farsickness

Entry tags:

xue yang | the untamed

OPEN

WHO: Wei Wuxian + other brave adventurers!
WHEN: Arrival and shortly thereafter
WHAT: Arrival + monster hunt
WHERE: Gazin + Vasari Forest
WARNINGS: to be added as needed

AROUNDTOWN.

Wei Wuxian’s arrival was nothing spectacular. In fact, he arrived injured and spent several days recuperating from his injury. Once the wound is on the mend, it’s only a matter of time before Wei Wuxian is back to his usual self. He would’ve been back on the streets exploring sooner if not for the stern insistence of his companion (who happened to be the one who stitched up and bandaged his injury). Amazing what a good bit of needlework and some bandages can do for one’s disposition.

So, he takes to the streets of Gazin, trying to find other familiar faces from his world. Anything familiar would be nice. The town is filled with people wearing clothing he doesn’t recognize. Some give him sidelong glances as he passes by as if he is the oddity in his dark robes. Even the architecture is different. There’s one thing that’s familiar though: a tavern. Wei Wuxian ducks inside the place, still feeling a little weak. Since he’s penniless, he’ll have to rely on his charm to get a bite to eat and a pot of wine to drink.

NIGHTHUNT.

The new friends he made at the tavern were certainly forthcoming with information. They tell him of places with fantastic creatures and mysterious happenings. While Roselake sounds like the work of some spell, the adventure of the Vasari Forest to the South piques his interest more. Besides, cultivators are supposed to banish monsters and exorcise spirits.

It probably isn’t the best idea. Though he’s armed with his sword, Suibian, and Lan Zhan at his side, he’s still recovering from being stabbed. And, as a cultivator with such a weak golden core, he’s not sure how effectively he can manipulate the spiritual weapon to do his bidding. His martial sword skills aren’t so bad, though. Hopefully, they’ll be enough. It’s too late to turn back now. In the distance, he hears a commotion and rushes in to join the fray.

The monster doesn’t surprise him in the least. After all, cultivators deal in monsters and spirits every day. He isn’t sure which, if any, of his tricks might work in this place against an unfamiliar beast. There’s enough action going on around him that he’s able to slice a finger on his blade and quickly draw the characters of the evil attraction flag on his dark clothes. It’s hard to see the stained blood on black robes, but it doesn’t have to be seen to be effective in luring a thing with resentful energy. If it works, his new companions now have human bait with which to direct the creature.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The stories about the forest were enough to have him curious as well, looking for an outlet to replace what would normally be hunting the corpses and spirits he usually fought and the monsters should provide an equal challenge. Not that he goes alone, bringing Wen Qing along after she'd asked when he'd mentioned his intentions.

So after nightfall, the forest was alive with sounds and the commotion is what drew the two of them in the direction of a specific area. Not that getting there was uneventful but it was moe minor crearures that fell to his whip.

Arriving in the clearing though, had him stopped dead in his tracks for a moment, gaze locking on a figure in dark robes before darting to Lan Wangji and then back to the other figure that he was clearly protecting.

Then he shakes himself and moves in, the crackle of lightning joining the battle as he brings Zidian into play.

She had been eager for the opportunity to venture deeper into Vasari Forest than she would dare go alone, and in such good company as well. A chance to test her skill with her newly forged fighting needles, she had said.

As a physician, seeking battle isn't really what Wen Qing does unless circumstances are truly dire. Thus, she is quite content to let Jiang Cheng take the lead in their hunt while she and her needles provide backup, not that he has truly needed it yet.

She already knows it will be different this time when she hears the commotion of a proper battle, roars and snarls which are bound to attract even more predator if this isn't finished quickly. Her eyes widen at the sight of Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian right in the middle of trouble and she curses under her breath, her eyes going to Jiang Cheng.

The now-familiar flash of purple has her fall back to the edge of the clearing, needles aimed to pick off anything that tries to sneak up on the other cultivators.

