallen out of the sky before. They can also be killed on the ground, but you'll also have to do with their protective Uvi owners. F ▢ Maybe your character is more into the idea of following the Uvi back home. It's possible! Once the Uvi breach the ocean, they swim fast through the dark water for miles and miles. The journey is treacherous, and some may stop the trek to attack in the water where they're more at home. If your character makes it to their lair, they'll find that it's a dense wad of seaweed that stays static in the ocean. The Uvi are used to the toxicity of the leaves, but trying to enter means touching these leaves that leave large, skin-melting welts as they grow and burst. G ▢ Wildcard! How will your character handle this violent and volatile situation.

Comments

[talim]

g.

[ jude has been fighting the good fight on his own when he can, shielding any palai in the way of harm before it's too late and snap pivoting to knock the uvi back with his bare fists before casting one spirit arte or another to get rid of them. it's a repetitive pattern, but there's no way he's stopping now. not until every last uvi has either retreated or been taken care of.

for the most part, jude's been on standby underneath an awning just outside the heart of the colorful stalls scattered across the marketplace. see, jude can fight. he has the experience; he definitely has the skill. what he's more comfortable using his hands to do, though, is hold the position of healer. prior to the attack he'd been told that medical aid would be needed, and there's not a chance jude will retreat and go into hiding when he knows he can provide it.

so, is your character hurt? injured? just plain panicking? not to worry! doctor jude mathis is here! ]

If anyone is hurt, come to the area near the marketplace and look for someone in a white lab coat. There's a medical professional on standby. Alternatively, if you can't walk, just give me your location. I'll come meet you ASAP.

wildcard.

either go ahead and toss something right at me or, alternatively, drop me a pm or pp me @ amarcian to plot something out!

[g]eez jude

[deem]

[Jude's small like him, and while that doesn't much matter in terms of androids, it's a touch different when there's a human involved. He may have signed up for reconnaissance, because that's where he's his most useful, but that doesn't mean that he's just going to ignore that familiar voice in his head.

It seems like Jude's a civilian...]

Are you going to be safe, out in the field...?

[talim]

I know how to protect myself. That means it's just part of my job to protect others, too, right?

[deem]

[He's got his misgivings, but there are so many humans participating in this, it's not like he can sit on them all]

Do you have a weapon then?

[talim]

My fists.

[ a pause. maybe he should add on to that... ]

And a generous supply of mana.

[deem]

I don't know what mana is, but I'm not sure fighting these things barehanded is advisable.

[The day 9S is cautioning somebody else about anything advisable in combat has arrived]

[talim]

Mana is just another word for magic. And don't worry! I've been training in martial arts since I was a kid. I learned from the best.

[ maybe he's missing the point... a little... ]

[deem]

[...His first human friend certainly is cause for worry]

So if these creatures have natural armor and are resistant to blunt force, what do you do then?

[talim]

That's where breaking them down with spirit artes comes in. Nines, I'm not that reckless...

[deem]

I don't know what "spirit artes" are, but they might have a natural resistance to your attacks. If that's the case, you're in a disadvantageous situation.

You should take someone with you, at least. A partner.

[He knows that he was considerably safer, perhaps ironically, with 2B than otherwise. And even without her around, he had his pod for backup and cover fire]

[talim]

[ jude is glad 9s can't see the frown tugging at his lips, eyes downcast. right. a partner. that'd be nice, huh?

it's not just milla's lack of presence that leaves a hole in his chest; it's alvin, elize, leia, rowen... back home there was always someone linked to him to back him up in battle. here, though? things are different. ]

Hey, just worry about yourself, okay? I'll be sure to stay out of trouble.

[ that's a total lie. when has jude ever stayed out of trouble? ]

[deem]

[Worrying about himself, that's a good one. A really good one.

There follows a thoughtful hum that might or might not be transmitted]

Even a combat unit like 2B has a pod to back her up.

[A pause, and then-]

Why don't you ask her along? You know her, and then you don't have to worry about crowd control if you find someone who needs help stuck among hostiles.

[talim]

[ he'd never even entertained the idea of asking to partner up with someone. like he told 9s, he's just here to do his job — to protect everyone to the best of his ability. he doesn't need to involve 2b. ]

Combat unit or not, I couldn't possibly drag her into this. I'm sure she has her hands full already.

[ a sudden thought crosses his mind, and then there's a brief pause on his end this time before he communicates it. ]

... I remember you mentioning that you perform your own maintenance, right?

g!

[thatdamnknight]

[it was a stupid mistake. a very stupid mistake. impressively so. out of pure reflex, while engaging the uvi, flynn attempted to block an attack with his shield. which would've been fine, fine if he actually had a shield. alas, his shield was who knows where along with the rest of his gear.

long story short, the attack landed a direct hit on his left arm and resulted in a nasty-looking gash. the rest of the battle went off without a hitch, at least.

he arrives at the marketplace with the goal of simply passing through, briefly taking note of jude but not giving him much of a second thought. some palai might've been chased out of their homes or perhaps there were some additional residences beyond here. whatever the case, defending the weak comes first; dealing with his injury comes later. deep and bloody doesn't amount to life-threatening. this is fine. a knight must defend the weak first and foremost. it'll stop dripping blood soon enough. probably.]

[talim]

[ jude is just mulling over how oddly quiet it is where he's been stationed for the past several hours when a shock of blonde hair comes into view. is that... ? ]

Flynn?

[ and then he sees the red trickling down his arm, and alarm bells start ringing in his head. ]

— Flynn, wait a sec! Your arm!

[ before giving him the chance to even get a word out, jude is rushing over to him, already attempting to assess the extent of the damage. he doesn't even bother explaining himself before he starts ordering flynn around. ]

Here, come with me. You're bleeding.

