06-02-2020, 07:05 AM - Word count:
Elise stepped through the shimmering gate and was immediately struck by a wave of heat so intense that she visibly recoiled. Shocked, the cultist ducked back out of the portal for a second to prepare herself before heading back through. Overwhelmed by three gate crossings in quick succession and the kind of heat that she had only felt in ancestral memories, Elise’s knees gave way. The woman held her hand over her mouth as she struggled to keep her stomach under control.
“Gal’skap, why did you bring me here?” She gasped, gagging noisily. The sickness from crossing the gate soon wore off and Elise clambered to her feet, though she still, somehow, looked a little paler than normal.
“What is this foul place?” The scion huffed, hooking a finger under her collar and waving her heavy tunic in an attempt to get a breeze going. After a long moment, she decided to simply get walking and try her best to ignore the heat. After all, Gal’skap had wanted her to come here for a reason.
A few minutes of walking revealed that the heat wasn't going to get any kinder to the Northwoman. She would have quickly been drenched, had her ability to sweat not inexplicably failed years ago. Elise was cursing the heat when she heard the sound of something on stone not far away and absent-mindededly glanced its direction. When she found herself staring at a bizarre lizard-like creature, easily as tall as the cultist was herself, she paused briefly, wondering if it was simply the heatstroke setting in. The lizard had noticed her too and had a similar reaction, merely watching her idly.
The staring contest was broken as the lizard opened its maw and hissed before throwing itself across the ash and stone towards Elise. The scion took a moment to react, believing for a second that Gal’skap would intervene before it could really hurt her. She quickly realised, however, that Gal’skap may not bother to protect a scion who let herself get ripped apart by the first monster she saw, so she quickly turned tail and ran. The lizard was surprisingly fast as it pursued its prey, who was currently spouting off prayers of protection as she zig-zagged across the crusted ash in her best attempt to outpace the beast.
“Praise Gal’skap, Mad king of the Old Gods, may he shield his faithful from harm!” She shrieked, hearing the jaws of the lizard snap shut inches behind her head. “Praise to the ancestors! Glory to Aster the Mad, the first scion! Glory to Wulfrik the Pious, the second scion! Glory to-”
Before Elise could list off all of the scions before her, she realised that she was running into a dead end in the form of a wall of stone rising out of the ground. The cultist momentarily wondered if Gal’skap had decided to kill her off as some sort of lesson before she noticed a crevice in the bedrock, too small for the lizard but possibly large enough for herself. Seeing no other option, Elise hurled herself into the crevice. The skinny priestess threw her torso into the crevice easily before her hips caught on the mouth. A little squirming and the cultist slipped through, landing face-first on the other side.
“Haha! Gal’skap protects!” The scion crowed triumphantly. The beast hissed furiously as it hurled its body at the crevice, clawing at the stone in a desperate attempt to reach its prey. As the lizard raged outside, Elise picked herself up off the ground and glanced around. The crevice opened up into a small cavern which trailed off into the stone. Small seams of lava dotted the cavern, providing the only light as the berserk monster outside blocked off the entrance. Deciding that she wasn't going to be getting out through the lizard, the cultist pulled out her omnillium and summoned up a lantern before taking off into the darkness.
“Gal’skap, why did you bring me here?” She gasped, gagging noisily. The sickness from crossing the gate soon wore off and Elise clambered to her feet, though she still, somehow, looked a little paler than normal.
“What is this foul place?” The scion huffed, hooking a finger under her collar and waving her heavy tunic in an attempt to get a breeze going. After a long moment, she decided to simply get walking and try her best to ignore the heat. After all, Gal’skap had wanted her to come here for a reason.
A few minutes of walking revealed that the heat wasn't going to get any kinder to the Northwoman. She would have quickly been drenched, had her ability to sweat not inexplicably failed years ago. Elise was cursing the heat when she heard the sound of something on stone not far away and absent-mindededly glanced its direction. When she found herself staring at a bizarre lizard-like creature, easily as tall as the cultist was herself, she paused briefly, wondering if it was simply the heatstroke setting in. The lizard had noticed her too and had a similar reaction, merely watching her idly.
The staring contest was broken as the lizard opened its maw and hissed before throwing itself across the ash and stone towards Elise. The scion took a moment to react, believing for a second that Gal’skap would intervene before it could really hurt her. She quickly realised, however, that Gal’skap may not bother to protect a scion who let herself get ripped apart by the first monster she saw, so she quickly turned tail and ran. The lizard was surprisingly fast as it pursued its prey, who was currently spouting off prayers of protection as she zig-zagged across the crusted ash in her best attempt to outpace the beast.
“Praise Gal’skap, Mad king of the Old Gods, may he shield his faithful from harm!” She shrieked, hearing the jaws of the lizard snap shut inches behind her head. “Praise to the ancestors! Glory to Aster the Mad, the first scion! Glory to Wulfrik the Pious, the second scion! Glory to-”
Before Elise could list off all of the scions before her, she realised that she was running into a dead end in the form of a wall of stone rising out of the ground. The cultist momentarily wondered if Gal’skap had decided to kill her off as some sort of lesson before she noticed a crevice in the bedrock, too small for the lizard but possibly large enough for herself. Seeing no other option, Elise hurled herself into the crevice. The skinny priestess threw her torso into the crevice easily before her hips caught on the mouth. A little squirming and the cultist slipped through, landing face-first on the other side.
“Haha! Gal’skap protects!” The scion crowed triumphantly. The beast hissed furiously as it hurled its body at the crevice, clawing at the stone in a desperate attempt to reach its prey. As the lizard raged outside, Elise picked herself up off the ground and glanced around. The crevice opened up into a small cavern which trailed off into the stone. Small seams of lava dotted the cavern, providing the only light as the berserk monster outside blocked off the entrance. Deciding that she wasn't going to be getting out through the lizard, the cultist pulled out her omnillium and summoned up a lantern before taking off into the darkness.
Roster: https://reomniverse-rp.com/showthread.php?tid=216
Purchases Log: https://reomniverse-rp.com/showthread.php?tid=215
In a move that the voices in my head are calling reckless, unhinged and downright idiotic, I, Scion of Madness Elise, will be lighting the ocean on fire!
Purchases Log: https://reomniverse-rp.com/showthread.php?tid=215
In a move that the voices in my head are calling reckless, unhinged and downright idiotic, I, Scion of Madness Elise, will be lighting the ocean on fire!