The natives could tell him more about the monsters here, but that didn't mean they were able to fight them. Xiao Xingchen could, and so he immediately started doing what he's always done - night hunting.

His companion ventures out with him, as he's always done too, even if Xingchen had gently tried to discourage him. He should rest more after working so many hours to support them. It's dangerous but Xingchen will be alright. Shuanghua will still warn him of trouble, and he is still quick with his blade. All of it seemed to fall on deaf ears, because when Xingchen headed out, his friend was already getting the door for him.

His steps are careful, navigating the terrain with an unsheated blade as easily as a sighted man. He's already started getting familiar with some of the pitfalls of the forest. Xingchen turns his head sharply in the direction of the commotion, a mixture of sounds, beastly snarls but human footsteps too.

"This way. Hurry!"

Xingchen rushes in that direction to join the fight, leaping over a fallen tree and cutting away some underbrush. He doesn't know who he's joining yet. It doesn't matter.

The work he does here is boring for the most part, but it pays enough for his means that he doesn't bother looking for something more interesting. Too tired for a night hunt? Really, Xingchen.

Xue Yang sticks close to his heels as their pace increases, ready to stop a fall or interrupt an unnoticed attack should either come. But Xiao Xingchen is simply too good for either of that to happen, and they follow the new sounds of battle, faster and faster. It doesn't matter to him where they go, or what they fight.

...Oh. He resists the sigh when they burst through the underbrush into the clearing and he recognizes the other cultivators.

Oh well.

Jiangzai is out and in full double-bladed glory, but seeing Wen Qing with only her needles has him pause again, then grimace in annoyance. He reaches down to pull out his spare blade which is then tossed to her when she glances his way. Alliances are boring but...maybe he'll get lucky and this one will just show his intentions here...?

Then he's back at Xingchen's side, shoulders and expression set as he makes sure nothing gets too close to get under the other's guard.

There’s no indication that his spell is working. This beast doesn’t seem to take much note of him at all. That’s a pity. Then again, they aren’t in their world and this isn’t some sort of undead monster—
which means his fluting won’t work either. Well, at least having to rely on his martial prowess put him on the same footing with the others. While dodging chomping jaws and stomping feet, Wei Wuxian finally draws Suibian and takes his place in a proper fighting stance beside Lan Wangji.

A quick glance around and… He pales at the sight of too many familiar faces. He has a spare second to wonder on what brought them here. Probably the same thing that brought Wei Wuxian here: a monster to defeat. As cultivators, it’s their duty to defend those who cannot defend themselves. Of course, they’d end up here.

“It reacts to movement!” Like any predator.

Well, he'd tried to bring Zidian into play but it fizzled out after the first few moments, meaning he's drawing his sword, although he hesitates for a moment when he actually catches sight of the sword in the stranger's hand.

Except he knows that sword. His fingers tighten around the hilt of his own sword and then his focus is back on the monster, just managing to avoid getting hit as he looks for an opening.

Why? What? It is all she can do not to bury her face in her hands in pure dismay when Xue Yang shows up following Xiao Xingchen.

She'll be lucky if they don't forget all about the creature to tear another into pieces at this rate...

She catches the blade that comes flying her way, even if her catch is a little clumsy, and gives Xue Yang a quick, grateful nod.

The moment Zidian fizzles out, her heart clenches, a sudden, irrational fear of his core! nearly making her rush forward before she catches herself. Far more reasonably, she darts to a closer vantage point, dagger in her left and a handful of needles in her right hand. She tries to find an opening but with five people fighting it now, there are just too many moving bodies for a clear line of fire and she is left to scowl and impatiently wait for the battlefield to clear a little.

Edited 2020-02-15 15:03 (UTC)

Different world, different creatures, different rules. It's not surprising, but it does make their job that much harder.

Movement. Xingchen grows still at that tip, focusing more on the sounds of its movement, the added breeze when it turns and even the creature's body heat when it nears. All of these things help to form an image of what he can't see, enables him to leap up and seek an opening when it tries to strike first.