[ an obvious statement, but jude isn't even sure flynn noticed, what with his apparent lack of concern. there are chairs by the nearest stall; jude pulls one out and gestures for him to sit right there. ]

Sit down, okay? How bad is the pain?

[ it looks pretty damn bad, that's for sure. jude crouches down next to him to get a closer look. ]

[thatdamnknight]

[jude coming over and dragging him to a chair happens so fast it nearly makes flynn's head spin. the kid is a force of nature to be reckoned with. getting even a single word of protest in ends up next to impossible.

somehow flynn finds himself in a chair. his chance to politely decline any patching up has arrived. finally. as kind as all this concern is, it really isn't necessary. it also makes him feel far too awkward. the one who worries about the well-being of others tends to be flynn himself and not someone else worrying about him. what wasted attention. a little blood loss never hurt him before so everything's fine!]

I'm all right, please don't worry. There are others who need medical attention more than I do so I ask that you tend to them instead.

[and thus he attempts to get up. no reason exists to continue eating up any more of jude's time on a day like today. best to return to the battlefield and worry about his arm later.]

[talim]

[ why is it that jude expected him to resist? he shakes his head, a stubborn frown curving his lips. ]

I've been tending to the others who have needed healing as well. I've got it all under control. Don't worry. This isn't something that should just be ignored. There's always a chance that it could get infected if left untreated.

[ sorry, flynn, you're going to have to deal with it. the second he tries to stand back up, jude rests a hand on his other arm and (gently) pushes him right back down. his touch isn't rough, but there's unmistakable strength behind it.

jude gives him a disapproving look before he grasps flynn's hand, peering at the gash across the skin with knit brows. his eyes soften when he looks back up. ]

... I'm going to cast an arte that should dull the pain and close the wound up. After that, I'll clean up the blood and disinfect the area. I managed to get my hands on a first aid kit while everyone was preparing for the attack.

[thatdamnknight]

[leave it to jude to use solid reasoning against flynn. it's the very same argument flynn would've used had their roles been reversed. how unfair. his own stubbornness won't permit him to give in quite so easily, unfortunately. unlike other people, a little injury won't kill him. yes yes, infection and odds and all, however better risk the odds when it comes to himself than to risk someone losing their life because he failed to be there to protect them. obviously a better logic than jude's.

the protesting almost comes. almost. his mouth opens while his body gets into a position to attempt to stand once more. an all too familiar term puts a halt to all of that. what was that just now? artes. jude had said artes, hadn't he? his brows knit in confusion as he stops attempting to get up.]

...You're capable of using artes? As in, arcane and magic artes?

[could jude possibly be from his world? or was this maybe something else?]

[talim]

Huh?

[ jude blinks at him, both confused and startled. he's had to explain artes practically every time he's mentioned them. this is the first time someone's been familiar with the term. ]

... Spirit artes and martial artes, yeah. I've been training in martial artes since I was a kid, and I've always been able to use spirit artes, but going through medical school helped me learn much more about healing artes.

[ he can't let himself get thrown off track. his calloused hands are glowing with the bright white light of mana as he speaks. ]

Can you?

[thatdamnknight]

[flynn eases back into the chair not because he wants to be healed but because he wants to witness said healing. his focus ends up fully on jude's hands. the glow appears almost identical to that of healing artes back home.]

We have healing artes back in my world, as well, but lack anything called spirit artes. Through the use of a blastia, individuals can use powerful martial artes and, if they learn the appropriate formula, magic artes.

[a very layman's explanation, but it'll do. hmm, speaking of blastia, nothing resembling one appears to be on jude's person. quickly scanning him reaffirms that. some instances of people using artes without blastia do occur (like estellise), but very rarely. the lack of a formula accompanying the magic is also very notable. artes but not the artes from back home, huh?]

[talim]

Can't say I've ever heard anything about this blastia thing, but I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that spirit artes and magic artes aren't all that different. Mana is mana.

[ a pause. ]

I'd be interested in knowing more about this blastia, but first, tell me how you're feeling. By now, the pain should be gradually starting to fade.

[thatdamnknight]

Mana? [flynn scrunches his brow. not an unfamiliar term but where... oh!] Ah, I've heard the term before, but...

[something not quite aer, but not quite matter. that's what he recalls overhearing some mages say, anyway, but wasn't it more theoretical than anything else? while mulling that over, he softly smiles at the question.]

It feels as expected after a healing arte.

[the pain subsiding, the flesh patching itself up and then barely a sign a wound had been there to begin with: identical to healing arte used by himself or estellise or anyone else back home.]

[talim]

[ he's not done quite yet, but the relief seeps through his bones. thank goodness. ]

That's good. That means it's working. Give me another minute here. I'm almost finished.

[ when the healing arte begins to flicker into little more than small specks of light, he fumbles for the first-aid kit he has on him, grabbing a bottle of clean water, something to wipe the blood with, and some gauze. ]

You're a lot more receptive to this than you were ten minutes ago. Glad I was able to catch you.

[thatdamnknight]

[a very thorough healing, as expected from someone who'd attended medical school. flynn's impressed.]

My wounds are seldom as bad as they look. [yes they are, his pain tolerance is just higher than normal.] People wasting their strength tending to me while others require it more is why I have a tendency to refuse healing.

[other people go before himself always. simple.]

But thank you, Jude. My arm feels considerably better.

[talim]

You shouldn't have to shove your needs aside for the sake of others, especially when it comes to serious matters like this. You matter too, Flynn, and an injury is an injury. Trust me, I understand, but you can't efficiently help others if you don't take care of yourself.

[ his tone is stern, but it isn't harsh. all things considered, it's rather gentle, but that's to be expected of jude.

he finishes up with the gauze and examines his handiwork with a nod. it looks good. ]

Anytime. Just don't make me chase you down next time.