He does a quick check when he lands, but he doesn't smell blood. So far, so good, at least where his companions are concerned.

"Let me distract it."

Unless the monster has multiple heads, that could surely allow the others to get in some good strikes.

No. He has a better idea. Xue Yang does a quick step after sticking close to Xingchen, and tugs on his sleeve to pull him back from the monster. "Daozhang, I need you to help protect someone while the rest of us deal with this. She only has my dagger."

Yep. Making use of Wen Qing having less to fight with, and leaning on his friend's sense of honor.

"Besides," he casts a careless grin at anyone who happens to look at him. "There are plenty of us now."

"Too many even."

Beau's not the stealthiest of individuals, but with this many people -- and a massive monster -- in the clearing, there's enough distraction that she can (hopefully) make a bit of an entrance, smoothly slipping out from between trees and shrubbery.

She recognizes faces at a brief glance. Not from having introduced herself or talked to anyone, no, but from having been observant. With their swords out and ready for battle, they seem like Beau's kind of people.

"Race ya for first hit!" she calls before running forward towards the beast. She does not hesitate but lengthens her stride, using the creature's knee to push her up, allowing her to attack with two strikes of her fist.

Of course, if anyone else is quicker...

"Being wherever chaos is" was certainly a good description for WangJi. So, of course, he is there. More importantly, he is wherever WuXian is. If anyone had expected anything else, they were surely in for a surprise.

WangJi had his attentions on the beast, placing himself in such a way as to keep WuXian guarded during his attempts to spells and the flute. Given this thing was not dead, he was honestly not surprised, but it had still been worth the attempt.

It was far too large and there were too many people around now for him to consider using his guqin. He'd more likely to injure someone else in their uncoordinated attacks, so he had Bichen out, the nearly transparent blade glowing blue in the dark. A good way to spot where he was...

He wasn't necessarily trying to be the first one to hit, but that didn't really stop him from trying to attack, aiming for the legs to try and bring it down so it will be easier to handle.

His eyes track the familiar blade, only catching the stranger for a moment before his own attack lands in a completely different area, dropping back after that to glance in Wen Qing's direction enough to acknowledge she's at least still safe where he'd left her.

And then he's back focusing on the beast.

Now armed with Xue Yang's dagger and one more fighter throwing herself into the fray, Wen Qing feels some restlessness to throw herself into battle as well. She ruthlessly squashes it down. The hardest thing about being a battlefield doctor is how much time you spend standing around waiting, conserving your own strength for when you can put it to use best.

"Be mindful, we don't know if it's venomous," she says, her voice calm and pitched to carry over the noises of the battlefield. Not a necessary reminder as such but she's not sure if everyone involved in this particular would care about being poisoned - and while she's eager to become useful, she's not that eager.

Suddenly the beast is rearing in her direction to escape the brunt of attack coming from the other side and it gives her an opening to send a handful of needles flying, narrowly but precisely missing the fighters to pierce the thing's eye. When you don't know enough about something's anatomy to immobilize it effectively, going for the eyes is always a safe bet, after all.

Xingchen turns his head in the direction of Beau's voice. Another person added to their party, and eager enough that she surely has skills. It would have to be a fierce monster to get the best of all of them. So he nods, a little reluctant, but Xue Yang knows him well.

"Then I will assist her until the danger is dealt with."

A dagger isn't enough, and she's important to his friend. As a doctor, she's important to everyone. He quickly appears a step in front of her, blocking a strike when the beast tries to retaliate for the needle attack. Other than that, Xingchen takes up a defensive position.

"Lady Wen, are you still unharmed?"

He smiles at Xingchen, giving his arm a brief squeeze before launching himself after the beast- aiming to attack from the other side as Xingchen. And for his part, Jiangzai is carefully aimed away from the other cultivators. Should any of their blades slip in his direction though, he'll roll his eyes and ignore the stabs.

Just another night hunt.

Another day in the life of Xue Yang.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

OPEN

Night hunt

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject